In the room it was sunny, the cracks of the sun's rays spilled out on the
wooden floor. For a moment Link forgot where he was, but then the smell of
hay brought him back to his memories. He groped for his cloak and upper
shirt that lay on the bedside table. As his fingers touched them he
hesitated for a moment. Should he really get up and face Malon? Was he
ready yet? His hand slipped off the table and back on the bed.
He turned on his back and stared up at the ceiling, thinking about his dream. That sword. That emerald. Link didn't want to admit it, but he knew what those things meant. And of course he knew who that girl was. Malon. He and Malon together? Impossible! He always thought Malon as a friend, a friend he could always go to for comfort, but not for love. But she had given all of those signs at the market.
That piece of his heart belonged to one particular person.
Princess Zelda.
Link suddenly desperately wanted to get away from the ranch, go anywhere and find his princess. His dream had meant something, all of those sages dying around Zelda's feet, Malon standing behind her with Link's precious items. He grabbed his golden hair with anguish and groaned. He wanted to scream, but he knew the ranch was quiet enough so everyone could hear him.
Getting up from the bed, Link walked over toward the window on the opposite wall. He peered through the blinds out toward the corral. There Epona sat under her hut sleeping quietly. The other brown horses lazily wandered throughout the corral, taking bits of grasses from the ground. Link eyes swept over the ranch. He saw Ingo feeding the cuccos, Talon going inside the cow house with a glass bottle and tin pale, but no Malon. So this was his chance.
Quickly grabbing his shirt and cloak, he got dressed and exited the room.
He looked downstairs into the cucco room; cuccos were pecking and clucking as usual. The three Super Cuccos lay on the wooden counter like always. Link sucked in his breath. And then he dashed down the stairs as if he were lightning. Out the door and straight toward Epona, who seemed so far. As he ran he planned out what he would do. He would quickly mount Epona, not looking back and jump the fence into Hyrule Field.
He was almost there! Just thirty steps more!
"Link? Where are you going?"
Link stopped dead in his tracks. He turned around to face Malon, who had a quizzical look on her face.
"Um, I just, uh, forgot where Epona was. I got scared," said Link.
Malon smiled and walked over to Link. "Well, since you're awake, and so is my father, let's have lunch outside by the cuccos. They won't try to beg, we're having chicken." She grabbed Link's hand and half pulled him toward the picnic table near the cucco place. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, my father wants to ask you something important."
"Really?" asked Link surprised, seeing as he was here for only a couple of hours. "Do you know what it is?"
Malon shrugged. Link knew she knew. (
At the picnic table, Talon and Ingo were there setting out plates and utensils. In the center, on a wide platter, lay a roasted cucco. Link eyes wandered to the alive cuccos to the roasted one. Next to the cucco was buttered corn and baked potatoes. Malon motioned Link to sit. Link sat, and she followed right next to him.
Talon and Ingo sat on the other side of the table. "Well Link, dig in to a very fine meal!" exclaimed Talon cheerfully.
Link held out his plate while Talon served him the thigh of the cucco, two spoonfuls of corn, and a baked potato. Link's stomach growled as the smell of the food wafted under his nose. All he had eaten for the past two days was that apple! He smiled toward Talon, indicating that was enough.
As everyone grabbed their portions Link decided not to be polite and eat. His mouth watered and he couldn't take it anymore. None of the others minded his absent rudeness as he groveled down corn and cucco at the same time. Malon sweetly smiled and Talon chuckled. Ingo didn't seem to notice, for he too was doing the same thing.
As the day wore on, Link had finished two thighs and two wings of cucco, half of the buttered corn, and three baked potatoes. As he sat back and pushed away his plate, Link felt very satisfied. He suppressed a burp, and in return got a taste of all the three things.
Link got a glimpse of Malon raising an eyebrow to her father. Talon jumped as soon as he got the sign.
"Oh yes, I forgot!" said Talon.
"Link, I have a proposition for you. It may be quite a shock to you, but I think you'll find it rather pleasing."
"Ok," said Link slowly.
"Will you take my daughter's hand in marriage? If you do, will you come with us to Romani Ranch in Termina? We're thinking combining forces with them to supply the world with our fine milk!"
Link blinked, surprised. "You-you want me to marry Malon?!"
He turned on his back and stared up at the ceiling, thinking about his dream. That sword. That emerald. Link didn't want to admit it, but he knew what those things meant. And of course he knew who that girl was. Malon. He and Malon together? Impossible! He always thought Malon as a friend, a friend he could always go to for comfort, but not for love. But she had given all of those signs at the market.
That piece of his heart belonged to one particular person.
Princess Zelda.
Link suddenly desperately wanted to get away from the ranch, go anywhere and find his princess. His dream had meant something, all of those sages dying around Zelda's feet, Malon standing behind her with Link's precious items. He grabbed his golden hair with anguish and groaned. He wanted to scream, but he knew the ranch was quiet enough so everyone could hear him.
Getting up from the bed, Link walked over toward the window on the opposite wall. He peered through the blinds out toward the corral. There Epona sat under her hut sleeping quietly. The other brown horses lazily wandered throughout the corral, taking bits of grasses from the ground. Link eyes swept over the ranch. He saw Ingo feeding the cuccos, Talon going inside the cow house with a glass bottle and tin pale, but no Malon. So this was his chance.
Quickly grabbing his shirt and cloak, he got dressed and exited the room.
He looked downstairs into the cucco room; cuccos were pecking and clucking as usual. The three Super Cuccos lay on the wooden counter like always. Link sucked in his breath. And then he dashed down the stairs as if he were lightning. Out the door and straight toward Epona, who seemed so far. As he ran he planned out what he would do. He would quickly mount Epona, not looking back and jump the fence into Hyrule Field.
He was almost there! Just thirty steps more!
"Link? Where are you going?"
Link stopped dead in his tracks. He turned around to face Malon, who had a quizzical look on her face.
"Um, I just, uh, forgot where Epona was. I got scared," said Link.
Malon smiled and walked over to Link. "Well, since you're awake, and so is my father, let's have lunch outside by the cuccos. They won't try to beg, we're having chicken." She grabbed Link's hand and half pulled him toward the picnic table near the cucco place. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, my father wants to ask you something important."
"Really?" asked Link surprised, seeing as he was here for only a couple of hours. "Do you know what it is?"
Malon shrugged. Link knew she knew. (
At the picnic table, Talon and Ingo were there setting out plates and utensils. In the center, on a wide platter, lay a roasted cucco. Link eyes wandered to the alive cuccos to the roasted one. Next to the cucco was buttered corn and baked potatoes. Malon motioned Link to sit. Link sat, and she followed right next to him.
Talon and Ingo sat on the other side of the table. "Well Link, dig in to a very fine meal!" exclaimed Talon cheerfully.
Link held out his plate while Talon served him the thigh of the cucco, two spoonfuls of corn, and a baked potato. Link's stomach growled as the smell of the food wafted under his nose. All he had eaten for the past two days was that apple! He smiled toward Talon, indicating that was enough.
As everyone grabbed their portions Link decided not to be polite and eat. His mouth watered and he couldn't take it anymore. None of the others minded his absent rudeness as he groveled down corn and cucco at the same time. Malon sweetly smiled and Talon chuckled. Ingo didn't seem to notice, for he too was doing the same thing.
As the day wore on, Link had finished two thighs and two wings of cucco, half of the buttered corn, and three baked potatoes. As he sat back and pushed away his plate, Link felt very satisfied. He suppressed a burp, and in return got a taste of all the three things.
Link got a glimpse of Malon raising an eyebrow to her father. Talon jumped as soon as he got the sign.
"Oh yes, I forgot!" said Talon.
"Link, I have a proposition for you. It may be quite a shock to you, but I think you'll find it rather pleasing."
"Ok," said Link slowly.
"Will you take my daughter's hand in marriage? If you do, will you come with us to Romani Ranch in Termina? We're thinking combining forces with them to supply the world with our fine milk!"
Link blinked, surprised. "You-you want me to marry Malon?!"