Reflections of a Friendship
By Jedi Blu
Disclaimer in 1st Chapter
NOTE: I have received a complaint or two from my Beta-Reader about this chapter. I re-read it, added a few things, and ignored most of her complaints. I won't apologize for the chapter, 'cause I like it, but you've been warned.
--JB--
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CHAPTER TWELVE: Home At Last
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Ardeth could hardly believe that he had kissed her, and that she was now kissing him back. She had not pushed him away, or acted as if he were a fool, but she now had reached her uninjured hand to cling to his neck, where she twirled her fingers in his hair.
At last Ardeth broke the kiss, only moving far enough away to allow some air between them, keeping his forehead up against hers. "I want you, Adira," he said at last, quietly, "to be my wife."
Her tears fell then, but she smiled through them. "Ardeth," she whispered, looking into his eyes, "when did this happen? And why?"
"I believe I have always loved you, and I just...never allowed myself to see beyond our friendship. I took you for granted. When I realized I could lose you...." Ardeth put his hand up onto her cheek, tracing her new scar with his thumb. "I want to make every and any moment I have with you even more meaningful. Please, Adira, you have not told me yet...do you love me as I do you?"
She kissed him lightly on the lips again, not allowing him the chance to respond before she pulled back to answer. "Yes, Ardeth. I have loved you for as long as I can remember. I never thought...that you could love me."
"Why not?" He seemed genuinely perplexed, and she felt herself blush.
"I'm more of a warrior than a woman, Ardeth." Her eyes, soft and twinkling with delight, looked into his for what seemed like an eternity, and he was completely willing to let them sit there like that.
He sighed and leaned back a little, taking her all in. "I have never seen anything more beautiful, more delightful, than the woman I see before me now. And when this woman is in the heat of battle, fighting at my side, I have never felt more complete. Being a Med-jai warrior only makes you a stronger person, and I want to spend the rest of my life telling you that. I love you, Adira, because you are both a woman and a warrior."
Her laughter, sounding as if it were mixed with small sobs, bubbled forth and she was kissing him again in an instant. Between each word she left a kiss across his lips, cheeks, and neck. "I love you, Ardeth, and I am so thankful that you feel the same for me."
There was a sound in the bushes near them, Ardeth turned quickly towards them and Adira pulled her scarf over her face as she reached for a knife concealed at her hip. The captain emerged, looking slightly unbalanced, as he came and stood at their fire.
"G'day chaps...oh, er, excuse me madam!" he shouted upon seeing Adira staring up at him. "Am I interrupting something?" He plopped himself ungracefully to the ground and held a bottle out towards Ardeth. "Thirsty, mate?"
In Arabic, Adira hissed, "He is drunk!"
Ardeth nodded and looked at the soldier who was in an absolute stupor. "Which means his companions more than likely are as well. We will not have much peace tonight, and if they all learn we have a woman over here...." His eyes darkened. Immediately he lifted Adira in his arms, much to her surprise, and took her towards one of the horses. "We will not risk it. Tonight we leave."
"What? Ardeth, are you sure?"
A shot rang out from the soldiers' side of camp, followed by wild laughter. Ardeth leveled her with his gaze, obviously very angry. "Yes, I am sure." He pulled a small revolver from the saddle and placed it in her hand. "It sounds as if they are looking for trouble."
Halim and Jibril came running around the tent, having heard the shot, and were already reaching for their swords as they approached Ardeth and Adira. "I am taking her out of here; I will wait for you one mile to the North. Break camp as quickly as you can, then follow." He swung up onto the horse behind her, saluting his men before they ran to do their task.
"Englishmen," Ardeth muttered. "One of the greatest nations in the world and they allow themselves to consume something that will only destroy them in the end." He wrapped an arm around her waist, the other took up the reigns, and one sharp command had the horse galloping out of the oasis.
Grinding her teeth together, Adira realized that Ibrahim had been right. Every time the horse struck the ground she felt her bones smash together. Rather than speak of her pain, Adira merely leaned back into Ardeth and closed her eyes, willing herself to not feel a thing.
The fact that she could hardly breath wasn't helping. She used one hand to grab at the scarf and her head protection; she ripped it off and tossed it to the wind. Ardeth chuckled, kissed the top of her head, and slowed the horse as they neared the full mile away from the oasis.
Only a few minutes later, the other two warriors rode up, the pack horses with them. "We left your tent, my lord," Jibril said matter-of-factly. "They took a shot at us on our way out, so we may want to continue before someone decides to pursue."
"Drunken men have little sense of direction, but it would be best to move further away, my lord," Halim added, casting his brother a worried look. "If they were sober, we could hold them off, but drunks will think nothing of their own safety and become quite wild."
Ardeth nodded in agreement, tightening his arm around Adira's waist. "We will continue until sunrise then, perhaps we will run across the others if they made a long break today."
As the night went on, and she rode there in front of Ardeth, Adira could not decide whether she was enjoying the experience or not. Every time the hoof of the horse struck ground, she winced and had to keep herself from crying out. But Ardeth's arm around her, and his chest pressed against her back, made her feel as comfortable as she had ever been before.
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Morning came at last, and then the desert began to heat up once more. They stopped and pitched a small tent for shade. They also secured a small area for their horses to rest, giving them water. Ardeth placed Adira inside the shaded area first, and when he put her on the ground, he noticed her teeth gritted in pain and her face was two shades paler than it should have been.
"Adira! What is wrong?" He put his hand to her forehead, searching for fever, and was relieved to find none.
"Just a little tired," she lied, laying back completely and closing her eyes. "I just need some rest."
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For two days they traveled, little being said by the warriors. Ardeth was content with the silence, Halim and Jibril talked quietly to each other at times, and Adira was doing her best to shoulder her pain. The second day of travel, the moves no longer jarred her, but she was very sore. They had seen no sign of those ahead of them, which was to be expected; Med-jai never left evidence of their passing if it could be helped.
They were nearing home at last, on the fourth day, and the jagged canyons and desert cliffs that hid their home from view were within sight. "I cannot wait," Adira murmured to Ardeth when they were only a few hours away from the mountains, "to sleep in my own bed again."
He chuckled, then leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "I'm hoping you won't be in your own bed for many nights. I can think of someplace else for you to sleep."
Adira blushed and smiled, wondering how long she would have to wait. Med-jai were completely honorable, nothing more than what had all ready happened could pass between them until they went through the proper ceremony. Especially considering who Ardeth was…the elders of every Med-jai tribe would be out to get his hide, and his position, should he slip out of the traditional, and honorable, way of doing things.
They rode through the lower canyons, most of which were dried up, going through twists and turns that none but they could know of and navigate. At last they came to some of the creek beds that were still filled and flowing with water. "Ardeth," Adira said when they had stopped to water the horses, "help me down, I want to wash my arms and face." Traveling during sandstorms and sleeping on the desert floor wasn't exactly a wonderful way to stay clean.
Ardeth helped her down, then knelt beside her as she pushed her sleeves up and washed her arms and hands, then dipped her face in a handful of water. She really was very beautiful...he had always recognized that about her. The tattoos of the Med-jai, while carefully put on all warriors, somehow added to her elegance. The hand of the man who etched them onto her face had been steady, the lining was more delicately done for her than other warriors, and it looked more like artwork than actual words etched across her cheeks.
Letting her hair down, Adira shook it out and ran her fingers through the filthy mess. Taking a deep breath, she plunged her head into the water; Ardeth took her shoulders to help balance her. She flipped her hair back out of the water, splashing him in the process.
Now dripping wet, Ardeth glanced at her with raised eyebrows. "If I didn't know better...I would say you did that on purpose."
Her mischievous little smile told him all he needed to know. "I am an injured comrade, Ardeth, don't you dare attempt revenge until I have fully recovered."
"Med-jai do not need revenge, we are above that," he answered simply, lifting her from the ground and putting her back on the horse. "However," he added, "we do retaliate when we are threatened or attacked." In one swift motion he had his water bag out, uncorked, and half the contents thrown onto her person.
"Ardeth!" she spluttered, wringing her shirt out and giving him a dirty glare.
Laughing, he climbed up behind her and they began moving once more. Halim and Jibril were close behind them, laughing as well. When so close to home, even the stone-faced men of the Med-jai were able to relax.
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They came into the city shortly after nightfall; the reality of being home sank in for them all as they listened to the quiet sounds of the city. The men saluted, the twin brothers rode away as Adira and Ardeth continued with the pack horses to the royal compund. In reality, it was not overly spectacular, but just the most fortress-like of any home that the Med-jai had...and there were many gardens. The training buildings were also built connecting to the palace.
To the stables they went, leaving the horses with one of the night-hands. Ardeth carried Adira by himself into the palace, past the few guards who saluted him and smiled. Obviously they had already heard of the victory, and many knew how Adira had defied him by going into battle.
Her eyes were becoming heavy, Adira felt herself falling asleep as he carried her down one long hallway after another. At last they came to her room; he pushed the sliding door open with his shoulder and gently laid her on her bed of cushions and pillows. She was just barely awake now.
"Come now," he said with a chuckle, "no bath before you sleep? Are you even going to undress?"
Adira's only response was a yawn, then she turned over and ignored him. Ardeth laughed, leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek, and stood. "I will send Intisar to you, to help you prepare for bed. Good night, Adira."
She mumbled a response, too tired to be coherent. As he left, he paused at the doorway and looked back at her, his smile warm. It would not be long, if he had his way, before she was made his wife at last.
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Thanks to my lovely reviewers, eva, Nakhti (glad you're still with me!), and Deana. I appreciate your kind comments and encouragement. :-)
