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  both excitement and fear, but she did not let either of those things show as she stood erect and royal before the people as they repeated her name as a resounding

  thong: "Long live Queen Zelda of Hyrule!" the shouted as a unit, before the crowd broke out into an almost deafening applause. Zelda could not help but smile softly to

  herself as she allowed herself this moment of pride and honor, knowing that even despite all of her previous anxiety and worry, she was queen now, and she was

  determined to do her people proud.

  The ballroom, though larger than the grand hall, was every bit as packed as music wafted through its high, vaulted ceilings. Couples gracefully danced across the floor to

  the tunes, while many more simply stood on the sides in conversation, enjoying the festive evening. However, all of this soon came to a pause as the royal trumpets

  sounded once more, signifying the queen's oncoming arrival to the party.

  "Announcing her royal highness, Queen Zelda or Hyrule," an attended shouted over the crowds as Zelda came to stand before the throne at the head of the room. All of

  the people bowed low in respect before her as the queen smiled and looked over them, feeling more prepared to address them than ever before as they rose and

  applauded her once again.

  "Greetings fair people of Hyrule, as well as my honored quests from other lands," Zelda began, her voice clear and carrying throughout the large room as she spoke. "I

  welcome you to this grand occasion and I thank you for the support that you provide to both myself and to Hyrule. As queen, I can assure you all that my highest priority

  shall be my people, of all walks of life and throughout all the land. The terrors and disaster that had once befallen this kingdom not too long ago are now over, and peace

  and harmony stands in their place. The golden goddesses on high smile down upon us on this day, renewing our power, our wisdom, and our courage. For it was by their

  providence and mercy that they sent to this land a savior in its darkest hour. And while he may not view himself as worthy of such an honor, he deserves it nonetheless

  for all he has done to restore this kingdom to its former glory. I would like to invite him to come and stand by my side, so that he may at least be recognized for his

  courageous deeds. Please, come forward, Link, the Hero of Twilight!"

  For a long moment, the hero, who had been standing off to the side of the ballroom along with the Twilight Princess, simply stared up towards the queen in surprise,

  bewildered by what she had said until Midna playfully jabbed him with her elbow, shaking him out of it. "Hey, she's talking about you," the Twilight Princess said with a small

  giggle upon seeing the clear shock in his face. "Better go on up there with her!"

  Still rendered speechless, Link simply nodded and slowly made his way up towards Zelda, the crowds all parting for him seamlessly. For some reason he couldn't quite

  place, the closer he got to the queen, the more nervous he became, anxiety filling him as his heart began to race and he broke out into a cold sweat. He was unable to

  hide how amazed he was, especially as Zelda smiled softly and warmly at him as he finally stood beside her, the crowd breaking out into a round of resounding cheers in

  honor of the hero, who merely took them in stride. He felt honored and unworthy of their praise, but what was shaking him up the most was that he was standing at the

  side of the new queen of Hyrule, who was so radiant and royal that he couldn't help but feel small and insignificant by comparison.

  Zelda took note of his clear apprehension as she glanced over at him, but she clearly mistook its source. She slowly leaned over to him, whispering loud enough so that

  he could hear as the applause began to die down. "Do not worry," she said with a small laugh. "You are not obligated to give a speech."

  Link glanced over at her in confusion for a moment, but decided to go along with it, simply nodding in answer as the music resumed and the activities picked up once

  more, leaving the hero and the queen to finally speak. For several moments, a somewhat awkward silence lingered between them as they watched the pairs waltzing on

  the floor, before Link finally gathered up both the nerve and the courage to turn to Zelda once more.

  "You… you look beautiful," he said with a small, good-natured grin, looking upon her shining loveliness once more, as it was hard for him to take his eyes off of her.

  "Thank you…" the queen said, glancing down with a small smile and a light blush gracing her cheeks. "You look very handsome yourself this evening," she said, referring to

  his cleaned-up appearance, including his forest green tunic and cap, as well as the cape and mantel she had sent to him. And yet, even so, she couldn't help but smirk at

  the fact that his golden hair was still slightly disheveled as it always was, something that she wouldn't change about him for the world. "I see that you received my gift. I

  trust is is to your liking?"

  "Yes, it is," Link said with a nod of gratitude, though his tone was quite formal. He had no idea why speaking to Zelda had suddenly become such a challenge for him; after

  all, they had both talked so freely and openly over the past several days. What had changed since then?

  Another beat of silence passed between the two of them before the queen let out a small, contented sigh. "It is truly a sight to see, isn't it?" she asked the hero, pride

  welling up in her tone. "To see Hyrule know such peace and joy once more. It is simply glorious."

  "Speaking of which," Link said, finally realizing that he had something to talk to her about. "Midna told me that we should all be on our guards, just in case her cousin really

  does decide to attack."

  "Oh, yes," Zelda said with a serious nod. "Believe me, I already have many guards stationed all over the castle with the command to report to me at the first sign of

  trouble. I am praying that nothing will spoil such a happy occasion, but just in case something does, hopefully we shall be ready for it."

  The hero nodded, but he quickly found that he was out of things to say once more. The queen, on the other hand, seemed to be at perfect ease, a light smile gracing her

  lips as she looked out at the dancing figures, a slight look of longing on her expression. As Link noticed this, he quickly realized what Zelda wanted, but for the longest

  time, his nerves kept him from asking her, until finally, he forced his anxiety away and turned to her once more.

  "Zelda?" he began, his heart clenching with a strange kind of fear he had never felt before as she turned to him with a radiant smile on her beautiful face.

  "Yes, Link?" she said expectantly, her tone hopeful as she anticipated what he was going to ask her.

  The hero took in a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, before he started to purpose his question. "Would you-"

  However, before he could finish, Link was interrupted by another voice instead. "Your majesty," a regally handsome young man, who had suddenly popped in out of

  nowhere, much to the hero's aggravation, cut in, bowing low before the queen in respect. "Might I have this dance?"

  Link and Zelda exchanged a brief glance, and the queen could clearly note the disappointment that had claimed the hero's face before she turned to the young man, whom

  she recognized as a marquis from a neighboring kingdom. "I am sorry your lordship," she said with a polite incline of her head. "But I do believe that the Hero of Twilight

  was about to ask me something. You were saying, Link?"

  The hero stared at her for a brief moment as the reality of it all suddenly crashed down upon him. This was her world, not his. It was a world of high-ranking officials and

  royalty, a world of fine class and sophistication. It was a world that he had never known until now, and he knew that even though he might have looked the part, it was a
/>   world in which he could never truly belong in. And so, Link simply glanced away from Zelda, letting out a small sigh before he merely shook his head in relent. "Never

  mind," he said, though he still wished that he had been bold enough to ask her for the first dance instead of some pompous marquis. "It… It wasn't important anyway. See

  you later, your highness."

  Zelda frowned as she watched him turn and abruptly walk away. Something inside of her as hurting as she watched him leave, but she wasn't quite sure what. She could

  tell that he had not wanted to leave by the bitterness in his tone, bitterness that was certainly not aimed at her, but at what, she had no idea. At the same time, she felt

  dejected; she had been hoping that Link would be the first one to ask her to dance, but he hadn't, and she couldn't understand why he had backed down, even when he

  had the perfect opportunity. Her mind was so consumed with thoughts and worries for the hero that she barely even noticed as the marquis took her hand and led her

  onto the floor for their dance, wishing all the while that she was with the one whom she could not deny she had developed affections for after all.

  Not wanting to see Zelda dancing with someone else, Link refused to glance over her way as he lost himself in the large crowd on the side of the room, regret filling his

  thoughts all the while. He should have been much more bold and direct than he had been, and he certainly should not have let her slip through his fingers as he had. He

  could face certain death without even flinching, and yet the thought of merely asking the queen of Hyrule to dance somehow terrified him. Indeed, he truly had come to

  care for her deeply over the past several days, but that was when the two of them had been free to be themselves, to enjoy each other's company without any social

  restrictions. Now, however, things were so much different. She was the queen, the highest figure of authority and power in the land, the wizened matriarch that all people

  revered and respected. And while he was the hero of the land, he was also a mere farmhand from the backwoods of the kingdom, who, up until less than a year ago, had

  been an absolute nobody. He had been deluding himself by thinking that their kinds could ever mix.

  "What was that?" Midna asked with a scoff as she stepped out of the shadows behind Link, crossing her arms and frowning down at him. "You were right up there with

  her, and you just let her go off and dance with some other guy!"

  "It's not like I could really stop her," the hero said dryly, pretending not to care even though he really did.

  "Yes, you could have!" the Twilight Princess said, clearly frustrated with his lack of effort as much as he was. "You could have asked her yourself!"

  "Well, I tried to!" Link protested bitterly. "But I'm not like her, Midna! I'm not royal, or rich, or anything else and I never will be! I have nothing to offer her. Why would she

  even waste her time with someone like me when she could have someone so much better?"

  "Why wouldn't she waste her time with someone like you?" Midna said with a small consoling smile as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure that she'd

  rather hang out with you then any rich, royal guy out there. You said she asked you to stay here with her, right? That means she wants you, Link, regardless of anything

  like status, money or power. She cares about you, and I think you're just too afraid to see it."

  "I'm not afraid," the hero argued firmly, though he genuinely felt reassured by the Twilight Princess's kind words.

  "Then prove it," Midna said, giving him a coy smile. "Go on out there, and ask her for the next dance!" Upon saying this, the Twilight Princess gripped him by the shoulders

  and spun him around, only for both of them to see Zelda herself making her way towards them, having finished her dance with the marquis. Midna smiled in satisfaction

  upon seeing the hopeful expression on the queen's face, and, already knowing what was about to happen, she let go of Link, but not before giving him a slight shove in

  Zelda's direction.

  "Hello, you two," the queen said with a small laugh of levity upon seeing the playful interaction between the former companions. "Are you enjoying yourself, Midna?"

  "I suppose so," the Twilight Princess shrugged nonchalantly, before grinning at the hero once more. "But I think that Link has something to ask you, your highness…"

  Link sent Midna a small, insincere glare for putting him on the spot, before he turned back to Zelda, who was looking at him expectantly once more. "Yes, Link?" she

  asked, hoping that nothing would interrupt him this time.

  "Well…" the hero began someone diffidently, averting her light blue gaze. "Your highness… Zelda," he corrected himself, knowing that even though she was queen, she still

  wanted him to call her by her name rather than her title. "I… I was just wondering… um…. Would… would you-"

  "Link," Zelda suddenly cut him off, taking his slightly trembling hands in her own and smiling warmly at him, before asking the question he had meant to pose all alone.

  "Would you like to dance with me?"

  Link stared at her in awe for a long moment, before nodding dumbly, though he couldn't help but break out into a small smile as she began to lead him onto the open

  floor. He glanced back at Midna for a brief moment as she gave him a thumbs up and a wink of encouragement, still keeping herself in the shadows as she watched the

  pair take their place in the center of the hall.

  A soft, sweet, gentle tune began to play as the hero and the queen began to get into position, all eyes turning towards them, though neither of them really cared.

  However, Link was still the slightest bit anxious as Zelda put her hand on his shoulder, something that she clearly noticed as he was hesitating to put his other hand into

  the proper position.

  "Have you ever ballroom danced before, Link?" the queen whispered with a small giggle.

  "No…" the hero said with a small, bashful grin. "Not really. I'm sorry."

  "Don't be," Zelda reassured him, taking his free hand and guiding it to its proper place on her side, something that filled Link with both a rush of warmth and a rush of

  terror all at once. "Just follow my lead. There is really nothing to dancing as look as you make it look like you know what you're doing."

  And with that, the dance suddenly began as many couples cleared out of the way to make room for the queen and the hero to dance alone. They moved together fluidly

  and gracefully, even despite Zelda's rather bulky skirt and Link's relative lack of experience. However, he longer the dance drew on for, the more they forget all about the

  crowds watching them, or the former dread that both of them had been feeling. They did not hear the whispers of how they were a beautiful couple or that certainly the

  Queen of Hyrule and the Hero of Twilight were simply meant to be together. Even the music began to drift away into nothingness as they simply gazed into each other's

  eyes, no words needing to convey the emotions that they were feeling. They felt nothing but absolute bliss and joy as they glided across the floor, feeling as though they

  were dancing on air instead. In that moment, if anyone were to tell them that they belonged together, neither of them would have argued it at all, because they were both

  clearly starting to agree that maybe, even despite the differences between their backgrounds, there was something between them that just could not be denied.

  As the music gently wafted away and the dance came to an end, Link and Zelda finally stopped moving in the center of the floor, though they did not let go of each other,

  even as the crowd applauded them cheerfully. Their eyes had not left each other for a single moment and that was just fine with both of them as they finally broke out

  into small, affectionate smiles, knowing that out of eve
rything they had done together so far, this was by far the best yet.

  After several more rounds of dancing, Link and Zelda had made the unceremonious decision to steal away from the party for a while, and instead take to one of the

  balconies outside of the ball room. Even though the air outside was cold and snow was still sprinkling down from the night sky, both of them felt quite warm as they

  walked out into it together, taking in the peace and serenity of the white flakes covering everything near and far in a blanket of pure white. Since snow was covering the

  balcony's stone bench, the two of them opted to stand instead of sit, though they held on tightly to each other's hands and remained close so that they could keep each

  other warm and so that they would not have to break apart.

  "I have been having a wonderful time with you this evening, Link," Zelda said with a demure smile. "Thank you so much for being here…"

  "There's no place else I'd rather be," Link said with absolute honestly as he drew her in the slightest bit closer to him.

  The queen glanced down with a small blush before glancing up at him once more. "I hate to ask this twice, but… you still plan on staying here, do you not?" she asked,

  praying that he had not changed his mind.

  "Of course," the hero said with absolute certainty. "I doubt I could ever even think about leaving now…"

  "Oh, Link…" Zelda said with a contented sigh, scarcely able to describe how high her heart was leaping. "I… I must admit… I cannot think of a time in which I was ever

  happier than this moment right now. I wish that it could last forever…"

  Link smiled affectionately at her, all of his former fear and anxiety about being near her having washed away as he slowly and gently placed his hand under her chin and

  pointed her gaze up to him, their faces lingering quite close as the queen's breath began to softly shudder with excitement and nervousness. "I don't see why it can't," the

  hero said, his voice little more than a soft, comforting whisper as he pulled her in even closer.