An: Shorter chapter but Rose's trial mostly consists of dialogue. Will she be freed? Enjoy!

NymhadoraTonks: Don't worry, Rose will keep her cool. Another Belle scene will make all the difference in the trial. More testimonies, but with different attitudes. Enjoy!

"The trial of Princess Rose Beast versus Princess Audrey Beauty shall commence." With the tap of a gavel, they were all back in the thick of it. It was hot in the courtroom. So many people gathered for this one. Even cameras were set up for people to watch at home. Mal's nerves had settled since the Isle had been deemed its freedom, but they were starting to resurface.

In a normal case, the courtroom would ask for pleads, but there really wasn't a need. It was claiming who was the villain, and who was the one that would live in peace. "Who will be the first to the stand?"

Mal had been called up first. Her nerves seemed to fizzle. All she had to do was tell the truth, and the people will see. Or, Mal hoped they would. She had to relay all of the current war. She recalled every detail she could. When she finished, Mal awaited her interrogation from none other than Mrs. Lumi.

"Lady Mal," Mrs. Lumi was looking over the record. Her voice was very calm. Mal suspected it was because she didn't want to trigger any anger inside Mal. She did get a little carried away, but her feelings of anger were true to how she was feeling. "You stated you had found papers concerning a conversation between both sides of today's case?"

"Correct."

"And you said you were very angered by them, why is that?"

"I thought she had betrayed us," Mal looked to Rose, then to Ben. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself not to loose control. "I thought her sudden allegiance was too good to be true. I was willing to use it to show everyone how they should have distrust in her. I never gave her a moment to speak about it."

"You then stated this affected your partnership with Princess Rose for the rest of the battle."

"Yes, but not in the way you think," Mal tried to keep her calm.

"You also said it destroyed her relationship with her brother," Mrs. Lumi looked at her. "How could she have come back to the team if all the trust that was built was lost?"

"We would still be on that Isle if it wasn't for her," Mal defended. "She was the one who opened the barrier because of her good magic. Rose has saved us multiple times since. Even though we didn't deserve her mercy."

"Mercy? Elaborate."

"She could've betrayed us," Mal admitted. "She had the power to join Audrey and get those cuffs removed. But, she stayed with us. Even after she ran, she came back to help me." Mal smiled at Rose, who grinned.

"Carlos DeVil," Mrs. Lumi continued. "It is stated in Rose's file that you were the first one to show her mercy. Please tell."

"I've had always been a friend to Rose," Carlos admitted. "I have her to thank why I'm so happy today."

"Would you say you have a close relationship to her?" Carlos thought about that for a moment. Back when she gave him love advice. Confided in him. The mutual trust between them. How he felt he was the only one who trusted her for a while. Rose had done many actions for him. She helped find Evie, for him. Otherwise she would have stayed hidden on that island.

"Yes, but not romantically. We have a general understanding of each other. I was the one that convinced her to help us get off the Isle. We've always just helped each other out." He looked to Rose, who nodded in agreement.

"But, you must've been very angry when your girlfriend, Evie Queen, had been taken away," Mrs. Lumi leaned back. "Do you suppose your help in the war was a little biased to your own needs?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Carlos asked.

"Would you say your only drive was to get revenge on Audrey for her capture?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then Audrey was being plotted against?"

"No, Audrey kidnapped Evie. She was the one who put all of Auradon to sleep. This has nothing to do with my personal life." Carlos folded his arms. He didn't even know what she was getting at. "I know Rose has changed, because she never wanted revenge, she wanted love."

It was a realization he had on the Isle, when Evie had been taken away. Rose had never experienced that, and it was all she was after. The love of friendship and happiness. She didn't want to save Auradon, she wanted to save her relationships.

"Thank you, Mr. DeVil."

"Did you really feel safe, traveling with a sorceress who escaped jail?"

"I've had plenty of mistrusting's in my time with Rose," Uma leaned back in her chair. Her braided hair falling behind her shoulder. "I was skeptical at first. Who wouldn't?"

"Did you think she was plotting with Audrey?"

"At first, yes," Uma admitted. "But now, I believe those papers weren't for Rose's own revenge benefit."

"How would you come to that conclusion?"

"She and I are very similar when it comes to some wants," Uma said simply. "She had been locked up for most of her life. The girl wasn't hoping Audrey would take over the kingdom for her, she wanted Audrey to let Rose out. She wanted to be free, just like how I wanted to be free from the Isle."

"Would you say these past testaments about you have been true?"

"What would happen if I said they're not?" Rose raised an eyebrow. With a look from Mrs. Lumi, Rose straightened in her chair. "Kidding. Yes, these statements are all true."

"You're admitting that you had written to Princess Audrey, Princess Rose?" Rose cringed at the word "princess". It didn't feel right to be addressed that way anymore,. She wouldn't dare correct her. Yet, anyway.

"Yes," Rose nodded.

"What were your intentions to writing these letters?"

"I was angry at my failure, my entrapment, and my family," Rose folded her arms. "I wanted to make one last try to ultimate freedom away from this dramatic place."

"After the princess unraveled all of her troubles. You are quoted saying," Mrs. Lumi held a copied shoot of paper of the originals, ""There's always something you can do. It's called revenge." Care to evaluate?"

"Of course," Rose tried her best to hide the nerves beginning to crawl inside her. "I wanted Audrey to take her anger out on the kingdom so I could finally feel at peace. I never truly told her to free me, or to take the kingdom over for me. She did all that on her own."

"Yes," Mrs. Lumi shuffled her papers. "You not only gave her the idea to use Maleficent's staff, you had told her if she had strong enough motives she could pull it off. You had even convinced her that if she were bad enough, King Ben would dump Lady Mal and beg you to be his queen." There were murmurs in the crowd of the courtroom. Rose started to slightly panic.

"I only confirmed what was already in her mind," Rose spoke over everyone. They all settled and put their eyes on her. She swallowed. "Believe me, I regret what I told her, but I'm not going to deny the reality. Audrey didn't act on my words until after the proposal. Which was a whole month later. She disregarded what I said until now. Surely, she already had thought about revenge. Audrey had been against the VKs since the beginning. She even helped my old plans along without knowing it. I know it might be hard to believe that one of your own could try to take over the kingdom, but hey, I tried it twice before her. And now, I fixed the mess I had caused. I faced the reality of my past and chose to turn from it. I think we know a similar group of kids who did the same."

Rose looked out to everyone in the crowd, picking out Mal, Ben, Carlos, Evie, and Jay. They smiled at her. She was forever grateful to them. They had shown her the light after all of this darkness she had surrounded herself with. After proving herself to herself, Rose was happy she had proven herself to them as well. If anything, she could at least say she finally had people who cared for her.

"Now, we will hear from the defendant," the judge continued on. "Princess Audrey Beauty."

The doors swung open to reveal Audrey. They had kept her contained for the last testimonies because of her own wishes. Rose had suspected so it would seem as if she were the victim. But when Rose turned to see Audrey, she was taken aback. Audrey still had her vibrant neon blue and pink curls. Her pink dress was covered in black netting. It was the same exact one she had worn during the final battle. She strode in with her cuffed hands in front of her.

Rose had let her jaw drop slightly. What was she doing? There was no way she was going to prove herself innocent this way. Maybe it was on purpose. But why? Had Rose's words really make an effect on the girl? She didn't think so, until now. Audrey only looked forward as she was seated at the stand.

"Ms. Beauty," Mrs. Lumi gathered files, "How do you plead?"

"Guilty," Audrey said quietly. Rose's eyes widened. Could this be real?

"Guilty?"

"Yes," Audrey nodded. "I was the one who put the sleep spell over Auradon. It was me and my anger and jealously that put everyone's lives in danger. Rose did not have anything to do with it. I would have done it even if she didn't put the idea in my head. I'm sure of it."

Everyone in the room was stunned by these simple sentences.

"How did you come to this conclusion?" Mrs. Lumi asked.

"I realized it would much easier to be truthful rather than to just lie to you and myself," Audrey kept her calm expression. "This can be the start of a new day. Where everyone just owns up to what they've done. Rose had taught me that and I believe she should teach all of you. It is our choices that change the world, the only thing missing is the truths to them. Therefore...I am guilty."

It was only now to Audrey look to Rose. The enchantress was still in a state of shock. This changed everything. Rose had a case. Only now did she truly have hope for herself. She could be free. Just like she had always wanted. Audrey only gave a simple nod to Rose before she was called form the stand. Rose watched her leave, feeling all of the pressure on her lift from her shoulders.

"Belle, you've had direct contact with this problem for many years," Mrs. Lumi looked to her. "Would you say you're willing to forgive your daughter?" Rose's ears perked to this. She had been so zoned before, but now the courtroom had her full attention. She even noticed the small yellow rose pinned to her mother's dress. The same one she had given to her days before.

"In a simple answer..." Belle's hazel eyes looked to Rose. "Yes. She has proven herself to have no evil intentions."

"Do you trust her?"

"It's a growing thing," Belle admitted.

"You called for Rose to be on trial. Why is that?"

"Because...I wanted everyone to hear the truth," Belle took several deep breaths. Rose's heart began to pump fast. "I-I was the one, that provoked those attacks. The rumors you've all heard, are true. I was the one who imprisoned Rose in fear. I was afraid of not her, but the anger inside her. I thought I was helping, but deep in my mind I knew it was a ticking time bomb. I was the one who tried to groom her into something she wasn't. I'm sorry to say, it's all my fault."

Rose stood up from her chair abruptly. Belle had finally done it. She had admitted it. To everyone. No coverup, no lies. Everything she just said...was true. All attention was swept onto her. She didn't care, Rose only laid her eyes on her mother. Ben and Beast had also rose from their seats in one of the many pews. She looked to him briefly, but then put eyes back to Belle. Everything was silent. Belle was staring back at Rose with a faint smile.

"Permission to speak?" Rose said quickly between breaths.

"Granted." At those words, Rose lost hers.

"Rose, I've apologized before," Belle said after a moment. "I'm admitting to what I've done to you. I am guilty of all of it. And I thought all of Auradon should know the truth." There was another long silence. Rose was about to say something, but her mind was in such a rush.

"Princess Rose?" The judge raised an eyebrow. She was speechless.

"Very well," the judge continued. "I believe the jury and I have all we need. We shall recess until final decision will be made."

Rose sat alone on a bench outside. Her face was in her hands. Her forehead practically pounded. Guards were standing on each side of her, watching, but she didn't care. She looked up to the big windows leading to the word outside. Standing up slowly, the guards stiffened their ground. She didn't even care to remark their movements.

She gazed to the outside. Here, the grass was green, but the bushes were bare. She snapped her fingers and dozens of colored roses bloomed on the bushes. She smiled as she continued to take in the scenery. The tall pine trees were lining the ocean that parted them from the Isle. Rose stared at the Isle, then the castle that was peaking above the enchanted forest. She somehow found herself torn between the two. When she was in Auradon, she wanted nothing more than to be on the Isle of the Lost, where evil was accepted. Then, she got what she wanted. On the Isle she wanted nothing more than to leave.

If she had won the case, she would finally be accepted into both societies. It was a crazy thought to think. It was only a about a year ago was she was making her plans and started to build her army. She had possessed those children, making them think their lives were terrible. Those children in the random house in the woods were the hardest. Their parents had fought with them, then, one day, they disappeared. Rose then had recruited them from there. The house of course was later burned down by Evie. The children had rejoined their parents now. Rose wondered what they thought of her now. Was she their fearful captor, or perhaps a friend? She wouldn't know, and she probably would never find out.

At least now, with the power the Enchantress had bestowed upon her, Rose could start fixing the mess she had made. She could continue messing with people's lives, only in ways to find their solutions, just as what happened to her father. It was fitting for her. Rose had already proved she was good at messing with others. After all, if this was what she was destined for, she was bound to be good at it.

Still, Rose looked back to the castle. Her home? She still couldn't get used to the word. It was so strange to have worked so hard to be accepted into the family she was born into. And still yet, Rose didn't seem to feel satisfied. She had run away from the castle. Even burned it down. And now she was expected to want to be in it, call it her home. When still, there were all the memories of the past.

Sure, the patching of the past was something Rose had achieved, but was this what she was meant for? To continue living in the place she had been trapped in for most of her life. Even when she was in Dandelion, she was still working to get to the castle and overthrow it. A strange and unknown feeling began to stir within her. She was about to go deeper into her thoughts, but then the doors swung open.

Ben had rushed into the hall. Rose looked to him as he caught his breath. His blue eyes focused on her. Hope was beginning to rise within her. Her heart beat loudly.

"They voted you free."

Rose let go of the breath she had been holding when she heard that word.

Free.