With late afternoon The Isle of Bliss inhabitants organized a large bonfire to celebrate sword destruction. Everyone were enjoying themselves, putting pieces of meat and vegetables on a stick and hold it over a fire. Rongar and Doubar were peeling the ends of the sticks for kids. It was hard to judge who had more fun with that. On the other hand Firouz was fully professional all the time. Doing his observation on the phenomenon of deaf people and making his notes. Although there was silent around, the joy and positive atmosphere could be felt. Peoples eyes were full of hope for 'better tomorrow'.

This could not be said about Maeve. She was sitting alone on a tree stump and watching the fire from a distance. Lost in her thoughts was watching how red and orange flames are dancing in the bonfire. She felt upset. Although everything had ended happily, it was not the finale she had expected. Not that she regretted anything, she did not. Maybe only the fact she had not been able to predict Alana's plans earlier.

Thoughtful sorceress was wrapping lock of her hair around her finger when little redhead boy ran to her. Taken out of her reverie she looked at him but hardly could see his face behind huge bouquet of flowers which he was holing with both his hands. Boy smiled widely and gave Maeve the flowers. More than just surprised redhead took it making confused face. She wonderingly smiled at the kid but he only pointed at someone standing nearby. It was Sinbad. With arms crossed on his chest he was leaning against a tree, he smiled shyly at Maeve letting her know that the flowers were from him. Boy ran away leaving them alone. Captain raised his eyebrow making a begging face. Maeve only chuckled making a room for him on her tree stump. There was no need to invite him twice, he came closer and sat down next to her. Maeve was watching him carefully with suspicious look, demanding the explanation.

"Who are You and what have you done to our captain?" She asked firmly. Receiving flowers was the last things she had excepted, especially from Sinbad.

Sinbad only smiled shyly. He rested his elbows on his knees and folded hands. "I do own you an apologies, Maeve. And I need to thank you."

"I don't understand…" She shook her head gently. Even though she anticipated what he was gonna refer to, she still felt surprised. But it was a pleasant surprise.

He looked deeply into her eyes to let her feel that his words were really serious and honest.

"I own you the apologize because you warned me about the Alana. I did not listen. You had bad feeling and you were right about that. I ignored it. I should have listened to you from the very beginning and…" he stopped and sighed to continue in a while "…I should have trust you and be able to protect you…and the rest of the crew. "

He added 'rest of the crew' but he clearly was referring to her. The whole his soul was suffer and could not forgive himself he had not been listening to her. He had not trusted her. Even though he had never said it out loud he always had considered himself as the one who fully trust her. Trust to her with no limits. He had not. And facing the fact what kind of consequences it could have brought was making him felt guilty. Sinbad hoped that having her forgiveness will bring some relief for him as well. It was also very good excuse to spend some time alone.

"I am sorry, Maeve" He wanted these words to sound as honest as these really were. From the bottom of his heart. "From now on, I will listen to you. I promise."

Maeve frozen listening to him. She was surprised but it was such a nice feeling. Her heart accelerated its rhythm. Deep inside she had to admit to herself that it had not been just an anger and ambition following the fact that he had not listened to her. It had been something more emotional. She had felt more like punched in her heart. These apologies meant a lot for her. But somehow she was not able to let him see this.

"Meaning you will listen to my feminine intuition "

They both chuckled.

"Meaning, I will."

"Then the apologizes are accepted" She said smiling warmly.

Flowers smelled marvelously. Like whole meadow reduced to the size of the bouquet. Maeve dipped her face into it to smell the beautiful fragrance even more. "These are beautiful." She had to admit it was nice gift and gesture of him. "Thank you"

He once again looked deeply into her eyes.

"No, Maeve. I, thank you. For what you have done for Doubar."

That moment in the cave, just a seconds before the wish, their gazes had met. Even back then he had seen in her eyes that she had had no doubts. On the other hand, in that pretty moment she had seen in this look the gratefulness. Like they had been able to understand and communicate each other without saying anything.

Maeve put the bouquet on her knees and grabbed Sinbad's hand.

"No need to thank me for anything. Doubar is like a brother to me as well. Besides..." she paused for a moment "...I know you would do the same..."

"I would…" he whispered straightening up a bit.

He would. He actually was doing the same for her all the time. Helping her brother. But he couldn't know. No one could. It was her secret. An onus which she could not share although she really wanted.

Now there was just a silence. Still looking in each other's eyes, both leaned their heads a bit closer. It was just seconds but for them seemed like hours. Thousands different thoughts passing their minds. As desperately they wanted next step to happen as much they know they should not let it happen. Maeve was still holding Sinbad's hand. When she gently was touching it she noticed a small wound. It was good opportunity to break the moment. A few seconds later she was not going to be able to stop that anymore. Only fractions of millimeters separated their lips when she pulled back her head.

"You are hurt?" She asked pointing at the wound on his wrist. But just in a second later their eyes met again. Non on of them was sure whatever the question was referred really to the wound or to the broken kiss.

"I will be fine" He confirmed warmly to ensure her that his wrist will be fine but also to let her know that he will wait as long as its needed, giving her as much time as she needed.

Maeve appreciated it. She felt bad that she could not be fully honest with him but she was not ready. The fact he respected it was making her loved him even more. To let him feel that she put gently her head on his shoulder. This gesture was enough for him to understand the intention.

It was kinda amazing how they could understand each others without words, still pretending like that. He pulled his arm around her waist to have her closer.

"What about Doubar? You think he also gonna be fine?"

Again the question could have double-meaning but both of them exactly knew how to play this game. After all they were dictating its rules. The main one was to always read between the lines.

"You know Doubar, he has big heart. He always has been very emotional…"

"That is why she chose him. He was an easy target to use for her purposes…"

"It is not always so black and white, Maeve. Even when he knew that her intentions were not honest, he still was trying to believe other way. Then trying to believe he can help her. People are doing strange things, when they are in love "

Their conversation was entering the path of ambiguity again. Or perhaps never had left that path.

"We both know that such love is impossible, Sinbad" She said with shaky voice, almost whispering. Even she was not sure if still referring to Doubar.

Sinbad gently rested his chin on her forehead dipping his nose in her hairs. "Impossible loves… I am very much afraid they can easily become an addictions."

Was he trying to excuse Doubar or giving the approval of what is between them?

"An addiction is something very dangerous…" she whispered still with shaky voice. "An addiction can easily turn into obsession and the there is a very fine line between the obsession and the madness."

And again there was just a silence. The smell of her hair poured into his nostrils. He closed his eyes. Yes, he was addicted. There was nothing but the true in what had just been said. No matter how much he was fighting with that it was an addiction. He could easily named a few moments when it had been an obsession. In Vincenzo's palace. When she had been kidnapped by people in helmets with horns. In vanishing village. Since yesterday he had been also able to name the moment when it was a madness. A moment when she fell overboard. Only now it appeared to him that it had been madness.

He opened his eyes and sighed. "But everything had its happy ending." He paused. "Doubar will be fine" He added in a second. He was still in game.

Maeve raised her head to look into his eyes. " I truly believe that everything has its happy ending. Sonner or later" she said with a gently smile.

Sinbad answered with the same well known sparkles in his eyes. "I truly believed that, too" Then he pointed at the flowers on her knees. "Come we will put them into water"

Maeve nodded, "Aya, not every day you receive flowers from your captain" she could not help herself to teas him a bit when they got up from the tree stump and started to walking in bonfire direction.

"We can work on that." There was no need to wait long for the answer.

"Sent through redhead boy" Maeve added biting her lips and looked down to pretend seriousness, trying not laugh at loud and being pretty sure she won. But again answer was immediate.

"We can work on that, too"

He won the game.