~A Fairy Tale In Reality~
Ch.2-Hyrule Market
by:GoldenSilence
A/N#1=Thanx to everyone that reviewed!I appreciate it!Hope you review this chapter too.:)
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It was already noon and the streets and alleys of Hyrule were bustling; full to bursting with people. All ranks of society were gathered there, wizened old ladies, raggedy children, comely young men and women, shifty theives, and a few regal nobles gathered here and there trying to maintain as much distance from the other aformentioned people as possible.
Even outside the main gates, Malon could hear the pandemonium barely contained within..and she had a good feeling Epona could as well, from the way that she pricked her ears back. Deciding it was too chaotic that day at the market for her to ride Epona in, Malon tied Epona to an old oak tree nearby and took the several bottles of milk out of the horse's sattlebags.
Balancing two of the large size bottles on each broad shoulder and unhitching the cart of smaller size ones that Epona had been dragging to carry them herself, she carefully walked across the drawbridge and into Hyrule Market. Business was first on Malon's mind at the moment, and she looked neither left nor right. She missed the blonde haired young man as he entered Hyrule Market himself, the same moment as she walked in the door of the local trading shop.
Finding the usual assortment of merchants, she chose the most likely looking buyer(another words, the least stubborn) and started argueing over the selling price of the Lon Lon milk.
The merchant appraised her in his own way as well, she looked tired and quite gullible..probably would be glad to get the heavy cartons of milk off her hands at whatever price.
"Right. That's what?Twenty ruppees?"
On that point the merchant was mistaken..Malon's fragile appearance belied an incredible stubborn streak. Years ago, her father would have fallen for such a deal..in fact, he had, many a time before Malon had taken charge off the lucrative end of the business when she was still a little girl. One reason she had become so shrewd with money was thanks to that fact.
"One case is worth twenty ruppees. I'm giving you four" Malon said, nonplussed. She loved bargaining. Sure, she had to act like she had no backbone around Ingo, but no amount of mercy was spared on the merchants she sold the farm's goods to.
The man's rugged, weather beaten face showed surprise and dislike..but only for a minute before breaking into a slow smile of begrudging admiration. This girl wasn't going to budge an inch until she got her full pay, he realized.
"Ay, you're a keen one. You're right..fifty ruppees..and well earned, they is to. Why, I'll even throw in an extra ten on account of your being so pretty and all."
He chucked her under the chin at this and his smile changed into something Malon did not like at all.
"Eighty ruppees..not one less" she said in a clipped tone, jerking away from him as quickly as possible. The merchant sighed. "Eighty?Oh, you deserve that much, I'm sure..even if it's a bit high".."milady" he added craftily. Milady, thought Malon-what a joke. The term reminded her of Link. Being a lady was probably the only chance she would have had of ever getting close to him. She felt slight tears come to her eyes and blinked furiously. He would pay extra rupees for that, she would see to it.
"..I would pay as much, I would," continued the merchant,"you can ask anyone around town. I'm an honest man..but milady"-(Malon's temper, far from being flattered into a cheaper price as the merchant hoped, only flared more at his use of milady once again)-"I have children to feed and I'm afraid what with accounts to get the wee starving things a mite to eat, I can only spare sixty ruppees at most."
Merchants really were actors first and foremost, Malon mused, looking at the man as he attempted an expression that was obviously intended to gain sympathy. She laughed right in his face. "You know, that speech would be almost touching..if you actually had any children."
The young man's face fell. "Whatd'ya mean?"
"I sold to you last week and you told me you were a lone traveling man. Now both stories can't be true, I believe. So one of them must be a lie."
The merchant shook his head in disbelief. "The only one lying is you. I suppose you won't be wanting to sell to me now?I warn you, I'm the only one that will pay such a foolishly steep price."
Malon grinned triumphantly. She had the man cornered. "Deal."
"Deal on what?" The man was dumbfounded. Must better suited to the stage than his chosen proffession, thought Malon. "You just agreed to pay eighty rupees" she stated. Malon opened her hand in wait for the money. Malon knew and the merchant knew that merchants and other Hyrulians couldn't back out of deals. It was an unspoken sort of law on the streets. You could beat up someone in a dark alley, but you wouldn't break a deal. That was just the way it was.
Sighing, the merchant admitted defeat as he spilled the glittering rupees from a small leather pouch into Malon's eagerly waiting hands. Satisfied and her burden considerably lightened, Malon walked out of the shop, leaving the merchant exactly the opposite. "Stupid wench" he muttered as he examined the contents of the milk jar in the light.
Back out in the hubub again, Malon started off to her next destination, noting that the crowd of Hyrule Market seems even more boisterous than usual, if that was at all possible.
Delivering another carton of LonLon milk to the hag behind a small booth and pocketing the money in her apron, Malon was trying to maneuver her empty cart around a particularly tight corner in the alley when a small street urchin collided in to her, crashing the cart over and sending both him and Malon to the pavement with a thud.
Malon hurried to right herself and the cart, glaring at the boy, who couldn't be a day older than nine at most. Just the age to be a good quality pickpocket, thought Malon critically, looking over the boy's dirty and unkempt appearance.
"Alright, boy. Hand it over."
"Hand over what?" The boy asked his question innocently enough, but Malon was not to be fooled. "However many rupees you just now stole." The boy looked indignant and impatient as he picked his own scrawny body up off the cobblestones. "I didn't steal anythin' lady."
Malon raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. Most of the time, when you got bumped into you were almost guaranteed to get back up a few rupees lighter than you were before.
"Look,miss, believe what you want to believe..but I didn't steal nothin'! the boy protested and pushed her roughly aside at the same time. "Now if you don't mind, I got to go get me an autograph.."
He took off at a run, leaving Malon to stare after him. "Autograph?For who?" she called curiously. The boy, in response, spoke backwards over his shoulder. "The Hero of Time's, o'course!Are you daft, lady?"
Malon felt shock course through her body. "Where?What do you mean?" Malon managed to sputter out..but the boy didn't respond. She followed in the direction he had gone, her heart and emotions racing at the thought that Link might be nearby. Pushing her way through the throng of people that had become even thicker and more condensed than usual, Malon reached the center of all the commotion..
Link was there alright..buying a bouqet of roses from a stand. For who?Malon had to stand on tiptoes to get a good view over a giant of a man who was debating whether or not to go to approach the Hero Of Time.
Her heart, which had been rapidly rising at the prospect of seeing Link again, dropped in a puddle at her feet. Link was handed the roses over to a slim, blondehaired haired young lady in silk and pearls who could only be one person..Zelda. Malon wanted to turn away; the sight was too painful, but she couldn't, her eyes drawn towards Link as his fine lips moved, making some comment to Zelda. Or at least, she couldn't until Link sensing her gaze, meet her eyes with his.
Blue clashed with green..and Malon hastily drew her eyes away, knocking over her cart yet again. He hadn't seen her, had he?Oh Nayru, please don't let him have seen her!
Malon wanted to sprint as hard and fast as she could away from both Link and Zelda but she felt paralyzed there on the spot..luckily, Her legs carried her of their own accord and she ran to the nearest building; The Marauder's Tavern. Once there, she took a seat in a remote corner and took a small square object out of her apron..the diary. She had taken to carrying it everywhere with her lately so Ingo wouldn't find it.
Dear diary..this is the one time I have that where I'm not being ordered around or beaten. Besides my mind and free will, this time is all I own. Of course, Link has to ruin it all by showing up and turning my emotions upside down. No, I take that back..I have no time that is my own..It feels like whatever time isn't owned by Ingo is owned by Link, thoughts of him or him in person. The latter was what happened today.
He was in Hyrule Market with Zelda and he bought her a bouqet of flowers. I shouldn't worry about it. I really shouldn't. But I saw..the way he looked at her, stood so close to her. I'm either going insane or Link loves Zelda. Maybe it's a bit of both. He sensed me, I think, no, I'm positive he did because he looked right at me..and I couldn't bear it. This is stupid. I hate Link. I wish he would just leave me alone instead of continueing to pop in and out of my life.
A slight tap on Malon's shoulder nearly made her jump in to the air. She snapped the book shut. "Excuse me, miss"-the voice was slightly apologetic-"but if you're not going to have a drink, it would be to your best interests to get going."
Malon nodded. "Of course." She waited until the bartender had gone over to check on two surly looking men kept falling out of their chairs and demanding more ale, then stuffed her diary back into the underpocket on her apron and left the place. Outside again, Malon remembered the cart. Panicking, she began trying to retrace her steps, thinking all the while that Ingo was going to make her life even more miserable than it already was if she didn't find that cart right away. Though it probably would have done more good as firewood, Ingo wouldn't hesitate to find another thing to blame on Malon's carelessness.
Finding the upturned cart right where it had been, Malon crouched over to grab a hold of it and set it upright. She breathed a sigh of relief that immediately died in her throat when she stood up and turned around to find herself looking at Link again. He was only a mere twenty or so feet away and there was no doubt about it this time, was staring at her quite deliberately with a look of..worry?
Malon didn't stay to find out what else was hidden in Link's gaze, she did what was starting to become second nature to her whenever she was around Link..she ran.
Link had seen enough in Malon's gaze to worry him sufficiently. The usually simple green eyes filled with sadness had another emotion or two mixed in..hate and something Link couldn't name..or for her sake, didn't want to name. He called after her, yelling her name, figuring that would slow Malon down. But he was wrong. Very wrong. The sound of her name carrying across the chatter of others only served to make Malon run even faster.
Link wasn't going to lose her so easily. Something was up with her and he wasn't sure what. He knew she had seen him in the marketplace..so why hadn't she bothered to come up and talk like in the days of old? Link sincerly hoped she wasn't being brainwashed like all the other subjects of the kingdom by his new and improved station. Muttering something to Zelda he ran off after Malon, pushing aside various townspeople in his attempt to catch up.
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A/N=What do you think?Constructive critism appreciated!*off for some caffeine*..ever noticed what great coasters mousepads make?..:)
Ch.2-Hyrule Market
by:GoldenSilence
A/N#1=Thanx to everyone that reviewed!I appreciate it!Hope you review this chapter too.:)
---------------
It was already noon and the streets and alleys of Hyrule were bustling; full to bursting with people. All ranks of society were gathered there, wizened old ladies, raggedy children, comely young men and women, shifty theives, and a few regal nobles gathered here and there trying to maintain as much distance from the other aformentioned people as possible.
Even outside the main gates, Malon could hear the pandemonium barely contained within..and she had a good feeling Epona could as well, from the way that she pricked her ears back. Deciding it was too chaotic that day at the market for her to ride Epona in, Malon tied Epona to an old oak tree nearby and took the several bottles of milk out of the horse's sattlebags.
Balancing two of the large size bottles on each broad shoulder and unhitching the cart of smaller size ones that Epona had been dragging to carry them herself, she carefully walked across the drawbridge and into Hyrule Market. Business was first on Malon's mind at the moment, and she looked neither left nor right. She missed the blonde haired young man as he entered Hyrule Market himself, the same moment as she walked in the door of the local trading shop.
Finding the usual assortment of merchants, she chose the most likely looking buyer(another words, the least stubborn) and started argueing over the selling price of the Lon Lon milk.
The merchant appraised her in his own way as well, she looked tired and quite gullible..probably would be glad to get the heavy cartons of milk off her hands at whatever price.
"Right. That's what?Twenty ruppees?"
On that point the merchant was mistaken..Malon's fragile appearance belied an incredible stubborn streak. Years ago, her father would have fallen for such a deal..in fact, he had, many a time before Malon had taken charge off the lucrative end of the business when she was still a little girl. One reason she had become so shrewd with money was thanks to that fact.
"One case is worth twenty ruppees. I'm giving you four" Malon said, nonplussed. She loved bargaining. Sure, she had to act like she had no backbone around Ingo, but no amount of mercy was spared on the merchants she sold the farm's goods to.
The man's rugged, weather beaten face showed surprise and dislike..but only for a minute before breaking into a slow smile of begrudging admiration. This girl wasn't going to budge an inch until she got her full pay, he realized.
"Ay, you're a keen one. You're right..fifty ruppees..and well earned, they is to. Why, I'll even throw in an extra ten on account of your being so pretty and all."
He chucked her under the chin at this and his smile changed into something Malon did not like at all.
"Eighty ruppees..not one less" she said in a clipped tone, jerking away from him as quickly as possible. The merchant sighed. "Eighty?Oh, you deserve that much, I'm sure..even if it's a bit high".."milady" he added craftily. Milady, thought Malon-what a joke. The term reminded her of Link. Being a lady was probably the only chance she would have had of ever getting close to him. She felt slight tears come to her eyes and blinked furiously. He would pay extra rupees for that, she would see to it.
"..I would pay as much, I would," continued the merchant,"you can ask anyone around town. I'm an honest man..but milady"-(Malon's temper, far from being flattered into a cheaper price as the merchant hoped, only flared more at his use of milady once again)-"I have children to feed and I'm afraid what with accounts to get the wee starving things a mite to eat, I can only spare sixty ruppees at most."
Merchants really were actors first and foremost, Malon mused, looking at the man as he attempted an expression that was obviously intended to gain sympathy. She laughed right in his face. "You know, that speech would be almost touching..if you actually had any children."
The young man's face fell. "Whatd'ya mean?"
"I sold to you last week and you told me you were a lone traveling man. Now both stories can't be true, I believe. So one of them must be a lie."
The merchant shook his head in disbelief. "The only one lying is you. I suppose you won't be wanting to sell to me now?I warn you, I'm the only one that will pay such a foolishly steep price."
Malon grinned triumphantly. She had the man cornered. "Deal."
"Deal on what?" The man was dumbfounded. Must better suited to the stage than his chosen proffession, thought Malon. "You just agreed to pay eighty rupees" she stated. Malon opened her hand in wait for the money. Malon knew and the merchant knew that merchants and other Hyrulians couldn't back out of deals. It was an unspoken sort of law on the streets. You could beat up someone in a dark alley, but you wouldn't break a deal. That was just the way it was.
Sighing, the merchant admitted defeat as he spilled the glittering rupees from a small leather pouch into Malon's eagerly waiting hands. Satisfied and her burden considerably lightened, Malon walked out of the shop, leaving the merchant exactly the opposite. "Stupid wench" he muttered as he examined the contents of the milk jar in the light.
Back out in the hubub again, Malon started off to her next destination, noting that the crowd of Hyrule Market seems even more boisterous than usual, if that was at all possible.
Delivering another carton of LonLon milk to the hag behind a small booth and pocketing the money in her apron, Malon was trying to maneuver her empty cart around a particularly tight corner in the alley when a small street urchin collided in to her, crashing the cart over and sending both him and Malon to the pavement with a thud.
Malon hurried to right herself and the cart, glaring at the boy, who couldn't be a day older than nine at most. Just the age to be a good quality pickpocket, thought Malon critically, looking over the boy's dirty and unkempt appearance.
"Alright, boy. Hand it over."
"Hand over what?" The boy asked his question innocently enough, but Malon was not to be fooled. "However many rupees you just now stole." The boy looked indignant and impatient as he picked his own scrawny body up off the cobblestones. "I didn't steal anythin' lady."
Malon raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. Most of the time, when you got bumped into you were almost guaranteed to get back up a few rupees lighter than you were before.
"Look,miss, believe what you want to believe..but I didn't steal nothin'! the boy protested and pushed her roughly aside at the same time. "Now if you don't mind, I got to go get me an autograph.."
He took off at a run, leaving Malon to stare after him. "Autograph?For who?" she called curiously. The boy, in response, spoke backwards over his shoulder. "The Hero of Time's, o'course!Are you daft, lady?"
Malon felt shock course through her body. "Where?What do you mean?" Malon managed to sputter out..but the boy didn't respond. She followed in the direction he had gone, her heart and emotions racing at the thought that Link might be nearby. Pushing her way through the throng of people that had become even thicker and more condensed than usual, Malon reached the center of all the commotion..
Link was there alright..buying a bouqet of roses from a stand. For who?Malon had to stand on tiptoes to get a good view over a giant of a man who was debating whether or not to go to approach the Hero Of Time.
Her heart, which had been rapidly rising at the prospect of seeing Link again, dropped in a puddle at her feet. Link was handed the roses over to a slim, blondehaired haired young lady in silk and pearls who could only be one person..Zelda. Malon wanted to turn away; the sight was too painful, but she couldn't, her eyes drawn towards Link as his fine lips moved, making some comment to Zelda. Or at least, she couldn't until Link sensing her gaze, meet her eyes with his.
Blue clashed with green..and Malon hastily drew her eyes away, knocking over her cart yet again. He hadn't seen her, had he?Oh Nayru, please don't let him have seen her!
Malon wanted to sprint as hard and fast as she could away from both Link and Zelda but she felt paralyzed there on the spot..luckily, Her legs carried her of their own accord and she ran to the nearest building; The Marauder's Tavern. Once there, she took a seat in a remote corner and took a small square object out of her apron..the diary. She had taken to carrying it everywhere with her lately so Ingo wouldn't find it.
Dear diary..this is the one time I have that where I'm not being ordered around or beaten. Besides my mind and free will, this time is all I own. Of course, Link has to ruin it all by showing up and turning my emotions upside down. No, I take that back..I have no time that is my own..It feels like whatever time isn't owned by Ingo is owned by Link, thoughts of him or him in person. The latter was what happened today.
He was in Hyrule Market with Zelda and he bought her a bouqet of flowers. I shouldn't worry about it. I really shouldn't. But I saw..the way he looked at her, stood so close to her. I'm either going insane or Link loves Zelda. Maybe it's a bit of both. He sensed me, I think, no, I'm positive he did because he looked right at me..and I couldn't bear it. This is stupid. I hate Link. I wish he would just leave me alone instead of continueing to pop in and out of my life.
A slight tap on Malon's shoulder nearly made her jump in to the air. She snapped the book shut. "Excuse me, miss"-the voice was slightly apologetic-"but if you're not going to have a drink, it would be to your best interests to get going."
Malon nodded. "Of course." She waited until the bartender had gone over to check on two surly looking men kept falling out of their chairs and demanding more ale, then stuffed her diary back into the underpocket on her apron and left the place. Outside again, Malon remembered the cart. Panicking, she began trying to retrace her steps, thinking all the while that Ingo was going to make her life even more miserable than it already was if she didn't find that cart right away. Though it probably would have done more good as firewood, Ingo wouldn't hesitate to find another thing to blame on Malon's carelessness.
Finding the upturned cart right where it had been, Malon crouched over to grab a hold of it and set it upright. She breathed a sigh of relief that immediately died in her throat when she stood up and turned around to find herself looking at Link again. He was only a mere twenty or so feet away and there was no doubt about it this time, was staring at her quite deliberately with a look of..worry?
Malon didn't stay to find out what else was hidden in Link's gaze, she did what was starting to become second nature to her whenever she was around Link..she ran.
Link had seen enough in Malon's gaze to worry him sufficiently. The usually simple green eyes filled with sadness had another emotion or two mixed in..hate and something Link couldn't name..or for her sake, didn't want to name. He called after her, yelling her name, figuring that would slow Malon down. But he was wrong. Very wrong. The sound of her name carrying across the chatter of others only served to make Malon run even faster.
Link wasn't going to lose her so easily. Something was up with her and he wasn't sure what. He knew she had seen him in the marketplace..so why hadn't she bothered to come up and talk like in the days of old? Link sincerly hoped she wasn't being brainwashed like all the other subjects of the kingdom by his new and improved station. Muttering something to Zelda he ran off after Malon, pushing aside various townspeople in his attempt to catch up.
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A/N=What do you think?Constructive critism appreciated!*off for some caffeine*..ever noticed what great coasters mousepads make?..:)
