Disclaimer: All rights to the Legend of Zelda Series and characters belong to Nintendo.

Chapter 2: High Bidder

"Again!" a stern voice commanded.

Zelda, breathing heavily, took a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow before raising one arm, fingers splayed in front of her. Calling upon the might of Din, the muscles of her extended limb contracted, and then she released. Streams of bright fire issued from her fingertips, arcing forward to crash upon an already half-molten boulder of mammoth proportions. Solid stone gave way under the immense heat as it shifted into a liquid state, pooling upon the barren earth upon which it was mounted. Zelda continued her assault for a further ten seconds, before exhaustion finally browbeat her into relenting. Relaxing her hand, she turned to gaze at the woman standing twenty feet to her right.

The woman, whose golden hair was tightly woven into a single braid that fell just below her shoulders, nodded. "Good," she commented, her vibrant red eyes glinting in approval. Zelda felt pride swell within her chest. For Impa, a member of the famed Sheikah tribe, to give even this sort of acknowledgment was high praise indeed. The Sheikah were a mysterious race that had served the Royal Family since ancient times. Though small in number, they were elite warriors, trained from birth in the arts of combat, stealth, and their own mysterious brand of magic. They served the King and his family in several capacities, working as bodyguards, expert spies, and, in Zelda's case, as an overseer of her magical development. For while Impa, lean, tanned, and muscled, appeared to be no older than Zelda herself, members of the Sheikah tribe aged very slowly, and the woman had had many more decades than the Princess to become exceptionally knowledgeable regarding sorcery, even if she herself did not possess the necessary talents to utilize most of the Arts.

Doing her best to recover from the strain of the morning's training, Zelda glanced back at the ruined boulder. Calling once more upon the goddesses, she drew her right hand from her waist to her chin, palm up. As she did so, the giant formation restored itself, the molten rock rising, cooling and reshaping to make the boulder whole once more. Satisfied with the results, Zelda turned back to Impa. "I think that will be enough for today, don't you?"

Her tutor nodded. "I agree, Your Highness." Together they exited the large courtyard that served as a private practice chamber within the castle walls. For while Zelda, Midna, and Saria were the only members of the Royal Family to possess magical competence in any significant quantity, the King and his two sons would often use the space to hone their martial prowess, sparring with members of the Royal Guard. Zelda pushed open the door leading back into one of the castle's countless corridors, eager to strip free of her now sweaty workout clothing, and to bathe and prepare for the day ahead. It had been two weeks since Daphnes Nohansen II's betrothal celebration. In that time, Zelda had spent most of her time either adhering to her studies or enjoying the company of her friends and sisters. She had for the most part put the Marquess of Ordon from her mind, although she had actually found that his face, even masked, served as an excellent motivational tool if she imagined it upon the boulder when attempting to reduce it to a pool of magma.

"Will you be at the Faire today, Impa?" Zelda asked her friend, for out of all of the Sheikah guards, she enjoyed Impa's company the most, having grown close to her from a young age.

"I am afraid not, Your Highness," Impa replied. They began walking down the corridor. "His Majesty has requested that I investigate rumors of unrest in East Eldin."
"Unrest?" Zelda inquired, wondering why no one had informed her of this.

"They are very fleeting rumors, Your Highness, I am sure there is nothing to them," the Sheikah answered, as if sensing Zelda's uncertainty. "Most likely some residents of the province are calling for lower taxes, and the matter has been exaggerated. There are several such incidents every year in the kingdom."

They arrived at the end of the hallway, which branched off in two directions. Zelda turned to face her tutor. "Well in any case, please be safe, Impa."

The Sheikah's icy countenance softened, and she smiled softly at the Princess. "I will, Your Highness," she replied, bowing. "I hope that you have a pleasant time at the Faire." She then took the left fork in the passageway, the thud of her footsteps echoing lightly along the stone walls. Zelda took the right fork, which led to a stairwell. Mounting it, she ascended several floors in the castle before arriving at the uppermost level, where her personal chambers were located. Opening the door, she was greeted by the sight of Midna, dressed in a decorative indigo gown, tapping her foot impatiently.

"It's about time," she snapped as soon as Zelda walked in. "You're late; we've been waiting here for half an hour. The Faire is going to start before we get there, why couldn't you just have taken a day off from training?" Behind her, Saria was sprawled on Zelda's mattress, her lively green vestments indicating that she too had long been prepared to set out for the Faire. Standing quietly beside the bed was Midna's personal servant, a gangly man with a long, pale face. About Midna's age, he was relatively new to the job, and from what Zelda had understood, some strings had been pulled to get him to court. She couldn't quite recall what House he hailed from, although she was fairly certain that he was a native of the Gerudo Province. Zant was his name, she remembered.

"Well unlike you, Midna," Zelda shot back, glaring playfully at her elder sibling, "I put my magical training before going to silly faires."

"Silly faires?" Midna exclaimed, horrorstruck. "This is the biggest one of the year, and I've heard that there's some new human cannon ride. Not to mention that they're auctioning off Lord Fado's estate. There's bound to be a lot of really cool stuff that gets put up for sale!"

"Oh come on, Midna," Saria interjected, sitting up. "The auction is at the end, we have plenty of time."

Midna waved her other sister off. "It still doesn't change the fact that Zelda is late!"

"Then stop bothering me and I'll get ready!" Midna relented, smiling.

"Alright, but hurry up!"

Half an hour later Zelda was bathed and dressed, adorned in a dress of light lavender. Drying her hair with a quick spell, she and her sisters, accompanied by a small entourage of servants, made their way to the Faire in several horse bound carriages.

"Did you know that someone purchased Lord Fado's title?" Zelda inquired of her sisters, their carriage jostling down the road leading south from Hyrule Castle Town, the kingdom's capital, and the location of the Royal Palace.

"Yes, I met him during Daphnes' betrothal party," Midna replied. "He was the one I was telling you about, the one who didn't seem to be very interested in me."

"I saw him, he was the handsome one in green, right?" added Saria. "He danced with you too, didn't he Zel? You two seemed really into each other."

"I was not into him," Zelda responded in outrage. "He was absolutely full of himself."

Midna shrugged. "If I were him, I would be full of myself too."

"You are full of yourself," Saria teased.

Midna chose to ignore this. "Really though," she continued, looking at Zelda, "he was absolutely fascinating. He told me about the time that he spent serving in some foreign army. He was describing this one siege…"

"So he's been in a war," Zelda cut in. "That still doesn't give him the right to think himself to be so damn superior to everyone else."

Midna chuckled. "No, his looks give him that right."

"Shallow," Zelda retorted, and they spent the next several minutes squabbling about Midna's taste in men. The carriages continued to journey southward for several miles, before finally arriving in a vast open field, upon which innumerable tents had been pitched. An annual event, the Hyrule Faire was one of the kingdom's largest festivals, organized by the realm's leading merchants to exhibit their latest wares and to promote economic productivity. It usually ran for the duration of a week, although it had been a tradition among Zelda and her sisters to attend opening day every year since they were little girls. Daphnes and Sheik were more infrequent, and given their administrative duties, not to mention Daphnes' engagement, both had been unable to accompany them.

"Let's stop by Malo Mart first," Zelda implored, glancing briefly at a strange wooden tower with a ladder leading to a high perch. The Malo Mart franchise was scarcely a year old, but it had been wildly successful, with stores opening in nearly every province in the kingdom. Its owner, Malo, was the young entrepreneurial son of Sir Jaggle, a Baronet from Ordon. Although barely of age, Malo had proven to be an exceptionally shrewd businessman, winning a large share of the Hylian market through low pricing and effective supply. So outstanding had been Malo Mart's rise, in fact, that many had questioned where Malo had found the funds to jumpstart his business; his family, although mildly prosperous, was by no means wealthy.

"Oh, that's right," Saria replied, her eyes widening in realization. "They're showing off that rare suit of armor that's supposed to have healing properties."

"Exactly. And I want to see if they'll sell it to me, so let's hurry up."

Striding upon the soft grass that blanketed the field, the three Princesses and their servants moved through the crowds, passing many Hylian nobles and just as many peasants, all of whom had turned out for the Faire.

"There it is," Midna exclaimed, pointing at a brightly colored tent. A large wooden sign hung above the entranceway, with a chubby youth's face painted upon its face. "Ugh," Midna muttered in reaction to seeing the sign, "Malo may be a business genius, but I don't think that his face makes for a very attractive logo."

Leaving their servants to wait outside, they entered the expansive tent, inside of which dozens of shopkeepers hurried to tend to customers. Standing along the sides of the tent, as well as throughout the interior, countless shelves were stocked with a wide variety of products, ranging from potions, to children's toys, to battle-ready shields. A wooden stake had been driven into the ground in front of them, upon which a large placard had been mounted that read, "Malo Mart has been warded with anti-theft enchantments, so DON'T EVEN THINK about trying to steal something. Remember, time is money, so if you aren't here to buy something, then you're wasting both, and should get out. –Malo"

Chuckling, the Princesses moved further inside, perusing through the shop's items. Zelda found herself in awe at the selection, and even more so at the prices. Malo Mart had yet to open a location in the kingdom's capital, most likely because the city's merchant guild had done its utmost best to obstruct such a move, so that it could retain its ability to charge high prices. It was a situation that Malo was determined to alter, and Zelda was fairly certain that she had heard that the young merchant had secured an audience with the King himself the following week, so that he might plead his case and circumvent the guild. And she had to admit, based on the contents of this tent alone, Malo Mart would be a welcome addition to Hyrule Castle Town.

"Your Highness, it is an honor for me to welcome you to Malo Mart," came a squeaky voice from her left. Zelda turned to see that one of the shopkeepers had approached her. He was a man of a very slight stature, with a ratlike nose and a bushy moustache. He wore green and brown vestments, and a small hat with Malo's face imprinted upon it. He bowed as Zelda shifted her gaze upon him, and added, "Is there anything that you were looking for in particular?"

"Yes, actually," she replied as he stood straight. "I have heard that you are exhibiting a magical suit of armor?"

"Oh yes," the man exclaimed at once. "We have it at the back of the tent, please follow me." He led her through the throng that had congregated inside the shop, navigating between the various shelves to the far side of the tent. "It is here, Your Highness," he told her as they came into view of the back wall, "and please know that Malo would be honored to know that you were gracious enough to visit his humble shop."

"Thank you," Zelda said, smiling at him. She peered at the back wall, which was lined with a long wooden counter at which customers could purchase the store's items. Her eyes alighted on an especially large wooden shelf, within which a spectacular set of armor shone in colors of metallic gold and blood red. Ornate designs curled along the armor's breast, encircling a deepset emerald jewel that glinted darkly in tent's muted light. It was entrancing, and what was more, she could feel the aura of magic emanating from it. "How much?" she asked the mustached shopkeeper, gesturing at the armor.

The man's cheery, humble expression drooped, and he bowed in quick apology. "I am sorry, Your Highness, but that piece is not for sale."

"It's not?" Zelda frowned. "I'll pay you handsomely for it," she added, hoping that, as was the case with many merchants, a monetary solution could be reached.

The shopkeeper continued to squirm, clearly uncomfortable with turning down a request from Hylian royalty. "It pains me ever so much to say, Your Highness," he replied hesitatingly, "that unfortunately, it is not a matter of rupees. We have strict orders from Malo himself not to sell this suit of armor."

Zelda sighed, relenting. "Alright," she told the shopkeeper, "fair enough. I will look at your other products, then."

The mustached man immediately brightened, eager to compensate the Princess for her disappointment. "Certainly, Your Highness. If you will just follow me, I can direct you to whatever else you may be interested in."

But as Zelda began to walk away from the counter, she heard a calm, youthful male voice behind her speak, "How much for the magical suit of armor?"

Zelda expected one of the cashiers to inform the young man that the armor was not for sale, but instead what she heard was, "Ah, Sir Colin, welcome! I suppose that you are here on business? Well then, with the half-off discount, the armor will be five thousand rupees."

At this, Zelda whirled around in outrage. She surveyed the young man who had approached the counter; his long, blond hair was parted down the middle, and fell to just below his chin. Dressed in expensive clothing of white and green with a high collar, and with his hands lightly clasped behind his back, he gave off every air of politeness and humility. However, none of that was of particular concern to Zelda, especially as her eyes narrowed in outrage. "What!" she exclaimed, directing her glance at the cashier who had answered Sir Colin's inquiry.

The cashier, a petite woman with dark curls, curtseyed to the Princess. "Y-Your Highness," she stammered. "It is an honor. How may I help you?"

Approaching the counter, Zelda responded, "I just asked if I could purchase this armor, and I was told that it was not for sale. And now you're selling it to this man?"

The mustached shopkeeper who had been attending Zelda quickly hurried to her side, bowing fervently. "My apologizes, Your Highness, but Sir Colin has special ties with the shop, and so in his case an exception is to be made."

"An exception?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Zelda turned to look at Sir Colin. He appeared to be mildly embarrassed by the commotion that he had caused, but nonetheless his expression was calm and relaxed. "And what exception might that be, exactly?"

The shopkeeper opened his mouth to reply, but it was Sir Colin who answered. "Your Highness," he addressed her, bowing, "I do apologize, but unfortunately, I cannot reveal that information."

"Why not?" Her tone was sharper than she had meant it to be, but the entire situation was immensely frustrating, and her patience had worn very thin.

"I am sorry, Your Highness, but I am not at liberty to explain." To his credit, Sir Colin did seem truly regretful, and there was nothing about his demeanor or expression that suggested otherwise. Nonetheless, Zelda had had enough.

"Very well," she said curtly, doing her best to restrain her exasperated anger, "good day Sir Colin. Enjoy the armor."

"Your Highness," he replied, bowing once again.

Zelda turned away from the counter and stalked outside, ignoring the confused glances of Saria and Midna as she passed them on her way out. They quickly followed her, however. "Zel, what's wrong?" Saria asked as they stepped into the warm midsummer sunlight. Zelda related her experience to them.

"That is outrageous," Midna exclaimed when she had finished. The raven-haired Princess looked scandalized. "How dare they insult a Princess of Hyrule like that. We should have them shut down."

"It's fine, really," Zelda quickly assured her, putting a hand on Midna's shoulder to quiet her. "I'm over it, really. Let's go see the rest of the Faire." Midna still appeared poised to call down the goddess's wrath upon Malo Mart, but she reluctantly nodded in consent. Zelda chuckled. "Really Midna, seeing you so worked up about this makes me feel better about the whole thing."

"It makes me feel worse," Midna muttered, although the twinkle in her eye indicated that she too was letting the matter go.

"Well anyway…" interjected Saria, clearly attempting to change the subject, "the human cannon ride is on the other side of the Faire grounds, how about we make our way over there? We can stop by the other shops on the way!"

They spent the next hour slowly making their way across the field, halting at the merchandise tents and attractions along the way. They paused to examine ornate jewelry shops, at one of which Midna purchased an elaborate necklace of silver and rubies. "That goes really well with your eyes," Zelda commented as Midna draped the piece around her neck for her sisters to view.

Midna smiled, and slipped the necklace into the velvet bag that had come with it. "I think I'll wear it at the Tournament," she replied, referring to the upcoming competition that was to be held at the capital in three weeks' time. She handed the bag to Zant, who dutifully accepted it with a bow. "What about you two?" She gestured at Zelda and Saria. "Anything catch your eyes?"

"I'm still brooding over the armor," Zelda answered jokingly.

"Nothing yet," Saria replied from several feet away. Earlier she had handed her shoes to a servant and cast an enchantment that had transformed her gown into a pair of light brown pants and a green top, exchanging elegance for comfort of attire. She had been performing successive cartwheels on the soft grass of the field while Midna was buying the necklace, and was currently speaking to them while holding a handstand. Zelda could not help but feel amusement at the sight. Although Saria's magical prowess was not of the same caliber as that of Midna or of herself, her sister was still a very competent enchantress. And she had an affinity with forests that neither of the other two princesses could match; the trees almost seemed to whisper to her when she walked by them, the rustling of their leaves carrying secrets to her ears.

"Well, since neither of you appear to be taking shopping very seriously right now," Midna proclaimed impatiently, "how about we move on to see the cannon?"

"Sounds good to me," Zelda replied, and Saria righted herself, nodding in agreement. They completed their journey across the Faire grounds, glancing at the remaining pitched tents and outdoor performances, but nonetheless moved without stopping. At the far edge of the grounds was mounted a very tall and thin metal structure that closely resembled a rickety old house: its body was of dull, homogenous iron, while a patchwork of multicolored metal sheets covered the upper portion like a mismatched roof. A large, circular iron door stood ajar at the base, while the distinctively round end of a cannon protruded from the very top of the patchwork roof. A crowd had gathered around the structure, and, making their way to the front of the throng, Zelda beheld a short, pot-bellied man dressed in bright, multicolored, clashing vestments with his hands hooked into his pants' pockets.

"Welcome to Fyer's Flyers!" the man shouted at the crowd, his gruff, wearied voice indicative of someone who was ready to retire for the day. Pulling a hand out of his pocket, he jerked a thumb at the cannon structure beside him. "My name is Fyer, and this here is the only human-firing cannon open to commercial use! For a paltry fifty rupees, you can climb inside this thing and be launched clear across to the other end of the Faire grounds, where you will drop safely onto our specially erected landing tower!" Zelda recalled seeing the tower when she first arrived at the Faire. "I assure you that it's all perfectly safe. My partner Falbi used it earlier today, and he will be waiting for you in the tower when you land. So come on folks it's the HEIGHT of excitement, the THRILL of launching to the heavens, the very PEAK of flying fascination…and it can be YOURS, for only fifty rupees! So, any takers?"

Zelda nudged Midna. "Want to try it?" she asked with a grin.

"No thanks," Midna answered, yawning. "I've walked too much today to have the energy to be shot a mile into the air."

"What about you Saria?" Zelda asked, turning to her younger sister.

Saria shrugged. "I'll do it if you go first."

"Using me as a scapegoat to ensure that nothing goes wrong?" Zelda teased.

Saria chuckled. "Of course. You're the middle daughter, so you're expendable. I'm the baby, and therefore infinitely more precious."

Flicking Saria lightly on the forehead, Zelda strode forward out of the crowd, motioning to her dress to morph much in the same way that Saria's had into a light tunic and trousers. "I'll go on it," she announced, and the Hylians around her began to mutter in excitement.

Fyer bowed as low as his large stomach would allow him. "Your Highness, Princess Zelda, it would be an honor to shoot you out of my cannon." Motioning to one of her servants to hand Fyer fifty rupees, Zelda walked to the round door of the cannon. "If you will just please step inside, Your Highness," Fyer instructed, swinging the door on its hinge to open it more fully. Zelda entered the cannon, standing in a narrow chute upon a cushioned platform. "Safe flying, Your Highness," Fyer said as he shut the door. A few moments later, the distinct melody of carnival music sounded from outside the cannon, and Zelda startled as the platform beneath her began to slowly rise. She took this time to cast a quick protective barrier around herself; despite Fyer's assurances that that cannon was completely safe, Zelda trusted her magic far more than she trusted the carnival man's engineering.

After thirty seconds, the platform ceased to rise, and from an audible click, Zelda surmised that it had locked in place. A second later, the entire shoot began to move, extending upward and tilting at a diagonal angle. Zelda fell back against platform, her enchantment acting as an invisible buffer between her and the now very apparently logical cushioned platform. As the chute came to a halt, Zelda braced herself, and the platform suddenly thrust forward at an impossible speed, propelling her out of the shoot and into the open air. Zelda marveled as she flew over the Faire grounds, the tents beneath her growing smaller as she gained altitude. Moments later she reached the peak of her arc, and for one instant she hung there—the warm sensation of the afternoon sunshine gently caressing her back, rushing air stinging her face, the great expanse of the land for miles around filling her vision—and she felt a thrill unlike almost anything that she had ever experienced. Chest heaving with the rapid expansion of emotional excitement within it, Zelda opened her mouth as she began to descend, still surging forward across the landscape, and let forth with a shrill shout, "Woooooooooohoooooooooooo!" She felt so alive, so at peace, every tension or frustration that she carried simply slipping from her mind and body as she experienced what mankind had so often dreamed of.

Zelda landed exactly where Fyer had said that she would, on the top of the high perch of the tower that she had seen earlier. Falling onto an enormous cushion that had been painted with a large bullseye, she was greeted by a tall, exceptionally jovial man who wore attire similar to Fyer. He was clearly Fyer's partner, Falbi. "Well heeelllooo!" he welcomed flamboyantly, his voice surprisingly deep. "How was your flight?"

"It was incredible," Zelda told him, cancelling her cushioning charm and stepping off of the landing pad. Her face hurt from how widely she was grinning, but she felt no compulsion to stop. "That was amazing, I don't know when I've ever had so much fun!"

"You're very welcome, dear!" Falbi responded, beaming. "I am so happy that you enjoyed it! Now when you're ready, please take this ladder back down to the ground."

Thanking him, Zelda descended from the tower, and waited on the grass below, peering up at the sky. Sure enough, a few minutes later, another figure flew through the sky and landed in the tower. She only had to wait another minute before an absolutely giddy Saria climbed down the ladder, dropping to the ground to face her. "That was amazing!" Saria shrieked, her cheeks rosy from the flight.

"I know!" Zelda shouted back, jumping up in excitement.

They gripped each other's hands and spun around with all the grace and poise of ten-year olds. Letting go and falling back onto the grass, they burst into girlish laughter, expelling the last of their exhilaration into the air. "Midna missed out!" Saria said, wiping joyful tears from her eyes. "She started to walk back as soon as you went in the cannon."

Midna and their servants soon joined them at the base of the tower, although in the meantime they saw several more Hylians rocket across the Faire grounds and land on the high perch. Admonishing Midna for excluding herself from such an incredible experience, the three sisters purchased lunch from one of the Faire's food vendors. They then spent the next several hours exploring more of the tents, trying on pieces of jewelry and various dresses, watching belly dancers, men swallowing swords while balancing on enormous painted balls, and even some martial arts exhibitions. Zelda was even able to observe an actor troupe perform one of her favorite childhood myths, the legend of the three goddesses' creation of Hyrule. She especially enjoyed the inclusion of the Triforce, the three sacred triangles of supreme power that the goddesses had supposedly left in the wake of their ascent back to the heavens. Although scholars had long proclaimed it to be a fictitious addendum inserted long after the inception of the original legend, Zelda enjoyed the idea that there was some hidden object of power in the world, just waiting to be discovered. Although she shuddered to think of the consequences should such a treasure to fall into the wrong hands.

Around midafternoon, Zelda and her sisters made their way to the day's ending event, the auction of the late Lord Fado's estate. Lord Fado had by reputation been an avid collector of precious objects, and Zelda was sure that there would be a few items that would catch her eye. Sure enough, the second piece put on the bidding block was a small purple looking glass, dubbed the "Lens of Truth" by its placard. As with the armor in Malo Mart, Zelda could feel an aura of magic pulsing gently from the item. "Alright," the tall, oily haired auctioneer proclaimed to the seated crowd of bidders. "We will be starting the bidding for this truly exotic item at five thousand rupees. This piece has been appraised as being magical, so undoubtedly it will be a perfect purchase for anyone wishing to augment their abilities. Do I hear five thousand?"

Zelda raised her bidding card. "Five thousand," she called.

"And I have five thousand from Her Highness, the beautiful Princess Zelda! Do I hear five thousand one hundred?"

"Five thousand one hundred," came a familiarly polite voice from somewhere behind Zelda.

"Five thousand one hundred, from the very well-dressed young man in the back!" the auctioneer proclaimed. "Do I hear five thousand two hundred?"

Zelda swiveled in her seat to lay eyes upon Sir Colin, who was raising his own bidding card high above his head. The frustration that had been so thoroughly exorcised by the cannon flight returned, and turning back around in her chair, Zelda raised her card once more. "Seven thousand rupees!" she announced defiantly.

The auctioneer had barely opened his mouth to announce her bid when Sir Colin called out once again. "Seven thousand one hundred rupees!" he spoke, undeterred by the increase.

Zelda was determined not to let this man take another purchase from under her nose. "Eight thousand rupees!" she shouted.

"Eight thousand one hundred rupees!"

"Ten thousand rupees!"

"Ten thousand one hundred rupees!"

"Fifteen thousand rupees!"

"Fifteen thousand one hundred rupees!"

"Twenty thousand rupees!"

"Twenty thousand one hundred rupees!"

The other bidders watched aghast as the price rose higher and higher. Midna lightly tapped Zelda on the shoulder, and shook her head sympathetically. Clenching her hands into fists, Zelda relented. The auctioneer hesitated, looking to her to see if she was about to bid again. "Do I hear twenty thousand two hundred rupees for the Lens of Truth, going once, going twice…" Zelda made not motion, but simply stared angrily at the ground. "…SOLD! For an astounding twenty thousand one hundred rupees! Congratulations to the young gentleman in the back!" The other bidders applauded politely, and Sir Colin inclined his head. "And now," continued the auctioneer, as two auction workers carefully removed the Lens of Truth and replaced it with a glistening shield, "our next item is this immaculate Mirror Shield, which, along with possessing top-grade durability, is so reflective that it's sure to blind any opponent on any given sunlit day. As you can see, it's in perfect condition, and rather stylish too, if I say so myself. We will be starting the bidding for this item at two thousand one hundred rupees. Do I hear two thousand one hundred?"

Immensely intrigued by such a unique shield, Zelda raised her card to meet the bid, but was just as quickly raised by Sir Colin. Scarcely able to contain her anger, she turned to look at him. He politely met her gaze, his expression neutral and good-natured. What was he playing at? Was he going to bid on every item that she did? After half a dozen raises, Zelda grudgingly relinquished the item, and the shield went to the man whom she was growing to dislike more and more with each passing moment. She refrained from bidding for the next few items, curious as to what Sir Colin would do. The blond-haired youth made no bids upon the items, even though several of them—an enormous, ornate war hammer and some sort of archaic, ceremonial mask—appeared highly desirable. Finally, after seven more items had been auctioned off without any sound from Sir Colin, Zelda decided to test him. A rather plain chair was the next item up for auction, and the bidding began at forty rupees. Zelda raised her card to bid, and her eyes widened in shock when Sir Colin raised the bid a moment later. She made no further bids on the chair, and nor did Sir Colin, even when another of the seated crowd raised the bid still higher. Triumphant realization mixed with furious confusion. Sir Colin's goal appeared to be to outbid her on every item that she went for. But why was he doing it? Was it some twisted ploy to get her attention? She would confront him about that after the auction. And until then…

Zelda smirked softly as the next piece, a bearskin rug, was brought up for bidding. "Four hundred rupees!" she announced.

And, predictably, "Four hundred and ten rupees!"

"Six hundred rupees!"

"Six hundred and ten rupees!"

"Eight hundred rupees!"

"Eight hundred and ten rupees!"

"Twelve thousand rupees!"

The crowd collectively gasped at Zelda's bid, and even Saria and Midna stared at her in shock. But Zelda calmly sat in her chair, waiting for the inevitable…

"…Do I h-hear t-twelve thousand one hundred r-rupees?" the auctioneer stammered, gazing down with wide eyes at the Princess. "G-going once…" Now it was Zelda's turn to gasp. "G-going twice…SOLD! For a—forgive me, Your Highness—ridiculous price of TWELVE THOUSAND RUPEES!"

Zelda at last turned in her chair, glaring openly at the youth sitting in the back row. His polite and unassuming countenance was as present as ever. But it was clear—and perhaps she ought to have expected it, but she really had thought that he would go for it—that he had seen through her ploy.

Zelda did not bid on anything else for the remainder of the auction, and after irritably shooing off the auctioneer who approached her to personally congratulate her on her purchase, the irate Princess walked over to where Sir Colin was standing. "You," she hissed, not caring what serene manner she was expected to display as a member of the Royal Family. "What in Nayru's name is your problem? Have you made it your goal to piss me off? Because if so, then congratulations, because that is EXACTLY what you have done."

To her utter lack of surprise, Sir Colin bowed. "You Highness, I do apologize," he spoke in all humility. "It is not my desire to make you angry with me. But I am afraid that I am acting on orders from my employer."

"Really?" Zelda cut sharply, frowning. "Your employer told you to outbid me on every item."

"Yes, Your Highness. He also instructed me to ensnare you in your own trap if you tried to get me to bid higher on purpose, which you did."

"He thinks of everything, doesn't he?" Zelda half muttered, still very skeptical of Sir Colin's story. "Did he tell you to get the armor away from me too? I'm half surprised that you didn't buy human cannon ride when I went to use it."

At this Colin chuckled, which only further incensed the Princess. Seeing her expression, however, he quickly answered her. "No, Your Highness, the armor was a piece that my employer separately instructed me purchase. It was only coincidence that you tried to buy it just before I did. And I assure you, my employer has no need for a human cannon."

Zelda sighed, running a hand through her golden hair. "And who might this employer of yours be, if you don't mind my asking?"

Sir Colin bowed once more. "Of course, Your Highness," he replied. "He instructed me not to reveal anything about him to you until after the auction, which is why I could not explain anything to you back at Malo Mart. But now I can tell you. My employer is someone who you have met before, actually."

Somewhere in the back of Zelda's mind, suspicions began to form, and given more time, they might have solidified into a conscious guess. "Who is he?" she asked, curious in spite of herself.

Sir Colin bowed for a third time. "My employer is the Marquess of Ordon, Your Highness."

Author's Note: I meant to have this chapter finished and posted two weeks ago, but alas the life of a college student with two very demanding majors plus various extracurriculars is rarely blessed with free time. Anyway, it is my adamant goal to post Chapter 3 in the next two weeks, so keep an eye out for it. Sorry again about the wait, I hope this chapter makes up for it. Please review!