Weekly updates (Wednesdays/Thursdays)
°•○•°•○•°
Once they all quieted down, the old woman spoke to Siena and James. "Let us direct this argument a little more towards philosophy. Think of our many worlds, as possible worlds. Possible fictional world...
James only read aloud until he realised that Siena had fallen asleep, long before the part in the Little Mermaid's adventure they decided to visit first.
A strange warmth spread through his body like wildfire, starting in his heart and travelling fast through his veins. It took absolute trust to fall asleep like this, next to a virtual stranger, trust which he would never betray. Without disturbing her sleep, his fingers never leaving her long, smooth and shiny hair redolent of jasmine and orange blossoms like the rest of her, he finished reading the tale, then lifted her as gently as he could and carried her into her room.
She would skip dinner if he let her sleep, but at least she would get the much needed rest, he mused, depositing her softly on her bed, adjusting the blanket she was still wrapped in around her, then adding another, remembering that she had been feeling cold. He sat down next to her and watched her for a long while, thinking about how exhausted and emotional she was because of their first quest.
James wasn't indifferent to the events of their adventure either, but he didn't feel as moved as she did. Knowing that they had sent the Little Prince on his way home was a satisfying ending to the story for him. Siena had a great heart, the loving, trusting, and forgiving sort that could break easily. He would look out for her, he couldn't bear the idea of ever seeing her hurt, James promised to himself, finally standing up as the early, rainy twilight filled the bedroom, putting a fullstop to another day. They didn't have much time left. Only a few more days, and then he wouldn't see her until Christmas...
He walked to the window and drew the curtains, then cast a last glance at her figure hidden under the blankets, with her long hair fanned out around her on the pillows as she lay perfectly motionless, apart from her chest oscillating with her soft breathing, making her glowing pendant pulse in tune with her heartbeat. James exited the room, leaving her door ajar, so that he could still see her from his own bed where he settled with his computer, resolved to start working on his next article. If he wrote it now, he wouldn't have to close himself in to work, leaving her alone when she would be awake. But first, he would sketch her, he resolved, walking towards the wardrobe where he kept his luggage, to search for the sketchbook and pencils he had brought. The painter in him had been itching to draw her ever since he saw her in the airport.
He checked on her once before he finally went to bed himself, hours later, but she still lay in the same position, too deeply asleep even to stir. Smiling, questioning the weird happiness her closeness made him feel, James finally settled for the night, too. Could this be... love? He didn't know. He had never felt like this about any other woman before.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
He was up first in the morning and the full English breakfast he had prepared lay on the table when Siena exited her bedroom, yawning, still dressed as the day before, her honey coloured hair floating around her in a wild disarray.
It took all James' will to suppress the urge to run his hands through those soft strands and pull her in for a kiss, crushing her body against his...
"Good morning," she said, scattering his fantasy, her bemused smile making him realise that he must look pretty silly, staring at her, the pan where he had cooked the eggs, bacon and sausages still in his hand.
