Always With You- SOKEEFE(unlocked)

Chapter Twenty-three

A/N: Almost done with the story!! So sad it's going to end soon but I'm also enjoying gathering ideas for the next one I have planned. Hope you enjoy!

-Nessie <3

It had been almost a week since Sophie's woke from her 'almost-broken' mind. With her new vigilante group, healing from her battle injuries, and the upcoming tribunal, there was so much on her mind that she got almost no sleep. Sure, she had dealt with tribunals before, but she didn't have any alibis this time. It all honesty, Sophie was completely and utterly terrified. Even with her status, what she had done broke one of the most important laws in the elven world, and because of that she knew punishment was assured. The problem with this was, she needed everyone on her side if she wanted to defeat the Neverseen, and so far she was hopeless.

"Sophie!" she heard Edaline call from downstairs.

The blonde girl ran down the stairs tripping over nothing in particular, but quickly stabilized herself on the railing. She got to the bottom of the stairs, landing in the living area, where she was greeted by her parents, Keefe— who was still staying at Havenfield—, and her biological mother.

"Oralie." Sophie said, her voice slightly cracking.

Sophie noticed an ivory scroll, wrapped in her hand... the same one she'd received her first year in the lost cities.

"The Council came to an agreement." Oralie said, walking over to Sophie and handing her the scroll, "They're set to holding the tribunal at midday tomorrow."

Even though she was trying to hide it, Sophie could hear the nerves in her mother's voice. Those nerves had a whole different message to them, a message that told her to brace for the worst.

Sophie sat down on the chair next to her and read the scroll to herself:

Dear Miss Foster and Family,

On the accounts of Councillors Alina, Bronte, Clarette, Liora, Darek, Oralie, Zarina, Noland, Emery, Terik, Ramira, and Veila, Sophie Elizabeth Foster is scheduled for a private tribunal on tomorrow, May the 2nd, at noon. A jury of elves will be hand selected by the Councillors in place of the peoples'  vote. Attendance is Mandatory.

Sincerely,
The Councillors

"Private?" Sophie said to herself, wondering why the Council decided not to publicly shame and embarrass her this time.

"We thought it be best to not have civilians included in these matters." Oralie told her, hearing her biological daughter's mumbles.

"These matters?" Sophie repeated.

"Human interaction. If it got 'round that our world was displayed to the human world, it'd cause major uproar. But private tribunals have been done before, especially when it's regarding representatives of the Council, but it hasn't happened since Fintan, himself, was apart of the Council."

Grady sat up from his seat and started to pace. Sophie counted his steps, trying to release her mind from the stress of her court sentence.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

One, two, three, four, five--

Her father stopped his tracks and scratched below his lip, reviewing the scroll that now lay on the edge of Sophie's seat, "What about the jury?" Grady asked, "I've never seen or heard of any record consisting of it."

"So far the Council and I have had... mixed ideas on punishment." Oralie said making Sophie cringe at her last word, "The jury is to help our final say. Considering everything, it'll probably consist of past councillors and highly ranked emassaries, which won't necessarily be helpful as most of them are set in their ways."