Tim’s Thirteenth Trade

Wisdom was finding that she quite enjoyed using Justice's power. The insights she gained browsing through possible trades were fascinating, the power itself was exhilarating, but if she was honest with herself, the majority of the enjoyment was derived from who she was using the power to help.

Tim Thompson.

As much as she had been trying to remove herself from Lust and Desire's loyalty to the young man, the last trade she had overseen had demolished the walls she had erected around her core being. The sheer pleasure the two immortals felt at their liege's needs being met was exhilarating. So much so that Wisdom couldn't wait to repeat the process. While there was no need to rush things, she immediately set to the next trade as soon as the first was completed.

The joy in serving the boy's needs rekindled a fire in Wisdom's heart, something she had not felt since the Spark of Creation first slipped from her Husband's mouth. All things had been new, all possibilities intoxicating. But then came humanity, her daughters, and disappointment. Too long had Wisdom held herself separate, unwilling to open her heart to hope. But thanks to her daughters, thanks to Tim Thompson, that door had been flung open. Wisdom wanted to believe in the chance of redemption of the human race and her offspring through Tim Thompson. Already his interventions in the lives of the immortals had produced such change! What more could he do with the hand of Wisdom on his shoulder?

She raised her hands to consider the possible trades to resolve the issue of his painfully short lifespan. She had already solved the issue of where to find the time needed to add to Tim's life, but what to balance it with was the question. Taking a deep breath and calming herself, she began to browse a seemingly infinite amount of choices. She fought for balance, for a wise choice, but it was becoming more and more difficult to separate her feelings from those of her daughters. Where did Wisdom begin and where did Lust and Desire end? The line was hazy.

Still, enough remained of Justice to inform the choice, and soon the decision was made. She thrusted a smoking first forward, then waved both hands over her head, “It is done! The trade is complete.”

“Wait, what?” Tim seemed to come out of a daze and stared at her, “Did we just make a trade? For what?”

A warm smile rose from her heart and settled on her lips. She had helped Tim Thompson again. Shivers of pleasure ran up and down her spine. A surprising urge to kneel down before him and rest her head against his smooth, hairless legs, appeared, but she shoved it away. While the prospect seemed appealing in almost every way, she could perform her duties much better on her feet.

“Having my daughters serve you had been deemed right and just by my Husband,” she explained to the human she so admired, “but your natural lifespan does not allow for their service to continue long enough. The influence of Lust and Desire must be felt on this planet for your species to survive. Should you die, their power would die with you. Lust and Desire are bound to you eternally, and would be hopeless in your absence.”

“I don’t get it,” Tim said, “You made me immortal?”

“Not quite,” Wisdom walked over to the young man and placed her hand on his shoulder, being careful not to make direct eye contact, something that most mortals found unnerving, “It was a small change on a grand scale. The women of your species enjoy longer lives than the men. Since Justice enjoys balance so much, I took one minute of life from each human woman and added it to your own. Currently you have thousands of years ahead of your with each passing moment, more women are born, adding more and more time.”

“I think I need to sit down,” the human said, flopping onto his chair, looking unsettled. Had she done something wrong? In an uncharacteristic moment of uncertainty, Wisdom knelt down at Tim’s feet and rested her head on his lap, realizing that it felt even better than she had anticipated. Perhaps she could still salvage the situation.

“Your life will be long,” she said in a soothing tone, “and should it need to be longer, we will have the time to decide how that will come about. Imagine the changes you will witness to your world. Imagine the influence you can have in the shaping of humanity!”

“What did I lose?” He asked, his feminine voice sounding flat, “What did you take?”

“I’m surprised you hadn’t noticed yet,” she said, as his hand came to rest on her head, softly stroking long black locks, “It’s something I think you’ll enjoy. I traded your…”