Maghrib

Chapter 12

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              Adham watched his cousin for several minutes, but Ardeth seemed inclined to do nothing but sit upon the high dune and gaze out at the desert. He was glad his cousin had joined them for dinner, more surprised still that Rick, Evelyn Jonathan and Alex had not, but he worried at the quiet that seemed to surround Ardeth. Even Khalifa and Numa had barely gotten a few smiles from him, and Adham had no doubt that his cousin adored the girls. And then Ardeth had left without eating at all. He took a deep breath and asked Allah for the patience and wisdom to help his cousin with whatever was wrong. “Ardeth.” He walked over and sat down beside him.

              “Adham.” Ardeth nodded a little.

              “Does she have any answers?”

              “Does the desert ever have answers, Adham?” Ardeth shook his head. “I do not know that even Allah has the answers I seek right now.”

              Adham glanced over at his cousin. “Perhaps you need to ask these questions of another human being then, cousin.”

              Ardeth sighed. “I do not know of anyone living who could answer them either.” 

              “You will not know unless you ask.”

              Ardeth looked over at him. “You did not have to come and find me, Adham. Surely you would rather spend this night with your wife and children?”

              “I can do that later.” He shrugged. “Burdens are often easier to bear when they are shared.” He offered after a bit. “If it is not something you wish to speak to me of, cousin, I can go and find O’Connell for you.” 

              Ardeth smiled just a little but shook his head. “No, it is nothing of the sort, Adham. I– am only uncertain myself of how to find a balance yet with what I did today.”

              “Ah.” That was some relief. “You should have let me question him, Ardeth.” He suggested.

              “What?” That got his cousin to truly look at him. “Do you think I would ask of you what I am not willing to do myself, Adham? Or do you after all think I no longer have the stomach for what must be done?”

              Adham reached over and put his hand on his Ardeth’s arm. “Neither, cousin. I simply think that it is easier for a man to do such as you did when he can then in turn go back to his wife and children and balance what he has had to do with the joy of knowing they are well. That is all.”

              “I would not wish this burden on your shoulders, Adham. Or your soul.”

              “Of course you would not. Would that Allah had not deemed it necessary for you to carry it either, Ardeth.” He sighed.

              “I know it had to be done, certainly, but– I can not say I find it easy to forget.”

              “Nor should you.” Selim’s voice was not one Adham or apparently Ardeth had expected, because his cousin turned to look behind them with as much surprise as he felt. “Adham is right in one respect though, Ardeth. You should not have taken the whole of the burden for yourself.”

              “I will not ask any of you to do what I am not prepared to do myself.” Ardeth shook his head.

              “You are so very much your father’s son.” Selim smiled a bit and then came to sit on Ardeth’s other side.

              “Do you truly think so?” Ardeth looked back at the desert. “No doubt he would do better with it than I have done.”

              “I do not think any man could do better.” Adham disagreed. “I did not lead my tribe for long when your father, may he rest in peace with Allah, was chieftain, Ardeth. But from what he did while I followed him, I can say you have done as well.”

              Ardeth turned to look at him again. “You do not need to say such things, Adham. When we both know it is only said to ease my mind and not because it is truly so.”

              “I think Adham speaks only truth, Ardeth. I followed your father, my sister’s husband, into many battles in our years as friends and brothers, and I can say with as much certainty as Adham that while he was a good chieftain and a fine man. You are his equal in both.” Selim’s voice was firm. “Pasha, Arebe and Abdul no doubt would tell you the same as they are almost old enough to recall as much as I.”

              Ardeth shook his head. “How can you say such things, Selim when I know for certain that they are not true?”

              “Perhaps if you would explain to us, why you think you are not the chieftain your father was, we could then explain to you why we think you are such a man and more.” Adham suggested.

              Ardeth gave a bitter sort of smile and then looked back at the desert with a sigh. “There are so many things, Adham. Allah must know I have failed us all so many times, and likely I will do no better in the future no matter my intentions. What is it the Christians say? The road to hell is paved with good intentions? That does not make it any less the way to damnation.” Ardeth brought a handful of sand up and then let the breeze carry it down the dune. “Ahmer would not agree with you that I am the chieftain my father was I do not think.”

              “Ahmer would tell you that he and his tribe lived and died as Medjai. That they faced our enemy bravely despite knowing they were losing, and that they are thankful that you managed to not only rescue the survivors of the eleventh tribe, but that you avenged them by defeating the men who killed them. That is what I would tell you if it was my tribe that was lost in Ahmer’s place.” Selim said with a quiet insistence.

              “I did nothing of the sort.” Ardeth’s voice was rough now. “The very creature we are sworn to keep in his grave killed the Germans who slew Ahmer’s people. Not I. Does that some how absolve me of having failed to keep them safe? For having failed three times now to keep He who shall not be named from walking our world? I do not think so.” Ardeth shook his head and Adham could hear the very real pain in his voice.

              “We are Medjai, Ardeth, yes. And that means often we face challenges and hardships greater than those of the Bedoui or even the other people’s of Egypt. But we are only men, chieftain. You, Selim, all the other tribal commanders and I. We are no more perfect than Asyd or Kahid or any of the rest of our people. That the Medjai failed to keep the Creature in his grave is true, yes. However, you succeeded in returning him to it, with the O’Connell’s help I will grant you, but it was done. You held us together against the Anubis warriors here in Ahm Shere only a handful of years gone now. Do you think we would not have broken the line otherwise? It was all I could to do hold thirty or so of us together before we all did as we always do and turned to you. And what did you do? You gave us the strength of purpose to stand behind you and hold our line. And here just the other day you faced the enemies of Egypt in ways I can only imagine and wish I could emulate so that I might fight beside you. You are only one man, Ardeth.”

              “Adham speaks wisely nephew.”

              “Adham speaks from his heart.” Ardeth disagreed. “And truly I am thankful and honored that you both think so well of me. But it is your love for me that guides your words not your minds. And we do not have the luxury of allowing such emotion to color our lives.”

              “What is it you think so horrible you have done as our leader that we can not think you are as good a chieftain as we have ever had because it is true and not because we are sentimental?” Selim rolled his eyes a bit.

              “What have I done right, Selim? As Adham said we owe Rick more thanks for defeating He who shall not be named than you owe such to me. And as for Sana and the others of Ahmer’s tribe who Allah was kind enough to spare? They owe no thanks to me either. It is the grace of one of the old gods of Egypt which saved those few of Ahmer’s people. Does that make me any less damned for praying to a god other than Allah? No. What have I done then, leaders of the Medjai? I have asked you all to forsake your oaths and accept the damned as our ally. I have brought him here as our guest and expected you to abide by it.” Ardeth ran his hand through his hair. “Is that what my father would have done, Selim? I think it is more likely he would run me through himself and take back command of his people as perhaps he should have done.”

              “Bis’mil’Allah.” Selim nearly growled the prayer. “Your father would likely shake you like a small child and tell you to have better faith in yourself. Allah must know I am wishing you were a few years younger and I could do so now. Ardeth Bay I am only your uncle, but I swear it to you that if you were my son I could not be prouder of you. And were I your father I would only thank Allah that I have such a fine son to follow to war and in those bits of peace we are granted. That is what your father would do as well if he was half the man I recall him being.”

              “Selim.” Ardeth turned to look at him and while Adham could not see his expression, Selim’s went from something close to annoyance to concern. “If you would have this said then I will say it. Think of what I have done, Uncle. As your chieftain and not as your nephew will you please? I have likely cursed Sallah at least to hell along with me as he continually helps me with the old gods’ magic. You yourself uncle have traveled with Horus’ grace to Hamanaptura and back. Arebe and Sallah with you. Both of you and more of our tribesmates have journeyed to Thebes and to the hell of Anubis realm for my sake. All of this you have done on my account and for what? How will Allah judge you when you join him in Paradise? If he is truly merciful perhaps he will only hold me accountable for what I have done and only tell you, you are spared my folly because you followed me. It is all too likely I have only led you all into damnation. That is my accomplishments as your chieftain. Allah have mercy, Gamal is likely right and I am already damned. Perhaps I have been so since Aswan when I first saw AmmunRa and lost my faith in Allah. Do neither of you understand what it is I have done? Allah have mercy on our tribes if it is as I fear and your loyalty has resulted only in damning you as surely as I myself and the Creature I have allied us with are already damned.”

              “That is only foolishness....” Adham began.

              “If you were damned as you fear, Ardeth, you would then not be concerned with our souls.” Selim interrupted. “Listen to me, Ardeth. I am an old man, and I know where of I speak. We have followed you because you are the best man amongst us to lead us. Yes, at the moment we have no choice but to allow He who shall not be named to walk amongst us as our ally, because the good of Egypt, and the fate of the world demand it. We can not defend Ahm Shere without his aid, or that of the old gods. I know this, Ardeth. All the leaders of the Medjai know this. We saw the battle here the other day. We saw the remains of Ahmer’s tribe, may they rest in peace with Allah. And if we fall here because we were too foolish to except the aid we are given, which is what Gamal would have us do the idiot. Then Germany takes the weapons of the old gods, and the secrets of Ahm Shere and who then will stop them from taking Egypt? And if they take Egypt then who stops them from taking Africa, and Europe? Allah had granted us a chance for success, Ardeth. And you, nephew are that man to lead us for that chance to succeed.” Selim gripped Ardeth’s shoulders and did as he had threatened earlier and gave him a shake. Adham waited until he let go to turn Ardeth back to face him.

              “Selim is right. You are not damned, Ardeth. It would not haunt you so if you were lost, cousin. What happened today, what you had to do to find us the answers we needed about our enemy was a horrible burden to bear. And in that I think you should have allowed us to help you share it. But as for the rest. No.”

              “Adham...” Ardeth nearly growled out his name. “You do not...”

              “Adham is right. Selim is right.” Arebe’s voice was a shock and he and Ardeth both turned to look behind them. Selim however did not look surprised.

              “I– did not realize you where there.” Ardeth sighed. “How long have you been here, my friend?” He looked about the darkness. “Where are the others?”

              “If I thought you would listen to the rest of the commanders I would go and get them.” Arebe sighed. “But for now it is only I. Mohamed and Kashim are with the patrols, most of the others are with their tribes. But I could find them. Except Gamal of course. He is too stubborn and foolish to listen so I would not bother to tell him we were going to speak with you.” Arebe shrugged and sat down to Selim’s far side. “It seems I am in good time to convince you that unlike Gamal most of us are not fools and so we follow you as chieftain because you are worthy of it and not because we are too blind to realize that you are damned and leading us to hell. Have better faith in us, Ardeth if you do not have such faith in yourself.”

              Adham almost smiled at that.

              “It is good that you are here, perhaps our chieftain will see fit to listen to you when he will not listen to us.” Selim did smile a little as he spoke.

              “I– am sorry if I have caused you to feel ashamed of me, leaders of the Medjai. I spoke without thinking as I am perhaps too tired to be trying to make sense of such things.” Ardeth looked as embarrassed as Adham had ever seen him.

              “You have caused me great pride in following you Ardeth.” Arebe corrected. “What happened today, when you had to get the answers we needed from the German, has caused you to doubt yourself. As it would have me if I had been in your place no doubt. Do you think it did not occur to me to ask you for the right when it was fully mine to request?”

              Ardeth looked at Arebe in obvious surprise. “I had not– even considered that you might.”

              “No? I wanted to, Ardeth. More than was good for my soul I think. But I found the strength not too. Thanks be to God.” Arebe moved over to crouch in front of Ardeth now. “But you should have let the other commanders force what answers we could from the German.”

              “I tortured him, Arebe. As surely as he and his men tortured you and Kahid. There is no other word for what I did.”

              “Perhaps not.” Arebe sighed. “And that is why you should have allowed that duty to fall to one of the others, Ardeth. We are– still too torn ourselves, chieftain over what we have both borne lately.” Arebe gripped Ardeth’s arms in his hands. “You are concerned for our souls, Ardeth. Do you not think we in turn are concerned for yours?”

              “And if it is already too late?”

              “If it were too late Ardeth you would not care. Not for your soul and not for ours. Nor would it have bothered you a bit to torture the German Captain who haunts your soul so. Do you think the man who tortured Kahid and I is troubled by what he did? No. Are you going to seek out their patrols and find more of their men to torture to get more answers from? No. What you did was horrible to have to have done, Ardeth. I know this, we both know this I think better than any other man among us except Kahid. But it had to be done and that necessity is the only reason that it was. When he was of no longer able to answer our questions, chieftain you showed him mercy and allowed him to face God for whatever judgement the most compassionate will give him. He gave Kahid and I no such mercy, Ardeth. So stop comparing yourself to our enemy or I will shake you as Selim suggests and you will be to concerned with my health still I think to strike me.”

              Ardeth stared at Arebe for a long minute in silence and then sighed. “I– do not know what to say, Arebe. I– do not think I have done my duty as your chieftain, but how can I argue with all three of you when you tell me I have? I am only so concerned for us all.”

              “Of course you are, Ardeth. You are our chieftain, and as such you are always concerned for us. The fact that you have always been so and continue to be so should tell you that you are still the man we have followed these 15 years now.” Selim patted his shoulder.

              “Our elders speak wisely, Ardeth. Perhaps we should listen?” Adham suggested.

              Ardeth sighed. “I listen. I only worry still.”

              “I will allow that you are good to worry, Ardeth. Only do not hate yourself so much that you doubt your ability to lead us or the state of your soul. There are enough real concerns for now, Ardeth, such as how we are to achieve victory for you to worry about those things that are nothing but shadows.”

              Ardeth sighed and then said something softly in what was probably Egyptian.

              “What is that, Ardeth? My Egyptian is not so good?” Arebe asked.

              “Make him then give the fear a voice in the light of day so that it may be seen for only the play of shadows upon the wall that it is.” Ardeth said quietly in Arabic again. “That is what Horus said to me in Thebes a few days gone now. He was not speaking of me, but of Rick. But perhaps it is not bad advice at all to give these fears names and speak them aloud so that they become much less in the speaking.”

              “It seems the bright son of Osiris is wise as well as brave, as benefits a warrior of Allah no doubt, which is how I must think of him. I imagine the angel who guards the garden of Eden must be something like the god of Vengeance do you not?” Selim put in.

              “That is perhaps not a bad comparison at all.” Arebe agreed.

              Ardeth smiled a little. “I doubt any archangel Allah would show to someone as unworthy as I could be any more amazing than the bright son of Osiris, no. Allah way’s are very odd, but I am not about to question that he could show me any face he wished and only grants me those I can comprehend.”

              “Now that is better.” Adham squeezed his shoulder. “If Allah did not want you to lead us Ardeth, or for us not to have the weapons of the old gods and even the aid of He who shall not be named, no doubt we would know it by now.”

              “There is truth to that.” Ardeth sighed and then smiled a bit more. “If AmmunRa can frighten Kashim so, Allah could easily strike me down could he not? Rick said something like that to me but I was not listening.”

              “There you see, if it is obvious enough for O’Connell to grasp it, surely you can do the same?” He asked his cousin with a smile.

              “Adham.” Ardeth shook his head. “Is that an insult to Rick or to me?”

              “A bit of both?” He returned with a smile. “Come, let us go back to the tribes, Ardeth. You can help me corral the terrors of my tribe and perhaps they will listen to you and actually go to bed.”

              “In’sh’Allah. Likely it is easier to part the Red Sea, but I will try.” Ardeth got to his feet and Adham took a moment to smile at his fellow tribal commanders at their accomplishment of easing Ardeth’s worries somewhat and then walked with them back to camp.

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              “Do you feel like talking about it yet?” Evie asked as she brushed out her hair. Rick gave her an almost exasperated look and then came over to sit behind her and take the brush from her hand. But he just continued to brush her hair for her for a long few minutes then he set the brush aside and she leaned back against him as he wrapped his arms around her. His chin resting on her shoulder.

              “I don’t know what to say, Evie. I believe you about most of it. And I know we had to get answers, that we need every advantage that we can get in this damn war. But– I can’t help but feel– like I failed at something. Maybe, it’s because I know how hard it was on Ardeth to do what he did and I couldn’t do anything to help him with it. Half the time I couldn’t even figure out what the German was saying, other than all the curses he kept directing at us.” Rick shifted and rested his forehead against her shoulder instead of his chin.

              “Rick, you are only as human as the rest of us, darling. I know you want to be there for Ardeth. And God knows you have been, through all this horrid mess. There for him, and me, and Alex. You can’t expect more than that from yourself love. I certainly don’t. And I doubt very much, Ardeth does either.”

              “No. He offered a couple of times that I should come back here and check on you.”

              She sighed.. “Men. Both of you wanting to protect the other one.”

              “Yeah.” There was a slight smile to his voice now. “See what happens when you teach a man responsibility, love, and how to be stronger when you’ve got someone to lean on, sweetheart? Twelve years ago I would have taken off to Cairo or anywhere else I could get roaring drunk at the first sign of the Germans.”

              She rolled her eyes and then leaned her head back against his shoulder in turn. “Oh, poppycock. You did a good job of playing the cavalier soldier of fortune when I met you, Rick, but I can’t say I really bought it for long. The only reason you were so determined to get us out of Cairo after we first woke Imhotep was because you were worried about me. You could have left without me you know. But you didn’t.”

              Rick hugged her tighter. “Smartest move I ever made in my life you know.”

              “Thank you. I’m rather fond of it myself.” She stroked her hands down his arms and then entangled their fingers. “Would you like to go check on, Ardeth love? I doubt he’s dealing any better with what he did than you are.”

              That got a rueful sort of chuckle. “I’m not sure if I should, Evie. He probably is only going to feel worse about it if I do. Because knowing Ardeth he’s probably kicking himself for letting me stay. Especially after the other night.”

              She turned in his arms at that, straddling his lap again. “Especially after the other night why exactly?”

              Rick blinked and then smiled a bit, a half rueful look really. “We just– talked a lot about old ghosts and things.”

              “Uh huh.” She looked at him. “Old ghosts and things?”

              “It’s– just hard sometimes still, Evie. To talk about Rolande and...”

              “Ah.” She leaned up a bit and kissed him lightly, letting it go at that, then brushed his bangs from his face with a gentle smile. “I thought he might be able to help with that.”

              “It isn’t that you didn’t.” His voice made it impossible to doubt that and she smiled a bit at his wanting her to know that.

              “I know that, love. But it’s very different to share that sort of fear with me than with Ardeth after all.” She leaned over and kissed him again. “A bit more– real with him I’d imagine.”

              Rick sighed. “I guess, yeah. But I think I can let him rest in peace now.”

              “Well that’s good.” She leaned her head on his shoulder. “ I very much doubt he would have wanted you to be burdened with his ghost, love. Not if he was your friend the way you make him sound.”

              “Well– yeah probably not. Rolande would probably kick my butt if he knew I still had nightmares about it.”

              She smiled at that. “Would he have? Sounds like a good friend.”

              “You’d’ve hated him.” Rick chuckled. “He was loud, had the worst mouth I’ve ever heard and that says a lot, drank more than Jon and I put together and always swung first and worried about anything else later.”

              “Men.” She rolled her eyes. “So of course he was your friend.”

              “Well yeah.” Rick smiled. “He was a lot of fun.”

              “You’re taste in friends has improved at least. Ardeth I like.”

              Rick just shook his head. “You are the most amazing woman in the whole world, Evelyn O’Connell you know that, right?”

              “It’s nice that you think so, Rick.” She kissed his nose just to make him smile. “Now lets go have some dinner. Then if you really don’t want to go check on Ardeth I would be very happy to come back here and you can give me another reason not to be jealous. Considering that I don’t doubt a bit that whatever you and Ardeth were doing to help you bury Rolande’s ghost probably had very little to do with ‘talking’.”

              Rick actually flushed a little at that, the expression making him look so much younger and a great deal like Alex, actually. “Evie.”

              “Well did it?”

              He mumbled something but he shook his head. “It was– well it was just one of those things that worked you know?”

              She had to reign back her very real curiosity on that. He’d tell her when he was ready. “All right then. Dinner, darling?”

              “I’d rather skip dinner.” Rick shifted his arms around her and she found herself very suddenly lifted and turned, as he lowered her back to the blankets beneath them. “Remind me why I had to do what I did today again?”

              “Because we can’t afford to lose, Rick. There’s too much about life worth living for. Heaven’s wonderful, but I’m not about to give up living here and loving you without every bit of fight possible.”

              “Yeah. That makes it worth it.” Rick nodded and then kissed her and she just wrapped her arms around him again and pulled him down on top of her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

              Ardeth woke to find himself once more in Thebes, he lay in bed for a bit trying to simply enjoy the warmth and comfort of Rick’s arms. He had struggled with his own desire to reach over and take some comfort from Rick’s presence at his side for most of the day, even during the afternoon when he had stood beside him while Ardeth had tortured the German Captain. Now he was torn between wanting to do that and still feeling too horrific to allow himself the comfort. He tried to think of what Arebe, Adham, and Selim had told him only a bit ago. That he had done what had to be done, as the Medjai always did. And that the doing of it was not going to cost him his soul. He was beginning to believe that, but it was a bitter drink to swallow none the less. He kept his eyes closed, simply listening to Rick’s heart beat under his ear, taking comfort in the steady rhythm. He still wished that Rick had not had to stay with him through the horrible process, although his brother’s knowledge of Hungarian and English and a smattering of German had been invaluable. Still, it was not the side of his leadership that he really wanted Rick to have to see. But perhaps Rick had found comfort as Adham had suggested he would have done, with his wife and child. He had no doubt that Rick has spent much of the afternoon and evening with Evelyn, likely in bed. It surprised him still that he was not jealous of that. But the feeling was not there, and despite what Selim had said when he went to bathe, he was still not certain he deserved such comfort. There was still a part of his mind which was horrified with the way he had torn the brave German to pieces. And it was hard yet to think he deserved any such comfort at all.

              Rick stirred a bit, but his arms only tightened around Ardeth and he did not truly wake.

              I am sorry you saw what you did, today, Rick. Truly, I have no desire to burden your soul any, and yet it seems that I do nothing but that by keeping you beside me so. He sighed, and then rolled to his feet and found his boots beside the bed. There was a pot of coffee on the brazier on the small table and he poured himself a cup. It was past prayers here in the land of the faithful of old Egypt but perhaps it would not hurt any to pray to Allah yet.

              Allah, most merciful I ask you to forgive me for the doubts I have, for any offence I have given you, but most of all I ask your mercy on my people. If Adham, Selim and Arebe are wrong and I have indeed blasphemed or failed you and the Medjai, please allow the cost of that failure to fall to me and not upon my tribes. He wondered despite himself if he should go and speak to the bright son of Osiris today. Perhaps Horus could at least tell him if Allah was angry with him or not.

              The curtains leading to the balcony stirred once, without any breeze and he sighed. He glanced at Rick and then took the spear and shield of Horus with him but left the rest of his weapons where they had been beside the bed. “Is everything well in the land of the faithful, priest of AmmunRa?” He asked as he walked out onto the balcony, blinking a bit against the bright sun.

              “All is always well here in the Tuat, Ardeth.” Imhotep answered. “It is hot now for coffee, but there is karkaday if you wish.” Ammun’s priest held out a goblet for him.

              “Thank you.” He set his coffee cup aside and drank a sip of the cool hibiscus before sitting down on the railing himself. “Was there something in specific you wished to speak of?”

              “Many things.” He could not place the tone in his host’s voice although it was oddly gentle. “AmmunRa says to me that we have this day to come in the Egypt that is to rest yet. For the Germans now must decide how to progress with their commander dead and so the battle will not be until the day after that.”

              “That is good to know. If all goes well Izzy will have returned by then with more ammunition for the cannons and grenade launchers specifically and Hashim will arrive with the rest of our warriors who were at Hamanaptura. It is good we will have the time to prepare as well as we can.” He glanced eastward. “It is good to know that something has been gained by what was done today.”

              Imhotep reached over and surprised Ardeth by squeezing his shoulder firmly. “I am, without doubt, well acquainted with blasphemy and damnation, Ardeth, and while I agree with you certainly that what you did to the German commander was horrible. It was also necessary. And not a reason for you to be damned or cursed of forsaken by my gods or yours, Medjai.” The fingers tightened. “Your people are fortunate to have a leader who is so concerned with not only their lives but their souls.”

              Ardeth shook his head. “We are Medjai priest of AmmunRa. Far too often I must ask my people to risk their lives knowing for certain that not all of us who go to battle will survive. It is always a loss when I must bury my people. But, it is a comfort to know that by dying in battle for Egypt they are assured Paradise. I could not ask them to follow me into death if in doing so they would also follow me into damnation.” He glanced over at the man beside him. “It may well be that I have damned myself as you did, but I will not take anyone with me into hell if I can prevail upon Allah’s mercy to keep them safe.”

              Imhotep sighed and the look his gave Ardeth was oddly sad. “Ardeth, Ardeth, you are still too wiling to condemn yourself to hell. Have you not learned yet that it is something to be avoided?”

              Ardeth rolled his eyes. “I should think that if after three thousand years of torment you have willingly journeyed to hell twice now to aid me and Rick, you would not wonder so at my willingness to bear such if I must for all my people.”

              To his surprise Imhotep chuckled at that. “I am going to wonder if we are both not as mad as you think me, Ardeth.” Another chuckle, this one with a teasing edge that Ardeth was all too familiar with. “I should have learned do you think not to let my– desire for what I can not have shall we say, tempt me to forsake all sense and risk damnation so easily?”

              Despite himself Ardeth could feel the slight flush that caused. “I would thank Allah, with all my heart if you were to decide– this insane desire you have for me is not worth the risk certainly.”

              Ammun’s priest laughed. “No doubt you would. But then who would come to hell with you and your brother and appeal to Ammun to see you free Ahba?”

              Ardeth sighed. “I shall endeavor with all my heart to avoid hell if it will change your mind in this insane game you play.”

              “Tempting, Ardeth truly.” Imhotep smiled. “But how can I change my mind about desiring you if I am only doing so because I am found enough of you not to wish to see you in hell?” Another chuckle. “That is far too much hypocracy do you not think?”

              Ardeth rolled his eyes. “Bis’mil’Allah.”

              “If we are fortunate, Medjai, Allah will have mercy on you yet, certainly.” Imhotep agreed, taking a long swallow of whatever was in his goblet.

              “Was there more you wished to discuss?” Ardeth tried after a bit of silence.

              Ammun’s priest nodded and then looked out over Thebes, but the answer was a while in coming. “AmmunRa would see you come nightfall, Ardeth, and so I am to ask you to keep in mind the obligation this time. Ammun is indeed a kind god, Medjai and well understanding of the joy you have found here, but I do not know that he will be pleased if I must explain to him twice that you are not there to see him because you are sharing pleasure with your brother.”

              Ardeth felt himself flush dark at that despite his attempt not to. He took a deep swallow of his karkaday and then found his voice. “I will make certain to join you in the courtyard before sundown then priest of AmmunRa.” He managed, pleased when his voice at least came out calmly.

              “Good. We would not want to disappoint our gods, Ardeth. Yours or mine.”

              “Are we going to argue again that there is no God but Allah?” He had to ask.

              “No, Ardeth.” Imhotep chuckled. “I shall save that discussion for when we have a long afternoon to spend lazing by the river.”

              Ardeth rolled his eyes. “In’sh’allah.”

              “Allah should indeed be pleased to have so devoted a son. Would it ease this concern over the state of your soul and your people’s possible damnation if Ammun brought you word from Allah that neither is cause for concern, Ardeth?”

              He took a deep breath and then looked over at the man who was still mostly gazing out at Thebes. “Would he do so do you think? I– am uncertain if it is better to know of damnation before it occurs or not. I– do not think that I will be of much service to Egypt if I find that I am already lost.”

              “You are not damned Ardeth, my word to AmmunRa on that, Medjai. I am well familiar with damnation, Ardeth. And it is not so easily forgotten even here that I would not know if that were the state of your soul now.” Imhotep set his goblet aside and met Ardeth’s eyes with a calm certainty that was very hard to doubt. “AmmunRa would not curse you for what you have done, chieftain of the Medjai, how then can a god so wise as Allah do something so foolish?”

              Despite himself Ardeth found himself believing the words. “Now you would have me believe you are not only concerned for my health but for my salvation?” He asked. “Madness is far too mild a word.”

              “Likely.” Ammun’s priest smiled just a little, but the expression in his eyes did not change. “But that does not mean either concern is not genuine, nor that you should assume the assurance is only flattery.”

              Ardeth finished the karkaday in his goblet while he though over what Imhotep had said finally he set the cup aside. “I will take on faith that Allah is merciful enough to forgive me if I have sinned where none was intended and only desired to do what must be done for the good of Egypt. It is comfort indeed to know that I could ask AmmunRa for his conformation of that certainly, because I can not believe in my heart that he would lie to me, or that Allah would allow such deception. So, if as you say you would know whether or not I was damned, I must assume you know of where you speak. Thank you then, Imhotep, for the peace that gives my heart.” He meant it truly. But it was far more irony than he knew how to express that he had found comfort about the state of his own soul from the one man he knew with certainty was as damned as he had feared himself to be.

              “As both our gods will us, Medjai, we can be nothing else.” Imhotep smiled a bit more. “I am glad, certainly, that I could brighten your concerns some, Ardeth.”

              He believed that too, odd s it was. “Why?” He was truly curious.

              “Other than the fact that it got me a very nice thank you by name?” The smile turned teasing again. “I am Ammun’s High Priest, Ardeth. Insuring the state of the souls of those within the Tuat is part of the duties that I perform. Should I shirk my duties to my god because you are only a visitor here?” Amusement laced the tone.

              Ardeth sighed and gave a quick prayer to Allah once more for patience and understanding both. “Bis’mil’Allah rakhman el rahim.”

              “We can always pray so.” Imhotep agreed. “It is good to have faith in one’s god is it not, Medjai?”

              “It is always good to have faith.” Ardeth agreed. “Thank you for once more seeing that I am at peace with mine, Imhotep.” He offered the thanks freely.

              “You are most welcome, Ardeth. Especially if it gets me my name from you more than once a day.” The smile was teasing again. “You should not tempt me, Ahba, or I will claim another kiss from those you yet owe me this morning.”

              He sighed. “I owe you three yet. Perhaps it would not be so bad a thing to have them claimed and the debt paid.”

              Imhotep chuckled. “You always find yourself wondering which is worse do you not Ardeth? To have the debt finished and over or to put off the payment for as long as possible. Truly, is a handful of kisses yet so high a price to pay for the lives of your people and the surety of their salvation?”

              “I do not think any price is too high to pay for the lives of all my tribesmates I have left and their salvation.” He offered it honestly. “I have even learned to be thankful that you are not so unkind an ally as to have claimed more than kisses for their lives.”

              “There you see? I am not the monster you thought me, Ardeth Bay.” Imhotep smiled a little and then reached over to trace his jaw. “Perhaps I should have you give me the next kiss, Medjai, since that seems to annoy you much less than having me claim one.”

              He managed not to flush at that. “It was a bargain kept was it not?”

              “It was, and a most welcome bargain at that, Ardeth. I am well tempted to boast to your brother that I finally got a kiss from you that I did not demand. But likely he would only try to blow me to bits as he says.”

              Ardeth glanced toward his room where Rick still slept and then smiled a little. “Likely he would, yes. If he believed you, which I doubt.”

              “True.” Something odd flashed through the dark eyes that met his. “You no longer fear me do you, Ardeth?”

              He considered that. “I would not say that it is a lack of fear no. But I have come to believe that we are indeed allies against Germany, and that the High Priest of AmmunRa at Thebes is not the creature of Hamanaptura that I have lived my whole life battling to keep confined. So- let us say instead that I am willing to take it on faith in Allah, and the most amazing faces he chooses to show me here, that I need not fear for my life or– worse every time you touch me. Although God must know I would be forever thankful if you would stop.”

              That got a soft laugh. “And where would the enjoyment be in that, Ardeth?” Imhotep picked up his goblet and finished whatever it contained with a smile. “You do tempt me, Medjai.”

              Ardeth rolled his eyes. “That may well be a curse in and of its self I think.”

              “Ah, but Ardeth, if you were not so desirable then not only would you not have my interest but the bed inside would still be yours alone, hmm? Do not be so ungrateful for the gifts Allah has granted you Ardeth. He could always take them from you for your ingratitude.” One strong hand traced his jaw again. “Although I do not know if even scars such as your cousin bears could completely obscure Allah’s gift.”

              “I am going to be hard pressed to keep this lack of enmity between us if you do not stop.” He muttered.

              A chuckle. “Point taken, Ardeth. Although it is hardly my fault that you would tempt the gods themselves to desire. Come and thank me then for the lives of your tribes, Ardeth, and I will count myself content that your kiss is worth more than a thousand lives.”

              Ardeth sighed, uncertain how he felt himself about that comparison. What was the bargain really when what annoyance and distaste he had for a dozen kisses was weighed against so many lives? He started to rise to his feet again but Imhotep only stepped over and stood in front of him, sliding his hand along Ardeth’s jaw a third time, but back into his hair now. The kiss was surprisingly gentle at first and he met it easily, not even unduly concerned when Ammun’s priest put his other arm around his shoulders and pulled him a bit closer as the kiss deepened. He gave it back as best he could, and it was odd still to be kissed so when he knew full well how very much more such a kiss could be between lovers. Rick’s kisses were far more involved than this, certainly. It was hard yet to be passive though and he kept his thoughts tightly to English as the unwelcome thought of how hard it would be to not accept a kiss such as this filled with water if one was truly close to dying of thirst suddenly came to his mind.

              “Ardeth?” Imhotep’s tone was oddly gentle as he broke the kiss with a sigh. “I did not think you still found my kisses so hard to stomach.”

              And he realized with a start that he truly was almost nauseous. “It is– for once, not your kisses I am objecting to.” He rolled his eyes. “Perhaps it is only the heat or my exhaustion.” He waved aside the odd concern.

              “Hmm. Perhaps. My apologies, Medjai, for whatever memory I stirred. It was not my intention to cause you to have more burdens yet, this day. Now you see, you even manage to pay me the kisses you yet owe me and make certain I can not even enjoy them. You are going to be as much of an annoyance as your brother soon.”

              Ardeth found a smile for that. “That is a compliment I will take without complaint.”

              “No doubt.” Ammun’s priest smiled as well. “Then I shall leave you with the compliment, Ardeth. Go and see your brother, no doubt he can ease you some, hmm? Does he have any idea how very fortunate he is yet, Medjai?” Imhotep did not wait for an answer only walked through the curtains and then out the door.

              “Madness is so pale a word.” He stared at the door himself for a long while and then decided firmly not to worry about any of his burdens yet. He smiled a little at finding Rick still sound asleep, and after debating with himself for a bit he took off his boots and weapons and simply climbed back into bed. He was less troubled oddly enough than he had been before his very strange talk with Ammun’s High Priest and the thought of the comfort to be had in Rick’s arms was far more tempting than he cared to resist. He shifted a bit closer to Rick and put his arm around his friend’s waist. After a while it seemed more comfortable to lay his head back on Rick’s shoulder and let the steady rhythm of Rick’s heartbeat and breathing lull him finally back to sleep. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

              Rick woke slowly, and then smiled to himself at what was quicky becoming a very nice way to wake up. He was lying in bed, with Ardeth in his arms again, which was a nice change from finding himself alone in the bed. And maybe it should have bothered him still that he could go to sleep in Evie’s arms and wake up in Ardeth’s and really enjoy them both but it didn’t. It just made the hell of the last few days worth it. He stroked his hand gently through Ardeth’s hair, wondering himself how Ardeth was doing with what they’d had to do to get answers from the German. He wondered how anyone could miss the horror Ardeth had so obviously felt. Rick grimaced himself at recalling the sickening grisly work it had been to get the answers they needed. Rick was no stranger to the more horrible parts of warfare and better acquainted with the nastier things that one human being could do to another but that hadn’t made it any easier to stand beside Ardeth that afternoon. And Ardeth was a lot more untainted by that sort of horror than Rick was, so doing the questioning had to have torn his very conscientious friend into a hell of a lot of pieces. Ardeth hadn’t even met his eyes as he’d left to put the armor away, and then later after Evie had gotten the whole nasty story from him and made him feel like a human being again he’d gone to look for Ardeth and had no luck finding him anywhere. Finally, he’d found Selim who had told him that Ardeth had finally gone to bed. So, he’d gone back to the tent he and Evie were sharing now and talked to her for a bit longer. Now at least he was here and Ardeth was safe in his arms for now.

              And it still amazed him not only that Evie was okay with him being Ardeth’s lover but that she actually seemed glad for them both. He smiled a bit at the really odd curve his life had thrown him lately. “Think we can get the gods to give us a break after the battle, habib? It was really nice getting rid of some of those ghosts the other night you know? And now I know you’re going to be upset about what happened with the German. Not that I’m not, but– you’re too good a man to be comfortable with what you did, huh? Cause I know I am. Evie told me I shouldn’t be so hard on myself you know? So, don’t you go beating yourself up over it either, because I don’t want to have to shake sense into you okay?”

              “Rick? What are you muttering about now, habib?” Ardeth asked sleepily.

              “Nothing– just– thanking the gods that you’re here in my arms. That sort of thing.” It wasn’t really a lie he’d been thinking that too somewhere along the line.

              “Hmm. I am always thankful to Allah for allowing me the joy of sharing my bed with you, Rick.” Ardeth agreed. “Is it noon yet do you think?”

              Rick tried to judge the time by the sunlight coming in from outside. “Feels too cool to be noon yet.” He decided.

              “Good. I am hoping Tahiri will bring us lunch.”

              “Sounds good.” He smiled a bit and then shifted his embrace and just kissed Ardeth long and deep. “Good morning, habibi.”

              Ardeth smiled. “It is now, yes.” Ardeth agreed. “It is always a joy to wake in your arms, Rick.”

              “Nice to be able to wake up with you in bed with me for a change.” He smiled. Ardeth blinked and then ducked his head a bit. “What?”

              “I have been up, had coffee and a very odd conversation with our host and come back to bed, Rick. You slept very soundly.”

              “Yeah?” He didn’t like that. “I wish you’d wake me up when the damned thing is here, Ardeth.”

              “I shall keep that in mind. But neither of us has had much rest this last while, Rick. It seems cruel to wake you when you are at least getting some sleep. Even if it is sleep here while we are sleeping in Ahm Shere.”

              “Yeah, I guess. So, any kisses today?”

              “One.” Ardeth shrugged. “It was– not so much of a kiss really. And he was quite a good host. But I will be thankful to have you kiss me none the less.”

              Rick smiled a little and then did, kissed him long and deep and with all the love he knew how to put in it. “Better?”

              “Hmm.” Ardeth smiled as well. “That is worth having to have borne one of his kisses first you know.”

              “Yeah?” He stroked his fingers along Ardeth’s jaw. “Any time you want a kiss, Ardeth, just ask.”

              “Now?” Ardeth smiled a bit more. Rick chuckled himself but let Ardeth pull him into another kiss which led to another, and then another. Long hot duels of their tongues until it was all he could do to breathe. “Allah that is Paradise.”

              “Getting there, yeah.” Rick chuckled, trailing kisses down Ardeth’s throat as he spoke. “Think Tahiri left us more oil?”

              “If we are truly fortunate yes.” Ardeth sighed.

              “Yeah. Although it’s not too hot yet, I’m almost tempted to go lay in the sun for a while and enjoy it.”

              “If you wish.” The disappointment was obvious.

              Rick just shook his head. “After we make love maybe.” He added since Ardeth didn’t seem to get that part. “Then we can lay in the sun and trade backrubs, huh?”

              That lightened Ardeth’s eyes a lot. “We could lay in the sun and trade massages first, Rick. Did you not say that massages were like bathing and could lead to all sorts of things?”

              “Yeah I did.” He smiled. “And they can. But it seems silly to waste waking up in bed together without any unwanted guests just to go outside so we can come back here and make love.” He kissed Ardeth again, just to enjoy it. “And you’re too shy to make love in public.”

              That got a disbelieving stare from his friend, and a dark flush. Rick could almost see Ardeth picturing that too. Not that it wasn’t a really good thought. “You are teasing me.”

              “Only a little. Lately it’s been damned hard not to just pull you close and kiss you in Ahm Shere, Ardeth. So I doubt I’d have a real good chance of succeeding here when I don’t have to. Unless it’s illegal or something to kiss you in public here.”

              “I– do not believe so, no.” Ardeth shook his head and then smiled a bit. “Kisses I can see, habib. Allah knows I have grown used to seeing you kiss Evelyn in public often enough. Making love where other’s might see us is– something else entirely.”

              “Yeah. I think I grew out of that in the Legion.” He chuckled.

              “Did you really?” Ardeth only shook his head.

              “Have sex in public? Well if you count the main room of a brothel public. Yeah. I was eighteen, drunk and stupid what can I say?” He gave Ardeth a smile.

              “Undoubtedly.” Ardeth reached up to trace his jaw. “I would much rather lie here in my bed and make love with you, habibi.”

              “Better than Paradise.” Rick replied and kissed him again. “Although I really would like to kiss you like that sometime where the damned thing can see it. I think that’s fair after all don’t you?”

              Ardeth flushed again. “That would then mean we would have to stop kissing to get rid of him, habibi. Better to not have to stop.”

              “Well, yeah, there is that.” He kissed Ardeth again, enjoying the teasing. Ardeth reached up again to unbutton his shirt and Rick smiled a bit at just how good at that Ardeth was getting. Strong hands spread over his chest and then brushed the shirt from his shoulders. He sat up a bit to finish shrugging out of it and tossed it vaguely toward the chest.

              “That is much easier to do without all our weapons in the way.” Ardeth sat up a bit as well and Rick took the opportunity to unwind the sash around his waist.

              “Yeah it is.” He managed to undo the ties of Ardeth’s galabeyah glad when Ardeth helped him though. And it was still such a really crazy joy to just run his hands up under those robes and feel Ardeth’s skin warm against his fingers. He slid his hands along Ardeth’s shoulders to brush the dark fabric down his arms. “I wish it was night. It’d be nice to go find the baths and share a nice hot tub of water.”

              Ardeth chuckled. “That is decadence surely. Likely though we will need the bath more later than we do now, hmm?”

              Rick smiled at that. “I sure hope so.” He buried his hand in Ardeth’s hair and kissed him again. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t like the idea of sharing a tub with you before and after, Ardeth. You look damned good wet.”

              That got a sudden dark flush across Ardeth’s cheeks again. “Rick.”

              “Yeah?” He smiled, not feeling the least bit repentant about the comment. He stroked his hands up Ardeth’s back and then frowned. “You carrying camel’s again, habibi?” He borrowed Ardeth’s phrase.

              “No.” Ardeth sighed. “Only tension, muHabb. It is– still hard for me to set aside the day gone by and enjoy the wonder of having you in my bed yet.”

              “Yeah.” He nodded and then remembered what Evie had said to him earlier that night. “You know what though, Ardeth? Sharing tonight with you is what makes yesterday bearable. And in a way– it’s why we did what we did isn’t it? Because there’s too much that’s wonderful at stake if we lose. This...” He stroked his hands up over Ardeth’s chest and put one over the brand that lay over Ardeth’s heart. “Is just-- really perfect proof that we can’t afford to lose, habib. ‘Cause there’s too much about life worth fighting for. And Allah has got to know that I’m not about to give up loving you without doing anything and everything possible to save it. And keeping Egypt and the rest of the world from the Nazi’s is sort of necessary for that, right?”

              “I– suppose it is at that. I will try to think of it as such.”

              “I spend a lot of time thinking about Evie and Alex you know. About how I don’t want Alex to grow up in a world where anyone who came searching for the powers of Ahm Shere actually had it.”

              That lightened Ardeth’s eyes again. “That is– a good thought. Adham told me something similar you know. That– he thought I should have let him question the German Captain, because he could have gone home to his wife and children afterwards and that would have assured him that it was worth the doing.”

              “Yeah. His girls are really cute.” Rick agreed.

              “They are indeed.” Ardeth nodded.

              “I’m sorry you had to do what you did, Ardeth. And that I wasn’t more help.” He gripped Ardeth’s shoulders in his hands.

              “You were far more help than you realize, muHabb. I– do not think I would have found half the strength to stand there and– do what had to be done if not for the strength it gave me to have you beside me.” Ardeth shuddered a bit under his hands though.

              “Still hurts though doesn’t it?” Rick asked. “Want to tell me what’s still hurting?”

              “I am– still a bit angry at myself I think. I know it was necessary, but that does not make it any easier to believe that it was right.”

              “We needed answers, Ardeth. On how many Germans there were, on if they were going to send more troops if we defeated these, on what they were after gold or more. It was pretty awful yeah, but it isn’t like they didn’t do the same to your men.” He offered, not liking the self-hatred that was so obvious in Ardeth’s eyes now.

              “So because my enemy is an animal I must be one as well?” Ardeth shook his head.

              Rick took a deep breath wishing he had a better answer than he did for that one. “He was a soldier, Ardeth. You don’t expect to be treated well when your captured by the enemy. We’ve both been soldiers for long enough to know that.”

              Ardeth shuddered harder at that. But didn’t say anything.

              “What?” He had no idea what had gotten into Ardeth’s head now. Ardeth started to turn away but Rick just gripped his shoulders tighter and flexed his fingers instead of shaking him

              “Rick.” His name was a sigh.

              “Talk to me.” He pressed because it needed to be said, obviously.

              “I do not want to talk.”

              “No?” He gentled the shake into a caress of his hands down Ardeth’s arms to entangle their fingers. “What hurts, habibi?”

              “It could have been you.” Was the reply finally. But Ardeth didn’t meet his eyes only looked away and shuddered again, taking a deep breath and swallowing hard.

              That really didn’t make any sense to Rick either. “What? Getting captured by the enemy? Yeah, I guess...” He wasn’t sure what to say about that. But it was something he could see Ardeth worrying about. His friend probably thought it was somehow his responsibility that Arebe, Kahid and the others had gotten captured too, knowing Ardeth.

              “No.” Ardeth surprised him again, shaking his head a bit. Another obvious deep breath and then Ardeth met his eyes. The deep brown more haunted than Rick had seen them in days now. “I...If the Tuareg had not attacked Hamanaptura when they did...Allah forgive me, Rick...” He broke off.

              Rick didn’t say anything for a while as he worked through that, since it was obvious Ardeth had had to struggle to even say that much. Then it came to him and he sighed, and just tightened his fingers around Ardeth’s. “I was the commanding officer of a group of European soldiers who’d invaded the place you were sworn to defend. Is that what’s eating you after all this time?” Rick put all the support into the words he knew how. And it wasn’t really a question.

              “I needed to know....if more Legionaries were going to come.” Ardeth squeezed his hands back, an almost pleading note to the explanation as if he was apologizing even now.

              “Could have ridden me down after I wandered away.” Rick shook his head. “You didn’t.”

              “We already had your colonel....I...”

              “Ardeth?” Rick let go of Ardeth’s hands with one of his own and tilted Ardeth’s chin up so that their eyes met. “Wouldn’t have happened, habib.” He smiled a little. “If you’re picturing me in the German’s place like I think you are.”

              “It could have...I...”

              “Nope.” He shook his head. “Yeah, you might have killed me. Okay, that would have been a real waste of my life since I hadn’t managed to accomplish anything that amounted to a hill of beans at that point. But torture, nah. I didn’t owe the Legion a bit of loyalty at that point, Ardeth. I would’ve spilled the whole story to you without so much as a good backhand, huh?”

              Ardeth blinked staring at him in obvious surprise and then he chuckled ruefully. “You mean that.”

              “Sure I do. Loyalty and things worth dying horrible death’s weren’t in my vocabulary at that point, Ardeth.” He ran his fingers through Ardeth’s hair. “Not that I’m not really glad you didn’t ride me down and run me through you know. Because it gave me the chance to know Evie and you, to father Alex and watch him grow.” He traced Ardeth’s jaw. “Not to mention the fact that it gave us the twelve years it took for us to figure out that we’re more than friends. That more of the no real difference between coincidence and fate bit, Ardeth? Seems to me Allah kinda had it all planned doesn’t it?”

              “I– suppose it does seem like that does it not?” Ardeth seemed to relax some at that. “Thank you, Rick.”

              “For what?”

              “Putting and end to my ghosts before I even knew I had them.”

              “Fair’s fair, Ardeth.” He brought Ardeth’s other hand to his lips and kissed the palm.

              “For later?”

              “Nope, just because I can.” He did it again. “Think we can let the might have beens go now, Ardeth? I’d really like to just concentrate on why it’s worth living for.”

              “Can you– teach me how to do that, Rick?”

              “I can sure try.” Rick kissed his hand one more time before nibbling at his fingers. Watching Ardeth’s eyes widen a bit as he sucked two into his mouth.

              Ardeth licked his lips, probably not having any idea how damned sexy that was and then swallowed hard. Rick chuckled and released his fingers to reach for the ties that held his pants closed. He undid the knot teasing Ardeth a little as he did so. “Allah have mercy, habib.”

              Rick only chuckled again and then kissed him, and it was so easy to let one kiss slide into another and then another. He pushed Ardeth back onto the bed, catching his own weight on one arm and then finally trailing the kisses down Ardeth’s throat. Ardeth groaned out his name, his hands running through Rick’s hair and then down his back and back. Rick licked along one collarbone and then down to tease one nipple with his tongue before he reached down, to let his fingers tease over Ardeth’s cock through the soft linen of his pants, enjoying watching the shudder that went through Ardeth as he did so. He played with the lacing a bit, slowly pulling the last knot apart but not actually undoing the pants yet. “Liked that I see.”

              “Did you think I would not?” Ardeth shook his head.

              “Nope, figured you’d enjoy it as much as I did.” He raised himself up just a bit and traced Ardeth’s jaw with his fingers and then down his throat and along his chest, tracing the outlines of tattoos and scars that crisscrossed Ardeth’s skin. “Doesn’t it hurt like hell getting tattoos over scars, Ardeth?”

              “Sometimes. Sometimes it hurts less actually. It is over bone that they hurt the most.”

              “I guess.” He let his hands stroke over Ardeth’s stomach and then down again to tease lightly over his cock once more before he sat back on his heels to actually undo the ties. Ardeth shook his head and then rolled to his feet. Rick smiled watching a the dark pants simply fell to the floor. “That makes it easier.” He leaned forward again to lick lightly at the head and then along the length of Ardeth’s cock, before taking a deep breath and just swallowing Ardeth whole. Ardeth groaned out something that was probably his name. And it was hard not to smile but he chuckled instead, knowing how good that was going to feel. Ardeth caught his breath in a hiss and his hands tried to tangle in Rick’s hair before pushing him away. “Yeah?” He looked up.

              “I– can not take such pleasure and stand, habib.”

              “You sure about that?” He teased and licked at Ardeth’s cock again, taking his hips in his hands to pull him as deep as he could. And it was getting easier and easier to do this, keep Ardeth deep in his throat without choking. He swallowed once and then raised his head slowly, letting his tongue play along the length of Ardeth’s cock as he did. “Want me to stop?”

              “Allah’s mercy, habibi. I...will fall.”

              “Hmm, wouldn’t want that. Might hurt.” He moved back onto the bed a bit and then pulled Ardeth with him, rolling them over so that he was on top of Ardeth and then kissed him. Ardeth kissed him back, his hands only pulling Rick closer against him. He reached down to stroke his fingers over Ardeth’s cock again.

              “Please? I can not...” Ardeth groaned and arched into his hand.

              Rick chuckled and then let him go, moving away enough to keep from either of them climaxing quite yet. “More or less, Ardeth? Which do you want?”

              “More, habib. Only I will embarrass myself if you touch me so again I think.”

              “By coming? I thought that was the point, Ardeth.” He kissed him quickly then teased his fingers back along Ardeth’s cock to cup his balls gently. Ardeth groaned, tossing his head back into the mattress beneath them so Rick took the opportunity to nip at his throat which got him another groan.

              “Rick, please? I would...rather be connected with you more that just this.” Ardeth reached down and stroked Rick’s cock in turn, through the material of his slacks. Then his fingers undid Rick’s belt and fumbled with the buttons. “This I can do for myself, hmm? Although it feels so much better when it is your hand and not my own.”

               He smiled and then leaned down to lick at Ardeth’s throat. “Lots of time to do that in twelve years, huh?”

              “Too much I think.” Ardeth sighed. Rick nodded and then managed to push the pants off. Ardeth reached back down to help and they tossed the pants to the floor. “Much easier to do when one is standing.” Ardeth muttered.

              “Yeah it is.” Rick chuckled and then groaned as Ardeth reached down and stroked his cock in one sure caress. “Christ.”

              “Good?” Ardeth chuckled, but there was obvious teasing to his voice.

              “Yeah. Thought you wanted more than this though.” Not that it didn’t feel really good to just have Ardeth stroke him like that. Too much practice in twelve years was probably right.

              “I did.” Ardeth agreed and drew his hand away to pull Rick close and kiss him.

              “All right, habib.” He pushed himself up onto his arms. “Can I have you inside me then, Ardeth?”

              “If you wish.” Ardeth smiled a little. “Does that truly appeal to you, habibi?”

              “Yeah it does.” He smiled back. “You appeal to me, Ardeth.”

              “Then I am thankful. But I– will not be able to please you so if you do not stop touching me.”

              “No?” He lightened his touch a bit and then slowly drew his hand away. “If you do it right.” He whispered the words into Ardeth’s ear. “You can balance on the edge a really long time, habib.” He bit lightly at the point of Ardeth’s jaw. “Want to see how long we can balance?”

              “Alla ana hafaz.” Ardeth’s voice was a low groan.

              “You want God’s protection now, Ardeth?” He chuckled. “Is that a yes or a no, habibi?” He licked his way to the hollow of Ardeth’s throat and then along one collar bone. “Feels good, huh?”

              “Yes. It feels very good.” Ardeth sighed and then hissed in a breath as Rick bit lightly at his collarbone. He smiled a bit, soothing the bite with his tongue, before kissing Ardeth again, burying his hands in Ardeth’s hair, just to enjoy the feel. Ardeth sighed, giving the kiss back with the same desperation and it was so easy to tell how much he really enjoyed it. Rick chuckled, breaking the kiss after a bit to move back down and trace one of Ardeth’s tattoos with his tongue before moving to lick teasing light over one nipple. Ardeth groaned, his hands sliding down Rick’s back and then up to run through his hair. “Please?”

              He sucked harder, and then pushed them both a bit beyond what they’d tried before and bit lightly into the tight flesh. Ardeth arched his back into the sensation and groaned out Rick’s name so he took that as a yes and kept the pressure lightly with his teeth and then let go to move to the other side and do the same. And it was easy to slide down further and lick just as teasingly at Ardeth’s cock.

              “Habibi. Please I can not...”

              “Yeah you can.” He almost reminded Ardeth that he’d asked Rick to make sure he was concentrating on the joy to be found in life and not on the horrible things they’d had to do that afternoon. But that would have just undone all the work he was managing so he just smiled a bit and the blew a cool stream of air over the hot wet skin. “You taste good, even without honey.” He licked again. Ardeth groaned and this time clenched his fists into the bedding. Rick chuckled and then slowly drew him deep into his mouth. And Ardeth was obviously so close to coming. So he reached down to cup his balls and then pulled lightly as he eased his way up his cock again.

              “Allah have mercy.” Ardeth whispered in Arabic now, and Rick had to smile.

              “Good?” He asked, moving up to lie beside his friend and kiss him again. Ardeth rolled them over with a growl. And then moved his lips down Rick’s throat to tease a few spots that made Rick groan himself, and then followed the kisses with the edge of his beard, the soft rasp of hair only making him shudder. “Oh, Christ.”

              “Hmm.” There was a smile to the sound as Ardeth moved down to return Rick’s earlier teasing and lick way too softly at one nipple. “Good?”

              Rick chuckled. “Better if you do that harder.”

              Ardeth didn’t answer but did suck harder and then tentatively mimicked Rick’s move and bit softly.

              “More?” He asked, tangling his fingers in Ardeth’s hair. A chuckle and Ardeth did so, bit a bit more and the sucked hard. And Rick just arched into the sensation pulling Ardeth a bit closer in the meantime. Ardeth raised his head a bit and then smiled up at him before moving to the other side, licking once lightly over the nipple.

              “Do not pull quite so hard, habib.” Ardeth said, blowing the breath over the now wet skin.

              Rick just caught his breath in a gasp and forced himself to loosen the grip on Ardeth’s hair. Which wasn’t so bad because Ardeth repaid it with following the kisses and gentle bites with his beard and that was almost enough to just bring Rick off right there. “Oh Christ.”

              Ardeth chuckled. “Balance?”

              “Yeah, barely.” Rick laughed as well. “Come here.” He tugged with as much gentleness as he could find on Ardeth’s hair and pulled his friend into a long deep kiss.

              “I wanted to taste you.” Ardeth complained, when they broke apart.

              “Give me a second to breathe, huh?” He asked. “You know how much I just want to press against you right now?” He arched his hips a bit to slide his cock against Ardeth’s. “Like that?”

              “Hmm, that feels so good, habibi.”

              “Yeah.” He did it again, then ran his hands down Ardeth’s back to his hips and pulled him closer. Ardeth pressed harder as well, his legs open on either side of Rick and that gave him another idea. “Kneel up, habib? Can you do that?”

              “What?” Ardeth blinked, staring down at him in confusion. “Kneel up?” He repeated and then nodded and started to move away.

              “No, just like this.” Rick smiled, settling his hands on Ardeth’s waist. The confusion grew a bit and then a smile that was so damned shy. “Do you know how damned gorgeous you are?” He asked. That made Ardeth flush a bit more but he did raise himself up to straddle Rick’s hips on his knees.

              “Like this, then?” Ardeth smiled down at him. “I thought you wanted me in you, habib, not you in me?” The question came just as he moved enough to slide their cocks against each other again. “Allah have mercy. We need oil, hmm?”

              Rick chuckled. “Soon, yeah. And I want you inside me, Ardeth.” He ran his hands up Ardeth’s chest to tease both nipples and then back down to stroke over his cock. Ardeth groaned, leaning his head back and it was just as erotic a sight as Rick had thought it would be. “But next time, yeah, we can try this.” He arched his hips up a bit in emphasis.

              “We could do it now?” Ardeth asked, the words almost a plea. “It would feel good I think.”

              “Yeah, it probably would. Not quite the riding your used to, huh?” He stroked Ardeth’s cock again, feeling the shudder that got.

              “No. Harder, Rick please?”

              He stroked again, a quick hard stroke then again and then let go to reach for the oil. Ardeth gave a low groan of disappointment. “I want you inside me.” Rick pointed out.

              “I...Allah, Rick I do not think I can wait so long.”

              “I trust you. Think of something cold?” He suggested and then smiled. “Kneel up again?” He waited until Ardeth had risen onto his knees and then rolled over between his friend’s legs.

              “Allah, Rick, what is it you say? I am no saint, habib.”

              “No, thank God, you aren’t.” He chuckled. “Oil habibi?”

              “Yes.” Ardeth sighed and Rick let himself smile even more into the bedding because he knew Ardeth was only a few seconds away from coming right now and taking the time to prepare him was going to just make him want release all the more. And that pretty much guaranteed that he’d succeeded in making Ardeth forget almost anything but how much they were enjoying this. He managed not to chuckle and then sighed as Ardeth ran one hand down his back. Because no matter how much it strained Ardeth’s patience he didn’t even worry that Ardeth was going to rush. Later habib, when this isn’t so new to us both, huh? Then we can skip some of this part. He wasn’t expecting Ardeth to take the oil from him and pour a bit of it right onto his skin, before running strong fingers through it to stroke right over his opening.

              “God.” He hissed out the word, pressing into the bed. “Ardeth.”

              “Good?” Ardeth asked uncertainly, but he didn’t stop the caress, thank God.

              “Yeah. More, please?”

              “Yes.” A chuckle and the caress was repeated and it was all Rick could do not to just push back against Ardeth’s fingers. Then one slid into him slowly and he sighed, really surprised by how much he liked the feel. What is it Ardeth says? Cherished. Yeah. Crazy thing to make me feel like you really love me, habib, but it does. You make me feel like I’m really priceless or something you know that?

              “Do I know what?” Ardeth asked softly.

              “Hmm? Oh, how good that feels.” Which wasn’t it exactly but it was all he could manage out loud.

              “Yes. When you touch me so it is like...flying, but better.”

              “Yeah, it is.” He managed and then groaned as Ardeth added a second finger, and it was still a bit uncomfortable at first.

              “Good?”

              “Yeah, just tight, huh?”

              “Always you are so tight I think I must be causing you pain when I do this. But it feels so very good to touch you so, habib. To know that you trust me so.”

              He smiled but he couldn’t help but blush a bit. “Then we’re even.”

              “Hmm, as so much with you, mukalb, I am finding it is mutual.” Ardeth shifted a bit and then kissed the back of his neck. Rick sighed, and then groaned as Ardeth’s fingers found that spot that made it so good he really wanted to just come right then.

              “Ardeth.”

              Another stroke of fingers over that spot, then again, until he could only pant into the bedding and try to push back. Ardeth slid another finger into him and that made him ache just a bit, but it wasn’t a bad ache and it certainly wasn’t worth stopping for. He pressed back which brought Ardeth’s fingers to that spot again and then again. “Rick?”

              “Now?” It was all he could manage.

              “Yes, habib.” Ardeth drew his fingers out and that just made him ache with the lack of sensation now so he rolled onto his back again and met Ardeth’s eyes. “Rick?”

              “I want to see you.”

              “All right.” Ardeth reached for the oil again but Rick poured it onto his own hand and then set it aside to slick the oil over Ardeth’s cock, stroking firm and long over the whole of it, just to watch Ardeth arch into his touch. “Rick.” His name was a growl.

              He chuckled. It took a bit of maneuvering to switch it so his legs were on either side of Ardeth and his knees were closer to his chest but it was worth the awkwardness when Ardeth finally pressed against him. And then slid just the tip inside. Rick pressed his head back into the mattress trying to work past that point of the ache and the feeling that this was never going to work because Ardeth was so damned huge inside him. Unbearable pressure and a twinge of more pain than pleasure and then it was the easiest thing in the world to relax into the slow gentle pressure as Ardeth eased into him and it went from ache to joy. Another few moments of impossible fullness when Ardeth was completely inside and then he moved and it stroked his cock over that spot that spun lighting through Rick’s blood.

              “Habib?” Ardeth asked, and Rick realized he was gripping Ardeth’s arms tight enough to leave bruises. “Am I hurting you?”

              “No...Too good, Ardeth.”

              “Yes.” Ardeth agreed with a smile and then he leaned down and kissed Rick, their tongues sliding against each other in a duel that just stole what breath Rick had left. And it was more than he could do to think of anything but how good this all felt. Ardeth groaned low and deep in his throat against Rick’s lips and thrust harder into him once before Rick could feel the shudders that went through him and the heat deep inside as he came. And that was all it took to send him spiraling into ecstasy too. After what seemed like a really long time, Ardeth moved away a bit and helped him lower his legs to the bed. That made Ardeth slip free of him, leaving him feeling so damned empty just like the last time. He groaned more at the loss than the sting of sore muscles. Ardeth hugged him close, lying beside him and pulling him into his arms as he rolled onto his back so Rick’s head was on his shoulder. And that felt good too. Sometime later he felt Ardeth shift and stroke a gentle hand down his back. “Habib?”

              “Hmm?” He smiled a little, leaning against Ardeth a bit more, and draping one arm around his waist. “Yeah?”

              “I need to get up and get us something to wash off with, no? Otherwise we shall fall asleep like this.”

              “Yeah.” He hugged Ardeth tighter for a long moment though and then smiled again as Ardeth tilted his head up and kissed him. “Paradise again, huh?”

              “No doubt it is. Nothing could feel better.” Ardeth smiled, and hugged him just as close before getting up and walking over to the low table where the jug of water an the washing bowl were. Rick just laid there and watched him move. Soft gold sunlight filtered through the linen curtains and lightened the olive skin, making the tattoos even more of a stark relief. Ardeth wiped himself down first, which gave the sunlight even more to shimmer off of. Rick only smiled, recalling how Ardeth had looked in the baths here, dripping wet, the firelight shimmering across his skin.

              “I really wish we could go and share a bath you know. But I don’t think I could behave myself if we had to share the bathing room with any one else”

              Ardeth chuckled but it didn’t hide the blush any. “That may indeed be beyond either of us, habib. But I will go with you if you wish to go bathe then?”

              He thought about it for a moment. “Nah, don’t want to walk that far.” He decided. Then he closed his eyes as Ardeth came over to sit beside him on the bed. It was really nice to just enjoy the movement of the wet cloth of his skin, wiping him clean and then a soft drying cloth after that before Ardeth set it all aside and climbed back into bed with him pulling the sheets up around them both. “This is good.”

              “It is.” Ardeth agreed, pulling Rick back into his arms. “Later habibi I would very much like to have you inside me, hmm?”

              “Sounds fair.” Rick smiled and then just lay there enjoying the day and the still slightly odd comfort of being in his friend’s arms like this.

              Ardeth stroked his hand down Rick’s back. “Thank you, habib, for giving me joy enough to make the burdens worth bearing.”

              “Works both ways, Ardeth.”

              “Then I am thankful for that as well.”

              “Me too.” He put his hand over Ardeth’s heart and it was enough for now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

              Ardeth was still awake when Tahiri knocked and then peeked around the door. “Good day, Medjai.” She smiled.

              “Good day, Tahiri.” He smiled back, and surprised himself by not flushing at all. “How is your daughter today?”

              “She is fine.” That got another smile. “And you? Are you well, Medjai?”

              “Most assuredly. Do you think you could bring us lunch here?” He asked. “The high priest of AmmunRa said that he would be busy for the day and I think my brother and I shall simply stay here.”

              “I would think you foolish if you moved.” She giggled, and that did make him flush a bit. “I will bring you lunch. Is there anything else I can bring you, Medjai?”

              “Dolmas, melons, flatbread, dates, apples with honey, wine, and oil. Frankincense, please?” Rick put in before Ardeth could answer all in Egyptian with barely a trace of accent.

              Tahiri laughed again. “Did your brother teach you that?”

              “Nefertiri.” Rick answered with a smile, not moving from Ardeth’s arms.

              That made Tahiri’s eyes widen but she only shook her head and then nodded. “I will bring fresh coffee also, I think the water and karkaday should do you both. And you Ardeth? Shall I find anything special for you too?”

              “I can not think of anything my brother has not asked for, no.”

              “Cream.” Rick said that in arabic. “And any kind of berries they’ve got.”

              Ardeth rolled his eyes a bit. “You are impossible.”

              “I’m hungry.”

              “What does he want now, Medjai?” Tahiri giggled.

              Ardeth just translated the request, which made her laugh again. “I think you are fortunate to have such a lover, Medjai. And Nefertiri is fortunate to have such a husband. Truly, it may be that he is worth sharing to keep.” And she laughed again. “Bastet’s blessings to you both.” She went back out into the hall.

              “What did she say?” Rick asked. “You’re blushing.”

              “After that request you expect that I would do otherwise?” He shook his head. “She said I was lucky to have you for a lover.”

              “Really?” Rick smiled and then leaned up to kiss him long and slow. “I think I’m the lucky one, habib. But I’ll take the compliment.”

              He shook his head but smiled. “Do we want to bother to dress for lunch?”

              “Nope.” Rick smiled back. “We’ve got what maybe one day before we’re back at war? And even the days we haven’t had battles like the last one haven’t been exactly fun. So, we’re here, it’s as close to Paradise as either of us is getting in this lifetime. I’ve got Evie’s blessing to seduce you and the damned thing said it was going to leave us alone all day. I think we need to celebrate that.”

              He smiled, because likely Rick was right and they had precious little time to enjoy this love between them. “Then you will teach me more of how to be decadent?”

              “Sure.” Rick kissed him again and he pushed all the concerns aside and simply gave himself to the joy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

              Rick waited until Tahiri had come with the lunch they’d asked for and left again before he got out of bed to check on the food. And Ardeth was right about one thing, he was still sore but it really didn’t hurt either. Tahiri had apparently understood his intentions though because the food was in two baskets and there was a large bronze tray to set it all on, plus several wiping cloths and a larger sheet that could be used to spread out on the bed like a picnic blanket. “We have got to get her something really nice.” He smiled.

              “No doubt. Can I help?” Ardeth came over to stand beside him.

              “Sure, bring the karkaday and the wine okay, and a couple of goblets. I’ll get the water.”

              It took a bit of arranging but finally they had the three jugs of liquid on the table beside the bed, the food on the large platter except for the bread which was still in the basket. He and Ardeth were half-sitting on opposite sides of the tray, cross wise on the bed. “This is all for our lunch?” Ardeth looked over what was there.

              “Yeah.” Rick smiled and picked up one of the dolma and held it out. “Habibi?”

              Ardeth smiled back and took the stuffed grapeleaf in his teeth, licking softly at Rick’s fingers as he did. Rick just chuckled, because Ardeth really was picking all of this up so damned quick.

              “What amuses you?” Ardeth asked softly.

              “Just enjoying it, habib.” He shook his head.

              “Ah.” The smile was teasing now and lighted Ardeth’s normally dark brown eyes to something closer to hazel. “There has yet to be much between us that I have not enjoyed.” A pause. “As lovers that is. Sometimes being your friend can be a trial.”

              “Hey. Look who’s talking.” He grinned.

              “Hmm, very true.” Ardeth picked up one of the dolmas and held it out for him. So he took the invitation and bit into the still warm food, licking the last of the lemon juice from Ardeth’s fingers as he pulled back.

              “We will never manage to eat, you know if we keep teasing each other so.”

              “You’re pretty good at being stoic, Ardeth. You can manage.”

              “Now you want me to be stoic while learning to be decadent? I do not think that I can manage both.”

              “Sure you can, just resign yourself to the fact that your going to enjoy it a whole lot, despite the– lack of fulfillment.”

              Ardeth was silent for a second and then he only shook his head. “Allah grant me patience.” He picked up a slice of melon and took a bite offering Rick the rest. “And while we may drive each other to madness with the teasing first, habib, there will be fulfillment at the end, no?”

              “Eventually.” Rick smiled. It was really fun to just lie there and trade feeding each other bit of the meal. He mixed himself a goblet full of half karkaday and half wine and took a sip before offering it to Ardeth.

              “Do not let me drink too much, hmm? I will only fall asleep or get ill, and then where will the enjoyment be?”

              “I’ll be careful.” Rick promised and then took a sip and setting the goblet aside pulled Ardeth into a kiss so they could share the drink. Ardeth swallowed the sweet drink quickly, his tongue teasing Rick’s in a playful search for more. When they broke the kiss Ardeth took the goblet himself and returned the favor, sharing the wine laced hibiscus back with him. “That’s fun.”

              “Hmm.” Ardeth smiled a little, and then traced his jaw. “It is good that it is wine and not water though.”

              “Is it?” He wondered if that still bothered Ardeth some. He’d get the whole story later, of exactly what had happened between his capture and Adham’s rescue. “Why?”

              “Because you have already shared water with me so, habib. Which was a joy in itself. If I share it back with you according to some Bedouin traditions we shall be wed.”

              Rick just stared at him. “Really?”

              A chuckle. “Yes, although I suppose there too we are allowed leniency since you are not Muslim.”

              “You didn’t mention that when we were doing it.”

              “I was thinking of other things.” Ardeth shrugged a bit. “But best perhaps to share the wine instead.”

              “What you don’t want to marry me?” He smiled.

              Ardeth rolled his eyes. “My tribemates have tried for years to find me a wife. I can only imagine their reactions if I must inform them I have already married my shield-mate instead.” He chuckled. “You at least have a wife and son already.”

              “Hmm, better not tell anyone then, huh? Adham probably could kick my butt in a fight.”

              “Likely yes.” Ardeth leaned over and kissed him again. “We have not eaten your cherries and cream, habib, or the apples and honey, are we saving them for dessert?” 

              “You could say that, yes.” Rick moved the rest of the food out of the way, getting up to get them both a cup of coffee and bring that back to the bed. Ardeth took his with a small smile and an obvious question in his eyes. “Now that we’ve been decadent and had lunch in bed, I thought maybe I’d show you something else? All right?” He ran his fingers along the edge of Ardeth’s jaw liking the feel of the short beard.

              “Certainly.” Ardeth turned his head a bit and kissed Rick’s fingers.

              “Good.” He laid back down and took a long drink of the hot coffee. Then he picked up one of the pieces of apple and dipped it in the honey before holding it out to Ardeth with a smile. Ardeth smiled back, and then licked a little of the honey from the fruit and Rick’s fingers before taking the bite and swallowing. “Tease.”

              “I was attempting to yes.” Ardeth smiled a bit more.

              “Hmm.” Rick took another sip of coffee before Ardeth followed his move and offered him a piece of apple in return. It wasn’t hard at all to circle Ardeth’s fingers with his tongue and then carefully take the apple in his teeth and tug it from his friend’s hand to eat.

              “Bis’mil’Allah, you will have me embarrass myself yet.” Ardeth’s voice was a bit rough.

              “Tempting.” He set his coffee aside, taking Ardeth’s from him and then kissing him fully. And it was so much fun to kiss him like this when Ardeth so obviously enjoyed it. It didn’t take much to get him to lie back onto the mattress Rick propped mostly to one side and still sharing the same long hot kiss. Finally he pulled back and reached for another apple slice to dip into the honey, but only traced Ardeth’s lips with the honey and then licked it clean.

              “Rick.”

              “Like that, huh?” He smiled at the breathless sort of groan that surrounded his name and then put the apples on the floor and simply dipped his fingers in the honey and then traced a line of it across Ardeth’s collarbone before licking that clean as well.

              “I did not think you were serious.” Ardeth sighed. “About tasting the honey on my skin.”

              “Oh, I was, serious. Tastes good, too.” He took one of the cherries and dipped that in the cream before bringing it to his mouth and licking it clean while Ardeth stared at him. Then he smiled and ate it quickly. Ardeth growled something and kissed him, sharing the taste of the honey and the cream and the cherry all.

              “Allah that is nice.” Ardeth whispered as he laid back finally. Rick only nodded.

              “Thought you’d like that, yeah.” He picked up another and this time brought it to Ardeth’s lips. It was fun to watch the passion darken his eyes as he repeated Rick’s movements, licking the cream from both his fingers and the cherry before taking the fruit in one bite.

              “You taste good with cream.”

              He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Ardeth?”

              “Yes?” Ardeth smiled back and then flushed a bit, which made Rick realize that he knew exactly what that comment had sounded like.

              “You learn too quick.” He shook his head.

              “Do I?” Ardeth reached down to gather a bit of honey onto his own fingers and then traced Rick’s lips with them. Rick only smiled, licking at his fingers a bit and then sharing another kiss as Ardeth licked him clean. “Better with cream than honey I think.”

              “You do, huh?” He chuckled. “All right.” He took the honey himself and this time he poured a bit of it onto Ardeth’s chest licking it away and then moving up his throat to nibble at his ear finally. “I’ll use the honey for you, then.”

              “If it– gets me your lips and hands on me you may– paint me with it, hmm?”

              “Oh, now that’s tempting.”

              “Yes.” Ardeth chuckled. Rick sat back a bit and smiled as Ardeth took another cherry and dipped it in the cream a bit surprised when he only brought the fruit to his own mouth though. Not that watching him lick his fingers clean of the cream wasn’t as arousing as hell. And how in the world Ardeth managed to look so damned good lying there flushed and hot from their teasing and then still manage the shy look he gave Rick right before he leaned up enough to suckle lightly at one nipple, the cream and cherry still cool on his tongue was beyond Rick’s ability to figure out right now.

              “Oh Christ.” He groaned out the prayer. “We’re gonna make a mess.”

              “I hope so.” Ardeth released him long enough to gather more cream onto his fingers and trace them over Rick’s other nipple before sucking that clean too.

              Rick caught his hand and brought it to his lips licking the cream from his fingers in return. Then he pushed Ardeth back onto the bed and straddled his legs to pour some of the honey onto one nipple and returned the favor until Ardeth groaned. He moved the other side, liking the way Ardeth’s hands slid through his hair down his back and back up. And they were going to be a mess by the time this was over and he didn’t give a damn.

              “Rick, please, habibi?”

              “Hmm, yeah.” He wasn’t sure what he was agreeing too, but he didn’t really care either. So, he moved back a bit to pour the last of the honey in the dish in a long line down Ardeth’s chest to his stomach and then licked that away too.

              “Rick.” Ardeth’s voice caught on his name, turning the last of it into a groan and he smiled a little, because it sounded sexy as anything. He thought for a moment or two and then reached over to pick up one of the cherries left in the bowl and dip it into the cream before letting the excess cream drip from it and his fingers onto Ardeth’s cock. The startled exclamation that got wasn’t anything he could understand but it didn’t sound like a complaint either. He took the cherry in his mouth gave Ardeth a very teasing smile and then crushed the fruit against his teeth before using his tongue to smear it all along the head of Ardeth’s cock. He raised his head again to meet the heat filled brown eyes that were staring at him in disbelief and hunger and then went back to licking Ardeth clean. And it was hard for just a second sure to keep the difference firmly in mind that red cherry juice and cream was not blood and semen but the taste was nothing alike and he just closed his eyes and worked on making Ardeth groan.

              “Rick, habibi, please.” Ardeth gasped.

              He took a deep breath and then swallowed Ardeth all the way down. Liking the unsmothered moan that got. And he raised his head slowly to let Ardeth slip from his mouth before doing it all over again. He dipped his fingers back into the cream and left a wet sweet trail to follow along Ardeth’s balls and back which he licked away light as he could just to hear the moans that got. And it was as arousing as anything else he’d ever known the way Ardeth just opened to his touch when he teased just the tip of his finger inside and then replaced it with his tongue. This time when Ardeth let out a soft gasp of words it was in Arabic so he could follow the plea for more. He raised his head finally to look down at Ardeth for a second. The long dark hair was already getting tangled as he tossed his head from side to side, and that made Rick really wanted to just tangle his fingers in it and hold him still for as long a kiss as he could manage. But they were a bit past that now. He moved the last of the cream and cherries off the bed and picked up the bottle of oil Tahiri had brought them instead. And putting all the ghosts to rest must have done some good because all he really wanted to do was just slick the stuff over himself and bury himself to the hilt. But that wasn’t going to work either and he knew it. So he poured some onto his fingers and then slowly slid the first one inside.

              Ardeth tossed his head back, arching his back and pressing into Rick’s hand. And it was just really good to watch him enjoy it. “Look at me, Ardeth.”

              Dark brown eyes almost black now met his as Ardeth opened them. “Rick?”

              “Just look at me, hmm?” He moved so he was lying more next to Ardeth and Ardeth was on his side facing him. And it was a bit awkward until Ardeth shifted closer to slide his leg ontop of Rick’s. “That’ll help.”

              “Allah, I hope so. More, habib, please?” Ardeth pushed back a bit onto Rick’s finger.

              “Yeah.” He caught a quick kiss. “Feels so good to touch you like this.”

              “Not nearly, as good as it feels to be touched so.”

              “Maybe not.” He smiled and slid another finger into that impossibly tight heat. Ardeth groaned and tossed his head back, eyes closing again. Rick took the opportunity to lick at his throat and waited until Ardeth had relaxed a bit around his fingers before pulling back to look at him again. “Ardeth.” He really wanted to see Ardeth’s eyes when he did this.

              “Yes?” The word was a groan in Arabic.

              “Watch me, hmm?” He waited until the dark eyes met his before stroking his fingers deep and over the spot that made it all feel so good inside. Desire, excitement and something more than either filled Ardeth’s eyes and then he closed them again, obviously lost in the sensation, but it was easy enough to see the pleasure on his face anyway. So Rick just teased that spot again, several times until Ardeth was groaning and then he slid a third finger inside. Ardeth only pressed closer with a moan. And Rick could recall how that had felt for him, impossibly full but still good even around the little flashes of ache. Ardeth took a deep breath, obviously tense so Rick gave him the time he needed to relax into the touch again. “God you’re beautiful.”

              Almost dazed brown eyes met his. “And you. Now habibi?”

              “In just a second. I love seeing you like this.” And he meant it, so he stretched his fingers out so he could brush that sweet spot that was pure pleasure and watched it fill Ardeth’s eyes again, and again as he kept the light touch as constant as he could.

              “Now.”

              “Pushy.” He chuckled but he drew his fingers free and found the jug of oil again to smooth some over his cock, which was almost enough for him right there. So he took the moment to put the stopper back in the jug and set the oil aside and count to twenty in Hungarian just to be safe. Ardeth had rolled onto his back and Rick just watched him a moment longer. He ran his hands down along Ardeth’s legs to his knees and it took only a bit of time to get them settled against his shoulders with Ardeth’s help. “Look at me, habibi, please?”

              Ardeth nodded. “Rick, I...” Whatever he was going to say was lost in the groan he gave as Rick slid just the head of his cock into him. And Rick could see as much as feel the shudder that went with the groan. Ardeth tossed his head back again, gasping out something that might have been Rick’s name. Rick gave him a bit to relax, which gave him a bit to keep from just coming right then too, and then pushed deeper. Ardeth reached up and gripped his arms where they were braced on either side of them both. “Habib.”

              “Yeah, we are.” He managed. “God you feel so good.”

              “Hmm. And you.” Ardeth opened his eyes and Rick had to smile at the expression. “Now, habib? Make love to me?”

              “Thought I was.” He pressed a bit deeper, catching his breath sharply as Ardeth’s body only opened to his.

              “You feel so huge inside me, Rick. And so good.”

              “Yeah, I know.” It was like Ardeth’s cock was twice the size he knew it was when it was inside him the sensation was so strong. He slid that last bit forward until there was no where left to go. Ardeth’s eyes widened a bit and it was just perfect to see the pleasure and joy that filled his gaze. Rick took another second to get his own body under control and then pulled away to rock forward again. Ardeth gave a small gasp and then a groan as he did it again, shifting a bit so that he had more of Ardeth’s weight on his thighs and that was the right angle apparently because the next thrust made Ardeth moan louder. Rick smiled, and did it again and then again. Each thrust pressing his cock against that spot that just shattered Ardeth a little more each time. He wrapped his hand around Ardeth’s cock, trying to time the strokes with his thrusts so that they were both to the same tempo. Ardeth only shuddered and arched up into both, his hands gripping Rick’s thighs and pulling him closer, deeper than before and it tore a cry from them both.

              “Ad, Rick, tani mara.” Ardeth gasped and it took Rick’s brain a long moment to find the translation. Again. So he thrust again and again, losing himself in the rhythm and the sensations. And then there wasn’t room for even that much thought as the ecstasy caught him fast and he thrust up hard once more into Ardeth as he came. Ardeth gave a low cry of something Rick couldn’t follow and came all over Rick’s hand and between them. It took a long while for Rick to even think enough to lower Ardeth’s legs off his shoulders and ease out of his body. Ardeth moaned softly but only curled into Rick’s arms as he lay down beside him. Another long while and he could stroke his hand down Ardeth’s back. Then he found the wherewithal to reach down beside the bed with his other hand and pick the small washing cloths they’d been using for napkins earlier and wipe them both clean enough so that he could snuggle Ardeth fully into his arms and hold him close. Later he’d worry about wetting the cloth and doing it right. For now this was more than good enough.

              “How in the name of Allah can even Paradise be better than that?” Ardeth asked after a bit.

              Rick chuckled, and only tightened his arms. “Pretty hard to top that, yeah.”

              “Truly I do not think it can be done.” Ardeth shifted a bit so his head was more on Rick’s shoulder. “You will spoil me, habibi.”

              “You could use to be spoiled a little, Ardeth.” He stroked his hand down Ardeth’s back again.

              “Hmm.” A soft chuckle and then his breathing evened out with sleep. Rick smiled a bit more.

              “Ma Salaama, muHabb.” And he let himself doze off as well.

On to Section V: Isha

Back to Chapter 11

 

Maghrib:ToC

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