Link is taking care of the morning chores. He's getting used to it by now but the abject toil of it grates on him. He wasn't raised a manual laborer. The Deku tree didn't tell him that he was destined to move heavy things but here he is.
"Man is straw heavy!" Link thinks trying to lift the bale. "Horses should clean their own stalls!"
"Need some help?" Malon asks walking next to him. Link nods and she lifts the bale over his head and they walk toward the stable. At the stables she drops the bale on Link's head. "Whoops." She says laughing. "Let me pick that up." She gathers the straw and Link together and begins to distribute it in each stall.
"Malon! Let me go!" Link yells as straw presses into him painfully. "Malon!"
She pays him no attention and throws the straw and him into the last stall with a thud. Link staggers out of the stall frowning.
"What was that for?" He demands in visible discomfort.
"I'm sorry about that, let me help you." Malon says. She grabs Link and begins to massage him.
"That's better. Wait now you're a little rough-ow!" An audible snap is heard. "My arm!"
"I'm sorry about that. But now I'm hungry, could you get something for me to eat?"
Link storms off muttering and returns with the cart loaded down with food. Malon wastes no time and begins to eat very quickly, the carriage quaking with the speed of it.
"Hey don't you think you should slow down?" Link asks. "Wha- ouch." He's fallen back into the food. "Wait a second." He tries to clamber out but Malon gives him a hand. "Thanks wouldn't want to –HEY!" He's heading straight for her mouth. "No, don't!" The last thing he sees is her wide-open maw.
Link wakes up with a start. "Yaaah!" He shrieks looking up at Malon. "YAAHHH!" He shrieks again, going limp in her arms.
"What?" Malon asks yawning. "Did I miss something?"
X
Early in the morning in Hyrule Castle Impa is awake. The sheikah has always been one to rise early and today she has an assignment to undertake so she wants as much of a start as possible.
"Let us begin the game Link." Impa says walking from the castle. "You left one hint, red-haired girl. Let's find her." With that Impa goes off looking for this mystery person.
X
On Lon Lon Ranch Link is explaining his nightmare to Malon. He's still shaken up but he's managed to calm down.
So in the end I bite your head off?" Malon asks.
"Yeah and when I woke up and saw your mouth wide open…"
"Well I see your meanin' but let it be known." Malon pauses for emphasis. "I will not eat you." She pauses again. "Ever." She looks down at Link. "Okay?"
"That's good to hear."
"Now to the mornin' chores."
Link nods and begins. He feeds the chickens and cows pausing a bit in the cow barn. "How can she fit in here?" He wonders. Then he collects the eggs and milks the livestock. "It still doesn't make any sense to me." He says while milking the cattle. "Doesn't seem possible."
After that it's time to clean the stables. After shoveling them out he tries to bring the bundle of straw. Unable to lift it because he's tired he asks Malon for help. She obliges gladly since he's working for free she may as well help.
"Sure, let me do it." Malon says lifting the bale with one hand. "It's easy." She carries it to where Link is. She is just about to put it down when the strap she was holding it by breaks and it lands on Link.
"Ow!" Link yelps buried in straw.
"Sorry!" Malon says contritely. "Let me take care of that!"
"No, I've got it." Link replies climbing out of the straw. "Don't you help."
"Oh…okay."
Link rebundles the straw clumsily and walks into the stable. He pitches the horse bedding down and limps out. He is not in a very pleasant state but at least has gotten the job done without further injury.
"I'm really sorry; let me make it up to you." Malon says as he exits the stable. "That was my fault."
"I'm fine really."
"Please?"
"There is no need. I'm-" Her pleading eyes beg him to reconsider. "Alright." Link relents.
Malon's face lights up as she takes Link and places him across her lap. "I didn't mean to drop that on you." She mentions caressing the sore spots. "I'm sorry." She repeats.
"I know." Link replies. "You didn't do it on purpose, no need to apologize." He tenses up as she works his shoulder area but all is well and she moves elsewhere. "But if this is how you say sorry maybe…" He trails off. "Ahhh…" He sighs.
"See? It was jus' a silly dream. Why would I break your arm?" Malon moves to his legs. "How would you be able to do any work?"
"…dunno." Link replies not really paying attention. "Mmm…ow!"
"Are you alright?" Malon stops immediately. "What's wrong?"
"Think you pulled my leg out of socket…"
"Let me fix it." Malon moves to realign the joint.
"Ow!" Link says louder than before. "Stop!"
"Jus' let me finish-"
"You've done enough!"
"But I-"
"No!" Link tries to get loose. It isn't working but he's set on it now.
Malon lets him go. "It was a mistake…" She whispers.
Link doesn't reply. He hitches the horses to the cart and rides off.
X
In Gerudo Valley Nabooru is training her sword skills. Something you can find her doing any day of the week any time of the day and this time being no exception.
"Link may be good but I'm better. I proved it!" Nabooru thinks as she executes move after move. "But I get a nagging feeling that he wasn't giving it his all…like he didn't want to fight." She executes the Gerudo rising spin. "That's why I'm out here. I'm afraid he was holding back. I've got to be prepared; I won't be so lucky next time." She stops a moment.
"I wonder if the red-haired girl can fight. I bet I could take her. The odds are she isn't into it though. Maybe that's one of those things he has in common with her. He wasn't too interested in battle as far as I could tell. It might be something he's tired of. I'll ask the next time he comes by."
X
In Hyrule Market Town Impa is coming up with little in her search. She's run down all of her leads and hunches and coming close to the end of her resources and wits as well.
"Good move, Link." Impa thinks. "I've searched all of Kakariko and this town and have found no sign of her. The only possibilities are far too old for you. You may have left this as a false lead deceiving even Darunia. A powerful Shadow walker indeed you are." She catches sight of a horse drawn carriage.
"That's odd. Who would need a carriage to transport anything?" Impa takes a look at the driver. "Link you sly dog, I nearly missed you on my wild goose chase!" She begins to follow the carriage. "You must have thought it would take me longer to see through your ruse. Nicely executed but poorly timed. Ho ho ho, now the game really begins!" Impa follows him out of the castle town.
X
In Hyrule Field Link is riding leisurely through the countryside. He's taking his time with the cart load of supplies because there is no hurry.
"I really shouldn't have been so harsh on her." Link remarks to himself. "But it really hurt! She didn't need to do that to me. I was enjoying it at first but that changed pretty quickly. I can barely stand up now!"
Impa gasps from her place of hiding. The sudden intake of breath isn't lost on the carriage driver.
"I'm being followed." Link realizes. "Someone is tracking me. I don't know who or why." He listens a moment. He can hear a padded gait that closely matches his horses pace. He has the wagon stop and the soft footsteps stop as well.
"It's not a confrontation they're after." Link concludes. "They want to watch and see what I do, where I go. This is just as well. With this leg the way it is I don't think I'll be catching any spy much less fighting one."
Link rolls into the ranch. "I hope Malon remembered to hide while I was gone. Whoever this person is doesn't need to see her. Better just do the afternoon chores and leave. I'll give Talon a message to relay to her. Can't go near that barn, wouldn't do if whoever saw her like this." With that hops off the wagon and gets to work.
X
In the barn Malon is patiently waiting. She sits inside the building remaining hidden as Link had suggested.
"When is Link gonna get back?" Malon wonders. "It ain't enough room in here for me plus I'm hungry as all get out." She can hear noise outside. "Looks like he came back." She makes for the door. "Wait, I didn't hear him whistle. He told me not to come out until he whistled. I'm gonna wait."
So Malon bides her time and waits. The next thing she hears is an ocarina.
"What? That's Epona's song!" As Malon listens she can hear Link mount up with some effort then the sound of hooves retreating. "He's gone? Why didn't he come get me?" Then something occurs to her.
"He probably don' trust me no more. That dream of his done scared him bad and I ain't made it no better. I tol' him I wasn't gonna bit him. I made a couple of mistakes today but ain't no way he was gonna get bit. But he don' know that. All he knows is that clumsy me might hurt him some more." Malon eyes begin to water.
"Does that mean he won't be back? That he doesn't like me no more? I need him still! Without him I'm gonna be lonely, starved and half-crazed cause the farm'll be fallin' part." She begins to weep. "It ain't fair! I didn't want to be like this!"
X
In Zora's Domain Princess Ruto is upset. The search for Link ended in failure and her own circuit around Zora's Domain turned up nothing as well. To say she's more than a bit flustered would be pretty accurate.
"Where are you my beloved?" Ruto asks of the water. "I can only hope you are safe. You have to be! We still have so much to do together! We aren't even married yet!" She pauses.
"I won't let anything come between us. Anything. Our races may be different but that does not cloud my vision. I can clearly see that you are the one for me. So I will wait as long as it takes. When the time comes nothing shall stop us from being together. Least of all some red-haired girl of little consequence! It is written in the stars and she has no part in it!"
X
Impa is still trailing Link. Their arrival at Lon Lon Ranch was a bit unexpected but now the tracker is trying to put together the pieces of the mystery as her target rides away from the farm.
"So, you're a farm hand now?" The sheikah thinks stalking forward. "You work on the ranch? That doesn't make sense. I don't understand blowing off the princess for farm work. Manual labor over a banquet, something isn't right."
Link dismounts Epona. Impa dives into shadow to avoid his cursory glance. He walks into the Kokiri Forest.
"Going home are we? Strange…I was tracking you to see where you go at night. I've ascertained that it isn't home." An epiphany comes over Impa.
"Once again I must congratulate you another move well made." Impa thinks as Link climbs up to the treehouse. "You must've known you were being followed. I know you wouldn't be here otherwise nobody would be wondering where you are. You don't want me to know where you go at night, fair enough. I'll just pick up the trail where I left off. I'll watch you for a few minutes and make sure you don't immediately disappear then double back to the farm house."
Saria approaches Link's house. She climbs the ladder and enters. They begin to talk. The avatar of darkness smiles fiendishly.
"That should hold you." Impa chuckles. "You're a good player but we invented this game." She departs.
X
In the treehouse Link is peering out of the window with the Mirror Shield. He's looking for something and trying to be stealthy about it.
"She's still out there." Link thinks. "She's been following me for the last few hours, what does she want to know?" He ponders a moment. "I'm coming up with nothing. Zelda must've sent her but why?"
"Link?" Comes from the doorway. "We need to talk."
"Not now Saria." Link says distractedly.
"Yes now." Saria replies insistently.
"…she's gone." Link turns to his visitor. "What's the problem?"
"Did you see the note I left you?" Saria asks.
Link looks at his table. This being his first glance at the thing for at least four days he shakes his head. "No…is something wrong?"
"Are you avoiding us?" She asks without repartee.
"Us? Avoid? What are you talking about?"
"We sages. Your friends. We are friends right?"
"Yeah, you know that. What brought this on?"
"We haven't seen you for the past few days and you haven't been coming home at all…"
"I've had some…things to take care of." Link says thinking of Malon.
"We know about the red-haired girl." Saria says flatly.
"You do?" Link says incredulously. "How could they-Impa!" He realizes.
"Yeah, tell me why."
"Well we think it's because of magic beans she grew-"
"Magic beans? Grew?"
"Yeah, she got to be pretty big."
"What? I want to know why you hang out with her. What are you talking about?"
"Uh…" Link looks uncomfortable, he's made a mistake. "Nothing…"
"It's something. You're a terrible liar." Saria sits down across from Link on the floor. "You've got a lot of explaining to do."
Looking quite foolish at having given away what must have been a well-kept secret Link starts the story from the beginning.
X
Talon is just finishing up the evening chores. He's a bit peeved at having to do it himself but is more mystified as to why.
"That Link feller split without finishin'." Talon remarks stabling the horses. "I ain't done this in years." He walks over to the cow barn. "Feedin' the animals, that's what- tarnation!" He falls back and hits the wall. "You scared the heck outta me! Malon?"
Malon is curled up in a ball on the floor sobbing quietly. She's murmuring to herself and apparently can't hear him. She looks positively distraught about something.
"Malon? Are ya alright?"
His daughter uncurls a bit and he can see her tear streaked face. "Did he come back?" She whispers.
"Who?"
"Link. I was waitin' for him." She coughs out, sniffing and wiping her face.
"That guy? He cleared out a while ago."
"Did he say anything?"
"Can't rightly remember…"
"Nothin'?"
"I dunno." Talon shrugs. "Say, how'd you fit in here?"
Malon ignores the question. "He's probably mad at me. Or worse scared stiff." She addresses her father. "Give me some space; I'm gettin' out of here."
"Okay." He leaves the barn. Watching Malon exit doesn't explain how she got in there. It only serves to boggle his sleepy mind further. He shrugs and goes back into the building.
"I guess he won' be comin' back…" Malon says to herself. "Maybe it's for the best. I may be too dangerous for him to be around." Her stomach growls.
"I am positively ravenous." She spots the food cart. "I was in there waitin' for him so long I forgot to eat. At least he left the food for me." She takes the sheet covering the food off. "What's this? Writing?" She holds the bed sheet up to her face.
Malon
Sorry I had to leave but I am being followed. I didn't want to risk them seeing you. I hope you aren't too worried about me. I told Talon to tell you I left so you should know this already. I left him enough money to get you food for tomorrow so remind him. I may not be back in the morning but you will see me tomorrow I'm pretty sure. Sorry to waste a bed sheet.
Link
P.S. Before I forget, under the cart tied up is something you can use. Good night.
He don' seem too mad." Malon thinks. "Followed? That's pretty strange." She reaches under the buggy. "What's this?" She finds the ropes binding it and snaps them with a touch. She moves the farm cart forward manually and her mouth drops open.
"A blanket?" Malon picks it up and it unrolls to be a thirty-five foot square. "That's so nice of him! He probably noticed it can get pretty nippy out here." She sits down to eat. "I have to remember to thank him."
X
While from her hiding place Impa's jaw is still hanging open. Her arrival was timed around the moment Malon clambered out of the barn and she's still trying to reel her chin back in off the ground.
"What the Goddesses?" Impa whispers. "My hat's off again to you Link. I don't know how you kept this to yourself. The red haired girl…" She watches Malon eat.
"She's eating enough for ten people! In one sitting! What is she, some kind of monster?" Impa thinks a second. "No, can't be. Link is the Hero of Time he doesn't like monsters too much. Nonetheless she is enormous and more than a little daunting." She watches as Malon lies down and gets comfortable, rolling up in the quilt and falling asleep.
"To think I nearly thought you didn't exist." Impa says looking at the massive maiden. "How wrong I was." She creeps from the shadows. "There's a bit too much of you to pretend that is true irregardless of how well Link played it off." She comes upon the message. "What have we here?" She reads it. "So he did know... I have underestimated him once again since I was confident he hadn't detected me at the time he had to have left this message." She thinks a moment.
"But if this hasn't been one big exercise in underestimating him I don't know what is." She looks at Malon again. "Amazing, simply amazing…" She departs.
X
At home Link and Saria are talking seriously. She's been questioning him for the last half hour.
"So that's why she's bigger? Magic beans?" Saria asks.
"Yeah, we think one took root and waited all this time to grow." Link replies.
"What's her name again?"
"Malon."
"So Malon is twenty-five feet tall?"
"Twenty-seven feet." Link corrects. "I measured."
"She's twenty-seven feet tall. Does anyone else know?"
"Good question." Link says. "That depends on whether Impa has seen her or not."
"Impa? How does she fit in all this?"
"She's been following me the last few hours. If Impa knows, Zelda knows."
Saria nods. "They are close."
"Now you understand what I meant by 'things' to take care of."
"There is one thing I don't understand." Saria says at length. "Why exactly were you with her in the first place?"
Link sighs. "You won't like this."
"Please tell me."
"Alright. Sometimes you and the other sages can be trying at times you understand."
"Trying?" Saria says innocently. "What do you mean?"
Link chuckles. Though Saria is a sage she is still a child. "Nerve wracking. Irritating." He replies as kindly as he can.
"Oh…sorry."
"It's not all your fault. I understand why you do it I just can't take it sometimes. I'm a little old to play tag and you always ask me to."
"You don't like it?" Saria looks depressed.
"No, it's not some much that as I'm too big for it. I've grown up and it's a kid's game."
Saria nods. "I understand."
"The other sages push things on me too. Zelda treats me like a hero all the time. Nabooru sees me as her personal rival. As for Ruto, she thinks I'm her future husband. It can be frustrating at times."
"Why don't you tell them?"
"The same reason I didn't tell you. I'm afraid of hurting their feelings. Besides they don't listen anyway."
"Oh."
"If only there was some way I could get them to listen…"
"…" Saria looks troubled.
"What's wrong?"
"Sorry about when you got hit with a Deku Nut. I know you were only playing because I asked you to. It's my fault."
"No, I enjoyed it and should've expected a trick like that out of Mido anyway. He never played fair when I was younger."
"You enjoyed it?"
"Up until I blacked out." Link smiles.
Saria appears happy. "You still are the best shot in the forest."
Link nods. "Some things you always remember."
"I feel better." Saria gets ready to leave. "See you later."
"One more thing." Link says. "Could you…"
"You've got it. Under my little green hat." Saria leaves. With that Link decides to turn in.
X
At Hyrule Castle Impa has reported back to Zelda.
"I have found Link, princess."
"You have? Thank you."
"I will send for him tomorrow as you requested."
"How did you find him?"
"Sheikah secret I cannot say."
"You always say that."
"It is part of being a Sheikah."
"Did you find where he's been?"
"Very likely."
"Did you see the red haired girl?"
Impa pauses. "…No."
"Well, she isn't important anyway. Thank you again."
"You are welcome." Zelda takes her leave and Impa looks after her guiltily. "Some things it is better that she doesn't know." Impa decides going to bed.
X
Malon is up having a midnight snack. She's having a bit of trouble sleeping having taken a nap a little earlier after crying herself to sleep.
"I miss Fairy Boy. He was nice to have round." Malon thinks to herself. "But I guess he had to deal with something else. His life cain't revolve round me." She pops a loaf of bread in her mouth.
"I should be grateful for what he's done already. He's been pullin' for me from start. He's there when I need to talk and willin' to do farm work. He's been buyin' me all the food I need out his own pocket. Altogether he's done a lot for me." She pushes the food cart away.
"He even was thoughtful enough to get me this blanket. I would like to repay him but what can I do? Talon and I cain't even afford to pay him for the work he's done much less reward him. I feel like such a leech." She lies down.
"On top of all that he's bein' real nice about it! He don' even seem to remember what I did to him. He jus' wants to help, that's it. He hasn't asked for anything and I'm not even sure he'd accept a gift. He's not lookin' for a reward and I don' even have one to give, which bothers me a bit. I have no way to pay back what I owe him." She wraps the tarp-sized cover around herself.
"I'll think of somethin'. It's the right thing to do."