One of Jaidev's favorite places was the open-air market adjacent to the main fishing bay. His Tatom, like many Atlantean fathers, had been a fisher. Many days of Jaidev's youth had been spent running up and down the stone platform with Jacira, waiting for Tatom's boat to dock.
As Jaidev breathed in the sea air, he was transported back to those careless days. He momentarily forgot about his tourist companion until she let out a quiet gasp.
"It's so beautiful!" Eleanor exclaimed. "I can't believe all the colors!"
Jaidev gave her a confused smile. He was surprised by her reaction to the loud, fragrant, and somewhat overwhelming marketplace. As an outsider, she certainly didn't understand what the merchants were calling out to them. Her delight in everything - delight in his world - softened him with every wide-eyed expression. The image of the foreigners' weapons was never far from his mind, but he struggled to remain focused on the fact that Eleanor was one of them.
"Look!" Eleanor said, breaking his concentration. "There's Milo and your princess!" She pointed down to the docks where Kida and the runt were walking. Kida, as always, gracefully navigated the narrow paths between boats. Milo, on the other hand, held his hands out for balance and looked far less confident. Eleanor called out to her friend and waved both arms wildly. Suddenly, her expression fell and she retracted her arms. The look of embarrassment that she often wore returned to her face.
Fortunately, Milo saw her and stood taller as he waved back. His eyes narrowed in curiosity when he noticed Jaidev. Milo and Kida made their way to the platform and approached Eleanor and Jaidev.
"Eleanor, this is Princess Kida," Milo said importantly. Out of Kida's sight, he pressed his hands together in front of his face and darted his eyes towards the princess. Eleanor obediently copied him and bowed. When she stood up again, Kida was smiling appreciatively.
"It is a pleasure to meet one of Milo's companions," she replied. "He was just telling me about them…Cookie, your sweet and kindly doctor?"
"No! It's Sweet, the kindly doctor," Milo laughed. Jaidev could have sworn that he saw Eleanor's jaw tighten as Milo and Kida laughed and shook their heads at their misunderstanding.
"I have been showing Eleanor around Atlantis," Jaidev interrupted. "Is that what you two are doing as well?"
"Yes. Would you like to join us?" Kida asked.
Without consulting Jaidev, Eleanor nodded eagerly. Noticing her mistake, she turned to Jaidev.
"I mean…only if that is what you want to do."
Jaidev reassured her with a smile. He would never pass on an opportunity to talk with the princess. Kida naturally took the lead. Milo smiled uneasily at Jaidev before falling in step with Eleanor. Jaidev took her other side, though walking slightly ahead so that he could easily cut in between them and Kida.
"So, how did you end up on a tour with the big guy?"
Milo finally had an opportunity to talk with Eleanor privately. At Milo's urging, the group was returning to the strange vehicle that Kida had shown him earlier. It was there that Milo had learned that reading and writing the Atlantean language had fallen out of their culture after the Great Flood. Milo was the only person in Atlantis that could read the Shepherd's Journal and other Atlantean texts.
Kida and Jaidev blazed ahead, leaving just enough space that they were out of earshot.
"His name is Jaidev, and…" Eleanor had started her sentence with a little venom in her tone, but trailed off when she realized that she didn't have a good explanation. I ended up with him because he caught me spying on you. "Uh, and…he works at the palace and offered to show me around."
Milo raised an eyebrow, but didn't press further. Eleanor looked away quickly and busied herself with holding up the hem of her skirt.
"We are nearly there," Kida called back.
"What exactly are we going to see?" Eleanor asked Milo, leaping at the opportunity to change the subject.
"Oh, you won't believe it!" Milo exclaimed. "They have this ancient vehicle that is powered by the crystals they wear around their necks! Kida showed it to me and I may have crashed it but…"
Eleanor found herself smiling as Milo went on. All the tension that she had felt earlier melted away as they settled back into the comfort they'd always had with each other. It felt like those days back in the Smithsonian boiler room, when they had dreamed about finding the Shepherd's Journal and Atlantis was nothing more than a glimmer in their imaginations. So much had happened since then.
They entered a clearing and Milo took Eleanor by the hand, rushing her over to the ancient vehicle.
"Ta-da!" Milo gestured dramatically toward what looked like a large fish made out of stone. The dent in the rocks next to it indicated that Milo had indeed crashed it.
"Let me see if I can get it to work this time," Kida said to Milo. She removed her necklace and put the crystal in the hole at the base of the fish's head. Placing her right hand on the octagonal shape beneath the crystal slot, she turned the crystal counter-clockwise. Milo reached forward and placed his hand over hers.
"Good job remembering to leave your hand there during the turn," he said encouragingly. When he pulled his hand away, Kida stuck her nose up at him and then smiled to herself. Eleanor looked away quickly. She noticed Jaidev standing near her. His jaw dropped as the inscription pad on the fish glowed blue like the crystal and the fish began to levitate a few inches above the ground.
"I did not know they had such an ability," Jaidev breathed.
"There is much about our old way of life that we do not know," Kida said to him. "I do not know how to control this vehicle, but awakening its power is more than I have been able to do alone. We have been blessed by the arrival of Milo."
Milo grinned at his feet sheepishly. Jaidev grasped Milo's hand with both of his and thanked him.
"We need to get back," Kida said after a brief moment. "There is a feast for our guests tonight."