.
She was the true definition of strong.
.
Sinbad knew quite a fair amount of capable women.
There were his only female generals, Yamuraiha and Pisti. A magician and a animal-whisperer, they were more than powerful enough to take on large amounts of enemies.
There was also Kougyoku. She had a dijin that was powerful as heck, as well the fact that she was a princess from the Kou Empire. (Influence means a lot these days.)
And not only her, but he had heard her cousin and sister (Haku-something) had also conquered a dungeon. She was probably just as powerful as Kougyoku, if not more.
If those weren't enough, there was the magi from Reim, the one who had lived for decades. Just going by the fact that she was a magi, he knew she had to be pretty strong.
He could probably list a few more, but there was only one woman who fit the literal definition of strong.
Yamuraiha had her magic, but could she break a boulder with her bare fist?
Pisti could use her animals, but what was she without them?
Kougyoku and her cousin, if they didn't have their dijins, how strong would they be?
The Reim magi, could she create an earthquake simply by stomping her foot?
While all of these females were listed as 'strong', they relied on something else to give them strength. The girl he was thinking of was strong both in the physical and mental sense. Her mind was like iron, as were her legs. When she got mad she didn't say it out loud, she simply smashed her foot down, letting anyone within a three mile radius know of her discomfort.
She was the true definition of strong.
And so as Sinbad saw her grow from a slightly awkward girl into a beautiful young woman, he couldn't help but think that maybe he should've taken her under his wing when he had had the chance. He could've become something akin to a mentor or brother to her, like Masrur. But it was to late now, and it was no use crying over spilled milk. And even if he had done that, eventually she would've surpassed him and moved on in life. He has no doubt that if she tried hard enough, she could accomplish anything she wanted.
But even knowing all of this and even knowing she doesn't hold a place in her heart for him (he doubts she even remembers his name), he can't help but watch as she stutters in embarrassment when walking with Alibaba or when she laughs lightly while discussing things with Aladdin. And he especially can't help it when he notices the way she practically seems to glow around the pedophile magi, her newest 'sensei'.
(That idiot Yunan probably drugged her tea...)
Sinbad supposes that maybe it wouldn't of been so bad if he'd taught her, because then at least he'd of gotten to know her if only for a short time. But that was then and this is now. So when he sits down next to her on a bench in the middle of the afternoon, he complements her hair and thinks that maybe he's glad. He's glad because now he has a chance to become something else. Something more.
.