Chapter 7 - Mr. Christophe Gavin

Minutes passed slowly as Theo tapped his fingers on the ivory chair arm. He was sitting in a room right outside the courtroom, appearently an office or something, because in front of him was an enormous desk, with books shoved in every nook and cranny to be seen, and there were bookshelves filled with globes of all sorts, mother of pearl, jade, onyx, big, small, round, square, flat, and spinning ones too.
The room was very dark, and cramped. Theo felt he was breathing in all the air in the room and might soon suffocate.
But then, Mr. Knobbs came bursting in.
"Get up! Now come on get up!" He bellowed.
"Are you always like this with Helmina?" Theo asked as Mr. Knobbs as he was shoved out the small doorway by Mr. Knobbs' meaty hands.
"Watch it boy! You've got a mind of your own, and sometimes thats a bad thing!"
They entered the courtroom, and the chandelier candles were lit so that every gold adorned chair and table gleamed with life.
A skittish man waddled from table to table, filling a water pail and dusting the chairs.
He waddled away quickly as Mr. Knobbs approached him.
"Theo, come sit here and do NOT move until you're told to... Understand?"
"Perfectly," Theo said as he sat him bottom down in a chair Mr. Knobbs pulled out for him.
An hour passed and slowly, men in short black coats and powdered wigs came strutting in, giving Theo a cold glance.
They all filled the seats around Theo, and after an hour more, the door behind the stage opened with a loud creak.
All the men stood, their chairs sliding loudly back. Theo stood abruptly and stumbled, then a few men gave a snort at his action.
Neville appeared first and the men bowed so that their noses touched the table top. Theo bowed too. Then Mira came, and they bowed the same way again.
Neville searched the crowd of men with his black eyes, and then they stopped. But not on Theo. Neville was looking to the left Theo, at a desk where a very skinny and tall man stood.
Mira sat, but Neville walked to the edge of the stage.
He cleared his throat.
"Thank you for coming gentlemen... But it seems our case will be post-poned for just a minute or two. You may sit though," He said.
The men pulled their chairs close to their behinds, and sat then scooted forward.
One man jumped up with a yelp. It was the tall skinny man Neville had looked at earlier.
Everyone looked at him.
"Th-Some-Its," Was all he managed to say, because Neville came down quickly from the stage and reached under the desk.
His eyebrows were raised and he smiled. He stood up again and said, "Come on out... NOW please."
Slowly, from under the desk, came a person.
It was Helmina. Her hair was sticking to her red face and she had a black coat on like the courtroom men.
Some of the men laughed, some snorted, and some sneered.
"Crazy, unruly girl..." Theo heard someone to right of him mumble.
He glanced over his shoulder and saw a young man with blond hair like Neville's not covered by a wig. He looked very snooty and princely.
"Mina, what ARE you doing?" Neville asked, and looking as though he was suppressing a laugh.
"I-I was... Well, I w-wanted to hear what was going on, but M-Mr. Knobbs wouldn't let me listen through the door... So I hid myself before hand... But I didn't know I would be under the desk of such a leggy fool who couldn't keep still for two seconds," Helmina bravely said.
Neville chuckled.
"Dear child, I'm sorry, but I'm giving you into Mr. Knobbs' hands for now, just until we're done."
"But father-"
"No Mina, go out now."
"Yes father."
The man with blond hair behind Theo snorted and seated himself.
"Shall we continue?" Neville asked.
All the men sat themselves and Neville walked back up on stage.
"Well, the problem that faces us today, is.... There is someone here, that doesn't quite belong," Neville began. "But, we can't return him home."
"The case of Theodore Jay Webster," One man read from a parchment. "Arrived here exactly two days ago, and is the grandson... Of Edgar Webster."
Most of the men in the room shuddered and took in a deep breath.
"Well, we all know how this will eventually pan out!" Bellowed one man.
"The loony family! In Helm! Unheard of!" Said another.
"Its all a matter of time before Edgar finds this place again and threatens us!"
"I say we erase the boys memory now and throw him in the cities streets!"
"Now wait a minute gentlemen!" Said Neville. "We haven't asked the young Mr. Webster what he would like to do... Mr Webster?"
Neville was looking striaght at Theo. He sunk lowly in his chair and blushed.
"Oh come now! Don't be shy son!" Neville said with a smile.
Theo reluctantly stood up.
"That's better... Now, if we were to erase you memory and throw you into the streets og Helm, how would you feel?"
"I-I would feel... erm... Lost?"
"Yes, as would all of us. Do you know why we've considered this an option though?"
"No Your Majesty."
"Well, I suppose your Grandfather has told stories of this castle. Am I right?"
"Yes, you are right."
"Ok, tell us what he's told us."
"Oh... well, he stopped telling the storied when I was about twelve... So I don't really remember any of them... But there was one that I always remembered."
"Tell us."
"Your Majesty, I don't think is getting us anywhere," Inturrupted the blond man behind Theo.
"Well, Mr... Gavin, perhaps you would like to take the stand and answer some questions about how your father and Mr. Edgar Webster aren't so far from eachother?" Neville said.
Mr. Gavin was silent.
"Resume, Theodore."

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