Tuscany Trip

"It's been a wonderful cruise," Khaat said, "Despite a couple little minor scuffles. It has been wonderful."

"Angus said it is going to be a lousy weather day, " Brian said, as the crew served a 5 star breakfast to them. "Says we're in for severe storms. We'll feel them in the villa being right out on the sea. I suppose we shall all have to find some sort of pleasurable pursuits indoors." Brian cast a look to Steven. "I would hate to see any of us bored in such a romantic location as the villa is." Khaat kicked Brian's shin hard with the toe of her deck shoe. "Ow!' he jumped. He looked at her. He heard the crew laughing at him from in the wheelhouse. "You lot have dueling drills coming up. Laugh while you can. You can duel me or Khaat. Your choice."

"What a choice that is," Angus sighed dryly. "She likes teacups and ducklings, the Captain likes bugs, and our beloved COB likes tadpoles and cheeky hats. What a choice. And what inanimate object would you like to be this time, men?"

"I thought I'd see if he''d like to be one of those cheeky hats he loves so much," Khaat looked directly at Brian, throwing a dueling challenge his way.

"No, no.," Brian said firmly. "I did not take a bullet yesterday."

"No, you took 2 Man O War stings the day before. We're evenly matched," Khaat said. "Prepare to be a teacup."

"I have never in my life been a teacup," Brians eyes flashed. He could feel himself already starting to rise to the challenge. It was just in his blood.

"There is a first time for everything, Brian Quinn."

"And I wonder how you would look as a cheeky hat," Brian echoed.

"Stylish, I"m sure," she replied with a false cocky attitude.

"You're on," he said, setting his jaw. "We'll see who ends up on a shelf. You'd better fuel up while you can. You're going to need it."

"Make sure you have the first aid kit ready. He's going to need a few bandaids when I finish with him," She told Steven.

"You can do all the trash talk you want," he said. "I rarely lose, and you know it."

Angus got out a handful of sickles. "I have 20 on Khaat," he told his men. They began placing bets on the victor. "You two want in on the action?" Angus asked Steven and Ronata.

"I hope the furnishings are paid for," Khaat looked at Brian.

"Why? You're going to be one soon enough," he said casually. "Let me think. Would you be a better table or a chair....oh, wait. A floor lamp!""

"Well, that might be fun," Khaat shrugged. "I've never been a floor lamp before. " He laughed, softening his desire to win a bit.

"I do remember you were a very cute firefly once," he laughed.

"And as I recall, Remus made you once into a gecko."

"Now that was fun. Until I got lost in his room." She laughed out loud, remembering how she and Remus had searched for hours looking for Brian when he was a little green gecko. "How'd I ever get out of that? I can't remember."

"Daddy found you in one of Remus's potted plants, as I recall. Just before the bloody plant was going to eat you. You were hiding in the pot of carnivorous plant, I believe."

"Oh, that's right. I remember. He lectured me for an hour before he would change me back. That really was a lot of fun. "

"Would you rather I change you into a gecko again instead?"

"No. I' would rather win. And you all stop betting on this, or you'll be next," Brian shouted to the rest of them.

"That's easy enough," Khaat said. She pointed her wand down the stairs and shouted. "Pack!"

"Oh, bloody hell!" Angus laughed. "She's probaby got the whole ship packing now. Khaat Karina Lupin, what have you done!" He went to the stair and stepped far enough down the steps to look downstairs. He shook his head in disbelief. "Sometimes you can be ridiculously lucky with a wand, Girl. That was just pure luck."

"No," Khaat said. "That was Uncle Remus. He believed in acuracy." Angus returned to the wheelhouse, shaking his head.

"We're docking in 20 minutes," he called to them after checking their position. "Take as much time as you want to finish your breakfast. Storms won't be in til midmorning at least."

"Hm.." she looked at Ronata, "We might have time to stop at the local market for some fresh ingredients for lunch and dinner, if you like."

"Figures that we would be left to the grunt work," Brian laughed. "Well, that's okay by me. I like to cook and I like to eat, both. However, Khaat is by far one of the finest cooks I've ever known..."

"Oh, no," Khaat shook her head. "A deal is a deal. Girls' night off. Well...alright. I'll cook lunch and I'll make dessert for tonight. But you boys cook dinner. And I presume you do remember the spell to clean up the kitchen, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Brian laughed. "Just keep demanding. Hm..what sort of hat would you like to be, Khaat?"

"Keep it up, and it will be a long, long time until breakfast again for you, Bud," she laughed.

Brian looked at Steven. "Hm...You know, if I turn her into a hat, she can't cook fur us. Might have to wait until after dessert tonight."

"Yeah, but if I turn you into a bug, that leaves more for us," Khaat grinned.

"I think I"m in trouble, Steven," Brian laughed.

The boat docked back at the pier it had departed from a couple of days before. Khaat thanked each of the crew members while Brian gathered all the bags and boxes Khaat had accumulated and shrank them small enough to load them into the red Lamborghini. He returned upstairs and thanked the crew before leading the way off the ship and over to where the two cars were still securely parked, depositing the packages into the car.