Chapter Three

Twisted Fate

True, there's been trouble and trickery, sir,
trembling and tribulations;
twitches from switches of hickory, sir,
you, sir, and your usurpations;
but my patience wears very thin

-- When You Play The Violin from "The Tragic Treasury"

Klaus was waiting for Violet when she slammed the door, locking Olaf in the chamber. "What did he say? Why is he here? How is he here?"

Violet led Klaus to the kitchen, where she poured a glass of cold water for herself and sat at the table, hands still shaking. The water calmed her throat enough so that she could almost speak normally.

"Klaus, the man we buried. It wasn't him, it was Count Omar…his twin."

Klaus's shocked and confused face prompted her to continue. "Count Omar really is – was – a person. Olaf's twin, who took us from the hotel. And brought us here. Omar, not Olaf, was shot and killed. Olaf was never here…he waited until we thought…" Violet couldn't continue, her throat closing as the realization of what had happened set in.

Klaus finished for her in a whisper. "Until we thought we were safe."

Silence settled as the brother and sister sat speechless. The whir of the ceiling fan far above was the only noise in the high-ceilinged room, despair catching in the blades and falling like dust.

"What are we going to do, Violet?"

She looked up at the frightened face of her younger brother. "He says he just wants the money. So we'll give it to him. He says his friends. Are coming to get him. He says he'll leave us alone here. If he gets the money."

Klaus gave her a hard look. "Do you believe him? Can we risk just signing over the money…and letting him go?"

"What would you do, Klaus? We can't kill him."

His hand hardened into a fist at his side, and when he spoke it was in a tone that scared her more than anger would. He was apathetic to the prospect he voiced: "Why not, Violet? Wouldn't that be more than justified? Wouldn't it?"

She shook her head so fast it almost made her dizzy. "No, Klaus. If we kill him, we're just like him. And we're not…we're not like him."

"I know. But sometimes…I wish I was."

She knew what he meant, and it made her heart ache.

- - -

The door to Olaf's cell opened, and the two eldest Baudelaire siblings entered, paper in the hand of one, and an antique yet still gleaming sword in the hand of the other. Violet turned to Sunny, who stood outside, key in hand.

"Remember, Sunny: don't let us out unless we give the signal. Only then. And as soon as you unlock the door, run back to Bee and stay with her until we come back."

The young girl nodded bravely, the fear in her eyes only overwhelmed by her love of Violet and Klaus. She shut the door, and the sound of the key turning in the lock sounded to Violet like the closing of a coffin lid, burying her and Klaus alive.

Olaf's eyes were closed when they walked around to face him. Violet prodded him with the sword she had been too afraid to let Klaus use; her brother instead held the contract that Violet had signed, giving their entire fortune to Count Olaf; now that she was of age, it was as simple as writing her name on a piece of paper, and what had been the source of so much grief was out of her hands. She almost felt relieved but her mind told her that Olaf was still dangerous, and she agreed.

The villain in question opened his eyes when Violet poked him and saw the paper Klaus held. "Is that it, orphans?"

Klaus nodded. "All of our money given to you, in a contract Violet signed in her own hand." He smiled wryly. "And if you're worried that she signed it with her left hand – well, I suppose it doesn't really matter once you've left the island. After all, how are we to leave and dispute your claim to our funds?"

Olaf threw his head back and laughed in delight. "Good point, orphan. Now, are you going to untie me so that I can leave?"

Violet and Klaus looked at each other, and Klaus bent to unwind the wire holding Olaf's legs to the chair. Violet kept her sword pointed at Olaf's throat, and the look he gave her was far from chaste. "I always did like a woman who could fence properly."

She glared in disgust and did not move. "If you try to run or hurt either of us. I'll slit your throat. You'll stay tied up until. We get to the shore. Then we wait for your…friends. If they try to harm us. We kill you."

"You'll be outnumbered."

"Try me." Violet's expression was so full of black rage and hatred that even Olaf questioned if he should just leave with the contract, rather than attempt the plan he had in mind. Then again, he pondered, revenge is always worth the effort, even if there was a struggle. And he might need verification for the contract, after all. Best to cover all the eventualities.

Klaus finished untying the wire from around Olaf's legs; it had stuck into the skin where the man's pants were torn, and bleeding welts had formed. Klaus felt no sympathy, and continued to untie Olaf from the chair, leaving his arms bound behind his back.

The man stood, towering over the Baudelaire orphans. For a moment, the three locked eyes and froze, Violet and Klaus tensing for a fight. But Olaf simply turned to the door and stood waiting. He spoke, facing away. "I won't harm you. I have what I want – what use are you to me now?"

Violet jammed the point of the sword into Olaf's back, standing at his side. "Quiet." She tapped on the door with her free arm, three quick raps and said as loudly as she could, "Horseradish."

The door opened to the sight of Sunny running down the passage as fast as her legs could carry her. Violet could feel Olaf's smirk but ignored it and shoved him forward.

- - -

The beach was cold despite the bright sun falling on the dunes. The water sloshed quietly against the shore, calm and regular. Klaus had led the trio to where Olaf had said the ship would arrive, and now they sat waiting for Olaf's henchmen to come for their leader. Hours had passed, and Klaus was becoming restless.

"How much longer, Olaf? You told us they would be here already."

The villain sat, feet buried in the sand, staring out at the water nonchalantly. "Maybe they got stuck in traffic," he sneered.

"Arrghhh!" Klaus reached for Olaf but Violet grabbed his arm with her free hand.

"Be patient, Klaus. Why don't you walk along the beach for a while, perhaps they'll appear farther down." She did not relish the idea of remaining alone with Olaf but she knew a skirmish was likely to occur if Klaus was provoked any further. He glanced at Olaf and back at her, and turned after she nodded in reassurance.

After he was out of earshot, Violet turned to Olaf and prodded him with the sword, pleased to see him wince. "Leave him alone, Olaf. Or I'll do more than just bruise."

The same look he had given her in the cell appeared on his face again: leering and pensive, his eyes shining. "You've turned into quite the little hellcat, orphan. Very spirited. I didn't think you had it in you to threaten a bound man. You'd make quite a villainess…or countess."

Violet felt a chill run through her. "You can't threaten my family's safety in exchange for my marrying you anymore, Olaf. I've already given you the Baudelaire fortune, there's no need."

He leaned toward her slightly, studying her face. "Who said it was a threat? If I didn't detest you so much that I wanted to strangle you, I think I might admire you, Violet Baudelaire." He looked surprised at the words he had spoken, and glowered. "Don't let that make you think I would pass up the opportunity to make your life miserable, orphan. You've put me through too much for me to just let you…be happy." He sneered at the idea of happiness.

Violet felt tired suddenly, weary of attempting to guard herself from Olaf. "You put yourself through what you've been through, Olaf. You chose to be how you are."

She looked away from his face, instead searching the horizon for Klaus, not seeing the shocked expression that crossed Olaf's face, nor the thoughtfully malicious one that appeared afterward.

Suddenly Klaus came running, materializing at the top of a dune. When he reached where Olaf and Violet sat, he yanked the villain to his feet and nodded to Violet. Olaf's henchmen had finally arrived.

--

Author's Notes:

So the three million dollar question: does Olaf really admire (or desire) Violet, or is he simply up to no good? Stay tuned and review to find out!

Cheers,

Katrina