Hello, peoples! This is just something short about Mr. Forkle's Wanderling, which I am SUPER curious about. This is one of the possibilities. At least, one of the things I think. So read, and tell me what you think in the comments! Here I go!
A tear slipped down Sophie's cheek, leaving a glistening trail. It rolled down her face, and hung at her jawline for a moment before falling like a shimmering pearl onto a seed in her cupped palms. Mr. Forkle's Wanderling. The tiny seed was wrapped in a strand of grey hair, and looking at it, Sophie could almost hear Mr. Forkle, grumbling about a dangerous mission they were planning. 'You kids…'
Another tear fell, and splashed on the verdant grass. She was standing in the Wanderling Woods, and it was beautiful. Trees of every shape, size, and colour stood on rolling hills, and the air smelled like biting into a ripe apple. This felt like an insult. Mr. Forkle was dead, gone, and the world was going on like nothing had ever happened. It should be cold and grey, not warm and vibrant.
Today was the planting, Sophie's first at the top of the line, receiving condolences. She leaned into Grady, who was standing with Edaline next to her. "You okay?" he whispered. "Yeah." Sophie raised her head, looking at the sun. Any minute now the Council would appear… A fanfare sounded, and the Council, in all of their regal glory glittered onto a stage next to a patch of soil. A muted whisper rustled through the crowd, and they fell silent as Councillor Emery raised a hand.
"Hello. Today we are gathered here in the Wanderling Woods to celebrate the life and legacy of Eroll Loki Forkle, the noble elf who risked everything- his freedom, his life, his acceptance, all to make our world a better place…" Councillor Emery continued, and Sophie tried to focus on what he was saying, but her eyes kept darting downwards, towards the seed sitting in the palm of her hand. The seed held the answers, and it held her creator. Her second father. He was gone, and she would never… Sophie shoved the images away.
"… Sophie Foster..." Councillor Emery said, and Grady squeezed her shoulder. "...Will now plant his Wanderling." Sophie took a shaky breath, and stepped forwards. Councillor Emery placed a vial in her palms, and directed her to the empty patch of ground. It was next to Councillor Kenric's Wanderling, and his tree was in full bloom. The red leaves swayed in the wind, and Sophie choked back a sob. Now was when everything came together. She would find out who her creator, her second father, really was. And who would be lost because of his death. Four, maybe five people, five lives, all gone.
Sophie knelt in the soil, and dug a small hole. She placed the seed down into it, and covered the hole with soft dirt. With shaking hands, Sophie pulled the cork out of the vial, and poured it on the dirt, and then smashed in her palm and sprinkled the fine silver dust on the patch of ground holding the Wanderling seed. She stepped back, and gasped as moments later, a small red leaf broke free of the ground, and then another, and then more than she could count, followed by a sturdy trunk, shooting up towards the sky.
The Wanderling grew towards the sun, stretching itself towards the pale blue sky. The bark wrapped around the tree, in a curving motion that looked like the sign of the swan. The leaves, ruby red now, rustled in the wind, the only noise in the suddenly silent forest. The Wanderling, standing tall and strong, was identical to Councillor Kenric's. Sophie gasped as everything fell into place. Magnate Leto's face twisted in emotion as he told her he didn't have a wife. Kenric staring at Oralie in longing. How when Kenric died, they had never found a body... It all fit. She stared in awe at the two trees, standing strong as stones, silhouetted against the burning sun. A leaf floated off the tree, and she caught it in her hand, images flashing through her mind. Everything, all the pieces of the puzzle were there. And Sophie was seeing the whole picture for the first time.