She's A King

24.

Margaret King
My heart was pounding so loud I could barely hear.
My mind spinning so much I could hardly see.

As I was forced into the courtroom, I could see just what a spectacle this trial was to everyone.
The whole two floored room was packed with spectators and cameras.
The handcuffs suddenly became too tight.
The hand on my back burned my skin.
I couldn't see my family.
I couldn't breathe.
My hands shook as I saw Ophelia and Jack, causing a metal jingle to sound through the now silent room.
"Maggie" Marcus said and that's when I saw my family sat directly behind him.
Both mum and Carter looked determined.
My heart sank as I saw dad hadn't been able to come.
"Is this some fucking joke?" I asked Marcus as the handcuffs were removed from my hands.
I pulled the grey sweatshirt over my head leaving me in navy sweatpants and a white T-shirt.
"I tried to get the cameras taken away but of course our opponents fought to keep them" he said rolling his eyes.
"How are you doing Maggie?" I heard Carter whisper.
"I'm scared" I whispered, turning round to face them.
"Dad wanted to be here but he's not strong enough"
"Where's Taron?" I asked not being able to see him on my support row.

Carter and mum shared a look, causing my panic to rise again.
"I'm sorry Maggie"
"Where is he?"
Carter pointed to Ophelia and Jacks support row and there he was, sat beside Emily.
My heart seemed to audibly shatter.
I could feel tears prick at my eyes.
"Swallow it Maggie. Don't let him throw you off" Carter said and I shook my head.
"I can't" I said, my voice shaking, tears escaping my eyes.

"All rise" I heard and quickly stood, turning away from my family, trying to keep the tears at bay.
All eyes were on me.
The judges, the jury's, the spectators, everyone's.
I wanted the floor to open up so i could disappear.
"Margaret King. You are on trial for the next two days, to assess whether you are a danger to society or not. Do you understand?" The judge said and I nodded. "Good. Both sides will produce evidence and an argument, to the case, and then our jury will come to a verdict"

I looked over at the jury.
Same amount of men and women.
Some looked surprised, some empathetic, and some looked cold and mean.
"I'm scared" I whispered to Marcus and he took my hand gently.
"It's going to be ok. You'll be ok"
"Taron's supporting them. Not me. Why is that?" I asked.
"Ophelia and Jack are using him as a witness"
"But he told me he was supporting me"
"Maggie, we don't know what's happening with them. Just focus on us" he sighed and I shut my mouth. I could see he was stressed.

I zoned out as Ophelia spoke, that was until she started summing up what she thought she knew about me.
"Margaret King, is violent. She's a sly, cunning, malicious young girl. She has no sense of morality, grace, kindness or remorse."
"Fucking bullshit" I spat under my breath.
"As you can hear, she's vulgar and rude. She deserves to be isolated for however long she can be. Thank you" She finished before sitting down.
I shook my head and stared ahead of me. 

Marcus countered her argument very well and I felt at rest knowing I had the best chance with Marcus and Jim as my lawyers.
As soon as the judge called a break I turned to Carter and he took me into his arms.
"I'm so worried" I cried into his chest. "I've never been caught. I was so focused on Taron and Dad I didn't realise the police were there." I cried and Carter rubbed my back.
"Maggie it's ok. You'll be ok. You just have to make your speech good."
"My speech?"
"You get your own speech tomorrow to end the trial. You have to make it good" he said and I nodded.
"I will." I said trying to wipe away my tears.

"Maggie?" I heard from the side of us.
"What" I spat.
"Can I talk to you?" Taron sighed, Emily standing close to him.
"I don't know what you'd have to say" I said as Mum and Carter moved away.
"You look well Maggie" Emily said, smirking.
"Fuck off" I spat and I saw Taron smile. "Why are you even here?"
"I wanted to support Taron." She said.
"And why the fuck would you do that? Is Taron on trial? Is Taron potentially going to prison? No. He's just talking. So get your head out of his arse and move on" I said and she scoffed before walking away. "What are you doing with her. Is this just some joke?" I said gesturing to both of us.
"No! She just pops up everywhere! My parents are really trying to get us together! But you're the one I want!"
"Then why are you sat over there huh?"
"I had to"
"No. You didn't have to. If you're going against them anyways then why sit with them?"
"It's not easy Maggie"
"You think this is easy for me!? I'm going to prison Taron! Do you understand that?! If we loose, I'm gone." I said harshly, the tears coming back.
"You're not going to prison Maggie"
"Get this into your head! This trial is deciding my life. There is a fifty fifty chance that I'm going to prison!" I cried. "If I go to prison we can't be together"
"You'd break up with me if you go to prison? You don't think I'd still want to be with you?"
"You wouldn't."
"What if-"
"Break times over." Jack said dragging his son away from me.

That day seemed to last years.
So many different people spoke.
People I had no interest in, and they had no interest in me.
That was, until Taron was called to the witness stand.
"Fucking hell here we go" Marcus sighed.
"Come on kid." Jim whispered before standing up.
I just stared at Taron with pleading eyes.
What came out of his mouth now was the most important thing to me.
Looking up at him I realised he was scared. Terrified even.
His hands shook lightly and I could see his attempt to calm his breathing.
I was so nervous I thought I was going to pass out.
"Taron, please discuss how you came to know Miss King" his mother asked.
"We go to the same university and we both study law" Taron said.
"Good. And out of the time you've spend with Miss King, how much of that has been fighting and violent?"
Taron's eyes flickered over to meet mine.
He sat up taller in his seat and looked back to Ophelia.
"About ninety five percent of it" he said and I wanted to crawl into a corner and cry.
I shoved my head into my hands and let the tears fall down.
I felt a hand on my back and then my shoulder. I reached one of my hands up to hold the hand.
I looked round and saw it was Carters hand.
"And Taron, have you ever felt in danger when you've been with Miss King?" Ophelia asked and Taron nodded.
"Yes. When we first met she threw a knife at me"
"I didn't hit him!" I cried and Marcus nodded.
"I know sweetheart I know" he sighed.

He was meant to be defending me.
He was meant to be defending me and instead he was giving in to his parents.
He was dragging me through the mud.

"I'd like to ask him some questions" Jim asked and the judge nodded. "Taron is it true that you asked Margaret to be your girlfriend not so long ago?"
"Well, well" his eyes flicked to his mother who gave him a stern look, "she was my girlfriend"
"Does she know that you broke up?"
"Er, yes. We broke up when I went to visit her in prison last week" he sighed and put his head in his hands.
"What?! You're so full of shit" I cried and Marcus held me as the tears fell.
"See now that to me Mr Mills, doesn't seem like someone who knew you two had broken up does it?" Jim asked and I cried more.
"No"
"And tell me Mr Mills, is it true that Miss King actually saved you from a group of thugs in a back alleyway?"
"That's true" Taron sighed.
"Objection, we heard no thing of the incident" Jack said.
"Then maybe you should know your son better" Jim said. "Now Taron, Why would you ask her to be your girlfriend if she was a violent, malicious young lady?" Jim asked.
"She did save me. And she was exciting to be with. And she's never hurt me" he said and I could see tears fill his eyes.
"Then why would you tell the court that the time you spent together was violent?"
"Because she beat up the guys in the alley, and,"
"But that was to save your life. That's not malicious is it?"
"No sir" Taron said and I saw the first tear fall.
"Thank you" Jim said before coming to sit back down.
"We cracked him kid" Marcus said rubbing my shoulders. "The boyfriend cracked"
"He's not my boyfriend anymore"