Locatlie: The Lie. (Book 5)

Chapter 10

I was waiting in another waiting room, and I could hear the court speaking. I could hear movement; I could hear people talking and my heart was beating out of my chest. I was pacing from one side of the room to the other and I genuinely did not know what to do? What was the right fucking thing to do? I went and stood by the door curious what they were going to say, and the four security guards that were here were all staring at me.

"The United League representatives have a witness they would like to present for questioning from both sides." I heard the person state and my heart was beating out of my chest and I couldn't breathe. I looked up at the ceiling, took four steady breaths as I knew this was my time. I looked down at my feet and I held my hands strongly together as I had to show power but I also had to be myself. The doors opened and I looked up and I heard commotion in the room, but that wasn't important to me. As I walked through the room, I placed my hand on my stomach, making sure that my immensely obvious pregnant belly would be showcased. That way they would know they were talking to a pregnant woman, and they would know not to fuck with me. I had decided to not look for my husbands until I was seated. I would not look into the 'audience' or any of the representatives. I would follow the security guard that would tell me where to go.

I saw my chair and it looked immensely comfortable, good. I knew I would be sitting here for a very long time; it would be a day thing. I also saw a bottle of water and a glass next to it, the glass already filled. I turned around as I knew I had to state I would say the truth, anything but the truth, or something along those lines. I did that, my voice shaking, as I was fucking nervous. I sat down on my chair, and went and sat a bit comfortable. I took a deep steady breath, to calm my nerves and I looked straight ahead.

The first thing that I noticed was that 22 jurors were sitting on the left, right by me. There was one juror sitting next to me on a higher plateau. It was a black woman and I saw that she was from South Africa; which was one of the 'neutral' countries. That was good. Straight in front of me were the ten 'lawyers' of sorts from the United League. They were all staring with immense pride. I blinked and I looked into the audience and I saw loads of people sitting there, all lawyers and stuff like that.

It was then that I decided to look at my three husbands for the first time in six months. The first person that I noticed, wasn't hard to notice. The way he was sitting, he oozed power and confidence. His brown wavey hair was very short, and I had this feeling that wasn't by choice. His face was slightly skinnier, but that did not mean that he could be fooled; he was the leader king after all. He was wearing a suit and he looked smart. His green eyes met mine and I could not read what he was thinking. My whole body relaxed as I saw him though, as if the world had gotten off of my shoulders. But he did not seem to think the same way? Had he told another story? Was I being set up? Or was he experiencing these questions himself?

The second person had brown wavey hair, that was shorter as well. He was also wearing a suit and he was playing the role of nervous idiot; but his eyes, those darned brown eyes that I dreamt of every fucking night, were boring into me, reading me. He right away could see my doubt and the nerves that he was acting, was clear now.

The one the left I saw my blonde-haired god, Trevor. O Trevor. His blue eyes met mine and there were tears in them. He looked skinny and rough and I had this feeling he was acting that part up a tad. I did not understand why he was immensely emotional though, until I felt a kick and I looked down for a second, placing my hand on the place where it kicked and I looked back up. They didn't know about my pregnancy. Fuck.

The element of surprise that I wanted with the pregnancy was meant for the world, not for my husbands. I had forgotten to get that message across, but that was ok. This look of shock and emotion that the three of them were portraying was good. This was good.

I grabbed my glass of water and my hand was shaking a bit as I took a sip of my drink.

"Before we start, how would you like to be addressed ma'am?" The judge, her name being Judge Jozo asked.

"Julia would be fine." I said looking at her and she nodded slowly looking at me.

"Do you have any questions or comments you want to make before we start?" She asked and I looked at her with tears in my eyes and I nodded slowly.

"I was wondering what the rules regarding bathroom breaks were." I said keeping my hand on my stomach and she gave me a small smile and she nodded.

"If you ever feel the need to go, or if it ever is getting too much for you." She said "Ask for a break and we will have a ten-minute recess." She said and I nodded slowly at that.

"Ok." I said very carefully as I took another sip of my water and I let out a small breath as I saw some tissues and I nodded at that slowly. "Ok. Yeah." I said carefully looking at her and she gave me a curt nod.

"Do you have any other questions?" She asked and I nodded slowly.

"Will my testimony be leading in this case? Will my testimony be taken into consideration, no matter what I say? As long as I tell the truth?" I said and she gave me a small smile.

"Yes." She assured me and I gave her a small smile and I nodded.

"Then I think I'm ok." I stated to her and she gave me a small smile and nodded as she looked ahead. Good, I had cleared all my bases.

"We open the floor to the representation of the United League first." She said and I let out small breaths as I grabbed my necklace out of habit to deal with the nerves. It was all too much and tears were appearing in my eyes. I had to make my choice now. Fuck fuck fuck.

"Julia. My name is Dirk Stevens, and I am from the United Kingdom." He started and I nodded slowly at that. "My first question is, do you understand why we are here today?" He said and I looked at him for a couple of seconds blinking. Did I understand why we were here today? No. I had no idea why we were here, how we got here. But I could not say that, I could not say that. I took some deep breaths as I felt a bit dizzy and I got something to drink. "You can take your time Julia. You are in a safe space right now, and we are here to listen to your story, to hear your side, so that we can make a just ruling." He said and I nodded at that and I gulped.

"Can you repeat the question?" I asked as I sat up straighter.

"Do you understand why we are here?" he asked and I looked at Hugo whom was looking at me expectantly. William and Trevor both thought I would go forward with plan Rosemary, but Hugo knew that I was doubting it. I looked into his brown eyes and he looked back at me and I blinked as I looked back at Dirk.

Right now, was the time to make my choice. Would I make Locatlie pay for taking me hostage for eight years, torturing me, making me forget about everything that I was? Meaning I would be locked up in a jail once again, that I would never see my son, and probably not my daughter? Meaning that no other little kid would ever be taken from their house to be the queen of a foreign country. No kid would suffer through the trauma that I had?

Or would I side with my husbands, meaning I had a chance of reuniting with them, being able to live with my children and them in harmony. Meaning I could also have my parents in my life? Meaning that in 20 years girls all over the world would be taken for a chance to become the new queen?

When I thought about it like that, it was a no brainer really. I couldn't be selfish.

I could not. But could I betray my husbands?

And without thinking, my mouth spoke for me, surprising even me.

 "No."