Part Two
"And if I were to craft such a powerful device once more, I would be the most respected scientist in the world. Don't you see, Rongar, I have the oppurtunity to truly become known for my craft!" Firouz was babbling on excitedly as he sat upon a piece of driftwood on the beach.
Rongar rolled his eyes skyward, wishing that he could tell his friend to stop acting like a child. Instead he gestured to the air around them, pointed to the water, and back to Firouz. The scientist looked at him and sighed.
"Rongar, why must I concentrate on something so menial? I'm sure Sinbad will find another way of solving this problem. The time I waste building a device that will be designed to discover some chemical that I'm not even sure exists is time that could have been spent working on this weapon. Think of all the lives that could be saved with this device!"
And think of all the lives that could be lost! Rongar's mind screamed at the scientist, avidly remembering both their close calls the day before. His eyes pleaded with Firouz to continue the task he was assigned, and the scientist merely shook his head.
"Fine, I will do as Sinbad asks, but as soon as we are finished here, I am building my weapon. There is nothing you can do to stop me." Firouz's eyes glazed with the power that was being dropped into his lap through this lastest invention. Why, with such a weapon he would be given the power to choose who lives and who dies from a distance; he would practically be a god!
*****
As Maeve made her way through the wooded area, she lost sight of Sinbad before her. Furrowing her brow, she was about to turn and look around her when a heavy weight struck her from behind. Before she could react she found herself pinned underneath Sinbad's form, with his mouth decending upon hers.
Her eyebrows raised as she threw her arms about Sinbad's neck and drew him down hard against her. His eyes widened in shock, and the sorceress smiled wickedly. Perhaps he still had some fun left in him after all!
Without hesitation she kissed him passionately, her mouth, hands and body begging him to respond in kind. Resting upon his elbows, he entwined his fingers into her glorious hair, and slipped his tongue into her mouth. Her body shivered widly under his touch, glorying in his hand straying down her side and up over her stomach; she made no arguement as he moved to untie the laces on her vest, nor as he drew the dark material over her head. She yanked his shirt and vest off his body, and almost laughed with joy as he moved against her once more.
His lips moved over her jaw, nipping slightly, and down to worship her throat. He moved his mouth to the little hollow in her throat, and gently dipped his tongue into it, feeling her heart beat an unsteady rythm to match his own.
It was at that moment that Dermott's cry rang overhead and the bird flew down to perch on a tree next to them. Squaking in embarassment the hawk turned his feathered head away from the duo as they hurriedly composed themselves.
Maeve glared at the small form in the tree, and hurriedly thrust a thought at him, "Don't say a word!"
Dermott made sounds that could have been taken for laughter as he turned around once more and told Maeve what he had come to say. She turned sharply as she tied her laces, "Dermott has found a tribe of Islanders, Sinbad, we must hurry. They are heading towards Rongar and Firouz on the beach."
"Dermott, do you know if they are friend or foe?" Sinbad looked at the bird.
Maeve nodded. "Neither Doubar or Dermott see any threat from the tribe, they look harmless enough, but I suggest we return quickly just to make sure."
"Aye!" The captain and the sorceress ran back through the forest, flying over rock and wood alike as they hurried back to the beach. They arrived upon the sand just in time to see the group of dark men and women gather around the scientist and the moor. In the distance they could see Doubar trudging quickly down the beach, obviously out of breath. He came to a stop panting heavily, joining the rest of his crew.
Sinbad stepped out in front of his men, and lady, and faced who appeared to be the leader of the tribe. "Greetings, I am Sinbad, and these are my crew. We have come in peace searching merely for some answers to some very difficult questions."
The leader cocked his head to one side and turned back to his tribes men. "Hod es laukea." he said to them, and they each sat upon the sand, indicating their lack of threat to the crew.
Sinbad smiled and nodded. "Your gesture is appreciated, and returned. Crew." Doubar, Firouz, Rongar and Maeve sat upon the ground, Dermott coming in to perch upon Maeve's arm. Only the captain and the tribe's leader remained standing. "Do you speak english?"
The tribe's leader nodded. "I speak the english I have been taught as I travel from port to port as my father before me and his father before him. Only my people and my family remain without contact with the outside world. Our leaders always know the world around them."
Sinbad inclined his head. "That seems very resonable."
The leader smiled. "I am Mador, high cheiftan of the tribe Steleth, and these are my people." He made a slight hand gesture, and a tall, dark skinned, beautiful woman stepped forth. She smiled shyly, her eyes trailing to the handsome moor. Mador nodded. "This is Boural, she will care for you once you reach our village, that is if you would care to accompany us."
Sinbad glanced at his crew, and they each nodded. He lowered his hand to help raise Maeve to her feet, and drew her close. "We would be honored to visit your village, high cheiftan."
Mador smiled. "Mador, please. Even my people give me no title, we are a very informal tribe."
"Fine, Mador." Sinbad gestured to his crew, "This is Maeve, Firouz, Rongar, and my brother Doubar." He nodded to each one in turn.
"Then come my friends, we will have cabins and food prepared for you by the time we arrive!"
Six of the tribesmen headed off into the woods at a dead run, they were going to prepare the village for the upcoming visitors. Mador turned on his heel, and followed by his people began to walk slowly through the same woods. Sinbad cocked his head at his crew, and they began to follow, all except Rongar. Boural moved to his side and smiled up at him; she took his breath away, and he blushed. Smiling back at her, they walked side by side, following far behind the others.
***********
As they strode into the village, small children ran about thier legs, laughing and chasing each other as children are known to do. The entire village was smiling, not a person seemed ill or unhappy, in fact they all seemed as if they believed they were living in eden.
"Our village is entirely self supporting." Mador was saying. "Behind that tree line," pointing behind a series of houses, "we have great rows of crops that feed us all year around. Each of our tribesmen are trained in hunting and in some special task so that we have no need of the outside world. We live here in peace and happiness, once people come, many no longer wish to leave." Sinbad caught sight of several people who's skin tone appeared lighter than the tribesmembers, he raised his eyebrows. Mador smiled. "Yes, we have had travellors come ashore here before; they have decided not to return to their imperfect homes after being here. Our home is very welcoming."
Trying not to frown, Sinbad returned his attention to the lady still standing encircled in his arms. Maeve had not been fighting his advances lately, perhaps he was making some progress.
A tribesman approached Mador and said something to him in his own tongue. Mador nodded. "My apologies Captain, but we can unfortunately only offer you two cabins at this time. With your permission I will put your brother, Firouz and Rongar in one cabin, and yourself and Maeve in the other."
Maeve's eyes opened widely, and she stepped away from Sinbad; Sinbad glanced after her longingly, but looked back to the cheiftan. "Perhaps that's not such a good idea, Mador. It may be uncomfortable for us."
Mador shook his head. "Captain, I did not mean to offend you. Our customs forbid a lady to room alone while in our village, and you seem to be excellent friends. Do you understand my reasons for placing you together?"
Sinbad looked to Maeve who sighed and nodded. "We have no wish to break your customs, Mador, we will do as you request." Mador smiled widely. "Thank you, Captain. Please, come this way and I'll show you to your cabins."
*****
That night was an evening of food and dance as the crew and the tribe sat outside around many fires watching performers and their offered entertainment. Doubar sat aside from the rest of the crew, surrounded with five women purring over him, a never empty wine cup, and a food filled plate; he was in his glory. Maeve and Sinbad sat together as the Steleth laws required, Maeve was not to travel unaccompanied by her guardian, who had been deemed to be Sinbad. Firouz was amusing himself by showing several of his inventions to the tribesmen; though they didn't understand a word he was saying, they're eyes showed avid interest, and Firouz was thrilled. As for Rongar, he was across the campfire with Boural. The tribes girl was sitting upon his lap, feeding him small berries.
The two had not been seperated from the moment they had returned to the village. Rongar and she had been barely visable to the rest of the crew as they went on walks through the woods or down by the beach. Neither of them needed words for they seemed to speak a language all of their own in silence. Sinbad raised an eyebrow as he turned to look at Maeve, was this love for thier moorish friend? Maeve merely smiled softly back at him, and pulled him to his feet.
"What..."
"Let's dance!"
"What???" Sinbad had no choice as Maeve pulled him into the midst of all the dancing bodies. He looked at her lovingly, as her eyes sparkled madly and her beautiful smile brightened the night; he couldn't resist her any request.
He pulled her into his arms, and swung her around to the rythm of the native music. Having her body move so closely to his was torture, but what sweet torture. They danced for hours, long into the night, until many of the tribes members had left for their cabins. Neither of them tired as they danced together, nor did they notice the gazes of the people around them falling upon them with knowing smiles. The only thing that they were conscious of was the gentle brush of their bodies, the hypnotic rythm of the music, and the undeniable energy rising between them.
As they came back to the world around them, they realized that their crew had already turned in, with the exception of Rongar and Boural who had fallen asleep under the shade of a strange looking tree. The leaves fell upon them softly, the pollen a fine dust spreading into the air. As their air filled with the pollen, their arms reached out for each other, seemingly unconsciously, and held on tightly. They had each found what they had been longing for, and were not about to let go.
Maeve and Sinbad smiled at the couple, and dissapeared into their cabin; dawn was quickly approaching, and they still had a mystery to uncover.
They sat together quietly, both trying to avoid the topic of thier sleeping arrangements, the single sleeping pallet offered to them by the tribe. Maeve sighed.
"What's the matter, Maeve? You've been so sad lately." Sinbad's eyes took on a worried tone as they met her gaze.
All the feelings that Maeve had been keeping pent up inside her began to spill forth freely, and she told Sinbad of her longing to see her home in Ireland again, but most of all, she longed to return to Dim-Dim's island. She needed, if only for a little while, some place to gather her thoughts, practice her art, and to be at peace. "The Isle of Dawn was such a part of me while I was there, Sinbad, and there is nothing I wouldn't do to see it just one more time." She sighed, "Only it's too late, Turok has taken it, and I will never see my home again."
Sinbad smiled at her gently. "It's never too late to go home, Maeve. Once our problems on this island are solved, we'll take a slight detour and head for the Isle, or at least where it last was. Perhaps it will find us, and you will see your home once again."
Maeve smiled gently, and yawned, the time had come to address the topic of where they were going to sleep. As both their eyes trailed to their sleeping pallet, Sinbad held his breath; was he going to be sleeping on the wooden floor? he wondered. But her smile relaxed him and they settled down together upon the soft mat, and slipped off into a gentle sleep.
*****
Continued in Too Late To Go Home: Part Three
