Disclaimer: I-I can't say it...Muses, HELP!

Phantom: Oh! Me! Me! Pick Me!

Me: As long as I don't have to say it...

Phantom: RW doesn't own Zelda or me...

He's there, the Phantom of the Opera!

Beware, the Phantom of the Opera!

Sing once again for me

Our strange duet...

My power over you

Grows stronger yet!

Phantom: Mwa ha ha ha! Like my song? I wrote it myself!

Me: Groan...another thing that I don't own...*Runs away and cries*

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Chapter 3

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Lyli rolled over in bed to face her husband. "Nalo? Are you awake?" "Yeah..."Her husband mumbled sleepily. "What is it?" Nalo said sharply after seeing the worry on Lyli's face. "It's...Marin." Lyli sighed. "Marin? But our daughter has never caused us worry before!" Nalo said curiously. "But she did seem rather quiet this evening...I wonder if something happened at the ranch?" He added. "Well, she never got any milk for us...and when I asked if she had gotten lost, she said she hadn't had a single problem finding it." Lyli commented. "What's so odd about that?" Nalo demanded. "Well for one, I never gave her a map..." His wife replied. "But she's never been there before!" Nalo said thoughtfully. "Well...we don't know where Marin lived before she came to us when she was eight..." Lyli reminded Nalo. He sighed. "Maybe one of the horses spooked her or something." He suggested. "Maybe..." Lyli said sleepily. Then they both fell asleep again.

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Mumbling grumpily, Marin rolled out of bed. She changed out of her flannel nightgown, then remembered that there was a party at the castle, and her parents had been invited because they had helped the King catch a criminal a while ago. She rummaged around for her best dress, and finally found it. It was a beautiful blue gown that went well with her shoulder-length red hair and her eyes. The sleeves were long and they only exposed her fingertips, and the dress went down just past her ankles. There were white roses embroidered on the hem of her sleeves and the hem of the dress. Marin thought that it was absolutely gorgeous, though it was simple. And she also let her hair down and brushed it, something that she rarely did. Examining herself in the mirror, she was completely satisfied.

After eating breakfast, the family set out to the castle together. Marin was especially excited, because her best friend Arinna had told her that the Hero of Time would be there. He was apparently very handsome, and most girls in Hyrule Castle Town and Kakariko Village had a major crush on him. Arinna said, with dreamy eyes, that he was just turning seventeen. Just our age, Marin had added hopefully. Arinna had then pointed out how lucky Marin was to be going to this party, and then wished her luck and to tell her about the Hero of Time. Marin had agreed, but she didn't know if she would even get to see him.

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After a while, Marin, Lyli and Naro reached the castle. Standing there waiting for them was Impa, Princess Zelda's scary old nurse. Marin had only met her once, when she was twelve. She might have met Impa before that, but her memory didn't really reach past the age of nine. Before her ninth birthday, everything was blank.

Impa commented politely on how much Marin had grown, then led them into the castle. Marin had never been inside before, and was utterly amazed. It was huge! Every stone in the old walls looked well worn but magnificent and proud. The red carpet on the floor had been walked on many times but was lovingly cared for. Finally tearing her eyes off the walls and floor, she glanced around at the guests. Crowds of people were standing in clumps around the room, and in the middle of the far wall sat the King in his throne. His graying hair flowed down his back, and his blue eyes glittered fiercely. His eyebrows were thick and imposing, currently drawn together in a frown. He was looking down his hawk-nose at a servant telling him about some cooking disaster or other.

And there, on his right, was Princess Zelda herself. Her blonde hair was loose and rippling down to her slim shoulders, which were now covered in a white shawl. Her blue eyes matched her long pink dress perfectly. She was wearing an I'm-so-tired-and-I-need-sleep-but-I'll-just-pretend-to-be-happy smile, and Marin wondered what it would be like to be a princess with a whole bunch of responsibilities. She shook off the thought and scanned the room for any other interesting people. Then she saw him.

The Hero of Time was leaning against the wall, chatting with a little green-haired girl and a fierce-looking Gerudo with long red hair. His blue eyes twinkled merrily as he laughed at a joke that the girl had made, and his white teeth flashed in a grin. He shook his golden bangs out of his face, and a fairy flew out of his hat. Fairy boy? She thought to herself, but dismissed the thought. That couldn't be the same person in her vision...But he did have a green tunic like the little boy's and a green hat...Marin shook her head and banished the ridiculous thought. She hadn't seen everyone in Hyrule, so for all she knew there could be another kid that looked like him living somewhere in the country. Then she decided to move closer to him.

Marin walked slowly towards the Hero, stopping to talk to people occasionally so that she wouldn't look odd. She finally was close enough to hear snatches of the conversation going on between the three.

"I remember the other day you were talking about someone name Malon. Then you started getting all depressed. What was that all about? Tell us the whole story and get it off your chest." The Gerudo said kindly. "Nabooru, don't pressure him." The little girl said in the Hero's defense. Then Marin heard the Hero of Time's voice for the first time. It was kind and thoughtful, and reflected almost his every emotion. "It's okay, Saria. I was meaning to tell you. Well, the story goes like this.

When I was ten, I met a girl named Malon. She was really sweet and always kind to me. But at the time, I had a crush on Zelda. I was always talking about Zelda, and Malon was starting to get sick of it. I could tell even though she was hiding it from me. So I got mad at her and didn't visit the ranch for three whole years. She didn't even know that I was mad.

Then there was all of that trouble with the Moblins, so I had to sail away to Holodrum to gather soldiers, and all of the fighting took about two years. I was by then ready to apologise to Malon, so I sent her a letter, being too ashamed to show myself. But she never answered, even though I sent her over twenty letters. So for a whole other year I was angry.

When I finally cooled off, and went to see her personally, I got distracted. There was a famine or something in Kokiri Forest, and I had to help. Eventually I forgot about Malon and went about my life as usual.

Then, three whole years later, my old horse Epona showed up after having been missing for a while. I was reminded of Malon, and finally had the courage to go and visit.

When I got to the ranch, I couldn't find Malon anywhere. I questioned Talon, her father, and he told me the most devastating news that I had ever heard.

Malon had been missing for eight years. She was assumed dead, for they had found a lock of her hair near the drawbridge. The soldiers guessed that she had been taken by force, and some of her hair had been ripped off in the struggle. Talon had searched almost all of Hyrule, and his friends searched the rest. But Malon was nowhere to be found.

Talon believed that she had run away because I had left her and made her life miserable. He kicked me out of the ranch and is still mad at me..."

When the Hero finished, Marin was shocked to see a small tear in his eye. He was the Hero of Time...He wasn't supposed to cry! This Malon person must have been very special to him. Then the girl called Saria spoke. "Link, I'm so sorry..." Aha! Marin thought. He does have a name. Most of the girls who had a crush on him didn't even know his name. He was just called the Hero of Time. Hmmm...Link...What a cool name...

Then, suddenly, Link looked straight at her. His eyes widened. He started to walk towards her, and she was too shocked to do anything. When he reached her, he spoke one word. "Malon?"

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