"Dad you don't understand, I have to go to Zora's Domain, NOW!"

Talon flinched at the rise of volume in Malon's usually quiet voice. They had been arguing for hours on end now, neither gaining much ground. Malon had been growing increasingly upset and Talon was wondering just how long he would be able to hold out.

Ingo shook his head as he listened to the raging argument, if he had been that little brat's father he wouldn't have let her talk to him like that, or so he thought as he continued to rake the non-existent leaves.

Had Ingo been able to see her at that particular moment he may have reconsidered his quick dismissal. Malon's face was flushed with anger and her eyes glowed dangerously, small fists clenched at her sides.

"Fer the last time I said no!" Talon growled, sweeping the floor with such vigor that he would later realize there was a dent in the wooden planks. "I hafta watch the ranch; I can't just drop everything!"

"Then I'll go alone." Malon hissed, more a threat than anything else but the effect it had was shocking.

"Like hell you will!" Talon, usually easy going, seemed to be getting taller in his fury, "I forbid you to go by yerself!"

"Then come with me!"

Talon's anger faded as quickly as it had come; largely because of the desperation that tinged his daughter's voice. "If I could I would, Malon, ya know that." He patted her head affectionately, "But we're still sufferin' from the last time I shut down the ranch."

Malon's wrath had also been curbed efficiently, and now she was fighting back frustrated tears. Her arsenal of angry words failed her and all she could say was, "I know, I'm sorry."

Talon sighed at the crestfallen expression on Malon's face, and then brightened considerably when an idea struck him.

"I can't go with you Malon." Talon's voice rang out from inside the house. Ingo smiled and took his ear away from the door; it seemed the idiot had won the battle. He picked up the rake he had rested on the ground, then dropped it and went pale at Talon's next words.

"Of course," Talon sounded amused, "Ingo has nothin' holdin' him back."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Epona wasn't very pleased at the prospect of Malon leaving without her for an indeterminate amount of time, and showed it openly. The young horse had refused both food and company from anyone except for the young girl, and even then the filly appeared sullen.

Epona, however, was pleasant when compared to Ingo. The trip to Zora's Domain had been set for the next morning and as Malon prepared to leave Ingo sought a valid excuse to stay. Going to Zora's Domain didn't appeal to him and no matter how much he begged or cursed Talon he couldn't seem to get out of it.

That, of course, served to make him more irritable than usual.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Link, I think this is a really bad idea."

The young boy tried not to sigh in annoyance as he scooped the fish into the empty bottle. "You think everything is a bad idea Navi."

"You do realize that you are trying to get eaten by a FISH here right?" the fairy ranted, drawing the attention of the Zoras who lazed about nearby.

"Navi will you be a little quieter?" Link hissed in exasperation, "All I have to do is get the princess and get out of there."

"Yes Link, that's all, jump into the maw of a colossal fish then come out the other end, fabulous."

"You seem a little cranky Navi, is there anything else bothering you?"

"Are you still talking?"

Link sighed although he looked slightly amused, "I wish you would try to be more pleasant."

Some of the fairy's good humor seemed to return as she retorted, "If wishes were horses fools would ride."

Link growled back, "If wishes were horses I'd tie you to one and send it off a cliff."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Darkness, blacker than midnight washed over her, suffocated her. Silence, oddly deafening, surrounded her, dead air that could whisper no secrets. She stood in an empty void that had no visible floor or ceiling and that seemed to stretch out into a sinister eternity. Malon was unsure how she had come to this horrible place; all she knew was that she was afraid, and very much alone.

Then a spark of light appeared and, gradually, began to grow and to take form. Shamed, the darkness fled back to the shadows. A song filled the air and banished the silence as the glowing figure took a step toward her.

Malon felt a sense of great awe as she looked upon the glowing being who was so much taller than she.

"Malon."

The young girl's eyes widened slightly as she recognized the voice and a small sob rose from the depths of her chest, coming out as a simple inquiring word.

"Mother?"

Features were now present in the glowing face; sparkling eyes studied her daughter with evident care, noting changes. Her long, auburn hair was pulled back with a simple tie, and her small mouth was tilted upwards in a sad smile.

"Yes honey, it's me." She said voice soft and filled with music, "I've missed you so much."

Years of putting on a brave front for her father washed away and grief came back to slap her full in the face. Malon felt the tears rising.

"Don't cry." Her mother whispered, wiping her daughter's cheek, "Please Malon, it won't help if you cry."

"But how?" Malon questioned, slowly reaching out to touch her mother's face.

"I came to deliver a message."

Someone cleared their throat and both mother and child turned to see a figure in a black cloak standing near them. "Sorry to interrupt the touching moment, Fiona, but you only have so much time." The voice was masculine, deep and haunting.

Malon looked at the man in confusion, "Mom, how does he know your name?" she asked.

Fiona glared at the man, demeanor changing rapidly, "What are you doing here?" she demanded, grasping her daughter's hand and imposing herself in front of the young girl. "What do you want?"

"I'm making sure our contract doesn't suddenly expire." He said dryly, "So don't get your panties in a bunch; I won't interfere until your time is up."

"You're already interfering." Malon's mother growled, and then turned back to her daughter, taking the small hands in her own. "Malon, what I'm about to tell you is very important so you must listen."

The urgency in her mother's voice was enough to make Malon snap to attention, although the astonishment of seeing a departed family member still lingered in the back of her mind.

"My Goddesses' Fiona just tell her already."

Another dirty look was thrown towards the man in black, which he didn't seem to mind in the least.

"Malon, when you go to Zora's Domain you will encounter someone whom you must follow at all costs." Her mother instructed, staring at her daughter intently, "You must protect him and he will guard you in turn."

"Him?" Malon asked faintly, "Who is this 'him'?"

"Let me finish." Fiona admonished, "A journey will present itself to you when you meet him Malon, and you must take it."

"You make it sound so simple." The hooded man murmured, tapping his foot, "You have one minute Fiona."

Her mother sighed, looking into her daughter's open face, "There will be many hardships, but you must survive Malon, so much rests on your shoulders now."

Fiona knelt and hugged her child to her, "Promise me you will try to endure."

"I swear." Malon assured her, hugging her back just as tightly. "But I'm still confused."

"If your mother wasn't cryptic she would be breaking our contract."

Fiona made an obscene gesture toward the hooded man, which only served to make him chuckle.

"Who is he Mommy?" Malon whispered, unsure as to why her mother was being so vulgar toward him.

"Oh yay, introduction time!" the hooded man clapped in mock glee, "I am known as The Bringer of Pain, The Destroyer of All, The--"

"The Biggest Pain in the Ass?" Fiona remarked brightly, smiling.

"You just had to ruin it didn't you?" the hooded man growled.

"Yes."

He sighed, and then said, "In short, I am Death."

"Death?" Malon asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "How could you be Death?"

"Is it my personality?" He demanded of Fiona, "Don't I give off a fatal vibe, aren't I evil enough damn it?"

Fiona ignored him and looked at her daughter seriously, "You will awaken soon." She remarked forlornly.

Death stopped his raving, a more somber manner now radiating from him, "Your time is up Fiona."

"I know!" she cried angrily, "You think I don't?"

Malon fought back the tears valiantly, "Will you come back to visit?" she asked her mother calmly.

"I don't know." Fiona turned to look at Death who shrugged.

"I'd have to send a petition to the Goddesses." He remarked, "They're sort of soft, they may agree."

"Thank you." Both mother and daughter said simultaneously, and then smiled at one another fondly.

"There are so many things I want to talk to you about Malon." Fiona said softly, "Things that should have been said long ago."

Malon yawned suddenly, then blinked a few times in confusion, "Why do I feel so tired when I'm already asleep?" she questioned, yawning once more. "I'm sorry mommy, go on."

Fiona's blue eyes saddened visibly but she maintained her smile, "Just go to sleep Malon." She encouraged, "In the morning you go to Zora's Domain, we can talk later."

"Ok." Malon yawned widely, feeling incredibly agreeable for some reason. She lay down on the floor and closed her eyes, murmuring an 'I love you' to her mother before falling asleep.

Fiona watched as her daughter's form slowly faded away, back to Lon Lon Ranch where she belonged. Tears blurred her vision for a moment before falling down her pale cheeks as she thought of what her daughter would inevitably suffer through. A hand on her shoulder made her turn to see the inky blackness of Death's hood.

"You have to believe she will succeed." He said quietly, taking his hand away, "If you believe, she has a better chance."

"You know how much this will hurt her." Fiona sighed, "Her soul is so fragile, the bonds that hold her to this world are thin because of her gift."

"But she will prevail." The hooded Death reminded her, "If she does not, there will be no world to remain in."

Fiona nodded slightly, disappearing into a ball of light and returning the heavens from whence she had come. Death tarried for a moment, watching as the darkness once again covered the empty void, and he wondered aloud.

"What does Fate have in store for the Heroes of Time?"

Fate, the weaver of destiny, smiled and gently tugged on another thin thread, but did not impart an answer.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Malon sat up in bed wiping away the last dreamy images with the heel of her palm. For a moment she contemplated the dream of her mother and the words they had spoken.

"It couldn't have all been a dream." She whispered, "Could it?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

Malon turned to see Death standing uncomfortably close to her bed and with a high-pitched "EEP!" fell off the mattress in a tangle of blankets.

"Couldn't you have come up with a better reaction? 'EEP' is rather pathetic, usually reserved for when you get caught picking your nose or something, not when the Lord of Nightmares is standing next to you."

After the initial shock had worn off Malon found herself glaring at the cloaked figure, "I can see why my mother can't stand you." She said matter-of-factly, trying to regain some of the dignity she had lost in her tumble out of the bed.

He snickered unpleasantly, "You wound me."

"I hope it hurts."

"Goddesses' you're just like that mother of yours!"

Malon just smiled.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Malon stared at the waterfall in something resembling annoyance. The maps she had memorized from Granny's old books said nothing about this. She sighed and sat down on the cold arc of ground that sat just above the river, thinking.

Ingo was muttering dark curses as he began to set up a camp fire. The sun had already disappeared, and between a chilly darkness and a raging waterfall it was quite cold.

"I wish that stupid girl would hurry." He growled to himself through chattering teeth.

Unaware of Ingo's pressing need to go home, Malon watched the waterfall while her thoughts inevitably turned to a familiar blonde haired, blue eyed boy.

'Stop it!' she thought angrily, 'He left you remember? He doesn't care.'

But even with that thought out in the open she couldn't banish his smiling face from her memory.

Softly, without realizing it, she began to hum the tune he had taught her, Zelda's Lullaby. A pleasant purple light began emanating from her at about the same time she became aware of the doorway that was slowly rising out of the raging water.

"Ingo!" she shouted happily, "I think I found it!"

"Peachy." The ranch hand called back, totally ignoring her and instead attending to the fire.

Malon frowned at him then turned back to the doorway that was unhurriedly disappearing. "The song must have activated something." She said softly, and made a split second decision. She glanced at the slippery surface of the rock door, sent a prayer up to the Goddesses, and jumped.

She scraped her knee when she landed, growling a new expletive she had learned from her father just that morning.

Meanwhile Ingo poked at the fire, oblivious to the fact that Malon was gone and that the waterfall had closed over a doorway he had never seen.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'Serene, that's the word, serene.' Malon thought as she examined the beauty that lay before her.

The giant stone walls towered over her, torch light gleaming off their water smoothed surfaces. The water itself filled the glimmering pool and flowed down a steep cropping of rock to form an indoor waterfall. Creatures that vaguely resembled the crude sketches in the books she had sorted through stared at her with undecipherable expressions, almond shaped eyes tracking her movements. It would have unnerved her, had she been paying proper attention, instead she continued to observe her surroundings.

"Beautiful." She breathed, looking at the rainbow that seemed to have permanent residence near the cascading waterfall.

The peaceful moment was broken suddenly as a wry voice remarked, "Goddesses it smells like fish in here."

Malon whirled to see Death leaning against a wall, twirling a scythe in one hand with apparent boredom.

"Oh sorry, did I scare you?"

Malon frowned deeply, she was very aware of the fact he was being insincere.

"At least you didn't eep this time." He remarked, and then before the young girl could pounce, he pointed towards a stairwell.

"I think you'll find what you're looking for in that direction."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Link looked at the mammoth of a whale before him, feeling a twinge of nervousness. The giant wheezed with every breath it took, seemingly in pain, but interested in what this tiny mortal was doing.

The hero pulled a bottle out of his pack and uncorked it, watching Jabu Jabu closely; he poured the fish onto the ground and waited.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"If going to see Lord Jabu Jabu can help me then you must let me through!"

King Zora flinched as the announcement echoed off the walls, truly amazed. No one had ever spoken to him in such a manner before; this little girl was either incredibly brave or amazingly dense.

He opened his fish-lipped mouth to refuse and have her thrown out when a figure materialized out of the darkest shadows of his throne room.

Covered from head to toe in black, face hidden from view and a scythe in hand the figure took a step closer to the King.

Malon watched in fascination as Death stood before the King, his back to her, and simply took down his hood.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Link turned as a cry of sheer terror reached his ears, and therefore failed to notice the jaws of Lord Jabu Jabu slowly opening.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

King Zora's shrill scream ricocheted off the walls of his watery kingdom, making Malon cover her ears and close her eyes in pain.

The screaming stopped suddenly and the young girl opened her eyes again to see Death had put his hood back up and that the King of Zoras was whimpering in fear.

"Do you understand?" Death asked tersely.

Malon blinked in confusion, that hadn't sounded like him at all. The icy tone sent chills up and down her spine and she hadn't even seen his face.

"Go!" King Zora shouted, putting his stubby hands up to hide his face, "Just leave me be!"

Death gestured toward the door that appeared as the King quickly moved his bulk out of the way. "Hurry." He said simply, then turned toward the exit and began walking.

"Wait!" Malon ran up to him, reaching out to grab his cloak only to have her fingers slip through air, "What was he so afraid of?"

Death stopped his descent down the stairs, but did not turn to face her. For a moment there was silence, then, "I showed him what would happen should you fail this quest." Death's voice was quiet, almost sad, "I showed him Death."

Malon opened her mouth to speak but he was already gone, absorbed by the shadows.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Notes: Let me start this little rant by saying I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter. It's all school's fault!

Secondly, I realized recently that I don't have a disclaimer on this story, so for all of those people out there who don't know it, I don't own Zelda or any of its characters.

Reviews for this chapter would be appreciated though not entirely necessary. If you have a major problem with this story and would like to flame me you can email me at cute_sakura@hotmail.com. I would rather not have anyone take up my review space with rude complaints.

Thanks to all those faithful readers out there, your reviews and constructive criticism make me haul tail to get this damn story posted.

-- Ourania