A Birth day

Ruby listened as Angus spoke smiling and nodding as he did. " well in a way you did , you have a family of four now, you me Caprice and Edward with Simone and you brought together the family that were against our dad and mom , so you have a large family now" she paused and looked to Angus " but I agree it was courageous, what she did and she did it to keep you safe, because she loved you." Ruby heard the rain hit the window and chuckled " somethings never change, but I like the sound of rain" she said turning back to look at him.

" I agree in the fact she would not have let any of those things happen to you, Part of myself wishes I was more bold and could be at your side but I know now I was not meant to but I was meant to be here , just like Caprice was for Edward, something to fight for and come home to" she lent over and kissed his cheek " I will always be here for you and Caprice just as I feel she is for you and Edward."

"Yeah, that's true," he nodded. "But, Ruby, you're stronger than you give yourself credit for. You've done well when you've been out on missions. Are you saying that you don't feel like missions' work suits you? Don't let the likes of Suzanne and Priscilla sour you on that. We aren't born with courage. We're trained for it in a way. We're taught what's right and what's not. We're taught about compassion and caring, and then, some of us are taught to fight for it, to take a stand to make sure that there are far more decent people than those who aren't so lovely. Caprice believed that those who believed in taking lives also had signed up for having, themselves, a very short lifespan because she believed that was the price one paid for indiscriminately killing others. Someone had to mete out that sort of justice, and while it isn't a pleasant job, neither is being a rubbish man. She thought they were, at times, the same job. Getting rid of the trash. Funny, she could look like the gentlest creature on the planet, but she could teach a sailor to swear and she was truly hard as nails. You'd have liked her. You might not have felt like you were supposed to be a fighter, but if you hung around her long enough, you'd have been one. Its just sad that you didn't get the chance."

Ruby listened to Angus again and smiled to him as he spoke she took his hand in hers and held it " yeah, guess we were not meant to meet but I agree with her perception, she was empathetic to her surroundings by the sound of it" she added and chuckled " I'll keep up my training , don't worry I'm not backing out" she said " Robert suggested to Aria about working with other people so I'm going to start helping Jack in the barn and maybe shadow some of the grounds crew and Jessie while on patrol that way I can hon my skills for if they try what they did again.." she said " if that's okay with you, as it would mean leaving Caprice with Edward and Simone while I'm gone?" she wanted his approval as not to seem a neglectful mother.

Marcus apparated to Aria and Evan to the signal he'd received.

"Look," Evan said, pointing. "There. She's right there. She's not moving. She's just standing there." Marcus could see the vague, misty shape of a woman.

"Well, I see something," Marcus said. "It's a woman, but I don't see any features. Evan, try speaking to her. Call to her."

"Gran?" Evan called gently. "Gran, it's me--Evan. Gran? What's wrong?"

The figure floated over to them, and Evan could see her looking towards the beach. He believed he was to go there.

"Okay. I'll go," he said, turning and heading for the beach. Her form went ahead of him, quickly. He ran after her.

"Not sure where we're going but he's gonna run out of land that way," Marcus told Aria, running after him. When Evan got to the beach, he saw the figure stop on the sand. Evan followed her and stopped, and there were letters appearing on the sand at her feet.

"Sever the link," the letters spelled out in the wet sand.

"What?" Evan frowned. "What link? Where?" A very thin line began forming the outline of a casket. and the letters spelled again.

"Sever the link." And then she disappeared. Evan looked at Marcus and Aria.

"I have no idea what that means," Evan said.

 
"You may be right," Angus told Ruby. "Maybe you'll see her at some point, if she appears again." He listened to Ruby telling him that Robert wanted her to partner with the different fighters. "That's a really good idea. Every fighter has a completely different style that works for them. You don't need to do what anyone else does. You can develop your own style, and do it long enough, and you will find your own style. I think it's a really good idea. Robert knows how to train fighters, so I'd take him up on that and do whatever he suggests. It's fine. There are plenty of sitters on the estate. We'll find someone. Having children doesn't mean she has to get every single moment of every day of the rest of your life. I think if there's balance, there should be room for that too."

Aria was glad Marcus appeared and said he too could see the mist but in the form of a woman, She listened as Even spoke to her and then took off down to the beach , she glanced at Marcus and took off after him stopping on the sand as she saw the words appear " could she mean there's a link between Pricilla and Angus or Sussanne and angus?" she asked and looked at Marcus " We know Pricilla is into black magic could that be it?" Aria asked " if that's the case something is maintaining a link." she paused and paced for a moment then looked again to Marcus " could it be the coffin they buried him it, it would be changed with his energy.

Ruby smiled to Angus and chuckled " That I will be doing , but doesn't hurt to learn from others and adapt it right?" she said to him. Ruby lay back on the bed and sighed watching the rain roll down the windows " wonder if Marcus and the others are back?" she asked and looked to Angus " they will be super wet if there not." she chuckled.

"I don't know," Marcus said, "but I know who will. We're seven hours ahead of New Orleans. We have to call Iya. She was there in New Orleans, every step of the way. If anything needs to be severed, she'll figure out what it is and how we need to do it. I have her number in my muggle phone, and the phone is in my bag. When we get back to the house, I'll call her."

"I can do better than that," Evan said. "I have to do business with muggles. I have a cell phone in my pocket, and I think Iya's number is in there--maybe. It might be worth trying to call her. Don't tell the ministry. They don't like it. I think they already know I have one, but they leave me alone."

"Good," Marcus said. "We'll try it."

"I think the reason he's asking you to follow them is so that you learn what works for them. If you find that, for example, that Jess does something that helps her be a really fine fighter that might work for you too, then I think you should try it. They're all bloody successful at what they do, so, he wants you to watch them, work with them and find out what their best techniques are. Once you have that, you might find you have a style that is all yours and takes the best from everyone you've partnered with. It's absolutely worth a try, and that's exactly why he's asking you to try it."

Aria listened and nodded " too right" she said but looked at Even when he said he had a muggle phone with Iya's number in it and she chuckled " well phone her?" she asked folding her arms as she waited for him to dial the number and talk to Iya.

Ruby looked at Angus and nodded " yeah that's it exactly, I guess I have learned all I can from you and Marcus for now so time I branched out." she said smiling to him " you want to stay here or head down stairs" she asked as she slipped on some slippers and a gown so she could relax downstairs. " I know you want an Irish coffee , those are so good, especially how Rosaria makes them." she stood up and took his hand waiting for him to stand so they could head down to the kitchen.

"Aria," Evan laughed, "A word about muggle phones--they're cheap boxes of crap that muggles will pay entirely too much for, and they completely disintegrate if they're wet. If we try to use it here in the rain, I will have to pay a mammoth amount of money to replace this damned thing simply because I was stupid. If we're done here, we need to go inside."

"I think we've seen all we're going to see tonight," Marcus nodded. "Let's get out of the rain, shall we?" Marcus started for the house, motioning to Aria, and Evan went along. When they got inside, they went into the drawing room, and Carlo brought three towels for them to dry off. After Evan dried off, he got his phone out and found Iya's number. He dialed the number and handed it to Marcus.

Marcus spoke only a moment to Aria, and she knew his voice immediatly. Marcus updated her, and he told her about feeling they were communicating with Angus' grandmother and that she had sent them a message to sever the link.

"The coffin still exists?" Iya sounded genuinely horrified. "Oh, God, we didn't finish the job. It's not over! Where is it?"

"Do we need to get it?"

"Yes! Yes, we need it. And Angus needs me. I need to be there, but plane fair--its expensive...and..."

"Iya, we will make arrangements. We'll come and get you," Marcus said. "And we'll get the casket. We'll make it happen. Pack a bag, and we'll call you back."

"My grandson. He needs to come too..."

"Tell him to pack his bag, then."

"Yes. Yes, we'll wait for your call. Hurry. Hurry before she does any more damage."

"I will. Trust me," Marcus said.

"You are still his protector, so I trust you," she said. She hung up. Marcus looked at Evan and Aria.

"I'm calling Robert. We need to get the casket, and we need it now. Iya says it isn't over. She says she needs to come, and she can't afford the plane fare. We'll do it our way. Wizarding laws between muggles and wizards be damned."

"I'll take the blame," Evan said. "He's my brother. I want him free."

"Its not squarely on your shoulders. You aren't thinking about what Robert can and will do for one of his own," Marcus replied. "Let me call him on the floo, and we'll see what he says. If anyone can get that damned box, he can."

Aria looked at Even and shook her head " sorry never owned one" she said and looked at Marcus " never had a call to" she added then followed them back to the house smiling a she was handed a warm dry towel to dry off with as she slipped off and hung up her coat to dry. She watched as Marcus called Iya and then the conversation. Once he was done she spoke " I can fetch them both, Just tell me where to take them, I'm assuming it will be once we get the coffin" she said then thought for a moment " what about asking Fabian for help, he was there when we found it and knows exactly where in the house it is." she said as they continued to dry off.

Aria looked at Even as he spoke and sighed shaking her head " Marcus is right, we're all family here and we share the burden, so don't put it all on yourself" she told him with a smile. " now I think we should do as Marcus said , talk to Robert then go from there, right?" she said and looked to Marcus.

"We will, but I'm going to need a moment to talk to Angus too. He's not going to like this, and I think I'll proceed gently," Marcus said. He took a moment and sighed heavily. Then he went to the fireplace, tossed a pinch of floo powder in, and called for Robert.

"Marcus?" Robert was frowning deeply. "You sound like you're completely knackered. What's wrong?"

"I hope you can pull up a chair. This is going to take a little."

"First things first. Is everyone alright?"

"Physically, I think so. Angus has seen the ghost of his grandmother Caprice today, and so has Evan. I've seen just a misty figure of a woman, but I couldn't see any distinct features. Evan followd her tonight down to the beach, and she wrote a message in the samd that said Sever the Link. "

"Sever the link? Sounds like something was left unfinished, Something important enough that it brought Caprice back to try to reach out across the veil to tell us," Robert said. "This is definitely important, then. Any idea what it refers to at all?"

"She drew a little figure of a casket in the sand and then disappeared."

"The casket. That damned casket," Robert sighed.

"I believed we should call Iya, so I did, and she said it isn't over and that we have to finish the job. She seems to know what it means. She said we need to obtain the casket."

"Then I'll get it," Robert said. "Don't worry. And so what do you think you want to do?"

"Go to the states and get Iya and her grandson."

"No. No, you stay on Angus. I'll get Lee on it. He can bring them here. How is Angus?"

"Stressed. Repressed. I think he truly is enjoying his time with Evan but tonight, I think he's tired. He headed for a shower after supper, and I presume he's in his room or Ruby would be hunting me up by now."

"Good. Maybe he'll sleep tonight. You took that package of potions along, didn't you?"

"Of course."

"Don't be afraid to use them if you need it."

"I think he's tired already feeling like we treat him as if he isn't capable anymore."

"He is more bloody capable than a lot of other fighters I've seen, even on a bad day," Robert scowled. "He's exhausted. Don't hover, you lot. Give him a little space and follow his lead. When I get the casket, I'll let you know. You do realize, I expected you would have 2 full days there, so I expect that since this is Thursday night, you lot will be there Friday and Saturday and return sometime on Sunday."

"And if this path leads us back to New Orleans?"

"We don't know that it will. If it does, though, we go where it takes us. We don't leave missions unfinished. If he has some sort of dark magical link to this damned casket, then we go where we must and finish the job to free him. That's what family does. We follow it through."

"Understood," Marcus said.

"In the meantime, you lot do your jobs, and I'll get in touch with Daniella and with Lee. I'll keep you posted. Goodnight, Marcus."

"'Night, Robert," Marcus said, closing the floo.