@Flight Of A Fledgling@
ch.3-Grasping
by:GoldenSilence
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A/N=Wow. It's been what, two months, since an update? My apologies. You know how it is. School and school and school and then there's always more school...*ahem.* Anyway, I hope someone still remembers this story and is around to enjoy this. It will NEVER take this long to update again, promise. Please leave a review, no matter how short. Comments help me know how I can become a better writer-and after my hiatus from writing, I need to know what people think. Thanks.:)
*author dances in circles* (is that actually an athletic possibility?0.o) mush, mush...MUUUUUUUUSH!ANGGSTT!
Whee. Sorry. Makes me hyper.
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It was every bit as icy as Hyrule Castle, the weather as unwelcoming and dreary, but yet it felt worlds away. To Link, anyway, who was admittedly, biased on the matter.
Here, even encased within a den of snow and ice, he didn't feel trapped. Not as he usually did come winter. Link hated winter-loathed it intensly. There was just something about it, the cold, the hopelessness, the lack of excitement, as if even citizens of Hyrule were in hibernation, waiting for the return of spring and life. Everything just felt so...
dead. And therein was the root of his dislike. He who had killed many a time, many a thing, hated winter because things felt dead. Ironic.
However, Malon loved winter, she who was as innocent as could be-a crystal shining through the dirt, refusing to be corrupted by the debris that had been her past. She could have been resentful and bitter, never letting go of the past, never forgiving Ingo or even him.
But she had forgiven them, both. Even if he could not forgive himself. He had saved her from the ranch, but not when he should have. The months spent there..they had taken something from her permanently. No, perhaps permanently was too strong a word. Temporarily. A spark hidden within that was just starting to sputter back once more, something that Link tried to encourage gently, careful not to scare it way, not even sure if he was worthy of such a thing, not even sure if he could do so much for himself.
That spark was trust. Trust that shown in her face as she slept, one hand still curled in his as she slept a deep sleep. There, snuggled with her within layers upon layers of wool blankets and heavy quilts, Link was loathe to wake. It could have been summer and he would have been no happier. With her here, at peace, thoughts hazy things only beginning to form in the back of his mind, everything was alright.
Link hadn't felt alright in a long time, hadn't felt tranquil. There was always some battle to wage, some enemy to conquer. The comfortable laziness of that morn was an alien feeling to him, though definitely a pleasant one.
He wanted nothing more than to sink back into the feather pillow, arms around her, and sleep knowing complete contentment, but he knew he could not do so. For her, he must wake, get up, practice his sword fighting, so that if anything ever happened, if that enemy came back, if the world turned from peace to war in a second as he knew it could, he would be ready for it-not unprepared as his father had been. His father, who had not realized that his love could be his greatest weakness.
But Link realized this, and for this he trained during that winter harder than ever, becoming even more of an elite swordsman. No one would take Malon away, would force her to chose between her life and her child's, or her life and his. She had made enough sacrifices, living on that farm with Ingo for those years, she must not have to make any more.
Her childs'. Link's face softened as he carefully, gently slid his fingers from her own, moved his body away from her warmth, and sat up in bed.
He put off getting up for one more minute in order to stare at Malon as she slept, one hand protectively clasped 'round her stomach, the slight bulge of it not even noticeable underneath so many blankets.
Her other hand reached out across the bed, palm open as if in wait for something to grasp it, or as if she was reaching for something..something unattainable . For some reason, the sight of her hand thus disturbed Link and as he got up from bed at last, he made sure to close the open palm, moving it back to encircle her stomach as well.
Zelda and Malon when asleep-they looked as different as day from night. Malon's face was as open as it was when she was awake-Link often amused himself that he could tell what she was dreaming simply from one good look at the twitchings of her face as she slept.
But Zelda..Zelda, even when lost among her dreams, had looked guarded, nothing showing on a face carefully trained to be diplomatic. Perhaps it was because of her dreams, the strange, prophetic dreams that had caused her to wake in the middle of the night, to scream, beads of sweat gathered on her face and panic in her eyes. Link remembered and frowned at the memory. That was over now. Thank the godesses. He never could-or would- have been happy with her, for how can you love someone who doesn't have a heart?
On winter mornings like these, Malon always jokingly said he reminded her of a Goron playing hop scotch. Kissing her forehead (only slightly, so as not to wake her) Link began his daily jumping jack routine, clamboring into his clothes, trying to keep his feet from touching the frigid floor as he pulled on his jerkin and shoes.
The winter air, even more pronounced and fierce out of doors than it was in whistled around Link's entire body as he braced himself against the cold. Going out the door was like stepping over the threshhold between fire and ice with no inbetween.
Shutting out all else; the snow, the wind, the horses stomping noisily in their stall waiting for their morning feeding, Link unleashed his sword from its place at his belt and began his daily practice.
Slash. Slash. Parry. Slash. Turn. Jump. Stab. Backflip. Turn. Slash.
Ah, this was the life. The cold was gone, replaced by the heat and the sweat that poured down Link's face. He didn't feel the snow crunch beneath his feet, or the wind pick up again after a short minute of dying down, whistling mournfully.
All he felt was his immediate surroundings, his sword in his right hand, the stretching of his muscles, in his back, his legs, and his arms. Devoid of any other thoughts, Link became his sword-he was the weapon as it flew with rapid accuracy to pierce the pile of stale hay, as it seemed to cleave the spiraling, fierce wind itself in two, the arctic light causing it to give a metallic glint as it did so.
It was here that Link made his worst misstep. No, not by a faulter of his sword arm or a treacherous slip of his feet, but in a way that had naught at all to do with his technical side of his fighting expertise. Becoming your sword, everything turns black and white. There are only two things of focus, you and the enemy, whatever or whoever that might be.
Unfortunately, the enemy can switch on you within a second, the target can change. And Link found this out the hard way as he brought his sword down for the upteenth time, expecting to hear the dull rustling of hay as it found its mark. Instead, he heard the sickening noise of a human body falling to the ground.
Instantly, the concentration was gone, his thoughts brought back in a flood as he stared at the destruction he had just wreaked.
"Malon!" he shouted as she should have as his sword came down. Why, oh why couldn't she have given him some warning, some signal? How could she be so stupid, standing there?
No, Link berated himself as he leaned over her prone body, it was me that was stupid. Not even noticing when she came up . I might as well be blind! Here I am, wanting nothing more than to protect her always and well, now, I won't have to. I protected her alright, from everything but myself.
"Link? Link..."
At first, Link thought he was hearing things, the phantom voice of Malon calling out to him in his grief, perhaps (for Link had automatically jumped to the conclusion his sword had gone clean through her.) Then, she called again and he realized it was no phantom, the emotions linked with the voice were very...human. Bemused, irritated, and questioning.
"Link, next time, go outside and fight some poes instead of attacking the horses' supply of hay, alright?"
Link ceased his admonishing as Malon sat up, perfectly alright, without so much as a scratch, and blinked at him, a slight smile on her face. She held out her hand and in a daze still, he helped her up from the ground.
"But..but..I.." he began, surprised. His sword had hit her...hadn't it?
Malon just shook her head. "I'm fine. Honestly, the sword had more of a chance of slashing Epona's new blanket than it did me."
No way. There was just no way. She had been standing right there. Had fallen right in front of the haystack. The hay that he had been attacking with his sword. And Link never missed. The sword had to have hit her, somewhere. It had to have!
He had heard it, hadn't he? The sickening crunch of bones as the yielded beneath his blade's touch.
Shacking his head again as if to clear it of some terrible omen, Link stared at Malon. True to her word, she looked the same as ever, not even a rip in the coat and shawl hastily thrown over her nightgown.
He was lucky, very lucky. Malon must have jumped to the side at the last second. Yes, that must have been it. Relief overcame Link in waves.
"Malon, I could have killed you!" he said, pulling her into a fierce hug.
To that, Malon hmpphed, , her voice only tremoring slightly as she tried to speak with a false assurance. Link had been on edge lately, not wanting to leave for the trip to Termina he would soon be taking with the king. Malon must do anything she could to make him realize she would be fine on her own.
"No, you couldn't have. I'm not stone, you know. I can move. I just simply have to jump to one side."
"Simply jump to one side and do what?"
"This." Grinning misheviously, the shock now worn off, Malon kissed Link firmly. "Don't fret over it. A moblin said the same thing as you before I killed him."
"When was that?"
"Awhile ago." Malon grinned. "My bow and my collection of arrows were starting to get a little cobwebby, so..."
"But if you use arrows, you have to stab them from-"
"-Behind," finished Malon for Link. "I know. And that's exactly what I did."
"That must have been a sight. Didn't know moblins could bend to touch their toes, much less show their nethers to a spy."
"The word is maiden."
"Uhuh, sure. A maiden who just so happens to be following me when I go to the forest temple to make sure I don't get hurt?"
"I was there to take in the scenery, I promise! And chat with the forest sage."
Link grinned, willing the thoughts that had raced through his head after he thought he had stabbed Malon to vanish into some vortex and never return.
"Oh, of course. Chat with the forest sage. Naturally, since you two are such good friends. What's her name again?"
"Umm..ermm..green haired girl?" guessed Malon, grinning back. "Or no, no, wait a minute. Green haired singing girl?"
Link twirled her around in the snow. "Admit it, you were following me!"
Malon laughed, Link's face spinning by as he twirled her faster and faster.
"Never!"
Letting go of his hands, she twirled dizzily backward, picking up a mound of snow as she nearly toppled. The lighthearted atomosphere was certainly a welcome change from the moment that had occured earlier. His sword coming down, the terror on his face, on her face. On her face?
Strange. As she tried to recall it, the moment became more and more fuzzy. It all seemed to have happened to someone else, not her. She had come outside to feed the horses, and wish Link a good morning. Eyes searching for him just a split second before she came to the realization that he was right in front of her. One split second too late as the sword came down and through her. Through her? No. She had side stepped. Side stepped and slipped on the icy ground.
But the information seemed clouded, unclear. Not as it should have been. Malon concentrated instead on compacting the snow into a little ball, her back turned away from Link.
Splat!
The iceball hit Link hard right in the gut, dusting his tunic in a fine layer of snow as he ran towards her, scooping up snow of his own along the way.
"Why yo-"
The words were hardly out of his mouth, his snowball not even yet thrown, before he was pelted yet again by Malon, her face worked into a mishevious smile.
"Alright, alright," said Link, holding up his hand in truce, his hair now also coated in the fine, white powder. " You win. I know you can take care of yourself! I hereby promise to stop looking into investing in a large set of padlocks for when I'm gone, happy?"
Whack. A snowball hit Link right in the face again. "Ouch. I was just kidding."
Malon juggled another snowball in her hand. "Oh, you better have been..Unless you want to this to go down your shirt."
"Truce, truce!" Link grabbed both her hands, causing the snowballs to drop. He hugged her again and this time seemed loathe to let go, hugged her so tightly she could barely breath. If he let her go, he seemed to be of the opinion she would vanish. His eyes were beholding her as if they would never be able to do so again-at least, not this way, not in this sort of situation.
It scared Malon to see this in his stormy blue depths. Link'll just be gone for one week. One week, that's all. Think of how long you did without your father, for Nayru's sake! Everything will be fine.
Fine. Absolutely fine. If everything's going to be so fine, then why is he looking at me as if he only has limited time before the world crumbles at our feet?
"Link?" questioned Malon gently, beginning to pull out of his arms.
"Just a little longer, Malon. Please? I just--don't want to think about later, about anything, you know?"
About leaving. How can I trust him to come back if he can't even trust himself? He'll get caught up in some adventure and won't return, something will happen. I know it, and he knows it as well.
Malon tried to joke. "Is this your way of trying to back out of the wedding, hmm?"
Joking was the wrong remedy for whatever was going through Link right then. "It's impossible to get you to be serious now, isn't it? If that's what it takes..yeah, I would. Don't you realize I could have lost you, I could have- "
Link started violently, taking his arms from around Malon's. "You shouldn't love me. It will kill you, sooner or later.," he told seriously, his hair swept across his face and his eyes dark, a far cry from the laughing man who had been getting pelted with snowballs only but a small while ago. He seemed miles away and Malon wasn't sure how to bring him back.
But she would be damned if she didn't try. "Link, I am serious," she told him, reaching out across the distance, no matter how inpenetrable it seemed, and grasping his hand in her own. "I chose to love you, knowing it wouldn't be easy. People will try to kill me, trying to get to you, because you are the hero of time. But I know that, and I don't care. It's my choice and no matter how much you love me, you can't take that choice away."
Link suddenly came closer to her again, shaking her, trying to knock sense into her, desperately trying to make her see what he saw so clearly-that the better things got, the worse they would eventually be. His and her hapiness, their unborn child, these were things that would be snatched up in an instant some day--when Ganon rose again. It wasn't a question of if, it was when..for Link knew that Ganon would not remained sealed away forever. He would return as he had promised. And because of his love for Malon, he had to break it off with her. Had to. If he didn't, eventually..eventually, she would pay for it.
"What if I told you you couldn't love me?"
Silence. And then, laughter. Loud and clear. The words that, if not the remedy, soothed his soul. "I can't *not* love you. It's just..not possible. Even if..you won't marry me. Even if I never saw you again. I'd still love you."
Link's eyes lightened, as did his heart. He had to break it off with her..but he couldn't. Couldn't save her from this. Even if he did, she had said herself, she would never cease loving him. He knew he was being selfish, wanting her love even at the risk it brought. But he loved her. And he would protect her somehow..from whatever was to come.
In the end, who knew what would happen. Maybe he'd defeat Ganondorf at last..maybe not. But even then, he wouldn't be free. He was the hero of time-and indebted to save the people again and again from whatever threated or troubled them. No one should bear such a burden. No one but him. But she would..
because she chose to do so. And he'd never give her a moment to doubt that choice, to want to turn back. They would be married, and live happily, and grow old together. He would see to it.
And I, you," Link whispered in her ear. His voice, quiet as a breath from an old grandmother napping in her rocking chair, lowered even more, until she had to strain to hear it. "But I'm so afraid that one day I'll hurt you..and that would ten times worse than even Ganondorf spiriting you away. Someday, I'll have to hurt you to protect you. He's told me so..in my dreams. And if I have to, if it's the only way...I would."
Malon just smiled. How could she continue to smile like that? Link wondered. Optimism. Hope. He clung to the emotions behind that smile tenaciously, allowing them to become his own.
He was just overreacting, that was all. Poor Malon, seeing the side of him like this. He hoped she wasn't paying too close attention to everything he had said.
"Link, it's alright. You'd never hurt me-not on purpose, or even on accident. It just couldn't hapen. Something would stop you, I know it. Can't say how, but I do. Same as it would stop me from doing the same. And if it happened on accident as it almost did this morning..well, everyone gets hurt, even loved ones sometimes. It's the way of the world. To love, you have to hurt a little."
Link pouted, sounding like a pentulant little child denied a sweet. "Well, then, I don't like the world." He dusted some of the snow off his shoulder as he pulled Malon's shawl over her head to stop her shivering, in addition, putting one arm around her to prevent this. "You're saying if I sliced off your arm, you'd personally thank me?"
Malon didn't answer his question directly. "Look, I've got to go feed the horses now. You can come with me, if you like."
Nodding, Link took the pail from her while she carried the hay across the ground, making sure to leave out one hand to steady her. The load was heavy and he didn't want her slipping on the icy ground as she had done more than once-particularly not when she was with child. How could he ever have doubted marrying her?
Of course, he had never doubted wanting to.
"To answer your question from earlier," Malon said, her breath coming out in gusts of air. "It's nothing like that, silly. All I'm saying is that pain goes hand in hand with all else."
"Don't have to tell me that," Link said as he opened the stable doors and began breaking up the chunks of ice in the bucket with his covered hands.
"I'm a swordsman, remember? Carry a big, pointy weapon?"
"You do indeed. And poke yourself with it every time you try to sit down, too." Malon's voice came from a stall over, where she was measuring hay into Epona's feed box.
******
The horses all fed and watered, the two left the stable together and were silent all the way back to the house. Until, that was, right outside the doorway, where Malon scooped up another snowball and hit Link with it as he walked back inside.
Immediately, he wheeled around, smiling at her. "Heeey!"
Thirty minutes later, two very drenched, cold, red-cheeked, and happy people were lying on their backs in the snow, each trying to restock on "ammunition."
Link came over to help Malon up again, curteous of her current situation, only to be rewarded with a snowball right in his forehead.
Link ignored this, examining Malon as she stood. "You've got snow all over the back of your nightdress," he told her seriously. "Here, let me help..."
He brushed off the last of the snow from the back of her clothes, then without further ado, rubbed a snowball he had been hiding behind his back right into her red hair.
Malon grabbed another snowball, tearing after him as he ran away.
"What say we go for a nice walk?" Link murmured as Malon stood inches behind him, arm raised and ball of snow ready for firing straight between his eyes.
Malon dropped the snowball. "I'd love to. But I forgot my cloak.."
"No you didn't," said Link as she linked her arm through is. "I'm right here."
Malon rolled her eyes. "Oh please, not the flirting. It's so early in the morning, I don't think I can take it."
"Mmm.." said Link as they walked out the gate of Lon Lon ranch, ready to shock any half respecting villager who happened to be out early and saw Malon still in her nightgown. "May I remind you just who started that snowball fight?"
"I was provoked!"
"By what?
"Epona?" fibbed Malon.
"Always knew that horse didn't like me."
"Oh, come on now. She loves you almost as much as I do," said Malon comfortingly as they walked. They were wandering the trails, with no apparent purpose or mission, no set destination, but that bothered neither of them in the slightest.
"Almost. Hopefully not quite. The love of a horse is pretty flattering, but- -"
"Not as flattering as the love of another human being?"
"Definitely not as satisfying."
Malon swatted at him. "I thought I told you no flirting!"
"Right. I'll just stick to the weather. Lovely, isn't it?"
"You know," said Malon with the utmost of seriousness. "I believe it's snowing." The bells of Hyrule town alerted her that the nonexsistence of time that seemed to be present right then could not last forever. She pulled on Link's arm. "Well, we'd better get back and get changed for you know what."
Link groaned. "S'time for that already?"
"No," admitted Malon. "But I need plenty of time to get ready!"
"Women," muttered Link to himself as Malon dragged him back off towards the house. "Can't we just skip the stupid ball and enjoy our last days together?"
Last days before I go, he should have said, but unfortunately, it came out all wrong. At least Malon didn't notice. Or if she did, she didn't say anything on the matter.
"Are you asking for another snowball fight?" she teased.
"No." Link suddenly took off, using his hookshot to pull him yards ahead of where Malon was, shouting over his shoulder as he did so. "A race!"
Malon began racing after him. "Cheater!"
"Can't prove it!"
*********
Today was the ball. Lately, with Link as a sort of honorary prince (and hero) life seemed to be a neverending circle of dances and cottilions, introductions to kings and queens who longed to meet the hero of time- most for selfish reasons of their own. But this ball was different. Sure, they had announced their engagement to the Gorons, but never to the nobles. To tell the truth, Malon had been putting it off. She never had felt comfortable around nobles, being just a peasant. If it hadn't been for Link, they would still be ignoring her as always.
Today was the day. The king had said the ball as in their honor. Not just Link's, but hers. THEIR honor. THEIR ball, where they would announce their engagement. Tightening the stays on her dress just a tinsy bit more, Malon surveyed herself worriedly in the mirror. No one would be able to tell she was pregnant, would they?
She hoped not. Such a thing, she knew, would be considered scandalous by the nobles, though the Zoras already knew and had accept the news with much joy (and had showered Link with even more of their precious gems "for the baby".)
As she was about to leave the room, Malon remembered the clothes she had disgarded on the floor, her nightgown and shawl from that morning. Ever the tidy one, she bent over and folded them up into neat bundles, ready to place them in her drawers, when something on the nightgown caused her to drop it to the floor, her merry, blushing face turning pale.
There, on the nightgown, on the upper right hand side, was a circle of blood.
Biting her lip, Malon carefully took the nightgown and turned it inside out, folding over the part seeped in red. She was not sure what had happened or how it had happened, but she remembered Link's sword that morning. Had it hit her after all? But then how could she have bled if there was nothing, not even a small scratch, on her body?
Deciding this was not something to worry Link about and sure there was a reasonable explanation, Malon left the room, ready for the ball..and incredibly nervous about it too.
What would the nobles say at the announcement of their engagement? And worse, that prince whathisname was going to be there, wasn't he? The prince of the country that Link was going to visit with the king next week?
Termina. Some sort of uprising was feared, some people's feathers ruffled that needed to be soothed by Link's and the king's visit. They had something against Hyrule, though Link had never told her what. Perhaps he didn't know.
Or that was what Malon told herself. She didn't like to think that he kept things-secrets- from her.
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A/N=hehe, sorry people. I had to come back to Link/Malon. Just can't seem to let that couple go.;) Anyway, what's up with Zelda? We'll find that out in the next chapter-along with more on Link/Malon, of course! And the return of Prince John and Malon's gerudo friend.:D
ch.3-Grasping
by:GoldenSilence
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A/N=Wow. It's been what, two months, since an update? My apologies. You know how it is. School and school and school and then there's always more school...*ahem.* Anyway, I hope someone still remembers this story and is around to enjoy this. It will NEVER take this long to update again, promise. Please leave a review, no matter how short. Comments help me know how I can become a better writer-and after my hiatus from writing, I need to know what people think. Thanks.:)
*author dances in circles* (is that actually an athletic possibility?0.o) mush, mush...MUUUUUUUUSH!ANGGSTT!
Whee. Sorry. Makes me hyper.
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It was every bit as icy as Hyrule Castle, the weather as unwelcoming and dreary, but yet it felt worlds away. To Link, anyway, who was admittedly, biased on the matter.
Here, even encased within a den of snow and ice, he didn't feel trapped. Not as he usually did come winter. Link hated winter-loathed it intensly. There was just something about it, the cold, the hopelessness, the lack of excitement, as if even citizens of Hyrule were in hibernation, waiting for the return of spring and life. Everything just felt so...
dead. And therein was the root of his dislike. He who had killed many a time, many a thing, hated winter because things felt dead. Ironic.
However, Malon loved winter, she who was as innocent as could be-a crystal shining through the dirt, refusing to be corrupted by the debris that had been her past. She could have been resentful and bitter, never letting go of the past, never forgiving Ingo or even him.
But she had forgiven them, both. Even if he could not forgive himself. He had saved her from the ranch, but not when he should have. The months spent there..they had taken something from her permanently. No, perhaps permanently was too strong a word. Temporarily. A spark hidden within that was just starting to sputter back once more, something that Link tried to encourage gently, careful not to scare it way, not even sure if he was worthy of such a thing, not even sure if he could do so much for himself.
That spark was trust. Trust that shown in her face as she slept, one hand still curled in his as she slept a deep sleep. There, snuggled with her within layers upon layers of wool blankets and heavy quilts, Link was loathe to wake. It could have been summer and he would have been no happier. With her here, at peace, thoughts hazy things only beginning to form in the back of his mind, everything was alright.
Link hadn't felt alright in a long time, hadn't felt tranquil. There was always some battle to wage, some enemy to conquer. The comfortable laziness of that morn was an alien feeling to him, though definitely a pleasant one.
He wanted nothing more than to sink back into the feather pillow, arms around her, and sleep knowing complete contentment, but he knew he could not do so. For her, he must wake, get up, practice his sword fighting, so that if anything ever happened, if that enemy came back, if the world turned from peace to war in a second as he knew it could, he would be ready for it-not unprepared as his father had been. His father, who had not realized that his love could be his greatest weakness.
But Link realized this, and for this he trained during that winter harder than ever, becoming even more of an elite swordsman. No one would take Malon away, would force her to chose between her life and her child's, or her life and his. She had made enough sacrifices, living on that farm with Ingo for those years, she must not have to make any more.
Her childs'. Link's face softened as he carefully, gently slid his fingers from her own, moved his body away from her warmth, and sat up in bed.
He put off getting up for one more minute in order to stare at Malon as she slept, one hand protectively clasped 'round her stomach, the slight bulge of it not even noticeable underneath so many blankets.
Her other hand reached out across the bed, palm open as if in wait for something to grasp it, or as if she was reaching for something..something unattainable . For some reason, the sight of her hand thus disturbed Link and as he got up from bed at last, he made sure to close the open palm, moving it back to encircle her stomach as well.
Zelda and Malon when asleep-they looked as different as day from night. Malon's face was as open as it was when she was awake-Link often amused himself that he could tell what she was dreaming simply from one good look at the twitchings of her face as she slept.
But Zelda..Zelda, even when lost among her dreams, had looked guarded, nothing showing on a face carefully trained to be diplomatic. Perhaps it was because of her dreams, the strange, prophetic dreams that had caused her to wake in the middle of the night, to scream, beads of sweat gathered on her face and panic in her eyes. Link remembered and frowned at the memory. That was over now. Thank the godesses. He never could-or would- have been happy with her, for how can you love someone who doesn't have a heart?
On winter mornings like these, Malon always jokingly said he reminded her of a Goron playing hop scotch. Kissing her forehead (only slightly, so as not to wake her) Link began his daily jumping jack routine, clamboring into his clothes, trying to keep his feet from touching the frigid floor as he pulled on his jerkin and shoes.
The winter air, even more pronounced and fierce out of doors than it was in whistled around Link's entire body as he braced himself against the cold. Going out the door was like stepping over the threshhold between fire and ice with no inbetween.
Shutting out all else; the snow, the wind, the horses stomping noisily in their stall waiting for their morning feeding, Link unleashed his sword from its place at his belt and began his daily practice.
Slash. Slash. Parry. Slash. Turn. Jump. Stab. Backflip. Turn. Slash.
Ah, this was the life. The cold was gone, replaced by the heat and the sweat that poured down Link's face. He didn't feel the snow crunch beneath his feet, or the wind pick up again after a short minute of dying down, whistling mournfully.
All he felt was his immediate surroundings, his sword in his right hand, the stretching of his muscles, in his back, his legs, and his arms. Devoid of any other thoughts, Link became his sword-he was the weapon as it flew with rapid accuracy to pierce the pile of stale hay, as it seemed to cleave the spiraling, fierce wind itself in two, the arctic light causing it to give a metallic glint as it did so.
It was here that Link made his worst misstep. No, not by a faulter of his sword arm or a treacherous slip of his feet, but in a way that had naught at all to do with his technical side of his fighting expertise. Becoming your sword, everything turns black and white. There are only two things of focus, you and the enemy, whatever or whoever that might be.
Unfortunately, the enemy can switch on you within a second, the target can change. And Link found this out the hard way as he brought his sword down for the upteenth time, expecting to hear the dull rustling of hay as it found its mark. Instead, he heard the sickening noise of a human body falling to the ground.
Instantly, the concentration was gone, his thoughts brought back in a flood as he stared at the destruction he had just wreaked.
"Malon!" he shouted as she should have as his sword came down. Why, oh why couldn't she have given him some warning, some signal? How could she be so stupid, standing there?
No, Link berated himself as he leaned over her prone body, it was me that was stupid. Not even noticing when she came up . I might as well be blind! Here I am, wanting nothing more than to protect her always and well, now, I won't have to. I protected her alright, from everything but myself.
"Link? Link..."
At first, Link thought he was hearing things, the phantom voice of Malon calling out to him in his grief, perhaps (for Link had automatically jumped to the conclusion his sword had gone clean through her.) Then, she called again and he realized it was no phantom, the emotions linked with the voice were very...human. Bemused, irritated, and questioning.
"Link, next time, go outside and fight some poes instead of attacking the horses' supply of hay, alright?"
Link ceased his admonishing as Malon sat up, perfectly alright, without so much as a scratch, and blinked at him, a slight smile on her face. She held out her hand and in a daze still, he helped her up from the ground.
"But..but..I.." he began, surprised. His sword had hit her...hadn't it?
Malon just shook her head. "I'm fine. Honestly, the sword had more of a chance of slashing Epona's new blanket than it did me."
No way. There was just no way. She had been standing right there. Had fallen right in front of the haystack. The hay that he had been attacking with his sword. And Link never missed. The sword had to have hit her, somewhere. It had to have!
He had heard it, hadn't he? The sickening crunch of bones as the yielded beneath his blade's touch.
Shacking his head again as if to clear it of some terrible omen, Link stared at Malon. True to her word, she looked the same as ever, not even a rip in the coat and shawl hastily thrown over her nightgown.
He was lucky, very lucky. Malon must have jumped to the side at the last second. Yes, that must have been it. Relief overcame Link in waves.
"Malon, I could have killed you!" he said, pulling her into a fierce hug.
To that, Malon hmpphed, , her voice only tremoring slightly as she tried to speak with a false assurance. Link had been on edge lately, not wanting to leave for the trip to Termina he would soon be taking with the king. Malon must do anything she could to make him realize she would be fine on her own.
"No, you couldn't have. I'm not stone, you know. I can move. I just simply have to jump to one side."
"Simply jump to one side and do what?"
"This." Grinning misheviously, the shock now worn off, Malon kissed Link firmly. "Don't fret over it. A moblin said the same thing as you before I killed him."
"When was that?"
"Awhile ago." Malon grinned. "My bow and my collection of arrows were starting to get a little cobwebby, so..."
"But if you use arrows, you have to stab them from-"
"-Behind," finished Malon for Link. "I know. And that's exactly what I did."
"That must have been a sight. Didn't know moblins could bend to touch their toes, much less show their nethers to a spy."
"The word is maiden."
"Uhuh, sure. A maiden who just so happens to be following me when I go to the forest temple to make sure I don't get hurt?"
"I was there to take in the scenery, I promise! And chat with the forest sage."
Link grinned, willing the thoughts that had raced through his head after he thought he had stabbed Malon to vanish into some vortex and never return.
"Oh, of course. Chat with the forest sage. Naturally, since you two are such good friends. What's her name again?"
"Umm..ermm..green haired girl?" guessed Malon, grinning back. "Or no, no, wait a minute. Green haired singing girl?"
Link twirled her around in the snow. "Admit it, you were following me!"
Malon laughed, Link's face spinning by as he twirled her faster and faster.
"Never!"
Letting go of his hands, she twirled dizzily backward, picking up a mound of snow as she nearly toppled. The lighthearted atomosphere was certainly a welcome change from the moment that had occured earlier. His sword coming down, the terror on his face, on her face. On her face?
Strange. As she tried to recall it, the moment became more and more fuzzy. It all seemed to have happened to someone else, not her. She had come outside to feed the horses, and wish Link a good morning. Eyes searching for him just a split second before she came to the realization that he was right in front of her. One split second too late as the sword came down and through her. Through her? No. She had side stepped. Side stepped and slipped on the icy ground.
But the information seemed clouded, unclear. Not as it should have been. Malon concentrated instead on compacting the snow into a little ball, her back turned away from Link.
Splat!
The iceball hit Link hard right in the gut, dusting his tunic in a fine layer of snow as he ran towards her, scooping up snow of his own along the way.
"Why yo-"
The words were hardly out of his mouth, his snowball not even yet thrown, before he was pelted yet again by Malon, her face worked into a mishevious smile.
"Alright, alright," said Link, holding up his hand in truce, his hair now also coated in the fine, white powder. " You win. I know you can take care of yourself! I hereby promise to stop looking into investing in a large set of padlocks for when I'm gone, happy?"
Whack. A snowball hit Link right in the face again. "Ouch. I was just kidding."
Malon juggled another snowball in her hand. "Oh, you better have been..Unless you want to this to go down your shirt."
"Truce, truce!" Link grabbed both her hands, causing the snowballs to drop. He hugged her again and this time seemed loathe to let go, hugged her so tightly she could barely breath. If he let her go, he seemed to be of the opinion she would vanish. His eyes were beholding her as if they would never be able to do so again-at least, not this way, not in this sort of situation.
It scared Malon to see this in his stormy blue depths. Link'll just be gone for one week. One week, that's all. Think of how long you did without your father, for Nayru's sake! Everything will be fine.
Fine. Absolutely fine. If everything's going to be so fine, then why is he looking at me as if he only has limited time before the world crumbles at our feet?
"Link?" questioned Malon gently, beginning to pull out of his arms.
"Just a little longer, Malon. Please? I just--don't want to think about later, about anything, you know?"
About leaving. How can I trust him to come back if he can't even trust himself? He'll get caught up in some adventure and won't return, something will happen. I know it, and he knows it as well.
Malon tried to joke. "Is this your way of trying to back out of the wedding, hmm?"
Joking was the wrong remedy for whatever was going through Link right then. "It's impossible to get you to be serious now, isn't it? If that's what it takes..yeah, I would. Don't you realize I could have lost you, I could have- "
Link started violently, taking his arms from around Malon's. "You shouldn't love me. It will kill you, sooner or later.," he told seriously, his hair swept across his face and his eyes dark, a far cry from the laughing man who had been getting pelted with snowballs only but a small while ago. He seemed miles away and Malon wasn't sure how to bring him back.
But she would be damned if she didn't try. "Link, I am serious," she told him, reaching out across the distance, no matter how inpenetrable it seemed, and grasping his hand in her own. "I chose to love you, knowing it wouldn't be easy. People will try to kill me, trying to get to you, because you are the hero of time. But I know that, and I don't care. It's my choice and no matter how much you love me, you can't take that choice away."
Link suddenly came closer to her again, shaking her, trying to knock sense into her, desperately trying to make her see what he saw so clearly-that the better things got, the worse they would eventually be. His and her hapiness, their unborn child, these were things that would be snatched up in an instant some day--when Ganon rose again. It wasn't a question of if, it was when..for Link knew that Ganon would not remained sealed away forever. He would return as he had promised. And because of his love for Malon, he had to break it off with her. Had to. If he didn't, eventually..eventually, she would pay for it.
"What if I told you you couldn't love me?"
Silence. And then, laughter. Loud and clear. The words that, if not the remedy, soothed his soul. "I can't *not* love you. It's just..not possible. Even if..you won't marry me. Even if I never saw you again. I'd still love you."
Link's eyes lightened, as did his heart. He had to break it off with her..but he couldn't. Couldn't save her from this. Even if he did, she had said herself, she would never cease loving him. He knew he was being selfish, wanting her love even at the risk it brought. But he loved her. And he would protect her somehow..from whatever was to come.
In the end, who knew what would happen. Maybe he'd defeat Ganondorf at last..maybe not. But even then, he wouldn't be free. He was the hero of time-and indebted to save the people again and again from whatever threated or troubled them. No one should bear such a burden. No one but him. But she would..
because she chose to do so. And he'd never give her a moment to doubt that choice, to want to turn back. They would be married, and live happily, and grow old together. He would see to it.
And I, you," Link whispered in her ear. His voice, quiet as a breath from an old grandmother napping in her rocking chair, lowered even more, until she had to strain to hear it. "But I'm so afraid that one day I'll hurt you..and that would ten times worse than even Ganondorf spiriting you away. Someday, I'll have to hurt you to protect you. He's told me so..in my dreams. And if I have to, if it's the only way...I would."
Malon just smiled. How could she continue to smile like that? Link wondered. Optimism. Hope. He clung to the emotions behind that smile tenaciously, allowing them to become his own.
He was just overreacting, that was all. Poor Malon, seeing the side of him like this. He hoped she wasn't paying too close attention to everything he had said.
"Link, it's alright. You'd never hurt me-not on purpose, or even on accident. It just couldn't hapen. Something would stop you, I know it. Can't say how, but I do. Same as it would stop me from doing the same. And if it happened on accident as it almost did this morning..well, everyone gets hurt, even loved ones sometimes. It's the way of the world. To love, you have to hurt a little."
Link pouted, sounding like a pentulant little child denied a sweet. "Well, then, I don't like the world." He dusted some of the snow off his shoulder as he pulled Malon's shawl over her head to stop her shivering, in addition, putting one arm around her to prevent this. "You're saying if I sliced off your arm, you'd personally thank me?"
Malon didn't answer his question directly. "Look, I've got to go feed the horses now. You can come with me, if you like."
Nodding, Link took the pail from her while she carried the hay across the ground, making sure to leave out one hand to steady her. The load was heavy and he didn't want her slipping on the icy ground as she had done more than once-particularly not when she was with child. How could he ever have doubted marrying her?
Of course, he had never doubted wanting to.
"To answer your question from earlier," Malon said, her breath coming out in gusts of air. "It's nothing like that, silly. All I'm saying is that pain goes hand in hand with all else."
"Don't have to tell me that," Link said as he opened the stable doors and began breaking up the chunks of ice in the bucket with his covered hands.
"I'm a swordsman, remember? Carry a big, pointy weapon?"
"You do indeed. And poke yourself with it every time you try to sit down, too." Malon's voice came from a stall over, where she was measuring hay into Epona's feed box.
******
The horses all fed and watered, the two left the stable together and were silent all the way back to the house. Until, that was, right outside the doorway, where Malon scooped up another snowball and hit Link with it as he walked back inside.
Immediately, he wheeled around, smiling at her. "Heeey!"
Thirty minutes later, two very drenched, cold, red-cheeked, and happy people were lying on their backs in the snow, each trying to restock on "ammunition."
Link came over to help Malon up again, curteous of her current situation, only to be rewarded with a snowball right in his forehead.
Link ignored this, examining Malon as she stood. "You've got snow all over the back of your nightdress," he told her seriously. "Here, let me help..."
He brushed off the last of the snow from the back of her clothes, then without further ado, rubbed a snowball he had been hiding behind his back right into her red hair.
Malon grabbed another snowball, tearing after him as he ran away.
"What say we go for a nice walk?" Link murmured as Malon stood inches behind him, arm raised and ball of snow ready for firing straight between his eyes.
Malon dropped the snowball. "I'd love to. But I forgot my cloak.."
"No you didn't," said Link as she linked her arm through is. "I'm right here."
Malon rolled her eyes. "Oh please, not the flirting. It's so early in the morning, I don't think I can take it."
"Mmm.." said Link as they walked out the gate of Lon Lon ranch, ready to shock any half respecting villager who happened to be out early and saw Malon still in her nightgown. "May I remind you just who started that snowball fight?"
"I was provoked!"
"By what?
"Epona?" fibbed Malon.
"Always knew that horse didn't like me."
"Oh, come on now. She loves you almost as much as I do," said Malon comfortingly as they walked. They were wandering the trails, with no apparent purpose or mission, no set destination, but that bothered neither of them in the slightest.
"Almost. Hopefully not quite. The love of a horse is pretty flattering, but- -"
"Not as flattering as the love of another human being?"
"Definitely not as satisfying."
Malon swatted at him. "I thought I told you no flirting!"
"Right. I'll just stick to the weather. Lovely, isn't it?"
"You know," said Malon with the utmost of seriousness. "I believe it's snowing." The bells of Hyrule town alerted her that the nonexsistence of time that seemed to be present right then could not last forever. She pulled on Link's arm. "Well, we'd better get back and get changed for you know what."
Link groaned. "S'time for that already?"
"No," admitted Malon. "But I need plenty of time to get ready!"
"Women," muttered Link to himself as Malon dragged him back off towards the house. "Can't we just skip the stupid ball and enjoy our last days together?"
Last days before I go, he should have said, but unfortunately, it came out all wrong. At least Malon didn't notice. Or if she did, she didn't say anything on the matter.
"Are you asking for another snowball fight?" she teased.
"No." Link suddenly took off, using his hookshot to pull him yards ahead of where Malon was, shouting over his shoulder as he did so. "A race!"
Malon began racing after him. "Cheater!"
"Can't prove it!"
*********
Today was the ball. Lately, with Link as a sort of honorary prince (and hero) life seemed to be a neverending circle of dances and cottilions, introductions to kings and queens who longed to meet the hero of time- most for selfish reasons of their own. But this ball was different. Sure, they had announced their engagement to the Gorons, but never to the nobles. To tell the truth, Malon had been putting it off. She never had felt comfortable around nobles, being just a peasant. If it hadn't been for Link, they would still be ignoring her as always.
Today was the day. The king had said the ball as in their honor. Not just Link's, but hers. THEIR honor. THEIR ball, where they would announce their engagement. Tightening the stays on her dress just a tinsy bit more, Malon surveyed herself worriedly in the mirror. No one would be able to tell she was pregnant, would they?
She hoped not. Such a thing, she knew, would be considered scandalous by the nobles, though the Zoras already knew and had accept the news with much joy (and had showered Link with even more of their precious gems "for the baby".)
As she was about to leave the room, Malon remembered the clothes she had disgarded on the floor, her nightgown and shawl from that morning. Ever the tidy one, she bent over and folded them up into neat bundles, ready to place them in her drawers, when something on the nightgown caused her to drop it to the floor, her merry, blushing face turning pale.
There, on the nightgown, on the upper right hand side, was a circle of blood.
Biting her lip, Malon carefully took the nightgown and turned it inside out, folding over the part seeped in red. She was not sure what had happened or how it had happened, but she remembered Link's sword that morning. Had it hit her after all? But then how could she have bled if there was nothing, not even a small scratch, on her body?
Deciding this was not something to worry Link about and sure there was a reasonable explanation, Malon left the room, ready for the ball..and incredibly nervous about it too.
What would the nobles say at the announcement of their engagement? And worse, that prince whathisname was going to be there, wasn't he? The prince of the country that Link was going to visit with the king next week?
Termina. Some sort of uprising was feared, some people's feathers ruffled that needed to be soothed by Link's and the king's visit. They had something against Hyrule, though Link had never told her what. Perhaps he didn't know.
Or that was what Malon told herself. She didn't like to think that he kept things-secrets- from her.
*****************
A/N=hehe, sorry people. I had to come back to Link/Malon. Just can't seem to let that couple go.;) Anyway, what's up with Zelda? We'll find that out in the next chapter-along with more on Link/Malon, of course! And the return of Prince John and Malon's gerudo friend.:D