Hello everyone.
This is the edited version of a short one-shot that I wrote a couple of weeks ago while a creative block was establishing itself. I feel I am slowly overcoming the same and have now started writing again. One of my first projects thereby was this little fiction here, which I hope has turned into something decent now.
It has always bothered me quite a lot how quickly Sinbad gave up on Doubar during "The Beast of Basra", how he seemed to be all like "Well, my brother is a beast now, too bad but I need to kill him" (quoting inbid here for a moment) and somehow I wanted to fix this and show a bit of what *must* have been going on inside of him.
A huge thank you goes to the girls over at DistantLands who gave the first draft a read and shared their thoughts on it with me. I hope you guys approve of the adjustments!
And for all those who are waiting for an update of "Rise of the Phoenix" – I'm working on that one, I promise. One of the reasons for uploading this shot now is to tell you that I'm still alive and working on the next chapter. The creative block hit me hard, but I hope to get back on track quickly enough.
But now, enough with this rambling speech. I hope you enjoy the read, even though it's a somewhat sad one.
Love, TK
In the fading light of day
Why him?
He asks this question for a thousand times it feels. He asks the winds and the sea alike but none of them is willing to answer him.
They just keep on murmuring in tongues he does not understand – leaving him strangely alone when his heart is slowly breaking asunder.
The man who has always been with him, who has always protected him, is gone from his life - so sudden, taken away when he needs him the most.
The other one has always been his home, has guarded him when his world has fallen from grace. He was there when their old life ended and he was there when their new one began. He stood by the captain's side when the sun shone and offered him shelter when the sky was tormented with rain.
He was father, brother and friend to him.
He was all the younger one had.
He was his family.
Sinbad never really knew his parents, never knew their names. He holds no memory of them and yet he knows who they were for his brother has told him.
In those long and lonely nights in which Sinbad lay awake as an infant, crying over the fate that had been bestowed upon their family Doubar has told him, cradling his small frame in strong arms while sobs shook his trembling body.
A child the young boy was and so was his sibling. But the first mate turned an adult the day their old lives drowned in the storm.
He became an adult because there was nothing else for him to do - became an adult because of Sinbad.
And he always watched over the little one, never tiring of the task he had been given. He turned down a life of his own, forsaking captainship just to be with the last survivor of his past; gave up on what could have been only to be a guide for a soul that he had sworn to protect till the end of all days.
The sailor has asked him so often if he ever had regrets, if he mourned what could have been. And in a way Sinbad has always wanted him to say that he did, has wanted the guilt he felt deep within to be real.
But each time he spoke to the other Doubar just looked at him with their mother's gentle eyes, shook his head and smiled.
Nothing more but this.
Sinbad knows his brother wouldn't have changed a thing. He would have given his life for the little one, would have embraced death if it had meant that he was safe from harm.
Doubar did dare the night only to protect him, defied the beast when the Nomad's captain should have fallen to its bane. He attacked when they both knew just how dangerous the move was, got in the creature's way only to save the one who meant more to him than anyone else.
And now he's gone.
Like a sharp knife the truth stings. It is tearing the young sailor's heart apart and shatters it like it was made of nothing but fragile glass.
The waves crash relentlessly against the stony shore, whistle and murmur but never do they offer solace or advice.
There is no hope left for Doubar or for him. No other way to go.
Sinbad knows that Basra's citizens will show no mercy towards his brother; that they will kill him painfully and slow. These people do not know that he is not the monster that devoured their kin. They only see the hair and teeth; they will not listen to the seafarers' cries.
And he will not try to flee. Doubar will welcome them - will wait until the curse is broken with the last shuddered breath that leaves his chest.
He will rather die than be a danger to those he loves.
But Sinbad cannot let that happen. He cannot let his brother down.
While the cool breeze carries the salty scent of the seas to him, the captain's features harden. One last time he will be there for the other man, be his guardian like so often Doubar has been his.
He will free his brother from the dark; protect him when his own strength is failing.
He is in the woods Sinbad knows - can feel him be out there even when they are apart. No foot will he set into the town, will rather starve than harm those who are as innocent as him. As always, he is thinking of others when they should be thinking of him.
He is still alive. Still there.
Hidden in the depths of a cruel beast there beats a human heart. A heart that is slowly breaking to pieces.
From the distance, soft footsteps are approaching, and the captain stiffens visibly upon the sound. He knows who they belong to, knows his friends and crew are waiting for a decision to be made. They all feel the heavy burden of losing someone dear to them, and they are aware of what has to be done. But none of them can really understand, and none of them can be the older man's saviour.
The choice is made in a matter of seconds. Because he won't let anyone else bear its weight on their heart.
He will release him. Set him free.
He will be with him when their world cracks - will cry with him in the fading light of day.
While around them the world falls into darkness, Sinbad will make sure that his brother won't have to suffer anymore, and he will make him see the sun.
It will be the last time that they will walk a path together, the last time that they will hear the familiar voices.
The sailor knows that this parting might well be his doom, knows that the wound will never heal. The emptiness that Doubar leaves behind will be a void never to be filled, and with him there will go the last reminder of who the captain was before – the boy the other one loved leaving to be at his side 'till the downfall of the skies.
Firouz speaks out to him now, calling his name but Sinbad does hardly acknowledge the inventor. His gaze is still set on the restless water, and on the horizon.
Together the siblings will take this journey, will face it side by side.
The first mate's faith will never dwindle even as they take this bitter choice.
Through his tears the other will warm the younger one when Sinbad's skin is cold, will lead him when he does not know the way. His brother's guardian Doubar will be for one last time – be his home forevermore.
And the captain in turn will hold him as he goes, will be with him when their world comes crashing down.
Will hold him when at last their time is running out.