A Birth day

"I sort of think that when its important she does come around," Angus said. "So, perhaps it's sort of a no news is good news thing. When she's not around, maybe we're doing alright. You know what, I think we need to not get so deeply focused on this that we stop living our lives. So far as we know, the estate is secure, and I can ask Owens to talk to Irene and see if there's any Suzanne sightings, but I don't want everyone to be prisoners in this house while we just wait for something to happen. I don't think we need to be going to London or anything, but I think if we're careful, we should be able to enjoy the yard and the garden and the leaves, maybe carve some pumpkins and do some autumn things."

"I think if we're careful, we probably could," Marcus said.

"Maybe we could take a short walk in the woods before it gets dark," Angus said. "There's still a lot to forage this time of year."

"Sounds like fun, but we're not quite done with our essays," Ginger said.

"You and Ruby should go, and I'll stay here with the girls," Victor said. "I have a big load of jeans to wash tonight so I have something to wear to work tomorrow, so I'll be here anyway. But you guys should go."

Ruby heard Angus and nodded " all right" she said and smiled as little caprice giggled as Joseph pulled a funny face passing by the duplex. She heard Angus talk of pumpkin carving and smiled " that sounds wonderful , it would be the babies first Halloween pumpkin carving" she said and heard Caprice clap her hands. Then she heard Marcus suggestion of going for an evening stroll " be nice to get out of the duplex for a bit" she said and looked at Victor as he suggested she and Angus go. " well be nice to just have some us time" she said smiling.

Aria smiled at Marcus and nodded "would be good for both of them, as long as you stay alert." she said softly as she spotted Joseph through the window but turned back to feed Amari the last of her food. Amari seeing Digger on Josephs shoulder Giggled and clapped her hands excitedly.

"I'll clear the table and do the washing up," Elwood said.

"What?" Angus looked at him.

"I've been polishing up my magic," Elwood said. "I think I can manage it all by magic. Watch this." He drew his wand, flicked it, and two neat pieces of plastic wrap covered the chicken and the vegetables and then floated over and stored themselves in the fridge.

"Brilliant!" Angus said, impressed.

"Now, watch this," he flicked his wand at the table and the dirty dishes stacked themselves and floated over to the sink for washing up. The sink filled with hot soapy water and the dishes began to wash themselves.

"Elwood, you are a genius," Angus said.

"If I am going to be part of the family, I need to find ways to be purposeful," he said. "I have waited to die for months, and I am starting to see that you lot just aren't going to let that happen, are you?"

"Are you just now figuring that out?" Angus teased him, laughing.

"Cheeky," Elwood replied to him, trying to look like he was reprimanding him. "At any rate, if you're going to be stubborn enough to have me here, then I need to find a way to do some little things to contribute in some way. So, I've been polishing my magic. So you go for your walk, and we'll be fine for what little time you'll be gone."

"You and I should go," Marcus told Aria, "even if we stay at a bit of a distance to give them some privacy."

Ruby listened and watched as Elwood showed Angus what he could do with his magic now and chuckled as he cleared the table " wow , nice Elwood" she said and smiled at him. Aria looked to Marcus and nodded she agreed with him.

"agreed, I can have Ginger mind the girls while we're out" she said and looked over at her " Ginger would you watch the babies while Marcus and I go for a walk too?" she asked softly to her " they will probably be sleeping off their supper." she said as Ruby looked over at her.

"oh a double walk" she said and smiled " it will be nice to see the colors of the leaves now that it's autumn." Ruby said with a smile having missed being out doors what with all the rain they have had lately.

"Sure," Ginger said. "We'll be here. It'll be fine. We'll just bring out notebooks up here to work on the essays."

"Let's go so we can get back," Angus said, putting on a sweatshirt. Marcus grabbed a jacket, and he offered Finn a chance to go out. Finn, however, had different ideas and curled up against the cold fireplace hearth.

"That is a polite request to start a fire in the fireplace," Victor said.

"Allow me," Elwood said, flicking his wand at the fireplace to light a cozy fire. Finn's tail slapped the floor happily as he curled up to take a nap by the fire.

"I have been snubbed for a nap," Marcus said.

"But the Before-Bedtime nap is important apparently," Angus said. "Shall we?"

"Certainly. Aria and I will follow behind, but not too far behind," Marcus said, "so behave yourselves."

"Or else what?" Angus teased him, accio'ing a couple foraging bags. Marcus rolled his eyes at him. Angus and Marcus went outside to wait on Ruby and Aria.

"What are those?" Marcus asked.

"Foraging bags," Angus said. "They can either hang off one's belt by the loops on the back or by a shoulder strap, so if we see any berries or mushrooms or nuts, we can pick them and bring them back."

"I see," Marcus said. "We might as well take one, just in case."

"Good, I brought one for you two and one for us," Angus replied.

Ruby chuckled at how Finn wanted to stay by the fire . " he looks cosy " she said and smiled as she slipped on her jacket so she could stay warm while they walked " oh forage bags nice idea" she said " we can gather herbs too , there are wild ones out in the woods too" she added as Aria saw Marcus take a bag and clip it to his belt.

"It could be fun" she said knowing they would only be making sure that Angus and Ruby were safe while walking and not looking for mushrooms or herbs. She looked to Marcus as she stepped out onto the porch and slipped on a hoodie herself feeling a slight chill in the air.

Angus headed towards the woods, choosing to take the main path and then, hopefully, to branch off on some of the smaller paths. He was hoping to make sort of a loop of it so they were retracing their steps.

"See those?" Angus pointed out some mushrooms to Marcus and Aria. "Those are penny bun mushrooms. When they're properly fixed, they have a warm nutty taste. You can pick those. And see those nuts on that tree over there to your right? Those are beech nuts. Weird shaped, but completely edible. They're really bitter when they're raw but they're delicious when they've been roasted. And that's all in season right now."

"We've got the assignment, Captain," Marcus teased, laughing. "Mushrooms and nuts. Got it."

"And there are probably some wild berries in here too," Angus said. "Call if you get lost."

"Don't go ridiculously far ahead. We need to be able to get to you if there's a problem."

"Got it. We'll behave," Angus said. He headed on ahead with Ruby to see if they could find some of their own foraging treasures. They hadn't gone very far, when Angus looked over to his left and saw Aria actually ahead of them, and she seemed to be motioning to Ruby to come over where she was. "Look there," Angus said. "How'd she get that far ahead of us? She's motioning to you, though. Maybe she found something."

Ruby heard Angus talk to Marcus and Aria and chuckled as she waited for Angus to join her again " oh, berry picking, nice haven't done that in a long time." she said smiling as she then looked to where she saw Aria was stood. " oh, maybe shes found something interesting." Ruby said and walked over to Aria " what did you want me for?" she asked .

The real Aria in the mean time was looking at the mushrooms with Marcus and carefully picking them off the tree. " okay I got about six good sized ones" she said showing them in her hoodie before transferring them to the bag Angus had given them " should make a good meal" she added as she saw the nuts Marcus had collected from where Angus had indicated they would be.

Angus had actually been watching, and he saw Ruby reach Aria. The very instant she reached her, Aria bewitched her and laughed and apparated out with her.

"No! No, no, no!" Angus shouted, racing through the woods.

"Oh, shit," Marcus panicked, hearing the sound of apparating and then hearing Angus's voice raising in alarm. Marcus took off on a full run through the woods, and he saw Angus ahead of him running as fast as he could go. And then, suddenly, Angus just vanished completely. Marcus hit the full alarm on his medallion. "Aria, we've been breached! They're gone! They've been taken!"

"Aria" dropped Ruby not so gently on a stone floor, in a stone, windowless dungeon room. While Ruby was motionless, she cast a spell on her, and as she did, glowing bracelets and anklets of a rather creepy looking gray light appeared on Ruby's wrists and ankles. She searched Ruby's pockets to make sure there was nothing helpful for her. She left her lying on the floor. A single torch was the only source of light in the room. A bunk made of old wooden planks was held to the wall by old iron chains., and there was a single bottle of water for her, but that was all.

"Make yourself at home, 'Bait,'" the phony Aria said. "'You've done your bit. Now, if you want to live, you'll figure out a reason for me not to just get rid of you. That will give you something to think about." She laughed, amused, and then walked out and locked the iron door and made sure the sliding window in the door was closed and latched.

Ruby suddenly felt as if she couldn't move she frowned and wanted to ask why Aria was doing this to her but she couldn't even talk she heard Angus call out and she wanted to turn but couldn't . Suddenly she found her self laid or rather dropped on stone floor as metal wrapped around her wrists and ankles . Now she heard the fake Aria talk and felt her take her wand from her and make sure her pockets were empty. Now laid helpless on the floor she felt the spell wearing off and she began to try and move.

The real Aria heard the pained cry of Angus and dropped the mushrooms she had in her hoodie and ran with Marcus wand in hand as she kept pace with Marcus till they reached the spot Angus and Ruby had once been " where are they?" she asked and looked to Marcus as she scanned the area around them.