In Fate's Hands (Sinbad of the seven seas)

Chapter Thirteen Sinbad

"I don't like the look of those clouds." Kale murmured as they approached the island. Sinbad was thinking the exact same thing. Last time Sinbad checked it was just the beginning of July. The abnormal once a year storm, as Proteus described, was early. A month early, to be precise.

"I don't either." Sinbad eyed the swirling eye as it collected itself at the top of the volcano. He looked at Proteus who was using a spyglass , going up and down.

"Marina." Proteus beckoned her, as he squatted to her height keeping the spyglass on a specific point. He carefully passed the spyglass to Marina, who leaned forward on the railing. Proteus went for the map of the island and marked it with a small x.

"Cave is about there." Marina passed the spyglass to Sinbad. He could see a small opening, with a vague outline of a cloaked figure and light being reflected onto the ceiling of the cave.

"We stake it out today and try to steal it tomorrow. This man has to eat sometime."

"Or we establish ourselves with the community for a week. Keep everyone occupied with Jet's experiments, maybe they'll get distracted with the show and we could take it without anyone noticing." Proteus suggested.

"There's a lot of ifs in that sentence. No, best to stake it out today, steal it tomorrow." Sinbad said. "We don't want our enemy knowing us as much as we do them."

"I'm going to have to agree with Sinbad on this one." Marina leaned against the palm of her hands. "We want to be quick about this one." Sinbad felt the sun warm his back. The clouds started to part away. It was a peaceful summer's day that blinded all of them. Sinbad wanted nothing more but to sit back and bask in the sun in a hammock as the palm trees swayed gently in the breeze. Today is a day to relax. And that scared Sinbad for once. There was a peaceful draw to the island. Something about it made you only want to laze the day away, race waves.

Kale kept the ship steady as they docked at the port. Even the port-master was in a daze as Proteus paid for the space to dock. Sinbad wiped sweat from his brow as the twins Gin and Lee settled the plank on the deck and the dock.

"Kale, Jet, you two see to it that we restock." Sinbad said as he stretched his sides.

"Are we running low on anything in particular, captain?" Kale asked sincerely, raising an eyebrow at Sinbad.

"It's more to help us keep cover. Make it seem like we're passing through and we took on some water. Put it on the prince's tab." Sinbad smiled over Kale's shoulder at Proteus, who promptly rolled his eyes with a side smile.

"Please get only what we need." Proteus tapped Kale lightly on the back. Kale chuckled as he gave one hard friendly pat on the back. Proteus grimaced into a smile as Marina took Sinbad's hand, looking dotingly upon their friend. Sinbad noticed once again, just how out of place and alone Proteus really is. Always too proper to have a relaxed conversation with. Never proper enough for his father from what Sinbad remembers. 

Throughout these past two weeks Proteus hasn't been able to lighten up either. Not even when he's sparing, he keeps pushing himself through new limits. Sinbad doesn't need a crystal ball to see the bruises on his friend's body. Proteus was careful not to lean against anything, not because that was how he was taught to stand but that it would ache to lean against something wrong. 

Proteus saw Sindbad's and Marina's hands joined and smiled. The smiled didn't do anything to stop the guilt flooding in his chest. Sinbad seemed to be the only one with a problem with it. He wanted to ask them both if they all were just going to pretend that nothing had happened between the three of them. It's not as though Proteus risked his life to help Sinbad clear his name and how does Sinbad repay his friend? He steals his fiancé's heart.