 |
 |
|
|
|
||||||
New Fan Works
Old Fan Works
Zelda Series
Multimedia
Features
Interactive
Site Info
|
"A Secret at Lon Lon Ranch"A Secret at Lon Lon RanchBy
: Alexandra
SpearsIt was a lovely spring day, and Malon was tending to the horses at the ranch she and her father, Talon, owned. Just a week ago her friend Link had invited her to the castle to see his and Zelda's newborn daughter, Princess Amethyst. Malon had gotten dressed in her best and gone to see the baby along with lots of other people. Malon loved Link and she kept asking herself-was she in love with him or did she just love him as a friend? Neither really seemed to be right. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the romantic idea. He was married and off limits. Still, there was something about him, something she could not put her finger on. She felt sorry for him. His mother had died when he was a baby, right after she'd asked the Great Deku Tree to look after him. She hadn't said who Link's father was. Link had grown to the age of ten amongst the Kokiri forest children, and then he'd begun his adventure, fighting against the evil Ganondorf. Malon was happy that she'd been able to help him on his quest. He'd been a nice, sensitive little boy, only two years older than she. He was twenty now, and she was eighteen. Malon pushed a lock of her red hair back from her face as she began milking one of the cows. Lon Lon Ranch boasted the best milk in Hyrule, and Talon regularly delivered milk to the castle. As she milked the cow, she started thinking. Thirteen years ago today her mother had died. She'd been a beautiful woman. Malon had inherited her red hair from her, and her singing talent. The door to the stable opened, and in came Talon. "You look so much like your mother at that age," he said. "Dead thirteen years ago...went through that once before, before I met and married your mother." Malon jerked her head up. "What do you mean, Daddy?" she asked. "I never told
ya-I've been widowed twice," he replied as he took up a pitchfork and held
it, just looking at it. "I was married to this beautiful blonde lady,
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Malon asked. "Din't see no sense in it," he said. "Why should you mourn for a woman that wasn't your momma?" "Did you have any children with her?" Malon asked. Talon set the pitchfork back against the wall. "Yeah...a son...he had her blond hair. But I hear he died with her. He was only two weeks old." "What was his name?" "Link." Malon stood up. "Daddy-are you telling me that I had a half-brother named Link?" "Exactly what I'm sayin'. He's dead now, been dead twenty years." "Are you sure he's dead?" "Yes I'm sure,"
he said harshly. "You're the only child I have, Malon." He picked
up the pitchfork and began working. Apparently the discussion was
over.
That night Malon had trouble falling asleep. She had a friend named Link who had blond hair and who was twenty years old. His mother had died when he was a baby. Maybe it was just a coincidence. But how many blond boys named Link lost their mother during their infancy-and all within the same period of time? Link didn't even know his mother's name-she'd asked him once-only that she'd been a blonde. This was certainly new to her, her father having been married to another woman before he was married to her mother. If that woman hadn't died, Malon wouldn't have been born. In his bed across the room, her father was snoring loudly, making it even harder for her to sleep. Well, at least he was here at home, rather than sleeping outside the castle or bunking out in Kakariko Village. Malon sat up in bed and quickly got dressed. She quietly opened the door and headed down the steps. Her father's Cuccos were all sleeping in one corner. She sat down on a crate, facing the side of the steps, and tried to think. There was no trace of her mother's things or even of Alina's things upstairs; Malon knew the entire room like the back of her hand. But surely her father had held on to something. Once Link had told her that he'd learned something on his adventures-look at everything, it could get you somewhere. For some reason she couldn't get Link out of her head. Maybe her father did have mementos. If he did he'd hidden them well. He tended to be a private man, so it didn't really surprise her that he'd never mentioned his first wife until now. And even then he'd accidentally let that slip-after twenty years. Malon gazed at
the side of the staircase. The side of the big bottom step looked
like it had nails driven in it. She'd always known that there were
nails
That morning, before Talon left, Malon asked him, "Do you remember my friend Link?" "Yeah, what about him?" "Do you think he could possibly be your son-and my brother? He's twenty years old." "So? There are plenty of twenty-year-old boys named Link," said Talon, shrugging off her question. "My first wife died, and she had our newborn son with her. There's no question that my son is dead. Someone found her body in the Lost Woods and she's buried in the graveyard near Kakariko, but they never found my son. Now I have to go, Malon, or this delivery will be late." He hugged his daughter. "Funny how I don't know any other twenty-year-olds named Link. But maybe he's afraid of being disappointed if it isn't him," Malon said to herself. "Maybe I should try to get some proof first before I bother him with it again. It could be an amazing coincidence. But how many women with babies named Link die in the Lost Woods?" She gave a frustrated sigh. There was no point in asking Ingo; he was busy and he'd been hired shortly before Malon's mother's death. He wouldn't know anything. Besides, he was busy in the keep across the ranch, putting bottles of Lon Lon milk into crates for delivery. After lunch, Malon was standing and watching her horses when she heard a familiar sound. Turning, she saw Link riding in on Epona, who had been Malon's favorite horse. "Hi, Link!" she said brightly. "Hello, Malon. Thought Epona could use some exercise," he said, dismounting. "How are Zelda and the baby?" she asked. "Oh, just fine. Zelda's walking around the castle grounds with Amethyst," said Link. "She's a good baby-she only cries when she needs something." "Link, how much do you think about your mother and father?" Malon asked. "Now what brought this on?" asked Link. "I don't know who my father was and my mother never gave her name-she was just bent on making sure I was safe." "I found out that my father was married to a blonde woman named Alina before he met and married my mother," said Malon. "Alina died twenty years ago-and she and my father had a son named Link." Link studied his friend. He had seen similarities in his features and Malon's, but he'd passed that off as knowing that he and Malon were both Hylians; Link had once thought that he was a Kokiri-and the odd one out. "How old would this son have been?" he asked. "Twenty. Do you know your true birthdate?" "Yes...my mother had told the Great Deku Tree that I was exactly two weeks old and that I was the chosen one. Twenty, eh...? So you're saying we may be brother and sister?" "Yes...as strange as it sounds," said Malon. "But my father won't give me any more information. He's convinced that his son died along with his first wife-and maybe he did. And I'm wondering if you can help me." "You've got me curious. It would be nice if I knew I had family somewhere. Okay," said Link. "What do I do?" Malon led him
into the house. "I wonder if there's something underneath that step," she
said, showing him the panel. "I know, it looks like an ordinary
"One thing I've learned, Malon-things are not always what they seem," said Link. He studied the panel. He knocked on it, found that it was hollow. "So how do we open it?" Malon asked. "I just want to know if there's anything in it. It's shut up pretty tightly if there is something." "I could use my Megaton Hammer," said Link. "Of course I'd help repair the step." Malon nodded her consent. Link pulled out the hammer. "Stand back." Malon backed away and Link swung the hammer and smashed the panel in. "Hey-look at this!" he said as he put the hammer away and got down on his knees. "A treasure chest!" "I knew it!" said Malon. "Let's open it!" Link pulled the chest out and Malon opened it. "Here's a picture of my mother," said Malon. "And some letters." She dug around and pulled out a picture of a blonde woman who bore a striking resemblance to Link. Link stared at the picture. He hadn't known what his mother had looked like. He wondered if the woman in the picture was his mother. "My father's father, Falon, was an artist," said Malon. "He painted those pictures of my mother and Dad's first wife-there's his signature at the bottom." She smiled. "He even painted a few of me before he died when I was six." She noticed something at the bottom. "Look-this says 'My son Talon's wife Alina.'" Link continued to stare. "I think we should make a trip into the Lost Woods," he said slowly. "Saria is the one who looked after me until she felt I was old enough to have my own treehouse. She's my best friend and she was like a mother to me." "Did she even see your mother?" Malon asked. "Yes...Mother was really weak and half-dead when the Great Deku Tree summoned Saria," said Link. "Saria took me from my mother's arms and she and the Great Deku Tree promised her that I would be taken care of." "Well, shall we go? I think Saria will be the one to tell us once and for all if we're related or not," said Malon as she grabbed the portrait and made for the door. "I have a better
way there," said Link. "Better than wandering through the Sacred
Forest Meadow and being attacked by Deku Scrubs. They spit Deku nuts at
you." He took out his ocarina. "Hold on to me," he said. Malon held
on to Link's arm and he put the ocarina to his lips and played the Minuet
of Forest.
The next thing Malon knew she and Link were in the Sacred Forest Meadow. They were standing on a platform that bore the symbol of the Triforce. A green-haired girl was sitting on a stump, playing an ocarina. She looked up. "Link!" she said as she stood up. Malon let go of Link's arm. "Are you Saria?" she asked. "Yes. And you must be Malon," replied the Kokiri girl. "What brings you two here?" Link took the portrait from Malon. "Saria-is this someone you know?" he asked. Saria stared at the portrait and gasped. "Link-that is your mother!" she exclaimed. "I think I know who my father is now," said Link. "Malon's father Talon. Which would make me and Malon half-brother and half-sister." Saria studied Link and Malon. She nodded. "You do have the same eyes," she said. She hugged Link. "Oh, I'm so glad you found family! A father and a sister." Malon threw her
arms around her brother's neck. That was what she'd sensed about
Link all this time-that she was his sister. "I found my brother,"
said
"Saria, thanks for your help," said Link as he kissed Saria's forehead in a brotherly way. "I'm just glad you were there with my mother." "My goddaughter Amethyst has an aunt," Saria said. "Oh, that's right!" said Malon. "Amethyst is my niece! Dad is a grandfather!" "Let's go wait up for your-our-father and tell him the news," said Link as he led Malon out of the Sacred Forest Meadow. "Unfortunately my ocarina won't warp us back to the ranch-but getting out of here is easier than getting in." Malon followed Link as he climbed up a ladder and walked along the top of the maze. "What are those, Link?" Malon asked as she pointed to something spitting a Deku nut. "Those Scrubs I told you about," he said. "And those nuts really hurt, the way they shoot them!" Finally they made their way through the Lost Woods and into the Kokiri Forest. "So this is where my brother was all this time!" Malon giggled. Link led Malon to his old treehouse. "Hey, I like this," she said. "It's too bad we didn't grow up together here. I bet we would have had fun." "And be known as the two Kokiri without fairies," Link smirked. They made their way down the ladder and ran into Mido, the Kokiri leader. "Link-who is that stranger you've brought here?" he demanded. "Mido, this is my younger sister Malon," said Link. "We were visiting Saria." "Let me know before you bring anymore long-lost relatives in here," said Mido. He turned to walk away. "We love you too, Mido," said Malon, giggling. He turned.
"Huh?" Link and Malon just laughed, and the Kokiri turned around and stalked
away. Link led Malon to the hollow log that led out of the Kokiri village.
They crossed a rope-and-plank bridge and went through another hollow tree
and found themselves in Hyrule Field. Link used his ocarina to call for
Epona, and they mounted her and rode back to the ranch.
Not long after Link and Malon arrived back at the ranch, Talon came back from his delivery. "Hi, Dad," said Link. Talon looked at the young man. "Dad? Malon, what are you doing?" he asked. "This was your first wife, the one who gave you a son, wasn't she?" asked Malon as she showed him the portrait. "Yes, that was Alina," said Talon. "Well, Link too me to the Sacred Forest Meadow to see Saria, the Kokiri girl who raised him," said Malon. "She said that the picture is of Link's mother. Alina made it to the Great Deku Tree in the Lost Woods with Link. Saria took Link from her arms as she lay dying and promised her that he would be taken care of. And now he's standing here next to me. My half-brother." Talon took a good look at the young man. "Link-my little boy Link?" he murmured. "I was so sure that my son was dead...and I wasn't paying attention to what my daughter was telling me...." He shook his head. "Malon had always wanted a brother or sister and I didn't want to feel that pain again...and now there's proof that you are indeed my son...and now that I look, I see you have my eyes-but your mother's hair...." Talon gave Link a bear hug. "My boy! My son and Alina's...." Tears came to Link's eyes. Talon drew Malon into the hug. "My two children," he said. "You're a grandfather
too, Dad," said Link. Talon looked at Malon. "No-no-Dad, remember, I just
became a father," said Link. "My wife Zelda and
"She's a sweet baby, Daddy," said Malon. "You know what, it's almost time for me to go home for dinner," said Link. "Dad, bring Malon to the castle in a few hours. I want to surprise Zelda with this." "All right-Son,"
said Talon, patting Link's shoulder.
"Link, you seem especially happy tonight, my husband," said Zelda as they had dinner together. "I have a surprise for you and Amethyst," said Link. "And it was a surprise to me, I only found out today." "Found out what?" asked Zelda. Link decided to tell her part of it. "Well, I found out that I have a father and a half-sister," said Link. "But who they are is the surprise." "Link, that's wonderful!" said Zelda. "Now who are they?" "That's the surprise," Link laughed. "After dinner, my dear." After dinner, Link and Zelda went outside, Link holding their daughter in his arms. Link looked around, saw his father and sister approaching them. "Zelda-meet your father-in-law and sister-in-law, Talon and Malon!" he said. "I always wanted a sister!" Zelda said as she hugged Malon. "Well-welcome to the family!" "So this is the pretty girl my son married-Your Highness," said Talon. "Please-call me Zelda." "Here's your granddaughter Amethyst," said Link. Talon held the baby in his arms. "Oh, what a pretty little girl!" he laughed. "Please, come
in," said Zelda to Link's father and sister. "It's funny-Link and I knew
you for a while but had no idea you were related! This is certainly
a surprise!"
"Well, let me tell what happened twenty years ago," said Talon as he and his family all sat around in the den. Malon was cradling her little niece in her arms. "I had married a beautiful blonde girl who used to live here in town, Alina, daughter of an old Hylian knight. At that time the civil wars were still going on, and I took her to my father's ranch to live. I thought we'd be safe there. "We'd been married barely a year when Alina gave birth to Link. At that time the Gerudo thieves were attacking the Hylians-it was pretty much a free-for-all during those years. Alina was afraid. She'd been having dreams that our son was meant for something, though she didn't know what. An army of Gerudo women was advancing towards the ranch, and Alina was convinced that they were after our son, though I didn't see any reason why they would be. I kept telling her we were safe-so she fled in the middle of the night, leaving me a note that she'd return when she thought things had calmed down That was the last I ever saw of her." "Gerudos...," Zelda said thoughtfully. "And Link was predestined to be the Hero of Time. I wonder if Ganondorf knew. He was once the King of Gerudos-he probably ordered the Gerudos to attack the ranch and kidnap Link." "I'm surprised he didn't seem to recognize me back when you and I were ten and you and Impa were fleeing the castle," Link told Zelda. "But I think he suspected-and his suspicion was confirmed when he followed me to the Temple of Time." "I searched for Alina and a couple days later I found her body near the Lost Woods," said Talon. "But I couldn't find my son anywhere." "Saria told me that after she took me into her arms, my mother crawled away," said Link. "Saria took me to her house and she looked after me. She became my best friend." "When I came out of the Woods carrying Alina's body, I ran into the Gerudos," Talon recalled. "They saw that she was dead, likely assumed that Link had died with her, and they retreated. Thought that was the craziest thing." He looked at Link. "Well, I'm glad I finally found my son. Actually I'd found him ten years ago but didn't know it, when he come wake me up with that Cucco. You know, Link, you look so much like your mother. She woulda been proud of ya-I know I am." "I think Saria sensed that Link was special," said Zelda. "You know, she is the Forest Sage. And she did a good job of bringing up Link." For a while they sat there, Link and his father and sister catching up. It all made sense now. All the pieces of the puzzle were in place. Finally it was time for Talon and Malon to go home. Malon placed her sleeping niece in Zelda's arms. "I'll see you later, sister," said Malon as she hugged Zelda. "And you, brother," she added, hugging Link. "Good to see my boy's grown into a good man," said Talon as he hugged Link. He and Malon left. "I'm so happy
for you, Link," said Zelda as they sat on the couch together and cuddled
up and held their daughter. She kissed his lips. "And our daughter has
more family."
|