The Guarded Princess

III

The doors of the meeting room closed shut as the maids excused themselves. Sinbad motioned towards Yamraiha and she nodded her head in understanding. A magic circle appeared beneath her as she muttered a few words, casting a barrier around the room so that no one overheard their conversation. After finishing it, Yamraiha stepped back behind Sinbad. Sinbad, the Eight Generals, Aladdin, Alibaba, and Morgiana sat and stood on one side, facing Kouen, Lucy, Koumei, Kouha, and Kougyoku who were on the opposite side. The two sides stared at one another, each side not moving the slightest inch.

The birds chirped outside the room and Sinbad, smiled, a sweatdrop appearing on the side of his face.

Now, this is rather awkward, he thought. Should I talk first or should I let her talk first? In the first place, why are we making this seem so formal? Aaagghhh! The tension in this room is suffocating!

Hey, Sinbad, hurry up and start the conversation! Yamraiha stared at him with wide and frantic eyes.

This is super awkward! Sharrkan screamed inside his head.

Sin! Ja'far yelled but his outer appearance remained calm as he stared at the guests before him.

Masrur looked at the corner of the room with a nonchalant face. I want to leave...

"W-Why not have some tea?" Sinbad smiled.

HEY, JUST WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? STARTING OFF THE CONVERSATION LIKE THAT?! his Eight Generals all stared at him with bulging eyes.

Lucy looked at the cup of tea before her and took it, raising the cup to her face. She closed her eyes and breathed in its fragrance, a soft and calm expression appearing. Her lips curled up slightly and she drank it.

"Lavender tea, I see," she smiled.

Sinbad smiled. "Does it suit your taste, princess?"

Lucy laughed. "It does. To have the finest quality of lavenders from the South, who wouldn't be satisfied with this cup of tea?"

Her voice was like a spring melody and her laughter resembled bell chimes that tinkled in the spring breeze. Sinbad stared at her as she set down the cup of tea, her long lashes covering her mystic orbs yet still revealing parts of it. Straightening herself, she met Sinbad and them with a soft smile.

"I assume that you have questions you'd like to ask me," she folded her hands in her lap.

Sinbad smirked. "You catch on quite fast."

"With this large of a group, who wouldn't?" Koumei spoke up.

Lucy smiled at Koumei's side comment, thinking how he hadn't changed at all in voicing his thoughts out loud. Ja'far ignored his comment and bowed slightly before looking back up at Lucy.

"I believe it would be best for you to introduce yourself first," Ja'far said.

Lucy stared at him and opened her mouth to reply. "The name's Lucy Heartfilia," she said. "That is all I can tell you but I assure you that I'm not an enemy. There's no need to be so wary and tense around me," she said the last part with slight bitter pain. "I'm not some monster."

Sinbad and the Eight Generals stared at her with a blank expression.

"Excuse my rudeness but, that can barely be called an introduction," Ja'far said with stern eyes. "Lucy-sama, at least explain the circumstances that you were in which led us to find you."

Lucy's eye twitched a bit as she gripped her dress.

"Is it necessary?"

"You can leave out all other parts but only that, we must know," Drakon spoke up. "For you to be sleeping beneath the ocean for seven years is strange enough but the power you have is also questionable."