Between the Lines || Link x Mipha

Chapter 2: Amounting to Her

Ever since the Calamity's revival, all that was ever left of Tarrey town was its husk of a once bustling community. As King and Princess of Hyrule, Aven and Alivia took it upon themselves to revive such a destroyed town. Of course, they brought along help. Gerudos, Ritos, Gorons, Zoras, and Hylians of all kinds came to help rebuild a once loved home for so many.

The rain beat down on Alivia as she hauled wood onto a cart. No coat was on her to protect her from the raging rain. She liked it this way. She felt like she related to the rain; frustrated, yet somber. Her life has been a mess since the revival, and her father's situation was not helping.

Valik and Liana peered through at Alivia from inside one of the newly built homes. Workers and volunteers were all crammed in, eating dinner and staying out of the rain.

"What is she doing?" Valik mumbled under his breath. "She should not be working out there in such a downpour."

"Maybe it's important work?" Liana tilted her head at her brother.

"Hauling wood into a cart? No. That stuff can wait until after. Besides, she's getting soaking wet. Come on, let's get her inside."

Valik and Liana stood up from their place near the window and headed toward the front door. Liana quickly snatched Alivia's coat from the rack piled on with plenty other coats. The two freely walked out into the rain with no coats as just like any other Zora, rain never really bothered them.

"Alivia, come inside!" Liana called out.

"No, I'm fine!" Alivia did not make any eye contact and continued hauling the wood onto the cart.

The two Zora-Hylians stepped up to the princess's side. Valik gestured Alivia's coat to her, "Then at least put on your coat. None of us want to see you getting sick."

"Ugh, fine," she dropped a piece of wood into the cart and snatched her coat away from him. She begrudgingly put it on and continued her work.

"Alivia, is everything okay?" Liana leaned slightly forward.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just want to get this done," she bent over to pick up a heavier piece of wood, but had a hard time even lifting it off the ground. "Just go inside. I'll go back in when I'm done."

Valik and Liana glanced at the big pile of wood that Alivia was fetching from. There was no exact reason for her to be doing this, and there was no way that she would get this all done on her own. There was clearly something more to this. So, Valik took the other end of the wood that Alivia was trying to carry and helped her haul it into the cart.

"Liana and I can help you," Valik picked up another bundle of wood. "You don't have to do this alone."

"Yeah!" Liana chimed and picked up a crooked tree limb.

"Well, I honestly kind of wanted to do it alone," Alivia mumbled, but Valik and Liana could hear it clear as day.

"You've been out here alone for, like, an hour!" Liana folded her arms. "I think that's long enough for working hard in this rain by yourself."

"Okay fine, you both can help. Just don't talk too loud. Cause I have a feeling I know exactly what your guys's next question will be," she turned her head to Valik and pointed her finger at him to cue the question.

"What's really going on?" Valik asked, purposefully playing into her cue.

"Yep, there it is," she sighed, and the three got to work on putting all the wood in the cart. "It's just that ever since the Revival happened, my father has been, well, distant. It's like he can't get out of bed in the morning, he can't bring himself to do any work. Heck, he even can't take care of himself right; he's eating terribly and is always unkempt! I can't tell you how many times I've had to remind him to do something as simple as taking a shower! He's also been saying a lot of worrying things too. He keeps telling me how he feels like a failure and that he's messed up too much, saying stuff like how he's too far gone."

"I've noticed it a bit too. I hope he gets better," Liana sympathized. "Our mom hasn't been doing great herself. In fact, she's been kind of going through the same things, but in a way it's the opposite of what Aven is doing. She's working herself like crazy because she feels like she isn't doing enough."

"Yeah," Alivia slightly smiled, glad to know that someone could finally understand how she feels. "It's just, I feel like my father is digging himself into a hole. Like he keeps making it deeper and deeper and I don't think he even realizes what position he's putting himself into."

"And that's what depression can feel like I guess," Valik added. "You're stuck in a hole that you just can't quite get out of."

"Right, and I understand why he feels the way he does! I mean, even I have similar feelings! I just wish I knew how to help. He's closed himself off."

"Then that makes three of us," Valik slightly chuckled. "We don't really know how to help our mom either. I try, but I feel like much of what I say doesn't get through to her. I guess all we can really do is be there for them."

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Aven was alone in his bedroom. He was sat on the bed, leaning forward. He held his head in his hands. His mind focused on the chatter throughout the house, but also on his thoughts. Both reminded him of the position he was in: a King with no Queen. It made him angry. It made him fill with sorrow. It made him feel helpless. He hated feeling this way. He just wanted to feel normal again, but how could he with all that has happened?

The exhausted King let his hands relax down. He stared at the gold and white beaded bracelet on his right wrist. He touched his other hand to it, rubbing the beads side to side. He could feel tears burn in his throat as he stared at triforce in the center of it.

"Zelda..." he quietly muttered. He reminisced the very day that she gave her bracelet to him. The day she left to keep Ganon at bay. "I don't know what to do. You told me to protect Alivia. You told me to do all I can while you were gone, but how can I do all that when I can't even take care of myself?"

The rain filled the silence as he worked through his thoughts, "If we could have just killed Astor... If I was just a bit more stronger..." he gave a defeated sigh and looked away from the bracelet. "Maybe I really wasn't cut out for this. Maybe I really wasn't worthy enough for you. If you were here, you would know what needed to be done. You would uplift everyone, be their leader. But I just can't do that. I'm not as strong as you, and I don't know if I ever will be able to live up to you."

Aven slowly stood up and walked over to the window. His heart fumbled as he saw Alivia working hard out in the rain. While Valik and Liana were there helping her, he could only focus on his daughter. Everything about her resembled Zelda; her strength, leadership, kindness, and devotion. What Aven would give to even feel like he lived a fraction to that.

"I know I'm not much," his voice faltered, "but I will protect you with my life, my little bird."