Why don

Why don't I have a daddy?

MAEVE :

I watch her running, her long hair as red as mine floating around his face. God, I think to myself, she looks so much like him. For a brief moment, I close my eyes, trying to bring his image to my mind...

"Mommy, Mommy!" she says as she throws herself into my arms. I hold her tight, as if I was holding him... But she is too independant, she won't let herself but hugged long.

"Mommy?" she asks as she breaks free from my embrace. "Mommy, why don't I have a daddy?"

I look at her, stunned. This question has come too soon... She is not 4 yet. Not 4.... Has it been that long? I have lost track of time for quite a bit now. I have long stopped monitoring his every move, not wanting to suffer anymore. He has made a new life for himself now. A life without me. As I look down upon our child, I feel guilty not having told him. Dim-Dim wanted to tell him, but I asked him not to. The first year of my disapearance has been hard enough for him, I didn't want to make it harder. Deirdre was the last gift he ever gave me, the most precious one. And yet, he doesn't know. He doesn't know that on that night, that only night we have spent together....

"Mommy? Why are you so sad?" my daughter asks, afraid of seing tears roll down my cheeks.

I smile weakly, lost in my thoughts. It happened a few days before I fell overboard. I have been dreaming for this for a long time and there I was, in his arms. I didn't know then that this would be the only time. It has been everything I expected. He was the one for me and we made plans for a future together, sailing the seven seas as we raised a family. But the Fates have decided otherwise...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SINBAD :

I watch her from the far end of the room. I can't beleive we have been married for over a year. I know my brother disapproved of my choice. He made it clear when I gave him The Nomad. But there was no other choice. She was the only one left for me after that dreadful sea storm. The news of our wedding was a shock for my friends. Especially for Bryn. I knew she loved me but I could never love her that way. She is a sweet girl. I shouldn't have let her hope against hope. But what is done is done. I can't go back.

I have a wife now and she is expecting our first child. I just can't get used to the idea that she will give birth to my child. It shouldn't be her. Maeve should be my wife. After that storm, I have tried to get her out of my mind. But I couldn't. I kept feeling I should have rescued her. And Allah knows I have tried. That is why I finally gave up and married her. She was the logical choice.

My wife turns around and sees me looking at her. A machiavellian smile illuminates her dark face. She has finally got what she wanted. Or so she thinks. I never told her the true reasons why I have married her. Even my brother thinks I have lost my mind. And maybe he is right. I must have lost it when Maeve went overboard.

My wife slowly gets up and walks toward me. She said our first child would be a boy. She also said he would be very powerful. I guess she is right. With her at my side, I have discovered my powers. I was stunned by the strentgh a simple wave of my hand could hold. Dim-Dim would have been furious to see me use them as I did in the past year. But I don't care. He took her away for safe keeping but never allowed me to talk with her. He too is to be blamed for what I have become.

My wife puts her hand on my cheek and kisses me softly. I deepen the kiss and she responds to it with hunger. As I take her in my arms and carry her to our room, she softly whispers :

"Now Sinbad dearest, aren't you glad to be with me instead of that peasant wench?"

Kicking the bedroom door open, I smile back at her and kiss her once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DIM-DIM

I watch my young apprentice cry. But she is not my young apprentice anymore. She is a mother now. And she has mastered the art of sorcery. I wish I could help her but there is nothing I can do. I won't send her back now. Sending her back would be the same as killing her with my own hands. But she has grown restless in the past few months. She doesn't know yet what he has done. Deirdre took too much of her time for her to take a look. I'm glad. Their child will be too powerful. Only a child of equal strentgh or even more powerful could stop him one day. A child like Deirdre...

It is not fair to ask this of an innocent child. But what else can I do? If I send Maeve back to Sinbad now, she will be destroyed. Not by Rumina but by what he has become. If I don't, then their child will be born and soon he will be unstoppable. Unless Deirdre learns to master her powers. But how can one ask a child to kill her father's son?

Deirdre reminds me so much of the young Maeve that came to me for teaching. She is so eager to learn, so amazed by what magic can bring into her life. But her little child heart is pure, not corrupted by hate like her mothers' was. I fear of Maeve's reaction when she learns about Sinbad and Rumina. But I cannot risk her daughter's future by protecting her from the thruth any longer. A thruth she is bound to learn sooner or later.

My mind made up, I walk to the two women in my life. This will be hard and oh I wish it hadn't come to that. Sinbad, what have you done?

"Uncle Dim-Dim! Please Make mommy happy again. Please?"

Deirdre looks at me desperate. She never saw her mother cry before. Maeve and I tried to give her a happy normal life, regardless of the situation. Oh my dear child, if only what I have to tell your mother would cheer her up. But I am afraid it will only make matters worst.

I put my hand on Maeve's shoulder. She looks at me, her eyes filled with tears.

"Oh I miss him so much!"

"I know my child. I know. We must talk, Deirdre has the right to know. "

Taking her arm I lead her to the house, Deirdre singing soflty as she follows us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SINBAD

I watch Rumina's dark hair on my chest. Odd to say but she hasn't been that bad a wife. I could have chosen worst. I could have ended up with someone who really wanted to own my soul. That I could never have given another woman. But she only wanted me, the physical me. A trophy sort to speak. Suited me just fine for I too am using her. She is the only one who can help me. Only her could have freed my powers. And she did. Now with those and her by my side, I will be able to go out and take what I want. I have been denied too much in this life. Time for me to act. If only the child wasn't there. If only she wasn't his mother. I can't ask her to do it now, we must wait untill he is born. Still a few months to go and then I will have my chance.

I can't believe I have been waiting that long before doing it. The answer to my payers was so simple. I should have known it from the start. Rumina was the only one who could help me get my revenge on life. Looking down at her, I take a strand of her hair and start toying with it. She lifts her head and our eyes meet.

"'Morning handsome!"

She should have said mourning. For I am mourning a life I shall never have again. Those days are behind me now. I made a choice when I took her as my wife. On that day, I buried the old goody-doer Sinbad and became Sinbad the Feared One.

"Did you sleep well my delightful?" I ask, kissing her forehead.

"In your arms, always."

I get out of bed and start looking for my clothes. These are the same clothes I have been wearing in my last sea voyages. I never felt the need to change them. Somehow, they fit perfectly with what I have chosen to become. Strechting, Rumina rolls on her back.

"What is the program for today?" she asks.

I turn to the window, buckling my belt.

"Oh the usual." The usual for me lately has been trying out my powers. I really need them to be perfect. Smiling, she gets up and comes behind me. She puts her arms around my waist and rests her head on the back of my shoulder.

"I love it when you make such good plans. Where shall we go? The little village on the other side of the island? I don't think they have yet recovered from your last attack. It would be even more fun."

I turn around and force her to look at me by taking her chin in my hand.

"No my delightful, I don't want you to come. I don't want to risk loosing you or the baby."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MAEVE

We enter the house, leaving the shiny sun behind us. For a moment, my eyes have some troubles getting accustomed to the inside darkness. I repress a shiver. I know Dim-Dim doesn't only want to talk to Deirdre. Something in the way he is holding my arm tells me it is much more important, much more crucial. Oh my God! Sinbad!

"Master Dim.." I start.

Gently, he sits me down on a kitchen chair and takes one for himself.

"Deirdre, come here," he says. My daughter runs to him. How strange she is always running. It is like she doesn't want to miss anything life has to offer her. For her age, she is quite a clever child. Very mature too. I am afraid that growing up without friends of her own age is responsible for this. She sits on his laps, wondering what story Unlce Dim-Dim will tell her this time. I close my eyes, still wishing this moment has not come yet.

"Deirdre," he says soflty, "You want to know why you don't have a daddy?"

There is a silence. I open my eyes and see her looking at me, afraid that if she says yes, I will start crying again. I smile to her.

"It's ok sweetie, you can ask Uncle Dim-Dim to tell you why."

She returns my smile, satisfied. She turns to our master and nodds. Dim-Dim looks at me, sadness in his eyes.

"Deirdre, you had a father once. He was a young sailor I knew. He came to see me when I was teaching your mother. Soon, she joined his crew and sailed with him the seven seas. He was a good man, Deirdre. Always helping the others and protecting them from evil. Promise me you'll always use your powers to help people, not to destroy them."

Deirdre stares at him, not understanding. She has never seen evil, she can't know what he is talking about.

"Promise me!" he insists.

"Master Dim-Dim..." I don't know what to say. I have never seen him like that. Deirdre slowly nodds.

"I promise."

Hearing such a little girl making that big a promise seems odd. If only she knew what she just engaged herself into. Master Dim-Dim lets out a sighs of relief. What is this all about?

"Good," he continues. "You see my child, your father wasn't just a simple sailor. He also had powers, just like your mom. But he didn't know he had those powers and he never learned how to use them."

I am stunned. Sinbad had powers? Why didn't Master Dim-Dim teach him? Why didn't he tell him, tell us? As if she could read my mind, Deirdre looks at me.

"Mommy, why don't Daddy come here with us? Uncle Dim-Dim could teach him too. " she asks, excited.

My heart starts running wild. Could it be it? Could this is what this talk is all about?

"No Deirdre," answers Dim-Dim, killing my hopes. "Your father can't come here. You see, your mother fell overboard during a sea storm before you were born. She never saw him again."

"I want to see my Daddy! We just have to go and get him here Uncle Dim-Dim." she replies, with her usual disarming logic. I look up to my old friend, wishing he would say that this moment has finally come.

"I am sorry my child but the man your mother knew is no longer. Do you understand?"

Tears starts forming in my daughter's eyes. What does he mean, the man I once knew is no longer? My haerth starts running wild again, fearing the worst.

"So I truly have no Daddy," simply says Deirdre, bowing her head. Master Dim-Dim hugs her and I can hear him say in her hair : "I am sorry."

I have to hold the table not to fall off my chair. No this can't be. He cannot be dead. I would have feel it. I would have known it. Dim-Dim slowly puts Deirdre down.

"Now, I want you to do something for me Deirdre. We will need mint and basilic for our lesson later today. Can you go in the garden and get some for me?"

Her little face irradiates with joy. She has always loved helping him harvesting the herbs.

"You mean by myself?"

Dim-Dim smiles to her. "Yes my child. You are old enough now to know which herbs it is. Just be careful."

She runs to get her little basket. Before going out, she comes to me and gives me a kiss.

"I love Mommy."

"And I love you too sweetie. Go now." I try to smile but I can't. I know Dim-Dim sent her out so he could talk to me. But I am not sure wether I want to hear him out or not.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

SINBAD

I walk out of the lair, glad to escape her for a while. I never thought it would be so hard to go along with this but I have no choice. She must not find out what I am up to. If she does before I can act, then all will truly be lost. I set my course to that little village she spoke of. Too bad I have to go there again but they'll understand. They know why I did this before. They know what I am up to and we have reached an agreement. No life is to be taken, only the material things shall be destroyed. I hate to do this but there is no other way.

Still, I don't know how long she will be fooled by this mascarade. First she was too exhilirated by our wedding. Then there was her pregnancy. But when the baby will be born and she starts to really pay attention to what I am doing.... I can't think of it now. I must concentrate on making this look real.

The village is not far now. I can see the ruins from here. With a small grin, I admit that I really outdone myself the last time I was here. Those fireballs can be very powerful. I now understand why Maeve was so fond of them. No, I must not think of her. I'm a married man now. I start laughing bitterly.

A child is playing in the field surrounding the village. When he sees me, he starts running as if I was the Devil himself. Maybe I am.

"The Feared One is coming! The Feared One is coming!"

Rumina would have loved this. Her theatrical sense would have been flattered. She is so proud of what I have become. I am not. But this is serving my purpose. I enter the village and look to see if he is here. I finally locate him beside the well. Our eyes met and we speak silently through our gazes. He nodds slightly.

"Run! Every one run for your life!", he yells. Then turning to me : "Didn't you have enough the last time you came? Why can't you leave us alone?"

He is a good actor. If I didn't know he knew, I too would have beleived him. Laughing evily as she has taugh me, I raise my hand. Without any effort, the electrical blue bolt leaves my finger tips and hit the well. Rocks fly in the air and fell hard on the ground, ceiling it forever...

~~~~~~~~~~~~

MAEVE

I just sit there, waiting for him to say the unthinkable. Dim-Dim closes the door and turns to me. I can see in his eyes that he too didn't want that dreadful question to rise so soon. Walking slowly he gets back to his seat.

"Maeve," he starts with a sad tone.

I can't let him say it. If Sinbad is truly dead, I don't want to know. Hearing it out would make it so... so.. real. I have to stop him before he says it.

"Master Dim-Dim, please don't say it. I don't want to know it. He can't be dead, I would feel it."

I look at him, hoping he would deny it. But all I can see is sadness. I close my eyes for my head is starting to spin. No please....

"Sinbad is not dead, Maeve..." he simply says. Nothing more. What? How can he no longer be the man I knew if... But the joy and the relief of knowing he is safe makes me forget about that for a second. But only for a second for my Master starts to speak again :

"No Maeve, Sinbad isn't dead. But he has made a new life for himself."

"Oh that! You mean he finally married Bryn? I knew that would happen someday. If only I had mastered my powers sooner... Why are you so upset? Bryn is a nice girl. A little quiet maybe but sweet. And it was your idea to send her on The Nomad."

At the second I said Bryn's name, I knew I had made a mistake. Master Dim-Dim just bowed his head. My heart started to run wild again.

"He didn't marry Bryn," he said so softly I almost couldn't hear him. My heart stops. Bryn I could have brought myself to accept. With time.

"If not Bryn than who?" I ask him, short of breath.

He keeps his head down. And knowing him, that is not a good sign.

"Master, please!" My hands are sweaty and my vision is blurring.

"Maeve, when was the last time you look into the mirroring pool?" he asks me.

That question takes me by surprise. In the first days of my "disapearance", I used to spend hours watching him. I saw him battle evil and I saw him meeting again with Scratch. Deirdre was 2 months old at that time and she demanded more and more of my time. I kept an eye on him, hurting as I saw him and Bryn get closer. Until one day I couldn't stand it anymore and stopped looking.

"It has been a little more than a year. He and Bryn were getting ... too close."

But not close enough .... Finally, Dim-Dim raises in head and I could see in his eyes pity. Now why would he pity me?

Taking a deep breath, he finally tells me :

"Sinbad married Rumina."

The world went dark. NO!!!! It couldn't be. Rumina! Oh my Lord, I wish he was dead... How could he have done this? I can't see a thing, my vision is all blurry. I have to hold my head with my hands, hoping the sick feeling will pass. Suddenly, I knew why he did it.

"She put him under a spell!" I exclaim.

What I can see in Dim-Dim's eyes now, I wish I'll never see it again. Pure hate. I can see he is making an effort to control himself but for the breafest moment, I saw it. And it scars me.

"She didn't. He asked her actually. They have been married for over a year now."

I need air. I have to get out of here. I don't want to listen to him anymore. He ASKED her. I get up, shaking. I can't face Dim-Dim, I don't want to see the pity in his eyes again. He ASKED her! I thumble toward the door, tears chocking me.

"There is more..."

I put my hands on my hears. I don't... I can't... How could he have done this? Dim-Dim walks to me and stands right in front of me.

"They are expecting their first child in a few months."

I stopped breathing. A child. A little child like Deirdre. I rush to the window, I am going to be sick. I just can't stop myself, as if getting it out would get me rid of the awful taste this news has left in my mouth.

~~~~~~~~~~

SINBAD

As I walk back to the lair, I pray that it looked real enough for her. I know that these people will be fine. I'll have to make sure the protection bubble I casted on the valley is still up though. The last time I destroyed that village, the intensity of my powers weakened it and I fear this spell might not last long enough for me to obtain what I want. Grinning, I try to imagine the look on her face if she was to find out that all those people I am "terrorizing" are in fact waiting peacefully under my protective spell that makes them invisible to the rest of the world.

I have found that spell in one of Turok's books. Well it wasn't designed to be protective, I just messed it up a bit to serve my purposes. It hadn't been an esay task. I have discovered the book only a few days after the wedding, just like I have hoped. But at the time, I didn't have the knowledge to make it fit into my plans. All I knew was that I had to get Rumina to help me free my powers from the Rainbow Bracelet.

Shaking my head, I try to figure out why Master Dim-Dim emprisonned them. If it hadn't been for Bryn, I might never have suspected I had it in me.

And so Rumina helped me free my powers and taught me how to use them. In an evil way of course. At first, it wasn't that bad : a few clouds, some ligthnings directed to empty caves. But when I became strong enough, she urged me to use them in the "right" way. For her, the right way was to establish an Empire based on fear. She was the one who chose this island. Prosper enough but with no commercial port therefore no where to espcape, she thought it would be the perfect training field. I had no choice but to follow her. I wasn't ready yet to make my move, my destructive powers weren't strong enough.

However, my protective ones were quite developped. I had already managed to establish a mental block to prevent her from learning my real intentions. It wasn't hard to extend my use of the spell to protect the inhabitants of the island.

Seeing the lair appearing at the end of the path makes me shiver. Oh, how I wish this was all over! But I have to be patient. One day she will pay...

Suddenly my head starts to spin. I can feel despair clouding my mind. I fall on my knees, grasping for air. But this pain isn't mine. Somehow, I just connected with someone who's pain it is. I know it can't be Rumina for the mental block prevents her from reaching reaching me deep inside my soul. There is only one person who could ever break through this wall, only one I would ever let in. MAEVE!

As I come to that conclusion, the pain stops as suddenly as it started. Trembling, I try to get up. something has happened to her. Something so terrible it made her soul reach out for mine. Maybe... My eyes light up, filled with hopes. Maybe she found a way back! Excited, I try to contact her mentally. But just like the thousand times I have tried it this past year, my thought beam is stopped by the inter-dimensionnal door.

Deception makes my heart sink. She isn't back. But she is hurt and she needs my help. And there's nothing I can do! Clenching my fists in rage, I head toward the lair. I just hope that Rumina felt her presence too. Because if she did, she will certainly want to go after her life time enemy. This time I will let her go, regardless to the risks of loosing her or the baby.

~~~~~~~~~~~

DIM-DIM

I regret now to have told her. After the initial shock, her lovely face turned into a rock. No expression at all except for a dark flicker in her eyes. That flicker had grown since I told her that the child would soon seek out Deirdre to destroy her. It was more than a mother heart could ever take. She made up her mind and nothing will force her to stay here. She walks to the door and opens it.

"DEIRDRE!!! Come here sweetie!"

Turning to me she adds : "What ever happens, don't tell her about Sinbad."

I can understand what she means. If Maeve was to fail, Deirdre would need all her concentration to defeat her half-brother. Making her mad at her father could weaken her. I simply nods. She smiles back at me. She knows she will have to leave soon and that this could be our last talk together.

"Mommy?"

We were so lost in our respective thoughts we haven't noticed Deirdre had come back from the garden, her small basket filled with mint and basilic. I can't help but be proud of her. She will make a good healer.

"What is it Mommy?" she insists.

Maeve kneels down so their eyes can meet. She takes her little face in her hands.

"Deirdre, I have to go somewhere. I may be gone for a a long time. I want you to listen to Master Dim-Dim, ok?"

Deirdre looks up to me, thousands of questions and worries in her eyes. But she has learned to trust us no matter what she thinks. She huggs her mother.

"I will mommy. But be careful, she will try to kill you!"

Her eyes widen as she realizes what she just said. Maeve puts her hand on her mouth, astonished. As for myself, I shiver from head to toe. She has the gift of prophecy! But she shouldn't be able to tap into it yet though. She is too young to handle all the burden that comes with such a gift. Her face shows a deep turmoil, as if she tries to convinve herself she didn't say it. Maeve takes her in her arms and rocks her slowly as Deirdre starts to cry desperatly.

"It's okay sweetie, I won't let her do it." Maeve looks at me, tears in her eyes.

In my head, I can hear her say : "Please Master Dim-Dim, please help her, help us!"

I get up and walk to them.

"Deirdre, you have to let her go. Now that you have warn your mother, the future has been changed. Do you understand?"

Still crying, the little girl doesn't respond.

"Mommy, Mommy don't go!"

There is only one thing left to do. I take Deirdre away from Maeve and sit her on the chair I just left. I turn to Maeve and signal her to go.

"Go now, you might have a chance if you go now. She will be fine. I'll take good care of her."

Maeve looks one last time at her daughter and pass the door. Let's just hope it is not for the last time, I tell myself. And today, Deirdre's lesson will not be the one I planned...

~~~~~~~~

SINBAD

I enter the common room with a fast pace. She must be close by, I saw her look at me throuhg its window when I got in. My eyes look around the room but all Isee is the luxurious couches, the low tables with bowls of fruit and a carafe of wine. She sure have exhuberant tastes! I hear her light footsteps behind me. I spin around quickly, realizing that I have let my block down ever since I have shared Maeve's pain.

But what I see is not what I expected. Instead of wanting to get even, there she stands sexier as ever. She wears a deep purple dress and her haire were all pilled up on top of her hair, rebellious locks carrasing softly her cheek. Even with her pregnancy well advanced, she still manages to be attractive and beautiful. But not to me. Relieved to see she didn't knew I was using her, I tell myself Ihad no other choice but to play the loving husband...

I take her in my arms and pull her close to me. I burry my face in her hair, smelling her perfume. A new one. Lord, how many has she bought the last time she went to Bagdad? She puts her arms around my neck. I bend forward and kiss her lightly then pull away. She follow me and kiss me back, demanding more. I close my eyes and respond to the pressure of her lips, cursing myself to have started this whole mess a year ago. But I had no choice, she was the only one who could ever help me retreive Maeve. Who else but her would be so eager to go after my love the minute she is back? Who else would not stop looking untill she has found her? Who else had the possibility to break through the inter-dimensional door to get to her? I just hope my powers will be strong enough to defeat Rumina after we find her.

Finally she brakes the kiss and leads me to one of the couches. She makes me lay down and starts massaging my shoulders.

"Now dearest, how did it go today? I saw rocks fly high."

I grin at the thought of the little boy running in fear.

"Let's just say the Feared One has made quite an impression today."

We start laughing, her laugh being of pure pleasure and mine of good acting. Then I stop laughing. I can't go on like this. If Rumina helps me find Maeve, whillingly or not, that is only half of my rpoblem being solved. Absent minded, I pass my hand on Rumina's stomach. This will be my son one day. How can I risk his life when he never asked to be born in the first place? And if I get Maeve back, how will she react to his birth? Will she raise the son of her ennemy?

Furious, I slap Rumina hand from my shoulder and get up. She watches me pace around the room, cursing.

"Now dearest, don't get all upset like that." she says, a questionning look on her face.

I spin around as if she has stung me.

"UPSET? UPSET? You would be upset too if the best you could do was destroy an insignificant village once in a month. I WANT MORE! MORE, DO YOU UNDERSTAND???"

In rage, I pick up a glass of wine and throw it to the wall behind her. To my surprise, a smile comes across her face.

"What if I could give you what you have been waiting for so long?"

I look at her, startled. Does she know that...

"What if I tell you that I have found out today where that foolish old man took the paesant wench? Would you feel better knowing you can finally take your revenge on him?"

~~~~~~~

MAEVE

I reach the stone circle I know to be the inter-dimensional door. There is only one thing on my mind : REVENGE! Revenge from Sinbad for betraying everything we stoop up for in the past. Revenge from him for betraying me. Revenge from Rumina for what she did to my brother. Revenge from her for what she did with Sinbad. Revenge from her for carrying the child who will try to destroy my daughter. For Deirdre is no longer Sinbad and I's daughter. Sinbad has abandonned any rights he had on her when he chose to marry that witch.

I put my hands on the upright stone. It is twice my hight so I think I should be ok crossing it. I start humming softly, letting the pure notes runs throught my veins and feed my heart. Slowly, my hands start to disparear into the stone itself. Fascinated, I watch as my arms follow close by, still humming. And without realizing it I find myself on the other side.

Free! I am free at last! But the purpose of my escape soon clouds the joy of actually accomplishing my greatest magic ever. Even Dim-Dim never managed to get through. The name of my master makes me see my daughter's face in my mind. It gives me the strenght I need to start my quest. First, I have to decide wether I shall find them or let them find me. But considering the fact I have been out of "it" for more than 4 years, I finally decide to let them find me. I already felt her evilness earlier today when I was still on the other side. It shouldn't take long.

I see a clearing in the woods close by. This should be the perfect battle field. I make myself ready by exploring the surroundings, assuring myself the better hand.

Then I sit down and start a fire using my magic. Best way to attract her in my web is to use my powers...

~~~~~~

SINBAD

My heart skip a beat. She knows where Maeve is! Finally after more than a year of selfsacrifice I will obtain what I longed for so long : being reunited with the woman I love. But I must be careful now. The harder part of my plan is to come. I look straight into her eyes, confronting her. She holds my gaze. Slowly, I let an evil grin come to my lips.

"That old fool! Did he ever thought he would be good enough to better you my love?"

I take her once more in my arms and kiss her passionatly. Better give her a small reward for helping now. Because when all this will be over, she won't be around to enjoy it. At that same moment, our child kicked her from inside. Her eyes light up with joy.

"See dearest? Even our little Tarek agrees it is finally time for you to show the world who you truly are."

I couldn't agree more.

"Whenever you are ready my love," I say, letting her lead the way.

~~~~~~~~~~

MAEVE

I know they are close now. Very close. I can sense it. I put the fire off and stand up, awaiting their arrival. Any moment now. My hands are shaking so hard I have to drop my sword. It doesn't matter anyway. A sword will not be of any use if he has become as strong as Dim-Dim said.

At last, they make their entrance. Oh Lord! Her pregnancy is so visible, she must be close to delivery. I can feel the sickness coming back but I fight it. Grinning I greet them.

"Well, isn't it nice to pay little Ol' Maeve a visit?"

Lord, I beg you to give me the strength and courage to go through with it. I still love him but I have no choice, my daughter's future depends on it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SINBAD

She is there, right in front of me. I can see the despair in her eyes. God, she is even more beautiful than I rememebered. I turn to my wife and see pure evil in her eyes.

"Why we wouldn't want to offense you, peasant wench! Do you know my husband?" she adds, turning to me.

I can see Maeve's eyes narrow.

"I know him, yes!" she says in a harsh tone of voice. That hurts me. If only she knew I did it all for her, for us so we could be together at last.

"Very well then, let's start with the celebrations shall we?" asks Rumina with the same tone.

I have to act now, before it is too late. I can see Maeve has gotten stronger in magic, I can feel it. But her soul is in such a turmoil she wouldn't stand a chance. I start walking to her, slowing as if she was a little wild animal I didn't want to scare off. She doesn't make a move but I hear Rumina little sigh of surprise. I am next to my love now. Reaching out with my hand, I touch her delicate cheek. Instantly, she pulls back and kick me in the stomach. I curl down and look at her again. Our eyes finally meet. And she understand it all. She knows what I am up to, what I have been up to for the past year. And she forgives me. She smiles back at Rumina.

"It is time Rumina. White magic against black magic. But I have chosen the place and time." Saying this she raises her hands and Rumina is thrown back by the magical bolt. For one moment, I remember she is carrying my child. An innocent is going to suffer from all of this. And mostly by my fault. But it is underestimating Rumina. She gets back on her feet and send one of her own bolt. Maeve manages to duck in time.

"Sinbad! What are you waiting for? Use your powers. Make your son proud! I didn't teach you my father's best spells for nothing."

Having said that, she turned her attention back to Maeve. I can see the two of them facing each other. I can see this will be the final blasts of a life long battle. I get up, my mind made up. If I side up with Rumina, I will have the blood of woman I love forever on my hands. And if I team up with Maeve and kill Rumina now then my son will never be born and I'll have his blood on my hands. Sinbad, Master of the Seven Seas would never let this happen. Time seems to stop while I think about it all. I can see my love and my wife both raising their hands, eyes narrowed and lips thightened. I do not hesitate.

As the magical bolts leave their hands one last time, I threw myself between them both. I receive the two direct blasts, one on my back and the other one on my chest. I hear them scream but it is too late. I have saved my love and my child.

~~~~~~~~~~

MAEVE
(1 hour after)

I can't beleive he died thinking I hated him. I never hated him. He was my heart, my love, my life. As I turn the corner of the house, I see our daughter practicing a simple magic spell that consist in making a flower seed bloom in your hand. I watch her for a moent. She is powerful and have a good heart. She will need all the training Dim-Dim and I can give her. Feeling my presence, she turns around.

"Mommy!"

She runs to me and throw herself in my arms.

"Mommy, you're back! " she says, excited. "Mommy where did you go?"

I am tempted to tell her the thruth. The sooner she knows, the better. Seeking my Master approval, I look up to him. He simply nods. But before I could start, my daughter cut me off.

"Mommy, tell me again why I don't have a daddy."

And so I do. I tell her about the storm, about her father's efforts to find us. And I tell her about Rumina. I tell her about the final battle. I tell Rumina killed her father. Her eyes turn cold as I talk to her. She waits for me to be done with my story. Then she says :

"Mommy, I will avenge my father. One day I will find that witch and make her pay!"

As she speaks in a language far too adult for her age, her face has the same expression it had when she told me Rumina would try to kill me. I smile back at her, knowing she will succeed where I have failed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

RUMINA
(4 years after)

I see my son but it is not him I see. I see the man who betrayed me, betrayed us. And whenever I think of him, I can't help but think of her too. She took him away from me. She will pay. I can't beleive it has been 4 years since he died, saving our lives. I know he did it to save his son, not me. That's why I disapeared as soon as I knew he was dead. To protect our baby.

Our baby. Tarek is no longer a baby. He has already mastered the basic of black magic. Sinbad would have been proud, in a way. My son is coming to me, walking slowly as I have taught him.

"Very good Tarek! Always look as if you are in control of the situation, no matter how difficult it is. Control your temper, never show your emotions and people will fear you. For they won't know what you are thinking."

I take him on my laps. Soon I won't be able to do that anymore. He curls his fingers around a lock of my hair and starts toying with it. Just like his dad used to do.

"Mother?"

"Yes my son?"

"Mother, why don't I have a daddy?"

My heart stops. It has come too soon. But still, the sooner he will learn to hate her, the better. And so I tell him how his father got killed by a peasant wench before he was born. He listens carefully, his eyes narrowed and his lips thightened. When I am done, he looks up to me and say :

"Mother, I will avenge my father. One day I will find that peasant wench and make her pay!"

I smile back at him, knowing he will succeed where I have failed.

The end