Author's Note: Sorry for the lateness of this update. It was difficult to work around Link to revise this chapter.
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Ocarina of Time: Rebirth
Chapter Thirty-Three: Fulfillment of the Oath
It was nearly three in the afternoon and the sun was beginning to hang off to the west, though to Garen Sheikan it really didn't matter if it went down. He leaned against the outside gates after he had taken the time to eat at the small diner that was located at the ranch, another one of Talon's add ons that was run now by a guy named Gen. But still Garen felt as if his stomach had caved in, he had not been able to return to Malon until now and in being so long she had not even recognized him. He leaned against the gates sitting down with his hands on the sides of his head, he wondered if Link was doing any better with his friend Saria.
Garen's display of self pity was a view that was rarely seen by anybody, it just wasn't like the Sheikah to break down like this. A voice sighed "And contacts stated that Link was the emotional one." somebody said under their breath so as not to cause him any greater grief not to mention remain stealth. Garen just sat there reflecting voiding any words from anybody until he got his mind straightened out, this went on for a few hours until around five o'clock when the eye of din started to fade behind the western horizon. Garen's ears lightly perked up as he heard Ingo shouting at the shopkeepers as they closed down for the night, most of them lived on the ranch anyway.
Garen soon brought his hands up to rest under his chin shaking his head as he knew Malon would likely be working for a good while. Seth finally, after two hours of watching the apparent Hero of Time sulk stepped away from the wall where he had kept himself hidden "Your really being pathetic, you know? Look at yourself Sheikan. Your beating the crap out of yourself because after seven years she doesn't recognize you right off. You've changed alot man and she has been through alot." Garen looked at him as he stood up "How the hell would you know?" he shouted.
Seth crossed his arms "Sheik thought it would be better if we split up and I kept one eye on you. As for how I know you've been thinking aloud the last hour." he said as he slowly looked back at the ranch and breathed "Malon is a remarkable soul Garen, most of Hyrule knows this. I can tell such things about people, and I can tell you right now that if she is able to look you in the eye and honestly believe that you are a liar and truly she doesn't remember you...well then your having a nightmare and you haven't woken up yet." Garen breathed at this looking at the ground before he slowly looked back at his only other ally "...then what am I supposed to say to myself? I promised myself I would return as soon as I could. That I would be back before she knew it. I made an oath." he said, sorrow filled his being.
Seth groaned looking at his fellow Sheikan, at his age and with his life fellings of fondness didn't fall into a high priority with him, Garen fell back against the wall "...and I've broken it." he growled. Seth spoke up "An oath is a promise Garen. You promised that you would return to her. A promise fulfilled is just that. It doesn't matter when it happens. Better late than never you know. Its however your responsibility to fulfill that oath. Could you have truly made any difference to Gannondorf's trap?" Garen looked at him.
Seth breathed "If you are as close as records show and your disappearance was enough to send her into such melancholy nature your story will not be thrown back at you." Garen looked at him feeling it all made sense to him "I expected you were coming here to demand I get back to finding the sages." Seth chuckled "Sheik may be in alliance with Rauru, I however represent the resistance. You have made an oath to save the sages, however it is your priority as yourself to fulfill this one first." Garen looked at Seth before he nodded "Alright then. I'll do it early tomorrow morning, before Ingo is awake." he said this before he drew out the item they had retrieved in Kakariko. He took aim on the barn the red beam appearing on it "I'm beginning to hate you."
Seth raised an eyebrow "Why is that?" he asked semi-insulted "You make too much friggin sense." Seth smirked. Garen pulled the trigger on the device's handle, there was a strong locking sound right before the point on the end and a chain launched out over twenty feet going straight the entire way before just barely catching the edge of the barn. Garen slowly released the trigger and there was another sound before it suddenly reversed recollecting the chain and hoisted him up to the roof. Seth stayed outside obviously it wasn't his place to watch such a reunion.
He watched as Malon and Ingo pulled many of the horses into the barn closing it up for the night, both of them were very quiet not wanting to bring attention to himself at this point. Malon walked out of the barn and straight into the house probably thankful that another day of hard work was done, she looked like all she wanted was sleep. Ingo shrugged before he walked to follow but he was stopped as he heard the sudden huff of a horse behind him. He turned to come face to face with a rather impressive looking black horse, not as muscular or frightful as Gannondorf's but still pretty close.
Garen crawled to the edge of the roof looking at the horse and then to its rider wondering how it was possible that either could have gotten in making so little noise. The rider dismounted suddenly and moved towards Ingo, whom at this point seemed to be a little worried. This man possessed straight jet black hair that went down to his upper back, his eyes were a piercing emerald and he was wearing a black and silver uniform that beard an odd symbol of two swords crossed over a Triforce mark. It didn't take Garen long to figure it out, this man was obviously one of Gannondorf's.
Ingo gulped as he looked at this young man who he had a right to be afraid of, he was the guy who made sure that Ingo did not go screwing up on his end of the bargain. He was also one of Gannondorf's best swordsmen who set the last records at the Gerudo's archery test, and he still couldn't imagine how skilled he had to be to earn their respect. He spoke up his voice casual yet creepy "Sources inform me that your progress is dwindling. Your quota is barely being met and from what I hear you still haven't managed to tame those two horses I hear so much about." he said.
Ingo gulped as he nervously stroked his mustache "I can explain everything." the young man no more than three years Garen's senior chuckled as he brushed a strand of hair behind his ear "There is no need. Gannondorf is prepared to make you an offer. To hell with the original contract we just want your horse trainer in our personal service." Ingo was shocked as he spoke "Sir Blackwood, I cannot just force Malon to work for you. She believes her place is here." this man revealed as Blackwood stepped forward "We're willing to offer you a generous amount to fire Ms. Malon and make her leave the ranch. Don't worry we'll take care of her." he smirked "I'll see to that personally."
Ingo then did something that shocked both himself and Gannondorf's emissary not to mention Garen. "I don't want your money! Malon works here and while I made sure that lazy bum father of hers... talent of her caliber is impossible to find anymore. And as for you taking care of her, I highly doubt you could make her fall for you." the man known as Reeve Blackwood narrowed his eyes at Ingo "You'll be sorry. Your dead line for your payment is growing close and unless you manage to reach your quota you will be put out of business. Unless you agree to us." he then remounted and rode off. Garen had his eyes narrowed at that swordsman he hardly had time to applaud Ingo's boldness.
Ingo huffed before going back inside "Who was that?" they could hear Malon ask from the upstairs. Ingo closed the door "Nobody. Get to sleep we have work to do tomorrow." he said before going into his own room. Garen sat there and watched, his hand on the Millennium as he watched Reeve ride off, still finding some difficulty in controlling his body. Garen growled lowly as he watched the man move off finally recognizing his style "Reeve. I should have known it was that conniving bastard." he cursed.
Garen looked toward the direction he rode off on, Reeve had always been somebody who always did have a desire for Malon, although she never seemed interested. Now it seems he plans to force her to him. "Reeve has obviously made his way so high in life by blackmailing others and has also become quite the swordsman. Not to mention one of Gannondorf's overlords, he is charged with watching the field region." he turned swiftly to see Seth standing there his left hand on his new tanto. Garen looked at him "Now what?" he asked. Sheik didn't look to Garen as she looked at Malon's window and spoke "Destiny calls her to awaken as a sage but a thick layer of depression and hopelessness have been draped over her soul. Until those are lifted she cannot awaken and if she cannot awaken you'll never awaken the others. That is what Sheik just told me via telepathy" he said seriously.
Seth spoke before Garen could ask "Tenacious forces do not wish Malon to be awakened. She is receiving the strongest cry and until she is awakened the others will not be aware enough to assist you." Garen growled as he looked toward the house, this would mean trouble for Link too if Malon was the first key "What must I do?" he asked. Seth chuckled then stood up and stepped away, Seth rolled his eyes "In Sheik's words, the light of a strong friendship if not love is a much greater siren than destiny Garen. I'm sure you can figure it out."
Garen sat down on the roof a breathed to himself looking at his hands "I'm not even sure if I know myself anymore in this body. How can I expect her to see me through it." Garen looked back as there was no answer given. Seth was nowhere to be seen, Garen breathed as he looked toward the house just waiting for something to come to him. Suddenly there was a distinctive creek from below, Garen looked over and breathed sharply as Malon stepped out of the house wearing some normal cloths and started walking out to the corral. Garen breathed before he jumped down from the building and followed after her, he looked back to see Seth standing at the gate with his back turned, it was obvious he would not interfere.
Malon stepped out into the corral ignoring the dust and grass under her bare feet as she walked eventually arriving at the very center of the corral. She looked up at the full moon that gave the ranch light at this point in time, her radiant red hair was only more accented by the moonlight. Malon breathed as she ran her hands down the side of her dress which was essentially a white and blue piece that was also layered with her vest. Malon breathed as she looked at the ground, it could be seen just in her expression that she was depressed. She shook her head as she tossed off thoughts of him once again knowing that remembering would only bring her more sadness.
She then looked at the moon and brought her hands to her chest as if preparing herself, this had once been seen many times but now she only took this position when she was alone. Malon then began to sing. Her mother's song that she had kept in her heart from childhood, the one that she taught only to those she felt deserved it and a song most loved by their family and friends. Though since Ingo managed to take control of the ranch it was rare to ever hear Malon's voice over the fields.
Garen watched Malon sing out the notes to her song which he had often played with her, he gripped his flute in his right hand as he figured that would be the only way to truly prove to her who he was. He stepped forward raising the flute to his lips as Malon ended the constant verse of the song, he then began to play himself the higher notes from the flute rising to mix with those from Malon's throat. Garen's eyes half shut but remained open to look at her wondering how she would react.
Malon lightly looked back to the new source of music as she found herself caught in mid note, it was that kind visitor from earlier. Malon innerly smiled before she continued to sing still looking up at the moon, both of them continued to play into the night neither one of them missing a note.
Malon stopped singing as the stranger lowered the flute which looked very familiar to her for some reason "Nice to see you again." he said to her with a smile. She looked at him where did she know him from, one hand dropped to the kodachi on her belt, it was of Sheikah make and a much finer piece than the on he possessed "How?" she questioned him "How did you know my mother's song?" he breathed as he looked at her "You taught me Malon, if you recollect. I won't blame you if you don't." Malon brought one hand to her chin as she looked at him scanning over him everything about him was familiar to her.
Malon's bright blue eyes moved over him until her eyes met his own, she gasped as she saw that intense shade of brownish-red that held both a serious resolve yet an honorable soul. Malon looked at him feeling her knees start to buckle, he lowered his eyes from her before speaking through clinched teeth "I'm sorry I took so long Malon. Life has been a real pain as of late." he said as he gazed at the ground. Malon instead of outright slapping him or telling him off breathed slowly before she stepped forward wrapping her arms around him trying to contain herself "Garen...I thought you had died. How did you survive that battle?" she sniffed.
Garen moved his arms around her as well rather nervously, he could feel her heart beating through her chest against his own, he whispered into her ear softly trying to calm her "Its alright Malon. I did exactly what you told me to do, I ran and got away though much complications took place after that. I'm sorry I made you wait so long." he breathed. Malon didn't speak, she only gripped him tighter as a few tears fell down her cheeks her face almost glowing with joy of this. She spoke slowly a light smile coming across her tear streamed face "Better late than never..." she then gripped his shoulders as if she wanted to make sure he was no illusion. She then looked right at him her eyes shimmering from her tears "Please tell me this is real...I've had so many dreams just like this...its torture." she whimpered out.
Garen instinctively moved one hand to run through her hair the silky strands sliding between his fingers "This is real Malon. I promise that there is no waking up at this point, I will never make you wait for me again. I give you my word on this." he promised. Malon gripped him tighter "Oh Garen..." she breathed out. They were then silent for several moments just holding one another in the middle of the coral the moon shining it light down upon them. Their blissful silence however was broken by a large amount of commotion at the gate, Malon turned to looked at this and breathed to herself "Reeve? What is he coming so late at night for?" she asked.
Garen looked at Malon directly before he placed a hand on his katana, she gasped at this before he spoke "Those are military units he has following him. I will explain everything to you later Malon." Malon looked at him before nodding. She then started back toward the house with Garen following not far behind in the shadows, he was not going to let Lon Lon Ranch, his secondary home that belonged to these people he had grown up around fall into ruin. Even if it ment his pain, his blood and his anger.
Next Chapter: Showdown At Lon Lon Ranch
Garen Sheikan confronts an ambitious Reeve Blackwood and the fiends he commands. This isn't long before another of Gannondorf's warriors appears to challenge them. Garen and Seth must team up to protect both Malon and the ranch.