Chapter 3
"Justice wins the day"
"Baudelaires!" Klaus woke up to banging on the door, he looked around the room where Violet and Sunny were asleep in one bed while Duncan and Quigley in the other.
'What was going on? And where are my glasses?'
"Baudelaires please! Are my brothers in there?" the voice that woke him up banged against the door again. Klaus got up from his bed, put on his glasses that were sitting on the nightstand and went for the door. When he opened it he found Isadora standing in front of him with a worried face expression.
"Isadora?"
"Klaus!" she sighed. "Are Quigley and Duncan in your room?"
"Yes. Although I really don't know why." Klaus answered her confused, and stepped aside for her to come in.
"I accidentally locked myself in the room last night… or should I say this morning and fell asleep. I figured they were either in the lobby or here." She explained and then ran to her brothers and started shaking them. "Duncan! Quigley! Wake up!"
"Stop shaking me Isadora, I'm awake!" Quigley yelled as he got out of bed, and started walking around the room.
"What are you looking for?" Duncan asked him, he too was awake now.
"A comb." Quigley answered and Isadora giggled.
"Rude." While waking her brothers up Isadora must've woken up Sunny too. She was now sitting up in her bed and glaring at her brother and Isadora.
"Oh I'm sorry Sunny! But Kit told me to get everyone downstairs. Count Olaf's trial will begin soon. After that we shall sleep for as long as we please."
"Sunny, please wake Violet." Klaus told his younger sister. Sunny gave him a thumbs up and then stood on the bed, the Quagmires not knowing what the toddler was about to do, stared curiously, while Klaus just smiled. He had been ever so familiar with mornings like these. While his parents were still alive they had trouble waking up Violet most mornings, so they started putting Sunny on Violet's bed so the toddler can jump on the bed, waking up Violet in the process.
And just like those many mornings Sunny started jumping around on the bed and giggling loudly. Isadora and Klaus laughed as Violet let out a loud groan and sat up in bed, her hair such a mess that it made Klaus think of Frankenstein.
"Sunny you mischievous little weasel." She said with a fake annoyance. She actually missed being woken up with a laughing and jumping Sunny. It made her feel all warm inside.
"Can everyone please hurry up and dress? Olaf's trial is about to begin. And I don't want to miss him being finally put behind bars." Isadora reminded, her voice now more serious.
"Relax Izzy. We'll be quick." Duncan assured her sister then turned to look at his brother, standing in front of the mirror, carefully fixing his hair. "Although I can't say the same about Quigley."
"Just go! Isadora yelled. "Yours and Quigley's clothes are in our room. Here's the key, hurry." She rushed her brothers and then turned to the Baudelairs before leaving. "Baudelaires, you hurry too. Kit said she'd come get us soon."
Ten minutes later there was a knock on the Baudelaires' door.
"Klaus, can you get that please? I'm getting Sunny ready!" Violet called to Klaus who was putting shoes on. He opened the room and there stood Kit smiling at him, behind her stood the Quagmires, each holding a single blindfold.
"Here. Give one to Sunny and Violet and follow me." She said before handing him three blindfolds. He gave one to each of his sisters and started walking behind the older woman, his sisters and friends following behind.
"Why need this?" Sunny asked.
"Have you ever heard the term 'Justice is blind'?" Kit asked them.
"Of course. But they don't mean that literally do they?" Klaus asked
"They do here. " She said and then stopped. "We are about to enter the courtroom, you have to put on your blindfolds before going in. Justice Strauss, along with two other judges are on this case so don't be nervous. It's most likely that all off you will be put on stand to explain all the treacherous crimes Olaf has performed. Any questions?" she asked all of them, they all shook their heads and put on their blindfolds.
"Take my hand." She said and started feeling around her until she found the hand closest to her which happened to belong to Klaus. "Everyone hold hands and follow me." Isadora grabbed Klaus' hand, with her other she held Duncan's, next to him Quigley and finally Violet completed the end of the chain with Sunny in her free arm. They moved along in a line and entered the courtroom. When everyone found their seats Justice Strauss informed everyone they can take off their blindfolds. The first thing Klaus saw when he removed the blindfold was Count Olaf himself. He was sitting no more than fifteen feet in front of them. He caught his eye and Klaus quickly looked away. He scanned the room for more familiar faces and was surprised that he knew almost all of them, whether they were friends or foes. Then, one particular face caught his attention, one he was certain he would never see again.
"Fiona?!" he gasped. Only a few rows down was sitting the girl he had kissed on the submarine. Fiona who was talking to an oddly familiar person with hooks for hands (he guessed it must've been her brothers, Fernald, in a disguise) turned to look at him. As soon as she saw who had called out her name she smiled a big and wide smile Klaus has never seen on her.
"Klaus! I was expecting to see you here." She called to him, her voice loud enough for Klaus to hear over all the people talking.
"What are you-" Klaus was about to ask her what she was doing at Hotel Denouement when Justice Strauss slammed her gavel.
"Settle down please! Order!" she called and everyone stopped whispering and talking.
The trial lasted an hour at the very least. First the Baudelaires we're called up to explain all the treachery they have witnessed Count Olaf performed. Then it was the Quagmires' turn. Then Esme and Olaf had a very loud argument about things quite irrelevant to the trial which ended with Esme and Carmelita storming out of the courtroom. Then people were asked to speak on behalf of the Baudelaires and Quagmires and when it was Hector's turn he fainted. Finally, the high court have reached a verdict and it was time to see if Count Olaf would be sent to prison for the rest of his life.
"If everyone would please put on their blindfolds!" She addressed the room. Everyone started putting on their blindfolds, but Klaus couldn't stop starring at Olaf. 'He was smirking. Why is he happy? Surely he wasn't that stupid and naïve to think he could possibly get away with this?' Klaus thought and then put on his blindfold, not wanting to cause an argument.
"A verdict has been reached on the crimes of Count Olaf!" Justice Strauss' voice soared through the big room. Klaus along with the rest of the children were on their sits, they all waited for Justice Strauss to continue, but nothing.
"What's going on?" either Frank or Earnest asked, it couldn't be Dewey since he was in the secret library, he wasn't supposed to show his face.
"Justice Strauss has taken a short break! Nobody take of their blindfolds! The trial should continue very soon!"
"I know that voice." Kit Snicket suddenly said, she stood up and took off her blindfold. "Count Olaf is escaping and Justice Strauss is being kidnapped! Everyone remove your blindfolds!"
As soon as they heard this the Baudelaires and Quagmires removed their own blindfolds only to witness The Man with a beard but no hair and The woman with hair but no beard taking Justice Strauss and tying her with a rope and gag. Count Olaf standing next to them.
"The pregnant lady is lying, she's trying to trying to trick you all!" Count Olaf masked his voice. "Do not believe her!"
"It's true! They're escaping!" Violet cried.
"Don't worry, Violet." She turned to them and smiled. "I got this."
And with that, Kit suddenly pulled out a walkie-talkie and called into it.
"Attention volunteers, we need back up, stat!"
More and more people were taking their blindfolds off, Klaus noticed that by now every noble person in the room was without a blindfold. Then, suddenly a dart shot through the room and hit Count Olaf in his shoulder just as he was making his great escape, then another dart was shot, and another. Soon Count Olaf, and his two accomplices were laying on the floor unconscious and Justice Strauss was struggling to remove her gag and ropes. When the Baudelaires and Quagmires turned to look at whoever shot the darts they saw a tall man with black hair, next to him stood Jacquelyn and Dewey.
"Don't worry." Jacquelyn assured, seeing the look on everyone's face. "The darts aren't poisonous. We learned a lesson after last time, they're just unconscious."
Sunny toddled over to Justice Strauss, removed her gag and started gnawing at the ropes to free the judge.
"Thank you Sunny." She thanked the toddler.
"Jacquelyn! My dearest secretary! You have returned to me at last-" Mr. Poe was cut off by his own coughing fit. Jacquelyn just laughed. She gestured to a few people who were most likely guards, and they took the unconscious criminals away.
"I'm glad you're all safe." Dewey along with the tall, dark haired man walked towards Kit, the Baudelaires, and the Quagmires.
"I'm glad you're safe too." Kit kissed her husband and then hugged the man. She then turned to the confused children. "Baudelaires, Quagmires, I'd like to introduce you to my brother. Lemony Snicket."
"Brother?" Duncan gasped.
"Yes. I have faked my death after the schism, except Jacques nobody knew I was alive." Lemony explained.
"You told Jacques and not me?" Kit glared at him, and playfully hit him.
"Lemony?" Sunny asked, now standing by her siblings side.
"Yes that's my actual name." Lemony chuckled. "I'm not to fond of it myself."
"Oh Sunny, Violet, Isadora, Klaus, Duncan and Quigley… we have so much to tell." Kit addressed them. "But first, we have an offer that we are almost certain you'd except. Would you like to hear it?"
Would you look at that? I updated after all! I'm actually quite surprised at myself. This is my favorite chapter so far , I hoped you liked it! I'm excited to write the next one, I have many ideas but it may take longer. Tomorrow is Christmas here and the day after Christmas I'm going to Bulgaria. Let me know your thoughts in the reviews, bye!