Between the Lines || Link x Mipha

Chapter 12: Forget Me Not

All was silent on Cuho Mountain as Revali's casket was lowered into his grave. There was no comfort in the silence. There was no peace. Only grief and sadness filled the pain-stricken air. Rain began to gently pelt down on the crowd of grieved people. Even the sky knew how grim the day was.

Once the grave was finished being lowered, Olika took center stage. "May Revali rest easy," she began, her voice weak from crying. "His legacy will forever live on. He will not be forgotten." She slightly glanced upward at the increasing downpour. "You may all return to the village. We have a dinner prepared if any of you would like to stay longer. Thank you, and I wish you all a safe journey back home." Slowly but surely, the crowd began to disperse, but the champions, Revali's family, Valik, and Liana, stayed. Alivia, Aven, and Sidon had left with the crowd to help serve the dinner.

"I still can't believe this," Daruk sighed. "If only I could have been there to help... That Ganon will pay for what he has done."

"I wish I could have been there too," Urbosa set her hand on her hip. "I wish I could have said one last goodbye..."

"I'll miss him," Liana added. "But at least he's in a better place. Who knows? Maybe he's talking with dad right now."

"I like that idea," Valik wrapped his arm around his sister. "At least now dad isn't as lonely."

The thought only made Mipha feel even more somber. It was possible that Link was not as lonely anymore, but it was still heartbreaking to know that she could have possibly still saved her dear friend from dying. It is like the revival all over again—failure to save a loved one.

Olika gave a sad smile, "You are right... Revali is free now. I know how much the role of champion burdened him. He loved it, but he had his moments where he just couldn't take it. He was truly a fearless warrior, fighting until the very end. Zelda chose well."

"None of this had to happen..." Kahliv folded his wings and grumbled. "I could have done something. Mipha could have done more."

A guilty look appeared on Mipha's face and she clenched her hands together, "I know... but Revali decided otherwise."

"But here's the thing," he started, his voice growing frustrated, "Father says a lot of things. He always would tell us to leave it all to him because that's just who he was! He was independent, determined to do everything by himself! Of course he'd tell us to do nothing!"

"Let's calm down now," Urbosa insisted. "Revali's death is hard on all of us. We can think of everything that could've been done, but what's done is done."

"No, Mipha was right there! She could have been healing him! My father could still be alive right now!"

Valik sighed and shook his head. He glanced at his mother, who he could tell was already struggling enough as it is. No one needed to tell her what Kahliv was thinking, because she was already thinking it long before.

"Kahliv, we understand," Valik pulled away from Liana. "But you heard the story my mother told us. Revali insisted that his death was necessary. And it makes sense! Ganon seemed to be targeting the Rito, most likely trying to kill Revali."

"And he succeeded... You gave Ganon exactly what he wanted!" The Rito warrior snarled.

"I'm sorry," Mipha was holding back her tears as much as she could. "I know I could have done so much more... I could have healed him in time, maybe even drove off more of the guardian horde. I just... I don't know."

"Do I really have to be so blunt with you?!" He fumed. Everyone looked at each other with surprise, even Olika was at a loss for words at how angry her son became. "Mipha, you made a fatal mistake when trying to save Link—a mistake that cost him his life! For Revali, my father, the Rito Champion, you made another fatal mistake that cost him his life! The only difference is that only one of them is coming back, and we all know that it is your Hero husband who you've been crying over for all these years! Get over it! He's coming back! But my father, he's not!"