Book Haven: Wednesday [12-30-09]

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

Millie was cheerfully organizing the new shipment of books. Which actually meant a great deal of time spent getting lost in reading snippets of each of them as she sat on the floor 'unpacking' the boxes.

Comments

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

Price stepped into the shop, and took off his bush hat.

"Well then, where do I go to get some personal assistance?" he announced, feeling a bit of a cheek.

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

Millie scrambled to her feet, brushing down her skirts as she did. "Why hello, Captain," she said with a smile. "How can I help you?"

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"Well, I was hoping to see if you were in," Price said. "And see what exactly the esteemed owner thought to recommend."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"You've found me," Millie said cheerfully, "and if you tell me what you like I'll see what I can find for you!"

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"Well, I'm normally more of a non-fiction sort," Price said. "And to be honest, most war novels bore me."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"Biographies, perhaps?" Millie suggested. "Or history of some kind?"

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"Biographies," Prices said. "Might not be a bad idea. Especially for more... exotic types."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"Exotic?" Millie looked up at him curiously.

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"You know, not from 'my' universe," Price said. "God, that sounds ridiculous."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

She laughed. "You'll get used to it, but it takes some time. And yes, I'm sure I have biographies of people not from your universe."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"Perfect," Price said. "Just nothing too outrageous. Lets leave aliens out of this, for now."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"No aliens," Millie promised. "Not on your first visit anyway."

And that might have been a mischievous glint in her eye.

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"I'll get around to it eventually. Bad enough I've had to meet angels and gods in the past week or so," he said. "I think my hair will go even more gray by the time I leave here, with all this."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"And a goddess," she pointed out, then frowned. "Well, an ex-goddess anyway."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"Aphrodite seemed to not be an ex-goddess, when I spoke with her," Price said, not quite catching Millie's drift.

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"Not her," Millie said with a laugh. "I meant me. I used to be one, but now I'm just an enchantress."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

Price just sort of stared. "How does one become an ex goddess?"

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"Well, you see," Millie explained. "When I was a baby, the priestesses chose me to be the Living Asheth because I had her sign on me. But when the Living Asheth gets to be too old, she's killed and a new one is choseen. I ran away instead."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"...and this would be why I've never been much ofa religious man," Price said.

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

She laughed. "If you were from Series 10 you wouldn't have had much choice. Asheth is pretty ferocious when she wants to be. It's not like this place where gods are so... ephemeral. Asheth was pretty hands-on."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"So... you were ferocious, then? Hardly seem the vicious type, if you don't mind the observation," Price said.

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

That got a giggle out of her. "No, I wasn't particularly vicious," Millie admitted. "I think I was the kinder gentler incarnation of Asheth."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"What all religions need," Price said. "And I say that as a military man."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"Oh, she had her own army," Millie offered. "Most dangerous fighting force in all the worlds. They followed me through to Series 12. It was quite a mess for a while."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"Series 12?" Price said. "Sorry love, you lost me."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

She waved a hand at him. "Sorry. Where I'm from there are many different series of worlds. I'm from a world in Series 10 and I escaped to one in Series 12. I know it doesn't mean anything to anyone here."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"Right," Price said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Can we get back to a conversation that makes a little more sense to me? Not meaning to be rude or anything."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"Oh, of course," Millie said brightly and beckoned to him. "Come, the biographies are this way."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

Price followed, glad to get on a more even keel. "Some day when I'm better adjusted, though. You'll have to tell me more."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"Oh any time," she said easily. "Ah! Here we are, Captain!"

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"Perfect," Price said. "Any you'd recommend, or should I grab at random?"

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

She considered for a moment, then pointed out two she thought he'd like. "Either of those might be good."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"I'll take them both," Price said, pulling the books off the shelf. "That way I'll have a back-up in case I finish the first before I get a chance to come back here."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"Excellent," Millie said cheerfully, "come on over here and I'll ring you up."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"You know, that almost sounded like an invitation into your flat, in a different context," Price joked, heading over.

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

She tilted her head, then laughed. "Ah, yes, I see. Well, if you ever did wish to stop by, I live upstairs from her."

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

Price smiled a bit. "I'll keep that in mind," he said. "Must make it hard to get away from the job,for you."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"Ah, but I love books," Millie said, "so where better to live?"

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"A library?" Price joked.

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

That got another laugh out of her. "Indeed! Maybe I'll start one of those next!"

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"Sounds like you've got your future pretty well laid out," Price said. "Pretty enviable position."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I don't know," Millie said thoughtfully. "Who can ever tell what the future holds?"

[stayingfrosty.livejournal.com]

"Not me, that's for sure," Price said. "Wouldn't be surprised if a few people around here could, though."

[livingasheth.livejournal.com]

"I would bet you're right," Millie said with a smile.