Marriage is Murder

"Remus is right," Robert said. "I'd almost forgoten. thats the thing with portraits. They don't have much to do but hang about. Thats why they're good for little used information like that."

"Let's be glad he doesn't have a portrait down here that he can hear you say that," Brian said.

"Oh there is one down here," Robert laughed. "That damned thing hears every syllable."

"What?" Brian frowned.

"I had a wallet sized one in my wallet," Robert laughed. "I've had it there forever. It won't let me forget anything. It will be happy to snark at me later. Try that potion again, Edward."
Edward complied and got very little resistance now. At Robert's insistance, they used the rest of it, until the potion gave no resistance at all.

"Oh, infinitely better," Edward said, relieved.

"Indeed." Robert double checked to be sure there was nothing else he obviously missed. "I think we should close now." He cast healing spells to stop the bleeding and start to heal the wounds again. Then he and Brian padded the wounds very heavily and made sure the broken bones were reset again, splinted, and that her shoulder and her arm were completely immobilized. While Robert washed up, Brian worked on setting new healing spells and pain relief spells in place for her.

"She seems stronger to me, Robert," Brian said.

"Yes. She should be. That damned parasite was tapping her own life energies," Edward said. "You would do well to have someone prepare some seers' tea for her and perhaps some sort of cold fruit juice as well. She will be very thirsty when she wakes. It is the spell's side effects. Not only that but you and Robert may likely need something to drink yourselves."

"I do," Robert said. "Definitely. As soon as I'm done here and as soon as she's been safely placed in bed."

"Robert," Edward advised. "I'm sure we can move her. We need your energies at their best. Let us move her and clean up this mess. You take care of yourself. We're still early into this."

Steven watched taking all the old bandages and burning them as soon as Robert didn't need them any more soon all remained was the sheet that lay under Khaat " her rooms all ready and clean" he said as Brant stepped forward.

" yeah we'l take her up to the room" he said looking at his Uncle and nodded he was ready when Edward was o move her . Steven took the sheet with her blood and burnt it as well taking a bucket he took the ashes and gathered them , walking out into the grounds he found a stream and tipped them in knowing the flowing water would take the ashes and spread them out across the land he also knew water would purify them as well making double sure nothing of the spell remained.

Michael went to the kitchen and brewed a large pot of seers' tea and made a delicious fruit punch from a blend of a great many different fruits he found in the walk in fridge. He poured it into a large pitcher and poured ice filled glasses for Khaat, Brian, and Robert and then put more glasses on a tray with the pitcher for others. When the table was disinfected again, he sent the tray out to the dining table.

He poured the large pot of brewed tea into a large pot for the dining table, and a smaller pot to send to Khaat's room. He put several mugs on a tray with the large pot and sent it out to the dining table, and sent a smaller tray wiht the smaller pot and some mugs upstairs. He figured they would like the tea because he had added an exotic blend of spices that he had brought back from Morocco. It gave the tea a totally new flavor and would make it appealing to anyone that wanted it.

Brian and Robert took cleaned Khaat up and took her old clothing from her and replaced it with simply a clean sheet wrapped around her because the clothes were more effort than she was going to feel like bothering with right at the moment. They also hadn't wanted anyone else having to remove her clothes.

Edward supervised Khaat's move upstairs. It had to be very gentle and meticulous. There needed to be no chance of moving the many fractures. He gathered several pillows and transfigured them to a bed wedge to let her sit up somewhat, to elevate the fractured shoulder, and to allow her to drink fluids when she woke from her fathers spell. He placed it in the bed before they placed her there. He put pillows under her knees to take the strain off her back from being elevated.

"Be very careful," Edward told them. "No jarring. Keep things smooth and graceful, as much as you can." He watched two smaller trays arrive--one with tea and one with fruit punch. Each tray had a couple of mugs or glasses--one for her and a couple extra for either Kate or anyone who might decide to stay upstairs with them.

Brant helped Edward gently place Khaat down on her bed after Robert had fixed it for her and he breathed out once she was down and covered . He stepped back letting the others do their work on her heading down he picked up the bowl and took it to the potions lag where he knew Edward would want to inspect it as he did he pased Steven who smiled and nodded as he sat drinking some tea.

" get some tea Brant no point losing energy running around" hr said and Brant nodded he would once the bowl was safe and secure in the lab. Steven moved to the living room and sat down as Jim headed up to the bed room.

" I'll stay with her while you guys clean up" he said as he pored two cups of tea giving one to Brian and one to Robert " drink will help" he said and sat down facing the bed.

"Thank you," Robert said. "I need to check on Kate...."

"I'll do that," Brian said. "Shall I take her some tea?"

"Please," Robert said. Brian poured her a mug of tea and took it to Kate. Kate was awake and she looked at Brian tiredly.

"You'd better tell me what's wrong with my daughter, Son," she told him.

"She's fine," Brian said. "She busted up her shoulder in the battle this morning after you left. She decided the stone would be enough to make her immune from the beast."

"She's got her uncle's fighting spirit but not his practicality," Kate sighed. "Sh'es going to be alright? You're sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure. Here. Drink," he said, feeding her the tea.

Meanwhile, Robert sat with Khaat, yawning.

"Drink your tea," Edward said. "You know the fatigue is that damned spell." He put a glass of the fruit punch beside Robert as well. Edward sat with Robert, not sure Robert was going to finish the very necessary tea. He found he had to wake Robert repeatedly until the tea was gone and the glass of fruit juice was gone.

"I think I shall live now," Robert said, as Edward poured him more tea. "Thank you. Where did Brian go after he went to see Kate?"

"I dont know," Edward said. "Perhaps we need to check on him. He might well have fallen asleep too before he finished the spell. You both were covered in her blood and handled those claws. We need to be sure he stays awake to finish his tea as well."

Steven walked up to hear Robert and Edward talking but it was Brant that spoke " okay I'll go check on him" he said and headed down the hall passing Steven who pointed to the room next to him Brant chuckled and knocked as he entered " Robert and Edward are worried about you" he said as he walked in He made a cup of tea pore as he walked over and then made it float to Brian " here drink Robert says its the spell its draining your energy , you got her blood on you and its got minute traces of it in it " he said placing the cup in his hand " I'll watch her while you go and change " he said softly hoping Brian would wash up and remove the spell so he could be more like himself again.

"Oh, yeah. The tea," he stifled a yawn. "I guess I forgot. Thanks. I guess I expected to unwind from this morning sooner or later, but I need to go pay some attention to the kids--unless one of you all have some time to go make sure they don't feel neglected. I'm more concerned for Abbey. If anybody will know something hasn't been right, it will be her."

"Brian," Kate said, "finish your tea. As long as sombody goes down there and is just honest with her if she asks any questions, she'll be fine. The worst thing you could do is lie to her, but she doesnt need lengthy explanations either. You know, you reallhy could send for Kieran and Fi. Those kids love them, and you know how Kieran and Fi always look for a chance to help. They adore the kids, and we could use the help if you're going back."

"I dont' know if Robert's going to be up to that. He's used a lot of energies today."

"I know. I can sense it. Has he eaten?"

"We sent soup up her for him at lunch. Michael is probably working on whatever it is he's doing for dinner soon. I figure he'll be alright if he gets a good nights sleep."

"Then you need to send for Kieran and Fi," Kate said. "Let them take care of the kids. You're running out of adults who aren't soon going to be sleep deprived."

"Edward mentioned to me there were lots of Donohues that could step in too," Brian said.

"Do what you need to do, Brian," Kate said. "Robert is very tired. Give him a hand in whatever way you can."

Steven smiled and nodded at the mention of the family "I'll send words they will be here in five minuets knowing the Donohue family." he said and chuckled. Walking to the floo he sent a note though and moved back " I'll pop in on my way and see Abby" he said refiling Brian's tea cup and setting the pot close by him. " and I'l be as honest as I am able with out going into too much detail." he added. Moving to the door he left Brian and Kate alone and headed to the nursery opening it he peeked in seeing the others napping he walked softly into it and sat down to watch them for a moment.

Abbey wasn't asleep, though. She was laying on a little pink floor mat with a little kitty quilt Kate had made her. she was playing quietly with a tiny doll when she heard Jim come in. She didn't immediately turn over to look at him. She hadn't been deaf or blind at the happenings in the house that day. The adults hadn't seen that she had seen her grandmother and her mama covered in more blood than Abbey knew how to cope with. It had left her quiet and confused by all the feelings she had. She didn't really know what to do. She could hear her daddy's voice, her grandfather's voice. They were still alive. She didn't hear her mama or her grandma anymore. Things felt very different to her. It felt lilke her mama and her grandma were gone, and she wasn't ready for that to happen.

She finally felt uncomfortable with Jim there. She sat up, wrapped the blanket around her tightly as if to hide herself and curled up tight against the wall, still facing away from him. She didn't realize it was the fact that at the moment she wasn't feeling her mama's energies or her grandma's. To Abbey, it felt that they were gone, and she didn't know if they'd ever be back. It was more than a little girl not quite 3 could understand.

Steven watched and sighed at Abby's actions "they are going to be fine" he said softly to her " they are alive Abby , weak but they do live I promise you," he moved closer to her and sat on the floor with her " I know I'm not your daddy but I would not lie to you or any of the others , not about this" Steven hoped as Brian had said to be honest with her " I will tomorrow take you to see her as long as you don't jump up on her , okay?" he asked trying to get a look at her face he made a small pink kitten dance in front of them both hoping to at least make her smile for him so he would know she would be okay " you know I shouldn't but if you really want and will stay at my side I could take you to see Kate, but no jumping up okay she's got a bad boo boo that needs to heal" he whispered softly.