-Kanyou, Capital of Qin-

With two armies stationed next to the capital city of Kanyou, most found it difficult to enter the city. The main gates were closed. The Mitagi guarded every passage zealously. No one, whether merchant, noble, peasant, or soldier, was allowed entry through even the outermost wall of the city. Were it not for the letter Link showed to the guards, he and Solitare would have been denied as well.

"I-I've never seen the capital under lock down before," Solitare murmured as they were guided through a side passage.

Inside the city, people were going about their business as usual. Link saw there was no curfew enforced, and judging by their subtle expressions, people tried to pretend that nothing serious was happening at all. They seemed to ignore the main street leading to the palace grounds, though. On closer inspection, the end of the road was barricaded by soldiers at every point. In fact, every path leading to a noble's estate was guarded and on high alert. The palace gates themselves were usually closed anyway, but today there were two Fae guarding them as giant statues. Never before had Link seen something like this. It was an impressive display and a show of Qin's divine authority. The fact that Zelda was going this far made Link see it as all the more serious.

The Fae guards did not ask for Link's seal of authority to enter. Instead, they looked at Link, bowed, and allowed him entry. Even if the regular guards did not recognize him, the Fae did, and they had the greater authority.

Once inside the palace courtyard, it was much easier to move around. The guards and soldiers patrolling, which were abnormally high in number, each took note of the two teens as they walked past but did not question it. They likely assumed neither was a concern since they had already made it in this far. Link and Solitare made it to the stairs leading up to the palace before someone finally stopped him.

"It is good that you have come, Link," Shou Hei Kun said. He stepped down from the top of the stairs to greet them.

"You know me?" Link asked.

"I recognize you from years ago when we returned to the capital to see the princess unharmed after the attack."

Link gulped. He remembered feeling back then that this man was sharp and observant. It was just his luck to not only be pinpointed out of the crowd, but remembered too.

Shou Hei Kun's attention briefly turned to Solitare. He bowed slightly. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, young lady. Are you with him?"

"I am his second," Solitare stoically answered.

"And a Sheikah, at that." He glanced between them. "Impressive. Are you assigned to Link, or rogue, I wonder?"

Solitare stiffened. She had not expected such a question. But before she could answer, Link stepped in front of her and said, "Where she goes is up to her. Her clan be damned."

"Naturally, I would not impose otherwise," Shou Hei Kun replied. "Merely a passing thought. What is more pressing, though, is you, Link. I am glad you came when I bid you."

"He was the one to send you the message?!" Solitare gasped.

Shou Hei Kun ignored her. "As the one to inherit the Spear of Nayru from Ouki, I felt you owed it to him to be here, as well as the honor to carry out a mission."

Link crossed his arms. "And what would that be?"

"This I say not as a vassal of Chancellor Ryo, but as a minister of war." Shou looked him carefully in the eye. "Shortly, we will be accepting Riboku into our hall for a meeting. To tell the truth, even I don't know what the Chancellor has in mind for him, but I want you two to hide and act as guards. If I suspect Ryo to be in danger, or if I otherwise decide it is prudent, I want you to cut down Ribo-"

"I refuse," Link interrupted.

"Link, do not mistake this meeting as anything but a war of its own right. A war we must win."

"If I killed him like that, I wouldn't be able to look Ouki in the eye in the next realm. I... appreciate the gesture of choosing me, though. I thank you for sending for me, but I refuse to tarnish the purpose of Riboku's death."

"You think there is a purpose?"

"Why else are there trials? When we defeat and kill Riboku, it should be where we prove ourselves greater, not as cowards who hide in backroom deals."

Shou was silent a moment. "I can respect the ideal. Your thoughts follow a Mitagi form. I am sure Ouki, the man we all want to avenge, would agree with you, but I do not. Link, the dead have fallen and are but dust. This is war. You are a soldier. The path you walk now is at best the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell."

"Be that as it may," Link said firmly.

"Very well," Shou relented. "But know there are others present who will jump at the opportunity." He stepped aside, and Link's eyes widened in surprise. Behind where he stood, mingling and talking, were Moubu, Geoffrey, Matsubi, and Ki. "Like you, I sent for them. They witnessed the death of Ouki. Geoffrey declined as well, but I feel the rest will not..." He slowly went back up the stairs, having said his piece. "You should join the assembly, then, Link. It will be soon."

In the distance, Matsubi caught sight of Link and waved. Link raised his fist in return but entered a side door. From there, he and Solitare made their way through the halls and into the central chamber as servants and ministers hurried around them. He chose a place to sit towards the back with the lower officers and servants. Solitare sat next to him and held her guard up. Even if Link had not noticed, she saw a number of Sheikah hidden throughout the palace.

"I've never seen so many ministers before," Link murmured. The room was packed with rarely an empty seat.

"This is the combined presence of every major family and clan in Qin," Solitare told him. "Han, Kai, Ryou, Mitagi, Sheikah, Ki, Mou, Shukyou, Shiyuu, and more. Even the Majoran ambassador is here with his wolf."

Link gulped. The room was stifling from the many powerful people present. He also saw several generals and commanders, those he knew and ones he did not. He tried to see over everyone's head for a particular Dragmire but failed to see him. For that matter, the Fae with the usually glowing green eyes was absent too.

"You can't wear that." Link and Solitare looked up to see a royal guard standing over them, his attention on Solitare. "The hood," He explained.

"Why not?" Link asked defensively.

"It's fine, Link. He is just doing his job," Solitare whispered. "The last thing we need is to make people nervous."

Link whispered that he didn't like it, but she ignored him as she slowly lowered the scarf around her neck and self-consciously unwrapped the cloth atop her head. The guard's eyes widened briefly at seeing the scars, but he said nothing. Satisfied that her head was fully exposed, he nodded and marched back to his post.

Link saw her shake out of the corner of his eye. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," She whimpered.

"Sit behind me if you must. You have nothing to be ashamed of." Solitare took him up on that offer. Link scooted forward while sitting on the floor, giving her a place to sit behind him with a pillar concealing the scars from most of the room. Unfortunately they were not ministers and therefore did not warrant a pillow.

A major door at the hall's back opened, and Princess Zelda, Chancellor Ryo, and Chancellor Impa entered. The Chancellors took their places on a lower step from the throne while Zelda sat upon it. Zelda's gaze briefly glanced over everyone in the room. It slowed over Link, and he smiled for her.

She looked different to Link. It had only been a year, but he thought she sat more comfortably in the chair, more confident. Of course, he also knew it was partially a façade; this was exactly the presence she was trained to have publicly in court. But he wondered how much of it was fake compared to what was real.

"Chancellor Ryo," Zelda announced, "you have the floor."

Chancellor Ryo saluted her, the ministers, and house leaders before speaking, "Send for Riboku."

A servant departed the hall in response. It was a silent, tense few minutes while the crowd waited. A few could be heard whispering. Everyone's eyes were on the door, waiting for Riboku. Link could feel the anger burning out of them: an anger he shared.

"I hope they don't jump him like a mob and tear him apart..." Solitare whispered.

"You really think they will?" Link asked.

"You don't?"

The door finally opened again, and two new people entered. One was a young woman, and the other was a man Link would recognize no matter how much time had passed. It was the man who had fired the arrow that pierced Ouki's back.

Chancellor Ryo stepped onto the main floor and saluted Riboku with a closed fist pressed into an open palm. This salute signified a violence tempered and restrained by reason. It would be their form of an olive branch.

"I am Ryo, Chancellor of the Right of Qin. I speak on behalf of Qin and the High Heir Apparent, Zelda."

Riboku looked from Ryo to Zelda. Zelda nodded silently, conveying she was in agreement of Ryo speaking for her. He brought his attention back to Ryo and returned the salute.

"I am Riboku," he said. "Chancellor of the State of Zhao. I speak on behalf of Zhao and the king."

Ryo bowed slightly. "I must apologize for the... rather forceful means by which it took to bring you here, but I would say it has borne fruit, allowing me to finally meet you, Chancellor Riboku. I have looked forward to this for some time."

"I understand fully. A standard invitation would have been turned away when I have received a great many. My time is quite busy, but when we received your invitation, we found we could hardly refuse a man such as yourself, Chancellor Ryo."

Ryo smiled. "Oh, please. Call me Ryo."

"Then I must insist on the same. Call me Riboku. It is stifling to hear a title placed upon me so often in conversation."

"But to think you would actually make it to Chancellor of State so quickly! Are you adapting well? Chancellor is not an easy position."

"I agree whole-heartedly. If I had known how exhausting this is, I might have second-guessed my choices a year ago."

The two stared at each other a moment longer, silently studying the other. Then all of a sudden, they burst out laughing. The laughter only made Link tenser. He wanted to know what they were getting at. The room's atmosphere was so thick he could cut it with a knife. One wrong word and things could become a bloodbath, but the two men at the conflict's center were laughing and making merry!

"Link." Solitare put a hand on his shoulder. "This is their war. Be still."

Link growled, but relented. He leaned back to continue watching.

Ryo pulled out a scroll from his robes and started his usual habit of beating it into his palm at a rhythm only he knew.

"How is the king?" Chancellor Ryo asked. "The last I saw him, he was stubbornly holding onto his excellent health, excellent wine-glass, and excellent women with a temper to bring any foe to kneel. He was a young man too, just a little younger than myself at the time."

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"Still holding onto all of that with that iron grip of his," Riboku answered. "He has grown older, but he is as strong as ever." Riboku's gaze moved past Ryo. "And I see your king is also young and healthy. I am happy for all of you." Riboku saluted Zelda.

"And how is Kantan?" Ryo continued. "Our king lived there as your guest for a time in her youth, and I have not been there myself in... what was it? Oh, I want to say something like twelve years. I remember it as so much of a jewel. I swear there is no place in all of Hyrule where you can get the exotic imports of the northern lands quite like Kantan. I may live here, but I remember Kantan so fondly as something truly grand."

"Kantan is as beautiful as ever, I am happy to say. Though I admit, I have not seen it in the time you were last there, so it may have dimmed ever so slightly. Kanyou was established much later, but I can see it is well on its way to being just as grand."

"You sound as if you are not as nostalgic in remembering the city as I am."

"I admit, I am more drawn to the plains than to bustling cities, but I disagree. I believe it has been longer still since you were last in Kantan. If memory serves me, you were last there... fourteen or fifteen years ago?"

"Ah, yes! That is right! My memory slips sometimes."

"And in that time you have ascended to the rank of Chancellor of Right. Your skills are impressive."

"Not as much as yours."

"I was lucky."

Ryo smiled. "Precisely. Do not sell yourself short, my good man! You were lucky! After all, luck is merely when man's preparation meets divine opportunity! When the time came, you were prepared! You made your own luck!"

"You make it sound as if my ascension was the mandate of heaven."

"Was it not?"

"No more than anyone elses'."

Ryo clicked his tongue, turned his attention to the crowd, and said, "So humble!" He then returned to Riboku. "You may consider yourself a nobody, but I have it on good authority that you are very popular in Zhao, considering your accomplishments in the last war."

Riboku grimaced. "I consider it... stifling. I've never been the kind to stand above others, to be in rich halls, or to wear fine clothes. I am accustomed to the land. Were it up to me, I would be tending sheep and watching the children play with their dogs until my hair turned grey."

Ryo laughed. "Surely you jest! A man of your caliber cannot have such a mundane dream. I would think the one who defeated Ouki would be even more ambitious than he or I ever were."

"On the contrary. I am nobody. I am a small man in a big world and merely a tactician. In a word, I would say I am a coward. It is because I am a coward that I resort to these petty little tricks and paltry schemes. I would do anything, whatever it took, if it meant protecting my home. I plan every scheme only in direct proportion to my cowardice. I am envious of you, Ryo. I hear so much of you, and I have found myself wishing I was as ambitious, as talented, and as bold as you." Riboku smirked. "But then, if I was, I never would have stood a chance against Ouki."

Ryo laughed his hardest yet, and above them, Zelda smiled. She found she was quite enjoying this. She had never met a man who could keep up with Ryo in pure word play. Riboku had just made himself look lowly and called Ryo great, yet in the same breath said Ryo never stood a chance. It would have been very entertaining to watch were it not so serious an occasion. Yet it seemed Ryo was having the time of his life. She had never seen him so amused.

Ryo clenched his hand around his scroll. It was the first signal of the true emotion that laid inside him. "Well then, I think it is time you died here, Riboku."

Zelda's eyes widened at the sudden turn of events. Riboku's guards put their hands on their swords, and his lower ministers yelled obscenities. The Qin did not react at first, though many of the guards put hands on their swords as well. Link gulped, fearing what Solitare said would come true.

The only ones not to react were Ryo and Riboku.

Ryo continued, saying, "If you were just some strategist, there would be no need to kill you. Of course you are not just a strategist. You know it, and I know it. I don't mind you declaring yourself a coward, and your claims of no ambition are probably true. You do not strike me as a greedy man. I know this because I am. I am a greedy man. When I see rupees, I am calculating its price and what I can do with it. When I look at land, I see its potential. When I look at a village, I see what it can offer. When I look at a person, I see their value. Cowardice does not measure the man, but when I look at you, I see a man of great value who is nearly immeasurable. When I look at you, I can see clearly what I had only sensed at the edges of my perception a year ago. I see why Ouki lost."

Ryo proudly smirked. "Which is why I can also tell you expected this."

Riboku chuckled. "You are truly a talented merchant. You set the table before I ever arrived. You are right, I expected I would need to be prepared. I come bearing a gift."

"Interesting. I trust this gift is worth the price of your head. Otherwise, it would be meaningless."

"But of course."

Riboku motioned to someone who bore a very large scroll on his back. They stepped forward and unrolled it on a table the ministers sat at. Unfurled, it was a gigantic map of Hyrule. Riboku stood in front of the map and said, "If it pleases you, then with all due respect, I will assume the position of a Qin military advisor for this speech."

Ryo humored him. "Oh? A Qin military advisor? Very well, I am listening."

"First, I shall speak of Hyrule's situation as a whole. We are split between seven nations. The biggest difference in each is between the might of the individual races that inhabit them and the size of the land in their possession. This creates a vast difference in strength. In the time of King Shorlin, your kingdom succeeded in increasing in power and size many times over. Now you stand as one of the big three.

"If we were to grade them," Riboku explained, "then Gerudo would stand at the top, as they possess half of the land already. This is followed by Zhao and Qin, which are of equal size. Next is Gorondis. They are mighty and turned a vast mountain range into usable land, making their small size on the map a deception. Zora possess some land, but also much of the ocean. So much so that they could easily possess land many times greater than Hyrule. Their position beneath the first three is due solely to their lacking of interest in Hyrule matters. One could say Zora, as we know it, is little more than a colony. This is followed by Termina, and leaves Lorule as the weakest of the seven nations.

Riboku was not done. "One can easily see, based on this thought, that the five-hundred-year war would end with a victor, but that is not the case. The reason being when one nation commits to attack another, then they are exposed to the others they border. Because of this, the period of 'seven-nations' has endured longer than any other without another being conquered. If our nation of Qin is to survive and win, our target would be Lorule. While they seem small, and most of our attention is on the borders of Gerudo, Zhao, and Termina, Lorule is the key to our survival. Lorule, being at the center, is the roadblock necessary to launch an attack on anyone and take control of this five-hundred-year war.

Riboku clenched his fists. "However, Lorule will never be destroyed because Zhao and Termina will always rally a great army to aid them in a crisis. Lorule stands at the unusual position of being at the center point and protector of all. When Gerudo attacked Lorule, did not Qin aid them alongside Termina? When Termina attacked Gerudo, did not Lorule and ourselves still help? Surely this means if Qin was to fully invade and conquer Lorule, we would find ourselves fighting three mighty nations at once. Therefore, Lorule is impregnable and too important to be our immediate focus. Rather, our attention should lie with Termina and bringing their army down enough so we can focus on Lorule without fear of Terminian aid. This will leave Lorule with Zhao as their only call for assistance."

Riboku rose from where he had been crouching and saluted both Ryo and the princess. "I shall conclude speaking as a Qin military advisor. I will return to speaking as Chancellor of State of Zhao."

Riboku returned to the map. "If you look on Zhao, you will see we are between Gorondis, Qin, and Termina. Zhao is in a stalemate it cannot leave. The biggest problem is how we are forced to look both west and east. No man can look both left and right at once, and so we are faced with our forces being divided. It is our wish to consolidate our forces, turn to one direction, and focus exclusively on Gorondis in the east."

Riboku took a deep breath. "In that period, I would like Qin's promise that you will not mount any attacks, skirmishes, or invasions while our back is turned. In turn, should Qin attack Termina or Lorule, I, Chancellor of State of Zhao, promise Zhao will not aid them. In short, I propose an alliance."

An alliance.

Zelda felt her hands shake. She forced the rest of herself to still. Like her, everyone else in the room was stunned. No one could speak. It would be reasonably predictable if nations asked for an alliance after generations of good terms, but Zhao and Qin were the biggest rivals across Hyrule. It would also be reasonably predictable if Ryo forced Zhao into a position of having to give up something in return for all of Zhao's heirs. Perhaps a temporary truce or relinquishing all but a few of the hostages would have occurred. Zelda expected the latter to be on Ryo's mind. It would be like Ryo to hold onto the true heir to Zhao, teach him to be a strong king that sympathized with Qin, and return him to Zhao at a later date, causing sympathetic ties between Qin and Zhao.

Yet the reality was that Zhao stood before the den of lions proposing a mutual alliance. It was an alliance that would last only for the duration of their mutual interests, but it was still an alliance.

Zelda wracked her brain in an attempt to understand the preposterous proposal. The problem was that Zhao lost nothing from this deal. They regained their heirs, gained not one, but two clear borders (both Qin and Termina while Termina was distracted), allowing them to focus their full might on Gorondis, and in turn... lost nothing. In the same way, Qin gained one free border and a promise that an invasion of two nations would be without consequence. They would gain funds from decreasing their military spending, which by far cost the most. The only setback would be rebuilding relations with Termina after turning back to Lorule, as they would not forget an invasion easily.

Riboku also swore a pact that if either nation broke the alliance, all nations under Hyrule would agree in a justified counter attack by the defender.

This did not feel right to Zelda. It was too good to be true. Zelda glanced around the room and sensed the hostile tone had all but abated. While there were still angry looks directed towards Riboku, she also saw that most thought the proposal was a good one. And why shouldn't they? She reasoned. It promised little risk to great reward. A proposal like this was unheard of in their history, but that was part of why they thought it good and refreshing. It promised a shift, not just in the history of Qin and Zhao, but in the history and war of Hyrule. It promised an end to the war. The shift from this alliance would create a momentum of destruction and construction so powerful that all would be swept under its tide until there was one clear victor. In a way, this was precisely what she wanted, but the fact that it was Riboku proposing it left her uneasy.

"Not good enough," Ryo flatly answered.

Zelda couldn't stop herself from flinching. Thankfully, like her, everyone else was too shocked and focused on Ryo to notice.

Riboku started to sweat. He had expected Qin to go for it. It seemed Ryo would be more difficult than planned.

Ryo stroked his beard. "You have my praise, Riboku. You have a clear understanding of the war from different angles and how both Qin and Zhao might go about becoming stronger without one overtaking the other. Should we go with this, we will both become stronger, but we will still be equals. This is a fair proposal for an alliance. One could also say Qin would be the only one to suffer setback as we would find ourselves bordering all nations under Hyrule. However, I see this as a non-issue because the border by which we would extend to Gorondis and Zora is so small that it would not be problematic to allow it. In fact, we would gain potential for easier contact in seeking a relationship with them."

"Your relationship with Zora and Gorondis has been better than your relationship with ours, no doubt," Riboku agreed. "You have never been in conflict with them directly without shared borders."

"Yes, it is all good. All fair. You have incredible foresight, understanding, and intellect. Bravo!" Ryo clapped. "However, this intellect only hints at what I perceive to be your great value. If one were to put your head, with all of its consequences for murdering an ambassador, messenger, and Chancellor, against this alliance with seemingly nothing to lose... then your head still has ever so slightly more value."

"I-I see..." Riboku continued to sweat. "Shall I throw in a rupee for you?"

Ryo laughed loudly. "Ha! Now that would be a wonderful gesture. I would never turn you down should you hand me a rupee! I would treasure it above all others and wear it upon my forehead! But no... I want something else... Something in particular. You see, as I look out over the land, there is this one area that has always spoken to me. I treasure it dearly."

"You ask for a city then? I... I do not know if I have the authority to just give up a city, but I shall see what I can do. What city do you have in mind?"

"I ask for the fortress city of Kankou."

For the first time since entering the room, Riboku lost his composure. It was for but a brief second, but he jumped at the spot with the naked look of shock on his face. It was all Zelda needed to know to know Ryo had forced him into a corner.

Kankou was a fortress city on the side of Zhao that rested perfectly on the border where Zhao, Qin, and Termina touched. It also was just far enough into the border that giving it up would inherently give up the first border-gate between Zhao and Qin: the very same gate Zelda passed through on her return to Qin so many years ago.

If Qin was given that fortress for free, it would be the center point from which they could launch an invasion in any direction but still be protected enough against the same treatment. Under normal circumstances, it would take at least two generals and four-hundred thousand men to take a fortress like Kankou. Even Ouki would be stretched to claim a fortress so well established and fortified.

Riboku stared at Ryo in open shock and fear. "S-surely you jest. I cannot just ask my king to give up Kankou! Surely you would be willing to haggle down to-"

"My good man..." Ryo said slowly. He walked around the map and approached Riboku so they were face to face. In that moment, Zelda could see Ryo had won. Ryo's expression was dangerous, in control, and dominating. Riboku had lost the pace of the negotiations and was not in the slightest bit of control.

Ryo whispered, but clearly stated, "I have never once conceded to lower the price on any deal I have set my eyes upon. Your head or Kankou, including the first border-gate of Kankou Pass."

Zelda clenched her fists tightly. This moment would decide the direction Qin would go towards for a long, long time. She didn't know which was scarier: how suddenly they were going in this direction, or that it was Ryo who so expertly played the strings to his tune. While Zelda knew Ryo could only talk and act this way with her silent backing, it left her no less shaken to see his full potential.

Ryo was a monster. He was a mountain against which she was barely over the first hill.

"I... I yield," Riboku said at last. "I will sign the truce and the passing over of Kankou on the authority of the king in return for the safe return of the hostages and my... and my entourage."

"Great!" Ryo suddenly exclaimed, smiling widely and brightly like a child who won his favorite game. He clapped Riboku on the shoulder in a move that set Riboku's guards on edge and flaunted one last moment of his domination. He could touch Riboku without consequence.

Ryo stepped back, spread his arms, and declared merrily, "I propose a feast! Drinking! The finest dancers and greatest musicians! This is a cause for celebration! I extend this offer to our guests from Zhao, that we may celebrate this newfound alliance together!"

"I... I think some celebration would do us all some good," Riboku said hesitantly. He sighed, whether in relief or dread, Zelda could not say.

Zelda, having been silent the entire time, stood and finally said, "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

Ryo smiled one last time. "I am so glad you approve, Your Highness."