Chapter Six
"Link...Come on, Link! Get up, you lazy boy!"
He awoke with a startle, his eyes wide open but not quite seeing anything, as his back shot straight up from the couch. "Navi!"
However, as his vision focused and his breathing sufficed, all he saw before him was the pleasant image of a pretty redhead.
He noticed a frown to her lips, as she grabbed the pillow underneath him and smacked his face with the fluffy object.
"Navi? Who's Navi?"
Attempting to block the repeated hits with his arm, Link was finally able to pull the pillow from the enraged farm girl's possession.
"Malon, relax! Navi was my old fairy."
Immediately, the lady's expression softened, now leaning herself against the bed with a slight pout to her lip, her hands clasped as if in prayer.
"Oh, Link, I'm sorry," she spoke softly, reaching out to move her fingers through his messy hair. "I feel dumb for forgetting."
He couldn't help but smile as she caressed his face, a redness tinted to his cheeks. Taking her hand in his, he held it gently.
"When did you come back from seeing the princess?"
Link suddenly froze, the color draining from his face. Oh damn. The princess.
Suddenly many memories flooded his mind from the night before, and he had to lean his palm against his forehead from the instant rush. "Well, um, sometime last night."
Malon, however, grinned. "Did you have a good time?"
"I guess...you could say that?" Oddly, it had come out of his mouth in a very unsure manner.
"Well, I hope you didn't have too much fun," the girl mused, folding her arms over her chest. She stood briefly to sit at the edge of the bed now, stroking his shoulder. "Because I spent the whole day missing you dreadfully."
His heart skipped a beat from the utter guilt that consumed him.
"I missed you too," he lied, or half-lied. Or perhaps was mostly honest.
However, she had smiled at his answer, her fingertips trailing down his bare chest. As he flinched at her touch, her eyebrows arched in an interested fashion.
"Are you even wearing anything?"
She pulled at the covers to peak, but he briskly grasped the sheets, his cheeks burning crimson as he pulled them up higher over his chest. "No, I'm not."
To his surprise, she giggled.
She was cute when she laughed, he noticed, as her whole face lit up, and dimples formed around her cheeks.
"Not only do I find you in our spare cabin, but also absolutely naked," she remarked, hugging his neck, her nose slightly pressing against his. "Are you, Mr. Hero, trying to seduce me?"
Not quite feeling at ease, he managed to relax his shoulders. "I would, if you could be seduced."
"That's right. I am a proper girl."
And completely the opposite of Zelda.
Yet, he still liked the cute farm girl...a lot.
He kissed her then, his mouth softly grazing hers, as she melted in his arms. And almost too quickly, he pulled away.
"Malon, wait- what if your dad-"
"He's too busy milking the cows. Ingo is with the horses," she replied abruptly. Then, a coy smirk claimed her lips, as she tenderly ran her index finger along his mouth. "And besides, I locked the door."
Softly chuckling at her maneuver, he allowed her to lean forward once more, to resume kissing him. Malon sighed delicately at the soft touch between them, her lips smoothing against his mouth, her palms cupping his face.
His back had been straight, but he soon found himself hunching, resting against the headboard of the bed. She felt very delicate against him, as well as her scent to be pleasantly light, and enjoyed her soft sighs, how she twiddled his hair with her slender index finger, the feel of her mouth against against his own.
In a subtle transition, she began to kiss him a little more profoundly, more than she had ever before. Her lips had parted, to deepen the lock between them, and link found his back straightening immediately when she pressed herself harder against his mouth, as she then repositioned herself on the bed to sit atop his lap, trapping his hips between her knees.
Somehow, she had become very bold, and this surprised him more than it excited him. She had lifted her skirts so that her bare knees could smooth against the bed sheets, and he could feel her through the fabrics. Her palms stroking his face generously, she kissed his a little more fervently once more, gasping a stifled breath within his mouth, now smoothing the tips of her fingers at the back of his neck. Her mouth was wide, swerving against his own, while her lips were dangerously moist. Carefully, her tongue crept inside his mouth, touching his own.
And as his body began to shudder, the rancher's daughter suddenly pulled away.
Resuming her position at the edge of the bed rather hastily, Malon had taken a moment to capture her breath, a bright red hue consuming her cheeks. She choose not to look at him for a moment, as her gaze was focused down towards her lap, and he noticed a gentle quaver to her shoulders.
"I'm sorry," she spoke almost inaudibly.
With his heart beating rapidly, Link elongated his posture, leaning forward a bit to hold her trembling shoulder. Slowly, she shifted her neck to look at him, a careful smile curving her lips.
"My longing for you exists Link, it really does," she explained briefly. "And I would like to...be with you, one day."
Noticing the bashful expression on his face, Malon sighed as she stroked his cheek. "I, I was speaking to my father yesterday while you were gone. We were talking about you and me."
Pausing for a moment, the redhead sighed deeply, not knowing whether to smile or keep a neutral gaze. Her eyes had trailed from his face for a brief while, but she quickly refocused on his face.
"He was rather delighted at our liaison," she confessed, a gentle smile tugging at her lips. "And, he also said, that he would be even more pleased...if we were to wed."
There was a sudden soreness to Link's throat, causing him to rub at his neck while biting his lower lip. With wide, ample eyes, he gandered at the girl nervously, blinking repeatedly. Her eyes were immersed in him, however, the dull blue of her iris's plaguing him, yet simultaneously bringing him this undeniable feeling of warmth.
What was he supposed to say? Malon had just suggested the idea of marriage. They had barely reached adulthood.
Opening his mouth to speak, he ultimately remained silent, for the image of Princess Zelda's face flashed in his mind, almost blinding his eyes. He saw the bright, blonde hue of her hair, the luminosity of her eyes, the deep magenta of her lips, the paleness of her flesh.
But slowly, that image began to fade until once again he saw Malon clearly, noting the darker tone of her skin, the glossy red of her hair, the natural flesh colored shade of her mouth.
There was a maddening piercing at his heart, the sharp pain clawing at his chest.
"Wed?" he at at last spoke, merely repeating her last word after the awkward silence.
Gently, she nodded, caressing his knuckles. "I mean, I know we are rather young," she commented, "but we do not need to marry immediately. Maybe give it a year's time. It would be a comfortable life, I promise you. And I would be a good wife."
There was a tender sparkle in her eyes now as she spoke, a half-smile claiming her lips, while she gazed at him intently.
"Malon," breathed Link, trying to look away from her, but failing miserably, "I don't know what to say."
"Please say you will."
Breathing lightly, he fumbled.
"Link," she began again, leaning closer to his face now, her warm breath hitting his neck in an intimidating manner, "if and when we do, then I will be able to let you have me...completely."
A soreness plagued his face, his cheeks boiling from the dark blush. Squirming on the bed a bit, he attempted to control his body's natural response to her offer.
"I, I..." Pausing, he looked at her a moment longer, the delicate, soft prettiness of her face appealing to him. At last, he sighed, a smile to his lips. "I will."
The joy that rose in Malon's face could not be described in completeness, as her eyes glittered immensely, her grin extravagant but trembling, and her palms hastily and shakily embracing his cheeks. With a giggle, a cry, an exasperated gasp, she kissed his mouth, her lips smiling against his.
However, the moment was soon interrupted by a wild bang at the door.
"Malon? Link? Are you guys in there?"
At the sound of her father's voice, the girl jumped up immediately, giggling quietly as she did so, finding Link's clothes and throwing them to the chuckling boy.
He and Malon had been officially engaged for two days.
It wasn't a grand event, and the news probably hadn't really spread further than the ranch itself. Talon was more than pleased when Malon had blissfully revealed the news to him, and there was a minor celebration.
Thus beginning his comfortable life.
The sky was a dark, almost black shade of blue, and if it wasn't for the stars twinkling above him, he would have been consumed by darkness.
Link stood out by the stables that night, leaning against the fences, losing himself in his own thoughts. The ranch was quite a serene, peaceful sight during this hour, as the animals slept soundly, as well as the exhausted owners.
But he, however, could not sleep. His body was still filled with energy, so much that he did not know what to do with it. His green tunic felt light on him, his tights squeezing at his legs, he felt nothing. The boy was so transfixed in his thoughts, he was barely aware of his body, his blonde bangs blowing softly against the wind.
He just kept thinking about his comfortable life.
That was what Malon had described it. Once they were married, he'd live permanently on the farm, work for Talon, and have many children with Malon. He would be always in a stable financial environment, surrounding by people he cared for, without many worries consuming him. Comfortable, just like she said.
But...could he possibly be a farmer and a knight?
The king's offer suddenly made itself apparent in his thoughts, as Link remembered what the royal man had told him. The idea had almost fled his mind, and recalling it now only made matters more difficult.
And, of course, then he thought of her.
Zelda.
He cared for Malon, very much, in fact. He felt serene when he was around her, enjoying her kisses and embraces, the sound of her laugh, the gentleness of her figure. She was very pretty, very ordinary, and very simple. Very uncomplicated, very sweet. She had waited for her prince, and had found him in Link.
It wasn't that he minded the comfortable life that was offered, and now very much given to him. He was guaranteed a secure happiness, but a part of him greatly feared that calmness. He was a hero, the Hero of Time. He was meant to venture out, save the land, explore the vicinity. He was trained in swordplay, and now he would forever stay at Lon Lon Ranch and milk cows?
Now the idea terribly frightened him.
Malon was a special part of him, but settling down would be sacrificing too much. But, if he loved her, wouldn't he sacrifice everything- his body and soul- for her?
That was the question: did he really love her?
Even she hadn't directly stated her feelings as well. Malon was simply overjoyed that she was to become a wife. But Link...he wasn't quite sure. Ever since he saw the princess merely three nights ago, and how much she had matured, his mind had become a catastrophe.
Goddesses, Princess Zelda...His body shuddered at the mere thought of her. It was poison to even think of her, sin when her name spilled from his mouth. Zelda. Unconsciously, he thought about her. Even openly, in his concentrated thinking, his mind had focused on the beautiful young lady.
Why was her image so dreadfully difficult to rid from his mind? He kept lingering on her face, how heart-shaped it was, her painted lips- the darkness of the pink contrasting to the milky, pale white of her flesh. Her eyes were so big, and a painfully bright blue, her thick, long black lashes haunting him with their constant, taunting flutter. The vividness of her hair allowed her to appear more beautiful than the three goddesses themselves, and her body...Oh, goodness, her body.
He stopped right there.
Separating himself from his thoughts for a moment, Link stretched his arms over his head, a desperate sigh escaping his throat. It became very apparent to him that he had become infatuated with the princess. Dreadfully, deeply, passionately infatuated.
And now he was engaged to Malon.
There was a grunt that escaped his throat, as he slapped his palm against his forehead in frustration, the coarseness of his gauntlet scratching against his flesh. Again he grunted, leaning on the fences once more.
What was he to do now? His longing for the princess was tearing at his mind, his heart, his body. He had never wanted someone with such a mad fervency, not even Malon. He yearned to touch that flawless looking skin of hers, to taste her with his tongue, kiss her swollen lips, to have her. The idea was rattling him, his fantasies taking over his mind. Clenching his fists, he could not handle his own desperateness.
Zelda had offered herself to him, as well as her love. And he had refused.
A part of him was regretting it now.
Was it the right choice? Link believed it was. He could never use a girl in that manner, especially if it hurt the two girls he cared for the most, she and Malon.
Yes, he cared for Zelda. He cared for Malon. But who did he love?
Did he want simplicity with a farm girl, or a lifetime of politics, war, and complications with the princess of Hyrule?
When he had left there after her sexual proposal, Link could not remember a more heartbreaking, sorrowful good bye from the princess. Usually there were very merry around one another, and for the first time, his heart ached him when he left. He had never-
Oh wait, he had.
Link's eyes widened at the foggy memory.
It had been so long ago, on an adventure so distant and unclear that at times he regarded it as a dream. And yet, he knew it were true, but he had been too young to comprehend it, too confused, too tired.
He recalled an alternate future, one that existed, without him.
Seven years ago, the boy pulled the Master Sword, and went on a fatal journey to save Hyrule from the destruction Ganondorf had brought upon it. He remembered his personal side quest, to find the princess, who had been with him the entire time.
As a mysterious helper called Sheik.
And then, he painfully recalled another difficult good bye with her, in the clouds, when she sent him back seven years prior, to regain his lost childhood, and how hard it was for him to leave her. He wanted to stay, help her restore Hyrule. But, she hadn't allowed it. He had returned to his past.
And immediately, he found her again.
As a ten year old boy, he was too young to comprehend what he felt towards the princess. He had remembered everything, kept every feeling he had towards her. But, he didn't understand what they were, what they meant. He just knew how much he needed to see her, to continue their friendship, as he could not accept never seeing her again.
This Zelda he grew up with developed into a different young woman. She had not trained in the ways of the Sheikah, but by the Gerudo. She had not endured the death of her father, the destruction of her kingdom, the reign of Hyrule. She was exposed to less, but was just as strong and lively as ever. She was different, but she was still Zelda. The same Zelda.
The Zelda that he had loved.
There was a sharp pain in his head at the revelation, and Link had to embrace his face to control it.
He was in love with the princess. He couldn't describe it, he didn't know exactly how or why. But he could feel it, he knew it, believed it. From everything he had experienced, every feeling he kept hidden and concealed since he was a young boy. Seven years of bottled up memories. He was desperately in love with her.
And it was that feverish thought that compelled him to wake Epona up, saddle her up, and discreetly leave the ranch, heading towards the castle.