Chapter 45: Chapter Forty-Eight: Tea, Threads, and Tiny Secrets
Freya stared at the now-blank Whisperlink in her hand, her heart still fluttering from the brief conversation with Axir. Their parting had felt warm and full, but she still hated the disconnect. With a sigh, she gently placed the device down.
She turned to see Archelix still monitoring the ship systems from across the room.
“Thanks, Archelix,” she said with a soft smile. “For giving me some privacy.”
He turned from his panel and gave her a respectful nod. “Of course, Lady Freya. Always at your service.”
Sirius’s voice called from just outside the chamber. “Looking for Nerissa, by any chance?”
Freya leaned out the doorway and found him standing there, arms crossed. “I was actually. Do you know where she might be?”
“I could take you,” Sirius offered, lifting a brow. “Her quarters aren’t far.”
Freya shook her head with a laugh. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine. I need a little walk anyway.”
“As you wish,” Sirius replied.
Freya gave them a grateful wave, then made her way down the sleek corridors. Her bare feet padded softly against the cool flooring. She hummed to herself as she passed a long observation panel, pausing just briefly to glance at the stars beyond.
It was moments like this, when things were quiet and in-between, that her thoughts wandered.
Back to her little cottage.
Back to the scratch of pages and smell of lemon balm tea.
Back to misty mornings on Earth, when the only battles she had were whether or not to hit snooze one more time before opening the library.
She chuckled softly to herself. Axir better never run out of my tea stash. I’ll lose my marbles.
Turning the corner, she reached what she remembered to be Nerissa’s door. She lifted her hand to knock—then froze.
A faint voice came from the other side. A man’s voice.
Freya instinctively leaned closer, pressing her ear gently to the panel.
“—need you to find it soon. It won’t stay hidden forever.”
“I’m trying,” came Nerissa’s voice, low and clipped. “But I need more time. She’s—”
Freya stepped back as the door slid open suddenly, nearly making her stumble.
“Lady Freya!” Nerissa blinked, clearly startled. “I didn’t hear you approach.”
“Oh—uh, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Freya stammered, trying to recover. “I was just looking for you. I thought this was your room.”
Nerissa’s eyes darted down the hall, then back to Freya. “It is. I’m sorry if I startled you. I was just… reviewing some maintenance records.”
Freya gave a polite smile, not pressing further. “I was hoping you could help me find some clothes. I’m kind of running out of things to wear. Ship robes aren’t exactly glamorous.”
A nervous edge clung to Nerissa’s voice, but she quickly recovered, her usual calm demeanor returning. “Of course. Come with me.”
She led Freya further into the ship, turning down a narrow corridor she hadn’t explored yet. They stopped in front of a sliding panel that opened with a quiet hiss, revealing a large, pristine room.
“This,” Nerissa announced, “is our garment maintenance suite.”
Freya’s eyes widened. The room was sleek and futuristic, with a large rectangular machine dominating one wall. It gleamed like a new tablet, soft light pulsing from its core.
“That,” Nerissa said, pointing, “is our Veraclean Unit. It washes, disinfects, and dries garments within ten minutes. It even folds them.”
“Seriously?” Freya asked, eyebrows raised.
Nerissa nodded. “Right over here—”
She stepped to the side and opened a hidden panel. It revealed another room tucked behind the cleaning system—a walk-in storage space, filled with folded garments, shelves, and sliding drawers.
Freya stepped in, marveling at the fabrics on display. Soft velvets, crisp linens, structured coats, even some flowing silks.
“These were all prepared for you,” Nerissa said with a smile. “Prince Axirlon requested them before we left Zytherion.”
Freya’s hand brushed over a pale blue sleep set that looked impossibly soft. Her chest squeezed just a little.
“He really thought of everything,” she murmured.
“He always does,” Nerissa said.
Freya took her time browsing. She selected a few sleep sets, a couple of practical-looking pants and tunics, and then paused when her eyes caught a flowing white dress with shimmering threads along the hem. She held it up, the fabric catching the light.
“This one,” she whispered. “I think I’ll save this for when he comes back.”
Nerissa gave a warm nod but said nothing.
Once Freya had made her selections, the two women walked back to her chamber together, arms full of folded fabric.
“You’ve been really kind,” Freya said. “Thank you.”
“I’m just doing my part,” Nerissa replied quietly.
After setting everything into the closet drawers and organizing the wardrobe, Freya turned back to Nerissa.
“I was just about to get dinner started. Would you… like to join me?”
Nerissa blinked, as if surprised by the invitation.
“I’d love to,” she replied after a pause. “Let me just check in with Archelix first.”
“Take your time,” Freya said, smiling.
As Nerissa stepped out, Freya glanced back at the closet full of clothes and the soft white dress hanging separately on the wall hook. Her heart swelled.
Her grumpy alien had prepared all this.
She could picture him doing it, face stern, muttering something about her being “ill-prepared” for space travel—while secretly making sure she had her favorite teas, soft pajamas, and the perfect dress for a welcome-home hug.
Maybe this wasn’t Earth.
But maybe it wasn’t so far from home after all.