Crazy For You by Alexandra Spears

Webmistress' Note: DO NOT email me regarding Alexandra Spears. I REFUSE to forward ANY correspondence to her, she is NOT interested in Zelda anymore, she will NOT respond so any letters so please do not waste your time. I am sorry if this sounds harsh but just because I host her stories does not mean I talk to her anymore. Any emails sent to me regarding her will promptly be deleted.

NOTE: This is for LinkWorshiper, who encouraged me to write something like this! Who woulda thought I would be writing something like this? And any flames will be used to burn copies of stories I don't like. :)

"Oh, sorry...." The blond-haired young man sat up straight on the couch, breathing heavily. "I guess we shouldn't be alone together too often or something will happen too soon."

Princess Zelda sat up next to him, ran her fingers through her long golden hair and straightened her dress. "I don't mean to chase you off, Link...it's just that we're not married yet...."

"Hey, it's okay, Zelda," said Link as he sat facing her, one leg bent and resting on the cushion, the opposite foot touching the floor. "I don't want to do anything to dishonor you, or myself." He touched her cheek. "Next month, though, when we're married...you'd better not stop me." He grinned to show that he was teasing.

"Well, I'm going to go to Lon Lon Ranch to give Epona some exercise...and cool down," said Link as he straightened his green cap and combed his fingers through his unruly bangs. "What?"

"To look is free...but you're the only girl I've ever kissed, and the only girl I ever will kiss," Link told her. "She can look but she can't touch. I like her okay, as a friend...but that's it. Same with Saria."

"I'm not worried about Saria...you two are like brother and sister, and I don't mind that," Zelda admitted. "After all she is a fellow Sage and everything...."

"I'm just glad you didn't forget me even after sending me back to my childhood. I like being in love with you," said Link as he stood up.

Zelda stood up, and Link took her into his arms and hugged her tightly, running his fingers through her hair. She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, and he smiled softly and caressed her cheek and temple lightly and kissed the top of her head.

"It's okay, Zel. I'm sure I'd be jealous if some guy was flirting with you. Honestly, you're the girl for me, honey...that ring I gave you last week says it all." He kissed her lips lightly. "Well, Epona awaits."

Malon was standing idly when Link came riding in on Epona. Unconsciously she ran her fingers through her bright red hair. "Hi, Link," she said, smiling brightly.

"Um, sure...okay...." Link dismounted Epona and followed Malon into the stable. He had to admit that she was a pretty girl...but he thought Zelda was prettier. He liked Malon as a friend.

Link leaned up against the wall and waited. His eyes widened when Malon wound her arms around his neck. "Link...what is there between you and Zelda?" she asked softly, kissing his cheek. "I heard a silly rumor that you were engaged to her." She giggled.

"Um...that's not a rumor...that's a fact. I asked her to marry me last week and she said yes."

"Link, how could you? I love you!" Malon sobbed as she hugged him. "Why are you going to marry her? Why not me? Don't you like me...even a little?"

"I like you, yeah...but not romantically," Link protested. "You're a good friend, Malon, and I appreciate that."

"Maybe you could learn to love me," Malon said desperately, still clinging to him. "Please, Link!"

Link almost felt sorry for her. He wanted to hug her--but that would not be the smartest move at this point. He sighed. "Malon, please let go of me," he pleaded.

Malon sighed and let go of him, letting her arms drop to her sides. Then she brought a hand up to her face and started to cry.

Link was at a loss. He never wanted to hurt anyone--that was not his intention. But he and Zelda were in love, and that was that. "Malon--"

"Link if you marry her I will kill myself," Malon whispered, her voice trembling. "I promise you that."

Link closed his eyes and sighed. Now what was he to do? "Malon...I think I should be going," said Link hastily. "Let me think about this."

"All right," said Malon, wiping her eyes. She obviously took it to mean that Link would soon be hers, that he would be breaking up with Zelda. "I love you, Link."

Link just smirked at her a little as he left the stable. Malon dried her eyes on her yellow scarf and started walking over to the obstacle course.

Malon whirled around, startled. "Who are you?" she asked. She saw a tall, red-haired man, obviously a Gerudo, wearing all black. There was something about him that she could not quite put her finger on....

"I am Mr. Dragmire," said the man. He walked over to Malon. "Such a pretty young girl...left by the handsome young man she loves. You know, Malon, Link's only trying to get status. That's why he wants to marry a princess rather than a ranch girl."

"I like you," said Mr. Dragmire. "A lot. I've had my eye on you for some time now...but I know you like Link." He sighed. "However, since I like you so much, I am willing to help you. Why not use me to make him jealous?"

A slow smile spread across Malon's features. Her blue eyes twinkled. "Yes. Let's show Link what he's missing out on!" she said. "What's your full name?"

Link rode Epona at full speed to the Lost Woods. Leaving the horse just outside the entrance to the Kokiri Village, Link sauntered into the village and made his way into the Lost Woods--and the Sacred Forest Meadow. He needed to talk to someone and he felt that it might be useless to speak with Zelda--even though she was the Sage of Wisdom.

Saria, the Sage of Forest, was sitting on the steps at the entrance to the Forest Temple. "Link! How good to see you!" she said when she saw Link hookshot his way up.

"No...but Malon wants us to," Link told her. "She's even threatened to kill herself if I don't call off my and Zelda's engagement and marry her instead. I don't want to be responsible for her death, Saria!"

"You wouldn't be responsible," Saria told him as she sat on a swing made from vines and starting swinging back and forth a little. Saria looked only ten years old but she had a wisdom beyond her years that very few knew about. The green-haired Kokiri girl loved to play as much as the next child, but she also had a role to play as a Sage. "Link, you are free to fall in love with and marry any woman you want. Personally I think Malon's just trying to manipulate you."

Saria swung back and forth, back and forth. "We all have choices to make in life, and if Malon chooses to end her life, that is her choice. She needs to realize that she can't use threats to get what she wants. No matter whom you choose, Link, the other girl will be hurt. I know you don't want to hurt anyone, but that's a fact of life. If she does kill herself it's not your fault--it's her fault for not coping with it and moving on. Not to mention it's a pretty selfish act."

Link sighed and sat against the tree she was swinging from. "I know Zelda's jealous...she suspects that Malon is in love with me."

"Well, I'm gonna go tell Malon that no matter what she does, she can't ever break up Zelda and me," said Link. "I just hope she's bluffing."

"No problem. As I always tell you, Link, I will always be your friend," Saria said as she stopped the swing. She stood up and gave Link a hug, which he returned. "You're like a big brother to me...you used to be like a little brother!"

Link had to crack a smile at that. "Well, I have to go...and I'll see you later. Thanks again!"

Saria watched as her friend hurried out of the Sacred Forest Meadow. She loved Link in her own way, that of a good and loyal friend. If she were an adult she wouldn't mind marrying Link herself were he available. But she wasn't jealous--rather, she was happy for him.

"Good luck," Saria murmured as she turned and went into the temple. "I have a feeling you may need it."

Link rode Epona back to Lon Lon Ranch and saw a very familiar black horse there. Looking across the ranch, he saw two figures over at the west end, sitting down together. His blue eyes widened.

He slapped Epona's flank and went around the track, up to the two figures. "Malon, what are you doing with that guy!?" he exclaimed, seeing his arch-nemesis, Ganondorf Dragmire. He cared enough about Malon not to want to see her with someone such as Ganondorf!

"Hello...Link," Ganondorf said, his voice a low, happy growl. "I was just visiting my girlfriend here."

"Care to tell me why?" Malon asked coyly as Ganondorf put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. She tilted her head up and Link watched, disgusted, as the two shared a kiss.

Malon let out a silvery little laugh. "I believe you're jealous, Link. You shouldn't have dumped me, you know."

Link was frustrated. Only he, Zelda, and the Sages knew what had happened in that other timeline. Link and the Sages were destined to banish Ganondorf to the Evil Realm one day soon. Malon did not remember that other time, obviously. Therefore she could not know how evil he was. But when Link tried to explain it to her, she took it as Link being jealous! "Just trust me on this, Malon," he said. He glared at Ganondorf. "I'm outta here."

Ganondorf chuckled as Link rode off on Epona. "I believe he is jealous. One day I will give him something to be jealous about...but that will depend on you, my dear."

"No, no...don't forget him, at least not for long," said Ganondorf. He leaned in for another kiss. "I bet I'm a better kisser than Link...."

"I wouldn't know, I've never kissed him," Malon said, her voice sounding bitter.

"Link, what in Hyrule has you so upset?" Zelda asked later that evening as she and Link sat in the den, reading together.

"Apparently they're a couple," said Link. "I tried to warn Malon but she took it as me being jealous! She has no idea how evil he is."

"Like what? She's obviously hooked on him, and I know he has to be using her for something. I just wonder what it is."

"I never thought that could be so wonderful...," Malon murmured as she and Ganondorf lay together in the hay in the stable that night.

"I know...I proceeded rather rapidly...but I just had to have you. Now imagine what it will be like when it's Link lying here instead of me...."

"I don't get it...you just made love to me...and you want me to imagine Link doing the same thing?"

"As I said I care deeply for you. That means I want you to be happy," Ganondorf told her. "See, I never cared much for the princess types...."

"Just because I run a ranch...," Malon said bitterly. "What does Zelda have that I don't have? Besides a crown and a rich father?"

"I know this sounds horrible...but sometimes I wish Zelda would die or something," Malon admitted.

"You're only saying what you feel," Ganondorf assured her. "Until you have Link in your possession, I should do for now. And as for Zelda dying...well...that can be arranged...."

"Perhaps. Unless you don't want to...you know, as long as she is around, you won't have a chance at all of having Link as your husband. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if she used some kind of love spell on him to keep him with her."

"It was only a thought, my dear," said Ganondorf. "Only a thought. Perhaps we should go up to your bed...?"

"Well...my father's probably bunking out in Kakariko Village again...I don't know where Ingo is...all right...."

Ganondorf carried Malon up to her bed, smiling oh-so-gently. His plan might succeed. If Zelda were to be killed, the other Sages would be unable to contain him in the Evil Realm eventually. He would make himself King of Hyrule. He considered making Malon his queen--that is, after he killed Link and got the Triforces of Courage and Wisdom from him and Zelda.

Yes, it was a good plan. He'd sensed a disturbance in Malon, one he could exploit.

The next morning, Malon woke up in her own bed, and she was alone. She sat up, blinking, and found herself naked. Her eyes widened. Had she really done what she thought she'd done last night?

A glance at the small amount of blood on the insides of her thighs confirmed it. "I can't believe I let him...seduce me!" she murmured. "How could I have let him? I wanted my first time to be with Link!"

"This is all that Zelda's fault!" Malon cried as she threw on a robe and set about getting a wooden bathtub ready. "If it weren't for her, I would be marrying Link and I wouldn't have started up with Ganondorf to make him jealous and I wouldn't be in this situation! That--that witch!"

A voice in her head reminded her that she'd thrown caution and everything else to the wind and that part of it was her fault, but she quickly silenced the mental voice. It was Zelda's fault, Zelda's! Her fault for being a princess. How in the world had Link met up with her anyway? It was like one day he'd meandered from the Kokiri village and introduced himself to her--which she found odd.

What she did not know was that Link and Zelda had been in love with each other in an alternate time, and that they remembered that other time. Malon and Zelda had both been Link's playmates the past seven years and she'd known that they'd had a crush on her, but Malon had hoped that he'd outgrow it--which he hadn't. If anything their feelings for each other had grown stronger, and looking back she could see that. Good old hindsight.

Malon looked in the mirror that was above the dresser and studied her reflection. What could Link possibly see in Zelda? Malon herself had a cute heart-shaped face, bright blue eyes, and brilliant red hair. Zelda, on the other hand, was your run-of-the-mill blue-eyed blonde. Zelda was a princess, but Malon thought herself to be sweet and innocent.

Innocent? Remembering that she'd given that up last night, Malon let out a cry and smashed her tiny fist into the mirror, cracking it and leaving the thinnest rivers of blood on her knuckles. Well, she'd get Link into her arms one way or another, and it would all be worth it if Ganondorf could help her. He seemed to want Link and Malon to be together. Surely Link, being the nice young man that he was, would forgive her last night's activities with Ganondorf.

Link decided not to visit the ranch so often. Still he was concerned about his friend Malon and he and Zelda both wondered what Ganondorf had in store.

It was about a week later, and Zelda was having wedding invitations written up. "Zelda...I'm not so sure if it would be a good idea to invite Malon," Link said as he pulled up a chair to the table where she was writing her list and straddled it, resting his elbows on the table.

Zelda sighed and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. "The way she's been acting, I think you may be right," Zelda agreed. "She's been so unstable this past week, I've seen it every time she accompanies her father on his deliveries to the castle. She just glares at me like she hates me. And that Ganondorf has been hanging around the ranch so much...he is up to something, Link, I just know it!"

"I like Malon as a friend. She just has to get used to the fact that it is you and only you I love, and that it's you I want very much to marry," Link said as he touched Zelda's hand. "I love you, Zelda, and no matter what she does, that will never change."

It was now a few days before Link and Zelda's wedding. Malon's anger grew more with each passing day, and it was fed with the things Ganondorf was saying and suggesting.

Ganondorf had been coming around quite a lot, and oftentimes he and Malon had passionate nights together. Malon enjoyed those nights but she still wanted Link.

That day, Ganondorf was standing there, watching as Malon talked to the horses. "You know, Malon, you could kill Zelda yourself," he told her as he approached her.

"I just want to talk to Link and Zelda together, right here," said Malon as she snuggled her face into the mane of one of the horses. She looked pretty upset about something, Ganondorf noted. That could be good. This past month he'd been putting ideas into her head, subtly turning her over to his way of thinking.

"That would be a good idea. I will kill Zelda for you. You could deny even knowing," smiled Ganondorf.

"Yes. You want Zelda out of the way. Her death is the only way you can capture Link's heart," Ganondorf insisted. "So long as she lives, Link will want her, but not for herself, but rather because she's of royal birth."

Malon hugged the horse more tightly. In a few days Link and Zelda would be married, and the thought of Link making love to Zelda was nearly enough to drive her insane. She wanted Link's arms around her. She did not want him even looking at Zelda, much less....

"I'll have Ingo give them the message," said Malon. Right after she said that she ran behind the house and threw up on the ground, startling some of the Cuccos that were there. She wasn't sure if this was due to the thought of Link giving himself to Zelda--or the news she'd received earlier that day.

Thinking about the latter, she figured she wouldn't mind killing Zelda herself--or at least giving her a good working-over with Ganondorf's help. It was Zelda's fault she was in this whole mess.

Link and Zelda were sitting in the courtyard that afternoon, kissing passionately while taking a little break from the wedding preparations. Zelda felt Link's hand inching up her ribcage and she stopped it gently.

"Those three days are going to go by so slow!" Link said, playfully sticking his lower lip out. "But you're more than worth waiting for, Zellie."

They looked up when they heard a guard hesitantly clearing his throat. "Your Highness, a message from Lon Lon Ranch," he said.

Zelda stood up, and the guard handed her the message, bowed, and left the courtyard. Link got to his own feet and stood behind her, reading over her shoulder. "So--Malon wants to talk to us and apologize?" he said. "Maybe she's finally over it."

"Well, let's go over there," said Link. "I hope she's also got rid of Ganondorf. He's nothing but trouble. Everytime I try to tell her that she's convinced that I'm jealous."

"I hope she's over it. I'd hate to think that she hates either of us," said Zelda. "I feel sorry for her but she has to face it and move on. It's not like we hurt her on purpose."

Malon and Ganondorf were waiting near the obstacle course when Link and Zelda rode in on Epona. "I thought she got rid of you," Link snarled at Ganondorf as he and Zelda dismounted the horse.

Malon marched straight up to Zelda and without any warning drew her hand back and slapped her hard across her face. Link shoved Malon away. "Malon--what is with you!" he cried as he comforted Zelda, whose nose was bleeding. "You not only struck my fiancee--you struck the Princess of Hyrule!"

Ganondorf merely laughed at this little spectacle. "Maybe I should let you kill her, Malon," he grinned.

"You will do no such thing!" snapped Link as he held Zelda's handkerchief to her nose to stop the bleeding. "Not as long as I draw breath!"

"You don't understand, child. I used you. With Zelda gone I can take over Hyrule. I was planning on making you my queen...but you're weak and useless! I never cared if you got with Link or not--I was planning to kill him all along!"

"You bastard!" Malon shrieked. "You just used me--and now I'm pregnant with YOUR child! And you, Zelda--this is all your fault! YOURS!!!" Her voice was rising to a more hysterical pitch with each word. "If you had just kept your eyes off Link and let ME have him, this would never have happened! You selfish bitch!" Her eyes were wild and Link's thought was that the girl was insane.

"You're going to have my child, eh?" asked Ganondorf. He laughed, a low, very amused chuckle.

"I wanted Link's child!" cried Malon. She swiftly bent over and pulled a large knife out of a pocket in her boot.

Link held Zelda protectively. "We have to get out of here," Link told her, sure that Malon planned to use the knife on Zelda--or on him.

"Link won't want me now! I hate you all!" So saying, she took the knife--and plunged it into her own chest before anyone could stop her. Bright red blood spurted from her body.

Zelda gave a short shriek and hid her face in Link's shoulder, her long blonde hair helping to shut out the sight of Malon falling to the ground. Link held her and gazed at Malon's lifeless body, at the blood spilling out of it and onto the ground. "Ganondorf, you bastard," Link said quietly. "I knew you were up to no good." He was furious.

"Bah. She was useless," sneered Ganondorf, using his foot to turn Malon over onto her back. "And as for you two--"

Ganon turned and went to mount his black steed. "Another time, Link and Zelda," he promised as his horse jumped over the northern wall. With Zelda and her magic around, Link could easily best Ganondorf. Not to mention Link was quite a fighter.

Link slowly walked over to Malon's body. The knife had gone clear through her heart; there was no denying that Malon was dead. "I just feel so responsible for this," Link said, tears coming to his eyes.

Zelda went over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, Link," she told him. "Malon was very jealous and she chose to listen to Ganondorf. They used each other, and this was the result."

The next day Malon was buried in Kakariko Village. Talon and Ingo stood near Link and Zelda at the funeral.

"My daughter...I guess she wasn't the girl I thought she was," sighed Talon. "If I'd have spent more time with her...Link, don't blame yourself. She was rather good at manipulating people but I didn't want to see it. It's what killed her."

Link squeezed Zelda's hand tightly, grateful that Malon's father didn't blame him.

Two days later Link and Zelda were married. Malon's death had put only the slightest damper on the celebration.

Before leaving for their honeymoon, Link and Zelda put flowers on Malon's grave, hoping that their former friend would be happy in whatever afterlife there was.