Night Three: A Spoiled Mind for a Still Unspoiled Body
That morning, all that Judal had wanted was to be alone; on any other morning he wouldn't have cared one way or another. As it happened, for many hours he had been quite alone. And for most of that night in fact, and had remained in a perfectly still almost meditative state the whole time. Such a thing was very unlike him. It was not exactly for the sake of watching a bright sun rise over the dusty docks of Balbadd either – he cared little for this wretched hole of a city or its miserable people. No; he just watched in mild interest as the silence and night receded into a noisy and clear down. In contrast, his mind and thoughts wished to remain an awkward smudging of both frustration and confusion. Even if he wanted to forget it, that – certain – dream remained far too fresh in his memory.
Gradually, as was inevitable, noise came to flood the narrow and filth ridden streets. The people – no, scratch that – the very nothings of the city pooled together into a flooding of bright clothes and curious voices. Steadily they collected and gathered in the dregs of the city outside of their homes. As the young day grew closer to maturity, they eventually bothered him. Some noticed and approached him, and the dark Magi pulled himself from his meditation as they did. It dawned on him...they were actually concerned. Concerned, for someone like him? Wondering what he was doing alone...why? They should mind their own damned business.
However the moment they noticed that dark sceptre gripped tightly in his fingers, they figured out just who exactly who the Magi was and backed off. They were lucky; today was today, and he felt too lethargic to simply attack them for the fun of seeing them fall. Instead, he watched them divide and leave him alone. And then he passed by silently with a trail of rukh shadowing his every step – today was unusual as he felt in no mood for confrontation. Even so, their actions had him all but seething; did they really need to treat him like some lost and helpless child? The nerve, someone as powerful and dangerous as him – it's not like he was about to get either injured or captured, was it? Idiots...
Common people like that were just too annoying, he thought. He had seen their like back in Kou; the type he knew to have whispered about him since he had been really young. It was from people like that he came to understand phrases such as "fallen to depravity" and "dyed in darkness", and so what? Why should such things bother or interest him? They knew nothing, and as he was stronger logically he knew better. He really, even now, failed to see how he was depraved. Al-Thamen simply told him where to go and he went there. They told him to attack, thus he had rained down power, ice and destruction down on anyone who was stupid enough to be in his way. It cured his boredom, and it was fun; what was so depraved about that?
Still, even with falling to depravity, he had always kept his body untouched from other people – lesser people – even if he had no idea why. But then there had been that dream; the kisses and - his - touch within the dream. They had remained with him, so pleasantly defiling him, and those thoughts wouldn't go away. And yes, he was well aware that it was a dream and hadn't happened. That was a minor detail, and as such it's what vexed and enraged him the most. It was the idea, the thought planted like a kiss of sweet poison seeking to invade his mind, but not his body. It had offered itself to him, and so he had accepted. And then it had ended, and rejected him - Sinbad had rejected him, yet again!
More than anything, it had been a nice idea; the softness of – that – man's lips, the warmth and scent of his skin and, more irritatingly, the alluring tone of his voice. Poison didn't seem to be the right word; it felt more like honeyed milk gradually permeated into skin. Nevertheless, it confused him, and when he was confused he tended to get angry, especially as it remained just a dream. A fantasy. From the moment they had met, Judal just thought that it was an idea taken root in the dark recesses of his mind, as he had never met anyone else quite like him. He had never noticed nor stopped it, and now his very dreams were laced with such impure desires for that person.
Well, that idiot had refused and didn't want him. So naturally what was more desirable than that? It was just irritating that man had invaded his very sleeping mind. Seeing him again was a mistake after all it seemed - he should never have sought him out. What stung was that dream had been so real, and everything had been perfect. Right now to the heated desire in that man's usually calm eyes, but he couldn't exactly magic such idiotic things to existence even with his power. It seemed his mind would remain riled and ravished by a passion his powerful, unspoiled body ached to experience.
More than agitated, he turned his back to the blazing sun and drew up; resolving himself to cast such things from his mind. He should have left for Kou days ago, anyway, and as he walked by he failed to notice an all too familiar person watching him from nearby.
"You seem more agitated than usual..."
Judal froze.
Whipping around him, his ruby eyes narrowed dangerously. Sinbad was leaning against the sun and shadow streaked wall opposite him. Calm amber eyes passed over him slowly, the king's arms folded and of course he wore that usual and unfazed – perfect – expression. What an idiot; what right did he have to be so calm at a time like this?
"You..." Judal felt unfettered fury blaze from him, hotter than the burning sun in the sky and drew his sceptre out threateningly, gripping it tightly. Well, so much for keeping calm and not thinking about him, then. Sinbad's serene expression broke, as if readying himself. Really on any other day, but not that day, he would have fought him - and beaten him - but the dark Magi didn't feel like it. It was so strange, seeing how war was the one thing he did enjoy. All the same, didn't change the fact he was severely pissed off. "You...this is all your fault!"
"Alright..." the other man just had the mild expression of one who found such outbursts normal, and perhaps he did. "What is my fault, exactly?"
"You know what...actually no, forget it. Just stay the hell away from me," he snapped before turning back around and colliding with the throng of the chattering crowd. They gave way, obviously. "You...perverted, irresponsible, idiot king..." he had aimed to say that quietly, between gritted teeth, before leaving. But today he was louder than he thought he was.
"...What do you mean by perverted? Hey!" apparently that was a word that caught Sinbad's attention, especially when surrounded by a crowd which had fixed its collective gaze on the king - not that the Magi noticed or cared. The idiot followed him, Judal's somewhat paced, confused footsteps were equalled fairly quickly and easily – how embarrassing – and he felt a strong hand grip his arm gently and pull him into a nearby alley – even more embarrassing. It was there he felt Sinbad push him on top of a barrel – a barrel of all things – and glared back heatedly. Really, why couldn't he just be left alone today, of all days? Sinbad looked down at him. "How am I perverted? Who was it sneaking into my room and watching me sleep the other morning? What, did Al-Thamen send you to kill me?"
"Of course not, where's the fun of that," he shouted back – well, actually he was the only one shouting. "I didn't do anything to you, but you...what you did to me..."
Sinbad continued to stare; it was fairly uncomfortable, all things considered. "Me? I haven't touched you."
"I know that you damned idiot! It's not like it actually happened!" ...he really needed to stop talking any time now.
"Then what the hell are you yelling for then?" highly uncomfortable, Judal went to climb down but felt those powerful hands catch his, pressing them to the wall. Ah, now that idiot had done it. Memories gushed through him of that strong grip and gentle touch, and he averted his eyes as heat rose in his face. "Even someone completely insane as you knows it's always you, surely? You came into my rooms, yet why are you the one shouting at me? You keep following me and taunting me – for what, me rejecting your power and not wanting to get involved in that awful organisation of yours? You can't leave me alone so -" Judal had had enough, he wrenched his hands free, eyes stinging and hopped down off that barrel, passing him. "So don't walk away when a king talks to you. People keep telling me that's rude."
The dark Magi rubbed his eyes, pausing. "Yeah, well, you're an idiot king so that makes it alright."
Looking round him, he was well aware the alley way more of a dead end, and that man blocked the only exit. He could fly away now, but he figured he'd be caught up with sooner or later. Glancing around himself Judal just felt unnaturally cornered and with nowhere to run. His interrogator continued, but his tone was a lot softer. "...Judal, what does that mean anyway, what didn't really happen?"
He froze; this really was unbearable; here he was, standing before the very last person in this world he'd actually want to tell something like that to. Well, if he wouldn't leave him alone, there was nothing for it. He gave up; any other day he'd have thought of something. When he spoke, he really detested the pathetic cracking in his voice. "...It doesn't matter. You don't want me anyway and you never have. No matter what I offer you'll never want me..."
He trailed off, aware of an extremely soft, yet equally unreadable expression forming in the other man's eyes. They were so clear and bright, almost as if a storm had cleared within him and he had worked something out. Feeling more than a little stupid Judal just looked back, blinked, and felt a hand grip his fingers a little more tightly. He felt as if they were both waiting for the moment where the dark Magi would continue with one of his usual, cruel exclamations. Any other day around this part, he would be crying false tears, or laughing, or pushing him away. But that hadn't happened, and that's what was surprising them both; as it was today, an awkward day, and not simply a normal one.
He took a deep breath, heavily painted violet eyelids closing and turned away in a flurry of ebony hair. Well, that idiot knew now, that was one less thing to worry about. He went to leave, but that grip on his hand stopped him. A moment later he felt soft lips close in, brushing softly over his cheek almost teasingly and Judal's eyes snapping open but he didn't move away. Instead he leaned into him as a stream of warm breath flushed over his reddened, highly embarrassed face. His eyes widened; and how he would have just given anything to just disappear in that moment.
"Do you know what your problem is?" Sinbad asked softly, as if wanting to break an increasingly awkward silence. Well, he guessed there would be a few problems, he couldn't really think of which he would be referring to. Frozen in place, the dark Magi just wondered when he could distance himself – and preferably run and hide. Dumbly, he shook his head. "You can't just tell me what I do and don't want, Judal. Things like that is something you never understood about me."
"...I don't understand what?" he asked, catching his eye again. He didn't really know what he was thinking, but a perfect, tanned hand was framing his face, whilst the other kept hold of his to stop him running.
"What I want...close your eyes a moment."
Judal had no idea why, but he did as he said, albeit nervously. He was aware of Sinbad leaning in again; although whatever for he had no idea, just that he could feel that same welcoming, soft sensation and they were close, very close. Something light and moist brushed over his lips, tingling softly over them and seemed to be persuading them to part, and so they did. After a moment of confusion, and feeling a hand run comfortingly over his shoulder, he came to realise something. As warmth had flooded lightly and searchingly through his mouth, along with his skin, as it dawned on him that this was what a kiss – an actual kiss – felt like. A hand reached up, drawing though his hair as a tongue - that man's tongue - continued to seek out and play over his. After a long moment of that closeness, Sinbad drew away, and Judal wasn't entirely sure he wanted him to. Then that man looked back at him as if curious how the dark Magi would react.
He forgot to really; he just felt speechless. As such the other man took to wearing something of a highly mischievous smile before drawing a thumb gently over his moist lips. "So I really have caught your eye then, that's cute..."
Judal's eyes narrowed. "...Just leave me alone."
"Make me..." he felt himself being shifted back onto that damned barrel, and felt a trickle of hair as Sinbad leaned in, forehead pressed against his. Whatever this was it was...strange, but pleasant, and definitely it didn't feel like a dream. His heart was too loud for a dream anyway. "You're not going to run away now, are you?"
"...No," he took a deep breath. "Alright, whatever, I won't sneak into your room and watch you sleep anymore."
"So you've watched me sleep before, have you?" he seemed amused by that, and Judal didn't know why. He just nodded, looking down at their linked hands curiously. "So...what am I going to do with you?"
What did he mean, do with him? "...Haven't you got a country to run?"
"Yeah, I have something like that. A tropical paradise, right in the middle of the oceans...it's beautiful..." he nodded, his fingers tangling within wild, violet hair and only half listening to him. "But Sindria's...different, I find it doesn't rain enough in places like this. What about you, you don't want to go back to Kou? I didn't expect you to still be here; it's almost like you were waiting for something."
"...I just had a few things on my mind."
"It sounds like you don't want to go back there," he looked up at him curiously. "...I never really got what goes on in your head, you know. All these times we've met, and you just made all those childish claims of what you could give me. All those offers that would tie me in with Al-Thamen. Didn't it ever occur to you we could just do something...simpler? Safer, which has nothing to do with those people?"
"What do you mean?"
"You can't work that much out, then? You really are a naive brat despite everything..." Sinbad laughed, and drew his chin up to look at him as a thumb stroked over his lips again, but more firmly this time. "Alright, as you opened up to me...I'll put it another way for you. Would you like to never have to go back to those people?"
"...Where else would I go? They'll always find me, so of course I'm going back there. Eventually."
"There are so many other places you could go to though, Sindria included..." Judal watched Sinbad break away, reaching into his pocket and drawing out a long, golden chain. He looked over it curiously as it shimmered radiantly. Its rings caught the sunlight, making his vision blur and he felt light headed just looking at something holding so much magic. He heard Sinbad take a deep breath, as though resolving something within himself and making a decision. "So...I'll tell you what. Offer yourself to me, and I'll make the choice for you."
"...What?"
He watched Sinbad crouch down to meet with his eyes, drawing black bangs back from his face. "If you promise to be mine, Judal, you'll never have to go back to them. I won't let anyone else lay a hand on you."
He laughed loudly. "And this is why I call you an idiot king. You know what, why not. Sure I'll be yours, let's sail off to your country and forget everything. Happy now?"
Well, Sinbad wasn't actually joking. "I'm serious...can you trust me?"
What a stupid thing to ask; and how typical of him. They were enemies, how could they possibly trust each other? For some reason though, he did feel he trusted him, so he nodded. As he wondered why he did that, he watched Sinbad unclasp that same decorative chain and place it round his neck, admiring the shimmering light play over its surface. Judal looked down in turn to see its surface darken as it lay upon his skin. "...bastard, I was joking. What are you doing?"
"Shh...It's not going to hurt you; you might feel a little light headed but...ah..." Judal was aware of something happening, even if he had the feeling it was too late to really do anything about it. His body grew heavy, and Sinbad seemed surprised and encircled him in his arms as the Magi slumped forward. A hand ran over his cheek, as if calming his not so existent panic – he was more annoyed again than panicking - and continued to speak. His mind, however, felt too dull and hazed over to really register what he said.
Really though, what an idiot that man was. What did Sinbad think he was doing? It's not like Al-Thamen wouldn't always find him; surely even he wasn't stupid enough to forget a minor – crucial – detail like that. As the world darkened around him, all he could do was blame himself; he had been fool enough to lower his guard around an enemy, after all.