The Sweet Escape |Part 1| The Carja

Chapter 13 - Revelations

The ladies naturally left to Erend the best spot for him to rest. The Tenakth cabin offered him a great opportunity to have a good night's sleep, after the trauma he suffered the day before. All his muscles were still sore, he had a massive headache and his arm was sending him painful pulsations that were radiating through his whole body, but he couldn't care less.

Dawn was coloring the sky of the most beautiful blend of orange, yellow and light blue behind the hills, but he was lying on his back, his eyes locked to the ceiling of the rustic structure.

What happened the night before was rippling in his mind and he couldn't think about anything else.

Sparks to steel, they had almost kissed...!

He still couldn't believe it. Yes, he noticed the change in her behavior during all those little moments that led to it. He had dreamt about this night after night, for the past two years, but now that it almost happened, he started to doubt himself again.

How could she even consider... him? She was so... Well, he didn't have the words to describe her. Out-of-this-world, maybe, would be close enough. On the contrary, even if he firmly considered himself as worthy of attention, surely he did not deserve someone like Aloy. He was already honored to be so close to her. Her friend, maybe even her best friend.

It had been perfect though, better than in his wildest fantasies. If he could relive this magical moment again and again for the rest of his life, he would. It was so romantic, so intimate... Like the whole world around simply vanished, leaving the two of them into the most perfect bubble. But then, when they were just inches away, she freaked out.

Of course she did!

Okay, he was bleeding. Sure, not sexy.

But after that... Maybe when she grasped the extent of his childhood trauma, she considered he was damaged goods? Maybe she finally realized that he was still this scared little boy, who hadn't been strong enough to stand up to his own father? To save his own sister?

Not worthy... of her.

Aloy had a beautiful heart, and he knew that her unfolding his past wouldn't change anything to their friendship. Friend yes, but more than that...? Surely she had other better opportunities. By the Forge, the Sun King proposed to make her his queen! And he heard her talk about this Tenakth clan leader making passes on her... What was his name again? Rakka or Drakka... Anyway.

Definitely, she had options. Great options. So why would she want him?

She said she felt responsible for what happened to him on the battlefield, as if she was bearing the weight of the world and everyone in it on her shoulders. As she still felt responsible for Varl's death, to a degree. He didn't want to be a burden to her. He wanted to protect her, help her by any means possible, not being a dead weight by her side, causing her more problems than she had already...

He brushed his face with his large hands, trying to push down those dark thoughts at the back of his mind. They had a lot of things to do today, he needed to get ready.

Not slow her down again.

*****

They quickly gathered their belongings and got back to Hidden Ember, and despite his doubts, Erend gladly accepted to ride behind Aloy again, secretly thanking Talanah who insisted on getting more practice with steering overridden mounts.

As per the day before, the ride was a delicious moment stolen from his harsh reality.

They finally arrived back at the settlement and as soon as they got there, Erend prepared to leave the ladies to get his armor repaired at the smithy and get stitched up properly at the clinic. Upon his arrival, he had organized several healers to come together in a solid cabin behind the Tower of Tears, with bedrolls, medical equipment and healing salves, creating a rudimentary first aid point.