Autumn in Akkala

Ch.6 Waltz of Darkness Act:1

Navigate the Room
!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."