Chapter 2: Hero of Time
Chapter 2: Hero of Time
Seven years had passed. Malon had not seen her father or Link in all that time and she didn't think either was alive. Day after day, she'd slaved for Ingo, but to little avail. The ranch had decayed from a green, beautiful place to a mere shell. The plants were mostly dead and the animals, with the notable exception of Epona, were gaunt and weak. Epona had been treated especially well by Ingo, even though the mare despised the former farmhand. Ingo wanted to give her to Ganondorf, since she was the best horse in all of Hyrule.
Now, on a day like all others, Malon had just finished mucking out the stables and she stood outside, gazing at the sky that had once been bright blue but was perpetually gray now. She sighed and looked at the bracelet that was still around her wrist, even after seven years. Against all hope, she'd been wishing for someone to come and crush Ganondorf so that everything could be normal again, but she knew deep inside that such a thing wouldn't happen.
She was about to walk over to the horse pen when she heard a voice behind her. It was familiar and strange at the same time.
"Hey Malon. Long time no see."
She turned around and looked into the eyes of a young man clad in green, who had a sword and shield on his back. His eyes were blue and his hair was messy and blond. Next to his head floated a fairy.
"Link? Is that really you?" Malon asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
Link smiled shakily. "Yeah, it's me. It's good to see that you're okay..." he said, glancing around the ranch.
Malon stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. "I thought you were dead! What happened to you?"
Link hugged Malon back awkwardly and sighed. "I've been sealed in the Temple of Time for seven years. I heard what happened here from a Sage named Rauru. As soon as I was out, I came here to see if you were alright," he said.
Malon looked at Link, surprised. "Why were you sealed?" she asked, frowning in confusion.
Before Link could answer, Ingo strode towards them and started to scold Malon. "What are you doing, wench?! You're not allowed to interact with the customers!" Then he turned to Link and gave him a large, fake smile. "Good day, sir. Welcome to Lon Lon Ranch. Would you like to ride one of our horses for a small fee?"
Link looked at Malon, who sighed and shook her head. "I'd like to know why you're being such an asshole to Malon," Link said bluntly.
Ingo's slimy smile became slightly smaller and he said, "This wench is only here as a farmhand, she is not worth your time."
Link shook his head. "She's worth more of my time than you are, Ingo. If you leave us alone for five minutes I'll pay a fee to ride here, okay?"
Ingo bowed and said, "As you wish. But I do not think she'll have much to say." With a warning glance at Malon, Ingo walked away.
Link stared after him and asked, "What happened here? Where is Talon?"
Malon looked away and answered, "Ganondorf gave Ingo control over the ranch. Ingo kicked my dad off and kept me here as his slave. That happened two days after you had been sealed. So why was that?"
Now it was Link's turn to look away. "I opened the door to the Sacred Realm on Zelda's orders. I removed the Master Sword from its pedestal, but because I was too young it sealed me until I was old enough to wield it. But as soon as I pulled out the sword and the Sacred Realm opened, Ganondorf entered. He...he has the Triforce."
Malon bit her lip. "So that's how he was able to take over Hyrule...His armies have destroyed everything. Link, will things ever be the way they were again?" She asked, grabbing Link's hands.
"There is a way to beat Ganondorf. Apparently if I can awaken the five Sages that are still dormant I'll have the power to defeat Ganondorf and restore peace. But to do that, I need a safe haven. A place where I can rest from my battles. I had hoped that that would be here, but even this place is tainted by evil. So first, I'm going to restore this place to the way it was."
Malon saw the fierce determination in Link's eyes as he said that, and she noticed that he still had the same aura of courage surrounding him as seven years ago.
Link marched toward Ingo and said, "I'd like to ride a horse, on the condition that I get to choose which one."
Ingo bowed again and flashed his greasy smile. "Of course, of course. Follow me, please."
Ingo led Link to the horse pen, and Malon followed the two to see what Link was going to do. Several seconds later, she heard a familiar tune coming from Link's ocarina and she softly hummed along with it. Epona, who was in the horse pen as well, immediately ran over to Link and allowed him to ride her.
Link rode around a few laps and then he rode closer to Ingo, who was gesturing wildly to get Link's attention. "My my, you're pretty skillful on that horse. How about a small race for, say, fifty rupees?" he said.
Link nodded and said, "Sure, why not?" A few minutes later, both riders stood behind a line. They'd run around the pen once, and the winner would take the fifty rupees. Ingo himself gave the starting instructions. "Three, two..." As soon as he said 'two' Ingo started racing. Link, on Epona, waited calmly for Ingo to say 'go' before dashing after him. Of course, Epona won the race easily, and Ingo said, "That was quite magnificent. So let's race again, and this time if you win, you can keep the horse."
Link smirked; this was what he had hoped for. About a minute later, Ingo was yelling and swearing in frustration. Link had beaten him again with ease. In a final attempt to stop Link, he closed the gates, but Epona jumped over it without hesitation. That caused Ingo to nearly lose his mind, and while he was ranting and raving Link stood next to Malon.
"Now, I'll destroy the evil here."
He drew the Master Sword and the blade shone in the faint sunlight. Malon's eyes widened, both at seeing the Blade of Evil's Bane and at Link's seeming bloodthirst.
"You...you're not going to kill him are you?" she asked shakily.
Link shook his head. "No, I'm just going to touch him with the flat of the blade. No evil can bear its touch, at least that's what Rauru said."
Link strode over to Ingo, who stared at him and said, "So are you going to kill me now? Are going to do what King Ganondorf will do anyway now that I lost the horse I was going to give him?"
Link stared at him hard, and raised the Master Sword. Ingo closed his eyes and sighed. Link turned the blade and tapped Ingo's forehead with the flat side.
Ingo cringed and it seemed as if the very touch of the sword burned his skin. A black shadow seemed to explode off Ingo when Link touched him with the Master Sword. Despite his seeming agony, though, Ingo quickly stood up and looked at Link and Malon.
"Wha...what happened? I know sort of, but not everything..."
He sounded dizzy, almost as if he'd just woken up from some horrible nightmare. He groaned and held his head, sinking back to his knees. Malon walked over to him and knelt beside him.
"You were under Ganondorf's control. Do you remember what happened seven years ago?" she asked.
"I...I...It's all foggy. Something about an army, and Talon facing a Stalfos..." Ingo stammered, still sounding dazed.
Malon nodded. "That's right. Look, if I were you I'd try to get some rest. There's an ice pack in the cooler if you need it. I'm sure everything will come back."
Ingo nodded, and shakily got to his feet again. He walked over to the main building, wavering like a drunk. Malon looked after him and shook her head. She turned to Link with tears of anger in her eyes.
Link stepped closer to her, not sure how to react.
"I couldn't confront him with everything he's done, not as he is now," Malon said bitterly.
Link put his hands on her shoulders and said, "You didn't have to. He'll remember everything eventually. When he does...I suspect he'll be overcome with guilt. Try to help him through, reassure him. If his guilt gets the best of him..."
Malon nodded. "I know. But...I don't think I can do this alone. And Ingo's guilt goes beyond me and the ranch. My dad and Ingo were best friends. If dad doesn't forgive him, he might still..." She didn't finish her sentence, but Link understood what she was saying just fine.
"I'll find Talon," he said.
Malon looked up, surprised by the unwavering resolve in his voice. "Link, I don't even know if he's still alive," she said.
Link looked right into her eyes, and his piercing gaze chilled Malon somewhat. It was as if Link was suddenly a different person. "I don't think Talon's dead. I don't even think he's in hiding. Yeah, he was banned from the ranch by Ingo, but he wasn't outlawed by Ganondorf. He could have gone anywhere and I doubt he'd choose a place that's likely to be demolished," Link said.
"You don't understand, the whole of Hyrule has been pillaged by Ganondorf. The land's torn apart. You've been sealed for too long, Link. The war is long over. Ganondorf is the undisputed victor," Malon said desparately.
Link huffed. "What happened to you?" he asked, staring at her intently. "I remember you as an optimistic, spirited person. Now you're an entirely different person, it seems."
Malon looked at him angrily. "Of course I've changed! Everyone has! You don't know anything, Link. You've been safely sealed inside an impenetrable fortress, shielded from all the evils of the real world. Hyrule as you know it does not exist anymore. The green fields are yellow and dead now. The blue skies are always overcast. Even the Stalchildren and Peahats have been destroyed. All that remains on the Hyrule Fields are Poes. The restless spirits of all those murdered by Ganondorf, fused into Big Poes. For seven years, seven fucking years, I witnessed the decay of everything I knew and loved. How can you expect me to be optimistic?!" she yelled. She sighed angrily and turned away from Link, frustrated to the point where she'd like to throw with every fragile thing she could find.
"I'm sorry..." Link said softly. "It's just that...I don't want to think that everything I knew, all those things and people that meant so much to me, are gone. I can't accept that. I will not accept it. I swear on the Master Sword, no, on Epona, that I'll find Talon and get him back to the ranch," he said, now confident again.
Malon sighed and turned around again. "I hope you'll find him...But Link, promise me that you'll be safe," she pleaded.
Link nodded. "I promise. I'll be here as often as I can. My quest will take me all over Hyrule, so I'm certain Talon will be back here in no time at all. Now, though, I have to go. This guy named Sheik told me to head over to Kakariko Village, to obtain an item I need to enter the Temple in the Lost Woods."
Link looked pained for a second. "What's wrong?" Malon asked, concerned.
Link shook his head and sighed. "It's just that...the Lost Woods are my home. The Kokiri Forest is in fact nothing but a part of those woods. I dread to think what I will find there."
For the first time in a long while, Navi spoke up. "I wouldn't worry too much, Link. The Kokiri are small and no threat to Ganondorf. He wouldn't waste his time on them," she said.
Link didn't seem convinced, but he said, "I guess you're right."
He looked at Malon and again and said, "Well, I'll be off then. I hope I'll see you again soon."
Malon nodded sadly and sighed. "Just don't die, okay? You're the only hope Hyrule has, it seems."
Link smiled at her. "I'll be fine. Ganondorf will not stop me. Take good care of Ingo. The sooner he's well again the better. You've done all the work long enough." Malon nodded and Link climbed on Epona. He turned to Malon one last time. "I won't take Epona into the the temples with me, so she'll be fine," he said.
Malon chuckled. "Epona could hold her own against a Stalfos if need be, you know. Even if it would be stronger, she could run away." Link grinned and shrugged. He sort of saluted Malon and rode off, followed closely by Navi, who quickly yelled, "Bye!" as they rode off.
Malon smiled and shook her head. Link hadn't changed at all. But his remark about her still lingered in her thoughts. 'You're an entirely different person, it seems.' She bit her lip and shook her head to clear her mind.
"No time to worry about that now," she said out loud. "Time to see how Ingo is doing."
She walked to the main building and entered, walking directly to Ingo's bedroom. Despite him kicking Talon off the ranch and thus freeing up the master bedroom Ingo had always kept his own room. She knocked on the door and entered. Ingo lay on his bed with an ice pack on his forehead, opening his eyes when Malon entered.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, trying to suppress the thoughts of the way he had treated her the last seven years.
"Slightly less shaky than just now, I guess," he replied, his voice sounding strained.
"Has...has anything from the past come back to you?" Malon asked hesitantly, fearing Ingo's response. She was afraid that with his memory, his evil might return as well.
Ingo shifted uneasily and replied, "Yeah...I remembered the day of the attack, and the things that happened after that are returning as well...Malon...I...your father..." He fell silent, fighting with his emotions. Malon, too, felt tears burning in her eyes.
"It wasn't your fault..." Malon whispered.
Ingo snorted bitterly. In the light of the sole candle in the room, Malon saw something she'd never thought she'd see. Tears gleamed in Ingo's eyes.
"It was my fault. If I hadn't been so afraid of dying, I would never have accepted Ganondorf's offer. But I was a coward, and I caused you and Talon so much trouble. For fuck's sake, Talon's my best friend and I kicked him off his ranch, and proceeded to destroy his life's work. All because I was afraid," he said angrily.
Malon shook her head forcefully. "No! If you hadn't agreed, Ganondorf would have killed you, and probably us, too. What you did may have saved us all,"she said, only partially believing her own words. A part of her, the part that kept thinking about all the horrible things Ingo had done, relished his mental torture. Frankly, Malon was starting to scare herself with this apparent bloodthirst.
"All of us? Talon is gone. I took away his whole life that day, and after seven years, what hope remains that he's still alive?" Ingo asked, a bitter tone of self-loathing in his voice.
"Link swore he would bring dad back here," Malon said. "I believe in him."
Ingo was silent for a while before replying. "I wish I could believe that Talon is still alive, but..." He shook his head and said, "Anyway, I think I'll be able to work again tomorrow. I have to restore the damage I've caused. I know I can't fix everything, but I can at least help on the ranch. I want this place to be green again."
Malon smiled and said, "Alright. I'll let you rest, then. Do you think you'll be up for dinner? Otherwise I'll leave something so you can make something later."
Ingo nodded gratefully and said, "Thanks, and I'm sorry..."
With a last glance, Malon closed Ingo's door and went outside. She walked to the horse pen and sat on the fence. With the cool breeze flowing through her hair, she thought about the day. Ingo was himself again, and Link had returned from the mists of time. For the first time in seven years, she was actually getting hope again.
Two days later, another surprise awaited her. She and Ingo had just finished thoroughly cleaning the stables, and Malon saw two horses approaching in the red light of sunset. She squinted her eyes and saw that one of the riders was Link. She couldn't make out the other figure, though, as he wore a hooded robe that hid his features. Link and the other rider rode onto the terrain of the ranch, and were greeted by Malon and Ingo. Link and the hooded figure dismounted and approached the two.
"Link! I hadn't expected you to be back so soon," Malon said.
Link grinned. "Well, I would've headed down to the Forest Temple first, if I hadn't run into this guy here." He turned to face the hooded figure. "Why don't you show your face?" Link suggested.
The hooded man grabbed his hood and hesitated for a moment. Then he took off the hood. Malon basically turned to stone upon seeing the man, and Ingo gasped audibly.
"Dad..." Malon muttered.
Talon smiled uneasily. "Yeah, it's me." Malon wrapped her arms around him and he held her, finally reunited with his daughter again. "I'm so glad to see you again! I...I thought you were dead," Malon said, almost crying.
"I wouldn't die on you, ever. Besides, I promised you'd see me again," Talon said. When they parted, Talon looked at Ingo, who stared at the ground.
"Ingo," Talon said, and Ingo looked up.
For a moment the men looked in each other's eyes awkwardly, then Ingo spoke. "Talon...I..."
Talon cut him off. "You don't have to apologize, my friend. Link told me about the curse. Your initial betrayal I've forgiven long ago. I would have done the same, I'm sure. Fear of death makes you act in ways you can't imagine beforehand. He just chose you because of your eternal envy of me."
Ingo bowed his head in gratitude and simply said, "Thank you..."
Malon turned to Link. "How did you find dad?"
"I was in Kakariko Village, looking for a place to spend the night. I ran into him in the Inn. Of course, I explained the situation and asked him to come back here with me after I finished my business there," he said, like it was no big deal at all. "Talon could've gotten here quicker, I just asked him to wait for me."
Malon chuckled. "So that you would get all the honor? How modest of you," she mocked him.
"Modesty was never Link's strong point," Navi said, joining forces with Malon.
"Well, throw me in prison for it," Link said quasi-indignantly.
"People," Talon said, gaining everyone's attention. "Despite these harsh times, today is a happy day for all of us here. Therefore I suggest that we have ourselves a celebration tonight. Everyone here has earned some relaxation." Talon's words were greeted with cheers from everyone, and that night the dining room of the Lon Lon Ranch was noisier than ever.
Link showed off his Hookshot, the grappling hook he had retrieved from the ghost of Dampé the gravekeeper. Talon told how he had ended up in Kakariko after wandering about for days, without food. Ingo made his apologies about a million times, and swore he would work hard from now on. And Malon just listened to all the stories, happier than she had been in a long time.
The weeks after that, Talon, Malon and Ingo worked hard to restore the ranch to its former glory. Their hard work was already beginning to pay off, as the horses were back to peak condition and the cows started to give more milk again. Link sometimes dropped by, but most of the time he was away, awakening the Sages that would help him restore peace to Hyrule.
He had destroyed Volvagia, the dragon that resided in Death Mountain, and in the process caused the largest eruption in a long time. When the eruption took place, Malon had been worried that Link might've been killed, but just a day later he showed up, telling her not to worry about him.
Now, Link had just returned from the last temple, the Spirit Temple that lay in the desert, beyond the Haunted Wasteland. He had awakened all the Sages and was ready to head for the final battle with Ganondorf. Malon was with him as he sat on a bale of hay, tense, but not overly nervous. "It's almost time, isn't it?" she asked.
Link nodded. "Yeah. Soon, this'll all be over. Ganondorf knows the Sages have been awakened. His army stands ready at the drawbridge. You've seen it too, I guess."
Malon nodded. When she gazed over to the Castle, she saw the legions of Stalfos, Dinolfos and Iron Knuckles that stood in orderly rows before the drawbridge to the Market.
"How will you get past them?" she asked.
Link grinned wickedly. "I have an army as well. They should be here in a few hours. The Gerudo Thieves from the desert want to overthrow Ganondorf too. He kidnapped their leader because she's a Sage. They agreed to help me storm the Castle. Also, the civil militia of Kakariko will join us. They've been preparing since I left there, and on my signal they'll come to our aid."
Malon was awestruck. She hadn't expected Link to form an army against Ganondorf. "So...the entire Gerudo army will show up here in a few hours?" she asked increduously.
"Yeah. I already told Talon and he understood the necessity of this. I need a disciplined force to fight Ganondorf's armies. The Kakariko militia are tenacious, but too few in number and they aren't trained well enough. They'll join in the fight when the Gerudo have already engaged in battle," Link said.
Before Malon could reply, she felt the ground shake in marching rhythm. From the southwest, the Gerudo army approached. Most of the desert thieves were clad in purple, but their commanders wore red and wielded dual scimitars. They stopped their advance at the ranch, and gazed in the distance towards Ganondorf's forces.
The Gerudo leaders came onto the terrain of the ranch and Link got up and walked over to them. Malon watched him as Link explained his plans. She saw him gesture and nod, at times pointing at a map the Gerudo leader was holding. Malon realized that even though she hadn't really noticed it from his behavior, Link had really matured. He was acting like a well trained general, the way he gave orders to an entire army.
After about twenty minutes of conversation, The Gerudo leaders saluted Link and marched back to their army to relay Link's orders.
Link walked over to Malon and said, "This is it. The Gerudo are here far sooner than I expected, so it's finally time to end this war. I haven't had the time to ask, so I'll ask you now. Do you want to fight as well? Talon and Ingo are going, and you are definitely not a fragile little girl."
Malon wasn't prepared for that question. Somehow, she had expected Link to tell her to stay at the ranch and be careful. "I want to fight," she said.
Link nodded. "As I thought. Well then, go to Talon and tell him you'll come." He chuckled. "I knew from the start that I couldn't tell you to stay put, and Talon knew that as well. The three of you will be going to Kakariko for equipment. There, you'll wait with the militia for the signal from the Gerudo. After that...just don't get hurt," he finished.
Malon smiled. "I won't, if you promise me you won't get hurt either," she said.
"I promise," Link said, smiling back.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of him," Navi said from beside Link's head.
"I'm sure you will. Good luck..." Malon said, looking at her Goron Bracelet.
Link nodded confidently. "We'll be fine. Now, it's time. I'll see you after the battle." With that, he mounted Epona and rode off.
Malon went over to Talon and Ingo, who had already prepared a horse for her.
"We knew you were coming," Talon said. "Get on, we have to reach Kakariko before the main forces reach Ganondorf's army."
Malon nodded and got on the horse. "Let's move!"
The three ranchers rode off to the east, and Malon looked over her shoulder to see the Gerudo army, headed by Link, start its advance on the legions of death that awaited.
Talon, Malon and Ingo reached Kakariko fairly quickly, and were greeted by the militia. The militia consisted of the braver civilians in Kakariko, who had equipped themselves with swords, shields and armor from the Hylian army, courtesy of Impa.
The three ranchers were given equipment as well, and Malon noted with delight that no one questioned her presence there. The militia headed out of the village, coming to a halt at the bottom of the stairs out of Kakariko. Malon felt everyone's tension, and she was pretty nervous herself.
From the back of her horse, she could see the Gerudo army and Ganondorf's legions. It wouldn't be long before the armies would clash, and then the signal would sound, beckoning the militia to attack. Then the advance guard of the Gerudo reached the first lines of monsters, and the battle had begun.
The Gerudo army charged, breaking the lines of monsters and starting a huge melee. Somewhere from the battlefield, a loud horn sounded.
The militia leader gave a signal, and Malon knew that it was now her time to fight. The militia attacked Ganondorf's army from the unguarded flank and did decent damage before the monsters reorganized and started to fight back.
Malon drew her sword and charged, cutting through a Dinolfos as it tried to throw her off her horse. The battle was a blur to her, all she knew was that she had to keep pressing forward and slay all the monsters. After what seemed like an eternity, she ended up right in front of the drawbridge. The chains that had held it up had been cut with powerful magic. The battle was far from over though.
In the Market, she saw the terrifying ReDead. Slowly, they advanced. If they could reach the battlefield and use their paralyzing shrieks this battle could turn ugly.
Gathering her courage, Malon charged at the ReDead. When she had cut down all but one, she was hit by the blast of sound from the last 'living' ReDead. She fell off her horse and tried to get up. When she regained her senses, it was on top of her. In her fear, she just hacked away with her sword, and by sheer luck she decapitated the zombie that had almost sucked out her life.
She sat for a moment, recovering from the struggle. Her horse had run away, terrified by the shriek of the ReDead. Malon got up, and it was then she heard a huge, thundering roar, coming from the Castle. She ran there, only to stumble across a hellish scene. There was no castle, only a few remaining walls, surrounded by a ring of fire. On an edge, she saw a person in a pink dress, who she assumed to be Princess Zelda. Several seconde later, she noticed a sword, standing at an angle in the ground near Zelda. To her shock she saw that it was the Master Sword.
"LINK!" She yelled as loud as she possibly could.
As if by magic, the wall of fire extinguished. Now she was able to see more clearly what was behind the flames. She saw a huge beast, kneeling in the dust. It held two large javelins, but it seemed at a loss. Zelda fired some weird magic at it, keeping the monster down. And then, from behind the behemoth, Link emerged. He dashed for the Master Sword and pulled it from the dirt.
Malon couldn't believe her eyes. Link had brought down that huge beast? It seemed impossible. Link strode back to the beast and stood before its head. The Master Sword glowed with the power to defeat the monster once and for all. Link slashed across the beast's face twice, and as a finisher, he rammed the Master Sword in the beast's throat.
The monster went berserk, and around it, seemingly from nowhere, six people, enveloped in glowing light, appeared. They summoned brightly colored balls of energy and aimed it at the monster. When the balls of magic converged, the world was bathed in a brilliant whit light. Malon averted her eyes so as not to be blinded. When she looked again, the ruins of the catle were empty. Everyone, including Link and Zelda, were gone.
"Link!" Malon yelled. "Link! Where are you?!"
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
But Link wasn't in Hyrule at that moment. He was in a blue sky, filled with fluffy white clouds. He stood before Zelda.
"At last, the world is free from Ganondorf's evil reign. You, Link, the Hero of Time, you have brought peace to Hyrule once again," Zelda said.
"I couldn't have done it without the Sages, or the selfless actions of the Gerudo tribe," Link replied. "They are heroes just as much as I am."
Zelda smiled. "It is time for you to be rewarded for all your efforts. Give me the Ocarina of Time. As a Sage, I can return you to your own time with it. You'll be able to live the years you lost,' she said, holding up her hand.
Link retrieved the Ocarina, but didn't give it to Zelda right away. "I'll give you the Ocarina, after all it's yours, not mine. But...I want to stay in this time. If I go back, I'll lose so much..." he said.
Zelda cocked her head. "Link, if you stay here you will have lost seven years of your life; seven years that you can never replace."
Link smiled. "I've found something that's worth the sacrifice of seven years," he said.
"What, then?" Zelda asked, confused.
"You know. If you look inside your heart, you will know. I don't want to go back to my own time. My reward is the peace that our work has brought upon Hyrule."
Zelda nodded, though not wholeheartedly. "I see. In that case, I will not force you. For now, our ways must part. It will be up to you to announce the victory we had today. I have to go to the Chamber of Sages, first," she said.
Link replied, "I understand. Maybe I'll see you around sometime."
He handed her the Ocarina of Time and Zelda started playing. Link was encased in a blue crystal and the blue sky darkened for a few moments, before clearing again. Link felt himself descending.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Malon saw the column of light appear in the sky and ran over to it. Link floated down in it, and stepped out of the light.
"Link! I...I thought you were gone," Malon said, wrapping her arms around him.
He held her and said, "I don't vanish that easily."
For a while he just held her, and the he started to say, "Malon, I-"
Before he could finish, however, Malon had kissed him, and he was kissing her back. He held her tightly and he swore that he could feel her heartbeat as they just stood there. After a long time they broke the kiss.
"-love you," Link finished his sentence.
Malon smiled. "I love you too, Link."
"Well, it's about time," Navi said, and both Link and Malon laughed. They kissed again, not as long this time, but more passionate.
"Let's go tell the others we won. I'm sure they'll be glad to see us," Link said.
"I hope everyone's okay," Malon said, worried about her father and Ingo.
"I'm sure they're fine. They just needed to hold the monsters off, distract them. I explicitly told them to back up and think of their safety, and that of their allies, before anything else if they got in trouble," Link said.
They crossed the empty Market and walked over the drawbridge. The entire army had assembled in front of it. Link raised his sword high, and as the light of the setting sun reflected off it, a huge cheer went through the army. Malon felt a chill run down her spine. This was the moment all of Hyrule had been waiting for for seven years. The threat was finally over. The war had been won.
Link adressed the crowd. "Ganondorf is gone! He has been sealed inside the Sacred Realm forever, and Hyrule is finally rid of his plague. As you have noticed, his monsters have fallen apart now that his dark sorcery no longer taints the land. Friends, we have won! Despite the hardship we have faced, Hyrule is finally a free land again. Now, I suggest we all head over to Lon Lon Ranch, and the portions of Hyrule Field in its direct vicinity, and have the largest party in the history of Hyrule!"
This suggestion was greeted by loud cheers, and soon everyone, from all towns, villages and cities in Hyrule had gathered on the field around the Lon Lon Ranch. Talon and Ingo were steaming drunk before it was even midnight, and they were swaying left and right with their hand over each other's shoulders.
Link was constantly swarmed by people who wanted to know how he had beaten Ganondorf and Malon laughed as Link ran around the horse pen, followed by his new fans.
As it became later and people were getting more and more drunk, Link and Malon snuck into the hayloft. Link turned to Navi and said, "Hey um...I was hoping I could have some time with Malon, you know...just the two of us."
Navi giggled in a knowing tone and said, "Sure."
She flew off and Link muttered, "I wonder what kind of weird ideas she has now."
Malon chuckled and said, "Who cares. Let her have her warped imagination."
Link sighed and lay back. "I guess it's okay. Finally we're alone. It seems like forever since we last had some time to ourselves," he said.
Malon lay next to him and said, "Yeah, but we'll have lots of time from now on, won't we? I mean, the evil is gone, and life will continue as it always does. If you want, you could work here on the ranch when you're not off defending freedom."
Link smiled. "I guess I'll stay here as a farmhand, then. Not much world-saving to do anymore, fortunately," he said.
Malon moved a little closer to him and said, "If I were you, I'd try to get some sleep. We can talk about everything tomorrow, but we've had a hard day and I'm sure you're tired."
Link looked away and turned a little red. "You'll stay here, right?" he asked.
Malon laughed. "Yes, fairy boy, I'll stay here. I think my dad won't mind. Even if he does, he's so drunk he won't wake up before noon anyway."
Link turned his head and looked into Malon's dark blue eyes. They hadn't changed at all over the years, he noticed. "I haven't heard you calling me fairy boy in a long time," he said.
Malon's smile widened. "I know. You don't mind, do you?"
Link stretched out, lay on his back, and said, "No, I don't mind. Even when I'm eighty, I'll still be the same fairy boy as seven years ago." And then, for the first time in seven years, Malon and Link slept peacefully.
The end
Well, hope you liked it. R&R please, your opinion is always appreciated. Flaming is okay, but at least give me a reason so that I can do something about it. Also, I'm sorry about any typos, my spell checker is still dead. Even though I read it through several times, I might have left some in.
