A Birth day

Ruby had listened to them talking and nodded " that's a nasty thing to have even for a muggle" she said then chuckled again when he said they were barbarians ." they do best with what they have" she said " even if its not as good as our hopitals" she added then smiled as Angus brought the waffles and ice cream again " I'll just have some mint this time he aid .

Aria listened and laughed as Marcus said he too had had a bad trip from the wrong mushrooms then she chuckled as Angus spoke of muggle hospitals . " oh I'll have key lime please" she asked smiling as Angus handed her her ice-cream in her waffle sitting back in her chair to enjoy it. Ruby looked around and nodded at Edward saying Robert would agree with Angus about Muggles and there hospitals.

Angus served the ice cream and waffles to everyone, and they all raved about the ice cream and the waffles both. Angus was glad everyone was enjoying it.

"We'll get the kitchen," Edward said to Angus. "You did the cooking. Marcus is right. You need to try to get a little shut eye while you can."

"I know you're right. Its just weird sleeping right after supper," Angus said.

"Yes, well, you'll be up while most of everyone else is sleeping."

"And when will you sleep, Marcus?" Angus asked.

"When Robert tells me I can stand down and not before," Marcus said. "That isn't for you to worry about. I won't do your job, and you don't try to do mine. Go shower."

"Oh, fine," Angus sighed, going upstairs. Marcus looked at Aria.

"In case you were wondering, yes. I meant exactly what I said to Angus. I will sleep when Robert tells me I can stand down," Marcus said. "He hasn't forgotten."

"Marcus," Edward said, "far be it for me to interfere, but I do have some seer's abilities. I can help to watch over my grandson. We all have some interest in wanting to help, so let us help as we can. You're not a seer, so realistically, all you can do is to make sure he's still breathing. Any of us can do that. Get some damned sleep while he sleeps so you can be at full tilt when he wakes up. If you're sleeping when Priscilla is awake, then we might regret that because you have the ability to fight almost as quickly as he does. You've paired with him enough that you two are a good team..."

"I appreciate your compliments, but it's evening. Priscilla is very likely awake now. So I will be too. We can talk about my sleeping tomorrow, but not tonight," Marcus said, standing firm in his commitment to Angus and to Robert's orders.

Aria heard Marcus and knew better than to argue with him over this as she also knew he was right about Robert. " I wasn't going to say a word" she said eating the last bit of her waffle cone. " I know he is your charge and this is what you do but at least consider Edwards offer after tonight" she said.

Ruby heard Edward and Marcus talking and saw Angus head to shower and change as she gathered the bowls and plates from off the side board and table sending them to the sink or dish washer to be cleaned. " we can't have the bodyguard passing out from lack of sleep, won't be a very good body guard doing that now" she said and chuckled " but I understand, you'll sleep when he's wake right?" she asked wanting clarification..

"I will," Marcus said. He made a pot of French roast coffee, wanting strong coffee for the overnight tonight. When Ruby asked for clarification, Marcus shrugged. "Well, I don't know for sure what Robert is going to want, but I rather think that it will eventually mean that Angus will sleep during the day somehow, because that is going to be most likely when Priscilla is sleeping, and that will be safest for him, probably. I'm not entirely sure what Robert will want me to do. It would be most logical for me to sleep while he's safe, but I'm sure, though, that depends on what he and Nigel can come up with to continue to try to block her. I'm waiting for clarification and orders myself. When that happens, we'll all know."

"Well, there's another option, you know," Edward said. "Let's be logical. Kate was on it. So was Caprice. If we can make use of the seers we have here, we could have an important tool. After all we have Kate, Khaat, Jess, Anise, Minos and me. And I'm not ignoring that Caprice and Abbey have also already been helpful. That, potentially, is a lot of power that might be able to get some sort of information about her that we could use to handle this a lot better than we are right now. It may turn out that we find a key that will let the seers help to either block Priscilla or look out for her. There is a lot of potential here that I dont' think we've begun to unlock."

Ruby listened to Marcus and nodded knowing it was a waiting game again but when Edward spoke she also knew it would not harm to use what they had and had worked once already . " I'll leave all that to you guys to sort out for now though if you fall asleep on us just know we'll leave you sleeping" she said with a chuckle " where ever it is you fall asleep" she finished clearing the plates as Aria took Caprice and Dimond and gave them their night time bath ready for when supper was ready and they could just settle down for sleep.

Aria washed and changed both babies and brought them down clean and comfortable , placing them into the pen she played with them for a moment before sitting back and doing her word search she was of the opinion Marcus knew what was best and from what he had told her been awake for days on end before this and so she was not so much worried for him as for Angus if Pricilla attacked again. Hearing Edward she relaxed a little knowing they would be on guard for him too.

"So long as you're not letting me sleep when I'm supposed to be on duty, we'll all be good," Marcus teased.

Angus did sleep after his shower, and he slept soundly until half past midnight. At 12:30, he woke with a bit of a jolt. He wasn't sure why he had awakened, but he hadn't felt it was safe to sleep any longer. He did feel better, though, after a few uninterrupted hours of sleep. He just left his pajama trousers and his tee shirt on, and he came downstairs.

"I didn't expect you up quite yet," Marcus said. "I was going to give you another hour."

"Wouldn't have been safe," Angus said. "Not sure how I know, but I know it would not have been safe. She's up. I can feel it. She's awake, and she's doing her best to hunt me."

"Well, she can hunt all she likes as long as she doesn't find you," Marcus said.

"I think the best approach is to just go get the bitch," Angus yawned, sitting not far from Marcus. That made Marcus laugh.

"I agree with you. Unfortunately, our fearless leader says it isn't time to do that yet, not til you're duty ready."

"If it puts an end to her, I'm ready," Angus said.

"Again--I tend to agree with you, but we have to wait on Robert," Marcus said.

"Party pooper," Angus said. He heard a strange noise, and it put him on alert.

"Stand down, Mate," Marcus smiled. "That's just your dog. I let him out a little bit ago, and he's scratching and whining to get back in." Marcus got up and let the dog in and made sure there was water in the bowl and kibbles in the other. Finn got a snack and headed upstairs to check on the nursery. Marcus got Angus and himself a mug of coffee, and Angus broke out the chessboard. It was going to be a long night.

Ruby and Aria made sure all was clean after Angus went upstairs soon it was time they went for a sleep both woman putting the babies who were now fast asleep into their cribs while Marcus let Finn out to do what ever it was he did at that time of night. Now ityh the girls in their cots Ruby bid good night to Marcus and headed to their room slipping in she slipped in next to Angus and fella sleep. Aria stayed up for a bit with Marcus that was until she saw Angus walk down,

" I'll leave you two be and grab some sleep" she said heading up past Angus as she entered their room and lay down on the bed falling asleep after a few minuets. Next time she woke it was morning and she showered dressed and headed down to the living room. She saw Marcus and smiled " how was last night she try any thing?" she asked making a fresh pot of tea and coffee once brewed she pored a cup for herself and Ruby as she too walked down taking the cup she was offered .

"Morning " she said and looked to Angus " I'm guessing she didn't do anything last night" she asked knowing for sure she didn't feel him jolt awake quickly. She sat down on the couch and then sighed hearing the babies awake. Aria fetched them and placed them into the play pen.

"No, not last night," Angus said. "I really think Kate did some damage. I didn't get the feeling she had the energy to do anything. She's waiting. I don't know how I know, but she's waiting for something."

"Kate's right, you know," Marcus said. "You have some sort of a link with her. I think we're going to have to get you back into duty shape as soon as we can because I think we really have to go get whatever item of yours she has that binds you to her, and the sooner the better. Now, before you get a lot of ideas, I can tell you right now how Robert will run that. He will have a crew for distraction and backup, and he'll send Michael in to get whatever he has to get. That's his specialty. As much as you think it's your fight, Michael's the pro, and he'll be able to do it with the least amount of risk."

"Yeah, I know. I've thought about that. Look. I love Michael. You know I do, but Michael is in his sixties. I don't know that I want him to have to face a sorceress like her."

"You're talking like a muggle. Sixties is nothing for a wizard. You also have your damned Gryffindor hat on, and Michael and Robert will both call you on it. They're not going to let you throw yourself to her in order to spare Michael," Marcus told him. Angus sighed, frustrated, and he got up to go make breakfast. He only had his mind half on it. He made some soda bread to have some fresh bread to make toast. And while the fresh bread was making, he made eggs, bacon and potatoes, and he took some fresh berries and made a quick, fresh jam for the toast.

"Did you somehow make fresh bread?" Marcus said.

"Soda bread. No yeast rise to do. It'll still make some really great toast," Angus said. Marcus got up and came out and made fresh coffee that wasn't French roast, figuring the others would rather have a medium roast in the morning.

Ruby listened to Angus and Marcus agreeing with Marcus about leaving it to Michael to retrieve what ever it was she had that bound them together " I'm glad she left you alone, at last you got some sleep" she said watching him make soda bread " want me to help with breakfast, cook some maple bacon?" she asked smiling at him.

Aria sat with the girls and heard Marcus with Angus knowing if he could the two of them would go by themselves and get what ever it was . Now as she sat she heard the girls and victor and Sam wake and head up for breakfast " morning guys" she said seeing the girls first as Finn ran in and over to his bowl. " Angus is doing fresh soda bread for breakfast as toast." she told them.

"Sure. That's fine," Angus told Ruby. "Thanks." He was about to start cracking eggs to make a big skillet of scrambled eggs when Minos flew over to him and motioned him to follow him. "What's up?" Angus asked. Minos motioned again for Angus to follow. Angus went with Minos, and Minos flew over to the terrarium to show him the very first of the new Fae to emerge from its cocoon. It emerged just like a butterfly, emerging headfirst out of the bottom of the cocoon, unfurling its new wings for the very first time and pausing to let the wings dry. This was a little female, and she looked to Angus like she was perhaps the equivalent of a human child that would be perhaps eight or nine years old. Still there was something about her that strongly gave Angus the impression that even at her birth in a new body form, she already knew far more about the world and about magic than Angus would ever know. She had what Angus thought was beautiful, long chestnut colored hair. A couple of Fae women fluttered over to her and robed her in a shimmering lavender dress. Angus hadn't even noticed she had been naked until she wasn't anymore. When her wings were dry, they righted her from her headfirst position, and she broke free.

"She's beautiful, Minos," Angus told him. "She seems so wise already." Minos nodded, and he used some charade to try to explain a very complicated process to Angus, and then it registered with Angus. "I think I get it. The metamorphosis isn't just changing from larvae to a winged Fae, its the taking of the mundane physical form and literally giving birth to magic itself. Minos applauded Angus and nodded, impressed that Angus understood it. "You know, I feel so honored to have seen this. And I think I'm going to want to see every one of them hatch. Thank you." And then he thought something else. He hadn't actually planned for fruit, but he definitely needed to.

"Ru, we absolutely have to have some fruit. Our friends are vegetarians, and I don't have any made. Can you work on some while I work on eggs and potatoes, please?" he asked her.