Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Starting the Voyage! ❯ Starting the Voyage! ( Chapter 1 )

Clara and Alyssia Travel the World 10

Starting the Voyage!

Alyssia Orloj, a mechanic and an alchemist, and her best friend Clara Beaufort, a warrior, were standing in their back yard At the Black Sun. The backyard was large, with a large green oak, a green wooden bench under it, a stone Basilisk in one corner and a stuffed Wyvern in rearing position in other, and also a wooden enclosure with a snake covered in green feathers and with two long heads with burning eyes on both its ends. The snake was curled, resting. Alyssia threw some snails to the snake. The snake ate them eagerly. Alyssia leaned and caressed the snake.

'My Otylie!' she smiled broadly.

'Yeah,' Clara said smiling gently.

'You know, the Captain Lindor comes today for his astrolabe,' Alyssia observed smiling broadly. 'He returned from his voyage and needs his astrolabe before he starts a new voyage shortly.'

Clara nodded smiling gently.

'Oh, to travel the world, see new strange places, it's so wonderful!' she said dreamily.

Alyssia nodded smiling broadly.

Af this moment a bell rang.

Alyssia and Clara ran inside, into Alyssia's shop. It was a large stone room with arched windows, tables and shelves full of clocks, watches, compasses, quadrants, clepsydras, hour glasses, astrolabes, orreries, armillary spheres and so on, and with a dark wooden counter full of vials with bright liquids at the far wall.

A tall strong young man with long sandy blonde hair and blue eyes, in a white shirt with frills, a wide short crimson jacket and black wide trousers with a brown broad belt with large golden buckle, in high boots and a broad green hat with a blue feather, was standing at the counter smiling broadly.

'Maitress Alyssia!' he said merrily.

'Captain Lindor!' Alyssia smiled broadly.

Then Captain Lindor saw Clara.

'Oh, Lady Clara Beaufort, a famous warrior! ' he smiled broadly.

'Yes, Captain Lindor, glad to meet you,' Clara responded smiling gently.

Captain Lindor nodded smiling broadly.

'Now, Maitress Alyssia, is my astrolabe ready?'

'Oh, of course, Captain Lindor! ' Alyssia smiled broadly.

She went to one shelf, took a dark wooden box carefully and carried it to Captain Lindor, then offered it to him reverently.

Captain Lindor took it and opened gently.

In the box on green velvet in the left half lay a large golden metal round plate with an upraised brim on which were engraved Roman numerals from one to twelve and from one to twelve again, with a ring for holding in a flowery mount on upper point, and the plate itself engraved with a delicate net of lines, concentric rings of heights and radial lines of azimuths above the arc of horizon, crepuscular arcs below the horizon, crossing North South and East West lines and the oval of Tropic of Cancer above them and the oval of Tropic of Capricorn along the rim, a golden round net superimposed on the plate, with an oval just touching the upper point of the brim and with the an angular net with wavy pointers signifying the main stairs. in the right half lay many flat round plates with nets of coordinates for other latitudes.

'How wonderful!' Captain Lindor breathed.

Alyssia smiled broadly.

Captain Lindor closed the box gently.

'Here's a thousand crowns for you, Maitress Alyssia!' he smiled broadly, reaching into his jacket, producing a crimson pouch with golden ties and offering it to Alyssia.

Alyssia took the pouch and smiled broadly.

Captain Lindor smiled broadly at them.

'How come you know each other?' he asked curiously.

'Well, I was taking a stroll around Evanorra and ran into Alyssia,' Clara explained. 'We introduced, and she invited me for a strudel and a cup of coffee. Now we are best friends and live here together!'8

Captain Lindor nodded smiling broadly.

'Captain Lindor, when do you start on your next voyage?' Alyssia asked curiously.

'In several days,' Captain Lindor responded. 'When we buy some food and take on some goods, we're setting out for Londin, in Tillandia, and then we're sailing to Garnata, in Arranta, then to Venetia in Ellora, and then across the sea to Africa, then to Goa in India, then to Melaka, and then to Ayutthay in Siam, then ...to Heian in Zipangu, then to the Spice Islands, Maluku Islands, and then back to Heian, Ayutthay and Melaka, then across the sea to Venetia, Garnata, Londin and back to Evanorra.'

Alyssia nodded.

'How many different countries! ' she observed dreamily.

'Yeah, it's wonderful!' Captain Lindor smiled broadly.

'And how long will you be sailing?' Alyssia asked curiously.

'Six months!' Captain Lindor answered smiling broadly.

'And there are krakens and hippocampus in the seas, rocs, simurgs, barnacle trees, crocotas, bonacons and unicorns, onocentaurs and so on?' Alyssia asked eagerly.

Clara looked at her smiling broadly.

'Yeah, plenty of them!' Captain Lindor smiled broadly.

'And there's the beautiful Loy Kratong in Siam, the crimson and gold autumn in Zipangu, Alhambra Palace in Garnata, the canals of Venetia?' Alyssia asked dreamily.

'Yeah!' Captain Lindor smiled broadly. 'They're lovely!'

Alyssia took a deep breath.

'Captain Lindor, may I go with you?'

Captain Lindor looked astonished for a moment, then smiled broadly.

'Sure, Maitress Alyssia, just pay three taels to me, like a kiwi, a travelling merchant, and you're in!'

Alyssia nodded smiling broadly.

Clara looked attentively at her, then smiled broadly too.

'Captain Lindor, I'm going with her too,' she announced firmly.

Captain Lindor looked at them both and smiled broadly.

'Sure, Lady Clara, three taels and you're in!'

Clara and Alyssia nodded and smiled broadly.

'Pack your things and come to my lovely Marketa as soon as you can,' Captain Lindor commanded.

Alyssia and Clara nodded and smiled.

'Well, see you on board the Marketa, young ladies!' Captain Lindor smiled broadly and bowed.

'See you, Captain Lindor!' Alyssia smiled broadly.

Clara smiled broadly and nodded.

Captain Lindor smiled broadly, bowed and left with his astrolabe.

Clara and Alyssia looked at each other.

'Al, so you're going to travel? How sudden!' Clara exclaimed.

'I know!' Alyssia smiled broadly. 'But I've always wanted to see the world, and here he comes and says about the wonders of the world to me!'

'I understand, Aliska,' Clara sighed. 'And because of that I'm going with you too!'

'Great!' Alyssia smiled broadly.

They looked at each other.

'Now we have to pack our things,' Alyssia observed.

'And I have to tell Frantisek I'm going to travel,' Clara observed.

'And I have to find someone to look after my shop and house!' Alyssia said anxiously.

'Yeah.' Clara frowned.

'I know whom!' Alyssia smiled broadly. 'Pan Cestmir!'

'The baker from Kampa?' Clara frowned.

'Yes, he's calm and trust worthy, he just stood and sold tridlos when everyone around was shouting and running from a harmless snake!' Alyssia grinned.

Clara nodded smiling broadly.

'And if I entrust to someone of my colleagues, clockmakers and alchemists, my shop, they could do something wrong because of overconfidence and ruin my shop!' Alyssia explained.

'Yes, that's true,' Clara confirmed nodding.

Alyssia smiled broadly.

'So let's go find Pan Cestmir!'

Clara nodded smiling.

They left the house and walked along the little winding cobbled streets with bright ornate houses. They then came to a long arched Charles Bridge with statues on the rails, spanning broad blue Viltava River with white swans in flocks and long Kampa Island at its far side, with little bright ornate houses and green gardens at the far left end, Little Town with its red roofs behind, and in distance tall green Petrin Hill on the left and long Castle Hill with large dark long castle on the right. Alyssia and Clara walked along the bridge, passing painters and jewellers selling their goods. Then they reached Kampa with a large two sided staircase leading to it from the bridge and descended the stairs to a little cobbled street with little yellow houses and large green trees in the middle. Beneath one tree was a stall with a sign of golden brown empty spiral roll. A stout middle aged man with dark blue eyes and short brown hair, in a red shirt and green trousers, was standing at the counter looking after spiral long strips of dough becoming golden brown on round metal bars over hot fire, sprinkling them with sugar and cinnamon. The baker smiled at Alyssia and Clara broadly.

'Oh, young pani!' he exclaimed merrily. 'Want some tridelniks again?'

'Yes, two, please, Pan Cestmir,' Alyssia asked smiling broadly.

Cestmir took a large knife with oak handle, cut off two portions of the roll, removed them from the bars with large shining metal tongues, wrapped them in brown paper and offered them to Alyssia and Clara.

'Sixty crowns, young pani!' he smiled broadly.

Alyssia searched in her sleeves, fished out two copper coins and gave them to Cestmir. Cestmir took them smiling c broadly.

'How is your pet snake, young pani?' he asked smiling broadly. 'A lovely thing, green feathers and shining eyes! What's its name?'

'Otylie,' Alyssia shared smiling broadly. 'She's very well.'

Cestmir nodded smiling broadly.

'And speaking about Otylie...' Alyssia said seriously. 'Pan Cestmir, do you know who I am?'

'No, young pani!' Cestmir shrugged.

'I'm Maitress Alyssia Orloj,' Alyssia introduced herself.

'Oh, really?' Cestmir exclaimed. 'Oh, and then you must be Lady Clara Beaufort of Tillandia!'

'Yes,' Clara confirmed.

'Well, imagine that!' Cestmir exclaimed.

Alyssia smiled broadly.

'It was you who repaired the great astronomical clock on the City Hall, and you both conquered many monsters together!' Cestmir exclaimed in awe.

'Yeah,' Alyssia confessed smiling broadly.

'Woah!' Cestmir exclaimed.

Alyssia smiled broadly.

'Pane Cestmire, you know, Clara and I, we are going to travel the world with Captain Lindor, and I want you to look after my shop and house!' she announced.

'Maitress Alyssia, but I'm just a baker!' Cestmir said perplexed.

'You are so calm and trustworthy, Pane Cestmire, when everyone around ran away and shouted, you just were standing and selling tridlos!' Alyssia explained.

'Well, I agree, Maitress Alyssia!' Cestmir responded.

'I'll show you my house At the Black Sun, and tell you what potions are for what, and what mechanisms are for, and how to feed my Otylie,' Alyssia explained.

Cestmir nodded.

'And what of my business at Kampa?' he asked alertly.

'You can sell tridelniks At the Black Sun too,' Alyssia suggested.

Cestmir nodded.

'Please come with us, Pan Cestmir, I'll show you everything!' Alyssia invited.

Cestmir nodded and smiled broadly.

'By the way, Pan Cestmir, do you know what the people at Kampa were running from?' Alyssia asked smiling broadly.

'No, Maitress Alyssia!' Cestmir smiled broadly.

'They saw a harmless snake and just ran from it!' Alyssia shared smiling broadly. 'And I just took it to my house, it's my pet Otylie!'

'How stupid people often are!' Cestmir shrugged smiling. 'Such a lovely snake, I'll be glad to feed it!'

Alyssia nodded smiling broadly.

Cestmir blew out the fire under the tridlos, closed his stall and nodded.

Clara and Alyssia smiled broadly to him.

They went up the stairs, along the Charles Bridge and along the little winding cobbled streets. Then they came to the golden white house with arched windows, two dormer windows, a sign of smiling black sun in a golden scroll shaped cartouche with curly frame, and large arched shop windows full of clocks, watches, clepsydras, hour glasses, compasses, astrolabes, quadrants, orreries and armillary spheres.

'How wonderful! ' Cestmir exclaimed.

'Yeah!' Alyssia smiled broadly. 'Look well after it, Cestmir!'

'Yes, Maitress Alyssia!' Cestmir smiled broadly.

They walked inside.

'Woah!' Cestmir exclaimed.

Alyssia nodded and smiled.

'Well. Pan Cestmir, listen attentively...' she started.

Cestmir nodded.

After some time Alyssia stopped talking.

'Well, Cestmir, do you remember everything well?' she asked.

'Aye, Maitress Alyssia!' Cestmir reported.

'Very well,' Alyssia said satisfied.

Cestmir nodded and smiled.

'So, what arnica is for?' Alyssia asked squinting.

'It's for wounds and bruises, a very strong potion,' Cestmir responded.

'Very well, Cestmir!' Alyssia smiled. 'And what an astrolabe is for?'

'For determining the positions of stars for any given time and for determining the time based on the position of Sun or a star by turning the rete on the mater according to the position of the Sun on the Ecliptic,' Cestmir responded.

'Oh, very well, Pan Cestmir!' Alyssia exclaimed delighted. 'Now let's go and see Otylie, I'll show you how to feed her!'

Cestmir nodded and smiled.

Alyssia opened a box on the counter and took out some snails. Then they went to the backyard to Otylie's enclosure. Cestmir looked wide eyed to the stone Basilisk and the stuffed Wyvern and looked smiling at Otylie who was crawling in her enclosure. Alyssia looked at Otylie tenderly and threw the snails to her. Otylie devoured them eagerly.

'So, see, feed her with snails or frogs this way two times a day,' Alyssia explained smiling broadly.

Cestmir nodded smiling broadly.

'Well, bring your stall here, Pan Cestmir, and we must pack our things,' Alyssia said resolutely.

Cestmir nodded and went away.

'So, let's pack, Clariska,' Alyssia commanded.

Clara nodded smiling broadly. They went upstairs.

Some time later they dragged downstairs two large coffers covered with brown leather with brass details. They sighed. In Alyssia's coffer were packed her bright blouses, short skirts, tights, boots, bras and panties, vials with liquids, books, a pen and an inkwell, a golden pocket watch on a chain, a chessboard and some food.

In Clara's coffer were packed her blouses, trousers and hats, books, cards and some food.

'Now I must go and tell Frantisek I'm going to travel,' Clara said resolutely.

Alyssia nodded.

Clara nodded smiling and walked away. She walked along little winding cobbled streets of Evanorra, then crossed broad blue Viltava by a stone arched bridge to green fluffy Leteni Gardens on long hill range behind Viltava, walked through Leteni Gardens, then along some more little winding cobbled streets with little bright ornate houses, then when Evanorra gave way to green fields and meadows she walked through them, walked through green gardens on hills, then crossed broad blue Viltava once again by a long arched stone bridge across green Royal Island, then walked through green field s and meadows again, then came to a red and white little Baroque castle with a two sided oval staircase adorned with statues, among gardens with green bushes trimmed into geometrical figures with a marble clear pool with a fountain in the middle. Clara walked through the gardens among bushes and by the fountain to the oval staircase, saw a tall slender young man with black short hair, in a short puffy blue jacket and lilac hose, sitting on the steps. Clara walked up to him. The young man smiled to her.

'Hello, I'm Vitek,' he introduced himself. 'How can I help you?'

'Could you call Frantisek Rozmital here? ' Clara asked tentatively.

'Oh, I see,' Vitek sighed. 'All right, I'll call him!'

'Thank you, Vitek!' Clara smiled.

Vitek nodded smiling and went upstairs quickly. Clara waited patiently.

Some time later smiling Vitek appeared with anxious Franz.

'Here he is, lady!' Vitek smiled broadly.

Franz looked at Clara tentatively.

'Frantisek, Alyssia and I, we are going to travel the world with Captain Lindor,' Clara said gently.

Frantisek looked at her long.

'I understand, Clara, you're a warrior,' he responded gently.

'Yes,' Clara said relieved. 'And you're going to return to Sternberk Castle with the Count.'

Franz nodded.

Vitek looked at them with empathy.

'She'll return, Franz, don't worry,' he said calmly.

'Oh, thank you, Vitek!' Franz smiled. 'Clara, Vitek Eggenberg, my best friend!'

'Glad to meet you, Lady Clara!' Vitek smiled broadly.

'Same here,' Clara responded smiling. 'Please take care of my Frantisek while I'm away, Vitek!'

'Of course!' Vitek smiled broadly.

Franz leaned to Clara and kissed her gently. Clara smiled to him.

'Remember me, Franz!'she said gently

'Of course, Clariska!' Frantisek said gently.

They smiled to each other, and Vitek to both. Then Clara left.

When she returned At the Black Sun, Cestmir was already there with his stall on wheels.

'Ahoj, Lady Clara!' he exclaimed seeing her. 'Some effort to wheel my stall from Kampa to here!'

Clara nodded with sympathy.

'So, look after my shop and house, Cestmir, took care about it,' Alyssia asked smiling broadly.

'Sure I will, Maitress Alyssia!' Cestmir assured her smiling broadly.

Clara and Alyssia nodded to him, and, dragging their coffers, left At the Black Sun behind.

Some time later they came to Evanorra's port, a large blue haven with many piers, with many sail ships rocking on the waves, many white seagulls flying around and crying shrilly, and many bales lying on the piers.

'Now let's find the Marketa!' Alyssia smiled broadly.

Clara nodded smiling broadly.

At last they saw a rather small golden brown ship with two masts, first with straight yellow sails and second with slanted yellow sails, with a figure of tall slender girl with golden sweeping hair and green eyes, in a short red dress and with a bunch of red daisies in her hands, on the bow.

'Now this is surely Marketa!' Alyssia grinned.

'Yeah!' Clara grinned.

They dragged their coffers up to the ship by a long wooden ladder. When they dragged the coffers to the deck huffing, Captain Lindor was already waiting for them there.

'So, already here, Maitress Alyssia, Lady Clara?' he asked smiling.

'Yeah!' Alyssia grinned. 'A lovely bow figure you have here!'

'Yeah, Marketa, Margaret, a girl with daisies, ' Captain Lindor explained nodding.

Alyssia a nodded and smiled broadly.

Clara reached into her sleeve, produced six silver ingots and offered them to Captain Lindor.

Captain Lindor took them and smiled . Clara smiled broadly at him.

'Horymir!' Captain Lindor called.

A tall strong red haired young man in a white shirt and blue trousers came up.

'Aye, Captain?' he asked alert.

'Horymir, please show Maitress Alyssia and Lady Clara to their cabins!' Captain Lindor ordered.

'Aye aye, Captain!' Horymir smiled broadly. 'Ladies, please come with me!'

Clara and Alyssia nodded and smiled broadly.

Horymir took their luggage and nodded to them to follow him. They followed him. Horymir led them down a ladder on the left to a wooden beamed corridor with many doors. He led them to one door, opened it, put their luggage inside and smiled.

Alyssia and Clara nodded and went inside. It was a rather small room with two dark wooden beds covered with white linen by the walls and two dark wooden bedside tables by each bed. Alyssia and Clara sat on their beds, sighing.

'Well, here we are!' Clara smiled.

'Yeah!' Alyssia smiled.

They lay down on their beds, putting their hands behind their heads.

Some time later Marketa pulled the ladder in and started to sail gently on smooth blue waves among the sail ships with white seagulls flying by, and then between smooth green shores.

'Clariska, let's go walk around the deck and look at the shores!' Alyssia suggested smiling broadly.

Clara nodded smiling broadly.

They rose, left their cabin and climbed the ladder to the deck. They walked to the port, stopped there and looked at the hilly woody green shores floating by, sometimes with villages of little bright red roofed houses, something beautiful castles. The ship rocked gently on smooth waves, great yellow sails flapped overhead, light breeze blew.

'How lovely!' Alyssia smiled broadly.

'Yeah, Al,' Clara agreed smiling gently.

Suddenly Captain Lindor came up to them.

'Admiring the view, eh?' he asked smiling broadly.

'Aye, Captain!' Alyssia grinned.

Captain Lindor nodded and smiled.

'Everything looks different from the water, doesn't it?'

'Yeah, quite different! ' Alyssia smiled broadly.

'Oh, look, Troja Forest!' Clara said dreamily. 'Frantisek's in there somwhere, in the Troja Castle!'

'Yeah,' Alyssia sighed.

'Frantisek?' Captain Lindor raised on eyebrow.

'Franz Rozmital, the Count Sternberg's envoy,' Alyssia explained. 'He's Clariska's lover!'

Captain Lindor nodded smiling broadly.

Then a tall brown rock with green trees on its top came into view on the right bank.

'Oh look, the rock where we placed the Manticore!' Alyssia exclaimed.

'The Manticore?' Captain Lindor asked. 'The Manticore of Troja?'

'Yeah,' Alyssia confirmed smiling broadly. 'Once an envoy of Count Sternberg came and said that a Manticore was eating cattle and game around the Troja Castle. It was Frantisek Rozmital. We went with him to Troja, to the Count Sternberg. Count Sternberg asked us to help with the Manticore, we agreed, naturally. Then Frantisek led us to the place where the Manticore lived. Clara and I agreed that we won't slay such a beautiful beast that doesn't eat humans, and Frantisek agreed with us too. Clariska and Frantisek talked well on the way. When we came to the place where the Manticore lived, I poured some peony tincture on its stash of meat when it went away, so when it returned and ate the meat it fell asleep. Then Clariska, Frantisek and I carried the Manticore to this rock and left it there. Then we returned to the Count and said we rid the neighbourhood of the Manticore. He paid us, and Frantisek asked Clariska for a tryst. That's the story.'

Captain Lindor smiled broadly.

'So I see he's a brave and kind man, this Franz Rozmital, a good match for Lady Clara Beaufort! ' he observed.

'Yeah!' Alyssia smiled broadly.

'Yes,' Clara responded firmly.

Captain Lindor smiled broadly.

Some time later they saw on the left bank a little town with red roofs and a little square shaped black and white castle with corner turrets, arched windows and sgraffiti.

'Oh, Nelahozeves!' Alyssia smiled broadly. 'Where we slayed the Aspid of Nelahozeves!'

Captain Lindor nodded and smiled.

'You burned it, yes?' he asked curiously.

'Yeah! ' Alyssia confirmed smiling broadly.

Clara and Alyssia looked at the shores for some time more, and then they returned to their cabin. Alyssia looked inside her coffer, took out the Great Bestiary and started to read it lying on her bed. Clara looked inside her coffer, took out Luciano's Travels and started to read it lying on her bed too.

Then Clara looked inside her coffer and produced a deck of cards.

'Let's play pocker, Aliska?' she asked grinning.

'Oh, of course, Clariska!' Alyssia smiled broadly.

Clara put the cards on her bed, then Alyssia and Clara sat on Clara's bed.

And they started to play.

They both played good, but in the end Clara won.

'Congrats, Clariska!' Alyssia smiled broadly.

'Why thank you, Al!' Clara smiled broadly.

Then Alyssia looked inside her coffer, took out a chessboard and showed it to Clara.

'Let's play chess a bit, Clariska?' she asked smiling broadly.

'Of course, Al!' Clara grinned.

Alyssia put the chessboard on her bed, opened it and put the pieces on the board.

'Red or white, Clariska?' she smiled broadly.

'White,' Clara responded grinning. 'Cause you're a redhead and I'm blonde!'

Alyssia nodded grinning, and they sat down on Alyssia's bed, Clara on the white end and Alyssia on the red end. And they started to play.

They both played well, but in the end Alyssia won.

'Checkmate!' she declared grinning.

'Congrats, Al!' Clara smiled broadly.

'Thanks, Clariska!' Alyssia grinned.

Clara looked into the window.

'Sunset,' she observed. 'Let's go look at the sunset, Al?'

'Of course, Clariska!' Alyssia grinned.

They left their cabin and went to the deck.

The orange sun was setting in the green hills, painting clouds bright rose. Clara and Alyssia stood by the rails looking at it spellbound.

'Lovely, ain't it?' Captain Lindor asked suddenly appearing by their shoulders.

'Yeah!' Alyssia grinned.

'Oh, but the sunset over the sea is even more beautiful!' Captain Lindor observed.

'Yes, it is,' Clara sighed dreamily.

'I'm looking forward to seeing it!' Alyssia said eagerly.

Captain Lindor grinned.

They looked at the sunset for some time. Then Captain Lindor looked at the sky.

'I think it's time for dinner, ladies,' he observed.

'Very well!' Alyssia grinned.

Clara nodded and smiled broadly.

Captain Lindor led them to the forecastle, to a large room with pictures of ships and sea on the wooden walls, and with a long dark wooden table with some dark wooden chairs around it. At the table were sitting four people. One was a tall thin young man with pale blue eyes and long blonde hair, in green wide jacket and crimson wide trousers. Another was a tall strong man with green eyes and short curly brown hair, in a blue wide jacket and white wide trousers. Third was a portly middle aged man with short brown hair and dark eyes, in a long wide burgundy rode and a wide red hat. Fourth was a tall strong young man with short curly red hair and dark blue eyes, in a red wide jacket and black wide trousers.

'Oh, Captain, here you are!' the thin young man exclaimed.

'Yes, and so are our passengers,' Captain observed smiling broadly. 'Lady Clara Beaufort of Tillandia and Maitress Alyssia Orloj from Evanorra! Lady Clara, Maitress Alyssia, meet my officers, my pilot Evan Harris from Tillandia, my chief of security Albert Wassermann from Evanorra, my first mate and helsman Hugh Brandon from Londin, and our other passenger, Master Radovan Vrhlicka from Evanorra!'

'Glad to meet you!' Clara smiled broadly and bowed. Alyssia smiled broadly and bowed too.

Evan smiled nervously. Albert grinned. Hugh smiled broadly. Vrhlicka smiled thinly.

Clara and Alyssia sat down, so did Captain Lindor.

'Oh, you're the famous warrior, Clara Beaufort!' Evan exclaimed.

'Yes, Master Evan,' Clara confirmed.

'And you're the best clockmaker in Evanorra, Maitress Alyssia Orloj!' Evan exclaimed.

'Yes, Master Evan,' Alyssia confirmed smiling gently.

'Be at home here, Lady Clara, Maitress Orloj, I promise I'll lead the Marketa safely!' Hugh smiled broadly.

'And I promise to keep your safety!' Albert grinned.

Clara and Alyssia smiled broadly to them.

'Good evening,' Vrhlicka said politely.

Clara and Alyssia nodded to him.

'First time travelling, yes, Maitress Alyssia?' Albert grinned.

'Yeah,' Alyssia confessed. 'I made the new astrolabe for the Captain, and when he came for it, I suddenly decided I'll go with him, and Clara, naturally, went with me, as we're best friends!'

Albert nodded grinning.

'Call me just Bertik, will you?'

Alyssia nodded and grinned.

'Oh, there's so much wonders in foreign lands, Loy Kratong, sakura blooming, red autumn foliage in Zipangu, Diwali, kites in Melaka, roc, giant squids, harpies, cyclops, sirens, dragons such as Futsanlung and Ryuujin, Kirinn, unicorns and more!' Hugh related smiling broadly.

Alyssia nodded smiling broadly.

'I saw your astrolabe, Maitress Alyssia, a fine thing,' Hugh observed smiling broadly.

'I hope so, I did my best! ' Alyssia grinned.

'Waters are dangerous at times, but I'll try my best to guide you through them,' Evan observed gently.

'Thank you, Evan!' Alyssia grinned.

Evan nodded nervously.

'You repaired that fine astronomical clock in the Old Town Square, yes, Maitress Alyssia?' Evan asked gently.

'Yeah, I did,' Alyssia confirmed smiling broadly. 'The pinion wheel was broken, I made a new one and replaced it!'

Evan nodded gently.

'I hope our passage is safe, I carry important goods,' Vrhlicka observed.

At this point a strong sailor in white carried in and put on the table seven copper plates with svickova, boiled meat with cream, cranberry jam and knedliks and four large glass mugs of dark beer. He departed, and the officers and passengers of Marketa started to eat.

Later Clara and Alyssia returned to their cabin and fell asleep.

The next day when Alyssia and Clara went to look at the red sunset over high green hills of Tillandia, they heard Captain Lindor's shouts.

'Evan, we're approaching Londin, lead us through the banks, please! Hugh, attention to Evan!'

'Aye, Captain!' Hugh shouted alertly.

'Aye, Captain,' Evan responded nervously.

Alyssia and Clara watched how Evan looked at the waters anxiously, and Hugh at the red wooden steering wheel cast glances at Evan while steering.

'Half to starboard, Hugh, a large bank here!' Evan shouted anxiously.

'Aye, Evan!' Hugh shouted and turned the steering wheel energetically to the left, thus turning the rudder and the ship to the right

Alyssia and Clara watched how the green hills of Tillandia gave way to green valley with fields, meadows and trees and bunches of red roof white houses with black beams. Then the bunches of houses turned to a city with a tall white square castle with a tall square tower, surrounded by a gray wall with a moat on the right bank, and on the left bank a large oval white building with black beams, red ring shaped roof and a white flag over it.

'The White Tower and the famous Globe Theatre!' Alyssia shouted.

'Yeah, Al,' Clara confirmed grinning.

'The Globe Theatre, the Notting Hill Carnival, the Portobello Market, Londin!' Alyssia exclaimed dreamily.

'Yeah, Al,' Clara confirmed smiling broadly.

They sailed through Londin on the blue waves, Evan shouting directions to Hugh and Hugh steering Marketa nimbly. Clara and Alyssia watched all this attentively.

Then the harbour with sailing ships rocking on the waves and white seagulls flying over them appeared in view. Hugh steered Marketa to the harbour.

'Hugh, full to port!' Evan shouted.

Hugh turned the steering wheel fully to the left, turning Marketa to the right. Hugh steered Marketa into the harbour. She approached the nearest free place at the pier and turned the port to the pier. Many sailors ran to the port and threw ropes down onto the pier. On the pier many men seized the ropes and wound them around steady posts. Then some other sailors brought the long wooden ladder and lowered it from the port to the pier. The anchor lowered on its long chain, plunged into the water and falling to the harbour bottom lodged into the ground. Alyssia and Clara grinned.

'So, Londin, young pani!' Captain Lindor grinned.

'Yeah!' Alyssia smiled broadly.

Hugh left the steering wheel and Evan left his position at the board, and they approached Alyssia, Clara and Captain Lindor.

'Londin is a fine city, isn't it, Maitress Alyssia?' Evan asked gently.

'Yeah!' Alyssia smiled broadly.

'Isn't it lovely to sail?' Evan smiled gently.

'Yeah,' Alyssia said dreamily.

'M-maitress A-alyssia, would you like to see a play in the Globe Theatre?' Evan asked nervously.

'Of course, Master Evan!' Alyssia grinned. 'But Clariska would go with us, all right?'

'O-of course!' Evan nodded vehemently.

Alyssia beamed at him. Clara, Hugh and Captain Lindor smiled broadly at them.

'Shore leave, everyone!' Captain Lindor announced.

Hugh grinned. Evan smiled gently.

'So, I have to sell some things that I brought from Evanorra, and you may go wherever you want,' Captain Lindor observed.

Hugh, Clara and Alyssia nodded smiling broadly. Evan nodded smiling gently.

'Hugh, are you going with us to the Globe?' Evan asked gently.

'Oh of course, Evan, all four of us!' Hugh grinned.

Evan nodded gently and offered his hand to Alyssia. She took it gently.

Alyssia, Clara, Evan and Hugh descended by the ladder to the pier.

Alyssia looked at the white red roofed houses with black beams, surrounding the harbour.

'Now I hope you know where to go cause I don't!' she smiled broadly.

'Of course, I have been here and visited the Globe many times, Al!' Clara smiled broadly.'It's the capital of my country!'

'So did I,' Evan said gently.

'Of course, Londin is my native city!' Hugh smiled broadly. 'I've been to the Globe many times!'

'Good!' Alyssia grinned.

They walked along the harbour to its far end and then along a little cobbled street to another, longer and larger one, parallel to the Viltava River. They walked along the street, looking at the shop windows with jewelry and cakes, pubs with names like Red Lion or Grape Bunch and many peddlers with cakes, jewelry, ribbons, shawls and handkerchiefs.

'A lovely city,' Alyssia observed.

'Yes, Maitress Alyssia,' Evan responded smiling gently.

'Evan, so you have seen all those places, Garnata, Venetia, Africa, India, Siam, Zipangu, Spice Islands? ' Alyssia asked dreamily.

'Yes, they're so lovely!' Evan exclaimed dreamily. 'It's so good to see the World!'

Alyssia nodded smiling dreamily.

'And what do you like most, Evan?' she asked curiously.

'Venetia!' Evan answered instantly. 'Its canals with light arched bridges and white airy palaces rising from blue green water!'

'Venetia means blue green city, civitas veneta, do you know this?' Alyssia observed dreamily.

'Oh yeah,' Evan responded dreamily. 'This name suits her very much!'

Alyssia smiled broadly to him.

'Evan, how did you become a pilot?' Alyssia asked curiously.

'Oh, I'm from Surrey on Viltava, I've always lived on the river, liked swimming and fishing, and I came to know every nook of Viltava, I helped the sailors to pass this dangerous part of Viltava, and then I met Florian Lindor, helped him, and he took me to the far seas, I came to know dangerous places in them too,' Evan responded smiling gently.

Alyssia nodded smiling broadly.

'And my father was a clockmaker, I always loved to make and repair clocks and watches, and I decided to make mechanisms, and I managed to make them so good that I could open my own shop, At the Black Sun in Chamois Street. I also always liked to make potions so I became an alchemist also. And because of that I also cook very well!' she grinned.

Evan smiled gently.

'What interesting jewelry you have, Maitress Alyssia, a silver gear shaped pendant and a misty blue drop shaped stone pendant!' he said curiously.

'Yeah, made them myself,' Alyssia responded smiling broadly.

'And the golden ring with a large blue stone!' Evan observed.

'Made it myself too, the stone is from the Aspid of Nelahozeves' head, Clariska and me burned the Aspid, she brought the timber and I ignited it with a looking glass I brought with myself,' Alyssia explained. 'I presume the stone is magical but I don't know what's its power yet!'

Evan nodded gently.

Some time later they turned right into a little street, walked along it and came to a long stone arched bridge across the broad blue Viltava. They walked along the bridge, it was bustling with peddlers too. They passed the bridge and dived into the little winding cobbled streets with little white red roofed houses. Some time later they came to the Globe Theatre. It was a large oval white building with black beams and red ring shaped roof. In the back of the building there was a turret on which a white flag was hoisted. There were crowds of bright dressed people around the Globe, and lots of peddlers and stalls selling pies, sausages, beer, wine, fried chestnuts, nuts, roast apples, buns and so on.

'Woah!' Alyssia smiled broadly.

'Yeah, there's always lots of people around the Globe,' Evan observed gently. 'And today they play a comedy, as the flag is white!'

'Yeah, that's the old Globe for you!' Hugh grinned.

'Oh yes!' Clara smiled broadly.

Alyssia nodded smiling broadly.

They went to one of two doors of the Globe. At the door there was a tall strong man in green, holding a box.

'Now, the yard is one penny, first tier is two pence, second tier is three pence, and so on!' the man announced.

Evan fished out from his sleeve four copper coins and put them into the box. Hugh fished out two copper coins and put them into the box too. Clara fished out two copper coins and put them into the box too.

Clara, Alyssia, Evan and Hugh smiled to each other. They entered and passed through an archway into the Globe. Inside it was a large ring with a vast open space in the middle, the wooden scene in the middle of the open space, in the back of the scene a canopy on tall pillars, its underside painted like blue sky with stars, a balcony above it and the turret with the white flag above all, and around the open space three tiers of amphitheatre and behind them the narrow ringed building structure with two tiers of galleries, white walls with black beams and windows showing behind the galleries.

'So, third tier!' Evan announced smiling gently.

Alyssia, Clara and Hugh nodded smiling broadly.

They crossed the yard bustling with people who were talking loudly, laughing, drinking beer and wine and eating pies, fried chestnuts, roast apples, nuts, buns and so on. They climbed into the third tier of amphitheatre and settled down cosily. Evan smiled gently to Alyssia. She smiled broadly to him. Clara and Hugh grinned at them.

'I wonder what will it be?' Alyssia asked dreamily.

'I don't know but there are always excellent plays at the Globe!' Evan smiled gently.

'Yeah,' Clara agreed smiling broadly.

'Oh yes!' Hugh grinned.

They waited with abated breath. Then the play started. It opened with a girl, Rosette, being saved from a shipwreck by a fisherman and deciding to dress as a boy and to be a squire to the lord of that land, Duke Alfonso. Rosette then fell in love with Alfonso, but Alfonso sent his squire to ask for mercy of a lady he loved hopelessly and passionately, Aurelia. But Aurelia fell in love with the young squire. Rosette was perplexed.