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Chapter 4
Maeve sat at the helm, watching the ocean. In the background, she could hear Sinbad shouting orders to the crew and she smiled sadly.
She had been back for two weeks now and the relationship between her and the sailor had reverted to the way that they used to behave before she left - the glances, innuendos, quick touches.
It was driving her up a wall and she felt as if she was going insane. The only thing that created a diversion for her was seeing Bryn and Dermott and the way that they interacted with each other. Maeve found herself highly amused by their antics - especially the day before, when Bryn had finally lost her temper and doused Dermott with a tub of cold seawater.
Speak of the devil, Maeve thought, as she heard voices belonging to the pair raised in anger. She stood up and brushed off her skirt. Might as well stop them from frying each other to a crisp.
She walked to the other side of the deck where Bryn faced Dermott, her pretty face flushed with anger. She turned as she heard footsteps and her features lit up in relief.
"Maeve! Thank God! I was just about to fry your brother."
"Again?" Maeve teased.
Dermott shot her a fierce look. "She caught me unaware that's all."
Maeve laughed. "Well D, you have to admit - it WAS a pretty good shot."
Dermott growled low in his throat. "Who's side are you on anyways sis?"
Maeve gave him her most innocent look. "Who? Me?"
Bryn smothered a laugh. In the past two weeks, she and Maeve had grown incredibly close and Maeve had been teaching her how to control her powers. She had also been giving her brother pointers as well, for Dermott had some level of powers and although it wasn't as strong as Maeve's or even Bryn's it was sufficient to help out in times of need.
She studied Maeve's brother; dressed today in a large dark green shirt and loose white pants. He had a sword attached to his waist and his hair was tied back with a white bandana. Bryn had noticed the way the women at the last two ports threw themselves at him when the Nomad docked and she could honestly not tell who got more female attention between him and Sinbad.
She could tell that Maeve was not happy with the 'ladies' that were constantly underfoot but she also knew that the leggy sorceress had nothing to worry about. However, she had noticed that relations between Sinbad and Maeve had deteriorated and they both seemed constantly on edge and unhappy.
She wanted to hit the two of them over their heads. It was so obvious to all that they were in love with each other; why didn't one of them swallow their damned pride and SAY something?
She cut her musings short as Maeve socked her brother in the stomach.
Dermott inhaled sharply and narrowed his eyes at his sister. "Oh no you didn't!"
He lunged at her and she nimbly sidestepped him, laughing. He grinned as she drew her sword and assumed a fighting position.
He pulled his as well and the two siblings began to spar in a graceful, yet deadly dance. They both laughed aloud at the exhilaration, the rush and thrall of danger.
Sinbad and the other crewmembers rushed to the area, drawn by the sound of steel against steel. They pulled up short at the sight of the two beautiful magicians dueling with each other, Maeve's blade surrounded with a golden glow and Dermott's awash in a green light. It was a trick that Maeve had taught the other two - it increased agility and power and made the blade seem as if was an extension of the arm.
Sinbad's breath caught at the sight of Maeve. Her hair was unbound and flowing in the breeze. Her outfit today consisted of a pair of black leather trousers that fit like a second skin and a short black sleeveless top. He noticed that ever since her return, she no longer wore her previous dress; instead, she now projected a more daring image.
He also noticed that the dreams had stopped coming ever since Maeve's arrival. He was disappointed at first but then he decided that it was a good thing since the combined exposure to those dreams every night and Maeve's presence during the day would be enough to make his brain turn to mush.
The crew cheered raucously at the two fighters, as they displayed almost unparallel skill. Each parried and feinted, dazzling the onlookers with superb moves and lightning fast reflexes.
Just then, the wind picked up, and the fight stopped as the sailors scurried to secure the riggings and guide the ship to the next port.
************************************
They disembarked and proceeded to explore the island that they had stopped at. The place was absolutely beautiful and totally deserted. There were no people there at all and the crew was very puzzled.
"Sinbad," Firouz asked, "When we passed here a year ago, this was a thriving merchant island. Where is everyone now?"
Sinbad frowned. "I wish I knew...,"
He turned to Maeve. She had a worried look on her face. "
"What is it?" he asked gently.
"Something's wrong here, Sinbad. I can feel it."
"So can I," Dermott added, standing next to his sister. "It's as if there's something...watching...us."
******************************************
Bryn had taken Maeve's advice and stopped wearing her short, yellow dress constantly. Today, she was attired in a pair of brown trousers that flared and ended at her knees along with a long sleeved, striped cotton shirt that she tied at her midriff. She had to admit that the new outfits created a lot more freedom of movement and less embarrassing moments.
She wandered through the grassy field of the island, enthralled by the variety of flowers and their brilliant colors. She bent to pluck a particularly gorgeous one in a multitude of pinks and purples, when suddenly, a hand came from below the earth and grabbed her wrist.
She was so startled that she screamed and began struggling to free herself. The thing's grip was unbelievably strong and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free.
She blasted it with a bolt of magic but it seemed to have no effect. Bryn could feel herself being pulled into the earth and she began to panic.
Just as she was up to her waist in the dirt, a golden fireball hit the hand. The grip loosened slightly, enough for Bryn to pull free. She ran to Maeve and the two of them drew their swords and advanced on the spot.
Sinbad's voice stopped them. "Just what do the two of you think that you are doing?" Behind him, Rongar shook his head. The captain was in for it now...
They spun around. "We are going to take care of this thing," Maeve informed him, a sweet smile plastered on her face.
"It's too dangerous," Sinbad said. "You should leave that to me."
Maeve's eyes flashed. "Oh really?" she purred. "And what makes you so sure that you can handle this better than we can? The fact that you've got hair on your chest?"
Behind them, Dermott made a noise that sounded suspiciously like stifled laughter. Sinbad glared at Maeve and advanced on the two women.
"Maeve, I've had it up to here with your attitude," he snarled.
"I wouldn't HAVE an attitude if you weren't so bloody pig-headed!" she yelled.
The crew realized that they would be safer staying out of this. The thing that tried to capture Bryn was totally forgotten in their fascination of watching Sinbad and Maeve clash.
Two weeks of frustration had taken their toll on the captain and the sorceress and they both had to let off some steam.
The only thing the crew could do was watch and hope that Maeve didn't fry him.
****************************************************
Chapter 4
Maeve sat at the helm, watching the ocean. In the background, she could hear Sinbad shouting orders to the crew and she smiled sadly.
She had been back for two weeks now and the relationship between her and the sailor had reverted to the way that they used to behave before she left - the glances, innuendos, quick touches.
It was driving her up a wall and she felt as if she was going insane. The only thing that created a diversion for her was seeing Bryn and Dermott and the way that they interacted with each other. Maeve found herself highly amused by their antics - especially the day before, when Bryn had finally lost her temper and doused Dermott with a tub of cold seawater.
Speak of the devil, Maeve thought, as she heard voices belonging to the pair raised in anger. She stood up and brushed off her skirt. Might as well stop them from frying each other to a crisp.
She walked to the other side of the deck where Bryn faced Dermott, her pretty face flushed with anger. She turned as she heard footsteps and her features lit up in relief.
"Maeve! Thank God! I was just about to fry your brother."
"Again?" Maeve teased.
Dermott shot her a fierce look. "She caught me unaware that's all."
Maeve laughed. "Well D, you have to admit - it WAS a pretty good shot."
Dermott growled low in his throat. "Who's side are you on anyways sis?"
Maeve gave him her most innocent look. "Who? Me?"
Bryn smothered a laugh. In the past two weeks, she and Maeve had grown incredibly close and Maeve had been teaching her how to control her powers. She had also been giving her brother pointers as well, for Dermott had some level of powers and although it wasn't as strong as Maeve's or even Bryn's it was sufficient to help out in times of need.
She studied Maeve's brother; dressed today in a large dark green shirt and loose white pants. He had a sword attached to his waist and his hair was tied back with a white bandana. Bryn had noticed the way the women at the last two ports threw themselves at him when the Nomad docked and she could honestly not tell who got more female attention between him and Sinbad.
She could tell that Maeve was not happy with the 'ladies' that were constantly underfoot but she also knew that the leggy sorceress had nothing to worry about. However, she had noticed that relations between Sinbad and Maeve had deteriorated and they both seemed constantly on edge and unhappy.
She wanted to hit the two of them over their heads. It was so obvious to all that they were in love with each other; why didn't one of them swallow their damned pride and SAY something?
She cut her musings short as Maeve socked her brother in the stomach.
Dermott inhaled sharply and narrowed his eyes at his sister. "Oh no you didn't!"
He lunged at her and she nimbly sidestepped him, laughing. He grinned as she drew her sword and assumed a fighting position.
He pulled his as well and the two siblings began to spar in a graceful, yet deadly dance. They both laughed aloud at the exhilaration, the rush and thrall of danger.
Sinbad and the other crewmembers rushed to the area, drawn by the sound of steel against steel. They pulled up short at the sight of the two beautiful magicians dueling with each other, Maeve's blade surrounded with a golden glow and Dermott's awash in a green light. It was a trick that Maeve had taught the other two - it increased agility and power and made the blade seem as if was an extension of the arm.
Sinbad's breath caught at the sight of Maeve. Her hair was unbound and flowing in the breeze. Her outfit today consisted of a pair of black leather trousers that fit like a second skin and a short black sleeveless top. He noticed that ever since her return, she no longer wore her previous dress; instead, she now projected a more daring image.
He also noticed that the dreams had stopped coming ever since Maeve's arrival. He was disappointed at first but then he decided that it was a good thing since the combined exposure to those dreams every night and Maeve's presence during the day would be enough to make his brain turn to mush.
The crew cheered raucously at the two fighters, as they displayed almost unparallel skill. Each parried and feinted, dazzling the onlookers with superb moves and lightning fast reflexes.
Just then, the wind picked up, and the fight stopped as the sailors scurried to secure the riggings and guide the ship to the next port.
************************************
They disembarked and proceeded to explore the island that they had stopped at. The place was absolutely beautiful and totally deserted. There were no people there at all and the crew was very puzzled.
"Sinbad," Firouz asked, "When we passed here a year ago, this was a thriving merchant island. Where is everyone now?"
Sinbad frowned. "I wish I knew...,"
He turned to Maeve. She had a worried look on her face. "
"What is it?" he asked gently.
"Something's wrong here, Sinbad. I can feel it."
"So can I," Dermott added, standing next to his sister. "It's as if there's something...watching...us."
******************************************
Bryn had taken Maeve's advice and stopped wearing her short, yellow dress constantly. Today, she was attired in a pair of brown trousers that flared and ended at her knees along with a long sleeved, striped cotton shirt that she tied at her midriff. She had to admit that the new outfits created a lot more freedom of movement and less embarrassing moments.
She wandered through the grassy field of the island, enthralled by the variety of flowers and their brilliant colors. She bent to pluck a particularly gorgeous one in a multitude of pinks and purples, when suddenly, a hand came from below the earth and grabbed her wrist.
She was so startled that she screamed and began struggling to free herself. The thing's grip was unbelievably strong and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free.
She blasted it with a bolt of magic but it seemed to have no effect. Bryn could feel herself being pulled into the earth and she began to panic.
Just as she was up to her waist in the dirt, a golden fireball hit the hand. The grip loosened slightly, enough for Bryn to pull free. She ran to Maeve and the two of them drew their swords and advanced on the spot.
Sinbad's voice stopped them. "Just what do the two of you think that you are doing?" Behind him, Rongar shook his head. The captain was in for it now...
They spun around. "We are going to take care of this thing," Maeve informed him, a sweet smile plastered on her face.
"It's too dangerous," Sinbad said. "You should leave that to me."
Maeve's eyes flashed. "Oh really?" she purred. "And what makes you so sure that you can handle this better than we can? The fact that you've got hair on your chest?"
Behind them, Dermott made a noise that sounded suspiciously like stifled laughter. Sinbad glared at Maeve and advanced on the two women.
"Maeve, I've had it up to here with your attitude," he snarled.
"I wouldn't HAVE an attitude if you weren't so bloody pig-headed!" she yelled.
The crew realized that they would be safer staying out of this. The thing that tried to capture Bryn was totally forgotten in their fascination of watching Sinbad and Maeve clash.
Two weeks of frustration had taken their toll on the captain and the sorceress and they both had to let off some steam.
The only thing the crew could do was watch and hope that Maeve didn't fry him.
****************************************************