Tuscany Trip

"Sure," Khaat said, waving her coffee cup to the galley. She took the iced tea glass, watching the coffee cup fly off obediently to the galley.

"Ronata, if this is not going to work for you, we can just make it a day trip," Khaat said. "Brian and I have shared the same bed before, out of necessity, without any trouble. And I know Steven is a gentleman. But we'd better work this out right now. I really do not understand what your issue is, and its none of my business. I don't even know where you went to school. But pretty much anyone who has gone to Hogwarts knows that the Leaky Cauldron is not just some seedy muggle bar. It is an above board, wizard pub, despite what it looks like on the outside. Jess Potter runs a strictly legitimate business where parents have been bringing their kids for generations. Stop in before term begins sometime. You'll find the rooms are full up with families. Jess is an honorable man, as Brian can vouch, and probably Steven too. He's not running a flop house for drunks. I am not sure what your issue is with men, but you still don't seem to think Steven has proven himself to you as far as whether or not he's a gentleman, even though you don't have one shred of evidence to say he's not. Try judging people as being mainly decent first before you jump to conclusions, would you?"

Infuriated with herself that she had even opened her mouth, she got up and went into the sailboat's wheelhouse and sat down in the first mate's empty chair with her iced tea. The sailboat's captain fingered his golden doubloon dangling around his neck lightly, thinking of Robert and all the years he had fought alongside him, before laying his hand supportively on Khaat's. His leglimens had read her thoughts but even if it had not, he knew her too well not to know her thoughts.

Brian looked back at Steven and Ronata. "Sorry about that. Her stress level has been unbelievable. That's why we're doing the vacation."

steven chuckled at Khaat as she told Ronata off, she just sat quiet in her chair . "she's right you know" he said seeing Ronata start to look sad but he knew it was for the best . Moving to face her he took her hands in his "stop being so uptight and satrt being that wonder full woman that I know is in there " he said with a gentel kis on her fore head ne stood up adn moved to teh wheel house and Khaat.

"Shes ticked you off hasn't she?" he said standing next to her hia handws nehind his abck as he stood looking out over the water " Leave her with me I'll keep her away from you and brian so she won't spoil your holiday, you two need this more than me , or her so don't let her get to you2 he said placing his hand on her shoulder then turning to leave.

"She's been treating you like dirt, Steven, and you deserve better," Khaat said boldly. "You have never been anything but a gentleman with any woman. She needs to get over herself. I don't seen anyone around here with a royal title. Not even her. I don't need you two to stay away from us, not unless you're doing it for yourselves. I just am used to more down to earth people, I guess. She's a stretch for me. I sort of thought she was more down to earth when I met her. I'll be alright. I just need a bit of time to get adjusted to her. And maybe her to us as well. Who knows? Maybe she was a princess in Romania?" She managed a smile.

steven smiled back at her "maybe" he said cuckaling " maybe shes just scared of doing the wrong thing with you coz she doesn't know any better" he sighed "she will by the end of today" Steven chuckled as he looked back at her "I know one thing she wouldn't last ten rounds with you in a duel , if jacks recolection is anything to go by" he smiled at the thought of the yellow duckling . he picked up his glass and finishing teh last of his ice tea "you know you almost reduced her to tears out there " he couldnot help smile at her "ah the supirior woman, Brians lucky as I to have you as a freind."

"I am not interested in reducing anybody to tears," Khaat sighed. "But she's not about to find an attacker around every corner yet either. England isn't the finest wizarding community in the world right now by any means. You know that. It hasn't been for the last few generations at least. I just want her to get back down to earth with the rest of us. And I want her to start getting a grip. If she goes around here being that afraid, it could be very dangerous for her with the people we live around that well could be a bad idea for her to hang out with. And I know you know that fear can incapacitate more than it helps."

steven sighed "yeah that I do know Khaat " he said "like I said she'll come around , we can't wrapp her up in cotton wool and she has to know that with every opertunity comes a risk " he sighed "Inside i know she is stronger why she hides it I don't know, I just wish she would let it show " he looked at Khaat knowing she had more to say , he did love Ronata but right now he wondered if he was doing the right thing or if he was doing more harm than good. "khaat do you think I should cool it with her ?" he asked with a sigh.

"Not necesssarily," Khaat said. "But if you know how to bring her around, then please do so. I don't know why she's doing this primadona act either, but if she had gone to any sort of decent wizarding school at all doing that, they'd have eaten her for breakfast, so I presume you're right that she really isn't like this. Maybe you need to have a heart to heart with her and ask her just to be herself. How about I swipe Brian off to the rear deck to do some tanning or fishing, and you two can have either this center deck or the front in order to be able to really talk? Perhaps you just need to ask her to be herself."

syeven smiled "sure,I know brian will be very happy to see you in a bathing suit" he grined and winked at her before he dodged a well aimed swipe "ok you do that and I'll make her just be her self , by hook or by crook" he looked out where she sat "may be the captain could find a nice cove to top at and we could all go swimming " he said grinning thinking of the opertunity to show off his new swim shorts, "what do you think, think he'll go for it ?"

"It's nothing he hasn't seen before," Khaat shrugged. "Yeah. Sure. Captain? Any good swimming spots nearby?"

"Not far," the captain smiled. "About 30 minutes. And a town just up the beach where you might find some additional clothing if you want a few more things. "

"Well, I know that would be helpful for me," Khaat smiled.

'"Then I will adjust our course," he smiled at her. "You have plenty of time to change."

Khaat looked at Steven. "Well, I think I will let you do the gentlemanly thing and ask Ronata swimming rather than my asking Brian to swim first. Brian will be fine with it. Besides, you know him. He will refuse to be left behind. My father would kill him if he didn't go, anyway." She grinned at Steven. "And you know, no matter how good Brian is, my father is better. That just would not be a pretty sight."

steven grinned and chuckled " sure I'll ask her " he said and nodded to her "its my down fall being a gentelman" He looked at the captain and nodded "yeap I need some things from the village so I might call in" he said winking at Khaat "just some suplies for teh night , chains hand cuffs"he satred listing things then laughed "no I for got shaving foam , not that i use a lot"