Marriage is Murder

Brant watched as the magnificent yacht appeared in front of them as Angus drove “ guess they are too scared, but a classic needs to be driven and not stood, why have it other wise” he said as they pulled into the parking space. Climbing out the car he reached back for the basket just as he heard Evan's voice behind him and he groaned softly as he turned to face him. “ Hey, I'm not that bad, besides it only happened once.” he said and walked to the yacht.

Climbing on board it took him a moment to get his legs as the yacht rocked under him slightly. “ okay this bit I forgot” he said but after a moment he breathed out and followed Angus to the bridge. He smiled as Evan cast off the lines. Brant placed down the basket beside the captains chair. “ this should be good” he said looking out at the ocean in front of them.

Jess sent the owl off and now was relaxing with Jack when Cassidy arrived with the children and Steven who seeing the pool changed and dove in leaving Cassidy shaking her head and laughing. Jess walked over and hugged her. “ welcome to casa Blackheart “ she said and Cassidy chuckled.

“ so where’s the barbecue?” Steven asked as Jack laughed and pointed off to the left of the pool.

“It will be ready in about five minuets,” Jess said “ its good you could come, we need to discuss Abbeys party” she said and Cassidy smiled as she watched James and Jaylen head to play with Robert and Catline.

“ its our pleasure we were getting board of sitting at home” she said and smiled “ good to see you two have made up and that Jacks cuts have healed, I can't help wonder how Khaat's doing with Brian, but I know she's fine with Brian.

"Evan just hasn't had a chance to tease for awhile," Angus said. "He's also used to thinking he's the captain. So, he'll have to get used to me being on board this trip." He started the engine as Evan cast off the lines. Angus took the ship out into open waters and then gave the orders to hoist the sails.

"Just don't let us drift too far until I get back," he told Brant. He left the bridge and went down to the deck and manned the winch for the mainsail. A head wind caught the sail just as it unfurled and it swung the boom around with such a swiftness that Angus envisioned himself being swept overboard. He planted his feet firmly on the deck and muscled the boom hard, moving it back into position, while Evan raced to help anchor the lines on the main sail.

"That was close," Evan said, a bit rattled.

"Not if you stay in shape, it's not," Angus said, watching Evan secure the winch.

"I think I can get the other sails," Evan said. "I'm thinking Brant would like to learn how to man the wheel."

"Yeah, he would," Angus said. "I'll send him down to help you raise the rest of the sails and then I'll let him steer a bit if he likes." He went back up to the bridge. "How about giving Evan a hand with the rest of the sails and then I'll let you take the wheel for a bit, Brant?"

Brant chuckled and nodded as he moved to steer while Angus dealt with the sails. Brant wanted to help when he saw the boom swing out at him but he kept the yacht straight. When Angus came back he smiled and nodded , “Sure, I could use the refresh in sailing.” he said and headed out to the deck “ okay, what's first.” he asked moving to Evan to tack the sails. Brant slipped off his shirt and looked at the ropes “ so what ones first” he asked taking hold of one and watching as they unfurled catching the wind as he held it then tied it off. “How was that?” he asked glancing out over the water as he felt the yacht speed up under him and the sun on his skin.

Brant moved back to the main cabin and smiled “ not too shabby I'm guessing, didn't get tangled this time” he said and chuckled remembering how the last time he'd got his foot caught and ended up suspended upsides down under the yard arm. He moved to Angus and looked out before he looked at the radar and saw nothing around them. “Clear waters ahead.”He said then moved back to stand with him. “it's good to see him again” he said looking back at Evan behind him on deck.

"You did fine," Angus said. "As I recall, your father and grandfather never caught the love of the sea like my grandfather did. You didn't get much sailing time unless you were with us. You didn't forget everything you learned, though. You did well. Keep the wheel for a bit, if you would. I'm going to check the charts and some of the forecasts."

"We're good on the sails, Captain!" Evan called. "Permission to see to the galley, Sir!"

"Aye!" Angus replied. He flicked his finger at the basket and motioned it over his shoulder to send it to Evan.

"Oi!" Evan shouted. "Watch where you're flying that thing!" Angus looked back to see Evan duck and the basket go flying over Evan's head and off the rear deck, still in mid air.

"Accio!" Angus summoned it back. It came zipping back, clocking Evan in the back of the head on the return trip.

"Damnit, Angus!" Evan cussed at him. "That hurt!"

"Gotta have eyes all over your head when you're on deck," Angus teased, seeing the basket heading straight for Brant instead. He wasn't worried. He figured Brant could catch a flying basket. "Why dont you get the fishing gear instead?" Angus told Evan.

Brant sighed and nodded he agreed “ yes and I loved every minuet of it, I have to say.” he said softly “ it I think fueled my wandering a little" he could not contain a chuckle as he saw the basket clock Evan, then return to hit him again on the back of his head. He heard Angus call out and glanced to his left and saw the basket he reached out and grasped it by its handle and setting it down next to him. “There we go don't want to lose our lunch” he said and chucked as he looked at Evan.” sorry can't help it, the sight of you being clocked buy the basket.” he admitted as he kept the yacht going in a straight line. “ how far until we down anchor?” he called back to Angus hoping he would take over from him soon.

As much as Brant loved steering the yacht he knew the best person would be Angus as he was worried he would damage the yacht and Edward would have his guts for garters. That and he would make him pay for the repairs. He looked at Evan and smiled. “ so what you been doing with your self ?” he asked trying not to go off course.”Any woman in your life or stories?” he asked “ just asking to take my mind off steering the is ship.” he said realizing he had left his shirt on deck.

Evan walked up on the bridge and took the basket from Brant. He looked at Angus who was trying not to laugh at him.

"I'll take it," Angus told Brant. Angus found manning the wheel relaxing. It was where he felt truly at home, in his element. He stepped in easily and adjusted the course very slightly. "You did a nice job. It all looks good."

"Do not let him try to fly anything else," Evan told Brant. "I don't trust him." When Brant asked if he were married. "Actually, yeah, I'm married. Got married on Christmas of 2024. And I now have four kids. Two were hers from her first marriage. The other two are ours. I thought we were having one, but somehow she snuck another one in there."

"What...wait," Angus said. "Its her fault? You asked for one, and she just somehow managed to get a second kid in there? You either married a cat, or you need to go back to Biology class, Dude. Seriously."

"Its okay. I love her anyway," Evan managed to tease Angus by deliberately acting entirely serious. "She is an animagus, so its possible that she was a cat at one point, I suppose. But, look, I'm four kids ahead of you, anyway."

"No, you're not. I'm about 8 ahead of you."

"They're not even your kids," Evan snorted.

"Oh, yes, they are. You meet any of those kids in Brian's house and you ask them. They'll claim me as part of their family without even thinking twice," Angus said.

Brant chuckled and stepped back glad Angus ad taken over, he lent back on a counter and listened “ well your head of me , no woman and no kids “ he listened to Angus and nodded he agreed “ ow he's right, I heard them all talking, they all called him uncle Angus.” he said and smiled folding his arms over his chest as he lent back. “ but its good to hear you found a good woman, there rare I've found” he said some what looking a bit lost in the subject of women. He moved from his spot and picked up the basket feeling he needed to change the subject.

“Okay that's enough woman talk.” he said his mood some what sober now as he moved with the basket down to the galley to put the basket on the table. He took a deep breath in and lent on the counter slightly as he looked out the porthole facing him, the blue sky calming him. Moving back up he passed Evan and Angus “ sorry, I...I need some air.” He said and moved out onto the deck, as if retrieving his shirt but he was actually getting air to clear his head.

Angus said nothing, letting Brant simply walk away to get away from the talk of women. Angus didn't understand him. It was a bit too weird for Angus. Angus already knew he was commitment phobic but he wasn't beyond dating and, in fact, enjoyed it. But Brant was having some sort of a panic attack about women. Maybe he was better off dressing like he was from 1600. It certainly kept him well protected and insulated from women like that. Updating himself wasn't going to keep him sheltered from the rest of humanity. Angus was thinking that perhaps the sailing trip wasn't at all a good idea.

"Stop it," Evan told Angus, understanding his older brother very well. "Do your job with the ship. That's all you need to do. You're not his entertainment committee. He's responsible for his own happiness, and he's responsible for his own life." Angus didn't respond, staying silent about it.

When Khaat and Brian finished their tea, the old wizard apparated them home and pressed an old Chinese coin into Brian's hands. "It will bring you to the tea shop. You will always find help there. I will send a few men this afternoon to help you with the rest of Robert's upgrades."

"Thank you," Brian said.

The old man pressed a silk pouch into Brian's hands. "It will help her reduce pain and help her to rest," he told Brian. "Local herbs, much fewer side effects than what you British have to rely on there. I must go. I will see you this afternoon." Before Brian could thank him for the tea, the old wizard was gone.

"

Brant after a moment walked back in and smiled at them “ so where are we mooring?” he asked seeing the look on their faces. “ okay I don't have commitment issues, I just..never...ow come on do I have to say it “ he said and looked at them both his arms folded across his chest “Go on Evan make a joke out of it, and I won't pay for it ether.” he said and sat down close to Angus. He had realized almost too late that he'd let that part of his life and growing up pass him by. Realizing every one was growing up and having families it made him scared that he would, at his age never have any or make anything of his life as his cousins had. Surrounding Edward in great great nephews but the more he thought about it the more he felt conflicted.

Brant stood up and looked out the window, “ I don't go looking for women I feel the right one in time will come along but.. because I'm..you know for so long, it will be difficult for me to know if she is.” he said his cheeks blushed as he looked at his hands

"Nobody said anything about your choices, Brant," Angus said. "Except that they were yours. As you notice, I'm not married either." The main difference was that Angus hadn't decided to spend all that time either with corpses or living in a tent. "We've just lived very different lives, that's all. Maybe you're working entirely too hard to make a dramatic shift in your life all at once. You don't need to act exactly like a Donohue. Perhaps you need to simply be a Crawford. Whatever that means to you. If my grandfather set the bar for what a Donohue would be, then I've failed miserably. But I just don't intend to have to make my life turn out like his, and that actually makes my grandfather very happy.

"As for where we're mooring, I thought the idea of going sailing was to sail. We can dock of you want to, I just didnt' make any plans," he said.

Brian had bought ingredients to make a beautiful salad with local, fresh Asian ingredients. He made the salad and put together a dressing of soy sauce, rice vinegar, a bit of raw sugar, and some sesame oil. He brewed the tea for her, and brewed a pot of oolong for himself. He found a quiet place in the beautiful garden for them to eat and helped Khaat find a place there on a large pile of pillows he'd scattered on the ground. He went back and brought the lunch for them.

"It's delicious," she told him quietly. "I'm not thinking I really want to go back."

"I know what you mean," he laughed. "A bit of peace and and quiet is always a welcome thing. Especially when getting away from such a houseful. How's the tea?"

"Nice. Soothing. Floral, I think. With some sort of spice," she said. "Must be medicinal if you're having oolong."

"Its supposed to ease pain," he said. "You'll have to let me know if it works."