Link eyed Zelda's room and let out a sigh. He just had to time it right, wait for the gap between patrols, make his move. Link had done so a good amount of times before but there was something at the back of his mind that made him nervous.

There was nothing to be nervous about, though. Unless he made a blatant mistake - which he had never ever done before - everything would be all right. How come he had never done a mistake before? Was he just really lucky? What if his luck had run out now? What if he shot the clawshot just a little bit out of the way and ended flat on a wall?

Well, then he would climb it. The heck.

The guards passed each other, greeting and making witty remarks that lasted the second they had before parting ways. A gap.

The next time the guards passed under Link, he was hidden in between solid stone, standing like a weird vigilante on the roof. The wind moved his bangs every other way and Link closed his eyes trying to catch a quick nap - and to control his beating heart - before the lights in Zelda's room were off.

Link hadn't really stopped to think about why Zelda had asked him to come today. He had been only too eager to comply and only now, seconds - minutes? - before actually going into her room was he questioning things.

He never really questioned her. Nor his decisions when they involved her.

Link was sure Midna would understand. It was the same feeling Midna had experiencied back in the fight against Ganondorf and the reason she had sent Link and Zelda far far away from the battle.

In the same way that now Link wanted to send Zelda far far away from the Castle.

Link opened his eyes and the only light shining in front of him was the sole light of a nightstand.

Link did it in a breath, before he could think any more, before he could let his worrys make him doubt his clawshot or his luck or that maybe the guards today would decide to change his routines or maybe Zelda had forgotten about today and Link would spend the night outside her window.

The moment Link set foot on her balcony, as soon as he knocked on her window, Zelda appeared behind curtains. A mess of light and gold and blue that made Link blink a couple of times before registering-

Link was entering Zelda's room.

"I was afraid maybe you'd forgotten." Zelda was a flurry of movements. Her room was dimly lit and the moon was doing little to help, her hair was loose - the first time Link had ever seen it that way - and her robe made her feel oddly coy. Was it too brash to ask Link to enter? Maybe she should wait for him to step inside? Wouldn't they then have to wait far too long? What if she grabbed his arm and made him move?

Link stepped inside and could feel some sort of tension coming from Zelda, she was avoiding his look and - oh, now that she was without heels she wasn't that much taller than him - her hair flowed with the air coming in. "Close that, you'll catch a cold."

Link gave a couple of steps more inside and waited. He had no idea where anything was, and he was sure that moving to his own devices inside Her Highness' accomodations was breaking a couple of rules.

Zelda could feel the air cooling her face and the moment she closed the window and turned to see Link she let out a smile borne out of nervousness and shyness.

"What?" Link asked, letting a smile cover his face, "You doubted I could make it?" he decided to forget his own doubts along the way.

Zelda waved her hand, controlling herself, "Of course not, I would never doubt your abilities." Link smiled to the ground. "It's just," Zelda walked to him, "thanks for coming."

Oh, Link cocked his head, so she had doubted he would want to do it.

"Hey," Link called, "What are friends for?"

Zelda sat at the end of her bed, "Please have a seat," she motioned to her bed, "I would move us to the first room," the darkness only helped Link to make out the lines of a table in the room annexed to where they were, "but it would be suspicious for me to go there at this time of night, which leaves us with only this piece of space."

Which meant her bed. Link swallowed, "Yeah, uh," Link sat on the floor, looked up at Zelda, "I'd like to take the floor, if it doesn't bother you?"

Zelda shook her head, rearranged her robes and sat next to him. Link was trying to argue that she ought to take her own bed, but Zelda would rather have her eyes level with thim, and there was no going back on that. "I heard you're training Gabe?"

Link had an argument still on his throat but he gulped it down, "Yes. Yes, I am, he's really dilligent about our classes." Link remembered Gabe's chubby face breathing heavy and gaining color, "Cade?" he asked.

Zelda nodded, "He's really happy you kept your promise."

Link frowned, "Gabe?"

A laugh, "No, Cade. He may not look like it but he's starting to like you."

Link opened his eyes and nodded, confused. "Doesn't look like it, but I'll trust you, I guess."

Zelda laughed, a strand of her hair was in front of her face and she put it behind her ear. "I also heard people are sending their requests to Telma for you to look at them?"

At this Link looked really curious, "Is Ashei feeding you information?"

"You are really popular, Sir Link."

Link squinted, "Telma?"

Zelda thinned her lips, waited for him to keep going.

Link looked to his right a second, trying to find the culprit, "No way it's Robert, is it?"

Zelda smiled, making her nose wrinkle and her eyes shine, "I heard it from Mina, actually."

Link frowned, "Who?" he asked, before he could think about the impoliteness of it.

"One of my maids," answered Zelda, and Link could see mischief behind her eyes.

"One of your maids?" Link could tell he had fell right on her trap thanks to the glint that shone on her face.

"Yup, I have plenty of maids, but I have three that take care of everything regarding me," she raised a hand, "Rose, Mina, and Leela."

And Link could feel his jaw go slack, "Leela?"

Zelda hid her smile and there was a gleam Link could only feel entranced by that made him open his mouth in shock, "You-"

Zelda held her hand up in surprise, "I what, Sir Link?"

Link shook his head, trying to see whether he was more amused, shocked or amazed by this. All three, he decided. "You mean princess! I can't believe you did what you just did!"

Zelda had her hand on her mouth, trying to control her belly laughs.

"Who told you!?"

"Oh, Link, Leela is just very enamored by you and she spends plenty of time with me." Zelda brought a nonexistant strand of hair behind her ear. "I think she also wanted to make me jealous."

Link felt his smile freeze and the room was way darker than just a second before, Zelda wouldn't look him in the eye and Zelda's bed felt rock hard to his back. "Did it work?"

Zelda bit the inside of her cheek, "You-" she laughed.

"I what, princess?"

"You mean Hero!"

Zelda was tired and Link would loathe to be a cause of stress to her, "When do you usually go to sleep?"

Zelda blinked, trying to shoo her sleep away, "Twelve at night," she confessed, and immediatly added, "sometimes one in the morning."

"If you're being daring," Link joked. He stood, "Anyway, it's past your bedtime, Princess."

Zelda grabbed Link's hand, "You wake up earlier than me, if anything it's past your bedtime."

Link lingered with his fingers, and felt his heart bursting out when Zelda's hand stayed in his too.

"Well, what will you tell everyone tomorrow that asks why you are so tired?"

Zelda could feel her hands start to sweat, "When will you come see me again?"

"Tomorrow sounds good?"

"Sounds perfect."

"So you really should sleep, okay?"

Zelda nodded. Link had every intention of moving, of letting his hand fall from hers, but there was too little will left in him to do so, so he only glanced around and the papers on Zelda's nightstand caught his eyes. "What is it you're reading?"

Zelda brought her hand back with a jerk and her face told Link she regretted it immediatly, "Nothing," she whispered.

Link stood there, his hand awfully empty, "That's all right," he brought the clawshot to his lap, "Is tomorrow still happening?" he couldn't look Zelda in the eye.

And Zelda could see that, "Yes, please."

Link nodded, walked to the window, "See you tomorrow, then," his back was to her and Link could still feel the shame of being nosy washing over him.

Zelda clasped her hands together, "Link." He stopped but didn't turn. "I'll tell you tomorrow, all right? Just-" Zelda wanted to keep their time together simple and nice, "just-"

Link looked back at her, a slight smile on his face, "You know, since I can't take you to Ordon maybe we could settle on Telma's?" Zelda was still trying to come with excuses. "She wants to meet you, too." And she didn't need them. "What do you think?"

"That would be lovely."

Link smiled and disappeared in the dark.

I talk too little in here, and I still don't know whether that's good or bad. But I want you to know that you guys are great and your comments make me want to keep on writing on schedule.