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Description
Bluebird had noticed Link seemed... Off that evening. He stared at the campfire, almost unblinking. For over an hour. She was getting worried. Bluebird clambered up the log he was sitting on, gently touching his leg to let him know she was there. He glanced down briefly at her before shifting his hand a bit. Allowing her to rest her head on one knuckle. "What's wrong?" she asked softly. Link took a deep, rattling breath before looking back at her. His eyes were glazed over, his breathing grew hitched. With his free hand, he answered her.
'I... You remember what I told you about the Shrine of Resurrection, right? And my memories?' She nodded in confirmation. He'd told her. Amnesia. And some things could trigger him to recall just about anything from his past. A smell, taste, sound... Or certain objects and people. Some memories were good, others not so much. 'Well... I had a sister. Had. She...' Link stopped. Another rattling breath and he looked back at the fire. Bluebird felt him shaking. It wasn't difficult to piece it together.
"She died in the Calamity..." Not a question. A statement. Link hung his head low in response. 'Yes... I failed her, I failed a lot of people when the Calamity hit...' Bluebird gently tugged on his finger, and he rotated his hand for her. She got him to lay his hand down flat, palm up, and she got on. Bluebird reached up, making a little grabby gesture. He brought her up to his face, and her heart ached for him. Unshed tears made his eyes glitter in the firelight. The Borrower gently petted his cheek.
"She'll always be with you, okay? Part of her stays with you. I... You've lost so much. Like me. What you told me about the Calamity and Gan... Gana... Ganondir... Oh, the stupid Demon King! He took so much from a lot of people. The Calamity took so much." Bluebird leaned her head forward to let it rest against his face. She felt her tunic grow wet, but she didn't care. Her friend was hurting. A brief probing with her empathic abilities left her reeling mentally. Grief, so much grief. And guilt like she'd never seen before. Bluebird sighed, feeling badly for him.
"You're a good person, Link. You've done so much good. You did what you could. You saved so many, in the end though! Your sister would be proud of you. She knows you tried your best. What was her name?"
'Aryll.'
"Aryll loves you. She always will. She'll be watching over you, okay?" That seemed to be what he needed to hear, as he finally stopped holding it all back. Tears fell freely as the emotional dam released. Bluebird let him softly press his face into her, and she tried to soothe him as best she could. Hugging as much of his face as she could reach. It was an odd turning of tables. Usually HE was the one comforting HER. But even the strongest people broke down. They were only human. They weren't mindless machines. And poor Link had held up a ridiculous front for so, so long. And it was taking its toll on him. And Bluebird could see it. She let him cry on her, as long as he needed to. After several long minutes, he pulled her away from his face. Eyes red and puffy. But it looked like some of that burden had eased off of him. Bluebird persuaded him to get the bedroll out. And it took even more persuading to get him to lay down. He didn't seem to want to let go of her at the moment, but she was okay with that. In fact she encouraged it. Little grabby hands at his face. Link brought her close, and she planted a gentle kiss to his nose, getting a surprised little noise out of him. "You're like a big brother to me... Figuratively and literally. I want you to know that." Oh how his eyes lit up at that. Link smiled, and gently kissed the top of her head in return.
'And I remembered Aryll because of you. Little sister.'

****
So, in early concept for Breath of the Wild, Link did indeed have a sister! I THINK her name was Aryll, that's the most common one I've seen.

I dedicate this to my own sister, Rachel, who was killed in a car crash 3 years ago. I love you and I miss you, Rachel. So much.

Description
Bluebird had noticed Link seemed... Off that evening. He stared at the campfire, almost unblinking. For over an hour. She was getting worried. Bluebird clambered up the log he was sitting on, gently touching his leg to let him know she was there. He glanced down briefly at her before shifting his hand a bit. Allowing her to rest her head on one knuckle. "What's wrong?" she asked softly. Link took a deep, rattling breath before looking back at her. His eyes were glazed over, his breathing grew hitched. With his free hand, he answered her.
'I... You remember what I told you about the Shrine of Resurrection, right? And my memories?' She nodded in confirmation. He'd told her. Amnesia. And some things could trigger him to recall just about anything from his past. A smell, taste, sound... Or certain objects and people. Some memories were good, others not so much. 'Well... I had a sister. Had. She...' Link stopped. Another rattling breath and he looked back at the fire. Bluebird felt him shaking. It wasn't difficult to piece it together.
"She died in the Calamity..." Not a question. A statement. Link hung his head low in response. 'Yes... I failed her, I failed a lot of people when the Calamity hit...' Bluebird gently tugged on his finger, and he rotated his hand for her. She got him to lay his hand down flat, palm up, and she got on. Bluebird reached up, making a little grabby gesture. He brought her up to his face, and her heart ached for him. Unshed tears made his eyes glitter in the firelight. The Borrower gently petted his cheek.
"She'll always be with you, okay? Part of her stays with you. I... You've lost so much. Like me. What you told me about the Calamity and Gan... Gana... Ganondir... Oh, the stupid Demon King! He took so much from a lot of people. The Calamity took so much." Bluebird leaned her head forward to let it rest against his face. She felt her tunic grow wet, but she didn't care. Her friend was hurting. A brief probing with her empathic abilities left her reeling mentally. Grief, so much grief. And guilt like she'd never seen before. Bluebird sighed, feeling badly for him.
"You're a good person, Link. You've done so much good. You did what you could. You saved so many, in the end though! Your sister would be proud of you. She knows you tried your best. What was her name?"
'Aryll.'
"Aryll loves you. She always will. She'll be watching over you, okay?" That seemed to be what he needed to hear, as he finally stopped holding it all back. Tears fell freely as the emotional dam released. Bluebird let him softly press his face into her, and she tried to soothe him as best she could. Hugging as much of his face as she could reach. It was an odd turning of tables. Usually HE was the one comforting HER. But even the strongest people broke down. They were only human. They weren't mindless machines. And poor Link had held up a ridiculous front for so, so long. And it was taking its toll on him. And Bluebird could see it. She let him cry on her, as long as he needed to. After several long minutes, he pulled her away from his face. Eyes red and puffy. But it looked like some of that burden had eased off of him. Bluebird persuaded him to get the bedroll out. And it took even more persuading to get him to lay down. He didn't seem to want to let go of her at the moment, but she was okay with that. In fact she encouraged it. Little grabby hands at his face. Link brought her close, and she planted a gentle kiss to his nose, getting a surprised little noise out of him. "You're like a big brother to me... Figuratively and literally. I want you to know that." Oh how his eyes lit up at that. Link smiled, and gently kissed the top of her head in return.
'And I remembered Aryll because of you. Little sister.'

****
So, in early concept for Breath of the Wild, Link did indeed have a sister! I THINK her name was Aryll, that's the most common one I've seen.

I dedicate this to my own sister, Rachel, who was killed in a car crash 3 years ago. I love you and I miss you, Rachel. So much.