Sinbad stared down at the tattered sword and then back at Ja'far before stepping forward and slowly taking the sword from his adviser and glaring down at it.

"Reveal yourself." Sinbad could feel the high levels of energy coming from the sword and was immediately filled with rage by it. The sword only shivered in his hand, but nothing else happened.

"I said reveal yourself!" Sinbad's voice bellowed.

Why, why did this keep happening to him? Why was Mari never around? Why was she always so far away that it made his heart ache? What if she went far enough that he couldn't protect her? Then what?

The sword rattled more. On the inside, Samuda cried. He was afraid. This man held the power of not one but seven djinns and it was only a matter of time before the man tried of use one of them against him. He could feel the power in him surging. It was angry energy. It was bad and he was scared. When would Mari be back?

Soon I hope... Samuda thought.

When Mari got back from the market with Yamu, she ran in to the palace. Today had been the best day! She had gotten to see Ata again, and she had gotten to see more of the city than she had ever expected.

She smiled.

"We're home!" Yamu called into the empty hall

Mari ran inside. She was sure that her father was done with his meeting and she was very excited to finally spend time with him.

She ran straight up to the meeting room and threw open the doors.

"Papa!" She called out. Her face dropped at the emptiness of the room. She ran out into the hall and turned toward Yamuraiha who was making her way down after her.

"Not there?" She asked. Seeing the child so anxious to see her father made her smile.

"Try his room." She nodded. Mari was running down the hall before Yamu had finished her sentence.

Mari was...anxious. She knew that she probably shouldn't be. She hadn't been in Sinbad's life long enough to make much of an impression, so it's not like she was expecting anything...special.

She wasn't the lovely, wonderful daughter that everyone assumed. She lied, cheated and stole. She snuck out, often to train with Samu and Mauru. She told herself it was to make herself stronger, but it really could've been anything.

The fact that she wanted to make him proud maybe? She had spent most if her years being a disappointment to most of the people she'd known so she wasn't expecting people to care much if she was around or not.

She grew up around thieves and robbers and crooks and took after them well.

They were who she was. So why would someone like Sinbad want a child like her?

She padded past several of the generals rooms and reminded herself to go back and say good morning. Just as she was about to reach the main sleeping room, she heard a loud voice echoing throughout the halls. It was her father. She slowed her movements and tried to figure out where the voice was coming from.

He sounded angry. Had something gone wrong?

Something inside her was happening, like an odd pain, like a fire that was forming in the pit of her soul. Before she could stop herself, she was running towards an unknown door. She heard the voice in the back of her mind. Something, someone was awakening.

"I said to reveal yourself!" Sinbad could feel his insides burning. He felt angry, no only at whatever demon was lurking within this sword, but also in himself. It was his job to take care of Mari, and so far he had been doing a horrible job.

He could feel power inside on him. He was already calling upon the djinns without even thinking about it. Focalor. He was calling Focalor up from the pit of his soul. He could feel the heat of the metal bracelet against his skin. Now he was just channeling, but he was angry. Devastated. He could feel himself calling up his cursed body.

"Reveal yourself, or I'll–!" Wind whipped around the room. Ja'far winced as he braced himself against the harsh forces.

"I'll..." Sinbad's voice was just under a growl.

"Sin!" Ja'far's voice went unheard.

"Here!" Mari burst through the door and called Samu to return to her. The sword in Sinbad's hand turned to plumes of fine sand, the sand cloud wriggling away from Sinbad's grasp and finding its way to Mari. The sword formed again beside her.

For a time, the room was silent.

"Mari," Sinbad's voice shook, as if he was shock to even see her in the room.

"Where...have you been?!"

Mari winced a bit. Hearing her father's voice low with anger made her feel...bad.

"I was...out with Yamuraiha...in town." Mari stuttered looking down at her feet and the tattered sword beside her.

"Why would you do that? Why would you leave without telling me?" Sinbad clenched his fist.

"I..."

Mari couldn't meet his gaze. She knew that she'd done something wrong. Like she'd though before...sneaking out, going and doing things without permission.

She was only nine years old by now.

"I am your guardian. Your father." Sinbad's voice was stern.

"I am responsible for you."

"You could've been hurt, again!" He ground out. "You could've...died!"

"I know I -"

"How dare you do this to me." It took Mari a while to realize she was crying. Hah, what for? What was the point?

"What's the point?" Mari scoffed under her breath.

"What was that?"

"What's the point?!" Mari said a bit louder. "What's the point if I'm here or not. What's the point if I'm alive or not. Hearing what you've been "doing" all these year, you probably have hundreds of sons and daughters!" The room went silent.

"Why am I so important–"
"Because you ARE important!" Sinbad picked her up and shook her.

There was more silence.

"You donʻt know anything about me." Mari mumbled under her breath.

Sinbadʻs eyes widened slightly.

"I donʻt know anything about you?" Sinbad lowered he back to the ground, still holding a firm grip on her shoulders.

Mari didn't say anything.

"I don't know anything about you." There was more silence.

Mari thought that if there was any more uncomfortable silence, she would lose her mind.

"You're probably right." Sinbad's voice was soft now, his eyes glazed over with thought.

"But I do know this," Sinbad knelt down and held Mari tight in his arms.

"It is my job to protect you, Mari." Mari stood silently, letting her father continue to hold her.

"So please, let me protect you, okay?"

There was more uncomfortable silence looming throughout the entire room.

"okay."