Save & Be Saved, cited from SongandShield.org

S A V E & B E S A V E D Malon and Link first meet as children in Hyrule Market. Link was on his way to meet Princess Zelda when he ran into Malon who was searching for her father. She had a hunch that her lazy dad, Talon, had fallen asleep somewhere as usual. She was intrigued by Link's unusual clothing and the fact that he had a fairy companion. That is how she came up with her own little nickname for Link, "Fairy Boy". The next time they came into contact with each other is when Link payed a visit to Lon Lon Ranch. Malon thanked him for waking her father, and she proudly showed off her little horse, Epona, who fled from Link. Malon taught Link the song her mother composed, and as a nice surprise, Epona warmed up to Link. Unfortunately, Link did not have much time afterwards to grow closer to Malon. His duty as a hero kept him busy, and it wasn't until seven years later that they met up again. One of the first places that Link payed a visit to when he emerged from the Temple of Time as the Hero of Time was Lon Lon Ranch. But, much to his dismay, he found that the ranch-hand, Ingo, had taken over and kicked Talon out while Malon stayed behind as Ingo's worker for fear that he'd harm the horses. Ingo had promised Ganondorf the horse, Epona, and Link took it upon himself to save Malon. It was not until Link played Epona's song and tamed the horse that Malon realized that his hero was the boy from the forest that she had met years ago. She whole-heartedly thanked Link for everything he'd done, and invited him to the ranch to train Epona any time. After Link is sent back to his own time by Princess Zelda, he is given the time to make his own life. Now that his duty as the Hero of Time is finished, he can do what he wants with his time. It is possible now that he and Malon could form a bond as friends and even lovers. Link and Malon are opposites when it comes to being social- Malon easily makes conversation with others, while Link is somewhat awkward in such situations. Malon would easily fit into the role of the cheery girl who wins over the strong, silent type of guy that Link is. They both understand hard work, so it would be possible to live a life at the ranch. At the same time, they both can love freedom- Link is an adventurer, and Malon wishes to be swept off her feet and carried away. Link could do just that. They both seem content with a simple life, and if Link ever wanted adventure, it wouldn't be hard for Malon to follow. She is already a skilled rider and enjoys excitement, so she isn't the type who'd be held back by " simple girl" inhibitions. F A N D O M So what is so appealing about MaLink? One reason is the thought of Link finally being able to relax. After a trying time of saving the world and overcoming many hardships, he may want to live a simple, normal life. Even if he decided to adventure, Malon's characteristics enable her to follow suit. This shipping allows Link to save Malon from a drab life of nothing but work, and it allows Malon to mend the scars that Link's quest as the Hero of Time left him with. MaLink supports fairytale romance without following the cliche of hero x princess. It allows for a simple girl's dream of being swept of her feet to come true, while providing a lonesome and tired hero a chance at normalcy and solace. Written and posted with permission of Zeruda @ KoH.org