Tuscany Trip

Brian had slowed down somewhat, knowing they had fallen behind, but they still arrived at the docks first. He parked the car, helped Khaat out, and led her to the sailboat. It was an amazing ship. It was, truly, a sailing yacht. It had a luxury suite down below deck that had a bedroom at each end and a galley with a sitting area in the center. It was all done in oak and white leather and brass. The ship was white with a huge deck that was designed for plenty of time in the sun, and enormous white and red sails.

The ship had come with a 3 man crew. And, personally, Brian enjoyed sailing, and he was looking forward to doing a part of the work today on the ship. He wanted the others to just enjoy themselves. He was surprised that, despite all his packing of the picnic basket, the crew had designed a gourmet lunch for them, and was prepared to serve dinner as well if they desired.

The Italian captain offered, in rather broken English, to bring Khaat a beverage of some sort while they waited on Steven and Ronata. Khaat chose coffee. He brought her a large mug of delicious Italian roast. It was full and strong and smooth. She liked it very much. She took a seat on one of the benches in the center part of the ship on deck as one of the crew members took the basket and her tote down below deck.

Ronata sat back in the car as Steven caught up to Brian her bottom smarted but she under stood why , she ahd been silly , he did care for her a lot she now saw that but she was the one making her sdelf not want to see all she ahd to do was relax and enjoy his company and if anything moved then it was ment to be.

Her eyes went wide as she saw in front of her the ship they were to go on and she let out a low whistle "shes beautiful" she said a she moved some what painfuly over to Knaat "sorry about faling behind Steven and I had some things to talk about " she said rubbing her sore bottom and chukaling " I see this will be fun, Brian how long are we staying on the ship?" she said her eyes not leaving the ship "please say acouple of days , i have nevr been sailing ever , my father always talked of it saying it was the best experiance he could have"

"Well, we can," Brian said, "I had planned just a day cruise, but I am quite sure we can manage a couple days. We didn't bring clothes for more than the day, really, but I would think we can stop off and go shopping for another change somewhere. Khaat? Steven? What do you think?"

"Sounds fine to me," Khaat said. "I'm open to whatever everyone else wants to do. "

Brian looked at Steven, "What do you think?" He glanced up at the captain to see whether or not the crew could accomodate them for a couple of days, and the captain nodded back in approval to Brian. He apparently was willing if that was what his passengers wanted.

OOC: OMG--I can't believe I struggled with word count. Ever! LOL

steven could not help but laugh aty Ronata enthusiasum now from being down to this he shook his head "ow.. yeah its fine with me " he said watching Ro moved to the ship. He could not help but chuckle again as she grabbed her bag and moved to the gang plank "she is a beautiful ship " he said stepping on board.

The captain greeted him with a smile and a crew man took Ronatas bag "will you and your wife like a drink" he asked he was about to say Ronata wasn't his wife but just smiled "not right now I think shes just taken with the ships beauty" the captain smiled "first trip?" Steven nodded to him and chuckled "that oviose ?" he said the captain chuckled too as a crew man showed Steven down to a cabin.

Khaat was pleased when the captian ordered the crew to cast off, and they found the ship heading to the open sea. She sipped her coffee, watched Brian stepping right into being part of thte crew, wrestling the winches and the ropes that guided the sails, with a look of perfect contentment on his face. Was there nothing he could not do? Well, romance. He definitely could not do that.

Her mind began to wander. She began to think of sightseeing all over Italy--what about Rome? What about taking a gondola in Venice? And then her thoughts turned again. She was beginning to think about perhaps moving her. England was always darkness, trouble, evil. Painful. Too much work. Too close to Rob. But this--this was sunshine, warm fragrant sea breezes, sand, all the things she loved. She wondered if Brian would be happy here as his homebase instead of England? Abbey would be happy anywhere as long as she had a sense of family. She could see a great many advantages to it. She didn't want to be without her friends, and she had a lot of good ones. And they wouldn't move to Italy because she chose to .

Oh, why did life have to be some damned complicated? She sighed.

Ronata watched as Brain took charge of the ship she sat quite still feeling the unfamiler rock of of the boat under her. Her hands gripped a rope next to her a she tried to steady her self , she didn't want to move from the spot she had found. Now as the ship sped threw the water she finally plicked up the courage to stand up drifting to her left then to her right. slowly making her way down inside to the cabin. she was suprised to see Steven there also in the cabin.

Moving out she sat in the main cabin area now completly confused. Placing her sun hat on the table she looked back at the room before standing again "ok this won't do" she said storming up the steps and across to the capta in "captain , I am not sharing a room, I don't know what he said we are not sharing a room" she stood with her arms folded and a face on her that could kill "you'd better find aroom foie me to stay in or im sleeping in the galley"

"And what exactly would you have me do?" the captain looked at this overly entitled, rude woman and glared, "Put her into dry dock and remodel the ship for you? This was scheduled for a day cruise, not an overnight trip. And even if it were, no one said it needed to be separate quarters. IIf they had, I would have brought a larger ship. This ship has limited sleeping space. There are four of you and four sleeping spaces. You work it out with your companions somehow. The galley is not open for you to sleep in because my men have to sleep somewhere. And I cannot allow anyone to sleep on deck. I do have to pay liability insurance on the ship, the passengers and the crew. Guests must sleep in the cabins." He sighed heavily and returned to his duties, unhappy with her immediately. She had not even been nice about her request, so he felt no need to be nice to her in return.

steven heard the comotion up top and moved up the steps to teh deck "ok,ok Captain i'll take her " he said and took her by her arms and lead Ro down inside again "what do you think you were doing?" he asked her looking right into her eyes as he spoke . He knew she was not happy and he was fgoing to stop this right now "If you'd have staid around log enouph you would have known I was going to sugest I sleep on one side adn you the other with the comforter between us " he said as he folded his arms across his chest looking down at her he felt the ship tip and she fell into his arms but all he did was stand her up and walk out he room and up on deck to stand with Brian "she is getting impossible, if she doesn't start relaxing Im gonna throw her over board " he said to him as he pulled on a rope winding it to place it down on the deck like he had been doing it all his life.

Khaat had heard the commotion. Heck, everybody had. She was starting to dislike Ronata. If Ronata had been a fighter, she'd have never have made it unless she lost a bit of her aristocratic attitude. She had been too good to sleep in Diagon Alley's only rooming facility from the start and had somehow made her way from Romania by herself but then needed a bodyguard to even get home from work. Somehow that just wasn't adding up. She had seen Brian do the chivalrous thing at the time, but now Ronata's personality was grating on Khaat's nerves. She was becoming very angry. She was beginning to see it might take a bit for her to ignore her aggravations, but Khaat was not going to let her vacation be upset by someone who just apparently thought she was better than everyone else.

"Take a break, Cob," one of the crew members smiled at Brian, "We've got her now. You've got the Captain's daughter to take care of, after all."

"That, I do," Brian smiled. He left the duties now to the men and said, "Come on, Steven. They've got it now. We can relax." He walked over, sat down beside Khaat and put his arm around her shoulder.

steven cuckled and tied off the rope "I have never had so much run " he said brushing down his hands "got to get me one of these " he said and moved to sit next to brian and Khaat "she is a beautiful ship captain" he said grinning " you'd hardly think were moving " he sat back and felt the cooling breeze and sun against his face "I can see this holiday being the best ever , ahem... if certain people will lighten up" he said his voice becoming some what darker but he smiled not wanting to spoil the day . Spotting some cold ice tea he moved and pored some "how about a nice Ice tea " he said holding two glasses out to both of them and taking athird for himself .