Young Royals Season 3 (Version 3)

Chapter 82

Simon's phone buzzed in his hand.

Linda: Simon, where are you?

He slipped his phone back into his pocket and looked up toward the doors of the courthouse expectantly.  Nothing.

He stood up from the bench and went to the doors where the guard held them open for him.  He quietly thanked the man and went back through to the courtroom where Rickard seemed to be finally finishing his statement.

Simon slid in next to Linda and smiled at her reluctantly.  He was still concerned about Wilhelm and where he would go now.

He knew it was unlikely that Johansson would bring him to the court. The Queen had forbidden Wilhelm from attending the trial.  Besides that, if Wilhelm came, the Royal Court would immediately know where he was and probably try to force him to go with them again.

Simon knew that Kristina would never give up her control over Wilhelm.

"All of the evidence that's been set forward has been proven to be nothing more than circumstantial and can be explained in various other ways, including as a conspiracy against my client to ruin his reputation and future...." 

Simon ears were buzzing.  He could feel himself dissociating from the scene.  He didn't know if it was the rage at what Rickard was suggesting.  

"...My client was lucky enough to be born into fortunate circumstances and many of his classmates were envious of that fact..."

Simon scoffed thinking that Rickard really wanted everyone to believe that Simon or someone else had framed August because they were envious of his money and position.  They didn't know that August hadn't even had money to pay for his drug addiction.  Besides that, the idea that Simon would frame someone by releasing a sex tape that he was featured in sounded insane.

"Moreover, there is one student in particular who we've mentioned and we believe he should be investigated thoroughly as a potential perpetrator.  No other suspects have been investigated and there are plenty of other individuals who would have the opportunity to make and upload the video."

Simon tried to remember who else they'd mentioned that had as much opportunity or evidence against them as August did.  He scoffed and shook his head, hating Rickard more and more as he listened to his lies.  

Simon felt restless and wished he could leave the room again, knowing where all of this was going, certain that there was no more hope that August would pay for what he'd done and finally, nothing would change.

He closed his eyes imagining August sitting on the throne wearing the crown with a smug grin on his face.  The frustration was so intense suddenly that he had to hunch forward and put his head in his hands.

Linda lifted her hand and lay it on Simon's back.  She prayed that the trial could just end.  She hadn't admitted it to Simon, but she also thought it was almost certain that August wouldn't pay for what he'd done, and dragging out the inevitable was clearly affecting Simon negatively.  She wanted August to pay but she also wanted everything to go back to normal so that her family and her son could be happy again.

Simon sat up again and gave Linda a strained smile and leaned into her as they both listened to Rickard.  They heard the door at the back of the room creak and both glanced back to see Detective Johansson walk back seemingly in a hurry.

She immediately headed back to her seat next to Detective Andersson.  Simon watched as Andersson looked back and wrinkled his brow at Johansson, wondering what had happened.

Simon became lost in thought, wondering where she'd taken Wilhelm.  Simon slid his hand into his pocket to touch his phone,  thinking he'd possibly missed a message.  Murmurs were spreading across the room.