Author's Notes: Ack, I'm so sorry that it's taken this long to get out this next chapter! Life has been hectic, but I won't bore you with the details. The updates for this story will likely come slower than usual, but I do have every intention of finishing it . . . even if it takes a while! So please bear with me. Anyway, without further ado, I present the next chapter. Please read, review, and enjoy! Oh, and a big hearty thanks to all those readers who have faithfully been reading and reviewing this story! I really appreciate it!

Chapter VII

"You, you're always there for me when I need you most. Day and night you're by my side protecting me."

--"Protecting Me" by Aly & AJ

Malon heard the sound of the slap before she felt the pain that accompanied it. At first, she was simply stunned as she stared into the face of the man who had once been a faithful ranch hand. But that had all changed. Ingo had changed. Gone was the grumbling servant, replaced by a man who lusted for the same power that Ganondorf had used to conquer Hyrule and enslave its inhabitants. In the instant in which he slapped her, she knew the life she'd known was gone forever.

In more shock than pain, Malon lifted a trembling hand to touch the raw cheek that Ingo had slapped. She touched her lip, pulling her hand away to glance at the small vestiges of blood on the tip of her finger. For a moment, she couldn't comprehend the situation. Ingo had slapped her? It wasn't possible for she had not done anything wrong . . . and he would not dare raise a hand to her as if she were just another animal, would he?

So many questions seemed to tumble through her mind, like an out-of-control boulder, wreaking havoc in its path. The memories of the past few years seemed to flash before her tearful eyes. Darkness. Terror. Death. Hyrule was not as it was; it had changed . . . and not for the better. The once beautiful land was now ruled by a man so evil that the Goddesses seemed helpless to stop his reign of evil. Malon could barely remember a time when the land wasn't barren, lifeless . . . when the people weren't frightened, weak.

She closed her eyes, biting back and pain and betrayal that she felt. She had always held grievances with Ingo, and he with her, but she had never expected him to change as he had. First, he had struck a deal with the devil himself, Ganondorf, and then had kicked her father out of his own ranch. Then he began to treat the horses badly, and now he had hit her.

It would stop there, she thought to herself even though she knew she had no power to stop his tyrannical ambitions. She was more helpless now than ever before.

"You . . . hit me," she whispered, her voice betraying her feelings.

Ingo's face was impassive. "You deserved it, you lazy wretch. Maybe next time you'll listen to I, the great Ingo!"

Malon narrowed her eyes at him. "Never. I will never listen to you, again."

This vehement statement surprised Ingo. "What did you say?"

"You heard me, Ingo. I won't be your slave anymore. And I won't let you hurt the horses either."

"Foolish girl!" he spat. "You have no idea who you're dealing with!"

"Oh, I think I do," Malon replied in a challenging tone. "I'm dealing with a coward. A worthless piece of scum not worthy to run this ranch!"

"How dare you!"

"You're scum, Ingo! You're pathetic!" She was yelling at him now. "You're a coward, a pitiful, little coward!"

"Silence!" he roared, and for a moment, Malon feared he'd hit her again.

Instead, he stared at her through charcoal eyes, burning her with his glare. Malon did not wince or turn away, however, holding her ground and tilting her chin up in defiance. Ingo had to know that he could not treat her like this for she would not let him. If he set a precedence of cruelty, things would only grow worse. Perhaps if Malon could stop the root of the ranch's corruption at the source, then it would all stop.

"Get out of my sight." His voice was muted, hinting at the barely controlled anger reigned in beneath his stiff surface. "Now."

Malon briefly entertained the idea of lashing back at him with a sharp retort, but banished the thought, knowing it would do more harm than good.

Without a word, she picked up her skirt and moved into the house, making certain to slam the door behind her to show her displeasure at the situation. It was inconceivable how Ingo had treated her and she couldn't seem to wrap her mind around it even as she laid sprawled across her bed, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. Malon was strong of heart and mind, for Talon had raised her to be, but she wasn't sure if she was strong enough to stand against the coming tide of evil.

She looked over to her dresser, to a small picture that sat atop it. It was of herself and her father when she had been much younger. They both looked so jovial, as if nothing in the world could've stopped their contentment. Being older now, Malon realized that the photograph was merely a reminder of her wishful thinking . . . and the remnants of an idealistic young girl. The real world was not all Lon Lon Milk and horses as it once had seemed . . . It was a dangerous realm where one either succeeded or failed; there was no in between anymore.

The young woman wanted to cry, wanted to scream, wanted to throw something and hurt someone as much as she felt hurt. But the logical part of her mind held steadfast, reminding her that none of the former actions would help ease the aching in her bosom. If anything, it would aid her in her own descent into the darkness that had overtaken the realm. If she could retain her innocence, her goodness, then perhaps she would outlast the storm.

She released a shaky breath as she got off of her bed, intent on making peace with Ingo. Though the man seemed to be pure evil, Malon knew that was not the case. There was still goodness in him, there had to be. Her father had taught her that everyone had good in them, even if it was just a little bit.

As she moved past her window towards her door, a sound reached her ears that made her stop dead in her tracks. It was a haunting melody that engulfed her entire being, warming her senses and tickling her memories. She closed her eyes, listening as the song played on. It was over before she knew it, though she longed for it to continue, for it to take her back to the past and to happier times.

Soon afterwards, her hearing was assaulted by vehement neighing; Malon recognized the animalistic sound to belong to that of her favourite horse, Epona. The song, as well, had been her mother's song and one that the horse responded remarkably well too. Only Malon and one other person had ever known the song.

Suddenly, she was at the window, struggling to get a good view of the owner of the ocarina that had played that tune. Instead, she was met with a view of Ingo racing another man on horseback around the corral. Ingo sat atop a black stallion, the horse's coat colour matching its owner's heart, while the oddly green-clothed man was mounted on top of Epona. Malon watched in amazement as the two raced, the stranger eventually beating Ingo much to Ingo's chagrin.

No matter how much she struggled to see him, she couldn't get a good look at the newcomer's face though his clothes were very similar in design to the clothing of a boy she once knew. But that was impossible. He couldn't be Link. Link was gone, dead. There was no other explanation for his sudden disappearance the same day that Ganondorf usurped the throne. If he had been alive, then Ganondorf would have been stopped.

"Link," she said to herself before shaking her head, furious that she'd even thought of him.

How would she ever find the strength to fight for herself, her father, and the horses if she kept relying on some larger than life hero to show up and save her from her troubles? She knew better than that, truly she did. Real life was no fairytale, after all, otherwise it wouldn't be called Real Life.

She rolled her eyes at the absurdity of her previous thoughts about Link. "Stupid, stupid!" she chided aloud.

It was with great resolve that she turned away from the window, sitting back down on her bed to sort through her tumultuous thoughts.

A short while later there came a knock on her door. With a great amount of trepidation, she answered it. Would it be Ingo coming to assault her again? Or perhaps he would apologize? In the end, the person on the other side of the door was the last person Malon ever expected to see again.

Link was midway towards knocking again, arm in the air and hand curled into a fist, when Malon finally opened the door. She stared at him with an expression somewhere between complete confusion and utter disbelief. A silence stretched out between them; they had not seen each other for seven years. Seven long, arduous, miserable years. The kind that caused one to question the existence of Goddesses and Heroes alike.

Yet, here stood the only person that Malon had been convinced that she would never see again. A miracle only the Goddesses could have granted her in their infinite wisdom, mercy, and compassion. A hero in the flesh, hope incarnate.

And yet, at the same time, she was angry. Where had he been for the past seven years? Where had he been when she'd needed him the most? Why had he broken his promise to return? Why didn't . . . why didn't she mean as much to him as he did to her?

But over encompassing the anger was the complete and utter joy that she felt at her friend's return . . . It was like he was back from the dead.

"Malon," he said in a hesitant voice as if testing unsafe waters.

This was the part where she was suppose to say something, but no words seemed appropriate enough to express her feelings--ambivalent as they were.

"Are you alright?"

A forced nod seemed sufficient enough of an answer.

He took a step towards her and lifted her chin to get a good look at her face. He frowned, obviously not happy with what he found there. Malon still couldn't speak, watching him with eyes that had seen far, far too much. Link's touch was gentle which went in direct contrast with the vicious slap that Ingo had given her just moments prior; her face still hurt from it, but now there was pleasure to accompany it. It was a . . . strange sensation, to say the least.

"What happened?" he asked at long last. It was then she noticed his voice was deeper--which, she supposed, was to be expected since he was a lot older since the last she saw him. Oh, how much he'd changed . . ."Where's Talon?"

"Kicked out," she said, finally finding her voice. "Ingo kicked him out."

"Who put Ingo in charge?"

"Ganondorf."

A long pause, full of tension. He released her chin but his hold on her remained. "I should've guessed."

"Where is he?" She couldn't keep the fear from creeping into the question. It didn't seem right to her to be afraid of Ingo, of all people, but there was no helping it now. Not after what he'd done to her. He was now a threat, she'd have to treat him as such.

"Ingo? He's downstairs . . ." Link shook his head as if it didn't matter. "He won't hurt you again, Malon. I won't let him. I promise."

"You promise," she bit out scathingly, unable to help herself. Link had always been big on promises...but not so much on keeping them. He had another thing coming if he thought he could just waltz in here and start spouting such things. "How comforting."

The comment caught Link off guard, obvious by his wide-eyed stare as he processed the words and tried to understand the meaning behind them. It didn't take him very long as witnessed by his brows knitting together in a look of consternation. Instead of confronting what she'd said, or the truth behind it, he continued on a similar topic . . . albeit probably not the most suitable one given the tensions running between them.

"You can't let Ingo push you around, Malon."

"Push me around?" She was incredulous. Was that what he thought of her? That she was still some little girl who needed protecting? He must not remember her at all if he believed that. "For your information, I wasn't letting him 'push me around'. But some of us know how to pick our battles."

Another cheap shot at Link but it didn't seem as if he got that one. "You didn't defend yourself," he pointed out the same disapproving expression he'd had when he'd looked her over, obviously displeased with that fact.

"I didn't think he'd hit me!"

"He's working for Ganondorf, Malon, what did you expect?"

She bristled at that. "How dare you. How dare you come in here after being gone for seven years and then start making--assumptions! You don't know half of the things I've been through . . ."

The man's expression softened considerably. "You're right. I don't."

His agreeing with her threw her off, causing some of the anger to dissipate into mere agitation. She crossed her arms over her chest in a decidedly defiant action, almost as if she were waiting for him to add some retort or another.

"And I'm sorry for that," he said. There was a pregnant pause, giving his words more meaning. "I'm sorry I broke my promise to you, Malon, but it wasn't . .. I didn't have a choice. If I could have stayed with you, I would much rather have done that. Believe me."

Malon kept her gaze focused on him, absorbing every word he said. She wanted to believe him. But, at the same time, there was that gnawing fear that if she did--if she let him in again--that she would get hurt. Again. Possibly worse this time. Link had been her best friend and she wanted--no, needed--that friendship again . . . but not at the cost of her heart, her very soul.

So the question became this: could she risk it?

Looking at him, she knew the answer.

She embraced him suddenly, burying her face in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. There was no awkwardness, only understanding. The stranger, Link, was gone; the stranger, Malon, was gone. Both replaced by Link and Malon, two friends with a love for one another that transcended time itself.

"I did it to protect you," he whispered to her. "I didn't know . . ."

It was then she realized how much the separation had hurt him, how his pain equaled her own just in a different way that she couldn't quite understand. His words didn't make complete sense to her, but that mattered little. All that mattered, she realized, was that he was here now.

He was here now, thank the Goddesses. Oh, how she'd missed him.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been here to protect you--"

"Link . . ."

He pulled back to look at her, silencing her almost immediately. He held her by the shoulders, giving her cause to look at him...as if his just being there at all wasn't reason enough.

"But that's going to change," he continued, vehement. "You hear me? I'm not going to let anything hurt you ever again, Mal."

"Okay," she said, smiling through her tears. "Just don't promise."

He laughed lightly at her pitiful joke before nodding. "Deal."

She figured he knew that there was truth in the request. There would need to be a good deal of healing--and explaining--before any more promises could be made in good conscience.

But there would be plenty of time for that.

With him back, it felt like they had all the time in the world.

--

Her eyes snapped open even as a scream threatened to rip from her throat. Flinging herself upwards, she pulled the covers of her bed with her, gripping them with white fists. The rising hysteria that had built as a result of her dream clung to her like her sweat-drenched pajamas. It took a few moments for her mind to register her own room, the reality of where she was. Even once it had, the gruesome images from her dream remained in her head, tormenting her torrent thoughts.

"Just a dream," she whispered to the dark. The same dark which had seemed so suffocating and terrifying moments ago lightened as her eyes adjusted to it. "Just a dream . . ."

No, not a dream, a nightmare.

One would have thought that she would have gotten used to such night terrors by now given the fact that they occurred so frequently. Even in sleep there was no peace to be found in the land of Hyrule.

Malon slipped from the bed, her blood pulsing through her veins and her heart continuing to pound in her ears. She'd had some awful nightmares before, but that one had been one of the worst; point in fact, even upon attempting to recall it--and why it scared her so much--she could not do it. The darkness from reality that had penetrated her subconscious seemed to present a wall between the two even now, separating mind from memory. Perhaps it was better this way, she supposed.

The unfamiliar sound of heavy breathing reached her ears, and gave her pause. Her cobalt eyes peering through the dark found the cause of the sound--a large wolf lying at the foot of her bed, snoring. This was the first night that she'd let Midnight sleep inside the house. Before, she'd been hesitant in letting the creature sleep in the stables with the other animals but he'd proven himself docile. Having been alone with just the horses, cows, and cuccos for so long, she found that she longed for new companionship. Even stranger than allowing a potentially dangerous animal to sleep in her house, she was finding that she felt better with Midnight close by.

Like now, for instance. Just the wolf's presence had a calming effect on her. For some reason, she felt rather attached to the animal already. Midnight certainly had more personality than most of the other barnyard inhabitants (save for maybe Epona). It was almost like he was a person in a wolf's body . . . But even as she thought this, it seemed foolish. Probably just another side effect of being in isolation for so long with no other humans to talk to.

Midnight's fur-coated back rose and fell with each breath inhaled and exhaled. The wolf seemed perfectly content in his slumber, a tranquility that Malon hadn't found in hers. At least one of them would get a good night's sleep. She doubted that she would be able to go back to sleep now, given that it was close to dawn. In any event, she didn't have a particular desire to tempt her nightmares into having a second go at her subconscious.

Tiptoeing from the room so as to not awake her animal companion, she headed outside for some fresh air.

What she found, however, was not fresh air but a heavy tension laid thick about Lon Lon Ranch. The cuccos were flitting about in a nervous tizzy while the horses continued to neigh and whinny with anxious anticipation. The cows were silent and still, but there was a concern that could be seen within their gentle brown eyes. The animals could sense something coming, and Malon was starting to feel the same.

Everything within the ranch seemed safe, stable; no difference could be seen or noted. This meant that the danger had to be coming from elsewhere, outside of the ranch's enclosed walls. With her curiousity piqued, she had no other option but head towards the entrance to her home, to see if there was anything truly the matter or if it was just her imagination.

The sight that greeted her was not one she'd ever hoped to meet: a group of shadowy creatures and they were headed directly towards Lon Lon Ranch!

For a moment, fear froze her feet. She couldn't move, think, breathe. But upon seeing the creatures begin to light fire to the field, the sight of the red flames spurred her own fiery nature into action. The ranch was her livelihood, her home; there was nothing else she could do but protect it and those within it. If they thought that they could destroy her only material comfort left in Hyrule, then they were quite mistaken. It would be a losing fight likely, but she'd put up a fight nonetheless.

Determination leant her speed as she rushed into the stables, swinging the doors wide open. She freed the horses and cows, ushering them outside and towards freedom. They wouldn't be safe in the ranch when the monsters reached it, she knew. If she fell, then they would have just been trapped . . . doomed to be burned alive or eaten by the abominations. Her animals, her friends whom she loved so dearly deserved better fates than that. Precaution or no, it would be better this way.

"Go, Epona!" she cried as she attempted to move the stubborn horse. "Go!"

The horse obviously sensed the danger, apparent by its skittish appearance, but seemed more intent on staying with its owner than fleeing for its own life. Malon could understand why to an extent--Epona had already lost Link, she probably didn't want to lose another rider she loved. Still, if Epona stayed, she'd be put in danger; Malon loved the horse too much to allow anything bad to happen to her.

"It's not safe!" she said, grunting as she tried to get the creature to budge. "Please, Epona, go! Go with the other horses, make sure they're all safe." It was a bad habit speaking to Epona as if she were a human who could understand just as well, but ofttimes Malon wasn't sure if Epona wasn't just as intelligent for she always seemed to understand.

Brushing her face against Malon's in a loving gesture, Epona relented and galloped away after the other horse and cattle. As soon as the front gates were open, the cuccos followed suit in a squawking mess of feathers. Now that her animals were free and hopefully safe (their instincts would guide them, right?), Malon had to attend to the ranch's defense . . . little though it would prove to be.

Rushing inside the house, she grabbed one of the pitchforks she kept for just such an occasion (well, perhaps not just such an occasion; she'd never anticipated having to defend herself from true monsters such as these shadow creatures) and in the process woke up the sleeping wolf upstairs. Malon had forgotten about Midnight until he appeared at the top of the stairs, looking half-asleep still.

"C'mon, Midnight!" she called to him even as she ran back outside. The door, having been left open, allowed the wolf to follow which he did.

The unnatural sounds produced by the approaching creatures gave Malon shivers and, for just a few seconds, she entertained the idea of making a run for it. The cowardly thought was quickly chased off, however, and her grip around the pitchfork--her only weapon at present--tightened. Lon Lon Ranch was more than just a few walls and some animals; it was a haven for her memories, the only thing that kept her going in these Goddess-damned days. She couldn't let these creatures take her memories from her . . . She wouldn't let them take her memories of Link from her.

Midnight growled, no longer looking like the friendly wolf he'd been to Malon. His eyes narrowed to dangerous slits over his elongated snout which was baring equally intimidating teeth. Everything about the creature was dangerous . . . And he seemed just as eager to defend the ranch as Malon. Or maybe he wasn't defending the ranch at all, but the strong-spirited girl who lived there.

"Go on, Midnight, get!" Malon said, trying to get the animal to flee. Midnight was a strong and capable fighter . . . but he was still suppose to be recovering from his previous fight. Malon loved the wolf too much to let it get hurt in defense of her. "I'll be fine, go!"

Instead of acquiescing to the demand, Midnight only moved in front of Malon to provide her with a solid line of defense. It was touching, but also concerning. If Midnight got hurt, she'd feel guilty.

But there was little time to think about such things as the creatures were now upon them. Midnight made the first move, leaping onto one of the creatures and viciously ripping into its black skin. Malon took the opportunity to make a slash at one of the other monsters with her pitchfork, but the blunt object seemed to just bounce off the creature's tough hide. While Midnight was occupied with the one monster, tearing into its throat, the others quickly ganged up on the practically defenseless farmgirl.

Malon's mouth went dry as she turned around and around, trying not to let the creatures get behind her. There were four of them and they had her at every angle--the fifth still being distracted by Midnight. The pitchfork felt heavy in her hands. What had she been thinking trying to fight these monsters?

I was thinking that I had to be brave, her thoughts answered her, just like Link would have been.

The creature swung at her and she jumped backwards, barely avoiding being slashed across the chest. The monster that had circled behind her wrapped its arms around her as she moved into its range of attack. Malon cried out as the monster tightened its hold. Violently thrashing, she swung her pitchfork around haphazardly, gaining purchase in one of the other creature's faces. It let out a vicious cry and moved away, but that didn't help her any against the creature whose hold was growing tighter and tighter. Goddess, she couldn't breathe!

Suddenly, she found herself falling to the ground as the monster abruptly released her. Coughing, it took her a few seconds to get back to her feet but she did. Just in time to see Midnight's canine weapons sink into the monster's head without mercy. It collapsed, looking just as dead as the other one that Midnight had slain. Malon had to admit that she was thankful that the wolf had stayed around . . . Otherwise, it was likely she'd be shadow creature food by now.

The creature's arm seemed to come out of nowhere and Malon wasn't fast enough to defend herself with the pitchfork; it swiped her aside with ease, slamming her into the wall of the stables. Black dots filled her vision, blotting out everything else. She held on to her consciousness by a thin thread, knowing that it was likely she'd never awake again to the light if she fell into the darkness now.

Blinking, her vision cleared just in time to see Midnight hovering over her. The other creatures had been chased a few feet away and the wolf was now hauling her onto its back. Was this the only option left, to flee?

"No," she mumbled, but the wolf ignored her. It had its priorities, and it seemed that Malon came before the ranch.

Out of instinct or a healthy sense of preservation, Malon grabbed Midnight's fur, keeping a good hold of it as the wolf bolted past the angry monsters. Her head felt stuffy, as if lost in a heavy fog from the hit she took against the wall. She managed to look back only briefly . . . just in time to see the monsters begin to light the ranch on fire.

And then everything went black as she pitched forward into Midnight's soft black coat.

A/N: Reviews are love! Flames are not.