Disclaimer: The characters of Jonathon, Rick O'Connell, Evy, Imohtep, Anck-su-namun and Ardeth Bay are from "The Mummy" as are the Med-jai, and so they aren't mine.
As he rode away, Ardeth Bay heard the irate sound of Jonathon's voice behind him. "He's just leaving us here". He chuckled quietly to himself, as much from relief that the past few days were over as from amusement at the complaint. If the companions had been in any real danger of not getting home safely he could have called for assistance for them, but he judged that they would be safe enough.
Before he had gone far something prompted him to look up, and he saw a figure silhouetted on the ridge line above him. He thought for a moment, then set off towards the path leading up to where the figure was. Once he reached the top he dismounted, then moved towards the figure, leading his horse.
"Ardeth Bay". She greeted him softly, without turning round. The voice confirmed her identity beyond all doubt, although the fall of flame-red hair had done much to convince him. "Lady" he greeted her in return, gravely, formally. He heard her laugh at his formality, as she had done ever since they'd first met, but she had never offered him another name to call her by. He had been told of "The Lady" on the day that he had assumed leadership of the Med-jai. "She knows things that no-one should" he was told. "Sometimes, when you need advice the most she'll be there, while other times you won't see her at all."
He joined her and they stood for a long moment, staring in silence at the figures who were slowly disappearing into the distance. He wished them well, and hoped that they would find happiness.
"Some time ago" the woman began suddenly, "you were up here, watching him (she nodded to one of the figures on the camels) flee into the desert. You let him live because you thought that he would die. Do you wish that you had killed him then?"
He hesitated for a moment, then admitted "Yes. I think I do. If not for him the Creature would have remained undisturbed." She nodded, agreeing with him, then murmured absently "Still, I wonder for how long?" She shrugged, as if dismissing it.
"There is another matter." She had turned to face him now, looking intently into his eyes as if trying to read something. "You are the Med-jai who led in the time when Imohtep returned. As such, you failed in your duty. The lore demands that you should die."
Ardeth Bay closed his eyes, then nodded, hearing it said out loud what had been playing through his mind ever since he had known of the Creature's return.
"You do not defend yourself? You could claim that although Imohtep was raised, he has now been defeated, and everything is accounted for."
He opened his eyes again. Her tone had sounded strange, like a mixture of amusement and regret, but her face was perfectly calm and composed, as if the matter was trivial. Perhaps, to her, it was.
"I could" he agreed "but I will not. For generations we have held this sacred responsibility, and I am the one who failed. The guilt is mine."
He sighed. "Besides, there is something else. In the city, when we attacked at night, there was a point where the man, O'Connell, attempted to bluff, risking his own life to save them all." He hesitated, wondering if he should explain further about the explosive and the unspoken threat, but the Lady nodded, indicating she knew. He briefly wondered how she knew, then dismissed his speculation as pointless.
"There are those who will say that I should have allowed us to die, sacrificing my life and that of the others in the city to prevent the raising of the creature, even though I did not know at the time that they would accidentally raise him. Another could have taken my place as leader after my death – there would be no great loss."
"By 'those' you mean Fesoth." The woman named the man who was Ardeth's main rival, who opposed him at every turn and questioned his judgements. He wondered how she knew about the "politics" of his people, and decided that this was another pointless speculation. He nodded in acknowledgement.
The Lady nodded. "If you do not mind, I will travel with you to where the other Med-jai are gathered." There were always some Med-jai guarding the city of Hamunaptra, but when it had become apparent that the Creature had actually been reawakened, the call had gone out for every Med-jai to come and fight. If need be, they would all have fought the Creature and as one fell another would take his place, continuing either until the Creature was dead or no Med-jai was left alive. It had been such a short time since the Creature had been woken that a large number of Med-jai would still be some distance and time away. Messages would have to be sent to tell them all that the threat was gone and their presence was no longer required. He winced at the thought of the effort this would take, then wryly observed to himself that his death would at least remove some problems for him. Someone else would have to cope with the logistics of the whole Med-jai gathering.
"I had thought that this problem would be solved." The sound of his voice surprised him, he hadn't realised that he was going to speak aloud, or admit to what he was now saying. "I sacrificed my life to save O'Connell and Jonathon, or I thought I had. My death in the city would have been a lot easier than going back to face my people."
The Lady laughed, a strangely bitter and mocking laugh. "If you think that dying is easy then you still have a lot left to learn Ardeth Bay". She moved towards the path leading down off the ridge, leading her horse, and Ardeth followed her, leading his. Over her shoulder she commented "Your people were taken by surprise. They are about a day's travel from here. They underestimated how quickly Imohtep would regain his powers, and where he would chose to head."
Ardeth frowned. "Then who…? You brought this horse for me, Lady?" The Lady smiled to herself. "You could hardly be expected to walk home." Ardeth looked at her in respect. He'd been told that the Med-jai leaders who'd met her before thought that she could see in to the future, but he had never seen evidence of this before. "You knew that I would be at Hamunaptra, and that I would survive?" The woman giggled, a strangely young sounding noise. "If I could see into the future as clearly or as deeply as you all seem to think, I wouldn't be wandering around the desert giving advice." Under her breath she muttered "I'd probably go gambling instead". "No, the truth is that I saw you enter the Museum of Antiquities, then you left with some other people, and finally headed towards the air field, leaving your horse behind. It was obvious that Imohtep was heading to Hamunaptra, and that you would follow. In case you're worried, I paid someone to bring your other horse back."
Ardeth was confused by the apparent change in manner, from a wise and knowledgeable woman to a young, less experienced girl. "How did you know that the Creature would return to Hamunaptra?"
"MEN" the young woman cried looking exasperated. "Imohtep bore a love for Anck-su-namun which was so strong that he killed his Pharaoh for her, and returned to steal her body despite the fact that he was hunted. Something like a curse and a span of many years is not going to reduce a love like his. It should have been obvious that he would return for her" she explained.
Ardeth eyed her strangely. "You sound like you approve of them" he said uncertainly. He could see her shoulders shrug in front of him. "A love like that is hard to find" she answered. Ardeth wasn't sure exactly what her tone meant this time.
Later
Ardeth looked at the ring of men. He had reached the place where all the Med-jai had gathered, and announced the Creature's death, relating some of what had happened. While most of them had begun to celebrate at the news, the more senior and influential members had gathered together. They all watched him now, some looking accusing, some concerned. The Lady stood next to him, her face set in an expression of deep calm. Few knew who she actually was, although she was something of a legend among the Med-jai.
As expected, it was Fesoth who stepped forwards. As well as looking accusing, he also looked triumphant. "You failed in your duty" he announced. Obviously deciding that there was no merit in discretion, he forged ahead. "By our tradition your death is demanded". Ardeth knew why he was so pleased – the leadership of the Med-jai had passed down his own family in an unbroken line since the beginning - and as Ardeth had no male heir a new leader would have to be chosen. Fesoth had always had ambitions to be the leader someday.
This arrogance raised his temper, leading him to consider opposing the judgement in a way that all The Lady's questions and observations hadn't. Before he could do so, another of the men did so for him. Within minutes a fierce argument had broken out, between those who declared that Ardeth should die, and those who asserted that Ardeth's leadership was necessary for the good of the Med-jai. As he listened to the debate he felt a sense of pride that so many had good opinions of him, and perceived in him qualities which he had never thought he possessed.
A touch on his arm made him jump. Turning he looked into The Lady's dark green eyes, which were filled with laughing amusement, He had been so engrossed by the discussion that he had not even heard her, or seen her move. She gestured towards the men, who were still arguing. "If you announced that you had made your decision to die, no man would question your right." Her tone was mocking, and Ardeth scowled, knowing that she could sense his reluctance. What had seemed so clear cut on the ridge was more complicated here, as he saw the man who would probably assume leadership after him, or try and wrestle power from whomsoever Ardeth appointed.
"There is another way to end this." He looked at her in hope. "You could challenge Fesoth to the Rite of Combat." A few nearest her heard what she said, and fell silent. Whispers spread through the men, until all were silent, wondering if Ardeth would call for Rite of Combat – where the decision is made by a fight to the death by the two antagonists – something which had not been resorted to for generations.
He looked at The Lady, but she gave no indication as to what she thought was right. Squaring his shoulders, he made his decision. He was the leader. He stepped forwards, and challenged Fesoth to the Rite of Combat.
The Lady watched the fight. She knew what the outcome would be – not from any skill at future telling but rather from a recognition of Ardeth's skill. Even as she watched he defeated Fesoth in straight combat, killing him cleanly with a sword thrust through the chest. She smiled to herself in approval.
Ardeth finished burying the man he had killed, and knelt beside the grave. He closed his eyes for a long moment and was silent. When he stood up and turned around, the Lady was stood next to him. He regarded her steadily.
The Lady recognised in Ardeth a self-assurance that had increased since his ordeal. She smiled, then stepping forwards she went up on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. "You are a brave man, Ardeth Bay".
She stepped back again, then knelt and placed a single flower on the grave of Fesoth. Ardeth wondered where in this sun-blasted land she had found a flower. Standing back up she dusted off her hands, then looked up at Ardeth again.
"Although O'Connell and the others ultimately defeated Imohtep, it was they who released him in the first place. I am sure you recognise in Evelyn the curiosity she possesses, a quality which is likely to lead the Med-jai to more trouble in the future." Again, she seemed to be reading something in Ardeth's face. "Like you, she bears a love for this land. She will return." He nodded, wondering where she was leading. "You could have had them killed. You acknowledged the debt of respect, but you did not promise them safe passage. It would have been better for your people if you had them killed."
For a moment he was silent. Finally he shook his head. "I cannot do that. They deserve more." The Lady's frown was dark and forbidding. "Compassion is a concept which does not sit well in this desert." "No," he agreed "but honour is. My honour could not allow their deaths after this." The Lady nodded approvingly. "What about you?" he questioned her. "I am sure that you could arrange their deaths. Will you?" She sighed and shook her head. "No. My compassion will not allow it". She smiled ruefully at Ardeth Bay. "If it helps you at all, you could believe that they were fated to wake Imohtep."
"Why?"
She laughed softly. "If I knew that, I would be a lot happier. As it is, I think that only time will give us the answer."
She gave him a friendly nod. "Until next time, Ardeth Bay". She moved to where her horse was stood patiently, mounted and rode away. Ardeth Bay watched her until she had disappeared into the desert.
The End