Chapter 36: The Journey from Atlantis

Travel to the nearest port had been hard. Buddy tired easily. They had to travel stealthily, for fear of enemy soldiers. And it even seemed that nature herself were beginning to object to this long war, as earthquakes split great fissures in the earth, making travel especially dangerous and lengthy. And still, the war limped along between the dying enemies.

They were at the wharf for almost a week before a seaworthy ship finally came into port. Trade was almost nonexistent now, for, though everything was in short supply, so was the gold to pay for it. In fact, the ship captains had learned that men from the violent land of Atlantis would now just as soon kill for the trade rather than pay for it.

This particular ship's captain had been convinced to come into port by a man who sought to evacuate the remainder of his family. He had escaped earlier from Atlantis with his immediate family, but had been forced to leave his parents behind. And he had paid in solid gold in advance for the round trip.

"Where are you bound for?" Master shouted up to the Captain.

At first, the Captain ignored him, wary of all Atlanteans. But, perhaps it was Master's obvious education and bearing, even while supporting the weakened soldier fully twice his size. After repeated attempts to communicate, the Captain finally deemed that a reply was acceptable, "None of your business!"

"I can pay!"

The Captain only scoffed at that, and looked away.

Carefully, Master set Buddy down on the dock, anxious that the awkward position may cause Buddy unwarranted pain. Then, he dug into the linings of his inner garments.

Buddy, though in pain, was curious about Master's behavior. He soon guessed that Master had secreted gold on his person all this time, probably earned before being conscripted into the army, when his teaching had earned payment.

Buddy smiled when Master produced a long piece of cloth, with pockets sewn in so as to prevent the gold coins from clinking together and betraying their presence. Upon removing the coins from their individual pockets, they made a slight tinkling sound, but loud enough to earn the Captain's ear.

"See! I have money!"

"How much?" dickered the Captain.

"Enough for passage," responded Master cleverly, refusing to reveal how much he had to the greedy captain.

Buddy enjoyed staying up late at night, lying on the gently rolling deck with the seamen, talking about stars, distant lands and loved ones left behind. He had been at sea before, during his hunter training. Hunters, after all, must be fit for any duty, whether on land or sea. He remembered with pride how he had gradually grown from a white-faced, slobbering sea-sick youth to one who felt quite in control in the sea's merciless tossings.

The crossing to the Eastern Continent passed very pleasantly, with Buddy learning to speak their language very fluently. He had a sharp and retentive mind.

They were not able to sail all the way to the Eastern Continent, for the captain of their ship was bound for the island nation just to the west of it. The next morning, Master heard a strange rumbling sound in the distance to the West. He looked to the West, trying to see what was causing the sound, but the hills of the large island rose to block his view. Before the sun had passed a hand's-width in the sky, a series of waves passed by the harbor, jostling the boats roughly against the wooden planks and raising them up almost the height of two men.

Buddy was amazed to see such an unruly sea, for the waves had even run over the wharf itself, and inside some of the shops nearby, leaving the smell of fish and sea strongly in the air. He looked over at Master, who had a worried look on his face. "What is it, Master?"

Master shook his head, for he did not want to discuss his thoughts yet, but he suspected that they had seen the last of Atlantis.

Walking the wharf with Buddy, Master spotted a large wooden box full of a gray-colored material. He picked up some of the chips in his hands, letting them run through his fingers like sand. The weight told him it was metal. This island nation would make simple cups and plates from this common metal that was scavenged from the streams in a shallow pan, like gold. But, to find this on the docks meant shipping to another nation. This could be the clue he was looking for.

A self-important man came up behind him. "Don't be taking any of that!"

"I'm sorry, Sir. I had no intention of stealing your cargo... It is yours, is it not?"

"Aye, man, until it is loaded on that there ship..."

Master's eyes followed the man's stubby finger. "A fine-looking ship." Master also noted that the lines spoke of an Atlantean war galleon.

"These lads sail in style!" lectured their self-appointed guide, warming to his sales pitch, in case the old man and young man may be potential customers. "Gold plated ships, they have! Look at 'em!"

Master said, "Ah!" appropriately, as he gazed at the bronze bow and stern reinforcing plates and hardware on the mast and sail rigging.

"This chest of tin is sold, but I can get more, if ye have the money..."

"I'm not in the business of buying tin, but I might be interested in knowing where this ship is headed. Do you happen to know?"

"Aye. They come from deep inside the inland sea. The mighty nation of Minos. We're lucky we're not at war with them. I hear they are a terrible enemy! As it is, though, they're mighty generous with their gold," the merchant cupped his hand over his mouth, as if sharing a dark secret, "buying this here worthless tin for twice what it's worth! You'd think they valued tin cups more than the gold plating on their ships!"

"Aye!" remarked Master, carrying the hint of ridicule in his voice, for the merchant's benefit.

The merchant bustled off to check on getting someone to load his chest so as to finish his business.

"That worthless tin, combined with a little worthless copper, turned little Minos into the mighty nation it is!"

"What's that?" asked Buddy, not quite following.

"Bronze."

"What of it?"

"It was common in Atlantis, but nowhere else! Bronze is the reason we ruled all neighboring nations. We were the only ones with it, so our ships were the most seaworthy and our soldiers the most feared." Master paused to let the significance of his lecture sink in. "We must book passage on that ship!"

The trip to Minos was filled with bright, sunny days with Buddy lending a powerful back to do what little work was to be done, and lazy nights talking about what seaman do. Though Buddy was in a little pain still, he did not believe in listening to his body's protests.

They approached Minos about midday. It was a good-sized island, though much smaller than the one they had set sail from, and smaller than a couple they had passed along their journey since entering into the inland sea.

They approached the island from the narrow side, so they could see hill after hill receding off into the distance, with a huge mountain poking up near the center. Almost everywhere on the island dark green trees reached to the skies, each seemingly stretching to full height to tempt the woodcutter to select them to build Minos' mighty sailing ships. Patches of yellow-gold highlighted the grassy meadows painted by a dry summer. The housing they saw was very simple, not at all like that from Atlantis... more like that on the big island of their last port.

One building did catch their eye, however. It looked like a building from Atlantis. Three stories high in places, it shown bright white in the sun, not like the dirty brown color of the simple homes around it. It drew the eye.

"That is the King's palace," commented Master.

The people of Minos were very clean, perhaps due to the abundance of baths and springs all over the island. It was not unusual for the average citizen to bath more than once a day, as an exercise in pleasure. Therefore, in big crowds, the air smelled fresher than on the big island they had just come from.

The more prosperous people of the island stood out with their light-weight dark blue robes. The common people wore simple white robes that emphasized their passion for cleanliness.

Most of the homes were only one-storey. Only the rich had multi-storey houses. But, one thing in common, whether rich or poor, were the walls of their buildings. For even the most common house in Knossos, the capital of Minos, had stunning full-color murals of everyday Minos scenes depicted. The scenes did not seem to record events in history, but simply testified to the reverence the people had for life in general.

One day in Minos, they were walking along a stony path on the ridge of a hill. Down below them, Master saw a well. "Come, let us get a drink."

Buddy slapped Master across the chest with his massive arm, a little too hard, meaning only to stop him. "Look! Do you see that girl?"

Master focused his eyes, searching in the direction indicated, and said, "Ah, yes."

"It is true, there are beautiful women here! I'll take that one!"

"No you won't!"

"I won't? Why not?"

"If you take a woman, you only have a slave, who will slit your neck or break your heart, when she has a chance, to pay you back for violating her."

"What will I do, then?"

"You will win her."

"How do I do that?"

"A beautiful woman is never far from trouble. Just wait, and watch."

Discreetly, they trailed the girl back to her home. A dark-haired woman stepped out of the house to greet her. Her hair shown with golden highlights in the sun.

"She is her mother."

Buddy nodded. "She is a beautiful woman, too. But, I like the daughter better."

Master smiled, but said nothing. He could see his student slipping away from him. He could see his life becoming purposeless, again. He could try to fight it... try to sidetrack Buddy... but that wasn't his way. He would quietly take himself out of the picture. He excused himself to be alone for a while.

Buddy did not look away from the girl, not even noticing Master's departure.

Master took a long walk through the wooded hills. It was already late in the long dry summer. The meadows populated mostly with dry, golden grass, still had an occasional cluster of flowers or clump of green grass poking out from sheltered spots that had been able to retain water a little longer.

"Well, what am I to do now, Lord?" he sighed, not really expecting an answer.

Clearly, but barely audibly, came the reply, "...Sorcerer..."

"What, Lord? What did You say?" But, he heard no more. He continued to repeat the same question for a while, to no avail. Finally, he just got quiet. As he walked, he thought of all the times God had touched his life... warned him... loved him. Words of worship came naturally to his lips. The wind joined in with his worship, singing simple, but moving melodies. He had truly missed this sort of time with the Lord. It was an indescribable feeling of close fellowship with a Dear Friend. Delicious. He only realized how deeply he missed it once he had started worshipping again.

He stopped worshipping. He was standing still on the dusty hillside, but unaware of his location. He was thrilled, satisfied, and at peace. Then the voice came, "A sorcerer came east from Atlantis to spread his evil teachings. You must find him and stop him."

It was longer than most messages he had received from the Lord. He revelled in the closeness of the Lord... the concern of the Lord... the trust of the Lord to choose him for this task.

Chapter 37: Minos -- Putting Down Roots, About 426 A.F.

The girl tended a small flock of goats in the hills nearby.

Master and Buddy continued their watchful care, unnoticed, from the hillside. As they waited, Master taught him the ways of women, "A man comes to love quickly, and is easily distracted by other activities, like hunting. A woman takes longer, but loves more deeply. So a man must be very patient to adapt to the nature of a woman."

"They are such different creatures! It is a wonder that they are related to man at all!" Buddy exclaimed.

"Ah, yes. But, it is worth the effort."

They followed her the next day to the well to get her daily supply of washing and cooking water for her home.

The bleating of sheep in the distance grew louder. With the sheep came several dirty and rough-hewn sheepherders. They grew louder as they approached, pointing at the girl at the well and joking among themselves.

Then, they surrounded her. One sheepherder stepped forward and tore at her dress. She hit him over the head with her waterjar, knocking him out for his interest.

The other men began to attack her.

Buddy raced down the hill without a word being spoken. The men did not see him coming, though he made no attempt at stealth.

He plowed into the first man without slowing, turning him into a human battering ram to scatter three other of the men. Each flew across the ground like a stone hit by a big stick. While they painfully tried to comprehend the source of their discomfort, Buddy chopped another man on the back of the neck. That man died instantly.

The next man inexpertly tried to kick at Buddy.

Buddy blocked his kick, then grabbed his leg and snapped it sharply. The sound of the breaking leg was audible, followed by the man's piercing scream.

Two more blows from his massive muscular hand convinced each of the two remaining sheepherders not to fight anymore.

The sheepherders that could move dragged off those who could not.

The sheep bleated aimlessly, chewing the dry stubble before them, ignoring the plight of their protectors.

At first, the girl was shocked and speechless at the massiveness of her defender. "You beat seven men by yourself?!"

"I never could have done it, had you not distracted them first," Buddy said with a relaxed smile.

"Well, I certainly didn't distract them intentionally. Men are the worst of wild animals!"

"But, without them, there would be no children."

"Yes. A woman's curse is that the joy of children comes only through the wildest of beasts."

"Even the wildest of beasts can be tamed."

"That I would have to see before I could believe."

"I accept your invitation."

"I gave no invitation!"

"You said you wanted to see a man who was tamed, and no longer the worst of beasts."

"Yes. You have now talked with me some time, and not yet attacked me. That makes you a strange one indeed."

"You have been attacked... before?!"

"More times than I can remember. And usually without any beast around to deliver me."

"I apologize for the beasts of my tribe, then. Good day to you." Buddy sadly turned and walked away without looking back.

The woman watched him walk up the hill and disappear, shaking her head.

"Why so sad?" Master asked Buddy when he reached their observation post behind the ridge of the dry hill.

"I'm afraid I cannot handle this girl. She is smarter than any I have ever met. And her words leave me almost speechless. My head hurts from trying to think up a reply each time she speaks."

"Then, we will go on."

"Go on!? I can't leave her!"

"She hurts your head."

"Ah, but she has shot me through the heart as well. Besides, she has been attacked many times, and needs a defender."

They stayed in the vicinity for about a month, he defending her two more times in that period. Each time, she fought like a wildcat, disabling at least one of her attackers and breaking several waterjars over unprotected heads. Soon, the word got out, and all the men stayed away from her due to a very practical fear of this huge stranger in their midst.

She took to shielding her eyes from the merciless sun, and sweeping the hills for him. Sometimes he would wave briefly, but she did not acknowledge his presence.

One day, she waved back.

He stood up.

She beckoned him closer.

"You have proved your point. Certainly the wildest of beasts can be tamed. Come to my house and have a meal."

A broad smile of victory spread across his face.

"But, you will not stay! You understand?"

He nodded. "May my friend come?"

"I don't know your friend. Is it a man?"

"Yes, but he is far tamer than I."

"I'll accept him, then, on the basis of my trust in you. But, you'd better watch him!"

Master walked slowly down the hill in response to Buddy's call.

She studied him closely, unashamed at her rudeness, observing the long white beard and wrinkles. "Perhaps not tamer, but at least enfeebled with age. Come along, old man."

Buddy and Master fell in step behind her, feeling oddly like children obediently following their mother.

"I see what you mean about her words," whispered Master.

Chapter 38: Common Interests

Her mother had been warned ahead of time about the younger of the male visitors. In fact, despite her cool attitude toward him outside the house, her conversations with her mother had been quite animated, bordering upon the gushing of a young girl in love. Her mother feared that her daughter would only meet with more disappointment, as she had so often herself.

Over the following weeks, Master and Buddy hunted the deer and wild boar in the forests and dropped off the cleaned animals. The women had never had such plenty of good meat and soft deer skins. The dry hills of their farm produced a tough stringy-meated goat whose coat was barely fit to wipe their feet on.

Buddy enjoyed hunting for the young woman. "Her name is Aria!" he exclaimed happily, while he scraped the fresh hide, as if revealing new information to Master.

Master had learned that the hard work of preparing the hide for tanning was best done by Buddy alone. He worked far faster without Master getting in his way.

"Aria! Listen to the way it rolls off my tongue! Only a woman as beautiful as she could deserve a name that beautiful!"

Master just shook his head as Buddy coated the hide with ash and buried it for curing.

The men enjoyed home-cooked meals and female conversation. They still slept under the stars, or, during an occasional rainstorm, under a rawhide tent they had constructed in the nearby forest.

Master noticed that Aria's mother had the wisdom and peace of well-spent years. She had had a hard life, yet didn't seem as bitter about it as her daughter. They seemed to be doing well for two women facing a man's world alone.

As he looked around the humble house, Master's eyes caught something startling in the corner; a large pile of neatly stacked scrolls and clay tablets. "You have writings! May I look at them?"

The woman nodded.

Carefully picking up one of the tablets, he first tested it for hardness. It had been baked properly, so he would not have to be so gentle. He quickly read the first one. "Where did you get these?"

"My father."

"You... read them?"

"Of course! What else does one do with writings?"

"Ah, that's true. But, finding one who reads is almost as rare as finding tablets."

"The two go together."

"And, such an abundance!"

"My father's library. He gave me the scrolls for studying, and the tablets for record purposes. I'm supposed to be converting some of the more valuable scrolls to tablets, so they can keep longer, but, who has the time?"

"How many have you done?"

"About ten scrolls..." she replied, embarrassed by her lack of progress.

"Ten scrolls!? Do you realize what an accomplishment that is?"

No one, other than her father, ever saw value in what she did with the scrolls. She felt good to have Master around.

The next day, Aria's mother showed Master the pit where she got the clay for her tablets. After this, Master spent some time each day transferring his records from the large rolls of leaves in his pockets onto the more durable plates. Aria's mother watched him carefully, for some of his techniques were better than her father's. Without being told, she would prepare the oven for the firing, as the two worked as experienced equals together.

Chapter 39: Trouble Between Friends

Toward dinnertime Master heard a scream outside the house. He ran out, feeling inadequate in his own strength to defend anyone, but not wanting to stand by cowardly either. He heard a slap and turned to the lengthening shadows. Two figures were barely discernible. Aria came running out past Master and disappeared up the shaded hillside. Buddy remained in the shadows, confused, ashamed.

"What has happened here?"

"Oh, Master, I'm so confused, I wish I were dead!"

"Come, walk with me." Master knew that walks were good when words were difficult.

After a long period of silence, Buddy began to speak with difficulty, his words interrupted by sobs. "I love her so much, my body aches! Aches! Do you understand that?! Aching as if I had been in battle a full day! What can I do?"

Master was silent.

"Come on! Don't do this to me! You know the answer, just give it to me, instead of making me wait!"

"Be patient."

"No, I will not! I want the answer now!"

"That is the answer. You must be patient with her."

"But, how long?"

"As long as it takes."

"I can't wait forever!"

"When you go to lay siege on a walled city, how long are you prepared to wait?"

"As long as it takes for victory."

"You must do the same with a woman's heart."

"Why?"

"This woman has been abused by worthless men. Because of them, she has erected a wall of hurts and unforgiveness about her to protect herself. You must love the wall down. And, this will take patience."

"But, the pain!"

"The love will be sweeter, for the wait."

"No doubt you are right," he said in an attempt to sound discerning, "as always."

They walked along for half a handspan, their conversation drifting off to easier subjects, like travel, stars, and the future.

"I do believe I'm hungry," Buddy guessed.

The Master's smile was hidden in the shadows. "I'll meet you back at the house later. I want to walk a little longer."

Buddy disappeared in the direction of the house.

Master walked on with purpose. Over the months, he had come to know Aria, and he guessed where she had fled in her anger. As he got closer, he could hear her sobbing.

Ever cautious and distrusting, she heard the footsteps on the dry grass in the distant shadows, but she gave no notice when the unknown figure quietly sat down on the ground, dimly out of sight, but not earshot.

After half a handspan, she spoke, "Okay, Master, what have you to say?" She knew only Master could stay silent this long.

"I'm only here to listen."

"And if I desire not to speak?"

"As you wish."

"You are a strange man."

"Knowing how you feel about men, I will consider that a compliment."

"As you should." She was in no hurry to speak, but she did desire to vent her feelings to the only one she knew of who might understand... and possibly.... help her to understand. "Buddy is no different than other men."

"I think he is different."

"He is rough like the others.... demanding.... thinking only of his own pleasure. He would take me like they do... only he waits longer to accomplish it."

Master did not agree, yet neither did he speak.

"You cannot disagree, I notice. Why are men like that? Other than you, I mean."

"Suppose you found a wild stallion in the hills around your home. Many had tried to tame him, yet none could. He had destroyed every barn, every home, every corral ever imprisoning him. Would you try to capture him?"

"I think not!"

"But, he's a magnificent beast! Tame, he would excel all other beasts! For such promise, would you take the chance?"

"No. I have no desire to welcome a destroyer into my home."

"Well, men do not have the choice to refuse. The wild stallion is within each man. If he tames the stallion, the man renders great service. Buddy's charge against the seven shepherds who attacked you... wasn't that magnificent!?"

"Yes...." she allowed, thinking back pleasantly to the first day she had met Buddy.

"Yet, the same wild stallion can cause much destruction, if not constantly controlled."

"So, what are you saying?"

"If he occasionally stumbles, remember the magnitude of the battle he is in."

"That is all? Just remember?"

"No, you can help him tame the stallion, if you wish."

"How?"

"By loving the wildness out of him, and forgiving him when he loses control."

She was silent for a while. "I had never thought of men this way. Before, I would just condemn men as evil. You make it much harder to be a woman."

"You only thought it was easy to be a woman because you oversimplified the task."

She laughed quietly in the growing darkness. "Okay, Wise One. You talk to me of God, Who is fair in all His dealings. He has given such a great burden to men. What does He expect of women... of me?"

"To trust after a lifetime of hurt... to respect a man who faces challenges you don't know.... and fails when you cannot see the reason for his weakness."

She was crying silently.

"You are crying because the task is too daunting?"

"No, because my love, which I tried to hide with scorn, is too great... and I feel like I am losing control."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"What!? That I fear I'm losing control?!"

"No. That you would rather lose control of your life, than to live alone and unloved."

"It's not fair! Why should I lose all, and he nothing?"

"On the contrary. He will lose much as well. But, you can both gain more than you lose."

"Is this true?"

"It will be so, if it is a good marriage."

"And how do we ensure that?"

"He must love you more than his own life... and you must love him through his battles... in spite of his failures..."

"Sounds simple!" she joked.

"It is simple, yet it will require hard work for the rest of your life together."

When she walked back into the house ahead of Master, Buddy stared at her shyly from the corner of the room. Both were silent for a long time.

Finally, Buddy broke down. "I'm so sorry I hurt you! Will you forgive me?"

She nodded briefly in the fire-lit room.

He rushed to her, yet resisted touching her, for fear of scaring her again, "I will never hurt you again, I promise!"

"Oh, I doubt that!" she smiled as she slowly moved closer to him, lacing her arms around his neck and kissing him lightly on the lips.

He was completely nonplussed by her actions and her words, but he gently returned her hug and the kiss.

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Modern-day England.

Modern-day Crete.

The people of this time did not divide up time into hours, minutes and seconds. However, they may have noticed that, tracking the sun by the width of a hand held at arm's length, the sun's trace across the sky could be split up into about 10 equal parts. A handspan would be roughly equivalent to one of our hours.