Editing Story:ROAD TRIP! (Warhammer High)/Part Five (section)

===Goodbye, Freya, Goodbye, Alex===


As the final days of summer wound by, Freya and Alex reassembled their belongings for transport in Freya’s father’s truck.  Alex had retrieved his belongings from his mother, but had, on reflection, decided that since he would moving in with – and staying with – Freya for so long, he would try to bring as much of it as he could to their apartment on the New Cyprine campus.

Freya herself, however, took off as soon as she could after unpacking the things she had brought home from the trip.  The very next morning, she made her way to the hospital in the relatively isolated Navigator’s Quarter where her grandmother was staying.  After a talk with her ailing matriarch, Freya had returned home to her own manor to collect the last few things she wanted to bring with her to the hive school.

As she carefully packed away the subdued jewelry she preferred into boxes, Freya felt the soft sounds of one of the manor serfs approaching from down the hall and straightened up to view the door.  The serf walked in and bowed.

“Lady Freya, the transport vehicle is prepared,” he said.

“Thanks, Lanc,” Freya said, lifting her jewelry box.  “What will you do, now that only Mom is in the house?”

“Oh, we keep busy, ma’am,” Lanc said, glancing outside.  “Groundskeeping and such.  And of course the house still needs maintenance, just less indoor cleaning.”

“Right.”  Freya grabbed the last few items and walked out.  “See you in a few months.”

“Have fun, ma’am,” the serf said.

Alex leaned against the side of the door to the Russ manor, waiting for her.  Gairwyn sidled up to him as he waited, a sly little grin playing over her lips.  “Now, Alex, just to be sure, you and she aren’t going to disappear into the old college trap, right?” she asked in Juvjk.

Alex blinked.

“Sorry.  You and Freya aren’t going to fall into the college trap, are you?” she asked in Gothic.

“What trap might that be, Queen Russ?” Alex asked.

“I know you’re going together, which is great, but don’t think you can’t go out and meet new people too,” she said.  “College is supposed to be a place where you make new friends.”

“Of course, ma’am, and I plan to.”  Alex peered up at her.  “Did you go to college?”

“I did, a two-year degree in Military History.  But, really, it was only so that if I felt the need, I could join the Household Guard myself,” she said.  “There was no chance of me going private sector once I met Leman.”

Alex nodded hesitantly.  “He made his dislike of me clear on Fenris.”

“I think you don’t know how ‘dislike’ looks from my husband if you think his cold shoulder treatment was dislike,” Gairwyn said drily.  “But yes, he’s made his ambivalence clear.  Still, from what Freya tells me, you handled it quite well.  He was impressed, I’m sure.”

“I suppose.”  Alex shuffled a bit nervously under the Royal Mother’s keen eye.  “Thanks, by the way.”

“For what?”

“For supporting me even as much as you have since I got back,” Alex said.  “I never really felt like I had a lot to lose with Dad, but Freya…she’s been amazing to me.  And your being there to help…”  He grimaced.  “I’m terrible at this.”

Gairwyn chuckled and shook her head.  “It’s not easy for anyone to thank others for providing something they didn’t ask for.  Regardless, you’re quire welcome.”

“Your daughter is a hell of a girl,” Alex said.  He heard Freya’s laden steps from inside the house and straightened up.  “Thanks for trusting me with her for four whole years.”

“Just keep her happy and we’re square,” Gairwyn said, stepping back to let Freya pass.

Freya dumped the rest of her things in the rear sets of the truck and spun about.  “All right!  We’re set to go!”

Her mother walked up to her to give her a parting hug.  “All right, little pup…you go have a fantastic time, all right?” she asked in Juvjk.

“Mom!  That’s what Bjorn calls me!” Freya huffed.

“Well, it works.”  She held her daughter close for another moment, before gently directing her to the truck.  “All right.  When you’re done writing, send the truck home.”

“I will.”  Freya pecked Alex on the cheek as he stepped into the truck.  “Bye, Mom.”

“Goodbye, Freya,” Gairwyn said.  She stepped back and shielded her eyes as the airtruck lifted and swooped off to Cyprine, and watched as the vehicle shrank into the distant sky.