After the War's End

Chapter 33

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.