Little note:
Thanks to my BetaReader and to Nili for their help with this chapter :) Tank you girls :)
It was a beautiful, sunny morning. The yellow and orange lights of sunrise colored the exalted sails of the Nomad. The gentle winds just completed the picture. The sailor could not dream of better weather. Sinbad descended a rope, came to the stern and sat on the shipboard. Watching how the ship split the sea water, the happy captain felt relief that the whole wedding-show was over; now after they had dismissed all the guests, they could set sail again. They could go and look for new adventures. Together as a family; he, Maeve and their beautiful daughter could get to the secret island. He closed his eyes and thought how happy he is but his reflections didn't last long.
"Sinbad!"
Firouz voice caught the captain's ears.
"We are sailing to nowhere!"
The scientist ran closer, pointing at map.
"This area is empty, or rather full of rocks!"
Sinbad gave his friend a warning look. He had known that there was going to be problems with Firouz. Indeed, that area was full of rocks but the trip was safe for those who knew how navigate the water ways to Little Pearl and who got the right map.
"Firouz, how stupid you think I am?"
The captain stood up and passed confused man, told him, "We are going to follow Dim-Dim's directions!"
The young sailor came to the wizard who was standing near the mast and watching life on ship.
He gave a smile to Sinbad and said, " We will get there tomorrow evening."
"Did he have to buy one of these deserted, useless islands?"
"They are deserted and useless because of the sea rocks in there are. Only good sailors can manoeuvre through them. Your grandfather was an excellent one so he bought it.
Sinbad made a face and said,"So we can just pray that my title, Master of Seas, is right."
Then he went below. He walked into the galley and looked around. It was empty. The square room lead to four different cabins and to the cargo-hold. Opposite the stairs, there was one door that lead to a guest's cabin, on the right there was one to guys' cabin, the little, narrow passage on the left side from stairs lead to captain's cabins and to Maeve's cabin old which was going to be Marina's soon. Next to the stairs there was a doorthat lead to the cargo-hold. The place was rather dark, even if some light was striking through the crates on deck. There was a table in the center and some cups in one corner, some chests, a hanger with swords and much more stuff. Sinbad loved every single piece of his ship. The smell of the wood to even the dust. He smiled to himself and went to his cabin where his girls were supposed to be. He slowly opened the door and walked in.
"Hello Ladies"
His little lady was sitting on their bed with many pillows supporting her, and she was playing with her small, plush tiger which she got from her daddy. The girl, dressed in a blue, cotton dress smiled at her father. His big lady was sitting on chair and watching their wedding presents in one big chest.
She raised her head at Sinbad and said,"I don't know what we are going to do with all this sailor."
Sinbad closed the door and she continued, "I mean, sure there is no problem with the carpet."
Her eyes went down to the round one which she already ordered to be put in their cabin. He took a quick look at it too and walked to the bed.
"But stuff like five gold epergnes? What we'll do with that?"
He sat and put himself on his right side, holding his head in one hand and caught Marina's foot with second one. The girl laughed even before Sinbad kissed it.
Maeve rolled her eyes at them with a smile and said, "She grows so fast. Like yesterday, she came to this world and now look; she can almost sit up by herself already."
"Yeah, she is big and fat enough so we can eat her."
He made a funny face which supposed to look dangerous and put both her feet to his mouth.
"Arrrr…"
His little girl could not stop laughing.
Maeve rolled her eyes again at him,"Sinbad…"
"What? Of course she can sit up on her own, she is eighteen weeks already."
Eighteen weeks, Eighteen weeks… that number meant something to Maeve' much more than her daughter's age.
Suddenly she became exasperated; she closed the chest with presents and said,"Will you watch over her for a while or two? I have to talk with Caipra."
Sinbad looked at her while she was leaving and just before she closed the door he whispered a little confused,"Sure…"
Then he turned back at Marina,"Come on, Angel. You better enjoy the fresh, sea air a bit."
He stood up, took his daughter on his arms, picked up her beige blanket and wrapped it around the girl. Then they left the cabin.
Maeve found Caipra in the guest's cabin. She needed to talk with the great and powerful sorceress, but she also she needed a talk with an experienced woman. She had talked with Dim-Dim about her problem before but it was not the same. Caipra knew what she was experiencing; she knew what brought her young friend to her.
Both women sat at the table and Maeve started unsteadily and chaotically, "You know it's been 18 weeks already, since I gave a birth, and still I cannot create a single fireball."
The old woman took her hand.
"Calm down my child. The child-birth was not easy for you. You lost much of your power, like every sorceress who gives birth."
Anxious Maeve cut in,"Yes, Caipra but it's already been four months…"
The woman stroked her hand again.
"We both know that many bad things have happened in your life during the past year. You survived a fight with Rumina. You used much of your power to keep Alkida alive with the baby in your womb; even with so much of Dim-Dim's help it was not easy. Besides that you used most of your powers to save more than just two lives during that storm, didn't you?"
Caipra's words brought back memories from that horrible night. The fear, the pain, the desperate fight; she had been unable to do more.
The tears came to her eyes, "He was drowning, I felt it."
Those memories keot her awake at night, and she still felt those horrible emotions just as strongly now as she did then. She wished she could forget about all this but it was impossible.
She sighed,"I could feel how he was dying and then I didn't care what would happen… I just had to make sure that he got to land safe. On the other hand I felt weak…I still don't know how it happened, how Sinbad and I survive that fight. "
"Thanks to your devotion. You were not weak! You were strong enough to outsmart Rumina and won the fight. Praise be to that! Now you three can create a beautiful, happy family, together."
Caipra's warm words brought a small smile to Maeve's face.
The old wizard smiled back and added,"You were strong and you still are! You kust need some more time. You will see! I'm sure; you are going to feel better on the island. "
The young sorceress smiled again and answered,"I believe you are right as always."
The words flattered Caipra.
"Go get some fresh air. Stop thinking about your powers and you will not notice when it comes back."
Maeve nodded and slowly left the cabin. She breathed deeply and went up deck. Walking out she looked around and saw how Doubar smiled at her from the tiller. She walked closer to her brother in law.
"Hi"
"Hi, Lass. How do you feel in your new role?"
The woman looked at him little confused with his question so he added,"As a wife, I mean."
They both chuckled
"Oh, in that new role I feel… " She was looking for a good word with funny face. "… I feel very good…it feels more like becoming a mother once again but this time to a 28 years old baby boy."
The big man laughed at her words and said,"I know what you mean!"
He pointed with his look at Sinbad fooling around with Marina.
Maeve also looked in that direction. Her husband, sitting on the stairs leading to the center part of a deck, was playing the fool and their daughter, sitting on his knees, could not stop laughing.
She smiled to herself and whispered,"They look so beautiful together, don't they?"
Doubar nodded, "Aya, they do."
He also put a little smile on his face and added, "You know what I missed the most in the world during your absence?"
Maeve gave him a curious look to let him finish.
"That true, honest, big smile at my brother's face."
The redheaded put a little beam on her face at his words. She had missed it too and imagined it every day while looking at the sea, thinking of her blue-eyed captain.
"I have never seen him happier; but a few months ago, he was unhappy and changed like never before. He changed, he didn't smile truly, nothing gladden him, he was insensible, I could see it. With your back, I regained my real brother."
The redhead words made her wonder. It put their separation into a new point of view. Her consideration was disturbed by Sinbad who just came to them,"What are talking about?"
She gave a big smile at her husband and her daughter and said before Doubar even opened his mouth,"Nothing at all."
Sinbad eyed them with suspicious eyes. Their faces were saying something different than her. Maeve quickly added,"Come on, there is something I want you to read."
She took their captain under her arm and giving Doubar a wink, she went through the deck. They sat near the bow and from the little bag which she had attached to her belt; Maeve took out the roll of paper.
"Read it."
Sinbad put Marina on her mother's knees and took the paper.
Slowly unreeling it, he asked,"What is it?"
The woman, fondling her child's hand, smiled at him and said
"Your uncle's poem. He wrote it for me, as a wedding present."
Captain's eyes turned to the gold parchment.
Recipe for a perfect love
It lasts not briefly, neither though that long
That perfect time there is for love, for you and him
It brings both joy and sorrow, both equally strong,
And everything in time when it´s supposed to be.
You need that bit of sweetness dearly, but
There´s nothing wrong with some more bitter savour
Because if they´re well mingled and well cut
They will just add, will refine love´s full flavour.
A huff of clouds,
Some rays of sun,
Add some from later
And some from when you´d just begun
A bit of pepper,
A pinch of mint,
Some ways straight,
and some wiped by the wind
A bit of poetry
A bit of prose,
A bit of chaffs and grains,
in a tiny dose
Such a love, such a love is perfect as a rose.
And this is just as things should be
With ups and downs, the bad sides and the good
Heaven and Hell entwined in you and him
That´s how things truly are or how they should.
I´m sure you think the same of you and him
You´re meant together, You are two times two
You are strong as one, are bound and meant to be
You should enjoy each moment, me and him...
A huff of clouds,
Some rays of sun,
Add some from later
And some from when you´d just begun
A bit of pepper,
A pinch of mint,
Some ways straight,
and some wiped by the wind
A bit of poetry
A bit of prose,
A bit of chaffs and grains,
in a tiny dose
Such a love, such a love is perfect as a rose.
Sakin
Sinbad was reading uncle's poem with a beaming smile on his face. When he finished, he put his arm around Maeve's shoulders and said to her, "That's indeed a recipe for an ideal love, our love."
It had not always been charms and magic here. But her and him, they were real, just like their love which could survive every proof. They both had proved it many times.