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a-crack-in-the-universe · 2 years

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Grizelda sat tensely in her chair at a table in the fine restaurant they had booked. On both sides of her sat Lucretia, Eustacia and Venetia. Opposite her was Lyell and his fiancée, Amy Jones.

When Lyell had revealed to her that he’d fallen in love and become engaged, she had of course insisted on seeing the young lady who had stolen her son’s heart. After she’d told her fellow Yewbeams the news, they had insisted on coming as well, to assess her suitability as a wife for Lyell. And so here they all were.

Her son and his lover looked nervous, but Grizelda could also see resolve in their eyes as the questions began to be thrown at them. How did you meet? Where did your family come from? What are your intentions in marrying my son? The pair answered them all steadily.

And then the most important question of all, directed at Amy:

“Are you endowed?”

The young woman bit her lip, faltered for a moment. Then she lifted her chin and met their judging eyes.

Grizelda couldn’t help but be grudgingly impressed. Whatever she wasn’t, the girl was at least brave.

“No, I’m not. But I love Lyell. That’s what matters most.”

“Did Lyell not tell you about our ways? Men with Yewbeam blood must marry an endowed woman.”

“He told me,” she said steadily. “But—“

“You are not endowed. You do not come from a good bloodline. What makes you think you are a fit match for my son?”

“I love him.” As the younger woman spoke those words, passion burned in her eyes. She glanced at Lyell, who gazed back with adoration in his eyes.

Griselda felt jealousy tear into her own heart at the sight of it. Her son loved this ordinary unendowed woman more than he loved her, his own mother. It was this feeling that motivated her next words.

“So why do you think I would let you marry my son?”

After the dinner, Grizelda made sure to approach Lyell before he left with his lover. She didn’t know how much use it would be, but she had to try and convince him what a huge mistake he was making. This young woman was not endowed and did not even have an exceptional bloodline. She was ordinary. How could he throw his life away on her?

Just as she was about to speak, however, Lyell broke in, saying, “Stop. I don’t want to hear it.” The coolness in his voice shocked her. When had he become so cold toward her?

“How can you do this?” she begged. “I’ve had such high hopes for you! You were supposed to marry that lovely Titania...”

She saw Lyell flinch slightly at the words. “That doesn’t matter to me,” he said tightly. “I wouldn’t have been happy with Titania anyway.”

“And you’ll be happy with her?” Silence. “Lyell, she will drag you down. She’s not worth losing your family over. Knowing her kind, she’s probably looking to marry you for your money.”

“Her kind?” he stared at her as if she were a stranger. To her surprise, his expression almost looked sad. “Amy isn’t like that.”

“How would you know? You haven’t known her for very long. How would you know what she’s really like?”

Lyell simply looked at her for a moment, still with that sad expression in his eyes. At last he said, “Why can’t you just be happy for me?”

“Because I know this is a mistake. You can’t really think it’s worth choosing her over your family. You know what’ll happen if you break the rules.”

Her son looked over to where his lover was waiting for him at the entrance to the restaurant. His lips curved into a soft smile. It made Grizelda’s heart clench painfully to see it. Then he turned back to Grizelda again and his smile fell away. “I’m sorry, but I have to do this. I love Amy.”

“But--”

“Goodbye, Mother.”

With that, he turned and walked away, back to his lover and out of the restaurant. Grizelda watched them go, her heart as numb and cold as a stone in her chest. She had a sinking feeling that her son wasn’t saying goodbye just for now, but forever.

#grizelda bone #lyell bone #amy bone #amy jones #yewbeam family #children of the red king #cotrk #cotrk fanfiction #children of the red king fanfiction

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nerdgatehobbit · 4 years

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Pokémon AU for COTRK

I’m probably missing a few people but this is a good overview. And it was a lot of fun to do!

Claerwen is absolutely a Shiny Dustox (a white one). But she is Charlie Bone’s 2nd Pokémon. The first one is probably a Chikorita, as Charlie does try to be a calm protector.

Emma Tolly has a Swablu, a Tailow, and a Farfetch’d. Her aunt Julia has a Sylveon and a Grotle.

Olivia Vertigo has a Buneary & a Zorua.

Rembrandt has to be a Rattata. Once Billy is 10, he’ll be his.

Runner Bean is a Growlithe. He & Benjamin are super close.

The Gunn family has a deaf Persian. Fidelio has a Jigglypuff and an Illumise.

Gabriel Silk has a Ralts, a Togepi, and a Riolu. These choices are half because they suit his personality & powers, and half because I’m giving him some of my favorite Pokémon.

Tancred Torsson has a Castform, and I want to give him a baby Lugia. Especially if this AU means that the humans don’t have powers. In that case, his father has a grown Lugia, a Flygon, and a Gyarados.

Lysander Sage has a Chatot (so does Lauren) and he also has a Cubone, a Stufful, and an Ivysaur.

Asa Pike has a Mightyena & a Houndour.

Manfred Bloor has a Hypno, a Beheeyem, a Grumpig, & (later on) a Quilava.

Joshua Tilpin has an Abra and a Magnemite. I’m less sure which Pokémon the Branko twins & Dorcas would have.

Titania Tilpin has a Zoroark, a Mismagius, and a Gothorita.

Alice Angel has a Tsareena, a Ninetales, an Espeon, and a Gardevoir.

Blessed is an elderly Granbull. I did consider a Stoutland but Blessed isn’t meant to be fluffy. Ezekiel Bloor likely also has a Mismagius. Harold Bloor might have a Pokémon but more likely he leaves that to his relatives.

Bartholomew Bloor has a Jangmo-o, a Pidgeot, and an Absol. His adoptive daughter Naren has a Murkrow & a Sunflora.

Solomon is definitely a Dragonair. I’m still waffling on the Flames. Either they’re 3 Littens that can briefly insta-evolve into Incinearoars, or they’re a Vaporean, a Jolteon, & a Flareon that can shift into Suicune, Raikou, & Entei. The first option keeps the fiery theme but the second stresses their Legendary status. There are also rumors/legends of the Red King also having a Camerupt.

Queen Berenice is likely reincarnated into a Rapidash.

Lyell has a Flyon, a Wigglytuff, & a Salamance, all of which vanished when he did. They return to aid him against the Bloors.

Due to his seaside upbringing, Dagbert Endless already has 5 Pokémon. He has a Feebas, a Magikarp, a Froakie, a Mudkip, and a Tirtouga. It’d be during the near-drowning that Magikarp would evolve, and after Dagbert opts to join Charlie’s side that Feebas would.

Lord Grimwald has a Walrein, a Feraligatr, a Beartic, a Gyarados, a Sharpedo, and a Starmie.

Cook keeps her Shiny Clamperl secret, but she’s open about having a Kangaskhan and a Grovyle. Her sister also has a Shiny Clamperl along with an Empoleon and a Vaporeon.

Katya Kettle would have an Aggron and a Charizard. Later she adopts Solomon, of course.

Paton Yewbeam has a Luxray, a Decidueye, an Amaura, a Wartortle, and a Raichu.

I’m not sure what Pokémon Paton’s 4 sisters have. Venetia likely has a Liepard (Eric Shellhorn has a Geodude). Eustacia has an Exeggcute. Grizelda & Lucretia probably don’t bother with having Pokémon.

Amy Bone has a Leafeon. Maisie has a Delcatty.

Count Harken has a Lunatone, a Haunter, an Arbok, an Aerodactyl, and an Alakazam.

Thoughts?

#pokemon #pokemon au #cotrk #cotrk au #charlie bone #literally too many characters to tag

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hitchell-mope · 4 years

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Children of the red king descendants au

Ben. Charlie Bone. Can travel through pictures

Carlos. Billy Raven. Can converse with animals. Albino

Gil. Fidelio Gunn. Unendowed

Mal. Olivia Vertigo. Illusionist.

Evie. Emma Tolly. Can turn in to birds

Doug. Tancred Torsson. Storm bringer

Jay. Lysander Sage. Can summon his spirit ancestors

Harry. Dagbert Endless. Hydrokinetic

Chad. Manfred Bloor. Former Hypnotist abd currently a pyrokinetic

Audrey. Asa Pike. Werewolf. Defected from the Bloors and punished.

Uma. Gabriel Silk. Psychic.

Celia. Una Onimous

Elsa. Alice Angel. A good witch. Olivia’s godmother

Verna. Cook (Treasure). Lodestone. Endowed with tranquility

Grimhilde. Grizelda Yewbeam. Charlie’s paternal grandmother.

Maleficent. Lucretia Yewbeam. Matron at the school

Yzma. Eustacia Yewbeam. Clairvoyant

Cruella. Venetia Yewbeam. Designs magic clothes

Adam. Paton Yewbeam. Charlie’s great uncle. Electricity booster. Julia’s love interest

Belle. Julia Ingledew. Bookstore owner. Emma’s aunt.

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a-crack-in-the-universe · 6 years

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'You can go without it.' Lucretia Yewbeam's small black eyes locked onto Charlie's. 'I've been hearing some very unpleasant things about you, Charlie Bone. We're all disgusted with the way you've turned out. Still, with a father like yours, who could expect... ?' 'What do you mean?' cried Charlie, clenching his fists. 'My father's worth a hundred Yewbeams.' 'He is a Yewbeam, stupid boy. At least a poor excuse for one.' She smiled spitefully as Charlie raised his fist.

Jenny Nimmo, Charlie Bone and the Wilderness Wolf

#jenny nimmo #quotes #charlie bone and the wilderness wolf #charlie bone #children of the red king #i love how Charlie is so quick to defend his father

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a-crack-in-the-universe · 6 years

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Charlie Bone Timeline: Pre-Series

Timeline of events before the series. Contains spoilers for all Charlie Bone books, including Henry and the Guardians of the Lost.

1800s

Circa 1804

· Marigold disappears through the Time Twister while playing hide-and-seek with her brother.

1833

· Maybelle Bloor is born to Cecilia and Septimus Bloor.

1835 or 1838

· Beatrice Bloor born to Cecilia and Septimus Bloor.

1840

· Bertram Babbington Bloor is born to Cecilia and Septimus Bloor.

1845

· Donatella da Vinci is born.

1850

· Yorath Yewbeam is born.

1850s

· Maybelle Bloor marries Lucius Raven.

1860

· Daniel Raven is born to Maybelle and Lucius Raven.

1862

· Vera Kuragina is born.

· Roland Raven is born to Maybelle and Lucius Raven.

1865

· Evangeline Raven is born to Maybelle and Lucius Raven.

· Septimus Bloor forges a will leaving everything he owns to his daughter Maybelle and her heirs. He dies soon after.

1870s

· Bertram Bloor marries Donatella Da Vinci.

1875

· Gideon Bloor born to Bertram and Donatella Bloor.

1876

· Gudrun Solensson born.

1884

· Manley Yewbeam born to Yorath and Vera Yewbeam.

1885

· Grace Bloor is born to Bertram and Donatella Bloor.

1896

· Lydia Raven is born to Daniel and Jane Raven.

1897

· Hugh Raven is born to Daniel and Jane Raven.

1899

· Ita Raven marries Simon Bone.

1900s

1900

· Yolanda Yewbeam is born in Yewbeam Castle to Yorath and Vera Yewbeam.

· Everard Raven is born to Roland and Ann Raven.

1902

· Ezekiel Bloor born to Gideon and Gudrun Bloor.

· Hilda Hansoff born.

1905

· Henry Yewbeam born to Grace and Manley Yewbeam.

1908

· Daphne Yewbeam born to Grace and Manley Yewbeam.

1910

· James Yewbeam born to Grace and Manley Yewbeam.

1912

· Solange Sourzac born.

1916

· Daphne Yewbeam dies of diphtheria in the winter of that year (January)

· Henry Yewbeam disappears while staying at Bloor’s Academy with his brother James. (January 12)

1918

· Manley Yewbeam is killed in battle during the Great War.

1921

· Yolanda inherits her father’s castle at age 21.

1920s

· Hugh Raven marries Sally Milne. Evangeline Raven gives the pearl-inlaid box to Sally on her wedding day.

1925

· Susan Raven born to Hugh and Sally Raven.

1930

· Bartholomew Bloor is born to Ezekiel and Hilda Bloor.

· Mary Chance is born.

1931

· Brutus Raven born to Hugh and Sally Raven.

1932

· Thomas Raven is born to Everard and Harriet Raven.

1934

· Timothy Raven is born to Everard and Harriet Raven.

1935

· Maisie Jones is born.

1937

· Grizelda Yewbeam is born to James and Solange Yewbeam.

· Monty Bone is born to Clara and Eamon Bone.

1940 or 1941

· Ankaret's family is killed during a bombing raid; Ankaret accidentally travels forward in time after looking into the Time Twister.

1942

· Lucretia Yewbeam is born to James and Solange Yewbeam.

1947

· Eustacia Yewbeam is born to James and Solange Yewbeam.

· Treasure is born.

1948

· Pearl is born.

1952

· Venetia Yewbeam is born to James and Solange Yewbeam.

1955

· Harold Bloor is born to Bartholomew and Mary Bloor.

1957

· February: Paton Yewbeam is born to James and Solange Yewbeam.

· Dorothy de Vere is born.

1961

· Grizelda Yewbeam marries Montague Bone.

1962

· Lyell Bone is born to Grizelda and Monty Bone.

· Titania/Miss Chrystal is born.

1962 or 1963

· A week before his death, Monty returns to his hometown of Neverfinding. Monty makes a will leaving all that he owns to his son Lyell. He also writes a letter to be read by Lyell when he turns eighteen.

· Monty Bone dies in a plane crash (possibly contrived by the Yewbeams and Bloors).

· Bartholomew Bloor disappears while mountain climbing in the Himalayas with friends; Mary dances herself to death. Bartholomew turns against his family and becomes an explorer.

1964

· During a stay at Yolanda’s castle, Solange falls and breaks her neck, Yolanda turns James’ four daughters against him, and James and Paton escape in fear for their lives.

· Hector Bittermouse causes some trouble with the Bloors (?)

· Lord Grimwald drowns Pearl and Treasure's sweethearts and family in revenge because they refused to marry him.

1965

· Grace Bloor dies at age eighty.

1967

· Amy Jones is born to Maisie and Mr Jones.

· Julia Ingledew is born.

1968

· Rufus Raven is born to Brutus and Maud Raven.

1970

· Ellen Raven is born.

1985

· Manfred Bloor is born to Harold and Dorothy Bloor.

· Asa Pike is born in the land of the Merromals.

1988

· Zelda Dobinski is born.

· Beth Strong is born.

1989

· Mr and Mrs Pike travel with Asa to the Red King’s city to live.

1990

· Lyell Bone elopes with Amy Jones to Mexico; they marry there.

· Tancred Torsson is born.

· Lysander Sage is born to Judge and Jessamine Sage.

1992

· Charlie Bone is born to Amy and Lyell Bone in the first week of January.

· Emma Tolly is born to Nancy and Mostyn Tolly (During fall or winter).

· Gabriel Silk is born to Cyrus and Mrs Silk.

· Naren Bloor is born to Chinese parents.

· Olivia Vertigo is born sometime in September.

· Fidelio Gunn is born to Chloe and Mr Gunn.

· Dagbert Endless is born to Lord Grimwald and a mermaid.

· Benjamin Brown is born to Mr and Mrs Brown in late October.

· Dorcas Loom is born.

1993

· Charlie turns one in the first week of January.

· Bartholomew returns to the city to visit his family, who refuse to acknowledge him. Lyell and Bartholomew become friends, and they go mountain climbing together.

· Idith and Inez Branko are born to Bogdan and Natalia Branko.

· Joshua Tilpin is born to Matthew and Titania Tilpin.

Sometime between 1990 and 1994

· Rufus entrusts Lyell with the box containing Maybelle’s will.

· Rufus and Ellen marry.

1994

· Charlie turns two in the first week of January.

· Nancy Tolly dies from illness just before Emma’s second birthday; a few days later Mostyn decides to give Emma away. (during fall or winter).

· Lyell disappears while trying to stop Emma Tolly’s abduction. (during fall or winter).

1995

· Billy Raven is born to Rufus and Ellen Raven on May 4.

1996

· Rufus and Ellen die in a contrived car accident; Billy is sent to live with an apathetic aunt.

· Christopher Crowquill is framed as a robber and sent to prison for seven years.

· Naren’s parents die in a flood; Naren is adopted by Bartholomew and Meng Bloor.

1997

· Miranda Shellhorn is born to Arthur Shellhorn.

· Charlie starts school.

· Charlie and Benjamin become friends.

1998

· Dorothy Bloor tries to leave Bloor's Academy forever; her violin hand is crushed by Manfred in the attempt and cursed by Ezekiel to never work again. Losing all hope, Dorothy becomes 'the Dark Lady'.

· Lucy comes out of the Time Twister into the Littles' House.

1999

· Eric Shellhorn is born to Arthur Shellhorn.

· Una Onimous is born.

· Dr Tolly asks for Emma to be returned to him; he is refused.

2000s

2001

· May 4: Billy’s endowment is revealed, and he is sent to live in Bloor’s Academy.

· Tancred Torsson starts school at Bloor's Academy.

· Ollie Sparks disappears in the old part of the Academy for three days. Cook throws a feast for him, and soon after he leaves the school. However, he disappears while going to get orange juice at the train station (or so Matron Yewbeam says).

2002

· Charlie turns ten in the first week of January.

· Emma turns ten between January and October.

#cotrk spoilers #charlie bone timeline #children of the red king timeline #pre-series timeline

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a-crack-in-the-universe · 7 years

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Midnight for Charlie Bone Chapter Summaries/Analyses: Chapters 1-3

*Disclaimer: All quotes in this post are taken from Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo, and thus belong to her.*

*Below the cut-line are spoilers for the entire Charlie Bone series. Read at your own risk*

This is the first post in a series of posts I wish to write-up about the many things I’ve noticed in the Charlie Bone books. I’m starting with Book 1, and if that goes well and if I have enough time, I might do the other books too. These posts will help me describe my own theories about certain aspects of the series and also personal thoughts and opinions too. :)

Chapter 1: “Charlie Hears Voices”

On a Thursday afternoon (Thursday 24th October 2002, to be exact :)), Charlie Bone sees the smoke of a fire coming from somewhere on the other side of the city. The very next day, Charlie’s life changes drastically. He mistakenly receives a photo of a morose old man holding a baby, and when he looks at it, he starts to hear the old man’s voice, and also the voice of the woman taking the picture. Grandma Bone senses what is going on (Eustacia had one of her clairvoyant episodes) and quickly enters the room to see what’s happening. Charlie tells her.

Amy gets really anxious at the thought of Charlie being endowed, and to put her mind at ease Charlie claims that he only pretended to hear the voices to trick Grandma Bone. He’s also trying to convince himself. However, when he is walking outside with his best friend Benjamin and Benjamin’s dog Runner Bean, Charlie sees a newspaper with an image of Manfred Bloor standing outside Bloor’s Academy, and is able to hear what Manfred is saying while being photographed and interviewed by reporters. He is then forced to admit that he’s not imagining things.

He tells Benjamin about it, who (surprisingly enough) believes him. Then a short while later Uncle Paton arrives on the scene to take Charlie home, which surprises Charlie since Paton never goes out in daylight hours. This has happened because Charlie is ‘wanted at home’.

Chapter 2: “The Yewbeam Aunts”

When Charlie gets home he finds out the reason why Paton came for him. The Yewbeam Aunts are coming. Amy again looks nervous, and with good reason. The Aunts mean to test him to see if he’s ‘worthy’ of attending Bloor’s Academy. In other words, they want to see if he really is endowed like they suspect. Charlie doesn’t want to go to Bloor’s and decides to do what he can to fail the Aunts’ test.

Charlie agrees to serve the soup after seeing how hot and tired his mother looks, despite not wanting to be alone with the Aunts. I find this heart-warming. It shows that he really cares about his mother. When the time comes for the test, Charlie demands that his mother also be present, but the Aunts refuse to allow it.

"A boy who wants his mother is a baby,” said Aunt Lucretia sternly. “Time to grow up, Charlie. This is a Yewbeam affair. We don't want distractions."

Yikes. :(

Also :( : Paton in this scene. It’s clear that he doesn’t want to be there, but he doesn’t have a choice about it.

Also, seeing Grandma Bone and the Aunts criticise Charlie’s hair and claiming that it’s from his mother’s side is kind of funny and ironic when you remember that later in the book Mr Pilgrim (aka Charlie’s father) is described as having hair much like Charlie’s, while Amy’s hair isn’t described at all beyond it being a golden-brown colour. So, it’s more likely that Charlie actually gets his hair from his father. Apparently Grandma Bone and the Aunts are in denial about this fact.

The Aunts give Charlie some photos to look at. The people in these photos are making a lot of noise. Charlie pretends not to hear, even pushes the photos away, but the Aunts aren’t having it. Eventually Venetia persuades Charlie to look properly at the photos, which results in Charlie not hearing anything except what’s happening in the photos, thus proving to the Aunts that he has an endowment and must go to Bloor’s Academy.

(Well, I’d say that Charlie should have known better than to listen to Venetia, but he is only ten years old…so yeah.)

Charlie is dismayed at this outcome, and so is Maisie. However, Amy is more optimistic about it. The wording of her dialogue surprises me. “For his father’s sake”? I suppose it means just that Charlie should go there because Lyell went there, but I can’t help but be curious about it, especially since Lyell actually is in Bloor’s Academy. Whatever meaning this line has, it’s interesting that Amy says it here, since Charlie’s entering Bloor’s does end up (indirectly?) leading to Lyell’s awakening.

Okay, so when Charlie goes to bed, he makes his mother sit down with him and answer some questions, since he feels he deserves to know more about himself before setting foot in Bloor’s Academy. Firstly, he asks how his father died.

"I've told you so many times already Charlie. It was foggy he was tired. He drove off the road and the car plunged into a quarry that was a hundred meters deep."

Hmm, so they’ve had this conversation many times before.

It’s interesting how Charlie phrases his question: "First, I want to know what really happened to my father. Tell me again."

It’s possible that the use of ‘really’ here has no deeper meaning than what is shown. But I’d like to point out that (combined with the fact that they’ve already talked about Lyell’s accident so many times) it could imply that Charlie is actually suspicious of what his mother has always told him about Lyell’s death. Like, why would Charlie ask his mother about it so many times? It doesn’t make sense to me, unless Charlie felt (either consciously or subconsciously) that something didn’t add up in regards to the accident. Of course, this could be stretching it a bit too far, but I think it’s good to consider any possibilities, even unlikely-looking ones. :)

After that question is answered, Charlie asks why there aren’t any photos of Lyell in the house. (And that’s a very good question.) Amy tells him that they all disappeared one day when she was out.

"There were," she said, "but one day when I was out, they all disappeared. Even the tiny picture in my locket."

Wow, that’s… really harsh. Like, really. Poor Amy. :’( First her husband supposedly died, and then all pictures of him disappeared, leaving her almost nothing to remember him by. And they even got the picture in her locket (and that photo seems like a particularly private and treasured keepsake, considering that it was in a locket that’s usually worn around someone’s neck).

Amy goes on to talk about the truth around her and Lyell’s marriage—how the Yewbeams forbade it because of an ancient law of theirs and how she and Lyell eloped anyway. Their honeymoon was ‘wonderful’, but when they returned, Lyell was worried, and always ‘looking over his shoulder’ and ‘running from shadows’. (And, considering the information given in Wilderness Wolf, Shadow of Badlock and Red Knight, this implies that by this point in time Rufus had already given Maybelle’s box into Lyell’s keeping.) And then on a foggy night when Charlie was two years old, Lyell received a phone call from Grandma Bone (‘a summons’), telling him that she was ill and he had to go to her immediately. He got into his car and drove into a quarry.

Amy also says that the reason that Grandma Bone chose to shelter Amy and Charlie was because the Yewbeams thought that Charlie might be endowed (and if he was endowed, they wanted to be in a good position to be able to take control of him). And also that Grandma Bone moved in to watch (aka spy) on them. To me, this last line in Amy’s dialogue (actually, all of Amy’s dialogue in this section in the book) implies that she knows more than she usually lets on, and that even though she’s quiet and timid, she’s also pretty smart in her own way.

Amy claims to not understand why the pictures vanished. It’s clear (to me, anyway) that she blames Grandma Bone, even though Grandma Bone denied touching them. Charlie guesses that Grandma Bone didn’t want him to know what his father had to say (even though, like Amy tells him, Grandma Bone really couldn’t have known that he’d develop an endowment that would let him hear what people in pictures were saying). To me, Charlie’s guess about why Grandma Bone destroyed the pictures couldn’t have been more wrong. She did it because she didn’t want Charlie to know what his father looked like, not because of any endowment she thought he might one day develop.

This is partly why I love reading this series. :) The characters all have their own assumptions about things and they’re actually allowed to be wrong in their assumptions sometimes. It makes them feel a little more real to me.

A short while later, Amy leaves but Charlie can’t sleep. At midnight, this happens: “On the twelfth stroke, Charlie felt a sudden, strange breathlessness. Something was happening to him. It was as if he were passing through a moment when he might live or die.”

“He thought of Lyell, the father he couldn’t remember.” :’) Considering that it’s Charlie and Amy who keep Lyell alive just by thinking of him, I find moments like this one very heart-warming in hindsight.

Eventually, just after midnight, Charlie hears Paton leave the house, and suddenly decides to go after him. Keeping hidden, he follows his uncle down the street, and sees Paton burst a street-light just by looking at it. After a while, Paton admits that he knows Charlie is there, by saying, “Why are you following me?”

Chapter 3: “The Flame Cats”

Paton asks again, “Why are you following me?” Charlie comes out of hiding, and the two converse. Charlie ends up learning a bit about his uncle. The reason Paton only comes out at night is because of his endowment. Paton hates his endowment, calling it ‘pathetic’. He thinks it’s useless. (Which is interesting, considering how much damage it does at later points in the series.) Charlie questions Paton about his endowment. Paton admits that he once ‘brightened the lights’ for a girl he knew, who ran away afterward and never spoke to him again. (Now that is a plot bunny. :) I wonder what happened? Anyway, it’s kind of sad when Paton recounts it.) Paton and Charlie return to the house, and Charlie finally goes to sleep.

The next morning, Charlie is so nervous about going to the Academy that he has little to no appetite. Amy’s in some kind of reverie—thinking about Lyell? :’) She tells Charlie that he’ll have to wear a uniform—a blue cape. Blue for the music department, which Charlie will be sorted into. It’s because his father was in Music, and there’s no department for the strange talent Charlie has. (And I have to agree that sapphire is a lovely colour. :))

Maisie and Amy go out shopping. Paton’s stuck in his room like always, and Grandma Bone is who cares where. When someone knocks on the front door, Charlie goes outside to see who it is. He’s greeted by the sight of a short and hairy man (who introduces himself as Mr Onimous) with three extraordinarily-coloured cats (The Flames! :D). Apparently they’re there to take care of a pest problem in the house. Charlie recalls that he shouldn’t let strangers inside the house, but by the time he’s finished that thought, they’re already inside. Luckily for him, they don’t mean him any harm. The cats go into the larder, where to Charlie’s surprise there really is an invasion of mice. Meanwhile Charlie serves Mr Onimous some coffee and they talk about the photo of the old man with the baby that’s lying on the kitchen table.

Mr Onimous explains that he was led to Number 9 by the cats (called Aries, Leo and Sagittarius). The gist of it is, something terrible happened to the baby in the photo, and Charlie has been tasked with finding her. The Flames and Mr Onimous are sure that she’s in Bloor’s Academy, which is coincidentally where Charlie is going.

"He knew you were connected, Aries did. And so you are; you have the photograph. These cats aren't ordinary. They know things. They chose me because I've got a special way with animals. They lead me here and there, trying to undo mischief, and I just follow, helping where I can. This case," his finger came down on the man holding the baby, "this is one of the worst. Aries has always been very angry about it. Time and again he's tried to put it right, but we needed you, Charlie."

Now, this part of the conversation intrigues me, because Onimous specifically says that they needed Charlie of all people. Why Charlie? Mr Onimous says that Charlie is connected, and that Aries knew that. If it weren’t for the last part of the paragraph, I would just assume that it’s because Charlie was the one who happened to get the photograph. But, later on it’s revealed that the Flames themselves orchestrated the photo switch. So it wasn’t a coincidence that Charlie of all people got Miss Ingledew’s photo. Therefore, I’m theorizing that it wasn’t just because of Emma that the Flames chose Charlie for this quest—it was also because of Lyell, who was also ‘lost’ and in Bloor’s Academy. The Flames meant all along for Charlie to wake his father up. This is also how he’s connected, aside from him obviously having the photograph. He’s connected through Lyell.

Also, ‘this case is one of the worst’ and Aries being so angry about it make a lot of sense, given what Charlie hears in Dr Tolly’s taped message. But I won’t go into that right now.

Mr Onimous advises Charlie to take the photo to the person who’s meant to have it—and who can tell him more about what happened to the baby. Charlie does so, but not before asking Paton to tell Amy where he’s gone. He also asks where Cathedral Close is, and gets a rather blunt (rude?) answer in reply: “Where do you think? It’s beside the cathedral.” (And it is a stupid question, though I don’t blame Charlie for asking.)

So, Charlie sets off. He goes to 3 Cathedral Close, which happens to be a bookshop called ‘Ingledew’s Bookshop’. Miss Julia Ingledew answers the door when he knocks, and lets him in when he tells her about the photo he has. Miss Ingledew gives Charlie the photo of Runner Bean she accidentally received, and as thanks for returning her photo(s) to her, she gifts Charlie with a robotic dog and a mysterious metal case, both of which belonged to her late brother-in-law, Dr Tolly. She also tells Charlie about why the baby is missing. Apparently Dr Tolly decided to give his daughter, Emma, away after the sudden death of his wife from illness eight years ago, and the baby became “lost in a system of lies and tricks and forgery”. Miss Ingledew longs to see her again, but doesn’t know how to find her.

Charlie asks what’s in the case; Miss Ingledew doesn’t know.

"I don't know. And I'm not sure I want to. Dr. Tolly exchanged it for his baby. Whatever it is, it can't be worth as much as a baby, can it?"

Miss Ingledew begs Charlie to take the case, telling him that she has to get it out of the house somehow and he seems like just the right person to take it. She also asks him to keep it a secret, for now.

"Tell no one who you wouldn't trust with your life."

And that’s where I’ll leave this summary/analysis for now. Up next, summary/analyses for chapters 4-6. :)

#children of the red king #charlie bone #midnight for charlie bone #midnight for charlie bone chapter analyses #chapter summaries #text post #spoilers galore

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