A Birth day

Aria and Ruby listened as Angus asked how they would stop the mice running away at night as she watched the mice eat. She watched in curiosity as Minos told him and he got two shoes laces and tied them to the yokes they had. Aria heard mention of poring the coffee and walked to the kitchen returning with the pot and pored several cups for those who wanted it but she paused seeing Marcus put his cookie in a bowl, put a scoop of the dark chocolate gelato on top, and poured the hot coffee over it to make an affogato. Looking at it she smiled " looks delicious." she said and made hers the same way " anyone else?" she asked Ruby held out her bowl and Anise made her one too.

"that's actually a good idea" Ruby said marvelling at the flavours she had in her mouth as she ate her affogato slowly. She heard Ginger talk about school and looked to Angus " oh trust me when he teaches you , you'll catch on quick" she said smiling " he's my sexy swashbuckler" she added and chuckled " but trust him he's good and you'll be ready for any duelling exams" she said simply handing her her own affogato and then Gingers.

"Him? Sexy?" Anise and Ginger looked at Angus doubtfully. To them, he was their dad. they didn't see anything sexy about him. They both shook their heads, disagreeing with Ruby on that score, and they went back to their desserts. Angus laughed.

"I agree with them," Angus said to Ruby, teasing.

"I'll give you a hand with the dueling practice tomorrow," Marcus said.

"Angus," a voice called him through the floo, "are you there, by chance?" It was Robert.

"I am. How can I help you?" Angus said.

"Abbey hasn't been doing well today. She's really achy and miserable," he said. "I've been providing pain control for her, and I've had to hit it heavier than normal. Then, of course, it makes her groggy and she sleeps. And it is all making her edgy and weepy and cranky, out of sorts in every respect. Rosaria's food is top notch, that's for sure, but Abbey has no appetite at all. I need her to eat and to get some fluids. Do you have any ideas at all?"

"I do," Angus said. "Do you need me to fix her something for supper?"

"No, we gave up, and she's sleeping again for the moment. Could you come up with something for breakfast she might eat?"

"I think I might know just the thing," Angus said. "I'll bring it over for her in the morning."

"Bless you! I appreciate it. How are your fairies doing?"

"They've had their supper and some dessert. Jack found us a young fae girl--sister of the fairy woman we found. As well as a couple trained dormice," Angus said. "And they'd like to put some fae houses in our garden behind the duplex, so we're going to enlarge it a bit to accommodate them."

"Splendid!" Robert said.

"Is the ministry going to care that they're here?"

"No. Kate's certification as a magical creature caretaker covers all of that, so you're fine," Robert said. "I'll try to get over and meet them sometime tomorrow, if that's alright."

"Of course it is," Angus said. "Jack did find some traces of poison, but we'll need it analyzed to know what it is, specifically. I was going to ask Edward to take a look at it."

"That's fine with me. Let me know what he finds."

"I will. One last thing--Beauxbatons has asked Ruby and me, with a plus two, to chaparone their spring ball in a few days. Do you have any objections to that?"

"None whatsoever, but that's most unusual for them to ask for not only someone outside of the school but also asking British citizens that they surely know are connected to me. That is very interesting indeed. I'll ask Michael if Daniella knows anything that we need to be concerned about, and then I'll let you know. Go ahead and accept it for now, and let's see what Daniella knows."

"Good thought. Thank you," Angus said.

"I'll see you in the morning then," Robert said.

"I'll be there," Angus said, and the floo closed.

Ruby heard the girls and laughed at what they said "well, to some of us he is" she said grinning but then heard Angus she laughed again, but she quickly went quiet as she heard Roberts voice through the floo talking to Angus. After he told him about the fae they had as guests she heard him mention the invite that he felt was a bit off, Now hearing Robert say they would look into it she was relived. " good to know Michael if Daniella are looking into it" she said.

Aria chuckled at the banter between the girls and Angus with Ruby who brushed it off laughing along with them. She looked over at Marcus then down to the fae gathering " how they doing, I'm guessing some are passed out by now?" she said as she walked over to where he was " I'd like to watch the training tomorrow if that's okay?" she asked " maybe I can pick up a few tips too."

"I don't have any objections if you watch tomorrow," Angus said to Aria. He looked over at the fairies. "Nobody's passed out," Angus said. "Some are looking tired now, though. I'm guessing they're going to want to turn in early tonight. It's been a real ordeal for them, and I think they're probably all emotionally spent." He watched as Minos came over and picked up the pencil led and started to draw. He drew some symbols and then showed them to Angus. He drew a spinning wheel, and pointed to a fae woman.

"Oh, she spins and weaves, does she?" Angus asked. Minos nodded, excited that Angus understood so quickly. He drew other images and introduced him to a fairy man who worked as a blacksmith and made regular and enchanted metal things, including some jewelry. There was another who was a farmer, a woman who cooked, a woman who made alcoholic beverages of various kinds, a woman who was a gatherer who also worked at preserving foods for them, and a master craftsman who built furniture and things of all sorts, and a glassmaker. Ili's sister also was a gatherer. "Those will all be helpful to get your kingdom up and running again, and we'll help as we can, of course." Angus showed Minos his sketch of the garden, and Minos was excited. He believed it would work very well for them, and he said he and his people would help to make some enchanted garden lights for the garden space, and that excited Angus.

Angus introduced the fairies to the kids and to Edward and Simone. Minos was excited and pleased that his people had found such fierce fighters and kind humans to help them. Angus was feeling that these people wanted to be independent again as soon as possible, and Edward and Simone said they would be happy to work with Jack to get the garden re-designed so the fae could start to work on their new homes.

Aria smiled to Marcus and nodded " I'll be there , what time?" she asked knowing he was up early as she was but she had a feeling the girls would not be up so early. She walked over and saw they were all talking or is seemed to her talking amongst each other some she saw had gone over to the beds and settled in for the night. Seeing the drawings Minos made she smiled " I know a woman who makes miniature spinning wheels and such, she's really good, there almost like full sized ones working and everything, I'll contact her to see if she has any of them and looms too" she said to him before Marcus read out the other things.

Ruby walked over and looked over Angus shoulder and smiled " we have some very small barrels in the barn I'm sure we use them for small animals to feed or drink from but I'm sure Jack could modify them or give your black smith the items to make more" she said and nodded as Angus said he had everything he needed to restart his kingdom.

"Oh, I don't know. After breakfast," Angus said. "I'm sure we'll be up in good time." When Aria mentioned the spinning wheels, Angus nodded. "That would be great. I asked the toy store to send me a big catalog of dollhouse miniatures in order to give them something to look at. I'm sure they'd rather have their own handmade things because they'll be much more accurate made by tiny hands rather than our big fingers trying to make things for them. But, if I find some things they can use, maybe I can shrink things small enough for them to be useful too."

"Those barrels could be very useful, Ruby. Maybe they can start modifying the stumps to start to make some houses," Marcus said. "If we loan them some tools and shrink them, they can get to work on the stumps while we start modifying the garden. I bet you can find some toy carts that the dormice could pull to help them move materials. I can go check some of the toy shops or antique shops to see what I can find." Marucs looked and saw that Minos was writing again.

"Silkworms?" Minos wrote.

"Oh. To make fabric?" Angus asked. Minos nodded. "I'll check it out. I can get some silk thread if you like or silk fabric perhaps." Minos shook his head. it needed to be fae woven. "Okay. I'll see what I can do." Minos nodded.

"I'm going to need to start several lists," Angus laughed. "And we're going to be doing a lot of shopping, shrinking, and crafting. That's for sure."

Aria smiled and nodded to Marcus " all right I'll be ready she told him then looked at Angus and nodded " I'll send her a message she'll send over what she can, she loves the Fae and helps ones by where she lives in the highlands." she explained as she saw Minos write a note for Angus and she saw silkworms . " I think , didn't Kate have some in the barn I'm sure she mentioned some awhile back." she said wondering to herself as she wrote the note for her friend. Sending it she got a reply that told her she would send what she had and that she would send it first thing in the morning since it was night for her and to tell her fae friends that it was all with out charge she had at the bottom drawn a symbol of a sideways crescent moon with a full moon inside it which Aria recognised as a symbol for wish fulfilled. Aria showed Angus the note so he could show them the symbol at the bottom.

Ruby watched and then cleaned up the table with Gingers help placing everything into the washer and setting it going as she made a fresh pot of coffee for every one. " now that was a very filling supper" she said smiling as she saw the note fly to Aria. " I know there's more than enough gardening equipment in the shed as Jack always complaining about space , this would make his day." she said

"Then I think we've done all we can for one night. I think we'll take their sleeping tray upstairs so I can keep an eye on them overnight. I think they're all well enough now that I don't need to stay up to watch them. And I know I sleep light enough that if they need anything, I'll hear them. I think, while they enjoy their evening, I'll go up and shower." Angus went up and showered and made space for the sleeping tray on the dresser. Marcus let Finn out to do his business, and Marcus headed up and showered too.

Angus let Finn back in when he came downstairs, and he fed him.

"I'll cook breakfast in the morning, Ru," Angus said. "I have to cook for Abbey anyway. I'll cook and set it out for you all here and make sure the Fae have breakfast, and then I'll take Abbey's breakfast to her and see if I can get her to eat while I'm there. Then I'll be back to help the girls with their dueling. It's supposed to be sunny and a bit warmer tomorrow, so I think, if you're going to help in the garden tomorrow, you can take the babies along but they might need sweatshirts to ward off the chill. And I know the Fae want to be part of that. I'll make some copies of my garden sketch, one for Edward and Simone, one for Minos, one for you...am I forgetting anyone? I think Minos has decided the first four Fae houses, aside from the castle, need to be positioned right at North, South, East and West, as they sit on a compass. I think he's thinking they will act as anchors for other houses that will be added. And I think he's thinking that the castle and four houses will be enough to house the ten Fae and Minos and Ili and her sister, at least for starters. We should have about five or six weeks before the eggs will actually go through the larvae and cocoon stage. And by then, by about the first of May, we should have another 50 Fae to house I'll get with Minos and see how many houses he thinks he'll need for those, so they can be working ahead."

Ruby listened and nodded "all right and I don't mind them being there ether, have you decide what your making for her breakfast?" she said and smiled as she saw Angus head up to their room to shower and make room for the fae. She finished cleaning up the dinning room and kitchen. Aria stood up as Marcus let Finn out she headed to her room and checked every window on the way past before returning to her room passing the nursery she checked on the babies and found them still sleeping peacefully.

Ruby once done waited for Angus to return so she could follow behind carrying the dormice in their box so to keep both close to each other. She saw them curled together and sleeping with tiny squeaks every so often as they slept.

"Maybe," he said. "I know of several things she likes. I just have to settle on one, that's all," he said. "And it needs to be different from what Rosaria would cook for her."

The kids all showered and headed to their rooms to get ready for the morning, and that quieted the house down rather quickly. Angus made sure the Fae had tea, hot water for washing up before bed, and anything else they needed. Then, when he saw they were tiring, Angus took the tray upstairs and put it on the dresser and turned down the lights, making sure the windows were locked in the bedroom. The Fae started becoming excited about something, and Angus wasn't sure what it was until he noticed where they were looking. They were all staring up at the stained glass ceiling and admiring the starlight and the moonlight coming through the ceiling glass.

"One of the humans that you haven't met yet does some lovely glasswork, and I had her make that for the ceiling when I built the house," Angus told Minos. "Do you like it?" Minos nodded, and he gestured towards the other Fae. He understood they all liked it. "I'm glad you like it. It's pretty special to Ruby and me too. I like laying on the bed and looking up at the stars. I used to do it all the time when I was a boy." Minos nodded and pointed to himself. "You like looking at the stars too?" Minos nodded. He made a sleep gesture and pointed to Angus.

"I will sleep tonight, but if you need anything, you're welcome to wake us," Angus told him. Minos nodded. He looked at Ruby. "I think they're good for the night. Just be aware that apparently dormice are nocturnal. You might want to let the girls have them since they're heavier sleepers and wont be bothered by squeaking mice. Just a suggestion."