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.

"So what do we do about Christopher? Won't he notice?" James asked, taking the bag in his hand, regretting that it didn't have a shoulder strap. It was surprisingly light; his air tank back at home weighed around twenty kilograms. 

"Don't attract his attention to it, and he won't notice anything. Now, if you are ready, let's get your lady and you can go," Albert said, looking at James wistfully, his desire to have James' ability to travel into the fictional worlds palpable in that glance.

"Thank you, Albert," he said, pulling the man into a one-armed hug, then walking towards the door and out of the room.

"Have you already chosen your next quest? Just so I have something to focus on while you are gone?"

"We haven't spoken about anything beyond this point specifically, seeing that it won't be possible to travel again until Siena's Christmas break. I can only tell you that it will be a book more complex than these two," James replied, remembering the titles he and Siena had discussed.

He knocked upon Siena's unclosed door without delay, feeling impatient to see her again, then entered following Alicia's invitation to come in.

Siena stepped from behind the screen a moment later, a little shyly, her eyes that found James' immediately full of doubts about how she looked in the fancy dress Alicia had persuaded her to wear.

She was unrecognisable in the long, azure gown with a tightly laced corset worn over a shade brighter pointed bodice, above a voluminous skirt hovering upon layers of white, frothy petticoats, their lacy hems visible as she walked towards him, her eyes, half hidden in the shadows cast by the sophisticated, elabourate bonnet the same colour as her dress never leaving his.

"You look wonderful, my lady," he said, gathering her fingers in his free hand and bringing them to his lip.

She giggled. "Liar. It's you who looks wonderful. Even that silly hat suits you," she said.  

Her spontaneous, unfiltered words followed by a deep blush made Alicia and Albert laugh, reminding the couple that they were not alone. 

"I'm only allowed to carry this," Siena said, lifting her arm, showing James the tiny reticule bag matching her gown. "You'll have to carry the book this time, and Alicia said there's some food and water in your bag too."

They, their hands closed tightly around each other, looked at the old couple then, finding Albert's arm wrapped around Alicia's waist from behind. Siena raised her eyebrows at her mentor, making her understand that she would ask her many personal questions the next time they had time to chat. 

Alicia giggled in reply before she demanded, "Do you have any questions regarding your quest for us?"

Siena looked up at James, who met her eyes immediately. A silent exchange passed between them before they turned to the old couple and said in unison, "No."

"Perfect," Alicia said, disentangling herself from Albert's arm, leading the way to the door. "Let's go down then, I can feel Christopher's impatience to send you on your way into your next fictional world as far as here."

Albert chuckled as they followed her into the gloomy corridor and down the stairs, but neither Siena nor James paid them any attention. They were absorbed in their private silent conversation about the risks and dangers and the importance of listening to, and obeying each other on this particular quest, an exchange during which their eyes never left each other's so deeply, that it was a wonder that they reached the office-lab where Christopher was waiting for them without stumbling on the stairs once.

"You look... cool," Christopher said, chuckling, observing their clothes as they entered, his cheerfulness not affected by the stranger's serious watchfulness in the least.

Who is he? What does he have to do with the Society? Siena wondered briefly before focusing on Christopher, who was now standing in front of them, talking. 

"I'll see you in a couple of days, I suppose," he said, extending his arm towards James, who had to let go of Siena momentarily to shake his hand.

The moment he shook Siena's hand too Christopher stepped back and James passed the copy of The Little Mermaid to her, then wrapped his bag holding arm around Siena's waist, both her arms following his example while his free hand closed around her pendant, making their stones touch.

James peeked around her shoulder to make sure he held the copy of The Little Mermaid open on the page they had decided to visit first, then they felt the ground liquefy under their feet even as they precipitated into a moving, swirling darkness.