CHAPTER 4
Days passed by, turning into weeks. With each day Layla became stronger. She went out for short walks in the early morning before it became too hot for her weakened condition. Asima and Atiya would walk with her each morning but Ardeth would have meals with her and walk with her in the cool evening air. They shared conversations about each other's family and what their lives had been like.
One day Ardeth and Raza happened upon Layla playing with some of the children, one of whom was Ardeth's niece, Hala. As Ardeth watched, he started to daydream of Layla and himself having children and playing with them. Raza punched his friend playfully, to get his attention.
"Where were you, my friend?" Raza asked.
"Thinking about something," Ardeth said, evasively.
"Something? I believe it was someone you were thinking about," Raza said, chuckling.
The ball the children and Layla were playing with rolled over by Ardeth. He stood and threw the ball back to them. It bounced and almost hit Layla. She shot him a disapproving look, ready to scold him until a movement on the hill behind the tents caught her eye. Ardeth saw a look of horror come over her face; he turned to see Botros and a few of his men riding into camp. Layla ran over to Ardeth.
"He's coming, Ardeth! What do we do now?" Layla said with panic in her voice.
"Go to my tent, do not come out unless I call for you," Ardeth instructed her.
"I cannot go in your tent alone. It is not allowed," she reminded him.
"Hala!" Ardeth call to his niece. "Take Layla to my tent and stay with her until I call for her," he told the young girl.
"I will Uncle Ardeth. Come, Layla," Hala said, taking her by the hand as they ran to the tent.
"What are we going to do, friend?" Raza asked as Botros rode up to them. Ardeth gave him no answer.
"Iman. What do you want here?" Ardeth asked the man. Botros was an army by himself. He was tall and stocky and very strong by the looks of his muscular arms.
"I am looking for a woman. It is said that she was seen with you last. She is a runaway. Do you know where she is?" Botros' voice was very strong and commanding.
"If you would tell me what she looks like I could help you," Ardeth said.
"Do not play games with me. I saw her as we rode in here. What did you do with her?" Botros asked, becoming angry.
"The woman you seek is here. She is not a runaway. I brought her here to heal. She was very ill," Ardeth explained, calmly.
"I want her! Bring her to me, now!" Botros ordered.
"You have no authority here. She will stay here as long as she wishes," Ardeth told him.
"She is my wife," Botros admitted.
"What type of man would give his wife to another man? She is no longer your wife, you saw to that by giving her away," Ardeth said, becoming angry, too.
"Get her or my men will," Botros said, as some of Ardeth's warriors surrounded Botros and his men.
"I do not think that would be a wise decision. You and your men will leave now. The woman will stay," Ardeth said, with his hand on his scimitar.
"The woman belongs to our tribe. We will look after her, we have healers very capable of helping her," Botros told him.
"She no longer wears the markings of your tribe. She has accepted those of our tribe. We have welcomed her with open arms. She wishes not to return to a man who turned her into a slave to repay a debt," Ardeth said.
"She is my wife! She cannot be here without my permission," Botros said as Layla came from the tent. Ardeth tried to stop her, as did Hala.
"Go back, Layla!" Ardeth told her.
"No, I am not going to hide." She walked over in front of Botros' horse. "We never had the uniting ceremony. You only had your markings put on me. An elder here, explained the ceremony to me. We are not united in any way. I am free to do as I please. I choose to be here. Now leave me and this camp," Layla ordered.
"You do not give orders to me, woman," Botros said, making a grab for her. Raza pulled her away from him.
"Leave now and do not come back," Ardeth said.
"I am not through with you, Bay. I will be back and you will regret your actions," Botros said, staring at Ardeth. He turned to leave as he did he yelled back over his shoulder. "I will kill you and the girl."
"I will be ready for you," Ardeth said, watching him leave. Layla went to his side; she had fear in her eyes. He held her close to him as she stood there shaking.
Layla pulled away from him. "I am leaving. I will not bring death to your family. I will go back to Botros," she said.
She was becoming very fond of Ardeth's family and friends. Though she was merely a stranger they welcomed her with open arms. There were those who feared retaliation and wanted her to leave but Ardeth would not hear of it. He knew the warrior could handle a battle if one ensued. Now Layla knew they were right. She didn't want anything to happen to her new tribe, she wanted to spare them a war. She did know Botros well enough he would keep his word.
"No! You will not go back to him. I love you, Layla Amin. I want you to be my wife," Ardeth declared.
"I cannot allow you to fight for me. I will leave," Layla insisted, turning away from him.
Ardeth grabbed her and pulled her close to him. "I will not let you leave. You said you would be here forever," Ardeth reminded her.
"I lied. I am not worthy of being a Medjai Chief's wife. I have been with many men in my life. Your family will not want such a woman in your family. Now let me go," she said, struggling with him. She had to find a way to get him to turn away from her. The thought of his being killed by Botros chilled her to the bone.
"You are lying now, trying to get me to hate you. I cannot do that. You are in my life and my heart. I will have you guarded. You will not leave this camp!" Ardeth said, forcefully, keeping his hold on her.
"Instead of being a slave, I will be your prisoner?" Layla asked.
"NO! I just want you to stay. I will protect you from Botros and I will live through it," Ardeth assured her lessening his hold.
"You are very confident, a little too confident. That will kill you quicker than Botros. I do not want to lose you anymore then you want to lose me," Layla said to him with a smile.
"I will try not to be too confident as long as you promise to stay here," Ardeth said.
"I will stay. I will also fight by your side, if I must. I may not have been able to defend myself against my owner but I have learned by watching you and Raza practice. I know I can fight," Layla said.
"I believe you have the will, I am not sure about the knowledge. We do not let the women fight with us but they do know how to defend themselves when we are not here. I will teach you as soon as I have talked to the council as to our plan in case Botros does attack," Ardeth told her.
"I look forward to the lessons. I believe there will be an attack and he will not wait long to do so, either."
"I believe that, too."
********
Ardeth had the council gather, to discuss the possible but more probable attack of the their camp by Botros and his people. Ardeth thought the council would be more amenable to Layla's situation. Instead he found the council actually wanting her returned to Botros.
"Layla Amin is not Botros' wife. There was no uniting ceremony other than him placing his marking on her. We all know there is more to the ceremony then that," Ardeth said.
"I do not believe you are being impartial to this topic," Zahid, head of the council, stated. "You have a personal involvement in this, do you not?"
"It is true. I wish to make Layla Amin my wife. But I implore you to look at the circumstances that brought her here," Ardeth said.
"You brought her here. What other circumstances are we to look at?" Kaniel asked. Kaniel was another healer and one of the older members of the council. He disliked the Bay family, because Zia Bay had interfered with more than one of his patients.
"She had been knifed and left to bleed to death. If I had not brought her here, she would have died. I could not allow it to happen, knowing Mother could save her," Ardeth said, staring at Kaniel. "She was nothing but a slave, put in the position by the man that claims to be her husband. How many of you would do that to your wife?"
Harith stood up to address the council. "The woman has accepted our tribe as hers. All of you welcomed her here. It is the threat of an attack that has turned you all against her. I will help my son, if Botros returns, with or without the council's blessing," he said.
"I say we all stand and defend the camp. As Harith said, we welcomed her to our camp. She has the marking of our tribe now. Do we not defend our own people?" The man speaking was once a great chief of all the Medjai, Mahir Asar, father to Zia Bay He was nearing ninety but he could hold his own with the council, and they knew it was impossible to argue any point with him.
Ardeth placed his hand up to his mouth to hide his smile. He knew the council would give in to his grandfather, which they did. Ardeth then explained his plan of action should the attack take place.
"Rider coming!" a young boy yelled into the tent. Ardeth, Harith and Raza went out to meet him. It was a member of Botros' tribe.
"Botros sent me to give you this." He handed Ardeth a medallion similar to his. "Botros is willing to make a fair trade. Your brother, for the woman," the rider said. "Do you have an answer?"
Ardeth was so stunned seeing his brother's medallion he barely understood what the rider had said. He snapped out of his daze to answer him. "I will meet with him. Ten kilometers east of this camp. He is to come only with my brother and one other person. I will do the same, bringing the woman," Ardeth told him.
The rider turned and left as Harith and Raza stood in disbelief he was giving up the woman. "My son, you cannot meet him as you said. He will not show with only one man with him," Harith told him.
"I thought you loved the woman. Why are you giving her up so easily?" Raza wondered.
"I do not recall saying I would give her to Botros, only that I would bring her," Ardeth said as he went to his tent.
********
Layla was very shaken when Ardeth told her the news. "You say you have a plan to keep me from Iman and still save your brother? May I know what this plan is?"
"I will tell you later. I believe I owe you a fighting lesson. I assume you would like to have it before tomorrow afternoon?" Ardeth said with a mischievous grin.
"I believe it would be the wise thing to do," Layla stated. "I am wondering. Do my lessons figure into your plan?" she asked, being very curious.
"I will tell you in time. Come, I will give you your lesson now," he said, taking her by the hand.
"Ardeth, I am not only scared for us but for the camp. Iman is devious. He could plan an attack by his men while we meet with him," Layla said as they walked together.
"I have thought of that also. My plan for tomorrow will include the proper precautions taken here. Do not worry. We will survive this together," he said, taking her into his arms.
"If you have to make a choice tomorrow, promise me you will choose your brother," Layla said, very seriously. She thought her suggestion would ease any conflict he may feel inside.
"I will not have to make a choice. I will save my brother and keep you from Botros at the same time," he reassured her.
"I want to hear you promise me," she insisted.
"I am sorry. I cannot make that promise. I can only promise you and I will be united with my brother by my side."