Part Four
Conclusion
"Mador, it's time we settled this as honorable men." Sinbad said, sheathing his sword.
Mador's face broke into a hard smile, "You would choose to die rather than to fight me, Captain? This is the courage of Sinbad that is so renowned from port to port?" He burst into laughter. "I guess it is true what they say, the tales of a hero are always exaggerated; they usually end up being little men with big swords!"
"I do not fear to fight you, Mador," Sinbad said upon a sigh, "I had only wished to discover an alternative to more bloodshed." Mador spun his sword in his hand and took a step forward. "Okay, so you're not into negotiating."
"Have you made your peace with Allah, sailor? Are you ready to taste the metal of my blade?"
Sinbad shrugged. "Only if you insist." He slowly unsheathed his blade and raised it in front of him.
"Oh I do."
The two men charged at each other, their swords meeting in mid air, sparks illuminating the night. For each move the other had a counter move, they seemed perfectly matched in their battle, until finally as they were both tiring, Sinbad got the upper hand.
Mador thrust out at Sinbad, over stepping, leaving his right side open for attack. Without hesitation Sinbad moved his sword in, his blade cutting deeply along the dark man's ribs, and into his stomach.
The sailor pulled his sword free from the other's mortal wound, and watched sadly as his worthy opponant fell dying to the ground. Shaking his head slowly, Sinbad turned and made his way over to stand by Maeve, slipping his arm around her shoulders. She smiled, glad to see him return yet again from battle unscathed.
Sinbad extended hi hand to Firouz and helped the scientist to his feet. Soon they were joined by Rongar who could not help gazing at the back of Boural; she was retreating with the rest of her tribe. Rongar was saddened by the thought that she and her family were likely never to learn of the addiction that they suffered from, and therefore were not likely to ever free themselves from the drugging powder.
Patting Rongar on the shoulder, Sinbad began to walk over to where Doubar was sitting, shaking his head. His brother was still devistated over his behaviour causing such massive damage to the Nomad, and Sinbad wished to reassure him that no one blamed Doubar anymore. It was all the pollen's fault.
Maeve followed only a few paces behind Sinbad, Firouz and Rongar needed some time to talk through the last few days. Slowly she began to scan the skies for Dermott, she hadn't seen in him quite a while. Very suddenly the bird swooped across the black sky, screaming a warning out to his mistress and captain.
The sight that met Maeve's eyes as she twisted at Dermott's warning filled her heart with dread. Mador had managed to climb to his knees, and was pointing Firouz's blasting weapon directly at Sinbad's back. With a satisfied smile he lit the short fuse with a flame from a torch laying nearby, and a loud explosion filled the air.
From the moment of the explosion to the moment their entire world fell apart, time seemed to slow to a crawl for the crew. Sinbad turned on his heel to see the small lead ball heading for his body, knowing that there was not enough time to get out of the way. Doubar jumped to his feet, but could take no more than a step towards his brother, certainly not enough to help. Firouz sank to his knees, his sharp mind quickly sizing up the situation, realizing that it was his invention that had caused this. Rongar's sharp eyes tracked the path of the deadly lead ball, watching as it moved directly towards his dear friend's heart. Only it wasn't Sinbad's heart it was aimed at anymore. Maeve was not about to let Sinbad die in such a futile manner, but no spell she could cast would help. She was not helpless, however, there was one thing she could do to save the life of the man who meant more to her and to so many others than anything in existence.
Without a second thought she stepped in front of the flying ball, facing down her fate without fear. She was doing the only possible right thing, for everbody.
The surreal moment ended, and time returned to normal. The bullet slammed into Maeve's chest, propelling her body backwards, into Sinbad's open arms.
None of the crew noticed as Mador fell dead to the ground, all that filled their eyes was the sight of Sinbad's tortured face as he softly lowered Maeve's bloodied form to the soft grass below.
He held her tightly as she coughed violently, blood appearing at the corner of her mouth. Sinbad closed his eyes for a moment, trying to gather strength, trying not to cry.
"Maeve." his voice broke as he peered down at her.
"Hi." she valiantly attempted a smile, but was over come with a fit of coughing once more.
"Hang on, Maeve, Firouz will help you." He turned his blue eyes, shining with unshed tears, upon the scientist, pleading with him to do something. Firouz could only shake his head, drowning in a sea of guilt at what his handiwork had created.
"You were never one to kid yourself, Sinbad, don't start now." Maeve weakly chastised him. "Just tell me that you love me, and that you will go on with your life, and try to be happy."
Sinbad swallowed hard. "Oh, Allah, Maeve, I do so love you, I swear it." As her eyes pleaded, he shook his head. "Without you happiness seems like a fantasy, how can I be happy? If you die you'll be taking my heart with you!" Sinbad sobbed deeply.
Maeve shook her head, "No!" she said as strong as she could, "You will not allow your life to go to waste because of me! I will not have that on my conscience! You must promise me! You will give me my funeral, say goodbye to me, and move on! And please, take care of Dermott, please, he's my brother, Rumina must die to..."
Sinbad nodded as the girl could no longer go on. "I understand. Dermott will be well, I give you my solemn oath."
"And you?" she whispered between spasms of pain.
"I swear to try and carry on happily."
"God will's it, Sinbad." Maeve smiled weakly.
"Inshullah, my love. May Allah watch over your soul, in this life through the next."
As her body weakend almost totally, and Maeve could no longer move of her own free will, Sinbad gathered her close and pressed her face against his neck, crushing her dying body to him. Slowly he rocked her back and forth.
"It's getting darker now, Sinbad, I can't see anymore." Her voice was so soft he could hardly hear it.
"That's all right, my love, you sleep now. Close your eyes and sleep, and soon everything will be fine again. Sleep." His heart was breaking slowly and painfully as he watched her eyes flutter shut for the final time.
"I love you." the very faint words reached his ears as she sighed quietly, and her spirit slid from her body.
He felt her go as her body turned limp, and something raw tore through his body and soul. Tears streamed openly down his face as grief wracked his body. The crew gathered around Sinbad's hunched form, their own faces streaked with tears.
Sinbad rose from the ground with Maeve in his arms, "I promised her I'd take her home." He pressed his lips against her silent cheek. "I'm taking you home."
******
They made the voyage across the seas swiftly, the winds and tides cooperating to move them to thier final destination. Some hidden magic was keeping Maeve's body in stasis for the trip, and Sinbad knew Dim-Dim's spirit to be nearby. The crew was silent in their grief, each remembering something special about their beloved sorceress.
Firouz had to smile at his memories of Maeve, the beautiful celt rescuing him frequently from out of control inventions. And then there was the hottub incident after Allana had sent her overboard. His smile faded as he recalled the joy and relief they had all felt at finding her alive and well; his tears fell freely, not this time, and it was all his fault. He sank to his knees and cried.
Doubar stood at the tiller and remembered their bouts of teasing, the girl was like a sister to him. He also remembered the sharp words they had often shared, and he regretted each one; if he had known she would only have been with them such a short time... His thoughts trailed off; it should have been him; Sinbad was his brother, his sworn ward, Doubar should have died to protect his brother, leaving Sinbad free to have a life of happiness with the beautiful sorceress. His fists balled up and anger washed through him; it's my fault! I failed the both of them!
Rongar sat polishing his sword, thinking of all the times he and Maeve had sat together, working on their swords, comfortable in their silence. She had worked with Firouz for hours learning how to understand his signs, so that she could carry on a normal conversation with him. Very few people cared enough to do that, and Rongar would sorely miss the time they spent together.
Sinbad sat in Maeve's cabin, never taking his eyes off her body; sometimes, if he watched hard enough he could make himself believe her chest was moving, that she was only sleeping and soon she'd wake up to smile her beautiful, loving smile at him once more. But Dermott's silent presence upon the window sill, a bird that refused to eat, drink, do anything except mourn his mistress, was a constant reminder that Maeve would never again open her eyes.
Tears poured over Sinbad's cheeks in a steady stream, grief his constant companion. Memories and missed opportunities flashed through his mind. He laughed out loud remembering her first attempts at using her fireballs, that had been the first and only time he had been called a dirty heathen, but coming from her, he didn't mind. He groaned at the memories of her magic gone haywire, the fireball through the hull, the split mast, the broken halliard; she was a dangerous girl to be around, but he had loved her. Memories of their last night together warmed his broken heart, and slowly he picked up her ice cold hand. She was so pale, so still and silent, not like Maeve at all. She was the last person who should have been denied life, but here she lay. Sinbad had been through the guilt, and he had been through the anger, now he had to contend with the gaping hole that had once been his heart.
"Land ho!"
The cry of the crew man reached Sinbad's ears and he peered through the port hole to see the Isle of Dawn rising on the horizon. The island had found them despite the spell Turok had cast upon it, and the time had come to say goodbye to his friend, his companion, his heart.
*******
Her body lay before them, lovingly wrapped in white cloth, waiting to be lowered into the ground. Dermott sat at her head and every once and a while touched his feathered head to the cloth. Life would be very empty without his sister to love him as she had all these years.
He cried silently as he watched Sinbad, Doubar, Firouz and Rongar slowly lowering the ropes that held her body aloft, and soon she dissapeared forever into the ground. The bird and each man dropped a flower into the open grave. Sinbad was clad in all black in order to honor and show respect to Maeve; removing his headband and sash, he kissed them softly, and laid them along side her body in the grave.
"Remember me, my love." He whispered, shaking quietly as his brother slowly moved the dirt back into the grave. Soon there was no physical sign that Maeve had ever existed, but the scars that remained in each of their hearts were proof of her short life. They would never forget the firey sorcerer's apprentice that had so enriched their lives.
"I kept my promise, Maeve. I brought you home." Sinbad wiped away his tears, drawing in a sharp breath as her spirit appeared before him in the forest. Her supernatural form smiled back at him, and he heard her gentle voice in his mind. "Thank you, sweet love." His breaking heart began to heal slightly as he witnessed her spirit's happiness. "Goodbye, Maeve."
He didn't take his eyes off of her until her spirit shimmered brilliantly and she left to claim her eternal reward. Turning once again, he headed back to the Nomad with the others.
As they sailed into the distance, they turned to watch the island disappear once again, taking Maeve with it. They sighed in sorrow, but Sinbad had one last promise to his love to keep. Brushing his unheld hair out of his face, Sinbad moved to the bow of the of the ship. "Full sail, crew! There are many adventures still left to be had!"
Peasant Witch
Keeper of the Realm and Defender of the Faithful
