Krista Aya: Chappy 4… whee!

Calista smiled happily in the mirror. Today was her 10th birthday. Her parents were outside preparing for all the guests that would come. She pulled her hair to the left side of her face, so that it would cover the scar. Despite the fact that it had been there for about 5 years, it still didn't go away, so she just hid it with her hair.

She pulled on the white and purple dress that she had been saving for this day. She felt that today was going to make an important mark in her life, she was sure of it. She could feel it in the air, the wind whispering that today she something exciting would happen.

She slipped her shoes on and ran down the stairs.

"Calista, don't run! You'll slip on the steps and break your leg!" yelled one of the attendants. Calista slowed down, but walked at a fast pace. She wanted to go outside and see everyone, especially her parents. She really wanted to see Malon as well. Her mother was still holding a grudge against her, but Calista insisted that she'd be invited.

Calista ran outside and held a hand infront of her eyes in an attempt to block out the blinding sun. She glanced around and saw people entering the courtyard and she spotted her parents gathered around some people. She dodged between people and came to a stop infront of her parents.

"Mom! Dad!" Calista said as she stood in between her parents. Link glanced down to see his daughter and her lifted her into the air and hugged her. "Hey, is this my little girl?" He asked teasingly. Calista giggled and slapped him playfully as her mother came over and hugged them both.

"Hi birthday girl. Why don't you go play with some of your friends while your father and I go get your gifts ready, Ok?" Zelda said to Calista as Link set her down. Calista nodded and scampered off to join some of her friends from class.

~*~

Zelda sat in the chair next Link and watched as Calista played with the other children. "My, she is having fun, isn't she?" Zelda said to Link who was busy eating a small sandwich. He picked up a glass of wine and took a drink before replying to Zelda.

"Yes, she sure is. She's already opened all her gifts, she was eager to get into them. When do you want to show her ours?" Link said as he leaned over to Zelda. Zelda smiled and stood up. "Right now. Now get your lazy eating self up and go get ready, Ok?" Zelda said playfully.

Link stood up and walked out of the courtyard and Zelda called for attention.

"Hello! Thank you for coming to Princess Calista's birthday!" Zelda said as cheers followed her words. "Today, Princess Calista turns 10! She thanks you for coming and for all the gifts that you have given her, but Link and me have yet to give her ours. Well, here it is."

Zelda watched her daughter's face as Link came out leading a young filly that looked like Epona. Calista squealed and ran over to the small filly that stamped her foot and nickered. Link smiled as his young daughter started petting the filly.

Zelda watched as the other children went over to pet the colt. "Wow, she's cute! Your parents gave you the filly? What are you going to call her?" The children's questions flew around and Zelda smiled as her daughter tried to think of a name for the filly.

"How about… Amber?" Calista said as she peered in the filly's eyes. Zelda smiled and Link patted her shoulder. "I think Amber suits her just fine." He said. Suddenly, shouts of Calista's name flew over to their ears and they glanced up to see Malon walking in with a gift in her hand.

"Calista! Is this my little girl?" Malon said as she set the gift down and hugged Calista. My, you've grown so!" Malon said as she handed Calista the gift. Calista opened the present and squealed when she saw the leather brown halter with the sign of the Triforce on it.

Calista slipped it on her horse and hugged Malon again. Malon smiled and walked to Link and Zelda. "Hello, I'm glad that you could make it Malon." Zelda said politely. Link only smiled. Malon grinned and spoke. "Zelda, would you mind if Calista spent the night at the ranch?" Zelda blinked and looked at Link.

"Is it alright with you Link?" Zelda said quietly. Link nodded and Zelda turned towards Malon. "It'll be alright." Zelda said. Malon smiled walked over to Calista to tell her. Zelda only shook her head and tried to shake away the bad feeling that haunted her.

~*~

Calista rode around a bit on the young filly and followed Malon who was riding ahead of her. They were heading back to the ranch. Her stepmother had taken her to Hylia Lake for a dinner picnic and they were now headed back towards the ranch to clean up and go to sleep.

Calista led her horse into the stall and brushed her down and fed her, then headed inside the house. She saw Malon cleaning the dishes. "Go ahead and wash up, then go to sleep, Ok?" Malon said as she put a clean dish on the shelf above her head. Calista nodded and ran upstairs.

Calista took a quick bath, then hopped into bed. She sighed and smiled and fell asleep, unaware of the shadow that fell across her face. Malon smiled at the sleeping figure.

"Time to get you Zelda…"

Malon whispered. She set fire to the bed on the other side of the room, then set fire to the table, and then locked the door. She started a fire in the hay and shut the door as she stepped outside. She watched the fire for a while, making sure that the fire had got a good part of the house before she started shouting.

"Calista! Calista!" Malon shouted. No answer. Malon picked up a rock and threw it at the window. Still no answer. Malon smiled to herself.

Calista awoke to the fire burning all around her. She rolled out of bed and glanced around the room, looking for Malon. "Malon! Malon, are you in here?" Calista shouted. Receiving no answer, she pulled her bag out from under her bed and ran over to the door.

She tried to open it, but discovered it was locked. She banged on the door, but she knew it wouldn't work. She suddenly had an idea and opened her bag. She pulled out her dagger that she carried with her and started to bang on the knob with it. It fell off and she opened the door and ran out of the bedroom.

She coughed and ran down the stairs. She saw that the fire was already at the door. "Oh no, now what?" Calista muttered. She heard a cracking sound and saw a beam crash down near her. She dove to the side and narrowly missed being it by it.

She whimpered and saw that the beam had made a hole in the wall. She scampered up and crawled through the hole and collapsed outside, taking deep gulps of the cool night air. She glanced up when a shadow feel over her and saw Malon standing over her.

"Mom! What happened? What caused the house to be set on fire?" Calista asked in a hurried voice. Malon picked up Calista and cradled her in her arms. "The house was intentionally set on fire…" Malon whispered to Calista.

Calista's eyes widen and she stared at her mother.

"Who? Who was it?" She asked. Malon sighed and caressed Calista's head. "It was the guards of Hyrule…" Calista looked at her mother with puzzled eyes. Malon walked into barn and set Calista down. "I will explain later, first, we have to leave the ranch." She said as she took her horse out of it's stall.

She saddled up the horse and mounted. "Come on Calista, we must go." She said as she offered her hand to Calista. Calista looked up at Malon for a minute, then took her hand and mounted behind Malon. Malon jerked the reins and took off out of the ranch.

Calista held on to Malon tightly, frightened of falling off. Malon smiled to herself. All she had to do now was take her some where far and tell her the story, then that would be all…'

Krista Aya: Whew, this is gunna be a doozy… crap, skewl started, NOOOOOOOO!

Rika: Poor chibi…

Nicki: Skewl ain't kewl.

Sauru: Your telling me! *grumble*

Krista Aya: Ahh shut yet trap, you were the one who wanted to come back. Chapter 5 soon!