DISCLAIMER: Magi and other discernible characters/quotes/citations belong to their respective authors. I do not own original content, Magi. No profits were made.
COVER CREDITS: MAGI THE LABYRINTH OF MAGIC BY SHINOBU OHTAKA (c). Cover Credits: Original Fan Character by Aladdin.
Cited: magi. Fandom wiki
A/N: I have gone back and edited this chapter and I am much happier with this than the original version. I hope you guys like it, too.
A/N: School has started back up again, but I want to edit the chapters I have uploaded first to give you guys more substance, before continuing on. Please bear with me.
#StaySafe #Quarantine2020
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Magi
Chapter I: The Ascension of the New High Priestess of Samaria
The first time he'd heard about her was a fleeting moment that escaped him entirely. He was distracted, and frankly, uninterested. He was standing over his desk, his arms firmly supporting his upper body while he leaned over the furniture, lost in the study of the maps of his country, Sindria. He barely noticed the door barge open when Ja'Far entered His Majesty's cabinet in the White Capricorn Tower.
"King Sinbad," the General tried to get his attention, which irked him as it interrupted his train of thought. He knew better than to let his emotions handle him and allow his annoyance to be noticed, though. After all, it could be something important.
Ja'Far continued, "News arrived from the Kingdom of Samaria." He approached the High King of the Seven Seas, who was still leaning over his desk, seeming like he was pretending not to listen. "A new High Priestess has ascended," Ja'Far finished, expecting to stir up some reaction from the King.
It was like an automatic reflex, the King didn't even willfully start to form such thoughts, but his calculating nature had drawn up motives of expanding his alliances with her country before he'd even heard her name. Little did he know, she was about to make ripples in his life that he couldn't have dreamt of.
The King finally elicited some form of response by standing upright, crossing his arms, and rubbing his chin. Granted, his focus was still divided – He couldn't even be bothered to turn around to address Ja'Far. Instead, he walked over to the built-in bookshelves that wrapped around the walls of his office. "Samaria?" He repeated as if trying to recall what Ja'Far said, even though he most certainly heard it just moments ago. He was bobbing his head up and down slowly, along the bookshelves, searching for something. "Isn't that the small country that lies just north of the Dark Continent?"
"That is correct," Ja'Far responded, slightly peeved, but he was used to his King's theatrics.
The King finally stopped joggling his head around and lifted his right arm to pull out one of the books from his tightly packed collection from all over the world. This one was a book that he obtained from his travels to Artemyra. "This is the only book I've found that mentions the country of Samaria. It was given to me by Queen Mira Artemina, that woman was a different kind of animal!" He arrogantly declared, making an even more arrogant Whoo-ing sound at the end of his sentence.
Ja'Far could feel a vein on his forehead twitch, but he knew better than to entertain the King's goading. The womanizing King was definitely starting to get on his last nerve, though. "Well…" He tilted his head, in preparation to deal with the King's attitude, almost in a manner of suppressing his vexation toward his oldest friend, "What does the book say about the Holy Kingdom of Samaria?"
"Let's see," The King cracked open the book and flipped the pages, "Ah! The Holy Kingdom of Samaria was established around 15 to 20 years ago. The nation is well-known for its scenic beauty and friendly citizens. Samaria is home to some of the rarest species of plant and animal life in the known world. The country also has a rare form of government, not a monarchy, not quite a republic either, but more of a… theocracy." The King turned away from the shelves, raising his eyebrow, a calculative idea forming in his head as he walked toward his friend, while still holding the book, "However, for all of its grace, the nation is quite poor and does not have strong trading relationships with any other country. Everything they have…" He closed the book shut, making a loud slam, "…is home-grown."
Ja'Far removed his hand from his sleeve to reach out for the book, "Are you thinking of bringing them into the Alliance by utilizing the Sindria Trade Company?" He advised the King in a manner that allowed Sinbad to think that he was the one to came up with the idea.
"You know, Ja'Far, that's exactly what I was thinking." The King turned the book over to the General.
"I will have a ship readied with some offerings to the new Priestess, then," Ja'Far said as he tucked the book in his sleeve, hiding his hands in his clothing, and resuming his usual prayer position.
The King smiled as he turned to roll up the maps laid out on his desk, maybe feeling the excitement of a brand new conquest. "Let's go pay our respects to this new High Priestess."
Ja'Far leered to his side, disappointedly muttering to himself, "…I'll pay more than respects to find you an honorable wife finally…"
The King acknowledged his adviser's sly remarks with a condescending sneer and simply gave a soft chuckle as he shook his head. "When do we leave?"
"Come to the docks in about an hour and a half, at the next bell toll. Masrur and I should have everything prepared by then," Ja'Far confirmed, and he left the King to his odd hobbies.
After a few moments passed… the tolling of the castle bell could be heard throughout the kingdom, and it was time to leave.
The King lugged around a small sack over his shoulder, filled with a few clothes and some other bare necessities for their travels. He walked to the docks at a relaxed pace, enjoying the sun shining down on his face, tasting the salt in the air, and having little conversations with citizens along the way.
When he reached the dock, he received the usual send-off from the rest of his Generals. The King still traveled quite often, so this was nothing new for them. He stopped in front of the other six generals that were still onshore.
"Try not to get into too much trouble this time, King Sinbad." Hinahoho teased.
"Yeah," Pisti added, "Also, don't forget to bring us souvenirs!"
"Of course. I won't forget." The King chuckled. He turned to address the other Generals as well, "Then, I leave everything to you all, once again. You have my trust and confidence. Thank you."
The six Generals remaining in Sindria smiled and waved them goodbye as they set sail.
They arrived at the port of the Holy Kingdom of Samaria after voyaging the rough seas along the coast of the Dark Continent for four days. The ship's watch was peering through his telescope when he let out a sudden bellow, "Land ho!" to inform the crew that the shoreline had been spotted.
The announcement caught the attention of everyone aboard, making its way to the captain's ears at the helm of the ship. The King gazed upwards to the crow's nest in excitement as he yelled back, "Report!" His voice was trying to cut through the commotion of his crew hard at work as they prepare to dock.
"High reaching mountains, lots of greenery, a small village." The ship's watch turned his telescope to the right, "The only dock is about 30 degrees to the right."
The King turned to address the crew on deck, then he proceeded to bark a barrage of orders, "All hands on deck! Raise the mainsail! Drop the anchor! Prepare to dock!"
The crew rushed to execute the captain's orders, causing the ship to come to a slow halt. The large vessel swayed soothingly on the water next to the worn-out dock, bumping it ever so softly. The King stepped away from the helm. Meanwhile, two members of his crew secured a wooden plank to bridge the gap between the ship and the dock. He stood on the starboard side, taking a moment before stepping offboard, as he gazed down the plank with a steady intent look. Feeling the chilly spring breeze blow gently from the ocean, heralding a change of winds in the King's fate.
The King finally stepped down, making his way onto Samarian shores, after a few moments. A small group of men and women on horseback greeted them on the beach. Most of them appeared to be guards judging by the leather armor they wore, a bow and arrows strapped across their backs, and the spears they grasped in one hand. A couple of them wore long white robes and seemed to be scholars or diplomats. However, the defining characteristic of their attires were the veils worn by each member of the welcoming party. It served to conceal everything below their eyes. Sinbad has seen stranger things, so he decided to ignore his piqued curiosity. After all, he did not want to offend their hosts by questioning their customs just a few minutes after stepping foot in their country.
"That's far enough, gentlemen." The man wearing long white robes showed cautious hospitality, while still on the back of his horse, making the King and the two Generals look up at him. "Who might you be?"
Ja'Far stepped forward, next to his King, "Please forgive our intrusion." He removed his hands from prayer position and extended his right hand across his body to announce the King, "I present to you, King Sinbad of the Seven Seas. We come bearing gifts for your new Priestess to congratulate her on her ascension."
The small welcoming committee exchanged glances with each other, ending with a slight nod, unanimously agreeing to give the Sindrian men a chance to an audience with their new Spiritual Leader.
"Welcome to the Holy Kingdom of Samaria, King Sinbad, Lady Killer of the Seven Seas," The other woman wearing long white robes, greeted them with ill-disguised contempt. Has the King offended her before? Honestly, he couldn't remember through the sea of women he's been with.
The King smiled politely at the woman on horseback. Softly whispering to Ja'Far next to him, "I get the feeling they don't like me very much here."
Ja'Far groaned in disappointment at his King. He whispered back, "It is the Holy Kingdom of Samaria… your lecherous depravity you call your 'charm' is understandably unwelcome here."
The King rolled his shoulders back, pulled his head up higher, and stood up straight, explaining, "Word does travel far. We'll have to work on our image while we are here."
"Your image, you mean?" Masrur exclaimed, still in a whisper. "Just try not to make a mess for us to clean up, please."
"Your carriage awaits, King Sinbad," the woman diplomat encouraged their departure as a rickety horse-drawn carriage pulled up behind them.
They loaded their belongings and a few small items to offer the Priestess onto the back of the carriage. The Sindrians boarded, making creaking sounds and being extra careful because the vehicle seemed like it would fall apart just from the wind blowing on it.
As they rode through the town, the King looked out the window and noticed that the country did not have the most aesthetically pleasing architectures, but the reports from his book were accurate about what nature had to offer – abundant greenery, the animals were free to roam about the city. He could tell, even from a distance, that its citizens were remarkably happy, although just south of them was the Dark Continent. The King found all of these observations to be quite odd. The country seemed to be a gem compared to the barren wasteland just below their geography. He pondered, how bizarre. There must be something more than they're leading on.
He observed the rickety houses. Immediately, he jumped to a state of mind of wanting to fix the superficial damages of the buildings. However, he did not fail to notice the well-maintained gardens that made up for the aesthetic of the homes. The window of the carriage almost framed a magnificent picture depicting the simple Samarian life. There were children happily playing in the streets, neighbors greeting each other. He noticed an older woman receiving help from a young couple in harvesting her crops on a small piece of land and, in turn, giving the young couple a portion of those crops, which meant they traded without using any forms of currency. He concluded that Samarians genuinely like helping each other out. Thinking quietly, how is this sustainable?
He found the country's modest fashion most interesting – everyone he came across was wearing a white facial veil that covered everything from the nose down, some with a band of gems ornamented across their forehead and simple robes with ropes tied at the waist. Wondering, why? What are they all trying to hide?
The carriage finally stopped, halting the King's curious daydreams. They all stepped out, careful not to make any sudden movements that will break the fragile vehicle. The King and his two Generals climbed the front steps of the old castle, noticing it wasn't any less neglected than the town's architecture. Eight armored guards holding spears greeted them.
Eight? The King thought it was a bit excessive, but they are a bit intimidating, after all.
The guards wearing leather with pointy spears led them into the throne room, where the Spiritual Leader held court and granted all of his or her audiences. The guards fell in two lines, stomping their boots. They turned to face each other at the bottom of the dais, ending their motion with another tap of their spears against the floor. A woman with brown hair and domineering green eyes sat on the throne. Behind her seat, to the right, where the light wasn't shining, stood a woman, also dressed in white robes and a white veil. Her handmaiden, perhaps?
The King felt an immense amount of Rukh emanating from where the Priestess was situated. She was looking down at him from her throne when he met her intense gaze with a softer look as if he knew something she didn't. He did not break eye contact with her as the Sindrians kneeled before the new High Priestess.
Ja'Far kept his head down, as a gesture of respect as he announced, "High Priestess Samara, I present to you the High King of the Seven Seas, Sinbad of Sindria."
"We welcome you, High King," the High Priestess stood up into the brighter light, lowering her eyelids, even more, to look further down at the bottom of the steps where the foreigners knelt. She was also wearing the same long white robes and ornamented veil the citizens use as an everyday garment. Her stern voice was just as intimidating as her glare, "I understand this is the first time you're visiting our country. Please, state your agenda."
"We have brought you offerings to celebrate your ascension, Priestess Samara," The King responded as he stood up with his hands laced behind his back.
"Much appreciated. The pages will show your servants to the pantry." She stepped down the stairs of the dais with her hands behind her back, revealing her small build, meeting the King for a closer look. She stood a whole head lower than the King, but she wasn't any less threatening as she offered, "Tea?"
"Much appreciated," he smiled, reaching to kiss her hand, attempting to use his 'charm' on the Priestess.
"To the garden, then…" she brushed him off, nonchalantly as she walked away.
They exited the throne hall, the King and the Priestess leading the way in front. Behind the Priestess was her handmaiden, and behind the King were his Generals. The same eight Samarian guards surrounded the party as they chatted while walking through the blooming tulip garden, making their way to sit in the gazebo. The Samarian guards turned away from them, Ja'Far and Masrur stood behind their King's seat.
The Priestess's handmaid, a taller young woman, with blue eyes and blue hair, rolled a cart next to them and started serving them tea and biscuits. The King followed the movements of the handmaiden's smooth hands quite intently as she was setting the pot and cups down.
"Thank you," The Priestess cleared her throat as she turned away from her handmaid. She did so in a manner that seemed like she was holding her tongue back from allowing a secret to slip.
The King smiled deviously as if knowing more than he's letting on. "So, tell me the truth…"
The Priestess's eyes darted to meet the King's, almost nervously.
He caught the Priestess's glance just as she was about to pick up her teacup, "When I speak with you, you always have your guard up. When you are quiet, listening to me, your eyes wander to the farthest corners of the vicinity. It's as if you're always waiting for an attack. When we walk, you constantly make eye contact with the guards escorting you as if giving each other signals; but not once, have you looked at your handmaiden in that sense. In fact, during our lovely chat through the garden, you led the way, as she walked behind you along with the palace guards."
The handmaiden was in the middle of pouring the King's tea when he turned his prying gaze towards her. She tried her damndest to avoid making eye contact with him.
The King smiled even more deviously as he was gaining more confidence in his theory. He leaned forward and turned to the Priestess, sitting across from him, "Speaking with you, I feel as though I am talking to one of my trusted generals, but what gave away the obvious were… your hands."
The trickling sound of the tea draining into the cup ceased abruptly. It was replaced by the clumsy thudding of the pot against the table. The handmaiden tried to withdraw her hand back to her body, but not before the King grabbed her wrist. Tension rose quickly in the air. With the blink of an eye, the Priestess drew her punch dagger, concealed in her sleeve. She stood abruptly from her seat as she plunged herself forward to lay her blade perpendicular to the King's carotid. She was ready to cut until she felt the handmaiden's free hand on her fist.
The King reflexively leaned away from the dagger against his neck. A smile nonchalantly forming on one corner of his mouth as he turned toward the handmaid.
"Stand down, Luna. They have bested us." The handmaiden instructed as she also leaned away from Masrur's blade.
The Priestess withdrew her blade back into her sleeve. She was in utter shock, looking at her handmaid's neck, a small flesh wound visible from Masrur's warning attack. She turned to Masrur in disbelief, "Ah… when did you draw your blade?"
The guards, just now turning around after hearing the commotion, "Priestess!" They called out as they braced themselves to point their spears at the Sindrian men.
Masrur also withdrew his knife and concealed it back into his gauntlet. He did so to try not to aggravate the situation further. He and Ja'Far shaking their heads at the ruckus their King has started once again.
"Priestess… your hands are heavily scarred," The King said with an intent smirk, still facing the taller woman with blue eyes and blue hair.
The handmaid finally looked at him through her lashes, studying him.
The King did not let go of the handmaiden's wrist even when their vassals retracted their blades, allowing a small trail of blood to run down her neck, onto her white robes. "Unlike your handmaiden's hands here," he slid his grip from her wrist to grasp her fingers, turning her palm down, confirming his suspicions, "Her hands seem to have been groomed for prayer alone."
"Keen observations, High King." She spoke softly, not trying to take her hand back, "Is that the only thing that gave us away?"
He chuckled casually. "Another odd thing was the immense magoi I sensed when we arrived and when we were walking. Just as I thought, it was emanating from you." Only he can deliver an accusation, and still manage to sound charming. "Ah~ That is the reason you walk and stand so close to each other. What a clever trick, literally concealing your Rukh behind a fake Priestess."
Luna, who was posing as the Priestess, kneeled next to them and put her hands in prayer pose. "High Priestess Samara, please forgive me! I have failed in my duty to protect you!"
The Samarian guards followed her lead and kneeled as well, putting their hands in prayer, "High Priestess Samara, please forgive our incompetence!"
"Don't be silly, Luna. Please, everyone, stand up." The handmaiden encouraged, "I hardly think our guests are playing fair."
Sinbad stood almost at eye-level of the true High Priestess, gazing down comfortably, finally letting go of her hand as he grabbed a cloth napkin from the cart, pressing it against the wound on her neck while looking deeply into her large blue eyes, "It is truly an honor to finally meet you, High Priestess Samara…"