Chapter 4: Link
"You're not leaving this ranch while I'm still in charge."
Malon looked up from the blanket she was patching up. It was after dinner, and Ingo was in a foul mood about the low prices he had had to resort to to sell the ranch's milk. It didn't help that he'd caught Malon talking to Link while she was supposed to have been tending the vegetable garden. She'd received her punishment for it; she had the enormous bruise on her leg to prove it. "I know that, Mr Ingo."
The man was standing at the other end of the kitchen, feet apart, hands behind back, and moustache bristling angrily. "Then why are you getting so friendly with this big-headed fancy-sworded idiot? You're hoping you'll get him interested, aren't you, hoping he'll propose and you'll be able to leave this ranch! Moronic little harpy!" he spat. He did this often of late. Over-reactions about anything and everything that involved Malon were so commonplace she had almost gotten used to it. However, she wished they occurred less seldom. The punishments that ensued after were getting more and more painful and serious each time.
"I would never even think of leaving, Mr Ingo. My life is with the horses." She did not even have to try to make her voice meek. Sometimes, if she thought hard enough, she could remember a time when she had been straight- backed and proud, not grovelling and Ingo's feet like a lost dog. A hurt dog. Physically and emotionally. No! She couldn't pity herself. Things could be much worse. This was nothing.
Ingo stood over her, glaring down with his tiny bloodshot eyes. "If I catch you speaking to him again, you'll regret it, girl. You stay away from him!"
Malon's jaw dropped and her eyes widened in horror. How could he be so mean and insensitive? Link was the only friend she had, could remember ever having. His visits, that came at least twice a week, were what gave her hope to go on, showed her that life wasn't absolutely terrible. She had no idea how she'd managed without him. If she was forbidden from speaking to him... No. Ingo couldn't do that to her. He wouldn't!
"Mr Ingo," she gasped, her words coming out in a near sob. "There is nothing between Link and I, I promise. We're just friends. If I can't talk to him anymore, I don't know what I'd do. Please, it's not doing any harm!"
The slap she received was less then she had expected. "WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT TALKING BACK TO ME?! IF I TELL YOU TO DO SOMETHING, YOU DO IT!" he roared, spraying Malon with spit. "I HAVE MY REASONS OF DOING WHAT I DO, AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO QUESTION ME! DO AS I SAY!"
What she said next shocked her as much as it did Ingo.
"No."
For such a short, simple word, the impact it had on him was both tremendous and terrifying. With a bellow of rage, he seized the small sofa chair in which she was sitting and toppled it sideways, causing her to fall over as well and land painfully on her bruised arm with a gasp of fear. Chest heaving, he looked wildly around the room, looking for all the world like a crazed bull, for something to throw. He grabbed the first thing that his eyes fell upon – the kettle full of water that was heating over the fire – and flung it at her with all of his strength.
The force with which the kettle hit her was the least of her pain: it was the burning hot metal that touched her bare skin over her arm and the boiling water that splashed over her entire body that caused the shriek loud enough to deafen ears. But Ingo had no pity. Before she could move he was upon her with a horsewhip. Her screams did nothing to slow his pace. The sting of the cord cutting into her skin was a different kind of pain then the odd punch or kick he threw in to his otherwise steady whipping, that he added when she least expected it. Blood leaked from the new openings; nothing she did could avoid it. She tried to expose her back: it hurt less when he hit there then, say, her face, but he just curled the whip around to reach those parts anyway. She cried and pleaded, shrieked and screamed, as she was soaked in her own sweat, blood and tears.
And he was enjoying it.
There was no mistaking the cruel, hoarse laughter, the crazed, red glaze of his eyes, the sick, twisted, snarling smile. Now Malon's screams were as much from fear as from pain. She'd never been this scared in her life. At least before when Ingo had hit her, he had appeared saner, angrier. And he hadn't been laughing. She huddled against the wall, all resistance gone, and just sobbed and waited for it to stop. When it finally did, it felt like her entire body was on fire. She heard the door open and close, and then silence.
Shaking from head to toe and taking very weak, feeble breaths, she struggled to support herself as she sat up in a pool of blood and water. She couldn't seem to focus properly. The idea of cleaning up the mess on the floor was the dominant thought. "Ingo will be angry if I don't get it done," she said aloud. Why did her voice sound so distant? Why was it so cold? Why...?
Waking was slow and painful. Her eyes were crusted shut with something, and she had to use some water in a bucket she found by feeling around to get them open again. She was in the stable. Ingo must have dragged her in and left her on the hard wooden floor. How long had she been sleeping - if you could call it that? Judging by the sunlight that shone through the stable's only window and dazzled Malon's eyes, it was dawn, and it was time for her to get to work.
She had a cold bath with water she drew from the well, – there was no time to heat it – tied cloths around her more serious cuts, and put on an old, worn, flowing red skirt and a long sleeved white blouse, despite the heat. She couldn't have people seeing the marks along her arms. She thankfully had only one cut on her face, and that she could cover with a pale red kerchief, as it was near her hairline. Breakfast was quick and silent. Ingo ate his thin flaky pastry without comment and almost seemed preoccupied and in a hurry as he left the kitchen. Sure enough, when she emerged from the kitchen a few minutes later, the wagon was gone, along with two of the horses.
It was a quiet, peaceful day. Autumn was approaching, and the leaves on the tree outside the house, the only one at the ranch, were changing from green to yellow, red and orange. Malon sat at it's foot as she watch the horses prance about in the paddock. Even if fall was near, the wind that rose was warm. She found herself almost falling asleep while looking up into the boughs of the tree. So strange to think that, just last night, she had been more terrified then she ever had. Apart of her still was, she knew. Though she felt and looked relaxed, a knot in her gut was still as tense she had been the evening before.
It didn't matter though... The morning was too warm and peaceful to worry about being on edge...
"Hey!"
"Link! What on earth-... you scared me!" Malon exclaimed, jumping to her feet and brushing off her skirt. She looked at the boy, the one who had been the cause of all that pain last night. She didn't blame him, it was her own fault, but... Why had she been so determined to keep seeing him? It had been stupid anyway, saying no to Ingo. He always got his way with her.
"Link, you shouldn't be here. Ingo doesn't want me to see you anymore," said Malon in a slow, careful voice. What would he say? Would he be angry? Would he hit her? She shook herself mentally. Of course he won't, you blockhead!
"He doesn't? Why should he care?" he asked with a frown. Malon shrugged uncomfortably. Why couldn't Link just understand? No matter how badly she wanted to continue her friendship with him, she never wanted to have to live what she had last night ever again. Pain. Screams. Laughter. A shudder ran through her body, but if Link noticed, he didn't show it.
"Is he here right now?" he asked, looking around the ranch grounds as though he expected Ingo to materialize out of the walls at any moment.
"No, but he could return any time."
"I just want to spend time with you, Malon. I'm sure if I talk to Ingo, he'll let us be," Link said with a reassuring smile.
"I don't think so..."
"Just trust me, ok? Come on, let's go watch the horses." They went to sit down near the paddock gate, and sat in silence for a while, enjoying the nice day. Malon could see Link staring at her out of the corner of her eye .It was uncomfortable. Finally, she turned to face him.
"Why are you looking at me so hard? It's as if I'm a complicated sentence you're trying to understand, with that look on your face..." Was it just she, or did he seem to be looking through her head? When he didn't answer, she grew impatient. "Why are you frowning at me? Stop it! Link! Link? Snap out of it!"
Link's eyes came back into focus. "What? Oh, sorry Malon. Sort of lost myself there."
"Apparently. What were you thinking about?"
"You," he said, without a trace of embarrassment. "I just... I wish you'd be more open with me. I mean, don't you trust me?"
"Of course I do," she responded. "But even best friends have some secrets from each other, and I've only known you for a short while. Do you really want me to tell you everything? The only time people know everything about the other person is if they're in love, or something." She blinked, and quickly added, "... Not that... that is, I..."
Why was she so uneasy? Did she love Link? The idea was ridiculous: she'd never even entertained the thought before, not even when Ingo had accused her of it the night before. But sitting here, under the sunshine, listening to the horses frisk about, and looking into Link's bright, bright blue eyes, it made her feel safer then she'd ever felt before. Was that what love was?
Link grinned that sweet but teasing smile of his. "Yeah, I gotcha." Now feeling her face burn, Malon decided to change the subject. She asked about the world outside, and Link spoke to her of Zora's Domain's current state. She was horrified that it had frozen over.
"I don't understand it. Hyrule has changed so much these past years. Ever since Ganondorf-"She stopped, hesitated. It was dangerous, speaking ill of a ruler. If Link was loyal to him, Malon could be in great trouble. She bit her lip, hoping she hadn't said too much. But Link was no supporter of the tyrant, and he told her so. She was relieved. It would be terrible if they were on opposite sides of the civil war that seemed to be bubbling up in every town and nation in Hyrule. If Link had not spoken of it, Malon would not have known it existed.
"The Gorons are all against him, ever since they returned from wherever they'd disappeared to. Kakariko is in turmoil, and every city east and south of the border is becoming dangerous and almost lawless. I've heard rumours that the Gerudos have become more violent, and taking many more prisoners in without any reason."
"How is it you know so much about the world, Link?" Malon asked. "Are you an explorer, or a treasure-hunter?" So far, Link had been rather shady and hesitant whenever she asked him questions about himself. Today was no exception.
"You could say that, I suppose."
"Why don't you ever tell me about what you do when you're away? Do you visit family? Do you trade merchandise? Are you perhaps a soldier off-duty? I barely know anything about you."
"I'm a mysterious man."
"Clearly," Malon said almost irritably. Link sighed, but didn't answer. And he had accused her of hiding too much! She was puzzled. He seemed to want to tell her, but something was holding him back. What could it be? She racked her brain for a possible reason, but could think of nothing that would keep him from answering her simple question. Silence grew between them, and Link began to fidget uncomfortably. She saw his hand flicker momentarily over a small side pocket on his pack. She'd caught the movement many times before and he seemed to do it without thinking. She had never ventured to ask him about it, but her curiosity was at it's highest.
"What's in that right pocket, Link? You touch it an awful lot. Is it a knife, or a ring?" her eyes shone as they always did when she was interested. If he didn't tell her...
But Link didn't hesitate before opening up the pocket and producing an ocarina. It was smooth and wonderfully shaped, made of unchipped wood and tinted blue. It was very pretty. "Can you play it?" she asked. He brought it to his lips and played a short, quick tune. It was happy and cheerful, and when it was done she urged him to play it again. After the third time, she asked for a different song. His next was slow and sombre, but had a sense of power in the notes. She leaned lazily against the fence. The sound of an ocarina was enchanting.
"Another," she insisted. As he played, the sound and timing of the notes registered into her mind, and she sat bolt upright, eyes wide. She knew that song. It was the one she listened to during her dreams, the one she found herself humming when her mind wandered. Where it came from, she had no idea, but it was a secret that could explain some of her forgotten past, she was sure. The song meant comfort, it meant freedom and happiness, a memory saved and protected from the attack of time, which could erase everything from one's mind. It was a message.
Link noticed her reaction and stopped playing, frowning in puzzlement at her stunned expression. "What's the matter?"
"Where did you learn that song?" Her voice was low and breathless, as though she were afraid of the answer but at the same time desperately needed to hear it.
"I don't know," responded Link, moving closer with a look of concern. "In Hyrule, somewhere, when I was a child. Is it wrong?" When she shook her head, he persisted. "It has something to do with the ranch, doesn't it? I played it to the horse a while back, and she seemed to like it."
As though she knew they were talking about her, Epona appeared over their heads, her snout hovering over the fence. She snorted and shook her glossy white mane. Malon reached up to stroke the velvety satin of her nose. But she wasn't looking at the horse. Her eyes were fixed on Link's, because she was slowly starting to remember that day, seven years ago, when she'd first taught the young Kokiri boy to play her mother's horse-taming song. "Link."
"Yes?"
"Link!"
"Yes!?"
Malon's eyes lit up in triumph and excitement. She remembered who he was now!
"Fairy Boy!"
She remembered. Days spent frolicking under the sun, jumping about in the rain without cloaks on. They'd been so innocent and careless, harmless and joyful. The times spent with that boy, they'd been the most wonderful days of her life. Until...
Malon's smile of triumph and joy faded as she looked into Link's eyes. Until he'd left, and stopped coming to see her. The day before everything in her life had started going downhill. Could there be a connection? Could this young man be at the heart of her problems? Was he the reason she'd been miserable for seven long years?
Of course not, that was ridiculous. Ingo had made her miserable with his horrible choice of punishments. But that wasn't true, and she knew it. She'd been miserable for the 5 or so years before her father had been kicked out of the ranch. Then it must be because there were so few visitors coming since then...
Try as she might, Malon could not convince herself that Link's departure had not been the cause of the strange loneliness that seemed to float inside of her for seven years now. Why did she deny it, anyway? Was she that frightened of the possibility of falling in love?
Link put a hand on hers, his brow creased in worry. His face was close. Too close. "Is something wrong, Malon? You're acting odd..." Before she realised what she was doing, she had jerked her hand away from his. He was too close; they were too familiar. She couldn't love him, she mustn't. She couldn't trust anyone, not even Link, and when you fell in love, you abandoned your caution, and you surrendered everything to him. She couldn't do that. She had to be strong. He was too close.
Malon jumped to her feet. She muttered something about hay and chickens, before dashing off towards the stables. As she ran, she tried to sort out the blur of emotions in her heart and mind. It was all fuzzy and confusing. This had all happened too fast. You can't fall for someone in the expanse of a morning, she told herself in what she thought to be firm reason, but knew it to be nearer to a weak begging.
In a way, it hadn't been the morning; it had been all seven years he'd been away from her. The fact that she'd forgotten who he was didn't matter. The childhood friendship that had started ages ago had developed into love and affection, no matter how far Link had been during that expanse of time. I don't love him. I don't love him, she repeated over and over to herself in her mind, but knew in her heart that she was lying to herself.
She loved Link, his smile, his laugh, his sapphire blue eyes, and his giving, friendly nature. How she had not seen it before was a wonder. She must have been too wrapped up in doubt and denial to look clearly, and with good reason. She had never felt this way before, and it was definitely the most confusing emotion she'd ever experienced. Love, as she had been told, wasn't supposed to feel like this, full of fear, mistrust and doubt. Loving her father was so much simpler. The affection had been there since her birth, and she knew all along she could trust him with her life.
But Link, he was little better then a stranger, and here she would be throwing her hope and her life at his feet. This couldn't be. She would never surrender to him. Being his friend was difficult enough: her eyes still filled with a haunted fear at the memory of last night. To have fallen in love...
She reached the stable door, wrenched it open, darted inside, and slammed it shut behind her, throwing the large room into darkness, with only the odd crack in the wooden walls as lighting. She leaned against the doorframe and put a hand to her forehead. This was utterly terrible. There were a thousand reasons why she could not allow this love to blossom between her and Link, if he did indeed return these feelings. The most prominent was the fact that she did not and could never trust him. As far as she was concerned, he could turn out to be just as cruel and heartless as Ingo. No one could be trusted.
She heard soft footsteps outside, and the door opened. Link stepped in and his eyes fastened on Malon. The light from outside and the darkness from the stable cast odd shadows on his face, accentuated his long curved nose, his pointed ears, his unusually long lashes and sparkling eyes, before he shut the door and plunged it back into darkness. From the light of the small cracks, she could just make out his dim shape draw closer to her. Cornered between the wall and a stall's fence, she could back up no further from his approach.
"Why do you run from me, Malon? I only want to help you." His voice sounded pained and saddened. Her eyes began to adjust to the blackness around them: she could see his face more clearly. He moved closer. "Please, tell me the truth. If you don't want to be with me anymore, then I'll leave." That sounded like the last thing in the world that he wanted to do.
Her voice came out as a sob. "It's not that, Link. I want to be your friend. I do. It's just... I'm so confused. I-"She felt his hands close around hers and she shuddered with fear and pleasure at his touch. She could feel his breath on her face, they were so close. Too close. But this time, she didn't back away. She couldn't back away. The moment had frozen her in place; if the stable collapsed over their heads, she would not move. She felt a tear drop from her eye and trickle down her cheek. She was terribly afraid. If she thought what was going to happen happened, there would be no turning back. She would have to face her feelings and no longer be able to run from them. And how could she, when Link could be simply worming his way into her affections to hurt her like Ingo did. Like he had last night.
Link whispered her name, and she felt the sigh of the word brush her own lips. Too close. Much, much to close. "Why are you crying, Malon? Why are you afraid?" The light of the cracks in the wall were just enough for her to able to make out his face, concerned and... loving? His hands let go of hers, instead encircling her thin form. They came to rest on her back, overtop of the numerous, still-healing cuts from last night, and she flinched. She hoped he hadn't noticed, but the damage was done. He took his hands away immediately, and his tone became low and cautious, almost dangerous.
"He hits you, doesn't he?"
Her eyes were as wide as they could go, and they glistened wetly. She couldn't lie to him, but she couldn't tell him either. Ingo had forbidden it. But Link became more insistent. "Tell me. He hits you, I know it, but I have to hear you say it. You have to trust me, Malon."
Trust. Yes, trust was good. She looked into Link's eyes, and she could envision all her troubles melting away with the words that she could speak right now. No. She was being childish. Her troubles would not melt away: they would increase tenfold. She must lie, or risk endangering herself and Link as well. She must chase him away. Ingo would kill Link if he knew what was happening right now, and likely flog her within an inch of her life. There was no escaping him, she had to embrace the life she was cursed with, and she must not drag others in with her.
But lying, it was much easier said then done. Especially when you were an inch apart from the prettiest eyes and most handsome face you'd ever seen. I must get away, she thought frantically, before I betray myself. Forcing her legs to move, she pulled away from him with all her might and clawed at the door handle. But he seized her wrist and turned her to face him once more. "Tell me, Malon," Link said almost angrily. "Just tell me!"
She didn't know whether it was his raised tone, or the slight slant to his eyebrows, or the hand on her wrist, but instead of Link's face near her, she saw Ingo's, twisted into such a fury as could ever be imagined. With a scream of pure terror, she threw herself to the ground and curled herself into a protective ball.
"Don't hurt me, please!"
Silence. Malon's quivering slowed a bit, and she had courage enough to open her eyes a slit to peer through a gap in her arms at the figure standing over her, half expecting a raised fist ready to strike. But it was only Link, staring down at her with a face to stricken and pitifully lost that she could not help but sit up. However, she still kept her eyes half- closed, ready in case he really did decide to hit her.
"How could you think that? I would never hurt you, not for anything in the world. How could you say that?" His voice shook, and he looked closer to tears then Malon had ever seen a man. Once again, he seemed to be looking through her at something behind her.
"He hits me, Link." It was the faintest of whispers, but it was enough to bring the young man back to his senses. He dropped to his knees beside her, eyes fastened to her face. She didn't move away. She had started their joint destruction, and nothing could erase it now. Tears fell from her eyes, and before she knew what had happened, she was in Link's arms, crying into his shoulder like a small child. He held her close, careful to avoid touching her where there were whiplashes. They stayed like that for a good ten minutes, sitting against eachother on the stable floors, until Malon's crying had faded to an occasional sniffle.
Finally, Link stood, pulling Malon up along with him. Without a word, he led her to the ladder that went up to her tiny room in the loft. After climbing it, he sat down on her bed, rummaged through his pack, and pulled out a clear glass bottle full of a thick, oozing red liquid. She looked somewhat uneasy, especially when Link asked her to unbutton her blouse.
He rolled his eyes at her look of shock and outrage. "Malon, this is for the sole purpose of healing those marks on your back. I promise I won't try anything." She smiled sheepishly, and after turning her back to him, slipped her top off of her shoulders. The substance he rubbed into her back with gentle strokes gave her a pleasant, tingling, cooling sensation everywhere it touched. When the liquid had sunk into her skin, he blew on it to tickle her, and she arched her shoulders and giggled. It was the first time she'd laughed in a very long time, and when the strange sound hit her ears, she began to cry anew.
"Don't cry. Everything will be okay now, you'll see," Link murmured, wrapping his arms around her bare upper body and resting his chin on her shoulder. Malon had never felt so close to anyone before, neither so safe. Even her father's arms didn't seem to shut out the dangers and her fears quite like Link's did. He even managed to make her forget that she was naked from the waist down. If she could stay here, forever...
She was brought back to her senses when Link kissed her lightly on the cheek, barely more then a brush of his lips. She turned to face him, a look of surprise and wonder on her face. He had a mischievous grin on his.
"You said you wouldn't try anything," she teased, and managed a laugh despite the fluttering in her stomach. "Now hand me my shirt before you violate your promises even more."
"Yes, ma'am," Link mocked, putting on a perfect imitation of a bowing and scraping servant. He tossed her the white blouse, which she buttoned up as quickly as possible, then sat down on the bed facing her, eyes shining. He was so handsome, with his playful smile and his bright eyes. Whatever came over her at that moment, she could never really describe later on. All she knew was that she had to tell him something, and had suddenly gotten this reckless inspiration from deep inside of her that forced the words out of her mouth.
"I love you, Link." She seemed as amazed with herself as he was pleased.
"I love you too, Malon. More then anything else I've ever seen, heard or met."
And before they knew what was happening, they were in eachother's arms, locked in a kiss so powerful, the very triforce couldn't have pulled them apart.
By the next hour, Link was gone, with a promise to return as soon as he could. Malon finished her chores before Ingo returned, feeling lighter and happier then she could ever remember feeling before, and it had nothing to do with the absence of sores on her back. And Ingo was too busy being pleased with current business situation to waste time hitting her.
Over the next week or two, Link came by only once. He rode Epona around the paddock (for a fee, of course), pretended to leave, and then slipped into the stable to see Malon. She lived and breathed for that once encounter. Since Link had come into her life, it had so much more meaning, like a dull painting that had been re-done with new colour and life. His visit had been so wonderful, she'd missed him the minute he'd left...
She had felt a hand on her shoulder, and had turned to see Link gazing down at her adoringly. She had known it was he: Ingo always slammed the doors, and Link had closed it as gently as possible.
She'd spent an hour sitting in his lap against the stable wall, just talking. Link still refused to tell her what he did while he was away, but his fairy, whom he called Navi, came out of his pack to see her. He kept her hidden most of the time so as not to raise suspicion, but when Malon inquired what he meant, he shut up until she changed the subject. Navi was more talkative then Link, and seemed to have an opinion on everything and everyone. Link said she had stored up extra energy while in his pack, so she was overly energetic. Malon was glad of that: she enjoyed the fairy's company very much.
Link still did not remember their previous friendship as children, but when he was told about it, he bombarded her with questions. She told him everything she could recall: their games, their talks, their horseback rides around the ranch. He seemed especially interested in Epona.
She enjoyed herself immensely, sitting in Link's arms and talking the day away, except when Ingo walked in. Link dove into a heap of hay, and Malon pretended to be separating the clumps, all the while covering the young man more thoroughly. Ingo noticed nothing, he simply shouted at her for taking so long with the stable chores. Once Ingo had left, and once Link had emerged from his grave of straw, they made a hasty good-bye, but not too hasty to omit a rather long kiss.
And after Link snuck out of the stable, Malon's knees could not support her any longer, and she sunk to the floor in a daze. That was her first kiss, and it had been incredible.
"You're not leaving this ranch while I'm still in charge."
Malon looked up from the blanket she was patching up. It was after dinner, and Ingo was in a foul mood about the low prices he had had to resort to to sell the ranch's milk. It didn't help that he'd caught Malon talking to Link while she was supposed to have been tending the vegetable garden. She'd received her punishment for it; she had the enormous bruise on her leg to prove it. "I know that, Mr Ingo."
The man was standing at the other end of the kitchen, feet apart, hands behind back, and moustache bristling angrily. "Then why are you getting so friendly with this big-headed fancy-sworded idiot? You're hoping you'll get him interested, aren't you, hoping he'll propose and you'll be able to leave this ranch! Moronic little harpy!" he spat. He did this often of late. Over-reactions about anything and everything that involved Malon were so commonplace she had almost gotten used to it. However, she wished they occurred less seldom. The punishments that ensued after were getting more and more painful and serious each time.
"I would never even think of leaving, Mr Ingo. My life is with the horses." She did not even have to try to make her voice meek. Sometimes, if she thought hard enough, she could remember a time when she had been straight- backed and proud, not grovelling and Ingo's feet like a lost dog. A hurt dog. Physically and emotionally. No! She couldn't pity herself. Things could be much worse. This was nothing.
Ingo stood over her, glaring down with his tiny bloodshot eyes. "If I catch you speaking to him again, you'll regret it, girl. You stay away from him!"
Malon's jaw dropped and her eyes widened in horror. How could he be so mean and insensitive? Link was the only friend she had, could remember ever having. His visits, that came at least twice a week, were what gave her hope to go on, showed her that life wasn't absolutely terrible. She had no idea how she'd managed without him. If she was forbidden from speaking to him... No. Ingo couldn't do that to her. He wouldn't!
"Mr Ingo," she gasped, her words coming out in a near sob. "There is nothing between Link and I, I promise. We're just friends. If I can't talk to him anymore, I don't know what I'd do. Please, it's not doing any harm!"
The slap she received was less then she had expected. "WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT TALKING BACK TO ME?! IF I TELL YOU TO DO SOMETHING, YOU DO IT!" he roared, spraying Malon with spit. "I HAVE MY REASONS OF DOING WHAT I DO, AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO QUESTION ME! DO AS I SAY!"
What she said next shocked her as much as it did Ingo.
"No."
For such a short, simple word, the impact it had on him was both tremendous and terrifying. With a bellow of rage, he seized the small sofa chair in which she was sitting and toppled it sideways, causing her to fall over as well and land painfully on her bruised arm with a gasp of fear. Chest heaving, he looked wildly around the room, looking for all the world like a crazed bull, for something to throw. He grabbed the first thing that his eyes fell upon – the kettle full of water that was heating over the fire – and flung it at her with all of his strength.
The force with which the kettle hit her was the least of her pain: it was the burning hot metal that touched her bare skin over her arm and the boiling water that splashed over her entire body that caused the shriek loud enough to deafen ears. But Ingo had no pity. Before she could move he was upon her with a horsewhip. Her screams did nothing to slow his pace. The sting of the cord cutting into her skin was a different kind of pain then the odd punch or kick he threw in to his otherwise steady whipping, that he added when she least expected it. Blood leaked from the new openings; nothing she did could avoid it. She tried to expose her back: it hurt less when he hit there then, say, her face, but he just curled the whip around to reach those parts anyway. She cried and pleaded, shrieked and screamed, as she was soaked in her own sweat, blood and tears.
And he was enjoying it.
There was no mistaking the cruel, hoarse laughter, the crazed, red glaze of his eyes, the sick, twisted, snarling smile. Now Malon's screams were as much from fear as from pain. She'd never been this scared in her life. At least before when Ingo had hit her, he had appeared saner, angrier. And he hadn't been laughing. She huddled against the wall, all resistance gone, and just sobbed and waited for it to stop. When it finally did, it felt like her entire body was on fire. She heard the door open and close, and then silence.
Shaking from head to toe and taking very weak, feeble breaths, she struggled to support herself as she sat up in a pool of blood and water. She couldn't seem to focus properly. The idea of cleaning up the mess on the floor was the dominant thought. "Ingo will be angry if I don't get it done," she said aloud. Why did her voice sound so distant? Why was it so cold? Why...?
Waking was slow and painful. Her eyes were crusted shut with something, and she had to use some water in a bucket she found by feeling around to get them open again. She was in the stable. Ingo must have dragged her in and left her on the hard wooden floor. How long had she been sleeping - if you could call it that? Judging by the sunlight that shone through the stable's only window and dazzled Malon's eyes, it was dawn, and it was time for her to get to work.
She had a cold bath with water she drew from the well, – there was no time to heat it – tied cloths around her more serious cuts, and put on an old, worn, flowing red skirt and a long sleeved white blouse, despite the heat. She couldn't have people seeing the marks along her arms. She thankfully had only one cut on her face, and that she could cover with a pale red kerchief, as it was near her hairline. Breakfast was quick and silent. Ingo ate his thin flaky pastry without comment and almost seemed preoccupied and in a hurry as he left the kitchen. Sure enough, when she emerged from the kitchen a few minutes later, the wagon was gone, along with two of the horses.
It was a quiet, peaceful day. Autumn was approaching, and the leaves on the tree outside the house, the only one at the ranch, were changing from green to yellow, red and orange. Malon sat at it's foot as she watch the horses prance about in the paddock. Even if fall was near, the wind that rose was warm. She found herself almost falling asleep while looking up into the boughs of the tree. So strange to think that, just last night, she had been more terrified then she ever had. Apart of her still was, she knew. Though she felt and looked relaxed, a knot in her gut was still as tense she had been the evening before.
It didn't matter though... The morning was too warm and peaceful to worry about being on edge...
"Hey!"
"Link! What on earth-... you scared me!" Malon exclaimed, jumping to her feet and brushing off her skirt. She looked at the boy, the one who had been the cause of all that pain last night. She didn't blame him, it was her own fault, but... Why had she been so determined to keep seeing him? It had been stupid anyway, saying no to Ingo. He always got his way with her.
"Link, you shouldn't be here. Ingo doesn't want me to see you anymore," said Malon in a slow, careful voice. What would he say? Would he be angry? Would he hit her? She shook herself mentally. Of course he won't, you blockhead!
"He doesn't? Why should he care?" he asked with a frown. Malon shrugged uncomfortably. Why couldn't Link just understand? No matter how badly she wanted to continue her friendship with him, she never wanted to have to live what she had last night ever again. Pain. Screams. Laughter. A shudder ran through her body, but if Link noticed, he didn't show it.
"Is he here right now?" he asked, looking around the ranch grounds as though he expected Ingo to materialize out of the walls at any moment.
"No, but he could return any time."
"I just want to spend time with you, Malon. I'm sure if I talk to Ingo, he'll let us be," Link said with a reassuring smile.
"I don't think so..."
"Just trust me, ok? Come on, let's go watch the horses." They went to sit down near the paddock gate, and sat in silence for a while, enjoying the nice day. Malon could see Link staring at her out of the corner of her eye .It was uncomfortable. Finally, she turned to face him.
"Why are you looking at me so hard? It's as if I'm a complicated sentence you're trying to understand, with that look on your face..." Was it just she, or did he seem to be looking through her head? When he didn't answer, she grew impatient. "Why are you frowning at me? Stop it! Link! Link? Snap out of it!"
Link's eyes came back into focus. "What? Oh, sorry Malon. Sort of lost myself there."
"Apparently. What were you thinking about?"
"You," he said, without a trace of embarrassment. "I just... I wish you'd be more open with me. I mean, don't you trust me?"
"Of course I do," she responded. "But even best friends have some secrets from each other, and I've only known you for a short while. Do you really want me to tell you everything? The only time people know everything about the other person is if they're in love, or something." She blinked, and quickly added, "... Not that... that is, I..."
Why was she so uneasy? Did she love Link? The idea was ridiculous: she'd never even entertained the thought before, not even when Ingo had accused her of it the night before. But sitting here, under the sunshine, listening to the horses frisk about, and looking into Link's bright, bright blue eyes, it made her feel safer then she'd ever felt before. Was that what love was?
Link grinned that sweet but teasing smile of his. "Yeah, I gotcha." Now feeling her face burn, Malon decided to change the subject. She asked about the world outside, and Link spoke to her of Zora's Domain's current state. She was horrified that it had frozen over.
"I don't understand it. Hyrule has changed so much these past years. Ever since Ganondorf-"She stopped, hesitated. It was dangerous, speaking ill of a ruler. If Link was loyal to him, Malon could be in great trouble. She bit her lip, hoping she hadn't said too much. But Link was no supporter of the tyrant, and he told her so. She was relieved. It would be terrible if they were on opposite sides of the civil war that seemed to be bubbling up in every town and nation in Hyrule. If Link had not spoken of it, Malon would not have known it existed.
"The Gorons are all against him, ever since they returned from wherever they'd disappeared to. Kakariko is in turmoil, and every city east and south of the border is becoming dangerous and almost lawless. I've heard rumours that the Gerudos have become more violent, and taking many more prisoners in without any reason."
"How is it you know so much about the world, Link?" Malon asked. "Are you an explorer, or a treasure-hunter?" So far, Link had been rather shady and hesitant whenever she asked him questions about himself. Today was no exception.
"You could say that, I suppose."
"Why don't you ever tell me about what you do when you're away? Do you visit family? Do you trade merchandise? Are you perhaps a soldier off-duty? I barely know anything about you."
"I'm a mysterious man."
"Clearly," Malon said almost irritably. Link sighed, but didn't answer. And he had accused her of hiding too much! She was puzzled. He seemed to want to tell her, but something was holding him back. What could it be? She racked her brain for a possible reason, but could think of nothing that would keep him from answering her simple question. Silence grew between them, and Link began to fidget uncomfortably. She saw his hand flicker momentarily over a small side pocket on his pack. She'd caught the movement many times before and he seemed to do it without thinking. She had never ventured to ask him about it, but her curiosity was at it's highest.
"What's in that right pocket, Link? You touch it an awful lot. Is it a knife, or a ring?" her eyes shone as they always did when she was interested. If he didn't tell her...
But Link didn't hesitate before opening up the pocket and producing an ocarina. It was smooth and wonderfully shaped, made of unchipped wood and tinted blue. It was very pretty. "Can you play it?" she asked. He brought it to his lips and played a short, quick tune. It was happy and cheerful, and when it was done she urged him to play it again. After the third time, she asked for a different song. His next was slow and sombre, but had a sense of power in the notes. She leaned lazily against the fence. The sound of an ocarina was enchanting.
"Another," she insisted. As he played, the sound and timing of the notes registered into her mind, and she sat bolt upright, eyes wide. She knew that song. It was the one she listened to during her dreams, the one she found herself humming when her mind wandered. Where it came from, she had no idea, but it was a secret that could explain some of her forgotten past, she was sure. The song meant comfort, it meant freedom and happiness, a memory saved and protected from the attack of time, which could erase everything from one's mind. It was a message.
Link noticed her reaction and stopped playing, frowning in puzzlement at her stunned expression. "What's the matter?"
"Where did you learn that song?" Her voice was low and breathless, as though she were afraid of the answer but at the same time desperately needed to hear it.
"I don't know," responded Link, moving closer with a look of concern. "In Hyrule, somewhere, when I was a child. Is it wrong?" When she shook her head, he persisted. "It has something to do with the ranch, doesn't it? I played it to the horse a while back, and she seemed to like it."
As though she knew they were talking about her, Epona appeared over their heads, her snout hovering over the fence. She snorted and shook her glossy white mane. Malon reached up to stroke the velvety satin of her nose. But she wasn't looking at the horse. Her eyes were fixed on Link's, because she was slowly starting to remember that day, seven years ago, when she'd first taught the young Kokiri boy to play her mother's horse-taming song. "Link."
"Yes?"
"Link!"
"Yes!?"
Malon's eyes lit up in triumph and excitement. She remembered who he was now!
"Fairy Boy!"
She remembered. Days spent frolicking under the sun, jumping about in the rain without cloaks on. They'd been so innocent and careless, harmless and joyful. The times spent with that boy, they'd been the most wonderful days of her life. Until...
Malon's smile of triumph and joy faded as she looked into Link's eyes. Until he'd left, and stopped coming to see her. The day before everything in her life had started going downhill. Could there be a connection? Could this young man be at the heart of her problems? Was he the reason she'd been miserable for seven long years?
Of course not, that was ridiculous. Ingo had made her miserable with his horrible choice of punishments. But that wasn't true, and she knew it. She'd been miserable for the 5 or so years before her father had been kicked out of the ranch. Then it must be because there were so few visitors coming since then...
Try as she might, Malon could not convince herself that Link's departure had not been the cause of the strange loneliness that seemed to float inside of her for seven years now. Why did she deny it, anyway? Was she that frightened of the possibility of falling in love?
Link put a hand on hers, his brow creased in worry. His face was close. Too close. "Is something wrong, Malon? You're acting odd..." Before she realised what she was doing, she had jerked her hand away from his. He was too close; they were too familiar. She couldn't love him, she mustn't. She couldn't trust anyone, not even Link, and when you fell in love, you abandoned your caution, and you surrendered everything to him. She couldn't do that. She had to be strong. He was too close.
Malon jumped to her feet. She muttered something about hay and chickens, before dashing off towards the stables. As she ran, she tried to sort out the blur of emotions in her heart and mind. It was all fuzzy and confusing. This had all happened too fast. You can't fall for someone in the expanse of a morning, she told herself in what she thought to be firm reason, but knew it to be nearer to a weak begging.
In a way, it hadn't been the morning; it had been all seven years he'd been away from her. The fact that she'd forgotten who he was didn't matter. The childhood friendship that had started ages ago had developed into love and affection, no matter how far Link had been during that expanse of time. I don't love him. I don't love him, she repeated over and over to herself in her mind, but knew in her heart that she was lying to herself.
She loved Link, his smile, his laugh, his sapphire blue eyes, and his giving, friendly nature. How she had not seen it before was a wonder. She must have been too wrapped up in doubt and denial to look clearly, and with good reason. She had never felt this way before, and it was definitely the most confusing emotion she'd ever experienced. Love, as she had been told, wasn't supposed to feel like this, full of fear, mistrust and doubt. Loving her father was so much simpler. The affection had been there since her birth, and she knew all along she could trust him with her life.
But Link, he was little better then a stranger, and here she would be throwing her hope and her life at his feet. This couldn't be. She would never surrender to him. Being his friend was difficult enough: her eyes still filled with a haunted fear at the memory of last night. To have fallen in love...
She reached the stable door, wrenched it open, darted inside, and slammed it shut behind her, throwing the large room into darkness, with only the odd crack in the wooden walls as lighting. She leaned against the doorframe and put a hand to her forehead. This was utterly terrible. There were a thousand reasons why she could not allow this love to blossom between her and Link, if he did indeed return these feelings. The most prominent was the fact that she did not and could never trust him. As far as she was concerned, he could turn out to be just as cruel and heartless as Ingo. No one could be trusted.
She heard soft footsteps outside, and the door opened. Link stepped in and his eyes fastened on Malon. The light from outside and the darkness from the stable cast odd shadows on his face, accentuated his long curved nose, his pointed ears, his unusually long lashes and sparkling eyes, before he shut the door and plunged it back into darkness. From the light of the small cracks, she could just make out his dim shape draw closer to her. Cornered between the wall and a stall's fence, she could back up no further from his approach.
"Why do you run from me, Malon? I only want to help you." His voice sounded pained and saddened. Her eyes began to adjust to the blackness around them: she could see his face more clearly. He moved closer. "Please, tell me the truth. If you don't want to be with me anymore, then I'll leave." That sounded like the last thing in the world that he wanted to do.
Her voice came out as a sob. "It's not that, Link. I want to be your friend. I do. It's just... I'm so confused. I-"She felt his hands close around hers and she shuddered with fear and pleasure at his touch. She could feel his breath on her face, they were so close. Too close. But this time, she didn't back away. She couldn't back away. The moment had frozen her in place; if the stable collapsed over their heads, she would not move. She felt a tear drop from her eye and trickle down her cheek. She was terribly afraid. If she thought what was going to happen happened, there would be no turning back. She would have to face her feelings and no longer be able to run from them. And how could she, when Link could be simply worming his way into her affections to hurt her like Ingo did. Like he had last night.
Link whispered her name, and she felt the sigh of the word brush her own lips. Too close. Much, much to close. "Why are you crying, Malon? Why are you afraid?" The light of the cracks in the wall were just enough for her to able to make out his face, concerned and... loving? His hands let go of hers, instead encircling her thin form. They came to rest on her back, overtop of the numerous, still-healing cuts from last night, and she flinched. She hoped he hadn't noticed, but the damage was done. He took his hands away immediately, and his tone became low and cautious, almost dangerous.
"He hits you, doesn't he?"
Her eyes were as wide as they could go, and they glistened wetly. She couldn't lie to him, but she couldn't tell him either. Ingo had forbidden it. But Link became more insistent. "Tell me. He hits you, I know it, but I have to hear you say it. You have to trust me, Malon."
Trust. Yes, trust was good. She looked into Link's eyes, and she could envision all her troubles melting away with the words that she could speak right now. No. She was being childish. Her troubles would not melt away: they would increase tenfold. She must lie, or risk endangering herself and Link as well. She must chase him away. Ingo would kill Link if he knew what was happening right now, and likely flog her within an inch of her life. There was no escaping him, she had to embrace the life she was cursed with, and she must not drag others in with her.
But lying, it was much easier said then done. Especially when you were an inch apart from the prettiest eyes and most handsome face you'd ever seen. I must get away, she thought frantically, before I betray myself. Forcing her legs to move, she pulled away from him with all her might and clawed at the door handle. But he seized her wrist and turned her to face him once more. "Tell me, Malon," Link said almost angrily. "Just tell me!"
She didn't know whether it was his raised tone, or the slight slant to his eyebrows, or the hand on her wrist, but instead of Link's face near her, she saw Ingo's, twisted into such a fury as could ever be imagined. With a scream of pure terror, she threw herself to the ground and curled herself into a protective ball.
"Don't hurt me, please!"
Silence. Malon's quivering slowed a bit, and she had courage enough to open her eyes a slit to peer through a gap in her arms at the figure standing over her, half expecting a raised fist ready to strike. But it was only Link, staring down at her with a face to stricken and pitifully lost that she could not help but sit up. However, she still kept her eyes half- closed, ready in case he really did decide to hit her.
"How could you think that? I would never hurt you, not for anything in the world. How could you say that?" His voice shook, and he looked closer to tears then Malon had ever seen a man. Once again, he seemed to be looking through her at something behind her.
"He hits me, Link." It was the faintest of whispers, but it was enough to bring the young man back to his senses. He dropped to his knees beside her, eyes fastened to her face. She didn't move away. She had started their joint destruction, and nothing could erase it now. Tears fell from her eyes, and before she knew what had happened, she was in Link's arms, crying into his shoulder like a small child. He held her close, careful to avoid touching her where there were whiplashes. They stayed like that for a good ten minutes, sitting against eachother on the stable floors, until Malon's crying had faded to an occasional sniffle.
Finally, Link stood, pulling Malon up along with him. Without a word, he led her to the ladder that went up to her tiny room in the loft. After climbing it, he sat down on her bed, rummaged through his pack, and pulled out a clear glass bottle full of a thick, oozing red liquid. She looked somewhat uneasy, especially when Link asked her to unbutton her blouse.
He rolled his eyes at her look of shock and outrage. "Malon, this is for the sole purpose of healing those marks on your back. I promise I won't try anything." She smiled sheepishly, and after turning her back to him, slipped her top off of her shoulders. The substance he rubbed into her back with gentle strokes gave her a pleasant, tingling, cooling sensation everywhere it touched. When the liquid had sunk into her skin, he blew on it to tickle her, and she arched her shoulders and giggled. It was the first time she'd laughed in a very long time, and when the strange sound hit her ears, she began to cry anew.
"Don't cry. Everything will be okay now, you'll see," Link murmured, wrapping his arms around her bare upper body and resting his chin on her shoulder. Malon had never felt so close to anyone before, neither so safe. Even her father's arms didn't seem to shut out the dangers and her fears quite like Link's did. He even managed to make her forget that she was naked from the waist down. If she could stay here, forever...
She was brought back to her senses when Link kissed her lightly on the cheek, barely more then a brush of his lips. She turned to face him, a look of surprise and wonder on her face. He had a mischievous grin on his.
"You said you wouldn't try anything," she teased, and managed a laugh despite the fluttering in her stomach. "Now hand me my shirt before you violate your promises even more."
"Yes, ma'am," Link mocked, putting on a perfect imitation of a bowing and scraping servant. He tossed her the white blouse, which she buttoned up as quickly as possible, then sat down on the bed facing her, eyes shining. He was so handsome, with his playful smile and his bright eyes. Whatever came over her at that moment, she could never really describe later on. All she knew was that she had to tell him something, and had suddenly gotten this reckless inspiration from deep inside of her that forced the words out of her mouth.
"I love you, Link." She seemed as amazed with herself as he was pleased.
"I love you too, Malon. More then anything else I've ever seen, heard or met."
And before they knew what was happening, they were in eachother's arms, locked in a kiss so powerful, the very triforce couldn't have pulled them apart.
By the next hour, Link was gone, with a promise to return as soon as he could. Malon finished her chores before Ingo returned, feeling lighter and happier then she could ever remember feeling before, and it had nothing to do with the absence of sores on her back. And Ingo was too busy being pleased with current business situation to waste time hitting her.
Over the next week or two, Link came by only once. He rode Epona around the paddock (for a fee, of course), pretended to leave, and then slipped into the stable to see Malon. She lived and breathed for that once encounter. Since Link had come into her life, it had so much more meaning, like a dull painting that had been re-done with new colour and life. His visit had been so wonderful, she'd missed him the minute he'd left...
She had felt a hand on her shoulder, and had turned to see Link gazing down at her adoringly. She had known it was he: Ingo always slammed the doors, and Link had closed it as gently as possible.
She'd spent an hour sitting in his lap against the stable wall, just talking. Link still refused to tell her what he did while he was away, but his fairy, whom he called Navi, came out of his pack to see her. He kept her hidden most of the time so as not to raise suspicion, but when Malon inquired what he meant, he shut up until she changed the subject. Navi was more talkative then Link, and seemed to have an opinion on everything and everyone. Link said she had stored up extra energy while in his pack, so she was overly energetic. Malon was glad of that: she enjoyed the fairy's company very much.
Link still did not remember their previous friendship as children, but when he was told about it, he bombarded her with questions. She told him everything she could recall: their games, their talks, their horseback rides around the ranch. He seemed especially interested in Epona.
She enjoyed herself immensely, sitting in Link's arms and talking the day away, except when Ingo walked in. Link dove into a heap of hay, and Malon pretended to be separating the clumps, all the while covering the young man more thoroughly. Ingo noticed nothing, he simply shouted at her for taking so long with the stable chores. Once Ingo had left, and once Link had emerged from his grave of straw, they made a hasty good-bye, but not too hasty to omit a rather long kiss.
And after Link snuck out of the stable, Malon's knees could not support her any longer, and she sunk to the floor in a daze. That was her first kiss, and it had been incredible.