ROYALTY | RIVERDALE

chapter -37

chapter 37 || 037

'she will persist'

"Can you hear us over there?" One of the many people in the room asked me. I nodded quickly as everything in the lifestream in front of me started quieting down. Mrs. Andrews is on the screen too in her own chair with a bunch of files. She said it was better I wasn't seen with her just incase it gave anything away.

"All rise for Judge Juniper." A strong voice commanded and I got out of my seat along with everyone else. I could see the judge walk up to his seat on the screen and sit down. Everyone else on screen started sitting back down so I did too.

Today I'll either be getting the law on my side or I'll be back to square one.

-

The trail began at noon so the news didn't really pick up about it until after the high school had just let out for the day. And as the final bell rung out all the people who knew and cared about Diana filled up the student lounge in confusion.

Everyone had thought they'd never see her again. But here she was on the television and on their phones in court.

She looked stronger. Definitely not the same girl in that video that leaked.

Jughead and the serpents saw their girl and were happy to see her safe. And happy to see her getting justice for her father. They all cheered and clamored when they finally understood the context of the situation.

Archie and his friends were happy too yes, but not like the serpents. They had gotten the chance to know her and to see that she's really ride or die. Betty caught a glimpse of that.

-

I sighed and looked away from the camera.

"My father told me when I was younger that there were some bad men after me and him because of who I was. And it made sense of everything. Why we were always on the run, changing clothes, never settled in one place. I just didn't understand the gravity of the situation until they killed him with no mercy." I explained carefully to the judge as he nodded along to my every word. 

Every time I recount the memory it never gets easier.

"And what did you do to support yourself?" He asked me and my head snapped back to those weird jobs and those disgusting jobs. It was all the in-between for me. I didn't like thinking about it because it was always there in the back of my mind.

I couldn't help to grip onto the arms of my chair. "It was mostly dancing. I'd find a new town and I'd head straight to a club. And if it wasn't enough I'd find a diner and buss tables. And if those two combined wasn't enough then I'd look for people I could steal from or.." My arms shivered at the thought. "could sell myself to."

There was a silence for a moment. I thought it was because the feed lagged or something but when the judge cleared his throat I threw out that assumption. 

"I'm sorry to- that you had to fend for yourself this whole time."

-

Jughead, Sweet Pea, Fangs and Toni were sick to their stomachs. Diana had told them that she had done things to get to Riverdale but she never went into detail about them. And they had a feeling that this wasn't the half of it.

"What do you think she'll get out of this?" Ravyn, who no one noticed had entered a room, asked herself this question. A little too loud since everyone in the room had turned to face her and look at her.

"Her life back." Toni growled at the girl and Cheryl had to calm her down a bit to keep her at bay. Ravyn had been the anomaly the moment she stepped into town. She was Diana's half sister yet she was cozying up to Reggie? And not doing anything to find her? "Why are you here?"

"I am here because she's my sister. Why else would I be here?!" She shouted hysterically and Reggie stepped between the two girls as a way of blocking one another from each other. 

Sweet Pea got up from his seat and so did Fangs. "So where were you this whole time? While she was trying to stay alive? You walked into Riverdale looking like the true princess." He seethed.

Ravyn squinted at him and slowly walked to meet him toe to toe. 

"I was helping the people on the island that she so desperately wants to run away from! I was stepping up and doing what she couldn't do- what she coward away from! I was being the princess she couldn't be!"

-

"After careful deliberation I will be making my decision and it will be law as the court says." The judge carefully puts and then he disappears from his chair and then the screen entirely. 

I'm not safe.

Why would he need to deliberate if he was gonna be on my side? Why would he need to think about that? I said something wrong and now I'm gonna be in even more trouble than I was before. This was gonna be worse.

I was running from the men that killed my father. And now I'm gonna have to outrun them and the law.

I held my head in my hands to try and stop the panic bubbling up. It's hard to say it will go my way. That I did the right thing in thinking the law was going to protect me. There was only one person who could protect me and he's gone.

There isn't much running left for me to do.

"Diana, I've got some people on the line for you." Mrs. Andrews' voice came through the computer and I lifted my head up. She was holding up a laptop in her hands and there on the screen was the faces I've missed so much.

"Diana!" They all shouted and I couldn't help the smile that crept up my face. It was my friends. Jughead, Fangs, Toni. Sweet Pea. Even Cheryl, Betty, Archie and Veronica were there. I can't believe I've got that many people rooting for me.

"Hi guys."