Chapter Four
Back on Earth, a week after Perci had left in Earth Time
Sally stormed into the apartment building, angry that Perci wasn't returning her phone calls. Paul and Estelle trailed behind her - Paul holding their toddler.
"Sally, relax. She probably was attacked by a monster and her phone got destroyed."
"I don't care, Paul. She knows that she is supposed to call or text or even visit once a day… we live in the same building! It shouldn't be that hard, Paul. I have been patient, more than patient with her, Paul. Now, we're here finding out what is going on."
Instead of hitting the button for their floor once they got on the elevator, Sally smashed the button for the fifth floor. Paul leaned against the side of the elevator as it began to ascend. He knew that her anger was more of a cover up for her fear that something had indeed happened to her daughter… They arrived on Perci's floor and moved down to her apartment door. Sally knocked loudly on it.
"Persephone Jackson! Open the door, now!" Sally ordered. They continued knocking but no answer came. The door across from Perci's opened.
"Hey, Mrs Blofis!" Chen, one of their fellow inhabitants, said happily. He was a sweet young man. "You looking for Perci?"
"We are. Have you seen her?"
"Uh no, not recently… been a little over a week since I've seen or heard her actually. Hope everything's okay though!" With that, he went back into his apartment, back to his video games that they heard through the open and closed door. Paul and Sally exchanged concerned looks now.
Sally brought out her phone and dialed Annabeth.
"Annabeth? Hey it's Sally. I think Perci's missing."
Back in Middle Earth - twenty years after visitors to Atlantis
Perci was lounging on her throne, reading one of her books when a cheetah raced in.
"Your Highness, elves approach!" Perci raised an elegant eyebrow but rose to her feet and began to head out of the throne room towards the outskirts of the city to meet her unexpected guests. Perci let her mind drift back over the past twenty years. After the Istari and Eldar had left, she had received the occasional visit from Radagast coming to learn more about the wildlife that inhabited her kingdom, but that was it. Neither Gandalf or the Eldar had visited or sent correspondence.
So this surprise visit from Eldar had made her very curious indeed.
Perci arrived at the very outskirts of her city, her feet not leaving the bridge and not moving past the two large statues that guarded it. She knew that fur legged guards had appeared behind her as they waited for their surprise guests.
Perci's sharp eyes found Lord Elrond and Lord Celeborn leading a sizable convoy of Eldar through the mountain pass and through the forest until they came to a stop right in front of her. They dismounted their horses and bowed to her, the other Eldar doing the same.
"Queen Persephone, looking as radiant as ever." Lord Elrond complimented. Perci sent him a grin.
"Lord Elrond, Lord Celeborn, it is a pleasure to see you here in Atlantis once more. What brings you to my kingdom with your people in tow?"
Lord Celeborn stepped forward. "Your Highness, after we departed from here some years ago, word spread among the Eldar about your kingdom and what the Valar had declared it to be. Behind Lord Elrond and myself, are eleven hundred Eldar from across Middle Earth that would be honored to be able to reside here. They want to stay in Middle Earth but also heal from the mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional wounds that they've accumulated over the centuries. Is this acceptable for you, Queen Persephone of Atlantis?"
Perci felt her eyes widen in surprise. Well, she hadn't been expecting this! She began to speak slowly.
"I, Persephone, Queen of Atlantis, Protector of Light, Defeater of Evil, Champion of the Valar, welcomes all of the Free Peoples in my kingdom as long as instructions are followed."
"And those would be?" Lord Elrond asked.
"I don't have any as of yet. But do note that I am not, nor will be, an overlord that seeks to control others. I only want to spread the Light and heal others where they let me."
"We have a rule." Aslan spoke up, coming over to stand beside Perci, his piercing yellow eyes staring down the Eldar in front of him. Almost all of them muttered amongst themselves at seeing Aslan talk. "The palace and inner circle will be off limits to all until you are trusted by myself and my fellow guards. We will not risk our Queen's life and safety. Only times you will be allowed onto the inner circle will be if there is an emergency or if you are summoned." Aslan turned his giant head and met Perci's eyes.
Perci sighed but nodded in agreement. "My head of guard Aslan has spoken and his request will be in place until such a time it has been lifted. Guard!" Perci said, lifting her eyes to the stone guards. They became animated and angled their heads towards her. "Atlantis has new citizens, please note who they are as they pass through."
The giant guards inclined their heads in acknowledgement before turning their gazes onto the Eldar that were slowly moving closer. "I, Queen Persephone of Atlantis, welcome you all and hope you have found the peace and home that you were searching for. Please feel free to explore the outer and middle circles. My kingdom, is now yours."
Perci stepped to the side of the bridge to allow them to pass her, Lord Elrond and Lord Celeborn stood next to her as they watched their people enter her city with looks of wonder filling their faces. Two beautiful melodies echoed through the air as the phoenix flew out from the forest and over their heads as they trilled their songs in welcome. Gasps of awe came from the elves as they continued on the trek into the city.
"Thank you for welcoming them." Lord Elrond said softly. Perci looked over her shoulder at the two lords and smiled.
"Why, of course! Atlantis welcomes all who has need of her… even if they don't know how much they do. Now, come my lords," she linked her arms through their's and began to lead them across the bridge after the others. "Let me introduce you, or reintroduce, you to the wonderful Kingdom of Atlantis."