A Birth day

Ruby started on the maple bacon as she saw Minos fly over and motion for Angus to go with him. as she finished the last of the bacon she looked up and heard Angus " sure , I can make a fruit salad with what's left in the pantry" she said as she gathered strawberies, razzberry and all the other fruits including a mango she found.

Cutting them all up into cubes she placed half in one bowl and another in a separate bowl that she shrank down to Fae size. Walking over she smiled placing the bowl on the table for those to help themselves " how's that?" she asked Angus " oh new comer, she's pretty" she said smiling as she watched her it was now she saw a male being lead out the terrarium and she smiled " they were the larvae " she realised.

"She is," Angus said, talking about the new hatchling. "I don't know where the male came from. Minos told me the female is the first one of this batch, and I watched her hatch. So I have no idea where the male belongs. Anyway, back to breakfast. Minos, Ruby has your fruit ready. I'll have hot toast from the bread I'm baking in just a couple minutes." Minos motioned to Angus that he wasn't in any hurry.

Angus went back to the kitchen and got the loaves of fresh bread from the oven to cool before he could slice it. He started frying potatoes and onions in one large skillet, and he made a batch of scrambled eggs and started them in another large skillet. He generally sauteed the eggs on a lower heat for a longer time so they didn't stick and burn, and that gave him time to slice the bread and stick as many slices as he could get on some sheet pans and put them in the oven. He had left over jam from the jam he made yesterday, and he set out some fresh clotted cream in case someone wanted some on their toast. While that was cooking he set plates and silverware and bowls on the sideboard and made an herbal tea for anyone who wanted tea. He knew sometimes the Fae liked tea, and they were now also starting to like coffee. So he wanted them to have either to choose from.

"Your fruit looks good, Ruby. How's your bacon coming along? I'm going to have the rest of it in about five minutes," Angus said.

When it was ready, Angus put the eggs and potatoes in large serving bowls and set the bowls on the sideboard and put bowls on the cheeseboard. Then he put slices of toast on platters for the cheeseboard and another large platter of toast for the sideboard. Lastly, he poured a pitcher of coffee and one of tea for the cheeseboard.

"I think that's it, for anyone who's hungry," Angus said.

"I do not need to be called twice," Marcus grinned, heading for the sideboard.

Ruby chuckled and nodded " maybe he snuck in " she said and nodded to him when he spoke about the fruit salad " well they like it and there's some for us too" she said then heard him ask about the bacon " oh almost done" she said heading to the oven, opening it she lifted it out to find them nice and crip. Taking it off the tray she had them on she placed it on a clean plate and carried it to the table as she saw Angus continue with his part of breakfast.

Now done she saw Aria take Caprice and Dimond to the table and place some fruit in a bowl for Dimond and Caprice both ate happily at the fruit. " it all smells good Angus" she said walking over to the side board and grabbing a plate for herself then returning back to the table. Ruby chuckled and nodded.

"its always good with Angus" she said poring some coffee for herself and took a plate. Now with food on she sat down to eat chuckling at Marcus words about not being told twice " well get some before the boys arrive" she said smiling.

"They'd better all hurry, or they'll be late," Marcus said, looking at the clock.

"They certainly will be," Angus frowned.

"I'll get the girls if one of you rousts out Victor," Angus said. He went downstairs to see the girls had left their room door partly open, not expecting anyone to come down. And as he went downstairs, he heard Ginger talking to Anise.

"What are you gonna do? If Dad sees it, he's gonna go nuts," she was saying. Approaching the doorway, Angus saw Anise was in her jeans and her bra, and had yet to put her shirt on. Even from where he was, he saw some clear, fresh bruises on her shoulders and on her back.

"I wrote down Marcus's glamour spell," Anise was flipping through a notebook. "I'm gonna try it..." Angus walked in, uninvited.

"The glamour spell won't hide bruises. I'll tell you what. Don't ask me to do this twice, but I'll help you hide it for now," Angus said, knowing exactly how she felt. "And I won't hide it for you forever. Where's that new purple and black plaid shirt you just bought?"

"Still in the bag. Haven't had a chance to cut the tags off," she said.

"That'll cover it for now," Angus said. "Wear that. And, here." he handed her a single vial of pain potion from his pocket. "Take half now. It won't affect you if you only take half. You can take the rest with you in case you need it after lunch. Now, how did it happen? Or do I need to ask? She couldn't get to me, so she came for you, didn't she?" Anise tried to ignore him by getting the shirt out of the bag and cut off the price tags. "Anise," he prompted.

"I didn't want to tell you because I know what you'll do," she looked at him, frightened for him.

"My dear," he told her quietly, "I know you're concerned about that, but, frankly, it's one thing if she comes for me, but it is quite another if she even thinks about touching you. I have to respond now. I don't have a choice. I'll be fine...."

"You have to take Marcus with you and..."

"Stop. Take a breath, and calm yourself. It's alright," he said, still very calm. He drew both girls close and gave them a kiss on the forehead. "I'll make that dark chocolate cake you showed me the recipe for, alright? We can have it for supper tonight. Oh, and go check out the terrarium. The new Fae are hatching. That's something I'm sure very few of your schoolmates have ever seen. Now, go tuck into some breakfast before you go." They nodded, and they picked up their bags and went upstairs.

They put the bags near the door, checked out the terrarium, and then they fixed their plates. Angus followed them back upstairs and went out long enough to get the papers, and then he whistled for Finn to let him out. While Finn was out, he filled Finn's bowls and then fixed his own plate. He had no plan yet, except for breakfast. He was hungry.

Ruby saw Angus head down to fetch the girls but she also saw the look he had when he returned Aria saw it too and looked to Marcus as Angus let Finn out and fixed his plate then sit with them. Ruby ate quietly waiting for him to say why he looked like some one hand annoyed him badly. " So what you going to do at school" Ruby asked trying to break the silence in the room.

Aria looked at both girls and then her eyes fell to Ginger she looked to Marcus her face one of concern. She leaned close to Marcus and whispered to him " something feels off" she said softly " he was all light before he went down to the girls." she looked at Marcus knowing if any one was to get what happened it was him. It was now Caprice burped and giggled s she placed a piece of strawberry in her mouth.

"Flying quiz," Ginger said. "And we're not gonna pass it. We both need work on our brooms, and the flying professor grounded me from flying yesterday."

"Why?" Marcus asked. He didn't directly respond to Aria. He was going to listen and observe instead for now.

"Some dumbass was showing off yesterday when we went to the school for flying class, and he knocked me off my broom. I was fine, but the handle on mine is cracked now all the way down, and she says she doesn't think it can be fixed."

"I told you I've got things in hand. You can take my extra broom for today," Angus said. "I'll make sure you get a new broom, alright?" Ginger nodded, stressed.

"Did the professor do something about the showoff?" Marcus asked.

"Yeah. He has to clean and oil every broomstick the school has," Anise said, with a cheeky grin, "and he has detention every night until he gets the job done. He deserved what he got."

Ruby heard Ginger and chuckled at the show off having detention until all the brooms were cleaned and oiled " well that's a job that never ends, I'm glad he got what he deserved." she said then looked at Angus " I'm sure the professor will let you , oh and Jess is coming this weekend to help with your flying problem" she said smiling.

aria looked to Ginger and smiled " you'll get it" she said softly as she ate keeping one eye on the babies as they ate their food. Now finished she wiped Dimond's mouth clean of the juice that had been smeared all over it. " how can some one so small make such a big mess?" she asked chuckling as she wiped Caprice clean too.

"There might be hope after all, then, " Anise said. "I've seen even first years who get it right from the start, and here I am, at my age, still struggling."

"There is sort of a knack to it," Marcus said, "but once you get it, you won't have any problem."

"That's what Evan said too," Anise replied.

"Evan would know," Angus said. "My mum couldn't fly a broom if her life depended on it, so Evan didn't believe he could fly. He struggled for his first lesson or two, but once he had it, he had it. So if anyone in this family would know, it would certainly be Evan."

The discussion was interrupted by Victor and Sam sliding down the upstairs banister and coming to the table.

"I've been wanting to do that since we got here," Sam grinned.

"Broken ribs and all?" Angus asked.

"They're a little better, I think. They don't hurt anymore."

"Are you taking the pain potion like Robert prescribed it?"

"Yeah, I pretty much have to because Robert said he'd know whether I had it or not," Sam said., as he and Victor fixed their plates.

"And that's why your ribs don't hurt," Marcus said. "The pain potion. Sliding down banisters was likely not on your list of approved activities.

Ruby turned to look as Victor and Sam came down the stairs via the banister and she chuckled but shook her head as Marcus spoke to them " he's right " she said as she watched them fix plates and head to the table " I know if you stopped taking it you'd feel it again" she said Aria nodded next to her.

Aria finished her food and then took her plate to the sink , returning she gathered Caprice and placed her in the pen this time with a book that made the noises of animals then she put Dimond with a book that made different sounds when crushed in her hand, this made Dimond giggle.

The boys ate breakfast in a hurry, and Victor shot out the door, ten minutes late, but not before he finished breakfast. The girls finished and went to get their bags.

"Could someone take us please?"

"Angus, why don't you and I do that, and we'll get Ginger a new broom on our way back," Marcus said, hoping that if he got Angus by himself that Angus might tell him what happened with the girls.

"Might as well, I suppose," Angus said, "but I really don't like leaving the breakfast mess to clean up." He looked at Ruby and Aria. "If I go with Marcus, you really could leave the mess, and I'll get it when I get back. I can't imagine we would be very long. Do you mind my going?"