Marriage is Murder

"Papa," Robert said, getting up. Khaat was still upstairs by herself, so choosing Mama wasn't Robert's top option. He took Abbey from Jess and laid his hands on her knees making the scrapes go away. He preoccupied her by asking her what she had gone outside for.

"I see kitty," she said.

"What kitty?" Robert said, expecting her to tell him Max or Mo.

"Big kitty," she said.

"Mo's a big kitty," he said

"No....Bigger, bigger kitty," she shook her head.

"Are you sure?" he asked. She nodded. "What color was the kitty?" he asked. She took hold of Robert's tan shirt.

"Like this," she said.

"How big? As big as Otto?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Bigger, bigger, Papa," she said. "Like zoo kitties with stripeys. But no stripeys"

"Wait....the kitty was as big as a tiger? Are you sure he didnt just surprise you?"

"Noooo, Papa," she shook her head. "Like horsey."

"Jack. Jim. Steven," Robert said, "Do a head check. Make sure everyone who should be inside is indeed inside. Then someone alert the outdoor staff. Seems like we must have a mountain lion on the grounds somehow. Let's use a bit of caution here, shall we?"

Jack heard Robert and nodded seeing every one was inside he locked every door and window while Steven dove down to the guard house. " why would a mountain lion be down on the flat lands" he thought to himself as he headed down . catching a young man he dove back warnign the others. soon a cry came up and Steven ran towards it he saw the lion lashing out at a man. " ow, wait , your on our territory why did you come" he asked it " search the grounds her cubs are missing " he said one man said he'd seen some back in the woods. Steven told her but she stood her ground saying some one told her they were on their grounds .

"See, Papa?" Abbey pointed out the window. "Bigger bigger kitty."

"It certainly is," he agreed. "That's not a kitty you want to play with."

"It let me ride?" she asked. "If I ask?"

"No," he said. "Not that kitty. You can ride Otto or you can go with one of us when we ride the horseys. But you need to stay away from that kitty. That kitty might hurt you and not mean to. You need to not go outside unless you have a grownup with you."

"It my yard, Papa," she scowled.

"Yes," he laughed slightly. "It is. But we share the outdoors with animals that aren't as friendly as the animals your daddy has here."

"If they not nice, I make them go away," she said angrily.

"No, if they're not nice, you let Jim and Jack and Steven make them go away. That's their job."

"Job?"

"Work. That's their work."

"I'll go out and see if I can help," Brian said. "Abbey, you stay with Papa."

"Then we eat?" she asked, her stomach growling.

"Jess and Cassidy, please take the kids to the table to eat lunch. They'll be late or their afternoon naps if we don't try to keep them on schedule," Robert said as Brian went outside. He went towards Steven, and he noticed the large cat was on the defensive. She was ready to attack whoever went towards here.

"Shall I presume you have this under control?" Brian asked, feeling he needed to keep his distance.

Jess nodded and motioned for Cassidy to gather the others while she took Abby from Brian. Steven looekd at Brian and nodded " yes shes after her cubs I think Jacks nephew sent her but she got lost she says some one told ehr they were here. " he looked back at her as a large wolf ran up and stood at his side growling at her. " ok this is shadow one of kira's cubs hes come to stay . as if in a conversation growls followed betwen the wolf and the lion until the lion with a swipe at him turned and left heading abck into the forest and the mountain it had come from. Shadow moved to lok at Brian and Robert and bowed his head letting the medalion they had given to Kira dangle from around his neck.

"Well, mountain lions tend to live anywhere there is enough woods and natural habitat to support them,' Brian said, "We have acres and acres of woods here. There is no reason why she might not believe that her cubs were here. For all we know, that idiot might have put her cubs here simply to misdirect her and hope that it would cause enough bloodshed that it would attract hiim. I don't know. Maybe he was just drunk and being stupid. At any rate, I'm hungry. That seems handled for now, so lets go get some lunch. I like his Asian chicken salad." He headed inside. When they got inside, Brian noticed Khaat had not come down. He went upstairs to find her. He talked her into putting her book aside and coming down for lunch.
Despite the fact that Robert had not included Brian being around for Khaat when he did her surgery, Brian wanted that behind her so that she didn't feel so much like being by herself anymore.

Steven smiled at Shadow who followed them and sat at the double doors looking in at them but never moving as if on guard. Steven joined Cassidy and smiled back at Shadow "Come on in, just watch for the kids" he told him shadow moved just inside the door as he tiped his head watching , quickly he turned at the sound of a guard walking back to his post but he looked abck at them all. Jack moved and sat down looking at Shadow.

"Why is he here again?" he asked and Steven as he sat and ate his food.

"He's here on kiras request " he siad " She felt we could use him, since he was the runt of her litter as you we're." He said and looked at Robert hoping he remebered Kira. "Kira gave him the medalion and told him where to find use." He dished up the food.

Shadow yipped from the door way and steven chuckled " no shadow, Im sure Angus had some good things here for you to eat, if you want that is?" He asked and shadow yipped once more. Steven stood up and walke dover with a small bowl with some food in for him. Placing it down he ate as if he'd not eaten a propermeal in days and Steven laughed.

"Its fine," Robert said. "Let's not get overly worked up about this business. The fact is that this property is large enough that its going to have wild animals on it, and not all of them friendly. Learning to co-exist with them as best we can is part of what we do when we agree to live to here." He finished his lunch and laid his napkin aside. "Now, if you will excuse me, I really do need to go out for a bit. Khaat, I really couldd use you to go with me. You won't have to be seen, but it would help me." He was hoping he could get her to go on errands with him where it would only be one or two people that they already trusted would be. He was specific in not wanting a parade of people with her. She looked at him, not sure she wanted to go. "Come with me," he smiled. "It'll be alright."

"I'll get your things," Brian said. He got her fall cloak and a matching veil for her and helped her dress to go out, reassuring her softly.

"We won't be long. Do try to not let that mountain lion eat any of the children while we're gone," Robert laughed. "Abbey does need to learn that not all kitties are friendly. And now that we know she knows how to open doors to get out, we need to be watchful of that. Perhaps a charm on the doors and the windows to only allow adults to open them, at least for now?" He offered Khaat his arm, and they apparated out together.

"I hope he knows what he's doing in taking her out by himself," Brian sighed after they left.

steven and the others all nodded they would give them space to be alone as they knew the guards on the grounds would warn them of any inpending attacks. " don't worry we have enough to keep us ocupied " Jess said and Jack nodded along with the others. " but we will be with in ear shot Im assumbing thats aloud right?" she said with a soft smile.

Jim stood up and moved to Shadow who followed his every move, sjim patted the wolf suprised he didn't bit him as he was a wild animal. Steven walked over to them both. " Kira told him we were aloud to touch him but only us" he said Jim smiled and nodded.

"Is that wise?" Angus asked. "Especially if we know now that the kids can get out? Especially Abbey since we know her love for animals? What if she goes to that wolf and it hurts her? Khaat and Brian will rip you and that wolf apart with their bare hands."

Robert took Khaat to Sparks in order to have a moment to sign paychecks and pay bills. He took over in the office and Lizzie brought her a slice of pumpkin cheesecake and a cup of french roast. Khaat was sitting in the office with her father when she heard a very soft noise outside the kitchen door. Believing it was perhaps a cat, she went outside. From the shadows she saw a figure. One she knew well. It was Escobar.

"What brings you?" she asked

"I knew," he said quietly, going to her. He raised his hand to draw the veil off her face. She went to raise her hand in protest. He paused but drew it away anyway. "Who did this to you? I will kill him. No one has the right to touch your face."

"He's a dangerous blend of a werewolf and a half giant," she sighed.

"Then he is stupid," Escobar said with distaste. "All giants, half or whole, are stupid."

"Not all," she said, remembering Hagrid.

"All," he maintained. "I never met a good one. He should be easy enough to find. I wil kill him. Do you have no guards?"

"Yes," she said. "I do. You know that."

"Where are they today?"

"Inside," she said. "Just inside the door. Don't hurt them."

"No. You need them. Go inside. Can anyone help you with the damage?"

"Presumably," she said. He kissed her forehead before drawing the veil around her face again. "Is that the only reason you came?"

"Did I need another reason? He deserves to die and he will," Escobar said. "Stay safe, Querida." He vanished. Khaat stood looking stunned for a moment before going back inside.

"I'm sorry," her father apologized, a bit preoccupied. "There is a mistake in this checking account. I want to get it resolved. Gringotts goblins have no compassion for that sort of thing. You alright waiting another moment or two?"

"I think" she said, her mind on Escobar.

At the farm Jess was seetteling the children down for a nap while Jack and Cassidy walked the grounds. The found nothing out of place the lion had gone leaving nothing but foot prints in the muddy ground. which every one was thankful for. Steven walked the grounds with Shadow who had become attached to Steven as they walked he was also protective of the children checking on them be fore they left the house for their rounds. Steven wished as they walked tht Khaat and Robert would hurry back he hated not having her in eye sight.