Titel: Visit from the Future

Sprache: Englisch

Summary: Maeve ist Tot? Schafft es vielleicht ein kleine, tapferer Jungen seine Mutter zu retten.

Category: Abenteuer

Rating: ohne Altersbeschränkung

Status: Fertig

In the not too distant future…

Sinbad was struggling in his sleep. He was moaning and groaning, but no one was there to wake him up, and when he did wake up, he was bathing in sweat. “That dream again,” he muttered, burying his face in his hands. Then he started to cry. “Oh, Maeve,” he said, his voice hoarse. Ever since Maeve died, which was a month ago, Sinbad was haunted by that dream every single night. That dream….

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sinbad, the new Caliph of Baghdad, was staring into the open window of his palace. He turned his attention away from the two boys that were playing in the garden when he heard his wife enter the room. “Sinbad,” Maeve said to him. “Are you sure you mailed every last invitation for our son’s birthday?” she asked, arching her brow. Sinbad smiled at her. “Yes, my love. I took care of everything. Now stop worrying too much and give me a kiss.” He teased. Maeve returned his smile, and then went closer to him. She put her arms around Sinbad’s neck. “You know I just wanted our son’s birthday to be perfect,” she muttered before claiming her husband’s lips. Sinbad sighed in pleasure as soon as Maeve’s lips touched his. “Which reminds me, where is Daevin?” she asked him, after their kiss was over. Sinbad toyed with his wife’s hair. “He’s playing with Brett.” He replied, referring to Dermott and Bryn’s son. “Oh.” Maeve muttered before leaving her husband’s arms. “Would you like some coffee?” she asked before going to the kitchen that was adjoined with their bedroom. “Yes, please,” Sinbad, said. Just then a gray cloud of smoke appeared in the room. Scratch appeared before Sinbad. “What are you doing here?” he asked, drawing his sword. Scratch wiggled his forefinger at the Caliph. “Ah ah ah ah, Sinbad! I’m not here for you. I was just claiming what is mine.” He smiled at the other man. “There! I’m done! Now that wasn’t that hard, wasn’t it?” He said before disappearing, his laughter echoing in the room. Sinbad was surprised with what just happened.

“What on earth-“ Suddenly, shattering glass can be heard from the kitchen. “Maeve!” Sinbad exclaimed before rushing to where she was. In the kitchen he saw her almost unconscious. Sinbad scooped her in his arms and laid her in the bed. “Maeve, my darling, speak to me!” he said to her. Maeve struggled to open her eyes. The first thing she saw was a Sinbad’s worried blue eye. “Sinbad,” she said, her voice the faintest of whispers, “I feel so… weak…” Sinbad moved his head closer to her mouth so he can hear what she was saying. “I love you… my captain.” She said to him. He stared in horror as her breathing stopped. “No,” he muttered. He looked at his wife’s beautiful face, at her eyes that were still half-open. No life was to be found there. “No,” he said a little louder. He gathered her still form and held it close to his chest. “NO! Maeve, please, open your eyes! Please, don’t leave me! Oh Maeve…” he said, as tears flowed freely along his cheeks …

Sinbad stood up from his bed. After Maeve’s funeral he almost decided to end his life, to free himself from the pain that was tearing up his heart. The only reason he never actually did it was his son, Daevin. Sinbad went out of his room and walked to his son’s room. He gently opened the door and saw him sleeping peacefully. He ruffled Daevin’s flaming red hair. “You remind me so much of your mother,” he thought, fearing that his tears would flow again. Daevin awoke to find his father staring at him. “Father?” he whispered. “Don’t mind me, son. Sleep now.” Sinbad said before leaving his room. Daevin fell fast asleep, but he didn’t forget the pained look in his father’s eyes.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next morning, Daevin was aware that his father has not eaten his breakfast. He approached Sinbad. “Father, why are you not eating?” he asked. Sinbad looked at his son’s eyes, it’s shade so much like his own. “Don’t mind your old folk, Daevin. I have no appetite this morning.” He replied. Daevin heaved a sigh. It was always like this, ever since his mother died. “Father, you can’t go on like this! You cannot just mourn forever!” he said. Sinbad shook his head. “You’re too young to understand.” He whispered. “No, I’m not, father. I’m already ten years old. I can understand you. Please, just tell me!” he pleaded. Sinbad then took him in his arms. “It’s just that… I miss your mother so much.” He said. Daevin heard his father crying silently. He tightened his hold on him. “I will help you, father. I will help you move on.” He whispered.

That afternoon, Daevin went to the sorceress’ house. “Welcome, young Sinbad.” Cairpra said to him, acknowledging him with a hug. “Cairpra, I was just wondering if you could help my father get over his sadness.” Daevin said. Cairpra smiled sadly at the young boy. “Sinbad is still grieving over the loss of Maeve,” she thought. “What do you want me to do?” she asked. Daevin paced around the room. “Oh, I don’t know. Talk to him. Cast him a spell to remove his sadness!” he answered her. “Oh, Daevin. You know I cannot do that.” Cairpra said to him. “This is all that sorcerer Scratch’s fault. If only he did not take mom away from us! If only…” Daevin’s voice broke, tears forming in his eyes. He hastily wiped them away with his sleeve. Since that day of his mother’s funeral he promised to himself he wouldn’t cry over her, although he missed her kisses and hugs terribly. But he can see that his father is still mourning, and he wanted to help him. Suddenly an idea popped in his mind. “Cairpra,” he said excitedly. “I believe you possess the power to turn back time?” Cairpra’s eyes grew big. Suddenly she knew what the young boy was thinking. “Oh, no. You’re not thinking of…” “Yes Cairpra. I’m thinking of returning to the past, to when Scratch casted a spell on my mother.”

“Are you sure you are ready, my child?” Cairpra asked, worried. She really didn’t know how Daevin was able to talk her into doing this, but since it was for Sinbad, she agreed. “Ready as I will ever be,” Daevin responded. “Just remember, you can contact me if ever you have a problem. Let your father’s rainbow bracelet guide you!” the sorceress said. The boy nodded. “And let my mother’s spirit be with me…”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At present…

The Nomad was cruising on calm waters. At the deck was her captain, Sinbad, the swashbuckler, ruler of the seven seas. He raised the magnascope in his eye. “Found any land yet?” Maeve asked, their first woman crewmate on the ship and a sorcerer’s apprentice. Sinbad lowered the magnascope and glanced at her. “Nope. No land yet.” He replied. Maeve waved her hands in the air. “I told you we should’ve turned southeast! But no, you insisted that we head north!” she said to him. Sinbad gritted his teeth. He hated it when Maeve was right. “So, what? We’re lost, aren’t we?” Maeve eyed him warily. Sinbad faced her. “We would never be lost as long as I’m the captain of this ship!” he said, confidently. Maeve crossed her arms in front of her. “Well there’s always a first time, Captain!” she shot back at him, her brown eyes flaring. Sinbad sighed. “Calm down, Maeve. I’m sure that the direction we took was the right one!” he said to her. “How can you be sure of that?” she asked. Sinbad shrugged. “Well, we-“ he was interrupted when Doubar said, “Land ho!” Now Sinbad grinned at her. “See. I told you!” he said. “It’s just pure luck that got you out of that one.” Maeve retorted. “No. I think its ingenuity.” “Ha! Ingenuity? Yeah, right Sinbad. Like you have that trait?” she said, her tone challenging. Sinbad was about to answer her when Firouz came to them. “I’m sorry for bothering you, children, but we have some work to do!” he said. Sinbad and Maeve looked at each other accusingly before following the scientist to the long boat.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Daevin looked around him. “What is the time today, anyway?” he thought. “Oh, well.” He started to walk to the direction where many people were walking as well. “I guess I should start looking for my parents,” he said to himself. Suddenly a pair of strong arms grabbed him. “What’ya wearing lad? That looks expensive!” a drunken man said to him. “Get off me!” Daevin shouted, his Celtic temper showing. “Ahh. So you’re courageous, eh? Just give me your clothes, and you’d be okay. Oh, and that pretty bracelet too.” The man threatened him. “And if I don’t?” Daevin challenged him. The drunken man’s eyes flashed. “Then you better kiss your life goodbye.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As the long boat took them to shore, Sinbad had assigned each member of his crew to buy specific things. Doubar, Firouz and Rongar were to buy food, whereas Maeve and he would be buying oil and other amenities.

As they separate, Sinbad and Maeve went directly to the market. “You go buy the oil, I’ll go buy the candles.” Maeve said to him. Sinbad pretended to bow before her. “Whatever you say, oh most powerful one.” He teased her. Maeve turned from him in disgust. Sinbad went to the other direction, a small smile in his face. “Got you there, Maeve!” he thought. Then, he heard a commotion at the middle of the street. As he hurried there, he found a boy who was confronted by a drunken man. Just as the man was about to attack the boy, the latter made a fireball and flung it to the man. “You’re a witch!” the drunken man yelled at the boy before running away from him in fright. Sinbad smiled at the sight. With the mop of flaming red curls and that fireball of his, the boy could easily be mistaken as Maeve’s brother. As he turned to leave he heard the boy exclaimed, “Father!” Thinking that the boy was referring to the men beside him, Sinbad ignored him. Then, was he surprised to feel the boy’s arms around his waist! Sinbad realized that the boy had mistaken him for his father. He gently disentangled himself from the boy’s grasp, and then turned to face him. As he looked at the boy’s eyes he found himself as though he was looking at his own reflection. “I’m sorry, lad, but you’re mistaken. I am not your father!” he said apologetically. “I’m not mistaken. I am your son! I have been sent here for a mission. Where’s mother?” the boy asked him. Sinbad was now confused. What was he going to do? “Little brother!” Doubar said to him, his voice coming out from nowhere. Sinbad gladly accepted the intrusion. As he stood up to greet his sibling, the boy who mistook him for his father did it for him. “Uncle Doubar! Uncle Firouz! Uncle Rongar!” he exclaimed, rushing to where the trio was standing. Sinbad watched with his mouth agape. How did he know who these people were? He thought. Doubar looked at the boy in surprise. “Who are you, lad? How did you know our names?” he asked. As he stared at the boy’s face he couldn’t help but notice his resemblance to Sinbad. He raised his eyes to his brother who seemed as astonished as he was. “Uncle Doubar, don’t you recognize me? I’m Daevin, Sinbad’s son!” the boy exclaimed. Doubar looked at Sinbad again, this time in suspicion. Why haven’t his brother ever mentioned to him that he already have a son this old? Sinbad felt as though the earth beneath him is tilting. What was happening? How did this boy know so much about him? And why is he claiming to be his son? “So, you already have a son. Thanks for sharing such an important detail about yourself!” Maeve sarcastically told Sinbad from behind him. Sinbad whirled around to face the wrath of the fiery sorceress. “Look, Maeve he-“ Daevin was hugging his uncle Doubar when he heard his father utter his mother’s name. “Mother!” he exclaimed before rushing to Maeve. Daevin hugged her, hard. Maeve was all but stunned at the boy. Sinbad grinned at her expression. “So, you already have a son, Maeve. Thanks for sharing such an important detail about yourself!” he said mimicking her tone. “Shut up!” Maeve hissed at him.

The crew had no choice; they brought with them to the ship the boy that was Daevin. As they sat at the deck, with the crew encircling Daevin, Sinbad began questioning him. “So, you’re from the future.” He said. Daevin nodded. “And you’re Sinbad and Maeve’s son?” Doubar asked, who couldn’t help but smile at the thought. Sinbad and Maeve both tossed him a dark look. “What? You heard the boy call Sinbad ‘father’ and Maeve ‘mother’. What else could be drawn from that?” Doubar said, defensively. Sinbad shook his head. Firouz stood up. “This is really unbelievable! Science can’t definitely explain this, so I bet this has something to do with-“ “Magic.” Maeve finished it for him. She then noticed something at the boy’s wrist. “You also have a rainbow bracelet?” she asked him. Daevin touched his bracelet, then said, “My father,” he looked at Sinbad before he continued, “gave it to me when I was seven years old.” Sinbad stood up as well. “And I guess you also know how to use your magic.” He said to the boy. “Yes. My mother,” he looked at Maeve, “taught it to me as a child. She said I was born with magic, and so did Cairpra and Dimdim.” “Dimdim! You said that in your time we have found him! Oh, thank the gods,” Maeve said. Sinbad smiled at her. “So I guess we would succeed in this mission after all!” he said. Daevin shook his head. “You don’t understand. By the time you rescue Dimdim, I was already borne. Which will be in about, oh, three years.” He calculated. “And by that time, he will be so weak that…” “Okay, Daevin, just stop it.” Sinbad warned when he saw Maeve blanched at his words. Firouz took Sinbad by the hand and led him away from the boy. “Sinbad, Rongar and I agree that we cannot just trust that boy. What if it’s just a trick?” he asked him. Sinbad considered what Ferrous was saying. Suddenly Daevin was at his back. “You don’t believe me, do you?” he asked Sinbad. Sinbad faced the young boy. He chose to tell him the truth. “Daevin, we just find it really hard to believe in what you are saying.” Daevin stood in the middle of the boat. He closed his eyes, and in a second later his rainbow bracelet glowed. A blinding light engulfed the whole Nomad. An image of Cairpra appeared before them. “Cairpra?” Maeve whispered, recognizing Dimdim’s wife. Cairpra smiled at her. “Yes, my dear. It is I.” She then looked at Daevin. “Yes, Daevin, what did you call me for?” “They don’t believe me.” He replied. Cairpra chuckled. “Of course, my dear, they will definitely find it hard to believe you!” Cairpra then looked at the rest of the crew, her gaze lingering slightly at Sinbad. “I sent Daevin for a reason. He is to stop the spell that Scratch was to cast on Maeve.” “What?” Maeve asked, not fully understanding nor believing what she was seeing. “You see, the spell will not have an effect on you immediately, but in 12 years, it will work.” Daevin answered her. Cairpra moved closer to Sinbad. With a wave of her hand, Sinbad saw the dream that was haunting his future self. “Oh, my…” Sinbad looked at Maeve, just to be sure that it never actually happened now. “But it will happen in the future, father.” Daevin said to him, reading his thoughts and facial expression. “And I want to save you from that future grief.”

A few hours had passed after Cairpra disappeared. Daevin was with Firouz, Doubar and Rongar. “So what will happen in the future?” Doubar asked. “Sinbad will become the new Caliph of Baghdad. He will marry Maeve, and they will become my parents! You, uncle Doubar, will be the head of his troops, Uncle Firouz would become famous because of his inventions, and uncle Rongar will regain his ability to speak and marry a woman.” Daevin replied. He looked for Sinbad and Maeve, and found them at the other end of the boat, deep in conversation. “Aren’t they married by now? My father told me he married my mother on this ship.” Daevin asked Doubar. Doubar couldn’t help but laugh. “My dear boy, they haven’t even confess their feelings for each other!” he said, chuckling. Daevin scratched his head. “So that’s why I haven’t seen them kiss or call each other love.” He thought. Firouz nudged the boy. “Maybe you can help them.” He suggested. “Maybe,” Daevin muttered, a strange gleam appearing in his eyes.

When Sinbad saw Maeve standing alone at the deck, he decided to join her. “So,” he began. “We will have a son. Together.” He told her. Maeve looked at him and retorted, ”Yes, Sinbad, that’s how people usually create a baby.” Sinbad chuckled. He really can’t believe that his dream will come true, that Maeve will become his wife. He didn’t know it, but Maeve was thinking the exact same thing. “When are we going to encounter Scratch? When would he cast that spell on me?” Maeve asked him. Sinbad shrugged. “Only our son, Daevin knows the answer.” He reminded her. “Would you please stop saying that? We wouldn’t be having him till we … we…” Maeve couldn’t continue. She blushed then looked away. Sinbad slipped his hand around her waist and made her look at him. “Maybe we can arrange that,” he whispered to her. Maeve looked at his eyes. As their lips were about to meet, a violent rocking threatened to split the ship in two. “What was that?” Maeve asked, shocked. “I don’t know…” They ran to where the rest of the crew was gathered. “What did just happen?” Sinbad asked. As if an answer to his question, Scratch appeared before them. “If I can’t have your soul, Sinbad, then I will have the thing that you valued most!” The sorcerer looked at Maeve, then formed a dark fireball and aimed it at her. Daevin knew that if ever that fireball hit his mother, the future would be coming true. “No!” he shouted. Suddenly he saw a mirror lying beside a barrel on his left. He remembered his uncle Firouz telling him that mirrors can reflect anything. Daevin grabbed the mirror, and as Scratch threw the fireball at Maeve he stood to shield her, holding the mirror in front of him. As the fireball hit it, it flew back to Scratch. “NO!” the sorcerer screamed as it hit him. He misted away after that. Sinbad ran to where Maeve and Daevin were. “Are you two alright?” he asked, concerned. Daevin looked at Maeve and said to her, “Now you wouldn’t die on my birthday.” Maeve took the boy in her arms. “Thank you, Daevin. Thank you for saving me,” she said.

It was now time for Daevin to depart. Cairpra appeared after he summoned her. “Young Sinbad, I suppose we have to make them forget what they know about you.” she said after Daevin had said his goodbyes to them. “Why, Cairpra?” he asked. The sorceress smiled tenderly at the boy. “So that everything, except your mother dying on your birthday, will come true.” Cairpra took Daevin’s hand and together, they casted a spell on the crew of the Nomad before fading away.

Sinbad was on the market, buying the oil they needed for the ship. Suddenly he heard a commotion at the street. He saw a boy confronting a drunken man. He was about to help when the police came and stopped the two. Sinbad turned from the sight, but something made him turn again. A feeling of déjà vu crept toward him. “Why do I feel as though this had happened before?” he thought. Then a hand on his shoulder made him turn again. “What are you doing there, Sinbad? It’s time to go!” Maeve said to him. As he looked at her he had an image of a boy with flaming red curls and piercing blue eyes. “Sinbad? Sinbad, are you okay?” Maeve asked. Sinbad smiled at the sorceress. “Yes, I’m… fine.” Grabbing her hand, they made their way to the Nomad with the supplies they bought.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In the future

Sinbad turned from the window of their palace when he heard his wife entering the room. “Sinbad, are you sure you’ve mailed every invitation for our son’s birthday?” Maeve asked, her brow arched. Sinbad smiled at her. “Yes, my darling, I have sent every mail. Now stop worrying too much and give me a kiss.” He teased her. Maeve returned the smile, then went closer to her husband and kissed him. Suddenly a figure emerged at the middle of the room. It was the sorcerer Scratch. “What are you doing here?” Sinbad asked, drawing his sword. “I have come to… wait.. I… Ahhh!” as soon as he opened his mouth a black light engulfed him. Then, he was gone. “What was that all about?” Maeve asked, confused. Sinbad grabbed Maeve by the waist and turned her to him. “I don’t know, my love, but I know what’s for sure… It would never bother us again!” he said before claiming her lips again. They were so wrapped up with each other they didn’t realize that Daevin had opened the door and was now peeking at them. “That’s more like it!” he thought, grinning. Then he bolted into the room and rushed to his parents. “Daevin!” Maeve scolded, guilty that their son caught them in an intimate situation. “Mom, it’s good to have you back on my birthday!” he said. “Son, what are you talking about?” Sinbad asked. Daevin shook his head. “Nothing, dad. Absolutely nothing.”

The End