In Neptune's Realm

After that spectacular leap over the Calabar Felonway's billowing sails, had I the time to think, I would have assumed we would have galloped onward to our destination, but no--the horses followed the arc they had drawn and we immediately descended into the depths of the Lemurian Sea! Without warning, we dove into a watery world in the dark of night. No preparation, no masks, no oxygen. For what seemed forever, I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath, until I heard the King's voice whisper in my ear, "Relax, Believer, breathe! You are here with me--no harm will come to you!"

Taking a deep breath, I looked around and found iridescence everywhere. I was in a world where there was as much to see beneath as above and on all sides: schools of tiny, shining shrimps saluted the king, scallops with multi shining eyes blinked as they floated past, and lantern fish, silvery white with large soulful eyes pulsed in shades of red, yellow and green! Several violet ribbons nearly five feet long appeared, and seemed to dance before us.

"Slowly, please, our guest cannot read you," the king commanded, and it was only then I realized that their intricate twirlings spelled out, 'Welcome Neptune, welcome Believer.' "The creature is named Venus's girdle," Neptune whispered and this so delighted me that I burst out laughing and produced a stream of bubbles which tickled both the king and a passing octopus who had to hold his sides as he giggled in mirth.

As we descended further we encountered angler fish, but even their glowing bones and fierce razor teeth didn't frighten me because I rode with the king. At long last we arrived at the entrance to a huge cave. Handsome mermen guarded the entrance. One winked at me as we entered.

Was I still in water or not? My eyes and lungs were so acclimated to the change I'd undergone it was impossible to tell. All I knew was that physically I felt perfectly normal, while mentally I reeled from the sights and sounds around me. An enormous chamber with floor and ceiling glowing in mother of pearl was actually a hidden coral reef alive with tropical fish darting in and out among sea anemones and swaying kelp. Music and the sound of singing came from somewhere far off, soft and delicate to the ears.

"There will be festivities here in the grand hall later," the king told me, but first I have something to show you." He lead me off to a side chamber, an underwater version of a library or study. Niches carved into the walls served as shelves and held treasures salvaged from sunken ships, Greek amphorae and Roman vases and such made of glass. A giant scallop shell formed the king's desk and he beckoned me to sit with him as he produced a great book. The first page floated open and I gasped in astonishment at the picture that appeared.

"Where did you get this?" I asked, looking at a photo of me and my parents, our faces solemn and concerned as we waited with a crowd of other "lowly polliwogs" to be sentenced by Neptune's court for crossing the equator and entering his realm without permission.

"I keep records of all those who enter my kingdom, both friend and foe, and the time they spend. You had great enthusiasm as a child and a perfect sense of wonder. I knew one day you would become a writer."

I turned the page and there was my father wearing bathing trunks and a ridiculous Keystone cop's helmet on his head and with skull and crossbones painted on his chest. My mother stood nearby trying to contain her laughter.

"Ah, my favorite," the king said, and pointed to me again, seated on a makeshift throne, wearing a Cinderella gown and a mask that showed sparkling eyes and "bubelik" cheeks. "I was delighted they made you Neptune's daughter! You turned thumbs down on everyone and even insisted the little ones pay a forfeit. They screamed and squealed and loved every minute of it." The good king's eyes crinkled with laughter.

"It's been so long since I thought of our trips."

"Whose fault is that?"

"It's a bittersweet memory. We lost our business and struggled for years, then my folks passed away. It's been hard, I've lost a lot."

"So, you refuse to remember the good times, or you think of them with tears of regret! Would you deny all the joy you've given and received in your life?"

"No, of course not."

"Would you relinquish the wisdom you've acquired?"

"No, but. . . "

"Humans are such fools," he thundered. "If you had your way you'd eliminate change and growth completely and remain an infant at your mother's breast for all eternity!"

And in that minute, I knew he spoke the truth! In a short time this adventure would be over and already I was dreading the leave taking. He sensed it, I knew.

"I have a gift for you," he said gruffly. Opening a clam shell, he took out a large golden coin. "We have little use for money here, but when we do this is what we use."

I took it from his hand to admire the beauty and workmanship. Bigger than a silver dollar, one side was embossed with a trident and on the obverse a cutaway view of an intricate and beautiful chambered nautilus.

"A newly hatched nautilus has four small chambers," he explained. "As it grows it gains more living space by building new chambers connected to the old ones. If it is permitted a long life and is not "harvested" by greedy divers, it will eventually have thirty chambers. Like the mandelas you admire, it's a spiral. When you return to the Abbey you must meditate on these two symbols until you understand what they represent in your life. Remember the name you've given yourself and it will become clear to you."

Then he rose and took my hand and we joined the assembled guests in the grand hall, where we feasted and sang and danced the night away. The following morning before daybreak, a messenger arrived to inform the king that Captain Wilder had abandoned the Calabar Felonway. This unheard of act tore through the court like a water spout and caused the king great concern. It was decided that I must return immediately to the ship and follow whatever orders might have been received by the crew.

When I got there I found no orders, the ship was in total chaos, with wild rumors everywhere, including one that The Cave of the Ancients had been found. The only thing I could be sure of was that it was finally time to use my magic wings and fly back to the Abbey. My adventure in Neptune's realm had been cut short but my instincts told me that new wonders lay ahead.