A/N: If you don't follow me on Tumblr then you're probably really surprised to see this! I've been saying for some time that I had hoped to get back to publishing stuff around March 2020, and here I am, on schedule for once! I decided to complete a short continuation of this story, so Beneath a Midsummer Moon has been changed from a oneshot to a short multichap. There will be one more chapter after this one to finish it off. I hope you all enjoy! And before you ask, because a few of you have in the comments for LIATOC, yes I will be continuing it, no I won't have any new chapters for a while. But I'll try to keep you posted!

p.s. the next chapter will be out in 2 weeks!

The common area of the guards quarters were dim when Link walked in, the only source of light a single candelabra—its three taper candles flickering gently beside an armchair on the far side of the room. In the armchair sat Albrecht, the only other soul present, sitting comfortably with a small book held in one hand.

At the sound of the heavy door shutting behind Link Albrecht lifted his head, eying the young Champion as he lowered his reading. Link avoided his gaze. After the night he'd had, he wasn't in the mood for conversation; he just wanted to get into the safety of his bed as quickly as possible and… tend to… things. He offered a requisite nod of greeting but otherwise remained silent as he crossed the room with dragging feet.

Albrecht, it seemed, had other ideas.

"Long night?" the man inquired with a touch of humor, shutting his book with a light snap.

Link merely nodded and offered an affirming grunt, quickening his pace across the common room to his personal chambers. Albrecht casually lifted a leg across one knee, seemingly unperturbed by Link's dismissiveness. As he reached the door, eagerly taking the knob in hand, Albrecht spoke again, his words piercing the calm silence like the sharp whistle of an arrow.

"Make sure to check for lipstick stains before you put your uniform away."

Link's entire body stiffened and time seemed to grind to a halt. He turned, eyes wide and horrified as his gaze fell upon his fellow guard. They had been seen?!

"What—what did you say?" he choked out.

Albrecht turned his head to observe Link's frantic expression, a knowing twinkle shining within them. "I think you know."

It was as though the words knocked the wind from him, but Link forced his paralyzed limbs to move regardless. He hurried towards the man, shakily sitting on the edge of the scuffed wooden coffee table.

"You saw," he stated anxiously, running a jittery hand through his hair and urgently contemplating every possible bribe he could offer to secure the man's silence.

Albrecht nodded, casually setting his book on the side table with a mischievous smile.

"Oh yes. Looked like you two had quite the enjoyable time by the pond."

Link swallowed the embarrassed sputter which threatened to escape him in favor of a question. "Did anyone else—if anyone else—"

"Relax, relax, no one else saw. Although speaking of which…" he leaned forward, pointing two fingers firmly at Link. "You owe me—I'm the one who caused that splash in the pond to break you two apart. You guys high tailed it out of there just in time—Donnan was coming around the perimeter, and he wouldn't be as nice about all this as I'm being."

Link ran a shaky hand through his hair again, nodding absently, mind spinning as he processed this new revelation.

"I won't ask what all that was 'cuz it ain't my business; but I will suggest you figure out what you want from her and make your intentions clear. I won't stand for you toying with the Princess' heart."

At Link's panic-stricken expression he laughed lightly, standing from his chair. "You can relax, mate; So long as you're a gentleman I won't tell anyone—knight's honor." He offered a salute and a sly wink, which only served to turn Link's face a shade of deep crimson as the other man turned for the bunks.

"Night, loverboy," he called teasingly over his shoulder.

The dull thump of the door to the sleeping quarters registered dimly to Link, still hunched over the edge of the coffee table and staring at his hands, heartbeat in his ears. The trembling was slowly easing, and he forced himself to take a deep breath.

Albrecht was a good friend and a trustworthy soldier—Link felt fairly confident in the man's word. But his advice was, perhaps, needed, as Link hadn't yet thought beyond this night.

It had been a strange sort of Hell returning to the ball after their interruption, all awkward silence and nervous glances. She had avoided his company the rest of the night, and he had likewise avoided looking her way as much as was possible from his post in the ballroom. And yet, when he escorted her to her chambers at the end of the night, she had paused with her hand on her door only to turn back to him and give him a sudden kiss on the cheek before uttering an embarrassed "Goodnight," and hurriedly retreating into her room. He would like to think that was a sign of reciprocation and a desire for more than that moment by the pond; but he was young—he knew this. It wasn't like he had much experience to draw notes from.

A day ago, had someone asked him to characterize his relationship with the Princess, he would have said they were friends and allies in the fight against Ganon. A day ago he wouldn't have believed he viewed her as anything more—he hadn't wanted more. Or, so he thought. He was questioning all that, now; for new, powerful emotions swam in his heart and in his head like giant beasts, crowding out all other creatures. It seemed unlikely to him that a simple ball gown should have brought about such feelings on its own; no, there had been something there beforehand—he just hadn't realized it.

What did he want from the Princess, exactly? Well, more of that certainly; but was that even a realistic possibility? Was that fair to her? What did she want? He scrubbed his face with his hands, mind weary from its endless guesswork. Pushing himself up off the table, he dragged his feet back to his private quarters.

Link stepped wearily inside his room, shutting the heavy door quietly behind him. With movements long since born of habit he pulled the master sword from his back, setting it against the wall as he crossed the room towards his small desk, pulling open a drawer. He lifted a slightly dusty dark leather journal—a gift from his father when he had pulled the sword. He opened the cover, finding his father's messy scrawl on its interior:

"You will have many struggles and face new adversity—and you will need somewhere to sort these things into some semblance of order. I hope this journal serves you well."

Too right he was, Link mused tiredly, pulling out the chair with his free hand and setting the blank journal atop his desk. Grabbing a pen, he pulled the journal close, and set his thoughts to paper.