After the meal, everyone once again returned to their rooms. Lilith was aware that there was still undying friction between some of those gathered under her roof, and it was only due to her intense personal intervention that a few of them had not come to blows. She understood that the young couple saw all this as being one great fantastic menagerie, and was presently failing to come to grips with the reality of the situation. All this was not new to her, as she had been at this point numerous times during her life.  She had faith in them however. True, mistakes had been made, and she was in no small way responsible for some of them, but the outcome had been worthwhile. She hoped to keep that particular ship straight on its course. No one understood all that she was trying to do, and it was just as well that they didn't.

She entered her private chamber, only to be startled by the form of Moria stalking about, sniffing this and that, and pacing incessantly. Not a word was spoken, not by either of them, until Lilith was seated.

“You are brave lady, coming in here unasked."

Moria smiled wickedly.

“But you did ask. I am not fool enough nor too young not to know my lady has a dilemma. You did not need me here for those two. You called me here for your own personal question."

Lilith acted offended.

“I have no need for your wisdom! Who was it that began the Pythia at Delphi?"

“You my lady, and yet you would seek the counsel of another. Do not play games with me. I am far too old for them. If you now wish not to ask it, then say so."

Lilith sighed.

“Doxtar – marizam. You know me all too well. It is this couple whom you have just met."

“Young, inexperienced, full of love for each other and just now opening their eyes to what they have the potential of being."

“Yes, and so much more than they can see."

“You saw something that has disturbed you?"

“He saw it too."

“Then if two unrelated seers see precisely the same thing, that thing is fixed. It cannot be avoided."

“I am aware of that. And since I am one of the ones who has seen it, my personal involvement in it is clouded."

“True. Foreknowledge is fairly useless to the one seeing themselves in it for they most certainly will wish to either stop it, or make it come true."

Lilith sighed tiredly.

“She must live. More so than the man, she must carry on. I hold nothing against him, for he is a fine person. But his genes alone cannot carry on the legacy I have worked so hard to ensure. She is capable of birthing many strong children, but if she dies first, what good will her potential be to the next wave?"

“The dead have no use to anyone, my lady, except in the memory of the deeds they have done whilst living."

“True. So? What do you think I should do? If I interfere, it may alter the course of how things are already going to be laid out. I might ruin whatever chance they have."

Moria growled.

“You have not yet said what you see becoming of her!"

“She dies."

“We all die eventually. Even you will find your due when the time comes."

“Don't tease me with lies. I have yet to not come back from any such brink. I see Edward killing her; not willingly, but… yet with his own hands."

Moria sensed the hesitation.

“What else?"

“She lives to carry on the legacy I have seen for them."

“I see. She dies and yet she lives. Sounds like she has more of you in her than is proper. Dabbling in the family trees again?"

“As is my right!"

“Now mother, I will not argue against that. But you must know that anything you do, if you do so with guidance, will nullify what it is you see. Or it will make it happen. Either way, you should not involve yourself in this. If you were to end up the reason she dies, would you be able to live with yourself?"

“But I could end up saving her by being there," she said plaintively.

“I am not telling you what to do. You asked for advice."

“I know, I know. It tears at me so to see what needs to be done, but yet not being able to place myself in harm's way. She needs to be protected."

“Then you will have to trust your judgment."

“Have you nothing better to say than that?" asked Lilith irately.

“Place yourself in another's shoes; walk the distance as they do, gain perspective as you go, and in the end you will know."

“A riddle? Really?"

“Even for you, if you wish an answer, you must seek it out on your own. That is the best I can give you. Anything more and I will be immersed in this deception as deeply as you."

“Deception? There is no deception!"

“No? You speak to others of illusions and delusions, and yet you claim that you are not part of them? Who is lying now?"

Lilith sagged in her chair.

“Whatever happened to wisdom? Why do my children not see the sense in logic?"

“Because they value emotion more. That is no bad thing. You cannot make them do the things you feel are the most important, not all of the time. You promote the best ones and you leave the rest. There becomes a gap. The valley widens. Soon it will tear the landscape asunder. You know this. There is nothing you can do at this stage. There are too many of them and we are too few. You must do as you always have and save what you can before everything collapses. It will not be the first time; it will not be the last."

“Your words are harsh."

“My words are true. Who was it that just spoke of such things?"

“Yes I know. Facts are cold. I need warmth for a change."

“Yes you do. You cannot go on driving yourself to the brink of madness without giving in to little pleasure now and again."

Lilith snorted.

“This coming from you! When was the last time you lay with a man?"

“More recently than you may realize, she-who-thinks-she-knows-all. Not everything comes under your gaze. The world is too large for it."

“Well, I would never have thought it! Good for you!"

“You need someone as well. And don't tell me you haven't the time for it. The world will spin on without you for a little while you know."

Lilith laughed; a mix of mild revelry and deep sadness.

“The planet will continue spinning; it is my children that I fear for. But perhaps you are correct. But now is not the time for me to shirk my duties. I need to create a path that will do the most good."

“Yes you do. I believe you will find it, but maybe not where you seek it out."

“I'm glad you feel that way. This is one occasion when my confidence has left me."

“My lady goes forth without knowing the outcome? That is a rare day indeed."

“Don't mock me Moria."

“I am not mocking you. I am trying to tell you to let go once in a while and live; like normal people do. It has its benefits."

“Not for me it doesn't"

“Oh, how in the sands of the Sahara would you know? When was the last time you tried it? When was the last time you shut everything down and just lived?"

“Moria, don't preach to me! I'll have you know…"

“Oh do shut up! Quit making excuses. Go find someone and have a good time. They don't even need to know who you are. Go to a, a; what do they call them now?"

“A bar?" offered Lilith.

“Yes. A bar. I'm sure you could give any male a time he would never forget."

“Not going to happen. If I look for someone, I want something deeper. “

“Deeper? You'll never find anyone of this age who would even come close to matching your depth of intellect. Admit it; you won't even look because there isn't someone out there you think is suitable."

“You're right. The average man is too; average. And I don't wish to engage with any of the older generations. Even Leo still has more of a bent towards his own gender."

“He always did. You cannot change what someone is."

“Yes I can!"

“But you won't, now will you?"

“No, I won't. Free will, despite its difficulties, must remain. People must choose their own path."

“Yes they should; most often it is not allowed. I have never understood why the mob mentality drives the path of the greater whole. It is the individuals with the desire to be different who are always remembered, not the ones who comply with the norms."

“Yes Moria, I know. People remember you not for your human appearance, but for your exotic one. People crave normality while flocking to anything that is new, different or out of the ordinary. It's tiresome really."

“As a whole, they have moved forward, but oft on the wave generated by the great ones."

“Which is why I am on the course I have taken. It is why we are here."

“And I wish you luck with it. Your chances of finding the success you wish for is not as great as you hope for, but in the end, I feel that mankind will prevail, even if not in the way you intend."

“That is a bit of wisdom I do not need to hear."

“And yet you just have heard it. Do not have your expectations raised too far above what can be reached. There are many good, intelligent and able bodied people in this world, and many of them do not fall under your watchful gaze. There are other ways of eliciting change you know, other than relying on us who are in a minority."

Lilith sighed.

“I am doing what I can do. You would hardly think it wise of me to go on television and ask my children to behave, now would you?"

“No. That would create a new set of problems."

“Yes it would."

Moria settled down on the floor. “You are sailing dangerous waters and you steer with perfection and precision. Just remember that the course you have chosen is only one method for reaching your goal, and that there will be many storms brewing on you journey."

“And I am only one woman trying to nudge the whole of humanity towards a future that is one that their children can live in."

“Their children? Do you not claim them anymore?"

Lilith drooped a little.

“It grows more difficult each day to claim the whole population as you own. It grows easier to pick and to choose those whom you feel have more of a right over the others. A mother should never have to be placed in that position."

“So sentiment is winning out over logic? Say it isn't so!"

“Oh, do shut up Moria. This is already a trial for me."

“All the reason then to get away from it for a while. Gain a new perspective. We both know that the world isn't going to collapse overnight."

There was a moment of silence.

“Perhaps you are on the right track. After this meeting is over, I shall do as you suggest and get away from it all for a while."

“Good. And if you need more advice, you will know where to find me."

“I do and I will."

“Then I think my work here is done."

She fell soundly asleep on the floor.

Lilith knelt beside her, placed a kiss on her head and whispered, “A mother will always have favorites dear. There is no helping that."

She got up and walked out of her room, pausing in the hallway to reflect on the conversation. Then she smiled.