The news was everywhere: Sun-King Avad was getting married. And not to some noble unlucky girl: the brave and strong Captain of the Vanguard Ersa. Considering the global political situation, it was a risky move. However, a lot of people took the news rather well. Some disagreed, but they were too few to be noticed.

Of course, some were informed of this wedding sooner than the medias. Erend, for example. As soon as his sister told him, his reaction was: first wanting to break Avad's neck, then to call Aloy. If the first part did not go as planned, the second went without particular problem. If not for some Aloy and Rost making fun of him...

"Of course she was going to hit you." Aloy said while making some tea. "One: his the King. Two: he's going to be your brother-in-law. How protective do you think your sister is going to be now?"

"Yeah but… It hurts." He replied. "And I'm not sure I like the idea of someone –anyone—marrying my sister."

"She's your elder and can brutally murder three sawtooth in her sleep. Do you really think she needs you to like the way she leads her life?".

"Three sawtooth? The only one capable of doing that while awake is you. "

"Maybe not three, and maybe not in her sleep; but you get the idea." Aloy admitted. "But I'm not the only one thinking she's kind of monster."

"Sure... Wait, what? My sister is no monster!"

Rost came into the kitchen. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed Aloy fighting with her fingers to put the tea leafs in the tea strainer; while holding the phone. He came to the rescue and silently asked who she was talking too.

"It's Erend." Aloy said while putting the speakers on. "His sister's going to be both Queen and Captain of the Vanguard."

"Not bad."

"Why are you taking this so casually?" Erend wondered.

"Perhaps because it's a "no-problem"." Aloy said. "Stop feeling so bad about it. Your brother-in-law is going to be Avad. Sun-King Avad. Not his father, not an asshole…"

"Maybe he is, if we're talking about Ersa being a wife."

Aloy looked at Rost, shocked about this unusual sexual joke. The poor Erend almost had a heart attack, imagining his sister doing BDSM on Avad. Rost looked back at Aloy.

"What?" He said, genuinely not knowing what was wrong. "Let's be honest: she perfectly capable of doing it. Especially on a king: the girl can brutally murder three sawtooth in her sleep, of All-Mother's sake!"

"Ah! See? I'm not the only one thinking that!" Aloy said.

"She can't… Oh! For fuck' sake! You guys are impossible!"

Aloy gave Rost a high-five. Aloy put the phone on the kitchen table and drank her tea with her father. Then, she took back the phone, and Erend was still pestering swears and bad words. Not at Aloy or Rost, but to the situation and probably his bad luck.

Last year he had shoulder surgery which has not healed yet. Meaning he couldn't work on the field, and was on paper-work duties since he got out of the hospital. Worried about him not being able to fight again, his girlfriend dumped him for a lieutenant in the King's Guard; about six months ago. Two months ago, the six-years-old daughter of one of his friend's past away from a lingering illness. And last week, he had a car crash with some idiot who though the red light was for the others. The result: broken ribs, twisted ankle, cuts and bruises. Paradise…

"Anyway. I'm not doing well." He finaly said. "Was wondering if you would want to do some couch potato with me tonight."

"Doing some couch potato-ing with you? I wouldn't miss it."

Rost rolled his eyes.

"And Rost approves."

"I don't."

"He doesn't. But who cares? I'm no kid anymore."

"I've noticed…" Rost mumble. "I want the baby-Aloy again. She cared about what I was thinking."

"Did she have a choice?" Erend said.

The evening went quiet. Erend was a mess. Bruises and cuts everywhere, broken ribs on one side, twisted wrist in the other… His hair was a bit longer. His beard, which was shaved during the operation so the surgeon could fix broken tooth, was now a neglected patchy mess.

Both him and Aloy were lying on the coach, in front of movies. The first was an action movie involving a lot of bullets flying, cheesy script and a flying octopus. The second was a comedy, with a cheesy script but really good story. Erend hurt himself when the very serious demon had to dance in front of humans in a tutu to gain time for his friend. Said like that, it's not particularly funny. But the dance… The dance! Priceless!

All of this, also involved a lot of food. No alcohol, since Erend was on medicine. And the man did not have the same definition of "a coach potato night meal". Aloy wouldn't usually go for what she brought, but her friend was not doing well: so no junk food for him!

"What are we watching now?" He asked while nibbling a salad leaf.

Aloy change the DVD, and looked threw her friend's collection. She wasn't much of a movie-lover; so half of the films were completely unknown to her. The woman picked few who looked nice; and let Erend choose.

"That one is rubbish. I don't know why I still got it." He said. "This one is nice. Ah! That one! It's a bit sad, but you have to watch it!"

When the movie was running, Aloy find herself back in the coach, Erend's feet on her laps, underneath meters of duvets.

The story was beautiful. A woman telling a love story to a man who seems to forget things very easily. The whole movie was about the romance between two young adults who grow far away from each other before finally met again. In the end, the man who forgets all the time realizes it's his story with the storyteller. And he begs her to not let him forget again. In the end, the nurse discovers them both in each other's arms… dead.

Aloy cried. She never cried. She didn't cry when Rost was in a life and death situation. She didn't cry when she discovered she was the product of a laboratory which spent years of research in the cloning process; meaning she had no mother (or father for that matter). She didn't cry the war ended. But now, she was crying because of a movie… in front of Erend! He was her friend, true. But still! She had a reputation to maintain.

At a point, Erend sat up and took her in his arms. He kissed her forehead, gently as always.

"I didn't mean to make you so upset." He calmly said.

"I'm not upset." Aloy cried. "It must be horrible… to forget. And she stuck to him until the end…"

Erend smiled. How could this girl be so cute? She cared so much about everything. Even for fictional characters in a fictional story! He laid back, taking Aloy with him. She was on the good side; the one without the ribs weren't broken. But her flaming red hair were all other his face. He laughed and blew air to try getting them of his nose and mouth. That made she laughed.

Suddenly, she sat on top of him.

"Don't let me forget." She said.

It wasn't a request, nor a question. Her face wasn't far from his. Erend could see how worried she was to forget… To forget everything: Rost, her Proving, her adventures during the war, even perhaps him. Everything that made her "Aloy", the endlessly compassionate living being that she was.

He raised his head, meet her lips with his. It was a caress. Erend would dare ask for more. His heart was hers. He never really told her but somehow he was sure she knew. When his head fall back on the pillow, Aloy lower hers to meet his lips again. Another caress, then a light kiss. A gentle one, then a bit more. Aloy pressed her forehead against his.

"I won't, if you don't." He whispered.

Aloy smiled and kissed him again, lightly, then a little more intensively. Her hands slid under his shirt; worked they way up, avoiding the medical dressings as much as possible. Erend sat up to let Aloy take his shirt off. His own fingers moving from her knees, to her thighs, her hips; venturing underneath her blouse. Her lips soon left his for his jaw, and his neck.

Everything became...

A little more intense.

A little more passionate.

A little more precious.

If you notice mistakes while reading, make sure to let me know! =)