Zelda was holding her stomach, laughing as Liana told a story from her childhood. It seemed that her go-to was teasing Link, and both had enough stories to go on for hours.
"He thought he was so clever, stealing that sand seal. He had no idea it was totally untamed. It was having none of it. It just rolled over, right on top of him as he tried to get a harness on it." She was wiping away tears, laughing into her cup of wine. "I had to leave him there to find Tauma. I couldn't move it!"
"Because you were laughing so hard." Link added with a huff.
Tauma joined in, rolling her eyes. "He had been there nearly fifteen minutes. The sand seal had fallen asleep. We were only able to move it with food. Lazy seal…"
Saula made a grand gesture with her hands. "Your future king. Tamer of sand seals."
This caused Liana to descend even further into her laughing fit, and Zelda nearly choked on her wine.
"Yes. It was hysterical. I'm much better with the seals now." Link was smiling ruefully, sipping his wine.
As Link had promised, the party had picked up after the sun had set. Their table saw a constant rotation of visitors, each stopping to drink and eat and laugh. Zelda had long ago lost track of how much wine and food she had consumed, and Liana had dragged her off to dance on more than one occasion.
It was a strange thing to dance mostly unchoreographed steps, and without men. The women swayed and jumped to the music, winding around as they felt the beat. Zelda had returned once more, arm in arm with Liana, breathing heavy from the dance. Link was telling another story of Liana's escapades, and Saula seemed utterly horrified at the tale.
"Liana once thought she could slip by Tauma to try on the Thunder Helm. That lasted about 3 minutes. The thing was huge on her, and Tauma watched her walk straight into one of the walls. Liana thought she couldn't be seen for some ridiculous reason."
"I had to pay to get the dent removed myself. Every time someone walked into the throne room until it was repaired they were faced with the damaged heirloom." Liana groaned in embarrassment. "Saula made me stand beside it all day every day and explain to everyone who entered that I dented an ancient Gerudo treasure."
Link was laughing now, and Zelda found that the sound of it was contagious. She tried to hide her laughter behind her cup, failing miserably.
"Qu'vaiisa plays innocent, but only a few weeks ago she nearly took off my head swinging around a spear!" Liana pointed an accusatory finger.
"No no!" Zelda shook her head, raising her hands in feigned innocence. "If there were any catastrophes, it's only because your teaching skills were not sufficient."
Liana looked on in mock horror, and Link burst into laughter. Even Tauma's stoic exterior managed to crack for a brief moment.
"Why did you even give her a spear?!" Link tried to seem horrified between bouts of laughter.
"Your little Qu'vaiisa is a fighter. She's fast! I thought she would be able to whirl it around, but it's certainly not her strong suit."
Link looked at Zelda, raising a brow, but she only shrugged. "I'm better with a bow, it seems." She felt him shift beside her, and his fingers found hers under the table. He was watching her, gauging her reaction and seeking permission.
Zelda felt it was probably the wine, but she let him. The secrecy of the gesture made heart quicken, and she had to look away from him to keep her composure. She felt his fingers wind their way between hers, and she closed her hand around his. Around them, the world carried on as if nothing was happening.
Liana was arguing with Tauma, trying to convince her to dance, but the guard was not giving in.
"Tauma never has any fun! She just hauls her claymore around all day and stares at people!"
"It's my job."
"That's debatable." Liana shot back. The two bickered on.
"Do you want to head in?" Link's voice caught Zelda's attention, and she turned to him. He was smiling a bit sleepily at her. "We can sneak away while Liana is distracted. Otherwise, there's no telling when she will let us go."
He did have a point. Nearly every time they had tried to sneak off Liana had stepped in, requesting Zelda dance or Link refill their cups. It was now well past three in the morning, and Zelda could feel herself fading fast. She was not well equipped enough to party for a week straight with the Gerudo.
She nodded, and Link slipped his fingers from hers before standing. He gave a sly wave to his mother before leading Zelda down the steps of the platform, away from Liana's fading argument. They arrived in their chambers after weaving their way through the packed square. Zelda swayed on her feet, the wine making her head swim. It seemed to have the same effect on Link, though, and he took an uneasy step forward, holding out his hand.
"Will you stay with me? Not in any sort of, you know, improper way. I would just enjoy your company." He averted his eyes, clearing his throat awkwardly.
Zelda felt the nervousness in her stomach once again. She had stayed with him while he was injured, and he with her when she was scared, but this seemed far more intimate. She knew it would be wildly inappropriate for a princess, and she could practically hear her sisters gasping at the scandal. Despite all that though, no part of her wanted to say no. She said nothing, opting instead to reach out and take his hand. He didn't move at first, as if surprised it even happened, but then he turned, pushing open the wide doors of his bedroom and leading her in.
She laughed, trying to ease his tension. "It's okay. I didn't think I was being taken advantage of."
He smiled over his shoulder, turning to face her before stepping closer and unweaving her hair from the gold tiara she had been wearing. His brow creased, and she watched the concentration play across his face while he combed his hands through her hair, brushing it until smooth. His gaze shifted, and he began to remove the rings and bracelets she wore with slow, deliberate hands.
Before Zelda knew what she was doing, her fingers were grazing his stomach, then pulling at the clasp on his chest. She undid it, sliding the pauldron off before tracing her fingertips down his forearm. She turned his wrist up, intoxicated fingers fumbling with the buckles securing the bracer. When she finally removed it, she had gained the courage to meet his gaze.
He was watching her, a mixture of fear and awe on his face.
"Zelda…" it was barely a whisper, but she swore there was a sadness to it. He was pleading with her. He so rarely called her by her name, the sound of it shocked her. It made her stomach knot, and her breath caught in her throat. She swallowed her nervousness, refusing to look away.
She felt his fingers graze the backs of her arms, moving upward to wind themselves in her hair. He continued to watch her, and she could tell he was lost somewhere in his own thoughts, considering his next move. It didn't take him long to make up his mind. He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. She tried to steady her breath, not reveal the racing of her heart. Link, on the other hand, seemed relaxed. He exhaled slowly, and Zelda could almost taste the sweetness of the wine on this breath. She took it in, feeling the way his proximity warmed her, reveling in it, letting it soothe her.
They stood like that for a long time before he opened his eyes, watching her once more. He unwound his fingers from her hair and stood straighter before moving to a tall chest across the room. Inside, he pulled a white shirt from a hook. Zelda recognized it as the one he wore the night she first met him. He returned to her, pulling the shirt over her dress and helping her push her arms through the sleeves. With a quick movement, he reached to the back of her neck and unclasped the choker around her neck, releasing the dress. It fell in a puddle around her feet, the heavy gold falling to the floor with a thud. She stepped out, slipping her hand into his before sitting on the bed.
The noise from the party raged on as they settled themselves under the blankets. Zelda wasn't sure if it was Link, or the wine, but she felt woozy with contentment. Her eyes were heavy, and everything felt slow and warm around her.
"Do you feel like you belong here?" Link finally said. He was studying her hand, turning it over and gazing at each finger, meticulous.
"I do. I feel more myself here than I ever did anywhere else."
Link kissed her fingertips then, working his way along, stopping only to speak between each. "A fortune teller once told me you would be like the desert." He kissed another finger. "She said it was beautiful and dangerous."
Zelda swallowed hard, wondering when she had become so breathless. "I'm not either of those things." She whispered.
Link slid an arm under her head, moving her to rest on his shoulder before wrapping his free arm around her.
"You are both. More than you know."
He was quiet then, and Zelda heard his breathing become slow. She closed her eyes, sure that no nightmare would visit that night.
Zelda stretched out under the thin blanket, her legs tangled in the fabric.
"You slept in late."
She opened her eyes, following the quiet drum of Link's voice. He was leaning against an archway across the room, his back to her. His arms were crossed, though he seemed relaxed as he watched the desert below.
Zelda could hear the wind shifting the sands; the only sound as the city beneath them was uncharacteristically quiet.
"You did not, as always." She was trying to act calm, though the memory of last night came rushing back. She felt her face redden at the thought, and she found herself grateful his back was to her.
"I know. No matter how hard I try." He turned, smiling at her. "I always liked the day of Gentleness." He crawled across the bed, and Zelda had to look away. There was something in the way he moved that made her heart pound lately.
He laid beside her, closing his eyes and pushing the hair from his face. "Is it strange that we are the only two people in this city waking up with a member of the opposite sex?"
"I suppose. I have never really thought of it that way. I guess I'm still not used to the thought. Maybe I never thought of you as different?"
He laughed, turning to look her way. "Is that a compliment?"
"Well, it's not an insult." She joined in, laughing along.
"We may as well enjoy the quiet that comes with the last day of the festival. It will be the only quiet we have for a while."
She sighed, considering the schedule of events before them. "Mira's wedding will be exhausting. Though your birthday after that will be exciting."
"One last section of the desert to search as well. Then your birthday."
They both left the last part unspoken. Her birthday also meant their wedding, and though Zelda couldn't deny Link made her feel something, she wasn't exactly sure it would qualify for marriage. She barely understood it herself.
"Lets focus on one thing at a time." He smirked, and Zelda got the sense he was about to make some sort of joke only he found funny. "First you'll have to drag me through the freezing temperatures of Hyrule."
"It will hardly be that cold. Maybe a little rain. I'm sure you will survive."
"I will for you."