Lost in the Night

Disclaimer: I don't own Ardeth Bay or the O'Connells. All I own is Cassandra and any other Original Characters I manage to dream up.

Ardeth Bay sat on his horse flanked by his chieftains. As he had done countless times before they stared down from the cliff upon the ancient ruins of Hamunaptra. Two years had passed since the creature had risen only to be defeated with the help of the O'Connells. Ardeth had hoped this would bring an end to the hordes of greedy men that came in search of the vast wealth that lay beneath the desert sands. Such had not been the case. Men with greed in their hearts still flocked to the Forbidden City and the Med-jai were still forced to eliminate the threat through any means necessary.

Just as it seemed they would be forced to do yet again. This time the intruders were fellow Egyptians. His deep brown eyes narrowed as he saw several of the men dragging what appeared to be a white woman from the confines of the city. Even at this distance her red hair glinted in the sunlight. Ardeth's keen eyes could see that her clothes were in shreds. He watched as she was drug several hundred yards from the City of the Dead. She struggled against them every step of the way.

The Med-jai's jaw clenched as one of the men yanked her forward roughly and back handed the delicate looking woman hard enough to send her to the ground. His eyes widened as she was then tied spread eagle to the ground and left by the laughing men to rot in the fiery oven of the Sahara. Something deep inside him longed to race down the cliff to free the woman from her restraints. Someone of such fair skin would no doubt sunburn severely under the brutal desert sun.

Ardeth shook himself mentally. He could not risk his men's lives by attacking during the day.

Altair, his second, spoke to him in Arabic. "What are your orders? The intruders must pay for defiling Hamunaptra, of course, but what of the woman, my Chief?"

"We attack once darkness falls. Altair will lead the attack on the thieves. I will free the woman." Ardeth shook his head. "I do not know what we will do with her but I will not leave her to die such death."

Leila Callahan closed her eyes against the glare of the desert sun. She had been out here for a little over an hour and already she knew that she was beginning to burn. There were several hours left until the sunset and she knew that while she would be badly burned she would likely survive the night and suffer the same torture when the sun rose the following morning. Her death would be slow. But still, death of any sort was better than the fate she escaped through it. Hopefully she would pass out soon.

A skittering in the sand near her caught her attention. Turning her head she let out a choked cry when she realized a scorpion sat near the shoulder exposed by her torn blouse. The creature was already poised to strike. She tried to remain still but she shook with her fear and the scorpion struck. Leila cried out in pain and watched as the dreadful thing skittered away. As tears fell from her eyes she let out a bitter laugh. Her death would be quicker but no less painful.

Stealthily, Ardeth and his men made their way down the cliff to the desert floor. He spoke quietly to Altair. "Go, do what you must. I will find the girl and join you."

Altair nodded and with a gesture to the other warriors he and the other Med-jai road off. It was an easy matter for Ardeth to find the woman where she lay staked to the unforgiving desert sands. Ardeth dismounted and knelt beside her. The girl's left cheek was bruised and her lip was split. Through the tears in her clothing Ardeth could see other bruises, cuts, and scrapes. The woman stirred letting out a soft moan. Sensing a presence she opened her eyes and let out a small cry of fear.

Ardeth placed his hand over her mouth. "I will not harm you," he told her firmly, "But you must not make too much noise and betray my men, understand?"

Ardeth remained still as the woman gazed at him with wide emerald eyes. Something in his voice must have soothed her for she nodded. Ardeth was concerned to see her green eyes bright with fever. He removed his hand and went to work freeing her.

"It's pointless," she told him hoarsely in a distinctly American accent, "I was bitten by a scorpion. I'm going to die."

Ardeth's eyes narrowed. "Where?"

"On my right shoulder," she replied struggling to sit up. She bit back a squawk as Ardeth pulled her to him and moved her torn shirt to the side to expose the swelled mound of the bite.

Her eyes widened as he pulled a knife from its sheath at his waist. Seeing her fear Ardeth took her hand and his dark eyes locked with hers. "What is your name?"

"L-Leila Callahan," she answered.

"I am Ardeth Bay, Chieftain of the twelve tribes of the Med-jai. You must trust me," his voice was soft and urgent. "This will hurt but you must be quiet. You will live but I must remove the poison."

Leila nodded and gripped the warrior's robes for strength. Ardeth wasted no time but drew the knife across the bite releasing the poison that was stored under the skin. Leila bit back a cry of agony and was left gasping for breath as Ardeth plied the wound with his fingers to remove as much of the venom as he could. Ardeth's estimation of the girl raised a notch. She had let out a gasp of pain and was gripping his robes tightly but nothing more. Many men had passed out from the pain that she had just endured.

Ardeth left her lying weakly in the sand and returned a moment later with a water skin. "Slowly," he murmured lifting her, "Small sips or you will be ill."

Leila gratefully accepted the water. When she was finished she looked up at her unexpected rescuer. She was a bit embarrassed by how limp she was in his arms. "Why are you helping me?"

"My people do not make a habit out of leaving women to die in the hot sun of the desert," Ardeth told her.

"Who are your people? Why are you here?" Leila demanded. None of this was making sense. She was so tired and dizzy. She longed to close her eyes but feared what might happen if she did so.

"Hush," Ardeth commanded as he scooped her into his arms. She weighed less than a feather. "We will have time to speak of this later. For now I must join my men." Ardeth carried her to his horse and sat her on it. He swung easily up behind her and adjusted her so she sat sideway across his thighs. He held her snugly against him allowing her to lean back against his shoulder.

Leila's eyes widened when she realized he was carrying her back towards Hamunaptra. "No! No, I can't go back there!"

With one hand Ardeth tilted her chin up so that she met his gaze. "As I said before you must trust me. Those men will not harm you again, this I swear to Allah."

Leila's racing heart calmed as she gazed into his dark eyes. Her muddled brain could produce only one thought: This man had saved her life. She would give him her trust as long as he did nothing to betray that trust. She subsided wearily her head falling to rest on his shoulder. Long lashes came to rest against her high cheek bones.

Satisfied that the woman accepted his word Ardeth spurred his stallion into a gallop. The woman was limp in his arms. Ardeth assumed she had fainted. In mere moments they sped past the entrance to the city. The Med-jai warriors were cleaning up the few remaining invaders.

Three men were shoved before him. The tallest one, a balding Egyptian of middle age, snarled when he saw Leila held in front of Ardeth.

"Whore!" He glared up at Ardeth and spoke in his native tongue. "You have no right to the bitch. She is mine."

Leila raised her head, stiffening in Ardeth's arms, and her eyes glittered with hate. Ardeth realized she understood Arabic. "I'm not anyone's whore. It doesn't matter what you did to me," she hissed in his language, "No, you did something much worse."

Leila sat up and looked down at the men below her with loathing. Her voice rose in pitch and volume as she spoke again. It shook with her rage. "You murdered my brother! James never hurt anyone and you killed him!" She began to struggle to slide from the horse shaking with fury. Ardeth tightened his grip keeping her on the horse. "You killed my brother damn you! I hope you rot in hell!"

Her flailing hands came in contact with Ardeth's knife and she pulled it from its sheath intending to burry it in the bastard's cold heart. Ardeth's hand closed around her wrist before the blade could leave her hand. "Do not sully yourself with his blood," Ardeth said softly in her ear, "He is not worth the mark it will leave upon you." He pried the knife from her fingers and returned it to its sheath. Leila remained silent but her gaze did not leave the man that had murdered her beloved brother. Her breath came in shudders.

The Med-jai knew he needed to get her away from this. He knew that if she were not so ill she would be fighting like a lioness to tear the bald man's throat out. Ardeth looked down on the man with cold eyes. "If what she says is true you deserve your fate." He turned his gaze to Altair. "Finish it." Without another word he turned his horse and rode from the city.

Leila tried to look over his shoulder but he pushed her head into his chest. She had a right to hate them but something inside Ardeth wished to shield her from the harshness of what was about to occur. Still, he could not keep her from hearing the death cries of the remaining invaders.

Several minutes later the rest of the Med-Jai caught up with them. Leila was still trembling. She couldn't decide if it was from her rage or from the fever she could feel burning through her veins. Ardeth Bay spoke to one of his men drawing her attention back to him.

Leila looked up at the Med-Jai. "What about me?"

Ardeth looked down at the woman in his arms. She was very pale. "You are unwell. We will camp not far from here. When you are stronger we will speak of this."

"But –"

Ardeth laid an elegant finger over her lips. "Hush, little one. I know you have questions but for now you must rest. You are safe."

Leila's lips tingled where he had touched them. She studied him intently and finally decided she didn't have a choice. She was simply at the end of her strength. She closed her eyes and was soon asleep her head once again resting against the dark warrior's shoulder.

Ardeth could feel the heat radiating from her slender body. Leila's fever was rising. He knew it was probably her body fighting off the scorpion's venom. He had gotten most of the venom out but she would still be sick for a couple days. He needed to get her to bed and determine the extent of any other injuries she might have.

The warrior was grateful that she slept the entire way to the campsite. He had seen that she had been beaten badly enough to be very sore. The ride would have been uncomfortable indeed. He slid from his horse carefully so as not to disturb the precious burden he carried.

Ardeth motioned for Altair to join him.

"What are your wishes, my chief?" Altair asked when he reached his friend.

"See that the wounded are cared for and that the men rest." Ardeth began to walk to his tent, "I will be in my tent if needed."

"Will we be returning home in the morning, my lord?" Altair called after Ardeth knowing the men would want to know. They had been here for several weeks now.

"I am afraid I cannot say at this time. I do not know if the woman can travel. I will know more after her wounds are tended," Ardeth returned before entering his tent.

Ardeth laid Leila down on his sleeping mat. He stood and lit several lamps that hung around the tent so he would have light to work by. Ardeth grabbed a pack from a corner of the tent and once again knelt by Leila. She was not as sunburned as he had feared. A previous tan had shielded her from the worst of the suns rays.

The bruise on her cheek was even worse in the light. Ardeth wished he could kill the men who did this all over again. Trying to keep his gaze and touch professional and brisk Ardeth began to remove her clothes. Rage filled him as he took in the proof of the mistreatment she had received at the hands of the intruders.

Bruises of various colors dotted her skin showing that her torment had taken place over a span of weeks. There were cuts and scrapes on her hands, elbows and knees. There was a gash over her left temple that he had been unable to see in the dark. Dried blood matted her hair. What angered him the most however were the two gashes that ran down the inside of each of her slender calves. Obviously caused by a knife the two cuts were quite deep and were easily six inches long. Fresh blood flowed from the wounds that showed signs of infection. These wounds should have been stitched. Ardeth could not imagine their purpose.

Grabbing his medical supplies Ardeth began to clean her wounds. He bandaged some of the nastier ones and cleansed the blood from her hair as best he could. He applied a salve to her skin in the necessary areas to take the sting from the sunburn. He then covered her with a blanket from her knees to her chin to preserve as much of her modesty as he could before going to the flap of his tent.

"Altair, sadiq," he called in Arabic, "I require assistance."

Altair rose from where he sat with some of the men near the fire and strode to his leader's tent. Ardeth gestured him inside.

"What do you need me to do?" Altair asked as his eyes drifted over to where Leila lay on Ardeth's mat. His eyes widened as he saw the wounds on her calves.

Ardeth nodded. "They need to be stitched. You are better with a needle than I. I am not sure how deeply she sleeps. I will hold her still."

"Why would someone do this?" Altair asked even as he knelt by Leila's feet.

"I do not know. They must have hurt terribly," Ardeth replied as he knelt by Leila's head ready to restrain her if she moved.

Ardeth cursed inwardly when Leila moaned and her eyes drifted open. He had hoped she would remain unconscious for this.

Leila's eyes took a moment to focus on the face of the man above her. It took her several more moments to recall recent events. Her eyes drifted down to see Altair crouched down by her feet threaded needle in hand. "W-what?"

Ardeth carefully brushed a tendril of hair from her face. He spoke gently in English. "Those wounds need to be stitch, little one. They are infected. I have cleaned them but they need to be closed. Altair is better with a needle than I am."

Leila swallowed trying to put her muddied thoughts in some kind of order. "This is going to hurt isn't it?" she whispered.

"I am afraid it will," Ardeth agreed, "I will help you to remain still while my friend stitches your wounds."

Leila eyed the needle with trepidation but did her best to gather her courage. After surviving the past few weeks this should be easy. "Do it."

Ardeth pulled her up so that her back was against her chest. He made sure the blanket was modestly tucked around her. Altair gave her a reassuring smile. "I will try to be quick."

Leila nodded her appreciation. Despite her vow of courage she cried out when the needle pierced the inflamed skin. Ardeth held her tightly keeping one hand on her knee so that she could not move that leg.

"Why was this done to you?" Ardeth asked hoping to distract her with conversation, "Standing alone must have been an agony."

"That was the point," Leila said between clenched teeth, "If I could barely stand then I most certainly couldn't run now could I." Her body trembled with pain and fever.

"You are doing well," Ardeth whispered in her ear. Louder he said, "How did you come to be in Egypt?"

Leila grabbed his arm as Altair reached a particularly inflamed section of the gash. It took her a moment to catch her breath. "My father was an Egyptologist. He brought my family here from America. He wasn't like a lot of the men who come here looking for treasure. He wanted to preserve the artifacts and the tombs. It was knowledge he sought not wealth."

Leila slumped against Ardeth in relief as Altair finished stitching the first wound. After several heaving breaths she continued her story. "He loved Egypt and its history and people so much that when I was born here he gave me an Egyptian name."

"Yes," Ardeth said, "I wondered about that. 'Night'"

Altair started on the second leg.

"Aah! I-I was born at night and night was my father's favorite time here. He loved the beauty of the desert under the stars. H-he also told me that night brings a respite from the heat for the people." Leila muttered a curse. "Would this hurt so much if they weren't infected?"

Ardeth shook his head. "No. While unpleasant in itself it is much worse when the skin is reddened with infection."

"Lucky me," Leila was again embarrassed by how limp she was in this man's arms. She simply didn't have any strength left. Leila nearly wept with relief when Altair finished his final stitch.

Leila attempted to sit up on her own and gasped as a wave of dizziness swept over her. "I don't feel well," she murmured closing her eyes.

Gentle hands lowered her to the sleeping mat and then she felt a wet cloth pressed against her forehead. Her calves were wrapped with bandages then lowered back to the mat. After several minutes she opened her eyes. Altair was gone. Only Ardeth remained with her. "I'm so hot," she told him.

"It is fever from the scorpion's venom and from the infection from your wounds. Here," Ardeth held the water skin to her lips, "Drink."

Leila nearly sighed with pleasure as the water trickled down her parched throat. After several sips Ardeth pulled the water skin away. Ardeth eased her back down and adjusted the blanket so that her legs were covered.

"Be still. I am going to mix something to ease your pain," Ardeth ordered gently before standing and moving to a small fire pit in the center of the tent.

Leila chuckled and closed her eyes as the tent spun around her. "Believe me," she replied softly, "I wouldn't dream of moving."

She must have dozed for it seemed only seconds later that Ardeth once again knelt at her side holding a cup of steaming liquid to her lips.

"The herbs mixed in this tea will ease your pain," Ardeth said as she obediently drank the tea. It was several minutes later that he set the empty container aside and lowered her back down.

Leila closed her eyes and murmured an appreciative sigh when the wet cloth was once more wiped gently across her face and neck. Soon she slept.