Chapter One
SUMMARY
Link has always been confident that Malon would always be waiting for him, for they were best friends and that's what best friends do. He had anticipated a long fight, but in the last battle, Ganondorf somehow escapes death and runs away. Angered, Link does all he can to find Ganon to vanquish him once and for all… even if it takes months.
Meanwhile, the great King of Thieves find his way to Lon Lon Ranch… and in the care of one blue-eyed woman. Slowly, he realises that the girl, Malon, is friends with the Hero of Time, and decides very quickly to use her. But never did he think…
Malon waits for Link… and while she waits… she finds someone else…
- - -
He had his eyes closed, memorizing the way the sun warmed his face and the wind tugging playfully on his clothes. He took a moment to breathe in the scent of grass, the way it tickled his nose, and the sound of leaves in the background and the grazing horses. He tried extremely hard to remember the feel of his beating heart and the pulse of his veins and her presence in front of him.
He did not want to open his eyes, because he did not want to face hers, furrowed with worry and sadness.
"Link," she said, a voice that fit well alongside the wind and the sun and the cloudless sky.
Hesitantly, he opened his eyes and was faced, as he had guessed, her sorrowful ones.
"Malon," he said, torn as to where to begin.
She pressed her lips together and attempted a cheerful smile. "Be careful."
He smiled encouragingly, as bravely as he could, and said, "Of course I will."
She handed him a bottle of milk and said, "Promise you'll come back."
Pulling the bottle close, he promised with a solid nod, "I will."
She smiled and rocked back on her heels in relief.
Decked out in green with Master Sword and Hylian Shield, he felt as confident as he could. Although he knew it was time, he couldn't help but feel a slight nudge at his heart. The thought of him not surviving had occurred to him one too many times, but it was his duty to save Hyrule.
With another exchange of smiles, he climbed onto Epona and off they went. He dared not say "goodbye", for he feared it might be for the very last time.
His only easing thought was that he knew she would wait for him.
With Epona, they galloped across the Hylian Fields, the sun turning to the moon. The still night air, broken by skeletons tearing through the ground, was one he incorporated into his memories forever. The night had been the foreshadowing of what was to come, a great battle that may take days and weeks.
She would be waiting for him.
Dashing through town, he sprinted for the castle that reflected the eerie sky of dark clouds. Conjuring up a courage he had always possessed, he unsheathed his sword and shield and stormed into the castle and its many levels of monsters. He swung his sword furiously and without fault. Staggering breath, alert eyes and bleeding several places, he did not stop. He broke through level to level, not looking back – because he knew.
She would be waiting for him.
And as he faced his greatest foe, glowing with a hellish dark aura, he drew himself straight and looked him straight in the eye. He imagined, very briefly, how life would be after he defeated him.
He would marry the princess, as all heroes tend to do, and have an elaborate and stunning ceremony where everyone was invited, including his best friend. Then he would take some months to reorganize the kingdom, and once everything is in order, he'd go back to the ranch to ease his mind and body with good company and easy conversations.
Because she'd be waiting, even after so many months.
He raised the Master Sword for the last time, the Triforce of Courage and the Triforce of Power glowing brightly against each other, and plunged down.
He was the Hero of Time.
The enemy was the King of Thieves.
He was to marry the Princess of Destiny.
And through all that, Link knew Malon would wait for him.
- - -
the point