Chapter Nineteen

Carpe Noctem
"Seize the Night"

"Link…" Midna drifted. Although her tension had eased some, it seemed to take its tight hold once more with the tense silence that followed his words. The Princess swallowed, finally breaking the quiet and now feeling prepared to speak what had been on her mind since he had awoken in the Grove. "Did you choose to be a Sheikah to fulfill your parents wish?"

"…Yes. In a way at least," he replied warily, eyes not meeting hers. The newly become Sheikah was still lost on how to go about doing that. It was something he had to figure out on his own. At least according to the Hero's Shade.

"What…" Colin drifted, the gazes of the others settling on him as the boy intently stared at the redness in Link's eyes. "Is a Sheikah?"

"I see that it cannot be kept in the shadows forever. The truth must meet the light now, I suppose," Zelda spoke with a sigh, knowing this was the right time to reveal the details of a past long kept concealed from the public. "I told you of the Twili, but their full history is much more crucial to Hyrule than the secrecy it has been given. Listen carefully…"

Everything about the hidden past had now been exposed. The Interloper War, the creation of the Mirror, and the truth behind the Twili as well as their origins as Sheikah had all fully come to light before the fire.

"So the Twili aren't just another race from another kingdom… They are, or rather were, from Hyrule and really that close to the Royal Family?" Telma asked in shock. She was struggling to wrap her head around the idea and felt as if speaking it aloud would help her come to terms with everything that had been explained.

"Yes. Feel free to think on all of this overnight. I understand that knowing the full truth now is hard," Zelda stated, turning to Link and Midna. The Princess knew she needed to wrap things up for the evening, her explanation going on far longer than she had hoped. It seemed she always had difficulty gauging the time her words would take. "So, your decision?" The Hylian asked, eyes gliding over the only non-Hylians in the group as she referred to the two mending their relationship.

Link swallowed anxiously. He almost forgot about that and didn't really know what to do. He'd revealed that he was a Sheikah and now noticed that Zelda's gaze was boring strictly into Midna. The Princess hadn't directed her question to him.

The royals looked intently at one another, neither of them speaking and the air about them stiff. Midna knew that in a way Zelda could tell the Twili's decision without the need for words. She could see that in the Hylian's face and was glad Zelda had pulled the wrap away from her mouth during the history lesson; light from the dimming fire gracing her features and illuminating them in the otherwise dark surroundings.

"I see," Zelda eventually said, breaking the stillness. Midna smiled a bit nervously, letting out a breath that was just barely audible to Link who sat next to her. The expression on the face of the Twilight Princess wasn't entirely true, but when Link saw it, he was a little surprised nonetheless. He couldn't remember the last time Midna had given that look, not realizing just how much he missed it even though it wasn't genuine. The Sheikah was confused from what had played out before him, the royals seemingly having read the other's mind simply from a stare.

"It's getting late. We need to come up with plans for tonight," Telma spoke with a sigh, snapping everyone back to reality. "All this knowledge had made me tired."

"I'll take watch," Link stated before anyone else could, shoving his bewilderment over the actions of the royals to the back of his mind. He could think on that later.

"Link, you've ju—" Colin spoke up and tried to talk him out of it, but was quickly silenced.

"It's fine. This is the least I could do after putting all of you through so much trouble. I'm doing much better and I'm sorry that I've acted so strange since I finished what I needed to do in the forest…" the Sheikah drifted for a moment, but quickly snapped himself back to present. "If there are any problems or I get tired, I'll wake you. Please, don't worry," he explained, realizing this was the most he had said since waking from the trial. Link felt he owed everyone for what he'd put them through and this seemed like the quickest way to show that, using a lighter tone than he had when speaking earlier.

"It's alright Colin. I'm going to stay up as well," Midna added in a voice that almost seemed the slightest bit happy. Her words startled Link and he looked to her curiously for a split second before speaking.

"Midna, you need rest. I know you've been worrying about me," he told her, wishing for the Princess to relax. Link wanted some alone time too and he saw how tense and concerned she was for him the moment the once-Hero awoke as a Sheikah. It was true that the Twili had calmed some since then, but he still knew she had to be exhausted from worry. Link felt terrible for causing her to deal with that pain.

"I guess," the Princess said with a yawn after a brief silence. It was a sound Link was familiar with from their journey together during the time twilight covered Hyrule. Whenever he was in wolf form and had been wandering around aimlessly for some time yet refused to ask for her help, she'd make a bigger deal out of it than necessary, stretching her arms above her head and yawning overly exaggerated.

The Twili turned to the others once she finished the action. "If Link is taking watch, what are the arrangements for the night?"

"Have the carriage. I can sleep on the ground. There isn't enough room in there for all of us anyway," Telma explained.

"No, you can have it. I'm used to the smell of Hyrule Field grass in my face."

"Are you quite sure Midna?" Zelda spoke up.

"Yes! Yes, stop worrying about me. Isn't Link the one we should be freaking out over?" the Twilight Princess said in exasperation. She didn't like the attention being focused on her and almost wished once more for the tense silence from earlier.

"Quiet!" Telma shouted aggressively. The four froze, staring at her wide-eyed, as they hadn't expected the sudden outburst. The Resistance leader closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to calm herself, realizing what she had done. After a short while she looked at each member of the group with the words she proceeded to speak. "I'm sorry. I'm just tired after all of this. None of us are going to get any sleep if we keep arguing and I'm sure all of us are in desperate need of the rest."

The others slowly exchanged silent glances, expressions unreadable or otherwise tired. They then turned back to Telma and nodded, and a moment later everyone stood from where they sat around the now frail campfire and silently walked to their destinations. Colin was the only one who spoke during their preparations.

"I'll take the next watch. Come wake me when you're ready, Link," he told the Sheikah. The boy knew it would be difficult to fall asleep with everything on his mind from what he had been told, still trying to wrap his head around and figure out all that was said from the last explanation. The Ordonian realized that was likely the real reason Link insisted on taking watch duty, as he too obviously had much on his mind, even if it was different than Colin's thoughts.

The Sheikah nodded in reply, watching as the others made their way towards the carriage. After he was sure they had settled, Link took a short walk from the campsite, but made sure to stay close enough to defend it if necessary. At the moment he just needed to be away from others, so he headed to the small bridge that spanned the nearby shallow lake. Once he had come to stop almost but not quite at the center of the wooden structure, he stretched his arms over his head, in the process reaching for the pinpricks of light from the stars above. He let his limbs fall limply to his sides when he finished the action, and a moment later Link sat on the bridge with his legs hanging over the edge as he admired the view of Hyrule cloaked in its natural darkness.

The slightest sliver of moon from the other night was the teeniest bit wider now and a copy of it reflected in the water below. From here Link would have a view of all around. Now nothing could sneak up on their group and the Sheikah doubted the bandits would come back so soon after what he and the others put them through. Link had almost forgotten about them considering all that had happened in such a short amount of time, but he remembered with a quiet and distant call of a wolf. He knew that he would be alert while on watch. It seemed that now he was a full Sheikah, Link didn't have to put any effort at all into focusing his attention. It was something that just came naturally to him.

Once the cry of the beast faded there was a calming and peaceful near silence that hung in the air; the occasional chirps of insects and the popping coals of the fire the sole sounds that broke the stillness. It seemed that everyone had settled in and fallen asleep quickly from all the recent stress they endured, and the only thing that kept the new Sheikah some company was the slowly dying fire nearby.

His peace and aloneness finally gave Link some time to reflect on everything that had come to pass. Brushing aside the heaver things he had encountered in his trial, the once-Hero thought back on his initial journey with Midna. Something he hadn't had the time to contemplate since the night he had fallen ill.

In all honesty, he never expected to live this long. Early on after he'd taken up the duty of the Hero, Link had thought that one day he would fall in battle. The current Sheikah realized this wasn't a very positive way of thinking, especially since the fate of two kingdoms hung in the balance, but it was still something that hovered on the edge of his mind throughout his travels. At that point his own wants and needs had become nonexistent. All that mattered was returning peace to the lands. During that time, he figured if he did somehow happen to survive, then he would find a nice little corner of Hyrule to live in peace, away from all the troubles he had faced. Instead, almost the exact opposite seemed to happen.

The last thing Link had expected was to fall in love.

The Sheikah let out a sigh and shook his head with a weak smile. Great Golden Goddesses, why did he have to fall in love with a princess from another world of all the possible people? It only complicated every matter, and Link needed to come up with a plan on how he would explain everything. He saw what he had said earlier regarding why he took up being a Sheikah somewhat relieved Midna, but he needed to tell her the full reason. Now that he thought on it, Link was beginning to wonder more about Zelda and Midna's stare-off just before he volunteered to take watch. They couldn't have just communicated by looking at each other, or maybe they could. Zelda did seem to have an odd power in a sense, allowing her to surmise much from a single look. Link still wondered what the two of them could have silently understood of the other.

He took a deep breath, face becoming serious once more at the thought of it all. A moment later his ear twitched, catching the sound of someone from the camp approaching.

"Hey," Midna spoke, interrupting his thoughts. Link jolted, turning to face the Twili that came up to him from behind. Even with his new heightened Sheikah senses, Link wasn't yet used to them, and although he was aware that someone from their camp was coming, he didn't expect it to be her of all people.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" he asked somewhat worried as he looked to the Princess while she walked up to him. Link wanted to continue his thoughts alone and was both confused and concerned by the recent actions of the royal. A moment later she sat down on the edge of the bridge next to Link, legs dangling below just as his were. Knowing there was no way to stop the simple events playing out in front of him, he let go of what was on his mind, shifting his focus to what was right before him here and now.

"Hmm… shouldn't you be guarding our little camp?" she spoke, using a tone she hadn't for so long. It felt so right and the Twili didn't realize that she had missed it so much. Midna knew what she would do tonight unless she wanted Zelda to do something to their relationship. Still, the Princess was nervous and thought trying to lighten the mood would make it all much easier.

Link blinked, a bit shocked by how peppy she seemed, even if it was really mild in comparison to what their exchanges were like in the past. He paused briefly but played along, only now realizing just how much better her words made him feel.

"I am thank you very much. Anyway, why are you awake? Couldn't sleep?"

"No," she replied, leaving it at that for a few moments and only continuing with the croak of a frog that hid somewhere beneath the bridge. "I… wanted to talk," Midna spoke nervously, not entirely sure where to start.

Link now understood her earlier actions. She'd planned this with Zelda.

"Anything in particular on your mind?" The Sheikah questioned. Midna stayed silent, bringing her eyes from the hands in her lap to look off into the distance. Link followed her gaze. Nothing was in sight. He was half tempted to look back at the Princess, admiring the way the moonlight glowed on her blue tinged skin, but Link didn't want her to catch him staring so he only offered her a sidelong glance.

They sat in the quiet for quite a while now. Neither seemed to care though; simply enjoying the company of the other. It was something they hadn't really done since before all this began. The weakened fire from the nearby campsite cracked as a log shifted. The heightened senses of the Sheikah caught the sound with his pointed ear; the tip of which twitched the slightest, like that of a wolf's, in response to the noise.

"Link…" Midna drifted. She hoped he didn't hear the uncertainty in her voice. The Sheikah turned his head to look at her with the words of the Princess. "Now that we came back to Hyrule…"

He waited in silence for her to continue. Midna spoke once more, turning her own head towards his as she displayed an expression that held the tiniest hint of sorrow.

"I know this is your homeland, and ever since we got here I could tell that you've been missing it, but once we find out how to get back to the Twilight Realm… would you… come with me?" She asked nervously, eyes darting away from his for a moment as she hesitated.

They were silent for a second or so, the question hovering in the air around them. The coals of the fire snapped, breaking the stillness the two shared. Link's face softened.

"Yeah… I will. Another reason I chose to be a Sheikah in this life is because I knew I couldn't survive in the Twilight Realm as a Hylian," he spoke, exposing one truth. It felt right, and Link couldn't help but let the corners of his lips turn up the slightest bit in a smile. Somehow, this was the happiest he had had been since it all began. Maybe once they got back to her world, then the Sheikah would tell the Twili what he really felt. When they were finally free of worries again, but…

Link drew his gaze from hers, expression becoming solemn as he looked into the night, actuality stinging. There was still a lot for him to do. He had to put his happiness later, if he ever hoped to even gain it. Although he wasn't the Hero any longer, Link still had other duties.

Midna had drawn her gaze away from his a moment before Link had done so. She was in a way, surprised by his answer. The Princess had hoped that's what he would say, and now that the two of them knew, it seemed the tension between them had begun to dissolve. She was glad, as it would make all of this much easier. The Twili took a deep breath to speak, neither of them looking at the other, as the words she spoke came out much more serious than she wanted them to be.

"The stress between us since you went through that at the Sacred Grove… Can we stop clinging to it like a bad thing?" Midna looked to him, her face unreadable. Link wasn't fully aware that was how she saw it. "I know it's only been half a day really, but I don't like it. I want to make sure we don't act this way towards one another again, that's all. It's been bugging me. Ever since you came out of what you faced back there, you've just been so different. I know you're a Sheikah now, but that doesn't mean you have to be a completely new person. Please, just be yourself and how you were before. I thought it would be all over once we were done there…" the Princess drifted, hoping it didn't sound like she was ranting.

Link was quiet for a little while, thinking over what she had said. He felt the same way in a sense, yet something was still not right, and he knew it would never be unless he was able to put everything to rest.

"Yeah. I'm sorry Midna. I didn't want to scare you with all I went through. I… It was like when I told you in the Twilight Realm about the pain I suffered and that of my past. I saw it hurt you so this time around I've been thinking on how to find a way to explain it so it wasn't painful…" he drifted, biting his lip for a moment with the thought of everything that still needed to be done. "Thanks Midna," he said in a quiet monotone voice, not explaining anything else. They were both silent for a few seconds after his words and Midna smiled a bit, trying to keep the mood lighter.

"So, are we good now?"

The Sheikah returned the smile after a second or so of hesitation, yet the expression wasn't fully truthful. "I'd say we're as good as we could be. For now at least." Thoughts of the Hero's Shade and the Interloper surfaced in his mind. The harshest of which felt like a blade to his side. Talking with Midna this way made him happy. He knew that one day he wanted to be much closer to her than this still somewhat tense friendship they had only just recently obtained once more, but at the same time saw that he may very well couldn't be the one she would share her life with, her kingdom coming first, just as it should. For now though, Link would embrace what they had.

After their brief discussion, Midna felt a bit better. Of course she knew the history of the Twili, as did Link, so neither of them were affected by what was told to Colin and Telma. The way the two of them spoke to each other just now… it felt a bit like old times. The royal would make sure that it got better from here on out.

The Twilight Princess turned and stared out into the darkness of Hyrule's night. She would seize the moment they had here, now that the mood was probably the lightest it would be for quite some time. She was nervous, but needed to say what she felt. Midna took a deep breath, letting out an exaggerated sigh and turning to Link. With her movements, he met her gaze. She bit her lip, closing her eyes then opening them once more, her heart rate increasing simply with the thought of the words she would tell him; the words she hoped he would return. Link gave her a concerned and confused expression in response to the almost flustered one she had given him.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity, she spoke.

"Oh Goddesses… Link, I love you. I love you! There, I said it." Midna's eyes began to water, but it wasn't from sadness. She was happy. So very, incredibly, happy. Of course it came out almost the exact opposite of how she had planned and seen it play out in her mind. Midna's attempt to stay composed and bring up the statement as one of her quips to make the atmosphere cheerful went drastically awry. That didn't matter to her now though. After speaking, she felt greatly relieved, even if Link didn't feel the same way and just wanted to be friends instead. She eagerly waited for whatever he would tell her; desperately hoping that this wouldn't distance them, him denying even friendship between the two after hearing her deeper feelings she still feared he wouldn't accept.

The Sheikah was staring at her in shock, mouth hanging open while his breath was caught in his throat and bright red eyes wide, but his expression softened after a short while and Link took a moment or so to calm his racing heart with a few deep inhales. He'd never expected her to be the one to say something of that matter. Link almost felt dizzy from his mind spinning over the statement he was told. The Sheikah had been so focused on himself and what to do as to not hurt others that he hadn't noticed just how much they cared for him. He vaguely felt that she maybe held something for the one who had saved the Princess's world, but wasn't able to confirm it in any way. The kiss she gave the Sheikah in the Twilight Realm… Link saw that merely as a friendly, and possibly teasing, action to make him feel better, since he desperately hoped she might have silently known he felt something for her, even if it wasn't completely obvious. At the time he didn't want to speak and was unable say anything then as well because of his own fears and surprise.

The Sheikah's sight drifted from the Twili, knowing that she didn't want him to see her like this, although she was happy and his brain wasn't even processing what his eyes saw of her otherworldly features. Midna didn't look at Link either as the two of them stared off into the distance of the night.

Link's thoughts raced as he tried to find something to say to her. A time of silence passed between them and neither could tell how long it lasted. The Sheikah's gaze eventually went back to that of the Princess, who now hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin atop them. He desperately wanted to tell her the same, but something was preventing him from forming the words. Link forced himself to calm his mind and thought on it a bit, realizing he didn't want their conversation to be somber just as she probably did as well. Instead of keeping the mood like it had been for much of the time, he resorted to what Midna most likely would have done if their positions were reversed and none of this strain was put upon them. Even if it would only last a moment, he went back to how they were before this new journey of theirs.

"Is the Princess of Twilight really crying over something so trivial?" Link knew it was far from trivial but couldn't help and say so to playfully contradict the fact. She drew her arm across her face, wiping away the glistening water with a smile. Other than the single drop of precious liquid she had summoned to shatter the Mirror, Link had never seen tears from the Twili, but was glad that they were of happiness and not sorrow. Yet he was almost sad to see her rid of the droplets that glowed like the silver pinpricks from the sky above, their beauty reminding him of the moment that caused him to desperately cling to her.

"Shut up, or do you want me to turn you into a wolf?" Midna asked, looking at him with an accusing yet playful glare, eyes bright in the otherwise dim night. Link smiled in response to her expression. Conversations like these are what she enjoyed so much from their bond before, even if the words themselves weren't the kindest.

"I'd howl at the moon if you did. It's too beautiful of a night not to," he replied, looking up to the stars that shone down from above; afraid that if he gazed at her any longer, Link wouldn't be able to draw his sight from the Princess bathed in moonlight, she possibly feeling awkward from the stare.

Midna followed his eyes for a moment, quickly becoming bored with the scenery and instead returning her gaze to Link's strange but now considered normal irises. The red in them reflected the light of the tiny sliver of moon above the two. A moment later her sight traveled from his eyes to one of his blue earrings that glinted in the low light. From there her gaze made its way along his jawline, crossing along the now less black and more bluish lines that had plagued Link during his struggle. Eventually it settled on the Sheikah's lips that were curved up the slightest in a smile. They were so close, with him being a Sheikah now and this stress between them melting away in the faint moonlight…

Somewhere in the distance a real wolf howled. Link looked to Midna, tilting his head up the slightest to meet her irises that glowed like the embers of the almost dead fire at their campsite.

"You see? They're asking for me to join," he joked at her silence and she couldn't help but continue to play along with his words.

"No, they're wondering why you aren't a wolf," she lightly punched him in the shoulder, reinforcing her point that he wasn't a furred beast. This is exactly how it should be between them. Like it had been before all the sadness and pain wormed its way into their lives once again.

"Then turn me into one, if you dare," Link responded with a grin, his pointed canine sticking out the slightest over the edge of his lip, just like Midna's had done when she was an imp. Somehow the words he spoke felt so right.

At that moment a gust of wind streamed past the two, blowing Link's pointed hat in front of his face and obscuring Midna's view of the Sheikah she loved.

"Ugh! Stupid windsock!" the Twili exclaimed with irritation, grabbing it from his head and aggressively pulling the cap away from his hair. Link reactively reached for his scalp and placed his palms where up until a moment ago the hat had resided. Midna held the fabric in one hand as she stared at it. She couldn't believe she'd actually used it as a sleeping bag of sorts on occasion during their journey when she possessed her cursed impish body. The two of them had changed so much, both in physical appearance and emotional devotion. They were finally beginning to understand one another.

Link slowly pulled his hands away, looking to his iconic cap and then meeting her eyes as the Princess drew her gaze from the green garment.

"Wow, I feel insulted, right to my very soul nonetheless. Do you have any idea how long I've been wearing this outfit? Since the beginning of time," he spoke, only to have a bit of a harsher truth attempt to latch itself onto him. He pushed it aside for the moment. Link wouldn't let anything come in the way of the playful happiness that they shared right now.

"Exactly. Those dusty old clothes aren't quite your style anymore. They don't go with your… unique eyes. Twili robes are much more fitting," Midna smirked with her taunt.

"Really now? And where do you suppose we'll get some Twili robes in the middle of Hyrule? Are you going to pull them out of a little pocket of twilight?"

The Princess couldn't think of a good comeback, resorting to an insult as not to admit her loss.

"Shut up."

Her words satisfied the Sheikah, knowing he had won this time. Games like these were something he had missed so dearly. He decided to continue, rubbing his victory in her face.

"And how exactly are you going to make me do that? I'll just howl to the moon if you turn me into a wolf, and even though I didn't say all that much on our journey, I can talk your ear off here and now just to annoy you. I won't shut up that easily," he spoke with a satisfactory smile, leaning forward so their faces were mere inches away. Link felt that he actually could talk nonstop, at least right now. Of course he wouldn't expose all of his truths at once, knowing it would pain them both, but Link could at least speak to her normally and make up for his recent silence.

"Really now? Are you sure about that?" She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow doubtfully, bringing her own face the slightest bit closer to his and hoping he couldn't see her nervousness at what she was about to do.

"Yeah, I'm positive. Let's see, now where should I start?" he began, gaze drifting from hers to travel across the face of the Twili; admiring the way her fiery hair framed it, pointing towards her cheeks while the rest was bound behind her. For a moment his sight hovered at the long lashes of her eyes and then moved on towards her plump purple lips once he noticed she had blinked. Link wondered if he saw the corner of her mouth twitch as he thought back to their journey to save the two worlds and nothing of the pain they had suffered that started this new adventure of theirs. Link smiled as a happier memory came to mind, meeting her eyes once more before he spoke. "How about the time—"

At that moment the Twili pressed her lips to his, before Link had a chance to object to her actions.

That made him shut up.

He was stiff for a moment or two, heart racing and strange eyes wide as the Princess of Twilight kissed her hero, even if he no longer was known as one. Quickly though he relaxed, savoring every bit of what she offered and embracing it. When he was younger and well before he even dreamed that his destiny would be this great, Link had always wondered about fairy tales and what it would be like to kiss a princess – or really anyone for that matter. Now he knew, and it was better than anything he could have ever imagined.

Meanwhile Midna internally questioned why she had waited this long. Over a year now she had wanted this between them, and from the fact that Link hadn't pushed away, she could tell he was at least accepting of her actions. The Princess let her thoughts drift, allowing herself to be absorbed in the moment.

The wolf that had howled not long ago took up its call once more. Another joined the first; the beasts echoed each other as the two shared their long sought-after affection beneath the moonlight. They gently pulled back as the cries of the wild canines drifted, gazes locking and red of the irises drawn to those of the other.

"Midna…" Link swallowed. His heart was pounding, as was hers. The rush of adrenaline from the action was different than that of what he was used to in battle. It was much more satisfying, with a touch of sweetness to it as well. Once more the Sheikah was at a loss for words. All bad thoughts were no longer present in his mind as he focused on what he had before him and what they had done just moments ago, still trying to wrap his head around it all. Link set his hand on the elbow that had been wounded when they tumbled into her realm together, memories of what had come to pass and their slowly growing bond from the moment they met sped through his mind.

So much had happened to them – and between them – since the Princess in the body of a little imp confronted the then Hero as a fabled yet imprisoned beast. He had been caged up like a dog, and she acted as his master. Now they were equals – almost. Link's eyes focused on her. This was the moment he'd been waiting for, and after what she had done he'd finally found the courage necessary. Link didn't need to wait to tell Midna. The Sheikah could do that now.

"I love you too." Something about saying those words aloud suddenly made Link more confident when it came to the matter. Now he felt he could show his feelings without worry.

"Why was that so hard for you to say? You'd kissed me," the Princess responded playfully.

"Well you were the one who initiated it, not that I'm complaining," he rebutted, now a bit more composed than not long ago. It felt good to speak to her like this again, now that he'd admitted what he'd felt; everything seemed so easy and natural. This was how it was meant to be.

Midna grinned in response to his words. What he said had been true.

Link smiled in return to her joyous expression, his pointed tooth glinting brightly as it caught some light from the moon reflecting in the water below them. He got an idea, proceeding to lean his head back and take a deep breath as he prepared to let out a howl of satisfaction to join that of the wolves' calls that the beasts had taken up once more.

"Shh! You'll wake everyone!" Midna said, realization of what he was about to do coming to mind just in time. Immediately she clamped her hand over his mouth and her eyes darted towards the campsite a little ways away. He hadn't even had the chance to begin releasing the cry.

"Mffnff!"

"What?" she asked, still holding her palm over his mouth as the Sheikah stared at her with wide, shocked eyes. "Princess got your tongue?" she joked, displaying a grin.

He nipped her hand, the sharp canine of his causing the Twili to immediately release her grip. The bite wasn't enough to draw blood, or even hurt for that matter. Instead the action was more of a playful warning than anything.

"Goddesses Midna," Link took a deep breath. "You need to learn not to suffocate people. This is the second time you've tried to kill me that way," he spoke; remembering when she'd crushed him in an embrace the morning after his illness struck. With that thought came another. He was better now, but…

"I could suffocate you in another way if you want," the Princess said temptingly, interrupting his thoughts and placing her fingers on the underside of Link's chin to gently direct his face towards hers as she displayed an enticing smile.

"I'm not sure what to say to that," he responded, gaze darting from her lips to her eyes as his mouth curved into a grin.

"Ugh, you don't need to say anything you idiot. Just kiss me, damn it."

With those words the Princess of Twilight pulled the face of the Sheikah close, their mouths meeting once more. This time the wolves didn't howl, or maybe they did. Midna didn't hear them either way, being too wrapped up in the moment between herself and her hero.

Link returned what she offered, this time expecting it. He wished to simply lose himself in the woman that held him, but the Sheikah's senses caught the sound of a stick breaking. He wanted to ignore it, only paying mind to the Princess before him, but it was his duty to guard the campsite. He put his wants second, taking up his role as protector and reluctantly drawing back from Midna, who looked at the Sheikah concerned. Link's gaze went past her to settle on that of the young Ordonian who approached from the shadows of a tree behind the Twili. The boy that had escorted them came to a stop at the end of the bridge, looking to the two who sat a couple of meters away.

"C-Colin," Link stuttered, suddenly feeling embarrassed as he brought his hand to his face, holding the back of it across his mouth in an attempt to hide the rosy glow of his cheeks from his bashfulness. The Sheikah wondered just how much the kid had seen.

"I thought I heard something a minute or so ago, but it looks like everything's fine," the boy spoke, feigning innocence to what he had witnessed.

"Yes, all is well. Thank you for your concern," Midna replied placidly, looking over her shoulder to Colin as she was still mostly turned towards Link.

"Want me to take over watch now?"

"No thank you. I was actually just coming to take Link's duty. It seemed he started to doze off," the Twili said, easily covering up the truth just as she had done many times in the past.

"I see," Colin spoke cryptically. He'd seen through their ruse and had finally confirmed his suspicions about the two. It wasn't uncommon that his parents would share a kiss when they thought that they were alone. Now he knew that the Sheikah would be happy and Colin could say goodbye confidently when the time to do so came. Of course he would miss Link, but also knew that his savior would now get what he deserved after his struggles: someone that understood and cared for him – no matter who or what he was.

"Goodnight," the boy spoke, turning a moment later to walk away and leave the two solely in the company of the other. The eyes of the Sheikah and Twili met once again after the Ordonian disappeared into the darkness and sounds of his footsteps vanished as he settled in to sleep once more.

"What? Are you embarrassed?" Midna joked with a tilt of her head and a smile.

"Shut up," Link replied, tips of his pointed ears hot from his sheepishness, as was his face that was undeniably red, even with the lack of light. "You seemed to handle that too well," the Sheikah sneered, but not unkindly.

"I do happen to be a Princess just in case you forgot. I'm used to being composed in the most dramatic of situations," Midna said, siting up straighter and holding her head high as she looked down to Link. He stifled a small laugh as he spoke.

"You completely lost it when you first admitted your feelings. Did you seriously forget that already?"

"And you were a little insecure puppy," she quickly retorted, knowing her words would sting a bit but not be too painful. "What's up with that?"

"I'm not really sure… character flaw of mine?" Link shrugged, not meeting her eyes for a moment and brushing aside the comment. He lifted his gaze to hers after he had taken a breath; sight once more traveling over the Twili as he admired the way the silver of the night glow complimented her skin. "Anyway, when it's us alone though…" he drifted, reaching up to place a hand on her cheek, "I'm more than okay with it," Link smiled, drawing the Princess close for another kiss, wanting more to make up for not doing this earlier. Midna hesitated just the slightest, and he noticed, pulling back before their lips met.

"Link…" the Twili's voice faded into the night as her gaze drifted to the water below the bridge, moon reflecting in the shallow pool. His face displayed worry at her sudden change to seriousness and he drew his hand from her cheek. "When we get back to the Twilight Realm…" Midna didn't know how to phrase her thoughts. After her actions, even though he'd more than agreed with them, the Princess realized that what she would speak just might be too stressful at this time. She felt stupid for even thinking of bringing it up, Hyrule not being the right place to address it anyway. Getting home was still a matter they needed to tackle. The Twili closed her eyes and spoke quietly. "…Never mind."

"Is something the matter?" Link asked concerned. He was worried. The Sheikah enjoyed what they shared here and didn't want to let it go, but at the same time he knew he couldn't have it all. This was the most he could get as of now, still needing to do more before he even had the chance of grasping the happiness with her that he desperately wanted but was still afraid he might never obtain.

After a moment Midna put on a smile and brought her sight to that of his, looking at the now confused face of the one that was so very joyful only a short while ago.

"It's nothing. Now, I think it's about time you get some rest. I'll take watch from here and wake the kid when I'm done. Colin will be a bit suspicious if he comes across the two of us again."

The Twili had a point. Link nodded, almost reluctantly pushing himself off the wooden bridge and into a standing position.

"Oh, and you can have this back," she said, tossing him the green hat. Link snatched it out of the air. He had completely forgotten about it during their exchange. "Sleep well," Midna smiled. He nodded, squeezing the fabric of his cap as he turned to leave, letting the Princess take over guard duty as she watched him go.

The Sheikah silently returned to the campsite, his mind frantic over what the two of them had said and done, swearing he could still feel the warmth of her lips on his. Link knew he needed rest, but was unable to fall asleep with the recent events flying about in his head. He sensed Midna felt the same way, unable to be calm. That's probably why she'd offered to take watch. Link wondered why she brought up her world only to dismiss the thought, but he felt he might have understood the reasoning. The once great Hero of Twilight himself still had something to tell her that he hadn't mentioned along with the admittance of their feelings.

After all that, Link wanted to keep the biggest thing a secret so they would have some peace, yet at the same time he knew keeping it hidden forever wasn't right and would only lead to more unavoidable pain and suffering, her possibly even hating him because of it. So one day he had to do the right thing, just as he had always done during his time as the Hero.

Link only wished that it would lead to happiness and not sorrow like that of his previous duty had.

A/N: Is a 7,500+ word romance chapter sappy enough? xD I kinda wanted to write something cheesy, so… yeah. Anyway, sorry if it had a bit of a slow start, but I was trying to build up to the big moment. I needed to give them at least some happiness after all they've been though! (Plus the corniest first kiss scene ever. xD)