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Ardeth'd had no idea what to expect; what he found was the last thing he'd imagined. A rather innocuous looking young woman stood before him. Her high cheekbones and full lips an obvious indication of Abadi heritage, a delicately crocheted shawl of Abadi design covered her. The familiarity of her appearance threw Ardeth off kilter, and he found himself wondering if that were intended.
"A Medjai?! This is most unexpected," she declared, raising a curious eyebrow, as she studied the warrior. Uncertain of how to respond, Ardeth remained silent.
"What is your name, Medjai?"
"I am Ardeth Bey ibn Dabir ibn..." She held up a silencing hand, and he stopped.
"I do not seek to know your line; it is you alone that stands before me."
For several seconds, she said nothing more. Ardeth found himself dearly wishing that she would, as her scrutinizing eyes ran over him. It felt to him as though she could see every inch of him - body, mind and soul - and it took every ounce of his will not to squirm beneath the gaze.
"What is it you seek, Ardeth Bey?"
Ardeth's brow furrowed, and he frowned slightly. He had expected that she would know what he sought.
Smiling patiently at the expression, Al 'Asima spoke again. "It was not your hand that wielded the weapons of the Devourer. This, I clearly see."
His brow furrowed again, as he wondered how she could know whose hand had wielded the weapons. Deciding she must be able to see his thoughts, Ardeth wondered why she bothered with questions at all. Surely, she has already seen the answers she seeks.
"I see from your expression that you wonder how I could know this?"
Ardeth nodded. A look of bewilderment replacing the wonderment, he considered that, perhaps, he'd decided incorrectly, and she wasn't reading his thoughts.
"The weapons carry with them the lingering fragrance of every soul that wields them," Al 'Asima explained. "But I do not sense your soul among them."
Ardeth's expression shifted again, this time to surprise, followed, shortly thereafter, by concern. He hadn't considered that the weapons would carry an imprint of the souls that wielded them. The Medjai unhappily realized that meant that the weapons, and their guardian, would forever know of Evelyn.
"Ah," Al 'Asima abruptly exclaimed. Startling him from his reverie, her face lit up with dawning awareness. "It is your blood that the weapons have tasted."
Ardeth didn't bother to respond. There had been no question in her voice as she spoke. Falling silent, a troubled expression donned her face. It surprised Ardeth, and he wondered if it were a portent of his fate.
"This person...?"
"Evelyn O'Connell," he offered, despairingly. There seemed little purpose in hiding Evy's name when Al 'Asima already held an imprint of her soul. His brow furrowed with worry when the guardian frowned.
"You would sacrifice for soul for this Evelyn O'Connell? She is this dear to you?" Al 'Asima quizzed. Ardeth heard a hint of something in her tone. He couldn't tell what, but it tied an anxious knot it his stomach and left him wondering how to answer.
"She is a friend," he stated, after a moment, as though those words explained everything.
The guardian studied him, contemplatively, then, raised a perplexed eyebrow. "A friend that appears to have earnestly tried to kill you."
Ardeth sighed. Evy's admission to him made it impossible to counter the statement.
"The blame is not yours; you did nothing to provoke the attack upon you," Al 'Asima stated, when he didn't respond. The Medjai didn't bother wondering how she could know what had occurred.
"It is true, I committed no offense," he admitted. Once again, Evy's words made it impossible to deny. However, whether or not he'd provoked her, Ardeth's heart could not shake off its guilt. He had failed his task and, in doing so, failed to protect his friends. "But the responsibility is mine, none the less."
Al 'Asima did not bother to quiz him further. She knew she could ask any question, or simply wander the depths of his mind and soul for eternity, freely seeking whatever secrets lay buried. He would not resist. The Medjai sought to hide nothing of himself from her. His motives were pure. Evelyn was his friend, and to Ardeth Bey, it was that simple.
"You present me with a challenge, Ardeth Bey," the guardian announced, her tone deceptively sheepish. "Never before has a victim stood before me in place of their attacker."
Ardeth wasn't sure how to respond to the admission, so he said nothing.
"Perhaps, while I contemplate the situation, you would consent to assisting me with another dilemma?"
Taken by surprise, Ardeth simply nodded, but after a moment, found his voice. "It would be a honor to be of assistance."
Al 'Asima smiled. "You do me a great service."
Ardeth bowed slightly, then followed, as she turned and walked away.
"Many years ago, a soul came before me under circumstances that, like yours, I had not yet encountered," the guardian informed him, seeming to know, without looking, that he had followed. "I have been unable to find a resolution. Perhaps, you could offer your opinion on the matter?"
Ardeth raised an eyebrow, but nodded his consent. Al 'Asima returned the nod and gestured. As the Medjai's gaze followed her hand to the image of woman, a cold shiver ran down his spine. He knew her instantly.
"Ah," the guardian commented, seeing his expression. "You are familiar with my guest."
Memories and emotion choking his voice, Ardeth could only nod.
"Then, perhaps, you are already familiar with the circumstances that brought Zarina Carnahan's soul before me?"
Ardeth nodded, although he hadn't fully understood the circumstances until that moment.
"But you were not aware that it was with the Devourer's dagger that she mortally wounded Dabir Bey?" Al 'Asima quizzed, catching a slight hesitation in his nod.
"I was not," the Medjai answered simply, still struggling to speak thru pain of the re-opened emotional wound. The guardian nodded and continued.
"As I am certain you _are_ aware, she preceded Dabir Bey in death."
Ardeth nodded. His uncle had informed him that the Carnahans had died in a car accident the same afternoon that his father'd received his mortal wound.
"Then you see my dilemma," she commented, sighing. Perplexed, the Medjai wrinkled his brow.
"Perhaps I should clarify it for you," Al 'Asima offered. "You see, although Zarina's soul departed her body before it could devour the soul of Dabir Bey, she did wield the weapons. However, her death deprived her of the opportunity to redeem herself. I cannot judge her as though she willingly submitted herself to me, and yet I cannot be certain that she would not have."
She paused to glance at Ardeth. Seeing it out of the corner of his eye, the Medjai gave a clipped nod to indicate he was listening.
"Ah!" the guardian abruptly exclaimed, pulling Ardeth's fixed gaze temporarily off Zarina to Al 'Asima. "I have made my decision."
Ardeth raised, yet another, shocked eyebrow.
"As you are the son and heir of Dabir Bey, I shall have you decide whether her soul is to be destroyed, or released to travel onto Paradise?"
Ardeth frowned, his brow furrowing with the weight of the decision. He had not realized the anger he harbored toward Zarina. Feeling it surging thru him as he returned his gaze to her, the Medjai found it tempting to condemn her. But then he thought of Evy. Someday his friend would make the journey to Paradise herself, and her soul would grieve when it did not find her mother's soul waiting to welcome her. His thoughts turning toward his own mother, the warrior realized he couldn't inflict upon his friend for eternity the pain of a loss he himself had only to endure for the remainder of a lifetime.
"Release her," he whispered, a hint of reluctance barely evident in his voice. Closing his eyes, Ardeth turned away from the image of Zarina. Having also turned away from Al 'Asima, he didn't see her smile, approvingly.
~*~*~*~*~
Evy's brain automatically counted each passing second, as she waited for the slightest indication that Ardeth's soul had returned to revive his lifeless body. As those seconds passed into one minute and then another, the little hope to which she'd clung slowly ebbed. Unconsciously, Evy began to rock, her body unable to contain her surging emotions. She stilled suddenly, as the air above the amulet seemed to shimmer slightly.
Seeing his wife's hysterical motion come to an abrupt halt, Rick followed her gaze. It seemed fixed a few inches above the Medjai, making him frown. He saw nothing. Concerned, Rick started to shift his glance back to Evy, but stopped as, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a slight shimmering. Quickly moving his eyes back to the spot at which Evy still stared, he unconsciously held his breath and waited, praying that it wasn't just wishful-thinking.
Noticing his parents staring into the thin air above Ardeth's chest, Alex reflexively shifted his gaze to follow. He instantly spotted the form slowly shimmering into sight. Unconsciously tightening his grip on the Medjai's hand, Alex held his breath and waited for what he prayed was Ardeth's soul returning.
Sensing a change in focus, Jonathan glanced at his family and noticed that they were all staring at the empty space above Ardeth. His eyes reflexively followed, but saw nothing. The intensity of the others' stares convinced there must be something there, however, so he stared harder. Still, Jonathan saw nothing. Sighing, he shrugged his shoulders and continued to watch, even though he had no idea what he was looking for.
~*~*~*~*~
Ardeth stared out in the empty desert, wearily waiting for Al 'Asima to join him. Abstractly wondering how he could feel weary without his body, he closed eyes to rest. His heavy eyelids had barely slipped down when he felt the guardian approach. A tickle in his stomach warned him that she'd decided his fate. Opening his eyes, Ardeth soaked in the beauty of the pale blue sky, as it met the golden dessert sands in the horizon, then, took a deep breath and turned to face her.
"Your soul weighs heavy," she announced, and Ardeth nodded, sadly accepting the verdict, his eyes dropping slightly. They abruptly rose when she startled him by continuing. "But with a burden that is not yours to carry."
Ardeth frowned. His brow furrowing with concern, he worried that Al 'Asima would somehow claim Evy's soul, after all.
"You are a valiant warrior, Ardeth Bey, and a noble king, but you are still a man - one man. The guilt from the actions of others is not your burden to bear; every individual must accept responsibility for their own deeds."
Ardeth sighed, frustrated that she did not seem to understand that the responsibility was his to bear. HE had failed - Najat, the O'Connells, himself, and his people.
Seeing his thoughts, Al 'Asima sighed. She understood that the guilt he accepted for Evy's actions was but a miniscule portion of the burden weighing down his exhausted soul.
"You alone could not have stood against the Army of Anubis, or have stopped the fever that swept through your village, any more than the weight of the world could be borne upon your shoulders alone. For many, it their days to die, and so death arrived to claim them. You could not have saved them; you did not fail them. All that you could do was all that you did."
"What I did was fail!" Ardeth retorted, sullenly, adamantly rejecting her assertion. HE had not reached the bracelet in time to prevent the Scorpion King's rise, failing his friends and his people. HE allowed himself to become ill with fever, failing his father and his people.
"You did not fail. You did all that is demanded of anyone - even you, Ardeth Bey. You did your duty to the best of your ability."
Ardeth's gaze dropped, as he whispered his response. "My best was not enough."
"Not enough? You gave strength to the weak, hope to hopeless, courage to those whose own had left them. You stood before your people, as only the man that you are could have, and a people that would have fallen stood with you. How can that be 'not enough'?"
Too weary to accept the truth of her words, Ardeth didn't reply.
"You alone must carry the burden of who you are - your strength, your weakness, your accomplishment, and your failure. It is a heavier weight than most men could bear, do not add to it that which does not belong to you."
Still, Ardeth made no response. Al 'Asima sighed, recognizing that the warrior was not ready to acknowledge the truth of her words.
"I release your soul, Ardeth Bey," she stated, with a respectful bow. She saw little purpose in continuing to argue her point. He had heard, and, eventually, his heart would accept the truth of it.
Ardeth numbly registered her decree and responded with a polite nod, before turning to look out again at the empty desert. To his dismay, he found, instead, the scene within the guardian's tomb. Returned to where he'd last stood, the Medjai glanced down upon his battered, motionless body. The reluctance he felt to return to it surprised him, even as he saw Alex and Evelyn clinging to it desperately. They behaved as though it were important that he returned. Ardeth doubted that it really was, but he didn't doubt the agony that awaited him if he did. He clearly remembered the pain and weakness, although it seemed like a distant memory - one he was not anxious to relive.
"Your soul is free," the guardian reminded him, sadness coating her tone. "Whether it returns to your body, or takes it place in Paradise, is for you to decide."
"My body will recover should I choose to return to it?" he asked, wearily. Ardeth felt Al 'Asima move to stand just behind him, but didn't turn to look at her.
"This I cannot say. But I will tell you that strength surrounds you; you need but allow yourself to draw upon it. "
Ardeth closed his eyes, pondering her words and weighing the decision to return. He thought of his father and mother, angelic Bashiyra, irrepressible Nameer, and, now, loyal Fathi. They waited for him in Paradise, and he longed to be with them once more, as he longed to be free of pain and weariness consuming his body and soul.
~*~*~*~*~
The shimmering air above Ardeth gradually increased in density until Jonathan, too, saw something slowly materializing. Like his family, he found himself holding his breath in anticipation of Ardeth's soul's return. He let it out in a loud gush, as the image that finally formed socked him in the gut.
"Umm?" Evy's gasped, staring, disbelievingly, at shimmering image before her. Feeling her husband gently place a supportive hand on her shoulder, she reached up and clung to it. ("Mum?")
"Yes, my daughter," Zarina replied, gazing down, lovingly, at Evy and, then, over to Jonathan. He tried to say something, but the lump in his throat prevented it. She had only been his stepmother, but Zarina'd never treated him as though she'd loved him any less than Evy, no matter how badly he mucked up. She'd been the one person, until Alex, in who's eyes he'd never felt lacking, and he missed her dreadfully.
Torn between wonder and dread, Alex stared at the grandmother he'd never known, praying her appearance wasn't an indication that Ardeth wouldn't be returning.
"What...how...why..?" Evy stammered, her shocked mind struggling to organize its thoughts. Zarina's eyes returned to Evelyn, and she smiled patiently at her daughter.
"Ardeth Bey has freed my soul."
"Freed your soul? Why...wha?" Evy abruptly fell silent, as she grasped the meaning of her mother's presence there. "It was you?!"
"Aiwa, bintee," Zarina sadly answered. "It was I who wielded the cursed weapon that claimed the life of Dabir Bey."
"But why?"
"There is not time for explanations, bintee." Evy opened her mouth to argue, but Zarina held up a silencing hand.
"Then why are you here?" Alex asked, with a hint of bitterness, still fearing she'd somehow stolen Ardeth's chance to return.
"I am here because you," she fixed her gaze on Evy, "must do what I would but cannot."
"Wha...?" Evy started to ask, but Zarina wasn't finished and continued as though her daughter hadn't spoken.
"You must redeem my offense, bintee."
"But, how..?" Again, Zarina seemed not to notice Evy's attempt to interrupt.
"Although he is weary, it is not his time to journey from this life." She didn't need to specify of whom she spoke; it was abundantly clear to all. "You must call him back!"
Evy's brow furrowing, she frowned. She done little else in the past few minutes but entreat Ardeth's soul to return, seemingly to no avail. Before she could point that out to her mother, Zarina faded away.
"Call him back, bintee. He will listen," the breeze whispered in her mother's voice, as Evy numbly stared into the empty air.
~*~*~*~*~
"Ardeth!"
The sound of Evy shouting his name brought the Medjai's eyes open, and he peered down at her forlorn figure.
"Please! Come back!!"
Ardeth sighed. The desperation in her tone tugged at his heart, but it also reminded him of his wounds and the pain that would greet him upon his return.
"Please, Ardeth! Don't make me live with the guilt of this! I don't think I can bear it!" Evy continued to plead, her tone creeping from desperation towards hysteria.
Ardeth frowned, hearing the subtle shift. He'd been so focused on reaching Al 'Asima in time to save Evy's soul, that he hadn't considered the impact his sacrifice would have on her, and the rest of the O'Connells.
"MINFADLAK, IR-GA', ARDETH!!" ("Please, come back, Ardeth")
Evy began to shake with the intensity of her emotional plea, forcing Ardeth to consider the possibility that it was important that he return. Still, he so desperately wanted to let go of his body forever...
"ARDETH! LEHZIM TIR-GA'! MA-YIMSHEE BIWASITAT! MINFADLAK, ARDETH!!" (Ardeth! You must come back! You can't leave us this way! Please, Ardeth!)
Sighing in resignation, Ardeth realized that Evy was right. He couldn't knowingly choose to depart in way that brought such great anguish to his friends' hearts. Nor, he knew, could he choose to abandon Badi'a and his people. It was his duty to return, and he would fulfill it, as he always strived to fulfill his duty, regardless of the amount of pain in body or the weariness of his soul. The decision made, Ardeth closed his tired eyes.
~*~*~*~*~
"MA-YISH-TAGHAL! MA-BI-YISMA'!" Evy cried out, desperately, her last lingering bit of hope threatening to slip away. "SA'ID-NEE, UMMEE! 'EHY YI'MIL?!" (It didn't work! He's not listening! Help me, mummy! What do I do?!)
"Yee-gee. Yimsik-oo!" (He comes. Hold him!)
The soft whisper on the wind nearly spoke it's warning too late. Before she could even glance back down at Ardeth, Evy felt his head throw itself back as his muscles abruptly contracted and painfully contorted the warrior's body in violent spasms.
"RICK!! Help me hold him!" Evy shouted, belatedly. Her husband had already pushed Alex away and grabbed the Medjai by the arms. He didn't bother to respond, focused in the struggle to keep Ardeth pinned.
"Roll him onto his side!"
Her hand gently, but firmly, holding Ardeth's head, Evy glanced up at Najat as though she were insane.
"He may choke if we do not!" Her gaze fixed on Ardeth, Najat hadn't seen the Englishwoman's expression, but was acutely aware that neither O'Connell had moved to comply with the instruction. More in response to the tone of the command, than anything, Rick scrambled to force Ardeth's uncooperative body onto its side and keep it there.
"Wh...wh...what happened?!" Alex quizzed, shakily, as Ardeth's convulsions gradually ceased.
Letting the Medjai roll onto his back, Rick found himself unable to respond and sat back on his heels, trying to catch his breath. The seizure had only lasted minute or two, but the effort of restraining the warrior had exhausted Rick. Evy also failed to respond. Sitting in a daze, she unconsciously petted Ardeth's hair, as she watched his chest rise and fall, heavily.
"He had a seizure, Alex," Jonathan offered, seeing neither O'Connell able to answer.
"That's bad, isn't it? She's going to destroy his soul, isn't she?!" He asked, tearfully looking toward Najat.
"No," the Abadi answered, calmly. "She has released his soul, and it has returned to his body."
Although still slightly skeptical, Alex let out a long, shaky, relieved breath. Reclaiming the Medjai's hand, he fixed his gaze on Ardeth's face, hoping the warrior's eyes would open.
"You know, you might have warned us that was going to happen," Jonathan stated, peevishly. Najat patiently glanced his direction.
"I did not know. I have never witnessed the return of a soul, but none of the tale mention such an occurrence."
Dissatisfied by the answer, Jonathon shoved his hands in his pockets and continued to grumble under his breath.
Kneeling next to Rick, beside Ardeth, Najat ignored the Englishman and focused on the Medjai. Gingerly pushing aside his robe, she frowned at the fresh spots of blood seeping through the bandage covering his shoulder wound and the thin, but steadily flowing, trail of blood trickling from his abdominal wound. Her displeasure grew as she noted the alarming rise of the Ardeth's temperature.
"I suspect the seizure is not the usual way of things," she commented, distractedly, as she glanced, meaningfully, at Zaynab. No one but Najat really noticed the other Abadi quickly slip out of the tomb.
"What happen then?" Alex asked, anxiously. Najat sighed and shifted her gaze to the child.
"The fever currently taxing his body left it ill-equipped to tolerate the shock of his soul's return," Najat answered, a hint apprehension creeping into her tone. Catching it, Alex and Evy both opened their mouth to quiz the Abadi further, but she raised a silencing hand and gestured toward the approaching guards.
"We must return him to his bed where he can be properly tended. All else will wait," she commanded, her tone brooking no argument, or even hesitation, on the part of her guests.
Quickly rising to their feet, the O'Connells protectively supervised the two Abadi warriors that carefully picked up the Medjai and followed as they carried him from the tomb.
Jonathan trailed far in the rear. His relative composure slipping away once he was out of view, he sunk to his knees, trembling uncontrollably. His brain reeling, Jonathan hardly felt Zaynab's touch, as she wrapped an arm around him and helped him back to his feet. The Abadi continued to offer support, as she gently guided back to his bed.
~*~*~*~*~
As the two Abadi warriors placed the Medjai onto his bed, Najat and another Abadi quickly stripped off Ardeth's clothing and discreetly covered him with a thin sheet.
"What can I do?" Evy inquired of Najat, as the Abadi turned to prepare more medicines.
"You may take Widad's place," Najat hastily replied, glancing up, very briefly, then returning to work. She'd been inclined to send the Englishwoman away, but didn't want to waste time with the argument she knew Evy's would give her.
"Sa'id Zaynab," she instructed the other Abadi. Widad nodded and handed Evy the cloth she'd been using to bath Ardeth. Evy nodded, appreciatively, and picked up where the Abadi'd left off, anxiously noting the increasingly labored appearance of Ardeth's breathing. ("Assist Zaynab")
"Can I help?" Alex asked, plaintively.
"Not this time, buddy. Too many cooks in too small a kitchen already," Rick responded, earning himself an appreciative glance from Najat. Keeping his hand firmly, but gently, planted on his son's shoulder, Rick tilted his head to meet his son's gaze, as Alex glanced up, pleadingly. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna make you leave; we're just gonna stay over here, nice and out of the way."
Alex reluctantly nodded and plopped down on one of the many rugs covering the ground. Glancing again at Ardeth's fever-ravaged form, Rick sighed, frustrated by his seemingly perpetually helplessness, and sat down next to his son.
~*~*~*~*~
Rick startled awake as thin blanket was placed over the top of him. Glancing up, blearily, he saw an unfamiliar female face and started to ask who she was, but she put a silencing finger to her lip.
"Naiyam," she whispered, softly. Shrugging inwardly, Rick glanced over to see his son sound asleep a few feet away, then complied with the request. ("Go to sleep")
~*~*~*~*~
"It is unlikely he will wake soon; you should rest," Najat gently instructed, seeing Evy sleepily rubbing at her eyes.
"I'm all right," Evy lied. Although still deeply concerned, the intense emotions of earlier had faded, taking with them the adrenaline that had kept her awake.
"He will still need tending tomorrow;" Najat responded, patiently. "But you will be of no use to him if you are too exhausted to stand."
"And what of you?" Evy argued. "You've been awake even longer than I. Shouldn't you rest as well?"
Najat smirked, doubting the sincerity of the Englishwoman's concern for her state of being. "I will be relieved soon enough."
Evy sighed, realizing that the Abadi had no intention of relenting. Looking down at Ardeth, she frowned, reluctant to leave his side. He had yet to stir, even slightly; his exhausted body lacking the strength. But that wouldn't have worried her as much had his temperature not continued to rise, despite their continuous efforts to cool him, and had his breathing not continued to grow increasingly labored. However, rubbing her eyes again, Evy realized the wisdom of Najat's words. Letting her gaze drift toward her sleeping husband and son, decided that, perhaps, it might be good to rest...for just a few minutes.
~*~*~*~*~
Evy abruptly awoke to the sounds of a struggle. Glancing around, frightfully, her eyes landed Alex, hovering a few feet in front of her. Adrenaline pumped into her system as she registered, even with his back to her, the frightened stance of his body. Climbing stiffly to her feet, Evy glanced past her son to see Rick, Najat and two other Abadi wrestling with Ardeth. Alarmed, she rushed to the bed to help.
"What's happened?! Another seizure?!" Evy shouted, searching for a handhold. Ardeth eyes were closed tightly and his face contorted in an agonized grimace.
"No! He is panicking!" Najat distractedly responded, narrowly missing Rick as Ardeth's thrashing tossed her the American's direction.
"Panicking?! Why!?" Evy returned.
"He believes he is suffocating!"
Evy stared, aghast, at the Abadi. It was then that she registered the strangled wheezing sound emanating from Ardeth. Her eyes growing wide, she opened her mouth to ask about it, but found herself too stunned to speak.
"His lungs are inflamed...he is still getting air...but he is not aware...enough to realize it!" Najat replied, breathlessly, finally managing to pin one arm.
Evy nodded, numbly, and stared a moment longer at Najat, as the news sunk into her shocked brain. Shaking herself free from her paralysis, she registered the worsening of Ardeth's wheezing, and dove back into the struggle to pin the Medjai to the bed.
"At least we know he still has enough strength to put up a good fight," Evy shouted, as Ardeth continued to buck in resistance to the many hands holding him.
"He may have the strength, but he does not have it to spare," Najat retorted, catching her breath as Zaynab and Widad managed to pin Ardeth's opposite leg, decreasing the Medjai's ability to struggle. Instinctively, the Medjai's panic increased, and he managed to land a solid kick into Rick's stomach, flooring the American.
"Rick!" Evy shouted, worriedly. Catching it out of the corner of her eye, she glanced up from the arm she'd just managed to pin.
Pulling himself back onto his feet, Rick waved away her concerned. After pausing for a moment to catch the breath Ardeth had managed to knock out of him, he rushed back into the fray, but a fit of breathless coughing abruptly seized the Medjai just as Rick grasped hold of his leg. A moment later, Ardeth fell limp.
"Wh...wha...is...h...he...?" Alex stammered, too frightened to form the question.
"He has lost consciousness," Najat replied, wearily. Tentatively releasing the Medjai's arm, she turned at snatch up drenched cloth and bathed Ardeth's chest. "As I said, he had not the strength to spare for such a struggle. He will not awaken again soon."
Evy glanced at her husband, then at Alex, and saw by their expressions that they'd found the announcement no more comforting than she. Preparing to make note of it to Najat, she caught a whiff of a pungent aroma wafting up from the Medjai.
"The cloth has been soaked in medicine that has, in the past, eased the inflammation. Inshallah, it will do so again," Najat commented, noticing the wrinkling of the Englishwoman's nose. Dribbling more of the medicines onto Ardeth's chest, she bathed it one more time, then, dropped the cloth into a basin.
Evy nodded, then, frowned as the words of the journal flashed into her mind. 'I see each breath catch in his throat as though he has not the power to force it out, but then, somehow, he does.' She'd assumed the fever to be the cause, but abruptly realized the author hadn't referred to it with any of the other afflicted.
"This has happened to him before," Evy, unintentionally, commented aloud.
"Unfortunately, yes, many times as a child, but as he grew, the affliction diminished. Now it is almost naught," Najat explained, assuming the statement to be a question.
"Except for when he's ill?" Evy guessed. Najat shook her head.
"Even then, it rarely troubles him," she replied, while attempting to ease Ardeth into a sitting position. Evy nodded, distractedly, her face wrinkling in concern as the Medjai coughed several times without rousing.
"Here, let me...," Rick offered, rushing forward to help. Pulling Ardeth up, he supported him while Najat slid several well-stuffed pillows beneath him. When she nodded, he gently rested Ardeth against them and discovered that they propped the warrior up enough to nearly be sitting.
"His lungs are not terribly inflamed," Najat informed her guests, attempting to preempt any other questions they might ask. "But the fever has left him weak enough that the extra effort required to breath seems very great..."
Evy and Rick simultaneously raised an eyebrow, making Najat smile, wearily.
"Yes, I realize that is difficult to understand after the struggle you have just witnessed, but it is true. Lying flat on his back made his breaths require constant effort, exacting more from him than the brief burst of strength required to battle us. Between the medicine and the change of position, he will rest easier."
"A minute ago, you didn't seem so sure the medicine would work," Rick commented. Najat sighed, imperceptibly.
"It is not always been ef...,"
"It will work. I'm certain of it," Alex interrupted, his tone revealing his desperate need to believe it would. The strained expression on Ardeth's unconscious face clearly indicated the continued toll the effort of breathing demanded from him. It frightened Alex to see it. He didn't need to be told by an adult to know that Ardeth's body didn't have much fight left in it.
"Of course it's going to work," Evy assured, with more confidence than she felt, seeing the fear that her son attempted to mask.
"Mid-day swiftly approaches..."
Evy jumped at the sound of Zaynab's voice next to her. She'd forgotten there'd been two other Abadi, besides Najat, helping restrain Ardeth.
"You should refresh yourselves and have nourishment," Zaynab announced, her tone motherly. When none of the O'Connells moved, she continued. "I assure you Ardeth Bey will wait right here for your return."
Evy and Rick both smiled slightly at the remark and glanced other. Simultaneously realizing that each of them was a mess, they shook their heads, sheepishly, at each other.
"Come," Zaynab requested, guessing by their expressions that they didn't intend to argue. Evy followed Zaynab around the bed, joining her husband on the other side, and waited for her son to move. He didn't. His gaze remaining fixed on Ardeth, Alex folded his arms in a clear gesture that he had no intention of leaving he Medjai's side.
"Alex!" Najat hissed, wearily, before either Evy or Rick could say anything. "You will do as Zaynab requests."
Recognizing something beyond maternal authority in the tone of her voice, Alex sighed, huffily, and turned to join his parents. Seeming to know the child would follow, Zaynab had not stopped to wait for him, and the O'Connells had to scramble to catch up to her.
~*~*~*~*~
"You may quit lurking and enter now, Jonathan," Najat called out, her back to the door as she mixed herbs into a cup. His hands self-consciously shoved into his pockets, Jonathan sheepishly slid through the doorway and wandered over to the bed.
"How's he doing?" He asked, with genuine concern. Studying Ardeth's unconscious form, Jonathan noticed labored breathing and heard wheezing. "He doesn't sound good at all."
"You heard what was said?" Najat quizzed, turning toward Ardeth and bringing the cup to his lips. She'd been too distracted by events to be certain of exactly when Jonathan's shadow had first appeared. The Englishman shook his head, with a slight frown, then watch, slightly astonished, as the unconscious warrior reflexively downed each swallow of liquid that Najat patiently dribbled into his mouth. Not wanting to disrupt the painstaking process, Jonathan waited silently through the several minutes in took for Ardeth to down enough medicine to satisfy Najat.
"What was that?" he asked, as she returned the cup to the table.
"That was a mixture of many things," the Abadi answered, vaguely, provoking a glare from the Jonathan. With a weary, but amused smile, she added, "it is medicine to ease his pain, combined with herbs to battle the infection and lower his fever; all of which you have seen me mix for him many times."
Jonathan nodded, reflexively wincing as Ardeth coughed, again.
"But now, added to those, are herbs to dissolve the mucus that accompanies the inflammation in his lungs, so that he need not waste the little strength that he has removing it forcibly."
Jonathan nodded, distractedly. It took him a minute to realize she meant the medicine would ease Ardeth's cough.
"Inflammation?" he questioned, his brain snagging on word as he mulled over her explanation.
"Yes. You did not hear what was said earlier?" she asked, rephrasing her previous, unanswered question.
"I heard something about something happening many times when he was a child and the medicine not always working," Jonathan hesitantly replied, frowning, as a long series of coughs brought a grimace to the Medjai's unconscious features.
"It is the medicine beginning to do its work," Najat assured, wearily.
"But, you said..." The Abadi raised a hand to cut him off.
"The medicine, at first, only breaks up the mucus, temporarily worsening his cough..." she paused in her explanation as another long series of pained, breathless coughs roused the Medjai enough to toss restlessly. Shushing him, Najat snatched up a damp cloth and softly caressed his face.
Jonathan sighed, nearly inaudibly, as Ardeth settled again without really waking. Although he understood that the exhausted Medjai needed sleep, as much as anything, a small part of the Englishman had hoped the warrior would wake enough to open his eyes, even if it were just a flicker. Ardeth hadn't done so since his soul had ripped free from his body back at the tomb. Jonathan still felt lingering doubt that the warrior's soul had truly returned. He knew he wouldn't feel certain until he could look into Ardeth's eyes and see the Medjai's soul reflected in them.
"Inflamed?" he repeated, as Najat placed the cloth back in the basin and fetch a fresh one to lay across the Medjai's forehead.
"Yes. His lungs have become inflamed," she informed the Englishman, as though she'd expected him to have moved past the topic. Jonathan sighed, grimly. "It sounds alarming, but do not be. The medicine already begins to ease it."
Jonathan nodded, skeptically, but then realized that Ardeth's wheezing did sound a little better than when the conversation began. Studying the Medjai, Jonathan distractedly listened to Najat hum. After several minutes, he registered that the soft melody continued uninterrupted by coughing.
"So he's going to be all right?" Jonathan asked, with a shaky, lopsided smile, as it sank in that the medicine really was helping the Medjai, and not making him worse as it had first appeared.
"You still worry about what your sister and her husband are going do to you for not sending him straight back to bed?" Najat teased, aware that his concern for the Medjai was not as self-centered as the Englishmen pretended. Jonathan shrugged, noncommittally, provoking a slightly amused smile from the Abadi. It faded after a moment, and she sighed, softly.
"His abdomen has been debrided and stitched, but his fever remains high. He simply pushed his body beyond reason," Najat stated, wearily. Jonathan nodded, glumly.
"Do not fear for him. Ardeth Bey is stronger than even he realizes. I do not doubt that he will recover," she assured. "Now that he has finished his task and allows himself rest, his body can focus on healing."
Jonathan nodded, again, a fidgeted uncomfortably. Seeing it, Najat fought back the urge to smile. It was obvious that the Englishman wanted to stay, but could think of no reason to do so - at least no reason that didn't involve admitting he cared for the Medjai.
"Perhaps you could spare the time to assist as I check his wounds and place a fresh poultice upon the infection?" She asked. As she really did need to check for torn stitches after the struggle, Najat decided, mercifully, to provide the Englishman a reason to remain at Ardeth's side. Jonathan grinned, sheepishly, and nodded.
~*~*~*~*~
Finishing the last bit of her late brunch, Evy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt so much better than she had just an hour before that is amazed her. Funny how much a bath and a nice change of clothes can make one feel so much more human, she thought to herself.
"I've finished. Can I go back now?"
Her son's request brought Evy's eyes open, and she nodded. "But try not to make a pest of yourself, all right."
Alex smiled and nodded, then glanced toward Zaynab.
"You may, Alex," Zaynab answered, patiently. She chuckled when he abruptly bolted up and vanished without another word.
"He really does know how to be polite, he just doesn't remember to it very often," Evy sighed. Zaynab chuckled, again.
"Will you be returning, as well, or will you join your husband on his walk?"
Evy hesitated and glanced in the direction Rick had gone, still surprised that the Abadi had granted him permission to roam freely. She really wanted to rush back to Ardeth's bedside, but knew the Medjai was well tended. Rick, on the other hand, hadn't received much of her attention over the past few days, and she knew he had to be feeling a little neglected.
"You might find the exercise pleasant after yesterday's travels," Zaynab commented, seeing her guest's indecision written on her face. Evy nodded and smiled, appreciatively.
"Yes, I think you're right. A little exercise is exactly what I need."
Rising stiffly, Evy smirked as she realized that her legs really were in need of a good stretch. Still smiling, she politely nodded to Zaynab and strolled off in search of her husband.
~*~*~*~*~
Jonathan watched in silence, as Najat bathed Ardeth's chest with a pungent medicine from one of the nearby basin. She continued to hum as she worked, and the soft melody drained the tension from his muscles, leaving him reluctant to get up and leave. Deciding it would be all right to close his eyes just for a minute, Jonathan nodded off and didn't notice as his nephew raced into the dwelling.
Noticing his uncle, Alex abruptly halted. Najat put a finger to her lip and waved him over, without interrupting her tune. Nodding, Alex continued, slowly and quietly. Smiling, Najat patted the bed by Ardeth's head, brining a grin to the child's face. Nodding enthusiastically, he shuffled around to the other side and crawled up. His grin grew broader as she handed him a water-soaked cloth. Dutifully taking it, he grew serious and concentrated on gently bathing Ardeth's face without waking him.
Smiling at the child's intensity, Najat turned to mix more medicine for the warrior. Turning back with a cup in her hand, she found Alex watching her curiously and smiled, again. Nodding her head toward Ardeth, she lifted the cup, slightly.
Alex nodded. Setting the wet cloth on the bed beside him, he watched Najat bring the cup to Ardeth's lips. He smiled, amazed, when the Medjai reflexively drank, without ever really waking up.
Najat smiled at the child's astonishment, then wiggled her fingers, requesting his cloth. Alex dutifully handed it over and watched her rewet it and place it across the Medjai's forehead. Grabbing up more cloths, she handed one to Alex and kept the other. Alex wrinkled his brow, unsure of what do with it. The expression nearly made Najat chuckle, but she managed to stifle it, with only the slightest interruption in the melody she hummed. Taking her own cloth, she began to swirl over Ardeth's arm, gently bathing away the feverish sweat. Catching on, Alex smiled and mimicked the action on the warrior's other arm.
~*~*~*~*~
Jonathan abruptly jerked awake as Najat's humming ceased. Glancing around, disoriented, he caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye and moved his head in the direction of it. He reflexively jumped to his feet as an Abadi float gracefully through the doorway.
"It is only Zaynab, Jonathan," Najat soothed, chuckling softly and attracting the Englishman's attention. "You need not be alarmed."
Beside her, Alex snickered, amused by his uncle's reaction and ruffled appearance. Jonathan raised an eyebrow at the site of his nephew, to which Alex replied with an innocent shrug.
"Zaynab," Jonathan greeted, sleepily. Turning back toward the new arrival, he sheepishly crammed his hands into his pockets.
"Jonathan," she returned, sounding amused, but nodding politely. Watching her continue toward the bed, his brow wrinkled.
"How did you know it was Zaynab?" He asked Najat, perplexed; Zaynab was fully covered.
"She looks like Zaynab," Najat stated, matter-of-factly, as though it should've been obvious. Alex snickered again, seeming to agree with her.
Jonathan nodded as if to say 'aha', then rolled his eyes when the two Abadi looked away. Alex grinned, lopsidedly, at his uncle, and Jonathan winked at him, before turning his attention to the Abadi. Watching the two women discuss Ardeth's care, Jonathan began to feel like a bit of an odd wheel. Fidgeting, he glanced toward the door, wondering whether or not he should stay.
"Zaynab will be tending Ardeth Bey for a time," Najat announced, abruptly pulling Jonathan's attention back to the bed. "You are welcome to stay. I do not believe she would mind the company."
"You would be very welcome," Zaynab confirmed, with a slight bow. Jonathan hesitated. He'd just settled on leaving, but decided it might appear rude to decline. Besides, he thought, somebody better be here to keep an eye on Alex.
"Thank you, I think I will stay," he finally answered, with a nervous grin. Najat smiled in return, before bowing to excuse herself. Jonathan watched her leave, longingly. Perhaps because she'd uncovered or just because he's spent more time with her, he felt more comfortable with Najat than Zaynab.
"Do not fear, Jonathan Carnahan. I do not bit...very often," Zaynab teased, provoking a snicker from Alex. Caught off-guard, Jonathan could only grin, sheepishly.
"It is not necessary that you remain standing in my presence," she quipped, as he continued to fidget. "Come, sit."
As she waved him closer, Jonathan opened his mouth to decline, but, again, decided it might be rude. Nervously approaching, he sat down next to the bed, almost managing not to look in Zaynab's direction as he moved.
"May I ask you a question?"
Jonathan nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on Ardeth.
"What is it that I do that discomfits you so?" She asked, curiously. When Jonathan simply shrugged, she chuckled, softly. "You do not seem bothered by Najat, and yet she is of greater status than I?"
Jonathan and Alex glanced at each other, wondering just what Najat's status was. It didn't seem like something they should ask about, however, so Jonathan resisted the temptation and shook his head at Alex, telling him not to ask, either.
"Ah, perhaps it is the burqa that bothers you?" Zaynab considered aloud.
"Yeah, I guess maybe it is," Jonathan replied. He didn't really know if that were the problem, but it seemed better than continuing to say nothing. Zaynab nodded, slightly, in response, as though greatly relieved to have an answer.
Turning away, she snatched the cloth cooling Ardeth's forehead, dipped it into the water basin and replaced it. She hummed as she moved, the same song that Najat had hummed earlier.
"It that a common tune?" He asked. Closing his eyes, Jonathan let the soothing melody melt away his jitters.
"It is," Zaynab replied, distractedly, as she reached for a cloth from the medicine-filled basin and began to bath Ardeth's chest. "It is an ancient Medjai lullaby."
"Ah," Jonathan replied. "It's lovely...and very effective."
"Yes," the Abadi answered, chuckling.
"It's Medjai, you say?" Jonathan quizzed, curiosity making him forget his nervousness.
"It is," Zaynab answered.
"So how is it that all of you know it?" Alex blurted, just as Jonathan prepared to ask the question for himself.
"Ah, well, that is a long story," the Abadi replied, patiently.
"Oh," Jonathan replied. "Well, I'm rather in the mood for a story, if you don't mind, that is..."
"I do not mind," Zaynab responded.
"Hey, while your telling stories, I really like to know the story behind that blasted curse. I mean, if it's not a secret or anything," Jonathan added, excitedly. Zaynab chuckled.
"You have already seen all that is secret," she quipped, pleased to see the Englishman's posture relax a bit. Flicking her eyes Alex's direction, Zaynab saw that he, too, seemed very interesting in hearing tales.
"Oh, jolly good. Let's get on with it then," Jonathan replied. Making himself more comfortable, he winked at Alex, before settling his gaze on the Abadi. Watching Zaynab's tender ministrations, he waited in eager anticipation for the storytelling to begin.
~*~*~*~*~
Having found the time alone with Rick to be very pleasant, indeed, a smile continued to grace Evy's features as she made her way toward Ardeth's dwelling. The expression shifted into surprise as she entered and found Jonathan sitting next to Ardeth's bed, speaking rather animatedly to a burqa-covered Abadi.
"You don't say!"
"And it's just sitting out there? Nobody's bothered it?" Alex chimed in. Evy could tell by his voice that the topic of the conversation had him completely enthralled.
"Evelyn," the Abadi greeted without answering Alex, catching sight of Evy hovering in the doorway.
"Zaynab," Evy replied, cordially, recognizing the voice. Strolling to the bed, she smiled at her brother and son, before glancing, anxiously, at Ardeth. "How's he doing?"
"His fever is still high, but lower than it was, and his breathing has improved," the Abadi informed her. "He has not awoken again..."
She paused when both Evy and Alex sighed mournfully.
"It is good that he has not awoken," Zaynab reassured. "It allows his body to concentrate on healing itself."
Although unconvinced, Evy nodded. She didn't want Zaynab to worry about anyone but Ardeth.
"So what was all the excitement about when I came in?" she asked, changing the subject to keep from fretting more than she already was.
"Oh! Mum, did you know that there are all sort of tombs and thing around here that nobody's excavated or anything?!" Alex announced, excitedly. Chuckling at his enthusiasm, Evy didn't reply. She didn't want to interrupt the flow of his thoughts, especially since he was finally behaving more like himself. Only half listening, she dutifully bobbed her head as her son rushed through a review of the many stories Zaynab had shared.
~*~*~*~*~
The sound of excited, familiar voices wove through the heavy fabric of Ardeth's dream and, for a fleeting second, distracted him. He glanced back to find the pleasant scene he'd been enjoying gone. Shrugging inwardly, Ardeth stepped deeper into the haze that had replaced it. He wasn't particularly concerned. He'd accidentally slipped from several dreams already, but always managed to wander into another.
A dozen steps later, he frowned. The distracting voices were growing louder, not dimmer, as they had previously. Ardeth hesitated, remembering the pain and weakness that awaited him in the realm of the real voices. He didn't want to go back there yet. Changing direction, Ardeth hummed the tune softly whispered by the haze and wandered in search of another dream.
Half-dozen steps later, he stopped. The voices were still growing louder. Spinning around, a slow quarter turn at a time, Ardeth despairing realized he could not escape them. Reconciling himself, the warrior took a deep breath and launched himself headlong toward the battlefield.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~