The girl's body glowed bright red, and flames surrounded her body.
"Perhaps we can reason with her" Firouz said
"Not likely" Sinbad said
But then Rongar appeared and stood infront of the girl. He placed his hands out in the open, extended towards her. Slowly the flames disappeared, and the glow faded. Her eyes flashed blue, as she lowered herself onto the deck. The girl bowed before him. Rongar placed his hand on her shoulder and motioned for her to get up. Her eyes looked up at him, as she jumped up and embraced him.
"What's going on?" Doubar asked
"Perhaps Rongar knows who she is" Firouz said
*I'm sorry, your highness* the girl said telepathically
*Why are you so angry?* Rongar asked
*I've lost everything, I can never go home again*
*It's not that bad, I lost everything, but I'm still alive and living my life*
*But you get it all back*
*Huh?*
*I'm sorry if I hurt, I never mean to*
The girl let go, and took a few steps back. Firouz appeared and tried to approach her.
"Are you alright?" Firouz asked trying not to provoke her in any way.
"Yes, I'm fine" the girl said
"You've got quite a temper little one" Doubar said
"I'm not little!" the girl yelled
The indeed was not, she was at least 17, and had the fire in her eyes that reminded Sinbad of someone he once knew, of someone he had forgotten.
"Who are you?" Doubar asked
"Someone that never existed"
"But you're here now" Doubar said
"Yes, now, and only now"
"What do you want with Sinbad?"
"Death. But I am bound to him in a way that will never be severed, and so I cannot kill him"
"If you want to kill me go ahead!" Sinbad yelled
"Sinbad!" Doubar said
"No Doubar, if she wants to kill me, then let her kill me. Whatever you are bound to can always be severed. Kill me, go ahead"
The girl looked at him, strangely.
"But before you do, tell me who you are"
"I was Ceara once, and I cannot kill you, no matter how much I desire it, I cannot"
"Why?"
"You are my mother's destroyer, but I cannot kill you"
"You haven't answered the question"
"I don't owe you anything!"
"If I am to die by your hands, tell me why?"
"Why don't I show you instead?!" she lunged and grabbed him, slamming her hand onto his head, knocking him back almost. It was only for a second, before Doubar and Rongar and Firouz would pull her away from him, but that was all it took.
"Mother why are you crying?" asked a young Ceara
"Nothing, it's nothing magelet" the woman wiped away her tears, she didn't want her child to see her like this.
"Mommy, did he hurt you?"
"Yes he hurt me" she said looking at the innocence in her eyes.
"I hate him! I'll make him pay for hurting you!"
"No, magelet, he doesn't mean to, I know he doesn't mean to"
"I saw him kissing that other lady, who is she?"
"The black rose of Oman"
"I hate them both! I'll kill them!"
"No! Magelet you mustn't. You are bound to him in a way that can never be severed. Promise me you will not kill him"
"I promise not to kill him"
"You are a good child Ceara" the woman hugged her
"I'll protect you mommy"
Flashes and more flashes, an older Ceara, walking around in a house.
"Mother where are you? Mother?"
DimDim appeared before her.
"Your mother is gone"
"NO!"
And DimDim came to comfort her, but then she felt the arms pull away, she looked up and he faded.
"DimDim? Where are you?"
"Mother? MOTHER!"
"Sinbad? Sinbad? Are you alright?" Firouz asked
"Yes, I think" Sinbad said as he looked around
Ceara struggled as Doubar and Rongar held onto her.
"I didn't hurt him! Let go of me!"
"What happened?" Firouz asked
"I saw something" Sinbad answered
"What?" Bryn asked
The girl broke free, her eyes flashed red again. Dermott flew down and perched nearby her.
"Oh no!" Ceara said as she went over to the hawk.
"She didn't free you" She said
*You know*
*Yes, I know Dermott* she petted his feathers
"This world is not meant for me, or you. This world shouldn't exist but it does"
Dermott jumped and landed on her sleeve. Her outfit was much like Maeve's, she wore the same white shirt, with the sleeves and everything. Only she didn't have a vest, just a belt like Maeve's. For some reason the hawk's talons weren't piercing her flesh. Her body glowed and along with Dermott's they floated down below the boards of the deck to a room.
Ceara looked around.
"So this is what she was like"
*YeS*
She walked around the room, she saw magic books, and a few other things that her mother kept. She then saw it, it lay there on the table, covered in dust. Her hand only grazed the blade for a moement, but it was enough. Flashes, of memories.
Ceara standing outside in the forest, holding her mother's sword. She held it in bothher hands. She then tightly gripping the edge of the blade with her hand, and then quickly pulled it through, slicing her hand. She squeezed her hand, letting the blood drip out. She thrust the sword into the ground. The blood tricked down her hand and fell into the ground.
"I swear mother, I will make him pay for all that he has done to you, to all of us. I swear it"
She removed her hand from the blade, Dermott looked at her and flew off, as the door opened. Sinbad and the others came in. And then it hit him, her standing here in her room, he realized who she was. Firouz pushed past them.
"Are you alright?" Firouz asked
"Yeah, I'm fine"
"Nice necklace, the design it's Celtic?"
"Yes, my mother gave it to me when I was a child. She said she had a torque to give me but she gave it to someone else that was near and dear to her heart instead"
"What happened?"
"What?"
"To your hand?"
Ceara looked down at her hand, the scar was still there.
"A promise"
"You're Maeve's daughter aren't you?" Sinbad asked
"You're a quick one" Ceara said
"But if you're Maeve's daughter then who's..." Firouz trailed off as the rest of the crew looked at Sinbad.
"Get real you guys! Don't damn me!"
"Then who is?" Doubar asked
"My mother was a kind, warming, giving person that gave him everything that she had, and it wasn't good enougn. My father is a souless bastard. He obliterated what was left until there was nothing left at all" Ceara said
"Then why do you hate Sinbad so much?" Bryn asked
"I don't owe you an explanation" Ceara pushed past them and out the door
"That's because I am your father" Sinbad said
Ceara stopped dead in her steps. He was right, though, it was true. She was bound to him in a way that she could never sever, no matter how much she wanted to.
"Father of mine, tell me how do you sleep, with the children you abandon, and the wife I saw you beat? That's right, I saw everything that you did to her, and for that I hate you more than anything!"
"How can you be so sure?" Bryn asked
"Just like you to butt in where you don't belong! Don't test me witch! It is my mother's blood that flows through me, not the blood of some evil sludge"
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"Figure it out shorty!"
Bryn's eyes flashed yellow, and Ceara's eyes flashed red again. They tended to do that when she got angry. Bryn's eyes shot out two yellow beams. Ceara formed a blue shield around herself, and it was sent back and hit Bryn.
"Stop this!" Sinbad yelled
"Wait! I don't seem to understand the situation here" Firouz said as he tried to get between Sinbad and Ceara, "If you are Maeve's daughter, and Sinbad's as well, what are you doing here?"
"I don't know, what I do know is that a year or so ago, my mother disappeared, and shortly after that, DimDim did as well"
"A year ago? Maeve fell overboard then!" Firouz said
"Yes, and suffice to say, my world, my time no longer exists, and never will"
"How can you be so sure?" Doubar asked
"Because everything started to disappear, even me"
"That would be possible, if the fabric of time were to be altered like that. Things that were suppose to happen, didn't, then the outcome of those actions would cease to exist"
"Which means I can never go home again" Ceara said as she walked away
Sinbad chased after, her leaving Rongar to look after Bryn. He chased her up back onto the deck.
"Wait! Wait!" Sinbad yelled at her
She ignored him, and walked on, Sinbad finally cut her off.
"What you showed me, was it all true?"
"What do you I did? I created all this? Like I don't have better things to do?"
"You are Maeve's daughter, no doubt"
With that Ceara have him a hard good, right cross. He fell back.
"I will not have you utter my mother's name in that tone! Ever! You are not my father!" Ceara walked away
Sinbad got up, and watched her. She stood onto the railing of the ship, with her arms extended out. She relaxed and breathed a little.
"What is she doing?" Sinbad asked
She stood there perfectly still, even though the ship was still moving. Dermott perched on her arm as she stood there. And then slowly she fell into the water.
"NO!" Sinbad yelled as he ran to get her.
He leaned over the railing to see her. He say her laying in the water, her arms still extended, and then he saw her body become transparent almost. Her body turned into water, and melded with the sea.
Doubar walked over to him.
"What are you looking at?" Doubar asked
"I don't know" Sinbad answered
Hours had passed, the crew decided to retire, but Sinbad kept watching. Ceara had melted with the sea and remained there for a while. Finally, her body started to rematerialize, and a giant water sprout lifted her up and back onto the ship. Sinbad stood there in amazement. She glared at him and looked away.
"Why do you hate me so?"
"You know why"
"No I don't, you only showed me a bit, that I don't understand"
"Fine, here take it all then, feel what I've been feeling ever since I was a child!" She grabbed his head, and let all the pain and anger and betrayal flow into him, and let him deal with it.
Flashes, bright flashes, memories, strong feelings, of anger, pain, sadness, confusion, and angst.
"Mother? Father? Where are you?" a young Ceara said as she walked alone through her house.
She head the laughter of a man and woman.
"Mother! Father!" the child rejoiced as she ran into the room, though she only opened the door slightly, she didn't know what was happening inside. She peeked through and saw her father, in bed with a woman, not her mother. It was Talia. The two laughed and giggled and pulled the sheets over their heads.
The tears fell down the child's eyes as she ran away.
More flashes.
"Ceara, you must learn to control your powers"
"Yes mother"
"You must never use them for evil, you have a good heart, and your soul is pure"
"Yes mother"
"Good"
"Mother?"
"Why is father with that other lady?"
That question shocked her mother, she was taken back, and hurt.
"I don't know magelet"
"I know he's hurt you"
"Yes, yes he has"
"Does father love me?"
"Oh of course he does! Never question that, never, your parents love you both very much"
"Then why does he hurt you?"
"I don't know" she dropped her head and started to cry
More flashes.
An older Ceara walks into her house. She sees her mother crying again.
"Why do you let him do this to you mother?"
"Because I love him"
"I hate to see you like this, leave him, he doesn't deserve you"
"I can't, you'd grow up without a father"
"It's not like I ever had one"
A younger Ceara walked around carrying her doll. Her father walked by her.
"Daddy?"
"Yes?" he stopped and picked her up
"Where are you going?"
"I have to go back to the Nomad sweetie"
"Can I come?"
"No you can't, you have to keep mommy company, besides I'll be gone for a while"
"But you'll miss mommy's birthday"
"I know, but I'll get her something nice"
"Won't you miss us?"
"Course I will"
"Don't leave"
"I have to"
He put her down, but she still clung to him. He opened the door, and standing there was Doubar with Talia by his side. Ceara let go, threw her doll down and ran to her mother, who was still crying.
"Mommy!"
Ceara let go of him, and took a few steps back.
"I hate you! I hate you for all that you've done to us! To her! I hate you!"
"You're judging me on things that I haven't even done yet!"
"You hurt her! Over and over again! I watched her cry! I watched what you did to her! I hate you! HATE YOU!" Ceara sent a bold of energy directly at Sinbad, it hit him hard and sent him flying into the mast hard.
"I will hate you for all eternity!" she walked closer to him, her eyes red with anger, her body glowing red like lava, and in her hands flames.
"I promised I would make you pay for all this"
Ceara approached the unconcious captain as he lay there crumpled on the boards of the ship.
"All the fury and all the rage in the world wouldn't be enough to show you, to make you feel what you did to her!"
Bryn and the others burst onto the deck.
"Sinbad!" Bryn yelled out
"Do something Bryn!" Doubar yelled
"I'll try" Bryn tried to muster something.
A wind, getting fiercer, trying to put out the flames, but it didn't work, instead it just made them bigger! Ceara's body began to glow, and as if it were set on fire.
"Bryn!" Doubar yelled
Bryn realized that fire, fire is what she used, and that there was only one thing that could defeat fire. The ship started to shake, and a giant wave swept over.
Ceara increased her power, the flames surrounded her, the waters tried to put out the flames, but she wouldn't let them, she wouldn't let the sea win. Steam started to come out. The fire and water mixed, but steam, only steam came out. Ceara wasn't affected by the water. Sinbad's body was washed away, but caught by Firouz and Rongar.
"Don't test me witch!" Ceara said
She felt the waters pierce through. She was getting weak, she couldn't keep this up forever. The wave had just about finished. The waters washed away, and Doubar and Bryn pushed past the steam, and found Ceara lying on the floor unconcious.
Sinbad was taken to his cabin, where he rested and awoke.
"What happened?" Sinbad asked
"Don't move, you're still a bit dizzy" Firouz said
"I'm fine, where's Ceara?" Sinbad asked
"She was about to roast you, if Bryn hadn't shown up" Doubar said
"Is she a live?" Sinbad asked
"Barely. She gave quite a fight, but finally passed out" Firouz said
"I want to see her"
"Sinbad! This is madness! She would have killed you!" Doubar yelled
"No! She won't, she says she bound from that. She just wants to make my life a living hell, that's all" Sinbad said
"That's all" Doubar said
Ceara lay in Maeve's room, sleeping, dreaming.
"Mother? Mother where are you?" Ceara asked
Ceara stood there in the darkness, yelling out, but there was no response.
"Please, I need you, don't abandon me"
And then there was a pinpoint of light above her, getting brighter and bigger. Finally a face emerged, and an arm. It reached down and touched her cheek. It was warm, and loving. Ceara looked up.
"Mother"
"Magelet, I am always in your heart"
"Don't leave me, I'm not strong enough"
"Your heart is strong enough"
"Please, mother, don't go"
"I love you my dear sweet daughter"
She withdrew her arm away, and started to go back toward the light.
"No! Come back!"
She was back in the darkness again, alone.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Ceara woke up screaming
She found herself in someone's arms, they were warm, and inviting arms. She felt safe in them, it was familiar to her somehow. She tried to catch her breath, trying to calm herself down. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes, but she held them back in. She would never cry, ever again. After what she saw happen to her mother, she vowed never to cry again. It showed her weakness, her vulnerability, something she wanted no one to see. So she pulled them back in, as she always did.
The arms wrapped around her, and stroked her hair, so familiar, somehow. But she couldn't remember. And then the humming. The humming, as she remembered as a child, when she woke up from a bad dream.
"It's ok to cry"
Ceara's eyes flew open, and she pulled herself free from the grip.
"Never" she backed away from him, "Don't ever touch me again!"
"I'm just trying-"
"Don't bother to! You've done enough damage! For two lifetimes" she got up and tried to walk, but fell. Sinbad came to help her, but she pushed him away.
"I can get to and stand on my own two feet!" Ceara said as she got up
"I know you're angry"
"Angry? You have no idea what anger is!"
"Please! Show me, tell me more, tell me what I did, so I won't do it! So I can prevent this from happening!"
"You already have! Thanks to you, I will never be born, my world no longer exists. So you have prevented all this from happening"
"You don't understand"
"Now I don't understand?"
"Maeve was swept overboard, there wasn't anything I could do about it. Master DimDim said she was safe under his protection. He said that she would return when she had mastered the white arts. She will return"
"No she won't. You never found her because you stopped searching. You jumped around with every girl at every port. You never looked for her!"
"What could I do?"
"It doesn't matter now, it's too late"
"It's never too late"
"It is!"
"Tell me why!"
"Get out of my way!"
"Tell me"
Ceara using whatever magic she had left, moved Sinbad aside and walked out. She went back on deck.
Rongar approached her slowly.
"You don't have to worry, I've used up my magic for now, I can't hurt anyone"
*sigh! Good*
"You don't need to fear me, I mean you no harm"
*Are you sure?*
"Yes, after wall you were the one that taught me how to fight with a sword, and dirks, and arrows, and some other things. You were a wonderful teacher and mentor"
*I was? I am?*
"Yes, you and all the others, taught me so much, given me so much that I would never harm you in any way"
*Then why do you attack Sinbad?*
"Because I swore a blood oath that cannot be broken." she showed him the scar on her hand.
"That is a nasty scar" Firouz interjected
Ceara and Rongar turned around and looked at him suprised.
"Sorry I kinda overheard" Firouz said
"It's alright" Ceara said
"But you must tell us, so we can help you"
"There is nothing anyone can do to help me"
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I will never be born"
Firouz and Rongar looked at each other.
"My mother told me of the time she spent on the Nomad. She told me that it wasn't until the end of her first year and the beginning of her second year on the ship, that my father declared his love for her. I was concieved during the fall of the second year, and born in the spring of her third year. You say she was lost at sea, he never told her he loved her, and I will never be born. My mother disappeared because he never found her, and dimdim as well"
"Can't you travel back into time and stop her from falling overboard?" Firouz asked
"I don't even know how I got here in the first place. All I know is that I can never go home, I am damned, trapped here"
Rongar and Firouz were speechless, they didn't know what to say or do. Dermott flew down, and perched nearby. He chirped a bit.
*My dear uncle Dermott*
*You are full of anger*
*And other thigs as well*
*You cannot blame Sinbad for all this"
*I do, and will continue to, don't you miss her at all?*
*I do, deeply, but I know that she is under the protection of DimDim. She is safe, that is good enough*
*For you maybe, but for me all I want is to have her back*
*Maybe you should fill your heart with love, instead of hate and anger. You still have one other parent that's here*
*He was never my father. It takes ages to become a sorcerer, but anybody can be a father*
"Dermott" Bryn called out
*She's calling you as if you were her personal pet*
*She doesn't know*
*Obviously*
Bryn walked cautiously toward the hawk and the girl.
"Dermott?" Bryn asked
*He's fine, I have no intentions of harming him, you however are another question"
*Be nice!*
"I don't want any trouble" Bryn said
"Just a word of advice witch," Ceara raised both her hands up, one holding a fireball, and another holding a liquid ball, filled with water, "Next time, know which element you're dealing with" she pushed her hands together and the two extinguished each other and a little smoke came out. She smiled a phoney smile and walked off.
Sinbad came behind her.
"Something wrong?" Sinbad asked
"No, it's nothing" Bryn said as she stroked Dermott's feathers, "She is unique in a way, she has two elements flowing through her body"
"Why's that so special?"
"Because most of us only have one"
Ceara looked out at the sea.
"Magelet, you're here to meet some new people"
"Yes mother"
"These are the Druids, they know much, much more than me, they will teach you the ways of our people. Trust them as much as I do"
"Yes mother"
"Ceara, you are on the Isle of Man, forged by the great god of the sea, Manannan mac Lir, Lord of the Mists. You yourself posse that element, that and the element of fire. You are special, that is why your mother has sent you to us"
Ceara shook her head, she missed her mother greatly, more than ever now. Her blood flowed through her veins, but along with his, his blood, that would forever pollute her. If she could she would have bled his blood out, and be free of him, but she couldn't. He was forever a part of her, forever. She looked down at her hand.
"I hate you for what you did to her. What you did to us"
"Ceara, I have something to tell you"
"What is it mother?"
"I'm so excited! You're going to get a little brother and sister"
"But how?"
"What do you mean how?!"
"Mother-"
"Be happy for me, I am with child, I feel alive again"
"I am happy for you mother, I am happy to get a brother or sister. But is it-"
"Yes, your father and I worked out our problems"
"You mean his problems! How can you forgive him? For all that he's done!"
"Love works in mysterious ways sweet daughter, you father and I are happy once again"
"Then I am happy for you" Ceara hugged her
Ceara looked down, gloomily.
"I will make you pay for all that you've done to all of us"
"Perhaps we can reason with her" Firouz said
"Not likely" Sinbad said
But then Rongar appeared and stood infront of the girl. He placed his hands out in the open, extended towards her. Slowly the flames disappeared, and the glow faded. Her eyes flashed blue, as she lowered herself onto the deck. The girl bowed before him. Rongar placed his hand on her shoulder and motioned for her to get up. Her eyes looked up at him, as she jumped up and embraced him.
"What's going on?" Doubar asked
"Perhaps Rongar knows who she is" Firouz said
*I'm sorry, your highness* the girl said telepathically
*Why are you so angry?* Rongar asked
*I've lost everything, I can never go home again*
*It's not that bad, I lost everything, but I'm still alive and living my life*
*But you get it all back*
*Huh?*
*I'm sorry if I hurt, I never mean to*
The girl let go, and took a few steps back. Firouz appeared and tried to approach her.
"Are you alright?" Firouz asked trying not to provoke her in any way.
"Yes, I'm fine" the girl said
"You've got quite a temper little one" Doubar said
"I'm not little!" the girl yelled
The indeed was not, she was at least 17, and had the fire in her eyes that reminded Sinbad of someone he once knew, of someone he had forgotten.
"Who are you?" Doubar asked
"Someone that never existed"
"But you're here now" Doubar said
"Yes, now, and only now"
"What do you want with Sinbad?"
"Death. But I am bound to him in a way that will never be severed, and so I cannot kill him"
"If you want to kill me go ahead!" Sinbad yelled
"Sinbad!" Doubar said
"No Doubar, if she wants to kill me, then let her kill me. Whatever you are bound to can always be severed. Kill me, go ahead"
The girl looked at him, strangely.
"But before you do, tell me who you are"
"I was Ceara once, and I cannot kill you, no matter how much I desire it, I cannot"
"Why?"
"You are my mother's destroyer, but I cannot kill you"
"You haven't answered the question"
"I don't owe you anything!"
"If I am to die by your hands, tell me why?"
"Why don't I show you instead?!" she lunged and grabbed him, slamming her hand onto his head, knocking him back almost. It was only for a second, before Doubar and Rongar and Firouz would pull her away from him, but that was all it took.
"Mother why are you crying?" asked a young Ceara
"Nothing, it's nothing magelet" the woman wiped away her tears, she didn't want her child to see her like this.
"Mommy, did he hurt you?"
"Yes he hurt me" she said looking at the innocence in her eyes.
"I hate him! I'll make him pay for hurting you!"
"No, magelet, he doesn't mean to, I know he doesn't mean to"
"I saw him kissing that other lady, who is she?"
"The black rose of Oman"
"I hate them both! I'll kill them!"
"No! Magelet you mustn't. You are bound to him in a way that can never be severed. Promise me you will not kill him"
"I promise not to kill him"
"You are a good child Ceara" the woman hugged her
"I'll protect you mommy"
Flashes and more flashes, an older Ceara, walking around in a house.
"Mother where are you? Mother?"
DimDim appeared before her.
"Your mother is gone"
"NO!"
And DimDim came to comfort her, but then she felt the arms pull away, she looked up and he faded.
"DimDim? Where are you?"
"Mother? MOTHER!"
"Sinbad? Sinbad? Are you alright?" Firouz asked
"Yes, I think" Sinbad said as he looked around
Ceara struggled as Doubar and Rongar held onto her.
"I didn't hurt him! Let go of me!"
"What happened?" Firouz asked
"I saw something" Sinbad answered
"What?" Bryn asked
The girl broke free, her eyes flashed red again. Dermott flew down and perched nearby her.
"Oh no!" Ceara said as she went over to the hawk.
"She didn't free you" She said
*You know*
*Yes, I know Dermott* she petted his feathers
"This world is not meant for me, or you. This world shouldn't exist but it does"
Dermott jumped and landed on her sleeve. Her outfit was much like Maeve's, she wore the same white shirt, with the sleeves and everything. Only she didn't have a vest, just a belt like Maeve's. For some reason the hawk's talons weren't piercing her flesh. Her body glowed and along with Dermott's they floated down below the boards of the deck to a room.
Ceara looked around.
"So this is what she was like"
*YeS*
She walked around the room, she saw magic books, and a few other things that her mother kept. She then saw it, it lay there on the table, covered in dust. Her hand only grazed the blade for a moement, but it was enough. Flashes, of memories.
Ceara standing outside in the forest, holding her mother's sword. She held it in bothher hands. She then tightly gripping the edge of the blade with her hand, and then quickly pulled it through, slicing her hand. She squeezed her hand, letting the blood drip out. She thrust the sword into the ground. The blood tricked down her hand and fell into the ground.
"I swear mother, I will make him pay for all that he has done to you, to all of us. I swear it"
She removed her hand from the blade, Dermott looked at her and flew off, as the door opened. Sinbad and the others came in. And then it hit him, her standing here in her room, he realized who she was. Firouz pushed past them.
"Are you alright?" Firouz asked
"Yeah, I'm fine"
"Nice necklace, the design it's Celtic?"
"Yes, my mother gave it to me when I was a child. She said she had a torque to give me but she gave it to someone else that was near and dear to her heart instead"
"What happened?"
"What?"
"To your hand?"
Ceara looked down at her hand, the scar was still there.
"A promise"
"You're Maeve's daughter aren't you?" Sinbad asked
"You're a quick one" Ceara said
"But if you're Maeve's daughter then who's..." Firouz trailed off as the rest of the crew looked at Sinbad.
"Get real you guys! Don't damn me!"
"Then who is?" Doubar asked
"My mother was a kind, warming, giving person that gave him everything that she had, and it wasn't good enougn. My father is a souless bastard. He obliterated what was left until there was nothing left at all" Ceara said
"Then why do you hate Sinbad so much?" Bryn asked
"I don't owe you an explanation" Ceara pushed past them and out the door
"That's because I am your father" Sinbad said
Ceara stopped dead in her steps. He was right, though, it was true. She was bound to him in a way that she could never sever, no matter how much she wanted to.
"Father of mine, tell me how do you sleep, with the children you abandon, and the wife I saw you beat? That's right, I saw everything that you did to her, and for that I hate you more than anything!"
"How can you be so sure?" Bryn asked
"Just like you to butt in where you don't belong! Don't test me witch! It is my mother's blood that flows through me, not the blood of some evil sludge"
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"Figure it out shorty!"
Bryn's eyes flashed yellow, and Ceara's eyes flashed red again. They tended to do that when she got angry. Bryn's eyes shot out two yellow beams. Ceara formed a blue shield around herself, and it was sent back and hit Bryn.
"Stop this!" Sinbad yelled
"Wait! I don't seem to understand the situation here" Firouz said as he tried to get between Sinbad and Ceara, "If you are Maeve's daughter, and Sinbad's as well, what are you doing here?"
"I don't know, what I do know is that a year or so ago, my mother disappeared, and shortly after that, DimDim did as well"
"A year ago? Maeve fell overboard then!" Firouz said
"Yes, and suffice to say, my world, my time no longer exists, and never will"
"How can you be so sure?" Doubar asked
"Because everything started to disappear, even me"
"That would be possible, if the fabric of time were to be altered like that. Things that were suppose to happen, didn't, then the outcome of those actions would cease to exist"
"Which means I can never go home again" Ceara said as she walked away
Sinbad chased after, her leaving Rongar to look after Bryn. He chased her up back onto the deck.
"Wait! Wait!" Sinbad yelled at her
She ignored him, and walked on, Sinbad finally cut her off.
"What you showed me, was it all true?"
"What do you I did? I created all this? Like I don't have better things to do?"
"You are Maeve's daughter, no doubt"
With that Ceara have him a hard good, right cross. He fell back.
"I will not have you utter my mother's name in that tone! Ever! You are not my father!" Ceara walked away
Sinbad got up, and watched her. She stood onto the railing of the ship, with her arms extended out. She relaxed and breathed a little.
"What is she doing?" Sinbad asked
She stood there perfectly still, even though the ship was still moving. Dermott perched on her arm as she stood there. And then slowly she fell into the water.
"NO!" Sinbad yelled as he ran to get her.
He leaned over the railing to see her. He say her laying in the water, her arms still extended, and then he saw her body become transparent almost. Her body turned into water, and melded with the sea.
Doubar walked over to him.
"What are you looking at?" Doubar asked
"I don't know" Sinbad answered
Hours had passed, the crew decided to retire, but Sinbad kept watching. Ceara had melted with the sea and remained there for a while. Finally, her body started to rematerialize, and a giant water sprout lifted her up and back onto the ship. Sinbad stood there in amazement. She glared at him and looked away.
"Why do you hate me so?"
"You know why"
"No I don't, you only showed me a bit, that I don't understand"
"Fine, here take it all then, feel what I've been feeling ever since I was a child!" She grabbed his head, and let all the pain and anger and betrayal flow into him, and let him deal with it.
Flashes, bright flashes, memories, strong feelings, of anger, pain, sadness, confusion, and angst.
"Mother? Father? Where are you?" a young Ceara said as she walked alone through her house.
She head the laughter of a man and woman.
"Mother! Father!" the child rejoiced as she ran into the room, though she only opened the door slightly, she didn't know what was happening inside. She peeked through and saw her father, in bed with a woman, not her mother. It was Talia. The two laughed and giggled and pulled the sheets over their heads.
The tears fell down the child's eyes as she ran away.
More flashes.
"Ceara, you must learn to control your powers"
"Yes mother"
"You must never use them for evil, you have a good heart, and your soul is pure"
"Yes mother"
"Good"
"Mother?"
"Why is father with that other lady?"
That question shocked her mother, she was taken back, and hurt.
"I don't know magelet"
"I know he's hurt you"
"Yes, yes he has"
"Does father love me?"
"Oh of course he does! Never question that, never, your parents love you both very much"
"Then why does he hurt you?"
"I don't know" she dropped her head and started to cry
More flashes.
An older Ceara walks into her house. She sees her mother crying again.
"Why do you let him do this to you mother?"
"Because I love him"
"I hate to see you like this, leave him, he doesn't deserve you"
"I can't, you'd grow up without a father"
"It's not like I ever had one"
A younger Ceara walked around carrying her doll. Her father walked by her.
"Daddy?"
"Yes?" he stopped and picked her up
"Where are you going?"
"I have to go back to the Nomad sweetie"
"Can I come?"
"No you can't, you have to keep mommy company, besides I'll be gone for a while"
"But you'll miss mommy's birthday"
"I know, but I'll get her something nice"
"Won't you miss us?"
"Course I will"
"Don't leave"
"I have to"
He put her down, but she still clung to him. He opened the door, and standing there was Doubar with Talia by his side. Ceara let go, threw her doll down and ran to her mother, who was still crying.
"Mommy!"
Ceara let go of him, and took a few steps back.
"I hate you! I hate you for all that you've done to us! To her! I hate you!"
"You're judging me on things that I haven't even done yet!"
"You hurt her! Over and over again! I watched her cry! I watched what you did to her! I hate you! HATE YOU!" Ceara sent a bold of energy directly at Sinbad, it hit him hard and sent him flying into the mast hard.
"I will hate you for all eternity!" she walked closer to him, her eyes red with anger, her body glowing red like lava, and in her hands flames.
"I promised I would make you pay for all this"
Ceara approached the unconcious captain as he lay there crumpled on the boards of the ship.
"All the fury and all the rage in the world wouldn't be enough to show you, to make you feel what you did to her!"
Bryn and the others burst onto the deck.
"Sinbad!" Bryn yelled out
"Do something Bryn!" Doubar yelled
"I'll try" Bryn tried to muster something.
A wind, getting fiercer, trying to put out the flames, but it didn't work, instead it just made them bigger! Ceara's body began to glow, and as if it were set on fire.
"Bryn!" Doubar yelled
Bryn realized that fire, fire is what she used, and that there was only one thing that could defeat fire. The ship started to shake, and a giant wave swept over.
Ceara increased her power, the flames surrounded her, the waters tried to put out the flames, but she wouldn't let them, she wouldn't let the sea win. Steam started to come out. The fire and water mixed, but steam, only steam came out. Ceara wasn't affected by the water. Sinbad's body was washed away, but caught by Firouz and Rongar.
"Don't test me witch!" Ceara said
She felt the waters pierce through. She was getting weak, she couldn't keep this up forever. The wave had just about finished. The waters washed away, and Doubar and Bryn pushed past the steam, and found Ceara lying on the floor unconcious.
Sinbad was taken to his cabin, where he rested and awoke.
"What happened?" Sinbad asked
"Don't move, you're still a bit dizzy" Firouz said
"I'm fine, where's Ceara?" Sinbad asked
"She was about to roast you, if Bryn hadn't shown up" Doubar said
"Is she a live?" Sinbad asked
"Barely. She gave quite a fight, but finally passed out" Firouz said
"I want to see her"
"Sinbad! This is madness! She would have killed you!" Doubar yelled
"No! She won't, she says she bound from that. She just wants to make my life a living hell, that's all" Sinbad said
"That's all" Doubar said
Ceara lay in Maeve's room, sleeping, dreaming.
"Mother? Mother where are you?" Ceara asked
Ceara stood there in the darkness, yelling out, but there was no response.
"Please, I need you, don't abandon me"
And then there was a pinpoint of light above her, getting brighter and bigger. Finally a face emerged, and an arm. It reached down and touched her cheek. It was warm, and loving. Ceara looked up.
"Mother"
"Magelet, I am always in your heart"
"Don't leave me, I'm not strong enough"
"Your heart is strong enough"
"Please, mother, don't go"
"I love you my dear sweet daughter"
She withdrew her arm away, and started to go back toward the light.
"No! Come back!"
She was back in the darkness again, alone.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Ceara woke up screaming
She found herself in someone's arms, they were warm, and inviting arms. She felt safe in them, it was familiar to her somehow. She tried to catch her breath, trying to calm herself down. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes, but she held them back in. She would never cry, ever again. After what she saw happen to her mother, she vowed never to cry again. It showed her weakness, her vulnerability, something she wanted no one to see. So she pulled them back in, as she always did.
The arms wrapped around her, and stroked her hair, so familiar, somehow. But she couldn't remember. And then the humming. The humming, as she remembered as a child, when she woke up from a bad dream.
"It's ok to cry"
Ceara's eyes flew open, and she pulled herself free from the grip.
"Never" she backed away from him, "Don't ever touch me again!"
"I'm just trying-"
"Don't bother to! You've done enough damage! For two lifetimes" she got up and tried to walk, but fell. Sinbad came to help her, but she pushed him away.
"I can get to and stand on my own two feet!" Ceara said as she got up
"I know you're angry"
"Angry? You have no idea what anger is!"
"Please! Show me, tell me more, tell me what I did, so I won't do it! So I can prevent this from happening!"
"You already have! Thanks to you, I will never be born, my world no longer exists. So you have prevented all this from happening"
"You don't understand"
"Now I don't understand?"
"Maeve was swept overboard, there wasn't anything I could do about it. Master DimDim said she was safe under his protection. He said that she would return when she had mastered the white arts. She will return"
"No she won't. You never found her because you stopped searching. You jumped around with every girl at every port. You never looked for her!"
"What could I do?"
"It doesn't matter now, it's too late"
"It's never too late"
"It is!"
"Tell me why!"
"Get out of my way!"
"Tell me"
Ceara using whatever magic she had left, moved Sinbad aside and walked out. She went back on deck.
Rongar approached her slowly.
"You don't have to worry, I've used up my magic for now, I can't hurt anyone"
*sigh! Good*
"You don't need to fear me, I mean you no harm"
*Are you sure?*
"Yes, after wall you were the one that taught me how to fight with a sword, and dirks, and arrows, and some other things. You were a wonderful teacher and mentor"
*I was? I am?*
"Yes, you and all the others, taught me so much, given me so much that I would never harm you in any way"
*Then why do you attack Sinbad?*
"Because I swore a blood oath that cannot be broken." she showed him the scar on her hand.
"That is a nasty scar" Firouz interjected
Ceara and Rongar turned around and looked at him suprised.
"Sorry I kinda overheard" Firouz said
"It's alright" Ceara said
"But you must tell us, so we can help you"
"There is nothing anyone can do to help me"
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I will never be born"
Firouz and Rongar looked at each other.
"My mother told me of the time she spent on the Nomad. She told me that it wasn't until the end of her first year and the beginning of her second year on the ship, that my father declared his love for her. I was concieved during the fall of the second year, and born in the spring of her third year. You say she was lost at sea, he never told her he loved her, and I will never be born. My mother disappeared because he never found her, and dimdim as well"
"Can't you travel back into time and stop her from falling overboard?" Firouz asked
"I don't even know how I got here in the first place. All I know is that I can never go home, I am damned, trapped here"
Rongar and Firouz were speechless, they didn't know what to say or do. Dermott flew down, and perched nearby. He chirped a bit.
*My dear uncle Dermott*
*You are full of anger*
*And other thigs as well*
*You cannot blame Sinbad for all this"
*I do, and will continue to, don't you miss her at all?*
*I do, deeply, but I know that she is under the protection of DimDim. She is safe, that is good enough*
*For you maybe, but for me all I want is to have her back*
*Maybe you should fill your heart with love, instead of hate and anger. You still have one other parent that's here*
*He was never my father. It takes ages to become a sorcerer, but anybody can be a father*
"Dermott" Bryn called out
*She's calling you as if you were her personal pet*
*She doesn't know*
*Obviously*
Bryn walked cautiously toward the hawk and the girl.
"Dermott?" Bryn asked
*He's fine, I have no intentions of harming him, you however are another question"
*Be nice!*
"I don't want any trouble" Bryn said
"Just a word of advice witch," Ceara raised both her hands up, one holding a fireball, and another holding a liquid ball, filled with water, "Next time, know which element you're dealing with" she pushed her hands together and the two extinguished each other and a little smoke came out. She smiled a phoney smile and walked off.
Sinbad came behind her.
"Something wrong?" Sinbad asked
"No, it's nothing" Bryn said as she stroked Dermott's feathers, "She is unique in a way, she has two elements flowing through her body"
"Why's that so special?"
"Because most of us only have one"
Ceara looked out at the sea.
"Magelet, you're here to meet some new people"
"Yes mother"
"These are the Druids, they know much, much more than me, they will teach you the ways of our people. Trust them as much as I do"
"Yes mother"
"Ceara, you are on the Isle of Man, forged by the great god of the sea, Manannan mac Lir, Lord of the Mists. You yourself posse that element, that and the element of fire. You are special, that is why your mother has sent you to us"
Ceara shook her head, she missed her mother greatly, more than ever now. Her blood flowed through her veins, but along with his, his blood, that would forever pollute her. If she could she would have bled his blood out, and be free of him, but she couldn't. He was forever a part of her, forever. She looked down at her hand.
"I hate you for what you did to her. What you did to us"
"Ceara, I have something to tell you"
"What is it mother?"
"I'm so excited! You're going to get a little brother and sister"
"But how?"
"What do you mean how?!"
"Mother-"
"Be happy for me, I am with child, I feel alive again"
"I am happy for you mother, I am happy to get a brother or sister. But is it-"
"Yes, your father and I worked out our problems"
"You mean his problems! How can you forgive him? For all that he's done!"
"Love works in mysterious ways sweet daughter, you father and I are happy once again"
"Then I am happy for you" Ceara hugged her
Ceara looked down, gloomily.
"I will make you pay for all that you've done to all of us"