Chapter 7 : When the unthinkable happens

Maeve tossed and turned in her modest bedding. Her eyes fluttered open and she was wide awake. For a moment she could not discern where she was. Dermott cawed softly from his perch and Maeve recognized that the dimly lit quarters were indeed the insides of the local inn. The others were sound asleep but Sinbad stood by himself at the moon-lit window. Maeve tread as softly as possible so as not to wake the others and stood next to him.

"I've been going over and over in my mind for any other alternative than exposing Valensya and Kaylan to the Queen's wrath",said Sinbad. His eyes seemed full of worry which was unusual. "But I can think of no other way. We are in a tight spot,Maeve. For the first time, we have met the enemy face to face and yet are unable to determine the limits of her power-"

In moments like this, Maeve felt glad she wasn't the deciding authority. Sinbad was the one who always tirelessly and endlessly relished the responsibility of captaincy.

"Maeve, you keep your magic ready at all times. Who knows, we may need it to stay alive tomorrow."

"According to Valensya, her Mother hardly ever resorts to violence of any kind-"

"Perhaps",considered Sinbad."But,I'm not taking any chances. You know, revealing Kaylan to Esdel is quite a risk-"

"I feel queasy about that too",admitted Maeve. She sighed. "Young love. It is so pure that you wish for nothing to harm it."

"You go get some rest.",said Sinbad,kindly. He placed his elbows on the sill and leaned out where the night wind played with his hair."The way I see it, our biggest task is to change Esdel's heart. First we will use reason, and if that fails, we will use force. It's the only way to bring an end, once and for all to those hideous pods."


Valensya touched her forehead with Kaylan's, her hands interlocked in his.

"No matter what happens,Kaylan. I will love you till the end of time"

"Be brave,Val. I will never leave your side",whispered Kaylan. He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. Then he turned to Sinbad and nodded once that he was ready to challenge the Queen once again. Together, hand in hand, Kaylan and Valensya entered the huge Castle with Sinbad and his crew in the lead.


Esdel stepped into her Court and looked up at the mesh of flowers that she had created the day before. She held up her hands to restore the ceiling. The glass began to quiver and break. With a roar, a heap of glass and vines descended and Esdel stumbled back just in time. The glass shards flew like daggers and one grazed her cheek lightly. Esdel felt the tear with a trembling hand. "My own creations abhor me", she mumbled, unintelligibly. "They mock me when I am alone"

She walked the entire length of the hall, her face as stoic as possible. When she opened the door, her eyes fell on Sinbad who was at the moment requesting permission to meet her Highness once again. Esdel was again filled with curiosity. "He couldn't have come to oppose me once again?",she thought, walking down the crescent moon stairs. Then suddenly her eyes fell on Valensya and a strange young man who stood boldly close to her side. Anxiety lent wings as she flew down the steps to protect Valensya.


"Your Highness",said Sinbad, his voice tense yet controlled. "You asked us to give you better reasons and we have found them. We have brought them with us - Your own daughter who is deeply in love with Kaylan. For the sake of your daughter's happiness, you must destroy the pods"
Esdel looked shocked. "Does Sinbad speak the truth,Valensya?",she cried, in a hollow tone.
"I love Kaylan,Mother. ",effused Valensya, tears welling her eyes even as she uttered the words. "And he loves me. Ever since the year you made me witness that horrible ceremony where you force our people to consume the potions-"
"That's where I saw you!",exclaimed Esdel,her eyes boring into Kaylan's. "You challenged me then and you challenge me now."
"Mother, please don't hurt him!",screamed Valensya,at once. Sinbad guided the Princess aside and poised with his sword in front of Kaylan. "I am not about to let that happen",said Sinbad, bracing himself for the rough climb ahead. Kaylan raised a sword as well.
"Very well, if it's a fight you want-",said the Enchantress.
The ground shook hard and the crew stumbled about trying to hold on to the columns and walls. Sand skittered in as before and from the heap rose seven sand warriors, each armed with long gleaming blades.


Sinbad charged ahead with a loud cry and Doubar and the others followed. "If he is made of sand, then my sword should go through his body,right?!",yelled Sinbad,gritting his teeth in holding off the blade of a warrior.

Doubar rammed his fist into a sand warrior's stomach and held his sore hand in pain. "As hard as a rock!"

The battle went in full swing. Firouz jumped nimbly from the end to another, avoiding near-miss swipes from his enemy's blade and landing one or two of his own blows. Rongar kept his warrior busy as well.

"HOW CAN WE DEFEAT THEM IF THEY CAN'T BE KILLED?!",cried Sinbad,aloud. "Doubar, you said these warriors were as hard as rock. What if they grew harder?"

"What do you mean?!",bellowed Doubar in reply.

"Fire!",cried Firouz, admiring Sinbad's quick thinking. "Maeve!"

"Coming right up",said Maeve. She kicked back her oppressor and extended both arms to create a fiery blast. The sand warrior went into a fitful rage, kicking and stumbling backwards further and further until the his sandy body burned so hard that he solidified into glass.

"Yee-aah!",cheered Sinbad. "I think we've found a way to send these guys back to the ground where they belong!"

Rongar dutifully subdued and brought his warrior to be shattered to glass by Maeve's fire. Maeve made short work of the sand warriors. The last to go was Kaylan's warrior. Now, the only enemy was Esdel.

"Your crew fights well,Captain Sinbad. But I advise you to leave us now before you take on more than what is possible for you-"

"If we leave, then we are taking those pods with us",thundered Sinbad.

Esdel turned to Valensya. "I am trying to make our people strong,Valensya. I thought you knew that. How could you turn against me like this?"

"Mother, you are wrong to force the potions. We cannot give up our freedom to love-"

"You think he loves you?",said Esdel with a mocking smile. "He does not. You are the daughter of an enchantress. You are a different being. He is the humble son of a ship-builder. "

"I love her nonetheless" ,declared Kaylan, speaking up for the first time. "Harmony is not about being the same. But about two people working together and supporting each other despite their glaring differences. That's why bringing harmony is so difficult. But with determination and patience it can be achieved! And achieved with a partner of their own choosing! Don't you see that your dark magic is limiting our true strengths?!

Sinbad smiled impressed by this surprising piece of wisdom from such a young man. "You know, he speaks the truth. The difference between people makes them achieve far greater things than being exactly alike"

Esdel drew back, as if stung by Kaylan and Sinbad's words. She saw Valensya slip her hand quietly into Kaylan's and suddenly all she ever wanted was to rip the two youngsters apart.

"Your lover seems to be so sincere. I say he deserves a test to prove his mettle. Those words you said about being different and achieving great things, Sinbad? Those words intrigue me.."

She extended her hand and Kaylan was slammed to the wall by a surge of power. He was pushed deep into the bricks and he struggled to escape. The force threw back Sinbad and the crew. Valensya ran to her Mother's side, begging for her to spare Kaylan's life. The winds blew into the large hall and the atmosphere darkened.

When Esdel released Kaylan, he fell to the ground in a heap. Valensya ran to him and held his head in her arms. But he was heaving strangely as if he was struggling to breathe. His breath came out in difficult rasps and he would not respond to her cries.

Valensya's fingers that caressed the sides of Kaylan's face felt something soft and slimy project from behind his ears. She pulled his hair back and exclaimed, "Gills!"

"That's right!",said Queen Esdel, her soft smile returning. "Well, Sinbad, you better put this boy in some water or else he is going to suffocate on land."

Sinbad looked stunned for a moment. It was as if his mind was reeling and his hands and feet refused to obey. The unthinkable had happened. Just as he had feared! Exposing Kaylan and Valensya to Esdel's merciless hold was proving to be a costly mistake! For once he could not think fast on his feet. Rongar moved quicker and scooped Kaylan up in his arms.

"Just a moment",said Esdel. "If Kaylan wants to see Valensya again, if he dares to even think of her again, he shall first find the deep sea graveyard and fetch the song of the sea from the darkness within. He has a week's time." Esdel ignored Valensya's sobs and pleas. She walked after Sinbad and his crew as they hurried down the steps carrying the gasping Kaylan. "he will keep changing,Sinbad. He will turn into a creature of the sea – a tail for legs, scales for skin and claws for nails. If he fails in this quest, he will die at the end of the week. And when Valensya regains her powers she will marry the one I select for her. You have much to prove if you are to challenge me,puny sailor. And you have no time to waste."

The Castle doors closed forever to Sinbad and the crew.