Before I begin, I'd like to clarify a couple of things, this story is told from three viewpoints. I didn't make that clear earlier, for which I apologise. The protragonists are Zelda, Link and Mali. Each chapter will be from one character's point of view. Currently I have 19 chapters planned, so it will be long story but worth reading I hope!! I will state at the start of each chapter who's POV it is, just so you don't get confused. Anyway, onward...

Oh yeah. Please Review! Cheers.

I don't own Zelda or any character / place / image from said series. I wish I did.

Chapter 3 (Mali's POV)

Poor Link looks uncomfortable. He hates it when we argue. That's one of the things I love the most about him. He is so peaceful. And yes, I do say love. I have loved Link for years. I gaze past my brothers and watch him as he stands. I love that he is so tall and lithe. I love that his hair is the colour of sunlight. I love that his eyes are as blue as the skies. He sees me watching him and smiles slightly. I can't help a sigh slip from my mouth. He is absolutely perfect.

He tells my brothers, who are still arguing about the princess, that he must tend to his horses and walks away slowly. It is an obvious invite to me to walk with him. I brush my newly shorn hair behind my ears and chase after him.

"So, how's life?" I ask. He smiles down at me, that same soft smile that attracted me as soon as I was old enough to notice how lovely it was.

"The kittens have started to cause trouble." He answers. He looks over to the three tiny kittens as they play in the dust and smiles again. He has such a strange affinity with animals. They all seem to take to him. Even the wild kittens seem perfectly happy with him around. The kittens are at that moment playing tag, and crab walking at each other. I join in his laughter although I do not like the idea of having animals as pets.

When we are married I shall have to wean him away from his animals. Hah, when we are married! I wonder how soon that will be? Link is eighteen summers old now, and I am only a year behind him. Surely, if he is not planning on leaving Ordona Village, he must be thinking of marriage soon? I am confident that his choice would be me. After all we have known each other for our whole lives and we are the best of friends. I shall ignore that nagging little voice in my head that tells me not to be so sure of him.

Anyway, the signs are promising. Link noticed my new hairstyle and actually complimented me on it. It is the latest style in Hyrule and the barber told me I looked stunning when he had finished. Even my father had said I looked beautiful. I also bought new clothes in Castletown. Link seemed to like these too, for he said the colour suited me.

If he is noticing my appearance, then he must be noticing me.

We have by now reached the coral. Apart from the comment about the cats, Link has remained silent. Perhaps he is lost in admiration of me. I do notice he keeps glancing my way. It is a good sign.

His horses trot over as soon as they see him. Yet more of his animal magic, I suppose. Although Gustav, Link's father, founded the ranch, Link definitely is the driving force behind it. He sourced all the horses there and has been carefully breeding them to raise only the highest quality animals. Most of which are then sold to King Daphnes.

I must admit - they are beautiful creatures. I can abide horses, if they are used for work. Link also has a couple of coats and a cow. They are practical creatures. I think I have inherited my father' s nature regarding animals. My mother can go all mushy over anything, even a lizard. I personally think animals are overrated.

Link is greeting the horses one by one. They all have names and Link swears they all have unique personalities. I think they are all just horses that throw their heads around for no reason and who only come to a fence to see what goodies you could offer them. Link of course has treats in his pocket, and each horse receives one.

"Have you met Peony?" He asks me and points to a tiny chestnut foal. Knowing that one day I will be helping him run this farm, I act in my usual bubbly fashion, exclaiming over a foal I have no interest in.

"She was born whilst you were away." He continues. "She's the best filly I've ever bred. I also started schooling Embarr." Embarr is brown with a black mane and tail, I can't remember what Link said that colouring was but I smile all the same and nod. Embarr is watching me, just as Link is, so I reach out my hand and pat his nose.

Link smiles and I melt. "If you really want, you could ride Aurora, she'll be leaving soon." Aurora is perhaps the only horse there I could appreciate. She is a beautiful palomino mare with long white socks. She has always been my favourite. Link whistles to the palomino and she comes to his side. "She's almost ready to go now." He says. I can see sadness in his eyes. "I've done everything I can for her." Aurora nudges him softly, and snorts a little. "I got a good price for her."

Selling his horses is always difficult for Link but it is the only way he can survive. His other animals are there to feed him primarily. Aurora was one horse I know he would have liked to keep. She was his pride and joy, born from the very bloodline of the legendary hero's horse Epona. I wonder who has bought her.

"I hope the Princess likes her." He murmurs.

"She's been bought for the Princess?" I can't believe this. Not only does she had the fun of actually being a princess, being rich and beautiful and adored by everyone, now she is getting a gift of Link's most prized horse. It's not fair. And so I tell Link.

He just laughs.

That's why I love him. He knows exactly who he is and where he is going. He takes everything in his stride.

I help him feed and water the horses, then the two goats and finally the cow. I hope that by doing so, I will show him I'm not afraid of a little hard work and that I'm more than capable of running the farm with him. Markis and Erik left long ago. They were obviously bored of terrorizing the cucoos.

It is late evening by the time we have finished our chores. I don't regret the waste of a day. I have spent my time with the man I love, working as his companion. Anyone would see that we are meant to be together. He comes out of his tiny house bearing two mugs of warmed milk.

I take mine gratefully and invite him to sit beside me on top of the chicken coop. It is one of the best spots on the farm at night. We both are looking out towards the sunset. It is beautiful tonight. Streaks of purple and orange stretch from the horizon right over our heads and in the east, the stars are beginning to twinkle. I move a little closer to Link.

"Link?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you'll stay here forever?" I ask. I hope I am not pushing him too hard but on the other hand, he can't be that oblivious.

Link looks around the farmyard, now devoid of animals thankfully, and smiles. "Yeah." He answers again. I am disappointed but then again, it was my fault for asking a rhetorical question. I'll have to try again.

"Do you think you'll ever marry?"

Now I know I've gone too far. Link turns and looks at me. He is studying my face and I cannot keep my eyes fixed on his. After a long pause he says, "Yeah."

I glance up at him and see that he is not smiling. His blue eyes are lost in thought though they are fixed on my own green eyes. I wish I knew what he was thinking. I hope it is about me. I edge a little closer.

"What about you?" He asks at length.

"Oh, I want to marry." I answer confidently enough. I also manage to look him right in the eye when I say that too. Link studies my face again and nods. Perhaps he is beginning to realise his love for me. I hear the grumble of thunder in the air.

That's odd. I don't see any storm clouds as I scan the night sky. In fact it looks clear to me. I soon realise, as the horses' in their stalls begin to neigh, that it is not thunder at all, but the sound of a dozen galloping horses. They are heading this way.

I glance at Link. He is looking alarmingly pale. His right hand is gripping his left tightly. He gazes at me for a moment before sliding off the roof of the chicken scoop and telling me to stay where I was.

I hope that whoever is daring to interrupt my romantic evening with Link, they have a good excuse. Of course, I don't stay put either but slide off the roof after Link. He is heading for the front gate of his ranch. I wonder why he looks so frightened.

The rumbling gets louder and louder and the ground begin trembling. Link stays put, completely defenceless but standing his ground. I don't approach for I know he'd rather me stay out of any trouble but I certainly don't intend to let him face danger alone.

Out of nowhere a group of soldiers appear. Had I not been to Castletown recently and seen similar men, I would have thought them to be marauders. They right into Link's yard, circling him in one well-practised move and the leader springs from his horse. I cannot see very well from this point so I climb onto the roof of the coop again, hoping to gain a vantage point. I here the Captain demand, "Are you the owner of this hovel?" I am surprised by how refined and pleasant this man's voice is. I crane forward to get a better view of him and over the horses head I see him standing in the centre, directly in front of Link. I can see the soldiers nearest to me have their hands on sword hilts, ready to draw at a moment's notice.

A couple of the soldiers are carrying torches. In the flickering light I see that the captain has removed his helmet. He has black hair and very pale skin. His eyes seem almost red in the torchlight. I shake my head, knowing I must be mistaken. Only in legends do people have red eyes. What is odd is that the man reminds me somehow of Link. He is about the same height and stature. Link himself remains impassive. He has not answered the Captain's question. I wonder if I should sneak home and get my father. I don't believe for a moment Link is guilty of any crime.

The Captain seems unperturbed by Link's silence. "You are under arrest." He says, in the same pleasant voice he used before. Link stiffens and attempts to back away.

"I've done no wrong." He exclaims. It is strange how his Ordonian accent sounds so foolish in comparison with the elegant Captain's clipped tones. The Captain merely smiles. "If you are innocent of a crime, boy, then you have nothing to fear." For some reason, his voice fills me with dread. I want to make my presence known, I want to call for help and run to Link's aid but I find I cannot move. My legs have chosen at this moment to get a cramp.

The Captain watches Link as he backs away but makes no attempt to detain him. I suppose he has no reason to worry. His prey is circled by a group of ten trained soldiers. It's not like Link can run anywhere. I desperately try to rub life back into my legs. I ignore the voice in my mind telling me I am too frightened to move. I am not too frightened. Am I?

What has Link done? Why is he being arrested? The questions bounce around my head as Link takes a final step back. The Captain smiles softly at him; even from a distance I can see the amusement in those strange eyes of his. The next instant Link is slumped on the floor - his head having come into contact with the iron glove of one of the soldiers. The Captain orders that their captive be bound and tied securely to his horse. He takes one last look at the ranch and jumps onto his own horse.

In the blink of an eye, he and his soldiers have gone, with Link in tow. It all happened so fast I can hardly believe it happened at all. Just to be sure, I look to my side where Link was seated only moments ago. He is gone. Really gone. I realise that I am crying but make no attempt to stem the flow of tears. I slide from the roof of the coop as Link had minutes ago and run all the way home. He's gone. I'll never see him again. He's gone.

Forever.