A/N. I want to thank all of my reviewers and readers, it means a lot to me that I have your support especially since this is my first story! Love ya all..


Link raced into the house. He looked at the empty kitchen but instead of entering it Link headed for the stairs. He ran up, taking two stairs at the time. There were four doors that caught his eye as he finally managed to get up. "Kayla?" he yelled in hope that he wouldn't have to go through every room to find her.

It was quiet, Link tried to still his intense breathe, he wanted to hear if she had replied. But as the reply never came Link felt how his body started to tense. "Kayla? Are you up here? It's okay it's me Link. The knight you meet at the market?" His voice sounded stressed, but he strived for it to be kept calm. He knew other riders where on their way, and he needed to make sure Kayla and her Grandfather was out of the way.

He waited for her reply. He could feel his body growing less patient by the second, and he started to walk to the first door ready to open it when his sensitive ears finally distinguished something, a sound, the sound of someone sobbing. It sounded like it came from the second door onto his left.

"Kayla?" He opened the door, and saw a small girl sitting on the floor with a blanket pulled over her head. Link walked over to the left side of the bed and bent down to the floor and carefully pulled away some of the cover, making him able to see her scared face. "How are you holding up?" He asked in an attempt to make her feel better.

"Where is mommy?" She asked. Her bottom lip was trembling, and Link could make out a small tear, slowly tracing down her face.

Link wrapped the blanket around her body before lifting her from the floor, "hey," he murmured as he placed her in his arms, "don't worry. Your mother will be fine."

Kayla huddled close to his chest, feeling how it moved rhythmically up and down.

Link walked out of the room and with his foot closed the door with a thud. "Where does your Grandfather sleep?"

Kayla pointed to the door closest to the stairs. "That is actually Ingo's room, but he's sleeping outside now."

"No wonder the man's bitter," Link mumbled to himself. He walked over to the door, but immediately hindered himself. Link felt the scent of danger, even long before his eyes could pick up on it. Something was dreadfully wrong. "Kayla," Link pressed the young girl closer to himself. "Don't look inside, okay?" He tried to keep up a cheerful tone, but Kayla realized that something was wrong seeing the burdensome expression on Link's face.

"What's wrong?" She asked. "Grandpapa's just sleeping."

Link got a hold of Kayla's neck, and carefully made her rest her forehead against his shoulder. "I'm sure everything's fine."

With a bit of force Link opened the door, only to wish he hadn't. The smell of rancid death hauled itself on him, making his stomach twist. He gazed into the room, seeing the shape of Talon with his back against the wooden bed with a blooded arrow piercing itself through his skull.

His brown eyes was wide open, facing Link's as if the murderer himself had been standing exactly where he now stood. Link hastily closed the door, knowing that he never be able to forget the death luring in those eyes.

"What's that smell, how come you didn't wake him up?" Kayla asked as Link watchfully walked down the stairs, still having that lump in his abdomen which only grew larger.

"He wasn't there."

"Oh."

Suddenly Link saw the edge of a cloak and a shadow disappearing behind the kitchen door, he hissed silently. They'd come back with reinforcement, and was now in the house looking for him.

Link pushed Kayla higher up in his embrace and begun tiptoeing towards the kitchen, which they had to cross to get out of the house.

"Hey," Link breathed near Kayla's ear. "Have you ever played hide and go seek? "

Kayla nodded. "Lots of times!" She beamed. "Mom and I use to do that."

"That's great." Link flashed a hurried smile. "Because we are going to play that now." Link reached the brown doorpost and pressed his back against it. He tilted his head trying to catch a glimpse of the men in the kitchen. He saw two.

"We are hiding," Link explained. "And the men in black cloaks are searching."

"Ah," Kayla whispered, as she laid eyes on the two men in the kitchen. "So they can't see us or we lose?"

"Right, and the first one to get outside the boundaries of Lon Lon Ranch are the winners."

Kayla nodded. "I always win, when mom and I play."

Link nodded. "That's great," he said as he glanced away from the two men and to the outer door that stood five feet away from the kitchen door.

"The hard part is, if we get caught, we can't play again," Link thought as he slowly pushed himself of the wall. He began walking, again on his toes, over to the other side of the doorpost, and sighed inwardly as he reached it without being spotted by the men.

"See here," one of them said. He was holding up a note. "She's been here!"

The other man walked up to him. "It is her handwriting," the second one agreed and placed a finger on the paper. "But it won't help us find her."

"Still," the first one said and threw the paper away. It gracefully flew down on the floor, some inches away from the green clad hero, who quickly gobbled it up from the floor.

It was a note from Kayla's school, signed by Malon's hand.

Link stowed the note in a satchel on his belt and begun sneaking towards the direction of the door. He stopped just as he heard a voice: "Wait there," it said "I'm going inside." The doorknob started to rotate and Link felt his chest heave; "was there men outside as well?" Hastefully Link turned around to look for a place to hide.

The man was brought to a standstill as he heard a crack in the floorboards near the door on the other side. He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword and pulled it out. The sun that now stood high in the sky reflected onto the clod steel.

A leer spread on his face as he quickly wrenched the door open.

The men that stood in the kitchen were just about to pull out some of the drawers when they heard a sudden burst. Out of surprise both of them dropped what they had taken from out the drawers and it fell to the ground with a huge clash. "What the hell was that?" One of them yelled as both bolted towards the front door, only to see a man clad in a black cloak standing alone in the hallway with his sword goofily pulled out in front of himself.

"He was here!" The man with the sword roared as the two men glared at him. "I heard him."

"You idiot!" One of them hissed. "Everyone within a mile from this house could probably hear you!"

The man who stood near the utter door growled. "But I know it was him, he is here."

"Did you see his face?" The second man asked.

"No," the man harshly placed back his sword in its sheath. " I only heard him from outside the door."

The two men that stood inside the kitchen growled in union. "Have you ever stopped for a second and figured that it might be us? We weren't all that quiet!"

"Idiot," The other man hissed, as the both of them went back to the drawers. "Just go upstairs so we don't have to see you."

As the two men walked off, the man that was left in the hall roared silently. "I know he's here," he muttered as he walked over to the stairs. He placed a foot on the first step, making it creak loudly. "Upstairs!" He mumbled. "He ran upstairs." With that the man bolted up as be brought out his sword, not bothering to look back.

Behind a green sofa placed in the kitchen hallway laid a man convolved and entangled with a red haired girl. She giggled softly against his chest, which conveyed a grin out of the young blond. "That man was really stupid, he missed us."

Link tried to shift position as he felt that something sharp-edged was pressing into his lower back."I think we should get going," he grunted, "It sounds as if it is clear."

They aimed to sit up, but with much difficulty. However after some silent 'ouches' and 'moans' they finally managed to sit upright. Link rubbed his back, still soaring after having a knife handle pressing up against him while Kayla looked over the edge of the sofa. "I can't see anyone," she declared. "But I think there are more outside."

Link nodded.

"Hey Kayla" Link whispered, "let's find another way out, whaddya say?

Link took Kayla in his arms not expecting nor waiting for her to answer. They rushed up to a window in the far end of the room. It would lead them out to the back of the ranch.

Link opened the window and leaned out a little, there was no guard sight. He put Kayla down and told her to wait for him by the window. He placed a firm hand by the window edge and jumped out with cat-like grace.

His boots meet the ground with a stifled thump, he looked from side to side before he rose to catch Kayla.

Kayla climbed up the window with the help of her arms and feet. The wind roughly played with her hair as she stood on the window edge. "You promise to catch me?"

"I promise." Link saw how the clouds begun clogging the sky, driving away the worm rays of sun. He felt how the winds unexpectedly picked up, making the hem of his tunic and hat flap in the fast growing wind. "C'mon Kayla hurry."

"I can't see you," Kayla said, as her hair flew in front of her face. She tried to take a step back and lost her balance. With a shriek Kayla fell in Link's arms. She brushed back her hair and looked up at a grinning face.

Link was about to say something when footsteps could be heard along with a voice saying: "I heard something, I think it's from the back of the house!"

Link turned his head in the direction of the voice and his mouth turned into a fixed line. A blue flash could be seen followed by a thundering roar as Link hurryingly marched over to one of the creates his eyes had caught sight of some minutes before. He placed Kayla behind it. "Enough hiding," he said to himself. "Wait for me here Kayla and whatever happens don't come out ." She nodded. Before he left he bent down, grabbed her small wrists and placed her hands over her pointy ears. "Have your mother ever taught you any good songs?" He asked as he corrected her hands.

Kayla nodded as she felt rain drops fall on her head and on her face.

"Can you remember it in your thoughts and hear your mother sing it?" Link asked. She nodded again, sensing a dismayed feeling wash over her. She wanted to tell him to stay with her as she was frightened of the thunder that played above her head, closely in the darkened sky. But she did not dare to, not when she looked into his strong-minded eyes. Instead she closed her eyes picturing her mother and she let the tones of the song her mother sang fill her mind, depleting all her fears. It was called Epona's song her mother had told her.

Before Link could realize what he had done, he'd leaned forward and kissed her on the head feeling the taste of her wet hair. He stood up reaching for the hilt of his sword. He walked with determined steps, the raindrops fell and he drew his sword.

Link saw the blue flash as it mirrored on the man in front of him, and soon both of their ears got filled with the sound of the thunder. Link seemed to pick up on how calm the man was. There was no hint of worry in his face, and he rapidly felt the scent of danger, long before he could figure out what it was. The rain was now poring and Link began having trouble seeing through the heavy fall, he put his arm up above his head in an effort to stop water from falling into his eyes, turning his head as he walked blindly in the dark. He stopped, another flash stroke down covering the steel of his wet sword and for a second lighting up the dark, revealing a man standing behind him just about to release an arrow aimed at his back.

As he turned Link heard the swish as it released, splitting water as it flew through the air, and with the twinkling of an eye the steel tip of the arrow collided with the steel of Link's sword.

Link stood with his sword as a vertical shield, tilted, in front of his heart. He looked up starring fiercely at the man with the bow still in his hand. His soaked blond hair hung in his face with the rain drops dripped down.

Flashes continued striking, coloring his darkened eyes, he stood in the middle hearing someone charging up behind him. The man swung his sword causing Link to shelter himself by lifting his up above his head, covering his back. In one blow the two swords met, Link pushed back his sword forcing the other to release as he in a turn rolled down by the man's side. Link drew his sword forward, missing only by an inch as the aggressor slant over to the side. The man changed his foothold, ready to strike again, Link blocked but got forced back as he tried to stand. He wobbled back but quickly got a new hold on his sword, ready to progress.

Their sword's met with clashes, dismissing all other sounds.

Link could feel the stench coming from the man's breath as they closed up to each other, when Link finally managed to push him away from himself.

The man slipped on some wet grass, but did not fall, as Link attacked him, instead the man blocked the on-coming strike with an equal blow. The man paused and attempted for a new slash but Link got by as he jumped to the side.

The man jumped back and tried to slash him with a horizontal spin, but Link jumped back like a wolfos dodging it scarcely and landing on his feet a bit away from the man.

The attacker ran towards him charging his sword at Link who dodged it by rolling past him, slashing the man's arm as he went by, causing the man to yell in pain.

The storm started to get worse as the winds became rougher.

Link looked at the man who stood four feet way from himself and breathed heavily. A flash could be seen behind Link as he jumped at his opponent and span sideways through the air. The man looked up at the spinning elf and only saw the horizontal pattern of sliver. It turned closer and as Link reached his opponent he, with the force of his mid-air spin, brutally stabbed the man's neck, causing them both to fall on the ground.

But only one remained on his feet.

Link took a hold of the dead man's sword as he sensed the other cloaked man coming up on his side, he now had two swords and without paying any attention to how tired he was he gripped them firmer, holding, until the man was within blades reach.

He kept his swords low letting his attacker know he was waiting for him, the sword now clashed onto his own and with his swords crossed held the other sword back. Link saw into the man's eyes as he forced him further and further back. Their clothes were soaked and the grass had turned into mud, each of them knew that if any of them lost focus, only a moment was all it would take for one to prevail over the other.

Link felt how his opponent became weaker, he was beginning to give in. Suddenly the man lost his foothold and in an attempt to finish, Link tried to do an air flip on over to the man's back but the man saw it coming. He slashed Link in mid-air, but Link anticipated the blow and blocked it, he countered as he landed.

Blue flashed at the two soaked men, as another thunder filled the heavens above them.

Link side-kicked the man in his the abdomen and his attacker grunted as he collapsed down. As on cue Link turned around, blocking a sword coming from another cloak as his sword was inches away from slashing Link's head in two. Link growled shortly at the man as he pushed him away with his sword.

This time Link let the blow get through, he locked it in-between his two swords as he twisted them to the side forcing the sword out of the man's grip. To astonished to move, the man struggled to get a hold of his sword again but rather quickly felt how Link sent his brown leather boot up the man's gut. The man fell to the ground and in one movement, with all his might, Link tore the swords aside holding them sharply in the air with its end pierced toward the ground. Link gave out a yell as the two swords fenced down in a huge thrust, breaking through the man's chest, one from each side.

Link struggled to catch his breath, as the last man got back on his feet. He clutched the hilt of his sword hard as he began swinging it in circles over his head with a deep roar, urging Link for a rematch.

They exchanged glimpses of each other in the dark but neither spoke instead Link answered by swinging his swords in slow arching patterns, showing that he had accepted the challenge.

XxXxXx

Kayla's arms hurt, she was cold and despite what Link had told her she could not hold them up anymore. She began to feel really scared and she no longer wanted to just imagine her mother's voice, she wanted hear her and to feel her stroke though her hair. Leisurely she brought down her hands, nearly crying out of pain as they fell to her sides. She looked down at her gray nightgown: It was soaked through and her body shook fiercefully.

Carefully, Kayla crawled to the edge of the crater and squinted through the darkness. The winds blew hard, and the rain made her hair clutch like a wet towel around Kayla's face. She couldn't see Link anywhere because of the rain. But then suddenly a white flash lit up the sky and she made out two shapes in the far off distance.

XxXxXx

His sword was held high and Link could clearly see in its reflection his sharpened blue eyes. They pierced themselves into his mind and for a moment Link was totally paralyzed by them. There was something strange that had awoken in him, it was as if time stood still and he began reflecting on what had happened. He had been fighting ever since the break of day and he'd no idea where Malon was. So many things had happened that he could not prevent, he remembered Talon lying on his bed, a corpse like so many others he'd seen. The memory of Talons eyes strangled him, his heart began to beat slower. What kind of hero was he leaving a child alone in a storm while he made himself busy by slaughtering trash in their backyard, dripping blood that would never wash away. Suddenly Link felt dazzled. What was he doing? Was he sympathizing with Malon's family or was he just feeling sorry for himself? A blow just passed him, it missed and dug right into the ground.

"Idiot," he muttered to himself.

The aggressor came at him again. Link's swords were trapped hard on his chest, locked in place. He couldn't move his arms. His opponent started to push harder, pinning his arms in place like two thumbtacks.

Link felt how his knees slowly began buckling from the inflexible force that was put on him and by the pressure from the man that stood chest to chest with himself, slowly pushing him further and further down.

Link was fully aware of the situation. He understood that if he fell on the ground now there was no getting up. No second chances.

"Link!"

A small crying voice broke through the thundering storm, which brought the man to stumble and lose his thigh grip. Link pushed the man off of himself using every ounce of his being.

"Kayla, get back!" Link shouted, not seeing nor hearing her anymore. All he saw was the back of the man who'd turned around looking to find the source of the small voice. This was Link's chance, he threw his sword through the attackers back, seeing how it pierced on through to the other side. The last of the cloaked men, fell to his knees. As he parted his lips blood ran down his mouth, drooling from his bottom lip in long streams of dark sultry liquid. He gulped for air as Link pulled away the sword, making the man fall dead on the ground.

Link fell to his knees, dropping his bloody swords on the wet grass. His breathe was caught in his chest but he tried to suck in some of the cold air.

He worried about Kayla and where she might be, it wasn't safe anymore and more men could be on their way.

Fiercely a force hit him over his chest causing his lungs to contract and making him fall to the ground. Quickly he saw a tint of red that rested itself on his chest, it cried heavily.

Link placed a hand on her head, stroking her hair.

XxXxXx

As soon as Link had made it to the castle, with a drenched Kayla in his arms, Zelda had ordered almost half of the castles servants to attend to the little girl . Even though Link had detected the worry in Zelda's eyes when finding he had not brought Malon with him back , Link sensed that this was an outcome she had prepared for.

The long walk to the castle had made Link realize how tired and exhausted he was. But when he finally had arrived at the castle gate and learned that Malon was nowhere within the premises he'd gotten fully awake. Resting was one of the last things he would do, when he knew Malon's life could be at risk.

Zelda had only told him that she would dispatch the guards to search for her, it seemed it was all they could do. Link had been determined to lead the search however, Zelda had ordered him not to. This would ordinarily mean that he would do as she'd ordered but in this case wild horses couldn't stop him from going after her. But Zelda had make sure it was impossible for him to leave because she knew that Malon's fate was now out of their hands, out of any of their hands.

She had told him what had happened in the garden and what she'd seen, she told him about Malon and the part she played and that wherever she was now they had to believe she had the power to overcome the dangers she faced.

XxXxXx

Link walked the corridors that night, he had to keep telling himself the castle was where he would be needed and where he would stay. After all he had to believe in her, he had to believe in Malon. Suddenly steps woke him from his thoughts.

"We found the horse, Sir."

"Then you must have found her too." His voice sounded raspy. "Epona never leaves her riders side."

The armor clad guard glanced at him coldly before answering. "The horse was alone. We found her at the moat surrounding the castle. And her saddle seemed empty enough for us."

Link glared at the black haired man. "Are you positive she wasn't anyplace near?"

"Yes." The man quickly added a, "Sir," before continuing. "We have combed through the whole field, and even throughout Hyrule. She is nowhere near where the horse was located … Sir."

"You have to keep looking," Link ordered. "She has to be here somewhere. Look behind every rock if necessary, knock on doors if you see fit …"

"And here I thought I was the one supposed to give orders." Zelda said in an attempt to ease up the tension, though knowing it was unlikely to. She had to remain hopeful of Malon's fate and she had to stand strong for those around her. She deeply believed Link needed to see that she wasn't worried concerning Malon. And although sarcasm wasn't her strong suite she felt she had to make an effort.

Link saw the Queen coming up behind the guard, standing at his side. She was wrapped in a silky white robe with golden laces tightly knot around her trimmed waist. "I'm sorry, my Queen," Link uttered halfheartedly. "I did not see you."

Zelda made an effort to smile in response, before passing her attention to the guard. "Tell your men to keep looking," she said. "And as Link kindly suggested," she tried with her sarcasm, "I would see it proper if you start looking in town as soon as dawn start arising and the people start to come to. There is no need to wake them up in the middle of the night, for a matter I highly doubt they know anything of."

Link wanted to say something to demonstrate his disagreement. If somebody did know something, he or she could get away with it during the night now when darkness protected their trail. It was most likely the best time to find a witness who'd seen what happened or to catch other perpetrators as fewer people are out at night. But he held his tongue.

"You are to be dismissed."

The guard bowed. "Yes my Queen," he said, before walking in opposite direction. As the guard walked off Link made an effort trying to ease the burden he knew Zelda bore on her shoulders.

"You look saddened."

"I was thinking about the guards... the ones I sent after you. I got word just before you arrived with Kayla that they had been killed by more cloaked riders." She paused. "Link, I am sorry they never got to you."

"These riders…," Link thoughtfully said, "they are Ganon's?"

"Yes," Zelda replied. After moments of silence Zelda spoke up again."Link, I am unaware of Ganon's part in this but I fear he could try and reach Malon though his dark power. I must not let that happen. I have…,"

"You don't intend to fight him," Link interrupted her, he looked worried but determined.

Zelda took a moment before answering: "No." She looked at him. She could tell something was on his mind. "You are thinking of Malon?" There was no reply but she could tell he was. He had the same empty expression as when he first learned Malon was not at the castle. She knew he felt betrayed. "I can see your lacking faith in me," Zelda said. Her eyes, elegantly fixed themselves at the tile floor.

Link found no words to differ with.

"Link," Zelda still did not look at him. "I know how much you want to see her safe, as do I. But we cannot accuse or bother innocent people with this matter. I also fear something has happened to Malon, but as long as we know nothing of it, we can't start looking for it."

"You sounded differently when you asked me to collect the spiritual stones. Then you actually took action."

"Yes but you do not understand, this is neither yours nor my fight, it is out of the boundaries of this world out of its realm." Zelda lastly looked at him with eyes gleaming like diamonds, from the tears that threatened to fall. "My people, all of them are in the hands of her, I no longer feel her spirit in this world. It is a truth that you cannot see and so I do not blame you for losing faith in me Link but trust that I have done all that I can for Malon."

Link felt tears coming through his eyes but he did not respond. Somehow he couldn't help but to blame Zelda, the gods and even himself for Malon's involvement and disappearance. Even though deep down he knew Zelda was right and Malon would have been the chosen one regardless of anything.

"I suggest you get some sleep." Zelda's voice sounded low, like if she wanted to tell him something but feared for it to ever get out. She gave him a smile encouraging him that it would be alright, Link saw she was not at ease and that there was no guarantee behind that smile. That is when it suddenly occurred to him he'd forgotten to believe. He saw her as she went along the hallway rounding the corner with her personal guard.

Outside a carriage was waiting ordered by Zelda for her departure.