A Christmas Tale
By StarLyte
Heading north this time of year was the time of pure joy. The western people celebrated a holiday called Christmas. Doubar told Sinbad about it as well as Maeve, but this is the first year he would celebrate it. Sinbad had many things to celebrate namely the return of his fiery sorceress.
"Sinbad are you listening?"
"Sorry Firouz I was just admiring the decorations you guys added to my ship."
"We thought it would put everyone in the spirit."
"Aye it has. But it has also made the deck smaller"
Maeve joined the two and laughed. "Is that all you can say Sinbad?" she pouted "No it looks great or I have never seen the ship look better"
"It looks great Maeve. I have never seen the ship look better"
"Well now that's just being plain mean" she stuck her tongue out at him and then smiled. She ran her fingers through his newly shortened hair and laughed. "And people say that you can't tame the master of the seven seas."
"Now what do you mean by that?"
"Well it seems at my first complaint of your clothing you returned to what I enjoyed most"
"Aye, but it was not your complaint that made me change it was the fact that the clothing was boring me. Yes the fact that I cannot find my headband or sash has not eluded me."
"Oh sure it was." She smiled at him and walked off
Sinbad smiled at her as she talked with Doubar. He turned his attention back to Firouz who was talking about the history behind Christmas.
"Oh Sinbad this is so great! My cousin lives in the village we are going to! He says at this time of year the village is covered in snow! I haven't seen snow since well I have never seen snow!"
"Aye Firouz me neither. But I hear it is very fun to play in. If only we were still children"
"Everyone on this ship is a child at heart. You especially Sinbad"
"What is it mock your captain day? It's mutiny against me!"
"You see mutiny wherever you go."
Sinbad laughed happily as one of the crewmembers called out that they were coming upon land.
As the day wore on the Nomad launched the longboats and the main crew boarded the land. Sinbad left Muhamd in charge of the Nomad until he returned. He promised extra shore leave to those who stayed.
"So Firouz how much farther until we get to the village"
"Only three hours"
Doubar looked at him grimly and said "Only three hours. And it's only below freezing here. We could've had some more warning Firouz"
Maeve laughed "Oh Doubar. Back home it was like this all the time. It isn't bad. And wait until you make your first snowball. You'll never complain about the snow again"
Firouz readily agreed.
As the crew came upon the village Maeve lagged behind. As Sinbad turned to ask her why she had slowed down he was hit in a face b a very cold and hard object
"Maeve what was that?" he yelled as he rubbed his burning face "It's hot!"
"No Sinbad it's snow. It's so cold it burns." She laughed as she saw how red the captains' face was
"Little brother… your face… it looks like a lobster" Doubar laughed.
"Maeve" Sinbad said threateningly
Sinbad began to advance toward the sorceress who backed away "Now Sinbad it was all just a little joke. No need to get angry"
Sinbad pounced on her sending them both failing into the snow. Sinbad started to tickle her. "No Sinbad… stop…. okay okay I give" she hiccuped as Sinbad rolled off of her.
"No Sinbad there was no need for that"
"That is where you are wrong Maeve. There was." He laughed lightly and continued onward. Maeve soon followed threatening sweet revenge.
An hour later they reached Firouz's cousins house. Being stopped by snow fights among members and the occasional slip on the ice.
"Here we are. Oh I hope they're home. I haven't seen Babar in about ten years I believe"
"I hope so too Firouz." Sinbad added "If not where will we stay for the night?"
Firouz nodded and knocked on the door. It was opened by a woman only a few years older then he.
"Firouz!!!"
"Sofia! It's so good to see you!"
They embraced as Firouz introduced his companions
"You are the captain Sinbad?"
"Yes I am."
"Well then welcome to our home. Firouz I'm sure Babar will be happy to see you"
She escorted them into the house and Firouz was quickly embraced by an older man. Introductions were again made and everyone calmly sat down while Sofia served drinks and snacks.
"So is this your first time in our land?" Babar asked
"Yes sir it is. Many of us here have never seen snow. Only Maeve here knows it, yet Firouz was very adamant about it being much fun." Sinbad replied
"Ah yes. Firouz does love to read. Every letter I send him I tell about the weather. He always wrote back with interest, but could never find a ship to take him this far north. Believe me you'll enjoy your stay."
The crew nodded happily as Babar left the room only to return a minute later with a flat board with rails under it. All the crew looked at him oddly expect Maeve who happily jumped up.
"Oh a sled! I haven't been on one of these since I was a young girl!"
Babar smiled at her and handed her the sled. He went back and got three more and handed them out among the crew.
"Now go. Have fun. Dinner will be at sundown. But until then use the sleds. I haven't used them in years."
The crew nodded and left the room. Maeve led them to a steep hill and started to climb.
"Umm Maeve." Doubar started "Where are we going?"
"To the top of the hill. Then we use the sleds to sled down it."
She shook her head and continued up the hill. Once reaching the top Maeve put the sled down and waited for the others. She smiled at them and then instructed them on how to use the toy.
After she finished she sat on the sled and soared down the hill. The rest watched on wearily, concerned about the speed she flew down the snow-covered hill. After a threat from the bottom Sinbad sighed
"Well I for one am not going to be called a coward by that witch." He started jokingly "if she can do it well then so can I."
He sat down on the sled and promptly fell over. Doubar and the rest doubled over laughing. Rongar signed that Sinbad should try to settle the sled first then sit on it. Sinbad glared at him then sighed again and sat down on the sled.
As soon as he was seated the sled moved forward. He looked frantically at his brother and friends who only waved. He looked down at the hill and then all of a sudden he sped down it yelling all the way.
Getting to the bottom he flew into a drift unable to stop the sled. Maeve watched the whole thing and was on the ground laughing.
"Oh Sinbad! You had to see your face! You were so scared!"
"I was not scared. Just a little confused."
"Oh don't you lie! You were so scared that you forgot how to stop!"
"I did not! The rope was missing! That's all."
Maeve continued to laugh at him, but she did not pursue the matter and further. A call from the top of the hill warned them that Doubar was coming down. He skidded down the hill and fell off his sled halfway down rolling the rest of the way.
"Don't start little brother, Maeve. The sled flew out from under me."
The two laughed harder and soon were joined by a laughing and very snowy Firouz and Rongar. As the day wore on the races started. Maeve won them all for she was the only one among them whole could fully control the sled. Sinbad caught on quickly and he soon became competition.
"This is the last race. It will be dark soon." Maeve started
Sinbad and Doubar climbed the hill for the final time.
"I will beat you little brother. If it is the last thing I do."
Sinbad just laughed. At the top of the hill they sat their sleds down and positioned them. They sat atop the sleds as Firouz called "Go!"
They raced down the hill neck and neck, but Doubar soon lost control and started the skid across the hill. Sinbad laughed at him, but soon after Doubar came crashing into him sending them both to the ground rolling down the hill. At the bottom the others laughed as Doubar got up and helped Sinbad up.
"Well," Maeve started "that had to be the best race yet. No winner, yet very fun to watch."
Sinbad glared at her as she started to laugh again.
"Well we must get going. Sofia has a lovely dinner planned I bet. And then tomorrow we open gifts!" Firouz said
They all nodded and followed the bubbly scientist as he started to explain the meaning of Christmas Eve. Sinbad's thoughts drifted away to the sorceress. It was good to have her back again. He missed Bryn yes, but she never could fill his heart like Maeve did. And Bryn was happy. She had found her family and was spending the holiday with them. He thought about the present he had gotten for Maeve. Two actually. He hoped she liked them. Both the presents and the person meant a lot to him.
As dinner ended the occupants of the house showed the sailors where they would be sleeping. Everyone soon bid goodnight and promptly fell asleep after a long and energetic day.
The Next Morning
Sinbad was the first to wake and he silently crept downstairs. He smiled as he saw the presents piled under the tree. He heard something behind him and turned to see a sleepy Maeve emerge into the room.
"Hey there sleepy head." Sinbad said lightly.
"Hey. So did we get any presents?"
Sinbad nods to Maeve who smiles.
"So what did you get me?"
"Oh no. I'm not telling. Your going to have to wait." Maeve pouts, but walks over to the tree and sits down in front of it.
"Such a beautiful tree. Almost as if it was made for this holiday."
"Aye. It was."
They continue to stare at the tree as Doubar, Rongar, Firouz, Babar, and Sofia trudged into the room
"Ohh presents! Everyone gather round the tree!" cried Firouz
Everyone gathered around the tree and opened their presents. Doubar laughed as he pulled out a new saber and gave his brother a big hug.
"The old one hurt your wrist" started Sinbad "So we all put in some dinars and bought you a lighter one."
Doubar walked around the room and gave everyone else a big hug Maeve presented him with a new turban seeing that his old one was quite worn. Firouz and Rongar both gave him tools to sharpen the new saber.
Firouz was given goggles, new gloves, a holder for his tools, and a new beaker for his inventions. Rongar was given new dirk sharpeners, some new dirks, a new cloak, and a new dirk holder.
Sinbad smiled as everyone handed their presents to their friends. He smiled as he found a gauntlet from Maeve with a note attached "so you and Dermott can bond more often without you cutting up your arm". He also received a new headband and sash from Doubar replacing the ones he lost. He also got a hair trimer from Firouz and a new knife from Rongar.
Maeve was given a new cloak from Doubar, a new sword sheath from Rongar, and a bottle filled with soap from Firouz. (He called it hair cleaner)
Maeve turned to Sinbad expently who blushed. He handed her a small box and looked away. Maeve opened the box and gasped. It was a beautful ruby necklace that was in the shape of a heart.
"Oh Sinbad! This is so beautiful! Thank you!"
She jumped up and gave the embrassed captain a hug and a kiss on the cheek. The rest of the crew laughed at the look on Sinbad's face and received a glare back in the process.
They stopped laughing and entered the kitchen for breakfast.
That night everyone but Maeve and Sinbad went up to bed because of having to rise early the next morning to return to the ship.
"It was a lovely Christmas." Maeve said
"Yes it was. But you have one gift that you did not open."
"Oh really? What was it?"
"You'll see." Sinbad leaned over to Maeve and handed her a smaller box. It was wrapped in lace. Maeve carefully opened it not wanting to ruin the lace. She opened the box to find a diamond ring in the shape of a seashell.
"Oh Sinbad. You didn't have to get me this. It most've cost so much."
"Do you like it?"
"Of course I do!"
"Well then there's one more thing that goes with it."
"What's that?"
"This."
Sinbad leaned over and gave Maeve a light kiss she responded with the same lightness. Sinbad pulled away and looked into her eyes.
"The last part is. Will you marry me?"
Maeve looked at him and saw the love shining in his ocean eyes. She watched him for a moment then nodded.
"yes Sinbad. I'll marry you."
Sinbad cried out happily and picked Maeve up and spun her in a circle.
"You have made me the happiest man in the world! I love you Maeve."
"And I love you. This truly was the best Christmas ever."
Sinbad nodded as the two leaned in for a kiss.
The End