A/n: So... inspiration for this story is a little hard to come by. I'm really sorry that it has been so long since I have last updated. I have not given up on this story and will continue to write it, but at the moment,unfortunately, my muse is on a sabbatical. Actually I've been having trouble writing for anything lately. I might just be restless, because everything I write I partially detest these days. Anyway I just thought that I'd post this chapter. Not sure when I'm going to be able to update, but reviews always give me a good kick to write more. So please review, and again, so sorry for the slow update.

Prompt: Green With Envy (#7)

Chapter 2:

Return of the Med-Jai

Jarah Jazrawi was twenty-four, a few inches taller than six-feet, and quite slender. He had a clean-shaven face, that made him look younger than he was, and tan skin the color of pale gold. He had straight, black hair that he combed back, though at times a stubborn strand would fall over his eyes and touch his cheek bones. His hazel eyes were perhaps, his most beautiful feature and made up for the fact that his nose dominated his face and was vaguely hooked.

All in all, Aria thought he wasn't bad-looking. Granted he'd never be the kind of man that girls threw themselves at, especially as his bookish nature did nothing for him, but Aria thought he was interesting enough to look at. Besides, she didn't see what was so great about men who attracted women so much. Yes they were incredibly handsome, but there would always be the jealousy to contend with, the wariness of competition and Aria couldn't stand that.

Sneaking up on the unsuspecting scholar was far too easy. Poking him in his sides as he sorted through the stockroom in the basement of the museum, caused him to yell and jump almost two feet in the air.

"Aria!" exclaimed the newest member of the Cairo's Museum of Antiquities, whom Aria spent a little time with every time she visited. The skinny man had taken it upon himself to befriend her, and attempt to teach her Hieroglyphics.

Aria merely smiled and shrugged her shoulders at him, before speaking in their native tongue. "I couldn't resist, Jarah."

"I didn't know you were coming in. I would have prepared something for you," Jarah replied looking put out, continuing their conversation in arabic. Once more Aria shrugged her shoulders as she leaned against a crate and crossing her booted feet.

"So what are you doing down here?" Aria asked in their tongue, looking about the crates that Jarah was working through.

"New display piece, for the Museum," he replied simply as he finally reached what he was looking for before moving towards a work table where he placed the large, wooden box and turned on a gas lamp on the table. "You want to see?" he asked with his usual enthusiasm where it came to all things related to ancient Egypt.

"All right," Aria said flatly as she walked over and stood next to him as he opened the wooden box carefully.

Inside was a very large and heavy-looking necklace made of gold. Aria shifted her feet uncomfortably as she stared at the piece of jewelry... something was nagging at the back of her mind, though Aria didn't know why. There was simply something about that necklace...

"The origin of this necklace is unknown, but it's dated to be three-thousand years old. Though it is unknown who exactly it belonged to, it's a very expensive piece which suggest a royal or someone very important," he started to tell her, his voice quiet but the tones of excitement still clear to her. "This one is said to carry a curse, to anyone who dares to put it on."

"Yes? And what kind of curse in particular?" Aria asked, not nearly as intrigued as the young man by either the dear worth of the object nor the curse placed on it for protection. Being an acquirer of such artifacts, she was used to running across priceless, cursed objects. They didn't fascinate her nearly as much as they seemed to fascinate others, and she tended to avoid having too much contact with objects that carried particularly nasty curses, even before the entire Mummy fiasco.

"Well unfortunately, that is unknown," Jarah frowned, as if the necklace had personally insulted him by being purposefully unknown and not coming with an instruction manual.

Aria opened her mouth to tease Jarah by saying something sarcastic, when the gas lamp suddenly went out, casting them into semi-darkness. Jarah muttered to himself in annoyance as he reached out to fiddle with the gas lamp, trying to figure out why it stopped working.

"It must have run out of gas," Aria offered.

"Yeah, I should go get another one," Jarah stated, moving through the maze of crates, shelves and statues with Aria beside him, the top of her head falling a couple inches short of his shoulder. "How have been the last two months?" Jarah asked as they made their way up the stairs.

"Very well. In fact, living like a lazy, fat cat," Aria replied ironically causing Jarah to chuckle quietly. However, it wasn't too far from the truth. Aria did rather feel like she was getting lazy, even if she spent most of her days on the street. She simply hadn't taken a job since Hamunaptra, and she didn't think that one counted even though it involved mummies and magic and possession.

"Nothing new and exciting then?" he asked as they finally reached the ground floor and started to make their way through the museum at a leisurely pace.

"Apart from the coming nuptials, no," Aria replied.

"Somehow, I suspect that isn't entirely the truth," Jarah stated lightly, causing Aria to look towards the man beside her. She raised a sleek, black brow at him.

"And why is that?"

"Well... you're just so mysterious. You visit once every several weeks, I've heard from Jonathan you're quite wealthy and yet still dress... so adventurously..."

Aria looked over at Jarah once more, unable to help smirking at him. She found it amusing the way that he tried to so tactfully say that she dressed poorly, and found it even more amusing because of the blush creeping onto his face.

"Are you blushing, Jarah?" Aria couldn't smirking just as they made their way towards the main entrance.

"I..." Jarah started, but whatever he was going to say when they both found that there were several persons milling about the entrance, drawing their attention.

Aria froze, feeling her heart jump, skipping several beats before pounding very hard against her chest. There, just as when she'd last seen him, he stood, dressed all in black with his hair covered, and the tattoos on his cheeks exposed. The expression on his face was stoic and unsmiling as his dark gaze studied someone to his right, whom Aria couldn't quite see as Jonathan was blocking her view.

She could just see Evy, slightly obscuring her view of Ardeth as she stood before him, but facing towards the person Ardeth was staring at and whom Jonathan blocked. To Ardeth's left and slightly behind Evy stood Rick.

"Ari!" Rick called out, suddenly grinning towards her and drawing everyone's attention to her, and Aria wished she could really turn herself invisible. She was very ill prepared for this moment and her heart seemed to be going into worrisome convulsions that made her feel very uncomfortable. She could barely contain her reaction to turn and run, her instinct to flee difficult to suppress.

In her head, she mentally cursed Rick as she took a few steadying breaths to regain control of her body.

She would NOT blush. And she would certainly not behave as though she had any reason to be ashamed. She took measured steps towards the group, barely aware of Jarah walking beside her and pointedly ignoring Ardeth's perpetually intense gaze.

"Hello Jonathan," she stated as she waltzed up, her gaze momentarily looking behind the English man to the woman standing behind him as he turned to face Aria to offer her a grin.

She barely heard his response as her gaze landed on the stranger.

She wasn't sure if she was appalled or stunned as she stared at the incredibly beautiful blonde woman with painted red lips. She had crystal blue eyes, her golden-blonde hair perfectly coifed, and she wore a dress that hinted at her hourglass figure, the hem of which barely seemed to graze her knees.

If Aria hadn't know where exactly Jonathan was supposed to have gone, she would have guessed by the babe with blonde hair in the woman's arms, that this must be Evy's school friend. And somehow Aria felt, that Helen York, even without the fine clothes, makeup and carefully done hair would make Aria feel incredibly inadequate as a female.

"Aria, this is my friend, Helen York. Helen, this is Aria Nazari, a very good friend," Evelyn introduced, taking the baby in her arms so as to free Helen.

"Pleasure to meet you," Helen stated, her voice smooth and sultry like smoke, her posh English accent somehow making her voice all the more appealing.

"Likewise," Aria replied aloofly as she shook the woman's extended hand.

"And this handsome little man right here is Alex," Evelyn commented, as she stared at the babe in her arms, smiling adoringly at the child, her gaze sparkling. Aria nodded, giving nothing more than a cursory glance at the baby.

"And of course, you remember our old pal Ardeth," Rick said boisterously, slapping a hand down rather hard on said Med-Jai's back.

Aria shot a look at Rick's grinning face, keeping her features in a cool mask, even as she narrowed her gaze on him. She didn't really know what her childhood friend was up to, but she felt double-crossed.

"Of course," Aria stated in deadpan, glaring at Rick for good measure before turning to look at Ardeth who was looking over with his own inscrutable expression. "How could I forget?" Aria stated before switching to Arabic and speaking in low, quick tones. "Is there a reason your tribes-men are following me?"

"I thought that would be obvious," he replied in a tone with no inflection, though his dark eyes seemed almost regretful. Aria merely raised a brow, but it was clear that he was not going to elaborate further.

"Well, now that we've all become acquainted... tea anyone?" Evy stated, her voice slightly nervous as she tried to ease the tension between the two Egyptians who both turned their equally dark eyes to Evy with looks of resignation.

~X~

Aria kept having flashbacks through tea, as she sat back and watched the others interact silently, only participating politely when anyone turned to her with a comment. The blonde female was increasingly becoming a nuisance and no matter how hard Aria worked on pushing the emotion down, jealousy had never been an emotion she could adequately wrestle.

She felt uncomfortable, watching Miss York flirt brazenly with Ardeth. And her mind kept going back over the countless women, women of the same sparkly caliber, the same feminine wiles that were used to getting their way in everything. Women who liked to flaunt before other women the charms they possessed, and their ability to turn men into soft deposits of melting flesh.

There was a burning in the pit of her stomach as she watched the beautiful blonde, smiling dazzlingly at Ardeth, hanging on his every curt but courteous statement. However, it was obvious to Aria, even if to no one else, that Ardeth was uncomfortable with the attention, and even mildly disapproved.

Rick hadn't been like that. He'd been relatively quiet about it, but he enjoyed the attention he got. Cocooned himself in it and seemed to forget the world around him as he smilingly accepted and quietly flirted in turn, offering gentle touches and husky words.

Unfortunately, Aria found that it didn't matter to her that Ardeth was only politely regarding the beautiful woman. With every moment that passed, her body seemed to tense further, to the point that she felt that she was going to snap like a brittle branch at any given moment.

But his behavior did make her wonder. Sure... she'd understood Ardeth to be a man burdened by his sense of responsibility, duty and honor... to the point that he was severely serious, but from her visions of his past self... she felt that he should be quite the flirt.

Though she was aware from her visions that Aten-Nefru was also dutiful and noble, he was also of considerably lighter attitude than Ardeth. While respected by his fellow Med-jai, he'd earned himself quite the reputation for being a flirt and a heart-breaker, which she didn't see Ardeth capable of ever being, giving how stern and guarded he was.

She couldn't quite understand how Aten-Nefru, could ever grow into a man like Ardeth. But then she supposed, she wasn't exactly like Sekhet either. Perhaps past-life experiences, while not remembered, still somehow altered the soul.

"Hey Kid," Aria very nearly jumped out of her skin and turned to her right where Rick leaned against the back of the bench she was occupying, his elbows resting on the back. A smirk lit his handsome features as he caught on to the fact that he'd startled her, an impossible feat, usually. "You seem distracted. Three guesses what's got you strung so tight."

Aria scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she gave Rick her most potent glare.

"You know, I never thought I'd see the day you'd throw me to the wolves" Aria stated.

"Come on Kid, you know I'm just having some fun."

"At my expense. What exactly are you hoping to accomplish?" Aria asked, arching a brow at Rick.

"Me?" he asked trying to seem innocent as he gestured to himself. Beneath her withering glare, he dropped all pretense before moving around the bench and dropping himself heavily next to her. "All right. I'm just waiting to see which one of you snap first. I'm putting my money on you."

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence," Aria returned sardonically. "But you're quite wrong."

"I don't think so," Rick said, in a tone so infuriatingly confident that Aria simply had to ask.

"And what makes you so sure?" Aria seethed.

"The blonde bomb from England," Rick stated, lowering his tone conspiratorially as he leaned into Aria so that only she could hear, his gaze flitting from the corner of his eye to Miss York. One of his arms rested on the back of he bench, hanging off at the elbow so his forearm and hand rested between them. "You never were much good at dealing with a certain green monster."

Before Aria could even think of a response, their attention was drawn away be Evy calling over to them. Both Aria and Rick turned away from each other to regard Evelyn who was still holding little Alex.

"I was just saying how silly it is for you and Ardeth to stay in hotels and Jonathan agrees with me. Now I would gladly offer you a place to stay with me, but unfortunately Helen and Alex will be taking up my guest room, but Jonathan has a guest room... as does Rick," Evelyn suggested, with a slight smile at the end of her discourse, her eyes momentarily flaring with uncertainty before settling into their usual doe-like expression.

Aria who had been listening to this all couldn't help noticing the slight hesitance in Evelyn's voice before she suggested Rick's place, or noticing the look in Miss York's eyes as she watched Aria and Rick the entire time Evelyn was speaking. There was something somewhat suspicious in those deep blue eyes, and Aria couldn't help feeling the woman must be having some scandalous thoughts.

"That is a fine suggestion, Evy," Aria stated slowly before looking towards Jonathan. Though her feelings for Rick were platonic and they'd finally closed that chapter in their lives many months ago, she had respect for Evelyn's feelings and though she knew the woman did not believe either she or Rick would betray her, Aria didn't want to give the woman any reason to feel uncomfortable. "But only if Jonathan would not mind my staying."

"Oh no, not at all," Jonathan piped up, his surprise clear though he grinned over at her. Beside her, she could feel Rick look at her questioningly before he shifted in his seat in a careless manner.

"I'm sorry... but why does Miss Nazari need a place to stay if she lives in the city?" Ardeth asked, causing Helen to gasp in surprise, blonde brows climbing into her hairline, as everyone else turned to Ardeth while tension spread like a web around them.

"Because your people are trailing me and make coming and going if not difficult, tedious. I have no intention of allowing any of of you Med-Jai to know where I live," Aria snapped in Arabic, speaking quickly but in quiet tones as she glared at Ardeth. Annoyed that he would have to ask, and further vexed by the formality with which he referred to her though she'd never admit to the latter.

"You would not be followed if you would just return the book to us so we may handle it properly," Ardeth returned in their language, his tone cold, causing the tension in the room to rise.

Though none of the other occupants had a fluent enough grasp of Arabic to follow the conversation, they gathered enough from the tone to grow uncomfortable to be in the midst of what was clearly an argument; though both persons involved remained impassive and their voices at a polite height. The only indication was the tension in their muscles and the tone of their voices.

Aria wanted to reply that it wasn't really theirs to lord over, and that she was taking care of it, but both responses were too childish to utter, and the latter was also a lie. One to which the bitter truth was that she could not find a way to destroy the book. It seemed impossible.

However, Aria's pride would not allow her to admit defeat, or allow Ardeth to get the last word in.

"Yes, because your people are very adept at keeping the past hidden and untouched," Aria replied.

The silence that followed her statement seemed suffocating. One look at Ardeth's dark glinting eyes, and the sudden expression on his face as he merely turned his head away from sight, told everyone that whatever Aria had said had either been a harsh, crushing blow, or hit below the belt and Ardeth was doing the only honorable thing he could think of doing by figuratively walking away.

"Well now that that's settled..." Evelyn piped in, trying to break the tension.

Rick merely shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest while Jonathan shifted his weight around uncomfortably, a smile reflecting discomfort, stretching across his cheeks.

This is one complicated wedding party, Rick thought, hoping at least that they'd avoid any mummy related incidents. However, he got the feeling that with this particular batch of people, all back together, that that might be simply asking for too much.

TBC...

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