Summary-When both Catlanda and Marok disappear after an attack by invaders, Ardeth risks everything to find and rescue them and keep the promise he made years before.
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For His Daughter
A set of eyes watched a woman and man walk through a temple and up to a wall. The wall was covered with hieroglyphics and the woman was excited as she looked at them as a young boy ran up behind them.
"How do you know we're not being watched?" asked the man.
"Noone's been in here for years, probably centuries," she replied. "So there's no need to worry."
"That's what you said about the last temple we were in. Remember what happened then?" Rick told her. "And about that cat?"
"Oh please. How was I supposed to know that Ardeth's people were also keeping an eye out for Ramses as well as Imhotep?" Evie asked him.
"I guess even people who we know for a while can even surprise us with things that we won't expect. Like having a daughter for one thing?" Rick muttered. "And I hope he's doing okay."
"Rick, it's been almost three months since they were in London. I'm pretty sure they're feeling better," Evie told her husband.
Rick shrugged his shoulders as he and Alex started off into the other direction as she continued to decipher the markings on the wall when suddenly, Rick felt something brush against his legs. He screamed, catching Evie's attention.
"What? What's wrong?" she cried.
Rick jumped back and aimed his guns at the animal standing before him. Rick's eyes were wide open as he stared at the now purring ball of fur.
"Isis?" he said with obvious shock in his voice as he lowered his guns.
The cat walked over to him and wrapped around the still surprised American's legs. She looked up at him as three voices could be heard laughing nearby. The three saw Catlanda, Marok and Ardeth atop their horses. They climbed off and walked over to them.
"Isis, what have I told you about scaring our friends, the O'Connells?" Catlanda asked the cat with a laugh as she stroked her head.
"It's nice to see you again Ardeth. Wow, you're looking much better than the last time I saw you," Rick told him with a huge smile.
"I feel much better O'Connell. I have had much rest in the past few months. Marok has helped me as did Catlanda. I've been told they were great help to the rest of the tribe as well," replied Ardeth.
"Really? How?" wondered Evie.
"Well, it is said to me that both of them gave my second-in-command a lot of help. And a bit of trouble as well. Isn't that right Catlanda?" Ardeth said with a smile.
"I keep telling him that everything that he's heard is a lie, but will he listen to me? No! All because of a few mishaps around the camp in the past," said Catlanda.
"Though I've learned over the years not to listen to everything you say about occurences like those," replied Ardeth.
She held out her arms as if to say 'you know me'.
"Come on Rick, Evie and Alex. Let's go back to the camp. We can talk further there," Ardeth told the family.
The three Medjai climbed back onto their horses as the O'Connells did with their camels before heading back to the Medjai camp.
Once there, Ardeth walked over to his second, who was waiting for them and talked to him quietly. Rick watched his friend.
'Wonder what they're talking about? Must be something important if Ardeth's second-in-command came to tell us,' thought Rick.
Ardeth walked back over to them.
"He tells me that there's people nearby that are a major threat. We have to careful for these people can be very unpredictable," Ardeth told them.
"I'm ready for them. I'm always ready," Catlanda said, taking a fighting stance.
"I'll believe that when I see it," smirked Marok.
"Hey! Just because I'm not a big strong man like you doesn't mean I can't take care of myself. After all, I do have the Spire," Catlanda protested.
Marok started to laugh but was cut short when he heard screaming coming from behind him and several men came charging onto the scene. Swords and guns were drawn. The men attacked the Medjai before Rick decided to fire his guns.
Ardeth blocked the oncoming blows as did Marok and Catlanda. She was driven past the tents and into the desert. Isis joined her as she blocked the blows. The cat growled, causing her master to turn.
"Isis, what're you doing out here?" she asked in slight surprise.
"Bad mistake woman," the man said as he hit the Medjai on top of the head with the butt of his gun.
She fell to the sand unconscious. Isis quickly ran away from the man once she saw he was after her. The man growled as the lynx slipped past his fingers. He cursed.
Marok was dealing with another man when he heard footsteps running up behind him. He quickly turned around to find another man there.
"Oh no you aren't," Marok said as he blocked the attack.
He hurried out from between the two men, causing them to crash into each other.
"See if you can top that," Marok smugly told them, crossing his arms.
He didn't see the man approach him from behind and he was knocked forward onto the sand. His vision was blurred for a moment before he could see again. He felt himself being lifted up off the sand and he soon faced the man who picked him up.
"What do you want from us?" demanded Marok.
"It's none of your business," the man replied as he shoved Marok back to the ground.
Marok felt his arms being pulled behind his back and tied together at the wrists. He was forced to his feet again.
Rick kept reloading and shooting his guns, keeping them away from his wife and son, who held onto each other behind him.
"Get back!" he told them, looking over his shoulder.
"Alright Rick," Evie called back as the two ran for a nearby tent.
Rick continued on with his barrage of bullets at the oncoming men.
Ardeth was doing much better than what he originally thought because of his recent recovery from the gunshot and stab wounds.
"You're doing well. I never thought you people did so well," the man he was fighting told him.
"You should see all of us working together," Ardeth replied through gritted teeth.
They fought until both were without swords. Then it was all fists from there.
Ardeth blocked every punch until one kick hit him in groin area. He gasped before another wave of pain went through his head and shoulders and he fell face first into the sand.
The man who attacked him looked around at the scene to see they were swiftly losing because of the swiftly growing number of Medjai who arrived to help. His scowl soon turned into smile despite all that.
"Fall back! We got what we came for! Let's get going!" he cried.
The invaders dropped off from what they were doing and disappeared into the desert. The Medjai were quite confused when the men did this.
Evie and Alex soon joined the group of Medjai. Rick was about to follow them when he saw Ardeth lying motionless on the sand. He ran over to him and gently shook his shoulder.
"Ardeth, can you hear me?" Rick said to him.
He gave a relieved sigh when he heard a moan coming from the Medjai. Ardeth's eyes fluttered open and stared at Rick with a blank look on his face. The American didn't like that at all.
"Ardeth, are you alright?" asked a worried Rick as he went to help his friend.
"I'll...survive," he replied as he slowly climbed to his feet.
A woman ran over to them. She was obviously a healer to Rick as she led him to a nearby tent. Along the way, Rick noticed Ardeth limping a bit.
Ardeth laid down on the bed on his stomach and allowed the healer attend to her business. She moved some of the ripped pieces from his back to reveal a long gash across his shoulders. Both she and Rick gasped at it.
She motioned for him to leave and he reluctantly did so.
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A little while later, Evie walked inside the tent to see Ardeth sleeping on a bed, on his back facing the door. She was about to walk outside when she heard a voice.
"Evelyn, don't go," she heard.
She turned around and walked over to him, who had put a hand up to his face.
"What is it Ardeth?" she asked him.
"How's Catlanda?" he replied, his eyes partly open.
"I don't know Ardeth. I haven't seen her since before the battle," replied Evie, a worried look growing on her face. 'At least he's coherent.'
His eyes closed and Evie knew what he was thinking.
'He must be worried out of his skull right now,' thought Evie.
She remembered the special bond he had with her since she was a baby. She remembered the story Ardeth and Catlanda told her about her biological parents the year previous when Ramses II was resurrected.
Suddenly, a fellow Medjai ran inside the tent.
"I'm sorry to bother you Ardeth but neither Catlanda nor Marok have been seen since the battle," the man said in Arabic.
Terror filled the Medjai's eyes once he heard that one statement. He lifted himself onto his elbows as he looked at Evie in total fear.
A scratching came from the opening of the tent. The Medjai opened the door further only to let Isis inside. Ardeth's heart dropped all the way down into his stomach once he saw what was in her teeth.
It was the Spire of Isis.
TBC..