Wow I am so on a roll tonight. Here have another chapter.

Forkle POV

"So I see you got my note." The entire Council stood before him as well as Alden; each dressed more extravagantly than the last and all of them looking very upset.

Emery was the first to speak. "We do not gather at the summons of a man often. Especially at the summons of a criminal. We do not take this lightly. The only reason we came is because kidnapping is even rarer." He looked to Alden, who then began to speak.

"We have done as you asked. Followed all your terms. We are here, gathered in the Wanderling Woods at sunrise as per your request. Now our tolerance is wearing quite thin and while I do not condone violence you will be arrested very soon if you do not tell us what you have done to Sophie." He sighed. The Councilors, for all their wizening years and powerful abilities, were infuriatingly dense at times.

"If I was here to fight I would have gone about it quite differently. For one, none of you would be standing right now." Despite his calm demeanor the elves seemed quite upset by this.

"If you think you can call us here and threaten the most powerful elves-"

"TWO," He cut Bronte off, "I would not have come in person. In reality I have, therefore if you could get you heads out of your butts (AN: Pardon this, I don't use insults often but I feel that a group full of tense adults who hate each other would be throwing them around a bit) for long enough to actually think about what's going on around you, you would realize this is not a hostile situation! However if you would like to start an all out war with a force that you have no clue how extensive it is, a force that happens to be trying to be civil at the moment, in a war I can guarantee you would never win due to your appalling lack of preparation, I would certainly not be able to fight back right now seeing as I have brought no back up. As per our agreement." He looked each elf in the eyes and found they seemed to be at the point where he could reason with them.

"Good. Now as I was going to say, I know you are here for Sophie. And soon even without me you would know where she is." He held up his hand seeing Alden begin to protest. "I trust that since you got my note the Dizznee (AN: Did I spell that right?) boy has arrived safely and I'm sure he has told you that Sophie is dead. Yes?"

Alden seemed to grow very sick at this prospect. The Black Swan agent raised his eyebrow, but despite Alden's emotional state he spoke up. "Indeed he has. But I have a feeling you would not have called us here if that were so."

Good to know someone here has half a brain. "Very true. I should begin my story, which is admittedly rather lengthy, by informing you that I am not responsible for the two elf's abduction."

One of the Councilors stepped forward. "That's preposterous! If you didn't you wouldn't be here now!"

"And if you didn't then who did?" Another helpfully supplied.

"Well, see this is where your ignorance really shows itself, isn't it? While you have been off trying to hunt down the Black Swan you have blinded yourself to the truth. The truth that we are not the only rebel group. You have done more damage than you could possibly know and many people are upset with you. However not all are as radical as the Neverseen. Because of this a war amongst our groups has risen due to conflicting interests. This is the group that I rescued Sophie and Dexter from while you were all sitting on your bums mourning the loss of two very alive but admittedly unwell children."

To say they were shocked would have been an understatement. Anger, shock, disbelief, suspicion, were all very present. But he had expected no less. What he had not suspected was the amount of people who seemingly believed him. Nearly half of the Council as well as Alden had not immediately shut down the prospect of a rival rebel group. Perhaps they were not all as frustratingly stubborn as he had initially thought.

Again something he had not suspected was the total silence at him information. He had expected out bursts, yelling. Prepared for it even. Not this. He found his answer when he saw Emery. His eyes were shut tight and he rubbed his forehead. Channeling a conversation between so many must cause quite the head ache.

Oralie walked up to him; hesitantly she lifted her hand, "May I?"

"Of course, I have little to hide." She placed her delicate hand on his shoulder and concentrated on his emotions.

"He tells the truth. Not a trace of a lie anywhere." She walked back to the others, not taking her gaze never wavering from his.

After what seem like an eternity the telepath opened his eyes. "I speak on behalf of the entire Council when I say this. We have thoroughly though over your story and while many are skeptical to say the least, we will give you the benefit of the doubt for the time being. Explain yourself. We will listen."

He nodded he head slightly toward the man. "Thank you. So to start from the beginning I suppose. I have long suspected the Neverseen of trying to hijack our Moonlaark operations. For this reason more than to keep her from you we made the decision to hide Sophie with the humans. She was created with a specific purpose and we could not endanger her before she was ready."

"And what is this purpose you intend for a 13 year old child!?" Alden said, his jaw clenched.

"Intend. Present tense. And not for a child. She is not ready yet. And none of you could possibly comprehend that purpose at the moment so my I get on with my story?" Alden looked like he wanted to protest, but, knowing what happened to Sophie was more pressing.

"As I was saying, we had always suspected the Neverseen would pull a stunt like this so when I heard Sophie and Dexter pronounced dead I had my suspicions. It took me ten days to find where they were hiding out. I got the two of them away, but I was too late.

"Don't worry she's not dead, Sophie is very much alive. She is just, indisposed at the moment."

"If she is alive why was she not sent back with Dex? Why would he think she was dead?" Kenrik inquired.

"He thinks she is dead because I told him so." He said simply. "And I would like it to stay that way if you don't mind. You see, when I recovered Sophie her physical state was atrocious. Upon first glace I feared she was dead. But that does not compare to what I found inside." He paused looked at each elf, hoping he was doing the right thing by telling them. "All her memories of the Elvin world have been erased. Her abilities blocked."

"But that's impossible! No elf has ever blocked a present ability nor has any elf yet passed Sophie's blocking!" Emery seemed to have voiced what all the other's were currently thinking.

"I am aware. But do you not think when I created her mind to be impenetrable I would have made a way for me to get in? Do you not think I would have trusted this information with my closest ally whom in I have placed all my trust? And if this ally was so strong it is not unfathomable that he would be able to block an ability he helped emerge in a mind he has already see. Furthermore, if this ally would betray me so, do you not understand why I come here, in the cover of seclusion and alone to speak with you?" He let out a long, weary sigh.

"Black Swan agents are every where you would not expect and no where you would. The sheer amount of us is overwhelming even to me. If I cannot trust them it is up to me to protect Sophie until she is ready. But I cannot do that here. As far as the world, including the Black Swan and, due to some creative work on my part, the Neverseen as well are concerned Sophie is dead. If you value her life, it would do well to keep it that way."

Terik looked to him with furrowed brows. "You tell us this but you have still not explained where the girl is."

"That is why you may already know. With her blind to her abilities and unable to protect herself I have put her back with her human host family. The Neverseen never bothered to find where they live or else they would be dead already so I know her location is still secret. She was safer in her time as a human than she ever was in the Lost Cities. In this vulnerable of a state she needs somewhere safe. I had watched over her her whole life and since she did not recognize me without my usual precautions my identity is still in tact."

Alden seemed to understand where he was going. "What you are proposing, that we endanger the entire Elvin race because you think you can protect Sophie better than us is mad. What reason have you given us to trust you? And what would we tell her family and friends? That she is dead while she lives with humans in the care of a criminal?" They were harsh words but he said them with no malice.

"You will tell them the truth. Sophie is dead. The Sophie that knew and loved them is gone. As far as trusting me, I give you one reason to trust me. I care about Sophie. I watched her grow up; I was always there when she needed me. I am telling the truth. When I found her, her wrists were so raw from burns my potions could not heal her completely. She had scars from her wrist to her elbow. She had a cut from a blow to her head so server an inch deeper and she would have had brain damage not from a memory wipe. From what I can tell she did not eat once in the ten days she was their captive. They plan to torture her into becoming their weapon of mass destruction. This is the reason you should trust me. Whatever you think of me can never amount to the sheer horror of her captors. And I hope to God she never remembers what happened these past few days because if she does, the happy, sweet, innocent, young child she is will very well be lost."

"Is this true?" Alden whispered.

"I wish it was not. I have taken care of implanting memories to account for the scars and their new home. She will be taking the new last name of her host family. She is safe there. That is what matters is it not?"

The councilors looked at one another, partaking in a silent conversation. Emery spoke up, his trust in the rebel begrudging, "Sophie will be staying hidden in the Forbidden cities indefinitely until the threat on her life is resolved. No one-no one outside of this congregation is to know of her life or whereabouts. Consequently, the routine visits to the human family will cease immediately. However, Alden will be checking on her often, for her health, the validity of your claims, your behavior, and her mental stability. If her abilities begin to show we will reevaluate this decision." He sighed, "I hope you know this does not change your status as a criminal. Under any other circumstances I would have you arrested. However, this meeting is off the record so I am not obliged to do so."

"Then we are done here. I trust we will meet again. Lord Alden, shall I be seeing you soon?"

"Most definitely." He smiled at that. You had to give it to him; the man was fiercely protective of those close to him.

As he pulled out his pathfinder he heard Terik warn him, "Do not think this means we find your life worth more than any other criminal lowlife. We do not trust or value you. We simply value Sophie's more than we want you in prison at this very moment. Do not begin to feel safe. Do not wrongly assume you are among allies tonight."

"Oh I would never dream of it. I did become a rebel for a reason." With that he leapt away, knowing the difficulties had only just begun.

Oh my bejesus this was a long chapter. Hope you liked it the next one is Sophie's POV. Yay!