Chapter 19
Palestine, ca.900 b.c.e.
Xandra could not help but smile as the residents of the small desert town made the sign of the evil eye when they passed her. She was sitting with O ro' dred in the market as the old potter offered some of his wares for sale. In the three months she had been with the two immortals... Xandra had seen little of Lilith... the tall one would leave and be gone for days... and then just as suddenly return. Where she went and what she did were not things she discussed with Xandra.
Xandra would often awaken with the sense of Lilith nearby and rise to find the old one sitting under the stars cross-legged and staring into a great glowing crystal. But whenever Xandra approached... Lilith would simply cover the stone and replace it in her great bag. The Ancient said little. Xandra had no concept of how old the woman was... O ro' dred simply said she was among the eldest of their kind. That she had seen and done many things... lived many lives.
In Lilith's eyes, Xandra saw always a great sadness as if the Ancient had lost all that was dear to her... and wished somehow to reclaim it. Although she herself was only just over one hundred years in age... Xandra could understand loss... and within her was a need to punish those who had stolen her life from her... the fabled horsemen... who were already fading to legend among the mortals of this world.
An old woman passed the blanket of clay pots... stopped long enough to spit at Xandra... then began to haggle with O ro' dred over the price of an especially nice two-handled jug. He haggled back with an eager grin... then compromised with the old woman, settling for a pittance of what the jug was likely worth.
After the old woman left with her newly acquired treasure, Xandra asked him, "That pot was especially nice... why did you let her have it for so little?"
"I can always make more pots... I sell them to have a reason to be here in this place at this time... it is what I was... what I still am... what I will always be at the heart of me... a simple craftsman... no one of great importance."
"But she was taking advantage of you!"
"Was she..." he chuckled merrily, "Perhaps I was taking advantage of her. She will display her treasure... she will mention the great deal she got at its purchase... and more will come to buy my wares. Besides... she was poor... what she paid was likely all she had to offer."
"How is it you know this?"
"Her dress... her attitude... perhaps a widow... no sons... no daughters... determined to be on her own... not willing for others to think of her as needing charity." He shrugged. "If one watches people... one learns more about them than they think they are telling you."
Xandra nodded. "Why do they still hate me?"
"I'd say your eyes." O ro' dred murmured as he began trilling his spiel to a passer-by. Later he remarked that they were green like the Lady's. "Around here... they think she is angel or demon... something not quite human... and they are right, of course."
"Why do they call her Lilith? It is not her name is it?"
"No... " But O ro' dred was silent as to the reason.
Xandra learned it one day by listening to the women gathering water at the well. Normally when Xandra came for water... the women would be silent and stare at her... or spit at her. Once, a few days ago... she had come upon them talking about Lilith and had waited nearby... unseen... to hear what it was they were saying.
Now, Xandra waited for the Ancient to return from her most recent journey... She wanted to speak to Lilith about what she'd heard. She wanted also to know what gift it was she had inside her... what gift the Ancient wanted her to learn to use. At last she felt her return.
Xandra crept out of the cave and stood beneath the canopy of stars. In the heavens she could see trails of light cross the night like sparks leaping from a great bonfire. Lilith sat not far from the cave opening... a greenish light emanated from the crystal in her lap... a light that called to Xandra as if it had a voice.
She knelt at the Ancient's side and observed the tears streaming from the eyes of the older immortal as she gazed heavenward.
"Once..." she whispered, "we were happy once... in the before time." Her shoulders shook and a small cry escaped her mouth. The glow from the crystal faded. Lilith shook her head to and from, then looked at Xandra.
"You have questions this night, child."
"I have heard it said in the village that you are a murderer of children. According to their legends... Lilith steals children and murders them in the night."
"And you wonder if I do this... If when I am gone from this place I steal their children."
Xandra nodded.
The Ancient green-eyed immortal laughed. "It is not so simple a thing to be part of legend. Would you be part of legend Xandra... and if so... what would you have your neighbors say of you?"
"That I was a friend to all and helper of mankind."
Lilith nodded, a small smile playing about her lips. "Perhaps that is what they will say then."
"And of this gift you say I have? What of it?"
"Ahh child... are you so certain you are ready?"
"I am!"
"Then tomorrow... we will begin." The Ancient had covered the crystal with cloth then and placed it in her bag. Then she rose and leaning on her staff a moment she stared once more at the stars. "Have you ever been in love child?"
Xandra shook her head. What she had once felt for the one called Methos could not possibly have been love.
"I hope you have love in your heart someday... It is a sad thing to live without love... but how much sadder to have never known love." Lilith crept back into their small cave then... stretched out on her pallet and soon was in a deep sleep.
***
London
Cassandra stirred in her seat as the airplane began its approach into London. "Here," she thought. "It has to be here... Lilith's crystal has to be here." She gazed out into the foggy London skies... wishing she had the ability to reach out with her mind and call the crystal to her. Instead... she would do her own snooping around... She would find this Edward Gray or whatever he called himself these days... she would find him and "convince" him by means of her voice to give her the crystal... The stone of the Ancient would be hers... as it was always meant to be!
Cassandra buckled her seat belt for the descent.
