To Capture the Heart of a Hero

Chapter 56 – May We Have This Dance?

Link nearly performed a double-take when he returned to the castle. "Zelda and Shad?"

Ashei smirked, as if happy to have gotten such a reaction out of him. "You sound surprised."

"I, well, yeah," was all Link could stutter. "I just…I never would have thought that they'd take an interest in each other. It's so…"

"Unexpected?"

"Yeah."

Ashei snickered.

A few weeks had passed since Link had last seen Zelda. In that time, his wound had closed, and he could now finally move around without wincing at every step. He no longer required any bandages either, although Ilia still insisted on applying some healing salve to it as often as he would allow her. Aside from that, he was the picture of health.

Today, he had returned to the castle for the sake of attending the monthly Roundtable meeting. While navigating his way through the halls, he had the pleasure of bumping into Ashei, who, as always, was far too keen to spill the castle's latest gossip to him. And man, was it juicy this time.

Apparently, Princess Zelda (his close friend) and Shad (his friend from the Resistance) had started seeing each other.

Link wasn't quite sure why he felt so surprised by this. Perhaps it was because he knew them both so closely, and yet he had never once witnessed them interact with each other. It almost felt as if two separate worlds were colliding.

"So how did this happen?" Link asked as he hurried to catch up with the Knight who flippantly strutted through the halls.

She shrugged. "Apparently, Auru set them up together. Thought they'd make a good match."

"Why?"

"You serious? Haven't you ever noticed how much those two adore books?"

Link frowned and shook his head. "Well, sure, but I was actually asking why Auru did that in the first place."

"Oh, guess you've been away and haven't heard, yeah?" Ashei said as she blinked. "Zelda has started looking for suitors."

Link frowned a bit when he heard that word. He wasn't sure why, but it made him feel kind of uncomfortable. It almost felt alien as it left his lips. "Suitors?"

"Yeah. Zelda is seriously thinking about settling down and getting married."

"Oh…" Link's voice trailed off as he stared at the floor. For some reason, he still felt so taken aback by this news. Like it was so unexpected that it had simply left him stunned. He honestly didn't know what to think about it.

Naturally, Ashei was quick to notice this behavior before giving him a playful punch on the arm. "Hey, snap out of it, bozo."

Link lightly chuckled. For some, Ashei's behavior could easily come across as rude, but he knew her well enough to know that this was her way of being endearing. "Sorry, I just had no idea that Zelda was planning on pursuing such things. She's never even mentioned it."

Ashei crossed her arms and shook her head. "Oh, Link, Link, Link. I thought you were Zelda's friend. Do you really understand so little of her position? As a Princess, it's expected that she will marry and start a family. And she can't wait for forever, yeah?"

Link almost felt stumped by having this pointed out to him. "Well, sure, I guess I always knew that it was going to happen someday. It just…It feels so sudden."

Ashei smirked. "Well, I suppose that's how love works, yeah? Always striking swiftly and suddenly."

"I suppose," he agreed halfheartedly. He still felt like he was trying to process everything that he'd learned during their short walk through the halls. Sure, Zelda had always been mature, and she was certainly the type to always be thinking of her future. But when he tried to picture her getting married, it seemed like a foreign concept. It was almost as if he imagined that the Princess was a little too pure and too innocent to ever take an interest in such things.

But Ashei was right. She had to marry someday.

"And how's Shad handling this?" Link asked, still trying to take everything into consideration. "He doesn't seem like the most confident guy around."

To his surprise, Ashei snorted at this. "You're right, there. I heard he was nervous beyond belief, but I also heard that the two of them have gotten along rather well. They've already shared more than a few dinners together, and I imagine there will be more to come."

"Huh," Link said, trying to imagine the scholar and the Princess sitting at the same table together. As expected, it was still so difficult. "I never would have thought."

Ashei smirked some more. "I know. It is rather funny to think of our squirrely little Shad as someone who is capable of entertaining royalty. Although I suppose he does have a charming way of speaking."

Link smirked too. Yes, Shad did have an elegant way with words, and he felt that he knew Zelda well enough to surmise that it was likely one of the things she appreciated most about him. "Well, I'm happy to hear that they're getting along. I hope it works out well for them."

"Agreed," Ashei said with a nod. She then paused, twisting her lip a bit before releasing a surprisingly somber sigh. "It's just a shame that he's not the Princess's first choice."

"First choice?" Link repeated, nearly stopping in his tracks. It took him a second to put together what she was suggesting. "Wait, would she rather be with someone else?"

Ashei also stopped and gave him a bewildered stare, as if trying to determine if he was serious. When she realized that he was, she could only roll her eyes. "Goddesses help me, you're dense."

Dense? Link repeated to himself. Now he felt completely lost. Leave it to his extended isolation in Ordon to revoke any sense of what's going on around here. "Sorry, is there something I'm missing?"

"Yes," Ashei said, and she made sure to stress the word. "But it's not for me to share, and if you haven't figured it out for yourself, then it's simply not for you to know."

Link could only raise his eyebrows. "Why are you being so cryptic all of a sudden?"

Ashei shut her trap, as if she'd already said more than enough. She then shot him a look as if to say "figure it out for yourself" before she ran off. Link considered following her, but he felt like there wasn't much point. Instead, he continued walking at his own pace, mulling over his thoughts.

However, it wasn't long after separating from Ashei that Link ran into the only person more troublesome than she: Chief Kanora of the Gerudo Tribe. The face of the tall redhead immediately lit up in surprise upon recognizing him.

"Ah, my lovely little Link! What a pleasure it is to see you again."

Her reaction was as over the top as ever, and Link felt like retreating within himself. "Hello, Kanora. It's nice to see you again too. I honestly forgot that you would be joining us today."

"Oh yes!" she insisted with a big smile. "It's my first time here and I am so thrilled to meet everyone. Why, I actually just finished introducing myself to the King. What an interesting man he is. Certainly a sly old fox, and in more ways than one." She finished with a wink.

Link was speechless, but thankfully, a voice soon spoke up from behind the Chief so that he didn't have to.

"Kanora, as always, I beg for you to watch your tongue," Zelda said as she joined them in the hallway. "My father is now your King, and you should treat him with at least some respect."

Kanora innocently blinked. "Why, of course, Princess! I meant no harm by my words. You must simply understand, we Gerudo often have more than one way of showing respect."

There was another wink from the Chief, and Link had to fight hard not to laugh as he watched Zelda roll her eyes. Once they finished their revolution, the small sapphire spheres ended up landing on the Hero.

She blinked as she stared at him. She wasn't sure why, but it felt like it had been a long time since they had last encountered each other, even though it had really only been a couple of weeks.

Naturally, he caught her gaze, and returned it with a warm smile. "Hey Zelda. It's good to see you again."

Zelda couldn't help but smile as she felt her shoulders relax a bit. There was no need to feel tense. Link was as warm and friendly as ever. "It's good to see you as well. How is your wound? Have you finished recovering?"

"Yeah," Link replied before patting his chest. "It's all closed up and I'm good as new."

Zelda placed a hand over her heart before sighing a bit. "I'm relieved to hear that."

"And how about you?" Link asked. "Is your father doing okay?"

She nodded. "He is still rather sick and requires a lot of bed rest, but he's doing well considering everything he has to endure."

"Thanks goodness," Link breathed with a smile. "I hope he gets well soon. The Goddesses know that you've had enough to deal with lately."

Zelda smiled, appreciative of his sympathy. However, before she had a chance to respond further, Kanora was already swooping in with one of her suggestive remarks.

"You know, my lovely little Link," she said, casually placing a hand on his shoulder, "one thing that can help relieve stress is to spend time in the presence of pleasant company. If you really want to aid the Princess, perhaps you should consider lending her some more of your time. I'm sure that she'd appreciate it, no?"

Link could only blush before taking a step back. As always, Kanora was getting way too personal, both in her words and proximity. "What are you talking about?"

Zelda was blushing just as much as the Hero, but she still managed to summon a stern, commanding voice. "Kanora, that is quite enough. Goodness, will your tongue never be tamed?"

Kanora released Link's shoulder before chuckling. "Oh, relax, Princess. I assure you that all comments are made innocently. And besides, I truly felt that I had some helpful advice to offer."

Link furrowed his brow, still feeling lost. "I'd always be happy to spend time with Zelda and help her relax. But…wouldn't it be better if someone closer did it?"

Both the Princess and the Chief cast a curious glance at the Hero.

"Whatever do you mean, Link?" Kanora asked. "Whose company could ever be more comforting than your own?"

Link frowned beneath her expectant gaze. "Well…" He paused, before realizing that these words were probably best directed at Zelda herself. "You've started seeing Shad, haven't you?"

Zelda appeared beyond surprised, and even a little bashful as she cast her eyes to the floor. It was almost as if she were nervous for him to discover this. "Oh…you've caught word of that?"

"Ashei mentioned it to me a little bit ago," Link clarified. "It's true, isn't it?"

Zelda was soon blushing again, but she managed to nod. "Er…yes. We've been seeing each other for about a week now." She took a moment to silently curse herself. She wondered why it felt so difficult to tell him this. Was it part of the process of finally letting go of her feelings? Of moving on from the Hero who had captured her heart so long ago?

Zelda wasn't sure what she expected Link's reaction to be, but to her surprise (and relief), he gave her one of his typically warm smiles. "Well, congrats. I'm happy for you. Shad's a really nice guy, and I know that he'll treat you with kindness and respect."

The Princess could only flinch under such compassion, but she soon managed to smile. Sometimes, she felt like she didn't deserve someone as wonderful as Link in her life. "Thank you. I've heard much of the same from many others. I'm glad to know that he has your support as well."

Link simply grinned. "Of course!"

Zelda wished to pause and appreciate this moment of kindness and peace, but said moment was quickly lost as Kanora snapped out of whatever daze she must have been in, only to zero in on her companion.

"Princess!" she nearly scoffed. "You…You have started seeing someone!? We've been in each other's company all morning and yet you never once mentioned it!"

Zelda was rather taken aback by her reaction, although she supposed that she shouldn't have been. It was Kanora, after all. "Well, yes. I've started seeing a young man named Shad. And there really isn't much to mention. We've only been sharing some meals and having light discussions."

"Still!" the Chief insisted. "To know that there is someone who fancies you. And to know that you fancy him in return! It's such a relief. And here I feared that your heart was too frozen to ever find love." Kanora nearly swooned as the final word left her lips. She was such a hopeless romantic.

Fortunately, Zelda was grounded enough to combat her. "Frozen heart?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Oh, you know, like how you can be such a stick in the mud sometimes?" Kanora chuckled. "But really, congratulations, Princess. I'm so happy for you. Oh! And this is just wonderful. Now you'll have a date for the event that I hope to propose at today's meeting. How lovely!"

Both Link and Zelda blinked before glancing at each other. Neither of them seemed to have any idea what the Chief was talking about.

"Date?" Zelda asked.

"Event?" Link questioned.

But Kanora was as coy as ever. She simply placed a hand over her lips before producing a dainty and mischievous laugh. "Oh ho ho, don't worry, my loves. You'll find out soon enough."

And with that, she strangely and mysteriously whisked herself away, leaving Link and Zelda alone to bask in their bewilderment.

"What do you suppose she has planned?" Link asked eventually.

"I…don't know," Zelda replied slowly. "But I feel that I ought to be terrified to find out."

Link just snorted and shook his head. He felt the exact same way. He soon smiled before gesturing down the hall. "Well, come on. We might as well face it together."

Zelda couldn't but smile back. "Yes, let's go."

As expected, the energy that the newest member brought to the Roundtable meeting was an enthusiastic yet chaotic one. Kanora was very outspoken and made sure that everyone knew what a delight it was to join them as the representative of the Gerudo. She then nearly squealed once she realized that she would be seated between Auru and Enzo, or as she liked to refer to them: two fine, handsome, and seasoned men.

Everyone just nervously laughed at her. They were all more than a little surprised at how blunt and vocal she could be. All except for Ashei, who nearly burst out laughing every time Kanora opened her mouth. It quickly became apparent that the Chief and the Knight would likely get along quite well, as disastrous as it sounded.

Thankfully, Kanora eventually settled, and Zelda was able to get the meeting under way. It proceeded as usual for the most part. The various leaders brought forth any concerns they had with their civilizations, and Zelda and the others pledged whatever support they could offer. Fortunately, things in Hyrule seemed to have quieted down over the last few months, so the issues were minor at best.

Although, at one point, Renado took a moment to warn everyone of an upcoming concern. Being a Shaman, he was sometimes privy to divine visions of what was to come. He soon revealed that a harsh winter would likely be upon them by year's end, and he insisted that they all take the necessary precautions to endure it. After all, Hyrulean winters could be deadly if you weren't prepared for them.

Everyone nodded their agreement and thanked the Shaman for his warning. No doubt, they would all make their preparations in due time. It was then that the table turned to Kanora, who had been patiently and eagerly waiting for her moment to speak. Now that it had finally arrived, she simply smirked before clearing her throat.

Oh dear, Zelda thought to herself. Here we go.

But in actuality, it wasn't as bad as she expected. Kanora managed to behave and conduct herself like the responsible leader she was supposed to be. Sure, there were still a few flirtatious comments and more than a few unnecessary winks, but considering who she was, her conduct was honestly very professional.

She politely asked for trade routes to be established so that her girls could sell their wares in the Castle Town market, which Enzo claimed he would look into. She then inquired about the ongoing search for stonemasons to see if any of them might be interested in constructing some housing in the desert, which Fost assured her was still under way. Most of the masons were currently finishing up work in Castle Town and the surrounding areas, but once winter rolled around, that would be a good time for them to share their talents with the Gerudo. After all, you couldn't build a home when it was snowing, and there certainly wouldn't be any snow in the consistently warm desert.

Additionally, Darbus chimed in and claimed that some of his brothers might be interested in lending them a hand. Being Gorons, they knew how to work with stone better than anyone else, and of course, they had access to plenty of natural materials within Death Mountain. It was a genuine and kind offer, although Kanora didn't seem particularly pleased at the thought of Gorons taking positions that could have been filled by big, burly men instead. But she smiled and thanked her fellow Chief all the same.

Once all of the important topics were out of the way, Kanora then smirked a bit before bowing her head and placing a hand to her chest. "And now for my final request, if you lovely people would be so kind as to afford me yet another moment to speak."

Zelda frowned a bit. She had a bad feeling about this. No doubt the Gerudo Chief had been saving this "secret plan" of hers for last. The very same one that she had hinted to Link and Zelda not even an hour before. Still, after such a display of humility and politeness, how could she deny her?

"Yes, go on, Chief Kanora."

The redhead grinned, appearing very pleased. She cleared her voice again, if only so she could guarantee that everyone heard her with perfect clarity.

"I would like to propose an event. One which I hope to see come to fruition, but you will have to inform me if it is at all possible, Princess."

Again, Zelda felt a sense of hesitation rising up within her, although she couldn't deny that she was more curious than anything else. "State your request," she commanded.

Kanora smirked once more. "I propose that we hold a ball here at the castle."

Silence, followed by many turned heads and raised eyebrows.

"A ball?" Ashei asked, appearing displeased with something Kanora said for the first time ever.

She nodded with confidence. "Yes, a ball. I believe that is what they are called here, no? Those big formal dances that are held at the castle?"

Zelda eyed the Chief warily, wondering what she was plotting. "Well, yes, you are correct. But may I inquire as to why you are requesting such a thing?"

Kanora smiled her girly smirk. "Oh, well I simply assure you that this is all for the sake of my people, Princess. I hold no ulterior motive, other than to have a bit of fun, of course. Ah ha ha ha."

It didn't take long for the others to start giving her curious looks. "And how exactly will holding a ball here aid your people?" Auru asked patiently.

"Why, shouldn't that be obvious?" Kanora asked as she placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "I've heard that such events are very social, and an excellent way to meet people. And of course, seeing as how we Gerudo are nothing but a bunch of lonely hearts searching for warmth and comfort in the arms of a lover, our attendance at such an event could certainly prove beneficial to us. Why, just imagine all the handsome, single young men that we may encounter. Can you think of a better opportunity for my kind to discover the romance that we need to survive?"

Zelda nearly lost her composure as the truth of what Kanora was asking for finally sunk in. Her eyes narrowed with distaste. "You…You wish to use the ball as an opportunity to seduce men?" she asked, perhaps more bluntly than she should have.

But her phrasing didn't faze the Chief in the slightest. "Oh, yes, very much so," she said, bright eyed and unashamed. "I'd like to remind you that we Gerudo require relations with outsiders in order to propagate our kind. And now that we have returned to our homeland of Hyrule, we simply must seek out Hylian men to accommodate us. Therefore, it would benefit us greatly if we held a wonderful gathering of individuals, where we can greet fresh faces and potentially strike some fancies."

Zelda nervously frowned. "Kanora, I don't know about this…While I understand the necessity of your…reproduction,"—the Princess tried to put it gently but the word still made her wince—"I'm not sure that our castle's ballroom would be the best place to openly display such…um, acts of passion…"

Kanora just raised her eyebrows before laughing and shaking her head. "Oh, please, Princess. Do not be so vulgar. What I am requesting is honestly very innocent. We only wish to meet the men and see if they would be interested in getting to know some of us better. The making of love can come later."

If Zelda's face hadn't turned red by this point, it certainly had now. Not only had she mistakenly assumed what Kanora had been asking for, but this topic in and of itself felt incredibly inappropriate for what was supposed to be a political discussion. And yet, in spite of such truths, Zelda was surprised to find that Kanora's proposal was quickly gathering support.

"I think this may be worth considering, Princess," Enzo spoke up. "The Gerudo have recently returned to our lands and after swearing fealty to our Kingdom, it is only right that we should lend them our assistance. And it does sound as if this event could prove useful for introducing the Gerudo to their fellow countrymen."

"I agree," Fost said with a nod. "This will be a good experience for the entire Kingdom. We haven't held a ball here since before the Twilight Invasion took place, so we are likely overdue for one. Additionally, it will mean a lot to the good people of Castle Town if we open our doors and invite them to join us."

Zelda bit her lip. She couldn't deny that these were fair points being made.

"I think a dance sounds like fun," Ralis added with a boyish grin. "It could serve as a relaxing celebration after all of the work we've put into the Hyrule Recovery Effort."

"Absolutely!" Darbus bellowed. "And I know that me and my brothers love a good dance. Count us in!"

It was here that Kanora frowned a bit. "Now hold on, you two!" she snapped. "While I don't mind if your lovely selves attend, we can't be filling up the ballroom with Gorons and Zoras! We Gerudo need to meet Hylian men, and no others!"

Auru chuckled a bit. "Good Chief, while your plight is understandable, it would be rather rude to exclude all other races from attending the event, don't you think?"

Kanora furrowed her brow but soon mellowed under the gentleman's friendly gaze. "Very well. You can bring a small group of Gorons and Zoras with you but no more. We really do require the space."

Zelda could only frown. By this point, the situation felt like it was quickly getting out of hand, so she insisted on speaking up. "Ahem. I don't believe that I have issued my approval for this proposal yet. We still need to discuss it."

"Oh, what's there to discuss?" Ashei asked with a roll of her eyes. "Everyone is already on board with it, yeah? And if it's just a 'meet-and-greet' at a dance, it's basically harmless."

Kanora beamed at this. "Yes! Exactly! Thank you, my sweet little Ashei."

"Watch who you're calling 'sweet'," Ashei warned, although she did smirk a bit.

Zelda merely sighed. "Well, yes, I suppose there is little risk involved if it's all purely formal…"

Kanora nodded. "Oh, yes, Princess. I'm sure you know how well-behaved us Gerudo can be."

You mean not at all? Zelda wanted to shoot back, but she managed to hold her tongue.

"And besides," Kanora continued. "It's as the wonderful Goron Chief and Zora Prince stated. This will be a fun event for all, and that will of course include you, Princess! Why, you'll even have the opportunity to bring that new lover of yours and share a dance with him!"

Zelda was properly seated, but at the mention of the word "lover", she nearly fell out of her chair anyway. "I beg your pardon?"

"Why, you know, that wonderful young man you mentioned earlier. What was his name again?"

"Shad," Ashei supplied effortlessly.

"Ah, yes, the kind and handsome Shad! Why, just think of it, Princess. Holding the ball and sharing a dance with your beloved. Oh, doesn't it just make your heart swoon?"

Zelda simply stared at the Chief in disbelief. Never before had she attended a meeting that felt this disorderly and chaotic. And never before had anyone encouraged her to seek a dance with "her lover". No, worse, "her beloved". Not only did such terms sound far more romantic than the reality of things, but they were still incredibly inappropriate for a political discussion!

"I'll have to consider it," was all she said before shutting her mouth and attempting to smother the inferno that was her face.

Thankfully, Kanora's attention was quickly turned elsewhere. "And not only the Princess, but I believe that you have a date as well, my lovely little Link."

The Hero, who had been following the conversation but felt no need to add to it, suddenly blinked himself to life. "Huh? What? Me?"

Kanora giggled at his cluelessness. "Yes, of course you, silly. You have a lover of your own, do you not? Surely you'll bring her to the ball as well?"

Link blushed a bit. Much like Zelda, he was not privy to having his girlfriend explicitly referred to as his "lover". It sounded so much naughtier than it needed to be. And of course, it didn't help that the father of his "lover" was sitting right next to him. For the sake of not offending Bo, he tried to choose his words carefully.

"Well, um, I guess I could ask Ilia if she'd be interested."

To his surprise (and perhaps relief), Bo just chuckled before happily clapping Link on the back. "Oh, don't be so shy. Go on and take her, Link. I'm sure that Ilia would love the chance to attend a formal ball. Especially if it's with you, son."

Link smiled bashfully, but he knew that the Mayor was right. Ilia would certainly be up for it if he asked her. "Okay, count me in then."

"Wonderful!" Kanora cheered as she clapped her hands together. "And you, Princess? Will you gladly lend us your approval? I'm certain you'll have a marvelous time. Love is in the air, after all."

Again, Zelda had to fight hard not to come undone under this woman's comments. Nevertheless, she could tell that the battle had already been fought and won. Her fellow members of the Roundtable were now simply awaiting her blessing, and nothing more.

"Very well," she said with a sigh. "I'll converse with the Hyrule Council and schedule a date for the ball in the near future."

There was a squeal of delight from Kanora followed by nods of approval from the rest of the Roundtable. Everyone seemed satisfied with this result. Enzo and Fost proceeded to start discussing the preliminary details, such as the organization of such an event, how many servants would be required, and how many guests would likely attend. Not to mention, who would perform the music and what food was to be served?

But Zelda just tuned it all out. She was too distracted by her thoughts as her gaze rested on Kanora. Even now, the Chief had a faint smirk of triumph planted on her lips. The Princess narrowed her eyes as her nerves began to grow restless.

She couldn't see this event as anything other than a giant melting pot of colorful and interesting characters. The Gerudo would be in attendance, as would the people of Castle Town, the Gorons, the Zoras, and all of the Roundtable members. Not to mention the dates, Shad and Ilia, in addition to numerous other individuals who held ties to the monarchy. With so many moving pieces all congregating in one space on one night, Zelda soon felt challenged by a single provocative query.

What was Kanora planning?

What indeed wahahaha. We'll be going into a ball "mini-arc" of sorts next chapter. I promise it will be chaotic, fun, and rife with drama. All my favorite flavors lol.