AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey everyone! I'm sorry that this chapter is up so late. The past three weeks have been extremely busy at work - I've ended up working 12-hour days without even so much as a 15-minute break more than I care to admit. So it's been tough to find time to write, let alone do anything else.

That being said, I need to drastically back down my update schedule. I basically don't exist from September to December, due to many birthdays, important holidays, and a huge event at work that I somehow ended up in charge of - but now it seems that my normally quiet summer will be on the busy side as well. Sorry, guys! I'll still continue to post new chapters whenever I can, I promise. It will just be a lot less often.

CHAPTER 7

The Choices We Make

Despite his resolve and determination, it was with much hesitation and uncertainty that Dark finally emerged from the temple. It was scary enough for him to put his faith into the rock over the door being an illusion. But, in retrospect, that was the easy part. At least rock was familiar to him; coarse grey stone that made up much of the interior of the temple. It was what was beyond the rock that would take him time to accept: the temperature outside that was so much warmer of that of the temple, even though it made his skin feel clammy; the wind, which rushed against him in a way he hadn't expected; but most of all, the sky above him and the openness of the surrounding area. If there was an opposite feeling to that of claustrophobia, Dark was feeling it now.

With a loud bang, Link closed the door to the temple. The finality in the note did not provide the closure that Dark needed, but it did make him realize that a new chapter in his life was beginning. It had been a long time since he had seen anything but the stone walls of the temple, but he had been happy in Hyrule at one point in his life, and he could be again. He just needed to find Shadir first.

"Do you ride?" Link asked him, and it took Dark a moment to register what he meant. A horse stood off to the side, her head nodding down as she pawed at the grass with her right front hoof. She was beautiful, by equine standards, but her golden fur and shiny black mane went unnoticed by the Sheikah, who was much more focused on her size. "This is Epona," Link told him, patting her head gently. "She can carry us both, if you like."

Dark shook his head. There had been horses back home; mostly used for manual labor on their growing fields. They were considered to be trusty partners for the most part, and people valued the help they provided. But he had never ridden one himself before, and he didn't feel now was the time to give it a try.

Link sighed, squinting up at the fading light. "Our best bet is to head to Lon Lon Ranch." He pointed to a walled off structure at the top of a hill. "It's too late to go anywhere else, and I don't like the idea of spending the night in the field." There hadn't been Stalchildren in Hyrule Field since he was a child, but he was still uncomfortable staying there much past sunset. Even though it would be easier to just take Dark to his house, Lon Lon Ranch was closer. "Are you sure you don't want to ride?"

Dark shook his head again, more vehemently this time. "Okay," Link said, holding out his hand. "Then give me your bag. I'm going to send her on ahead." Wordlessly, Dark handed over his pack. It was surprisingly heavy, and contained several bottles, extra clothing, and keepsakes from his home. "Your sword, too," Link said, attaching the pack to Epona. He was met with an accusing stare.

"I'll keep that, thanks." He put his hand to his throat in surprise after speaking. Even his voice sounded different to him; everything he heard now was spread out and heard a single time, rather than it returning to him with a ringing or echoing quality.

"I'll take mine off, too." Link unbuckled his sword and shield, attaching them both to Epona. He understood Dark's reluctance to hand over his blade, but they would be able to move faster if they weren't carrying any weapons. Though he seemed to walk effortlessly with the pounds of steel strapped to his back, Link knew from experience the amount of force it took to move even a single step. "We won't need weapons where we're going."

With a look of annoyance, Dark slid his sword and shield off as well, walking over to Epona and trying to attach them himself. He roughly grabbed at the packs on Epona's back, jumping and cursing as she reared in surprise, his sword and shield falling to the ground. Link ran forward, tugging on Epona's reins to pull her back to the ground. "Easy, girl," he soothed her. "She doesn't like strangers," he explained with a grin. "Don't worry. She'll get used to you eventually."

Dark grunted in response, picking up his weapons in one swift movement and handing them over to Link. He watched as Link tossed his sword from hand to hand, taking a sample swing with it. "Nice heft," he commented, placing it next to his own sword. He had thought it would irritate him more, to watch Link handle his blade. He didn't want just anyone touching it - but Link wasn't just anyone. He was the person who had rescued him from years of imprisonment, the man who would help him reunite with his family.

With a last check over the straps attaching everything to Epona, he tapped her lightly on the rear end, sending her running towards the safety of the ranch and the high fence that surrounded it. "She'll be waiting there for us when we get there," Link said to his companion. "Let's go."

It hadn't really taken them that long to reach the top of the hill, even though the light had disappeared several minutes ago. It was surprisingly nice, Link thought, even though he had wanted to be safely inside by this point. A smooth nighttime breeze was rolling through the trees, and the moonlight shone on the grass. Near the opening in the walled structure, a girl was waiting serenely for their arrival. Her pink skirt and yellow bandanna flapped in the wind, and her hair was streaming out behind her.

"Link!" she called out as he came into focus on the pathway. She ran towards him, throwing her arms around him with abandon. "I was so worried! I saw Epona and didn't know what to think. I've put her in the pasture for the evening; she loves being outside." She stared up at him with bright blue eyes, waiting for him to speak.

"Malon." Link returned her hug, bowing his head formally in her direction as he stepped away. "I'm sorry for worrying you." He had forgotten how restless Malon was, allowing her head to run wild with terrifying thoughts. "Allow me to introduce you to my friend, Dark. He'll be traveling with me for some time." He gestured behind him, stepping to the side so that Dark was in full view.

"I'm not your -" Dark's words were cut off by a glare from Link as he turned around to face his new companion. There was a time and place for Dark's attitude, but this was not it. He mouthed be nice at him, hoping that he would listen, before facing Malon again.

If Malon was surprised by the sorry shape of Dark's clothing, the dirt and grime that seemed to be almost a permanent mark on his skin, or the threatening scowl on his face, she hid it well. Her expression did not waver, and her hands, clasped firmly behind her back, did not shake or quiver with nervousness. "Hello, Dark! Welcome to Lon Lon Ranch!" She greeted him with a smile perfected from years of dealing with customers, and a slight sideways nod of her head that could make even the stingiest buyers friendly.

Dark gave a curt nod in her direction, obviously not impressed with her flowery appearance and greeting. This was his first time seeing a girl in many years, and he was slightly disappointed to see that they were not particularly alluring, though his brother had assured him they would be. He shot a sour look at Link, wondering how it was that he looked more attractive than this girl did.

"We were hoping that perhaps you could put us up for a night or two?" Link gave Malon his most charismatic grin, spreading his hands out at his sides. "I just can't seem to stay away from this place!" He had learned early on that his charm could earn him many favors, and while he didn't use it often, he was not above doing so when he felt he needed to.

"Of course, Link, you know you're always welcome here! But…" she glanced worriedly in Dark's direction, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. Her heart was torn between helping her friend and protecting the ranch. Talon had done a stranger a kindness once, and in return the stranger had poisoned Ingo's mind and set him against them, resulting in him forcefully taking over the ranch. Since then, they were less inclined to help others, even though they doubted that such evil still lived in the world.

"I'll vouch for him," Link told her, stepping closer. He was one of the few who understood her reluctance. But while Dark might be a bit rough around the edges, he was not a bad person in the way she was worried about. She had nothing to fear from him. "He's fallen on some hard times recently," he whispered. "He needs a couple days away from it all, to adjust. He isn't as bad as he seems, really."

Link always came across as genuine and honest, something that instantly eased Malon's worry. She started walking back towards the ranch, gesturing for both of the men to follow her. "Daddy's already asleep, but he sure will be glad to see you in the morning, Link!" She giggled, the sound making her seem like a young girl instead of a young woman.

"How is Talon?" Link inquired politely. He found it challenging to listen to Malon, as he kept turning around to make sure Dark was following them as they climbed up the slope of the hill to enter the ranch.

"He's doing great, thanks for asking! Yesterday he found a few new people to play the Super Cucco-Finding Game, and we only lost one bottle of milk out of it." The best part of asking Malon a question was that her answers often meandered, leaving Link free to think of other things rather than committing all his brainpower to come up with the next topic of conversation. "He's really adapting well to his increased responsibilities on the ranch! Of course I helped him pick which ones would be best for him. He wanted to take over our finances, can you imagine?" Another small giggle escaped her. "Daddy is terrible with numbers! He's much better when he's helping the ranch hands with the cows and horses."

"Of course," she said with a small sigh, "even if he was good with numbers, he would need to help the ranch hands right now. We lost a few of them recently, all of them to pursue other careers. We're very happy to see them follow their dreams, but we do miss having them around, and we miss the help they provided us with. Don't worry about Ingo, though!" she added, knowing that Link would inquire about him. "He's still here, and he's doing better than ever! He's our most loyal worker. I'm not sure why exactly he had that sudden change of heart, but I know you had something to do with it, Link. Thank you."

Link's attention was drawn in front of him again as Malon turned around suddenly, taking his hand in hers. Link smiled at her, inwardly hoping she wouldn't ask him anything relating to what she had just been talking about. The only words he had registered were her first ones and her last ones. He gave her hand a quick squeeze, which seemed to suffice as an answer.

"This is where you can both stay tonight," Malon said, waving her free hand at the barn. "There are piles of hay to sleep on, and you can cover them with the horse blankets if you like. You'll find them folded up in the back." She let go of Link's hand, and took a couple steps backwards. "You two should get to bed. Our days start very early around here!"

With a wink and a wave, she walked across the pathway between buildings and stepped inside the small house she shared with her father. Link kept smiling until she shut the door, and then he turned his attention to the barn door. The barn was old, and the door didn't always work without jiggling the handle and throwing your body against it. Thankfully, it opened without too much of a problem, and he walked inside, holding the door open for Dark. Even though there were no light fixtures inside the barn, the moonlight outside provided him just enough light to make out the hay and the horse blankets Malon had been referring to.

"Does your girlfriend always make you sleep in the barn?" Dark growled, walking inside and flopping down on a pile of hay. As his backside made contact with the pile, little bits of hay flew up in the air to cover the already-dirty floor. Link looked at him disapprovingly and closed the door, reaching for one of the horse blankets. It's felt-like material was rough against his skin, but he knew it would provide the warmth he needed for the night.

"She isn't my girlfriend," he corrected, "and I don't mind sleeping in the barn. It reminds me a little of home." He spread out the first blanket on a pile of hay adjacent to Dark's pile, learning from him to set down the blanket gently, and then check to make sure that no stray pieces found their way on top of it.

Dark snorted, completely ignoring the second part of what Link said. "Well, someone should tell her that! 'You're always welcome here, Link! I know you helped our ranch, Link! Of course I'll marry you, Link!'" he mocked, making a fake gagging noise. "Sickening."

Link remained silent, knowing just how wrong Dark really was. He knew that Malon was attracted to him, of course, just like so many others were. But Malon was the closest thing he had to a friend, at least one that didn't have a mane and four hooves. That was why she was the first - and only - person Link had ever told his secret to.

Link had discovered a year ago that he wasn't attracted to women the way people seemed to expect him to be. During the celebration that ensued after his defeat of Ganon, woman after woman had paraded in front of him, trying to catch his attention. But though they all had splendid curves, soulful eyes, and silky hair, Link continually found himself staring at the men in attendance instead. He was much more intrigued by their strong arms, with sharp edges denoting toned muscles. He couldn't drag his eyes away from their loose shirts, hanging from broad shoulders. And a sculpted stomach with toned abs was nicer to look at than even the handsomest of women.

Malon had taken the news surprisingly well, patting him on the arm and telling him that he would make some lucky man very happy one day. But she had also opened his eyes to the danger of telling other people about his preferences. It wasn't that Hyrule was against those thoughts and feelings, really. But he was the Hero of Time. He had certain expectations and obligations that he would need to meet in a few years, mostly related to starting a family. And there was no way that two men could start a family together - no way that two men could give birth to a bundle of hope for the world, a baby with the potential to become Hyrule's next great Hero. It was his duty to Hyrule, to ensure their continued protection from threats. And so he had done as she suggested, and kept it to himself.

Link glanced at the hay pile beside him. He wondered if Dark, being away from society for so long, would have the same reservations the people of Hyrule did where his life, and especially his future romantic choices, were concerned. He could just see the shadow of Dark's outline, traced into the moonlight that shone through the window. His body gently curved over the hay, and as he drifted off to sleep, he looked more peaceful than Link had ever seen him. He was beautiful, in his own way, and as Link stared at him he felt his eyes go heavy and his mind go numb.

The last thought he had before drifting off to sleep was a single question: What choices would I make in my life if I was free of my obligations and able to just be myself? He didn't have an answer yet. But somehow, in some way, he felt that they would still involve Dark.

It was already light outside by the time that Link woke up, feeling only slightly more refreshed. From the shouting he heard outside, he guessed that the ranch hands had already arrived. They were a noisy, but cheerful, crew, prone to singing songs while they worked.

He slowly opened the door to the barn, looking around before stepping outside. It seemed that the horses were getting their morning exercise; several ranch hands were racing them around the outside of the pen while the others cheered them on. Normally he would watch with them, but he knew that there was probably still time to get breakfast inside if he hurried.

Knocking twice on the door to the house, he opened it in response to a muffled "Come in!". He saw a big man sitting down at the table surrounded by Cuccos, eating a hearty breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs, and waved at him happily.

"Link!" Talon mumbled around the food in his mouth, trying to put down his fork, set aside his napkin, swallow his food, and get up all at the same time. In the end he settled for sticking his hand out, and vigorously shaking Link's when he took it. "Malon told me you were here." He wiped his mouth off with his hand instead of his napkin, and jutted his thumb behind him. "Eggs are on the stove. Have some."

Link walked over and grabbed a cup and plate, serving up a small helping of eggs. "Where is she?" he inquired, grabbing one of the many bottles of Lon Lon Milk on the table and pouring some into his cup. Usually, she would be around to serve him and everyone else at the ranch all the meals for the day, so her absence was surprising.

"She said she had to run down to the market and buy something to help out a visitor. Would you know anything about that?" Link hesitated a moment before responding, putting his fork back down on the table to avoid answering with his mouth full.

"Yes, sir." He always treated Talon with a great deal of respect, since he let him come and go as he pleased. "I brought a friend here to see the ranch, since it's so beautiful here." One thing he could always count on was that Talon and Malon loved getting compliments.

Unfortunately, Talon had focused on a different part of his sentence, and looked at him suspiciously. "A friend? What kind of friend?" He could look rather intimidating when he wanted to, his eyes narrowing into tiny slits, somehow making his mustache stand out larger than life on his face.

"Just a friend!" Link raised his arm in protest, his hand held up in a gesture of truth. "He just needs a place to stay for a couple nights while he gets back on his feet. I'll make sure he does his share of the work!" He gulped down his milk to avoid answering any more questions.

At this, Talon relaxed, chuckling deeply. "Calm down there, Link! For a minute I was worried you brought the Queen herself down for a visit." Continuing to laugh at Link's overreaction, he said "Any friend of yours is a friend of mine. As long as he pays his way in chores or cheerfulness, he can stay as long as he likes!"

Link bit the inside of his cheek, trying to hold in his laughter at the thought of Dark 'paying his way' in cheerfulness, as Talon said. Dark was anything but cheerful, and he doubted that his scowl could ever be mistaken as a smile.

"I'm just going to bring some breakfast to him, if you don't mind," he said, grabbing several pieces of toast and piling eggs on top of them. "Then I'll go see if the ranch hands need help with anything."

Dark woke up with a start at a loud noise outside, forgetting for a moment where he was and why he was there. The sounds of talking and laughter were never heard in the Temple of Light, nor had it ever been this bright or smelled quite so distinct. He wrinkled his nose as the smell of horses and hay intruded on his senses, his memories rushing back to him as he did so. He was free of the temple, and he was staying at a place called Lon Lon Ranch. He was still looking for his brother, and he had accepted the help of a man named Link.

He looked around in confusion, wondering where Link had gone, or if he had even spent the night in the barn with him. The last thing he remembered from the night before was burying himself into the hay pile, so tired that he was able to ignore the prickling sensations that had covered his back and legs. Now that he was awake, he found he could no longer do so, and abruptly sat up.

A swift knock at the door announced Link's return, and Dark eyed it with anticipation. "Dark?" Link called, opening the door. The crack of light that escaped into the barn made Dark wince, and shut his eyes to guard against it.

"Malon is with me. We brought you some breakfast." Link had run into Malon on his way out of the house, riding a lovely mare she had nicknamed 'Berry' and carrying several bags of merchandise from the Castle Town Marketplace. She refused to tell him what was in the bags, but he had a feeling that he would find out later today.

"Shut the door," Dark growled at them, his eyes stinging painfully. He hadn't remembered the sunlight hurting so much earlier, but of course, they had exited the temple while the sun was setting. The light he saw now was the full light of morning, rather than fading twilight.

The absence of light against his eyelids and the soft slam of the door told him that his request had been granted, and he cracked his eyes open to see toast and eggs being offered to him. He hadn't eaten real food in a long time, and the smell made his mouth water. He reached out to accept the food, holding the toast and eggs together to eat them like a sandwich.

"Don't eat too fast," Link cautioned him. "You haven't had anything like this in a long time. If you can keep it down, you can have some more food at lunchtime."

"What, now you're telling me what I can and can't eat?" The words came out muffled from the food in Dark's mouth, but the heavy sarcasm was still evident in his tone. "This is good," he said, all traces of sarcasm gone.

"Thanks!" Malon leaned forward with a huge grin, putting her hand on Link's shoulder. "Daddy always tells me I'm a good cook, but it's nice to have other people confirm it." She watched Dark finish his improvised sandwich with a smile.

"What's in the bag?" Dark asked, pointing at the mysterious package that Malon had brought in with her. It was a tied burlap sack, bulging with several of the items she had purchased at the marketplace that morning.

"It's a surprise!" she told him, reaching over to tug at his outstretched hand, which he yanked away with a horrified look on his face. From what he had observed, Hylians touched each other much more than Sheikah did. It made him a little anxious to get back to his own people.

"Will you two be okay here?" Link asked them, watching the exchange with a slightly worried look. Malon, with her bright and bubbly personality, just wanted to share her happiness with everyone. But Dark, with his withdrawn and sullen nature, would most likely treat that happiness as an infectious disease.

"We'll be fine," two voices told him in unison, one cheerful and one irritated. With a slight chuckle and a nod, Link turned around, opening the door and quickly stepping outside. Whatever Malon's surprise was, it probably wasn't anything that Dark would object to. Or at least he hoped not.

Malon watched the door in anticipation, waiting for it to close. Even though her surprise was for Dark, she was excited to see Link's reaction as well. "That Link," she said, shaking her head as she opened the bag. "I hope he knows how much of a blessing he is to this ranch." She untied the bag, removing what looked like a bundle of black fabric to Dark. As she unfolded it, he realized that it was actually a tunic. She held it up to him and hummed a short melody, taking measurements with her eyes.

"Does he come here often?" Dark finally asked. He was more interested in Link than the tunic at the moment, though he watched both it and Malon's hands nervously.

"Link? Oh yes, he's here quite often. He's so kind, coming over at least once a week when he isn't busy and offering to help with the chores. And he really does them too; even the dirty ones like mucking out the stalls. Imagine, he could have any riches he wants in the world and instead he chooses to spend time at our little ranch. It's a real honor to all of us here."

Dark's interest piqued at the word riches. He thought about the glinting gold on Link's tunic and the weapons he carried. Those were not the items of a poor man. Still, there was a big difference between being able to afford things and being able to acquire the riches of the world.

"I do feel a bit sorry for him, to be honest. Having his childhood ripped away like that, only to be thrown into a world of death and despair? But he was the only one that could do something about it, and I think he knows that. I just wish he had at least gotten a chance to rest after it was all over. For the Goddess' sake, it was a terrible time in everyone's lives! Why would they want to commission artwork to remember it by?"

Here Dark had assumed that Link was just some glorified stable hand, at best. But Malon was making him sound like so much more.

"I don't think they really want to remember the world in that way, come to think of it. A lot of them probably just look up to Link. They think if they know more about him, they can advance their lives in a similar manner. He did work his way up from a simple fairy boy to a trusted warrior, after all. It's recognition that a lot of people would want. I don't think he likes it all that much, though. He spends time here whenever he can, and even though our tasks are beneath him he does them without complaint. I think he just likes being treated like a normal person."

Dark was sure that her words were the product of an infatuation. There was no way so many people could look up to Link, even if he did think of himself as being a Hero. But anything was possible, he supposed - after all, Malon had known Link for quite a bit longer than he had.

"Come on," she told him, carefully folding the tunic back up into a square and putting it back in the bag. "There isn't enough light in here. We should go inside the house."

"No," he said, glaring at her. "I'm staying right here." His eyes glanced towards the window, betraying his fear of going outside.

"It's the sunlight, isn't it?" She sounded rather sympathetic, and Dark nodded in response to her kind tone. "I know it's a little bright out there today. It bothers the horses, too. I know!" she said, struck with sudden inspiration. The horses wore blindfolds when they had problems with the light. One would probably work for the short journey Dark needed to make between the barn and the house, too.

She walked forward, grabbing the bottom of Dark's tunic. He cringed, pulling back from her forcefully, but her grip was surprisingly strong for such a petite woman. "Just hold still," she instructed him, holding onto a fistful of fabric in one hand and ripping off a long strip of the material with the other. The fabric tore easily, due to lowered integrity from years of continued use, but still her own strength surprised her.

"Here!" She dangled a strip of his tunic in front of him, ignoring the suspicious look he was giving her. "Put it over your eyes. It will help." When he made no move to do so, she sighed and started to loop the fabric around his head. But to her surprise, he grabbed the fabric, unraveling it just as fast as she could wrap it again.

He may not have been a trusty warrior, and he certainly didn't have people lining up for artwork of him or offering him riches. But he did have the gift of freedom, something that Link had given him. It might hurt him right now to walk outside in full sunlight, but if he was going to live in Hyrule again, he needed to get used to it. And he couldn't do that if he insisted on covering up with a blindfold every time he went outside. This was his choice. And he was making it.

IN CLOSING

If you're in need of a good laugh - when Talon told Link that Dark could pay his way in cheerfulness, I couldn't help but imagine a scowling Dark, throwing pink and yellow daises at everyone that passed by.

Don't forget to check back for Chapter 8: His Own Little Secret. (It's a working title...I may end up changing it.) Thank you for reading / following / favoriting / reviewing!