He felt the sunrays hit his skin and then, suddenly the ground disappeared under his feet as a man lifted him up. He knew this man, but as he looked at his face, it was a blur. Indistinct features that seemed so familiar, but just out of reach. The man was out of reach. Sinbad's arms were too short. The man. He said something. The words were clear. Sinbad understood them. But there was no sound. He didn't hear anything.
"Sinbad, you'll become the man who changes the world!"
Then the world faded to white and he woke up. He kept his eyes shut though, trying to remember the man's face. A face he could not remember anymore.
It was really hot outside, even the gentle breeze, hitting his skin was warm. He knew it wouldn't last though. When night come, the sweltering heat would be replaced with a cold fog like it did every night. He was growing used to it, so right now, he was just enjoying the heat in the shade of a tree in the palace garden. He'd hear for his slacking off later. He knew that.
He could almost already hear Ja'far raise his voice at him. He could feel Serendine's piercing glare and he was sure he heard Mystras whine about having left him behind to work while he was resting.
He knew he was supposed to feel guilty. To stand up and return to work, but right now it felt too good to just stay right where he was. He slowly opened his amber eyes and the sight he was met with made him jump and sit up straight, only to be greeted by an intense headache. Before him stood king Rashid. He hadn't even heard him walk up to him. He'd like to pretend he didn't let out a sound, but he couldn't definitively say he didn't.
"Slacking off, are you?" the king asked. His golden eyes were so gentle it almost hurt to meet them. Sinbad chuckled softly and smiled at his mentor.
"I needed some fresh air and I must have fallen asleep..." he smiled and tugged gently at a purple lock. His amber eyes evade the older male's and travel towards the sky above. Not a single cloud to be seen.
Rashid dropped to one knee and Sinbad's eyes quickly move to observe the king. Rashid leaned forward and with a gentle hand, he stoked Sinbad's bruised neck.
"Always getting into trouble. Sinbad, I can't always be there to help you. You need to be more careful in the future." The older man sighed as his long fingers traveled over Sinbad's bruised neck. The merchant knew the king was right. He knew he should think more before he acted. He knew he shouldn't rely on Rashid to save him every time, but the thought was uncomfortable. He wanted to push it away. Push it out of his head. The thought that the man next to him could disappear from his life…
Just like him.
"I had a dream..." he said. His voice was weak. He knew why. Those words, he knew who had said them. But he couldn't place a face or a voice to this person. It made him uncomfortable. It made him uncomfortable knowing who said those words to him, but failing to remember his face, or his voice.
Rashid's hand, still caressing his neck, stopped for a moment before it moved to his cheek. The king's golden eyes watched the merchant intensely, but there was something about them, which made Sinbad feel better.
"A dream?" The king asked. His hand gently caressing Sinbad's cheek. The teen nodded, but didn't continue, so Rashid let it go. His hand moved into Sinbad's hair, and behind his head, pulling into a gentle embrace, "It was just a dream." He whispered softly against Sinbad's hair.
Sinbad could feel a sting in his eyes. He instinctively moved his arms, wrapping them around the king's waist, burying his face against the older male's chest, inhaling the king's scent. He closes his eyes, hiding amber orbs behind eyelids. He relaxes in the older male's arms as gentle kisses are placed on top of his head.