Elysian- After Stellarlune

Chapter Nine- Sophie

Sophie woke slowly, the smell of honey and vanilla filling her nose. She sat up lazily, yawning. Blinking rapidly to clear her blurry eyes, she noticed vines creeping up her bed posts, blooming with reveriebells.

Sophie remembered that reveriebells were a flower Calla had hybridised to help with her nightmares. Flori must've grown them for her. Smiling, she reached over to lightly touch one of the flower's deep purple petals, surprised and its soft texture.

Sophie had just stepped off the last rung of the small ladder to her loft bed when the door flew open. Biana rushed in, heading straight for Sophie's closet.

"Good morning to you too," Sophie muttered as she curiously followed her.

Sophie hadn't been in the closet to see what clothes the gnomes had made for her, so she wasn't sure what she was expecting. But it certainly was this.

Biana, already fully dressed in a pale blue tunic and navy blue leggings, swept through Sophie's clothes, most of which were human.

Sophie stood in the doorway. "Thanks for knocking."

Biana glanced up briefly, "Sorry, I just saw the human clothes and-" She did a double take. "Nice pyjamas."

Sophie flushed, self-consciously looking down. She tugged on the sleeves of the oversized white tunic that had mini boobries sewn all over. Underneath she wore white plain white shorts. The tunic had been a gift from Elwin when she had last been in the Healing Centre.

"Mmhmm. What are you doing?" Sophie asked, changing the subject. "You should know I'm not fond of people who barge into my room early in the morning."

"It's not even that early, and you were up anyway." Biana argued, turning her attention back to the clothes.

"Not the point. I'm not a morning person." Sophie grumbled.

"Uh-huh. Well, I had seen my own human clothes and there were so many options and styles! So I decided to come over here to see what you had. Marella and I already traded a few things." Biana flicked through some of the sweatshirts.

"Were you hoping to trade with me?" Sophie asked indifferently.

"That depends. That's why I'm looking."

Sophie nodded. Sometimes she just couldn't understand Biana, for example, who just barges into someone's bedroom in the morning to look for clothes you may or may not want to trade for?

Sophie left Biana to her examination and left her bedroom, nearly missing several steps as she made her way down the stairs. Flori had told her the other day that meals were in the dining hall, but Sophie had no clue where that was.

She approached a nearby gnome with two long brown braids. "Hi, uh..."

The gnome smiled warmly. "Simmen." She supplied.

Sophie blushed, embarrassed. "Hi Simmen, I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the dining hall."

Simmen nodded. "Yes, of course. Right down there, take your first left, then your second right."

"Thank you." Sophie began walking down the hallway Simmen had pointed to.

She followed her directions, and entered a large room with several long tables and a few scattered small ones. There was a large L shaped counter off to the side, holding a wide variety of gnomish produce. Keefe, Fitz, Linh, and Tam were already there eating. Sophie felt bad for Linh having to suffer alone.

Sophie grabbed a plate and filled it with pastries and a weird-looking round food that looked like a mini cake made of bread. She weaved her way through the furniture, plopping down next to Keefe and across from Linh.