Malon's blue eyes flickered open, the bright sunlight hitting her pupils. She closed her eyes hastily, fighting away the sunlight. She then reopened her eyes, just slower and more careful this time.
Her head turned, her dilating eyes scanned the unfamiliar room. She had no idea where she was or what the pain was in her shoulder. Then she remembered, the arrow. It had pierced her flesh without warning. Tearing through her skin like a knife. She tried to raise up a little but hissed when the pain in her shoulder worsened.
She got frightened when she felt a body shifting beside her, she moved her head over more and saw Link laying there next to her, his arm thrown over her waist. It felt so natural for his body to touch hers that she hadn't even noticed it.
His eyes slowly fluttered open, and when he saw her staring at him, he sat up alertly, moving easily as not to hurt her. "Malon, are you okay? How do you feel?" Link pushed a piece of her hair out of her face.
She winced as she felt a small pain go through her shoulder. "I am fine. It just hurts a little." She assured.
He watched as she struggled to shift to a more comfortable position. "Let me help you." Link offered.
She shook her head. "I can do it. I am fine." She reassured, finally getting into the position she desired. "There." She sighed of relief.
Link stared at her, worry still coating his features. "Malon, I don't know what to do." His voice was light. "All this time, I thought you were going to..." His voice trailed off and he sighed, "for the first time in my entire life, I was truly scared."
"But you have nothing to be scared of anymore. I am alive. And don't feel bad at all. I feel like I will be walking in a couple of minutes now." She grabbed his hand. "I am fine, Link."
"But the prophecies." He shook his head. "They said one of us would die and it could have easily been you. If that arrow had been a few inches over..."
"But it wasn't. The arrow was not a few inches over. It only hit my shoulder. Don't worry about it." She smiled softly when he looked at her. "I am perfectly fine."
He rubbed her hand softly. "I thought about leaving you here when you woke up. I could go slaughter Gannon and then come back to get you." He sucked in a breath. "But this place could go under siege just as well as Gerudo's fortress did." He carefully shifted so that he was laying next to her again. "I must be the one to protect you. But look how well I did last time." He said sarcastically then met her eyes seriously. "I could have gotten you killed, Malon."
She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Link, it was a stray arrow. They were not specifically aiming for me."
"How can you be sure?" He asked softly.
"Because... I just am." She answered, carefully scooting towards him.
"Why would Gerudo fortress be under attack? They had to be looking for you. The first guy I killed demanded that I hand you over." Link sat up slightly. "Does Gannon know that you're friends with Nabooru?"
Malon carefully nodded. "Speaking of her, where is Nabooru?" She briefly looked around. "And where are we?"
"We're in Kakariko Village." He sighed softly. "Nabooru is at Kuaka's house."
"Is she alright?" Malon wondered.
Link nodded. "She's fine. Just a few cuts and bruises."
Malon sighed heavily, gazing at Link. "So what will we do?"
"Wait until Gannon shows himself." He said tiredly.
"How long will that take?" She probed, her blue orbs searching his for possible answers.
"I have no idea." Link shrugged, carefully cupping her face and pulling her lips towards his.
Malon slowly fell into the kiss, resting her good hand against his bare chest. When she pulled away, she smiled, brushing her cheek against his. "I should go see Nabooru."
"I think you should stay here with me." He mumbled, trailing kisses down her chin and to the crook of her neck.
Malon moved her head to the side, giving him better access with a smile on her face. "Link, I must go see her. I'll be worried all day if I do not make sure she is okay."
Sighing softly, he placed a gentle kiss on her wounded shoulder. "Very well."
She lowered her head so her eyes were meeting his. "I promise to spend time with you when you get some rest."
"Rest?" He questioned with a humorous grin. "I need no such thing."
"Link..." She said warningly, a smirk on her face. "You look exhausted."
"Thank you for that." He spoke dryly. "That truly uplifts my ego."
Malon chuckled and playfully hit his shoulder. "Just get some rest, Link. I'll be at Nabooru's. And when you wake up, you can come fetch me and we'll spend the rest of our time together."
"Shouldn't you be resting too?" He ran his hand over her shoulder with care.
"I am very awake." She scooted to the edge of the bed. "I have never felt more awake in my life." She smiled sincerely.
Link fought back a yawn as he stood up, stretching his hand out to help her stand up. "At least let me walk with you there. You know how I am about your safety."
"Yes I do." She smirked, wrapping her arm around his neck. "Completely overprotective."
He rested a hand against her injured arm, staring down at it. "Not protective enough." His voice was light.
"You got me out of there safe and sound." Malon reassured, meeting his eyes again. "This is just a little scratch. You saved my life." She pecked his nose with her rosy lips.
Link pressed his lips against her forehead. "I promise nothing will ever happen to you again." His arms locked around her waist, holding onto her in a desperate attempt at comfort.
"I believe you." She whispered, reveling in his embrace. "I believe you."
Link walked outside with a yawn, his eyes immediately searching for Malon. Some said he was overprotective, the way he had stayed with her all the while she was sleeping. The way his eyes automatically scanned for her whenever she wasn't in sight. But if they only knew the circumstances. They would say he wasn't protective enough.
He spotted her bright red hair not too far off talking with the Cuckoo lady he remembered as Mary and some man he didn't really recognize. He watched the unfamiliar man as he gazed at Malon, taking a silent liking to her. There was something about the man's eyes he didn't like. They held an eerie familiarity.
By this time, he had made it to the three of them. "Hi." He waved at Mary and then looked suspiciously at the man. "I don't believe I know you."
"You don't." His voice was creepy. "I'm new here. I am Ingram." He reached his hand out to Link. "You must be the gentleman this beautiful young lady has been talking about." He tightened his long, dark shawl over his shoulders.
"Yes, this is him." Malon seemed to step behind Link. "I love him dearly." She said pointedly to Ingram.
"And I love her." Link spoke to Ingram wrapping his arm around Malon.
"I'm not sure who wouldn't." He smirked at Malon. "She's an amazing woman." He never took his eyes off her.
Malon smiled uneasily and looked up at Link. "Did you want to stay and talk with us?"
Mary yawned slightly and waved her hand at Malon. "That is quite alright, dear. You two should be going inside now. I myself am getting a bit weary." She smiled at Malon. "Run along now and get some rest. I want your arm to get better."
Malon smiled at the nice woman. "I will. Thank you."
Mary smiled up at Link. "Keep on looking after her, sir."
"Of course." Link drew Malon closer, his eyes briefly leaving Ingram to smile at her. "I would never do otherwise."
Mary chuckled, adoring the love between the two. "Goodbye. And please, be careful my dear." She said towards Malon.
"I will." Malon waved and looked towards Ingram. "Bye." She said quickly to him, grabbing Link's arm and pulling him along with her until they were near the front of the house. She glimpsed back at Ingram. "There is something terribly bizarre about that man." She hissed so he wouldn't feel as if they were talking about him.
"I know." Link glanced back at Ingram as an eerie wind blew over them. "We should leave."
"Leave the village?" She questioned in bemusement, looking up at him.
"Yes. The village." As he answered her, the sky rumbled with thunder and a heavy rain fell quickly, drenching them in mere seconds.
Malon looked up at the sky, her hair clinging to her face with a small smile. "I think the goddesses want us to do otherwise." She loved the rain.
Link looked up at the sky also, pulling Malon to him when she flinched at the sudden strike of lightening. He knew how she loved the rain but wasn't too fond of the thunder and lightening. "We should still leave. This is a bad sign."
"The rain?" She questioned doubtfully.
"Not just the rain." He gazed into her eyes. "The thunder and lightening." A giant raindrop fell across his lashes, forcing him to close his eye, so he added a slow nod. "And the rain."
"You think this rain has to do with Gannon?" She asked loudly, over the noisy downpour.
Gradually, Link's eyes squinted in realization, his eyes searching for Ingram. "It was him." He whispered inaudibly.
"Pardon me?" Her bottom lip trembled from the cold as she looked up at him. "What was who?"
"Ingram." He growled, looking down at her. "Go into the house. Lock the doors." He let her go, his hand moving to his back, reaching for his sword.
"But Link-"
"Just go!" He snapped, his eyes boring into her fiercely, a fear lurking behind them.
"You do not yell at me." She raised her brows in shock, appalled by his tone.
"Malon, if you would just listen to me and go into the house I wouldn't have to." He gritted, his eyes trained on her sparkling blue ones. "Just listen to me."
"Why must you insist on treating me like a child?" She argued. "I am a woman. Or nearly a woman. You are just a few months older than me, do not treat me like I am under you."
"Malon, I don't have the time for this. If you want to be angry with me, then by all means, be angry with me. But just go into the house and lock the doors." He said pleadingly, anger still evident inside of him. He wished she would just hurry.
She narrowed her eyes in anger. "Fine. I'll go." Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she turned on her heel and trudged through the muddy space between Link and the house. She looked back before going into the house and watched him look for a place to start before running off towards a destination.
She laughed bitterly and shook her head. "All he cares about is killing Gannon." She spoke softly to herself, walking through the door, feeling comfort at the warmth. "I know he's doing it for me, but it's taking him over." As soon as she closed the door and locked it, a hand covered her mouth and an arm wrapped around her little waist.
She squirmed and tried to yell, hurting her arm in the process. And her eyes finally landed on the dark figure in the corner. It was him. Link had been right.
She watched in fear as Ingram's form slowly shifted into Gannondorf's. "Lady Malon." He walked over to her, running his pale brown finger across her damp face, brushing the drenched strands away from her skin. "Lovely Malon."
She squirmed in her captor's grip but it was all in vain.
"Don't be afraid. I just want to marry you." He whispered with a dark chuckle.
She squiggled harder, trying her best to break free.
"And if I can't marry you, I'll kill you. And you're precious Link." Her squirming stopped and he chortled evilly. "Yes, I knew that would stop you. You love him dearly, don't you?"
She didn't answer, she just eyed him as if he was a hideous creature. After all, he was a hideous creature.
"I know you do. But you have to believe me when I say, that little bastard has been spreading tittle-tattles about me. Telling the King and the King's men that I'm evil." He balled his fist tightly. "The King and Princess Zelda have even began questioning my motives and I can not have that."
Malon watched him, unsure of what she was supposed to do. Unsure of why he was even telling her these things.
"And since every Gerudo man must be married on his thirtieth, and my thirtieth is soon to come, I figure why not you. I can use you to destroy Link." He ran his rough finger down her exposed neck. "Among many other things." He smiled with evilness, his eyes meeting her frightened ones.
His touch made her skin crawl, but tears didn't cloud her eyes. She just watched him, unsure of how to react.
"I was sure you're little hero would catch on to who I was." He shrugged, dropping his hand from her skin. "He's a very predictable man." Gannon raised his eyes to the man that was holding Malon. "I guess it's time we got her out of here before that blonde fool realizes what's going on." Magically, his form shifted back into Ingram's.
The man holding her released his arm quickly to unlock the door, then regained his tight grip on her before she could attempt to escape. She swallowed thickly as they made it into the blistering rain, the cold stinging her skin. Two black horses laced in silver armor awaited them, horses that hadn't been there before. They were latched onto a black carriage that the man had opened the door to and thrown her into.
She landed in the corner, eyeing the man cautiously as Gannon in the shape of Ingram climbed in after him and shut the door. The carriage hurriedly began to move, obviously to avoid the man she was in love with.
"You will not get away with this. I do not even know why it is you try." She smirked sulkily.
"Ah, but how wrong you are, my love." Ingram smiled. "As soon as we are out of this village, I will have gotten away with it."
"That is if Link let's you get out of this village. You underestimate his strength and courage." Malon warned with a leer. "He is the Hero of Time. You a merely an insect buzzing in his way."
Ingram chuckled. "You are wrong, my preciousness." He gave her eyes a stern look. "I am the Destroyer of Time. He must defeat me and many others to become the Hero of Time and that, my love... is very hard to achieve."
The carriage came to a screeching halt and Malon's eyes met Gannon's immediately. "I told you he wouldn't let you get away with this." She already knew who was holding them up.
Ingram sneered. "I'll be back in three minutes. Five at the most." He promised, hopping from the carriage. "Watch her closely." He warned the man in the carriage before slamming the door. Ingram turned around and forced a smile at the approaching Link.
"Leaving so soon." Link's voice feigned politeness. "I was hoping you could stay longer."
The rain pelted down on the both of them, but neither seemed to notice. "I must get home soon. I have business to tend to and it must be done before the rain gets any worse."
"Aw, what a pity." Link said sarcastically, his fake smile dropping. "Where's Malon, Gannondorf?"
Ingram chuckled throatily. "Gannondorf? Are you blind, sir? Do you need your eyes checked? I'd be happy to appoint you to a very experienced eye doctor."
With his sword drawn, Link glared. "You have about three seconds to hand her over."
"If I don't?" Ingram's voice was thin.
"I kill you." Link growled.
An amused smile graced Ingram's face. "And if I do?"
Link gripped his sword tighter, ready for one of the battles of his life. "I kill you."
"Well I think we're just going to have to go for the other alternative." Ingram dropped his large black shawl, revealing a sword sheathed at his waist.
"And what's that?" Link's brows furrowed, settling right above the start of his nose.
"Me killing you." Ingram slowly drew his sword. "I never wanted it to be this way. But if you insist on stepping in my way, I guess my plans can do without you."
Link grinned mischievously. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."
"Likewise." He swung his sword quickly at Link, unrevealingly surprised when Link blocked the blow with his own sword.
"Let her go, Gannon. This is between you and I." Rainwater rushed down his face as he fought against the pressure Ingram was putting on his sword. The blade was inching closer and closer to his face.
"It is between her and I." Ingram pushed Link away, smirking as the boy stumbled back.
With a heroic yelp, Link launched at Ingram, the swords clinking together in the stormy weather. Ingram pulled away, swinging for Link's chest but being blocked yet again. Link grunted as he slammed his sword against Ingram's and pushed the Gannon in disguise up against the carriage, the driver of the black vehicle hopping out of the way to avoid the wild blades.
"Let her go." Link spat, inches away from Ingram's face. The blade, less inches away than that as he struggled against Ingram's power to cut his throat.
Ingram just grinned. He seemed to not be struggling at all. "I'm afraid I can't do that." With a big shove, he pushed Link away causing the hero in green to slide across the muddy ground after hitting it with a hard thud. Then slowly, reverting to his form of Gannondorf, he dropped his sword and extended one hand, a yellow ball forming in his palm.
Link watched in awe from his spot on the ground as the magical ball grew. And his eyes widened as the ball began flying towards him, full force. He slid out of the way just in time for the ball to hit the ground, blowing up the wet dirt he had recently been laying on.
He hopped to his feet, his brows furrowed at what he'd just witnessed. "What are you?"
He chuckled evilly, his eyes glowing with an evil brightness. "Your worst nightmare come true." He held out his hand, another yellow ball forming in the palm. "I would let you say goodbye to my love, but I'm not that nice of a man." His deep voice informed.
Link held his sword in batters position and as soon as the yellow light flew towards him, he swung at the power ball but it made no use. The powerful source sent him soaring into the house behind him, back first, his sword falling from his hands and crashing into the ground in two pieces. His consciousness rapidly leaked from his body as he hit the ground stomach first, the movement knocking the wind out of him.
It took all of his strength for him to raise his head and hold out his hand as he watched Gannon climb into the carriage with a triumphant stride. "Malon." He whispered brokenly before falling out, his cheek platting in the mud as it showered endlessly on his body.
When Gannon opened the door and climbed into the carriage, the winning smirk on his face, Malon frowned, tears blurred her eyes. "Where is Link? What did you do to him?" She questioned in fear.
Gannon brightened his smile at her. "I showed him not to get in my way." She leapt towards the door, but he caught her in his arms. "I don't believe I can let you do that."
She caught a glimpse of her lover laid out in the rain, his body limp and lifeless. "Link!" She yelled as Gannon held her back from opening the door. "Link! Get up! Link!"
But he just lay there. He couldn't hear her anymore.