-Genyuu Pass, Zelda-

"On behalf of Qin and the throne of Qin, I thank you for meeting with me on behalf of the Mitagi clan, Ouki Mitagi." Zelda greeted with her head high. "I hope this meeting will bring about a prosperous age and strong friendship between Qin and the Mitagi that will last many generations."

Ouki raised an eyebrow. He slowly leaned over towards where his English friend stood. "What is she doing?"

"She is being formal, sir."

"Ah." Ouki leaned back to a straight position. "Well, there is no need for that. I merely wanted to meet you on a whim. Have you ever tried English tea? Its addicting. You should try it. My friend makes the best tea there is. Our Qin tea pales in comparison!"

"You flatter me, sir."

"I can't say I have." Zelda blinked in surprise. The sheer casualness Ouki handled her greeting threw her off guard. Seems Elder was right in saying Ouki was whimsical. She wanted Ouki's loyalty, but if he was too whimsical than could she truly trust in his loyalty to be solid?

"You haven't?!" Ouki asked. His eyes grew wide in surprise. "We must fix that! Englishman, do the thing!"

"I shall prepare a batch, sir." His attendant bowed and left.

Zelda watched the soldier march off. The man wore ceremonial armor befitting a general, yet he served Ouki in the extent of a servant. Was it loyalty? Was it friendship? A debt? Or was Ouki merely supreme to other generals to this extent?

Just who was the Englishman? Zelda was familiar with every general in Qin and their accomplishments, and she knew nothing of this mysterious blond-haired, blue-eyed, funny mustache man.

"You seem to have a strong understanding with him." Zelda observed. "Just who is he? Did he earn his rank? I have heard nothing of him."

"Ah, him." Ouki chuckled. "I assure you, Princess, he is a beast in his own right. He is my champion and second for a reason. However you, and the court, have heard nothing of his accomplishments because he is a star. You cannot see stars in the day against the glory of the sun, but at night, when the sun is gone, the brightest star leads the way."

"And you consider yourself the sun?"

He shrugged. "It is a metaphor."

Ouki walked to the side of the wall, and Zelda looked back to the Englishman as he disappeared. She knew nothing of him, but Ouki had declared the man was more or less his heir. Did 'guiding light' mean she could depend on the mysterious man in the future?

She heard Ouki take a deep breath in the wind. "I love this. Standing here it feels like I can see all the way to the end of Qin. You know... Shorlin stood here right by me on this wall. Our enemy was before us and Shorlin said 'Ouki, all you see is your playing ground. Fly as far as your wings can take you, and conquer it in my name.'"

Ouki looked back at Zelda with a knowing smirk. "Did you pick this wall for the nostalgia?"

Zelda walked to his side and looked over the distance. "I considered you as a soldier who had spent his life at war. Your home is not a mansion or palace, but a tent. A field. A wall."

Ouki laughed. Zelda felt her cheeks go red from embarrassment. He was truly loud and boisterous.

"And already you have me more understood than your father!" Ouki declared.

Zelda felt a bulge in her throat. She didn't think much about him. In truth she knew nothing. He had few writings, few letters, and didn't socialize with Abhdan. The only one who would tell her anything about him was Impa, and that wasn't much.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"Did you know him?" Zelda asked.

Ouki looked down at her out of the corner of his eye. His constant present smile and cheery attitude dimmed as he saw through her attempt to conceal her feelings of the matter. Despite her attempt, she had choked the words out, and just asking the question was enough of a hint to her thoughts.

"No, I am sorry, but I would like to think I do because I saw him in Prince Kyou. Your father wasn't foolish and childish, but was just as much willing to become a puppet to a certain Chancellor."

"Chancellor Ryo." Zelda breathed.

Ouki nodded. "Not like I have much of an opinion on the matter one way or the other. That's politics. Ryo rescued him from Zhao, gave him the power to rise above his siblings, gave him his wives and concubines, and ran the palace. Perhaps that's just how their relationship worked. Your father earned a smooth kingship and an easy life as a figurehead, and let Ryo take the reins. Despite how much you will see Ryo and I clash, I respect the man. He is a strong fighter. I wouldn't want to enter the ring with him."

That surprised Zelda. "But you are stronger than Ryo! Ryo has never been able to defeat you!"

"Princess, the best way to win a fight you cannot win is to deny the battle. Ryo cannot defeat me in war, so he does not try it. I cannot defeat him in politics, so I do not enter into it."

It was a sobering thought. Zelda believed Ouki supreme, able to defeat Ryo with ease. But it seemed that wasn't the case. Ouki did not want to fight Ryo in Ryo's game. Nor did Ryo want to fight Ouki in Ouki's game. No wonder the two were seen as rivals and equals at once, the two were always dancing around each other.

But just because Zelda could not defeat Ryo with Ouki alone, did not mean there was no benefit. To gain Ouki's loyalty was still an amazing boost to her political power. His approval alone would earn her so much notice and standing in court.

Ouki wasn't as invincible as rumor was, but his refusal to fight Ryo on Ryo's terms made him perhaps more so, because it made him wiser than Zelda initially thought.

"Unfortunately I am too engulfed in politics to be able to do that." Zelda bemoaned her situation.

"I am sure you will be well. You will either learn to overcome him or you will be defeated. Yet, be thankful, you are a royal. Even if he defeats you, your life is sacred. He would not dare kill you without being called kingslayer."

"Hardly a comforting thought." Zelda mused. "You suggest life imprisonment in a cold dark corner to be better than death?"

"Well, yes. You disagree?"

Zelda thought for a moment on how to phrase herself. "Those who have lived their life to the fullest may fear death more, but I..."

"Alright, alright!" Ouki exclaimed. He waved his arms around. "Enough of this! Talking of such depressing topics spoils the day! Let us put such things behind us for another day, and enjoy this one. Come! Let us have a contest!"

"I-" Zelda wanted to argue, she wanted to talk of practical things. But Ouki put his gigantic hands behind her back and guided her over to another part of the wall.

"There is nothing over here..." Zelda observed. "It's exactly the same as before."

"Ah! But there is! That area is the depressing side. This is the enlightening side!"

Zelda sighed in exasperation, sucked in her breath, and released it slowly. Ouki asked, "Tell me, princess. What do you do for fun?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, come now! Surely you do something in your free time."

Zelda wracked her brain. As far back as she could remember the idea of 'fun' was beyond her. All she could remember was survival and struggling. Her older years were proving to be just as much a struggle as her younger ones, only of a different nature. The only free time she had was in her chambers, and even that was no longer completely her own. She was expected to have a concubine every night. Thankfully the minister who worked in that area respected her wishes and the only concubine Zelda saw was Sarah, who wasn't a complete slut in Zelda's eyes like the rest. Sarah was actually proving to be reasonable company. If it worked out, Zelda might consider seeing more under the same terms.

No, now that Zelda thought about it, there might have been brief times she had fun. Mocking Link amused her, riding the horse with Ganondorf Dragmire through the mountains had been thrilling, being with the Elder Fae was relaxing... but there was also a memory of Impa training her to use the bow. After Zelda grew attached to the bow after their escape, Impa taught her. It was good memories. Fun memories. Even bonding ones at that.

Zelda missed Impa.

"I enjoy riding and archery." Zelda decided. Ouki found it amusing. Zelda blushed. "You mock me?"

"Not at all princess, in fact the opposite. I think it inspiring of you. Girls your age think only of looks, dresses, and wooing men. Pale shadows of a real woman in my eyes," He chuckled. "If you were older I might consider offering myself as a suiter."

"I'm flattered." Zelda replied flatly. Was it really that odd that she enjoy the freedom of riding and some pride in archery? She suddenly felt self-conscious as a girl. Yet he also kinda-sorta-implied she was worthy of taking a pass at.

Like Mo-

Zelda clenched her fists painfully tight. The hell she would allow anyone to make a pass at her. She would rather die than have a suitor.

Not noticing her constantly shifting emotions, or not bothering to notice, Ouki said, "Then princess. Let us make our first contest one of archery, yes?"

"As you wish," Zelda nodded.