Part 25: Ranch Memories
Link and Nabooru had traveled most of the day in silence. Nabooru still thought there was something wrong with Link. He seemed quieter than normal. She puzzles over what has put him in such a somber mood. She would have thought he would be happy about bringing Billy back to his family. She was just about to ask him what he was thinking about when Link spoke.
"There is the ranch. That is where Saria said Malon was right?" Link asked.
Nabooru was brought back out of her thoughts. She had not been focusing on the land.
"Yes, that would be where Malon would be. I myself have never been to the ranch. And who is Malon Link? I do not remember you talking about her?" Nabooru asked.
Link sighed.
"I do not remember, though I am bound to remember after talking with her." He said sighing, silently cursing his lost memory.
As they enter the ranch, Link sees a corral farther in front of him. All of a sudden memories of the Lon Lon Ranch and Malon are awoken. The first time he met Epona, Ingo and his race to keep Epona. He smiles at the pleasant memories. Malon and Link had always been good friends. He did not remember any awkward moments, so he looked forward to seeing his good friend again. Epona's ears perked up with excitement. Link then sees Malon coming out of the barn. He smiles, seeing her surprise when she sees him.
"Link!" she says excitedly.
Link gets off of Epona and he barely gets two feet on the ground before Malon glomps Link, making both Link and Malon fall over.
"Hi Malon." He says as he hugs her back, still on the ground.
"It has been so long since I have seen you Link! Where have you been?" Malon says, not releasing her grip.
"I have been going around doing some things…" Link says hesitantly, not wanting to ruin her good mood.
Hearing the hesitancy in his words, she loosens her grip and looks him in the eye.
"What is wrong Link?"
"Zelda's been kidnapped…" he says quietly.
She nods knowingly, understanding how he feels. She then has a mischievous smile on her face.
"So she will not mind me stealing her man for a day?" she asks.
He shrugs and smiles. "It is not like she can do anything about it, since you have already have me at a disadvantage."
Nabooru silently watches their interactions, stunned… She had never seen this side of Link. He seems playful and mischievous. Apparently Malon was quite a lady. She brought out a completely different side of Link. The Gerudo Queen silently observes them, feeling like an intruder, but does not want to ruin the moment.
"Well then… I will take full advantage of the fact that she cannot do anything about it." She replies as she wraps her arms around his neck.
"And how will you take advantage of it?" he whispers in her ear.
"I will not ever let you leave…" she tells him. "You are going to live with me."
Link chuckles. "And how are you going to manage that?"
"You know you cannot resist me Link." she says, her forehead against his.
"That is true…" he says as his hands rest on her hips.
They both hear a cough and look up to see Nabooru looking embarrassed, looking everywhere but at them. Link then realizes how this must look to her.
"Malon, this is Nabooru. Nabooru, this is Malon. She is one of my best friends." Link introduces them to each other.
"Is this how you normally are together?" Nabooru asks, slightly jealous of Malon's relationship with Link.
"Pretty much." Link says as Malon gets off him and helps him up.
"We are good friends." Malon says with a smile on her face.
"Yea, we always joke around, we enjoy hanging out with each other. We also have an unfinished horse racing contest." He says as he nudges Malon.
"Oh yea, I completely forgot about that!" Malon says happily, as she noticed how Nabooru was looking at her. She sees the jealousy clearly written all over Nabooru's face. Then she sees the queen look sadly at Link, seeing something she could not have. She felt sorry for Nabooru, for Link had spoken about her, and while he was attracted to her, he always said that she was not for him. He loved Zelda. Malon always knew that, just by the way he first mentioned Zelda to her. She was happy for Link, that he found someone who he wanted to spend his life with. She would always be his friend, wishing him happiness. She had at one time hoped they could be together, but he wanted to be friends, so she tried her best to be his friend, to be there for him no matter what. She had accepted her role as a friend, while Nabooru seemed to not be able to fully accept it.
"Be prepared to lose!" Malon said as she nudged Link.
"It will not be me who loses; you better start preparing my victory cake!" He says as he gets back onto Epona.
"Nabooru, would you be so kind as to be our referee and declare the winner of our race?" Malon asks.
"Ummm… okay, but I do not know much about horses." Nabooru agrees hesitantly.
"All you have to do is start us with on your marks, get set, and go. Then see who finishes first after two times around the track." Malon told Nabooru as she got on a horse of her own.
"Are you both ready?" Nabooru asks. They both nod. "Okay… On your marks… get set… go…"
Epona sprints off, Link knows that the race is won before it has even begun. Malon knows that Epona is the fastest horse. Link just thinks it is an excuse for her to bake him a cake. She loves making food for him. He always loves her cooking, it is always delicious. In no time at all, Link crosses the finish line and he is declared the winner. He smiles widely at Malon. She smiles back at him.
"Come inside after you have fed Epona and put her in the stables Link, I will start working on that cake of yours. Nabooru you can come inside with me." Malon says.
As Link takes care of Epona, Link wonders what Malon is saying to Nabooru, he saw that she had something to discuss with her, but Link had no clue what. He shrugged; Malon might tell him later if she felt he needed to know. Link makes sure that Epona has everything she needs before he leaves the barn. He goes quickly to the house, his mouth watering slightly at the thought of cake…