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Chapter Text

Every spring when new calves and foals were born on Lon Lon Ranch, Malon would beg her parents for a sibling. A sister whose hair Malon could braid, or a brother she could teach to catch frogs. A built-in friend to walk through life with! But Mama would smile and laugh that beautiful laugh she had before patting Malon on the head and ushering her out the door to complete her chores.

She stopped asking for a sibling when Mama passed away, of course, but she never stopped wanting one. Maybe that was why she was so excited the day Link showed up on the doorstep of the old farmhouse and asked if he could stay for a while. Even though she barely knew the fairy boy from the forest, Malon immediately threw her arms around him and squeezed him in the tightest hug she could manage. “However long you need! I’m sure Pa won’t mind!”

Talon had minded, at first. When Malon dragged Link into the living room and told her father he would be staying with them, Talon’s eyebrows shot straight to his thinning hairline. He pulled Malon aside to the kitchen space, leaving Link to sit on the threadbare couch and watch the embers of the dying fire. “It’s hardly proper,” Talon said, “to bring a boy – a stranger, really – into the house and just let him live here. Where will he sleep, Malon?”

“He can share our room! My bed is big enough for the both of us,” Malon cheered, and Talon’s head looked like it may roll right off his shoulders. Malon’s eyes grew round and wet as she clasped her hands together and looked up to her father’s eyes. “Please, Pa. I don’t think he has anywhere else to go.”  

Talon cast a glance over his shoulder to where Link slouched. His hands fiddled with the hem of his tunic and his booted feet kicked against the couch. Exhaustion sat heavy and clear on his young shoulders, his arms scrawny and face gaunt. Some rest and a few good meals would do worlds of good for a boy in such a state. “Three days,” Talon sighed, looking down into the puppy-dog eyes of his daughter. “But only three days,” he reiterated.

The thing none of them foresaw, however, was how seamlessly Link would fit himself into the Lon family. He slept on the couch beneath the patchwork blankets Malon’s mother had sewn, and he rose early enough to help tend the cows and brush the horses, though he refused to step foot anywhere near the cucco house. Every little task Talon asked Link to do was completed promptly, efficiently, and with as much perfection as a boy from the forest could manage.

Somehow, three days became a week, and that week turned into a month, and then somehow, without any of them even realizing, it became forever.

“Do you think this means we’re siblings now?” Malon asked, looking down at Link. She stood on one of the slats of the corral fence so she could watch the carpenters carry heavy beams into the old farmhouse. Her father had called in a favor with a friend to expand the upper level of the house, making room for two new bedrooms: one for Malon and another for Link.

“Siblings?” Link looked up from braiding Epona’s mane.

“You know, like brother and sister,” Malon said. She jumped down from the fence and stood beside Link, brushing her hand through Epona’s soft coat. “Because if we’re brother and sister now then there’s a whole lot I need to learn about you.”

“Like what?” Link questioned, tilting his head to the side.

“Well, like… like your favorite color! Or what kind of cake you like so we can make it on your birthday!”

“I don’t have a birthday.”

Malon’s jaw fell open and she stared wide-eyed. “But everyone has a birthday!”

Link’s cheeks flushed and he looked down at his toes. Kicking his boot against the dirt, he mumbled, “Well, I guess everyone has one but me.”

“Oh.” How could that possibly be true? Every person alive had to be born at some point. Did Link just not know his birthday? But that seemed strange, too. Malon bit her lip to keep from frowning. As the silence stretched between them, Link’s face twisted like he had eaten something sour and the red blush grew from his cheeks up to the tips of his ears.

“Maybe we could share a birthday,” Malon suggested, and now that she said it the idea became fact in her mind. “Oh! Oh! That would make us twins, and that’s even better than just being siblings!” With a squeal, Malon clapped her hands together and held them to her cheek, swaying back and forth.

And like that, Malon finally had a brother.

Chapter Text

Malon learned many things about her new brother over their first few months as a family. The most obvious of which was that Link really liked the horses, and the horses really liked Link, too. He spent most of his afternoons out in the sunshine with Epona, either brushing out her coat or riding around the ranch. He could tack up quickly, sometimes even faster than Talon could, and Epona seemed to trust him like they had spent an entire life together, not just the handful of weeks Link had been away from Hyrule.

Link chased away fears and vanquished enemies, at least in Malon’s eyes. He was quick to come and save her from creeping spiders in the barn or spooky shadows clawing along her bedroom walls. He knew a lot about taking care of cuts, too. One day when Malon tripped and sliced her arm on one of the hoes left lying around, Link stepped in and took care of it for her. He cleaned and dressed it like someone trained to do so, but the only thing he said when Malon asked about it was that he had had a lot of practice.

Blood, bugs, and monsters never seemed to faze him, but Malon soon learned Link had his own fears, too. On nights when the moon was full, Malon would hear Link sneak out of his room just before midnight. She would lay in bed and listen as his quiet steps tapped down the stairs and out the front door. If Malon checked out her bedroom window, she would see the small silhouette of Link on the roof of the barn, gazing up to the night sky.

One night she was brave enough to follow him. Wrapped in a poorly knit shawl she had made and with her feet clad in soft slippers, Malon tiptoed out of the house and across the lawn. “Fairy Boy!” she hissed as loud as she dared. “What are you doing?”

“Watching,” Link answered, tone flat.

“For what?”

“Anything. Everything,” he said, like that was explanation enough. His head poked over the edge of the roofline and he shrugged as he looked down at her. “Or maybe nothing at all.” Malon had come to expect such answers from him; responses that barely told her anything yet also held nothing but truth in them. It was moments like this that always made Link seem a lot older than the twelve years they estimated he was.

“You’ll freeze!” Malon called, shivering. Link did not answer, drawing back from the edge of the barn so Malon could no longer see him. She rolled her eyes and pulled her shawl tighter. “Well, don’t complain to me if you wake up sick tomorrow!”

Soon after that night, Link opened up to Malon and told her about a place called Termina. He looked sad as he held some of the masks he collected during his time there, and any questions Malon asked were answered with his usual puzzling responses. Still, Malon started to understand why he would spend so many midnights out watching the moon after that, and whether the stories were real or not, Link believed them with all his being, so Malon would, too.

The most perplexing of Link’s non-answers always came in connection to Hyrule’s princess. The first time Link rode with Malon and Talon into Castle Town to deliver milk, they had caught sight of the princess walking the castle grounds with her protector – an older woman with white hair and fierce red eyes. Malon did not miss the way Link’s gaze lingered on Princess Zelda, nor did she miss the way Zelda’s smile lifted a little higher when she caught sight of Link in the back of the wagon.

“Do you know her?” Malon asked, thoroughly intrigued.

“We met once around the same time I met you.” Link shrugged and turned away. He struggled to find the words he wanted to say next, but his eyes were wistful as he thought. “We didn’t talk very much then, but sometimes… sometimes I feel like I know her as well as I know myself. Maybe even better. Like I’ve… met her before.”

“Like in another life?”

“Yeah,” Link snorted. “Something like that.”

Malon watched the princess, noting the way she kept looking over her shoulder. Link did the same thing whenever he thought Malon was not looking, much to his sister’s amusement. It was like both of them were trying to catch the other’s eye without actually catching the other’s eye.

“Maybe that means you two are soulmates!” Malon exclaimed.

Link’s face flipped to one of panic and he hurriedly tried to reach a hand over to cover Malon’s mouth and shush her. “Don’t say that so loud!” He glanced up and over the edge of the wagon, eyes immediately finding the princess. Thankfully, Malon’s voice had not carried that far, and the princess continued her walk through the gardens beside her protector. He breathed a sigh of relief and let his hand fall from Malon’s mouth. “Do you want the whole castle to hear you? And we’re not soulmates!”

Malon knew better, though. She could see the tips of Link’s ears flush deep scarlet, and she caught the last of the princess’ lingering gazes as the other girl headed back inside the castle. It was destiny for them to be together! A possibility blessed by the goddesses themselves! It had to be! And if the goddesses were in favor of such a relationship, then surely there would be no issues should Malon choose to nudge things along, right?

Chapter Text

From that day forward, Malon did everything in her power to make sure Link was the one accompanying Talon on milk runs into town. She would ‘sleep in’ and miss the departure time, or feign sickness and claim to be too weak to travel, but fine enough to be left home alone. Talon, blinded by love for his only daughter, never saw through the ruse, but Link did. He would arch an eyebrow at Malon’s theatrics or scowl up at her through the farmhouse windows as she watched the wagon roll away.

Link, stubborn as a mule, began to retaliate in his own way. On delivery days, he would wake well before the sun and throw himself into the chores with such fervor, Talon never dared to interrupt him. Link would even go so far as to tend the cuccos he so despised, much to Malon’s shock and his own personal horror. Talon would leave him to it, confident in the newest Lon’s ability to see to the ranch’s daily duties, and he and Malon would depart in the rickety wagon while Link watched on in smug satisfaction.

One day, Malon pretended to be sick only to learn Link actually was, so Talon left both of them at home and did the delivery all by himself. Malon waited long enough to see the wagon trundle out of sight before she stomped down the hall to Link’s room. She stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips, standing as tall as her twelve years would let her, and frowned at him. “Why don’t you want to go? You can’t marry the princess if you never see her!” she exclaimed.

Link sneezed ferociously then rubbed a hand beneath his tired eyes. “I told you already!” he croaked. “We’re not soulmates! I don’t even know her that well.” But Malon could see the way his face flushed a deeper scarlet beneath the fever. Honestly, her brother could stand to appreciate Malon’s efforts a little more. Here she was, being so selfless in trying to set her brother up with a literal princess, and Link could barely be bothered!

“You can deny it all you want, Fairy Boy,” Malon said, crossing her arms over her chest, “but I know it’s the truth!”

Link and Malon’s unspoken war eventually ended in a stalemate. After several months, Talon wizened up to their antics, and made delivery days mandatory outings for both of them. Any attempts to sleep in were thwarted by Talon forcefully shaking them awake, and if they claimed to be sick, they were bundled in blankets and settled snuggly into the back of the wagon. Chores were mostly left to Ingo, or were deemed low enough in priority they could wait a day for Link and Malon to tend to the tasks themselves. And so, the Lon family rode together in the wagon. Link would make googly eyes at Zelda, Malon would tease him, and so life went on.

Then, one chilly spring morning, just a few weeks before Link and Malon’s thirteenth birthday, Malon’s golden opportunity landed quite literally in her lap. The trio of Lons rode into Castle Town as usual, bundled in warm coats to keep out the worst of the wind, when a strong gust ripped a paper from the bulletin in town square and floated it gently into Malon’s hands. She glanced down and immediately decreed it a sign from the goddesses that Link and Zelda were meant to be together.

“What’s that face for?” Link asked, leaning forward to peer over her shoulder.

Malon’s grin grew wide. “There’s a masquerade!” She cleared her throat and began to read the details written on the flyer. “In honor of the spring planting season, Hyrule Castle Town will host a masquerade ball for all citizens within its realm. Guests are encouraged to wear their finest clothes and to don a mask for the evening. The event will be blah blah blah.” Malon crushed the paper in her hands and turned bright eyes onto Link. “You know what this means, right?”

Her brother winced. “I’ll cover your duties at the ranch so you can go?” he tried, sounding hopeful.

Malon’s grin grew impish and she clambered to the front of the wagon. She tapped her father incessantly on the shoulder. “Pa! Pa, did you know there’s going to be a masquerade?” The informative bulletin was shoved under his nose, so close that Talon’s eyes went crossed as he tried to focus on it. “We can go, can’t we, Pa?”

Talon tugged gently on the reins, slowing the horse team pulling the wagon enough that he could take the paper from Malon’s hands and actually read the details for himself. He hummed thoughtfully as he scanned through the information, stroking his mustache. “That’s not too far out. I’d need to hire a few extra hands the days before. Hmm,” he mumbled mostly to himself. Handing the paper back to Malon, he said, “I think we could make it work, though.”

Malon cheered, throwing both hands into the air. She spun on her heel and grabbed Link by the shoulders. “We’re going to need masks! You have some right?”

▴▴▴

When they returned to the ranch that afternoon, having successfully delivered their goods to the castle and Malon enthusiastically informing anyone who would listen that they would be attending the ball, Link found himself digging through the old trunk at the end of his bed in search of the masks from Termina. Malon sat on his bed, leaning over the side to watch as he sorted through all his old adventuring gear. She had seen it all before in the years Link had lived with them, but it still fascinated her. The idea of Link living a whole separate life before he came to the ranch still seemed impossible to imagine even after all this time.

Link tugged a mangled fabric bag from the depths of the trunk, knocking bows and quivers and old shields to the side. He tugged at the knot holding the bag closed and flipped open the top before reaching his arm deep into the magical dimensional space within. After a minute, he grinned. “Oh, I have just the one for you!”

Malon sat up a little straighter. “You do? Which one? Is it the fairy mask? The cucco?” She tried to remember which masks Link had shown her the first time, back when he first told her about Termina.

“Better!” Link grinned. He hummed to himself as he slowly withdrew his arm, the tune growing faster and louder until he pulled his hand free and held the mask above his head. “Dah dah-dah dah dah!” he exclaimed triumphantly.

Malon’s excitement burst like a balloon as she took in the ugly-looking pig mask in her brother’s hands. “You!” She hopped off the bed and shoved him. “You’re the real pig! Don’t be so mean!” Link laughed as he stumbled back a step.

“Come on, Mal! It’s a perfect fit!”

“No!” Malon huffed, turning her nose up at him. “I’ll just find my own!” She drew the opening of the bag as wide as she could and held it up to the light in an effort to see the bottomless depths inside. When that proved fruitless, she dug her own arm in all the way up to the shoulder and felt around. There was a mask she just knew would be perfect, and hopefully with its large shape it would be easy to find as well. “Aha!” She pulled her hand out and admired the cow-shaped mask. “This one will work nicely! I’d say you can keep the pig one, but there’s no way something that ugly will have a chance at wooing the princess. What else do you have in here?”

Link’s laughs subsided as he returned the ugly pig mask to its rightful place in the confines of the old bag. He frowned and sat down on his bed. “Can I ask you a question?” With Malon’s hum of acknowledgment, he continued. “Why are you so set on me and Zelda? Why not just let it drop?”

Malon paused her search and set the bag down in the top of Link’s trunk. “Is it too much to believe in fairytales these days?” Sighing, she sat down beside him on the bed. “I’ve seen the way you look at her, Link. You say you barely know her, but I don’t think that’s true. Every time we visit the castle, I can feel it. Like there’s an invisible string tying the two of you together, drawing you closer. You say you’re not soulmates, but I’ve never seen that sort of immediate connection with anyone. Not even Pa and Ma, when she was alive, and they were nearly perfect for each other.” Malon smiled and bumped her shoulder against Link’s. “Besides, it isn’t a crime for a sister to want her brother to be happy, is it?”

“No,” Link murmured. “I guess it’s not.” He furrowed his brow and stared down at the floor. “I can’t remember the last time someone did something for me just to make me happy. It’s usually the other way around.”

“Then let’s fix it!” Malon jumped off the bed and pulled the mask she had searched for from the top of Link’s bag. She held it up with a smile. “Starting today, you, Link Lon, are allowed to let others make you happy! Now what do you think of this one?”

Link took the mask in his hands and smiled. “It’s perfect, Malon.”

Chapter Text

Hyrule Castle transformed for the masquerade ball. Brilliant banners embroidered with the glittering crest of the royal family lined the stone walls of the ballroom. Delicate silken fabrics in beautiful reds and blues draped from the crystal chandelier in the center of the room to the far corners of the ceiling. Tables scattered the fringes of the main floor and mezzanine level of the ballroom, and buffet tables laden with food lined the wall closest to the kitchens. Everywhere one looked, guests mingled and danced, each wearing masks in varying levels of ornamentation.

Malon, dressed in a simple white dress with Link’s cow head mask fitted on her head, shifted from foot-to-foot as she anxiously scanned the ballroom. She had yet to find the princess in the sea of masked figures milling around the room, which, in hindsight, she supposed was the whole point of the ball: allowing commoners and nobles alike to interact without a worry for their social status. It was foolish to think finding Zelda among the crowd would be an easy task.

Just as anxious, Link practically vibrated with energy beside Malon. He wore a crisp red tunic with minimal detailing. It was a gift from the Goron race, or so he had said when he pulled it on that afternoon as they prepared for the event; a promise of their sworn brotherhood, whatever that was supposed to mean. Complementing the red tunic, Link’s face hid behind the sunshine yellow of the foxlike face of a Keaton. He lifted up on his tiptoes to peer over the heads of the crowd.

“What do you think she’ll be wearing?” Malon asked. Would a princess still be required to wear something regal? Or would the king and queen allow their daughter to simplify her wardrobe for a masquerade? Malon kept her eyes peeled for any indication someone may be a princess in disguise.

“It could be anything,” Link replied, voice muffled by the wood of his mask. He craned his neck to look for himself. “But I think… I think I’ll know her when I see her.”

Malon smiled to herself. It was no outright confession of divinely-blessed love, but Link’s admissions of his connection to Zelda had grown steadily more confident since the day they picked out masks from Link’s collection. He still often gave half answers or no answer at all, but on rare occasions he would share a detail of the life he lived before coming to Lon Lon Ranch. Malon had nearly burst with glee when Link mentioned how he snuck through the castle gardens to find the princess the first day they met. It was romantic and daring, just like all the story books said love would be.

Link dropped back on his heels and sighed. “We need a new vantage point. Let’s head to the second floor.” He grabbed Malon’s hand and led her through the crowd, weaving between guests and waiters until they made it to the grand staircase leading to the mezzanine level. “Come on!” Link called when Malon slowed down at the base of the stairs.

“Give me a minute!” Malon huffed, hitching the skirt of her dress a little higher so she would not trip. Link grabbed her hand again and all but dragged her along behind him as he hurried up the stairs.

“This whole plan was your idea, remember?” Link argued. He took a sharp right at the top of the staircase, letting out a quiet oof as he ran straight into another child about their age. Link and the other child, a girl dressed in a short blue gown with a feathered mask that resembled a hawk, stumbled apart.

“Oh! Are you alright?” the girl asked. “I am so sorry! I was not watching where I was walking and – oh! I know you!” She tilted her mask up to rest on her forehead, revealing sparkling blue eyes the color of polished sapphire. Hair the color of golden honey draped down her back in a fancy braid, adorned with carefully placed little bird-shaped jewels, and her lips had been painted with a soft pink stain. “Link!”

Malon had never had a chance to see Princess Zelda up close, but this young girl in front of them certainly seemed to fit the bill. She was poised and polite, and the features of her face were soft and delicate, having never known a life of hard labor outside the castle walls. Perhaps the clearest giveaway to the young girl’s identity was the way Link stood dumbfounded as he stared back at her.

“It’s a pleasure to see you Princess Zelda,” Malon said as she dipped into a small curtsy. Zelda bobbed her head in acknowledgement. Link still stood frozen in place, so Malon elbowed him lightly in the ribs. “Please forgive my brother. Large gatherings tend to make him a little uneasy. He’s much more used to life on the farm.”

“Your brother?” Zelda asked. One delicate eyebrow rose high as she turned back to Link. “You never told me you had a sister!”

Link shuffled his feet. “It’s, uh, kind of a recent development,” he mumbled. Malon could see the tips of his ears turning a brighter and brighter red the longer Zelda stared at him. “I’ve been living at Lon Lon Ranch since I returned from that trip I told you about.”

Malon’s jaw dropped. Link knew the princess well enough that he told her about his travel plans?! That was new information!

“I have seen you riding in the delivery wagon. I assumed you were simply working as hired help!” Zelda’s eyes sparkled with genuine enthusiasm as she smiled at Link. “I am so glad to hear you have found a place to call home after your adventures.”

Link attempted to stammer out some sort of reply. Malon swore she could see the steam rising from his ears as his brain worked overtime to process the situation. All this time Malon thought Link avoided Zelda’s attention due to embarrassment, but really her brother turned into a lovesick puppy at the mere sight of the princess. She would definitely be teasing him for this later. Now, though, there was a more important task in front of her.

“You know, Link was taking me up here so I could find a place to sit and rest my feet. The music is lovely tonight, Princess, or, well, Your Highness, I guess. But Link was telling me on the way up here how much he really hoped to find a dance partner for the next group dance. He’s got two left feet, so he needs a little bit of help, but he’s really a wonderful dancer!” Malon smiled cheekily at her brother.

“Oh, I would love to dance!” Zelda tugged her mask back into place, fitting the hawk’s beak back over her nose. “There is a really wonderful spot to rest over this way. It has a perfect view of the whole ballroom. I was actually just there myself catching my breath for a moment. I can show you, if you would like?”

“Oh, no need.” Malon waved her hand in dismissal and hobbled a bit as she stepped past Zelda. She had to sell the act, after all. “I’ll find my own way there. You two go and enjoy the dance! I’ll come back downstairs in a little bit.”

It was all the invitation the princess needed, as she quickly threaded her arm with Link’s and spun them around to walk back down the stairs. Malon hurried over to the spot Zelda had indicated and settled into a comfy-looking armchair. The princess was right! Malon could see everything from here! Joyfully kicking her feet, she tracked Link and Zelda the whole time as they made their way into the middle of the ballroom and joined in the next dance. They made for a lovely sight as they glided and spun around the room for not just one or two songs but for the remainder of the night!

Malon kept to herself that evening. She watched for a while from the mezzanine, but eventually made her way back into the crowd and joined in a few of the dances herself. She still caught glimpses of Link and Zelda, and more than once she noticed Zelda smiling brightly as Link spun her around. Finally, as the evening began to wind down and the musicians announced they would be playing their final song, Malon decided she would find her way to the main doors to wait for Link.

Everyone was in good spirits as they exited the ballroom. Many guests began removing their masks, revealing sweaty faces and rosy cheeks beneath, then linked arms with their companions as they walked into the chilly night air. In the sea of guests, Malon caught sight of Link’s Keaton mask and red tunic. She hurried to his side while calling his name.

“Did you enjoy your evening?” Malon asked as they sat on the steps of the castle waiting for Talon to pick them up in the Lon Lon wagon. Her cow head mask lay on the stone beside her, and her knees were drawn up to her chest to help keep her warm.

“It was very nice,” Link said slowly. The collar of his tunic stuck to his neck with sweat and the hair Talon had so carefully slicked back for him earlier that evening now hung loosely around his face, framing the Keaton mask he still wore. He had to be sweating buckets underneath the thing.

“How are you still wearing that?” Malon reached over and plucked at the strap securing the mask. “The party’s over, you know. You can take it off now.”

“Uh, I don’t think I will,” Link mumbled. “My, uh, hair is all gross and this is keeping it away from my eyes.”

“That is the dumbest excuse ever! Everyone’s sweaty and gross!” Malon huffed. She leaned over and tugged at the mask. “Come on! Just take it off!”

“No, I really don’t want to!” Link pulled back, squirming away from her reach, but that action proved to be his undoing. As Malon lunged, she managed to get a hold of the mask, and as Link tried to dodge, the Keaton mask slipped free and landed with a clatter on the stone steps of Hyrule Castle. Too late, Link tried to tug his tunic collar up to hide his face.

It was hard to see in the fading light of the evening and with Link’s face quickly taking on the appearance of a ripened tomato, but there was no denying what Malon knew rested high on Link’s cheek. “Link!” she squealed. “You’re going to have to tell me everything. Everything!”

Link buried his face in his hands, smudging the little pink mark on his cheek that perfectly matched the shade of Zelda’s lip stain.

Chapter Text

Malon looked up at the soft tap against her doorframe to see Link shifting from foot to foot. He had hit a growth spurt recently, and now stood almost half a head taller than Malon. One would think the sudden increase in height would leave him stumbling in his own body, but for some reason – one Malon would chalk up to ‘hero business’ – Link seemed more at ease as a gangly fifteen-year-old than he ever had in his younger years. Except for now, as he stared down at his socked feet and hunched his shoulders to his ears, looking incredibly loath to be there.

“Can I get your help with something?” Link mumbled.

Malon glanced back down at the book spread open on her bed. It was a lovely story of romance and intrigue, and it would be a shame to stop reading just because. She sighed. “No can do, Fairy Boy. I’m reading.”

“It’s about Zelda.”

Malon slammed the book shut, making her bookmark flutter to the floor. “Alright, I’m listening,” she said, pushing herself up to sit cross-legged on the floral comforter. She gestured to a plush chair in the corner of her room. “Come in and tell me what you need.”

Link rolled his eyes as he walked but accepted the invitation nonetheless. He sank into the chair with an exaggerated huff, kicking his legs out in front of him and leaning his head back against the wall. “What do girls like?”

Malon frowned. “What do you mean ‘what do girls like?’ What kind of question is that?”

“You know. Do you like candles? Or…” He eyed the multiple plush animals on Malon’s bed, settling on the threadbare stuffed horse she had had since she was a baby. “Uh, stuffed… things?”

“Well, I like horses, but that doesn’t mean every girl does.” She scrutinized Link’s face, which he kept purposefully pointed at the ceiling, not meeting Malon’s eye. “Are you trying to figure out what Zelda likes?” Malon knew she was on the right track, but it was still nice when the faint blush to Link’s cheeks confirmed her suspicions.

It had been some time since Malon had a chance to tease her brother mercilessly about his seriously obvious crush on Hyrule’s crown princess. Ever since the masquerade ball a couple years before, Link had gladly accompanied Talon on every delivery, much to their father’s confusion. Malon had known the truth though, with the memory of the princess’ pretty pink lip stain smeared on her brother’s cheek still fresh in her mind. And once Link and Malon turned fifteen, Talon had relented to Link’s requests to make the deliveries on his own, which left Malon without any solid intel on how Link’s relationship with Zelda had been progressing. To have her brother come literally knock on her door with information Malon craved felt like winning one of the rigged games in Castle Town Square.

“Why do you want to know what Zelda likes?” Malon hedged.

“Well, she’s older than us,” Link replied.

“That answers nothing!” Malon exclaimed.

“Her birthday is next week,” Link snipped. “Really, Mal, do I have to spell it out for you? I’m trying to figure out what to get her as a gift. So, can you tell me what girls like? I was thinking maybe a good luck charm or something. I have this one shoelace that I found in the gutter by the mask shop and right after I found a silver rupee, so it has to be good luck, right? The potion lady in Kakariko has a tektite fang she said she could put on a chain for me. Do you think Zelda would like that?”

Malon dragged her hands down her face, fighting the urge to scream. Oh, her poor, sweet brother. He was hopeless! Delusional! Being absolutely ridiculous! Had young love made him incredibly stupid? Where was his sense of romance? Why would he think Zelda would want monster parts on a string, of all things? She dropped her hands and glared at Link. “Are you crazy?!”

“Well, you’re the one who didn’t answer what girls like!” Link threw his hands in the air. “How am I supposed to know?”

“Have you never read a fairy tale in your life? Think flowers, candy, a nice dinner in Castle Town. There are so many options!”

“Flowers? There’s this one flower in the Lost Woods. I tried to pick it once, but it made my hands all tingly to touch it. It’s really pretty though, you know, this nice vibrant purple. I bet if I use gloves, I could get it no problem.”

Malon clenched her hands into fists to keep from pulling her hair out. “No, no, no, no, no! How are you coming up with such bad ideas? That flower is probably poisonous! Are you going to give the princess a poisonous flower? That’s… that has to be treason or something!” Malon flopped back onto her bed. Her fingers tapped restlessly against the fluff of her comforter. “No. If you’re going to win the princess’ heart, then you’ll need something that will make her think of you long after you give it to her. And not something gross or dangerous like a monster part or a plant that could kill her.”

Link clapped his hands together. “I’ve got it! What about a slingshot? I can make one out of some of the sturdy sticks out in the woodpile.”

“Oh, you’re awful at this!” Malon groaned, throwing an arm over her eyes. Where was the sweet and timid brother she used to tease, and when was he replaced with someone so utterly clueless? “No weapons, no poisonous plants, no monster necklaces. No junk! What’s something meaningful you could share with her? Something that’s special to the two of you? There has to be something.”

Malon thought of every romance story she had ever read, but nothing seemed to stick out to her. There was something special about Link and Zelda, and no ordinary fairy tale love story would ever match the divine fate that tied the two of them together. Flowers were too mundane and chocolates too commonplace; the princess would never be allowed to leave the castle for a dinner date with a ranch hand, so that option was eliminated too. Malon hummed to herself, thinking about what could separate Link’s gift from the multitude of others the princess was sure to receive.

Link tapped out a rhythm on his leg as he stared up at the ceiling, with pauses and runs like an actual song. Suddenly, he gasped and sat up straight. “I know it! I know what it needs to be.” He pushed himself to his feet and hurried out the door.

“Uh, you’re welcome!” Malon called after him, shaking her head.

Chapter Text

In the end, Malon never learned what Link’s birthday gift was, though he claimed it to be well received. When Malon questioned if it was something with purpose and meaning for the two of them, Link just laughed and assured her it was the most meaningful thing he could have given her. Malon believed him since Link’s visits to the castle became even more frequent following Zelda’s sixteenth birthday. He never told Malon the details about what he and Zelda talked about, but at least now he would not deny that his lengthy visits to Castle Town were often spent walking the castle gardens alongside the crown princess.

The following spring, on Malon and Link’s own sixteenth birthday, Link announced his intent to become a knight and let Talon and Malon know he would be moving to live in the barracks in Castle Town. Once he moved out, Malon took it upon herself to learn more about the business side of the ranch from her father, fully intending to one day take over for him and keep Lon Lon Ranch up and running. Training for both of them was rigorous and took multiple years, but they still found time to be a family. Link would visit as often as he could, and Malon would try to catch sight of him during her delivery runs to the castle. Somewhere along the way, Link introduced Malon to a nice boy he met in his squadron. Fledge was sweet and kind, and he had a love for the country life Malon so humbly led that he quickly fell head-over-heels for the ranch heiress.

Between the busy life of a ranch manager and the kind (and much wanted) advances of Fledge, Malon almost forgot about her life ambition of ensuring her brother married Princess Zelda. Almost but not entirely, especially when news that the king’s daughter would seek no suitors for herself following her nineteenth birthday began to circulate the kingdom. The declaration shocked many of Hyrule’s citizens, but none more so than Malon, who knew deep in her heart that Link was the perfect match for the princess.

That knowledge was what led her to stand before the king in his audience chamber. She kept her head held high as her name was announced, stepping forward and curtsying deeply before the king. “Your Majesty,” she said reverently.

“Citizen.” The king nodded his head in acknowledgment. Waving a hand toward Malon, he said, “Please, state your purpose.”

“Your Majesty,” Malon began, rising from her curtsy. “I have heard news of the princess’ declaration that she need not have any suitors, and I would like to say that I believe it to be a mistake.”

At this, the king’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “That is a bold statement to make in the king’s own court.”

“It’s the truth,” Malon argued. “My brother, Your Majesty, his name is Link Lon. He’s a knight within your castle guard, and he’s the most perfect match for Princess Zelda, if ever there were to be one. I understand it must be impossible to know each individual knight within the castle walls, but I assure you there is something special about Link.”

“You have come here to advocate on your brother’s behalf to marry my daughter?” the king asked, sounding incredulous. There was a glint in his eye that Malon feared was anger.

Maybe she had been too foolish, too bold, to come to the king’s house and make demands such as this. But she felt with surety in her bones that Link and Zelda were destined to be together, and she had to make that known. “Do you believe in fairy tales, Your Majesty? Because I do, and I believe I’ve had the privilege of watching one unfold before my very eyes these last few years as I have seen Link slowly grow closer to Zelda. I can’t say I know the princess’ reasoning behind deciding against suitors, but I would beg you, Your Majesty, to encourage her to reconsider.”

Silence reigned in the room. Not even the knights lining the walls dared to move, though several of them looked to be smiling. Now that she paid attention, the king’s face had also split into a small grin and his shoulders shook with quiet laughter.

“This is no laughing matter, Your Majesty.”

“No, I believe it is not. Your name is Malon, correct? And if you are Link Lon’s sister, then I must be correct to presume you come from Lon Lon Ranch.” Malon confirmed the king’s statements with a quick nod before he continued. “Yes, I have heard about you from Link himself. He says you are, what were the words he used? Passionate with a penchant for putting your nose in other people’s business.” The king chuckled. “Now do not look so stricken. He said it with a loving smile on his face. His admiration for his family is one of the qualities I like most about him.”

“You? You know him?” Malon asked, then remembering her manners, she tacked on, “Your Majesty.”  

“Malon of Lon Lon Ranch, did you speak with your brother at all before your trip here to the castle?”

Malon flushed scarlet. “Well, no, Your Majesty. I saw the news of the princess’ decision and hurried over as quick as I could. Link isn’t supposed to come home to visit until the weekend.”

“I have a suggestion for you, then, if you are willing to hear it.” The king leaned forward and smiled genuinely. “Spend the weekend with your family. Talk with your brother and see how he feels about the princess’ decision, and if you still hold feelings of discontent at the end of your brother’s visit, then you may return to the castle and speak with me once more.”

Confused, Malon mumbled agreement and curtsied again before seeing herself out of the audience chamber. That had been an unusual exchange, had it not? Not that Malon had much to compare it to, since she had never sought the king’s aid in any matter before, but it just felt… off. Like Malon was the last person in the room to know the punchline of a joke. She tried to shake off the feeling during the ride home, supposing the best thing she could do was follow the king’s advice and wait to ask Link about the princess’ decision when he next came home.

She did not have to wait long. With only two days to the weekend and plenty of tasks to complete around the farm as they began the preparations for winter, Malon’s strange conversation with the king faded to the back of her mind. There it happily stayed until the first evening of the weekend, when hoofbeats pounded on the old dirt lane to the farmhouse indicating Link’s arrival. Malon escaped from the blanket cocoon she had made for herself and hurried to the door, eager to greet her brother and get to the bottom of the king’s unusual request. Had Link really made such a name for himself that the king of Hyrule knew him personally?

“Link Lon!” Malon shouted, throwing open the door to barrage her brother with questions. “Can you explain something…to…me…?”

The fervor in Malon’s voice died out as she stared at the scene before her. Link, dressed in a neatly pressed tunic the color of deep forests and stitched with the crest of the royal family on its breast, had one hand on the reins of Epona and the other on the reins of a beautiful white stallion adorned with purple and gold filigree. And there, sitting atop the stallion was none other than Princess Zelda.

“Prin… princess…” Malon’s head felt light and woozy, and the world tunneled around her. She had just enough of her faculties left to see Link’s look of horror as he reached out to catch her as she fell to the ground.

Chapter Text

Malon groaned as she woke, scrunching her eyes tight. Gentle voices sounded around the room, but what they were saying felt fuzzy in her ears. She shifted a bit and heard the creaky springs of the old couch in the living room groan beneath her. Had she fallen asleep on the coach? She remembered sitting there waiting for Link to come home. But he had arrived, had he not? There had been hoofbeats, and she had gone to open the door to greet him, and then…

Malon’s eyes snapped open and she looked up into Link’s concerned face. “Oh, thank the golden three,” he breathed, his shoulders visibly deflating as he did. “I was worried you had hit your head, but I think you’ll be alright now that you’re up. It hasn’t been that long.”

Malon twisted her face in confusion, remembering the events that led to her laying on the couch. “Link, did I…? Did I dream that Zelda was here with you?”

Link chuckled, and looked over the back of the couch toward the kitchen. “It’s no dream, Mal. She’s here. She’s real.”

Malon pushed herself up on her elbows and peered over the back of the couch. Talon sat at the kitchen table with a steaming mug of something held in his hands. Across from him sat Princess Zelda, dressed in simple traveling gear of blue and brown. Her golden-honey hair had been tied into a long braid that rested over her shoulder, and her delicate brow was pinched in a look of concern that visibly melted when she caught Malon watching her. She smiled warmly, and excused herself to Talon so she could come over and stand at Link’s side.

“I am sorry this night has gone so poorly for you, Malon,” Zelda said in a smooth voice. She lightly cuffed Link behind the ear and gave him something Malon could only describe as ‘a look’. “Someone failed to mention he did not explain our situation to his family.”

“I thought she knew!” Link held both hands up in defense. “Part of the reason we even got this far was her insistence that we were perfect for each other.”

“Maybe I did hit my head,” Malon murmured, “because I am so confused.” She took Link’s offered hand and pulled herself all the way up to sit on the couch, swinging her legs down on the floor to make more space for her brother and her brother’s… girlfriend? “I read the decree. I thought you weren’t taking suitors.”

“I am not,” Zelda stated, matter-of-fact. “I have already found the person with whom my heart and soul longs to be. There is no need for the pursuit of others when my choice has already been made.”

Malon’s eyes widened and she turned to Link, who pointedly avoided her gaze. “It’s you!”

“Uh, surprise?” Link said with a shrug.

“Oh, Fairy Boy!” Malon threw her arms around Link’s neck and hugged him as tight as she could. She felt like a fool now, and her cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Well, that’s why I brought Zelda here. To tell you and Talon.” Link pulled away and reached a hand out to hold one of Zelda’s. “Things will be officially announced once I’m knighted in a few months, since traditionally princesses can’t marry someone who holds no title. But we knew with Zelda’s birthday that we had to come up with something until that date, just to keep the pests away.”

Zelda rolled her eyes and Link laughed. Watching the whole scene play out before her, Malon noticed the way their eyes lingered on each other, how Link’s thumb rubbed the knuckles of Zelda’s hand. It was a love like no other, and it had to be celebrated. “Let’s toast!” she declared. “Pa, get the hard milk from the cellar. We have an engagement to celebrate!”

Link tried to protest that their engagement was not official, but Malon would hear none of it. She swooped Zelda into her arms and hugged her, surprised by the fierce strength in the princess’ arms as she returned the exchange. Talon found some of their best aged supply in the cellar and popped it open, pouring glasses for all four of them. They toasted to Link and Zelda, to Link’s pending knighthood, and to Malon’s success at the ranch, and the evening passed in a blur of merriment and cheer that left Malon’s cheeks aching from constantly smiling.

Sometime after dinner, sleeping arrangements were discussed. With Zelda’s unexpected arrival, it left the Lons in a tight spot to accommodate their royal guest, and though Zelda insisted she was fine to sleep wherever they had space, Talon refused and offered up his own room for the princess. Not to be outdone, Malon offered her own, as any good host would, challenging her father with a stare. Ultimately, though, Link volunteered to sleep on the couch in the living room and left his room for Zelda. Satisfied with the outcome, Talon helped Link gather spare blankets and an extra pillow before turning out the lights and encouraging them all to settle in for the night.

Around midnight, Malon heard the telltale creak of the front door swing open. Like a poe, she slipped out of bed and darted to the window, spying her brother as he climbed his way to the roof of the barn. She wrapped her old shawl around her shoulders and followed after him, just like she had so many years ago. She climbed up to the roof and carefully scooted over to sit beside him, staring up to the full moon in the night sky.

“Did you always know this was how things would turn out?” Link asked.

“No,” Malon replied. “This is better.” She leaned back and rested her head on her hands. The stars were bright and clear, and the moon was the perfect shade of white. “I think I made a fool of myself in front of the king.”

Link snorted. “So I heard. Don’t worry. He was impressed with your ambition. He said we could use more people with that level of love in the kingdom.” He tapped his fingers against the roof beneath them. “It feels surreal. Like any moment I might wake up and learn this was all just a dream. I don’t know if I’ve ever said thank you, so I’m going to say it now: thank you, Malon. I don’t think I would be here if it weren’t for you and your dad. One of the greatest things that ever happened to me was coming to live here at the ranch.”

“I’m glad you did. Life would have been a lot more boring without you around.” Malon sighed. “You know, with you and Zelda together, it feels like I’ve accomplished my life’s work. Like some grand destiny has been fulfilled.”

“You’re young to have finished a life’s work. What do you think you’ll do next? I hear Fledge has been working up the courage to ask a pretty big and important question of his own. Maybe that’s your future.”

“That’s a good one,” Malon agreed, her cheeks flushing. “But I’ve got another one I think I’ll work on, too.”

“Oh? And what might that be?”

Malon smiled, holding her hands above her and spreading them apart like she was pasting up a sign. “I’m thinking ‘Hyrule’s Greatest Aunt’.”

She was incredibly grateful they had gone out to the barn roof, because she was sure Link’s shout would have woken up the entire house otherwise.