Chapter 3
My mind was deep in thought as my body automatically walked up the steps to Kakariko. I was so deep in thought, that as I came to the village gate, I ran into someone hurrying out of the town. Literally.
I landed on my back with a hard bump. Looking up, I was surprised to see that my unintentional assailant was none other than Malon. "Hi," she said, embarrassed.
"Hey," I replied, still sitting on the ground. "Now Malon, I don't mind meeting you anywhere, but I'd rather it not be as painful." I tried to look cheerful and happy, as if people ran into me all the time.
She flashed a brilliant smile. "Sorry. I just finished a milk delivery, and my next destination is all the way across Hyrule." She looked down at my bag, which had burst open and spilled the contents on the ground. "You don't own much, do you?"
"A hero's day is dead as night, with no one around to pick a fight."
She cocked one eyebrow at me. "Oh, so you're a poet now, are you? You are bored."
I laughed with her. "That's just how it came out." I picked up my things, and assumed a god-like voice. "Now you will be punished for knocking me down. Help me set my home up."
"I would," said Malon in a sing-song voice, "but you're forgetting just one tiny little detail."
"What?"
She laughed at the quizzical look on my face. "It's about 1 in the afternoon! Dampe's still asleep!"
"Oh," I said, feeling stupid. "Let's drop my stuff off anyway."
We walked to the graveyard. "So, why were you in such a hurry, Malon?"
"I haven't finished my milk run yet. If you're not busy."
"Is that an invitation?"
She went on the defense. "You aren't doing anything. And you only have to be back before tomorrow morning," she stated, making sense as usual.
"Alright. Where are we headed?"
"Gerudo Valley. Those thieves need milk to keep strong and fast."
I laughed. "That sounds like a good ad. Replace that one of me with the milk moustache. Have a picture o a Gerudo with milk on her veil." I put on an announcer voice. "Being a thief takes alot of energy. When I get tired on the fly, I pull out a bottle of Lon Lon milk. It's fast and does the job. Just like me."
Malon laughed as we walked down the steps.
~*~^~*~
We came up to the bridge across the chasm, and our horses, being well trained, didn't stop for a second. Malon's horse, Royalty, was loaded down with packs of milk. We reined in at the gate as the guard called out, "Who calls?"
I looked at the two of us, and replied, "Just a young milkmaid and a guy with a sword the size of a butterknife."
"Milk delivery, eh? Go on through." She stepped aside and we continued. Malon looked at me.
"Maybe you should get a new sword. That thing won't do you any good I you get into trouble."
"Hmm. Maybe I'll buy two here."
"Two?!"
"Why not? When in Gerudo, do as the Gerudoes do."
"I guess so. Come to think of it, I need to practice my archery..."
"You took up archery?" I said, mildly surprised.
"I'm old enough to defend myself. Why, do you not approve?" She poked my stomach.
"Oh, no, I'm fine with it," I amended. "It goes along with horses. You wanna borrow my bow and arrows? There's a range up here."
"After we deliver the milk."
We walked into the fortress, burdened down with milk. Walking through a door, we entered a scene of chaotic frenzy. Dozens of warriors were shouting and banging on the tables. One Gerudo, obviously the cook, was holding the hoard off with a wooden spoon. "No soup until I get the milk to thicken it!" she yelled, rapping one warrior's hand with the spoon. Malon hurried forward amidst happy cheers.
The cook shouted out. "Alright! A few more minutes and the soup will be perfect!" There were animated groans from the crowd. One woman leaned over to me, and whispered, "We'd kill 'er, but she's the only one who knows how to cook."
I had to laugh at that. The woman introduced herself as Nakeero, daughter of Nabooru. Because her mother had been the leader of the Gerudo band before she disappeared, that honor now fell to the daughter. She did look somewhat like Nabooru, but there was another element in her face that seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.
They invited us to stay for dinner, which we gladly accepted. The soup was excellent, and the large band of thieves told several stories and jokes throughout. It was a general good time.
After dinner, Malon and I had to leave. Outside, Malon reminded me that she wanted to practice. So we walked up to the range and Malon mounted Royalty. I handed her my bow, which she tested before taking my quiver of arrows.
Then she started. With Royalty going at a fast clip, she fired at the targets with amazing speed. Every single one hit a different bulls-eye. Finishing, she hopped down lightly, and laughed at my face as I tried to put my jaw back onto my face.
"Y-you needed practice?!" I asked incredulously.
She blushed. "Well... I sort of wanted to show off..."
"That was amazing! I can't even do that!"
"It may come in handy sometime..."
(Omniscient Author's Note: Sooner than you think, Malon...)
She yawned, and I realized that it was late. She must have had a sharp eye, too, to see through the darkness so well.
We went back to Epona, and rode back to the ranch. I helped Malon secure Royalty in the stable, and wished her goodnight at her door. She turned to me. "Goodnight."
Suddenly she reached out and quickly hugged me. Drawing back, her face blushed as scarlet as her hair, and she ran into the house. The whole time I stood stock still, as a warm, fuzzy feeling ran through my entire body.
I don't know how long I stood there, shocked. All I know is that at some point, I mounted Epona and rode back to my house.
My mind was deep in thought as my body automatically walked up the steps to Kakariko. I was so deep in thought, that as I came to the village gate, I ran into someone hurrying out of the town. Literally.
I landed on my back with a hard bump. Looking up, I was surprised to see that my unintentional assailant was none other than Malon. "Hi," she said, embarrassed.
"Hey," I replied, still sitting on the ground. "Now Malon, I don't mind meeting you anywhere, but I'd rather it not be as painful." I tried to look cheerful and happy, as if people ran into me all the time.
She flashed a brilliant smile. "Sorry. I just finished a milk delivery, and my next destination is all the way across Hyrule." She looked down at my bag, which had burst open and spilled the contents on the ground. "You don't own much, do you?"
"A hero's day is dead as night, with no one around to pick a fight."
She cocked one eyebrow at me. "Oh, so you're a poet now, are you? You are bored."
I laughed with her. "That's just how it came out." I picked up my things, and assumed a god-like voice. "Now you will be punished for knocking me down. Help me set my home up."
"I would," said Malon in a sing-song voice, "but you're forgetting just one tiny little detail."
"What?"
She laughed at the quizzical look on my face. "It's about 1 in the afternoon! Dampe's still asleep!"
"Oh," I said, feeling stupid. "Let's drop my stuff off anyway."
We walked to the graveyard. "So, why were you in such a hurry, Malon?"
"I haven't finished my milk run yet. If you're not busy."
"Is that an invitation?"
She went on the defense. "You aren't doing anything. And you only have to be back before tomorrow morning," she stated, making sense as usual.
"Alright. Where are we headed?"
"Gerudo Valley. Those thieves need milk to keep strong and fast."
I laughed. "That sounds like a good ad. Replace that one of me with the milk moustache. Have a picture o a Gerudo with milk on her veil." I put on an announcer voice. "Being a thief takes alot of energy. When I get tired on the fly, I pull out a bottle of Lon Lon milk. It's fast and does the job. Just like me."
Malon laughed as we walked down the steps.
~*~^~*~
We came up to the bridge across the chasm, and our horses, being well trained, didn't stop for a second. Malon's horse, Royalty, was loaded down with packs of milk. We reined in at the gate as the guard called out, "Who calls?"
I looked at the two of us, and replied, "Just a young milkmaid and a guy with a sword the size of a butterknife."
"Milk delivery, eh? Go on through." She stepped aside and we continued. Malon looked at me.
"Maybe you should get a new sword. That thing won't do you any good I you get into trouble."
"Hmm. Maybe I'll buy two here."
"Two?!"
"Why not? When in Gerudo, do as the Gerudoes do."
"I guess so. Come to think of it, I need to practice my archery..."
"You took up archery?" I said, mildly surprised.
"I'm old enough to defend myself. Why, do you not approve?" She poked my stomach.
"Oh, no, I'm fine with it," I amended. "It goes along with horses. You wanna borrow my bow and arrows? There's a range up here."
"After we deliver the milk."
We walked into the fortress, burdened down with milk. Walking through a door, we entered a scene of chaotic frenzy. Dozens of warriors were shouting and banging on the tables. One Gerudo, obviously the cook, was holding the hoard off with a wooden spoon. "No soup until I get the milk to thicken it!" she yelled, rapping one warrior's hand with the spoon. Malon hurried forward amidst happy cheers.
The cook shouted out. "Alright! A few more minutes and the soup will be perfect!" There were animated groans from the crowd. One woman leaned over to me, and whispered, "We'd kill 'er, but she's the only one who knows how to cook."
I had to laugh at that. The woman introduced herself as Nakeero, daughter of Nabooru. Because her mother had been the leader of the Gerudo band before she disappeared, that honor now fell to the daughter. She did look somewhat like Nabooru, but there was another element in her face that seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.
They invited us to stay for dinner, which we gladly accepted. The soup was excellent, and the large band of thieves told several stories and jokes throughout. It was a general good time.
After dinner, Malon and I had to leave. Outside, Malon reminded me that she wanted to practice. So we walked up to the range and Malon mounted Royalty. I handed her my bow, which she tested before taking my quiver of arrows.
Then she started. With Royalty going at a fast clip, she fired at the targets with amazing speed. Every single one hit a different bulls-eye. Finishing, she hopped down lightly, and laughed at my face as I tried to put my jaw back onto my face.
"Y-you needed practice?!" I asked incredulously.
She blushed. "Well... I sort of wanted to show off..."
"That was amazing! I can't even do that!"
"It may come in handy sometime..."
(Omniscient Author's Note: Sooner than you think, Malon...)
She yawned, and I realized that it was late. She must have had a sharp eye, too, to see through the darkness so well.
We went back to Epona, and rode back to the ranch. I helped Malon secure Royalty in the stable, and wished her goodnight at her door. She turned to me. "Goodnight."
Suddenly she reached out and quickly hugged me. Drawing back, her face blushed as scarlet as her hair, and she ran into the house. The whole time I stood stock still, as a warm, fuzzy feeling ran through my entire body.
I don't know how long I stood there, shocked. All I know is that at some point, I mounted Epona and rode back to my house.