Trip to Circe's Isle (38)

I awoke lying in the back of the cart with Meli and Sert over me. I smiled weakly at them as they assisted me to sit once more.

“Some visions are stronger than others.” I murmured to them. They looked worried at me as they nodded. “As for Circe,” I continued softly, “she finds the beast that will teach the best honour to the being in question.”

“So it is not a random or partial change?” Meli remarked.

“Beings are fully transformed into the beast without trace of their former form.” I answered. I could see in their mind that we had only talked about Circe and not of the Heartstone. I reached out with my mind to touch any other ears that could have been listening making the thoughts vanished all together from their minds.

“We should have no problems there since our honour is true.” Sert replied. I glanced at him to Meli. She smiled as she nodded while I felt none of the reluctance or anger they had originally shown.

“It will be good being somewhere that magic works again during this trip.” Meli added calmly.

Part of me felt fear that I had revealed too much to them since even what I saw was unclear thanks to my sister's pawn in place. She might even be following us at that moment from Lorenzo's but I had not sensed her. As long as I kept their minds cleared of my words and thoughts, she could not used them to eavesdrop on my actions. Best to be shrouded in darkness so the lesser powers would not disturb my true duties here nor would my sister.

We rode slowly into the village going directly to the harbour filled with fishing vessels. As I expected, it took us most of the day to find someone willing to carry us to Circe's. Most of them would spit to ward off evil when I mentioned her name to them. It was an old fisherman by the name of Antis that finally agreed to transport us. He refused to make port at her dock but would drop us off in one of the coves of the island since he did fish near there. We would be upon Circe's Isle by the next day giving us four days before Balthis arrived to collect us.

“Balthis should be in port on the morning of the fourth day, ready to leave the moment we are on board.” I explained to them. We sat in the common room of a nearly empty inn. This would be our last night in Greece and the remaining coins help us gain shelter and a hearty meal for the trip. The cart sold and the horses used to secure our passage in the morning. “Circe will welcome you like family once she learns that you are from Atlantis.” I whispered to them.

“How much does she truly know about Atlantis?” Meli asked under her breath.

“She knows it is the most honourable and free place upon the world.” I returned softly. “And that they can practice magic there without fear of being prosecuted for it.” I added quickly.

“She truly knows nothing about us, does she?” Sert returned with a small chuckle.

“Only what is needed to welcome us properly there.” I admitted with a sly smile.

“More of the security precautions and isolationist ideals of Atlantis at work.” Meli remarked. She lifted her tankard to salute us. We followed suit before retiring for the night. I did not sleep but waited until they slumbered before returning to the common room silently. I sat with a tankard in hand untouched as I waited. The trio entered in silence which was odd for my two brothers to do. They moved to my table without even looking taking seats as they brought their heads closer to me.

“Should you two not be on Lemuria?” I asked casually.

“Even we need time away from paradise like yourself.” the darker of the two replied.

“Is this the one you wished me to meet?” the female with them whispered.

“Our brother who sits in Atlantis Princess Althea.” the other answered. She slide the scroll across the table at his words.

“Words for your eyes.” she whispered softly.

“As you see we had a purpose being here.” the darker one remarked.

“Should I read it now or once I have returned home?” I asked easily.

“Either would be good.” she replied quickly. She gave me a shy smile that looked very odd in that dark skinned face of the Lemurians. I unrolled the scroll to quickly read through it.

“So the original royals of Lemuria are planning to leave since they cannot see a peaceful answer between the two great noble powers of the world?” I remarked softly. I chuckled at her as she stared in silence at me.

“Brother Meakita?” the lighter hair one whispered. I continued laughing as I stared back at the silent princess.

“You have broken his mind.” the other stated. “Well done Princess!” he added merrily.

“I know my brothers Cor's and Twin's tom foolery does not inspire confidence but...” I stated still chuckling.

“It is not them I lack confidence in.” she returned still smiling. “We leave to clear the path for them to work easier.” she admitted. “My family would see peace as an insult to what Lemuria lives for.” she explained slowly. “Better to remove ourselves than destroy the possibility of peace.” she added. During the whole of the conversation, she smiled at me making it hard to accept her words. I glanced in her mind recoiling from the thoughts I found there.

“Mass murder will not help your people find peace.” I snarled back at her. The smile faded as her eyes widened in fear. “You forgot to warn her that I can see in others' minds?” I remarked in mock casualness. “Forget this folly Princess Althea and give my brothers a chance to win their hearts over to a common need.” he concluded.

“I believe our time here has evaporated.” the darker haired one suggested.

“And if I follow through with my plans?” she snarled back at me.

“It will change nothing since my brothers need to win hearts to this cause either way.” I returned flippantly. “I must be up early to grab a ship out, I return to bed and do what ever you wish to do.” I added quickly. Before she could speak again, I was on my feet walking away in silence.

“Time for us to leave now.” the lighter one commented.

“You have had your say, nothing more can be added now.” the other stated. I heard them as they marched her from the common room before I finally drifted to sleep. Sert awoke me prior to dawn so we collect our gear and headed to the fisherman's harbour.

It was an arduous walk as we all realized how much we had gathered during this little trip. Meli had two large sacks filled with books and a third filled with seeds and plant samples. Sert had extra weapons he had collected including axes, maces, pole arms, and different swords. My own pack had gained but only half what theirs had. A few bolts of cloth, odd musical instruments, and a few smaller weapons had my pack loaded tight.

Antis seemed surprised as we arrived laden with baggage but said nothing having earned a pair of elite war steeds for this trip. We set sail as dawn crested the horizon with only fishermen as witnesses to our departure. I looked back once expect to see my Brothers standing there but no one was upon the dock to see me off. The other vessels that comprised our ad hock fleet fell behind as they reached their fishing areas. We were nearly a third of the way there before Antis tossed out his net to collect fishes as we slowly coasted closer to Circe's Isle. As we approached closer Sert and me helped haul in the nets giving us more speed to dart into a cove on the far side of the island. In the same silence we had voyaged in, we beached on the sandy shoreline tossing our packs to the dry beach before disembarking from the fishing boat.

“I thank you Antis for this favour.” I told the old man.

“Just try not to be turned into beasts.” he remarked. “I would feel upset having brought you to such a dark fate.” he added quickly.

“We fear not being changed for our purity of honour is our shield here.” Sert commented with a grin. I chuckled while Antis laughed as we jumped down to rush to our gear.

“Why couldn't we keep the cart with us?” Meli asked. She had just shouldered her two bags of books while staring at the one filled with plants in her hands. Sert said nothing as he loaded the two bags of weapons upon his back. I chuckled as I stood with the lightest of the loads on me.

“No room on the ship for it and we could not floated it behind the ship to get here.” I informed her. I walked over to take the bag of plants and gently place it on my back. “Best we start trekking toward Circe's home on the other side of the isle.” I stated. With all three loaded heavily, we moved slowly around the edge of the isle to reach our departure point.

“That was the third animal that has come out to watch us.” Meli whispered. We had been walking for nearly an hour in silence.

“Even the predatory one seem to shy away from us.” Sert remarked in the lead. Little thunder squawked above us as he flew ahead.

“Maybe my pet is warning them to stand clear of us.” I suggested with a chuckle.

“Or they are humans that have been changed.” Meli hissed softly.

“We cannot be sure of that.” I whispered back. It was about another hour of silence until we reached the edge of the tent area of Circe's followers.