Chapter Three: Surprise! It's A Girl!
By now Malon's eyes had gotten used to the dark and with the little light that was filtered under the bottom of the door she could see somewhat. Not that that made the situation any better. Here she was, trapped in the storage room of the castle stables with Rook, one of the few people that could make her so irritated she couldn't stand it. Not to mention her father must be worried about her since she hadn't come home yet. They'd been there for longer than she wanted to acknowledge and she sat grumpily on one of the crates, her arms folded in front of her.
"I can't believe it," she said again. "You would have thought someone would have found us by now."
"No one is realla' down here 'sides me," Rook repeated himself, "Bass is usually here, but he's gone fer tha' week takin' care of his sick motha'."
"I can't believe it," Malon repeated. Rook leaned his back up to the wall and sighed to himself. He hadn't been this embarrassed in a long time. How perfect was it that he was to get locked in the storage room with her? He wanted to try and sweep her off her feet, but no, he had to be clumsy and get them locked in there. What a great way to get to know this wonderful, beautiful, stunning creature that sat before him. From the first time he saw her, he knew there was something he couldn't explain with her. Perhaps it was just curiosity about the young woman that worked her whole life in the ranch, rarely leaving it and yet having so many friends everywhere she went. Or perhaps it was her spirit that first attracted him; either way, he found it hard not to sit and just stare in awe at her.
"I'm sorrae'," he said out of the blue. Malon picked her head up from out of her hands.
"Sorry? Sorry for what?" She asked, her voice tired and irritated.
"I'm sorrae' that I got us locked in here," Rook started slowly, "I know yous' had other things ta' do today." Malon's eyes went a bit soft and the cross look she carried on her brow faded away quickly. Oh, she knew it wasn't his fault that they were in there, after all, he was trying to do her a favor in the first place. She shouldn't be so cross and Malon immediately felt terribly guilty about it.
"Oh, it's not your fault Rook," she faltered, "it was just the wind, purely coincidence."
"Yeah, but I figured if I apologized you wouldn't be so vexed and maybe would talk to me a bit. I would think this a waste if we didn't take tha' chance to get to know each otha' a bit. After all, what else have we got to do?" Rook seated himself next to Malon resting his elbows on his knees and letting his brown hair fall into his face. "I like ye Malon, and I'd like to get to know ya better, if ye would let me."
She was surprisingly touched by this little speech. The wall that she built high around herself was slowly crumbling down…well, crashing down maybe, but she wasn't going to admit that. Malon stared at him and brushed her hair behind her long ears, not sure what to say.
"Well, since we've got nothing else to do at the moment," she smiled and angled her body to face him. Rook grinned and pushed back his hair, which immediately fell back into place. Well now, maybe this wasn't such a horrible thing to happen he thought.
"Alright," said he, "um…what's your favorite color?" Malon couldn't hold back the smile that was brought forth by this question that was so simple and innocent. She didn't know why, but it amused her greatly.
"Blue, like the sky," replied she, "as blue as it can get on a summer's afternoon. And you?"
"Brown," Rook grinned, "but I'm very partial to the red colar' of yer hair." Malon instantly reached up and touched it like a reflex.
"Oh," she said awkwardly, fidgeting a bit. So okay, maybe he wasn't that bad she thought.
"Sorrae'," he laughed, "I didn't mean to embarrass you, I jus' like yer hair a lot, it was the first thing I noticed about you." Malon thought it best to try and switch the subject.
"Do you have any siblings?" She laughed nervously hoping her blush hadn't taken over her face like a tomato.
"Three otha' sides' me, me olda' brother Scott, he's 'bout twenty one now, me sister Malaiya who's fifteen, and the youngest one's Toby, and I think Toby's twelve," Rook replied. "Link's told me you lost yer motha' when you were very young, I was sorrae' to hear tha'." Malon stared at the floor in silence for a moment.
"It's okay. I never really knew her; all I can remember is a few distorted memories and the song she wrote. My dad has raised me and I don't think I could have asked for a better life."
"But I imagine you still miss her."
"More everyday."
***
"How are we going to get Xan and Balius out of here?" Loraefin asked as they rode along the ridge of the cliff, out of sight from the people below.
"Carefully," was Megeara's reply.
"Do you think they can make it through the cave?"
"They will, the tunnel is wide enough."
They had just left the village about seven hours before hand and the two had already gotten into something they weren't even sure they themselves could pull off. The plan was to sneak out of the valley at night when no one would see them and go to see the Gerudo Fortress themselves. They had no intention of making their presence aware to them, but just to see the Gerudo would answer a lot of questions that could never be answered by their parents. It was something they felt they must do and the opportunity to do so had knocked. No one was expecting them home for four days, so they had that much time.
"I can't believe we're doing this," Loraefin laughed somewhat nervously.
"What are you worried about Fin? You've been out of the valley more than any of us."
"Yeah, but never on my own, Link was always with me and he knows Hyrule, we on the other hand don't."
"Do you not want to do this?" Megeara stopped Xanthus and looked inquiringly at her friend. Loraefin and Balius trotted a few paces ahead and then stopped too.
"Of course I do, this is a way to find out about myself, where we come from."
"Okay, then it's settled. We can rest here until it's dark," Megeara glanced about. "It'll be night soon."
***
"One two three…keep breathing Ashan, you're doing great," Link coached. This was certainly something he wouldn't expect himself to be doing right now. "Once more, push!"
"I am pushing damn you! Damn you and damn that damn doctor!" She yelled. "Don't tell me to push! You try doing this!"
"Come on Ashan, once more!" Link encouraged, "I think I see the head, come on! Just one more!"
The woman clenched her eyes tight and bit down on her teeth, trying to push with every muscle in her body. The crown of the head slowly pushed its way into view, followed by the rest of the head and shoulders. The baby let out a cry as it slid into Link's waiting hands. It was covered in birth fluid and its skin was a healthy pink color with all ten fingers and toes. It cried and cried and Ashan let her head fall back, her body exhausted from its labor.
"It's a girl," Link beamed, "a beautiful baby girl." Ashan only lay there for a moment, her chest still heaving.
"Let me see her," she cooed softly, propping herself up against the wheel of the cart. Link handed her her baby carefully, afraid that if he was anything less than the epitome of gentleness he could harm the precious creation. Ashan smiled, pride beaming as she held her child. All memories of the pain and exhaustion that she had endured only moments before melted away as she rocked the infant back and forth in her arms. "Hello my little girl," she smiled letting the baby's hand wrap around her finger, "my beautiful little girl."
Mother and daughter sat and stared at one another for minutes on end and Link watched them quietly. He marveled at the wonder of childbirth and had a new respect for women who went through it. He had never seen anything like that in all of his life, and he had seen a lot in his lifetime even though it was only eighteen years long, well, almost nineteen. Eventually Ashan's husband and the doctor arrived and Link made his exit, but not without the profuse thanks from the new parents. Before Link left, he had to ask one thing.
"What are you going to name her?"
Ashan looks up and smiles brilliantly.
"Lucille."
By now Malon's eyes had gotten used to the dark and with the little light that was filtered under the bottom of the door she could see somewhat. Not that that made the situation any better. Here she was, trapped in the storage room of the castle stables with Rook, one of the few people that could make her so irritated she couldn't stand it. Not to mention her father must be worried about her since she hadn't come home yet. They'd been there for longer than she wanted to acknowledge and she sat grumpily on one of the crates, her arms folded in front of her.
"I can't believe it," she said again. "You would have thought someone would have found us by now."
"No one is realla' down here 'sides me," Rook repeated himself, "Bass is usually here, but he's gone fer tha' week takin' care of his sick motha'."
"I can't believe it," Malon repeated. Rook leaned his back up to the wall and sighed to himself. He hadn't been this embarrassed in a long time. How perfect was it that he was to get locked in the storage room with her? He wanted to try and sweep her off her feet, but no, he had to be clumsy and get them locked in there. What a great way to get to know this wonderful, beautiful, stunning creature that sat before him. From the first time he saw her, he knew there was something he couldn't explain with her. Perhaps it was just curiosity about the young woman that worked her whole life in the ranch, rarely leaving it and yet having so many friends everywhere she went. Or perhaps it was her spirit that first attracted him; either way, he found it hard not to sit and just stare in awe at her.
"I'm sorrae'," he said out of the blue. Malon picked her head up from out of her hands.
"Sorry? Sorry for what?" She asked, her voice tired and irritated.
"I'm sorrae' that I got us locked in here," Rook started slowly, "I know yous' had other things ta' do today." Malon's eyes went a bit soft and the cross look she carried on her brow faded away quickly. Oh, she knew it wasn't his fault that they were in there, after all, he was trying to do her a favor in the first place. She shouldn't be so cross and Malon immediately felt terribly guilty about it.
"Oh, it's not your fault Rook," she faltered, "it was just the wind, purely coincidence."
"Yeah, but I figured if I apologized you wouldn't be so vexed and maybe would talk to me a bit. I would think this a waste if we didn't take tha' chance to get to know each otha' a bit. After all, what else have we got to do?" Rook seated himself next to Malon resting his elbows on his knees and letting his brown hair fall into his face. "I like ye Malon, and I'd like to get to know ya better, if ye would let me."
She was surprisingly touched by this little speech. The wall that she built high around herself was slowly crumbling down…well, crashing down maybe, but she wasn't going to admit that. Malon stared at him and brushed her hair behind her long ears, not sure what to say.
"Well, since we've got nothing else to do at the moment," she smiled and angled her body to face him. Rook grinned and pushed back his hair, which immediately fell back into place. Well now, maybe this wasn't such a horrible thing to happen he thought.
"Alright," said he, "um…what's your favorite color?" Malon couldn't hold back the smile that was brought forth by this question that was so simple and innocent. She didn't know why, but it amused her greatly.
"Blue, like the sky," replied she, "as blue as it can get on a summer's afternoon. And you?"
"Brown," Rook grinned, "but I'm very partial to the red colar' of yer hair." Malon instantly reached up and touched it like a reflex.
"Oh," she said awkwardly, fidgeting a bit. So okay, maybe he wasn't that bad she thought.
"Sorrae'," he laughed, "I didn't mean to embarrass you, I jus' like yer hair a lot, it was the first thing I noticed about you." Malon thought it best to try and switch the subject.
"Do you have any siblings?" She laughed nervously hoping her blush hadn't taken over her face like a tomato.
"Three otha' sides' me, me olda' brother Scott, he's 'bout twenty one now, me sister Malaiya who's fifteen, and the youngest one's Toby, and I think Toby's twelve," Rook replied. "Link's told me you lost yer motha' when you were very young, I was sorrae' to hear tha'." Malon stared at the floor in silence for a moment.
"It's okay. I never really knew her; all I can remember is a few distorted memories and the song she wrote. My dad has raised me and I don't think I could have asked for a better life."
"But I imagine you still miss her."
"More everyday."
***
"How are we going to get Xan and Balius out of here?" Loraefin asked as they rode along the ridge of the cliff, out of sight from the people below.
"Carefully," was Megeara's reply.
"Do you think they can make it through the cave?"
"They will, the tunnel is wide enough."
They had just left the village about seven hours before hand and the two had already gotten into something they weren't even sure they themselves could pull off. The plan was to sneak out of the valley at night when no one would see them and go to see the Gerudo Fortress themselves. They had no intention of making their presence aware to them, but just to see the Gerudo would answer a lot of questions that could never be answered by their parents. It was something they felt they must do and the opportunity to do so had knocked. No one was expecting them home for four days, so they had that much time.
"I can't believe we're doing this," Loraefin laughed somewhat nervously.
"What are you worried about Fin? You've been out of the valley more than any of us."
"Yeah, but never on my own, Link was always with me and he knows Hyrule, we on the other hand don't."
"Do you not want to do this?" Megeara stopped Xanthus and looked inquiringly at her friend. Loraefin and Balius trotted a few paces ahead and then stopped too.
"Of course I do, this is a way to find out about myself, where we come from."
"Okay, then it's settled. We can rest here until it's dark," Megeara glanced about. "It'll be night soon."
***
"One two three…keep breathing Ashan, you're doing great," Link coached. This was certainly something he wouldn't expect himself to be doing right now. "Once more, push!"
"I am pushing damn you! Damn you and damn that damn doctor!" She yelled. "Don't tell me to push! You try doing this!"
"Come on Ashan, once more!" Link encouraged, "I think I see the head, come on! Just one more!"
The woman clenched her eyes tight and bit down on her teeth, trying to push with every muscle in her body. The crown of the head slowly pushed its way into view, followed by the rest of the head and shoulders. The baby let out a cry as it slid into Link's waiting hands. It was covered in birth fluid and its skin was a healthy pink color with all ten fingers and toes. It cried and cried and Ashan let her head fall back, her body exhausted from its labor.
"It's a girl," Link beamed, "a beautiful baby girl." Ashan only lay there for a moment, her chest still heaving.
"Let me see her," she cooed softly, propping herself up against the wheel of the cart. Link handed her her baby carefully, afraid that if he was anything less than the epitome of gentleness he could harm the precious creation. Ashan smiled, pride beaming as she held her child. All memories of the pain and exhaustion that she had endured only moments before melted away as she rocked the infant back and forth in her arms. "Hello my little girl," she smiled letting the baby's hand wrap around her finger, "my beautiful little girl."
Mother and daughter sat and stared at one another for minutes on end and Link watched them quietly. He marveled at the wonder of childbirth and had a new respect for women who went through it. He had never seen anything like that in all of his life, and he had seen a lot in his lifetime even though it was only eighteen years long, well, almost nineteen. Eventually Ashan's husband and the doctor arrived and Link made his exit, but not without the profuse thanks from the new parents. Before Link left, he had to ask one thing.
"What are you going to name her?"
Ashan looks up and smiles brilliantly.
"Lucille."