Just one more chapter after this. I am glad that so many people have enjoyed reading this story and if you want to summit a name and sex for Malon's baby do it soon, I can't count your vote after I have posited the last chapter.

Link looked out over the sea of faces in his classroom and felt an unbelievable sensation in his chest. They were here, and he loved them. He didn't know their names yet, but he had prayed for every day, and in so doing, his love had grown. Not only that, he was the teacher. Mr. Taggart. The name was already written on the board in white chalk.

"As you can see, I've written my name on the board at the front of the room. I'm Mr. Taggart," he told them kindly. "Now I would like to know your names. We'll begin here at the front and work our way back. Please stand when you give your first and last name, and don't sit down until I've had a chance to check my list."

He took a seat at the desk up front, and they were off. There were half a dozen kids who obviously didn't want to be there at all, but for the most part the 32 students were eager to learn and participate. Link had more boys than girls and thought that might be unusual, but with the shy smiles he was receiving from a few of the girls who already looked smitten with him, he thought it might be best.

The day laterally flew by. As tired as he knew he was going to be that, night, he couldn't wait to tell Zelda all about it.

"How many of the girls fell in love with you?" she asked when she could get a word in. Malon, who was with them, laughed uproariously.

"What's happening?" Zelda demanded.

"Oh, Zelda." Malon was still overcome. "Link's face is lit up like a house afire. I think they all must have been enamored."

Zelda laughed as well, but then thought of herself. She had put absolutely no stock in Link's remark in the study, and so now her thoughts tormented her. At one time she had been on of the older girls in school. What if Link fell for one of his female students? Stop it, Zelda, she chastised herself. You know he's going to be your friend, and you can't expect more than that. The day he meets someone and wants to marry, you'll just have to accept that. You could probably go back to Kakariko Village, and that would make things easier, but you're done with being selfish. Just because you can't have a normal life doesn't mean Link can't either. Help me, Father. Please help me to accept and believe this.

Both Link and Malon saw the odd look on Zelda's face, but no one questioned her. Link went on to share a little more about the day, and then he asked Zelda if she wanted her lesson now. He wasn't supposed to give it until evening, but as long as he was there, he thought she might want it then.

"Oh, sure," she said immediately, and then thought about how he might feel. "I mean, if you're not too tired."

"No, I'm fine. Why don't you get your books, and I'll meet you in the study."

"All right."

Link waited until she was gone before talking to Malon.

"Has she been all right?"

"I think so. She didn't have much to do today, but all that's going to change tomorrow."

"How's that?"

Malon shook her head. "I think I'll let her tell you if she wants to, but she wont' know about it until the morning."

Link thought that was more than fair and let the matter drop, but he was curious, especially because Zelda was a little quiet for their lesson. He left a few hours later and prayed all the way home.

When will I be in the position to ask her, Lord? When will I have the right to be what I want to be to that woman? I thought it was hard to wait for school, but this is torture. I want to hold her and calm her every fear. Link was halfway home when he finally heard himself.

I can't be those things I prayed about, Lord. Only You can do that. Please help me to remember.

(&)

"I can't remember how to do this," Zelda admitted, and Malon looked at her in compassion.

"That's all right," Lulu spoke up. "I will refresh your mind. You break the eggs, one at a time, over this bowl, the smaller bowl, and then you will have a chance to search for any shells that might have dropped before pouring the eggs into the large bowl. Right here," Lulu instructed, moving Zelda's hands."

"All right." Zelda's voice was small, her face strained, and Malon wanted to bawl. The younger girl was covered with flower and egg white, but she didn't complain. Malon knew it would be a challenge for Zelda, but she never knew it would break her won heart to watch. She had waited until after breakfast that morning and begun by apologizing to Zelda.

"I need to confess something to you, Zelda," Malon began. "I haven't treated you as I should."
"Malon, what in the world could you be talking about?"
"I'm talking about getting you a schoolteacher but not helping you learn tings you need to know around the house. You already sere your own food and drink. Why couldn't you learn to cook if Lulu left all the ingredients in the same place all the time?"
Zelda's mouth felt like paper. She would burn the house down, she was certain of it, and said as much when she could find her voice.

"No, you won't." Malon sounded so confident. "We're going to work up to this gradually. Beginning this morning and every weekday morning, you're going to work with Lulu or me in the kitchen. What do you think?"

What do I think? What do I think? Zelda's mind nearly cried. I think I'll fail at this like I thought I would fail at everything without my sight. I think this will get my hopes up but I still won't be normal. Oh, Malon, I love you so much and I'll do this to please you, but I think we're asking for disaster.

"Zelda?"

"Sounds great," she replied, trying to convince Malon as well as herself. "I'm just surprised and a little uncertain."

Malon hugged her. "You won't be left on your own until you thing you can do it."

Zelda nodded and prayed for strength, and then realized suddenly that she had much for which to be thankful. How many sisters would have sat her in a corner and told her to stay out of the way? But not Malon, and not Ralph either. She might be scared out of her wits, but they believed in her.

And it was a good ting they did, because Zelda war ready to throw in the towel by Friday. She worked every morning with Malon and Lulu, sewed, read, or wrote in the afternoons, and then worked with Link in the evenings. She fell into bed every night, and Malon had to call her each morning or she'd have slept until noon. Saturday never looked so good.

Malon woke her at the regular time. Zelda didn't question her, but got dressed and made ready to leave her room. Not until that moment did she realize Link was downstairs. She heard his voice and then remembered that since they were getting time for school only in the evening, he said he would be coming on Saturday as well. Zelda knew she couldn't do it today. She stood in the upstairs hallway and fought the tears that threatened. She stood for quite some time until Ralph came through on his way to the bank and spotted her.

"Zelda?"

Her back was to him, and she didn't answer. He circled to the front of her and saw the tears. With a gentle hand he led her back to her room and waited until she sat in the chair by the window.

"What is it, Zelda?"

She shook her head, and Ralph read a certain hopelessness in her eyes.

"Zelda, Link is here," Malon called from the bottom of the stairs. Zelda rose wearily.

"She'll be a few minutes," Ralph called down from the door. He then strode back into the room. "Sit down, Zelda."

She did as she was told, trying to remember the verse about doing all tings in Christ because he give the strength, not once realizing that she might be doing more than God was asking of her.

"Zelda, tell me what's upset you."

"I'm not really upset, Ralph, just tired." A tear trickled down her face. "But I need to stay busy, and I think I'm being a baby."

Ralph felt ashamed. She lived under his roof, but because things were busy at the bank, and Malon was concern with her pregnancy, not to mention Zelda's doing exceptionally well, he'd almost forgotten her personal needs.

"I need to go down now," she told him.

"Why don't you and Link just go for a walk today? I'm sure he would welcome the change."

"You don't pay, Link to come here and walk with me, Ralph," Zelda pointed out reasonably. Ralph didn't tell her that Link had stopped accepting pay form him a long time ago.

Zelda went on. "If he's not going to teach me, I think he must have better tings to do with his time. After all, he works all week long now and spends every evening here."

"And you work all morning, afternoon and evening too," Robert added, but Zelda didn't comment.

"Stay here, Zelda I'll be back."

She heard him leave and lay her head back. She felt ashamed for being tired and unwilling to work, but right now she didn't think she even had the strength to rise. She told herself not to go to sleep-she'd just awakened-but it was no use. Sleep was crowding in, and she didn't seem to have the will to fight it.

(&)

"Is Zelda coming down?" Malon asked when her husband joined then in the living room.

"Not just yet." he looked at Link. "I think she'd pretty tired. I suggested that she go for a walk today instead of doing her lesson, but she said that's not what I pay you for."

Link's brows rose. "Well, that might have been true at one point, but surely she knows I come for more than her schooling."

"I think she does, but she's so tired right now that she's not thinking straight."

Link nodded. "She told me she's learning to cook all over again. I've noticed that anytime she learns something new, it exhausts her. She's going great. I probably don't tell her often enough how well she's doing. Maybe Saturdays are not such a good idea."

Malon looked shame-faced. "And I word her as early as I always do."

"I think maybe we should back off a bit," Ralph stated. "I've got to get into town now, but I think if you ask Zelda, she'll say she wants to rest today."
Malon nodded, kissed her husband, and started for the stairs. Link said he would stay and talk to Zelda awhile, but when Malon returned, it was to report that Zelda had fallen sound asleep in her chair.

(&)

"I can feel the approach of winter," Zelda commented fingering the leaf in her hand.

"Yes," Link agreed, but he didn't feel like talking more. Zelda looked utterly captivating in a dress of cream and navy blue, and all Link could do was stare. The beautiful Death Mountains rose majestically in the distance, but Link had eyes for Zelda alone.

Several weeks had passed since Zelda had been too tired to study, and from that pint Link had spent every weekend with Zelda, but not to study or work. They had been some of the most wonderful weeks of his life. She grew more accustomed to his voice and inflections, and most of the time she was the wild, fun Zelda that he'd fallen in love with the summer before in Kakariko Village. Tonight they were supposed to be studying, but it was so nice that Link called for a nature walk and took her outside.

"Here's one for you." Link held a flower beneath her nose and watched her smile.

"Wild rose," Zelda breathed. "My favorite." She caressed the delicate blossom and smelled it again. She ten realized how quiet Link had been that day.

"You haven't been very talkative today, Link Taggart."
"No," he smiled, "but I'm doing plenty of thinking."
"About?"
"About how lovely you look in that dress and how beautiful your hair is when the sun bounces off it."

Zelda's hand automatically went to a fat curl that lay on her shoulder. "I can't really remember it anymore."

"Shall I tell you?" Link asked and began before she could answer. "The color is richer than anything I've ever seen. Brighter than golden sun shine and soft to the eyes that you automatically want to touch it." Link's voice grew softer and deeper as he continued, and Link's heart began to pound. "It falls in ripples down your back and shoulders, and curls slightly at the ends. Even with the wind teasing it, it's smooth looking and tempts my hand unbearably."

Link now looked at Zelda's eyes and saw understanding for the first time. "What did you just hear, Zelda? What does your heart tell you?"

"No, Link," she whispered. "It can't be. How can you love me after this? How can you possible feel-

"

She cut off when his arms came around her. He held her gently, but her hands clung to his shoulders.

"You don't understand, Zelda." Link had to bed his head only slightly to speak softly into her ear. "The blink Zelda who is indwelt by God is a thousand times more lovely than the sighted Zelda how didn't understand the things of the Spirit."

"But Link, how could I ever be anything to you; how could I ever really be-"

Her words were cut off again, this time with his mouth. He wasn't going to kiss her so ardently but every time he raised his head she had another objection. He ended up kissing her until his own heart was thundering and she was limp in his arms.

"I've never stopped loving you," he said when he could talk. "I begged God to save you, Zelda; not for myself, but for you. When it happened, I knew someday I'd make you mine."
Zelda's heart overflowed. She threw her arms around Link and held him with all her strength.

"I told myself that we would always be friends, and I would have to be happy with only that."

Link kissed her again, but then she pushed herself to arm's length and spoke with her hands on his chest.

"Link, we have to be serious now."

"All right."

"I almost set a towel on fire last week."
"Yes, you told me about it." He sounded calm.

"Link don't you understand."
"Yes, I do. You're picturing yourself in Malon's house and kitchen. We won't live there. We'll live at my house, and I work just steps out the front door. Not to mention, I'm always done in the schoolhouse by 3:30. Plenty of time to come home and help you start dinner."
"What about children? How could I ever take care of a baby?"
"When the time comes, we'll handle that."
He's thought this all out. He has an answer for everything because he's worked it all out.

Her heart was going to burst, and she had to be close. She moved her hands from his chest to his face, framing it carefully and tipping it down so he could see her.

"Link, do you know that I love you?"
"Oh, yes, Zelda," he replied tenderly.

"Can you see it, Link? Can you see it in my eyes?" She was only just holding her tears.

"Yes, Zelda, I can see it."

Zelda's hand smoothed his face for just an instant.

"Link." Her voice became very serious, her eyes searching the air. "Will you marry me?"
Link gathered her close, his lips brushing her forehead before bending to her ear.

"Absolutely."
"Right away, Link," she added. "No big wedding and no waiting for families to come. Right away, with just the family and close friends who are here."

Link looked down at her. "If that's what you want."
"Isn't that what you want?" She sounded uncertain of a sudden.

"Yes, it is." Link realized how true it was. He could have his family come later, but he and Zelda had been apart for so long; waiting seemed unnecessary. This way they could have a quiet beginning, and by the time family visited and they celebrated with them, his wife would feel confident as the lady of her own home.

"When?" he suddenly asked. "When will you marry me?"
"Right away," Zelda told him. "I don't need a fancy dress I can't see. I just want us to be together, Link. I thing God's been preparing me for that for a very long time."

Link knew God had done some preparing in his own heart as well. He looked up just then to see Ralph and Malon coming their way.

"We're going to have company. Shall I tell them?"

"Yes, please," Zelda said with a smile that stretched off her face.

If the young couple had known any doubts about their decision, they dissolved in the face of Malon's and Ralph's joy. The four of them stood until the sun was sinking low in the sky and talked and planned. Ralph himself suggested they marry right away, and Zelda couldn't even feel the ground beneath her as she walked back to the house.

She had never even dared to ask God for this, but He had given it to her. She had been content in Him, slipping only occasionally into dissatisfaction, and He had been faithful. So many plans swarmed into Zelda's head that she knew she would never sleep. She went out for the night, howe3ver, as soon as her head touched the pillow.

One more chapter after this one. I will be posting the results on chapter 40 so get them in if you want your vote counted.