Chapter Text
The burning heat from the forge’s flames prickled on his skin as he brought down his hammer onto the anvil, sparks of orange and red flying every which way as he pulled it back for another hit.
It was a good thing Oseram armour kept out the worst of it, or he’d be covered in a thousand small burns. Instead of those littering his skin he was left sweating like a pig in the midday carja sun.
There was no good reason to be out here at night. Yet there he was, leader of the vanguard, taking out his frustration as if he’d had nothing better to do.
But after drinking his weight in scrappersap and overworking himself to the point of tipping over, there wasn’t much else left to calm his mind.
So it drove him to the forges, into the smoke, fire and harsh banging of metal on metal. Iron on iron, It was all he had left to chase the thoughts away.
He had no right to be as upset as he was.
Not about this.
It had barely been a moment. A minute, a second of clarity. Yet it haunted him, his mind wandering back to it the second it wasn’t being forced to focus on something else.
Pale fingers wrapping around his wrists, holding on tight, pulling him out of harm’s way and onto the softness of Nora leathers. The feeling of warmth against his chest, spreading like a wildfire. Green eyes, bewildered and filled with worry staring up at him.
The brush of her hair, soft and free, caressing his cheek as they tumbled down the ridge together and held on for dear life.
Time seemed to stop, just for a mere instant.
A heartbeat, against his own, their faces only inches removed from one another, her rose tinted lips parting.
Sadly, Gravity had other plans.
It could have been perfect.
It should have been perfect.
But instead, they broke their fall onto the hardened ground. Dust flying up around their impact site, and the air was forced painfully quickly out of his lungs.
The world was spinning far too fast for comfort, his ears were ringing, his blood rushing through his veins guided by the frantic beating of his heart that rendered his hearing useless. It was only drowned out by the trembling of the dirt around him, and the violent roaring of a stalker that lingered at the ridge’s edge above them.
If she hadn’t seen it coming. It would have ripped him to shreds.
Once more he was left in her debt. It was growing with every act of kindness and self sacrifice, and with each of those the list of all she’d done for him grew longer and longer.
At this point, Erend couldn’t imagine ever being able to repay the debt in full.
“ Are you alright? “ came the frightened call from his left. His blurred vision being filled with shades of red and blue. Her voice, trembling just a tad bit more than her usual calm and composed tone, betrayed the fact that even she could be caught off guard.
“ I’ve been worse “ he croaked back, as her hands cradled his face, warm to the touch as always. Even more so now. Or he could just be suffering from a concussion and imagining this whole thing.
Aloy moved him carefully, scanning his skin for marks and gashes. Once she was certain none remained to be found, she exhaled a sigh of relief.
It wasn’t long after the events of that day that the real shit show started.
It began with whisps of thought, lingering for just a little too long, dancing around his head as he worked. Worming their way into his every day without him noticing. He pushed them aside as easily as any other. But they persisted, like a poison.
Soon enough he’d catch himself stiffening at the flash of red among a crowd of nobles, searching for a certain voice among the noise of meridian. Hearing his name being called from the shadows, Longing for the scent of pine and snow, and the touch of fur on his skin as he wrapped his arms around a frame so much smaller and yet so much stronger than he could ever be.
The dreams began once he could no longer deny that aloy was an ever present presence in his mind.
It started as all dreams do. Innocent. Nothing more than the personification of his desires that clawed at his subconscious.
They’d sit for hours, staring into the distance in a comfortable silence, watching the sun setting behind the sharp outlines of the mountain tops that held the entire sundom in their embrace. Feeling the heat of the day radiating from the rock against their backs.
They would speak of home. Of lands and wonders she had seen further from here than any road could reach. She would laugh, and he would listen to the sound of it as if it was the most beautiful song he’d ever heard.
And then he would wake, shaken, alone, and woefully cold in his bed.
He would pretend the dreams meant nothing, that it was only a passing fancy, that he could distract himself enough to forget about them.
The truth was far more irritating.
Rather than diminish, the dreams came more often. With every reunion, with every touch, he would fall further and further down the rabbit hole.
Until his dreams took on a far less honourable route. One that burned brighter, stronger, and filled his chest with a craving he’d never experienced before.
Erend swallowed past the lump forming in the back of his throat as he tossed the blunted hammer aside, it landed onto his workbench with a loud thud, and remained there, as he stared into open flames.
“ By the forge.. you’re an idiot.. “
If he hadn’t opened his mouth, he could have mistaken his own voice for someone elses, as rough and cracked as it was.
“ As if she’d ever want you in that way.. “
“ Are you talking to yourself now? “
The voice of the blameless questioned from the doorway where he was standing, leaning against the frame, behind him, the sun was rising, lighting the once darkened workshop with it’s rays.
Night had passed far quicker than he’d realized, Something that was happening more often lately. When his ceaseless dreams chased him from his home.
“ Marad! “ He huffed, and turned to meet the gaze of the advisor. Marad, as calm as ever, simply motioned for him to follow.
“ Yes that is my name. Don’t wear it out. It’ll lose it’s shine. Now come, His radiance has called for your presence. I would hate to keep him waiting. “
In a flurry of golden silks the man disappeared around the corner. Leaving the befuddled Vanguard to follow in his footsteps.
His work was never done it seems.
Had it not been for his gloomy mood, he might have enjoyed the bustling energy that smacked him in the face the moment he stepped outside and into the heat of the carja capitol. There were countless merchants about, along with citizen’s all clambering to spend their shards on food and drink. He pushed through the crowd as he hurried to follow in marad’s footsteps, they circled the sunring and towards the bridge that led to the place that held the throne. Avad was rarely gone from it in recent weeks, far too busy with all the preparations that needed to be made.
“ How’s the festival coming along? “
Erend needed to raise his voice just a bit as he hurried to stay close to Marad, there was far too much chatter in the air to drown it out. Luckily, Marad had fine hearing. Like a hawk.
“ His radiance is doing everything in his power to prepare the city for the oncoming festivities. It’s no small task, considering this will be the first time that envoys of other clans will be invited. “
No shit.
As if inviting any outlanders was a small task. Considering the Carja history.
“ Do you think they’ll actually show up? I mean.. Most of them aren’t exactly big time fans of the Sundom. “
“ We can only hope our extension of friendship provides us with a newfound respect. From both sides. “ Marad mused, as he climbed up the rounded stairwell towards the golden throne.
Erend knew he was speaking truth. It would be no easy task to convince the tribes to venture out here, most of them were still wary. The peace was uneasy, even between the oseram and the carja, who’s warriors now served to protect the new sun king. Including himself.
There was no doubt in his mind that this would play a role in his summoning, Avad needed him. And despite his lack of expertise, Erend vanguardsman wasn’t one to back away from a challenge.
Not yet anyway.