There are a few geographical inaccuracies in this story: The Cape of Good Hope was named that a couple of centuries after the 6th. In Sinbad's day they didn't travel around the Cape because it is a very dangerous route that entailed being a long way away from land because of the treacherous seabed near the coast. Also, Baghdad is depressingly far inland, so I moved it to the top of the Persian Gulf.
The premise of this story is that Sinbad's parents didn't die and that Rumina never interfered with Dermott. I has been written Christmas 2013 for a friend.
Though his travels didn't usually find him on the east side of the African continent often- there were adventures aplenty on his own side! This time when Captain Sinbad set out, he felt like rounding the Cape once more, so he did. He was incredibly lucky to be able to spend so much time following his fancies; his father owned a large trading empire and was content to let his younger son explore to his heart's content as long as he continued to find prosperous new trade routes and struck worthwhile trade-agreements with grateful people he saved from one misfortune or another. The elder son, Doubar, stayed home in Baghdad with his wife and children, helping his father run the port-side of such a large enterprise.
Sinbad docked in a harbour of a city in what is now Portugal, knowing he would have to turn back soon if he wanted to round the Cape safely again this year. He could just have some more adventures around these waters and then sail the length of the Mediterranean sea from which he could join a caravan and ride home, but he was a sailor through and through and felt strongly that he needed to bring the ship he sailed out with home.
"Hello there Captain Sinbad! Dreaming of the sea the moment you set foot on land, are ya?" A large man with a shock of white hair and whiskers that stood in sharp relief to his nutbrown, leathery skin, approached Sinbad.
"You're right there ol' Sil, when the sea's call sings in your blood there's no other place to be!" Sinbad answered jovially, recognising the harbourmaster of these docks from long-ago journeys.
"I remember you as a nipper, your ole' Cap'n Mo never got tired of telling about how you stowed away on his ship to become a sailor, waxing all poetical about the call of the seas just as you're doing now," Old Sil said, clapping Sinbad on the back. "Come walk with me to my office, you can pay your dock fees there and I can tell you all the latest on the way."
Sinbad fell into step with him. "Dock fees? For an old friend like me?"
"Aye, even for an old friend like you. If I waved 'em for friends a friendly man like myself would go broke inside a year. Now are you going to sail around here for a bit or are you heading down the Mediterranean?" The old man asked.
"Neither, I am sailing right back down to round the Cape again," Sinbad said.
"Cutting it a bit close, aren't you? The Cape's not a forgiving place, especially this close to winter," the harbourmaster said.
"Don't worry Sil, the Cape has a soft spot for me," Sinbad joked.
"Just make sure she doesn't pull you to her bosom before your time. Now, have you had any trouble with pirates? There's been reports of them looting ships down the coast," Sil said.
"No, no trouble at all. Well, no trouble with pirates, we came across plenty of other sorts of trouble!" Sinbad admitted.
"That's because you look for it my boy! Oh, but if you're heading back to Baghdad, I think I have two passengers you could take with you. A boy taking an apprenticeship there, though I told him whatever he wanted to learn he could do it a lot closer to home and his sister who is to marry some bloke down there. I reckon her marriage is a payment for the boy's apprenticeship, but you didn't hear it from me, it doesn't do to gossip is what I always say," Sil said, as he unlocked the door of his office and let them both in.
"As you said Sil, I am not exactly taking the quickest route and not the safest either," Sinbad said, filling in his ship's and his own name in the ledger and paying the man.
"Oh I know, wouldn't even have mentioned it if the letter they carry with them hadn't mentioned your old master… what was his name again? Nimwit? Dimwit?" Sil said.
"Master Dim-Dim? Well I suppose I at least have to meet them then," Sinbad said, surprised to hear his old master's name so far from home.
"I told them I'd keep an eye out for Captains who might be inclined to take them a ways, I said I'd sent word to the Serpent and Crown, that's where they'll be staying," Sil said.
"Then that's where I'll be going. Thank you Sil and good day!" Sinbad said, pressing a tip into his old friend's hand and taking his leave.
"Oi! What do I do with a dinar over here?" Sil asked the closed door after he'd opened his hand and found what he had been left with.
It didn't take a genius to spot the one who didn't belong in the common room of the Serpent and Crown, the boy had a wide-eyedness about him that proclaimed him a foreigner as much as his thick auburn hair did.
"I heard you were after a ship to Baghdad," Sinbad addressed the youth.
The boy looked bewildered for a moment, then grinned pleasantly and held out his arm for Sinbad to clasp. "Dermott," he said, introducing himself.
"Sinbad," the captain said, clasping the arm of the boy, a funny little tingle went up his arm.
"Now, what were you saying? I didn't quite catch it," Dermott said.
"I heard you were looking for someone to take you to Baghdad," Sinbad repeated.
"Yes! We are, my sister and I! Are you headed there? Do you have a ship?" Dermott spoke so fast he nearly tripped his tongue over the words.
"I do have a ship and I am her Captain. As for Baghdad, whenever I am not sailing away from her I am sailing towards her. I hail from there," Sinbad said.
"Oh that's great! Then you can tell us all about it! Will you stay and have dinner with us? My sister is out walking right now, but she'll be back soon and I just know she'll want to know everything!" The boy gushed.
Sinbad choked on his tongue. "She's out walking? Alone? This close to the docks? Have you lost your wits man?"
Dermott's large brown eyes got even larger: "What do you mean?"
"I mean the only women who walk around here unescorted are doing so in their professional capacity and even then they tend to stick together for safety. Come on, we'll go and find your sister," Sinbad said.
Though the boy looked startled he made no move. "She's alright, nothing happened to her and she's already on her way back now. She doesn't like it when people try to boss her about."
"How do you even know what's happened to her?" Sinbad asked, then, just a second later, he figured it out: "You're magical aren't you? You're going to be Dim-Dim's apprentice."
Dermott shrugged and nodded.
"Well alright, we'll wait here for your sister. Now I'm sailing 'round the Cape, the journey will take a good couple a months. It would be quicker and safer to take the Mediterranean route," Sinbad said.
"Oh well, if you want to talk business you're going to have to wait for my sister as well… She's better at that sort of thing," Dermott said.
"What sort of man let's his sister walk out alone and arrange his business for him?" Sinbad wondered aloud.
Dermott coloured bright red but made no answer, his eyes nervously darting to a point over Sinbad's shoulder.
Following the boy's line of sight Sinbad's eyes alighted on a woman. She was, in a word, gorgeous; Tall, shapely, with flame-red hair and dark eyes. Sinbad was speechless for just a moment so nodded a respectful greeting to her.
The brother and sister exchanged rapid words in a language Sinbad couldn't place before she turned to him with fire in her eyes, firing off a round of words at him.
"Hi," he said. "So you're the sister I presume? You know it really isn't safe for a woman to walk alone around here."
The sister turned to the brother and again they spoke amongst themselves until the brother nudged her and looked insistent. With a sigh the sister turned back to Sinbad and held out her arm.
"Maeve," she said.
Sinbad clasped her arm and again felt a tingle run all the way up his arm. "Sinbad, Captain of the Traveller."
"What are you, a sea gypsy? Cause I'll have you know we won't be taken in by tall tales or sweet words!" Maeve said.
"Wait a second, what just happened?" Sinbad asked.
"We met," Maeve said, looking at him like he was an idiot. A look he would come to see a lot more in their time together.
"Yes but… You didn't speak Arabic a moment ago, did you?" Sinbad asked.
"We learnt," she said, raising a challenging eyebrow at him.
"Out of my head! You learnt it when you touched my arm! I never gave you permission to go into my head!" Sinbad protested.
"Well… how do you learn foreign languages then?" Dermott asked, trying to defuse some of the tension.
"By studying! Not by magically ripping it out of someone's head!" Sinbad said.
"That was just a trick, not magic at all," Maeve scoffed.
"Anyway, I asked captain Sinbad here to have dinner with us. He's heading to Baghdad by way of the Cape of Good Hope," Dermott said.
At that Sinbad saw Maeve's eyes light up and not with an angry fire this time, but with delight and it was clear to him that he had two passengers on his way back home.
Sinbad enjoyed his passengers immensely: the boy was a like a little monkey in the rigging, always helping out when he could and the girl often stood at the prow, looking life straight in the eye like the mermaid figurehead affixed to the prow. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer he approached her.
"How did you come to be engaged to a man in Baghdad?" He asked, leaning his forearms on the railing next to her.
She smiled enigmatically and just spoke a single world: "Love."
"Oh! I'm sorry, I assumed you had never met him, living so far apart and all," Sinbad said.
"I don't know who he is, don't know his name or even what he does for a living… Just that he has a job and no other wives, those were my requests," Maeve said.
"But how can you love him if you don't know him?" Sinbad asked.
"Are you always this curious?" Maeve asked. "Some people might argue that my business is of no concern to you."
"I am always this curious, I am an explorer by nature and what subject is more worthy of being explored than the human heart?" Sinbad said.
"Looks, charm and now smooth words as well, I just bet all the women you meet fall all over themselves to please you," Maeve said.
"If you fall I will dive in after you," Sinbad said, eyeing the water breaking off the bough.
Maeve laughed at that. "Alright, a glib answer like that deserves a boring tale like mine. It is simple really, it was love for my brother I was talking about. Back home I had no options, every man I knew I was related to so I had to move away in any case… Dermott's magic is so strong, it threatens to overpower him at times, so we needed to find someone to teach him. The priest in the church couldn't, the druids with their trees couldn't, even the faerie folk in their flowers couldn't and then Master Dim-Dim appeared and he could. But Dermott would have to come to Baghdad. He's so young, barely more than a boy and he would be all alone in a place so foreign we couldn't even imagine it. So I suggested I come too. But I could not support myself and Dermott would only be earning an apprentice's wage so I asked Dim-Dim to find me a husband and in exchange Dermott agreed to stay another two years at least in Baghdad after he'd mastered sorcery. So you see? It's all quite simple, I needed to go away to find a husband and my brother needed to go away to master his magic, we just combined to two," Maeve answered.
"What did your parents think?" Sinbad asked.
"They were sad to see me go of course but… maybe a little relieved too I think. They didn't quite know what to make of me, too headstrong by half," Maeve answered with a wry smile. "You may have picked up on that."
"Only a little," Sinbad grinned back at her. "Your poor husband won't know what hit him!"
Indignantly she elbowed him in the side. "If he's a good husband I won't have to be headstrong!" She protested.
"I'm sure that even if you were married to the prophet himself you would find something to be headstrong about," Sinbad grinned mischievously at her, for some reason he just couldn't resist needling this woman.
What he hadn't counted on was being grabbed around the neck and bent over to be knuckled on the head. It was only the surprise that made her able to chastise him so thoroughly, and he got out of the headlock in seconds but the damage was done: his crew was laughing heartily at their captain.
"I thought you didn't have magic," Sinbad stated when he saw Maeve light the fire in the galley's stove with an irritated flick of her hand some days into their journey.
"I don't," Maeve said, looking at him like he'd lost his mind.
"You just lit the fire with magic!" Sinbad pointed out.
"No I didn't, that was just a little trick," Maeve said, scooping water from the barrel into a large cast-iron pan.
"You know that just because you call it a trick doesn't mean it isn't actually magic," Sinbad said, crossing his arms in an unconscious bid to look imposing and therefor, right.
"Any idiot can throw a spark," Maeve said, heaving the heavy pan onto the stove with a loud clang that accentuated her words.
"Well that is certainly one explanation why you would be able to… I can't figure out if you really believe you don't have magic or if you just don't want anyone else to believe you've got it," Sinbad said.
Maeve rolled her eyes at him, "and you think you can get any answers by insulting me? I thought you were supposed to be a charmer!"
"Alright, here's a question for you: no insults, no charm, just a straightforward question: why are you really sailing halfway across the world to marry some man you've never met?" Sinbad asked, challenging her to display some deeper truth.
"I already told you: To stay near my brother!" Maeve snapped. "But if you want I can think of a new answer every time you ask that stupid question."
"Actually yes, I do want that. So why are you marrying a stranger in Baghdad?" Sinbad asked, he didn't quite know if they were arguing or just connecting in some strange way but he was intrigued.
"Because all I had to look forward to back home were endless days of nothing but the same," she said, taking a step towards him.
"Why are you marrying a stranger in Baghdad?" Sinbad asked again, his arms no longer crossed as he needed them to help him ask the question.
"None of your business," she answered, looking him straight in the eye.
Sinbad could swear he heard the energy building between them crackling. "Why are you marrying a stranger in Baghdad?"
"To have a little taste of freedom. For these few months of my life I don't answer to anyone but myself!" She said.
"Why are you marrying a stranger in Baghdad?" He asked.
"To get away," she admitted, tears in her eyes.
"Why are you marrying a stranger in Baghdad?" He pressed on.
"To see the world," she said, feeling more exposed each time he asked that question but at the same time unable to lie.
"Why are you marrying a stranger in Baghdad?" His voice was softer now, his hands taking hold of hers.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time," she said, her breath quivering as she exhaled.
"Why are you marrying a stranger in Baghdad?" He asked, his voice hoarse with emotion, wishing he could stop asking the question but not knowing how to stop.
"Do you have any better suggestions?" She asked, searching his eyes.
Sinbad felt physically shocked by her question and startled back, dropping her hands. He had known this woman for only two weeks and yet- for these last minutes it was like he… they… he didn't know what exactly happened and saw no particular understanding in her either unless..
"Did you just use magic on me?" He asked, though his tone was more accusing than questioning.
"What?" She shook her head as if to clear her mind.
"Did you use magic on me to…" he still couldn't find the words to describe what exactly it was that had just happened. "To make this happen." His hands floundered around ineffectually trying to describe what his tongue could not.
"Are you kidding me? How often do I need to tell you this? I don't have magic! And it wasn't you getting questioned about your motives, it was me! Why would I seek that out? You know what, never mind, I am not defending myself to you!" She angrily told him before stomping off in a huff.
On the stove the water began to boil.
She found him that evening by the tiller and stood next to him. Not looking at him as she told another tale:
"I was always different from the other kids, too prone to walk my own way I suppose. They started calling me a changeling. Faeries adore human babies, so whenever they get the chance they steal one and put another baby of their own making in its place who will grow up unable to fit in. I tried to be as normal as possible because changeling children get taken into the woods and beaten because supposedly the faeries cannot stand to hear their own creation cry and will change the child back. My little tricks don't exactly fit in with normal, so when you kept harping on about it I guess you hit a nerve," Maeve confessed.
"I'm sorry," Sinbad said. "About this morning, questioning you like that. I shouldn't have."
"You're forgiven. Are you usually that intense with people you've just met?" Maeve asked.
"Just you," Sinbad admitted. "Something about you just makes me want to get under your skin."
Maeve raised an eyebrow and laughed at him. "I've heard plenty of tales about sailors, don't think you'll be getting what you want from me."
Sinbad had to switch gears at lightning speed but he wouldn't be Sinbad the Sailor if he wasn't quick on his feet. "Yes, I feel very connected to you, I can't wait to deepen our relations." He said with a wickedly flirty smile.
"You're a dog!" Maeve protested, her eyes roving up and down his body.
"Just a sea dog Maeve, and you have a dirty mind!" Sinbad said.
"A dirty mind is a joy forever," she grinned and waltzed off down the deck.
Sinbad loved seeing her go.
Two months into the trip Maeve and Dermott could pass for professional sailors and Sinbad and Maeve continued to grow closer though they kept the outrageous flirting to a minimum out of consideration to her engagement to some other bloke. But trouble was brewing on the horizon in the form of two nearing sails.
"Pirates," Sinbad said, jumping from the rigging after climbing back down from the crow's nest. "Crew! Prepare to be boarded! Don't resist whatever they take and we might make it out of this with our lives."
"What? We're not even putting up a fight?" Maeve asked, astounded.
Sinbad dragged her aft, and pointed at the two ships approaching. "See the nearest sail? She's a light, fast ship, she'll outrun us whatever we do. She'll have fire arrows to set our sails alight and long ropes with metal grabbers they'll throw at us, destroying our rigging and tying us to them in one go. Then her big sister will come waddling up, she's a big old monster, her decks a good six feet above ours. She'll sail right up to us and her archers will have a clear killing field. Now how exactly do you suggest we fight them?"
"I…!" Maeve started full of fury but upon seeing Sinbad's face stopped herself. "I don't know," she admitted.
"Go down under and hide. I don't want them to see you," he ordered. Though he kept a stern façade Maeve could see how terribly this mess was affecting him already.
"I'll get Dermott and hide him first," Maeve said and turned to go only to have Sinbad grab her by the arm.
"Dammit woman! Dermott isn't in half the danger you're in!" He said angrily.
"You just worry about your ship!" Maeve shot back, wrenching her arm out of his grip and hurrying across the deck to collect Dermott.
Sinbad gritted his teeth but he didn't chase after her. He had more important things to worry about right now. "Get the white flag out!"
Sinbad's jaw clenched reflexively as he stood by and watched the pirates roll and drag his precious cargo over the Traveller's deck to load it via a pulley system onto the Big Monster. He and his men were guarded closely by a few well-armed swordsmen in front of them and over a dozen archers above their heads.
He knew almost before he heard the noise that she had been found and that Dermott and Maeve were fighting down below. It took every fibre of his being not to move, knowing an attack from him right now would mean the death of all his crew. Still his hands clenched into fists almost of their own accord, his knees unlocked, legs ready to spring and his breathing quickened preparing his body to fight.
It took far too long for his sanity until the pirates dragged Maeve up to the deck. She was streaked with blood and Sinbad saw red. He was about to lunge at her captors when Dermott was thrown flush against him, making him stagger back instead.
"We had a deal!" Sinbad roared. "You would only take our goods!" His struggled against his own men as they held him back.
"Yeah, she'll fetch a fine enough price!" The pirate captain sneered.
"Just take care of Dermott!" Maeve shouted to Sinbad. "I'll be fine!" She grinned like a maniac, showing her teeth bloody and red as if she had just bitten someone. She had.
"Gag her," she pirate captain ordered. "And throw her in with the others."
And that is how Maeve found herself shackled against the dark, dank hull of a pirate ship. The part of her brain that delighted in the ridiculous supposed that this very definitely constituted an adventure.
"Are you alright?"
Only now did she see the other two people shackled alongside her. A white man with curly bald hair and blue eyes and a dark skinned, bald man looked back at her.
"Not my blood," she assured them. "I'm Maeve, what happens now?"
"I'm Firouz, this is Rongar. He can't speak. And I suppose we will get sold into slavery as soon as we dock somewhere," Firouz said.
"What do you think, shall we make an escape attempt now and take over the ship or do we stand a better chance on land?" Maeve asked, clearly having missed a page or two in the damsel-in-distress handbook.
"Uhm, well, whenever an opportune situation for escape presents itself I think," Firouz said, quite taken aback.
Rongar nodded his agreement, happy to have something other than eventual doom to think about.
"So a slight miscalculation made the ice-machine produce great quantities of heat and lit a small fire upon which a small part of the city burned down as well. Rongar here was the only one who defended me, a lot of good that did him. Getting sold to slavers is supposed to repay some of the damages caused," Firouz concluded his tale.
"An ice-machine?" Maeve asked.
"Well you see, if heat is energy then ice is the absence of energy therefor the only thing one would need to do to create ice is to subtract the heat from water," Firouz exposited.
"Right, I think we're going to need to create that opportunity for escape ourselves," Maeve said, it wasn't that she didn't like Firouz, she liked him fine, but in slightly smaller doses then the whole day, every day.
Rongar rattled his shackles and then shot them a questioning look.
"Right, Firouz, do you know some clever trick to get out of these?"
"Point of fact-"
Sinbad and his crew surged over the deck of the Big Monster like a tidal wave, scimitars between their teeth as they climbed up her high flanks and shouting and waving their weapons as they gained the deck.
Sinbad had found some reinforcements in the vengeful men of small coastal villages that had been plundered by the pirates and sailed after the pirates as quickly as he could. He found the deck empty and deserted. He had been expecting a fierce and bloody battle and found nothing. This was disconcerting.
"Well finally! I thought you'd never show up," Maeve stood by the tiller of the Big Monster and grinned down at him. "So we just went ahead and rescued ourselves. Hope you don't mind."
Sinbad whooped with joy and raced to hug Maeve tightly, followed closely by Dermott.
"Did you really bite those pirates?" Sinbad asked, that question being the first one to tumble out of his mouth as his whole head seemed to be overrun by questions.
"I would have used my sword but there was no room," Maeve shrugged, fussing over Dermott's hair, trying to smooth it down some. "Oh and I made some new friends who need a lift."
"You're amazing," Sinbad said, little stars in her eyes as he looked at her.
"Maeeeeve," Dermott complained, backing away from her grooming and messing his hair up again. "I'm not a little boy anymore."
Maeve grinned at Dermott and Sinbad, addressing first the former, then the latter. "I missed you too Dermott, now stop being rude. As for you, if I hadn't been sure you would come after us we could never have done it."
"I'm just happy you're safe," Sinbad said, hugging her again. "Did they hurt you?" He whispered in her ear, so Dermott couldn't hear, knowing she would never say anything that could worry her little brother. After parting he held her by the shoulders and took a step back so he could look her over for any apparent hurts.
"I'm fine," Maeve assured him, trying to lay all the possible conviction she had in her voice so he would believe her. "Now we need to get moving, we have a Cape to round before the weather turns!"
Sinbad impressed his sailors and passengers alike with his skill in rounding the Cape and just to stall for time he found quite a few adventures to be had all along the Arabian Sea. His two new friends, Firouz and Rongar, impressed him greatly, so much so that he asked them both to stay on as his crew for any further travels to which they happily agreed.
But no matter how much they dawdled in other places, eventually they started nearing Baghdad.
Sinbad joined Maeve at the prow once more.
"You know sometimes I think Dermott hears the call of the sky the same way I hear the call of the seas," Sinbad said, having just seen Dermott up in the crow's nest once again.
Maeve looked over her shoulder and spotted her little brother up on his high perch. "If there was such a thing as a sky-boat he would be the first to sail her," Maeve agreed.
Both turned back to watch the formerly endless seas get hemmed in by land more and more.
"Why are you marrying a stranger in Baghdad?" Sinbad asked, feeling his throat close up at the very thought.
"I gave my word I would," Maeve said.
The two were silent for a moment, reflecting on the fact that this might very well be the last time they would stand together like this.
"What do I tell him? How do I make him respect me?" Maeve suddenly blurted out.
"What do you mean?" Sinbad asked.
"Back home I knew how things worked… I had friends… If a husband raised his hand to his wife, she would talk to her friends, who would talk to their husbands and if he did it again, he would get twice the bruises for every one of hers," she said.
"I'll put it about that you're a friend of my family. If he hurts you, you go to my mother and she'll sort it. You are not friendless in Baghdad Maeve," he said.
"I don't need you to come rescuing me!" Maeve said, then closed her eyes and reined in her temper. "What I mean is: Thank you. I've seen it happen you know, marriages turned into battlegrounds, I would hate that."
"I know," Sinbad said, fighting his urge to take her hand to comfort her.
"Do you think he will mind that I am not Muslim?" She asked, the niggling doubts that had been easy to ignore while her future seemed far away now roaring in her ears.
"Probably, yeah," Sinbad answered honestly, thought he knew it was not what she wanted to hear.
"Well, bad luck for him, I am not converting. I am willing to raise his children in his faith though, that should be enough," Maeve said, determination steeling her voice.
"He will be lucky to get you for a wife," Sinbad said, shutting away his, to him inexplicable, grief at the prospect of her being another man's wife.
They were silent for another moment.
"Do you think I will ever see my home again?" Maeve asked, finally showing him all the fear she felt at her prospect.
He enveloped her in his arms, soothing them both. There was a tremendous bravery in continuing on a course in the face of so much uncertainty, and a willingness to face life truthfully in admitting a fear. He had no doubt that she would land on her feet, but merciful Allah, he wished she would not be getting married to some man she had never met.
"Child, princess Adena has graciously offered to host you until you wed in two days. She is engaged to our prince Casib, so you will have a lot to talk about," Dim-Dim said, as he handed Maeve into the sedan chair.
"Princess?" Maeve asked, as the sedan chair was lifted by the four carriers and started moving.
But Dim-Dim had already turned back to Dermott, admonishing the boy to get his trunk, that he would see his sister very soon. Maeve's eyes locked onto Sinbad's as she was carried away to parts unknown.
"I don't think this is a situation even you can rescue her from," Firouz said quietly, standing at Sinbad's shoulder.
"She wouldn't let me if I tried," Sinbad admitted.
"Uncle Sinbad!"
Before Sinbad had put both feet into his parent's garden his two favourite little monsters got the jump on his and wrestled him to the ground. No matter how heavy his heart was, he couldn't help but laugh out loud as his seven and five year old nephews enthusiastically showed him how happy they were to see him.
He entered the kitchen with a squirming, giggling, protesting little tyke under each arm only to panic as his three year old niece came barrelling at him, screaming: "Meee toooo! Meee tooo!"
"Mina, I'd love to give you a hug but-" That was all Sinbad managed to get out. The little girl climbed the kitchen table via a chair and launched herself at him, grabbing his neck and holding on for dear life, giggling all the while.
Sinbad's mother Mala followed her granddaughter at a more sedate pace, and promptly freed his neck from the clutches of the three year old. Sinbad let the two boys slide to the ground for good measure before kissing his mother's cheek. "Hi mom!"
"Sinbad, one day you will walk in here quietly," Mala scolded him. "Now come here and give me a proper hug, I haven't seen you in far too long. I think you have actually grown!"
"I love you too mom," Sinbad grinned. "What are all the tykes doing here? Are Doubar and Ousima alright?"
"Oh you really have been gone too long, you're an uncle again! Twice over. She had twins if you believe it, a boy and girl, as gorgeous as the day is long, both of them," Mala explained. "Now boys, have you picked the pomegranates like I asked you to?"
The two boys shared a guilty look. "Well see we went and picked dates instead because mommy really likes dates but then we got distracted because the chickens were hungry and then uncle Sinbad wrestled with us," the eldest quickly explained.
"Now boys, listen to me and listen well. You two have responsibilities and especially now you have two new siblings it is time you learnt that you cannot just talk your way out of breaking your word," Mala said. Sinbad inwardly cringed a little, having been on the receiving end of such speeches himself a time or fifty.
The two boys' eyes widened, upset that their honour was being doubted. "We'll do it right now," they faithfully promised.
"Me toooo!" little Mina screamed, squirming to be released by her grandmother.
"Alright, no need to be so loud about it. Now boys, mind your sister," Mala said.
"Want me to go and watch them?" Sinbad offered.
"You're a good boy my son, but they'll be alright in the garden, loud, but alright. If you really want to make me happy, you will give me a few grandchildren of your own!" Mala said.
Sinbad's eyes briefly clouded over but his words would never betray that. "You already have five! Where would you put up more?"
"My sweet boy, there is always room in a grandmother's heart for more grandchildren. But I see your heart is troubled, will you come and talk with your old mother about it?"
"You always were too perceptive," Sinbad said. "Can I come back this evening? We'll talk then."
"Of course. Now go and say 'hello' to your father. I think he is at Master Dim-Dim's house," Mala said, laying a soothing hand on his cheek.
Giving one last hug to his mother Sinbad was out the door again, stopping only to hold up his little niece so she could pick some oranges, which she proudly explained were for the babies. Then he was on his way again, treading the streets and alleys of Baghdad like the old friends they were.
Maeve felt completely out of place. Adena had taken her to her spacious apartments, served her a load of delights and cup after cup of sweet tea and Maeve had tried her best to be polite and keep up her end of the conversation but… well for one, Adena's sitting room was almost the same size as her parents' house back home and for another, she was well aware she was getting things wrong but she had no idea what or why or how.
"Another cup of tea?" Adena offered, holding up the pot invitingly.
"Yes please," Maeve said, because she'd been taught it was rude to refuse, especially when a person so rich and important decided to serve her herself, but she noted the flicker of an expression cross Adena's lovely face so she figured she had done something wrong.
"Princess Adena, can you tell me what I am getting wrong? Back home the rules of politeness were clearly different and sailors aren't exactly known for their politeness so I fear I am insulting you somehow but I have no idea how," Maeve finally said, figuring barefaced honesty was the only way to go.
Adena leaned forward and covered Maeve's hand with her own, giving Maeve a reassuring smile. "My father lives far away as well, he is a vassal King to the Caliph. When I first got here I thought it would never stop feeling foreign. I will teach you all I know about this place and what we don't know we can find out together," Adena offered.
Unbidden tears sprang into Maeve's eyes. "I was so afraid I would be lonely here, but wherever I turn the most lovely people offer their friendship to me."
Adena smiled warmly. "I think we had better start with the wedding, what do you know about it so far?"
"Uh well, some preacher comes and asks us if we want to be married and then we say yes and then he declares us man and wife," Maeve said.
Adena gaped at her. "Oh dear, I think we're going to need more tea." And started explaining exactly what was going to be happening the coming days.
Cutting through other people's property and squeezing through the narrowest of alleys Sinbad soon found himself lightly jumping the wall of Dim-Dim's own garden. He landed right at his father's feet who couldn't keep his disapproving frown on his face for two seconds before breaking out in a smile, so happy to see his son again. The two men hugged it out happily.
"Oh Sinbad you look good! Have you been to see your mother yet? You know how she frets when you're away," Suhayl said.
"I have, father," Sinbad assured him. "I gave her just enough time for her to start asking me for more grandchildren!"
"Oh but you can't blame her for that. The woman has the most wonderful grandchildren possible," Suhayl grinned.
"I'll go see Doubar and Ouasima after this. Mother said you wanted to see me?" Sinbad asked.
"Yes, go find Master Dim-Dim, we have a surprise for you," Suhayl said.
In the house Sinbad first came across Dermott settling in to his new role as sorcerer's apprentice.
"Have you seen my sister? It all went so fast at the docks I didn't even get to say goodbye," Dermott asked Sinbad.
"She's in the women's palaces of the Caliph's estate. Don't worry, you'll see her soon, Dim-Dim's over there quite a lot," Sinbad clapped the young man on the back to reassure him. "Now how are you settling in?"
"It's a little overwhelming," Dermott admitted.
"Don't worry about it, you'll get used to it soon enough when Dim-Dim really starts teaching you. Just remind me to introduce you to my family alright? Doubar can show you where to have fun and my mother just loves taking in people when they need a little extra love," Sinbad said.
"Thank you Sinbad," Dermott said.
"Don't worry about it. Now have you seen the old Master?" Sinbad asked.
"Right behind you my boy," Dim-Dim said. "Come, let's go to the garden, your father is waiting there."
When they had settled around Dim-Dim outdoor table Sinbad looked from one man to other; they clearly had no idea how to start.
"You mentioned something about a surprise?" Sinbad started.
"About a year ago Dim-Dim came to me to tell about the new apprentice that was travelling here," Suhayl started. "You have just set sail."
"I told your father about the sister of this new apprentice whose character and accomplishments would really suit this one person I knew very well," Dim-Dim continued.
"You want me to marry Maeve, don't you?" Sinbad asked, having put two and two together.
"It is time for you to take a wife and Dim-Dim assured me this girl of his would make you very happy," Suhayl nodded. "I wouldn't have consented to this if it had been anyone but Dim-Dim assuring me of this."
"But what if I say no? You promised her a husband Dim-Dim!" Sinbad said, sort of stalling for time to get his feelings in order.
"Finding her A husband is not the problem, finding her the right one is. Now the wedding is in two days so you'd better get yourself to a bathhouse and a tailor!" Dim-Dim said.
"Wait, I haven't consented yet!" Sinbad said.
"You consented the moment you lay eyes on her my boy," Dim-Dim smiled. Sometimes it was really annoying to have a wise, benevolent sorcerer for a friend.
"I'll be married in two days," Sinbad gulped, suddenly getting a much better insight in exactly what Maeve had been going through on their journey together. "What do I do father?"
"A bath and new clothes are a good start. I'll help you buy your bride a house when you're married so you both have a say in it and after that it is up to you. If you want to continue to sail I will support you in that and if you want to stay on shore like your brother I will assist you there as well," Suhayl assured him.
Sinbad and Doubar sat on one of the long sofas in Doubar's house, each with a baby in their arms.
"How a man with an ugly mug like yourself makes such gorgeous children I will never know," Sinbad joked.
"They get their looks from their mother," Doubar said. "I hear you'll be getting a few of these yourself." Because subtly approaching a subject was just not his style.
"I hadn't even thought of that!" Sinbad groaned.
"Don't worry, you've gotten plenty of practice in with my brood," Doubar smiled.
"That's just it, you're the family man! You're good at this husband and father stuff! I just sail, that's all I know how to do," Sinbad said, looking down at the precious little bundle in his arms.
"Nonsense," Doubar said. "Ouasima and I work very well together because when things go wrong, or we feel insecure, we turn to each other and help each other through it. That is all it is. Think about it, you are the Captain of a happy, healthy crew; it is already your first instinct to think of them before thinking of yourself, all you have to do is extend that same instinct to your new family."
"You make it sound far too simple," Sinbad said.
"Just because it is simple in saying, doesn't mean it is simple in doing," Doubar said. "But I know you as well as any man little brother, and I know that when you set your mind to being good at something, nothing will stop you from attaining that."
"I love you big brother," Sinbad said, carefully hugging Doubar around the two babies in their arms. "I don't know what I would do without you.
"Here, my wedding present to you," Adena said.
The two stood in the royal stables outside of the box of a beautiful, chestnut Arabian. Maeve held out her hand for the big boy to sniff.
"He's beautiful! You can't give him to me!" Maeve protested, though there was no conviction in her voice.
"Sure I can, just leave him stabled here and the grooms will take care of him when you're too busy," Adena assured her.
"But why?" Maeve asked, rubbing the horse's head as he nosed around her, probably looking for carrots or apples.
"To have long, moonlit rides with your husband or to run for the hills, whatever you want," Adena said. "My father breeds them. I think that, if I hadn't fallen in love with Casib, I would have lived happily breeding and training these gorgeous animals."
"I can see why… If I run for the hills I will come say goodbye to you first," Maeve said.
"You were the first to call me 'friend' since I arrived here," Adena confessed.
"Well don't worry, once I formed a friendship, I am not easily shaken off," Maeve smiled.
"This morning I thought I was going to be telling you about this woman I met who is going to be marrying someone else," Sinbad told his mother as they sat together on the patio, watching the fireflies dance in the garden. "And now I am marrying her myself."
"Tell me about her," Mala suggested.
"She's…" Sinbad started, suddenly unsure how to describe Maeve. "Headstrong, stubborn, pig-headed, bossy, she talks back, never just follows orders but always has to argue about them first. She is pretty good with a sword though, and brave! You wouldn't believe how brave, and smart. I'll tell you how she escaped from a pirate ship someday. And every time we're together I just want her full attention. You wouldn't believe how childish I get with her, I stop just short of pulling her hair! It's just that when she turns to me, all angry and fired up I really feel alive, you know? And she gives back as good as she gets, which is fun and embarrassing and… and when we talk, you know, really talk, it's like we connect." Sinbad ducked his head down, grateful that he was talking to his mother who would never make fun of him for rambling on about a girl like this.
Mala patted his hand. "I like her already."
The crowd gasped when the bride appeared in the doorway: she looked truly splendid in the ceremonial gown the Caliph had given her as a wedding present. The gold thread was embroidered in intricate patterns on the green cloth and the gemstones sparkled brightly, making the whole thing appear to be alive. She was veiled of course, so no one could see her face but already the groom was envied by all men present.
What was lost to the crowd's admiring eyes was the reaction of the bride herself when she saw who the groom was that stood waiting for her. Unable to contain herself, not even hindered by the heavy clothes or a sense of propriety in the presence of these lofty guests she raced to her sailor and embraced him for all she was worth.
"Did you know?" she whispered in his ear as she clung to him.
"No," he admitted, trying to take her veil off so he could see her face but his hand was grabbed by the Ma'azon.
"While it is… endearing, to see a couple so ready to share their lives, let's get through the wedding first, shall we?"
Sinbad coloured red and nodded to the Ma'azon. Maeve blushed as well, but no one could tell.
They stood side-by-side, their hands clasped together as they were married.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me when you found out!" Maeve punched him in the arm again.
After a full day of feasting and dancing they finally stumbled into his apartments in one of the wings of his parent's house.
"What could I do? I couldn't exactly waltz into the women's place!" Sinbad protested. "Besides, I wouldn't have missed your reaction today for the world."
"Oh sure, the whole community now thinks I'm a flake, thanks for that!" Maeve said, but as her body was moulding into his there was little sting in her words.
Sinbad draped his arms loosely around her back, drawing his head back a little so he could still see her face. "I think this is the time you tell me that I am to respect you."
"Well you should," Maeve said, wondering if his offer of his family's influence still stood now that he was the stranger she turned out to have been engaged to all this time.
"My mother will keelhaul me if I laid an unkind hand on you and considering I can't swim…" Sinbad said, trying to reassure her.
"You can't? You're a sailor! That's not very safe. I will teach you to swim before you make a far too young widow out of me," Maeve said.
"And as long as we raise our children with Islam and you are quiet about it around the neighbours, I don't mind who you pray to," Sinbad said.
"Thank you, that is very kind of you, now can we talk about this tomorrow? We have other things to do tonight," Maeve said, placing little kisses along his jawline.
"Yes, just one more thing," Sinbad said, trying to stay strong under her assault of touches and kisses. "If you're not quite done adventuring yet, we can just put off the whole house buying and you can come with me again."
"I'd love that," she murmured and then found a particularly sensitive spot behind his ear.
"You know I had to listen to my mother lecture me about how scared and nervous brides are on their wedding night!" He said, just for the love of riling her up once more.
Maeve sighed and peeled herself back a little to look him in the eye. "I got kidnapped by pirates, that was scary. Right now, I am alone with the man I love, not that scary."
Sinbad sort of melted against her. "You love me?" He asked with a dopey grin on his face.
"Well yeah, I thought you knew," she admitted, suddenly a little shy though she felt very foolish for it.
"I love you too," Sinbad said, smiling his most joyous smile at her, leaving her with no doubt about her place in his heart.
They shared a long moment where they just looked in each other's eyes, deliriously happy.
"Then can we now…" Maeve started.
"Yeah," Sinbad agreed happily.
And that is when the new husband and wife shared their first kiss.