Disclaimers/Claims: I do not own Zelda...sadly. If I did, it wouldn't be fanfiction.
Warnings: YAOI! Lots and lots of smutty man-sex. Mostly Link x Sheik, with a few other couples. If this bothers you, then discontinue reading.
Notes: Wow...two years, eh? Bet you thought this was dead, huh? So sorry about that. Personal things happened, life turned upside-down, and this story was forgotten...lol, pun totally not intended. Uh, anyways, next chapter will be up soon. Enjoy, lottsa reviews and stuff. ;) And please tell me if there are any mistakes/inconsistencies.
So! This chapter: Link meets an old friend and there is much rejoicing! Well...not really. And before ANYONE gets their panties in a twist about this chapter, I assure you: THIS IS TOTALLY YAOI. Just so you know. X3
PCpencil
Hero of Mine Part II: Forgotten
Chapter Three - None of Them Knew
After four long hours of fruitless searching, Link exited the last shop in Hyrule Market with sagging shoulders. Without experience, no one was willing to hire him. And without work, there was no way to pay for food and shelter.
So much for this being easy... Link thought glumly as he trudged back into the street. He glanced back at the shop, hoping that perhaps the owner would change his mind and call him back. He sighed and turned his head to look in front of him just in time to watch himself walk into a red-headed girl about his age.
"Hey!" she shouted as a sack of grain fell from her shoulder and slapped down onto the stone street. "Watch it!"
"S-sorry..." Link stuttered, embarrassed at his clumsiness. He pushed his long blonde hair behind his pointed ears and went to pick up the grain for her when the girl stopped him.
"Fairy-boy!?" she gasped out. Link's head snapped up. The girl's bright blue eyes sparkled at him, her lush red hair shimmering in the magnificent sunlight. She wore a simple brown tunic and thick leggings. Dried mud was painted on her well-worn boots and her lean arms and face were tanned from days spent outside.
"Malon...?" She...she remembered him?
But before Link had a chance to ponder the question further, Malon squealed and squeezed him in a giant bear-hug and kissed his cheek.
"Wow, Link, it's been...almost seven years!" she exclaimed after Link had steadied himself. "Where'd you go?"
Link straightened his long pointed hat. "I went back to the forest. I am a 'fairy-boy,' remember?" He grinned.
Malon laughed, light and care-free. She bent to pick up her grain just as Link did and they bumped heads lightly, sending Malon into a giggle fit. Link managed to grab the sack without Malon seeing his flushed face and happily handed it over to his old friend. A baker's cart rolled by and Malon's face lit up.
"Oh! Link, watch my grain for a minute; Daddy loves fresh rolls! I'll be right back." She pushed the sack into Link's arms and hurried after the cart.
Link walked a short distance to stand in the shade of a tree and sighed with a small smile. He now realized why Malon remembered him; they had met before he had pulled the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time. Since the time shifting had begun after that point, she still remembered him, though only as a child. She had no recollection of Ganondorf's reign, or of Ingo taking over the ranch, or even of Link rescuing her beloved horse, Epona, from being doomed as the Dark Lord's mount. Because technically...none of that had ever happened. Not since Link and the Sages sealed Ganon away and Link returned the Master Sword to its rightful place. With the Evil King sealed and time returned to normal, Ganondorf's uprising had never taken place.
Link looked around at the people bustling around the market, going about their daily lives. None of them knew that their savior, the Hero of Time, stood with them, walked with them at this very moment. He sighed again. And none of them ever would.
Malon returned shortly and all thoughts of his past life as a hero vanished. The two chatted non-stop as they made their way together from the market. He told her a bit about the forest, of his friends, of growing up around those who always stay young, and that he was in need of money and shelter. She told him of the ranch, of her father and his cuckoos, of Ingo and his soft kindness, but mostly she spoke of Epona, her precious chestnut mare.
"You remember her, don't you, Link?" Malon glanced up at him with her brilliant blue eyes, and Link felt his cheeks grow warm. She was so pretty…
"O-of course I remember! You taught me how to ride on her. I was the only person other than you that she'd get close to." He situated the pack of grain on his shoulder as he spoke, trying to hide his blush.
Malon sighed and smiled. "Yeah…. You know, ever since you stopped coming by she seemed to have gotten a little depressed. She used to wait for hours by the corral entrance for you. She still does sometimes." The ranch girl kept her eyes forward, and Link couldn't help but feel like she spoke of her own feelings.
A few moments of silence passed, and Malon suddenly seemed to remember something. "Oh! You said you were looking for work?" Link had barely nodded when she continued. "Daddy and Ingo are both getting pretty old. I'm sure Dad would hire you! They could use a hand doing the heavy lifting, and the shoveling, and the training, and—"
"Everything?" Link supplied with a smile.
Malon colored a little and laughed. "Well yes, pretty much. I help out too though, so it wouldn't just be you."
Link was touched. "I'd love to work on the ranch," he said softly. Malon beamed at him, and they continued on in companionable silence.
Epona grazed by the draw-bridge, powerful flanks twitching to rid her skin of pesky flies and bugs. Her rippling chestnut coat was even more magnificent than Link remembered. He smiled and picked up his pace. A small cart was attached by thick leather straps to her saddle, just big enough to haul approximately four or five sacks of grain. As he neared, her ears swiveled towards the sound of his footsteps and her head shot up, jaw grinding lazily on green grass.
Link neared the mare and raised his hand to stroke her muzzle. With a startled squeal, Epona tossed her mane and shied away, ears flat against her skull. Frowning, Link stood still for a moment before sliding the sack of grain to the ground.
Malon approached Epona cautiously from the side and took her bridal. She spoke soothingly as her strong but soft hands stroked the horse's nose.
"It's Link, Epona. You remember fairy-boy, don't you?"
Epona wuffed and raised her neck, her head turning so her left eye faced Link. She seemed to be sizing him up and her ears swiveled. After a short moment she stomped a front hoof, shook out her mane, then dropped her head and resumed grazing.
Malon's brow rose slightly as she observed her mount's behavior. Her eyes flicked up to Lin, who was standing still, and she shrugged.
"Try again," she prompted, and crossed her arms as her blue eyes fell back upon Epona.
Link slowly stepped forward, hand outstretched. Epona made no sign that she was nervous of him drawing nearer, so he continued closer. As soon as his fingertips were mere inches away from her glassy withers, her head shot up and she danced away, the cart creaking after her. This time, however, her ears were not laid flat, but rather flicked back and forth while her tail swished arrogantly. Link sighed and dropped his arm.
"Snotty brat," he heard Malon mutter under her breath. Link turned. Despite what she had just said, the red-head couldn't seem to stop grinning. Link walked back over to her.
"She doesn't recognize me."
"Your hair's too long."
"I'm a lot older."
Malon looked back over to Epona and scowled, placing her hands on her hips. "Well, she better suck it up and get over herself because I'll not have you walking all the way back to the ranch."
Link allowed himself a small, amused smile at Malon's maternal antics. His eyes traveled over Epona and to the small cart she was pulling. Malon had only purchased one sack of grain and this cart was made to haul much more than that. Surely Link did not weigh more than two more sacks?
Link motioned to the cart. "I'll ride in that, with the grain."
Malon turned to him, hands on hips, with an expression that clearly told him his suggestion was out of the picture.
Link grinned and approached the cart. "No, really. I'll ride in the cart; that way Epona won't try to throw us both off." When Malon continued to scowl at him, he rolled his eyes. "C'mon, it'll be funny. You can tell Talon you picked up a little something extra in the Market." He winked at her.
"You make yourself sound like a whore."
Link blushed brightly and Malon sputtered into laughter. He frowned when she doubled over, clutching her stomach.
"There's something you can do for money!" she said between breaths. Link's eyes widened, then narrowed into a glare. He knew she only jested, but he could help taking offence to her playful suggestion. If she knew who he really was, all he had done, he doubted she would have dared utter such a crude comment.
When she saw his dour expression, she straightened and tried her best to stop laughing.
"I was only kidding, Link," she said as she wiped away a tear. "Lighten up." She punched his shoulder playfully.
Link forced himself to smile, reminding himself that she in no way meant to hurt him. "So I'm in the cart," he stated, his smiling turning real and reaching his eyes when Malon scowled at him once again.
"Oh, fine!" she cried, defeated. "But I don't want to hear you whining when we get to the ranch and your ass hurts from sitting on that hard wood!"
Link laughed and, heeding Malon's warning, decided to sit on the sack of grain once he had hoisted it into the cart.
8D Ok so hopefully I'll have the next chapter up tomorrow. Chapter three is where it gets exciting. ;3
