The warehouse wasn't too large, but it had everything necessary. It consisted of two rooms, one for storing fabrics and materials dedicated to making outfits, and another with a table serving as a counter, various models hanging on the wall, and a few ornaments, also of his own design. The shutters at the back of the store, which would be the warehouse, were closed, so Teb opened them so that his guests could get a better view of the place, and then he lit a fire to warm up the space.
"Do you like it?"
"It's a very nice place." she said, examining every detail of the place.
"Wow... Did you do all of this? It's incredible." the king pointed out with admiration, running his hand over one of the displayed outfits.
"Well, thank you very much. You can take a look if you want; I can give you something as a gift." he replied modestly.
"I was wondering if you would have something suitable for Avad." Aloy said, pointing to the king.
"Of course, surely we can find something. Let's eat, and then we'll look at it. I suppose the most important thing is that the outfit protects mainly from the cold, right? I don't know if he's accustomed to this climate."
"No... he's not, so he'll need to take shelter, be well wrapped up because otherwise, he'll get sick. I'm also looking for something that fits with the local clothes; I want him to try something different from what he usually wears. What do you think?"
"I think it's a fantastic idea; there's no better way to immerse oneself in our culture than by participating in our customs, starting with the clothes."
The three of them ate, exchanging the latest events of those months, although, of course, the couple avoided the details about the beginning of their relationship. With anecdotes and laughter, they finished eating and began to look for something that matched the style and physique of the Carja. The Nora moved back and forth, murmuring things about different outfits, analyzing upper and lower parts of different sets, until he seemed to find the perfect combination.
"I don't know if it will be his size, but with an adjustment, it will fit him well. Let's try it if you want." he announced, making a pile with the things he had found. The monarch nodded, and he unbuttoned his cape, revealing the large sword he wore strapped to his waist.
"What an incredible weapon!" he exclaimed upon seeing it "Even the scabbard alone has such careful construction…!"
"Do you want to see it?" Aloy asked, unfastening it and handing it to the young man. Carefully, he unsheathed it and admired its perfect shape. It was an unparalleled object.
"I may not be good at fighting, but I know how to distinguish a good weapon. And I also know when to put it away before poking someone's eye out." Teb joked, sheathing it again "Shall we try on the clothes I found for you?" he asked, returning the sword to its owner.
"Sure." the monarch nodded, starting to take off his shirt.
"Uh…" the huntress began, feeling her cheeks reddening "I'd better wait outside until you're done." and quickly slipped out of the room towards the one with the counter, where she sat to wait. She swung her feet for a while until she heard her old friend's voice calling her. Then, she entered, hoping that he was dressed, peeking cautiously to find a result that she was not expecting at all. Avad turned shyly towards her, just to meet her expression of wonder as she analyzed him from head to toe. He wore furry boar skin boots tied with cords adorned with machine parts, not only beautifying the shoes but also protecting his limbs. They reached the middle of his shins. His legs were covered with dark brown pants, tightly fitted with a belt of the same material. The top was made of a cream-colored suede fabric, looking soft and very warm, extending to the upper half of his thighs. Also, the neck was quite high, protecting him from the wind. Underneath, a gray shirt could be seen. On his shoulders rested a hooded cape, matching the boots. In addition, his hands were protected by gloves on the back of which were attached pieces of machine shells, and the same on his arms: on a fabric similar to that of the pants, white pieces guarded his forearms attached with blue cables present in many parts of the outfit.
"Teb... it's... It's an incredible job! It fits him perfectly; there's nothing I see and say, 'Well, maybe something else would suit him better…' It's a magnificent job, I... I love it!" she exclaimed, noticing that she blushed slightly. Avad was simply splendid. The clothes enhanced his physical characteristics, making him look more robust and slender, like a hunter. Then, the girl rummaged in her backpack and pulled out the small bag, the same one the king had seen that morning from the ruins, to hand it to the craftsman.
"Aloy! It's not necessary, really." he insisted.
"A job like this should be rewarded. He looks so good... really, accept it." Teb took the bag and opened it to see its contents. It had many machine parts: various grazers' hearts, many shards, some lenses, and the heart of a thunderjaw.
"This is... too much, do you know how many outfits can be bought with this?" he replied, taking out the thunderjaw heart "You even want to give me the heart of a thunderjaw…"
"Few hunters around here will have one." she said, smiling "You deserve it."
"Oh... wow, thank you very much…"
Minutes later, they said their goodbyes.
"I hope to see you again during these days." the tailor wished.
"We do too." Aloy replied.
When they left the workshop, the cold breeze shook them, sending a shiver down their bodies.
"Brrrr…" Avad murmured as he readjusted the bag with the travel clothes on his shoulder.
"You feel the temperature drop, huh?" he pointed out.
"Yes…" she admitted "But I feel so much better in this outfit." then, he asked timidly "So... do you like how the clothes Teb made for me look?" suddenly, she pretended to bump into him, as if they were coming from different directions and she hadn't seen him.
"Oh, excuse me, esteemed Nora, have you seen a Carja around here looking a bit lost? He has hair as dark as yours... Come on, Avad! I didn't know it was you!" she laughed with a melodious chuckle.
"I-I guess that's a yes…" he replied, blushing.
"Of course it is." she said, messing up his hair "You look like a Nora except for your hair." she laughed.
"What's wrong with it?" he asked puzzled, combing it again, realizing he wasn't wearing his crown. Instantly, he rummaged in his bag until he found it, placing it on his head.
"Nothing, nothing, on the contrary, you won't see any Nora with such perfect hair." she affirmed "I love it." he smiled shyly and lowered his gaze.
Upon leaving the village, they mounted the strider. The machine was waiting for them, roaming around the outskirts of the city. It was starting to snow, which was quite a spectacle for the king, who, from the mount's back, marveled at how the flakes delicately settled on the ground. The road was quite empty of machines, so they reached their destination quickly. They left the strider outside the walls of Mother's Watch and entered the settlement on foot. There, they felt observed as in the previous village, but they didn't give it much importance. They quickly climbed the steep slope leading to the gate of the Sacred Mountain, hoping to meet the Matriarch on the way, and so it was. The old woman was attending to a woman who was laden with a basket full of various flowers used for healing potions. As soon as Teersa saw the huntress, she said goodbye to that woman and quickly approached her.
"By the Mother! Aloy! You've returned!" she exclaimed, very happy to see that the young woman was well "I knew you would come back soon. I wished to hear from you!"
"Teersa!" she ran to hug her, surprising the Matriarch.
"Oh, child!" she exclaimed "How good to see you!" she continued speaking when they let go of the hug "How has everything been in Meridian? Are you well? I heard about the accident you had in the war with the bridge, and not having news from you left me very worried, which worsened when four hunters from Meridian arrived here, who had gone out in search of you."
"Luckily, everything went well, although after the war, I had to go to the Forbidden West, and I've also been a few days in Meridian, helping with the city's reconstruction, but he can tell you better about that." she said, pointing to Avad.
"Great Matriarch Teersa, it is an honor…" he said, smiling kindly, bowing with extreme formality, expecting the reaction he might have.
"He is the Sun-King Avad, he came to accompany me, to get to know the Sacred Lands, and in a few days, he will send reinforcements to help rebuild the villages." she explained, introducing him. Teersa stared at him for a moment.
"The Sun-King Avad? Here?" she said impressed, not realizing that someone else was about to join the conversation "Well-"
"What?!" Lansra suddenly interrupted "A Carja in our Sacred Lands so close to the Goddess?! And on top of that, you allow him to dress as if he belongs to this place!"
"Lansra…" Jezza, who was approaching and had heard the shouts from a distance, said.
"Sinning so close to the Goddess!" she lamented exaggeratedly "Don't you realize your mistake? He comes from defiled lands! Also, have you forgotten the sacrifices made not only by his tribe but by his own father?" she exclaimed, pointing at the crown "His hands are covered in blood…"
"Lansra... Sun-King Avad doesn't…" Teersa tried to intervene.
"Sorry for the confusion but-"the king tried to express himself.
"Who knows what your true intentions are." she accused, poking him in the chest with her index finger, making him struggle to maintain his upright and firm posture. Avad took a breath to say something but then remained silent, quite subdued "He comes from defiled lands, far from the Goddess's gaze, where not only atrocities have been allowed but also led... by someone of his own blood."
"Lansra, please, let me…" the king began to speak formally, without losing composure at any moment. Clearly, he had been able to deduce who each Matriarch was after Aloy's explanations.
"Sure, he's just like his father, who knows what he's hiding." the monarch lowered his gaze, hurt by what he had just heard.
"Enough!" Aloy shouted explosively with a firm voice and cheeks flushed with anger, gaining the attention of the four "Stop with the prejudices, Lansra! Everything related to me is bad, right?" she asked angrily, pushing her aside by pulling her shoulder back "Didn't the revelation on the Sacred Mountain open your eyes? Haven't you learned that you're not always right? Is this the way to treat a monarch who has come peacefully and willing to help? You don't even know him, and you're already calling him cursed. Who do you think you are? Who gave you the authority to judge others like this?" then the huntress turned to him "Let's go, there's nothing more to see here." Lansra was about to intervene, but the other two silenced her, while Aloy, pulling him like a whirlwind, walked away from the group "I'm... sorry…" she said, regaining her composure.
"Thank you for defending me... I didn't really know how to proceed; she wouldn't let me speak, and I didn't want to do anything that would worsen the situation... I know you warned me that this could happen, but I didn't think they would do it in such an explicit way... ah…" he sighed "Comparing me to my father…" he lamented, hurt by what he had just heard from the old woman. She hadn't thought for a second before saying all those barbarities.
"You know you're not like him." she responded affectionately, squeezing his hand "You never have been, and you don't deserve to bear the guilt for what he did. Besides, Lansra is not in her right mind. Everything is cursed for her."
"Wait!" they heard behind them "Please." they turned towards Teersa, who was quickly approaching the couple. Avad quickly composed himself from the previous situation and turned to her with a totally neutral face, with which he quickly hid his feelings "Excuse this disastrous welcome, if it can even be called that." then she turned to him "Lansra is usually... very brutal. Jezza and I are always at odds with her, it's inevitable... No... it's not right... I ask you to accept my most sincere apologies." she said, not knowing how to find words to ask for forgiveness for such an offense "Please, don't leave yet, there's still something to see here." then, she gestured for them to follow her.
"Thank you, Matriarch Teersa... I would like to change the view that many Nora have of me, although from what I see, it might be complicated."
"It is undoubtedly seen that you are different from what they think; surely you will achieve it." then, they walked to the gate of the Sacred Mountain.
"Teersa, I don't think Lansra…" Aloy replied as soon as she noticed Teersa's intentions.
"Don't worry, child, Jezza is taking care of her right now." she answered, winking "It's empty right now; it'll be brief." then she turned to the Carja "Sun-King Avad, I would like you to see The Great Chamber, the place where the Goddess defeated the Metal Devil."
"It is a sacred place, until recently, only the Matriarchs could enter." Aloy whispered to him. He raised his eyebrows, surprised, understanding the importance of that act. They walked through the tunnels until they reached a large metal door that preceded the sacred place.
"Never has a stranger entered this place, but today I will open it for you." she announced, placing her hand on a large metal circle carved into the door. It opened with a squeaky sound. They entered the room illuminated by thousands of candles placed on the rock floor and adorned with various objects made of fabric, machine parts, and animal bones. The ceiling was higher than the other places, and numerous columns formed by stalactites and stalagmites joined supported it. The ceiling was pierced by the large fragment of a machine, the titan known there as the Metal Devil. They walked in silence through the smoke generated by the thousands of candles until they reached the foot of the stairs, where Teersa knelt, followed by the travelers, and began a prayer "Oh, Mother, bless and welcome this Carja whose heart is as pure as the song of rivers and trees…"
"Remember when I told you I never had a father and a mother?" the huntress murmured. The king nodded, avoiding speaking and upsetting the Matriarch. He really hadn't managed to understand how it was that she didn't have parents "Well... this is where I was born." she said.
"Here…?" he asked, making a face that reflected how puzzled he was.
"Later, I'll explain it to you." she whispered while Teersa continued with her prayer.
"…make his days among us full of blessings, so that he takes a great memory back to his land, and his visit favors the restoration of peace between our peoples." when she finished, the three got up.
"Teersa, thank you very much; this is... quite an honor, it means a lot to me." he said, smiling, bowing his head slightly with respect.
"You have nothing to thank for; you have done much to atone for your father's sins. Your efforts have been a gift to us; you deserve a gift too because you didn't have to bear the responsibility of having to reverse so much hatred, and yet, you have tried to restore peaceful relations with the other peoples, including ours. The least we could do was make you feel at home, and your reception has not been entirely... fortunate."
"Thank you…"
"I suppose today you'll want to rest, but tomorrow we can celebrate your arrival in Mother's Heart if you agree. We can all meet there in the afternoon." she proposed with a broad smile.
"Do you think it's a good idea?" Aloy asked, hesitating.
"Of course, there's no better way to do it than with good food." she replied confidently.
"Well... thanks for the invitation." the young woman replied, not too convinced.
"Great! See you then, tomorrow. Do you want me to take you to a cabin in the village where you can stay these days? I can think of one where there's room for you."
"No, thank you. We'll go to... Rost's house."
"Oh, okay." she responded surprised, raising her eyebrows, giving the couple a curious look, first at one, then at the other, and then collectively. Then, she smiled "See you tomorrow then, enjoy."
Then, the group split up, and each went their own way. The two mounted the galloper and rode up the mountain.
"Before going home... I have to talk to the chieftain. It's... well, it was Varl's mother... ah... I'm not very good at this, but I should be the one to tell her."
"Oh, of course, wow... I hope you find the right words."
Both headed to the watchtower, the chieftain's post, but Avad decided to stay halfway up to give them privacy. The place was not crowded, so it was very unlikely that the monarch would have problems with any Nora. When the young hunter reached the post, she saw the woman looking at the horizon for possible threats. She was the same as always, with her classic bun, leaving the rest of her mane free, with her first grays gleaming in the light that would soon give way to sunset.
"Hello, Aloy." she said before turning toward her, as if knowing in advance who it was. She looked as serious as usual, with the blue mark painted on her face.
"Good afternoon, Chieftain Sona." she responded to her greeting.
"I saw you arrive. What brings you here?" she asked, analyzing her, squinting her eyes, finding in the expression on her face that she brought bad news.
"I... I've thought of a thousand ways to tell you…" she began to speak, her gaze down, looking for something in her backpack. There are no suitable words to communicate to a mother the death of her son "but... I don't know how to do it…"
"Varl…" she murmured. Aloy handed her the circular leather ornament embroidered in blue, typical of the Nora; that he used to wear.
"I... I'm so sorry. He had the bravest of deaths defending us in a cauldron. Thanks to his help, I've come to where I am now; honestly, I don't know what I would be right now if I hadn't had him."
"Thank you…" she replied slowly taking the object, with an expression that was hardening more and more. She pressed it tightly against herself. Aloy placed a hand on her shoulder.
"We buried him in the Forbidden West, in an area with a beautiful view, where we set up the base for our team... A team that I formed thanks to him. If you ever want to go... you just have to ask me."
"Thank you for bringing this memory of him." the young woman bowed her head down not knowing what else to say to the chieftain "Now... leave me alone, please."
"Anything you need…" she responded, approaching the descent stairs "I'll be here for a few days." the chieftain nodded and turned around again.