Dear readers,
First of all, thank you for your reviews on my earlier stories.
I hope you will also enjoy this one.
It is a prologue to "Adventures of Sinbad". It takes place in past and it starts even before Sinbad's birth. As for the rest you will find out once you read it.

Enjoy that new journey to the past!

Because every sage has its beginning...

Inbid

"Land ho!" The loud cry echoed throughout the entire ship. The young, muscular captain was sitting at the bow, and his blue eyes were watching the port as they got closer and closer to. The wind was playing with his brown hair, belted with a headband.

One of his crewmembers, and at the same time his good friend, came to him and said, "Sakim, the crew is waiting for their payments."

The captain was still gazing at the land in front of his ship but he nodded and answered, "I will come in a minute."

His first crew-mate dismissed, yet Sakim did not move from his place; he was still watching the sea and the approaching land. He loved his ship and the sea-voyages he had upon it. Coming back to Basra, to his big, empty house, upset him. Almost all his sailors had wives and children, a family to which they came back too. But, he was alone; no wife, no kids, he did not even have a dog. His house in Basra was just an empty building where he lived.

The sailor took one last look at the crowded port then went to pay his crew.

The port in Basra seemed to look usual. A day like all the others. People were walking, talking, and trading. Ships were arriving and leaving. The city was full of life and noise.

A few boys were playing in the market when suddenly they all ran to the port to see Captain Sakim and his team. They did not have a good view because of the crowd, so they climbed over a stall where they could see everything.

When the proud sailors were walking through the throng, the kids were observing their every step.

One ten years old boy said to his friends, "One day I, too will become a sailor."

"Yeah, we want to see that!" They took a poke at him. But he only gave them the ignorant look. He was taught to always believe in his dreams.

Suddenly he heard some female voice calling, "Doubar!"

The blond, plump boy turned around and ran to his mother. A petit woman with long, blond hair, a blue headband and dressed in a linen, poor dress stood in the entrance to the small port house and waved at her son. The woman had a gold coin on her neck which was her only jewelry.

When the boy ran to her she put her arm around his shoulders, "Come on, your dinner is waiting." They both smiled at each other and went inside.

Their house was rather poorly furnished. In the main room which also accounted for a kitchen there were a fireplace, a table, some cupboards and two armchairs. There was also the door that lead to their small bedroom. It was not all that much but it was all they had except each other. Their love, their bond, which was their strength.

The woman was named Maea but her son used to call her Mala, only because when he had been younger he had not been able to say 'mother' or Maea and he had started to call her Mala. She was a very joyful and helpful person, just like her son. They had never complained and had always been grateful for what they had; they were always was willing to share it with more necessitousness.

Doubar sat by the table and his mother gave him a plate of soup. Then she kissed his forehead and sat down to watch how her little, blond man was eating.

In the other part of the town, in a big mansion, another woman, also a mother was waiting for her son.

In a beautiful furnished chamber, on the marble floor, a big white lion was laying. That amazing creature was guarding his mistress whose feet were petting his nape. The woman was sitting in a comfortable armchair in front of an easel with an unfinished picture of a sunrise. She was leading the brush with great precision and calm at the same time.

Another wave from picture was being created by her, while the servant walked in and informed her, "Lady Alena, Captain Sakim in coming."

The lion raised his head and ears while his mistress suddenly turned around at the servant. Her blond wavy hair was so fluffy that with her white highlights it looked a lot like the mane of her companion. She gently stood up and put on the elegant cothurnus-sandals. She was a slim, smart, beautiful woman in her early fifties. She wore a long, navy blue dress in Greek style and a lot of jewelery. Gold bracelets on both her arms were ringing while she moved.

Alena gave the servant a nod, "Serve dinner in the garden!"

The man bowed and left his mistress' presence. The lady also walked out from the chamber to welcome her son and her creature followed her.

She was crossing the hall, with servants on both sides and her beast right behind her; the big front door was being opened and Alena opened her arms calling, "Sakim, my son!"

The sailor did not believe his eyes. He pulled his mother into a hug.

"Mother what are you doing here?"

His mother's presence was a rather big surprise for him. He had not been expecting anyone and for sure not her. She pulled away and gave him a warning look, "That's how you welcome the woman who gave you birth?"

"Of course not! I just wonder how you got here." He looked at her with curious eyes.

She usually traveled only with him. But on the other hand she always was full of surprises, an unpredictable woman.

"Sakim, son, does that really matter?" Like usual she avoided the answer, took him by the arm and walked through the hall into the garden's direction.

"I came here to show myself at a few parties."
She always cared so much for public appearances. In her youth, she used to attend such parties, the political life with regularity. Even if she had more enemies then friends there; she was always invited and always respected.

Sakim just sighed, "I thought so…"

"Sakim, my son, someone has to care about the good name of our family."

The young captain snickered, "For sure that someone is not my brother."

His mother gave him an indignant look. "Never say things like that! It's not how I brought you up! No matter what, he is your brother. The family, the brotherhood, that's the real strength."

After her words he did not say anything. They had walked into the garden in silence. Before they sat down at the table, the lion that was still following his lady step by step, lay down on the ground. When the servants served their meal, Alena was only watching how her first-born was eating the roast.