“Peace”
sequel to:  “Revenge”
by:  ssdangel

 

 

Disclaimer:  I do not own Ardeth Bay, Rick, Evy or Alex O’Connell, Jonathan Carnahan, Imhotep, Anck-su-namun, or any event relating to The Mummy or The Mummy Returns, Stephen Sommers does.  The other characters are mine.

Rated:  F18

Chapter One

“She’s not there, Ardeth” Rashid said as he fell in step next to Ardeth.  Ardeth had spent the past week at Hamunaptra.  It was late and all he wanted was to crawl into bed with her and feel her soft warm body on his.  He thought maybe he could sleep for a week…but knew he wouldn’t.  He would wake early and wait to feel her gentle hands on him, anywhere on him.  He did so look forward to her morning fun…always had…and he knew he always would.

He also knew that their new house was probably finished.  It had been almost finished when he’d left.  They’d spent the last several months in their temporary quarters, actually their old tent relocated across the village.  Their entire cluster had been relocated while their new homes were being built.  Ani had wanted to wait until the entire cluster was finished to move in, so they could all move in at the same time.  But she’d been convinced otherwise.  She was obviously the only one who wanted to wait.  The others whose homes were finished along with theirs wanted to move in immediately.  She did seem to be the only one who wasn’t anxious to have a new home. 

She’d assured Ardeth that she would be fine while he was gone.  She’d told him that she’d come to terms with the new village, though he was sure she was just saying it so he wouldn’t worry about her.  Almost the entire village was done now, their cluster being the last section of the village to be rebuilt.  And all knew that theirs was last because Ani truly didn’t want this.  If she’d had her way, she and Ardeth would still be living in their tent, smack in the middle of the rebuilt cluster. 

“Where is she?” Ardeth asked. 

“She’s staying in the tent.  She didn’t want to spend her first night in the new house alone.”

“No…I don’t suppose she would” Ardeth said, understanding how Ani felt.  He knew that in some ways she would come to terms with the new village, but she would always miss the old one, and most especially their tent, her home.  He was happy, though, that Kalil and Becca liked their new home.  Theirs and Daya and Za’id’s were among the first completed in their cluster.  And then, of course, thinking of his children, his thoughts went immediately to his grandson, Nabil.  Before Nabil was born, he hadn’t realized just how wonderful it would be to have a grandchild.  Now he looked forward to the birth of Daya and Za’id’s little one.  He knew Ani often watched him as he held Nabil, and he knew he probably looked silly cuddling with and cooing to him.  But he didn’t care.  He was sure he looked equally silly when Kalil and Daya were babies and he did the same with them.  Nabil was a beautiful baby, with his father’s features and just a hint of his grandmother’s red hair, highlights that glistened in the sunlight.  Ardeth almost chuckled when he thought of Daya and Za’id.  Daya’s pregnancy didn’t seem be going as easy as Becca’s did – if any pregnancy could be called easy.  He did enjoy watching Za’id fuss over and dote on Daya.  She was seven and a half months along now and Za’id worried that the heat would be too much for her and fretted about her chores being to difficult as she grew, Daya always telling him that she could certainly manage, as every other pregnant woman had throughout history.  Momentarily, he worried if his little girl was ready for this.  A baby was such a big responsibility and meant many changes in a young couple’s life.  For some reason, he didn’t have these worries about Kalil and Becca.  He still didn’t understand why Ani had said that, of course, he wouldn’t have the same worries about his son.     

Yanking him from this thoughts, “She’s worked hard to get it all fixed up…and I must say, she’s done a fine job.  Rick sent you something, and Evy sent a nice rug.  Ani said it’s from Evy’s library.  She did say the bedchamber is too big.  The bed doesn’t fit in it the way it used to” Rashid said with a puzzled look on his face.  He surely wouldn’t understand why their bed being where it was in their bedchamber, the way it was, would mean so much to her.  It meant a great deal to Ardeth also.  Their morning fun had begun because of where his side of the bed was and how he had to get out of the bed in the morning.

“Anything else?”

“Yes.  Armad radioed and said he’s sending a man named Isaac Adams to see you.”

“Did he say why…who this Isaac Adams is?”

“Yes, Martuf sent him to Armad.  He’s the son of a man named Richard Adams, someone you ran into more than twenty years ago.  He has something for you.”

“I remember him” Ardeth said, remembering something from so long ago, something that for some reason he hadn’t thought about in twenty-six years. 

“Will he be a problem?”

“I don’t know…” he said, thinking, “…no…probably not.  But we’ll keep an eye on him while he’s here.  His father was a cruel man.”  A flood of memories coursed through his mind, threatening to overwhelm him, but he pushed them back…for now.

As they diverted their course towards the temporary quarters, Rashid saw that he looked troubled.

“Are you ok, Ardeth?  This man disturbs you, doesn’t he?”

“No, my friend…it was just something I had forgotten” he said, not wanting to admit that the fact that he had forgotten her did indeed disturb him.  He had promised her he would never forget her.

“Then, if you will be ok, I will bid you good night.”

“I will be fine, thank you, my friend.”

As he approached the tent, again he told himself he couldn’t let the memories in.  His only thoughts at this moment were of her, his Little One.  He nodded to the guards and entered the tent, surprised to see that it was devoid of any furnishings except a pallet on the floor, and Ani asleep on the pallet.  He guessed he should have known she would have moved everything into the new house.  Rashid had said she’d fixed it up.

He removed his weapons and robes and laid down on the pallet next to her.  She was on her side facing the tent flap and he edged up close to her.  As he caressed her face and whispered her name, she woke, her eyes sleepily focusing on him. 

“Ardeth” she sighed as she wrapped her arm around him, pulling herself to him.

“Yes, Little One” he said as he kissed her softly.  “You are sleeping in an empty tent…”

“I didn’t want to spend my first night in the house by myself.  I was waiting for you to come home” she said lowering her gaze.  “I know I said I was ok with it…it was just being alone in it…”

“The first night…I know, Little One, and it’s ok.  Come…we’ll spend our first night in our new house.  Then maybe it will feel like home.”

As they entered their new house, Ardeth was amazed at how it looked.  She’d arranged just about everything the way it was in their tent, with a few additions.  Rick had sent the two leather chairs from his study, the ones Ardeth liked so much, which Ani had along the left wall from the entryway, a small table between them.  With his weapons mounted on the wall behind the chairs, it looked much like Rick’s study.  The large rug Evy had sent covered the middle of the floor.  Their small dining table and two chairs was against the back wall between the two extra bedchambers, what had been Kalil and Daya’s rooms in the old tent.  Ani had turned Kalil’s room back into his small study once he’d moved out, so it didn’t surprise Ardeth that Ani had indeed made that room into a study for him, a big pile of sitting pillows on the floor and his books and scrolls stacked neatly along one wall.  The other bedchamber was just that, for when their grandchildren stayed overnight with them, Ani had said.  He peeked into the third room, the kitchen, though it was used for a variety of things, including a kitchen. 

Then he moved to their bedchamber, but instead of going in, he turned to her and pulled her to him.

“Do you like it, Ardeth?” she asked softly.

“Yes, Little One…it is lovely.  You’ve done a wonderful job with it.  I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help you put it all back together.”

“Kalil and Za’id helped move everything over from the tent…and Duma and the guards helped.  Daya and Becca helped get it all put back together.”

“Let’s go to bed” he said as he picked her up and carried her into their bedchamber.  As Rashid had said, it was bigger than their old bedchamber.  He stopped, still holding her, and looked around the room.  Their trunks and chests were against the back wall as they had always been.  They’d never had much in their bedchamber other than their bed and the trunks and chests.  The bed wasn’t against the opposite wall as it had been in their old bedchamber.  This room was indeed bigger, and their bed was not pushed sideways up against the wall where he had to climb over her to get out.  He supposed it could still be pushed up against the wall, but…

“It just didn’t look right, Ardeth.  It just fit that way in the old room.  But this one is just too big.”

“It is fine, Little One…” he said as he kissed her, “…we can still have our fun no matter how the bed is.”  He held her for a few moments, looking around their bedchamber, and then he purred “Maybe we should have some fun right now” as he laid her on the bed and quickly crawled on with her.

They quickly pulled off their clothing and he was on her, kissing her passionately as his hand moved down to her, his fingers caressing every inch of her, slipping inside her and then back out to find her little nub, her moans exciting him.  He moved onto her, feeling her legs slide up his thighs and then wrap around his waist, inviting him to take her.  He slipped inside her slowly, as she liked it, letting her feel every inch of him, and then, as he felt her contract around him, he began moving inside her steadily, his pace quickening as he felt her excitement grow, her orgasm growing in her.  Watching as her body shuddered as her orgasm rippled through her, enjoying her reaction to his attentions, her moans and whimpers, he thrust faster and harder until his own body shuddered with his climax, a deep groan bursting from him.

After he rested on her for a while, soothed almost to sleep by her gentle hands rubbing his back, he rolled off her and pulled her onto him, sighing when she wiggled into her usual spot.

“I’m glad your home, Ardeth” she sighed as her body relaxed.

“I’m glad I’m home also, Little One…you have made a lovely home here for us” he said as he hugged her to him.

~~***~~

When he woke in the morning, he knew as much for her sake as his, so that they would both be happy with this new bedchamber of theirs, he moved over her, waiting on all fours as he normally did.  He knew from her breathing that she was awake and waiting to see what he would do.  As he looked down at her, thinking she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, he felt her hands moving up his sides.  He resisted the urge to giggle like a girl as it tickled, her fingers softly sliding over his ribs, slowly, torturously, feeling every rib.

“Little One…” he moaned, wanting her hands to continue their journey over his body.

“Yes, my love?” she teased, but did move her hands over his chests, her thumbs circling his tight little nipples before one hand moved to caress his face, the other moving down his stomach.  He sucked in a sharp breath in anticipation.  He leaned his face into her hand, his eyes closed, his mind praying her other hand would touch him soon, caress him.

As his breathing grew ragged, her hand wrapped around him, stroking him, feeling him growing harder and harder in her hand.  Her fingers gently rubbed those places on him that made his entire body twitch.  He rolled onto his back and pulled her onto him, sighing when she straddled him, feeling she was warm and wet as she wiggled on him. 

She leaned down on him and kissed him as she laced her fingers in his.  As she sat up, she moved his hands to her breasts and then moaned as he caressed her and gently rolled her nipples between his thumbs and fingers, her moans exciting him.  As he sat up, she moved down on him and sank down on him, groaning loudly as he filled her completely, wonderfully.  She loved the feeling of him inside her.  He leaned her back enough to kiss down her neck to her breasts, suckling each deeply.  She whispered his name over and over as he circled his tongue around one nipple, then kissing his way to the other, doing the same.  As he kissed his way up to her lips, she wrapped her arms around him and began moving on him, contracting her strong muscles around him.  With a deep groan he flopped back on the bed, pulling her with him.  As she continued moving on him, her breasts now raking his chest, he now moaned her name over and over until her body shuddered, her muscles clamping around him.  She moved on him again until his warm fluids exploded inside her.  She moved on him a few last times, until he pulled her down on him and hugged her tightly. 

They rested for a while and then he rolled her off him.  He moved partly onto her and kissed her passionately, pushing his leg between hers, his thigh rubbing her as she softly whimpered into his mouth.

“Little One…”

“Oh…we don’t have to get up yet, do we?  I was hoping we could stay here for a while.”

“We can indeed stay right here, my love.  I have something I want to tell you…”

“You’re ok?” she asked, suddenly thinking something was wrong, that she’d been so caught up in her worries about the new house and then so happy he was home that she hadn’t noticed he was bothered about something.

“I’m fine, Little One.  It’s something Rashid said last night…and someone I haven’t thought about in a very long time, since before you came back to me.”

“Someone?”

“Yes…it’s a long story, I guess…” he said as he sat up and piled pillows behind him.  He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her.

“This is serious, isn’t it?  It’s upset you…”

“No…not upset.  It’s just that I haven’t thought about her in all these years, and I don’t know why.  When Rashid said this man, Isaac Adams, was coming to see me, I realized I hadn’t thought about her since I returned to the village after she died.”

“Ardeth…her?  Someone you…cared about?” she asked, and he could see she thought he’d had someone else before she came back to him, though he’d always said there had never been anyone for him but her.  He had never loved anyone but her.  “And why is this man coming to see you?”

“Let me explain…and there has never been anyone for me but you, Little One…I have only ever loved you” he assured her, hugging her tightly and holding her for a few moments before continuing.  “She was Grace Adams.  She saved my life once…in Cairo…and then she died.  I knew her for such a short time, but she was a good friend.  Let me tell you about her.”

He settled back on the pillows and Ani leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder.  “I pieced much of what happened together from talking to her friend, Dr. Jeffrey Pierce, and others who knew her at the hospital, but mostly from her dear friend, Alfred.  Nafad and I had taken a shipment of crates to the museum in Cairo.  Later that evening, the curator at the time, Raheem, sent word to me at the compound that he’d found something in one of the crates that he thought I should see.  Nafad had already gone to bed, so I went back to the museum alone.”

“Oh, I’m sure Nafad didn’t like that…not one bit.”

“No…not one bit.  Even back then, he and Kashell were very protective of me.”

~~***~~

Twenty-six years ago…streets of Cairo…

Wondering why he hadn’t just told Raheem that he’d come by the museum in the morning, he made his way through the now quiet, almost deserted streets of the city.  The night was cool and it was only a twenty minute walk from the compound to the museum.  He thought a walk would be nice, stretch the legs, and maybe he’d sleep well when he returned to his hard cot. 

He was just thinking that he liked the city much better when it was busy.  He liked the sounds of the people, and oddly, the marketplace the best.  He enjoyed hearing his people as they went about their busy day in the village.  And he liked wandering the village early in the morning, watching as it came alive and talking to anyone who wanted to stop and talk for a few minutes.  Most had little problems they wanted his advice on or wanted him to solve.  But once in a while, someone just felt like chatting. 

As he rounded a corner, he stopped.  Half a dozen men were blocking the street, obviously waiting for him.  He guessed they’d watched him approaching and then found a spot where they could trap him.  They were probably just thieves, people of the street who thought for some reason it was less work to steal than to actually work for a living.  Their clothing was not distinctly of any particular people, not Libyan or Tuareg, those the Medjai were currently having problems with, or any of the varied people that made Cairo their home.  As he unsheathed his scimitar, knowing that usually that sound made the average cowardly thief run for his life, these particular men held their ground.  So this wasn’t going to be easy, he chastised himself.  How could he have been so careless?  He was usually more diligent, and he’d surely chastise any of his men who were so careless.  And Nafad would surely have something to say about it.

“I have nothing that would benefit you” he said as he swung his scimitar in a slow arc.

As two of the men advanced on him, obviously to take his attention off the others, a shot rang out, and he felt a stabbing burning pain spread throughout his shoulder.  Under other circumstances, he might have thought it funny that they weren’t even smart enough to shoot him in the other side, as regardless of the pain, he was still able to swing his scimitar, and surprising them all, he easily cut down the two coming at him.  As he finished his last swing, cutting through the man’s midsection, he used his momentum to hurl his body back towards the corner of the building he’d just rounded.  Ignoring his pain and the blooding oozing down his chest and stomach, he ran down the street, looking for someplace to hide.  He knew he had to escape before the loss of blood made it impossible for him to focus and for his body to function.

Somehow, he had to make his way back to the compound or at least close enough to signal the guards patrolling the perimeter of the complex.  He could hear them chasing after him, but thankfully, it was dark enough that these poorly lit streets afforded him some cover.  He slipped into a doorway, cut in deep and dark, the door set a couple feet back from the outer walls of the building.  He held his breath so as not to give away his hiding place as he heard the men running towards him.  He closed his eyes and pressed himself back into the corner, hoping they could see nothing as they ran passed him. 

~~***~~

“Hurry, Alfred, we have to help him” her soft voice whispered.

“No, we don’t” Alfred said.  He didn’t like the idea of getting involved with any of these people.  In all his years in Cairo, he still found he was ill at ease when out on the streets, especially in the neighborhood where she felt she was needed.  But, then, she truly wouldn’t have been needed so in the richer parts of the city.  His entire life, he had been a servant to the rich, living in the homes of the rich, catering to the rich.  In the past years, living in her home, he was more a housekeeper and cook, and more specifically a guardian, rather than a butler.  He’d stayed with her after that wretched husband of hers left, turning on her after the death of their son.  And they became all the other had.  They became family.

“Yes, Alfred, please.  We have to help him…he’s hurt.  They’ll probably kill him and rob him.”

“He doesn’t look like he has anything worth stealing.”

“Maybe not, but we have to do what we can.”

“Fine…” Alfred groused as he drove along the street.  They’d heard the shot and then watched as the man, obviously hurt, stumbled around the corner onto the street they were traveling, the street that would eventually take them home, as it was one of the few streets that spanned the entire city, from the very poor section, through the central and business district, and into the very nice neighborhoods that curved up along the river.  As they watched several men rounding the corner, obviously chasing after him, they watched as he disappeared into a doorway.  The men ran passed him, and Alfred heard a deep sigh escape her.  The men split up, two turning the next corner, two crossing the street and running down the street that dead-ended into this one.  

“Turn the lights off…” she whispered as if the men could hear her.  Alfred almost laughed at the thought as though they surely could not hear her whispering there next to him, they surely could hear the car engine.  Thankfully, they ignored it…and them.

As they approached the spot where they knew the injured man hid, he stumbled out, and she wondered if it was him wishing to escape before they came back looking for him, searching every nook and cranny of the street, or the simple fact that he’d been shot and was loosing blood and had fallen from his hiding place.

Alfred started to turn off the engine, but she whispered “No…keep it running…I’ll get him.”

“But…”

“No buts…we don’t have time…” she said as she got out of the vehicle.  She moved as quickly as she could to him as he made his way along the building, using the wall to help keep himself upright. 

“Let me help you…” she said as she approached him.  He jerked and started to turn as if to try and run from her.

With all her might, she grabbed him and pulled him towards the car.

“No…no…they will return…” he said, his beautifully accented English surprising her, “…they will kill you…”  She looked at him quickly, thinking he was not a street person, poor and dirty and uneducated.  He was well-dressed and obviously educated, and even smelled good…clean.

“Yes…they might…so don’t argue with me.  Let us help you…” she said as she grasped him more firmly and indeed did pull him towards the car.  

Despite the pain-filled fog that was overtaking him, it did register in his mind that she’d said ‘us’ and he realized that someone was driving the vehicle.  As a wave of dizziness swept through him, he also realized that he had no choice.  He didn’t know who these people were, why a woman would be out at this time of night and in this neighborhood, if they were friend or enemy, but he guessed it didn’t matter at this point. 

She all but shoved him into the back seat of the car and climbed in with him just as two of the men came back around the corner.

“Go, Alfred…go…” she yelled, obviously not caring now if the men could hear her.  As Alfred sped passed the two men, they all three jerked as more shots rang out, hearing dull thumping sounds in the rear of the car. 

She sat next to him and as they passed under even the dim street lights, those lights that were still working, as most weren’t, she saw that he was indeed not one from the neighborhood.  He wore fine robes, threaded with silver.  He was young and quite handsome, though she hadn’t truly looked at a man in such a way in years.  He had creamy skin and long curly black hair, some now matted to the sweat on his face, and he had tattoos on his cheeks and forehead.  She also saw tattoos on the back of the hand he held up to his shoulder, futilely attempting to stop the bleeding. 

“Alfred…to the hospital, quickly…”

“No…no…” the man moaned softly.

“Yes…you’re bleeding badly.  If that bullet doesn’t come out soon, you’ll die.”

“Listen to her son…Miss Grace knows what she’s saying…she’s a nurse.”

“Was a nurse, my dear friend…but that doesn’t matter right now.  This young man needs help.”

“No…please…take me to our compound…” he said as he slid sideways in the seat towards her.  She put her arm around him and pulled him to lie back on the seat, his head on her thigh.  As she tried to soothe him, caressing his face, he reached up and covered her hand with his bloody hand, immediately feeling something, a jolt from her to him, vaguely a feeling that she needed him, which he thought could not be true as she was the one helping him, he needed her.  He was sure it must be the pain confusing his thoughts.  But as he passed out, his mind begged him to realize he was right, she needed him, in some way he couldn’t even begin to imagine. 

~~***~~

At the hospital, Alfred pulled him from the car and half dragged, half carried him into the hospital. 

Lying on the gurney, barely able to open his eyes enough to see what was happening around him, Ardeth saw the woman who’d saved him talking to a doctor.  He assumed he was a doctor, as he was clothed in hospital garb and a white robe.  If he could believe his eyes, he was sure she knew the man, their conversation, though urgent, appeared as two friends discussing something important.  They looked at each other as old friends did. 

As blackness again overtook him, he was sure he heard her say that she wanted his clothes and weapons, and he was sure these people would gladly turn his things over to her as they were people who were in the business of healing, not harming, and weapons were generally meant to harm.  He would not know until much later that she’d stayed with him during the operation, held his hand when they moved him to the recovery room, and waited until her doctor friend had assured her that he would live.

~~***~~

It was morning, the sun peeking over the rooftops when she found Alfred waiting in the lobby.  She’d known he wouldn’t leave her.  He would wait there, somewhere, for her, though she was sure she would be chastised for her involvement with the man’s situation, possibly his fate.

“What’s all this” he asked as she walked up to him, her arms filled with the man’s things.

“Come…we have to find that young man’s…um…compound.  We have to tell his people what happened to him.”

“Oh, no…I don’t think that’s such a good idea.  Let him go home once he’s able.”

“Please, Alfred, he’s someone special, I can feel it.  His people will worry about him, and they won’t have any way of knowing what happened or where he is.”

Alfred looked at her for a few moments, and then said “I know who he is.”

Shocked, she stopped and gasped “You do?  How do you know?”

“People talk.”

“They do?  What people?”

“Let’s go and I’ll tell you.”  After they got in the car and Alfred headed back towards the neighborhood they’d left the night before, he said “I usually have a good deal of time on my hands while you’re helping people” referring to those she helped in what was one of the poorest sections of the city, “and, as you know, I wander a bit.  When people see you often enough, they tend to get used to you and even feel you belong, so they begin to feel comfortable talking to you.  Some of the people there have talked about him.  Well, not ‘him’ but his people.  Most people fear them, but the people of that neighborhood like them, some.  They protect people, especially those who cannot protect themselves.  They’re called the Medjai, and they have a place, I guess this compound he spoke of, in the southern edge of the neighborhood.”

“Alfred…you never cease to amaze me” she said, seeing the surprised look on his face.  “Yes…I guess I never thought of you as chatty” she chuckled, seeing the grimace on his face.

“Well, I’m sure we can find this compound of his, but I do not think it’s a good idea to just walk in there and hand them his bloody things.  They’ll probably just kill us thinking we did something to him” he muttered, knowing he wouldn’t talk her out of it.

It really didn’t take long to find the huge imposing building.  It looked to have been an old fort at some point, probably centuries ago.  There was a set of huge doors at the front of the building, quite imposing indeed. 

Seeing several young boys playing nearby, she said “Ok…pull up to those boys.”  Realizing what she’d do, he did, grateful she wouldn’t expect him to take the man’s things to the warriors he knew were inside those doors, but feeling guilty that he would allow boys to do it for him.  Surely they wouldn’t hurt children.

She opened the passenger door of the car and called to the boys.  They looked at her, at each other and then back at her.

“Please…I need your help” she said, her Arabic a bit shaky.

The boys looked at each other again, and probably thinking she was a woman and couldn’t possibly hurt them, walked over to her.

“Please…take these to the men in that building, will you?”

The boys just looked at her and then at the pile of clothing and weapons she held in her outstretched arms, and obviously seeing the blood covering the clothing. 

“This is very important…please…tell them that this man” she said holding the bundle out to the closest boy, “…is at the English hospital on Harbor Street.  He was shot, but he’ll be ok now.”  She shoved the bundle into the boy’s hesitant arms and said “Go…hurry.”

The boys looked at the bundle of bloody clothing in the one’s arms, one boy reaching over and touching the scimitar protruding from the bundle, and then almost as if they then realized that this was indeed important and they were charged with a great mission, they all turned and ran up to the compound doors.  None of them saw the two warriors watching them from their posts not far away. 

Alfred waited for her to close the car door and then seeing two very large dark men step out of the big doors and immediately grab the things from the boy’s arms, drove off.  Grace watched as best she could, seeing the boys talking rapidly and pointing at the vehicle as it departed.  The men said something to the boys, who then ran off down the street.  The men stared after the vehicle as it turned the corner.

Grace prayed that they would go to their friend’s aid.  It had obviously been his wish for her to take him to this compound, but at the time, she could only think that he would be better tended at the hospital.  She hoped she was right.

~~***~~

“You’re scaring the patients” a chubby little nurse yelled as she attempted to keep up with them as they stormed through the halls.

When the warriors, still carrying Ardeth’s bloody things, had found him in the stables, Nafad roared his anger.  He’d gone to the stables thinking he’d find Ardeth there, not realizing he’d gone out after they’d retired for the night.  At least, he thought they’d retired for the night.  And then he was presented with Ardeth’s bloody clothing and scimitar.  Folded within the bundle of clothing he found his bandoleers and handguns.  As the warriors explained what the boys had told them, he ran, them following, back into the building to Ardeth’s room.  He quickly grabbed a pair of pants and a shirt, as he’d seen from the bundle of Ardeth’s things that he’d obviously been left with no clothing.  Then he ran out to one of the old trucks used by the warriors when picking up supplies or shipments at the docks. 

He didn’t say anything as they sped through the streets towards the hospital.  He was familiar with the hospital, as he was familiar with everything about the city.  They had their own healers, so not needing the services of the English doctors, he’d never actually been inside the hospital.

When they’d entered the building, he tried asking where they could find their friend, but they obviously scared most of the employees and those in the waiting room, most unable to get a word out of their mouths to tell him if they, in fact, knew where Ardeth was.  So, he felt he had no choice but to find him himself and began looking into rooms and behind curtains, ignoring the screeches and screams.

He told the two warriors with him to look in the rooms down the other hallways, hearing more screeches and screams.  He was about halfway down the hall when the chubby little nurse boldly marched up to him.  When he didn’t acknowledge her protests or stop his intrusion into the patients’ rooms, she grabbed his arm, not flinching one bit when he wheeled around on her.  He was certain that the look on his face and the deep growl emanating from him would certainly scare his fiercest enemy.  But it had no affect on this little woman.  

“Now you stop this right now” she insisted, her hand still on his arm. 

“Tell me where I can find him and I will stop” he said, his English clear, his body language still fierce.

“Well, if you tell me who you’re looking for, I might be able to tell you” she said, still unflinching.

He wasn’t sure if he should be impressed with her or angered by her.  No one touched him so boldly.  Most feared the Medjai and few even spoke to them.  But this woman had no fear and showed only boldness.  He realized she probably felt she was protecting her patients and doing her job, not caring that he was supposed to be some fierce, deadly warrior of the desert. 

“I am looking for my Chieftain” he said, trying to calm himself, but thinking that surely it should be obvious as he was sure they didn’t get too many patients in their hospital with facial and body tattoos, and carrying guns and scimitars.  She could certainly see his tattoos.  Surely she should know of, or would have heard of, any patient there with similar tattoos.

“Well, of course, you are…and if you’ll stop storming around here and scaring our patients, I’ll take you to him.”  He noticed she had also ignored the fact that the others had come up on either side of her.  And he wondered why she’d asked who he was looking for since she obviously already knew, but decided it was not worth the time to ask and then have to listen to her answer.  She was likely simply trying to stop his rampage and calm him.

“I apologize for scaring you and your patients” he said, sure he knew what her response to that would be.

“Scare me…hah!  Come with me” she said with a little smirk on her face.  “He’s still in recovery.  I don’t believe Dr. Pierce is here right now…he had a rather long night, thanks to your friend.  If you want to wait for him, he’ll probably be in in a few hours.  He’ll want to see all his patients before noon.”

Nafad didn’t tell her that he had no intention of waiting for the doctor.  He fully intended to take Ardeth back to their compound so their healer could care for him.

She led him into a large room with a dozen or so curtained sections.  Several curtains were pulled open, revealing empty beds.  Several were closed, presumably providing patients with some degree of privacy.  She motioned to them to be quiet as they entered the room.

“I really shouldn’t let you in here” she whispered.  “He’ll be moved to a room once Dr. Pierce sees him.  But somehow I’m thinking you would just hang around here scaring the patients until you got to see him.” 

“You are probably right” Nafad said as he watched her slowly pull the curtain around the bed.  Even knowing Ardeth had been shot and had endured an operation, he was shocked at his friend’s appearance.  He was covered to mid-chest with several blankets, with a large bandage covering the wound about midway between his nipple and the top of his shoulder.  He was very pale and Nafad had to look closely to see that he was breathing, his chest rising only slightly as he did breathe.

Nafad and the warriors stood around the bed, staring at their friend.

“I’ll leave you with him if you promise not to wander around…and don’t disturb the other patients here” the short chubby little lady said as she stood in front of Nafad, looking up at him as if challenging him to obey her. 

Nafad looked down at her, a little smile on his face, and said “Thank you for taking care of our Chieftain, and for bringing us to him.  I am sorry we disturbed your patients, and I promise we will disturb no one else.”

“Thank you” she said with a nod, and as she turned to leave them there with their friend, she quipped “You should smile more often.”

Nafad watched her leave the room and was wondering if that was her way of flirting with him.  She was a nice looking woman, and he liked her boldness, that she was not afraid to take him on for her patients’ sake.   He was just thinking that no Medjai woman would be so bold, no matter the circumstances, when he felt a hand grasp his wrist.  Jerking his attention to Ardeth, he saw that his eyes were just barely open.

“Nafad…” he whispered.

“My brother…” Nafad said softly as he leaned down to him.  “…are you in pain?  Can we move you?”

“Yes…” he moaned as his grasp on Nafad’s arm tightened.  “Get me out of here…please.”

Now, looking down at his friend, he pulled the clothing he’d brought from where he’d stuff them in his robes.  

“I’m going to have to move you, Ardeth” he said as he pulled the blankets off his legs and began pulling the pants onto him, noticing that the two warriors were standing so that no one could approach them.  Once done, he moved up and slid the shirt up his arm on the injured side of his body without moving it too much.  He moved to the other side of the bed and gently eased him up, grimacing when Ardeth tried to stifle a deep groan, and pulled the shirt around his back, helping him get his other arm into the sleeve. 

Ardeth leaned forward against Nafad, his breathing labored.  Nafad could feel his pain quivering through his body and knew that he would only cause him more when they moved him. 

“There is no other way to do this, my brother…” he said, wishing he didn’t have to hurt him more.

“We must do it.  I’d rather be at the compound.  People die in hospitals.”

“People die everywhere…” Nafad chuckled.

Nafad held his friend against him, wrapping his arms around him, and pulled him up and off the bed.   As they made their way down the hall, ignoring gasps from those they passed, Ardeth asked “Where is she?”

“Who?  The nurse?  I’m expecting to see her any moment now…demanding that we put you back in your bed.”

“No…the woman who saved me.”

“Oh, her.  She brought your things to the compound, but we did not speak to her.  She gave your things to some boys playing nearby and asked them to bring them to us.  The guards saw her, but did not approach.  Since she spoke to the boys, they didn’t sense any danger from her.  She drove off before we could find out who she was.” 

“We must find her…I must thank her.  They could have killed her.”

“Yes…when you are healed, we will find her.  But first you must tell me who attacked you, and why you felt it was safe and wise to leave the compound late at night, alone.”

Ardeth heard the mixture of anger and concern in his dear friend’s voice.  “It was not so late, and I couldn’t sleep anyway” he groaned as they approached the truck.

Once he was settled in the cab of the truck, leaning against the door, his head against the window, Nafad motioned for the two warriors to get into the back of the truck and he got behind the wheel.  He looked at Ardeth, wanting to scream his fear at him and wanting to hug him, grateful that he was alive and back with him. 

“I am sorry I worried you, my brother…it was not my intention.”

“Yes, well, don’t do it again.  Kashell’s going to have my head for this, you know.”

“No, not your head, my friend…I am still alive.  But I believe we should both be grateful Kashell did not come with us this trip” he tried to laugh, wishing he hadn’t when pain again shot through him.

~~***~~

Several days later…

“What do you think you are doing?” Nafad’s deep voice boomed down the hallway.  Ardeth, finally hungry, had thought to make his way down to the kitchen, now jerked to a stop.  He had thought he was feeling pretty good, a little stiff and sore, but he guessed that was more from lying on that hard cot for days than from his wound.  He was not one to lie about, even wounded. 

“I am hungry…I thought I would go to the kitchen and find something to eat” he said, now continuing his slow walk down the hall.

“You could have asked…I would have gotten something for you.”

“I know, my friend, but I am sore from lying about so much.  I need to walk.”

Once seated at one of the large tables in the big hall, with a plate of bread and cheese and a cup of cold coffee, they talked.  Nafad knew that Ardeth wanted to find the woman who had helped him, but he could only think about his friend’s well-being.  He had, in fact, rarely left his side since taking him from the hospital.

“Tomorrow, I need you to help me find her.”

“In a few days, you are not healed enough to be running around the city.  And why is it so important that you find this woman?”

“She risked her life for me, as did the man with her.  They did not talk to each other as if they were husband and wife, and he was much older than her.”

“I am grateful they saved you, but why is it so important to you?”  He truly didn’t understand Ardeth’s need to find the woman.  She had obviously not expected any thanks for doing such a good deed as she had not remained to receive such gratitude.  Though she had brought his things to the compound, she had, in fact, chosen not to be the one to actually give the things to them, having a child bring them up to the door.  Warriors were raised and trained to help people, and they expected no thanks for doing so.  It was just something they did, though he did realize that it was rare for others, especially non-Egyptians, to help them.  It was almost unheard of for others to actually risk their life for them. 

“I do not know why I feel so strongly about this.  I felt something the short time I was with her…like she needs me.  I truly do not know, my friend.  But maybe I can help her in return.”

“But you do not know what she needs help with…or that she, in fact, needs help.”

“No…it was just a feeling I got.  And the men who shot me shot at the vehicle as we drove away.  I would like to know that neither was hurt.”

“Very well…” Nafad sighed, “…tomorrow we will return to the hospital.  She took you to the hospital and she stayed long enough to retrieve your clothing and weapons.  Maybe someone there knows who she is…or at least where we can start looking.  She was in this neighborhood at night and she knew enough about us, recognized our clothing, to bring your things here.”

~~***~~

They entered the hospital doors, Ardeth standing just a little taller, attempting to appear as if he had not been shot less than a week before, not wanting them to attempt to get him back into one of their beds.  They walked down the hall to the nurses’ station and stopped.  The nurses behind the desk and the few people standing and sitting nearby, probably relatives of patients, all stared at these imposing men.  With their dark robes and array of weapons about their bodies, they were indeed a sight.  Not something one generally saw in a hospital.

“Oh…” a familiar voice said sternly, “…you decided to bring him back…where he belongs” the short chubby little nurse said as she came around in front of them.  Nafad noticed the shocked look on Ardeth’s face.

“She chastised me for upsetting her patients when I was here looking for you” and then looking down at her, “Again, I apologize for disrupting your hospital…and scaring you” he felt compelled to add, knowing full well that it would take a great deal more than him to scare this little woman. 

“Hah!” was all she could say to that.  Then moving right in front of Ardeth, she reached up and felt his forehead and then his cheeks.  “He needs to be in bed.  I’m assuming you’ve realized you shouldn’t have taken him from the hospital.  He lost a lot of blood.  He could have gotten an infection” she said and they could both tell she was becoming agitated at what they’d done.

“I did not come back to stay in your hospital…” Ardeth started but then realized he was at the very least being rude.  “I also apologize.  I appreciate all you did for me, but we have our own healers.  If my men had found me, I would never have been brought here.”

“Well, I don’t know about your healers, but if Grace hadn’t brought you here that night, you would surely have died.”

“Grace…” he remembered the man with her that night had called her Miss Grace.  “Actually, she is why we are here.  You know her…can you tell us how to contact her?”

They noticed that immediately her demeanor changed.  She backed a couple steps away from them and looked at them suspiciously.

“I don’t know.  I’m not sure she would want me giving out any information about her.”

“I just wish to thank her for saving my life.  I mean her no harm.”

Again, she looked at him, her eyes squinting just a bit.  “I don’t know…she’s not…” stopping herself abruptly.  “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Why not?  I promise we mean her no harm.”

“No…I’m sorry” and then changing the subject “Is there anything I can do for you?  Are you still in pain?  Can I get you anything for it?” 

They could tell she was agitated and just as she backed up another step, a man walked up behind her.  Ardeth vaguely recognized him as the doctor who had talked to the woman, Grace, that night.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed” he insisted.  “I don’t like it when my patients are dragged out of their beds…out of my care” he said pointedly at Nafad.

Nafad nodded to the man, but said nothing.  As the man stepped up in front of Ardeth, Nafad stepped between them.

“I was just going to see if he had a fever…”

“She…” Nafad said nodding towards the little nurse, “…has already done that.”

“And I’ll bet you didn’t feel you needed to protect him from her, did you?” he asked as he stepped around Nafad and felt Ardeth’s head.  Ardeth squinted at the man.  It was odd enough that the woman had touched him, but now the man.  He was not used to anyone but their healers touching him.

Then getting back to their reason for being there, Ardeth said “We came to find out about the woman who brought me here.  I would like to thank her.”

“I’ll let her know…”

“I would prefer to tell her myself…if you would tell me where to find her.”

“No…I don’t want her disturbed” he said flatly. 

Nafad looked at the nurse again, seeing that she would not tell them what they wanted to know, and then looked at the doctor.  He had the same look on his face.

“We will go then” Ardeth said.  “Again, thank you for tending my injury.  I will see that you are compensated.”

Nafad nodded to the nurse and they both turned and left the hospital.

~~***~~

“We need to find those boys.  If she knew the neighborhood, they might know her.”

It didn’t take them long to find the boys, several blocks north of the compound.  They wondered if boys their age shouldn’t be in school, but then realized that in this part of town it was likely that most of the children didn’t attend school.  They would grow up uneducated and raise their children uneducated.  It had been so, generation after generation, throughout time. 

Nafad could see that Ardeth was tiring.  His wound had begun to heal, but only begun.  It would probably be weeks before it fully healed, and maybe months before he had full use of the shoulder and muscles, though he knew Ardeth well enough to know that he would push himself to be strong and able much before his body would be ready.

“She brings food to some of the families…” one boy said.  He seemed to be the leader of the little gang of boys, all about nine or ten.

“And she heals them…” another said.

“She’s a doctor?”

“No…my mother said she used to work at the English hospital.

“A nurse, then.”

“Yes…”

“Do you know where she lives?”

“No…but she always comes down that street” the one said pointing to Market Street.  “She leaves that way, too.”

Ardeth looked at the boys and then to their leader asked “She gave you my things…to take to the compound?”

“Yes…they were bloody” he said, then looking Ardeth up and down as if determining where he’d been injured.  “She said it was important…that you were someone important…and I had to tell your men where to find you.”

“Why didn’t she just take my things to the compound…did she seem afraid?”

“No…I think her driver didn’t want her going up to the door.  He’s always with her…and he hangs around while she’s with people.”

Another added “Grandfather might know where she lives.”

“Your grandfather?”

“No…we just call him that because he’s so old.  He doesn’t have any family.  Her driver sits and talks to him sometimes while he waits.”

“I think he’s her husband…”

“No he’s not” the leader argued.  “He just drives her…and protects her.  He doesn’t like anyone bothering her.”

Ardeth and Nafad looked at each other, Ardeth raising an eyebrow.  Yet again someone feels the need to protect the woman.  And yet, she boldly left the safety of her vehicle and helped him.  He thought maybe she didn’t need so much protecting.

“Can you take us to speak with Grandfather?” Ardeth asked.

The leader looked at him and then said “You’re not looking good…I’ll see if he’ll come here” and then ran off before they could argue the matter.

“He’s right…you aren’t looking so good, my friend” Nafad said.

“I will be fine…”

“Yes, well, when we are done here, you must rest.  You won’t be any good to this woman if you kill yourself trying to find her.”

Ardeth leaned against his horse, grasping the halter tightly to maintain his balance, as the boy walked back down the street with an old man.  It seemed to take forever for the old man to walk the distance, but Ardeth was sure it was only that he was tired and the pain in his shoulder was now radiating down his body. 

“I don’t know where she lives, exactly.  Only that it is by the river.  Alfred says she likes the water.”

“Alfred?”

“Yes…he used to be butler to her husband…but then…” the old man started but then seemed disturbed by something.

“Tell us…we mean no harm to her, or to Alfred.  I wish only to thank her for saving my life.”

“Yes, I have heard what she did…though I did not know it was you she saved.”

“But you knew she saved a Medjai.”

“Yes…I was told” he said looking down at the boys.  “We know who you are and what you do.  I know you would not harm her, but I do not know where you can find her.  She comes here once a week.  She brings food from the marketplace.  We have many who have nothing.  She also tends to the sick and injured.”

“She was a nurse?”

“Yes…but…”

The old man studied him for a few moments and then said “Alfred said her son died and she has not been the same since.  Her husband blamed her and abandoned her.  So Alfred stayed with her to take care of her.  I believe she is ill now.  She does not look well.”

“Thank you, my friend” Ardeth said to the old man, nodding his appreciation.  “If you see her when she visits next, please tell her I would like to speak with her.  She can come to the compound without fear.”

“If I see her” the old man said.  As he started to turn to walk away, he said “She worked at the hospital.  They can tell you what you want to know.”

Ardeth thanked the boys and wasn’t terribly shocked when they just ran off.  He knew they didn’t expect anything from him.  Those who have nothing tend not to expect anything. 

“We should make sure these people have food.  At the very least food” Ardeth said as he painfully pulled himself up onto his horse. 

“When we get back to the compound, I will talk to Garai about it.  You need to rest…and I do not want any arguments, Ardeth” Nafad said flatly, and Ardeth could tell from the tone in his voice that he would indeed accept no argument.  And a nap did sound good.  Maybe if he laid still for a while, the throbbing in his shoulder would stop.

Ardeth did indeed nap, sleeping the rest of that day and night and into the next evening.  He woke briefly, ate a very little, drank his fill of water, and slept the entire night, waking again after sunrise the next morning.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Peace – Chapter 2