Sinbad's motley crew of men lined up on either side, their hands pressed to their chest and their heads bowed slightly. Abandoning us at the start of the line, he ignored their subservience and clasped each crew member in a hug or a handshake, exchanging various versions of "I'm glad you're safe."
A quick glance at Sinbad's face showed tears gathering at the corners of his eyes, bringing to mind a passage from the novel.
Now freed from the confines of the castle, Sinbad looked up at the familiar faces of his loyal crew. A tide of pride and wonder washed over him, nearly drowning him with its strength. He took a deep, free breath, feeling the lightest he ever had, even as tears pricked at his eyes. Years of his life had been spent with these men, and each member had become family. Anxiety and fear had cinched their way tightly around his heart, so much that when he was alone, he felt like he could hardly breathe.
Sinbad clasped his arms around the nearest person, the band in his chest loosening just a little. Down the line he went, hugging, shaking hands, brushing shoulders, and using the casual touch between once-lost family to free himself of the confines of his worry.
The sunlight sparkled down from above, setting the trees alight behind them. At the end of the line, Sinbad turned to face his crew, a mischievous grin resting on his lips.
The backdrop may have changed from the forest to the sea, but the raw emotion crossing their faces was the same. The sun crested over the horizon as Sinbad took the first few steps up the ramp to our borrowed ship, Ani on his heel. Facing the crew, he gave the line I remembered from the novel. "The challenges we face only make us stronger. Our next adventure awaits!"
He spun on his heel, the crew falling in line behind him as they marched up toward the ship. A few of the men turned curiously back at Cove, Ranch, and me as we followed, shifting silently to allow us passage. Quiet whispers broke out down the line, news of Cove and I's appearance on the ship making its way through at breakneck speed. One of the crew members near the front broke off from the rest, catching our eyes and standing off to the side, obviously wishing to speak with us. it was slow going as the crew bottlenecked into one small hallway before ducking off to find their positions on the ship. As we passed, more and more eyes landed upon us as they whispered harshly as we passed.
"The dark-haired one was the one that helped Sinbad save us from the prison."
"Who's the other one? He looks a little…"
A little what, I wondered.
"You know, Sinbad. Makes friends with anyone."
Clearly impatient, the woman gave up on waiting and pushed back through the crowd, heading in our direction. Other, members of the crew stepped acknowledginly off to the side, indicating she was a member of some status. The wind tossed her long blonde hair behind her head, a telling blue teardrop dangling from her ear, catching my interest and giving away her identity.
Though her normally braided hair was spilling over her head in waves, it was clear through her red and blue outfit, coupled with her teardrop earrings, which she'd obtained from the legendary blacksmiths of the planet Lazulum, that she was Eliza, his first mate. Her husband, Cyrus, was a big-bellied man described as having a laugh that could make even a demon smile. He acted as an engineer and explorer on the crew, and the two were a phenomenal team that was second only to the tag team of Eliza and Sinbad. The three had grown up together in the poorer sections of a port city, spending many of their days and nights like the storyteller had, listening to the tales told by the sailors and dreaming of otherworldly treasures.
They'd tested into the best academy on their planet, quickly making their way through the ranks. Their test scores, teamwork, and social skills skyrocketed them up the ladder, Sinbad's ability to make friends with anyone clearing the way and eventually landing him a job as the youngest Captain in known history, and Eliza and Cyrus as members of his crew.
My nose was about the height of her chin, and I craned my neck slightly to meet her eyes. To my left, Cove wasn't much better, still a good few inches shorter and thinner than the monstrous woman. In the book, she'd simply been described in terms of clothing choice, the only other descriptors being 'tall' and 'buff.' An odd mixture of feminine and masculine, she somehow made the combination work. She was tall, with broad shoulders for a female matched by a wider chest and hips that curved nicely around her figure. The shadows and glowing lights on her spacesuit highlighted her rather impressive yet lithe muscles.
Ranch's tail smacked me in the face, and I coughed.
"I may be taken, but yer still allowed ta look," She faced me as she spoke, mirth shining in her eyes. She ran a teasing hand down her hip, cataloging my reactions. Cove sniggered.
I ignored their childish actions. "Are you here to take us to Sinbad? I need to speak with him about our mission."
She rolled her eyes slightly. "Oh, so yer borin'. Yeah, I'll take ya to him." Her hand flapped as she waved it at us, and we followed her deeper into the bowls of the airship to an office-esque area where Sinbad stood over the chair at the head of a long table, a three-dimensional holographic map of the area hovering above the top.