Thank you for the reviews... I really appreciate them, keep them coming!

I'm not sure I entirely nailed the characters in this one... looking forward to hear your opinion:) Enjoyy!

They left Basra three hours before, and they were now travelling to Rayllin Island at full speed, thanks to Maeve's magic.

The sorceress was sitting in the spot near the tiller she used to like, randomly refreshing her wind spell while she read one of the book Cairpra gave her. Sinbad was at the tiller, his eyes lingering on Maeve. He wanted to ask and tell her so many things, but somehow he sensed that wasn't the right moment, with the crew still around.

"I thought your training was over... but you're still studing as much as -" Sinbad began with a smile, trying to break the silence. Maeve raised her eyes from the book and eyed him annoyed.
"I'm not studing. Just enjoying a book...!" she hissed, before raising her arm and making the wind increase again. Sinbad cringed at the sound of the sails snapping loudly above them.
"Maeve... can you moderate your efforts? We'll never reach Rayllin Island if you rip our sails!" Maeve closed abruptly the book, turning to him with the most offended face.
"How you dare? I know perfectly what I'm doing!"
"Doesn't seem so!"

Firouz stopped working on his exploding sticks and stared at his Captain and Maeve bickering at the tiller. He slightly nudged Doubar.
"Here we are again..." the fat man chuckled, shaking his head.
"Amazing... Maeve has been back for a minute, and they're already at each other throath. And I thought that one year apart would have made them reason..." The scientist giggled.

"The sails won't rip!"
"You already ripped them once if I remember correctly..." the captain retorted.

"Aw. Wrong, wrong move..." Firouz mumbled shaking his head.

"You... you... - Maeve bubbled, not believing to her ears - I saved the Nomad that day! And by the way, I didn't rip the sails, just the ropes!"
"Same result! We were stopped!"

"You two... give us a break! Can't you just enjoy each other company at least for today?" Doubar bursted out laughing, soon joined by Firouz. Maeve blushed, lowering her gaze, and Sinbad try to hide his embarassment by glaring at them.
"Doubar, Firouz... why don't you stop to work on those exploding sticks and go down in the galley to rest? No need for anyone trying to make us sink!" he yelled. Firouz and Doubar looked at each other before collecting their things.
"At your orders, Captain..." the two laughed disappearing in the galley, while Sinbad just his head defeatedly.

"Nothing changed..." he sighed slightly annoyed, but then he looked to Maeve, hoping for her to catch the double meaning.
"The feeling is mutual..." the sorceress, stealing a glance to Sinbad before standing up and gazing intently the ocean.

Sinbad stared at her with a smile while she put on the gauntlet he made sure she found in her cabin and let Dermott land on it.

"If we go on like this, we'll reach Rayllin even sooner than two days... good job, Maeve..." Sinbad tentatively said, trying to ease the mood.
"I'll make sure the Nomad won't slow down, Captain... and I won't rip the sails or break the ropes..." she hastily added with a glare who made Sinbad chuckle.

"I missed you so much, Maeve..." he earnestly whispered. Maeve's glare turned quickly into a sweet smile, and she brought her gaze back to the ocean, ruffling absently Dermott's feathers.
"I missed you too, Sinbad..." she quietly answered.

"When... you fall overboard..." the captain hesitantly began, making Maeve turn to look puzzled at him.

"Yes...?"

"I just wanted to say that... I... I'm sorry."
"You're sorry?" Maeve repeated furrowing her eyebrows.
"Yes... - Sinbad sighed - I ordered you to take that rope... and then, you fall, I jumped behind you but I never reached you..." he confessed.

"You jumped?" Maeve asked, smiling sweetly, and Sinbad just nodded. She walked near him, Dermott still perched on her left arm, and reached out to stroke gently his cheek with her free hand.
"You should shave, Captain... the stubble doesn't fit you..." she teased him.
"I will..." Sinbad chuckled, leaning a bit in her touch.
"It wasn't your fault Sinbad... - she whispered staring in his eyes, suddendly serious - it was just ment to be. There were things I needed to learn... trials I had to pass alone..." she added cupping his cheek, while Dermott flied away.

Sinbad sneaked an arm around her waist, drawing her closer, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Stay with me...?" he whispered. Maeve could just nod, while she and Sinbad leaned on each other. They were less than an inch apart when a thunder stroke the sky, spoiling the moment.

"What the...? - Sinbad muttered, staring at the sky - there were no clouds just a moment ago!" Maeve stepped out of his embrace and closed her eyes for a moment, shivering in the cold wind.
"Rumina." she only said before turning to face Sinbad. In the meantime, the crew was running back on the deck, and Doubar reached them soon.
"Take the tiller and brace yourself, big brother!" Sinbad commanded, leaving the tiller and moving to the middle of the deck, shouting orders.

"I thought you wanted to wait for them to arrive there, daughter..." Turok asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"I changed my mind." Rumina sneered from her pool, looking highly enraged.

"Maeve, in your cabin, now!" Sinbad shouted, jumping down a rope, directly beside the sorceress. The redhead looked at him like he suddendly went out of mind.
"NO way! I've to fight the magic... and beside that, you need me there!"
"No... I need you down... safe! - Sinbad yelled, pushing her to the steps leading down the galley - don't make me order it to you!"

"And who do you think you are to hope I'll obey to you?"

"Someone who care about you! - Sinbad angrily snapped -I don't want to lose you again..." he added in a lower tone, staring worriedly in her eyes.
"It won't happen again..." Maeve tried to reason with a small smile, placing her hand on his arm.
"Humor me for once?" Sinbadasked with a pleading look, the first drops of rain hitting his face. Maeve stared in his eyes for a moment before nodding.

"Be careful..." she sighed before opening the door for Dermott and following him down.

Maeve ran to her cabin, going straight to her closet. Luckily, nobody seemed to have touched her things. She easily found her potion kit, and quickly mixed in a bowl two different shimming powders. She then traced a circle in the middle of the room and sat inside hit. She breathed deeply before smiling briefly to Dermott.
"Ready to play, Rumina?" she mumbled closing her eyes and concentrating, the circle around her glowing slightly.

"I was waiting for it, peasant witch..." Rumina answered back, her eyes focused on the Nomad.