Chapter 2

She needed to stop waking up in places she didn't recognize. At least this time, it was not behind the bars of a cage. Sounds crept to her as she squinted through the blurriness of her vision, trying to make sense of her surroundings before giving away that she was awake. She heard the same chaos of the day as before, though much more muffled, coming through an open window… one she recognized. Olin's house.

She sat straight up in the large, silken bed. Was it time? The raid was surely upon them by now, she needed her… armor. It was gone. A simple cotton shift kept her cool, and underneath her wounds were bandaged and wrapped. A bowl of water, cool to the touch, sat nearby, as well as her clean, folded clothes. For a moment she searched desperately for her spear before she remembered. No more battles… no more Hades… no more spear. She hoped with all her being that it was true.

Turning, she slid her legs out from under the blankets, wondering who had undressed her. Her heart skipped a beat when she, for a moment, considered it may have been Erend, but common sense told her otherwise. She heard voices from downstairs, one of which she recognized from one of the healers come to offer her services to the city. Surely she'd been the one. Her legs were shaky… it took a few moments to push herself to her feet. With dismay, she found she'd left an imprint of dirt, blood, and grease where she'd lay: at least no one had taken the liberty of bathing her. She drank like a fish at the bowl of water before using some to splash against her face, leaving rivulets of skin in the haze of smoky scum that she'd accumulated. Yes. She needed a bath at some point. Gathering up her things, she began to pull on her trousers, padding barefoot down the stairs.

Eyes turned to greet her. Avad was there, as well as the healer she'd recognized, a handful of guards, and a very anxious-looking Erend, whose face split into a grin of pleasure when he saw her, as it always did. Despite herself, she smiled back. His expression was contagious. Plus, he was the only one who didn't seem a little alarmed at her appearance. The healer, satisfied she was in one piece, bowed towards Avad before disappearing out the door. The Sun King gave her a wide gesture with his hand.

"Aloy!" He exclaimed, injecting more passion into his voice than his expression shared. "It's good to see you walking unaided. A rest has done you well. I have procured a gift for you, in hopes it will help make up for the hardships the last few days have caused you."
Aloy followed his gesture to see a large, ornately carved tub nearby, filled nearly full with cloudy, pale water. She saw small wisps of steam emerge from it, and her entire being ached to be in that tub over her head. A table with dishes of fragrances, she assumed, sat nearby, and she went to pluck a fingerful of gritty white granules from a pile, sniffing curiously. Far too strong.

"I had the healer make up the finest concoctions for sore muscles and bruises," Avad announced proudly. "The salts are harvested from our own waters, with the essences of oils come from deep within the Jewel." He crossed his arms, grand in his usual kingly attire. She pictured him out among his people dressed like a flag in the debris. She frowned as she considered the time it took for a healer, desperately needed in this time, wasting her day setting up a bath. She wanted to refuse it. Instead, she pulled her lips tight and nodded. Perhaps she will be of more use once her muscles stopped aching. She will make up for her down time afterwards. She dipped her hand in the water. It almost seemed to suck her in, beckon her to delve to the bottom, clothes and all.

She noticed with dismay that Avad had ordered Erend and the guards out of the room. She looked up as the door closed, her lips parting as if to call them back. She knew what was coming, but she decided to give the King the benefit of the doubt and drew herself upright to be addressed.

"Aloy," Avad's voice was lower as he took a few steps towards her, uncrossing his arms. There was that odd look. The puppy-look some men gave her. Avad used it to look vulnerable to her, she knew. She also knew he was anything but. "I have been worried to sickness for you. Ever since the battle has ended, there's been nothing but work for us to rebuild, to heal, to fortify. Anything could happen now, with our defenses down. We owe you so much, and yet I can't even find you to thank you." His eyes were being kept carefully on hers. She wondered if it was him being polite about her current state of filth. Perhaps it was the only reason he wasn't closing the distance.

"This is a wonderful gesture," She assured him, tapping the tub at her back. A small laugh to try and disarm the situation. "Gaia knows I need it." A flicker of confusion reminds him that he may have forgotten just who he was referring to. "You owe me nothing," she concluded. "I am staying and helping because it is what's needed. There are tents to build, inventories to take, paths to blast clear. I will be good as new in a few hours." She hoped he couldn't sense her lie.

Frustration tinged Avad's features, but did not make it into his even, practiced voice. "That's not what I meant, Aloy." At this point, it seemed, he was having trouble putting together the words that were most neutral. "I… look I know we've already spoken before about.. the situation with Ersa." Oh no, Aloy lamented. This again. "But I see now I was wrong. I was not looking to you to fill in for her. Ersa was an amazing woman, surely, but you…" His eyes squinted a little as he looked at her. "You're like the Sun herself. There can be no comparison."

She still wasn't sure how to handle comments like these. Was she supposed to pick something about him that she liked? A compliment for a compliment? "You're a good king, Avad," she put on her friendliest smile. After all, it was the truth. "Ersa would have been so proud of your victory, the work you're doing."

Avad's lips pulled a little. Was he frowning. Too late, she realized it wasn't what he wanted to hear. This wasn't about Ersa at all. "Avad," she continued. Her legs were beginning to ache again. The tub was so inviting, so close. Even the smelly weeds and salts were intoxicating. "I'm not staying. I already told you. I'm not… cut out for that kind of thing. I'm not…"

The Sun King held up a hand. "Just… think about it, Aloy. The people respect you. They've learned to love you. I've learned to… accept that you are different. But you have to remember that my first priority is to Meridian and my people. And if it's in their best interest to give them a queen that…" He'd said it out loud, and the revelation caused his words to falter. For an uncomfortable moment, they stared at eachother. "You would want for nothing," were Avad's final words. "Enjoy your bath. Please consider my offer, huntress."

"I'll think about it…" She finally relented. He nodded, satisfied. With a flash of gold, he was out the door.

For the first time in what seemed to years, Aloy unbraided her hair. Some of the ties she'd used were so worn they needed to be cut from her head. She wasn't going to think about Avad right now. She wasn't going to think about the war, or the Carja, or the tents. After a moment's pause, she took off her Focus, setting it on the table. Today, she was not Annointed, or the Seeker, or a queen. She wasn't a Savage, an outsider, a Nora. She was not Elisabet.

Something had changed. Today, she was only Aloy, and for the first time since she could remember, she was completely naked.