Dragmire's War – Part 1
-Impa/Zelda-
-Kanyou, Capital of Qin-
The black wall disappeared. What was revealed behind the black curtain was nothing short of a battlefield. Walls were gone or collapsing, fire was rising, the stone stairs leading down to a dungeon had collapsed, and more of the palace was on the verge of collapsing.
Zelda was midst the rubble trying to lift a beam.
"Princess!" Impa rushed in to pull her away from the fire.
"No! Get her out!" Zelda pointed at a girl who had fallen in the rubble.
The soldiers rushed in to help while Impa lifted her princess in her arms and carried her away, despite Zelda's protests. The soldiers lifted the beam up and pulled a girl out. They laid the girl out on the floor where it was safe. Immediately Zelda removed herself from Impa and checked the girl. Impa did not resist her… she was too stunned. She had never seen Zelda like this.
"Who is she to you?" Impa wondered.
Zelda breathed a sigh of relief. The girl was bruised and most likely had a broken arm, but was otherwise fine. She was young. She would heal given decent care.
Zelda stood and hardened herself. "Captain, there are men down in that tunnel. Allies, Zant's followers, and Kei Ki. Have men dig out the stones, capture Kei Ki the Beheader, and flush out what remains of Zant's men. How is the situation around the palace?"
The captain said. "The losses due to the bandits are few."
Impa explained. "They had killed the guards at the gates to allow entry for the distraction, while they took the Sheikah entrances to go after you themselves."
"I want all Sheikah entrances destroyed and redone in a layout that the commander of my Royal Guard would know!" Zelda ordered.
"I understand… in my time, they were put to good use, but these repeated usurping of the throne has shown problems in the palace security. I intend to change that…" Impa hesitated. "If you will allow me."
Zelda looked to her curiously. "Why would I not? You are Shadowmaster of the Sheikah. You know more of the passageways than anyone."
"Seems the messenger did not make it. Your highness… I have stepped down as Shadowmaster."
"What?" Zelda gasped. "Why would you do that!?"
"There were fears my loyalties were divided." Impa replied heavily. "And… their fears were justified. I could not be Shadowmaster of the Sheikah and minister of Qin, both. By trying to be Shadowmaster I abandoned you… A mistake that has left me many sleepless nights."
Zelda could barely dare to breath. She stared wide-eyed at the older woman. "What are you saying?"
Impa knelt to be at Zelda's height. "Your highness. If you will accept me back, it would be my honor to be your minister once more. Not in part this time, but in whole."
Zelda fidgeted, and for a moment she looked like a child, uncertain and afraid. Not that she did not understand formality, but the implications of what Impa was saying had an impact on her. She was not prepared for a moment of feeling. She was exhausted, hurting, covered in blood, was shaking from adrenaline, had nearly died multiple times for different reasons, the world was spinning from her head injury until Zelda could barely stand, she was worried about Sarah and Link and Ganon, and suddenly her first friend was back… Back and swearing loyalty. Back after Zelda had been alone carrying the weight of a kingdom on her inexperienced shoulders for months, scrambling to survive each day as if she was back in Zhao again.
Zelda whispered, "Then for this night I grant you the rank of Chancellor for this night, and I will do arrange to make it permanent. As my first command: take over for the night. I am so tired."
With that simple declaration, her body seemed to catch up with her mind and Zelda felt herself overcome with weariness. Impa caught her as she collapsed, and scooping Zelda in her arms, comforted her and promised to take care of everything.
Zelda remembered no more.
Impa took Zelda to her room. She frowned to see the room had been trashed, but none of the less straighten the bed from where it had been tossed aside. The female servants had fled the battle, so Impa gave the captains their tasks to carry out while she briefly bathed Zelda. (She certainly wasn't going to let some male guard or servant see the monarch naked.) Impa's heart clenched at the sight of how much blood Zelda had on her. It was on her from feet to upper torso, on her hands and arms, on her face, in her hair… No amount of scrubbing would be enough. The tub quickly became red from all the blood Impa scrubbed off of the young girl. Impa had to pour out the water and refresh it twice before she was done.
Impa knew blood did not trouble Zelda, but that very thing is what troubled Impa. Zelda had improved by leaps and bounds since her escape from Zhao, but Impa knew that deep down Zelda was still the broken girl off the street.
Girls in this day and age were objects, little more than porcelain dolls whose only hope were to be married to a man who could take care of her. Scars, loss of virginity, mental or physical illness, or any other sign of imperfection or being unclean meant being undesirable… and Zelda had many scars.
The entire time, Zelda unconsciously held on to her, as if afraid of letting go. Impa laid the girl down on her bed.
Impa set to work plugging every security hole in the palace. The prisoners were taken to the courtyard while the workers tasked themselves with clearing the rubble from the primary set of stairs. The fires were put out, the bodies of the defenders were set aside respectfully until such time as proper burial could be made while the bodies of the attackers had lots cast for their belongings and the bodies set aflame. The servants returned from the safe house and word was sent to the nobles of the events, with emphasis on overwhelming victory. Impa felt it would be counter-productive to describe how close Zant had come to killing Zelda.
Because in the end that was the truth. The victory was overwhelming. Zant had thrown underwhelming forces at them for the singular purpose of killing Zelda himself. Impa saw how obvious his selfish plan was easily. He never intended for a single person to live in his attack. His only thought was reaching Zelda.
When the dungeon was finally opened, the prisoners were taken and placed in cells. An unconscious boy was found, who the Palace Guard claimed was an acquaintance of the Princess. Impa thought she recognized him, but could not place him. He was sent to the doctors. The body of Zant was hung from the outer walls of the capital city with a declaration of his treason, with most of the details lightened to not show how much he had done, so that all travelers could see him as birds feasted from his corpse.
Within the dungeon was found the criminal Kei Ki the Beheader, and-
"A Dragmire!" Impa hissed. She drew her daggers.
Around her the Royal Guard did nothing, but looked at her like she was mad. Kei Ki snickered from the side while in chains. The red-haired Dragmire merely sighed. "My name is Ganondorf Dragmire. I am an ally of your High Princess. I am the king of the Majora."
"He is speaking the truth, Chancellor." The captain said to Ganon's defense. "This man is an ally. He helped in our defense."
Impa glanced at him before narrowed her eyes at the Dragmire, judging whether to trust him and their words. She knew that the Majora had returned and were instrumental in Zelda's ascension to the throne, but she had not bothered pressing for a name at the time. It seemed a lesser detail with so much going on.
But to trust a Dragmire…
Except she was no longer a Shadowmaster. She was a Chancellor. It did not matter. She was choosing the life of a politician, so her first-instinct as a spy wouldn't work.
Impa sheathed her blade, and bowed slightly at the hip. "My apologies, Lord Dragmire. May I offer my thanks on behalf of Qin for your assistance in quelling this rebellion."
Ganon nodded.
Impa continued, "If you are indeed an ally of Qin, then return to your room while we secure the premises."
"Your men told me that before. As you can see," Ganon smiled widely. "I don't care. I don't let my own mothers tell me what to do. I don't let your princess tell me what to do. I certainly won't let you tell me what to do."
"… Then may I offer it as a suggestion?"
"You are free to. I shall take it under advisement… and promptly dismiss it." Ganon walked by her.
Impa sighed and rubbed her head. She had a feeling the Dragmire was going to be difficult.
"Just what is she thinking, allying herself with a Dragmire..." She wondered.
Elder introduced himself, and Impa couldn't have been happier to see him again. Were the occasion less serious, she might have excused herself to catch up with him and tell him more about her life, as the Fae and Sheikah had been keeping contact, albeit scarce, up to this day. Instead Elder offered the aid of his people, and Impa set the Fae to work repairing, strengthening, and securing the palace. They could not repair all of it, as fire and ashes were beyond their ability, but with the Fae's help months of work was cut short in hours. Passage ways of the Sheikah that Impa wanted sealed explosively were sealed with subtly, and more firmly than ever, allowing the creation of new Sheikah passage ways the Royal Family and Royal Guard would know of. The structure of the palace, inside and out, was strengthened.
-Ganondorf Dragmire-
While Impa kept the palace in a flurry of motion, Ganon wandered aimlessly. He had vented his anger and frustration on his enemy, and was left suitably tired and at a brief moment of peace. The angry wolf within was sated by exhaustion and blood.
He observed the Fae and Qin work, he observed Impa openly as she directed them through the night, he gazed at the capital from a balcony, and he let his mind ponder. He did not so much think so much as feel. He didn't know the specifics, and he didn't know why his heart felt so, but he felt something was missing. Something important… about his past, about his endangered clan, about what happened. Perhaps all of these things, yet perhaps none of them.
All he knew was that he was left devoid of the anger and fury that festered in his veins for a brief time. It was a calmness he knew well. Growing up he would always unleash his power and hate, and be left calm as he finished, but the calmness was never whole. Like a burning coal the heat never left him. It merely… lost its fuel briefly. It was a moment of exhaustion, of tiredness, and of weakness, and he hated that had to come to that, but it was also the only time he could think and feel without his mind being clouded. It was the only time he considered himself truly rational.
Ganon remembered Link's words. The boy had been making a compliment, and had said something foolish. Yet Ganon could not help but feel there was something truthful in it that the boy had perceived unknowingly. Ganon was often portrayed as a demon for his Dragmire features, and demons were born of the chaos and conflict between Twilight and Divinity on the border of reality. Between what was and between what is. And Ganon was taught to use the fire of Din and the shadow of Twilight both…
Every other Majora who tried such a union failed and were horribly wounded by it. His own parents could not. One used fire while the other used shadow. Ganon was the only one in Majora's history who could wield both… and not only use them well, but be made stronger by it.
As if he really did have a demon-worshiping bloodline.
Such a thought only reminded him of Zelda's words about the value of bloodlines. Much as he despised it he could not refute it had some truth to it. Ganon respected her. In truth he found he respected her far more than he thought he would, and more than he did any other leader he had known besides the Fae Elder. She was as irrational and unwise as any her young age, weak, and floundering around in court desperately trying to stay above water… but had a determination and resolve and strength of purpose he had never seen before. He had been impressed when she declared her purpose and vision, and how firmly she said it. He was drawn to that fire.
As he thought of her, his feet directed him to her door. The door had been smashed open, and the guards nervously watched him as he stood outside. Briefly he looked at her sleep and considered her. She was as scarred as she was delicate. Her room was as much armed as it was comfortable. Her study was as much cold as it was orderly. Having been around mostly woman most of his life, he knew this to be unusual.
Was she dangerous? Were her scars too much? Was she going to break at some point? Ganon hoped not. He... needed her. Without her the brief peace between Qin and Majora would end, and he would return to the cage of the mountains. Without her he would never be able to explore and expand his wings freely and escape. Without her the resolve, vision, and ambition he was renewed with would be reduced to ashes.
Suddenly starting to feel a bit like a stalker for standing there so long, Ganon shook his thoughts away and continued to wander. Seeking something new, his feet took him to the doctor's wing. Most of the wounded were enemies, and they gazed at him fearfully. The doctors saw him and asked him to leave, saying his appearance was frightening. Ganon growled, but ultimately accepted. They were doctors. At least one thing he could agree with Qin about was respect for priests and doctors. Their authority was perhaps the only ones he would ever accept.
As he left he caught sight of Link, and something bothered him. Ganon hid himself behind a shelf so as to not be seen by the doctors. Link had bandages around his head and was covered in scratches and his clothes were full of holes. It was as if he had been cut dozens of times.
"You know its creepy how you stare at people with those red eyes…" Link murmured quietly. He gazed back at the big man with the one eye not covered. Something about his gaze troubled Ganon. It was dull and empty.
"Hm." Ganon hummed noncommittally. He changed the subject. "Your clothes are cut all over, yet your wounds are small and you do not have a single scar."
"…"
Seeing the boy wasn't going to elaborate, Ganon probed, "Why is this?"
Link avoided his gaze and turned over to put his back to him. Ganon furrowed his brows, the boy had never ignored him before. If anything the boy went out of his way to be the center of attention, be involved, and engage with as many as possible.
"Hypocrite," Ganon scoffed.
"What does that mean?"
"Means you demand attention, but the moment it doesn't suit your purpose you ignore them. You have a double standard."
"Shove it." Link growled. "You do the same."
"I'm a leader, it is necessary. You are not. Not yet."
"Good! Don't want to be." Link said shortly.
Ganon raised an eyebrow. "Was it not your dream to be a great general...? Just what happened down there?"
Link stubbornly said nothing. Ganon guessed, "Are beating yourself over not saving everyone? Over not being here soon enough. How important do you take yourself?"
"Enough to let them die!" Link finally whispered.
"You are a mere boy."
"I figured out my power..." Ganon straightened. Now he was intrigued. "When I fought Zant, whenever I was nearly struck, time flowed back to the beginning."
"Time?!" Ganon questioned. He had never imagined such a power.
Link continued, "Each time I should have died I returned to the beginning, and the fight would continue on as before... except for me. Knowing where a snake would spring let me stop it. Knowing Zant's powers let me be prepared." He breathed. "But my wounds stayed."
"And his did not." Ganon guessed. Link said nothing, and Ganon sensed he was right.
"I was so tired... just as much as I learned and tried new ways, and I could start to predict him, I couldn't... I couldn't keep up even knowing what to do. So many times Zelda died... so many times." Link shuddered. He stuttered and was sorrowful. "I... I had to sacrifice them to buy time. They were scum and bandits and I could have saved them but I chose the princess over a dozen men. They became nothing more than fodder to me! Their lives were worth seconds to keep him at bay until you arrived! Why did you take so long! Why did you force me to choose who lives and who dies?!"
"And what do you want from me" Ganon frowned. "An apology? Sympathy? Pity? You want me to say 'I'm sorry'? Fine, I'm sorry."
"Wha-"
"I'm sorry I chose to distract an army of assassins to let a coward through." Ganon said. "And anyone who ends up under your command has both my sympathy and my pity. Grow up, boy. You have been given a taste of power, purpose, authority, and consequence and you weep for it? If you find it evil, then turn back from your path and return to either an existence of slave meaningless or find a suitable life... as perhaps a shepherd. There is no dishonor in a fair trade; but do not cry for receiving a portion of the gift you have always wanted!"
Angry, Ganon left. As he departed he met the Fae Elder at the door. The Elder took him aside to speak him. Ganon said, "Do not lecture me on my words to him!"
"I shall not. It was necessary for him to hear... but surely you remember your first times. The power. The unnatural difference between you and others… when you first wore the mask."
"I remember, but I was far younger than him than."
"In my experience humans never reach an age where their first taste of such things is not traumatic and shattering of their perspective on all things."
Ganon considered him and relented. "I could have done so without anger, but I will not return and comfort him. He will endure far greater things. Better he hardens himself or steps aside."
"Or learns to bend." Elder added.
-Zelda-
So it was the night passed into day and it was well into the following evening that Zelda rose. She searched urgently for the doctors and secretly looked to the wounded. Upon finding Sarah and Link well and talking as if they were old friends she was relieved. The palace sent a message to Chancellor Impa, and Impa went to her.
The two embraced and Impa questioned her, "Who is she to you?" Zelda told her and Impa was amazed the princess had allowed any girl from her Royal Harem to attend her, though it was still non-sexual.
Impa questioned her, "Who is the boy to you?" Zelda told her and Impa was amazed the princess had a friend and ally in a former slave, and she marvelled at the things the boy did. Now that she remembered when she had first met Link, she found herself further amazed, considering her first impression of him was less than polite. She wanted to kill the boy for laying violent hands on Zelda, Zelda calmed her.
Once more Impa questioned her, this time regarding Ganondorf Dragmire.
Sensing hostility, Zelda asked, "You do not trust him?"
"He is a Dragmire. You would do well to be cautious of them. The strife and discord brought by their rebellion weakened Qin greatly. It was this weakness that led to your father's capture in his visit, all of Qin held at ransom, and subsequently invaded in the battle of Chouhei..."
Zelda's composure darkened hearing of Chouhei. "And the Dragmires set it in motion?" Impa nodded. "Then it is good they are dead, but I see no reason to hold Ganondorf accountable to the sins of his family."
"Despite the blood of demon-worshipping rebels flowing in his veins?"
"Despite that, yes. Or should I be held accountable for the sins of the Ki family? Kei Ki tells me he is my uncle."
Impa sighed. "I had hoped he would not say that."
"So is it also true the Ki family has secret dealings with the Sheikah or Royal Family?"
"... Yes. But Zelda the dealings of the Ki is prevailed by the blood of your father. You have nothing and no one to be accountable for."
Zelda trembled in rage. She was not angry at Impa, but the subject was a volatile one. "Then why is it I feel my mother in my veins? Why do I see her in my face, in my appearance? Why must I hear compliments that I resemble her?"
"Because you inherited the one thing you despise about her the most: her beauty. Now, I see I am troubling you, so I shall leave it be. If you see Ganondorf Dragmire of the Majora to be a worthy ally, I shall not overstep myself."
Zelda nodded, unable to form words. Talking of her family left her feeling empty and furious. When Zelda was composed once more, she said "Now that you know of them, you should know they should be awarded."
"Agreed. They did well in standing by you, and for that I am grateful."
So they called for them in private. Zelda called for Sarah and said, "You were with me in the face of death and shielded me with yourself. On behalf of Qin, you should be awarded. What would you ask of me?"
Sarah answered, "High Princess, I would ask only to be allowed to be by your side."
This stunned Zelda. She found herself smilingly a tiny bit, which for her was equivalent to jumping in joy. "Then you may. I shall consider you my favourite among the Royal Harem, and I will see to it you are protected there."
They called for Link, and Zelda inquired of his injuries. He seemed well, but something weighed on his mind heavily. Zelda said, "You came to my side without obligation and acted as my sword and shield. Without you, I would be dead. I wish to reward you on behalf of Qin. What would you ask of me?"
Link said, "I want training. If I am to be a great general, as the son of one, then I will need training. I trained my own way daily for years, and it has kept me alive... but these battles have made clear to me if I am to follow my mother's footsteps I must have a teacher."
Zelda and Impa were troubled by this. Zelda said, "Link, if your wish is to be trained, then I shall grant it. And I know you are following in the footsteps of your bloodline, but are you sure the great general you spoken of was your mother?"
"I am sure." Link said without hesitation.
The firmness of his belief caused Zelda to hesitate and stumble over her speech, so she could not speak. She did not wish to shatter his resolve. Seeing this, Impa interceded. "Link... there has never been a woman in the history of Qin with such a high rank."
"What?" Link asked in disbelief. He stared at Impa. "That-that can't be."
"Link." Impa said gently. "You look younger than fifteen years, am I right in assuming this?"
"Yes."
"Then is it wrong to assume that your mother would have been around in the last twenty years?"
"No. I-it is right to assume it."
"Not only was I a Sheikah in the service of the Royal Family twenty years ago, but I was also a commander of lower rank in the Qin military. I know the name of every general from general of one-thousand men to general of one-hundred-thousand men… and none of them were female."
"You're wrong!" Link exclaimed.
"Link." Zelda said gently. "Do you know the name of the woman you say is your mother?"
Link hesitated. He searched his memories, but ultimately he came to a horrifying conclusion. "No…"
"Then let us say you really did have a mother who was a high-ranking official in the military." Impa said. "We are left with two options. The first is that your mother was a general of another nation."
"That could-"
"At which case you would be a social exile, cast out of society, and unable to change your fate. Sorry to say, but that is how it is these days…" Impa glanced at Zelda. "Citizens of rival nations are targeted by the hate and pain of their neighbors when they live among them. Immigration is legal, possible, but few do it for they are all deemed traitors by society both by the place they left and the place they want to call home."
"Which is part of why I want to end this war and unite Hyrule." Zelda added. She sent a chastising look at Impa. Impa's words were scaring Link.
"The second possibility," Impa continued. "Is that you are the child of a lesser general. There are many ranks of officials in the army."
"But-" Link wanted to argue, but failed to find proper words. He didn't trust Impa as far as he knew her, but he had come to trust Zelda. Her honesty could only be described as the lethal kind even at the worst of times, so for her to say it was impossible… Link didn't know what to think. For the first time in his life he doubted. He doubted his birth, he doubted his lineage, he doubted his destiny.
"Link." Zelda stepped from her chair and took his shoulder. The contact startled him from his stupor and he stared at her, as she never touched him and he knew it to be a big no-no. "I know you believe in the strength of your bloodline as the son of a general. I agree in that. It is something to take comfort in. I also know you believe in your own strength to reach that far, and Ganondorf would agree in that. It may be that I am wrong, if you are not the son of a general, and Ganon is right. And it may be that he is wrong in regards to you, as your bloodline, whatever it may be, granted you your blessing passed down from the Goddess or you may still be the son of a general we do not know of."
"Neither seem to validate me, though." Link argued.
"Then it may be that neither do." Zelda agreed. "But that is for you to decide. Are you a tool of fate or a controller of fate? You have the capability for both and you may be all the stronger for it."
Link gulped, took a moment, and nodded. He was shaken, but sturdy. Seeing his composure return a step in the right direction, Zelda returned to her chair. "So, I will send you to a good teacher. But it will be up to you to be a good student. I will compensate your village for your absence. I insist."
"Thank you, princess." Link mock bowed.
Zelda smirked playfully. "You better appreciate me well, peasant. We aren't in public. If we were you could be beheaded for such a sloppy bow."
"I'm sure! Why I have to do so here! Got to take what I can get!"
"Then why don't you start with getting out!?" Impa growled angrily.
Link quickly lost his playfulness and scurried out. Zelda snorted seeing Impa so angry on her behalf. Her playfulness lasted a moment longer before she felt herself become cold and blank again. "There was no reason to scare him."
Impa frowned, "He is as rude and uncouth as the day I met him. How you came close enough to him to allow it so easily is beyond me." She quickly changed her tune to one more warm. Link had rubbed her the wrong way, and his belief in his mother being a general troubled her deeply. "Not that I don't appreciate you making friends. You look happier for it. But couldn't they be more… civilized?"
"I find him more civilized than many nobles, I will have you know. He treats everyone the same regardless of status. He is openly honest and leaves one without question of what he thinks of you. I have no need to question if he has a dagger in my back or not. Most of all he is useful and seeing him achieve his ambition is a worthwhile investment. That is not something I can say about most former slaves. Useful people are worth keeping around. Speaking of which…"
The next one Zelda had in mind was Ganondorf. The man took his time arriving.
Zelda said, "Ganondorf Dragmire of the Majora clan. You were under no obligation to defend Qin, no deals, no contract, no will save your own and you risked the royal bloodline of the Majora in my defence. This is not a matter I can take lightly. On behalf of Qin, I would like to personally reward you. What would you ask of me?"
Ganondorf said nothing at first. He merely raised an eyebrow, glanced at Impa, and returned his fiery gaze to the girl. Finally he sighed and said, "I ask nothing of you, High Princess of Qin. I do what I will when I will it. I take what I want when I want it. I do not consider myself one to be given things when I can just as well take it, nor do I like owing or receiving debts."
"All the same…" Impa prodded.
"If you insist… then supplies." Ganondorf decided. "My plan is to use tribute from Joket to help launch an invasion into the mountains. There are dozens of tribes hidden among the hill country to your west… the mountains are vast with a great many villages hidden in it. It is a land worthy of a country of its own. With supplies from your hand, my conquest of the mountains will go smoothly, and I can more easily turn it into an army worthy of your vision." The dark-skinned man smiled darkly. "A vision to bath Hyrule in blood will need an army that is vast… and an army hidden from the rest of Hyrule is a powerful hand to play when the time is right."
"Or a weakness. What is to keep you from betraying us?" Impa demanded.
But Impa was ignored. Ganon knew he had Zelda's attention as her composure was dark and ruthless as the day he met her. She had the same determination in her still, the same cold willingness to follow a bloody path no king had yet dared walk. It made his heart jump in excitement and his veins boil in hot desire.
He didn't know when, but Zelda's vision had inspired him and replaced his own. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say he had no vision before and had found one worthy of his focus and energy.
"Then you will have it." Zelda declared.
"Princess!" Impa exclaimed.
Zelda brushed her concern aside, "Impa, if he was to betray us, he would have by now. My life has been in the palm of his hand several times now. He is powerful, rough, and ruthless… but you could say he has proven to be careful and discerning. More than that we are tied by destiny. It is true, I don't trust people and Lord Dragmire is as fallible to mortal sin as any other, but I choose to have faith. I can count on one hand the number of people I choose to trust." However Zelda relented, "But... I will go over the matter with my advisors."
Zelda directed her attention to Ganon. "Will you leave for your campaign immediately?"
"No. I still plan to stay for a time and see what life is like outside of the mountains. That has not changed."
"Then you are welcome as long as you will."
The next, and final one for now, was Kei Ki.
Kei Ki was kicked to his knees. The man eyed the guards lazily but said nothing. He seemed entirely calm and unconcerned with what was happening. Whereas before it was private affairs with only Zelda and Impa present, this matter Zelda wanted public in her court. Ganon, Sarah, and Link were allowed to be present. Sarah and Link stood in the back as they were not nobles, and Ganon stood to the back by choice. He simply didn't like people and crowds made him twitchy.
Reports had come that the priests had all been killed, beheaded, and Zelda was willing to make the assumption Kei Ki was involved.
Impa watched him a moment, thoughtfully, and said, "Kei Ki, you are charged with murder of the people, running of a criminal organization employed in all manner of activities, murder of holy priests, and treason. Your 'treason' was a ploy given to you by the Sheikah, and to your credit you performed well. You helped insure the Princess lived. Zelda, her servant Sarah, and her servant Link are witness to this."
Link frowned. "Oi! I'm not a-" Ganon hit him on the head.
"As such you and your men are pardoned of treason. Is there any who disagree?"
None stood among Zelda's court. Impa scanned them all and found their expressions were satisfied with the statement. Most of them nodded silently.
"Then you are pardoned of treason." Impa concluded.
"However," Zelda inserted herself. Impa blinked in surprise. "You are still guilty of the first several charges, and my mercy for your help does not extend to them all."
Kei Ki smiled. "Then allow me to barter."
"Barter." Zelda repeated. She leaned back. "I'm listening."
Kei Ki said, "The first thing you should know is the priests were not on your side and would one day rebel against you, perhaps by claiming the original validation of your holy rule is false. Zant targeted them for solidifying your position on the throne, but we also learned Ryo is deeply involved with them. He bought them. Your own priests serve Ryo."
"Pardon?" Zelda asked in surprise.
"I do not know the accounting side of it, but have your minister of commerce go over the inventory of the priest's coffers. While the palace pays them in tax, the priests are far wealthier than they should be with a rupee here and rupee there, or even the heavy donations from the state. They are hardly despondent monks. I'm sure you will find they have been in Ryo's pocket for years."
Zelda shared a glance with Impa, and Zelda nodded. Impa understood the order. Zelda wanted this confirmed.
She was pleased. That was incredibly useful. The priests had been part of the foundation of her placement on the throne, and if they were in Ryo's pocket they could remove that foundation out from under her. But the thought also worried her: Were they working for Ryo when she was validated to begin with?
What was she thinking! Of course they were! Zelda being on the throne was all part of Ryo's plan to place a second heir in rival to the prince. An heir he could back and use to even the odds of the court. But now that the prince was gone, and the rival Chancellor was gone, that left only Zelda against him. Well… Impa and Zelda. Impa had returned, Zelda had to remind herself. But none of the less with a single move from Ryo, namely the priests proclaiming they had miss-read signs from Naryu in placing Zelda as daughter of the former king, would be an instant victory for Ryo.
Ryo had the kingdom in checkmate all this time, and Zelda had narrowly evaded it thanks to this mafia head.
"Go on." Zelda said.
Kei Ki smiled darkly, seeing he was succeeding. "The next thing I can bargain, Princess, is an army."
The court stirred and whispered among each other. Impa blinked and Zelda pondered it.
Zelda could not think of what he meant. There was another army? She knew of every army in Qin. She had even found armies that were said to be extinct to aid her.
"I find that difficult to believe," Impa said. "There is not a drop more of soldier blood to be siphoned than what is already known by the court."
"Unless that army is not made of sanctioned soldiers." Kei Ki said smoothly. "Princess… how many nations exist within Qin?"
"No riddles, Kei Ki. Speak plainly!" One of her court ministers said. Others yelled in agreement.
"Fine, fine." Kei Ki rolled his eyes. "Spoil my moment, why don't you! Princess, imagine the entire criminal network of Qin united into an army." Zelda's eyes briefly widened, even Impa was surprised and terrified of the implications. "Every bandit. Every murderer. Every assassin, torturer, prisoner, criminal, vagabond, and piece of scum-filled shit the streets of Qin has stuffed in its corroded crevices! The family of Ki is massive, all encompassing, and hidden within the very framework of the land! The mafia has a hand in everything and is powerful enough to be considered a country in its own right!" Kei Ki stood to his feet, and the guards did not stop him, for they too were stunned by his words. "Now imagine all of it… all of it united into one spear. One gloriously bloody barbed spear thrust into the heart of whoever you point it at!"
"Including my own?" Zelda wondered.
Kei Ki chuckled, "Betrayal? Is that what you think? Princess! Betrayal is so boorish! So predictable! I am not so poor in ambition that all I have is money and a desire for power! Money! I have had it and I found it worthless! Power? I can do with a hundred men what others do with thousands! So what is power to me? I am not some brute! I am an artist! Imagination flows best when you have to work with less! But grant me this, this permission, and I will show you what an army can truly do!"
"And how exactly would you do it? How would you unite the heads of the Ki family?"
"Beheading, of course." Kei Ki replied smoothly.
This seemed to trouble her court greatly, as they murmured with one another and their expressions were mixed. Zelda herself found herself conflicted, and so Kei Ki was placed under house arrest in one of the palace rooms until a verdict is reached. And the debate began.
Some spoke positively of the proposal saying, "Another army loyal to Zelda will strengthen our faction!"
While others questioned this saying, "How can we trust him?" Or "What reflection would it have on us to have his loyalty? Not a good one."
It was said, "It will lower crime to remove it from the lands, and benefit all in turning it into a weapon for Qin."
And this was countered by, "The means to unite the numerous heads of the Ki family, and to unite the bandit or lawless camps of the wilderness will bath the streets in blood!"
There were many more arguments made, but in all of this Zelda sat silently. She agreed with both sides. She balanced a need for power, of which she had in short supply, with the knowledge this man was a lower mafia leader, and most of all her uncle and brother to her mother.
Which, if patterns meant anything, meant she could not trust him. Impa's input did not help, as it seemed the royal family in the past had many dealings with the Ki family.
There was also the question, "What will we do with him even if we reject his proposal?"
This kept the debate alive and no verdict could be made.
The debate was so heated that an event occurred that nearly caught them off guard. A soldier ran into the throne room and hastily bowed low.
Impa called for the court to quiet and said, "What is it that has come over you?" The soldier was shaking in fear.
The soldier exclaimed, "Princess! Ryo has come!"
Zelda's eyes widened. She had completely lost track of time. What a fool she was! Ryo was here!
"What?!" Someone yelled.
"Where is he?" Impa asked.
"He awaits permission to enter the gates as we speak!" The soldier reported.
Zelda gulped. Impa said, "His faction may now be a rival, but we cannot afford to slight him by making him wait. Princess, I advise we hurry to receive him. He is patient enough to wait a little while, but no more!"
"Agreed." Zelda nodded. She felt her hand shake fearfully and gripped it into a fist to halt it. "Go. I must prepare myself." Zelda closed her eyes.
"Everyone!" Impa exclaimed to the court. "Call the servants to prepare all quarters promptly and assemble in the throne room! Awaken all the guards and set them at their post! Fae Elder, please close off all passageways leading to damaged parts of the palace. Have all Fae take on a physical form and assemble in the throne room as well! Make sure everything is in order! Everyone is to return in half an hour even if you fail at this!"
Elder nodded and disappeared by sinking into the wood behind him.
Impa stepped down from the throne and approached Link and Ganondorf as the ministers hurried to work. "Lord Dragmire, as an ally you may stay among the ministers. Your presence will be helpful."
"I'd rather stay in the back." Ganon grunted.
"Very well."
"What do we do?" Link asked.
"Nothing." Impa answered him. "Besides sit in the back and stay quiet."
Ganon stared down at Link knowingly.
"What?!" Link exclaimed defensively.
Within a short time every servant, every minister, every Fae residing in the Palace Grove, and every guard was assembled. The servants sat around the edges of the room. The Fae stood before them as tall statues of wood and stone. The ministers stood at the front on either side. Impa stood on the first step down from the throne, and Zelda sat on the throne itself.
Zelda took a moment to breath. "Let Ryo in the gates."
A soldier rushed out to relay the order.
Before long the sound of horses and marching penetrated the throne room door from the courtyard. A few more minutes followed and shadows stirred under the door frame.
Every face turned towards the door. Their faces were set and hardened. This was not a warm welcome, but a show of strength and resolve against an internal foe. Zelda assembled everything she could here to offset Ryo. The one thing she wanted now more than ever was General Ouki's presence, he would complete the tone she wanted to have.
But without him… Zelda feared she would still appear weak even with all she had gained being presented.
A single guard opened the door large enough to enter and say, "I-I-I p-present, Chancellor R-Ryo. Request permission to enter?"
"Enter." Zelda permitted.
Immediately the door was opened. Link gulped and struggled to sit still. The atmosphere was thick and heavy as any battle.
Link had never met Ryo, but he had heard Zelda talk of him many times. Each time he was the one she feared and saw as her greatest enemy. Link had helped her fight foes already, but she always seemed to convey Ryo as being higher than them. As if he wasn't a person, but a living nightmare to her. He followed her with her every breath, into her dreams and wakefulness. Every decision she made was with him on the mind. She didn't say it openly, but Link knew: she was afraid of him. And the thought made him angry.
What entered could not be described as human.
Human means mortal, capable of weakness and death and limitation. The men who entered were, by all scientific classification, mortal, but they did not feel it. They felt like something more. They were the same height as any other man, yet Link found himself looking up at mountains. They were of flesh and blood as any other man, but his gut said they had muscle of diamonds and skin of gold. They walked as any other man, yet Link thought they glided as the wind.
They were nothing more than simple ministers in the court of Chancellor Ryo, yet to Link they had the overpowering presence of immortals. Chief among them were four men.
The first man was purely herculean, he was twice as thick in muscle mass as Ganon and just as fierce looking without a hint of red eyes. His hair was short and spikey.
The second man was nothing short of the most beautiful nobleman Link had ever seen, it was as if the man bathed in money, manicures, and had to spend hours working on his hair instead of sleeping. Yet despite the obvious OCD tendencies, there was a sharpness in his eyes that terrified Link, an attention to detail. While the first man ignored everyone with disregard, this second man took a moment to look at each and every one and notice everything.
And Link had no doubt he memorized everything right down to his measurements.
The third man to enter was similar to the second, but did not have the same eyes. Instead what the man seemed to be holding a scroll and was too busy reading to notice where he was walking.
The fourth man was old. More than that, he was ancient. He was a wrinkled up toad, leaning over, with a cane, and had a thin white beard reaching down to his toes he had to step over from time to time. He was constantly chuckling like a madman, could hardly keep his balance, and was looking around.
The moment the old man's eyes met Link's, Link felt his skin crawl. The eyes were far too sharp to belong to an old man near the end of his life.
These four men were the most noticeable among the troupe of ministers to enter. They had such an impact of presence that sweat bathed the skin of Zelda's men. It was of such a heavy presence over them all, that all men and Fae unconsciously bowed their shoulders under its weight, and Ganon instinctively reached for where his blades would have been.
"W-which one is Ryo?" Link wondered in a whisper.
"I cannot tell." Ganon answered. He scanned them all. "Any one of them could be fierce enough to be him, most of all those four leading them. Not the old man, assuredly. And the strong one most likely is a man of war, rather than a man of politics. It leaves the other two."
The answer came in in the form of the last man to enter. He did not have to say his name. He did not have to announce himself. Every man knew it. He had such a strong presence of glory, confidence, and power that it made even his great men pale in comparison. The sun shined on him like an angel descended from the heavens through the door.
If the ministers felt like powerful men to Link, and the four leading them felt like generals… this man felt like a god.
No.
"He feels like a king…" Link gulped. Link felt himself shake. He had been afraid many times, but this was the most terrified he ever recalled being.
Ganon nodded in agreement, his eyes wide.
Chancellor Ryo entered into the throne room and stopped just before his four champions. With one motion he bowed to his knees, and every one of his entourage followed in the same moment. Their knees hit the floor in the exact moment creating a boom that felt like the stopping of an event, having been followed by a new one. Like a day beginning with the rooster, a battle beginning with the war cry, or a noble man being announced via trumpet, the boom said one thing:
Chancellor Ryo was here.
Ryo said, "Firstly, let me say: There is nothing more important than seeing you unharmed, your majesty."
