Chapter Five
Fairy was a great dance partner. Unlike Gerudo, she knew what she was doing and she didn’t snap at him for messing her up. After all, she didn’t mess up at all, and that made Link more confidant than usual. Also, while the flirty Milkmaid had called out to friends she knew and shouted gleefully to swooning swains so Link could see how wanted she was, Fairy danced with him like he was an everyday person.
At one point, Fairy began to look around every so often, curiously. Every few minutes, her eyes would dart around for a moment and linger on one spot before they returned to normal.
“What are you looking at?” questioned Link.
She had been looking at whatever it was again, so it took her a second to snap back into reality. “Oh, what? I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I asked what you were looking at,” he repeated.
“Um, it’s nothing.” She sounded worried.
The next time her eyes wandered nervously, Link’s followed. It took him a while to see what she had been staring at. Butterfly was off near a corner dancing with someone.
“What’s wrong with her dancing with someone?” he asked.
“Oh, that,” said Fairy. “I guess you’ve got pretty good eyes.”
Yeah, I’ve got good eyes, thought Link. I saw you. Fairy must have realized the same thing because she blushed. “So what’s the matter?”
“It’s a little bit odd that she didn’t want to come to the balls because she was afraid…”
“Yes?” prompted Link.
She sighed. “She was afraid that some guy would fall in love with her and dance with her all the time, et cetera, and mess up her chances with Link.”
“But what if the guy is Link?”
Fairy shook her head. “She didn’t want to take the chance.”
“That’s odd. Don’t you think—” but Fairy shushed him quickly.
“Listen, Hawk,” she said. “You wouldn’t understand the real situation unless I told you, but I can’t. Otherwise you’d know who were are, and you’re not supposed to. So, just take my word for it. She didn’t want to come tonight, but I wanted to, so she came. I just think that it’s odd that she worries day and night about it, but then immediately dances with the first guy who sets eyes on her.”
Link nodded. “I understand. Next time I tread on sacred ground, kick me. That is unless we’re dancing. I don’t want to embarrass us too much.”
“Okay. I would say you could kick me, but everyone would see my maimed leg or foot. I’m not exactly dressed in pants.”
“I understand. I’ll just pinch you.” He paused. “Who is Butterfly dancing with anyways?”
“Oh, this Phoenix guy that was staring at her when we first got here.”
Link almost tripped, but managed to keep it subtle. No one had noticed. Except…
“What’s wrong? Do you know who he is?” Fairy had picked up on it.
“Oh, no, I don’t know very many people at the ball at all. Well, I know Malon, but I have no clue what her costume is.” Damnit! I’m talking too much! She’ll know I’m covering up something.
“I see.” The song ended. “Do you want to go get some refreshments?”
“Sure.”
They spent the rest of the night dancing and talking. Link began to forget the odd feeling in his chest and the weird thought of Fairy coming to the balls to meet him. He found that, just like Zelda, Fairy was not a shallow girl. She was a true friend. He also realized that Fairy was hiding something. It had to do with the real reason that she and Butterfly were late (He decided that they had been talking like that to cover up for their tardiness), why they were dressed so finely, and why Fairy was concerned about Butterfly dancing with someone.
As they were talking to each other about great Goron mystery novels, a guard came rushing up to Link. “Hawk, we need your help in the North Wing, stat!” The King had informed the entire guard about the Costume Ball. He had told them that if they needed Link, he was a hawk, and they could only call on him if it was an emergency. Obviously it was.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s been a disturbance in the Hero’s quarters, sir!”
What? His own rooms? He could think of nothing of value there that could be valuable to anyone else. Most things were small souvenirs, gifts, and other personal items. Sure, his weapons were there, but all of them were either replaceable or were protected by the Master Sword. The weapons were in a chest that could only be opened if the Master Sword was removed from it, but nothing evil could touch the sword. So what could have been the motivation? There was nothing priceless there. Except…
“Was anything taken?”
“Not that we know of. Unless there was a library book.”
The prophecies!
Link rushed to his rooms. About halfway there, he heard Fairy say, “How do you know the way so well?”
He stopped short and turned around. “What are you doing here? You should have stayed in the ballroom!” Now what if she suspected him?
She shook her head. “I wanted to see what the Castle was like. Besides, you were holding my hand.”
Link blushed, dropped her hand and apologized. He continued to run to his rooms. He noted Fairy’s footsteps still behind him. Finally, he reached his door. “You know,” he said, out of breath, “you really shouldn’t be here. These are Link’s rooms, and you’re not supposed to be out of the ballroom, really.”
She shook her head. “Don’t worry, I won’t confess to the King if you don’t. Why did they drag you out of there anyways? Don’t you guys have enough guards?”
“Yeah, but I’m a good friend of Link’s, and he doesn’t let most people go into his rooms.”
“Then why didn’t they grab him instead of you? If they are his rooms.”
He sensed what she was doing. “It would be rude to take Link from his own ball.” Her face fell a bit. She must have suspected him of being Link.
He opened his door slowly. His face grew grim as he surveyed the scene before him. His bed had been completely blown to bits, as had most of his furniture, except his desk. Everything on it was exactly the same as how he left it, except there was a space where he had left the book of prophecy. He did a quick search of the room. However, searches always take time, even quick ones, so it took about a half an hour. Fairy stood patiently at the door, taking in her first, and probably last, glimpse of the Hero’s room. It was sad that she did not see it when it was in its normal state of disorder, which compared to this was very neat indeed.
Finally, he was done. The only thing taken was the book. He was very glad to see that the chest with the Master Sword on it had remained completely untouched. His makeshift safe had worked. He walked over to Fairy. “Well, no one will be able to really investigate till after the ball, so we might as well go back.”
“But what if they come back?”
“They won’t tonight. They got what they came for.” He sighed. “Do you have the time?”
“No, but hold on.” Fairy stooped down and picked up the little clock that Saria had given Link last year. It still worked, even after being thrown to the floor.
“It’s ten till two,” she said.
Link had an idea. He took her hand and said, “Come with me.” He knew it was dark, but the area would be well lit so people could find their ways home after the ball, and the moon was out.
“What is it?” asked Fairy.
“I want to show you something.” They went down some flights of stairs until they came to the door that Link had been searching for. “In here.”
On the other side of the door was a balcony. They walked to the edge of it. It looked over the entire expanse of Hyrule Field. Even in the night, with barely any visibility, what they could see was beautiful. The grass was full, the moon was almost full, and the trees cast eerie shadows in the moonlight.
“Oh, wow,” breathed Fairy. “I didn’t think your country could be so beautiful, especially at night.”
“What do you mean, ‘at night?’”
“Well, It would be easier to see in the daylight.”
“This isn’t the only view of its kind here.”
“Really? How many are there?”
“There are actually four more. One of each of the wonders of Hyrule.”
“Oh, will you take me to another one tomorrow night? Please?” In the moonlight, her eyes were eager.
“Sure. I’m sure the King won’t mind.”
She laughed. “So, which one tomorrow night?”
It was his turn to laugh. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
The clock struck two, and the first night of the Costume Ball was over.