Hannah, Cortana, and Kotori helped tailor Xing to her wedding dress. The dress came from the Ninja Empire as royal red trim ran down the sides and matched its skirt. Her black hair was braided to hold the bail covering her face and tiara, which was given to her by Zhen. She soon came down the aisle in the church as people stood up when she entered.
Zhōng watched as his sister was reinstated to be a princess before she could say her marriage vows. His eyes water with pride to see his sister return to her title but also still felt pain for letting go of her. He looked behind him to see Emperor Zhēngfú was annoyed but respectful to watch their sister's marriage. He returned his gaze back at his sister as the pope blessed her and Prince Henry's marriage and they kissed. He clapped his hands along with others as a greeting to the new couple.
The ball room after the wedding was alive and joyful as guests danced to songs played on low brass instruments and violins. There were tables of food stacked high for guests to eat and wine barrels cracked open from the cellars to drink. The ball for the marriage of Prince Henry and Princess Xing was perhaps the biggest party in years for the Medieval Empire.
Emperor Zhēngfú, Lord Sensou, and Xiōngshǒu marched on the outskirts of the ball as they were going to leave. "Brother! wait!" called Zhōng. He noticed them leaving and wanted to talk to them before they could. Lord Sensou and Xiōngshǒu quickly turned around and blocked Zhōng from coming closer as he approached.
"It's alright, he doesn't mean harm," assured Emperor Zhēngfú as he turned around to look at Zhōng. Lord Sensou and Xiōngshǒu nodded and backed away to allow Zhōng to come closer.
"I want to thank you for being willing to reinstate our sister's title and staying for two more weeks for her wedding." thanked Zhōng.
"I was going to be here for two weeks anyways and it's the least I can do for her. However, it won't last once our war is over." stated Emperor Zhēngfú.
"Are you sure you want to go to war against me? Brother, thousands are going to die when this is over. We can have no blood shed if you simply stand down." said Zhōng.
"And let you, a hypocritical, or her, a devoted slave to you, rule? Brother, the only reason you are willing to become emperor is to help her return back to the Ninja Empire. You are willing to go so far as long as it doesn't cross that line." argued Emperor Zhēngfú.
"Do not speak of my past like you know me, what I did is what I believed in. I am wiser than I was back then. I should have taken you back with me that night when you showed yourself." stated Zhōng. His dark blue eyes flared like shining diamonds and his pupils began to release the fire and demons.
Emperor Zhēngfú, Lord Sensou, and Xiōngshǒu trembled back a little as they stared into the Risen King's eyes. The deeper they stared, the stronger the aura around them increased. "You may be wiser, but your confidence can be shaken easily and quickly. You think you can think ahead but I'm always steps ahead of you. Your desperation is your weakness." declared Emperor Zhēngfú when he recovered. He turned and led his companions away from Zhōng and out of the ball room.
Princess Xing was dancing with her new husband, Prince Henry. She changed into a different wedding dress that was found in the Medieval Empire. Her dress was pure white with diamonds and jades running across her torso and down her dress. She stared at Prince Henry as he smiled back at her, both were glad that they'll be together forever. The song soon ended as applause of approval followed when she felt a familiar presence looking at her. She turned and saw a man with hazel eyes and blonde hair waiting patiently to speak with her. "You wish to speak with me, your majesty?" asked Tony with a bow.
Princess Xing nodded at Prince Henry, indicating to speak privately to Tony. Prince Henry nodded and left them as she guided Tony away from the dance floor. "Tony," she began when they were outside on the balcony. "I know you've changed so much, I know how much you protected and cared for me, but I'm still hurt from your betrayals. I know you didn't do it for personal gain but for my brother's and your men, and I'm glad you're loyal to care. But when Zhōng came home with a bandage on his head and told me what happened, I've never seen him in so much pain since he lost Alice. I know he forgave you, but my heart is still torn on how I feel about you."
Tony said nothing and lowered his head for a while, he knew his chances for Princess Xing were low but he still hoped. As the breeze whistle briefly he looked up to see her green eyes were in pain about how she felt about him. "If you allow me, I promise I'll come when called on. I will always be available for you." he promised.
Princess Xing approached Tony and hugged him, she was glad he understands and still was willing to be there for her. "Take care of yourself, don't be alone." she said and Tony returned the hug.
Zhōng went to find Alice who was at a table with Chief Odin. There was a lot of food piled on it as Chief Odin feasted since he got stronger and a little taller. "General Alice, may I speak with you?" he requested when he approached them.
"Where are you going with my general, Risen King?" questioned Chief Odin before Alice could respond.
"I was going to have her and my father discuss battle tactics, my chief," responded Zhōng.
Chief Odin belched, surprising everyone nearby, he was letting his Viking blood flow through him. "You can discuss strategy after some arm wrestling matches, I need to reclaim my people's honor that you stole," he declared.
Zhōng looked at Alice who grinned with confidence. He knew she was training the chief daily and caught glimpses of how hard it was. The chief slowly became a real strong Viking in a matter of two weeks. "Very well," he accepted and sat down by Chief Odin to begin round one.
Zhen was dancing with Lord Zào to another song. She was one of Princess Xing's bridesmaids as her dress flowed with shades of green with red trimming around her skirt. She danced elegantly and gracefully as she was used to dancing in the Medieval Empire. Lord Zào however struggled sometimes to keep up with her pace and when she looked into his eyes, she could see his mind were somewhere else. "Something wrong?" she asked him.
"No, your majesty, it's nothing you need to worry about right now," said Lord Zào. They continued to dance till the song ended and they bowed at each other. "I'm going to get something to drink." he excused himself.
Zhen watched Lord Zào leave her and head towards the punch bowl. Once there, she saw him flirting with a couple girls nearby as their fans fanned faster. Though he was done, she still had energy to continue dancing. She turned to look at Zhōng who was struggling to beat Chief Odin. He was surrounded by Alice, Tony, and Pablo as they cheered the two on. A sharp stab of pain hit her heart when she saw Alice comforting Zhōng after he lost to the chief. She wanted to join the fun but she never knew the real Zhōng.
Wēi looked at her daughter, seeing she wanted to be part of the group hanging around Zhōng, she saw he was enjoying himself as it surprised her as well. She wanted to encourage her to go and hesitantly took a step forward. Just before she could get closer, a hand grabbed hers and they started dancing to the next song. "Would you mind if we dance?" asked Huo as he guided her around the floor.
"Would it kill you to mind your business?" questioned Wēi but she accepted the invitation.
"Ever since telling you my brother and I's secret, anything you say to your daughter, I will listen to first and accompany you." replied Huo as he looked into the former empress's red eyes to see they were soft and in pain.
"I just wanted to tell her to join them, is that a problem?" asked Wēi.
"No, not really," said Huo and they continued to dance. A violin began playing and Princess Xing and Prince Henry rejoined the dance floor. Everyone who was dancing slowed down with the tempo. "It's strange to see the different masks of Zhōng though."
Wēi looked back where Zhōng was sitting and watching his sister dance to the calm music. She then looked back up at Huo as his blue eyes appeared to twinkle back at her. "What do you mean?" she asked as she looked away from him. She was hiding her blush face as a thought came across her head.
"All three of his friends have seen a form of Zhōng sometime in his past. Pablo saw his prince and happy self while also seeing the transition of his criminal self. Alice got to see Zhōng's bitter and vengeful self while also seeing a glimpse of his prince self. And Tony saw Zhōng's dark and violent selves. Each one was wrapped into his past and shaped themselves closely to him. The longer they stayed by his side, the more dynamic and close they got." explained Huo.
"So what about my daughter?" asked Wēi after she pondered for a while on the information.
Huo hesitated as he gathered his thoughts while they continued to dance. "Your daughter saw everything, she has seen all the masks he has worn and the monsters he turned into a couple of times. Out of all his friends, she's the closest but she's also the distant. It's because I think Zhōng doesn't want her to see his dark self. Something happened between the two and Zhōng hadn't told me anything but I think it has to do with how close they were when they were slaves." he answered.
Wēi stopped dancing and guided them off the floor, she looked into Huo's eyes again with tears in them. "Then why are you making me do this?" she asked.
"My family's honor is destroyed, my brother has accepted it and I came to terms with it. We won't allow yours to get destroyed too." replied Huo as he looked back at her. He could see she was struggling to keep the truth they shared a secret.
Two days passed and it was early morning when Zhōng was carrying his saddle to the stables. "I got that for you, your majesty," stated a stable boy. He took the saddle out of Zhōng's hands and carried it the rest of the way.
Zhōng felt empty, it had been almost a decade when someone helped him out. He followed the stable boy into the stables where he watched him strapped it to Yáo who complained a little. "Not too tight, just keep it a little loose from firm." he said to the boy who nodded and readjusted the saddle. Yáo shook his head, he didn't like to have other people do his master's work. Zhōng patted his head as he looked into his horse's eyes. "I know, but you and I are going to need to get used to this." he stated and Yáo neighed in acceptance.
"Lord Zhōng," called out King Alexios. When Zhōng turned around, he saw the king, Chief Odin, Grand Mentor Altaïr, Lord Tyron, Lord Zào, Wēi, Huo, and Zhen approaching him.
"Good morning, King Alexios," greeted Zhōng and he bowed when they were close. "I hope you all slept well last night."
"Indeed, but now it's time we continued the journey." stated Mentor Altaïr.
"I agree, however, I would like it if we travel faster and smaller than how big we are right now," said Zhōng.
"Who do you have in mind about not coming with you?" asked Lord Tyron. He could see his nephew struggle to make this decision but had come to terms with it.
"You, uncle, my sister's friends, and Jack and John. I wanted to go thinner but I know you, former empress, would prefer Former Princess Zhen and Lord Zào to come with you. But if I don't bring you but my father, then you would be furious and suspicious of my actions." began Zhōng.
"Well, I might be a little more understanding now then when I was as an empress." commented Wēi, she then looked at Huo who was surprised by her comment.
"I would like all of you to come with me, and I know that Apprentice Pablo and General Alice would come with us. Knowing this, I'm allowing Tony to come with us so he doesn't feel left out." continued Zhōng.
"Your friend is also indeed skilled as you and won't slow us down. I agree with your thinking." stated Mentor Altaïr.
"So what about King James? Is he coming with us?" asked King Alexios.
"King James is sending with us a translator who will help us with negotiations with the Indians. As for him and his armies, he'll go to the Spartan Empire where all of your soldiers are gathered as well." replied Zhōng.
"Very well then, I assume you wanted to thin the herd is because you want to catch your brother," said Huo. Zhōng looked at his father and nodded, he was impatient since he stayed two days longer than Emperor Zhēngfú.
"Lord Zhōng, may I have a word?" called King James as he entered the stables to see him talking with the other leaders of their respectable empires.
Zhōng bowed one more time at his companions before going over to King James. "Your majesty, I want to thank you again for your hospitality and joining my call." thanked Zhōng as he bowed at the king.
"I should be the one to thank you, my son and his wife have been very happy in the last two days that they have a request for you." stated King James.
Zhōng looked behind the king to see Prince Henry and Princess Xing approaching the stables. They carried supplies and were dressed as if they were going on a long journey. They soon joined them and waited to hear his response. "Your majesties, I'm honored that you want to come but I must politely request you travel somewhere else for your honeymoon."
"We appreciate your concern, but this is something we both want to do. I have better connections with the Indians than any translator in this empire." stated Prince Henry.
"But you just got married, do you honestly want to begin your new life by helping me reclaim the Ninja Empire?" questioned Zhōng.
"Brother, I was by your side throughout my life. In your darkest moments, I saw how you press through and now it's nearing its end. I want to see it entirely through, I want to see you finish what you started." answered Princess Xing. She stared at Zhōng with determination in her green eyes.
Zhōng looked at his sister, though he wanted her to begin a new adventure, she still wanted to finish the one he began long ago. "Very well," he accepted. He watched the newly wed couples smile at each other in joy. "I'll look after them, I won't let anything happen to them." he promised to King James.
"My son knows the forest of the Indian Empire well, follow his guidance when you get to them. You should also be aware I told Emperor Zhēngfú the Indians should be before he left. This should be fair for both of you." stated King James.
"Then I have no time to waste," said Zhōng. He bowed one more time before going to make sure everyone was ready. An hour later, fourteen horses thundered out of the stables heading east to the Indian Empire.
The party traveled for seven days when they stopped near a lake to take a break. As Prince Henry and Princess Xing went closer to the lake, the rest remained distant to give the couples space and planning for the war. "Grand Mentor Altaïr, what can you tell me about the Indians?" requested Zhōng.
"Like us, they're mysterious in their own ways. Even I don't know much about them besides they're good allies with the Medieval Empire." said Mentor Altaïr.
"Long ago, I knew they were the largest and strongest forces to fight against in all seven empires. They were the first to try and conquer more land but once they had so much, it was quickly taken back by the other six. Fearing to be eradicated, they formed an alliance with the Medieval Empire which was the next strongest at that time." informed King Alexios.
"The Indian Conquest is perhaps the earliest if not the first battles ever fought for land." stated Alice.
"And the aftershocks are still present to this day. Each empire is trying to gain more land by either buying it, fighting for it, or bargaining for it in exchange for troops." said Huo.
"But after almost a thousand years, the conflicts have begun to die down. I can say that negotiations have been a lot easier than when we first settled." stated Wēi. The others agreed till Huo snorted and they turned to look at him.
"Forgive me, but as long as Emperor Zhēngfú sits on the throne of the Ninja Empire, peace would be impossible to do." stated Huo. He looked at Wēi and saw she was searching for a counterpoint but couldn't find one.
"I don't think so, father, if anything while he'll drive chaos across the seven empires, he'll force the others to form an alliance that will stop him. If the armies of the Ninja Empire are as strong as rumors say, then we need all the help we could get." stated Zhōng. Huo nodded and turned to look at Wēi who was surprised the Risen King agreed with her.
"Going back to the Indian Empire, we must first figure out how far back we are from the emperor." stated Tony.
Grand Mentor Altaïr looked up at Pablo and nodded for him to respond. "At the pace we're going, we are now less than a day's ride behind them." informed Pablo.
"That's good for us, but not the horses, we'll take a longer break here since there's a lake." stated Zhōng. The others nodded in agreement before getting up and stepping out of the tent they were having their meeting in. "General Alice, can you come with me real quick?" he asked before Alice left.
Alice nodded and remained in the tent, Zhen felt a stab of pain in her heart. It was the same feeling she felt almost a year ago and two nights ago. Knowing it wasn't her business, she left them and watched Prince Henry and Princess Xing in ankle deep water splashing each other.
"Your majesty," spoke someone behind Zhen. She turned around and saw Lord Zào looking at her with worry. "Please tell me you aren't going to let him back on the throne." he begged.
"Why shouldn't I?" asked Zhen.
"Because you're supposed to sit there with me, he may be our ally but he's still our enemy." explained Lord Zào. He then saw Zhen turned her head away in guilt, he then slowly approached her and hugged her tightly feeling her curves.
"My lord, please," begged Zhen and she pushed him away since she felt uncomfortable with his touch. "Please I know you're eager but I want to do it when we're back home, in the Ninja Empire. We'll be there in a couple months, can you wait that long, please?"
"As you wish, Zhen," grumbled Lord Zào and he marched away from her.
Wēi witnessed her daughter's interaction with the lord, she frowned and shook her head in disappointment at the lord's behavior. She then followed her daughter's gaze as she looked back at the newly wed couple. Even she could see they were happy and enjoying themselves. "Tell me something, Mr. Huo. If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?" she asked as she felt the Lone Bandit's presence watching her.
"It's not a question of what if, all I need to do is to ask Zhōng to give me his watch." began Huo as he joined the former empress. "Perhaps I would erase the Eight-Year War. Without it, you wouldn't rush into a purpose marriage and your daughter wouldn't be branded as a slave. What about you?" he answered.
Wēi watched her daughter sighed and with slumped shoulders before walking away to take a watch. "A decade ago, I would have disagreed with you but now I can't find a reason to. For once, I see your logic," she responded as a tear fell from her face.
"Our fathers never wanted us to be at odds, it's a pity we tainted their legacy and peace with violence and fear," said Huo.
Wēi looked up at the old fighter, his blue eyes were open and wise, they carried the pain of failures and regret from his exile. Gone were the eyes of an emperor who ruled with fear as they were replaced with humble understanding eyes. "It's even worse that you're willing to soak your family's deeper." she said and she walked away from him.
"It's not like there's a choice," muttered Huo as he watched the lake as Prince Henry and Princess Xing were getting out.
Another week and a half passed when they finally reached the borders of the Medieval Empire and the Indian Empire. They crossed over and entered the forest that covered the majority of the empire. After another week of traveling, they were deep in the forest searching for any signs of the Indians. "What did you find?" Zhōng asked Pablo who was studying a broken twig.
"Not Indians but we're a quarter day away from your brother," replied Pablo as the two friends stood up and looked at each other.
"That's good news, we're catching him but we must be close to Indians main camp," stated Zhōng.
"My mentor, I and Tony will search around for any clues," stated Pablo.
"I can help you guys," offered Zhōng. His hopes sank when he watched his friend shake his head with disapproval.
"Scouting isn't your life anymore, I know it's the only life you know but you must trust others to do the task you used to do." argued Pablo. Zhōng sighed and walked away from his friend who went to find his mentor and Tony.
"You alright?" asked Alice who saw the disappointment on Zhōng's face.
"Just not used to being treated like royalty," sighed Zhōng.
"What makes you think that?" questioned Alice.
"Since fleeing at the end of the Eight-Year War, I had to do everything by myself. But now as my journey comes closer and closer to ending, there's less things I have to worry or care about. I just wish people didn't treat me like this, I'm still the same me that survived for almost a decade by being on my own." replied Zhōng.
"Even if you don't want change, you can't escape it. Believe me, I never expected to be a slave in the Viking Empire. Nor did I expect to rise above that place to become second in command. We all changed, Zhōng, even you in the last decade changed." advised Alice. She watched as Zhōng nodded but still felt unresolved. She turned to see Chief Odin getting battle advice from King Alexios and Huo. She smiled as the young chief asked questions of battle tactics and thirst for better understanding. Knowing she wasn't needed, she turned to look at Zhōng who was still pondering on what she said. "Come on, how about we do some practice before it gets dark?" she suggested. Zhōng sighed and nodded and they went away from camp.
Zhen was with Princess Xing and Hannah as the girls strolled around the perimeter of camp. "This forest reminds me of the ones near the farm," stated Hannah. They looked up and heard birds chirping as they flew from branch to branch.
"Reminds me of camping at school, do they remind you of that too, princess?" said Princess Xing, she turned to look at Zhen who was still gazing at the birds.
"Uhn, yes, it does," said Zhen hastily before returning her focus to the birds. She saw two nestling closer together as if they loved each other. Her heart felt a stab of pain again as she wished for that kind of choice too.
"It also reminds me when we journey back from that, how we briefly lost my brother and you stormed to find him." reminded Princess Xing before she noticed the former princess's despair covering her.
"If I may ask, what was our brother like when he was around you? How did he act around you as the Dual Bladed Ninja and the Fallen Prince?" requested Hannah.
Zhen turned her attention at the two sisters who looked at her with curiosity. "He was dark, mysterious, sometimes had no bounds and gave orders as if he was in charge. But he was also respectful, polite, wise and… and… caring." she answered as she looked back up at the birds.
"Princess, if you love our brother, tell your mother to call off the proposed marriage. I'm sure she will," stated Princess Xing.
Zhen shook her head and let a tear go before looking back at the sisters. "I can't because Zhōng will need all the forces he could get. Lord Zào has the majority of the forces back at the Spartan Empire. If I break the engagement now, Zhōng will lose too much before the battle could begin. It's too late for me to call it off, I have no choice but to respect my mother's decision." she said.
"But will Lord Zào fight for you or will he fight so he could sit on the throne with you?" questioned Princess Xing. She looked at the former princess with arms crossed as she waited for her response.
Zhen walked away as she didn't have the answer and went to find Lord Zào who was sitting at the fire doing nothing. When she approached him, he stood up quickly and stared into her confused and worried eyes. "Can I talk with you, privately?" she asked.
"Of course," said Lord Zào and the two walked away from the camp. When they were far away, he watched as Zhen was trying to gather her thoughts. "What is it that you want to talk about?" he asked.
"Will you be honest with me?" asked Zhen.
"Of course," replied Lord Zào.
"Will you be loyal to Zhōng when he sits on the throne when this is over." asked Zhen and she looked into the lord's eyes.
Lord Zào chuckled, causing Zhen to be confused. "What makes you think he'll survive the war? I know he'll be at the front lines where the battle will be the most intense. Not many will survive but if he somehow does, well a little accident can sometimes happen." he stated.
"My lord, please," begged Zhen.
"Why? He was never nice to me ever since I met him at the Old Mansion when he used to go by the name, Dual Bladed Ninja. He looked down at me, disrespected me, perhaps said or suggested rude things behind my back. I won't serve someone with lower status than me." declared Lord Zào.
"So what about me?" asked Zhen, she saw the lord's face puzzled with confusion. With a nervous sighed, she looked down at herself and pulled her shirt up and her pants a little down. Beneath it all was her scar just below her belly, it was a symbol that was called the Vow Seal. "Before being a princess, I am a servant to Zhōng," she explained as she fixed her shirt and pants and waited for the lord's response.
Lord Zào couldn't believe what he saw as he slowly approached her. When he was close enough, he touched her belly where the Vow Seal was and looked at Zhen. "So you're his slave?" he muttered. Before Zhen could respond, Lord Zào grabbed her throat and choked her as he pinned her by a tree. He then pinned her arms above her and punched her stomach to make her legs numb and shake. "I can't take this anymore," he growled.
"My lord, please, you're hurting me," whimpered Zhen, usually she could get free but she didn't want to hurt the lord.
"He must have done you, he surely had plenty of chances. I'll make sure I cleanse you from his filth." muttered Lord Zào as he ripped open Zhen's shirt.
"Please don't do this!" cried Zhen. Her face suddenly got slapped by the lord's hand as his enraged eyes stared at her.
"I told you, I won't serve someone lower than me. You are that peasant's whore, you are nothing to me." growled Lord Zào. His knee suddenly slid between her legs and lifted her higher off the ground.
Zhen knew she couldn't stop the lord's advancements and closed her eyes as she waited for what was next. "Help me, Zhōng," she whimpered.
A saxe knife suddenly flew in the air, catching Lord Zào's sleeve cuff. The momentum and the weight of the heavy blade jerked the lord's arm away from Zhen and she collapsed to the ground. When she looked up, a man sprang out of nowhere and tackled the lord before separating. Lord Zào armed himself with the saxe knife in his sleeve while the man armed himself with his personal one. The two squared off but the man was more experienced then the lord and overwhelmed him quickly. He then took the saxe knife away from the lord and planted it in a tree with the lord hanging from it.
Zhōng then turned to look at Zhen who was covering herself up and was shaking with fear. He removed his cloak and covered the former princess before helping her to stand up. Soon the other eleven members arrived to see Lord Zào struggling up in a tree and Zhen shaking with terror as Zhōng escorted her to her mother. "You bastard! Using your tricks to take advantage of me!" cried Lord Zào.
"Weren't you the one taking advantage of the former princess?" growled Zhōng, his dark blues eyes pierced with unforgivable fury as his face darkens at the lord.
"You branded her! You took her from me! You should just die for your deeds are unforgivable!" accused Lord Zào as he tries to release himself from hanging on the saxe knife.
"Your deeds are far more unforgivable than the Risen King's. Unlike you, he had reasons other than lust." accused Wēi, she looked angry at the lord.
"Your majesty?" quivered Lord Zào in shock.
"Former Empress Wēi, I'll remind you we need his forces," reminded Huo.
"I don't care if he's going to rape my daughter, I'm considering destroying my promise to his father. There's someone more suitable for her anyway." stated Wēi.
"I object," stated Zhōng and everyone looked at him confused. "You shouldn't throw away your honor just because your promise was a stupid decision. You just got to live with it, believe me, I know what that's like." he finished before walking away from the group. Wēi turned to look at Huo who had the same suspicion. Seeing she was wondering about it too, he left after his son while the rest helped Lord Zào free from the tree.
Huo was sitting by the campfire as he was busy sharpening his late-wife's old khopesh sword. The curved blade he carefully glossed over allowing the whetstone to remove any debris or bumps from its sharp edge. He looked up and saw Wēi standing above him looking down while he worked. "Mind if I joined you?" she asked. She watched as the Lone Bandit nodded and moved to one side of a log so she could sit.
Zhen was finishing washing her face, she was thinking back to the events that passed over during that evening. She never saw Zhōng's eyes enraged and her mother's anger snapped before on Lord Zào's actions. She continued to reflect as she went back to camp when she heard her mother saying, "How long has he known about it?"
"He knew as long as my brother had, he noticed my brother looking at it when they left the Old Mansion. On their way home, he let my brother take the first watch while he took the second. Once he knew my brother was out, he carefully pickpocket the journal out." explained Huo, he and Wēi didn't notice Zhen hiding behind a tree listening to their conversation.
"What did he think of it?" asked Wēi.
"He was shocked and confused, he wondered if he was seeing things but that night he said the moon was full and he could see everything as clear as day. He wanted to ask but knew if my brother wanted him to know, he would tell him. He never saw that journal again until I showed him tonight." replied Huo.
"So he has seen and verified the truth, but why would he let his honor be destroyed still?" question Wēi.
"A question I even asked him, if he knew that long why wait for my brother's permission. If I had to guess, he knew that the truth would greatly increase the speed of the Old rebellion. I'm sure you calculated as much as Zhōng that any war after the Eight-Year War would be devastating for the Ninja Empire. He told me that he knew his new place in the empire, a place where your daughter was free from captivity and he wasn't shackled to the responsibilities I forced him to take. If he spoke, he would bound them to chains of the Old that they could never escape. The Old survived through them but the New thrives because of them." explained Huo.
Wēi said nothing as she looked at the fire while pondering what Huo told her. "If I break the engagement I planned so long ago, would you help me see to it that we respect our fathers' wishes?"
"Even if we arrange for Zhōng and Zhen to get married, would they want to?" asked Huo.
Zhen's heart suddenly skipped a beat, she quietly departed away from her mother and Huo and ran to find Zhōng who was taking watch beyond the outskirts of the camp. When she arrived at his spot, she saw his cowl up and he had his left arm on his bent left leg while sitting by a tree. He was looking out from the shadows that covered his face before turning and looking at her. "Tell me if what your father said is true." she demanded.
"I assume you were eavesdropping on a conversation that you shouldn't have listened to," guessed Zhōng before returning his attention back to the dark forest.
"Why didn't you tell me?" asked Zhen.
"It's not my place to tell, I pickpocketed my uncle to discover a truth that was buried when the Eight-Year War began. I respect secrets that are kept from me, even if I know them." replied Zhōng.
"But this changes everything, you knew about it since we were fourteen. Everytime I called you or we crossed paths, you knew about it. You also knew when we were taken in slavery, you could have provided me more comfort when I was depressed." complained Zhen.
Zhōng suddenly stood up and Zhen could see his dark blue eyes staring coldly at her. "But that doesn't sound like me, I kept my distance from you not to protect you but to protect me. I know you are proposed to someone else and I didn't want to overstep. Believe me it took a lot of self-control to not give in. My heart… My heart…" stated Zhōng before he began to stutter. Zhen could see his fist shake before he swung it around to hit the tree he was leaning on. "We've changed so much since when we were five, if our grandfathers were still alive, they might reconsider the idea. I'm not the clean, joyful boy anymore, my hands are covered in the blood of my enemies and perhaps innocents." he finished with hunch shoulders. He looked down at his left hand and imagined seeing it soaked in blood.
"You told me you loved two people in your past, it's me and Alice," stated Zhen. She watched Zhōng turn around while pulling his cowl down. His blue eyes showed guilt as he slowly nodded his head. She lowered her head and gulped as her suspicions were true. "That day when Tony revealed your real name, my heart refused to accept it was true. I started to have feelings for you and even after I knew your real name, I still had those feelings but I felt that you were out of my reach." she confessed.
"It wasn't that I was out of reach for you, you were out of reach for me. Alice was too but this year…" began Zhōng, suddenly went silent and his eyes darted at the darkness. "Get down!" he shouted as he tackled Zhen.
Zhen groaned as she felt Zhōng's entire weight on her, she looked down at him and saw his eyes closed and a small dart pierced his neck. Her eyes widened as she looked beyond the dart to see Indians coming out from their hiding places. Noticing they were armed if she resisted, she freed her hands from underneath of Zhōng placed them above her head.
The Indian camp was massive as tents circled around the center where a massive bonfire burned into the sky. Drums were beaten as the Indians danced and cried out into the night. In one of the tents near it, Zhōng, Zhen, King Alexios, Chief Odin, Grand Mentor Altaïr, Prince Henry, Princess Xing, Lord Zào, General Alice, Huo, Wēi, Hannah, Pablo and Tony were each tied to a pole. They watched as the Indians danced before seeing three Ninjas enter the tent they were in.
"My oh my, brother, you were a lot closer then what I expected of you." stated Emperor Zhēngfú.
"Were you expecting me to arrive late like always?" questioned Zhōng.
"I expected you to enjoy yourself for a little while longer," sneered Emperor Zhēngfú.
"As long as you are sitting on the throne, I will never enjoy myself until I finish what I started years ago." declared Zhōng, his eyes flared up and shined brighter than the bonfire outside.
"But are you going to pay for the consequences?" asked Emperor Zhēngfú.
"You should be the one that pays," accused Wēi.
"Why should I pay when I simply took what was created since there was an empty seat?" questioned Emperor Zhēngfú. He saw the former empress looked confused and an evil smile came across his face. "The architects of the uprising are within this tent. If you kindly look at my brother and the Poisoner, they are responsible since the beginning."
"Tony may have helped you carry out the rebellion, but it was I who gave him the idea that I abandoned." stated Zhōng.
"I share the fault, Zhōng, I was the one who helped them directly," confessed Tony, he then saw Zhōng shaking his head slowly before glaring at the emperor.
"Now isn't that interesting, you're willing to take the blame?" asked Emperor Zhēngfú.
"I promised to be honorable and loyal to the Ninja Empire, I promised never to sacrifice my people. I've killed many to stop you, it's time I paid for it," confessed Zhōng.
"Then perhaps the rest of our kind should pay too, the former empress and princess, the lord of my empire, my father, and my half sister." suggested Emperor Zhēngfú. Lord Sensou and Xiōngshǒu chuckled in agreement as they drew their black katanas.
"Your majesty! Please have mercy on me!" begged Lord Zào, he lowered his head at Emperor Zhēngfú as his shoulders shuttered in fear. His actions and statement surprised everyone in the tent.
"Why should I give you mercy for betraying me?" questioned Emperor Zhēngfú as he approached the lord.
"Please, forgive me, the only reason I and my forces left the Ninja Empire was because of a promise my father made with the former empress. But recently I discovered it was a lie because Ms. Zhen is promised to marry the Risen King." explained Lord Zào.
"Is this a joke? Do you take me as a fool? My father may now be a traitor but there's no way he would agree to that proposal." stated Emperor Zhēngfú in disbelief.
"It wasn't I who proposed this idea nor did I agree to it," began Huo, he looked at Wēi who nodded to continue. "Your grandfather arranged it with the former princess's grandfather. Long ago when they were five years old, the true reason why they came to Old Mansion was to see if they could get along before they knew about their family's past. After seeing they could, they agreed to the marriage. Zhen is indeed promised to marry Zhōng, the rightful ruler of the Ninja Empire." he declared.
Emperor Zhēngfú looked at Zhōng then at Zhen, both of them scowl at him as they tried to see what he was thinking. He slowly approached Zhōng as an evil grin drew across his face. "It appears not only is the former princess your slave, brother, but she also is your fiance`. How very interesting," He hissed and he watched the Risen King's eyes darken and his face scowled harder. "Release Lord Zào, I'll allow mercy just this night." he ordered. Lord Sensou and Xiōngshǒu complied to the order and released Lord Zào's arms from behind him.
"My lord, please don't," begged Zhen, something didn't seem right with her as she noticed the emperor's expression.
"Come with me then, you don't have to die with that traitor." offered Lord Zào.
Zhen turned to look at Zhōng who quickly glanced at her before returning his glare at the emperor. "Brother, promise me you won't do any harm to her or any of them if you give it all to me." demanded Zhōng.
"You're willing to take it all? Very well, I promised no harm for the former princess and your friends." said Emperor Zhēngfú.
"Swear by it," growled Zhōng.
"I swear by the Ninja Sword and the Ninja Empire," promised Emperor Zhēngfú.
"On your name," demanded Zhōng and his eyes flared fiercely.
Emperor Zhēngfú hesitated but he eventually accepted. "I, Emperor Zhēngfú, son of Emperor Huo, promised no harm to the former princess and her fellow family members and friends as long as I live." he gritted out.
Zhōng released his gaze and looked back at Zhen, he grinned at her as a tear fell from his face. "Right when you both were within reach, the chance came like a breeze," he said.
Zhen closed her eyes and dropped her head, she made up her mind and wasn't going to change. When Lord Sensou and Xiōngshǒu came to unbind her, she shook them off of her and glared at them. "My place is here with the rightful emperor, I won't bow to a clown." she growled at them. The others followed her example as they refused to be unbound.
Emperor Zhēngfú could see all the angry stares were looking at him, he could see they weren't willing to turn away from Zhōng. As he looked at the Risen King, he saw his blue eyes staring with determination and were ready for what's to come. "You may feel cocky right now, Risen King, but let's see if that's the same after the Indians perform the blood trial on you." he stated.
Lord Sensou and Xiōngshǒu unbound Zhōng before forcing him to stand up since they were all sitting. They then throw a couple punches into his stomach and up in his diaphragm and chest. Zhōng gasped for air and spat out blood before looking back at the emperor. "Bring it on," he accepted.
Emperor Zhēngfú nodded and walked out with Lord Sensou and Xiōngshǒu dragging Zhōng behind them. Lord Zào looked back at the twelve remaining members as they stared with hatred except for Zhen who looked at him with disappointment. The lord soon walked away as the Indians came to shut the entrance to the tent so they couldn't see the ritual that Zhōng sacrificed himself to do.