Linktober 2023

Day 9, Deity

Most Sheikah don't know the half of what Link and Zelda went through, and they don't understand how that effected their relationship with the divine.

Tags: Gen, Religion, Angst, Link & NPCs

Link walked through the emergency shelter, talking to those as he went. He hadn't been back in a few weeks and had accumulated quite the stash of blessings. He was looking forward to the healing, but he always put off speaking to Hylia. If their relationship wasn't strained before the Upheaval, it certainly was now.

How could a being be in charge of the Hero and Princess yet not help them? How could she sleep at night knowing she ruined the lives of so many? How dare she not help her own flesh and blood until thousands had died?

Link stood before the little statue, and people left him alone. Prayer was still a respected thing. Those who seek guidance from Hylia treated her statues with respect; they knelt before her, some pressing their brows against the stone, they shut their eyes and said their prayers aloud. Link did none of that. He stood before the goddess, shoulders squared and gazed ahead. He didn't say his prayers aloud. But he felt the light of the blessings leave him, and he felt his strength return. The gloom seemed to leak from his skin. He felt better.

Go, and bring peace to Hyrule.

It echoed through his mind. It always did. He tended to ignore it.

"Link!" Purah shouted, sliding down the ladder. Link turned and smiled. "Are you through? I could use your help with something."

"Yeah, I'm done."

"Do you feel better?"

"Much better. It's amazing how much it helps."

"Excuse me, Sir Link," someone else interrupted. Robbie's wife, Jerrin, had set her broom aside. She was usually timid and kind, but she looked put off now.

"Jerrin," Link said. "Is something wrong?"

"I didn't mean to spy, but I noticed how you treat the goddess while praying. You refuse to bow. You don't say a word. That would be expected of you a century ago, but now it is unacceptable."

Link looked at her curiously. He'd never been confronted about this before, and his prayer habits were more of, well, habits. He didn't think about what he was or wasn't doing. It was like an exchange on the road, quick and to the point. He didn't have it in him to exchange pleasantries with Hylia.

Purah watched, slightly in awe. Her gaze shifted between Link and Jerrin and back again.

Jerrin squared her shoulders, like she was getting her emotions in order. "I just believe you need to show the goddess more respect."

Link had to hold back his laughter, and almost choked on it. Purah covered her mouth with the back of her hand. If Zelda had been there, she might've slapped Jerrin right then.

"I'll think about it," Link said simply, grinning, before turning to Purah on his heel. Purah led him back to the surface, and the sunlight certainly did help his gloom affected body. He sighed, content.

"Don't pay Jerrin any mind," Purah said softly. "You know how the old Sheikah can be, especially those that don't know what..."

"What she put us through?" Link offered when she trailed off.

"Most Sheikah don't know the full story, since you didn't."

"Another cruelty."

"But the healing is working?" Purah asked.

"Yeah."

Purah grinned. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think the goddess was kissing your ass."

Link huffed a laugh. "She'd have to do a lot more than the bare minimum to get my respect back."

"Then don't even try to win Zelda over."

Link chuckled softly, as he tried to do at the mention of Zelda. "That'd be the day."  

Thank you to my sister, because she came up with this idea. I really like playing with Link's relationship with Hylia, not just because of the wrongs she made to him, but because he's mad for Zelda.