After the War's End

Prologue

Part of the Prologue of Horizon Forbidden West

And now you might be thinking: "But isn't the prologue supposed to go at the beginning?"

And that's when I answer:Yes, but my story, my rules ✨

Aside from that, I thought it was much better to read the prologue after knowing all the context of the story, rather than at the beginning. 

That said, enjoy this chapter 💕

Kindly, the young woman served him a cup of tea. Avad complained to himself as he stirred the liquid in the cup, causing the silver spoon to gently clink against the porcelain. Truly, she was a pleasant woman, well-groomed with a lovely smile. The problem was that the monarch had eyes for no one else. Still, Marad arranged dates with noble Carja women in the hope that he would finally say yes to one. But the Sun King knew he was incapable of doing such a thing. Those encounters were uncomfortable and humiliating. He couldn't stand having to attend those dates; he just wanted to leave as soon as possible. So few were his hopes that he saw it as more likely for Itamen to grow up and take the throne than to get married in that time.

Suddenly, a hand tapped him on the arm. Startled, he looked up at the young woman.

"She was asking if you wanted sugar, your Radiance." she said, locking her gaze with his.

"Sorry, no, thank you," he replied politely. Then he remarked, looking up at the sky, "It seems like it's going to rain."

"Yes, the weather has been quite unsettled lately." she replied, showing some confusion. Damn it, they had already talked about the weather before. Why had he said that? Couldn't he have said something else? He had rushed to answer the first thing that came to his mind and had ended up creating an awkward silence.

"And... what do you do?" he quickly asked to divert attention from his mistake. He knew that nobles loved to talk about themselves and their accomplishments. Judging by her appearance, she would have a good job. Her clothes stood out for their finesse and quality.

"My family trades in fabrics, mainly silk and velvet." she explained. "It was my father who started..." and there the Sun-King disconnected. Occasionally, he made eye contact while nodding to give the impression that he was still present, but that day he couldn't control his mind. He couldn't help but think of Aloy and how much the atmosphere of that tea time would change if she were the one sitting across from him. In fact, he found himself thinking of her numerous times throughout the day. Especially when he had to attend those dates, he couldn't get her out of his head. The thought that the only person he would like to be sharing that moment with wasn't there tormented him at every encounter he attended. They remained talking for a good while, or at least he perceived it to be a long time, until finally, they bid each other farewell politely.

"Thank you, Radiant, for honoring me with your presence here today." he expressed, bowing to her. The gestures she made marked a clear relationship of superiority and inferiority. Couldn't she just treat him like a normal person? Being treated like a god made him feel uncomfortable.

"I am grateful for your presence here today. May the Sun illuminate your path." he bid her farewell, also bowing his head as a sign of respect. He couldn't even remember her name. Even if he wanted to, he was unable to concentrate, to stay in place without starting to wander off.

Once the noblewoman had left, he hurried to his chambers. Fortunately, they were not far from where they had been, so he barely crossed paths with anyone along the way. Once there, he bolted the door and let out a long sigh as he slumped against the wall. He kicked off his shoes, sending them flying across the room, and then walked barefoot to the window. There, he removed the crown from his head as if wanting to rid himself of his role as monarch. In his room was the only place where no one else looked at him, where he found refuge from the world. Away from appearances and protocols, it was the only space where he was simply Avad, not the Sun King. Outside, he had to comply with so many rules and ways of behaving that it was a relief to break away from all of that, retreating to his chambers whenever he could, and just being Avad. That was his safe place, away from the judgments of others. He let out a long sigh as he rested both hands on the desk, dropping his head forward.