“Now if you’ll excuse me,” Sarmia continued, “I must go join his highness in the forward chamber. There is a reclining room through those doors,” she pointed in the opposite direction, “and the latrines are located at the far stern of the ship. I believe Rémy’s grasp of Anuprian is strong enough to ask for me should you require anything before our arrival in the capital.”
We thanked the Etia and she made her departure. The lights of the room dimmed a few minutes later and that odd soothing music, the likes of which I first heard in the King’s dining hall on our first night in the Tower of Marble, began to play throughout the chamber. I could only guess at the instruments which produced it, but the combination of mystical flutes, drums, and occasional choir produced an atmosphere of utter enchantment.
The ship withdrew from the shore and began to pick up speed on the open water. I was astonished by the stability of the interior given the rapidity with which we glided through the water. Although the familiar sway of sea travel was ever-present, the ship’s movement was neither jarring nor unsteady.
“I am pleased to see you in the local tunic, Lady Ella,” Rémy complimented.
“Thank you, Mr. Durant,” she said humbly. “The two of you have given me courage to try something new.”
“It becomes you,” I admitted sheepishly, and I was pleased to see the young woman look up to me with a smile rather than turn away with a blush.
The dinner was a feast of smoked fish, boiled yams, and an assortment of grilled vegetables. The wine, as always, was superb. Our conversation revolved around our excitement at seeing this new world at large, this sister Earth. The couch on which we settled happened to face starboard, and we were provided with a magnificent vista of the setting sun on the horizon. I stole several glances at Ella, her skin glowing in the golden hue, and admired the delicate features of her face. The curvature of her lips and the ornament of freckles on her cheeks complemented her already-captivating form.
“Well that was a satisfying meal,” Rémy stated at the conclusion of the last course. We heartily agreed. “But if you will excuse me,” he continued, “I should like to retire to the reclining room for a bit.”
“Of course,” Ella responded. “Thank you for the company.”
“The pleasure was mine,” he said as he stood from the table. He flashed me a boyish grin and gave me a wink before parting. I smiled and thanked him with a discrete nod.
The sun had already set but its distant glow remained visible at the edge of the sea. Ella and I continued to sip our wine and gaze out at the motley of brilliant colors sweeping the sky. The elders at the other table could scarcely be heard over the music and distant rumble of water rushing past the hull. I realized that I could speak freely.
“Ella, I know why you left Alexandria with such haste,” I confessed quietly. Of all the possible things she suspected I may say, her eyes told me that those words were not among them.
“But… how?” she pondered aloud.
I placed my hand over hers. “The important thing is that this world offers you a fresh start. Your past is not held against you here.”
“So you think I made the wrong decision?” she stiffened.
“I do not know the extent of the situation, but you no longer have to run here,” I reassured her.
She snickered sarcastically. “My run was cut short when my grandmother discovered me.”
“I have no doubt she was doing what she thought best,” I admitted. “The charges were a shock to be sure.”
“Charges?” Ella inquired. “What charges?”
I sighed. “Forgive me, but one of your books was misplaced with my own. I saw the court summons inside.”
She chuckled, her laugh genuine this time. “Court summons? I must admit I have no idea what you mean.”
“There was a court summons for theft nestled between the pages,” I informed her.
“Well I am proud to say that neither my flight to nor from Egypt had anything to do with theft,” she boasted, and took another sip of wine. “Goodness, Mr. Laurence, you must have thought me quite the scandal!”
I could only smile foolishly, grateful that she did not take insult in the assumption. I realized the document must have been an old relic. “Not at all. And please, call me Phillip.”
“Very well,” she looked up into my eyes, “Phillip. If you must know, I was not running when you met me. I had already been caught.”
I poured us more wine and waited for her to continue. “My grandmother,” she added more quietly, “discovered that I had fled England to escape my upcoming marriage.” I had no doubt she could see the dejection which had spread across my face. “He was a brute of a man, fifteen years my senior no less,” she added. “I could not understand why my parents were so intent on forcing my hand to his. I tried to make them see my point but they were adamant. And so I fled.”
“To Alexandria,” I stated.
She nodded. “Granny is very resourceful. I had scarcely arrived when I found her knocking on my hotel door.”
“She did not see your point of view either?” I asked.
“She claims she did,” Ella confessed, “but she said I went about the matter all wrong. She beseeched me to return and allow her assistance in swaying my parents. I had only just agreed that morning when she took us to the docks to secure the next ship to Europe.”
I smiled as I recalled first seeing her at the docks five days earlier. A bygone age, or so it felt.
Rémy excitedly re-entered the dining hall moments later. “The Etia says we are approaching the capital!” he burst. I stole a glance at my watch. The journey from Capribo had scarcely taken more than two hours.
Ella took my arm. “Well let’s go see, shall we?”
The ship slowed its approach as we made our way back up to the deck. King Eireas stood silently with his advisors at the bow of the vessel. I looked beyond them and tightened my grip around Ella’s arm. Alexandria stood proudly before us. Even in the dark, or maybe because of it, the enormity of the buildings stretching high into the heavens was enough to take one’s breath away.
Their shapes were nothing like the stiff constructions of our own cities. Some had curved sides with neat rows of windows lining the arcs. Others twisted up in spires as if they had been melted and formed whilst still soft. How they managed to remain standing was a mystery. Brick had been replaced in favor of metal or glass and all the structures sparkled with electric light. Some had bases of white stone, with columns and sculpture fused into the construction. Others had patterns chiseled directly into the glass or metallic plates.
“Good heavens,” Lady Pearson breathed and Daniel crossed himself.
We stood stupefied as the monoliths continued to gain stature as we advanced. Our wonder upon seeing the Tower of Marble suddenly seemed foolish by comparison. This sister Alexandria was a metropolis unlike any other. I discerned elevated transports shooting rapidly between the towers, hovering craft with lit sides slowly moving across the sky, and countless other boats coming to and fro within the great harbor.
Sarmia turned her head to us. “Welcome to the capital of the Royal Republics of the Sea,” she proclaimed proudly. My companions and I could offer no response.
The alien world before me almost overshadowed a smaller structure standing farther out on the water. At the outer edge of the harbor was a majestic ancient lighthouse of white marble. Well over four hundred feet tall, though still diminutive beside its modern counterparts, it was divided into three layers. A tall square tower made up most of the structure, atop which stood a smaller octagonal pylon. The very tip was cylindrical and partly assembled of great columns. A magnificent fire burned from within the pillars, the flames reflecting in the countless metal statues which lined the edges of each layer below.
I immediately recognized the edifice. It was the Lighthouse of Alexandria, a wonder of the ancient world. It had collapsed long ago on our world. Yet there it stood, as beautiful as the day it was built. My heart rac
ed within my chest; my head was dizzy with thought. Ella locked her fingers within mine and I was overcome with emotion. I turned to her, put my hands to her face, and kissed her passionately in the glow of the lighthouse flame.
CHAPTER 12
The rays of the morning sun warmed my face. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. My bed, like the rest of the room, was spacious but simple. If the building was any example, the Alexandrians took a subdued approach to aesthetics. I stood and walked to the wall of glass overlooking the great harbor below me. I was quite dizzy at the sight, for I must have been some forty stories high. The majestic blue water was pierced by countless ships dashing across its surface. The lighthouse, which must also have been forty stories in height, loomed majestically at the edge of what used to be Pharos Island. Just as in our world, the ancient mole which was built to unite the small isle with the mainland had silted over to create a large peninsula.
I bathed quickly and rummaged through the chest of drawers in my room. They contained none of the colorful tunics to which I had become accustomed, but were instead filled with the casual clothing for everyday wear. A light green shirt and navy blue trousers made a satisfactory combination. The shirt was very comfortable, with metal buttons running down the front, rolled sleeves, and no collar. It was not nearly as long as the formal tunics, so I tucked it into my trousers before completing the ensemble with a belt.
The bedroom and bathroom in the apartment were mine alone, and I could not recall the arrangement of the other rooms. I had been positively overwhelmed upon our entrance the night before. With a fair amount of certainty, I recalled that Rémy’s bedroom was next to mine. I stepped out into the hall and knocked on the door. I heard shuffling within. The door slid open marginally and I saw the pale outlines of Daniel’s face in the darkness.
“How can I help you, Mr. Laurence?” his voice was hoarse.
“Pardon me, Father. I do not recall the way to the dining room,” I admitted quietly.
“It’s the third door on the right,” the priest directed with a bony finger.
I turned to thank him but his door was already closed, hit footfalls lumbering away.
The dining room likewise overlooked the harbor. Rémy was already seated within, breakfast before him.
“Good morning!” he saluted. He was similarly dressed in the less formal attire, with a pair of khaki trousers and a shirt as blue as the sea. The upper garment was different from my own, with short sleeves and a thin band of white cloth forming a collar around his neck. Instead of buttons, the collar ended in a V shape, exposing the dark hairs of his chest.
“Good morning,” I echoed and poured myself some coffee. “You’re in good spirits,” I observed, taking a seat beside him.
“Indeed!” he confirmed in between bites of bread and marmalade.
“Because we are here?” I asked.
He smiled, his eyes twinkling. “And because it is just as we had hoped.” He nodded up and only then did I spot a map of the Mediterranean on the dining room’s wall-screen. The top was labeled in simple block letters.
VAΣIΛÆ REI PUBΛICÆ ΘAΛAΣIΣ
The Royal Republics of the Sea
Although the map looked more like a photograph than a drawing, complete with vegetation and the reflection of light on the water, the borders of fifteen states were projected onto the image. The smallest of them was the island in the sea’s north-east corner. Hovering next to it, in simple white letters, was the word CAPRIBO.
The political borders of the other states resembled none of our own nations. Italy, here labeled ROMA, was closest to our divisions, though the state enclosed parts of France, Switzerland, and Austria-Hungary as well. Much of Germany, former Poland, and Denmark now formed a great Baltic state at the nation’s northern border. The Ottoman Empire was nowhere to be seen and some of its territories retained their ancient titles. The states encircled the whole of the Mediterranean in one united nation. I took a sip of coffee, fresh and aromatic, as I perused the chart.
Lady Pearson entered the dining room several minutes later. Her eyes were red and swollen and I was surprised to find her on the arm of Etia Yawa, who guided her to the nearest chair. Sarmia entered the room behind them and clicked the door shut.
“We heard weeping,” Sarmia informed me. “We knocked and found your companion on the bed. I am sure seeing the city was a shock, but I had very much hoped to avoid this. We tried to stagger your exposure to our world, but apparently we did not stagger it enough.”
“Lady Pearson,” I began soothingly, “is there anything I may get you? Some water or coffee perhaps?”
“No, Mr. Laurence,” she answered. “It’s kind of you to offer, but I don’t require anything at the moment.” She gazed out the window and let out a sigh. “Youth is a marvelous healer when it comes to the pains of change. I fear those days of adjustment are long behind me.”
“If I may be so bold,” I continued, “there is no permanence in the world, even the one we left behind.”
“While so much is true,” she said slowly, “change is never as rapid as this. I am afraid I cannot take the shock.”
“Oh, I beg to differ,” I countered. “Your high spirits and rationale have made quite the impact on this journey.”
“On the journey, perhaps,” she reluctantly agreed, “but what am I to do now? I am without estate, family, or practical skills. I doubt very much that the hospitality of these strangers should continue to my dying day.”
“Is it wise to jump to such conclusions?” I asked. “We must take our life one day at a time. There is no sense in worrying about a hypothetical future which may never come.”
She sat back in her chair and pondered the words for a minute. “You are a prudent young man. I can see why Ella is so taken with you.” I looked down at my mug and I heard her chuckle. “Do you really think I missed that moment on the ship last night?” she revealed. “A grandmother sees all.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you approved.”
Her lips betrayed a small smile. “It is remarkable what one discovers when the social pressures of the world vanish.”
I scrutinized her for a minute. Perhaps there was more to the woman than her mask of austere etiquette.
“I am happy to see a smile return to your face,” I confessed. “And you must admit, there is a great deal of good in the world before us. That map, for instance,” I indicated the wall-screen. “The mere suggestion of a united Europe would have been ridiculed to no end back home. Yet here, it is reality. And not only Europe, but the Near East and North Africa as well.”
“We have territories,” she pointed out.
“Yes, but I am not speaking of occupancy. These are one united people.”
Lady Pearson considered the map. “It is remarkable,” she finally agreed, “but I doubt the borders are stable. You know as well as I how quickly these matters change. The Franco-Russian alliance may have already ended in our absence.”
“I admit I do not know much of this world yet. But I hope to learn. And I would like to share that information with you if you so desire.”
“You’ll stop at nothing, will you?” she asked lightheartedly. “Very well, Mr. Laurence. You’ve piqued my interest.”
The door to the room opened again and King Eireas caught us all off-guard. He was alone and in formal dress. Both Etias rose from the table and we followed their example.
“Agiméra,” he proclaimed and we returned the greeting.
“Heavens, I must look of fright,” Lady Pearson whispered. She put a hand to her face. “Please inform the King that I need to wash up.” I delivered the message as she hurriedly made her departure from the room, bowing her head as she passed the young man.
Eireas poured himself a cup of coffee and joined us at the table.
“I see you have been studying our geography,” he noted approvingly.
“It is amazing how changed the land appears with different borders,” I marveled.
The Kin
g nodded. “Yes, Rémy has attempted to teach me of the divisions on your sphere. I have no doubt they would look as foreign to me as these do to you.”
“I have a book of maps, your highness,” I informed him. “I would be happy to share it with you when we return to Aleria.”
His dark green eyes flashed. “I don’t know why I didn’t think to ask! I would enjoy that very much.”
For the first time since our arrival, I realized I had something to offer which our hosts did not already possess. My companions and I represented an entire world to which there was no other access. “It is the least I can do,” I replied humbly.
Rémy conversed in Anuprian with the Etias during my discourse and I regretfully realized that I was now the sole occupant of the room who did not understand the melodic tongue. Eireas must have sensed my discomfort.
“Your friend is a very good student,” he informed me. “He seems to possess a natural talent for our language.”
“His native tongue is likewise a remnant of ancient Latin.”
The King chuckled. “Our scholars continuously bicker whether our language is more Latin or Greek,” he explained.
“And which side do you take?” I asked.
“Neither,” he smiled. “I am no linguist, but a historian. As are you, if I remember correctly?”
“I am.”
“Then you will appreciate this,” he extended his hand to the window and we walked over to admire the vista.
“That tower,” Eireas indicated the lighthouse, “is my favorite monument in the world. I used to travel here as a boy to gain inspiration from it. I drew it, I read books in its shadow, and I climbed to the top more times than I can count.”
“Yes, it is quite beautiful,” I admitted. It stood alone at the edge of the harbor. The blocks of polished white marble glittered like exotic jewels. Its flame was crowned with a conical roof, a large statue of Poseidon standing proudly at its tip. The figure was made of copper and, just as the smaller sculptures below, it had long turned green with verdigris.
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