Of Royal Blood - The Legend Of Zelda

[X] Zelda and Malon

"So the Big Octo slammed down its-" Zelda says, demonstrating with a wave of her arm as you take a seat across from the two young women, Malon side-eying you with her jaw hanging open in a mix of wonder and awe.

"Telling Malon how we met Mipha?" You ask, to which Zelda pauses in her story to give you an enthusiastic nod.

"I'm letting her know our capabilities so she can properly best decide how to use us on her ranch," Zelda explains, looking over to Malon who just slowly nods. Though Zelda's brow furrows slightly, "Though, we don't yet know all your troubles Malon. Please, if it's not much trouble perhaps you may enlighten us?"

Malon stares for a second, before starting as the question finally registers with her, "Right! Right. My problems, " She reaches up to scratch the back of her head through her voluminous red hair, clearly trying to come up with a way to describe them, "Well, with just me the cows need to be milked, and they all need food but I'm out of rupees, I'd ask for some help getting some ranch hands but-"

"Wait, you're broke?" You ask, taken aback, "How are you feeding yourselves?"

Malon slumps slightly, her exhaustion all the more apparent, "Eggs and milk aren't so bad, and my teeth haven't fallen out yet so I've still got time."

"No!" Zelda exclaims, grabbing Malon by the hands and holding them tightly, making the redhead jump in shock, "We'll get you everything you and your sister need tomorrow! I promise you, we'll do everything in our power to make sure the both of you are healthy!"

Malon stares at Zelda for a few seconds, before she gives Zelda a sad smile and nods. Malon then frowns, looking towards the table with a furrowed brow and with venom in her voice, "If the Gorman brothers don't stop us anyways..."

"Gorman brothers?" You ask, leaning forward with your arms on the table.

"The local lords, a pair of brothers the Empire gave control over the region too," Malon spat, hands shaking slightly as she balled them into fists, "They want the ranch and... and...me,"


Immediately both your and Zelda's expressions turn serious, and you ask, "Will they try a hostile takeover? We can keep you and your sister safe, but we'll need to know if we should be on the lookout for them."

Malon suddenly looks towards your weapons, a mix of emotions crossing over her face before she shakes her head, "No... I don't think so. I..." She struggles for a moment, looking as though she wanted to ask something but was dreading the answer as she stared at your weapons before she shook her head and composed herself, "They'll make things difficult though. They've spread such... horrible rumours about us and made me unable to sell our milk or eggs. No one... There isn't a single person in town who'd help us for free, anyone who would left or was evicted long ago. Some may be sympathetic but..." She pauses, looking over to Romani who was still staring into space, "I haven't left the ranch in weeks."

"Will you need to be in person to make purchases? Not to think less of the villagers, but if things would be easier..." Zelda trails off as Malon shakes her head.

"You've really been away from the empire huh? No, the Empire requires a ludicrous amount of paperwork or they'll take away everything. I only have the ranch because the Emperor grandfathered our land ownership in and the Gorman's are too stupid to directly challenge it," Malon sighs, "Not that it matters, it'll take a ludicrous amount of rupees just to feed everyone for a week. Tens of thousands. Linkle went off to find treasure to help pay for everything, but she hasn't come back..."

"Linkle?" You ask, to which Malon sighs.

"You know that other house? That's her's. Technically, she owns all the Cucco's but she's been a friend for years so she won't mind us taking them," Malon explains.

"Could she be in danger? Should we try and get word?" Zelda asks, looking concerned but Malon shakes her head.

"I... think she's fine. Linkle is absurdly good with her crossbows. I've seen her wipe out groups of Bokoblins by herself, and she has a small flock of Cucco's with her. She's just... not so great at directions," Malon says, though you shudder a bit at the implication of a small flock of guard cuccos. Cucco's were cowardly creatures, even the slightest sound would make them explode into a mass of feathers and maybe drop a few eggs. But actually attack one and you'll learn to regret it. Cucco's could regenerate and while mostly this meant they were an endless source of feathers no one was prepared for when a Cucco cleaved in half suddenly sprouted new legs almost instantly. Continue to attack it and suddenly the whole flock will charge at you, their beaks and talons able to slice through steel. Cucco's were also strong and while their size and poorly adapted wings meant they couldn't carry you off it was a known past time for certain daredevils to pick up a cucco and leap off a cliff, the cucco slowly carrying the daredevil to the ground. Anyone with an affinity with the creatures would be well protected.

"Well, we'll keep an eye out for her AND we can solve your rupee problem. We have quite the amount of rupees on us," Zelda said, pulling out a small handful of gold Rupees which Malon stared at in wonder.

"Wow... I mean I should have expected with you being a Princess and all but this... Goddesses we might be set!" Malon exclaimed, looking between the two of you excitedly.

"We actually got it by killing some Skulltula's," You say, leaning back in your chair as Malon's excitement turned into sputtering amazement.

"I- WOW. I feel bad for any of the Gorman's men that try to mess with us! Well not really but... Yeah, yeah we can do this!"

"I'd like to avoid getting into a fight with these Gorman's men," You say, drawing the Master Sword and setting it on the table, the blue glowing lighting up Malon's face, her and Zelda's widening eyes sparkling like gemstones as they caught its light, "But how would they react to obviously magical equipment? Or just us as armed as we are? Last thing we want is you having to dodge musket fire."

"Hey, don't think I'm helpless! Sure a pitchfork isn't a great weapon but I can stick a Bokoblin good!" Malon retorts, puffing out her chest before she pauses, "Actually... I think father's old musket might come in handy. It's a family heirloom over a century old, but it once belonged to the Royal Guard. No armour or swords though, I don't know what happened to them and definitely no powder or ammo."

Zelda's jaw drops, and you suspect you have a similar expression, "You have a Royal Musket?! That's incredible-" Zelda stops, her brow furrowing, "Wait, no this was THE place horses for the Royal Guard and my family were bred, the knights BECAME knights here. There should be lances, armour, swords... this doesn't make any sense."

Malon looks just as perturbed, "Yeah I was told that all my life but... I mean I told Link Epona was the last horse we had but I was a small child then. Whatever happened before that I don't think I can remember. Maybe they all died of a plague?"

"But why wouldn't my father replace them? Did..." Zelda pauses, "Sorry I must ask, how many barns did you have? Even while you were so young that must be still clear in your mind Malon."

"We only ever had the one-" Malon stops, eyes widening as realization dawned on her, "How were we breeding horses with only the cattle barn?"

"Sahasrahla would know, wouldn't he?" You ask, "Didn't he say he was part of the royal court? He also seems quite knowledgable."

Zelda nods, "Yes, if there's anyone alive who knows it'd be him."

"And I assume I'm not going to get answers until we leave," Malon sighs, "You guys sure like raising more questions than answers about everything."

"You have no idea," Zelda says, glancing over to you, "I think the one thing that I've learned over the course of this journey is that I know far less about how our world works than I ever could have imagined."

You shrug, "I'm just taking things day by day and hoping for the best, seems to have worked out so far."

"Think I'll have to follow along with that plan," Malon says with another sigh, pushing herself up as her chair scraped against the floor, "I should start making dinner."

"I'll help," You say, pushing yourself up as well and Malon gives you a smile and nod as she turns towards the kitchen. You make to follow her, sheathing the Master Sword but something makes you pause. Romani, who had been almost completely immobile, had turned her head towards you- no, towards the Master Sword. Her eyes were still unfocused and you watched her head began to droop again. Momentarily stopping by her did nothing leaving you wondering just what had happened, your mind lingering on Romani as you walked off to help Malon.

Working beside Malon preparing dinner was a quick affair. She wasn't kidding when she said that all she and Romani were living off of was eggs and milk, and what she had was stretched to the absolute limits just to feed you all, the promise that you'll get food tomorrow the only thing that gave you any solace as you watched Malon stare at her now completely empty pantry with an empty expression. While cooking though she became much more animated, seemingly finding your presence very distracting as she turned away from you with a beet red face as the two of you worked side by side to put the meagre offerings on to plates.

As you all took your seats at the table, even Midna joining you, you sat at the end of the table across from Zelda, Irene and Paya. Mipha and Midna beside you as Malon seated Romani at the head of the table, sitting next to her. As you all began to eat for a moment none of you paid any heed to what was about to happen, not until you heard Malon whispering to herself as the others slowly stopped and turned to stare at the two sisters. A mixture of emotions stretched over your friends faces, even Midna adopting a hard expression, her hand clenching into a fist as she watched with the others.

"Come on Romani, eat," Malon whispered softly, trying to make her sister swallow a bit of the scrambled eggs she had spoonfed Romani, even as it dripped from her sister's slack mouth down her chin.

"Please, just eat. Please," The farm girl pleaded, her sister not responding, "I'll clean up the mess on your chin... there. Everything's better, right?"

Malon leaned in close, speaking gently in Romani's ear, "If you eat, I'll get those jam tarts you like. That will be fun, right? We have the rupees for it now, so everything will be alright. I know you always worried about me, that I work too much. But I can spend time with you now, so please-" SCREEECH

Malon stops, looking over to you as you stand up suddenly, your chair scraping loudly across the floor. Grabbing a mug of milk and a spoon you walk over to the opposite side of Romani and gesture to Malon to tip Romani's head back slightly. As she does so you take the tiniest spoonful of the fresh milk and gently bring it to Romani's lips, tipping it slowly past them so you didn't accidentally make her choke, just as you had once done with your father. When it was empty you repeated this, again and again.

It was all you could do.

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For those wondering what took this so long: Warframe's Nightwave and Wolf drop chances are hell.