So Stupid
Ch. 4
The sun was staining the sky pink, red and orange by the time Link and Malon made it to Lon Lon Ranch. Its figure stood dark against the bright background and Link grew somewhat nervous. What if Malon's family already knew about his engagement and told her? He pushed the thought away as they entered the ranch.
"Welcome to my home, Link." Malon turned and smiled at him as she got off the horse. Link followed suit and watched as a robust man with a bulbous nose came bounding out of one of the buildings and scooped Malon into his arms.
"Malon, you've been gone for ages!"
"Father, it's only been three days!" Malon giggled at her father's antics and turned to Link. "Link, this is my father, Talon; father this is Link. I've invited him to stay here for a couple days, if you don't mind." The man eyed Link warily for a moment and shrugged his shoulders.
"He's more than welcome to stay, but you know how Ogni is..." Malon's face scrunched up. It was rather cute, really.
"Ogni is just going to have to live with the fact that I just don't see him that way."
"Malon!"
"Speak of the devil, here he comes." Malon sighed, smiled, and turned to meet a brown haired man about Link's age. He came like a whirlwind and pulled Malon into a tight embrace she returned with slightly less fervor.
"I've missed you so much, and I was so worried! I wish you would have let me go with you..."
"Ogni, I needed to go alone, you know that."
"I don't see why you had to." Malon rolled her eyes.
"Ogni, this is Link. He'll be staying here with us for a couple of days. Link, this is Ogni. He's Ingo's son." Ogni barely acknowledged Link's presence -- completely ignored Link's outstretched hand.
"Are you sure that's wise, Malon? Why'd you bring him anyways?" Malon glared at him, then looked to her father.
"Father, where's Ingo?" The round man was sitting on the floor, already dozing a bit, cuccos sitting next to or on him. "Father! Can't you stay awake for five minutes!" The man's eyes immediately shot open and he straightened up a bit, causing cuccos to fly everywhere and cluck angrily.
"Sorry, dear. Ahem, uhh... What were you saying?"
"I was wondering where Ingo went."
"Oh, yes. He's out with the horses right now." Malon smiled.
"Thank you." Malon left in the direction of the horse pen and motioned for Link to follow her. As he left, Ogni glared daggers into his back.
---
After Link had been introduced to Ingo -- a surly man with a gambling obsession -- he and Malon went into the barn. It was a musty place with several cows and a straw strewn floor.
"Is Ogni always like that?"
"Always like what?" Malon looked up at him from where she was milking a cow.
"A complete and total asshole." Malon smiled and pet the gray tabby cat that began to rub against her leg.
"Only when he's jealous."
"Of what?"
"Of you, of course. He's been trying to get my romantic interests since he first came here about a year ago -- no matter how many times I tell him I just don't see him that way. He just can't stand the fact that I'm giving someone else more attention."
"Mmhmm... Hey, does that radio work?" Malon looked around, confused for a moment, then spotted the old radio on the stool in the corner.
"Good question. It probably doesn't, but I bet it could easily be fixed." Link walked over to the radio and blue the dust off it.
"Well, we'll find out right now." Link flicked a switch on it and then adjusted one of the nobs. In moments, the air was filled with staticky music. After a few more adjustments of the nobs and the antenna, Link managed to get the music as clear as he could.
"Well, what do you know. It does work after all!" Link looked at her, a smile in his eyes.
"My lady," he said, bending at the waist, "May I have the honer of this dance." Malon's cheeks reddened oh so slightly, but she smiled and put her hand in his nonetheless. Link pulled her close, put one of her hands on his chest as he put his on her waist, and then guided her across the floor of the barn in time with the slow music. Malon laid her head on his shoulder and Link breathed in her scent -- it was soothing, warm and cozy. It reminded him of jumping into a big pile of leaves as a child during Autumn.
Malon looked up to see Link looking at her. Blue met brown and before they knew what was happening, he had bent his head down and was gently caressing her lips with his, their eyes sliding shut and the both of them enjoying this small moment of sweetness. She tasted better than he imagined.
Suddenly, Navi was hitting him on his head and they pulled apart -- just in time too. The door to the barn was pulled open and Ogni came in. His eyes were filled with something akin to hatred or rage as they met Links. Malon was still in his arms, though not quite as close as before.
"I was wondering where the music was comming from." Malon looked at him briefly, a bit flustered.
"Of course. Link found that old radio and got it to work. We were just dancing to a song..." Without sticking around to hear more, the plain, lanky man turned and left. Malon turned back to Link. "I'd better finish this and then get to cooking dinner." Without further explanation, she finished milking the cow, then left to the kitchen in the house where she made one of the best meals Link had ever eaten.
---
Link lay in the cot set up for him in the barn where Malon and he had danced earlier that evening. The radio sat on a stool next to him and soft notes poured from it, soothing him. Navi hovered just above his head.
"What was that earlier?"
"What was what?"
"Don't play stupid with me. I'm talking about when you kissed Malon." Link sighed, and turned onto his side, facing away from Navi.
"I don't know. It just felt right, like I was supposed to do it."
"Do you like her?"
"Of course I like her."
"No, I mean, do you really like her. Would you throw away everything you have with the princess to be with her?" Link thought for a minute. He and the royal family were good friends. Breaking off the engagement to go after a ranch girl that he'd only just met didn't seem like too good an idea.
"I don't know."
"You'd better find out. It's one or the other, Link." He nodded and listened as the song changed.
More and more
I can't say no
So afraid of letting go
If there's something
I can grab
You can bet
I'll pay the tab
Counting all the flowers
Waste the precious hours
I need to find some peace
It was so eerily similar to how he felt. His eyes slid shut.
All these problems on my mind
Make it hard for me to think
There is no way I can stop
My poor brain is gonna' pop
And I don't have a purpose
Scattered on the surface
I need to find some peace
And all the broken tethers
We can bring together
I need to find some peace.
That night, Link's dreams were filled with images of Malon smiling and dancing with him. They were just happy with no worries about tomorrow.
TBC
Well, there you have it guys. ) You reviewers, I would just like to say, kick ass! I probably wouldn't have bothered continuing to write this without your encouragement. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Also, the song in the story is not written by me, it is "Peace" by Weezer.
AA