After the War's End

Chapter 34

When Aloy descended, Avad was waiting for her in the same spot where they had parted ways. It was still a while before dusk, but she wanted to arrive early to settle in, prepare some dinner, and, above all, to mentally prepare herself before entering the place. Upon leaving the settlement, they rode on the back of the machine that would take them to the secluded house of the hunter.

"I'm looking forward to seeing your home." he said, holding onto her waist excitedly. She took a few seconds to respond.

"Yeah... I'm also looking forward to you seeing it... but I'll need to take it slowly..." she replied with a somewhat sad tone.

"Oh, y-yes, of course, don't worry, we'll go at the pace you need, there's no hurry." he replied, recalling Rost. The ascent became steeper until they finally reached a well-built wooden palisade.

"This is... here." Aloy said, dismounting from the Strider. Avad dismounted a few seconds later, while she crossed the wooden fence. He followed her footsteps into the enclosure, finding her kneeling in the snow, with a beautiful ornament made of machine parts in front of what looked like a grave. Rost's grave. He didn't know exactly what to do until he heard her sob. Then, without thinking twice, as if a force propelled him from within, he knelt beside her and enveloped her in his arms. Aloy fell silent, leaning against his chest.

"Hey... If you want, we can postpone the visit. Maybe it's better if you show me later, don't worry." he whispered gently in her ear while caressing her soft cheek, moistened by a cold tear. "I just want to see it when you're ready."

"No..." she murmured. "I want you to see it; it's important to me."

"Alright, you... take your time." he said. Then, she wiped her nose with the back of her hand and stood up, leaning on him. Holding Avad's hand, the huntress walked to the door of the house, sheltered under an awning that covered a large pile of wood destined for the warmth of the hearth. There, she stopped.

"I haven't been in here since... the day of the Proving. Without Rost, it doesn't feel like my home anymore. I need to take it slow."

"Take all the time you need, and if you decide it's better to go back to the village, I'll have no problem with that, really." Avad said. Aloy turned towards him gratefully for being so understanding. He was probably exhausted after the long day they had experienced, but all that mattered to him was that she was okay. He took one more step and unlocked the door, pushing it afterward. It opened with a faint creaking sound. It was starting to get dark, and although the sunsets in the Sacred Lands were not as beautiful as in the Sundom, the sky began to be tinged with orange.

The door opened, revealing the interior of the house, dark because the shutters were closed. The warm sunset light traced the shape of the door on the floor, containing the shadow of the couple. A gust of wind brought in several snowflakes, depositing them on a fur rug. She sighed, and after standing still for a few seconds, entered, followed by the monarch. For Aloy, the sight was striking. Everything was as if Rost had never left: the dishes, the decorations... nothing was out of place, as if he were about to return any moment. But he wouldn't. When her eyes adjusted to the dim light, Avad placed his satchel on the rug and looked around. It wasn't too large, nor did it have many rooms, but it looked very cozy. To the left, there was a fireplace surrounded by stone, with some ashes inside. The Sun King deduced that this place was also used for cooking, as several kitchen utensils hung around it for heating and preparing meals. Near the fireplace, there was a not-too-large bed, covered with blankets and furs. On the wall opposite the fire, a small shelf hung with various figurines made from machine parts, representing several of them: one was a Strider, another a Tallneck, a Watcher, and a Grazer as well. Nearby, there was a table made of ridge-wood, along with a couple of chairs resting beside it. On the wall opposite the door, there was a cupboard near the table, where wooden dishes were stored. There was also a door, slightly ajar, but due to the low light, its interior couldn't be seen. On this same wall near the bed, there was another large cupboard that was closed. It was large enough to store various objects, weapons, clothes... Numerous Nora decorations hung on the walls, as well as others made from fabric and boar horns. Near them, there were several trunks that were closed, preventing a view of their contents.