Okay, this one's a bit long. But hopefully, it's interesting! To MikieJoe: don't you worry! Monster battles will ensue in the future ;) And a special shout out to Zelda-Sheik for making me feel extra special about myself! You're awesome! :DDD

Chapter Thirteen: Fun in Castle Town

Before Link could open his mouth to respond, Zelda grabbed his hand and pulled him forward, provoking a laugh from him. It was the first time he'd seen her this excited, but he didn't blame her. A princess must not get a lot of time to herself, let alone time to just let loose and have some fun. Link wanted to give her an opportunity to do just that.

First, they turned into the market. At the sight of all the booths and kiosks, Link's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. He felt himself beginning to drool as he stared at all of the food and delicious candies before him, but he kept his mouth shut. He had no money.

"Mm…" Zelda hummed, stepping up to a small booth selling candies that were unfamiliar to Link. They were tiny, bronze spheres that glistened slightly. "These look absolutely delightful. Do you know what they are?" She turned to him curiously.

Link shrugged, shaking his head with a face of complete confusion. The man at the booth laughed heartily and picked one up.

"Free sample?" He asked. Zelda nodded hesitantly, and then grabbed the small round candy from his hand. Cautiously, she placed it in her mouth. Link heard the loud crunch as her white teeth crushed the little bronze ball. Then, he noticed her face light up.

"Link, you must try this!" She cried. So was the beginning of their fun night.

They passed through almost all of the booths, sampling the Hylian delicacies and buying some for later. Next, they moved to another alley where carnival games were being set up. Link had never seen this part of Castle Town.

"My father used to bring me here sometimes when I was a little girl." Zelda sighed, and Link looked at her with a smile. "We would sit for hours, just playing these silly games and trying to win." She laughed to herself.

Link could tell that the memories were bringing her happiness, but at the same time, the nostalgia was somewhat painful. Comfortingly, he weaved his fingers through hers and squeezed her hand. She looked up at him, though he couldn't see all of her shadowed face. Then, they both moved forward towards the first game. Darts: something that Link was no doubt going to be an expert at.

"What can't you do?" Zelda giggled jokingly as they walked down the alley an hour later, after Link had conquered almost every single game. He gave her a crooked grin, but felt himself blushing.

Link didn't think that he'd ever laughed this much in his entire life. The two of them couldn't go two minutes without falling into a fit of hysterical laughter over something silly, like when Zelda accidently threw the dart at the kiosk owner. Every little thing set them off, and Link never wanted the sound of her gorgeous laugh to leave his ears. Their relationship was beginning to change; they were getting closer and closer each moment. They were more than just partners in the scheme of Hyrule's history. They were more than just two Chosen Ones thrown together by destiny and the plans of the gods. Link felt something stronger, deep inside. And he somehow knew that she felt it, too.

The proof of his thoughts came when he thought about when he had turned into a wolf. She had acted no different around him. Zelda had still cared for him with all her heart, and had tried to comfort him. She had tried to help him, and had treated him as if he were still human. That fact made him fall even harder for her. There was nothing about her that he didn't love.

"Link, look!" Zelda gasped as they reached Central Plaza. "Everybody's dancing!"

Sure enough, all of the people gathered in Castle Town were holding hands and stepping to the rhythm of the music, creating a circle around the spurting fountain. Their feet were intricately stepping this way and that, creating a fabulous wave of dancing and laughter. Link and Zelda both looked at each other with lit up faces, and without another word, jumped in. The people around them happily made room for them, and they held each other's sweaty hands. Link felt his heart beat happily as he and Zelda tried to catch on to the dance. It was a rough start, full of bumps, trips, and silly chuckles; but eventually, they were dancing smoothly and joyously with the rest of the citizens.

They were both laughing and smiling the entire time, and Zelda squeezed his hand as they hopped and twirled. The music flowed endlessly through the air, and Link just couldn't keep the smile off of his flushed face. He wished, however, that Zelda would take off her hood. He couldn't say anything; he didn't want to give away her identity. But he wanted to see her smiling face, and he wanted to see her reaction to the dancing. He wanted to see her cheeks become flushed with joy, and see her blue eyes glisten beautifully. That was all he ever wanted to see…

Link could tell that Zelda never wanted to stop dancing. He noticed a spark light up inside of her as they spent the carefree evening together; he saw her let loose a bit. Always, she held her composure and acted regally and with manners. For once, she was acting like any seventeen year-old should. She was acting like a teenager, and Link just couldn't stop his heart from fluttering. And, more importantly, he couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

"Link, Link…" She gasped in the midst of her laughter. He chuckled at her absence of breath. "Can we stop?"

Without another word, Link broke away from the circle and pulled Zelda with him. Though she was panting and hunched over slightly, her enjoyment overpowered her exhaustion. She was still giggling as they stood inside of the circle, still holding hands and watching the others dance. Suddenly, the music changed. The small band playing on the side switched from an upbeat rhythm to a soft serenade. Zelda immediately looked up at him, and he could just barely see the eager look on her face. He instantly understood her intentions.

They stepped closer to each other as the circle around them broke off, some people moving into pairs and others simply strolling. He put his hands at her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Link instinctively pulled her closer, and they were chest to chest. He could feel the butterflies in his stomach, and how hot his face was becoming. He didn't even know how to slow dance, yet he was doing it with the princess of Hyrule; and he had never experienced something so wonderful. He never wanted it to end. Then came the urge to see her face. There was no way he was going to slow dance with her while her face was shadowed.

In complete silence, Link reached up to the edge of her hood and began pulling it down as they swayed to the music.

"Link, stop." She whispered. Her words, however, were somewhat reluctant. "Someone might recognize me."

"I don't care." He replied bluntly. Then, with no more protests from Zelda, he pulled down the hood. A smile appeared on his face as he gazed into those amazing eyes, and he could sense her tenseness. He could see the anxiety on those flawless features. She was still worried about her identity, but Link couldn't bear for her to hide her face anymore. It was too beautiful to keep in the shadows.

As they continued, Zelda's worries seemed to just fade away. The two of them were starting to melt together, simply falling into each other's arms. Link's heart soared when Zelda inched closer and leaned her head against his shoulder. He caressed her affectionately, running his fingers habitually through her dark tresses. They lost track of time… but it didn't matter. They could've danced for eternity and never gotten bored.

It was almost pitch black in the sky when Link's eyes finally began drooping, and Zelda was yawning every two minutes. The town was still bustling with activity, and people just like Zelda and Link were enjoying themselves. They saw children with their parents laughing and begging for candy, old men and women strolling contently through the streets, large groups of women giggling and speaking amongst themselves, and young couples holding hands and batting their eyelashes at each other.

Zelda hesitantly lifted her head from his shoulder, looking at him with heavy eyelids. They both stopped swaying, and simply gazed at each for a moment.

"Um, it's getting late." She said, with a sigh. "Maybe we should get back to the bar…"

"Wait," Link stood up, an idea popping into his head. Then, he gave her a coy grin and tilted his head toward East Castle Town. "Come this way."

Without hesitation, she let him lead her through the exciting part of the royal town, and he led her straight to the exit.

"Link, what…?" Zelda began, but Link just threw her a mischievous glance. He pushed open the wooden door, letting the princess go out before him. He followed and closed the door behind him, making sure that there was nobody on their tail. They walked onto the bridge, hand in hand.

Even in the darkness, the princess's breathtaking features never failed to steal Link's heart, no matter how many times he laid eyes on her. Her beauty had no end, just like his love for her. The sound of her heels against the cobblestone sent shivers up his spine as they stopped at the edge, and then leaned their arms on the stone edge. Her shoulder brushed his, and he resisted the urge to step even closer.

"The stars are beautiful…" Zelda sighed, staring up at the sky. Link stared at her with a longing gaze and a small, sweet smile. He could tell that she was nervously avoiding eye contact with him, keeping her eyes glued onto the dark blanket of night. He, of course, could look at nothing but her.

For a few moments, there was silence. And then, Zelda turned to him with a calm expression.

"Thank you so much. This was such a great night with you. I can't recall the last time I had this much fun, actually." She chuckled. Link flashed his teeth and turned to face her, feeling his skin beginning to tingle. Something was gnawing on his heart, and he couldn't shake that feeling.

"You're welcome," He said, so quietly that Zelda could barely hear him.

For the next few minutes, Link couldn't even control his actions. He leaned in towards her, lifting her chin with his fingers. She didn't give the slightest hint of resistance; on the contrary, she leaned in as well. She closed her eyes, and he felt a rush of adrenaline as soon as his lips met hers. It was as if all the problems in Hyrule were gone for those few magical moments when they were intertwined.

It was a soft, momentary kiss, and both of them were as red as tomatoes when they pulled apart. Zelda was suppressing a satisfied grin, and Link was simply dumbstruck. He had wanted to do that ever since he'd met her, and now, he only wanted more.

"Telma must be worrying," Zelda sighed with a bashful expression. "We should get back."

Link simply bowed his head obediently, hoping that his heart wouldn't explode before he could kiss her again.

ILIA POV

The only light to help guide Ilia was emanating from the stars above, and it didn't even matter, because she had no idea where she was going anyway. Even Epona seemed completely lost, and she'd travelled all around Hyrule. The world was so black around them that Ilia could barely even tell which way she was going, or what her surroundings were like. She wasn't used to this kind of exposure. All of her life, she was babied by her father and overprotected, being an only child. The only time she'd actually left Ordon was when she was kidnapped, and she had no memory for most of the time. All that she knew was that she was not in a good situation.

"Oh, Epona!" She cried, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so stupid! I shouldn't have run away in the first place, and now I dragged you into it too! I'm such an idiot. Link won't forgive me for this one." Ilia sniffled.

Epona simply whinnied, not understanding anything.

"How are we supposed to get home? We don't have a map, and there's nobody around. And, it's dark out! I can barely see a thing." Her complaining continued, and she couldn't think of any other way to get herself out of the situation. She found herself hoping that Link would once again come and save the day, but then she shook away that thought.

How is he supposed to save me if he doesn't have his horse? Oh, goddesses, I really screwed up this time. She sighed, staring up at the sky. Please send me help… Ilia prayed silently. Please help us return safely.

Ilia couldn't take it anymore. She broke down into sobs, and Epona halted as Ilia shook heavily atop her. Though she tried, she couldn't stop the flow of tears and heavy sobs. Nothing ever went her way, and she always managed to screw something up. And, Link was always the one who had to save her. No wonder he didn't love her: she was just a nuisance to him, without a doubt. All she ever did for him was steal his horse and act like a snob.

"I'm so sorry, Link!" She cried, covering her wet face in her hands. "I'm sorry."

"Gracious!" A small, high-pitched voice became audible to Ilia's ears. She slowly straightened up, lifting her hands from her eyes cautiously. She was wondering if maybe it was just the wind. With wide eyes, she glanced around anxiously and saw nothing. She sniffled, cursing her runny nose.

"Great!" She screamed. "Now I'm going crazy!"

"You're not crazy, dear!" The voice came again, this time much more coherent. For a few moments, there was silence beside the crickets in the grass. "But don't worry, I ask myself that question at least ten times a day!" The shrill voice let out a hearty laugh. Ilia, however, was not laughing.

"W-who's there?" She stuttered shakily. Ilia could still see nobody, and now she was trembling slightly in fright. "Show yourself!"

"Down here!" The voice continued. Hesitantly, Ilia slowly looked down. "Why hello there, fellow adventurer!"

"AH!" Ilia let out a shriek, and then completely lost her balance. Another yelp escaped her mouth as she tumbled backwards off Epona, landing on her back in the grass. The breath was knocked out of her, and for a few seconds, she was suffocating. The sky above her was spinning. Then, out of nowhere, a kind face appeared above her.

"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you." The thing tilted its head. Ilia screamed again, standing up hastily and stepping away.

"What are you?" She cried.

"How impolite of me." The small creature sighed, shaking its head in shame. "I haven't properly introduced myself. I'm Ooccoo, of the Oocca people." She nodded, smiling in a friendly fashion.

"O-Ooccoo?" Ilia furrowed her brow.

"At last, I've found someone! You see, I've been looking for somebody here. Gracious, yes! I need to find somebody to help me." The chicken-like creature flapped her wings frantically, golden feathers flying all over the place. "Perhaps we should help each other! You look like you could use the assistance, if you don't mind me saying, fellow adventurer."

"Um…" Ilia didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry, what did you say your name was?" Ooccoo asked.

"Ilia," She answered uncertainly.

"Ilia! Pretty name!" Ooccoo flapped her wings again. "Now, don't think of me as a burden! I can actually be quite helpful."

"I'm sorry, but I really have no idea what you're talking about." Ilia shrugged, still slightly frightened.

"You look like you could use some help. And you know, I also need some help! So we adventurers should stick together, help each other!" Ooccoo continued.

"Oh, I'm not an adventurer." Ilia shook her head. "I'm simply an idiotic girl who decided to run away and get lost."

"Well, then you need my help even more!" The Oocca laughed humorously. "Trust me, dear, I can help. Now, have you met Ooccoo Jr.?"

Ooh, a cliffhanger! Haha chapter fourteen is coming soon, so keep a lookout! Bye peoples! :D