((Censored 18+ art towards the end (so I guess it's 16+?)))
~POV Mori~
Just like the previous day, I found myself being escorted into the Purple Leo Tower for dinner, only this time I wasn't walking at mock speed. Instead I was being escorted by the King at a leisurely pace. I took the opportunity to actually get a look at the architecture. I only had the Black Libra Tower and Green Sagittarius Tower to compare it to -one was mainly libraries, and other was guest rooms. Both had beautiful decorations on the walls, but the amount of inlaid precious stones and metals was on another level in this one. This was the Tower were the King and his most trusted lived and slept, so it wasn't a huge surprise.
Said King noticed my gawking. "Didn't you get to look around yesterday?" He had a knowing tone.
"We were late yesterday, so no." I answered while continuing to stare at our surroundings. I'd already looked like a tourist around other parts of the Palace, I wasn't about hide it now.
He laughed. "Seeing it in person must be very different from when you read Fate." Sinbad often laughs as a way to disarm the people he's talking to, or to show how in control he is, so it's hard to tell if he is actually amused by something.
I studied a vase as we passed it. The stripes on it were gold, and bright blue glaze. The plant in it was tall with large leaves; it was almost as tall as the guard standing by the entrance to the hallway we were turning into.
"That's true, but I also couldn't see all of this in the Fate I read."
The guard had an odd expression as he looked between me and his King.
After taking a few steps into the hallway, Sinbad said, "I guess you don't already know your way around then. It's interesting where the blind spots are in your visions." Since we were in front of others he kept to the story he had designed -I needed to remember to do that.
"I had more important things to memorize than the full map of any building, or to enjoy the architecture." It's not like the series focused on those things either.
The waves were starting to act up, but I couldn't tell why.
A smirk formed on Sinbad's face like he was amused by the words he hadn't said yet. "Shall I give you a tour of the Palace then?" A tour was not enough for him to smirk like that nor for the waves to be this high.
I didn't respond right away, but he got what he needed from my expression.
The King sighed for show. "I suppose it's too late for that, and I did promise to only keep you for dinner tonight." He remembered verbally.
Sinbad lead us through a sitting room to a small balcony that had a table and some chairs. He took the seat closest to the door when normally the highest ranking person is supposed to get the seat farthest from the door for safety reasons. Did he take that seat because he just preferred it, or because he knew I wasn't a fighter? Or was I reading into things?
I didn't linger in that thought for long. I had smelled the dinner before we reached the balcony and couldn't ignore it for long. I knew I was food motivated sometimes, but when it smelled this good I wouldn't judge myself for it.
The fatty fish was grilled and covered in herbs and sugar. I noticed some citrus notes that meant it was sautéed with a fruit. It was savory and sweet. Of course, Sinbad would like something like this. This was a time period where sugar was one of the most expensive spices, so it was often used with meat to show off wealth. It also pairs well with wine and mead.
My favorite fish combo is salmon with mango -either grilled or sushi- so my mouth was in heaven.
Sinbad chuckled across the table. "Are you always this expressive when you eat?"
"Only when it's delicious." I answered back. Then while choosing my next bite, I added, "My younger sibling said that I'm really fun to watch when I'm eating, so I hope you're enjoying the show, my King." My sibling is really good at cooking so it was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
-
~POV Jafar~
Ja'far had started the day over 1 hour behind schedule; he managed to make back most of that by having a liquid lunch. He didn't fault himself for it. Finding out that Sin was going to die in only 5 years shook him. If it wasn't for Mori crying while she said it, he wouldn't have believed it. Why would he? Sinbad had more power than anyone else, and always managed to get out of everything the world, and Al Thamen threw at them.
There was also the question of telling the other Generals. They had decided to keep it between the two of them for now. There was no point in needlessly worrying the rest when they had close to zero information, and there was only one person who could give them the answer.
Originally, the General and his King had planned to talk to Mori when she came back from her outing with Pisti, but when news that the trip was cut short because Mori needed to rest, Ja'far rescheduled for the next day. In the meantime, he'd focus on his duties instead of things out of his control.
The Great Bell rung out and anyone that hadn't closed up for the day made their way out -that is, except for workers like Ja'far that didn't know the meaning of the words "break" or "relax." There were night owls that preferred working the midnight shift too. After the night crew got settled in, Ja'far would take a break to have dinner. He could easily skip multiple meals in a row, but it would do his mood no good to remain hungry.
"Sir?"
Ja'far looked up from his desk. "What is it?"
The servant was wearing the uniform from the Purple Leo Tower. Did Sin need him for something?
"His Majesty brought a guest from the Green Sagittarius Tower to the Purple Leo Tower not long ago."
He didn't- "Do you know who?"
The woman shook her head. "No. But he did ask for a dinner for 2 to be prepared on the balcony in that sitting room near his quarters."
Sinbad had gone without him. Normally, Ja'far could trust Sin to do what he does best and get the information out of her. But whenever Mori is involved, the King gets distracted or loses focus, and ends up doing something incredibly stupid. Not to mention that Mori needed more rest.
-
~POV Mori~
When we finished eating, our dirty plates were taken up, and alcohol good for sipping was served -I would not be having any this evening.
I went to the railing and looked out at the view. I could see a good portion of the country from here. Lights were being lit here and there. The air was a little cooler than earlier but it was still comfortable. I did have a lot of skin exposure in this outfit though, so I would have to stay aware of the temperature as the night cools everything down. It was faint, but I could smell the salt of the sea in the air.
This country was very peaceful compared to back home, and soon enough, Sinbad was going to bring this peace to the world -if only for a few years. I was safe, had a decent bed, and delicious food. As long as I could convince Sinbad not to walk the same path he was originally supposed to, I couldn't think of a single reason to leave this country. I had been thinking that I'd only be able to stay until my prophecies run out, but with the knowledge I already have and the experience I'd gain here, maybe I wouldn't have to leave.
Maybe if I hadn't started to zen out, I would have noticed that the wind not touching my left side was odd, or maybe that the reason I had shifted my weight to that side was to get slightly closer to the warmth there. It was Sinbad's sigh that alerted me to his presence next to me. I wasn't going to lean away from him just to spite myself. He didn't say anything, and a comfortable silence formed between us.
The waves were comforting too. I could feel in them now, just as I felt before, that I'd be living the rest of my life in this country. Even if that was just Sinbad's influence on the Great Flow trying to make me stay on his side, I liked the feeling of safety and security it gave. After such a long day, I wanted to pretend that it was okay.
((this is where the 1st cover came from :D obviously lol))
-
~POV Sinbad~
The King decided to stand next to Mori so he could watch her expressions. It was the same one she wore when they were first entering the tower, so she was too focused to noticed him. As she took in the sights, her expression melted into a soft smile that was as soft as the waves around them. This was exactly were she was supposed to be -in his Tower with him.
The setting sun reflected in her earrings, and made the warm colors in her hair and eyes stand out. Sinbad could reach out to her, adjust her hair, put an arm around her, or even just complement her to get her attention, but something inside of him held him back.
He had wanted to bring up his death, or at least let her know that he did intend to ask her about it soon, but he couldn't bring himself to do it -not when she looked so content to be there with him. His chest tightened and he felt a pinch at the center. Was this heart burn? The warmth had to be the alcohol. There was no way it was that.
The sun would set below the walls of the Palace soon, so Sinbad lit the lamps on the balcony with his Djinn. He took his seat instead of rejoining Mori's side.
Watching her back, and the way the breeze lightly moved her hair and clothes, he couldn't deny it wasn't just her mood he didn't want to ruin. He was having the same feeling he had when talking with her in the Black Libra Tower the previous day. They didn't talk about anything important while they ate; all he was getting from this was building a bond with Mori. Why was he fine with that? It wasn't a feeling he was used to. He couldn't even put a name to it. It made him feel content, excited, and satisfied, but none were its name. If he could win Mori's loyalty, could he have this whenever he wanted?
Mori had only been in Sindria for a week and had already given him much to think about.
-
~POV Mori~
Sinbad didn't come back to stand with me after lighting the lamps. At first I didn't think anything of it, but his waves made a constant reminder of his presence and I couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes on my butt back. Eventually, I'd have to turn around anyway, so I looked back at him.
He was relaxing in his chair looking like the King he was. The only thing he could be looking at was me since it would be hard to see the city past me and the railing. Sinbad really did have too much confidence and entitlement for his own good.
"Am I blocking the view?" I had to check though.
The smile he gave was dazzling. "Not at all."
Yup. He was definitely checking me out.
"Then," I recognize the set-up, "am I the view?" I made the reference reflexively.
His laugh was pure and honest. "You caught me." He looked at me with the excitement of a child invited to play their favorite game. "After not being able to see my Prophet for a whole week, I keep finding myself enchanted by your Beauty."
All of my skin from my head to my toes felt splattered with a burning rain. I couldn't tell if I was more embarrassed that he was watching me, that he had said it in such a cheesy way, or that I had made an inverted meme reference.
'This is my life now, isn't it?' That is actually the case though. This was going to be my life going forward. I felt embarrassed, but not ashamed. The lump in my throat only lasted a moment. I was easily able to fight it down. Thanks to the darkness of night descending, I wasn't be able to see Sinbad's face well. It was like I was on stage, on a separate plane from the audience; it gave me an illusion of safety. I had had a very good day; it gave me courage to be more bold.
"Since you like watching me, can I watch you too?"
-
~POV Sinbad~
There was that bashful confidence that Sinbad liked so much.
He had no reason to refuse just as he had no reason to not tease her on it. "Was reading my Fate not enough?"
"Just as my visions were not enough to already know my way around the Palace," Mori leaned against the railing and returned eye contact, "being able to see you in person is much different than reading your Fate."
She was making it too easy to tease her with a line like that. "It almost sounds like you fell for me while reading my Fate." Even the waves were encouraging him.
The Prophet's shoulders jolted at his comment. "I didn't memorize your Fate because I was bored." Mori was getting better at continuing their banter.
When he had called out her obvious attraction to him during her first day in Sindria, she hadn't been able to respond. How far was she going to go this time?
"So my Beautiful Prophet only has eyes for me?" If she didn't back down it would be much easier to get her in his lap -and later his bed or on the table if they were impatient.
"Yes." Mori answered plainly. Her smile was dying as she said, "So you can stop trying to seduce loyalty out of me like you do to all women of position."
"Huh?" This did not go the way he wanted.
"I've read your Fate, so I know you aren't genuine." Mori leaned her head to the side and the way the remnants of the setting sun bounced off of her earrings dazzled his eyes for a moment. "In your entire life, you never once fall in love or get married. Flirting with you is a fun game but that is all it will ever be."
Sinbad knew he never wanted to get married. He craved a woman's touch, but had no use for her heart outside of politics. Having this confirmed by a Prophet was a relief.
Wasn't it?
That feeling from earlier was gone. The pit of his stomach ached. It felt somewhere between nausea and getting punched in the gut. And his chest was tight again. There was no way this knowledge would disappoint or upset him for the exact reasons she just explained. Something else had to be wrong. First his chest earlier, and now his stomach? Sinbad made a mental note to get checked out later.
-
~POV Mori~
The waves started rising. They reminded me of the waves from the previous night, and that worked out in my favor. I might not have been emotionally ready, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity that the Great Flow was showing me.
I fought my nerves and went for it. "It's not like you can fall in love with how you see others anyway. Even if you aren't naturally indisposed to those feelings, if you don't respect others as your equal, how could you ever consider falling in love with one of them?"
In the final arc, Alibaba confronts Sinbad about how he views others directly and Sinbad couldn't deny it. Since I had already explained how the Great Flow works, this was as good an opportunity as any to show him the next step -not that I had any faith in Sinbad to actually self reflect without hard proof that I was right about Fate.
-
~POV Sinbad~
Sinbad hummed. There was truth in her words. As a King, as a Dungeon Capturer, as someone giving his all to change the world for the better, why would he want someone next to him that couldn't achieve as much as he could? but that wasn't all Mori was referring to, was it? The waves were picking up and reminded him of her rant from the previous night. "Are you referring to how I see myself since I am a Singularity?"
The Prophet's eyes widened for a moment at that answer. Her smile was gone, but her expression wasn't cold. "Basically... 'There's no wave I can't overcome,' 'No one wants to capture this dungeon more than me,' 'I'm the only one who can do it.' You've had illusions of grandeur since you were a child because you couldn't understand the privileges you have with the Great Flow." She shrugged. "Honestly, I can't really blame you for thinking you're special given how easily everything comes to you compared to everyone around you. The real problems are that, ignoring your own intuition, you drag others into your messes and when things don't go your way and you have to suffer through the consequences of your actions, instead of acknowledging your mistakes, you decide that those are just stepping stones from Fate, and absolved yourself of responsibility. -Ah" Mori froze. "Sorry, that was a bit harsh."
"It's fine. I'm curious how my life looks through your eyes." He meant it. When you can see how something ends it looks a lot different than when you're still in the middle of it. Mori's whole existence countered many of the truths he held within him. He didn't like how she described him, but it gave him clues as to the parts of Fate she wouldn't say, as well as her own morals.
Mori had made him promise to make sure this was 'just dinner.' He may have referenced Fate in his teasing, but she talked about it directly. If he could keep the conversation in the direction that would get him more answers that would be ideal -especially considering the shift in mood. He just had to do it in a way that got Mori talking more than him, so she would think it was her choice. It was lucky for Sinbad then that his Prophet was the type to prefer to give more information than less.
"You know that what I said also counts for what happened in Riem and Parthevia, right?" Her brow creased. Mori had said in Balbadd that 'the ends never justify the means.' And now she was condemning him for thinking that Fate had sanctioned the times he had to dirty his hands for his dream. At least, she was consistent.
The waves were on Mori's side both last night and in this moment. If only he knew where they were leading him. "I figured as much. But how are you so sure those weren't Fate?"
"I already told you that I read more than one Fate, and that Fate is dictated by the decisions of all people, not the other way around."
Mori's nonchalant attitude hurt more than her words. He played a part in causing those tragedies apparently. She used present tense to describe him in a way that made him think that was also how he was in the future she read. This was adding more fuel to a theory he was building about his future based on her hints -and it didn't look good.
"Could the tragedies of my past really have been avoided?"
-
~POV Mori~
Had it really only been one day since I told them about the 2 Calamities? Maybe it was all the walking, and taking a nap in the middle of the day that made it feel so long ago. The exact things I was still scared to say in front of Ja'far and the others were beginning to pour out of me now. Sinbad didn't seem to think I was disrespecting him for no reason. He believed me when I talked about Fate; he'd want examples and proof, but he would believe me. Lucky for me then that this was one of the main things I spent my time thinking about when I indulged in fixating on Sinbad's character arc.
Sinbad's whole life is a perfectly written tragedy. At any point, he could choose to listen to those around him and prevent more suffering, but because of the type of person he is, he never would. He hid from the guilt it gave him, but he did actually feel guilty. The possibility, the option, for change was there. The waves were on my side. I answered on a technicality. "Yes."
-
~POV Sinbad~
It was just like the night before; the waves were pointing to the same changes. Mori had said that he would realize he was a normal person like everyone else in a few years, and it was in a few years that he was supposed to die. Sinbad had a feeling that those things were tied in the Fate Mori read, but that they weren't tied now -at least not yet. Death at 34; he didn't want that. He could feel it, if he accepted his humanity now, there was no way he could go down that same path. 'The only way forward is change.'
"Everything you have told me about my Fate hasn't been good. Explain it to me so I can understand." Just like last night, he felt that Mori had to be right, but without proof he wasn't really accepting it. If he had any chance of avoiding that Fate, he needed to know more. "If there is a way to change my Fate then I want to take it."