Title: From the Darkness to the Light Author: Mel

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Rating: Eventually Strong R For Violence and Sexual Situations

Pairing: Ardeth and Jonathan

Archive: Of course just let me know where it goes.

Feedback: Always welcome is my first solo slash story. Summery: A coming of age piece for Ardeth.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jonathan Carnahan or Ardeth Bay. Everyone else belongs to me and my partner in crime Sheri.

Authors note: Sheri this surprise is for you.

Chapter 1

Ardeth Bay sat atop his sleek black horse and looked out at the vast desert before him. He had lost so much in such little time. At the young age of 27, he lost his one true love and parents not even 6 months apart. First it was Hasim. He went out on patrol and never returned. His prized scimitar was on the thief that more than likely killed him when Ardeth ran across him in the market 6 weeks after the fact. He wanted to make that man suffer. His best friend and second in command Malik was with him that day and thought differently. Malik held Ardeth's arm pleading with his best friend to make it a swift kill. Ardeth nodded but wanted so badly to rip out the mans heart like his own had been the day Hasim's horse came back without a rider. Moving closer to the man Ardeth said, "That's a nice weapon you have there. Tell me where did you happen to come across it. The dirty heavy set man looked up and turned white as the linens that hung in the ally over head. The look of pure hatred was evident in Ardeth's dark soulful eyes, "I think I shall take that back."

With one swift move Ardeth used his recently honed blade to slice the man open in the center and watch as his guts hot and steaming hit the sand. He then used his blade to cut the fat slobs heart out. He held it still beating in his hands and squeezed it. Dropping it on the sand he moved over to the lifeless body of the thief and took what was rightfully his. Hasim's scimitar and left with Malik right behind him. Ardeth shook his head trying his best to clear the hurtful memories from his mind. His head was swimming with visions of what was done to Hasim and the sight of his mother bleeding to death in his arms.

Ardeth bit back the hot salty tears that attempted to fall as he thought about the raid that took place only hours before. He looked down at his bloodstained hands and tried his hardest to wipe out the memory of his mother dying in his arms. The attackers were brutal in their assault. He was on patrol with Malik and some of his best men when the raiders struck. The men that were left behind fought valiantly but the Raiders in red and black outnumbered them. He knew who it was that waged the war on the first tribe and it was only a matter of time before he exacted his revenge. He came in as the last of the men in Red and Black were leaving.

Ardeth, Malik and the rest of the patrol took care of what was left of the raiders. That's when Ardeth saw his Ume laying on the ground by the medical building. He dismounted and went to her immediately. She looked up at him when he pulled her on his lap and said one thing, "I love you son. never forget." She took her last breath and went home to Allah. Malik found Lilith and some of the women hiding in the caves. Being taught when she was young where to go when there was a raid, she led the women and some children there. When she came back and saw her mother dead in Ardeth's arms she fell apart. Ardeth kept his head and after taking care of their dead he mounted his horse. He thought his father kidnapped but when he looked in the stall next to his he saw his fathers body, his head missing. They had taken it for a trophy. Ardeth saw red and took off on his horse. He fought so desperately to fight back the tears but as Sky Dancer galloped out in the open desert he felt them fall. He ended up at the cliffs that overlooked a newly discovered tomb.

He wiped his face as again the tears had won their battle to fall down his face. He had no fight left in him. His mind and body beaten by the battle and his heart and spirit broken by the lost of Hasim and his parents. He knew well enough that Malik would take care of his sister Lilith. He quietly chided himself she was no baby. She was 25 but an old wise 25. All he wanted was for the earth to swallow him whole right were he sat.

Standing in the shade of the tarp covering Jonathan Carnahan scanned the desert and cliffs. He saw one lone rider sitting on a beautiful black mount. He was vaguely curious who and what that lone rider was and why they were there. With his attention turned toward that lone rider Jonathan did not hear the raiders that were stealthily moving toward the camp. It happened in a flash he heard screaming and looked on as his baby sister was grabbed by the hair and pulled onto a horse that rode off fast into the desert.

Guns were going off and metal was clanging as both Howard Carnahan and his wife Ammerah fought off the band of robbers with help from what diggers were left. Most had run at first shot. Jonathan used his side arm and picked off one or two of the men that were attacking his parents. "MUM. LOOK OUT." Ammerah looked but it was too late, the scimitar of her foe slid easily into her belly and jerked upward. The man pulled his weapon out but was cut down by Howard's gun.

Ardeth saw what was going on and urged his horse to run as fast as it could toward the raid. He knew that Loch-Nah had just left his village and was now on a plundering spree to hurt kill and mame as many people as he could. Ardeth was too late both Howard and Ammerah lay dead, bleeding in the sand. All but one of the raiders had left taking what they could as they tore off for their own village. When Jonathan tore his eyes from the horror of his parents lying there bleeding in the sand he himself was shot in the leg and fell backwards with a loud groan.

The large black man with the big round eyes dismounted and with a roundhouse kick knocked Jonathan down. He drew his scimitar and said, "You will make a good addition to my collection. Your lovely little sister is already on her way."

Ardeth rode up not caring who saw him and called, "LOCH-NAH leave him. Its MY turn to dance with you." Loch-Nah turned around and said, "Ardeth Bay. So sorry you missed our little party at your village. It wasn't the same without you." He looked down at Jonathan bleeding on the ground and said, "What's this scrawny little foreigner to you?" Ardeth glared, "Leave him and take me on." He slashed at Loch-Nah and the fight began. Ardeth blocked Lock-nah blow for blow. Loch-nah lost his sword and when Ardeth went in for the kill Loch-Nah pulled a dagger out of his boot and plunged it into Ardeth's shoulder. Ardeth dropped his scimitar and Loch-Nah ran for his mount. "We will dance another day Bay. I found what I was looking for." He took off and Ardeth fell to the ground on his knees. His breath was coming in short pants and his shoulder throbbed with white-hot pain.

He moved over to where the young Brit lay and said between pants. "Are you alright enough to ride? I need to get you to safety."

Jonathan looked up at the warrior and said, "No. MY sister. MY PARENTS. NO. I can't leave them I need to get her back from that desert scum."

Ardeth thought his heart could not tear any more after losing his own parents but watching the younger man openly sob broke his heart all over again.

Quietly he said, "Listen to me. I will get your sister back. I promise. I will help give your parents a proper burial but NOW listen. You need your leg looked at and I need my shoulder looked at. My little sister is a healer. Today the same man that killed your parents killed mine, along with many good men, women and children."

Jonathan looked up at the man that in fact did save his life and said, "But. My sister she is all I have left." Puffing out his chest the best he could he said, "How do I know I can trust you? That other man was going to take me with him as part of his collection. What makes me so sure you won't do the same?" He winced from the pain shooting up his leg and did his best to hide his fear, terror, sadness and anger from the stranger that leaned over him.

Ardeth sighed, "I do not have time for you to learn to trust me either you are coming with me or I leave you here to die and we never save your sister. You have but one choice stay or go." Ardeth hated being so firm with the younger man but he had no choice. He watched the Brit's facial expressions and softened just a tad. "My name is Ardeth Bay. I am a Med-Jai a warrior for God. You can trust me please boy. We need to get you help and I will send some of my people back to retrieve your parents bodies for proper burial."

Jonathan sucked in a deep breath and said, "Jonathan Carnahan. And do NOT call me boy I am 18 and as of this moment the man of the family. My sister's name is Emma she is only 15. I will go with you on one condition, we patch me up quick so I can get my sister back."

Ardeth nodded and helped Jonathan off the ground as best as he could with one arm. He picked up the scimitar that dropped and sheathed it. "Ride on my horse with me, he is fast and that way we can help each other so neither one of us falls face first in the sand."

Jonathan nodded and with Ardeth's help he was mounted in the saddle. He was dizzy from blood loss and the pain was so intense he felt as if his leg was on fire. Ardeth leaned forward and said, "Jonathan when you are ready Sky Dancer will ride like the wind and get us safely back to my village."

Jonathan nodded while biting the inside of his cheek, "Lets go." He felt the world begin to spin when Sky Dancer took off. Not even five minutes into the ride Jonathan could no longer stand the pain and let him self fall into the darkness that claimed him.

Ardeth felt him go limp and cursed silently. He didn't put a tourniquet on the younger mans wound and he was losing blood fast. They both were. Ardeth urged the horse on faster telling him in Arabic that he needed to get them home and fast. The horse listened and strained its muscles at the extra load but picked up speed and they were back to the village in half the time.