At last, she returned to sit, escorted by Xerxes. Xerxes stood and requested a break as it was close to lunch hour and he was concerned about Jessica’s health, she was still weak from the infection from the bullet wound caused by Marcus.
Marcus objected, “Xerxes is just attempting to gain sympathy for his wife and sway this court’s sympathy against me.”
The head Magistrate look at him sternly “This court is in recess until after lunch.”
After the lunch break, Maureen and Harold’s turns came for questioning, as were Anthony, Pisces and Marcus’ brother Nick. Marcus lost his temper with his brother and the Atlantian guard removed him for a short time from the room. Marcus’ wife Helena who had sat with Nick and Ainu was sobbing. She knew Marcus was guilty. Nick sat down, his sons, Anke and Nuba on either side doing their best to comfort their father. During this time, Xerxes and Jessica rose and walked over to talk to the distraught man.
“Nick, you did what you could,â€� Xerxes told him. “I was in the room off Ainu’s office when you were there. You are no traitor, nor are your sons, they have served with honor.â€�
“Lady Jessica� Nick said to her, “It pains me that he did this to you. I am just so sorry I could not have helped you.�
“Nick, Marcus would have killed you and still we would be here and your sons would be without you. Your death would not have changed the outcome. I do not hold you in any way responsible.�
“Thank you milady,� Nick said modestly. They resumed their seats as Marcus was brought back in, a quieter and subdued defendant.
Bruce Lance came next, and this surprised Marcus. He watched him with an evil glare as Sir Edward swore the new Councilor of Antiquities in.
“Councilor Lance,� Sir Edwards addressed him, you have in your possession the second diary of ex-Councilor Marcus Trident, found hidden in his personal desk. Can you give us a summary?�
“Yes Sir. Edwards,â€� Bruce affirmed. “After finding the first Diary, which I turned over first to Lord Xerxes then to you, I had also found a second Diary hidden in a false pocket in Marcus’ cluttered desk. This diary was up-to-date until the day he that stole the Vortex Stones - almost to the hour and will provide further proof, again in Marcus’ own hand, that he was the thief that he took the Vortex Stones and planned to killed the two guards. Having had only time to turn the new diary over to Sir Edward just before the trial, I have, as requested, prepared an account of the volume. This volume also contained a complete ledger account of the articles from the Antiquities Department that Marcus has stolen and sold in the upper-world and the numbers and banks the funds from these sales have been deposited in.â€� This had been a last minute discovery Marcus never expected to be found and wasn’t informed about. He became hysterical when his well-kept account was entered into evidence against him.
Marcus Trident was found guilty of Treason, four counts of attempted murder and seven counts of murder. Also, found guilty for solely attempting to expose Atlantis’ existence and putting it in peril of upper-world detection. Both crimes carried a sentence of death, as did the murders of Xerxes’ parents.
Provided for in Atlantian courts, the Magistrates called for anyone who wished to speak in the defendant’s defense or show reason for mercy toward them. The room was sadly quiet. After a minute or two of silence, the Head Magistrate’s gavel fell twice.
“Marcus Trident you will be executed in the accustomed manner at dawn. May God have mercy on your soul.� The Magistrates stood, as did the court and spectators. Marcus was led out under heavy guard.
No one spoke until the small group reached Xerxes and Jessica’s apartments. Jessica found her voice first, “What is the usual form of execution?â€� she was almost afraid to ask.
“The prisoner is taken to the surface and chained to weights then dropped into the Ocean. Drowning.� Xerxes explained. It seemed to be a fitting way of death for Atlantis.
“Oh.� Their voices said deadpan; everyone knew that was not a pleasant way to die, but then no one held any sympathy for Marcus either. No one spoke for a long time.
Dinner came and, though a large affair, was somber. Xerxes had arranged for their guests from Pacifica to stay the night in Atlantis instead of making the long journey back after such a stressful day. Helen, Marcus wife was included in the gathering and though she was timid, she soon found no one held her any malice and instead had great sympathy for the woman. After their guests had left and only family and the closest of friends remained, Xerxes explained, as High Lord of Atlantis it was his duty to be present at the execution the next morning and Ainu expressed he would share that responsibility.
Jessica’s face was solemn “I will be there too.â€� she said, “It would not be right to allow you to go alone.â€�
“It will be dreadfully bad Jessica, you should not go.� Xerxes told her. He wanted to protect her from all he could after what she had already endured.
“I will go,â€� and nothing Xerxes could say would dissuade her. Jessica knew that her position as the High Lord of Atlantis’ wife would carry many new responsibilities most of them would undoubtedly be pleasant, this one would not be. However, she would not let Xerxes go alone. She had been a part of Marcus’ actions and she would see it through to the end.
Harold too, expressed that he would attend, “After what that madman has done to my daughter and family, I would not miss his end,” he said firmly.
Xerxes was right - it was not pleasant and took all her self-control to maintain her composure until they returned to their private quarters where Jessica cried in Xerxes arms until in complete exhaustion she slept.
Xerxes joined her parents and the rest of the group that had been through the ordeals of the past few days together. It was a solemn gathering and they discussed the whole adventure from beginning to end filling in the missing pieces for each other. After an early light dinner, they all went to their own apartments.
Xerxes found himself alone and awake, he came to stand and look down on his slumbering wife. Her red hair spread out over the pillows. Exhaustion felt heavy on his body as well as his soul and he lay down next to her to smell the scent she had bathed in, Halo. Pulling her closer, after a short prayer of thanks she was home safely he slept too.
Chapter Thirty-One
Jessica wrote a letter resigning her commission in the Navy. At the same time, she sent a wedding invitation to General Grill. Pericles questioned the possibility of repercussions since he was officially missing. Jessica laughed and told him the General wouldn’t have time to do anything about his reappearance during the wedding and then afterwards he would be gone. Jessica also sent an invitation to Meredith Simon of the FBI. Along with a note;
Meredith -
It is my great pleasure not to be among the missing any longer.
Please attend my wedding, as a friend and I will explain the mystery.
Jessica.
Jessica and Xerxes’ wedding day dawned clear, bright, and sunny - a perfect Bureau of Tourism South Florida summer’s day. Scheduled for two in the afternoon, the wedding party assembled in a large divided, air-conditioned tent. The guests comfortably seated under the shade of the Banyan and Palm Trees on the heavily grassed park of Ocean Reef Park on Jupiter Island. Mother Nature provided a light but continuous sea breeze and the afternoon thunderstorms behaved and took the day off.
Xerxes, handsomely attired in the traditional tuxedo, with a white rose bud in his lapel, as was Ainu, his best man, Pericles and the other six of the Magnificent Seven. Each of the Atlantians drew the longing gazes of many of Jessica’s old school friends, both married and single. They were so handsome in their tuxedos that did little to hide their massive muscles beneath the fine fabric.
Jessica and Maureen had chosen to have an outdoor wedding close to the ocean, it seemed fitting. Many of the guests had commented on the large school
of dolphins that romped off shore playing in the calm surf as if they had come to join in the festivities too. Even the presence of a large hammerhead shark didn’t seem to bother them nor did the dolphins trouble the shark. Jessica had teased Xerxes about putting a boutonnière on Hammer but it wasn’t seemly.
The groom’s side of the promenade balanced with guests equally as well with the brides. Barrous had, as promised, brought his wife and their two children, the oldest was two the youngest only a month. On the brides’ side were several of Jessica’s friends from college with their spouses, lawyers, doctors, and professional men as well as several single girls. As girls were wont to do, they gossiped considerably, and none had thought Jessica would ever marry - she was too career-orientated. They had not expected her to marry the young and handsome CEO of Kallias Enterprises and had been speechless when Jessica had shown them her engagement ring. None of the girls could match the ring in clarity or perfection of quality of the cut gemstone.
Jessica, dressed in her wedding gown, looked out through a peephole in one of the portable curtains and grinned, ‘If only they knew.’ she giggled. Jessica saw General Grill sitting with Meredith, both looked curious and expectant. Perhaps they expected a spaceship to land. She caught sight of Xerxes with Ainu, his best man, surrounded by his grooms, he was nervous and that was a strange sight. Bruce was seated on the Brides side with his friends David ben Levi and his parents. Anthony and Cathy were also present, though Cathy looked as though she might have to leave at anytime.
“Honey� her mother said, “it is time.�
“I’m ready, but is he?â€� she pointed to Xerxes. Maureen laughed.
Maureen went to be seated, escorted by Pericles. Jessica went to the back of the isle set up in Ocean Reef Park. A five year-old cousin filled the role of flower girl and her older brother the ring bearer. Two of her girlfriends and C’Lar, Barrous’ niece, preceded her but Alena, Xerxes sister, was her maid of honor. Harold, as he explained to Xerxes, would get his desire and escorted Jessica down the isle between the rows of guests on a long white sheet of bridal carpet.
Jessica’s choice for her gown had been difficult, she could not decide between a traditional white gown or one of Atlantian style in a variety of color, perhaps in sea foam greens. In the end, Xerxes made the choice for her. She wore a white gown in the tradition of the upper-world and reserved the sea foams greens for a formal reception in Atlantis.
“This way I get to see you in both.” Xerxes had told her with a lecherous smile.
Jessica and Maureen had shopped for a week and finally found the perfect gown. A tight lace up bodice in the back and low in the front with only embroidered lace flowers across the crown of her shoulders the bodice fell to a vee in the front. The wide skirt drifted into a long train from the waist and melted from the gown. For after the ceremony, the train could be detached for dancing. Jessica’s veil was styled so her long dark red hair, which, although woven intricately into the headpiece, still allowed the last length of her hair, styled in ringlets, to kiss her shoulders with yards of the veil flowing with the train. The veiling also detached for when she was finished with the ceremonies, leaving only the headpiece. Jessica stood poised with Harold a huge bouquet of red roses and white babies breath tied with white ribbons in her white lace gloved hands.
As Xerxes promised, Jessica’s wedding was traditional and as Jessica promised, she did not explain her friends. Barrous and his family drew a few curious glances but they seemed to enjoy themselves, and when she introduced them to General Grill, the General almost choked on his Champaign. Pericles greeted the General cordially without explanation of his disappearance or that of his squad. General Grill tried repeatedly to make a phone call or two but his phone didn’t work and when he tried to sneak out early his car wouldn’t start. Meredith seemed to have the same type of problems.
After the bride and groom went through the usual steps and were prepared to leave Jessica drew the General and Meredith aside and quietly explained many things to them. “Now General, Meredith, this is all between us, as friends. You have no proof, and I know it will remain between us, but you both have been good friends and it would be cruel for you not to know.�
Jessica handed the General a rather large sealed envelope that contained the formal resignations of Pericles and his squad from the Marines. Jessica gave him a kiss on the cheek and Meredith a sisterly hug. She returned to Xerxes and the last congratulations of her now very envious and curious college girl friends. Wishing them all well, she and Xerxes left in a limousine driven by Merk. He took them to the marina across from the Jupiter Lighthouse.
All of the Atlantian wedding party and guests left immediately after the cake was cut and were on their way back home before Jessica and Xerxes. Pericles drove that boat himself with his arm securely around Alena, his own new bride. Barrous and his family journeyed back to Atlantis and planned to stay until after the Atlantian reception.
Harold and Maureen had planned a small gathering at their home in Jupiter, which they had invited General Grill and Meredith to. It seemed that the General and Harold found they had many things in common. Anthony and his wife had made their decision; they were going to try life in Atlantis. Both felt Atlantis provided a more secure atmosphere to bring up their baby in and neither had family in the upper-world but now had close friends in Atlantis.
Chapter Thirty-Two
In Florida, the sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico are acclaimed as some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. However, on the East Coast as the sun fades from the land the Atlantic grudgingly gives up the day. Looking east can be as beautiful as the sunset itself, relinquishing the light of the sun from the water in changing hues reflecting the color of the sky from blue to green and even sometimes pink into mauve.
Jessica and Xerxes boarded their yacht and motored out of Jupiter Inlet. Past the historical landmark Red Jupiter Lighthouse, and off the point turning southeast past the West Palm Beach inlet and the wreck of Mitzpah, where a chance encounter had brought their paths together years before. Several miles off shore they turned back to see the lights on the shore blink on as the Lighthouse’s beacon flashed.
Xerxes pushed a series of buttons on the dash of the expensive motor yacht and it became a submersible. Gathering his new bride into his arms he kissed her passionately and drew back to look lovingly into her eyes.
“Take me home, my love.â€� Jessica said to her husband, smiling happily up into the Aquamarine eyes of the High Lord of Atlantis’ handsome face. “Take me home to Atlantis.â€�
Again, he kissed her as the submersible sank into the mauve sea of the darkening waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Atlantis loomed ahead, bright, shinning and beautiful where their friends and family waited, the mysteries of the future still unwritten.
EPILOGUE
Vortexes occur in many places all over the world, a whirlpool, a tornado and even in the bathtub when the plug is pulled out. In Atlantis when a Vortex occurs, strange happenings seem to accompany them. Another one is coming in the future; this one will be a Vortex in Time.
Atlantis Vortex Page 49