Arrival

21st June 1919

Praise God, Margie, I’ve done it. They thought me insane; if I hadn’t stolen that pagan heathen Varane’s submersible and made haste pretty sharpish, they would have me in the Tower of London. I escaped them! I escaped the law, Margie, I’m a free man and I am vindicated!

Oh, God bless Mystic Chang and his Atlas of Anomalies (I stole that too, he’s a forgiving soul. He’ll understand. I’ll pay him back for the dishonest acupuncture, you can be sure.) I took that pagan’s submarine, my love; I took it and I sailed out to the Pillars of Hercules and I found them! Thank heavens Gibraltar is a subject of the empire or I may have been obstructed by a Spaniard or two, if they managed to wake from one of their siestas. God save the King.

Anyway, my angel from heaven! I am becoming sidetracked. I hope you are seated, because I am about to deliver news that may make you faint.

I write to you from the hitherto lost city of Atlantis. It’s real. It’s real, my dear.

I reached a distance below the pillar, and I was enveloped in a golden light. The sea floor, which I had previously thought to be made of sand, opened up in a bright white marble door which I managed to pass through.When I did so, beams of light seemed to analyse my every aspect and by the end, I felt like a new person. No longer forty but twenty, I began to hop and skip and dance with glee, happy to be free of the plague of my arthritic hands. The analysis completed, the beam began to vigorously pull me in.

It was only on instinct that I resisted at first—then, realising the miraculous situation I was in, I let fate take its course. I was guided onto a landing pad, a golden disc that sat atop a building made of marble pillars and surrounded by the most vibrant greenery I have ever seen. This submersible opened on its own, and as I stepped out, I was greeted by the most unfamiliar sight.

Greenish-blue-skinned fishmen dressed in golden armour approached. One of them, possibly the younger of the two, rushed me. He pointed the tip of his spear at my face. It cracked with purple electricity and my eyebrows were partially burned away. He yelled at me furiously in a language that sounded like he was blowing bubbles in the bath. I told him politely but firmly, that I was a subject of King George the fifth and a servant of the British empire, and I would not be spoken to in that way. It was then that his companion approached. He eyed me warily before speaking.

“Are you from above? The surface?” He too had his spear ready, but seemed to be less eager to commit random acts of violence than his companion. He didn't seem to view me with suspicion. Indifference, yes, but there wasn't the outright fear of the other that his friend seemed to possess. He was a soldier well trained, that is for sure.

“I have, yes. My name is Dr. Rupert Higginbottom, I am a curator at the Natural History Museum in London and I come here in the name of friendship and discovery.” I brought out my hand to shake, but again he just looked at me with caution.

“We heard no word of a trade envoy. Do you come at the behest of Alexander? It has been many years since we last saw him. We wish to hear word of Macedon.”

I tell you, Margie, I was shocked. Not only had the Atlantans visited us before, but they met Alexander the Great! One of the greatest rulers in history. I did not know what to do at that moment, so I lied, Lord forgive me; though in truth, I do not think I was wrong. At least if everything worked out the way it should.

“Macedon’s time has passed. It is now the time of Britannia. The sun never sets on her empire, for she is master of the seas and the world. It is by her grace and the wisdom of her King that I come to you today in the hope of forging a bond of friendship between our Nations.”

“He is an outsider!” The young one had finally found his voice. “You may marvel at the primitive nature of this man, but I do not trust him. It could be a trap, he could be a Lemurian spy!” You know what the Elder’s say about dealing with foreigners, especially barbarian surface dwellers. See sense, Marides!”

Marides raised a hand to his junior’s face, silencing him. “We are hospitable people, Kyron. This sapien has found his way to us in a bronze box. We both know that should not be possible yet, by the grace of Zeus he is here. This means he is very clever or very lucky; either one should grant him at least a peek inside the kingdom. Further still, if he is as resourceful as he says, perhaps having allies, as primitive as they may be, they would be advantageous for us.”

“But the prince, he-”

“We cannot turn away someone who has found us. The eyes are always watching, Kyron; do you want them to see you too prideful to help a stranger in need?”

“No! No, I wouldn’t.”

Marides, evidently finished with his cohort, turned his attention to me. “I trust then there are no objections? You have been permitted to enter the kingdom of Atlantis by order of infantry general Marides Apollon, do you accept?

“Yes I most certainly do!”

This is it, my love. I'm about to be the first human to enter the ancient kingdom in Lord knows how long. I know not what I will see there, but I will make sure to write to you again at my earliest opportunity.

-

22nd June 1919

My darling, Atlantis is beautiful! The citizenry takes great pride in keeping everything clean, I have faced multiple chastisements for neglecting to place my rubbish in the appropriate place. In my defence, I have not yet mastered the art of keeping up to speed with small robotic bins that whizz and dart about. Many an Atlantean child have laughed in my face every time I fail to “shoot a robo.” I resolve that I shall shoot one before I leave. I shall dedicate it to you, my dearest.

Oh! But that’s not even the best of it. Atlantis is the perfect marriage of the classical and the otherworldly. I see many statues of muscular, naked men and buxom women, cut in the most pure white marble you have ever seen. How do I see this? By riding on golden stairs that move themselves! You only need to take one step and you can travel throughout the city, as fast as an a three horse carriage, while reading a book! I finished Mr. Stoker’s Dracula on a trip from the tourist district to the main quarter. A two hour trip and I moved not a muscle. Well, save my fingers for turning pages and my eyes for seeing.

All in all, it was almost a splendid jaunt amid this rather baffling city.

I say almost, my dear, because during my journey I happened to drift off to sleep. The wind is quite soothing you see, and during this nap I had the most terrible nightmare. This city, this beautiful marvel was thrown into the sea by almighty waves. I could see the faces of every man, woman and child that was taken under the depths; I felt with them as they took in seawater and gasped for breath. I watched holy men fall from their balconies and a palace crumble to dust.

And at the end of it all were the eyes. A pair of red orbs that opened with the sky as its face. As crimson cracks split the sky, it looked at me, Margie. If a pair of eyes could smile then they smiled most vengefully! I woke up in a cold sweat. Luckily there was no one around me, so I was able to quickly regain my composure, but I will not forget those eyes as long as I live. I will try to talk about more cheerful things, but please, you must promise to pray for me.

Now, onto those cheerful things!

It was on the way to the main quarter that I ran into my new friend Marides. We had a lengthy conversation about all sorts of things. I attempted to inform him about the great deeds of the British Empire and the impact that we are having on our world. I enthusiastically detailed to him our industrial revolution, and how we have brought a greater degree of prosperity to the people of our world. I was very pleased, I told him, for Britain to be at the forefront of that. Strangely, he wasn't interested in any of that, he was interested in me. My body to be precise.

“Non-citizen Rupert, how tall are you?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I mean nothing by it, it's just that you seem shorter and more plump than the average citizen of Atlantis. Do you not get enough exercise?”

“These questions are very invasive, but if you must know, I have weak lungs. I suffered from respiratory issues as a child and it has never been able to be fully rectified. So no, exercise isn't really my cup of tea, unfortunately.”

Marides thought on this a moment. “You do seem to be enamoured with our culture. It would upset me to know that you could not experience it to the fullest extent. I will need to know your metrics for us to continue this conversation.”

I told him Margie. I told him and the look of horror on his face was evident if fleeting.You did tell me that it was my rosy complexion that made you fall in love with me, but it seems in Atlantis. I am somewhat of a pariah.

“Rupert, I wish to introduce you to our doctors. It should be a mere trifle to get rid of your respiratory disease. As I stated before, in order for you to experience all that you desire, you must be as fit as possible.”

“Smashing! Will you do something about my belly too?”

Marides paused a moment. “We…do not wish to alter the physical appearance of an outsider. Even if you were to give us permission, those not within our customs would not understand that we believe in attaining physical perfection through effort.”

“Then why would you rid me of my respiratory disease, but not my weight?”

“Because the disease is beyond your control. We believe that every person should have the best chance in life, but also that it should be determined by their actions and their will. If their own personal actions and beliefs cannot be acted upon because of things beyond their control, we believe this to be sinful and therefore will aid them in expelling disease. Will you accept?”

“Oh, goodness me, of course! It would be my honour to see your medicine up close. All the better for me to finally be availed over something that has been holding me back since my younger days! I would be glad to accept.”

“You have arrived at a most auspicious time Rupert. The eyes of the Rigari are surely watching over you.”

The mention of eyes sent a chill down my spine. “I should thank them if I see them.”

“You should. I feel like our meeting is not a coincidence, as such, I wish to show you around the city after your ailment has been seen.We have met twice now, it is fate.I wish to formally invite you to a social gathering tomorrow.”

Of course I accepted my love. I will write to you tomorrow with details of my first, and hopefully not last Atlantean Soirée.