To Capture the Heart of a Hero

Chapter 58 – Letting Go

"Zelda," Link breathed, letting the name loosely tumble from his lips.

Time seemed to slow. The music in the background faded from his ears. In this moment, he was in awe. Not only because he was surprised to have stumbled into the Princess of all people, but also because she appeared so different from usual.

Simply put, she was stunning.

First off, there was her long brunette hair, which had clearly been styled for the occasion. It was free of the usual braid in which it was kept, now flowing down her shoulders and back in long strands that were equally wavy and curly. Then there was her dress, which was also long and flowing and violet—decorated with floral patterns in shades of red, pink, and white. And finally, there was her face, which shined brightly despite the thin layer of makeup that covered it. Her eyes appeared as nothing more than two beautiful gems that contented to stare back at him.

"Oh, Link," she said, equally surprised as she took in his own appearance. "I didn't recognize you for a moment."

"I, um…" Link's words awkwardly trailed off as he forced his jaw shut. For some reason his mouth felt dry and he couldn't bring himself to tear his gaze away from the woman before him. There was something magical about her tonight. She was just so…

"Link?" Zelda asked, her expression quickly growing concerned. "Are you all right? I didn't give you a concussion when I bumped into you, did I?"

"H-Huh?" was all Link could mumble.

"Well, it's just that…you're staring," Zelda pointed out. As she did so, her cheeks turned a little red.

"Oh!" Link breathed, as if this fact alone was enough to snap him out of his daze. "Er, sorry about that. You just look so different." He paused, regretfully realizing how awkward that sounded. "But, it's nice, though," he hopelessly tried to clarify.

Zelda blushed a bit more, but she managed to smile. "Thank you, Link. You look nice too. Although…" This time, the Princess paused before daring to take a step closer. Link wasn't sure, but she almost seemed to be inspecting his neck.

"What?" he questioned, nearly taking a step back.

"Your collar is a little messed up. Sorry, it must have happened when we bumped into each other."

Link began to feel a little self-conscious, not only because his suit was apparently out of order, but also because he was trapped within Zelda's gaze. "It is?" he asked, slowly reaching up.

"Here, let me," Zelda said, her voice so soft that it could barely be heard over the music. But Link registered it all the same. The Princess soon reached up and used gentle fingers to adjust the collar of his suit. She then stepped back in order to admire her work.

"Much better," she mused.

"Thanks," Link mumbled before forcing his eyes to the floor. He still wasn't sure why, but he felt so nervous in front of her. Was it because she looked so stunning, or was there something more to it?

Zelda continued to eye him, and by this point, was almost seriously starting to wonder if something was wrong. However, another thought soon crossed her mind and she blinked in surprise. "Oh, shoot. I completely forgot what I was doing. Apologies again for bumping into you, Link."

The Hero then watched as Zelda bowed her head and turned to leave. By pure instinct, he felt compelled to stop her. Almost as if he loathed the thought of letting her go. "Wait, where are you off to in such a hurry?"

She looked at him, hesitating while she debated whether or not to explain her current predicament. Eventually, she sighed, seeing no harm in it. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask. You haven't seen my father around, have you?"

"Your father?" Link repeated before blinking. "He's here?"

Another sigh escaped Zelda's lips, this one sounding much more exhausted than the previous. "Yes. He somehow managed to convince Roswald that he was feeling well for a change, and because this is such a big event, the doctor graciously granted him permission to attend for an hour."

Link frowned at this. He could tell that Zelda wanted to replace the word "graciously" with "foolishly". "So now he's here and you've lost sight of him," he surmised.

Zelda nodded. "It's not that I wished to keep an eye on him for the entire night, but I at least need to check in on him every once in a while! Despite what Roswald said, he still fatigues quite easily, and I really don't think he should be out of bed to begin with."

"I understand," Link assured her. He then took a moment to scan the room. With all of these people crowded together like this, trying to find one specific individual was certain to be a nightmare. "Er, do you need another pair of eyes?"

"Yes, but fortunately, I already have some. Shad offered to search for him on the opposite side of the room."

"Oh, you're here with Shad?" Link asked, surprising himself with just how surprised he sounded.

"Of course," Zelda said with another nod. "As Kanora would so happily point out, he is my 'date' for the evening."

Link nearly felt like face-palming. Of course indeed. Why would such obvious information have startled him? The Hero wasn't sure, but he felt like something was terribly off with himself tonight, and he didn't know what it was. Nevertheless, he shook his head and pushed such thoughts away. He figured that Zelda's troubles took priority over his own.

"Do you want my help as well?" he offered. "The more eyes you have, the easier it will be to find your father."

Zelda gave him an innocent stare. "Oh, well that's very kind of you, but shouldn't you be spending the evening with Ilia? Where is she, by the way?"

Link pointed across the room. "Over there, talking to Prince Ralis. I split off from her so I actually have a few minutes to kill." He paused as he watched Zelda's eyes turn curious. "Um, it's a long story."

"I see…" Zelda said hesitantly. By the spark of light in her eyes, it was clear that she wanted to hear more, but they both knew that they didn't have the time. "Very well. If you could spare a few minutes to help me scan the room, I'd truly appreciate it."

"It's my pleasure," he assured her. "Where should I begin?"

"Would you mind combing through the front? I'll travel along the walls and make sure that he hasn't passed out on any of the furniture. As sad as it is, that's probably the most likely place to find him at this hour-"

"Wait, hold that thought," Link suddenly cut her off. He squinted a bit, staring straight towards the front of the room where Zelda had directed him. He wished that he had his hawkeye mask so that he could zoom in on the crowd, but he could've sworn that he had just caught the glint of a crown. "I think I might have spotted him."

"Seriously?" Zelda asked in disbelief. She immediately turned to face in the same direction. "Where?"

Link waited until he caught the gleam of gold once more. This time, he was sure of it. "There, heading up towards the musicians."

It took Zelda a moment to see where he was pointing, but once she did, she couldn't help but produce a sincere smile. "You managed that so quickly! I swear, you're such a godsend, Link. What would I ever do without you?"

Normally, Link would have felt inclined to bashfully accept her praise, but in this instance he ignored it completely. For as he stood there, keeping a close eye on the frail King's movements, he couldn't help but notice something odd. Something that set him on edge. Specifically, it was the bright red hair of the woman who accompanied the royal.

Or as Link had come to recognize it: a surefire sign of danger.

"He's not alone," Link noted as he watched the King reach the stage where the musicians were seated. "He's walking with someone."

Zelda raised her eyebrows, also trying to get a better look. "You mean that someone else is keeping an eye on him? Who?"

"Kanora."

Zelda merely blinked, her expression immediately growing wary. "Kanora…" she cursed under her breath. "Of course it's Kanora. It's always Kanora."

Link remained silent, but he felt inclined to agree. The Chief and her people seemed to be at the source of all trouble tonight.

"Don't tell me that she's parading him around the dance floor like a trophy," Zelda continued, obviously growing upset. "She should know that my father isn't well-enough to be out of bed! Oh, I'll quickly put a stop to this."

However, before the Princess even had the chance to take a step, the music echoing across the ballroom died without warning. The crowds quickly fell still and silent, many of them turning to the stage to question what was going on. They soon spotted their King leaning over and whispering in the ear of the lead performer. A second later, a smile flashed across the performer's face, and he quickly stood to make an announcement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please pardon the interruption. Our gracious King Caius would like to bestow this ball with the first formal dance of the evening. Specifically, he wishes to honor our lovely Gerudo guests by sharing a dance with their charming leader, Chief Kanora. Now, would you kindly clear some space for His Majesty and his partner?"

The reaction to this announcement was immediate. The crowds began to murmur, many of them showing their excitement and interest in being able to witness their King perform a dance, as well as witness the lovely Gerudo Chief in all her glory. It wasn't long before they cleared a space, creating a proper ring of spectators for this formal occasion.

As for Link and Zelda, however, they remained silent, still, and rooted to the spot. Link could hardly believe this turn of events, not having expected them in the slightest. On the other hand, Zelda's reaction was much more extreme. Her jaw nearly hit the floor while she curled her fingers into fists. Combined with her stunning image of the night, Link might have considered her expression comical if the situation wasn't so serious. Or confusing, for that matter.

Caius slowly led Kanora by the hand into the circle of onlookers, pleasantly smiling while the Chief nearly swooned. It was obvious that she was enjoying all the attention, as well as the King's company. It wasn't until the two of them linked arm and hip that Zelda finally managed to summon her words.

"Wh-What does that harlot think she's doing!?" Zelda demanded. "And my father, having the gall to encourage her!"

"No idea," Link replied innocently. He watched as the couple in question slowly began to waltz while the music picked up again. "Is this normal for this type of event?"

Zelda took a deep breath, allowing her rage and surprise to simmer for a moment. "It is not uncommon for a member of royalty or high nobility to grace a ball with a formal dance. Although, such dances are usually reserved for either the beginning or end of the evening, and they always involve the royal's official partner. Partner in this case meaning spouse or suitor. Not some hustler who happily pursues the fancy of every man she meets!"

Link slowly nodded. He could tell that Zelda was quite upset about this turn of events. And for good reason too. He knew that the Princess had always been rather protective of her father.

"I'm sure it's only a formality," Link said, trying to stay positive.

Zelda shot him a glare, clearly not in the mood for any optimism. "I should hope that you are right. I can only imagine the rumors that might get started if this is anything other than a formality. Talk of how 'His Majesty has found a new lover with which to occupy his time in his sickbed'. I honestly shudder at the thought."

"The thought of it being a rumor? Or the thought of it being true?"

"Both!" Zelda seethed.

Truth be told, she absolutely loathed the thought of Caius and Kanora growing closer together. She quickly prayed to the heavens and Goddesses above that such a thing would never come to pass. She honestly didn't know what she would do if the two of them ever fell in love, married, and then forced her to live in a reality where Kanora was her stepmother.

On second thought, she knew exactly what she would do. She'd probably plan an assassination.

"Just relax," Link spoke up, still trying to quell her fury. "It's only one dance, and like the announcer said, this is really nothing more than a welcome to the Gerudo. I'm sure that no one is making anything more of it."

Zelda could only sigh, feeling tired by this point. "Oh, Link. Always so innocent and oblivious to the ways of castle life, aren't you?"

"I know enough to understand that any gossip that does come of this will blow over in a month's time," Link replied with a surprising amount of confidence. "Kanora doesn't visit here often enough for those rumors to hold much weight."

Zelda eyed the Hero, genuinely amazed by his argument. "Hmph, perhaps I spoke too soon. You may understand castle gossip better than I believed you did."

"You learn a thing or two about gossip when it feels like you're the one always at the center of it."

Zelda couldn't help it. A small laugh escaped her lips, and she soon smiled as well. "An understanding that was forged through fire, huh? Well, that is something I can certainly respect, at least."

Link smiled back. He wasn't entirely sure why Zelda always seemed to find his comments to be so amusing, but he was glad to know that he had helped take her mind off of things. Even if it was only for a moment.

"Oh, Zelda, there you are!" a voice suddenly called out from behind them.

Link and Zelda turned away from the dancing King and Chief, only to find a handsome and finely suited scholar approaching them. The Princess produced a fresh smile as she greeted him.

"Ah, welcome back, Shad. Forgive me, I was a bit caught up in the proceedings and forgot to come find you."

The bespectacled Scholar shook his head before smiling in return. Much like Link, he was garbed in a fancy suit, although his was black in color. "No worries. I'm just happy to know that His Majesty has been located. I'm sure that must be quite the relief."

"Yes, one helping of relief and two helpings of headaches," Zelda mumbled as she glanced at the dancing couple. "But never mind that. Thank you for your help in searching for him. I truly appreciate it."

"Oh, it was no trouble, Prin–I mean, Zelda."

Link raised his eyebrows as he eyed the scholar from the side. He was surprised to find that he was referring to Zelda by her name rather than her title, although much like Link at a time long past, he still seemed to be having trouble adjusting to it.

"Oh!" Shad exclaimed, suddenly turning and eyeing the Hero back. "Good evening, Link! And apologies, I almost didn't recognize you in that garb."

"I said much the same," Zelda mused, also taking a moment to look him up and down.

Link rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'm not one for stuffy suits and fancy balls."

"On the contrary, I think it suits you," Shad said encouragingly. "No pun intended, of course."

"It's always a pleasure to see you, Shad," Link replied with a smile and playful shake of his head.

"Likewise! Tell me, have you been enjoying the evening's festivities?"

"It's been very…" Link's voice trailed off as his eyes fell on a random cluster of Gerudo women. "...hectic."

"Agreed," Zelda said with a firm nod. "There's been so much going on, I feel like I haven't even had time to devote to myself. Let alone you, Shad. Again, I hope you can forgive me for that."

"Oh, it's no trouble!" the scholar said, waving his hands before him. "I understand that a Princess is always busy. And besides, the night is still young."

Zelda softly smiled at him. She truly appreciated how patient Shad could be. Certainly a far cry from some suitors who would have claimed that Zelda owed them her time and attention.

Meanwhile, Link watched his two friends closely, feeling a bit stunned. When Ashei had first mentioned that these two had started seeing each other, Link had been very hesitant to believe it. Not only because the female Knight was known for being a trickster that enjoyed teasing him, but also because he never imagined that this Princess and scholar would grow so attached to one another. But it was here, standing in this moment and watching this small but pleasant exchange between them, that Link finally started to acknowledge it.

There was something special between Zelda and Shad, and for some reason, knowing this was enough to warm his heart.

Unfortunately, the feeling wasn't meant to last, for the murmuring of the crowd around them suddenly rose a bit, enough to be heard over the music. Link and his companions soon glanced back into the circle where the King and Chief danced, wondering what was happening. To their surprise, they soon found that Caius's movements had grown sluggish. The poor man could hardly keep up with the music as he continued to sway with his Gerudo partner.

"Is His Majesty all right?" one guest asked.

"He's still ill, isn't he? I hope he isn't pushing himself too hard."

From the corner of his eye, Link watched as Zelda's lips pursed into a tight frown. It was clear that her concerns from earlier were starting to skyrocket once more. She feared the worst.

Naturally, these concerns were not unnoticed by the woman who currently held the King in her very arms. "What is wrong, my dearest King? Are you growing faint?"

Caius looked as if he wished to respond, but upon attempting such a thing, the only thing he exhaled was a terribly pained cough. Right into Kanora's face no less.

The music promptly died while the dance came to an abrupt halt. The only sound in this large ballroom was now the awful hacking of a sickly man. Many of the spectators winced and began offering expressions of pure sympathy. Everyone in the Kingdom knew that their monarch was ill, but it wasn't clear just how awful it was until this very moment.

Zelda cursed under her breath. "I knew this would happen. I wasn't eager to cause a scene, but I honestly should have put a stop to this long ago." And with that, the Princess stomped her way forward, clearly intending to force Kanora to release her father so he could return to the infirmary.

However, it seemed that the Gerudo Chief was already way ahead of her. She somehow maintained a pleasant smirk before casually wiping the fresh spit from her face. Once that was finished, she allowed Caius to lean against her while she gently patted his back. "Oh dear, please forgive me. I never intended to exhaust you."

"It's no tr-trouble," the King replied, still coughing a bit. "If anything, I'm at fault for being so fragile."

"Nonsense, it takes great strength to display yourself in such a state. Isn't that right, my fellow guests?"

The crowds seemed stunned to have the attention suddenly turned on them, but upon realizing what was expected, they soon erupted into applause. Everyone was eager to show support for the monarch who was standing tall despite all of his current ailments. To an outsider, he may have appeared as nothing more than a weak, sickly man. But to them, he was someone who was truly worthy of respect.

Caius flashed a sincere smile before pushing himself out of Kanora's embrace. He then bowed to the room. "You are all too kind. Forgive me for cutting this formal dance of ours short. I'm afraid that I'm not quite as young as I once was." The crowd laughed at this. "Nevertheless, I appreciate your support, and I sincerely hope that you enjoy the rest of the evening. May the Goddesses watch over you."

"May the Goddesses watch over us all," the crowd finished in unison. It was an old Hylian saying. One that was always used to express the utmost respect and well-wishing.

Caius produced another thankful smile before turning to leave. It wasn't long before Kanora offered him a hand.

"Here, my dearest King, allow me to escort you back to your bed."

Caius seemed hesitant, but he accepted her hand anyway. "That is very kind. Thank you."

Kanora cheerfully nodded, but soon paused, as if suddenly remembering something. "Oh, but before we go, it would only be right if I found someone to take our place, don't you think? After all, it wouldn't be fair to all of these wonderful people to leave without providing a conclusion to our dance, would it?"

Again, Caius eyed her. This time, he seemed more than a little wary. "I take it you have someone in mind?" he surmised calmly.

"Oh, yes, very much so."

"You're not up to any tricks, are you, good Gerudo Chief?"

"Tricks? From myself? Of course not, Your Majesty! I'm as honest as they come! And besides, I'm certain that these lovely guests are up for one more formal dance. Isn't that right?"

This time, the crowds caught the cue on time, and were quick to provide a satisfactory applause. It was clear that they were more than happy to accept anything that would allow their monarch to be free of his obligations.

The King sighed, still seeming quite wary of Kanora's intentions, not to mention her exaggerated attempts to appear innocent. Nevertheless, he soon felt compelled to nod his agreement. "Very well, call upon whomever you wish."

"You have my utmost thanks, my dearest King," Kanora replied with a smirk. Her eyes then sparkled a bit as she faced the crowd once more. "How about a dance between the two most valiant individuals in all of Hyrule? The two who saved this land from the Twilight Invasion that plagued it earlier this year? I am of course referring to none other than Princess Zelda and Link the Hero of Twilight!"

The entire room fell silent, but none more so than Link and Zelda themselves. Their eyes went wide with shock as they turned to each other. Naturally, the crowds all turned to them too.

"A dance…between us?" Zelda asked, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Why of course!" Kanora insisted. "Being the Royal Princess, it's only fitting that you take the place of your father. And the Hero of Twilight is so well-known, I'm sure he'd make a suitable partner. Is this not the most agreeable conclusion?"

Her questions were met with yet another applause from the crowd. Either the Gerudo Chief was making a convincing argument, or these guests were just too caught up in the moment and were easily manipulated. It was hard to say, but at least one thing was clear. They all supported this outcome.

Again, Zelda turned to Link, looking more than a little apprehensive. The last thing she wanted to do was force the Hero into anything, but if this would free her father of his obligations, then she felt compelled to pursue it. Besides, how could she deny the crowd that was so humbly asking this of them?

Fortunately, Link's stunned expression soon softened into something kind and warm. He flashed a sincere smile. "You don't mind, do you?"

Zelda was surprised that he had even asked. "No…Do you?"

"Of course not. It's only one dance, and purely formal."

"Right," Zelda mumbled, feeling a bit dazed as she nodded her head. "Only one dance and purely formal."

The next thing she knew, Link had graciously extended his hand to her, and she accepted it. They slowly walked out into the middle of the floor while Caius and Kanora took their leave. As they departed, Zelda couldn't help but notice that the Chief had an amused smirk planted on her lips. She made a mental note to seriously question her motives later.

But she hardly had time to consider that now. For the next thing she knew, Link was taking both her hand and hip as they waited for the music to begin. In the moment, a fear suddenly took hold of her.

"Do you know how to dance, Link?" she whispered.

He nodded. "Well enough."

She breathed a small sigh of relief. If he felt confident enough to get through this, then she could too.

The music rose to life. Zelda allowed Link to take the lead. She figured it would be easier to follow his movements rather than try to force him into something he wasn't familiar with. Besides, she felt so nervous in his grasp like this. It was probably for the best if he was the one pulling her along.

Meanwhile, Link was lost in his own thoughts. He could hardly believe where he was. Standing in a castle ballroom. Dancing with a beautiful woman in front of so many spectators. If he didn't know any better, he'd almost think that this was a fantasy. He soon found himself smiling.

Due to their proximity, it wasn't long before Zelda noticed it too. "What's so funny?"

The question felt so abrupt that Link nearly chuckled. "It's nothing, just…I never in all my life thought that I would be sharing a dance with a Princess in a castle."

She blinked and blushed a bit, but managed to keep her eyes trained on him. Now that she considered it, the situation really was quite humorous. Zelda never imagined that she'd be here either. Feeling nervous and afraid as she danced in the arms of a man she fancied. It sounded like the height of folly, and yet, this was reality.

"Aren't you nervous?" she eventually asked. "Being displayed in front of all these people like this?"

Link slowly shook his head. He knew what she meant. He certainly felt like he should be nervous, given the circumstances. But for some reason, he wasn't, and he had a feeling as to why. It was because of the woman he held in his arms. The one with wavy, curly hair and mesmerizing sapphire eyes. Somehow, being together with her was always enough to set him at ease.

"I don't think I could do this if it was with anyone but you," he said softly.

Zelda nearly gawked at this confession. "Not even with Ilia?"

This time, he snickered. "I'd be too worried that I'd somehow embarrass her. If you'll recall, I can be a little clumsy sometimes."

Zelda merely frowned. "Nonsense, I think you're wonderful on your feet. At least, you're better than I am at this moment."

"No, you're doing good too. Must be from years of practice."

Sure, Zelda thought, and the guy keeping his steady hand on my waist. She soon sighed, letting her eyes fall to the floor. What was she doing? She felt like such a mess right now. And yet Link was practically the face of confidence? Talk about a role reversal.

"I'm sorry," she eventually whispered.

"Hmm? For what?" Link inquired.

"Being so much trouble. Roping you into situations like this."

"I believe that it was Kanora who roped me into this, not you," he said with a smirk.

"Even so, I feel responsible."

"Of course you do. You're always too hard on yourself, you know that?"

She slowly nodded. Naturally, she knew it better than anyone. "I…I'll try to do better," she promised.

"I hope so. You're too kind to be this cruel."

Zelda nearly felt her heart melt within her chest. His compliments were her complete undoing. They always had been, and she was certain that this would never change. This man was too good to her. Too sweet for her to handle properly. She didn't deserve him. She likely never would.

And it was here, in this moment, that Zelda realized the greatest kindness that she could ever do for the Hero, would be to simply let him go.

"Link…" Her voice was nothing but a whisper, barely audible over the sound of the music. "Are you happy?"

He raised his eyebrows at this sudden query. "Happy?"

"With your role as Hero? With your life in Ordon? With your relationship with Ilia?" The Princess paused, swallowing a bit. "You're…content, aren't you?"

Again, Link seemed surprised by the question, but he soon laughed. "Of course I am. I'm grateful for everything I've been given."

Zelda softly smiled. Deep down, she already knew that this would be his answer. "I'm glad. Hearing that you're happy is enough to make me happy."

Link continued to give her a strange look. He wanted to question her. To learn why she had brought up his happiness out of the blue like that. But he never got the chance, for the music soon fell into silence and Link and Zelda's feet came to a standstill.

The dance was over before they knew it.

The two of them lightly smiled before turning and facing the crowds. With one hand still grasped in the other's, Link bowed while Zelda performed a half-curtsy. As expected, their audience applauded their performance.

As Zelda rose back up, she finally released Link's hand, their fingers slowly untangling from each other.

She finally let him go.

"Thank you all for coming tonight," she said, addressing the crowd. "Now that the formal dance is out of the way, I hope that you continue to enjoy this evening and its festivities. Let us dance long into the night."

Another applause, followed by the swell of music as the band promptly sprang to life once again. All of the guests were quick to link arms and begin their waltz, following the example of the royals that preceded them.

As the bodies around them began to twirl, Zelda turned to Link for the final time. She softly smiled before placing a light hand on his shoulder. "I hope you enjoy the rest of the evening as well, Link. Now, if you'll excuse me."

And with that she turned away and made her departure. Link had no response other than to return her smile, even if it was only towards her back. He soon watched as she wove her way through the dancing couples until she finally reunited with Shad, who promptly bowed and extended a hand to her.

"My Lady, if I may have the pleasure of your next dance," the scholar requested humbly.

She giggled. "Oh, Shad, you can have them all."

It wasn't long before they linked arms and began their own waltz, appearing just as satisfied as all the couples that surrounded them.

Link simply sighed, feeling content to watch them for a moment. But it didn't last for long before a voice was calling for his attention.

"Ahem," Ilia said, sounding more than a little displeased. Link turned to find her standing there with crossed arms. "You know, it's a little rude to share a dance with another girl without asking for permission from the one you're already committed to."

Link produced a guilty smile. "Sorry, I kind of got swept up in the moment…You don't mind, do you?"

Ilia continued to cast an emerald glare at him, but she soon relented and allowed her shoulders to relax. "No, it's fine. That is, so long as you promise to share all of your remaining dances with me tonight."

Link watched as Ilia's lips cracked into a smirk, and he soon did the same. With a formal bow, he offered her his hand, which she gratefully accepted. Before long, they joined the sea of couples, swaying back and forth like waves beneath the music.

As they stepped and spun, Link kept his eyes trained on Ilia. She was his love. The one girl who mattered more to him than any other. But as they shuffled around the dance floor, Link would occasionally catch glimpses of Zelda and Shad, basking in the joy of their own company. And while it wasn't long before they would be lost in the sea of guests once more, Link still had enough time to realize that such a sight always filled him with warmth.

As long as Zelda was happy, then he was certain that he would be happy too.

Hmm…it seems I've made quite the mess of things here. Link and Zelda happily in relationships with other people. The two of them feeling like it's officially time to move on. Trusting that the other can find happiness without themselves. How in the world is this still a Zelink fic?

Well I assure you that it will still be Zelink! I won't settle for anything less. And trust me, I'll get us out of this hairy situation. I'm just going to need to break a few things first, hehehe…