As I watched as the trial reopened and everyone took to their seats I couldn't help but try to work on my breathing as my nerves were only getting worse leading up to me and Ben giving our evidence. I then watched as the Chief Justice then explained that me and Ben were going to give our testimony via video link. I watched as Bobby's eyes lit up at this; and I knew why. It was probably due to the fact that he was going to be able to see me; as the last time I had seen him he had been tied to a bed in a hotel room. Me on the other hand didn't want to see him; but I was going to try and keep the anger and malice out of my face - as Gareth said that this could hinder our case. And this was the last thing that I wanted; I wanted to make sure that I did everything to help our cause. And even though I knew it was going to be hard I would make sure that I did this, as Ben needed me to be strong and I was going to try my very best.
I then saw Ben come onto the large screen in the courtroom and I squeezed his hand. He then quickly looked down at me and meekly smiled before he looked at the camera; I took a couple of deep breaths to steady myself as I started to pray that the next couple of hours was going to go quick - for everyone's sakes.
After listening to Gareth question Ben from me and Ben restarting our relationship to everything that had happened in Auradon General Hospital the Chief Justice called for a few minutes break. This was down to the fact that it had been very hard for Ben; he even broke down crying during each story of when he was tortured. I found this very hard as all I could do was hold and squeeze his hand; and there were even times when I wanted to tell Gareth to stop but I knew that I couldn't do that. Ben needed to tell his side of the story - no matter how hard it was for the pair of us, mostly Ben.
It was now the part that I worried the most for Ben - the defence cross examination. I knew that they were now going to try and discredit the account that he and Gareth had just given to the court. And it was going to start with Bobby's lawyer, Michelle, which in my opinion was probably the worst way to start the defence cross examination.
I held Ben's hand tightly as Michelle began to question Ben on how he would categorise his relationship with Bobby. Ben simply answered that he didn't think that he had a relationship with Bobby, he just saw Bobby as someone who was part of his wife's past. Michelle then questioned Ben on what he thought Bobby thought about him and Ben bit down on his bottom lip for a few seconds before he gave his answer:
"I don't think that he likes me, I would even go as far to say that he hates me"
Michelle then questioned him on how he thinks this and Ben said that given what Bobby had planned and done to him, and what he was attempting to do to me showed any one that Bobby didn't like Ben. Michelle then asked Ben on why he thought why Bobby had done what he had done and Ben's answer should be enough to just end this case:
"He hates the fact that I am with Mal. He hates that she has chosen me and not him"
It was at this point when I realised what Michelle was trying to do; she was trying to get a reaction out of Ben - and by the looks of it Ben wasn't going to give her the reaction that she obviously wanted.
This then caused Michelle to question whether Ben knew about Bobby's mental health; Ben then answered by saying:
"How was I meant to know that? I'm not close to Bobby. That is something that I would never ever know. I don't keep tabs on people that may have a history or a past with my wife"
I felt as if this response was appropriate; as why would me and Ben even get involved in Bobby's life? When I didn't want anything to do with him; I was starting a life with Ben. So why on Auradon would I want to know how Bobby was doing?
It was then when Michelle obviously tried to get another reaction out of Ben as she asked Ben what his feelings were towards Bobby now. I watched as everyone threw a concerned look over to Ben at how he was about to respond - myself included. I knew how much Ben loathed Bobby for what he had attempted and had done to me and himself; so I didn't know how he was about to react. After a few seconds of silence Ben finally answered by telling the court that he didn't know how he felt about Bobby; he was actually trying not to get sucked into keep thinking about what had happened. He wanted to concentrate on his future, him ruling the Kingdom, getting better. But most importantly of all he just wanted to concentrate on spending his life with me. Michelle's face dropped slightly question and she asked the question again; and Ben then paused for a few seconds before he answered with the following statement:
"I don't know what you want me to say. I have just given you an answer"
Michelle then attempted to ask Ben the question a third time but Gareth quickly stood up and requested that Michelle changed her line of questioning, especially given the fact that Ben had answered the question. Chief Justice Williams then instructed Michelle to press on, which she accepted.
Michelle then asked Ben how things were between him and Bobby during his capture. Ben then shook his head and told her that it was terrible. Bobby mocked him every opportunity that he got, especially when I was involved. Ben told the court that Bobby was very explicit to what he wanted to do to me throughout the time he was with Ben. Especially when he was about to leave to go and meet me in the hotel room. Michelle asked Ben how this made him feel and Ben said it made him hate him. He had hated what Bobby had done to him, he suffered great physical and mental pain because of him. And he knew that he probably would be for some time.
Michelle then decided to use her 'trump' card; she questioned that if Bobby was meant to have done all those things that Gareth 'claimed' then why was there no physical evidence? Ben then repeated what happened when me and Ben kissed after we had just got married; and Michelle shuck her head at this. She stated that me and Ben had broken a law by using magic to heal Ben; I took a deep breath in to steady my nerves. I hated how she was trying to turn everything on to us - Bobby did this! And I couldn't wait to have my turn with Michelle - as I knew that she probably was going to try the same games with me and she would never win. Ben then told her very calmly that it was magic that neither me or Ben could control - true loves kiss. This made Bobby scoff as he rolled his eyes at this - which in my opinion just showed everyone how bitter he was in fact was.
Michelle then said that given her clients feelings for me surely Ben should have known that ringing Bobby about the illicit texts would have been a lapse in judgement. Ben then simply told her that as an afterthought he wished that he had just ignored the situation. Michelle then tried to tell the court that me and Ben knew that we did wrong ringing Bobby. Ben simply answered:
"I only state now that I wished that I had ignored that situation for one reason and one reason only - the fact that Bobby went out of his way to try to kill me, kidnap my wife and rape her. If I ignored the situation then maybe none of this would have happened. However, my reaction to those texts are of many a man in this Kingdom. No one likes someone trying to turn their girl's head. But no matter what I said to him on that phone call it was not enough for the mistreatment that me and my wife have received from the accused party".
The courtroom remained silent for a few seconds before Michelle just simply nodded before telling the Chief Justice that she had no further questions. We all then watched as she sat down, and it didn't escape us all that Bobby looked angry at the statement that Ben had just said; and if looks could kill - his lawyer probably would be dead.
