Fajr

Chapter 4

NCV Home

Finally, softly, his friend spoke. "Go back inside."

"No thanks."

Silence again, then a sigh. "Evelyn will wonder where you are."

"I told her I was going to stay with you for a while. She and Alex might catch a bit more sleep."

Another long silence. "You should be with her then, in case they wake in Thebes."

There was just the barest catch of his friend's voice on the last word. "No. I don't think so." He shook his head. "She's a strong woman she can survive an hour or two of sleep without me."

"Would you stake your soul on that?" Ardeth asked finally.

"Yeah, I would." He agreed. "It isn't my soul or Evie's I'm worried about."

Silence again long enough to make Rick grind his teeth in frustration. "Can a man live without one?" Ardeth asked finally and it was almost a surprise enough that he had to think for a second himself to answer.

"I've seen my share of people who I'm pretty sure don't have one, yeah."

"So have I." Ardeth agreed and they were silent some more. "Will you not leave me be?"

"No." Rick shook his head. "I owe you too much for that."

More silence and then softly. "Do you fear death, Rick?"

"Yeah, I guess. I mean it's going to happen someday but I'd like to put it off for as long as I can."

Ardeth shook his head. "Not dying. Death. Do you fear death?"

"Being dead you mean." He decided. "No."

"You are a fortunate man then."

"I am." He agreed quietly. Then he asked. "Do you? Fear death Ardeth?" Odd to use his friend's name like that but it seemed appropriate somehow.

"Not until now." Ardeth answered softly. "Now, I think I would beg not to die." A sigh. "It would have been kinder to have killed me."

"Probably why it didn't." He said finally.

"As you say." Ardeth agreed. More silence. "If a man can live without a soul can he live without God?"

"Lots of people do that too." He pointed out, even more worried now. Because no matter what the damned thing had done to his friend he'd never expected Ardeth of all people to lose faith.

"That is true." His friend nodded once. "I would have rather died."

"So you said. I've heard you tell me a dozen times, Ardeth. Allah is merciful he will understand."

"No, I do not think so."

"We're only men Ardeth, who are we to presume to know what Allah wills or not?"

Silence and then his friend began to shake. "I believe-- in my heart, that there is no God but Allah."

He reached over as cautiously as he knew how. "Then believe in the fact that He'll forgive whatever it is you can't forgive yourself for." He rested one hand gently on his friend's shoulder, more relived than he could even admit when Ardeth didn't flinch. "God can forgive us a lot more than we can forgive ourselves, Ardeth."

His friend only repeated that last phrase in Arabic, over and over. There is no God but Allah. Rick closed his eyes. He hadn't felt this damned close to tears since Alex had first been grabbed by the curator and Anck-su-naumun. When he'd reached the top of the bridge and realized there was nothing he could do to reach his son. He hadn't cried then because that would have been admitting he'd lost. And he'd been too torn to find tears when Evie had died, too torn and too lost to do more than shake and grow steadily angrier. But it was hard suddenly to not just tear something apart with his bare hands. He wanted to be angry. Angry was easier than fighting back tears, but Ardeth didn't need him to be angry right now. Ardeth needed him to be strong. And he owed this very torn man beside him everything that meant anything to him in the world. So he could fight the tears just fine, and the anger could take a leap.

Finally the soft repetition stopped and the slight rocking that had accompanied it stopped too. Rick wasn't sure he was relived or not because there was only another long silence.

"Do you have anything to drink with you, Rick?" Ardeth's voice was still quiet, a little rough, but steady.

He pulled out the silver flask he'd started carrying years ago and never quite gave up. It only had a few ounces of brandy in it but he'd found it useful every now and again to calm someone who was close to panic or even death once or twice. Then he remembered that his friend didn't drink, and had probably meant did he have any water. Since Ardeth had to be thirsty after repeating that prayer over and over. "I could get you some water." He offered as gently as he could.

"No." Ardeth shook his head and then reached out his hand for the flask. Rick blinked, startled, and handed it to him. It hurt to see that his friend's hands were shaking almost enough to keep him from opening the bottle. Finally he did and took a sip of the whiskey. It had to burn like hell, because it usually burnt Rick's throat and he was a lot more used to it than Ardeth was. But his friend didn't even cough just took another drink.

"You'll make yourself sick." He warned.

"Fine." Another swallow.

"I thought you didn't drink."

"I did not." Another swallow. "It tastes horrible you know."

"It's for emergencies, Ardeth, not for enjoying."

"Good." One more swallow. "Thank you." He handed it back. Empty. Shit.

"You're welcome." He answered. "Does it help?"

"Not yet. Perhaps it will when I feel it." Ardeth sighed. "How do people do it, do you suppose?"

"Do what, Ardeth?"

"Live without souls-- without God?"

"Probably like most of us, they breathe and eat, sleep and drink." He offered.

"It will take– a great deal of– getting used to I suppose."

He took a deep breath. "Living without a soul or without God?"

"Yes." Ardeth answered quietly. "It would have been kinder to kill me. No matter how long it took to die."

He swallowed down the tears again. "I'm glad It didn't. I need you."

A chuckle that made him cold because it was so damned lifeless. "Do you?"

"Yeah., I do."

"I will try not to fail you too, then."

He squeezed his friend's shoulder as gently as he knew how, as gentle as he'd been the first time the doctor had put his son in his arms. And oddly enough he found himself thinking the same damned thing. Just don't drop it. "You never have, Ardeth."

"I can not guarantee I will not."

"I wasn't expecting one." He answered.

A nod. "I-- am so tired, Rick."

He nodded. "Then we'll sleep." He forced down the tears one more time. "I'll go with you."

"Would you?" Something like hope to his friend's voice. "I do not think I can go alone, not again."

"All the way to hell." He promised.

Another chuckle with no more humor than the last. "Eventually my friend, that is all too likely." And he laid down where he was. Rick swallowed again and did the same. Finally, hesitantly, he touched his friend's shoulder again.

"How bad did he hurt you, Ardeth?" He asked it as gently as he could.

"Hurt?" His friend shook his head. "He did not hurt me at all, Rick. He only took my soul."

"Then we'll take it back." He didn't know what else to offer, but God he meant it.

"You sound so certain." A sigh. "Sleep well."

"And you. Ma Salaama, huh?"

A shudder. "Not anymore."

He paused and then translated the phrase out. Go in God's peace. "Allah will forgive you, Ardeth." He promised softly.

"As you say. Whiskey is more exhausting than wine."

He nodded and wished despite himself that his friend hadn't drunk it all. He could use a few swallows himself. "Then go to sleep. I'll guard your back." He hadn't been able to last time, hadn't even been there when the damned thing had hurt his friend so much, but he'd do it this time.

Silence again and then a sigh. "He did not harm me, Rick."

"So you said." He agreed.

More silence. Then strong muscles tensed. "Is that what you think?" Ardeth's voice was a bit unsteady.

"Is what what I think, Ardeth?"

A chuckle that made the other two sound normal. "It would have cost me far less to have only been forced to its bed, Rick."

He took a deep breath and let it out. "That supposed to make me worry less?"

"It is only truth." A tired sigh and he could hear the whiskey in his friend's voice. "Death would have been kinder. Tying me to the pillars and lashing me until I screamed would have been kinder. Taking out my tongue could not have hurt so, and neither rape or the Hom-Dai would have cost me so much."

He shuddered because there was no doubt in his friend's voice. "Then tell me what he did."

A sigh. "He took my God from me, Rick, and damned my soul as surely as it is damned itself. Now I only have to wait until I die."

"Then we won't let you die until we fix it." He said firmly. "Okay?"

Silence for a long while. "And if it can not be fixed?"

"Then I'll tell you about a place called Fiddlers Green Ardeth and we'll see."

"Scherehazade indeed..." A chuckle, with something like humor to it but it was probably the whiskey. "Evelyn will be jealous."

He chuckled himself. "You're drunk. And you couldn't get so lucky."

Another chuckle. "As you say. Good night, Rick."

"Good night, Ardeth. See you in Thebes or in the morning whichever comes first."

A choked sob and his friend turned to him and buried his head against his shoulder. "In'sh'allah."

"Yeah, wouldn't have it any other way." He let himself follow his friend into sleep and found himself praying for the first time in years that it was true.

"Rick?" Evie's voice was a soft whisper. "Wake up, hmm?"

He blinked and realized that he wasn't where he expected to be. It took him a moment longer to remember where that was, Aswan, the roof... Oh hell, Ardeth. But his friend was still tucked against his side, sleeping. But they weren't in Aswan anymore. "Hi sweetheart."

Evie smiled. "I see you found him."

"Yeah." He smiled himself and then pulled away from the man sleeping beside him and sat up cautiously. "Where's Alex?"

"Still only sleeping I think." She shrugged. " I woke up here not long ago and came looking for you and Ardeth." She looked sadly at their sleeping friend. "What happened?"

"I don't know. He didn't actually say." He shrugged. "It wasn't something I was going to really press, you know?"

"No. Of course not." She agreed. "He looks to be in one piece, even here, I mean."

"Yeah." Rick was more than relived about that himself despite what Ardeth had said. But apparently he'd been telling the truth. It didn't look like whatever Imhotep had done had actually hurt him any.

"What time is it?"

"Here? Some time in the afternoon I think." She glanced outside. "About four?"

"Great, guess we can expect another dinner invitation then."

"Or something." Evie agreed. They moved over to the small table that was back where it had been and no longer on the balcony. By unspoken agreement they didn't wake Ardeth but they didn't leave him alone either. Rick didn't like to admit it, even to himself, but it felt too damned much like a suicide watch all the same. The door opened and the girl from the other day peeked in smiled a little and then came over to kneel beside Evie's chair. She whispered something to Evie.

"We're glad were here too." Evie answered in both the language he didn't speak and then in English. Another whispered few sentences from the girl. Evie's eyes darkened to a shade Rick knew meant danger and she said something that caused the girl to gasp and then flush and shake her head desperately. Evie smiled and then said something else and shooed the girl out the door.

"What was that?"

"She said that our host wanted to see us, right now, in the main hall. All three of us. I told her to tell him that this was his fault in the first place and he could go to hell. She didn't want to take that message but I told her just to tell him it was from us and he'd understand."

Rick chuckled despite himself. "Well he'll know it's real at least." He looked over at his sleeping friend. "But maybe we should wake Ardeth before the damned thing gets here , huh?"

"He'd probably appreciate it." Evie sighed. "He looks so-- lost Rick. What happened?"

"I wish I knew." He got up and went over to the edge of the bed where Ardeth was still sleeping. "Wake up, Ardeth we're going to have company."

"What? Rick? I do not..." It was all his friend had time for before the door opened with a bang that brought him around with his pistol drawn and reaching for Evie. And Ardeth, bless him, was on his feet as well sword in hand.

Imhotep stood in the doorway looking at all three of them like he was one moment away from wiping them off the map. And despite his better judgement Rick found himself stepping forward to put himself not only between the thing and Evie but between it and Ardeth. He wasn't letting his friend die now. Not when he'd promised to make it right first.

But Imhotep only stood there and then he sighed and shook his head. "This will not do. What is wrong with you, Medjai?"

Like you don't know. Rick thought angrily to himself.

"O'Connell I am not in the mood to be hospitable. Be civil."

"I have told you Rick, no-- harm done." Ardeth's voice was almost as quiet as it had been on the rooftop.

"Like hell," he replied. "Once you realized where we were and that we weren't dying right this minute Ardeth, you could have cared less who was at the door. So we damned well fix this now." He smiled coldly. "Why don't you recite us something, sweetheart?"

Evie smiled as well and for just a moment it wasn't his wife standing beside him and she began to speak and Rick fired his pistol once straight at the thing's chest then tossed the gun to his very startled friend and lit the stick of dynamite he pulled out of his vest. "Fetch." He tossed it out onto the balcony behind them.

Imhotep roared and the dynamite came back in the window unlit, the bullet paused just and inch from the man's chest but Evie bless her finished the incantation with a smile.

"You unmitigated idiots." The creature snarled and Rick felt himself picked up and slammed hard against the wall. There was a roaring in his ears and then another sound sharp and loud and the force holding him against the wall vanished. He blinked to see that Ardeth was standing just in front of him holding Rick's pistol. And Imhotep was staring in disbelief at the bloody gash along one arm. Then Ardeth was slammed back into the wall as well and the pistol went flying. "For your information Princess that spell only works once. And this is the Tuat so you can not snatch my soul even if it did work again." He gash was healing with remarkable speed but it obviously still hurt. "And I am not mortal either." He looked from Rick to Ardeth and then back. "Fools. I should make you pay for that O'Connell."

"Try it." He grinned.

Something like a smile. "Fine. Guards..." Rick felt himself pinned against the wall again and he couldn't even breathe much less move. "Escort the Princess next door and see that she stays there and safe no matter what she says until I can see her. And bring that one with me, if it kills him."

Rick heard Evie curse and struggle but he couldn't turn his head to look at her. Ardeth tried to move as well, Rick could tell that too, but he didn't seem to have any better luck. And it was getting so hard to breathe. Grey spots danced in front of his eyes and then the pressure was gone but so were Evie and Ardeth and the door was bared or locked or something. He turned back to the balcony, but recalled all to well that it was a good four story drop to the ground and there wasn't anything he could climb too from it. The nearest one being what had been his and Evie's was a good thirty feet to his left. He was very effectively trapped.

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

Ardeth struggled as best he could in the guards grip but the creature held him mostly immobile. Finally he was pushed into a chair and held there by nothing he could see. "Leave us." The creature waved the guards away. "Stop fighting so hard Medjai. You will hurt yourself."

He smiled to himself and pushed harder. It was hard too breathe, as if he was straining to lift more weight than he could imagine. But he pressed against it none the less, until his vision grew grey about the edges. Then just as suddenly the force holding him in place was gone and he got to his feet with a gasp.

"What is wrong with you, Medjai?" The creature repeated. And it was almost enough to make him laugh. Then he did, first a chuckle and then a laugh that almost did not stop. So close to hysteria he could see the edge like a sword blade in sunlight. Oh there are dragons this far off the map, Ardeth, and madness in the shadows. Oddly the voice in his head sounded a great deal like his sister’s. Then again perhaps madness would not be so bad. He chuckled again.

"Stop that." His host growled and shook him once hard. "Now sit down, or I shall have your brother dragged in here, and he can suffer in your place."

That made him blink, and the coldness of reason settled back around him. He had already lost his own battle, but he would not take Rick of Evelyn with him to hell. He sat down without complaint.

"I thought I told you in no uncertain terms what would happen if you or O'Connell damaged this place?"

"You did." He agreed. "Rick does not listen very well."

"No. So I am beginning to realize. He is considering it now though." The thing chuckled. "He truly does expect me to tear you to pieces, Medjai."

Ardeth shrugged. "I rather suspect he thinks you already have." It should have bothered him, should have made him angry or disgusted or something but it was all too distant for that. "Are you going to?"

"Tear you to pieces?" His host asked with a smile.

"Torture, rape, kill? Whichever? All?" It sounded so unreal to simply ask but he was curious.

"Curious, yes, I can-- see where you would be.” The thing looked at him with an expression Ardeth could not place. “You would not care would you, Ardeth?"

"No, I do not think I would." He shrugged. "I suppose I might, once it started to hurt of course, but I rather expect that it will."

"You are in shock my young Medjai. Here." The voice was suddenly gentle and a goblet of something was pressed into his hand. "Drink that."

He took a sip and smiled. "Wine? Rick gave me the worst tasting whiskey."

"Did he? Did it help?" Odd to hear that concern in that voice.

"No." He shook his head. "Do you want me drunk then?"

A sigh. "Ardeth, at this moment, I only want you sane."

He chuckled again despite knowing he should not. "Can you rebuild reason as you do a wall? Once the boards have broken?"

"I do not think they have snapped yet, only been knocked out of place perhaps. You are stronger than you think you are, Medjai. Even Ammun knows that."

He chuckled again. "He is beautiful is he not, priest?"

"He is indeed." Surprise to that voice now. Strange that he had never noticed how many different tones it could have. "Drink some more Ardeth."

"As you wish." And he did. What did it matter now? "Odd what we can find beautiful, is it not?"

"And what makes you say that?" Curiosity now to the thing’s voice. That tone at least he recognized.

"Your god is beautiful. This city is beautiful." He shrugged. "I suppose you must at least find me pleasing if not so beautiful as that or you would not look at me so."

A chuckle. "You are pleasing indeed, Medjai and you are beautiful in your own way, certainly, as is any weapon."

He nodded. "Do you know Priest, that at his moment you could have me and I would not care?"

"Yes. I doubt you would." Another sigh, which surprised him a bit by sounding sad. "Come now, Medjai, the day is almost done and I must see what we can do to right this. Your god we were told has plans for you and so does great AmmunRa. And I am not about to risk my salvation for your soul."

"I no longer have one foolish priest. You stole it without even taking out my tongue first." He chuckled again. "Lock me away if you please. Perhaps my torment will please Allah at least a little."

"If your god finds any pleasure in hearing one of his chosen sons eaten to death and screaming with no voice for days then he does not deserve your devotion Ardeth. Come now, we will see this righted."

He set the goblet down. "Am I drunk then?"

"I do not doubt it." Strong hands helped him to his feet.

"Last time it was pleasant to be drunk, until it wore off of course. This time it is not even pleasant. Only empty inside. I think it would have hurt less if you had cut out my tongue."

"It might have at that." His host agreed.

"Does it hurt very much?"

"I thought so. I was screaming the entire time. Even after it was gone. It is hard not to choke on your own blood, actually."

"Was she worth it?"

Another sad sigh. "I thought so at the time."

"You must have loved her very much."

"Enough to die for." The voice was as sad as the sigh now, more so. Odd to hear that too. Demons were not supposed to feel sad were they? He did not recall that the Koran ever said without equivication. But the creature had been human once and loved and lost so perhaps he could remember being sad. "You are truly not well, Medjai."

"I have noticed that." He agreed. "Would you do me a favor then, priest?"

"A favor...? For you? Oh Ardeth, my young warrior, if you had any idea what you are saying. Certainly then, ask."

"I know what I am saying, priest It is only that I do not care. If I cared, I would not have offered to be your catamite a bit ago, now would have I?"

That brought the damned thing up short. Ha.

"You are going to hate yourself for this." The creature chuckled.

"More than I do? No. I do not think I could do that."

"Perhaps not. Can you unbuckle your boots now Medjai or do you want me to help you with the task?" Amusement he was used to in that voice but there was something else there as well.

"When did you become fond of me, Imhotep?" It seemed such a natural question to ask.

Silence and then a soft sigh. "When you threw young Alex through the wall I think." There was such disbelief to that voice.

"It is not a hard name to say at all." He decided.

"I am glad you notice. Here, I will get your boots silly warrior."

"Are you going to undress me then?" Something about that was vaguely unsettling but he could not grasp it. So many things for Allah to forgive already too many too much. Damned and damned and damned again like the man who's hands were easing the boots from his feet. "Does it become easier to bear?"

"Damnation? No, Ardeth, it does not. So let us see if we can insure the salvation of both our souls shall we?"

"Certainly. Rick said we would; but I do not really believe we can." He smiled at that. No matter what else happened he would treasure that friendship. He tried to focus on that but it was so hard to think. "Will you do me another favor, Imhotep?"

"Ammun give me a few more moments of strength and patience. What do wish now, Medjai?"

"Let them be? You can do as you please with me and I truly will not care. But let them be?"

A sigh. "Can one be a martyr without a soul, Medjai?"

"I would not know."

"Neither would I. Let us ask Allah. Shall we?"

"Allah is-- not going to want to answer me, Priest. And I am almost certain he is not going to talk to you either."

"We shall see. Kneel here, hmm? And be quiet until I ask you to speak, please?"

"I will do a favor for you, if you will do mine for me." He chuckled.

"Ah gods. Fine. I will leave them be. Now do not embarrass me in front of my God."

"Swear it." He said firmly. "To Ammun."

"Medjai, if you cost me my salvation I will make you regret if for eternity, do not doubt that."

"Swear it." He repeated, it was good to have a tone to that voice he recognized.

"I swear it to AmmunRa he who is lord of all Egypt. I will leave the princess and her family be. Will that do?"

"Fine." He agreed and was silent. He did not really listen to what the priest was saying only the cadence of the words but it was soothing and it made something deep inside him ache a little less.

"Ardeth?" Another voice that was not really a voice at all said gently now.

He blinked and opened his eyes but it was so bright. "Yes great Ammun, He who is lord of all Egypt?" He looked into those fathomless gold eyes.

"You have caused yourself great harm Medjai and that is not what Allah wills."

"I-- have failed my God, lord of Egypt." He could hear the tears in his own voice but even that was distant.

"For seeing me? Silly child. Did your Ibrahim not see the messengers of Allah? Did he not wrestle with one until he could gain what he wanted? Did Jacob not see the ladder in the sky and the angels who held it? Did all of Egypt not see the Angel of Death as he walked amongst us? Did Mohammed, peace be upon him, not see those that carried him from Mecca to Jerusalem and Cairo and Medina and back?"

"All of this-- I believed, oh Ammun, but how can I believe when you are here?"

"Silly child. Allah is Allah. I am I. We are what we are." The warmth of the sun on his skin like the first day after the wet season. "Just because I am now, as I was, as I will always be. Does this mean that Allah is not as he is, and was, and will always be? Do you think I was not here when he moved your Moses upon this land? He is your god Medjai and he loves you well. Who are you to doubt him? You are only one man Medjai. He has delivered nations. Are you so important, Ardeth Bay, that your belief is greater than theirs?"

"No."

"No. So tell me silly child. Who is your god?"

"There is no god but Allah." He smiled as he spoke it. "But if it pleases him to show me your face instead of a bush that does not burn, I will be thankful."

And the light chuckled and he felt a strong embrace as if he was indeed a small boy and his father was still alive. And then the light faded and was gone. "Come now, Ardeth. You have put your body through a great deal and you need to rest."

He blinked and stared uncertainly up at the creature that offered him its hand once again. And he had to laugh. "Thank you." And he took the outstretched hand shocking them both and pulled himself to his feet. "I am going to be sick soon, priest so it will be best if we get me outside, yes?"

"Are you well now, Ardeth?" There was still concern to that voice.

"I-- am sane, I think. That is something. But no, I certainly do not feel well." He managed to keep his feet with the creature's help until they were out in the courtyard and then he was back on his knees.

"Creature again am I?" So much laughter in that voice. "I rather liked hearing my name from you, Ardeth."

He found a chuckle. "Then you will have a fond memory of me after all." And then he was suddenly and violently ill. It did not stop when he was no longer in Thebes, but back on the roof in Aswan with Rick's arms strong around him much as Ammun's had been. It was somehow a bit more bearable that his friend was there. And then finally there was nothing else for his stomach to get rid of and he could only sit back onto his heels.

Rick muttered something and then pulled him away from the part of the roof they had been on. He managed the few steps it took to get to the chair Rick pushed him into and then his friend moved away and came back with a glass of water and a cloth. "Here you go."

He took a drink of the water and then wiped his face and set them both aside. "Thank you." He felt just a little foolish and not quite yet back in place in the world but it was easing some. "You did tell me it would make me sick."

Concern and sadness in his friend's blue eyes. "Yeah I did." Rick sat down beside him. "Can you tell me what happened?"

He blinked and then chuckled despite himself. "He said you would worry. That was foolish you know, brave as always my friend but foolish. He could have hurt you."

Rick's eyes were cold now. "I wasn't worried about me."

"No. I noticed that much." He sighed. "We should go find Evelyn, do you not think?"

"Yeah, I do." Concern and conflict as he glanced from Ardeth to the stairs behind him and then back. "Let's go see about her, huh?"

"I promise not to jump off the roof if you go." He smiled a bit more. "I will sit here and wait I promise." And he could not help it because it gave him such joy to say. "I swear it to Allah, my friend. Go see your wife."

A sigh. "You are going to drive me nuts. Then they can lock us away together and then when where the world be?"

"As you say." He reached out and squeezed his friend's shoulder. "Go."

"You promise you'll just sit here till I get back, right?"

"I promise." He agreed. It was easy enough. He really did not feel up to trying to move.

"Okay." And Rick's hand clasped over his with that same so odd gentleness he recalled from earlier and then let go and went downstairs.

He is never going to believe you when you tell him you are well. He sighed to himself. That was true enough. What surprised him most was that he could say it and mean it now. Well. Not only that no harm had been done but that he was well. Whole. Thanks be to Allah. Most merciful who hears all prayers, forgive me for my confusion oh God for I am foolish and weak and do not deserve your love but it warms my soul. He took another sip of the water Rick had gotten him and then set it back down when his stomach objected to even that. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back and only concentrated on breathing for a while.

"Evie told me to come back and check on you." Rick said as he came back over and sat beside him. "Felling better?"

"A little. You would think that I would have learned my lesson with the wine, no?"

"Apparently not." Silence for a bit. "You sound better."

"Less like I am already dead you mean." He offered it baldly.

"Well, yeah." Surprise to his friend's voice. "Can you tell me-- what happened, yet?"

He sighed. "I-- lost myself for a while I think. It was not a very pleasant feeling. Thank you for being there my friend."

"You'd have done it for me." There was no doubt in his voice.

He smiled recalling suddenly how he had never doubted that friendship even in the midst of his despair and how it had made him glad when nothing else had even touched him. He sighed, not certain he wanted to examine what he had said to the damned creature too closely. He had a feeling it was going to be even more embarrassing than the wine. Come to that had the thing not given him wine this time too?

"How are you feeling?" Rick tried after what was apparently too long a silence. Still such gentleness to his voice. That was odd. Rick O'Connell was many things in his mind but gentle was not one he would have used. Then he recalled seeing him and Evelyn in the prow of Izzy's dirigible while they were searching for their son and he supposed it fit. "Ardeth?" Worry now.

"I am- feeling my way back to whole I think." He answered finally. "My head hurts, my stomach is worse, and I feel very foolish and a little embarrassed which I am certain will only get worse. But I think...I am well enough."

"Good." Rick did not sound particularly convinced but Ardeth had not expected him too.

"You will not believe me if I tell you I am fine will you?" He chuckled a little.

"Would you believe me?"

He pondered that for a moment. "No." He sighed. "Earlier, I was in Thebes right before dawn. The creature said you were not there when I asked and reminded me that my stay of execution was no long in effect that day." He sighed. "I did not really expect it to be."

"You could've told me that." There was surprisingly enough no anger in his friend's voice.

"As you say. I was not certain and there was little enough we could have done. But that is done. Then the creature invited me to go and see AmmunRa, He who is lord of all Egypt, and we would see what my fate would be." He smiled as he said it, recalling the wonder now of seeing what he had seen. Allah is indeed generous and his wonders were amazing to behold. "I had never met a god before."

One strong hand laid gently on his shoulder. "Don't-- hate yourself for that, okay?" A sigh. "Allah will forgive you, Ardeth. It isn't like you went looking for someone else to worship for Christ's sake."

He smiled. "Or anyone else's either. That is an odd phrase Rick."

"What? Oh yeah, I'm no good with this kind of stuff, Ardeth."

"You are far more comfort than you know." He sighed. "It was the only thing I could grab hold of my friend that you trusted me, even then, as shattered as I was, when I no longer trusted myself."

"There aren't many guys...no there aren't many people at all I'd go to hell with Ardeth. You and Evie."

"Thank you." He reached up without opening his eyes and clasped his hand around his friend's wrist where the hand still rested on his shoulder. Rick pulled his hand back a bit and then clasped his wrist in return. "May Allah grant that we do not have to put that to the test."

"Sounds like you don't doubt he's still going to give a damn if you do or not." Rick said, the smile evident in the words.

"No, I was-- only lost for a bit there my friend. I am sorry I worried you."

"You scared the crap out of me Ardeth." A rough truth to the words. "When those guards dragged you away and there wasn't a damned thing I could do about it...hell..."

"I am sorry. I do not think, I understood it at the time. You took a great risk to try and help me Rick and I was too lost to even grasp it."

"You shot the damned thing, didn't you?" Rick pointed out.

He had to search a bit for that. "I did." He smiled. "How odd. It did not seem to be angry." He tried to recall what the creature had said.

"With you maybe. I thought it was going to take my head off..."

He opened his eyes and looked at his friend this time. "Are you well?"

Surprise and then a smile. "Yeah, just slammed me into the wall. It seems to enjoy that."

"That is very likely." He sighed and then swallowed a bit more water. His throat still hurt. "I think, and believe me I know how odd this sounds that I frightened it."

"You did? How? What the hell did you do?"

He chuckled. "I started laughing at first."

"What?"

"Hysteria." He shrugged. "Madness, both I suppose. I did not particularly care."

"And that scarred it?" Confusion was so easy to read in his friend's eyes.

"It said something, I was not really listening to, but I recall it now. 'I will not risk my salvation for your soul Medjai'."

"Want to explain that to me?"

He closed his eyes again leaning his head back and trying to capture the words. They had been speaking old Egyptian. "AmmunRa, He who is lord of all Egypt has given it a task of some sort and it seems as long as it does this task that it is free of its curse and walks the world of Thebes."

"That's not a real comforting thought. How do we kill it if the gods are on its side?"

"I wondered that myself." He smiled. "But then Ammun said something about Allah having a task for me as well. And that I did not have to worry about my death at the moment."

"Well that's good. Its not likely to do something this god of its doesn't like, right?"

"No. I do not believe so. I think that is what frightened it you see. In the shape I was in I was certainly unable to carry out Allah's will and that might have angered AmmunRa and he fears that Rick. You should have seen its eyes when Ammun reminded it of the price of failure." He shuddered and recalled something the creature had said before. 'Compare it to three thousand years of undead horror as your body is eaten and rotting around you, Medjai, and you tell me if it is not paradise.' He could not argue with that. "So, oddly enough, it found a way to give me back my soul."

"You're serious?" Disbelief in his friend's eyes. "I would've thought it would've-- I don't know, gloated or something."

"And I." He agreed. "But it did not." He closed his eyes again and smiled a bit. "I do not think it knew what else to do with me."

"You're not making this up are you?"

He chuckled. "I told him you would not believe me that I was well. He seemed amused that you thought he was--tearing me to pieces, I think was the phrase."

"He did kind of give me that idea, yeah."

"And me as well." He agreed. "But the threats made little difference at that point since I did not care if he did or not." And he recalled suddenly that he truly had not. Had indeed said so in no uncertain terms. All but offering himself to the damned thing and it had only gave him wine and a way back to his god. Allah, I am a foolish man and I do not understand your glory or your plan. Forgive me, oh my God, and only grant me the wisdom to do as you wish of me. "I truly think it was too unnerved to do more than worry about its own salvation. Thanks be to Allah."

"It was still a hell of a risk, Ardeth."

He sighed. "I know. It was only that at the time I did not care." He met his friend's eyes again. "So Ammun has given me a pardon and I suppose that will be..." He stopped, recalling suddenly those few words he and the creature had exchanged at the shrine before AmmunRa had come and he and found his grasp on his soul again. "And I think, perhaps that I have found a way to keep you and Evelyn and Alex safe as well."

"What? How?" Rick gripped his shoulder again with not quite as much gentleness thanks be to Allah although it was still careful.

"It did not want me to upset AmmunRa. And so I told it that I would not, if it agreed to leave you be. And I think I made it swear to Ammun. But I was so far from thought, that I can not truly guarantee it."

"Damn it Ardeth, you really did scare it, huh?"

"Apparently." He smiled. "How odd." He leaned his head back again. "It will be morning soon."

"Yeah. Sallah was fixing breakfast. Gamal went to gather us a few more troops and Arebe is with Alex and Evie."

"I have-- not been much of a help this night, have I?"

His friend's grip gentled again. "Sometimes it's okay to be the one who needs a hand, Ardeth."

He smiled. "As you say. I will endeavor to keep my mind intact though so we do not have to do this again."

"Yeah. I'd like that. Besides I'm out of brandy."

"That is good. It was truly awful."

"I told you it's for emergencies not enjoying. Leave the drinking to me, okay Ardeth? I'm good at it."

"I am glad one of us is. Well, let me see if I can stand and keep my head attached."

Rick smiled but helped him to his feet without further comment. They stood there for another long moment of silence, while Ardeth decided whether or not moving was going to make him ill all over again. Finally, he managed a nod.

Rick's smile faded to something that matched the tone of his voice for most of the evening. "You would tell me if you weren't okay, wouldn't you Ardeth?" And how could so soft a tone be so adamant? Ardeth had been leading men into battle for years, he knew an order even when it was couched in a question.

"I would." He agreed. "No harm done my friend."

"Okay." Rick nodded. "Then I won't pack more dynamite when we go back."

Ardeth had to laugh. "If it would keep him-- distracted. I certainly would not mind, my friend."

There was a definitely dark edge to his friend's smile now. "You wouldn't, huh? Okay. You want him too annoyed to bother you. I can do that. I'm very good at annoying."

"One would never guess." He clasped is friend's shoulder. "Come, I need to see if I can at least drink something. And then we have a long flight ahead of us."

"Ahm Shere." Rick sighed. "This trip just gets better and better. Ever wonder why Allah seems to think we'll save the world, Ardeth?"

He smiled. "Because we do?"

Rick gave a short chuckle much more like a snicker, really. "Okay. You've got me there. You sure you can walk? You drank a hell of a lot of brandy for someone who's only drunk once before and that wasn't even real."

"It certainly felt real enough." Ardeth argued. "But yes, I think I can walk." And Allah had more mercy on him after all because he managed it.

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

Selim looked over the growing encampment of Medjai along the high plain above the remains of Ahm Shere. There was a small herd of goats now, and some sheep, horses, camels all gathered in the shade of the shelters that had been set up for them. A caravan of water jugs was being unloaded from the Blue Nile only a few miles away and three dozen tents or more were spread in a widening circle. Women were grinding grain for bread under one tent flap that he could see. Children were playing with the dogs not far away from another group of young women and warriors who watched over them. He turned as the whistle of greeting preceded a man riding over the hill. Riad pulled his horse to a stop. "Gamal and the tenth tribe send greetings to you Selim, and word that they will arrive later today with the fourth tribe as well. Arebe travels by areoplane with Ardeth, Sallah el Sallin and the O'Connells. They will be here by sunset."

Selim sighed. "So it comes again. Very well."

"And I am to give you this from Arebe." He handed him a letter.

"Thank you Riad, go and water your horse and yourself and rest. My tent is yours until your tribe arrives."

"Thank you, Selim." The young man slid to the ground and bowed before leading his horse over to the other animals.

He opened his fellow leader's letter and read it with growing concern. "I shall see that he lives to fight the fight he was meant to, oh God of my fathers. But could you not have given an old man an easier task? Moving the mount of Sinai perhaps?" He chuckled and then folded the letter away. "Azza, Amal, Fatima, Kasha, we will have guests this evening. Daoud, Ibrihm, Jamal set up another tent. They will need a place to stay. It seems we are called to battle again."

The Medjai looked at each other and then almost as one out over the remains of Ahm Shere and then as they had always done they went about preparing to battle whatever enemy Allah saw fit to give them.

The plane arrived as the tenth and fourth tribes were setting up camp as well. He waited until the noisy thing finally stopped and then walked over. Sallah pushed open the door and let out the stairs with a smile. "Greetings Selim."

"And to you, Sallah. It has been too long since we have seen each other."

"Would that Allah had given us a better cause." His friend agreed. Then stepped off the plane followed by Arebe and Ardeth then the young O'Connell child and his parents and a man that Selim did not know at first, but finally recognized as the pilot, who had flown them here before. "Greetings Chieftain. We have sent for the seven tribes that are not yet here. We will be massed by two days from now if you wish it."

His young leader smiled. "I could not have asked for better news. You remember the O'Connells, do you not?"

"As always. Greetings O'Connell, Sitt O'Connell, young Iksa."

The youngest held out his hand. "How do you do?"

"As Allah wills." He replied with a smile and shook the boy's hand. His father offered his next.

"That does seem to be the best answer lately." The American replied with an odd look at Ardeth that Selim could not fathom. His nephew only rolled his eyes but smiled none the less.

"Behave boys we're guest after all." Evelyn O'Connell smiled at her husband.

"Oh like that's new mom. How come we have to be polite guests here if we don't have to be in Thebes?" Her son asked.

Selim looked at the boy in surprise. "I see you were right in your dreams, Ardeth."

"If you only knew Selim" There was exhaustion and something darker in his nephew's eyes.

"It's always good manners to be polite guests when your staying with people you like Alex." His mother answered her son's earlier question.

"Okay." The boy agreed.

"Izzy, once we get the stuff unloaded, you get back to Cairo." O'Connell pointed at the pilot as he spoke.

"Yeah, Rick I know, come back in three days with Evie's brother. I can do that."

"Good." He met his erstwhile friend's eyes with very little humor. "If you don't. I'll come back and blow this plane, the airfield and your butt all the way back to Tangiers understand?"

"Yeah. Okay. You've already gotten me shot in the arse once, O'Connell. learned my lesson."

"Good." He smiled and patted Izzy on the head. "And no making Jonathan pay for this trip over again cause I'll ask him when you get here and I'll make you pay it back before you leave."

"Yeah, yeah.

"Let us gather the weapons we have and see about a council of war my friends." Ardeth said after a moment. Then he glanced at the American again and then at Arebe. The other Medjai nodded and clasped his shoulder.

"Go. We will be ready when you return." He looked over at Selim who understood that look all to well given the letter he had received.

"Come walk with me, Ardeth. We shall go and see if the Nile can reveal a mystery or two to us." And he took his young leader's arm and walked toward the river.

"We do not have time Selim."

"We have all the time Allah grants us Ardeth and I am old enough to use what might remain of mine wisely. Do not make me embarrass you by pulling you behind me like a child."

His young leader chuckled after a moment but then nodded. "As you say uncle. It would perhaps, do me some good to speak to you."

"A wise man who knows when he is outsmarted before the fight even starts." He patted his nephew's arm.

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

"I would wish that Allah would let me journey with you to face this creature Ardeth." Selim said quietly as they sat beside the small fire.

Ardeth smiled a little. "I could as well Selim. But it seems that only the four of us are invited at the moment." He was not at all certain he wanted anyone along on this particular evening. Allah alone knew what the creature would do considering the things he had said the night before. And while he was incredibly glad that he was once again sane enough to care. He was also afraid of the consequences of what he had said when he was not. He had gone over what he could recall of the conversation he and the creature had, had the night before. But nothing was certain in his mind. Too much confusion and distance and he had cared nothing at all for keeping track at the time. ‘I know what I am saying priest.’ He had told it. It is only that I do not care. Now it was the other way around and he had a very real concern that he had pushed the thing too far.

"I will wake you in an hour Ardeth and I will pray to Allah that your sleep will let you rest." Selim poked the fire with a stick. "I am tempted to tell you not to sleep."

"I am tempted to do so." He found a smile. "But it is a battle that must be faced sooner or later Selim and the longer it goes on the more exhausted we all are. So we will do what we can and take the battle that Allah has given us."

"You will tell me again tomorrow of what he said to you, Ardeth?" Selim looked at him as if he was suddenly no older than Alex. He nodded.

"As you wish, Uncle. Do not stay up all night guarding my sleep, though. We all need what rest we can get if we are to face the remains of Ahm Shere tomorrow.

"We will be ready, Ardeth. Do not worry yourself about that at least." Arebe said firmly.

"Good. Then as little good as it may do I will bid you all goodnight. Ma Salaama my friends." He rose to his feet.

"Ma Salaama, Ardeth." Arebe replied.

"I will pray so." He agreed. Selim followed him to the tent his cousins had set up for him and his friends. He as uncertain whether he hoped they would be there when he woke in Thebes or not. The creature had sworn to leave Evelyn and her family alone. He did not even hope, that while Evelyn might consider him family, the creature would do the same.

"Here." Selim pulled a small wrapped bundle out of his robe and handed it to him. "If the creature wants you to explain the word of Allah to it, perhaps the words of the Prophet, peace be upon him, will serve you well."

He traced the worn embroidered cloth that held his uncle's copy of the Koran. "It is yours, Selim...I..."

"Do not argue a fight that is already lost, Ardeth. You have a hard enough one ahead." Selim smiled.

"As you say." He smiled back, and tucked the worn book into the pocket inside his robe. "Thank you, Uncle."

"Come back safe in the morning Ardeth and I will count it a well given gift."

He nodded and then laid his weapons down on the floor. "Shall we try this once more, my friends?"

"No heroics tonight alright Ardeth, Rick?" Evelyn asked in return.

"I will be satisfied to only sleep if the damned thing will let us." Ardeth agreed.

"Does that mean you don't want me blowing up the building?" Rick chuckled. "Only as a last resort, sweetheart."

"You can teach me Hounds and Jackals some more, okay uncle Ardeth." Alex yawned. "That's not too serious right, mom?"

"Sounds fine." Evelyn replied. "Sleep well luv."

"Ma Salaama, Ardeth." Rick said a little more seriously.

He smiled and laid down wrapping his hand around his sword. "In'sh'allah my friend."

"You'd know that better than I would." Rick replied but he sounded happy enough considering.

Once again it was so very easy to fall into sleep. And he was completely unprepared to have his uncle wake him in an hour and find he had not dreamed at all. The second was as uneventful as the first and while he dreamed during the third they were only dreams and not the city of the gods.

"You think maybe that promise you made it give really worked?" Rick asked after they had woken once again.

"I-- am leery of thinking it is so simple. But, then again, it truly seemed to fear that it would displease AmmunRa." He rolled over rearranging his sword as he did so.

"Let's risk an hour and a half then, the more sleep we can get the better."

"That sounds nice." Evelyn sighed, moving closer into her husband's arms. "I'm really very tired."

"So am I, Evie." Rick agreed.

Ardeth could understand that as well. He closed his eyes again and it seemed like a very long time before he rolled over again and found himself in the room he had been expecting most of the night. Sunlight was streaming in through the curtains this time at least. He rolled to his feet and sheathing his sword headed toward the door when the breeze shifted and the creature stepped in off the balcony. "Greetings Ardeth, Ammun has granted us another wondrous day."

He managed to control the smile that thought brought but it colored his voice none the less. "Are not all the days that AmmunRa grants to this place wondrous?"

There was a surprisingly genuine laugh. "Welcome back, Medjai. Are you feeling better then?"

He shrugged. "Considering I am here, I suppose it will have to do."

"And here I had hoped the manners might last once you were no longer drunk." Another chuckle. "There is coffee outside, if you would care to join me?"

He nodded. It was best, he supposed, to do this now, before the others arrived and it was even worse.

"I have let the Princess Nefertiri and her son alone, Ardeth, as I promised."

He relaxed just a little. "And her husband?" He pressed, not missing the distinction.

"You should have bargained better Medjai or in your own tongue. I said the princess and her family. Your brother does not count as a blood relation, and that is what the word means."

He found the patience for a deep breath and kept the anger where he could catch it. "It is something." He decided finally.

"As you say." And the creature poured two cups of coffee and handed him one. It took only slightly more courage than he expected to reach over and take the cup. The creature just smiled a bit more but nothing else."Join me, Medjai." It sat at the small table and picked up its own cup.

"Where is my brother then?" He asked, taking the other chair and sipping the bitter coffee.

"Unable to join us at the moment." The creature replied. "Really Ardeth, I rather liked hearing you say my name."

"No." He replied as calmly as he could. "Where is he?"

"Ask nicely." The damned thing smiled a bit more. "Since I know now you are capable of it."

He set his coffee aside and then took another deep breath. "Will you do me the courtesy of telling me where my brother is?" He asked finally.

"I did warn you both of the penalties for damaging this place did I not?" Was the reply.

"You did." He agreed. "But you were less than specific in what the punishment might be." It was so hard to be calm now.

"So I was." A shrug and it simply finished its coffee and poured itself some more.

He kept hold of his patience somehow. "And may I ask what that punishment will be?" He managed the words.

A chuckle. "You would truly like to wrap your hands around my neck and crack it in two would you not, Ardeth?"

"As you say."

Another chuckle. "And here last time you were my guest you were offering to how did you put it, be my catamite? Such language."

He found he could be calm after all. "You should have bartered better." He returned the thing’s words back at it.

A laugh. "As you say. If all I cared was whether or not you were willing, Medjai I would have done as your brother suspects I have and given you the choice of my bed or proceeding with your execution." A smile. "You were willing enough, Ardeth, but what enjoyment would there have been?"

He forced down another breath. "I am no man's entertainment demon and I will slit my own throat before I will be yours."

"As you say." A smile with less warmth. "I rather thought if you were going to slit your own throat you would have done it yesterday, Ardeth."

He closed his eyes. "Yesterday I would not have cared. But that is then. So I will ask you once more. Where is my brother?"

"No." The demon smiled and set the cup down. "Perhaps later I will let you see him. For now you can enjoy your own company, Medjai. You came near to costing me my salvation Ardeth. I am not as inclined to be generous as I was."

He knew it was useless but he got to his feet with a growled curse and reached for the damned thing none the less. The creature laughed, easily slamming him back into his chair and then moved over and ran one strong hand with maddening familiarity through his hair and leaned over to whisper into his ear.

"Just for that, I will let you listen to him scream." And then the creature was gone and he was alone on the balcony. He closed his eyes with a groan and could only pray.

On to Chapter 6

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