Sinbad frantically rushed to Maeve's side. His fingers desperately searched for a pulse. It was faint. But she had one. Sinbad scanned the room quickly, grabbed a blanket from the bed and wrapped her up in it. Knowing he was too weak to carry her down by himself, he quickly constructed a rope from the sheets and curtains of the room.
Sinbad hoisted Maeve onto his shoulder and hastily climb down the wall. Luckily the sun had set so Sinbad could reach the shoreline undetected. When he arrived he breathed a sign of relief. The long boat was still hidden. No one had found it.
Bryn walked up to the deck. She gazed up at the moon. She sensed darkness all around her. She worried. Her eyes tried to scan the heavens for any sign of Dermott. Nothing. A cold wind sent shivers up her spine. Bryn turned around and headed towards the stairs to fetch her cloak. She hadn't even made it onto the first step when she heard Dermott's cries. She turned on her heel and ran to the edge of the ship. Her eyes strained. She barely made out Dermott's silhouette. Her eyes fell down to the water. She saw it. A long boat. In the darkness, she could not tell who it was. Bryn ran down to wake the others...
Firouz was first to make it to the deck. He used his glass viewer. His eyes widened as he made out the unmistakable presence of Sinbad.
"It's him! It's Sinbad!"
Doubar threw down the rope ladder. As Sinbad's boat reached the Nomad he thrusts the ropes in and caught on to the ladder. He carried Maeve on his shoulder. Bryn was first to notice Maeve, "What's wrong, Sinbad?"
Sinbad pulled himself up on the ship. Doubar quickly pulled Maeve from Sinbad and carried her towards the cabins below.
"She's badly beaten. Firouz can you tend to her?" Sinbad was exhausted. His words were separated with gulps of air.
Sinbad sat outside waiting. Bryn walked over to console him, "Everything will be okay, you'll see." Sinbad managed a weak smile to his friend. She reciprocated by kissing his forehead. Rongar nodded his head in agreement and patted his friend on the shoulder. Doubar walked over and sat next to Sinbad.
"I'm sorry, little brother. We never knew...."
"I know Doubar. I fear the worst though. Maeve looked ghastly when I found her. There's something else too." Doubar didn't understand, "What?"
Sinbad took a deep breath, "I think that Baruuk forced himself upon Maeve," The words sounded to foreign to him. "She was lying in a small pool of blood down there." Sinbad's voice quivered as he motioned towards the floor.
"I swear to Allah and all that is holy if it's true, I'll kill him myself!" Doubar's cheeks reddened.
The door swung open. Firouz looked sympathetically towards Sinbad. Sinbad stood up quickly, "How is she?"
"She resting now. Her wounds are cleaned and dressed. She's got one fractured rib and a few bruises. Other than that her external wounds should heal up nicely however I am not so sure as to her internal wounds."
"What do you mean, Firouz?!" Sinbad braced himself for the worst.
"Sinbad, did you have any....what I mean is...did you know that Maeve was pregnant?"
Sinbad's eyebrows furrowed together as the words sunk in to Sinbad's core, "Preg....nant..."Sinbad stuttered, "What do you mean was? Tears welled up stinging at his eyes. He needed to hear it himself.
Firouz looked down as he delivered the bad news, "Maeve's had a miscarriage due to the severe beating she's endured. I'm so sorry Sinbad.."
"How far..?" Sinbad's voice fell short.
"Only about four to five weeks."
Sinbad gasped for air as he closed his eyes shut tight. It was his. Hoping this would all just go away. He opened them to still see them staring at him. In a fit of rage he threw his arm into a punch towards the wall. He didn't dare yelp at the pain. Sinbad slumped to the floor in despair.
What seemed like hours later Sinbad finally dragged himself to his cabin. And for the first time since the night Maeve disappeared, Sinbad cried himself to sleep...