A Hero's mourning (ZELINK)

Redemption (Age: 11)

"Aryll?" Link knocked on his sister's door, his hand clutching his striped pyjamas. He heard his sister's heart wrenching sobbing once more, the silence seemed to amplify it. The weeping was suddenly muffled "Go away, Link. I'm busy." Her voice was quivery. 

Aryll had turned seven yesterday, but Link had been busy having an examination at the academy. It pained him to have to leave Aryll on her special day, he had hoped their father would give her a present or take her out somewhere. He was a fool to think so.

His father had left Aryll home alone and spent the whole day at the bar. Link's father hadn't come home yet though it was around 12am. Link had gotten back at around 8pm, he had picked flowers for his sister, temporarily, and had ordered a cake from the local bakeshop that would be ready the next day.

He'd tried to congratulate her but Aryll had just shut the door in his face. Link knew he deserved it, but he really wanted to make things right for Aryll.

"Please?" 

"...O-...okay."

The door unlocked and Aryll pulled Link inside. Link looked at his sister, shocked at her state. There was a pile of folded up clothes in the corner,  a broom propped up against the bed and gingham cloth on the sewing machine as if she had been sewing.

Aryll's big, saphire eyes that were usually wide with wonder were now red around the edges, her cheeks red and splotched with wet tears. Her lips were trembling even as she stood, her posture rigid with defiance. The worst thing was her gaze... It glared at him with such hatred.

"What?" She snapped "I don't have time." she rubbed the tears off her cheeks. Link hesitated, knowing that Aryll was in a fragile state "I-... I, uh... Happy Birthday?" Link cringed when the exclamation came out as a question.

"That's it?" Aryll snapped, closing the door behind Link "After all that, that's what you say to me?!" she looked just about ready to slap him.

"After leaving me at home all alone with father! He gives me so much work that I barely get the chance to sit down. I prick myself trying to mend your clothes, the washing is too heavy for me, the drying rack is too high and I cut myself trying to cut vegetables all the time!" She counted all the misshaps off on her fingers.

Link reached out to touch her "It's been hard for all of us Aryll. You know Medilia would be proud of you-" Aryll interrupted him "What about you, Link?" she spat his name out as if she hated the sound of it. And then she said something that tore the boy apart.

"You know, I really hate you!"

Arylls eyes were moist "You used to play with me everyday! You used to take me on your back and we'd have fun! You'd tell me stories about Lorule and I'd follow you everywhere! It was so much fun! And it made me forget about father... and it also made me feel less sad about Medilia." she smiled slightly at the memories.

"But then you stopped. You spent more time away at the academy. When you got back you'd say you were too tired to play and shut yourself in your room. You stopped taking me on your back. You stopped laughing. You stopped telling me about Lorule." Aryll sniffled, hugging herself.

Link sighed softly, trying to keep his own emotions in check "I'm sorry, Aryll. Tell you what, tomorrow I will make sure you have the best birthday ever. We will go to the creek near our house and have a picnic with cake. And I will tell you stories about Lorule. How does that sound?" he smiled, softly.

Aryll ran forward and hugged him, tightly "I missed you." her voice was wavery. Link hugged her back "So did I." he whispered, he pulled her back to look her in the eyes "And I promise that I will never stop taking care of you, okay?"

"Okay." Aryll gave him a wobbly smile.

"You know... I went to father when you stopped playing with me a year ago. I told him about it. He just yelled at me and called me a child and then he threw a chair at the window. Then he gave me work. So much work." Aryll said suddenly.

Link's eyes widened and he felt his temper rise. What way was this for a father to treat his daughter?! He gritted his teeth, Aryll had suffered enough at the hands of this man. So had he. And so had his mother. This time he was gonna give the man a piece of his mind.

Link didn't care what happened to him. Aryll just couldn't live out the rest of her childhood with this man, especially if he was drunk. Link got up, Aryll pulled him back "Where are you going?"

"To wait for father. Go to sleep, Aryll, okay?"

"Okay."

Link gave Aryll one last hug, before shutting the door.

No more running away.