When the Stars Fall

Chapter 18

         Sophie was at a loss for words. She realized that her tunic was a little tight for concealment of her bump and that Mr. Forkle would most indefinitely notice. She peeked around him in the doorway and shot a glare at Sandor and Ro, both of them shrugging. It was Keefe who responded first. 

"Uhm, yea. Come in." He muttered and opened the door so Mr. Forkle could enter. He hobbled in, because of course he was still using his ruckleberry disguise. He nodded in thanks as he entered. Sophie started to fidget with her tunic. 

"May I sit? I feel as if this is an important conversation to have over tea." He said smiling. At the same time Sophie was horrified. The past couple of times Sophie was sat down with one of the members of the Collective, the news was serious. An example, when Sophie was scolded for drawing her own symbol in the sand in the Neverseen's hideout, she was just simply turning the tables for the Neverseen.

"Yea, come on in, Forklenator. I'll ask a gnome to put on some of that herbal tea you like." Keefe said heading into the kitchen to ask the gnome. Mr. Forkle grunted at the nickname. Sophie gestured for Mr. Forkle to follow her to the living room. She sat on the large circular sage green sofa, while Mr. Forkle sat on the sage green love seat. Keefe came in right as Mr. Forkle was going to say something, but he abruptly stopped when he saw Keefe. Keefe sat in another sage green love seat. The tea was brought to them by a gnome that Queen Flori personally chose for Sophie, to have as a back-up guard. Her name was Tawyn. It seemed as if her guards were coming back 1 by 1. Or at least different guards. 

Mr. Forkle took a small sip of his tea before he started speaking. "So, is there anything you would like to inform me of?" He asked looking into his mug and whisking in some milk with his tea with his finger. At that point Sophie started to have a full on panic attack. She was once again at a loss for words. Mr. Forkle must've noticed because before she could scramble together a cohesive sentence he butted in. "Instead of making you painfully tell me I'll tell you was information I have gathered." He sighed and massaged his forehead. "It has come to my attention that Miss. Foster is pregnant? And that Keefe, you are the father." He looked back up to them expecting an answer, and Sophie and Keefe both had dangerously paled at his statement. "I just need a nod if it's true or a shake of the head if it's false. Keefe and Sophie nodded their heads in sync waiting for Mr. Forkle to sigh. Which he did. He stood up and started pacing the room. "I'll have to alert the Collective of this. This is a very big security threat to you Sophie this complicates your life quite a large bit." He shook his head and started to massage it again. "The Collective was expecting you to have a child, but not this soon. We had made plans for when you did, expecting you would tell us first. But considering I collected it by eavesdropping on your friends, you decided not to include us on this information." Sophie was baffled.

"You do realize that I don't rely on the Black Swan anymore? I can take care of myself? I don't need to share every secret with you guys. It's my life, my child, my secrets." Sophie said sternly.

Keefe butted it. "Yes Forklenator, what she said." he said nudging her. 

Mr. Forkle just stared at her for a couple of seconds calculating what words came out of her mouth. He slowly nodded and sighed. "I understand Miss. Foster," His eyes looked soft and caring. "I just did not expect this to happen so early, at the young age of 19. It is what it is." He sighed again and looked towards the quarry. "Just tell me you'll do everything in your power to keep this from everyone and anybody you can, okay?" 

Sophie was quite confused. "Why?"

Mr. Forkle's eye's hardened. "Even though the Neverseen have been inactive for the past couple years, but if they find out that the Lost Cities most powerful elf is having a child. Who knows if they will come back out of hiding, just to get your child if you keep it as your own." 

Sophie hadn't even thought of the dangers of her having a child in the Lost Cities. The Neverseen might jump out and start being active again, and with a child now, Sophie didn't know how she would fight them. She'd have to put her child's life in danger every time she went against the Neverseen. Maybe Sophie should send her kid to the human world. To escape the Lost Cities and their ethics and all the things Sophie hated. Which was mainly the Neverseen.

"Okay, I won't tell anyone else." Sophie was out of it by then, thinking of all the things the Neverseen have ever done to her and imagining it happen to her child. 

"Good, especially don't tell the council." Mr. Forkle insisted.

"Um, why? Shouldn't they know?"

"No, because you know what they will do. They won't take it seriously they'll leave you to think that they are protecting you, but they just expect the Neverseen to be silent and not come out when they find out. If you tell them, they'll either put it aside or suffocate you with safety protocols and staying inside." Mr. Forkle said sternly.

"Mr. Forkle, the Collective haven't always come in handy at all times either. You guys let me get attacked by the Neverseen after Alvars trial. You let me believe you were dead after I witnessed you take your last breath. Again, you couldn't protect my family, when I asked you to make sure they were okay. Biana is scared literally from that. You aren't much worse than the council." Sophie was out of breath at that point. Keefe just stared at her with a small smirk on his face, probably surprised that Sophie had finally pointed out all the Black Swans faults.

"I know Miss Foster, and we all deeply apologize. Please take my advice and at least procrastinate telling the council. Just don't tell the council at the moment." He said a bit more quietly with soft eyes. Sophie was about to answer, but before she could a voice came from the doorway.

"Don't tell the council what?" Sophie whipped her head to be confronted by Councillor Alina's face.