Marriage is Murder

Brant just rolled his eyes " lets see when its your first kiss..." he stopped and coughed as he felt his cheeks turn a bright red he moved in front of them down to the cafe as he did he cleared every one out of their path so to make it a quick decent. He saw and epty table and moved quickly to sit at it so nobody would take it. He stood back up when they aproched and stood looking around once more he was sure something didn't feel right like eyes watching them but he was unsure where they were coming from.

Soon he gave up and sat down facing Marcus and Khaat. He saw a woman at the counter this time she was not intrested in him and he breathed out, she was almost old enough to be his mother. He knew Khaat would need a warm drink and took out the menu. "They have earl grey tea" he said softly I can fetch it while you rest it might help" he sugested to her as he handed it to Marcus so he could check it out.

"What makes you think I haven't been there already?" Marcus asked. "I've been married. Twice. And I have children."

"And other women," Khaat remarked.

He flashed an amused grin at her. "Now how did you know that?"

"You're entirely too polished not to be a lady's man," she said. "And you're actually much better undressing women than dressing them." He laughed out loud, enjoying her ability to be entirely candid with him. He looked at Brant.

"Don't read into that," he told him. "I've had to assist all my clients at one point or another. Male or female. Part of the job."

"Especially when one's husband walks out," she shrugged. "It was unavoidable, I'm afraid." Brant mentioned tea. She only glanced at the menu. "Tea is fine," Khaat was just glad to sit down. She handed the menu to Marcus.

"Agreed," Marcus said, keeping a wary eye out. "Tea is good. Khaat, you want any cookies or anything? Do you need something in your stomach?"

"No," she said, tired enough that she felt nauseated.

"Don't worry," he told her. "I'll fix it when Brant brings the tea." He had remembered to bring her potion in his pocket.

Brant nodded then blushed a deeper red " you so have to give me pointers " he told him then looked from Marcus to Khaat and back " I do hope so " he said with a slight chuckle he knew Marcus by now that he could gage fairly well in what he ment " I know , no need to explain, if you hadn't I always carry some small supiles on me" he said pating a small leather pouch attatched to his belt that looked more like a coin purse. He stood up and walked over to order a pot of tea for the three of them. He glanced back and chuckled as he saw Marcus and Khaat at the table.

Soon he picked up the tray and carried it back it was a pot meant for four people as that was how they served it. Brant pored out the tea and handed Khaat hers placing it slightly in front of Marcus and sheilded so nobody could see him slip the potion in her tea. then he pored Marcus acup and one for himself.

"I should have brought just a bit of rejuvenation 'serum'," Marcus said, careful not to use the word 'potion'.

He drew the little vial of her usual potion and poured a bit in her tea. He stirred it lazily for a moment. He commented to Brant, who was asking for pointers.

"Its like anything else," he said. "What you put into it is what you get out of it--most of the time anyway. That's not the case with my current wife, but, well, she's...not most men's cup of tea, to begin with. Probably why we've been separated for years. Being a lady's man does not make me necessarily good at marriage. In fact, it probably makes me very poor at it."

"And that's why we get along," she said.

"Indeed," he agreed, laughing. "There's not even a pretense of romance in it. That would just ruin the whole thing."

Brant opened his pouch and moved things inside the soft tinkle then he took out a small bottle making it half its size he slipped it to Marcus " just one drop, its concentrated" he said softly and closed his pouch up " like I said never go any place with out a suplie he told him and sat back to drink his tea " god thats good, not as good as Roberts mind you but still good" he said smiling as he listened "so small steps and no rushing in?" he said chukaling as he sipped the warm liquid.

" hum maybe theres hope for me yet though I am not counting my chickens" he said " she's have to be one tough woman to cope with my life style choices" he added as he dropped two more spoons into of sugar into the cup and stirred it owly around in a circle.

Marcus added a drop of the rejuvenating potion to her tea. He was willing to try anything to keep her on her feet just awhile longer. He hadn't been happy with her decision to go out anyway. He said the tea in front of her while pulling his own cup closer to himself.

"That should help," he told her quietly. "Do tell me you have nowhere else you want to go. Do tell me that you'll let us finish the rest of this after we get you home."

"I..I am a little tired," she said, sipping the tea.

"The tea will help, but not overly. Its not going to do what you aren't doing for yourself. Its only a boost and you know that."

"Yes, I know," she said. "And I'm done. The art glass was the one thing I wanted to do for him. He seems to have an idea that he can display it in a way that the artist never even dreamed of. He's talked a lot about that piece. And when he found out the artist only made one of that piece, Brian got more determined to get it."

"We'll pick it up and get it home--after we get you home. Don't worry. Besides, that gives Brant a chance to figure out how to flirt."

Brant loked up and roled his eyes "Shesh Marcus." he said softly " but I will get the glass sculputre " he said and chuckled as he shook his head to Marcus and drank more of his coffee " its hard enough to understand a womans train of thought , sorry Khaat" he said looking up at her. Slipping out from the table he moved to the counter and picked up the sculpture carefully then walked back with it. " okay we realy should go this things heavy" he said placing it down on the table . He looked around but saw nothing but heaving bodies around them.

"You going to be okay with walking threw this lot, its gotten realy busy." he said trying not to knock off of the delecate sculpture off the table, seeing nobody watching he shrunk it down and slipepd it into his pocket. " I checked nobody saw me" he said softly to them both.

"Its okay," Khaat said, "Men aren't always so easy to understand either, you know."

"Depends on the man," Marcus said. "And the woman. You, for example, are just not that tough to figure out."

"Are you saying I'm shallow?"

"Not at all. You have the heart of your uncle, the powers of your mother, and the fight of your father. Its not that hard."

"That makes me sound like a nut," she said. He laughed.

"You," he said, "are tired. Finish your tea, and let's go. Eyes sharp, Brant. Let's see if we can't get out the way we came, shall we? Its getting busy in here, and I'd feel better if we were out."

Brant smiled and laughed softly as Marcus discribed Khaat " thats her all right" he said and then nodded " I agree, something about this place dosn't feel right" he said softly and moved in front of Marcus and Khaat " do you rember where we came in?" he asked looking around not even able to see the stairs any more.

" there that way" came a soft female voice and Brant turned to see the young girl who had kissed him, his cheeks turned bright red again.

" um..thanks..um" he stumbled over his words as he looked at her then to Marcus " help a guy out would you " he said and looked back at her.

"Guinivere, Guinivere Hester" she said and smiled " theres a back way down reserved for our...special guest." she said and looked sheepishly at Khaat and Marcus. Then she turned to face Brant " by the way, Im not a muggle, pure blood." she said softly as her lips just brushed beside his ear. "Red suits your freind, he should wear it more often." she said and walked them towards a door way to their left with a smirk.

"Well done, Guenivere,"Marcus said.  "I'm not going to help you out, Brant.  In fact,..." he gestured to a large ball of mistletoe hanging by red ribbon from the ceiling.  It was several steps away in the middle of the room. "Go act like you know what the hell you're doing, Brant, and create a distraction with Guenivere here.  Follow us downstairs after we're gone--if you aren't otherwise occupied."

He didn't give Brant a chance to argue. He merely cast a glance at Guenivere and then escorted Khaat a few steps away to pretend to look at some winter scarves for a moment to allow them to cause their distraction.

"Be ready," he told Khaat softly. "We're leaving."  She nodded.