A Link to the Heart Chapter 34

Link looked at his reflection and sighed. He was sitting in a tent and in the corner had propped up his shield, using the perfect sheen as a mirror to examine his scar. It was ugly, a livid mark running from his brow to his cheek, bisecting his right eye. The orb had gone a milky white and he could not see anything out of it, he was half-blind for the rest of his life.

Link sat back and wondered how he was going to fight from now on, lacking any depth perception would ruin his aim and leave him vulnerable to his right side. There were no two ways about it, he was going to have to start wearing his Knight armour, he would need the added protection if he was to keep everybody safe. It was a depressing thought but more than that was the fact his scar was an exact match to the vision of the future Princess Zelda had shown him. He had changed that future but it seemed not everything was malleable and it made him wonder what else he had changed, and what he hadn't.

Link rubbed his brow as he looked about the tent. It had been his home for the last few days, laying in convalescence as Malon nursed him back to health. Fairy magic had saved his life but he had still been weak and pale, his muscles aching, wounds pulling and shivering from blood loss. He had hated being so weak and vulnerable but Malon had doted on him, which he hadn't minded at all. They had spent the cold nights wrapped up together, sharing warmth, though to Link's regret she had pronounced he hadn't had the strength for anything more exciting. Plus it was hard to sleep with her loud snoring in his ear, though he'd discovered a trick of tickling her cheek to make her stop and rollover. By the third day Link was going a little stir crazy, getting sick of being trapped inside. Malon had stepped outside so he had determined it was time to stretch his legs and see what had happened while he recovered.

Link took another look at his reflection and sighed again. He toyed with a strip of cloth, wondering if he should tie it around his head and cover his scar. Then he chided himself for being vain. Everybody knew he was wounded, there was no point hiding it. He might as well accept that he would get a lot of stares and get it over with. The sooner people got used to seeing him out and about the better.

Link dropped the cloth and pulled on his boots, wincing slightly as his wounded side ached. He pulled on his tunic and belted on his sword and shield, even now he wouldn't go anywhere without them. Then he pulled open the tent and stepped outside. Instantly a chill wind hit him, cutting through his tunic and making him shiver. He pulled his collar up and looked about, taking in the clearing.

What he beheld was a settlement well on the way to being restored. The bodies of the fallen had been removed and the fires doused. Broken supplies had been gathered and the remained debris cleared away. Burned-out houses were forlornly smouldering, like rotten teeth in a gum, but lean-tos and tents had been erected to replace them. Knots of weary people were working to rebuild what had been lost, many of them looking sallow-eyed, doubtless mourning lost loved ones and friends.

Link braced himself for the tide of people rushing to congratulate him on saving the village, or to berate him for not saving their kin. But to his surprise nobody seemed to take any notice of him. They merely continued their labours, ignoring the Hero of Time like he was just one more refugee, lost and bereft. He was stunned to realise nobody was even staring at his eye, his scar unremarkable to folk who had lost so much. Did they not know what he had done for them, he wondered, or simply not care. Either way it was a humbling experience and he was more annoyed than he cared to admit.

Suddenly a sharp cry cut across his ears, "What are you doing up?!" Link turned his head around to look with his good eye and saw Malon bearing down on him, a disapproving look upon her face. She was wearing her usual skirt but had draped a shawl over her shoulders, to keep out the cold. The sight of her melted his ire and suddenly none of the other things mattered to him. Her face made up for everything else and he smiled as she bore down on him, skirt flapping in the breeze.

Malon glowered at him, "You're injured, you shouldn't be walking!"

Link smiled broadly as he replied, "I'm all better. See, I'm standing and walking. My strength is back."

"Humph!" Malon snorted, "I'll be the judge of that. You stay by my side and lean on me if you feel weak. Don't push yourself, you hear me."

Link was touched by her concern but he felt hearty enough to walk unassisted. Still she threaded her hand through his elbow and held his bicep as they walked. They wandered into the village and remarked, "It seems everybody made their way back."

Malon mused, "It's the darnedest thing. Everybody has the same story, they fled into the woods and wandered lost for hours and hours. Then suddenly the paths twisted and turned and they all found themselves stumbling back to the village, after the fighting was done."

Link had a good idea who was responsible for that, it seemed the Sage of the Forest had been more involved than he had guessed. Still he said nothing of that as he noted, "I see Ingo made it through alive."

The former ranch manager was overseeing the gathering of supplies, directing people to place various items into neat piles. He looked tired and bleary-eyed but stood straight as he organised the recovery effort, his years of experience supervising a ranch making him a natural work boss. Link and Malon walked up to him and waited until the rush had died down and the people had dispersed to look for more supplies, then Link called, "Ingo, how fares the day?"

Ingo looked about with a distracted air, "Oh, you're up at last. Good, I could use another pair of hands."

Malon snapped back, "Link is in no condition to work, he took grave injuries defending the village."

Ingo absently rubbed his ear, "Oh yes, I heard you got bashed up a tad. Still, we can't have idle hands. We lost a lot of essential supplies, winter is closer than ever and we're going to have to work twice as hard if we don't want to starve."

Malon pointedly needled, "A lot of good people died too."

Ingo looked sad as he muttered, "I know… I know. But we can't wallow in grief, gotta keep the people busy. Best thing right now is to get people working."

Link volunteered, "I can help."

"Oh no," Malon rebuffed, "A short walk and then you're going back to bed."

"I can work," Link protested.

"We need more hands," Ingo added.

But Malon was firm, "He's not going to help anybody by dropping dead. He's off-duty today and that's final."

Link and Ingo shared a look, knowing they'd lost this argument and Ingo sighed, "Tomorrow then, we'll see if there's some light duties he can handle."

Link tactfully changed the subject, "Oh look, there are Tarren and Jortan."

Ingo glanced over and said, "Yes, our heroes depart."

"Heroes?" Link questioned in annoyance.

"Yes," Ingo beamed, "They saved the village, everybody's so grateful to those brave knights. You should go thank them, before they depart."

Malon and Link wandered away but Link heard Ingo mutter, "She's got that lad wrapped around her little finger."

Link ignored the remark as they strolled over, seeing the two Knights surrounded by a crowd of admirers. Grown men kept slapping them on the back and many women were looking misty-eyed at the pair. Jortan in particular was in the grip of a short brunette who held his head in both hands and rained kisses on his face saying, "You'll come back... promise me... you'll come back."

Jortan replied, "Of course I will, as soon as I've won the war. I'll come back for you Helerra."

"Helenna!" the woman snapped.

"That's what I said," Jortan squawked, "Helenna, I'm coming back for you, I swear it."

Tarren saw the pair approaching and lifted his hands to say, "Good folk, we wish you fair fortune. Know the Royal family stands to your defence and we Knights will not rest until Hryule is made safe once more. But we need a word with our good friend Link before we take our leave."

The crowd reluctantly departed, the short woman blowing a kiss at Jortan. The Knight waved at her with a smile, then turned to Link and muttered, "I need to get out of here, fast."

"Trouble in paradise?" Link asked with a grin.

"She thinks we're to be wed," Jortan stammered, "I have to get away before she figures out I'm not coming back. I'm not cut out for marriage."

Tarren shook his head, "You never change brother. But what of you two?"

Link patted Malon's hand on his bicep as he replied, "We're staying here. We will build a life together and protect this village."

Tarren frowned as he said, "That's desertion Link. If you forsake your vows your name will be reviled as a coward and deserter."

It bothered Link more than he cared to admit, but he deflected, "I don't care. I've lived enough adventures for a hundred minstrel's tales, I want to find out what comes after the story ends. You two can be the heroes from now on."

Tarren winced, "Sorry about that. Everybody came back and saw piles of dead Gerudo and two Hylian knights. We tried to tell them what you did, but they all assumed we fought alone. The man dragged off to a tent gets no credit."

"Doesn't matter," Link averred, "Are you fit to ride?"

Tarren stated, "Leg aches, but I'll manage."

Jortan asked, "What of your horse? You can't bring her into the woods."

"Let her run free," Link declared, "Epona and I will find each other again, if we need to."

Tarren looked pained as he asked, "But that doesn't answer the big question: what of the King? He won't be happy about you deserting."

Link smiled faintly, "I think he'll be happy to be rid of me. If he bothers to ask, tell him this: he was right. There is no fate save that which we choose for ourselves."

"And the Princess?" Jortan enquired.

"Tell her I am where I choose to be," Link replied.

The Knights shook his hand one by one and Tarren said, "Fare thee well my friend."

"May you find your happy ever after," Jortan affirmed.

Link replied, "Watch out for each other and stay alive. Life is far more interesting with you in it."

"Goodbye, Mr Knight," Malon said, "And you heartbreaker, try not to leave too many girls crying in your wake."

"I make no promises," Jortan quipped as he turned away.

With that the Knights stepped into the bough that led out of the forest. Link watched them go and sighed, "We won't see them again."

"Not so long as Jortan knows Helenna is waiting for him," Malon scoffed, "Still, I wish them all the happiness in the world."

Link turned to her and asked, "What of you, can you love a common deserter?"

"You'll always be my hero," Malon replied with a smile.

"The scar," Link hesitantly asked, "Does it bother you?"

Malon merely reached up and pulled his head down into a kiss. Link felt the heat of her lips and the smell of her hair filled his nose, like the first scent of spring after a bitter winter. His arms snaked around her waist but then Malon pulled back and said, "Wait… what of Zelda? Do you regret not marrying the Princess, like you were destined to?"

"I regret nothing," Link declared confidently, "Forget destiny and fate. I am right where I want to be, with you."

Malon beamed, "That was the right thing to say. So selfless and brave… and strong again?"

"Fit as a Dodongo," Link boasted.

"Good," Malon uttered with an evil grin, then her hand snatched his wrist.

"Woah!" Link exclaimed as he was almost hauled off his feet. Determinedly Malon dragged him along with her iron grip, leading him back to their tent. Link had to grab his hat to keep it falling off and was helpless to resist her wiry strength as she hauled him along. Link's jaw fell as he said, "What are you doing?!"

Malon didn't relent as she declared, "I'm going to make you forget all about that Princess."

Link gulped as he said, "You can't mean... don't you want to wait?"

Malon laughed, "I've waited ten years, I'm not waiting another day!"

They pulled up before their shared tent and Malon let go as she said, "Give me a moment." She ducked within and Link was left standing dumbly outside as Malon disappeared. A happy smile crept over his face as he contemplated the future. For so long a well-trod path, rigid and unbending, but now a wild and unexplored country. He could choose whatever life he wanted, be whoever he wanted to be. He may not be remembered as a Hero, but he could make his life into whatever he wanted it to be. The prospect made him giddy and he looked out over the growing village and sighed in contentment.

Then a small white bundle flew out of the tent and hit him in the chest. It was Malon's shirt and it was followed by a merry cry, "Hurry up and come kiss me!" Link grinned broadly as he ducked into the tent. The future would reveal itself in time, but for today he was determined to be happy.