The Truth About The Many Worlds Of Printed Pages

°•○•°Nineteen°•○•°

They did not speak, both trying to sort through all the new information they had been given, until they reached the door of Siena's changing room.

"Are you sure you want us to do this now? Maybe we should rest one more day or leave this quest for Christmas," James proposed, making her look up at him. 

"No, I want to help her now, she's been within that tragic story for too long," Siena said decisively, squeezing his hand in hers one more time, pressing her fingers against his ring, then dropping it, turning to the door of her changing room and reaching for the door handle.

James wished he could kiss her before letting her vanish beyond that door, but he settled for a simple, "See you soon then," even as she vanished from his sight, leaving the door ajar. 

He sighed as he walked back towards his room. If it was for him, he would make her rest a day or two before their next quest, but she was so eager... And the connection she had with her stone was most intriguing, he wondered if his own stone would ever respond to him in such a way.

He replied to the greetings of his two assistants absently, undressed behind the wooden screen, then accepted the Victorian outfit they had prepared for him piece after piece. It wasn't the typical, sensible and modest everyday clothing of the era, he noticed as he adjusted his waistcoat made of the same stripy fabric as the wide grey trousers, then straightening his navy blue frock coat. This was something designed to make him blend in at a party, the wedding celebration on the ship.

He pulled the black boots on quickly and stepped out from beyond the screen, curious to see where the diving equipment Albert showed him the day before was-- even packed neatly into a luggage it was bound to be big, and heavy... He did not locate it before Albert walked through the door. 

"Our Siena will like this, I'm sure," the old man said, observing James' fancy clothes with a grin. "Don't forget your hat." 

His words sent James back behind the screen to retrieve the black top hat and the copy of The Little Mermaid from the pocket of his hoodie, while Albert turned to the assistants, dismissing them.

"Now..." Albert said in a conspiratorial half-whisper the moment they were alone. "Christopher is a good young man, but he hasn't read quite as much as Alicia and I. He had no idea that the Little Mermaid died in the original story until you and Siena chose to visit her world. So... being almost certain that you won't encounter people on your first stop in the plot, there's no reason to send you in with the old-fashioned diving stuff. Here," he added, passing James a victorian travelling bag made of brown leather. It wasn't much larger than a briefcase.

Peeking inside, James found a modern diving suit very similar to what he normally used, but the air tank was a lot smaller. James had read about these; they were the most modern things of french design, tiny and light. But they didn't last long before they needed to be refilled. Twenty minutes was the maximum the thing would give him.

"I'm not giving you one for Siena as she can't use it. You wouldn't have time to teach her now. Make her wait for you on the shore if you manage, after what Alicia told her," Albert continued, reaching out and pulling one white linen cuff evenly from beneath the sleeve of James' frock coat, before adjusting its lapels.

"Is what Alicia said true? Is it safe for her to try the powers of the stone?" he asked, looking the old man straight in the eyes, asking for a guarantee that nothing would happen to Siena should she decide not to listen to him. He didn't know her too well yet, but from what he had learned about her, Siena had a great, empathic heart and an adventurous spirit which, combined with her love of the books they were visiting, made for a dangerous mixture. 

"Just as Alicia said, the most impossible things happened to some of the Travellers. But I have no idea how the stones will work for either of you."

James nodded; there was no point in questioning Albert about this. He and Siena would have to see for themselves.