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Chapter XX Uncertainty

Rick, Rashid, Naji, Jonathan, and several Med-jai warriors sat around a small fire listening to Ardeth as he gave orders. He stood just outside the ring of light surrounding the fire, casting himself mostly in shadow. It was quite frightening watching the light and shadows dance across Ardeth's determined brow as he paced around the circle of men. "They cannot be far ahead of us if they are traveling blindly through the desert. We must move swiftly, once several of the tribes join us. I want none of them alive when we are finished. I spared Ghalib once, and it has come back to haunt me. I shall not make the same mistake twice. I believe that this Gabriel is far more dangerous than I am sure we give him credit for. A man does not become such a successful artifacts 'merchant' without being ruthless," Ardeth paused for a moment in contemplation before revealing his plans. "We will attack during the night when everyone will surely be within the camp. If any escape we will be forced to pursue them. Nefertiri's resting place cannot be made known to the outside world. Does everyone understand," Ardeth asked calmly as he stopped pacing and looked at each of the men sitting before him, making eye contact. It was a simple plan, but the task was far from easy.

"Yeah, don't let anyone get away. Got it…Just one thing," Rick said as he looked up at Ardeth with concern. "What about any women traveling with them. Are we to kill them too, or do we let them live," Rick asked calmly. Even though he did not condone the murder of women or children, he also understood that Ardeth had to make unpleasant decisions sometimes. He would follow his friend into battle no matter what, but he wanted to be clear on the terms before hand.

Ardeth sighed deeply before finally entering the circle and taking a seat between Rashid and Rick. The worn look had once again entered his features. "Judging from what Miss Montgomery revealed, there are several women in the caravan. Though I do not approve of murdering women, I am afraid that this situation is just that grave. If a woman chooses to fight against you, then you have no choice but to kill her as well. However, if she does not attack and only fights in self-defense then she is to be spared. I do not want the blood of women on my hands, but if it is necessary then there is little else we can do," Ardeth decided, although everyone within the group knew that it was not a decision that Ardeth took any pleasure in making. "Are there any other questions," he asked as he stared at his boots and kicked at the sand beneath them.

"No," was the collective answer from everyone around him. They all understood Ardeth's reasoning, and knew that arguing would only making it harder on him but it wouldn't change his mind.

"Very well then…Naji, you take first watch. Everyone else, I suggest getting some rest because we will be riding hard tomorrow. We shall leave before dawn, so be prepared," Ardeth dismissed his men, but did not move himself. He chose the embrace of the dying embers instead of the solitude of his empty tent.

Everyone rose to find their tents except for Rick who remained seated beside a pensive Ardeth. Rashid hesitated a moment, but Rick gave him a slight nod of reassurance and Rashid also sought out his bedding for the night. Once everyone was out of earshot Rick spoke. "I don't envy your job," he sighed as he leaned back bracing himself with one arm.

"I often wonder if I do what is best for our people, or if I am simply going through this as blindly as a stranger to these matters," Ardeth answered as he stared into the fire distractedly.

"You do fine. After all, you stopped the mummy from destroying the earth twice," Rick said encouragingly.

"I believe it was you and your wife you killed both the mummy and the Scorpion King, not me or my men," Ardeth said dejectedly. "If I had done my duty better, they would have never risen in the first place."

"Maybe you weren't the one who read the words that destroyed Imhotep or the one who threw the spear into the Scorpion King's chest, but you saved my family more times than I can count…To hell with curses and mummies, if I didn't have Evy or Alex or even Jonathan with me I wouldn't care if the world ended. I might even look forward to the end of the world," Rick argued as he watched Ardeth stare dejectedly into the flames.

"You are too kind, my friend, but I fear my judgment has lacked sensibility recently," Ardeth retorted without looking at his friend.

"Your judgment? Heck, I'm the one who was living with the man behind this whole mess. I still can't believe Gabriel is behind all this," Rick said animatedly as he sat up straighter.

"Why do you find it so hard to believe," Ardeth asked as he finally looked at his friend.

"Gabriel and I were close years back. I had just made it back to Cairo after the battle at Hamunaptra, and he had recently arrived from Italy. Of course we met in a bar, but we had similar tastes in women and would go around getting into trouble. I didn't know that he was married until the day I was arrested for…well it's a long story. Basically, I got caught with my trousers round my ankles with a certain official's daughter, I believe it was. It's been several years, and the details are foggy…" Rick paused a moment as he thought over the night he was arrested instead of Gabriel.

"That seems pretty clear cut to me. What makes you say that you took the fall for Mr. Di Paolo," Ardeth asked curiously, although he was less than enthusiastic to be discussing Rick's former exploits with women.

"Well Gabe used to always introduce me to rich women when we would attend parties. He would have his fun with one woman or another, and he would make sure that I had mine as well. I didn't realize that he was married until the day I was arrested, all because of Daisy. Gabriel had introduced me to her one night, and told me to keep her company until the end of the party. I didn't realize why at the time."

Rick took Daisy's arm as they retreated to her chambers. "Oh, you are so witty, Ricky," Daisy laughed lightly as she allowed Rick to lead her into her chambers. Rick had had several drinks by this point in the evening, and nothing sounded better to him than retreating to his own bed, but Gabriel had given him strict instructions to keep Daisy occupied until the party was over. Rick was not the type of man to enjoy the celebrations of the wealthy and upper class because he hated stuffy affairs almost as much as the people who threw them. However, Daisy was pretty enough, and Rick was out of cash and the free meal offered for attending couldn't be ignored.

"Oh Ricky dear, I have never met a man so brave as you. How ever did you face those wretched desert people alone," Daisy asked as she ran her dainty hand down Rick's chest.

"I wasn't alone, darling. There were other soldiers with me," Rick corrected her but soon realized that it was pointless. Daisy was much more concerned with other things instead of the truth of matters.

"Oh Ricky, you're so handsome. I don't know what I would have done if Gabriel had not introduced us," Daisy cried as she threw open the door of her room and launched herself into his arms.

'Perhaps she would have behaved herself this evening if we hadn't met, and if she calls me Ricky one more time, I will not be held responsible for my actions,' Rick thought as he watched her door swing open. As soon as the door was open, Rick saw two figures lying upon the bed. The man looked up and in the dim light of the moon, Rick saw Gabriel's features. Before Rick could do or say anything, Gabe raised his finger to his lips in a sign for silence then snuck out onto the balcony with his own lady.

"Oh Ricky, take me to bed. I can't live without you," Daisy sighed as she nuzzled his neck, oblivious to what had just transpired in her own chambers. Richard did not know what to do, but if he left now Gabriel would know that he hadn't kept her busy for the rest of the party. So, Rick thought quickly and decided that if he could just get her to fall asleep he could escape and fulfill his duty.

However, as soon as he entered the room, Daisy was upon him bestowing kisses anywhere and everywhere she could reach. Before he knew it, Rick was flat on his back upon Daisy's frilly bedcovers as she had her way with him. He hadn't expected the dainty and high class Daisy to be such an experienced lover, and was taken so off guard that he forgot his plan completely.

"I woke up the next morning with a pounding headache, and a gun pressed to my skull. Evidently, Daisy's maid came in that morning to find both Daisy and I lying naked on her bed. Well, the maid told her father and he came in with a shotgun that he pressed to my temple. He kept me there while he waited for his son-in-law to arrive home from a business venture. The son-in-law arrived later that morning. It was Gabe. He tried to calm his father-in-law down, but the man was incensed. I could have told them that Gabe had been with another woman, and I had kept Daisy company at his request. However, there was really no point to it, they probably wouldn't have believed me. So, I ended up in prison which is where Evy and Jonathan found me and saved my neck," Rick finished as he watched Ardeth's reaction.

After several minutes of contemplation, Ardeth spoke, "after that story I do not find it at all hard to believe that Gabriel is behind this. He used you to deceive his wife then, and he has used Josephine to deceive us now."

"Yes, but Gabriel was loyal. He tried to get me out of prison on several occasions, but they wouldn't let me go. Why would he betray me now?" Rick asked in confusion about the whole situation.

"O'Connell, if Evy could get you out of prison, what makes you think that Gabriel couldn't if he really wanted to? What makes you think he even tried to get you out in the first place?" Ardeth asked firmly as he massaged his pounding temples. This was all too much. What ever happened to riding through the open desert with nothing to do because people actually feared the curses of the ancient Egyptians instead of laughing about them? Oh yes, he met the O'Connells, that's what happened. Nothing was ever simple after meeting them.

"It's just that you think you know someone, and then suddenly they seem like a complete stranger again. I thought I knew Gabriel, and it's just so hard to believe him capable of all this. Even as I sat in Daisy's room watching him embrace her, I couldn't believe that they were married. I guess I'm just a fool," Rick sighed as he prodded the dying flames with a small stick.

"No more a fool than I, my friend," Ardeth returned as he shifted restlessly in the sand. "I try so hard to keep people at a distance that I am incapable of knowing what they are and are not capable of."

"Josephine is very understanding. I am sure that she does not hold it against you," Rick said knowingly. When Ardeth made no reply, Rick noticed the torn looking in his friend's eyes. "What happened between you too that has you both so pensive tonight? Josephine barely spoke three words since we left that village, and you haven't exactly been making the best efforts at conversation," Rick pointed out as he studied Ardeth.

"I kissed her…I don't know what came over me. One minute I was telling her that she was so childish, and the next I was kissing her. I think I offended her," Ardeth admitting in a rush of breath as she watched Rick waiting for him to blow up in anger.

However, Ardeth was shocked when he saw the bright smile that broke out across Rick's face. "You kissed her, huh? What makes you think that you offended her?" Rick asked when he noticed how serious Ardeth was.

"She compared me to her family, as though I was some sort of wretched parasite or something," Ardeth answered quietly.

Rick chuckled before saying anything. "Ouch…No one wants to be compared to a girl's family after sharing a heated kiss," Rick laughed at Ardeth's expense, though it was good naturedly.

"I wouldn't exactly have called it heated," Ardeth admitted embarrassedly.

"You mean that you had the chance to really take the girl by surprise, and you just gave her a peck and ran. Hell, I would be offended too," Rick said sternly.

"O'Connell, you are missing the point. I should not have kissed her in the first place," Ardeth stated exhaustedly.

"You said that you were not married or promised to another, so I don't see why you shouldn't have kissed her. I'm just wondering why you didn't do it sooner," Rick prodded with a smile.

"I should not have kissed her because we were barely on speaking terms before I did it and now I fear I broke the fragile trust that we had built," Ardeth explained as he raked his fingers through his long hair.

"The first time I kissed Evy, I didn't know who she was, and afterwards she barely spoke two civil words to me for a week. Now look at us!" Rick exclaimed as he patted Ardeth on the back. "All will work out, buddy. Tomorrow's a new day, and it will bring more troubles than that of your meager love life, so I suggest that you get some sleep," he advised as he rose from the fire and headed toward the tent that he shared with his wife.

Ardeth watched Rick head toward the cluster of tents providing shelter for them this night. He remembered the indignant looks that Evy had shot at Rick when he had first met them. She still often bestowed such glares upon her husband when angry, but neither he nor anyone else could deny the love that those two shared.

Without thought, Ardeth's gaze wandered to the small tent that had been provided for Josephine. He could see the silhouettes of both her and Evy as they prepared for bed by the soft light of a lone lantern. Even in the poor light, he instinctively knew which woman was which, especially the slight figure of the governess who did everything in her power to avoid his notice. Ardeth let out a long sigh as he realized that she had constantly been on his mind ever since he met her. He had tried to turn her into an enemy in order to justify his constant awareness of her presence, but he was beginning to realize that subconsciously he always knew her innocence. He was just afraid of being drawn in by it. With another tired sigh, Ardeth rose from the fire and headed toward his own tent searching for a restful night's sleep. However, he knew it would only be another restless night of memories, failures, and fears.

XxXxXxX

Josephine sat in Evy's tent dragging a brush through her unruly hair. It had been over a week since she had had the luxury of brushing out her loose curls. Evy sat behind her watching her every move, but instead of unnerving Josephine it was very comforting. "I am sorry for all that we put you through," Evy sighed finally after several minutes of silence.

"Do not trouble yourself with it, Mrs. O'Connell. My journey was not all unpleasant. I met many nice people," Josephine assured her as she yanked at a particularly angry knot.

"Yes, I saw how that little boy clung to your skirts and refused to let go when we were leaving," Evy said with a small smile.

"Jamil was the reason I was welcomed into the village. We became very close. He is a very sweet boy," Josephine explained calmly.

"I also saw how he was shooting daggers at Ardeth with those sweet little eyes of his," Evy coaxed slyly.

"He and Ardeth do not quite see eye to eye," Josephine smiled shyly as she turned to Evy.

"Ardeth does have several feet on little Jamil, doesn't he?" Evy joked calmly as she took the brush from Josephine and began to gently comb through the younger woman's long hair. "However, I don't think that that's the only tension between those two."

"Jamil is just protective because I paid him quite a bit of attention while I was with his family," Josephine said logically as she let Evy work.

"Or perhaps he fancies you like little boys are wont to do…Maybe he sees Ardeth as a threat because he fancies you too," Evy said with a small nudge to Josephine's shoulder.

"I can assure you that Mr. Bay detests even the sight of me, Mrs. O'Connell. He could not possibly 'fancy' me as you put it, and why on earth would Jamil feel threatened by him?" Josephine argued as she swung to face Evy.

"That's not what I saw. I saw that adoring look in Ardeth's eyes when he addressed you in his tent. I also caught just a bit of that discussion you had before we left the village," Evy admitted as she tried to turn Josephine back toward the mirror, so she could finish brushing her hair out. However, Josephine wouldn't budge when she heard what Evy had said.

"Just which part of the conversation did you catch?" Josephine asked in a shy whisper as the color drained from her face.

"Oh just the tail end of it, where you managed to get my favorite stoic chieftain completely flustered," Evy said with a knowing smile playing upon her lips. "Oh, don't start getting all shy about it, dear. A kiss is scarcely something to be upset about. It's completely natural," Evy tried to assure Josephine when she saw how pale the girl had become.

"He tried to run away from me. First he's arguing with me, then he's kissing me, and then he's saying it was a mistake like I did something wrong. Why is he so cruel to me? What have I done to him to deserve this?" Josephine's voice cracked as a silent tear slipped down her freckled cheek.

"Oh Dear, you've done nothing wrong. Ardeth has much on his mind. I don't think he kissed you to be cruel. I just think that he was caught up in the moment, then when he realized what he had done he was afraid that he either offended you or frightened you," Evy tried to explain the complicated chieftain to Josephine, but knew that she was doing a poor job of it.

"Why would I be offended by a kiss?" Josephine choked as more tears joined the first in their descent down her pained face.

"Dear, Ardeth comes from a very different culture. The brief kiss you two shared this afternoon would probably be considered scandalous in the eyes of his tribe. You have to understand that Ardeth has the same emotions as the rest of us, but the expectations weighing upon him often suppress them or dictate his actions. Not to mention, you two were barely on speaking terms until today. He was probably scared that he would frighten you off," Evy said as she retrieved a small lace hanky to dab Josephine's puffy eyes.

"But why would he even kiss me in the first place?" Josephine asked as she loudly blew her nose into the hanky Evy provided.

Evy smiled at how Josephine didn't care that her eyes were puffy or her nose was red. Evy found that the young governess' disregard for her appearance was one of her most endearing qualities. There was so much more to the girl than disheveled hair, a mousy nose, and a studious glare. The girl had a heart of pure gold, and it shine right through her warm brown eyes. She could see exactly why Ardeth was attracted to the girl as well as frightened by her. "I think that Ardeth kissed you because…he realized what a charming girl you are and couldn't resist," Evy said confidently, after a slight pause. "Now, let's get you to bed because we are all going to need all the strength we can get tomorrow…Sweet dreams, Josephine, and try not to worry about Ardeth. I am certain that everything will work out," Evy said with finality as she slipped out of the tent leaving Josephine to find her own bed. It would be another restless night for her, but at least Evy's words had put her heart at ease if not her mind. Only tomorrow could tell where all of this would lead.

XxXxX

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It has been so long. I've been trying to update, but I simply have not had the time. A week and a half and then my updates will be coming more regularly again because I'll actually have some free time. Until then, I will try to update, but I can't promise anything. As always, thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. Your insights are invaluable. Please continue to tell me what you think.