High King of the Seven Seas

"It wasn’t something I skipped voluntarily. My meeting this morning lasted much longer than I had previously anticipated." he attempted to explain his actions that seemed as clear as day to Sinbad, but Ja’far’s occasional habit of skipping meals wasn’t anything new. He could certainly tolerate it. As he spoke he allowed the older man’s brief touch guide him towards the preferred location, changing pace so that he wouldn’t fall a step behind in their walk towards the market.

"Not necessarily.:

While the two of them walked Sinbad crossed his arms over his bare chest, the monarch appearing to be without any immediate goal while his eyes casually observed the increasing number of people around them. "Seafood, I suppose. We haven't been to that restaurant near the back in awhile." Although he continued to speak to Ja'far Sinbad's smie and eyes remained directed at the people, giving them a little attention everytime someone flashed their own grins or waved and bowed excitedly towards the two. 

There on Sinbad’s luxury couch lay one of the Kou family’s most bratty children. Long milky white legs were raised to the air with a black braid trailing off the couch and onto the floor. The kid was wearing what was no doubt one of Sinbad’s blazers over his Shibuya style clothing. Being an heir to the Kou fortune Judar was privileged to pretty much anything he wanted which had made the kid quite a brat over the years. Hardly anyone in the complex tolerated him but other than passing in the halls Judar tended not to socialize much unlike the other Kou children. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t actually Kou by blood, but by a rather controversial set of adoption papers. Of course that had never been proven so it was just a lingering rumor.

Blood or not though, Judar had definitely proven his value to his family growing up. The kid was a noted hacker with a rather impressive skill set in the art of persuasion and manipulation. The teen wasn’t exactly a genius with technology, but what he lacked in the tech department he certainly made up for in wit with finding workarounds, such as breaking into Sinbad’s apartment and computer. It also made it easier that Judar had a skeleton key he’d swiped from one of the Kou executives that gave him access to any apartment he wanted. Judar had taken full advantage of that the day he learned the noted CEO Sinbad was to be moving into the lavish complex. Judar wasn’t huge on big business and knew little to nothing on Sindria Enterprises, but he’d heard some interesting tidbits about the man in charge and had become hellbent on exploiting them.

Hearing Sinbad’s footsteps thundering towards him Judar curled himself over the man’s laptop protectively, playing keep away with his valued possession.

“You can tell me as many times as you want to. I just don’t feel like listening,” he grinned discretely pressing the enter key on a password reset. Judar needed more time on Sinbad’s computer to dig up what he wanted, and he doubted the CEO was going to be inclined to give him such privileges, so instead Judar provided himself the opportunity by effectively locking the businessman out of his own computer. Even if he called the manufacturer it was highly unlikely it would get resolved tonight which gave Judar a whole other day to continue digging again.

“You’re such a work hound old man, don’t you ever take a night to relax?” Judar slunk off the man’s couch to stand fully, kicking aside what were no doubt some important documents, “Surely a man with such luxuries must find some time to enjoy all this.”

Judar spun around the lavish apartment, letting his hair pick up in the air to whack the business man across the face. The teenager laughed at Sinbad shortly after.

It was frustrating.

Annoying at times.

But almost as a consequence something of amusement despite the weariness that pulled at the businessman's conscience. 

"While it is none of your business, given how I am only here due to work it would cause problems if I were to take off suddenly."

It was only a half lie. While indeed work was priority while SInbad was staying here those who were rich and powerful tended to like work revolving around their entertainment. There were already a number of times the executive had found himself at a bar or dance club (once even at a hostess' club) all for the sake of striking that important deal. Then once it was the man allowed himself to let go just enough to have a good time. (It was needless to say the hostess' club was his favorite so far.)

"Tch-"

Shuffling his papers and laptop into one arm Sinbad resisted an overwhelming urge to roll his eyes at the sudden assault from the young man's long braid. To say Judar was a pest would be somewhat of an understatement. For some reason since the day they met the long haired male had taken a bizarre liking to Sinbad which resulted in increased stress and frustrations for the executive. To make matters worse Judar kept offering viable assistance when it came to Sinbad's business, the young man having the skills and insight into other companies' weaknesses to actually make a difference when it came to their merging or collapsing with Sinbad's. But his tactics were....disgusting. It was the kind of tactics which seemed to prevail in this world, the kind that destroyed lives rather than saved them. As useful as Judar could be to his enterprise there was no way Sinbad (or Ja'far for that matter) could allow him in. 

Let the Kou keep him.

"Are they? I haven't noticed."

Another lie as Sinbad placed his papers and laptop down upon his living room table before straightening to walk towards the kitchen. "Even if they were giving us trouble the southern territory has close ties to my business partners that give us an advantage." They were called the Seven Sea's Alliance due to the fact that each business held a significant amount of power within over seven different countries. The southern territory happened to do alot of business with England which meant Sinbad had a few favors to call in. It was nothing too out of the ordinary. 

"So your help would be unnecessary."

With a small grin lifting one side of his lips Sinbad opened his fridge to pull out a bottle of beer. With the opener located right upon the counter it was only a few seconds later until the cool beverage was placed upon the male's lips for a deep drink before he continued speaking.

Regarding Sinbad with a somewhat amused grin, Judar’s eyes remained hollow, letting Sinbad’s words pass through a filter in his mind so he heard the king’s saying only the way he wanted to.

“I know killing is the only route I have. It’s the only one I’ve ever had,” Judar shrugged his shoulders carelessly, “I just thought that-”

‘-Killing with you would’ve been fun’? ….Didn’t that contradict the point of companionship the oracle had just argued he didn’t need? 

“-Giving you a sporting chance would’ve been more entertaining,” Judar stretched his arms over his head, “I wanted to see how stupid you actually were with your mad chase to power. Happy to see that fighting you won’t be a total bore in the end.”

The black magi had had his fill of dealing with the Sindrian King for the day. Putting his arms back to his sides he passed by the king making for his usual exit before the guards showed up. That stupid magician of Sinbad’s could sense black rukh a kilometre away, and with the black magi inside of her barrier it was likely troops were already assembling to deal with the rat in their territory.

“Your kingdom gets more and more stuffy and dull each time I visit this place,” Judar looked out over the city from the windowsill, “I think it will be much more lively when my Kou destroys it. But that’s for another day.”

Judar turned his head back to the king with a dangerous grin. He brought up his hand with a small wave, letting his carpet appear outside of the monarch’s window.

Silently Sinbad watched and waited until finally Judar brought himself up onto the windowsill of his office. It was only then that Sinbad finally moved to get closer, watching as the other stepped back onto the carpet now lingering outside of his window. 

He could have just let Judar go then without another word. 

Certainly grace and social etiquette was unneeded between enemies. 

But instead Sinbad stepped forward to grip the sill with his one free hand, watching while Judar pulled away before finally saying a low "Good bye." Arguably it could have been done for the sole purpose of making sure Judar really did leave but in truth Sinbad did not have a reason for making sure the magi left and his face never revealed there being one.

After that the man simply stepped away again to move towards his office door in the hopes of seeking some kind of treatment for the still pained and bleeding shoulder.

“Well all right then, let’s go!" She signaled the bird to fly into the sky. Pisti hung onto the neck of the bird and looked over to the monarch. He was doing fine, which was expected from him as the High King of the Seven Seas. 

Flying through the air was a whole lot of fun for the blonde, in fact, it was one of her most favorite activities to do. It was nice to feel the wind brush by her and looking over the country from high up. Pisti just hoped the king enjoyed it too. They flew over the palace, unseen and continued onward.

“Where did you say you wanted to go, Sinbad? The market?”

"That's the place! Try not to scare anyone with our landing."

"Or perhaps you are just late?" Not like it really mattered who came at what time, it was only going to be a public appearance. For once, there was no agenda or schedule, since it all came about on a mere whim, and as great as that might be it was easy to see how Ja’far had mixed feelings about it. Dealing with change always took a little time. 

"The citizens of Sindria know their king well. I doubt any effort short of hiding your face wouldn’t really work well to hide your identity." But even that probably wouldn’t do much, either. Sinbad just had a certain air of charisma about him that was hard to dismiss. 

"I can't do that! Haven't you learned by now of the importance of my face in matters such as these?"

Remember how when you were young and it was all his face's efforts that enabled the both of you to buy food and lodging for cheap? He owes this face too much to keep it covered! 

Then again Sinbad was really just messing around. It was rather unfortunate that teases such as these is what gave shape to Sharrkan's current personality. 

"Lets get some food first."

Judar turned the pen over in his hand, running the feather along the pad of his finger to separate the individual barbs of the feather. Judar listened in with a half-interested tune. He smiled at Sinbad’s statement to the grey faces, allotting himself a small chuckle as he leaned his back over the king.

“Always learning from your mistakes. When is it ever going to occur to you to learn before making a mistake?” The magi replied, shifting off the king’s back as Sinbad moved beneath him. He’d spent enough time touching the other anyways.

Judar spun around to see Sinbad resting a hand on his temple. The black magi grinned stepping close again. Perhaps he could bend his own rules and touch the king once more since he was so beautiful open to him. It was rare the oracle got to see Sinbad act so vulnerable, even if it was just the surface. All he received was cold gazes or condescending grins to his person. The sight of Sinbad actually acting weak like the human he was, was quite a treat for the oracle of Kou.

He brought himself over Sinbad slowly, pressing his chest on the other’s back. He could feel the king’s violet hair run along his bared stomach while his hands glossed over Sinbad’s shoulders. The magi nuzzled his face just barely against the left side of the king’s head. He could smell the metal of the man’s earring just shy of touching his lips. Judar closed his eyes, pulling his right hand back along the king’s shoulders which held the feathered pen.

“You always say these things, yet even in your voice I can tell how tired you are,” he husked against the king running the feather along Sinbad’s shoulder line, “I wonder… does Ja’far help you ease that tension?”

Judar shifted his head forward to allow himself a better view of Sinbad’s expression.

“I guess I better up the anti for him then,” with a seductive smile Judar flipped the pen in his hand, stabbing the pointed tip into the king’s shoulder with a bright laugh. He was sure Sinbad would retaliate immediately as blood began to collect at the sight of the wound, so he hoped back throwing up a borg around himself to be sure.

For that was all this ever really was to Judar.

A game.

One that Sinbad was painfully aware needed to be played by the Magi's rules. 

Hands falling from where they had been Sinbad waits for Judar to make his move, ignoring the way his skin crawls when those lips brush his earring and the other's skin slides against his. It was another touch. Another warning. Perhaps he should've acted then but the king was far too much of a fan of waiting, of feeling out which wave to ride upon, when the waves were dictated and created by his opponent - a magi. That would inevitably be his downfall in this case when Judar finally breached a territory that Sinbad did not speak openly about. 

Ja'far. 

How Judar knew of their hidden actions with one another Sinbad would never know. Not even his generals were able to surmise there being anything amiss in their relationship. However Judar liked to be on the ball with this kind of stuff so it went without saying that he would figure it out sooner or later. The question then was whether or not he had relayed this information to Al-Sarmen and what this would mean later on. 

"It's none of your business."

How many times had he spoken those words to Judar?

How many times would they be ignored?

It didn't matter. It never mattered. Not when Judar was already moving on to his original and most apparent goal of starting a fight. 

"Tch-!!"

Red flashed for a brief moment across Sinbad's vision as the pain bore down upon him. Suppressing whatever sounds of pain he had been ready to make the monarch's hand flew up not to strike Judar but to instead grab at the pen still embedded within his shoulder. A moment later and Sinbad was yanking it out, the blood which had already been dewing upon his clothes coming out in full force. His arm felt a numbing effect immediately,the tingling sensation causing Sinbad to grit his teeth while the pen is dropped onto his chair so that his hand could stifle the blood. A moment later and the monarch was standing, pulling himself to his full height, to stare the magi down. It had been years since Sinbad had ever fallen prey to his anger and done anything  out of a rash decision. Even the last time the Magi was here he had called Ja'far down so as to prevent a full scale battle of taking place right there in Sindria.

Humoring Judar and putting up with him, however, were two different things. 

"Haven't you already learned that killing me is the only route left available to you? It is unfortunate for you though that I will not allow that to happen until the day fate has been fixed. So don't worry no amount of work nor any gray faced strangers will weaken me. You'll have your turn at destroying me Judar.

"Of course."

She took the red flute from her headband and blew into it, a high pitched sound filling the air. Several seconds later, two large white birds perched themselves on the ground next to the general and her king. Pisti mounted her favorite bird as usual, and left the bigger one for the purple haired King.

"I appreciate it."

Whether or not he was speaking to Pisti or the birds was unclear as Sinbad trailed a hand along the feathers of the bird which landed near him. While Pisti had crawled more quickly on the monarch took his time to appraise the specimen before finally hitching up his clothes so as to more easily mount the giant creature. 

"My life is in your hands then, Pisti."

He might not have room to argue, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t allowed to look less than pleased about the verdict. Having been unable to get his way, Ja’far was forced to answer with his usual formality of ‘as you wish’ before he too went off in the opposite direction towards his bedchambers. 

He was also the first one to arrive at the location Sinbad previously specified to meet. Gone was his official Sindrian garb and keffiyeh, only to be replaced with something far more simple with green and black accents and a turban that tied behind his head. 

At least the sleeves were long enough, he thought. Goad him into wearing casual all you want, but he absolutely refused to wear anything that would make his weapon visible to the public or potential threats. Even in Sindria, there would always be a tiny element of danger.

"If you showed up early can I take that to mean you are excited for this?"

When he finally strolled up outside Sinbad looked far more relaxed than he had been in a while, even appearing to be taking his time to look around as if to make sure there was no one who could recognize him-

Although of course every one did.