by K. T. Tomb
“Greetings and welcome,” she said in a clear voice. She had only the slightest hint of an accent, which Cash could not pinpoint. Cash realized they were both still wet, disheveled, covered in sand and sea salt drying on their clothes. “Do not be afraid,” the woman continued. “I am Xenia.”
She gestured to the man next to her. He stood forward and introduced himself.
“I am Proteus.”
Finally the younger woman stood forward.
“And I am Aelle.”
Cash and Edgar exchanged a glance. Xenia spoke once more.
“Please, you have had a great shock. Let us escort you inside the city. We will provide you with food and a place to refresh yourselves. Then everything can be explained in time.”
Cash felt a remarkable amount of fatigue after the day’s events. She knew that they were experiencing something quite out of the ordinary. She felt no other alternative than to go along with the three strangers. They walked along the path together in relative silence, though not uncomfortable. Cash imagined that the culture in which these people lived perhaps did not feel such a need to fill every silence with useless chatter or entertain each second with smart phones or iPads. The three had a look of contentment on their faces that Cash found refreshing and curious. The silence allowed her to examine the surroundings as they traveled.
The city wall still seemed to be a bit of a ways ahead of them. The position of the sun seemed low in the sky. For the time of year, Cash guessed it might be somewhere in the mid to late afternoon. The road they traveled on seemed to be made up of large cobbled stones. Cash had a strange thought that she remembered seeing a sample of kitchen tile that looked similar. This made her think of Tim, and she wondered what he was doing at that very moment. A brief thought passed her mind that made her wonder if she might not see him for a very long while. She took the opportunity to observe the three who had met them. Xenia seemed to be a leader or representative of sorts, since she had spoken first. All three of them had short cropped blond hair and smooth aquiline features. The woman and the man walked just a way ahead of Cash and Edgar. Aelle, seemingly the youngest of the three, lingered just behind them as they walked.
Xenia turned and spoke.
“We are almost to the city gate. Once inside, there will be a vehicle to take us to the welcome center.”
“What sorts of vehicles do you have?” Edgar asked.
Though it was clear he tried to sound casual, Cash could hear the excitement dancing around the edge of his voice. This experience must feel to him like a child who had found the portal to Narnia in the back of his closet.
“Horses,” Aelle answered from behind the two of them. “Horses and carriages. Is there some other type of vehicle?”
“Aelle.” Proteus spoke with a tone that suggested she say little. “Our guests are tired and have many questions. They are not wont to answer ours.”
Cash wanted to say that they did not mind answering questions from them, but something about his tone made her think it better to stay quiet for the moment.
The city gate loomed before them. The wall surrounding the city looked like it might have been made from white limestone and it gleamed in the sunlight with dazzling spectacle. The road they walked on led up to the large gates, hanging on stone pillars which echoed the ruins Cash had seen while sightseeing over the past few days. The pillars looked pristine and made her imagine what the ancient temples would have looked like new. The gates swung open as they approached. She could see other people, many wearing the same tunics as the three with them. The men pulling open the gate had bare chests, exposing muscled physiques and evidence of a lifetime of hard physical work. The gates opened slowly as the group walked forward. What lay before them nearly took their breath away. Cash and Edgar glanced at each other in amazement as the sparkling city of Atlantis presented herself to them.
Once inside, they could clearly see the circular nature of the city that they had observed from the higher vantage point above the beach. The streets thronged with people. Open air markets lined the areas alongside them, filled with fruits and wares Cash had never seen before. She likened the city to something out of a history book, but now and then would see a gadget or invention that suggested the rich history and evolution of the inhabitants. Most of the people traveled on foot. Cash did not see any sorts of vehicles right away. Every now and then, a horse-drawn cart would make its way through the crowds that casually parted for them. As they walked along, Cash became quite aware of how much she and Edgar stood out in the crowd. They were the only people in sight wearing modern clothing, or what was left of it, and they were beginning to receive curious glances from those they passed by. Smiles and looks of admiration mingled in with glances of curiosity from the citizens.
They rounded a corner onto another street. The market gave way to what Cash guessed might be a business district of some kind. Square, squat buildings edged a large agora. The road they walked on went along the open area, which was decorated with an intricate inlaid mosaic. People walked here and there talking to each other in small groups. Some came out of the buildings, walking purposefully past them and down the road from which they had just come. On the other side of the square, a small horse drawn carriage waited. The driver sat on the high seat, behind him there was an enclosed compartment with small windows on each side. Xenia gestured to the driver, who tapped at the horses with a small crop who then walked toward them across the courtyard making soft clippety-clop sounds against the mosaic. The carriage stopped just in front of them and Proteus gestured for them to enter. Aelle opened the door of the carriage, standing to the side like an old-fashioned footman. She looked at Edgar, who motioned for her to enter first.
The inside of the carriage surprised Cash just as much as the city had. Soft leather lined the seats, which circled the roomy interior. Cash climbed inside, followed by Edgar, Aelle and the other two. From the small, high windows they could still see the activity of the city and the people. The cart moved forward as they began to roll through the city.
“The welcome center is toward the center of Atlantis, but it is not a long journey by carriage. We should be there shortly,” Xenia explained.
Cash stared at her with her jaw slightly dropped. It was the first time they had confirmed Edgar’s suspicion of where they were. This really was Atlantis!
“That makes me curious about something,” Edgar said. “In what manner do you tell time? I know the modern understanding of the Gregorian Calendar did not come about until long after the... um, sinking, so to speak. And what of that? Where did our mythos of your great city sinking beneath the waves come from? There are so many questions, I hardly know where to begin.”
Xenia laughed.
“There is much time. Plenty in which to answer questions, any that you many have. But surely you wish to be refreshed first.”
Cash had held her tongue up to this point, but she could no longer sit quietly.
“How did we get here? And perhaps more importantly how will we get back?”
At her question, Aelle cast her eyes to the floor of the carriage.
“I do understand your concern,” Xenia said. “There is much to discuss. I can only assure you that during your time in Atlantis, no harm will come to you.”
The sounds of the hustle and bustle of the crowded agora faded and the carriage seemed to be traveling through a more quiet part of the city. Streets lined with small square living quarters streamed past the windows. The throngs of voices had faded into the distance and a springlike quiet, punctuated with birdsong and crickets, surrounded them. The cloudless sky had a rich blue color, which made Cash wonder at the dark clouds of the storm. Those events seemed like a lifetime ago, though it could not have been more than an hour at most. When she glanced over at Edgar, she saw him with his face pressed to the pane of the window watching the city pass by. The wonder in his eyes made him look like a child peering into a Christmas store window. Xenia and Proteus smiled serenely as they traveled o
nward, and Aelle... What was this? For only a moment Cash noticed a look on Aelle's face that anyone would recognize. As Edgar peered out the window, oblivious to those around him, Aelle gazed at him with a look of fascination and longing. A faint wistful smile danced around the edges of her lips and her hands clasped in her lap twisted absently against each other. Could it be that Edgar had an admirer?
Why not, Cash thought, he is handsome enough.
She thought again of her own husband and how he might be receiving news about the storm, about passengers lost at sea. She did not have much time to ruminate on the thought because at that moment the carriage came to a rolling stop. The small door swung open, held by the bare-chested young man who had driven it.
They exited the carriage. Before them stood a large building which again echoed the appearance of the ancient ruins Cash had seen in the city of Athens. Large, white stone pillars flanked the stone building. A carved inlay above the entryway depicted an image of a great battle. One army seemed to be backing the other up against the edge of the sea. The foot of the soldier closest to the sea had the edge of his foot immersed in the angry looking water. The other army, which looked much bigger and stronger bore down on them with looks of war on their faces, eternally carved into the stone.
“What is it?” Cash asked, gesturing at the frieze.
“That is the great war,” the high, lyrical voice of Aelle answered her. “With the Athenians, before the time of the divide.”
Cash noticed that Xenia gave the girl a sharp look of reprimand. Edgar did not notice and jumped into the conversation with his own questions.
“Is that what it's called? The Divide? And is this a depiction of the battle between Atlantis and Athens, which made the gods decide to punish Atlantis and plunge the city into the sea? What are the legends like from your perspective, I wonder?”
The light in his eyes had not dimmed an iota since they had set foot on the island.
“Yes,” Aelle continued, giving Xenia a challenging glare and then turning back to Edgar. “But as you can see we are not under the sea, as your legends say. And perhaps we should wait a while before we begin to question the motives of the gods.”
They had walked toward the entryway of the temple-like structure, climbing the stairs to the open doorway before them. Cash remembered something from the files that she had read on the plane.
“Pardon me if I have misunderstood,” she said. “Is this the welcome center?”
“Yes,” said Proteus. “Indeed it is.”
“But these sorts of temples,” Cash continued, “these were reserved as temples of the gods, is that correct? Why would such grandeur be used for something akin to a highway rest stop?”
“There is nothing mundane about welcoming a stranger,” a different voice answered her question from just inside the shadows of the entrance, deep and commanding. “This is one of our most sacred temples. And yes, this is also home to one of the gods.”
Xenia, Proteus and Aelle immediately turned toward the voice, seeming to come to attention. The man who stepped out of the shadows looked older than the sun. His eyes sparkled with a blue depth and a smile played over his face just under the surface. He wore a white beard, well groomed, but long against his bare muscular chest. The garment draped around his waist looked white like the others, but when the sun met the surface, Cash could almost make out a frothy green color hinted at within the whiteness. The man’s full hair was also white and it spilled down his back in waves. He held a long wooden staff in one hand and extended the other to welcome them.
Xenia gasped.
“My king, they are not yet dressed for presentation.”
She held her head low as if to avoid his gaze.
“Ah.” He waved away her concern. “It is I who must ask forgiveness. It has been a rather long time since we have had guests. I became eager to meet you in person as soon as possible. But of course, you are right. Show them to their arrangements and then we shall join in the great hall for feasting and fellowship!”
With a flourish, the man seemed to vanish down some hallway or passage of the building.
“Who was that?” Cash asked, still sensing the air of importance the others held for this man.
Chapter Five
Cash and Edgar were led inside down a long hallway to an intricate set of doors. After a very small causeway, Cash was led one direction by Aelle and Edgar the other direction with Proteus. The young woman opened another door to an opulent bedroom. A large seating area filled one side of the room, couches and settees were overflowing with pillows and plush round cushioning. In an inset beyond the edge of the wall, she saw the largest bed she had ever seen. Canopied and filled with pillows, the pale comforter edged with a dark green silk ribbon draped to the floor. A wash basin stood against the other wall on a small table next to an ornate pitcher. Great, no running water, Cash thought to herself. On the bed itself lay a white tunic, much like the one Aelle and Xenia wore.
“This will be where you will stay,” Aelle said. “I am available to you to attend to your dress or hair if need be.”
“Oh, I am sure that I can manage on my own, but thank you very much,” said Cash.
“Will you need help with bathing?” Aelle asked.
“Um,” Cash had never been asked that question before; at least not with genuine innocence as the driving force behind it. “Really, I'm certain that I'll be okay.”
Aelle stood and waited until Cash stepped further into the room.
“I shall be outside the door if you should have need of me.”
“Really?” Cash said. “Don't you have to, um... do stuff? Prepare the feast? Or get dressed or... something?” Her voice trailed off.
Seeing the plaintive gaze of the young girl made her feel strange. As much as she did not care for the idea of being assisted in a bath, she also did not like to think of this girl, who seemed rather nice, standing in the hallway staring at the wall. Cash looked around.
“Tell you what,” she said. “Let me get a quick shower, or bath, or whatever it is that passes for full-body cleaning, and then after I get dressed, you can help me with my hair.”
A pleased smile crossed the girl’s face.
“That would be acceptable. I shall await your call.”
She then promptly turned and exited the room.
Once alone, Cash examined the room. The door next to the bed led to another room, not quite as big but still quite roomy. She had never seen a bathroom more intricate or complicated. In one corner, stood a large stall which seemed at first glance to be an ordinary shower. A perforated shower head hung down overhead with an attached cord hanging next to it, presumably to release the water. Next to this was a small table with a basin indented into the top surface. The table sat short and squat on the floor of the room, and what confused Cash the most was a small pile of charcoal inside the basin. She did not know what to make of that. Against the other wall was a round bath basin with ornate carvings around the edges. Images of bathing men and women in various poses etched into the tiles around the tub. Another cord hung next to the intricate tubing that ran along the wall into the spout over the basin. In the center of the room was an even larger pool-looking thing. A small chair in the corner had an attached basin behind where the head would be if someone sat in the chair. Another basin perched by the feet. Next to the chair was a large wooden cabinet reaching nearly to the ceiling.
The sea salt had dried in her hair, making her head itch. Her clothes felt stiff and uncomfortable. Under ordinary circumstances, Cash could have recalled the entire history of the Greco-Roman baths, but today, in this moment, she felt exhausted. Beyond her limit. She exited the room and stuck her head through the door to the hallway. Just as promised, Aelle stood plaintively waiting. When she saw Cash, her eyes lit up and a smile spread across her face.
“Aelle,” Cash said in a voice she hoped did not sound as embarrassed and exhausted as she felt. “I think I may need some help after all. I can't figure out the
bathroom.”
Aelle suppressed a giggle, but followed Cash into the room. The first thing Aelle did was walk over to the small basin with the charcoals.
“You will want to give an offering first,” Aelle said in an explanatory voice.
She opened the small cabinet doors underneath the basin and brought out some jars containing different kinds of twigs, leaves and dried berries. She arranged a small pile atop the coals and with a deft move of her fingers and the flint, a small flame erupted beneath the collection. Once the embers began to glow, a rich aroma filled the room. Cash felt her muscles begin to relax in earnest. Aelle knelt in front of the basin which emitted an undulating steam of smoke and incense. She turned and looked at Cash expectantly.
“Oh,” Cash said, when she realized she should also kneel next to Aelle. She did so. Aelle placed her hands in a prayer position in front of her, and Cash followed suit. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Aelle spoke some phrases in a language that Cash did not recognize, a stream of syllables in rapid succession ending with her head bowed slightly. Aelle then walked over to the smaller of the tubs, pulled the cord and a stream of steaming water flowed out of the faucets into the tub. Cash was surprised to find it filling rather quickly. Aelle walked over to the large cabinet and opened it to reveal a collection of lotions, soaps, bath salts and any number of bottles and pots of which Cash had little knowledge. Aelle grabbed a few and with swift, decisive movements she stood over the edge of the tub. With a handful of salts and a cap full of potions, the water began to foam and churn. Aelle stood aside and extended her hand, an invitation for Cash to enter the water. Cash quickly shed her clothing and stepped into the water, which continued to fill around her. She immersed all the way to her shoulders, covered with foam and bubbles. A floral scent filled the air, mingling with the still smoldering embers from the offering. Cash closed her eyes, finally allowing her senses to relax. She was only just aware of Aelle standing behind her, pouring warm water over her hair and working lather through it. She relaxed completely and allowed herself to be enveloped by the heady floral scents and earthy undertones.
