Marriage is Murder

Angus finished kneading the bread dough and separated it into sections and made several loaves of braided bread. He got out a basket and began packing it for the port to Rome. He knew already what he could take into the prison and what he could not. He had done this before. And he knew just enough about Alette to know a bit about her tastes.

He was about to get a breakfast casserole out of the oven when an owl lighted on the kitchen windowsill. He fed the bird a treat and took the parchment. It had an Italian wax seal on the edge of the scroll. It was addressed to Robert or Khaat. Angus opened the scroll himself and read it. He shoved the oven mitts into Steven's hands.

"Don't let that burn," he told Steven. He clutched tightly to the scroll and dashed up the stairs on a run. A moment later, Robert and Kate came downstairs with him. They had no more than dozed off when the owl arrived. But they were fully alert and dressed. Robert was dressed in a very formal black business suit. Dressed to impress, with his black wool topcoat over his arm.

"I need to go out," he told them all very quickly, looking for his umbrella. "Angus will brief you. Not a word to Michael until I tell you otherwise. Understand me?" He kissed Kate on the cheek and used a portkey that had a red garnet set in the head of the old antique key.

"Be careful," Kate told him as he ported out. "I hope you lot made really strong coffee. I could use it."

(michael can't explain. he's not there.)

"Thank you," Kate said, taking the cup. "Robert's gone to Rome. The owl was from Daniella. Apparently Alette has realized that she's lost her touch. She's realized it could imprison her for the rest of her life and that it could have done the same to Michael. Daniella said Alette tried to hang herself in her cell with a bedsheet. She is alive, but she needs very immediate and sophisticated medical care or she won't last long. Robert doesn't want Michael to know until there is more to tell. And as long as he has Khaat in his place in Hogsmeade, he will be too busy taking care of her to know."

It was hours before Robert returned. He was tired. It had been a long battle to stabilize Alette. And it was now afternoon.

"Alette is here in England," Robert told them. "Italy doesn't have a facility comparable to St. Mungos. Daniella released her, and I brought her to London. She's in Intensive Care but she's stable. She's comatose but that is to be expected. I did go and tell Michael, and he's going to go to St. Mungos. Khaat is refusing to come back here until she heals, and she doesn't want to impose on Michael right now either. I've suggested she come home with Kate and me for a couple days."

"Did she refuse?" Kate asked.

"No, not exactly," Robert sighed, "but she feels right now like she doesn't belong anywhere, and thats normal under the circumstances."

"Shall I go take her home, then?" Kate asked.

"Would you?" Robert stifled a yawn from exhaustion.

"Gladly. Its better than her being alone at Michael's."

"He won't leave until someone goes to stay with her. But Khaat knows he's desperate to be free enough to go to London."

"Then I'll go quickly," Kate said, going to get her jacket.

"That would be very nice," Kate smiled. "It won't take me long to go to Michaels but I think Khaat's room could use some freshening. Some fresh sheets and so forth. I think we'll manage once I get her there, but I think you should be prepared that she is going to be even less interested in being around anyone than before."

"That will quit in a couple days," Robert said. "When the worst of the healing is completed. She has Remus's entire suite of rooms at our house, so she's welcome to stay as long as she likes. Kate, remember her things that we packed for her last night. And make sure she gets some food. Michael was going to cook for her but I told him we'd do that when we got her home."

"Indeed. I might not be as gourmet as Michael, but I do have the whole 'mom advantage' thing going," Kate laughed.

"Go ahead, you lot. Go get the house ready while Kate goes to Michael's." Robert said. Kate slipped her jacket on and apparated out without a word.

(you can't find kate. she's gone to michaels to get khaat, remember?)

"Kate should be there soon," Robert said. "Alette is going to be awhile, so don't count on her coming today. I can't begin to release her until she's out of her coma and out of Intensive Care. And, as much as I'd like to see her not go to Michaels, I don't know if I'll talk him into letting her go any place else."

Kate went to Michaels and saw Khaat dressed and packed. Michael, as much as he loved Khaat, hadn't so much as thought about putting on the kettle, much less cooking. Khaat was out of place and was sitting on the sofa feeling about as comfortable as a woman waiting on a bus. Michael had dressed and shaved and was finishing dressing, and Khaat knew she was holding him up.

"She doesn't have to go," Michael said, snatching up his jacket and putting it on in a hurry.

"She'll be fine," Kate reassured Michael gently. She went over to Khaat and gently got her up from the sofa, sensing how insecure and backwards Khaat felt. "I've got this, Michael. Take care of Alette." She kissed Michael's cheek and then apparated Khaat and herself to the farm.

"Here?" Khaat asked, seeing where she was.

"Yes. Home," Kate said. She took Khaat's bag and set it on the floor and helped her to a kitchen chair. Then Kate put on a kettle of almond tea for her.