Malachay’s P.O.V. I know that it is not protocol, but my Mate will need all of us near and for that reason I place her on my lap. My arms wrapped around her waist, while my Brothers hold her hands. Kaelan, Amand and Camden are standing behind us and with that I know that my Princess is safe. With the five of us surrounding her, she leans against my chest and I feel her relaxing in to my arms. A door opens on the other side of the room and I want to growl at the sight of her Father, but I don’t want to upset Taliyah. They bring in Roger, Eva, Sofia and Ayden after him and I almost laugh at the sight of Sofia. The once perfect Queen, who thought she was untouchable looks like crap and I wonder who the hell put her through the wringer. She is wearing the same type of formless outfit Taliyah wore the day she was brought home and for a minute I want to ask where the hell she got the outfit from.“I asked Amand to give it to one of the Guards that took Talon and the others away and to make her wear it during the trails.” I hear Taliyah say through the mind-link and I have to hand it to my Princess, she can be a conniving Bitch when she needs to be. Not only the trail will be open to the public, also today’s hearing is open to the public and I see a huge audience on the mezzanines and boardwalks surrounding the room. Armas gets up and the room goes quiet, you could hear a pin drop. “Lycans and Werewolves, welcome to this hearing in which the accused will hear the contents of their trial. The Council has decided that each one will be trialed separately, however if investigation shows that two or more participated in the same crime then they will be trialed together. That way we don’t have to hear witnesses twice or see the same evidence twice. However due to a personal conflict, I have to withdraw myself from any trial that includes Roger. I have asked former Council-member Nakoa to take my place in those trials.” Taliyah’s P.O.V. As Armas tells the crowd that he cannot sit in on Roger’s trials, I see what was once the face of a young woman, so beaten that her features are unrecognizable and I can see that she is no longer among the living. Luckily Elder Matthew taught me a few things on the Council and their trials and I know what is expected of the King, but I don’t want Armas to explain his reason out here. I get up and say “Council-member Armas, you are excused of partaking in Roger’s trials. Council-member Nakoa, for the duration of these trials you will be reinstated as Council-member and take Council-member Armas’ place when needed. The Royal Family accepts the partition of these trials.” I bow my head to both Council-member Armas and Nakoa, before I sit back down on Malachay’s lap. “Well done, Princess.” Grandfather says in my head and Alaric asks me why I did it. I tell him we will talk about it later and that I want the Council to be present when we do. Armas starts with Eva and tells her she is charged with attacking a Royal and with attempted murder. Sofia is next and she gets charged with attacking a Royal and the Queen and with attempted murder, there will also be an investigation in to what she may or may not have told Talon and Roger about me and the consequences of revealing that information. And if any investigation proves her involvement in any other crime, she will stand trial for those as well. Ayden is brought forward, he is informed that there will be an investigation in to the rumors of him assaulting and raping women and his involvement in the plans to have me forcefully marked. Than it is Talon’s turn and the list of investigations are long, among them his involvement in to Alena’s death. He gets charged with his plan to have me forcefully marked. After that Armas clears the floor and Nakoa takes his place, he calls Roger forward. The list of investigations is also long and involve his chosen Mates and Alena. Like Talon, he also gets charged with the plan to forcefully mark me. “In addition to these charges, you will also be charged with the attack and rape of a woman and her death as a result of that. Your former Beta’s Mate Amyah, Daughter to Council-member Armas.” When Nakoa is finished, tears are rolling down my face and I know that it was her face I saw. The crowd is growling loudly and the Council does nothing to stop it. I can’t blame them, Roger deserves to know that he is a dead man walking. The Guards slowly remove Talon, Sofia, Eva and Ayden from the Courtroom and the Guards that are guiding Roger take their time, one has to retie the laces on his boots, while the other looks around as if he is looking for something. Finally they guide him out of the Courtroom and slowly the crowd simmers down, after which they all leave while whispering to one and other. Once we are alone with the Council-members, Alaric turns to me and says “Taliyah, Thank you for speaking. However I would like to know why you did it, because it is custom for a Council-member to explain himself.” From the corner of my eyes I see an unfamiliar man, but as I turn towards him I know that he was her Mate. “Alaric, I spoke because I have the right to do so as holder of the throne. But the main reason I spoke is because I didn’t want Armas to explain in front of the world. What I saw was bad enough, I don’t know what happened and I am not sure if I want to know. She was so badly beaten that I could barely see her features and once I realized it was Armas’ Lycan that showed me her face, I knew I couldn’t let him explain himself. They will have to life through it during the trial and I believe that that will be hard enough on the both of them as it is.” I never take my eyes of the man and I see tears rolling down his face. He walks towards me and introduces himself “My name is Kijani.” And my knees buckle, because I know who he is and who his Mate was. They had accompanied Roger on his visit after I turned sixteen and she had constantly given me food and water. “You were there. I remember her.” I whisper as Malachay holds me in his arms, he had been fast enough to catch me before I hit the floor. Kijani is on his crouches in front of me and says “I remember you as well. Amyah told me what she did and that she hoped that your Father would never see the beautiful woman she saw that day.” Malachay pulls me tighter in to his arms and is rocking me back and forth as he runs circles on my back with his hands. “Taliyah, can you explain what you meant when you said that Armas’ Lycan showed you her face?” Kijani asks and I look around the room, seeing that most look at me with confusion in their eyes. I tell him that I am a true Royal and that I possess all four abilities a true Royal can have. One of them being able to receive or send images through the mind-link and that that is what Armas’ Lycan had done during his speech.I walk up to Armas and I can see that his Lycan is right there. “Thank you for showing me. Thank you for trusting me.” I say and his Lycan responds “Your Highness, it is I who should Thank you for speaking without breaking protocol. For some reason you knew what you could do for us and you did it. I will be forever grateful for the trust and faith you showed us, by not forcing us to relive it today.” He bows his head and for once I accept his show of respect.