Chapter 2

The Medjai chief and his warriors rode back into the valley, hot and tired, from a long day of chasing a group of particularly elusive bandits. The thieves had raided their village during the day a few weeks ago when Ardeth and his warriors had been away. Ardeth frowned as he realized that these bandits were getting bolder, attacking them during the day. They hadn't stolen much, but they had burned a few tents, and generally made a mess, as they had stampeded through. Earlier that day, they had found a trail that had been thought to belong to the bandits, but after searching all day long, the warriors had come up empty handed. They rode into the compound amidst the cheers of the people and brought their horses to a thundering stop. Ardeth dismounted and handed off the reins to a handler, then walked towards his tent. He was met halfway by Hamid, his second in command.

"My lord," began Hamid.

"Yes?" snapped Ardeth.

Hamid licked his lips nervously as he saw his chief was in a foul mood. "I just wanted to warn you ...about..." Hamid faltered.

Ardeth saw the nervousness in the handsome warrior and looked at him shrewdly. "About what, Hamid?" he asked carefully.

"The council of women have gone to the elders...on Anara's behalf." Hamid knew by the look on Ardeth's face that he didn't have to continue. "I just thought you should be prepared."

"It is appreciated," said Ardeth through clenched teeth. Hamid hurried away and Ardeth entered his tent. He took off his turban and threw it in the corner. This was all he needed! Not only did he have to worry about the constant pillaging of the bandits and keeping his people safe, but now Anara was pressing her issue with him by getting the elders involved! He went to his small basin and splashed some water on his face, trying to clear his thoughts. He leaned on the small table as the water from his face dripped back into the basin. He closed his eyes and immediately thought of Elizabeth. Thinking of her soothed his troubled mind even though they were apart. He wondered what she was doing now, or if she even remembered him. They had only been together a week, but he had thought about her every day since their last kiss under the palms outside the hotel. His heart ached with longing for her, to see her, to feel her beneath him...he opened his eyes as he heard a noise outside his tent. A tentative male voice called to him.

"Ardeth?"

It was his grandfather. "Come," said Ardeth as he dried off his face and raked his fingers through his hair.

The old warrior entered, and noticed right away the distraught look on his grandson's face. He sighed, for he knew the reason behind the sorrow. "Thinking of her again, are you?"

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Do you know me so well, old man?"

"Yes, I do. I also know that your heart lies with her, many miles across the see."

"How can you know my heart?" said Ardeth testily, as he removed his scimitars.

"How can I not know my own flesh and blood?" smiled the old warrior. "Ever since she left, you have been half the man you were."

Ardeth drew himself up at that remark. "What do you mean?"

"You are still the lord of our people, but you are empty inside, a hollow shell. The light has gone out of your eyes, replaced with a darkness that you cannot hide from me. I see it, Ardeth. I see it in the way you act. You have withdrawn from us."

Ardeth refused to hear the truth of his grandfather's words. "I am busy! I must find and destroy the bandits so that our people can live in peace!"

"Ardeth, there are hundreds of thieves and bandits out on the desert. Do you hope to kill them all? It would take several lifetimes to do that. Our people do live in peace. All of them except you."

Ardeth stared at his grandfather, knowing deep down that he was right, but refusing to admit it. "I have a duty as lord of my people, and I will do my duty," said Ardeth evenly.

The old warrior sighed at Ardeth's stubbornness. "Your duty as lord also requires you to bring forth the next chief."

Ardeth froze at the old warrior's words. "Then, it is true?" he said softly. "The council of elders will force me to marry?"

"No one can force the chief to marry, Ardeth, but they can persuade you to see their point of view," said the old warrior slowly.

Ardeth stood stock-still as he took in his grandfather's meaning. "When will the elders try to 'persuade' me of this disagreeable arrangement?"

The old warrior looked at his grandson, who was coiled and ready to spring. He watched Ardeth's face closely as he answered him. "Very soon."

Ardeth took this all in and gave a slight nod. His grandfather silently left the tent, letting him digest everything he said in his few moments of peace. Ardeth grimaced at his grandfather's news. The council would demand his marriage to Anara and he was unsure of how to stop it. He suddenly felt trapped in his tent and he walked outside. He looked around the compound, watching his people go about their daily routines and sighed. He should be like them, he thought to himself, happy and content as they lived day to day. Yet inside himself, he hungered for the thing he wanted most, the thing he couldn't have; the one woman who completed him. He raked his hand through his hair again in frustration as Hamid came up to him. Ardeth turned to look at his second in command, and saw the empathy in his eyes.

Hamid broke the silence. "I am sorry Ardeth, for what will come tonight."

"It is not your problem, Hamid," sighed Ardeth. They both stared out at the compound for a few minutes. "Do you know what it is like to be denied the one thing you want most?" he asked as he stared at his people.

"Yes," answered Hamid, "I do."

Ardeth looked at him, and could see the understanding in Hamid's eyes. They gave each other a wan smile, and then turned to the sound of a multitude of feet walking towards them. Ardeth and Hamid saw the council of elders walking towards him.

Ardeth grimaced. "You had better go, Hamid. This will not be pleasant."

Hamid put a hand on Ardeth's shoulder. "I stick by my lord in all things, if it pleases him."

Ardeth looked at him and gave him a curt nod of approval. The elders walked up to Ardeth and stopped a few feet short of him. The oldest member, Bakkar, spoke.

"My lord, it would please the council if you would follow us to the meeting tent. We have urgent business to discuss with you."

Ardeth inclined his head. "As you wish, Bakkar."

The elders headed off towards the tent with Ardeth and Hamid behind them. As they made their way across the compound, Ardeth could see the council of women out of the corner of his eye. Anara was with them, standing tall and beautiful among them, but Ardeth refused to acknowledge her presence as they walked past. He followed the elders into the tent and went to take his place by the old elder. Bakkar stopped him.

"Ardeth, this time you must stand in the middle and face us. There are grievances...against you." Bakkar walked around to his honoured place on the council and sat with all the others as Ardeth stood facing them, with Hamid slightly behind his right shoulder.

Bakkar looked at the proud chief, noting the defiance in his eyes and the stubborn tilt to his chin. So like his father, he sighed inwardly. This meeting would not be pleasant. "Ardeth," Bakkar began, "I will not mince words. It is time for you to marry. You have been our leader for a number of years, and have achieved great honours, especially with the conquering of Imhotep and finally releasing us from our sacred oath. The people see you as one of the strongest leaders we have ever had, and now, they want to be assured of an heir. They look to you and your offspring to continue leading them for generations to come."

"I am not ready to marry, Bakkar," said Ardeth.

"Why do you resist? The council of women has come to us and told us that Anara seeks your interest, and has for quite a while. She is the beauty of the village. Why do you put her off?"

Ardeth's voice was hard when he spoke. "She is not the one for me. I do not love her."

"It is no longer a question of love, Ardeth. It is your duty to your people that matters now."

Hamid spoke up heatedly. "My lord is the greatest chief we have ever had and yet you would force him to marry someone he does not love?"

"Anara loves him," stated Bakkar.

"Anara is foolish to press herself where she is not wanted," spat Hamid.

Ardeth looked over at Hamid questioningly, for Hamid spoke passionately in his defense. He turned back to the council, for Bakkar was speaking.

"Anara will bring Ardeth around in time. They will marry and have many sons, and our people will be happy."

Ardeth eyed the council elder coldly. "If I refuse?"

Bakkar saw the dangerous gleam in Ardeth's eyes and knew he was being pushed to the limit. He would have to word it carefully to make the stubborn warrior give in. "The council cannot make my lord do anything he does not want to do, but think on this, Ardeth. You are the Medjai chief. The honour of the Medjai is known throughout the country. You break our honour by denying our traditions. You break our honour by not fulfilling your duty as lord and chief." Bakkar could see his words sinking in to the proud chief and knew he had made the young lord capitulate, but he threw in one last barb to drive his point home. "Do you deny who you are by denying your duty?"

Bakkar's words struck at the very core of Ardeth, uncovering the truth that he had tried so hard to hide. He could no longer put off the inevitable, no matter what his feelings were. He had to take his place completely as leader of his people and do his duty. His shoulders drooped, and he bowed his head in defeat as he spoke. "I will do my duty and marry Anara," he said in a low voice.

"My lord, no..." began Hamid.

"Hamid, our lord has spoken," cut in the elder. "He will marry Anara within a fortnight. Council is dismissed."

Ardeth didn't move for a moment as the shock of that statement seeped in. He had ten days until Anara would make herself his. He squared his shoulders, lifted his chin up, then turned on his heel and stalk out of the tent, with Hamid right behind him. Ardeth began walking back to his tent when the council of women stopped him. Rameth came up to her son. "So?" she asked.

"He will marry Anara within a fortnight," came a voice behind Ardeth. Ardeth whipped his head around and saw the council of elders standing behind him. He was truly trapped between both councils. There were sighs and giggles coming from the group of women and Anara stepped up to him, her dark eyes shining with joy.

"I will be the perfect wife for you, Ardeth," she said softly. She put her hand on his face, but Ardeth grabbed it and shoved it away. He looked at her a moment without saying a word, then strode off to his tent, his long legs covering the ground as quickly as he could, with Hamid following him. Anara watched him go, sighing in contentment. "I will bring him around. We just need to be alone together." The group of women came up to her and began chattering excitedly about the upcoming event.

Ardeth threw back the tent-flap that served as a door and stormed inside. Hamid stood quietly by the doorway, waiting for permission to enter. Ardeth paced for a while and then finally noticed Hamid standing there. He motioned for him to enter and then threw himself down on his pillows, put his hands behind his head, and stared at the ceiling. "What am I going to do, Hamid? I do not want to do this!" he grated out.

Hamid gave the defeated chief a sympathetic look. "I do not know, my lord." He watched in pain, as the dark warrior closed his eyes in frustration, and frantically searched his mind for some way to help the great leader. "My lord, it is time for supper. You have not eaten all day and you must keep up your strength."

"I am not hungry," Ardeth replied darkly. He sat up suddenly and swung around to face Hamid. "Have my horse saddled and bring it to my tent."

Hamid gave Ardeth a worried look, but complied with his wishes and left the tent. Ardeth got up, strapped his scimitars back on, and raked a hand through his hair, deciding to forgo the turban. He walked outside and looked at his people, as they went about eating their supper. He watched while the wives of some of the warriors attended them with great diligence and realized, that soon, Anara would be there with him, catering to his every whim like the rest of the wives. The fury at his situation boiled inside of him and he felt a great need to escape. Hamid came up to him with his horse and Ardeth mounted in one easy motion. Hamid looked up at him fearfully.

"My lord, you should not go riding alone at night. It is dangerous."

"Allah will protect me if he sees fit to," replied Ardeth fatalistically.

"You will return?" questioned Hamid.

Ardeth sighed heavily. "Yes, Hamid, I will return some time tonight. Late. I leave things in your capable hands until then." Ardeth dug his spurs into his horse and thundered out of the compound and into the night. Hamid watched him go until he disappeared into the darkness.

"Allah keep him safe," Hamid whispered into the wind. He turned and walked slowly towards the eating area, meditating on the situation and trying to come up with a solution. Anara saw him walk up and went quickly to him.

"Where is Ardeth going?" she asked anxiously.

Hamid looked down into her beautiful brown eyes and spoke curtly. "He needed some peace, to be alone for a while. He will return later." Hamid watched as a small pout graced Anara's face and got angry. "You should not have pushed him Anara. He is not the one for you."

"He will marry me, he has said so before the council," insisted Anara.

"Yes, but it will not be the marriage you dream of. He does not love you. He loves another."

"The English woman," said Anara softly.

"Yes, the English woman," agreed Hamid.

Anara frowned slightly. "I will bring him around. He will love me eventually and we will have many children together." She smiled at that thought.

Hamid sighed. "Anara, listen to me. He will marry you because he is a man of honour, and you will have his children, but you will never have him. Do you not understand this? I beg of you, let him out of this arrangement, for your sake, for his sake."

"Never," replied Anara evenly. "I will never let him go now. The council of elders has spoken, Ardeth has spoken. We will be married." She turned from Hamid and walked back over to the table of women. Hamid narrowed his eyes at her stubbornness as he watched her walk away. This upcoming marriage would be a disaster, but how could he get Anara to let Ardeth go?

The compound was quiet as the people of the village slept. It was nearing midnight on the moonless night, and the only sound came from the horses as they fidgeted in their corral. A solitary figure moved about quickly in the shadows as it sought out a particular tent.

Hamid stepped up to the door of Anara's tent and whispered. "Anara, wake up. I have a message for you."

He waited a few minutes as he heard sounds of movement coming from inside the tent, and then Anara was there, moving the tent-flap aside. "Hamid," she said quietly, "what is wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong," replied Hamid. "You are wanted in Ardeth's tent." He waited a moment as he let his words sink in.

Anara frowned slightly, then her eyes flew open wide at his meaning. Her smile lit up the dark night like the moon at its fullest. "Tell him I shall be with him momentarily." She went back inside her tent and Hamid turned away, slowly making his way towards Ardeth's tent.

Anara was in a state of delirious happiness. Ardeth wanted to share a tent tonight! She gave a toss of her head as she thought of how wrong Hamid was about them. Ardeth did love her, this was proof of it! They would spend the night together and then tomorrow morning everyone would know he was hers completely. She quickly rubbed some perfumed oil on her arms and neck, and then ran a come through her hair. She nodded to herself as she looked in her mirror. He would be pleased with her. She walked out of her tent and crossed the compound to his tent. She stopped outside his tent, suddenly nervous. This was the moment she had longed for and it was about to happen. It was like a dream come true for her and she wanted everything to be perfect. She took a deep breath and quietly called out to him. "Ardeth."

The muffled voice inside came to her, low and confident. "Come."

Anara stepped inside and wondered at the total darkness that enveloped her. She knew his tent well, though, and moved to his sleeping quarters with ease. "Ardeth, light the lamp. I want to see you..." she was cut off as a pair of strong arms encircled her, making her gasp. "Ardeth?"

"Anara," came the low growl, and then she felt a pair of lips on hers, warm and passionate, moving against her mouth confidently. Her nervousness left her and she gave into the desire that had been burning in her for so long. Large hands roamed over her body through her thin wrap as she pressed herself against him, until those hands finally freed her from the flimsy material. She was scooped up and carried over to the divan, where she was placed gently on it. As she felt his bare, rock-hard body come down on hers, she sighed in utter abandonment, knowing that this night was the beginning of the rest of her life. "Ardeth..." she whispered lovingly into the night.

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The horse came thundering into the compound, its rider as black as the animal he rode, and came to a sudden halt at the corral. Ardeth dismounted and unbuckled the saddle, sliding it off of the horse and setting it by the wooden fence. He slid the halter and reins off and set the animal loose in the corral. Then he turned around and found his grandfather walking towards him, a small lantern in his hand.

"Are you still up, old man?" asked Ardeth brusquely.

The old warrior sighed. "I was worried about you Ardeth, worried that you might not return."

"I have said I will do my duty, have I not?" growled Ardeth, as he began to walk towards his tent. The old warrior sighed and followed him, to give him light to find his way. Ardeth threw back his tent flap and walked in, with his grandfather right behind him. He turned around and looked at the old warrior.

"Thank you for walking me safely to my tent, grandfather," he said sarcastically, "but I do not need to be held by the hand." He walked towards his sleeping quarters and stopped as he heard someone snoring. He motioned to his grandfather to keep quiet and grabbed the lantern away from him. Both warriors walked cautiously into the sleeping room and paused in shock.

Ardeth held the lantern high and the light spilled down on the two sleeping figures, naked, and wrapped in each other's arms. Ardeth's grandfather was the first one to speak.

"Anara?" he said in shock.

Anara heard her name called and opened her eyes, momentarily blinded by the light. When her eyes adjusted she saw Ardeth and his grandfather staring down at her. She looked into Ardeth's face in shock, then looked down at herself and quickly grabbed the blanket, trying to cover up her nakedness. She then looked down at the man beside her in horror. "Hamid!"

Hamid came awake with a jolt, his hand automatically flying to his scimitar, and then relaxed as he took in the situation. "My lord," he acknowledged.

"Hamid, what is the meaning of this?" asked Ardeth.

"Anara and I have shared a tent," he stated simply.

"I see that," said Ardeth dryly.

"Ardeth, I was tricked!" cried Anara. "He told me you wanted to see me in your tent!"

"That is untrue, my lord. I told Anara she was wanted in your tent. I did not say by whom."

Ardeth looked at Anara. "And so, knowing that I did not want our marriage to take place, you came to my tent, eager to trap me. You did not even pause to see who it was."

Anara looked from Hamid to Ardeth in confusion. "It was dark! I could not see that it was Hamid and not you!" she whined to Ardeth.

Ardeth looked at Hamid questioningly. "Why?" he asked. "Why did you do this?"

"Just as you love the English woman, so I, too, love Anara." Hamid paused as he waited for Ardeth to say something, and then continued. "It was wrong of the council to make you marry against your will. It was wrong of the council to take away the woman I love and give her to another man."

"I do not love you!" cried Anara.

Hamid turned and looked at her, cupping her face gently in his hand. "You will in time. I will bring you around."

Anara went pale as Hamid challenged her with her own words. "I will not marry you Hamid!" she said angrily.

"You have no choice, Anara," said Ardeth sternly. "You were both found sharing a tent. By law, the two of you must marry."

Anara got up and scrambled over to Ardeth, hugging the blanket around her well-proportioned form. "Ardeth, please, I will make it up to you! I will be the best wife for you, please do not make me do this," she pleaded as she placed her hands on his chest.

He gently removed her hands. "It is my duty as the Medjai chief to make sure all of the laws are honoured. Will you break this law, knowing that you possibly carry his child?" Anara said nothing as the tears streamed down her face, her head hung in defeat. Ardeth looked over to Hamid, who had put his clothes back on. "Hamid, take your future wife back to your tent. We will let the council know in the morning of the change."

"Yes my lord." Hamid gathered up the sobbing Anara and took her from the tent.

The old warrior looked at Ardeth shrewdly. "Did you plan this Ardeth?"

Ardeth looked at him. "As Allah is my witness, I had nothing to do with this. Do not worry. Hamid loves her and will take good care of her. She will eventually return his love." Ardeth looked at the doubt on his grandfather's face. "It is no different than what she tried to do to me."

"That does not make it right," replied the old warrior.

Ardeth sighed. "No, it does not. But it has happened and there is nothing we can do about it now." He put a hand on his grandfather's shoulder. "Go to bed, old one, we shall talk more in the morning."

His grandfather gave him a look as Ardeth handed the lantern back to him, and then left Ardeth's tent. Ardeth sighed as he undressed for the night. It had been an eventful day, and he was amazed at how everything had turned out. He knew the council would try to make him marry someone else, but he had Allah on his side, and tonight was proof that now was not the time for him to marry. He would persuade the elders to see his way. Ardeth lay down on his recently vacated divan and stretched himself out, the tension of the day leaving his body as he realized a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Now, if he could only lift the great weight around his heart.

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