Marriage is Murder

Steven nodded and stood up with cassidy, John placed the book under his arm and walked up to his dad "Yeah guess so,ok night dad " he smiled at Cassidy " night cassidy " he grinned as he spoke again and chuckled as he did so."step mom " he then turned and headed down the corridor to his room. Steven walked Cassidy to their room and sighed.

" Well I guess I'll see you at the end of the isle tomorrow " he said softly to her as he held her hand gently. He heard Jess and Jack walking past.

" just kiss her its not like your not going to see her again, she'll be your wife tomorrow." Jack said and chuckled as he saw Steven do just that and moved to the guest room where hung on the wardrobe was his suit and on the floor his shoes. He soon undressed and sat on the bed, he knew he would not sleep. Cassidy walked back into her room it felt empty with out Steven there but she smiled seeing her dress now hung on the back of the door her shoes beside the bed and her tiara placed on the dresser her bouquet she hoped would turn up as it was not in her room yet. she undressed showered then climbed into bed dreaming of what the day would hold.

Brian and Khaat rose very, very early. Well before anyone else had risen. The smell of food filled the air. Brian took the wrapped cardboard box an floated down into Cassidy's room and left it on the dresser. It was from Khaat, Kate, Robert and him. They had covered the whole tradition of "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. The box was divided into partitions.

In one section was a new ruby bracelet. It was the something new.

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In another was Kate's heirloom ruby necklace and earrings for her. It was labeled as the something old.

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In another section were Khaat's lace stillettos from her own wedding, for the something borrowed.

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And in the fourth was a garter with a blue stone for the something blue.

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Once he'd put the box on her dresser, he left and went back to his room to help Khaat get up and get a bath. By the time he got back. Angus had delivered them a pot of French roast and two mugs. He looked out the window. It was snowing harder than ever. Blizzard conditions. Well, it was a good thing they were doing this indoors.

Cassidy woke to the sound of the door closing and looked around to see a box on the dresser slipping from the bed she walked over to open it and smiled seeing what lay inside. Now her tummy did flips realizing today she would be Mrs Steven Walker, she sat down and began to brush her hair as Jess knocked and walked in smiling as she moved to help her while Steven woke to the sound of Jack knocking on his door.

"Hay Steven , its your wedding day get your lazy butt up " he said then opened the door he was already in his suit he took down the suit and placed it next to Steven who chuckled as he went for his shower. Returning several moments later partly dressed he looked at Jack.

" Hows Cassidy?" he asked slipping on his shirt.

"She's fine, Jess is helping her" Jack said smiling as he picked up Stevens tie and held it out to him.

This morning, the staff delivered breakfast trays to the rooms of the wedding party members. Staff stepped in to feed, bathe, and dress the preschool children. Angus had prepared large 3 egg omlets and scones and fruit salad with champagne dressing. Once Brian helped Khaat out of the tub, he helped her wrap in a warm pink fleece robe and helped her with breakfast and then put massive doses of potion into her second cup of coffee. He insisted she drink it all. She wasn't in the mood to fight him on it. She knew it was necessary.

"That dress is going to look silly with my green necklace," she sighed.

"No," he smiled, "It won't." He handed her a box. Inside was a necklace that was a nearly identical one to the one they'd let Cassidy borrow. The sheets of rubies would hide the emerald that she could not take off.

"You're wonderful," she said. She'd never been able to hide the mark of her heritage--not once--until today. She looked at him. He was dressed in his sleek black slacks, his white shirt, and his black shoes. He had chosen black diamond cuff links. He had transfigured his buttons to black diamond buttons because his tux had no tie. Just a standup dress collar. But it was very sharply tailored and very elegant. She couldn't mistake the flutter in her heart from seeing how handsome he was.

She watched him draw her gown from the closet and hang it up in mid air and flick his wand at it to give it a sound pressing and shaping. He got out the new white lace shoes she'd chosen and he set out her own tiara that she'd worn at her own wedding and a ruby and diamond tennis bracelet. When they were done eating, he set their trays outside the door for the staff to collect.

Cassidy soon stood dressed but she had not touched her breakfast feeling if she ate anything she would just bring it back through nerves. Jess adjusted the dress and did up the last hook and eye at the top. Turning she picked up the necklace and earrings while cassidy placed in the earrings Jess did up the necklace,

"Something old, something new" Jess said then placed the shoes on Cassidy " something borrowed, something blue" she said and smiled at cassidy " you ready?" she asked as she stood in front of her as she nodded.

" Jess , whats your secret..I mean you and jack have been together for a long time how have you managed it?" she asked seeing Jess smile.

" We trust each other, he knows what ever decision I make will be the right one as I trust him in what ever he decides, you and Steven have that too you just have to learn to relax more " she said and cassidy chuckled.

" yeah we kinda bounce off each other every now and again" she said and heard Jess chuckle " ok more than once in a while" she said as her tray left the room by its self but not before Jess grabbed some toast and handed it to Cassidy.

" eat this it will make your stomach settle" she said and smiled as he saw Cassidy eating.

Brian helped Khaat dress. She did her own hair with a glamour spell and did her makeup with a combination of a glamour spell and her father's makeup. Brian always loved fastening the necklace around her neck. It gave him a chance to kiss her behind her ear and fill his senses with her cologne. But today, it was a different scent. It was exotic, spicy, and somehow strangely familiar.

"What are you wearing?" he asked her very softly.

"Oh, that? Its a very private blend I bought in Venice when we were on our honeymoon. It has cinnabar, frankencense, myrrh, and a lot of the scents we associate with Christmas."

"Hm..I don't smell cookies," he laughed. "I smell...something treasured...something honored."

"that was the chemist's idea, or so he said," she smiled. "It's alright?"

"No," he said.

"No?" she looked at him, suddenly a bit anxious.

"Not unless you wear it until the last snowflake melts," he kissed her neck softly.

"You're spoiling me," she said.

"Let me help you with those shoes. You'll need help zipping them." He got the shoes and helped her put them on and zip them. The last he did was to add her tiara and use a spell to secure it in place.

"Am I okay?" she asked.

"Oh yeah," he said with a smile. "How's your energy?"

"Fine for now," she said. "Where's your jacket?"

"Right here," he said, taking it off the hanger to put it on.

Cassidy finished her toast and finding her tummy settling a little as she moved to look at her self in a mirror " Fiona really did a good job with the dress didn't she " Jess nodded.

" yes we told you there was nothing to worry about and there is still is nothing to worry about " she said and smiled at her. Jack moved from Steven and looked at him.

" ok your done come on " he said and opened the door to lead him down to the main hall.Steven patted his pockets.

" Brian does he have the rings ?" he asked " I'll just check with him " he said and moved to Brian and Khaats bedroom door knocking on it " um Brian do you have the rings?" he asked smiling as he saw Khaat " you look beautiful Khaat " he said and looked at Brian.

Brian wasn't surprised when Steven came looking for him. "I would not forget the rings," he said. "I know the best man is supposed to help the groom dress, but I knew Jack would be there, and if I didn't help Khaat dress, we'd most likely have a maid of honor either in her pajamas or naked, one or the other."

"I would not have been naked," Khaat said. "Thank you, Steven. Has anyone seen where the bouquets are? We do need those."

"My guess is that Fi has them," Brian said. "I'll send her a message." He scribbled a message on a piece of paper and flicked his wand to send it as a paper bird to Fi. It wasn't one minute before the bird came back. There was a reply on it. All it said was, "Its under control. Stop fidgeting. Fi"

"Well," Brian said. "It looks like we're more set than we think we are." He started to hear the jabbering of the children as the staff took them downstairs to the great hall. And it sounded like there was an entire army of people with them. He had asked that there be one adult for each preschooler--that they were personally attended. "And I presume you and Cassidy are ready or we'd have heard from Jess by now."

Steven smiled and nodded " Its ok I knew Khaat needed help and I am I think jacks gone to find out about the girls." he said and Jack walked back in smiling.

" Yep shes ready and nervous as hell " he said looking at Steven as Jess walked in behind him.

" yes she is and waiting, you men need to be down in the main hall ." she said and moved to Khaat " I'll make sure she get down , now go " she smiled just as two bouquets floated up and into the room one for Khaat and one for Cassidy.

"Alright," Brian said. He looked at Khaat. "Can you do this? Are you strong enough?" She just nodded. She trusted her father to just know if she wasn't holding up. He left, shelving his anxieties. He went downstairs making things look smooth. He saw Robert standing with Kate as they stood outside the Great Hall. He went over to Robert and whispered softly in his ear. Robert merely laid his hand supportively on Brian's shoulder to reassure him that he had it under control.

"He worries too much," Khaat told them quietly. She caught the bouquet and took a moment to fasten Steven's ring into it so she wouldn't lose it. "I presume we're ready then?"