Chapter 21: Love Between the Sky and the Sea

Revali

I flew back down to the rest of the Champions who were waiting at Teba's house. Link was leaning back on the railing next to Zelda inspecting a piece of Sheikah tech which looked like a circle with 4 legs sticking out of it.

"So, What do you have there?" I asked.

"An ancient shield, made by Robbie to specifically deflect guardian lasers, built using guardian parts," he said, deploying it so that it now looked like a glowing oval with the circle piece a the center before collapsing it again. "Zelda and I are headed to The Forgotten Temple which will likely be riddled with decaying guardians, so I'm coming prepared."

Zelda's eyes peaked with curiosity when she heard that it was made from Ancient Tech so he handed it off to her to allow her to inspect it.

"If you know that it's going to be heavily guarded, especially by guardians, then why are you going?" I said.

"Mainly for Zelda, it's possible that The Forgotten Temple is even older than we anticipate. Zelda wants to take a closer look, so I'm taking her for a second visit. Speaking of which, we should probably get going while there's still daylight." he said.

Link turned to Zelda, "Did you see any signs of breakage?"

She shook her head, "None as far as I can see."

"Good."

He put the collapsed shield on his back, replacing the blue shield he normally wore and used.

"Then let's be off."

They held each other's wings as they both walked to "my" landing, before with a nod both taking off simultaneously in one of my gales provided by Link, flying around each other in a delicate dance in the air. They were so in sync, so perfect for each other, so in love. My heart ached as I realized how lonely I suddenly felt.

"It's ok Revali, eventually you'll find someone, just maybe not today."

Bracing myself for disappointment with a nervous sigh, I walked back to Teba's house in hopes of retrieving who would be my archery partner instead of Link today.

"Hey Mipha, I was wondering if you would be willing to accompany me to the flight range?"

"Hm…?"

"Well, I was going to train and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me. I am your bodyguard after all,"

"Uh… I suppose that will be alright."

I took out one of the heat elixirs that Link gave me.

"Ok, drink this before we go, it's really cold there."

She looked at me a bit awestruck and a bit confused.

"It's a heat elixir Link gave me, drink up. We don't have all day."

With one last look down, she quickly drank the elixir, almost spitting it out as she gagged from the taste.

"Yea, sorry they have a bit of an aftertaste to them. Are you doing ok?"

She finally breathed normally, before groaning.

"I feel like I could breathe fire after drinking that."

"But you feel warmer, right?"

"I suppose so, but could we find an alternative next time?"

She coughed two more times, "That taste is horrid."

"I can imagine, I've had to drink a few of the fire resistance ones. If you're ready, let's go before we run out of daylight." I said walking out the door.

She didn't follow, still a bit offput.

"You ok?" I said.

She looked confused, "I… I… Suppose so."

"Then I'll meet you at Revali's landing whenever you're ready, ok?"

I was fully prepared to wait all day, thankfully, it was only about a couple of minutes before we were in the air, on our way to the Flight Range. I was wondering what she would think when she finally saw it, maybe it didn't matter though. Either way, I finally had some alone time with her, I had better make sure I didn't waste it.

"Ok, now bring it up to your chin, deep breath, and… release."

The arrow flew out across the enclosure across from the actual range, but flying right by the target to the left, clearly a rookie's shot.

"That's alright, you probably just need to adjust for the wind, try aiming a little bit more to the left this time. Straighten your back, it will help you aim, I said, helping her do so with my wing, or rather, trying to, as she recoiled as I touched her back causing me to withdraw my wing out of decency. She dropped her stance and turned to me, her expression surprisingly sterner than usual.

"Why are we really here Revali?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're not acting like yourself Revali, and you never had wanted to teach me archery before."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Stop lying."

I had rarely if ever seen her like this, her body language and tone of voice told me she was upset, maybe even a little angry.

"As I said before, you're not acting like yourself. I want to know why."

"Does it matter?" I said.

"Yes, it does."

I sighed, she obviously was not giving up easy or maybe even at all.

"No it doesn't, what I want I can't have."

"So you're still jealous of Link then? Trust me, I don't think you want his responsibility."

"It's not that."

"Than what is it Revali?"

"I doesn't matter,"

"Clearly it does, Is it Zelda? Are you jealous that he has her?"

"No!" I said with growing anger.

"So what is it!? What are you so upset about!?"

"It's you ok!? He has your heart Mipha, despite his relationship with Zelda, and that's something I can never have!"

I lost part of my steam after I yelled that, Mipha's eyes were as wide as saucers at both my outburst and what I had said in it, I turned away.

"There, I finally said what was bothering me. Are you happy now?"

"Revali…? What exactly do you…?"

She didn't know what to think of it, so with a sigh I elaborated.

"I've had eyes for you since Link was a child, but despite everything, he has your heart, not me. What I want I can't have. I brought you here in hopes of getting closer to you by showing a place that is special to me, forget it. Let's head back."

I began to leave toward the small house where my bow was leaning against the wall, I had barely picked it up before Mipha caught up to me.

"You're my bodyguard and friend Revali, I would say that's a pretty good start."

I stopped dead in my tracks, "That means nothing," I said, "Not compared to Link,"

"Then stop comparing yourself to Link and listen to me,"

She sat down next to the cooking pot, inviting me to do the same with her body language. Hesitantly I sat down, still unsure what to think about the situation and acting like a complete idiot.

"You have told me about your feelings for me, I suppose it is only right that I do the same for you."

Uh-oh

"It's true Revali, we have known each other and dare I say been friends for quite a while, since we always had some time to spend together when Link was getting in trouble with that, "Big Bad Bazz Brigade" I believe it was called.

I laughed slightly, "He was brave even back then, almost to the point of foolishness."

"Yes, he was. But as for you, we were just friends, that's all we were. Until we became Champions, and once that happened, well… there is no way to say this nicely, I loathed your behavior toward Link, how you treated him, it's like you weren't even brothers anymore!"

"After I tried to visit him after he got The Master Sword, he didn't seem like the brother I knew and it… angered me."

"He wasn't the same after finding that sword, I admit. But you still had no reason to treat him the way that you did!"

"I know, and trust me I've apologized for it. During our third sword lesson."

"I know, I saw a lot more of your journey than you think. Anyways, then when I awoke you came and got me, and protected me not just because it was your duty or the glory of it, but because you cared. I could see it in your eyes and in your actions. And after I ran off with a broken heart, you not only saved my tailfin, but you also tried to comfort me."

She looked me in the eyes when she said this next statement, "I truly fell in love with Link after he helped me defeat a Lynel in Zora's domain and seeing you fight that Golden Lynel reminded me of him, more than you can ever know. And then you escorted me to that pond as I requested after giving me ample time to cry and trying to comfort me, rather than taking me back to the village right away. Did you know that there is a legend involving that heart-shaped pond? Legend says that one can travel there to find their true love, but when I went there I didn't see anyone, except you."

She leaned in closer, "Forgive me for rambling, I promised to tell you how I felt about you, but despite everything we've been through, to be honest, with all that's happened, my heart is… confused right now, so I don't really know how to answer that. I'm sorry Revali, but I just don't know how I feel about you right now in the aspect of that."

I deflated a little, "I understand,"

"But, if you give me the chance, I would like to find out,"

This time my eyes went as wide as saucers as she gave me one of her gentle smiles that seemed to radiate all her inner and outer beauty and made someone like me tongue tied.

Mipha got up and grabbed her silver bow, "Well then, shall we resume?"

"Uh, uh, yes of course!"

We didn't return to the village at all that night, but rather after quite a bit more practice, we had a spicy meal for dinner, and Mipha slept in my hammock that night as I slept on the floor. She may not have fully admitted that she loved me, but there was no doubt in my mind, there was something there that wasn't there before, or maybe something that was there that we were not aware of until now. If it would go anywhere, time will tell. Sadly the following day we would have much bigger problems, demon problems.