Chapter 16: The Greatness of a Culture Can Be Found in its Festivals
"Is that the castle?" Link whispered, as the great stone walls came into sight.
"I don't know," Navi said. "I've never been this far away from the Woods." Her voice was soft, and more than a little strained. She sat on his shoulder, her bad winged cocked at a strange angle. Numerous times he'd asked her if she felt any better, or if there was anything he could do to help her. Each time she answered the same, not to worry. Which of course just made him worry more.
"That's not the castle," Malon said. "That's Castle Town. The actual castle is deeper inside. That big building in the back."
She sat beside him on the cart, clutching the reins and steering the two horses attached to the front. Behind them latched iceboxes filled with bottles of milk and cheese sat stacked as high as Talon and Ingo could get them. It had been a good deal of work to get everything they needed on the cart, and Link had been sore for the first day of the journey.
Talon and Ingo rode on horseback keeping the herd of cattle together as they moved. It had taken a week of traveling over stone roads and grassy fields. For most of that time, Malon had been too focused on the cart to talk much.
But Link didn't mind. And he found he liked just looking at her or sitting together. Even when she wasn't being her normal witty self.
"That's just a town?" How big were towns supposed to be? They had passed through a few villages and towns on the road. Some had wooden walls that surrounded them, which Link thought looked impressive. But they were nothing like the massive stone structure he saw now, and nowhere approaching the size.
"I don't think so," Malon said. "I think my father called it a city a few times. But it's still named Castle Town."
"That's just confusing," Link muttered.
Malon shrugged. "Well when you meet the king perhaps tell him he needs to rename the city."
"You think he'd listen to me?"
"Oh definitely," Malon said. "Kings love being told what to do by children."
Link thought about that for a second. It'd make more sense if they did. But then if it was that easy wouldn't they have already done it? "You're mocking me."
"What?" Malon smiled over to him. "Me? Never, Fairy Boy."
"Fine, I get it," Link sighed.
She gave her little giggle and went back to focusing on the horses. Link couldn't figure out what to make of her sometimes. She took the greatest pleasure in teasing him about every little thing, just like Mido used to do. But she was nothing like Mido. Malon was kind and he enjoyed being around her. Well, when she wasn't teasing him anyway. Actually, even then, sometimes.
She was just weird.
As they got closer to the city, Malon slowed the wagon to make room for Ingo and Talon as they herded the cattle into groups and formed a line with other visitors to the city. Navi flew off his shoulder and hid within the ocarina.
"Have you ever seen so many people?" Malon said, wide eyed.
"Never." Before he left the Lost Woods it was hard to imagine so many people in the entire world let alone all together in one place. People of all different shapes and complexions, some big, some small, some men, some women. Some didn't look like people at all, more like massive reddish brown stones carved into the shape of a man, and others were pale white skinned tinted blue and instead of hair it looked like they had fishtails poking out the back of their head.
Gorons and Zora, that's what the fairies called them in their lessons. The great allies of the Hylains in the war. He found it hard not to stare at them when they made their way into Castle Town. People don't like being stared at, he knew that well enough. But he found it hard to look away.
"Have you ever seen?" Link said giving the slightest gesture toward the nearest Goron.
"Nope," Malon said, then her smile went wide. "This Sky Festival is going to be the greatest." Then her eyes widened almost as wide as her grin. "Link, Link, look! A knight."
Link's eyes shot to where Malon pointed, to see a man dressed in gleaming steal armor. He rode a large horse, bigger than all but the strongest at Lon Lon Ranch, atop a massive saddle that carried not only the knight but his equipment too. Swords, maces, and axes, weapons of all sorts arranged around the saddle. The tools that Link had dreamed about as far back as he could remember, right there in front of him.
He had been right about so many details, but others had been completely wrong. The heads of the axe was so much smaller than he had pictured it, but it had a scary looking spike on its back. A shield also hung from the saddle, it bounced as the horse rode, with a great stag painted on it.
"Is that one of the good ones that will help protect the Emerald?"
"Maybe," Malon said, not taking her eyes from the knight until he disappeared into the crowds. Then she sighed, gave Link a big smile and nudged the reins to get the horses to move.
They got in the line of entrants to the city, and rode mostly in silence. With only one brief incident in which a man on a wagon loaded with wheels of cheese tried to maneuver himself around their cart and to get ahead of them. At which, Malon dropped the reins stood up in her seat and shouted the man down using a fair few words that Link had never heard before, but he got the impression they were not exactly polite.
The cheese merchant first tried to argue back, but before long he was red in the face and just held his hands up before Malon's fury and pulled his horses back to let them keep their position ahead.
Malon sat back down, and Link handed the reins back to her. She glared at the man with all the fury she could muster, not looking away until they were securely in front of him with no chance for the man to get around them. Only then did she mutter "And stay back there, hay-brained pillock," under her breath. And just like that she seemed to forget the whole ordeal. She turned back to Link and smiled before focusing on the horses.
"So," Link said. "What did you mean by 'bas-'"
"Link," Navi said. "Let's just watch the cattle. No need to be asking about that."
"Sorry Navi," Malon said, though she didn't look all that sorry, in fact she seemed exactly the opposite. Proud about whatever she had called the man. She adjusted herself on the bench which brought her mouth close to Link's ear and whispered. "I'll tell you later."
When they reached the walls, they were directed through a drawbridge by some armed men. Which Link first took for knights because they had steel breastplates and helmets. But since Malon did not pay them nearly as much attention as she had the man on the horse, he decided they must be simple soldiers.
They passed beneath the great stone walls and entered the city. Link's mouth hung open when he saw what they had just entered. Some part of his mind knew that the people outside would only be a fraction of those within the city. But when he saw the vast multitudes inside his mind didn't want to accept it.
There were so many. Far too many. How did the people live? How could anyone run or jump or have any kind of fun in this place? People were pressed shoulder to shoulder, shouting and trying to bring livestock through the streets. Half the people were just getting the way of the other half.
"Beg pardon, sorry there, watch your step good man," Talon's voice came to their side. He nudged his horse through the throngs until he was side by side with Malon. "How's the wagon, my dear?"
Malon pulled back on the reins of the horses. "The horses don't like being this confined."
"No one does," Link said.
"Hmm, but you're handling them well. That's good."
Malon didn't take her eyes off the horses, but her smile tugged at the side of her mouth. Trying so hard to contain how pleased with herself she was.
"When we reach that post," Talon continued, "we're going to go right off the main road. That's where we can store the cattle."
Malon nodded. "Nothing to it." She looked like she was tensing, preparing to direct the horses. But there was still a ways to go, and the crowd was not moving fast. Rather than distracting her, Link went back to focusing on everything else around him. The crowds all screaming at each other, some trying to sell them strange tidbits, others just seemed angry.
By the time that Malon reached the post and directed the cart down the side road, Link had fully decided, he did not like the city. It was all just too much. Too many people, the buildings were too big, and it was so crowded that Link couldn't help but feel sorry for the animals that people led through the street. Talon wasn't the only one bringing livestock into the city. One man had these smaller horses that seemed covered in cloudlike fur, that Navi told him were called sheep. Another had pigs, which he had already seen during the trip to Castle Town, even gotten to eat some at one of the villages they stopped by. There were even more that he couldn't name, and all of them forced into this strange stone corridor and packed tighter than any creature should be.
From the side path, the soldiers and a foul-smelling man in a stained shirt directed them to an open pen where Talon and Ingo herded the cattle. From there, Talon took them to a nearby building that was almost as tall as the barn at Lon Lon Ranch, though not nearly as wide.
"Listen children and Lady Navi," Talon said, as the fairy flew to the ocarina. "This is the inn we're staying at. Now, Ingo and I are going to be doing business all day. But I have an important task for you two."
"Yes father?" Malon said, with some small disappointment in her voice. Clearly doing more work was not what she wished to do for her first day in the city.
He squatted down before them. "Hold out your hands, both of you."
Link gave a confused glance to Malon, but she didn't seem to know what was happening either. They both did as he said.
"No, hold them together," Talon said. "There, that's it." Then he took something from his pockets and dropped them into Malon and Link's hands, little green stones tumbled onto Link's palm. Malon gasped. "Go have fun, you two. And don't spend all my rupees in one place. This will have to last you throughout the day."
"Thank you!" Malon shouted and stuffed the rupees into a small purse at her waist.
"Now, both of you. I want you to listen to Navi, understand? I don't want to hear that you misbehaved."
"I won't," Link said, looking down at the rupees in his hands. How much was this? It felt like a lot.
"Oh, that warning wasn't for you," Talon fixed his daughter with a stern look, though it was somewhat ruined by the slightest of twitch of his lips into the hint of a smile.
Malon gave a little titter of a laugh. "Love you, father." Then she stepped up, kissed him on the cheek before whirling around, grabbing Link's hand. "Come on!"
She ran deeper into the city, almost dragging Link behind her. "Where are we going?"
"I have no idea!"
They raced toward the main road where everyone had been so packed, but she seemed to think better of it and swerved into a different side street that ran adjacent to the main one. They passed a bunch of wooden square buildings, that kept getting bigger with each level. It looked like the back of them since only a few of the buildings had doors or even windows.
Malon seemed to be trying to find something as she looked around but did not let go of Link's hand. He was perfectly content to just let her lead him to whatever she was looking for. They passed through several rows of these buildings before she said, "That's it! I knew the main road would get there eventually."
She found a way to run even faster, causing Link to stumble after her and the ocarina to flop about.
"Careful, careful!" Navi's voice echoed from within.
Link managed to get into his normal stride when they reached what Malon must have seen. The groups of buildings ended, it was almost as though the main road they had been running beside burst and took over all the streets around it. It opened up into a marketplace filled to the brim with people and shops.
It was crowded, not quite as bad as it had been getting into the gate, but people were still moving almost shoulder to shoulder. But unlike the gate, they seemed to be having fun.
Malon stopped and let go of Link's hand. Whirling around she looked to Link with a wide grin. "What do you want to do first?"
"I don't know what there is to do."
"Everything! There's food stands and games and shopping! Oh, let's get some of that!" And before even finding an answer to the question she asked Link, Malon had run off again. Link chased after her until they reached a baker's stand, but instead of just having various breads, they had these small loafs that didn't look quite like normal bread. Somehow the baker made the bread look like it had a very soft crust, and shaped it into a triangle. More than that, honey glistened off the top of it, in a pattern of three smaller triangles aligned with one on top of the other two.
They had to wait a bit in a line of people, but as soon as they reached the baker Malon dropped four rupees on the counter. "Two Triforce Honey Cakes, please!"
The baker took out two of the glistening small triangle-loafs and handed them to Malon and she passed one to Link and they got out of line.
"What is it?" Link asked as he spun the thing around in his hand.
"It's delicious, is what it is. You're gonna love it." Malon tore a chunk from it and shoved it in her mouth. "Mmmhhhh."
Link ripped a small piece of the cake, it was sticky and spongy. Not like real bread at all. Well, if Malon likes it. He popped it into his mouth. His eyes went wide as he started to chew. "It's so sweet."
"I know!" Malon tore off another huge chunk. "There's a baker in Ordon Village," she said through her mouth full of food, "that makes honey cakes. We sometimes buy some when we deliver milk. These are even better."
Link could hardly think of anything he'd ever eaten that tasted as good. The cake melted in his mouth, leaving only the lingering taste of the glistening sweetness. They both devoured the cakes in moments.
"Where to next?" Malon said as she licked at her fingers. This time she actually did wait for him to think of something, so he looked around trying to make sense of everything around him.
"What's that?" he said and pointed to a building that grown men were walking in and out of, a sign hung above the door in the shape of a target with a large arrow sticking out of it.
"Looks like an archery range."
"Oh, I always wanted to use a bow," Link said.
From the ocarina came a small voice, "I don't think-"
"Then let's go!" Malon said as she grabbed Link's hand again with her sticky fingers and led him through the crowd toward the building. When they entered, they saw a bunch of men and a few tanned women all standing in these lanes with what had to be bows in their hands. They looked just like Deppi described when Link asked them. But when these people drew back the bowstrings, the bows didn't fall apart in their hands. What did I do wrong when I tried to make them?
A large man sat beside a desk, some papers in his hands and a bag of rupees at his elbow. Behind him was a wall of a strange assortment of items, Link couldn't find much of a reason for them. Some were little toy animals made of cloth, some were small pieces of clothing, some jewelry. It was weird. Malon went right up to him. "We'd like to shoot arrows. How much does it cost?"
"No bows for children," the man grumbled without looking up from his paper. "You want to play, you take a slingshot." He reached below the desk and pulled out a box filled with slingshots. "Children can play with these. Three rupees per attempt."
"Three?" Malon said. "That seems a bit much."
The man looked up from his paper for the first time to look at Malon. "You get fifteen stones, I set you up with the targets. The more targets you hit the bigger your prize. That's where the money goes." He waved at the wall behind him. So that's what all that was. Only then did Link notice that each of the rows of items had a number to one side. Ten at the bottom, then each row above increased the number until the top row at fifteen.
Link scoured it for something that would be fun to have. Most of the items on the lower rows seemed pointless, just little trinkets that looked sloppily made. The upper levels were far more interesting, some of the toys and scarves at the thirteen point row looked well crafted. On the top row there was a silver necklace and some rings. But the dagger on the fourteen point row caught Link's eye. It would go very well with his sword.
She looked to Link. "You want to try it? I know you wanted the bow."
But Link was already fishing the rupees from his sack. "For both of us."
The big man took two slingshots from the box, handed one to Malon. But Link held out one hand to stop him.
"I have my own," he reached in his shirt to grab the item he had tucked away.
"No outside equipment," the man said and shook the slingshot in front of Link's eyes.
"Why not?"
"Do you want to play the game or not?"
"Fine," Link took the sling, it seemed much worse than the one he built himself. The handle worn, and the leather pouch worn.
The man led them to a range much smaller than the one for the adults. There was a little wall that went up to about Link's waist, painted to maybe appeal to other kids. But whoever painted it just drew a laughing dog, which Link didn't really like the look of. Behind the wall several wooden ducks were set up at various distances away.
The big man sat in a chair at the side of the range, a large lever just in front of him. "Fifteen shots," he said as he unfolded his paper and returned to reading.
"I'm really good at this," Link said as he took one of the stones and stepped up to the wall. "Watch this, Malon." He pulled the stone back and aimed toward the nearest duck.
Release.
The stone soared through the air, just past the duck's head and clattered against the wall.
Malon burst out into a little laugh. "Truly, the skills of a great warrior."
"What?" Link looked down at the slingshot. "That's not where I was aiming." He took another stone and pulled back. This time he waited, steadied himself. Sometimes his aim could be a little off when he got excited.
The second stone went flying. Exactly over the same spot on the first duck and bounced at the exact same spot on the wall.
"Well at least you're consistent, Fairy Boy."
Link frowned, trying to figure what was going on. He sent three more stones out, trying to adjust his aim. Only one hit the duck, and that was a glancing blow that didn't even knock it down.
"What is wrong with this thing?" Link shook at the slingshot.
"Maybe you're just bad," Malon said with a smirk.
"I'm not bad! I once hit a giant spider thing in the eye with one while it was moving."
But that just made Malon snort. "Sure you did, Fairy Boy."
Link moved to the big man on his chair. "I think something's wrong with your slingshots."
"There's nothing wrong with them," he said without looking up.
Link was already playing around with the sling in his hand, trying to figure out what was going wrong with it himself. "There is. Here, look at this, the pouch for the stone isn't aligned right. Hey! Look at it!"
But the man didn't bother to look. "Finish playing the game, boy. Or give back your stones if you've given up."
It wasn't fair. This man was cheating. He should give him back the stones right in his fat stupid face! He started putting one in the sling's pouch, but Navi seemed to know what he was thinking.
"Calm down," she whispered. "It's just a game. Think of this as a challenge."
"But it's not fair," Link said between clenched teeth. The man wasn't even looking, he could probably get two or three stones at him before he even looked up.
"I know that, but just try not to lose your temper. Please, for me and for Malon."
The big man finally looked up. "Oy, where's that voice coming from? I thought I heard a woman."
Link glared at the man, let out a deep long groan, almost a growl. Then he stomped back to Malon at the front of the range. Took his position again and quickly released the last of his stones. He tried to adjust his aim, but he was still too mad to focus on it.
After all the stones were cast, he only hit one duck.
"I'm done." he said.
The man stood up, looked around the range. "One. No prizes." Then he pulled the leaver, and the one duck Link knocked over sprung back up.
"My turn," Malon said as she took Link's place. Her form was terrible. Her elbow either too far out or near brushing her own ribs. She released the first one and it whizzed to the very back of the range and smashed into the wall. Nowhere near any of the ducks.
But she did not seem to mind as she loaded the next and then the next. She pulled the stones as far back as she could and barely seemed to aim at all as she sent them flying.
"I got one!" she said as she shot her eighth stone.
"Well done," the big man grumbled without looking up.
"Good job, Malon," Link said, trying to sound supportive but he could hear the bitterness in his voice. But if Malon heard it, she didn't pay any attention as she lined up her next shot. This one went so far wide it smashed the wall before it even reached any of the ducks.
Such a bad shot would have made Link furious, but Malon just scooped up the next stone and released it. That one bounced off a piece of scenery and plopped to the ground. The next got closer, barely.
On her very last shot, Malon looked over to Link and grinned. "We're the masters at this, clearly." She said, then without looking released the stone.
It struck the nearest duck straight in the neck, causing the painted figure to fall back over.
"Two points," the man said as he reset the ducks. "No prizes, sorry girl."
"Oh, but I have the best prize," she announced. "I am the master of the slingshot. I'm better than even the mighty Fairy Boy, slayer of spiders. Isn't that right?" She looked back over to him with that wide grin of hers. "Tell me how great I am."
Link felt his face grow hot. She wasn't even good. That had been complete luck. It wasn't fair.
"Hey Fairy Boy- Link, what's wrong?"
"It was a good shot. You're the best, Malon."
Her smile shriveled up, and that made Link feel even worse. It wasn't her fault, why was he being such a Mido to her? He tried to smile, to show that nothing was wrong, but that didn't feel normal either.
"Link," Malon said. "Is that guy really cheating?"
"Yes," Link muttered.
"Then let's get out of here." Then she held out the slingshot and made a show of dropping it to the ground.
"Oy," the range owner looked up from his paper. "When you're done put the slingshot back into the bin."
But Malon stuck out her tongue and bolted toward the door. Link looked between her and the big man who was getting out of his seat.
"Go, Link," Navi's voice piped up from the ocarina. "Go!"
Link dropped his slingshot beside Malon's and ran. She threw open the door and rushed outside, with Link only a few paces behind her. Laughing as they maneuvered around the crowds until they were well away from the building.
"What now?" Link said once they had stopped running and were certain the big man was not following them.
"Now? Whatever we want."
They spent most of the day wandering around the marketplace and a few of the streets nearby. A group of performs stood over a box with marionettes that sang and danced for the audience. Jugglers and clowns walked on their hands and flipped each other into the air, or they performed strange tricks that often ended with one of the group on the floor rolling at odd angles pretending they hurt themselves.
Link enjoyed watching all the shows and playing even more games. At midday they found a butcher and baker couple who were selling warm stew. They paid a few rupees for it, and it was delicious. With several types of meats, vegetables, and rice that all mixed together in Link's mouth. It was even better than the beef stew that Talon cooked. And instead of a regular bowl, it was served in a heavy crusted bread that you could eat once the stew was done.
They wandered about as they ate, laughing and joking and thinking about what to do next, when Link noticed a group of people forming a large circle. "Malon look."
"Hmm?" she managed to say through a mouthful of stew.
Two knights in full armor walked into the circle. While one man in motley clothes shouted. "A weapons demonstration, come see a fight by two brave knights of the realm."
"Must we?" Navi sighed from within the ocarina.
Malon swallowed the stew. "Let's go! That sounds great!" And they rushed off to find their place among the circle of spectators.
"A token," one of the knights called as he lifted his visor. "A token from a fair maid!" Standing on the opposite side of the circle from Link and Malon, several women in bright colored dresses, and elaborate headpieces with jewelry hanging from their necks all waved and called.
Malon sighed as the knight moved to the ladies. But she wasn't watching the knight, her eyes were fixed on the women all waving at him.
The other knight didn't seem as interested in the women around him. His visor was down, and he seemed to be stretching and practicing moving his sword around. His shield had two foxes circling each other. His sword seemed well made to Link's eye, and he had a thin piece of plain white cloth tied around his gauntlet.
The first knight found the woman with the biggest most colorful dress of the group, she waved a bright orange and green piece of cloth about. The knight knelt before her, and she tied the cloth around his gauntlet just like the other knight had.
"Our two warriors today," the announcer said, as the kneeling knight stood up and took his position. "Should be well known to you fine folk of Castle Town. Sir Bennison the Breaker of Hordes." The knight who had asked for the token lifted his arms high, and the crowd gave a shout.
Link roared along with them as the knight rattled his sword.
"And opposing him today, until submission or first blood, we have Sir Jora, Knight of the Foxes!"
The other knight lifted his arms as well, and then bowed to the crowd. The audience shouted just as loud for him as they did the first knight. And again, Link let himself shout with the others. He was going to see an actual knight fight! They were going to show him how to actually use their swords! His heart was pounding almost as hard as it had been when he fought for his life.
"Begin!"
The two knights touched their swords to their helmets then circled each other. Their shields raised high their swords raised higher. The one called Bennison struck first, his sword clattering against the other's shield. His movements were precise, practiced. He didn't lob the weapon forward; the movement was closer to the casting of a fishing rod. As far as Link could tell.
Jora returned with his own blade, flashing quick and deadly, catching the lip of Bennison's shield and sending the rim smacking into Bennsion's side. But with the armor the knight didn't seem to notice.
The fought for some time, occasionally hitting each other, but most often the combatants were skilled enough to parry their opponent's blade or catch it on their shield. When they couldn't maneuver away from a blow, they moved into it, making it strike against their breastplates or the armor around their arms. That must be where the armor is thickest, and the attacks hurt the least.
"Come on Sir Bennison!" Malon shouted and cheered, apparently having chosen that knight as her champion. "Bust his head!"
But to Link, it looked like Sir Jora was the more skilled of the two. For every one hit that his opponent landed on his armor, Jora was able to land two or three. And some of them reached his opponent's helmet or legs.
It ended faster than Link would have liked. Jora stepped aside from a large downward strike from Bennison, then moved right into the man's space. He pushed his leg around Bennison and smashed the man's helmet with the pommel of his sword, sending his opponent to the ground.
"Yield," Sir Jora said as he pointed the sword at Bennison's helmet.
"I yield," the knight on the ground said. Then Jora sheathed his sword and held out his hand for Bennison to take and heaved his fellow knight up.
"Boo!" Malon yelled but was drowned out by the cheers.
Bennison clapped Jora on the back and then they both went off to opposite ends of the circle.
"Congratulations to Sir Jora, our winner!" The announcer called. "And remember folks, every day of the festival we're having new challengers for your entertainment." Behind him, Sir Jora and Sir Bennison took off their helmets and walked over to their aids who handed them waterskins.
"So, you really liked Sir Bennison?"
"Not anymore," she said staring at Sir Jora as the knight finished his drink and talked to his companions. "Wow."
"That Sir Jora is a good fighter," Link agreed.
For some reason, that made Malon laugh and patted Link on the shoulder. Then she looked back to the women in the fancy dresses and sighed as they headed away.
"What?" Link tried to look at them to figure out what was wrong with them. They didn't seem to be doing anything terrible.
"Just thinking," Malon said. "It'd be nice, I reckon, to be that. To live in them big castles and wear fancy dresses, and have knights ask you for tokens or whatever it is they do. But," she sighed again and shrugged her shoulders. "What do you want to do now?"
"Um," Link looked about the marketplace. They had done most of what he was interested in. But something about what Malon said drew him to one shop with big windows that was a bit further down, closer to the direction the ladies had gone. "Let's go there." This time, Link took Malon's hand and led her through the crowd.
"Where?" Malon asked, before they stopped in front of the building Link was looking at. "Oh. No. Fairy Boy, this is a bad idea."
"Why?" he opened the door to the dress shop.
For the first time since Link had known her, Malon stepped in Link's shadow and peered around him rather than take charge. It didn't make any sense to him. The dresses weren't horses, they weren't going to bite or stomp on any of them.
Link walked up to one of the women in the shop, a very thin lady with hair done up in some elaborate beehive looking design. She measures some of the dresses, so she must work there. "Hello!"
The woman looked down her nose at Link and Malon. She frowned and took a deep sniffing breath from her nose. "Are you lost?"
"No, I'm here to get a dress for my friend here."
The woman gave this arrogant cluck of a chuckle. Why was everyone laughing at him here?
"Fairy Boy," Malon whispered, "let's not do this."
"Oh, I'm sorry," the woman said. "It's just, we serve a specific clientele. And you two reek of horse."
"Well, we work on a ranch."
"Of course you do, now how are you going to pay for her dress?"
"I have money."
"Not enough, trust me. Run along now."
"Link," Malon took hold of his sleeve and started tugging at him. "Let's go."
"No, hold on. She's being mean."
The woman huffed.
"How much is a dress?"
"For her? A hundred fifty rupees."
"One hundred fifty?" Link said. Talon had only given them each about twenty for the entire day. "For just clothes? That's stupid. Are they magic or something?"
"I think I've tolerated you stinking up my shop long enough. Out, both of you. Out." She started to wave at them in a shooing motion.
Malon rushed to the door almost as fast as she had when they ran from the shooting gallery. But Link stayed behind a moment. "You're a mean old lady."
"And you're a rude little boy. Now get out!"
Link clenched his fist. This person was even worse than the man at the archery range. That man was just a cheat. This woman was being mean to Malon! He wanted to rip apart all her dresses, or punch her in her frown-wrinkled face.
Has thy fist stopped Mido's cruelty? The Great Deku Tree's words came back to him.
"Why are adults so mean?" He asked the woman, but she did not give him an answer. He followed Malon out of the shop, stomping as he went.
"Why did you go in there?" Malon said, when they returned to the street. "I told you it was a bad idea."
"Because you said you wanted a dress, to be like those ladies."
"Link, that was just a stupid dream." She looked down at the skirt she wore, uncolored except for some of the dust and dirt that clung to the hem. "I'm just a ranch girl. What would I even do with a fancy dress?" Her voice sounded strong, but Link could see her eyes were glossy, as if she was fighting back tears. "I'm not going to be some beautiful noble who gets swept up by a knight. Let's just go." Link didn't know what to say. He always thought of Malon as being so strong at the ranch, like nothing would ever get to her.
And now he had gone and ruined the celebration for all of them. Malon had been so excited to see the festivities just the day before. Now it was all tarnished.
Why are adults so mean?
Cruel, liars, and cheats, that made up far too many of the people out here in the world. The Great Deku Tree was right about them.
They continued through the marketplace and played a few more games and watched a few more shows. But a lot of the joy was gone. They still talked and joked, but Link could not stop thinking about how terrible some of the people here were. And since Malon wasn't poking fun at everything near as much as she usually was, he thought she must be thinking about it as well.
There was still some fun to be had though, so it was late when the children decided to head back toward the inn. They still had a handful of rupees between them, when they passed by the archery range.
"Hey, Malon," Link said and stopped before the building. "You think we can go back in here?"
"Why? We already angered the owner this morning. Not much point running in just to run back out."
"I have an idea. But I need your help."
"Link," Navi said. "What kind of idea?"
"Not a violent one! Promise! No one will get hurt. I think I know how to beat the game. But I'm going to need some help distracting the owner."
"I am in," Malon said.
"If we must," Navi sounded tentative. "But if I say it's over, then we leave. Understood?"
"Yes, Navi," both the children said together before they ran into the range.
"Oy," the owner said as soon as they entered. He wasn't behind the counter this time, he had a broom in his hand and swept up something shattered on the floor. "What do you two want?"
"Three rupees to play, right?" Link said and placed the gems on the table.
The big man looked over them and grunted. "Fine," he said. Though he took his time sweeping whatever it was that was a mess of his floor before he walked behind his desk and brought up the box of slingshots. "Pick one, and remember, you can't use equipment from outside."
Link nodded, and grabbed the least lopsided, misshapen slingshot from the box. As the man led them to the small duck range, Link nudged Malon in the back and whispered, "Now."
Malon gave Link a wink, then skipped forward until she was walking beside the man. "So, what is it you do here all day? I bet it's really boring, isn't it? How old are you? You look pretty old. You're balding like my dad, but you definitely look older than my dad? What's your name?"
"What?" the man asked. "I can't- I'm not that old."
"You don't have to hide it, I was told you should always respect your elders, they might have a lot of keen wisdom to pass on to the young. And since you're so old you must have so much wisdom. You should share it. What's the most wise thing you know?"
"Wise thing? What are you talking about?"
"I bet it's brilliant. Can't wait to hear it. Come on tell me? Or is it you think I won't understand, I'll have you know I understand most things. I'm pretty smart, everyone says so. My dad mostly. You look kinda like my dad. You're both balding, but you look older."
While Malon prattled, Link worked on the slingshot. He unfastened the bands and folded it by the very center of the leather pouch. He pulled out his knife and cut the band so that both sides were even, then as quick as he could, refastened the slingshot together.
"But if you ask for three rupees per person, how many do you need to afford the prizes? How often do people get the prizes? I don't think I've seen anyone collect any since I got here."
"Girl, silence. Or I will kick you out, rupees or no." The big man reached his chair beside the range and sat down and glared at Link. "Just go, child. Get this over with."
Malon turned to Link, he gave her a nod.
"Well sorry, mister, I was just trying to learn about you."
The man harrumphed, but he didn't say anything further.
Link took a deep breath and loaded the sling. It still didn't feel perfect in his hand, but at least it wasn't obviously lopsided. He looked at the closest duck, lined up his shot, pulled the sling back.
Release.
The stone hit the duck just off center, causing it to teeter and fall. It was still listing slightly to the left, but not much. He adjusted his aim for the next one and hit the next duck right in the middle. Link grinned, he had it now. He fell into a pattern, place stone, aim, release, clank. One shot after another, each striking precisely where he wanted it to go.
"What's going on there?" the man stood up and looked around the range to see that Link had already knocked down ten ducks. "I told you, no outside equipment!"
"I'm not," Link dug into the pouch he kept in his shirt and pulled out his own. "This one's mine. See how much better it is?" Then he put his slingshot down, picked up another stone, loaded it and knocked another duck down.
"You're cheating," the man snarled.
"No, he isn't," Malon said. "He's just amazing."
"That's it, you two are out of-"
From the ocarina a loud powerful voice called out. "Hey! This kid is about to get all fifteen targets! Way to go kid! You got to see this!"
The manager looked around to see where Navi's voice came from. But while he glanced about a few others in the range turned their heads toward them.
"Really?" another kid perhaps younger than Link said. "It was so hard when I tried it."
A tanned woman with red hair stepped beside Link and looked at the targets. "Eleven done. Very good."
"Not bad at all, kiddo," said a man with a huge mustache. "You've the makings of an archer, you keep this up."
The manager looked around the growing crowd like he wanted to order them all to get back, to call Link a cheater. But in the end, he just glared at Link.
"Win, Link." Navi said, barely audible over the others there.
He took a breath. Focus. He picked up the next stone. Set. Aimed. And… down went twelve.
"Attaboy!" one of the men shouted and thumped him on the shoulder.
Then thirteen fell and the people around him hollered. Some even at the far end of the archers lanes moved closer to watch him.
"You can't. How?" the proprietor made strangling noises.
"Everyone shush!" Malon shouted above the crowd. "Let him concentrate." And the people went into a chittery quiet.
Load stone. Aim. Focus on form. Release.
"Fourteen!" one of the crowd shouted, as the rest gave another loud yell. Then they all went silent again. Only one more duck to go, and this one was the furthest back of the lot. Link glanced around the room, the adults all waiting on him. The big man's eyes were wide with fury. And Malon just had her widest smile.
Aim.
Release.
The last duck fell over.
The people shouted; big adult sized hands pressed in around him. Patting him on the back or his head. Other children jumped about him. All of them saying how impressive he'd been. There were way too many, all pressing around him. It was hard to breathe.
"Nice, Fairy Boy!" Malon said, as she took his hand and helped pull him forward out of the crowd. Away from… all of them. "Are you gonna get the knife? I noticed you looking at it earlier."
"No," Link said. He picked his slingshot off the ground, tucked it back into his shirt then walked over to the manager of the range. "I'd like my prize now please."
The man snatched the slingshot from Link's hands and peered over it, clearly trying to figure out what Link had done. But as the crowd all shouted for him, the manager didn't have much of a choice but to give Link what he wanted. He trudged back to his desk, and very clearly did not put the slingshot back with the others.
"What do you want?" he muttered.
"That silver necklace, at the top."
The man got it down, grumbling to himself the entire way. Link took it from the man's hand and ran out of the range, with the crowd cheering him on as he went. It had worked! He felt like laughing or dancing or playing instruments back in Kokiri with all his friends.
Outside the sun had almost disappeared behind the walls of the city. Bright lanterns hanging across the road provided most of the light in the streets. Most of the shops were closing, and the marketplace was not near as crowded as it had been in the morning.
Malon came up behind him. "Time to get back to the inn, you think?"
Link nodded. He opened his palm and took a good look at the necklace. It seemed well made, metal all the way through. The same three triangles that had been displayed around the celebration were on the top half with a great outline of an eagle beneath it.
"So, why'd you get the necklace?" Malon asked as they headed to the inn.
"Oh," Link stopped. "It's for you."
"What?"
"Well, you said you wanted to look like those ladies. And well they had fancy dresses and fancy jewelry. And we couldn't get you the dress. But I thought- you know- I could get this for you." He held the necklace out to her. "And I really wanted to beat that stupid man's game."
Link dropped the necklace into her hands. Malon looked at the silver then back at him, her lip trembled a little bit. Was she going to cry? Was something wrong? Link didn't mean to do anything wrong.
Then Malon jumped at him and wrapped her arms around him. "That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me."
Link didn't know what to say. He'd thought she'd say some joke or something. But instead, she held on, way past the length a hug should last as far as Link was concerned. But he did not dare nudge her off until she was ready to let go herself.
Once she released him, she stepped back and put the necklace around her shoulders. "How's it look?"
"It looks great," Link said. Though in truth it may be a bit too long for her. But that could be fixed. For now, it was better to let her have her dreams of being like one of those fancy ladies.
They walked back to the inn, together. Malon didn't say much, just smiled and held the pendant in her hand. Sometimes looking at it, other times to Link. It didn't really make sense that all these fancy dresses and jewelry were important to her. But it made her happy, like Link's weapons made life bearable back home.
And he proved he did know how to use a slingshot.
It was late when they arrived at their empty room. And no matter how hard they looked Talon was nowhere to be found.