Captain Sinbad sat alone in his quarters
deep in thought. His eyes were focused on something unseen through the small
window looking out into the turbulent sea. Desperation had sunk in. Where
was she? Was she all right? Would he ever see her again? These thoughts plundered
through his mind like tidal waves on the shore. Maeve had been missing for
months now; the question was could he get her back? He didn't have much of
a choice in the matter. He needed Maeve, much like he needed his next
breath.
"Sinbad!"
He sucked in a sharp breath of air
at the sudden intrusion into his private thoughts. "What is it Doubar?" He
asked his brother who was now standing in the doorway to his room.
"We are coming up to the island.
I thought you might want to know." Doubar stared at his little brother, a
look of sympathy filling his eyes. He was willing to do almost anything to
wipe the sadness from Sinbad's face. For awhile after Maeve was gone he seemed
to be doing fine. He threw himself into his destiny, fighting evil and defending
the good. It had always been evident that he grieved for her but then there
had been the peace of knowledge that she was safe with Dim Dim. Now that
so much time had gone by one could never know. The crew hadn't heard from
Master Dim Dim in quite a while. Doubar hadn't been surprised when Sinbad
made the order to return to the island.
"I'll be right up Doubar." He responded.
Doubar quietly exited the cabin and
trudged up the stairs to the deck. That's another thing that had changed,
Sinbad very rarely came up to the surface. He could only wonder what Sinbad
could be thinking.
Sinbad slowly stood from his sitting
position at his desk. If Dim Dim and Maeve were able to escape from wherever
they were hidden, Sinbad hoped they would return to the same place where
they all first met. He exited the cabin and headed toward the
deck.
*~*~*~*~*~*
In a bubble far above the clouds
Maeve watched Sinbad inside a little portal she had created. Her powers were
growing day by day. She looked down at the rest of the crew and realized,
not for the first time, how much she missed her life on the Nomad. She also
missed Sinbad. Nothing had ever really happened between them, and nothing
was likely to ever happen but she could dream. One way or the other she would
find a way out of this blasted bubble.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"How is he doing?" asked a worried
Fouruz. He was standing along the railing looking over the same waters Sinbad
had just been watching. The whole crew had grieved Maeve's disappearance.
She was a good friend and trusted shipmate. Bryn was a nice addition to their
growing crew but no one could replace the spitfire of their redheaded sorceress.
Fouruz had watched his friend sink lower into himself with each passing minute,
there was not a doubt in anyone's mind who had been most affected by Maeve's
sudden departure.
"Not good little buddy." Doubar gave
Fouruz a pat on the back and moved toward his position in preparation for
docking.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Maeve was deep in thought trying
to picture the contents of her old spell book. Which unfortunately still
sat proudly on her bookshelf on the Nomad if it hadn't been removed by now.
Her mind quickly backpedaled away from that line of thought; no sense in
feeling sorry for herself when there was work to be done. Dim Dim keeps telling
her that it is no use, she better get use to this bubble. However, being
the stubborn person that she was she refused to give up without a fight.
She never had the chance to finish her meditating, a loud thunderous noise
arose from the heavens and everything went dark inside the tiny bubble.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Alright everyone spread out. I don't
want a stone left uncovered. If there is anything to be found I want it found!
Is that understood?" The shipmates mumbled the affirmative and headed off
in different directions. Doubar, Fouruz, Rongar, Bryn and Sinbad headed toward
the main building on the Island.
"Sinbad, you are aware that we may
not find anything?" Bryn asked attentively.
"Yes I know Bryn, but I have to try."
There was a look of pure determination sparkling in Sinbad's eyes. It was
as if sheer will alone could make her appear up ahead, resting peacefully
in that hut just a little ways in front of them.
After an hour of searching, the crew
returned to the Nomad and a depressed Sinbad headed to his quarters. The
crew watched sadly as their captain once again returned to his state of sorrow.
As if the weather could match their moods the sky opened up and a loud thunderous
boom could be heard throughout Baghdad and the surrounding cities. Even in
the little far off Island.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Sinbad!"
"MAEVE!"
Laughing, Maeve flung herself into
his waiting arms. He gave a boisterous laugh as he caught her and swung her
around. "Oh how I have missed you Maeve."
"Its good to see you again. Its been
so long. I was afraid I was never going to be able to tell how much I love
you." She reached up and kissed him hard. Never had they shared such a passionate
kiss.
"I love you to Maeve." He kissed
her again, this time his tongue came out to play with hers as their mouths
melded together.
"Its good to be
back."
"I'm afraid I have some bad
news."
"What is it?" her expression becoming
worried.
"Well after you disappeared someone
new came along. She has filled your place quite nicely and I am afraid we
just have no use for another sorceress. I'm sorry Maeve. Maybe next time."
He kissed her once more and was gone as if he had never been
there.
"Sinbad!" Maeve called out. "Sinbad
please, no you cant leave me! SINBAD!!!"
Maeve sat straight up gasping for
air. It had been a dream. A nice dream at first but had quickly turned into
a nightmare. Her greatest fear would be to find Sinbad but to only find out
that she had been replaced. She shook the dream from her thoughts and stood
up. There were things to be done. First off she had to find some dry clothes.
Waking up soaked and sandy on the beach is not the most pleasant thing. Second,
she needed to find out where she was and just how the hell she got there.
Determined, Maeve sought out the answers she needed to get her back to Sinbad,
and back on the Nomad where she belonged.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Sinbad!" Doubar called from top
deck. "Get up here!"
"What is it Doubar?" Sinbad
asked.
"Looks like we have a bad storm headed
our way. The nearest port is fifteen minutes away. I think we better dock.
I'm not sure the Nomad can withstand this big of a
storm."
"If you think its necessary Doubar
go ahead, I will be below deck." With that Sinbad went back to his
cabin.
Doubar was growing more worried about
his little brother with every passing minute. But straightening him out would
have to wait. Right now he needed to concentrate on getting them to shore
safely. This was going to be one hell of a storm.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Five rooms please." Doubar told
the little pudgy woman behind the desk. When her blank stare was all he got
from her his irritation peaked to its breaking point. He grabbed the front
of her blouse and pulled her across the counter, "look lady, I am having
an off day. Hell, I am having an off year. I need five rooms, AND I NEED
THEM RIGHT NOW!"
Fouruz was bringing in the last of
his luggage when he heard the commotion. He quickly rushed to the poor woman's
aid. "Doubar just relax," He gently pulled his friends hands from the woman's
clothes. "I am sure he didn't mean any harm. Its just that he is under a
lot of stress. Now would you be so kind as to give us a room? Any rooms that
you have available for the night?"
The woman stuck her nose up and glared
at Doubar. "What do
you people think I am? A hotel? Five
rooms! Ha!! Right now you are lucky that I have the one that I do have. And
after the way he behaved your even luckier that I need your business!" She
grabbed the key off the rack and motioned them to follow. "This storm has
brought in people from all over the place. Demanding rooms from me as if
I had to put them up because they needed it." After unlocking the room the
woman waddled away, still prattling on about the injustice that has befallen
on her.
Once the door had closed the group
broke down in endless laughter. Doubar was just happy that Sinbad was finally
smiling.