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Chapter Three: Lost

There was no explanation for what happened back there. The former Hero was frozen in place. He had just stepped out of Lon Lon Ranch with his cerulean eyes glued to his hands.

…Malon's skin was soft, like Princess Zelda's.

He expected it to be a little dry or callous, because of the hard work Malon puts behind her horses and cows. His brow furrowed. Link's feelings greatly changed since experiencing adulthood. In the beginning, he had no care for intimacy or attention from the opposite sex. Seven years passed with a shockwave of confusing emotions suddenly. The former Hero knew now they were just normal hormones in connection to becoming a late teenager.

Both girls grew to be very beautiful Hylian women in the future.

Pervert.

Link slaps both his hands over his cheeks. Enough is enough. He had to focus on the tasks he's accepted. First, it would be to find Talon. With his help, surely the former Hero would get answers on where Epona is staying in Gerudo Valley. They were not going to let just any outsider in. Men are forbidden to enter the desert; thief camps there consisted only of women. Link continues down the path with cherry-red skin. He needs to calm down before anyone in Kakariko thinks he's carrying a disease.

…How embarrassing, though. He looks over his shoulder to watch Lon Lon Ranch getting smaller and smaller. Spending time with Malon would be more realistic than a princess, right?

He kicks a pebble off the path. Link always had to find a new way of entering Hyrule Castle. His thoughts always circulated back to Princess Zelda whenever he felt alone; moreover, it'd make him want to visit her. It was getting to the point that guards may post scrolls of his sketched face, if he was not careful. Her Royal Highness did not give him signs that she liked him the same way he did. He will… consider giving Malon more of his time; that is if she was comfortable returning his feelings. Link sighed; thinking this way was draining his motivation. At any point in this fresh timeline, he could ruin whatever new future for himself. He will approach whatever situation with both girls openly, but carefully.

Link glances ahead; a small bridge needed to be crossed to reach Kakariko's steps. He remembers Impa sharing that in this same mountain village resided many of the Sheikah responsible for protection of the Royal Family. Their entire history lays to rest in the Shadow Temple, full of blood and mystery. It was hard to see Sheik as Princess Zelda all along; her gentle nature did not match to being wrapped in bloodied gauze or holsters filled with throwing knives. If not for her right hand, she would have been captured by Ganondorf that fateful night. What could she have learned on her journey, too? The Kingdom of Hyrule holds dark truth behind the Triforce. It would not shock Link if Princess Zelda resented him for her many challenges while in hiding.

There was so much he wanted to tell her, still. He climbs up the steps scratching his head.

…

Kakariko Village should be peaceful now with the Spirit of the Well dormant.

Cuccos were scattered around the main entrance. They hopped and crowed, pecking their beaks into the grass for worms in the soil. Link passes them and continues searching. Talon was recently kicked out the ranch and Ingo is a man of efficiency and orderliness; that meaning, Talon may not have had enough time to pack and leave. Malon's pain was fresh. Her father not having any money to shelter himself could be a large reason for her tears last night. Link was praying the old man did not catch pneumonia with the storm that hit Hyrule.

He checked everywhere, knocking on each door he passed by. Many shopkeepers would shake their heads like the residents had. The former Hero thought that maybe checking Hyrule Castle Town should have been his first option, until seeing a few carpenters working on foundation for a new archery building. Their group split to arrange bricks and plywood. Link rushes to one reaching for a sack of materials nearest to him.

"Excuse me, have you seen a bald, round man pass by here?" he asks hopefully, "Big moustache?"

The carpenter stops to squint down at him. His stare was of annoyance, "Huh? Ya mean our Master Craftsman? You got some nerve, kid…"

"Huh?" Link cocks his head. The former Hero had no idea what he was talking about until noticing a shadow looming over him. Link quickly turns on his heel.

"Bald, round, and with a moustache, eh?" The Master Craftsman leans down to Link's height; he got flustered over this man matching his exact description. All the carpenters were laughing at Link now. They had it wrong, it was not what he meant at all! Before the former Hero could explain himself, he earned a rough flick to the forehead by his elder, "We're busy here building what will become a new city for Hyrule! It is under order by Princess Zelda's right hand, the Great Impa! Run back home before your parents find you!"

Link rubbed the sore spot, irritated, "I-I didn't mean you! I was sent by a girl from Lon Lon Ranch! Her father went missing not too long ago. Have any of you seen him?"

Laughter died to sudden silence. He noticed how serious they all became in a matter of seconds; it was not a good sign. A carpenter leans over to the Master Craftsman and whispers into his ear. Link's patience was running very thin.

"What?" Link sneers, "Do I need to give employee names to you all for the only ranch in Hyrule-?"

He was stopped by a large hand to his face. Link closed his mouth and crossed his arms. It took a couple of minutes for the Master Craftsman to put attention back on the angered youngster, "Talon was his name, right?"

Link nods.

"You can quit searchin'; he isn't coming back." And to that, they all burst out laughing again. He leaves Link to grab more building material for his team. After such a ridiculous and ominous message…!

"W-What!?" The former Hero was not going to take that as an answer. He rushed after his elder and tried to block his path, "Hold it, what do you mean by that?! His daughter Malon is a wreck right now without him! Talon's needed back at Lon Lon Ranch!"

"Needed?!" There was no stopping their howls. The Master Craftsman reaches a wagon full of bricks; there he collected one by one as a stack in his large arms, "That fool was lazier than an ol' dog! Workin' for us was a joke to him!" he chuckles, "Pah…! Wanting money, when all he ever did was ask for more breaks." He turns to reach back to his construction site, "Lon Lon Ranch would do better with a new team."

"It's family owned!" Link sputtered. He dodged the stack of bricks. It was no use; he was obviously being ignored again. The former Hero walked directly in way; this time each step his elder took forward, he took another step backwards, facing him.

The Master Craftsman let out a sigh to Link's persistence, "What do you want me to say, kid? Why don't you check Hyrule Castle Town?"

"You're suggesting he went to prison? Is he dead? 'Not coming back' is a serious claim!"

Link got no response in return, and he felt his brow tick. He has had it. The former Hero unsheathed his sword and stabbed it deep into the dirt. All went silent again. He was not going to be disrespected. Boy or man, Link was not afraid to challenge anybody. Club Moblins would do him more of a challenge than any of these clowns.

The Master Craftsman stares at Link's sword; it had been stuck dangerously in the space between his boots. He shares a glance with his employees, who then start to settle down. "Alright, alright… I'll tell you. Will you just sit still?"

Link only stared, sternly. He watched his elder pass the stack of bricks to someone else before resting on a crate. The Master Craftsman picks at his own ear, "Talon heard from an ol' customer that his daughter was upset over some loss of a 'precious horse'. It made him leave the village for whatever reason. I couldn't tell you any more details than that."

Link's mind began to wander. Talon…searching for Epona? The man could not even run from a Stalfos child. His eyes dropped to the grass beneath them; Link grew lost thinking of possible outcomes. Talon could not be foolish enough to face Gerudo without any weapons…right?

A pit formed in his stomach. Yes. He is foolish enough.

No offense to Malon, but he remembered how stupid her father was, falling asleep in the middle of a milk delivery to the Royal Family. Nothing woke Talon up but a cucco. Of all people, to delay a delivery as important as that; it gives a bad reputation to Lon Lon Ranch. Link's apprehension intensified. The longer he waits, the more at-risk Talon was to be captured by the Gerudo. It would be very difficult to bring him out of the desert in the body he is in now-

"Is he your father-in-law or somethin'? Its no wonder you're so worried."

The question made all carpenters roar. It snapped Link out of his thoughts and had the former Hero as red as the brick they carry, "Not funny!"

"At ease, at ease…" The Master Craftsman shakes his head, "If it makes you feel any better, he left about two hours ago. You got time to catch up to him."

Link opened his mouth but closed it stupidly. He wanted to mention the Gerudo but remembered Ingo's determination to keep their exchange on the down low. He lowers his head, defeated, "Alright. …Thank you."

The Master Craftsman watched him intently. He leans back before rocking himself off the crate, "Before you go, kid, consider delivering this to him when you find him. Talon's forgotten it." Link fumbles with a golden pendant tossed into his hands. It matched what was wrapped around Malon's neck.

She was counting on him; Gerudo Valley was located on the complete opposite side of the kingdom.

Link rips his blade back from the Earth. He rushes for the entrance to Kakariko Village, leaving the group of carpenters to gossip amongst themselves.

…