A/N:: Been awhile, so I have a treat. Three chapters. This is for you Silverclock, thanks for the reminder.

The ranch was quiet as the horses lazed around the corral, nibbling idly on the grass growing in abundance. A brooding man armed with pitchfork and pail made his way around the fence, grumbling all the way. When the owner of the ranch waved to him from the house's doorway, Ingo raised his arm in greeting. "Lazy bum." He spoke softly before going back to his business. Though, now his grumbling had ceased.

Set up along the far side of the field were several rows of white tents, and various men could be seen among them chatting and talking. Some were using sand to scour their shields and sharpening stones on their spear tips. A few looked towards the barn, shaking their heads as their leader, the Knight called Dorrin, talked amiably with the ranch owner's red-haired daughter. They were not shaking their heads ruefully but in disapproval.

Many there knew that the Knight, Jeram, had fancied the lass for a time and the two had grown close. His head was now the only part of his body the Queen was able to bury. They knew their captain should have shown more restraint in pursuing her since Jeram's death had only been three months gone. Yet, the handsome knight was there leaning against the wall speaking with her, his blonde locks brushed to perfection.

Above them, hidden in a shadow on the roof, Link listened and was scowling at everything the knight said. He had arrived at the ranch that morning, only to realize the party he had escaped from had decided to camp there for a few days and resupply themselves. Much to Link's chagrin. Apparently, the Queen used Lon Lon Ranch often enough for her to keep some food and supplies there for her Hylian Guard detachments. In return the Ranch was given a yearly stipend and break on their taxes.

"It was a bloody mess." Dorrin said disgustedly. "I had never seen such brutality as I saw there. Pieces of flesh littered the ground, with blood everywhere. I swear I saw a head cut into four pieces. How? I don't even want to imagine. Yet, I had to look on so to speak of it with her Majesty." He tried grinning impressively.

Malon looked blankly at him. "So what happened?" She asked. She was not interested in the man, but what he and the other guardsmen were discussing.

Dorrin shrugged. "Far as we can tell the elite raiders…"

"Elite raiders?" She asked skeptical. She wondered who would call them that besides this Knight.

Dorrin looked uncomfortable. "Uh…they were—I think—called Trevin's Arm, or hammer. Something of the like." He waved his hand dismissively. "They were the ones that were giving the other Knights so much trouble. They had made their home in the town over by Lake Hylia and were raiding from it."

"I see. Go on." She pressed.

"Right. So we got wind of a town burning and went to check it out. The place was a mess, but the fires were still burning so we knew the raiders were close. We pursued them through the plains…and then found their remains."

Malon paused, letting that sink in. The very group nothing in the Hyrule could stop, her Jeram included, had been found shredded to pieces. Shock showed on her face. "They were the pieces you found? How many of the Trevin's were there?"

"We counted seven bodies…I had to go by the number of legs since they seemed the most intact. Which meant they were all dead. We found Trevin's signature whip some distance away by the river."

Above, Link thought to himself. This Trevin guy with the whip was the leader? Link thought to himself. No wonder that guy had managed to get me.

Dorrin went on. "So I figure him and all his cronies were dead…but it gets better for the kingdom."

"How?" Malon asked scratching her ear.

"Well, we found the man—"

"Man?" She asked alarmed.

"Yeah, man. He took credit for it but he also said he had killed the raiders in the town as well." He shook his head doubtfully. "That's one reason we're staying here for so long, I sent some men to scout it out. If it's gone we go to the castle to report. If it's still there I wipe them out. With Trevin gone there should be no problem."

Malon stared at him incredulously. "One man did all that?"

Dorrin looked uncomfortable, trying in vain to look impressive but having enough sense to know he could not. "Yes. So he claimed and from his antics I believe him. We found tracks leading from the massacre and followed them. We found a man by a pond resting with his sword at the ready. I approached him and asked if he was responsible. He claimed he was the one, and from the bandages I saw wrapped around his arm and neck I assumed it was him. Of course," he began defending his actions at this point, "with the man capable of killing Trevin I thought him a danger and was going to escort him to the queen, but he apparently didn't want that. He even claimed he was the first Knight of Hyrule and even had the pendant, but I think he stole it from one of us."

"Why didn't you arrest him then, if he was so injured?"

Again Dorrin looked uncomfortable. "He evaded us. Using unknown magic he unhorsed men, vanished from the air, and was last seen blowing up the ground riding away on his mount. I fear him to be a very dangerous fellow and count myself lucky not to have been killed by him. If the raider base at Lake Hylia is truly destroyed then the Kingdom should rejoice. Yet, I fear what this fairy-man could do. The last thing we need is a rogue element unchecked." He finished business like.

Malon almost choked. "F-fairy-man?"

The man grunted. "Yes, he called himself Link of the Kokiri. I've already sent messagers to the west alerting them of his presence. He may choose to return there and they may be able to intercept him. He needs to be brought before the Queen and either knighted, he is quite skilled, or sentenced." Ignoring Malon's now shocked expression his voice warmed considerable. "Enough of vagrants and battles—"
"I'm sorry, but I just remembered I have to finish my father's clothing." She easily excused herself from the frowning man's presence. She had much to think about.

Link used that moment to slowly slink away. He easily worked the wooden vent off its frame and entered the barn. He replaced it and burrowed into the piles of hay, making sure that the sounds of the cows hid his own rustling. There he drifted into a peaceful sleep.

***

Night broke across the sky, forcing many to dine and then bask with full stomachs. Soon the moon rose and the men fell to their beds for rest. The guards in particular were very pleased with the chance to have a few days of peace after the weeks of hard fighting and traveling in pursuit of the raiders. Dorrin tried once more to speak with Malon, but she fended him off faking a dizzy spell. He swallowed the lie easily and could be heard muttering, "Most women I meet suffer from that malady."

When she was sure they were asleep and would not bother her she crept into the cool night with a purple shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She quietly walked around corral, her mind lost in memories. Images of Jeram slowly tugged at her conscious, and she recalled his boyish features with joy Eventually, she let those memories again settle to rest. It was only this past week where she no longer felt a heavy sadness when thinking of him; it gladdened her that her grieving was close to an end. It meant that his spirit in this realm was almost done. She was happy he could finally be at rest.

As she passed the barn for the third time a shadow detached itself from the roof and landed with a thud. She nearly jumped out of her skin and stifled a scream. The scream almost came when the shadow slowly stood, revealing a man's form. "Shhh." He hissed, a finger to his lips.

Link came closer and the moon's light revealed his features.

Malon gripped her chest as she fought to control her breathing and heart rate. She then promptly slapped him across the face. "Do that again and I'll strike a lot lower. Nayru, you scared me."

Link rubbed his sore cheek with the bandaged arm, the white linen obvious. Malon also recognized the bandage as belonging to her own supplies. "You thief." She accused with a smile.

He grinned. "I left some gold."

Then she remembered Dorrin's tale from earlier. Throwing a look at the guards' tents she saw two silhouettes walking. She grabbed him by his tunic and rushed from the spot, only to have his injured arm go around her waist. She started in surprise and had little time to react as he brandished a metal weapon ending in a point. It made a loud clang and extended to the roof where it struck the wood. There was a click and the both of them were flying towards the top of the barn, her grip on him like iron.

They landed nimbly and she again slapped him, giving him a matching set of red welts on either cheek . "Don't ever surprise me again." She said warningly before gingerly walking around testing the roof.

"It's safe except the side near the side facing the house, there's some water damage." He walked to where the vent was housed and took a seat.

She frowned at him, not liking how flippant he was taking the situation. There were dozens of soldiers below who wanted to arrest him, and he was…

Her face went slack when what she heard from Dorrin was applied to the man before her. "Did you really do it?" She asked on bated breath.

He looked down, his mood instantly spoiled. "You talking about what Dorrin said?"

She nodded numbly.

"Yeah, I did it, but it was not as terrible as he made it out to be. They really left me no choice in the end and it's not like any of them didn't deserve it."

Malon now fully understood his flippant nature. If he could eradicate a city of hundreds what did the men below mean to him? Just single rain drop amidst a raging storm? She felt the need to sit down, but did not feel comfortable around him at the moment. Instead, she stood in indecision.

An awkward silence stretched between them, one Link did not like. He broke it. "I told you I could make a difference. I'm not just one sword among hundreds."

She finally sighed and the perception she had of Link returned, now augmented by his incredible prowess in battle. It was not a perfect representation in her mind, it would take some getting used to, but it was enough to find herself comfortable around him. "I'm sorry I doubted you." She took a few tentative steps forward before going to sit by his side.

He shrugged off the comment. "I get the feeling one of the knights to die to this Trevin guy was someone special to you?"

She nodded. "Yeah, his name was Jeram. His spirit has almost moved on now. Though, I still get sad."

"You'll get sad for awhile. It'll be years before you're not, if you two were really close." He amended.

"You lost someone special to you?" She asked quietly. "There was a lot you didn't mention about your travels last time." He looked awkward and she patted his knee. "You don't have to tell me unless you feel like it. I just wish you would open up more." Her eyes grew stern. "I can't imagine what it's like to travel alone with nothing but the battles in your head."

He fidgeted a moment, knowing what she said was true, but also knowing it was not that terrible. "It's not at all that bad; you get used to it."

"How can you get used to killing?" She asked shocked. "Jeram hated himself every time he killed someone. Said, he felt like a part of him was dying each time."

Link winced. Not at knowing the unfortunate man's name but the forgotten feelings he had once harbored. "Jeram would have eventually gotten over that squeamishness." I got over it when I was ten and the fate of the world hung in the balance.

"No." Malon shook her head adamantly. "He was a kind hearted man."

Link took offense to that. "And I'm not?"

She bit her tongue and looked away. "I didn't mean it that way."

He sighed. "I know you didn't." He paused, searching for a way to make her understand. He pointed towards the guards' tents. "You see those guards out there? Most of the day they were joking and laughing—while sharpening their weapons. While playing cards they joked about their dead comrades' stupid antics. They shared with each other near-misses in past battles, joking about how close they almost died."

Malon's face grew heavy as he spoke.

"All of them have family somewhere in this kingdom. A son or brother or mother. Someone they love and take care of when they aren't on the march. They are nice people who have made it their job to kill bandits and raiders. It doesn't make them special nor does it make them horrible people. It's just their job and like any job they get used to it. And believe me it's not easy at first, but eventually you adapt and get used to it."

Malon was quiet for a long moment, slowly digesting the information Link had told her. "Is it the same for you? Just another day on the job?"

He opened his mouth to answer when he recalled his thoughts before plunging in amid the raiders' town. How he had flippantly thought to rush in and kill everyone in sight, not even worried about the hundreds of lives he was killing, just getting them out of the way so he could rest. He looked down, remembered how he had seen the seven captains later as a challenge, not caring an ounce that he was taking their lives.

He slowly cleared his throat, not wishing to share these revelations about himself with her. "Yeah, but it's not exactly mundane…there is a lot of pressure in fighting and some excitement." He paused to gather his scattered thoughts. "I guess what I'm saying is it doesn't bother me like it used to." He grinned at her, but she did not return it.

"I don't like that." He began to protest, but she spoke over him. "I'm not condemning you or them…it's just hard for me to accept is all." She sighed, trying to bring clarity to her thoughts. "I can understand, but I don't have to like it."

"Fair enough." He said, glad now he had not shared with her his thoughts. He wondered what casually killing people indiscriminately made him. Granted, they deserved the deaths he doled out, but it worried him. Was this what happened when you spent years in battle? He dismissed that as false when he recalled the seasoned soldiers who had been doing this far longer than he. Then it came to him, unsettling his mind. He became this way because he was good at killing. For him, ending a man's life was as easy and simple as breathing.

He had begun to see his opponents as beneath his notice and thus their lives worth nothing. If he continued down this path, would he grow worse? Would he become like the men he fought? Killing without regard to the person? Whether they deserved it or not, just because they were weak and beneath his notice? The thought sent chills racing down his spine, but he caught his fear early, realizing that he was overacting. Regardless, he would have to give this more thought in the future. Specifically how to curb his growing disregard.

His inner monologue was cut short by Malon interrupting. "What are you going to do now? Go find more raiders and kill them?"

Link was quiet a moment more. "I don't know. I really just want to rest, but one of the raiders mentioned something that has me worried."

"Oh?" She asked, trying to keep her voice low.

"Yeah, he mentioned the Oni would come and find me."

"The Oni?" Her voice was vague.

He nodded. "An old friend." He said bitterly. The struggle came to the forefront of his mind, reminding him of his fight with Majora where he had almost met his death. Only through the desperate action of donning the Mask of the Oni had he found the power to defeat Majora. However, the ensuing inner conflict had almost been worse than death. The Oni had fought for control of his body while the pseudo-world inside the moon slowly broke away from existence. In the end he had wrestled the mask from his body and cast it deep into the Lost Woods.

"If he's an old friend, then why are worried about him?" She sounded confused.

He laughed, she had missed his sarcasm. "He's a friend in the sense that he helped me out one time, but not a friend because afterwards he tried to steal my body."

She looked fearful. "How does someone try to steal your body?" She was beginning to get a glimpse into the life he led and it filled her with trepidation.

The panic of the moment was recalled to him, the fear and frantic thoughts he experienced as one by one he lost control of his limbs and then his senses. The terror of the dark place he had been shoved into before hysteria had granted him enough strength to burst out and reclaim his body.

Link shuddered and his hands began to shake. "I don't want to talk about it." He looked away.

Quietly she spoke. "You've lead a harsh life, haven't you?"

He remembered Morpha dragging him into its thick body where its enzymes slowly digested his skin cell by cell. The reflection in the water bursting forth to slay him, whispering all the while all the things he had felt like doing. The thick terror of fighting off a redead's screech, as it slowly sucked the blood from his neck. Of fighting a demon made real whose very eyes could kill. Of the snowy forests to the north, where the haunting lights struck out again and again, searing his soul with every strike. Then the hardest battle of all. A looming giant with yellow eyes and massive swords relentlessly seeking his death.

Link clenched his hands as he fought back the deluge of memories, another adding to it from only a few days gone. Him naked and being stabbed by crazed men as his body was peppered with wounds, only surviving by using his spin-attack and the whip to kill them all. So close to death each time. So close to the forever sleep with each encounter. How many more could he endure before death found him? How many more chances could he take? "Yeah, I've led a harsh life." He stood, remembering a different Malon, one whose flower had wilted because an ambitious man had sought to claim her.

The memories had not been dulled with the passage of time, he had just been good at burying them.

He stood up and began to walk away, hating the next words out of her mouth. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked softly.

"No." Was his curt answer. "I don't." Without waiting he leaped from the roof and landed silently. He began to walk away, her last cries falling on his weary shoulders. "You don't want to talk about it because you keep running away! You didn't leave all those years ago to find adventure, you left to forget!"

He paused, his breathing slow. She was right. He resumed walking, proving to her and himself he was a coward.