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!Link Hyrule Castle

Tonight is all about appearances.

For example, I may appear to be on Zelda's arm, but you can find my eyes fixated on Y/N in her Shiekah dress. Zelda and I are both coordinated from head to toe in navy. Navy is a color that represents loyalty and power within the royal family. When someone wears navy, it demands your attention. A combustion of visual authority for the onlooker.

Tonight, it is imperative that all eyes be on us.

Except for my eyes, that kept Y/N in their domain, so she may never be too far from me. As I made rounds to our guests with Zelda, I trained my lips to curve in a way that was pleasing. Believable. Like I wanted to be here.

I wanted to check on Y/N. I wanted to see if she felt as good as she looked. I wanted to tell her about my investigation into Termina.

Mostly, I just wanted to say something. Anything at all. Anything to give her a reason to look my way.

If all eyes were supposed to be on us this night, then why weren't the only eyes I wanted on me always somewhere else.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Link was unrecognizable to you.

Not because of the gaudy getup he was dressed in. No, it was because of the one accessory he wore that you had never seen on him before.

A smile.

Only this wasn't his real smile; it looked like the smile of someone who had an arrow tip stuck up his ass. It was contrite, as if to say, "Sorry you have to look at me in this outfit."

Perhaps you were overexaggerating. You were used to seeing him all armored up. This outfit somehow made him look more vulnerable. More human. As if maybe, you weren't divided by steep socioeconomic standards. Even if it was a fancy outfit only worn by esteemed royal guards.

There weren't plates protecting his body nor a helmet furrowing itself between his eyes. The cap he wore reminded you of a beret. It slid to the side of his head slightly, allowing you a better view of his golden tresses. Which, of course, were still tied back like a scraggly bale of hay. You were appalled by your mounting curiosity to see what his loose hair looked like. Then there were the pauldrons he usually wore. Tonight, there were no pauldrons, only the natural brawn of his shoulders.

The shoulders that had carried you back to safety. Guilt began to thread itself up your spine. You counted your lucky stars that he was blissfully unaware of your presence. You watched Link engage with a dapper Zora gentleman. He wore a blue sash that corresponded with Link's outfit. A neckerchief was tied loosely around his throat, and a splendid gem you instantly recognized as the Zora's Sapphire swung from it like a pendulum. The Zora's Sapphire could never compete with the opulence of his smile.

It was rude to stare but you had never seen a Zora in person before. This man's height towered over most all the guests within your vision. You couldn't help but speculate how fetching he would be as a human.

But as enchanting as the Zora noble was, you found your eyes fluttering back to Link like a butterfly perched atop their favorite flower.

Until there they were, his spellbinding blue eyes focused on you in this overpopulated room. They were just focused on you.

Only you.

Thankfully, you were tugged in another direction by an anxious Jerrin.

"Did you see the chandelier? Hylia, it probably costs more than the entire village of Hateno is worth."

There was a chandelier? You hadn't even noticed it. You looked at the diamonds that dripped down, spanning from the ceiling to the foyer. Yet each diamond that laced it was dingy compared to the luminosity of Link's gaze. When you stood beneath its luster, you found it didn't make you feel as resplendent as Link's eyes when they took hold of you.

Goddesses, whatever is the matter with me?

Next to you, Jerrin continued to mumble on, oblivious to your absent attention. "I would love to reincarnate as one of those diamonds on that chandelier, mmhmm."

You felt a gentle tap on your shoulder, so soft that you thought it may have been a bite from a mosquito. When you went to swat at it, you found a stern hand meeting yours. You whirled around to see Link standing there.

"Ah, Link!" Jerrin jumped backwards. "Don't you look like the future king of this kingdom. When will Zelda do her reveal?"

Link responded to Jerrin, not tearing his eyes from yours. "Hello Jerrin... Hello Y/N," His voice was like the velvet that bordered his navy vest. "Zelda will make her appearance shortly. Today's ceremony is also going to serve as a very important announcement for Hyrule."

You felt a cold, hard lump jab at your windpipe. You thought you might choke. Was Jerrin right? Would he be proposing to Zelda? You held your breath until Jerrin pounced on Link's gnomic statement. "Announcement?" Jerrin grabbed your hand, her grip tight with the excitement of a royal wedding. Your grip was slippery with sweat at the sheer horror of it.

Before Jerrin could bully the information out of Link, a tall Gerudo woman walked up to all of you. "Link. Should I join Sidon, Yunobo, and Teba for Zelda's announcement?"

Link still had his eyes trained on you. You hoped he couldn't see the pallor that had possessed you over the anxiety of the announcement. "Yes, Riju. That'll be swell."

You watched the Gerudo woman sashay away, her tawny skin still coated in the dewy glow of the desert she hailed from.

Jerrin released your hand, and you could instantly sense her disappointment. "Oh, Riju? She is now the controller of the divine beast Vah Naboris, is she not? She mentioned Prince Sidon, Yunobo and Teba-"

"They will be named the new champions of Hyrule." Link responded rather disinterestedly. This allowed the lump in your throat to pass through and land with an uncomfortable thud in your stomach. The relief of the announcement was the remedy you needed. He quickly gave Jerrin a pointed once-over. "Jerrin, may I please have a minute alone with Y/N?"

Jerrin's eyes sifted between you and Link, intrigued. "Of course, let me see what kind of trouble Robbie is getting into." She sprinted off into the crowd, but not before giving you a glimpse and raising her brow. You could mentally hear her saying, "We'll talk about this later."

You lamented her presence, which was now gone from your side. Link stood there in that awkward manner you were starting to grow accustomed to. You each opened your mouths a sliver, a tickle of each your voices drifting out. You couldn't help but laugh. Even Link possessed a minor smudge of a smile on his face.

"How do you fare with your injury?"

"Well, I have not been allowed to work. So that leaves me with nothing but rest, and I can honestly say I really needed it. I feel fantastic."

A weird sense of solace washed over you from his concern. He met your statement with a soft smile. "That's good. I'm glad to hear you are well."

He stood again, his eyes waiting for you to take the lead. You knew he was probably afraid to speak, and rightfully so; you really were quite grisly to him. When all he did was save your life.

"Link, I want to apologize. I just-"

"No need. You had just suffered a head injury."

You may as well rip the band- aid off. You pulled Link's rupees from a loose satchel hidden in the belt of your dress. Your confidence took you by surprise as you quickly took his hand in your own. "No, it's not an excuse. You saved my life. But forgive me, as I still cannot accept this from you."

Link gave the rupees in his hand a dejected look. You continued on," As for my bag, if you find it, that would be splendid, but I recognize it would be an impossible feat. Surely, it has succumbed to the forces of nature by now."

And the thief's grubby little paws. You decided to leave that in your mind, away from Link and his long ears. He already thinks you're aggressive. You weren't dainty like the Queen.

Where are these bitter thoughts coming from?

"Well, you may be right. It is quite difficult not to succumb to the forces of nature." His voice was charged with something that shocked you into embarrassment. You weren't sure if it was the dipped rasp of his voice or the ambiguity of what he was saying.

What you knew he meant. What he knew, you knew he meant.

Then he flipped his voice into a lighter tone, like one would flip on a light switch. "Actually, I would like to know if..."His throat caught as the sound of trumpets pummeled into the room.

"If you would save me a dance later?"

Link is asking me for a dance? Your stomach lump now traveled back to your throat like a clump of sand in an hourglass that had been flipped once more.

"Oh, I," words evaded you then. Until you caught Zelda at the top of the stairs in the ballroom. She was more beautiful than the snowy fields that glittered atop the Hebra mountains.

"Yes, there is some information I would like to share with you." He didn't give you a chance to answer, he swiftly turned on his heel and headed towards the staircase, where his goddess began her descent.

Of course. There had to be a catch.

Why would he want to dance with you?

Edited: 6/12/23

Artist link below!👇🏻

https://www.reddit.com/r/zelda/comments/nqr5jc/botw_royal_guard_fan_art_by_myself/.