Maghrib
Chapter 9
Being woken for prayers was not nearly so bad when he had gone to sleep in Rick’s arms in Thebes and only been woken from the dream of sleeping by his uncle’s voice. He sat up with a sigh, still a bit bemused by being in his robes and not naked and very in need of a bath. “Thank you, Selim.” He pulled on his boots and gathered up his weapons before joining the other Medjai outside, leaving Jonathan and Alex to sleep for a bit longer. He had a great deal to thank Allah for this morning.
Rick, Evelyn, Alex, and Jonathan were all awake and having breakfast when he joined them. He found a smile for them all, without flushing any, and sat down, taking the cup of coffee his aunt handed him with a nod of thanks. “Good morning my friends.”
“Good morning, Ardeth.” Evelyn replied. Jonathan only nodded, as did Rick.
“Good morning.” Alex offered, surprisingly enough in Medja. Ardeth only chuckled.
“Well done. We will teach you Medja yet, nephew.” For some reason that made him very glad indeed.
“It’s fun. Kinda like Arabic only different.” Alex grinned. “Mohamed says I learn pretty quick.”
“Well he’s right about that. You get that from your mom.” Rick chuckled. “Me? Nah, I take forever to learn things.”
“Not when you want to learn them you don’t.” Evelyn put in. “You’re Egyptian’s getting better.”
“Well that’s a necessity. Sink or swim, sweetheart, since I’m stuck spending the night where no one but Ardeth, the damned thing, and occasionally you speak anything else.”
“I could translate for you.” Alex offered.
“It is a hard thing to learn, Iksa, that parents always wish to keep their children from facing danger when it is at all avoidable. Likely your father and your uncle would only worry so for you that they would not then watch their own backs and you would not want that would you?” Selim said quietly, before any of them had thought of an answer.
Alex sighed. “I guess not. But next time you all go can I go too? Then it won’t be just dad and uncle Ardeth to worry about me, huh?”
“We’ll see tiger. It might be okay.” Rick shook his head a bit. “Although you’re usually sound asleep before the rest of us. Learning to ride’s hard work, huh?”
“Yeah.” That made Alex smile. “But it’s fun. You gonna come watch us practice jumps today?”
“Sure.” Rick nodded. “Unless the German’s decided to do something stupid.”
“AmmunRa did say the battle would not come today.” Ardeth pointed out. “I think it will perhaps be tomorrow given what Anubis said to me. But it may be the day after.”
“It is good of the gods to give us warning, nephew, but I wish they were more forthcoming with the knowledge.” Selim sighed. “I am old and impatient I suppose.”
Ardeth smiled. “You are not alone on that uncle. Remind me will you brother mine to speak to Horus when we are next in Thebes? Or at least see if he will speak to me? I have questions that are best asked of a god of war.”
“Sure.”
“If you want I can ask Sekhmet, Ardeth. I’m not certain she’ll answer me either but she did say I should ask.” Evelyn said.
“I would be thankful certainly.” Although there were things he wished to speak to Horus about that he did not want Evelyn to know of yet. Such as what he should arrange to have happen to the shield and scepter the bright god had given him should he truly die in the battle to come. He would need to find a bit today to speak with Selim and Adham as well as the other leaders perhaps one to one would do better than council. Just to make certain he left nothing unfinished. It was odd to consider that the precautions were more necessity than only caution. “Will you all be at the training fields then? I must check with the commanders of the eleven tribes today and see what can be done to insure that we are as ready for battle tomorrow or the day after as we can be. Then after lunch I would like to go over those translations again Evelyn.”
“Certainly.” She nodded.
“Then while it is possible, let us enjoy our day.” He rose to his feet. “I will go check on Horus and speak to Arebe I think. Will you walk with me uncle?”
“Of course.” Selim got to his feet as well.
“Ma Salaama, Ardeth.” Evelyn smiled.
“And to you sister.” He smiled back. “I shall see you all later.” He walked toward the falcons’ perches, trying to think of what he wanted to say to his uncle.
“Is everything well, Ardeth?” Selim asked as they walked.
“As it can be.” He replied.
“Good.” Selim smiled a bit. “Let us see to Horus, hmm? And then you can tell me what it is you wish to speak of.”
Ardeth sighed. “Do you think the other commanders will choose you or Adham to lead the tribes until Ismail or Rihana’s son should she bear one, is old enough to be chieftain?”
His uncle was silent for a long moment. “I think it would be better to trust Allah will allow you to marry and father a son of your own, Ardeth.”
Ardeth smiled just a bit despite himself. “In’sh’Allah uncle. I know that. And if it is Allah’s will that I survive this war then I will do so, certainly. However, there is still the chance I will not. And there are things that must be dealt with by whoever takes my place if that is the case. I would see that they are spoken of.”
His uncle was silent for another while and then sighed. “I think they will choose Adham. I am too old to do so much riding as must be done to keep the tribes in contact. And he is Ismail’s father, so if Rihana does not bear a son it is best that his father hold the position until he is of age.”
“Then I shall speak to Adham. Now, will you do me the kindness of seeing that all my belongings are given to Rihana? Or if the war is not yet over after I join Allah in Paradise let Rick, Evelyn, Jonathan and Alex have the use of them until such time as they go back to England, and then see that they go to Rihana?”
“Yes, Ardeth. That I can do.”
“Good.” He smiled a bit. “And if it is not Allah’s will that I perish then will you do me the kindness of speaking to Amal and Azza and seeing which of their nieces might not be adverse to being the wife of the chieftain of the Medjai?”
His uncle looked at him for another long moment. “You will let my wives choose yours?”
“I would prefer if they told me who I might court without causing discontent, uncle. Leave me a small pretense at choosing my own wife, please?”
Selim smiled. “You are so much your father’s son, Ardeth.” The words came with a pat on his arm, a gesture that had not changed a great deal since he was a young man, he realized. And for some reason that meant a great deal this morning. “That is a task I do not mind seeing too.”
“Good. I told Adham to speak to Leila and see perhaps if one of her cousins or sisters might not be adverse to the marriage either. So perhaps amongst you all you can find me one or two.”
“Likely it will be more like twenty but I will speak to my wives.”
“Thank you.” He took Horus from his perch with a smile. “Good morning my friend. Have you eaten?”
Horus only looked at him for a bit and then walked up his arm to perch on his shield.
“I will be glad of your company, certainly. Do you know where Arebe went then?” He stroked the soft feathers that covered Horus’ breast with one finger. Horus glanced at him and then gave a chirp and flew over toward the main hearth of Arebe’s tribe.
“He is the most amazing falcon, nephew.”
“He is indeed. I think Arebe was right and it comes from being dead once.” Ardeth sighed. “But I am still thankful to have him back. I shall go and speak with Arebe, uncle. Why do you not spend this day before war with your family? And I will come and see you for lunch.”
“Bring Adham, Leila and the children and we shall enjoy the day we have been granted.” Selim agreed, clasping his shoulder tightly.
It sounded like a truly good idea. It took only a bit of time to find Arebe and to speak to him quietly about tending to Horus if he did not survive the battle. He had not doubted that his friend would indeed take care of Horus should it happen but it was good to have asked it openly. Arebe had only clasped his shoulder and told him he would be happier if Ardeth simply ducked faster. It made him laugh a bit and he promised to try before he went to find his cousin.
“Good morning cousin.”
“Haltu!” The girls managed in unison, and he had to try his best to catch them both as they ran over.
“Girls do not tackle your chieftain like Tuareg!” Leila said sharply, and Ardeth did his best to look unhappy with the tackling as he looked down at them both. “They are terrors.”
“They are children. But I suppose that could make them terrors, yes. Are you two not minding your mother then?”
“No haltu, we are minding. We are only glad to see you.” Numa smiled.
“Up haltu?” Khalifa held out her arms.
“Bis’mil’Allah, always you want up. Why is that?” He swung her up onto his hip and took Numa’s hand to walk back over to his cousin and Leila. Khalifa was stroking Horus’ feathers with a smile.
“So I can hug you, haltu.” She replied, doing just that.
“Ah, well then, that is not so bad a reason to pick you up, daughter of my cousin.” He squeezed her tightly. “But now you can get down so that I might talk with your parents, please?” He set her down.
“Ismail can you watch the girls please?” Leila asked.
“Yes mama, come on bratlings, we shall go and see the horses.”
“But Mama.”
“Go.” Ardeth made it an order. “I will come and see you when I am done.”
Khalifa pouted but she followed her siblings away from the fire.
“It is good they listen to someone.” Adham sighed. “They are terrors.”
“They are a joy.” Ardeth corrected. “We all must leave childhood behind, cousin, Allah forbid any of us do so before it is absolutely necessary.”
Adham reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “Well said, cousin. Now, will you speak to us of what it is that weighs upon you this morning?”
“Many things and nothing.” He shrugged. “AmmunRa tells me the battle will not come today, likely it will come tomorrow then or the next day. And so I am speaking to all the commanders of the tribes and seeing if there is anything else we can do to be more ready than we are.”
“Do you wish me to go and join the children, chieftain?” Leila asked.
“No, please stay. Truly, this battle will have as much an effect on the women and children of our tribes as our warriors as you are here with us now.” He found a smile. “And I am without my sister to speak for me amongst the women’s council or among the gatherings, Leila and so I must ask if you will tell to me if there is anything that I need to know of, or if that is too much impropriety only tell Adham and have him tell me.”
Much to his surprise she smiled and then leaned over and kissed his cheek. “That is the wisest thing I have every known you to say, Ardeth.”
He blinked, and then just looked at Adham. “Is it?”
“Likely. You have often kept yourself apart from the tribes, Ardeth even while you are among us, so it is good that you are thinking of the whole of your people and not just those of us who follow you to war.”
“I have always thought of us all, Adham, but it seemed best to let Rihana see to the women and children as I often make them nervous.”
“They do not know you, Ardeth. You are quite the mystery to most of us, even those who are your family. Rihana is more approachable. And most of us think that you are far to busy with defending us, Egypt, Hamanaptura and Ahm Shere to be bothered with trivialities like births, marriages, divorces, widowings and whether we have enough goats, horses, cattle and such.”
“If there are no marriages there are no children. If there is tension in a family due to divorce or otherwise it effects the tribe. If there are widows it means I have lost warriors or advisors who’s wisdom I might have needed. If there are widowers I have men who’s mind will never be on fighting. And if there is not enough livestock or supplies we will all starve and what tribes will I have to lead? All of that is just as important as who has the guard at Hamanaptura most nights, Leila.”
She smiled. “Then I will come to you with those things that need resolution beyond what any of the commanders can do themselves, Ardeth. Thank you.”
“It is nothing to thank.” He sighed. “Now I must ask you another favor.”
“If there is something we can do to aid you chieftain, only ask.”
“You are a fortunate man, cousin.” He offered to Adham with a smile.
“Yes.” Adham agreed, taking Leila’s hand and then much to Ardeth’s surprise kissing her fingers. Gestures of affection such as that were not all that common amongst his people in public. “What can we do for you cousin?”
“If it comes to pass that we all survive this battle to come, will you please Leila speak to your family and if it is possible as Adham teases me with, see if any of the women who are not wed might not be adverse to having me as a husband.”
They looked at each other in obvious surprise and Ardeth nearly chuckled. “Of course, chieftain. It is not a hardship to do so. Likely I could do that today if you wish.”
“After the battle.” He shook his head. “It may well be there will be no need. And I would not wish to burden anyone with worry that they might be married to the Medjai chieftain and then find that it was not even possible.”
“Do not slight your women so, Ardeth. They are as brave and as strong as any Medjai, chieftain. We will marry a man we wish to wed regardless of his title and bear what portion of the burdens you will share with us. Be you a chieftain or only one warrior amongst all, Ardeth, it makes a woman’s heart no lighter when you go to war.” Leila shook her head.
Ardeth only sighed. “Truly, my cousin is a fortunate man to have such a wife, and I a fortunate chieftain to have such a blessing amongst my people.”
She blushed just a bit. “I did not mean to be rude.”
“There is little rudeness in truth, Leila, only not politeness sometimes.” He shrugged. “And now to my last favor of you both.”
“Yes?” Adham smiled a bit. “You are full of favors today, Ardeth.”
“I am.” He agreed. “This I am afraid falls to you, Adham. I have spoken with Selim, and he agrees as I do, that if it comes to pass that I do not survive this battle tomorrow or the day after that you will be burdened with the title after me.”
Leila said noting only gripped Adham’s hand visibly tighter.
“I do not wish to be chieftain, Ardeth.”
“Nor do I wish to leave you such a burden cousin, but I have no recourse now. We both know that if Rihana is not blessed with a boy to follow me, and I father none of my own then the line reverts back to you.” He glanced toward where the three children had gone. “And Ismail is so young yet.”
Adham nodded. “It is not a burden I want, but it is one I have expected you would shoulder me with, yes. However, I shall pray to Allah with my whole heart, cousin that he grants you time for my wife to find you a wife of your own and father such terrors as I put up with daily.”
Ardeth smiled. “In’sh’allah, Adham, I hope so too.” He relaxed a little. “And if possible please see to the survivors of Ahmer’s tribe will you both? I am concerned yet for them.” He asked, thinking mostly of Sana.
“Of course.” Leila nodded. “If you like, I can gather them together so that you can speak with them and assure yourself that they are well.”
“That would ease my mind, yes. Thank you Leila.”
“It is nothing. Is there anything else we can do to ease your burdens, Ardeth?”
He smiled a bit more. “Bring the terrors of the eleventh tribe to join me, and my guests at my uncle’s hearth for lunch? I must speak to a few of the other commanders and then I am going to go and see to Mohamed’s training and Alex’s.”
“We would be happy too.” Adham nodded. “I will come join you to see the boys then in a bit.”
“I would enjoy the company.” He rose to his feet. “Thank you both, again. Ma Salaama.”
“Ma Salaama, Ardeth.” Adham returned. He nodded and left them there to find their own peace with the burdens he had given them, and went to make certain his other commanders were well and their tribes as ready for war as could be. He smiled as Adham came to walk with him toward the training area.
“It was good of you to wait for me, cousin.”
Adham waved the thanks aside. “It will give us a chance to speak plainly. It is good certainly to have contingencies should we, Allah forbid, lose you in battle cousin, but it seems that there is more to this than that.”
He shrugged. “It is nothing definite, cousin. Only that I am certain that not all four of us who stand as champions to the gods will survive this. It may not be me that falls at all. Allah willing it will by He who shall not be named, and I will have no worries as he is already dead. But, likely I think it will be me, or Rick, or Evelyn. So I must make contingencies for it being me.”
Adham sighed. “I love my wife, Ardeth, so I can not wish upon O’Connell the pain of losing the woman he obviously loves as well as I love Leila. But I do not wish to lose you either. It would burden my heart with far more grief than I can tell. Nor do I have words for what a loss it would be too the tribes as a whole. And yet in good conscience I can not hope that it is O’Connell that we lose, because I would not wish to deprive his wife of her husband, his son of a father, or you of....”
Ardeth looked over at his cousin and smiled just a bit. “Someone who makes me smile?” He offered.
“Not what I was looking for no, but it will do I suppose.” Adham smiled back. “Apparently, cousin, I should have broadened our...adventures when we went to Cairo being young and foolish hmm?”
And it was all he could do not to flush. “Adham.”
A strong hand clasped his shoulder. “Give me a term you are comfortable with, Ardeth and I will use it. No matter what you would define your relationship as. He has brought you joy and taken the fear from your eyes and for that he has my thanks.”
Ardeth gripped his cousin’s hand. “Thank you, Adham. It is truly a gift that you have accepted the friendship and more than friendship that Rick and I share, cousin. I would– be at a loss indeed without your support.”
“Do not be foolish.” Ahdam squeezed his shoulder, tightly before letting go. “I am only happy that you have found a bit of happiness yourself, cousin.”
Ardeth nodded and then glanced about, while there was no one within hearing distance he wanted to insure that it stayed that way so he headed past the last of the tents but away from the training area for now. Adham only walked with him and did not question. Ardeth found a spot amongst the dunes to gaze back toward the Nile. “I find myself wanting to thank you for something I have not even thought of in nearly twenty years now, cousin.”
“That is a long time indeed. What did I do when I was fifteen or so then that you would thank me for now?”
“I was fifteen you were eighteen.” Ardeth replied.
“Ah.” Adham clasped his shoulder again. “That was indeed a long time ago. What makes you think of it now?”
“Knowing the joy that comes from love and not the horror of being forced face down in the sand and taken.” He gave it baldly.
Adham’s hand gripped his shoulder tightly and then his cousin only pulled him into his arms, surprising Ardeth a bit. “You have never once spoken of that.”
He sighed, but hugged Adham back for a long moment and then pulled away to sit down on the dune and gaze back toward Ahm Shere. “It is not until recently that I even understood that they meant to– do any more to me than kill me, cousin.” He shrugged.
“Thanks be to God.” Adham sat beside him. “I– was never certain how to ask you know.”
He smiled. “No, in many ways I am glad that you did not. Because I think it would have been a greater fear to overcome had I realized how close I came to being forced just before you arrived. So I thank you again for the rescue, Adham.”
“Hmm. I could have done it better.” Adham shrugged. “But we both survived it and that is what counts.”
“You lost more than I. The broken bones healed.”
“I lost an eye. It no longer bothers me. You came close to losing your life or worse, cousin.” Adham sighed. “You would have not wanted to live I do not think. Numan did not.”
That took Ardeth a minute. “He was too badly beaten to survive the trip back, Adham.”
“In part. But he was too ashamed too I think. Which was foolishness, as if any of us would have ever thought less of him.”
Ardeth blinked. “They raped him?”
“Yes.” Adham’s voice was low and a bit rough. “You were too far gone yourself I think to know, cousin. I– was always a little afraid that...But you would have told me, I think.”
“They did not rape me.” Ardeth gave it plainly with no politeness or propriety. “Allah be thanked I have never known that horror.”
“Al’hamdil’Allah.” Adham sighed. And Ardeth did not doubt for a moment that the thanks to God was genuine.
“Yes.” He squeezed Adham’s arm tightly. “I would not keep such secrets from you, cousin.”
“Good. You do know I would think none the less of you, nor be any less willing to follow you onto Paradise or hell, Ardeth? Not then and not now?”
“I do.” He agreed. “It was only a threat made cousin, no more than that.”
“Enough to haunt your eyes so is more than a threat.”
Ardeth sighed and then looked back to Ahm Shere. “He pushed me to the bed, kissed me as if I was his to claim with his fingers buried in my hair and his tongue down my throat. It was the worst moment of fear I think I have ever known, truth be told. But he has never pushed farther and the gods themselves have told him he can not. So, I am– safe enough I think. Now he has barely touched me since– Rick and I have become more than friends.”
“Then that is enough reason to thank O’Connell myself. I will help you kill it, Ardeth when this war with the Germans is over.”
He shrugged. “It is not so bad as that, Adham. That is only the worst of it and most often he is a good host if annoying in his teasing of me. And he has been an invaluable ally in this. So, I can bear knowing he desires me as long as he keeps his hands to himself.”
“You place to little value on your own worth, cousin.”
“I am Medjai, Adham. We all have very little sense of self-preservation you know.”
“True.” Adham chuckled. “Come, we will go back to camp and watch my son and your nephew or whatever term I should use for young Alex. And I will be glad to know that O’Connell watches your back and more when I am not there to do so.”
Ardeth smiled a little and walked with his cousin toward where the boys were training.
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“Rick, Jonathan, how is the training going?” Ardeth’s voice came from behind them.
Rick glanced over at him and Adham as they walked up to join Jonathan and him by the edge of the training field. “Not bad. They’re getting pretty good.”
“Your son is quite a horseman, O’Connell. Mohamed and the others have been on and about horses since they could walk but Alex does as well as most and better than some.” Adham put in.
“Yeah.” Rick had to smile. “He’s really enjoying it too. Thanks for lending him the horse, Ardeth.”
“He is my nephew, Rick. The gift of one horse is not more than I can spare.” Ardeth chuckled. “Although it might be hard for you to arrange transporting Lesha back to England after the war.”
“If we’re going back to England.” Jonathan sighed. “I do wish we knew how France is doing against the Nazi’s you know. I mean then Maginot line should hold but, I’m still a bit loathe to trust the French not to have mucked it up somehow.”
Rick had to laugh.
“What is this Maginot line you speak of?” Ardeth asked.
“The French have a line of fortresses and trenches and all sorts of defenses along the border between them and Germany in case they invade.”
“Ah.” Ardeth was silent for a bit. “This line it will not hold you do not think?”
“I think you need more than forts, you need cavalry and infantry and a few hundred tanks of their own would be good. But they’ve sunk everything into this line. And it isn’t as if you can move the bloody thing if the Germans get around it.”
“Hadn’t thought of that.” Rick agreed. “So if the German’s get through in Belgium then it isn’t like they can’t turn around and shoot the French in the back is it? The cannon only face east.”
“Right.”
“That does not seem like a sound plan to me. I have more faith in being able to circle around behind my enemies and cut them down.” Adham shook his head.
“We are horsemen, cousin, we are used to that sort of fighting.”
“When you think about it, it worked against those tanks the other day. Granted it was you, me, Evie, and the damned thing doing most of the skirting around behind, but Ahdam and Husan maned the walls so to speak, the horsemen took out most of the infantry and that left us to deal with the tanks. If we’d made one line and tried to just defend it we’d have been blasted to bits.”
“True.” Ardeth was silent for a bit longer. “What we need then is more ways to damage those tanks.”
“Think you can get Horus to give us an idea on that?”
“Possibly.” Ardeth smiled and watched the boys ride for a bit. “Do you feel adventurous cousin?”
“Allah preserve me, do I want to feel adventurous, Ardeth?”
“Certainly. It will do the boys good I think to see how such jumps should be done. And I for one am going to forget how to ride so if I keep using the grace of Horus for my travels. Let us see if Asyd can use the help.”
“The boys will want to show off for you, you know.” Adham put in.
“Then I will be suitably impressed by their achievements.” Ardeth smiled a bit more. “It is not so hard a part of my title to bear my friend. They will Allah willing be my scouts and soldiers someday Adham. The least I can do is encourage them to learn well.”
“No doubt. Very well then, cousin we shall go and get horses.”
“Afterwards we can go and check on the patrols I think. There should be time. Then after lunch we can look over those translations and add the two new riddles I have Evelyn” He added.
“New riddles?” Evelyn asked.
“When can a trap be to the advantage of the prey and not the hunter.” He offered in Egyptian. “And I am to think about how my actions may have the opposite effect of what I truly desire.”
“Those aren’t any more help are they. Maybe if we just put them all together as one big riddle? Write them out in hieroglyphics and see it the symbols might mean something else entirely?”
“It is always possible I suppose.” He had no real idea himself.
“Hmm.” She sighed.
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“Ardeth!” He turned as one of his warriors came riding over the dunes. “Germans!” The young man pointed behind him.
“Allah hama ‘ana.” He drew his scepter. “Horus, fly to camp, get Rick and Evelyn.” He launched his friend to the sky and put his shield into place. “Adham, cousin, ride back to camp, get Hussan and your weapons ready for battle.”
Adham looked at him for a moment and then gripped his arm for a moment. “Come back to us safe, Ardeth.”
“In’sh’Allah. Go.” He smiled a bit as he ordered it though and Adham nodded. “Allah grant us victory, Adham.”
“Allah hamana.” Adham nodded. God protect you and rode back toward Ahm Shere. Ardeth took a moment to make eye contact with the twenty warriors he had there. “Allah grant us victory, my friends.”
“Allah hamdas aha.” They returned. He wheeled his horse back the way the rider had come from to lead the charge, having to reign the horse in a moment later as a swirl of sand resolved itself into Ammun’s High Priest.
“You would do better with something to cloak your arrival, Medjai.”
“No doubt, I would be thankful for the aid.” He returned in Egyptian. “But we must hurry. I do not know that I can carry twenty men that far with only the grace of Horus to do so.”
“If Horus is kind getting them back to camp may not kill you, no.” Imhotep replied. “The Germans are five leagues that way. Shall we go?” And the man was gone in a whirl of sand which grew into a wall and swarmed forward.
“It is unnerving to have him here, chieftain. But I am glad for the cover.” One of the younger warriors spoke up.
“Very true.” He agreed. “Y’Allah.” He heeled his horse and they charged into the upcoming battle.
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“You’re getting good at that.” Rick smiled as Alex pulled his horse to a stop by where he, Evie, and Jonathan were watching the young men train.
“Thanks dad. It’s fun. But it’s hard work.”
“Well you’re going to better at it than I am soon.” He shook his head.
“Really? Do you think so?”
“Your father’s a decent horseman, Alex, but he’s never been trained like this.” Evie put in. “So you just might.”
“Wow. Then will you teach me to shoot, dad?”
Rick found a smile somehow. “You’re a bit young for that still, tiger. But we’ll see about maybe trying skeet shooting when we get back home.”
“That would be a bit of fun.” Jonathan agreed. “I could use the practice.”
“Skeet shooting.” Evie raised one eyebrow.
“It’s not like I wasn’t learning it when I was Alex’s age, Evie, and I turned out all right.” Jonathan said before Rick could answer.
“Hmm.” She didn’t sound convinced.
“Would you teach me, uncle Jon?” Alex asked with a smile.
“If it’s all right with your parents, I’d be happy too. I used to win all sorts of trophies you know. Might be you could win a few too.”
And Rick reminded himself to thank Jonathan for that, because not only did it get him off the hook, but it gave Evie some other connotation for Alex learning to shoot except for killing.
“Do you think so, mum?”
Evie smiled a bit. “Well, I don’t see the harm in it if it’s only shooting at skeets. But don’t you dare go duck hunting or some such.”
“Blech. I hate duck.” Alex made a face.
“Best reason not to shoot at them.” Rick laughed. “Don’t forget to water your horse, sport.”
“Right.” Alex nodded and rode off to do just that.
Evie snuggled up under his arm. “He’s growing up so fast, Rick.”
“I know.” He agreed. “But we’ll keep him safe, Evie.”
“I won’t teach him too shoot if you don’t want me to, old mum.” Jonathan put in quietly.
“Oh, I don’t know, Jon. He’s just going to want to learn it even more if I don’t let him. And it isn’t as if Rick and I don’t both know how to handle guns too. And if he’s going to learn, I’d like him to learn it for something fun, like winning trophies and not for...” She sighed.
“Killing undead pygmy cannibal things?” Jonathan supplied. “Nasty things those.”
“Well yes. They were.” Evie agreed. “Skeets don’t shoot back at least.”
“Always a good option when you’re twelve.” Rick smiled. “Skeets it is.”
A screech from over head caught his attention a moment before the falcon came streaking down to land unerringly on the leather bracer he wore on his wrist, that was around Evie’s shoulder. “Horus.” Evie ducked out of his arm to look at the bird. “Did Ardeth send you? Silly question of course he did.”
The falcon put both wings out, nearly touching her cheeks and gave such an odd croon Rick could only stare at it.
“Let’s get our weapons again and get to wherever it is Ardeth needs us to be.” Evie sighed.
“Alex, kiddo, your mom needs her medallion. Asyd you’d better get the Medjai ready to battle.” Rick called over to the group of boys and their teacher.
“As you say.” Asyd nodded and Alex rode back over with the medallion in his hand. Evie took it with a small smile and kissed him on the forehead.
“Mom.”
“Be safe hmm? Jon?”
“I’ll stay here with him, Evie.”
“Thank you.” Rick clasped his brother-in-laws shoulder and then tossed Horus into the air as he’d seen Ardeth do and took off to get his armor. Evie was waiting for him when he got out of the tent, along with Adham and Selim and a few of the other Medjai, already mounted. Horus came circling back to land on his arm again. “You going to show us which way to go, Horus?” Somehow he didn’t feel at all silly talking to the bird.
Horus flapped his wings and then headed south west. Rick took the horse one of the Medjai was holding for him, the armor safely in it’s tarps and stuffed into the backpack he’d adapted for it. He noticed Evie had at least her book with her and that Sallah had the other two. God willing they wouldn’t need the book of the dead. Once they cleared camp he reigned his horse to a stop and put the armor on. It was easier to cover the distance that way. Evie had done the same and he found a smile for her as they ran on ahead of the horsemen behind them. It didn’t take long to find Ardeth though, because the sandstorm raging about was a pretty good giveaway. “Gangs all here!” He yelled over the wind.
“I hate when I’m glad to see him.” Evie tossed back and then it was into the maelstrom to strike at anything that looked like someone besides the Medjai.
Three shots came at him in quick succession, none of them hitting the shield, but somehow being deflected all the same. It was kind of odd to just have bullets bounce away about an inch from his skin though. But he wasn’t going to knock it either.
Another few dozen shots and he was in the middle of the battle. Several Medjai horses lay dead on the sand and more than a few of the Medjai were wounded. “Can you read something out of that to help?” He called to Evie over the din of the sand.
“Englander.” The word came from behind him and he turned just as one of the Germans took aim and fired the pistol in his hand straight at him. Rick couldn’t help but flinch, but the bullet never hit and he found a smile. And swung his shield around catching the man across the face. He was probably dead before he hit the ground.
“Egyptian, beloved.” Evie yelled at him in the same language. And it was almost funny to hear her use that word instead of Ardeth. You are so nuts, O’Connell. He told himself and turned back to the fighting. But the Medjai had it seemed held their own for the most part with the help of Imhotep at least because the shooting had died down considerably. Finally the crazy wind stopped.
“Princess, brother, thank you.” Was all Rick got from whatever Ardeth said to him and Evie as he came over. Then he turned as the sandstorm coalesced into the damned thing. Whatever Imhotep said Rick couldn’t follow but Ardeth asked something about the Germans and the damned thing turned to scan the area about.
“Chieftain!” Sallah rode over and handed Ardeth the book of Vengeance. Ardeth nodded and flipped to whatever he was looking for and began to read. And Horus gave a shrill cry from overhead and there was a flash of light and three German soldiers were on the sand in front of them. Rick put his sword away and drew his shotgun instead.
One of the three drew himself up and turned to look at the men gathered about. Then he nodded once and turned to him. “Glukwunsche, Englander.” Rick was pretty sure that meant congratulations or something like it.
He looked over at Ardeth who asked something else of the damned thing. Whatever it was the answer was no. Ardeth looked back over at him and nodded.
“English?” He asked.
“Some.” The man replied. “Kaptain Albert Schwarz, German Army.”
“Kaptain. Your men, and you are our prisoners.”
Silence for a bit. “Ja.”
“Put your weapons down.” He suggested.
The man considered that and then gave an order to his men. Rick noticed that Ardeth moved his shield a bit, Evie readied one knife to toss, and Imhotep only watched probably ready to slam all of them to the ground if necessary. The Medjai raised their guns and waited. But the Germans only let their pistols fall to the sand.
“Ardeth?” He looked over at his friend. “I’ll translate what I can if you need me to. But I think he speaks enough English.”
“I am told he speaks Arabic as well.” Ardeth nodded.
“Your– translator?” The German asked him.
That took Rick a second. “What?”
“Translator? Ubersrungder? Motargim fowree?” From English to German to Arabic.
“If you need me too.” He agreed.
“He does not expect you to translate for me. He expects that I am to translate for you.” Ardeth shook his head a little. “No doubt, you are the one in charge.” There was a small smile to the words. “Inglizi always are.”
“Me?” Rick looked at him in surprise. “Sorry, Captain. He’s in charge. I’m just here.”
“You lead these men?” The German asked in Arabic, obviously at a loss.
“I do.” Ardeth replied calmly. “This surprises you, Captain?”
Silence. “And why then do you follow the Englishman into war with the Reich?”
“You have killed our people and invaded our lands. I do not have to have the English to tell me I should kill you for it.”
“I have no quarrel with your people. They are simply in the way of our objective. Take them elsewhere and we will leave you be.”
“You would have a better time arguing with the desert, than to convince them to go anywhere.” Imhotep put in with a smile. Ardeth gave him a look but said nothing.
“We are Egypt’s defenders, Nazi. We shall go no where else until your armies leave our lands.” Ardeth’s voice was calm, and cool in a way that Rick almost envied. He had a pretty bad feeling this wasn’t going to go well.
“Do your men speak Arabic or English, Captain?”
“No. Neither of them.” The man replied.
“Then I will make to you the same offer you made to my men. Tell me what I wish to know and I will release them.”
Dark green eyes met and locked with Ardeth’s for a long time. “And why should I believe you?”
“You have my word.”
“To Allah?” The man returned, so he did know more about them than the language.
Ardeth nodded once. “My word to Allah, answer my questions and I will release them.”
“That would depend on the question.”
“Why does Germany invade Egypt?”
“This is not Egypt, this is the Sudan.” The German answered.
“Do not insult me Captain. What brings you here?”
“Orders.” The man replied. “I am only doing as commanded.”
Ardeth took a step closer. “Answer the question, or I will repeal the offer and your men will suffer with you.”
The German was silent. “I can not tell you that.”
Ardeth nodded and a coldness Rick hadn’t seen him use in more than a dozen years now settled about him. “Ride back to camp, Adham, and tell Arebe and Kahid that I shall gift them and their brothers with one of the men who staked them in the sun to die.”
“As you wish, chieftain. But leave one for me, please?” Adham’s tone was low and Rick could only imagine the look on the scared man’s face.
“Then ride quickly.” Ardeth answered.
“My men do not speak Arabic or English. It will do you no good to torture them.” The German Captain said with just as much coldness.
“Will it not? They are your men. Likely you will wish to spare them more than yourself, no?” Ardeth shrugged. “Regardless they are– collateral toward your behavior.”
“Do you expect me to betray my country for the sake of two men?”
Ardeth met the man’s eyes again. “No. Allah willing I thought it so easy. Did you think my men would betray us when you staked them out to die in the sun?”
Silence. “No.”
“No. Then we understand each other, Captain.” Ardeth shrugged. “Sister, will you do me the kindness of seeing to our wounded and getting them back to camp?”
“Of course, chieftain.” Evie nodded as if she always took orders from Ardeth so easily. “Will you help me Sallah?” She looked over at him and Rick met her eyes with all the support he could. This wasn’t going to be anything Evie needed to ever see.
“Of course.” Sallah followed her a bit away to where the wounded were. Ardeth waited until the wounded were healed and onto horses and Evie and Sallah had gone with them back to camp.
“Now. I will ask you again. What brings you to Egypt?”
“No.”
“Do you wish to go join your wife?” Ardeth asked. And it took Rick just a moment to realize Ardeth was talking to him.
Rick considered it for a moment, but he wasn’t leaving Ardeth to do this alone. “No.” He thought for a moment and then gave Ardeth what support he could in words. “If I can be of help, chieftain, I will stay.” He offered it in the most polite form of Arabic he knew.
Ardeth looked over his shoulder and then nodded. “Thank you.”
“Allah hamdas aha.” Rick nodded.
“In’sh’Allah.” Ardeth answered before turning back to the Germans.
“Will you leave us to die in the sun then?” The Captain asked.
“No. That I will not do. I am a reasonable man, Captain. Give me some sort of answer and allow your men the chance to live. I know why you are here, Captain. I only seek conformation.”
“Then ask me that and I will answer with whether you are right or not.”
“Very well. You have come in search of the Oasis of Ahm Shere, which is no more. You seek the Pyramid of the Scorpion King and the treasures within, the gold and the ancient magic. Correct?”
The man took a deep breath and then nodded once. “Correct.”
“Take these two to the river, give them two waterskins there and let them find their way back to their people.” Ardeth indicated the other two Germans. “Now, Captain, tell me what it is Germany knows of Ahm Shere.”
“You have my gratitude for releasing my men.”
“No doubt. You will not tell me anything else then?”
“No.”
“That is where you are wrong.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Selim watched as their German prisoner was finally beheaded. The man had been stubborn, and Selim could appreciate the man’s courage even while he abhorred the lengths they had had to go to in order to get their answers. He had to give O’Connell credit, for the American had stayed by them for the whole grisly business, only leaving once to make certain Evelyn was indeed far away from their questioning. By the end when the man had been speaking only German, O’Connell had been the only one who could at least partially understand his answers. But the Captain had been far more stubborn than any of them had expected and it had been horrid work to get the man to talk. And even then they’d gotten precious little information actually.
Ardeth was as grim as Selim had ever seen him, having refused to let the questioning fall to others as he should have done. His nephew was not a cruel man by any stretch of imagination and the pain it caused him to be so was obvious to anyone who knew him. Which brought him back to O’Connell, because it was very obvious to Selim at least that the American had stayed only to offer Ardeth support and not for any other reason. And it was also just as obvious that more than once the man had wanted to reach over and offer that support physically and only stopped himself by force of will.
It was that managing to keep himself in check that had helped Selim decide that he would be content with Ardeth’s rather unprecedented relationship with his friend. Allah grant of course that none of the other commanders found out except Adham, who already knew as well, and had obviously decided he was not going to press either of the young men over it. “It seems I am no longer needed, Medjai, your warriors are well, and your enemies defeated.” The cursed priest spoke from where he had been standing for the last while.
“As you say. I am thankful for the aid.”
“As we must do for the safety of Egypt, and our gods wish us.” The thing answered. “I shall speak with you later in Thebes, Medjai.”
“In’sh’Allah.” Ardeth replied. And with a swirl of sand the creature was gone.
“I think perhaps our ancient foe has the right idea, chieftain. Let us see the horses and the Germans buried and go back to the tribes.” He suggested.
“There is logic in that.” Ardeth agreed. “Thank you, my friend, for being willing to help us translate.” He turned to O’Connell.
“Wasn’t much help.” The young man disagreed. “He might have said something important that I didn’t get.”
“I doubt that.” Ardeth started to reach over and squeeze his– friend’s shoulder and then stopped, obviously realizing the blood on his hands. “Why do you not see the armor safely away, Rick? And I will see that the Germans are buried as Selim suggests and then I need to wash up no doubt.” Something odd passed through Ardeth’s eyes though. “It is easier to wash off my own I think.”
“Always is, Ardeth. It always is. I’ll go put the armor away and check on Evie and Alex, why don’t you come join us when you’re done, huh? It’ll be nearly nightfall I think.”
“Likely.” Ardeth nodded. “I shall see you for dinner then, my friend, after prayers.” Ardeth turned away, quickly, not doubt to keep from reaching for the support O’Connell so clearly wanted to offer. Adham caught his eyes and he nodded stepping over to Ardeth while Adham said something quietly to O’Connell. The American sighed but nodded once and then went to put his armor away. With a sigh of his own, Selim picked up one of the shovels and began to help bury the dead. When the men were covered he turned back to Ardeth as his nephew headed over to where more Medjai were burying their dead horses.
“The men can see to this, Ardeth. What had to be done is done. Come, I will ride with you back to camp.” He put his hand on Ardeth’s arm.
“You will get bloodied, Selim.”
“It will wash out.” He replied and kept his hand on Ardeth’s arm. “Let the rest of us earn our standing in the tribes now, chieftain. Before we think we are useless.”
“You have never been useless, Selim.”
He patted his nephew’s arm. “It is good that you think so, Ardeth.” But he led him away from the dead Germans and back toward camp. “It is good that O’Connell was here to help us with the translations.” He offered as they rode.
“It was. But Allah must know I never wished to have to ask him to witness such as that.”
“No doubt. But he stood it well. He is a brave man, Ardeth. And you could not ask for a better friend.”
“Likely I could not no.” Ardeth agreed quietly.
He thought for a bit. “I think even your father, may he rest in peace with Allah, would have let one of the other commanders question the German. It is not an easy task.”
“Torture, Selim. If I am to use the word for what they do to us, I am not about to pretty up what we did to them.” Ardeth’s voice was rough.
“Very well then. It is horrible when it is done, no matter the cause. It is not the first time we have done so as a people, Allah grant it is the last, but you know as I do, chieftain, that our duty to protect Egypt must come above all else. Considering our most unusual ally was there as well I suppose that proves it, does it not?”
“He offered to help make the German talk you know, our most unusual ally. Likely he could have scared the man to death if he had tried.”
“Likely.” Selim agreed. “Would that Rihana was here, Ardeth. She would help you bathe and put you to bed and make certain you were well.”
“In’sh’Allah she is far from such as this and well with her new child.” Ardeth sighed.
“In’sh’Allah.” Selim agreed. Then he found a small smile. “Well, your sister is not here, so she can not help you bathe, and it would be a bit unseemly for Evelyn to do so as she is not your sister by blood. And you have no wife to console you. So– perhaps you would do best to let O’Connell help you instead.”
Ardeth was silent for a moment. “I am quite able to bathe myself, Selim.”
“True.” He nodded. “But that is not nearly the comfort the other would be. Nor the purpose, which is to make you feel less soiled in spirt and not just in body.”
A bit more silence proceeded Ardeth’s next reply. “It seems a foolish thing to ask a friend’s aid in does it not, Selim? Likely he will be with Evelyn in any case.”
“Perhaps.” Selim nodded. “But I think he would aid you if you asked, Ardeth. As he tried so hard to aid you today. He is an odd man, not at all what I expected an American to be, but I am not the least bit dishonored to have him as part of my family.” They reigned their horses to a stop and left them to be tended by the boys who ran to help.
“It is kind of you to say so, Selim.” Ardeth told him, looking a bit uncertain.
“It is only truth, Ardeth.” He reached over and gripped his nephew’s arm again. “Go and wash, I will send O’Connell to you when I find him. Likely he will be looking for you anyway.” He smiled just a bit, so Ardeth would know he was not angry. “If he can not soothe some of the horror from your eyes, Arda, he is not the man I think him to be.”
Ardeth blinked and then just stared at him in what might have been confusion. “Uncle?” It was a soft question in Egyptian, conveniently cutting them off from any other Medjai who came too close.
“Yes, nephew?” He replied with another smile. “I am too old now, Ardeth, to be foolish about such things. It may be for the best, considering. Go and bathe and I will find your– shield-mate and tell him where you have gone to.”
Ardeth’s hand settled over his and squeezed his fingers. “Thank you.”
“Hmm.” He nodded. “But you still need a wife.”
That got a slight smile. “No doubt. In’sh’Allah, uncle I can do no other.”
“Thanks be to Allah for that.” He tightened his hand on Ardeth’s arm and then went to find O’Connell as he had said he would.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Do you want to talk about it, love?" Evie asked as she eased the double holster off Rick's shoulders and set the guns aside.
"No." Rick shook his head. "How many Medjai did we loose?"
"Two." She frowned a bit as he let her push him to the pallet of blankets and begin to rub his shoulders. Thinking of how he had done much the same for her yesterday. The muscles in his shoulders were tensed almost solid. "Everyone else is fine." She pressed harder.
"That's good." He leaned back a bit. "God, I'm tired, Evie."
"Was it very bad?" She asked softly.
"Yeah. It was." He shuddered under her hands. "I should go wash up, before Alex get's back and we need to have dinner." He looked down at his own hands, and then wiped without any effect at all at the blood on his shirt.
"There's a bit of time." She rubbed harder at the knots she was finding. "Do we know why they're here then? For gold or Anubis' army or what?"
"Both. All of it. The pyramid, the Scorpion King, all of it." Rick shook his head a bit, and stopped rubbing at the bloodstain and reached for the buttons on his shirt. Evie reached around and helped. “God, he was a brave a man."
"The German Captain?” She couldn’t think of anyone else Rick might have meant.
“Yeah.” Another shudder went through him. “You know yesterday when we were talking about bravery?”
“Yes.” She gave up on the massage and just raised herself up on her knees a bit to wrap her arms around him.
“I don’t know how the hell anyone can be that damned brave, Evie. Courage like that..." He shook his head. “I don’t even know if Ardeth's that stubborn and courageous. And me? Yeah, I'm brave most times but...there's a difference you know? Between fighting when you have too and facing death like that."
She knelt up a bit so she could put her chin on his shoulder and then stroked her hands down his arms to intertwine their fingers. “Do you want to tell me what happened, Rick?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I don’t even want to think about what happened. I know it was necessary, Evie, but...I don’t think I’ll ever have the stomach to watch it again.”
“I don’t think it has anything to do with what you can stomach, love. I think it has to do with you still having a heart. Just because he was our enemy, doesn’t mean killing him was easy.”
“No, I guess not. Can we not talk about this now?”
“All right.” She hugged him tighter and then just moved around to straddle his legs and kiss him. “No matter what happened, no matter what you think, Rick O’Connell about your own courage or any of it. I know for certain that you are the bravest, most wonderful man I have ever known, in this life or any other.”
“You’re still biased.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well perhaps I am, but it doesn’t change the facts any.” She brought one of his hands to between her breasts. “The things you’ve done, survived, shouldered and borne would destroy most men, Rick. Have destroyed too many. I happen to know that the fact that you’re still the most wonderful man in the world despite all that is nothing less than a miracle and I love you for it. Very, very much.” She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, putting all the love she could into it. Rick gave a soft moan than was almost a sigh and then just rolled them both onto the blankets, pinning her beneath him. “Make love to me, Rick? Please?” She asked as they finally broke the kiss.
“With all my heart, Evie.” He whispered against her throat. And she just hugged him tightly, trying her best to give him all the comfort she could.
Maghrib:ToC