Disclaimer: I don't own any of this stuff; don't sue me, yada, yada, yada, yada, and yada...



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Olsl waited patiently. He had watched Ardeth enter the tent about five minutes ago, and that was worrying him. Ardeth would never have taken that long just to check up on someone.

Suddenly, a man walked up beside him and whispered something in his ear. Olsl's eyes widened. He straightened and nodded to the man. Then, without a thought, entered the tent.

He saw a very unexpected sight. The Wahid was holding Ardeth's sword to his own throat, and Ardeth looked pale. Both looked at him.

Rick said in a maddening calm voice, "Is there something you need? I was just about to commit suicide in front of my best friend. Not something you should interrupt."

Olsl looked at Ardeth before saying, "There is someone at the front line. They want to talk to you. Their origin; Huddag."

Ardeth looked anxious. "Did they attack?" Olsl shook his head. "No, they just want to talk to you. What for they won't say."

Ardeth asked, "Well, did they drop their weapons?" Olsl looked slightly amused. "More than that, sir. They've surrendered to us."

"How many?" Olsl answered his leader's question. "There are five in all. However, they are all staying close to the one in the middle of their formation. They grow extremely defensive if we try to some near him."

Ardeth looked thoughtful. "Typical Huddag style. I suppose I should go talk to them." Olsl hesitated. Ardeth looked at him and said, "Something to add?"

Olsl said, "Yes. Why are you trusting them?" Ardeth sighed and said, "More to the point, why are they trusting us? We're their sworn enemy." Olsl said, "As they are to us."

Rick said, "He's got a point, though. Why are they trusting you?" Ardeth thought this was going to be his best chance. "Actually, why are they trusting…us?"

Rick didn't catch the meaning at first, but then he looked stunned, then irritated, then unbelieving.

"Aw, come on! After all I've done to you, you'd actually let me become one of you? Jeez! I think that you're taking a big risk, trying to add me to your group!"

Ardeth sighed. He didn't like it, but he had to get it out of the way. He was thinking of a way to convince Rick to join them when Olsl spoke up.

"I wasn't a Medjai all my life. Until I was twelve, I roamed the streets of Cairo. Then Ardeth found me. He was already in the Medjai camp, but had spotted me wandering around and decided to take me back here.

"I didn't want to accept it at first, but the tattoos I already had on my face and hands were telltale signs that I was one of them, and so I joined. I was in a lot of trouble before I joined. If I hadn't joined, one of three things would happen.

"One, I'd get killed somehow in Cairo. Two, they'd have to kill me because I knew the location of their camp. Three, I would have killed myself…"

Rick seemed to consider this. He turned to look at Olsl when he shifted one of his ribs. He winced and fell back in bed, coughing. Ardeth's sword clanged to the ground.

He coughed again, then said, "All right, all right. You win. I'll…I'll join you guys."

Ardeth gave Olsl a deserved and appreciative look, then picked up his sword. He said to Rick, "Stay here. At any sign of trouble, you'd better get to one of the horses outside. Make your way as quick as you can to Hamunaptra. If anything does go wrong, meet me there."

Rick painfully nodded before looking down at his leather brace. He sighed as he undid the bands, saying, "I guess I won't need this anymore."

Olsl studied the mark with growing wonder. Yes, it was indeed the mark of the lost Medjai. It was definitely going to be a good year for the tribe.