Some days later, I was sitting at home milking cows with Dad. He was working busily and I was staring off into space. Link had been true to his word. The very next morning after we met, Talon had come rushing into town looking for me. He kept talking about the "fairy kid", and kept repeating the story, and got worked up every time he told it: " He comes along while I'm catching forty winks by the castle. He woke me up with a cuckoo, now where'd he ever get one of those? I got up, all startled, wondering who had woken me up, and then there I saw just this little kid--with a fairy flying around his head. Now I said to myself, 'Looks like one of those Kokiri forest kids.' He told me that you'd been worried about me, Malon, and so that's when I lit out for town to find you It was getting repetitive, but in a way I didn't mind him reminding me about Link. Maybe that was why I'd been so daydreamy the past few days. I hoped Dad wouldn't notice.
"Y'know, Malon," he said suddenly, startling me. "There's been something strange about you, even since the day I fell asleep at Hyrule Castle."
I knew it. He had noticed something. I could feel my face and ears turning red, and I prepared for an interrogation, but he continued:
"And--well, Malon, I'm sorry. That's my fault, isn't it? I'll never, ever do that to you again, alright?" He seemed upset. I was surprised; Dad never got upset over me. I should have felt ashamed, since it wasn't Dad's fault at all that I was acting "strange."
I felt pretty strange after Dad said this, but I responded, "Uh, no, that's okay, Dad...even though you did have me kind of worried." I only meant to tease, of course. Besides, the reason I was preoccupied wasn't what Dad thought. Actually, I was preoccupied with wondering when Link would come visit, and then worrying that he wouldn't come at all, that he had forgotten all about me.
Dad must have felt really bad because next he said, "Malon, I'll finish the cows in here. Why don't you go out into the corral and visit Epona?"
What a treat! Dad never let me off chores like this. "You mean it?" I asked, disbelieving.
"Sure thing, Malon. Go on, now."
"Thanks, Dad!" I yelped. I rushed over to hug him, and then I ran out into the sunny corral, taking big, excited steps. I sang the first few notes of mother's song and Epona trotted over to me. Epona was my very own pony, and she was the most beautiful in Hyrule. She was a lovely, rich chestnut color, and her mane and tail were silver-white, like the moon that rose over Hyrule every evening. Dad was letting me train Epona myself. She had already learned to come when she heard the notes of the song--so I had started to call it "Epona's Song.
I was standing in the middle of the corral, singing to Epona and stroking her soft mane when I heard the footsteps of someone entering the corral. Epona snorted. I looked up, and the expression on my face changed from surprise to absolute delight when I saw Link standing inside the gate. He ran over to me, and just as he reached where I was standing, Epona ran off, startled.
"Oh, no!" I exclaimed. "Epona--that's my pony--she must have gotten frightened." I felt pretty embarrassed.
"Sorry," said Link, looking over his shoulder at Epona, who had gone over to the opposite end of the corral.
"Oh, hey, that's alright," I laughed. "Did you go to the castle and see Princess Zelda?"
"Uh-huh, I saw the princess," he replied.
I was so curious, I had to ask. "What's she like, Link? Does she wear a dress of jewels and a crown of white gold? Does she really have powers to see the future and talk with the three Goddesses?"
"Well..." Link trailed off and laughed softly. "She's really nice. Just like you, Malon."
Link had such a gentle smile. I blushed. "I just heard you singing," he said. "It was the same song I heard you sing that night when you gave me the cuckoo egg."
"Yeah, it's my mother's lullaby," I explained. "She taught it to me. I call it Epona's Song now, because Epona will come when you sing it." I looked down at my dress, suddenly shy. "Want to sing it with me?" Instead of singing, Link reached into his tunic and pulled out a tiny ocarina.
"Oh, that's a cute ocarina!" I exclaimed. "I'll teach you how to play Epona's Song." And I did. Link played it for me right away. To our surprise, Epona trotted up to Link and nuzzled him. Link laughed. "I guess she likes me now, huh?"
"She really does," I replied, amazed. Epona wasn't even this affectionate towards Dad. A very special bond must have formed between Epona and Link that day.
"How soon can you ride her?" he asked me, still stroking Epona.
"Not for a some time yet. She's still a pony, and anyway I should fully train her for riders before she can carry anyone." I paused. Then I looked into Epona's deep brown eyes and said softly, "I wish I could ride her now, though. She's so beautiful."
"I've never been this close to a horse before," said Link. "There weren't any where I grew up."
My face broke into a wide smile. "You're a Kokiri boy, aren't you? That's why you've got a fairy!" To me, Kokiri forest seemed like a far-off, mythical land. "What's it like there?" I looked at Link and motioned for us to sit. We both settled ourselves on the drying grass of the corral.
"Well, he began, "Kokiri forest is a lush, green place. Plants and long grass grow everywhere, and there are many giant trees where the animals and the Kokiri children live. Water flows in from a waterfall, into a little glen where all of us live. All Kokiri are children, and we have fairies to watch over us..."
I listened, intrigued, as Link wove a wonderful tale about the enchanted Kokiri Forest, and the mighty Deku Tree, and a Lost Woods full of mystery and magic. He described the Kokiri children, how each of them received a guardian fairy and were bound to the forest by an ancient incantation. These children never grew up, Link told me. They stayed children forever.
I remember thinking to myself that I would not like to be a little girl forever. I wanted to grow up and be a beautiful woman, and have a handsome husband.
Link and I talked a little more, mostly about the places in Hyrule I'd been to. As I had guessed, this had been his first trip outside of the forest where he grew up. Then the sun began to droop past the middle of the sky, and it was time for Link to go.
He and I stood looking at each other, and I wanted to savor this moment forever, to keep this scene in my memory for the rest of my life, so that I could come back to it whenever I wished. The birds in the tree near the house were chirping gaily, the horses were whinnying and neighing, a soft summer breeze was blowing, ruffling my dress, and the afternoon glow lit up Link's youthful face.
"I guess--then--this is goodbye," I said quietly.
"Yeah...I guess it is," Link replied, equally as soft.
"Will I see you again? When?" I had to see him again, even if it would kill me.
"I don't know, but...yes. I promise I'll come to see you again....and I won't forget the song you taught me." In his face I could tell that there was more he wanted to say, but he chose not to say anything. It seemed to me that he was trying to keep his business in Hyrule a secret.
"Goodbye, Link...I'll miss you." I gave him a small smile. He returned it, and turned around and began to walk out. I could see the determination in his gait. I turned around and sang for Epona. She trotted over and I hugged her. "We'll see him again, won't we?"
After Link was gone, my father Talon walked over to me in the corral. He didn't say anything, but he put his big, strong arm around my shoulders and together we walked to the house. Neither of us said anything to the other. I was watching the sun going down from a flaming red sky, and seeing the eastern stars come out. Just as we reached to door to the house, he turned to me and said. "You know, Malon...I don't believe I'll have such a hard time getting you married after all." He nudged me and we both entered our cozy house, laughing. There really was nobody on earth I loved more than my father, and nothing I loved more than just being with him, here at Lon Lon Ranch.
To be continued...