Disclaimer: look chapter one

Prologue two:

Cairo, April 1921 AD

Aden Bay, chieftain of the first tribe of the Medjai, never thought that his life would end like this: In a dirty street in Cairo, hidden behind a broken carriage, like a coward. He had lived the life of a warrior and wished to die like one, but obviously fate had another end in mind.

He was nearly swooning from the pain the ugly wound in his chest caused and was barely able to keep conscious. But he had to hold on. Giving up now would not only mean his death but would also allow his persecutors to lay their filthy hands on the treasure he guarded.

Zahid, his second in command and he himself had responded to an urgent call from one of their men here in Cairo. Over the last few month a group of adventure seeking Europeans had asked a lot of annoying questions regarding the temple complex in Karnak. It wasn't the first time he had to deal with treasure hunters and noisy western people, so he did not think much of it at first. Now he had to pay for his carelessness, he thought bitterly and pressed himself further into the wall of the little store. Grimacing in pain he slowly slid down the stones, knowing that he was no longer able to hold himself upright.

It had not taken them long to find the Europeans in question, after they had been told the name of the hotel they stayed in. Unfortunately the five foreigners had not been the only ones who appeared in the picture. With an increasing uneasiness Zahid and he himself had watched the group mingle with two natives that were no strangers to the Medjai. Both had once been called brother by him, but had been expelled for various reasons. These days they filled their pockets by showing tourists around and for the right amount of money they lead treasure hunters to forbidden places.

At first he had not been too worried. No chieftain would ever allow a renegade to live, if he possessed too much information. His tribe could not allow the wrong kind of people to discover their secrets. Some things weren't destined to be found and others were better forgotten and buried in the sands of time. So he was more than just a little shocked when he recognised the medallion around the neck of the tall white-haired man. How was it possible that this foreigner was in possession of something that old and dangerous? Something the Medjai thought lost to sands and time for hundreds of years? If the strangers had only a vague idea about the thread the medallion could unfold, and from the kinds of questions they kept asking Aden feared they did, they were all in grave danger.

Sadly there had not been time to inform the others and consult the elders. Aden knew they had to get the medallion back at any cost, so the two of them decided that the element of surprise was the best weapon they possessed at the moment. Unfortunately their precipitous act had come with a high price. Though Aden was able to overpower the old man and get the jewellery easily he was shot on his getaway. He had no idea what happened to Zahid but he feared for the worst.

Pushing his worry for his friend aside he had used the chaos the shooting had caused to his advantage and rushed through gaping crowd and towards the daily market, which was always busy at this time of the day. But his followers had been persistent and Aden feared that it was only a matter of time before they would find him. Specially now that the first rush of adrenalin was gone and his body couldn't ignore the damage the bullet had caused him any longer. He was only a few crossways from the hotel and nowhere near a safe house.

Ripping down the cloth that hid most of his face, he pressed it firmly against the wound in his chest. A low agonized moan escaped his lips and he could feel the cold sweat running down his face and back, as the pain shot through his body. Stars were dancing in front of his eyes and for a few moments Aden feared he lost his battle against the darkness that lurked on the brink of his mind and tried to overpower him. Closing his eyes he tried to concentrate on his breathing and it seemed to do the trick, after a few moments. The problem was he could not stay here like this, he had to come up with a plan and quick.

Dying in a dirty street like a homeless mug was not an option, after all he had to fulfil a duty. Unfortunately it didn't look good, neither for his health nor for his responsibilities. Irritated his fingers clasped tightly around the medallion, which was the sole reason for his current state. If he was going to die for it, he had to make sure that it was never found by those who lusted after the power it held at least.

The museum was not that far away but every time he changed his position only lightly he was paralysed by the pain and he seriously doubted that his legs were strong enough to even carry him down the alley, much less the hole way to the museum.

As the minutes passed he could feel the life slowly draining out of him and for the first time in many years Aden felt the urge to cry, though he wasn't sure if it was due to the pain, the frustration or the sorrow that suddenly filled his heart. He could not die! Not here, not like this!

His tribe needed him, his family needed him. Ardeth, his son, was much too young to bear the responsibility that came with holding the title of the chieftain. Swallowing hard his thoughts drifted towards his wife, his beautiful sweet Samina, and the sudden knowledge that he would never see her again pained him more than any physical wound ever could. Now he was sorry that he had not found a way to spent more time with his family. His wife knew of the burden that weighed on his shoulders and had never been less than supporting and encouraging. She had always been his source of calm and peace, the one person he could just be himself with. The man, not the chieftain. But now he feared he had not told her often enough how much he loved her, that she was his life and light.

"Are you not feeling well?" The soft spoken question ripped him out of his thoughts and his eyes snapped open, while his hand automatically grasped for his scimitar. The sudden movement had him hissing in pain and it took him a moment before he was able to take in the person in front of him. What he found had him blinking in surprise, it wasn't at all what he had expected.

The voice belonged to a young girl, who looked at him with a worried expression. From the colour of her only slightly tanned skin and her long auburn hair that fell in gentle waves down her back, it was clear that she wasn't of his people. What surprised him though was that she had spoken to him in his native tongue. She was dressed like the local girls but the material of her robes was of a better quality and even adorned on the hemline. Standing there, with her exotic hair and expensive robes, she looked like a little princess to him.

"You can speak my language?"

That question seemed to amuse her, as she started giggling and Aden felt it hard to resist the charming laugh.

"Of course, silly," She told him airily and Aden grinned. It had been a long time since anybody dared to call him silly.

"Of course," he agreed. "And what is a charming little lady like you doing in an abandoned street like this, all on her own?"

For a brief second she hesitated before a determined look crossed her face and her little fist clenched into a fist at her site. "I'm hiding. My parents want to move back home, but I don't want to," she huffed. "I am home!" She actually stomped her feet at that.

Rising an eyebrow he looked her over once again. "You were born in Egypt, saira?" It was a bit surreal to make small talk with this slip of a girl, while his wound was getting the better of him, but he found himself enthralled with her. "What is your name?"

Stepping nearer she eyed him carefully as if she just now realised that he was a complete stranger to her. For a moment her eyes focused on his chest, but the cloth was dark enough to cover the blood, or so he hoped. Finally she shrugged and smiled again. "My name is Lilliana Sofia, after my grandmothers, but you can call me Lilly. Everybody does."

Before he had a chance to introduce himself she continued. "And I live here since I was little." Well from his point of view, she was still little but he had a feeling she wouldn't like to hear that.

"And how old are you, Lilly?"

"I'm eight and a half," she answered proudly and suddenly decided to step nearer. Near enough for him to catch a glimpse of an astonishing pair of green eyes. For a moment he felt uncomfortable with the intensity in it. But if she noticed that something was out of order she didn't comment on it.

"And what is your name?"

"A pretty lady as you may call me Aden!"

Obviously he still could charm a lady, even if she was only a child, as she blushed prettily. He would have chuckled, hadn't it hurt so badly. Swallowing the pain he tried to concentrate on the girl, maybe there was a way out for him, at least concerning his duty.

"So, you have to leave soon?"

Pouting prettily she nodded. "Yes, Mama is homesick and now that the war is over and everything is settling down, Papa gave in to her wishes." It was not hard to read between the lines, what she thought of those wishes. "Mama doesn't like it here. She thinks it's too hot and too dusty and she calls everyone a barbarian, but I think that is stupid!" Lilly huffed and crossed her little arms in front of her and he nearly expected her to stomp her feet again. "I like it here. All my friends are here and I can accompany Papa and watch him work. I don't want to go to stupid Germany, I want to stay!" She whined clearly on the brink of tears.

"Maybe you can come back one day," he suggested hastily at the prospect of being confronted with a crying female.

"You think so?" A flicker of hope appeared in her eyes and held the water at bay.

Considering the desperate plan that had popped up in his mind, he was not sure if it was a good idea to encourage a possible return, but it was plain obvious that she considered Egypt her home and he did not want to crush her young heart, so he nodded.

Now she was beaming and Aden was stuck by her appearance. Her eyes were positively shining and her hair framed her like a halo. This one would break many hearts in the years to come, he was sure. Remembering her little display of temper earlier he hoped the man she ended up with possessed enough skill and patience to handle a spitfire like her. Even after only ten minutes with her he was sure that having her in your life would make it anything but dull.

Admonishing himself to focus on the important things he clenched his teeth together and tried to sit up a bit more. A bit surprised he noticed that the pain was not as prominent as before, but at the same time he noticed that he barely felt his legs any more.

"Are you okay?"

He had not noticed that he had closed his eyes for a moment, but as he opened them again he was confronted with two worried green orbs directly in front of him.
"Just a bit tired!" Little Lilly did not look like she believed him but when he did not add anything else to it she changed the topic.

"What are those signs on your face?" Not shy of contact she brushed her finger over each mark with a curious look on her face. Obviously she had never seen something like that before, which did not surprise him, considering her upbringing.

For a moment he hesitated, not sure if he could allow himself to talk to her a bit longer. He would have to send her on her way as soon as he gave her the medallion and a part of him dreaded that he had to do it. He enjoyed her company, however he was quickly running out of time and there was always the possibility that the foreign men would find him and didn't want to risk her safety.

Sighing he ignored his rational thoughts and smiled at her.

"The one on my forehead is the mark of my clan. There are twelve different tribes but mine is the first." Not many people knew about the true meaning of their marks outside the tribe but it wasn't as if it was a great secret either. "The others, the one on my cheeks mark me as a warrior of my tribe. Every young Medjai has to earn them. They are unique for every warrior and represent an attribute which sets him apart from everyone else."

"And what is the meaning of your marks?" By now she was kneeing beside him, obviously fascinated with what he was telling her.

"Strength and loyalty." And if his wife would have had any say in that matter obstinacy would have found its mark as well. The thought of his family brought a new wave of sadness and loss over him and he knew it was time to come to an end.

"I have something for you," he announced and raised his hand which still held the jewellery. "It would only be right to present you with a goodbye gift, if you have to leave my country, don't you think?" The numbness that had captured most of his body made it hard to move his fingers, but he was able to show her the medallion.

"A present? For me?" Her breath hitched and her eyes got huge with surprise but she was near enough to him to notice the sparkle of excitement.

"Here," willing his muscles to obey him he lifted his arm a bit higher so that he could cover her hand with his. Putting the gem into the palm of her small hand, he withdrew his own and was barely able to let it slide back into his lap. It felt as if it weight a million tonnes.

She was silent for so long that Aden feared he had started to slip away, down into the darkness, which felt so much nearer than a few minutes ago. His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, but as soon as her soft voice filled the air again, they snapped open. Hu...apparently she was not an illusion.

"It's so beautiful," her voice was filled with awe and her fingers carefully traced the lines of the lid but she didn't open it. "And you really want me to have it? Mamma says I shouldn't take things from strangers."

Aden nearly snorted. He was pretty sure her mother also told her not to lurk in dark alleys and talk to strangers. "Yes, saira. I want you to have it, so you have something that reminds you of the country you love so much. And every time you get homesick you simply need to hold it and you will feel better." He mumbled, fighting to keep his eyes open. "Do you think you can do that?"

"Yes," she breathed, clearly relieved that it would be okay for her to take it. Eagerly she swept it over her neck, and grinned brightly at him. "Thank you, I promise I will always wear it." She told him before she unexpectedly launched herself at him in a hug that nearly knocked the wind out of him. The pain that shot through him even broke through the all-consuming numbness and had him groaning in pain. His moans did not go unnoticed and Lilly immediately let go of him.

"Did I hurt you Aden? I didn't mean to, I just wanted to thank you for your gift!" She innocently told him and starred at him with wide eyes.

"No saira, you didn't hurt me, but I think it is time for you to go home. Your parents will worry about your whereabouts and you should spend the rest of your time with your friends not some old man." He tried to sooth her.

"But you're my friend too, are you not?"

Smiling he nodded. "Yes I am, and as your friend I don't want your parents angry with you because you spent so much time alone on the streets."

Once again her mouth formed into a pretty pout but his words seemed to do the trick and finally she nodded and stood up. "And you are going to be okay Aden?"

"Yes," the lie came easy about his lips.

"Promise?"

"Promise," this time he hesitated for a second. He did not like to break a promise but he knew it was necessary.

"Okay!" She nodded carefully but hesitated for a second. And then, quick as the wind she leant forward and brushed a kiss on his checks, right where his mark was. Giggling and blushing at the same time she smiled at him. "Goodbye Aden." And with another airy laugh she was gone.

Her sudden absence hit him like a punch in the guts, it felt as if the last bit of light had suddenly been withdrawn from him and he was helpless to fight the dizziness any longer. His eyes fluttered shut and soon everlasting darkness consumed him.

Aden Bay, great chieftain of the twelve tribes, was dead.

TBC