Title: Endless Love
Rating: PG-13...probably be R later.
Author: Lula
Summary: Ardeth's life has been devastated, but can retribution bring him the love he has lost....
Disclaimer: I do not own The Mummy characters, but I do own the various other characters integrated into the story.
Special Note: Thanks to my buddy, Deana, for being my beta...I thank you more than I can say! Also, thanks to Karri, who always offers the ever- important moral support and creative ideas that never cease to amaze me.
ENDLESS LOVE CHAPTER 1
Theirs was a never-ending love, living their lives to the fullest and greatly blessed by many children and grandchildren. They were in the golden years of their lives. Now, as time was coming to a close for her beloved husband, great was her suffering. Oh, how she wished that she had gone before him! Her one true love was leaving her behind. Tears flowed freely down her aged face as she embraced him to comfort him in his suffering. His breathing was labored and shallow; his body grown weak from the illness that had overtaken him. He had been such a strong and virile man throughout his life. Now, he lay before her, weak as a newborn. She cried out in anguish, lamenting his suffering. Praying to God that he would let her share his suffering to lessen the pain he was in. Her cries hurriedly summoned two of their daughters to their side. They knew that their father's life was near its end. They ran to gather all the other siblings and their children to surround their precious father and grandfather in the last moments of his life.
REFLECTIONS
Together, they had shared many hardships and many joyous moments in the 45 years they had been husband and wife. They had been blessed with 10 children, 38 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Through it all, she had never once regretted her life with him. Although she was from a vastly different culture, she had learned the ways of his tribe and embraced his culture and thrived. Many were against her in the beginning, but through the years, they had developed a great respect for the woman who would walk away from her former life of luxury and convenience and willfully embrace the hard life of their tribe, all for the love of their leader. She had proven her love and her loyalty. He had no doubt of her love, but had often worried about the hardships that she endured. In her youth, she had been a beautiful young woman who had blossomed into the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. But the beauty that he saw was not just on the exterior. Yes, her physical beauty was beyond compare, but her inner beauty was that much more. It was that beauty that had won over his people and their trust. It was that beauty and inner strength that had bound their two hearts together as one. Thru the past weeks of his illness, they had much time to talk of their life and how blessed they had been. He reminded her of the many times she would playfully butt heads with him in private. How they argued sometimes over issues, and the wonderful way they had of making it up to each other. He remembered her beautiful long raven locks flowing in the hot breeze, her eyes of violet with the tiny flecks of gold that entranced him. The lovely curves of her body that were hidden in the dark robes, only for his eyes to behold. He told her of how he loved to watch her play with their children as well as all the children of the tribe. She loved children as much as he did and they were both very attentive and caring to all the children of the tribe as well as their own. He told her how wonderful it had been to embrace her and make love to her.
She reminisced how he had been so strong, brave and true. He exemplified what a true leader should be. He was a strong warrior, a brave man, a loving husband and father. But most of all, he was a just Chieftain, a man who anyone could look up to. Even though his enemies loathed him, they still admired him in their own strange way. He was a man to be counted upon, one who protected the helpless, the elderly, women and children. His men had great admiration for him and looked up to him and never went against his word. Yes, there were times when his chosen warriors would question him, howbeit; they had all been his dear friends from childhood. But not even one of them would question his orders without due cause. She remembered all the times she would stay in their tent at nights and wonder if he was alright. Strange, she was so bound to him that she could feel his moods, his very thoughts at times. It frightened her more than once throughout her life with him. She remembered of one time when they were watching over the dread city, and there was a great stirring in the sand and air; she suddenly felt cold all over and her heart began to pound. She knew there was trouble and ached to know if her husband would be alright. Soon she found out that there was great trouble on the horizon. More than once did she remind him that she loved him more than the day before, and to her, that seemed impossible. But with each new day, her love grew more and more. He was her very breath, her life, her meaning for living; her Heart. She reminded him of how beautiful he looked anytime she laid eyes upon him. It didn't matter if he was covered in sand, blood, or sweat, his beauty shone through. She loved the way his long black curly locks would grace his masculine shoulders. His magnificent sculptured features; those beautiful dark eyes that had a language all their own, that lovely dark olive skin. Oh, how she loved to behold him whether he was windblown and tousled or perfectly groomed. He was beautiful to her in every way. She loved to watch him sleep. Many nights she would stay up and look upon his lovely form in the moonlight and shadows, remembering their night of unbridled passion, she would caress his cheeks, kissing him, loving to snuggle against his warm bare body. Yes, she had been truly blessed. Now, she looked upon him as she cradled him in her withering arms. Even in his great age and present illness, never had he been more handsome to her. Even his wrinkles from age and hardship of the desert had done nothing to change his affect on her. Afterall, he was her heart, and true love knows no end.
THE CIRCLE OF LIFE
He opened his eyes and gazed upon all his loved ones surrounding his bed. He looked upon each face earnestly; his sons, daughters and grandchildren. His thoughts brought him back through the years to a time when his children were small; they had been like steps gracing a lovely stairway. He thought back on how he had prayed to Allah that he might live to see all his children grown. Yes, he thought, Allah had truly answered his prayer. Now he looked at all his grandchildren. He wished he could see them all grow up as well, but that was not to be. He could accept that, he and his wife had taught their children well. They were all loving parents to their own children and it was due to the loving example that had been set before them. He spoke quietly to his sons and daughters, telling them how proud he was of them and how he loved them so. Tears welled up in his eyes, as he did not want to leave them, but he knew his time had come. His sons and daughters could not contain their tears and each in their turn embraced their father for one last time. He told his grandchildren how much he loved them. They were crying as well, as they loved their grandfather dearly. His beloved wife, children and grandchildren silently listened as the great patriarch spoke. He thanks Allah for blessing him so richly with the greatest of riches; his family. He bestowed a blessing upon them all. The shadows of death were coming very quickly now and he turned to look at his lovely wife, and gazed into her eyes. Oh! How parting from her was such sweet sorrow! He told her, "You are my life, my love, my heart. Thank you for filling my life with joy." He gazed around at his large family one more time and then looked once more at his wife and said, "Look my love, our circle of life." With tears streaming down her face, she smiled and nodded in agreement, being at a loss for words. She laid her face against his and said, "I love you, my husband, my soul mate." With this said, she gently pressed her lips to his. As she did, he breathed his last breath into her.
THE BEGINNING
The crescent moon shone over the sand dunes as a guide for the warriors; light where there was no light. It didn't matter, however, as they were used to the darkness of the desert night.
Ardeth Bey looked out across the vast emptiness before him, but it didn't even measure close to the emptiness he felt inside himself. For a long time now, the elders of his people were pressuring him to take a wife again. He was not ready to take another wife, as his heart had not healed from the loss of his wife and two children that had been brutally taken from him seven years before.
Ardeth had been so happy back then. He reminisced. Ardeth's wife, the daughter of the commander of the 8th tribe, was such a beautiful girl, not only in looks but in heart as well. Bahiyaa was her name and their marriage had been an arranged one from birth, but this was not a problem as they had grown up knowing each other and loved each other from a very early age. They were blessed with two beautiful daughters and were hoping for a son in the near future. However, that was not to be, as there had been an attack on the village when Ardeth was on watch duty at Hamunaptra. Usually, Ardeth's heart was not at ease when he was on watch, but that night was even worse. He was unable to keep still, his heart was racing and he began wondering if something else was wrong. However, they didn't receive any messages from their village of any danger, which was a relief to them. They later found out that no messages came because of the surprise attack. Ardeth was in an uproar all night. Constantly pacing, not knowing what made him that way. His second, Bahir, watched Ardeth pace back and forth.
Bahir gently placed his hand on Ardeth's shoulder and Ardeth spun around about to come back with a raised arm in response. When Ardeth saw who it was, his head dropped to his chest. He started to walk away, but Bahir stopped him.
"Ardeth, what is bothering you so terribly tonight? All is quiet in the city," Bahir said.
All Ardeth could do was shake his head. He couldn't even say what he was feeling. Many thoughts were racing through his mind.
Bahir grabbed Ardeth and began to shake him gently. "Ardeth! What is wrong with you!"
"I don't know," Ardeth said. "I just know something is very wrong, I can't stop my heart from racing."
Ardeth spun on his heels and started to walk off when suddenly Bahir was joined by Shariyf, another of his chosen. They charged after him in the loose sand, trying to catch up with him. Finally, they caught up when Ardeth had just finished saddling his horse. Bahir grabbed Ardeth's shoulder and spun him around. Ardeth jerked his shoulder loose.
"I know something is wrong, something very wrong," Ardeth said. "I need to get back to the village to see if everything is alright." He turned to Bahir. "You are my honored first. All of you are my best and most trusted warriors. I trust you with the city and the responsibility of it. You do not need me here. I have to know, I have to be sure." Without waiting for an answer, he spurred his horse and took off in the direction of the village.
Shariyf and Bahir stood there looking at their leader and friend with great concern. They knew that he was very intuitive and never took his concerns lightly.
"Did you see his eyes?" asked Shariyf.
"Yes," replied Bahir, with a feeling of dread in his heart. He knew that look. They returned back to the rest of the men and contemplated what was taking place.
DARKNESS AND DREAD
In the distance, an ominous glow could be seen as Ardeth approached the last remaining dunes to the oasis where his village was. He raced his horse as fast as it could go. The fire and acrid smoke swirled in the air and he could see very little movement in the village.
Ardeth jumped off his horse and ran towards one of his warriors who was trying to get up off the ground. He shook the warrior and yelled loudly "Who did this?!" The warrior tried to respond, but was gasping for breath. Ardeth looked him over quickly and noticed that his own hands were now covered in the warrior's blood. He had been stabbed with a scimitar through the abdomen and would soon die. Ardeth bowed his head at this knowledge and gently laid him back down.
The warrior opened his eyes once more and locked them to Ardeth's. He managed to get out a few words in a whisper. Ardeth bent close to the warrior and heard the words that he dreaded to hear.
"Forgive me, my Chieftain, we couldn't stop them. They took your wife and children's..." with that said, he took his last breath, and lay with his eyes still open.
Ardeth could not contain the emotions thundering through his mind. He shook the dead warrior as if hoping to get an answer. "Who! Where?" he screamed. He got up and ran amongst the other tribesmen who were busy helping the wounded. He looked frantically at them, not knowing who had done this. All the people could do was bow their heads, as all knew what awaited their Chieftain at the other end of the village.
All along the wide pathways, through the rows of tents, one could see the dead or dying. As he approached the end of the village, he noticed his tent was not even touched. Most had been burned, but there were many that were still standing. All around him, he could hear cries of anguish and mourning. as he approached his tent, his mother came towards him. She grabbed him and he spun around ready to attack. Ardeth saw that it was his mother and was relieved to see that she had survived. But what he saw in her eyes foretold that an even greater sorrow awaited him.
She tried to stop him from going any further, but he was much too strong for her weakened elderly body to handle. She called out his name gently. "Ardeth, please don't," was all she could get out and doubled over in tears. As he neared the entrance to his tent, he saw the blood on the outer tent wall. They had spelled out something with the blood. His eyes grew wide as he read the message. It read, "You will know pain, Medjai. Enter and behold."
Ardeth's heart was filled with dread knowing that his worst fear had come to pass. He opened the tent flaps and lost all ability to stand in the face of what he beheld. His wife and two daughters had been suspended, arms above their heads, on three of the center poles of the tent. His little girls had been hacked to death with scimitars. His beloved wife had been ravished over and over, beaten, and had been disemboweled. Blood was spattered everywhere as evidence to the heinous crime that lay before him.
Even Ardeth, a battle hardened warrior as he was, could not contain the raw emotions of pain and grief that overtook him. He lay on the carpet, soaked with the blood of his beloved family, and let out the most bloodcurdling scream that a man has ever emitted. Tears flowed down his now bloody face and his heart was overwhelmed with torment. This was far beyond even what he could have ever imagined, and it was his beloved wife and precious little girls that had paid the price. The price for what, he did not know. His mind was beyond all thought of the what-for's. All he could see was that the innocent had suffered for him. His screams echoed through his head, and death for himself now seemed all too sweet; a reprieve from the agony he felt, and his want to be with his family.
Ardeth's mother was still kneeling outside the tent, overwhelmed with the loss of so many, and the most tragic loss of all; her beloved grandchildren and the young woman who became a daughter to her. She heard Ardeth's screams and could not bear the suffering of hearing her own son in his cries of anguish and sorrow. She knew that he would have a very hard time getting over this, if he ever could.
NO RELIEF IN SIGHT
It was past time for the next group of warriors to take over at the dread city. Bahir and Shariyf were both becoming edgy and very suspicious. All the warriors on watch were.
It had been two hours since Ardeth had left and they knew that he would have reached the village in an hour's time at the pace he was going. No messengers, no birds, nothing at all. Both Bahir and Shariyf made their decision rather quickly.
For the first time in the history of the Medjai; Hamunaptra was left unguarded.
The warriors quickened their pace as Ardeth had, as now they knew something was very wrong. What they found sickened and angered them simultaneously. and they frantically searched for any and all who knew what had happened. Shariyf and Bahir saw Ardeth's tent in the distance and were relieved to see that it had not been burned down. However, as they approached, they saw blood on it's walls and began to run fast towards it. They found Ardeth's mother on the ground and quickly knelt beside her to see if she was injured. They were relieved, finding she was not, but alarmed at her overwhelming cries; all she could do was point to the tent. They hurriedly entered and saw Bahiyaa and the two little girls.
Shariyf and Bahir had to fight the rising nausea from the sickening sight as well as the tears that were welling in their eyes. Looking down, they saw Ardeth lying on the carpet, covered in blood.
Rating: PG-13...probably be R later.
Author: Lula
Summary: Ardeth's life has been devastated, but can retribution bring him the love he has lost....
Disclaimer: I do not own The Mummy characters, but I do own the various other characters integrated into the story.
Special Note: Thanks to my buddy, Deana, for being my beta...I thank you more than I can say! Also, thanks to Karri, who always offers the ever- important moral support and creative ideas that never cease to amaze me.
ENDLESS LOVE CHAPTER 1
Theirs was a never-ending love, living their lives to the fullest and greatly blessed by many children and grandchildren. They were in the golden years of their lives. Now, as time was coming to a close for her beloved husband, great was her suffering. Oh, how she wished that she had gone before him! Her one true love was leaving her behind. Tears flowed freely down her aged face as she embraced him to comfort him in his suffering. His breathing was labored and shallow; his body grown weak from the illness that had overtaken him. He had been such a strong and virile man throughout his life. Now, he lay before her, weak as a newborn. She cried out in anguish, lamenting his suffering. Praying to God that he would let her share his suffering to lessen the pain he was in. Her cries hurriedly summoned two of their daughters to their side. They knew that their father's life was near its end. They ran to gather all the other siblings and their children to surround their precious father and grandfather in the last moments of his life.
REFLECTIONS
Together, they had shared many hardships and many joyous moments in the 45 years they had been husband and wife. They had been blessed with 10 children, 38 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Through it all, she had never once regretted her life with him. Although she was from a vastly different culture, she had learned the ways of his tribe and embraced his culture and thrived. Many were against her in the beginning, but through the years, they had developed a great respect for the woman who would walk away from her former life of luxury and convenience and willfully embrace the hard life of their tribe, all for the love of their leader. She had proven her love and her loyalty. He had no doubt of her love, but had often worried about the hardships that she endured. In her youth, she had been a beautiful young woman who had blossomed into the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. But the beauty that he saw was not just on the exterior. Yes, her physical beauty was beyond compare, but her inner beauty was that much more. It was that beauty that had won over his people and their trust. It was that beauty and inner strength that had bound their two hearts together as one. Thru the past weeks of his illness, they had much time to talk of their life and how blessed they had been. He reminded her of the many times she would playfully butt heads with him in private. How they argued sometimes over issues, and the wonderful way they had of making it up to each other. He remembered her beautiful long raven locks flowing in the hot breeze, her eyes of violet with the tiny flecks of gold that entranced him. The lovely curves of her body that were hidden in the dark robes, only for his eyes to behold. He told her of how he loved to watch her play with their children as well as all the children of the tribe. She loved children as much as he did and they were both very attentive and caring to all the children of the tribe as well as their own. He told her how wonderful it had been to embrace her and make love to her.
She reminisced how he had been so strong, brave and true. He exemplified what a true leader should be. He was a strong warrior, a brave man, a loving husband and father. But most of all, he was a just Chieftain, a man who anyone could look up to. Even though his enemies loathed him, they still admired him in their own strange way. He was a man to be counted upon, one who protected the helpless, the elderly, women and children. His men had great admiration for him and looked up to him and never went against his word. Yes, there were times when his chosen warriors would question him, howbeit; they had all been his dear friends from childhood. But not even one of them would question his orders without due cause. She remembered all the times she would stay in their tent at nights and wonder if he was alright. Strange, she was so bound to him that she could feel his moods, his very thoughts at times. It frightened her more than once throughout her life with him. She remembered of one time when they were watching over the dread city, and there was a great stirring in the sand and air; she suddenly felt cold all over and her heart began to pound. She knew there was trouble and ached to know if her husband would be alright. Soon she found out that there was great trouble on the horizon. More than once did she remind him that she loved him more than the day before, and to her, that seemed impossible. But with each new day, her love grew more and more. He was her very breath, her life, her meaning for living; her Heart. She reminded him of how beautiful he looked anytime she laid eyes upon him. It didn't matter if he was covered in sand, blood, or sweat, his beauty shone through. She loved the way his long black curly locks would grace his masculine shoulders. His magnificent sculptured features; those beautiful dark eyes that had a language all their own, that lovely dark olive skin. Oh, how she loved to behold him whether he was windblown and tousled or perfectly groomed. He was beautiful to her in every way. She loved to watch him sleep. Many nights she would stay up and look upon his lovely form in the moonlight and shadows, remembering their night of unbridled passion, she would caress his cheeks, kissing him, loving to snuggle against his warm bare body. Yes, she had been truly blessed. Now, she looked upon him as she cradled him in her withering arms. Even in his great age and present illness, never had he been more handsome to her. Even his wrinkles from age and hardship of the desert had done nothing to change his affect on her. Afterall, he was her heart, and true love knows no end.
THE CIRCLE OF LIFE
He opened his eyes and gazed upon all his loved ones surrounding his bed. He looked upon each face earnestly; his sons, daughters and grandchildren. His thoughts brought him back through the years to a time when his children were small; they had been like steps gracing a lovely stairway. He thought back on how he had prayed to Allah that he might live to see all his children grown. Yes, he thought, Allah had truly answered his prayer. Now he looked at all his grandchildren. He wished he could see them all grow up as well, but that was not to be. He could accept that, he and his wife had taught their children well. They were all loving parents to their own children and it was due to the loving example that had been set before them. He spoke quietly to his sons and daughters, telling them how proud he was of them and how he loved them so. Tears welled up in his eyes, as he did not want to leave them, but he knew his time had come. His sons and daughters could not contain their tears and each in their turn embraced their father for one last time. He told his grandchildren how much he loved them. They were crying as well, as they loved their grandfather dearly. His beloved wife, children and grandchildren silently listened as the great patriarch spoke. He thanks Allah for blessing him so richly with the greatest of riches; his family. He bestowed a blessing upon them all. The shadows of death were coming very quickly now and he turned to look at his lovely wife, and gazed into her eyes. Oh! How parting from her was such sweet sorrow! He told her, "You are my life, my love, my heart. Thank you for filling my life with joy." He gazed around at his large family one more time and then looked once more at his wife and said, "Look my love, our circle of life." With tears streaming down her face, she smiled and nodded in agreement, being at a loss for words. She laid her face against his and said, "I love you, my husband, my soul mate." With this said, she gently pressed her lips to his. As she did, he breathed his last breath into her.
THE BEGINNING
The crescent moon shone over the sand dunes as a guide for the warriors; light where there was no light. It didn't matter, however, as they were used to the darkness of the desert night.
Ardeth Bey looked out across the vast emptiness before him, but it didn't even measure close to the emptiness he felt inside himself. For a long time now, the elders of his people were pressuring him to take a wife again. He was not ready to take another wife, as his heart had not healed from the loss of his wife and two children that had been brutally taken from him seven years before.
Ardeth had been so happy back then. He reminisced. Ardeth's wife, the daughter of the commander of the 8th tribe, was such a beautiful girl, not only in looks but in heart as well. Bahiyaa was her name and their marriage had been an arranged one from birth, but this was not a problem as they had grown up knowing each other and loved each other from a very early age. They were blessed with two beautiful daughters and were hoping for a son in the near future. However, that was not to be, as there had been an attack on the village when Ardeth was on watch duty at Hamunaptra. Usually, Ardeth's heart was not at ease when he was on watch, but that night was even worse. He was unable to keep still, his heart was racing and he began wondering if something else was wrong. However, they didn't receive any messages from their village of any danger, which was a relief to them. They later found out that no messages came because of the surprise attack. Ardeth was in an uproar all night. Constantly pacing, not knowing what made him that way. His second, Bahir, watched Ardeth pace back and forth.
Bahir gently placed his hand on Ardeth's shoulder and Ardeth spun around about to come back with a raised arm in response. When Ardeth saw who it was, his head dropped to his chest. He started to walk away, but Bahir stopped him.
"Ardeth, what is bothering you so terribly tonight? All is quiet in the city," Bahir said.
All Ardeth could do was shake his head. He couldn't even say what he was feeling. Many thoughts were racing through his mind.
Bahir grabbed Ardeth and began to shake him gently. "Ardeth! What is wrong with you!"
"I don't know," Ardeth said. "I just know something is very wrong, I can't stop my heart from racing."
Ardeth spun on his heels and started to walk off when suddenly Bahir was joined by Shariyf, another of his chosen. They charged after him in the loose sand, trying to catch up with him. Finally, they caught up when Ardeth had just finished saddling his horse. Bahir grabbed Ardeth's shoulder and spun him around. Ardeth jerked his shoulder loose.
"I know something is wrong, something very wrong," Ardeth said. "I need to get back to the village to see if everything is alright." He turned to Bahir. "You are my honored first. All of you are my best and most trusted warriors. I trust you with the city and the responsibility of it. You do not need me here. I have to know, I have to be sure." Without waiting for an answer, he spurred his horse and took off in the direction of the village.
Shariyf and Bahir stood there looking at their leader and friend with great concern. They knew that he was very intuitive and never took his concerns lightly.
"Did you see his eyes?" asked Shariyf.
"Yes," replied Bahir, with a feeling of dread in his heart. He knew that look. They returned back to the rest of the men and contemplated what was taking place.
DARKNESS AND DREAD
In the distance, an ominous glow could be seen as Ardeth approached the last remaining dunes to the oasis where his village was. He raced his horse as fast as it could go. The fire and acrid smoke swirled in the air and he could see very little movement in the village.
Ardeth jumped off his horse and ran towards one of his warriors who was trying to get up off the ground. He shook the warrior and yelled loudly "Who did this?!" The warrior tried to respond, but was gasping for breath. Ardeth looked him over quickly and noticed that his own hands were now covered in the warrior's blood. He had been stabbed with a scimitar through the abdomen and would soon die. Ardeth bowed his head at this knowledge and gently laid him back down.
The warrior opened his eyes once more and locked them to Ardeth's. He managed to get out a few words in a whisper. Ardeth bent close to the warrior and heard the words that he dreaded to hear.
"Forgive me, my Chieftain, we couldn't stop them. They took your wife and children's..." with that said, he took his last breath, and lay with his eyes still open.
Ardeth could not contain the emotions thundering through his mind. He shook the dead warrior as if hoping to get an answer. "Who! Where?" he screamed. He got up and ran amongst the other tribesmen who were busy helping the wounded. He looked frantically at them, not knowing who had done this. All the people could do was bow their heads, as all knew what awaited their Chieftain at the other end of the village.
All along the wide pathways, through the rows of tents, one could see the dead or dying. As he approached the end of the village, he noticed his tent was not even touched. Most had been burned, but there were many that were still standing. All around him, he could hear cries of anguish and mourning. as he approached his tent, his mother came towards him. She grabbed him and he spun around ready to attack. Ardeth saw that it was his mother and was relieved to see that she had survived. But what he saw in her eyes foretold that an even greater sorrow awaited him.
She tried to stop him from going any further, but he was much too strong for her weakened elderly body to handle. She called out his name gently. "Ardeth, please don't," was all she could get out and doubled over in tears. As he neared the entrance to his tent, he saw the blood on the outer tent wall. They had spelled out something with the blood. His eyes grew wide as he read the message. It read, "You will know pain, Medjai. Enter and behold."
Ardeth's heart was filled with dread knowing that his worst fear had come to pass. He opened the tent flaps and lost all ability to stand in the face of what he beheld. His wife and two daughters had been suspended, arms above their heads, on three of the center poles of the tent. His little girls had been hacked to death with scimitars. His beloved wife had been ravished over and over, beaten, and had been disemboweled. Blood was spattered everywhere as evidence to the heinous crime that lay before him.
Even Ardeth, a battle hardened warrior as he was, could not contain the raw emotions of pain and grief that overtook him. He lay on the carpet, soaked with the blood of his beloved family, and let out the most bloodcurdling scream that a man has ever emitted. Tears flowed down his now bloody face and his heart was overwhelmed with torment. This was far beyond even what he could have ever imagined, and it was his beloved wife and precious little girls that had paid the price. The price for what, he did not know. His mind was beyond all thought of the what-for's. All he could see was that the innocent had suffered for him. His screams echoed through his head, and death for himself now seemed all too sweet; a reprieve from the agony he felt, and his want to be with his family.
Ardeth's mother was still kneeling outside the tent, overwhelmed with the loss of so many, and the most tragic loss of all; her beloved grandchildren and the young woman who became a daughter to her. She heard Ardeth's screams and could not bear the suffering of hearing her own son in his cries of anguish and sorrow. She knew that he would have a very hard time getting over this, if he ever could.
NO RELIEF IN SIGHT
It was past time for the next group of warriors to take over at the dread city. Bahir and Shariyf were both becoming edgy and very suspicious. All the warriors on watch were.
It had been two hours since Ardeth had left and they knew that he would have reached the village in an hour's time at the pace he was going. No messengers, no birds, nothing at all. Both Bahir and Shariyf made their decision rather quickly.
For the first time in the history of the Medjai; Hamunaptra was left unguarded.
The warriors quickened their pace as Ardeth had, as now they knew something was very wrong. What they found sickened and angered them simultaneously. and they frantically searched for any and all who knew what had happened. Shariyf and Bahir saw Ardeth's tent in the distance and were relieved to see that it had not been burned down. However, as they approached, they saw blood on it's walls and began to run fast towards it. They found Ardeth's mother on the ground and quickly knelt beside her to see if she was injured. They were relieved, finding she was not, but alarmed at her overwhelming cries; all she could do was point to the tent. They hurriedly entered and saw Bahiyaa and the two little girls.
Shariyf and Bahir had to fight the rising nausea from the sickening sight as well as the tears that were welling in their eyes. Looking down, they saw Ardeth lying on the carpet, covered in blood.