CHAPTER 3- INVESTIGATION
The next morning, Talon and Link rode over to Lon Lon Ranch. When they entered its gates, they jumped off their horses put them in the stables.
"Talon, can you show me exactly where Malon disppeared?" Link asked.
"Of course. Right this way." Talon led Link out of the stables and over to the fence that enclosed a few horses that were quietly grazing. "This is the spot." Talon seemed a little downcast.
Link walked around in circles, searching for any sign of a struggle, but finally he gave up. He felt as if his heart would shatter. "There's no way we can find her now!" he cried in frustration.
"Is there any other way we may be able to track her?" Talon was getting desperate. Who else could find Malon if not the Hero of Time?
"Well," Link looked deep in thought now. "This may not mean anything for the moment but, the king did fall ill about the same time Impa disappeared. If we can link Malon's dissapearance with Impa's and then link Impa to the king, we might find this kidnapper after all."
"Well thought plan but, how do we do that?" Talon asked.
"That's the only problem. Let's return to the castle and see if Zelda's come up with anything yet." Link began to walk towards the stables and Talon slowly followed.
***
"No, I haven't found anything." Zelda said.
"Great. Just great." Link felt that he would never see Malon again. But he didn't think he could live without her either.
"Link," the King of Hyrule slowly walked up to where his daughter stood and faced the others. "Why don't you ask me the same question you asked the princess?"
"Alright, have you found anyting?" Link asked.
"Yes, I have. I strongly believe that my illness and Impa's and Malon's dissapearances are related. Because of that belief, I have come to tell you something that is of great importance." The king looked happy, probably because he was about to reveal the most interesting thing. Zelda urged him on with a nod. "When I was eating, I noticed that one of the Rellonians weren't. That person just stared at me as if he hated me. After I excused myself, I took one last look at him and you know what he was doing? He was smiling the most evil smile ever."
Link almost fell down. What did that have to do with Malon? Now he was sure that he would never see her again. If this information was the best they were going to get, Malon and Impa were doomed.
"Father, that's it!" Zelda said excitedly.
"What's it?" Talon was interested now. By the look on the princess's face, she had discovered something of great importance.
"I saw that person earlier that morning. And yes father, I did notice the way he just stared at you. Well, I remember him in the kitchens. He was speaking with one of the cooks. Ididn't think anything of it at the time, I mean, he was family, but I think I saw him give the cook a small package." Zelda said thoughtfully.
"But how is that going to lead us to Malon and Impa?" Link asked exasperated.
"Just listen." Zelda galred at Link, silencing him. "That Rellonian could have been the one to poison my father and kidnapp Impa and Malon!"
"You're absolutely right! But, what about the Gibdo?" Talon asked.
Zelda thought for a moment. Finally, she said, "Maybe both the Rellonian and the Gibdo are working for someone else!"
"You've got a point." Link was starting to see a connection for himself. "If they were working for another person, who could it be?"
"Ganondorf..." the king began.
"Can't be him. He is sealed in the Evil Realm, remember?" Link said.
"But what if he escaped? What then?" Obviously the king was convinced that Ganondorf was behind the whole problem.
Just then, the captain of the guards came running up. "Your Majesty, I have grave news. I just received a message from the Gerudos. Naboru has vanished!"
"Now do you see?" The King of Hyrule looked at them all in turn. "Ganondorf himself was a Gerudo and Naboru is a sage! He must have escaped from the Evil Realm!"
"I believe you." Link spoke up.
"Well, if the Hero of Time believes you, so do I." Talon said.
"No one else could have done it. Impa and Naboru are both sages, plus they're equally good fighters. No one could have beaten them! But I still don't understand how Malon fits in to all this." Link was positive Ganondorf was behind this.
"And you'll never live to." said a dark vioce.
"What?" Zelda turned and saw a Gibdo. She screamed and tripped in her haste to get away. Link drew his sword and stood protectively in front of her and everyone else.
"Not if I can help it!" Link said. The Gibdo gave a cry and charged the young warrior.
The next morning, Talon and Link rode over to Lon Lon Ranch. When they entered its gates, they jumped off their horses put them in the stables.
"Talon, can you show me exactly where Malon disppeared?" Link asked.
"Of course. Right this way." Talon led Link out of the stables and over to the fence that enclosed a few horses that were quietly grazing. "This is the spot." Talon seemed a little downcast.
Link walked around in circles, searching for any sign of a struggle, but finally he gave up. He felt as if his heart would shatter. "There's no way we can find her now!" he cried in frustration.
"Is there any other way we may be able to track her?" Talon was getting desperate. Who else could find Malon if not the Hero of Time?
"Well," Link looked deep in thought now. "This may not mean anything for the moment but, the king did fall ill about the same time Impa disappeared. If we can link Malon's dissapearance with Impa's and then link Impa to the king, we might find this kidnapper after all."
"Well thought plan but, how do we do that?" Talon asked.
"That's the only problem. Let's return to the castle and see if Zelda's come up with anything yet." Link began to walk towards the stables and Talon slowly followed.
***
"No, I haven't found anything." Zelda said.
"Great. Just great." Link felt that he would never see Malon again. But he didn't think he could live without her either.
"Link," the King of Hyrule slowly walked up to where his daughter stood and faced the others. "Why don't you ask me the same question you asked the princess?"
"Alright, have you found anyting?" Link asked.
"Yes, I have. I strongly believe that my illness and Impa's and Malon's dissapearances are related. Because of that belief, I have come to tell you something that is of great importance." The king looked happy, probably because he was about to reveal the most interesting thing. Zelda urged him on with a nod. "When I was eating, I noticed that one of the Rellonians weren't. That person just stared at me as if he hated me. After I excused myself, I took one last look at him and you know what he was doing? He was smiling the most evil smile ever."
Link almost fell down. What did that have to do with Malon? Now he was sure that he would never see her again. If this information was the best they were going to get, Malon and Impa were doomed.
"Father, that's it!" Zelda said excitedly.
"What's it?" Talon was interested now. By the look on the princess's face, she had discovered something of great importance.
"I saw that person earlier that morning. And yes father, I did notice the way he just stared at you. Well, I remember him in the kitchens. He was speaking with one of the cooks. Ididn't think anything of it at the time, I mean, he was family, but I think I saw him give the cook a small package." Zelda said thoughtfully.
"But how is that going to lead us to Malon and Impa?" Link asked exasperated.
"Just listen." Zelda galred at Link, silencing him. "That Rellonian could have been the one to poison my father and kidnapp Impa and Malon!"
"You're absolutely right! But, what about the Gibdo?" Talon asked.
Zelda thought for a moment. Finally, she said, "Maybe both the Rellonian and the Gibdo are working for someone else!"
"You've got a point." Link was starting to see a connection for himself. "If they were working for another person, who could it be?"
"Ganondorf..." the king began.
"Can't be him. He is sealed in the Evil Realm, remember?" Link said.
"But what if he escaped? What then?" Obviously the king was convinced that Ganondorf was behind the whole problem.
Just then, the captain of the guards came running up. "Your Majesty, I have grave news. I just received a message from the Gerudos. Naboru has vanished!"
"Now do you see?" The King of Hyrule looked at them all in turn. "Ganondorf himself was a Gerudo and Naboru is a sage! He must have escaped from the Evil Realm!"
"I believe you." Link spoke up.
"Well, if the Hero of Time believes you, so do I." Talon said.
"No one else could have done it. Impa and Naboru are both sages, plus they're equally good fighters. No one could have beaten them! But I still don't understand how Malon fits in to all this." Link was positive Ganondorf was behind this.
"And you'll never live to." said a dark vioce.
"What?" Zelda turned and saw a Gibdo. She screamed and tripped in her haste to get away. Link drew his sword and stood protectively in front of her and everyone else.
"Not if I can help it!" Link said. The Gibdo gave a cry and charged the young warrior.