Author's Note: People have spoken and have shown little to no interest in this, I have decided I will leave it up for people to enjoy the writing, but the story itself is now considered a waste of time and discontinued.
Childish Things.
Late in the twilight hours, Malon sat at the table by her bed in a dim room lit only by the flickering of a candle. With a quiet yawn, she set the book she had been reading down and listened to the low rumbling of thunder outside.
The rain was pouring down, bringing a sense of worry, not just for her precious animals, but a…. boy she had taken to waiting nightly for in hopes he would appear.
Like so many of the fantasy books she would read, how he traipsed about with his cute little sword and shield brought fantasies of princes and princesses, knights and damsels, and well….
"…"
Secretly, she'd fantasize throughout the day as she did her chores that they were in those fables together. Though she'd never tell due to the embarrassment it brought her heart, she still wished it to be true.
Being caught up in the fanciful dreams of adventure and love was her favorite pastime, and as her "Fairy Boy's" presence took center stage in her mind, she had taken to anxiously waiting for his return with ever-increasing trepidation.
He always did, but "when" was the mystery. Even so, she would only eat half her dinner and hide the rest in case he might show up with an empty stomach. Even her sleep had been stretched thin despite an early rise. Day after day became exhausting, but she persisted, not wanting to miss his arrival.
As Malon let out a sigh and heard the loud boom of thunder from outside, she stood up and watched her shadow dance on the wall. It was so warm and cozy here in her room, and the bed called to her….
She stretched her arms out and moved towards it but stopped when she thought she heard a noise. She turned towards her door and listened, but besides the muffled snoring of her father, there was naught but heavy rain beating against her roof.
"…"
"You're hearin' things, Malon…." She reassured herself.
Her long, red hair swayed with the shake of her head, but when the noise came again, she shifted her eyes toward the window. It was at this very moment her heart skipped a beat. Everything she had been waiting for had finally come again, and she dashed to the shutters in her excitement.
Tossing them aside a bit too loud, she pulled up the window in front of her, and the wind splashed some rain into her face as she looked out. The dim fire that burned from the lantern out front illuminated the small boy standing before her home.
At first, she felt like she might shout, but she controlled herself enough to glance him over. He seemed exhausted from his expression, and with harder scrutiny, she thought she saw what appeared to be blood on his face.
Once he waived her down, she held up her hand, knowing the routine, and hastily turned away from the window. Quickly, she raced to what she had prepared for him and shoved it inside a pillowcase. After that, she opened her bedroom door and looked downstairs from her vantage point.
Her father was fast asleep as usual, and the cuccos were all nestled lovingly around him. Despite his laziness and forgetfulness, he was loving and kind to her and the animals.
Knowing she'd have better chances of waking the dead, she merely went down the steps and grabbed hold of the spare key hanging from the hook by the table. She glanced at her father and moved back up the steps to join her friend.
Back in her room, she grabbed some extra bedsheets, an old dress, a pocket knife, and a tinderbox, after which she haphazardly threw everything she had into the pillowcase. Tying it with a string, she blew her candle out and looked out the window once more.
He was still waiting there as always, and she quickly climbed out onto her roof, shutting the window as she went. The breeze was stiff, and it blew her dress around roughly, so she held onto the window frame with her free hand.
She tossed the tied pillowcase down to him using her other hand, and he caught it effortlessly. Now more able to move without carrying something, she shuffled her way to the side of the building with the intent to climb down.
Unfortunately, as her boot moved along the shingles that made up the roof, she slipped due to its slickness. Before Malon could even scream, she toppled down into a roll and fell into a sudden drop.
Shutting her eyes in terror, she braced herself to land on her back, but when she slammed into something soft, she let out a gentle huff.
"Ooof…"
Opening her eyes, she was met face-to-face with Fairy Boy. His long, blond hair dripped the rain from his soaked bangs, and his gentle eyes examined her for even a hint of injury. Despite catching her bridal style, he was attentive to her well-being, just in case.
When the moment of brief intimacy and thankfulness left Malon, she saw he was minorly injured from his journey and quickly reciprocated his attentiveness.
"Aw… I'm fine, Fairy Boy…." She said calmly and removed herself from his grasp.
He didn't respond as usual, but once she was standing before him, he grabbed hold of the pillowcase he had dropped to catch her. Overwhelmed with girlish elation, Malon quickly grabbed hold of him to embrace him.
Caught off guard, he let out a grunt of surprise as she spoke to him. "I was gettin' worried…. Please tell me you are goin' to be stickin' around for more than just tonight…."
When she let go of him, he nodded slowly, bringing her comfort. Taking hold of his hand, she looked out into the darkness of the ranch and began to pull him onward.
"C'mon Fairy Boy, let's get you all cozy…."
He followed without protest, and she dragged him on through the heavy rain and flashes of lightning. Typically, such things would scare Malon out here in the dead of night, but with Fairy Boy, it was easygoing.
When at last they'd reached the far end of the ranch and stopped at the cow storage mill, Malon let go of his hand and shuffled into her pockets for the key. Finding it, she unlatched the door and let them both inside.
Now sheltered from the storm, she shut the door behind them and relocked it for safety. Grabbing hold of the pillowcase from him, she rummaged through it until she found the tinderbox. Using it, she lit the kerosene lantern hanging just by the door.
The sudden illumination of the lantern made things feel warm and cozy once again, and she was quick to grab hold of it. "C'mon Fairy Boy… I made sure your spot was nice and hidden back here…."
Malon led him to the plethora of crates and milk jugs scattered about. After which, she pointed to the few boxes that were now stacked and shoved against the wall.
"I… Well, it took some doin', but I managed to move that one crate to keep it out of sight…." She said.
It stood out to him when he glanced at the lone crate by the wall, as the rest were stacked halfway to the ceiling, likely by Ingo. He moved over and, using his strength, slowly pulled it away from the wall until it revealed the small crevice they usually crawled through.
"…"
With it freely open, Malon stepped forward and shuffled herself close to the hole, after which he pulled the crate closer to the wall to hide them better. Malon then got down and began dragging herself through the crawlspace, guiding herself with the lantern and dragging the light pillowcase alongside her.
By the time they both reached the other end, they were in a cozy, hidden room. One containing a bed made of dry straw, a few scattered books, and an old, beaten chest for which to store things.
Malon placed the lantern down, which was perfect for lighting the cramped space and providing some heat to it. After that, she opened the pillowcase and began pulling things out.
"Here…. It ain't much, but it will hold you over til' mornin'." Malon said as she pushed over the wrapped plate of food.
When he undid the cloth, he could see the remains of a cucco that had been thoroughly cooked. There was also a collection of bread in various states of staleness, but he was not the type to be picky on an empty stomach.
Along with that was a container of water and some fresh milk for him to drink or take with him. He looked up, and it was as if he was about to say something, but Malon stopped that intent by asking him a question.
"Hey, Fairy Boy…. Where's your fairy gone to?"
He smiled slightly and quietly took off his hat, revealing Navi, who had been hiding in it. The fairy's blue light, mixed with the lantern's reddish glow and created what could only be described as a transcendent and magical purple that covered the room.
Malon couldn't help but think it was beautiful and gawked in awe until Navi eventually hid back under his discarded hat. As the moment passed, Malon quietly began cutting up the old dress she'd brought with the pocket knife.
It confused him at first but eventually made sense when she shuffled her way over and began wrapping up his nasty cuts with the strips of "bandages" she had created.
"Sorry… this is all I got…." She eventually said with a hint of embarrassment.
Fairy Boy stared at her quietly, and she finished tying up his forehead. Afterward, she averted her gaze shyly because he was gawking at her.
"…"
Once he was relatively patched up and had begun eating what was left of her collected meals that were still suitable for consumption, she placed her spare bedsheets beside him so that he would have blankets with his bed.
"Hopefully, this will help you until you are gonna' set out again…." Malon said, trying to hide her sadness over the eventuality.
He just looked down and picked at his cucco quietly, after which he said the first thing of the night.
"Thanks…."
Malon felt heat in her cheeks and nodded, placing her balled-up fists in her lap as she sat. "I… Well… It weren't nothin'."
The room became silent after briefly exchanging words, and as Malon watched him, she began to feel like she understood him more. His lack of speech wasn't because of an inability to do so but likely as a result of possible trauma or mistreatment.
She'd seen what'd happened to kids in castle town who were bullied by other kids, and in comparing the two, she felt this was similar.
"…"
"I… Uh… Well, Fairy Boy… I don' mean to be too forward, but would you mind if I asked you a personal question?"
When she said that, he looked up at her, and she could see the curiosity in his expression, then he nodded in response.
On and off for weeks, she had been allowing him to stay here secretly when he needed, and unbeknownst to him, starving herself to feed him. So, it was a relief that he would allow her to speak to him beyond pleasantries or simple conversing.
"Well, I was wonderin' if maybe the reason you didn't talk much was due to people bein' mean to you."
At first, he seemed caught off guard by the statement, but as he seemed to be thinking on it, Malon got the terrible feeling it was wrong to say such a thing.
"I… Well… I shouldn't have said tha…." She began but was cut off by his response.
"Yeah… I never really belonged where I grew up… Mido would always say terrible things to me, but even still, there were Kokori who genuinely cared about me there…."
Fairy Boy's vulnerability was apparent to Malon, and despite being young, her emotional intelligence was relatively high. She merely nodded, and rather than pity him or say, "I'm so sorry," she said what really came to her mind first.
"Well, ifin' you need me to beat up this Mido fella,' I bet I can do it… bullies are all cowards."
Malon's earnest yet visceral response could do nothing more than elicit a chuckle from him, and he shook his head before speaking more confidently than usual. "I think anyone could beat up Mido… Even the Great Deku tree of the forest, who couldn't move…."
"Hehehe…" Malon briefly giggled, feeling the joy of him speaking in a way that, in her mind, was meant to be humorous. After that bit of laughter, she continued speaking.
"Well, just know, Fairy Boy, you don' have to be quiet around me…."
He gently wrapped his lower half in the sheet he was brought and then drank water before speaking. "Well…. Thanks' Malon… Really…."
There was a collective and relieving silence that permeated the room. Though neither spoke on it, Malon felt they had grown slightly closer.
The sounds and rumbles of thunder boomed, but it felt utterly safe to be here, hidden away from the rest of Hyrule. Eventually, Malon watched as Fairy Boy took off his sword and wooden shield and gently placed them by the chest, after which she began nervously playing with her shimmering red hair.
Fairy Boy kept eying her, and she hoped it was as if he thought she was lovely. Still, her fantasy books played a huge role in her interpretation, and rather than assume, she decided to be bold and take a step forward in the conversation.
"I… well, you don' mind if I call you Fairy Boy, do you?" She asked sheepishly concerning her pet name.
He blinked when he heard her question and eventually shook his head. "No… What else would you call me?"
The question seemed odd initially, but then Malon realized it was all she knew. "Well, how bout' your real name?"
He thought for a moment but then uttered a response unconfrontationally. "Link…."
Malon grinned from ear to ear, and she leaned back against the wall. "Well, that name is nice! I still am gonna' call you Fairy Boy a lot, though."
Link beamed back, and from their outward display of odd maturity sprouted forth a giggling puerile innocence that can only exist when you are below the age of thirteen.
Once the small and spontaneous laughing fit that erupted was done being shared between the two, Link reached into a pouch and, after rummaging through it, offered his closed fist to her. "Here…. This is for everything you have done for me…."
Malon was shocked he would think so much of her when not here, and also found herself utterly unsure of what it could be, but even still, her heart beat faster than it ever had before.
When she reached out and touched his hand, he opened it, revealing a rupee. Not just any rupee, but a shining and exotic silver one.
"I… W-wha…?" She stammered, surprised to see such a thing. Being on a ten rupee-a-week allowance was the best she ever hoped for, but here was 100 staring her right in the face.
"I… I can't accept this, Link…." She protested earnestly but stopped when he grabbed her lightly calloused hand and placed it in her palm.
"I find a lot of things traveling about…. Consider this rupee thanks for making my life easier when I need to rest…." He reassured her.
Malon stared blankly at the expensive denomination, worth even more to collectors in this part of Hyrule due to its scarcity. Placing it in her lap, she could do naught but watch it twinkle in the lantern light, and it was at this point she realized that it was so precious to her that she would keep it close to her for all time.
With his gift given, Malon now had to consider if she wanted to go through with what she had intended. While Link sat there nestled sleepily in the sheets watching her, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, cloth handkerchief.
"Here…. I kept wonderin' if I would see you again, given you have been gone for so long, so I wanted to give you this…."
Link took the cloth curiously, and after examining it, he unfolded it to reveal what was inside it. To his surprise, it appeared to be some sort of pendant, a heart-shaped one, in fact.
As he scrutinized it, he saw that the beautiful reddish-pink gem that once sat inside was broken and had only a tiny sliver of it embedded into the golden trinket.
"I know it ain't nothin' compared to what you gave me," Malon began in a low tone. "but that used to be my mother's, and even though it ain't complete any longer, I figure you could use it to remember me by…."
Link seemed beyond flattered by the sentimental gift, and as he lifted the pendant from the cloth, he held it above his head to inspect it and watch it twinkle in the lantern light.
His examination of the object put him in thought as if he recognized or adored some part of it, but just as easily, he might secretly see it as useless rubbish.
Malon felt bad her gift was invaluable and damaged, but it was as if she was giving him a piece of her actual heart to take with him on his adventure.
It was hard to part with mentally, but in all honesty, she had other heirlooms of her mother's, and this one she considered childishly symbolic of her feelings for Fairy Boy.
Link lowered the pendant and quietly added it to his pouch. He seemed grateful as if holding it gave him new resolve and strength for what was to come.
"Thanks' Malon…." He eventually said and placed himself comfortably on the hay.
Malon did nothing more than grin and watch as he began to rest next to her in this safe haven. After more time had passed, it was evident to her that Fairy Boy had fallen asleep from exhaustion.
He seemed at peace here, and it warmed her heart. She wasn't one to have many friends, given that she lived outside of Hyrule Market Town, but with him here, she felt like she had someone her age to bond with.
After all, was said and done, she reached down and snuffed out the lantern, leaving the room completely dark. Now at peace and with her excitement leaving her, she let out a deep yawn of her own.
Tomorrow would be tough to get through, but at the very least, tonight felt like the best night of all in a long while.
With quiet calmness, Malon nestled herself on the side of the hay to give her head some comfort, and before she knew it, she had fallen into a deep slumber, the likes of which she had not known for months.
"…."
…
…
…
…
"Malon!"
…
…
…
…
"Malon, dangit, where did you get off to!?" Talon's slightly befuddled voice pierced the small room she had been resting in.
"Hm…?" Malon groggily moaned as she opened her eyes, and could see the blue light of Navi circling overhead.
Beside her was Link, who appeared to be well-rested and put together. As Malon rubbed her sleepy eyes, she heard her father again.
"Malon! It's half past eleven! C'mon, we've got deliveries to make!"
The second she heard that she felt her heart freeze in her chest, and she scrambled up, bonking her head against the ceiling.
"Ow! Damnit! My father is gonna' kill me!" She panicked and quickly began shuffling her way through the crawl space before Link could even interject.
When she reached the other side, she pushed her tiny body against the large crate and slowly began moving it. Eventually, when Link appeared, he effortlessly pushed it out of the way for her.
Malon raced to the door and began rummaging through her pocket until she found the key. Then she quickly unlatched the lock and spilled out into the bright daylight. She put her hand in front of her eyes to shield them because of how much it hurt, but as her vision adjusted, she could see her father stumbling over to her.
"There you are! I been worried sick!" He shouted in a minorly slurred but clearly annoyed voice. Then, as Link stumbled out behind her, he eyed the both of them.
"Just what is goin' on here, Malon? You know we have work to do! There ain't time to play today!"
Talon was clearly cross but holding it back due to his own mistakes of recent times. It seemed he was afraid of Malon's anger more than she was of his.
Malon shook her head, and after a brief thought, she lied. "Sorry, dad…. Fairy Boy stopped by this mornin', and he was mighty hungry, so I told him if he helped with the busy work today, we'd give him some grub."
Talon eyed Link, who was silent, and then he smiled a bit as if his mood spontaneously shifted. "Is that so, boy? You wanna' do some work?"
Link sheepishly nodded, seeming unsure of what "work" entailed, but as he watched Talon sway back and forth, Link quickly hid his "bandaged" hand.
Talon had already seen it, but rather than get into it, he just turned away with the aid of the building wall, then spoke. "Alright, you two, meet me at the wagon…. We'll head on to the market and get the deliveries done…. Then, I'll buy us a nice lunch…. How's that sound?"
Link was quiet, but Malon spoke with elation on the matter. "Really!?"
Talon laughed with a cough and then staggered around before he began walking. "Of course, not every day your little friend comes by, anyway. Seems like a special occasion to me."
"…."
Malon and Link glanced at each other, and the ease at which they'd gotten away with this was utterly apparent. Either way, Malon turned to Link and muttered an apology.
"I…. I'm sorry, Fairy Boy, about my dad…. well…. and I know you're busy, but it was all that I could think of in the moment…."
Link merely smiled at her and shook his head. "No…. I am still really sore from running around Death Mountain…. I…. Delivering things sounds nice and easy…."
Malon's eyes widened, and she was somewhat disbelieving. "Are you kiddin' me…. Death Mountain?"
Link grinned some more and responded as they began walking. "Yup…. I have been all over."
Malon seemed at a loss but eventually responded to him. "I dunno' what you were doin', but I am sure it was important if you were all the way up there…."
At this point, Link became quiet again. He was always tight-lipped about what he'd been doing, but Malon was smart enough to recognize that some things weren't her business.
As they made it halfway there, Link broke the silence and asked her an odd question.
"Hey, Malon…. This pendant you gave me…. Do you think there is a way to fix it if we were to find all the pieces of the gem?"
Malon stopped walking when he said that and stared at him, then she laughed. "Hell no, Fairy Boy…. The pieces of that are long-gone…."
Link thought for a moment and then rummaged through his little pouch. After a few seconds, he pulled out a pinkish-red sliver that looked incredibly similar to the one in the pendant.
Malon couldn't believe it and then blurted out her immediate thought. "Where did you find that!?"
Link rubbed the back of his head and answered. "Well, when you gave me the pendant last night, I thought it looked familiar…. Then, after a good night's rest, I remembered that I won a similar-looking sliver at the new Bombchu Bowling Alley that opened in the market days before seeing you."
"…" Malon was perplexed, but eventually, she decided to tell Link something personal she'd never told another kid.
"I…. Well, I suppose it's possible to find all those pieces somehow…. When my mother was young, she used to travel around Hyrule, and realizin' she had a precious gem, she would divvy it up to get things she needed as she traveled."
Malon took a short breath as she began to walk again, then continued her story. "Twas' about ten or more years ago, my mother went to Hyrule Market Town lookin' for a boyfriend. My dad says that's where they met, and I…. Well, before my mother… uhm…. left us, she'd given him nothin' more than some trinkets and a handful of stories…."
Malon's voice cracked as she finished, as it was hard to think about her mom. Though she barely remembered her, the fact that she was abandoned left her with the shame of being a bastard in the eyes of others.
Link quietly looked down and spoke to her calmly. "I'm sorry, Malon…. I didn't mean to make you bring up something like that."
Malon sniffled and rubbed the tears from her eyes that had formed and pretended as if it didn't matter to her. "It ain't nothin', Link…. I am just tellin' you that the pieces of it could be in anyone's hands, some possibly even lost in the wild…. Twenty years or more around Hyrule is a long time."
Link didn't seem to be buying her acting, but ultimately, he didn't press further. When they finally reached the loaded wagon, Talon sat in the driver's seat, sweating profusely but ready to head out.
"Alright, kids, settle in. We've gotta' make up for lost time."
Malon quickly climbed into the seat beside her father as Link climbed into the back with the milk jugs. He leaned over the cart's back frame so he could look forward next to Malon as they rode along.
With everyone loaded in, Mr. Ingo sauntered by and eyed the three, ready to head out. He seemed utterly miserable and disinterested in Link but stopped when Talon spoke to him affably.
"Alright, Ingo, we're headin' out, so make sure you do the entire barn, then there is some house cleaning that needs doin'."
Ingo glared and just nodded. "Sure thing, boss…."
His animosity was clear to everyone but Talon, and he just nodded at Ingo in his semi-dazed state before setting the wagon in motion toward Hyrule Market Town.
…
The wagon ride was slow and steady, and the breeze was relatively nice against Malon's skin as they rode. Link was not talkative like usual, but as Talon's hands started to shake visibly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a flask.
"…."
Malon was quiet when she saw him open it and swig the liquid down but then hesitantly spoke on the matter. "Didn't you promise….?"
Talon eyed her and put it back in his pocket before speaking. "It's no big deal, Malon, it's my medicine, you know that…. A little won't hurt the job…."
Malon felt sad and mistrustful, but she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt because Link was here. "Well…. Ok…."
Talon shook his head as he snapped on the reigns of the horses. Then he spoke in a lively manner to distract from the tender issue.
"Aw shucks, this is a nice day, Malon. Whata' you guys say we pass some time singin'?!"
Malon was quiet at first, but she eventually smiled due to his playful and energetic tone. Once Talon saw that he had her, he began to sing loud and off-tune.
"Ninety-nine bottles of milk at Lon-Lon, Ninety-nine bottles of milk!"
Malon half-heartedly laughed, then continued the next verse, but unlike Talon, her voice was very much in tune and beautiful. "You take one down, sell it in town~!"
The song stopped, and Link became visibly red when they both stared at him to finish.
"…"
"Uhm… Ninety-eight bottles of milk at Lon-Lon?"
Malon clapped while giggling at Link, and Talon let out an addled chuckle as he took another swig. "That's the spirit, boy! Can't go on to market without singin' our song!"
Link seemed humiliated, but likely not as much as Malon was at this point. At least for her, she now had Link and this song to ignore reality with.
After a moment of silence, Malon began the song again, but this time, Talon took the second verse. Link seemed more confident this time and tried to sing with more effort. This made both Talon and Malon clap for his enthusiastic participation, and Link began the chain when the third round came up
.
The rhythm grew as time passed, and the three were lost in the joyous and delightful song. When they drew nearer to Hyrule Market Town, the song had elevated, and now they were trying to sing it as fast as possible.
"C'mon Link, we gotta' finish before we enter!" Malon shouted as they drew to the last line of the lengthy song.
The cart bumped along the drawbridge, and Link shouted the last bit of it in what appeared to be a hurried panic.
"ZEROBOTTLESOFMILKATLON-LON!"
Talon whistled in dizzy celebration as they made it before the gate and chortled incoherently as they drew into town. Malon ignored him and instead continued her excitement with Link.
"We did it! With three people, no less!" She said.
Link breathed in, and despite the foolishness of it, it was more fun than one would expect when a goal was set, and three people were working together at it.
Now that the wagon had calmed from this victory, the sounds of stringed instruments, flutes, and percussion filled the area. It was crazy busy, and they had a lot to unload.
Talon eyed Link and then began to speak in a slurred, loud manner. "Alright, you two, yer job is to unload the wagons. Since Mr. Ingo loaded it this morning, I'll be sittin' here with the cart an' make sure nobody steals nothin'."
Malon nodded slowly with a frown, and Link just went to the back of the cart. Normally, Talon would do this part as well, but Malon figured with Link here, he would use him as an excuse….
It angered her somewhat, but when she saw how much Link could carry in his arms, it made her realize they'd finish early.
"Tarnation' boy! Yeh can carry that much stuffs without breakin' a sweat?" Talon commented as he took a deep swig from the flask and wiped his mouth.
Link just stared, and rather than respond, he walked away carrying a load of jugs.
Talon scratched his head before letting out a belch, then looked at Malon. "That kids is strong, but he's a bit weird. Ain't he?"
Malon scowled without acknowledging his words and grabbed a heavy jug herself. "Well, we'll get to doin' this dad…. Just make sure nobody steals anything…."
As her dad drank another swig and waived her off, she stumbled a little with the heavy jug, but ultimately, she felt slightly ok with this. Her dad wanted to drink…. and put it on Link to do his whole part, but it also kept her dad from getting in the way or making a scene.
"…"
Malon approached the bakery, then she set the heavy jug down once inside the open door and wiped her brow. She wasn't that strong and watching Link effortlessly carry multiple jugs to different stores while her dad yelled confused instructions to him made her feel ashamed of herself and her family.
"…"
"Ah, here you are, Miss Malon!" The baker interrupted her thoughts, and he reached his hand out to offer her a cloth sack.
Malon took it absent-mindedly and looked inside. It contained 200 rupees comprised of varying colors. It seemed like a lot to her, but she knew it was for multiple deliveries made throughout the month. Still, her dad had to be doing well, given that he pulled in more a month every year.
"Thanks…." She said shyly after realizing she was just standing there staring.
As she turned and walked out the door she entered, the baker called to her once more. "Wait! Miss Malon! You can't forget your baked goodies!"
Malon turned and saw the baker holding a second sack full of various baked goods. She could smell the sweets inside and the fresh loaves of bread. It made her salivate, but she determined it would be rude to start digging into it without Link there to have any.
"Thanks again!" Malon said with more enthusiasm this time, wanting to let the baker know how much his gift and timely payment was appreciated.
By the time she sauntered her way back to the wagon, Link had already cleared out half the cart. It was mesmerizing to her that he was this capable, even with cuts and bruises.
Once she reached in the back, she placed the bread and pulled another jug. It was then she noticed that Link was standing there looking at her while holding a few of them.
"Uhh… Link? Don't you wanna' go and deliver those?"
Link was quiet but then motioned his head toward her father. When she looked, she could see him snoozing in the wagon with the almost empty flask spilling out onto the floor, and Malon became instantly annoyed.
"Geez, dad… way to embarrass me in front of the entire town again…."
With a huff, she decided it was a waste of her time to bother with him and, instead, began to move slowly with her heavy jug. "Alright, follow me. We will be deliverin' these to the same place."
Link followed behind her and through the crowds of people as they went to drop off the multiple containers at the local restaurant in the market square. Following that, the two quietly worked, delivering milk to every place it needed to go while her father lay passed out in the seat by the horses.
When the afternoon sun was upon them, the orange glow of approaching evening brought with it a sense of end. Not just the end of the day but the end of their task.
As soon as Malon sat tiredly next to her father, she briefly glared at him before opening the various sacks collected from deliveries. Link leaned by her in the back of the wagon and eventually took one of the water bottles next to him to begin guzzling it.
Malon counted all the rupees, combining them into the most oversized sack as she did.
"200"
"700"
"1,060"
The numbers were staggering, but as she got to the end, she said the total amount to Link. "3,350 Rupees, total…."
Link seemed impressed, if not a tad jealous. Malon then looked at her dad and shook him. "Dad…. Wake up, you promised us some lunch…. It's well past lunchtime…."
"…."
Talon just snored, further hurting and infuriating Malon. Why did he always do this….? She loved him dearly, but it really did devastate her the way he was so careless with her and his job.
Link didn't say anything but seemed to be understanding of the situation. "Malon…. It's ok…. You've done more than enough…."
Malon balled her hands into fists, and her face became hot. After a moment of looking at her lazy, drunken, SUPID father, she pulled open the string on the sack and began to remove money from it.
"Malon…. I don't know if you should…." Link cautioned her.
"No, it ain't right, and I am having no more of it…. Dad owes you, and he owes me…. Besides, it ain't like this is the first time this has happened to me, where I've had to do this to eat…." She said.
Link looked down at the ground when hearing that, but Malon would have no pity.
"We'll watch the money while dad takes his thirtieth nap for the day and have the lunch he promised us." She said with an indignant tone as she hopped off the wagon and grabbed Link's arm.
"C'mon Fairy Boy, I know just the place…."
Link went along with her, and the two maneuvered through the dwindling crowd. Not far from their location was a stand that served quick and scrumptious street food.
"Step right up, young lady!" The vendor shouted. "Come try our delectable gourmet meat skewers, our fantabulous mushroom skewers, and our wonderful variety of grab-and-go dishes that will have you clamoring for more!"
Malon approached and she looked at Link. "Get anything you like…." She said.
Link looked hesitant at first, but when Malon frowned, he looked at the foods available and spoke about what sounded good. "The mushroom skewer sounds good…. So does the creamy meat stew…."
Before he could decide, Malon pulled out the rupees for both and placed them on the table between her and the vendor. After which, she set the amount for what she wanted.
"I want a crisp, zesty meat skewer and carrot soup, please."
"Right away, miss!" The vendor shouted as one of the multiple chefs at the stand began roasting and preparing their meal right before them.
Even in these later hours, the line was still filling in, and Malon felt fortunate they'd beat the rush. They both quietly and patiently waited for their food, and when at last it was finished, the two grabbed hold of it and wandered off to eat together.
Malon walked with the bowl in one hand, and the skewer gripped in the other, and by the time they made it back to the wagon, her father had laid entirely down across the front seat.
"…."
Malon shook her head and moved to the back, placing the bowl down and climbing in before sitting and retrieving it. Once the two were cozy next to one another, with their legs dangling over the ground, they began to eat voraciously.
Malon was always surprised by how good this food was, and while she'd had it before, she found re-eating it was just as good as the first time she'd tasted it.
Link had devoured the mushroom skewer and was already gulping down the stew by holding the bowl over his mouth and pouring it in.
Malon watched in shock at how fast he could eat, and then when he stopped, she let out a snicker.
Link stared at her and placed the empty bowl down on the wagon. "What's so funny…?"
Malon just shook her head, lifted what was left of her stew, and imitated him until it was all gone.
Eventually, Link caught on and realized he had stew on his lip like a mustache, so he embarrassedly wiped it off with his arm.
"…."
The last bits of sunlight was coming down, and it was apparent that they needed to head back for real…. Nighttime was dangerous, and Malon didn't want the wagon to be damaged or the horses to get hurt.
Leaping off the back, Malon looked at Link, who stayed sitting there. "When I reach the front, hand me that bottle of water…. It'll be the best chance to wake him."
Link nodded, and Malon began to circle around hastily, but she was abruptly stopped when she accidentally smacked into somebody in long, flowing robes walking through the market.
"Ah!"
The person staggered and then fell over, grabbing hold of the side of the wagon to stay on their feet, but they ended up dropping the small pouch they were holding in the back of it.
"…."
"Oh! Well, Pardon…." Malon began but was cut off by the hissing of an angry man.
"Silence, dimwitted urchin!" The man paused and reached into the back of the wagon to retrieve what they'd dropped.
The hostile voice scared her, and as she looked up to see his face, she saw that it was hidden behind an unnerving white mask with no mouth. They carried an elegant staff in their right hand, and now the retrieved pouch in the other.
Link watched from the wagon while Navi circled him due to the commotion, and Malon backed away in fear. The mysterious person looked up, and when they saw Link sitting there, they turned away quickly.
Malon watched as the man moved, and the domineering presence of power he carried with him was really unsettling.
"…."
She stood there watching as he disappeared entirely in the direction of Hyrule castle and felt more relieved when he was gone. When, at last, she was able to think clearly, she realized the last of the sun's light wouldn't stay long.
Malon looked back at her sleeping father, then shook her head as she spoke. "Who was that man….?"
Link shook his head from the wagon and then responded cryptically. "I don't know, but it likely doesn't matter… I am close to doing what I need to, so there will be nothing to worry about."
Malon looked at him for a bit more, she wasn't sure what he was talking about but decided that it was best they get away from here.
With quiet quickness, Link shuffled near the front of the wagon, and Malon climbed in by her father. When she was in position, Link handed her the water bottle, and she took the brief opportunity to make a request of him.
"I know you don't say much, but please don't mention that man or how he spoke to me to my father…. I… it will worry him…."
She didn't even have to finish before Link nodded, and with a flick of her wrist, she tossed the water into her father's face.
!
"Ha…. WHAAAA. What in the….?!" Talon sat up abruptly, and when he looked around at the last light of evening, he immediately knew he had done it again.
Malon's expression didn't seem as mad as usual, and when Talon wiped some water off his head, he spoke softly. "Well, Malon…. I uh, I see you finished…."
Malon sat back and merely crossed her arms, then spoke. "Yeah, bout' an hour or more ago…."
Talon let out a sigh and looked down. "Look, I'm sorry. I…"
"Just take us home…." She interrupted him. She felt pain over him doing this again but decided she just wanted out of here as quickly as possible.
Talon wiped his head again and took hold of the reigns, then he looked at Malon. "Are you sure you don' want that lunch I promised…. I know it'll be late, but…."
Malon merely tossed the sack of rupees at his feet, and she responded when they slightly spilled out. "I bought us lunch with the payments that were collected…. So, can we PLEASE just go home…."
Talon looked visibly hurt, but he merely nodded. Malon was getting older and, as such, bolder with her actions and feelings. Though she might feel remorse for doing it without asking, her anger was such that she cared less and less about hurting her father when he did this to her.
"…."
The three left the gate and moved on the old trail toward the ranch. The bright embers of the sun's dying light painted the blackening sky an ephemeral orange. It seemed they would make it before complete nightfall, but the quietness in the wagon was making things feel terrible.
In truth, Malon wished to do anything to get her mind off both her anger and her pain. Eventually, she cast her gaze toward her boots and sank into a depressive state.
"…."
Another moment passed, and then abruptly, music notes pierced the moment's quiet. It made Malon's head jump up, but the notes did not cease to play.
It was immediately recognizable to her as her song, and looking out of the corner of her eye, she saw him playing his cute little ocarina. The notes were concise and robust, and it was soothing for her to listen to.
Eventually, as he cycled through playing it, Malon began humming the tune alongside him.
"Hmmm, mmmmm, mmmmm~! Hmmm, mmmmm, mmmm~! Hmmm mmmmm, mmmmm, mmmmm, mmmmm~!"
After some time, her humming became full-on singing, and the two went on in harmony as the sun disappeared on the horizon. The beautiful music echoed out into the quiet field.
Talon merely listened while they made music together and guided the horses up the incline toward the house. The sun had utterly vanished, leaving behind nothing but shimmering stars that dotted the heavens above.
As they came to their stop. Talon, Malon, and Link stepped out and stretched their limbs after the ride. When Talon lumbered over to Link, he reached out his hand.
Link stared at it at first and then graciously accepted it.
As they shook hands, Talon spoke more coherently. "You did good, boy, and as thanks, this is for you…."
Malon watched as Talon handed him no less than fifty rupees. More than she'd ever seen him pay anybody else in a day.
"…."
Link looked down at the rupees and eventually spoke to Talon. "Thanks'…."
Talon nodded and began to tiredly stomp toward the entrance of his home.
"Dad, aren't you gonna' put the horses and wagon away?" Malon asked, trying to keep him from having another drink with some busy work.
Talon shook his head as he opened the front door. "Naw, Mr. Ingo will do it. That's what he's paid for."
"…."
Malon stared, and then glanced back at Link who had put the money he was paid away. When their eyes met, she could see a need in him to continue on, even if he said he intended to stay a bit.
When she was about to speak and wish him another goodbye, Talon stuck his head out the door and shouted playfully. "Well, are you two comin' in or what!?"
Malon and Link both looked at him confused, and then he let out a jolly laugh. "You didn't think I was gonna' let him wander around the field at night, did ya…. A friend of yours is always welcome here…."
Malon smiled, looking at Link, and he smiled back. Deep in her heart, she knew it was because her dad had done it again, but in the end, Fairy Boy was about the happiest part of her life at the moment.
At the very least, it seemed she would get to spend one more night with Link, and in her room no less…."
When the two eventually gathered themselves from their thoughts, they wandered into the house. Leaving behind both the wagon and their worries for but a night more.
