He decided to look around the port to see what it had to offer. He placed his sword in his sheath and walked off the ship. He wandered into the market where he ran into many different merchants trying to sell him things. No matter how many different ports he had been to they all seemed to sell the same things, though sometimes on a rare occasion, there would be something new. But overall he had seen everything they had to offer. But then from the corner of his eye he something had caught his attention.
In the market place there she stood. A woman dressed in a long white Chinese style dress with a mandarin collar with golden flowers embroidered, and two large slits on the side, which were concealed with her long navy blue velvet cloak. She had removed the hood and revealed her golden skin that glistened in the sun. Her long black glossy hair was pulled up and carefully held there with delicate gold pins and jewels. She looked around and was about to leave until Sinbad stopped her.
“You seem out of place here”
“Do I?”
“You’re not from around here, are you?”
“No, I am searching for someone”
“Perhaps I can help”
“Perhaps” she begins walking and Sinbad follows walking right beside her, “I am searching for a sailor”
“There are many here at this port”
“May I see your hand?” he raises his right hand, and she pushes it away, “the other one”, she touches the bracelet and looks at him, “I have a message from Maeve”
“Maeve?! You’ve seen her?! Where is she? How is she?”
“She is where she’s been for the past year,”
“Under the protection of DimDim”
“That is until Rumina”
“Rumina?”
“Rumina had discovered where DimDim was hiding her, she took her and flung her into the Sea of Darkness, a place so evil that she would have died if DimDim did not place a spell on her”
“Maeve…”
“Maeve will remain there under DimDim’s protection as long as her will enables it, but in the Sea of Darkness there are many demons that haunt her. She’s been having the same dreams, where she is on the ship and is thrown off, where she reaches out for you and you disappear. Her will is weakening, she will die”
“No! I won’t let her!”
“Then you must save her. Only you can.”
“How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”
She grabs his bracelet and in a flash Sinbad sees Maeve incased in a green glowing light floating in the black water, she calls out to Sinbad, “Help me please!"
“Maeve!” he cries out as she lets go of the bracelet.
“You see the truth, now what are you going to do about it?”
“How do I get there?”
“I will guide you, but you must trust me”
“I do, now how do I get there?”
“Let’s go”
The two head back to the Nomad where the crew is still unloading.
“Cmon we have to set sail!” Sinbad cries out
“What?! We just got here!” Doubar
“We have to go now!” Sinbad
“Who are you?” Doubar to the mysterious woman who just walked away
The Nomad out at sea again, Sinbad had explained to the crew of his sudden departure from the port. The wind had picked up and Sinbad walked over to the mysterious woman.
“If I’m going to trust you, I should at least know your name” Sinbad leaned over the side of the ship.
“My name is unimportant,”
“Let’s start this over again shall we? I am Sinbad, and you?”
“Persistent I see, very well you may call me Jade”
“Jade? Far from home?”
“Very”
“How did you find Maeve?”
“I am a friend of DimDim”
“Really?”
“Yes, do you find it hard to believe?”
“No, it’s just that-”
“Stop here!”
“What?”
“Drop the anchor here! NOW!”
The sound of the anchor crashing into the water echoed. The crew had wondered why they had stopped abruptly. Jade walked over to Sinbad.
“This is where we start”
“Here?”
“Are you ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be”
“Only you can save her. I can only bring you to the entrance, from then on you’re on your own”
“Who makes up these rules?”
“For a person who’s going to rescue a lady, you could have at least cleaned up a bit. She hasn’t seen you in a year and you could at least look decent. Men!”
Jade looked at Sinbad and in a flash he was clean shaven, washed, bathed and combed.
“Much better, ”
Sinbad looks at himself in amazement, “I should have you around more often”
“Shall we?” she hold his bracelet and a blue light surrounds them as it brings them down into the ocean.
They travel down I the blue bubble, they see the fish as they swim by, it starts getting darker and darker. The bubble enters a cave at the bottom. It pushes through the entrance and releases them. The entrance of the cave somehow held the water out. Jade raised her palm up and a small fireball appeared. Then all the torches in the cave lit.
“This way” she led him as he held onto the handle of his sword. The tunnels twist and turn around until it leads to a giant room, where there is a large stone fountain, and three large stone doors that lead up to the ceiling. The doors all-gray look the same.
“You must choose” Jade stood near the fountain
“How will I know?” Sinbad
“Follow your heart”
Just then, Scratch appeared standing in front of the doors.
“I don’t have time to play!” Sinbad
“Oh but you do! You see I have the key to the door you seek. Without me you’ll never get the girl!”
“What do you want?”
“Simple, chose the door you want, choose correctly and you get the girl, but if you choose incorrectly, then I get your soul!” Scratch
“This again?”
“I’m just trying to make the world a better place”
“Sinbad, choose quickly!” Jade raising her arm, shooting water at Scratch. Scratch yelled out in pain, for the water burned him. Sinbad ran past him and looked at the doors, thinking of which one to open.
“Use your heart!” Jade yelled out
Sinbad didn’t know what to do. He ran frantically back and forth between the doors, as he did, he faintly heard Maeve’s song. He stopped and listened, and he followed it, to the door on the right.
“Maeve”
He pushed the door open and water gushed through it, filling the room with water. Sinbad swam up to what appeared to be an opening. He finally reached it and gasped for air. He found himself in a large white room. There was a large balcony with white curtains, which let the wind in. Outside was a beautiful countryside. There was a large fireplace and a large white canopy bed with white curtains draped around it. There appeared to be a figure sleeping there. Sinbad pulled himself out of the hole in the ground and walked toward the bed. He moved the fabric aside and couldn’t believe his eyes.
“Maeve!” he sat down and hesitated to touch her. He reached over to touch her, to see if it was really her. Her soft skin warmed his wet, cold hands. It was her. It had to be her!
“Kiss her!” a voice whispered
“Who’s there?” Sinbad
“Kiss her to wake her!” whispered again
Sinbad looked around, and saw no one. He looked at Maeve’s beautiful face, as he bent down to kiss her. But he stopped, he didn’t know why, but he did. And just then, Maeve’s beautiful face turned green and wrinkled and revealed that it wasn’t Maeve but a demon! Sinbad jumped back. The demon let out an evil laugh.
“You’ll never find her! Never!” She cried out
Just then Dermott appeared on the balcony.
“Dermott!” Sinbad yelled
Dermott tried to tell him something, but has he did, a wall of fire came up between the two. Everything around him started burning. The demon laughed louder. Jade then appeared and started putting out the flames. She raised her hand again and water came out and put out the flames. The demon screamed out.
“Go! Quickly!” Jade yelled she raised her other hand and shot a water ball at the fire, leaving a small opening for Sinbad to jump through. He did and there was no balcony, just an illusion. He was sent spiraling down toward the waters below him.
“Not again!”
He hit the water, but he had fallen in so deep that he could barely see anything. He swam around searching for a way out, and he saw a green light. He swam closer and he saw her. He saw Maeve encased in the green light floating on the water. Sinbad wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to carry her to the surface, but he didn’t care. He swam closer to her, running out of breath, he didn’t care. He was reaching out to her and almost touched her when in a flash, he was transported into another room again. He looked around and all he saw was black velvet walls all around him. He stood there and was surrounded by them.
“Choose now” Jade
Sinbad jumped slightly, “Nice of you to show up. Why is it that you show up after I’m being killed?”
“I cannot guide you, merely follow. This is your journey. I must remain one step behind you”
“Who makes up these rules?”
“Choose” she moves her arm, and the velvet walls pull up revealing a series of mirrors that surround Sinbad.
“What is this?”
The mirrors begin to glow, and behind each of them is a Maeve sleeping, floating upwards.
“Maeve?”
“You must choose, which one is the true Maeve”
“Why are there so many?”
“Maeve is imprisoned here, and in the Sea of Darkness there are many demons that take her form hoping someone will free them. You must choose carefully. If you choose the wrong one, you will free a demon from their prison and you cannot choose again”
“It’s beauty or the beast.” Sinbad walked around looking at all the different Maeves.
“If you ever loved her, you will find her.”
“Love her? More than she’ll ever know. I never got a chance to tell her that I cared, that I loved her.”
“Then tell her now”
“I can’t, I-”
“Why not? You’ve lost her once, you’ve been given a second chance, if you don’t tell her then this will all have been a waste. “
“I’ve always loved her. Ever since the day she came aboard the ship. And I regret the fact that I never told her that I did love her, and still do. I guess I’ll always love her.”
A pale white light started to glow from one of the Maeves. It seemed to get brighter and brighter. Sinbad ran over to her and placed his hand on the glass that separated them. It was warm, like her. He touched the glass of the other two Maeves next to her, and it was cold. Sinbad realized that this was the real Maeve. She had heard him, she knew he was there for her, she knew he loved her. Sinbad began pounding on the glass with his fists and then the back of his sword. Nothing, not even a scratch. He kept banging on it, calling out her name.
“Maeve! Maeve! I’ve come so far only to be denied!” he cried out
“Use your heart” Jade “My heart? What do you mean?”
“I cannot help you anymore” Jade walked away, “Use what’s in your heart”
He didn’t understand what she meant, he looked up at Maeve encased in the glass. He reached up to touch her hand and felt the warmth of it, as it permeated through the glass.
“I can’t free you from this. I’m sorry Maeve, I don’t know what to do.” Sinbad looked down and sighed, “If I can’t free you then I’ll stay here with you forever if I have to, I love you Maeve” he reached up to touch her again and this time the light became blinding, and as Sinbad reached to touch the glass it shattered. The water poured out along with Maeve. Sinbad caught her and held onto her tightly. The water had spilled onto the floor.
“Maeve! Maeve! Please! Wake up!” Sinbad said as he moved her red hair off her face. She was warm still. Maeve slowly opened her eyes.
“Sinbad? Is that you?”
“Yes Maeve! It’s me!” he hugged her to see if she were really there. He released her from his hold and looked at her. “What is it Sinbad?”
Without answering Sinbad pulled her closer for a kiss, slow and gentle and then more passionate when Maeve wrapped her arms around him. The two let go and then gazed into each other’s eyes.
“It took you long enough” Jade
“You! You’re the one in my dreams!” Maeve yelled out
“Who are you?” Sinbad
“I am eternal. I will always exist, as long as there are people will want me to. I heard your love for each other across the seas, and that is why I am here.” Jade
“But why?” Sinbad
“Why not? Let’s go.” Jade looked up and in a flash the two were back on the deck of the Nomad. The crew was surprised to see them there.
“Sinbad!” Doubar ran over to hug him, “Maeve!” he hugged her next
“It’s so good to see you!” Maeve
“It’s good to have you back” Firouz hugged her.
“It’s good to be back!” Maeve said as she hugged Rongar.
“It’s good to have a lady on the ship again” Doubar said
Jade appeared again, walking on the water nearby, watching their reunion on the ship. She smiled and as she disappeared it began to rain.
The crew tighten the ropes, as Maeve ran down below to take cover from the rain, as Sinbad chased after her. The two laughed as they ran down below deck, as Maeve ran into Sinbad’s room, she heard a click of the door closing. When she turned around she was caught in Sinbad’s embrace and felt his warm lips pressed upon hers. She didn’t resist and held onto him tightly.
Sinbad’s warm lips pressed upon hers. He moved her wet hair from her face, as she wrapped her arms around his body. He had longed for this moment. She would not be one of his conquests, rather she would conquer him. He had loved her and not known it. What a fool he had been. She was weak in his arms. He reached down to her back to untie her vest, which fell to the ground. Maeve, realizing this, gently pushed Sinbad off.
“Sinbad, I’ve never-”
“Shh” Sinbad covered her lips with 2 of his fingers, “Maeve I’ve waited for this moment forever”
“You have?”
Sinbad moved his head so that his forehead is touching hers and looks at her dark eyes.
“No words can describe what I feel right now. How much I love you. How much I want you to be part of me. I love you Maeve”
Sinbad kissed her and began to push her white blouse off her shoulders. Maeve undid his vest and pulled it off along with his shirt. The rocking movement of the boat guided theirs. Their naked bodies lay on Sinbad’s bed as their arms and legs melted into each other. Soon they became one being. They both called out each other’s names, until Sinbad finally collapsed. The sweat cooled from their bodies and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.
Hours later, Maeve awoke, her head resting on his chest, her hair flowing freely on his shoulder. His breathing was so rhythmic like the ocean waves, like their lovemaking. She looked at his face, the stubble growing, his hair upon his shoulders. Maeve traced the outline of his mouth with her finger. Sinbad opened his eyes slowly and turned his head to look at her. She smiled, and he smiled back. She was the first to do this to him. To exhaust him so much, leaving him unconscious. His former conquests, Sinbad always woke up first and left to run back to the Nomad. Maeve was different. She managed to make ever fiber in his being ache with her warmth touch. He could barely sit up. She sat up next to him pushing her red hair behind her.
“I see you’re awake” Maeve said with a smile
“Barely. Where did you learn to do that?” Sinbad said as he ran his fingers through his hair
“Do what?”
“Nevermind. Did the earth move for you?” he said as he crept closer to her
“And the sun, moon and stars”
“You too?” he held her closer to him and touched her face
“Do you think anyone-”
“Heard us? The heavens heard us. But who cares?” he moves in for a kiss
“Sinbad” she pushes him away slightly
“We’ve got to make up fort lost time” touches her chin
“Sinbad, don’t you think we should go back on deck?”
“What for? It’s raining up there”
“You are incorrigible”
“As are you”
“I don’t want to be cooped up in here. I’ve been cooped up too long. I want to go back on deck and breathe some fresh air.”
Maeve gets up and pulls on her white dress and searches for her vest.
“Maeve, what’s the point of getting dressed? It’s all gonna come off anyway”
“Sinbad! They’re not coming off any time soon”
“Perhaps, you haven’t seen these hands in action”
“They’re not as fast as your sword”
“But my tongue is faster, isn’t that what you said?” Sinbad says with a raised eyebrow
Maeve blushed a bit as she put on the rest of her clothes.
“I’ll see you up on deck then” Sinbad said as he sat there
Maeve slipped on her boots and kissed him before heading out the door. She walked up on deck, it had stopped raining, but it was still damp. The cold air surrounded her. She hugged the backs of her arms. She inhaled the sea air. It was good to be back on the Nomad. To be back with the crew and most of all Sinbad. Though she wondered if she let her emotions get the best of her. She had not seen him for a year, though she wondered if things between her and Sinbad would ever be the same.
Sinbad walked up behind her and put his muscular arms around her, kissing the side of her head. She leaned back into him and closed her eyes.
“Getting some fresh air?” Sinbad said
“It’s cold than fresh” she replied
“Well I know something that will keep you warm” he said with a smirk
“Oh really?” she turned around
“Cmon it’s getting cold here” he takes her hand and leads her down below.
“Can we talk this time?” Maeve said
“Weren’t we doing that?”
“I mean talking!”
“Fine, you talk and I’ll listen” he closes the door to his room
“Well-”
Sinbad cuts Maeve off as he kisses her passionately. In the morning, the two were still entwined. Maeve lay on top of Sinbad, resting on his chest, her red curls on his shoulder. Sinbad’s hands were placed on her creamy white skin on her back. The sheets barely covered them. Sinbad awoke first and looked down upon the beauty that lay before him. It wasn’t a dream and Maeve was really here. She was really lying here, and she was the one he made love to last night. He kissed her head and smelled her hair. Smells like her, Maeve. He held onto her body and turned her over onto her back. He pulled the sheets over her soft skin. He looked at her peaceful sleeping face. He just lay there watching her sleep for a while before she finally woke up.
“Sinbad, why are you staring at me?”
“I can’t help it. Your beauty mesmerizes me.”
“Sinbad! Stop it!” she blushes it
“Why? You know I could spend all day here”
“Fine, you stay here and I’ll run the ship”
Sinbad laughs a bit, “ Don’t be expecting any special treatment from me now”
“I never do!” she gets up and puts her clothes on.
Sinbad gets up and puts on his lather pants. Maeve puts on her vest and searches for her boots. Sinbad already dressed, picks up his sword and puts it in the holster. Maeve pulls on her boots and heads for the door. Sinbad grabs her and passionately kisses her.
“No good morning?” Sinbad says
“It’s not morning anymore” Maeve breaks free and heads up on deck. She comes out first and is followed by Sinbad. The crew looks at the two and secretly smiles to themselves for they knew what happened last night.
The ship reaches an island, where the crew searches for fresh water and fruit. The rest of the crew go exploring.
Til Next time!