Welcome back and if you're not new here you're probably familiar with me diverting the main thread of the story to some random rebel plotlines slopped together halfway through the story that you probably don't care about too much. A disclaimer, this chapter has been in the works in my head and in writing for several months now and is not meant to be a commentary on current events in any way.

If you get confused about some new characters in this and upcoming chapters, I have updated my profile with information, or look at the Pinterest! I realized I have a bunch of characters with very similar names, but you guys are smart. Review shoutouts to delovlies, mnbvcxz-xx, virtue01, lizcran, and nameless for your constant support! It means so much to me!

One last thing, Heart has passed its third birthday on July 6, somehow this little spinoff story that was supposed to be 20 chapters and take me 6 months turned into something a whole lot bigger and is taking me even longer than original story despite it's much lower word count (who was she she wrote fast). I intended to post a bunch of chapters for the anniversary week which didn't happen, but I have at least drafts of the next chapters. Thanks for everyone who has been here for it so far, and don't leave now, there's more to come!

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Public Trials: Day 1.

The room the Trials was held in was a large amphitheater, with plenty of room for a crowd. Wesley wasn't exactly sure who would be present aside from officials and those on trial, but there were a lot of seats, it was almost theater-sized. They were sitting off to the side, easy for them to be seen but for security purposes away from the central crowd. Andrew, Christine, and Colin left them for the front podium, to preside over the trials. Wesley settled down in between Vera and Fallon, with Georgia next to Fallon. Soon after the group from the palace took their seats and various security details settled into place, the venue filled quickly.

Wesley noted the cameras set up in front of the audience, facing the stage where Andrew was sitting, along with everyone else who was involved. Those who would be tried were sitting in the front few rows, along with various witnesses. It reminded Wesley of attending the Convicting ceremony, something he had done for both Ethan and Andrew's Selections. The war had changed a few things, so there wouldn't be a traditional Convicting ceremony, but there was something they had decided in one of many Council meetings. After the initial trials, the verdicts would be announced on the third day. They were calling it the Convicting, but it wouldn't be very close to the usual ceremony. Wesley had seen it twice and still, it felt it was an outdated tradition that didn't really accomplish anything. This, though, this he liked. He just hoped the girls would too. He hadn't announced it yet, not wanting them to stress too much, especially the three who were already here with him. Vera was studying her nails next to him, almost bored. Fallon flipped quickly through the schedule for the next three days, while Georgia surveyed the crowd.

"Everything okay?" he heard Georgia ask Fallon next to him. He tried not to eavesdrop, but it was hard when she was right next to him.

Fallon nodded vigorously. "Just nervous."

"Are you excited to see your family?" Georgia asked.

Fallon shrugged, never one to speak when an action could serve as an answer. "I suppose."

He hadn't figured those two to be close, but it some ways it made sense. Georgia didn't ask it in a way that a close friend would, but still, the way they talked indicated a closeness.

"We could invite them to sit with us later, if you want," Wesley offered before he remembered he wasn't supposed to be in the conversation.

"No, that's okay," Fallon said quickly. "That would be kind of weird since they're…you know, on trial. Some of them." She pointed to one of the front rows, near where the accused sat with guards. "They're down there."

From what he knew and had been briefed earlier, the Berlin family was complicated. Tristan Berlin, the head of the family and Fallon's grandfather, was standing trial for his role in the rebel government, as was his son, Fallon's uncle, George Berlin, for financing it. Fallon's mother, Celinda Berlin, was there for indiscernible reasons, along with her husband, Oliver Karamakov-Berlin. Oliver had two illegitimate children, both older than Fallon, Rachel, and Adrian. Adrian had been a soldier, but he was low ranking enough and not commissioned, so he was paroled, like all regular army. Celinda also had a son, Conrad Berlin, who was high enough as a lieutenant to be on trial, his last name no doubt influencing that. Conrad Berlin wasn't the heir to the Berlin name, that title belonged to Fallon. She was the only child of both Celinda and Oliver in their marriage, even though she was the youngest, other than George's teenage son, who Wesley had been told had stayed behind in Atlin. All three of the Berlins would be tried during tomorrow's events, with today's trials focusing on higher ranks in the army. Tomorrow, rebels outside the army and in the rebel government, as well as lower-ranking officers would have their trials.

"I haven't seen them in four months now," Fallon added, almost to herself. Wesley looked at her, finding her staring at the group below them. "They didn't even come to see me."

Fallon didn't talk about her family too much—well, Fallon didn't talk much about anything. Wesley didn't know if it was because she was close to them and homesick or if it was the opposite and she had a bad relationship with them. With a family as convoluted and crazy as the Berlins, he suspected it was the latter. It felt weird asking right then, so he left it alone.

"Thanks for coming today," he said instead. Fallon managed the tiniest of smiles, and he made sure to look at Georgia and Vera too. "It means a lot to me."

"I was coming anyway," Georgia shrugged nonchalantly, her attempt at sarcasm.

"It would be kind of rude to say no," Vera added. "Plus, it's kind of funny—the faction wants more punishment for the rebels and us gone, so you hold this to appease them, but invite us?" she smiled. "I like it."

It was kind of funny, and it made Wesley feel better to hear it put that way. The Trials began all at once, the doors at the back of the amphitheater closing and a hush falling over the massive number of assembled audiences. Andrew stood up to take the podium with Colin flanking him. For not the first time, Wesley was really, really glad he wasn't anywhere close in line for the throne anymore.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of Illea, today marks the beginning of the Public Trials. The last years have torn our country into two halves and our recent reunion remains tenuous. As we return to the world that we knew before, we gather here today to address the mistakes of the past. Our great laws are what hold our nation together, the foundation of peace we've so long enjoyed. As your monarch, I work to uphold what is right, not for our own benefit, but yours. In our submission to the law, I, Prime Minister Evans, and the rest of my Council have designed these Trials for you, the people. We call upon the leaders of the rebellion to answer for their crimes."

It was still weird sometimes, to see his brother being king instead of their father. Wesley had never been moved by any of his father's speeches, and he had heard his fair share. Andrew had a different way of speaking—like he actually meant it. He found himself looking at the cameras that he could see from their box seats, wondering what all the people watching in their homes would think of all this.

"Prime Minister Evans will now speak," Andrew said, concluding his opening address. He stepped back from the podium to allow Colin to take his place.

"Our goal here today is not to further undo the tenuous union that has suffered greatly these past years," Colin began, "but to strengthen it. To learn from it. We cannot allow this to happen again. I want to remind everyone gathered here today and everyone watching and all of Illea of this one thing—the rebels are our countrymen again, they have surrendered, and we have accepted them back. To the accused, we ask only for your admittance of crime as we go into your trials and your sworn allegiance to the crown of Illea as we advance back together as a country."

A hush settled over the amphitheater, despite it being filled to the brim. Wesley shivered a little, taking in Colin's words, remembering all that had been lost and gained in this fight. Sometimes it felt like it would never be over. Wesley had gone out to fight for many more reasons than just bringing the seceded provinces back, but as he sat there, he understood how important that was. Maybe the Trials themselves had been designed to just appease the faction, but they also were going to put a stop to any instruction that would continue to at the fabric of the country.

There was so much to take in as the Trials themselves began, Wesley missed most of it. There was a team of lawyers for both the monarchy and the rebels, and they moved pretty quickly, bringing in a variety of witnesses and going through each charged crime. None of the final verdicts would be announced until day three, which relieved Wesley. There wasn't much of a pattern to the accused' being acquitted or not of their charged crimes, some were proved not guilty of all of them, some were the opposite, most were a mix of their supposed crimes of doing what they believed was right. Wesley was surprised that General Shepherd went so early on the list. He had held the position only for the end of things, however, and spent most of the war under the now deceased General Hunter.

Wesley had to admit it wasn't so bad. And honestly? It was kind of boring. The agreement made by the Council as that as long as the accused swore their loyalty and renounced their actions, they would be let off, though none of that was happening until the last day. The rebel armies had largely been made up of men, unlike their own armies, which were far more mixed. Most of the accused were charged with rebellion against the crown, in different terms. Most also were soldiers, so they were similarly charged with taking up arms against the crown or motivation to secede. Those who had been imprisoned since the surrender were usually charged with refusal to surrender or refusal to lay down their arms or refusal to swear an oath of loyalty to the crown.

Wesley wasn't familiar with most of those called up since he had spent most of the war in the north instead of being on the Council. After the morning's trials, they paused for lunch, which Wesley spent out of his depth in a Council meeting as they discussed the upcoming trials and Colin made sure to argue for no show of unnecessary force from the king, even for those of the highest rank whose trials would be in the afternoon. Andrew left halfway through the meeting after he was informed that Celinda Berlin requested a word with him, which sounded ominous to Wesley.

Vera and Fallon were already back in their seats when he returned, ignoring each other for the most part.

"Hey," he said, sitting between them like he had earlier. "Your mom wants to talk to my brother," he told Fallon, who blanched.

"I don't even know why she's here, to be honest," Fallon said, her voice small. "There's no reason."

Wesley shrugged. "I'm sure there's some reason."

"Whatever it is it's not going to be good."

Georgia came back then, her lipstick reapplied and her blush looking extra pink to compensate for her pale features.

"You okay?" he asked her, expecting her to snap at him like she had earlier that day. She sat down.

"I'm fine."

"Still spying?" Vera asked on Wesley's other side, her voice sarcastic.

Georgia rolled her eyes. "No, Vera. You can drop that line now, it's getting old."

Vera snorted in reply. "And yet I still don't trust you." The way she said it was too ambiguous for him to know if she was purely joking or if she meant it completely.

Wesley might have thought Vera and Georgia would be friends, having both fought hard for the same side, but this exchange proved otherwise. Fallon's lack of reaction told him it wasn't a new rift, though. He was unaware of how the girls interacted and felt about each other, he realized. Maybe he should spend more time in the Woman's Room. There wasn't much time to think about it, as the trials resumed soon thereafter.

When Lieutenant Colonel Cody Trevelyne was called out toward the end of the day, he was met with jeering and unrest from the crowd. It took Andrew several moments and some of the guards to quiet the massive assembly's protests. It was probably the most exciting thing that had happened that day and Wesley had been curious all day about a man of his reputation. Cody Trevelyne looked similar to Jason, though he was slighter in build and his hair was lighter. He didn't look at anyone as he was led out to the stand, just followed his escort. He was handcuffed since he had been brought from imprisonment on the base, and he looked pale and not in the best health, his hair unkempt and in need of a cut. Wesley knew from Council briefings that he had been promoted quickly through General Caine's army, despite his age and reckless behavior, even assuming command when Caine had suffered an injury. There were two rebel armies, the first one the army of St. George, Caine's army, made up of Mitch Levi's leftovers and secessionists. The second army, the army of Atlin, had been financed by the Berlins and was commanded by General Hunter until his death when Shepherd had taken over and promptly surrendered when it became clear his army would not be victorious. At surrender negotiations General Caine and one of his few remaining loyal officers, Cody Trevelyne, and similar-minded Conrad Berlin of the army of Atlin, had refused to surrender, decrying the monarchy, and storming out of the negotiations. Conrad Berlin had been spirited away by his family and the army of St. George had lost nearly half it's soldiers the next day when Cody Trevelyne had led the attack the monarchy's army, fighting alongside infantry himself. He might even have been successful, had one girl named Georgia Sorrel not found out their plans, and left her place in rebel society to inform the other side. She had never told Wesley the details and he had never asked. After that, most of the army of St. George that was left had deserted or defected, Cody Trevelyne was captured and imprisoned until now, presumed dead by the rest of the country like most of his soldiers. General Caine was arrested, and everything had been over. At least until now.

He didn't look evil like Mitch Levi had, but neither did he look like he regretted everything he had ever done like his brother did. He kind of reminded Wesley of Colin, in a way. Something in the way he held himself or didn't look at anyone. It wasn't too long ago that Colin had been considered a rebel too, Wesley remembered.

"Colonel Trevelyne," Andrew addressed him when things had settled down. "You have been charged with defiant and rebellious action against the crown, and taking up arms against the crown, refusal to surrender and leading a charge after initial surrender negotiations, and refusal to swear an oath of loyalty to the crown."

He didn't say anything, just nodded slightly, head down.

"How do you plead?" Andrew asked him like he had for all the others before him.

"I plead not guilty." Cody Trevelyne said, his voice quiet so you had to strain to hear him. The lawyers that were serving the rebel soldiers exchanged a flurry of looks. "I won't swear loyalty either. I wouldn't before, and I won't now."

The amphitheater was dead silent. One of the lawyers for the rebels stood up.

"Your Majesty," he addressed Andrew. "In defense of Colonel Trevelyne, as he says, he acted on his conscious and served his homeland in a fight he believed was the right one. He was led astray by his military superiors, and not acting on his own accord."

After a minute of conferring with Colin and their lawyers, Andrew asked Cody Trevelyne directly for his own version of events.

"You began in the army of St. George as a second lieutenant and were soon promoted to captain, correct?" Andrew asked him. Cody Trevelyne nodded. "And you served under General Caine in his for the majority of the war and in that time, had contact with your brother, Lieutenant Jason Trevelyne?" Again, he nodded. "And when you were headquartered in Sitka, you also had contact with Miss Georgia Sorrel?"

At this, Cody looked up at Andrew, his face no longer blank but rigid.

"I did."

"The crown calls Lieutenant Jason Trevelyne and Miss Georgia Sorrel as witness to testify," Andrew announced.

Cody didn't even look at his brother or Georgia as they left their seats and went to the floor, he just lowered his gaze again and slumped back into his chair. Jason went first, looking possibly even more rumpled than he had at the New Year's party. He was nervous, it was obvious in the way he kept tugging at his suit and shifting in his seat. Wesley didn't envy him, he would probably be in the same position if he had to do the same thing, though he suspected he would probably throw up or something too.

"I was a staff officer for General Caine for the entirety of the war," Jason said after he was asked to describe his and Cody's role in the rebel army. "I was one of his aides but was later promoted to chief of staff. My brother and I were both commissioned as second lieutenants when Yukon seceded." Jason paused to wipe his face, sweating profusely. He cleared his throat. "Cody had a fighting command, and he was promoted to a captain. We knew General Caine from before the war," he mentioned. "They were always close friends; I have no proof, but I guess that's why he got promoted so quickly. Caine trusted him."

He tripped over his words as he went into a few more details about the early days of the war, his brother's role, and his loyalty to General Caine. Because of this loyalty, even though he was lower in rank, he was in charge of several more battalions than a lieutenant colonel normally would. Nothing really piqued Wesley's interest until he described the time they spent quartered in Sitka, Yukon, where General Caine's headquarters had been the Sorrel family home. There he had contact with Georgia Sorrel, who hosted them for many parties and later would accompany the army when they left Yukon and traveled west.

"You were present at the first surrender negotiation, were you not?" Andrew asked.

"I was," Jason answered.

"Can you describe your role in them, as well as your brother's?"

"I was the general's chief of staff and I accompanied him. Caine refused to surrender, and by that time Cody was one of the few officers left alive who was loyal. Many of the officers, myself included, wanted surrender and did not take part in the final attack my brother led. I thought he died in the charge when he was arrested under your men, Your Majesty. I knew it was ill-fated, and I tried to convince them to surrender. At that point, my motivations were for my brother's sake, I was sure he would not survive the final attack."

"And why were you sure about this, Lieutenant?"

Jason cleared his throat again. "By this point, I knew Miss Sorrel was a spy for the crown. I had caught her some weeks earlier before the army of Atlin surrendered with some of the documents I had prepared for General Caine. I knew that she knew about the attack and would no doubt foil our plans, especially after a failed surrender negation. I attempted to stop her, only in hopes that my brother would survive his ill-fated attack, but I was unsuccessful. At that point, I joined many other officers and soldiers and deserted."

Wesley looked over to Cody Trevelyne as Jason took his remaining questions from Cody's lawyers as well. Throughout his brother's testifying, he had not looked up at all, remaining hunched forward, head lowered. Jason finished his testimony, and then Georgia took his place. At this, Cody raised his head. A look of betrayal crossed his face as he watched his brother exit the stage, his eyes narrowing. Georgia took the stand next, smoothing down her immaculate tweed skirt as she sat down calmly, a stark contrast to Jason.

"Miss Sorrel, first of all, we extend our thanks to you taking time out of the Selection to be here," Andrew began. She inclined her head gracefully, her eyes flicking to the cameras.

"You had contact with General Jack Caine as well as Colonel Cody Trevelyne and the previous witness Lieutenant Jason Trevelyne during your time as a spy for the crown, did you not?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Georgia spoke evenly. "I met all of them when he was headquartered at my family's home in Sitka. They lived at my home and worked closely with my father, who was General Caine's acting medical director. They attended my parties and I became close with all of them, in turn executing my role for the crown and funneling information. I accompanied General Caine and my father toward the latter stages of the war to the front at times as well, where I continued my work for the crown."

"You have been named by Lieutenant Trevelyne as privy to the accused's actions throughout the war and at the first attempted surrender negations, can you speak more of your involvement?"

She nodded. "I enjoyed a close companionship with General Caine," she began. "And as Lieutenant Trevelyne said, they were very close friends. Colonel Trevelyne was blindly loyal to Caine, in my observations. On the charge of rebellion, there can be no dispute, like everyone here, but on his actions at the surrender negotiations, I have additional information to share. After I handed over the information, I had about their attack following the failed negotiations, I returned to the rebel's lines in an attempt to preserve my cover. I witnessed General Caine order Cody Trevelyne to lead the attack."

Cody looked up again, this time with a start. He slid his chair backward, his guards jumping forward. "That's a lie. She's lying!" he exclaimed. His guards quickly ordered him to be quiet.

Andrew shot a glance in his direction and then raised his voice. "Are you of the opinion that Colonel Trevelyne carried out his duties because of General Caine's influence on him?"

"I am." Georgia continued her narrative, as Cody was subdued by his guards, shifting uncomfortably in his seat as she spoke. "He contested the general's orders, but he was the only ranking officer who had mustered for the attack. If there is anyone to blame for the accused's actions, it is General Caine. He knew he was outnumbered and there was no hope, his only advantage being surprise, but he ordered the attack anyway."

"Stop." this came from Cody, standing before his guards could do anything. He didn't try to run; he wasn't yelling anymore. "She's trying to protect him-"

"Colonel Trevelyne, please sit down."

"This has nothing to do with my charged crimes," Cody said, suddenly so softly it was hard to hear in the immense room. "This is my trial and I don't want her to say anything else."

Wesley looked at Georgia, who looked cool and collected, her eyes hardly blinking, looking away almost like she was embarrassed. Nothing happened for a moment as Cody's guards pushed him back into his chair, and he didn't struggle. It was awkward.

They ignored Cody's request and she concluded her narrative with a few more questions, undoubtedly asserting that Cody's downfall came from General Caine before she was dismissed for the time being. She returned to her seat next to Fallon, sitting gracefully down, her posture immaculate.

The testimony concluded, there was once again only Cody Trevelyne on the floor. "Colonel Trevelyne," Andrew addressed him. "According to testimony by these reliable witnesses, you have been forgiven for your crimes in leading the attack that was the rebel army's downfall, in the defense that General Caine issued the order and you were only following them. On all other remaining accounts charged, however, you remain guilty. Your final verdict and sentencing will be announced on the final day of these Public Trials."

Andrew finished Cody's trial the way all the others had ended, and shortly thereafter he was led back to his cell to await the verdict, still considered to be a prisoner.

Wesley couldn't help but look at Georgia as they led him away, her hands clenched in her lap. Wesley couldn't imagine what was going on her head, to have known these men entirely as a lie, and to knowingly betray them the whole time, to have to face them again was the worst fate he could imagine. He had seen in the quiet moments with Georgia, how she struggled over her actions, and if what she had done was right. In little ways, how she carefully asked questions or her smile rare and never quite reached her eyes or how she guarded herself so completely, keeping any and all emotion in check, preferring to stuff down things she didn't want to think about with a cigarette—he could relate to that at least.

There was no break between the high stake's trials, as soon as Cody Trevelyne was led away, General Jack Caine was brought in. He was younger than Wesley expected. He supposed it made sense, knowing a little bit about him and his rumored connection with Georgia. He was very tall and broad-shouldered, his reddish-brown hair long enough to be tied back. He looked a little scruffy and sported stubble and a suit didn't quite fit, a trend Wesley noticed with the rebels. Caine was handcuffed as well, and he already looked defeated.

He wondered if a man of his reputation would be nervous. Assuming what Georgia had said was true, he had sent most of his soldiers to death in a fruitless struggle that could not possibly be won. He had commanded the army of St. George for the entirety of the war, the first army, before the Berlin's had funded and raised the army of Atlin. Earlier in the war, he had led the army in the Slaughter of St. George, where the northern soldiers had destroyed the capital city and attacked northern civilians, their own people- many of whom still supported the rebellion. Wesley had learned throughout his Selection that that was where Vera's friends and family had been killed and where Eleanor's father had died, not to mention countless others. Wesley knew there were rumors he had been involved with Georgia to some extent. Next to Fallon, she stared straight ahead, her posture stiff. Wesley watched her pluck unconsciously at a loose thread on her tweed skirt, probably the most undone he had ever seen her. She caught Wesley looking, but quickly turned back to the proceedings. He took his attention off her to Vera next to him. He could practically feel Vera's anger burning. Her eyes were narrowed, and he could see the tension in her jaw from how tight she was clenching it.

The general was charged with many of the same crimes—rebellion, taking arms up against the crown, refusal to surrender. In comparison to the others, he had many more heaped upon him, including charges related to the execution of the Slaughter of St. George, charges for Colonel Trevelyne's recently proven ill-fated attack, charges for his role in leading and mustering the army. Wesley expected him to deny them like Cody Trevelyne, for he suspected they shared a similar mindset from Georgia's testimony, but the general hardly seemed bothered when he plead guilty. It seemed like everyone expected him to deny it, the way the amphitheater fell silent for not the first time that day.

"I repent of my crimes against the nation." General Caine said. "However, despite leading the army in my own right, I responded to orders from the shambles of the rebel government. I take responsibility for my actions and do not blame them on anyone, many of the choices were my own and I was fighting for a future I believed in and I did what was necessary."

Rebel government had never been very well set up, which was one of the reasons they were never able to triumph. Their de-facto president had been Fallon's grandfather Tristan Berlin, among others, the Berlin family had run what the army had not. Wesley shot a glance at Fallon; he couldn't help it. She looked back at him, wide-eyed.

That was when Vera stood up. "None of it was necessary!" she yelled. "What was the Slaughter of St. George if not totally useless violence and murdering?"

She did it so fast and with his attention on Fallon, it startled Wesley.

"Vera!" he hissed, but she didn't pay attention to him.

"You murdered my family and you can't just blame that on someone else!" she cried. General Caine looked at her, and Wesley helplessly turned to find Nick for some backup. He didn't know if technically she was allowed to do this, but the cameras would love this and not in a good way. "You ordered them to turn on their neighbors, and you caused thousands of deaths, of children and civilians and ordinary people."

"Lady Vera, if you please," Andrew stepped in. "You have not been called as a witness."

"I witnessed plenty," she said. "You can't do this." Her voice broke a little as she sat down. Wesley remembered how she had held his hand when they had been walking in through the reporters this morning. He was about to take Vera's hand when she stood up and bolted to the door that led to a side hallway. Before he could go after her, Celinda Berlin copied Vera and stood up too. Fallon shrank back in her seat.

"Your Majesty," Celinda addressed Andrew directly, stalking from her seat a few rows back to directly in front of him. As she was closer to Wesley now, he could see she didn't look much like Fallon. She was blonde where Fallon was darker- haired, though they shared the somewhat tall and slender build. The structure of their faces was similar, Wesley saw as the woman approached, but unlike Fallon's softness, Celinda bore an expression that scared him a little, her face hard and unflinching.

Two of the guards stepped forward as she got closer, not stopping her but definitely blocking her way. "Your Majesty, I beg your apologies for my conduct, but I must speak out against this."

Wesley watched Andrew look at him and Ethan again, and he was now really, really glad he wasn't close in line for the throne at all.

"Say your piece, Lady Berlin," Andrew said after a moment, granting her the respect of a title she didn't technically hold.

Celinda Berlin continued without the slightest pause. "I do not pretend to know the convictions of General Caine's heart, but I must protest the light treatment of his actions as the actions of lesser officers were forgiven. General Caine was responsible for much more than those men who were tried earlier, who were guilty of nothing more than being from the north and joining an army when it called. General Caine has committed crimes against innocent civilians, as well as led many of those men to their deaths. As we heard earlier and many of us believed until now, he nearly sent his most loyal man to his death. He cannot be allowed to be treated as a simple bystander."

"Everyone has been granted the fairness of the same trial," Andrew told her. "Sentencing does not begin until the final day of the Public Trials, after hearing the scope of all those involved. If you would please take your seat, Lady Berlin."

Celinda looked like she would argue further but returned to her seat after a moment. Wesley heard Georgia called up for one of the witnesses, but he didn't stick around, already leaving in search of Vera.

Wesley was relieved to leave behind the tense atmosphere and the small hallway was blessedly quiet in comparison to the clamor of the amphitheater. Vera hadn't gone far, sitting on the floor practically right outside the door. Her makeup was smudged slightly, but she wasn't crying.

"Sorry," she said immediately upon seeing him. "I couldn't stay in there."

Wesley slid down the wall next to her. "It's okay."

"Just knowing he ordered the actions that killed everyone I cared about…" she trailed off. "It makes me so mad. I want to rip him apart with my bare hands, but I get so angry I cry, and I can't speak. I hate him," she said, gritting her teeth. "He makes me sick."

That wasn't a feeling that Wesley was familiar with, his reactions were entirely different from Vera's, though he hadn't gone through anything compared to her. He touched her shoulder, but she jerked away.

"Don't," she said, voice strained.

Wesley flinched, not expecting that after how the closeness he felt to her lately. Vera took a deep shuddering breath, and then he felt her slip her hand into his. He squeezed her fingers tightly and they just sat. After a minute, the tension in her body dissolved and she turned her face to him. A few tears had escaped, and the moisture was smeared under her eyes. She wiped her nose, and then cautiously leaned her head against his shoulder. Wesley put his arm around her and drew her close.

"We're a mess, aren't we?" she asked.

"But we're going to help each other, remember?"

"Sometimes, I think it's too big for just us to fix each other," She said softly, and he thought he misheard her for a minute. Immediately he thought about Ethan's stupid broken pieces story, and he struggled to think of the exact wording. How one day you were going to hug someone someday and they would put all your broken pieces back together.

"I've been going to a therapist," he said, the first thing his brain came up with. "I already broke my no drinking resolution though."

"I knew you would as soon as I read it," he felt her smile into his chest. "But it's okay. You don't have to be perfect overnight. I know I'm not."

Wesley squeezed her a little tighter, and they sat like that, taking comfort in each other's imperfectness until Nick came back to get Wesley.

They had missed a majority of the testimony but caught the end of it, though Wesley was unable to follow it with what he had missed. General Caine was declared guilty of all his charged crimes and scheduled to receive his sentence on the final day. It was late in the day by that point and General Caine had been the last person to have a scheduled trial today. On the car ride back, Wesley checked his emails, reading one from his Selection coordinators that the girls back at the palace had been briefed on their role of the new Convicting ceremony and the three with him would be informed when they got back. Wesley was glad for once he wasn't the person to have to do it. There was also an email for the Council scheduling a joint reception and conference hosting the Berlin family tonight, and the email included the mandatory invitation of the extended palace household and Council members to be present. The other six Selected were being pulled to help orchestrate the last-minute reception, though Fallon, Vera, and Georgia were excused from that task.

That meant no chilling for the rest of the evening, as was his plan. When they got back, he briefly informed the three girls about the plans but didn't stay around much longer. Today was already long enough.