Chapter Text
All is quiet outside the dungeon. Masrur is asleep with a pile of cards in front of him along with his spoils from winning all the rounds of cards he played with the others. Ja’far looks worriedly at the dungeon entrance as another hour passes. Sinbad hums to himself as he scrawls on parchment, recording recent events for the next installment of his Adventures of Sinbad series. Ja’far paces back over to him. He’s about to ask the same question for the hundredth time, but knows the answer will be the same so he closes his mouth and treads back to the entrance.
“Keep going back and forth like that, and we won’t even need to plow the fields,” Sinbad jokes without looking up from his work.
“We won’t need to plow them if this dungeon remains on top of them, Sin!” snaps Ja’far. “I’d hate to say it, but she has been in there for a very long time. For her it has been more days than what she had packed for. We should start exploring our alternatives.”
“It’s only been a week or two for her.” Sinbad lifts up the parchment to cover his face and hide his worried frown. “A person can survive a month without food; a week without water. Sure it’s hard, but it is not impossible.”
“Survive, maybe. But not in any condition to fight monsters or solve djinn puzzles. Maybe I should go back and see if I could still be allowed in.”
“NO!” Sinbad cuts him off, “I can’t lose you too!”
Ja’far turns aghast, his worst fear vocalized. “Too?!?! So you really think she’s gone for good?!”
Sinbad’s pale expression could no longer be hidden. “No…eh…let’s give it one more day. The longer she’s in there, the more important it will be for her to have someone help her when she returns. Give her food, carry her to shelter…”
Ja’far can see just how thin Sinbad’s veil of confidence is. How he is not ready to tell King Rashid that they lost his daughter. That their practically completed principality would no longer be a dowry. All that would be admitting this woman he shared a bond with was forever beyond his reach. He is not ready to cope with the death of someone he loved.
“I…I’m sorry, Sin.” He scratches his arm then up behind his neck. “I shouldn’t doubt you. It’s just that waiting is so nerve-wracking. If I could distract myself with something to work on…could you spare me some of that paper? Running some numbers for our recent gains should help calm me…”
“I need the different papers so I can work on scenes as inspiration hits and then organize them later. If you need to work on something, how about you read over what I’ve written so far? Let me know if it’s exciting enough.”
Ja’far takes the stack of finished scenes and looks over them. It proves to be a good distraction since Sinbad had never let him look at the stories prior to publication before.
After a few pages, his eyes grow big and his jaw drops.
Out loud, he reads, “With the speed of lightning Masrur sprinted across the desert, stalking his prey. Reaching the filthy slave traders, he attacked; ripping their clothes off with his claws. His fangs sank into their feet so they could not escape divine justice. The sun’s rays kissed his red mane in honor of his triumph over evil. His victorious roar shook the heavens…??? SIN! You made Masrur a lion in this!”
“The readers will love it, right?”
“WRONG! You’re making your fortune off of lies!”
“Fantasy,” Sinbad points out, “It’s meant to inspire their hearts; a learned reader knows not to take these things literally.”
“Do you realize what young, impressiona-…” Ja’far begins to lecture, but stops short as the ground beneath him begins to quake.
The dungeon gives off an ethereal glow and shifts. To their vision, it is hard to tell if it sinks into the ground, squeezes up towards the heavens, or simply dissipates. Maybe all three simultaneously. The rumbling even stirs Masrur. The trio congregate a few meters from the entrance, hope restored.
When the dungeon is gone, only acres and acres of a vast hole remains. They approach the edge and look over to find you standing by a large pile of treasure.
Sinbad’s mouth is so dry, he can barely manage to say your name. He hops in, sliding down the dirt wall and runs towards you, the others close behind.
Transporting back from the dungeon does not take long to recover from. At first the lighting takes some adjusting, but you shake the dizziness from your head and turn to see Sinbad! You can’t help the smile on your face and hold your arms wide open as your exhausted body takes what small steps it can muster to close the distance.
You have emerged! Your clothes are stuck to you from sweat. Dried blood stains the edges of ripped fabric. Your hands are callused and hair is a mess. But you are here with Sinbad beaming like you are the loveliest sight in the world! You survived and you have friends here to greet you!
~*~
“Do not trust them. Eventually they’ll fail,” Samagina had warned.
You took a deep breath as ideas of betrayal entered your thoughts. But the alternative of denouncing them all was even more dismal. “But it is not guaranteed to happen.”
The djinn almost pleaded, responding, “I’m warning you for your own good. I followed one who’s oldest friend betrayed him. I won’t make a pact with someone who can be destroyed like that!”
“So I should betray them first? If I were to do as you say, then wouldn’t I be as bad as the one you hate?”
“I can see the stubborn defiance burning in your eyes. You will not change. I could not believe you even if you told me you would renounce them! I tire of this endless debate. Goodbye!” Samagina huffed before dissipating in blue smoke.
So that was that? You were now doomed to be stuck in the treasure room until she believed you were sincere. If that was even possible. How long could a djinn hold a grudge?
Countless hours in the treasure room dragged on after that, just you and your thoughts. It could have amounted to days, it was hard to keep track. You certainly had the opportunity to peruse the priceless items that surrounded you. This could make you the richest person in the world.
But you can’t eat treasure.
While mindlessly stacking precious stones to distract you from your rumbling stomach, you pondered the djinn’s point of view and why she would make such a heartless request? What could have happened to make her so cynical? Could a djinn’s view be limited? Was it possible to expand her view?
You’ve only met a few djinn, but now they started to seem more human to you now than how legends present them. They each had personalities. They have had experiences that form their judgements. They had desires and did not wish to grant their power to someone who would misuse it or fail. They had feelings…and could be reasoned with.
After thinking about the condition over and over, you rubbed the choker to summon Samagina back. Grumpily, she crossed her wings in front of her and glared down at you.
A sweaty grin plastered on your face, you began to reason, “Hey, you have got to be bored sick! Stuck in here for all these generations, don’t you wanna get out? Change the world? I thought about what you said. Betrayal is always a possibility, and I should be prepared for that.”
She levitated lower, stretching her neck towards you. “So you are ready to cut off your friends?”
You shook your head. “In this short amount of time being here, I cannot mend the trust you’ve had broken. There’s no way. Trust is something that is built over time. And to rebuild would take longer than the length of the pre-broken friendship.” You stared directly into her owlish eyes of wisdom, a fist clenched to your chest. “But I will still act faithfully alongside my friends. You saw how independent I can be by passing your trials. Even if it wasn’t the way you wanted me to do it, I found a way. If I can do that all on my own, doesn’t that prove I’d be just as resourceful to handle anyone who would betray me?”
“Having to stop someone you trusted is a different matter.” A wing scratched her chin as she looked you over. “But it is true that you did clear through the whole dungeon all alone. Regardless of people being by your side or not, you can push forward. I suppose that is good enough to entrust my power to you. I’ll make a pact with you if you bear in mind my warning. Make the world a better place. Do not disappoint me.”
~*~
Who knew that food could taste so good? And bathing feel so good? The bed will probably feel wonderful too! Even if it is a bed that was meant for construction workers on the island. But when everything is finished, this bunkhouse will be converted into a luxurious hotel near the north port for visitors. Some renovations have already started, but after all of your adventures, you are not too picky about spending the night in one of the older rooms.
On your way back to your room, you stop by a window to look high up the hill at the castle you will soon be inhabiting. It is almost eerie how dark it is, only a silhouette in the night’s glow. You ponder how full of life it will be once it is filled with servants bustling about with candles. Will it be a gem glittering in the night? A symbol many can look up to with hope?
My new home…
In the morning, you’ll sail back to the capital. Back to father. Back to finally get married…
“Ah, Princess (y/n)! You look like you are doing much better now!” you hear Ja’far.
You turn to find him and Masrur coming down the hall. They have been busy with Sinbad, moving the spoils of the adventures off the ship while you refreshed yourself.
“Yes, thank you. Is everything going okay?”
Ja’far’s smile grows. “Yes it is! It turns out that when the dungeon disappeared, it unearthed a layer of very fertile soil! The crops we grow there will be bigger, tastier, and more plentiful! This dungeon has really been a blessing in disguise!”
“That’s wonderful news!” you grin, “Are you done for the evening?”
“Oh no, we still have lots to get done before we sail back to the capital. But Sin was starting to get a bit out of it, so we just forced him to retire for the evening.”
“Well make sure you two get a break too, okay?” you order in a faux-stern voice.
Masrur salutes his acknowledgement and Ja’far bows towards you. They continue back to their duties while you ponder over the mention that Sinbad seemed off.
Deciding to check in on him, you go to his room and knock on his door. He greets you with that same charismatic face he shows everybody. But by now you know that this face is only a cover. Your intuition thrums that he is hiding something.
“My dear, you are a sight for sore eyes.” His hand warmly signals into his room. You saunter in and he closes the door behind you. “What brings you to my doorstep this fine evening?”
“Oh I don’t know it’s just that…Ja’far told me how utterly useless you were being and that they had to cut your dead weight so they could keep on schedule,” you tease coyly.
Sinbad blanches. Defensively, he articulates, “Hey! I’ll have you know, that barrel of fish was NOT my fault! ...huh?”
He stops as you giggle into a curled finger.
“Don’t worry, Sin. No one has said anything bad about you. Although I am now curious about the fish.” You straighten up and reach to caress the side of his face. “But seriously, what’s up? You know you can talk to me.”
Sinbad lets out a sigh, his stress levels can’t take these accusations. “I’m sorry. It’s about the dungeons. They keep cropping up. And now I can no longer conquer them to prevent others falling in and dying in them.”
You suggest, “You have seven. If that’s the limit a person can have, then I can still get five more. After that, if you get about eight of your trusted fellow leaders in the Seven Seas Alliance and such to take down more dungeons, then problem solved, right?” Still, as you recommend this, Samagina’s voice tugs at your brain about how this would only open up more opportunities for betrayal.
“Wrong.” Sinbad frowns. “I don’t want you to go into a dungeon again.” He takes your hands. “I couldn’t go with you, I couldn’t protect you. I was scared. I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again. Don’t put me through that again, okay?”
“Oh, Sin.” Your expression softens at his vulnerability.
He pulls you in for a hug. His arms wrap around you, holding you tightly against his body. Your eyes close as you sink into this embrace.
He mumbles, “The rest of you shouldn’t have to shoulder this burden.”
Your eyes shoot open and you push back enough to look him in the eye. “The rest of us? What makes you so special that you can’t accept our help? This isn’t something you have to carry alone.” He is so wary of others, that perhaps if he had been allowed in the last dungeon, he’d have had an easier time making the pact than you did. But Samagina encouraging his distrust could also prove disastrous. You feel a need to prove to her that not everyone turns traitorous. “All of us can work together. It is not a weakness to delegate.”
“No, I am the only one who can do this. I see the path of the world and I need to be the one to lead it there. Things have already gone off course because I relied on you.”
“Are you referring to the nightmares you had of Parthevia destroying your Sindria? Half of your friends died in them! Are you saying it’s a bad thing they are all alive and well now?”
“No, I’m glad I could save them from that fate. But I also feel like there are others missing in my life, you know? There are ways I should have grown that I haven’t.”
You clench the fabric around his biceps. “Sin, you are not alone. You don’t ever have to be. Don’t fear the unknown. We’ll embrace the future together,” you earnestly insist.
Sinbad looks at your determined face and he gives a soft smile. A sincere one this time. “(y/n).” The way his arms tighten around you and brings your head to rest on his chest communicates that you got through to him. “I’m so lucky to have found someone like you.”
Suddenly a voice rings beside you, saying, “Didn’t you like the presents?” This makes you both jump out of your skin! In the air next to you, Yunan sits on his pole with his legs crossed and sipping a cup of tea. “I raised dungeons for both of you. Although Sinbad, it looks like you didn’t get along with Zagan as much as I hoped.”
Sinbad immediately lets go of you. “You mean you were the reason for all the dungeons?” He reaches up like he’s going to strangle Yunan’s neck, but Yunan levitates backwards, out of reach.
“Well...I’m not the only one. But I have raised many,” the mysterious man admits.
Sinbad continues to jump after him. “Those things are dangerous! Do you realize how many people have died because you did that?!”
“But haven’t they been useful in helping you change the world? Soon you will have a land with no injustices and the wealth to support it!”
“Did you even realize that I couldn’t go into the last one? (y/n) could have died! No more!” Sinbad shouts, taking an aggressive swing towards him.
“Eep!” Yunan squeals, letting go of his cup that disintegrates into thin air. He swooshes behind you and hides with his hands on your shoulders. “Please don’t let him yell at me. I was only trying to help,” he sobs.
“Sin…?” you say in a strained tone.
Sinbad takes a deep breath to calm himself. Begrudgingly he requests, “Will you please stop creating dungeons so needlessly?”
Yunan peeks out from behind you. “Maybe I could stop my part. But the other two Magi can also bring them to the surface.”
Sinbad orders, “Well, you better let the others know to stop as well!”
“They do their own thing. I’ll do my best to put the dungeons back if they raise any that they don’t have specific intentions for.” Yunan looks at you. “But Princess (y/n), do let me know if you want another. Someone needs to keep Sinbad in line after all.”
“Why you…” Sinbad growls as Yunan hops back onto his pole and flies out the window.
~*~
Finally, tomorrow it will happen!
You sit very still in the mehndi ceremony while intricate henna tattoos are being applied to your hands and feet. There are symbols and letters woven within the design, including Sinbad’s name in Sanskrit in one place. You had pointed to where you think the last place he would look would be. That with the artist disguising it so well, you are sure Sinbad will have to put a lot of effort into finding it. But he should enjoy the challenge. This is a tradition to show how patient the groom will be in marriage.
Meanwhile Sinbad kneels before King Rashid in the throne room.
With a bowed head, Sinbad declares, “I have made up my mind. I’ll devote this life of mine to the purpose of bringing forth true world peace. I have no choice but to make it a reality.”
Your father states, “This time tomorrow, you’ll officially be my son. Barkak, bring that.”
“That?” Sinbad looks up from his clasped hands curiously.
Rashid continues, “I have high hopes for you with your principality. Indeed, I’ll be giving you many leniencies that essentially it will be like running your own country, King Sinbad.”
Sinbad gasps at hearing the title. The air around him seems brighter and he can almost hear chirping surrounding him. Barkak returns with a short sword. Rashid takes it with one hand and the other beckons Sinbad to ascend the stairs towards him.
Rashid proclaims, “Do not grow stagnant. Move forward. This is a treasured sword that is passed along the royal family of Balbadd. Accept this and carry it with you.”
Directly in front of the king, Sinbad drops to one knee and raises his hands to humbly accept the gift.
Down in the curtains covering a side entrance, a small head peeks out to observe.
“Cool!” breathes the light voice of a young blond.
“Prince Alibaba!” Barkak chides behind him. “This area is off limits. Come on, let’s go train.”
~*~
“The bride is ready!”
Horns blare from the northern gate, to the castle, all the way down to the harbor.
The whole country has gathered outside the palace to celebrate the blessed day! They cheer and throw rice over the path that Sinbad proceeds down, feeling a bit stuffy like it is the first time he has worn royal clothing before. Still, he struts along and waves to the crowd.
Close behind him marches eight of his friends, his generals. Drakon and Hinahoho, Mahad and Masrur, Vittel and Mystras, then Ja’far and Sharrkan; two straight rows in a visually appealing order. All have bright faces, except at the end where they appear to be crying for joy.
“Why?! Why do we have to be last, Jaaaa’faaar???” Sharrkan sobs through a toothy grin.
“Please. Please don’t make me say it…” Ja’far grits his teeth as he looks up at all the higher heads ahead of them. “It would be like admitting defeat.”
The rest of the Sindria Trading Company flock behind them on this procession to the palace.
In the center of the dais for public proclamations, a fire burns. A Mandap of flowers and crystals drape over the flames. Rashid stands at the head of the fire while your brothers Ahbmad and Sahbmad escort you. Sahbmad sniffles and looks at you kindly while Ahbmad’s scowl seems as etched into his face as ever.
Still, this is the most dignified you’ve seen your brother as he reverently hands you a fistful of puffed rice that you throw into the fire. The two of you perform this action thrice before your brothers fade into the background.
When both you and Sinbad stand on opposite sides of Rashid, the king takes your hands to place them into the grooms. Prayers and words are said, but they are all a blur to you as you are lost in the loving gaze before you. It all feels so surreal as the two of you exchange floral garlands. Sinbad then places a necklace of gold and black beads upon you. The veil matching your gold embroidered red Saree is tied to Sinbad’s sash. Now the two of you walk evenly in sync around the fire seven times.
Finally, Sinbad takes some red powder, the Sindoor, and applies it to a part of your hair, completing the ceremony and showing your new status as a married woman. You are now Sinbad’s and Sinbad is now officially yours!
You proceed together towards the reception. Smells of turmeric and saffron fill the air as colorful spices are thrown your way. Upbeat music plays in the square so everyone may dance to celebrate this joyous occasion.
As it grows late, the two of you hug your friends and say your final farewells for the night before entering a royal carriage. Sinbad helps you in and then says something to the driver before joining you.
“Well, we’ve done it!” you exclaim, happy and tired, “We’re together forever now.” Or at least the next seven lifetimes according to Balbadd’s beliefs.
“Yes we are,” Sinbad soothes while he rubs your hands and leans in close for a kiss. “And this is only the beginning. Now our real work begins!”
When the carriage stops and you get out, you are shocked to see you are at the port and not the building you thought you’d be spending your wedding night in.
You look as Sinbad exasperated. “Surely we are not going to sail all the way out to Sindria before we can enjoy our married life together.”
He smiles. “Surely we’re not! We’ll fly! Pick your favorite.” He holds out both arms so all his metal vessels are on display that you can choose which form he will carry you in.
“You better fly fast,” you tease as you touch the vessel of your choice.
“Is that a challenge?” smirks Sinbad before transforming and whisking you away to your new home.