The Book of Many People

Celestar's Stock of Soap Bottles and Other Assorted Paraphernalia

Tenn was happy for Yute and Foss. They'd always been so close, and it just felt right to have them together like that. He hoped they got married. They wouldn't have children, of course, but there was plenty of opportunity to adopt in a time like this. Tenn envied the child who would come to live with those two.
"Folnissian and Yutafrey," he said to himself. "Sounds like names the people in the old love stories would have."
"You're right," said Vraide. Tenn started a little. Vraide was very quiet when he moved, and sometimes Tenn wouldn't realize he was there until he spoke.
"Tenn, I need some help," Vraide began. "I've found a trap door in the back of the hut that leads down to what looks like a repurposed manuscriptorium. Half of the shelves are still filled with books. It's surprisingly dry for a cavern under the lake, now that I think about it."
Sensing that Vraide was getting distracted, Tenn asked, "What did you need help with?"
"Oh, right." Vraide snapped out of it. "There are bottles on a top shelf labeled 'Soap', but I can't get them down. Would you perhaps lift me up to where I could get them?"
"Sure," said Tenn. Vraide was light, and not very hard to lift.
Tenn helped Vraide get the empty soap bottles down. They were so far back in the cavern that he had to ask, "Vraide, there is a lot of stuff in here. How did you find bottles for soap in this mess?"
"I have no idea," said Vraide. "A happy accident."
Tenn smiled, and then he remembered something that Brith had asked him about earlier that morning. "Hey, Vraide. Do you think you could help me look for a razor?"
"What, for shaving?" Vraide frowned. "You don't need to shave."
"But Brith does," said Tenn. He thought back to the rusted, gnarled thing his friend had used to scour the whiskers off his cheek and winced.
Vraide nodded. "Let's look."