Britannia Unleashed

Temporalis-11

The beautiful, golden creature shot up and over a railing carved from a single layer of crystal, which undulated its way around the diamond like a great, gleaming serpent. Descending over this, the angel placed her guest on the floor of liquid glass and spread forth her swanlike wings. “Welcome to my home,” she announced with decorum, her bare feet displacing the quicksilver surface.

Belvedere wobbled, taking hold of the balcony rail to look out over the world as an eagle.

“Good God, this is astonishing!”

“You like the view?” a musical response.

“It is incredible. It beggars belief. Excuse my French,” he added, turning back to his host. “Oops,” he said catching her full-frontal and hastily averting his eyes.

“My form disturbs you?” the creature asked, tucking her wings behind her.

“Well, er, hm, it’s just not the done thing, that’s all.” Belvedere feigned an interest in his own infinite reflections cast within the diamond’s glistening skin.

“Is this better?”

Belvedere felt her voice carry across the distance between them to tongue his inner ear.

He allowed himself a peep into the diamond wall. Much to his relief, his saviour stood wrapped in a light silk dress that matched the tones of her skin. The garment accentuated every sweeping curve of her form, but at least it covered her modesty. Just.

“Belvedere Magnanimous Wainthrop, pleased to meet you,” he said, offering an outstretched hand.

The beauty looked at it askance a sudden danger sweeping across her serene features. It lasted but an instant as she took his proffered hand in her own. “Alunia,” she replied.

Belvedere thought he might melt there and then. Alunia the name echoed around his soul. He shook his head and soon got a hold of himself. Belvedere straightened his cuffs, as was his way, and cleared his throat. “Damn!”

“Is something wrong?”

“Oh, bugger! I mean, sorry. I’ve been in the company of men for too long.”

“Do not let it trouble you,” said she of the honeyed tones.

“I appear to have lost my jacket in the midst of my adventure.” Belvedere pulled a puzzled face that made his hostess smile. He melted a second time.

“So, this is an adventure to you?”

“I believe life to be one long adventure.”

“Hmm,” mused his hostess. “Yes, I believe it is,” she agreed. “Do you approve of my home?”

“It is beyond belief,” his honest answer. “I have never seen the like, nor suspect I shall ever see the same again.”

“There are no such things in your world?” she said c*****g her head inquisitively to one side.

“World?”

“I mean homeland.”

“I should say not.”

“Then, this is all new to you?”

“Very,” he replied, unintentionally rubbing at one of his still stinging ears.

“My apologies if they hurt you. They are a frustration at worst and a nuisance at best.” The gold of her skin looked tumultuous for a flickering instant like a storm brewing out over a hostile ocean.

“They?” Belvedere enquired.

“The little people.”

“You mean the mosquitos?”

“No,” she laughed; Belvedere’s knees buckled. “The Scintillians.”

“The what?”

“Little people. They are a bad-tempered community. They seek to bother me whenever the opportunity arises.”

“And do they?”

“Oh, no, but I let them think so. It keeps them on their toes?” She winked, one gold eyelid closing over a translucent eye.

“Crocodile eyes.”

“Pardon!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Please, do beg my pardon, it was instinctive.”

“Instinctive, why?” she breezed.

“Just reminded me of a hunting trip to Africa.”

“You hunt?” She took a step back at that. If it was with surprise, or fear, Belvedere could not tell.

“Not as much as once I did. Times have changed somewhat since Britannia ruled the world,” Belvedere replied, relieved she did not press on his prior comparison.

“Please explain, I know not of this Bri-tan-nia.”

Belvedere frowned before able to stop himself. “It is the empire ruled by Her Majesty, to whom my loyalties lie. Doing her bidding is what keeps me active. Not that I would complain mind as I enjoy it very much.” He added the latter to not sound slanderous.

“Who is this, Majesty, ruler of Bri-tan-nia?”

“Why, Queen Victoria, of course. She remains Empress of half the world and is still revered by the rest.”

“And what world would this be?”

“Why, Earth!” Belvedere said, unable to keep the surprise from his voice.

There was a moment then, a something that passed between the two that Belvedere disliked. He was a man who’d had good reason to trust his instincts, his life had depended on them many times, and in that moment, he knew to keep mum. Looks of lascivious natures were born of lascivious natures, and the angelic creature before him epitomised them. Her face changed as it contorted if such a thing were possible. Like a swindler sensing a scam, Alunia grew greedy. Don’t be a fool Bells, his inner self said, she could not know of such things when secreted so far in the past, would question and puzzle over them. But neither did Belvedere wish to enlighten her further, though, he could not say why? It was just a feeling he had like dodging a bullet to stay alive.

As if sensing his unease, Alunia gave a broad smile and beckoned to him. “Come, my friend, you must be hungry. It is not every day you fall into another time to be almost brutally slain.”

“Well, I am feeling a little peckish.”

“Then, you shall feast as my honoured guest.” Alunia made to walk into the unparalleled diamond, which had conveniently developed a door-sized opening.

“May I enquire upon something first?” Belvedere asked, following in her wake.

“Of course,” she replied without turning.

“Earlier you said world and latterly time. I am a simple man who needs only an order and a direction in which to carry it out, but at this present, I have neither. So, I would ask this: where and when am I?”

Alunia did not look back, but Belvedere felt her sneer as though it was in his very face. She replied with but one word.

“Temporalis.”

A sudden chill sent a shiver down Belvedere’s spine, as he bent to collect a single jet-black feather from the swirling floor.