Winnowing Galla(KOTLC a Sokeefe story)

Without Her

Keefe POV

Keefe’s sleep was full of nightmares, and he woke up multiple times in the middle of the night sweating and almost in tears. Every dream was a possibility of life without Sophie, and each one was worse than the last. When he woke for the fifth time the sun was finally beginning to rise.

“Morning sleepy head.” Ro said. Keefe rubbed his eyes sleepily and turned to face her.

“What time is it?” Keefe whispered groggily. 

“Probably around four.”

“Then what are you doing awake?”

“You’re not the only one who can't sleep hunkhair.” Keefe was surprised by Ro’s attitude of...concern was it? He’d never seen her act the least bit worried about anything before.

“She’s right.” Keefe turned around to see Edaline and Grady walking towards them. Edaline was carrying a pot of tea that she set delicately down on the coffee table.

“How long have you guys been awake?” Keefe asked, sitting up.

“An hour or two.” Grady shrugged. Keefe nodded his head in understanding as Edaline began to pour him a cup of tea. The tea was warm and soothing on his dry throat and Keefe downed it quickly.

“It feels good doesn’t it?” Edaline said with a slight smile as she poured him another cup. They sat in silence for a while until Edaline got up to go grab something from the kitchen. Keefe usually was great at filling awkward silence but apparently today he was off his game. He was tired, stressed, and felt sick to his stomach.

“Nightmares?” Grady whispered. Keefe nodded his head slightly and took another sip of tea. The longer the silence lasted the more fatigued Keefe grew.

“You awake Hunkhair?” Ro asked, poking his shoulder. Keefe shrugged her away and rubbed his eyes.

“You should probably get some sleep if you’re already tired.” Grady informed him, rising and beginning to exit the room.

“Why?” Keefe asked, finishing off his sup of tea.

“Cause everyone will be here in a few hours, and I suspect that it won’t be a very relaxing day.”

Biana POV

Biana twisted her chocolate brown hair tightly around her finger. She looked over to her lonely window seat and sighed. She stood and began to slowly walk over to the glassy window. She shivered in her light pink silk nightgown as she grew closer to the window. The sun was just rising above the horizon and you could hear birds quietly chirping. 

Instead of closing the window Biana sat down at her window seat and hugged one of the sparkly purple pillows to her chest. She began to brush her fingers through the knots in her hair attempting to untangle them. Another breeze blew in forcing Biana to wrap her arms around herself in hope to stay warm.

Of course, Biana had been in this situation before. Except last time she thought that Sophie had killed herself and that the last memory they would have was when they had gotten in a fight. But, now. . .the last time she had seen Sophie she was being held hostage and Sophie had sacrificed to help her. She couldn’t imagine life without Sophie. Biana knew how dangerous guilt was so she pushed the thought away. She knew how hard this was on everyone else and she refused to make it harder. 

Biana licked her dry lips and went to retrieve a brush from her bathroom. She ran the brush through her disheveled hair and tried to blink away the sadness and tear residue from her eyes. She looked into the mirror and scrunched her nose at how dull her plain teal eyes looked. She folded her arms around her chest and made her way back into her bedroom. She curled back into her bed and tried to go back to sleep.

Sophie POV

Please, please make it stop.

Sophie repeated the words in her head as Gisela pressed yet another needle into her skin. 

“There, that will be the last one for today.” Gisela told her, wiping the small bead of blood off of Sophie’s arm. She sighed with relief but nearly choked on the piece of cloth covering her mouth. Gisela reached up and untied the gag from her mouth. Sophie inhaled deeply and relaxed her neck.

“I thought elves didn’t use needles.” Sophie managed to raspe out.

“It seemed to be the best form of reasoning. Plus Vespera isn’t a normal elf.” Sophie scoffed and scanned the room for the evil torturer.

“Where did she go anyway?”

“You ask a lot of questions you know you won’t get the answers to.” Gisela noted, as she poured Sophie’s thick red blood into a test tube. Sophie sighed and rested, closing her weary eyes. Happily welcoming the dream filled sleep that followed. She expected nightmares but dreams of dancing and love filled her mind instead.

“Wake up.” Someone whispered in Sophie’s ear, jolting her awake.

“What was that for?” Sophie snapped.

“Cranky are we?” Vespera asked. She wiped a bead of sweat from Sophie's forehead and smeared it onto a small glass disk. Sophie sighed and sniffed the salty air. The room was hot and humid and sweat dripped down her back. She hated it here, which was to be expected from a prison. She longed for her soft bed and the comfort of her window and the pastures of Havenfield. She could only imagine what was happening there without her. . . .

ok ok, I know it was short BUT there will be more to come!! - Livvy