The Lesbian Gene (Lesbian, Gay, GirlxGirl)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Conduit

The first thing I noticed upon entering the Elder's hut was the smell. Exotic. Herbal. Familiar yet distinct, like nothing I had ever come across before, yet already knew by heart. Strange.

I took a good look around.

The second thing I noticed was that the space was so much bigger than I had expected. This was not a house. It was a meeting place altogether, and people were already waiting for us, particularly the edge of a knife.

"D-Dante?!" I said, as the blade was pointed to my neck.

Dante, who looked ready for this, quickly pushed the other man's hand down, the one holding a weapon, gave him a small smile. "We were expected, my friend. Pax is a guest."

The other bigger man who came to greet us— a sumo wrestler for all I cared, what with his frame and the way he conducted himself, gave Dante a frown. "I thought the girl was still resting?"

"You thought wrong. Let us in."

My heart settled only when the man let us through. But it didn't finish there. More men like him were waiting farther inside, just not as big and tough-looking, though armed in a second with their own knives.

Dante gave them a small smile too. "Is the Elder awake?" he asked.

"Barely," another man replied. All four of them, this one included, wore long-sleeved shirts just like the people who had welcomed me earlier, though with wooden-plated armors strapped on their chests.

I was thinking what kind of sorcery was going on here, when Dante spoke again. "In any case, Pax and I would like to see her."

"No."

Dante scratched at his beard. "I had gotten the Elder's permission."

"Still a no," the biggest man replied. "Listen, just because you're her favorite, doesn't mean—"

"Gentlemen." A soft voice came from farther inside, barely heard amongst the beginning argument.

The man closest to another door I hadn't noticed before piped up. "Y-Yes, your Ladyship?"

"Send Dante and the girl inside."

My attention was quickly drawn back to the men. All of them looked resignedly at each other after this.

Dante, taking advantage, gave them a slight shrug, then placed his hand on the small of my back, ushered me forward. "If you'll excuse us," he said.

The scent that I had detected before grew stronger as we went deeper into the hut. Because of it, I couldn't enjoy the architecture of the place completely. Instead of focusing on the wooden panels, or the thatching wonder they had done on the ceiling, I was more concerned about how lovely the smell was becoming by the minute, just like food I didn't like at first but then had began to enjoy.

I was drunk with the smell of whatever it was when Dante cut a corner and guided me inside another room. A room where an old woman lay waiting on the forefront. Dante took a bow.

"Your Ladyship, it is I, Dante, and I have brought Pax."

"Send her closer. I want to see the girl."

I was marched inside, meanwhile, taking another sweep of the place.

It was simple; the hut. For an Elder's home, it was stripped of all the lavishness of what you'd normally see in a Palace. Assuming, of course, if they thought of the woman as a Queen. She, too, was clothed in a long-sleeved shirt like the others, though I could see that it could be long as a dress. She was sitting on the floor, bunched with a lot of pillows, looking half-asleep, half-amused at us.