A thick blanket of snow covered the land far and wide, and the air had dropped to a freezing temperature. Due to the cold of winter, trade had begun to slow down and people stayed in their homes and villages more often now. No one wanted to risk getting caught in a blizzard in the middle of Hyrule. Six months had passed since Link and Malon had ventured out to Kokiri forest. Eight months had passed since Ganondorf's defeat. Four months remained before Link had to return to Zelda with his answer, and he knew exactly what he was going to do. He would stay with Malon on the farm and live his life with her and her father.
The door to the ranch house opened, letting in a cold breeze. Link brushed the snow off his coat and boots and then left them by the door. He leaned the snow shovel against the wall, and then made his way over to the fireplace to warm up. Malon's hair was glowing with the fire, appearing as if she had fire for hair. She stirred their dinner, a stew which was boiling over the fire.
Link walked behind her and wrapped his arm around her, one hand slowly moved down her arm to grab her hand and help her stir the stew while his other hand made its way to her belly. He lightly rubbed the bump, as if comforting both her and the child, the child they had created six months ago on their journey as couriers to the Kokiri Forest. Link kissed Malon's pointy ear, and she smiled and giggled.
"Link stop it please, you're cold."
That was the last thing Link wanted to do. He hugged her tighter as she finished stirring the stew. She set the ladle against the side of the pot and turned around to face the man she shared a property with, the man she shared a bed with. His blue eyes were fierce, but very comforting. She had reached up with one hand and rubbed his rough cheek, then kissed him softly.
"Dinner will be ready in ten minutes Link; perhaps you should use that time to shave."
Link blushed, and then scratched at his rough beard. Maybe it was getting near that time again. He never did like shaving, he always nicked himself. While he was a twenty year old man, he had only been in this form for nine months, and he was still not used to how his body worked sometimes. Malon noticed his thoughts and laughed, breaking away from his embrace to go and answer the door. When she opened it she was greeted by her father.
"Hi father, come to join us for dinner tonight?"
Talon walked inside and scooped up his daughter in his arms, smiling at her. He may have been lazy, but he gave all of his love to Malon. Talon set her back down and then did the same thing to Link.
"Ahhh, my dear boy Link, I hope you have grown accustomed to ranch life by now. You have a family to think about."
Nothing was intimidating by his words. Talon genuinely cared about Link and Malon's relationship and was looking forward to being a grandfather. About a month after the trip, Malon had learned that she was pregnant when she was missing her monthly. While completely baffled, Talon was more than happy for his daughter. Malon had told Link it was the happiest she had ever seen him. She said she had never seen him cry, but did he ever tear up at this news. Talon had burst into the barn that night while Link was brushing Epona and gave him a bear hug, nearly breaking him in half. He congratulated him on the news of parenthood and gave him a few lessons on how to deal with being a father. A few days later, Talon had told the two of them that he decided he was going to retire. He wanted to leave the ranch to Link and Malon as he felt this was the best form of dowry he could give them. While they had not gotten married, Talon refused to let them deny his gift. He built himself a small home on the far end of the ranch and lived there for the past two months. He would often come by for dinner and to see how the two were holding up.
"Father, stop it before you crush him to dust."
Malon said warmly as she smiled at Talon's affection for Link. Always the motherly attitude Link loved.
Talon set him down and was beaming, and then he sat at the dinner table while Malon went to grab them all a mug of hot cocoa. Link sat beside him and Talon began to talk to him.
"Well boy, be truthful to this old man. Do you like the life of a rancher?"
Link nodded with a large smile. This was the peace he sought after since the beginning. He never wanted to be a warrior, and he always felt different from the Kokiri. He never felt like he had a place in society until he was offered work from Talon months ago.
"Ha, that's good. I am glad you enjoy it this much. And how is Malon treating you huh? Is she being good?"
Malon had entered the room as he said that.
"Of course I am father, I am always good to the children I have to constantly watch over."
The three of them laughed as the tapped mugs together, enjoying the warmth of the fire. Link grabbed three bowls and then filled them with stew and served the family. They all laughed and talked until late at night. Talon said he was feeling tired from the good company and good meal and set off to the other side of the ranch. Link had picked up the dishes and taken them to the sink to get washed in the morning. He heard Malon yawn and head up the stairs.
"Don't stay up too late Link."
Link waved at her as he set up the anti-spark cage around the fire. He threw in one final log and then made his way up the stairs. He opened the door to his room and saw Malon sitting at their vanity table, brushing her long red hair. He walked over to the laundry hamper and took off his tunic and leggings, throwing them into the dirty laundry, and then he walked over to the table and set his hat down on top of it. He stood behind Malon, watching her comb her hair in the mirror. He slid the night gown she had changed into just past her shoulders and began to massage them. She sighed lightly, then set her brush down on the table and leaned backwards, resting her head on Link's naked abdomen.
"That feels wonderful, thank you dear."
Link smiled at her, happy that she was relaxing. Even though he knew how stressed she was from the pregnancy, she was a strong girl and would never let him know about it. She worked through her day just as hard as she did before her pregnancy. He loved to treat her to little things like this every so often. A few minutes later, Malon had stood up and fixed the shoulders of her nightgown. She walked around the chair to Link and ran her hands up his exposed thighs, over his abdomen, and over his chest. She loved to run her hands over him like this. She knew every muscle, every scar, and every hair on his body. She leaned in for a kiss, to which Link happily gave her. It started slowly at first, but became more heated. Their tongues greeted each other with delight, exploring each other's mouths. Malon broke their kiss only to lick and kiss Link's neck. He ran his hands across her breasts, the night gown providing barely any barrier. With a moan, Malon pushed Link to the bed gently, and when he fell onto it she slowly kissed her way up his body. She started with his hip, kissing across it to until she was just over his hairline, and then kissed up his abdomen. She stopped at the faint scar along his ribs, on his left side. This was the physical scar that Ganon had left on him, but there were much more mental and emotional scars then physical ones. She kissed it softly and then looked at Link's face. He knew that she stopped there every time they made love. She always thought about how he was feeling since that day, she always wanted to know if he was okay.
Malon resumed kissing him, covering his chest and then making his way up to his face. She straddled Link, and he gently cupped her face and kissed her passionately, then kissed her throat. She smiled lightly and arched her back a bit, enjoying the feeling of Link's tongue on her skin, his stubble rubbing against her throat. She ran her hands down her body, to the bottom of her mid-thigh nightgown and pulled it up, revealing her body to him. She was just as beautiful as ever, and Link smiled at her. She had become slightly more concerned with how she looked now that she was six months with child, but Link still found her beautiful. Her skin was just as smooth, her face just as kind. He loved her and everything about her. He ran his hands over her body before they resumed their kiss. He entered her, and she moaned into his ear.
"Make love to me."
Only a few hours had passed in the night, Malon lay on her side, her bare back exposed. Link could not sleep, he could only think. Business was not going to fine for the ranch. Link was planning on making a week long run going to a couple of the different areas in Hyrule to sell milk and hay, but Hyrule was at its worst right now. The world was falling apart all around him. Everyone was hostile to one another, times were rough for everyone. A few weeks ago Link had rescued a man from the weather. He had become lost and confused and was freezing to death just outside of the ranch, so Link brought him home. Malon fed him a meal and gave him a bed, and in the middle of the night the man stole some silverware and disappeared. Link was furious that a stranger who he saved and fed had stolen from him and Malon, but Malon had told Link to forget about it. She had said that this was how the world was now, and the man could not be blamed for trying to survive. It was their job to help the innocent in these hard times. And the world around him was even worse.
The Kokiri were nearing the end of their lives. Normally, a Kokiri child would live to about 20 years of age while maintaining their childhood bodies. When they died, they would turn into the fairy guardians for the next group of children that the Deku Tree would create. However, with the Deku Tree gone, no new children would come by this time next year. The fairies would die out without the magic of their children, and it would be centuries before the Deku Sprout would grow enough to create the energy required to make the Kokiri. And without Saria to lead the children to the next stage, all of Link's friends would not change into fairies when they died. The Kokiri would be lost memories and legends of the forest for the foreseeable future.
The Goron's had become a dangerous group of people. After Darnuia had become a sage, the Goron's split into two tribes. The one tribe, the Darna's, had believed that Darnuia had died fighting Volvagia in the Fire Temple to save the Goron people. This tribe was led by Link, Darnuia's son. The other tribe, the Bigron's, believed that Darnuia had abandoned them, leaving them to die by the monster. This tribe was led by Bigoron. The two had been fighting since Ganon was defeated. The Darna's were thrown out of the Goron Cave and now lived in the remains of Kakariko Village, praying that one day Darnuia would come back and reunite the two groups under one banner.
Then there were the Zora's. When Ruto had become a sage, the King was left without an heir to the throne. Soon after, he had come down with a mysterious illness, and died not long after that. Because Ruto could not take the throne, a new family had taken it. However, they were a group of racists who hated the Hylians. They blamed the death on the Hylians, Link in particular, saying that contact with them caused the fall of their great King. The Zora's closed their gates permanently to the outside world, sealing themselves in the cave and the confining themselves to their lake.
Kakariko Village was nothing more than a once great memory. Aside from being the new home to half of the Goron's, any remaining survivors from Castle Town moved themselves and their families to the village. Without a steady group of traders, most of them turned into thieves and criminals to make a profit and some food. Without Impa and her wisdom, the great Hylians of castle town were reduced to a life of crime and poverty, with no promise of a better future and no light at the end of the tunnel. The world had forgotten the once great people, along with many others.
The Gerudo people were also affected. Even Ganondorf killed his own race. With Ganondorf banished from this reality, and Nabooru helping the sages, the women of the Gerudo tribe had no one left to effectively lead them. Because of this, they left the Gerudo fortress and moved far into the desert sands, away from the prying eyes of the rest of Hyrule. Those who did not head into the sands became mercenaries for hire, often accompanying the brutish leaders of crime factions in Kakariko.
And finally Castle Town. The monarchy had crumbled and been reduced to dust. The King was dead and Zelda was nowhere to be found. Anyone who was left alive had fled to Kakariko, and many were lost to the ReDeads. Many watched as a ReDead who was once a father, a brother, an aunt, mauled their other friends and family. The husks were the only inhabitants of Castle Town now. However, it is rumoured that you can see a shadow if you pray in the Temple of Time, and that this sole inhabitant watches over you as you pray to the Goddess'.
Link laid in bed for hours now, the sun finally starting to shine through the glass. All of these locations that he remembered were drained of love and life. This was the effect that Ganon and the Triforce of Power had. It destroyed everything in the world and continued to sap its power. Hyrule was never going to heal, and those people would remain destroyed for the rest of their lives. This was the world that Link was going to raise a child in. This was the mark of darkness. As Link continued to think about this, Malon had turned over and snuggled up against Link's chest. She muttered something about still being awake before drifting back into sleep. Link kissed her forehead before closing his eyes and let his weariness get the better of him.
