Author's Notes: Here it is: the beginning of what I hope to be a fantastic story that all my loyal readers will enjoy. This story takes place during Twilight Princess so there will be some definite Twilight Princess spoilers; I suggest playing the game first or if you don't care, go ahead and read...I may end up changing some events and characters, etc. Additionally, it may be a bit confusing in the beginning, but just trust me and keep reading...everything will be explained and everything will come together in the end. That being said, enjoy! Oh, and don't forget to leave me a review, please!

Disclaimer: I do not, nor will ever, own the Legend of Zelda. However, Link and Malon will always live in my heart and this story is dedicated to them.

Chapter I

"Lost in the darkness, hoping for a sign. Instead, there's only silence...can't you hear my screams?"

--"Somewhere" by Within Temptation

Malon knew this day would come. The day Link was called away to do some dangerous errand of the Princess'. However, knowing and anticipating it did not lessen the blow at all. On the contrary, it intensified it, forcing her to face reality and stop lingering in her self-made fantasy. Had she really believed that Link would be allowed to stay on her little ranch forever? Certainly not, but she hadn't anticipated him being called away so soon either. Link was a hero, after all, and it was his job to see that Hyrule remained safe. She had never begrudged him that; he needed support in what he did--as it was trying work indeed--not spite.

Despite the logic she forced on herself, Malon was saddened all the same from his departure. Link was the only one she felt a connection with these days. Her father and former owner of the ranch, Talon, had died a few months back and it had been hard for everyone...even Ingo. The ranch-hand continued to do his duties, his unnerving good mood as forced as ever, but there was something almost mechanical about how he did his daily chores...as if the grief had placed a strange hole in his discoloured heart--for it was difficult to truly tell what kind of person Ingo was--but he was so used to doing the chores that he knew not what else to do to lessen the blow of Talon's passing. Link, too, seemed affected by the loss of one of his friends. However, the Hero of Time concealed his grief the best he could from Malon in an attempt to shield her from the pain they were all feeling.

The thought was appreciated, but Malon had enough heartbreak for them all, despite Link's efforts to comfort her. It had seemed to happen so suddenly: one day Talon was fit as a horse, and the next he was confined to his bed due to a terrible cold. Malon had urged him to go to Kakariko village to seek some medical aid, but Talon refused her, claiming it was no more than a simple "chest cold". He swore he'd be up and about within a few days. A few days quickly turned into a few weeks, and then in the third week, his coughing had become so bad that he couldn't breathe. Malon had pressed for Link then to talk to Talon and urge him to see a healer; after all, Talon looked upon Link as the son he'd never had.

But by the time Talon got to the shaman, Renado, in Kakariko, his condition had worsened terribly. Renado, bless his heart, did all he could to save the dying man, but in the end...Talon's heart just couldn't handle all the stress the wracking coughs placed on it, and he died during that cold month in winter, in a small room in Kakariko's inn. Malon had been devastated, unable to accept that her father was dead. Link had practically had to drag her away from Talon's lifeless body in the end, letting her cry on his shoulder for what seemed like eternity to her.

Returning to the Ranch was what really got to her, however; the silence and emptiness she felt nearly forcing her into a mental breakdown. Entering the main house and seeing no sleeping, lazy man beside all the cucco's had hurt Malon deeply, casting the horrible, dreadful truth in the light: Talon was dead, and Malon no longer had a father. After that, she couldn't smile nor laugh nor giggle; she was practically useless in every aspect. Link, having defeated Ganondorf several months prior, stuck around the Ranch, trying to perk his best friend up...but seemingly to no avail. Even Ingo pitched in, not pleased to see the usually chipper girl in such a despondent mood all the time.

It was not until almost an entire month after Talon's death that Malon woke with a new renewed strength of mind. No one was sure what sprang the change in the young woman, but she was different after that, never complaining about a chore and never reluctant to lend a helping hand where it was needed. Link was also able to, on occasion, wrangle a giggle or two from Malon; that, to him, had been reward enough for sticking around Lon Lon Ranch. Slowly his best friend returned to her normal self, the memory of Talon's passing sticking in her mind, but the memories of the old man warming her healing heart.

And now Link was leaving. The one person who continued to keep her spirits high, the one person whom she loved dearly. He was her best friend, her only friend, and she constantly worried about his leaving. He had stuck around because he was needed, but now that Ingo and Malon had the Ranch under control, Malon had had a feeling he might leave. However, she was thankful he was not doing it on his own accord. No, he had been summoned by Princess Zelda to investigate something or another in one of the border regions of Hyrule.

Princess Zelda rarely asked anything of Link, except a friendly visit every now and again, so for her to ask him to do this favor of hers spoke for how dangerous this "quest", as Malon viewed it, could be. It had been a while since Ganondorf's defeat, and Malon had nearly forgotten what unrest in Hyrule was like for it was strangely peaceful as of late, thanks to Link's heroic feats. His leaving, though, brought her back to the days where he was constantly gone, off on some mission to help save Hyrule. Back then, she never knew when he was coming back to visit...or whether he would come back at all. Hyrule had been a very dangerous place back then, and Link was usually fighting in the midst of the most dangerous areas...and all for what? For the belief that he could succeed and bring peace to Hyrule.

It was a dream, thought Malon, and nothing more. Peace, as she viewed it, could never last too long...with it, it brought unrest, and unrest brought trouble. It was a continuous circle...never ending, always beginning. And now Link was being sent away on an errand due to unrest caused by the peace he had brought. It was ironic...

"Malon?" Link's voice called her out of her thoughts. "Are you even listening?"

"Mhm," she replied with a faint smile. "Of course I'm listening."

Link looked skeptical. "And you're going to be all right...while I'm gone?"

Malon placed her hands on her hips. "Are you implying that I can't take care of myself for more than a few days, Link?"

"Of course not!" Link said defensively, raising his hands in alarm. "I just wanted to make sure that...well, I didn't want you to worry about...I thought maybe..." He paused, sighing. "I'm just going to stop talking to avoid making more of a fool out of myself."

"You're silly, Fairy Boy," Malon giggled. "I'll be fine. I have Ingo to look out for me anyway..." Malon could have sworn she heard a snort from the other room. "Besides, this is your job..."

"A job," Link scoffed. "Right."

Despite Link's attempt to feign indifference, Malon could tell he was quite eager to be out and about again. He was a hero and, as most heroes become after a time, he was restless. She had noticed him practicing in the early hours of the morning with blade and shield in hand. He had even startled the cuccos a bit just so he could justify taking a swing at them.

"Malon?" he called her name again.

"Yes?" she replied sweetly.

"Are you feeling all right today? You seem a bit...distant," Link commented. He was reluctant to leave her, if only for a short time. Malon was his best friend and, aside from Zelda, the only person that he was concerned about a lot of the time. Zelda had a realm to rule over, while Malon had to run a Ranch; in his eyes, they were equally trying tasks.

"I'm fine! Will you stop worrying?" Malon said, ushering Link towards the the gate. "If you don't get going soon, it will be nightime before you get to--where are you going again?"

"Ordon," he supplied.

"Before you get to Ordon," Malon repeated.

"If you're sure..." Link said hesitantly.

There was a twinkle of amusement in her eyes as she said, "Don't tell me the big bad Hero is afraid of going outside Lon Lon Ranch--"

Link puffed up with indignation. "Of course I'm not but--"

"Then get going, you slow poke!" Malon ordered.

They were almost to the gate when Link turned around, grabbing Malon gently by the shoulders. He stared into the depths of her blue eyes, searching for how she really felt about him leaving. Malon had enough on her plate as it was, and Link didn't want to leave her alone to handle the stress of running a ranch almost entirely by herself. Malon blushed faintly, avoiding his gaze as best she could...which was hard to do since he had the most alluring blue eyes that she'd ever seen, and his face was almost always a mask of flawlessness, hiding emotions beneath it. One could tell when the Hero of Time was serious about something, for his mask of strength would falter momentarily, as it was doing now.

"Malon," he began sincerely, "I'm worried about you."

"You shouldn't be--"

"But I am; you've been acting differently lately. I just--I don't want you to think I'm abandoning you," Link whispered. "Because I'm not."

"I know, Link."

He released her. "You seem eager to get rid of me. Have I worn out my welcome this quickly?"

It was said in a joking tone, but Malon took it seriously. "Of course not. I'm not blind, though, Link. I know how much you desire for adventure again. It's in your blood...you can't fight what you are."

"What am I?" he asked, his voice taking on an almost sad tone.

Malon smiled compassionately. "You are my best friend, and Hero of Hyrule." This brought a faint smile to Link's face. "But that doesn't mean you won't get away with not doing your chores once you get back!"

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"Good," Malon said with a satisfactory look. She was out of stall tactics now, she realized. This was it. Link was leaving...on a dangerous quest. It was then when it hit her: he might not come back.

Link turned to leave then, but Malon reached out and grabbed his hand. "Link?"

He looked at her with a quizzical look.

"Please be careful," she cautioned softly.

"Hey," he replied lightly. "It's me."

"That's what I'm worried about," she quirked her mouth into a suspicious frown.

He smiled. "I'll be careful."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart," was his reply, genuine.

Malon nodded, wishing desperately to keep him longer, but not eager to look like a lovesick puppy. Link was her friend, and she'd convinced herself that he was nothing more than that. Link was destined for greatness and she was not; it was the simple, painful truth. There would be nothing more than friendship between them, because there could never be anything more. Link deserved better than some lonely, ordinary farmgirl.

"Bye, Mal," he said, waving farewell as he mounted Epona who waited by the gate, looking as excited as Link felt.

"Bye, Fairy Boy," Malon replied, watching him gallop off into the distance.

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"Link!" Malon cried, flinging herself upwards in her bed.

Of course there was no reply. There never was a reply. There hadn't been a reply to her cries for a month.

She was alone, swallowed up by the darkness that had invaded Hyrule. Actually, darkness was not quite an appropriate word to describe the despair that had blanketed Hyrule days after their Hero went missing. Twilight had consumed the land, nearly erasing Hyrule's inhabitants into oblivion. It was constantly dark, while the only light that existed trickled in from the sun that cast no warm rays. Most had given up hope of being released by this dreadful prison of twilight many days ago. They were now nothing more than lost spirits, wandering Hyrule in search of something they could never attain.

Malon could not blame them for their loss of hope; she, too, had abandoned hope the day Epona came back, riderless and wounded. Her favourite horse had returned without her favourite friend, and Malon's heart shattered. She had always been strong, for she had always had someone to be strong for. Now, she had no one. Her father was dead, Link was dead, and Ingo had been taken shortly before the all-consuming twilight had fallen.

Of course, a small voice coming from her heart whispered to have faith in Link, to keep hope alive...but that voice was buried beneath the depression that had seeped into her bones, like venom. Everyone in Hyrule had been infected by this poison, and none could escape the fatal fangs of twilight.

It was a strange experience, being trapped in twilight forever. The sun never rose, never brought with it a new day, new beginning. Nor did it set, never taking away the pains of the previous day, and never erasing the memories as one would erase to make a blank canvas. Everyone was trapped in unending twilight, unending memories...both good and bad. It was as if they were all holding their breaths, ready to take the plunge into a new life, but unable to...frozen in their current state. In all aspects, it was as good as being dead...for they felt far more than they wanted to, and didn't feel as much as they desired to, unable to escape from the pain, unable to reach the pleasure.

Dragging herself out of her bed, she noticed, seemed even more difficult today than yesterday. This was not surprising, as every day seemed to bring even more suffering to the peaceful folk of Hyrule, and they were powerless to stop it...as they had been powerless to stop Ganondorf previously. They had, instead, offered no resistance...waiting for their Hero to come and save them, but he never came.

Link never came.

Her legs ached as she walked over to the mirror that hung on the wall above her small vanity and peered into it. She was met with a stranger, someone who was nearly unrecognizable to herself. The woman in the mirror wore a deep frown that looked odd on her pale face. Beneath her hazy blue eyes were dark circles due to sleep deprivation. Additionally, the woman's hair was a mess of reddish curls that dangled loosely around her shoulders, strands from her bangs falling into her forlorn expression. She didn't know this woman that resided in her mirror, but she greeted her every morning all the same.

Sighing to herself, Malon quickly got dressed in her usual attire and went about her daily chores. To lessen the amount of isolation and loneliness she felt, she began to hum her mother's song to herself quietly. This only proved to distress her more as it echoed off the walls of the eerily silent barn, returning to her in the same way it had went, not greeted by familiar neighing from a horse, nor any other comforting animal sound. In fact, the animals, too, seemed affected by this unsettling twilight that had seeped into Hyrule's way of life.

This was especially so for Epona, her favourite horse. She had returned to Lon Lon Ranch a week or so after Link had set out on his mission from the Princess. He had been going to Ordon, one of the small farming communites on the border of Hyrule, to investigate some sort of anomaly. She would have smiled then, thinking of Link's eagerness to go and his reluctance to leave her, but she had forgotten how to smile. Any brightness a smile would bring would only be consumed by the darkness of twilight.

She shivered, thinking back to that cold night when Epona returned to the Ranch. The poor thing had been frightened terribly, and her frantic movements illustrated it. The reddish-brown mare could not remain still for long without letting out a nervous, panicked whinny. Once Malon had calmed her down, mainly through use of her mother's song which Epona loved, she had been able to take care of the many cuts and wounds on the beaten horse. Epona had left as a healthy, proud horse and had returned as a battered, cowering one. Never had she seen the gentle horse so scared in her life. And Epona's fear became Malon's fear quickly.

Malon picked up some pails full of milk, though the milk did not look as good as it once had been, and was thin, just as the animal that had produced it was. Slowly, the animals were withering away despite Malon's attempt to feed them all nutrients. It was as if they had given up the will to live...just as most had in Hyrule. Why try living in a world that you do not belong in, a world that makes you miserable?

Despite her efforts to forget the past, the memories continued to resurface. She remembered cleaning Epona's wounds and being almost incapable of doing so because of how badly her hands were shaking. She remembered wondering where Link was and if he was safe. But, most of all, she remembered the darkness that had conquered the land days after Epona returned. With no hero to fight it, the darkness--the twilight--had entered into Hyrule, striking at the castle first and spreading from there. It also spread from Ordon, where Link had been headed.

Malon had had a suspicion that Link was dead when Epona had ridden back without him; a horse never abandons its beloved rider. Epona was more loyal than even most humans and she never would have left Link unless he was dead. It was the cold, hard truth. Add upon that that she came back wounded and frightened, and Malon's hope that Link was alive diminished considerably.

"Get your head out of the past, Malon," she told herself aloud, fearing that if she simply thought it that it would become buried beneath all her other concerns and worries. "You won't get anything done otherwise. You have to keep going."

The voice that spoke aloud lacked vehemence and, although Malon knew the voice was hers, it was hard to listen to anything it said.

You have to keep going.

For what? What was there to keep going for anymore? Everyone she'd ever cared about was gone, her animals were disappearing into nothingness, the Ranch was dying, and hope was gone. Hope had resided with Link, and Link was dead by some cruel twist of fate. It was not fair, and Malon had done her fair share of cursing the Godesses for taking away her friend, but in the end, it did nothing to ease the pain.

Malon pushed some dark red curls out of her face, closing her eyes for a moment to calm herself. She had to keep going, because stopping would be giving up. It would also mean she was admitting to herself that Link truly was dead, and this she could not do. Giving up was not an option; Link wouldn't have wanted her to give up.

So, day after day, she continued to drag on. It wasn't by true motivation but more for lack of having nothing else left to do. At the very least she still had Epona, even though the horse seemed considerably different, changed. The farmgirl didn't blame the horse but, instead, sympathized with it. She didn't doubt Link was as important to Epona as he was to her. It was a friendship they all shared. Malon didn't know anyone who could say a bad word about Link; he had been a hero, and everyone respected him. However, her respect went deeper than friendship, though she'd never admit it.

"Where are you, Fairy Boy?" she whispered to herself, as if waiting for her subconcious to come up with a satisfactory reply.

Yet again, there was no reply.

Once she finished her chores, she went to stand on the platform at the top of one of the corner towers that were situated at the edge of the center corral. It was hardly used anymore, for Malon was too busy with chores or her own thoughts to bother climbing up to it. But today, today she needed a break...from her work and her thoughts.

Upon reaching the platform, a gust of wind from the north blew past her, sending chills through her weary body. It was cold, but refreshing and Malon was grateful for it. She had begun to think that she was numb to the world, unable to feel anything but pain and unable to dwell on anything besides regrets of the past. The brisk wind that blew across her pale skin and through her messy hair reminded her what it felt like to be alive, to be able to feel something good, instead of something dreadful.

The wind reminded her of Link. How he constantly was around, and then just as quickly gone...but always brought with him a good feeling, leaving her with good memories as well. How she missed him, how she missed his vivid smile and his mischievious personality. But most of all, she missed the comforting friendship that resided between them. Now, she was alone...and it threatened to consume her.

She took a deep breath, letting the brisk wind attack her senses and soothe her tortured mind. These days, she was willing to find relief in whatever ways it came to her...including through the wind.

You have to keep going.

And she would keep going, if only to honour Link's memory. Perhaps, in time, she could find the strength within herself to actually help do something to save Hyrule, but that time was not now. After all..she was only a common farmgirl. What could she do to save such a vast realm like Hyrule? Nothing. She was not Link, she was not a hero.

She stretched her arms out towards no where in particular, allowing the wind to wash over her tired body. She could still feel, she was still alive. Her loved ones may be gone, but there was still hope for a better future. There had to be hope...for without it, life was pointless.

Where are you, Fairy Boy?

A/N: Please review! No flames, please, as they are not necessary nor welcome. Thanks in advance!