Let It Fall

King's Regards

The morning came far too soon. My excitement about going to Madeira kept me awake. I have never been outside of Atlantis and found myself wondering how big of a difference it would be. I was awoken to the smell of smoke and coffee, which could only mean one thing. Ansliq attempted to cook breakfast.

Rolling out of bed, I quickly freshened up, braided my hair, and threw on riding pants. I really hope Madeira is not one of those places that believes women are abominations for wearing men's clothing I will have to pack a skirt just in case. Walking in the hall barefooted probably was not the brightest idea considering the floor was cold as ice. I sped up to a brisk pace in order to get to the heated kitchen quicker, and just barely remembered to grab the breathing apparatus from the table by the door before entering. Whereas the smoke was a small nuisance to others, my lungs are too fragile.

Ansliq noticed me, poured a cup of the wonderful dark liquid and set it on the counter next to the cream.

"Sorry", he said as he put his index finger on his nose to indicate the device. Shrugging my shoulders," It is okay. I would have had to use it eventually. At least this way I will not forget to bring it with us."

"Mm, I had mom pack you an extra just in case." Biting into overcooked bacon with a grimace, he grabbed a bowl of cut up fruit and handed to me. "Figured you would prefer this."

"Thanks. When did mom pack my stuff?" Taking a bite out of the dish I notice he took the time to add salt like I prefer "mmm, you spoil me."

"She packed it yesterday, while we were cooking. She also added her quick tie skirt incase Madeira is not as progressive as Atlantis."

"So, I have nothing to do?" Ansliq reached over and smoothed out the wrinkle on my forehead from the quirked brow.

"Eat and put on sensible shoes. None of those stylish sandals." The sandals he was referring to are my go-to footwear. Sandals are easy to put on and easy to mend. No long hours spent at a cobbler for a perfect fit or resize.

"I do not believe I have any sensible shoes. I will go scavenge through mom's."

Ansliq stopped me from getting up and pointed at the bowl of fruit, "Eat the rest of that. I will get the shoes. It will be a couple hours we stop to eat again."

Ugly grey leather boots were dropped on the kitchen floor next to me a few minutes later, along with a pair of long furry socks. "I believe those are adjustable."

"If that is what most women wear, I understand the need for long skirts." After finishing the fruit and downing the rest of my coffee, I reluctantly put on the atrocious footwear and brought my dishes to the wash station. The boots were surprisingly comfortable considering the tough exterior.

There were three transmat waiting on us as we exited the house. One for each of us, and one for our meager luggage that would later be carried by the horses. "So how far will the transmats take us?" I could feel my excitement hiking up again.

"The device will take us to the bottom of Atlantis. From there the horses will suffice."

"How come the villages on the way to Madeira do not use the transmats and hover stations?"

"Most of the villages we will pass do not trust the technology. Some are just coming to terms with science. Madeira is one of the more modern towns, but the amount of moisture in the air does not allow the technology to work there."

As we each stepped on to our transmats, the fields came up and cut off the conversation. I watched as the bustling streets of Atlantis faded into farmers tending the crops and animals. Farming communities gave way to large forests occasionally broken by guard towers and military camps.

Ansliq stopped the transmats in a small clearing near the Atlantis border. As the transmat airfield disappeared, I could hear a low, steady buzz. "Ansliq, what is that sound?" I asked while taking the bag he was handing me.

"That is the bio-container. It protects Atlantis from the diseases and sickness that other villages are often ravaged with. There are horses waiting for us outside the field. We will ride for about an hour to the border of La Croix. Before we enter you will have to remove your device and use the skirt mom packed. These people are extremely superstitious, so stay close to me."

Ten minutes of walking finally brought us to the bio-container. The hairs on my arms and neck stood as the barrier passed over us. Once on the other side, I looked back at my home expecting to see the great hill with its aqueducts and erected columns of the palace but instead all I saw was fog. Turning to question Ansliq, I noticed one on the king's men handing off a scroll. "King Alastair sends his regards. He wished to see you off this afternoon but has other matters that must be attended to. "He expects you back before Taavi is born."

"Of course. You can tell our friend that we would not dream of missing the birth of our newest family member." Ansliq smiled at the messenger and slipped the scroll into a pouch on the saddle. Alastair and Ansliq were inseparable as children but grew apart with age due to the expectations of the late king. "We best be going, before Alastair finds a reason to keep us."