One push is all it takes

Chapter 6

Hinahoho followed the sound of stomping, seeing how it led to Drakon's room. He had been sitting in his bed after making sure his children were asleep when he heard the noise.

He gently knocked on Drakon's door, finding it swinging open quicker than expected and staring right into Drakon's eyes. The two, for once it seemed, were the same height.

"Yes, Hinahoho," Drakon asked, crossing his arms. Hina smiled softly.

"I heard stomping in your room and was wondering..."

"Damn you and your hearing. Come along." Drakon let Hinahoho inside the room, sitting down on his chair. Hina took the bed after closing the door. The two sat in silence, Drakon looking like a ticking time-bomb. "Sinbad," he stated, looking to Hina.

"Yes. Sinbad," Hina replied, clenching his hands together. Drakon sighed.

"It's not good. It's worrying, and I don't know how to help him." Hinahoho watched as his friend got back up and started pacing. The stomping was from his frantic thoughts.

"Maybe we don't have to help him," Hina suggested after a moment. Drakon turned to him, almost yelling.

"Not help our king? Are you in your right mind, Hinahoho? Our king needs us, and we can't do anything about it." Drakon groaned, almost tossing himself on his large bed. Hinahoho frowned, looking at Drakon's transformed body. He remembered what he looked like before, before he was one of Sinbad's loyal friends. Dragool, the name he left behind, in the stone of a grave back in Partevia. Now Drakon, the household member of Baal and Sinbad. One of few.

Drakon was never worried about himself, always thinking of others. Never wasting a second in his short life, never saying something he shouldn't have. And yet, he still was never remembered the way the others were.

Hinahoho sighed, "our friend needs our help, not our king." Drakon sat up a bit, taking in the statement. "We were put as generals to help our king, but we chose to be friends to help our friend. As a general, you can't do anything for Sinbad. However, as a friend, you can be there for him."

"Don't you want to take away his pain?"

The question caught Hinahoho off guard, and he cleared his throat.

"Of course, but this kind of pain isn't something you yourself can get rid of." Hina turned to look outside the window, where it's was raining. "Odd. It rarely rains."

"Rain in Sindria is a bad omen."

"I believe you are correct."

The two sat in silence for a few moments before Drakon sighed and sinked further into his chair. "What do you think is happening to Jafar? I hear screams at night."

"I do not know. Something... I can't comprehend." Hinahoho stood up and carefully walked to the door. "The screams. I do not hear them."

"Ah. Must be my mind."

...

After Hinahoho left Drakon's room, the dragon man stood up from his chair and looked to his bed. He should be sleeping right now, but he can't.

"Dragool?"

Drakon turned quickly, only to see someone he thought he'd never see again. "Princess Serendine?" He bowed down, his heart racing. "You are... alive."

"My dear knight," Serendine rested her hand over Drakon's scaly shoulder. "Do not fret about me. My love for my people is unwavering."

"Princess, I do not-"

Seren pressed her fingers to Drakon's mouth. "Shh. I sensed your worry, and so I came. Tell me your thoughts."

Drakon gulped. "Sinbad. He's worrying me."

"Poor knight."

Seren patted Drakon's cheek. "I keep on wondering what I can do to help-"

"The only thing you can do is take away the problem, yes?"

"Huh-"

"Take the problem away."

The words lingered in Drakon's mind even after Seren's voice and body faded from existence. He groaned, gripping his head as he lay back on his bed.

What was happening to him?