Marriage is Murder

"That's not what you need to be concerned with," You'll know if it's right or not. You need to be far more concerned about whether the two of you are taking the time to get to know each other. If you do that, the rest will take care of itself. Don't make it harder than it needs to be. Societies have been doing arranged marriages for thousands of years, and they still manage to find love and have families. You don't have to like the law, but I certainly wouldn't go to Azkaban for that."

"That is presuming you can actually start to think about making friends with someone else," Edward said.

"I think I will take the girls up for their baths before this conversation degenerates any further," Angus said. "Julia? Dakota? Abbey? Lets go for your baths. We'll see if Daddy will read your story tonight. Come on."

"Cookies?" Abbey asked.

"I'll see if we can find some cookies," Angus said. "Baths first." The girls ran upstairs, always ready to get a cookie. "I don't think this is a toddler friendly subject," Angus said. "If you'll all excuse me." He followed the girls upstairs.

"By all means," Edward said to Steven. "There are some things that, as his uncle, I do not need to know."

When Brant left, Michael helped Jack clear the table. "I am not tutoring him through that," Michael said. Edward laughed.

"He needs to figure that one out for himself," Edward agreed.

Brian and Angus put Brian's kids to bed. Marcus sent down the tray he and Khaat had had. Marcus broke out Khaat's backgammon board, and sent down for some sodas with ice. Dottie hurried to take them upstairs, as Khaat and Marcus started a slow, thoughtful game.

When the kids were asleep, Brian stopped back to check on Khaat.

"You doing okay?" he asked, kissing her.

"Fine," Khaat said. "I'm winning."

"Count your men again," Marcus laughed. "You're down by one."

"Angus has asked me to go for a run. You'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine," she said.

"When I get back, you can go for the night if you want," Brian said.

"No hurry," Marcus said. "I certainly have had tougher assignments."

Brian nodded, and he and Angus headed out for a long nighttime run.

"No one asked you to stay with someone no matter what," Brian said, still out of breath from the run he took with Angus, acknowledging Brant's apology. "You certainly don't need to stay with someone who doesn't treat you well, so long as you're abiding by the law. If you want to know about sour marriages, then ask Khaat sometime. Her first did not turn out the best. And she's not the only divorced one here. No one deserves to be mistreated. Goodnight, Brant."

He headed up to his room. When he got there, he found Khaat up, out of bed. Marcus was making sure she didn't fall. She was standing at the window, looking out.

"Bored?" he asked her.

"No," she said softly. "It doesn't feel right outside. I don't know why."

"Is there someone out there? I was just outside and I didn't see anything."

"No," she said. "Not yet. But I don't like it. Something will come."

"Honey," he sighed. "Something is always trying to come. Try not to worry. We'll be on guard--I promise. In the meantime, its getting late. You should be in bed. How about I get you some tea to help you unwind?"

"Perhaps," she sighed. He sent a request to the house elves for a night time tea tray.

"Would you like me to go make a grounds check, Khaat?" Marcus asked.

"No," she said softly. "Brian's right. We'll wait, like we always do."

"Understood," Marcus said, watching one of the house elves bring the tea tray Brian had sent for.

"Do I need to even ask you if you're armed?" Brian asked, more for Khaat's benefit than his own.

"Yes, Sir," Marcus said, shifting to hold Khaat up with one hand under her good shoulder. He opened his suitcoat, displaying his wand, and a gun in a shoulder holster. He had a knife and a second wand in his belt, and he had a back up pistol and a second blade strapped to his ankle.

"Jesus," Brian scowled. "You waging a war?"

"Yes, Sir," Marcus replied seriously, "Against anyone who thinks they're going to touch your wife, Sir." Brian was quiet, not used to anyone in the wizarding world who was, regularly, armed like a one man assault force.

"You're very weird, Belby," Brian said, frowning. He poured Khaat a cup of tea and handed it to her.

"You pay me for my weirdness, Sir," Marcus said.

"Indeed. I think I've got this for now, though," Brian said.

"Respectfully," Marcus said. "I'd like to remain at my post."

"Alright," Brian said. "Fine. Take a break, though, for now, if you're going to work the night shift too."

"Thank you," Marcus said, closing his coat. Brian went over to Khaat and put own hand under her shoulder, taking Marcus's place. Marcus excused himself.

He went downstairs, loosening his tie and went to the kitchen.

"You know, you really don't need to wear a business suit to work here, Belby," Edward said, watching Marcus head to the coffee pot and pour himself a cup of French Roast.

"Yes," Marcus said, "Yes, Sir."

"Really?" Edward frowned, "And what did I tell you to call me?"

"Edward, Sir," Marcus said.

"Not sir, just Edward," Edward corrected.

"Yes, Sir," Marcus replied.

"This really is going to be a thing with you, isn't it?" Edward sighed. "Is he always like this?" he asked the others.

"Yes, Sir," Angus said to Edward, teasing his grandfather.

Edward listened to them explaining that Belby was always like this.

"Where di you learn this formality?" Edward asked Belby.

"Bulgaria, Sir," Marcus said.

"You did some sort of work for the ministry there, didn't you?"

"Yes," Marcus said, sipping on the coffee. "I was the personal bodyguard of the minister of magic until I started to work here."

"Really?" he frowned. "How did you manage that?"

"I was sent as a consultant to their minister from our ministry years ago," Marcus said. "It began a long term assignment through an alliance."

"And how did you get back to us, then?"

"Ah," Marcus said, "That was more personal. My first wife has worked for years as a governess to the Krum family. When things began to heat up at the ministry, she asked me to come and look after Elijah. The boy believes he's got it all under control. However, my dossier was sent back from the Bulgarian minister to Robert who offered me a post here. And, as it turns out, guarding Khaat is much more interesting than guarding old stuffy politicians. For now, I like it better here."

"Even if you do still dress like you were working in Bulgaria?" Edward laughed. "That explains it. Don't you own any jeans? Or a sweater?"

"A sweater? Why would I need a sweater?" Marcus frowned. Angus laughed out loud.

"I bet he has 65 suits in his closet," Angus teased. "That and work out gear."

"You lot need to take him shopping for clothes to fit in with life in a log house like this. He really doesn't need the silk suits here, you know," Edward told them all. "Get the boy some jeans and some sneakers, and maybe some casual shirts, for God's sakes."