on the way to the tavern, we go, yo ho ho ho ho

[Caipra]

He said that!" replied Caipra smiling.
Dermott was looking at her. Even if he didn't say anything else, Caipra knew that he was expecting for something. This time, it was the old sorceress that had to give some explanations .
"Well, as you know now, Dimdim and I know Bryn for years and we know that she is a very powerful sorceress. So yes, she could be a great help for everyone...But she could also be a great danger if she doesn't use her powers in the right way..."

Caipra didn't say anything else. The two friends kept walking in silence. The tavern was not far, which reassured the witch. She began to walk a little more faster.

[firouz]

Firouz looked at Sinbad. The captain had been quite quiet all day. Certainly he did not feel comfortable with the mentioning of Maeve. But as hard as it is, he would have to face it sometime. He decided to try to cheer up the captain. After all, you don't want to enter a tavern in a bad mood, especially if you were to see someone.

"So you been quite today. Is something on your mind?"

[Rongar]

They were closer to the tavern now.

Bryn was gazing about with Dermott on her arm, and Caipra had the glazed look about her that both Maeve had, had and Bryn has now when speaking to Dermott.

He wondered about the skill those three possessed.

As he let his eyes roam over the group once more, he saw Firouz trying to engage the captain in a conversation. He hoped Firouz somewhat kooky attitude would be able to help Sinbad's boost Sinbad's brooding one.

But for the most part, he was glad to simply be on dry land with his friends.

His stomach started to grumble once more as small tantilizing smells reached his sensitive nose.

He couldn't wait to eat real FRESH fruit once more too!

[Sinbad]

The captain had contented himself with following his crew. None of them spoke much and he was unaware of Bryn and Caipra´s conversation. He would have preferred some more chattering going on even though the situation was not awkward. Silence though, or relative silence, only made him slip back into his own thoughts and he didn´t like that. Didn´t like the self reproaches that came along the way, the question why he had not come here earlier. It wouldn´t have changed things, he told himself, Caipra had just told him there was no way to get into contact with Dim Dim and he believed that, having only made contact with the old sorcerer once after he had assured him Maeve was all right. Maybe it was the fact that this second, far too short encounter had not offered the oportunity of questions that made him all the more restless. What he needed was a few days off. That, or a nice bar brawl. He chuckled inwardly.

When Firouz adressed him, he looked up, the reaction making obvious he had been in thought even though his gaze had been straying around the street - normal looking for a stranger, obvious attempt to seek distraction for those who knew him a little better. His lips curled into something like a smirk. "Yes." he said. "but some ale should be able to remedy that." A plain lie of course. Neither was he a drunkard who would drown his sorrow in alcohol, nor did this particular "something" on his mind let itself be chased away so easily. He had fought it off well, not it was coming back with a vengeance.

[firouz]

Firouz raised his eyebrow and chuckled. "What's that smirk on your face?"

[Sinbad]

Sinbad gave a little shrug, not sure what his friend was on about. "What about it?" he asked.

[firouz]

"You seem happy when you do that."

[Sinbad]

´Seem´ was probably the key word here and the captain was sure his friend knew that. Firouz had seen Sinbad when he had still been happier, when life had still been easier and this was not the same. The smirk was somewhat that of the old Sinbad he had been and that had only recently begun to shine through again, but the somewhat mischivous glint in his eyes that had formerly accompanied the smirk, was gone.

"Well, it´s a good day." he said, noticing that he was once more slipping into somewhat of an avoidance strategy. "Good enough to seem happy."

[firouz]

Firouz smiled and patted his friend on the back. "Aye, a great day to go and get some ale and have some fun at the tavern. Just like old times."

[Sinbad]

Of course Firouz just wanted to cheer him up and Sinbad gave him credit to that. Still, the mention of good old times had a strange, dissonant ring to it. Of course it was not like ´old times´. He chuckled, hearing a somewhat bitter undertone to it which surely was only there for himself. He had developed quite some skill in pretending. "Almost." he said. "but we´ll make do with that."

[firouz]

"Oh, come on. It can't be that bad."

[Sinbad]

Sinbad gave a dry chuckle. "No." he said, "no, of course not." It was partly a lie and partly true. True, because he meant it, because even though the previous months had not tortured him as much as these days, he had finally woken up and that was a first step to set things right again. A lie, of course because she wasn´t there. He had to make to without her. For now, a faint voice somewhere inside him reminded him. For now. And he wished he could believe that voice. He tried.

[firouz]

Firouz lightly chuckled and playfully shook his head. He knew what was on Sinbad's mind. And as usual, he was digging around the bush, avoiding it. And Firouz thought it was best not to mention it. After all, Sinbad probably wanted to settle it on his own. So he moderately changed the subject. "Just don't flirt with the owner."

[Sinbad]

For a moment, Sinbad meant to reply something but what Firouz got as an answer was more like a scoff. Of course Firouz knew what was going on with his friend and captain, but he was not the type of person to directly adress it, like Bryn had done earlier and he was really greatful for that, just as much as he was for him adding a little humour. Still, his friend´s words showed him that the other man was looking right through him (probably just like the rest of the crew, he thought with slight annoyance). Not that he felt like flirting. The words were like a nudge on the head, and a well deserved one. No, he didn´t feel like flirting. Flirting was a cover up, just like so much else. He sighed inwardly, thinking that if there was one thing he could at least hope for was that Maeve was at a place that was protected with magic beyond the possibilty of contact. The thought pained him, but at the same time, reminded by Firouz´ words, calmed him, because the thought that Maeve had any idea about all his flirting of the previous year (and not just the flirting)... well, he didn´t like the thought. And he forced himself to believe that she couldn´t know. But still, that thought didn´t chase away the thought of feeling shabby about it.

[firouz]

Hearing Sinbad's scoff, Firouz held in a little chuckle. "I'll take that as 'yes, I understand." He smiled wryly and patted his friend on his back. "You'll never change."