Mars Underneath The Sceptre of Eternity

Martian Horology

Finally Amerik had got an interesting job in the Dei Maneret; the King had asked him to read books written in Earthly languages and ordered the scribes to codify them in Terra Aquillaan's pictographs. Though the Seers were not initially agree with this arrangement and they were reluctant in sharing their secret knowledge with others but it was the King's order.

"Now you are the King's agent in the Dei Maneret;" The Grand Seer said; "then stay like that; you do not need Alavaira anymore." He deprived him of his only companion in this unknown planet.

High Seer Caludius and Impedius also looked at him suspiciously. Though they never uttered a single word before the Grand Seer, but they too were not liking the arrangement. Since that day, Amerik had no friend, Alavaira hardly interacted with him and others too tried to avoid the King's man.

Every morning, two scribes arrived and they took dictation from Amerik in the reading room of the damaged section. Amerik found that the library had many books but most of them were half burned now. Most of the books were written in English, German and French languages; only one was in Spanish. German was Amerik's first language in school, but he also knew English, French and a little bit of Spanish.

"This book's title is 'Kingdoms on Mars' written by Antonio and Anastecia Hegler;" Amerik told; he turned the first page and saw authors' biography. The book was written nearly six thousand Earth-years ago; when the Hegler couple arrived on Mars as a part of a Cartographic Mission. They had acknowledged Scientist Gazboo's contribution in the book. He read the preface page which was the only intact page of that book.

"This book had maps of the five kingdoms in the Martian North; Terra Aquillaan, Sevrot, Messetia, Terra Amazonia and Terra Hespania. However, all other pages are burnt." Amerik said and kept the book in a cane basket. He took another book from the desk; "Vivian Laurence, an Astronomer had written this book. Its name is 'Star Gazers on Mars.' It describes the Martian sky and planetary positions." The book was also half burnt, but still he could read a few pages from it. Amerik found the book very interesting. It had a detailed account of the constellations seen from the Mars; their seasonal positions and phases of Martian Moons. He recalled Alavaira's words who told him that twenty two months of a Martian year were named after various constellations and each month was denoted by a symbol associated with that particular constellation.

By the afternoon, Amerik realised that he was hungry enough; but the sand hour glass was told that he had to wait an hour to have the meal. 'An hour in Mars means two hours in the Earth; but my body is well adjusted with the planet's clock.' He thought.

"Need a break, Superior?" one of the scribe asked him.

Really, Amerik never thought, any Neo Martes man would address him as 'Superior'. He looked at the scribe; his name was Valon; he was a man of fourteen years; on the coming month of Aquila (the first month of the Martian year in Terra Aquillaan) he would complete fourteen years. Amerik did not surprise to find teenaged scribes before him, because in Mars, people achieved adulthood on their tenth birthday only and they looked like twenty years old men to an Earthman like him. Valon was much like Alavaira, not only in age, but also in nature, he too had a jovial nature.

Valon rubbed his head and pushed back his black curly hairs away from his eyes. He had a fashionable haircut with longer hairs in front and shorter at the back. It was well suited on his round face. Amerik reaslised on the first day that the young scribe had a pride in his physical appearance and had a nice dressing sense. The boy always wore new set of garments; today also he was wearing a white full-sleeved doublet and black knee-breeches with new leather boots; all of his clothes were made up of fine fabrics and the boot leather had a peculiar jet black colour with scales; Amerik could not guess what type of leather it was.