A Couple of Trials (ZeLink)

Chapter 68: An Unrequited Adoration

**Warning: Nudity**

"And...there," the young Sheikah woman said, pulling her arm away from the large stone orb that resided under the stairs.

She stepped away, inspecting the cleaning she had just given the orb, ensuring that even the orange line of light that circled its diameter was immaculate. With a satisfied smile, she gently clasped her hands together and closed her eyes in prayer. From the platform the orb rested next to, the much older and shorter Sheikah of the house—sitting on top of a tall stack of pillows—glanced over.

"You know, dear Paya, you aren't required to clean the relic everyday," she said.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all, Grandmother!" Paya said, turning to her grandmother with a gentle smile. "It's been passed through our family for generations. You said that one day, it'll be important, and that it's my task to watch over it. I need to make sure it's ready, even if that means simply keeping it clean."

"If you insist, my dear," the elder chuckled. After a giggle in return, Paya clasped her hands together and gave her grandmother a quick bow.

"If you'll excuse me, I must tend to my other morning duties," she said, to which the Sheikah elder waved her away.

The old lady watched as her granddaughter headed toward the double doors of the home with a wrinkly smile on her face; a smile that faltered when she felt something. She turned her head slightly, the heavy steel adornments on her large hat clanking, before muttering a few words.

"So...you've finally awakened, hm?"

"Did you say something, Grandmother?" Paya asked, turning to look back at her elder with a hand on the door. Taking a moment to ponder, the elder looked back at her granddaughter with a smile similar to the one she had before, except, this one seemed slightly more cheeky.

"Nothing, dear, though... I do have a request for you," she said. "Please keep an eye out for any...special visitors today."

"Eh? O-okay," the young Sheikah woman said. "I-I mean, yes, I will."

After receiving a nod from the elder, she gave her grandmother a strange look, but bowed in agreement before opening the door and stepping out onto the elevated porch of their home. The older her grandmother became, the harder it was to tell when she was teasing her. It also didn't help that her teasing became more frequent the older she became. Regardless, Paya took a deep breath of the refreshing springtime air before trekking down the large staircase that led to the pathways of Kakariko Village.

Before beginning her morning duties, she said hello to the two guards who stood in front of the stairs—who returned her greeting kindly—then stepped aside and knelt in prayer before the five stone frog monuments displayed in a line beside the stairs. She always gave an offering of apples to each one, and yet one always seemed to go missing.

Once she finished her prayer, she cleaned off the statues before taking a rag out from her clothing and dipping it into the water behind the frogs. Turning back, she passed the guards again, and headed back up the staircase to clean the floorboards of the balcony surrounding the raised house. With the wet rag in hand, she lowered herself onto her knees and began wiping the wood.

"Hm... What did Grandmother mean by keeping an eye out for a strange visitor today?" she wondered out loud.

She was so lost in thought, she hadn't heard the commotion from the guards below, nor did she hear the footsteps of a person walking up the staircase and stopping behind her. It wasn't until she saw the shadow across the balcony floor that she finally looked up to see a figure standing over her with his hands on his hips. Her body vibrated as her eyes grew wide at the sight. Terrified, she quickly pushed herself to her feet and took a few steps back as she covered her face with her hands.