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Waiting for Evy to wake up before scrounging breakfast, Rick stared at the wall. His well-practiced hands cleaned his pistol as his mind tried to latch onto a thought that had been eluding him all morning. He was just about to give up when it struck him like a lead ball. The other plane had gotten a head start, but it still wouldn't have been able to make it all the way to Cairo. It had to have laid-over, just like they did.
Shaking his head as he stood, Rick chuckled at the irony, realizing the odds were they'd spent the night in close proximity to the very people they were chasing. Stepping toward the bed to let Evy in on the funny joke, another thought struck him and he abruptly froze. Neither plane was likely to take off before dawn. If they were waiting on the field before then, they just might catch them. Rick grinned, broadly.
"EVY! EVY WAKE UP! WE GOTTA GO!"
Evy bolted out of bed. "Huh! Rick!? What is it!? What's wrong!?"
"A hunch, Evy. Just playing a hunch," he answered, vaguely. "Hurry up! We gotta go!"
"All right! All right!" Evy huffed. Fortunately, she'd showered before dinner the previous night and, then, fallen asleep in her clothes, so it was just a matter of gathering their stuff. Glancing around, she found, to her surprise, that the packing was already done.
"What? I woke up, couldn't get back to sleep, needed something to do," Rick answered, slightly embarrassed by the bewilderment on his wife's face. Evy just smiled, appreciatively.
"Why don't you take the bags down; I'll be right there."
Rick nodded, loaded up the luggage, and dashed out the door.
~*~*~*~*~
"I knew it!" Rick exclaimed, reaching the lobby and catching sight of a small group at the far end of it.
"What!?" Evy questioned, coming up behind her husband. Following his gaze, she found the answer for herself. "ALEX!"
Hearing his name, Alex turned. The sight of his parents sent so much relief washing through him that he completely forgot he was angry with them. Slipping free from Najat, he dashed towards his mum's open arms.
"MUM! DAD!"
"Alex! Mmmmmm." Evy pulled him into a bear hug.
"You are soooo grounded, buddy," Rick informed his son. He attempted to sound stern, but was too delighted to have him back, and grinned, ruffling the child's hair.
As they observed the happy reunion, Ardeth shot Najat a desperate look. Realizing he was concerned the O'Connells would interfere, she signaled for Johari to keep moving toward the door. Catching on, Jonathan took the lead, not relishing the idea of facing his sister and brother-in-law quite yet.
"Hold on, there! Just where do you think your going!" Rick shouted. Seeing quartet attempting to sneak away, he rushed forward to stop them.
As it was his first duty to protect Najat, who was nearest to Rick, Johari released his hold on Ardeth, pulled his scimitar and rushed forward to block the large American. Jonathan and Najat lunged for the Medjai, barely managing to catch him before he crumpled to the ground. Ardeth bit back a moan as they jostled his broken ribs in the process.
"Whoa! Don't want any trouble, big guy." Skidding to a quick stop, Rick held his hands in front of him, gesturing for Johari to put the scimitar down.
"Ya"if!" Najat shouted. Exchanging a quick glance with Jonathan, she shifted all of Ardeth's weight over to him and rushed forward to calm her protector. Placing her hand on Johari's arm, she gently signaled him to lower his weapon. ("Stop!")
"I apologize, Richard O'Connell. We, also, do not desire trouble between us," Najat soothed, while Johari warily put away his scimitar - although he kept a firm hold on its hilt.
"Yeah, so you people keep saying...," Rick replied, peevishly. Najat tilted her head, not understanding to what he referred. Rick noticed, but didn't bother to explain. "All right, you obviously know who I am, so how about introducing yourself and your buddy there."
"I am Najat; he is Johari," she replied, simply, troubled by the edginess in his tone.
"Assalamu 'alaykum," Evy greeted, respectfully, coming up behind her husband, with Alex in tow.
"Wa 'alaykum assalam," Najat replied, courteously, bowing.
"Thank you for taking care of Alex." Evy smiled, genuinely appreciative.
"Afwan. He is a delightful child." Still hidden beneath her burqa, the Abadi smirked as Evy raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Truly! He was no trouble."
Evy exchanged a dubious glance with her husband, who simply shrugged. Despite a desire to be invisible, Jonathan couldn't stop himself from chucking at the exchange, earning irritated glances from both his sister and Rick.
"Yeah, thanks, now...how 'bout you tell your warrior to get out of the way so we can have a look at Ardeth," Rick demanded. Reacting to the tone of his brother-in-law's voice, Jonathan shifted to carry Ardeth closer, but the Medjai planted his feet, refusing to move.
"Ardeth...," he whispered, rolling his eyes at the warrior's sudden show of strength, knowing it wouldn't last long. Jonathan barely heard Ardeth's gasped reply.
"No! There is not time for this!"
"This is not possible," Najat answered Rick, matter-of-factly, hearing the soft exchange behind her. She understood, even appreciated, the American's concern, but her duty was to Ardeth, not Rick. "We go, now."
"The hell you are!" Rick bellowed in response. Johari flinched at the tone and tightened his grip around the hilt of his scimitar. Rick noticed. "S'all right! Let's just stay calm, shall we?"
"Indeed, that would be helpful."
Irritated, Rick frowned at the slightly sarcastic edge to Najat's tone. "Look, I don't mean to be difficult here, but you can't really expect us to just stand here and watch you drag him away."
"It is his wish," the Abadi stated, expecting the American to comply. "We can delay no longer."
"Ardeth! What the hell are you up to?" Rick took a slight step forward as he spoke, prompting the very edging Johari to again draw his scimitar. Losing patience with it all, Rick pulled his gun and aimed it directly at the warrior.
"I've had about enough of you!"
"Rick! No!" Evy cried, alarmed. Behind her, she heard the soft sound of two more scimitars and quickly glanced around to see that Muhannad and Samih had arrived. Evy swallowed hard, realizing how bad the scene must look to them.
Dismayed by the development, Ardeth stubbornly freed himself from Jonathan. Swaying dizzily, he forced his reluctant body to move toward Najat.
"Ardeth!" Alex gasped, his voiced tinged with fear and frustration. Najat spun around and reached for the Medjai, but Ardeth waved her away. It required all his will to do so, but he was determined to stand on his own.
"Please, my friend," he pleaded. Determinedly ignoring the encroaching blackness, Ardeth gazed, intently, at Rick. "Put your weapon away. We can linger here no longer, but, if it will relieve your concern, you may travel with us."
"Please, Rick," Evy whispered, as her husband contemplated the request. "This isn't helping anyone."
"You better have a great explanation for all this, buddy," Rick muttered, reluctantly stowing his weapon.
"All will be made clear in time."
The weakly whispered response earned an irritated glare from Rick, but it melted into concern as Ardeth's meager reserve faded and his legs abruptly crumpled beneath him. Rick started towards him, but quickly realized Johari had yet to put away his scimitar. Unable to move, he watched helplessly as Najat and Jonathan lunged for the Medjai. The Abadi reached him first, but from an awkward angle. By the time Jonathan got there, Ardeth had taken them both to the ground in a heap.
Tangled up with Najat, Ardeth landed hard on his wounded side, further pulling open his already bleeding wound. He didn't really notice, however, as his broken ribs crunched against the floor, provoking a cry of pain he couldn't even begin to stifle.
Hearing it, Rick shoved his way past Johari's scimitar and rushed to Ardeth's side. Kneeling, he pushed Jonathan out of the way, with unintentionally roughness. Ignoring his brother-in-law, the Englishman quickly scampered back over to Ardeth. Turning, Johari quickly stowed his scimitar and hurried to help, going first to Najat's aid. Wriggling free from his mother, Alex flew to Ardeth's other side, with Evy close behind him. Coming out from behind Muhannad and Samih, Zaynab and Widad also raced over to help both Najat and Ardeth. Putting away their weapons, the two warriors dashed after them.
"Ardeth?!" Rick, Evy, Alex, Jonathan, and Najat exclaimed, nearly simultaneously. It would have been amusing were it not for the urgency they all felt. Unable to respond, Ardeth laid still, his eyes closed, gasping in pain.
"'Awiz mayya!" Najat shouted at Muhannad, hovering at the edge of the frantic group. Successfully disentangled, she gently helped Ardeth sit up, taking the pressure of his ribs. ("Bring water!")
Rick placed a hand on Ardeth's uninjured shoulder, attempting to offer some sort of support, without moving him and hurting him further. Alex took one of the Medjai's hands, whispering soothingly, since there seemed little else he could do. Evy continued to kneel nearby, fidgeting nervously as she helplessly watched. Catching site of her brother hovering anxiously over the trio, she tossed him a reproachful glare.
Jonathan just caught it out of the corner of his eye, but decided not to acknowledge it. He knew there'd be plenty of time, later, for his sister to chew him out. Hearing Najat say something in Arabic, he turned in time to see one of the other Abadi women scurry out the door with Samih. Jonathan briefly wondered what was going on, before Muhannad's return distracted him.
Taking a bucket of water from the warrior, Najat glanced toward the remaining Abadi woman and lifted the container her direction. Understanding the unspoken request, the woman dashed off to find a cup or drinking glass of some sort. Reclaiming the small bundle that had been dropped during the tumble, Najat knelt and quickly unwrapped several of the smaller bundles contained within.
Jonathan watched, curiously, as she quickly blended together several herbs, finishing just as the other Abadi returned with a cup. He heard her say something else in Arabic as she dumped the mixture into it, filled it with water, and stood. Stirring the mixture as she went, she carefully made her way back to the Medjai, leaving the other Abadi to gather up the bundles.
"Ardeth."
He managed to crack his eyes open enough to see Najat kneeling next with a cup in her hand and weakly waved her away. Ardeth knew the medicine would ease the intense pain coursing through him, but it would also make him sleep, which he did not wish to do. Asleep, he would loose what little control he had over the situation - a worrisome prospect now that they'd been joined by Rick and Evy.
"Please, Ardeth!" Alex pleaded.
"Yes, please, Ardeth! Don't be stubborn about this," Evy chimed in.
"Come on, buddy. Help us out here," Rick added, giving the Medjai's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
"Yeah, go on, old boy. You'll just make it worse for me if they have to see that look on your face the rest of the way to Cairo," Jonathan quipped, provoking a slight smile from the Medjai.
Sighing, Ardeth relented and gave Najat a slight nod. He knew Jonathan was correct. Moods were tense enough without forcing everyone to witness his pain over the succeeding hours. He would have to trust Najat to abide by his wishes and make certain the O'Connells learned nothing of his intentions.
Relieved, Najat gently brought the cup to his lips and held it as he drank. Making sure he'd finished the whole thing, she set the cup aside and reach down to inspect his wound, but Ardeth caught her hand. As she met his eyes, he shook his head.
"It can wait."
"It will take but a moment," Najat argued.
"It will wait. We have lingered too long, already," Ardeth firmly insisted.
From his tone, Najat could guess what he would not allow her to see - the tumble had aggravated his wound. She knew his friends would balk at traveling on if they knew. With a soft sigh, Najat nodded, reluctantly agreeing to wait. Rising to her feet, she signaled for Johari to help the Medjai off the floor.
"I've got it," Rick chimed in, before Johari had a chance to move. The warrior glanced questioningly at Najat. Before she could respond, Ardeth waved both men away and gingerly forced himself off the floor. His wary companions watched him closely, prepared to catch him of necessary. They all breathed a sigh of relief as he reached his feet without incident.
"All right, buddy, let's go," Rick muttered, as Ardeth nodded at him, indicating he would now accept assistance. Pulling the Medjai's arm over his shoulder, he shook his head, feeling Ardeth resist leaning on him any more than necessary as they slowly made their way out the door.
~*~*~*~*~
The plane hit a nasty stretch of turbulence, provoking a soft moan from the sleeping Medjai. Watching from her seat, Evy sighed, anxiously.
"He is dear to you?"
Startled by Najat's question, Evy looked up to see the Abadi standing in the aisle, supplies for tending Ardeth carefully balanced in her arms.
"Dear?"
"Yes," Najat replied, studying the Englishwoman. Zaynab and Widad had given her their impressions of the O'Connells, but she sought to form her own opinion of them.
"Well, yes...er...I mean...no...um, well," Evy stammered, unsure how exactly to explain Ardeth's place in their lives. "He's done a lot for us...as a friend, a good friend."
Najat nodded, but said nothing. Kneeling in front of Ardeth, she sat down her supplies and glanced back at Evy.
"He will likely sleep most of the way."
Evy nodded and returned to watching him.
"Your family is playing cards," Najat informed her, and Evy smiled, absently. Noticing the Englishwoman hadn't taken the hint, the Abadi barely refrained from sighing and tried again. "Cards are not seen amongst our people, but I believe many of the games are better played with four, than three."
Evy nodded, again. Not really listening, it took several seconds for it to finally dawn on her that Najat wanted to tend Ardeth without an audience.
"Oh, yes...yes, of course," she stammered. Rising from her seat, she clumsily made her way to the back of the plane.
Relieved, Najat watched her depart, then gingerly reached up and opened Ardeth's robe. As expected, she found the bandage covering his wound sopping with blood. She sighed in exasperation, knowing it should be stitched - but even if Ardeth agreed to it, it would be impossible to do on the bumpy plane. As if on cue, the craft bounced several times, bringing Ardeth's eyes fluttering open. She bowed as they fixed on her.
"Yo...u...ha...ve...not," Ardeth attempted, but his throat was too dry to cooperate. Najat reached for a cup from amongst her supplies and pour a little water into it. Rising up, she held it gently to his lips.
"Thank you," the Medjai successfully managed, but, then, drowsy from fever, blood loss and the effects of the medicine, found it necessarily to pause. Briefly closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, wincing slightly, and tried to gather his strength.
"They have been told nothing of your intentions," Najat informed him, as he opened eyes. It wasn't difficult to guess what he'd been attempting to ask. Ardeth exhaled a relieved sigh and closed his eyes.
Najat watched as he drifted back to sleep, then turned her attention back to his wound. Spreading out her supplies, she thickly smeared more salve onto a bandage, deciding that would be the simplest way of handling it with Ardeth seated.
The Medjai roused as she carefully removed the old bandage. Keeping his eyes shut tightly, he held his breath while she wiped away the excess blood and secured the new bandage. Feeling Najat close his robe, he exhaled slowly and drifted back to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~
Evy glanced up as Najat approached.
"How is he?"
"He sleeps," the Abadi replied. Evy frowned at the vague answer, prompting Najat to continue. "His fever has risen."
Evy nodded, appreciating the Abadi's honesty.
"It will be good when we are on the ground, again, and he can rest more comfortably."
Evy nodded in agreement, but then frowned. "How much farther is your village, once we've reached Cairo."
"It is only a half day's journey."
Evy sighed, glancing down the aisle, toward Ardeth. Her expression made it clear that she'd hoped the village would be closer than it was.
"Do not despair. The journey will not be difficult," Najat comforted. Evy tossed her a dubious glance, prompting Abadi to elaborate. "We will travel by river most of the way, and then by car the remainder of the distance. That portion will be uncomfortable for him, I grant you, but it will be brief."
"By car?" Evy questioned, surprised.
"Yes," the Abadi answered, amused.
"I wouldn't have expected..."
Najat interrupted with a chuckle, before explaining. "No, we do not often use such means of transportation, but it can be arranged when necessary."
Evy nodded, and Najat politely bowed to excuse herself. Watching her stow her supplies, then head back down the aisle toward Ardeth, a sudden thought struck Evy and she abruptly rose to follow. Watching Najat sit in the aisle seat across from Ardeth, she was tempted to sit in the empty aisle seat next to him, but decided she might disturb him and sat next to the Abadi instead. Sensing the Englishwoman sought conversation, Najat turned, slightly, toward her.
"Najat...what exactly is this urgent business of Ardeth's?"
Najat studied her for a moment, before replying, "that is not for me to say."
Evy expelled a low, exasperated breath. "Yes, so all of you keep saying. Why is it 'not for you to say'? Is it that you don't know?"
"I am aware of what he seeks to accomplish, yes, but I am honored bound not to speak of it."
Evy sighed. She was familiar enough with Egyptian honor to know Najat would not easily give her the information she wanted. Resigned, Evy turned toward the window and watch the clouds float past. Only a few had passed before new questions tickled her curiosity, and she glanced, again, at the Abadi.
"Najat...Zaynab was kind enough to tell me the legend of the Devourer," Evy commented, nonchalantly. The Abadi simply cocked her head. Having already been informed of the conversation, she'd been waiting for the Englishwoman's questions.
"And...um...she mentioned the fellow possessed two cursed weapons: a dagger and a sword."
"Yes, that is correct," Najat confirmed.
"Yes, well...um...let's see, how to put this." Evy smiled, self-consciously, as the Abadi waited, patiently. "I'll just get straight to it...the dagger I...I mean....well..."
Mercifully, Najat cut her off. "You mean to say that Ardeth Bey's injuries were inflicted with a dagger, and you are concerned that, perhaps, it is the Devourer's dagger?"
Evy nodded.
"It is," the Abadi stated, matter-of-factly. Stunned, Evy just stared at her for a few seconds, then swallowed hard as it all suddenly fell into place.
"That's why he was in England, wasn't it? To claim the weapons, before they could be used?"
"That was his purpose, yes."
"But why Ardeth? What do the Medjai have to do with all this? Shouldn't that have been the Abadi's responsibility?" Evy questioned, frowning.
"Indeed, the weapons are the responsibility of the Abadi. However, for tens of centuries, the Medjai and the Abadi have been...I believe you would say 'allied'," Najat explained.
"Allied? I don't understand."
"The territory the Medjai guard is vast - too vast for one tribe, even one as large as the Medjai, to guard alone. Over the centuries they have allied with other tribes, such as the Abadi, for assistance in fulfilling their duties. Of course, the alliances do not serve only the interest of the Medjai; they are mutual beneficial," the Abadi elaborated.
"All right, but that still doesn't explain why Ardeth came for the weapons," Evy pointed out.
"When the location of the weapons was discovered, it seemed prudent to send Ardeth, as he is more familiar with your ways than are the Abadi. We made the request; he consented."
"All right, I suppose that it explains why he was the one...but, once the weapons were used, why wasn't..."
"His soul devoured?" Najat finished for her, glancing briefly at Ardeth.
Evy nodded, feeling slightly nauseous as the image of her friend's soul being eaten by her own flashed through her mind.
"Because he still lives," the Abadi explained, patiently.
Evy swallowed hard. "So if he dies from his injuries, his soul will be sucked into the person that stabbed him."
"Correct."
"But if he doesn't die, everything will be all right?" Evy questioned, nervously. Again, Najat cocked her head.
"I do not understand what you ask," she stated, innocently.
"Well...um...Zaynab mentioned something about a guardian...and, well, um..."
"You wonder if she will rise to destroy the soul of the offender?"
Evy nodded, nervously.
"That is being tended to; you need not concern yourself," Najat answered, evasively.
"But...?!" Evy began to argue, her brow furrowing with concern.
"I assure you, you need not fear for your soul," Najat stated, emphatically. Whatever the final outcome, the Abadi felt reasonably certain Ardeth's will was strong enough to cling to his soul until he'd faced Al 'Asima. Evy's eyes welled with guilty tears as she realized the Abadi knew full well who bore the responsiblilty for Ardeth's injuries.
"Yes, it is true Ardeth Bey revealed that his wounds were inflicted by your hand," Najat added, noticing Evy's surging emotion.
"It was...I mean, I never intended...I mean, Ardeth's our friend....I would never..."
Najat held up a hand to still the overwrought Englishwoman. "He has explained that it was not intended."
Evy nodded. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took several deeps breaths to regain her composure and focused again on the Najat. There was little else to do on the plane but sit and think, which Evy's had grown weary of doing. She'd rather see how much more information she could pry out of the Abadi.
"Have they been used often?"
"The weapons?" Najat clarified, and Evy nodded. "Since the time of the Devourer... no. They have not."
"Have they been used at all?"
Najat nodded. "Only once within the memory of those who now live."
"And what happened? Was a soul devoured? Did the guardian rise?"
"No. Al 'Asima did not rise," Najat answered, shaking her head. Evy opened her mouth to quiz the Abadi, but Najat held up a hand to stop her. "The circumstances were...unusual."
"Unusual? Like now?" Evy asked, curiously. Najat glanced down, pondering for a moment, then peered at the Englishwoman.
"It was similar...the injured, then as now, was a leader of the Medjai, and his death was not intended by she who wounded him."
"His death!? So he died....and his soul was devoured?" Evy asked.
"It was not." Najat answered, earning a puzzled frown from the Englishwoman.
"Why...?"
"The circumstances were such that had never occurred during the time the Abadi have guarded the weapons." Evy's eyes grew wide with curiosity as she waited for Najat to explain the statement. "You see his soul could not be devoured by his attacker, for her soul had already departed her body before his death."
"What happened!? How'd she die!?"
"She was killed traveling toward our village, perhaps intending to return the weapons and stand before Al 'Asima. It is not known for certain," Najat answered, noncommittally. Evy shook her head, mesmerized by the tale. She was about to ask more questions when the plane bounced violently, nearly tossing her out of her seat. Across the aisle, Ardeth gasped. Najat rushed over and knelt in front of him, taking his hand.
"What can I do?" Evy asked, anxiously, crawling into the seat next to the Medjai. Najat glanced up and studied the Englishwoman.
"You may take his hand, if you would like," she finally replied, after several seconds. "It is unlikely he will awaken for long, if at all; the medicine he was given is strong. Still, even in his sleep, I believe it provides comfort."
Evy nodded and took Ardeth's free hand. Feeling him squeeze it as the plane hit another bounce, she closed her eyes against the tears threatening to well up. It was her fault he was suffering.
~*~*~*~*~
Evy nearly bolted from her seat as a gentle hand lightly brushed her cheek. Catching her breath, she peered up into her husband's bright green eyes.
"We'll be landing in a few minutes," he informed her, smiling affectionately. Evy nodded and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Rick sat down across the aisle, and Alex took his place in front of her.
"You'll need to hold his hand, mum," he stated, matter-of-factly, nodding his head toward Ardeth. Evy glanced at him, puzzled.
"The landings are really hard on him," the child elaborated, knowingly. "I can do it, if you'd rather sit with dad. I did it last time, so..."
Evy smiled sweetly at her son. She felt reluctant to leave Ardeth, but it was obviously important to Alex that he be the one to hold the Medjai's hand.
"Perhaps I will sit with your dad," she replied, after a few seconds of hesitation. "If you're certain you'll be all right..."
"Thanks, mum." Alex responded, grinning broadly, pleased she'd taken the hint.
~*~*~*~*~
Impatiently waiting as the plane lurched to halt and, finally, stood still, Evy jumped to her feet to check on Ardeth.
"Pardon."
The soft whisper stopped her mid-step. Looking up, Evy saw one of the Abadi - she assumed Widad, since she didn't recognize the voice - carrying a large bundle and politely shuffled back out of the aisle to let her pass. Distracted, it didn't occur to Evy to wonder what was in the bundle. She fidgeted as she waited for Samih to follow his charge toward the door, then, rushed across the aisle. Kneeling in front of him, Ardeth startled her by opening his eyes a crack and focusing on her. Evy smiled, anxiously.
"How are you doing?"
Ardeth closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath, but winced as it pushed against his aching ribs and tugged on the wound. Exhaling slowly, he cracked his eyes open again.
"I am fine," he croaked, in a soft whisper barely loud enough to hear, and let his eyes close again.
Evy smiled, as did Alex. The absurdity of the answer was so obvious that it would have been laughable had they not been so worried. Ardeth's skin nearly glowed with renewed fever, yet still managed to seem deathly pale, sending a chill down Evy's spine as she studied him. Clearly, despite sleeping nearly the entire distance, the bumpy plane ride had taken its toll on him.
"The river will be less taxing," Najat soothed, seeing the Englishwoman's anxious expression as she approached. "It will also be possible to better tend to his needs."
Evy nodded, hopefully, and moved out of the way as Muhannad and Rick moved in to help the Medjai from his seat.
"Ardeth...," Rick warned, before reaching for the warrior. Ardeth cracked his eyes, again, and studied his friend, before nodding consent.
Biting his lip against the pain, the Medjai almost managed to stifle his pained gasps as he was gently pulled to his feet. The fuzziness in his brain had increased again, but he could still think clearly enough to be astonished by how much weaker he'd grown during the relatively short flight. Unable to really sustain any of his own weight, he hung limply between Rick and Muhannad, helpless to do much beyond keeping his feet beneath him as the trio awkwardly maneuvered out of the plane.
To weak to help, getting into the car became more of an ordeal than Ardeth would have thought possible. Finally situated, the Medjai panted, exhaustedly, as he leaned heavily against the metal frame. Waiting for the vehicle to lurch into motion, Ardeth wearily closed his eyes. It seemed like they hardly been closed a second when a lurching stop brought him awake with a hiss.
"Sorry, buddy," Rick offered, sympathetically, glancing over his shoulder at the Medjai.
Ardeth didn't bother to respond, preoccupied with a slight tickle of dread dancing across his stomach as he waited for hands to pull him painfully from the vehicle. He didn't have to wait long.
~*~*~*~*~
Evy stood in the doorway of the cabin, listening to Zaynab hum softly as she bathed Ardeth with cool water. The scene seemed very peaceful. Closing her eyes, Evy rested against the doorframe to let the serenity calm her nerves, still jangled by the ordeal of getting the Medjai from the car onto the boat. It had been almost physically painful for her to watch the effort drain away what few reserves Ardeth had managed to hold onto during the flight. Finally, he appeared to be resting comfortably - something for which she was profoundly grateful. Abruptly realizing that the Abadi had stopped humming, Evy opened her eyes and found herself under scrutiny. Seeing her eyes open, Zaynab glanced back down at Ardeth.
"You wish to tend him?" she asked, politely, although it was more of a statement.
"If you wouldn't mind terribly," Evy replied, nodding as she spoke. Zaynab glanced up, again, and studied her for several seconds. She could plainly see the stress of watching Ardeth's continued deterioration on the Englishwoman's face, making her hesitate.
"Please, Zaynab. I simply can't stand doing nothing."
Still reluctant, the Abadi nodded.
"'Alfi shukr," Evy replied, smiling appreciatively. ("Many thanks")
Placing the cloth in her hand back into the basin on the nightstand, Zaynab rose, bowed slightly, and shuffled from the room. Ardeth immediately began to stir, restlessly, provoking a frown from Evy as she sat in the vacated spot. Snatching up the cloth laying across his forehead, she re-soaked it and replaced it. Grabbing another cloth from the basin and lightly caressing Ardeth's feverish flesh, Evy tried to remember the tune Zaynab had hummed. It seemed to have a great calming effect on the Medjai.
~*~*~*~*~
Evy glanced up as Najat tapped lightly on the door.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Your husband wishes you to join him for a meal," Najat replied, bowing politely. Evy frowned, wondering why Rick hadn't come to fetch her himself. "I have brought food for Ardeth Bey."
Chagrined, Evy noticed that the Abadi was, indeed, carrying a small tray. She glanced down at Ardeth. He still slept, although restlessly. To her great frustration, Evy knew she hadn't managed to get the tune right.
"Also, his bandages must be tended."
Sighing, reluctantly, Evy nodded. She didn't really want to leave Ardeth, but it seemed unfair to completely abandon her family, and, since she could hardly mix the necessary herbs for Ardeth, there seemed little value in finding an excuse to stay. Dropping the cloth in her hand back into the basin, Evy hesitantly backed away, making room for the Najat.
"If you like, when you return, I will teach you the tune you have been attempting," Najat offered, glancing up at the Englishwoman as she paused in the doorway. Evy frowned, sheepishly. She hadn't intended for the Abadi to hear her humming.
"I have offended...," Najat began, seeing the embarrassment on Evy's face.
"No, no, of course you haven't," Evy hurriedly stated, realizing her expression had given the wrong impression. "I hope that you are not offended that I massacred the lovely tune so badly."
"I take no offense," Najat assured. "It was a valiant attempt."
Evy smiled, genuinely. "I would very much like to have you teach it to me! Thank you!"
Najat bowed and watched the Englishwoman disappear out the door, then turned her attention to Ardeth.
"Ardeth," she prodded. He continued to stir, restlessly, but that was all. Najat sighed. Although, for the moment, his fever seemed to have leveled out, it was still high. Between it, the medicines, exhaustion, and blood loss, she had not expected he would easily awaken, but had hoped. Trying again, she brushed her fingers lightly across his cheek. He still didn't respond.
"Ardeth Bey, you must wake!" Najat attempted, again tickling his cheek with the tips of her fingers. She winced as he startled awake with a flinch that provoked a soft hiss.
Scrunching his eyes tightly, Ardeth waited a few seconds for the fresh wave of pain to ebb away. He indulged in a few extra seconds to compose himself, before allowing his eyes to flitter open and fix on the Abadi.
"I have brought nourishment," she informed him, maternally. Ardeth's stomach churned at the mere thought to food, and he scrunched his eyes shut, weakly waving her away. "You must try to eat a little; your body cannot recover its strength without nourishment."
Ardeth simply scrunched his eyes even tighter, fighting back the nausea rising up his throat. Seeing the struggle on his face, Najat sighed and set the tray down on the chair Evy'd left sitting by the bed. When she didn't speak again, Ardeth relaxed his expression and peeked his eyes open. His brow furrowed as he discovered she was no longer there, but he hadn't the energy to ponder her disappearance. Deciding, after a moment, he'd simply dreamed her, Ardeth mentally shrugged and closed his eyes.
"Ardeth."
He frowned as Najat's soft whisper pulled back from the brink of sleep. Reluctantly cracking his eyes to look at her, Ardeth noticed she held a cup in her hands.
"Will you drink?" She asked, patiently. "It will settle your stomach so that you may eat."
Realizing it had not been a dream, Ardeth sighed, flinching as it provoked fresh stabs of pain. It was apparent that she wasn't going to let him rest again until he ate, so with a reluctant frown, he nodded, slightly. His eyes closed sleepily as Najat's hand slid beneath his head and tilted it up. Feeling the cup press against his lips, Ardeth obediently downed the liquid.
"Can you sit?" He heard her ask and opened his eyes.
It took a moment to focus on her, and when he did, Ardeth found himself distracted by the sudden realization that she hadn't uncovered to tend him, as she had previously. He frowned, disapprovingly, finding it oddly disconcerting, but then furrowed his brow, wondering why it would bother him. Since reaching adulthood, he saw her covered as often as not; it had never previously bothered him. In fact, it should have disconcerted him that she had disrobed outside of her village. But his feverish mind....
"Ardeth?" Najat inquired, disrupting his thoughts. It concerned her when he neither answered nor attempted to sit. Noticing that, although his eyes remained fixed upon her, they seemed not to see her, a slight chill wafted down her spine. Shivering, Najat made another attempt to get his attention.
"Ardeth?!"
He flinched, sending a stab of pain shooting through him that forced his eyes to close tightly. Opening them again, Ardeth frowned, wondering why she'd called his name.
"Can you sit?" Najat repeated, relieved to see a degree of coherency return to his expression. Ardeth nodded, weakly, and attempted to push himself up. To his dismay, his beleaguered body refused to cooperate, and he collapsed back onto the bed, grimacing in pain.
"I cannot," he admitted, once he'd caught his breath. Having observed that for herself, Najat smiled at the unnecessary admission.
"May I assist you," she asked, respectfully. Ardeth reluctantly nodded, growing frustrated by his increasing helplessness.
Najat abruptly reached across to grab the extra pillow lying next to him, causing Ardeth to flinch, but he managed to hide the resulting hiss. Biting his lip, he determinedly stifled a groan as she gingerly wrapped her arms around him and lifted him enough to slide the pillow beneath him, propping him up just enough to eat. Closing his eyes as she settled him, Ardeth smiled, slightly, realizing the arrangement would allow him to go back to sleep once he finished, without enduring the effort of lying back down.
"Will you try to eat, now?" He heard her ask, softly, and opened his eyes. Noticing she'd picked up the tray, Ardeth found that his stomach didn't churn as it had the last time she'd asked.
"I will try," he answered, wearily.
"That is all I ask," Najat replied, carefully balancing the tray across his lap. "We will start with the broth?"
Ardeth nodded. Completely lacking an appetite, it didn't really matter to him what he ate. It pleased Najat, however. She knew the broth would provide his body with the most nourishment. As he would likely be unable to stay awake long, the Abadi had hoped he would not argue with consuming it first.
~*~*~*~*~
Ardeth twisted his head to the side as Najat broke off a piece of bread and offered it to him. It didn't matter to him whether his body needed it or not, he couldn't stay awake any longer.
"I can eat no more; please, let me sleep," he weakly whispered, closing his eyes.
Najat frowned, but didn't press the issue. He'd downed all of the broth; that would have to be sufficient. Tossing the bread back onto the tray, she carefully lifted it off his lap and placed on the floor, out of the way.
"Ardeth."
The Medjai opened his eyes to see Najat holding a cup in her hand. He frowned, certain there'd been no cup on the tray. Glancing down, Ardeth saw that the tray had been removed and realized he must have drifted off.
"Will you drink?" Najat asked, frowning as she noticed him become distracted. Ardeth's attention snapping back to her, he nodded and waited for her to press the cup to his lips. Najat smiled as he carefully drank the entirety of the contents. "I must change your bandages, then you may sleep."
Ardeth nodded, smiling contentedly as she began to hum a familiar tune. It changed into a frown as his disorganized mind latched onto a thought.
"They are still unaware..." he began to asked. His brow furrowed with concern, but the question faded sleepily away. Najat studied him for a moment, wondering how he'd remembered to ask, and if he'd remember the answer.
"Evelyn O'Connell knows of the legend, but believes the matter already settled; she does not know of your intentions," she answered, after a few seconds. Believing he'd already drifted back to sleep, it surprised her to see him frown. She paused for a moment, waiting for him to speak. When he did not, Najat renewed her soft humming and turned her attention to his injuries.
Drifting hazily, Ardeth barely felt her touch as she pulled his robe open. Najat rolled him over a little, which roused him slightly, but once she'd rolled him back down, he quickly faded away again. His subconscious latching onto the soothing sound of the melody she hummed, Ardeth wandered toward a dream, blissfully unaware of her fingers brushing against his shoulder wound. He was deeply submerged in the happy memory by the time her hands reached the abdominal wound, sending fresh waves of pain screaming though his body. Ardeth tossed fitfully as it attempted to drag him from his dream, but Najat's soft hum wove through the pain. He focused on it, and the melody carried him deeper into his dream. There, gentle, welcoming, long-grieved-for hands soothed him.
~*~*~*~*~
An interruption in the soft melody scoring his dream distracted Ardeth and pulled him from the peaceful scene. Unable to find his way back to it, he wandered slowly towards consciousness. Ardeth was nearly there when the humming began again; the familiar tune soft and steady, but, strangely, no longer soothing. A different voice now hummed it. Teetering on the edge of sleep, Ardeth couldn't quite place the reason, but something about the voice made him wary. Hesitant, he kept his eyes closed and continued to listen, remembering the song from long ago...long before he knew the voice. The sudden realization prodded him into opening his eyes, barely a crack - not enough to notice, but enough for Ardeth to identify the face that hovered over him.
"Evelyn?" He questioned, in an incoherent mumble. Ardeth frowned, perplexed, as he felt a flinch on the bed next to him, but forgot about it when the humming stopped.
"Ardeth?! You're awake! What's wrong? Do you need something...are you in pain... should I fetch Najat...is it Alex...is he disturbing you...would you like me to wake him and have him get down?"
Ardeth's eyes had closed again by the time Evy paused for breath, but he gradually registered the extra weight of a child on the bed. In a distant part of his foggy mind, it bothered him that he hadn't realized sooner Alex was there, but Ardeth was too tired to worry about it for long. Instead, he gathered enough strength to speak again, answering "no" in barely audible whisper.
Concerned tempted Evy to toss out more questions, but she bit her tongue, hoping that, perhaps, Ardeth had only roused for a moment and would drift back to sleep if she didn't pester him. Frozen in place, she counted the seconds until a full minute of silence had passed, then decided he had, indeed, fallen back to sleep. Silently releasing the breath she'd been holding, Evy began to hum again. When the tune reached his ears, Ardeth forced his eyes to open to a slit, reminded of the question he'd meant to ask.
"Evelyn?" He repeated, this time managing an understandable croak - although barely. Again, the humming stopped, but there was no response from the child lying next to him.
"Yes, it's Evy," she replied, trying to respond more calmly that she had the last time. The Medjai nodded weakly, in a motion so slight she would have missed it had she not been watching closely. After a moment, his brow furrowed, and Evy frowned, anxiously wondering why. "Please, Ardeth, if there's something I can do..."
"You were humming," the Medjai stated, sounding confused and troubled. Seeing it in his expression, Evy grew more concerned. There seemed little reason for her humming to agitate him so, and she wondered if, perhaps, he were growing delirious.
"Yes, I was humming," she replied to the seemingly random comment, forcing her voice to remain calm and soothing.
"The tune..." The furrowing of Ardeth's brows deepened, as he grew increasingly agitated by his inability to think clearly. Closing his eyes again, he attempted to gather his thoughts. Evy's heart wrenched, as she watched him struggling to form a coherent sentence, and tears welled in her eyes. It reminded her of watching him struggle to speak while she'd tended him in their guest room... and the nightmare she'd had...of Ardeth gasping out his last breath.
"Najat taught it to me." Evy's voice trembled slightly as she explained, trying to distract herself more than anything.
"Najat...," the Medjai parroted, faintly.
"Yes. It's what she and Zaynab have been humming while they tended you. It seemed to soothe you, so Najat taught it to me to hum while I tended you. She says it's very old..." Evy knew she was babbling, but didn't care. It was better than watching Ardeth try to speak.
"'Ummee..." he weakly whispered, nearly unheard beneath Evy's words.
"What was that? I'm sorry, did you say something?"
"My mother...," Ardeth repeated in English. Evy's brow furrowed, her concerns about his state of mind increasing. She wondered if were asking for her...which reminded her that his mother was dead...from the fever her parents had brought to the Medjai.
"Your mother," she repeated back to him, tearfully, unable to think of anything else to say.
"My mother," Ardeth restated, paused for breath, and, then, added, "often hummed...that same tune...when I was young."
The lingering pain of loss edging his weak voice sent waves of guilt and remorse surging through her, leaving Evy speechless. A single thought ran continuously through her mind as she stared at Ardeth - her parents were responsible for taking his mother from him. Fresh tears welled in her eyes, spilling as she attempted to blink them away. Her body trembling from the rising swell of emotion, Evy leaned against the bed for support while she attempted to compose herself. Realizing, a few seconds later, that it was a hopeless cause, she dropped into the chair and hid her tear-streaked face in her hands.
Ardeth cracked his eyes opened as her shifting weight jostled the mattress. Still expecting to see her hovering over him, it took a moment to find her.
"Evelyn?!" he gasped when he found her crying.
Hearing the concern in his voice, Alex gave up his pretense of sleep and poked his head up. His eyes teared as he witnessed his mum's obvious distress.
"Mum?!" He cried. Quickly scooting off the bed and rushing to her, Alex threw his arms around her. Ardeth gasped as the jostling aggravated his injuries; the soft sound reminded Evy of how badly she'd hurt him.
"Ooooh! Ardeth! I'm sooo sorry!" She nearly wailed. "I hurt you so badly, but I didn't mean to...I mean I did...I blamed the Medjai ...but they didn't do anything except try to help my parents...and they cost you...your family sooo much... I can't...I don't..."
"Evelyn?" Ardeth interrupted, concern providing enough adrenaline to enable him to muster a small degree of alertness. The nearly hysterical flurry of words had rushed past too quickly for his fuzzy brain to grasp hold of more than a few words - some sort of reference to parents. "What...?"
Evy peered up, her vision blurred by tears. Noting, almost abstractly, that Ardeth's eyes were all the way open, she blinked until her vision was clear and saw the bewildered concern on his face. It made her heart ache even more. Closing her eyes, Evy took several deep breaths, determined to compose herself enough to explain properly. She owed Ardeth that much, at the very least. Opening her eyes again, she pulled Alex onto her lap, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
"Mum?" Alex questioned, tearfully, finding his mother's sudden shift from near hysterics to eerie calmness a tad unnerving.
"Where to start...," Evy abruptly began, seeming not to have heard her son. Frustrated, she loosed a hand long enough to distractedly rub her forehead, while she attempted to organize her thoughts.
"Perhaps at the beginning," Ardeth suggested in a whisper, earning a smile from Evy, despite the seriousness of the moment.
"Yes, of course, at the beginning," she replied, still smiling, but it dropped into a frown as a thought struck her. "Ardeth, why haven't you ever mentioned that knew my parents?"
"It was ...a brief acquaintance...seemed little value... in mentioning it," the Medjai responded, closing his eyes. The anguish on his face made Evy hesitant to continue.
"You knew mum's parents? Really?!" Alex exclaimed, oblivious to the warrior's distress. "How did you meet them? Did they get into trouble like mum and dad? What happened?"
"Hush, Alex."
"But, mum....," the child whined. "You never talk about them."
"Shhh," Evy insisted, giving her son a look that quelled any temptation to argue with her. "Don't bother Ardeth with this right now..."
"Yes...young O'Connell...I met your grandparents," Ardeth weakly interrupted, without opening his eyes. "Evelyn...perhaps...you should...continue."
"Ooh, Ardeth!" Evy choked out, feeling horrid for reopening emotional wounds, on top of everything else.
"Please...Evelyn," he responded, weakly, doubting he could remain awake much longer. Evy nodded, grimly.
"Yes, all right, from the beginning." She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, before speaking again. "A few days ago - the day that... - well, I'd begun to sort through a crate - the one that you landed... - well, anyway, buried in it was a journal."
Despite his drowsiness, Ardeth raised a curious eyebrow.
"Yes, I know, a journal...someone's private thoughts that I had no business reading, but I thought, maybe, it had belonged to one of my parents. And I was longing for them just at that moment, so...well, obviously, I read it ...well, only a few lines, actually."
"And it was not...as you hoped," the Medjai presumed. He still didn't bother to open his eyes, but his pulse quickened.
"It didn't belong to your parents?" Alex asked, glancing from his mum to the Medjai, and back to his mum.
"No," Evy answered, simply.
"Then, who's...?"
"I don't know, Alex," his mum replied, cutting him off. "A Medjai...Dr. Bey, perhaps."
"What does it have to do with what happened to Ardeth? What did you mean you meant to do it? What did it say?" Alex nervously quizzed. Evy sighed, dejectedly, and briefly closed her eyes.
"Those few lines said, well, I thought they said that the Medjai had killed my parents." Evy paused for a remorseful sigh. From the bed, Ardeth echoed the sound.
"The Medjai killed your mum and dad?!" Alex gasped, provoking a flinch from Ardeth. The warrior didn't need to open his eyes to see the look of horror and disbelief on the child's face.
"No, no, no," Evy responded, shaking her head. "They didn't, I read it wrong... well, I read what it said and grew so angry that I didn't keep reading...didn't read far enough."
"That's why you...did what you did?" Alex questioned, rhetorically, not quite able to voice it, even if he could almost grasp the reason it had happened. Evy nodded, glumly.
"You arrived just then, Ardeth, and I was so furious, I...I didn't even realize what I was doing until...," Evy paused to choke down fresh tears.
"You have...read more since," Ardeth prompted, in a calm whisper that masked his rising desperation. He did NOT want to relive the memories of which she spoke!
Evy nodded, forgetting his eyes were closed.
"What did it say!" Alex prodded. His mum sighed.
"The Medjai didn't kill my parents," she dejectedly admitted, glancing toward the door, as she found herself unable to face either Ardeth or Alex. "They saved them."
"Saved them?" Alex parroted. She nodded in reply. "How? What happened to them?"
"They'd become ill...with fever," Ardeth informed him, before Evy had the chance. Alex glanced from Ardeth to his mum and saw unexpected anguish on her face.
"So then what happened," Alex continued to prod.
"The Medjai found them abandoned in the desert and took them to their camp to be tended," Evy hesitantly continued, when Ardeth remained silent. As the weight of the anguish emanating from both adults grew almost palpable, Alex realized he was missing something important.
"What?!" he questioned, fearfully. He kept his eyes on his mother, even when Ardeth answered.
"The fever spread...throughout my people...many died," the Medjai explained, long-aged grief coating his words. Alex knew from the look on his mum's face what Ardeth was leaving out.
"Nameer?" The child's gaze remaining pinned on his mother, he saw her flinch at the name.
"Yes, my brother...was among...the dead," Ardeth confirmed, in a whisper.
"And?" Alex prompted.
"My mother...and sisters," the Medjai answered, weakly.
"Oh," was all Alex could manage in response. He could tell from his mum's face that there was more, but he didn't want to know. Squirming free from her, he climbed back onto the bed and curled up next to Ardeth.
"And you..." Evy choked out, once it had become clear Ardeth didn't intend to say more. "What you endured...Ardeth! The fever...your father...!"
Ardeth brow furrowed at the mention of his father. She could not know about his father; that could not have been in the journal - only he, Fathi, and Badi'a knew of it.
"My father?" He questioned, finally forcing his eyes open. Evy shook her head, despairingly.
"How he treated you...oh, Ardeth!" She wailed. "He turned his back on you; I don't understand how anyone could be so cruel!"
Ardeth studied her for a moment, then, closed his eyes again. "I do not know...what was said...in this journal of yours...but you misunderstood."
"Misunderstood?" Evy echoed, stunned that he would defend his father's treatment of him. "Ardeth, he abandoned you!"
The Medjai sighed, but said nothing. Lacking the strength to continue, he lay still, hoping that, after a bit, she'd assume he'd fallen asleep - not that he would have to feign for long before it became truth.
"Ardeth?" Evy asked, concerned by the silence as a minute ticked past. She sighed when he didn't respond, assuming he'd dozed off. Glancing at her son, Evy found that he also appeared to have fallen asleep. Rising from the chair, she turned toward the door. Evy paused when she realized she still held a damp cloth in her hand. Dropping it into the basin, she rushed out to fetch Najat. It suddenly seemed cruel to continue tending Ardeth herself; hers was not the first face he needed to see when he next awoke.
Evy didn't have to go far, colliding with the Abadi just outside the door. All but Najat's eyes were still hidden beneath the burqa, but Evy didn't need to see more. The emotion emanating from them screamed that the Abadi had overheard...enough, anyway.
"He is correct; you misunderstand," Najat stated, chidingly, after studying Evy for a moment. Beckoning the Englishwomen to follow, she wandered toward the deck, stopping long enough to whisper something to one of the other Abadi women.
Watching the other Abadi rise, Evy's gaze followed her until she disappeared into Ardeth's room, presumably to tend him. She assumed it must be Zaynab, since she and Najat seemed to take turns tending the Medjai - when Evy wasn't insisting upon doing so, anyway. Turning back, she realized Najat had continued onto the deck and scrambled to catch-up.
~*~*~*~*~
Seeing his sister follow Najat onto the deck, Jonathan nonchalantly shuffled toward Ardeth's room. Evy'd kept such a close eye on the Medjai since joining their entourage, he hadn't dared look in on him. Zaynab glanced up as he entered, causing Jonathan to hesitate. He hadn't considered someone besides Evy or Najat might be tending Ardeth.
"Oh...um...hello there," he stammered, nervously. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Jonathan suddenly found the floor _extremely_ interesting.
"Do you require something?" Zaynab patiently inquired, studying the Englishman.
"Um, could I...would you mind...uh..."
"You wish to speak privately with Ardeth Bey?" The Abadi guessed, sparing Jonathan the necessity of forming a complete sentence.
"If it wouldn't be a bother," he muttered in reply. Zaynab nodded, politely, quickly rewetted the cloth across Ardeth's forehead, and excused herself.
Moving to the bed, Jonathan silently studied the sleeping Medjai. It was obvious from the ghostly pallor hidden beneath the feverish glow of Ardeth's skin that he continued to worsen. Jonathan wondered how much of the deterioration could be blamed on the arduous journey. Sighing glumly, he plopped into the bedside chair. Regretting for the umpteenth time helping Ardeth leave the house, he softly chastised himself for going along with it...and with leaving Rick and his sister in the dark. The later was something he knew he'd hear about once everyone was less distracted, but that didn't concern him as much as the possibility that Ardeth wouldn't recover. Even after ten years of acquaintance, the warrior remained more mysterious stranger, than friend, but Jonathan didn't doubt Ardeth was a good man. Sighing again, he snatched the cloth from Ardeth's forehead, rewetted it and replaced it.
Ardeth stirred as water dripped onto his eyelids. Jonathan flinched as they abruptly flittered open. Disoriented, his eyes wondered aimlessly, until finally landing on the Englishman.
Jonathan smiled, nervously, as the Medjai stared at him.
"Hello there," he mumbled, unable to think of anything better to say. Ardeth tried a weak smile and closed his eyes again.
The attempted smile sent a fresh wave of remorse washing over Jonathan, and he sighed, again feeling the need to apologize for this part in the whole mess. Unfortunately, he couldn't think of what to say. Silently wracking his brain for another minute, Jonathan decided it didn't matter if he found the perfect words; Ardeth appeared to have fallen back to sleep, anyway, so he might as well just babble for a while and hope that what he meant to express came out somewhere along the way.
"Well, wouldn't you know it, I finally get a moment alone with you and I can't think of a bloody thing to say..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~