One Between the Stars

Chapter 14

There were a lot of things that Arthre didn't like. Crowds were one of them. He hated being around so many people, all of them yelling and running around and generally causing chaos. Arthre preferred the peace and quiet of the museum, which was the excuse that he made to Carson as to why he wanted to go there to begin with. 

After the jousting tournament, they headed to the museum, because they had dawdled enough. As they neared it, Arthre could feel his heart lifting. He'd been waiting for this for so long.

Carson leaned in toward him. "Are you a happy nerd yet?"

Arthre looked at him and scowled, but couldn't keep his face that way for long.

When they finally reached the museum, the air was wrenched from Arthre's lungs. Large marble pillars met his eyes, steps gilded in gold, and a massive jade door. He stood there for a few moments, taking it in. This was perhaps one of the oldest museums in the galaxy, here since the very beginning of gallivanter culture. Arthre had been waiting years to see this. Maybe he would finally get some answers.

"You coming, Art?" Carson called. 

He noticed they were halfway up the stairs now. Arthre blinked a few times, not even bothering to scowl at Carson. Ionia was studying him curiously. "Yeah," he said, and forced his legs to move.

The inside was pure marble and jade, columns running down the length of the long corridor. It was purely empty.

"Huh," Carson said. "I guess we're the only ones interested in dusty old artifacts."

Arthre ignored him and started walking the length of the room. Various artifacts lay set up on stands and under glass. He stopped to look at a few. A solar sword so powerful it hadn't burned out for a hundred thousand years. A helmet of some great general who was killed tragically in a war. The engine of one of the first hovers. His fingers brushed the plated descriptions, skimming the information. This was history, an art form of its own. Arthre had long been fascinated by history, had nurtured it and learned from it. The art of remembering.

This wasn't what he was looking for, though; not these things in this first room. Likely he would have to dig deeper, search harder, to find it. If it existed at all. So he moved on, not waiting for the others. Through the rooms he went, past ancient suits of armor and swords so old they didn't even have the energy field that their solar cousins did.

"What are you looking for?"

Arthre turned and saw Ionia watching him. Her dark, almond-shaped eyes studied him as if he were a puzzle she might solve. It gave Arthre pause. He remembered the way she'd studied the jousting tournament - too intelligent. She was far too intelligent for him to risk not being absolutely careful. 

"Something old." Not the whole truth, but enough. "I thought...maybe we might be able to find something on this Wealthy One you speak of. But we'll have to find the oldest part of the museum."

Ionia tilted her head at him, a smile tugging at her lips. "Okay. So where is that?"

"This way," he pointed, and they continued walking, Carson following behind. Arthre's eyes kept wandering, searching. This place was a temple for the art of remembering. But would the universe have remembered what he wanted it to have?

"You know, you're very quiet."

Arthre glanced at Ionia.

She smiled, almost as if to herself. "I've always been like that. No point in talking when you could sit and listen and learn." 

This princess had surprised him a lot today. He still didn't know what to think of her. Her cool nature and calculating disposition made him wary; the last thing he needed was to have someone who was too smart for their own good. Who could figure out things that he'd prefer to keep secret. And she was surprising him again, especially when she asked, "Why are you really here?"