The Crown I Didn't Want (A Sokeefe Selection)

The Wrinkly Old Man

"What?!" I exclaimed. "B—but..." I struggled to find words. Actually, I was having struggles breathing, and I had to clutch a gazebo wall to keep upright, since my clumsy legs had given out.

"That kinda makes sense," Tam said, and I noticed he was suspiciously close to Biana, "since you are the moonlark, and he is the Black Swan's leader."

"Y—you made me leave my family," I seethed, giving Forkle an enraged look. "You were the one who made me leave the Fosters! It was all because of you!"

"Suldreen, I—"

I ignored him, fired up. "I loved them. They were the first family I knew. I cried for weeks after I left them. Weeks. You crushed a young child's heart!" Okay, maybe I was being dramatic, but I honestly didn't really care. I wanted him to feel guilt, to feel pain.

"Sophie!" Linh cried, grabbing my arm.

I ignored her, too. I couldn't control my anger. "How could you do that to me?" I asked him, angry tears brimming at my eyes. "How could you do that to me, and now expect me to save you, to fight for you?" My voice was cracking, yet I kept on pressing. "If I'm so special, being the moonlark, the suldreen, and all, why did you destroy me?"

"Sophie!" Tam yelled, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me. "Sophie, calm down, he's trying to explain!"

"Suldreen, we were trying to pro—"

"I don't care about your intentions!" I screamed. "But you never contacted me. You never told me anything. You took away my everything. And now, you come, asking for help. Why should I help you, after all you have done? Your entire organization wants to help the kingdom, but overlooks the little things that make up our country!"

Keefe was shouting at me now, too. I shot him an angry glare before trying to continue my rant. "Why have you done this to me?" I asked them. "Why—"

I was cut off, not by someone trying to explain, or someone's words trying to calm me down, but by... someone's lips?

Oh my god.

Keefe was kissing me.

In front of all of these people.

But honestly, I couldn't care less. Keefe kissing me somehow calmed me down, and even when he pulled away, his hand in mine somehow sent a cool ice blue breeze through my mind. It cleared away all the red-tinged anger, and it put some sense back into me.

I glanced at him, a little breathless. He was breathing heavily, but he had that reassuring smirk on his face. I didn't even care that he simply kissed me to calm me down, it still was...

Important to me, I supposed.

"Are we calmed down now?" Tam teased, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," I admitted as that strange blue breeze blew through my head again. "I'm calm now."

My head turned towards Mr. Forkle, who seemed much older than he did a while ago. "It was all to protect you," he explained. "We knew the government was closing in on us, just when we had finished the project that the first members of the Black Swan had started—Project Moonlark."

"But I thought the Black Swan shut down when Fallon Vacker defeated them?" I questioned, confused. Now that I was calm, I could see much more reason.

"Of course not," Forkle replied, shaking his head. "We were secretly still continuing our work, just in the shadows. We were biding our time, working on the project that would allow us to finally successfully rebel. We sent you, the moonlark, to a local orphanage, and we made sure that you would get adopted by the owners of the orphanage. That was since we had kept tabs on the Foster family and knew they were hidden from the outside world and more importantly, very kind.

"A few years later, the government had begun to close in on us again. They figured out about a project we'd been working on. Somehow, they realized that we hid you with the Fosters. But they didn't know the project revolved around a person. However, if they saw you, we knew that the government would realize you are the project. So our organization decided to send me to take you to a new family."

"You?" Linh asked, eyebrows raised. "Sophie said she saw a black-haired, blue-eyed man." She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"I have many identities, Miss Song," the man remarked.

"Don't call me that," Linh scowled. "It reminds me of my family. I am not connected to them, I am Linh. Call me Miss Linh, if you need."

"You are always connected to your family," Forkle said wearily. "But if you wish it, Miss Linh. Now where were we in the story?" To be honest, he sounded like an old forgetful grandpa during bedtime stories.

"You took her to a new family," Dex prompted.

"Right. So I took you to the Ruewens, because they were an ordinary family that had always had ties to the Black Swan. Just as planned, you continued your life after heartbreak. The heartbreak was important, because it taught you how others suffered.

"The Fosters already taught you important virtues, but the Ruewens taught you more. You worked hard on the fields, teaching you how hard work paid off. Then you got sent to the Selection, as planned."

"As planned?" Biana blurted. "What do you mean?"

"I sent a few of our members to hack the Selection so that our moonlark would get picked along with Linh and some other key people. For example, Zara and Octavia, who taught you how the kingdom was cruel. The entire point of you going to the Selection was for you to realize how twisted the kingdom was, after all. Oh, and we also hacked the drafting so that these fine men could join you." He gestured to Tam, Keefe, and Dex.

"Your project is called Project Moonlark because a moonlark is a bird that lays its egg and lets it travel overseas away from it. The baby is seemingly left on its own, but the moonlark always watches its children from afar. That is exactly what we did for you. We left you alone to learn key virtues and key points that prove that this kingdom needs serious help." I actually forgave Forkle, now that my head was clear. Maybe it was because of the softness of his voice as he talked, or the sincere apology in his clear blue eyes.

There was a stunned silence. Of course, Keefe broke the silence. "That entire speech was so deep it seemed like Dumbledore was speaking," Keefe said bluntly. "And did you hear him say I was fine?"

"He didn't, Keefe!" Biana scolded, rolling her teal eyes.

"He so did." He mimicked Forkle scarily well, saying, "'Oh, and we also hacked the drafting so that these fine men could join you.' He called me fine! Well, all of us, but mostly me."

"He also called you a man, but we know that's not true," Tam retorted.

"Ouch," I winced for Keefe. "Salty."

"Quit being a baby," Tam added, rolling his pale eyes.

"WHY MUST YOU ADD SALT TO THE WOUND?!" Keefe wailed, rolling on the ground in mock agony.

I ignored him, turning to Forkle, who asked, "Are you willing to take part in the attack, after I have explained? More importantly, have you forgiven me?"

"Yes," I told him. "Yes for both. I'm ready to accept you, and I'm also ready to blow the government down to smithereens."

Hey guys, I'm back!

Here's a little chappie for y'all amazing people!

And I have a question you guys about shipping.

Do you guys ship:

SophiexKeefe (if you say no, why are you reading this story?)

TamxBiana

BianaxDex

DexxLinh

LinhxFitz

FitzxMarella

MarellaxDex

FitzxStina

FitzxTrash (personally I ship this!)

Don't forget to vote and comment!