-Zelda-

So far as meetings went, it could have been better. Ryo had spent the last several hours giving his report in detail as to the results of his venture across eastern Qin. Zelda struggled not to fall asleep in it all. She utterly despised the man and hearing his voice only grated her; and the things he spoke of mattered little to her.

She, admittedly, was still a student from carefully selected teachers in the ways of mathematics, reading, sciences (such as they were in this time period), history, court manners, and a million other things she had seemingly no time for. Now of late she had added hawkery and swordsmanship to the list. Of it all the only ones she found relaxing were hawkery, swordsmanship, and riding. History fascinated her but it wasn't relaxing.

So to hear him spout numbers and statistics and names as smoothly and confusingly as a poet, or perhaps a ditzy court lady talking about social balls, offered her no benefit. She would have willingly fallen asleep to spite him but she had all of her ministers here and did not want to put on a bad form. In the end the ones who would ultimately be using the information Ryo was presenting were them.

"Thank you, Chancellor." Impa nodded to her equal. "That leaves us all much to consider."

"Finally..." Zelda whispered. The bastard had finished his report.

"You are most welcome, Chancellor." Ryo returned with a proud smile. "I have no doubt we do, and admittedly... it was much." He cleared his throat and smiled in amusement. "Such a lengthy report has left my throat dry and now my feet are asleep, as I am sure many of us are soon to follow."

The court laughed lightly at the joke. Zelda's eyes widened. Was he talking about her? How dare he call her out in her own court! She stirred herself fully alert and leveled an icy stare at him. He didn't seem to notice.

"Which is why I have split all of the information into their own scrolls according to subject and passed a set on to each one of you." Ryo motioned to them all.

"Of course you did..." Zelda muttered quietly. His efficiency was nauseating. That would have had to be hundreds of scrolls written for them. The bastard had his own team of scribes.

"Thank you, Chancellor," Impa said. "I look forward to going over them. Are there many?"

"Admittedly, yes."

Impa stepped forward and gained everyone's attention. "Then let us say what matters to be the most pertinent and focus our attention on them for tomorrow." She briefly glanced to Ryo and Zelda. Ryo nodded in agreement. Zelda rolled her eyes, which made Impa raise one brow.

"The most evident being of what to do with the land bequeathed to the high princess Zelda formerly from Chancellor Ketsu." One man said.

"Not so much a matter, the governors have not changed hands, have a long history and deep knowledge of their holdings, and are competent." Impa argued.

"Agreed." Ryo said. "However, on that note, it would be good for the Princess to meet with them. To connect with the governors who rule her lands in her stead outside of this court."

"Hmm..." Impa hummed. "A consideration worth having, but not the most pertinent for now."

"As you wish." Ryo shrugged. "May I suggest, then, that the matter we go over be of the wood and tar supplies? Would you say that is most pertinent?"

Impa glanced around the court, and also noted the sudden interest from the Fae Elder. No one argued this. In her own mind she saw it as exceedingly important as well.

"Then let us make that a matter to look into." Ryo concluded. "As for a second matter, what do you say?"

"Farms," Impa said. "With the return of the Fae," She motioned to the Fae Elder. "We can now reclaim land that was lost. Farm land that was salted by our enemies and turned to wasteland can be restored and used once more."

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Ryo stroked his beard. "I agree."

Impa continued, "Fae Elder, as this is a matter that relies entirely on your participation, I would like for you to have a place of honor in the discussion. I presume you will want a say in recompense?"

The Fae Elder bowed. "I would be honored, and you are correct."

"Good. Good. Very good." Ryo smiled widely. "Then I motion for this court to be adjourned. Two major matters are enough for tomorrow, and are enough to research for tonight."

"I second that." Impa said. They both turned to Zelda.

And now came the part where Zelda was supposed to participate. She stood and said loudly, "Everyone, Qin thanks you for your participation and contribution. As there seems to be nothing more for now, this session is concluded."

And Zelda did not wait a second longer before turning, walking down the steps, and out the side door.

She clenched her fists angrily. Once more the man called her out in front of her own court! She was tired of this! Was she to be little more than a jester in her own court? A girl to be paraded, laughed at, or forced to laugh and dance at his whim!?

She allowed herself a moment to vent her frustration before following as Ganondorf Dragmire taught her. Take all the darkness, take all the anger and hate and energy, and locked it away to be unleashed at the opportune moment.

Seeing the sun through a nearby window, Zelda felt a desire for the warm sun on her face. She walked out, sat on the grass, and leaned against the outer wall to relax. She did not know how long she was there. May have been seconds or minutes, but before long she heard voices in the hall behind her. She paid it no mind.

That was until she heard the words "Ice Witch".

Zelda opened her eyes and listened.

"I don't like it." A man said. She recognized him as one of her ministers, but was not sure which.

"You don't have to like it." A second man said. Once more she recognized the voice but was unsure who.

"I understand, it just bothers me to see the difference in power. Do we have any hope in fighting Ryo? He holds the kingdom in his hand. The people respect the Princess... many say it is a curse to have a woman on the throne and call her the ice witch whose gaze will freeze your heart, but there are some who heard of how the princess returned from the dead, along with dead people, and retook the throne. Although these believers are merely seen as crazy..."

"I heard it too. They say she is a specter and the Majora are her undead army."

"Indeed... but while the people respect the princess, they love Ryo. Qin will follow him to the ends of the world if he but asks for it."

"I doubt it." The second man argued. "Zelda is the heir of the Royal Family! Chancellor Ryo is a merchant! Granted, he is a skilled mastermind of a man with just the right pension for luck. There is no doubt his abilities to climb so far to the top of the kingdom. But that is all he is, a merchant!"

Zelda nodded silently in agreement. Ryo did not possess the bloodline of the Royal Family. He would inevitably fall. She had faith in it. He was just... infuriating.

"The fact that you make him sound weak for being a merchant is why we will lose. His strength is that he IS a merchant!"

"I don't understand."

The first man explained his argument, "No one is self-sufficient. No city, no village, no fortress can survive on its own. We all make something more than we need. We all need something more than we can make. A merchant supplies that need with the excess of others."

"But security..."

"Our armies live on the stomach of food and weapons supplied through carefully placed logistics established by Ryo, and who do you think it was that legalized hired guards outside of the government military? Ryo." The man sighed. "Ryo knows what people want... and he supplies it. Why do you think he goes on trips so often? The man has every city memorized down to the smallest detail! Their governors, what they need, and what they can supply. Then all he has to do is get the people in touch with each other. All he has to do is make connections! All he has to do is connect the dots! The cities benefit and prosper. Qin prospers."

"And he benefits for it, as he receives recognition and honor." The second man guessed with dread. "On the surface it sounds easy, but I feel no one has the mind to play a puzzle as grand and complicated in design as a country, as he does. Who else can balance four hundred cities in one's mind!? It boggles the mind just to consider it!"

"Qin recognizes his abilities so much they pay him regularly just for him to inspect their cities and get them in touch with each other. In truth, High Princess Zelda can rival him one day, but not as she is now. She cannot rival him as she is... because while she has the people's respect... she doesn't have their heart. She doesn't know the beating heart of Qin. She has no suitors. She spends no time socializing in court. She has not even left the palace to so much as worship in the temple! She is determined and efficient and a quick learner, she truly amazes me for one so young, but once the whispers and prestige she has earned dies off, she may be forever doomed to being known as the Ice Witch."

Anything more could not be heard as the men walked away. Zelda said nothing nor did she move, stunned as she was by the open defeatism of her servants. It left a dreaded hollow pit in her stomach. She felt like crying, but refused to. It made her feel weak and vulnerable and defeated.

Three things she felt very much right now.

"I'm not a witch..." Zelda whispered as she brought her knees up to her chest to rest her head against.