by Jean Booth
“The land was divided by the brothers, however the land itself is not equally divided. We will walk through the only inhabited portion—the plain—on our way to the heart of Atlantis. Our people used to inhabit the rough mountains, but after we sank, we as a people changed.” He paused as in reflection, or to remember where he was in his lesson, I couldn’t tell. His expressive face held a mask of indifference I wasn’t used to. Not that I’d had a particularly long time to become used to him, or that I ever would, but it struck me as a bit odd.
“The two rivers that surround Melic on either side of the ring help with the defense of the main island. There are two castles on Melic, one in the plains and one in the mountains. The mountains are a mixture of a steep, rocky terrain and a vast forest spreading like a blanket upon the hills. It is truly a dark beauty. There are three land bridges connecting Melic to Sumner, the third island and the one we are currently on, however two of the three bridges have not been in use for centuries.”
He paused in his telling. The ground had shifted again, the stone becoming packed dirt that had clearly been walked on frequently. The dirt path jutted out toward another land mass. This was one of the bridges he was talking about. It wasn’t a bridge in the sense I was used to, but an arched land mass that connected the two island rings together.
“How does this happen?” I asked.
“We built the bridge from two solid, interlocking pieces of orichalcum. We then covered it with soil and let nature resume her growth. Sumner is mostly a forested land. Interspersed throughout the forest are pockets of fields that some have used to create their housing, as you saw with mine. It was also originally divided for three princes, but it too diminished in its ruling after the war. Currently, Poseidon’s second child’s son, who is the third in line for the throne, rules Sumner. He tends to the forest and makes sure the herds that are to be provisionary to our survival, remain thriving. All types of creatures live on this island, as we are the easiest island to maintain. It is a mostly flat land that is easy to cultivate and farm. I think it is even better than that of the mainland, as it only has a few mountains.” His voice held a note of pride that caused me to smile.
“The last ring is not really a ring of land, but four small islands set at the compass points. The northern one is called Rotsem and it is a tropical forested land with little fields that contain a variety of life. The eastern island faces the dry mountainous area of Melic and is called Horindu. It is a very dry, volcanic land that does not thrive with water. The southern island houses fields of flowers; it hosts the last remainder of our fertile plain and is called Diampri. The final island is in the west and is called Azazeil. It is a forested land with a natural occurring fountain of spring water in the center. Only on the main island of Atlantis does this fountain occur again.”
How Raif thought I’d be able to focus on anything besides him was beyond me. We walked over the bridge just as he was speaking about it. What he didn’t say was that it was the width of two semis stretched end to end, and nearly three times that in length. We didn’t cross paths with anyone, but did make room on occasion for a pack of elephants to pass. Not once did I see signs of transportation other than by foot, nor did I really see a need; however, I’d been anticipating flying cars zipping by using banana peels for fuel. I’d always heard stories of how technologically advanced Atlanteans were. I was also very humbled to be able to walk in a land that had been under miles of ocean for thousands of years.
Before too long, we had made our way across the island of Melic, and were finally on the mainland of Atlantis. The mountain in the center was huge. It started almost as soon as we crossed the bridge and went up. The peak was hidden beyond the clouds that circled. The climb was surprisingly casual as we walked toward the temple and palace beyond. They were both nestled closer to the base of the mountain, but high enough that they overlooked the land below. The buildings were made of marble, silver, gold, and that same reddish material of the path.
“Raif, what is that red stone, and why is it only in a few spots? It’s beautiful.” I pointed to the path that we were on, as well as the two buildings that we could see in the distance.
“It is called orichalcum. It is a rare metal only found in abundance here. It is meant to designate the royal houses. The only roads it can be used on lead to the princes’ homes, or in this case, to the king’s castle and Poseidon’s temple. It is only to be used in the building of any further temples to Poseidon, or the king’s living quarters. Even the princes are forbidden to use it in their homes. It is nice looking, however I am partial to the opal. I love its softness, and the colors that can be found if it is cut properly.”
“Wait a second. That orichalcum was in the path that led to your house.” I stopped in my tracks.
“Yes. I am the third in line. The king’s future son will hopefully replace him. If he does not produce an heir, my uncle will take the throne. There are two ahead of me before I even risk that torture. I tend to my lands, and make sure my people are cared for. I have no desire to be king.” He spoke casually as he continued on. I hurried to catch up and hold his hand.
“You’re a prince…a freaking royal. I’d never have guessed that you’d be royalty. You’re so kind and generous I just thought you were a normal person. Well, not normal, wonderful, amazing and freaking perfect are better descriptors than normal, but you understand what I mean, right?” Thankfully we had just arrived at the palace, and I took advantage of our surroundings to distract him from my babbling admiration. “How can we see the sunset this far underwater?” I asked as I caught sight of the brilliant colors.
“It is one of the mysteries of Poseidon. There are still seasons. The sun, the moon, and weather patterns occur as naturally here as they do on the surface. Time is sometimes skewed from your world to ours, according to Poseidon’s mood, but our days still match the length of yours. The protective dome that encircles us is the biggest mystery. We must have complete faith and trust in Poseidon that it remains intact to protect us from sudden and instant death. We also do not fully understand how Surface Dwellers arrive here. I will explain the things we do know after out meeting with King Nereus.” He drew my attention from the impossible sight of the setting sun to the simple, yet elegant castle in front of me. It was gently tucked into the mountain with a small moat surrounding it. A stout bridge led the way into the castle, and the road we were on meandered around and higher up the mountain.
I held Raif’s hand like a lifeline as we walked into the building. On either side of the drawbridge, imbedded into the castle were two statues: one a striking man with a trident, the other a woman of such beauty she took my breath away.
“Raif, who’s that?” I whispered. “I mean, that man is clearly Poseidon, but I’ve never heard of a woman associated with him.” He chuckled; the base sounds reverberated and made my whole body shiver in carnal response.
“You are an inquisitive woman, Lady Natasha. It is a statue of Cleito, and if you would be patient, I would tell you the tale of how we came to be here, as well as our origins, to which Cleito plays in integral part. You will discover in due time that she is Poseidon’s amada, and the reason we are here.”
I had so many questions, but the look on his face told me I’d have to wait for him to reveal anything else of his history. I wanted to hear him speak of his home and history more than I wanted to meet the Council and the king, but it didn’t appear I had much of a choice. I trusted Raif instinctively to protect me during this meeting, but I was still nervous. It was terrifying to realize that I could give this stranger my absolute trust without a second thought. All I wanted at this moment was to go home with him and listen as he talked. I also found it unsettling to realize that home to me was starting to become anywhere he was. Even with my unsettled nerves I was more at peace with him than I’d ever been in my entire life. Instinctively I knew that here, miles below the ocean, with a man I hardly knew, I would always be safe, protected, and loved beyond measure.
&
nbsp; We walked into the throne room and were greeted by what felt like every Atlantean on the islands. They were packed into a very large auditorium facing a dais in the front of the room, where there sat a row of chairs. A hush fell upon the crowd as we walked in, and every head turned in our direction. The people were very normal looking, if luminescent skin covering muscular bodies, with hair and eyes colors only found in the sea could be called normal. For some reason I had been expecting them to look like bug-eyed aliens, or some other mutated creatures that had yet to be identified. The only difference between the Atlanteans and myself was the skin, hair, and eye color. Well, that, and the fact that no one here had an ounce of body fat on them. The women were all thin with compact figures and lean muscles defining what I could see of their bodies. I could tell that they were used to hard labor.
The men were all muscular. No one that I saw had the couch warrior look to him or her. It was a sea of eye candy. I’d never felt like more of an outsider as I looked at the astonished faces of the people looking at me. My plush curves were definitely out of place here. It took me a few uncomfortable seconds to fully realize that they weren’t just staring at me, but at us. Raif was clinging to my hand so tightly I could feel him trembling. I looked into his face and saw a mask of indifference plastered there, such a departure from how his eyes had been lit before we’d entered the room. This was not the same man I was falling for. This man was cold, calculated.
“Raifuku, you have been honored by Poseidon this day. Please bring your human here so that we may begin with the celebrations.” The tenor voice echoed through the hushed building. The people parted, leaving a direct route to the dais, where the seats were filled by those I could only assume were the Council and the king.
The man speaking was the king. Even without a crown, he held an air of importance that could not be ignored. He also looked strikingly like the statue I’d noticed outside. He had the same wide-set eyes and prominent Roman nose of the statue. His hair was ruffled in a much more modern fashion than the statue’s long pulled back mane, but at a glance I could tell that he was a descendant of Poseidon’s. Raif’s hand tightened even further on mine, and I knew if he didn’t lighten up, he’d break it. I gently squeezed his hand and started rubbing my thumb across it. If I weren’t looking for a sign of him relaxing, I would have missed the imperceptible loosening of his hand on mine, and the slight exhalation of breath.
As we moved through the crowd, I could hear whispered murmurs behind me. Raif tensed, but I couldn’t understand why. His expression gave nothing away.
Once we’d drawn up directly in front of the king, Raif crossed his arms and bowed. He had to let go of my hand to bow properly, and I immediately began to shake. I had no idea when or how it happened, but I had become dependent on him for comfort, and I didn’t like that. It took me a few moments to compose myself while he was talking.
“My lord, may I present Poseidon’s gift—Lady Natasha from the Surface. We beg forgiveness for our tardiness, but I felt it inappropriate to introduce such a wonderful blessing from Poseidon in a state unbefitting a lady.” He said all this as he rose from his bow, but didn’t make any move to hold my hand again when he was finished. I was shocked to hear him speak with absolutely no inflection in tone or facial expression. I was starting to wonder who the real Raif was and if I had even a snowflakes chance in Hell to get my heart back if this was his true self. I did my best to curtsy as he finished talking.
“She is not like Poseidon’s other gifts, is she? I wonder what he had in mind by sending her. She does not seem fit to tend fields, climb mountains, or care for our sea creatures. There is an excess to her that does not seem proper for a lady. She is not even properly contained in her dress; the spillage is extensive.” At this, the king swatted the tops of my breasts as if to accent the ’excess’ that he was talking about. I was beet red in anger and he wasn’t even finished.
“She does possess motherly hips, perhaps she was sent here to breed. What say you, Raifuku? She would make an excellent breeder, and we are sorely lacking in new mothers.” At this he grabbed my hips, pantomiming exactly what the process of breeding would entail, from behind me. I was enraged and extremely embarrassed to be treated like a piece of cattle, especially in front of so many people. I schooled myself slightly to hide the shame, but let my anger loose.
“I don’t give a flying rat’s ass what Raifuku has to say about it.” I emphasized the use of his full name. “She has a name, and a mind of her own to choose whether she wants to be a breeder. She can talk for herself, you pompous ass! Who the hell are you to criticize me? I’m a strong woman who has a hell of a lot more to offer than ovaries. If you cared to ask me what I wanted instead of treating me like cattle, you’d know that I don’t even want to be here. I just want to go home!” I spoke quickly, yanking myself out of his embrace and was visibly shaking with anger.
It took every ounce of restraint I had not to beat the crap out of this man, royalty or not. Raif had, at some point, put a restraining hand on my back, and even the warmth of his electric touch hadn’t been able to calm me down. I knew I wasn’t a wisp of a woman; that I had curves and cushion where there could be ribs and a six-pack, but I liked my appearance. Who was he to insinuate that I was unacceptable? Any softening toward this place I was starting to feel because of Raif vanished at this introduction. I desperately wanted to go home and pretend I had never seen Atlantis. The thought of never seeing Raif again was the only pain I felt. While that thought hurt beyond measure, I could never live in a place where I was so thoroughly disrespected because of my packaging.
“Well, she certainly has spirit. Atreyu, what has Poseidon whispered in your ear about this new treasure?” He laughed at me and turned away like I mattered less than a gnat buzzing around his head. If Raif didn’t have one of my hands in his and his other on my back in a comfortable distraction, I swear I’d have hit the king of Atlantis right then and there. No wonder the queen’s chair was still empty.
The man he turned to wore black robes that contrasted with his silver hair. His long locks were held back with a black cord. He had three long silver braids on the left side of his face that were separated out from the rest. He glided over to the king and started examining me like I was a piece of meat to be auctioned off later. His silver eyes swirled as he looked at me and for just an instant I saw an expression of awe, respect, and abject terror. He turned from me and addressed the king.
“My lord, as Poseidon’s high priest I am honored to have had him visit his temple this day. He came to me and instructed me to find the ancient scrolls. He spoke to me again and told me that this day could be a day of much rejoicing or great despair. My king, Poseidon brings to all of Atlantis on this day, the one who will fulfill the prophecy.” He gestured to me as a sudden uproar exploded from the crowd, distracting me from my questions and fury.
There were exclamations of joy, shock, and terror. I couldn’t understand anything they said, but I could feel the undercurrents of emotions and see the expressions on their faces. The Council members continued to wear masks of indifference. Even Raif’s face held no sense that he was concerned in any way that I was some sort of prophecy come true. Only the hand that clenched mine betrayed his emotions. Every muscle was tight with the tension he was holding in check. The king quickly hid his terror from his people, but not so quickly that I didn’t catch the momentary lapse in his schooled features.
“Atreyu, are you certain this creature is whom Poseidon refers to? I cannot see how she would be anyone’s alma xemelga.” The king turned up his nose at me. I suppressed a shiver of awareness at the words. Alma xemelga. The words rang as important and resonated true feelings in me, although I didn’t understand what they meant.
“King Nereus, I have not been Poseidon’s high priest for eleven thousand years by misinterpreting his words, especially when he states them directly to me in his temple. He has not visited his temple since we sank. That alone marks the beginning of the prophecy. She
is the key.” He was angry with the king for questioning him. The walls of the palace started to shake, and I gripped Raif’s arm, fearful. I hated earthquakes and this didn’t make any sense. No one else seemed to be concerned, and the trembling only lasted seconds.
“What are we to do then?” King Nereus sighed as he gracefully fell into his seat and looked expectantly at Atreyu. I had thought it was a rhetorical question, but apparently, he needed answers.
“Poseidon also reminds me that, like us, she does have free will. She does not have to fulfill the prophecy at any stated date, if ever. There is also the possibility that if she is quarantined she will never meet her alma xemelga. She has only had physical contact with our immovable Raifuku and his apprentice, Michael. As is apparent by his lack of emotion, she was unable to break through Raifuku’s defenses, and since Michael is tending to temple duties and not pining for her, we can be assured that she has not found her alma xemelga quite yet. You forget that I was around when Poseidon and Cleito walked these shores together and I am intimately aware of the effects of finding one’s alma xemelga.” He paused for a moment. “We do have another option. We need not ever fulfill the prophecy if we destroy this Surface Dweller. Be warned, though, those that went against Poseidon in the past suffered greatly for it. I know the pull of one’s alma xemelga is great, and Poseidon has yearned for the day when he can reunite with Cleito again.” There was an instant hush at his words. Some shed tears at the mention of Poseidon and Cleito; others looked around in fear at the mention of her name.
“My king, if I may.” Raif’s bored tone echoed around the room. “Perhaps we should take some time to discuss the options further. It might be a good idea to open the door to our fellow Atlanteans to bring their desires and concerns to you as this affects us all. Atreyu can continue to consult the scrolls and discuss the matter further with Poseidon. Perhaps there is another way the prophecy can be fulfilled at a later date. Or, when Lady Natasha is fully briefed, she can be part of the decision. Must anything be decided now? This is a time of celebration; Poseidon has gifted us with a female after years of silence. I will take her to my home with me so that she remains under constant guard and will have no further contact with any Atlanteans, thereby eliminating the opportunity for her to create a bond. We shall return the instant the decision is made to hear your ruling. Is this sufficient for the Council?” Silence fell over the room after Raif’s speech.