The Sweet Escape |Part 2| The Nora

Chapter 12 - Identity

After what happened in Riverhymn, their short stop in Plainsong had felt quite troublesome. Aloy couldn't avoid Zo's concerned and interrogative gaze, but she wasn't inclined to talk to her. She dropped the radar-like device retrieved on the Alpha-Widemaw as quickly as possible, before asking Sylens to pick it up and bring it back to the Base. It certainly would be a key determinant for Beta, GAIA and him to progress their research and resolve the 'HEPH situation'.

After that, they flew straight to Chainscrape. The distance that could be covered in such a short time on a Sunwing was extraordinary, and flying over the Barren Light doors into the Daunt was certainly an amazing experience from the skies. It was the first time she was using her winged mount to come back that far east.

Unfortunately, it hadn't been that enjoyable for them that day.

Aloy was fully conscious of how tense Erend was the whole time and didn't know how to deal with it.

And indeed, he was literally living a nightmare, being forced to stay stuck to Aloy for endless hours while the pain and confusion generated by her confession the night before were still so acute and raw.

His brain and his heart were conflicted. Embarrassed by what she heard of his private discussion with Shirin and wary of her real intentions, he hadn't managed to forgive her... yet. However, he knew deep down in his core that Aloy couldn't be the shady schemer he had suspected her to be.

That maybe... she did have genuine feelings for him, whatever they were, and that this whole situation was just an unfortunate turn of events.

Despite his father's voice at the back of his head telling him otherwise.

That was a little light at the end of a very, very long and dark tunnel.

But contrary to a similar episode on the way back from Scalding Spear, after the meeting with Drakka, this time, he couldn't resolve his internal conflict on his own.

His reaction to her confession had been violent. He knew it... Aloy had probably been taken aback, seeing him react like that. He wished he could have been more in control; he wished he would have found the strength to just hear her out, and also tell her how that made him feel.

He wanted to. He just... didn't know how.

As soon as he was picturing Aloy spying on him during that —intimate— moment with Shirin at the Tower of Tears, his breath clogged in his throat and his heartbeat skyrocketed.

He really needed to chill out.

*****

Aloy landed Sunny near the rear access to the settlement, on the mountainside. Erend jumped off like a jester out of a jack-in-a-box and walked intently into the town. Aloy hurried herself to keep up and jogged behind him.

Chainscrape hadn't changed much since her last visit a few months ago, just after Petra had been put in charge and Aloy's journey called her further west. A few more circular timber cabins had been erected, market stalls had multiplied, and the streets looked busier than the last time, but substantially the same.

The biggest change appeared to be a taller rectangular building at the back of the tavern. It was three storeys high, and probably the tallest building Aloy had ever seen in an Oseram settlement so far. She quickly spotted the sign on display above the door: an inn. That was probably a good indication that the settlement was thriving with newcomers or bypassers.

Erend made an entry into the Chainscrape tavern as if he was going to punch someone, Aloy in tow. In just a few long strides, he reached the bar and shouted for the bartender, elbows on the benchtop.