Disclaimer: Am I really required to say this? Cuz I think it's obvious I don't own Zelda.
A/N: Sure you may hurt Malon, SuperSonicChaos2, but you will be hearing from her lawyer. And I can't do anything about it.
Chapter 3
Malon set down a tray with three cups of tea and a small plate piled high with sugar cookies. She giggled as their faces brightened with almost childish delight at the sight of the treats. Link grabbed a handful of cookies and set them in his lap, taking a whole one in his mouth with one bite. Eric was a little more shy and took one and munched on it.
"So, Link, how high were you thinking of going?" Malon asked, sipping some tea. Link shrugged, shoving another cookie into his mouth and taking a few more from the plate. "I dunno. What do you want for her?"
Malon ran her fingers along her thigh, thoughtfully. "How about 500 rupees?" she suggested. Link began to shrug when Eric suddenly choked on the cookie in his mouth. The Hero of Time patted him on the back. The young apprentice stared up at Link with wide, surprised eyes.
"Whoa! You ok there, buddy?" Link asked. Eric beat on his own chest, his eyes red and watery from the lack of oxygen. "That's a lot of rupees, Link! I don't want to be too much trouble!" he protested.
Link grinned and clapped him on the back again, jolting him forward and almost off the couch. "I told you not to worry about it kid. It's not much." He turned to Malon. "Alright, I except your price, Mal. I'll bring the money tomorrow, kay?" She nodded and set down her cup. "You better remember it too, Link. Remember last time you told me you'd have the money ready by the next day?"
Link blushed and sweatdropped, scratching the back of his head. "I know, I know! I promise this time though!" Malon didn't look thoroughly convinced but she nodded anyway.
Eric stood up and decided to occupy himself. He walked over to the mantle above the fireplace and looked over the objects resting upon it. He saw several pictures. One was of a much younger Malon with whom he presumed was Malon's father and her mother. They all looked so happy in the picture, smiling so brightly without a single unhappy thought in mind.
Eric sighed. He'd never looked that happy in any of his family pictures. He sort of felt...jealous of Malon. That she could be so happy with her family. Eric turned around and, not realizing that he was interrupting a conversation between Link and Malon, pointed to the picture. "Is this your mother and father, Ms. Malon?" he asked.
Malon glanced up and smiled, while Link looked a little annoyed that his chat with the red-headed farmgirl was interrupted. "Yes it is," she replied. Her eyes suddenly became sullen and her smile became a small frown. "But...my mother died when I was young, a few years after that picture was taken..." A single tear slid down her cheek.
Horrified at the thought that he was the one who had made her cry, Eric swung his arm to be in front of him as he held his hands up in a defensive position. Unfortunately, as he made this wide arc, his hand collided with a small vase that had been resting beside the picture. The three of them could only watch as the vase fell to the floor, shattering upon impact and spilling gray ashes all around its broken remains.
Silence as they stared at the mess on the floor. "Gah! I'm so sorry, Ms. Malon!" Eric exclaimed, stooping down to sweep the mess back into the largest pieces that were still able to contain it. "I-I'll clean this up! I'm so sorry!"
Malon stared at the vase, and namely the ashes on the floor. She watched silently as Eric scooped up a handful and dumped it into a shard of the vase, spilling most of it around it. Link watched her, worried. She had a blank, detached look on her face, like she wasn't all there anymore. He turned to his clumsy apprentice.
"Eric! Stop that! You're making it worse!" he said.
And that's when Malon snapped. She walked swiftly and disturbingly calmly over to where Eric kneeled, trying vainly to clean up the mess. Link saw it coming but couldn't make it in time to stop her. She lifted her hand and struck the boy hard across the cheek. His head turned with the impact and his teeth cut into his cheek, causing his mouth to bleed.
"How dare you?! How could you...?!" Malon's voice was breaking up, her throat becoming thick with held back tears. But they broke free and streamed from her cheeks like twin waterfalls, though she had not reached the state of straight out bawling just yet. Eric rubbed his cheek, looking on the verge of tears himself. That slap had really hurt!
"I said I was sorry!" he mumbled, sniffling. Malon shook her head, her long red hair lashing at her cheeks. "Sorry won't bring her back! Sorry won't...bring...." She couldn't finish the statement as she fell to her knees, crying her heart out. Link rushed over and gathered her in his arms and she sobbed into his tunic.
"Oh geez...Eric, do you mind waiting outside for me?" Eric looked like he was going to protest, when Link gave him a look that told him to shut up and do what he was told. "I'll take care of this, just go!" the hero said through gritted teeth, all the while stroking Malon's mane of red hair. Eric nodded, took one last look at Malon, and rushed outside.
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Eric leaned against the wall opposite the ranch house, a solemn look plastered onto his young features. He rubbed at his cheek that had become a slight blue, wincing lightly. The door to the house swung open and Link stepped out into the waning sunlight, the last remaining rays shining on his face. Eric ran to meet him at the door and tried to peer in around his new master but could see no sign of Malon.
Link motioned for him to follow and he agreed, silently. Even though he wanted to be anything but silent. When they had reached Epona and Black Thunder, Link finally turned back around to face him.
"She's alright now. I calmed her down," Link said, answering Eric's unasked but obvious question. Eric looked relieved. "Oh. That's good. 'Cause...I said I was so sorry and she just-"
"I know," Link interrupted. "It's just that her mother is a sensitive subject and...that vase you knocked over held her...remains..." Eric's eyes widened. He clenched his fists and glared at his shoes. "She must've felt awful...I'm such a clutz! She probably hates me now!"
Link placed a consoling hand on his shoulder. "No. No she doesn't. When I finally calmed her down, she told me that she was sorry she hit you, that she overreacted. She told me that she hopes you forgive her." Eric stared up at him. "Really?" Link grinned. "Yeah. Mal's not the type of girl to hold a grudge against someone, ya know?" The blond man patted him on the back. "Come on, let's go."
Link secured Black Thunder's saddle and helped the young lad mount her. When he was sure that he was safe on the mare's back, he hopped onto Epona and together they rode out of the ranch.
Out in the field, the two riders traveled at a mild canter, Link enjoying the wind in his hair, while Eric tried to keep Malon's cookies in his stomach. Link glanced over at him and laughed. The younger boy heard his laughter and glared at him, but his mare went over a bump and he suddenly wished he hadn't eaten so many cookies.
Taking several deep breaths to calm his tempestuous stomach, Eric called out to Link. "Where are we headed?" he yelled over the wind. Link raised an eyebrow at him and raised a hand to gesture at the sky. "To your home. It's late," he replied.
"Oh." Eric looked disappointed and Link saw this. "Don't worry, Eric. I'll pick you up tomorrow and maybe take you back to the ranch to see Malon," he said. Eric smiled a bit. 'That would be nice,' he thought, 'I'd get to apologize and then I won't feel so horrible about what I did.'
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"What?!" Link exclaimed, standing outside the door to Eric's abode. A sack full of Eric's belongings was on the door step beside him. Galan sighed as if it was a nuisance to repeat himself. "This isn't his home anymore, I said. Now that he's your apprentice, you gotta take him to your home. That's where he's gonna live from now on."
He started to shut the door but Link shoved his foot in its path, effectively stopping it from closing. "You've got a lot of fine print in your request, mister! You never told me he has to live with me!" Link growled. Galan frowned. "Well, I just told you now, didn't I? Now, if you don't mind, we are having a family meal. Goodnight." With this firm statement, the burly man pushed Link, knocking him off balance, essentially removing his foot from the door's path and slammed the door shut in his face.
Link stood there several seconds more, amazed that he had slammed the door in his face. He clenched his fists at his sides, and in an outrage, stomped back over to where Eric had been waiting, within earshot of the entire conversation. He was staring at the ground, petting his new mare absent-mindedly.
Link kicked the dirt up, his hands shoved in his pockets as he gazed at the boy, knowing that he had heard everything. Pulling one hand out of his pocket, Link scratched the back of his head. "Hey, uh-"
"I guess I'm not considered family to him..." the brunette murmured mostly to himself. Link frowned at this statement and was about to say something, when his apprentice continued. "I guess I should've seen this coming. I'm sorry I didn't warn you." Link shook his head. "None of this is your fault."
Eric gave him an empty smile, devoid of all of what made smiles...well, smiles. "Well, to look on the bright side, there's plenty of room in the castle, right?" he asked hopefully. Link turned away from him, heading for Epona. "Contrary to popular belief, Eric, I don't live in the castle," Link replied. The blond man rubbed his temples. He was slowly growing a headache, a headache he had a feeling he was going to have for a long time.
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Whoa! That was a little angsty. Well, I hope you liked it!
-LunaRyuu
A/N: Sure you may hurt Malon, SuperSonicChaos2, but you will be hearing from her lawyer. And I can't do anything about it.
Chapter 3
Malon set down a tray with three cups of tea and a small plate piled high with sugar cookies. She giggled as their faces brightened with almost childish delight at the sight of the treats. Link grabbed a handful of cookies and set them in his lap, taking a whole one in his mouth with one bite. Eric was a little more shy and took one and munched on it.
"So, Link, how high were you thinking of going?" Malon asked, sipping some tea. Link shrugged, shoving another cookie into his mouth and taking a few more from the plate. "I dunno. What do you want for her?"
Malon ran her fingers along her thigh, thoughtfully. "How about 500 rupees?" she suggested. Link began to shrug when Eric suddenly choked on the cookie in his mouth. The Hero of Time patted him on the back. The young apprentice stared up at Link with wide, surprised eyes.
"Whoa! You ok there, buddy?" Link asked. Eric beat on his own chest, his eyes red and watery from the lack of oxygen. "That's a lot of rupees, Link! I don't want to be too much trouble!" he protested.
Link grinned and clapped him on the back again, jolting him forward and almost off the couch. "I told you not to worry about it kid. It's not much." He turned to Malon. "Alright, I except your price, Mal. I'll bring the money tomorrow, kay?" She nodded and set down her cup. "You better remember it too, Link. Remember last time you told me you'd have the money ready by the next day?"
Link blushed and sweatdropped, scratching the back of his head. "I know, I know! I promise this time though!" Malon didn't look thoroughly convinced but she nodded anyway.
Eric stood up and decided to occupy himself. He walked over to the mantle above the fireplace and looked over the objects resting upon it. He saw several pictures. One was of a much younger Malon with whom he presumed was Malon's father and her mother. They all looked so happy in the picture, smiling so brightly without a single unhappy thought in mind.
Eric sighed. He'd never looked that happy in any of his family pictures. He sort of felt...jealous of Malon. That she could be so happy with her family. Eric turned around and, not realizing that he was interrupting a conversation between Link and Malon, pointed to the picture. "Is this your mother and father, Ms. Malon?" he asked.
Malon glanced up and smiled, while Link looked a little annoyed that his chat with the red-headed farmgirl was interrupted. "Yes it is," she replied. Her eyes suddenly became sullen and her smile became a small frown. "But...my mother died when I was young, a few years after that picture was taken..." A single tear slid down her cheek.
Horrified at the thought that he was the one who had made her cry, Eric swung his arm to be in front of him as he held his hands up in a defensive position. Unfortunately, as he made this wide arc, his hand collided with a small vase that had been resting beside the picture. The three of them could only watch as the vase fell to the floor, shattering upon impact and spilling gray ashes all around its broken remains.
Silence as they stared at the mess on the floor. "Gah! I'm so sorry, Ms. Malon!" Eric exclaimed, stooping down to sweep the mess back into the largest pieces that were still able to contain it. "I-I'll clean this up! I'm so sorry!"
Malon stared at the vase, and namely the ashes on the floor. She watched silently as Eric scooped up a handful and dumped it into a shard of the vase, spilling most of it around it. Link watched her, worried. She had a blank, detached look on her face, like she wasn't all there anymore. He turned to his clumsy apprentice.
"Eric! Stop that! You're making it worse!" he said.
And that's when Malon snapped. She walked swiftly and disturbingly calmly over to where Eric kneeled, trying vainly to clean up the mess. Link saw it coming but couldn't make it in time to stop her. She lifted her hand and struck the boy hard across the cheek. His head turned with the impact and his teeth cut into his cheek, causing his mouth to bleed.
"How dare you?! How could you...?!" Malon's voice was breaking up, her throat becoming thick with held back tears. But they broke free and streamed from her cheeks like twin waterfalls, though she had not reached the state of straight out bawling just yet. Eric rubbed his cheek, looking on the verge of tears himself. That slap had really hurt!
"I said I was sorry!" he mumbled, sniffling. Malon shook her head, her long red hair lashing at her cheeks. "Sorry won't bring her back! Sorry won't...bring...." She couldn't finish the statement as she fell to her knees, crying her heart out. Link rushed over and gathered her in his arms and she sobbed into his tunic.
"Oh geez...Eric, do you mind waiting outside for me?" Eric looked like he was going to protest, when Link gave him a look that told him to shut up and do what he was told. "I'll take care of this, just go!" the hero said through gritted teeth, all the while stroking Malon's mane of red hair. Eric nodded, took one last look at Malon, and rushed outside.
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Eric leaned against the wall opposite the ranch house, a solemn look plastered onto his young features. He rubbed at his cheek that had become a slight blue, wincing lightly. The door to the house swung open and Link stepped out into the waning sunlight, the last remaining rays shining on his face. Eric ran to meet him at the door and tried to peer in around his new master but could see no sign of Malon.
Link motioned for him to follow and he agreed, silently. Even though he wanted to be anything but silent. When they had reached Epona and Black Thunder, Link finally turned back around to face him.
"She's alright now. I calmed her down," Link said, answering Eric's unasked but obvious question. Eric looked relieved. "Oh. That's good. 'Cause...I said I was so sorry and she just-"
"I know," Link interrupted. "It's just that her mother is a sensitive subject and...that vase you knocked over held her...remains..." Eric's eyes widened. He clenched his fists and glared at his shoes. "She must've felt awful...I'm such a clutz! She probably hates me now!"
Link placed a consoling hand on his shoulder. "No. No she doesn't. When I finally calmed her down, she told me that she was sorry she hit you, that she overreacted. She told me that she hopes you forgive her." Eric stared up at him. "Really?" Link grinned. "Yeah. Mal's not the type of girl to hold a grudge against someone, ya know?" The blond man patted him on the back. "Come on, let's go."
Link secured Black Thunder's saddle and helped the young lad mount her. When he was sure that he was safe on the mare's back, he hopped onto Epona and together they rode out of the ranch.
Out in the field, the two riders traveled at a mild canter, Link enjoying the wind in his hair, while Eric tried to keep Malon's cookies in his stomach. Link glanced over at him and laughed. The younger boy heard his laughter and glared at him, but his mare went over a bump and he suddenly wished he hadn't eaten so many cookies.
Taking several deep breaths to calm his tempestuous stomach, Eric called out to Link. "Where are we headed?" he yelled over the wind. Link raised an eyebrow at him and raised a hand to gesture at the sky. "To your home. It's late," he replied.
"Oh." Eric looked disappointed and Link saw this. "Don't worry, Eric. I'll pick you up tomorrow and maybe take you back to the ranch to see Malon," he said. Eric smiled a bit. 'That would be nice,' he thought, 'I'd get to apologize and then I won't feel so horrible about what I did.'
---------------------
"What?!" Link exclaimed, standing outside the door to Eric's abode. A sack full of Eric's belongings was on the door step beside him. Galan sighed as if it was a nuisance to repeat himself. "This isn't his home anymore, I said. Now that he's your apprentice, you gotta take him to your home. That's where he's gonna live from now on."
He started to shut the door but Link shoved his foot in its path, effectively stopping it from closing. "You've got a lot of fine print in your request, mister! You never told me he has to live with me!" Link growled. Galan frowned. "Well, I just told you now, didn't I? Now, if you don't mind, we are having a family meal. Goodnight." With this firm statement, the burly man pushed Link, knocking him off balance, essentially removing his foot from the door's path and slammed the door shut in his face.
Link stood there several seconds more, amazed that he had slammed the door in his face. He clenched his fists at his sides, and in an outrage, stomped back over to where Eric had been waiting, within earshot of the entire conversation. He was staring at the ground, petting his new mare absent-mindedly.
Link kicked the dirt up, his hands shoved in his pockets as he gazed at the boy, knowing that he had heard everything. Pulling one hand out of his pocket, Link scratched the back of his head. "Hey, uh-"
"I guess I'm not considered family to him..." the brunette murmured mostly to himself. Link frowned at this statement and was about to say something, when his apprentice continued. "I guess I should've seen this coming. I'm sorry I didn't warn you." Link shook his head. "None of this is your fault."
Eric gave him an empty smile, devoid of all of what made smiles...well, smiles. "Well, to look on the bright side, there's plenty of room in the castle, right?" he asked hopefully. Link turned away from him, heading for Epona. "Contrary to popular belief, Eric, I don't live in the castle," Link replied. The blond man rubbed his temples. He was slowly growing a headache, a headache he had a feeling he was going to have for a long time.
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Whoa! That was a little angsty. Well, I hope you liked it!
-LunaRyuu