Link walked in and saw Malon with a huge gash on her arm dripping blood on hte floor. "Malon!" he yelled as he ran by her side," What happened?" "I-I-I um, dropped the glass...um, clumsy me! I'll just clean this mess up...." she stuttered, as she scrambled to pick up the shards of glass."No, let me do that." Link said as he cleaned it up. He knew that probably wasn't what happened. "And why would she keep it from me?" he thought."Oh well she probably has good reason..." Ingo was still glaring at Malon. "Um, I think I'll skip breakfast..Um ok? I'm not hungry anyway." Malon said nervously as she went outside.

She filled a bucket up and started cleaning her cut. As she was was cleaning it she thought,"Why is Mr. Ingo so mad? I know Link didn't believe a word I said.. He'll be asking about it. I mean, I can't tell him! Who knows what Ingo will do to him, or me..." At the table where Link and Ingo were eating their breakfast, Ingo was mumbling things like " Can't get good help these days... That girl and her lazy father..*Mummble* Can't get anything right.." Link became annoyed and went to see how Malon's arm was. He spotted her and walked over. "Malon?" he asked. She jumped and turned around. Link noticed a tear threateneng to escape. She blinked it away, put a fake smile on her face and said," Oh! Link! I didn't notice you." "Uh, how's your arm?" he asked. "Oh.. fine." "Yeah, ok...," he said.

"Well I'm going to go for a ride.Epona really needs the exercise after being stuck in the barn for a week. Do you wanna come?" he asked. "Sure I-" she got out, but Ingo said, "I don't think so, Malon- um sweety, there's work to do here since your lazy- I mean , your hard working father is gone." "Oh I can help." Link said. "Oh no no no no.. you go off Link. She'll manage- Isn't that right Malon?" Ingo protested. "Oh yeah." she mumbled as she hung her head, and went in the barn nodding to Link to go ahead..

"There is something wrong about all this," Link thought."I have to admit, Talon is sorta lazy, but the ranch is fine. And it's always happy here...I don't see the big deal" he thought with a frown. He took Epona all the way to Lake Hylia and let her drink it's pure glistening water. He saw a Zora swimming around. He watched in amazement as the beautiful creature spun flips, and twirled around. Cm'on girl" he said to Epona,"Let's get back to the ranch. Can't leave poor Malon working by herself."

************************** Malon was starting to get really tired as she cleaned out the stables, wiping the beads of sweat off with her arm. Mr. Ingo had been working her all day."When is Daddy coming home. He'll probably stay overnight at the inn if he's not back by now," she thought with dread. She decided to take a break at the wrong moment, for Ingo came in and saw her resting.

She didn't see his menacing face behind her until it was too late. "Malon!" he yelled,"What do you think you're doing!" "P-P-Please Mr. Ingo-" "Don't you P-Please Mr. Ingo me! You are a lazy excuse for a worker!" "I just rested for 10 seconds before you came in!" she yelled. Malon was getting tired of his harrassing. "Don't you raise your voice with me!" Ingo said as he held his fist out. He lunged at Malon, but she ran to the end of the barn. *******************

Link was just riding in, when he heard a racket. "NO! Please don't!" someone pleaded ."That's Malon!" he thought. He jumped off of Epona and ran to the door. There was a board that barred the door and he couldn't get it open."Malon!" he yelled. "Ahhh!" was the only reply he heard. That was the last straw. He scraped at the door with his fingernails, and beat on it but it was no use. "Epona!" he yelled, and then whistled for his faithful horse. She came running over. Link commanded her to kick the door down. It took two kicks with her massive hooves, but the door finnaly went down. Ingo was holding Malon against the wall by her neck, Malon screaming and kicking Ingo as hard as she could.

"Let her go!!" Link yelled, as He ran at Ingo and plowed him over. He punched Link in the jaw, but Link wasn't even phased. All that mattered was that he had almost strangled Malon. He kept on punching Ingo until he passed out. He ran to Malon. She was coughing and her face was as red as a tomatoe. She was crying at the same time. He knelt by her and said,"Shhh..It's ok now. I won't let him hurt you anymore." Malon hugged him and cried on his shoulder. "Thank you Link,thank you."

When she was feeling better, Link tied Ingo up so Malon's father could decide what to do with him. That night, after many years of abuse from Ingo, and not being able to tell a soul, she had been saved by one of the best friends she woul ever have.