Chapter 13

Carter ran through the streets of Cairo as fast as he could, back to his hotel. He took the steps up to their rooms two at a time and arrived outside of Clive's room, panting. He rapped on the door urgently and heard Clive call out to him.

"Come in."

Carter went inside and closed the door quickly behind him. "Sir! I just saw her! She's riding out into the desert with him!"

Clive looked at his manservant in amazement, trying to make sense out of his frantic sentences. "You saw Elizabeth? Where?" he asked excitedly.

"She's heading out into the desert with him! Right now!"

Clive frowned. "What do you mean, 'him'?"

"The bandit from before!"

Clive smiled condescendingly. "Carter, that's impossible. He's in prison."

Carter walked up to Clive. "Well, then, sir, I suggest he escaped somehow and is now carrying Elizabeth back to his home in the Sahara."

"Let's go pay the warden a visit, then, and make sure he's still rotting away in his cell. It's not that I don't believe you, Carter, but all these people in their dark robes do tend to look alike." Clive put his jacket on and headed out of his room with Carter following him.

They walked out of their hotel and took a cab to the Cairo prison. As Clive stood outside the warden's office, he had a sudden premonition that something wasn't right. He took a deep breath and opened the door. There sat the warden of five years ago, grayer at the temples, but still the same, brooding character from before. He looked up from his paperwork as Clive and Carter walked in.

"Well, look what has returned to me after I warned him never to come back to my country," said the warden.

"I have done nothing wrong," replied Clive angrily.

"Not yet, anyway. What can I do for you, Mr....ah....Thorpe, I believe it was?"

"I want to see that black devil I had you lock away when I was here last," demanded Clive.

The warden gave Clive a steady look. "I am afraid that is impossible."

"Why?"

"Because he is no longer here."

Clive's face became pale. "And just where is he?" he asked softly.

The warden looked at him thoughtfully and decided to tell him the truth. "Your woman came to me the night we locked him up and pleaded for his release. She made very convincing arguments on his behalf, and so I let him go."

Clive's fury quickly boiled to the top. "You released him?" he yelled. "What happened to me getting justice for what he put me through? Not to mention the fact that he got my fiancé with child!"

"Justice, Mr. Thorpe? Or revenge? I think it is the latter you are seeking. You are upset that your woman is taken with the dark one, in fact, it is wrong to call her your woman. She belongs to the dark one, body and soul. I could see it in her eyes the night she came to me. And you say she has a child by him? I am surprised she is still with you."

"She isn't with me, and hasn't been for the past five years," said Clive through clenched teeth. "I've been following her all over this God-forsaken planet only to arrive back where it all started."

The warden smiled. "She has gone back to him, has she? Good for her."

Clive knew he wouldn't get anywhere with the warden using angry words, so he calmed himself outwardly, letting his anger seethe inside him. "Can I use some of your men to help me bring her back?"

"I have none to spare at the moment."

Clive narrowed his eyes at the warden. "Fine. I'll hire some of the locals. I'm sure they'll do anything to make a few pounds."

Clive turned to go, but the warden's voice stopped him. "Mr. Thorpe, is this really worth it, this revenge? I am afraid it will only bring you to a sad end."

"The only sad end to this journey will be that black devil's death and believe me, it will be worth it." Clive stormed out of the office with Carter on his heels.

"Where to now, sir?" asked Carter.

"We'll stop by a local pub and see if we can hire some men for a few days. We also need to find someone who knows where these bandits, these Medjai, live."

Clive walked quickly down the street, heading for the nearest pub.

The Medjai, with Elizabeth and Eleth, rode across the sands until the darkness had completely settled in. They stopped and made camp, building a large fire to ward off the chill of the night air. Ardeth kept Eleth by him as he went around to his men, setting up the watch schedule and securing things for the night. Elizabeth smiled as she watched father and son together, trying not to worry about what would happen when they reached Ardeth's village. As they ate their supper, Eleth wandered in and out of the warriors, babbling away to them in wonder at this new adventure, while Elizabeth chased after him. Elizabeth finally got him to finish his food and settle down for the night on the blanket in front of the fire. She sat and rubbed Eleth's back until he fell asleep, curled up on the bedroll.

Elizabeth sighed as she sat up, stretching her tired limbs as Ardeth walked over to her. He sat down beside her, watching Eleth as he slept.

"He finally sleeps," remarked Ardeth.

"Yes, it does take him a while when something new and exciting is going on," she said dryly.

He looked at her as the light from the fire flickered over her features and frowned. "You are thinner since the first time we met."

Elizabeth smiled. "You didn't notice that earlier today?"

Ardeth looked chagrined. "I was too busy with...other things," he replied evasively.

Elizabeth chuckled. "Well, when you have an active boy running around, you don't always get time to eat for yourself."

Ardeth said nothing but got up and walked over to the food supplies, rooting around for a few items and then came back to Elizabeth. He sat down next to her and handed her a cloth bag. "Here," he said as she took it from him, " I want you to eat this, all of this, right now."

Elizabeth opened up the bag and found a crust of bread, a small brick of cheese and some dried meat. "Ardeth, I just ate some of the stew..."

"But you did not eat it all," interrupted Ardeth. "You were too busy with our son to take care of yourself. Eat this, while I speak to my warriors, and know that when we get to the village, you will eat properly. There is always someone to watch a wayward child while the mother is eating." Ardeth waited patiently until Elizabeth gave in and took a bite of the cheese before wandering over to his men. At first, she ate a few bites to make him happy, but then she found herself eating more of it as she realized she was quite hungry, and before she knew it, she had eaten everything he had handed to her. She washed it all down with some cool water from the canteen and then settled herself down to sleep. She curled up behind Eleth, making sure he was covered, and put her arm around him. She watched while the other men settled down to their bedrolls and smiled when Ardeth walked up to her, and removed his scimitars and turban for the night. He then stretched himself out on the bedroll against Elizabeth's back, bringing the blanket up around all three of them, and then put his arm around her waist.

Elizabeth sighed as she felt him against her, feeling safe within his strong embrace, and happy to be out under the stars once again. She smiled to herself as his hand came up to slip inside her blouse and fondle her breast, and she turned her face to him. He had his head propped up on one hand, and he was looking at her intently.

"Do you know how difficult this is, to be so close to you, yet not be able to make love to you?" he whispered.

"We'll just have to be patient and wait until we get to your village," she replied demurely.

"Woman, you know my patience will be pushed to the limit until we get home," he growled.

"Then perhaps Eleth and I should sleep elsewhere...?" she asked coquettishly.

His arm tightening around her was response enough, but he put it into words to make sure she understood. "You will never sleep apart from me again."

Her smile faded as she noted the intense look he gave her, full of passion and possession, and realized that she had little hope of talking him out of letting her and Eleth merely visit. This would be for the rest of her life, and Elizabeth prayed that it would all work out somehow. She lifted her hand to his face, cupping his chin and running her thumb along his full bottom lip. Ardeth kissed the tip of her thumb and then brought his lips down to hers, kissing her as deeply as he could without disturbing Eleth. It was several moments later when he released her, letting his eyes speak to her of the deepest passion he had for her. Elizabeth returned his gaze but couldn't keep her feelings silent.

"I love you," she whispered to him

"And you," he whispered back to her, "are the heart of my heart."

Elizabeth smiled at that and turned back towards Eleth to check on him before letting sleep finally claim her. Ardeth watched as mother and son slumbered away, his thoughts working on how he was going to convince the council to let him keep the woman he loved.

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