The next morning Link is up early. Despite a somewhat reprieve from work yesterday he went to bed early. Something about being showered in hot tea and irritated really takes it out of you. He's awake before the rooster today and halfway through milking the cows when he crows.

"Heh beat you this time." The hero thinks with a chuckle as he starts pouring the buckets into large canisters for storage. "So shut up."

The old cock does exactly that. Apparently with Link awake his purpose in life is done with and he slinks back into the chicken coop. But that isn't to say it's silent out there. What is an uncharacteristically loud but unmistakable yawn follows the bird's daylight solo. This also gets the hero's attention, as he's supposedly always alert.

"Looks like I beat you too." He considers, stepping out of the barn for a quick breather. "Bet that's a surprise."

Indeed it is. After finishing her yawn session Malon looks to one side then the other. "Huh?" She then lifts the cover and looks beneath it. She sits up with a puzzled look then scans the area she was lying on. "I know he was nearby..." Casting her blanket to one side she stands and goes to check her guesthouse. After finding no one present in it she stands and scratches her head. "That's a puzzler; where'd Fairy Boy get to so early?"

Link chuckles to himself. "I thought you'd have figured it out by now."

"Far as I can remember I had him next to me. I ain't found him and it don't look like I mashed him by mistake, otherwise...well that wouldn't be pretty. If he slipped off somewhere there's no tellin' where with that ocarina of his. I know he must've split from here. Last thing he'd do is wake up early for work."

"I'm offended by that but I suppose she'd never have guessed..." He contemplates wryly.

"I'll ask him when he gets back." Malon concludes, sitting down and re-braiding her pigtails. They came partially loose during the night, the clumsy knot undoing itself and becoming untied. Something about having fingers the size of someone's arm may make knot tying hard to do.

Link's about to call out but thinks better of it and hurries back into the barn before she sees him "I'll just finish up in here." After taking a decent amount of time storing all the milk he walks out of the barn and back across the ranch. He's sure she'll see him and stop wondering but she's distracted doing something else.

The massive redhead is trying to tame her hair again and failing spectacularly. Holding a pigtail end in one hand and rope in the other she's trying to get a knot around the braided locks like she has for the last hour. She has several loops of rope around one of her fingers as a testament to how many times she's let it slip and it ended up tied to her finger instead. Broken pieces of twine lie all around her as you can easily count how many times it's been wound too tight with her strength. With yet another snap of the rope as it gives way Malon cries out in exasperation. "Come on! I did it fine yesterday!" She tosses the broken cord to the side with the rest of them and spies someone trying to slink by. "Fairy Boy, where have you been?"

"Here. Just did the cows." He replies nonchalantly.

As it turns out, Malon's surprised look was worth the wait. "What you say?"

"I was up early so I figured why not?"

Still stunned at the whole idea she shakes her head a tiny bit then snaps back to the matter at hand. "Alright...but could you give me a hand with this?"

"With what?" Link asks, playing innocent.

Malon's best attempt at a frown doesn't pass muster and she smirks down at the savior of the kingdom. "My knittin'..." She replies sarcastically. "I'm havin' a hard time getting' started."

"I'll say; you keep breaking your string. Who taught you to knit?"

"Anyway, I need you to tie knots around the ends of my braids. I did it and they come loose last night."

"Ah."

"I never was any good with knots and I'm guessin' yesterday I got lucky with them. With fingers this big and only one hand again I'm doing a whole lot of nothin' this time round."

"Now I look like a member of the Hyrule Scout Troop?"

"You look like someone ready for a smack upside the head if I have to tell you..." The immense girl replies slowly.

"Okay, what do I have to do?"

"Tie a knot round the end of these while I hold them together."

"I did say I've never been any good at-" Her glare serves as reply enough to negate his objection. "I'll do what I can."

A few minutes later finds Malon's hair tied with messy knots. Of course she was looking for something closer to a bow and she's watching one of them unravel so it's safe to say she's not content. Link just shrugs with palms up like it's out of his hands though he's the one who did them.

"You couldn't do better than that, Fairy Boy?"

"Not really."

"I was thinkin' somethin' with some loops'd be nice."

"I think someone who could pull that off would be nice."

"You can't even do a bow?"

"You'd be surprised how many times a day I retie my boots."

"That's terrible...."

"There isn't a single adult in the entire Kokiri Forest so none of us really know how to anyway. What else can I say?"

"That you made a mistake and will tie my hair in pretty bows that'll stay-" One of the loops of rope comes undone as she's speaking. "-this time."

"What do you think I am, a hairdresser?"

"I'm thinkin' you're an oversize lil kid who needs boots that button but that's just me." Link gives her a displeased look. "It's an opinion, what else can I say?" Now he's fuming for having his words thrown back at him and she's laughing about that despite damage to personal fashion.

"You've got good logic going." Says a voice from the country property entrance. "Even first graders can do better than that."

"Mmhmm." The large girl turns to her gate. "What brings you here this mornin'? On official business for the princess again?"

"You could say that..." Impa trails off.

"Oh? What's it about?"

"I wanted to pay you a visit." Says another voice from behind the shadow sage. "Impa worries so much."

"Princess?" Link sounds surprised then kneels hurriedly. Zelda dismisses that with a wave. "Good morning I guess."

"Well I'd like to welcome you to my humble abode first." Malon says brightly. "Thanks for droppin' by."

"I hardly get out of the castle and thought I'd stop by. What's a friend if not someone to spend a little time with?"

"I don' mind one bit."

Zelda smiles. "I hoped not." Something occurs to her suddenly. "I have a question."

"Your highness?"

She shrugs off the reference to her title given her hostess's grin. "What were you and Link on about just now? I missed most of it."

"Oh, that?" Malon asks offhandedly. "Fairy Boy can't tie a knot."

"Really now?"

"These ‘bows' in my hair are courtesy of our resident hero."

"Shame..." Zelda says, shaking her head and clicking her tongue.

"Isn't it though?"

"You can stop now; I feel silly enough already." Link says in a defeated voice.

"I have to admit I did expect more..."

"Please?"

"Well alrig-"

"Let me handle this, princess." Malon turns to her subordinate. "Not to be mean but was anyone talkin' to you?"

"No..."

"And don't you have chores to do?"

"Yeah..."

"Don't get behind."

"I started early-"

"Get movin' you."

"Wait a moment Link." Zelda says slowly.
"Hmm?" Malon looks confused.

"What is it?"

"Watch me first. This is how you tie a bow." The evergreen sporting employee makes a face and goes back to work leaving the chance to learn basic knot tying for another time. "I was just trying to be helpful." Zelda giggles. "Nevermind..." She ties two perfect gift-worthy decorative knots around the ends of Malon's pigtails. "It isn't that difficult though..."

The enormous girl laughs. "That isn't the point."

"Of course not. I was just trying to illustrate it to Link." Who can hear them talking still and grumbles audibly giving her a reason to smile.

"Tee hee. Thanks for that, by the way; it's hard enough to keep up with this hair as is."

"I imagine." Zelda concurs. "You could do with some real ribbons for it all. Something pink or orange would be perfect."

"I'm not lookin' for anythin' fancy. I'm fine as long as it stays together."

"Hmm...who does your clothes? Staying together is becoming a loose term given all the extra stitches you've got on your dress."

"Well when you're wearin' somethin' bigger than two tents you'd be surprised how many things it'll get caught on. It's still in one piece mostly so I'm content."

"Who is your tailor?" The princess is insistent.

Malon throws a wry smile back at her. "Link if you haven't guessed by now. But..."

"But?" Her guest has a quizzical look on her face.

"I don' think you came to talk fashion to an overgrown farm girl." The ponderous lady turns around and sits in front of Zelda Indian style with her knees drawn into her arms. "So you want to level with me and say what's on your mind? It's awful early for anyone to be up much less payin' visits, hon."

"Direct and to the point as usual." Impa thinks with a small smile. "That's admirable."

Zelda has a slightly contrite look on her face as though she's feeling guilty at being found out so quickly. "Umm..."

"It's nothin' to be ashamed of. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine too."

"It's not that but...well..."

"It kinda is that. Or you'da fessed up by now, right?"

"I...you see..." Zelda sighs and nods.

"Let me say it again before I forget. If you don't want to tell me then okay fine. If you do, that's alright too. I got a good record of not bitin' folks even if they say somethin' I don't like so don't worry too much if you do decide to tell me."

"I'll leave you two alone." Impa says absently. "I don't think there is anything to worry about here. Enjoy yourself, princess." Her charge nods and Impa walks off.

"I do have some things I should say but..." The blonde hylian gestures at the stables nearby where Link is hard at work with a shovel and looks back at Malon with a somewhat pleading note in her gaze.

The colossal country gal nods and stands, gesturing her visitor to follow. On the other side of the ranch they take seats like before. "My voice doesn't carry that far if I don't yell and I'll see him coming if he heads this way. I'm guessin' it's somethin' you'd rather he not know?"

"It's a lot of things. I'm just not sure I would be comfortable explaining them in front of him."

"Actually, you are sure. It didn't take much thought for you to walk over here out of earshot."

"...you're right." Zelda admits, smiling slightly.

"Where I come from we don't call that debatin' we call that decidin'."

The regent laughs softly looking down with her eyes closed. "That's one way of looking at it."

Malon smiles. "Whenever you're ready; I'm not gonna press you."

A couple minutes pass in relative silence. The song of the waking birds and wind in the leaves is all you hear for a time. The horses are on the sluggish side, walking about slowly stretching their legs in the corral. The sound of lazy hooves is unable to carry over the stillness of the saffron hued morning. Malon is content to watch the horses graze while Zelda is gathering her resolve.

"What am I supposed to say?" The princess wonders. "Why are you and Link so close? Can you show me how you did that so I can have a turn?" She shakes her head and takes another deep breath to steady herself. "I have to do better than that." She looks up at her huge hostess to check her reaction but the auburn-maned one is not looking her direction. The loss of composure is her little secret.

Malon is more interested in the finches and other avian fauna landing on her head and shoulders. Amused that she makes a decent perch she just sits as close to immobile as she can manage while watching them out of the corner of her eyes. "Don' pinch my ears you..." She laughs gently and shakes her head, persuading some to leave while others find a new perch. "How would you like it?"

Zelda reflects a little more. "Maybe I don't have anything to say. I don't want to lie to her and I can't very well tell her I envy her for apparently stealing Link's heart. But I want to tell her how I feel and she deserves a reason..."

Malon is thinking as well. It's not every morning the crown princess of the country comes to visit and she's sure there's something to that. "Somethin' must be on her mind; this isn't a place she'd visit for fun. I'm not thinkin' she got up at the crack of dawn to ride out here cause we're best friends now. This has got to be about Fairy Boy over there. The fact we're sittin' way over here is a real good sign since she must not want to have him hear her talkin' about him. Question is...is she even going to say anything?" She steals a glance at Zelda who is intently looking at the ground. Malon shoos a few birds from landing on her nose and smiles. "I can play bird roost all mornin', I don't have much to do I just-"

"Malon." Zelda says after taking another deep breath.

"Yes hon?"

"I'll try to tell you why I'm here."

"I'm all ears, take your time."

"Just need to be honest. I can do this." Zelda thinks.

"If you're not comfortable don't bother. You don't owe me an explanation; I'm just curious."

"It's about Link..."

"Guessed as much there."

She smiles ruefully. "You're perceptive."

"Not really but go on, sugar."

"I really do care about him despite how it looked that day at the lake but I don't think either of you understand."

"We don't have to understand. When you feel a certain you don't have to ask anybody's permission; it doesn't matter what we think."

"See, it does matter in a way. It's not so simple..."

"Hmm?" Malon leans forward intently. "Whatcha mean?"

"That day, because of what I felt then, you brought up some valid points. I really do care for Link but we can't be more than friends without a friendship to start with."

"Mmhmm." The outsized lass nods. "Took you awhile to figure that out."

Zelda smiles uncomfortably. "It did. So since he doesn't visit me too much anymore I figured I'd have to make a move."

"I knew I was keepin' him from doin' things he'd normally do." Malon thinks. "I wasn't tryin' to impose on him like that..."

"That's why I came here to get to know Link better and you as well."

She's still somewhat peeved that Link played off his activities as nothing major and nearly misses what the princess says. "Hmmm? You aren't interested in lil' ole me are you?"

"No!" Zelda replies hurriedly. "It's not like that."

"Oh." The farmer smiles a small smile. "I mean you seem nice enough but I'm not sure you're my type, hon."

The blonde girl smirks. "As I said, it's not that." She looks reflective again. "But you are special."

"Special?"

"What you and Link have is something special. I want something like that."

"It's not what you think. Really it's not..." Malon almost whispers.

"You miss my meaning." Zelda replies, relieved to hear her say what she just did. "You two are good friends. Around you he's like a whole different person, so relaxed and laid back. I want that."

"So you want to spend some quality time just getting to know us and hangin' out?"

The holder of the Wisdom Triforce nods. "It's the best way to start a friendship and for me to find a way to sort out these feelings I have."

"I understand. This kills my notion of ‘best friends overnight'." Malon remarks with a chuckle.

The princess giggles at the idea. "Maybe it's a little off."

"Either way, you're welcome as long as you like. Get comfortable, make yourself at home, do some work..."

"I think I'll leave that to Link."

The ranch overseer smirks and stands, startling enough of the aerial animals to be momentarily blinded as they take flight. "Whichever is fine by me." She casts a glance at her assistant. "He'll be needing a hand in a minute so I think I'll help him out."

"Alright, and Malon if you could..."

"It's between you, me, and the birds. You'll get a peep out of them before me." She says with a smile before heading back to the stables. Zelda follows suit.

Link is walking out for a quick break. He leans against the building and wipes sweat from his brow watching them approach. "Whew..." He sighs, dropping the shovel. "Want to give me a hand, Malon?"

His supervisor laughs. "You know I can't do that."

"Sure you can. It'd be a piece of cake for you."

"And another piece of my stable missing too, don' forget."

Link looks crestfallen and guilty at the same time. "Right, I remember..."

"You should. You got me spreading the hay after you shovel plus other stuff and you want me to put another hole in the wall?"

"I don't. I can handle it." He turns to the next stall in line. "I'm almost done."

"Hole in the wall?" Zelda queries.

"Bet you're wonderin' what that's all about." Malon replies. As her guest nods she smiles.

"Over here, dear." The rancher takes a couple strides down to a middle compartment while Zelda almost trots to see what the matter is. "That." The redhead points at a section at the back wall that is missing. "Is a hole in the wall."

"I see. How'd that happen?"

The gargantuan girl giggles again. "I'm takin' the blame for it since I did it but it's really Fairy Boy's fault."

"Is not!" Link protests from another stall. "I didn't-"

"Hush, I didn't ask you."

"But you can't just pin it on me!"

Malon turns to Zelda. "Wasn't I talkin'?"

Zelda grins. "I believe you were: you were explaining something to me."

"Don't listen to her!"

"As I was sayin', it's Fairy Boy's fault." She pauses and both her and her guest laugh a bit at what is admirably loud grumbling given he's on another side of the building.

"How did he manage that?" Zelda asks in a falsetto-surprised tone.

"You know he's been doin' all the work around here. It's not somethin' he got used to all too fast."

"I could believe that."

"I figured I'd try giving him a hand wherever I could so he doesn't hurt himself. So now if there's heavy liftin' I can reach I'll help out. Now he still has problems with stable work. And one time he about begged me to give him a hand halfway through mucking ‘em out. I didn't think I could pull it off but didn't have the heart to say no."

"You seem really nice. You wouldn't put Link through something he didn't think he could handle." Malon smiles at her words while she feels guilty. "But I did..." She thinks to herself. "He could've been seriously hurt..." She remembers the Spirit Temple revisited and how hard it pushed Link.

Even from her vantage point Malon senses something amiss. "You feelin' alright, hon?"

"What is she, telepathic?" Zelda thinks, shaking it off before she can pique the other girl's concern. "I'm fine, go on." She says.

"I don't buy that for one second but I'll let you keep it to yourself this time." Her guest says nothing. "But the issue wasn't whether I could move the shovel, rather whether I could do it real well in real close. I tried and two strokes later I had the thing stickin' out of the wall."

"I see."

"So it is his fault but since I did it I won't make him fix it."

"That's nice of you."

"I don' make him do things if I can help it. I always ask first and only tell him to do somethin' if it's really urgent. I'm not his boss."

"I could learn something from that." Zelda reflects to herself.

"So that's the story of how the stable got ventilation."

"You left out that I had to get the shovel out of the wall to finish later." Link mentions petulantly.

"Lil' details aren't important." Malon says with a grin.

"Right..." He replies, rolling his eyes. "I'm about done here."

"Oh?" The titanic teenager goes to get a bale of hay from the barn. "Want to wait till after you do the chickens or not?"

"Now is fine since you didn't help just now."

"You knew good and well I wasn't gonna. Don' play dumb with me." She says, spreading a couple handfuls of hay in each stall. "I'll be done knocked the whole thing over, then what keeps the rain off the horses?"

Link shrugs. "I think you could do it with practice." He concludes, lying on the ground.

"I think you'd miss special treatment." She mentions, removing Link's equipment. "Admit it."

"Did I miss something?" Zelda asks, looking confused.

"No, I'm thinkin' you caught most all of it. I ain't seen you step out to miss anythin'."

The princess tries another approach. "What's going on? Do I need to leave you two alone?" Malon giggles while Link starts turning a light fuchsia color. But Zelda really does look at a loss so the huge hylian decides to explain.

"Just about every morning since he's started here I've given him a massage. Main reason bein' that I can't have him crampin' up later and hurtin' himself." She starts to massage Link.

"How'd you figure out that was necessary?"

"On the second day he came stumbling out the stable like a person with broken back would walk. I thought that was a problem and basically told him he'd wake up lookin' like a pretzel if he didn't let me give him a hand."

Zelda is watching Link's face. He's not with them at current as he's looking sleepy and has an almost dopey smile on his face. "I can't remember the last time I've seen him smile..." She thinks. "And you do this every day?" The princess asks aloud.

"Mmhmm. He's always gonna have cramp issues if he's gonna be active and workin'."
"I have to ask how you're so sure."

"Easy. One sec, sugar." She picks Link up and sits down on her haunches then to something with her legs crossed and comfortable. With him securely in her arms she double-checks that he's asleep. Finding it true enough she smiles. "It's cause he's stubborn."

"Stubborn?"

"Mmhmm. This is the only time you'll catch him with his equipment off."

"Oh, he never takes it off." Zelda agrees. "I can't ever get him to."

"Well I never ask. I'll yank it off when I do this or if he's hurt. Otherwise he'll sleep with it on."

"I suppose it's a hero's habit..." The avatar of wisdom shrugs.

"I don't care what it is. It can't be called for right around now. Some of this stuff is pretty heavy and he has it on all the time. He walks with a tendency to lean forward and I know why. And him workin' with it on ain't healthy I can say that for sure. That's why I do this every day." She smiles a silly smile. "That and he likes being pampered. It's the least I can do since I don't pay him." She whispers then looks guilty. "Ooo, don't tell him I tol' you that."

"Fair enough." Her guest smiles. "But he trusts you to do this for him? You could hurt him by accident since I'm sure you're really strong right now..."

"Oh we've been through that." Malon says somewhat sadly. "As a matter of fact the day before it all happened down at Lake Hylia was when I did it. He had trouble standin' that day and that was my fault."

"Ah, I remember. He had a problem posing for the sculptor." Her hostess makes a less than pleased face at that so she changes the subject. "So he'll nap on you for how long?"

"Depends on how comfortable he is. I've had him tell me he'd sleep life away in my arms sometimes if I don't wake him for more chores. I cain't be that great."

"I think it's because he likes you more than you'd guess." Zelda thinks dejectedly. "I'm not sure I can come between that." But aloud she does have a response. "I don't know but I wouldn't blame him if he thought that."

"Hmm? Why you say that, sugar?" Someone is genuinely puzzled yet again.

"Because he could not get more stuck to you without cement..." The princess thinks morosely. "He's entitled to think as he likes; I can hardly blame him for that, right?" She replies with her palms up.

Malon doesn't look like she wants to accept that but she lets it go. "Oh, alright." She checks on Link and gives him a little squeeze. "I'll wake him in an hour or so. The day's still early and I have somewhere I'd like to go."

In Hyrule's capital is a carriage that is just now making it over the drawbridge. Slowing to a canter in the marketplace the driver contemplates something as the ride is rather silent alone on the return trip.

"I can only hope she remembers what we talked about." Impa reflects as her vehicle clops through the bazaar. "It was strange enough that she'd even wake at sunrise to even try what we discussed yesterday. But I guess it's clear she's committed to making an effort; I'm surprised that it means that much to her."

The carriage arrives at the gate to the palace. After a cursory check it opens and the shadow sage guides the royal wagon to the castle stables. Unhitching the horses and putting it to rights doesn't take long and she's still ruminating.

"The main issue is not to impose. She hasn't made much progress as the princess and ‘requesting' things of him. The hero/royalty relationship isn't going to work. She's going to have to approach him like a normal person and expect to be treated as such. No ordering people around and special treatment; it's the old-fashioned way. And given she's spent the entirety of her life being waited on hand and foot I'm not sure how much she can handle." Impa sighs. "She decided to do this on her own though. She has to have an idea of what it means. I just hope she's ready for it."

Link isn't sure where he is. All he can hear is panting and his eyes are tightly shut. It is as though he's running. He can hear brush snapping as he's barreling through what seems like a wooded area. Even as he slows and the sound of branches breaking stops he still can't see. It's like his face is covered in some kind of cloth. He can only listen and that he does ardently. And over the sound of a very loud heartbeat he can hear something. Like a murmured prayer but he can't make it out. While he's trying to make sense of it the muttering stops. It's replaced by unmistakable yelling and it's so loud and so close he can't help but hear it.

"Please!" The voice screams. "Help me!" Instantly Link is thrown into the depths of terror. Her plea shakes him to the core and he's immediately worried to hear the urgency in her voice.

There is a low toned response and thanks to brief hearing damage from being yelled into like a microphone Link is once again unable to get heads or tails of it. The area he's in is cool and the sun is shining on the back of his eyelids. Despite the urgency of the person yelling it's a peaceful place that has a homey feel to it.

"I beg of you please help me!" The voice starts to whimper and he feels like crying too. "I can't go on." Something about those words hurts to hear them and he feels like something dear to him is in danger.

There's another low-toned response and it's almost familiar. He just can't get whom exactly it is and is still trying to decipher it over the panting and crying as it reaches new heights. He feels like he should know and it's on the tip of his tongue but...

"Then please have mercy on my son, Deku Tree! Let his life be spared!"

This gets Link's attention and though he's bound pretty tightly he manages to get the covering off of his face. His eyes are having trouble focusing but he can see this is the Sacred Meadow of the Deku Tree. The voice mystery is given too but something is wrong.

"That I can do. I regret there is nothing I can do for you but you are too far gone for me to save." The Deku Tree replies.

"It's alright. I suppose as long as he's alright that's all that's all that is important. Just please protect him for me? Nothing else matters anymore."

"Mom?" Link realizes. "Don't talk like that please..." He begs silently.

"In your son's destiny I see great things. I will do what I can to keep him safe. The time will come when we need him to protect us all."

"You hear that, Link? You're going to do great things, maybe even save the world. I'm just so sorry I won't be able to see it."

"Wait, no..." Link is trying to get his vision to sharpen but it's to no avail. He's trying to shift around to get a better angle but he can't; she's got a hold tighter than iron on him.

"You are very strong." The Deku Tree says solemnly. "I will not forget what you have done and I will be sure that he knows of what you did for him."

"Thank you." She coughs, sitting down. "Son, I want you to grow big and strong to follow your destiny..."

"Mom..."

"...and please forgive me for missing it..." She whispers sadly, coughing and sobbing at the same time. "I wanted to be there for you..."

"Don't say that..."

"Be brave for me." She whispers as Link feels a kiss on his forehead and struggle as he might he can't see her eyes. Just a wan smile and tears slipping over those lips as she gathers her resolve. Her nose is running and slightly red so he can tell she's been sniffing and these tears are not her first but that's all he can see. As she mouths her last words a few drops fall from her face onto his and he just wants to scream so badly when they touch him, splashing his cheeks with warm saltwater. He can feel it coming but the words still hurt when he hears them. "Good bye my son."

"Mom!" Link cries out, convulsing violently. But the vision is gone and he's back on the ranch trying to dive out of Malon's embrace like one possessed.

"Shh, shh..." Malon tries calming him and is doing her best to keep a tender hold on him before he manages to faceplant on the ground. "It's alright, sweetheart. I'm here for you. I won't let anything happen to you."

Link is sobbing now. He's stopped flopping like a fish out of water but is by no means alright. "You don't understand..."

"Mmm..." She softly hums, rocking him slowly to reassure him of her presence. "I...I think I do, sugar."

"But you, how..." He's not keeping himself together for more than four seconds at a time and bursts into tears again.

"Shh, it's okay honey." She sighs and holds him closer, squeezing him even tighter than he'd expect. "I know it hurts..."

"H-how do you know?" Link asks with his voice wracked with sorrow, sniffing loudly. "Y-you can't..."

Malon gazes down at him with a subdued smile on her face and closes her eyes. "I do."

Link shifts to meet her eyes with his tear streaked ones. "I lost my ma when I was really young." She says slowly. "One day I woke up...and she was gone." The girl looks off to the horizon. "So believe me, I know."

"I never even saw her face, she never got to hear my voice. I didn't even get a chance to say good-bye..." Link sobs softly.

"I actually know what that's like. I didn't get a chance to say good-bye either. But you do know a lot of things..."

"Huh?" He isn't in a thinking mood at present.

"Well she did everything in her power for you. She gave everything she had to keep you safe. She never let you go."

"So? She left me by myself."

"She sacrificed her life to protect you one last time. She loved you more than you'll ever know. I don' know what happened to my ma or why. I'll likely never know..." Malon blinks back a few tears of her own. "At least you know..."

"I never saw her eyes..."

"You were her treasure. You saw her greatest gift to you. That...I can't say any more."

"I'm sorry." Link says, trying to pull himself together. "I'm not trying to be silly."

"You're not being silly and don' be sorry. It all happened a long time ago; good luck to either of us tryin' to change it now. It's only natural to wish."

"Thank you for being here and helping me. I...that still hurts."

"Likely always will." Malon sighs. "Part of life, hon. And I'll be here as long as I can and you'll let me so don' worry." Link smiles slowly. "Now get yourself together and clean out the coop; I got plans for the day, slowpoke." She sets him down. "Get to it."

"Right boss." Link hustles to work.

Meanwhile Zelda, who had born witness to the entire cuddle session, was still floored. "He never told me how he got to the forest as many times as he's told me the story of how he saved the kingdom. He, they, I can't hope to have that..." She thinks to herself feeling a sensation of awe. "All this time and...she was right. I didn't understand him at all."

A few minutes later, after Link has cleaned out the hen house and Malon has had a talk with her father about today's chores she has a suggestion for today's itinerary. Zelda is over near the corral, amusing herself with trying to get a horse's attention long enough to saddle up and take a walk around but they aren't listening to a stranger.

"Hey, you remember what we talked about last night, Fairy Boy?"

"We talked about a lot last night, be more specific. Some of it I don't want to think about."

Malon smiles fiendishly but doesn't poke fun at Link this time. "When I said I'd like to visit the rest of your friends and see about setting things right."

"Yeah. You thinking about paying someone a visit?"

"Mmhmm. Your friend from the forest. I did say some things I shouldn't and I want her to know I wasn't out to hurt her feelings."

"That's a long way from here; it'll take most of the day to get there."

"Well that's one reason I'm glad you got done early. If you pack somethin' in the saddle bags for a lil' lunch and chaperone me maybe we can get there before sundown."

"Only place that's further from here is Zora's Domain. You're in a hiking mood because you just picked one."

"Scratch that, we may make it by tomorrow if we're lucky. Nevermind."

"No, no, no!" Link snaps irritably. "You want to go to Kokiri Forest, we go to Kokiri Forest."

Malon laughs. "You don' have to be so happy about it."

The forest native ignores her remark and is about to go pack for the journey but he stops as he's forgotten one important thing. "Princess, would you like to go to Kokiri Forest with us?"

"I suppose so." Zelda replies unsteadily. "But are we really walking?" She whispers.

"Unless Malon decides to fly us there looks like we're footing it." He replies sarcastically.

"I'd really prefer a carriage of some sort...that is a long way."

"Well take that up with her. I have supplies to pack." Link walks off.

Zelda looks up at the farmer standing nearby. She has an expectant look on her face and this makes the princess hesitant to speak. "I know I shouldn't be asking for special treatment; if they can walk I can too. But that's really far! They can't be serious!" All of this is running through her mind as their eyes lock.

"Is somethin' the matter, Zelda?" She says suddenly, breaking the princess's train of thought. "I caught the tail end of what you were sayin'; you got somethin' to ask me?"

"Actually, I do." The blonde girl takes a deep breath. "I was wondering if...we'll be taking a break during the journey or not?"

"Of course we are!" Malon says brightly. "We're not goin' on a march; we'll have ourselves a picnic!" Link returns with Epona lightly loaded with supplies for an outing. "What do you think I had him pack for?"

"Because you didn't feel like it..." The hero mumbles.

"Aside from that." She beams a hundred watt smile at them both. "It's to enjoy ourselves!" The princess smiles back, it's infectious. "So, are we ready to go?"

"That's up to you."

"As ready as I'll ever be." Zelda says lightly. "I hope I can handle this." She thinks to herself.

"Alright, let's move!" Malon says gaily and they're off.

It's easy enough at first, the area around the ranch being a bit flat and featureless but Hyrule Field is anything but. Walking up hills and tall grass starts to tell on Zelda in no time. A full-length dress complete with high-heel slippers is fine for any formal engagement for one to look their best. Such attire is woefully unsuited to anything else other than looking pretty however. She is finding this out every single time she steps on a stone or her dress hem and takes a little tumble. But she's gritting through it as best she can and waves Link away when he offers to stay nearby and catch her. Despite the growing scuff marks on her shoes and gloves as well as rips forming in her own dress she's determined to weather it like it's nothing she can't handle. But when Malon calls the break, she's all too happy to sit down and take a rest.

"This looks like a nice spot." The trip leader says, stopping and surveying the area. "Let's have lunch here, ya'll." Link slows Epona to a stop and sits down. Zelda plops down nearby and leans against him with no fanfare.

"Are you alright, princess?"

"Zelda." She corrects him tiredly.

"Forgive me princess." She shoots him a mean look. "I mean are you feeling alright Zelda?"

The royal figure is struggling to get her breathing under control before replying. "I'm fine. Just a bit further than I'm used to walking is all." Anywhere out of immediate eyesight also could qualify but she wasn't going to say that much. The ability to teleport had done its work spoiling her she would readily admit. "Don't worry about me."

"Are you sure? You did take a few falls."

"Nothing serious I assure you." Her right palm was a bit red and raw under the silk glove from catching herself on one of her aforementioned spills and her left elbow was scraped and swelling from another hard landing but she chalked that up to being out of practice walking. "Marble floors and brick paved roads are way too level is all that is." She decides with a rueful smile. "Aside from my feet hurting somewhat I'm doing well." That she'd lost the feeling in both her little toes an hour ago would be another less known fact. Rigid dress shoes and any kind of movement outside fifteen minutes is a comfort issue. Much less on ground that wasn't flatter than a map.

"Oh, I was just thinking maybe you weren't accustomed to it."

"Well if I'd known I'd be doing a lot of walking I would have dressed differently. But still nothing I can't handle." She replies confidently.

"She's like a woman on a mission; I don't think it bothers her one bit." Malon agrees.

"I've never seen someone so determined. Just as many times as she went down she was up an' dustin' herself off with no help. That's somethin'."

"Why thank you." Zelda smiles wanly in the face of the praise. "I couldn't have taken two more steps but I'll keep that to myself." She thinks still smiling.

"Guess I underestimated you. If you do happen to need something, just let me know. I'm here."

"Okay." The regent replies. "I need a bath, my hair washed, a change of clothes, a massage and someone to carry me to it all. You think you could manage that?" She wonders silently. "But I think I'll be fine." She says aloud.

"Jus' like I said, she's got it covered Fairy Boy. Maybe we should leave her be and eat."

Lunch starts and Zelda would've stoically sat it out trying not to ask for special treatment if Link hadn't shared with her. One of his sandwiches and a shared jar of Lon Lon milk serve as refreshment and in no time they're all ready to go again.

"Alright you two ready to get a move on?"

Link shrugs and stands. "Whenever you are."

"Of course." Zelda replies, getting up without taking his offered hand. "We'll get there in no time." She says in spite of the white-hot bolts of pain her footwear rewards her with.

"That's the spirit." They set off towards the forest again.

On this part of the journey they are all going slower than they were. Having just eaten they are all a bit sluggish and the energy they had at the beginning of the walk is a bit burned out since the sun's higher up now and it's hot. All of which is fine by Zelda since she's having trouble putting one foot in front of the other and is sweltering in her flowing gown enough to wonder what dehydration feels like. But the last thing she planned on doing was ask for help. There'd be a higher chance of her feet falling off first (and it seemed like she'd be shooting those odds soon since they felt like numb bricks encased in silk socks) but things have a strange way of happening.

They came upon a stream in the field on the way later on in the day. Nothing special, seeing Malon and Link step over it in turn. Epona didn't pay it any mind either and Zelda got over it okay but it was the other side that was tricky. Malon went down the slope in two steps while Link walked with firm traction afforded him by his boots. The horse took it slow, as not to slip and Zelda followed suit. However the filly's shoes are riveted on, the princess's are not. So when she had trouble getting her foot out of the mud she pulled forward as not to lose her shoe. Getting her foot free it sprang forward more than she thought and caught on her dress. So she shifted her weight backwards to her stationary foot to regain her balance. That's when the heel of her right decided it was the end of the line and parted ways with the rest of the shoe. Being that said small spike was her only traction on the damp, soft ground its departure made for an ungainly fall backwards. Now with the slope of the terrain backwards and forwards came to a truce and sent Zelda sprawling down the embankment end over end leaving her resting on soft ground tangled in the roots of a tree when she concluded her tumble.

"Impa was right; I bit off more than I could chew." She thinks with her cheeks hot with embarrassment and eyes tightly shut. "I can't take any more." She tries to get up and fails, finding her foot still ensnared in her dress and audibly ripping it. "Just let me get up and get my eyes open I'll be gone so fast..." She feels support under one shoulder helping her up. "It's okay, I can do it myself Link." She manages to choke out. But he's insistent and he puts her on her feet. "I can take it from here, thanks." Of course all she planned on taking was an exit but that didn't happen as support came under her other shoulder and lifted her clear of the ground. This has her eyes open but no closer to a magical withdrawal, as she's too stunned to conjure the spell. Malon sets her on solid, dry, level ground before speaking.

"I have to hand it to you for comin' as far as you have. I know it wasn't easy for you. I honestly thought you were gonna cut out when you figured you wouldn't get a ride out here..."

"How'd you know about that?"

"With ears as big as these I don' miss much. Instead of leavin' you stuck it out like a trooper dressed for ballroom dancin' but hiking on the plains, dirt, grime and all. You sure are determined."

Zelda smiles a tiny bit and tries to dust herself off. But with the state she's in it does little. With dirt and twigs in her hair, various rips in her attire, one of which threatens to make a new hemline, mud covered shoes and a dent in her crown that'd make Jack and Jill proud straightening herself out is a losing battle.

"But I couldn't let you get hurt either. If I hadn't have caught you I think you might've done more than just bend your crown curly Q rollin' down that hill like you did."

"Going down that hill I could've broken my neck..." Zelda realizes. "I'm not cut out for this." She takes a deep breath to steady herself. "There's got to be some serious flaws in this plan if it turned out like this. I'm in the middle of Hyrule Field covered in filth, my clothes in tatters, and more tired than I can ever remember being. I should just go home where the ground doesn't meet me face-to-face every five minutes..."

"I can understand if you want to just go home. This isn't what princess-types do I'm sure. I would too; you look a sight." Zelda shoots her a dirty look in spite of it being true. "But after all you've been though it'd be kind of a waste of all that effort, don't you think?"

"I just traversed most of Hyrule Field curled up in a ball." The princess thinks. "If I go home now it to lick my wounds it means a big bunch of nothing. I came out here to do something so I can't just run." She nods after consideration. "I think you have a point."

"But it's your choice. Do you want to stay?"

The lawgiver of the kingdom doesn't respond immediately. She rips the last of the hemline of the dress off, leaving it ending under the knee mostly and takes her crown in both hands to warp the thin authority-giving circlet back to wearable. "I may as well." She decides, putting her crown back on and attempting to dust herself off again.

"Well if you stumble one more time I'ma be convinced the world is not only flat but on a slant so..." Malon picks Zelda up and places her on Epona. "You need to ride after all that."