Chapter Two

And now, as it was when I was told this story, I will continue on day two of the retelling of this fantastic story, which, as I’m sure you remember, though I will tell you again, just so that you know even if you forgot, was left off in Sebastian’s room, in the old man’s house in the strange new world. And of course, Melody had asked him whether he needed to go home right away.

“Do you?” she asked, looking quite hopeful and shy at the same time. “I’d truly like to get to know you better, and for you to tell me all about your world, and to teach you about mine.” She said this all quite fast, as most young girls do when they get into an excitement.

“I do not know,” said Sebastian. “I would be most happy, though, to tell you about my world if you would like.” He motioned to the bed and sat down himself. Melody sat beside him, and the answers had barely left Sebastian’s lips before her next question was asked.

After several minutes, or perhaps hours, as it was so hard to tell in that wonderful house, Melody yawned quite loudly, looked embarrassed and said, “It seems to be getting quite late.” She looked out the window, as did Sebastian, and saw a dark sky, lit up with hundreds of small diamonds, which of course, were stars.

“It is quite time for me to leave,” said Melody, sadness showing across her face. “Thank you, Sebastian. I enjoyed talking to you, very much.” She exited the door and gently shut it behind her.

But Sebastian, despite lying down for several minutes, was quite restless and stood to look out the window at the velveteen blackness of the sky, and then moved to the wardrobe, looking through the clothes and shuffling some boxes on the floor of the wardrobe around, before finally getting up the nerve and walking to the door.

He stepped into the corridor, gently shutting the door behind him and began walking around. Soon enough he found himself standing outside the old man’s study again. He knocked, and heard the man say, “Come in, Sebastian.”

Quite startled, for he’d assumed that the old man had been long asleep by this time. He opened the door and stepped into the large room. The old man didn’t look up, but pointed at the chair where Sebastian had sat earlier. “Please, have a seat, child.”

Hesitating for a moment, Sebastian sat. Now the man looked up from the great tome he had been reading, and said, “Now, how can I help you?”

“I don’t-“

“You came to my study, rather than any of the other rooms in this quite remarkable house. Therefore, whether you know it or not, you have a question for me. Now, think for a moment. I can wait. I am at your disposal.” He clasped his hands, locking his fingers together and set them atop his book.

Sebastian thought, and let his gaze wander for a moment, before saying, “Why was it us?”

“I do not understand what you mean, my dear boy.”

“Why was the Dimensional Link thing in my house? And why did it have to be me and Arthur and Luke that got sucked up and brought here?”

The man laughed, possibly at the child’s poor grammar, or possibly at the question, but more likely at both. “I do not know, child. I know so very little about your world, and even if I knew more, there would be much missing from my knowledge. Perhaps it is that there are many dozens of these links between our worlds. Perhaps there are dozens of worlds, all with portals to my and your worlds. There are too many questions to be asked.

“But why you? That question is something that I can possibly answer for you.” Again now he removed his spectacles, wiped them on his sleeve and replaced them. “It has seemed, or to me at any rate, that every time someone has been taken from your world and brought to mine, this world has needed help. If you were brought here, I believe that you are needed here, though for what reason I do not know.”

Sebastian stared at the old man, desire for more knowledge nagging at his mind. “Can I ask another question?”

“But of course,” said the man, inclining his head slightly towards Sebastian.

“Who are you?”

The man looked quite surprised by this question. “Who am I?” Sebastian nodded. “Well… that’s not actually important, dear boy. But I think it would be quite alright if you called me either Professor or sir. At least for now. If the time arises, I shall tell you my name.”

“Professor?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you, sir.”

“No reason for thanks, child, no reason for thanks.” And with that, the lad excused himself from the study, walked back to his room, and fell asleep, quite as fast as if it had been his own bed.

When he awoke, it was quite light outside, and he found a pair of trousers and a shirt, just his size, on the cabinet beside his bed. After changing, he stepped into the corridor, where he found Melody leaning against the wall, waiting for him.

“Would you like to have some breakfast?” she asked.

“Of course,” said Sebastian. He was quite over his embarrassment of being around a girl that he liked, and was able now to speak easily. “Have Luke and Arthur eaten as well?”

“I thought we might have them join us.”

“Oh, yes, of course.” The two walked in silence down several corridors, until they came upon the room where they had left the other lads. Knocking, they found the door open right away, and Luke and Arthur bustling out.

“Yes?” said Luke.

“Would you care for some breakfast?” Melody said.

“With you?” said the two boys at once. “Absolutely!”

The four of them now walked down several long corridors in silence, and through several drawing rooms and down several staircases, before reaching a large hall, bedecked with crystal chandeliers, paintings of many old men, several of whom looked like the Professor, and stained glass windows.

In the center of the room was a large, oblong table set with twelve silver plates and goblets, with silverware set on each side of the dishes. The children took their seats and waited as several servers scurried from a door at the far end of the room, all laden with trays and dishes.

These they laid upon the table and bustled themselves off, returning moments later with dozens of pitchers, all filled with different drinks, from ginger beer to water to an unknown juice that tasted strongly of both tomatoes and oranges, but was highly enjoyable.

As soon as they had left, Melody said, “Enjoy.” Arthur and Luke dived upon the food, pulling trays and dishes and tureens towards themselves, and ladling many unknown foods upon their plates. Sebastian pulled what seemed to be a tray of eggs towards himself, spooned some onto his plate, and then onto Melody’s.

As soon as they began eating, Arthur said, his mouth full and food and spittle flying, “Tho, Melothy, whad do you hafthu do wif da ol’ man?”

Melody finished chewing her food, wiped her mouth delicately on her napkin, and said, “He’s my grandfather, just as he told you. I live here with him, and I help him.”

“Helf him wifwhath?”

“His research. He’s a professor, of sorts. He studies the workings of things like the universe and Dimensional Links.”

Sebastian’s ears seemed to perk up at this. “You know about the Dimensional Links?” he asked quite suddenly.

“Yes, or at least I know what grandfather has taught me.”

“How long has this been going on for, then?”

“Since before I was born, I believe,” said she. “In fact, I have met a group of travelers from your world. My grandfather has met probably more.”

“And they’ve all gotten home?”

“I think so. But it’s hard to be sure. I’ve never gone with them. I don’t know if they got back to your world, or if they got stuck in another world, but they certainly left this one.”

The rest of breakfast was eaten in silence, except for the occasional belch, as Arthur and Luke had both forgotten their manners at the sight of endless food. Sebastian ate slowly, thinking of the questions he wanted to ask the Professor at their next encounter. Before long, Melody stood, and said, “Sebastian, would you care to accompany me on a walk?”

Sebastian, Arthur and Luke all stood up at once, but Melody said, “Oh, no, you two, please, keep your seats. Eat as much as you like.” The other two sat, looking both disappointed and relieved, and resumed eating as Sebastian and Melody began walking.

They strode through winding corridors, and soon came to a pair of great wooden doors. Melody knocked on one of these, and it was pulled open from the outside. The two walked out and nodded to the man who had opened the door. Sebastian was surprised to see that it was one of the men who had accosted himself the day before.

“Good day, sir,” said the man. “Madam.”

“Good morning,” said the children. They walked out, following the dirt path through the garden and the hedgerow. Before long they came upon a rather serene spot; a garden pond with several colored fish flitting about and a swan floating calmly upon the surface. All around was the sound of wind in leaves and birds chirping, and bugs buzzing about from flower to flower. They sat upon a bench that overlooked the pond.

“Tell me something,” said Sebastian after several minutes of silence, and Melody jumped.

“What do you wish to know?”

“Why are you so interested in my world?”

Melody’s face showed nothing and was impassive as she stood and moved over to the pond. The swan flew away, and the fish swam to the far edge of the pool. “Come here.” Sebastian followed her, and they sat on the ground next to the water.

“Look,” she said. She took one of Sebastian’s hands and pulled it close to the water. “Do you see how still the water is? That’s my world. I’m one of those fish in the water, and another is my grandfather. But, now look.” And she lowered his hand gently until his fingertips gently brushed the water, and ripples spread out. “When someone comes from your world to mine, it disrupts both worlds, but you can’t see it. It’s invisible. I want to know why. And that’s why I want to know about your world. The more I know, the easier it’ll be to see the ripples.”

Sebastian was silent, still watching the ripples as his fingers danced upon the water’s surface. “And you,” she continued, and he looked at her, though she was staring at the water still. “You’re different from all the others that I’ve met. Everyone else seemed, I suppose, the same as us. But you have something different. It is hard to explain, and hard to fathom.”

She looked at him, a warm smile on playing across her face. “It’s wonderful. Getting to meet people from other worlds, I mean. This isn’t something that anyone can say has happened to them. And… well, when it’s someone… special…” and her voice dwindled as she blushed. A cloud drifted across the sun, covering them in shade, and for a moment, there was a shared understanding between them. Sebastian moved closer and put his arm around her shoulders, and she laid her head on his arm.

And then a voice cried out from somewhere behind them, “Lady Melody! Come quick!” and they jumped apart, as though burned by their contact. They stood quickly, not looking at each other, and began hurrying back through the garden towards the house.

“What is it?” Melody asked of the man at the door. Of course, being rather upset by what had just happened, she was in a fair mood and had forgotten her manners.

“I do not know,” said the man. “They were calling for you from the house and it sounded quite serious.”

The children rushed inside, looking around. They soon found a trail of men leading them towards the study of the Professor. When they got inside, they found the window broken, with all of the glass on the floor beside the desk. “Where is my grandfather?” Melody asked abruptly.

“We do not know, madam,” said the man standing beside them. “One of the servants brought him his luncheon tea, and found the room like this.”

And now Melody, her temperament out of its usual state, burst into tears, something the man had not expected and did not seem to know how to handle. “Miss, are-are-are you alright?”

But Melody did not answer, except to bury her face in her hands, turn tail and run down the hall. “You have no idea what happened?” Sebastian asked.

“No, sir,” said the man, who Sebastian, now looking closer, recognized as Kendrick. “As I said, sir, the servant came in, and the window was shattered.”

“May I look?”

“Of course.” So Sebastian walked towards the desk and the broken glass. He was of course careful, remembering, I am sure, that it is a very grown-up business walking around such things as broken glass. But when he walked around to the other side of the desk, he saw something rather odd.

“Does the Professor have any enemies?”

“Who?”

“The Professor, the old man,” said Sebastian.

“No, sir,” said Kendrick. “He is well known around, but is well liked by all.”

Sebastian pulled a yellowed parchment from the desk drawer from which it had been sticking. Reading it aloud, he said, “I warned you, Achilles, and this is your last chance. Cease your studies now, or there will be dark business for you.” Of course, whoever had written that note knew very little about his grammar, but its meaning was quite clear.

“No enemies?”

“My lord never confers with anyone,” admitted Kendrick. “But we all thought, as he has so many visitors, that he was quite well liked.”

“And none of them has ever been a dark-looking person?”

“No, sir.”

Sebastian sighed. He had rather liked his time with the Professor, or, as his name seemed to be, Achilles. “Might I give you a suggestion, Kendrick?”

“Of course, sir.”

“Send your swiftest men out and send word to the lords of the land. They may be able to help you find the old man.”

“Very good, sir.” Kendrick bowed himself out of the study.

It may seem to you, as it seems to me that Sebastian had grown up rather fast, from a playful youth, to a frightened child, to a serious adult. But these types of event, which I hope are none that you ever need to experience yourself, force one to grow up at a rather remarkable rate. He, of course, was still a boy, but he now, though he did not know it, was the lord of that rather marvelous house, and the land of its estates.

And now he returned to his room. Though it was still light out, Sebastian found himself tired quite suddenly. He lay down upon the bed, not even bothering to undress, as most grown boys do, but resting in his trousers and shirt and even his shoes.

And it was several hours later that he awoke again, though by now it was twilight. He stood, for a moment, looking out the window at the beautiful painting of the sun upon the sky, pink and purple and red streaking through the blue.

He turned and left the room, not bothering to close the door. He walked down the corridors towards the dining hall where he had eaten earlier that day, and sat down beside Melody, who he had been surprised to see. Her eyes were quite red and puffy, and Sebastian could tell that she had been crying for a time.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“No.” Her voice was stuffy, like she was pinching her nose.

“Will you be?”

“I don’t know.” She was avoiding his gaze and looking down at her knees.

They sat in silence for several minutes, watching the servers again carry out trays and dishes and tureens all filled with great slabs of meat and fruits and soups of all kinds. The two children began serving themselves, and were soon joined by Arthur and Luke, and then by Kendrick and Bartholomew and the other men of the house, and then the other servants who were permitted to eat in the dining room at dinner time.

And dinner was a silent affair for the whole household, as none could believe that the old man was gone. After dinner, the four children walked along the corridors towards Arthur and Luke’s room, and after bidding each other good night, the two slipped quietly into their room.

Another few minutes were passed as Sebastian and Melody walked back to the young boy’s room. “Good night,” said he, and Melody nodded, looking quite despaired still.

Sebastian’s rest that night was fitful, and he was up and down frequently as his nightmares returned every time his eyes shut. He soon stood up, not able to sleep, and walked again through the corridors of the large house. This time he found himself at a great spiraling staircase leading up from a small room of the dining hall.

Climbing this, he soon came to a small hatch in the ceiling. Pushing this open, he stepped out, and felt a cold breeze on his face.

Looking up and about him, he found that the night sky was open above him, the small diamonds twinkling kindly, as though the sky was smiling at him, and that he was on the room of the magnificent house. He walked around for a moment, wishing that he had warmer clothes on, but sat down on the edge of the roof, his legs dangling over the side of the building.

He was shaking with cold, but was enthralled by the dark navy sky, and on the horizon, the promise of a storm, though it seemed to be quite far away yet.

“Sir?”

Sebastian spun around, frightened at having been found, and saw Kendrick standing at the trap-door, holding a blanket in each hand. He walked over to Sebastian and laid one of the blankets across his shoulders.

“Thank you,” said Sebastian as he adjusted the blanket. “What are you doing here?”

“I might ask you the same,” said Kendrick. “I often come here to look at the sky, as you seem to be doing now.”

“Do you often bring an additional blanket?”

“I thought I might have a visitor, tonight.” They fell silent, looking at the storm in the distance, and Kendrick said, “Bad times.”

“What?”

“Bad times are approaching.” He pointed off into the distance, towards the storm. “That… it has been there for days now, never moving, but growing. Lord Achilles has been growing worried for days, and it infected the staff. No one dares to leave the grounds and go into town.”

“What is it?” Sebastian asked.

“We do not know. When I asked Lord Achilles, he merely said that it was something dark, and powerful.”

Sebastian sat still, watching as the storm continued to grow and move, black against the blue of the sky.

“Good night, sir,” Kendrick said, standing. He nodded his head respectfully at the boy, who was still in deep thought, and left him.