Ah...finally. A glimpse of the 'man in black'. ;)
Chapter Two
Dusk fell on a lone figure on horseback. Together, horse and rider stood majestically on the horizon as the sun set in purplish-orange splendor around them. As of late, the encampment had been quiet and he had become restless. To ease his impatience, he had climbed onto his horse and ridden off into the desert. The long ride helped settle his edginess, leaving him able to enjoy the beauty of the land that stretched before him.
"Marhaba," he called as a rider approached him from the nearby camp and then immediately turned his attention back to the setting sun.
"The Elders wish to speak to you, sadiqi."
Ardeth sighed and turned in his saddle to look at his Second-in-Command. "Azeem, is it important or do they wish to find fault in my command, yet again?"
Azeem chuckled. The Elders would never understand how or why Ardeth had befriended Rick and Evie O'Connell and their son, Alex. The Elders persisted with the notion that the family would continue to be a source of danger to the Med-Jai and their appointed task to protect the secrets of the Pharaohs.
"I cannot say. You know well the Elders would not share such things with your Second."
Ardeth nodded and tugged on the horse's reins. "Let us not keep them waiting, sadiqi."
Azeem laughed, knowing Ardeth really did not mind keeping them waiting.
When he entered the Elder's tent with Azeem, he was immediately chastised. "There is no need for your Second at this meeting," Mustafa insisted.
Ardeth glanced at the Head Elder for a mere second. "If that is so, then, perhaps there is no need for my presence."
Mustafa cast Ardeth an angry look for his insolence, but nonetheless admired his loyalty to his friend. "Very well, sit." Once Ardeth and his Second were seated, he continued, "The tribal Seer has delivered to us this night news of a new threat against mankind."
"A new threat?" Ardeth asked. He groaned inwardly, as if the "old threat" was ever far from resurfacing.
The nine Elders nodded in unison.
"What is this threat?"
"She has not seen the exact threat, but can only tell us that the danger lies within the hands of a woman unknown to us," Mustafa explained.
Ardeth blinked hard. What was he supposed to do with this kind of information? Was he supposed to kill every woman he met that was unknown to him? Shaking his head, he said, "Until the Seer can tell us more, there is nothing to be done." Without giving the Elders a chance to respond, he rose and left the tent with Azeem close behind.
~~~ To be continued...
Chapter Two
Dusk fell on a lone figure on horseback. Together, horse and rider stood majestically on the horizon as the sun set in purplish-orange splendor around them. As of late, the encampment had been quiet and he had become restless. To ease his impatience, he had climbed onto his horse and ridden off into the desert. The long ride helped settle his edginess, leaving him able to enjoy the beauty of the land that stretched before him.
"Marhaba," he called as a rider approached him from the nearby camp and then immediately turned his attention back to the setting sun.
"The Elders wish to speak to you, sadiqi."
Ardeth sighed and turned in his saddle to look at his Second-in-Command. "Azeem, is it important or do they wish to find fault in my command, yet again?"
Azeem chuckled. The Elders would never understand how or why Ardeth had befriended Rick and Evie O'Connell and their son, Alex. The Elders persisted with the notion that the family would continue to be a source of danger to the Med-Jai and their appointed task to protect the secrets of the Pharaohs.
"I cannot say. You know well the Elders would not share such things with your Second."
Ardeth nodded and tugged on the horse's reins. "Let us not keep them waiting, sadiqi."
Azeem laughed, knowing Ardeth really did not mind keeping them waiting.
When he entered the Elder's tent with Azeem, he was immediately chastised. "There is no need for your Second at this meeting," Mustafa insisted.
Ardeth glanced at the Head Elder for a mere second. "If that is so, then, perhaps there is no need for my presence."
Mustafa cast Ardeth an angry look for his insolence, but nonetheless admired his loyalty to his friend. "Very well, sit." Once Ardeth and his Second were seated, he continued, "The tribal Seer has delivered to us this night news of a new threat against mankind."
"A new threat?" Ardeth asked. He groaned inwardly, as if the "old threat" was ever far from resurfacing.
The nine Elders nodded in unison.
"What is this threat?"
"She has not seen the exact threat, but can only tell us that the danger lies within the hands of a woman unknown to us," Mustafa explained.
Ardeth blinked hard. What was he supposed to do with this kind of information? Was he supposed to kill every woman he met that was unknown to him? Shaking his head, he said, "Until the Seer can tell us more, there is nothing to be done." Without giving the Elders a chance to respond, he rose and left the tent with Azeem close behind.
~~~ To be continued...