Kingdom of Power, of Courage, and of Wisdom

Rebel's War - Fun and Games

-Zelda-

Zelda stood on the hill looking over the rest of the camp and the fortress beyond. The fortress had returned into Mitagi and Qin hands, and the people were being escorted back. A massive gathering of men and woman moved over the valley back to their home. Along with them were supply filled caravans provided by the city.

Though it was good, a part of the report made Zelda frown. Word of Mitagi's fall had spread quickly on the wings of a messenger to the palace, and Ryu had stepped out of his self-imposed exodus to take command in her absence and have repair efforts provided from the nearby cities and forts. She knew all of this by the simple document that Chancellor Ryu had signed for these things to be done. Chancellor Impa also signed the order below his name, but Zelda knew Ryu would be the one to gain a token of prestige from the work. Zelda was absent. She was here, at Mitagi, but she felt powerless. She had shown face here, and presided over a dispute between two clans of Qin, but she hadn't been at the palace to stand before her ministers and give the order in a way that would give her honor.

A frightened squeal drew Zelda attention. Sarah scampered up the hill towards camp, only to be terrified of a little creature who she was desperately trying to avoid. However, the creature, a little mouse, blocked her path completely. The two were left at an impasse until the mouse decided to move on to its next hiding place. Zelda's concubine picked up her skirt and ran up the grassy hill towards her.

Zelda smiled in amusement briefly, before returning her attention to where it belonged. Seeing the people again made her frown. Her brows knit together in frustration.

"You can't be everywhere at once, you know," Sarah said from the side.

Zelda narrowed her eyes briefly. "Are you a mind reader now?"

Sarah smiled knowingly, patted down her skirt, and pretended to be nice and innocent. "Your countenance has been sour since you read the notice. I don't have to be." This only made Zelda's composure sour further. Sarah laughed. "You aren't that easy to read for most. No need to fret."

"Stop reading my mind. Now this is becoming scary." Zelda saw no one else was near, so while it was impolite and unprofessional, she could allow Sarah to seem smug. Zelda sighed theatrically. "Whatever happened to the nervous, stuttering girl."

"Well, I nearly died. Multiple times. Then she was threatened by a Dragmire with half of his mind gone. Compared to them... Well..." She left the sentence unfinished.

"I am not what? As scary?"

"As mad."

Zelda snorted. Some would argue with her on that. Zelda knew she wasn't the most stable person, and so far as Sarah and Impa told her, she was also in the thralls of the most chaotic years of her life before becoming a woman. She had to admit that Sarah had a point. Her little concubine had braved untold terror and looked death in the face just by fervently standing by her side. Experiences like that would shape a person. How she was terrified by a mouse was beyond her.

Zelda changed the subject. "I need to be at the capital soon. If Ryu has returned from his self-imposed exile, then that means his plan will be set in motion, and I cannot trust him to not take some action against me in my absence."

"But... Impa is there."

"That is perhaps the only reason I will still have a throne to sit on."

"You can't really think that, do you?" Sarah asked, surprised. "Ryu has worked with you when Zhao attacked. Ryu stepped away and now has sent aid. He even was the one to place you on the throne. I mean, he did play a part with the assassin, but... if he truly wanted the throne, wouldn't he have taken it by now?"