A SECOND GOODBYE
By the next day, the swelling in Ardeth's ankle had gone down considerably. He was able to get around well enough to walk with little pain. Leven stood back and watched her husband silently. She didn't agree with his plan and wouldn't stand for it. She had absolutely no intention of allowing him to go on without her. Let him think he was doing the right thing, but Raiyur would find him, she would come for him. As she had told him, no woman would ever touch him, not while she was alive. She crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest and waited. He turned to her after several minutes and took note of her expression. In two days, she had managed to drive the goddess away so that they could make plans [so Ardeth could make plans]. There were no plans for Leven to make, none at all. Her only plan was to follow him to ensure that he didn't simply give himself to Raiyur. She shook her head. No fucking way. He watched as she shook her head and seemingly grumbled. She hadn't wanted him to go and had made that no secret. However, he hoped that her commitment to the babies would keep her here, safe. He didn't think for one moment that Raiyur would target her. She was angry, but he wouldn't leave her without kissing her. He could not attack her again; she must understand that. Leven stood back as Ardeth approached. She knew what he wanted to do, but she wasn't certain she could let him kiss her. It would seem more like a goodbye kiss, and she didn't want to say goodbye to him. However, she couldn't deny him. The moment he touched her arm, she leaned into him and allowed him to kiss her.
When he drew away, she held onto him for one moment. "I love you, Ardeth, but I think you're doing the wrong thing."
He said nothing. He turned and left her. Leven turned away from the door and fought hard against her impending tears. He was walking out to his death and he was too stubborn to see it. When she moved over to the pallet, she noticed that he had left something for her. Not once had she seen him leave anything for her. When had he done this? She approached the pallet and picked up the packet. Inside was his half of the amulet and a brief note. My love, my Hafa, he had written, I insisted on leaving this morning due to another dream. You did not drive the goddess away. She touched my dream again and told me to give away my half of the amulet. I chose to give it to you. It was the one thing of which I had free will. Hang onto it, my love. I fear that you might need it. She gazed down at his amulet. Right then and there, she made a conscious decision. She would give him enough of a head start where he wouldn't suspect that she was following him. There was no way she would allow her husband to sacrifice himself to such a vengeful, jealous goddess. She would find someone to care for the babies until she made her return.
* * *
The goddess Raiyur was happy. Her plan to remove the Chieftain from his mortal woman had worked. Now, the wife wanted to chase after her husband and leave her children behind. It was the perfect, plotted twist of fate yet. The Chieftain was walking right into her trap, just as she knew he would. He would sacrifice himself for his wife and children, again, just as she knew. His goodness, his strength would serve her well. Although she thought she had twisted fate in her way, she was a bit wrong. She hadn't counted on Ardeth giving his wife the amulet. It being in the mortal's possession would ruin Raiyur's plans; complicate them. It was one thing she had not seen or controlled. She was completely focused on securing her Chieftain, ruling her kingdom. In the mortal year of 1932, her time had come.
* * *
Leven didn't intend on staying gone long. She thought she had expressed enough milk to take care of the babies for a while. She had literally begged Sahib to come and stay with Adnan and Azizah. She hadn't wanted to do it. She didn't think Leven needed to chase after the Chieftain, not when a goddess had marked him. However, Leven would not take no for answer. Eventually, Sahib relented, but only after Leven promised to return no more than four hours from now. She would promise anything. Leven had to get to Ardeth and get to him quickly. It had been months since she sat a horse, but she could do it. She could do anything if it meant saving her family. In her haste to get to Ardeth, she didn't once think her children might be in danger, not in the capable hands of their godmother. She had tried to touch the area around her children, thinking that perhaps she could keep Raiyur away. She went on her journey, intent on saving her husband and her sanity.
Although unhappy with Leven's decision to go after her husband, Sahib didn't mind staying with the babies. They were like most infants, sleeping mostly, only crying when hungry or uncomfortable. They were also very beautiful. She went to the babies to check on them, figuring they might have sensed their mother's absence. However, both were sleeping and content. She had turned to go back before she disturbed them when a strange sensation overcame her. It felt as if someone had climbed into her head and pricked her brain. You are such a kind attending woman, Sahib. You were with the Chieftain's wife as she gave birth and you have helped her tremendously because she knew nothing about raising children. She helped you with your own child. Remember that, gentle Sahib? Yet, you were also there when the Chieftain brought her to the village. She was not a proper woman for a man such as Ardeth Bay. Was she? How could one like she satisfy the honor and tradition of the Medjai? You protected her, but did you feel it? Did you really feel it? What of the Chieftain? He should have an honorable wife, one such as you. Leven Bay abandoned her children, did she not? Where do you think she is? She is lying with other men, disgracing the people and her husband. If you listen to me now, we can repair the damage, and protect the village from marauders and slaughterers of innocent women and children. If you do not listen, your own child might become a victim. Do you want that? Do you really want that, gentle Sahib? I know you do not. Bundle up the Bay children and bring them to me, end the curses that the outsider has brought upon the village. Once every trace of her is destroyed, your lives will return back to normal. Listen, gentle Sahib, listen and bring the Chieftain's children to me. The prickle left Sahib the instant it entered her mind, however, there was something else inside her. It was an emotion she had never felt toward the Chieftain's wife: disgust. She turned back toward the babies who slept so peacefully and unaware. A moment ago, she had mused about how beautiful they were, but now, they seemed like a curse. How had she been so blind for so long? She felt it her duty to rid the village of these little curses. Perhaps her mother would follow them swiftly and life could resume as normal. Sensing the evil, both babies awakened from a deep sleep and began to wail.
* * *
Leven rode and rode some more. She knew that her husband couldn't be that far ahead of her. He had said he would stay near, but not with her. As she rode, she scoured her mind as to where he would have gone. His usual camping spot by the village pyramid was vacant. Actually, it was too close to her and the children. It was a location that was completely obvious. Where would he go? Where are you, Ardeth? It then struck her suddenly. She knew where he had gone, his favorite 'thinking' place: the oasis. She was riding in the wrong direction. She turned sharply, clicking her tongue, and began making her way back toward the oasis, steadfast and determined. She rode on and on, convinced that her hunch had been wrong. She let out a frustrated cry. Why in the hell could she not touch her husband anymore? It was as if he was completely possessed now, possessed and taken over by a wicked, jealous goddess. She called out a command to the horse, stopping it. She had to decide what course of action she needed to take. Sahib was expecting her back and she felt extremely uncomfortable leaving her babies behind. However, a flash caught her eye. She wasn't sure what it was or where it came from, but it was a flash all the same. She stared toward it, hoping and praying. If the flash would only move closer or away from the foliage, she would know. If that's you, maHabbi, [love] show yourself. The flash popped again and then there was movement. She sighed, immediately recognizing the backside of Ardeth's dark steed. You should have gone somewhere else. I know where you are now. She clicked her tongue again to get the horse moving. Leven wanted to gallop into the oasis, but she had to be careful. It was completely different inside than on the desert. One wrong move, and she would poke her eye out of her head.
"Jauz [husband]," Leven called.
Ardeth stopped and turned. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming again. Leven/not Leven sat astride a horse not far from him. He didn't trust it, didn't trust the image before him. How many times had he dreamt of Leven and it wasn't her? His heart ached fiercely in his chest as he tried to work out what to do. If he went to her, she would only seduce him, tell him lies, and then disappear, filling him with lust for his wife. If he stayed and it was she, something dreadful would befall her. Stay or go. Stay or go. She had called him jauz instead of his name or maHabbi. She didn't directly call him 'husband' very often. However, the dream Leven did almost every time she addressed him. He shook his head. Lâ [no]. He couldn't let the visions come in, couldn't let them rule him enough where he'd want to harm his wife more. Regardless of what Leven said, he had hurt her, had shattered a trust, and he would spend the rest of his life making it up to her. He turned and rode ahead, urging his steed to run as fast as it could. Leven's heart leapt into her throat. She understood. She immediately understood. He thought she was his dream wife. Dear God. I must stop him. I must. There was no time to carefully pick around the foliage. She would have to hope that a stray branch wouldn't smack her in the face.
He could hear her pursuing him. She had yet to call out to him again, but he could hear the panting quality of her breath. She was desperate to catch him. What was his only other option? He could stop and face off with her once and for all. She could take him, but he would go down fighting. He had never run from an opponent before and wouldn't start doing it now. He wasn't afraid of hurting Leven after this encounter, because he was certain he would not return to her. Leven stopped and noticed the wild look in his eyes. She had seen this look before. Her husband was in full 'battle mode.' He thought of her as an enemy. Dear God. He thinks I'm Raiyur. He unsheathed his scimitar and her heart began pounding even harder and louder. He intended to slice her to bits. If she didn't say or do something, she wouldn't live to love him or her children ever again. Oh, Raiyur, you have played a cruel game. You are so very wicked and smart, aren't you? They had walked into a trap, a very deadly trap. Ardeth intended to kill her. If he succeeded, Raiyur would have him and their children.
Ardeth moved to lash out. The blade glistened in the sunlight and in seconds, it would dig through her flesh, slicing it, puncturing internal organs, and spilling her blood onto the ground. It was the same ground where he had made love to her on numerous occasions. She could speak or die. "Ardeth," she said calmly, her eyes fixated on the glittering blade. "Put the blade down. Lower it. You think you're looking at Raiyur, but you're not. It's another trick, baby, another illusion. If you cut me, I'll die." She saw a brief glimmer of recognition in his eyes, but he didn't break his posture. When she tried to move closer, he whisked the scimitar down in front of her. It didn't hit either her or the horse, but she felt the wind off it. It was a clear indication: back off. She backed off and sighed. "Please believe me, baby." She held out her left hand. "I have your ring, Ardeth. Remember? I'm your wife. I'm not the goddess. If I were she, wouldn't I be inside your mind, turning you against me? Turning you against the children?"
He gazed down at her left hand and fixed his eyes on her wedding ring. It hadn't left her finger once since they married. The visions never showed him the ring on the finger of the goddess. What she was saying had to be true. The tension flooded slowly out of his body and she let out a sigh of relief as he began to sheath the scimitar. For a moment, he was so overcome by emotion that he didn't have time to be angry with her for following him. Slowly, she rode over to him. When she was within arms reach, he took hold of her body and dragged her over to him. He needed to kiss her. If he did, he would know. The ring had him partially convinced, it could have been a trick. The moment his mouth covered hers and he tasted her sweet kiss, he knew. This was his Leven, his bride. He drew away from her and searched her face. All at once, he wanted to demand of her what she was doing chasing him as she was. However, the look in her eyes killed whatever yelling he had wanted to do.
"The babies, Ardeth," she said. "They're gone," she said, her voice taking on a low, cryptic tone.
Without thinking twice, he prodded the horse along to run at breakneck speed. Surely, she was wrong. Surely, it was only a false sense of doom. Leven held onto him desperately, but she was convinced. The moment she had felt Ardeth's kiss upon her lips, she knew. The babies were gone. She didn't have to see to know, she just knew. Once they made it back to the village, Ardeth didn't hesitate to tear off inside. However, Leven refused to enter. She didn't have to. She understood more, knew more, than her husband would see and admit. She didn't have to see the empty room to know they were gone. However, if she hadn't already been convinced of their absence, Ardeth's angered/anguished growl would have been enough. Leven began to cry. Even though she knew in her heart of hearts, there was still that shred of hope that her feelings were wrong. Ardeth came back toward her. Taking her gently by the arms, he gazed down into her golden eyes that were overrun with tears.
"Who were they with, Leven? Who had them?"
"Sahib," she whispered through her tears. "I left them with Sahib. I thought they'd be safe with her…I thought…" She lowered her head. "Oh God. Another trap and I fell right into it." She turned her head sharply when she heard a low humming noise reverberating through the room. She recognized the sound. It came to her when Raiyur was around. Yes, mortal woman. I am summoning you. I have your children and I will lead you and your Chieftain to them. Once there, I will return the babies to you, only if you sacrifice your husband to me. She could hear Ardeth speaking, but didn't comprehend his words. I will follow your commands, you heartless fucked up bitch. I will take my children and my husband. I will destroy you. Leven drove the words out of her mind. Ardeth still had hold of her arms. She looked up at him. "I think I know where they are. We must go. We don't have much time."
They did not hesitate. Leven listened to the voice guiding her. She didn't trust the goddess by far, but she wanted her babies and wanted them very badly. As soon as they reached the right spot, Leven had Ardeth to stop. He was stunned and didn't understand. She whispered 'wait' and sat silently against him. Where are my children, you bitch? Give me my children. Leven looked all around her but didn't see Sahib or the babies anywhere. Ardeth wanted to go on, but she wouldn't let them. Her babies were here somewhere. She could feel it, feel them. She felt the humming begin again and she waited. Leave your warrior, mortal woman. You want to face me and you shall. Leven suddenly jumped off the horse, startling Ardeth. He wanted to reach for her, but she ignored him. This was between her and a jealous bitch. She turned abruptly when she heard the cries of her infants. It wasn't anything her husband could hear, but she didn't know this. Whatever happens, she thought, I'll hold onto the amulet. My half and that of my love. With that, I will never be separated from my husband. The cries grew louder, and then louder still, consuming her mind and making her body ache with the need to touch and love them. Where were they? What had the goddess done with them?
Unsure as to what was happening with his wife, Ardeth jumped down and tried to take hold of her, but she wouldn't let him touch her. He had no idea what she heard or saw. He heard nothing, saw nothing. They were surrounded by sand and sky. She was working through some type of horrid, scary experience, and he wasn't sure he could break it. Was the goddess tormenting her as much as she tormented him? He reached for her a second time, but she moved even further away from him. Whatever turmoil was inside her seemed to be tearing her apart and it was tearing him apart simply watching her. "Leven? What is it?"
She heard nothing from anyone other than the goddess and the cries of her children. As she spun around searching and scanning, the two halves of the amulet slipped off her and fell to the sandy ground below. Ardeth saw this and reached for them. If she lost them, he feared he would lose her. His hand had barely snatched them up when a flash of white-hot light shot from the sky. It enveloped Leven's body with its blinding brilliance. When Ardeth reached out to the light, it burned his hand. He watched in horror as the light began to spin like a great vortex. It grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared altogether, taking Leven with it. His wife, his Hafa, was gone.
Angered and devastated, Ardeth literally roared at the sky, "SHOW YOUR FACE. SHOW YOUR FACE AND I WILL DESTROY YOU!" He unsheathed his scimitar and wielded it menacingly. "IF YOU WANT ME, SHOW YOUR FACE!"
He turned as he heard a noise behind him crackling the air with electricity. It was the same white-hot brilliance that had sucked in his wife. He was ready for it to take him. Ready to join his wife. He thought of his children and hoped they would survive. His heart ached at the thought of his son having to face the curse as he grew older. He wanted to shout out his own demand to be given to some other entity. He would not give himself to anyone but Leven. Not now. Not ever again. Before he opened his mouth, the light touched his chest and knocked him flat on his back. He tried to move, but couldn't. It felt as if several tons of metal were laid across his chest. He couldn't move or speak or think. The pain was too great. His heart was beating so hard that he could hear it. As the light enveloped him as much as it did his wife, he was more than ready to face whatever hellish afterlife awaited him. The pain encircled his legs and ankles. He gritted his teeth and refused to cry out. Any torture could not compare to his broken heart. The light began to die and the hold faded away. As soon as he could move, he sat up. In the distance, he saw a figure approaching. Please, please, let it be my Leven. As the figure drew nearer, he realized that it wasn't. It was a man, tall in stature, with the marks of his Medjai tribe adorning his face and hands. This man looked so very much like him. Father? The mysterious man had the babies nestled in the crooks of each arm. He smiled at Ardeth and offered him his children. Ardeth took the babies and felt tears stinging his eyes.
"Raiyur has been dealt with," the man said. "The marks on you and your son are gone. Your wife has made a great sacrifice for you and your children. Her strength flows through them. You will be proud of your children. I am."
The moment he had said the very last word, he disappeared as easily as Leven had. The babies were crying. They already missed their mother, her touch, and her love. Return to me, maHabbi. Return. I need you.
____________________
To be continued…
