Between the Lines || Link x Mipha

Chapter 6: More Than a Shadow

"You must live up to him."

"You're a mirror image of him!"

"He'd want you to take up his old positions."

"He'd want you to be the best warrior you can be!"

"You want to be like your father? Then don't be a wimp! You're father did all this, so can you!"

"Like it or not, you are the son of Champions. Do not do what your sister did. You are better than that. You will be a strong warrior just like Link."

Valik laid out in the tall grass in the small valley behind the reservoir lake between Ja'Abu Ridge and Tal Tal Peak. His hands rested behind his head as he stared up at the night sky, a cool breeze flying over him. His eyes focused on the shimmering stars overhead as he recounted his recent criticisms and comments. All of them, no matter how vague, related back to his father. He ignored them all at first, but now he just could not handle it anymore.

It is a reoccurring thing. Everyday it is about Link. Everyday it is about how Valik should be more like Link. Has he not been doing that even before his father died? In fact, it was something that Valik looked forward to: becoming exactly like his father. But now, that goal is a daunting task; a task where no matter how much he climbed, he grew no closer.

Tayli swam to the reservoir dock and spotted Valik laying down in the grass. She sighed and pushed herself out of the water. Valik heard the water dripping and sat up to see who it was. When he saw it was Tayli, he quickly looked away and laid back down.

"Tough day?" Tayli laid down to the left of him, her hands resting on her stomach.

"A little," he said in a low voice.

"You wanna' talk about it?"

"I don't know..." he reflected on the comments and criticisms again. They made him feel conflicted. "Tayli, when you see me, who do you see?" He looked at her hopefully and she gave a slightly confused look.

"Um, I see you? What else would I say?"

"Well, if you were like any of the guard or basically anyone else in the domain, you'd say my father."

"Oh, now I see," she slightly sighed. "So they've been pressuring you, huh?"

"Ever since my dad died. I can't take it anymore, Tayli. I just wish that they'd see that I'm more than just a Hero's son. Unless, maybe I am in the wrong. Maybe I am not doing enough."

"Are you kidding me? Valik, you are literally one of the best warriors in all of Hyrule. You're basically as skilled as the champions!"

"Apparently not. I still get criticized for not doing enough, not doing what he did. They're even making me do way harder warm-up and training routines. And I need to be doing a mission of some sort as much as I can because that's what he would do. I can't quit. I can't take a break. I can't show weakness."

"They're being absolutely ridiculous. Who's making you do this? Bazz, Gaddison, Rivan, Sidon, your own mother?"

"Nope. In fact, they're the ones who are even helping me get through it all. You know Wade?"

"Wade?" Tayli tapped her finger to her chin. "You mean that burly cyan Zora guy that always wears that lynel fang necklace?"

"Yeah," he slightly chuckled.

"Yeah, I've seen him around. I've never seen you with him."

"That's because he usually makes me train in harsh conditions. Which means, Death Mountain , Mount Lanayru, or the thunderstorms in Akkala. Sometimes even the Gerudo Desert when the occasion is right. Now don't get me wrong, it is good to train out in those conditions, but doing that several days a week for like, two years straight without any breaks? It gets to you eventually."