"Link. That's a nice name," Malon said, nodding as if she approved. "So what are you doing here?"
Link glanced quickly at Navi who made a face at him. He knew perfectly well what it meant. He looked back at Malon's genuinely interested expression.
"I need to speak to the Princess."
Navi slapped a hand to her forehead and groaned.
"Princess Zelda?" Malon asked. "Well, good luck getting into the palace. I heard they just raised security because some dope tried to waltz into the castle. There's a rumor going around that there's a drain or a pipe that leads you into the castle gardens. But they say it's very small. You know, too small for an adult."
Navi pricked her head up at that and gave Link a look. Maybe he did the right thing telling this girl. She gave a telling smile, but pretended to be oblivious.
"Yeah, well, anyway, good luck. I'm waiting for my dad. He was supposed to be making a delivery of Lon Lon milk to the palace, but he's been gone for an awfully long time. My dad's pretty irresponsible. Most of the time, I end up taking care of him like if I was the grown up, but…" she shrugged indicating that she didn't really mind. "Anyway, I'm stuck waiting here for him."
"I'm sorry," Link said, not really knowing what else to say.
Malon nodded and smiled at him. "You look hungry, fairy boy. Why don't you get something to eat? There's a great stall over there in that alley over there."
Link looked in the direction she was pointing. He smiled appreciatively. "Thanks. Hope you find your father."
"Thanks. Nice meeting you, fairy boy."
At the sound of her tone, Link suddenly knew that this new nickname was going to stick with him. He waved goodbye to her and disappeared, following the growingly powerful aroma of food.
He bought some kind of meat pastries and savored the smell coming from within the wax paper wrappers. He devoured one, then another, then the last; leaning against the dirty alley walls a little way down from the cart.
Navi urged him on, tugging at his tunic and telling him that it was time to go. When he was done eating, he stood, wiping his hands on his chest and sighed. He was so tired, but Navi was right. Time was short and it was time to get going. Link walked out into the rousing chaos of the marketplace again.
He looked around wearily, and realized quite suddenly that he had no idea where to go. Maybe he could ask…
But when he looked to the spot where Malon had been standing before, she was gone. He glanced around, trying to find the spot of red that would give her away, but there was nothing. She had disappeared. He sighed and walked up to a woman fidgeting.
"Excuse me, can you-"
The woman gave an annoyed squeal, still fidgeting. "Damn it all, I can't get to this spot!"
Link realized suddenly that she was trying in vain to scratch at a spot on her back and couldn't. She was totally ignoring him. He tried several other people, but they were
just as unresponsive, especially the man that was running around with a pocket watch, yelling about how late he was, but never seeming to go anywhere at all. Finally he decided to try the dancing, enamored couple.
"Pardon?" he called out.
They didn't even turn to look at him.
"What is that?" the man asked, fawning over the woman. "A little boy?"
"Don't pay him mind, Honey," the woman replied, batting her eyelashes sickeningly. "He'll go away soon."
"Indeed, indeed. Scat, boy, scat/"
Link pulled back from the hand that was waved at him dismissively, but didn't budge.
"Look, I just need to know which way the palace is," he tried again.
"We don't have time for you boy, now go," the woman replied.
"You're wasting more time not answering. Just tell me which way, please?"
There was an obviously annoyed sigh and the man pointed towards a northern exit that, in all the confusion, Link had missed. It was just behind the water well. He could've slapped himself for being so blind.
"Now scram, boy, you're aggravating us."
Link complied happily. He walked towards the exit as the sun was sinking slowly under the horizon. The people of Castle Town where packing things up to go home as the torches were lit by soldiers. The sound receded behind him as he walked onto the path leading towards Hyrule Castle.
