-Royal Palace, Qin-

Zelda stood across from one of her ministers in a meeting chamber. He was a noble by the name of Mei Ki. So far as families went, the Ki family was massive and powerful. The Sheikah were small, so small they had moved from being a family to a clan that accepted anyone with the proper training. The Mitagi were large but consolidated at a single location. The Ki family was even larger than the Mitagi. So large they splintered and spread across all of Qin so much they could hardly be called a family anymore. The Ki family was almost a nation unto itself, with many branch families. Most of the branch families made up huge portions of the Qin political structure and so far as Zelda knew, the main branch of the Ki family had turned to gangs and mafia, but it was difficult to say without solid facts.

Thankfully Mei Ki was not criminal. He was loyal to her and proved to be one of her more useful helpers.

He had returned home with a report on Chancellor Ryo's movements, and judging from his chagrin, she wouldn't like it.

"I don't like this." Zelda frowned.

"In all fairness, High Princess, are we to like any of Ryo's movements?" The man raised an eyebrow.

"True, but I had hoped for more time to strengthen my position without him present." Zelda sighed, and leaned back. Her mind raced through the possibilities of what his latest move would mean and what she could do to prepare. Her thoughts came up short. Her tactics were simple and resources, though growing, were few. Zelda had no illusion that her capacity in court was staggering for her age, but she was decades behind Ryo in every way.

Mei did not speak. It was at once both a comfort and irritant. Zelda found useless chatter annoying and appreciated his seriousness and respect, but it also left the pressure on her to be the one to speak first and offer something constructive to further the moment. She just could not win could she? The only person she felt didn't pressure her was Link... and Ganondorf at times.

Link and Ganon were both independent, didn't hang on her every word, and were not in positions to work directly for her. And knowing them they wouldn't care even if they did. She appreciated Mei's respect but his steady, anticipating gaze made her wish she was with them not being a royal for five minutes.

"We need to inform the ministers in the capital of Ryo's return." Zelda said, breaking the silence. "Go. Call the ministers for an immediate meeting. We have to discuss what to do in his return."

"It shall be done!" Mei Ki nodded. He stood, bowed in a salute. He then departed.

"Probably the easiest thing about being a leader is delegating discussion and debate to others so one does not have to think too hard alone." Zelda heard a voice chuckle behind her.

The voice made her bristle. The person had entered in without her sensing it. It frightened her. She was an extremely cautious person and this one had slipped by. She turned to see-

"Elder." Zelda greeted icily.

"Ouch, such a cold tone. Am I not welcome?" The Elder Fae asked. He stepped in from the wall.

"You are, yet I must warn you: I do not appreciate being snuck up or spied on."

"My apologies. It was not my intention. I am perhaps far more quiet in my merging with elements than the less experienced of the Fae. I will take into consideration your wishes."

"Yes. Please do. We have doors, you know."

"But the door is open, signifying entrance, and-" The Fae gestured towards it, but he stopped short. His eyes moved between the door and her, as he slowly realized he misunderstood. "I apologize. Gateways and portals of entrance are not our way. It is difficult to understand the perspective of a mortal confined to physical boundaries by the elements."

"Mmmm." Zelda hummed without commitment.

"It would appear the idea of doors is one area we disagree on, culturally. I shall endeavor to explain to my kin to use them, if you will practice patience and understanding. You endeavored to accept our boundaries in the Grove, so I shall return the favor."

"I will try. I do not, however, agree to being infinitely patient if snuck up on. And I want to be completely aware when Fae are present in meetings, otherwise it is spying."

"Understandable. You are confined by your senses as well, senses that are different from us. We have no spies. We are always aware when Fae are near, and where."

"Really?" Zelda asked, suddenly curious. "Come, walk with me. I have more meetings scheduled today."

She rose and left. Elder walked by her.

"Of course. Fae are spirit. We are not flesh and blood as you. It is why passionate fire of Din and corrupting poison of Twilight hurts us so, for they are as life and death."

"Fascinating..." Zelda murmured. "I can barely grasp being a spirit."

"Not spirit as your soul but spirit in flesh, if that makes any sense."

"I think it is an idea I will need time to grasp."

Elder accompanied Zelda to her destination. The room was furnished to be another office, but to her surprise, no one was there. The documents necessary were missing as well. "He must be late." Zelda concluded.

Time passed, and still the man did not come.

"He is very late." Zelda sighed. It was unusual for him to be late. Having her time wasted, when she was pressed for time as it was, was disrespectful and rude. She was working hard as she could, harder than any king recorded since her great-grandfather, and this was her reward? She would be telling her ministers to have a word with him about respect.

"Let us be on our way. I do not see any point in my time being wasted." Zelda rose and left.

"You do not wish to wait for him?"

"He is wasting my time. I do not appreciate it. If he is going to waste it, then I am going to decide what to do until my next appointed time."

As aggravated as she was with her minister, she found freeing up the time was a relaxing alternative. She only had one more meeting this day, and it would be held during the evening meal. It only left to question did she wish to spend time in her library? Did she wish to stand outside on a balcony from where she could see over the capital?

A thought struck Zelda, and she decided it was a good opportunity as any. So she returned to her way to the hawkery in the palace. The bird tower was the part of the palace where birds were kept. The palace had a reserve of messenger birds to send out messages across the kingdom quickly. The tower also had an accompaniment of hawk keepers and hawks, as hawkery was a highly sought after sport of nobles.

Zelda entered the hawkery and briefly was taken aback by the smell.

"Fascinating." Elder said, as he gazed around.

"Is that an attempt at sarcasm I hear?" Zelda smirked. Andim perked up at Zelda's presence and stepped closer to her. Zelda took the hawk equipment and after fastening it to her arm, approached and let Andim step on.

"I recognize your divine right to consume and even use beasts to survive, but it leaves us... uncomfortable." Elder said.

"You think animals should have sentient rights?" Zelda questioned. Elder did not immediately answer. They descended the tower and stepped out onto the balconies leading to the walls surrounding the palace quarter.

At last, Elder said, "It is not that I think creatures designed to be animals should be treated as animals, but rather that creatures designed to be more should not be treated as lesser. It is the way of all races in these ignorant days to consider their brothers and sisters as beneath them. There is no understanding between one another. No kinship as there once was."

"Do you speak from personal experience?"

"Indeed."

Zelda felt Andim was becoming heavy on her arm, so she lowered her hawk to the railing. The bird jumped off, having noticed himself that Zelda was having a difficult time. Zelda untied the hawk's foot. Immediately the young hawk fidgeted and perked up like a puppy before a ball. Zelda took the hawk back up on her arm, and after giving the signal, thrust her arm up. The hawk leaped into the air and took joyful flight. Zelda had exercised since meeting with General Ouki, and it showed.

"I am sorry for your plight. If I could, I would ease your burden. I know now I have some power, but I must learn to use it."

"In time. What you face between our people's is the same you face between the Majora and Qin. Or any of the seven kingdoms and Qin... Has there been any progress on the question Lord Dragmire posed to you?"

"Dragmire asked me how I would unite Hyrule once more without destroying it in the process... how I would bring the other races together. I still have not come with an answer."

"Be patient, you will. You have many years before you."

Zelda nodded. Patience was difficult for her. Every day there was someone having a problem with their neighbor, or stealing, or killing, or hating, or sleeping with someone they shouldn't, and these small problems would collectively merge into larger ones that eventually reach her ears and could affect the kingdom as a whole. The kingdom never ran out of its share of problems for her to hear about.

She could delegate more work to her ministers, but Zelda insisted on hearing and being involved with as many problems as possible to gain more experience as quickly as possible.

Zelda watched her hawk ascend into the sky. It did not disappear as older birds would be prone to. She could see it clearly. It flew for a time before descending again. Only... it did not come to Zelda. He flew to a man on another part of the wall.

"Ganondorf?" Zelda wondered, a little bit insulted her bird chose him.

Zelda raced across the wall to him. The hawk stood on Ganondorf's bare arm comfortably. The man used no leather strap and held the bird up firmly. He didn't seem bothered by the talons digging into his skin.

"I presume this is yours?" Ganondorf inquired.

"Yes, he is." Zelda extended her own arm. The bird looked at her uncertainly. "Andim! You traitor!"

Ganondorf chuckled at Zelda's aghast expression. The bird begrudgingly decided to do as Zelda wished and traded perches. "Do not take offense, High Princess. He is a beast. Beast's recognize strength and certainty, and seek after it. It is the alpha that feed, after all."

"You named your bird?" Elder asked.

"Yes. I named him Andim in honor of someone special."

Elder cocked his head to the side, "Your mortal's need for names..."

"You do not appreciate names either?" Zelda asked.

"Fae do not." Ganondorf answered. "They do not believe in names."

"That is not entirely correct." Elder argued. "We have names. Fae do not procreate in the same way you do, but we do reproduce. Then a Fae cannot be born until Farore has given us a name. That name is our 'True Name'. It is tied to our souls... and to know a Fae's True Name is to have power over the Fae... Even we do not know each other's True Name. That is a right reserved for masters, as you know the name of the one who serves you. Rather we refer to ourselves by our purpose and title. I told you my name is Elder because even among my grove, I am Elder of the Qin Grove, and now Elder of the Kanyou Grove. If I step down, then I will be named another."

"Then how do you recognize each other and form relationships if you do not know each other as individuals?" Zelda asked.

"We are as individual as the soul." Elder's wooden face smiled. "We know."

Zelda nodded. "I do not claim to understand that, but I agree that names are tied to who we are. In Qin we have family names... Bloodlines. These things define who we are."

Out of the corner of Zelda's eye, Ganondorf balked at this. "Hardly."

Zelda looked at him curiously. "You do not agree? You are of a special bloodline yourself."

"Special bloodline..." Ganondorf looked at the triangles on the back of his hand. "Then all that does is damn me! If I am defined by my bloodline, then what hope is there for me? For anyone? Am I to be known as Ganondorf Dragmire, son of demon-worshippers?"

"Perhaps." Zelda agreed.

Ganondorf growled, and Elder looked between them warily. The conversation had taken a sharp turn into something dark.

"Then what is to keep me from reaching out and choking you?" Ganondorf growled. "Because the hate of my ancestors burns in my veins! Am I to be defined by that!? Am I to lose myself to it and tear this country asunder?"

"No!"

"Then what kind of an answer is that? We are defined by ourselves, not by our blood!"

"How did you ascend to rule the Majora if not by blood?"

"By proving myself!" Ganon replied.

"I cannot agree with that," Zelda argued. "It is because of our bloodlines that our families were brought together. It is because of our bloodlines that we stand here now-"

"No, it is because of your personal ambition to recruit me and retake the throne!" Ganon interrupted. He huffed angrily.

Zelda's quiet, icy glare contrasted his furious visage. She did not like being interrupted. Ryo did it insistently, and she despised him. Elder looked between them, fearing he would have to step in between the two.

"It is because of my bloodline that I am High Princess!" Zelda exclaimed, for the first time in a long time raising her voice angrily. "It is because of my parentage that I was prisoner, that I was beaten, that I endured hell brought about by men, and it is because of my bloodline that I was returned! It is my bloodline that plants my position on the throne!"

"Your bloodline had nothing to do with it!"

"If that is so that my birth into hell and rise out of it was by chance rather than divine providence! If that is so, then my great-grandfather was a fool who believed in superstition and had no business bringing our ancestors together!"

"Perhaps he had no business doing that! He uprooted my people and forced them to lose who they were so they turned to demons!" Ganon interrupted again.

Zelda continued, "And bloodlines mean nothing then Impa could have chosen any brat off the street to lead Qin, but it was I who was chosen by the goddesses because of my bloodline!"

"So you would let your ancestors define you? Because your half-brother did, and you saw how far he fell!" Ganondorf pointed at her. "Or are you like your father, one of the laziest king's I ever heard of! Or are you as your mother-"

Seeing Zelda's growing anger spike into rage at the mention of her mother, Elder stepped in and physically shoved the two apart. Andim jumped off Zelda of his own accord, as Zelda's sudden movement spooked the bird.

"Enough, both of you!" Elder barked.

Ganondorf made no move or resistance, as he was self-restrained even in his anger enough not to lash out, but Zelda had to be forced back a step. Her rage startled both of them. For Elder it was worrying in the extreme that she would momentarily lose rationality, while for Ganon it made him consider that perhaps he had stepped over some sort of sensitive area. It reminded him of when the half-brother brought up her mother as well.

Elder said, "High Princess Zelda of Qin. Take a moment to see this from his perspective. To say we are without ability to define ourselves as individuals is to deny choice and freedom. Both qualities given by the Goddesses, correct?"

Zelda glared into Ganon's red eyes.

"Princess?"

"Correct." Zelda whispered.

Elder continued, "Ganondorf Dragmire of the Majora. The Qin do not choose leaders by worth of the individual but believe in it as a birthright handed down by goddesses. They are raised to believe that Zelda sits on the throne because it is her destiny, that she is separate from others by blood, set apart. In a word: holy."

"A literal Goddess-complex." The large man grunted.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. But you cannot deny that children are influenced by their family line, even when not raised by it... Such as yourself. As you said, the anger flows in your veins, even if you choose how to use it."

Ganondorf turned his head away and growled.

"Now... I see this ideal is personal to you both." Elder continued, still keeping his arms up between them. "But you are both monarchs. You may disagree on this ideal, but it is not one worth losing respect over as kings. Remember every choice and word you make can influence millions. Is it worth squabbling over something that is, by nature, personal to yourselves, rather than of a relation between your peoples?"

"No. It does not. It does however show that uniting will prove that much harder, if we are so different in nature." Ganondorf sighed. He ran his fingers through his red hair and took a moment to rein in his anger until he was calm again. "High Princess, I apologize for my rash words. I have been a bad guest."

Zelda said nothing. She merely nodded. It took a while for her to calm down enough for Andim to accept taking her arm again, but she soon left. Her good mood was shattered.

"Least she could do is apologize as well... now I'm just being insulted as if I was the only one being a part of that." Ganondorf leaned against the railing.

"True, it was quite rude of her, but I find rudeness to be a common trait for others her age. You, though, are nearly twice her age. I would expect better from you." Elder chided him.

"Shut it."

Elder leaned against the railing beside him. "I understand. You thought you could free yourself of your anger by leaving the mountains didn't you?"

"Of course. When a dog is indoors long enough, they break things and are temperamental! In the same manner, I wanted to be let out."

"But you have only found new sources of anger, haven't you?" Elder asked.

"... No. They are not new sources... but everything I hear only bring confusion. In one hand they bring validation to the anger I was raised with, and in the other hand... perhaps the Dragmire deserved what they got. I did not expect to find answers to questions I never asked upon leaving the mountains."

"Then what are you going to do?" Elder asked.

"I don't know... I am quick to anger, as I always feel angry, I know that. I always have been. I dislike people. The fury, the rage, the bloodlust... I learned to live with it. I learned to tame it and use it. It is why I do not need a Majora mask to fight, and I can just as easily take it off. The anger was recognizable. The anger was divertible. Now... I'm confused as well. I cannot divert my anger when I do not know with whom I am angry to start with."

Elder stood by him longer, considering his words. Unfortunately he could come with no words to say to ease the man's confusion or answer his unspoken questions. His path would be one for him to walk. Elder gazed up as the sun started to set.

"It is growing dark. We had better go inside."

Ganon nodded and walked to the door. Elder made to follow after him, but hesitated. Elder gazed into the deepening darkness. Already the darkness was descending sooner than he expected, and in some places it was darker still. Unnaturally so. Elder watched longer, but sensed nothing.

Elder shook his head. Zelda's paranoia was rubbing off on him.