A/N: Sorry it took me so long to post. You'll see why.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Dinner at the Castle

Zelda led Link, Sarah, and Ruo into the main banquet hall. "I can't believe he's serving us here," Zelda said in disbelief.

"What's wrong with in here?" Ruo quizzed, thoroughly enjoying the castle.

"Nothing's wrong, it's just that I didn't expect him to pull out all the stops for us," Zelda responded.

Suddenly, at the other side of the room, the double doors were thrown open and a man emerged. "Zelda! It is good to see you again! Let me guess, Princess Ruto and Saria, yes?"

"Yes, sir, and it is an honor to finally meet the great King of Hyrule," Sarah chimed as if she had rehearsed the response.

"A fine young woman, I see. And from what I remember, the Zora princess is also trained in the ways of conversation." Ruo nodded in response.

"Just like I remember. I assume, then, this fine young gentleman is Link?"

"Correct as always, your Highness."

"Well then, I do appreciate you humoring this aged king, for his memory slips from time to time. And if my memory still serves me well, I believe it is eating time. I've had the cook prepare a special meal, custom-fit to each of us."

Link's eyes lit up. "And when will it be ready?"

As if on cue, the double doors flew open again, and carts rolled through them, piled with food. The King sat down, and the others followed suit. As each tray was set in fromt of them, the five began to eat, albeit at different speeds. Sarah and Ruo, half wary, half starving, started by eating small bites, but soon picked up speed. Zelda, refined as she was, ate her meal neatly and at a steady speed. Link, however, dove right into his meal and didn't surface until the food was gone.

The dinner seemed to speed by, and soon enough, the five of them were finished. Zelda's father looked toward Link.

"So, Hero of Time, how have you been?"

"I have been doing well, considering."

"Considering?"

"The curse, your Highness."

"Ah. I do take it, then, that the effects are fully gone?"

"More or less. There are a few holes in my past where my memory hasn't finished coming back, but seeing as how I needed only minor transformations, second to Zelda of course, I have recovered quickly."

The King nodded and proceeded to ask several questions of Link. Soon, he also included Sarah and Ruo in the questioning. After many questions, the dinner was ended and they retired to their rooms.

- Later that night -

"Sarah?" Link called out. He sat upon his bed and turned to look over to Sarah's bed.

"Yeah, Link?" she responded, turning to look back at him.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"What is your view of love?"

"Love?" Sarah asked, surprised.

"Yeah. What's your take on it?"

"Love is, simply put, what holds people together," she replied, ignoring several thoughts that had sprung unbidden to her mind.

"And how do you know if you love someone?" Link asked, carefully wording his question.

"A few questions will answer yours. First, are you comfortable around her?"

Link nodded.

"And you appreciate her company?"

He nodded once more.

"Do you ever look at her and want to help her, to shelter her from her fears, to catch her when she stumbles, to hold her when she needs it, to be the one she comes to when she's hurt?" Sarah asked, sighing as sheasked it.

Link nodded once again.

"Then, yes, you're in love with that person," Sarah replied, rolling over to face the wall, a single unexplained tear rolling across her cheek.

-

Zelda walked into her room and strode to the middle, near her bed. She was immensely grateful toward her father, especially after tonight, but she had to wonder how he would react when he learned that she was in love with Link. Yes, that was it. Love. She had never imagined using that word to describe someone that she wasn't related to, least of all Link. Yet, what other word would work? She had an almost constant desire to be by his side and it was nerve-wracking when he wasn't close.

Her gaze was slowly drawn toward the glass doors leading out to the balcony. Although it was the most lavishly decorated room in the castle, she despised this room and, more importantly, that balcony. For a while now, she had been having a recurring nightmare concerning this room and that balcony, and what scared her was the immense pain that came in the dream.

And yet, she was oddly peaceful. Zelda slowly walked out onto the chilly balcony. The moon's light shone upon her still figure as she looked upwards toward the pale disc in the sky. Zelda thought for a moment as she remembered a saying of Link's.

'Never forget, the moon is always there, whether we can see it or not. It's our perception that changes. And with so many people looking up to it at night, it's not surprising.' Zelda smiled.

Shewalked inside into the warmth. Closing the balcony doors, she started getting ready to go to sleep. She was halfway to her dresser when an explosion of pain shot through her body. Gasping, she fell to her knees. She felt the excruciating pain tear through her body, causing her to shout in agony. However, no sound came. She could only lay there, collapsed on the floor, as the pain expanded through her body. She could only curl up, a single word stuck in her throat.


A/N: See why I didn't want to post it? Please don't stop reading... I'll have the next chapter up soon, I promise.