Abd Al-Malik Bay, the chieftain of the Medjai of the desert, though he was going on his usual trip to speak to Dr Bey, the curator of the Museum of Antiquities, about any information he may have on the Englishmen who came to Egypt to steal its riches and ruin its culture. He never would have thought that he would see a 3-year-old girl wandering the middle of the desert all by herself, and so far from any city too. She should have been a rotting corpse by now considering how treacherous the desert is and yet here she was, walking through the sand without a care in the world.
Deciding that staring in shock at the little girl was pointless, he rode his horse over to her with his companions following close behind. The little girl heard horses approaching and turned to stare at the beasts in awe as though she had never seen a horse before. "Wahasha! Wahasha!" the girl spoke in fluent Arabic as the chief approached her.
On closer inspection, he saw that the girl was Egyptian-Arabic, just as he was. Her black hair was long and messy as if it has never been cut. Her tan skin was covered in sweat and sand though she didn't seem irritated by it. She looked like an ordinary child save for her golden coloured eyes, it was as if she had the sun in her eyes.
Seeming satisfied by his inspection, Abd jumped down from his horse and knelt before the small girl "Why are you here little one?" he asked in English, the girl blinked stared at him.
"Ma'an?" she asked as she pointed to his waterskin attached to his sash. Realising that the girl knew only Arabic, he gave her the pouch and waited for her to nearly drink it dry before gently taking it away from her.
"Why are you here?" he asked again, only this time it was in Arabic, the girl furrowed her brows and shrugged.
"I not know…I wake, I here" her words were broken and savage, she seemed to know basic words and could not form full sentences.
"You do not know how you got here?" she shook her head "my name is Abd Al-Malik, what is yours?" perhaps with her name he could reunite her with her family, he was quite skilled in finding people by just a name.
Her furrowed brows soften as she frowned "I not know…I wake…I here" she repeated her words and the chief finally understood what she meant, she woke up with no memory of anything but a few Arabic words. Abd felt immense pity for the small child and gave her a smile "would you like to come with me, I can take care of you?"
The girl looked so hopeful as a smile graced her thin yet sweet face, she probably has not eaten in quite some time. He will forever be amazed at how she has survived the harsh punishment the desert inflicts on all who cross it "YA!I" Abd chuckled and picked the girl up, he placed her on the front of his horse and jumped on behind her.
"We ride for home!" he yelled to his men as he nudged his horse to move, the men shouted as raced behind him. "sleep little Atiya, you are safe?" the little girl didn't know what Atiya meant at that moment, but later she would find out it was her name.
When Abd Al-Malik came home to his wife Sadaf, she never would have thought he would come home with a little girl curled against his chest. "What is this Abd? Why have you come home with a child?" she asked with a questioning glance, she preferred to speak Arabic at home as it was her native language, she would never submit to speaking in that foul westerner language.
"I found her wandering the desert, my love" he replied once he was fully inside their family tent, it was the largest as he was the Chieftain a father. "please, prepare us a meal and warm water for her to bathe in." she nodded and rushed off to finish preparing her meal, her son, Ardeth, would be coming home any minute now. He was 5 years old and already started his training to become a Medjai. He would leave their tent early in the morning to attend his lesson and would come home late in the afternoon.
Once the food was ready she came back into the main section of the tent to see her husband showing the small girl how to sit at the table they have. "This is how we sit when at the table."
"It hurts knees" she muttered as she wiggled slightly in the hopes It would stop her knees from hurting, she sat cross-legged and judging by her scrunched up face it was the first time she ever sat like that.
The Chieftain noticed his wife walking in with a tray full of food and smiles at her, one full of undying love. "Atiya, this is my wife, Sadaf, she has brought food for us."
The girl looked up at the beautiful woman and smiled "pretty" she said with a smile, Sadaf thought it was adorable.
"Here, little one, some food to warm your body," she said as she placed the tray in front of the small girl who breathed in deeply at the delicious smelling aroma though she stayed still, probably waiting to be told if she can eat the food or not. "Go on, feast, you must be starved" the girl nodded and began to grab some food and shoved it into her mouth. Abd grabbed just enough to fill his stomach but left the rest to the obviously starved girl.
Whilst she satisfied her hunger, Abd filled his wife on the situation little Atiya was in. The woman felt instant pity and the need to protect her. She did for all young children in need. "Mother, I am home and I brought Rohak with me," a young boy said as he entered the tent, Atiya immediately stopped eating at the new voice and turned to see him. The boy looked not that much older than her with thick black hair and tanned skin and intense eyes.
"Hello, Sadaf," a scruffy looking man said from behind the small boy, this man was strong and well built with thick, black hair braided down his back, a neatly trimmed beard and tattoos shown all over his body. "oh? Who is this little one?" he asked when he noticed Atiya looking at him curiously.
"Hello Rohak, this is Atiiya" Abd replied as he stood to greet his son and longtime friend "I found her wandering the desert a few days ago and have taken her into my care."
"You found her in the desert you say?" Rohak asked in reply as he looked at Atiya in awe, her gaze was not firmly set on the boy who stared back at her. He liked how cute she looked, sitting there silently whilst staring at him, he wondered how she survived the desert all by herself.
"Yes, she has a strong spirit. Atiya, come here" Abd said to the small girl, she didn't respond to the name but when he motioned with his hand she came to his side "Atiya this is my son, Ardeth"
"I like," she said to the boy who blinked in surprise and looked at his father in question.
"Her words are simple and broken, do take her them to heart, it is how she shall communicate until she is taught otherwise" Ardeth nodded in understanding "Why don't you sit with her and keep her company whilst I speak with your mentor" the boy nodded again and grabbed Atiya's hand, she smiled and followed him to the pillows set up near a wall. "That should keep them distracted for now. I must admit Rohak, I do not know what to do with her" Abd said with a deep sigh.
"Let me take her" Rohak replied without hesitation.
"Rohak? Why would you take on such responsibility, you and your wife have no experience in raising a child?" Sadaf was honestly surprised by such an admission; the man was a strong man who was dedicated to the protection of Hamunaptra. Not once has he ever expressed a desire for a child.
Rohak sighed and looked at the small child who was now giggling at Ardeth who had taken to making funny faces at her, the boy liked the small girl laugh "As you know, Nafisa cannot have children. I believe that this child would bring the life back into her eyes and a purpose to live. A child should never be without a mother."
"Are you sure of this Rohak, a child is a big responsibility."
"You have no room in this tent Abd, for now, she could share a room with Ardeth but then where would she go when she has grown, there would be no room for her here. No, I will take her so she will not suffer the same fate I had when my father abandoned my mother and I." Abd and Sadaf did not reply to his admission, it was a sore subject for the Medjai, it seems that he saw a little bit of himself in the small girl who was left in the desert. There was no way a child could get separated by her parents in a place so empty, there was no doubt that she was abandoned to die in the desert.
"Very well Rohak, she will become yours and Nafisa's responsibility, raise her well."
And from then on, the little girl who was found in the desert became Atiya Saun.