Disclaimer: I don't own the Zelda characters, blah blah blah. Rook, Loraefin and the others are mine though.

An: I'd like to thank Aaron for the e-mail helping me with my italics! This man is my hero. :)

Hark the Herald to Thy Future

Chapter One:

"That's great Saria!" Link exclaimed, jumping up from his stool.

         "I know! Rauru said sometime within the next few days! I can't wait!" Saria's light, excited voice answered. "It feels like we've been gone forever, I can't wait to come home to my little house with my own bed," she sighs contently, "I bet the grass has just grown everywhere since I left."

         "Nah," Link laughed, "I've been looking after the place for you, it's just the way you left it." Saria's voice giggled with excitement.

         "You're such a good friend Link," said she, "I don't know what I would do without you."

         "Well your house would sure be a mess at least," he laughed again. It was good to hear Saria's voice again he thought, and finally, the Sages were coming home. Though not permanently Saria informed him, but 'just to visit' she said. Rauru knew that they all missed their families and thought that a visit couldn't do any harm. Ganondorf was safely sealed in the Sacred Realm and there were no matters of importance that needed attending too. Ruto had left that once to help with her people during the water crisis that occurred, but since then Link had not seen any of the Sages. After over a year, they were all finally coming home.

         "Link, I have to go now. Zelda and the others need my help with some things before we leave. I'll see you soon though!" Saria said quickly.

         "Okay Sar, I'll see you soon," Link smiled to himself as he finished cooking the fish for his dinner.

         "Oh, doesn't it feel good to be able to say that again!?" She laughed, happiness seeming to explode everywhere. And then she was gone.

         "Isn't it great Link!?" Navi piped up excitedly. "I can't wait to see Saria again!"

         "Me to Nav," Link grinned.

                  Link sat down with his fish and spread some butter on it. He placed a piece in his mouth absentmindedly, not realizing that it was still very hot. The hot piece of fish was a shock to his taste buds as his tongue rolled it from side to side, trying to cool it down.

"Nice one Link," Navi smirked as Link stuck out his tongue and fanned it with his hand. "If you're done acting goofy, I'm going to go to bed. Night."

"Night Navi," Link mumbled after her as she flew up to her little room that he had built her above the bookshelf. Link laughed at himself for being to preoccupied about the new news. He ate quickly and then went to bed with plans on going to Lon Lon Ranch the next morning to tell Malon the great news. Kokiri was quiet and peaceful, and listening to the night birds, Link fell asleep.

***

                  It was a brilliant winter morning so Link decided that he would enjoy the sunshine and walk to the Ranch instead of calling Epona. A snowstorm had passed through a few days before, leaving behind a blanket of clean white snow over Hyrule Field. Of course, down on the field if it did snow, it was not very thick, but all the same it made for a pretty sight. Link's old green tunic had become too worn over the years, and surely it was no match for winter, even on a nice day. So, he bundled up in his warm winter jacket and threw a blue scarf about his neck and set out. The snow had already begun to melt and the brown grass was coming through underneath.  The path that lead between Kokiri Forest and the Ranch was a little hard to make out, but it was not like the Ranch was hard to miss right in the middle of the field. He and Navi tromped along happily excited about the news they brought with them.

                  Malon was of course, already out and about at this time of the morning. She had already fed the livestock, milked the cows, and gotten a delivery of Lon Lon Milk ready and waiting to be taken off to the Castle. She brushed her long red hair out of the way and continued to lead the horses in pairs of two out to the coral where they were free to run. Malon could see her breath, as well as the horses, in the chilly morning air, swirling about as mist in front of them. Her father called to her from the house as she placed the last pair of mares into the coral. She closed the gate and went prodding through the patches of snow to him. Much to her surprise, she found Link standing there talking with her father. Malon smiled and wrapped her coat about her a bit tighter.

         "Good morning Link, I didn't expect to see you today," Malon laughed, giving him a friendly nudge as she looked up at him. "Good Morning to you too Navi."

         "Morning!" Navi chimed flying up next to Malon's face.

         "How have you been Malon?" Link asked, eyes twinkling with something that she couldn't quite put her foot on.

         "We've been fine here, busy, but fine. Dad here has just gotten over a cold, but past that, nothing's new," she smiled, leaning up against her dad and placing an arm around his waist. Well, as far as she could reach.

         "Aye, my Malon's a good girl," Talon laughed. "She's to good for her father here, just like her mother." Malon gave her father a squeeze for she was in high spirits this morning.

         "So what brings you around here Fairy Boy?" Malon teased as her father went back into the house, leaving the three of them alone. Malon went over to the cart she and Ingo had loaded earlier that morning with crates of milk and double-checked the horses' harnesses. "You're just in time to help me deliver this milk to Hyrule Castle. I was going to go by myself…but now that you and Navi have shown up, want to come?" Malon flashed her big, bright smile as she covered the crates with a canvas tarp and fastened it down. The contrast of the scattered piles of white snow against her red hair seemed to illuminate it as well as her happy personality.  Link grinned and climbed up into the seat next to Malon.

         "All ready to go," he said. Malon climbed up into her spot and grabbed hold of the reins.

         "Hope the snow isn't too thick out on the field, I haven't gotten around to checking yet, I've been really busy the past few days and---" Malon started.

         "It's not, we just walked through it," Navi commented.

         "Did I tell you that Eady had her colt last week?" Malon asked, giving the reins a quick click.

         "No," Link said with interest, "boy or girl?"

         "Girl," Malon laughed. "I named her Sandra, she's still not quite sure what to make of her legs yet, but she's just so cute. She's taken up a lot of my time the past week." She leaned over toward Link a bit. "You never answered me, what made you decide to come and visit the Ranch today? Something up? We haven't seen you with all of the storms coming and going." Link's smile widened.

         "Navi and I actually brought some good news for you," he said excitedly. "I talked to Saria yesterday, she says that the Sages are coming back for a week or two, to see their families and such." Malon almost jumped up out of her seat, whether it was from excitement or a bump in the road, Link could not tell.

         "Really Link?! That's great news!" She smiled. "I bet you're looking forward to seeing Saria. I know how much you've missed her."

         "Yeah, but it's not only that I think," Link paused for a moment and allowed himself to stretch out. "I think it's also the fact that they are coming back proves that Hyrule is really on its way to recovery, from Ganondorf I mean. I don't know how to explain it really, it just feels like…progress."

         "I know what you mean," Malon reached over and poked him in the belly while he was stretched out across the bench. "And it really does feel like Hyrule is on the road to becoming what it once was, I can see it."

         "You're always so positive Malon," Navi said, landing on her shoulder.

         "Just trying to always see the good in things I guess," Malon laughed. "But I really do see a change, just look around you and you can see it. It's in the land, in the air, and in the faces of the people who lived through it."

                  The cart jounced along through the Market, making people part for it as it went by on its way to the Castle. Malon clicked the reins once more and drove the horses through the castle gates and around to the Kitchen loading area. She hopped off and removed the canvas covering from the back. There were servants already out there unloading things from different carts as part of the every four day ritual. Link hopped off also and grabbed a crate to be carried in.

         "Good to see you again Malon," the man in charge greeted her holding his clipboard of things to be checked off. "Right on time."

         "Well at Lon Lon Ranch we promise the best service," Malon laughed and hoisted one of the crates up by her knee. She seemed to struggle with it for a moment, but gained control and walked with it to stack it by the side door. Link followed her and placed his box next to hers. "You know the routine don't you Link? You've done this with me before haven't you?"

         "Sure have," he grinned and went to fetch another box from the cart.

         "Oh, this one is bigger than the rest, let me help you," Malon grabbed the other end of the box and she and Link carried over to the pile.

         "Hey Link!" A voice called from across the assembly of carts and wagons. Link looked over his shoulder to see who had called his name. Malon stopped too and had to readjust the crate in her arms.

         "Link, this is kinda heavy," she said, "why did you stop?"

         "Somebody called my name," he replied, still looking around. At this time Rook came into view from behind one of the wagons. He trotted over to them smiling, his brown scarf flapping beside him and his breath visible in front of him.

         "Link!" He exclaimed, "Where have ya been? You said you were going ta' be at Hawthorn's for some drinks with me and some of the boys the other day. Did one of the storms keep ya in?" Rook laughed out loud and then took notice of Malon. "Aye Malon," he grinned, "good ta' see ya' again Firefly, what's new?" Malon's eyes narrowed a bit as she glared at him. She gave the box a little tug and started to pull Link over to the stack of crates with it. Rook followed. "Aye Lassie, let me and Link take care of that, it's a heavy crate, needs a man's strength."

         "I can do it!" Malon huffed. "I don't need you or your testosterone."

         "Yer in a bit of a fluster today," Rook teased her, grabbing hold of the box anyway and helping them set it down.

         "Only when I'm around you," Malon retorted.

There was just something about her spirit that Rook found fascinating. He loved to see just how far he could push her before she lost her temper and would storm away from him, her red hair streaming behind her. She was so independent, so headstrong, and Rook could still see that she was so feminine too. Maybe that's what he found intriguing. Either way, he was absolutely captivated by her, since the first time they had met.

"Stop it you two," Link groaned. Not again he thought and rolled his eyes.

"Aye I'm just playin' with her Link, no harm," Rook flashed a smile at Malon. Malon returned with a sneer. The man in charge of the entire kitchen supplies called Rook to come and help with the loading of the grains across the way. "Got to go guys, I'll talk to ya later. Link, Hawthorn's, try to make it some night, storm or no storm." With this he smiled and trotted off through the commotion of people.

"Ah! He's just so irritating!" Malon yelled as soon as he was gone. "That boy knows how to get directly under my skin and drive me nuts!"

"He just likes to tease you because he knows he can," Link smiled and carried the last of the boxes over, dodging a servant in the process.  "He really is a great guy, once you get to know him."

"I can just imagine," Malon replied sarcastically and stuffed her hands into her coat pockets.

AN: Ah, I love Rook :)