Gates of Neptune

by Gilbert L. Morris

  “Because I love Atlantis, even as you love Atlantis, Lord Admiral.”

  A murmur went around the room once again, and Aramis straightened, seeming to gain his composure. “There was a time,” he said, “when you did not believe so.”

  “Yes, I called you a traitor and a rebel, didn't I, my lord? I did not show, perhaps, what I felt.”

  “I am still a rebel in the eyes of your father,” Aramis said flatly.

  “Yes, that is true.” Jere stopped then and took a deep breath. “Do you not know that my father still loves you? Even though you have led his kingdom into rebellion? He and my mother love you just the same, even though they grieve over what has happened.”

  “That cannot be!” Aramis cried out, put his hands to his head, shaking it wildly. “They cannot love me, not after—”

  “Yes, they can,” Jere said clearly. “They love you, because love doesn't change. It's the same when someone we love is hurt or injured. When they fall, when they make a mistake, we grieve over them, but true love forgives, always forgives.”

  Aramis dropped his hands. He stepped down from the dais and walked straight to where Jere stood.

  Lenomar murmured, “Get ready,” and his lieutenant nodded grimly.

  Aramis stood before Jere, looked down at her. “And what about you, Princess? Do you still love me—in spite of everything?”

  She lifted her head, reached out one hand, and put it on his chest. Her lips trembled, but her eyes were clear and steady. “Yes, Aramis,” she whispered. “I have always loved you—and I always shall.”

  Aramis looked like a man who had been struck. Slowly he reached forward, took her hand, and held it. He looked like a man coming out of some nightmarish experience.

  “You're almost free,” she whispered. “You've been held in bondage for so long, but do you remember what it was like back when we were one, and you served the king?”

  Aramis did appear to remember. He said, “I don't know what came over me. I don't understand.” Then he lifted his head and lifted up his voice. “There will be no executions.”

  No sooner had his command rung out than Lenomar nodded at the lieutenant. “Strike—kill them all!”

  A mariner standing close to the edge of the tank lifted his spear gun, aiming it at Aramis.

  “Look out!” Josh cried. He had only time to make one leap and knock the admiral to one side.

  The dart whistled by Aramis's cheek. Everywhere Lenomar's personal guards and those loyal to him were attacking.

  Aramis shouted, “All for King Cosmos and Atlantis— to me!”

  Then the most frightful battle began. The sides were evenly matched, and soon the two factions were in a death struggle. Darts from the spear guns of Lenomar's guards whistled, some of them taking down men instantly.

  Josh saw a guard rush toward Sarah—one of Lenomar's men, he suspected. Josh snatched up a sword from a fallen mariner, made a wild run, and just as the mariner raised his knife over Sarah's back, Josh shoved by, thrusting. The guard went down, and Josh pulled Sarah back into a place of safety.

  Even as they watched the fighting, Josh said, “I don't know how you did it, Sarah—but you did!”

  “It was all Goel,” she answered. “He did it all. But look—Aramis is rallying his men.”

  The tide of battle had turned so that Lenomar and his group were being driven back. Lenomar opened his mouth to command, “Kill them—” but a dart caught him in the chest, and he fell.

  With Lenomar's death, his supporters lost heart, and soon Aramis had surrounded those who were left. “Put them all under lock and key,” he ordered. Then he glanced down at Jere, who had come to stand beside him. “Do not harm them anymore. I've found out that even though a man is wrong, he can change.”

  Then he said to Jere, “I feel so strange, as if I've been asleep for a long time.”

  “You have been asleep—in a nightmare.” She smiled up at him. “Now, it's a new world.”

  Jere lifted her head, and—despite the hubbub of the guards getting their prisoners together—Aramis, in full view of everyone, leaned forward and kissed her. Then he fell on one knee and raised his sword. “My loyalty,” he cried out, “is to the house of Cosmos, the king of Atlantis.”

  Josh stood with the Sleepers. He said, “Well, I guess that about takes care of this problem, doesn't it? Now, Sarah,” he said, “we've got to hear what happened.”

  Sarah seemed not to be listening. She was watching as Jere leaned forward and raised Aramis. “Isn't that sweet?” she said. “Look, they're so in love.”

  Josh looked at the couple. “You're so romantic, Sarah. This is a whole kingdom, and you're looking at one man and one woman.”

  Sarah smiled, then whispered, “That's what the world comes down to, Josh—one man and one woman.”

  Josh could think of nothing to say. She reached up and took his hand and squeezed it tightly.

  17

  What Next?

  The great banquet hall of the city of Atlantis was filled to capacity. Everywhere, servants brought silver and golden trays filled with food, and golden cups full of drink, to those at the long tables. At one end of the room on a raised dais sat the royalty of the kingdom. King Cosmos sat in the center. On his right was Queen Mab, on his left the Princess Jere, and beside Princess Jere sat Aramis, the Lord High Admiral of Atlantis.

  The Seven Sleepers sat at a table at a right angle so that they faced both the royal family and the lords and nobles and citizens of the kingdom. Josh was between Sarah and Dave, and as they laughed and talked, Sarah said, “Look, isn't that romantic? Aramis is holding Jere's hand!”

  Josh looked up and grinned. “Well, if he sat any closer to her, he'd be on the other side, wouldn't he? From the look on his face, I guess that's one happy man.”

  “They're all happy.” Sarah nodded. She looked very pretty tonight in the gown that Princess Jere had lent her. It was pale blue with a frothy, matching bodice and skirt. “Look at the king, how proud he is.”

  “Yes, he's got his family together, and I guess he won't have to worry about the next ruler, will he?”

  Dave asked, “I wonder what's going to happen to Valar?”

  “Well, he won't be thrown into a shark tank, that's for sure,”Josh said.

  Sarah looked over to one side where Valar sat silently, his face pale, beside an armed guard. He had lost weight during the days since Aramis had overthrown Duke Lenomar. He had come to the royal court with the group and watched Cosmos and the queen welcome Aramis with open arms. Since then, Valar had been kept under house arrest.

  Sarah said suddenly, “I'm going over and speak to him.” Quickly she arose, ignoring the eyes that were watching her. One of the seats beside Val was empty, and she slipped into it.

  When he looked at her, his face was haggard, and he said, “Come to gloat over me?”

  “No, Val,” Sarah said quietly.

  Val waited for her to speak further. When she said nothing, he stared down at the table, his fists clenched. “You might as well go ahead and say it. You're thinking it—everybody else is—what an ingrate I am, a traitor to the king and queen.” He lifted his head and looked at Sarah with misery in his eyes. “And I was a traitor to you too, Sarah. I let you trust me, then I betrayed you.” He struggled with words, finally saying, “I'm … sorry.”

  Sarah was filled with pity for the young man. Not caring who saw, she reached over and put her hand on his. When he looked up at her again, startled, she smiled. “We all make mistakes, Val, but you're young, and it's not too late. King Cosmos still loves you, and he'll give you another chance. And the queen, she loves you too.”

  “I don't know … I don't see why they should.”

  “You can change. Serve the king and Lord Aramis. You'll find out that they're not like Duke Lenomar. They're kind and generous, and before long they'll see that you've changed, that you can be trusted.”

  He hesitated and blinked. “You—you don't hate me, Sarah? After what I did?
”

  She squeezed his hand, shaking her head. “I—I believe in you, Val.”

  A trace of the old humor returned to Val as he said ruefully, “No more king and queen for us though.”

  “There never was anything like that, Val. You know that. I was just a silly girl.” She squeezed his hand again and said, “I must go back now, but remember—learn to trust people and be faithful.”

  “I will,” he said seriously, and he stood to his feet as she rose and crossed the room.

  When Sarah got back to her seat, Dave asked, “What did you say to him?”

  “Oh, I just told him that he wasn't alone and that we all make mistakes and that he could begin over again.”

  Dave nodded. “Well, I guess I feel like that now, but I was pretty sore at him.”

  Josh asked suddenly, “You really mean that, don't you, Sarah?”

  She glanced at him in surprise. “Of course. What he did was no worse than what I did. He betrayed me, but I betrayed Goel by being unfaithful. So we're both learning.”

  Josh said quickly, “All of us are learning.”

  At that moment, the king called, “The Seven Sleepers, rise and come before the royal throne.”

  The Sleepers scrambled to their feet and went to stand before King Cosmos. He smiled down at them. “It is a great debt that I owe you seven, and there's no way that I can repay it. You must be content with the gratitude of my queen and myself and my daughter and her fiance”

  He went on to make quite a long speech and said such marvelous things that all of the Sleepers flushed with embarrassment. Finally, Cosmos said, “I trust that you will remain with us for a long time. There is much of our kingdom that you have not seen yet. It would give me pleasure to show you those things.”

  After the king spoke, there were other speeches, and finally, after many hours of celebrating and feasting, the Sleepers were shown to their suite. It was a large room with separate sleeping compartments, much like their prison, except ornately done. They stepped inside and began to talk excitedly about what had happened.

  They were still talking when a voice said, “You have done very well.”

  They all whirled to see Goel standing beside the door.

  “Goel!” Sarah cried. She wanted to run to him but stood where she was, her eyes fixed on him.

  “You especially, my daughter, have come through your ordeal very well. I am proud of you. Though you failed me, you are learning.”

  “Yes, Goel, I'll try my best,” Sarah said.

  Josh swallowed, for he always felt uneasy in God's presence. “Goel, what is next for us? Do we stay here for a while?”

  “No, your work is done here. Atlantis is secure. The Dark Lord will not take this part of Nuworld.” A frown crossed his face. “But there are other tasks, for the enemy presses hard upon our people.”

  “You mean, we've got to leave right now?” Jake asked.

  “Yes, my son, right now.” Then he smiled as he turned to Abbey. “You did not ask where or for what.” His smile grew broader. “Is that because you have learned to trust me more than the first time we met?”

  “Oh, yes, Goel,” Abbey said. Her lips trembled, and she seemed on the verge of tears. “I want so much to do what pleases you.”

  Goel put out his hand and took Abbey's small one in his. “You are growing up, my daughter,” he said softly. “I am pleased with you.” Then he looked up. “I am pleased with all of you—but now it is time to go. Gather your things. You may take only what you can carry. We have a long journey, and I have made preparations.”

  Quickly they scurried around, getting their few things together and changing their banquet finery for work clothes.

  “I suppose we'll be traveling under the sea again?” Josh asked. Then a sudden thought came to him. “Will we be seeing Kybus and all the other old friends we lost at the river?”

  “I think you might.” Goel smiled. “They are in the House of Goel, and all who are there can expect to meet again. Come now. It's just for a little way, but your journey this time will take you far from the ocean.”

  Goel stepped outside the door. The guards looked at him wide-eyed but did not question him. The Sleepers followed him down the corridors.

  Just before they reached the air lock, Sarah was surprised to see Jere emerge from a door. She ran at once to Sarah and pulled her to one side.

  After a greeting, Jere said, “You knew I loved Ara-mis?”

  “Well, it was pretty obvious, the way you looked at him.” Sarah smiled. “I'm so happy for you.”

  “This is farewell for a while,” Princess Jere said. She kissed Sarah on the cheek and smiled mysteriously. “And I know something about you too.”

  Sarah looked at her in confusion. “What do you know?”

  Jere patted her cheek, then stepped back. “I know what one woman always knows about another woman when she's in love.”

  Sarah flushed and turned to rejoin the others.

  As they headed down the corridor following Goel, Josh fell into step with Sarah. “What did Princess Jere say to you?”

  “Oh, just woman talk.” She smiled up at him. They went a few steps further, and she said, “You're getting taller. I do like tall men.”

  Josh blinked like an owl and looked stunned.

  Sarah took his arm.

  As they followed the others down the corridor to the door that Goel indicated, he said, “Well, I'm glad you like tall fellows—” he grinned “—because there's nothing I can do about that.”

  “I like you just as you are, Josh.”

  As they entered the door, Josh looked up at Goel. “I guess we're ready for whatever you have.”

  Goel smiled again, his lips relaxed. “That is good, my son, for all of you to be one. Come now—I have a task for you!”