A/N: I didn't mean to establish any sort of routine, but it seems if I can finish all my work on Saturday, I'll be writing and updating a new chapter on Sunday. So yeah, have something from me on a Sunday again.

"Marry a man!?" Alibaba had heard many…innovative (and sometimes downright bizarre, at first) suggestions from Sinbad before, but this…was otherworldly. His face heated up, in indignity or embarrassment, the blonde wasn't even sure. "I don't have such... such-"

"Precisely," the older man quipped. "You need a line to separate your private life from the marriage. Why not just make it completely ceremonial? Think of your husband as an ambassador with a fancy title."

Alibaba blinked. It sounded dubious...but there was some sense in it. "What about an heir?" Alibaba picked on the idea.

"Don't think of the Kou Prince as your husband, he will be just an ambassador," Sinbad repeated. "Polygamy is in the heart of Kou's imperial family. And…it is not foreign to your court, judging from the prevalent lifestyle amongst your nobles," the last statement was spoken tentatively and with a qualifier, the Sindrian sounding a little wary of unintentionally offending the blonde.

Alibaba clenched his fists.

Indeed, if they were both men, his...Consort would have to find means of relieving his... needs as well. Alibaba understood that cheating would be inevitable – a necessity for the Kou Prince, even. Denying him that, like what was expected of a female bride, would not be in anyone's mind. Alibaba would be expected to appoint a Royal Mistress, a woman who would officially carry his heir (and he could do so unburdened by guilt). Less restrictions were placed on who could be concubine(s), so she could be a woman Alibaba loved. And any children born by the Kou Prince could not inherit Alibaba's throne.

It tied all the loose ends neatly.

All his selfish reservations with the marriage, that was.

Alibaba's head spun. "I-is this even an acceptable practice?"

"It's rare, but there has been same-sex marriages between royalties. Diplomatic relations take precedence, after all," King Sinbad didn't sound unsure at all.

Seriously…Alibaba couldn't believe that Kou would accept it. He'd heard that males – and therefore princes – were more prized in Oriental cultures. "…it's normally as a last resort, right? When the two nations who want to tie the knot don't have suitable candidates of opposite genders?"

"Indeed," the long-haired King paused, but his tone…wasn't that of a man who had given up on an idea. "…Alibaba, do you know of Sasan?"

Of course Alibaba did. Alibaba had read Sinbad's adventures so many times he'd almost had them memorized verbatim. "The Kingdom hidden deep in the mountains?" What did it got to do with…

"Alibaba…to your knowledge, had any previous Saluja Kings married an outsider?"

Alibaba understood the thread of thoughts Sinbad had come to, and couldn't help but be once again awed by his…his sheer genius. "Y-you mean…."

Sahbmad was concerned.

It had been two days, and…Alibaba hadn't talked about Kou's…blackmail (Sahbmad refused to sugarcoat it in his head; it was a threat). The monarch went about his businesses as normally as possible, letting none of his officials – including Adnan, his secretary – notice that anything was amiss, but the former second Prince knew someone was gnawing at his younger brother's mind. Far from relieved, the teen had seemed deeply perturbed after his conversation with the Sindrian King, and…

Sahbmad very desperately wanted to be of help.

As soon as the blonde King dismissed his last appointment of the day, the black-haired royalty slid himself between the door and his ruler. "A-Alibaba!" he steeled his jaws so he wouldn't stutter. "Please tell me what's in your mind!"

Amber eyes widened at him, before the boy looked down at his table, fingers tapping on the mahogany wood. Eventually, Alibaba smiled at his deputy. "Come, brother," he gestured at the veranda.

And proceeded to talk on a snail's pace, spaces filled with silences.

"Marry a man!?"

Alibaba chuckled at his reaction like he couldn't help it. Sahbmad didn't see what was funny. "I'm sorry, it's just," the teen's amusement was a little hysterical, a little forced, "I had the exact same reaction."

Yet, Sahbmad missed the laughter as soon as it was gone. Alibaba was wearing a face so lined with weariness, a face no sixteen-year-old should have. "You don't have to do this. The military might of the Seven Seas is not weaker than that of Kou, I'm sure."

Alibaba shifted his gaze from the diamonds in the sky to the lights in the city, twinkling equally brightly through the windows of the homes of their citizens. "…would they really prefer to fight?" he spoke quietly. "My happiness isn't worth thousands of lives."

Sahbmad frowned. "We can contact Reim," his mind whirled at a mile a minute. He hated to see Alibaba so…defeated. "With both the Seven Seas and Reim behind us…Kou won't dare to lay a finger on us!"

Alibaba's expression changed subtly. He looked deep in thought, though he didn't appear all that optimistic. Sahbmad was just grateful he didn't set it aside right away.

"We don't have a history of strong bilateral ties with Reim. They'll want something," the blonde concluded.

'Who will be the lesser of two evils?' the question rang loudly in the Deputy King's head.

But…"If we don't try, we'll never know, right?" Sahbmad squeezed his younger brother's hand. "It's not like you to be nihilistic."

Alibaba closed his eyes and bit his lower lip.

Nobody said anything for a while, until Sahbmad could feel Alibaba press his hand back. "You're right, it's worth a try. However, Kou's armada is already on our shore. We need to buy ourselves time. I'll be sure to draw out this marriage debacle," he stared straight into Sahbmad's eyes unwaveringly. "I'm leaving this to you, brother."

Hope filled Sahbmad's chest with warmth. "I won't let you down, Alibaba!"

Kouen refrained from blinking profusely in disbelief. It wouldn't do to show your opponent that you were stunned (no matter that the blonde knew how outrageous his statement was).

Still. "I didn't know you swing that way," was the best retort Kouen could let out of his mouth. Should he have said it with more disdain? A bit of a leer?

"I don't, really," the golden King of Balbadd sipped from his goblet while lounging on his high backed chair, tilting his head back. Seated to his right as he was, Kouen was treated to the full view of his neckline. "But our ancestors dictated that only pureblooded Balbaddians can rule over the Kingdom…and I'm sure your sister would hate to see a lowly son of a Mistress inheriting the throne over our future son, wouldn't she?" Alibaba shot him a bold sideway glance, before turning that stare to Koumei.

Kouen's eye twitched. The nerve of him…to draw references to himself. And that 'custom' sounded…really fishy. It would not be in any written texts. And the Saluja dynasty, who had been the ruling family since the dispersed islands came together and assumed the awareness of a nation for better trading cooperation, was indeed, not known for taking foreign princesses into the clan. Political neutrality was in the heart of the Kingdom. [1]

"I know what you're thinking," King Alibaba sighed at the silence and shook his head. "I can assure you, my mother, though a harlot, was a true-born Balbaddian. We paid homage to the graves of my grandparents, my great grandparents, and her great grandparents every year. They were fishermen from before, you know."

Kouen would have flushed if he were any lesser man. That misgiving was…taken straight out of his head. It was jarring, like being caught badmouthing someone on the act.

As the elder brother was recovering, Koumei heaved a dramatic exhale of breath. "I never thought of you a King enslaved by traditions, Your Majesty," his tone, his face, every part of him was belittling the blonde. He was trying to rile Alibaba. "You should be able to do away with those outdated words of the dead, shouldn't you?"

The amber-eyed monarch only took it in stride. "While we're at it, why don't I turn Balbadd to a Republic too, hmm?" He put down his goblet and smiled challengingly. "Being a young Empire, perhaps Kou does not understand how highly nobles regard those traditions…"

The blonde monarch was conversing as though he feared no retaliation from Kou. Had he and Sinbad decided to go to war against Kou, after all? Did he have an ace up his sleeve?

Speaking of which…why did the ordinarily timorous Deputy King look so assured today? Kouen could tell it wasn't just a front. What were they hiding?

Amidst the many thoughts swirling in Kouen's head, he met Koumei's eyes. They said, 'retreat, for now!' and Kouen agreed wholeheartedly.

Before he could make a suggestion to leave, Alibaba touched Kouen's wrist, causing the larger man to nearly jump out of his skin. "It's regrettable that you are a Crown Prince… I hope the candidates of my future husband and I can meet and we can assess each other before deciding on a match. I am quite sure…" he removed that smoldering gaze and turned to the younger redhead, "that you would not fancy having me vow my life to you at the altar, Your Excellency. I would not impose on you."

Koumei narrowed his eyes. "Don't assume things about me," he snapped before he could help himself, and blinked when he realized he'd been successfully baited.

Alibaba flashed his guests a wide grin.

"I'm looking forward to get to know you and your brothers better."

Koumei twisted his coat and threw it at his bed as soon as they reached their cabin. "That fox!"

He'd always thought himself a laidback guy. This was the first time someone could get under his skin and irritated him so much. Or rather, he was so angry he let himself be goaded to make that remark when he knew he should have kept quiet.

"…That was certainly unexpected," Kouen's voice pierced through Koumei's fuming. The first Prince was seated behind his table as usual, rubbing his beard in thought. "What option should we take now?"

Koumei bit his nails in frustration. Proceeded with an attack? Reim was the wildcard. Insisted on a marriage with Kougyoku?

"…is it so bad if we let him marry a Prince of Kou?"

"Of course, it's bad!" Koumei hadn't let himself accept the absurd idea; he knew it would slip through the cracks and overruled all his common sense, once he did. "We won't be able to indoctrinate their children as Kou's own-"

"In any case, we have no way of stopping him from frolicking with Balbaddian women and producing bastards who may very well one day inherit the throne like he did," Kouen was staring at his wrist like he was still remembering that touch. "Most of our married sisters still have not given birth to children, and the one who had, her husband is very insistent on raising their son in…what's that region name…"

"Aomen [2]," Koumei massaged his temples.

"Yeah," Kouen waved his hand dismissively, "Semantics."

Koumei sighed, this time for real.

Nobody said anything for a while, until Kouen finally reached out for his scrolls. "So…Kouha?"

Koumei wanted to smack his palm on his face, pat their younger brother, reject and agree to the notion simultaneously. He'd never felt this torn within an instance. "…it won't be our choice," the freckled redhead settled with that response. "That boy King did imply he wants to make the decision after meeting all of the 'candidates'. Demanding brat."

"I need you to advance to the West," Kouen acted as though he didn't hear his younger brother, "Kouha will have fun terrorizing that blonde."

Koumei did get to smack his face with his palm, after all.

Sahbmad's knees gave way as soon as they saw the maids sending the two Imperial Princes of Kou out of the gates.

"Where did you learn how to do…those?" the twenty-one-year-old blinked at the spot on the dining table where…Alibaba flirted with Prince Kouen (yes, there was really no other way to describe it, either).

Alibaba shrugged and he crossed his legs and slumped on his chair. "My mother…" the words were unexpected, but Sahbmad didn't interrupt, "she did…certain things when she talked to her customers. Certain gestures I didn't understand until I watched the hostesses at the clubs. Downcast glances, showing off the insides of one's wrist…" he trailed off, before turning fully to the dark-haired royalty with his body twisted at the waist, chin supported casually by his knuckle with his neck upturned, large catlike eyes locked onto him, "they say I look like my mom. I've always lamented that, until I overcome my qualms with making use of it..." His amber eyes slid downward. "For Balbadd."

Sahbmad shuddered inwardly. That pose...if Alibaba wasn't his brother, he would have felt...attraction. He knew he would have.

"That aside," Alibaba dropped the act like a mask, crossing his arms behind his head and leaning so far back the two legs of his chair left the ground, "Since I insist on getting to know all of Kou's Princes…I'd have to depart to Rakushou, I think. Sorry," the teen scratched his head, "I just…don't want to have to marry someone I can't trust. I…want to have a say…"

Sahbmad smiled. This was the Alibaba he knew. "You can leave Balbadd to me," it scared him to say so, but Alibaba had always made him believe in himself. That was why he'd vowed to follow his brother to the ends of the earth. "Have a safe trip."

Unbeknownst to them, the golden rukh left their perch on the windowsill, and headed for the East.

TBC

Review please!

Notes:

1. I learned the ways of a trading nation from my 2nd home country. Singapore has trade treaties with many countries and rarely attacks anyone (other than sending soldiers for UN peacekeeping missions, I think?). The largest Alliance she has is FDPA, which doesn't require military commitment. Favouritisms can mean trade barriers, so it stands to reason Balbadd would want to be as politically neutral as she can get. I know Balbadd relying on the Seven Seas Alliance but rarely fighting against the Alliance's attackers (and make herself a target) is not an equal relationship, but let's say Sinbad owed Rashid much and relies on Balbadd being war-free for trade, considering Sindria's location is…far off to the south, kinda isolated.
2. Forgive me, but in terms of location and profile (a trading port about to be assimilated into a larger mainland empire), I find Balbadd similar to Hong Kong…No offense, anyone. Aomen is Macao in Mandarin, btw.

I've...stared at this chapter upside down and still don't know how to make it...not boring. Please, please tell me how to improve it. As I wrote the story, I also felt 'wait a moment, why is the atmosphere so serious...' 'ah, sharks! How do I change it...'