xxx

A week passed from the announcement. Sharrkan was... trying. But it got him more that he thought it would. He didn't feel like doing anything, he didn't train much, or at least not alone. He also didn't train Olba and the others anymore, so he had a lot of free time. He still did all the work Sinbad gave him, but after that, he didn't go partying like he usually did after work. He did drink, but not in the same mood as before.

Pisti tried to cheer him up, even if she was grieving herself, but nothing really worked. He always gave her fake smile or a fake laugh, but had the same empty look the next second. After a few days, he gave up even that and stopped smiling at all.

At least, nobody really blamed him for that or expected him to be his old self so early. All of the generals were grieving, in a different way. Even if one of them tried to think of anything else for a second, the behaviour of the other made them realize again. It was a sad time for everyone.

Sharrkan didn't talk to Yamuraiha since that "argument ". He felt bad for being mean to her, but he kind of knew that she was aware that he didn't mean it at all. That didn't change the fact that he wanted to apologize again. But every time he felt like he could go and do it, she was nowhere to be found or everyone said she was busy. He wasn't trying after hearing that. But after a few days, he started being suspicious that she was avoiding him.

That was until all generals and Sinbad had a dinner together and they were kind of forced to talk. After the dinner, she even smiled at him and wished him goodnight. He did the same and as he looked at her, he realized that he's not the only one suffering that much. She looked like she didn't sleep for days, too, and the sadness in her eyes…

He never knew how to approach her... But now he wanted nothing else but to hug her. He remembered how she came back from Magnostadt a few months before Alibaba's… death. She probably secretly cried for days and weeks. He has heard that her foster father died and that he was a part of the Medium.

That must have been rough… he thought as he walked to his room. He actually went to her room once and tried to be there for her. After arguing and basically yelling at each other, she gave up. He didn't want to exhaust her to let him help her, but it still happened. After that she did cry for a long time and he tried to comfort her as best as he could. She cried herself to sleep in his arms that night and after she fell asleep, he carried her to her bed and covered her in blankets, making sure she was comfortable before leaving. The next day, they were arguing as usual, but in the evening, when nobody was around and Sharrkan went for a little walk around the training grounds, Yamuraiha actually catched up with him and thanked him.

Was that the reason why she wanted to help him so much? Or maybe she just cared in general?

The swordsman didn't know, but he had to admit that it was a nice gesture. Or it would be, if he let her. But this was still something that she could never fix, as well as he didn't fix her sadness about Matal Mogamett. It just couldn't be helped…

A few other weeks passed, and Aladdin and Morgiana came for a visit. It was a rough visit for both sides. Many things were happening in the world that Aladdin and Morgiana knew about and the Eight generals also knew that something was going on with Sinbad as he did more work than before.

But they mostly came because Aladdin needed something from Yamuraiha, probably about magic, which Sharrkan didn't care for.

Still, he felt really upset. Usually when Aladdin and Morgiana came for a visit, Alibaba arrived too. After those harsh few weeks, he tried not think about it, to not be so bitter, but it wasn't easy. He didn't allow himself to cry, so he was mostly just looking totally empty.
But he also felt really bad for Aladdin and Morgiana. The two of them had it probably even worse...

They stayed only for two days and left immediately after. He couldn't help but felt really bitter when Yamuraiha cried as Aladdin left and Masrur looked almost more without emotions than usual. Well, at least their students were alive. He would never see Alibaba again. Or at least not alive.

He still insisted that he didn't want to see his body. What would it give him? Nothing, only sorrow and more tears. And he promised himself that he wouldn't cry again.

He felt so bitter after they left that all he could think about was alcohol. Since the sun had already settled and bars were just at its best, his goal was settled.

There were multiple bars in Sindria. Some were worse and some were better. Sharrkan, of course, visited the better ones more and knew many familiar faces there. But since the "announcement" day, he didn't want anyone to see him in this state of mind, so he became more frequent in visiting the worse ones. He just didn't want anyone to bother him with anything, and as a general, he knew that if he wished, no one would talk to him. And it always worked. Minus this day…

He had already drunk many drinks and sat alone at the table, when he's heard some random men talking about women. But not any other women, about her.

"Hey, have you seen lady Yamuraiha today? I mean, damn…"

"Yeah, she was crying. Aw man, I felt so bad when I saw her. But it made me even harder down there. Imagine her crying for other reasons. Maybe for more."

That made Sharrkan sober really quick. But he was used on men talking like that about her. He was also used on beating any man that even tried talking like this about her. But now, he was trying to stay calm. Why even bother? They will still talk like that, he won't change it by kicking the shit out of them.

"Yeah, I mean... I hope I will get to the palace somehow. You know, there isn't really any other way to catch her up. She's always in her lab, or at least I've heard. And it's actually pretty easy to catch her attention. So I can imagine getting her to bed in like what, a week?"

Sharrkan's muscles tensed at that. Wow, were they doing it on purpose? Those-

"And then, ah, I can only imagine what I'd do to her. I would enjoy every second of fucking her little mo-„

Enough.

He stood up roughly and went to the two men, grabbed one of them and punched him so hard that his knuckles hurt. People around him gasped in surprise and circled around them to look at the upcoming fight. That fuelled him enough that he wanted to beat the crap out of him, but was stopped by the owner of the bar and asked politely to calm down outside.

And he did, he left without a word. But just before he closed the door behind him, he saw a few angry looks coming his way.

Tch, probably friends of the jerk he punched.

Outside, feeling the cold night air, he could tell that he overdid it with alcohol. He didn't even know how much time he spent there, but it must have been hours. Since there was nothing else he could do, he decided to slowly walk to the palace.

As he walked, he felt already much calmer. Thoughts were running through his mind, but he didn't give them any importance. He beated another guy because of her. Well, he shoudn't have said what he said. He always hated when guys talked about her in this way...

Just then he heard steps behind him. It wasn't anything unusual, it was late, but not that late to not see any people. But after another ten minutes of walking and still hearing the same footsteps, he started being suspicious. He tried not to be paranoid though, so he didn't bother turning around and turned to one street that was also a shortcut to the palace and his room.

But the steps didn't stop... they were actually faster and louder. Sharrkan slowed his steps and grabbed his sword. At least he wanted to, but instead, he grabbed air. And at that moment, he stopped and turned around.

"You looking for this?" said a man with a deep hoarse voice, affected by many drinks. "You left it in the bar. So we thought that it would be our responsibility to give it back to you. With a little bonus perhaps?" He laughed at his own joke.

There were five of them. Not that many, considering how many people Sharrkan fought in battles before. But he didn't have his sword and his vision was still a little bit blurry from all the alcohol. Still, he was ready for this. Just looking at the guy who was standing behind the talking guy right now made his blood boil again.

"And you? Looking for a revenge?"

"Yes, actually. You think that as a general, you can beat whoever you want to? Just because you save our asses in the few wars that this country has, you can do whatever you want?"

"You think you can talk about someone who saves your asses every day by covering a barrier like that? You think you can talk about a woman like that?"
That was probably the first time he said something good about Yamuraiha's magic.

They started laughing. "That's why you punched him? Just because of some horny talking about a woman?"

They started getting closer. Throwing Sharrkan's sword away. They were so drunk that they could hardly even walk. Maybe he will beat them, even if he was outnumbered. He clenched his fists when the first attack came. He WILL beat them. For sure.

xxx