Kingdom of Power, of Courage, and of Wisdom

Kanyou's War - Nightmare Unfolding

If you do not like mature things, skip this chapter. Something happens here that is borderline not-allowed on wattpad. It is not depicted in the story, nor is it graphically shown, but it is implied to happen by context, reading between the lines, and subtext.

-Zelda-

Zelda was in a particularly poor mood. Sarah was late. It was bad enough that Impa was absent with whatever-her-mysterious-errand was, but Sarah was absent too? Sarah was perhaps a bit clumsy but she wouldn't just forget something like this. Not when she had already been Zelda's favored for a few years now, visited regularly at the royal's behest, and never missed a date.

Even if Sarah forgot, the Harem wouldn't. If there was perhaps one singular sliver of a positive trait anyone could ever construe from the miniscule relationship she had with her mother, the woman kept her end with professionalism and wouldn't allow such a mistake.

Unless it wasn't a mistake.

Zelda stopped just in front of her door as the thought struck her. Her door was slightly ajar and the guards stood on either side. Just through the crack she could make out a hint of vibrant and dressy clothing. They nervously rotated their weight back and forth between their feet while saying nothing.

Zelda breathed in and felt stress climb into a comfortable place on her shoulders. Few people would be allowed in her room, and fewer still had an appreciation for such a rich dress. Then among the final few, only one would ever dare to push her so far as to do it unannounced.

"Is no place left sacred for me?" Zelda whispered to herself. She eyed her guards briefly and said louder, "We will speak of this later."

The guards nodded, a hint of fear and guilt in their eyes. Zelda sympathized. If it is the woman she thinks it is, then they technically have no legal ability to resist her. Not until Zelda says something... which she didn't think she would ever have to do until now.

Sighing, Zelda entered the door and said, "I trust there is a purpose for this unbidden visit so late, Mother."

Her mother. Bi Ki. The woman sat in a chair beside the fireplace stroking what looked like a white fox. Zelda recognized it as being the same kind of creature as the one depicted in the mask Link had given her, and that she had temporarily transformed into by a stroke of luck for a day. There had been a rumor that such a creature had been sighted in the palace the last few days, but she had not witnessed it until now.

Bi Ki herself was as beautiful, as terrifying, and as fake as the day Zelda fled Zhao. The woman was the shining jewel of the Ki family, their most prized concubine selected by Ryo Fui personally to meet the king. She was a dancer rumored to have been blessed by the wind spirits, her songs brought the sirens to jealousy, and she gave such an aura of sexuality as to make the eunuchs sweat.

Once she may have been, but Zhao changed that. Zelda did not hide her scars with makeup. It looked like Bi Ki did. It was faint but Zelda could see the scars and difference since she knew exactly where to look. The faint scar on her finger conveniently with a ring over it, the cut with a necklace crown over it from her hairline, the damaged ear with hair over it. Bi Ki was a cracked jewel. It wasn't just in her looks, but her composure. The smiles did not reach her eyes, the way her cautious eyes either darted to men, to doors or were sharper than any knife, the micro-expressions where she would flinch or clench just a touch too much. Most wouldn't notice, but even after years apart Zelda knew her and what to look for.

It was like looking in a reflection right down to the cold eyes as they looked at each other. The differences between them were small. Bi Ki was a touch thinner and wore colorful clothing and makeup. She looked more mature, but if they were to wear the same clothing no one could tell the difference. They could pass as sisters or even twins if they tried hard enough.