Ilia (The Legend of Zelda)

“	But, Link... Can you at least promise me this? No matter what happens on your journey, don't try to do anything...out of your league. Please. Just come home safely.	„
	~ Ilia

Ilia is a character from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. She is the daughter of Mayor Bo, childhood friend to Link, and good friends with the Children of Ordon. She is very close to nature and loves animals, and notably very fond of Link's horse, Epona.

Biography[]

Ilia is first seen guiding Epona to the Spirit's Spring after Link helped Rusl bring back loads of wood. Fado calls for Link to help him with herding the goats, but Epona is needed for the job. Link enters the Spring to see that Ilia had brought her there to get her cleaned up. She lets Link have her back and asks him to play the Horse Grass for her; he does, which made Epona rush over to Link. She admits that she still could not master it, and reminds Link that Epona is female and expects him to treat her like one.

The following day which is Link and Epona's times off, Ilia is in her house all day working on something, and tells her father not to allow Link inside as to not be disturbed.

The next day which is the day that Link is supposed to head to Hyrule Castle to present the Ordon Sword and Shield to Princess Zelda. Ilia greets Link, who is coming back from rounding up the goats for Fado. She soon becomes upset when she spots an injury on Epona, and chastises Link for his recklessness and snapped at her father when he defends him. She leads Epona towards the Spring to treat it, disregarding the fact that Link needs Epona to travel to Hyrule Castle. She refuses to give Epona back to Link and Colin tells Link to use the small tunnel to get in, while he explains to Ilia that he had to jump over the locked fence on the way to Faron Woods to save Talo and the Monkey from the monsters the previous day. She realizes she misunderstood the situation and somewhat begrudgingly admits that Epona preferred Link over her, and lets him know that the wound isn't too serious and tells him to come home safely. Their moment was short-lived, and they are ambushed by King Bulblin; Ilia is struck down by one of the Bulbin archers and everyone in the vicinity (save for Link who was only knocked out) are spirited away and Talo, Malo, and Beth are subsequently taken as well.

King Bulbin and his horde drop off the children at Kakariko Village while Ilia is imprisoned at the abandoned Hidden Village where the only resident there was Impaz. Ilia eventually escaped and leaves a Horse's Charm with Impaz and tells her to hold on to it, so she can give it to Link when he liberates the village. While fleeing her confinement, she comes across a Zora Prince named Ralis, who had been attacked by Zant's forces while he was en route to the castle to warn Princess Zelda of what was happening at Zora's Domain. Ralis falls ill due to a significant time away from the water, and Ilia brings him to Telma's Bar at Hyrule Castle Town, and looks after him with Telma.

After Link rids the Lanayru Providence of Twilight with help from Midna. He heads to Telma's Bar where he witnesses Dr. Borville leaving upon refusing to give the Zora Prince a full examination. Ilia despairs over Ralis's fate, until she learns that there is someone in Kakariko Village who might heal him from his condition. The castle guards volunteer to escort them, but they soon flee when Telma lets them know that there will be danger and notices Link, who agrees to help them. Ilia sees Link, but she is unable to recognize him. Telma sees that he knows Ilia very well and explains that she does not remember her own name either, which is clear that she lost her memory at an unknown point in time. Upon learning that the Bridge of Eldin is out due to the Shadow Beasts warping the portion of the bridge away. Ilia rides on the back of the wagon with Prince Ralis while Telma takes the reins up front. Link fights King Bulblin alone on the Great Bridge of Hylia and manages to make Ilia's kidnapper fall into Lake Hylia below. After that, Link fends off several monsters that wish them harm along the way.

Upon arrival, Ilia is at the Inn, where Ralis is tended to by the other kids. She is deeply impress by the kindness of the children and that of Link, but due to amnesia, she is not aware that it was because they know and care about her. Ilia later spends the rest of the game at the Sanctuary, where she tells Link that she is capable of sensing Epona's feelings.

When Link acquires a Mirror Shard from the Temple of Time after defeating Armoghoma, Renardo notifies Link through mail, giving him some insight on how to help treat Ilia's condition. It appears that her memory is starting to improve, but she still refers to Link as a complete stranger. He shows the letter to Telma where she provides an invoice to Dr. Borville, who isn't too thrilled that he has to pay up, but lets Link into his office anyway where he explained he had taken the Wooden Statue from Ilia when he brought her in. After some investigating, Link comes across the scent of medicine which the doctor had spilt earlier and it lead to Telma's cat Louise, who admits that she stole it from Borville and lost it to a gang of Stalhounds and instructs Link to wait until sundown as they only appear at night to get it back. Ilia is given the Wooden Statue, where she is able to recall where she got it from and realizes that the person who helped her escape is in trouble, prompting the Goron patriarch Darbus to head to the Hidden Village, which got covered by a rockslide earlier. After Link obliterates all the Bulblins there, a grateful Impaz gives Link the Horse's Charm and tells him to bring it back to Ilia. Upon doing so, Ilia not only recognized the Charm that she had been working on before her kidnapping, she even remembers Link as her friend since their earliest days and the children witness it through the window. Ilia lets Link keep the Horse's Charm so he can call Epona anytime.

After Link and Princess Zelda defeat Ganondorf, Ilia and the other children are brought home where they are reunited with their parents, and Ilia with her father. She is last seen watching Link taking his leave of Ordon Village.