The rest of the ball proceeded in much the same manner, Liesl watched Zelda and Rowan watched her. Thankfully, with him looming, no other young men felt bold enough to approach. Calla had disappeared, unfortunately, not at all to Liesl’s surprise. She better not leave without saying goodbye tomorrow morning, though!

Liesl’s task provided a convenient distraction for at least some of the evening, and by the time she was done, she’d managed to secure an assortment of pastries and savory finger foods. If Rowan had any opinion on what she was doing, he didn’t share and Liesl didn’t offer an explanation. Not that it was hard to guess.

Instead, their conversation remained light and steered clear of anything that might cause him to choke up. Another small mercy, as she didn’t want to talk about her future any more than Rowan wanted to hear it. It was much easier to discuss what she would do now that Calla would be gone. And despite her curiosity, the older man refused to elaborate on what exactly needed scouting. She’d even pulled out her pouty eyes, too! Those had rarely failed her through her time at the castle (or with her own father) but the old soldier remained tight-lipped. Hmm, it must really be important, then? No matter, she’d work it out of him…eventually.

Later in the evening, when Liesl would’ve guessed the ball had about an hour left, Zelda once again found her eyes. However, instead of nodding off to a private area, the Princess left the partner she’d just finished with and made a beeline for where the pair stood in the back. Liesl tilted her head in curiosity before Zelda stepped up, and whatever she was about to say died in her throat.

“Get me out of here, please.” Zelda hadn’t even lowered her voice so Rowan wouldn’t hear. She must’ve been too tired or frustrated to care. That or she trusted him enough. However the statement was directed at Liesl and she stood taller in surprise.

“You don’t want to stay to the end?” Liesl asked.

“No.” There was no hesitation in her voice, in addition to an unmistakable gloom. It really had been a long night, hadn’t it? And if that’s what Zelda wanted, that’s what she’d get.

“Alright, let’s go.” Liesl reached out and took one of Zelda’s hands while the other scooped up her goodies from a nearby table. Before she went, she looked back to Rowan, who raised his hands as if to say no objections. In fact, he even looked around for a moment before returning his gaze.

“The King appears to be distracted…”

Yup, definitely time to go.

With a tug, Liesl got them moving toward the nearest side exit with one last look over her shoulder. Rowan offered a final wink and then turned to hold up a hand to the first man who started to follow the Princess. Liesl thought she heard something about “freshening up” but didn’t stay long enough to hear the whole excuse or the response. None would be adequate, anyway. Liesl doubted very much that Zelda would be changing her mind. Something that seemed to be confirmed by the fact the Princess didn’t even bother to look back, only ahead at Liesl as she led them away.

Another few steps and they were through the door and out into the hallway. A servant looked surprised to see them on the other side, but she quickly bowed once she realized exactly who had come through. “Have a good night!” Zelda offered before snickering and turning to take over leading them away.

It was Liesl’s turn to giggle once they started moving again and the further they got from that door, and the people behind it, the better she felt. Like the weight of the night was lifting from her shoulders, the weight of this world, really. She much preferred the one she inhabited with Zelda when it was just the two of them. Thankfully, it seemed like they were headed there sooner rather than later. Well, that’s what she thought until she was brought to a stop.

“What?” Liesl looked over, her expression turning to something akin to confusion. “Surely, this isn’t as far as you wanted to go.”

“No, silly,” Zelda replied with a shake of her head. “We have a bit of a way still…” Without elaborating further, she bent at the waist and lifted a foot to remove one of her shoes.

“What are you doing?”

“Come on, let’s go! I don’t want anyone to catch us.”

Oh! And obviously, she didn’t want to break her ankle getting there, either.

Liesl snorted her amusement but had to let Zelda’s hand drop for a moment, not that she needed a free one to get rid of her shoes. Those were kicked off without any real effort and scooped up a moment later to be held by the straps next to the cloth napkin that held their goodies. Before she could reach out again, Zelda took her hand once more and then started running almost silently down carpeted halls. Well, except for the laughter that filled the hallway as the two made their way.

They turned again, and again, as fast as two people could run in such elaborate dresses. Liesl stopped looking over her shoulder after that second corner and had no idea where Zelda was taking her. At least at first. However, once they made it to the east wing, and started up the third staircase, she had an inkling where their final destination would be. She was just thankful that everyone was still at the ball, servant and guest alike.

“You’re taking us up there, aren’t you?” Liesl asked as they took the stairs two at a time.

“Of course I am,” Zelda answered without missing a step. “Where else would we go for my birthday?”

She was right, as always. There really wasn’t anywhere else they should go, right? And now that Liesl knew their destination, she sped up until she was running beside the Princess instead of being dragged along behind her. More turns and, sadly, more staircases awaited the two until they were nearing the top of the easternmost tower. Not the tallest point in the castle, but one that usually provided a stunning view and was seldom visited. Which meant that when the two finally climbed up the small ladder at the top of the last staircase and threw open the hatch to the outside, they didn’t find a soul.

Liesl went first as she always did, just in case they found someone else standing up there. Once she gave the all-clear, she bent and extended a hand to help Zelda up too. It was amusing to see the dress puff out around her as she squeezed through the opening, since they normally snuck up here in less formal clothing. After they were through, Zelda kept her hand and led her to the edge so they could look out over the castle.

The view never failed to steal Liesl’s breath away, especially tonight with the decorations for the ball illuminated by enough torches to light up a small city. Which the castle was, in a way. And even better were the “lights” above! Countless stars blinked in the night sky and the moon was so bright it was easy to see each other, even with the late hour.

“Finally, some peace and quiet…” Zelda closed her eyes following the observation and let the silence grow in contrast to the noisy hall they’d just occupied. Only for it to be abruptly shattered when her stomach growled. Loudly and aggressively.

“Wow,” Liesl said as she tried her best to stifle a laugh.

“Well, you try to go the whole evening with only a quick bite or two!” A playful slap accompanied the exasperated words, followed by a shake of Zelda’s head. “And that’s on top of dancing.”

“S’very tough,” Liesl said with a nod of agreement that only held a bit of sarcasm.

“Well, it’s not running around doing…whatever it is you do with Rowan and Calla, but it’s demanding!”

This time, Liesl’s expression softened because she knew the assertion was true even from her limited experience with dance lessons. “Well, let’s see if we can remedy that. Here, I brought you as much food as I could. Stuff that would travel well.” After letting her shoes drop to the side, Liesl held up the wrapped napkins for Zelda to take. Which she did a second later, as if she were some vicious beast that had captured its helpless prey.

“Oh, thank the Goddesses.” Now that she had her prize, Zelda dropped her friend’s hand and immediately turned to sit against the wall of the turret.

Liesl’s mind stayed focused on the lingering warmth for a few moments longer before her eyes lifted from her hand. Only to find the Princess sitting on the ground in such a pristine dress! “Aren’t you going to get that dirty?”

“Probably,” Zelda said with a shrug. “But who cares? It’s not like I can ever wear it again. Can’t have the Princess of the kingdom show up in the same dress twice!” She rolled her eyes following the assertion, but her attention soon shifted to the napkin in her lap. Deft fingers made quick work of the knot and even in the dim light, Liesl could see that her eyes lit up at the bounty hidden within.

“Mm, this smells so good…” A moment later, Zelda took a bite of a sausage roll and then let out a hum of appreciation at the taste. Her head even went back and rested against the stone as she methodically enjoyed the bite. “What a poor Princess I am, surrounded by delicious food and cursed not to be able to enjoy it to my heart’s content.”

Liesl couldn’t help but laugh fully this time as she moved to sit as well. Only to be told to scoot closer with a few swift movements of Zelda’s hand while her mouth was otherwise occupied. Of course, Liesl complied and came close enough that their arms were touching and Zelda could lean over and rest her head on her friend’s shoulder. “Much better,” she mused before finishing off the roll with the second bite. Once that was done, she paused long enough to tilt her head and catch Liesl’s eye. “Did you have fun, at least?”

“Somewhat…”

Zelda grunted as if she wasn’t shocked in the slightest and then went about searching for another delicious morsel. And with nothing but silence left behind, Liesl figured she may as well elaborate.

“I spent most of my time with Rowan and Calla. Eating and chatting, that sort of thing.”

“So, more of the same?” Zelda asked with her mouth full in a most unprincesslike manner. Not that Liesl gave a damn either way.

“More of the same,” Liesl confirmed. “Albeit dressed nicely and with the occasional need to scare away any interlopers that got funny ideas.”

Zelda chuckled at first, since her mouth was still full but then let out a longing hum. “Oh, how I wish he could’ve done the same for me…” Liesl too, of course. However, she didn’t say as much. Thankfully, Zelda didn’t linger on that sentiment and leapt to a new topic. “You didn’t dance at all, then?”

“No,” Liesl answered with a shake of her head. She had almost thought of asking Rowan, but knowing so many eyes would eventually find their way to her had quieted the words before they left her throat. I mean, it wouldn’t be as many as were on Zelda, but any already felt like too much! But that was alright. She didn’t doubt another opportunity would present itself in due time, especially if Zelda needed to continue her search for the prophesied hero (or a “suitable” partner). Yes, then these festivities would happen with annoying frequency.

At first, Zelda didn’t say anything, only gathered the napkin back into a bundle and set it aside. She rose then and dusted her dress off while a curious Liesl looked on, wondering what this was all about.

“Well, come on then,” Zelda said before extending her hand down toward where Liesl sat.

“Oh, I didn’t mean that we should right now.”

“Too bad. Besides, it’s a birthday present.”

Was it now? Cheeky woman. Liesl’s eyebrow rose to match the smirk on her lips, but she extended her hand anyway to take the offered one. “But I already gave you your present.”

“I can have more than one, you know.” With a solid grip, Zelda helped pull Liesl to her feet and then toward the center of the turret. “And you would dare refuse your Princess a dance? Come on, last one.”

“The Princess?” Liesl mused. “Perhaps…” She let herself be pulled toward the center until they came to a stop (after making sure the hatch was closed. “My friend? Never. Especially if it’s only one more wish.”

Liesl tried to take up a position, but she didn’t know which role to take and ended up with one hand just resting on Zelda’s hip, unwilling to commit it to the small of her friend’s back. The other still gripped Zelda’s hand and nervousness seized her chest. However, despite it, there was also excitement at being able to share one last dance (and maybe a bit because it was the last one of the evening). “Um, I don’t really know how to do this…” She let words hang there for a few seconds, but Zelda simply shook her head and chuckled.

“Let’s skip on routines or formality. We’re friends, like you say.” So, Zelda used her grip on one of Liesl’s hands and found the other with her free one. She then gently moved both to the small of her back before bringing her arms up to loop around Liesl’s neck. Goddesses, she was so close, and that affectionate look in her eyes made Liesl’s heart melt. “Don’t worry about steps, just hold me.”

“Okay…” Liesl’s agreement was barely above a whisper because any louder and she was fairly certain her voice would crack. In the end, that’s exactly what she did, held Zelda tight even though her heart felt like it was going to beat its way out of her chest. Mercifully, Zelda turned her head soon after and rested it in the crook of Liesl’s neck, obscuring her view. Not having to look directly into her eyes helped somewhat, and Liesl followed her example by letting her head rest on Zelda’s without a word.

The two started to sway then, barely lifting their bare feet from the stone floor or even moving in a circle. Liesl couldn’t imagine what everyone in the grand hall would’ve done had they seen them. It wasn’t good dancing, that much was certain. For all the annoyance that came from watching Zelda with her various partners, Liesl had to admit many of them were quite skilled. Technically, anyway.

But this was…intimate. Could she use that word? Should she? The warmth that grew in her chest where it was pressed to Zelda seemed to indicate as much. Especially when coupled with the reaction of her heart and the heating of her cheeks. The smart thing to do would be to deflect, to back up and sit down (and to stop sneaking into Zelda’s bed). However, the very real pain that would come from such things far outweighed the notion of any in the future. And right now, Liesl wanted this closeness.

So, her hands gripped a little tighter, pulled the Princess a little closer, and her head lifted to rub her nose alongside that neat, blonde hair. She was trying to be subtle about it, but Zelda noticed right away judging by the hum and the way she further tightened her arms around Liesl’s neck.

“I lied before,” Zelda whispered almost too low for Liesl to hear it.

Of course, it didn’t help that she was speaking into Liesl’s shoulder. At least the night was quiet; however, that stillness didn’t do anything to tamp down the surge of anxiety and fear that followed those words.

“About what?” Liesl asked cautiously, almost afraid to hear the answer. About the ball? About not enjoying her time with any of her partners? Had she found someone she could stand or even…like?

“About not wanting anything else for my birthday.”

Oh. Well, that was very different and Liesl almost kicked herself for letting her mind wander off like that. She was so relieved, she even laughed softly for a few moments before gently shaking her head. “Why am I not surprised…”

“Hey, it’s an important birthday! I should get big wishes.”

“Bigger than a hairpin and a dance?”

Zelda grew silent following Liesl’s question and for a moment, the Princess’s fingers fidgeted at the nape of Liesl’s neck. “…Yes.”

Hmm, not exactly the elaboration Liesl was hoping for and even though her curiosity piqued, she waited. It seemed like her friend needed time to find the right words, and Liesl was more than happy to lend it.

“It’s big and selfish,” Zelda admitted. “That’s what I don’t want to ask it. Well, I do…but it’s not fair. I know it isn’t.”

Okay, now Liesl was dying to know. So, she brought them to a stop and leaned Zelda back until she could find Zelda’s eyes in the moonlight. “You know you can ask me anything, right? I promise I won’t be mad and if it’s within my power to do it, I’ll do it.” And if it wasn’t? Well, she would just have to find a way.

Zelda looked up at her expectantly and even bit her lip while her eyes jumped between Liesl’s. Wow, she’d never seen the Princess so indecisive before. At least when it came to something she wanted from Liesl. What in the world was going on?

“Zelda–”

“Stay with me,” she said quickly, cutting Liesl off from the gentle encouragement she was about to provide.

“What? Stay with you?” Liesl’s eyebrows knit in confusion and she even spared a glance toward the hatch that led back inside. “Where else would I go?” She sure as shit wasn’t going back to the ball alone. Talk about a nightmare…

“No,” Zelda said with a shake of her head. “I mean…I–I don’t want you to leave me alone in this castle with Goddesses-knows-who one day.”

Alone? But there were so many others that were here besides Liesl. Rowan and Impa, specifically. However, she knew that’s not what Zelda meant because she felt the same way. “I’m not going anywhere, Zelda,” Liesl answered without needing to think about it. I mean, there was nothing to think about. “Not now, not ever. I promise.”

“But…we’re grown up now. Isn’t that what happens? We have families, we grow apart.” Now there was very clearly strain in Zelda’s voice and it caused Liesl to bring her hand up and use it to bring Zelda’s head back to where it rested before.

“I don’t need to leave the castle to find that. I belong here, with you.”

“You really mean that?”

“Of course, I do. I can’t lie on your birthday, you know.” Or any other day, for that matter. But really, Liesl didn’t want to return to Arwik. She didn’t want to take some nobleman’s arm and be led off down the road, far away from the castle, with only letters and the occasional visit to keep their friendship alive. No, that would not be her life or their fate. It was here now, and they would figure out what they meant one day at a time. Starting with that stupid ceremony tomorrow.

“I suppose you can’t,” Zelda finally agreed after settling back in. “And I promise too, not that I can really go anywhere…”

Liesl let the silence stretch out for a few seconds before a smile once again crept onto her lips. “You really were extra greedy this year, you know…”

“Alright, I’ve changed my mind. Off with you!”