The sun began to set as Link and Malon rode Epona back towards Lon Lon Ranch. The hero made sure he spent the whole day riding as many places as he could, so that Malon would be able to get a small glimpse of what she had been missing for seven years. The whole time she seemed speechless, although he would hear an occasional giggle and smile. At one point, when Link let Epona rest for a drink of water, Malon whispered in his ear a soft, "Thank you."

As they rode back towards her home, she began to shiver. Link turned his head slightly.

"Don't worry Malon, you'll be home safely soon enough." Malon shook her head violently, her hair whipping Link in the arm.

"Link, I-I can't go home! I-Ingo will just lock me back up... and Ganondorf will hurt you!" Link turned to her and smirked. Malon's eyes pulled together, a confused look on her face. He slowed the horse down upon entering the ranch, and Malon pulled tighter against Link. He smiled. They were soon greeted by Ingo, back in a simple farm-hand's clothing, waving at them.

"Welcome back Miss Malon! Nice to see you again Link!" He smiled a wide smile, as began to rake up a few leaves. Link jumped off of Epona and pulled her reigns, leading her to the stables. Malon looked down at him with amazement.

"H-How did you…" He smiled up at her.

"Ganondorf has a hold, a curse you could say on each and every part of this land. When I was in the forest, I noticed that after I had cured the temple of all evil, people and places began to go back to the way they used to be." Link helped Malon off of the horse. "So you don't have to worry anymore. Ingo won't remember anything, and you and your father can run the ranch again." He turned and grabbed his things off of Epona, and walked toward the middle of the field. Malon stood there, watching him. She felt so terrible for the way she treated him…

As Link sat on the grass making his bed, Malon slowly approached. Although he wa getting up when he noticed her approach, she sat down next to him.

"Link, I'm sorry for the way I treated you… it wasn't fair." Link squeezed her hand.

"Malon, its ok, don't worry about it." Malon looked down and started fidgeting with her hands.

"No Link, it's not." Link looked up at her, and stopped trifling through his things. "I shouldn't have yelled at you… I don't even know what happened, and I didn't give you any time to explain. I was just… so upset, and hurt, and scared. The point is, you came back." She looked up, and saw the sweetest smile upon his lips. Link slowly grabbed her hands, lifted them, and intertwined their fingers.

"I promised, Malon. I would never lie to you." They stayed that way for a small while, staring into each other's eyes, not looking away. Link's smile slowly faded as his heart seemed to pound loud enough to where Malon could hear it. She couldn't hear anything over the sound of her own heart. He pulled away first, looking away and putting a nervous hand behind him. She blushed, and stood up.

"What do you think you're doing, fairy-boy? You're not going to sleep out here like an animal, are you?" Malon giggled, as Link quickly followed her into the house. He looked around at the charming one-room cottage, with a simple brick oven and warm straw covering the ground. There was a small table and four chairs that seemed to be hand carved, and a small bed in the corner. And there was a small ladder, leading up to a loft in the corner of the room. Malon quickly grabbed some blankets and threw them up there.

"You can sleep in the loft above my bed, ok? Here," she said, handing him a slice of bread and a warm bottle of Lon Lon Milk that was resting near the fire. Link smiled gratefully, feeling a bit embarrassed that she was treating him so well. She blushed as she smiled back.

"Well don't just stand here silly! Get to bed!" The hero blushed and stammered, as he climbed the ladder quickly. She couldn't help but giggle at how cute he was. As she lay down on her bed, she blew out the candle on her side, the fireplace the only glow in the small room. Malon shyly slipped into her white nightgown under the covers, and smiled as she lay her head on her pillow.

"Good night Link!" She smiled as he sleepily replied, "Good night, Malon."


It was the scream that shook Malon from slumber. Her eyes flew wide open, as it pierced her ears at a high pitch. She kicked the covers off, and stood up on her bed, quickly scanning the room for any intruder or person in need. It was then she realized that the screams were coming from above her.

"Link…" she whispered quietly. She quickly scaled up the ladder, yells and screams still emitting from the top of the loft. When she finally could see him, she almost cried at the sight she saw.

Link was sleeping with the top of his tunic folded down to his waist, and his white pants underneath. He was covered in sweat head to toe, and had bruises and scars up and down his arms that were hidden previously by his shirt. He was thrashing side to side, pushing all the hay around, as his back arched and he screamed using his whole body. He had never looked more exhausted.

Malon covered her mouth as she held back her tears, almost choking on them. He had the fate of Hyrule on his shoulders, nowhere to live, and probably had not slept well in weeks. His night terrors must have been horrible. She crawled onto the loft as quietly as she could, not wanting to wake him. She found herself softly curling her legs up behind him, and laying his head in her lap. She stroked his hair and moved the beads of sweat off his forehead with the bottom of her nightgown.

"Oh Link…" Malon whispered, as she looked down at his painful expression. She stroked her fingers into his bangs as she sang softly, "Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh-oooh ooh." Link's muscles relaxed as she continued her song, stroking his face and hair. Finally, as her song finished, the hero stopped making all movement and doze into a peaceful slumber. Malon was about to leave his side, when his lips caught her eye in the glow of the warm fire. She remembered back to when they were kids, and that she had given Link a promise too.

Malon slowly leaned forward, and pressed her lips onto his cheek. "I promised to, Link… I'll always wait for you. Good night," she whispered, and crawled away from the boy who held her heart.