Chapter 7

Three days later, it was all final. To get divorced, they only needed to say that they wanted to. All royal property went to Zelda and all ranch property went to Malon, so there were no messy custody battles. The biggest issue would have been Saria, except Darvin had no parental right with regards to her, so that was easily worked out. Everyone was happy now, except Darvin.
Malon watched him pack his bags. As Darvin shoved the last of his clothes into his suitcase, he snarled, "I'll find someone who deserves a man as superb as me. You can have your hero, but you'll miss me soon enough. Don't come crying back to me when you realize what a huge mistake you've made. I'm going to forget you ever existed, and I'd thank you to do the same of me, though I know no one could ever forget anyone as superb-"
Malon shooed him out the door and interrupted, "I've already forgotten. And if I never hear the word 'superb' again it'll be too soon." She closed the door behind him and sighed with relief. For the first time in her life she was truly happy. There was nothing more in the world she could want. She had Link, she had Saria, she had Talon...
Or did she? Did Talon still disapprove of Link? She felt her heart sinking. It was time for a father-daughter heart-to-heart talk.

"Well," Talon said to his daughter, "what did you want to talk about?"
Malon nervously followed her father's gaze to Link. There was no love lost between them, and it irritated her. She knew they would get along if not for Talon's deep distrust of Link. It caused Link to distrust Talon, and made the situation very awkward for her. How was she supposed to choose between her father and her fiance? She took a deep breath and began talking.
"I brought you both here because you're begin unfair to each other, and to me. I'm not going to point any blame, because I understand both of your points of view as best I can for not being in your shoes. You two hate each other and you've put me on the spot. I love you both, and there's nothing either of you can do to stop me from loving the other. The relationships I have with you two have withstood just about everything, and I'm not going to give up on them now. You guys should be friends, considering all you've been through. No matter how minor, you both have done something for the other. But you repay each other with fury instead of gratitude. Now Dad, I want you to tell me and Link, why you hate him so much."
Talon shot Link a look and said, "It's not that I hate him, I just..." his voice trailed off, then he picked it up again, "I really dislike him. I don't trust him. Believe me, I know what's inside a man's head - and so I should, being one myself - and I know he can't be trusted. If I were in his shoes, as famous and rich as he is, I wouldn't be trustworthy. I'd be full of myself. He can have anything he wants, and he knows it. I just don't want him to take advantage of you. I love you too much to lose you to him."
Link had been leaning back in his chair, but now he sat bolt upright and cried, "Take advantage of her? By Farore, man, what is wrong with you? I was married to the queen, and I gave that up for your daughter! Doesn't that tell you something? If I were like you say, I'd jump at the chance to be Crown Prince. But I have enough decency to follow my heart and not break Malon's, and marry for love! I'm not Darvin!"
Talon reeled as though he had been slapped, "Don't insult Darvin! He's my best friend's son, so he's like my son! Insult him and you insult me!"
Malon interrupted here to say, "Dad, I don't want to take sides, but I've got to go with Link on this one. Darvin is a stuck up jerk, and I wouldn't have married him if you hadn't made me. You know that's true, and denying it isn't going to change the fact. He isn't like you at all, he's horrible, and I'm glad he's out of my life. Given the choice between him and a rabid dog for a husband, I'd be inclined to go for the mutt. He's one of the biggest pigs in the world, second only to Ganon himself!"
Talon grumbled, "Fine, maybe you're right... alright, I know you're right. But that doesn't change the fact that Link would betray you in an instant. He betrayed his own family by running back to the forest, and he betrayed the forest all those years ago when he killed-"
Link stood up and roared, "I DID NOT KILL THE DEKU TREE! DO NOT ACCUSE ME OF THAT!"
Malon grabbed him and pulled him back into his chair, saying, "Link, calm down, please! You're not making this easy."
He was breathing hard as he snarled, "Sorry, but your father isn't making this easy either. That is totally not true and he knows it."
Talon looked at him and said mildly, "See that? The boy can't even control his temper. Really, it's not his fault he can't stay loyal to anybody. Look at his father! He comes from a long line of-"
"Dad!" cried Malon, "You are missing the point of this! Link hasn't done any of the things you said he's done! Now, really, you should be grateful to him! He's saved you more times than I can count."
"Well, I can count the number of times he's saved me. Twice, at the most."
"Dad, I can't let you flat out insult him like that. You're just accusing him of empty rumours. You know that everything he's ever done has been justified. He's the greatest hero in Hyrule. He's a legend! You're the only person who doesn't like him. If he wasn't trustworthy, why in Din's name would the goddesses make him the Hero of Time?"
"You're being naive."
Malon wanted to scream. She was beginning to think that her father was a lost cause, and she had no choice but to give up on him and let him see the light soon enough. He would have to realize one of two things: that Link wasn't so bad, or that he'd lost his daughter.
Just as Malon was about to leave, Talon said, "Hey, where'd Link go?" Sure enough, the Hero of Time had disappeared, and Malon could guess where he was. The same place he always went to think.
"Dad, I'll be right back. You can wait up for me if you have more to say, but I'm done talking to you."