Hymn Of Empyrean

Chapter 14: To Find Answers The Answers Must Find You

It was the morning now and the Deities have been up since early on. One by one they came out their rooms ready to go downstairs.

"Desi are you okay? You're all red." Ernaline asked.

"I should've known the beds were practically made out of pollen..." Desi sniffed.

"Argh, those beds are not it! Totally hard as a rock!" Denzin said stretching his stiff limbs.

"It wasn't so bad it can help with posture!" Ernaline chimed. They heard the sound of another door closing so they turned to look.

"Who is that? Hey, hello!" Ernaline waved.

The girl who just came out her room was in the middle of a stretch when she spotted the group. Immediately she had a spooked look on a her face and with a yelp she quickly tried to cover her face while running downstairs.

"Great job you scared her." Dianthe almost rolled her eyes.

"All I said was hello." she said tilting her head confused.

They all walked downstairs where Adrastea, Oleander and the girl from earlier were sitting at a long table.

"Good morning high ones." Adrastea smiled.
They sat at the table and looked down at their plates.

"Erm, not to be rude but what is this?" Denzin asked poking around at his 'food'.

"This a popular delicacy in Gaia, it consists of vegetables, berrys and tree sap."

"Tree sap? So you're saying that you only eat wild plants and bushes?" Desi said unamused.

"Well...after all we are elves so we don't believe in eating or hunting meat. In fact it's strictly forbbiden to hurt any kind of wild life." he replied.

Desi looked at his plate once again, 'Seriously there's even twigs in here'

Dianthe picked up a Berry with two fingers,"Well doesn't hurt to try... "

Everybody sat in silence trying their best to digest this different kind of food when Lorelei noticed the girl from earlier kept taking glances at them, "You're from earlier. What's your name?" she smiled sweetly at the nervous girl.

"W-we meet before. On the carriage." she said shyly.

"Wait your Mallory? Why did you run when you saw us then?" Dianthe questioned futher.

"I dont k-know I-I'm sorry..." she said looking down.

"Don't apologise its fine." Ernaline smiled.

Now that she didn't have hood on they could see her features much better, from the bright orange hair to different type of clothes she wore and the dark freckles on her face.

"How come your not wearing only green like the rest, are you not from here?" Denzin asked.

"E-eh! I- it's just-" She started stuttering away.

"It's the colours she wants to wear." Adrastea said not looking at them. She seem to be in a bad mood, her personality differing so much from yesterday.

"Adrastea smile." Oleander looked at her.

"Don't tell me what to do." Adrastea glared at him.

The atmosphere got more awkward and so Desi stood up first.
"Thanks for the...meal. We should get going."
Following Desi's que they all stood up making their way out.

Adrastea, Mallory and Oleander stood in the doorway, "A way out is just down that path. I thank you on the behalf of the Gaia Province for visting this humble city." he said.