Frederick and Geraldine

(Chiara and Geraldine were on the deck. Chiara started to talk with Geraldine.)

''I need to understand my life when I look back and see

That happiness is my reason to push some things far away.

This ship is like a small Eden balancing on the sea.

When I lose hope, I hope that it will come back another day.''

''God is above all and when the waters are quite blue,

He sends the sun to shine at the end of every storm.

I'm far from home, but there was nothing in my life I wouldn't do.''

The crests had a glassy aspect and some clouds started to form.

In the Ottoman Empire, Athens was a run-down village.

The Ottoman landlord made the free Greek peasant serfdom.

To live near the Acropolis, he lost the privilege.

In Piraeus, the wind was like a harp blown at random.

Miguel was walking on deck wanting Pedro to meet

To propose him to go to visit the Acropolis,

Then, to eat fresh fish and to exercise their dancing feet.

He thought that the ship looked like a sailing necropolis.

The Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens

Was amazing, although the flourish in Athens became,

During the Ottoman Empire, something that should never happen.

But, in terms of philosophy, it didn't lose its fame.

Carla was bathing in her cabin and asked the maid to bring

A pot of boiling water from the kitchen because

The water cooled down. When she exited, the door started to ding.

Maybe the maid was in haste or it was a hidden cause.

Passing by, Miguel saw Carla exiting the bathroom.

When he saw her silhouette through the diaphanous air

Against the flames' glow, something magical happened to him.

He looked at her, and then, he sensed the true depths of his despair.

He admired her neck and the outline of her body

And the flawless perfection of her skin; he went away,

When he heard the maid's steps; Carla's breasts were pure and soggy,

And she moved her arms and her legs as she did ballet.

(After a while, he returned to walk around. After she had finished her bath, Carla opened the window to allow the fresh air to enter the room. Carla saw Miguel standing on the deck. He turned to her and said, ‘’Hello! ’’)

Carla asked him, ''Is this evening a future starry night or not? ''

''So starry-eyed, my love for you is nothing but a shine.

And, in my dreams, you come to love me much more than a lot.

I close my eyes to feel your love and you're almost divine.''

(Carla told him that she did not know this poem. He said that this poem was just composed by him. Then, he invited her to come together with Pedro to visit the Acropolis.)

Carla, after exiting the Periclean Parthenon,

Tripped on the Karrha limestone step and almost fell when Miguel

Helped her up while embracing her, ''It's a phenomenon.''

He put his ear over her heart, '' I hear a fast tinkling bell.''

Behind them, Bella and Pedro were talking about physique.

She said that she couldn't get pregnant, so they traveled to

India, a treatment through yoga and herbs to seek.

''Miguel suffers! '' 'It's important to make your own dreams come true.''

''Let's share our cups of coffee to make a spiritual bridge between friends, ''

Said Naimah.'' Let's share a few moments of some good-hearted cheer, ''

Said Frederick.'' ''Love can die, but a friendship never ends.''

''Love is endless, '' ''I'm a widow harrowed with grief and fear, ''

''I've lost my wife, and now I must take care of my unique son.''

''Where do you go? '' ''I'm going to Morocco, firstly,

And then, I'm going to Egypt.'' ''I think this trip can't be easily done.''

''I have a brother who can help me because I'm worthy.''

''So, you left your home, '' ''I couldn't pay the taxes for my land.

Then, I abandoned my village and I fled to the town,

While many people did it like me; I had to understand

That the agriculture shrank; the food prices put me down.''

''The price of the Turkish silver fell and that of gold increased.

Your raw goods became cheap for the European traders

Who could buy very large amounts of stock trades from the east

To be developed and exported back; the friends turned to haters.''

''Their products were cheaper than yours while having a better quality

To undermine your local businesses and your craft guilds.''

'' They worked to introduce new methods in their factories.''

''It's due to our government, which this kind of bridges builds.

I've found a job in the lowest town's level as a servant.

At school, my son understood the education was his only outlet.

While dealing with the angry people, I felt lost in this current.''

''You should understand this situation from the outset.''’

(He talked with Frederick about Maya, his sister.)

A strange man having icy eyes embarked for Lisbon at noon.

He wore an amulet around his neck on its leather string.

He brought three dogs while whistling the air of an unknown tune.

From around, his cruel face looked like wanting tears to wring.

This strange man wore a black suit, a black hat, and a black cloak

Having equal pleats over the shoulders; his face was shrouded

In mystery; he started to walk as he wanted to provoke

Fear; he searched for an employee because his room was crowded

With some unusual things and he didn't have space for the dogs.

He wanted a face-to-face meeting with the captain.

He looked at Frederick while saying, ''Tell your rats and hogs

That my room must be clean; they must work for that clean to happen.'’

He sat down at a nearby table and decided

It was the time to pay Frederick for the travel.

He said, ''this is the best way to make you be excited.''

He gave Frederick five rubies, which were as thick as any gravel.

(Frederick started to talk with this stranger man, who decided to confess.)

‘’In the third century, Corfu was invaded and conquered

By the pirates from Illyria; later, they were driven out

By the autonomic Romans; though it was kinda awkward,

I've found an old treasure map; I've bought that land; I’m a scout.’’

Geraldine knew that Frederick did not want to betray her

Because he wanted to be the father of her child.

She wanted his burden not to be more than he could bear.

She was afraid that losing control could make her feel be beguiled.

Frederick wanted his son to be the captain of a ship

And to go together with her to do some business in Italy.

He had lost a lover before being with his wife in the time slip.

While talking, they didn't lie to each other prettily.

(The carrack was sailing to Syracuse.)

Frederick was the master and Brisbon was his mate.

He has always told Brisbon what it was to be done.

Brisbon commanded the sailors and he was really great.

When he screamed, ''Steer, trim, sail, '' to their duty they had to run.

Sam and Slim were steersmen while Gian and Aldo were men-corners.

Suaram, Cosma, and Dino were gunners while Ismail

Was carpenter; Fargo was a swabber and boatswain while Hector

Was a cooper; Abseil was a quartermaster; to sail

Gino, Nico, and John hoisted the sails and got the tacks aboard

While hauling the bowlines and steering the ship when needed.

Ibrahim cooked, furled the sails, slung the yards and washed the board.

Maya was a cook, or a quack when the rules were not heeded.

Aldo screamed, ''Slim, I see a land on the horizon! ''

''Impossible, you must see only the sea until Syracuse.''

''The compass had a big variation for no reason, ''

Said Freddy, ''we're in a wrong place; I need a valid excuse! ''

(Carla and Miguel were talking while walking on the deck.)

Carla said, '' his infidelity devastated me.

The worse thing that could happen had already occurred.

''Is there a time for you in his life? '' '' 'Twas never meant to be,''

Miguel said, ‘‘you should ask him perfection.'' ''He said I'm absurd.

Every time he left the house I was wondering to know

Where he was going.'' '' He couldn't drive in two lanes at once.''

'' He was intimate with her; I've heard and I felt it so.''

'' He tried to deal with feelings in the darkness like a dunce.

He had absolutely no respect for his own marriage.''

'' To save my family was quite a humiliating

Decision.'' ''It was love, which he tended to discourage.''

''Are you faithful? '' ''Yes, I am. It's an asphyxiating

Situation, sometimes, but the life must go on; we face it.

I had some dalliances, which were platonic lunch dates

With some beautiful and thinking women for the well of wit.

I've found my fidelity borders while meeting my mates.''

''Were you sure you weren’t an adulterer-in-waiting?

You risked betraying the commitment to be faithful to God.''

''God didn't give my wife a child; I think He heard her praying.''

'' The slushy infidelity comes when the thoughts go abroad

As an event of the heart; I didn't trust Pedro again.''

'' You must be trustworthy although you fall toward resentment

For Pedro. Be faithful to God! You know it's not in vain.''

„I felt rejected, '' '' You couldn't betray this commitment.

Our thoughts can undermine those covenants we've made in the church.''

''Any marital crisis can bring out the worst of us.''

''God has a family plan; He doesn't leave us in the lurch.''

''There is the suffering of the children I don't want to discuss.''

'' Maybe recalling the early good days can construct

An explanation of what happened.'' ''It's about perfection.''

'' While living without His divine grace, people self-destruct.''

'' Pedro is unhappy while living in anger, and passion.''

„Bella wants quietness in a closed relationship with God.''

'' We must be sinless and pure to reach the perfection.''

'' She's pleasing to God while causing my grief; she's totally flawed.

Her body's sacrifice leads me to a wrong direction.''

'' Making mistakes leads people to fall and to rule over sin.

They think that they are redeemed from all the iniquity,

But they are wrong until their hearts are purified within

To listen for God's voice talking about dignity.''

(Carla stopped to look for a few seconds into his eyes. She understood the cause of her sufferance.)

''God told Abram to walk before Him and to be perfect, ''

Said Miguel. ''It's important to kill the vice in the members.''

'' The imperfect people like to be complete; they vigor to defend.''

''Pedro thinks our perfection ends in the fire's embers-

Call me when you may be perfect and complete in the God's will-

He uses to say.'' ''Tell him how to realize repentance.''

''He pretends he cannot overcome the sins; they always kill.''

'' This repentance wins when we do it with persistence.''

'' He denies this freedom from sin as a possibility

To live on the earth; when we think we have no sin, we deceive

Ourselves.'' ''The conscience is the heart of the responsibility.''

''There is a perfect Adam above the head of Eve.''

(While hearing a strange noise, they were frightened. They turned and saw some tongues of flame coming from the kitchen. Fargo came in haste to invite Carla to get into the boat and to go on together with him to the shore. Carla saw the women coming close to that boat. Miguel helped her while Fargo helped Geraldine escape. The men approached the fire to begin fighting it.