Fajr
Chapter 7
With the large number of Medjai that were now gathered at Ahm Shere it wasn't that difficult to unearth part of the pyramid. Evie and Sallah were discussing possible layouts and sketching on a tablet of paper, laid out on one large block. Rick wasn't sure what directions he remembered were much help, since he hadn't even been paying attention when he'd gone into the place. Most of that block of time was lost in a very black rage and despair he didn't care to recall.
"Uncle Jonathan and I went this way." Alex traced part of the map, looking over Evie's shoulder with a smile. Rick sighed, wondering not for the first time, why he ever bothered to tell his son to stay behind. "There were some directions on the wall." He smiled at Evie but Rick cold see the pain in his son's eyes. "Guess you. don't remember that part, huh, mum?"
Evie just hugged him tightly. "No luv. Remind me again to thank Jonathan when he gets here. I can't have been...easy to carry."
"Okay mum."
Rick moved over to sit beside Alex and put his hand on his son's shoulder. "That was the bravest thing in the world, Alex. You know that right?"
His son ducked his head but smiled. "I'm just really really glad it worked."
"Me too son, me too." He smiled at his wife.
"Please? What is this story you keep hinting at?" Sallah asked.
"Last time we were here, with the curator and the creepy guy uncle Ardeth killed..." Alex began.
"Lak-nah," Ardeth provided coming over to join them. "Leader of the Asanusi."
Sallah blinked and then whispered something in Arabic.
"Yeah and the guy who's name we aren't supposed to say and the creep lady." Alex agreed looking back at his mom. "She didn't like you, huh?"
"No." Evie sighed. 'But that's another story."
'Right so anyway I had on the bracelet of Anubis."
"Allah forbid..." Sallah looked around at the three of them. Rick just chuckled.
"We kind of felt the same way." He agreed.
"Me too." Alex put in. "So we came here and there were these thing in the jungle."
"Things?"
"Undead creatures." Ardeth shrugged. "Cannibals I think.
Sallah paled a bit. "Go on."
Yeah, get used to it, the story of my life gets kind of strange after a bit. Rick smiled to himself.
"So dad got me away from the bad guys and uncle Ardeth killed the really mean one and then dad got me to the pyramid just before the sun rose. It was really great!" Alex smiled at him.
"Thanks." He grinned back. Sometimes Alex could still make him feel ten feet tall. "You helped."
"And this was important, obviously." Ardeth glanced at them both. "Why?"
"Well, the not really dead guy he said, if I didn't reach the pyramid before sunrise on the seventh day I'd die. And that was it."
Rick could see the horror on his friend's face. "Didn't know that part, huh?" He asked.
"Allah forbid Do you think, I would have not told you, if I did?"
"No. Actually, I just assumed you didn't. I certainly didn't until about five minutes to sunrise."
"But we got there so it was okay." Alex shrugged and Rick was a little amazed all over again that his son could cope with things so well. He was definitely his mother's son. "Then we went back out to meet mum and Uncle Jonathan..." Alex faltered a bit. Rick just put his arm around his son's shoulders.
"He who shall not be named came up behind us and threw Jonathan out of the way." Evie explained. "And then Anck-su-namun just-- stabbed me." She paused. "Here." One hand went over her stomach.
"Allah have mercy." Sallah whispered.
"You did not tell me that. How, in the name of Allah, did you survive, my friend?" Ardeth's voice was as concerned as Rick had ever heard it, enough for him to forget apparently that Evie wasn't really his sister because he reached over to touch her shoulder in concern. Rick smiled a little. Family was a really wonderful thing.
"Well, you see, that's the interesting part of the story." Evie smiled but reached over to take hold of Rick's hand. "I didn't."
He tightened the arm he had around Alex and his fingers with Evie's.
"Most merciful Allah." Ardeth whispered. "I am so sorry my friends, that I was not there."
"You had your own fight to get too." Rick reminded him.
"I do not understand. Please, Sitt O'Connell, are you saying that you died?" Sallah looked from one of them to the other.
"Yes." Evie shrugged a bit. "It was, well unpleasant at first..."
"Let's not do this part, okay?" Rick squeezed her hand. He had spent a long few months carefully not thinking about that part before it finally stopped scaring him to death.
"Of course not. I am sorry my friends." Sallah looked from him to Evie and back. Ardeth's hand squeezed his shoulder for a bit and then he smiled.
"I shall give thanks to Allah, Evelyn, for whatever brought you back."
She smiled. "My son, my brother, and the book of the Dead."
"Allah have mercy, you read that?" He looked at Rick in concern.
"I did." Alex put in. "Uncle Jonathan distracted the crazy lady and I read the important part." He grinned. "I'm glad I studied hieroglyphics."
"So am I luv." Evie smiled.
"Me too son. Me too."
"So then mum managed to beat the creepy lady and sent me and Uncle Jonathan to find dad. Who was fighting the not really dead guy and that-- thing."
"Not at the same time actually." Rick pointed out. "And I had the scepter of Osiris so it worked out okay. I'm just really-- really glad your uncle figured it out when he did." Rick smiled.
"As am I. Three seconds later my friend and there would be no Medjai left I am afraid." Ardeth smiled sadly. "It was-- a difficult fight."
Rick blinked and then shook his head. "You didn't tell me that part, either."
A shrug. "So it seems once again we are even."
"Right. And then mum pulled dad out of that crack in the floor. And the creepy woman ran away and the not really dead guy fell and we all ran like hell-- Sorry, ran really hard and climbed up to the top of the pyramid and Izzy came just in time and we got off. It was great!" Alex grinned.
"Watch your language sport. But yeah, it was really. Even Jonathan's crazy stunt with grabbing the diamond off the top." Rick ruffled his son's hair. "So that's mostly what happened."
"I still wonder what happened to Anck-su-namum." Evie looked back at her map. "I still owe her one."
Ardeth blinked in surprise. "Do you suppose she escaped? She has not been at Thebes at all."
"Oh, that's a pleasant thought." Rick grumbled. Evie shivered a bit.
"I might just take you up on that bodyguard bit after all, Ardeth. I don't mind facing her in a fight but damn if she'll sneak up on me again."
"Mum. Language."
"As you wish Evelyn. I would be honored of course." Ardeth agreed. "I wonder if perhaps I can get it to tell me next time we are at Thebes."
Rick almost said something about if she was Ardeth had better watch out for daggers in the back as well as everything else but he caught himself. He'd gotten his friend to find some humor in the whole damned mess which was good because the annoyance had to be about to drive him nuts. The damned thing was driving Rick nuts with all the innuendo and familiarity it took with his friend and he was only having to deal with it second hand. So any time he could make Ardeth smile about it a little bit was a point for their side. Mentioning that the thing just might have a jealous girlfriend in the wings someplace was probably pushing things right now.
"I did mention my lack of fencing partners that once and it didn't say anything." Evie sighed.
"Sure it did. It offered to let uncle Ardeth fight the crocodile." Alex pointed out.
Sallah let out a large sigh. "You live a most adventurous life my friends. What do you say we simply try to unearth a lost pyramid and retrieve untold lost treasures? Certainly that will be a lull for you. Allah, what have I done to find myself with such friends?" The man got to his feet with a smile. "We shall endeavor to follow your directions, Alex. Thank you."
"You're welcome. I can show you, if you like?"
"No." Rick and Evie said in unison.
"But."
"Alex. No." Evie shook her head.
"But mum, dad."
"No."
"Haven't you noticed yet that I always get in more trouble when I'm not with you guys?" Alex put in desperately. "Please?"
They looked at each other and then Rick had to chuckle. "He get's more like you every day."
"Please. He's your son too." Evie smiled back. "Will you promise to do everything that your father, I, your uncle Ardeth, or Sallah tell you to do while were there. Instantly and without question?"
"Yes mum."
"Okay then." She smiled. "Let's go see what we can find, shall we?" She folded the map back up and walked toward the pyramid. Alex walked beside her already explaining which way they should go.
"You are a fortunate man my friend." Ardeth smiled.
"Yeah, I am." He agreed. "Come on, someone has to keep them out of trouble."
Ardeth chuckled. "I do not think we can fit all twelve tribes in the pyramid at the same time my friend."
"I heard that." He grinned back but they caught up with Evie and Alex quickly enough. It soon became apparent however that the collapse was more extensive than they'd expected and it was hard going through the half fallen entrance and the stairs that led down into the large complex of passages under the pyramid. Ardeth went first, torch in one hand and sword in the other. Rick was right behind him when he had to be and beside him when the passages were free of debris enough to allow it. Evie and Alex walked behind them and Sallah was at the rear, joined after a bit by Selim. It seemed a reasonably safe way to proceed and they made some headway into the passages.
"Okay, direction time. Evie? Alex? Sallah? Someone want to tell me what that says?" Rick pointed at the hieroglyphics on the wall.
"Hmm," Evie looked at them for a bit. "Oh my, don't read that part, Alex."
"Okay mum, Did they really?"
"Alex!" His mother's voice was sharp.
"Must be interesting." Rick commented to his friend.
"As you say. I am afraid I am not able to read it that well."
"It's about sacrificing virgins." Alex muttered as he left his mother to read it and walked back over to Rick and Ardeth.
"Ah, yeah your mom's touchy about you reading things like that." He smiled. "It's a mom's job, sport."
"Yeah I know." He smiled. "Besides, it's really kind of a horrible thing. They'd feed them to those zombie things. Except their hearts, they gave those to the scorpions. Yuck."
"Yeah." Rick swallowed hard. "Your mom's right, you shouldn't have read that."
"I think there was more to it but Sallah put his hand over a lot of it."
Rick looked over at the other man and smiled in thanks. Evie had given up on the text herself and was instead prying with a chisel at a carving on the wall. "Oh God." He moved over and took the chisel away from her. "What's behind that?"
"I'm not certain. It might be a papyrus. It says here that there are many secrets long ago written and forgotten behind this wall." She traced the carving as she spoke. "So I was thinking..."
"Let's get it on the way out, okay? I think we should find the book first, then the spear if we can and then we'll work our way back out. That way it's less to carry with us, right?"
"I suppose that makes sense. Don't forget where this is Sallah."
"Of course not Sitt O'Connell." He agreed. But he smiled and winked at Rick as they headed back down the passageway.
"So, what else but the black book and the scepter of Osiris are we hoping to find?" Selim asked after a bit more cautious progress had been made.
"If the legends are right we might find the Scorpion King's armor. It was supposed to make the wearer as invincible as the army of Anubis." Evie smiled. "And that just might even the odds a bit with our old friend who won't stay dead."
"That would be helpful." Rick agreed.
"When AmmunRa told me that there were things we should find here, I tried to ask what they were, but he would not say." Ardeth sighed. "But the word he used, tath-shey, that does mean something more than two does it not?"
"Many." Evie agreed. "It's definitely more than two, usually it's more than four."
"A handful." Sallah agreed.
"So we have the book, the scepter, the armor, which might be considered more than one but maybe not, and what else?" Evie asked.
"I found a lot of weapons last time." Rick offered. "But they seemed pretty standard to me."
"We shall have to see what we can find then, my friends, and hope Allah grants us good hunting." Ardeth paused. "Which way now?" He indicated the open area ahead which led to two different passages.
"Left." Alex said firmly.
"Left it is." Rick took a step forward only then realizing it was a step down and then grimaced as his foot went into muck and crunched something else underneath that. "Yuck."
"Here." Ardeth pulled him back to the solid ground and they held both torches out in front of them. "Allah..." The room was full of rotting vegetation and not a few bones and worse. "This will be unpleasant."
"Yeah."
"Selim would you go and get us ropes, and a few more men, to be safe? I am not certain how far the pit goes." Ardeth knelt down and then stuck his sword into the mess. "But it is further than it appears." He pulled the sword back up. "Because I certainly did not touch stone."
"Wonderful." Rick sighed. "This is going to be fun."
Selim returned a bit later with Daoud and three other Medjai. Ardeth tied the rope securely around his waist and then looked back across the swath of debris. "I suppose it was too much to hope that this would go easily."
"I'll invite you on our next excavation, Ardeth. This isn't anything compared to some of them." Rick smiled. "You sure you want to go first?"
"No. But I am the lighter of us, and it will be easier for you to pull me back than the other way around." He sighed. "Allah give me strength." And then he stepped carefully down into the muck. There was a muffled crunching noise but after a moment something in the mess held and he could work his way across to a large tree trunk, that gave him enough purchase to work a bit further across. Rick just held the rope tightly, Sallah braced behind him and Selim and Daoud on the other side with a second rope just in case. Ardeth paused about ten feet out and then probed ahead again with his sword. "Anything so much as sounds like it's moving in there, Ardeth and you tell us." Rick said suddenly, recalling all to well how those damned zombie things had-- devoured the followers of Imhotep and that crazy curator.
"I have not come this far, to be anything's lunch." Ardeth agreed.
"Bis'mil'allah rakhman el rahim." Sallah whispered. Rick couldn't help but agree.
"Maybe we should try another way..." Evie came over to stand beside him and looked out at the shadowy mess.
"Shhh." He held up one finger to her lips. She nodded and there was silence as Ardeth worked his way carefully through the muck.
"I would think, that the remains of Lak-nah's soldiers, are good indication that the things are not-- active at the moment." Ardeth called back after a moment. "Allah grant these men peace."
"Just be careful." Evie suggested. "I sent Alex back up to camp. I don't like this." She whispered.
"Me either." He whispered back. Ardeth had managed to make it half way across when he paused again, obviously searching for something that looked like it might hold his weight. He probed a bit further with his sword and then sheathed it to reach with both hands for another grip. Rick could almost hear the beat of his own heart as he and the others waited. And then it wasn't his heart he heard but a shuddery sort of groan from the pit in front of them and
the mess shifted. Ardeth let out a startled yell and Rick just pulled hard on the rope as his friend disappeared into the mess. One hand reached out and gripped the rope Rick could see and he pulled harder, Sallah and Selim and Daoud doing the same. Ardeth surfaced for a moment and then vanished again. All he could do was pull and pull on the rope, and then the rope simply came up out of the mess, unattached to anything at all.
Evie cried out something but he wasn't listening. He wasn't even thinking he just took the frayed end and wrapped it around his waist a few times tying it off. "Hold that." He growled at Sallah and then pulled one pistol and stepped off into the mess.
"Rick!" Evie's cry carried easily enough. "Don't."
He didn't waste breath on replying just struggled through the mess of rotting trees and remains of too many dead things and people, pulling himself along the rope that was still attached to his friend. And then Ardeth's hand gripped his on the rope and he pulled hard, sliding deeper into what he didn't even want to think about but it got him to his friend.
"Rick..." Ardeth sounded both astonished and appalled. "You idiot."
"Later. What's stuck?"
"I am. Allah have mercy... My leg mostly I think, and the rope is tangled."
"Right, okay. Stop pulling guys!" He found the rope and the part that had broken from the one he was now using was snagged on something. He didn't let himself look to closely at what, only shoved his pistol into his belt and drew a knife but it was impossible to get enough leverage in the muck to do any good. "Okay, can you draw your sword?"
"Yes, I think so." Ardeth moved a bit and then managed it. "Now what?"
Rick took hold of part of the tangled rope and pulled it taut. "Pray?"
"Allah have mercy." Ardeth obliged and then swung. The release of tension sent Rick flailing into the muck but it got the rope free. Rick let go of that and then gripped Ardeth's free hand.
"Okay, now either put it away or drop it, okay?"
"I would rather keep it. If I can." Ardeth shifted a bit but he didn't say anything else until he got the sword sheathed. But it was obvious the move hurt because his breathing grew even more labored than it already was.
"Okay." He pulled himself a bit closer to his friend and then took as deep a breath as he could stomach. "Left leg or right?"
"Left, and it is most of my left side, actually."
"Great." He couldn't see much but he felt where the tree trunk was pinning most of Ardeth's left side to whatever was behind him. He could get his hand between his friend's shoulder and the tree but not much further down. "Anything broken?"
"I do not believe so." Ardeth answered. "But it is hard to tell."
"Right, okay, when I say so, you push that way." He pointed to Ardeth's right and his left. "Sallah you pull first, give us five seconds and then Selim you pull like hell understand?" He called over his shoulder.
"As you say." Came Selim's voice.
"Rick, are you sure this will work?" Evie called out.
"Sure." He smiled at his friend despite the situation. "No harm in trying, right? On three?"
"Three." Ardeth agreed.
"One," he wrapped his hand around the tree and pulled it as much away from Ardeth as he could. "Two." He dug his foot through the mess beneath him and got one leg around the trunk as well. "This is going to hurt..." He warned.
"In'sh'allah my friend."
"Right, okay, pull!" And the rope around his waist pulled tight and the tree slid with the pressure. Ardeth let out a startled cry that was smothered quickly and then he was scrambling backward and reaching for Sallah's hands while Selim and Daoud came real close to falling into the mess themselves and pulling Ardeth out. Rick just lay on the stone for a long moment trying to breathe. "Ardeth?"
"Yes." His friend agreed. "In one piece I think."
"That's good. Let's not do that again."
"God forbid."
Evie knelt beside him and wiped the hair and mess from his face. "That was the bravest most foolish thing I've ever seen you do. And that says a great deal you know."
"I know. Don't get to close, huh? It's-- messy."
"I noticed. I can deal with a little mess, if you're all right."
"Fine." He sat up slowly. "Bruised a bit. You pull like an elephant, Sallah."
"Thank you, my friend, I think." The man smiled looking worried and happy and exhausted himself.
"Are you really all right, Ardeth?" Evie asked.
"I think so." Their friend agreed. "But I shall think more kindly of bus rides from now on."
It took Rick a moment to place the joke and then he laughed. "That was an adventure, wasn't it?"
"As always when traveling with you my friend. As always. Selim I am sorry to ask you this, but could you help me up?"
"Of course, Allah-- do I want to know what any of this is?"
"No." Ardeth and Rick answered in unison.
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Ardeth ran the soap through his hair once more and then rinsed it again. There was a steady stream of water now being hauled from the Blue Nile to the growing encampment of Medjai as more and more of the tribes arrived. He was certainly thankful his tribesmates had seen fit to set up the bathing tent he was now using. He glanced over at his friend and once again thanked Allah for the man's bravery and both their lives.
"That was with out a doubt one of the most disgusting things I have ever done in my life." Rick said, shaking the water from his hair and then reaching for one of the towels.
"I can certainly say it was mine." Ardeth replied and dried off as well. "We shall have to find some other way across that pit, or another entrance."
"Evie said Sallah and Arebe were working on something. So maybe they'll figure it out."
"We can hope. That was-- unpleasant."
"Unpleasant doesn't come close." Rick sighed. "I think I'll just burn my clothes."
"As you say, I did not know anything could smell worse than camel spit, but now I do." He shook his head. "Shall we go see what they have come up with?"
"I'm as presentable as I'm getting." Rick agreed. "You're going to be bruised all over, you know."
"Yes, I afraid I am already aware of that. You will have a few yourself. Thank you again, my friend, that was very brave."
"But foolish." Rick smiled. "I figure Evie'll read me the riot act for it. But as long as were both here and alive she can yell if it makes her feel better."
"She loves you a great deal."
"Yeah." His friend's smile changed and his eyes lightened some. "Luckiest thing that ever happened to me in my whole life, Ardeth."
"Then there is at least some good in the world that has come from Hamanaptura." Ardeth smiled as well.
"Guess there is at that." Rick grinned. "I got one hell of a family out of the deal." And he gripped Ardeth's right shoulder. "Can't say much for most of Evie's side of the family, but mine turned out to be a hell of a lot better than I expected."
Ardeth laughed and then gripped his friend's wrist, hand over the tattoo that marked him as Medjai. "You did not want to believe that at first."
"Yeah well, I never thought of myself as the warrior for God type, Ardeth."
He chuckled. "We are all Allah's soldiers when we must be, Rick. And as you say, who else is going to guard my back?"
"What are brothers for, huh?" They walked out toward where the others were sitting in the shade of a tent. "Does that make Selim my uncle too?"
"Certainly, you have a dozen cousins and two aunts here as well." He smiled a bit more. "See that Ahmer does not try to find you another wife or two while you are here."
"I'll let Evie deal with that one." He chuckled. "Besides he should be finding you one."
"Allah forbid." He rolled his eyes. "He will undoubtedly try again soon. My cousin has no understanding of women and less of the life I must lead."
"Too bad Evie doesn't have a sister." Rick chuckled.
"That might be worse than Ahmer's choices." Ardeth smiled. "But I thank you for the thought."
"What thought?" Evie smiled as they came over to sit down. "You two look much better."
"Feel like it too." Rick agreed. "And Ardeth was warning me about Ahmer's matchmaking."
"Allah forbid, is he at that again?" Selim sighed. "I will make him stop, Ardeth."
"It was only a joke uncle, nothing more." Ardeth smiled. "So, what is this idea you have?"
"A very old one." Sallah replied. "We have all that rubble in the corridors and much of what we cleared to find the entrance in the first place. So, we use it as fill. It worked for the pharaohs."
"Some times the ancient ways are best." Arebe agreed with a smile. "And we certainly have the man power to do it. So Ardeth, do we see if the Medjai can still build?"
He smiled a little. "As you say. First we have been called to defend Egypt from He who shall not be named, then to battle the armies of Anubis, now we find ourselves with the task of bodyguards for the first time in more than two thousand years and once again called to move mountains in the desert. And here all we have had to do for centuries was keep Hamanaptura undiscovered." He glanced up at the sky and then chuckled. "Perhaps the ancient ways are not so lost as I had thought. Is, was, shall be, indeed. Come Arebe, Sallah, let us see to this solution of yours."
So with nothing more monumental than as many strong men as they could fit into the corridors they began to move the rock and sand, basket by basket full into the huge pit that was between them and the two passageways. At first it seemed to go nowhere but then slowly, ever so slowly, rubble rose to meet their side of the passage. It was packed down cautiously by first heavier stones and then by one man's feet while another held his arms in case. It was slow and time consuming but by the end of the day they were satisfied that they could reach the other side tomorrow. And the rubble had the added benefit of helping to smother some of the stench.
Ardeth moved back along the passage having left the hauling of rubble to his tribes men. His left shoulder was throbbing and his leg threatened to give way if he put too much pressure on it now. He found Sallah, Rick and Evelyn back at the wall they'd examined earlier. "Are we truly going to try and see what is back there?"
Rick smiled a bit. "You want to try and talk her out of it?"
He smiled back. "No, but I would prefer if we had a few more weapons on hand, just in case of course that whatever is there does not wish to be disturbed."
"Oh dear, I hadn't thought of that. But it doesn't say that it's cursed." Evelyn traced the hieroglyphics again.
"That's new." Rick chuckled. "No promises of being eaten alive or drowned or anything else nasty?"
"Not even a general you shall be cursed for eternity." She replied. "So, let's see what we have shall we?"
"Why do I get a really bad feeling about this?" Rick looked over at him.
"Experience?" Ardeth returned.
"Well we did find the book of the Dead, and that did wake up our old friend, and we did find the bracelet of Anubis and that did flood the catacombs and raise the army of Anubis. But we also found the book of Ammun and the spear of Osiris. So, all things considered we evened it up didn't we?" Evelyn smiled.
"Allah grant that this time we find the means to destroy the thing before we wake it." Ardeth sighed.
"In'sh'allah." Sallah agreed. "This is not what I had learned archeology for."
"I don't think this is really what the Bembridge scholars had in mind, no." Evelyn agreed. "Ready?" She placed the chisel against the wall.
"Here, I'll do it. Why don't you step back that way, okay?" Rick took the chisel from her hand.
Ardeth moved over to put himself between Evelyn and whatever it was his friend was about to unearth. "You did ask for a bodyguard did you not?" He smiled down at her.
"Bully." She teased but she did not make him move either. Rick put the chisel into place and then pried it hard to the side. There was a slight crack of stone and then the grinding of more stone on stone and the carving moved forward just a bit and fell to the floor. Rick jumped back and Ardeth did the same, pushing Evelyn with him. But nothing sprang from the hole at all.
"Well that's different." Rick grinned. "Not even a booby trap. Let's wait a moment to make sure the whole place doesn't fall down on us of course."
"Allah forbid." Sallah muttered.
Silence for another moment and then Rick shrugged. 'That's good."
"As I recall the book of Ammun was not booby-trapped either." Ardeth reminded him.
"That's true, or the scepter, unless of course that's what Bennie took that started the whole place falling in." Rick picked up his torch and held it cautiously toward the hole in the wall.
"Be careful. If it is papyrus we don't want to burn it." Evelyn pointed out. Then she tapped Ardeth on the shoulder. "Might I go and see now, oh faithful Medjai?" She asked in ancient Egyptian with a smile.
He could not help himself he smiled back and bowed, gesturing her forwards. "Of course Princess."
"Bully." She teased again and slapped his arm. "Brothers. What is a girl to do?" And walked over to her husband. "Anything?"
"Dust." Rick replied and then handed her the torch. "I hate this part." He reached into the wall and Ardeth reached over and gripped his arm pulling it back.
"Here." He drew his sword and handed it to his friend. "Make certain you do not break it, will you?"
Rick chuckled but he probed the opening with the blade and then drew it back. "Nothing. Okay, let's see what we can see." He handed Ardeth the blade back took the torch from Evelyn and then leaned into the darkness.
"Rick!" Evelyn scolded. Ardeth wanted to agree with the comment. Her husband said nothing and then leaned deeper in.
"Found your records, sweetheart." He said after a moment. "Here." He began to pass back the papyruses slowly. Sallah took some and Evie some and Ardeth the rest. "What's the common ancient prayer for the dead again?"
"May Ma'at walk with you through all the halls of death and see you safely to Osiris side?" Sallah provided.
"That's it." Rick agreed. "How's it said?"
Ardeth looked at Evelyn and then shrugged and offered it in Egyptian. "Why?"
His friend smiled sadly. "All the pretty maids, all in a row." He indicated the wall. "They left their skulls to make the bookshelf."
"Oh." Evelyn sighed and then repeated the phrase herself. "Rest in peace." She glanced down at the carving. "Why don't we put that back, then?"
Ardeth and Sallah put down their papyruses and helped him lift the stone back into place. Then with the writings they'd uncovered they went back to the camp and began to study.
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Night came to Ahm Shere finally and Ardeth found himself debating once more the benefits of sleep over avoiding dealing with their erstwhile host in Thebes. Finally, he looked up at the night sky and sighed. "I suppose it is foolish, is it not, to keep from sleeping only to want to sleep more later?"
"Yeah." Rick agreed. "But I can't say I blame you." A yawn. "Can't say I'm in a hurry to go visit again."
"No." Ardeth agreed. "At least we can let Evelyn and Alex rest undisturbed. Shall we try for two hour blocks then?"
"God, I hate that." Rick muttered. "But yeah lets try it. I guess if we can get it to promise us both that we're guests and not under any sort of threat of death we can try for longer once we go back."
'There is that. And I do want to ask it about Anck-su-namun if I can."
Rick's eyes were hard. "I'd like to get my hands on her myself."
"No doubt." He squeezed his brother's shoulder. "I am truly sorry I was not there for you, my friend."
A sigh. "Yeah. Well it worked out okay. I just work really hard at not remembering that while there when it wasn't."
"No doubt. Come, we shall check on your son and drag Evelyn away from those papyruses and get some sleep. Tomorrow, Allah willing, we will be able to get further into the pyramid."
"Right." Rick got to his feet and then held out his hand. "You going to be able to sleep?"
He took the offered help and got to his feet carefully. Both legs held at least. "I will hope so. Although I doubt I will have to rely on being woken much. Every time I move I am likely to awaken myself." He shrugged. "If such is the price of survival, I can pay it an be content."
"You are too stoic for your own good." Rick smiled but he walked a bit slower than normal as they went over to the tent were Sallah and Evelyn were studying the papyrus. He was only a little surprised to see Alex with them. "Any luck?"
"Quite a bit actually." Evelyn smiled. "We found a nice description of the complex itself and a partial record of the treasures kept there. Seems it was a funerary complex, a temple to Anubis, and the resting place of the Scorpion King. There was a pretty good sized group of priests at one point, and as long as they stayed within the complex at night those horrible things left them alone. And you could apparently travel during the day."
"Great, wish we'd known that." Rick shrugged. "Anything about the armor?"
"Yes, it should be in the..." She searched through several pieces of parchment.
"Here mum" Alex handed her one.
"Right, thank you. In the-- coffin of the one who shall not be buried." She sighed. "Sometimes I think there must have been too much time to think up these things in the old days. We should have kept busier."
"Better than embroidery, I guess." Rick chuckled.
"Right. Horribly boring pastime." Evelyn agreed. "So we have to find the burial chamber for the Scorpion King, even if he wasn't going to bother to use it. And then we should be in better shape to go down into the temple area where we lost the book."
"Good. But for now, I'm going to sleep, if I can and that damned thing will let me." His friend smiled. "And you too, sport."
"But dad."
"But nothing. Come on Alex, it's way late and we have another big day tomorrow."
"Can I come along?" The boy asked.
"Maybe." Rick said. "We'll see what happens in the morning."
"Okay." A sigh.
"You two must both be in pain." Evelyn got to her feet. "Will you finish this Sallah?"
"Of course, Sitt O'Connell. Although I doubt I will find much more this evening. Perhaps we can all do with some sleep."
"As you say." Ardeth agreed. "Ma Salaama, Sallah."
"And to you Ardeth, my friends." Sallah began to re-roll the papyruses.
"Are we sleeping like last night?" Evelyn asked.
"It makes sense I guess. I'll guard your back if you guard mine?"
"Allah grant it is not necessary but it seems wise to take the precaution."
His friend smiled just a little. "Besides pissing it off."
He rolled his eyes. "As you say. It is harder for it to lie to us when we are both there."
"That too."
"Is there something going on that I should know about, Rick?" Evelyn asked looking from one of them to another. He managed somehow not to flush.
"The creature seems to delight in telling one or the other of us that the other is-- less than well." He looked over at where Alex walked beside his father and left it at that.
"Ah." Evelyn nodded and then patted his arm. "Like that bit when we were there while sleeping on the train. I rather thought we might have lost you, you know."
"So I realize." He agreed.
"Dad was going to rip its head off, I thought." Alex put in. "But I knew you were okay."
'I thank you for your confidence, Alex." He replied with as much gravity as he could.
"Do we really get to sleep tonight dad?"
"Sure do, tiger. All the way through, unless of course I see you in Thebes and then we'll wake you up when we do."
"Okay." The boy yawned. "I'd like to just sleep without some waking me every while."
"You and me both, son. You and me both." Rick agreed. It didn't take long for them to get settled despite having to rearrange things some since Ardeth couldn't lie on his left side. "Good night love, Alex, Ma Salaama Ardeth."
"In'sh'allah." He agreed. "Goodnight Evelyn, Alex."
"May Horus walk between you and all the dark places you must travel." Evelyn said softly in English and then Egyptian. "I just recalled that."
"It is a good blessing." He agreed. Half-wondering why he bothered he wrapped his hand around his sword hilt and checked his other weapons and the copy of the Koran Selim had given him. Then he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.
It was oddly easy to tell when he was no longer in Ahm Shere. The bed was much softer and he allowed himself to relax and enjoy it for a moment. Then he moved and found that his shoulder and side hurt almost as much as they had in the real world.
"Allah..." He muttered to himself, trying to roll to his feet without waking his friend.
"Guess that's a yes, you're awake." Rick sat up as well. "No visitor this morning."
"Thanks be to Allah for whatever favors he grants." Ardeth sighed. "I had half hoped that I would not feel this so much here." He touched his sore shoulder with his good hand.
"No luck, huh? Yeah, I've got a few bruises where Sallah pulled a little too hard but nothing like what I bet you're feeling. Lay back down, huh? Might as well take advantage of the bed while you've got it."
He debated that for a moment and then did just that, lying on his back and setting his sword on the floor beside him. Rick got up and went over to the small table where there was predictably a pot of coffee and fruit and bread. "Breakfast?"
"No, thank you." He sighed. "Coffee though."
A chuckle. "I'll drink to that." He agreed and poured them both a cup. Ardeth took his with a sigh, trying to ease up and then regretting putting the weight on his left arm and shoulder. He bit back the cry that started and just laid back down. "Damn it, Ardeth, here." Rick took the coffee from him. "How bad are you hurt?"
"Bruised, sore, and a bit uncertain of my strength. Nothing too serious I do not think." He closed his eyes. "As long as I do not move too quickly or put too much weight on my left leg or apparently my left arm."
"Okay, here." His friend put the coffee aside and helped him sit up. "Drink that." He handed him the cup back and then went over to the door and looked out. "Good. You. Come here." He told someone out in the hall in Arabic.
"Could you come in, please?" He translated it into old Egyptian sitting up a bit more.
One of the guards stepped in, uncertainly. "Tell him to send Tahiri here with some cold water, a larger brazier, and some towels." Rick went over to the chest beside the wall and dug though it without bothering to see if Ardeth was going to do so or not. He sighed and then translated the request.
"As you wish, Medjai. Are you injured?"
"Only a bit. My brother worries."
"Brothers often do." The man returned with a smile. "I have three." And he headed back outside.
"What are you looking for?" He asked with a bit more exasperation than he meant to.
"This." Rick replied coming back over and sitting on the edge of the bed placing a jar beside him. Then he grinned. "Too bad the thing isn't here to be pissed about this. Take that off."
"What?" He blinked.
"Your robe idiot. It's a trick I picked up in the Legion, and if it can get Alex through the scrapes and tumbles he's been in it can help with yours."
He blinked and then sighed and sat up the rest of the way, handing Rick his coffee and undoing his robes. It took a bit of maneuvering to get out of them with out it hurting more but he managed. Rick grumbled something and then turned as the door opened, pistol in hand.
"Medjai?" Tahiri asked uncertainly but since Ardeth doubted she knew that a gun was she didn't seem too frightened.
"Rick, either it is what you asked for or our host. Either way, what good is the gun?"
"Probably not much, but I really don't feel like dealing with it right now. So I wasn't in the mood to be polite. Thanks." He put the gun away and then helped Tahiri and the other servants set up the second folding table they'd brought beside the bed.
"Ah, Isis' mercy, Medjai, what did you do?" The woman asked, indicating his shoulder.
"An accident." He shrugged. "Do not let my brother's concern make you believe it is worse than it is."
She pursed her lips. "Medjai are not known for their sense of self-preservation but I will try to believe you." She smiled at Rick. "I will send for some ointment for that."
Rick looked back at him.
"My brother speaks only the language of Allah and English." He offered with a smile.
"I know a bit of your language will that do?" She tried again. "Is there anything else?" She asked in the language of the tribes.
To his surprise Rick just shook his head. "Thank you."
She smiled. "It is little enough service, Medjai." And she left the room.
"Where did you learn that?" Ardeth had to ask.
"I didn't much, but I've heard it around camp and it's similar to Farsi so I could kind of guess what she said."
He laid back down not really sure what to make of Rick's preparations. Then his friend came back over and laid a cool cloth against his shoulder. "Bet that bruise only gets worse along your hip, doesn't it?"
He sighed. "It does. I would ask as a friend however that you leave me some dignity please?"
A chuckle. "Well you don't need your boots..." A pause and then another deeper laugh. "Want me to undress you?"
"I will throw coffee in your face and you will not be able to catch it in mid air if you keep that up." He grumbled. "Allah have mercy. Fine. Please, I am certain we can find some way to explain it to your wife."
Rick chuckled. "Don't tempt me. You're right Arabic leaves a lot open for interpretation." But he helped Ardeth get the boots off none the less. "Okay, I'll leave you to do the pants, cause I don't want to get my butt kicked when you feel better."
"Bis'mil'allah rakhman el rahim. As if I do not have enough to deal with."
"Trust me, Ardeth, there's no need to be in pain if you don't have to be, okay?"
There was a seriousness behind the light words. And he nodded, it took a bit to finish undressing and then he laid back under the light sheet and just rested. He heard the door open again and then close but since Rick said nothing he assumed it was Tahiri again. Rick came back a bit later with a warm cloth this time. "Roll onto your right arm, huh?"
He did, and then sighed as the warm towel was draped from shoulder to hip.
"There, Christ Ardeth you're bruises all over." He grumbled but then opened whatever jar he had found and began to work the ointment into the very sore muscles along his shoulder. And after a while he did not bother to care if there was a slight lack of propriety to it or not. More ointment and a change of hot and cold compresses helped even more. Finally, he was lying on his back mostly asleep in this dreaming and Rick shook out his hands with a sigh. "Better, huh?"
"Much. Thank you."
"No problem. And I'm sorry about teasing you. I know you don't need me adding to the crap that thing keeps piling on you."
He sighed. "With you it is a joke, and a way to make me feel less concerned about its interest. When he says things I am never certain what if anything it really means."
"Or means to do?" Rick asked gently.
He nodded. "Foolish I know. If it truly wanted to-- force me, I doubt there is anything I could do to stop it, try though I might. For all I truly know it only does this to bother me and for no other reason. It did get cursed for eternity for committing adultery with Pharaoh's mistress after all. And then killing the Pharaoh because of her."
"There is that, so you think maybe it isn't really interested in doing more than jerking your chain?"
"As you say. You have the-- oddest phrases for things my friend."
"Glad you noticed. Well then, we'll just play the game as best we can until we can get it to stop."
"Mmm, there are worse plans I suppose." He sighed. "You are a good friend, Rick O'Connell."
"I guess." A pause. "Pot and Kettle Ardeth, I don't doubt for a minute that if the parts were reversed you'd be just as much help to me."
He smiled. "Less accomplished perhaps, I have neither a son I have taken care of, or your wealth of expertise at-- pretense."
Silence then a chuckle. "If it weren't for the other situation you know I could tell you it wasn't pretense at all just to watch you have a cow."
"Have a...as you say." He chuckled himself. "And I have, as you reminded me already, spent the night in your arms have I not? And although it is only mine to borrow, we have shared my bed. It seems that there is very little left to worry about, does it not?"
Rick chuckled. "See, you're getting the hang of this yet." Then the hand Rick had on his shoulder tightened. "Just in time it looks like. Damned thing. Don't try and move, okay?"
"I am not dressed remember?" He asked quietly keeping his thoughts to English until he could control them better. "I take it from your voice we have-- company?"
"We do." Rick agreed in Arabic. "Since you're here you can be useful. Hand me that." Rick's tone was cold.
"What have you done to yourself now, Medjai? Did AmmunRa, He who is lord of all Egypt not warn you against this?"
"What control have I over the will of Allah, creature?" He did not open his eyes, saving himself that embarrassment at least. Oddly enough the thing sounded only concerned.
The bed shifted a bit and Rick replaced the cold cloth on his shoulder for a warm one, tucking the sheet in around him carefully he noted with a smile. And then he did open his eyes and met his friend's blue ones with a grin. "You are too good to me, my friend."
An answering smile. "So I think you could use to be spoiled a little. Sue me."
"What have you done to yourself foolish warrior?" The creature sighed. "Do be calm, O'Connell. I mean neither of you harm at the moment. Little though it seems, you need me to do you injury Ardeth you do fine without my help in that at all." It shook its head with another sigh. "You will be too sore when you wake to your own time to even move, Medjai."
"No doubt." He agreed. "I am as you see, less likely to be company today than most days creature and we both know how little that is. Why do you not save us all the annoyance, and send us home?"
"Right now, Ardeth, I think that would make you feel worse. Your brother seems to have-- taken good care of you."
He smiled a bit. "He has." He agreed. Rick just gave him a quick grin. "Is there something that you wished to discuss, creature?"
"Yes. AmmunRa, He who is lord of all Egypt has asked me to tell you that the Princess' Nefertiri's brother will arrive in Ahm Shere the day after tomorrow. You are to ask him about..." It paused. "The news from Marakesh." It said all but the last word in Egyptian so Ardeth did not doubt it was quoting. "Then, says AmmunRa will you know some of the task that the gods have set."
Ardeth sighed. "The news from Marakesh. Very well. What happens in Morocco these days that would worry the gods?"
"That, I can not answer any more than you. Who are we after all to know the will of Allah or AmmunRa?"
He chuckled despite himself. "There is oddly enough some truth to what you say at times, creature."
"I find very little need to lie, Ardeth. Despite what you and your brother might believe. Amusing though it can be at times. I will have Metheret make up another potion for the pain and see that it is sent here." The thing shook its head. "Why do I bother to threaten you with intricate tortures, Medjai, when it looks to me as if you do it all to yourself?"
"If you find you no longer feel the need to bother, I will not be disappointed." He returned.
Rick just chuckled at that but Ardeth noticed that he did not move from his side and that his friend's hand was still on his shoulder. He could not help but smile. Pretense or not, there was very little to doubt that for this moment at least Rick wanted to make sure the creature knew to keep its hands off.
The thing chuckled. "Really, O'Connell, you will be wanting him branded next. I had thought Allah had decreed that there was to be no more enslavement in Egypt has he not, Medjai?"
Ardeth opened his eyes to meet the creature's. "There is a great difference creature between affection and coercion of ownership."
An odd smile crossed the creature's face. "How very odd a thing to agree on . How very odd indeed." There was something like sadness to its eyes suddenly. "Be careful with that one warriors. When you would find affection for what another man owns, who knows what sort of hell you may find as a result?" It smiled a bit. "I will send that potion. Rest, Medjai, get well. I would speak to you again of your god, and you still owe me a tale." And then it walked over to the door and left.
"Okay, that was just weird."
He nodded. "Sometimes I truly think it is simply mad. How can a thing, that can threaten one moment to tear someone to pieces, turn around a moment later and seem concerned?"
Rick sighed. "Beats me, Ardeth. I don't even think that last bit was a threat, though I guess it could have been. Sounded to me like it meant him and Anck-su-namun."
"And to me." He agreed. "Although I suppose it could have been meant as a warning of sorts to you."
"What? Hands off or I'll damn you to hell? It can try. It doesn't own you."
"No." He agreed with a sigh. "Thanks be to Allah." He closed his eyes. Then he chuckled. "You can stop claiming territory now, Rick. I think my honor, such as it is, is safe enough."
His friend's hand squeezed his shoulder gently for a second and then let go. "Guess that wasn't very subtle was it?"
"Subtle is not a word I would use to describe you, no." Ardeth chuckled again. "Since it seems we have a pardon for the moment I think I will sleep. You will wake me if something changes?"
"Of course. You could use the rest."
"Hmm, how can I be tired here, if I am sleeping at Ahm Shere?"
"I think we just have to give up on that one, Ardeth."
"As you say."
Fejr:ToC