Maeve awakened at what she saw as her home - the Isle of Dawn. Lifting her head from the soft grass, she found it strange that she could have dozed off in the middle of the forest. *That's never happened before… I don't even remember lying down…* She came to the conclusion that she must have just been overwhelmingly tired from all her practice in magic lately. That and the added excitement of Dim Dim telling her that there would be a bit of a surprise for her today. He would not tell her what it was, only that it was something that was sure to change her life. Still, she couldn't help but wonder what it-
"Squawk!" Dermott's cry interrupted her thoughts.
Maeve hurried through the undergrowth toward her brother's screech of protest. What she found was a strange - but oh-so-handsome - man attacking her brother. Quick as a flash she had her broadsword out and attacked him. The end result was him on the ground with her sword at his throat.
"Don't move," she ordered.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he replied. And that's where Maeve's forgotten past differed from her current situation. A split second after Sinbad said those words he swung his legs so that Maeve fell to the ground, flat on her back, with her broadsword well out of reach. Sinbad rolled over so that he was on top of her and pinned her wrists to the ground.
"Now, Beautiful, let's get something straight: I don't take well to being ordered around. Got that?"
Maeve gritted her teeth and refused to answer.
"And another thing. I especially don't take well to being ordered around by a weak little woman, no matter how alluring she is."
At that comment Maeve struggled, but Sinbad was well prepared for that eventuality. He sqeezed her wrists until they felt like they were being crushed and leaned in for a fast, hard kiss. In the next moment he had both of her wrists in one hand above her head and a dagger at her throat.
"Now, now, children. You really must learn to get along," came a voice from off to the side.
"Dim Dim," they both greeted.
"You know Dim Dim?" Sinbad asked.
"Actually I call him Master Dim Dim."
"Lucky man."
Maeve scowled at Sinbad's response. He had obviously taken her the wrong way, but that was the least of her worries. It would be kind of nice if Dim Dim would get this idiot to take that dagger from her throat.
"Um, a little help here," she said sarcastically. Normally she wouldn't have taken that tone with him, but under the circumstances she felt that he would forgive her the disrespect.
"Oh, of course. Sinbad, if you would let the lady stand, I would introduce you two properly."
Sinbad took his dagger from Maeve's throat and stood. He offered his hand to her, which she promptly slapped away and stood on her own, glaring her own daggers at him all the way.
"Sinbad, meet my apprentice Maeve. Maeve, this is Sinbad, he's like a son to me."
"The pleasure's all mine," Maeve said more out of duty than any type of respect.
"Of course it is," Sinbad answered smugly. Maeve just glared at him some more.
"Come, let us walk to your ship," Dim Dim said.
Maeve, frustrated with recent events, fell in behind the two men. She walked far enough behind them so that she could mumble to herself and speak verbally to Dermott without them listening in. She also happened to be just far enough away so that she couldn't quite make out what they were saying. They were purposely keeping their voices low, as if they were making some kind of deal they didn't want her to know about…
"So, Sinbad my boy, you see why I need to get this girl off my hands. She doesn't know about all this, but I've got places to go, things to do, and I simply cannot have her tagging along and slowing me down."
"Dim Dim, you know I'll be glad to help you out, but what exactly do I get out of this?"
"Her."
"I see. I have a hunch I'm getting the worse end of this deal…"
"Oh, Sinbad, don't let looks deceive. Yes, she's spirited, and yes, she may seem a bit untamable. But I'm confident that you can change that. She'll be just like an animal that needs to be taught who's boss. You can handle that, can't you?"
A lustful gleam came into Sinbad's eye. "Oh, yes. It would be my pleasure."
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