7 YEARS LATER

A black screen faded to reveal a gold-lined menu with gently bending curves. In smooth, gold, scripted letters on the top of the screen were the words 'Select a File'. Harp strings serenely strummed a gentle song in the background.

Three open slots and a golden cursor appeared on the screen. In the same font of soft cursive, the words on all three slots read 'New Game'. The cursor was still for a moment, then moved up and down beside the slots and selected the first one.

The golden menu dropped from the screen and was replaced by one in silver. A full alphabet materialized, also in the same font. On the top of the new menu, the words 'Enter a Name' appeared. The cursor scrolled meticulously between the letters, and spelled the name.

"…L…I…N…K…"

The cursor floated to where a choice read 'Enter'. It selected the choice, the alphabet dropped down, and the newly updated slot took its place, with the the newly-created name. Lining beneath it were three hearts of pink.

Above the slot, new instructions emerged: 'Ready to Play?'

The cursor seemed to hesitate, resting on the choice stating 'No'. Suddenly, it shifted over to the adjacent choice saying 'Yes', and selected it. The screen dissolved once more to black, and the music faded until it was silent.

"…Navi."

"…Navi, where art thou?"

"Mmm…Leave me alone. I'm still sleeping…"

"Come hither…"

"…Oh…all right…"

On a windless night from the top of a great tree, one tiny leaf shivered and gently unfolded. From its folds, an electric blue, petite and delicate sprite stirred and rose from her makeshift bed. She rubbed her eyes as she buzzed down to the base of the tree's elderly face.

"Here I am, Great Deku Tree."

"Oh, Navi the fairy…Listen to my words, the words of the Deku Tree…"

"Yes, what is it?"

"Dost thou sense it? The climate of evil descending upon this realm…"

"…I don't think so-"

"Malevolent forces even now are mustering to attack our land of Hyrule…"

"What? Does that mean that-"

"Navi. Take thyself and go to the city where the Princess of Legend dwells."

"Wh-what?! Right now?"

"Yes, thou must leave immediately. Speak not of this to any soul but whom thee trust, and do not rest until thou reach the city. When thou arriveth, thou shalt come face to face with the Chosen Hero. Guide him here to me. Go!"

"B-but Master! I've…I've never left the forest before…I've never left Saria, or you. I can't go all by myself…I-I'm scared…"

"Fear not, little one, for thou knoweth not the courage within thine own self. I see for thee a great destiny in which thou shalt play a part. Make haste to the city, meet the hero, and fulfill thy destiny…"

A new day dawned on Lon Lon Ranch in the Ordona Province. The sun rose up and out of the trees, casting bright tints of blue and orange in the sky. A soft breeze drifted across the dewy grass. In the trees surrounding the meadow, bluebirds rattled their stiff feathers and began their morning song. Chicks chirped hungrily in the nest and opened their gaping mouths.

A man wearing a full steel helmet that covered his face, and a hooded cloak, stood motionless in the field outside of Lon Lon, staring at the ranch.

On the west side of the ranch stood a small country home, built slavishly, with a new addition constructed onto the second floor on the far side overlooking the ranch. The supporting foundation of this new room was nothing more than tall wooden columns, since the room had been built outside the original frame of the house.

In a room on the other side of the house, a young woman with an hour-glass figure stirred and awoke. She sat up in bed and stretched, yawning. She ran her fingers through her flowing, wavy red hair, and rose out of bed. She picked up off the floor a white tee, a yellow bandana, a lavender skirt, and an apron with a leather belt, and dressed.

When she finished, she moved elegantly to the window, drew the curtain wide, and opened the shutters. Sunlight poured in, and the breeze drifted into the room through her hair. She smiled and closed her eyes, letting the sun shine on her face. Where her girlish freckles had once been, rosy color bloomed on her cheeks. A cream-colored finch fluttered down, perched on the window sill, and tweeted a song for her.

"Good morning, little friend."

Malon tenderly pet the bird on its tiny head. Leaving the window open, she took up the bird's song as she walked out of the room, picking up a basket that rested by the door on her way. She stopped by the sink in the living room and washed her face before continuing over to the new structure of the home. She didn't bother to knock before opening the door and peering inside. An empty mattress, a nightstand, a wardrobe, and a desk with a chair decorated the room. The furniture matched the same material as the brand new hardwood floor.

"Oh, Link," Malon sighed happily. "Why'd we bother to build you a room of your own when you won't even sleep in it?"

She closed the bedroom door, crossed the living room once more, and unlatched the door that led downstairs.

On the first floor, cuccos bounced around wildly out of their coops, scratching the ground and cooing at one another. When they saw Malon, they hounded the stairs, crowding against one another at the bottom step.

"All right all right, take it easy you guys!" Malon laughed.

She quickly moved down the steps and carefully nudged the cuccos out of the way with her boot. She lifted the lid of a barrel by the wall, reached down into it, and managed to grasp the handle of a scoop resting at the bottom. She pulled it out, along with a measly amount of chicken feed.

"I keep telling Dad we need more. The barrel's going to be empty really soon."

She threw the feed out at the disorderly birds, and they scattered and pecked away at the seeds while Malon collected the eggs from the coop. She took the eggs to the freezer upstairs, then came back to unlock the front door and open it wide for the cuccos. They clawed and climbed over each other to scamper outside, feathers flying.

"Bunch of crazy birds."

Malon followed the funny fowls out the door, but the man with the helmet and cloak was waiting for her. At the sight of him, Malon gave a little shriek, jumped and dropped her basket.

"Rusl!" She shouted angrily. "Don't do that!"

Rusl lifted the cover of his helmet and grinned cheekily at her.

"I'm only funning with you. Can't help it if you're fun to scare."

Malon groaned and picked up the basket.

"It's a little early for you to be playing tricks, don't you think? How'd you even get on the ranch in the first place? I'm sure we locked the gate last night."

"It's never too early for a good trick, and I have my ways."

"If you broke the lock again, Dad's going to be really mad at you."

"Of course not," Rusl shook his head as he removed the helmet and cloak. "I promised Talon I wouldn't resort to destroying private property, at least not anymore."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you couldn't stay away from this place."

Malon quickly changed the subject before Rusl could counter.

"Should I assume your business in Hyrule City is concluded?"

"You're getting smarter every day, Malon. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't."

"Well then," she lowered her voice. "Come to see Link, have you?"

He laughed, "Can't a man come to visit the people he considers family?"

"Not when he goes about scaring innocent little girls," she smiled sneakily.

"In case you haven't noticed, you aren't all that little anymore. Seems like only yesterday you were that goofy little girl running around this ranch, and now you're practically a woman."

"I'm glad you've noticed, but I'm afraid you're wrong on one point, Rusl."

"Oh really. And what is that?"

"I'm not practically a woman. I am a woman."

Malon flipped her hair with a haughty flick of her wrist.

"Well well, my mistake," Rusl chuckled. "You're definitely not the same little girl running around on this old ranch."

With his helmet and cloak tucked under his arm, Rusl bowed deeply.

"Would you be so kind then, Milady, to escort me to the young man in question?"

"You've actually arrived in the nick of time, my good man. I was just about to send for him."

Malon beckoned Rusl to follow her as she walked across the grass and dirt over to the stable. She lifted the heavy wooden bolt off the door and pushed it open. A horrible odor of horse manure erupted out of the stable, knocking Rusl back.

"Holy crap!" He wheezed and plugged his nose.

"Tell me about it," Malon rolled her eyes. "I keep telling Dad we need to clean this place, and it's only getting worse. I think that'll be our chore for the day. Wait here."

Malon picked up the drape of her skirt to keep it from touching the ground, and trouped inward. Inside the stable, hay, straw, and droppings all littered the floor in one big, heaping, decomposing pile. Flies buzzed loudly and swarmed rampantly all around in the air. Tears streamed down Malon's cheeks and chin as the smell irritated her eyes. She could feel her anger rising.

"This is ridiculous," she said to herself. "This isn't just disgusting, it's dangerous! The horses could get sick from living like this! That's it! We're cleaning this place today if it kills us! But first…"

Malon passed by several stalls as she went deeper into the stable, each one containing a different horse of a different breed. There was a Gerudo Thoroughbred, a Hylian Quarter Horse, a Labrynna Mustang, a Faron Cob, a Lanayru Appaloosa, and several others of mixed breeds. She finally stopped in front of one of the stalls in the very far back. In this particular stall, a strong rosy brown mare with white mane stood while it slept, breathing softly.

"Epona," Malon whispered. "Time to wake up, Epona."

She opened the stall door, tiptoed in, and reached out to touch the mare's nose. Epona's black eyes blinked open, and she whinnied in approval.

"That's right, it's me. Think you can help us out again, girl?"

Epona sniffed Malon up and down, smelling her hair and shirt.

"Sorry, but if you want a treat, you gotta find Link for us, first."

Epona smacked her broad head against Malon's hip, shoving her abruptly to the side.

"Hey! Stop that! I'll get you a carrot if you want, but we need to find Link. Come on, please?"

Epona snorted, stepped out of the stall, and waited.

"Thank you, Epona."

Epona stamped anxiously and looked back at Malon impatiently.

"Yeah yeah, I know."

Malon walked out of Epona's stall and over to a nearby wall where a rope halter hung on a nail. She retrieved it, tied it loosely around Epona's neck, and led her out of the stable where Rusl was waiting.

"Now what?" Rusl asked. "Are you going to search for Link while riding this mare?"

She opened her eyes in horror at the idea.

"Heavens, no! Epona doesn't let anyone mount her except Link! She bucks everyone else off for some reason, so we all decided that she'd just be Link's horse."

"Well then, what exactly do you plan on doing with her?"

"I'm not going to do anything. Epona here is kind enough to find and deliver Link to us, because she's nice like that."

Malon lead Epona, while Rusl followed, across the ranch to the main gate.

"Would you be kind enough to open the gate, Rusl?"

"Certainly."

With the front gate open, Malon tucked the rope around Epona's neck.

"Ok, Epona. Fetch!"

Epona brayed loudly and looked at Malon with a proudly insulted gaze.

"Eh, please?"

With a twist of her head, Epona trotted off slowly toward the Ordona Woods without looking back at them.

"Good grief," Malon groaned. "I've never once thought, in all my life, that I would have to mind my manners for a horse! She's so stubborn I wonder how Link can stand her."

"She reminds me of a certain someone."

"Ehh? And just who might you be referring to, Mister 'I-Trespass-On-Other-People's-Property-First-Thing-In-The-Morning'? Don't forget, I'm doing you a favor."

Malon raised a skeptical eyebrow at Rusl, and he laughed nervously.

"In any case," she laughed along with him. "I think it's time that my useless father woke up, and my uncle too. I'll be right back."

Link slowly opened his eyes and looked to his left and right, finding himself surrounded by darkness. A bright flash of violet suddenly materialized above him, appearing in the form of a wavering sun. He shielded his eyes and squinted up at the light. He could hear it speaking to him in an unnaturally female voice.

"Rise, Link…The time has come for you to awaken…"

"…What?"

"You are fated to have a hand in a great destiny, and it will soon find you…"

" …"

"The time has come for you to awaken…"

"I don't understand…"

"Link…"

Link opened his eyes to find an enormous muzzle centimeters away from his face.

"Ahh!"

Epona sniffed his head, hair, and shirt vigorously, and whinnied with a high-pitched whine in his ear.

"All right, all right! I'm awake!"

He pushed Epona's nose away. Lying on his back, he looked up to see sunlight filtering down through the leaves of trees surrounding him.

"Aw man, Malon's gonna get mad again."

If Epona was out here to wake him, that meant Malon was awake too. She always got mad when he slept out in the forest, and he didn't mean to, but sometimes it just happened. There were nights when no matter how he tried, his insomnia was so overwhelming he couldn't sleep in his own bed, so he would go for a nightly stroll in the woods until he finally collapsed from exhaustion. There were others where he could swear he'd fallen asleep in his own bed but would wake up in the forest anyway. In this case, it was the latter.

Epona neighed irritatingly at him again. Link sat up and rubbed his sore neck. He felt like he'd slept with his head on a rock. When Epona went to smack her head against his back to get him to speed up, he whirled around and wrapped his arms around her head, hugging her.

"Don't even try it."

Grinning, he looked deep into her big black eyes with his own sharp, pale blue eyes. Epona lied down next to him, and Link rubbed and patted her neck, and ran his fingers through her mane, then moved his hands to scratch her back. He pulled himself up and mounted Epona bareback, and she stood up and headed back for the ranch.

"Just another long, boring day to spend on the ranch. I guess if nothing else, I don't have to worry about giving anyone any excuses."

The Oracle of Courage was right about Link's future appearance; he had grown more than handsome. He had wide, piercing blue eyes set at a solemn angle, and his facial expressions were all the more expressive because of it. Most had only to look into his eyes to know almost exactly what Link was thinking or how he felt.

The golden blonde hair he sported as a boy had darkened to honey, with streaks of light ash brown. It grew out in a tousled rouse, so he had to cut it frequently to avoid rats' nests. His haircut framed his heart-shaped face perfectly. His elven ears had grown much longer, and pointed away from the line of his face, peaking out of his hair. His lips were thin, and his nose was long and slender.

Link had a modest body build. He was half an inch short of six feet, tall for his age, and had developed unavoidably broad shoulders. Life and work on the ranch had worked and hardened his muscles, and they showed through his clothes.

Despite being rough around the edges, Link is stronger in spirit and mind than most people would expect from any common boy on any common ranch. He judges himself and the people around him well and kindly. All of the livestock on the ranch like him innately, and wild animals he encounters in the forest approach him without the apprehension most would expect from untamed creatures. Children young and old harbor no shyness around him, and run into his arms to give him hugs, throwing any notion of stranger danger out the window, even if they've never met him in all their lives.

Most people can tell from a first glance that Link is most certainly not 'normal'. There is something about him, perhaps in the gaze of his blue eyes that makes folks of all races shudder from the aura emanating from this boy. Link himself is completely unaware of the sensation he gives off, partly because his mind is usually wrapped about in the day to day activities and chores that take up his time, but mostly because anyone who ever experiences this feeling from him dares not to breath a word to him or his family.

It is difficult to say whether the tenants of Lon Lon Ranch ever noticed this feeling emanating from Link, because if they did, they chose to ignore it, mostly out of sorrow. The adult proprietors only saw it as evidence that soon he would go away, more than likely never to return. Malon on the other hand, never noticed this feeling, and never bothered to look for it, more than likely because she'd grown too close to Link. She'd overlooked the forest for the trees, or in this case, overlooked the hero for her brother.

When Link rode out of the forest on Epona, Malon was waiting for him by the main gate.

"Link!" She sighed in exasperation. "What are we going to do with you?"

He shrugged and smiled sheepishly.

"We go to all the trouble of building you your own room, with a wardrobe and a desk and everything, and you won't even sleep in it! We could've used that money and wood for something else if we had known you were just going to sleep in the dirt!"

Link laughed voicelessly and climbed off of Epona's back. Rusl slapped him on the back, surprising him.

"Can't help a man and his desires, Malon. The boy must love camping."

He did like sleeping outside, in the cool night air and under the stars, but it wasn't exactly why he went in the forest at night. He didn't know why he slept better out there, or why he sleepwalked, but for some reason, Link felt closer to the forest than he did to the ranch. There were times he would pause in his work without thinking about it, and stare out at the inviting trees. He had a longing for the place where he'd always felt at home.

"Are you listening, Link?"

Link snapped back to attention and turned from the forest to Malon.

"See? Even when I'm talking directly to you, your head is in the clouds. I was just saying that it's about time we cleaned out that disgusting stable, for everyone's sake. Dad and Uncle Ingo are going to help, too, whether they want to or not."

"Do we have to?"

"Don't give me that look! It has to be done, and it needs to be sooner rather than later. You can't honestly stand there and tell me you want Epona to sleep in that garbage dump, do you?"

Malon struck home. Link leaned against Epona's stomach and gave up.

"While we're at it, we should give the horses a bath today too."

"In the meantime, I can go wait somewhere."

Rusl made to walk away, but Malon grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"Oh no, you're not! You're here too, so you're gonna work too!"

Rusl and Link both looked at Malon in shock.

"Ehh?!" Rusl raised his voice in mild alarm. "You're gonna make a poor old man like me work hard to clean up after your horses?"

"Then you shouldn't have come here so early in the morning. You're like family to us, Rusl, and that means you get to work like you're one of the family."

"Suddenly," Rusl joked. "The life of a hermit sounds very tempting."

"Come on, you two," Malon pulled them along. "Dad and Uncle Ingo have started without us. Bring Epona, too, Link."

Link managed to grab Epona's leading rope before Malon dragged them too far away. The four of them came before the stable where Talon and Ingo were leading horses one by one out of the stable and into the pasture, out of the way while they worked. Buckets, brooms, hoes and shovels were all waiting for them, perched on the open stable doors.

When Talon and Ingo saw Malon dragging both Link and Rusl towards them, they turned away and continued working. Malon and Rusl paid no heed, but Link was confused.

"What's with them?"

He glanced over at Malon, but she didn't notice.

"Turn Epona out into the pasture, Link, so she can go eat."

Link removed Epona's leading rope, and she trotted away from them toward the other horses in the pasture, and began grazing. Once the horses had been released, Malon went into the barn and milked all the cows and released them into the pasture as well, then came back to join the four men who'd begun the sticky and appalling task of cleaning the stable. Everyone rolled up their sleeves and pant legs as they went.

It became apparent that cleaning the stable would be a daunting task. The fecal matter of the horses had increased over time to the degree where simply moving it from the interior of the stable to a pile just outside and out of the doorway, would take hours. As they shoveled, Malon and Rusl chatted.

"I'm sure glad Mayor Bo never asked me to volunteer for the ranch. Blegh."

Malon laughed.

"It's not easy work, and as you can tell, it definitely isn't clean, but its gotta be done, and to be honest I kind of like it. It's what I've always done, and I can't think of anything I'd rather do."

Malon thought for a moment, and continued.

"Speaking of Ordon Ranch, Fado went back there, didn't he?"

"He did, and he runs the ranch now," Rusl reported. "It was a big relief when he came back, too. Meant the rest of us didn't have to run the ranch anymore."

"That was a long time ago, wasn't it? Six years, wasn't it?"

"Seven now. Right after Cremia came up with Chateau Romani, that drink everyone likes."

"Oh yeah!" Malon realized. "I remember that. That was almost the same time Link lost his voice, wasn't it?"

"Certainly was," said Rusl, casting a cautious glance over at Link.

He wasn't paying any attention. He was staring hard at the ground, a bleak expression on his face, shoveling manure halfheartedly into a bucket. He seemed to be daydreaming again.

Link had heard the conversation somewhat distantly. Malon's statement about the ranch, and how she couldn't imagine doing anything else, was what he'd focused on the most. He didn't feel the same way, but he wouldn't let himself recognize that part of himself. The idea of staying on the ranch for the rest of his life frightened and saddened him at the same time. It dragged him down into a hopeless pit, where he had no chance of ever pulling himself out. He felt this way a lot recently, and it chained him down. He didn't recognize it as a trapping feeling, but he recognized it as a bad feeling nonetheless, and every time he wondered about his future and what he wanted to do with his life, the feeling crept up on him and pulled him back. Whatever this feeling was, it came from the ranch.

"Is he okay?" Rusl asked Malon. She looked over at Link, and saw what he meant.

"I don't know. I don't know if he's listening to us and doesn't like what we're saying, or if he's thinking about something and doesn't like what he's thinking, or if he's just mad at having to work in this smelly barn."

Malon shoveled faster and stared intensely at the ground. They continued working in silence.

"I don't understand him," Malon thought to herself. "Sometimes, I just don't understand him. He's my brother, and I've always understood him better than anyone else. But now, it feels like he's getting farther away. I don't know why."

A sudden snore penetrated the silence, and everyone looked for its source. Talon was propping his head up on the shovel in his hand while he slept.

"Dad!" Malon shouted. "Wake up!"

Ingo groaned when Talon snored onward.

"He reeks of booze," Rusl thought to himself.

Malon waded through the muck and grime over to her father, and pushed the shovel's handle out from under him. His head snapped upright at the loss of his support.

"What the-?! Can't a man get any sleep around here?!"

"No, Dad. We need to get this done today."

"Aww, cut me some slack, darlin'. I've got the worst headache right now."

"Trust me, Talon," Ingo grumbled. "There's a big difference between a headache and a hangover."

"Can ya blame a guy for celebratin' the New Year?"

"We can when the New Year is still a week away. Come on, Dad. Please try and stay awake."

The five continued the work through the morning and most of the day. They started first by pushing the manure and grime from the very back to the front and out of the stable in a large pile by the door and out of the way. The flies followed the dung out of the stable, so no one had to worry about setting out fly paper. It had been Ingo's idea to sell the manure as fertilizer, so they moved the new pile into the compost heap on the far side of the ranch, and covered it with a tarp to keep it cool and protected.

When afternoon hit, they stopped to wash their hands―very thoroughly I might add―and eat lunch, then kept going. With the stable ground now visible, they lined the stalls with fresh straw while Malon filled several buckets with steaming hot water and diluted ammonia for them to scour away the dirt and muck on the walls and floors.

When they finally finished, the stable was spotless, in every sense of the word. The horses' troughs were filled with fresh food and water, and their job was nearly complete before evening began to fall. Talon and Rusl both tried to wander off, but not before Malon caught them.

"Not yet, guys. We're almost done, but we've still gotta get those horses their baths. It's the least we can do after making them sleep in all that poop."

"Aw come on! We stink worse than the blasted stable did!"

"And I need to get back home to my wife, for goodness sake!"

"This is the easiest part of the job. Once we finish, we can all take baths and be done with it. Promise!"

Link didn't wait for orders. He went silently into the pasture and brought back Epona, and a Gerudo Thoroughbred. He left the Thoroughbred by the stable and immediately went to work prepping Epona for her bath. He took one of the clean buckets and went into the house to fill it with water.

"…I don't know…"

When the bucket was filled he brought it back. He went into the barn and grabbed as many of the brushes he could get, and set them down next to the open stable door, so the others could use them too. He took a hard-bristled brush and set to carefully pulling the tangles out of Epona's mane and tail.

"…Where would I even go? I don't have any place but here."

When he finished with the unsnarling, Link switched the brush in his hand for a rubber one, and brushed down the rest of her. He worked slowly, so slowly that he eventually stopped, and stood with the brush in his hand resting on Epona's back while staring blankly at nothing.

"…I couldn't leave this place even if I wanted to. I can't do that to Talon, but it's just so boring…"

Link stood quietly for a long time, until he felt something hit him. He looked up and saw that Epona had swung her head at his shoulder and was looking at him. He went back to work, and finished brushing her down. He went into the barn a second time and came back out with a hoofpick. He tapped her knee with the pick, Epona lifted her foot, and Link scraped the dirt and muck from her shoe. Cleaning Epona's hooves got him to thinking.

"Ilia said she wanted a horse ranch of her own by the sea. Maybe I could ask her to marry me, and I could give it to her. That wouldn't be so bad…"

The feeling of being dragged down was choking him now. His thinking had brought it roaring back, and he'd done it on purpose. The idea of marrying Ilia was good, but it was for the wrong reason. Link still liked her, but he wasn't thinking about marrying her because of any attraction. A sad little smile crept across his face. When he finished cleaning Epona's hooves, the hoofpick fell out of his hand on the ground, and he leaned against her big stomach.

"I can't stand it. I don't hate it here. I don't hate it at all, but…I can't stand it…"

"Link?"

He turned around and found Malon's deeply worried eyes looking at him.

"Are you okay?"

She put a hand on Link's tense shoulder. He wore a fake smile on his face, but she saw right through it.

"Link, even if you could talk, I know you probably wouldn't tell me what's wrong, but can't you at least try?"

The smile melted away and was replaced by the saddest expression Malon had ever seen Link wear.

"I can finish up Epona if you want time to think. It's okay."

Link looked back up at her in near shock.

"Seriously, just go. You're going to make me depressed just watching you. We can finish up here. You should go."

She wrapped her arms around Link. Her head barely came up to his broad shoulders.

"When did Link get so tall?" She thought to herself.

She released him and gently pushed him away from Epona. He stood where she'd moved him for a moment, then slowly walked away.

"Rusl," she said as soon as Link was gone.

"Yes?"

"Is he okay?"

"I know as much as you do."

"No you don't. I know you better than that. I used to think I could understand Link, but maybe it's because we've grown up and I'm a woman and he's a man. He's my brother and always will be, but he's been so depressed lately and I can't understand why. I've tried asking Dad and Uncle Ingo, but they won't say anything."

She looked pleadingly at Rusl. He put his hand to his chin and thought for a long time before finally answering.

"If I had to guess, I'd say he's pining."

"Pining?" Malon asked disbelievingly. "Like for a girl?! I never thought he'd do anything like that. It better not be me."

Rusl laughed.

"Who knows, maybe he is pining for a girl, but that's not quite what I had in mind. I think he feels trapped."

"Trapped?"

"Malon, have you ever been bored here?"

"All the time, but we find things to do. We keep ourselves entertained."

"That's not what I meant. Have you ever thought that maybe there's more to life than milking cows or cleaning horses?"

"…I guess not. I told you I couldn't see myself doing anything else."

"I think that's how Link feels. I'm sure he doesn't hate the ranch by all means, but I think he's bored beyond his limits, if you'll believe it."

"…I believe it."

"He's gotten to the point where he's questioning everything and everyone around him, including himself. He's thinking about his life, and where he's headed in the future. Living on a ranch might seem like a good thing to you, but maybe it's not that way for him. I hope you'll forgive me for saying so, but maybe he doesn't want to be here anymore."

"I guess I can see where cleaning horse poop would get old after a while."

"Or, he could've fallen madly in love with his foster sister. Who knows?"

"Rusl," Malon growled, and Rusl chuckled.

"I kid, I kid."

"You know," she started seriously, and the amusement of Rusl's comment was forgotten. "That reminds me of something. Do you remember the camp out we had that New Year, when Link lost his voice?"

"How could I forget? We were practically panicking the whole day through afterward. Poor Link went through so much that day."

"Anyways, the night before, right as we were going to sleep, Link told me something that made me laugh at the time, but now I wish I hadn't."

"What did he say?"

"He said he wanted to be a hero. He said he wanted to travel the world, help people, and do great things. Ilia and I told him he could try joining the Royal Army, and he seemed to like the idea. I don't know if he still wants to do that, but maybe if I bring it up, it'll cheer him up."

"I see."

"Thank you, Rusl. I feel better knowing."

Before Rusl could say 'you're welcome,' he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"We need to talk."

Ingo and Talon stood behind him with stern expressions on their faces. Rusl sighed.

"All right."

The three walked into the stable, and Ingo closed the doors behind them, leaving Malon with the horses. When she heard muffled angry voices coming from the stable, she stopped working, tiptoed over and pressed her ear against the door. She could hear Ingo's voice demanding something.

"What's Uncle Ingo so worked up about?"

She heard her father's equally angry tone, along with Rusl's puzzled voice.

"Are they mad because Rusl technically broke into our ranch this morning?"

She blocked out all other noises and focused her attention on the conversation.

"…here to see you and your family before I went back to Ordon. Is there a problem with that?"

"There's a problem when you use others for your own damn plans!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You're trying to take Link away!"

"What?!"

"You came here to try an' get him to leave."

"Why would I do that?"

"Don' play dumb! We know you know why!"

"Talon, with all due respect, you're drunk."

"Rusl, that boy's my burden to bear, an' he's still just that! He's a boy! He'll stay here 'til I think he's ready to go. He'll go when 'e's a man."

By now, Malon was distressed. They weren't mad about this morning, but they were definitely arguing, and it had something to do with Link. She couldn't tell what though, and their voices had gone quiet; too quiet for her to hear anything else. Was Rusl using them? He did pay an awful lot of attention to them, especially Link. She always thought Rusl was their friend for friendship's sake, but was there something more? What did Link have to do with it?

Wait a minute. Her father just finished saying something about Link leaving the ranch, but why? He didn't hate him, did he? It hardly seemed like it. Talon had told his daughter multiple times that he'd always thought of Link as his son, so why was he kicking him off the ranch? She thought about Rusl's words, about how Link felt stuck on the ranch. Did Link already know he was going away? Maybe her dad wasn't kicking him off the ranch, but instead, Link asked him if he could leave and they'd arranged it without telling her.

"How could they lie to me?!" Malon screamed inwardly. She was about to slam her fist on the stable door when she stopped herself.

"Calm down. Think for a second."

The rest of her father's words came back again.

"He'll stay here 'til I think he's ready to go. He'll go when 'e's a man."

She'd almost given herself away for nothing. Talon just finished telling Rusl that Link wasn't leaving the ranch, or at least not yet. That meant that Talon―and from the sound of it, Ingo too―wanted Link to stay just as much as she did. Was it Rusl's idea for Link to leave the ranch then? That's what made no sense. The only thing she could think of was that Rusl wanted an apprentice, but if Link wasn't happy cleaning after barnyard animals, what could possibly make Rusl believe he'd be happy sweeping ashes and soot from a dirty old furnace?

If Malon hadn't been paying attention at that moment, she would've missed hearing the door open from the inside. She bolted away from the door, grabbed a bucket of water next to Epona and suddenly dumped it on her, which Epona was not happy about. Malon managed to grab a sponge and start scrubbing away right when Rusl came out the door.

"Anything interesting happen?" She asked as nonchalantly as she manage.

"Not much. I'm afraid I need to leave."

"Link will be sad to know you left."

"I'll say goodbye before I go. Know where he went?"

"Probably into the woods again. He goes there a lot."

"I'll come back to visit, of course."

"Bye."

Rusl heard the strain in Malon's voice.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she said with irritation and turned away.

Rusl walked away slowly, but came back a few minutes later.

"Any chance I can take a bath before I go?"

"You can use the bathtub in our house."

Rusl had his bath and departed again, exiting through the main gate and heading to the nearby forest. It took longer for him to find Link than he would've preferred, but when he finally heard the sound of an ocarina's notes drifting on the wind, he followed it to the source, and came into the empty meadow with a big tree in the center. Link was sitting on one of the branches near the top, playing the ocarina with his eyes closed.

"Hey Link!"

The notes stopped immediately. Link looked down and saw Rusl waving at him. He climbed down nimbly and quickly, jumped from a branch not very close to the ground but not too high up either, and landed squarely in front of Rusl. His knees bent as he landed, and then he prostrated himself. Rusl noticed that Link was soaking wet.

"Is there a river out here, somewhere?"

Link started to point, but Rusl stopped him.

"Never mind, it's not important. I came to say goodbye before I left."

Link smiled and extended his hand. Rusl took the hand in his own, and shook firmly.

"Before I go though, I wanted to give you something. I hope you like it."

Rusl removed a long package from his back and held it out. Link, looking at the package in curiosity, took it and carefully removed the cloth wrapping. His eyes brightened when the sun struck the sharp blade of a sword. He pulled the sword out of the wrapping, held the grip tightly in his hand and ran a finger slowly from the guard, down the fuller, and all the way to the point. The sword felt right at home in his hand.

"I made it myself. It's a pretty standard mold for an Ordona Sword, but this one is made with carbon steel. It will never rust or break, so it'll last a long time."

Link held the sword up to the sun and let the light reflect onto his face.

"I can show you how to use it if you'd like, but not until we meet again. I'll come back to visit some time. I'll be seeing you."

Rusl left the meadow the way he came, waving as he went, and disappeared into the forest. Link pulled the matching scabbard out of the wrapping, and strapped its leather band around his shoulder and back, dropping the paper it came in on the ground. And then, he couldn't help himself. He slashed the sword back and forth in the air, did a spin attack, and twirled the sword lazily in his hand before tucking it easily into the scabbard on his back.

"Thank you, Rusl. I'll never forget this."

It was exactly what he needed to lift his spirits. He always played the ocarina to cheer himself up, and that's what he'd been doing when Rusl had found him, but this gift was something new and something amazing. Its sharp blade beckoned Link, tantalized him with its potential and prestige. He wished he could have lessons, and learn to use it like a real soldier. It wasn't the first sword he'd ever held in his hand, but it was the first time he had a sword of his own, and he felt all the more special for it.

Link's hand was still grasped around the grip of the sword on his back, when a sudden surge of energy welled up within him. He brought his arm back, noticed a glint of light, and looked straight at his hand, his mouth open in wonder. On the surface of his left hand were three golden triangles.

"What is that?"

He stared in awe at the triangles as they glowed, and as he did, every jumbling, confusing feeling he'd had that day began to dissipate. They looked familiar, but he couldn't imagine where he'd witnessed them before.

"…They're beautiful…"

The triangles faded away from the surface of his hand. He ran his fingers over the spot where they'd been, but the only trace left of them was the residual afterimage they left in his eyes. He wished they hadn't gone away. Without thinking about it, Link picked up the cloth wrapping from his present, tore off a piece, and bandaged it tightly around his left hand, then held the wrapped hand in his other. Whatever those triangles had been, they were very precious.

"I don't know why, but I feel like I have to protect them. I have to, no matter what."

Link debated whether to head back to the ranch or stay in the forest a while longer, and knew immediately which he preferred. With one swoop, he jumped, reached for a thick branch, and swung himself up into the tree, climbing higher and higher. He arrived at the top, and while hanging onto the summit of the tree trunk, he gazed wholly at the canopy of the woods, taking in the scene, deeply inhaling the warm forest air.

He reached back, touched the grip of his sword tucked safely away in the scabbard, and smiled to himself. He sat on a bough of the tree, pulled out his ocarina, and played. The sun was setting when Link resumed his song, and he didn't stop playing until well after night fell. He blew out every song he knew, made up several as he went, and only stopped between songs long enough to draw breath. Link's voice was long gone and it had taken him years to adjust to his handicap, but with his ocarina, at least he could still sing.

When Link finally stopped playing, he looked into the zenith of the velvet sky above him, saw the stars, and realized the time.

"Should I even bother going back? Maybe I ought to just sleep out here again tonight."

He considered it, but decided against it. They were probably worried about him, and he needed to show his face at some point. Link began descending the tree, but something caught his eye. Slomething glinted on the ground at the foot of the tree. He quickened his pace and dropped down next to it.

"…Is that a…piece of a heart?"

A tiny, glittering pink heart, encased in thin delicate glass, was levitating as it slowly rotated next to the base of the tree. Link went to pick it up, and it floated in his hand.

"It's so pretty! I bet Malon would like it."

The idea of a gift was wasted, for at that moment, the piece of heart effervesced and began seeping into his skin. The reaction alarmed Link, and he jumped back and dropped it. The heart returned to its original form as it fell to the ground, undisturbed.

"What the heck?!"

Concerned but mostly curious, Link thought hard about what to do with the inquisitive object. He found the cloth wrapping he abandoned earlier and using it as a covering layer over his hands, attempted picking up the heart a once more, but when the same thing happened, he quickly dropped it again and changed his method.

Instead of using the cloth as a layer over his hands, he laid the cloth flat on the ground next to the heart, and nudged the heart with his boot carefully onto the cloth before his foot could absorb it. Once the heart was placed squarely, he took both ends of the cloth in each hand and lifted it up, cradling it.

With his package ready for transport, Link made his way slowly back to the ranch. When he returned, the main gate was closed but not locked. He laid the heart down carefully while he opened the gate, and repeated the process when he closed the gate behind him. He had to do the same thing when he reached the door to the house. He ignored the clutter and gossip of the cuccos as he walked upstairs and inside.

"Hurry up, Link!" Malon's voice called from the dining area. They must have heard him coming in. "Dinner's already served!"

When he came inside, everyone else was seated at the table and eating the same dinner they ate nearly every night. Malon looked up from her plate and saw the heart.

"Whoa!" She exclaimed. "What is that?"

She got up from her seat and approached the heart in its makeshift cradle.

"Link, this is beautiful! Where did you find it?"

She extended her fingers toward the heart, but Link it pulled away from her.

"What's wrong? Can't I touch it?"

He shook his head briskly.

"Well, why not?"

Link walked toward the dinner table and placed the heart on an open space. Talon and Ingo stopped eating when he presented the heart. Link traced his fingers across the surface of the heart. It bubbled and oozed into a viscous liquid, infusing into him, but he drew his fingers back before the heart could absorb into him completely.

"Whoa," said Malon. "That is wicked."

"It's just a piece 'a heart," Talon replied. "Found it in the forest, didn' cha?"

Link nodded.

"They're good luck to find, boy. They make ya stronger."

"How?" asked Malon.

"Touch it, and let it sink into your skin."

Link raised an eyebrow and held up his hands in protest.

"He's right, Link," Ingo explained gruffly. "Don't worry, it won't hurt you."

Link hesitated, and apprehensively picked up the heart in his bare hands. He fidgeted uncomfortably as the heart bled slowly into his skin, but to his surprise it didn't hurt him in the least. Instead, a pleasant tingling spread through his hands and arms. The heart's glitter grew to a glow as it dissipated and disappeared into Link's body.

"Well, Link? How do you feel?"

Link closed his hands together on the last few drops left. When he opened them, the heart was gone. He shrugged.

"I don't feel any different."

Malon frowned and asked, "Have you even eaten anything all day?"

He grimaced and clutched at his stomach.

"I didn't think so," she laughed. "Come on. Eat with us."

"Better put that sword down first, boy," said Ingo.

"Sword?" asked Malon.

Link undid the strap on his back and leaned the sword against the wall near the table.

"Where did you get that?"

"'Twas a girft, girl," Talon replied with a mouthful of food, and Ingo finished, "It was from Rusl before he left."

"How did they know that?"

"Oh…" Malon looked sadly down at the floor.

"What's wrong?"

Link gingerly placed his hand on Malon's shoulder.

"It's okay, Link. It's nothing."

She resumed her seat at the table. Link took his place where a plate of food was waiting for him. The sight and smell drove a pit into his stomach, as he physically realized he hadn't had a bite to eat all day, so he dove in.

"Dad, tell Link what you told me. He'll want to hear it, too."

"Ah yes, that's right. Ma boy, it's time you and Malon had a bigger hand in helpin' this ranch out."

"Oh great. Even more chores."

"You see, you're gettin' to be a grown man, and it ain't good for a grown man to have seen so little of the world, even if he lives on a humble 'ole ranch like ours."

His eating slowed to a stop as Talon talked.

"So that's why, when I go ta Hyrule City durin' the New Year celebrations next week, you and Malon are gonna come with me."

Link's eyes popped opened wide at the news.

"What?!"

"That's right, Link! We get to see the city, with our own eyes! Isn't it great?"

"Are you kidding?! That's awesome!"

Link grinned uncontrollably. Finally, to get out of this stingy ranch, and visit the biggest city in the whole country! It wasn't just great news, it was the best news he'd had in months!

"So a few days from now, we'll start gettin' our gear together an' ready ta go. Ingo'll stay here an' watch the place while we're gone."

"Don't forget, you two," Ingo sternly directed. "You're going there to work, not play."

"Yes sir," Malon answered, and Link nodded. The rest of dinner went by with idle unimportant chat.

When they finished, they said their good nights and separated to their rooms. Link retrieved his sword before going into his room. He placed it on his desk with care before lying down on his bed. He stared up in wonder at the ceiling, and couldn't help feeling today had been a good day. It had sucked at first, since he had to deal with literal crap, but he got a brand new sword, and he would be seeing the greatest city in the world in just a week , so it balanced out in favor of the positive.

He thanked himself for having the foresight to save the pocket money he'd earned over the months. No doubt he'd go on a spending spree the day they arrived. He wouldn't buy things like clothes or jewelry, like Malon probably would, but who knew what treasures and amazing things would be waiting for him. He had considered buying a sword when he'd saved enough, but thanks to Rusl's kindness it was no longer necessary, and he was free to spend his rupees on other things. He couldn't wait for the trip, and he didn't want to. It would be torture waiting for a whole week to go by.

A soft knock came at his door, and Malon peaked inside.

"Link," she said. "Mind if I come in?"

He sat up and waved her in. She closed the door behind her and sat down on his bed next to him.

"I'm never gonna get to sleep!" She whined. "I'm so excited, I don't think I'm going to sleep for the whole week long!"

She squealed and stomped her feet on the ground.

"Spending the New Year in Hyrule City," Malon sighed dreamily. "We'll get to stay up all night, watch the carnival and the fireworks, follow the parade, not to mention shop at all the shops and street vendors, see the castle and the villas and the temples and people from all around the world!"

She was about to continue when Link shoved her arm. He was laughing.

"I know I know," she answered. "I can't help it though! I don't want to wait a week! I wanna go now! This is what we've been dreaming about since we were kids! Don't tell me you're not excited, too?"

Link leaned back against the wall by his bed, resting his head in his hands. He returned to staring at the ceiling again, but the look on his face was all the communication Malon needed.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," she giggled. "We'll have to distract ourselves to keep from going crazy this week, or else we won't live to see Hyrule City."

She looked over at the desk beside the bed, and saw the sword.

"Link, do you hate it here?"

He was still staring at the ceiling with a goofy expression.

"Link? Did you hear me? Link?"

He switched his gaze to Malon and leaned toward her, still smiling.

"Oh, never mind. I didn't say anything."

The giddiness in her voice was gone. She sat deep in thought, her hands clasped together.

"Did I miss something?"

Link scooted closer to her and matched her gaze.

"I'm fine, Link. Just thinking about something."

The concerned expression on his face didn't go away.

"I'm thinking about how we're going to Hyrule City, that's all. Come on, Link!"

She avenged herself by returning the shove he'd given her. They both laughed, and Link threw a pillow at her.

"You're not getting this back."

"Aww come on!"

She gave the pillow back anyway when she stood up and made her way to his bedroom door.

"Try not to think about Hyrule too much," she said.

"I wouldn't be if you didn't keep mentioning it."

"Hey, I bet if we play our cards right, we might even get to see Princess Zelda!"

"Yeah right!"

He shrugged.

"Good night, Link."

He laid back down as Malon exited the room and closed the door quietly behind her. From under the crack of his door, he saw the lights in the adjacent rooms go out, so he blew out the candle sitting on his desk and lied in silence, too eager to sleep. In just one week, he would behold Hyrule City with his own eyes. He could see it now; the city lights at night, the numerous bustling people as they walked, the street music and performers, the buildings taller than trees and more impressive than anything else in the world. But that was the city on any other day. They'd be going during the New Year, when there would be more lights, more people, and more music.

The stories of the marvelous capital Link heard as a child ran a thousand miles through his head. When they came back from the city, they'd finally have a few of their own tales to tell. He wished now more than ever that he could talk, so that the next time they visited Ordon Village, he could personally give his accounts to the children and see their excited faces as he wove his words and brought them to the edge of their seats, just as the adults had done for him.

Link did not fall asleep for many hours, and when he did at last, his fantasies transferred into his dreams. The whole night through, he envisioned himself walking down the streets through the world of wonder that was Hyrule City. And as he walked, he came across and made friendsships with members of every race.

The hearty Gorons slapped Link on the back with their massive rock hands, and invited him to be as one of their brothers of the mountains. The majestic Zora beckoned to him from the rivers and swam alongside him into underwater wonderlands of coral and atlantian life. The fiery women of the Gerudo raced next to him on rapid horseback through the scorching deserts, and taught him their exotic, intense, and breath-takingly beautiful dance steps. The mysterious Sheikah took him on as their apprentice and presented to him the secrets of their tribe, craft, and ways of stealth and deduction. The warm-hearted Anouki raised their mugs and pints to him in toast while they feasted in his honor inside their snug and cozy igloos. The free-spirited Rito gave him wings and raised him into the skies, soaring beside him in liberation and rapture. Finally, the wise and honorable Hylians accepted him whole-heartedly into their community, training him as both a scholar and a warrior, and made him a Royal Knight of the highest caliber and rank for the kingdom.

It seemed like everyone on the Hyrule continent and neighboring islands came into Link's dream and celebrated the New Year with him in Hyrule City as he slept. He had unintentionally saved the best for last, for when the time finally came for him to climb the marble steps up to Hyrule Castle, Princess Zelda was waiting for him, standing before the giant, wide-open doors and holding a golden lyre in her hands.

"Play with me," she said.

She strummed on the lyre while Link followed on his ocarina, and they made music more beautiful than he'd ever heard in his life.