Link had all remaining guests. And Agitha had to be thrilled. The Golden Ball was what she wanted and it was going to happen as soon as possible but it was going to be different. As Link handed her the last one, she announced, "Uwah! All the guests are here!" she looked at link and grinned. "Thank you for all your help, Link! I am proud to present you with this!" She handed him a Giant's wallet. His face lot up with excitement as he accepted her present. Agitha watched him, heart quaking. He looked at her and then spoke, asking her when she would be having her ball. "Ah! Y-Yes... I was thinking right away..." her words were distant. Agitha was going to ask Link if he would be her partner for the ball but he would be going. What was the point?
Only now, much to her surprise, he knelt before her and asked permission to dance with her at her ball, and that it would honor him to no end. Agitha could have been dreaming. With the chiming of 24 golden bugs and glow in the background, the atmosphere of sunset and Link asking her, Agitha could have been dreaming. This was one come true that she thought wouldn't. With her hand extended, she said, "Link, as reward for helping make my golden ball a reality, I give you permission to provide me with your company." she was trying to sound gracious and regal, like a princess should but her star struck tone may have made that idea drift down a river.
Agitha and Link waited until dark to start the Ball. The chime of golden bugs made the ball magical. Butterflies flew in the air, alongside dragonflies, lady bugs, and mantises. Pill bugs twirled along the ground with the ants. Agitha and Link twirled and waltzed and danced around the tree over and over again. Minutes and seconds turned into hours with ease from their laughing. Agitha never took off her smile. She finally felt like a princess. Her heart felt like the butterflies in the air. Link lifted her into the air and she giggled. Her whole body was flooded with happiness. Why couldn't the ball be forever? It looked like Agitha and Link were dancing in a fairy hall and Agitha reveled in it.
They sat together on the couch after a long time. It was into the wee hours of the night now. Most of the bugs had settled. Agitha was so tired. "That was so much fun, Link... Thank you for making this ball happen," she said. Link thanked her for a lovely time. They way he spoke made it sound like he was going to leave. Agitha was sure he would leave. "Wait Link... Don't go yet.." she mumbled out. Agitha was crashing and she was crashing fast. Link said that he wouldn't leave yet. "Do you promise?" she made him swear. He promised. Agitha rested her head against his shoulder. "I only need a few minutes of sleep."
Agitha did end up passing out to the lullaby of grasshopper's chirping and link's steady breathing pattern. She was in a light sleep. Link stayed with her, brushing hair out of her face every so often. Link was proud of her for holding on so long but she was young and sleep was important. She had been asleep for a few hours. He patted her was and then whispered, ever so quietly...
"I'm sorry that Midna was rude to you before."
Agitha heard him. She woke up but didn't move. There was another voice. "Me? Rude? Oh please! I'm the princess with all that burden to carry!" Agitha remembered this voice from somewhere. She just had to think about it...
"Why are we still here? The little cherub princess passed out and you have to go save the real princess!"
Link said quietly, out of common curtesy not to wake Agitha, that he understood but he promised her to stay. "Oh yes, because you're the hero. Making promises as a human by day, saving them as a wolf by night."
Agitha felt something break. A... Wolf? then she knew that voice. From that night, the imp shared that same voice. The imp on the wolf. But, that would mean that Link was... Agitha didn't feel it necessary to yell or be afraid. Link was good. The wolf was good. She was grateful for both of them. It made sense now when Link had asked her if she disliked wolves. Maybe that's why he kept it a secret; maybe if she said she didn't, he wouldn't have saved her as one. Agitha vowed herself and Link that she would carry his secret in her heart forever.
"Look, the clock is-a ticking! It's going to be sun rise soon! Hurry up, Link!" the imp commanded. It wasn't heard from after that. Link grunted. He began to slid out from under her. Agitha figured that she should wake up now. She mumbled loudly. "Link..?" she pretended to have a sleepy voice. Link stopped, realizing that she was awake and apologized for waking her but he had to go now. Link took her small hand in his and thanked her for a very fun time. Link turned and started to the door. He whispered a small goodbye. Her world was moving so slowly once she heard his farewell and Agitha was wide awake at watching him leave, the same grasshopper pitter patter footsteps going as the day he first came into her life. But now he was going. Going to finish his adventure and then settle back into his ordinary life. A life where they hadn't met. At thinking this, Agitha wanted to cry out. Suddenly, Agitha realized she had so much to say still and things she wanted to do with Link. Link was at the door when Agitha ran, quicker then he had ever ran her entire life, and hugged him from behind. He stopped and after a minute of quiet had passed, asked her if she was okay. "Yes! Yes, I'm okay. I just... I just..."
Link had broken out of her hug and was crouching before her. "You know something Link?" Agitha began, "The lady next door to me tell fortunes. A long while ago, she told me that if you tell yourself something over and over, then it's bound to be true. And it's true."
"When you left once before, I was really worried, but I told myself that no matter what, you would be fine. Then you came back again, and you were okay. So I choose to believe in those words and ... I still do now."
"So, even when you say you'll be returning to your life before this adventure, I-," Agitha took in a breath and saw that Link wore a concerned look and then it hit her hard: She was crying. She still spoke despite the feeling if being shaken to her core. "huh? I'm sorry.. I'm being strange but I don't want to think th-that... This goodbye is forever... And that you'll forget all.. All about m-me," Agitha wiped her cheeks on her sleeves and hiccuped. "I want to keep telling my-myself that you'll come back like you always do.. And that-," Agitha couldn't continue and just collapsed to her knees and sobbed out, "I want to be friends with Link forever because.. Because you are my very first friend, Link!"
Agitha hung her head and just let her tears flow harshly down her face. In this moment, Agitha did not feel like a princess. Link didn't do anything for a while. But then lifted her face and smiled at her. He used his thumb to dry her tears. And then he spoke, telling her that a long time ago, a young boy from his village named Colin taught him a lesson in friendship. It was that no matter what, if you believe in a friend, they will always be there when you need them. To Link, Agitha and Colin are both shy but very brave when it comes to friendship and he admired that in her. He looked in her eyes with honesty and courage and then smiled, saying "no goodbyes I ever say last forever."
Agitha clenched her teeth and wrapped her arms round Link's neck, her tears dripping onto his back. Link continued to speak, pulling her into a tight hug, "I promise you, I won't forget about you and that I will come back to visit you once I've settled in back home." Agitha knew Link's words were true. There was no reason for link to lie to her. He was good, he was a hero, he was her friend. The sky began to lighten and Link pulled the small princess in front of him. He asked for one more smile from her before he headed out to finish his journey. Agitha wiped her face once more and smiled as wide as she could said, "Thank you for being my first friend!"
She stepped outside to see Link off. "Be sure to have lots of potions to heal yourself. And when you get tired, rest. And don't forget," she smiled, taking his hands in hers, "You're coming back once you get settled in back home." Link said that maybe he would take her to Ordona one day. "I'll hold you to it, knight of the bug kingdom," Agitha giggled. Link smiled and then began to pull away. "Good luck," she said. And off he went, quick in pace, to end his journey. Agitha held her hands to her chest, still warm from his hands. She noticed sunlight peeking over the rooftops and turned to watch the sun rise.
Agitha had been given a lot of things from Link. He had given her the guests to her first golden ball. He had helped her out of her shell, even if he didn't know it. He had given her smile a reason and a reason to look forward to a new day. He had given her his time and protected her. Agitha would treasure all of these close to her heart but... The gift she would treasure most would be the pride she felt in being his friend.
~~ END ~~
(AN/ ah, and here ends Agitha's Golden Ball. Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me to continue writing this cute little thing that began as a side project. And I want to thank you, my readers. I'm very grateful for your support!(^∇^/ look forward to future fan fictions!)
