"Where's your head today?"
Link's distant eyes flinched as his train of thought came skittering back to reality. His gaze averted around the garden courtyard prior to falling on the Princess Zelda who was looking at him with intrigue in her expression.
"I don't know what you mean," the green-clad Hylian man replied.
"You're completely inattentive. I understand your lack of interest in minor politics, but at least you've recently been able to fake like you're paying attention. What're you thinking about?" Zelda queried as she set aside a sheaf of appeals and merged all the attention she could spare for Link's confession.
The Hero of Time sat opposite of the Hylian princess with one booted foot brought to his chest while the other stretched out in front of him on the paved garden walk. He was resting his arm and head on his knee while his thoughts wandered from one end of his psyche to the other. There was a noticeable difference in his alertness, but considering the circumstances, his full attention was irrelevant. He was appreciative when the royal family included him with the major political decisions of the country's newfound prosperity, but when Zelda wrangled him into being her assistant with the her daily routine of monotonous duties, Link typically attempted to convince her of any excuse available that would exempt the Hylian man from the fate of a dull day.
"I'm fine," Link responded. He lifted his cheek from his knee and rested his chin in its place to get a better look at his questioner. She was giving him that incredulous look that Link had become to know quite well. The princess had a knack for sifting through Link's deception. Whether he was merely fibbing or outright lying to the princess didn't matter. When she stared at him with her head slightly cocked and lips pursed Link knew that she wasn't believing any word from his mouth, and this moment was no different from any of the past.
"Really," Link tried to emphasize. "There's nothing out of the ordinary on my mind." He was not entirely being untruthful the second time he spoke. It was correct that his thoughts were not atypical, but he was still being stubborn with divulging to Zelda, and she was not going to sit there and tolerate his silent obstinacy.
"You are well aware that you cannot lie to me, so why do you insist on trying? I will wheedle out what's plaguing you eventually. The sooner you talk to me the sooner you can get it over with," Zelda's voice was almost like that of a mother goading her son out of an insecure shell. The Princess of Hyrule certainly had a maternal sense in her persona, and despite its irritating qualities, it would be a very beneficial factor for a future queen. Link's shoulders heaved. She was right; he could not deny it. Regardless of the degree which Link took his stubbornness, Zelda would still persist, and her perseverance surpassed Link's obstinacy. He did not enjoy that particular attribute of the royal woman.
"I wasn't lying when I said it wasn't out of the ordinary. It's a jumble of all of the recent issues. The Shadow Temple still needs to be purged, Darunia has requested my attendance at the Festival of Independence, and I still have to meet with your father about the homeland security propositions. The works doesn't stop even after the evil is gone. Then there's the constant threat of repetition. You know what I mean. Peace may reign, but evil never retreats. It only hides until it's fully recuperated. I don't know. I guess it's just all piling up when I hoped I would have a few days of relaxation," Link unfolded a layer of his thoughts. His position never changed although his eyes did flit between the pave stones and Zelda's on looking expression. At one point his eyes met with hers and they locked as Link anticipated her response.
She did immediately speak. She seemed to study him for a moment, filtering his words and coming to a conclusion that caught Link completely off guard.
"It's Malon, isn't it?" the princess asked.
The Hero of Time's knee dropped from under his chin and he nearly tumbled forward onto the garden walk. His eyes had widened momentarily as he regained his composure after hearing the unforeseen prediction.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Link asked as if he was entirely ignorant of the subject.
"You know exactly what I mean," Zelda said. "You may be stressing about all of those other things, but I know you, and you handle that particular stress in an entirely different method. You're detached and there's only ever been one reason for that. You're worried about her."
Link was baffled although he would never admit it. It astonished him that on top of her royal duties Zelda still could find the energy and the talent to chisel at his stony expression to find the core of his discomfort. He hadn't even mentioned the ranch owner's daughter, although he had been thinking about her. Zelda was completely right in her assumption, and she knew it.
"What has you so worried? She's perfectly safe at the ranch. She's taking care of herself and her father. She's happy," Zelda said while trying to provoke Link to unleash his true issues. The Hero of Time had been left speechless, but he knew he could not leave Zelda without a response. Otherwise, she would never let go of the topic, and Link would be plagued by her incessant concern until he did finally break.
"I know she's doing fine and that she's happy and all, but . . . I don't know. She just confuses me. It's not her fault, don't get me wrong, but I try to visit her when I actually have free time. Except, when I do visit I always feel guilty for pulling her away from her work. She works too much though, and it does concern me that she's going to exhaust herself one day."
"She's a hard worker. I respect that, especially since that father of hers can hardly stay awake long enough to offer his aid."
"I respect that too. I admire her work ethic. But even when I do feel guilty for interrupting her, I still enjoy spending time with her, and I wish I could visit more often. Now I can't even think of my next day off from my civil duties," Link drew a sigh deep from his lungs and blew upward at the tufts of blonde hair protruding from beneath his green cap. He was unaware of the quaint smirk adorning Zelda's facial features. Her eyes were swimming with the ideas of just how she could help resolve this problem. It not only excited Zelda to help, but she thrived off of the opportunities to lend her assistance to those in need. She was the princess of a prosperous country. It was her obligation to help in any and all ways possible, but she was fortunate in that she also got enjoyment from it.
"You know," the princess began, "the Goron festival isn't for another week, the Shadow Temple isn't about to rise up and walk away, and the meeting with my father can always be pushed back to another day. I think you should take the rest of today off and go visit Malon. You need it, and I'm sure she would appreciate an unexpected call."
Zelda's eyes were beaming with satisfaction, but she was not foolish. She knew her offer would be met with resistance. That was the problem with heroes. They may have been courageous and strong and dedicated, but that dedication and virtue went two ways. Link was determined to devote all of his time to the good fortune of his country. His own pleasures were typically the last thing to cross his mind, which was possibly the reason behind this sudden session. Link's head lifted and his jaw set as he challenged Zelda's offer.
"No, Zelda. I cannot skip over my duties just because of my own personal entanglements. It's just not done. I have an obligation to Hyrule, and if I let personal matters get in the way of that, then who knows what might befall the community. I just can't. I wish I could, but I can't," Link said in a tone of voice that betrayed his thick coat of emotional armor. His words registered in Zelda's mind, but she wasn't listening to his excuse. She gathered her gown and stood up from the garden bench. She offered her hand to the dejected Hero of Time and nodded her head at the garden path.
"Let's walk," she said.
Link almost unwillingly took her hand and pulled himself up from the stone bench and began to walk beside her down the paved stones. It was a decent sunny day and the flowers in the courtyard glittered with morning dew. It was a beautiful sight that went unnoticed as the two Hylians meandered in silence.
"You really do like to help people, don't you?" Zelda broke the silence.
"Of course. Hyrule is my home, and I love the people here. I'd do anything to help them," Link replied without breaking his gaze ahead.
"I understand. It is a wonderful country, and the citizens are the best I could ever hope for," Zelda said and paused for another short interval of silence. "Malon is a Hylian citizen. You agree, right?"
"Of course she is," Link stated matter-of-factly. He was not oblivious to Zelda's intentions, but for the sake of Zelda's desire to help, he did not stop her.
"I'm sure she could always use an extra hand with her farm work. She's enjoy the company too. Helping her would be just like helping any other resident of Hyrule."
"Zelda . . ."
"Wouldn't you agree? You cannot deny that by visiting Malon you would be helping your country, and besides, you want to. It is so blatant in your eyes."
"I might want to, Zelda, but I can't. You of all people should understand. Personal and business affairs should never be intertwined. It can only result in destruction, and if Malon were to be caught up in something harmful, then I wouldn't be able to live it down. I want to protect her, not put her directly in the path of danger."
"For Goddess' sake, Link, she wants to see you! You will be doing no harm in simply seeing the woman. You care so much as to deprive her of your presence just because you think she'll be in danger with you around. If anything she'll be safer at your side. Who else could protect her as you could?"
"I won't be around as much as any other man could be! Any other man could provide her with his time and care without the hassle of public affairs and country-wide issues. I can't give her the attention she deserves. I never could."
"Do you hear yourself?" Zelda asked while coming to an abrupt halt. She turned to face Link and tilted her head back to look directly into his eyes. "You're speaking as if she has no choice in the matter. It is not up to you to decide what she can and cannot have. She's an independent woman who has taken a liking to you, Goddess forbid, and she wants to be with you. Link, she loves you."
Link turned to meet Zelda's intense gaze. She had spoken words that were both raw and truthful, and Link did not want to endure the stress until Zelda said the words that struck a chord deep within him. His eyes searched wildly through Zelda's expression for something, anything, that would make sense of what she said.
"What?" Link said once he found his voice. It was all he could think to say despite the fact that it did not correspond well with what Zelda had said.
"She loves you, Link. You love her too."
He couldn't respond. Memories and thoughts were ricocheting everywhere within his head. Love had always been something foreign to him. It was something he knew of and witnessed every day of his life in other people, but he wasn't sure of what it felt like or how to recognize it. He loved Hyrule, but he couldn't compare that emotion to what he felt buried deep within him for the rancher's daughter. He couldn't even put a name to whatever it had been lurching in the pit of his stomach each time he heard Malon's name or thought of her beautiful features against the background of the ranch where she lived. But, Zelda identified it, and Link felt stuck. He felt as if he had been sprinting full force and was met with an unyielding wall that he had not seen before it was too late. The breath left his lungs; realization was dawning on his undereducated mind and Link was at a loss for how to react.
Gradually Link was beginning to come to a state of mind where his emotions and his thoughts mingled into a coherent statement that explained to him what was occurring. Logic and comprehension were unnecessary for understanding what coursed through Link's inner self; it was simply love.
Link put his hands forward and grasped Zelda's shoulders. He felt as if words alone were not sufficient in expressing his gratitude for his friend's harsh concern. She was tough, but her durability evidently had the best effect when dealing with Link's stubborn personality.
"Thank you," Link said clearly before a shining smile spread across his cheeks. He bent forward and kissed her cheek in gratitude before releasing her shoulders and turning on heel to sprint down and out of the garden path.
It was an awkward sight to see the Hero of Time running full-pace off the castle grounds and through Castletown. He did not break stride through the town nor once he had reached the field. If anything his pace quickened once he stepped foot off the drawbridge. His destination loomed in the near distance, and each step brought him closer, and that alone was enough to evoke energy that Link never thought he was experience again.
He rushed over the threshold of the Lon Lon Ranch entrance gate and continued to rapidly hurry forward with his eyes searching wildly from left to right in search of the red-haired ranch hand. She was not hard to find. Her schedule was followed with the utmost dedication, and this was the hour when she would be exercising the horses in the corral. Her voice was the first clue as to her immediate location. A melody that Link knew all too well lingered on the wind and reached his slanted ears. He slowed to a halt at the corral gate. Her back faced him, but he could see that she was swaying lightly to the beat of her own music. It was the ideal opportunity. He heaved one last shuddering breath and approached the woman who had stolen his dreams.
She did not hear the crunch of grass beneath his boots as Link drew closer, and once he was within hand's reach, he grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face him eye-to-eye. Her song abruptly cut off in mid-note and she initially struggled amidst of the confusion of who had grabbed her, but as his image registered in her eyes, her brow furrowed and she prepared to speak her bewilderment before Link interjected with his own surprising words.
"Marry me."
It was not posed as a question, although Link expected an answer of yes or no. Malon's eyes flickered back and forth. She adopted an expression of shock, mostly, but as she delved deeper into the situation, enthusiasm melted through the surprise and she suddenly looked at Link with a teary-eyed happiness that she had kept bundled within her for an innumerable amount of days.
"I don't know what's brought about this whole thing . . ." Malon's voice was a sweet as her song.
"I've been foolish and selfish and all around idiotic, but a good friend talked some sense into me, and my head is now clear enough to realize that I want to be at your side through life to protect you and give you the care that I feel for you. Malon . . ." Link paused. "I love you."
The rancher girl slipped her hand into that of the Hylian man's. She brought her face up to his and placed her palm on his cheek while locking the gaze between their eyes. She blinked a single tear down the side of her face and she could feel her chest heaving and her lip beginning to quiver before she reached up and pressed a kiss onto his lips.
"Yes," Malon answered her fiancé when she drew back. "I love you too."