The first notes of music began drifting through the crowd of voices, intermingling in a soft, soothing background that became more distinct as Cia stepped into the sunken courtyard. The area was awash with color: paper lanterns casting pale shadows that swayed with the light breeze, flowering ivy clinging to the walls and hanging from the lattice walls of the upper balcony that mixed with the summer evening air, and the guests themselves, formal dress in styles from every corner of Hyrule and some beyond generously accented with flashes of jewels.
Cia took a moment to breathe it all in from the edge, eyes closed and hands tracing the swirls of embroidery on her dress, before diving into the crowd. As populated as it was, she flowed through the streams of movement, allowing the energy to infect but not overwhelm her as she wandered, stopping to catch a snatch of conversation here, get a better position to hear a song there.
Aimless as her route first appeared, her intent became clear when she finally looked to the center of the floor. Head inclined a tap upwards and shoulders pushed back, she wove her way forward. She placed herself in a temporary clearing that had shifted in the crowd and waited.
The woman in front of her paused in conversation as the stillness caught in the corner of her eye. The others having quickly excused themselves upon following her gaze, she turned to fully face that way, the precise quarter turn making her hem ruffle as it spun to catch up, before giving the most excited eyes-closed, open mouthed grin.
And suddenly it was as if there were nothing else in the world. The party continued around them, but it was all a blur of color and sound as Cia stared back at the princess.
Then, almost in slow motion it seemed, Zelda stretched out her right hand and gave the tiniest of nods.
Four quick steps were all it took to reach her. The click of her heels echoed as she stopped just within arm's length, fighting to keep herself from launching forward into her. Instead she stared, hands clasped together at her chest. "You look beautiful," she whispered, although in that moment she could have sworn she was hearing her voice come from somewhere else.
In truth, she was stunning. An unadorned black dress, shoulderless with short, ruffled sleeves. Silver jewelry sparkling at her neck, wrists, and one forearm, equally simple but for a few pale blue stones. A single pink-purple flower tucked between the thick curls of her hair. Zelda let out a small laugh, cutting through the warm static of her mind like a set of windchimes. She brought her hand back to kiss the tips of the fingers and extended it forward once more.
A jolt went through Cia, much like those when she channeled her magic, but warming. Instead of pulling from her, it was adding to. She almost missed the next few seconds' cues: the quiet that comes with the pause between sounds, Zelda's questioning and slightly expectant look upwards, even the way the other celebrants were now looking that way. Even as she caught on, Cia still had to fight the feeling that her feet had been stuck to the floor from receiving the gesture. The sweetness of the plants around settled around in a haze with the air refusing to move, and everything fell out of focus as she stumbled trying to get into a proper starting position, a second to late after the next song started.
"You're doing fine, dear." Zelda's voice came, sweet and smooth yet light, echoing the music as she followed with perfect, if a bit posed, steps. Her continued humming, taking care to accentuate the rhythm the dance needed to follow, slowly crept over the other sensations, forcing them back to the background so she could focus.
The song ended, to a scattering of applause and more excited glances from those who had noticed the princess and her partner. Zelda simply bowed her head in acknowledgment, her gaze fully in front of her. It refused to waver even as song after song's worth of slow dancing passed, drawing Cia in as well.
They finally broke as the music picked up to something faster, forcing them further apart than Cia would have liked to move in beat, but the soft, voiceless laughs Zelda gave as they turned in their spot made up for it tenfold. This time, the world refused to fall away, to submit to the enchantment of the moment. Instead, it only became clearer, all as if to celebrate this moment. The music was written to direct them and them alone, currents of breeze from other dancers swaying them to fit perfectly to their movements, lacking even a trace of the hesitation that had been.
At this point, they're the center of attention from those who aren't also caught up in the heat of the movement. The admiration and joy radiating from them feeds Cia to keep moving, but what makes her heart swell so much she fears her chest might burst, a tightness but pleasant and she swears she's literally glowing, how could she not be with this much feeling inside her, is Zelda, her dress shimmering like oil in the light with an intensity that puts the very stars to shame. Zelda, light on her feet even as the next song picks up with barely a pause for breath between. Zelda, smiling and laughing as the tight curls of her hair flow around her, cascading over her shoulders. And then Cia lets one hand go with the tiniest push and watches Zelda spin around under her one upraised arm and in that moment, seconds that feel like even less but are worth more than twice as many hours, she is the world, everything that matters in one spot and here, with her.
Zelda overbalances and tips out of position, but it's hardly noticed as the song ends at that moment. She bows her head for a moment to catch her breath. When it comes up, though, the first time they've been able to cross gazes since beginning that step, she's flushed but her eyes are soft, a single candle light that somehow keeps the intensity of the blaze from before. A flat mouth that barely lasts long enough to register before she's beaming again, throwing her arms open and Cia is practically running towards her, to wrap her arms around her waist and pick her up and spin her around again but so much better because she would be buried in her arms, face pressed against her neck, laughter tickling her ear. She closes her eyes a step away and brings her arms in-
Only to be met with a shock of cool air and nothing else substantial. She manages to balance and turn around in time to watch Zelda fall into a woman's embrace and have the warmth that had been building solidify and shatter like glass inside her. A scream, loud enough to drown out the now echo-y music, lessening more and more until it couldn't be heard over her ragged breaths.
"Stupid…." Cia fell to her knees as the world continued around her, oblivious, some figures even passing through her even as they faded into insubstantial wisps. The scent of flowers and the summer heat lingered on her. Even as the impression submitted to mercy's pleading and left, the memory burned even brighter, a tantalizing mockery of what she could never have. Finally, the images of the courtyard gave way to the bare stone walls and floor of a small room, barely lit with a single candle, although the only thing there to see was the lone Guardian hunched over, her robe slightly dusty now, as she waved a trembling hand over her head, to dismiss the last traces of the magical illusion that was her only link to the outside world.