Ancient Thought by Viola Grace (literature books to read txt) 📗

He nodded. “Mathla-Luon, is there a way for you to make a pair of birds that have my colouring for the males and her colouring for the females?”

Luon’s eyes glowed and looked between them. “It is possible, but it will take six or seven years. The evolution of an existing species is normally much slower.”

“I would offer my assistance, but my skills with living tissue are not great.” He smiled.

Mathla-Luon cocked her head. “Why would you want such birds?”

“It will be nice to have a mating pair that recognizes each other at first sight.”

Libby sipped at her wine only to find that the cup was empty. She scowled into it then realized that she was trying to magic up more with her mind, and she figured out that she should call it a night, day.

She turned to Mathla- Luon and said, “Is it all right if I seek my quarters? I am rather fatigued.”

The woman smiled. “Of course. Good night, Master Libby.”

Elizabeth turned to Yelfon. “Thank you for the meal, Ancient Yelfon.”

He inclined his head. “You have been a charming guest, Elizabeth. I hope you have a restful sleep.”

She nodded and wobbled to her feet, setting her cup down and nearly falling over in the process. She slowly righted herself and stepped away from the picnic, walking past Aloth and giving him another memory. Aloth stopped whimpering, and he looked at her with understanding.

She smiled and headed off to her quarters. She hoped that there weren’t any surprises.

She opened her door, and her room was surprisingly the way she had left it. Libby went to the lav, scrubbed her face, brushed her teeth, and then headed to her bed. She probably had another appointment after dawn.

* * * *

Mathla-Luon frowned. “You two have mated.”

“Indeed.”

Mathla stared at him in surprise. “All day?”

He chuckled. “Most of it. One of the other ancients suggested that she request hospitality of me... so she did.”

“And you obliged.”

Mathla-Luon scowled. “How does this affect her collecting memories for the monastery?”

“She is here for that purpose. I have my own pursuits to engage in. I have no intention to interfere in her assignments or duties.”

Mathla-Luon smiled. “Something tells me that you are not going to stay away for long.”

“I am not going to stay away at all. If she has need of me, I will be there, but conversely, if I have need of her, I will request that she accommodate my needs as well.” He smiled and shrugged.

“You have needs? You have been on your own for longer than I have, and you have never required a companion.”

“I have never been presented with one designed for me. Thank you for that, by the way.”

Mathla-Luon blushed. “She has fragments of all the ancients, but your characteristics rose up.”

He smiled and closed his eyes. “Her skin feels like silk, her sighs stroke my soul, and being inside her is like entering another plane of existence.”

Mathla-Luon blinked. “So, you want to keep her.”

Yelfon smiled. “Of course, but she has other ancients to meet and work to do. She has barely begun her introductions.”

“You are fine with her meeting them? Aloth nearly used force on her.”

“And she did actually use force on him. She beat him until her transport disk broke and then was going to walk home. If she is in distress, I will help her, but if she can handle it on her own, it is her right.”

A low groan came from the side, and Aloth looked at them. “You didn’t stop her from coming to me, Mathla.”

Mathla-Luon turned and said, “You sent the invitation, and she is making her way through the ancients. I was not fully aware of your involvement in those who visited you, but an investigation is about to commence. Master Elizabeth has given me a few suggestions to deal with you, and I have to decide whether I take the easy or the difficult route.”

Aloth grunted, and he removed his Hirn aspect and took the form of a man, and he walked toward them.

Yelfon really wanted to smash him into paste, but that was not what Elizabeth wanted. She wanted to prove himself normal or villain, but she wanted him to do it with those around him aware of what he was.

Yelfon cocked his head. “What did she give you as she left tonight?”

Aloth looked embarrassed. “The words that her father gave her about not being afraid to trust again, and if that trust was betrayed, being able to defend herself with everything at her disposal.”

Yelfon smiled. That did sound like the woman he had seen debating whether or not to lift the pieces of the disk and hit him again. “So, what have you concluded about your behaviour?”

“I owe many of the women here an apology.” Aloth murmured, “I will begin with Master Elizabeth.”

Mathla shook her head. “You will not. You will begin with the youngest surviving novice and work your way up. We have lost several of the women to suicide, and I thought they were just unsuited to life here. It seems that I must do penance for not seeing the signs as well.”

Yelfon nodded. “Master Elizabeth’s society has just begun to rise up and support the victims of such acts. Perhaps that is why she was on alert when she was warned about you, Aloth.”

Aloth scowled, opened his mouth, winced, and nodded. “Her memory was very powerful and painful.” He looked ill.

Mathla-Luon picked him up and draped him over the edge of the wall as he vomited.

Yelfon removed his meal, and he rose to his feet. “Shall I leave, or are there guest quarters?”

Mathla held Aloth. “Choose an empty room and consider it yours.”

He smiled and inclined his head as the avatar let the ancient release some of the stress for a very painful memory.

Yelfon found the room that Elizabeth was inside locked. He opened the empty room next to hers, locked it, and created a doorway between them. His clothing disappeared with a thought, and he climbed