Market Day

Hyrule market writhed with activity. The Hyrulian summer festival brought many people to the streets of the city to buy and sell wares. Zora fishermen, displayed succulent fish to tempt the tongues of those who walked by. Loud flashes and explosions could be witnessed near the Goron stands where they sold a strong crop of fire plants. Shouts rang through the streets proclaiming all manner of things from 'fresh grain from Kakoriko' to 'Get your Gerudo spices. Exotic Gerudo spices here!' Amid the chaos of the festival none gave the small boy wandering slowly from stand to stand, a second look.

Link surveyed the scene in awe. He had never seen such a large variety of people before, coming from the forests where the small childlike Kokiri made their homes. The Kokiri were a secretive race and did not venture from their forest home often, however, once every few years a group of Kokiri was appointed to leave seclusion and journey to the city for the festival. Attending the festival was a good way to achieve knowledge of the outside world and to gain unattainable supplies. The Kokiri did not wish to draw attention to themselves, so they had to disguise the appointed party as regular Hyrulian children in order to keep their society a secret. This was difficult owing to their wild foresty appearance and the magical aura surrounding their fairy guardians.

Whenever a Kokiri came of age the Gardian of the Forest would bestowe upon them a fairy that would protect and guide them. Link, however, had not been granted a fairy. This made him the perfect candidate to venture out into the land of Hyrule for market day. While Link's lack of fairy companion saddened him, he considered it a great treat to be able to witness such an amazing event.

And what an event it was. Link could hardly keep his eyes in one place long enough to register what he was seeing. It was all he could do to keep moving. On his back he carried a pack full of little wooden musical instruments. In his free time Link enjoyed playing as well as creating musical instruments. He took the opportunity to bring his little pan pipes, flutes, and tambourines to sell in the market himself.

Link stopped at a stand displaying brightly colored fruits. He reached up standing on his toes and took one prodding it and smelling it checking for freshness. A shadow fell over him and he looked up into the bright eyes of a Zora.

"Find something you are interested in young one?" The lilting songlike voice sounded wonderful to the young boy's ears. Link stared in awe at the blue skinned vendor. He could only nod and place the fruit into the Zora's outstretched finned hand. The Zora placed the fruit in an oil cloth sack and handed it back. "Twelve rupies." He smiled holding his hand out once more. Link stared rudely at the finned face and slit like nostrils as he placed the four small stones into the hand, two blue and two green. The tall Zora only smiled and tucked the stones in a bag as Link edged away still staring.

Because he was not looking where he was going, it came as a great surprise when link suddenly collided with a foreign body traveling in the opposite direction. Collected fruit and musical instruments went flying.

"Oh dear," a sweet voice sounded from in front of him. Sitting up Link looked at the young girl who had bumped into him. Deep blue eye stared into his for a moment before they both suddenly began picking up the dropped parcels. "Oh I am so sorry, are you alright?" Link nodded color coming to his cheeks as she handled his precious instruments. "You should be more careful in the city you know." She said wisely handing him his pack and helping him up. "Well, good bye." Then she was gone, wandering off into the crowd.

Link felt overwhelmed, he had never seen so many interesting people before. On occasion people would wander into the forest and discover the village of forest children, but he had never seen a Zora or Goron before. He had been told about the people of Hyrule to prepare for his trip, but it did nothing for the culture shock he was feeling.

Finally finding a good spot to the side of the street where the people where not clustered to closely, Link spread out his blanket and laid his instruments lovingly upon it.

He had a few customers, all smiling fondly at him telling him what a cute little boy he was. A few where rude and told him in no uncertain words that the market was no place for a little boy. Link was polite to everyone, gesturing to the price tags of his wares and making change. Once or twice a person of unfamiliar race would approach him with curiosity. Link would stare in appreciation and quietly show off a beautifully carved flute or drum. Once with striking fear, he thought he saw a werewolf.

As the day went on and the people started to disappear from the streets Link began to play his instruments to bring people in. He had sold very little and hoped he would have better luck if he demonstrated what the instruments could do. While he was playing he saw a familiar set of blue eyes come his way and kneel down in front of him.

"So we meet gain." The girl smiled showing dazzling teeth. "You play them too, do you?" She said making conversation. Link only nodded putting down a flute. "I like to play too. Look at this." Putting a hand in a bag at her hip she produced a odd rounded flute. "This is an ocarina. Have you ever seen one before?" Links eyes grew large and he nodded animatedly. It was very hard to make an ocarina but it was a beautiful sounding instrument.

The girl smiled and cocked her head to the side. "You're really quiet aren't you?" Link said nothing and continued to look at the ocarina. The girl's smile became cocky. "I bet you can't even talk can you?" She pulled her ocarina away with a challenge.

Link lowered his eyebrows and answered the challenge tartly. "Can too." The girl laughed brightly, her face becoming sweet again. "So you can talk. Why were you so quiet before?"

Link began gathering up his remaining instruments answering crossly. "I didn't feel like it." He began placing them into his pack carefully. The young girl started to help. She brought her face close to his, their noses almost touching. "You should talk more often, you have a nice voice."

"Uh..uh.." As Link's cheeks began to color the girl stood up smiling her bright smile. She waved happily and then ran off in the direction of the castle. His eyes followed her as she ran and caught on a tall woman who had been standing nearby. The woman was looking at link with fierce amused eyes. Link sunk back into the wall, away from the gaze that not only came from those fierce eyes, but from the weeping eye she wore on her clothing. The woman laughed slightly then turned and walked away in the direction the girl had gone.

Looking up at the sky and the falling sun, Link decided it was a good idea to head for the inn where the rest of his Kokiri companions waited in secluded safety. They would stay the night and then return to the forest in the morning. Link found that he was sad to return. He looked out beyond the walls taking in the field that lay outside the rising drawbridge. I would be nice to see what other interesting people and places there where in Hyrule. He continued to stare long after the drawbridge had been locked, before shrugging his shoulders and entering the inn where Mido was no doubt waiting to chastise his tardiness.

The young girl peered from behind the inn wall as the boy entered. Her bright smile glinted in the light of the torches. Eyes twinkling she looked up at her guardian.

"It's him, Impa. He is finally here."