Link took the back of his hand along his brow to keep the sweat from his eyes while stretching out his back, his face meeting the bright sky above. He unleashed a hearty sigh, taking visual stock of his cattle as they grazed atop the endless spans of grass along the field of Hyrule, making sure none of them had gotten away. Clearing his throat, he trudged his way over toward one of the nearer cows, whose gait had been slow as of late, patting her back with a gentle reproach.

"Hey Riri, how're you doing?" he asked the muted animal softly, taking his other hand and running it along her side, "Don't worry. Tomorrow I'll go fetch you some spring water- get you right back to normal, eh?"

The cow simply continued to graze, albeit with a slower pace than the others. For all the belligerent cows that wandered off, caused trouble, or who made Link's life a general nuisance, Riri had been such a loyal cow from the start, often staying at Link's side wherever he strode along the pastures. Such an animal was one he couldn't bear to lose prematurely, having already discussed the issue with his wife, Malon, and deciding on trekking up Zora's River for some fresher water that might quell the cow's internal issues.

Sighing, Link left Riri's hide and began rounding up the others, shouting authoritatively after giving a fierce whistle, "Alright, here we go!"

The cattle lazily began to turn toward him, with Link careful to make sure Riri was also en route, slowly leading the herd back toward the entryway to Lon Lon Ranch for the sickly cow's benefit. A breeze rolled through at that moment, sending a chill down Link's spine as he peered off into the distance, his eyes narrowed in fixation. The cacophony of 'moo'ing kept him firmly planted in reality, even as the world suddenly seemed a bit less real, and he gradually returned his attention to the herd, keeping a look out for that ominous wind that had passed through.

"Come on," Link muttered, more to keep himself company, "So long as Riri's ill, your mom's always in need of help and we're not making good time. Let's get a move on."

With a painfully slow pace, the small herd of cattle made its way back toward the high walls of the ranch, forming up at they filed into the entrance, allowing Link a glance toward the sun to find it having already on its way down to give way to night, leaving him with a frown at how much time he'd taken. With only two ranch hands besides himself and Malon, the amount of work was still strenuous at best, especially with Link off in the field and him being such a powerful worker in his own right. Cows were the very livelihood of the ranch, however, and he knew the cattle best, forcing him out into the fields every day at noon to allow them to graze. He never would have allowed one of the two hands to take such an important responsibility.

"Tassoh! Azoh!" he called out as the cattle filed in along the thoroughfare between the house and stables, "Wrangle these girls in for me, will ya?"

The younger hand, Azoh, obediently nodded while Tassoh quietly followed along, the two rounding up each cow as Link made his way toward the home he shared with the woman he loved, gingerly pressing his way in through the door, suspecting that the day's stress had already forced Malon into something of a tizzy. Sure enough, catching her quickly trying to prepare dinner for the four of them, Link only kept a wayward glance upon her as he removed his boots, stealthily approaching from behind as she scurried back and forth along the worn kitchen counter.

She gasped as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight from behind as his face fell into the crick of her neck, her voice calling out while she squirmed, "What are you doing?"

"Holding you," Link answered simply, much to Malon's chagrin.

"You know I'm busy," she managed in reply, a droll tone catching her words, "I've got to prepare dinner."

Link frowned, "And I've got to hold you. Sounds like an impasse to me."

Sighing, unable to resist this man's embrace, despite knowing she needed to in order to complete the task at hand, Malon continued to squirm in his arms until Link released her with a smirk, turning his attention to the food being prepared, "Okay, what do you need help with?"

"Well, I suppose you can set the table for us," Malon noted with a rushed voice, "The boys are gonna want their dinners on time tonight; they're headed up to the castle for the festivities."

Link grinned, "Look at you, already taking on the tone of a caring mother."

With a dismissive glance to hide her own wryness, Malon replied softly, "I haven't a clue what you mean."

"Sure you do," Link asserted confidently, so sure he'd come to know this woman over the many years they'd known one another, "But that's neither here nor there. I won't point out your projecting; I've learned enough how to be a good enough husband. or rather, you taught me well enough."

"Hmm, you know I don't like when you make me out to be some overbearing witch," Malon scolded with a grin.

Link assured, carefully making up the table, "Hey, that's the good thing about falling for a nothing like me. You find a guy who's never known love, or relationships; you turn him into your own. I don't know any better, anyway."

Smiling up toward Malon as soon as he noticed her staring at him, Link went on, "I wouldn't want it any other way, honestly."

Sighing, Malon rolled her eyes as she finished up the meal, carrying over a large bowl of leafy greens to where Link had cleared an area off the table, "You're such a child sometimes, you know."

Grinning, Link leaned over to sneak a kiss as she bent down to fix the few parts of the table Link had left unattended, shooting a teasing glance toward him after he'd retreated, "Told you."

"I can't help it," Link shrugged, following her back to the counter to help with the rest, "You always tease the girl you love, don't you?"

Malon accused, "Some might call it being mean."

"Really now?" Link wondered aloud, though his thought was left unanswered as the door swung open in a fright, the two ranch hands dashing inside with a giddy air, Azoh quickly returning the tools they'd used to the toolbox while Tassoh walked quickly toward the table.

"Dinner's almost ready," Malon nodded, "You two go ahead and-"

Tassoh, fist full into a collection of greens, shook his head, "Sorry! Azoh 'n I need ta' head out! Night's fallin' and we can't be late for tha' moon festival!"

Malon frowned, though quickly relinquished a sigh before turning for two satchels, "Okay, well here you two go. You don't need to be pawing your food into your mouths like animals mid-stride."

"Oh! Link, we got th' cows in, but one of 'em knocked the damned gate to one of the stalls down," Tassoh explained as Azoh quietly approached him from behind, carefully collecting his own to-go mean.

Link nodded, crossing his arms more in irritation of the cows than the two teenaged boys, "Alright, I'll look into it in the morning. I'm taking Riri up Zora's River in the morning anyway, so I'll just stick the free one in her stall."

Malon turned to watch him with a curious glance before returning to the two boy's satchels, yanking their strings shut with a soft, reproachful voice, "Alright you two, be careful."

"Yes'm, we will," Tassoh assured, "If we catch enough of gem pendants, we'll bring some of 'em for you two."

Before Malon could send off Azoh in the same manner, the younger of the two had already slinked off, leaving Tassoh with a nervous chuckle, "Don't worry- he'll warm up to ya soon enough."

Malon frowned, "You said that four months ago."

"Give'm six," Tassoh laughed boyishly, throwing his rampantly lengthy hair over his scalp before turning to leave, offering a fist toward Link with his satchel of food slung over his shoulder, "Chief."

Link nodded as he acknowledged his fist with a rough bump of his own, watching the teenage boy duck out with a burst of speed in order to catch up with his friend. The two owners of the ranch could have easily mistaken the two for brothers, which they'd done upon the outset of the two's employment, only to be assured by Tassoh, rather shyly, that the two were merely friends after the question had finally been raised.

With a few quick blinks to denote the swift atmosphere that had come and gone with the youths, Link shrugged as he turned toward Malon with a dismissive tone, "Well, I guess we eat alone tonight."

Malon sighed longingly, lowering her head almost mournfully as she replied, "Yeah…"

His eyes moving faster than his lips, Link mustered a solemn voice as he strode up to her side, taking her into an embrace, "Hey, it's okay."

"Not to me," Malon replied in an anguished, humorous tone, a gentle laugh catching up to her choked up throat.

Link rubbed his arms up and down her torso, "It'll happen one day, don't worry. I know you like to look upon those two as sons, but- Well, I guess there is no 'but'."

He patted her on the shoulder as he pulled away, "Look, we'll eat dinner and we'll feel better, alright? You've already gone through the trouble of fixing up my mess, after all."

His humorous words forced a weak smile on Malon's face as she gently acquiesced, dropping her shoulders in faux reluctance before walking toward the small-sized dining table that sat just apart from the counter, "I suppose if I did go through the effort."

Link chuckled, "Fixing my horrendous table-setting attempt? or dinner?"

"Both, if you're trying to put me in a better mood," Malon answered with the same mild smile, taking her seat with Link waiting to do the same until he could push her chair in.

"A dinner alone together's never a bad thing," Link confirmed brightly, finding his seat at the side adjacent to her own, "Now we can get down to business. Riri, specifically."

Malon watched him idly as Link readied his plate, "Whatever ails her isn't going away, and I'm tired of returning home so late to help you out due to her slow steps."

"You don't need to be back; I can handle things here myself," Malon answered readily.

Link's lowered head, focused on his food, raised only enough for his eyes to catch a glimpse of her face, "Then how long must I wait to come home and see, once again, how beautiful you are?"

Malon gave a sigh, watching Link drolly as he smirked before returning to his food, giving her a chance to chide the man, "I already told you that your teasing could be considered mean."

"How is it mean?" Link inquired with a boyish grin.

Taking a shallow breath, Malon could only reply with something resembling a shameful whisper, "'cause it just might push me toward my own teasing."

His meal pausing at her words, without moving at that, Link smiled mischievously, though quickly hid it behind conversation, speaking up quietly, almost gently, "Remember the night we met?"

Malon, who'd been merely poking at her food mostly, lost in her husband's wily charms, grinned, "Yes. Within the castle walls; I was all alone, feeling like an outcast with my meager, shabby dress that my mother made me. Among all the well-dressed townspeople, I felt so ashamed. Then some silly boy in a tunic showed up. and I felt not so alone, or weird, in my silly dress."

She smirked, "I didn't think you'd noticed me."

"How could I not have?" Link confirmed, "You were the first pretty girl I saw once…"

His voice came to a halt as his eyes lingered in space, deep in thought for only a moment before, "Well, I hadn't seen a girl so beautiful. Your hair sort of lit up the world, almost, if only to bring that smile of yours nowhere near the darkness."

Malon's hand had found the ragged tendrils that made up the tips of her hair, swirling her soft mane along the end of her finger as Link spoke, only to find his tone softened by regret, "I never forgot that smile. and even now, I so love to see it. But when I think about these years, us unable to have children, I- I know what that thought does to your smile. and I so despair over being unable to give you what you so desperately yearn for."

Her hand snuck over, clutching the wrist of her lover as she spoke up softly, "Link, this might bring me down from time to time, but it is no burden. Besides, we haven't a clue- perhaps it's myself who's to bla- you know what, it isn't even blame. This is what our lot in life has cast. We'll get by."

Further comforting him, Malon raised her hand, tucking the wild tuft of hair that barely came cascading down past his face back behind his ear for a better look at him, smiling ever so delicately, "You made me feel better a moment ago, so now it's my turn."

In a hushed tone, she uttered sincerely, "If you'd had nothing more than your heart, so full of love- forget the ring, forget your hard work that keeps this ranch afloat- I would still follow you to the ends of Hyrule."

Link smiled, but for all the teasing he'd done preceding their now-overshadowed dinner, it was Malon who met him, reaching over as he raised his head, taking his lips with her own as her hand ran through his hair, pulling him as though knowing he could somehow will himself even closer. Still rather downtrodden, Link failed to reciprocate beyond allowing her kiss to press onward, leaving Malon to pull away for only a brief moment as she collected her breath, pushing herself up to her feet and rounding the table with such an alluringly slow gait.

Her sudden sweltering of attitude beginning to alter Link's own mood, she suddenly broke the allure she had so captivated him with, instead wrapping her arms around his head and pulling him so close to her head, resting her head atop his to complete the warm embrace.

"I love you," Malon spoke up quietly, "For all your talk of me teaching you- never once did I need to seek guidance to know that fact. It came to me as sure as the passing winds. I never loved you because you had the ability to allow me the chance to have a family. I loved you because you were so fierce in your loyalty. because you saw nothing beyond what you could do to sincerely help me and my father. I wasn't ever just some quest to be taken."

Her fingers stroking through Link's hair, gently crossing his scalp, she concluded lightly, "Plus, you tease me so much that I just want to tease you back."

A subtle giggle left her as her arms pulled his head closer, bringing the warmth of her breasts right along the side of Link's head, surely goading him on with her breathless advance. Sure enough, a squeal escaped Malon's lips as Link threw his arms up, wrapping them tightly around her before pulling her toward his front before she fell into his lap, allowing her arms to remain entangled around his head while their eyes met in subtle glares of tactile expectation.

Again, Malon took the initiative, dipping her head low and crossing the space between their lips, only this time, Link reciprocated, and as she tried taking his lip into her own, he fought back, another squeal leaving her muted mouth as he gave a sudden, sharp tug from his own pair. His hands made her his own as Link ran them over her clothes along her stomach, taking the warmth at her chest into his grasp while accepting her sharp breaths into his mouth, Malon's lips unable to pull away from him.

Malon only jolted away in shock at the sensual feeling of Link's hand sliding up beneath her shirt, his rough skin sliding across her own, forcing her skin to begin crawling with goosebumps at the intruding sensation she'd come to adore. She clasped onto Link's head, pulling her face toward his ear as she gently began kissing along his hairline, finding his earlobe just before his hand took in her breast, a warm breath leaving her, tickling the hairs at his neck, before a sudden, melting gasp escaped her in a hurry while Link began softly caressing her.

"M-Maybe neither of us are at fault," Malon quietly concluded, her every breath shooting hot breaths along Link's ear as she smirked a teasing grin, "Perhaps we just haven't been trying hard enough."

As though hungry for another taste of her skin, Link quickly dug his face into that space between her neck and shirt, running his tongue along her skin as Malon's head fell in enraptured serenity. She quivered and shook, knowing just how long Link would be at this, his teasing ways extending even into their love making. So often it made her blood boil, leaving her to force his hand, or rather, other things, but tonight… Tonight she hadn't a problem falling in love with every kiss or caress.

As fragile as her future family seemed to be, bordering on irreparable, such thoughts only reminded her how fragile her present could be all the same. For that, she'd allow him his worship, praying one day these loving touches may one day imprint themselves upon her skin. Just in case she was alone without this man she so loved.