The Legend of Zelda:

The Right of Passage

CHAPTER TEN: The Vow

We didn't partake in our sin every night.

It was never again like that first time, that undeniable moment of pure discovery. It began to grow as a routine, even as our positions changed and she would cringe beneath me, on top of me, or even beside me.

Her pleasure was more intense than mine. She would help guide me, so I would give her as much satisfaction that was possible—directing me with her hands, pressing on the joint of my finger to rub against the small, round mound in her tender area. It was a piece of her I had not been familiar with, and she had discovered it before I had. Her face squirmed as if she had tasted something bitter the first time I touched it. Raw skin, it felt like, pulsing against my fingertip.

We discovered more and more methods of pleasure in a very short time. But, Malon grew more distant from me the more intimate we became. I did as well. Though I sought her out, every time before an unwanted image would enter my mind. I came to her and she ailed me, for that moment, and then we would resume to regular behavior.

We had no flaming romance, we never did. She was my first everything, however, as I was hers. And she was my friend. Yet I never experienced a true romance with her. I wanted to—Goddesses, how much easier it would have been if I had been totally connected with her. I could have more easily accepted my new life. But alas, my stubborn heart forbade me from seeing the girl as such.

I wasn't sure if she had been in love with me. I knew she wanted me for her own, that I was certain. She wanted to keep me and have me, and was jealous of the princess. Though she knew little about the part of my life I kept hidden from the world, she was aware of how I blockaded her.

Malon hated Zelda. Whenever her name was mentioned by another, she would make a mockery. This began more after we became lovers. She ridiculed the princess's expensive wedding to the Duke, wondering how such a selfish girl could become queen one day. Malon would then stare at me, sometimes after she spoke, with that envy in her blue eyes, her hands rubbings on her hips, waiting for me to retort, to protect Zelda.

I didn't however; I didn't say a word. I had convinced myself that I removed all feelings towards this princess. On the wedding day, I spoke not a word concerning it. I pretended there was no Zelda. So Malon's words meant nothing to me.

Malon was a witty girl, an intelligent one as well. Her sense of humor often interested me, yet there existed a natural jealousy in her that bothered me. I could tell over the years, most notably during our conversation that led to her accusation that I wanted Zelda to be "my girlfriend."

I believe she knew that I did not love her as a man would for his lover. And everything just seemed to become more complex after that.

We were young, and consumed by lust. Never did we actually think there would be a fierce consequence to our actions. Yet, I really should have known.

I kept telling myself, if Malon didn't smile—if she didn't grant me permission to take her that night—then I wouldn't have had to be permanently bound to her. It was a shock to me one morning, when I was with the horses and tending to Epona specifically. Six or seven weeks had passed since our first intimate affair, and for several days we had not known each other.

Gently, I brushed Epona, not initially intimidated by Malon's arrival. She did not approach me harshly, or even in a manner that hinted so. She had been calm and eerily serene, her expression blank, eyes large but filled with no emotion.

I smiled at her when she came and stood calmly next to me, looking up at my face without speaking. Yet, as I saw her not return my gesture, slowly the smile evaporated, my lips curving into a frown. Letting go of Epona, I looked down at the girl, moving several strands of my fringe away from my eyes.

"What's wrong?"

Now her eyes glittered, and I saw her chest expand broadly while she took in a concentrated breath. Gently, the wind blew against her hair, and for a moment she appeared like a painting—so beautiful, yet captured by a mysterious sadness. I saw her clasp her fingers together daintily, her eyes never leaving my face.

"You must marry me."

Taken aback by her declaration, I stumbled. Epona hissed as I leaned against her to catch my balance. She spoke with no fierceness in her voice, but remained solemn in posture. Wildly, I gazed at her, my eyes large and blinking as they suddenly felt impeccably dry.

"Excuse me?" I asked, my voice rather soft.

She laughed then, just a single chuckle. And her eyes glimmered more as her glare focused on the bright sky, her mouth in a smile, but not a very honest one.

"You must marry me," she repeated, her voice a little shaky.

I went to her, holding her elbows, forcing her to look at me again. And there I saw the mixture of fear and satisfaction in her eyes. Color left my skin when I soon realized what she meant. I knew from her expression, how she could now finally have me and I would belong to no one else. She smiled only half-heartedly, because the rest of her—the bigger part of her—was frightened and confused.

My jaw loosened as my lips parted, and slowly my eyes hovered to gawk at the small curve of her waist. She looked so small, so petite. While my palm grazed over her stomach, I gulped, the blue of my irises trembling.

"Are you sure?" I wondered with a dry throat.

"Yes." Her voice was plain. "The blood hasn't come. It was supposed to come days and days ago."

Our gazes met once again, and I didn't know how to look at her. Should I have smiled, frowned, laughed, held her in my arms and cried in joy?

I remember feeling a little good at the news, somewhat joyed. It almost felt like a solution—to have someone else I could genuinely love, to help relinquish any other desires lurking in my heart. Malon's smile had faded, and there she looked at me blankly, in anticipation, waiting for my final reaction.

"What do we tell your father?" I asked at last, my voice becoming quieter. "Should we tell him you're with child?"

Her face scrunched in a small fury, as she stepped away from me and folded her arms over her chest. "Are you mad?" she blasted in a hushed tone. "Father would kill you! Then we would wed and he would resent you forever."

"Well, how can we wed if he kills me?"

My attempt to lighten the situation didn't help, as Malon just rolled her eyes at me, shaking her head. "This is no time to be funny, Link," she mused, moving her hand to rub the side of her neck. "We have gotten ourselves into a lot of trouble. We need to tell Father we wish to wed, have it done immediately, and the child would be born only slightly early. I doubt he would keep track of such a thing anyway."

I didn't have a word to say about her logic, which was reasonable, but still rather alarming. How she had approached me in the morning with such news still had my heart racing.

"How do we suggest it to him? Would he not be suspicious that we want to wed so suddenly?"

"I would rather him be suspicious, than have him know what we've done."

Her eyes shone as she spoke, and there I blushed at her gesture. Awkwardly, I scratched the top of my head, shifting my weight onto my left leg. For a moment, I didn't respond to her, and the whole tedious time, she watched me, simply waiting.

"You're really…going to have my child?"

Sighing, Malon nodded. "Yes. Whose else would it be."

"That wasn't what I was implying—"

Before I could spit the words out of my mouth, Malon had plunged herself into my arms, holding me desperately, her body trembling gently.

I stood there frozen for a second, my arms reluctant to return her embrace, the hair from the top of her head scratching my bottom lip.

"Please say you will marry me," she begged, retaining as much collectedness as she could.

I couldn't respond so quickly—I just couldn't! I should have known everything would lead to this. I had gone into this behavior so ignorantly, and both of our lives were about to change, as a child was involved.

She carried within her a new part of me, a little person who would grow up to have my attributes. What if she bore me a son? A beautiful, powerful son. I could mold him to be the person I wished to be—teach him swordsmanship, combat. Through him, I would at last gain a sense of true closure.

With a sudden feverishness that surprised the both of us, I hugged her—pulled her against me so compactly that I heard her gasp. I felt the features of her face poke at my chest, the part of her lips, the breath leaving her nostrils.

Even her own hold tightened, and we stood in the light of the morning, holding each other this way. New longing burned inside my chest, my mouth kissing the top of her head repeatedly.

"Of course. Of course!" I exclaimed.

And we parted from one another, and with a merry laugh I lifted her, noticing a real happiness take her face; and for the first time in days, she kissed me. The first time in daylight, where we could be caught.

But we wanted to be caught, it needed to be known. For the rest of my time on the ranch, Talon believed that his daughter and I were madly in love, and he was easily convinced of this folly.

~oOo~

"The goddesses watch as we unite this couple, this night in the land of Hyrule."

Our hands were united, our grips loose, not clinging but merely holding because we had been told to. Only a week had passed, and both Malon and I were standing in the Temple of Time, dressed a little more nicely than usual, but not much. Talon and Ingo were our only guests, the only ones there besides the priest to witness our permanent bonding. Both men were quiet.

Neither of us smiled, but kept a very fierce and expressionless eye contact. Her lips were straight, uncolored. She breathed so lightly she appeared lifeless. We didn't flinch when the holy man placed his palms over the linkage of our hands, his skin lighter than the both of ours, and much more coarse as he pressed down firmly.

I don't remember what his face looked like. I can't even recall exactly what I was wearing that night. I barely looked at the man. All I can remember is Malon's face, and the racing of my heart, as well as a blur of words spoken by the deep, thick voice.

"Tonight, they shall become one entity, and never be separated until death. Their union shall represent the union of the goddesses, and they shall each treat each other with respect, dignity, and love throughout their lives."

I remember that particular phrase, and how it scared me just a bit. This would be so permanent; Malon would be my wife at this point. We would be connected in an even more intimate, recognizable way. I had felt her slightly tighten her grip on my hands, yet her expression stayed the same. She looked just as fearful as I felt, but I saw it—that relief and satisfaction that tugged at the edge of her mouth, wanting to show that vivid, triumphant smile.

She, too, should have known what would have result in our liaison. Perhaps she knew this child would come, and even wanted it to. I still do not know, for I have chosen to believe that the both of us were not ready for such a responsibility, that we had been victims of childish curiosity.

"Young man, do you take this lady as your wife? Under Din, Nayru, and Farore, please answer."

"Yes," I replied immediately, my voice echoing throughout the temple. I gulped down the lump that has instantly clotted my throat, feeling the dryness sickle down painfully.

"Young woman, do you take this man as your husband? Under Din, Nayru, and Farore, please answer."

Oddly, Malon had been the one to pause, her eyes continuing to peer at me, a nervous wiggle to her lips.

"Yes," she replied, after a moment.

Silence had consumed after our vows, and this sort of silence droned throughout the capacious area. Still, I stared at her, and still, we both were solemn.

"The two of you are now one. Kiss your wife to seal this sacred union."

It was an automatic kiss, where my eyes remained open as I leaned forwards and captured her mouth. A small applause from Ingo and Talon echoed in the Temple briefly. After a few seconds, I pulled away from her, and there I stared at my wife, the woman who would have me forever.

The one who carried a part of me within her belly.

Our wedding night was not magical, as Talon awkwardly spoke to me in private about taking good care of his daughter, and to be gentle with her. He allowed me to move into the small cabin that was hers, and nothing remarkable occurred.

I had been ready for sleep, lying on the stiff bed with my eyes glaring at the ceiling, my mind without thoughts. Malon had been next to me, very still at first, as if she were already sleeping. But she had then gotten up and straddled me. Her knees locked at my hips, and with a hover, she lowered my pants.

It was dark, and I could barely see what she did, but I felt her. We didn't look at each other, did not speak. The only sound that emerged was my deep groan and the sharp gasp from her throat when she sat down on me.

I felt her pelvic muscles contract, while her hips began to rock, and vehemently the center of her body became a ragged sponge that scrubbed against my body. I held her waist gently, and that was all I did; I held her as she completed the final step to take me her own, bouncing herself on me, whilst I could feel myself going in and out of her, continually greeted by the warmth and wetness.

My eyes rolled back into my head as I groaned, consumed by the pleasure, her act of possession. She became quicker, harder, more messy and uncontrolled. She rode me like a wild horse, running through a rough field, thrusting on me with more passion that I had ever seen come solely out of her.

She was a big part of my life, yet not the most significant. Despite what I wanted to believe, I could not hide from those other pieces of me forever.