Chapter Nine
The Costume Ball had begun again. Tonight was the halfway night, so Link was feeling a little better. There were only two nights to go after this, thank Farore.
Butterfly and Fairy did arrive on time tonight, but they did not approach him or Liam right off. They must still be thinking about last night, thought Link. He shrugged and began to dance with a girl dressed as a (rather tall) Kokiri. She was on “Liam’s Little List of Lovely and Likable Ladies.” Link had made up the name of the list, and it was a rather accurate name. All the ladies on the list were ones that were really the rare ones at the ball. They were the chosen few who were deep, smart, and beautiful. These were the girls that reminded Link of Zelda, Malon, the Oracles, and Fairy…and Fairy? How did she get on this little list?
He danced with a few more ladies afterwards who were also on the “L” list. They were all girls he would actually like to get to know better. It was odd, though, how many girls there were not like them.
As he danced with Witch again (She somehow had made it onto the list, and she was rather pretty), Link began to glance around the room for Liam to see whom he was dancing with. His eyes had only begun to sweep the crowd when they came to a dead halt on a familiar face.
Fairy was watching him from a corner. She was actually doing a very amazing job of half-hiding, but Link could still see her. The look on her face was astounding. She was looking at him, for he could feel her eyes, and her face was full of pain. At first, Link couldn’t think of any reason for the pain, but then it hit him really hard. I haven’t spoken to Fairy all night…
It was almost the end of the song, but Link kept a close eye on Fairy. She would drop her gaze most of the time because she knew he saw her, and she did not leave her spot. Finally the dance was over. Link quickly bid Witch farewell and walked as fast as he could to where Fairy stood.
“It’s one-thirty,” she said when he arrived. The ball had started two and one half hours ago.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s just that you and Butterfly just went off to talk to each other, and I didn’t want to bother you at all.”
“Oh, it would have been okay. I mean, we do see each other all day at the Ranch.” Lie, thought Link.
The musicians began a song that hit Link in an odd way. It was the song that had played when he had a crush on Princess Zelda and they had first danced together. He had obsessed over the song, and even after he didn’t like Zelda like that, the song still reminded him of those times. “Would you like to dance?”
Fairy gave a little smile. “Of course.”
They began to dance, and Link couldn’t stand it any longer. “I need to ask you something very important.”
“Yes, what is it?”
He sighed. “Why did you lie to me?”
She looked taken aback. “What are you talking about?”
“I know that you’re not staying at the Ranch.”
“How did you—”
“I know Malon. I had to go to the Ranch today, and I asked after two Raconan girls, one redhead and one light brunette. She told me that the Ranch was only housing a bunch of guys from Labrynna. You also told me that Malon was attending the balls, but you wouldn’t tell me which costume. However, Malon is too busy to attend, and you don’t know her at all, which is why you wouldn’t tell me which costume.”
Fairy looked at the floor. “Listen, I’m sorry. I’m not allowed to tell you where I’m staying.”
“You could have just not told me at all, and said it was confidential.”
“Well you could have just told me that you knew Phoenix!” Her face flushed with anger. “Or was that confidential, too?”
“Fairy!”
“I’m sorry, am I not allowed to keep secrets? Only Hawk and Phoenix can.”
“Please, stop!”
She sighed. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I guess I just need some fresh air right now.”
“Me too. Let’s go somewhere else after this song. There are too many people in here right now.”
“Good idea.”
They were quiet for the rest of the song. Link didn’t know what to think or feel, so he did neither. He was having a rough week.
The song ended. “Come on,” he said. “I’ll take you to the next of the Five Wonders of Hyrule if you’d like.”
“Sounds great.”
He led her up the flights of stairs, he took a small detour because he had time to check up on his and Liam’s old and new quarters. He didn’t notice anything odd as he passed, so he continued. He and Fairy didn’t talk as they walked. Finally, they reached the balcony.
The entire Kokiri forest lay before them. The balcony was placed just right so that you could see more than just treetops, but it wasn’t only the front row of foliage either. The leaves glistened under the moon’s glow, and small breezes shifted branches. The sounds were very soothing and beautiful.
“Amazing,” breathed Fairy.
“The best times to view all of the Wonders are actually sunrise and sunset. So you can imagine what that’s like,”
“I couldn’t even begin to. Do you think it will be sunrise on the final night? So I could see the last one in its splendor?”
“Of course. I’ve been saving the best for last, you know.”
“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
“Not a chance. Patience is a virtue.”
“One of the many I don’t have,” Fairy said sarcastically.
“One of the many you do,” Link corrected. Fairy turned to face him.
“How would you know what virtues I possess?”
“I once heard that the eyes are the windows to the soul.”
Startled, she turned away. Link found himself thinking that she looked more beautiful in the moonlight, but he kicked himself mentally.
“Is there somewhere we could sit?” asked Fairy. “I’m exhausted.”
“Let me see.” Link was happy to see that there was already a bench on the balcony, and it was close enough to the railing to still see the scene. “Right over here,” he said. He took her hand and led her to the bench. Feeling a slight tug of her hand (that he was sure did not mean for him to let go of it), he sat beside her.
The night was just fantastic. Link had lived in Hyrule his entire life, but he had left to save other lands as well. So, he knew for a fact that Hyrule was the most beautiful of them all. Tonight, though, the stars looked brighter, and Link was sure there had to be more of them than usual. The air smelled sweeter, and there were none of the odd noises that people heard at this time of night.
“It must be nice,” said Fairy, “to live here and see these beautiful things all of the time.”
Link knew that this night was an exception. There had been nights when he had been scared to death by some of the harsher realities of this country. “It’s not always like this.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you never know if all of your cuccos will be alive tomorrow, or if your kid is going to come home from school safely. We are careful, and there aren’t many dangers in the populated areas, but sometimes, even the guarded places aren’t safe.”
“Safety wouldn’t matter to me.”
“Why not? It matters to me.”
“That’s because—” She stopped and clapped a hand over her mouth. After she removed it, she said, “Sorry, Hawk. Sacred ground. Butterfly is going to kill me!”
“Sorry, I shouldn’t be interrogating you.”
“No, no, it’s my fault. I keep on yelling at you for figuring out things you shouldn’t, but I’m the one who’s practically screaming out the facts. It’s just—”
“Shhhh…” He didn’t want her to give away any more information if she wasn’t supposed to. “It’s okay.” He absentmindedly squeezed her hand, which she squeezed back.
They sat like that for about an hour and one half, just looking and listening and thinking. It was really odd that they would be doing that while the ball was going on. Finally, they snapped back into reality when the clock chimed half past three. “Oh, we should be getting back now,” said Fairy. She looked a bit startled that she had just spent that long looking at the view.
“Yeah, you’re right. Follow me.” Link began to lead her down back to the ballroom. They were nearing the King’s study when they heard the low, laughing noise. “The murmurs!” cried Link, and he threw open the door to the study.
He opened the door in time to see papers fluttering around in the air. There were no mysterious figures though. Still, there was something odd about how the papers fluttered. “That’s weird, door opens outwards.”
“What are you talking about? What were those noises?” asked Fairy.
“The murmurs. We’ve been hearing them around Hyrule for a while. They seem to be linked to strange things, such as the death of birds. Also, guards heard the murmurs near Link’s rooms the night they were destroyed, and I heard them inside the Captain of the Guard’s rooms last night.”
“So what?”
“A valuable book had been stolen from Link’s rooms, and valuable notes had been destroyed in the Captain’s.”
“It seems that there’s a lot of valuable stuff here. How are we to know what was stolen?”
“I have to check. Nothing seems to have been taken at all. We should pick up the papers from the desk though.”
As they picked up the papers, Fairy asked, “But why was it weird that the door opens out?”
“Well, I pulled the door outward very fast, so the papers should have been pulled toward the door. But they were fluttering towards the other side of the room.”
“Maybe whatever it was that stole something left quickly through the window when it heard us.”
Link looked at the said window. Yes, it made sense. “It would have had to be very big and fast to make the paper follow it instead of the door.”
Fairy handed him the papers she had collected. Link quickly searched through. “Yep, everything’s here.”
“How would you know what’s on the King’s desk?
“How do you know if this is the King’s study?” That really shut her up. “Okay, I guess we should go now. I’ll have to inform…” He stopped short. “Goddess! The list!”
The guest list was missing.
“Uh, you know what, I think I’ll bring you back downstairs now.”
“Good idea.” They began to walk again. “Can I ask you a question, Hawk?”
“Sure.”
“What’s the Captain of the Guard’s name?”
Link was startled. “What?”
“What’s the Captain of the Guard’s name?”
“Why do you want to know that?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I just felt bad that his rooms got ruined, too, but I don’t know his name.”
“Link’s rooms got ruined.”
“I already know Link’s name.” She gave him a look that said, “Duh.”
“Oh, good point. The Captain’s name is Liam.”
“The Captain of the Guard?”
“Yeah. His name’s Liam.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“No problem.” In Link’s mind, it felt more like a question than a statement.
They reached the ballroom as the clock struck four. “I guess I’d better leave before my dress turns back into rags and my carriage turns back into a pumpkin,” said Fairy.
“What?” asked Link.
“Never mind.”
“I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night. Actually, it’s more like tomorrow morning.”
Fairy smiled. “Whatever it is, I look forward to seeing you as well. Let’s just hope that whatever that thing was doesn’t ruin it again.”
He laughed as they waved goodbye. Link could have sworn there was a little something more in her smile as she left.