A Link to the Heart Chapter 6
A rainstorm lurked on the horizon, a mass of black clouds threatening to sweep over Hyrule Fields in a torrential downpour. The heat of the last few days still lingered in the late morning but already it was dissipating as a damp wind blew from the north. A storm was coming and it would be here before the sun set.
Link glanced at the mass of black clouds but judged that they would not catch him before he reached his destination. Before him the road climbed steeply, rising up a series of hills and bluffs. To the left the ground fell away in a steep incline, falling to the grassy fields far below. To the right the hills rose sharply and the road curved around as it climbed to the mesa at the top. This was the final stretch on the path to Lon Lon Ranch and Link was eager to reach the top before noon.
Behind him Jortan whistled softly as he gazed south, "What a view!"
Tarren agreed, "It's something to remember."
Link glanced southwards and had to admit it was remarkable. Lon Lon Ranch sat near to dead centre in Hyrule Fields, residing on a flattened plateau of hills. From this position Link could see the great sweep of farms and hamlets that stretched all the way to the gleaming waters of Lake Hylia. Hundreds of homes dotted his vision, thousands of people living their lives in blissful ignorance of the dangers that roamed the world. Sometimes Link wondered what it would have been like to be born among them, living his days in peace and thinking the most dangerous thing in the world was a stray Peahat. He knew his mother had been a Hylian woman, forced to flee a terrible conflict. What if she hadn't been forced to run, he wondered, would they be living in one of those homes right now? He couldn't picture it; his life had always been destined for other things.
They reached a turn in the road and found themselves emerging onto the broad flats of the hilltop. The ranch covered the whole hilltop, thick with brush and green grass. Here and there cows stood chewing mindlessly at the greenery, with bovine indifference to the turning of the world. Further away a herd of horses frolicked, young fouls chasing each other over the rolling ground as ranchers on horseback tried to herd them together. In the distance Link noticed a series of farmhouses, stables and barns and was pleasantly surprised to realise there were several more than the last time he had been here, it seemed the ranch's business was booming. Link pulled back on Epona's reigns and slid to the ground with a soft thump. Tarren and Jortan also dismounted and followed him as he led them towards the farmhouses. Link saw a few labourers looking up in puzzlement at their passing but the sight of the Hylian Knights seemed to quash any challenges, the reputation of the warrior order serving them well.
Tarren looked about and remarked, "I've heard of Lon Lon Ranch but never been here. Word is it's the richest ranch for leagues and leagues. The Royal Family themselves are patrons."
Jortan sniffed, "Cows, cows, horses and more cows. I don't see anything to get worked up about."
Link however breathed deeply of the heady air of a working ranch and said, "I like it, Lon Lon Ranch is the closest thing to normal I've ever known."
Jortan didn't look impressed as he asked, "So what are we doing here?"
"Keeping a promise to an old friend," Link answered.
"And then?" Tarren inquired.
"On to Hyrule Castle," Link replied, "Beyond that… I haven't really made any plans."
"Well we'd better hurry," Tarren muttered, "Those rain clouds will be here in a couple of hours."
The trio hurried nearer to the farmhouses and Link was struck by how many people were working on the ranch. His memories were those of a child but he was certain the Ranch hadn't boasted nearly as many workers the last time he'd been here. In fact Link had two separate sets of memories of the ranch, one from his childhood, the other from a dark future he had unmade and in neither of them had Lon Lon Ranch been this prosperous. It seemed peace had been good indeed.
As they closed upon the farmhouse Tarren paused and asked, "Is someone… singing?"
Jortan looked curious as he remarked, "Link it's that same tune you like to whistle when you're daydreaming."
"I do what?" Link started but then he heard it too. A soft voice was echoing from a nearby barn, full of warmth and merriment. It was the voice of a young woman content with her lot, filled with a simple love of life and a determination to wring every moment of happiness from each day. Link recognised the jaunty cadence instantly, matching the notes of Epona's song, but this time there were words to match the melody. He strained his ears as he walked nearer and made out the lyrics.
"Epona, Epona, where is it you roam?
Running among the fields, so far from home.
Epona, Epona, can you hear this song?
Singing from my heart, all day long.
Even if you're wandering, far from home.
Listen for this melody calling you.
Epona, Epona, where is it you roam?
This sound will lead you home.
I shall wait for you."
They turned the corner and saw within the barn a young woman picking up a pail of milk. Red hair cascaded over her shoulders and down her back, pointed ears sticking out from under the long locks. She wore a white shirt and a brown neckerchief, with a faded purple skirt that stopped short of heavy-duty boots, not the kind of shoe one wears around a cobbled townstreet but the kind of ironshod boot worn by one who routinely wades through a field of mud to rescue a lost calf. Her hair had flecks of hay tangled in it and her skin was bronzed from long hours working outdoors but not enough to hide the freckles across the bridge of her nose. Link instantly recognised her and he smiled broadly as he called out, "Malon!"
The rancher started in shock and spun about, her face forming a perfect 'O' of surprise. She dropped her pail in astonishment as her hands flew to her mouth and her brown eyes shone with delight. Link knew that face well, a childhood friend who had loaned him Epona. Suddenly she leapt forward, racing towards him with her arms lifting in a welcome embrace. Link was surprised by her reaction and opened his arms to hug her, but he was utterly shocked when she galloped straight past him and threw her arms around his horse's neck as she squealed, "Epona! You've come home!"
Link was left standing there, his arms raised to embrace nothing but air as he wheezed, "Errrrrrrm…"
There was snigger behind him and he heard Jortan whisper, "Some welcome."
"Shut up," Link muttered then declared, "Malon, it's me, I came back."
Malon wasn't listening, affectionately rubbing Epona's nose and neck as she crooned, "It's been so long, I missed you. Where's that nasty fairy boy been keeping you all this time?"
"Fairy boy?" Tarren whispered with a grin.
"Really, shut up," Link snapped then addressed the ranch girl, "Malon! Don't you have anything to say to me?"
Malon at last looked up and then her hand flashed and clipped him around the ear as she declared, "Yes I do! Where have you been all this time?!"
"Ow!" Link yelped as he grabbed his ear, "I… got waylaid."
"Ten years," Malon grumbled, "I let you take Epona off on your quest and we don't hear a word from you for ten years! You could have been killed for all we knew, worse you could have got Epona hurt."
Link dropped his arm as he muttered, "I see my life ranks somewhere below a horse's in your regard."
Malon faced him squarely, as Epona affectionately tried to eat her hair, and said, "So how did your quest turn out, did you find your missing friend?"
Link's heart plummeted in his chest and an old scar of sorrow throbbed as he confessed, "Navi, I… no. Not exactly."
His moment of pain must have flashed across his face for Malon kindly turned to his companions and asked, "Who are you meant to be?"
Tarren drew himself up and declared, "I'm Tarren and this is my brother Jortan. Knights of Hylia, at your service."
Jortan put on his smarmiest smile and said, "I am honoured to meet such a fair lady..."
He was stopped in his tracks as Malon marched past him and started examining his horse. The pale mare tried to skitter away but Malon stopped her with a sharp slap on the flank and cry of "Avant!" She ran her hands down each leg in turn, frowning all the while, then pulled one leg up to examine the hoof. She dropped the leg and patted her hands clean as she declared, "This horse's shoes are falling apart, another week of riding and you'd have crippled her. They need replacing."
Jortan blinked in surprise and mumbled, "Errr, thank you. I'll see to it when we reach Hyrule Castle."
"You'll get it done today mister Knight!" Malon snapped, "I'll not have you crippling a poor, innocent horse with your stupid pride. Luckily we have a smithy on the ranch now."
Link raised his hands and said, "We really don't want to take up any more of your valuable time."
But Malon put her hands on her hips and countered, "Nonsense, you're in no state to go anywhere. Not in those tatty boots. You need to see… Oh! My father, he'll want to know you're back!"
Malon's hand flashed and grabbed Link by the wrist and he found himself yanked forward by her implacable grip. His other hand was forced to grab his hat to stop it falling off as he found himself dragged behind Malon, pulled along by her wiry grip. Link had never known anything like it. He had faced monsters and Demons, he was the Hero of Time, but he found himself pulled along like a rag doll, Malon's surprising strength honed by heavy labour on the ranch everyday. Tarren and Jortan followed with the horses, chuckling under their breath at the sight of their companion being dragged against his will. They rounded the farmhouse and Link saw two men sitting outside the front door. A thin man with a broad moustache was watching the ranch hands with glaring suspicion, the other was fat and bald and almost asleep. Malon marched Link straight up to them and jerked to a stop as she cried, "Talon, Ingo, see who's here."
The fat man's head lifted off his chest and he yawned broadly, then squinted as he muttered, "Just resting my eyes. What's that? Oh, its Link. By the Triforce, I haven't seen you in years."
The narrow-faced man looked Link up and down as he snapped, "We've got no jobs going. The ranch is fully staffed."
Link raised his hands and said, "I'm here to keep my promise to return Epona."
Talon, the owner of the ranch and Malon's father, struggled his fat bulk to his feet then smiled broadly as he said, "Nice to see a man keeping his word. I expect you have some tales to tell."
"He'll tell us over dinner," Malon declared confidently.
Link spluttered in protest, "I… eh? What?!"
Talon ignored the feeble squawk as he agreed, "Ingo, go tell the cooks we'll have three more for dinner."
"We're not made of money," Ingo muttered.
"There's always a place at my table for an old friend. And two Hylian Knights if my eyes don't fail me," Talon announced as he offered his meaty hand.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Tarren said grabbing Talon's hand, "What a lovely ranch you have."
"Only thanks to brave men like you," Talon demurred, "Knights of Hylia keep the world safe for me and my daughter. Why I had dreams of joining your order myself as a wee lad. Ingo, why are you still here?"
Ingo slumped into the house as Link protested, "I really can't stay, I have a long road ahead and now I have to travel on foot."
Yet Jortan leaned over and whispered, "He's offering you dinner, never turn down a free meal or a dry bed."
Talon glanced at the sky and said, "I hate to ask you to dirty your hands but that storm will break in a couple of hours and we will need every hand to round up the cattle. The aching of my knee tells me its gonna be a bad one."
Tarren beamed, "Glad to help, anything for the good people of Hyrule… It's thirsty work though."
Talon laughed, "Ha, I was thinking the same thing. Good job I've got some ales in the house and some fresh ciders too."
Jortan beamed as he said, "Cider, real cider? I think we're going to be the best of friends."
The three of them strode off together, already comparing the virtues of various beverages. Link was left standing dumbly before the door and all he could say was, "I never agreed to this."
Malon grinned at him as she said, "Come on Fairy boy, you get that bridle off Epona and put her in a nice warm stable. Then come help me bring in the milk before it rains."
"I suppose I could stay one more day," Link sighed resignedly, "But only the one you understand."
Malon was already skipping away, skirts twirling around her as she laughed, "Race you to the barn!"
Link couldn't help but grin as he raced after her and he muttered to himself, "One day, only one day, then I'll hit the road in the morning. Or maybe the day after that."
