"Not until I get an explanation for this," Sinbad said as calmly as he could, considering the circumstances. He pointed angrily up at the sails that usually helped propel the Nomad toward her destination, but were now ablaze with Maeve's magic.
"It had to be done," was her only answer. She had started out with all hopes of preserving their friendship, but the moment he had flat-out refused to change course, she just lost it. That's when she had started to chant, that's when she had formed that giant fireball, and that is when she had set the Nomad's sails afire.
"So you'd destroy my ship because of your crazy notions?" Sinbad asked coldly.
Maeve was now no longer concerned with how he felt about her actions. Her next words were less of a response and more of an assurance. "Only the sails will burn." Her words held true, for neither the mast nor any of the rigging caught fire, only the sails were reduced to mere ashes floating on the wind.
"Look, woman, I need an explanation for what you just did, and I need it now!"
"You've gotten all that you'll get. And if you weren't acting so irrationally you wouldn't even need to ask that of me. You would have heard me out the first time and your sails would still be intact, Captain." Now the comments from both sides of the conversation were coming fully-equipped with icy connotations.
"I knew I should have never brought a woman on board, all of you are nothing but trouble! This is an outrage!" Sinbad was nearly yelling now, but trying desperately to keep his anger in check.
"It's nothing more than a change in plans."
"Is that all you can say for yourself? Well it's not enough! Men, take her to the brig!" he ordered.
Firouz timidly stepped forward, almost afraid of what his Captain and friend might do in this sort of mood. "Um, Sinb- Captain, we um, don't have a, uh brig, sir…"
"Well then make one! Lock her in her room, I don't care, just get her out of my sight!"
Several sailors moved forward to attend to their Captain's wishes, all quietly murmuring their appologies to Maeve that they had to do something like this, but of course they couldn't go against Captain's orders… Although most of them were not as sorry as they were afraid that the resident sorceress would form another of those frighteningly huge fireballs and aim it at their head…
Just as Maeve and her escorts had reached the door to go down below, Sinbad called to them saying, "And tie her to something. Tie her tight. I don't want that woman getting loose and causing more damage."
"Isn't that going a bit far Captain?"
"Do you see what she has done to my ship!? No, it's not going too far! Just follow the orders!"
Reluctantly the sailors took Maeve down to her cabin and tied her to one of her bedposts.
Maeve was about to magically set herself free from the ropes when she saw the door opening slowly. She wasn't surprised to see that it was Sinbad.
"I thought you wanted me out of your sight," she said quietly. Now was not the time to stir his anger again.
"I wanted you where you would do no more damage. We have very delicate cargo that must be delivered on time."
"I know what your cargo is, Captain, and I can assure you it is not delicate. And I know what's wrong with you, Sinbad, or should I say Teran?"
"Hmph. So you discovered my secret. No matter. No one would believe you anyway," Sinbad said while moving closer to Maeve. He kneeled beside her so that he was at her eye level and casually slipped one hand into her hair. "But, my dear sorceress, the cargo is quite delicate. You are quite delicate. And I have precious little time in which to get you to your destination. I can't have you slipping off unnoticed, now can I?" With those words the form of Sinbad placed one hand over the ropes that bound Maeve's wrists. His hand and the ropes glowed briefly with a black light and then died out, and Maeve knew without asking that he had just made the ropes impossible to escape from. "You are far too important to be lost, dear Maeve." He leaned forward and kissed her briefly, harshly, and then left the room, locking the door behind him and posting two sailors to guard the door. No, he was not going to let this precious cargo disappear...
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A Slight Change In Plans - Part 2