Adventures of Sinbad and Layla

Sinbad's Son? (Part II)

Layla paced her bedroom. She couldn't believe there was a woman claiming that she had given birth to Sinbad's son and she was going to be staying in the palace until they could prove his innocence. Sinbad was watching her pace and was literally following her around the room.

"Babe, will you slow down?"
"No," she said. "It helps me think."

She then turned on the spot causing her to bump into him. He quickly held her shoulders before she could begin pacing again.

"You need to calm down," he said softly.
"That woman wants to marry you!"
"Who doesn't?" he jested to lighten the mood but his joke was met with a glare. "I'm kidding."
She sighed. "How would you feel if Kouen arrived and said that I had a kid with him and wanted to marry me?"
His expression became blank. "Don't even go there."
"Sin, I'm freaking out just knowing that woman is in the palace. What if she does something to you? Or worse, to me?"
"Thanks," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Let me talk to her. I'll sort it out. I want you to get Esra back and just focus on her for a while, okay?"
"Okay..." she breathed out. "Okay. But if she starts making moves on you, you run out of that room. You run like your life depends on it. You run so fast as if I'm going to kill you."
He chuckled softly and nodded. "Of course I will, baby." Holding her face, he placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'll return soon and report back to you."

Layla didn't want to let him go alone but Sinbad was right. If he spoke to her, then maybe she would be convinced to leave. After he left the room, Layla went to get Esra back from Jafar.

Trying to keep her mind off Sinbad being alone with Aisha, she focused all of her attention on Esra. She first changed her diaper before feeding her lunch. She then played with her for about half an hour before she became tired and went down for a nap. Just as Layla put her down on the bed, Sinbad returned to the room. As he closed the door, she rushed over and looked up at him hopefully.

"Well?" she asked. "What did she say? Is she going to leave?"
Sinbad glanced down at her blankly. "I think she should stay."
"What?!" she gasped before her brows furrowed together. "You didn't run! Is this your idea of a joke?"
"No, Layla. I really think she should stay in the palace." He held her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You and Aisha will get on so well. And Esra will have an older brother. Of course you'll be my favourite wife but-"

He was cut off as Layla slapped his cheek so hard that his head turned to the side. She glared at him, she was fuming as her eyes welled up with tears. She knew he wasn't joking. He would never joke about something like that. The man standing in front of her wasn't her Sinbad anymore. He held his cheek as it stung from the force of her slap.

"What the hell are you saying?!" she spoke angrily, not wanting to wake Esra. Grabbing his clothes, she looked into her eyes. "Wake up, Sin! She's brainwashed you! That boy isn't even your son!"
Sinbad blinked a couple of times. "Listen. I know you're upset. Maybe in time you will learn to accept him too. I know you'll be a great stepmother."

Layla just stared at him. He was truly gone. She could see it in his eyes. They were different somehow. Taking his hand, she pulled him over to the bed where Esra was sleeping.

"Look at her, Sin. Esra. She's our daughter. Our daughter." She looked up at his face. "At least wake yourself up for her."
Sinbad watched her sleeping for a short while before smiling. "I know Shab will be a great brother to her."

Layla was trying so hard not to cry. She couldn't lose hope. There was only one other thing she could try. If that didn't work, then she knew Sinbad was lost to her.

Holding his face, she leaned up and crashed her lips onto his. Sinbad instantly closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight as their lips moved together passionately. After a few seconds, they slowly parted from the kiss and gazed at each other. Layla prayed that it had worked and from the way he was looking at her and brushing his thumb across her lips, she knew it had to have worked.

He smiled at her softly. "Layla."
Her heart lifted as she smiled brightly. "Yes, Sin?"
"Aisha's gonna have to work hard to kiss as good as you do."

Her heart plummeted, just like the smile on her face. She pushed away from him, suddenly feeling completely alone and helpless. Sinbad looked at her with confusion, wondering why she was walking away from him. Layla knew that Aisha had done something to him.

"Stay here with Esra," she told him, forcing herself to stay calm even though she being torn apart inside. "Just stay here."

Before Sinbad could stop her, she ran out of the room. She ran all the way to the room Aisha was staying at. That woman had to leave once and for all. She didn't even bother knocking and stormed into the room.

Aisha was sitting at the dressing table and brushing her hair. When she saw Layla enter, she stood up with a smirk but stayed facing the mirror.

"You know, when the king and I get married, you'll have to respect our privacy," she taunted. "What shall I call you after the wedding? Sister?"

Layla stormed over to her before grabbing her arm and turning her around. Aisha was met with a ferocious Queen who was holding a sharp chakram to her throat. Aisha's eyes widened as she stayed as still as possible.

"W-what are you doing..?!"
"What spell did you cast on him?!"
Aisha smirked. "It's called love."

Layla squeezed Aisha's arm and suddenly, the chakram sparked with lightning coursing through it. Aisha glared at her as she tried to pull her arm away.

"You're crazy!" she screamed.

Before Layla could respond, she was pulled away from Aisha. Turning around, she saw Sinbad standing there and he was staring at her in shock.

"Layla, what is the meaning of this?!"
"She needs to leave, Sin! She's messing with your head!"
"The only one who's messed up here is you!" he shouted at her.

Her eyes widened in shock and she froze at his words. He had never yelled at her like that before and he looked so angry that it frightened her. In the background, Aisha was smirking victoriously.

He continued to glare at her. "You were going to kill her."
She shook her head. "No... I just wanted her to go..."
Suddenly, Aisha began sniffing. "My King, I was so scared," she whimpered before she began sobbing. "She was going to kill me in front of our son."
Layla looked at her. "Just shut the hell up."
"Layla!" Sinbad yelled again, causing her to jump. "Enough."
"But, Sin..."

He let go of her before going to Aisha. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she began sobbing into his side. But she slyly glanced at Layla and smirked.

Layla was just about keeping herself together. She knew Sinbad was under the influence of a spell but it still killed her. She didn't want to cry. Not in front of Aisha. Taking a deep breath, she looked directly at Sinbad.

"Did you leave Esra alone?" she asked him.

His eyes widened and remembered that he did leave her. That reaction wasn't what Layla wanted. She ran out of the room and rushed back to Esra. Thankfully, she was still asleep. Going over to her, Layla sat on the bed as the tears began to fall.

"We need to save him, Esra. We need to save your dad," she said quietly as she held the baby's little hand. "But I don't know what to do..."

To be continued.