Hours passed by with Ardeth trying to stay busy to keep his mind off the mystery woman. He talked with his father and Uncle but his thoughts kept turning to her. Raza tried to keep him distracted by practicing their fighting skills with the scimitars but Ardeth was almost cut because he couldn't concentrate on the fight.
Raza and Ardeth were born just days apart and their families had always been close so it was no surprise that Ardeth made Raza his commander. When Ardeth was not in the camp all responsibilities fell to him. Raza could possibly be mistaken for Ardeth's brother from a distance. He was just a few inches shorter than Ardeth and very long dark brown hair that reached his shoulder blades. He kept his hair tied back in battles by a dark blue ribbon his wife had given him.
"My friend why are you so concerned about this woman? Do you know her somehow?" Raza asked.
"I have never met her. I am just worried for her. She should not have been treated the way she was. No woman should be treated in such a manner," Ardeth said, livid over the torture she must have endured.
"I have never seen you like this before. I believe you have been smitten by this woman. Her smile has put you under her spell," Raza teased his friend.
"And what if it has? Am I not allowed to find a woman as beautiful as she?" Ardeth questioned him.
"You are very much allowed, friend. But I suggest you find a woman from our tribe. Not from a shunned tribe. It was done for a reason," Raza said, seriously.
"I will choose who I want as my wife. If she should come from a shunned tribe, so be it. It is my life, my business. Not yours or the tribe's," Ardeth said in an angry tone.
"I am sorry. You are right. I think I will go see my sister and her family," Raza said, starting to walk away.
"Raza, I am sorry for my angry words to you. I would just like to know how the woman is doing. I get very irritated waiting," Ardeth apologized.
"I have been that way before myself." Raza patted him on the back then left him alone near his tent.
Ardeth went in his tent, which was beside his parents'. He looked around his home, never realizing until now how just how lonely it was. Was it the woman who was causing this feeling to surface so strongly? He smiled to himself Maybe Raza was right; he was under her spell, if so he was willing to accept it with an open heart.
He now had to fight the urge to barge into his parent's tent to check for himself how she was. He knew the best way to keep his mind from her was to lie down; hoping sleep would rest his concern for a while.
************************
Ardeth was out walking away from the camp when he heard someone behind him.
"Hello, my name is Layla Amin," the lady said as she approached him.
"My name is Ardeth Bay. It is a pleasure to finally know your name."
"I would like to thank you for saving my life. I am indebted to you," Layla said, taking his hand. He felt a tingling sensation throughout his body when she touched him.
"I was just doing what any gentleman would do under the circumstances," he said modestly. "Layla, I feel as if we have known each other for a long time." Layla giggled and Ardeth loved the sound of it.
"I feel the same way," Layla said, slightly blushing.
"I do not think I could live without seeing your face each day. I want you to be my wife," Ardeth said, taking her in his arms.
"Remove your hands from my woman," the man said as he approached them.
"I will not let you take her away from me," Ardeth said, charging at the man. The big man pulled a rather large knife from his belt readying himself for the charge. Ardeth fought the man for the knife. The bigger man brought the knife toward Ardeth's chest.
"ARDETH!" Layla yelled.
******
Ardeth awoke from the dream with a start. He realized his mother was lightly shaking him. "My son, are you feeling well? You are sweating heavily," Zia said checking him.
"I am well, Mother. I was just having a dream," Ardeth told her. "My dream was so real. I was in a battle to save the woman from the man she was with at the market. I was fighting him for a knife and it was dangerously close to stabbing me when you awakened me," he explained.
"The woman is going in and out of darkness. She called your name out. I think you should go see her," Zia suggested.
"She called my name? I never told her my name." Ardeth was very confused.
"Are you sure? She said it very plainly. I came over here to get you right after she did so."
"Mother, in my dream I told her my name and she told me hers. It is Layla," Ardeth told her.
"Come with me," Zia said, not reacting to what he told her. She led her son to the tent. The woman was lying so still. Zia motioned for Asima and Atiya to leave them alone. Zia busied herself mixing more herbs.
"What do you want me to do, Mother?" Ardeth asked her.
"Talk to her, my child," Zia said. "Maybe she will wake again."
"What do I say?" Ardeth asked himself. He took the woman's hand in his. He felt her grip his hand. "Do you hear me? I am Ardeth."
The woman's eyes fluttered. She tried to hold them open but they felt very heavy. "Ardeth?" she whispered.
"Yes, I am here," he said with a smile. He took his other hand and brushed her long hair from her face.
Layla lifted her other hand and touched Ardeth's hand. When she did, he saw a familiar tattoo on her hand. "Mother?"
"Yes, Child?" Zia came over by him.
"This marking is Botros' family marking. If she is his wife, why was she with that heathen who hurt her?" Ardeth wondered.
"I was given to him to repay a debt Botros owed him," Layla answered.
"I am sorry, I thought you were asleep," Ardeth apologized.
"I only had my eyes closed. I am very thirsty. I would like to sit up and drink some water please," Layla said, finally opening her eyes a little.
"I will help you." Ardeth carefully helped her sit up as his mother brought over the water. As she sat up, he could see the scars and bruises on her back that Atiya had mentioned. "How could a man do this to you?"
"I was his woman, to do with as he pleased," Layla said. "I was treated slightly better than his animals, very slightly." She gave a small grin to Ardeth as she took a drink of the water.
"You seem to find humor in the situation. I do not."
"It is how I wish to look at it. I lived through it as best I could. I tried to run away but was beaten for my efforts. I only tried once. I learned it was better to live with the inhuman treatment than to be beaten the way I was for running," Layla said, a little upset.
"I think we should change to another subject," Ardeth suggested. "Do you have family I should send a message to?" he asked as he helped her drink more water.
"None. I was the sole survivor of my family after a sickness ran rampant in our village. Botros took me as his wife. I was sixteen when it happened," Layla explained.
"So young to lose your family. I am sorry."
"I have survived much in my life. It has led me to you," Layla said with a smile.
"You speak as if you have been searching for me. Have we ever met?" Ardeth wondered.
"Only in our dreams. Do you not recognize me as the woman in your dreams, Ardeth?" Layla asked.
"I have had many recurring dreams of a woman but I have never seen her face clearly," Ardeth admitted.
"Until today. You asked me to be your wife," Layla said, drinking more water.
"I do not understand." Ardeth looked to his mother.
"You have been sharing dreams. It is said, if you share dreams, you are destined to be together in life," Zia explained to her son.
"That is how you knew my name. You are Layla?"
"Yes. I am Layla." She smiled then she yawned. "I am very tired," she said, lying back down.
"I will leave you to sleep," Ardeth said, moving to leave.
"Please stay with me, Ardeth. Don't leave me."
"I will never leave you. I will be here with you forever," he told her.
Layla though his promise was a bit unrealistic, however she liked the sound of it very much. " I will be here forever too," Layla said, closing her eyes.
Ardeth sat next to her holding her hand for hours not leaving her side as she slept. His mother kept watch over them, since it is not acceptable for a man and a woman, not united to be alone together in a tent. She gently tended to Layla's wounds making sure she didn't wake her. In her condition she needed the rest she was getting. She looked over at Ardeth. He was falling asleep himself as he sat holding Layla's hand.
"Ardeth," she whispered gently touching his leg. He opened his eyes, quickly realizing what had happened. "Go to your tent. It's getting late. Your father stated he would stay with you, so I would not have to move her."
"I promised I would stay with her. I will sleep over there but will still keep my promise," Ardeth told her.
"I will tell her where you are when she awakens. Go child, no argument." Zia ordered. She was the only one who had the authority to give him orders he had to accept. Ardeth kissed his mother good night and left the tent.