Chapter Eight
Lizz: Yes, Meg is still sulking. No, we haven't seen Ratigan in a while. No, JWJ was not harmed by Ratigan. No, I am NOT marrying Saddam Hussein! And yes, RAEB does spaz a lot. Enjoy.
"You'll regret this, you know you will!" Basil shouted angrily to the closed gates.
"Basil please. Let's leave," Dr. Dawson said. "They obviously won't let us in."
"They'll have to," Basil growled. After a two-week search following Meg's trail to Copenhagen, he wasn't about to give up because of a bunch of stubborn guards. He ran up and banged loudly on the gates. "I AM BASIL OF BAKER STREET! THE GIRL IN THERE TO BE CROWNED QUEEN IS NOT PRINCESS CHRISTINE! SHE IS A FRAUD! YOU WILL BE PUTTING POWER INTO THE WRONG HANDS! I MUST SEE THE DUCHESS, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!"
"Aw, shut up and leave Her Highness alone, mouse!" a guard shouted back to him. "She's busy with the princess's wedding!"
"THE PRINCESS IS A FAKE!"
"Go away before I arrest you for disturbing the peace!"
"Come on Basil." Dawson gently pulled the great mouse detective away from the castle gates.
"They don't know what they're doing, the scum!" Basil muttered under his breath. "No wonder Meg was able to trick them; they're all thick in the brain!"
"Would she really try to take control over her own homeland?"
"I wouldn't put it beyond her to do... so." Basil practically whispered the last word; he was too busy watching GC hurry toward the castle, glancing frantically around him.
Dawson hadn't noticed the mouse. "Basil, what are we-"
"Shhh! Not so loud Dawson!" He motioned for the doctor to follow him. GC led them through a path of dark streets and alleys, climbing over walls and ducking under fences. To Basil's disappointment, the trail led them away from the palace.
"Oh, it's no use Dawson," Basil said. Suddenly, GC disappeared in front of their eyes. "This way!" Basil dragged Dawson to a sewer drain. They jumped down between the cracks. Basil followed the dark figure ahead of them, until they reached a lighted alcove. It was stashed with boxes and crates.
"Basil, what are we doing hear?" Dawson whispered.
Basil pointed to GC, who was making his way to one of the crates. "That mouse was once part of Ratigan's crime chain. He escaped prison one year ago, and no one's seen him since. No doubt he's joined another evildoer in an attempt to get rich fast."
GC opened the crate slightly and threw a bundle into it. "There ya are, Sister!" he said, kicking the side of the crate. A low moan issued from the box.
"Aw, shuddup!" GC snarled. "I'm goin' to the weddin, and after that, yer goin' for a liddle swim with the fishes in the river!" GC laughed.
"You villain!" a voice from inside the box rasped. "She was promised I would go free after the wedding!"
"Yeah, Boss forgot to tell yer liddle friend something. Yer goin' to be dead free!" GC snorted with laughter. He then left the room through a wooden panel in the wall.
Organ music played as I made my way down the aisle. Each step bore a heavy weight. I felt like I was going to my funeral. I could see some of the henchmen scattered throughout the church. I could see Ratigan, cleverly disguised, standing at the altar. I took a deep breath.
Here goes.
"Miss Larson!" Basil pulled the half-starved and beaten nun from the crate. "What happened to you?"
"Mr. Basil," she gasped. "Mr. Basil, Meg is being forced to marry against her will!"
"What?" Dawson exclaimed.
"He promised her he'd spare my life if she would consent to be his wife, but he lied to her! I tried to escape, but they caught me. They want to take over Denmark, Mr. Basil, and many over countries after that. Even England!"
"Calm down Miss Larson. Who is trying to take over Denmark?" Basil asked.
"Professor Ratigan!"
"Do you, James, takes this woman, Christine, to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" the priest asked.
Ratigan grinned at me. "Yes," he replied.
"And do you, Christine, take this man, James, to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"
I glanced at the door. So easy to get to, I thought. If only...
Basil followed the secret passage GC had taken to find himself in the palace. The church was within the royal family grounds, right next to the palace. Dawson dragged behind, carrying Anne. They had to get there in time. They just had to.
Everyone stared at me. Ratigan looked a little uneasy. I was taking too long to answer. But then I remembered Anne.
I gulped. "I do."
The priest closed his book. "Now you may kiss the bride."
My heart jumped as he leaned in and gave me a long, deliberate kiss. We were married!
Just as we started back down the aisle, Basil burst through the door shouting, "WAIT, EVERYBODY!" I groaned. Anne and Dawson were right behind him.
"What is going on here?" the Duchess of Arovay, or Christine's great-grand aunt, demanded. "We're having a wedding, sir!"
Basil pointed at me. "That is not your grand-niece, your Highness. That's my housemaid! And that man is no other than Professor Ratigan!"
Everyone gasped. Ratigan stepped forward. "I am not him who you speak of, sir!"
"Yes, Ratigan is dead!" the Duchess answered.
"I demand that you stop this wedding at once!"
"You're too late!" Ratigan announced. "We've just been married!"
Basil clearly hadn't expected this. He looked like someone had kicked him in the stomach.
I pulled off Ratigan's disguise. "James Ratigan lives!" I shouted. "He threatened to kill my dearest friend if I didn't follow through with his treacherous acts! Your grandniece is dead your Highness. He killed her!" I shrieked, pointing to Ratigan.
The Duchess started to weep. "No! Seize him!" she screamed.
"I'm going to kill you Meg!" He grabbed me. I kicked him and dove away. A mob was beginning to form. Mice fought everywhere. My veil was pulled off in the mayhem. I quickly ripped off the long train on my dress. I tried to make my way through the crowd when someone thrust me against a wall. I almost screamed, until I found I was looking at Basil.
"Basil!"
"Meg, Dr. Dawson and this fellow here are going to get you and Miss Larson out."
To my surprise, Josh pulled me by the arm through the crowd. Dawson followed close behind, helping Anne. We tried to reach the exit but it was locked. "C'mon, miss," Josh whispered in my ear. "Slackett's seen us!"
"What are we going to do?"
Josh looked around for a moment. Then he pointed. "There's some stairs here. They might lead to another exit."
We went up the stairs, but accidentally found ourselves in an organ loft. Dead end. "Oops," Josh muttered. Some gunshots went off. A few moments later Ratigan hurled himself onto the balcony. Anne and I screamed.
"Well, well, well," Ratigan said, leering at us. "What do we have here? Why Josh, how good of you to protect my wife from the mayhem downstairs and deliver her to me. Always a good servant to your master, eh?"
He tricked us! Josh tricked us to get me killed! He knew Ratigan would come up here!
"What?" Josh asked.
Ratigan shoved him over and grabbed me. "You've paid your brother's debt in full. You're free to go!"
"MEG! MEG!" Anne went into hysterics as Ratigan took me away. He grabbed a rope and jumped off the organ loft. More gunshots sounded. We went sailing to the other side, in an abandoned balcony.
"Ratigan, don't touch her!" Basil's voice sounded throughout the church.
He turned toward the mob, still roughly holding me. "Come and get her, Basil!"
Just like the Queen's Jubilee.
What happened afterward was a blur to me. I soon found myself in a stagecoach, speeding off through the streets. My senses came back to me.
"HELP! HELP! BASIL!" Ratigan tried to shut me up, but I fought tooth and claw. "GET AWAY FROM ME, SCUM!"
Basil made it to the street just as the stagecoach was leaving. "RATIGAN, I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!"
Josh ran up to him.
"Mr. Havers, I thought I told you to keep Miss Sarentis safe at all costs!" Basil scolded him. "Now he's bound to kill her! And all because you walked into a trapped corner!"
Josh turned white. "Mr. Basil, I never meant for this to happen!"
"Well, it did!"
Basil started to turn back to the church, when Josh yelled, "Wait! I know where they're going! We have to save her! We can, can't we?"
Basil glanced around. "Dawson, leave Miss Larson here. I think I've just got an idea."
Lizz: Meg wants it to be known that she only has a vague idea of how wedding vows are supposed to be said, but that she did the best that she can.
Meg: (from another room) Meg also wishes it to be known that if JWJ makes fun of her "mouse" stories one more time, she will come over to his house with a gigantic snowball and throw it in his face!
Lizz: Okay... that was random.
