Chapter 4
Malon was pacing back and forth inside the house she shared with her father, Link, and Ingo. Link had been gone since yesterday and it was already past noon. She had paced back and forth so much that there were noticeable marks where her feet had been on the floor. Talon was getting worried too. Not so much for Link because he knew that the boy could take care of himself. He was worried about Malon because he had never seen her so worried about anything before. It was not part of her usual cheery nature.
"Calm down, Malon. I'm sure the boy is just fine. He knows how to take care of himself," Talon said as he put a hand on Malon's shoulder.
"No he's not. He must have been mugged or kidnapped or……" Malon started rambling on and on about all the things that could have happened to Link.
Talon shook his head then grabbed Malon by both of her shoulders and shook her slightly to snap her out of her state of panic.
"Malon, considering who the boy's father is, do you really think that something that horrible happened to him," Talon said looking straight into his daughter's eyes. Malon finally relaxed. She knew that her father was right. Link could easily take care of himself.
"I'm sorry, dad. It's just that…" Malon began to say before she started to tear up.
"I know. I know. You've raised him like he was your own since he was a child. He's your world and you his. You two are the most important people in each other's lives," Talon said taking his hands off of her shoulders.
Just as Malon began to sit down she heard a noise like horse hooves running on the ground. Seeing as they lived on a ranch she disregarded it at first until she realized that the sound was coming from the front of the ranch and all of the horses were in the back.
With blinding speed she leapt from her chair and headed out of the door. In a matter of seconds she was at the front gate to the ranch. Sitting like a knight would on his mighty steed, Link was sitting still on Midnight looking down at Malon with a smile. He motioned for her to follow him to the stables so he could tie up Midnight and they could talk.
After Link tied Midnight in his stall, Malon leapt at him and hugged him so fiercely that he momentarily lost his breath.
"It's okay, mom. I'm alright," Link said. He was glad Malon was so loving towards him but she could overreact sometimes.
"Oh Link! I was so worried about you. You have no idea how worried and scared I was that something happened to you," she said almost crying.
Link laughed nervously when he heard Malon say that. He didn't have the heart to tell her he had been shot in the leg with the very same bow and arrows he had been given the day before as a birthday present.
"What kept you away for so long? I thought you were only going shopping with the money Ingo gave you," she asked once she calmed down.
"It's a long story mom. We should get Grandpa and Uncle Ingo in the house before I tell you what happened," Link said. Malon agreed and went to fetch Ingo from feeding the horses outside and Link went into the house to find his grandpa asleep at the kitchen table. Link smiled and then he laughed.
"I wish that I could sleep anywhere like that," Link thought. He walked over to his grandpa and shook him to wake him up. Nothing happened. Link then tried patting him on the back. Still nothing happened. Link then tried tapping his grandpa on the head. Still nothing happened.
"I hoped I wouldn't have to do this grandpa but I have no other choice," Link said as he went outside. He looked around and saw one of the cuccos that ran freely all over the ranch. Link snuck up behind it and grabbed it quickly. It didn't crow but started flapping wildly and trying it's best to get away from its captor. Link then brought it into the house and stood next to his still sleeping grandfather.
"Sorry grandpa," Link said as he plucked a feather from the cucco. It crowed loudly and his grandfather awoke with a start.
"Wha…what happened," Talon asked groggily as he rubbed his eyes. Link laughed as he placed the cucco outside just as Malon and Ingo walked through the door.
"Sleeping on the job again, eh Talon," Ingo chuckled as he sat down next to his friend. It's true that at first he thought Talon was a lazy slob who didn't deserve to run the ranch but soon after Talon had regained the ranch after Ganondorf was defeated, Ingo realized the reason Talon slept all day was because of how hard he actually did work at the ranch. Ever since then he has had greater respect for the man who even after Ingo stole the ranch from him, Talon still kept him on as a ranch hand.
"Leave me alone, Ingo. The boy just woke me up with one of those blasted cuccos," Talon said as he yawned and stretched.
"Father, how you could have fallen asleep so quickly is beyond me. I was only gone for five minutes and you were already in a deep sleep," Malon said with a disapproving look on her face.
"When you have worked as long and hard as I have then you will understand why this old man needs his beauty sleep," Talon said as he stood up.
Link laughed and patted his grandpa on the back. He knew that his grandfather had worked hard all his life but he knew the real reason he slept all day was because he liked to.
"So boy, where have you been? Your mother has been worried sick about you," Ingo said leaning in Link's direction.
"You'll never believe what happened," Link said. Link then began to tell the whole story. He told them about falling in the stream and going into to town to buy clothes. About staying in the inn and how his bow and arrows were stolen. He told them about chasing the thief and losing him when he jumped down into the alley. Then he told them about the guard who offered to let him meet the queen in person for ten rupees. Then, with great pride, he told them how he spotted the thief from earlier getting ready to fire an arrow at the queen and how he leapt at the queen and pushed out of the way. Then he told them about getting hit in the leg with the arrow and losing so much blood he passed out. Then he told them about waking up without so much as a scratch on his leg. Then he told them about talking to the queen and a strange man that looked just like him.
Malon was shocked by what Link had said. She couldn't believe he had actually met them. It was too soon for him to know.
"Link honey. Did they tell you anything important or anything you thought was important," Malon asked nervously.
"No not really mom. The man next to the queen though offered to teach me how to use a sword…." Link said as he clapped his hand over his mouth. He had originally planned to use riding Midnight as a cover for going to the castle so the man could teach him but now he had blown his cover.
"TEACH YOU HOW TO USE A SWORD! LINK, WHAT HAVE I…." Malon screamed at him before Talon placed a hand over her mouth and excused Malon and himself from the room. He brought her outside and removed his hand from her mouth.
"Father, what are you…" Malon began before Talon raised his hand to silence her.
"Malon, you do realize why his parents asked us to take care of him all those years ago," Talon asked her with a very serious look on his face.
"Yes father but…." Malon started to say but she was cut off by Talon again.
"But nothing, Malon. You knew what destiny had in store for the boy. You knew what he would have to become when the time came. I understand how you feel. It was a very long time before your mother and I had you but before then we felt like something was missing from our lives. I know that Link is like a son to you. Before you started taking care of him you felt alone even with Ingo and I here but Malon, you have to realize that we were not destined to keep him forever. His final destiny lies elsewhere and we may not be a part of that, however unfair it may seem," Talon said as he looked in his daughter's eyes. He could see the pain that was tearing at her heart there. He had felt that pain once when he lost his beloved wife. The pain of loss was one of the greatest heartaches one could ever experience.
"Father, I just don't want to lose him. He's all I have," Malon said as she collapsed and started crying. Talon knelt down, however painful it was to do so, and embraced his daughter.
"It will be okay Malon. We still have a few precious years with him before the time comes. Let's live those years with happiness and not fear and worry," Talon said.
Malon looked up at her father and her sobs quieted down and her frown slowly turned into a smile. Talon smiled back and the two of them slowly rose from the ground. Malon wiped her face with the handkerchief she always had around her neck to hide that she had been crying and walked back inside.
"Link, honey," Malon said as she sat back down at the table, "you may take lessons from Queen Zelda's friend."
"Really, mom," Link asked excitedly.
"Yes, but on one condition. Tomorrow I want you to take me with you to meet this man. I want to know who it is that is teaching my boy how to fight," Malon said with a smile.
"Thanks mom. You're the greatest," Link said as he ran over to her and hugged her tightly.
"I know son. I know," she said as she kissed him on the head. It was then she noticed the silver earring he was wearing as well as the ocarina on his side.
"Where did you get these," she asked as she touched the earring and the ocarina.
"The queen and her friend gave them to me. They wanted to give me a birthday present and to thank me for saving the queen," Link said proudly.
"Very beautiful," Malon said. "Now go clean up and go to bed."
"Okay mom. I love you," he said as he kissed her on the cheek and left to get ready for bed.
As she watched Link leave, Malon thought to herself, "That boy will be the death of me."
Malon was pacing back and forth inside the house she shared with her father, Link, and Ingo. Link had been gone since yesterday and it was already past noon. She had paced back and forth so much that there were noticeable marks where her feet had been on the floor. Talon was getting worried too. Not so much for Link because he knew that the boy could take care of himself. He was worried about Malon because he had never seen her so worried about anything before. It was not part of her usual cheery nature.
"Calm down, Malon. I'm sure the boy is just fine. He knows how to take care of himself," Talon said as he put a hand on Malon's shoulder.
"No he's not. He must have been mugged or kidnapped or……" Malon started rambling on and on about all the things that could have happened to Link.
Talon shook his head then grabbed Malon by both of her shoulders and shook her slightly to snap her out of her state of panic.
"Malon, considering who the boy's father is, do you really think that something that horrible happened to him," Talon said looking straight into his daughter's eyes. Malon finally relaxed. She knew that her father was right. Link could easily take care of himself.
"I'm sorry, dad. It's just that…" Malon began to say before she started to tear up.
"I know. I know. You've raised him like he was your own since he was a child. He's your world and you his. You two are the most important people in each other's lives," Talon said taking his hands off of her shoulders.
Just as Malon began to sit down she heard a noise like horse hooves running on the ground. Seeing as they lived on a ranch she disregarded it at first until she realized that the sound was coming from the front of the ranch and all of the horses were in the back.
With blinding speed she leapt from her chair and headed out of the door. In a matter of seconds she was at the front gate to the ranch. Sitting like a knight would on his mighty steed, Link was sitting still on Midnight looking down at Malon with a smile. He motioned for her to follow him to the stables so he could tie up Midnight and they could talk.
After Link tied Midnight in his stall, Malon leapt at him and hugged him so fiercely that he momentarily lost his breath.
"It's okay, mom. I'm alright," Link said. He was glad Malon was so loving towards him but she could overreact sometimes.
"Oh Link! I was so worried about you. You have no idea how worried and scared I was that something happened to you," she said almost crying.
Link laughed nervously when he heard Malon say that. He didn't have the heart to tell her he had been shot in the leg with the very same bow and arrows he had been given the day before as a birthday present.
"What kept you away for so long? I thought you were only going shopping with the money Ingo gave you," she asked once she calmed down.
"It's a long story mom. We should get Grandpa and Uncle Ingo in the house before I tell you what happened," Link said. Malon agreed and went to fetch Ingo from feeding the horses outside and Link went into the house to find his grandpa asleep at the kitchen table. Link smiled and then he laughed.
"I wish that I could sleep anywhere like that," Link thought. He walked over to his grandpa and shook him to wake him up. Nothing happened. Link then tried patting him on the back. Still nothing happened. Link then tried tapping his grandpa on the head. Still nothing happened.
"I hoped I wouldn't have to do this grandpa but I have no other choice," Link said as he went outside. He looked around and saw one of the cuccos that ran freely all over the ranch. Link snuck up behind it and grabbed it quickly. It didn't crow but started flapping wildly and trying it's best to get away from its captor. Link then brought it into the house and stood next to his still sleeping grandfather.
"Sorry grandpa," Link said as he plucked a feather from the cucco. It crowed loudly and his grandfather awoke with a start.
"Wha…what happened," Talon asked groggily as he rubbed his eyes. Link laughed as he placed the cucco outside just as Malon and Ingo walked through the door.
"Sleeping on the job again, eh Talon," Ingo chuckled as he sat down next to his friend. It's true that at first he thought Talon was a lazy slob who didn't deserve to run the ranch but soon after Talon had regained the ranch after Ganondorf was defeated, Ingo realized the reason Talon slept all day was because of how hard he actually did work at the ranch. Ever since then he has had greater respect for the man who even after Ingo stole the ranch from him, Talon still kept him on as a ranch hand.
"Leave me alone, Ingo. The boy just woke me up with one of those blasted cuccos," Talon said as he yawned and stretched.
"Father, how you could have fallen asleep so quickly is beyond me. I was only gone for five minutes and you were already in a deep sleep," Malon said with a disapproving look on her face.
"When you have worked as long and hard as I have then you will understand why this old man needs his beauty sleep," Talon said as he stood up.
Link laughed and patted his grandpa on the back. He knew that his grandfather had worked hard all his life but he knew the real reason he slept all day was because he liked to.
"So boy, where have you been? Your mother has been worried sick about you," Ingo said leaning in Link's direction.
"You'll never believe what happened," Link said. Link then began to tell the whole story. He told them about falling in the stream and going into to town to buy clothes. About staying in the inn and how his bow and arrows were stolen. He told them about chasing the thief and losing him when he jumped down into the alley. Then he told them about the guard who offered to let him meet the queen in person for ten rupees. Then, with great pride, he told them how he spotted the thief from earlier getting ready to fire an arrow at the queen and how he leapt at the queen and pushed out of the way. Then he told them about getting hit in the leg with the arrow and losing so much blood he passed out. Then he told them about waking up without so much as a scratch on his leg. Then he told them about talking to the queen and a strange man that looked just like him.
Malon was shocked by what Link had said. She couldn't believe he had actually met them. It was too soon for him to know.
"Link honey. Did they tell you anything important or anything you thought was important," Malon asked nervously.
"No not really mom. The man next to the queen though offered to teach me how to use a sword…." Link said as he clapped his hand over his mouth. He had originally planned to use riding Midnight as a cover for going to the castle so the man could teach him but now he had blown his cover.
"TEACH YOU HOW TO USE A SWORD! LINK, WHAT HAVE I…." Malon screamed at him before Talon placed a hand over her mouth and excused Malon and himself from the room. He brought her outside and removed his hand from her mouth.
"Father, what are you…" Malon began before Talon raised his hand to silence her.
"Malon, you do realize why his parents asked us to take care of him all those years ago," Talon asked her with a very serious look on his face.
"Yes father but…." Malon started to say but she was cut off by Talon again.
"But nothing, Malon. You knew what destiny had in store for the boy. You knew what he would have to become when the time came. I understand how you feel. It was a very long time before your mother and I had you but before then we felt like something was missing from our lives. I know that Link is like a son to you. Before you started taking care of him you felt alone even with Ingo and I here but Malon, you have to realize that we were not destined to keep him forever. His final destiny lies elsewhere and we may not be a part of that, however unfair it may seem," Talon said as he looked in his daughter's eyes. He could see the pain that was tearing at her heart there. He had felt that pain once when he lost his beloved wife. The pain of loss was one of the greatest heartaches one could ever experience.
"Father, I just don't want to lose him. He's all I have," Malon said as she collapsed and started crying. Talon knelt down, however painful it was to do so, and embraced his daughter.
"It will be okay Malon. We still have a few precious years with him before the time comes. Let's live those years with happiness and not fear and worry," Talon said.
Malon looked up at her father and her sobs quieted down and her frown slowly turned into a smile. Talon smiled back and the two of them slowly rose from the ground. Malon wiped her face with the handkerchief she always had around her neck to hide that she had been crying and walked back inside.
"Link, honey," Malon said as she sat back down at the table, "you may take lessons from Queen Zelda's friend."
"Really, mom," Link asked excitedly.
"Yes, but on one condition. Tomorrow I want you to take me with you to meet this man. I want to know who it is that is teaching my boy how to fight," Malon said with a smile.
"Thanks mom. You're the greatest," Link said as he ran over to her and hugged her tightly.
"I know son. I know," she said as she kissed him on the head. It was then she noticed the silver earring he was wearing as well as the ocarina on his side.
"Where did you get these," she asked as she touched the earring and the ocarina.
"The queen and her friend gave them to me. They wanted to give me a birthday present and to thank me for saving the queen," Link said proudly.
"Very beautiful," Malon said. "Now go clean up and go to bed."
"Okay mom. I love you," he said as he kissed her on the cheek and left to get ready for bed.
As she watched Link leave, Malon thought to herself, "That boy will be the death of me."