Chapter Fifteen
They walked through the market looking at all the items for sale. Most of the vendors sold strange meats and other food products, but some were dedicated to the sale of peculiar items and interesting trinkets. It reminded Ben of the dealers that came into town a couple times a year to unload their junk on the people of his city. For a price, you could find all sorts of things that you didn’t really need, but still wanted. Ben always thought of them as gypsies, even though his dad said that was a prejudiced thing to say.
The small group wandered aimlessly for a while as each scoped out the different wares. Miles would buy an herb or spice here and there and put it in one of his pouches. Donovan and Ben were forced to watch as he scoured each dealer for anything of use. They didn’t speak much for the rest of the day, leaving the mystery of Diostist and Miles concealed. They eventually decided to split up and wander about alone.
Without a thought, Ben was standing in front of a building with a mug on its sign. Before him was a large tavern with a massive opening in the front that allowed him to see inside. It was filled with drunken Lemurian soldiers and busy reptilian bar maidens who were carrying cups of frothy liquid to round tables full of reptilian men. Ben was walking toward the bar when an arm unexpectedly curled around him and pulled him in, swinging him around. A large Lemurian man danced around the room with many of his friends cheering him on while Ben was caught in his hold. The two of them hopped and jumped around without spilling a drop of the Lemurian’s drink. Even as he released the boy and grabbed onto a scaly bar maid, he still managed to consume every last drop with a smile. The lyrics to the song weren't in English, so Ben didn’t understand them, but he could tell that the song was one of celebration by the way all of the soldiers joined in. The Lemurian suddenly crashed into another small group and a fight erupted.
Ben made his way out of the tavern and back on to the gravel street outside with haste. There from the crowded street, he watched as the group pounded on one another with a sadistic glee that only soldiers seemed to possess. He felt like one of the crowd standing there amongst all the natives, blending in. This lasted until the brawl spilled out onto the street, drawing the attention of the guards. Ben knew that this was as good a time to leave as any, and waded through the growing populace.
As he walked, he saw Donovan in one of the brick shops and decided to join him. His friend was standing there looking into a painting that depicted two people, lovers, being torn apart by an unseen force. He gazed at it without saying a word as Ben approached him from behind. The boy looked over his shoulder and knew exactly what was going on in Donovan’s head. He was sick with an unknown feeling of separation. With his memories gone, he didn’t know the love he had shared. This thought ate at Ben with an intense ferocity, but still he couldn’t bring himself to say anything.
“I miss her,” Donovan said.
“Who?” Ben asked, knowing the answer already.
“I don’t know, but I know that I miss her,” he said. The distance in his voice placed him miles away, while his heart stood there, heavy with an unknown loss. Ben didn’t know how to respond, so they stood there, both lost in the painting until a sound caught them and dragged them back into reality. Behind them rang the melodic rhythm of a battalion of soldiers marching in time. Ben and Donovan turned and watched as the formation advanced up the street toward the bar brawl. The paintings on the wall shook, causing the shopkeeper to panic a bit and grab for what he could.
“Let’s get out of here,” Ben said.
“Yeah,” Donovan said, still not quite there with him.
They made a quick stop to watch the new commotion. There, at the bar, was a captain disciplining his soldiers for becoming unruly. Ben could only guess that they were needed at the front gate, because the drunken Lemurians fell in line and moved out. Their steps were out of time and sloppy as they tried to regain a small sense of sobriety. Ben watched as long as he could, mesmerized by all the new sights and sounds, until Donovan’s hand pulled on his shoulder, beckoning him onward. They tried their best to stay inconspicuous as they wandered the crystal-lit streets.
They passed over a bridge at one point that led them into a park-like setting. All around was a thick green moss that reminded him of the grass he used to lay in, while the sun covered him like a warm blanket. In the middle was a large fountain that had a massive geyser-like crystal formation growing out of it. People were sitting and meditating on pedestals around the running water. It was a peaceful rock garden that beckoned them to stay, but the idea of relaxing in hostile territory was too off-putting for them.
After walking for a while, they found Miles going into a building with a glass vial on the sign. They followed him in, ready to reunite and get on their way. Inside the shop was shelf after shelf filled with intricate hand-blown vials and containers of all shapes and sizes. Some were plane clear glass, while others were shaped in the likeness of animals. Ben was astounded that an entire store would dedicate its time to vials. Oblivious to their presence, Miles was examining two different vials, measuring their size and weight in his hand. After a few moments of silence, he noticed Ben and Donovan and turned to them.
“Don’t you think we should get back?” Ben asked.
“A few more hours,” Miles said, returning to his shopping.
“I’m gonna go find a place to sit down,” Donovan said, leaving the shop.
Not wanting to cause an argument, Ben followed him to the steps leading back out onto the street, but then stopped. He took the moment to catch his breath and look around at all the people. All the streetwalkers started clearing the pathway as a buggy pulled by Lemurian men barreled towards its destination. As he stood there, the sight captivated him. Planted firmly in place, content with staring, he saw the most beautiful human woman in the carriage passing by. Her fair skin and light hair only accented her alluring facial features. Ben heard the woman yell for her men to stop. They approached the window to speak with her and Ben’s blood turned to ice as she pointed in his direction. Panicked and looking for a place to run, he started to take off, but before his feet could carry him away, two soldiers were standing there. When they spoke, Ben couldn’t understand them and stood there wide eyed. They spoke again, and then waved him along, giving him enough instruction for him to follow. They followed the carriage down the street until it stopped at the end of the road, and then disappeared behind an arching gateway.
Before him stood the massive, luxurious palace built into the cave wall against the back of the city. All the roads led from this point, out to the surrounding walls. Its tall, sharp spires were connected to a large dome structure in the middle that appeared to be pure gold. The extravagance of the place was amazing when compared to the rest of the city. He could see the same glowing crystals on the walls, which were used for decoration and illumination. With a grunt, the guards inched him forward, talking to each other as they did. They walked him up to the back of the palace and said something incoherent, and then left. The boy was left to wander about until he heard a soothing sound that seemed to surround him. It drew his attention towards the back of the palace. In a daze, he pursued the sound without questioning its source.
In the back, behind the large wall, was another beautiful rock garden with more crystal geysers and strange plant life. The multitude of colors was breathtaking, as it melded together in a kaleidoscopic mosaic against the craggy rock walls. The walkways were the same moss he had seen in the park he and Donovan had come across earlier. All the beauty and extravagance made him wonder about the Lemurians and their culture even more. Almost lost, wandering through the garden, he heard the sound again, but this time, it was a whisper, like someone was standing behind him.
“Come to me,” it said.
Without realizing it, Ben started walking, entranced by the sound of the soft elegant voice. As if in a dream, he walked through the courtyard and into the palace itself. The lower levels were illuminated by s
trong torchlight, which caused the shadows to move against the walls like ghosts clawing their way to freedom. Unlike the outside barriers, the bricks weren't covered with plaster or mold, so he could see every minor imperfection sprawled across it. The floors were large porous stones that had been placed here laboriously one at a time. Each one was a different color and shape, giving the floor a unique quality. He moved past an empty dungeon with rusted bars and doors, before finding the lichen-covered stairs that led to the upper levels of the palace.
Moving as if controlled by some unseen force, he took the winding stairs up to the third floor, ignoring all caution and fear, and found himself standing outside of a room. With her voice still in his ear he took the step over the threshold and stood, looking at her as she lay on the bed, waiting to be allowed in.
“I must admit, it took you longer than I thought you would. Your will must be strong, to be able to resist me at all. So, tell me, what is your business in Lemuria? Why have you come here disguised as one of these horrible animals?” she asked, waving her hand. She held a metal chalice imbedded with the same crystal stones that were scattered around the city.
Still bound by the spell, Ben wasn't capable of responding to her question. His sealed mouth wouldn't let him formulate the words he needed to answer. She realized what was happening and snapped her fingers to release her hypnotic hold on him. With the weight lifted from his shoulders, Ben immediately felt lighter and in control again. His mind came back to him as the cloud surrounding his thoughts dissipated.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen…” Ben said.
“I’ve heard that before,” she said with a scoff. “Now answer my question. What are you doing in Lemuria? Are you a spy for the Atlanteans?” she asked, and then took a deep drink from her chalice.
“No, I’m here getting supplies. I’m on a journey searching for something so that I can go home. I just happened to see you in the market…”
“Do not lie to me! You aren’t like the Lemurians at all. I know you are human, because I can see through your flimsy façade. I will be queen of Atlantis even if it means killing everyone who lives there. No one can stop my plan, not you, and not the entire Atlantean government!” she said, thrashing about the sheets.
“I—I don’t know what you are talking about,” Ben said, weary of her emotional instability. The sudden urge to flee washed over him, but he knew that escape wasn’t an option. Still feeling some effects of the spell, he found that simple actions like raising his hands were still very difficult. Each foot felt like a weight holding him in place.
“Your business in Lemuria is suspect because only humans who come here in disguise are spies. You came here to kill me for selling Atlantean secrets to the Lemurians, didn’t you? I will be the queen; it is my birthright! They will not take my crown in the name of their democracy!”
Ben’s wits returned more and more as she slipped further into her own paranoia. As his mind came back to him, he darted out the door and ran down the hallway without caution. Her maniacal screams echoed through the halls as he passed the throne room. The labyrinth of corridors was hard to navigate, and he did his best not to get caught. After a few minutes of dodging the guards and sneaking around the halls, he managed to find a window and escaped into the garden. From there, he stayed low and made his way to the wall surrounding the palace as fast as he could, weaving in and out of the plant life, which he used for cover.
Looking over the wall, he saw that the guards were huddled together, rallying around the insane woman outside the palace entrance. Judging by their hand gestures, Ben figured they must have been discussing their course of action and where he could have gone as she barked orders at them. They commenced their search as he was hoisting himself over the wall to depart. With the palace at his back, he ran through the back alleys towards the market place, looking for Miles and Donovan. The glass shop came into view, and in one frantic motion, he searched around the crowd of people, who were all starting to stare at him. Startled by a hand that suddenly came down on his shoulder, Ben jumped. He turned and discovered Miles and Donovan standing behind him. Without taking a breath, he spilled out the entire story in one jumbled mess. Stunned and confused, the two of them stared at the winded boy.
Ben tried to calm himself by regulating his breathing, before attempting to explain again. “The woman I saw thinks we are spies, and now the government is after us. We have to get out of here as soon as possible.”
“I agree,” said Miles. “I kind of got into some trouble as well. It’s not exactly safe for any of us to be here. Come on, I know a way to get us out of the city. Let’s go…”
Miles’ voice trailed off as he saw the guards approaching them. The would-be Atlantean queen’s wagon was behind them and with nowhere to go they knew they had been caught. As the wagon door opened and the stairs dropped, she stepped out onto the ground in her white flowing gown and moved toward them. Without haste, she approached Ben first and placed her hand on his chin and leaned in as if to kiss him. The guards’ blatant disgust was obvious as they looked away from the scene. Instead of a kiss though, she moved to his ear and said, “I’ll make sure you get home safely.” With this, she slapped him on the face and turned away. With a few unfamiliar words to her soldiers, she left, leaving Ben and his companions at the whim of the large brutish Lemurian guards.