The judge bangs his mallet on the table which makes me jump. I'm sitting next to William, facing the judge. He's going through some papers with this lawyers.

I look around, giving myself something to do. The BBC camera crew is setting up in one corner. Most of the desks in the room are empty. After a few minutes the doors are thrown open and the king marches in.

William goes to greet his father, leaving me alone.

One of the lawyers looks at his watch and murmurs. "We're running late."

The judge walks over to the father and son and they have a few seconds long conversation. When it ends everyone settles down.

I wait for William to come sit with me again but he doesn't which reminds me that I'm the first hand witness and speaker of the case.

The judge peers over at me and starts speaking in a clear voice.

"Miss Cassandra Rhys. You were held hostage by three people, who go by the names Simon, Mason and Thalia. All of them are somehow related to you. Simon is your sister's brother-in-law?"

He pauses and I nod my head, staring at the wall next to the judge's chair.

"As for Mason and Thalia, you worked for them. In which position may I ask?"

William told me to answer every question asked. I already saw the red light on the camera which means that all this is being seen by people around the world.

Out of the corner of my eye I see William's hand going up. This means that he wants permission to speak. And I know why but I beat him to it.

"A housemaid." I reply. I know that he was going to lie for me.

For a moment the whole room goes quiet. But then the judge asks. "Why would they hold a housemaid, hostage?"

At this William's hand shoots up again but I ignore him and taking a deep breath reply.

"Look, here's the thing. Thalia kicked me out after framing me. And my family needed...my support. So William offered me a job and of course I accepted it. I desperately needed it. It made them think that I was close to him. So they took me. And William gave in because he's not the sort who lets others suffer because of him."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see William let out a sigh of relief.

What? Why would he do that? Is he ashamed of me?

These questions puzzle and hurt me. I urge myself not to cry.

All of a sudden there is a knock on the door. William gets up and leaves followed by a guard. Soon he returns and those who follow make me forget everything.

It looks like a little procession. At the head is William followed by the guard who went out with him. Then come four policemen with a person enclosed inside the little box they make.

Two similar enclosures follow.

When William reaches his seat he sits down and the guard goes back to standing motionless next to him.

The three "man enclosures" stop on the little podium in front of the judges's chair. The policemen disperse to reveal my three sworn enemies.

Their ankles and hands are handcuffed and made to sit on chairs with their backs to us and faces towards the judge. One policeman stands behind them and the rest go stand against the wall. They look like robots.

"Where is your lawyer?" The judge asks them.

"We are our own lawyers. We don't need one." Simon spits like venom.

"And what makes you so confident?" He asks.

This time Thalia speaks up. "We have the documents signed by both the prince and the king!"

The judge leans forward. "Needed for what?"

She smirks. "To take over this country."

Gasps are heard throughout the room and the judge also looks startled. This means that no one except William, the king and the lawyer knows about the changes.

"Do you have them right now?" He asks.

"We did. But those buffoons took the file when they caught us in the palace." While a man brings forth the file everything clicks into place.

The threesome did go to the palace. But there the police was waiting for them and they got arrested. Now they're here.

The judge turns to William. "Your highness, would your lawyer come forth and examine the documents?"

William simply nods and at once a lawyer gets up and walks up to the judge. This means that he knows the secret. What proves that he knows is the fact that almost at once he points out the changes which he made on William's command.

The judge bangs his mallet.

"Your papers are not in order. You have been proven guilty. Thus, earning a punishment of lifetime in prison. Case closed."