Kanyou's War - Part 4


Impa woke to the sound of someone beating on her door, hard. Not once or twice, but constantly. Whoever it was he was beating on her door hard enough to shake it on its hinges and kept going until he got her attention.

It was urgent.

Impa jumped out of bed, grabbed her short-blade from beside her bed, and bolted to the door. She threw it open, her blade already drawn. In the darkness of the night, her eyes struggled to adjust quickly to the blinding torch-light that met her, but immediately she smelled blood and saw the red stains covering the man's clothes and arms. He was panting and could barely get a word out.

The palace guard outside her door stood alert and ready, waiting for whatever decision she would make based on this newcomer.

Impa covered her eyes with a hand, dimming the light of the torch from her pupils. A moment later, she knew him. "Shi Ketsu! Are you hurt?!"

"Not I-" He gasped out. He dropped his hands down to his knees, struggling to stand. Sweat poured from his face and the torch fell from his hands to the ground. One of the guards reached down swiftly and picked it up. "Another! I need the royal doctors!"

"Where?" Impa asked.

"My home in the inner city."

A million questions raced through her mind. Clearly it was urgent from his composure and the beating he made on her door, but the blood explained some of it. She didn't know who. She didn't know why. All she knew was Zelda trusted him, he needed Impa's aid, and it was a matter of life or death.

Despite her Sheikah nature, the questions could come later.

Impa nodded, "Let us go." She took a moment to grab a robe to cover herself, strapped on some shoes, and ran out with Ketsu in tow. The group of royal guard set to protect her chased after them as well.

They made it to the doctors quickly. While there were doctors among the civilian populace, the best and most prestigious were given positions in the palace. Perhaps a bit of a greedy desire on the part of the royal family, one that rendered the doctors with little to do from day to day, but on this occassion allowed easy access when Impa needed them.

The doctor had a harder time waking then she had, but on seeing the blood covering Shi Ketsu and with Impa's permission, he set himself to gathering what he needed.

"What happened?" The doctor asked. "What am I dealing with?"

"An arrow and deep piercing from a blade."

"Where on the body? Man or Woman? How old?"

"Arrow is in the back near the center-point, the blade pierced near the stomach, its a young girl, almost at adulthood." Shi Ketsu explained urgently. "Anything more?"

"Yes, how long?" The doctor shut tight his carrying box after hastily grabbing a number of tools and wraps and alchohol and accupunture needles and other equipment. "I can see from you that its been some hours that you have tried to tend to her alone."

Shi gulped. "I... She arrived on my doorstep two nights ago. I've struggled with my limited knowledge to help her. I paid some kids to find doctors, as I could not leave her alone even for a second, but the only doctor willing to come upon hearing my name declared it too late. So I rushed here myself."

"This girl is alone, then?" Impa asked. Shi nodded quickly, growing gastly pale with worry.

Impa pointed at a guard, "Go and get my carriage!" The guard nodded and rushed out to fulfill the order.

"Let us hurry, then. Its a wonder she hasn't died yet. We may be too late as it is." The doctor grabbed the last of what he needed and hastened out the door.

The group hastened out into the courtyard. Impa's carriage was still unprepared with a horse being tied to it and a driver being woken and a lantern lit to light the way. It was barely two minutes, but it felt like forever.

Impa breathed. She needed to keep her mind clear. She said to the doctor, "Take my carriage to Ketsu's home and attend to the matter. Take one of my guards with you." To the guard she said, "When the matter is settled, bring him back and tell the captain it is with my permission you have been absent." And then to another guard she said, "Go and inform the princess' guards to inform her when she wakes that her doctor is absent with my permisssion based on Ketsu's need."

They all set themselves to it. The horse was tied, the driver set himself on his seat, the doctor and Ketsu and a guard entered the carriage, and another guard set off. This left Impa alone, short of two remaining guards, in the clearing.

She sighed and rubbed her temples. She turned to the remaining guards with her, "I won't be able to sleep now. How about I get us some wine to warm ourselves with and we play some cards?" The men shared a glance and chuckled lightly.

"I'd like that ma'am, the night is a cold one." One said.

While the first spoke, the second turned his attention towards the palace. Curious, Impa followed his gaze and saw two figures leave the palace door escorted by a small assortment of guards. It was dark, but under the illumination of torches she saw the figures were of a beautiful woman and a dark-robed man. "Zelda?" Impa whispered. They entered a carriage and departed, while the guards returned to the palace.

"Who was that?" Both of the men wondered. "We weren't informed of any guests."

Impa, meanwhile, felt a chill cling to her spine. There were many beautiful women in the palace. The nobles and ministers had beautiful wives and mistresses. Yet this woman was breathtaking, and there was only one beautiful woman who could look like Zelda.

"Oh, no." Impa breathed out. Numbly, she took a step forward, then another, and before she knew it she was in a full sprint towards the other guards who has escorted the guests out. "What was she doing here?!"

The second set of guards answered, "The Queen Mother was just visiting the heir appara-"

Impa was already gone. She burst in through the outer door, sped through the dark throne room, skidded around the corner, and upon seeing the wide-eyed, knowing fear in the silent guards to stand by, threw herself in. Something had happened and the guards knew it and were powerless to stop it. Impa dreaded knowing, but her every instinct screamed and panicked to face the answer she feared most.

Impa's face paled as she felt blood leave her body, her eyes widened in stark terror, and the icy fingers to claw at her spine grasped her throat in a vice. What she witnessed was worse than everything she had imagined.

There was blood on the bed and clothes were thrown to the side.

"Zelda!" Impa yelled. No one answered. The bed was absent, so she checked in the small personal library and work office, then she checked outside on the balcony. With one place left to look, Impa approached the door to her bath and wardrobe. Impa heard water trickling. She stopped, fearfully, tenderly, put a hand on the cracked door, and nudged it open. It swung open slowly to reveal a filled bath that had the tiniest hint of diluted redness and a naked princess curled up protectively in the far corner. The bath steamed from a furnace servants tended to on a lower floor. The air was lit by a few Fae to look on them with expressions filled with worry and fret.

'What happened' is what Impa wanted to ask, but the icy fingers clasped her throat shut. The fingers punctured her veins and send icy water down all the way into her heart.

She knew what happened. She could see the evidence and the aura as if it was slapping her in the face.

Impa stepped into the room. She took careful, quiet steps to not disturb the princess she loved. She walked through the water to cascade across the floor. The bath continued to be filled until it overflowed across the floor and down a secondary drain in the corner. Finally she reached Zelda, and slowly lowering herself down, put a hand on Zelda's shoulder.

Zelda flinched like she was zapped and smacked Impa's hand away. A pain and animalistic terror so intense she failed to recognize the woman filled her eyes. Impa felt her heart break. She wanted to die just from knowing that such an expression could exist on the princess. This was even worse than when she had first met the princess. When they first met, Zelda had a feral look, but it was still a look of a survivor's determination. Now it was gone. Like a gentle pet that saw the face of death and could do naught but sit and shiver in the corner.

Zelda had given up.

"Zelda, it's me." Impa whispered.

There was no response. Zelda stared down into the water, wide-eyed and unblinking.

Impa gulped, struggling to breath even as tears filled her eyes. "I'm here."

There was no response.

-Later-

Impa did not know how long she sat by the bath. The water had long since cooled and Impa finally had to drag Zelda out of it to be dried when her teeth started chattering. The chancellor ignored how her own clothes were soaking wet and instead made sure the suddenly-docile Zelda was not going to hurt herself. Impa threw the bloody blankets and comforters and clothes in the fireplace, no matter how crammed it was. Servants came and made the bed anew, and when Impa was sure that Zelda was clothed and dry, laid her down to rest.

"Soon as the doctor is back, he needs to tend to you," Impa gulped. "If you will accept it." With what had happened, there was no telling. Zelda likely would not want a man to inspect her.

Zelda remained silent.

Impa sighed. She took place in a chair and set herself to be there for the rest of the night. Impa wanted to stay for many reasons. She wanted to be there for the girl on a personal level, she wanted to stay as a chancellor to ensure her princess was well, but most of all she was terrified. She had no way of knowing what Zelda was thinking or feeling in her near-comatose state beyond the reactions and looks that showed a human broken down to her most primal state; if Zelda was thinking or feeling anything at all. It wasn't uncommon for even the strongest of veterans of war to break down in shock one way or another and never leave it. Zelda was, one way or another, trapped inside herself. All Impa could do was sit and wait and watch to see what side of Zelda would come out.

"Please..." Impa found herself whispering. "Farore, I know you did not guide my feet to her without purpose. Din, you did not set a fire in her heart and obstacles in her path without a reason. Naryu, you did not warn her in dreams nor guide her unless to prepare her for what is to come. Yet now my lord, your champion ordained to Naryu, is at the point of breaking from the cruelty of this world." Impa breathed out shakily. Tears fell from her eyes. "Please! She is my hope. I cannot fathom a world without her. I have seen so much death and now I begin to see the shades of it on her. Please, I-"

Her prayers were interrupted by someone knocking on the door. Impa cursed to herself, jumped up, and with a quick glance at Zelda -who remained motionless and staring at the ceiling-, she opened the door. A servant stood on the other side and bowed herself to the floor immediately.

"What is it?" Impa whispered.

"My Lady Chancellor, I did not think you would be here! I bring word for the heir apparent!"

"Now is perhaps the worst time for anything you would ever have to say!" Impa hissed. "So get it out quickly and be gone!"

"I bring word for her from Shi Ketsu and the doctor-"

Impa interrupted, "What does this have to do with the princess?"

"The girl, Sarah, is better for the moment, but refuses to fall asleep and rest. She insists she has something to tell the heir and will not let herself heal properly without revealing it. Those with her sent me saying if the girl is not allowed to say her piece, she will die when her body fails her."

"Sarah? What is-" Impa's words were interrupted by a clattering behind her. She turned to see Zelda sitting up straight, rigid, and disheveled, eyes wide and staring ferally at them and through them.

Impa opened her mouth to gently tell Zelda to lay back down, but Zelda was already rolling off the bed and running out the door without so much as an 'excuse me', knocking Impa to the side in her haste and rushing down the hall.

"Zelda!" Impa called. She ran after the girl, but despite her words and reach, Zelda would not be deterred. The servant and guards followed after them. Impa sighed and looked to the servant, "This girl is at Shi Ketsu's place, yes?" The servant nodded. "Alright..."

They hurried out to the courtyard and Impa called for a quick carriage. Though she was fine with waiting for the carriage to be prepared, Zelda was not. Zelda rushed out across the stone barefoot and tripping. Impa had to rush to her and physically pick her up to keep from hurting herself and running the whole distance on her own.

"A carriage isn't enough!" Impa decided. A carriage would take too long and Zelda's feet were already bleeding. She was no doubt in a state where she felt no pain and was going to hurt herself. "Fae!" She pointed to one standing nearby. "Be our steed for a time!"

The Fae made an expression of bewilderment, no doubt finding this an odd request, yet seeing the crazed mindset Wisdom had fallen into, consented without complaint. The Fae formed a spiderly shell of wood quickly. Impa brought Zelda with her to the Fae and together they placed the princess on her. Impa climbed up on her own. "Take us to the inner city near the market. Go!" The Fae leaped to action. It took them up over the wall and down into the city over rooftops as quick as a horse. The capital city was vast. To reach the outer-most wall would take several hours on horseback, but thankfully it only took a half-hour to reach the market half-way into the city and bypassing normal roads.

"Shi Ketsu's abode is near. There." Impa pointed. The Fae stopped atop the house and together they lowered Zelda down to the ground. The Fae's arrival shook the house, stirring its occupants. Ketsu walked out. As soon as Zelda laid eyes on him, she was already in the door knocking him aside. Impa followed, sharing a shocked glance with Ketsu.

Inside was dirty and poor by most noble standards, Impa noted. Ketsu was too good of a man to deserve this place in his position, but with his family reputation and dishonor, no manor would allow his purchase. Impa made a mental note to assist Ketsu in gaining worthy living. Yet even all of this left her mind as quickly as it came, for what she witnessed. In the center of the dining room was a table on which laid a young woman. The young woman and the table she was on were both covered in blood. Her skin was pale and Impa saw the black aura of death surrounding her as thick as a smog. The doctor stood nearby washing his hands. A shared glance and silent conversation was all she needed to know he did as much as he could for now.

Zelda fell to her knees, in the muck and bloody mud, to hold the girl's hand.

"Sarah?" Zelda whispered.

Sarah stirred, feebly. "Z-zelda?"

"I'm here," Zelda said. For a moment, despite everything, Impa was amazed how much of a strong-act Zelda was able to pull off. There was no hesitation, pain, or loss in Zelda's voice. Only comfort and strength. "I hear my naughty entertainer refuses to rest without telling me something. What is it?"

Sarah started to whisper something. Zelda brought her ear up to the girl closely, and a moment passed. Impa didn't know what the girl was saying, but whatever it was, it didn't take long to say.

Sarah breathed out and Impa saw her aura quake. The black aura of death quaked and turned grey as the girl fell asleep instantly.

Zelda rose to her feet. She put Sarah's hands on her chest, then put a hand to the girl's eyes to shut them. It was as loving and tender as a funeral. "You did well. Sleep now. I'll take care of everything."

Zelda walked out the door past them all and stood outside. Impa shared a glance with the others and followed outside. Zelda stood outside looking up at the night sky.

"Zelda?" Impa asked, nervously.

"Doctor, make sure she lives. She just saved us all. Her survival is your highest priority." Was all Zelda would say. The doctor acknowledged the command. Zelda turned aside and walked down the street.

-Zelda-

Voices came from behind Zelda, but she didn't hear it. She didn't know where her feet lead her. She didn't know the voices. All she heard were Sarah's words as they repeated in her ears. All she saw was Sarah bleeding on the table, just as she had in her dream, and in the background she saw the alleys of Zhao. She felt the coldness of Zhao's winter cling to her bedclothes and the icy claws of Mother take hold of her spine just beneath the shoulder. She walked in the blood of kings and men, of dethroned monarchs and bloody wastelands. Smokey ruins filled her nostrils and all she tasted was ash. The dead and the living judged her calling her 'Chouhei'. The legacy of her forebear was conquest while the legacy of her predecessor was ruin, but was she any better with a vision for unification?

Zelda blinked. She found herself standing, barefoot and dirty, in an alley somewhere in Kanyou. She had no reference to determine location so she chose a random path and set herself to it. She walked for a time and came across an open street with light lit from windows.

She turned onto the street an-

Mother!

Zelda flinched back, seeing her mother in the shop.

But no, it couldn't be! Zelda was only looking into a reflection.

Yet still, Zelda glued her eyes shut. She couldn't bear to look at herself.

"No... you can do this." Zelda told herself. She breathed in, turned her face up, and opened her eyes. "It is not actually her."

She saw her mother.

"And there it is! That look! That is what I want. For you to realize who you are..."

"No." Zelda whispered.

"I am the Queen Mother..."

Zelda was little more than a harlot now, doing such abominable acts for survival just as her mother did.

"No!" Zelda hissed.

"You get your stubbornness from your father. It is unfortunate that so many just can't cooperate."

Sarah's blood covered her hands.

"No!" Zelda cried. She took the nearest stone and broke it on the window. The window was shutted and so the glass sprayed all around her, cutting her and leaving the ground dangerous for her bare feet. Zelda hissed in pain, and in looking down, saw her mother all around her. Every angle revealed a part of her mother in herself.

"Enough!" Zelda yelled. "I escaped you! I escaped all of it!"

Only she hadn't. Ryo had rescued her mother at some point and brought the woman here as well.

"It is not I playing a prank, dear Zelda, I would say it is fate playing the greatest prank on us to have brought us here."

Zelda fell to her knees, clawing and clinging to her head. It hurt. All she wanted was the voices to leave her be. She felt like she was being torn apart. She was surrounded by that woman and her laughter filled the princess' ears. "What must I do to finally be rid of you!" Zelda yelled.

"... it makes me want to piss all over the fucking heavens!"

A shard of glass laid at her knees like a knife gifted to her by the very heaven's Mother spat on.

"The most sensual part of a woman is the lips. Wouldn't you say?"

Seeing it, Zelda snapped. She took the knife and cut across Mother's precious lips.

-Ryo-

Ryo's eyes shot open where he lay, a chill ran down his spine.

Ryo shot up, reached for his bedside knife, and searched the darkness of his room. His eyes moved from side to side, but there was no one there. Yet... he couldn't shake the feeling.

-Zelda-

Clarity struck Zelda painfully. The bladed glass fell from her cut palms. Her knees and feet pained her with the glass shards piercing her skin. Tiny cuts covered her body and clothes. Pain and blood covered her face. Reaching up, Zelda touched her cheek, her nose, her lips. She hissed in pain.

The reflection was no longer Bi Ki, perfect and horrible. The reflection was Zelda, scarred with a fresh wound across her lips.

And all she heard was silence.

Zelda sat in the darkness of the street, basking in it. For a moment, a moment in her life, there was stillness. Not the numbing, cold stillness of death, but of life. Warm blood flowed through her veins. Cool night air brushed against her skin and warm blood fell down her skin where she was cut in so many places. Her skin tingled with the contrast.

"I created your parents. I created you. I destroyed your parents in the end. I can destroy you without a second thought just as well..."

Zelda breathed in and out. Her heartbeat quickly and adrenaline flowed, but as the stillness took hold, her heart returned to some sort of peace. Her mind sharpened and everything she had learned and experienced for years came to her as a puzzle joining itself together.

Zelda took her outer robe and brushed the glass aside from around her. With the immediate area clear of the larger spikes, she stood to her feet, stumbled briefly while hissing in pain, and tenderly tip-toed out of the glassy area.

Zelda stepped out onto the street and turned her eyes toward the largest spectacle. The palace stood before her illuminated by the eye of Naryu. The moons rays lay over it as a curtain, and its light illuminated the street as a rug leading to its throne. The palace filled with lights from its many occupants and the torches they kept lit, to show the world they were there as a beacon of hope and security.

"Ryo... your mother... are having an affair... and mean to kill you."

Zelda took the steps toward her palace. From where she had found herself in the city and how late it was, it took the rest of the night to walk home, but her feet did not waver. This was her home. She would be damned if anyone took it from her.

The Fae and Qin Royal Guard opened the gates for her and one ran into the palace to spread the word of Zelda's return. Zelda found a seat and sat down to pluck as much of the glass out of her feet and knees as she could. Before long her royal guard captain, Head Minister Shi Ketsu, and Chancellor Impa all came rushing to her, clearing having been in a panic for some hours.

"Enough," Zelda said. She looked up at them, her decisions made. The fierce look in her eyes made them stop. "It is time."

"Time?" Impa questioned.

Ignoring her for the moment, Zelda said to the captain of the royal guard, "Go and find me another doctor who can pull this glass out with care."

The man saluted and rushed off.

Looking to Shi Ketsu, Zelda ordered, "When Sarah is better, then take her and her household and go. I don't care where you take them, but take them away from Kanyou. None of them are to return until I say so. They will likely not wish to leave, and Sarah will only leave my side kicking and screaming, but you will take them away from here even if you have to drag them and arrest them. Got it?"

Shi Ketsu gulped. Zelda spoke with coldness and firmness that brook no argument. She knew what she wanted and what she was saying.

"I will, your highness."

"Good, return when you have taken them to somewhere of your choosing. Do not tell me where. Do not tell anyone."

"I understand." Shi Ketsu bowed.

At last, Zelda looked to Impa. Dear Impa, she looked on Zelda with such concern. Better than anyone, Impa probably understood the implications of what Zelda was saying and her tone better than anyone.

Zelda ordered her, "Chancellor, you are to send your fastest rider to retrieve the Lady Reida. Let me know the minute she has arrived, speed is precious right now." The two of them blinked in surprise. Zelda explained further, "It is time to show Ryo that he is not the only one with the cunning to have set up investments years in advance. It is time to finally take the offensive. It is time for war."