Malink

Malink is the het ship between Link and Malon from The Legend of Zelda fandom.

Ocarina of Time
Link first meets Malon in the market. Her father Talon had gone to deliver milk to the castle and has yet to return. Malon comments on Link's appearance and nicknames him "fairy boy". She gives Link a Cucco's egg and asks him to find her father. Overnight, the egg hatches, and Link uses its crows to wake up Talon, who fell asleep by the castle. If Link later visits Malon at Lon Lon Ranch, she introduces him to her favorite horse, Epona, and teaches the song to tame her. Link can also complete a minigame for Talon, in which case he asks Link if he would like to marry Malon. Regardless of how Link responds, Talon says he was only kidding, and that Link is too young for that.

Over the next seven years, while Link is asleep in the Sacred Realm, the ranch hand Ingo takes over Lon Lon Ranch and drives Talon away. Malon, who does not immediately recognize Link, still works at the ranch for fear Ingo will hurt the horses if she doesn't. If Link races Ingo and wins Epona from him, Ingo will have a change of heart and become kinder. Malon thanks Link and allows him to keep Epona. She sets up an obstacle course for Link, and sends a cow to his house if he beats her record. When Link tells Malon his name, she remembers him and admits that she was not sure if it was him before.

Majora's Mask
Like most characters from Ocarina, Malon does not appear in the sequel of Majora's Mask, due to the setting being the alternate universe of Termina. However, Link is in possession of Epona at the start of the game, suggesting he had grown close enough to Malon and Talon since the end of Ocarina to be entrusted with their horse.

Malon has two counterparts in Termina; the sisters Romani and Cremia. Romani takes the form of child Malon, while Cremia is her adult form. Although the connection between the Hylians and their Termanian counterparts is left ambiguous - and would seem to vary based on the characters in question - both Romani and Cremia take an interest in Link. Romani nicknames Link "grasshopper", similar to Malon's "fairy boy" nickname, and enlists his help in protecting her and her cows from alien-like creatures called "Them". If Link visits on the night of the first day, Romani will tell Link he is cute, and if Link visits on the night of the second day, Romani will ask Link to live with them so he can help protect the ranch from future attacks.

Meanwhile, Link can assist Cremia in delivering milk to Clock Town. The first time this quest is completed, Cremia will give Link a mask. However, if Link completes the quest a second time, a scene can occur where Cremia gives Link a hug. Narration states that this makes Link feel "warm and fuzzy" inside.

Oracle of Seasons
Link can meet Malon in a small house north of Horon Village. She will be taking care of a large group of Cuccos and explain that her father Talon left her to take care of them and that she does not know that much about them. This becomes a part of a big trading sequence. Link can obtain a Cuccodex which is a guide book on Cuccos. If he gives it to Malon, she will thank him and give him an egg.

Four Swords Adventures
Link encounters Malon alone on the field out in the rain. The green maiden speaks to him in fairy form and asks him to help her. When Link approaches Malon, she will state that she saw a fairy talking to him and believe that he must have a good heart if a fairy is speaking to him. She explains that the soldiers are firing the cannons and that she cannot make it back home. Link escorts Malon back to Lon Lon Ranch. Afterwards, she and her father Talon thank him and allow him to ride their horses.

Minish Cap
Link first encounters Malon and her father Talon while passing through Lon Lon Ranch. They are both locked out of their house as the key is inside. Link turns into his Minish form and enters their house through a tiny hole. He is able to bring the spare key to them which allows them to get back to their house. Later, Malon takes Epona on a cart to Hyrule Town to sell some milk and Link can buy some from her.

Fanon
Despite Malon being a relatively minor character, she has been one of the most popular fan pairs for Link since the release of Ocarina of Time. This is likely due to Malon being based off of Marin from Link's Awakening, a character with whom the Link in that game shared some romantic chemistry with. Talon's joke that Link should marry Malon, and a gossip stone that states Malon "hopes to be swept off her feet by a knight in shinning armor" both encourage the theory. The scenes between Link and Romani and Cremia in Majora's Mask are also taken by some fans as explicit evidence for the pairing, while others point to the characters in Majora's Mask who seem to greatly diverge from their counterparts in Hyrule as reason to dismiss Romani and Cremia from the conversation entirely.

Hyrule Historia confirmed the popular fan theory that the Link in Twilight Princess is a descendant of the one from Ocarina of Time. As Link had children, and his descendants live on a ranch, it is extremely unlikely he ended up with the other potential matches. Saria and Ruto would likely be unable to bare his children, while a marriage to Zelda is unlikely given that this would make his bloodline royalty. Simultaneously, this also makes it far more likely he ended up with Malon, as she was a Hylian like Link, and a rancher. Twilight Princess Link also knows Epona's Song, something that Malon was taught by her Mother, leaving it possible that the song was passed down the line.

As such, the theory that Link and Malon end up together has become increasingly accepted over the years. While some detractors will argue that Malon is irrelevant to the storyline and that Link could have married any random girl, the confirmation of Twilight Princess Link's ancestry has made it difficult to claim that particular incarnation married Zelda, Ruto, or Saria, thus leaving Malon as the last most likely option. However, Malon remains an extremely minor character in other games, thus making it more dubious to claim the pairing as canon elsewhere.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Link/Malon tag on FanFiction.net
 * Link/Malon tag on FanFiction.net

TUMBLR

Trivia

 * Ilia from Twilight Princess seems to be partly based on Malon, and it is implied that she has a crush on Link.