Circus Boy Returns Home

Part 19: Trouble By Land and Sea

Tim was shaking when Dick returned.

"Timoti, are you cold?" Dick asked.

Tim shook his head. 'No, please can we go home."

"What's the matter?"

"They're here," Tim said.

"What do you mean?"

"They caused it," Tim said.

Dick didn't know what Tim was talking about, but obviously someone had caused his injuries and the way he was speaking, there must have been someone else in the tent with them. The girl was gone. And Tim was obviously frightened by something, or someone.

'We can't leave yet," Dick said. "We have three more days of performances."

Tim groaned.

"I'll see about getting you moved back to the wagon and then we'll talk. Tonight's performances are done. How about I bring you something to eat."

Tim nodded, and Dick rushed to the cafeteria tent to grab something for the both of them.

'I wonder what Sammie's doing right now,' Tim asked. 'I miss my kids.'

STSTSTSTSTSTS

Samantha walked out into the garden. The moon was full. She headed to the secret grove, stripped off her clothing, and sat on the ground. It was odd because her cycle was different than an average woman's. She once again felt that hunger inside her as her cycle flowed. It felt like the earth was giving her a kiss. Once the Mother was satisfied, Samantha rose once more, picked up her clothes and this time heading to the pond that was also on the Wayne property. She dove into the water, feeling its cooling depth. She thought about where the hunger came from. Her own blood seemed to drive it, but that seem ludicrous at best.

'I need to speak with my father,' Samantha thought. 'I can't take the children with me. It could be dangerous. Last time I went to Atlantis, there was some unrest. Maybe there was some answers there.'

Samantha crawled out of the pond and dressed. She felt clean and renewed, but she also missed her husband. Samantha headed to the Manor and made her way down to the cave and over to the zeta tube. She pressed her hand on the panel, and it recognized who she was and sent her to Atlantis. Her walk to the palace was uneventful, and yet she could sense the tension in the circulated air within the dome, even though that dome was a few miles wide. When she reached the palace, she found her father in the throne room, his face a mask of worry.

"Father, what is it?"

"The queen of the shark kingdom is calling for your husband's head."

"What? Why?"

"She is insisting that you should have married a shark," Orin stated. "Preferably her son."

"Why should I?" Samantha argued. "I once fell in love with the man not knowing who he was, and he betrayed me, left me to suffer at the hands of Nathan Devlin. And then he finds out I'm your daughter."

"Please, my daughter," Orin tried to calm Samantha. "I am only reporting on what she said. Your husband proved himself in battle. She will not take his head, no matter what she bellows. She has always had designs on the throne of Atlantis. Using her sister to get to me . . . "

"Sister, the queen of the sharks had a sister?" Samantha questioned. "You mean to tell me my mother was . . . Was . . ."

"Let's talk in private," Orin stated. He led Samantha into a chamber for private audiences with the king.

"I don't understand, is this why there has been unrest?"

"Some of it," Orin stated. "Those who remember what happened. Some believe to this day that I had been manipulated to marry the Shark Queen's sister, though it was supposed to be an alliance between our two kingdoms, since there were other kingdoms at the time that did not have anyone of marrying age, and the Shark kingdom and Atlantis had very different opinions on how to handle humans who encroach on our waters. Some believe no human should even be allowed in the oceans, and that's gone on for almost three thousand years, since the Atlanteans had to adapt to their new environment when Atlantis sunk into the sea."

"That long ago? I had no idea."

"Samantha, you are in a delicate position," Orin stated. "If you come here with your children and husband, please don't use the zeta tube."

"But the zeta tube is the fastest way here, and if I bring Tim and my children via a bubble, they may not survive the journey because of the water pressure."

"I'm warning you Samantha," Orin said. "It may not be safe for Tim or your children."

Continues with Part 20