Starlighter: HI! This is my late Christmas present and a New Years Day thing. So ENJOY IT! AGAIN sorry it took me super long to do this. Enjoy anyway. Have fun reading the soon to end story!

The Engagement Announcement Ball

A week after their dinner at the tower……

"Tonight is the night Malon. You look astounding, absolutely astounding." Malon turned her head to face the Queen and half smiled. "Thank you." The Queen stepped closer to the girl and opened a wooden box with golden carvings on the rim of the cover. Inside was the most beautiful diamond necklace she had ever seen. It went from her neck to just above her breasts. "It's perfect for your dress tonight, you will look even more beautiful than ever before." Malon smiled again, "You know, years ago I would have never dreamed to be here…to have such elegant things around me and be wearing gowns that I never even got to see. But now that I am here its more of a nightmare than anything." The Queen eyed her sadly and sat by the bed, "When this whole plan had begun, I never thought that you would ever live up to my daughter's image. But now I see that as I lost a daughter I gained another that lightened up my life again just as before if not more. I am so glad to have you here, Malon dear, I must say that it is so much better than to have stayed alone, mourning over her memory for the rest of my life."

Malon's eyes began to get teary and she ran to hug the Queen. "Thank you so much, you brought me the feeling of having a mother. A woman's touch to every decision I make, I love you as though you really were my mother." Both held each other tightly and cried softly.

With King Christopher

The King of Osirian was heading down to Danrio's personal library to have a drink in celebration of this night. As he was passing by the Princess' chamber he overheard the Queen's voice speaking gently in almost a whisper. "When this whole plan had begun, I never thought that you would ever live up to my daughter's image. But now I see that as I lost a daughter I gained another that lightened up my life again just as before if not more. I am so glad to have you here, Malon dear, I must say that it is so much better than to have stayed alone, mourning over her memory for the rest of my life." His eyes widened as he heard those words, like an echo in his brain. He began to breathe heavily and before he could be heard he retired to his chambers.

"I cannot believe this madness! She is HERE! How…why….when…I cannot believe this! I must calm down…I must…" He paced about his room from left to right until an idea suddenly occurred to him. "With this imposter the deal will not be legal, the kingdom could easily be taken from me! DAMN! Then again…how could they if nobody knows…The only ones who know of this is them…the King and Queen…and of course that wretch! I can eliminate them…all…The wretch and the King and Queen…HAH! I will still have the kingdom regardless or not if that brat is the princess. I will have my way…After the marriage and before that girl even conceives she and her parents will die!" The King grinned maliciously in triumph of his plan. He stood before the mirror and checked himself to make sure that not a hair was out of place. As he stood there one thing came to his mind.

"That Malon have better not mess with this plan…she could however ruin it should she speak of Link's previous engagement. But I cannot let him know that it is her…I will bribe this child in revealing her true identity…and in doing so she will bend to my every command! Because if I speak…the Kingdom is mine by default! Messy business…but it shall be mine either way! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He left his room and quickly went to Danrios in true celebration.

AT THE BALL

Link awaited impatiently for the Princess to come out of her room, both of them had to be announced together and it was almost time for the announcement. No sooner he began to walk towards the stairs when Eleanor came out of her chambers followed by the Queen. His eyes traveled from the end of her gown to her eyes glistening in the light. " Princess…you look….so beautiful, like the rose that was gently sprinkled with rain and left for the sun to shine its light upon. I have been left breathless…" As she stepped further out her pale blue gown that resembled the sky in the early morning. It was long and fluttery, with semi long sleeves shaped into a V, where the tips ended just at the elbow and a transparent material covered the rest of her delicate arms, they showed off her shoulders as the sleeves began just below them. It was tight around her waist and below her bust was a thin midnight blue ribbon that encircled her form. On the part of the dress that went over her breasts were small diamonds that formed a vine above the ribbon and formed a rose on the top part. The necklace the Queen gave her shone out above all else along with the pale blue color around her dark blue eyes.

"May I escort you both?" Link held his arms out for both the Queen and the Princess, but before the Queen could make any movement a voice came from behind them. "No you may not," said King Danrios, " You may escort my daughter but the Queen is mine and only mine to escort to such an extravagant event. Link smiled and bowed as the couple made their way down to the ball.

"AND NOW, ANNOUNCING, YOUR KING AND QUEEN!" The crowd began to clap and cheer as the King came down the stairs to the ballroom, his Queen proudly at his arm waving gracefully at her people. " LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE MOMENT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN PATIENTLY AWAITING FOR, THE MAIN HOSTS OF TONIGHT, PRINCE LINK OF OSIRIAN AND YOUR BELOVED PRINCESS ELEANOR OF NOREYES!" The crowd clapped louder and raised their cheers as the soon to be newlyweds stepped into the ballroom floor and bowed to their people.

As soon as the royalty was seated the King of Noreyes stood from his chair at the head and put his hands up for attention. "My beloved nobles, my beloved people, as you have all been rumoring around the news of my daughters engagement I have arranged tonight to confirm your rumors once and for all. Tonight the engagement is made proper as well as the date for the fateful day announced. The day were my daughters life will be forever united with the life of this young man's, whom as we all have seen, has cared for my precious Eleanor with love and devotion as though they were already married. But enough of my talk, to make this engagement proper, as is our custom, the Prince will now, in front of us all, lead her to the middle of the dance floor and grant her the first dance of this evening. As well as place upon her right hand this ring." He opened a box and handed it to Link. "A ring especially made for this night, a ring with not only their initials carved skillfully onto it but the emblems of both Noreyes and Osirian." The crows gave another loud cheer and clapped with joy. Link took the ring from the King with a bow and turned to Eleanor with a smile. "My Princess, will you grant me the first dance of the evening." She took his hand and he kneeled before her as he slipped the ring on her fragile finger.

Now at the dance floor:

Their eyes met, and together they closed their eyes to everything. Their feet danced on the clouds above the stars, beyond the moon and the sun. Their hearts were as one, beating in unison. Their hands touched with their souls now clasped together in that small eternity between them. Their faces came nearer and caressed. Through their eyes, the windows to their souls, they saw each other as they were before, a ranch girl in love with the Hero of Time, not a Princess in love with a Prince. They closed their eyes and neared their lips, as they drank their sweet nectar of love the crowd cheered…and they came back to reality…

They opened their eyes and bowed to one another and so came the slap of reality as the claps and cheers from their audience returned to their ears. "BRAVO! BRAVO!" cheered King Christopher. He stood next to his friend King Danrios and together they came forward to make the announcement of the wedding date. King Christopher spoke first. " Fair people of Noreyes, I, as you all know, am the King of Osirian, the place that as of now is a part of this beloved kingdom. I look onto you all and I see merriment and the happy welcome that will come on the greatly awaited wedding day. I hope that you will accept my people as much as you have accepted my son and I. Thank you, great people of Noreyes!" He raised his glass to the crowd and took a sip. They mass cheered loudly and wildly, then hushed by their King. "I now call my daughter and my future son to stand by me. Link and Eleanor turned their eyes to each other and strode over to the Kings patiently standing in front of the people.

"My fair people!" spoke the King of Noreyes. "Their love, their souls, will at last unite six nights from tonight! In five days! They will at last be one!" Together the royals and the people raised their glasses together and toasted merrily.

The ball finally over, all the people left for their carriages awaiting them at the gates. The King and Queen bowed to the Prince and Princess as well as the King of Osirian and retired to their chambers. The King turned to his son and smiled and then took the Princess' hand and kissed it goodnight. He too left for his chambers leaving the lovers alone. Link turned to Malon and kissed her forehead. "Strange fate it was to meet you, you who stand for so many different things inside of me." Malon furrowed her eyebrows not understanding his words. He smiled and took her arm in his, "May I escort you to your chambers?" She smiled back and rested her head on his shoulder, "You may."

He kissed her hand gently and bade her goodnight, leaving her to her room alone. She closed the door softly and sat in front of her vanity. She began undoing her hair when a voice in the darkness startled her, "Coincidence or fate? What do you say……Malon?" The figure stepped out of the corner revealing it to be King Christopher. She gasped and turned her whole body quickly holding her hand to her lips in shock. " How did you kn…..How did you find….How long have you known?" The question finally out he stepped closer to her, his breath on her face he grinned and put his hands on her shoulders. "Long enough…but don't fret, I will not tell a soul who you are. Now what is left for me to know is this. Did you replace the princess in order to marry Link? Where you so desperate?" "Never! That would have never been my reason-" He put his hand on her mouth muffling her words. "Shut up! You need not shout…do you purposely want it known that I am in your bed chambers in the middle of the night?" She shook her head. "Good, then if it was not your desperate heart what was the reason? Answer me or my mouth will open." He removed his hand and backed away glaring at the trembling girl.

"The King summoned me, I was living with his cousin in a village of the Kingdom. His sick daughter passed away and having no other heir to the thrown they had to use me otherwise the Kingdom would be handed over to one of their rivals that would lead the Kingdom to utter chaos. They will only have me until I bear the heir and then I will escape being claimed to have died at giving birth." The King paced about the room in thought. "Interesting…Thank you for this vital information. I must give them credit for doing this otherwise I'd still be marrying my son to my second choice kingdom. Good good good. However this is were I will add my twist. From now on any decision that the King and Queen make in your presence will be reported to me, any thing that they give you to do will pass by me, and anything that I tell you to do, you will do. Understand? Or else they lose their kingdom and they will hate you forever." Malon turned away from him and tears formed at her eyes as she agreed his terms. Without another word the King walked out of her room and left her alone.

As she was about to cry she heard her name being called out from outside. She headed toward her balcony and opened her glass doors. She stood at the edge of her balcony looking for the person who called her, that's when she heard it again and she leaned even more to the edge trying to see through the darkness. "Malon!" Again her name called out in a loud whisper, closer than before and she grew alarmed, who else could know her name and dare call it out? Who?

Finally she saw a man coming closer calling out her name aimlessly. She wanted to run out and hush that man, but decided to go into her chamber and take her oil lamp outside for him to see. The man kept walking aimlessly and then he stood still, the man had caught site of the lamp and sprinted towards her. He stood below her balcony and she immediately recognized who the man was. "Fiory?" She called out in a whisper. "Malon, I'm so glad that I found you, I've been looking…I've been looking everywhere……for you." 'He's talking funny, I wonder what's wrong with him?' She went inside her chamber again and this time was holding out her blankets safely tightened into a rope for him to climb from. She stuck her head out and dropped her blankets. "Here, climb!" she said to him. He nodded and at first seemed to struggle but in the end he climbed and fell over the side of her balcony with a loud thud.

A light went on in one bedroom, it was Link's and he stepped out of his balcony. Alarmed Malon ducked and hid from his view trying to cover up Fiory's mouth before he said anything. "Eleanor? Is everything alright? I heard a loud noise and your lamp is outside." Malon inwardly cursed herself for leaving the lamp out on the sill of the balcony and gasped when she noticed that the rope made of blankets was also out. Hoping that he wouldn't see it she stood up quickly as though she had fallen. "I'm…I'm alright, just a fall, I was clumsy. Forgive me if I worried you." He didn't answer merely looked her way then in a loud whisper he said, "I'll be right out wait for me there!" As soon as he was out of sight Malon quickly grabbed Fiory and hid him in her closet as well as the rope made out of her blankets with him, she told him to quickly undo the knots and as soon as he was done to stay in there quietly and wait for her to call him out.

No sooner had she closed the door to her chamber did she hear a strange metallic sound coming from her balcony. She sighed and walked outside hoping to see nothing there but Link doing something strange. As she had expected Link was standing on the outer edge of his balcony holding something shiny with one hand. She furrowed her eyebrows and waited for his next move when in the blink of an eye Link stood there before her. She gasped and walked towards him. "What did you do?" She asked him in an alarmed whisper. He smiled smugly and took her by the waist holding her firmly. He projected his arm with the shiny object to a lower tree and he polled her with him to the edge of the balcony. He turned to her and whispered in her ear, "Don't scream." She looked at him strangely but as soon as she was about to open her mouth she felt a rush going through her body and wind in her face.

When she looked around she was in the courtyard standing but a few feet away from where Fiory stood when he was calling out his name. She looked up at Link who was still holding her and asked, "What was this for?" He smiled again and with a quick ,"Follow me." Grabbed her arm and pulled her with him to hidden spot away from the castle walls. He told her not to let go of him no matter what as he pulled out his ocarina. He played a sweet melody and with a surge of blue light they were gone.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WHAT DO YOU THINK? I KNOW I KNOW, ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER. Sorry, well you know what to do, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!