The Aftermath

Chapter 1

Third Person P.O.V.

She could've sworn it was the third time in a row this week where Sophie forgot to close the blinds once again. 'Might as well get ready since I'm up.' Peeling her covers back, Sophie pads across the room to the bathroom.

With her uniform hanging on the door, she changes and gets ready for the day. Not feeling up for the 'constructive criticism', Sophie walks by Vertina and makes a beeline for the kitchen. Passing the front door, a knock sounds and Sophie pauses mid-step before swiveling around to open it.

"Hello?" She asked when she was greeted with nothing but air and the lush green hills outside. She was about to close the door when a roll of parchment on the ground caught her eye. It was addressed to the Ruewens so Grady and Edaline would most likely want to open it together.

Waving to Grady who was feeding Verdie, she picked up the scroll and closed the door before continuing to her previous destination. 'Why is it that Grady or Edaline are always tending to Verdie?' Sophie wondered.

Sophie sat herself at the table and set the scroll in the middle. Edaline set a dish down on the table containing a yellowish glob. Sophie thanks her and takes a bite. She takes another before devouring the entire thing. Once again, elvin food had ceased to amaze Sophie in its own globby way.

"Oh, what's this?" Edaline noticed the scroll on the table. "I don't know. It came this morning." Sophie informed Edaline. Edaline unrolled the paper as Sophie watched her expression go from wide eyes, a slightly gaping mouth, and for the finale, a big grin.

All under ten seconds.

"So? What's it say? I assume it's something good judging by the grin." Sophie spoons more of the glob onto her plate and starts on her second serving. "Oh, it's not something good. It's something great. An old friend of mine from Foxfire invited us to dinner, and she going to match you with someone!" Edaline squealed.

Sophie did a double take when she heard match. "Come again? Who is this friend exactly?" Sophie asked. "Brida Yearling. She's a retired matchmaker but she's famous for her work. It's said that 99% of the time, people she's matched end up getting married! She rarely does this but she will take cases every once in a while and host dinners for potential matches! And she thinks she's found yours!" Edaline was practically jumping with glee.

A took about a minute for Sophie to process all of the information. To sum it all up, it was Sophie with Edaline's same reactions except there was no trace of a grin in the end. Instead, there was just the glob. Sophie had a mouthful of the yellowish glob. From stress eating. Under ten seconds.

"Well... we don't have to go. This is your life Sophie so it's your choice." Sophie held a small smile on her face at Edaline's consideration and thoughtfulness. Yes, she was only a teenager and definitely wasn't ready to be in a relationship but it did seem like a once in a lifetime chance. And Sophie had to admit that she was curious.

Maybe this would be good for Sophie. A starting point towards a normal life for a normal teenage elf. With her final answer, Sophie nods. Edaline smiles so big that it might've went off her face if it could. "Alright, I'll hail her to confirm the dinner." Edaline left the kitchen presumably to call Brida.

Sophie sat there with an extra full stomach from her seconds and a hole that she knew she couldn't dig herself out of. Sophie's eyes wandered around the room, landing on the clock.

"I still have school today." Sophie whispered to no one in particular. She ran up the stairs past Edaline who bid her goodbye and grabbed her satchel from her room. Running up the rest of the stairs while occasionally tripping, Sophie finally made it to the Leapmaster shouting,"Foxfire!"