-Qin Army, Link-

What is there to do to describe a situation such as the one Link found himself in other than how unprepared he was?

All of his life he had wanted it, had worked for it, had striven for it, but like a dog chasing a cart, he didn't know what to do with it when he finally took hold of it. He had gone to Ouki for training for this moment, but it seemed to Link that Ouki's method of teaching, now that he was finally in a fashion under Ouki directly, was to throw him to the wolves. With Ganon and Kagami, this would be both literal and figurative.

"How do you know him!?" Hei exclaimed. He took hold of Link's shoulders and shook him. A sentiment voiced by many of the hundred.

"Zelda sent me to be trained by him." Link replied. He shoved Hei off.

"The insolence! To refer to the High Princess by her name and not her title!" another yelled.

"It's 'cause I know her personally! We're friends!"

"Again the insolence!" A third yelled. At this point some wanted to strangle him for his disrespect to the throne, as it is proper to refer to Zelda by her title. But Link referred to her in a manner showing familiarity and equality, which is insolence and disrespect at best and treason at worst.

"As if the High Princess would send a child slave like you to train under the High General!" Several voiced a similar disbelief.

"She did! Ask him!" Link rebutted them.

"We can't just go and ask Ouki! We are not so disrespectful to demand answers of him!"

"Then quit your belly aching and go with it!" Link yelled at them.

"You lie!"

"I am not lieing!" Link defended himself. He looked to Ganon. "Help me, here! You know the truth of the matter!"

"Don't bring me into this." Ganon replied. He was rather disgruntled to be given attention so suddenly in a loud and annoying situation. He was content to stay back and leave them to their foolishness.

"Ganondorf Dragmire! You are king of Majora, an ally to Qin, are you not?" One of the hundred asked, the old man who had managed to survive multiple battles. Though 'old' can be by different standards, as he is in his forties. "Surely you can put the matter to rest."

So it seemed this man was knowledgeable. That was unfortunate. Ganondorf sighed, raised himself, approached Link, picked him up by his shirt for all to see (to Link's protest) and said, "The boy has the trust of the Royal Family of Qin. He protected the Princess with his own blood and sword multiple times, and followed her into dangers he was never asked to. In return for his service the Princess granted him freedom, and Link requested the smallest of boons offered to him, as he could have asked to be adopted by a noble family and would have received it."

"I WOULD HAVE WHAT?!" Link exclaimed. His shock was equally portrayed among the one-hundred.

Ganon continued, "As a bonus, for his humility and honesty, the Princess does see him as someone worthy of a private audience and he is welcome in her palace at any time."

With that said, the one-hundred were numb with shock. Their eyes wide and unblinking, and some sweated purely from the brain power needed to comprehend the barbarian king's words. Ganon dropped Link in their midst and returned to standing outside the masses where he could have more space. Link was stunned, not having known before just how large of a boon he could ask for from the princess. He had already thought asking to be trained by Ouki Mitagi was pushing it, but could it really have been the smallest boon?

Why didn't he ask to become a noble's son or ward?! Link yelled out his frustration.

As for the one-hundred, with the matter settled, they did nothing short of hero worship. They had been in awe when Ouki had berated with Link for all to see, though it was unknown what was said. And they had been in awe when Ouki openly praised Link and promoted him (a normal occurrence really in the military on campaigns). Now their awe had reached a point where they would follow him into death itself if it meant kissing his toes. He had become akin to a saint or immortal of sorts.

And this is perhaps literal. The Royal Family is considered descended from the Goddesses, so thereto they are demi-gods in the eyes of the people. This is a natural part of politics in ensuring the bloodline stays on the throne, and is how the world operated at the time. Religion and government were inseparable. Anyone who serves the Royal Family, guards the Royal Family, or generally is accepted by the Royal Family, is akin to a saint depending on the level of honor given from the servitude or acceptance. But to be buddy with the Royal Family on a personal level? To be on a personal name basis with the Royal Family? It was as if Heaven opened up and dropped an angel in their lap...

Or at least one of its misfits.

Hei and Tou, thankfully to him, were not moved too far. They were amazed and shocked, but they knew Link growing up. They had wrestled with him, worked with him, eaten his atrocious cooking, shared their dreams and life with him, even bathed with him in the river on washing day. These two had the most realistic perspective of Link still, though it can be understood if they felt he had changed into a bit of a stranger since he left the village.

Link recovered from his stupor to find the men no longer berating him, and it pleased him.

They assembled their tents a stone throw away from the main army of Moubu and at once Link set to learning their names. He set as much as he could to memory and it amazed him how far and wide these men had come. These were men conscripted from all across Qin to stop the invasion, and it showed in their home of origin and in their backgrounds. Mostly they were farmers, followed by blacksmiths, bread makers, merchants, inn keepers, stone masons, tree cutters, wood carvers, bow makers, sword smiths, armor smiths, retired guards, and on and on. Some were fathers, some were sons to a father who could not go to war to an injury, and many were either bastards or had lost their father to war. One, the man with the tattoo on his face, was the illegitimate son to a disgraced noble, and all he had received from his father was a sword and a recommendation to a sword master.

In the meantime, Link kept a distant eye on Solitare when he could sense him. He didn't want to have to question the boy's loyalties, but the words of Ouki had penetrated him deeply. Link hoped he would not be forced to consider his newfound friend an enemy, and he prayed it would not come to it. Until such a time came, he vowed, he would not change toward the Sheikah. Better to smile and be in good graces than to rebuff him and give him a reason to turn on Link. For that matter, Link wondered whether Solitare was on a mission from the Sheikah, or if he was ignorant. Did all the Sheikah know of him? Would Solitare report back to the Chancellor of him? Link knew his name would reach the Chancellor's ears on its own thanks to his promotion, but he hoped it would not be from Solitare's lips. Despite their little interaction Link felt fond of the boy.

Wanting to put his best foot forward, Link asked Ganon, Solitare, and the man with the facial tattoo, named Kyo Gai, to advise him.

"So uh... what do I do?" Link asked.

"Why are you asking? Don't you know how to lead? Why did Ouki put you in this position but to do it? You did earlier. What's the difference?" Kyo Gai asked.

"There is a vast difference in leading on a battlefield and leading outside, not to mention scale." Ganon replied. "I don't mind offering bits of advice, but I refuse to be an advisor. I am not your servant. I'd sooner leave you to your own devices than submit to anyone's will."

"Don't be like that! I just... I need some help. Some input. I don't know where to go from here..."

Ganon sighed. Link's bravado had died out once he asked for them, and this was the most vulnerable he thought he had seen the boy in some time. He could acknowledge Link was at least trying. Ganon was a man lacking in mercy, and he didn't mind beating a man when he's down, but it had taken a lot for Link to acknowledge his weakness and request help.

Ganon said, "You have already gotten to know your men by name. It is a small number. See who has the most potential and have them lead the teams. As you were judged for your accomplishment, judge them for theirs. Beyond that, war is a period of training, a period of waiting, and a period of fighting. Make sure morale is high in all cases by appointing help in each case. See who has the most military experience -I decline, before you ask- and have him make sure the men are trained for a few hours each day when you will not be fighting that day. Then see who is skilled at management -again I decline- and have him see over keeping the unit fed and happy when you are off the battlefield. Then see who has good intuition for battle as well as who has a good hand at strategy -No, by the way- and consider having him lead the unit into battle, if you will not do it yourself."

"I'd do that myself." Link said.

"Then at least find someone with a mind for strategy and let him advise you in that."

Link nodded. He gulped and tried to put to mind what Ganon said.

"Didn't you already choose us for that?" Kyo Gai questioned.

"No, I just figured you three would be the smart ones."

"... Are we starting that low?" Kyo looked to Ganon.

"You are starting bottom level. He was a slave who worked on his own to being a regular infantry, remember? The boy has no leadership training. I'm surprised he has handled it as well as he has already."

"It has been nearly a disaster. Link was nearly mobbed to death day one." Solitare whispered.

"Precisely."

"Do you have any experience in what he said?" Link asked Kyo.

Kyo hummed in thought. He put his hand to his chin. "I can do some training. I was trained by a low ranking officer. I should be able to pass it on to anyone who wants to use a sword."

"That helps." Link thanked him, and looked on Ganon with the most miserable expression he could muster. Unfortunately the puppy eyes did not help, it only succeeded to annoy. Ganondorf felt an eye twitch.

"No."

"But-"

"No."

"I really-"

"No."

"Come on!"

"No."

"Ganon!" Link whined.

"No!"

"Why don't you at least help him with strategy?" Solitare questioned. "Think of it as bossing him around."

The idea of bossing him around perked Ganon's interest while leaving Link gaping and feeling ever so slightly betrayed. "That I can do."

"Wait! No! I protest to that!" Link exclaimed.

"I accept."

"I take it back! I don't want your help. Screw you!"

"Too late now." Ganon smiled predatorily.

Link grumbled, but knew he had brought this upon himself. He huffed, but none of the less accepted it. Ganon was helping around, using them, to meet his own ends, but it was for everyone's benefit. Link desperately needed his help. Ganon didn't need his help, but that didn't mean having it didn't benefit him in some way.

"Didn't you also receive a note from the general?" Solitare wondered. "Now would be a good time to review it."

"Oh, right!" Link reached into his pocket and pulled out the note from Ouki. "Who of you can read?" All three raised a hand. "Of course..."

He handed the note to Ganon, on account of him being the barbarian king and Link generally liked him more. (Why, we will never know.) He didn't really know Kyo Gai much yet, and he wasn't sure if he should be giving a note from Ouki to a Sheikah yet without checking it first. Also why did Ouki give him a note when Ouki had just been told Link couldn't read?

"It is a prediction of how the western battle will play out, and what we are to do." Ganondorf said after reading it. "Basically he predicts the Zhao will not settle for a stalemate in the vanguard and will seek to take advantage of numerical numbers on the west to hit Moubu from two sides. Commander Matsubi will need to hold the west, but our job..." Ganon hesitated briefly, unsure if what he read was right. "Is to kill the enemy commander. He includes the battle plan."

"Ha! Don't need you then! Demoted!"

"Except I'm the one who reads it, because you can't, so that's stupid, because you're stupid. Don't be stupid."

Kyo asked Solitare, "Are these two always like this?"