Maghrib
Chapter 3
“Ardeth!” Abdul’s voice carried across the camp and Ardeth met his friend half way.
“What is wrong, Abdul?”
“The southern scouts I sent out never returned. We sent out another group to check on them and they found only six of them, slain, Allah have mercy, and their horses butchered where they lay.”
Ardeth closed his eyes and gave a prayer himself for still more of his men. “All the horses?”
“Yes.”
“Then they are prisoners.” He swallowed hard. “I will see them free if I can, Abdul. I promise you.”
“If they are in the German’s hands, Ardeth how in the world can you do that?” Abdul asked.
“With the help of a friend, or two.” Ardeth answered. “Who is missing?”
“Raji, Qayim, Nashit, and Mabarak.”
Two he knew. Two he did not. One of them he was reasonably certain was related to Abdul somehow, a cousin or nephew or some such. He clasped his friend’s shoulder. “In’sh’Allah, Abdul. I will bring them back to us.” He would try because he was not burying more of his people if he had any choice. “Gather the other leaders, tell them what has happened, double our patrols and make certain they all check in with at least one of the other patrols every hour and with someone here every two. I will not see our men curried out like a tired gazelle by hyenas.” He squeezed his tribesmate’s shoulder and then went to find Rick and Evelyn.
He found them with Jonathan, watching Alex train with the other young riders.
“Ardeth. We came looking for you after the meeting but Selim said you were asleep. You still look exhausted.” Evelyn smiled as he walked over.
“What’s wrong?” Rick turned.
“I must ask for your help my friends, I am sorry.” He sighed. “I have four men taken prisoner by the Germans, I think. I must find them and see if there is any chance of saving them. Allah have mercy on us Evelyn, but I may yet need you to use the amulet of Sekhmet or the Book of Healing and War.”
“I’ll get the book.” She offered, without blinking. “And my weapons.”
“I’ll get the armor.” Rick agreed. “Where do you want to meet?”
“I will go with Evelyn, I need the book of Vengeance.” He nodded. “We will meet you at the storage tent.”
Rick clasped his arm in support and took off.
“Is there anything I can do, Ardeth, Evie?” Jonathan asked.
“I do not think so, my friend. Only tell Alex that we will be back soon.”
“I need to tell him now, I’m going to need the amulet back.” Evelyn sighed.
Ardeth nodded. “Asyd. Alex, come here now!” He called out over the training area.
Alex pulled Lesha to a quick stop and then pulled the reigns around to head her toward them. Asyd only followed and gathered his other students around him.
“I need my amulet back, Alex. We have to go help one of the patrols.” Evelyn said.
“Sure mom.” Alex pulled the large medallion over his head and held it out to her.
“Is all well, chieftain?” Asyd asked.
“We will know the extent of it soon, my friend. But for today let us end riding lessons and rest the horses. Allah forbid but we may need them soon.”
“As you say.” Asyd agreed.
“You can have Lesha back if you need to Uncle Ardeth.” Alex offered.
“Thank you, Alex. But no, keep her.” He found a smile for the boy and the rest of the children training so hard to be warriors when they had such unavoidable proof that it only assured that someday he would, Allah have mercy, be sending them to their deaths too. “Only take care of her in the heat.”
“Allah hamdas aha, Emir.” One of the boys offered.
“Allah hama’ ana.” He returned.
And each boy there, and Asyd returned the salute and the phrase. Ardeth nodded and then turned to follow Evelyn back to the tents. “I will die the worst death I know before I let him come to harm, Evelyn. You know that, do you not?”
“Of course I do.” She smiled a bit, sadly. “Crossed your mind too, hmm?” She caught his arm as they walked. “He is so much his father’s son sometimes.”
“He is very much the son of you both.” Ardeth disagreed. “Which gives him more bravery and intelligence than most.”
“That’s sweet.” She replied but it did not hide how bright her eyes were. They gathered their weapons and books and found Rick already waiting for them. “Now what?”
Ardeth held out his shield. “Do not get out of grasp of this. All I can think of is to get to where they are, grab them, and get them free before their captors can react.”
“Right. Better idea then.” Rick sheathed his sword and drew his pistol.
Horus with that uncanny ability his friend had gotten since his return came circling down to land on his shoulder. “Do you go with us then?” He nodded. “Grab hold, my friends.” They did so and he looked toward the afternoon sun. “Ai-hetrem-heset-Heru.” He offered the phrase, meaning it with all his heart. And the Bright son of Osiris was kind and they were not longer in the middle of camp but somewhere in the desert and three of his tribesmates came running toward them.
“Chieftain!” One of the men called in Medja. “They kept Raji, but let us go. We told them nothing.” Mubarak panted the words out.
“Raji spoke a few words of Egyptian to them to keep them from shooting me, but they did not understand it. It seemed to confuse them more.”
“Rick, Evelyn, will you stay here while I get my men back to camp? Then I will return and we will see to Raji.”
“Sure.” Rick answered letting go of the shield and moving away enough to not be a danger to the three men. Evelyn did the same. It took thankfully no time to get his three warriors back to Ahm Shere and return to his friends and while the transition left him a bit tired it was nothing unbearable. “You okay?”
“I am fine, a bit winded only. Let us see to my last warrior if we can my friends.” He held out the shield again.
“Do you think Horus would let us share the burden with you?” Evelyn asked.
“It is possible I suppose.” He agreed. “Please, Bright god of Vengeance see us to Raji so that we may bring him safely back to the tribes, my brother and sister would bear part of the strain of travel if they may? Grant us, oh Horus, your grace.” He offered it all in Egyptian, Horus gave a cry and launched himself toward the sun. And that was apparently enough, because they were gone from the desert and all of a sudden in a large tent full of men and equipment he did not recognize off hand. There were shouts in a language he did not know as he reached down with his free hand and gripped Raji’s shoulder. Rick fired off three or four quick shots.
“Halt!” The man who had been sitting in front of Raji lunged forward.
Ardeth only pulled his tribesmate out of the way meeting his enemy’s eyes for just a moment before the man pulled back his hand with a grimace ad Evie’s blade cut across it. And then he voiced the prayer again and they were gone from where they were gone from the German camp back to their own.
“Allah have mercy are you all right, Raji?” He asked as he released his tribesman.
“I am. Qayim, Nashit, and Mabarak are still there, Ardeth. Can you...”
“We found them all ready, Raji, they are safe. The Germans had already released them.”
“He said he would. Allah knows I did not believe him though.” Raji sighed.
“You’re injured.” Evelyn pointed out, touching the young man’s bandaged shoulder.
“Shot.” Raji agreed with a shake of his head. “They even tended our wounds, chieftain. I do not understand them.”
“Nor I. Come we will see you and the other three well and then I must know what occurred. Thank you my friends for helping me to save my tribesmates.”
“I think you did most of the work. I’m not sure I even hit any one.” Rick shrugged.
“I will count it an extra blessing if you did. Will you both join us for council?”
“Sure.”
“Why don’t you get the armor put away, Rick? And I’ll see to Raji here and the other men. Then we can try and make sense of it.” Evelyn patted Raji’s arm again much to his tribesmate’s embarrassment. “Come now, Medjai, let’s see to your wounds.” And she walked him toward the main hearth.
“Chieftain?”
Ardeth smiled. “Do not argue, Raji. It is only wasted breath. Go and I will see that we are all there soon.” He shook his head. “Your wife is an amazing woman, my friend.”
“Yeah.” Rick grinned. “I’m glad we got your men back Ardeth.”
“As am I.” He agreed and then went to find his other leaders, Mubarak and the other two who had been taken by the Germans and gather them all to meet.
Raji and the three took turns at the story and Ardeth had to chuckle at their use of answers that were no such thing to achieve what they did. “So now he thinks that no is either your name or the name of our tribe does he?”
“So I gathered. He went in and out of Arabic because he kept speaking to the doctor who tended our wounds.” Raji sighed. “Some of the words are similar to English but not so that I could really understand.”
“So, we have the name and rank of our enemy do we? And does this sound to you, Arebe like the man who questioned you?”
“No.” Arebe shook his head. “The man who questioned Kahid and I spoke no Arabic. And he was shorter than this man, Raji describes, but broader built and very strong I think. I think I remember the man of whom you speak Raji, but I can not be certain. You should send for Kahid, Ardeth. He was more coherent than I.”
Ardeth nodded and sent Ahmer to do so. “So it seems we have two men who would question us. One who speaks Arabic and seems to keep his word and one who does not and is quite mad.”
“And no answers to either of them.” Arebe clasped Raji’s shoulder. “Well done.”
“It was nothing, Arebe. Truly, he hit me twice. That was all. Mostly because I spat on his country I think.”
Ardeth smiled a bit. “Insult in any language I suppose. So they do not know who we are or why we are here. That may be some use. Thank you all for your bravery and sacrifice for Egypt and Allah, my friends. Why do you not go see your families? Raji will you stay here and we will discuss what we know and what we do not.”
“Certainly, chieftain.”
“If it helps any I did make a list of all the pronouncements I remembered the gods giving us, Ardeth.” Evelyn put in and handed him a notebook. “There’s the arabic and the Egyptian, and then the English.”
“Thank you, Evelyn.” He shook his head at the thoroughness and had to smile, and read over the arabic quickly. “Have you a pen?”
“Here.” Sallah produced one and handed it to him.
“Better you make the corrections. I can pronounce the Egyptian but have no way of writing it.” He handed the notebook back to Evelyn.
“Right.” She sat down beside him. “You and Rick tend to hear from them more than the rest of us.”
“They talk to Ardeth, mostly, I think I’m just along.” Rick disagreed. “Except for Anubis, and I’m not talking to him again.”
“In’sh’Allah.” Ardeth prayed. “Most of what we have been told has come to pass already, such as finding the weapons at the first battle with the Germans.”
“Right.” Evelyn flipped a few pages in her notebook. “These are the ones I could think of that might still be upcoming.”
He looked over the page again, only a little surprised at the thoroughness. “I spoke to Horus once in his shrine at Thebes.” He handed her back the book. “And he said to me many things which have come to pass and one that might not have occurred yet.” He closed his eyes and called the Egyptian to mind. “When the time comes, and you know why I and my father's father, and even Allah have forced you to bear the constant re-heating of the blade we would wield against the foes of Egypt. Then, you will know that you have more courage than most and strength and honor to bear the weight you must carry. Some lessons, no matter how painful must be learned to be borne.” He stopped and left off the last of the warning, because having the priest of Ammun be his teacher in such was nothing he wanted to bring up in front of his tribe.
Evelyn added that. “Not really helpful is it?”
“Inspiring yes, but it does not seem to have hidden answers, no.” He shook his head.
“I’ve been going over what Anheratu said to me in Memphis.” She sighed. “And the important thing I can remember is that she said ‘sometimes, it is those that would defend us that we must in turn defend. And warriors, like all men, forget that the women and children they leave behind may be targets for their enemies as well as they themselves.’ That sounds to me like we need to be as concerned for the women and children as it does for those going to battle doesn’t it?”
“It does indeed. Though what danger we are protecting them from I do not know. Perhaps we need to be certain we keep the battles to where stray shots of those great guns the tanks have do not come near to camp.”
“Sounds like a safe bet.” Rick agreed. “Didn’t that message the damned thing gave you to give to Evie have something about that in it to?”
Ardeth thought again and called the Egyptian to mind. “Tell to Sekhmet’s champion that the gods of her father are well pleased with her. But caution her yet to think well upon the words her sister spoke to her, for she heard but did not listen, and there is more to be heard yet. Caution her also to let not her impetuousness overwhelm her for she has yet to learn patience, but to not tarry to long before hunting, for she has much yet to face in this time of trial for Egypt. But tell her that we the gods of Egypt do love her yet, and for her to remember that love and not despair no matter how great her burden or the grief of Isis herself be laid upon her shoulders. For even her father did not know how truly strong his daughter was and is and shall be.”
“Again, it’s flattering and inspiring but what does it mean? I’m not to be too impetuous, and I need to concern myself with the women and children here. I can see that. But what am I protecting them from and what am I supposed to be hunting?”
Ardeth had no answers.
“When Ammun spoke to me, he said for me to remember that on the day when I thought Ardeth most needed me in battle I was going to be needed instead where I did not think I was needed at all.” Adham put in. “That seems like much the same sort of warning. We know what is we are supposed to be concerned with, what it is we are not to do, but not what it is we should do.”
“Exactly.”
“When I spoke to Anubis last night, before– everything else. He told me he had news for us, and that I was to make certain I remembered this.” He thought back to the words. “The Germans will avenge their dead. They have already started. But their way is not yours and they will worry you down like a hound does a hind, do not allow that. Be vigilant, be wary, but know you this, in a handful of days the battle will be decided and not all your warriors or any of the other champions will be able to aid you. Ahm Shere is a place of blood and sacrifice, Medjai, as it has always been. See you then that the blood spilled is of Egypt’s enemies and not your own. For if you fall, the consequences will be more than you will ever recover from. My brother has faith that you will triumph over this. I do not.” He repeated it. “And the other morning Horus told me that if I wished to know what was still to come I should release the falcons. Which we did and found Arebe and Kahid, praise be to God. So was that meant as a warning against the capture of Raji and the others? If so then we have already failed.”
“Sometimes I don’t think of this makes any sense. I’ll go over it all again, see if there are possible meanings.” Evelyn sighed.
“You wished to see me, chieftain?” Kahid asked.
“I did.” He agreed and let Evelyn worry about the gods’ words for a bit. “A bit ago now, we managed, thanks be to God, to rescue Raji from the Germans. But Arebe is uncertain as to the man who questioned Raji, and thought that perhaps you would recall more than he.”
“I can try.” Kahid answered with a frown. “Not the man that questioned us then?”
“No.” Arebe shook his head. “Did not one of our captor speak Arabic?”
“Two.” Kahid corrected. “One older, with black hair and lighter eyes, one younger, blond and with pale blue eyes I think.”
“The first one, with dark hair, short all over? And he was tall, perhaps as tall as O’Connell?” Raji asked.
“Yes.” Kahid agreed, closing his eyes. “He did not seem as mad as the other, nor do I recall him being...” He paused, then shrugged and ducked his head. “One of the ones who...”
“Torture is a hard word to manage.” Ardeth agreed, and clasped his tribesmate’s shoulder. “But do not belittle your sacrifice for our tribes by naming it anything else, hmm?” He squeezed his hand tighter.
“Yes chieftain.” Kahid whispered. “But it is hard to say.”
“Yes.” He agreed, not ceratin he was comfortable himself with applying the term to what he had endured in Anubis’ hell. Kahid glanced up and then nodded and raised his head again.
“Thank you, Ardeth.”
“It is nothing to thank.” He disagreed and released his friend’s shoulder. “So, do any of you recall anything these Germans said that would help us in this battle to come?”
“I can not think of anything to add, chieftain. Except that the man who questioned us most often and spoke no Arabic mentioned Ahm Shere frequently by name, in and amongst the German.” Arebe put in. “So I know for certain that they come here for a reason. But never did I hear them mention Hamanaptura, or us by name.”
“No.” Raji agreed. “It would seem they do not know of the Medjai at all. For the man did not even suggest the name for us. Only mentioned the Bedoui.”
“We are not known for guarding Ahm Shere as we have been for guarding Hamanaptura. I wish I knew what it is that they were seeking here. Gold or darker treasure?”
“Gold’s the same word.” Rick put in. “As in English I mean.” He shrugged. “Treasure I think is something like schaz?”
“Do you speak German, Rick?” He had not even thought to ask.
“Nah, a bit of Hungarian is the closest I get. But when you hang out in the Legion for a while you pick up words from just about every language out there and they all refer to money, women, or cussing.”
Ardeth smiled. “The cussing and the money might yet be useful.” He shook his head. “Nothing for curses or magic or such?”
Rick thought for a bit. “Wuncht? That’s cursed I think. Pretty common word around Hamanaptura. Magic’s zaub in Hungarian.”
“Zauber.” Kahid put in. “That was a word the man used a great deal.”
“Then we might reason they are here for more than gold.” Ardeth sighed. “And even less likely to turn aside then. For there are other places to find wealth, but thankfully very few where the old magic is still to be found even according to legend.”
“What is it with the madmen and wanting to wipe out the world?” Rick shook his head. “I mean gold and treasure yeah I get that. But not the rest.”
“There is a dark lure to absolute power, my friend, no doubt there are too many who are far too eager to embrace it regardless of the cost to their souls.” Ardeth shrugged. “It is not much to go on but I think it is all we have. Perhaps, if I am fortunate tonight in Thebes I can ask the Bright son of Osiris if there is more he can tell me. But likely he will only say I should find the answers on my own.”
“As long as you must not pay so high a price for those answers as you did for the warning Anubis gave you, chieftain.” Kashim put in. “We would have you to lead us yet.”
Ardeth ducked his head. “As you say, Kashim. Horus is far kinder than his dark brother. I do not worry he will demand anything nearly so-- unnerving.”
“Torture is a difficult word to manage.” Arebe said softly, but he smiled just a little.
“Do not go returning my words to me.” Ardeth frowned.
“Do not give me reason too.” Arebe replied.
Ardeth rolled his eyes. “I am not so foolish as to enter into this argument with you, Arebe. Enough. Let us only be thankful that we are all well and that whatever sacrifices Allah demands of us we were able to bear, hmm? If no one has anything else to add or questions to answer we shall call the meeting done and let Raji go and see his family and each of you enjoy dinner with your own.”
“As you say, chieftain, far be it from us to argue.” Pasha chuckled. “Or embarrass you further. You may do that for us, Evelyn, if you do not mind, as Rihana is not here, and Ardeth has no other sisters.”
Evelyn looked a bit surprised at that and then smiled. “Well, as long as it’s sanctioned.” And Allah help him she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Don’t go doing anything foolish in Thebes tonight, Ardeth, or I’ll corral your warriors again and come to dinner.”
“Bis’mil’Allah.” He grumbled, but he did not mind too much. “They will likely volunteer.”
“Only if there is always such dancing.” Pasha said in Medja. And that got laughter all around.
“I will not tell your wife you said that.” Ardeth smiled. “Go to prayers and your tribes my friends and we will speak again tomorrow.”
He waited until the leaders and Raji and Kahid had done that before he turned to Rick and Evelyn. “Have I thanked you yet, my friends, for being so brave if foolish as to venture to Anubis’ realm for my sake?”
“Don’t be silly. You’d have done it for us. Did, actually, as I recall.” Evelyn smiled, and indicated Rick with a tilt of her head.
“Yeah, so we’re even on that and lets just keep it that way, okay?” Rick asked. And there was just enough of and odd tone to his voice for Ardeth to realize how much he was not saying.
“As you say. I doubt very much, that AmmunRa will let Anubis bother us again. He seemed quite angry.”
“Yeah.” Rick smiled a bit. “Serves him right.” And he reached over and gripped Ardeth’s shoulder tightly. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Fine. I slept for bit this afternoon and felt much better when I woke. And using the shield today to get Raji and the others took far less than I expected. Either Horus did indeed let us share the burden for most of the trip or I am growing more accustomed to its use. Then again, I suppose their camp is really not all that far from ours in terms of miles.”
“No, probably not.” Rick agreed.
“But you still don’t need to be pushing yourself harder than you have to Ardeth. You and Rick have both been through more these last two weeks than you let on and eventually it’s all going to catch up with you and then where will the Medjai or Egypt be, hmm? So, I’m doing as Pasha suggested and bullying you, as a sister should. Let’s have dinner and then get some rest. And if Imhotep isn’t a perfect host to you both, tell me, and I’ll ask Sekhmet to smack him.”
Ardeth had to laugh at that and Rick chuckled as well. “Of course, Princess.” He managed after a bit. “Come, dinner does sound good. We can let Mohamed and Alex tell us about learning to ride and my cousin’s daughters can giggle and be silly. I think that would ease my heart a great deal.”
“Sounds pretty good, yeah.” Rick agreed and the look Rick gave him made him realize that his brother understood all too well that knowing what he had seen was only shadows did not make the pain any easier to forget.
“Then that is what we shall do.” He agreed and promised himself that tomorrow he would go and see the survivors of Ahmer’s tribe and put a bit of that grief to the side as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rick wasn’t really surprised when he woke up in Thebes, an only a little surprised that he woke up in bed with Ardeth curled next to him. He gave the room a quick glance to see that they were alone for the moment and then just hugged Ardeth tighter. “Thank you, Allah, Horus, Ammun, all of you, I don’t even know what to say except thank you.”
“Hmm, what are we thanking the gods for, habib?” Ardeth asked sleepily, and Rick realized he must have said that out loud.
“This.” He tightened his arms a bit and then tilted Ardeth’s head up and kissed him, long and sweet as he could manage. Because he could, because while it really had been hell Ardeth was all right and the pain was gone and the damned monster hadn’t done more than cut him. Which reminded him he needed to thank Adham when he got a chance. Somehow, the kiss didn’t stay soft long though and he was kissing Ardeth with a desperation that he didn’t like himself. “Sorry.” He broke the kiss quickly.
“Whatever for?” Ardeth smiled.
There was no way he was going to put that into words right now. So he found a smile instead and put one finger over Ardeth’s lips to keep him from asking again. “Good morning.”
Ardeth smiled a bit more and then kissed Rick’s finger. “Good morning yourself. That was a very pleasant way to wake up.”
“Yeah.” He agreed, and it was too. He should’ve felt guilty or something, having gone to sleep in Evie’s arms and then waking up in Ardeth’s, but he just couldn’t find a way to feel bad about this. Not when they didn’t. He leaned down and kissed Ardeth again, soft this time and keeping it that way. Ardeth kissed him back, seeming content to simply lie there and enjoy the morning.
“Not that I do not agree with you that this is cause for thanks, but why exactly are we thanking the gods for the joy of being able to kiss each other so?”
“Because we can.” He replied and took another kiss for just that reason. Ardeth sighed but his hands went to the buttons on Rick’s shirt and began to undo them.
“Then let us be thankful for more than kisses, hmm?” Ardeth whispered, as he moved his lips to Rick’s throat. “You will have me thankful for waking in Thebes, if all my time here starts so wonderfully.”
Rick had to laugh. “Yeah, does kinda makes it worth the annoyance doesn’t it?”
“Certainly. And even our host seems to be in a good mood today.”
“What?” Rick pulled away from Ardeth a bit to look down at him. “He come by already this morning while I was asleep?”
“No, I fell asleep this afternoon before we went to rescue Raji and the others and found myself here.”
“You okay?” He pushed the desire back firmly, this was more important right now.
Ardeth sighed. “I am fine. He did me no harm. We talked, played Hounds and Jackals, and I met Tahiri’s little girl. And gave him one kiss for the bargain. Truly, it was barely even a kiss.” Ardeth’s eyes lightened a bit and he traced Rick’s jaw with one hand. “I would tell you if I was not well.”
“Promise?” Rick had to ask.
“I swear it.” Ardeth answered firmly. “To Allah, on my oath as Medjai, on my honor and my soul. Is that enough for you, brother mine?"
“Yeah.” He smiled. “I worry.”
“I noticed that.” Ardeth chuckled. “But now you need not. I am well and whole and here in bed with you. Let us enjoy Paradise while we can, hmm?”
“Yeah.” He kissed Ardeth again, and this time the desperation was on both sides.
“I thought he might have killed you.” Ardeth whispered finally, barely enough for Rick to hear him. “You were so still.”
“No, knocked me senseless yeah. But I’ve got a hard head.” He smiled and stroked his hands down Ardeth’s arms and then put one over his heart. “Let’s see if we can both believe it, hmm?”
“You are not dead in my arms, I am not dead in yours and neither of us has been tortured or worse, hmm? Is that what we are thanking the gods for, Rick?”
He blinked hard. “Yeah.”
“Al’hamdil’Allah.” Ardeth offered softly in Arabic and then something in Egyptian with Ammun and Horus’ names attached.
“Say that for me again. The last part.”
“Ni tuau en atu, AmmunRa.”
“What’s it mean?”
“My thanks to you.” Ardeth offered the translation.
“Ni tuau en atu?” He tried, not sure he got the pronunciation even close.
“Yes. Tuau is thanks. The rest is—politeness.”
“Ni tuau en atu AmmunRa. Ni tuau en atu Heru, seb ai sen.” He put it together as best he could.
Ardeth only smiled. “And my thanks to them both for my brother as well.” He agreed. “Although Anubis is right, and I should give thanks for my lover as well as my brother.”
“Merru, huh?” Rick recalled that.
“Yes.” Ardeth smiled. “He did not seem happy that we were more than brothers you know.”
“Anubis?”
“Yes. It was an odd conversation. And he certainly did not like me comparing the fact that seeing me bleed bothers you to the fact that seeing Horus bleed would bother him.”
Rick shook his head. “You actually told him that?”
“I did.” Ardeth smiled. “Foolish I suppose.”
“Maybe not. When he showed up there in the middle he said something about that too, about how I’d take him on even knowing I couldn’t win because he hurt you. And Horus told me once, that if I had to ask Anubis for help that I should remember to ask for his sake and Anubis would probably do it. So maybe the bastard does care about something.”
“Hmm, they are half-brothers according to the legends. Osiris having fathered them both. Not that brotherhood is always a good bond in the myths. But it is something I suppose to know it may help if we need it to.”
“Yeah.” Rick sighed. “When did simply blowing the damned things to bits stop being enough, Ardeth?”
Ardeth chuckled. “Long before we were born, my friend, we are only now realizing that.” He traced Rick’s jaw again. “Tomorrow we must be warriors and brothers and Medjai, habibi. For this bit of the day here in the land of the faithful, let us be no more than men.”
“Sounds really good.” He agreed and leaned down to kiss Ardeth again. And it was enough of a joy that he could push the rest aside for a bit. He wondered if that’s what Ardeth was doing too, concentrating on the pleasure to keep the horror at bay. It was too damned easy to remember how Ardeth had looked, for real this time, if any of this was real, hanging from his wrists, covered in his own blood, and how he’d shivered in Rick’s arms despite the heat.. Or how Evie’s body had looked lying on the blood-soaked sand, or how Alex had stood there, pistol in his hands, ready to fight or kill or both. It wasn’t real. It didn’t happen. God, how the hell do I do this? He gripped Ardeth tighter, needing to feel the strength in the arms that gripped him back. Like this morning when he’d made love with Evie, both of them desperate to touch and taste and feel the other alive, until the passion had gotten the better of everything and they’d nearly killed each other and themselves just trying to get that last bit closer. “Ardeth...” He tried to push back a little, rein this in somehow.
Ardeth didn’t let go any, and somehow damn it, he’d gotten Rick’s shirt out of his pants and mostly open and then just pulled until the last two buttons popped. Then his hands were all over Rick’s skin, his back and chest and arms, the shirt pushed aside with a growl. And it felt so good, the hot crazy caresses of strong sword-calloused hands. He buried his face against Ardeth’s throat, sucking and bitting at the sweat slick skin just to taste it and hear the dark moans Ardeth made when he did so. Because there was no mistaking those moans for pain. He cursed to himself in Arabic as he managed to get Ardeth at least partially undressed, enough so that his hands could stroke over skin instead of fabric most of the time. And he knew this was crazy and God but he didn’t care. He found the laces of Ardeth’s pants, and that one he could undo without problem so he did. Ardeth caught his breath in a hiss, and arched into Rick’s hands. Which, only made Rick want to get out of his own clothes quicker. He pushed Ardeth’s hands out his way and got his belt and pants undone and pulled himself away from Ardeth long enough to get the fabric off.
Ardeth seemed to take that as a good idea and got his own robes undone with a quickness Rick envied. There was no finesse or care to either of their undressing and all the clothes only got tossed onto the floor somewhere before they were in each other’s arms again, kissing hard and breathless, tongues as deep into each other’s mouths as possible. And God but he wanted to just bury himself in Ardeth, like he had last night. And he knew they weren’t ready for it yet, but he could picture how Ardeth’s legs would clamp around his waist, probably hard enough to bruise and he wouldn’t care. Head tossed back and his hands on Rick’s shoulders shaking with each thrust, lost in the pleasure, his cock hard and hot in Rick’s hand. “Ardeth...” He managed the name with a groan, breaking the kiss to suck hard at his throat again. Ardeth hands were gripped almost too tightly onto his back, pulling them tight against each other. But he could still work a hand down between their bodies to stroke haphazardly around both their cocks. And that was almost enough already, he was so far over the edge on this. “God, I want you.” He muttered it between kisses and then groaned as Ardeth moved to bite just a bit too hard at the point of his jaw. But it felt too good to care if it stung too.
“I am here, Rick.” Ardeth’s voice was low and harsh with nothing but desire. “We will need more oil, yes?”
“God yeah...right...okay. We gotta slow down, Ardeth.”
“Now?” Ardeth sighed. “Rick.”
“If we’re making love, yeah. Otherwise...” He licked at Ardeth’s neck again and then stroked his hand lightly around Ardeth’s cock. “We can just be crazy, huh?”
“I want very much...to have you inside me. But Allah, I do not want to wait.”
God help him if that didn’t make him smile. “I want that too, Ardeth. But no rushing.” He forced himself to let go of Ardeth and prop himself up on both arms. “Christ, this is nuts.”
“Kiss me, please?”
“Yeah.” He smiled and then kissed Ardeth long and hard, trying to keep the desperation a bit under control. “Hell do we have any oil left, habibi?” He broke the kiss as the thought came to mind.
Ardeth looked at him a bit bemused and then chuckled. “I do not know. I think so.”
Rick glanced over to the bedside table, very glad to see the bottle still there and then snagged it and shook it once to see how much was there. “Well, now that’s considerate.”
“What is?”
“Somebody refilled it for us.”
Ardeth bless him, flushed darkly but then smiled. “I shall give thanks for whoever was so kind.” He reached up and stroked his hand down Rick’s throat to his chest. “Love me now?”
“God, Ardeth do you have any idea what that does to me?”
“I hope so.” Ardeth smiled. Rick just leaned down and kissed him again, long and deep and slow, as much a promise of what their lovemaking was going to be as he could make it.
“Bis’mil’Allah, Rick, I will embarrass myself if you– do not stop.” Ardeth groaned as he broke the kiss finally.
“Really?” He chuckled. “I’d like that.”
“Truly?” Ardeth stared at him. “Why?”
“Because, knowing you’re enjoying it so much is rousing as anything Ardeth.”
“Oh.” And the smile that got was shy, and it was so very hard to remember he had to be good when Ardeth was lying there all flushed and aroused and then with that damned shyness that just melted Rick’s heart. “It rouses me that you look at me so.”
“Does it?” He smiled. “Get used to it, habibi, I’m going to have a really hard time remembering not to look at you like that in Ahm Shere.”
Ardeth chuckled. “Now that would shock my tribesmates as much as the old gods I think.” His hands stroked down Rick’s back. “Will you make love to me now, Rick?”
“Yeah, Ardeth.” And he trailed a line of kisses from the point of Ardeth’s jaw to his shoulder, noticing then the red teeth marks he’d made earlier when they were half-crazy with it and soothed them with his tongue just a bit. Ardeth tossed his head back with a low sweet groan and Rick smiled, blowing a quick breath of air over the slick skin. Then he moved his lips to one nipple and let his hand stroke lightly once over Ardeth’s cock before he moved lower, gently cupping his balls and smiling again at the ragged moan that got.
“That feels good.”
“Yeah.” He slid his hand back just a bit further and trailed his finger just along the skin behind them. Ardeth gasped out something that probably wasn’t even Arabic and tossed his head back against the mattress again. “Like that, huh?” It wasn’t really a question. Ardeth only spread his legs a bit wider and that made it easy to continue the caress back to press feather light against the opening he was searching for. Not trying to even breach it yet, only teasing lightly over the surface. But God it was hard not to remember how wonderful it had felt to slide into Ardeth completely and hear his friend’s low voice break on his name in pleasure because of it. “Good?”
“Oh Allah yes. More? Please?”
“Yeah, habibi, there’s more.” He drew his hand away slowly, making it both a caress and a promise. “Roll over, hmm?”
“Must I? Can we not do this, so I can see you? Somehow?”
He smiled, and ran his hands down Ardeth’s chest. “We could try, maybe...it’s awkward though.”
“I would like to try.” Ardeth pulled him down into a long kiss.
“God but you are getting so good at that.” He broke away finally and found the jug of oil. “Hold that?”
“Again?” Ardeth chuckled.
“Easier that way.” He promised and then poured a little of the sweet oil onto his fingers. Ardeth’s eyes only darkened a bit more, and it made Rick smile to see the anticipation. What did I do to get so lucky, huh? And thank you, Allah, Ammun, Horus, Bastet whoever let me get it right before. Please, let him enjoy this. He repeated his earlier caress with now slick fingers and then slowly, as careful as he knew how he slid the first one inside. Ardeth’s eyes closed and he swallowed a breathless moan, but there was no way to mistake it for pain. And it was even better than last night, because he could see just how much Ardeth enjoyed the touch. He forced himself to slow down the strokes of his other hand around Ardeth’s cock, not wanting to rush him.
“Allah have mercy, Rick you do not...know how...good that feels.”
“Yeah?” He chuckled. “Maybe next time you’ll show me, habib?”
“Would you...truly...let me try?”
“Yeah.” And it surprised him a little that he was looking so forward to it. “Sounds perfect.”
“I will...pray...I can make you feel nearly as good as you do me.” Ardeth sighed. “More now?”
“Yeah.” He agreed because it was so easy to slide that one finger in and out now. “More oil?” He slowly pulled the one finger free and poured a bit more oil onto his hand before handing the jug back to Ardeth. “Two now, Ardeth. Tell me it’s too much, huh?”
“I promise.” Ardeth nodded, smiling a bit. Rick leaned up to kiss him quickly and then deepened it as he slid both fingers inside. The oil made it smooth enough but Ardeth was so damned tight around his fingers. Which only reminded him of how new this was to his friend.
Ardeth hissed out a breath and Rick eased back a bit. “Hurts?”
“No...it is...tight, a little– sting. But no pain, habib.” Ardeth’s eyes were dark brown almost black as they met his. And there was nothing in them that even hinted at pain. Rick managed a smile.
“Good. You might be too sore for this, Ardeth.”
“I will tell you– if I wish to stop.” Ardeth growled. “Touch me inside, Rick. It feels so good when you do.”
“Like that?” He eased his fingers deeper, watching for any signs of pain but Ardeth only sighed and closed his eyes again, pressing his head back into the pillows. And it still amazed him how Ardeth’s body opened to his touch. It was a bit awkward to find the right angle from this direction but he did and Ardeth cried out and arched his back into Rick’s caress. Rick smiled, and then lowered his head again to suck lazily at one already hard nipple. Ardeth gave a low moan and then something like a sob.
“So good, habibi.” Ardeth whispered, his free hand stroking through Rick’s hair. Rick smiled a bit, but didn’t stop any of the caresses. Then he drew himself away reluctantly and remembered to pour a bit more oil into his hand and over his fingers as he eased them almost out.
“Three now.” He knew it was only stating the obvious but he couldn’t help but say it. Ardeth nodded and then groaned as Rick slid the third finger in and he wasn’t sure that was all pleasure either. “Ardeth?”
“Allah but I want you.” Ardeth groaned. “Touch that spot again?”
“Yeah.” He smiled, and eased his fingers deeper. “Okay? You’re so tight, Ardeth.”
“I am fine. Please?”
Rick swallowed hard, liking the breathless moan that underlay the words and found the right angle to brush over the spot Ardeth enjoyed so. Finally, he eased his fingers out carefully and couldn’t help but feel a rush of pride and desire both as Ardeth groaned out a barely coherent complaint. Rick took the jug of oil and poured, probably more than he needed onto his hand to stroke it over himself. “Okay...you have to trust me on this okay?”
“I trust no one more.” Ardeth whispered.
And that made his eyes sting damn it. “MuHabb.” He whispered the Arabic softly, and Ardeth’s eyes lightened just a little. He lifted Ardeth’s legs and placed them on his shoulders. And Ardeth, bless him, seemed to grasp what he was trying for because he shifted and then reached out to slide his hands around to the small of Rick’s back. “Okay, now...this can be...deeper than the other okay? So, if it hurts...”
“You will stop. I have no fear.”
“God I wish I didn’t.” He muttered before he realized it was out loud. Ardeth’s eyes lightened a bit more.
“Make me whole, Rick. Please? It feels so good.”
“Yeah.” And he eased just the head of his cock inside that impossible warmth. Ardeth’s eyes closed and he tossed his head back, hissing out another breath.
“You feel huge.” The words were separate groans. “Oh...Allah.”
“Ardeth?” He bit down on his bottom lip hard, because it felt so damned good. And he wanted to push forward so bad. But there was a roughness to Ardeth’s moans he didn’t like and the strong muscles under his hands were tense.
“Just– a twinge, habib.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
He waited through another few deep breaths and then pressed forward just a bit more. Ardeth sighed, but the muscles eased and it took far less pressure to slide deeper again. “God, you feel so good.”
“Good.” Ardeth shifted a bit and Rick slid deeper still, and then thank God he was as deep as he could get, and Ardeth only sighed. “Habibi.”
“Okay?” He freed one hand to reach down and trace Ardeth’s jaw, then along his chest and finally to wrap around his cock.
“Paradise.” Ardeth answered and Rick wanted so much to agree, because it felt so good, impossibly good to be buried completely in his friend’s body like this. So hot and tight around his cock he could barely think. He eased back a little and then pushed forward, just rocking them both a bit really. Ardeth caught his breath in a choked groan. “Yes. Please?”
“Like that?” He did it again because it felt so damned good. Ardeth only tossed his head back onto the mattress. And Rick let himself slide into the passion a bit more, and just enjoyed the feel as he began to thrust slowly at first then a bit deeper and fuller when Ardeth did not seem to mind at all. Ardeth’s hands stroked over his back, to his hips and then around to his ass and pulled him closer. “Ardeth.”
“Yes.” Ardeth growled out the word and Rick nearly moaned himself at the feel. Somehow he managed to lean down and kiss Ardeth nice and long and hungry. Their tongues dueling until he was gasping for breath and thrusting against Ardeth as his body got the better of him. And it felt so good like this. Ardeth’s voice was low and rough as he groaned out Rick’s name. He added another few bitemarks to Ardeth’s neck and shoulders before Ardeth froze beneath him and then came, long hot pulses over Rick’s hand, and that was just enough to push Rick over right behind him. Then there wasn’t even room for that much though in his mind. Only the sudden wrench of ecstasy and he tumbled hard into it.
And it was a really long time before he could do anything but try to breathe. Ardeth didn’t seem to mind though, and his arms were still around Rick’s shoulders when he could finally raise his head from the crook of Ardeth’s neck to look down at his friend. “Ardeth?”
“Mmm?” It wasn’t a word. He found the strength somewhere to ease Ardeth’s legs down. Ardeth groaned a bit but didn’t say anything as Rick laid his head on his shoulder. But his arms went around Rick to pull him close. “Stay?”
“Yeah.” He managed. They were silent for a long while until Rick finally raised himself back onto his arms and withdrew as carefully as he could. Ardeth winced just a bit but didn’t move otherwise. “Okay?”
“Yes.” Ardeth sighed. “Allah that was...beautiful, Rick.”
“Perfect.” Rick agreed. “Not too rough was I?”
“No. I am certain I will be sore when I can think again. But no pain, habibi.”
And that did make it perfect. He rolled over pulling Ardeth with im so Ardeth was lying mostly on top of him instead of the other way around.
Ardeth sighed, but snugged into the embrace. “I am sleepy.”
“Yeah.” He agreed, and they laid like that for a while, until they were both breathing normally again. And it was really good to hold Ardeth against him in the warm air, and just feel him there, alive and whole. “Sorry, if I got carried away.” He apologized a little as he stroked one hand through Ardeth’s hair.
“It was as much my insanity as yours Rick. And it felt far too good to complain.” Ardeth laid his hand over Rick’s heart. “I do not want to loose you, habib, not when I have just begun to realize how very much I love you. Even when I followed you to hell after the battle, I do not think I ever understood how...”
“Shhh.” Rick shook his head. Not at all sure he was up to facing all that yet. “It’s over now, Ardeth.”
“Is it? Then why do I still see it when I close my eyes?”
Rick pulled the sheets up around them both and held him tighter. “Because it hurt like hell. It’s okay to be shaken, Ardeth. I’m shaken.” He was, still, damn Anubis to hell anyway.
“As you say. I do not know...how to thank you, Rick You have suffered so much for us Rick. For me, my people, Egypt. And I have no way of telling you how much it means to me.”
Rick sighed. “You want to thank me for it? Hell, Ardeth you came to hell after me. That’s pretty good right there.”
“You would never have been there if not...”
“If what? I’d never met you? Never come to Egypt? Then I’d never have met Evie. And if it wasn’t for you, Evie and Alex and me too probably would all be dead. Sometimes yeah, I could just scream I’m so angry. Because I’m in danger, and Evie’s in danger, and Alex could get hurt or killed. Hell yeah. I know that Ardeth. But– you know what? I can cope with it too. Because somebody has to stop the bad guys, because if we don’t then the Germans are going to march right through France and right into England and then across the ocean and to the States. So where can I take Evie and Alex and escape too? If I gotta do this whole save the world bit again, then at least I’ve got you and Evie to fight with. Okay?”
Ardeth looked at him, and then sighed and smiled just a bit. And it struck Rick as just too nuts that they were lying here in bed, sated and sweaty and discussing the end of the world.
“You really want to thank me for it?” He asked, before Ardeth could say anything else.
“Yes.”
“Then let me hold you, and enjoy this, huh? It was to perfect to ruin it with thinking about hell.” He grumbled and pulled Ardeth close again with a smile.
Ardeth sighed but didn’t seem to mind the embrace any. “How can something be too perfect, habib?”
“I don’t know, but it was.”
Ardeth chuckled. “It was, yes. I-- have never felt so wonderful as I do now.”
“Thank God.” He stroked the strong muscles that edged Ardeth’s spine. “You’re the one who’s good with words, there’s got to be some out there to make sense of this, huh?”
“Lovemaking? Desire? What part of it are we trying to name, all of it together?”
“You forgot love.” He had to point that out, because it was there, damn it, and this was not just trading off with a friend.
“No, I did not.” Ardeth disagreed, but he snuggled into Rick’s arms a bit. “Love– such as this, is new to me, Rick. But I do not doubt it. I love you, Rick O’Connell. Regardless of the forms its expression takes.”
“That a nice way of saying you love me whether were brothers or lovers or both?”
Ardeth chuckled. “It is. I do. Allah, I trust will forgive me for the impropriety of it.”
“Good.” He stroked his hand down Ardeth’s back and then began to comb his fingers through the tangled hair. “We need a bath.”
“We do.” Ardeth agreed. “Later though. I very much want to simply lie in your arms.”
“Okay.” He didn’t feel like arguing. “You’re sure you’re okay?”
“Tired, haunted, and still a bit– lost. But the injuries I received are healed and gone if that is what you mean.”
“Part of it. I don’t know. I was worried we were too crazy there an the end. And...you’re probably not in shape for that.” Rick sighed, and tightened his arms. “You lost so damned much blood, Ardeth.”
“I did.” Ardeth agreed. “But it was not real. Painful, yes, but not real. You were injured too.”
“I got my head bashed pretty hard yeah, but not...”
“Tortured.” Ardeth sighed. “It seems so melodramatic a word to use for myself.”
“It isn’t. Not when it’s true.” He stroked his hands across Ardeth’s chest and back, because he could and there was no blood or pain. Ardeth shifted a bit and pressed his lips to Rick’s throat. “We’re both gonna have to stay well dressed tomorrow.”
“Hmm, no doubt.”
“Adham’s going to kick me for it.”
Ardeth chuckled. “He is oddly overprotective of me sometimes. I think it comes from him losing his younger brother when I lost my elder. So now I have two older brothers to contend with.”
“He did pull off a pretty great rescue there in hell you have to admit.”
“He did.” Ardeth shivered a bit. “I would be dead, otherwise.”
“I don’t think he was going to kill you.” Rick disagreed.
Ardeth was silent for a bit. “No? What then? There was little else he could have done with the knife and left me alive.”
Rick tightened his arms again. “He could’ve done more than cut you.”
Ardeth sighed. “I– had not thought of that.” He shifted a bit, and put his arm around Rick’s chest. “I will be thankful he did not.”
“Me too.” And he was. Ni tuau, Heru. He couldn’t remember the rest. Ni tuau AmmunRa. Al’hamdil’Allah.
Ardeth kissed his throat again. “I am well, habib, only tired. And there is no pain for you to ease from me, hmm? I am only content, and sated, and very very happy.”
“Yeah, me too.” He smiled despite himself. “Want to sleep and then get a bath? Or get a bath and some lunch and then sleep?”
“Hmm, we should probably sleep now, so that if we run into our host, or have unexpected company later we are not so exhausted still.”
“I was half expecting Evie to decide to come with us again.” He agreed.
“And I. No doubt Selim, Adham, and Sallah at least would wish to accompany her again. Although Alex seemed most unhappy that she did not bring him with her.”
“Tell me about it. I have enough trouble keeping him out of danger without actually brining him into it on purpose.”
Ardeth chuckled. “He is his parents’ child. But I do not think he would be in danger here in Thebes. He is the grandson of Pharaoh after all.”
“I hadn’t really thought about it like that. I guess he would be wouldn’t he?” Rick shook his head. “Let’s not mention that, huh? And what does that make Jonathan anyway?”
“Now you want me to make sense of where your family fits into the royalty of old Egypt? I am only a Medjai, Rick. That I think would take a scholar.”
“Okay, so remind me to ask Sallah.”
“As you say.” Ardeth chuckled again. “Sleep well, Rick.”
“You too, Ardeth. You too.”
“I am in your arms, habib. How could I do otherwise?”
He sighed. “Peaceful dreams then, Ardeth.”
“And yours, MuHabb. And yours.” Ardeth sighed but Rick could hear the smile. He wasn’t sure he really fell asleep, but he might have dozed off a few times. And maybe the gods really were listening for a change because he didn’t dream at all.
Maghrib:ToC