She sighed, tired in so many different ways. With a gentle touch, she nudged the softly snoring man sitting on the delivery cart beside her. He awoke with a snort and a start. He stared down at the girl and gave a sleepy smile. She grinned back and gave a little tug to the reins, spurring the horses on.
"'S wrong, kiddo?" he asked her, blinking sleepily.
She shook her head, her thick locks of fiery red hair shimmying over her shoulders. Her father nodded complacently and once again slumped in her seat. The morning sun was pouring over the two of them. The small, worn cart carrying the two crates of milk rumbled along the little dirt pathway to the castle. The girl led the cart over the drawbridge to Castle Town. To the left was the soldier that guarded the entranceway. He nodded a small hello at her and she smiled kindly and gave a tiny wave. Her father beside her had fallen asleep again and she nudged him.
"Huh? Oh," he murmured and saluted the guard.
As they merged into the rest of the crowd, the going got tougher. The pace slowed, the horses became much more nervous. She waited out the crowd, patiently biding her time, leading her horses onward when she got the chance. Finally, she stopped the cart. She looked over at her father. She tapped his shoulder.
"Dad," she said, shaking him. "I need to get off now. They won't let me into the castle."
There was a grumble as the dark haired farmer awoke. He looked at his daughter, slowly comprehending.
"Oh, oh, right," he murmured. "You're a good kid. I'll be back soon."
"You promised you'd be quick this time, remember?"
"Yes, of course. I promise." She gave him a look he knew. "I said, I promised, kiddo," he laughed, ruffling her hair as she hopped down from the delivery cart. "I'll be back soon."
She nodded and looked up at him as he took the reins. She watched her father and the horses as they slowly clopped away down the little road that led to Hyrule Castle. She sighed once more, then turned to the cart set up beside the entrance to the back alley. The big, burly attendant didn't bother to look up from his task. The girl slid silently over to the front of the cart and stared up at him.
"What can I get you?" he asked just before he finally looked at her. He grinned. "Hey, Malon! How are you, my girl?"
The redhead smiled. "I'm fine. Everything's been going pretty good."
"Where's Talon? Weekly delivery to Hyrule Castle?" he asked. Malon nodded and smiled again. "Anyway, I give you the usual?"
Another enthusiastic nod and she waited as she took the warm meat patty from the vendor. He took her money, their special agreed price remaining true. Malon took her patty to the side of the well that was facing Hyrule Castle and sat on the edge of it. She ignored the eyes upon her back and the whispers that were starting. She had learned long ago that this was normal. She'd been coming to Castle Town for a long time and she knew how things worked.
Already, the gossip was beginning.