THE JOURNEY OF A MEDJAI WIFE

Ardeth settled back to sleep and felt a very odd tingle at the back of his head.  It was a sensation he had felt very rarely.  It happened when Leven called out to him.  However, she hadn't called to him since her time in the desert with Sharr.  The tingle worried him, but if she wanted to reach him, she could.  There would be no tingle if she were truly trying to touch his mind.  She would call loudly and very clearly.  There would be no mistake about that.  Perhaps he had only been mistaken.  He laid back and found himself staring off into space.  He missed his wife so very desperately, missed the sound of his children wailing and demanding to be fed and/or changed.  He didn't feel comfortable leaving them this time.  Something was not right at home, but if that were true, she would call to him.  Sighing heavily with the weight of his discord falling upon his shoulders, he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

A soft whisper touched Ardeth's cheek and he felt his body responding to it.  He recognized the voice.  It was his beloved Leven.  He smiled a little within his dream.  Yes, his beautiful, beautiful Hafa was whispering to him, her breath fanning over his face.  It felt so wonderful.  This dream image was his wife; he had no doubt about that.  The love he felt surging through him indicated as such.  There was no lust in his heart or body.  When he opened his eyes, she was before him, confirming it.  His hands went out to her and touched her glowing, silky skin.  She smiled at him gently and she busily went to work taking down her hair.  Oh yes, he wanted this, wanted her to fan it out over his chest.  He plunged his hands into the soft cascade and fluffed it out and down.  When she leaned over to kiss him, he wanted it to brush against his face, to cover him with its shimmering beauty.  She took hold of his hands and drew them away from her hair.  She threw her head back and it fell away from her face and down her back.  He loved looking at her like this.  She was pure and true, in such rare and gentle form.  He had never loved like this before and never wanted to love another again.  He couldn't.  Never. 

Her hand released one of his and came out to touch his face.  She was still smiling down at him, gazing at him, transmitting her love and desire with her golden eyes.  Her thumb drew a delicate line over the mark on his left cheek.  She leaned down toward him, placing a gentle kiss upon it before moving to the other cheek, and then to his forehead.  He smiled a little.  His wife made it a point to kiss the marks, to touch them.  She had always found them endearing, even when she first met him.  Before drawing away completely, she placed a very gentle kiss on his lips.  She then sat up again and ran her hands along his chest.  Suddenly, he was completely stripped of his clothing and she hers.  They were no longer in the tent.  They were lying together upon their pallet.  Leven's body sat astride him.  He wasn't yet inside her, but he was very much ready to be.  Her hands were on his chest and they worked together, stroking it back and forth.  Soon, she dug her nails in, not enough to hurt, but with just enough pressure to drive him mad.  This was another part of their lovemaking ritual that Leven had undertaken more than once.  He didn't mind it, he wanted it, needed it.  She slid her body down his just a bit so she could lay her hands upon him.  He closed his eyes and groaned a little.  One touch, one tiny touch sent him off and hardened him almost instantly.  She had this ability, this lovely, lovely ability to bring him such pleasure with very little effort.  It was his love for her.  His love coursed through him, coursed through every drop of blood in him and came out strongly, violently.  In her touches, her movements, she conveyed the same love for him, the love that had been inside her entire life.  It was ageless, timeless, and eternally rapturous.  It was dreams like these that comforted Ardeth when he couldn't touch his wife.  It was dreams like these that he fought against breaking.  Waking up ruined them, destroyed them, and in effect, destroyed him.

His dream took on a slightly erotic turn.  Again, this was something that happened often.  Once her wicked touch came away from him, he longed to be inside her, but she had other ideas [as she often did].  As soon as her hand fell away, her mouth replaced it.  He found himself thinking for the umpteenth time that she knew not to do this, that she shouldn't do it.  Yet, he couldn't stop her, nor did he try.  Just as she had nearly brought him to release, she stopped and pulled away.  Would she ever stop torturing him?  Did he ever want her to?  She slid up the length of his body again, not quite taking him inside.  His pulse boomed at his temples and he was nearly tempted to beg her.  He would beg her, he had begged her.  She drew her hair over one shoulder and began touching his chest again.  He was face to face with her, could feel the heated fan of her breath.  What was her purpose?  What did she want to do to him?  His hands came up and settled on each side of her waist.  They slid up to her breasts and with very gentle movements, he touched them.  He didn't immediately attach any significance to the fact that her breasts felt different.  She didn't gently complain that they were too sensitive.  It should have been his first tip-off, but it wasn't.  He was too enthralled in the dream to notice.  This was his Leven.  His love.  The other dreams involved women he no longer thought about, hadn't loved.  He had forgotten that his first dream image hadn't been Leven at all.  It didn't matter.  Right now, nothing mattered.

Ardeth watched silently as she took hold of his left hand.  She lifted it and entwined her fingers with his.  She turned his wrist so that she could look at the mark.  He immediately noticed that she didn't bother touching this with her lips as she did the other marks on his face.  This was more sacred to their bond, it meant more to them as a couple.  However, she only gave it a cursory glance.  She moved her hand away from his and brought it up to the side of his face.  Her touch was heated, her hand warm.  Suddenly, it felt as if something wasn't right.  She drew her finger along his lips and kept constant eye contact with him.  Something changed in her golden eyes.  The color darkened for a moment, but then lightened back up.  Incredible.  He had never noticed this about his Leven before.  Was this some type of trick she was playing on him?  Was it?  He watched as she leaned very close to his ear.  Again, he felt the fan of her breath and it tickled him slightly, but felt hideous at the same time.  Had he ever thought of his wife as hideous?  She began to whisper to him, dark, evil, wicked things.  Leven came from a different time, but she had never spoken such words to him the entire time he had known her.  Those words should have been his second tip-off.  However, he ignored it again and allowed her to have her way with him.  When she stopped whispering to him, she rose up and gazed down at him again.  There was a glint in her eyes that had never been there before.

"You see what kind of woman I am," she whispered as she drew her nail down the middle of his chest.  "You hear the things I whisper to you?"  She raked her nail back up his chest.  "Is that proper?  Am I proper?"

"Leven," he said, "what are you saying?"

"What do you think I am saying, Husband?  Think about it.  Think about it the next time you lay with me."

Think about it.  Ardeth came awake slowly and reluctantly.  He could hear his heart beating hard in his chest.  He sat up and winced as he felt sweat stinging his chest.  There were scratches all along it.  He ran his finger over them.  Had he done this to himself in the night?  Sighing deeply, he ran his hand through his hair and shook his head.  Settling back again, he couldn't help but think that if the dreams didn't stop, he might lose his mind.  He wanted to go home to his wife.  Perhaps if he could, the dreams would leave him alone.

*  *  *

Leven walked along the desert, the sun was hot and boiling the horizon.  Every muscle in her body ached.  How many days had she been riding?  She had a mission, and that mission was to find her husband.  He must be told about his family and the Mark of Raiyur.  She had just discovered the information herself and needed to share it.  Raised by Lufti and Cantara, they had no idea of the Bay curse.  She didn't understand how the other villagers had failed to tell Ardeth so that he could prepare and try to defeat the jealous goddess.  Why hadn't anyone told him?  She was so very angry about that.  However, the damage had been done, and she was left to fix it, and fix it she would.  She rode onward, choosing a camel instead of a horse.  She had no idea how long it would take to reach her husband.  She thought of her babies, and hoped they would be safe nestled in the arms of Sahib.  The camel began to act strange and snorted wildly.  She tried to control the animal, but it was no use.  She found herself thrown down on the ground.  Dark storm clouds appeared above her and the wind picked up.  She had never experienced anything other than a dry storm her entire time in Egypt, but it was obvious this storm would be nothing like that.  Thunder, lightning, and rain sliced across the sky and pounded the sandy plain.  However, not one drop of water landed on her or drenched her.  It seemed to follow a woman walking toward her.

She tried to bring herself to her feet and flee this crazed woman approaching, but she couldn't move.  The storm held her at bay.  As the woman drew nearer, the storm seemed to abate, but Leven couldn't move.  She approached Leven and stood over her.  The woman's hair was flame red and braided with gold threads running throughout.  The plait reached the heels of her feet.  Her face was pale and so very beautiful.  Leven had never seen a woman so beautiful in her life.  Her eyes were emerald green, the green of envy, the green of what she stood for.  The woman was dressed in what appeared to be a long white silk gown held closed with a gold belt around her waist.  Leven was face to face with the goddess Raiyur.  She couldn't believe that one so beautiful could act so very ugly.  Leven wanted to get up and knock the shit out of her for trying to harm her husband and son.  She wanted to kick her ass for ruining the lives of Ardeth's parents.  Yet, she couldn't move a damn muscle.  She could almost hear her grandfather's voice beckoning her, asking that she use her gift to fight back at the goddess, but Raiyur was much too strong for that.  She had all the dark forces supporting her, including Set, a god who hated her and her husband more than he hated anything on this earth.  Raiyur was eyeing Leven smugly, smirking at her, and daring her to move.  All she had to do to defeat this mortal woman was to clap her hands.  It was very simple.  Or was it?  Isis and Hathos were backing her, it was obvious.  They were her guardians and it would be difficult exacting any type of harm to this mortal, but she wouldn't give up.  She wanted her King and she would have him, she would not allow Ardeth's wife to stop her. 

Raiyur leaned very closely to Leven.  She didn't open her mouth, but her thoughts were transmitted through her evil, green eyes:  I could touch you and drive you insane.  I could put my finger onto the ankle of your son and send him straight to the underworld where his grandmother awaits.  Stand down, mortal woman.  Stand down and surrender your husband to me.  He no longer belongs to you.  He is mine and will be mine throughout all eternity.  No Bay man is excluded.  If I cannot take Ardeth, I will leave your son motherless and take him.  You saw what I did to Altair Bay.  Would you like to see the same happen to Adnan?  If you surrender him to me now, your children will be safe.  No harm will come to you or them.  I have the power to send you back to your time where you belong.  It is the destiny of Ardeth Bay to serve his immortal life as the King in my domain.  He has no other fate, no other purpose.

Leven did not look away from the green eyes of the jealous goddess.  Her golden eyes began to glow.  She felt them growing hot in her skull.  They seemed to be boiling inside her head.  You know nothing of my time, Raiyur.  However, one of my favorite modern sayings is simple and meaningful to bitches such as you.  Fuck off.  You will not have my husband now or ever.  You will not touch my son.  Leilah Bay was powerless to you, but I'm different.  Ardeth's fate, his purpose, is to serve his sacred duty and to be my life partner.  He is to be the father of our children, not your King in your twisted kingdom.  If anyone should stand down, it is you.  Fuck off, Raiyur, fuck off and disappear.

Very well, mortal woman, mortal fool, she transmitted through her green eyes.  I tried to offer you an easy way out.  You refused.  My wrath will not spare any life, including that of your daughter.  Say goodbye to your children, for you will not see them again, not in this life, and not in any life if I can twist fate the way I wish. 

She turned away from Leven and snapped her fingers.  The skies cleared and the rain dried up.  There was nothing around her but sun and sand.  If you want me, take me now, she cried.  Take me now.  Leave my children and husband out of it.  Don't torture them.  Don't take them away from this life.  Take me, you bitch, TAKE ME!

Leven awoke to the sound of wailing babies.  She had been dreaming again, but was more than certain the dream was more of a vision.  She had actually communicated with the goddess determined to ruin the life of her husband.  If he knew of the vision, knew of Raiyur's demands, he would sacrifice himself in a moment, just as his father before him.  If she could find Ardeth, get to him, she could warn him of what was to come, so that perhaps together, they could defeat this jealous goddess.  She rose from the pallet, feeling the familiar fullness in her breasts.  The babies needed to nurse.  She didn't have the energy for it, but she would not ignore their needs.  She went to them, but neither would latch on.  She knew they were hungry, the cries indicated as such, as did her full breasts.  She tried again and again, but neither baby would cooperate.  She tried to soothe them, but they cried on and on.  She knew what it was, knew what it was without a doubt.  They sensed a presence, an evil one, and they were frightened.  She did the only thing she could.  She began to push out with her mind, push out and prod.  She would drive the bitch back and away.  Raiyur could not possess her children, she would not allow it.

By the time the cries quieted a little, Leven was utterly exhausted from pushing and prodding.  Yet, the need to nurse the babies hadn't faded.  She took each of them again and prayed.  A relieved sigh left her as first her daughter, and then her son, latched on and nursed until their hunger abated.  She put each of them back to bed, but she could not sleep.  Her exhaustion was acute enough to make her feel as if she wanted to pass out, but she couldn't close her eyes.  She had to reach Ardeth, had to find him.  She closed her eyes and concentrated hard.  She hit a brick wall time and time again.  Frustrated tears coursed down her cheeks.  The evil goddess wouldn't allow her to touch her husband's mind.  How would she reach him?  Her only other alternative was to strike out on her own.  What would she do with her babies?  What would she do?  She covered her eyes with her hands and turned to her side.  She buried her face into the pallet and cried.  Why, Ardeth, why won't you answer me?  Why can't I touch you?  Is her evil more powerful than my love?  Oh maHabbi.  Wainak?  [Oh love.  Where are you?]

Oh maHabbi.  Wainak?  Ardeth gasped and came awake suddenly, unexpectedly.  The night around him was silent and still.  He had heard the call loud and clear.  Oh maHabbi.  Wainak?  Something was wrong with his love.  He could sense it with every fiber of his being.  She needed him.  She needed him so badly that she was contemplating coming to find him.  She could not do that.  She could not leave the village, if she did, she would die.  Ardeth broke out of his uncomfortable pallet and pushed his way outside.  The night was chilly and the sweat slicking his body began to dry and made him shiver.  He glanced around at the sky and noticed that the moon was full and illuminated the area around him to the point of almost near dawn.  He turned toward home, toward his family.  Unconsciously, he brought his left wrist up to his heart.  He closed his eyes as he listened to his heart beating.  You can communicate with me, but can I communicate with you?  Whatever you are thinking, Hafa, do not act upon it.  Do not leave the safety of the village.  Do not worry about me.  Stay Hafa, please stay.

No, no, no, no, no.  Leven moaned into the pallet.  Stay Hafa, please stay.  He couldn't ask her to stay.  She had to find him, to warn him.  Raiyur would not let her communicate the danger.  She had tried, but nothing went through.  I can't stay.  Don't ask me to stay.  I need you.  I need to come to you.  'Ajab, maHabbi [Please, love], don't ask me to stay.  She tried so very hard to push forward with more information, but she kept hitting the same brick wall again and again.  Instead of trying that, she kept up her plea.  Allow me to come to you; don't ask me to stay.

Ardeth kept hearing a plea inside his mind.  Was it truly his wife communicating with him or just his mind?  Allow me to come to you; don't ask me to stay.  He ached to reach out to touch her, to hold her in his arms.  No.  You cannot, you must not.  The babies need you; you cannot abandon them.  For my own sanity, maHabbi, stay where you are safe and protected.  He felt other prickles and tickles at the back of his mind, but something wasn't coming through.  He was sure of it. 

Leven moaned again.  Ardeth wasn't aware, but every word entering his mind came directly to hers.  It was as if he were there actually speaking to her face to face.  Should she listen?  Should she stay?  What if Raiyur were to come to him in the desert?  Would he be able to resist?  Could he?  Whatever you see, my love…whatever you hear, don't listen; don't see it.  You'll know the true me.  Remember that, my love.  Please remember that.  All you have to do to know is to look upon my finger.  I have your ring, no one else does, no one else ever will.  She was almost certain that her last few words probably hadn't made it to Ardeth, because she hit the brick wall again.  The only other words that would penetrate the barrier were whispered through her tears:  Ana maHabbi inta [I love you].