For Kristen, my very first princess.
Special thanks to Shelley: loving friend, amazing editor, sister-in-Christ
The Prophecy
of
Atlantis
by Susan Weakley
Copyright 2011 Susan Weakley
Look for new titles by Susan Weakley at
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Table of Contents
1. BIRTHDAY
2. GIFTING
3. ESCAPE
4. FREEDOM
5. WATER
6. MERMEN
7. FISH
8. CASTLE
9. DINNER
10. STAR
11. MORNING
12. THRONE ROOM
13. LEAVING
14. SHARKS
15. LIGHT
16. SPIES
17. TRENCH
18. CRABS
19. OTTERS
20. COUNCIL
21. BATTLE
22. HEALING
23. HOME
The Story
The Author
PREFACE
She was sinking in the darkness. Her chest tightened and she couldn’t breathe. All around her the water was like dark ink closing in on her and gripping her tightly. The voices surrounded her with laughter and malice. Darkness and snakes were gripping her arms and trying to get her heart. She couldn’t get free. She was sinking.
Suddenly a bright light broke the darkness.
“One cannot stop the prophecy anymore than one can stop the breaking of dawn or the coming of day. Morning is coming to Atlantis.”
1. Birthday
“Hey Squid! Today’s the day! Time to get up!”
The door to Lilliana’s room opened with a bang and a wall sconce crashed to the floor.
Lilliana smiled to herself. Only her favorite cousins called her Squid. “You’ve been in my castle for less than a day and you’re already breaking things?” teased Lilliana from under the silk covers. What was that dream she was having? Something squirmed in her chest.
“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon. You’ve got to be excited. It’s your birthday and everybody’s here, including me, your favorite cousin on all the earth,” Thud said as she plopped down on the bed and pulled the covers from Lilliana’s face. Lilliana had skin that glowed from the sun, eyes that changed from green to gold and long brown hair that streamed down her head like a brook flowing down the hills. Thud tousled her cousin’s hair to make it look worse. It didn’t work.
“Maybe Proteus is my favorite cousin,” Lilliana said.
“That’s not very nice,” said Thud with a pout. Lilliana loved the freckles that crossed her cousin’s face under those pale blue eyes. Red hair and blue eyes. Fire and ice.
“Your brother is adorable with his little voice and big eyes.”
“He’s nice when you’re around, but at home he’s a dragon. He put sand in my sheets last night and said it was to make me pretty like you.”
Lilliana couldn’t help the small smile that crept on her face.
Thud threw a pillow at her and continued. “Yesterday he put an oyster in my tea and told me it was good luck, and just last week was the worst of all,” Thud paused and looked at the ceiling as if she were debating telling the story.
“Go ahead. I won’t tell anyone.”
She took a deep breath. “He stole my pantaloons from my wardrobe and put them on his head.”
Lilliana had to laugh out loud.
“Then he ran up and down the hall with them yelling, ‘I’m Thudsy Wudsy!’”
“That’s not too bad.”
“It gets worse. When I tried to get them from him, he flew down into the dining hall where mother and father had guests and he ran around the table …..with …my … underwear!”
“Oh no! What did your father do?”
“He sat there stunned at first. Then I of course came running in and added to the disaster.” Thud’s face turned bright red and she twirled the top of the blanket in her fingers.
“Did you fall?” Lilliana asked quietly.
“Oh yes,” Thud said looking up. “I fell. I fell right into the Duke of Glenshire’s soup!”
“Oh no!” Lilliana laughed and hugged her cousin. “I hope I don’t fall today at my Gifting.”
“You never fall. You’re the perfect cousin with the perfect hair and all the grace. What do you think you’ll be given?”
“I don’t know. The prophet and Father have been meeting every day for a week planning my birthday. Aaron comes to the castle and goes into Father’s study where they post guards and close the drapes. They meet for hours and sometimes I hear Father’s voice rising, but when I ask him about it he says I’ll know in time. I’ve always known about important events; I’ve been with him for everything from war counsels to visiting royalty, but this time I have no idea what is going on.”
“Do you think you’ll be given something really big, like a ship?”
“Definitely not a ship. Father refuses to take me to sea, even to watch the dolphins.”
“What else could it be?” Thud lay back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling dreamily. “Maybe you’ll get a mysterious family heirloom that will make handsome princes fall in love with you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lilliana said with a laugh. “If there’s one thing I know, it’s that I won’t have a love potion gift. I don’t really mind not knowing what it is; I just wish I didn’t have to receive it in front of everyone. I hate crowds.”
“It could never be that bad. Everyone will be watching you and wishing you a happy birthday, giving you loads of gifts and loads of attention. I wish it was my birthday. It’s not as if you have to say anything; you just have to walk in front of the king for the Gifting, and in front of the prophet for the Onsa. Two things. You’ll be fine. If I had your tiny feet I’d be dancing my way to my gift.”
“The king I can handle, and the prophet too. It’s the crowds and the queen I’m not looking forward to.”
“She’ll be happy for you, Squid. It’s the biggest day of your life so far.”
“I think she’ll be happy when I leave for my Onsa. Then she won’t have to be bothered with me.”
“Don’t say that. I know she doesn’t smile much, but I heard she used to be kind and sweet, and that she was the most generous queen in the land.”
“Not my mother. That’s your mum for sure.”
“No, really. I overheard Belinda telling one of your maids that she used to be happy and that something changed.”
“I wish I could see her smile, just once. She’s always looking out at the ocean holding her locket. It’s as if she wishes she weren’t here.”
“Squid, it’s your birthday. I’m sure she’ll be happy today, and you might even see her smile.”
“If she did, the ice would crack, and she’d DIE.” Lilliana clutched her head and fell dramatically off the bed.
“Hey, falling’s my job.”
“Who says you get all the fun?”
“Squid!” said a small voice from the door.
“Good morning Pro,” said Lilliana to the little boy as he came in the room. He had his sister’s curly red hair and sparkling blue eyes, and he dragged an old tattered blanket that was wrapped around one arm.
“Why you
down there?” Proteus asked, “Willeemeena is one who falls on floors.”
Lilliana laughed and snatched her little cousin in her arms. He was still warm with sleep as he snuggled against her chest. He clutched his blanket closer and popped his thumb in his mouth as if that was the only place it truly belonged. Lilliana sniffed his head and smelled sunshine and pure boy. It was ambrosia.
“What got you up, sleepyhead?” asked Lilliana.
“Willeemeena said she had magic honey cakes for breakfast,” said Proteus around his thumb.
“It’s Thud, squirt. You can’t even say Wilhelmina. Nobody can.”
“Mama said Thud’s a bad name,” insisted Proteus, “and I not squirt!” he stood up and held his shoulders back and his head up high.
“Until you’re taller than my waist, you are definitely Squirt!” said Thud.
Proteus ignored her and went to the wall, standing on his toes to see over the window ledge. “I can see for always!” he exclaimed looking out to the sea. The room was at the top of a round tower on the coastal side of the castle. Huge windows reached twenty feet towards the ceiling, and were lined with yellow and white silk that pooled on the floor. Lilliana got off the floor and stretched. Her nightgown billowed in the morning breeze as she walked to the window. On mornings like this she felt like she could reach her feet outside and step in the sandy surf.
“What do you see when you look at always?” she asked.
“I see lots and lots of blue. I like blue. And back in the corner,” he said, pointing to the left, “the blue goes to the sky.”
Lilliana looked to the west where the boy pointed. The clouds were starting to build, and they had a dark blue tinge.
“Do you think it’ll rain at your Gifting?” Thud asked, beside her.
“If only I could be so