Page 160 of The Sea Witch's Son

“There has to be a mistake.” Shaking his head, Gaston looks at his son, “Tell them, Gus. Tell them this is a mistake. You wouldn’t steal from the Dragon.”

The Cartier prodigy keeps his eyes trained on the ground.

“Come on, son.” He lets out a panicked laugh, “Tell them the truth. It wasn’t you.”

“They thought I was stupid.”

“Gus-

“They thought I was stupid!”

Gus yells, swinging his enraged gaze towards me and Calista, “Do you know how many times they talked down to me? How many times they acted as though I was nothing more than a hunk of muscle?”

Gaston pales, “No. Gus, why would you-

“I couldn’t take it anymore. Being talked to as if I was some sort of an idiot.” Spitting on the ground, Gus lets out a bitter laugh, “But not even the brilliant Marlin Seaborn could figure out what I was up to. Who’s the stupid one now, huh?”

A solemn silence falls across the room.

Then my mother throws back her head and laughs.

“You wanted to prove you weren’t stupid, so you stole from the Dragon?” Clutching her stomach, Ursela lets out a cackle, “That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!”

Laughter breaks out along the crowd and Gus turns an unflattering shade of red.

“Stop it! It’s not funny!”

“I’m afraid Mr. Cartier is right.” The cold voice triggers silence to descend, “This is not a funny situation. Step forward, Gus.”

“No.” Gaston puts a hand on his son’s chest, “He’s just a boy.”

“A boy who needs to learn the consequence of his actions.” Letting out an impatient sigh, she flicks her wrist, “Guards. Seize him.”

“No!” Shoving the men back, Gaston tries his best to protect his only child, “You can’t take him.”

“Guards!”

Madame Cartier starts to sob as the guards wrestle past the screaming father. The professional hunter puts up a good fight, but in the end his size and strength are no match for the hired hands.

“You can’t do this!”

“I believe I just did.”

The Dragon walks over to a trembling Gus who has been escorted to the middle of the room.

“Do you know what the problem is?” She leans in, breathing into his ear, “You thought you could undermine my daughter. You thought you could undermineme.”

Shaking her head, she pulls back and grabs his face with both hands. Gus whimpers when her nails dig into his flesh.

“I do not tolerate disrespect, young man. And you havedeeplydisrespected me.”

“Wait!”Wrestling against the guards, Gaston flails on the ground, “Take me instead. I will take his punishment, just don’t hurt my son.”

The Dragon pauses, turning to look at the Frenchman.

“You would take his place?”

“My life for his.” Devastation clouds his eyes, “Just let him go.”

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