Her green gaze was hard as she stared down upon the High Priest, his words igniting a fire within her. He had gone against the law and yet he was spouting some nonsense about love? She was waiting for hearts to erupt from his eyes as he looked at the she-cat and children across the clearing and wanted to make a show of disgust but kept her composure. Deep within, she wondered if she would feel the same toward her own love. If Thoren was on the stand... But no. Thoren would never go against the Constitution or her. He cared for her. Respected her. Would always be there for her. She was within her right.

Halsey found herself hiccuping back another sob as she stared at the tom across from the clearing. She'd finally found someone she cared for and he was being taken from her again. She stood up, tail lashing. What more could hurt her if she tried to defend him? She glanced at the kittens beside her.

Loki inhaled a deep breath and lifted her head to the heavens above. "You plead guilty to no crime and yet make evident the crime you've committed with your own words. I call for a vote." She looked at those members who had gathered before her.

Halsey inhaled a pained breath. It was now or never. "No!" She took a step forward. "He is innocent! He's done nothing wrong! There was a time when love was free for all and never judged. Why has it come to this? Have we all forgotten morality?"

Loki raised her chin, annoyance sparking in her eyes. "You lost your right to a vote when you became one of the perpetrators of the crime. Your trial will be next."

Halsey blinked in surprise but grit her teeth, choosing to pad over to her love and the father of their children. If she was going to face her own punishment, undoubtedly death as well judging by how this conference was going, she was going to spend her last moments at his side. She looked over at their children, beckoning them over.

A white she-cat named Mirana stepped in the way of the children. "If you bring them over there, you're condemning them just as you've condemned yourselves. I vote guilty." She winced. "Even if it pains me."

Sagittarius, a young she-kit herself who was usually so vibrant and energetic, found herself pressing close to Gemini's flank. She wanted to quiver just as her sister did, but something within her – maybe the look their mother squared her with from across the clearing – told her she needed to be strong for her siblings. Blinking back tears, she squared her shoulders and raised her chin, wrapping her small tail around her sister.

Halsey found herself biting back a retort at the tom's words. She knew what he was doing but it was unnecessary. The Monarchy was out for blood; they would get it one way or another.

Loki glanced down at Declan. "To be mated is often a great blessing accepted and praised for and by the gods. Are you saying you did not take this she-cat as your mate?" Her green eyes sparked with mischief.

A tom had been biting his lip, thinking over his words and what he was hearing carefully before he stepped from the crowds. “Your highness,” he started uneasily, encouraged by the pleased tilt of Loki E’clair’s head, “my sister is not the brightest feline around. She gets herself into situations. Falls in love too hard too fast. She’s often taken advantage of. Is it so difficult to believe that another tom would do the same, even if he may be in greater political standing?” He shifted his paws uneasily. “My sister made a mousebrained mistake. She already...” he glanced at the kits Declan and Halsey had reared, his stomach plummeting. This was an awful thing for young children to witness, especially when it was their parents. “She already has to face... consequences.” he winced. “Is that not punishment enough?” He inhaled a deep breath. “I vote that the accused is guilty. But my sister is innocent.”

Loki ground her teeth but remained silent, her gaze landing on the quivering quad of kits still being guarded by Mirana.

Halsey wanted to scream. Even Ashley was against her chosen mate. Her heart ached and her tears began to blur her vision. She turned and nuzzled her face into his flank. “Why do you hurt me like this.” She whispered. “Why do you lie. There’s no world worth living in without you in it.”

Loki remained silent as she listened in to the votes of almost every member that was within the clearing. There was still a large population of the Monarchy that had yet to vote, but she was impatient; she wanted the trial over to get to the fun part. She had done her best to keep her feet and tail from twitching, but she was running out of patience. "Does anyone else have any input before we tally?"

Trinity nibbled her lip. "I vote innocent."

Serenity glanced at her sister in thought, taking a moment before nodding. "As do I. Innocent."

Taikatalvi frowned up at Loki E'clair. How could this be the product of her best friend? Her heart ached. Would Tasman have done the same, though, in this predicament? Would she stick to the Constitution? Would she look upon her daughter with pride or disappointment? She nibbled her lip. "I vote..." She looked at the high priest and his mate, a sad expression in her eyes. "Innocent." She sighed. "They've done nothing wrong. Our Constitution is outdated."

Loki's eyes flashed.

The black she-cat upon the roof of the tsar's den found herself discomfited by the turn of events. She expected that her subjects would rise and stand behind her, believing that the Constitution was put in place for their protection and the efficiency of their livelihood. Instead what she was seeing was those she once believed were her allies rising against her. Among them was Silentheart, the once head of Sterling house. She found her hackles begin to raise at that sight. She believed, deep within her dark heart, that if she was to be overthrown by anyone it would be by House Sterling or House Harlow. She held no connections to either one and the history between the Harlows and the E'clairs was brutal and blood soaked at best. She grit her teeth behind clamped lips.

More voices chimed in. Callista, Sarafina and Kaiya all voted innocent. Callista was a lonely soul who believed herself to be cursed and unable to take a mate. In her eyes, why condemn love when there was no true need to? Sarafina and Kaiya were both soft hearted individuals who wanted to see families flourish rather than torn apart. Their choices were unbearably easy.

Iracebeth, who had sat back and watched without surprise as her sister shot up to protect the kits, found herself minimally shocked by her sister's declaration. Guilty? Really? It made her wonder. Was that the best option, then? To save a father from being torn from his children and to save him from watching the one he loved fall for someone else? A wicked idea grew in her mind. "Innocent." She spoke without question, her gaze dancing. He wouldn't die, no. But she could tell by the way the tsar's muscles tensed that the high priest wouldn't go without punishment. Exile, perhaps? She smiled a bit to herself. It would cause more pain, undoubtedly.

And with those four votes, it brought the score to 16 v. 11 with the verdict of 'innocent' in the lead. But would that remain for long? There were still members that needed to vote. Loki watched on in barely concealed nervousness. She wouldn't leave today without Declan made an example of, though she was starting to see she'd have to put away her claws for another weapon of choice.

Loki's eyes narrowed at the tom's blatant stare, sweeping her green gaze over the crowd once more. There were disbelieving rumors here or there; they hadn't considered that Sasha would be so unforgiving. Punishing those at fault was one thing; punishing even the youngest, who had yet to grow into who they were meant to be? It was a different tactic that had stirred a bit of tension in the clearing. Part of her wanted to dispel worry – they were not a clan to kill the innocent – but were they not? Was it not in Kerrigan's reign that a high priest was made to kill his own young? She found herself torn but quickly quelled the feeling. This was her duty now and she had made her bed. Now, she must lie in it. She had brought this meeting to a vote; what others voted was up to them. It was her job, as a dedicate of Nivet now, to maintain balance with her ultimate decision. Even if she longed to relieve the monarchy of the burden of two traitors.

"Very well. If there are no further votes, we shall tally the results." Closing her eyes, she thought back to each vote that was marked, counting silently in her head. She knew that the Curate would be close by, having been counting up each vote that was made. She turned her head to Pearlypaw, silently questioning the she-cat to hand in the results, though she knew within her heart what the answer was.

16 innocent to 13 guilty. Declan would not lose his life this day. But what then? She tilted her head back to the skies, silently questioning the gods for their answer. Would Declan be exiled or would he be charged with the task of executing one of his own children?

---

With no further comment spewing forth from any new mouths, Loki nodded her head. So it was decided. Closing her eyes, she allowed the energy from within her flow into the ground beneath her paws, allowing her body to grow lax and sway along the roof. Quickly, however, an electricity unlike any other prickled along her pelt like a lover's caress and she snapped her emerald eyes open, as if electrocuted. The expression on her face was calm, however, despite the silent rage behind her eyes.

"Let it be known that Declan, High Priest of BrookClan, shall be stripped of his title and escorted from the Monarchy's lands. He shall not step foot upon this territory again in his life and shall be excommunicated. To move against this punishment," her gaze swept to the ex-Ut Religiousness member, "is to willfully trespass and offer himself up as prisoner. In which case," she turned back to the clearing of felines, "we will have full jurisdiction to follow through with what punishment we see fit." Turning, she padded along the roof of the den down the steep and short path to enter her den.

Halsey watched him descend from the stand with a look of horror across her features, though admittedly her heart still held out hope. She wasn't going to lose him today, not eternally, and she knew, even without fully consciously thinking it, that she'd see him again. She'd make an effort to. They were meant to be; two hearts fated to forever intertwine. When you finally found that type of connection.. you weren't supposed to give it up for anything.