Chapter 7

"Okay, now, just – whoa! Careful."

A bout of giggles filled the night air and then a hiccup.

Link laughed to himself. "My lord, Malon, you are the most giggly drunk I've ever seen."

"I am not-" another hiccup and she laughed. "Drunk. Drunk is not proper for a… I am… slightly dizzy."

"Says the girl who can't even walk straight. Whoa, here we are. Stay on your feet," Link said, holding her up as she fell back against him.

"Why is the earth spinning?" Malon asked, putting a hand to her head.

Link took the hand in his own and steadied her. "Because the gods want to trip you. Now focus or you'll be the laughing stock of the universe. Right foot, then left. There we are, good."

"Well, damn the universe and damn this eternal spinning!"

Link laughed. Malon angry and cursing the heavens was just the highlight of his night. "Your father is asleep, right?" he asked, sobering at the thought of parading a very "dizzy" Malon before a sleepy, and sure to be grumpy, Talon.

Malon looked around, tripping over her own feet. "My father's here?"

"No, I… don't worry about it."

Malon gave a small cry as she lost her balance and slipped. Link held her tightly, catching her just before she hit the floor. She giggled madly as they struggled to straighten her. She whirled around to grab his shoulder and her lifted her from under her arms to put her right again. She was laughing all the time, pulling herself up with his help until her wrapped her arms around his neck and fell against him. He laughed as well, holding her steady until she pushed back against him to look him in the face.

She was staring at him, both of them smiling. She sobered suddenly, looking straight into his eyes. He watched, not knowing what she would do and not moving partly because he didn't want to and partly because he couldn't for two reasons. The first was because if he backed away, Malon would tip over for sure and the second… the second was unclear. He didn't know or understand the second, but he heeded the feeling anyway and stayed where he was. She lightly brushed his cheek, cupping his face with her small hand.

"You are the sweetest person I know," she said suddenly. "Did you know that?"

Link smiled. "No, but thank you. You as well."

"No, I meant it Link," Malon said seriously. "I really did."

"Me too. Now come one, let's get you home."

Malon nodded. "Okay."

Link called to Epona and in a few moments heard the drum of hooves. Astrod came along with her. Link lifted Malon onto Epona first, steadying her as she swayed and then clambered on behind her. He did not trust her to ride alone. He tied Astrod's reins to Epona's saddle and set his horse off at a slow gait. Malon leaned back against him comfortably and in a minute was breathing steadily. Link smiled down at her sleeping form and stroked her hair.

He rode into Lon Lon Ranch twenty minutes later. He slipped off the horse, Malon reviving from her dead sleep for only a minute, and then he cradled her protectively in his arms. He managed to open the door to the house in silence and creep up the wooden stairs to Malon's room. He laid her down on the bed gently. Link moved to her feet and pulled her boots off, then wriggled the blankets from under her and pulled them over her thin frame. She sighed and shifted slightly so that she was facing him. Link turned to go, but paused.

There was a beam of moonlight coming in through her window and it fell across her face, shining in her hair to create an erythrol halo. She looked like a goddess, beautiful and calm and he took her in for a moment. Then he shook some sense into himself and sobered, standing straight and headed back down stairs. He untied Astrod from Epona's saddle, then put the horse in his stable. Link let his horse roam in the penned in area of the ranch and headed towards the small apartment at the far end of the farm.

Malon was bent over a bucket of cornmeal, groaning. She didn't hear when the stable door opened quietly and a pair of worn leather boots padded in.

"Good morning Malon!"

"AH!"

Malon jumped almost a foot in the air and then moaned in pain, clutching her throbbing head. Link was curled, holding his sides from the laughter. She glared and him and whimpered.

"You're a beast. Don't yell so loud, my head is aching so bad it is about to pop open," she groaned unhappily.

Link giggled again and stood beside her. "Had a nice time last night."

She huffed. "Remind me never to drink that much ale again."

"I would, but… you were just such a laugh riot when you're trying to pretend that you aren't completely drunk."

"Who could I have possibly fooled?" Malon asked.

"I don't know, but it certainly wasn't me. However, you did seem to convince yourself that you were only 'dizzy,'" Link replied, picking up the bucket of cornmeal as they walked out of the stable together.

"Did Con see me like that?"

"No. Unfortunately, Con went home after you'd finished singing atop the bar. Poor lad. He could have beheld so much more that night," he said, shaking his head in disappointment. "He missed some of the most fun parts of the night."

"Don't tell me. I don't want to know whatever it is I can't remember."

"If you insist."

Malon groaned again and began throwing handfuls of cornmeal at the feet of a flock of cuccos. More came running. Link and Malon finished feeding them, Malon whimpering in pain the whole time, and then Link sighed. He set down the bucket and grabbed her hand.

"Come on, you big baby," he said, pulling her after him.

"Where are we going? What are you going to do to me?" Malon protested.

"I'm going to stop your whining. I can't take it anymore."

He led her into her house and sat her at the table. He went to the kitchen and began pulling vials of liquids out of his pouch. After mixing a couple of things over the fire for a while, he poured a frothing yellow liquid into a glass and brought it to her. She eyed it skeptically as he held it out.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Just shut up and drink it," Link demanded.

She made a face at him, but took the wooden cup. She sniffed it, wasn't put at ease in the least, and then timidly raised it to her lips. Link rolled his eyes and waited as she gulped it down. She set the empty cup down, licked her lips and shrugged. He waited a few seconds and then her face began to clear up. She smiled.

"My headache is gone," she said. "What did you give me?"

"You know Nelly's hangover mixture?" Link asked.

"I remember she mentioned it."

"I taught her to make it."

Malon smiled at him. "Thank you for taking care of me."

"Ah, well, what else do you expect of the sweetest person you've ever known?" Link asked. He stopped suddenly as Malon looked at him. He shrugged. "Sorry. It's just, last night you said-"

"I remember that part," Malon said softly.

Link met her gaze for a second and that same odd, inescapable feeling consumed him. The room seemed to shrink and the only thing in focus was Malon…

Then all of a sudden, the door burst in.

"Ah. Here you both are," Talon exclaimed in the usual loud Talon fashion. "I was wondering where you two went."

"Sorry sir, Malon needed some water," Link said, taking the cup in his hands and tossing it into the soaking bin.

"Just what I came in for," Talon replied. He turned to look at Link, a mischievous glint in his eyes that transferred down into a smile. "So. Link… when are you going to marry my daughter?"