Seeing as someone finally brought it up, this story is a crossover of Twilight Princess, Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, but does not contain many plot details from any of the games. The plot will only be vaguely referenced if a character happens to be talking about his past, but other than that, the stories of the games have little to no effect in my story.
This chapter picks up right where chapter 4 left off. I mean right after.
Chapter 6: Ruby or Sapphire?
Link froze, knowing that any sudden movement could end his life. He had already experienced one murderous person in this camp, and he was sure that the woman pointing her sword at him was another. He eyed the woman gripping the blade carefully. Her long violet hair lay messily on her head, held back by a white headband and her bright green eyes looked up at him inquisitively. The woman slowly pulled her lethal point from Link's throat and carefully slid it into its sheath tied to her waist. She cocked her head slightly and continued her wide-eyed gaze.
"Sorry 'bout that." she said after a long pause. "You just surprised me."
The woman's big green eyes still had Link caught in a trance. She leaned over and—standing on one foot—waved her arms widely.
"Hello there?"
Link shook his head slightly. "Please excuse my rudeness." he said quickly. "My mind is elsewhere."
The woman stood strait, not taking her great green eyes off of Link. She studied him carefully before leaning back, closing her eyes, smiling and throwing her hand in Link's direction.
"I'm Mia!" she said brightly.
Link took the hand with a warm smile. "Link."
"Link, huh? You're the one the found by the river right?" the woman said as she shook Link's hand gently.
Link released Mia's hand and nodded.
"I heard Soren say you came from the other side of the desert." Mia said, twirling her hair around her finger. "Is that true?"
Link nodded again. Mia sighed.
"That means you don't know where anything is! Can I show you around the camp?" Mia asked excitedly.
Link shrugged. Mia suddenly seized Link's wrist and dashed off, only releasing the Hylian once he could finally maintain her pace. She weaved in and out of the wandering soldiers pointing out the infirmary, mess hall, and lavatories. In the distance, Link could see a thick forest surrounding the great sprawling camp like a green shield. Several puffy clouds floated innocently in the sky as Link tried to keep up with the speeding red blur leading him. As he walked through the camp, he saw several soldiers carrying, polishing or sharpening strange weapons like he had never seen before. He hoped to start out with a type of blade he was familiar with before experimenting with more abstract designs. She finally led Link to his original destination; the small shop set up in the outskirts of the forest of tents.
Mia led Link inside. Several crates had been lined up to create a makeshift countertop. A woman sat on the other side, examining her nails carefully. Her flowing black hair was covered by a thin pink shawl that was draped over most of her body. She looked up at the sound of customers entering her tent, standing with a smile when she saw Link.
"Well hello there cutie! Haven't seen you around here before! New recruit?" the woman asked, stepping very close to Link.
"In a way." Link said, taking a step back from the woman.
"Well then sweetheart, what 'cha looking for, hmm? A new weapon, or perhaps something a bit more…interesting?" she asked taking a step closer to Link.
Mia sighed and pulled the woman off of Link.
"Give him a break will you, Aimee? Poor guy's had a rough time." Mia said sharply.
"Ooh, do I detect a hint of jealousy miss?" Aimee said, smiling wickedly.
Mia threw her a warning glare as she fingered the hilt of her sword.
"Now, now, don't make a spectacle." Aimee laughed and took her seat behind the crates once again. Mia walked forward and Link followed.
"So, what would you like, sir?" Aimee asked.
Link cast a glance at Mia before answering. "I'm looking for a sword."
"Oh, a sword? I have lots of those. What kind would you like?"
"Just plain steel." Link said.
Aimee seemed disappointed at Link's request, but after seeing Mia tap her hilt warningly again, Aimee stood.
"Is that all?" she asked, forcing a smile.
Link nodded and Aimee wandered back behind a fold of canvas. She returned several seconds later holding a plain sheathed sword and placed it down on the table. Link reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a handful of the only money he had—rupees. When he held out what to him was worth 250 rupees, Aimee suddenly jumped up.
"Where did you get these?" she asked carefully taking a green jewel from Link's hands.
"It is the currency where I come from." Link stated simply.
"Gems like this are so rare; even I rarely get my hands on a treasure so fine!" Aimee said, examining the rupee closely.
Even Mia stepped closer to look at the small jewels in Link's hand. She leaned over Link's shoulder as she carefully lifted a red gem and held it up to the light. The whole time, Link stood with his hand open so both women could admire the small jewels.
"I will trade you!" Aimee said, noticing Mia rubbing her rupee on the side of her red shirt. "I will trade the sword to you for—" she looked down at the remaining money in Link's hand and lifted four more green and a blue gems. "For five emeralds and a sapphire!"
Link, knowing the monetary value—for him at least—of Aimee's request was shocked.
"Well?" Aimee asked impatiently.
"Deal." Link said, quickly closing his hand and depositing the remaining 220 rupees back into his wallet.
Aimee gently set the money down on the crates and admired them contently. Link lifted his new sword and turned to leave walking past a still mesmerized Mia who was still twisting the red rupee in the fading light of the sun. Link tapped her gently o the soldier to break her from the same trance her eyes had had him in hours before. She followed Link outside distractedly, bumping into several crates on her way out as she left. Mia stumbled out of the tent with an annoyed Aimee squawking at her angrily. She muttered something under her breath before returning to the endlessly enjoyable task of admiring the small stone in her hand.
"How rich are you, huh? Look how much you paid for such a dingy scrap of metal!" Mia said, turning the ruby so a deep red light was cast on her soft face.
"It really wasn't that much." Link said.
Mia ran a few steps ahead of Link and walked backwards in front of him.
"Maybe to you! But what you paid her was worth a king's fortune in gold!"
Link shrugged. "If I didn't lose any money down the river, I have a hundred times what I paid her left over."
Mia stopped. "A hundred?" she gasped, momentarily forgetting the precious gem.
Link nodded. By this time, they had reached Link's tent and Mia quickly opened the canvas flap allowing Link to step inside and sit on his bed to examine his new sword carefully. After a quick good-night, Mia turned to leave but remembered the small ruby in her hand and turned back inside.
"Wait! I forgot to give this back!" she said, stepping halfway inside the canvas wall.
Link looked up. "Keep it." he said, looking back down at his new sword.
"What?" Mia stood, her outreached hand holding the small gem. "But this is worth a fortune!"
"If you need a reason, think of it as payment for showing me around and for saving me from that merchant woman."
When Link looked back up and Mia was still standing there, he sighed and walked over. Mia held out her open hand containing the red rupee to Link as he reached out. However, instead of reclaiming his treasure, Link took the young woman's hand and wrapped it carefully around the jewel.
"Keep it."
Mia stood frozen for a moment relishing the feeling of her smaller hand being warmed by Link's slightly larger. When she looked up at the man, Mia could not decide which she loved more, the two sapphires shining down on her, or the small ruby in her hand. Mia turned her head to hide her blush and quickly exited the tent and with a quick thank-you, she ran beneath the twinkling stars above to her own tent to put her precious gift away safely.
Dialogue is by far my weakest point, but almost all of the next few chapters are talking! I am sorry if what the characters say is a little—odd.
I noticed something the other day; so far, almost all the locations of my chapters are in a clearing surrounded by trees.
Anyway, for those who care, when I post the next chapter, I'm going to change it to Fire Emblem, the one after that will be back to Zelda. I will continue like this for a while. Please review! More reviews motivate me to update sooner! Really!