Chapter 1
"Zelda, are you listening?"
Zelda looked up from her hands, and saw Impa standing inches from her, an aggravated look on her face.
"Sorry Impa, what was that last part?"
Impa sighed, and ruffled Zelda's hair.
"I was saying that a friend of your father's was coming into Hyrule, and I needed your permission to have a dress sent in for the ball being thrown in his honor."
"Of course you have my permission."
Impa nodded, and folded her arms, grinning.
"What?" Zelda folded her arms as well, and stood, trying to look menacing.
"You and that boy…I swear, I knew you two were in love the moment I saw you two together." She laughed.
Zelda narrowed her eyes, and thought that she might just look scary enough, until she felt her face redden.
"Is there anything else you wanted?"
Impa shook her head, trying to contain her laughter.
"I'll leave you to…catch up."
Before Zelda could utter a threat, Impa left her to sulk.
Once Impa had gone, Zelda rushed to her window, climbed out onto the balcony, and looked out. Link was waiting for her in the courtyard, pacing back and forth underneath the shade of a tree.
He's so handsome. Zelda thought as she gazed upon him.
His dark, blonde locks, always untidy stuck out from underneath his green cap. In fact, his tunic was green as well. Green was a good color for Link.
Zelda loved the way that his muscles were very evident, almost a warning label to anyone who wanted to cause him harm.
But what she loved most of all were Link's beautiful, blue eyes. They were very intense, and when she looked into them, she felt as though she were floating.
"Zelda?"
She snapped out of her stare, and realized that Link was staring up at her. Again, her face reddened.
"Link, I was just…coming down!" Zelda called nervously.
She turned, but her foot got caught in the train of her dress, and she found herself falling over the side of the balcony.
She heard Link cry out, and then felt him catching her.
"What would I do without you?" Zelda breathed, burying her head further into Link's chest.
"What made you fall?" Link asked curiously, trying to remember how to breathe as Zelda snuggled closer.
"My dress." She muttered.
Link laughed as he set Zelda down.
"Are you free of injury?" He asked, looking her over.
"Except for my pride – yes." She smiled sheepishly, and reached down, tearing at the end of her dress.
"What are you-?" Once Link realized what she was doing, he reached out. "Let me help."
He helped her tear off the train of her dress, until the length was somewhere around her ankles.
"Thank you!" Zelda cried as she tripped over Link's feet.
Link fell on top of her.
"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Fine, just…" Zelda's voice trailed off as she realized that Link was lying on top of her.
He felt embarrassed, and situated himself so that his legs were on the ground next to Zelda, but the top half of his body remained on top of her.
"A little accident prone today?" He asked, grinning.
"I thought I'd make my day a little more interesting."
He laughed, but when he looked into her eyes, his laughter ceased.
They were just like his, blue. But her eyes were less clumsy. His were like two splashes of blue paint, while hers were elegantly sculpted, as if they had been carved by the finest artist.
"Just as long as you're feeling clumsy around me, I don't mind."
"Why?" She asked, her voice shaky and uneven.
"So that…I can protect you." He leaned in a little closer, but paused.
"Link?"
"Yes?"
She smiled, and gripped the back of his neck gently.
"If you don't kiss me," her eyes fluttered close, "I'll have you thrown out of my kingdom."
With that, Link pressed his lips to Zelda's, and moved his hand from the ground, and onto her waist. The other hand held her face.
Flowers from the tree a few feet away drifted through the wind, and showered the couple with pink petals.
When Link pulled his face away, his face reddened.
"I love you Link." Zelda whispered, opening her eyes.
"I love you Zelda." He whispered.
They laid there for another moment, savoring the closeness between them.
Finally, Link got to his feet, and helped Zelda to hers.
"Link, there's a ball for my father's friend…and I was wondering if you would," she looked at him nervously, "go with me?"
He grinned at her, and took her hand.
"Did you think I'd say no?"
Her face brightened, and she held his hand a little tighter.
"There's one thing." He frowned.
"What?"
His face began to redden, and he scratched the back of his neck.
"What do I…wear?"
Zelda laughed at his expense.
"You're not afraid to fight Ganondorf, the epitome of evil, but you're afraid because you don't know what to wear?"
"I never said I was afraid." Link said in a little 5-year-old voice.
Zelda snuggled up to his arm.
"Alright, alright. Just wear this."
"Why? Everyone's going to be wearing elegant clothes."
Zelda lifted her eyes to his.
"Exactly." She whispered.
Link blushed again, and kissed Zelda's forehead.
"Alright, I'll wear this."
She smiled, and they continued walking through the courtyard.
Little did they know, the King was watching them from his throne, Impa standing by his side.
"I was hoping this wouldn't happen." He said solemnly.
"What sire?"
He turned to Impa.
"I had hoped they wouldn't fall in love."
Impa nodded.
"Because they can never be married?"
The King returned his gaze to the window, and watched as Link swung Zelda up in his arms, and twirled in a circle. He could hear Zelda's laughter through the glass window.
"She hasn't been this happy since her mother died."
"Yes, I know." Impa went to the window, and watched Link and Zelda.
"When she has to pick a suitor, she'll be heartbroken."
Tears welled up in Impa's eyes as she thought of Zelda, crying on her wedding day to a man she didn't love. She loved Link, and everyone in Hyrule knew it.
"There must be some way she can marry Link."