Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda or any of the characters in the Zelda series (if I did, I wouldn't waste my time here). I'm not making any money of this and if I forgot anything else in this disclaimer I did or didn't do that as well.

Chapter 19 - Professional stalker

Link, Alexis, Zelda and Makei arrived at Lon-Lon ranch and were awaited by Talon who stood at the gate.

"She's in her room." He informed Link.

Link wondered if he should check up on Malon or check the barn for clues. Ah, fuck this.

"Alexis, you check the barn, I'll go see Malon." He ordered the Sheikah.

Alexis nodded and entered the barn as Link rushed in to Malon's room with Makei right behind him. Malon sat up straight when Link entered.

"Link, you're alright." She shouted.

"It's you I'm worried about. What happened?"

"Somebody was in the barn and grabbed me. He said you had to leave or that he would destroy everything you hold dear. And this was just a warning." She pointed at the mark on her cheeck.

Link looked a bit closer at the cut. It wasn't deep and it wouldn't leave a mark after some time. But this meant this stranger knew his weapons and that was bad.

"Did you see who it was?"

"No, he came up from behind." She said. "He was in the barn, but when Makei looked around, he was gone."

"Or just well hidden.," Link said quietly, "I'll check the barn and check up on Alexis, just to make sure he's not still in there."

"You'll catch him, won't you Link? You'll catch this bad man?" Romani started crying.

"Of course I will," Link comforted her, "I'm specialized in catching bad men."

He felt as if he was talking to the Romani he met all those years ago. He turned to Makei to comfort her so he could search the barn. He hated to leave her in that state, but he had to find who ever did this. What if he went after Romani?

Link left the room of the ranch girl and jumped straight down, immediatly followed by Zelda.

"Didn't know you still did that." He joked.

"This dress is just because I'm forced to wear it," she responded, "let's check on Alexis."

"I'll check on Alexis," Link stopped her, "you stay here with Malon in case this guy comes back to her. You have to protect her."

"He could have attacked her while Makei was gone looking for us." She objected.

"Please, stay with Malon. For her sake. She's in shock, can't you see that?"

Zelda sighed and looked at Link. Why did he care so much for this lowely ranch girl? Or Romani for that matter? They were not right for him...

"Very well," she said, "please make sure Alexis is alright."

Link nodded and rushed to the barn.

He opened the door and looked for Alexis. The Sheikah was in the upper part, checking the roof.

"Link! How's Malon?"

"She's fine. This was another message for me to leave." Link said. "You found anything?"

"Some panels from the roof can be moved, but it seems very hard to do this without anyone noticing."

"So someone could come inside from the roof?"

"Yes, but if he did, he's very trained. The panels are heavy and the way they're stacked they seem to be attached to one another. It would take great skill and patience to remove one without touching another."

"So we have a skilled swordsman and burglar." Link muttered under his breath. "Found anything else?"

"As a matter of fact, I did." Alexis jumped down with a knife.

He showed the knife to Link who took it with a surprised look.

"But... this is..."

Alexis nodded.

"An ordinary kitchen knife."

Romani finally reached their home and knocked before she entered.

"Hey Grasshopper!" she said with a big smile but saw Link sitting at the table with a grim face, "what's the matter?"

"Yesterday Ruto received a message that I should leave, and today Malon got one, but this one was handed over personally. She's still in shock for the moment."

"Who..."

"I don't know."

Link stood up and embraced Romani.

"I'm just glad you're alright."

"Of course, Grasshopper, nobody can stop Romani." She laughed. "What was the message?"

"It was simple," Link sighed, "leave."

"You're not going to, are you?"

"I am, but only in a few months to go to Termina, stop those ghosts from taking your sister's cows, attend the Festival of Time and get married. Then I'll come back."

Romani smiled. "I guess it's the safest not to tell anyone we'll be coming back."

"I'll wait for a few weeks to say we're leaving to see if we can catch that guy. I really hope so, from what I've seen, he's good."

Romani got a little worried. Link was the best fighter there was. If he said someone was good, he was really good. But luckily, she thougth, so was she. She kissed him and drew him upstairs to their bedroom to make him forget about the threats.

Nabooru opened the shades from her window and stretched herself in the moonlight. A small gust of wind passed her side and she looked down to the rip in her clothes. She looked outside but saw just the desert and the clifs. Nabooru turned quickly around looking for the object that had past her and she saw a Gerudo dagger stuck in a wall next to a carved message.

"Link leaves..."