ᶜʰᵃᵒˢ

˖°🌊𓇼⋆

[ a proposition ]

𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐣𝐚𝐢𝐥.

"Sinbad," a voice called, causing the pirate to turn around. 

"Proteus!" he sighed, finding his old friend in the shadows of the prison cell, the man moving into the light of the small window. "It's about time."

"Do you realize how serious this is?" he questioned.

"Do you realize how many times I've heard that today?" Sinbad countered.

"You betrayed Syracuse!"

"Oh," Sinbad grumbled with an annoyed gesture of his bound hands. "Not you, too."

"Stealing the Book of Peace, when you knew how much it meant to us!"

"Proteus, here's the way this works. First, I actually commit a crime, and then you get to blame me for it!"

"Then how do you explain this?" Sinbad stepped back as Proteus pulled a knife - his knife - from his blue coat, the weapon hissing as it was pulled from the small scabbard. 

The pirate stared at the familiar dagger, before a look of realization crossed his face. "Eris," he murmured.

"What?" Proteus asked with furrowed brows.

"Eris... She framed me."

"Sinbad, listen to yourself."

As Proteus walked around the man, Sinbad turned as he spoke, "Trust me, Proteus. The Book is in Tartarus. Talk to your father. Tell him I'm-."

"This is beyond my father!" Proteus interrupted, spinning back to face his childhood friend. "The Ambassadors are convening now for your trial."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Trial?" Sinbad repeated in shock. "I didn't do it! Look, I left the Book on your ship, and that's the last I saw of it. You were there. You know the truth. You know me."

"Do I? I knew a kid... Who are you now, Sinbad?" The pirate sighed as Proteus stared at him with a sharp gaze. "Look me in the eye and tell me. Did you steal the Book?"

Sinbad met the prince's eyes, and without hesitation, he stated, "No."

You watched from beside your brother as Sinbad was once again questioned on the whereabouts of the Book of Peace. Proteus had told you of their previous encounter in the pirate's cell, and how Sinbad had claimed he had no idea where the Book was. He had yet to tell you of the mentioning of a certain Goddess, for he too was skeptical on the idea.

"We've heard enough of your lies," Dymas exclaimed. "Sinbad, for the last time, give us the Book."

"How many times do I have to say it? I don't have it!" Sinbad denied, his tone conveying exasperation. 

"Very well, then," the Ambassador, Zadkiel spoke from his center seat of the Twelve City Council. "The delegation of the Twelve Cities finds you guilty of treason, and we sentence you to die. Take him away."

A gasp escaped your lips, eyes widening as you stared at Sinbad, who began to yell in retaliation, "Come on! This is a joke, right? Are you- Are you people blind? I didn't do it!"

As the pirate wrestled against the bounds of his hands and the soldiers securing him, your gaze snapped to your brother as he suddenly shouted, "Stop!"

"Proteus," you whispered, fingers latching onto his arm as he offered you a pained smile, before waltzing ahead towards his father and Sinbad. 

"I demand the right of substitution. Take me in his place."

"No!" Dymas shouted as clamors of shock and confusion emitted from the onlookers and Ambassadors. 

"Sinbad says that Eris took the book... And I believe him." Sinbad smirked at the two guards beside him, but it was quick to drop from his lips as he heard Proteus continue, "Let him go to Tartarus and recover the Book."

"What?" he questioned, before shoving away from the soldiers, and whispering sharply, "What are you doing?"

"You claim that Eris stole the book. Steal it back," Proteus shrugged with a grin. "You're good at that."

"Hey, look, I will not be responsible for your life."

"You would do the same for me."

"No, I wouldn't!"

"If Sinbad is allowed to leave the city, he'll never come back!" Dymas exclaimed to the Ambassadors, before walking to his first-born child. "Son, listen to reason."

"No, father, you listen," Proteus rebuked, holding his hand out as he pushed his old friend out of the way as he looked to the crowd. "Sinbad either stole the Book, or he's telling the truth and it's in Tartarus. Either way, he's our only hope."

"But you can't-."

Zadkiel held his hand up to halt Marina, and she looked away with a sigh as he spoke, "Proteus, you realize that if Sinbad does not return, you will be put to death in his place."

The prince glanced back at Sinbad, before nodding. "I understand."

Zadkiel sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "So be it. Sinbad has ten days to return the book."

Dymas' gaze was full of anger as he looked to the side in defeat. "Release him."

The crowd murmured as the cuffs on Sinbad's hands were removed, before they were placed around the princes instead. Proteus glanced to the side at the sound of hurried footsteps, finding you running towards him with teary eyes. You came to a stop beside your brother, knowing you could only offer him a sad smile, to which he reciprocated it with his own regretful one.

Proteus then glanced over his shoulder, calling out to the pirate, "Oh, and Sinbad... Don't be late."

Sinbad watched as Proteus was escorted out of the room, and down into the barracks. You slowly turned, and he was shocked to find your face contorted into a glare, lip trembling with unshed tears as Marina moved to your side, wrapping her arm around your shoulders. You fell into her embrace, and the two of you left the hall, a groan escaping Sinbad as he came to acknowledge the severity of the situation, he was now in.

You couldn't help but roll your eyes at the sight of Sinbad's quarters. The room was filled to the brim with, most likely, fake trinkets and treasures from his previous quests and journeys across the seven seas. 

You had snuck onto the ship as Sinbad and his crew were boarding, quickly running down into the lower levels of the boat where you found yourself in the captain's quarters. The reason you had stowed away was because you knew Sinbad and the type of man he was, and that he wouldn't go to Tartarus to receive the Book of Peace without a little... persuading. 

It was now early morning, and the sun was filtering through the windows of the room. The ship had been at sea for a few hours, however, you didn't know if it was heading in the right direction, as no one had ever been to Tartarus and lived to tell the tale. 

Unbeknown to you, the captain of the ship was heading down to his room to sleep, after being questioned for the entire night. As he opened the door, he came to an abrupt pause, eyes widening at the sight of you wandering around his room. You were wearing a brown ensemble; with a loose yet fitted skirt that fell to your lower calves, and a corseted brown top, with a pair of boots.

He took a step back, closing the door slightly to hide behind it as he heard you mumble in awe of a golden structure of a skeleton. "Look at this. I can't believe it. Oh, but this can't be real. It'd be far too del-." As you graced your finger over one of the tentacles, the tip snapped off, falling to the ground. "Uh-oh." You stepped away from the statue, moving your gaze to the rest of the room. "This is more like it. Stolen from Venezia. From Pompeii..." Sinbad exhaled deeply, before a smirk lifted at the corners of his mouth as he walked into the room, stopping behind you as you leaned down, taking a jeweled blue bra from the desk. "And from a brothel in Syracuse."

"Good guess." You spun around with a gasp, before a light scowl formed on your face as you hid the bra behind your back, quickly tossing it away. "What do you think you're doing here, princess?" Sinbad questioned with a frown.

"I'm here to make sure you get the Book of Peace," you stated. "Or bring back your dead body if you fail."

"Really?" he smirked, leaning his head forward for a moment, before leaning on his hands against the desk. "And how are you going to pull that off?"

You scoffed, hands balling into a fist. "By whatever means necessary."

"Did you bring a crew?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"No," you said.

"You know how to get to Tartarus?"

"Um... No."

"Can you navigate on your own?"

"Yes!" you grinned.

"Well, good!" Sinbad exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "Then I'll dump your butt in a rowboat, and you can paddle your way back to Syracuse. Cause we're going to Fiji."

You followed after the man as he plopped down on his makeshift bed, thumbing his hat forward so that it rested over his eyes. You wrapped your arm around one of the wooden pillars as you repeated, "Fiji?"

"Yup," he confirmed, popping the 'P'. 

You smiled, moving slightly to lean against the beam. "Just as I thought."

The smirk had dropped from his lips as he lifted the hat from his eyes, looking at you with a confused expression. "What?"

"Sinbad, you're not a very complicated guy. I've known that ever since we were kids," you chuckled. "All someone has to do is imagine the most gutless course of action, and you're bound to take it."

"Hey, this is not my problem," he said, glaring at you as you slid closer. "I did not steal the Book."

"You're really not going to lose any sleep over this, are you?"

"Not a wink."

"Because me, I'd be tossing and turning, knowing I'm alive... Because I let my friend die."

He groaned in annoyance, quickly leaning back on his elbows as he watched you walk away. "I'm not responsible for this mess!" Seeing as you weren't entertaining him and his grumbling, he stood up with a huff, following after you. "And I didn't ask your brother to put his neck on the line for me."

You rolled your eyes, spinning around to face him as you raised a brow at him. "Look, clearly, I can't appeal to your 'honor'. But I have other ways of convincing you."

Your smile was nothing but sultry, and Sinbad felt himself gulp, his eyes raking down your body as he met your E/C gaze again. "Really? Uh... Just how do you expect to do that?"

"By speaking your language," you shrugged, moving closer to the man. Suddenly, you raised your hand to his eyeline, causing his eyes to move away from your lips as he focused on the clear blue gem you were offering.

He took the crystal away from you, a grin made its way to his face as he stared at you. "Keep talking." You took ahold of his hand, tilting his palm upwards as you retrieved a pouch from the small satchel you were wearing, pouring a dozen gemstones into his hand. You crossed your arms as you waited for Sinbad to speak, watching as he lightly bounced the precious stones in his hand, before glancing at you. "Yep, this'll do! But not for first class."

The triumphant smile fell from your lips as you raised your eyebrows in confusion. Next thing you knew, you were flung over Sinbad's shoulder as he escorted you out of his room, and onto the main deck. "Put me down, you wretched man!" you yelled, banging your fists against his back.

"As you can see," he grunted, adjusting your flailing body. "We're well equipped to accommodate the most discerning of royal tastes. We have excellent ocean views-." You pulled at his head, causing him to falter for a moment as his eyes nearly bugged out from their sockets. Two of his men, a pair of twins by the names of Jin and Li, watch the exchange in shock as Sinbad shoves open the door to the pantry with his boot as he continued, "Luxurious living quarters, with three gourmet meals a day. Pickles, eggs, and pickles." He tossed you to the ground, and you were lucky enough to land on a sack of something soft. A gasp escaped you as a large dog sauntered down the stairs, staring at you with what looked to be a smile, though with the huge amount of slobber, you couldn't quite tell. He barked in greeting, causing Sinbad to look down at him.

"You have got to be joking," you muttered.

 "Oh, hey Spike, there you are. I'd like to introduce you to your new bunkmate- Well actually, you're his new bunkmate, as it's actually his bunk." He laughed as Spike leaped onto your body, licking your face as you groaned in disgust. "We do hope you have a pleasant stay aboard the Chimera. Oh, if he starts hugging your leg, it means he liked you."

You grunted as you softly pushed the dog away, before moving to stand up as you glared at the man. "If you think-." You were cut off by the door slamming in your face, and you screamed in frustration, slamming your hands against the door. After a moment, you sank to the floor with a sigh, feeling Spike come close to you. You clicked your tongue as the dog hugged your leg, whining softly as he rested his head on your thigh. "Well, this is just great."