At long last, Aloy's journey is near its end. Meridian, the City of The Sun, stands before her, towering and magnificent. Transfixed by the scale, she gazes upward at the jagged peaks of the city's many spires and steeples that carve into the evening sky. Buffeted by the crowd, she makes her way past the enormous iron gates, and into Meridian proper.
All around her, the inner courtyard buzzes with activity; merchants and vendors compete for the attention of new arrivals, shouting over each other as they peddle their wares. Minstrels and bards serenade atop wooden crates, firebreathers and sword swallowers astonish crowds in front of the lavish courtyard fountain. Guards shove past her in chase of petty thieves, and children dart around her legs at speed. Barkeeps beckon to her from open doors, and strange women expose themselves to her with a wink and a lick of the lips.
Aloy struggles to take it all in. She has spent her whole life out in the wild, forging her own path, surviving in her natural element, briefly interacting with only a handful of people. She never thought she'd ever leave the Sacred Lands, let alone be lost in a crowd of Carja in the biggest city she'd ever heard of. Her mind races, her attention is being pulled in a thousand directions as she trips over her own feet, trying to break out of the endless sea of people as they jostle her along some unknown path. It's too much, too many, too loud! She can feel hot breath on her neck, and someone's elbow is digging into her ribs, making it hard to breath. She panics, and throws out a few elbows of her own. Earning many irritated looks from those around her, she finally manages to scramble away from the crowd, and escapes down a shady side alley, where she leans against a wall to catch her breath.
She's drenched in sweat, and wipes her fiery orange hair out of her face so that she can cool down. The Hunter's Guild can wait, and Aloy decides that she will rest in the shade for a bit.
Suddenly, a door to her left flings open, and out comes a handsome, rugged man. Completely naked, he stands in the doorway with his hands on his hips, enjoying the cool evening air. Sounds of pleasure ring out from behind the man, echoing through the alley. Aloy freezes. She's heard stories and rumors of the strange people and customs of Meridian, but she had written them off as closed-minded ramblings of her native tribe. Oh how naive she was.
The man's endowment is absurdly thick and long, longer than any Aloy has ever seen, which isn't saying much, considering the only man she's ever been with was a humble farm boy who wasn't nearly as blessed. It hangs, casually glistening and throbbing ever so slightly in the sun. Aloy can't help her jaw as it falls open in awe and bewilderment.
How can anyone be so big?' she thinks to herself, Are all Carja men this big? How on Earth do the women handle it? When did I start biting my lip?!'
She's in such a state of surprise that she doesn't notice that the man is staring at her, waiting to catch her attention.
Amused, and a little concerned, the man breaks the silence, "Hi there!" he says, bending over to meet Aloy's fixed gaze.
Aloy snaps to attention and great embarrassment as she stutters her way through an apology, "I - I was just - uhm - with the crowd and - I thought - I'm sorry! I - I didn't mean -" Unable to decide where to look, Aloy's eyes dart back and forth from the man's beautiful face to his insane cock. Noticing this, the man interjects.
"First day in the city?" he asks with knowing sincerity. His voice is as smooth as butter.
Aloy ceases her stammering and takes a deep breath, relieved by the man's calm attitude. "Yes! And I'm really sorry for - I just don't know where I am or where I'm supposed to go."
The man's bright blue eyes soften with compassion as he takes a step towards Aloy, who finds herself either unwilling or unable to back away. He places one of his large hands on her shoulder in a strong and comforting gesture.
"Relax," he says, "Meridian isn't as scary as people make it out to be." His accent is hypnotizing, and Aloy doesn't break from his piercing gaze. "You seem like a capable young woman, I'm sure you'll figure it out."
"...Yes..." Aloy manges to reply. He's so close to her, his cock is just a few inches away from touching her leg. His intoxicating scenf reaches her nostrils. It's sweaty and rugged, the way a man should smell after a hard day's work. More dignified women might be turned off by such a manly odor, but Aloy can't resist breathing in his natural musk.
"My name is Aleir," he says with a gorgeous smile.
"Yes...I mean Aloy! My name is Aloy!" she exclaims, determined to snap out of her trance.
"Well, Aloy, it's a pleasure to meet you," says Aleir, taking her hand in his, "You seem thirsty, would you like some water?"
"Well I really need to find the Hunter's Guild, do you know where that is?"
"Aloy, you need water! I can tell you're thirsty. Why don't you come inside and sit down for a bit? I'll get you some water and tell you where you need to go, but you should rest," suggests Aleir, mentioning towards the open doorway, from which moans can still be heard as loud as ever.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea..."
"If you don't want to come inside I understand, but please just wait here a moment and I'll bring out some water for you! Just one glass for your new friend Aleir and then you can go ok? Sound good?"
He's so damn charming and Aloy is definitely thirsty...
"Okay, just please hurry," says Aloy with a reluctant smile.
"Just one moment!" says Aleir with a smile as he disappears back inside, leaving the door open.
Aloy smiles to herself, and messes with her hair in a nearby window to try and make herself look somewhat presentable. She's surprised to find that despite her weariness, she actually looks really good. Her fiery hair is vibrant and disheveled, her freckles accent her pale skin, and her lips, while cracked from thirst, are full and supple. Her body is tight and muscular, chiseled by the elements to create a slim but full figure. A cool breeze flows through the alley, caressing her soft skin and setting her at ease. Her mind replays her interaction with Aleir over and over again, picking apart the details. The way he moved, his muscly arms, his beautiful eyes, his deep voice, and who could forget his enormous appendage. Something about him speaks to her; he has the energy of a confident and experienced man who knows how to be caring and kind, but also probably knows when to be rough and wild. She can't stop thinking about him.
It's only after the dozenth replay that Aloy notices how long she's been waiting for that water.