A/N: Alright, sooooo because I love you guys, and because I have left you (kinda) hanging for far too long...I feel kinda indebted to you. Here's kind of an explanation of what's going on on my end, plus a little teaser for Chapter 12 (as yet unnamed). (This isn't all that's written so far, but I also didn't want to leave a rough patch of half-formed thoughts and writing at the end. Edits must be done first! lol)

So basically, my muse has run away. *sigh* And with college winding down, I'm really focusing on "real life" stuff. Soooo unfortunately a lot of writing has taken a sort of back seat. =/ This and a couple other stories here and there (mostly the ones that are up on this site) and really the only ones I still really want to keep on the table if I ever do get the opportunity/inspiration to keep writing. I have the plots pretty much planned out-it's just a matter of getting the characters to cooperate when I'm not swamped with school work and rl responsibilities.

Iiiiii guess you could call this a "partial hiatus", I guess? I really want to finish this. Really, I do. But I know there are at least forty more chapters to the plot, upwards of fifty or sixty depending how long what I call the "dungeon sequence" turns out once I write it (yay plot filler that hopefully doesn't turn out to be filler...? *sigh*). Sooooo that's going to take forever unless I could dedicate some serious time and effort, buuuut knowing my inspiration and Teh Evul Wrytorz Blok, taken together with real life, thaaaaat's not so likely to happen for the near future.

Therefore, without any further ado, I give you the Chapter 12 teaser, and I will do my best to at least finish this chapter before I go back to school. Seriously, you guys are awesome; without you, I think I'd despair of EVER finishing this.

~ZM

Chapter 12

"Ah, Link! There you are." The addressed hero's head snapped up from inspecting his outfit to see Zelda approaching with someone following close behind her. He nodded to her, clasping his hands behind his back—if only to prevent them from running restlessly over his new tunic. "Good evening, Zelda."

Then Tanya stepped out from behind the princess, and his jaw almost fell open involuntarily.

Just like the last time he'd seen her in that green dress, she dropped her gaze self-consciously before his eyes could meet hers. Her hair had been half pulled up high on her head and then curled to fall down her shoulders with the rest of her hair. A light layer of make-up accented her natural skin tone without being excessive or distracting. The gold shades of her sleeveless dress only further complimented her complexion and emphasized her archer's arms.

And, nestled in the hollow of her throat, the pendant—the fourth piece of the Triforce—was a constant reminder of the shadow that lurked over them all.

A light, almost unnoticeable nudge from Zelda had Tanya taking a couple stutter-steps toward him, and he had to resist the instinctive urge to step back. Her long skirts swished inaudibly around her feet, the edges barely brushing the tops of his boots.

Despite himself, he couldn't say a word—just stare at her hidden face. Somewhere he thought he could hear Zelda talking, but it barely registered.

"Well, the Royals' entrance is due to begin shortly," she was saying a little too cheerily when his brain could finally tune in. "I better be off before my father decides to send the guard to find me." There was no mistaking the wink she directed his way. "Have fun, you two, and stay out of too much trouble."

His heart sinking with dread as the princess flounced buoyantly down the hall, Link reluctantly looked back at Tanya. "Did you happen to hear anything of what she just said?" he asked with some embarrassment.

The girl finally looked up at that, and he nearly sucked in a breath through his teeth when those emerald eyes met his. Her tiny smirk of amusement did not help any. "She was just explaining where we should be at certain times—mostly for the beginning and the end." She shrugged, moving toward the smaller side entrance into the ballroom nearby. "Something about the entrance and exit of the royalty and nobility, I think."

Releasing a breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding, Link managed a small smile at her and smoothly intercepted her before she could reach the door. With one hand on the latch, he offered his other hand to her.

"We might as well start this off on the right foot," he said quietly.

The surprised, open-mouthed look she sported had him secretly cheering; Link was not going to let the wolf have control and bring out the worst in him tonight when he had a chance to make it up to her. Midna's words from last night were too fresh in his mind for him to voluntarily screw this up.

And this gesture was step one.

Despite the look of confusion and hesitation on her face, Tanya lightly rested her hand atop his. Opening the door, he ushered her through then down a small staircase into a corner of the formal first floor ballroom.

They stood in the shadow of another larger double staircase to their left, sweeping in a majestic half circle across half the length of the long side of the expansive room. Golden-colored carpets embroidered with red, green, and blue thread in intricate patterns covered the bright white marble, and small fluted pillars formed a waist-high railing around the landing and stairs. High over the massive oak double doors that exited the ballroom was a stained-glass mosaic of the Triforce and phoenix that cast a rainbow of color across the floor below. The opposite wall was made almost entirely of sections of stained glass windows interspersed with glass doors that let out onto an expansive, public outdoor garden.

Seeing her staring at everything and anything she could lay eyes on—there were already quite a few lesser guests mingling around the appetizers, as he'd expected—Link gently took her hand. "C'mon; I know the best place to watch the nobles without being bothered."

Tanya willingly followed, her grip tight on his hand as he towed her between empty tables along the short side of the room, directly in front of them. Selecting a table close to the far wall, he pulled out a chair for her just as activity across the high-ceilinged room indicated that the festivities were about to begin. Once she had settled, he seated himself to one side, back to the wall.

Blaring trumpets announced the first of the nobility, and Link steeled himself for the night to come.