And here's chapter 6! You know, as I post these, the whole story is getting a ton of editing. Even the chapters I've already posted desperately need editing/updating. Especially the first two. Gah, as soon as I think they're good, I suddenly find something to fix and change. 'Tis the curse of an artist, I suppose.

Disclaimer: If I owned Legend of Zelda, nothing would have been released, because I probably would spend forever revising it before release. So let's be very glad I do not own it, agreed?

~6~

-This song is dedicated to the power of the heart...-

She spent a good amount of time occupying herself in the barn. She milked the cows, mucked the stalls, and reorganized the tack. By noon she brought Epona in for a bath. The mare was always messy and needed to be washed.

As she brushed the horse's freshly cleaned coat, she sang Epona's song. The mare fidgeted with playfulness. She neighed unexpectedly and Malon glanced up. The Sheikah boy was standing, leaning against a post to keep himself upright. He looked much different in the daylight. His scraggly, dirty blond hair was flopping out from underneath the head wrappings he wore. Rings of blue adorned his ears, which Malon found unusual. There were smudges of mud and blood on his expressionless, hard-lined face. In fact, there were smudges of mud and old blood all over his worn, full body armor.

Malon smiled "You're awake! I was starting to wonder when you'd wake up." She returned to brushing Epona. "Try not the overstrain yourself. That was a nasty wound you took. I wonder how you got it, but you probably won't tell me anyways." She smiled knowingly back at him. He moved to sit on a hay bale and watched her closely, favoring his wounded shoulder. He gestured his throat and Malon.

She cocked her head, not understanding at first. "Oh, my song?" He nodded. "It's my mother's song. It's one of the few things I have of her. Epona really likes it, so I sing it to her. Do you sing?" She laughed at the thought. "I doubt it. You're so quiet." She untethered Epona and put the brush away. "Come on Epona, Let's let you outside…" She watched as the horse approached the Sheikah. "Epona, no! He's a friend!"

Malon watched with amazement as Epona gently sniffed him. She neighed in acknowledgment at the frozen boy. He timidly pet her muzzle. The mare snorted with satisfaction and trotted out of the barn.

Malon studied the Sheikah. He was as bewildered as she was. Gradually, she smiled and laughed. "Well, if Epona likes you, then you're a good person. You know, there's only three people she likes in this world. You're now the fourth." She laughed at his puzzled look and grinned. "Anyway, how are you feeling? I'd like to check the wound, if you don't mind."

The boy turned his head away, which made Malon's smile fall dejectedly. "Well, okay. I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright…"

He turned back to her and nodded, gesturing his shoulder. Smiling again, she walked over and sat on the hay bale next to him. "This may hurt a bit, but I just want to be sure it's not infected or something." She said as she carefully peeled the bandages away. "Of course, you may already know that. You're a warrior, right?"

The boy reached back and touched one of the black sword hilts. He nodded reluctantly.

"I've always wondered what the Sheikah did. Everyone knows they're the royal family's guard, but as to what you guys are actually like…" Malon trailed off as she gazed at the boy's wound. It was almost perfectly healed. "How is that possible? You were almost dying last night and now…" Malon stared in bewilderment.

The boy gingerly pushed her hands away to inspect the injury himself. He uttered something like a humored snort and began to cover it again with the bandages.

Malon shook her head in amazement. He didn't seem fazed in the slightest. "Anyway, it's nearly lunchtime. I'll go get something for you. You must be ravenous."

She did that. Malon brought two egg sandwiches, some apples, and two cups of special Lon Lon Milk for them to share. She sat down on the hay bales next to him and offered the sandwich. "It's an egg sandwich. It's really good, unless you eat it every day." She watched him take it and glance at her.

Smiling broadly, she ate her own sandwich. She looked up at him to see his opinion of the food. She gaped at his empty hands as he chewed the last bit of his sandwich. He noticed her look and ducked his head sheepishly, hiding the smallest upturn of his lips, which made her laugh.

"Would you like another one?" His mouth twitched like he was suppressing a smile and nodded. Chuckling, Malon left to make him another.

By the third sandwich and four apples later, Malon's patient was finally full. "Well you sure do eat a lot! I'd have a hard time explaining where the food went. It's a good thing Pa doesn't keep track of things like that!" Malon laughed.

She fell back into the hay. "I haven't laughed like this in a while. Life's been so rough these days." Her fingers fiddled with her scarf brooch. She eyed him carefully. "Hey, um, I have a question for you."

He cocked his head to the side in question. Malon started to get nervous – this was going to make her sound insane. "A-a few weeks ago something happened." She blinked in realization. "Actually, it was the day I first met you. I went to Castle Town alone for the first time." She swallowed and the words she'd been keeping secret started pouring out. "I was so excited. It was a new adventure for me, to be on my own for once. I- we hadn't heard that Castle Town was deserted. It took us a few days to find that they had moved to Kakariko Village. Anyway, I-I was looking for people in the town. I didn't know, and suddenly these… m-monsters attacked me. I ran, but I couldn't get away. I thought I was going to die."

She noticed the hot tears streaming down her face. She wiped them away roughly and continued. "Last night I had another nightmare about the attack. Except this one was different. I dreamed that you were there, and you saved me. But you were hurt, and…" She looked at him. "You were hurt the same way this morning, just like in my dream. I think it was a foretelling dream, so…um… did you save me? Back then?"

During her confession, the boy had turned his head to hide his face. For a tense moment, he didn't move. The whole barn felt stuffy with the silence and awkward anticipation. Malon grew apprehensive and opened her mouth to apologize.

"…Yes."

She was stunned. Was that his voice? Did he just speak in that low, musical voice? He turned to her and his crimson eyes bore into her. He spoke again.

"…I was the one who saved you."

Malon couldn't speak, she was so surprised. He winced suddenly and stood, rolling his healed shoulder experimentally. He said stiffly "…Thank you for the help. I…should go. Now." He started towards the door.

"Hey, wait!" Malon jumped up and grabbed his arm. "Will I meet you again? I don't want to lose another friend…" Her mind flitted to her memories of her missing Fairy boy.

He angled his head just enough so she could see the corner of his mouth. It was ever-so-slightly turned up. "Friends? Us?"

"I'd like to think so. We did save each other from certain death."

The boy looked at her, his red eyes dancing with amusement. "Perhaps." He said. Breaking free from her hold, he slid out the barn door and disappeared.

Malon sighed and leaned against a barn post. "I hope so."

Weeeeee he speaks! It's like a holiday miracle! Anyway, on to the next chapter!