“Ray of Light”
sequel to: “Trapped”
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
Ardeth couldn’t help himself, his groans growing so loud, she was merciless. He loved her morning fun. She’d pushed him back on the bed and slowly crawled onto him, straddling him. She’d kissed him passionately, sucking his tongue into her mouth. He loved it when she did that. And then she kissed all around his mouth and sucked on his lower lip. He loved it when she did that, too. She took his hands and moved his arms up, grasping his hands in the pillow above his head, and he knew she would slowly kiss and lick and caress her way down his body. He became hard at just the thought of what she would be doing to him. Oh, how he loved it when she did that.
“Little One…you know I have to go. Rick and Jeffrey will be waiting for me.”
“I know…they can wait” she said as she suckled one of his tight little nipples, moving alongside him, her long soft hair feathering over his body, and he groaned loudly again.
“Little One…” he moaned as she drew her tongue across his chest to his other nipple. She smiled to herself as she felt him moving his hips, showing her where he wanted her attentions, and she knew he would want her to move to him quickly. But she also knew that he knew she would not. She would take her time, torturing him, making it so much more pleasurable, explosively pleasurable, when she finally gave him what he wanted.
It was the only time in his life, when they were making love like this, becoming one in such a primal yet gloriously sensual way, when he surrendered himself so completely to anyone, when he was no longer the Chieftain, not alive to serve, to endure. He was absolutely, utterly, only hers. Only with her, like this, could he be so open and vulnerable. And yet she took nothing from him that she didn’t give him in return, herself so completely and eagerly. Her love wasn’t in just the way she touched him and how she made his body tingle and explode with sensations he rediscovered every time they made love, or even in the way she gave herself to him so willingly, allowing him to need her and want her and enjoy her in so many ways, to find comfort and strength as well as pleasure in her. It was also that warm rush he felt just being near her, how her absolute love for him made him feel, knowing their love for each other truly made them one, even to the point of feeling that their bodies did meld into each other when they were together, and especially when they made love. Their love was so much more than physical, and so much more than emotional; and yet in the physical, they expressed it so gloriously. It was something he knew he could not find the words to describe – but then, with her, he knew he’d never have to.
She kissed and caressed every inch of his chest and stomach, her lips and tongue and fingers teasing every rib, every muscle, every contour of his exquisitely sculpted body. She circled his navel with her tongue knowing it would send little shockwaves through his torso. “I like this…” she said as she kissed down the thin line of soft black hair from his navel to his patch of black curly hair. She let her cheek softly brush along his rock hard shaft as she kissed her way down to his thighs, that part of his body also wonderfully muscular, beautifully sculpted. She moved down alongside his legs, kissing each of the scars on his thighs, resting her lips on the most recent scar, her hand gently smoothing over the fine sheen of black hair on his other thigh, gently caressing, her hand slowly moving towards the inside, her thumb massaging his strong muscles, then slowly moving up to that very sensitive place high on the inside of his thigh, his powerful muscles twitching in anticipation.
He groaned at the sensation and pulled his leg out, giving her more access to him, again showing her, telling her where he wanted, needed to feel her hands. She kissed all around him, gently flicking her tongue around his scrotum, smiling again as his lower body rose slightly off the bed. “I like this, too…” she cooed. She knew every nerve in his body was electrified now in anticipation of where he’d feel her mouth next. She moved her hand up and gently fondled his scrotum, her finger slipping behind it to softly rub, barely touching, gliding over that most sensitive place. Hearing a deep guttural growl rumbling through him, “…but especially this…” she whispered, her warm breath on his sensitive skin as she moved her lips up his length, touching but not touching his rock hard shaft, almost overwhelming, and then she slipped her lips around his tip, her tongue swirling around him, as she continued fondling his scrotum. She pulled from him, hearing him groan “Ani…please…” and slid her lips and tongue down his length, and then back up, softly caressing those places on him that made his entire body quiver.
“Ani…” he groaned loudly, and then the deep guttural growl burst from him as she took him in her mouth and took as much of him as she could, her hand moving up and stroking the base of his hard shaft, short little spiraling strokes, just enough to keep him throbbing, not enough to overwhelm the sensations her mouth brought so exhilaratingly to life. The combined sensation quickly bringing him close to what he knew would be an explosive release.
~<><><><><>~
As Rick and Jeffrey approached their house, Duma and a young warrior Rick didn’t know greeted them.
“He hasn’t left yet, has he?” Rick asked.
Then as Duma said “No, Rick…I believe she has…” they heard Ardeth’s loud, deep growl booming from within the house.
“Hey! He said he’d be ready…he wanted to get an early start…” Rick groused as Ardeth groaned her name.
“I know…but I believe she has convinced him to stay…just a little longer” Duma said with a grin. They all noticed the look of embarrassment on the young warrior’s face.
Ardeth growled something that neither Rick nor Jeffrey understood, but they guessed from the looks on their faces that Duma and the young warrior certainly did understand. From the sounds Ardeth continued making, though, they both could guess. Then they heard Ani laugh and then begin moaning loudly herself.
~<><><><><>~
When he could take no more, Ardeth grabbed Ani, ignoring her giggling, pulled her up and flipped her back on the bed. She loved how expressive he could be, always speaking in Arabic when he was in the throws of sexual passion, and how powerful that passion could be when his need overtook him. He was on her, his body wedged between her legs, and she gave herself to him freely, eagerly, wanting him inside her. He grasped her hands, lacing his fingers in hers, and moved her hands up over her head as he thrust deeply inside her. She could see from the foggy look on his face, his eyes the blackest of black, his nostrils flared, his breathing ragged, that his need was so great he hadn’t the time to pleasure her as he liked before he took her. He did so enjoy taking his time with her, every part of her body. He held still for the briefest of moments as his mouth took hers, his kiss as powerful as his thrusts as he now took her. Her nails dug into his hands as her orgasm built in her, her body then exploding as she groaned loudly. As he felt her fluids washing over his rock hard shaft, he thrust faster and harder until his warm fluids exploded inside her, their bodies one, as they were, in every way.
~<><><><><>~
They couldn’t explain why, but they all stood there and listened to their friends making love, their passion bursting from the house as their bodies exploded with their orgasms.
“I need some coffee” Rick said as he turned to go, still not understanding why he’d stood there the whole time.
“I…um…” Jeffrey started as Rick grabbed his arm and pulled him away. “That happen often?”
“Every damn day…” Rick groaned, though he knew it didn’t happen every day. No one could possibly endure that much pleasure. “Tell Ardeth we’ll be waiting…having coffee…if he can manage to walk after that…” Rick groused at Duma as he pulled Jeffrey along.
Duma just smiled after them, and then turned to his new young protégé, Dahar, “You will need to get used to that if you will be on Ani’s detail” he told the young man. “And you’ll need to learn not to let it affect you” he warned. He would never embarrass any of his warriors, but they all had to learn that this was part of their duties. Every warrior who’d ever been on Ani’s detail since Nafad formed the unit so many years ago had had to adjust to the sounds of their love and passion.
~<><><><><>~
Ardeth laid there on Ani, enjoying her small hands rubbing his back and the feel of her thick soft hair as he nuzzled his face alongside her head.
Without moving off her, his lips against her skin, making her quiver, he whispered “You just wait until tonight, Little One. I will make every part of your body quiver. I love it when you quiver for me.”
“Promises…promises…if I know you, you and Rick and Jeffrey will be gone until very late and then you’ll be too tired to pleasure me” she pouted.
He pushed up enough to look down at her and smiled at her “You are probably right, Little One…we will probably be late. But I will wake you and make your body quiver…every inch of you.”
As he kissed her, he moved alongside her, his hand moving down her body, caressing her breasts, rolling her nipples between his thumb and fingers, smiling when she moaned, his hand then moving down to her, his fingers slipping in to caress and rub her little nub. “Every inch of your beautiful little body, my love” he whispered and then kissed her again. “I love how your body wants my touch” he purred softly as her body moved with his attentions. He did love how her body reacted to his touch, how she moaned and whimpered and her body wiggled and arched and tightened, how she moaned his name over and over as her orgasm built in her, and then as her orgasm rippled through her how her growl rivaled his own, her body shuddering, and when he was inside her, how her muscles grasped him, stroked him, milked every last drop of his warm fluids from him, and then cradled him in her body, not wanting him to pull from her. He did love how she loved him.
As he looked down at her again, his fingers finding just the right spot, just the right pace, watching her as her climax built and then roared through her, her groans erupting from her, he again whispered “Every inch, my love.”
He continued watching her as her body relaxed, and then laughed loudly when she asked “With your tongue, too? I love what you do with your tongue” the anticipation sparkling in her eyes.
“Yes, Little One…with my fingers and my lips and my tongue…”
“And then your great big…”
“Little One!” he gasped and then laughed again at her fun. “And what will you do when I am old and my great big…um…shrivels up and I can no longer pleasure you?”
“I will still love you…but when we are old I think we will still find ways to pleasure each other. We will just have to get more creative” she cooed and pulled him down on her, kissing him passionately. He wondered how much more creative they could possibly get.
~<><><><><>~
When Ardeth finally joined them in the main lodge, Rick groused “Early, he said…let’s get an early start…he said! We could have slept in, you know…if you hadn’t said you wanted to get an early start.”
“I think he did…um…get an early start, I mean…” Jeffrey chuckled. And then they all laughed. Ardeth knew Rick was right. He had been the one to insist on an early start. But how could he possibly have denied her?
“Now, my brother, tell me you would have denied Evy if she had wanted your attentions this morning” Ardeth said seriously.
“Ok…wait a second…first of all, I gave Evy plenty of attention last night, as you should have Ani…last night…”
“And I did…last night…”
Rick rolled his eyes as he continued, “…and second, you could have said no, knowing we were waiting for you…”
“Never…I could never deny her…her pleasures…”
Holding up his hand to stop Ardeth, he said “Yeah, well, little brother…from what we heard this morning, I do not believe it was so much Ani who was being pleasured…well, just a bit…but it was you who obviously derived the most pleasure from that little…um…romp in the sack…”
“I do not romp in a sack…and I assure you she felt quite pleasured…” Ardeth said, feigning hurt feelings.
“And three…”
“Four…”
“What?”
“Four…I believe you’ve already made three points…you are trying to make a point here, aren’t you…or several?” Ardeth teased, knowing he was only frustrating Rick further, but enjoying his little tirade.
“Ok, four! You didn’t make the walls of that house nearly thick enough. I’d swear they were thinner than the old tent, you two were so loud.”
“You’re just jealous…” Ardeth quipped. Over the years, it was their little joke. Rick had teased him like this more times than he could remember and he’d accused Rick of being jealous every time.
“Well, I know I’m jealous…” Jeffrey admitted proudly. “Now…we going to for that ride, or what? And what are we hunting for?”
“Yes, my friend, but I need to eat something first” Ardeth said, “…I’m starving.”
“Yeah, no doubt…you expended so much energy this morning, I’m surprised you can move at all” Rick said, again rolling his eyes. He then caught himself as Ani set a plate on the table in front of Ardeth, and another in front of Jeffrey. Evy sat next to Rick and put a plate in front of him.
“You all need to eat something before you go hunting” Ani said, “…and we’ve packed you some food and enough water to get you through the day.”
As Evy stood, and she and Ani started to walk away, Ani turned to Rick and with a little twinkle in her eyes said “He moves just fine, Rick…just fine.”
It wasn’t often that Ardeth had ever seen Rick blush, but he was sure he saw a rosy red hue wash over him now. Then they all three laughed at Ani’s fun.
Jeffrey looked at his two friends. He’d known them for years. Though their contacts were sporadic over the years, they were memorable. But he also realized that it had been during some of the most horrific times in all their lives. On occasion, he’d seen the softer, lighter side of Rick’s personality. But he didn’t think he’d ever seen Ardeth smile before, and he was certain he’d never heard him laugh. Now he could see he had a robust laugh and his smile lit up his entire face. Jeffrey was indeed happy to see that his friend had found some peace and happiness, that life was now good for him. He knew from Rick that it had not always been so for their friend.
As they ate, Kalil and Za’id joined them. Kalil was so much his father, not just in looks, though other than the fact that he had his mother’s soft gray eyes he was the twin of a younger Ardeth, but also in his mannerisms and the timbre of his voice. But it was Za’id he watched with such great interest. He was not at all what he would have pictured as a husband for the sweet young Daya – not that he’d really ever thought of her as a married woman. She was just a child the last time he saw her. But when they’d returned from the pyramid several days ago, Ani took him to see Daya. She was so round with child it almost shocked him. But he thought she was beautiful, just like her mother.
And then seeing how Za’id was with her, he could see they were a good match. When he’d first met Za’id, after they’d left the pyramid and camped for the night, he found it impossible to believe that this mountain of a man, badly scarred, dark and brooding, and more than a bit grumpy and anxious to get home, was married to Ardeth’s daughter. Ardeth later explained how he came to be so scarred, his arm not as functional as it once was, and how he’d saved Daya’s life on more than one occasion. It was obvious that Ardeth loved this young man as a son.
Pulling him from his thoughts, Za’id stood suddenly, “I told Daya I’d bring her something to eat…not that she’s been eating much.”
“How is she?” Ardeth asked, “Should we stay?”
“No, father…but thank you. She would not want you to miss your ride. She is ok. I just don’t want her doing anything to tire herself…and I don’t want her out in the heat.”
“He’s fretting over her…” Kalil said and then stopped when Za’id shot him a look. “I know, my brother…I did the same with Becca. And Becca thinks Daya will deliver in the next couple days. Personally, I think she’ll be late.”
“I hope Becca is right” Za’id said as he picked up his plate. “I’ll take her the rest of this” he said looking down at the plate of food he barely touched.
“He didn’t eat much” Jeffrey said after Za’id walked off.
“He hasn’t been eating much…or sleeping much. I think he’s just too nervous. I really hope Daya has the baby soon…he’s been a terrible grouch lately.”
~<><><><><>~
The big terrible grouch turned into a purring little kitten when he was in her presence, though.
When he entered their house, she was standing at the table folding clothes. He remembered seeing a pile of clothing on one of the chairs the night before, but of course had thought nothing of it.
“Daya…you shouldn’t be up so much…”
“I can’t sit around all day, sweetie. Mother did our wash yesterday, but I never got it all put away.”
“You do too much…and I’ve brought you something to eat…” he said, his worry obvious in his voice.
She turned to him and caressed his cheek “Folding clothes is not too much…you worry too much. And you look so tired. I think you’re getting less sleep than I am. I saw you watching me last night.” She took his hand and led him to the big chair her parents had brought over from their house. She found she liked the chair. It was much easier to sit in and get out of than the hard wooden chairs at the table and certainly much easier than the pile of pillows she was accustomed to sitting on. “Come…sit…you can hold us.”
He did so eagerly. He loved it when she sat on his lap and nuzzled his neck as he caressed her belly. He took his weapons and robes off, and smiled when she sat on his lap and unbuttoned his shirt. He knew she always preferred to feel his skin and teased that she just liked combing her fingers through the hair on his chest and stomach. He loved how her hand sometimes continued exploring his body.
He pulled her legs up to rest on the arm of the chair as she sat sideways on him, leaning against him, resting her head on his shoulder, his hand then moving up under her tunic. He loosened the tie of her pants and edged them down enough that he could feel her entire belly. His hand slid around her warm skin until he thought he’d lulled her to sleep. He worried that she wasn’t getting enough sleep, and she’d been right, he wasn’t either. And he knew Kalil was right, though…he had been grouchy lately. He just worried so much about her. And he worried that he would not be a good father, that he wouldn’t do everything right. He had no idea how to be a father, and thought he’d have to talk to Ardeth about this too.
Then her hand moved again, edging up towards his nipple. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes, and savored the sensation, remembering when she’d first done that after she’d gotten him to return to the village after his injuries. She’d finally talked Fyad into letting her massage his sore, stressed muscles. It seemed to take forever for him to heal, but she never gave up on him. She’d risked everything, especially her reputation, to bring him back and then pushed him and encouraged him and loved him until he healed, both physically and emotionally.
Now, just as she’d done that day in Fyad’s tent, she slowly gently edged her fingers towards his nipple. She circled her finger around it until it tightened, the sensitive nerves sending little shockwaves through his chest. He moaned softly and then loudly as she nuzzled and kissed his neck. Her fingers then traced the scars along his shoulder and chest and down over his ribs.
As his hand continued to roam her belly, he said “He is not so active today.”
“No…I think he’s turned...”
He looked down at her, concerned, “Turned? What do you mean turned? Are you ok?”
“Yes…we’re both fine. Mother said he would turn so his head is down…where it should be when he’s ready to be born.”
Now he didn’t know whether to be concerned or happy. Was she that close?
“Does this mean…”
“It certainly means we’re getting close.”
“Should I get your mother?”
“No…not right now…we’re not quite that close.”
~<><><><><>~
“So…what are we hunting for?” Jeffrey asked as they made their way up to the top of the plateau that bordered the west length of their valley. As he looked back down at the village cradled so snuggly in the valley, he couldn’t think of anything else so beautiful. He felt good here, even better than he’d felt in the states, better than he’d felt in a long time. He drew his eyes again over the village below and was shocked to hear his heart whispering ‘home.’
“Gazelle - they might be migrating…”
“Migrating to what? From what?” Jeffrey asked, his eyes now scanning the vast expanse of barren desert before them.
Rick laughed, knowing what he was thinking. “They come down from the north about this time of year if it’s been particularly dry in the Sinai…and it has. They don’t usually venture too far south; there isn’t much for them here. They are very hardy animals and seem to know all the spots to search for grazing when their usual grounds are barren. There are stretches of grasslands here and there fed by tributaries of the Nile. They’re relatively small, but if you’re a starving gazelle, they would do. Today, though, we’re just scouting, looking for signs. If there’s any sign of them in the area, we’ll come out again tomorrow or the next day and track them down. And we might just catch sight of a few Oryx. Now that would be extremely rare for this part of
“Oh…so we’re really just going for a ride” Jeffrey said, a bit skeptical, but thinking he just might be surprised. He found he was often surprised by his friends, and by their ways, and by this country in general.
“Yep…it’s very calming. And Ardeth misses those days…when he could just take off into desert and ride for a while.”
“He doesn’t like vehicles.”
“Nope…”
“He doesn’t like much that’s modern, does he?”
“Nope…he’s the last of a breed” sounding proud of his friend. “The Medjai have always been a certain way…and now they’re not. So, it’s good for him to get out like this. Do a little scouting…hunting.”
“My butt’s not liking it” Jeffrey said, already wiggling in his saddle. He was thinking it was going to be a long ride, a long day.
Rick laughed again, “You’ll get used to it. Your butt will develop calluses in all the right spots. Don’t think so much about your butt…watch the land, the way the sun shimmers on it. It’s always different. If you came back right here next week, the whole look of it will be different. When you’re traveling the desert, it’s best to always keep your destination in sight. But, you don’t have to worry about that now, Ardeth will. Just enjoy the scenery and the ride.”
And he did. As they rode, he found that the desert was no longer just an expanse of sand. It had texture and layers, hills and mountains and valleys, and as Rick had said, the sun did seem to make the sand shimmer. In the hours they rode, they’d traversed sand dunes and rocky hills; what Ardeth explained was actually just the tips of mountains of rock buried beneath the sand. Forever buried, he said, as though these mountains had attempted to push their way up from the depths of the earth, but had not succeeded, yet. He said they were just a bit higher than they’d been when he was a boy, a combination of the level and movement of the sand mass around them and the earth slowly squeezing them from her depths. In their lifetime, though, they weren’t likely to see any monumental changes in them. They were part of the Nezzi range, one of many long fingers skirting out from the center of the range, the bulk of the range bursting its way from the earth before any man was there to witness it. But for all the desert’s beauty, his butt still hurt.
“So…do you know every spring in the entire desert?” Jeffrey asked as they sat by another spring. They’d stopped twice earlier in the day to rest the horses and eat.
“Most…” Ardeth started.
“Yes, he does, as a matter of fact” Rick interrupted. “He won’t admit it, but he knows just about every inch of the desert, as I’m sure Nafad does…and most of the warriors do. They teach them at a very young age how to find their way around out here…take those young boys out somewhere and dump them off, expecting them to find their way home…”
“That is not so, Rick, and you know it. We do take our young novices out on training exercises, but we do not just leave them out here. The Medjai would have died off centuries ago if that was the case. I know the desert because I was trained to and I’ve spent a great deal of time out here.”
Thinking this conversation was going nowhere, Nafad interjected “So, tell us why you’ve come to visit, my friend.”
Jeffrey looked at them all and wasn’t sure quite how to answer. “Well…I’m not sure I really thought much about it. My wife died last year…the cancer took her from me…”
“I am truly sorry, my friend” Ardeth said sincerely, noticing that Rick and Nafad nodded respectfully in agreement.
“Thank you.” He thought for a moment and then sighed “Before the war, I never appreciated her…or our life together. But after the war, I couldn’t seem to get enough of her. She put up with a lot from me before…but then…well, I hope I made it up to her” he paused again, remembering. “After she was gone, I just kind of trudged through each day. Work didn’t seem to be enough to keep me going, so I sold my half of the business to Henry. He was going to merge it with some other air freight company that was starting up…seemed quite excited about it. It was actually Henry who suggested I take a trip to
“It does not sound so silly, my friend…I believe you are right. The desert is a great light that beckons some to her. It is a light that is most beautiful and once she has called to you, she will not be ignored” Ardeth said thoughtfully. “And you are welcome to stay as long as you want. If your accommodations are agreeable, then it is your home for as long as you want it.”
“Thank you…but if you have need of it, I can move into something smaller. It’s a great house…and the ladies made me a huge pile of pillows.”
“Yes…” Rick quipped, “…those women are big on pillows. It’s kind of a welcoming thing.”
“The house is yours, my friend…unless, of course, you want a bigger one…we’ll give you Rick’s…kick him out…he can take your smaller house” Nafad joked.
“Hey! Thanks a lot!”
~<><><><><>~
Ardeth wasn’t there with her and she struggled, trying to wrench her arm from the dark man’s strong grasp, trying to pull away from him. And where were her guards? Not there to help her, to protect her, and she couldn’t think why, why she was alone with this man, this big, dark, angry man. And she saw red, so much red, thinking there was so much blood, but it wasn’t just blood. She couldn’t make any sense of it. She knew it wasn’t Kareem – she didn’t feel the same fear she had with him, and he was dead anyway. But whoever he was, he was there and hurting her and she couldn’t fight any longer - she was too tired and hurt too much.
Ani jerked awake, gasping, crying, and then screeched when Dahar bolted into her bedchamber.
“Ani…what’s wrong?” he asked, looking frantically around the room. Being new to her guard, he wasn’t accustomed to how her nightmares affected her. Duma had told him she had nightmares, but he hadn’t realized it would be like this, that it would upset her like this.
The nightmare was still so vivid in her mind. She looked around her bedchamber, the big man in her dream, of course, wasn’t there, and she wondered why she would have such a dream, worried about what it meant.
“Ani…” he said again, “…are you ok?”
She looked up at him, now a worried look on her face. “I’m sorry, Dahar. Just a bad dream, I guess.”
“Ok…if you need me, just yell.”
As he turned to leave, she asked “Dahar?”
He turned back towards her “Yes…”
“Would you check the house, please? I, um…I’m sure it’s nothing, but…just look around, would you?”
“Sure…”
She heard him moving around the house, obviously checking the other chambers, and then he went out the front door. She laid there for a few minutes, the covers pulled up high, as if that would protect her from anything, and she realized that she was still shaking. It had seemed so real. They always felt real, and she thought they almost always meant that something would happen. Sometimes a dream wasn’t just a dream.
Hours later, she was almost asleep when she was sure she heard something, again jerking up. Ardeth moved quickly to the bed, and she flung herself into his arms, needing to feel his arms around her.
“Little One…I’m here now. Dahar said you had a nightmare. No one will hurt you…you know I won’t let anyone hurt you.” He couldn’t count the number of times he’d told her that over the years, if he tried…nor the number of times he’d failed to keep her safe. And it broke his heart to know that he couldn’t always keep her safe.
When she seemed to calm some, he released her long enough to quickly pull off his clothes and then crawled into bed with her, helping her off with her tunic and pulling her into his arms again.
“Tell me what happened. Dahar said you scared him.”
“Someone was hurting me and I couldn’t get away from him. No one was there to help me.”
He laid her back and leaned over her, caressing her face and softly kissing her cheeks and lips.
“It was just a dream, Little One…a bad dream. You know I won’t let anyone hurt you…”
She could see he was upset by her nightmare and worried about her. But she couldn’t seem to let the nightmare go. It had seemed so real and she’d felt truly terrified. Normally after a nightmare, she could calm herself, or his presence, his caresses would calm her and make her feel safe. But she couldn’t seem to push this one from her mind, or stop shaking.
“Was it someone you knew, Little One…in your dream?” he asked, thinking that if she felt bothered by someone in particular, that may be what triggered this nightmare.
She thought for a moment and then “No…he was just so big and he grabbed me and jerked me around. I thought my arm would break, and everything was so red. That’s what was so scary, Ardeth. It was so bloody and real.”
“Did anything upset you today? Was anyone hurt and bleeding?”
“No…I was fine, and no one was hurt. It was actually a quiet day” she said, trying to think if anything had bothered her during the day. “It did seem odd, though…”
“What?”
“During the evening meal…you were gone, and so were Nafad and Rashid. The boys were patrolling. Duma wasn’t even there.”
“Maybe that’s why you felt you were alone. Everyone you’re used to being with or at least seeing everyday was gone. Your mind just took it a step further.”
“But Dahar was here” she said, not quite believing it was as simple as that. “I wasn’t really alone. I’ve never really been alone in all these years.”
“I’m sorry, Little One…I cannot take the nightmare away. But I’m here now and you are not alone. Sleep now” he said as he pulled her up onto him. Gradually, she calmed and relaxed on him, finally falling to sleep.
He laid there thinking, worrying. Her nightmares usually did mean something.
~<><><><><>~
She hadn’t moved off him during the night, so now he gently rolled her back on the bed. He leaned partly on her and caressed her face, kissing her lips softly to wake her. It had been quite late when he’d gotten home, so now it was later in the morning than they usually rose.
“I’m sorry, Ardeth…I guess I slept pretty soundly” she whispered, knowing they’d missed their morning fun.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Little One. We were both tired” he said and then kissed her, passionately. “We will enjoy each other tonight.”
“You won’t be late?”
“No…I hope to be home early in the evening. I really do need to go through those papers Armad sent last week. I’ve been ignoring them, but he’ll be expecting my response. So I will be home early, and when I’ve finished with that mess, you will have my full attention.”
She smiled at him, and he thought he would melt.
~<><><><><>~
Becca watched Ani as she left with her wash, her new young guard close behind her, and realized that in all the years Ani had been there, she’d never been without a guard. Becca knew that she, too, would never again be without a guard. It was a bit overwhelming, and yet comforting, too. But she wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to being followed everywhere. It had begun before she and Kalil were married, and most days she didn’t pay the warriors much mind. But other days, she felt almost trapped, not able to do anything without someone following her, watching her. She thought that in a way she should be used to being guarded all the time, as Daya was always guarded and since they were children they’d spent so much time together that in a sense, she’d also been guarded her entire life. But now it just felt different for some reason. She looked at her guard standing not twenty feet away, and thought maybe it was the particular warriors assigned each day. Today’s guard, Nassor, was particularly large, and dark and hairy. Rashid had assigned Jehrel as her primary guard, and she much preferred it when he was on duty. He was her day guard four days a week and generally checked in with the other day and night guards to ensure that all was well. He was also tall and big, but not so dark and moody. And most importantly, Nabil seemed quite taken with him, always smiling and cooing when he was near. She thought maybe it was just that Nassor wasn’t used to being around children, especially babies.
~<><><><><>~
Afternoon…at the training arena…
“These boys are good…” Nafad said as he and Ardeth watched the young novices practicing. They wandered around to a shady spot at the base of the rocks that edged the northern rim of the training arena where Rick and Jeffrey were sitting. Jeffrey found their practice fascinating. He didn’t understand the need to still teach their young novices the use of the scimitar and knife, but he found no argument in Rick’s explanation that it was as it had always been with the Medjai. Every generation since the days of the pharaohs had been taught the use of the scimitar, and he was sure that every future generation would also be. They were also taught the knife, bow and arrow, and various fighting techniques for hand to hand combat, as well as how to ride, and now to drive. They were also taught the use of various handguns and rifles. Rick also explained that even more important than any of this was that they were taught the importance of loyalty and dedication to the Medjai’s mission and to their families, their tribe and the nation as a whole. They were taught to love and respect their parents and elders and more than anyone else, someday, their wives and children. Without all this, they were nothing and they would certainly fail in their mission and the world would then be lost.
“Yes…they will be great warriors some day.”
As they watched, they could hear several of the young novices talking, one boasting. The boys were sitting not far from them and obviously weren’t aware they were so close.
“One day I will be stronger and better than anyone…you saw me, didn’t you? I bet I’ll even be better than the Chieftain. I will be a great warrior” he boasted unabashedly.
“You had better be quiet, Yahr. Your mouth will get you in trouble.”
“Why…because I speak the truth? Someday, I will be greater than the Chieftain” he continued, not realizing that his voice carried across the arena and others also heard his boasting.
“No…”
“Then why? You know I’m the best in our detail.”
“Maybe, but my father says it is not good to think so much of yourself that you’re not thinking of your fellow warriors. And some warriors think they’re better than everyone else, but they’re not.”
“Maybe your father wasn’t talking about me. My father says I will be a great warrior. He says a warrior has to strive to be the best. So I will strive to be greater than the Chieftain.” They knew he’d obviously misunderstood his father, or maybe Ardeth needed to have a chat with his father.
The boys continued to talk as Ardeth and Nafad moved up right behind them, leaving Rick and Jeffrey to watch.
“You saw me today…you felt my scimitar. I will be a great warrior…”
“And I hope you will be, Yahr…” Ardeth cut him off, surprising them. All the boys jumped up suddenly, shocked that someone had so easily snuck up on them, all the other boys looking quickly at Yahr. It was obvious that they were sure he was done for.
“Chieftain…” Yahr sighed heavily, his eyes now inspecting his boots.
“I hope each and every one of you will someday be better and stronger than me. But know this…how good you will or will not be will have nothing to do with my being Chieftain” he said, and noticing that he’d surely gotten their attention, added “Sit.”
After they sat, now their attention intently on him, he continued, “Partly, it will be because I will be a great deal older and not as agile by the time you are warriors…and partly because we have taught you well. Remember, my days as Chieftain will pass some day, so it will be Kalil you must look up to and strive to be like. He, too, hopes that you will all be great warriors. But it is not the title you must strive for…it is the man. You must always strive to be good and honorable warriors. Your training and lessons will teach you much and help make you strong and powerful in battle. But remember also that as important as skill is, especially in keeping you alive, to be a truly great Medjai, you must have heart. You must be the heart of the Medjai, and to be that, you must find the balance between your physical strength and the strength of your heart. One without the other makes you weak and you will surely fail in our mission.”
They seemed to listen to him and understand his words, but he knew that they would not truly understand the meaning and truth of his words until they were tested at some point in their lives, until they had learned many of life’s lessons. Today’s young warriors were not thrown into battle so early in their lives as warriors of his and past generations were, even Kalil’s generation, so he thought that some may never learn the lesson of total selflessness, giving all to their mission and their people. They may never have to find their inner strength, their Medjai heart, at least not in the same ways that warriors had in the past.
As they walked back towards where Rick and Jeffrey still sat, the young boy just couldn’t help himself, quietly bragging to his friends, “I will be better than the Chieftain…”
So caught up in himself, obviously one of those who will learn the lesson the hard way, as he would likely learn all of life’s lessons, he didn’t sense Ardeth wheeling around on him, his scimitar suddenly in his hand, the tip of the blade an inch from him. As the boy turned, his eyes slowly moving up to meet his, Ardeth said, “But not today, my young novice. Life is difficult enough without letting your tongue get you into more trouble than your blade can handle. Do you understand?”
“Yes…” was all the boy could say, his voice quivering, then sighing deeply when Ardeth withdrew his scimitar and sheathed it. The boy backed a few steps away, his head down.
“Yahr” Ardeth said, the boy hearing not consternation in his voice, but understanding, “I appreciate your boldness. A warrior must have confidence. But a warrior must also temper his ego with his abilities and his heart. If you remember that, I believe you could someday be a fine warrior.” And then with a smile, “And I am not so old and decrepit that I cannot hear. Your boasting will get you into trouble on of these days.” He turned and left the boy standing there staring after him, sure that the boy didn’t really believe that his tongue could get him into trouble. And he thought about Kalil, and knew in his heart that he was better. It was what he, as a father and as a Chieftain, had strived for as Kalil grew up, that he would be better and stronger and smarter. He knew that Kalil’s reign as Chieftain would be very different from his and every Chieftain who’d ever lived, and he hoped he’d prepared him for the responsibilities.
As Ardeth approached Rick and Jeffrey, who’d moved in a little closer to Ardeth and the boys, he turned and looked at the boy’s father. He, too, had been watching and listening. He nodded respectfully to Ardeth, and smiled when Ardeth nodded back. Ardeth was quite sure he’d be having a talk with his son that night.
“You never cease to amaze me, my friend” Rick said as Ardeth stopped in front of him.
“I fear that boy will have a difficult life. He is led by his tongue rather than his heart” he sighed.
“He did fight well, though” Nafad added.
“Yes, he did. For his age, he is very good, and I do believe he will be a fine warrior one day. But he has much to learn, and somehow I think he will learn life’s lessons the hard way.”
~<><><><><>~
Evening…
“You have to push, Daya” her mother said – again.
“I am…” she growled, tears streaming down her face. For all her pushing, the baby just didn’t want to come out. She was already so tired from all the hours of contractions. And with each new contraction and the pain of the child stuck there not wanting to come out, she felt an unbelievable need to smack Za’id for doing this to her. He’d tried to be supportive and loving during the entire thing, she knew that, but she still wanted to hit him. Since she started her futile attempts to push the child out of her, he’d been behind her, holding her, helping her push forward, whispering to her things she was sure he meant to be soothing and encouraging, but things she only heard as a constant droning in her ear, her mind was so unable to focus on what he was saying. She remembered how he worried so about this moment, what were now hours upon hours of moments, and she wanted to smack him. She knew it wasn’t just him who’d done this to her; she’d enjoyed every moment of what made all this possible. But at this very moment, it was all his fault.
Za’id could see and feel how tired she was and felt he truly wasn’t being any help to her. And seeing the look she gave him on those rare occasions when she could rest back against him and actually look up at him, he was quite sure she wanted to smack him, and if it truly helped her and helped their child to be born, he’d gladly let her beat him to a pulp. But he knew it wouldn’t.
“Becca…” he said, motioning for her to take his place behind Daya. Becca moved in to hold her friend, with every hour more and more grateful that little Nabil had seemed to easily slip from her body compared to this.
Za’id moved in front of Daya, taking her mother’s place, and looking at her, seeing an understanding look in her eyes, asked “You will tell me what to do?”
“You will do fine, Za’id” Ani said as she knelt next to him, ignoring the nagging throbbing of her knee, her only focus being on her daughter and grandchild.
With as calming a voice as he could muster, he said “Daya…” not getting her attention as he saw she wanted to push again. “Daya…” he said a little louder, now seeing her eyes meet his. “Look at me…only at me, my angel…” he said as he held her legs bent up as high as he dared, “…and push…push for me, my angel.”
Hours later, the baby was fed, bundled up snuggly and in Daya’s arms, all the family and friends now gone, the house finally quiet. Ani whispered to Za’id that he’d done a fine job and that she’d come back later and check on them.
He still had that look on his face, and she didn’t think that even Ardeth could have beamed brighter than Za’id had as he first held his child.
She thought of Kalil. He is so much like his father. He spends as much time as he can with Nabil, and like his father had with him and Daya, spends a great deal of time cuddling and cooing with his son. Ani could already see that in Za’id, too.
Za’id removed his boots and his shirt, and edged up next to Daya on the bed, pulling her into his arms.
“Isn’t she beautiful, Za’id?” Daya sighed as she looked at their little girl. She couldn’t believe how beautiful she was.
“Yes…just like her mother, she is beautiful.”
“So much for your little warrior.”
“She may yet be a warrior, my angel…she fought hard not to come out. She has her mother’s stubbornness. She wanted to stay inside you where she was warm and safe.”
“She’s just got a big head…like her father.”
“Just a lot of hair. Your mother told me that you also had a lot of hair when you were born. She said she was so large but you were so small, that it was your hair that filled her belly. You should sleep now. Do you want to lie down…do you hurt?”
“Some…but I want to stay here for now” she said as she relaxed against him. He settled back against the pillows and looked down at her and their little girl in her arms. As he watched them both, thinking he could stare at them forever, they were so beautiful, it dawned on him that they hadn’t chosen a name for a little girl; he was so sure they would have a boy. Even when Daya had thought they’d have a girl, they had only discussed boy’s names. He’d wanted to name their son after his father, Shakir, and Daya had said that was as it should be.
Surprising him, as if she knew his thoughts, and she did often shock him knowing exactly what he was thinking, she whispered “We should name her Inara, after your mother.”
He smiled and caressed her face “She would like that, my angel.” He looked down at his little Inara and thought that she was indeed a beautiful little ray of light, like her mother. He remembered his father had always said that his mother was the light of his life, and he also remembered how dark and bleak his father’s life was after she’d died. Daya was indeed the light of his life, he would be truly lost in darkness without her, and now Inara was also his light. He had never thought it possible love so deeply, or be loved so deeply.
~<><><><><>~
Kalil jerked awake, sweat covering his body. The nightmare had been so real, as it always was. He looked down at Becca next to him, grateful that he hadn’t woken her. She’d been up with Nabil just a couple hours before and he knew she was tired. And he didn’t want to upset her with his nightmare, again. His mother had told him of her nightmare the previous night. It was something they shared – nightmares – and he wondered if worrying about her had caused his. It had been a while since he’d had the awful thing. What did her dream mean – was it her, or his father, who was hurt and bleeding? Or was anyone? Dreams were so obscure, often not truly reflecting actual events, most often not even predicting future events or recollecting past events, but simply the mind’s way of dealing with something it could make sense of or deal rationally with. And sometimes they were simply dreams – bad or good – just dreams.
It had been the same as it was before. He couldn’t explain it and couldn’t stop it once it started. And it always ended the same, his mother and father dying, horribly, and no matter what he did, or tried to do, he couldn’t stop it. The only thing that gave him the slightest hope was that in his nightmare, his parents looked much older; though he had noticed that his father’s age didn’t seem to affect his ability to fight, fiercely, fighting as a young man – but to no avail. It always ended the same way.
Kalil got out of bed and went to the kitchen, splashing water on his face, and stood there for a minute, still, futilely he knew, trying to make sense of his nightmare. But there was no sense to it. Then he went to Nabil’s bedchamber and watched him sleep, such a little angel. Nabil stirred, his eyes opening and focusing on his father, as if knowing his father needed him, though Kalil thought that that was impossible. He was much too young to be able to sense such things – or was he? Kalil picked him up, cradling him in his arms, humming softly to him. He carried him out to the big pile of pillows in the main chamber and sat, Nabil settling on his chest. If he tried, he couldn’t describe what he felt as he held his son, and often found himself simply staring at him, his features so delicate and perfect. He listened to him breathing softly against his chest, his little hands warm against his skin. And he wondered if Za’id was also holding his precious little daughter, in total awe of her, then smiled to himself as he knew his brother would surely be. He settled back into the pillows, listening to Nabil’s soft little sounds, and thought that maybe he could sleep, and forget his dreams.
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Ray of Light – Chapter 2