A/N: I'd just like to point out that the musical part at the end of this chapter is, in fact, true. I own an ocarina (a special made one that looks like the Ocarina of Time), and I know how to play it. I also know how to play the piano, so I know about other aspects of music too.
On another note, I didn't get reviews for last chapter. Now, I'm not going to rant at you, because I've decided to post this even if I don't get reviews. Why? Because you all suck! Bwahahahaa! Seriously, though, I realize that not everyone is going to like this story, and not everyone will know what to put in a review, and not everyone has time to read everything on ... So, what does this mean for you? I'm putting these chapters up whether I get reviews or not! (Though I'm still going to put them up on the weekend in the vain hope that I might actually get reviews....)
All right, I'll shut up now.
Chapter 10
It's nearly morning. I've been riding hard ever since I left the market. Hyrule is huge! It's not a day's ride, like in all the games. No, I've been riding for a good two hours, and I still can't see any sign of the ranch. I wonder if there's a Malon there. Wouldn't that be strange? I slow down. I need a break from all of this riding. The horse seems grateful too. We stop, and I lean against a tree, looking down on Hyrule from the hill I'm sitting on. It's so pretty. I watch as the sun comes up over the distant forest. The sight is absolutely breathtaking. The dew glitters as if the stars fell to the ground during the night. I find myself thinking about the fate of this beautiful land. For a moment, as I look out on the glistening morning, I realize that I am home. This is where I was meant to be. This is what I was meant to do. This is who I was meant to be...
Then the feeling fades, and I miss my family again. They're not even my family. I was switched at birth. I decide not to linger on this thought. I get up, and walk over to the horse. She's chewing merrily on the grass. Lucky horse. She doesn't have to worry about the fate of the world. She's just worried about the next time we stop. I mount again, and we start again at a slow trot. I look around me. I'm really hungry right now. I'd even eat oatmeal. I haven't had anything since dinner last night. I'll have to find something. I spur the horse on to higher speeds. She loves it. She probably hasn't been out in a while. If I squint really hard, I think I can see a shape on the horizon that might be Lon Lon Ranch. As we get closer, I realize it was a tree. We rise over a very large hill, and I get my first real glimpse of Hyrule. The sight once more takes my breath away. Everything here is beautiful. No, to call it beautiful wouldn't do it justice. There's not a word to describe it. Sappiness usually isn't my strong point, but for the first time, I realize that I can't let anything happen to this land. My home...
I can see the ranch, but I realize I still won't get there for a while. I'm thinking maybe a day at least. I hear another horse approaching from behind. I turn around to see Mellie coming up behind me.
"What are you doing here?" I'm surprised to see her.
"I'm making sure you don't get yourself killed. I brought someone with me."
"If it's Zelda, then I don't think she wants to see me right now." She holds out her hands, and a small glowing person flies out.
"No, though Zelda has every right to be mad at you. You're a stupid, careless ass and she should be mad at you."
"If I'm stupid and careless then why are you still coming near me?"
"Because even though you're stupid and careless, your heart's in the right place, and I know you'd never leave Hyrule to that fate. And since you are stupid and careless, someone's gotta make sure you don't get yourself killed."
I blink. Mellie doesn't hate me. Wow. I thought she'd take Zelda's side on this one. "So, where'd you get the horse?"
"This is my horse. I knew you'd get one from somewhere, so I brought mine. Might as well, seeing as we need to travel across Hyrule in very little time. It takes forever to walk around."
"No kidding. From here we need to get to Lon Lon. But that could take at least a day. "
Mellie smiles. "Not the way I plan to get there."
-----------
"Are you sure this is safe?" I look over at Mellie, who's currently talking to her horse. She says it understands her. Yeah, sure. She said she's telling it to come to Lon Lon with the horse I was riding. It'll be a miracle if it actually does. She knows Malon (there actually is a Malon at Lon Lon) and we should be able to borrow a horse. I hope she's right.
"All right then. Are you ready?" she asks. I look at her. I'm not sure if I'm ready to trust someone who talks to horses.
"As ready as I'll ever be, and that's not much." She laughs.
"Okay then, here we go." I brace myself. She walks over to me, and takes my hand in hers. After she mutters some nonsense words under her breath, I can feel a kind of pull on the air all around me. I close my eyes, afraid to look, but all of a sudden, the feeling stops, and I can feel solid ground beneath my feet again. I open up my eyes, and Lon Lon Ranch looms up before us. I look at Mellie.
"Wow! How'd you do that?" She laughs.
"It's very complex magic, but it's how I got from Kakariko to the castle in the space of one hour."
"I get the feeling it's going to be handy to have you around."
We cease chatter and walk toward the gates of Lon Lon Ranch.
-----------
"So good to see you again Mellie. Who've you brought with you?" Malon asks. When we walked into the ranch, we were immediately met by Malon. She wasted no time in inviting us in to breakfast. Her father had gone off to deliver some milk to somewhere. The breakfast, though not quite as large as the ones at the castle, was nonetheless delicious. We're off to see the horses, and get one for me to ride. Mellie and Malon chatter nonstop as we walk out to the pasture area.
"This is Link." I wave. Mellie rolls her eyes. Malon giggles.
"He's a quiet one, though you don't want to get him talking, he'll never shut up," Mellie says with a smile.
"Oh, like you have room to say anything. You never stop talking if you're around your friends. You don't stop talking even if you're not around your friends. I wouldn't be surprised if you talk to yourself."
Malon breaks into a huge grin. "Come on, you two, we're almost here." We walk up to the gate of the corral where the horses run around. The horses all seem to sense our arrival, because they all look up at us. I notice that none of them are tied up. They're all just standing around, chewing on the grass without a care in the world. There are horses of all different shades, some white, some red, and some jet-black, though most are a light sandy brown.
"See any that catch your eye?" I look around, and notice a brick-red horse towards the back of the corral. It looks familiar...
"What about that one at the back?" I point. Malon looks, and sighs. I've learned by now that when someone sighs, it's usually not about something good.
"You'll never be able to tame that horse. She doesn't seem to like anyone but me." Malon walks over to the horse, who looks up at her, starts to run away, and then, realizing who it is, stays put. Malon calls from over near the horse. "She might stay here if I'm here, but I'm not guaranteeing anything."
I walk slowly over toward the horse, but upon seeing me, it bolts. I sigh. "That went well."
"Well, we'll just have to try it a different way." Her optimism's going to get to me after a while.
"What different way?" She smiles, and starts singing. I stare in amazement. The horse is coming back! "How'd you do that?"
"Easy. You just have to show it that you care. It likes my voice. That helps."
"You don't expect me to sing to it, do you? Malon, I can't sing. I can't even hum! I have no musical talent whatsoever."
She smiles at me. "Don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure you'll do fine." She smiles at me. Yeah right. Like anyone's going to make me sing...
"What, are you scared?" a voice says from behind me. I was so caught up in choosing a horse, I completely forgot that Mellie's here.
"I'm not scared. I just don't want you to hear me sing. I can't sing. It's a known fact."
She looks at me, those silver-blue eyes penetrating. This is the first time in a while that she's looked serious. "I think you can sing. Try. You never know. Maybe you can sing very well, but just don't realize it."
"What's with wanting me to sing so badly?"
"You should never doubt yourself. Ever." I sigh. She's being cryptic again.
"I have an idea. How about we choose a horse later? I want to see the rest of the ranch."
"Come on then. It's very pretty, even if it is simple." And with those words, Malon marches off with us trailing behind.
-----------
"You need a horse. Why don't you just sing to it?" Mellie's been trying to get me to see it from her side for about an hour. I'm too tired to care. I spent the first part of the day looking at the ranch, and the second half trying to learn how to ride. I'm no good at that.
"Mellie, give it a rest. I want to go to sleep."
"You're very obstinate, you know that?" I sigh, and face her. She's in a bed across the room. I'm lying in my own, trying to get to sleep. She won't let me, though.
"Yes, I know that. Go to sleep."
"That's just the attitude that made Zelda mad at you. That 'I give up it's too hard' attitude." She's mentioned Zelda. I'm listening now.
"Why should you care if Zelda hates me? It's not your problem."
"I never said Zelda hates you. I just said that she's mad at you. Hate is a very powerful emotion, not to be directed at just anyone."
"You mean Zelda doesn't hate me?"
She stares at me. "Of course not! What made you think that?"
I remain silent. It's not really her place to intrude...
"Anyway, there's no reason to give up on that horse. That's your horse, Link. You just don't realize it yet."
It's my turn to stare. "What makes you say that's my horse?"
She smiles. "You two are so alike. You don't listen to a word anyone says."
"Go to sleep."
She laughs. "It's true." She's silent for a while. I'm not sure if she's thinking or sleeping. I know she was thinking when she talks again. "It's a good thing we didn't have to see those Gerudo today." That brings up the memory of what she said yesterday.
"What about the Gerudo?"
She sighs. She's not going to tell me. Sometimes I wonder if befriending her was a mistake.
"Go to sleep."
-----------
I'm running down a long hallway. I'm going very fast. I look back, expecting to see the leader of the brotherhood chasing me, but instead I see Mellie. Wait... It's not Mellie, but a boy who looks like her. I turn a corner, and run into Zelda, who looks like Malon. I keep running. Zelda, or Malon, who looks kind of like Mellie now, is running along beside me. I'm dragging someone on my back, but I'm not sure who. I feel an arrow bite into my leg, and look at it to see a dark red spot on the back of my leg. I was expecting green. Mellie stops, and casts a spell around our pursuer, enclosing him in a bubble. 'Run!' she shouts at me. I do. The weight is gone from my shoulders, and I turn around to see Zelda joining Mellie. The boy who looks like Mellie is casting his own spell. Their magic won't be strong enough. I turn, and join them as well, knowing it's futile. I can feel myself weakening as I struggle to hold the spell. This'll never work, he'll kill us for sure... I watch, helpless, as he breaks free. I'm too weak to do anything. He shoots arrows into both of the girls, and I feel a surge of hate. He slowly turns towards me, and I see his face clearly. He's smiling sadistically as he aims the crossbow at me, and I hear him whisper, 'Goodbye, Hero.'
I wake with a start. Once again, I find myself drenched in cold sweat. I shiver. That was definitely strange. I look over at Mellie, who's sleeping peacefully. It's the middle of the night. I get up and pull my tunic on over my pants. I walk to the window. No one's in the horse corral. I can go there to be alone. I pull on my boots as well, and go to the table between my bed and Mellie's. I open the drawer to find a small backpack-like bag. It's very empty right now, except for a few things. I open it, and take out my ocarina. Might as well get a bit of practice in. I make my way out of the house, and down to the corral. I look at the ocarina. How did Zelda expect me to play this? I put the instrument to my lips, and blow softly. A soft note emerges. I try covering all of the holes, like Zelda said. Another successful note. I might actually get the hang of this. I try uncovering some of the holes, and I get several different notes. No song yet, though. I try a scale, and don't quite get it. I know that the more holes covered, the lower the note will be, but I don't know which holes to uncover.
"Need some help?" someone says from behind me. I jump at the unexpected noise.
"Mellie! What are you doing up? Did I wake you?"
Mellie smiles. "No, I woke of my own accord. So, you're trying to play the ocarina? You're not very good."
I smile sarcastically. "Thanks for that vote of confidence. I've told you I have no musical talent."
"No, you have the ability. If you didn't, you'd still be trying to get notes out of that thing. Believe it or not, you're halfway there."
I smile. I'm halfway there. "So will you help me?"
Mellie jumps back in mock surprise. "You're actually asking for help? Wow!"
"Seriously, though, I need someone's help, and since you're here... How can I make music come out of this thing?" She laughs.
"Give." I hand her the ocarina. She sets it to her lips, and plays a slow, sad song. I'm entranced. I stand there, listening, and all my worries leave me. She stops playing, and snaps her fingers in front of my face. I give a start.
"What? Why'd you stop?" I look at her.
"That was a spell. If I hadn't awakened you, you'd be entranced forever. You really need to work on that."
I stare at her. "Aren't you going to teach me how to play the ocarina?"
"Of course I am. You needed to hear a song played on it, and I've wanted to try that song for a while now. My brother won't let me try it on him."
"Oh, okay... Wait. You have a brother?"
"Yes. Didn't I tell you 'bout him?"
"No, you didn't. What's he look like?"
"He looks kinda like me, but with shorter hair, and he doesn't laugh or smile much. Not like me."
I wonder...
...No, it couldn't be...
...Could it?
"So, on with the lessons. You know how to hold it so you cover all the holes? Good. Play a note." I play a note. "That's called C. Uncover this hole here, and play, and you'll have D." I get the feeling this is gonna be a long night...