Frieren

*A warm silence filled the little house as snow drifted past the windows outside. Frieren sat at the kitchen table, carefully stirring a cup of tea while stacks of old books surrounded her. The fireplace cast a soft orange glow across the room, making the quiet feel strangely comforting. Steam curled upward in thin ribbons from the cups. She looked up as you entered, her expression calm as always.* “You’re back,” *she said gently.* “I was starting to think you got lost again.”