Umm... I don't have any spell checker, so bear with me, please?

Oh, and Sheik's Twin? I need your email address if you want a translation. I went to your profile page, and I couldn't find it. So, yeah. Send me your email, and I'll send you a translation. If you don't want everyone to know it, then go to my profile, and just email me directly. Same to anyone else.

Right, here comes the chapter!

Chapter 4

Bartering

Zelda sat in the Milk Bar, sipping a cool glass of Chaetau Romani. She found that the milk refreshed her magical powers, and she could feel a different magic in her, as well. Putting the empty glass down on the counter, she allowed herself to be drawn into a conversation with the woman next to her.

"My grandaughter is the most beautiful thing!" Madame Aroma cried, not even noticing that Zelda had tuned out, "Here is a pictograph of her. She is beautiful, don't you agree?"

Zelda smiled warmly at the eccentric woman, and took the pictograph in her hands. It showed a man, a woman, and a little girl, aged around seven or eight. She would indeed grow up to be a great beauty. Zelda smiled, and looked at the parents of the little girl. Her father, whom beared a slight resemblence to Madame Aroma, was smiling broadly. He looked as if nothing could make him prouder than the two people besdie him.

"How far along is your daughter-in-law?" Zelda asked curiously, noticing the bulge of pregnancy that graced the woman's belly in the pictograph.

"Eight moons." Madame Aroma said enthusiastically, "Oh, I do hope they have a son this time!"

Zelda nodded, and handed the pictograph back to the woman.

"I'm sorry to cut our conversation short, but I have urgent business to attend to." Zelda said kindly, and she and the woman exchanged polite farewells. Walking out into the crowded streets, she looked for Impa. She had slipped away from her in the bustle of the crowds, promising to meet her later.

Zelda examined the wares in East Clock Town, enraptured by their beauty. She caught sight of a necklace, with a seal on the locket that looked suspiciously like her family emblem. Inching closer to the relic, she reached out for it. The vendor saw her, and siezed her hand.

"What do you think you're doing?" He demanded, scaring her, "You weren't going to steal this, were you?"

"No!" Zelda exclamed, and then took offence to the remark, "What do you think I am? A common Street Rat?" The man noted the air of authority about her, and sensed that he was wrong to have concluded that of her.

"Ex-excuse me, ma'am," He trembelled, "I-I am just cautious, that is all--"

"Never mind," Zelda cooed calmly, "Just let me take a look at that necklace, please?" After her previous outburst, he did not dare argue. He simply picked up the jewel-encrusted treasure, and passed it to her. He then moved on, shooting her feverish glances at regular intervals, just to make sure she didn't steal it.

Zelda reached down in between her bosoms, and pulled out a small key on a chain. It was the only key for a particular lock. Inserting the key into the lock on the pendant, she heard a click. Frowning, she opened the small locket, and gasped.

Inside, there was a tiny piece of parchment. Unfolding it, she noted that it was a piece of a page. Frowning, she turned it over, and there was a piece of a picture torn from somewhere. Frowning even deeper, she also noted that the text on the other side was written in what looked like Ancient Hylian. Putting the parchment back inside the locket, she snapped it shut before anyone noticed. She called the vender over, and prepared to bargain for the priceless treasure.

"How much for this necklace?" Zelda asked, honey dripping from her fake sunny voice. Inwardly, she resented the man. Did he even know how much it was worth?

"Two hundred rupees." Obviously not. Zelda smiled. She had at least five times that much money, but that didn't mean she didn't want to bring the price down any further.

"Fifty." She said boldly. The man looked as if he could laugh at her.

"One seventy-five."

"Ninety."

"One fifty."

"One hundred," Zelda smirked, knowing that he was too greedy to resist a three-figure sum, "and that's my final offer."

"Done." The vender rubbed his hands together greedily. Zelda hooked the chain around her neck, and gave the man five red rupees. Chuckling at the man's stupidity, she waltzed out of East Clock Town, and made her way to West Clock Town.

MEAHWHILE

Link peered out from the side of the aisle, and was surprised to see that the familiar voice belonged to Impa. A smile crossed his face that reached from ear to ear. He was glad to see a familliar face.

"No, no." Impa was saying, pocketing the strange object, "I am simply buying it for a friend. He has asked me to run a few errands for him, as he is extremely busy. He will be glad to have it, I'm sure."

"Yes, yes, of course." The man muttered, holding his hands out for payment. Impa tipped a few rupees into his palm, and turned on her heel. Link stayed out of sight as she walked away. Forgetting all about the potions that he wanted to buy, he followed Impa in the shadows.

Outside the shop, Link was not overly surprised to see Princess Zelda looking for Impa. He had guessed that she was here, when he saw Impa. Zelda smiled a soft smile when she saw Impa, and slowly and gracefully advanced toward her.

Pain struck Link so suddenly that he couldn't prepare for it. The wounds in his body chose that particular time to remind him of their presence. Gasping and panting from the pain, he stumbelled from his hiding place, and into their viewpoints.

"Link!" Zelda cried, seeing him colaspe on the ground. She and Impa raced over to him, and a small crowd formed around them. Impa was a strong woman, and so, with Zelda's help, she lifted him onto her back and carried him back to the tents.

OK, did you like? Please R&R.

ALSO! I strongly recommend that anyone who has even bothered to read this far reads a story called 'Under the Hyrulian Moon', by Kariah. You'll find it in my Favourites. 'Sea Flower' is good, too.