‘Alva, this is too much. I can’t accept this.’
‘Nonsense! Please, I want you to have it.’ Alva insists with a bright smile.
‘But didn’t you say that you’ve been working on it for over a year?’ Elisabet protests, looking over the blue quilt that Alva has bundled in her arms.
‘Off and on, don’t worry!’ Alva unfurls the blanket and drapes it over Elisabet, not taking no for an answer. ‘I didn’t keep up with it for a long time, because I didn’t know who I wanted to give it to. But now I do!’ She smiles earnestly. ‘I want you to have it, Elisabet. To celebrate your recovery.’
Elisabet looks at Alva from her spot reclined inside the chamber. By now the glass cover has been lifted permanently, and GAIA has since converted the inside into more of a regular style bed while she recovers.
‘That’s kind of you, Alva. Thank you.’ Elisabet says while running her free hand over the fabric, noting the intricately stitched Quen style ships, birds and ocean waves.
Her other hand is currently being held by Beta, who has been absolutely overjoyed with emotion ever since Elisabet finally woke up.
Both she and her sister didn’t hesitate to announce the good news to everyone that day.
That Elisabet has survived, and is now going to live among them in their new world.
GAIA had looked Elisabet over, too, and apparently there were no lasting health complications from the merge. Both she and Elisabet surmised that since the DNA samples were taken from a nonliving being, that the process perhaps needed more time to finalize. Or that maybe since the chamber created a perfect one-to-one replica of Elisabet from her days of working on Zero Dawn, that she simply needed more time to rest and recover.
If that were true, Aloy can’t help but feel that it’s no wonder she slept for so long. Elisabet had practically worked herself to death back then. All of the alphas and betas did while trying to meet an almost impossible deadline before the entire world was destroyed.
Ultimately, no matter the reason, GAIA has given Elisabet a clean bill of health. The only stipulation being that she needs to recover for a few weeks, and will be monitored closely for any changes. Constant exhaustion and prolonged sleep are inevitable for now, seeing as her body is currently in a very fragile state, and no one is to hinder her from that rest, not even herself.
All in the base are amendable to this condition, and Aloy takes some comfort in knowing that, at least for now, Elisabet could finally get some rest after everything she’s been through.
She survived, and that wasn’t going to change anytime soon.
Not if Aloy has anything to say about it.
Aloy keeps her hand on Elisabet’s shoulder as the others surround the chamber, all of them excited to share in this happy moment with her and Beta.
‘I hope you don’t mind, Elisabet, but I wanted to gift you something as well.’ Zo approaches once Alva steps away. ‘I took some time to think of what would be an appropriate gift for such an occasion, and in the end, I could not think of anything better.’
She places a plant down onto the small folding table tray that is attached to the side of the chamber. Its pot is intricately woven, similar to the ones that Aloy has often seen in Plainsong.
‘That’s…’ Elisabet looks at the plant’s red leaves and healthy green stocks with great interest, analyzing it with meticulous care. ‘I don’t know what species this is.’ She admits defeat.
‘I consulted with GAIA regarding which plants existed during the time of the Old Ones.’ Zo gestures to the AI. ‘And those that are new only to ours.’ She gestures toward the plant, causing Elisabet to look at her with surprise. ‘This one is called a Medicinal Wild Ember.’
Elisabet pauses for a moment, before looking towards GAIA.
‘Completely new?’
‘Correct.’ GAIA supplies. ‘This species of flora emerged through evolution within the most recent biosphere. Over approximately three hundred years ago.’
Elisabet looks back towards the plant, gingerly touching its bright red leaves. She frowns, her expression falling into something difficult to describe.
‘It’s… beautiful.’ She says, clearly taking in the gravity of what this plant represents.
New life, sprung in this new world that Elisabet always envisioned but never hoped to see for herself. Aloy watches as she prods at the dirt inside the pot almost skiddishly, touching the Earth’s soil again for the first time in over one thousand years.
‘I thought it fitting for you.’ Zo hums, gathering Elisabet’s attention back from whatever headspace she’d gone into. ‘Though I apologize, since it is not of the Old World, it has no meaning in the language of flowers.’
‘Yet.’ Elisabet corrects her. ‘You’ll just have to make one for it.’
Zo looks away, thinking for a moment, before speaking.
‘Then… I suppose I would want its meaning to be that of welcome.’ She says with a smile and a nod. ‘And congratulations for a new life worth living.’
‘Seems fitting.’ Kotallo acknowledges.
‘What’s that? The language of flowers?’ Erend asks from where he stands next to Aloy. ‘That some more Old World mumbo jumbo or somethin’?’
‘Every flower has a meaning.’ Elisabet calmly explains, unoffended by his brash words. ‘Though not a lot of people knew the language, even back then.’
‘Every flower?’ Alva gawks when Elisabet only nods, more than likely already scheming to raid the APOLLO database for this newfound language.
‘Geez, and I thought the Utaru were the real plant lovers.’ Erend nudges Zo. ‘Looks like you got some competition, huh?’
‘Not competition.’ Zo corrects him. ‘Friendly camaraderie.’ She looks to Elisabet and places a hand atop hers, both of their fingers touching the soil. ‘I’m truthy thankful that you are here with us, Elisabet. May the land forever bloom in your steps.’
‘Same to you, Zo.’ Elisabet hums, before looking towards Kotallo as he steps forward.
‘GAIA told us that it is customary for Old Ones to receive a gift whenever they recover from a major injury.’ He takes something from his pocket. ‘Such customs are not present in my tribe, but I hope you will accept this.’
He places the object on the tray, and everyone reacts accordingly to the adorably tiny figure.
It’s a Clawstrider, meticulously carved out of wood.
‘Kotallo, this must have taken ages.’ Elisabet curiously picks the object up to examine it.
‘Wood carving is one of the Tenakth’s many trades. I’ve learned since I was young.’ Kotallo says, unbothered. ‘I thought it fitting to model it after the Clawstrider that came through our doors. I hope you find it well.’
‘I do.’ Elisabet says with thanks, before looking around the side of the chamber as best she can. ‘Speaking of, where is Georgette anyway?’
‘Georgette?’ Aloy asks, confused.
‘The Velo36- ah, the uh, “claw strider”.’ Elisabet corrects herself.
‘It’s here.’ Beta says, looking down at the ground to her left. The machine is still curled up from where it laid nearly two weeks ago now. ‘You named it?’
‘I name everything.’ Elisabet delicately places the figurine down. ‘Just ask GAIA.’
‘Indeed.’ GAIA concurs. ‘I’ve often theorized that if you could give names to insects or to micro-sectors of code, Elisabet, that you would happily do so.’
‘Probably.’ Elisabet hums, laying back against the pillows as her eyes half lid and turn glassy.
Aloy notices that look immediately, having been on high alert for it these past few days.
‘Getting tired?’ Aloy asks, squeezing her shoulder gently.
When Elisabet first woke up, that look would come over her right before she passed out from exhaustion. Her tiredness comes in waves, and she’s gotten better as the days pass by, but for now Aloy, GAIA and Beta are all on the same page of letting her rest whenever she needs.
‘I’ll go quick then.’ Erend pipes up. ‘This one’s gonna blow your forge!’
‘You didn’t have to get me anything.’ Elisabet protests. ‘None of you did. Really.’
‘Shush you.’ Erend points at her rudely, before quickly stepping behind the chamber to grab something. ‘It’s my turn now.’
When he returns, he has something on strings. Several somethings actually.
‘Ta da! Old World… thingies!’ Erend ties the strings to the collapsable arm of the table tray. ‘Uh… what are they called again?’
He looks toward GAIA, but Elisabet is the one who answers.
‘Balloons.’ Elisabet looks up at them with amazement and confusion. ‘How…?’
‘Ah, some machines have this stuff in their guts that GAIA said could make things float. Just went out and got some, made some small things outta rubber, and there you go.’ He presents them dramatically. ‘What do you think? Real sturdy, huh?’
Elisabet grabs one and pulls it down, looking the balloon over curiously. They’re all the same shade of white and seem close enough to Old World balloons as far as Aloy can tell.
When Elisabet goes to touch it, however, the balloon bursts in her face with a loud pop, causing her and the others to startle.
‘What was that about them being sturdy?’ Aloy asks, looking none too pleased as Elisabet puts a hand to her heart with shock.
‘I swear they are!’ Erend defends himself. ‘That one was just a gag. Nothin’ to worry about!’
‘They’re lovely, Erend.’ Elisabet puts the burst rubber balloon onto the tray. ‘Thank you. Really, I wasn’t expecting any of this.’
‘That’s what makes a good surprise.’ Erend says with a hearty laugh. ‘That and some good ale!’ He then holds up his hands when GAIA gives him a look. ‘Uh, once you’re better of course.’
‘Of course.’ Elisabet agrees before settling further back and letting her eyes slip close.
‘We should let you rest.’ Beta says, gently holding Elisabet’s hand between both of her own.
‘Yea, it’s been a while since you last slept, right?’ Aloy agrees.
‘You both say that as if I’m some old lady.’ Elisabet comments lightly.
‘Hey, you are an Old One.’ Erend teases. ‘Seems fitting to me.’
‘I never agreed to that title, you know.’ Elisabet sneers, though her words do not hold any bite as she sounds more exhausted than anything else.
‘We’ll head out for now then.’ Alva says as the voice of reason. ‘Pleasant dreams, Elisabet.’
‘We will see you later.’ Zo concurs.
‘Yes.’ Elisabet nods as everyone says their farewells, before relaxing further as the door closes and the room grows quiet.
Aloy gives her shoulder a squeeze then goes towards the drone footage console, intent on darkening the room.
She pauses when GAIA suddenly speaks up.
‘Elisabet, before you drift to sleep, there is something I wish to give to you as well.’
‘Oh?’ Elisabet asks, barely opening her eyes.
‘Yes. I hope that you will accept it.’ GAIA waves her hand. ‘It is a picture. I will print it for you now from the chamber’s matrix.’
Beta hands her the photo from the printer slot on the outside of the chamber. When Elisabet turns it over, her face immediately loses all exhaustion as she sits up a little bit.
‘Is this…?’ She stammers as she puts a hand to her mouth with disbelief. ‘Is this Aloy?’
Her reaction has both sisters looking at her curiously.
‘What?’ Aloy asks, coming back over to take a look.
‘Indeed. It is Aloy.’ GAIA confirms. ‘I researched into the files stored within Eleuthia-9, theorizing that you may desire such a photo, Elisabet.’
Aloy perks up at this, confused.
‘Eleuthia-9…? All-Mother Mountain?’
Elisabet turns the photo for both her and Beta to see, and Aloy blinks as she comes face to face with a picture of herself.
From when she was a baby.
The baby picture of Aloy looks nearly identical to Elisabet’s, though notably Aloy’s little face is scrunched up and looking as if she were about to cry among her sterile white blankets.
‘Aloy, you were so tiny.’ Beta comments, her tone light as she looks at the picture.
‘Yea, well, everyone is at that age.’ Aloy says, feeling strangely embarrassed for some reason as both Elisabet and Beta look over the photo with great interest.
‘Thank you, GAIA. I’m going to keep this.’ Elisabet comments as she smiles down at the baby picture. Something in her half-lidded eyes is warm, and Aloy instinctively looks away from it.
Somehow, the fact that Elisabet wants to treasure that picture…
Ever since she woke up, things have been wonderful.
So wonderful in fact, that the reality of it all has hit Aloy like a blast of icy purgewater.
The fact that she… has a mother now.
Someone who not only calls Aloy her daughter, but wants to do so.
The overwhelming feeling from before is back in her chest as Aloy watches her. Now that Elisabet is awake, she has no idea how to handle this unspoken new relationship between them.
Not to mention…
‘GAIA, is it possible to find one of Beta?’ Elisabet asks curiously. ‘In the Zenith archives?’
‘A moment.’ GAIA says, then grows quiet. ‘There are several pictures of Beta found within the Far Zenith Database.’ GAIA starts up the chamber printer once more. ‘I will print a copy of the first documented picture taken.’
Elisabet reacts to Beta’s baby picture the same way she had to Aloy’s, warmly looking over the adorable sight of both photos now stood up side by side.
‘Look at you two.’ Elisabet says fondly, tracing her fingers over each one.
‘You can barely tell us apart.’ Beta comments as she watches Elisabet’s eyes bounce from one picture to the other. Her voice is small, probably sharing some of Aloy’s earlier embarrassment as she tilts her head. ‘But at least I’m not crying in mine.’
‘I’m sure that can be arranged.’ Elisabet raises a red brow. ‘GAIA did say there were multiple pictures?’
‘On second thought, this one is just fine.’ Beta says shyly, the two of them sharing a smile as Aloy watches on.
Beta is her sister.
If Elisabet is Aloy’s mother, then she is Beta’s too.
So then why does Aloy feel something… sad whenever she sees the two of them together?
Over the next week, Elisabet continued to rest and recover, and life at the base returned to a somewhat sense normalcy. Aloy and Beta returned to refining a plan to counteract Nemesis, and Sylens would call in from time to time to offer his assistance.
During their calls, he seemed unsurprised that Elisabet had managed to survive.
Aloy knows better, though, given their previous talk.
At least for now, he is playing nice and has never requested to speak to Elisabet directly.
Which is just as well.
The further he stays away from her, the better.
Something about Elisabet makes Aloy overprotective. An instinct in her that she has only ever been felt before towards Beta.
Having Elisabet here, talking with her, getting to know her. Seeing her intelligent eyes and warm smile is everything that Aloy has ever dreamed of since she was a little girl. She wants to be around Elisabet always, to listen to her stories, and tell some of her own. But that desire is often tampered by an uncomfortable sort of… hesitance that she can’t quite describe.
Aloy can’t stop herself from keeping her distance, putting space between them.
As if Elisabet were a bright star that would swallow her whole if she got too close.
It’s a feeling only made worse by the fact that Beta seems to interact with Elisabet just fine. Almost naturally, even. As if Beta has known Elisabet for her entire lifetime.
Aloy tries not to let it bother her.
Especially when she has no idea why she can’t seem to do the same thing herself.
‘GAIA tells me that Elisabet is making good progress.’ Zo comments one day while the two of them are tending to the garden outside. ‘Hopefully soon she will be able to watch the sunrise once more. Perhaps even garden, as she is very fond of.’
Zo is slowly expanding the space near Varl’s grave to hold more plants. She and Elisabet have apparently made extensive plans to grow all sorts of vegetables here now, with eventual schemes to relocate soon to a more permanent area close by.
‘I think she’d like that.’ Aloy says absentmindedly as she is busy repotting a brussels sprout seedling. ‘She’d definitely do better than me, that’s for sure.’
‘You’re doing just fine.’ Zo looks over and comments with a wry smile.
‘You say that like I haven’t already killed the last two.’ Aloy shakes her head.
Her red brows furrow with concentration as she tries to move the sprout as gently as possible. Once finished, she sits back on her knees, looking over the absolute mess of dirt that she’s apparently made on the walkway.
Somewhere, she just knows that Varl must be laughing at her.
‘Gardening takes time. Roots do not settle in one day.’ Zo says kindly. ‘Perhaps Elisabet will teach you, once she fully recovers.’ She places her own carrot seedling into its new pot with ease. ‘It could be a nice opportunity to bond just between the two of you.’
‘Maybe…’ She says, not so sure if she wants to think about that possibility right now.
Of Elisabet teaching her anything.
Just like…
“It is one thing to hunt a beast. Another to hunt a machine. You must learn to respect their power.”
Rost’s words come to her, and Aloy takes a deep breath, willing them away.
Memories of him have been coming to her recently, whenever she treks out into the wilds for food, when tending to her weapons, when cooking, making arrows, or tinkering at her work bench.
And she has no idea why… Especially now all of a sudden…
‘Speaking of bonding,’ Zo starts. ‘I’ve noticed that she and Beta have taken to watching projections.’ She observes. ‘Beta speaks often about her favorite one, Second Time Around.’
‘Yea.’ Aloy acknowledges. ‘Beta told me they’ve been watching all sorts of things lately.’
Aloy often found them together nowadays, watching holos and talking about things she doesn’t immediately understand. From APOLLO no doubt. Or the Old World.
‘And you don’t wish to partake with them?’ Zo asks, her tone curious but non-judgmental.
‘No.’ Aloy shakes her head. ‘I guess I’ve just felt like I’d be intruding. Maybe.’
Because when Aloy had walked up to the projection room yesterday, it wasn’t Second Time Around that Elisabet and Beta were watching…
“You’re right. I don’t understand. We have the same genes. The same mind. The same heart. So why can’t you find the strength to do what has to be done? Like Elisabet would?”
Aloy pauses at the bottom of the stairs.
She had been coming to tell them that dinner was ready, and to check in on Elisabet in particular. Aloy had been out in the wilds for most of that day doing an errand for Kotallo near Arrowhand, and had been eager to return back to the base as quickly as possible.
Hearing the recording of her own voice, though, immediately stops Aloy in her tracks.
“Don’t you think I’ve thought about that? I don’t know what piece of Elisabet I’m missing. I don’t know what you have that I don’t.”
Hearing her sister’s words again cuts deeply into Aloy. As if they were both back down in that server room, having that horrible conversation all over again.
“What’s my defect?”
The recording stops, but Aloy barely registers it.
She… regrets how she had talked to Beta that day.
Regrets it more than a lot of things she’s done.
They’ve never spoken about it. There’s been other things to talk about, more important things to do, but it’s always been there. Lingering in the back of Aloy’s mind ever since.
‘Beta…’ Elisabet’s voice can be heard, pulling Aloy’s attention away from her thoughts. ‘Do you really believe those things about yourself?’
The room grows silent and Aloy steps closer, lingering towards the first step of the stairs.
‘Yes and no… I think.’ Beta’s voice sounds far away, as if she were lost in thought.
‘I’m beginning to see why you asked me to watch this.’ Elisabet acknowledges, her tone gentle. ‘Why would you think something’s wrong with you?’
‘Because… I…’ There is the sound of footsteps, likely from Beta pacing, trying to sort through her thoughts. ‘Because I used to look at Aloy and see everything that I should be. See everything that the Zeniths wanted of me, and everything I’ve failed at.’ The footsteps pause. ‘It used to… scare me. To talk to her.’ Aloy looks up in response to this, her brows furrowing as she frowns and looks away. ‘But then we had this talk, and things got better. Between us.’ Beta admits.
‘Have you talked to her about all of this?’ Elisabet asks.
‘No.’ Beta says. ‘No. I don’t… I don’t want to bother her.’
‘Would you think that way about her if she came to you and wanted to talk?’
Beta is silent for a moment or two.
‘No. I suppose not.’ Beta sighs. ‘But…’ She pauses, and Aloy startles when she hears the crack in her sister’s voice. ‘I’ve thought about what would have happened, if we didn’t have this talk, and I didn’t go to GEMINI. They would have taken Aloy instead.’ Her next words are so quiet that Aloy has to strain to hear them. ‘And the thought of her, going through the same things that I did…’
‘Beta…’ Elisabet calls her name. ‘Come here.’
Aloy takes the opportunity to climb the stairs a bit more. Over the lip of the projection floor, she can just make out the sight of Beta wrapped in Elisabet’s arms, her small frame shaking.
‘Beta, trust me when I say you don’t have any defect.’ Elisabet runs a hand through her short red hair. ‘And you’re not an inferior copy, either.’
Beta only clings to her tighter in response.
‘I heard her say that to you. Tilda.’ Elisabet says as anger comes over her face. ‘I’m guessing you’ve taken it to heart?’
‘I… no.’ Beta says, trying to sound firm. ‘I don’t care what she says.’
‘Good. Because she was wrong.’ Elisabet says earnestly with no room for doubt. She cups Beta’s cheek, urging her to meet her gaze. ‘You want to know why?’
‘Why?’ Beta asks.
‘Because you’re your own person, Beta.’ Elisabet simply says. ‘You and Aloy are both so much more than copies of me. I hope you realize that.’
Something catches in Aloy’s chest as she hears those words. She takes a step back, though remains close enough to continue listening in.
‘Besides,’ Elisabet continues. ‘Who’s she to say that you aren’t like me?’ Her voice is lighter now. ‘Believe it or not, you’re just like me when I was your age.’ Elisabet says, then her face turns thoughtful. ‘And I’ve been thinking…’ She pauses for a moment, looking Beta over with a soft expression. ‘Beta, you take after your grandmother much more than you take after me.’
‘My…’ Beta pauses, unable to say the word.
‘She wore her heart on her sleeve, same as you.’ Elisabet offers. ‘I’ve always been more guarded. Out of nature, or necessity, I don’t really know.’ She sighs and looks away. ‘I’ve noticed that Aloy seems to have inherited that from me… though I perhaps wish she didn’t.’ She admits with a contemplative frown. ‘But I’m glad you have each other. You two are good for one another.’
‘You think so?’
‘I do.’ Elisabet hums. ‘Just look at that conversation.’ She nods towards the recording. ‘Watching that, all I see are two people who want to connect, but just don’t know how yet.’
‘You do?’ Beta asks, confused.
‘Not all fights are bad.’ Elisabet says by way of explanation. ‘You said you both grew closer after that, right?’
‘Then I guess… that sort of makes me feel better.’ Beta says, her voice small. ‘Maybe I’ll talk to Aloy. About all of this.’ Beta acknowledges. ‘Will you be there? When we do?’
‘I’m not going anywhere.’ Elisabet hums, gently sweeping a piece of red hair behind her ear.
It’s at this point that Aloy thinks she must has intruded enough by now, and she slowly descends out of the room, silent as a Stalker.
In doing so, she misses an important question from Beta.
‘Um… Elisabet.’ Beta starts, pulling away shyly. ‘I remembered what Zo said. About the language of flowers.’ She wrings her hands together, looking down at her lap. ‘I looked in the APOLLO database, about the ones you gave me.’
She gestures to her desk, where the yellow tulips are innocently growing in their pot. Elisabet looks over at them with her, though remains silent, allowing Beta to finish her thoughts.
‘Yellow tulips.’ Beta brings up her focus interface. ‘Happiness and hope. Yellow tulips are…’ Beta pauses, taking in a shaky breath. Elisabet silently offers her hand, and Beta clasps it tightly. ‘Yellow tulips are an expression of new beginnings. They are perfect for new mothers, as they symbolize new horizons and memories to be made between a mother and her… child.’
When she finishes, her eyes are glassy with tears and her fingers tremble in Elisabet’s grasp.
‘Can I…’ Beta gathers her courage to meet Elisabet’s eye. ‘Can I call you mom?’
Elisabet brushes her nose against Beta’s cheek, a familiar touch now between them.
‘Of course you can, Beta.’ She kisses her cheek. ‘Of course you can.’
When Aloy finishes her gardening escapade with Zo later that evening, she’s completely covered in dirt but feels accomplished, nonetheless.
It was a nice change of pace.
Doing something with her hands that didn’t involve risking her life for once.
The sound of Erend’s favorite song floats in her ears even through the shower walls as she makes herself presentable once more. After changing into her casual outfit of soft leathers, she absentmindedly runs her fingers through her hair as she makes her way upstairs.
‘Hm, some of these are starting to fall out.’ She mumbles to herself, checking over her multiple braids as she walks. ‘I’ll have to fix them later.’
It’s been a while since she’s redone them. Almost six weeks now.
The Nora tribe specializes in braids, and Aloy learned the tricks of the trade a long time ago.
Rost taught her how to keep her hair in pristine condition for weeks at a time, and precisely how to maintain them between sessions. He always stressed the importance of keeping up with her hair, stating how essential such a task is to their tribe and culture.
“A Nora’s braids are their pride. You will do well to regularly maintain yours. I will teach you, as best I can.”
He truly did try his best for her. On all fronts including this.
But within the tribe, it is a mother’s job to teach these things, and to braid their child’s hair. If the mother isn’t alive, then the duty falls to the aunt, or an elder sister, or a cousin, or grandmother.
Some other female figure in the child’s life.
Once the child grows into an adolescent, sons will maintain their own braids from then on and slowly transition to living on their own during their adult years until they find a mate. But daughters live within their family groups throughout their entire lives, and will continue to have their hair braided by their mothers even after they become mothers themselves.
The bond between a mother and her daughter is special in that way, among many others.
If Elisabet were alive when Aloy was a child, she would braid Aloy’s hair for her, teach her how to cook, how to gather herbs, and how to live among the tribe and the world. They would hunt together, cook together, spar together, make hair beads together, and even sleep together.
To be denied of such a bond is unfathomable to the Nora, and Aloy has seen the devastating loss it can cause. With Sona, who was unconsolable with rage after her daughter’s death during the Proving. Or with Arana, who put her life on the line to hang on to the spear her mother left behind.
Aloy pauses, letting her thoughts drift back to the Nora Sacred Lands for the first time in ages. Back to those hazy days before the Proving, when life seemed so much simpler.
Rost had tried his best to fill the void of motherhood for Aloy. But there were many limits that he could not cross either per tribal law, or simply through a lack of knowledge. Once Aloy had learned to how to braid her own hair, he had let her do so by herself from then on. He taught her how to cook, but only the most basic of meals fit for survival. He showed her how to make hair beads, but he never wore the ones she made for him.
At the time, none of that bothered Aloy.
It wasn’t until much later, when she entered Mother’s Heart, that she realized just how much she had been missing out on…
Aloy sighs and drops her braids, absentmindedly letting her feet guide her the rest of the way into the projection room.
Elisabet is awake and busy looking over a parchment of paper. GAIA forbade her from wearing a focus just yet, stating that it would be dangerous to strain her newly healed eyes. Alva had suggested reading to pass the time, and Elisabet took to it like a Snapmaw to water, wanting to learn everything about the newly constructed culture and languages that this world had to offer.
She looks up when Aloy approaches.
‘Hey Elisabet.’ Aloy greets her. ‘What are you looking at?’
‘Some scripture. I think?’ Elisabet raises a red brow. ‘Erend gave it to me. Said it was… um…’ She pauses. ‘Car-… something.’
‘Carja.’ Aloy supplies.
‘Carja.’ Elisabet repeats the word, trying to commit it to memory as she puts the paper down. ‘How are you doing? I haven’t seen you since this morning.’
‘Zo was showing me how to plant vegetables.’ Aloy hooks a thumb behind her. ‘Can’t say I’m any good at it, but I think she appreciated the help.’
‘Did you like it?’ Elisabet asks curiously.
‘I think so. But uh, not so sure if it liked me.’ Aloy says with a bit of humor in her voice as she looks at her nails. ‘I don’t think I’ll be getting the dirt out anytime soon. And looks like I got a splinter.’ She prods at the middle of her right hand. ‘At least it won’t bother me too bad there.’
She has had splinters on her fingers before, and they hurt like hell whenever she had to nock an arrow.
‘Let me see.’ Elisabet reaches for her hand, and Aloy tenses but lets her take it.
Elisabet turns her hand back and forth, examining Aloy’s tiny injury.
‘Hm, not too far deep.’ She prods at Aloy’s red and irritated skin for a moment before turning to her table tray.
There is a syringe there, more than likely from when Zo had visited earlier. She and Elisabet are experimenting lately with different types of natural serums for plant growth, and a syringe is essential for getting the right dosage for each plant.
This one, however, appears empty and unused as Elisabet snatches it up.
She takes the top off the blunt syringe, places the hole over the splinter and pulls the handle. Aloy watches her curiously, frowning as the suction of the syringe pulls at her skin weirdly.
When Elisabet takes it away, the splinter goes with it. Easy as can be.
‘How?’ Aloy flexes her hand, feeling no pain.
‘It’s an old trick I found.’ Elisabet shakes her head. ‘Vivian used to get splinters by the dozens, and she would scream bloody murder if you tried to dig it out.’
Aloy pauses in response to the name.
‘You uh…’ Aloy says, almost cautiously. ‘You and Vivian were close, huh?’
‘Yes.’ Elisabet says, busy checking Aloy’s hand one more time to be sure the entire splinter got out. ‘She was always getting into anything and everything.’ She lets Aloy’s hand go and places the top back on the syringe. ‘Used to drive her parents crazy, but she was always perfectly behaved whenever she was with me.’
‘Really?’ Aloy asked, bemused.
‘Quite the little actress.’ Elisabet concurs, shaking her head.
‘So she was spoiled?’ Aloy asks curiously, taking a seat in the chair they’ve been keeping at her bedside.
‘No, I wouldn’t say that.’ Elisabet frowns with thought. ‘At most she was a bit eccentric. But that mellowed out as she got older, and…’ She sighs. ‘Other things became more important.’
Aloy is silent then, feeling guilty for causing the conversation to go down a dark road.
It just seemed impossible not to bring up.
All of Elisabet’s family, friends, neighbors… all of them are dead. Literally all of the people that lived on the planet in her time were wiped out by the Faro Plague. There unfortunately just isn’t any way to talk to Elisabet about her past without bringing up the horrible way that it all ended.
But Aloy is willing to try.
‘I would have liked to meet her.’ Aloy decides to say, hoping for a more neutral ground.
‘I think she would have liked you and your sister.’ Elisabet admits, before making a face, thinking better on it. ‘Though maybe not at first.’
‘Really? Why?’ Aloy frowns, furrowing her brow with confusion.
‘She would have probably been a bit shy around the two of you.’ Elisabet hums with thought. ‘For as much of an extrovert as Vivian was, she always had a hard time adjusting to new people in the family for some reason.’ She recounts. ‘When my cousin had his baby, we introduced her to that side for the first time, and she wouldn’t talk to any of them for the first few days.’
‘Did you do anything to help with that?’ Aloy asks quietly. ‘Anything to ease the introductions at all?’
Something about this conversation is striking a chord, and the question slips out of her mouth before she really thinks about it.
‘Hm…’ Elisabet crosses her arms, thinking. ‘Well…’
Before she can answer, they are interrupted as someone comes up the stairs.
Beta enters the room, carrying a small spider plant.
‘Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt.’ Beta apologizes shyly, already taking a step back towards the door.
Elisabet only waves her closer.
‘What’s the matter, Beta? You look flustered.’
‘Um, Zo gave me this plant. To take downstairs into the basement.’ Beta comes to stand next to her sister. ‘But I can’t find the can of serum or the syringe she mentioned.’
‘I have a syringe. Perfect timing.’ Elisabet says, handing it over. ‘For the serum, there’s a box underneath the breakfast bar. Unless Erend moved it again to make more room for his ale.’
‘Got it.’ Beta nods before a very shy expression comes over face. ‘Thanks m… mom.’
Beta says the word with a pause, a brief hesitation, but the fact that she says it at all has Aloy’s head whipping around to look at her with surprise.
Since when has Beta…?
‘You’re welcome, Beta.’ Elisabet smiles as she scampers off, before turning to Aloy once they’re alone. ‘I’m sorry Aloy, we were talking about-‘
‘Actually, I should probably go to bed.’ Aloy says quickly, standing up. ‘It’s getting late.’
It wasn’t.
Elisabet looks at her, tilting her head and assessing her wordlessly. Her gaze is heavy, and Aloy tries not to squirm under it.
Ultimately, whatever Elisabet sees, she decides to let go.
‘Alright.’ She says. ‘Then, sweet dreams Aloy.’
‘Um, thanks. You too.’
Aloy makes arrows that night in her room. Way more than she would ever need. She puts them all away into her stash, and wishes that she could put her racing thoughts in there with them.
She doesn’t understand why the thought of Beta calling Elisabet ‘mom’ hurts so badly.
She isn’t jealous, though. That much she’s come to understand.
Beta deserves to have a mother in her life. To have family that she can count on. Aloy can fill the role of sister for her, but something like mother would be way beyond her knowledge.
Really, a relationship with Elisabet is something that would be great for Beta.
Something great for the both of them, actually.
But then why… is Aloy hesitating?
Aloy snaps the lid of her stash shut with perhaps a bit more force than necessary, and looks towards her shelf, where two necklaces hang side by side.
Letting out a breath, she stands and takes them down, cradling them both in her hands.
‘Rost. What would you think about all of this?’ She wonders out loud, rubbing her thumb over the charm he gave her.
Rost never spoke about Aloy’s mother.
How could he? When not even the matriarchs could understand the truth about her birth?
Regardless, Rost did what he could to answer Aloy’s questions.
And despite knowing nothing about her at all, Rost never spoke badly about Aloy’s mother.
“I do not know what All-Mother intends, Aloy, but I would like to think that you can find her someday.”
Rost had never claimed Aloy as his daughter, but she knew that he loved her.
He’d always expressed that to her, in his own way, even if she didn’t realize it at the time.
Aloy remembers back to the day before the Proving as he stares down at his charm, now understanding why he chose to push her away.
“This… attachment to me will only hold you back. It is my wish that you embrace the tribe.”
‘The tribe… Embrace the tribe.’ Aloy parrots absentmindedly.
The Nora tribe, who embrace motherhood above all else.
‘Embrace the tribe… Mother’s Embrace…’ Aloy runs her fingers over Elisabet’s pendant.
An embrace of a mother. The crown jewel of the Nora Sacred Land.
Aloy had only learned of it recently.
‘Was that what you were trying to tell me, Rost? To embrace not just the tribe, but maybe… my mother, too?’
The thought has her head spinning, and she spends quite some time there on the floor, thinking long into the night well after the others have gone to bed.
‘Alright. Here we go.’ Erend grins, slapping the side of the chamber. ‘First day with legs, let’s get walkin’!’
‘Take your time, Elisabet.’ Zo cautions. ‘Flowers grow at their own pace.’
‘I vouch that you stand with vigor.’ Kotallo says. ‘The rest of your body will follow.’
‘Oh, but don’t stand up too fast, you might fall!’ Alva quickly says.
‘You all are not helping, let me be clear.’ Elisabet holds up a hand with a frown on her face.
Today is the day that GAIA has given Elisabet the initiative to take her first steps in this new world. To no longer be bedridden, and to gain a small bit of her independence back.
Of course, not everything will happen at once.
Right now, the goal is to stand.
The rest will follow as Elisabet moves in the right direction of her healing journey.
Currently Elisabet is sitting on the edge of the chamber in her white Zenith medical gown. Beta and Aloy are on either side of her, ready to assist if needed. Just getting to this point had been a bit of an ordeal, however, as Elisabet struggled to use the muscles in her legs for the first time.
‘When you are ready, Elisabet.’ GAIA supplies, unintentionally hushing the room.
‘Right.’ Elisabet looks at her then takes a deep breath.
She stares at the floor for a few moments, before her gaze hardens and she slowly slides off the bed. Once Elisabet’s bare feet touch the cold metal ground, she nearly falls over from shock. Aloy is right there beside her in an instant, easily supporting her while Beta hovers worriedly nearby.
After maybe a second of standing on her own, Elisabet takes in a sharp breath.
‘That’s enough.’ She gasps.
Her face is scrunched with pain as Aloy and Beta quickly help her to sit back down.
Once her feet are off the ground, Elisabet leans forward, putting her face into her hands.
‘You did well, Elisabet.’ GAIA encourages.
‘That hurt so badly.’ Elisabet admits, taking deep shaky breaths as Beta gently rubs her back. ‘Like knives in my feet.’
‘Understandable.’ GAIA supplies. ‘The sensation is extreme as your body adjusts, though trust that given time, it will lessen and eventually disappear altogether.’
‘Can’t wait, I guess.’ Elisabet says, breathless as she turns in place. ‘I need to lie down.’
Aloy helps her to do so without question or protest.
‘You did great. Really.’ Beta encourages.
‘I don’t feel like I did anything at all.’ Elisabet admits as exhaustion comes over her face.
‘Nah, you climbed one hell of a mountain today.’ Erend says. ‘Don’t sell yourself short.’
‘Yes, progress is progress either way.’ Zo hums with acknowledgement.
Aloy adjust the blankets, pillow and quilt, then takes a step back.
She removes her hands from Elisabet once she’s no longer needed, her body remaining tense until a safe amount of distance is between them once more.
Elisabet ends up falling asleep shortly after that, drifting away into slumber with the progress she’s gained today. GAIA has stated that, with practice, she should be able to start walking soon, and from there could begin venturing around the base whenever she wants.
Perhaps, even beyond.
Beta mused to Aloy that maybe Elisabet will want to travel after she fully recovers.
‘She seemed to do that a lot.’ Beta says. ‘Maybe she’ll want to visit some of the settlements? She’s been really interested in learning about all of the new tribes and cultures.’
‘Maybe…’ Aloy says, her expression far away.
If Elisabet does travel, would Aloy go with her? And Beta too?
Would all three of them travel together?
Aloy used to think about traveling when she was growing up. When the pain of being an outcast became too much, and she thought of leaving the Nora Sacred Lands behind.
She brought it up once. To Rost.
He did not take it well.
“The Embrace is our home, Aloy. The thought of abandoning All-Mother is… You should not speak of such things.”
Knowing his story, learning of what happened to his wife and daughter, and the pain he endured to be allowed to live once more in The Embrace…
It’s no wonder he had reacted so badly to the thought of Aloy throwing it all away.
Despite that, Aloy is now thousands of miles away from the tribe, and Rost is… no longer alive.
Nowhere has really felt like home for Aloy ever since.
Consumed by racing thoughts, Aloy is unable to sleep that night.
‘Rost wanted me to… embrace the tribe.’ She speaks to herself, the tone of her own voice calming her down much like it always does. ‘To live among others and, to serve a purpose greater than myself.’ She twirls his charm around in her hands, thinking back to that horrible day.
Rost had told her to survive. His last wish of her.
‘To survive is to… live.’ Aloy ponders, her voice growing quiet.
She has watched Elisabet live her life at her lowest. Like a machine. And saw how the important people in her life rallied around her, trying to make her realize that there was more to living than simply surviving. At the time, watching their efforts and listening to their words hadn’t meant much to Aloy, but now she’s realizing… that she has people in her life like that too.
Varl, Erend, Teb, Talanah, Petra, Uthid, Vanasha, Gildun, Aratak, Ourea, CYAN, Vala, Avad, Zo, Alva, Kotallo, Beta, GAIA, Rost…
And now Elisabet.
Aloy hasn’t thought about living in a long time. Hasn’t considered her own wants and needs since she was a little girl.
And right now, Aloy… she wants…
With purpose, Aloy tosses her blanket aside and gets up from bed. With a practiced stride of confidence, she goes up the stairs to the projection room, not even acknowledging GAIA as she makes a beeline straight for Elisabet’s bedside.
But as she lays eyes on her, sees her turned back, and hears her steady breathing, Aloy pauses, suddenly losing all momentum.
Nerves set in as she’s suddenly stuck in place, caught like a Grazer in the path of an arrow.
An arrow that hits her in the form of a memory. One she had forgotten about until now.
That’s right.
A long time ago, she had… tried this same thing with Rost.
It was cold, in the dead of winter, and there was a draft in the cabin that had given way. Aloy was little, about five years old, and she woke up late into the night.
She had… gone to Rost’s bedside, wanting to sleep huddled together in the cold.
He had woken up immediately, hunter instincts on alert. He fixed the draft and gently returned her to bed, substituting his own warmth by covering her in multiple blankets, including his own, and tucking her in tightly.
“Such things are meant to be shared with your mother, Aloy, not with me. Sleep now.”
His rejection wasn’t meant to be cruel, but at the time it had stung her badly. That feeling comes over Aloy full force again now as she hesitates at Elisabet’s bedside.
She doesn’t know how long she stands there until GAIA speaks up, startling her.
‘Aloy, Elisabet is quite a heavy sleeper.’ The AI supplies. Her words and gaze are soft. ‘You will not wake her, I assure you.’
Aloy looks up at her, feeling as if her mouth is suddenly drier than a desert as her entire body tenses. She forces herself to swallow through it anyway, and takes a deep shaky breath.
Aloy pulls the blankets back and quietly slides into bed beside Elisabet. The chamber is plenty big enough for two people, and she is easily undisturbed as Aloy settles in behind her. All confidence in her chest is now gone, replaced only by a nervousness she hasn’t felt since she was a small child.
But there is something else there, too, something stronger.
It’s oddly soothing, and Aloy moves the tiniest bit closer to Elisabet in response to it.
Before she can think about it further, Aloy falls asleep with one hand just barely grasping the fabric at Elisabet’s back.
Bonus Scene:
‘M… mom. I’ve been meaning to ask.’ Beta pipes up one afternoon when it’s just the two of them. ‘The Zeniths, they were able to clone you on their ship, and made me. As a result.’ She says, gesturing to herself awkwardly. ‘But there’s something GAIA and I never figured out. How did they get your genetic material in the first place?’
Elisabet, who is in the middle of tending to the plant that Zo gifted her, noticeably pauses.
‘You don’t have to tell me. It’s probably… not very pleasant to talk about. And I was just wondering, anyway.’ Beta quickly says, though calms when Elisabet sits up a bit straighter.
‘I’ll tell you. But you probably won’t like my answer.’ Elisabet says, looking uncomfortable.
‘I think I’d like to know, if that’s okay.’ Beta says, bracing herself for the truth. ‘It’s part of where I came from.’
Elisabet looks at her before putting the serum syringe down, giving Beta her full attention.
‘I suppose that’s true.’ She says and sighs. ‘I’ve thought about it, too.’ She admits. ‘Back then, obtaining my DNA likely wasn’t at the top of Far Zenith’s priority list.’ Her brow furrows with thought. ‘There’s really only one instance that makes sense.’
Elisabet sits back in her bed and crosses her arms.
‘They made contact with us. To trade off the ectogenic chambers for their final copy of APOLLO.’ Elisabet recounts. ‘Things were… bad, but they obviously took the risk to meet us in person.’ She says. ‘They sent three people. One of them was Tilda.’
‘Did she… do something? To you?’ Beta asks, her eyes complicated at the thought of Tilda.
‘She tried to force me to go with her, like she tried to do with me and your sister. And I remember her…’ Elisabet suddenly sits up, reaching her hands into her hair. ‘Actually, my body is the same as back then, so I should be able to feel it.’ She pauses then pulls her hair away from behind her ear to reveal the tiniest little bald spot.
‘She pulled your hair out?’ Beta gapes.
‘Well, I also yanked a chunk out of hers, too.’ Elisabet admits.
‘You did not.’ Beta gasps.
‘I didn’t intend to, but now, after everything she did, I’d do it again.’ She says with no remorse. ‘Either way, she left in a hurry after that, and I’m guessing they probably saved the “sample”.’
‘So that’s really what happened?’ Beta asks.
‘There is no other occasion that I can think of.’ Elisabet surmises. ‘I was so unbelievably busy at the time, and we never made contact with Far Zenith before or after that.’
‘Does it make you feel bad?’ Beta asks shyly. ‘Knowing that they just… took a piece of you like that?’
‘No.’ Elisabet says and cups Beta’s cheek. ‘Because I got you in exchange for it.’
She kisses Beta’s forehead, causing her daughter to relax into her embrace
‘And I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world. Old or new.’
Dream Eater Allyphant Creations 
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