Marriage is Murder

Marcus helped Khaat change and, as much as she wanted to forego the rib binder, he knew how it would hurt without it, and insisted. He helped her into some small denim short shorts and a plain white cotton shirt that she didn't bother tucking in.

He changed as well, and she managed to talk him into jeans and a simple short sleeved shirt, foregoing the black suit. He wasn't sure how she'd managed it, but he went along with it because she'd asked him.

Then he brought her back up on deck and let her sit close to Brian. Angus had the crew bring up a tray with tall glasses of icy cold lemonade for anyone who wanted it. Marcus served Brian and Khaat both a glass of lemonade before sitting on the other side of her from Brian.

Robert went over to talk to Khaat for a moment before he gathered everyone together.

"So tell me," he said, sitting in front of her. "What's going on with you? Is this simply about what happened to Brian and you?"

"No," she said. "That's a whole separate issue. This is different. This is something else. I don't know if I can describe it. Its just something I need to do."

"Are you being drawn to it? Is this a seers thing?"

"I don't know. I just know I have to go back. I can't let it go."

He frowned. "This has all the hallmarks of something magical. I really do think we need to discuss this as a whole. It affects all of us." He turned and said to Jack, "Gather everyone up here. We need to discuss this. Angus, will you represent your crew?"

"Certainly," Angus said.

Brant stood and listened to Khaat as she spoke he glanced at Jess as she too listened and nodded as she had the same feelings but not as strong so she could push them as side. Jack heard Robert and headed down to find Steven. Returning with him they all sat around and waited for Robert to speak and explain what was going on.

Each looked at the other but all had the same thought, what or who had laid the traps and for what purpose, Jess looked at Robert " were all here I think" she said just as Jim appeared from below.

"Sorry I'm late, I got held up." He said glancing at Brant then Robert then moved to stand his arms folded over his chest "A meeting, must be serious." he said and nodded to Brian " good to see you on your feet, never could keep you down long" he turned back to Robert.

"Kate," Robert asked, "Does this affect you?"

"Magically? I can feel a certain pull to it, but I'm not feeling it like she does. I feel it pulling her, though," Kate said. "Its not pulling on me. Its directly pulling on her."

"Maybe we just go home, then," Angus said.

"No," Brian said. "Been down this road before. If she feels drawn to something, she isn't going to be able to ignore it."

"Well, its going to have to sit for a couple of days until her broken arm heals and the suture I did closes. I just can't have her diving like this," Robert said.

"'Her'," Khaat said, irritated, "is right here. Please talk to me and not about me."

"My apologies," Brian said.

Jess looked at Kate as she spoke softly. "You feel it too, like a gnawing pull in your mind." she asked taking a deep breath in. She looked up at Jim who seemed un-phased that she was there and back. She looked back at Khaat when she snipped at Robert at how he spoke about her and not to her.

"so whats the meeting about Robert?" Jack asked leaning back on the railings of the deck. He stood in a light cotton tee shirt and light trousers but no shoes as he liked bear feet when he could. Brant watched the green vine thing in the jar watching how it seem to be listening and watching every one.

"its listening" he said and pointed to the jar. "could it be intelligent?" he asked as he moved closer to it.

"Its stalking," Khaat said quietly.

"What?" Robert frowned.

"It wants a way to get out of the jar. It wants to get back to me," she said.

"And that's exactly what I'm not going to give it," Robert said firmly.

"You'll just piss it off," she said.

"Its already pissed," Brian picked up the jar as the little plant fragment seemed to be having some sort of a temper tantrum. Brian shook the jar and the plant seemed to get dizzy and disoriented. "Shut it, You," Brian said. "Is anybody else just generally creeped out by all this?"

"Not creeped out exactly," Angus said. "It does rank pretty high on my weird meter, though. Should we go back diving for whatever this is without her?"

"I don't think you'll find anything without her," Kate said. "I think you need her to do this."

"Then you need to take a bigger diving party," Angus said. "It can't be done like this with only the people to help her swim. If you're going to do an undersea exploration, then treat it as such."

Brant grinned " does that mean a deep sea exploration diving bell?" he asked " I've used them once or twice when looking for undersea ruins" he added Jack looked at him and Brant looked at him as if to say 'what?'. Jack shook his head and looked at the jar that Brian held.

"Well I would say I have seen worse but I haven't, so I can't" he said and chuckled looking at Jess and Jim. Jim walked over and looked at it.

"It looks like an enchanted form of Devil's Snare" He said and looked over at Robert " but they don't usually live under water nor are intelligent." He added now curios himself about it.

"I can't honestly say I own a diving bell," Angus said. "I have plenty of scuba gear, but that's about it."

"I have to be able to move," Khaat said. "I need to see this for myself. I need to follow this through."

"Then I'll go with you," Marcus said.

"You know I'll go," Brian said.

"You will not," she frowned. "You're not up to it."

"No, but I am," Angus said.

"Perhaps, if you're exploring traps, it might help you to take a thief along with you," Brian said, looking at Michael.

"Me? Do you know how long its been since I was diving? Put whatever we're looking for on a mountain, and we're in business," he frowned. He looked at Khaat and reconsidered. "Oh, alright. I'm in."

"I'll go," Robert said.

"I don't think so," Jeffrey scowled. "You're needed in other places, not underwater."

Brant looked at them all " I'll go with them " He offered " I dive..a little and I know ancient ruins, underwater or not been to both." He offered hoping to do something to help Khaat and show what he could do as a potioneer. " I also know some one with a mini sub we could borrow, he owes me a favor...or two." He chuckled " if you want I can send word to him?" Jack looked at Brant and he shrugged.

" I don't know what I'm more surprised at, that you know some on with a submarine or that you dive." Jack said and chuckled softly Jess shook her head and nudged him gently and he stopped. Jim rolled his eyes and looked at Robert and Khaat.

"So your really going to find out what or who is behind this aren't you" he asked looking at the both of them.

"I don't want the mini sub, thank you," Khaat said. "I can't find anything with a mini sub. I need to be out there. In it. With it. I can't tell anything from a distance."

"You can go with them," Robert told Brant. "But you all need to keep safety first. No one gets eaten, or I'm going to be really pissed off about it."

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and presume the person who gets eaten will be even pissy-er," Michael said dryly. "Look, I will keep her safe, no matter what it costs. I've sworn that to you before she was born. You know that."

"I'd feel better if I were going," Robert said.

"Great," Jeffrey said sarcastically. "The Minister of Magic, the finest healer I know...."

"I will not be locked in a box anymore!" Robert exploded. "You really don't get it, do you?" Jeffrey sat stonefaced, not moving. Kate reached out to touch Robert, and Jeffrey merely looked at her, not wanting her to interfere.

"No," Jeffrey said finally, with some very deliberate coldness in his voice, "I don't. Why don't you explain it to me?" Robert's hand shot out, leveled at Jeffrey. So used to taking care of Robert, Michael instantly reacted and clutched Robert's arm.

"No," Michael said. "Come on. Let's go. Come with me. Meeting adjourned." He got Robert to his feet and led him below deck to go get a firewhiskey.

"I really wish he'd let me work that through with him," Jeffrey sighed.

"Let me tell you one thing about Robert from personal experience," Brian said. "It never ends well if you bait him."

"He needs to work this out," Jeffrey said. "He's got his own trauma from his own curse."

"Robert has layers of trauma very few people know anything about," Brian said. "But pushing him to vent it out isn't going to help. He has his own way."

Brant nodded as Khaat said no sub but he understood and nodded to Michael. "as long as its not me" he said chuckling as he watched Robert and Jeffery then nodded to Khaat " okay no subs" he said and looked to the kitchen " except food ones" he said and headed down to the kitchen.  Jack watched him go.

" I swear hes worse than I am some times" he said and sat down next to Jess who was rubbing her temples. He moved behind her and massaged her shoulders. " better?" he asked and she nodded.

"A little thank you" she said feeling the pain from the creature ease a little in her head. Cassidy shook her head and looked at Steven who sat quietly listening.

"Well..." He stood up as he saw Robert aim at Jeffery but then slowly sat back down as Michael stopped him. " wow, now thats a first" he said and heard Brian talk to Jeffery. " I'd say he need to work it out, big time" he said looking at them both.