The Greatest King Reborn

When Ife met Sinbad, it was something that ultimately should never have happened, but it did and now the two are happily together… but how did their story happen? Well…

When Ife met Sinbad, it was something that ultimately should never have happened, but it did and now the two are happily together… but how did their story happen? Well…

Please read Part I before reading this part!

_

“You’re this place’s president?!” Some people stared at her, causing her to lightly cover her mouth, whispering a soft ‘sorry’ in response. Clearing her throat, she heaves a heavy breath, in and out, as Issa taught her to do when overly excited. It didn’t do a princess good to let her emotions get the better of her… or something like that. “I… would like to see your establishment, yes.” Her words were shaky, but she did her best to keep herself under control.

“I am curious as to what the name ‘Sindria’ means, and to who all these many people are. Would you care to explain that as well, Sir Sinbad?”

Maybe if she knew what kind of people all of them were – or better yet, what species they all were, then it would start to click where she was beyond the fog.

Hmm…

@renewed-singularity

He was used to the surprise by now.

“Rather young, I know, but who says age is a limiter when it comes to ambition?” he countered, smiling to hopefully put her at ease as he led her inside “in fact, I think those of us of the younger generation have more than the older generations, in most regards.”

Her question was an understandable one, one he has had to answer before.

“The name is derived from my own, the way many company names are derived from their founders names, with a slight twist to make it interesting and have it stick in people’s minds,” Sinbad explained “we’re small, so far, but five that I can count in my inner circle as mentors, friends, and partners. A wonderful imuchakk married couple, and three former Parthevian agents. At first at odds, we’ve become close-knit and work well as a team.”

_

“Thank you for your kindness, then.” With that, she took a moment to notice his arm extended in such a manner for her to take it. What did Issa say about things in this situation…? Oh… Right. While he was no prince, he was certainly acting a gentleman and he had saved her life. For… now, she would consent. Moving to loop her arm with his, she gives him a stern expression. “… They call me Ife.” Never give your full or true name to a mortal – someone who was likely to bind her to him. Such was the fate of dragons.

For the duration of their walk, she’s quiet, but she glances over at him every now and then with one red eye, curiosity taking over her just with expression alone. Why would a mortal risk their life for an immortal when there had always been bad blood between such people? It wasn’t until they reached their destination that all questions went out the window as she had a look at the large storehouse filled with so many beautiful objects and… interesting people to boot. Just where did that golden butterfly lead me too…?

@renewed-singularity

No last name. Well, that wasn’t uncommon. Ife, huh? It was a nice name, admittedly as lovely as she was.

The quiet walk left Sinbad with time to think. He’d never met someone dressed the way that Ife was. Could she be from another country entirely? It was possible. He knew the political geography of the world a good amount, but not enough to know the entire known world. Perhaps there was a small country he didn’t know of, that she could have been from.

When they reached the warehouse, and he saw her interested expression take everything in, he couldn’t help smiling. No matter the reason, interest in his fledgling company was always good, in Sinbad’s mind.

“Welcome to the Sindria Trading Company,” he told her “as president and founder, I’d be happy to give you a tour.”

_

Caught up in the moment, she could only nod slowly, trying to avoid looking him in the eye – that was until he started rubbing her arm. Kindness was not something afforded to her, and so her first reaction was to give him a stern expression and get to her feet, brushing herself off. “– Shelter would not be something I am against, but please refrain from touching anything but my hands.” She was engaged to be married after all, and if her father found out that she was being touched so easily… oh, she could only imagine how livid he would be – let alone Issa. Issa had stated not to allow herself to be touched by any man ev–

Whispering brought her out of her inner monologue, and realizing she was now being stared at, she quickly shied in on herself. “– W-Would you happen to have a place I can hide out at?… Please?” A princess should never beg, but these were dire circumstances!

@renewed-singularity 

Okay, was he dealing with Serendine again? He was totally being reminded of Serendine.

He could sense that she seemed to almost be acting that way because she thought she needed to be, but Sinbad wasn’t going to push it. 

“Of course, my lady,” he answered, getting to his feet as well “we’ve got a place you can stay. As long as you need.”

He turned in the direction of the company headquarters, and offered his arm for her to take.

“Unsavory characters will be less likely to harass someone as lovely as yourself if they see you with someone,” he explained “my name is Sinbad. What’s yours?”

_

She swore she saw her life flash before her eyes – even if it was only brief. She had not lived as long as her older siblings, barely old enough to call herself a teenager truly – maybe a few centuries shy that would go by quickly no doubt, but nothing came to pass as she was knocked into instead. Rolling to one side, laying absolutely still for a few moments until all the commotion stopped, and she was sure there was life still left in her lungs, she slowly sat up, feeling an arm resting around her shoulders. Dizzy and in a state of some shock, her wine-red gaze was wide when she met that of the boy’s.

All her learning went out the window then. Cheeks red as she made eye contact with him. “I– I mean… I… Y-Y… I…” Stumbling over her words and unable to truthfully come up with a solid one, she had to place a hand over her chest to steady her beating heart. Taking a moment to calm down and taking deep breaths frantically for a few moments, she finally found a balance. “I… I’m fine… but I… I don’t know if i’m lost or not.” She found it hard to tear her gaze away from his own, but she did so reluctantly, pushing some of her hair behind her ear as she did so.

People were staring, which was something she was used too by now, but besides that… nothing looked familiar. “Nothing looks familiar, so… I… suppose I am lost… yes.” She turns her gaze reluctantly to his own, eyes targeted on his own once more, and her heart this time racing of its own accord. Oh First Dragons, why did it have to be a mortal so handsome that I ended up getting saved by? Why couldn’t you just take my life instead of putting me here… ?!

@renewed-singularity

Seeing her struggle to put words together and looking so lost and distraught, it ignited some genuine concern in the young teenager.

She was well-dressed, so he knew that she wasn’t used to being on the streets. It was a hard life, especially for someone not used to it, and that had him concerned as he would have been for any of the kids in his home village.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Sinbad reached and gently rubbed her arm in a comforting gesture “look, it’s not safe for a girl to be in the streets by herself. You hungry? My friends and I can help you out. At least until you know what you need to do.”

@renewed-singularity

Maybe it had been by chance, or maybe by fate, but now that she had time to travel, Ife recalled some times from when she was a child that made her reminisce more or less as her and her daughter walked side by side down a path through a large city. “Mei-Ling, would you like to hear a story?” The little girl’s eyes lit up. “What kind of story?! About Grandpapa, Papa, or Big Brother?” Ife’s heart clenched. Her father had passed away shortly before she had left, and Mei-Ling was relentless in knowing of her father and older brother…

“No, my love… I mean about me, when I was young.” Mei-Ling pouted, but Ife offered a smile. “It’s about an adventure that took me to another world.” At that, Mei-Ling’s eyes widened. “Okay! Tell me!” With that, Ife hummed. “Well… let’s see… Where to begin… I think… it was on a day just like this one, that I…”

– Many Years Ago…

“Ugh.” Staring at the scene of her mother lavishing her eldest sister with attention, lightly brushing her hair and hearing their laughter. Stalking away and to the garden to join her teacher and ‘mother’, Issa, she really wasn’t paying much attention to where she was going until a small laugh and a chime accompanied by a golden butterfly came forth. Turning her head and watching as it led away from the path she had been treading, Ife glanced to where Issa was no doubt waiting and then the golden butterfly. Biting her lower lip and smiling one of her rare smiles, she picked up her dress just a bit so she could run and keep up with it.

Many people knew his name by that point, and the young teen had to keep himself from stopping with every person who said hello. He had places to be, after all.

That was when he heard the shouting up ahead. Was someone in the middle of traffic?

Running on ahead, he saw a young woman around his age about to be hit by a rearing horse.

There was only one thing he could do.

Running, he all but tackled the poor girl, but they got to the other side of the road safely, even if a bit dusty.

“Are you okay?” he asked once they were both sitting up on the ground “that was dangerous, standing in the middle of the road. Did you get lost?”

@renewed-singularity continued from here

Her face fell and a small frown appeared on her face, “That’s why I’m training extra hard with my djinn. I need to defend myself better.”

She walked over to her father and gave him a gentle hug, “I’ll be alright, Daddy. Anyways, who would dare fight the daughter of the High King of the Seven Seas?”

She had recently found out they almost gained her a nickname, especially from her times out at sea and capturing three dungeons. Daughter of the Ocean Blue they called her. She believed it fit her.

“As though I trust anyone else to spar with you while you’re not fully healed yet,” he sighed, smiling as he put a hand on top of her head “I’ll push but won’t go too far.”

Asmodeus finally got his head out of his ass, huh?

”Can we spar now? Of course where others won’t get hurt. Like the over the ocean a few miles out?”

She really wanted to try fighting with Asmodeus, and he had a pretty powerful equip if used right.

@renewed-singularity continued from here

Her face fell and a small frown appeared on her face, “That’s why I’m training extra hard with my djinn. I need to defend myself better.”

She walked over to her father and gave him a gentle hug, “I’ll be alright, Daddy. Anyways, who would dare fight the daughter of the High King of the Seven Seas?”

She had recently found out they almost gained her a nickname, especially from her times out at sea and capturing three dungeons. Daughter of the Ocean Blue they called her. She believed it fit her.

"As though I trust anyone else to spar with you while you're not fully healed yet," he sighed, smiling as he put a hand on top of her head "I'll push but won't go too far."

Asmodeus finally got his head out of his ass, huh?

Esra looked at her father, her snowy white hair in a perfect long braid down her back. Her metal vessels were on her, the armband on her left arm, her sword sitting on her belt, and her ankle brace around her right leg.

She cocked her head in confusion, “What do you mean?” She had only gotten up to go help her mother for a while. Her brother was out on a small trip, getting away from royal life.

He was the youngest, and needed a vacation. Esra was next in line to take the throne, and needed to stay.

_

Esra smiled and pulled away, “I’m headed to the kitchen, hunger is keeping me awake. Oh, and while you are walking around, maybe you could go see Badr?”

Esra heard footsteps and looked behind her to see Salím, smiling softly as he bowed to Sinbad. He turned to Esra, “My apologies for not being at your door, I was called to help the horses in the stable.”

Esra chuckled, “Don’t worry about it.”

“How about I go with you?” Sinbad offered, smiling “that way we have the chance to talk without so many people around, and if I know your brother, he’ll be at the kitchens sooner or later~”

_

Esra started to cry out of happiness. She missed him so much, always feeling something missing from her life.

“Daddy, I’ve missed you so much, it’s been so long,” she said as she sobbed, still clinging to her father.

”Also, I am to be crowned queen in only a few months,” She said, looking back up at her father.

Sinbad held her close as she cried, doing his best not to cry for her sake. They’d both become a huge, blubbering mess, otherwise.

Esra was in her room, staring out the window at the starry night sky before she got up to go see if Salím could grab her something to snack on and drink.

She opened the door and looked around, but Salím was nowhere to be found. Odd… he was always right by her door, waiting to watch the light of her candle vanish before returning to his room.

Well, she’ll have to go get it herself. Esra yawned before grabbing her night robe and sliding it over her sleepwear. She tied the satin string around it before slipping on her house shoes.

She made sure to have her tiara on before walking down the hall in the direction of the kitchen. Her head was lowered, remembering how it used to be when her father was here. Happy, lively, cheerful. It was all good times.

She felt a tear slide down her cheek before running into someone.

She instantly apologized, “My apologies, I didn’t watch where I was going.”

Esra looked up at the person she ran in to, but only saw a familiar golden that matched her’s.

Those golden eyes swelled with tears as she hugged them tightly.

“Daddy….. you’re home.”

He was taking advantage of the empty halls to wander the palace, and he didn’t see anyone else coming before running into someone.

Not just any someone....that familiar silver hair, the gold eyes that matched his.

Esra....his darling baby girl...well, not a baby anymore.

Once he was over his shock, Sinbad hugged her in return, tears welling up in his eyes as well.