Chapter 3

On the Ship

It was nearly dusk. The sun had dipped low enough to touch the western ocean and was beginning to rapidly sink below the horizon. The last beaming rays enveloped the ship in a fiery orange, illuminating the canvas sails until they appeared to be made of cherry flames.

Drakon watched the sun set silently, standing stock still aside the royal cabin's entrance. Playing guard dog was a task a bit below his ranking, but it was his own personal way of keeping close to Sinbad. Only his eyes moved as he watched the deck hands hurry about, lighting sconces and oil lamps to prepare for the coming night.

So far the weather had proven quiet for their journey, much like the mood of the ship. A somber aura clung to the air around them, like a fog that wouldn't burn off. Drakon figured the passengers from Magnostadt were subdued by homesickness or mourning, but as for himself and the crew, their thoughts were swollen with worry for Sinbad. Word of the king's precarious state had spread like flu among the people on board. The rumors are grim, Drakon thought, And there's too much truth to them for my liking.

It was hard for him to ignore the nervous chatter of the deck hands working nearby.

"-You saw the attack he blocked over the city, I couldn't believe my eyes! Biggest flash of light and clap of thunder I ever did see. I didn't think one person could have that much power, but that's King Sinbad for you,"

"Saved the whole city they're saying, but he hasn't stirred since, magoi depletion something awful,"

"I heard they're thinking he might never wake,"

"No! They think he'll die?!"

"It'd be a terrible thing. We should pray for the king tonight,"

Drakon sighed through his snout and frowned as the gossipers passed by, unaware that their conversation had been overheard. It would be a terrible thing indeed, but my master is strong and it is not yet time for his death. He will overcome this. I'm sure of it Drakon thought, though he had no intention to neglect his own prayers that night.

His ears twitched when the cabin door next to him opened inward, allowing a whiff of sage and herb-laden air to escape from within.

"How's he doing?" Drakon asked when Yamuraiha stepped out of the king's cabin. It had grown dark, but the burning torches and rising moon were enough to illuminate her worried features. She closed the door softly and rested her back against it once it latched.

The pause before she spoke made Drakon's insides churn. He hated being kept at arm's length from his master. The medics had forbidden all visitors aside from those helping with care. He'd had to plead for update each time one of them exited the cabin. Another good reason to chaperon the entrance, he supposed.

"Not well," Yam finally said. "He's still bleeding on and off and hasn't shown any signs of waking, no matter what we try,"

"Isn't his magoi beginning to replenish? I've never seen the effects of magoi depletion last so long," It had been well over three days since they'd departed from Magnostadt and three days since Sinbad had fallen unresponsive.

"I haven't either. After surviving day one he should have started coming out of it but his magoi is still barely hovering above zero. I honestly don't know what's going on," She massaged the skin between her eyes as if a deep ache rested there. "We need to get back to Sindria as fast as possible. I need access to the library and our pharmacy. If we can't figure out why his magoi isn't replenishing he's only going to get worse,"

"But we've still got nearly a months voyage ahead of us, will he make it until then?"

"No. That's far too long, but I've got a plan. I intend to arrive in Sindria before nightfall tomorrow,"

Come first morning's light, Yamuraiha set about visiting the passenger quarters to gather each and every able-bodied wizard on board. She summoned them to the helm and waited on the raised galley until almost 30 people stood before her, Aladdin among their ranks, and with him a boy who could have passed as Sharrkan's younger brother. She even spotted Alibaba and Morgiana lurking curiously behind a pallet of barrels to watch the wizards' meeting. It would seem all of Aladdin's friends had decided to accompany them back to Sindria.

"Wizard people, hear me," Yam said loud enough for her voice to reach those standing furthest back. "Certain circumstances necessitate our haste in returning to Sindria and I am in need of your aid,"

She didn't want to broadcast Sinbad's precarious state as the reason for their rush, but she could see the exchange of whispers and mutters passed between the group. They'd already guessed without her saying. It was a vast ship, but talk spread fast in closed spaces. "I ask that you help me cast a transfer magic circle so we appear in the Southern Seas. It may sound to be a challenging feat, but you are wizards from Magnostadt and I am confident that if we band our magic together we can do it,"

The wizards were silent for a moment until a quiet chorus of mutters began to spread. That's a long way to teleport, and such a big ship. Anything could go wrong, we could get lost, or worse. That's going to require an enormous amount of magoi, do we even have enough to complete such a task?

Yam could hear the skepticism, fear gripping her chest. If she couldn't convince the wizards to help, then the teleportation would be impossible, and Sinbad would certainly die before reaching Sindria, but suddenly a single shout rose over the critical murmurs. "You have my wand, Yam!" Aladdin was raising his fist and wooden conduit in an eager stance.

"And mine too!" The white-haired boy next to Aladdin echoed, raising his golden staff as well.

"For Mr. Sinbad!" Aladdin crowed, making Yam pale. So much for keeping our reasoning discrete, She thought, but the chatter among the wizards was beginning to turn at the explicit mention of the King. The wizards knew what Sin had done for them on the battle field. They'd all be gone if not for him. They owed him a debt.

One by one, each person raised their wand, until soon every arm was outstretched in support, causing a veil of happy tears to fall over Yam's eyes. She blinked them back and hushed the crowd before detailing her plan.

Yam joined Aladdin and his young wizard friend at the bow where she'd stationed them.

In order to coax the entire ship through the portal safely, she'd staggered the wizards throughout the vessel. Scattering their forces would make for an equal spread of magic and smooth their passage. The non-magic folk on the ship had been ushered to their cabins for safety and all the loose cargo had been secured.

"Thank you, Aladdin. You helped me convince the wizards to carry out this plan. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you," She bent down and planted a kiss on his forehead before turning to the tan-skinned boy. "I owe you my thanks as well, though I'm afraid we've never met before,"

"This is Sphintus, he was my roommate at Magnostadt academy! He decided to come with us to Sindria to learn more about the world! He's also interested in meeting Sharrkan since he's from Heliohapt too," Aladdin said, smiling.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to visit Sindria, so I'm glad to be of service," Sphintus said, offering a polite bow. The snake about his neck hissed and flicked her tongue out curiously.

Yam bowed curtly at the young man in return, "We are lucky to have you aboard. You will not be disappointed by Sindria, it's a beautiful country," She said, "Though I might think to warn you about Sharrkan. He's a self indulgent barbarian and a terrible influence, really. You'd learn much more from meeting the other generals instead,"

"He's not that bad, Yam. He was a really good teacher for Alibaba," Aladdin said awkwardly.

"He's a witless peacock who does more thinking with his sword than his brain," Both steel and flesh, she thought, feeling her face flush red as she realized how sharply her words had come across. Now was not the time for her passionate hatred to surface. I really shouldn't be giving that man a moments thought, honestly, but Sphintus's clear sandy eyes and almond skin were dredging her emotions. The poor boy was looking up at her, baffled as she took him in with fiery eyes. "But I suppose you can make your own opinion on the matter, now enough of small talk, it's time to act,"

She decided it must have been the stress spurring her to lash out. She blushed a bit deeper and stormed to her place at the very tip of the bow before raising the signal, holding her carved staff high overhead. The fisheye at its tip glowed brightly.

"Prepare to cast!" She called. Both Aladdin and Sphintus's staff raised and glowed with hers, as did every wizards' on board, a domino effect as the signal reached the ship's aft end and belly.

She waited, focusing on the mass of power building and buffeting around her as the wizard's power pooled together. She let it grow and grow until the fronds of magic tugged at her restlessly, begging and howling for freedom. They sparked and fizzled with impatience, raising the tiny hairs on her arms and neck, but she denied their pleas, waiting for the perfect moment.

"Now!" She finally shouted when the magic touched every inch of the ship. She unleashed the spell with all her might, so much power rushing forth she had to grip her conduit with both hands in order for it not to be torn away. The power stirred gusting winds that rippled the ocean and bucked the vessel until the air itself split in two. A giant swirling mouth yawned open wide before them a halo of runes glimmering gold.

The ship shook and the sails cracked as they were swallowed whole. It took all of Yam's effort just to stay balanced on her feet as the floorboards came alive beneath her, but it was over in an instant.

The ship stopped shaking and the gusts died within a few breath's time.

The wind had crafted Yam's hair into a tangled nest and she had to quickly reposition one of the shells back over her breast, but she was more or less intact. She turned from her stance to check aft, breathing relief when she saw the ship had come through in one piece.

"Yam look!" Aladdin shouted, his finger pointing out to sea. The weather was clear and the visibility stretched for miles. A lush green landmass bloomed in the distant north. "We did it!"

Yam could just make out the highest peak of the Sindrian palace stretching up form the horizon. They'd be at the dock by noon. Yam smiled at the little blip of land, feeling very, very tired. It had indeed been a lot of magoi to move the entire ship and the passengers hiding in her belly at once, but they'd succeeded.

The crew and passengers were emerging from the lowers and clustering onto the deck, cheering and clapping and pointing in excitement at their country in the distance.

"General Yamuraiha," Drakon appeared behind her having woven through the celebrating crew. He was out of breath, eye's wide, reptilian features drawn taught.

"What is it?" Yam asked, feeling her throat tighten. Has something happened to Sinbad? She knew Drakon had refused to brace through the jump anywhere but aside the royal cabin, and for him to leave his post to find her-

"He's awake," Drakon said. His eyes were bright and jittery.

She stared, gaping, as a million questions sprung into her mind. She couldn't gather her wits to form a single one of them into coherency, so she took off at a sprint instead. Aladdin and Sphintus gave the two generals confused looks as they flew from the bow and shouldered their way accross the crowded deck.

Yam burst through the royal cabin's door as soon as she reached the threshold, as did Drakon no matter how loudly the medics screeched in protest.

"Sin," Yamuraiha breathed as she caught sight of the king: awake just as Drakon had said. He was sitting up in bed, a disgruntled medic insistently pushing a cup of thick green liquid at him while he light-heartedly pushed it back.

Sinbad looked relieved to see them, especially when the medic scowled and retracted the foul appearing drink. He smiled at them warmly.

"Yamuraiha, Drakon, you look surprised to see me," Sinbad's tone was so casual, one might have thought he'd simply been gone on vacation.

It hadn't taken long for Yam's initial excitement to fade. While Sinbad was awake, he was far from recovered.

The tiny smolder of magoi Yam found at Sin's core was hardly bigger than the winking ember it had been over the past few days, and his physical state accurately mirrored the pitiful reservoir. He was unsteady on is feet, easily winded, and paler than a ghost, no matter how brave a face he kept or how hard he tried to laugh it off.

He wouldn't accept food or drink either, despite the medic's persistence, and when Yam had finally insisted he take down some water, he'd thrown it back up almost immediately, rising a fair amount of dark red blood with it. They'd stopped nagging him so much after that.

Despite undeniably being sicker than a dog, Sinbad still steadfastly bathed and dressed as the ship approached the shoreline and to his medical team's horror, he even left the cabin to stand by the helm as they landed, astonishing all those who had heard the pessimistic rumors regarding his health. Both crew and passengers listened in awe as Sinbad offered a few words for their arrival, his voice loud and steady.

"I want to thank you all for joining me on this adventure, and extend special gratitude to the wizards who aided General Yamuraiha in creating the magic circle that allowed us to arrive in Sindria so quickly. Anyone who wishes it, or is in need of a country to call home, may consider themselves Sindrian citizens from this day forward. I welcome you all!"

While Sin spoke, Yam couldn't help but discretely use her magic to observe his magoi. The little glowing pool at his core was shrinking, it had been all day, a slow leak in the pot. When Yam had noticed it earlier and mentioned it to Drakon he had agreed it best to keep an eye. She nudged the dragon general in the ribs and gave him a meaningful look after she blinked the magic away. He nodded in understanding.

"Sinbad, we need to get you to the Palace medical ward now that we've arrived," Drakon said quietly into Sinbad's ear. The king continued waving nonchalantly to the gathered passengers and crew who were cheering wildly at his miraculous recovery.

"Eventually, Drakon, but I'm going to appear in front of my citizens first. I owe them an update. And besides, you and Yamruraiha were working hard to keep the extent of my injuries form public knowledge, weren't you? You wouldn't even write of it in the letter you sent to Ja'far for fear of its interception. I didn't think that was very nice, you know," He said lightly.

Yam scowled at the king, "That was an easy precaution, Sinbad. This is different, you've practically been in a coma for three days, and your magoi is still dangerously low. You're not well enough to-"

Sinbad stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder, a gentle suggestion that she calm her nerves.

"Listen, it won't take more than an hour or two. Just send for Pisti to escort us to the palace by air. I'll be fine," Sinbad turned back to the small crowd on the deck and gave a winning smile. It was halfway convincing if you weren't close enough to see his milk-white skin and shadowed eyes.

Yam sighed, "Very well, King Sinbad,"

While passengers spilled from the ship's ramps and dock workers unloaded cargo, Pisti played taxi for Sinbad and his generals. Their flight above the nation provided spectacular views of the country below. Oxen-drawn carts and foot traffic flowed through the city's veins like blood.

The streets were even more colorful and bustling than usual. It seemed the word of the ship's arrival had already spread. The nation's green and gold banners had been strung up between buildings and raised above the open market square in celebration of the king's return. They'd likely started preparing as soon as the ship's sails had been spotted on the horizon.

As Pisti's albatross approached the Palace, Yam could begin to make out the figures of the generals waiting to receive them. She let her gaze drift to Sinbad. His violet eyes were fixed to the ant-like figures on the balcony, a wide smile on his pale lips.

She wondered what he was thinking.

Thank you for the reviews, friends! You are too kind! There is about to be a lot more Ja'farxSinbad to come, now that they are back in Sindria! Hang in there! Apologies for grammar/spelling issues!

Drop a comment and let me know what you think! Happy Sunday! :)