Disclaimer: I still don't own anything.

Chapter XXI: Falling Behind

Ardeth had barely slept all night, so when dawn rolled around he was less than pleased with the person who decided to wake him. He had been in the middle of a sweet dream, and he wanted anything but to be woken from it. In his dream, he had been back at the oasis near the village; however, it was only him and Josephine.

For once they were not fighting or avoiding each other, and he could see her shy smile glowing just for him. The sun hung low in the western sky blazing in intense shades of red, orange, and purple. The colors glowed upon Josephine's mousy features transforming them into the most elegant visage Ardeth had ever laid eyes upon.

"Come," he heard her light and proper voice call to him from atop the rock which she sprawled languidly upon with an ease he had never seen her possess before. Ardeth took the gentle hand offered to him and pulled himself up beside her.

"I have been a fool," Ardeth sighed as he looked down upon the angel before him. She truly was a goddess in the sheer white robes that shrouded her lithe figure.

"No words," she said in a whisper as she placed a soft finger to his lips before replacing it with her own even softer lips. Ardeth heard himself moan lowly as their lips embraced each other. He felt himself rolling on top of her to run his fingers through her loose hair. It was as soft as silk just as he had imagined it. The kiss deepened and Ardeth felt as though his body was on fire. Just when he was reaching his hand up to cup her sweet breasts, the mood was shattered.

"Ardeth…Ardeth, we must leave soon," came a familiar voice, but Ardeth couldn't place it in his current state. Instead of heeding the voice's words, Ardeth turned back to Josephine who still lay cradled in his strong arms. However, before Ardeth could dip his head to reclaim her soft lips, he felt himself being attacked…

XxXxXxX

It was unlike Ardeth to sleep in, so as dawn approached and there was still not sign of the chieftain, Rashid decided to make sure that his friend was well. When he had entered the tent, he hadn't realized that Ardeth was in the throes of a pleasant dream or he would have left him to enjoy it. After all, part of being who Ardeth was, was that he may not survive to have another sweet dream. So, he might as well enjoy the ones he did have. However, Rashid had simply seen Ardeth rolling about moaning softly as though he might be in pain.

Instinctively, Rashid had called to him to see if he would wake, not really wanting to approach the dangerous warrior. However, when that did not seem to stir him, Rashid approached his chieftain who was now lying on his side clutching the covers to him as though they were precious. Shaking Ardeth lightly, Rashid realized his mistake by the way Ardeth nuzzled the pillows, but it was too late. Suddenly, Rashid found himself flat on his back staring up into the intense chocolate eyes of his friend and chieftain.

"Ardeth, it is only I, Rashid," the second in command rasped as Ardeth clutched his throat in a vice grip. Ardeth said nothing, but instantly released Rashid's throat and helped him into a sitting position. Both sat silently for several minutes attempting to catch their own breath.

"I was having the strangest dream. I am sorry that I attacked you," Ardeth admitted after several moments of heavy silence. Without waiting for a reply from Rashid, Ardeth pushed himself to his feet and padded over to his discarded robes. He was not embarrassed to have been caught in the middle of what could have become a heated dream. He had known Rashid for as long as he had been alive, and they rarely kept secrets from one another, even if they were truly embarrassing.

"Forgive me, I would not have woken you, but I thought you were in distress," Rashid bowed his head in a sign of respect to his superior. He had a pretty good idea of what Ardeth had been dreaming about, and he thought it would be better to change the subject than to bust Ardeth about his subconscious' taste in feisty governesses. "Those are still quite a stunning color, my friend. Perhaps you should let the governess wrap them again?" Rashid pointed to Ardeth's naked ribs as the chieftain reached for his tunic. Ardeth's ribs were indeed still deep shades of purple and red which boasted the beating they had taken. However, Ardeth had long since forgotten the pain that accompanied those bruises.

"I will be perfectly fine without any help from the harpy, so I suggest you forget about it…Now, are we prepared to leave?" Ardeth slipped into his firm commander's persona instead of dwelling on the sweet sensation that his dream had left him with. The fact was, Josephine didn't even want to see or speak to him so there was no use in begging her for assistance, even if her tender ministrations made him feel a great deal better. He had more important things on his mind than his own pleasure.

"Yes, everything is ready, Ardeth," Rashid sighed knowingly at Ardeth's stubbornness. He had experienced it many times during their childhood, and it seemed that it had stuck with Ardeth through adulthood as well.

"Then let us hurry. I wish to reach Ghalib's caravan by sundown. If I know him at all, he will have scouts scanning the desert to see if we are following them. There is no time to waste; I don't want them to detect us," Ardeth ordered as he slipped his outer robe over his muscled torso as he disappeared out of the tent and into the first rays of dawn.

The camp was just coming to life as Ardeth made his way out of his tent. His men were breaking camp while Josephine sat making breakfast for everyone. Ardeth did a double take in order to believe that Josephine was actually sitting in front of a small fire cooking up something for them to eat. Evy was nowhere in sight and neither was Rick, but Jonathan stood ordering the Med-jai around without actually helping them. Josephine was simply sitting quietly as she arranged several platters with various fruits and meats for the men that were working.

Ardeth shook his head slowly. Josephine was so gentle and giving yet somehow he had believed her to be the root of all evil. "I'm losing my mind," Ardeth sighed as he stood just outside his tent.

"I thought you lost that a long time ago," Rashid joked lightly from where he stood behind Ardeth, placing a friendly hand upon Ardeth's shoulder.

"Oh really?" Ardeth asked raising an eyebrow at his friend's comment, before looking back toward Josephine.

"Yes, I'd say it happened when you became friends with O'Connell. Now…you're losing your heart," Rashid revealed, knowing very well that Ardeth might explode at this observation.

"You assume that I have a heart to lose, Rashid," Ardeth stated almost regretfully as he turned back to his friend.

"How was it that the story went?" Rashid questioned before pausing briefly. "Oh yes…I believe that it went something like this. You have simply been blinded by pain and misunderstanding for so long that you can no longer see the truth…Josephine told the boy, Jamil, something like that, didn't she?" Rashid inquired as he let his own gaze wander to the solemn woman.

"It was a fairytale. There was no truth to it," Ardeth growled as he began to stalk toward a group of warriors who were tending to the horses.

"Stubborn fool," was all that Rashid said as he walked over to Josephine who had just finished putting together the platters. "How are you this morning, Miss Montgomery?" Rashid asked politely as he gathered one of the trays in his hand and offered his other hand to Josephine in order to stand.

Taking his hand gratefully, Josephine replied with a smile, "I am quite well this morning, Rashid; however, I fear that it is to be a very trying day."

"What makes you say that?" Rashid asked raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Just a feeling that I have…Perhaps it is nothing, but I will only be satisfied when we are all sleeping safely tonight," Josephine sighed as she held the other platter in her own hand as she followed Rashid toward the men.

"I agree that I will not be happy either until we are bedded down safely, Miss Montgomery. It is a dangerous business that we are bound to, especially when men like Ghalib are involved. That man is like a hyena, he'll bite you and won't let go until one of you is dead," Rashid admitted as he looked into Josephine's soft eyes. After pausing a moment to take in the innocence that he still saw within her eyes, he changed the subject. "It was very kind of you to prepare breakfast for us. I am sure that Ardeth would thank you himself if he did not have other duties that required his immediate attention," Rashid gently thanked her.

"Oh, I understand that Mr. Bay does not have the time to thank or look after children such as myself. I am perfectly content with the kindness that his men bestow upon me in his absence," Josephine replied sarcastically.

"He does not mean to be so cold. He is simply unaccustomed to being anything else," Rashid defended his friend poorly. "What I mean is that…Ardeth has known nothing but war in his thirty-three years. It is a very lonely existence. Do you know how he spent his last birthday?" Rashid asked calmly as he stopped and faced Josephine directly.

"No, I cannot say that I have any clue as to how a Med-jai chieftain would spend his birthday. Perhaps he battled a mummy or two," Josephine said as she gazed into Rashid's dark eyes.

"No…however, his last birthday was quite eventful. He awoke to a charming fairytale, angered a sweet woman, gained her forgiveness, learned that his oldest enemy had come back to cause more troubles for him, shared the first kiss I've seen him bestow upon a woman in many, many months, had his heart stomped on, and finally had to decide how to deal with the man and his followers who threatened the safety of one of Egypt's most precious artifacts, then finally he went to bed only to have another restless night's sleep dreaming of a woman he was afraid to love. However, even after all that, I believe it was one of the best birthdays he's ever had. How did you spend your last birthday, Miss Montgomery?" Rashid challenged her carefully. He did not truly know why he had brought up this subject, but for some reason he wanted her to know that she was not a thorn in Ardeth's side like she believed she was.

"I was told by my mother that as soon as I finished my schooling I would be expected to find myself a suitable husband. I would be expected to simply lie on my back and produce him and heir, so that he would be willing to pay my brother and mother's debts. My education would be for naught, and any self-respect I still possessed would be extinguished when I would be left barefoot and pregnant whilst my husband enjoyed one of his many mistresses. However, it was that night that I decided I would become a governess. I decided to begin looking into possible jobs for when I graduated. I did this all in secret because if my mother or brother had found out, they would have ceased by schooling immediately and married me off to the first man I met. You know though, I think it was one of my best birthdays as well because it led me here. No matter what has happened since I got her, I have learned so much about the world and the people in it, that I could never say it was not worth coming," Josephine spoke as tears shown brightly in her gentle eyes.

"Forgive me, it was not my place to inquire. I did not realize your situation," Rashid stumbled over his words having not expected her answer to be so harsh.

"You thought that because I came from a rich background, and was a governess to a good family that my life was in some way more cheerful than someone who lived a life bereft of pleasantries for an ancient vow. Obviously, I am not the only one who is naïve of the world outside my own tiny existence," Josephine said with a kind laughter. She did not blame Rashid for his views, nor did she miss his revelation.

"I am truly sorry…"

"Think nothing of it. You were simply looking out for your friend. Ardeth is, indeed, quite lucky to have even one friend as good as you, but I see that he has many, so he is a very wealthy man in my eyes," Josephine said sincerely as she began to walk again. "Come, they must eat now or I fear they will not have to opportunity." Rashid had no words for what Josephine had just said. Perhaps she was correct. Ardeth did have many friends that were constantly by his side through the good and the bad. What did Josephine have? She was a strange woman in a strange country. The people who she had trusted had turned their backs on her in her moment of need, and yet she forgave them so easily when they asked. Rashid just shook his head as he watched Josephine glide ahead of him as though she didn't fear what lay ahead, as she had admitted to him earlier.

XxXxXxX

The group had set out immediately after they had eaten the breakfast prepared by Josephine. Ardeth rode at the front of the line, riding hard through the burning desert. He could feel the sweat rolling freely down his back as he leaned over his stallion's graceful neck, but he was used to the many discomforts of riding through the desert and barely paid attention to them anymore.

Josephine, on the other hand, had fallen to the back of the group and was struggling to even control the horse beneath her. Had she not been such a practiced rider, she would have surely fallen off the beast a long time ago. Naji had ridden beside her for the majority of the day until Ardeth had called for him up at the front of the line.

"Ardeth, perhaps we should take a short break in order to water the horses," Naji suggested as he reached his leader as well as his brother who also rode at the front.

"We have a little further to go still before we reach the nearest oasis, and I don't intend to stop before then," Ardeth stated as he continued to push his horse faster.

"But Ardeth…" Naji was quickly cut off.

"Naji, I need you to take two men and scout out the western ridge, over there. We will wait for you at the oasis," Ardeth gave out his orders quickly before concentrating all of his energies into riding.

"Ardeth, if you are going to wait for me at the oasis anyway, can you not stop for a moment now?" Naji inquired firmly though he did not feel so bold when he saw the angry look in Ardeth's eyes even when all of Ardeth's other facial features were cloaked in black cloth.

"It is not the horses that worry you. Spit it out, what is the matter?" Ardeth asked coldly. He had spent the majority of his morning trying to forget his dream, and was thoroughly angry with himself for being distracted.

"Josephine is not fairing well. She insists that she is alright, but she has fallen to the back of the group and is barely able to keep herself in the saddle…" Naji once again did not get to finish his sentence.

"Damn," was all Ardeth growled before turning his horse abruptly and sprinting toward the back of the line. Rashid took over command immediately as Ardeth disappeared into the ranks.

"Naji, you have your mission. Go, and my Allah watch over you. We will make sure that Miss Montgomery is alright, and we will meet you at the oasis. Now go," Rashid said commandingly as he continued the lead the group at a breakneck speed. Naji nodded, knowing that Ardeth would see to Josephine's wellbeing, and was soon headed toward the western ridge with two other warriors.

By the time Ardeth had reached the back of the ranks, Josephine had fallen out of the group. He could no longer see her over the dunes they had ridden over. Ardeth grew panicked and quickly guided his stallion back the way they had come. He needed to find her soon or she might die of sunstroke or dehydration, though Ardeth was fairing little better at this point since he had given one of his water skins to another warrior and was desperately trying to conserve his other. He knew that he too was on the verge of dehydration, but he pushed himself onward knowing that Josephine's safety was more important.

XxXxXxX

Josephine had fallen back so far that she feared that she would never be able to catch the group again at this point. She was exhausted, her body ached, and she was dizzy. One of Ardeth's warrior's had seen her falling farther back after Naji had left, and he had stayed with her when she had stopped. The tall warrior easily caught her as she fell out of her saddle completely drained, and now he knelt over her trying to coax some water between her dry, cracked lips.

"You must drink," he said in his native tongue because his English was poor at best. "You die…if no…drink," he tried in English, but he doubted she understood him in her dazed state. After trying several more times, with little success, to get Josephine to drink, he decided to take a different approach. The warrior removed his outermost robe and fashioned it into a small tent to keep her upper body out of the dangerous sun. After she was settled for the moment, he went to his mount and began to move his bags to her stallion. He made enough room so that he would be able to hold her in front of him as he rode because he knew that if they stayed any longer she would not survive.

As he went to her side again she seemed a bit more coherent. "What is your name?" she asked through parched lips, as he gathered her in his arms.

"Asif," he answered guessing at what she had asked. "Drink," he coaxed as he reached for his water skin again.

"Thank you," was Josephine's only reply as she sipped slowly from the skin. Asif held her up while she quenched her thirst, and he looked at their surroundings when he felt that someone was drawing near to them. Asif noticed a small figure rising over a near dune, and he rose thinking it was another Med-jai. However, as he stood he realized that the figure was coming from the wrong direction. Suddenly, there were four other riders behind the first, all riding hard toward them.

"Allah save us," Asif said in Arabic before turning and snatching Josephine into his arms. "We go," he cried as he practically tossed her into the saddle before mounting behind her. Before Josephine could even react, they were riding at full speed in the direction that the other Med-jai had gone in.

"What is wrong?" Josephine asked in confusion as she was clutched tightly to Asif's chest. When Asif did not answer her, she began to panic. She peaked slightly over his shoulder, only to have the panic rise even higher at seeing five dark riders bearing down on them. "Who are they?" she tried again, but still received no reply.

They continued on for several minutes, while the riders continued to get closer and closer. Josephine knew that they were not going to make it to safety, and she was suddenly truly terrified for both her own life and that of Asif. Then without warning, there was a gunshot, and both she and Asif were tumbling from their mount's back. Josephine shrieked, thinking that Asif had been hit until she was quickly shoved behind him only to see their horse limping with blood rushing down one of its hind legs.

"Stay back," Asif said as he unsheathed his scimitar preparing to fight. He had no other choice. He would die protecting the woman who saved his leader's life. He only wished that she would not be made to suffer when he was defeated, for there was little hope of him surviving.

Josephine did as she was told. She tried to stay as far away from the five riders as possible, while still staying close to Asif. Josephine was not often frightened, but even she would admit that she was terrified at this moment. 'I should have listened to Ardeth. I would be on my way to Cairo now, and Asif would not be here protecting me,' her mind screamed as she watched one of the riders charge at them with a sword drawn. Asif ducked as the man swung, and brought his own blade up to catch the man between the ribs. The rider fell from the saddle dying slowly in the sand, as the others began to circle them.

"Give us the girl and we will be inclined to let you go," the leader of the group growled as he circled in front of them.

"She is under my protection. I shall die before I let you touch her," Asif replied coldly as he wiped the blood off his blade and onto his loose pants. The fact that he no longer wore his robe was not helping him because the robe hid several weapons as well as any movement he did not wish them to see. Instead, he was now an open target with only his scimitar to protect both him and Josephine.

"You shall die, for what? A filthy desert whore?" the leader taunted before two of his men approached them. "Remember that as the blood drains from your dying body," the leader stated before giving his men the signal to attack.

Josephine had no idea of what had passed between the two men, but she nearly fainted when the three other riders suddenly converged on Asif. "No!" she exclaimed before falling to her knees completely dizzy from the desert sun. She tried to hold onto consciousness as she saw Asif fighting for both their lives, but she was too weak to hold on much longer. Her eyelids were drooping as she saw him take a swift hit to his ribs. He continued fighting as she tried to fight her own body's weakness, but Josephine couldn't stop her body's defense. She hit the hot sand as everything went black around her. Her last thoughts focused on a prayer that didn't reach her lips. She prayed that Ardeth would find them before it was too late.

XxXxX

I know I said two weeks and I'd be back in full swing, but then swim season decided not to end for an extra week so I still didn't have any time. However, I am back now and will have plenty of time to write starting this weekend, so updates will be more regular. Thank you to everyone who has been so patient with my slow updates. I truly appreciate everyone who reads and reviews. Please continue to let me know what you think.