A couple of days later, Huo was walking back from the library where he had calculated the men needed to conquer the Ninja Empire. He knew they needed a massive army to overcome the forces he once commanded as emperor. Though his estimate of forces was old and inaccurate, he could guess his son rebuilt made it larger. "Father!" cried a familar voice. He turned and saw Emperor Zhēngfú chasing him. As he came closer, the Medieval Empire guards stepped in between them.
"Let him through, you can tell King James that we're telling stories of our journeys." ordered Huo. The guards nodded and left them as Emperor Zhēngfú stared at his father. "It's been a long time, son."
"I miss you so much I have a lot of questions to ask you. I couldn't believe you're alive after King Alexios told me. Even now I feel like I'm looking at a ghost." said Emperor Zhēngfú.
"Believe me, I could guess all your questions." said Huo.
"Father, I've rebuilt the armies, I've reclaim all that you lost and also gain more. The Ninja Empire has never been stronger then now." claimed Emperor Zhēngfú. He confirmed Huo's theories.
"But you made it more strict and fearful then I ever ruled. A king should be firm but he shouldn't choke his people." stated Huo.
"A price to paid for maximum security, the people wouldn't dare to rebel against me and my orders. Besides you did anything to kill Assassins hidden in the empire when you were emperor." argued Emperor Zhēngfú.
"I let my emotions control me and now every day I'm haunted by their faces." said Huo.
"Father, I am emperor, I was tailored for the throne I now sit upon. You only chose Zhōng because he was well liked and you were trying to buy time or end the war if he was your heir. Come and join me, father, I need your command experience and you know my brother can't convince all of the other empires to join him. If one doesn't joined him, this campaign would be for nothing." said Emperor Zhēngfú.
"And yet you've haven't manage to convince one to stay out of it while your brother has convinced three already." began Huo.
"He's a fool, father, stop encouraging him," declared Emperor Zhēngfú.
"A fool and a king enter a city, the fool proclaims he's the king and demands all the attention while the king remains silent and watches. The people will watched the fool as entertainment or will simple believe the fool for thirst of power. But those who don't believe the fool will acknowledge the king and he'll reward them while punishing the fool and the foolish." taught Huo, he son his son was confused to what it had to do with Zhōng. "It was mine mistake in letting people fill your head with fantasies of being king. Since your birth, I was told by the Ninja Sword that there was a better person to be my heir. I'm sorry I made you a fool so I beg of you to stand down before it is too late." he explained.
Emperor Zhēngfú shook his head refusing to listen. He turned around looked back the way he came before looking over his shoulder. "I'm going to ask King James to let me go, because I will travel to the Egyptian Empire and Indian Empire and convinced them to stay out of the war. I will tell him if I can accomplish this in three months than he'll stay out of the war too. I'll challenge my honor with his honor." he said before walking away.
Huo pondered what Emperor Zhēngfú said when he returned to the meeting room where Zhōng was discussing with the other empires how to convince King James and battle tactics. While half-listening to their discussions, he was busy calculating the odds in his head if they do lose the other three empires. He was looking out of the window and lowered his head down to see the gardens. Walking through them, he saw Xing strolling with the prince. "Lord Huo!" shouted Wēi, causing him to turn around as all of them were looking at him.
"Your opinion, brother," said Lord Tyron, he could see his brother's blank stare.
"Forgive me, but if you guys aren't discussing battle tactics yet, I'll leave my tongue seel till then." stated Huo. He saw his brother rolled his eyes back before looking up at the ceiling, clearly they were talking about that.
"Well considering you were too focus not to listen, can we still defeat the Ninja Empire if we don't have all six empires?" asked King Alexios.
Huo pondered and gather his thoughts as he rubbed his beard. "Yes, however, it will have to be the Egyptian Empire. With the forces we've gathered and the possible size of the Ninja Empire's army, we could overwealmed them by surrounding them with massive armies. However, without the Egyptian Empire, the odds will be challenging but not impossible."
"So the Egyptians will make us have a garauentee victory," guessed Chief Odin. He saw Huo nodded his head to comfirm the theory.
"I've heard the Egyptians have the best calvery and their horses can run forever in any conditions." said Mentor Altaïr.
"Sounds like your horse," whispered Jack to Zhōng as he stood with John and Tony behind him.
"That's where we got them from," comfirmed Zhōng.
"So we have to convince King James if we want to win." groaned King Alexios as he rubbed his eyes.
"Indeed," comfirmed Huo.
"But convincing him won't be the only reason why you were calculating so deeply." stated Mentor Altaïr, he could see Huo was troubled with another reason.
"I passed by Emperor Zhēngfú, my son, he told me his plans and wanted me to join him." confessed Huo.
"What's he planning?" asked Zhōng.
"He's planning to challenge King James's honor, he wants King James to let him convinced the other two empires to stay out of the war within a month." stated Huo.
"That's impossible to do, it's three months ride from here to the Egyptian capital." said Pablo.
"The odds are against him yes, but they're not impossible, my apprentice. Emperor Zhēngfú will have to gamble if the Indian Empire's main tribe is close to the Egyptian Empire's borders." said Mentor Altaïr.
"Considering the Medieval Empire and the Indian Empire have a close relationship, do you think Emperor Zhēngfú will asked King James for their movement too?" asked Wēi.
"I believe that card will be on the table as well, if not, then this is a big risk he is taking." said Huo.
"And if he fails? Did he tell you what happens?" asked Chief Odin.
"My guess is all three will join us," replied Huo.
"But we could have only one out three join us," stated Zhōng, finding a loop-hole as he stood up and joined his father by the window. "We could perhaps be stuck here for three months. Meanwhile, he could have convinced the Egyptian Empire and be searching throughout the Indian Empire for the Indians and begin negotiating to stay out as well. We'll be too late to stop him," he theorized, he looked down at the gardens to see his sister laughing with the prince.
"You could be right," groaned Lord Tyron.
"So time is shorter then what it seems, we must convince King James now," stated Alice.
"King James is looking at Zhōng's honor, is there anything he can give to prove that?" asked Zhen.
"No, other then perhaps Zhōng's purity but King James has no daughters only a son," said Huo, he suddenly felt angry glare from his son.
"Indeed, I heard you're a ladies murdurer so you'll fall in love with one if he did," teased Lord Zào, he then felt three pairs of blue eyes staring at his soul.
"My lord, please keep sensitive topics from important meetings such as this." growled Zhōng, his eyes blazed the strongest but weren't for his father's past.
"Huo does point out something, King James only has a son." began King Alexios, his voice carried a hint to continued as he look at Wēi.
"For only being here a couple of days, I noticed he spends a lot of time with Xing." said Wēi, she and the others suddenly realized what could happen.
"To my best knowledge, I don't believe Prince Henry is arrange to marry someone though he has suitors planned for him," said Mentor Altaïr.
Huo turned to look at his son who returned his angry gaze back at him. "What do you think, Lord Zhōng?" he asked.
Zhōng stared at his father with anger in his eyes raging more, the room was silent while they waited for his response. "I want everyone out but my father," he ordered.
The others look at each other and slowly got up and left the room. Wēi was the last to leave, she turned quickly to look at Huo who nodded at her it's alright. Hating the idea of leaving them alone, she respected Zhōng's wishes and closed the door.
Huo turned to look at Zhōng who sighed and looked away before returning to his seat. "I won't do it," he declared while looking back at his father.
"Why? This will happen sooner or later," said Huo as sat down by Zhōng.
"I won't rush and risk her future life for the chance of me regaining the Ninja Empire, I'm not going to use her as bargain tool," stated Zhōng.
"We are out of ideas, you and I have been stuck here for almost a month. Everything we thought of isn't good for him and now time is against us." argued Huo.
"But I want her to choose who she wants to marry, arranging one could end up her not being happy." said Zhōng.
"But she can also end up being the happiest person in the seven empires." said Huo. Zhōng groaned and stood up to go out towards the belacony. He braced his weight on his forearms as he leaned on the rail, he looked down to see Xing laughing smiling like she does to him. "Look, her defenses are down. Prince Henry could violate her and she won't be able to stop him. She trusts him completely and perhaps have grown feelings for him." continued Huo when he joined Zhōng.
"The last time you arrange her marriage was to Dolion, and I know personally how that ended." sighed Zhōng, he turned to look elsewhere then the gardens.
"You can't protect her forever, Zhōng, baby birds need to fly and build their own nest." told Huo.
"Why can't I? I've been with her since she was born. I've played with her, I've defended her, I've protected her, I'm her sole guardian." listed Zhōng.
"You are a better father then I ever was for her. Yah's last child and I kept my distance for her entire life. I know you are scarred from past experience but the prince is different. King James we know is a very wise man, he's strict with his son which tells me he cares deeply about him as you do with Xing." said Huo.
Zhōng entered back inside the room, he gripped his chair and his shoulders shuttered. He felt torn between his selfish desires and his sister's. He wanted her to be happy but he didn't want to be far away from her permentately. "Was I ever promised to marry someone?" he asked as turned to face Huo.
Huo could see his son's blue eyes showed they were vulnerable as well as torn. As tears began to form in Zhōng's eyes, Huo knew it wasn't wise to lie to him. "When you become emperor, I will tell you who you were promised to marry." he promised, hoping to delay the inevitable. Zhōng nodded and left the room, when he was gone, Huo took out the diary of his father's.
Prince Henry was escorting Xing throughout the gardens, though she toured it hundreds of times during their stay, she always found it lovely with him. A flower sudddenly caught her eye and she went to get a closer look. It had blue pebbles fading to white near its center, she seen this flower so many times before in her uncle's garden. "Are these Egyptian Blues?" she asked.
"Yes, I got them at the marketplace. The Egyptians were selling those as trade and I figure I should try. It wasn't easy and this one is the only one that made it." said Prince Henry.
"My mother and brother grow them too, my brother said it was difficult too but once they started growing, it was easy to grow more." said Xing. She knelt down and gently touched the pebbles to check the flower's health.
"I heard Old Mansion in the Ninja Empire could rival our gardens, I know most of them were planted by your mother. Would you say that is true?" asked Prince Henry.
"In its prime years, the gardens at Old Mansion could very well be more beautiful then here. However, its recent hosts has slowly let the garden be taken up by weeds." said Zhōng as he suddenly appeared behind them.
"Brother," exclaimed Xing as she got up and wiped her dress clean from dirt.
"Lord Zhōng," greeted Prince Henry with a slight bow.
"Prince Henry," acknowledge Zhōng going lower then the prince. "I do apologize for interrupting but may I speak with my sister alone?" he asked.
"Of course, I should get back to my duties anyway," accepted Prince Henry. He bowed one more time and left them.
"So what do you want to talk about?" asked Xing when they were alone.
"Oh just wanted inform you everything you've missed in the meetings and to know if you been liking this empire." said Zhōng as they began walking in the gardens.
"Well it is different from all the other empires but I feel safe and comfortable here. I met so many lords and ladies thanks to the prince and heard how lovely their feifdoms are to see." began Xing.
"They could be putting on a face and lying to you," warned Zhōng.
"You're right, I've noticed a few and I sense jealousy when I speak to them. But most are indeed telling the truth and I don't sense that they're being force to either." stated Xing.
"Tell me about the prince, do you sense any hidden agenda with him?" asked Zhōng.
"He's honest and caring, he's kind and gently, he reminds me a lot like you." replied Xing.
Zhōng stopped and looked at his sister, he was confused to what she said. "I don't think I'm honest, kind, or gently," he said.
"You were when we were growing up and even now I can see you're being honest, caring, kind, and gently. I can see you're trying to do what you think is best for me." said Xing. She turned around and looked into her brother's dark blue eyes. The same eyes she saw that were happy and honest, pain and despair, determination and anger, broken and fear, violent and destructive, and now reborn and focus.
"If I tell you I'm afraid of losing you, what will you do?" asked Zhōng, he looked back at sister's green eyes as his shoulders shuttered with fear and worried.
Xing appoarched her brother and hugged him tightly, she can feel he was torn like she was. Part of her wanted to stay with her brother but another part told her to follow her feelings. "I love you, Connor. I love you, Truman. I love you, brother. I love you, Zhōng. You always came to help me, rescue me, protect me, I am grateful for everything you did. But there's someone else I can't stop thinking about in my life. I… I… I love him." she confessed.
Zhōng hugged his sister back, from the time she was born till now he protected her. But now it's time to hand the mantle over to someone else and let Xing go. The last thing he could do for his sister was to make sure the prince had the same feelings for her.
Zhōng was walking towards the throne room after comfronting his sister. When the doors opened, he saw Emperor Zhēngfú leaving with a smile. "I heard about your proposition, I assume he accepted." he guessed.
"Indeed, I leave in two weeks. Though I much rather leave sooner, it at least gives you a chance to convince him otherwise." stated Emperor Zhēngfú.
"I know your loophole too, I'm surprised King James didn't see it." stated Zhōng.
"He gave me his word, it's too late to go back on it." said Emperor Zhēngfú, he then continued to walk away and Zhōng entered the throne room.
Zhōng slowly appoarched the throne where King James was sitting on. "King James," he greeted with a deep bow.
"Lord Zhōng, I'm surprised you're alone this time." stated King James.
"The reason why I come is not to convince you about my honor but to request something." stated Zhōng.
"And what is that?" asked King James, an eyebrow rised up as he was curious for Zhōng's purposal.
Zhōng hesitated, he felt timid in the room as he was about say something he wasn't fully to terms with. The silence only increase the pressure and he wanted to disappeared into the shadows. "If… it's… alright w-with you, m-may we talk in the gardens?" he stuttered out. He watched as King James looked at him confused to his request. He was now trembling as he waited for the king's response.
"Very well," accepted King James, seeing that Zhōng was uncomfortable standing here.
They went to the gardens and began walking through them. With no guards and just them, Zhōng felt much better and comfortable. He waited a little further down to speak as he gathered his thoughts. "Your son, Prince Henry, is he betrothed to someone yet?" he began.
"No, but he has suitors, although it's difficult to get him to dance with them once your party arrived." said King James, he now had an idea what Zhōng was going to request.
"I don't want this to be part of the negotiations, if anything, I want this to be for my sister." began Zhōng.
"For your sister?" repeated King James.
"Indeed, she is pure and kind, she's strong and determine, she can be mischievious and rebelious sometimes, but she makes up with her caring nature. I want her to be happy and not worry about the dangers she and I experience countless of times anymore." said Zhōng.
"So you're willing to arrange this marriage even though you want nothing in return other then your sister to be happy?" asked King James.
"Yes, that's all I'm asking," confirmed Zhōng.
"What makes you think I'll accept?" asked King James.
"Your son always comes to my wing to see Xing. Everyday I watched them walk through the gardens talking and laughing as they explore. If you don't approve to this, why did you let him?" questioned Zhōng.
King James stop and looked at Zhōng who stared back, he could see the twenty year old boy was aware and experience. His dark blue eyes glowed with wisdom and curiousity to his question. He knew better then to brush it off and move on, the young man will keep pressing him. "I lost my wife on a trip to one of the northern fiefdoms in my empire. She was ambushed by bandits and I couldn't get there in time. Her men were killed, her maidservants were taken and raped, and everything valuable was stolen. When I arrived with reignforcements, the bandits were gone and I found my wife beaten and cold as I touched her skin. I spent the next couple of weeks searching the lands to find those bandits. When we did, I gave them a slow and sufferable way to die. I can still hear their screams as we walked away. When I arrived back here, it was hard for me to tell my son that she was gone." he began.
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Zhōng.
"But that's when you know it's love, it hurts when you let them go," continued King James. He saw Zhōng nodded his head in agreement before sensing someone else was there. "My son, since you like to eavesdrop, would you care to share your feelings about Miss Xing? Do you love her as she loves you?"
Prince Henry came out from behind a tree, he felt guilty for being caught but his heart was racing from what Zhōng said. "Father, Lord Zhōng, forgive me for my curiousity of your conversation. Lord Zhōng, I promise you I will love her back, I too have found Miss Xing attractive. She is exactly how you described and I learned a lot about you through her. I understand what you must be feeling right now, Xing told me about her last betrothed but I will not treat her like that." he spoked.
"Hearing you say that is comforting and though my heart doesn't want to let go, I will put her in your care. Keep her safe and give her the love she deserves to have." stated Zhōng.
"I shall," promised Prince Henry, he bowed deeply at Zhōng.
Zhōng then turned to look at King James who nodded in agreement. "Thank you, King James, I shall go inform my sister." he stated and began walking away.
"We are not done talking, Lord Zhōng," stated King James, freezing Zhōng from going away. He turned around confussed as he looked back at the king. "I must congratulate you for passing my test."
"King James, this is not my intention. I will not used this as a way to win your favor." refused Zhōng.
"Do you know what honor is?" asked King James. Zhōng was about to answer before a hand from King James told him to remain quiet. "Honor is doing what is right for the empire. If loyalty is for protecting the empire, then honor is for protecting the things dear to you. When our ancestors recieved our powerful weapons, they promise as their third and final vow was to be honorable and loyal to the countries we now rule. Never start a reason to fight by sacrificing our people or tell them false information. They look up to us to lead them, to be there even after they disown us. It's a burden I know you carry hard but you must do what you need to survive. I was not fond of that but I can see that even though you hid for a long time, you're not cunning or willing to sacrifice your own. To me, you are have shown what I requested and I promise you, now and forever, Princess Xing will be safe and my son will be an honor and loyal husband."
Zhōng knelt down and bowed his head in gratidude and in awe of King James wisdom. "Please keep her safe," he requested before raising his head up to see the king.
"She'll be safe, and Medieval Empire will join you to take back the Ninja Empire." promised King James.
Zhōng walked through the hallways till he approached his sister's quarters. He knocked and opened the door to see his sisters, Zhen, and their friends laughing and smiling till he came in. "If I may, girls, princess, may I speak with Xing alone?" he requested. The girls nodded and left from the door he entered. Zhen was the last one and when she passed Zhōng, she could see his shoulders shuttering in sadness and in joy. When the girls were gone, he appoarched Xing and hugged her, catching her a little bit by surprise. "We're going to need a wedding dress for you." he finally said as tears began to roll.
Xing's heart skipped a beat from her brother's words. She hugged him back tighter and cried into him as well. "Thank you, thank you, brother," she whimpered and they cried together in joy.