I Own Nothing of the Merlin TV Series or anything that has that copyright thing...But The Arthurian Legands belong to the world. Long Live The Once and Future King...ARTORAX!

Chapter Six-Sinbad

That night was filled with laughter and music. Every candle lit aboard The Ambrosius and flicking to the music played by their pirate guests. Martius and Bartius with a sort of string instrument was playing some rather catchy tunes with Dagonet singing songs- songs that told of great adventures and happy times.

Merlin had never seen a more joyous scene than that aboard his ship. Still, Merlin and Morgana had planned on having the ship to themselves for a while that night, catch up on their love life. A year of travel and seven years of war were how they spent their maried life and Merlin was sick of it. However he was quite greatful that his wife had remained faithful to him at his times of need. The incident during the war that led the Warlock King to finding out his true origins.

Morgana had comforted him that night they shared after his return from the war. Reminding him of all the good he had done, all the sacrifices he had made in order for Albion to be realised. He had sacrificed the love of many people for Arthur and Albion and she knew it. That night they just sat and talked. They had talked all night about their lives without the other and what they longed for whch soon ended in sexual intercourse.

Back to the present and Angwyn was dancing on the deck with the other pirates, dancing to the happy music playing. Sarah clapped along but remained seated on a stool. The crew were all present on the decks of The Ambrosius, all dancing and singing. Morgan stood while in her hsuband's arms and watched with glee. It was a lovely thing that they had. She then wondered if that would have been her and her family if she had decided to join her husband on his crusade across the globe.

Soon Sinbad had approached his old friend and gave him a nudge indicating Morgana's intanced stare at the people dancing. "So this is your beautiful wife that I hear you talking about so many times while in The Red Sea?" the pirate chuckled.

"Yeah," Merlin held her closer and laughed to his pirate Company, "She's my love."

Sinbad tapped on Morgana's shoulder, grabbing her attention. "May I borrow your husband for a while M'Lady?" Morgana nodded and allowed Merlin to walk away with the pirate. They walked over to the quarter deck where the helm was. "Why are they here?" he asked the warlock.

"Who?"

"Your family and Sir Gwaine," he allowed his friend to show a reaction which showed puzzle. "Don't think I don't know of your mission, Merlin. The Staff you moved from Palestine was moved for a reason." He approached the stearing wheel. "Merlin, the cave almost killed you when you entered."

"I know that. I am not looking to disturb the resting place of the Staff of Kings. Merely trying to defend it," the warlock replied confidently and walked over to the stern, "An old enemy has resurfaced with vengeance, he is powerful and seeks to take the staff and command a force greater than any army even Romana will yield. I know he has already set off the decoy in Palestine and is now aware of its whereabouts."

Sinbad still did not get it, and asked, "Then why hasn't this threat done anything yet?"

Merlin truned to his friend, the pirate was an inch or so shorter than him but was more well built and had a mustache and very short trimmed beard. IHs rugged brown eyes complemented his heavily tanned skin. He was a Persian who turned to pirateing at a young age just to survive. He had grown to become a great thief and yet a compassionate and brave man. Loyal as well. Myrddion Merlin Emrys and Sinbad al-Bahri had met lon ago during the journey to Nicaea. At that time Sinbad had quite the reputation but had greatly admired Merlin's acknowledgement. Merlin was legend and sinbad wanted that a lt- to be remembered even after his time when his soul enters the abyss. They ahd been on many adventures since then and had wanted to fill his dear friend on his exploits. "So why isn't this enemy taking the staff?" he asked again.

"He needs a key for the only way in is through a giant gate that kills anyone who tries to force it open and this trap is inescapable for it does not target you, rather your soul and the very fact that you exist."

After Merlin explained, Sinbad reached into his leather vest pocket and pulled out a strange sort of stick with markings on one side and had several arms across opposite sides. It looked somewhat like a brass key. "Is this what it is then? The thing that you had given me when the Salvation Knights were formed and placed across the globe."

Merlin nodded, looking at the object in Sinbad's hands he saw it seemed in good condition. "There are around three keys. I had given to people to guard. Strauss has one, you, and another from Jerusalem."

Sinbad bobbed his head and turned to look to the night sky and glossing ocean. The harbour was indeed beautiful. To him, the docks seemed more beautiful and attractive than the cities themselves, it was a style of thinking he got from pirating. "But why did you bring your family?"

"I didn't tell them to come. They just did and to be truthful I am quite glad to have them here. I havn't seen them in years, I've almost missed my daughter's birth, completely missed my son's birth fighting in a war and I've missed seven years of their lives. I can't help but be a bit selfish. I want to spend as much time with them as possible."

Sinbad chuckled and patted the warlock's left shoulder, "Merlin, if there is anything about you is that you are far from selfish." he then leaned in closer to his ear, "But what would happen if you did die? Who is there to protect your family if their defender falls. The need you Merlin."

Sinbad watched helplessly as his friend's face fell.

"You do know what is required, Merlin. You cannot protect them from this. You will be held responsible for their fate if you fail."

To this Merlin agreed and the two men walked back to the party. Again they entered out of the shadows to full laughter and smiles. Endless earshattering chants and howls. The music...oh such music. This was certainly a good night despite the earlier warning and Merlin feared this more than anything. He would die before bringing his family to doom and death.

"Are you alright Merlin?" asked Gwaine who noticed that the Warlock King was staring into outter space as the people danced around him.

Merlin grins at him and nodded. Satisfied with his answer to an extent as the best he could hope for from him, Sir Gwaine left him to join Anna.

Soon however the noise died down as they were somewhat tired and breathless. Dagonet put down his musical instrument and sighed. The atmosphere suddenly dimmed. The flames from the lamps died down and shadows returned. And then Dagonet sang in the lonly night away from any music part from those that escaped his lips.

The heavy roads lie waiting in the East

to the birds who dwell on Heaven's peace.

Look to your east and see the fire's light

The shadows fading in the blinds of night

The sword is freed, its ringing lead;

The hawks like soldiers born to fight.

On silver mountain with the face of old

Where there was bruning yet the side was cold

They fly away before we are to say

Where hawks like soldiers here to fight.

This man called Emrys standing on the height

His fists are clutching his sword of the just and right

He saw thier eyes, his men there lies

The dark Lord's powers grey his sight.

But ere he stands with his sword and another day

With eyes of gold of old and mystic rays

The dragon hears, his crying anguish

There is no passing Aithusa grey.

The heavy roads lie waiting in the East

To jungles fold and Sion ease

Where God resides, His favour blessed

To our dear Merlin, faces the homebound breaze.

Dagonet stopped there, he looked at his Company and saw tears, for those present at the time of there stand against the forces of chaos that tried to take the holy city. They were seeking the Staff of Kings or as the Hebrew called it 'The Sword of God'. Merlin had found it and used it when he battled the forces of a Roman general who took control of Sion the Holy City.

On that day, Merlin lost many good men in battle. The staff served him well and he succeded in protecting the people behind the great walls but soon he saw the power of the staff was too great for only one man and hid it underneath the city. After that Merlin and his Salvation Knights ventured home. The Nicaean Creed completed and his job done to the best of his abilities.

That night was filled with question now. More so about his adventures to Sion. So Merlin told, he told all, of his exploits in the caverns in Palestine where he found the staff to the deadly battle against General Romulus on the Temple Mount. "Aurelianus, a Roman general died that day. He was a good man while his brother Romulus Augustus who was greedy and corrupt had led an army to claim Sion from Roman rule. I used the Staff of Kings and was able to defeat Romulus' evil magic. It is strange for I have seen this magic before. It was the sorcery of Morded."

Morgana nodded, "Mordred is massing an army to take the world now. That was why he needed the staff."

Merlin looked at his wife for a while in thought. Then it hit him, "That was why he needed me the first time to find the staff and he saw me put the fake staff in Palestine."

Sinbad the pirate shook his head, "Now Mordred knows the staff is a fake and he looks now to Albion."

"With the Sword of God, he is able to conquer the known world," stated Anna.

"No. He only seeks Albion. He will seek the staff and march on Albion with God's devining hand," the council became silent with shock. "There is only one thing we must do, and that is to destroy it," said Merlin, "We must destroy the staff of Moses."

Author's Note: Hello, I am grateful for your feedback. Thank you Meri Lay and Sunny. Don't know why I thought up this chapter but tell me if you liked it and tell others about it in case they have a different opinion. Molto grazie eh.