ᶜʰᵃᵒˢ

˖°🌊𓇼⋆

[ across the seas ]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐚, 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞.

Sinbad and his little sister were not returning. 

The sun slowly rose upon the horizon as wind blew across the citizens watched as their prince knelt down in front of block, slowly lowering his head on the wooden block. 

Dymas and Marina watched with saddened frowns, the woman's eyes glistening with tears as she watched her husband prepare for his beheading.

The axe scraped across the ground as the executioner raised the weapon into the air, the blooming sun glinting off the shining metal. As he went to drop it onto the neck of the prince, a sudden whirring was heard. Suddenly, the head of the axe broke off as a blade struck through the wooden pole holding it, the wide knife landing on the block with a clatter.

The crowd murmured in confusion before exclaiming at the sight of people climbing the dock. There, Proteus found you and Sinbad, as well as the crew of the Chimera. With his jaw nearly scraping the floor, the prince slowly stood up as the captain spoke, "I bet you thought I wouldn't make it."

Sinbad clapped the man's hand as he let out an exhale as he smiled, "I was-." He gulped, holding his throat. "-beginning to wonder." The pair embraced, before Proteus leaned back with a frown. "The Book?"

"I did my best," Sinbad shrugged slightly. "It wasn't enough."

"No..." Proteus sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You came back, anyway."

"How could I do anything else... my friend?"

He looked over Proteus' shoulder, where he found you emerging from the crowd, eyes wide with fear whilst Spike whined from beside you. Sinbad looked away, not wishing to meet your tearful eyes as he turned to the executioner, who now held a sword. 

He bent down on his knees as Spike whimpered for him. Your arms wrapped around the dog as he went to leap to his owner, and you cried softly into his neck.

Sinbad clenched his fist, before letting his fingers drop as he rested his head on the wood. You buried your face into Spike's fur as the man raised the sword.

As the pirate closed his eyes, and the sword was dropped upon his neck, his gaze snapped open at the sound of gasping. Looking around him, he watched as the sword shattered into a thousand pieces, floating in the air around him. 

The executioner glanced around in fear before looking up at the sudden swirling of black and red dust. "Get back!" Dymas ordered as the crowd exclaimed.

The wind whipped as the tornado swirled in the air, piercing into the bay below and conjuring up water. Emitting from the ocean, the large figure of Eris morphed, her red eyes glinting in a glare. 

Kale stepped in front of you as Proteus walked forward slightly, the Goddess questioning as she leant her head down to Sinbad, "How dare you? Everything was going perfectly, and now... you do this!" In her anger, she smacked the wooden block into the water below, earning panicked cries from the people. 

"Eris! I don't understand," Sinbad shook his head with wide eyes.

"Don't," she chuckled darkly, running her fingers along the aisle, pushing the man back slightly. "Play coy with me. Maybe you can fool these people, but I know who you are. You're a selfish, unprincipled liar!"

"Wait a minute," he mumbled as he looked away from her. "I didn't lie. I came back. That's why you're here. This was all part of your test. I told the truth!" The Goddess rolled her eyes as she leaned away. "And wasn't there something about being 'bound for all eternity'?"

Eris's eyes widened as she fumed, her black hair floating away from neck, to reveal the cross on her collarbone. The Goddess grunted as the crowd looked on with worry as her fingers curled into a fist. She groaned as she so desperately tried to crush the mortal beneath her, before sighing as she opened her palm, revealing the Book of Peace.

Sinbad took it with wide eyes and a smile, wiping down the dark blue cover, before smirking, "Well, well, well. This has got to be a little embarrassing for you, Eris."

She chuckled softly as she levelled her gaze with his. "Don't push your luck, Sinbad. You're cute... but not that cute." Her face faded as she instead formed into a normal size, brushing herself across his body. "And lucky for you, I've got places to go, things to destroy, stuff to steal." She floated away from his body as she cradled his jaw for a moment. "Ta."

The Goddess vanished without a trace, and Sinbad let out a sigh of relief as he grinned. He glanced to the side at Proteus, finding him nodding, before Sinbad smirked as he flipped open the book. 

Staring down at the illusional pages, he lifted the Book of Peace above his head, where a bright white beam shot out from the text. Immediately, light washed over Syracuse, and the broken and grey buildings returned to their original pristine form as the clouds above swirled away into nothingness. 

Sinbad's arms shook at the sheer power, before dropping to his knees as he took a breath, staring down at the book. Proteus stepped forward, offering his hand, the pirate taking it as he spoke, "You know, for what it's worth, I think the Council believes you now." 

Sinbad chuckled as he observed the group of leaders, finding Zadkiel's hat falling from his head. "You think?" The pair ventured forward to Dymas, and the pirate smiled at him mischievously. "King Dymas." The man nodded his head, holding his hands out, but Sinbad pulled back. "Whoa, hey. How much you got on you?"

Dymas shook his head with a grin as he gestured to the Council. "I offer you the gratitude of the Twelve Cities, and the apology of a king."

Sinbad chuckled, "No, really. How much?"

"Sinbad," Dymas scorned, although he did it with a smile. The man handed him the Book of Peace, and the king turned away, walking into the castle. 

"Come on. This is going to be a heck of a party," Proteus said as his hand went to the captain's shoulder. "Everyone's going to want to hear about the voyage."

"Fair winds, calm seas," he listed with a shrug. "Nothing much to tell."

Proteus chuckled with a slightly confused furrow of his brows. "What's the matter? No fun if you're actually invited."

The small smirk resting upon Sinbad's lips dropped as he glanced over at his crew. He found you there with a soft frown, stepping forward. 

"No, it's just, uh..." the pirate trailed off. "There's a hammock in Fiji with my name on it."

The prince smiled, before raising his hand, where Sinbad held onto it. Proteus nodded, "Good sailing, Sinbad."

The man nodded, taking a step forward before grinning back at him, "Get a haircut. You're gonna be king someday."

You watched as Sinbad left Proteus to go back to the Chimera. You felt a hand at your shoulder, looking up to find Kale with sad eyes. You offered him a small smile, before moving your gaze to Rat, who held onto your hand and pressed it to his scruffy cheek. He cried as he walked away, and you heard the whimpering of Spike. He nestled into your hand with a whine, before following the others. 

Proteus smiled as he watched his friend go, turning around to you. His eyes widened at the sight of your tearful gaze trained on the captain, before you looked away and ventured into the castle, ignoring the questions of Marina, who worriedly glanced back at her husband as you disappeared.

You breathed in the salty air as you gazed out at the bluish-purple ocean ahead. "Just another uneventful day in Syracuse." You smiled fondly to yourself as your brother came up beside you, hands clasped behind his back. You let out a breathy chuckle as Proteus leaned down slightly with a grin. "You know, I stood here with a little girl once. She looked over the ocean and wished she could sail beyond the horizon. She saw... such wonder."

"And... what happened to this girl?" you asked. 

"She grew up, and she got her chance. She sailed the seas, and she fell in love."

You sighed as a deep frown settled across your face. "Proteus, I-."

"Y/N," he interrupted as he placed a hand on your shoulder. "Follow your heart. Mine is here in Syracuse, with our kingdom and my wife. Yours... yours is sailing with the next tide."

"Oh, Proteus," you cried as you wrapped your arms around your brother, feeling his hold tighten on you. 

"I cannot protect you out there," the prince softly uttered, pulling back slightly as he held your face in his hands. "But I know you will do well. You always have."

You smiled at Proteus, placing your fingers overtop his. "I'll be back. I promise. You are my big brother after all."

Wrapping you in his embrace once more, he allowed a tear to fall from his eyes as he let you go, watching as you raced out of the balcony, and towards the docks. 

Sinbad walked towards Spike, who leaned over the railing, his paws stabling him on his hind legs as the pair stared at the castle. With you inside it. Letting out a sigh, he raised his hand to the pole, using it to lever him as he gazed at Syracuse. 

"Captain?"

"Hmm," Sinbad hummed in response to Kale.

"We're ready to sail."

"Alright, Kale," he mumbled. "Take us out."

"Aye, aye, captain. Cast off!"

The crew shouted in unison, beginning to work on the ship as Sinbad cast one last glance to the white palace of Syracuse before walking to the front of the ship, where he grabbed ahold the gridding ropes, leaning above the sea.

"Agh, Rat!" he suddenly shouted, upon a bundle of rope falling atop his head.

"What?" the man asked in confusion. Sinbad looked over, finding Rat and the rest of his crew chuckling whilst he shrugged his shoulders with a smirk.

"Excuse me, captain! You need to replace these jig joints pretty soon. The mizzen ropes need the support."

A large smile lifted at his mouth as he found you at the crows nest, gazing down at him with a grin. Letting out a breathy laugh, Sinbad spoke, "These joints were from the Jasmine Sea. That's halfway around the world."

"Then we'd better get started," you smirked.

Sinbad returned it with his own, before pulling out his knife and slicing through the rope he held onto, causing it to zip upwards. The captain landed on the sailing beam as he spoke in a low voice, "Well, you know, that means going through the Hydra's Lair."

"Mhm," you hummed with a nod.

"The Minotaur's Haven," he continued as he stepped closer to you. 

"Mhm."

"The Cyclops Den."

"Mhm."

"Under the Swansea Bridge."

"Mhm," you hummed yet again as you smirked up at him. 

"Through the China Seas. That's a very long voyage," he pouted with mock sincerity. "And it's very, very dangerous."

"Don't worry. I'll protect you," you assured with a smile, causing the man to shake his head.

Slowly, you felt his arms circle your waist as yours raised to his shoulders. His grin was nothing but heartfelt as he leaned down to you, pressing his lips to yours as you pulled him closer by the fabric of his shirt. 

From below, Spike barked loudly, before running off to his contraption, pulling down on the hanging bone. Immediately, he was thrown into the air, and not a moment later, you and Sinbad found yourselves scolding the sweet dog as you tumbled to the ground of the nest. 

Glancing back, your gaze locked onto Syracuse, a soft sigh escaping your lips. You may not be home, but you where your heart was. And that was all that truly mattered.