Marriage is Murder

After dinner that evening, which Khaat skipped, Kate had started to write an owl to Edward when a gentle rain stopped the activities on deck.

"Damn," she said, watching her ink turn to little streams of black down her parchment. She crumpled the wet paper and sent the quill and ink back down to her cabin. She accio'd her cloak instead. She began looking through her keys to see if she had a portkey to Edward's. She had decided to go herself to see him. It seemed quicker. Unable to find hers, she looked at Jim.

"Do you have a portkey to Edwards I can borrow? Or if you don't trust me with it, I suppose you can go along, but any owls I write will smear in the rain tonight anyway. I'm just as far ahead to do it myself."

Jim chuckled and looked at Kate " I do trust you but not the weather so I'll go with you" he told her and stood up placing down his now wet paper he took out a small gold key. He walked over to her and offered his hand " unless you prefer the old fashioned way, though I think Robert would object" he said knowing wrapping his arm around her waist and holding her tight might result in the loss of his life or worse lift time in a jar.

He ported them to just outside the compound and let go of her. Retching into his pocket he drew out an umbrella and opened it above her. He could see lights on inside and knew some one was up and awake " how much do you want to bet thats Edward still up" he said and chuckled as they walked to the door. Reaching out he pulled the bell pull

One of Edward's grandsons answered the door, yawning.

"Sorry," he said. "I was just sitting inside by the fire and starting to get a bit too comfortable. What brings you here in the rain? Are things okay on ship?"

"Is Edward still up?" Kate asked.

"Of course. He just finished tucking the kids into bed. It seems they are rather hooked on hearing Robert read them, so Edward is pitch hitting. You're welcome to come in and wait." He led them into the main house's great hall. "Make yourselves at home. Can I get you anything?"

"No thank you," she said, removing her wet cloak. The grandson left them to go find Edward. Kate looked around. "This house is always so elegant and beautiful," she said to Jim. "I know it has to be incredibly expensive, but it fits so well with Italian simplicity that it has an elegance all its own. I could be happy in a place like this. I think that's what I like about that big rambling log place that Brian has."

Jim chuckled at hearing the young boys excuse as he followed them inside he glanced around and smiled again " yes its Italian simplicity at its best" he said taking her cloak and hanging it on a peg he found along with his own water proof coat and the umbrella. " Margaret prefers the warmth of where she is" he said chuckling "Call her old fashioned I guess but I like it too."

He placed his hands in his pockets as he waited for Robert he saw several small faces looking down from a balcony and nudged Kate " we got observers" he said and chuckle noticing Abby was among them "Hello Abby," he said smiling up at her. " you should be sleeping." He added watching Kate move. He remain where he was his eyes watching the room even though he Edwards compound had never been penetrated, his mind never rested and always thought that one time it might.

Abbey dashed over to Kate, reaching for her. Kate picked her up and hugged her and kissed her.

"You're supposed to be in bed," Kate said, smiling.

"I wanna go home, Gam," she said, cuddling.

"I know, Sweetie," Kate said. "And we want you home too. We'll bring you home as soon as we get our work done."

"I drawed you picture, Gam," she said. "Wanna see?"

"Okay," Kate said. Abbey went back upstairs and came back with a few pieces of paper, handing them to Kate. Kate looked at them, slightly surprised at what she was seeing--pages of pictures of green snakes. "Abbey, where did you get your idea for the green snakes, Sweetheart?"

"Up here," she pointed to her own head. "They're wind-y. They go everywhere."

"I see that. They're all squiggly, aren't they?" Kate asked. Abbey nodded.

Edward came downstairs. He saw Abbey with Kate and laughed. "I thought I was one short when I did my head count. There she is."

"She's fine," Kate said. "She drew me pictures."

"I know. She's quite the little artist, isn't she?" Edward said.

"Are you up to coming with us for awhile, Edward?"

"Certainly. Something wrong?"

"I don't entirely know yet," Kate said.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll be with you. Come on, Abbey. Give Gam a hug, and let's get you back to bed." Abbey obeyed, and Edward took her and went back upstairs.

Jim watched and smiled as Abby went to Kate and how Kate picked her up. He heard her say she had drawn pictures immediately he looked to Kate seeing the green tentacle creature in it.

" looks familiar" He said softly, hearing Edward he stepped back to give them space to talk. He gave Abby a wave night as Edward  left the room  with her.

"That looks like the creature that attacked Khaat by the cage" he said softly as he moved to take one of the drawings from Kate "Have to say she gets her talent from your side " He said and chuckled as he handed her the picture back.

ooc: you changed characters on me. jim went with her. where did steven come from?

"That's precisely what it is," Kate said. She folded up the pictures and put them in her cloak pocket. "I want to show these to Robert and probably Khaat--though Brian won't be happy with that. Robert has started to think that what Abbey sees most of the time is perhaps what her mother sees. I don't know whether I think that's accurate or not."

Edward came back a few moments later wearing a leather duster and with his bag on his shoulder. "Alright, Kate," he said quietly. "I've braced the family. They'll take care of the kids. I don't mind telling you that I just don't have a good feeling about this."

"Nor does anyone else," Kate said. "But she just doesn't seem to have the ability to let go of this."

"That, in itself, is not good. Let's go. If this has a dark side to it, then we cannot let it entangle her. Let's not waste time."

"Agreed." She looked at Jim. "You ready?"

Jim looked at Kate and nodded he agreed with her words.

"Yes I know how he feels some one that young should not see what her mother goes through" he said softly.

Watching her fold the picture she slipped it into her pocket. He heard Edward return all ready and he took out the port key.

"Ready?" He asked and took hold of both of them porting them both directly to the ship. He let go of them and stepped back placing the key in his pocket again. Jim slipped off hi coat and moved to the seat, picking up his book he went back to reading hearing how quiet it now was.

Angus saw his grandfather arrive on the ship. He stepped out on deck.

"What brings you?" he asked.

"Whatever the hell you're tracking brings me," Edward said. "Got quarters for me, Son?"

"Indeed. You can have your own or you can bunk with me. Either one."

"You're the captain. You've earned the quarters. I'll take my own. Is it close to Khaat's?"

"Next door, in fact."

"Splendid. I'll find it myself, then." He made his way below deck, found the quarters that Jeffrey had vacated, dropped his bag there, and then wandered easily to Khaat's room where she seemed to be working with her mother's divination equipment.

He went in and picked up the jar and studied the plant.

"Well, if this isn't an evil thing," Edward remarked quietly.

"You think?" she asked, preoccupied.

"Oh, I don't just think. I know. This thing, at full size, could be quite deadly for any seer, I think. It reeks of evil. Can't you feel it?"

"Um...no," she said a bit flatly. "It seems childlike to me."

Edward frowned. "You wont' mind if I don't leave this with you, will you?"

"I'd like to keep it," she said, looking at him.

"Precisely why you cannot,' he said.

Brant stood up and left his room hearing Edwards voice on board he frowned wondering why he was there. Seeing the open door he stood and listened to what Edward said and hos Khaat responded. He stepped closer but said nothing he too knew it was bad idea.

"Hes right, if its geared to destroy a seer it will go after not just you, but Kate and Jess as well" he told her. "You want to risk your mothers life as well by keeping it here?" he looked to Edward hoping his words might re-enforce Edwards and make her let Edward take it off the ship.

"How would you destroy it?" he asked looking to him wondering.