Here we are… thank you for the kind reviews, you made my day…!!


While Maeve and Sinbad were chatting in the celtic sorceress cabin, Bryn was now facing Rumina and Turok, backing slowly in front of the brunette.
"I'm disappointed, father and sister mine… this is how you welcome your long lost daughter and sister?" she cockily asked, smiling a supercilious smile.
Rumina glanced nervously to his father, wetting her lips and glaring to her sister.

"Brianna, dearest… we thought for so many years you were lost…"
"Sure thing, Rumina… you were just so sweet to send that thunderstorm to kill me…"
"Me…? – the witch asked, wide-eyed – That's not true! Father…!" she called, most offended..

"You were under Dim Dim control, Brianna, you were lost to us…"

"I have never been anything but a problem, for you, Father… - Bryn pointed out, staring to both of them – but… here, I am, after ages, to solve it for you. We'll go for the ritual." She declared, folding her arms and making Rumina pale.
"Sure thing, dearest… - Turok mumbled, placing a hand on Rumina's shoulder to cut her complaints and shooting her a warning glance – we'll get ready. Rumina, come." The wizard almost dragged his eldest daughter along himself.
"Don't try to fool me, Father... I'm not up for jokes." Bryn just added, waving a hand to Turok and plopping herself on Rumina's cushions. Turok paled, nodding and quickly disappearing with Rumina in a corridor.

Bryn smiled wickedly to the retreat, before looking appreciatively to the slaves approaching her.

"Father… the ritual will strip my power away… don't you ever think I'm going to stay there and watch!" Rumina hissed beneath her theets.
"Shut up, Rumina… I had to gain time. Right now, she's spinning out of control. – Turok growled, while he closed the door of his chamber behind him - I can't understand what's wrong… this wasn't suppose to happen!"
"Wasn't she supposed to be all good and dreamy, with that rainbow bracelet on her? - Rumina demanded, her voice trailing down in a whisper while realization dawned on her. – she wasn't wearing it…"

Turok stared in disbelief at his daughter.

"You sure?"
Rumina made a face.
"Father, that thing it's the most ugly piece of jewellery I've ever laid my eyes on… - she pointed out, placing a hand on her chest – believe me, if I didn't notice that horror…it wasn't there!"

"So she's out of Dim Dim grasp, too…" Turok observed, nodding thoughtfully to his daughter, who just glared back.
"Father, not caring about the darn wizard right now… how do we kill her?" Rumina spat, pacing back and forth in the room.
"You know I can't kill her, Rumina… she's protected against my magic."
"I hate prophecies…" the witch snorted, nervously, going pack to pace.
"But you can." The magician stated, making Rumina stop on her tracks.
"This is getting better, Father…. Go on…" she purred, a confident smile opening on her face.

Meanwhile, Maeve was still sitting where Sinbad left her, staring absently to the door.

- Maeve, I don't think you should waste time brooding on Sinbad…- a voice gently reached her mind, making the sorceress snapping out of her thoughts.
- I'm not brooding, Dermott… - she telepathically scolded - you didn't eavesdrop, did you? - she asked nervously.
- I didn't… I was scouting ahead to Rayllin Island, way out of our reach… Am I missing something…? -
- Yes, you are… - Maeve sgrunted, fidgeting with a blanket of her bed.
-Maeve… spill it…-
-It's Sinbad…-

Dermott flew above the Nomad, in circles, waiting for her sister to go on.

-What did he do this time…?-
-He… he told me that he loves me.- she blurted out.

-WHAT?-

Sinbad was accurately tying two ropes together, when his eyes darted to the sky at a loud screech coming from Dermott, before scanning worriedly the sea.
"Why is he making such a fuss, little brother?" Doubar asked from the tiller, staring at the brown dot in the blue sky above them.
"Don't know, Doubar… Firouz!! – he shouted – do you see anything out of ordinary?" the captain yelled, quickly making his way back on the Nomad, landing with a small thud near Rongar, who was checking the surroundings of the ship, too.
"Don't think so, Sinbad…!" the inventor answered, after staring for a while inside his telescope.

Sinbad snorted, before turning his head to the sky.

"Featherball!! You're suppose to give us warnings, not scaring us! - he shouted, placing his hands on his hips and shaking slightly his head when the hawk screeched back, taking larger circles around the Nomad – Go back to your duties, crew…" he added, walking slowly towards his brother.

-Did you have to be that obvious?- Maeve asked, starting to pace inside her cabin. She approached the closet where she used to keep her magic components, searching between them.
-Sister mine, you just caught me off-guard…-
- You're welcome, Dermott… he caught me off-guard, too… - she admitted, blushing slightly, her fingers squeezing a small leather pouch before letting him fall back in the drawer she was checking.
-And… how are you feeling…?- the hawk tentatively asked.
-Crossed.- she bluntly answered.

"Are you fine, little brother…?" Doubar quietly asked, staring to the profile of the younger man staying near him.
"Yes, I am… I'm just worried about Bryn..." He shrugged slightly, leaning on the side of the ship, staring at Rongar taking care of the swords.
"I see, Little Brother…" Doubar sighed, bracing himself on the tiller and staring at the ocean. They stayed in silence for some minutes, just listening to the shouts of the crew and to the crash of the waves against the Nomad, before Sinbad cleared his throat.

"And… I've… talked to Maeve…" he admitted, biting his lower lip and shooting a quick glance to his brother before going back to check on the crew.

"Sinbad, you can't go on fighting and bickering forever…" the elder man observed, shaking his head.
"I know, Doubar…"
"We talked about this, little brother… You have been devastated for the whole time she wasn't around, Sinbad…"
"I do remember, big brother…" Sinbad hissed annoyed.
"So you should tell her, and stop lying to yourself…" Doubar added tenderly, in advice tone.
"I did." Sinbad spat, looking worriedly to his brother.
"WHAT?" Doubar shouted, turning abruptly to face the captain, and making the whole crew jump on the spot.
"Doubar…! - Sinbad muttered, passing a hand on his face and glaring back to his men – there's nothing to watch, men!" he yelled.

-Why crossed? You do love him, too…!-
- Of course I do love him, Dermott – Maeve muttered inside her head – this is not the point…-
-Then… what's troubling you?-
- What's troubling me… ?- she hissed, placing a bowl on a small table near her and filling it with crystal clear water – everything! I… Dermott, it has always been me and you, and nothing else. I've always had straight my priorities, and as long as you were fine, it was good… but now… - she took a deep breath, waving a hand on the bowl, making the water glistening of a bright green light.
- There's so much he doesn't know about me… about us. – she quietly continued – there's so much I never shared with him… Plus, there's last year, I've seen some of his brilliant affairs… - she added, disgruntled again.
- He was desperate to get you out of his head… you know he loves you as madly as you do, and he meant everything he said you… there's nothing in our past or in our secrets that it's going to change that. Little sister, I think you're just trying to run away from your own feelings…-

Maeve fell silent, throwing randomly some herbs in the glistening bowl in front of her, a troubled expression on her face.

- He didn't even let me answer him. – she slowly added - What if I fail with Bryn, Dermott…? What if I die? Or if she dies?-
-You'll succeed.-
- Yes, I'm such a successful sorceress… that's why you're still an hawk! - she snorted sarcastically, staring at the green smoke coming from the bowl, before taking out a ring from her hand and throwing it in the middle of the cloud.

"You told Maeve… everything…?" Doubar asked in disbelief, when the crew stopped shooting them weird looks.
"Yes…" Sinbad sgrunted annoyed, trying to hide his discomfort.
"And..? What did she say?"
"I didn't let her answer… - he admitted, his eyes going wide to Doubar glare - she has to concentrate!" he explained, looking defensively to his brother.
"You're insane, when it comes to Maeve…"
"I just want her to be fine, Doubar… and by the way, keep the route straight, we should scout Rayllin Island soon, and so Rumina's island…"

"Aye captain…" Doubar sighed, staring at his little brother pacing on the deck.

TBC…