"No," she said decisively.
Sinbad recoiled, never having expected this answer. "No?" He double checked.
"Can't we just go on like we are? I love you, you love me, we sail around the world having adventures. Can't that be enough?" Maeve reached for him, afraid this issue was going to tear them apart rather than draw them together like he'd evidently hoped.
"We can do that and be married!" Sinbad protested, pulling away from her hand. "Is it about the bride-price? Just point me to the man I have to pay and I will gladly pay whatever he asks!"
Inexplicably she glowered at him. "Oh sure, you've got it in one, I don't want to marry you because some guy should have the honour of selling me!"
Sinbad just looked perplexed. "So, that's a no on the bride price?"
"I don't give two dinars about the bride price! I have no wish to be bought and sold! Do you have any idea what you are asking me to give up?" Maeve asked furiously.
Normally Sinbad was an active participant in their fights, but then, normally he had at least some idea what she was angry about. "Uh… no?"
With an effort Maeve tried to bridle her anger. "Think about it. A woman is to do her father's and his family's bidding until her father bids her to wed and then she is to do her husband and his family's bidding. I don't. I'm nominally under your and Dim-Dim's protection as long as I choose to be. If I don't agree with your orders I am free to refrain, free to leave even. And I have the power to back it up, to stop myself from becoming someone else's chattel. Why would I place myself under your yoke if I don't have to?"
Sinbad sputtered. "I would never treat you like chattel!"
"But you could! By law, by custom, I would owe you obedience!" Maeve loudly explained.
"I'm your captain, you owe me obedience now! Not that you've ever followed an order!" Sinbad argued. "I don't see how marriage would change that!"
"Alright, then you be the wife and I will be the husband," Maeve crossed her arms and looked triumphantly at him.
"What? That makes no sense!" Sinbad sputtered.
"Oh, so now the shoe is on the other foot it suddenly doesn't make sense?" Maeve pointedly asked.
"No! Because that isn't how things are done!" Sinbad argued.
"I know! That's the point! I don't like how things are done and I don't want to just go along with how things are done just because." Maeve angrily argued back, then reigned herself back in. "Can't we just go on as we have?"
Defeated, Sinbad sighed. "I don't know. What about if you meet someone else you like? Will you just up and leave? What if we have children? Do I get to be their dad? There are just too many things up in the air like this…"
Relieved to finally see what it was exactly, that he wanted she reached for him. Taking both his hands in hers she drew him near her. "Is that all? Because I am willing to promise to be with you and you alone for the rest of our lives if you will do the same. I have no problem promising my children will be your children… As long as that promise is between us, not between us and custom and the law and the way things are done."
"Thank Allah." Sinbad rested his forehead against hers in sheer relief. "So I guess we both get to be the husband?" He joked.
"I'd like that." She grinned at him.
"Good. So my darling husband, do we at least get to make a big party around this promise to each other or what?" Sinbad asked.
"My darling husband, I'm willing to be convinced." Maeve beamed at him, like sunshine to his heart.
Overcome by this moment he hugged her close. "The rest of our lives." He whispered almost reverently into her hair.
She tightened her arms around him, he could swear he heard a little sniffle. "Now you've made me cry you sentimental fool."
"Love you."
"Love you too."