Chapter 15
Asiya held the brown robe clutched tightly to her chest and stood on the threshold of her room, indecision immobilizing her body. She hated feeling uncertain and loathed the insecurity that sometimes came with it. They were both unwanted emotions. She leaned against the door frame for a moment, her mind waging a war with her heart: logic against love.
Ardeth had made his reasons for leaving tomorrow quite clear prompting Asiya to realize duty would always take precedence in Ardeth's life. For a fleeting moment, she wondered how his wife Janan had acknowledged and learned to cope with her husband's dual identities.
She chewed on the ragged edge of her thumbnail as she contemplated Na'ima's advice. To love the man was to accept the warrior; one did not exist without the other. Na'ima had spoken of trusting Ardeth's warrior abilities and instinct for survival and Asiya blindly latched onto that concept. It represented the hope of his safe return. She had known that the time would come for when Ardeth would leave, but she had not expected it to come so soon.
"Na'ima advised to seize this chance," Asiya muttered to herself and pushed away from the door frame. "Allah help and guide me for I will surely need it."
She quietly crept down the hallway, the robe still held securely in her arms. She passed through intermittent puddles of silver light splashed on the floor as beams of moonlight streamed through the windows illuminating the way. She paused in the doorway to Ardeth's room, amazed to see a light burning and the warrior restlessly pacing in front of the pallet. Ardeth seemed preoccupied and agitated, his limp more pronounced, most likely due to fatigue. Asiya felt her heart constrict with an overwhelming tenderness and compassion and she had to call out to him.
"Warrior?"
Ardeth turned around and stared at her, surprise flaring up in his dark eyes that quickly congealed into what Asiya thought to be indifference. She was astonished at the swift range of emotions that flowed over his face and considered leaving. Instead she stayed and held out the robe as if it were a peace offering. "Forgive me if I am disturbing you," Asiya said. "I have come to give you this for tomorrow's journey."
Ardeth stared at the offered garment, an unreadable expression on his face and at the moment, he refused to take it. His gaze focused on Asiya's face and he uttered one simple word. "Why?"
She took a deep breath and slowly walked over to him, her eyes roaming over his body in silent appreciation of the warrior that stood before her, for the man that now stared back at her with a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. Briefly Asiya wondered if she had created that emotion; such power was a strange concept. "You no longer wish to wear this robe?" Asiya asked.
"I thought you did not approve of my departure tomorrow," he said and seemed amazed at her actions, his voice a notch above a husky whisper.
Asiya found her first tentative smile. "I still do not approve but have learned to accept it. I find I am learning to accept quite a few things this evening." She motioned for Ardeth to take the garment.
He reached for it, his long fingers grasping the cloth but looked up in astonishment when she refused to relinquish her hold.
"However I cannot give you this until I receive a promise," she whispered and stood only a few inches away from the warrior.
"A promise?" Ardeth asked, frowning.
"Aiwa," Asiya replied and with one hand, she let her fingertips trail a light caress over the back of one of his hands. She felt him flinch in surprise and was captured by the intensity of his gaze, mesmerized.
"Explain this promise to me," he quietly demanded.
Asiya traced the three pronged tattoo on his skin with the tip of one finger, her mind stumbling in its efforts to choose the right words. As she had warned him earlier, honesty was her strongest trait. She decided to let the words spill forth from her mouth without any thought or regard since they came from the heart.
"You must promise that you will return to me, warrior. My heart will not accept anything less."
"Is this the healer speaking, determined to keep her patient safe no matter the consequences?" asked Ardeth softly.
"La, this is the woman who needs to tell the warrior of her love," Asiya replied and stepped closer still, losing herself in Ardeth's eyes, watching the impact of her words slowly register in his mind. "Inta malak ya maHabbi, ya warrior," she whispered. Her words held the power of freedom and with them her heart suddenly felt lighter. She watched Ardeth as her declaration slowly melted away the cold resolve on his face. Suddenly he closed his eyes and bowed his dark head, slowly shaking it.
"I cannot make a promise that I may be unable to keep. Just as I cannot accept your love," he murmured dejectedly.
Asiya blinked in confusion and fought down the panic in her heart, the belief that she had made a fool of herself. "I give to you freely what I suspect you have held since the moment you have awakened," she explained. "Perhaps it is premature to speak of this but I must confess you have somehow won my heart, ensnared my soul."
"Then I give them back to you," Ardeth stated hoarsely and looked up, raw anguish flaring up in his eyes. "It would be for the best if you did not..we did not.."
As his words trailed off and his hands dropped from holding the robe, Asiya stepped back completely baffled and unbalanced. Her mind called her a thousand times the fool but her heart refused to believe in Ardeth's rejection, for there had to be a reason. She had trusted her instincts and felt there was more to this than the simple reason he was giving. "For the best?" Asiya echoed a slight frown on her face. "Now I must ask the same of you; is this the warrior speaking or the man?"
A weak smile flashed over Ardeth's face as he seemed to appreciate Asiya's use of his own words turned back on him. The smile faded as he appeared to be struggling with an inner torment. "This is the man whose heart could not bear the thought of something happening to you. I failed once to protect the woman that I loved, I cannot fail again."
"So you will keep yourself from loving and being loved?" Asiya asked incredulously.
"I will keep you safe."
"My safety is not the issue here. Are you willing to deny yourself a chance for happiness?"
"If it means that you will remain unharmed, ignored by those who would seek to hurt me through you, then aiwa, I gladly do so." Ardeth stated, unknowingly revealing to Asiya the true fear in his heart. He abruptly turned away from her, head bowed forward slightly, his hands clenched into tight fists by his sides. "You should leave now."
"La."
Asiya's quiet refusal surprised her as well as the sudden flare-up of her temper. Without thought she bundled up the robe and as Ardeth turned around to look at her, she threw it straight at his head. She felt a small amount of satisfaction when it wrapped itself around his face, muffling his oath of surprise. As Ardeth reached up and removed it, Asiya marched over to him and poked him in the chest to gain his attention.
"I will readily admit my dealings with the opposite sex are quite limited since there are only three men that live here at the compound. I will also admit my surprise when I heard the stories of just how stubborn men are, especially warriors. Imagine how thrilled my friends will be when not only do I concur with their findings but also add my own discovery that the level of intelligence varies from man to man." Asiya folded her arms across her chest and waited.
Ardeth pulled the robe down and stared at Asiya in disbelief. "You are saying I am stupid?"
Remembering Ardeth's position among their people, his title as a commander of a tribe and the respect that was due, Asiya wisely changed tactics and gradually released her anger.
"La," she sighed. "Instead I point out my previous suggestion that you find and use this great inner strength that has sustained you in the past. Do you not believe it can help you overcome this fear of allowing yourself to love again?"
"I do not know," Ardeth replied, indecision showing clearly on his face. He refused to meet her steady unwavering gaze as he quietly added, "I am..unsure."
Knowing all too well how much it had cost him to voice this admission, Asiya felt her heart soften and she wanted to reach up and smooth away the lines of worry on his face.
"You asked me to help you, warrior. I am doing so now. Fear of the unknown is a natural reaction as we both stand on the precipice of a new life. But I would rather have you in my life and know fear than not have you at all. Fear is nothing compared to the emptiness I would feel without you."
Asiya waited, holding her breath, as she watched Ardeth contemplate her words. Part of her was mortified at her behavior, so inappropriate for a maiden but felt the risk was well worth the acknowledgement and gift of Ardeth's love. Unable to bear the escalating silence between them as Ardeth methodically folded the robe, Asiya caved into her previous desire and reached out to touch his face in a light caress.
"I meant no disrespect.." She murmured and let her hand drop away, feeling defeated.
The robe was folded in half.
"My honesty is a character flaw I have always struggled with.."
The robe was now folded in quarters.
"Tell me I have been wrong and I will gladly rescind my comments," she finally suggested. "Convince me I have been wrong in assuming you feel the same as I do. I will walk away now and would beg you to forget.."
Ardeth draped the carefully folded garment over one arm and suddenly pulled Asiya into his embrace. She gasped at the impact; the feel of his hard length pressed against her body and stared up into his face, amazed to see a small smile dancing around his mouth.
"You have the tenacity of a warrior," Ardeth said with a slow heart- stopping lopsided grin. "Has anyone ever told you that?"
"La, I am not aware of this trait," Asiya muttered, for some reason unable to meet his unwavering gaze.
"Ask this promise again of me," Ardeth suggested, and she looked up to find his eyes warm, bright and alive.
Asiya took a deep breath to stop the nervous fluttering of her heart and replied, "Tell me you will return to me. I will not accept anything less except the promise from a warrior."
They stared at one another for the infinite space of a heartbeat, Asiya knowing all to well Ardeth's reply would either cause great joy or pain. The expression of his face gradually morphed, like sand shifting in the desert wind and he no longer hid his emotions. The change was almost blinding, the deep promise of desire reflected in his eyes. She watched in wide-eyed wonder as he gently captured one hand and brought it up to his lips, placing a light kiss on the palm. Hope flared up within her heart.
"I promise, ya Asiya hilwa that I shall return to you," Ardeth said and placed her hand over his heart. "As long as there is breath in my body, strength in my limbs. How can I not? You have healed my heart and now hold it in your hands."
Asiya smiled as Ardeth's hand reached up to touch her face, his fingers grazing over her cheek until they slid into her hair. She leaned into his hand, the exquisite sensation of his touch searing a path to her soul.
~*~
Olivia hated waiting. She hated the uncertainty in Faris' plan, the fear that his covert efforts in procuring her freedom would not go undetected. Olivia hated not knowing if Nabil was still alive, amazed to come to the conclusion that if he had died, she was almost ready to forfeit her own chance of escape. She had felt a strong attraction to him since the night of her abduction and now could readily admit, her feelings for him went far deeper than she realized. Allan could not compare to Nabil and Olivia looked forward to the time when she could further explore her feelings for the warrior and hopefully, have him do likewise.
She had paced the interior of the tent, senses alert to the slow passage of time, marked by the sun shining through the canvas and the progress of shadows across the ground. Near dusk, Faris and another guard had brought her the evening meal. She tried to capture the boy's attention but he kept his face turned away until the moment before he left the tent.
"They have what you requested to be given to them. Now we wait for midnight." Faris had said and disappeared through the opening before Olivia could question him further.
Through the course of the evening, Olivia had tried to keep herself preoccupied while waiting for the appointed hour. She failed miserably, especially when she had overheard her guards talking about the Medjai and of the one who had died. The guards were certain Jahm would not accept the news of the warrior's death with anything but anger, having lost one of many chances to strike back at his hated foe. This had been a short while ago and she had heard nothing since.
Sighing, Olivia walked over to the opening and without alerting the guard, peeked up to stare at the night sky. The moon had reached its highest point, bathing the world below in brilliant iridescent light, revealing the details of the surrounding landscape with startling clarity. She despaired for a moment, wishing instead for a cloud to pass over the silver orb to provide much needed concealment.
A low whistle came from the back of the tent, catching her attention and Olivia hurried away from the opening. She ran over and knelt down in the sand, watching as the blade of a knife suddenly popped through the material and began slicing downwards. A few moments later, Faris' hand reached in and Olivia grabbed it. She was tugged through the opening and almost landed on top of the boy, rolling off his body at the last moment. Faris stood up and reached down pulling Olivia to her feet. He closed together the tattered edges of the canvas as best he could.
"Quickly, come this way," Faris murmured and grabbed her hand. He directed her towards the end of the camp, keeping close to the backs of the tents and away from drawing any unwanted attention.
"Aren't we getting the other Medjai?" Olivia whispered breathlessly.
"They chose not to escape but to sacrifice themselves so that we may live. It is my belief once our absence has been discovered, the warriors will try and distract the guards, therefore buying us precious time," Faris answered.
Olivia had no time to reflect over what she considered the needless deaths of the other two warriors. Faris pulled Olivia towards her left and they ran behind the corral. He made her crouch down and poked his head above the top railing, his gaze sweeping over the camp. Activity in the camp had slowed down considerably as groups of men retired for the evening, a few remaining on guard duty. Faris whispered that he knew the guards would change in approximately two hours and motioned for her to move away from the fence. He took her hand once more and they hurried away from the camp and out into the open desert.
~*~
Dark eyes glittering like the stare of a cobra ready to strike, Loch-nah hid behind the tent flap and watched the boy and woman dart behind a row of tents, out to the corral and finally into the desert. He crossed his arms over his solid chest, one eyebrow raised as a malicious grin slowly creased his face. Why bother to further undermine Jahm's confidence as leader when letting the boy and woman escape served his purpose just as well. No longer was Loch-nah content to sit and wait for Hafez to bestow upon him what he felt he rightly deserved. Taking control of Jahm's men was a slow but continuous process with the reward more than satisfactory. Loch-nah would have the position of power he craved before resurrecting the priest.
Loch-nah stepped outside of the tent and overheard Kasim calling out orders to the men on duty. Having been informed of Kasim's fascination with the English woman from Jahm, Loch-nah was always the one to seize an opportunity when one presented itself. Removing the second in command simply brought Loch-nah one step closer to what he craved and the Nubian started to walk towards the other man. His cunning mind was already thinking about Kasim's reaction when he learned about the woman's escape but Loch-nah suddenly stopped. His mercurial mood changed and with a sly chuckle to himself, turned back into his tent. It would be better to deliver the news of the English woman's escape tomorrow morning, after he had a good night's rest. It would make the ensuing chase much more interesting.
Asiya held the brown robe clutched tightly to her chest and stood on the threshold of her room, indecision immobilizing her body. She hated feeling uncertain and loathed the insecurity that sometimes came with it. They were both unwanted emotions. She leaned against the door frame for a moment, her mind waging a war with her heart: logic against love.
Ardeth had made his reasons for leaving tomorrow quite clear prompting Asiya to realize duty would always take precedence in Ardeth's life. For a fleeting moment, she wondered how his wife Janan had acknowledged and learned to cope with her husband's dual identities.
She chewed on the ragged edge of her thumbnail as she contemplated Na'ima's advice. To love the man was to accept the warrior; one did not exist without the other. Na'ima had spoken of trusting Ardeth's warrior abilities and instinct for survival and Asiya blindly latched onto that concept. It represented the hope of his safe return. She had known that the time would come for when Ardeth would leave, but she had not expected it to come so soon.
"Na'ima advised to seize this chance," Asiya muttered to herself and pushed away from the door frame. "Allah help and guide me for I will surely need it."
She quietly crept down the hallway, the robe still held securely in her arms. She passed through intermittent puddles of silver light splashed on the floor as beams of moonlight streamed through the windows illuminating the way. She paused in the doorway to Ardeth's room, amazed to see a light burning and the warrior restlessly pacing in front of the pallet. Ardeth seemed preoccupied and agitated, his limp more pronounced, most likely due to fatigue. Asiya felt her heart constrict with an overwhelming tenderness and compassion and she had to call out to him.
"Warrior?"
Ardeth turned around and stared at her, surprise flaring up in his dark eyes that quickly congealed into what Asiya thought to be indifference. She was astonished at the swift range of emotions that flowed over his face and considered leaving. Instead she stayed and held out the robe as if it were a peace offering. "Forgive me if I am disturbing you," Asiya said. "I have come to give you this for tomorrow's journey."
Ardeth stared at the offered garment, an unreadable expression on his face and at the moment, he refused to take it. His gaze focused on Asiya's face and he uttered one simple word. "Why?"
She took a deep breath and slowly walked over to him, her eyes roaming over his body in silent appreciation of the warrior that stood before her, for the man that now stared back at her with a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. Briefly Asiya wondered if she had created that emotion; such power was a strange concept. "You no longer wish to wear this robe?" Asiya asked.
"I thought you did not approve of my departure tomorrow," he said and seemed amazed at her actions, his voice a notch above a husky whisper.
Asiya found her first tentative smile. "I still do not approve but have learned to accept it. I find I am learning to accept quite a few things this evening." She motioned for Ardeth to take the garment.
He reached for it, his long fingers grasping the cloth but looked up in astonishment when she refused to relinquish her hold.
"However I cannot give you this until I receive a promise," she whispered and stood only a few inches away from the warrior.
"A promise?" Ardeth asked, frowning.
"Aiwa," Asiya replied and with one hand, she let her fingertips trail a light caress over the back of one of his hands. She felt him flinch in surprise and was captured by the intensity of his gaze, mesmerized.
"Explain this promise to me," he quietly demanded.
Asiya traced the three pronged tattoo on his skin with the tip of one finger, her mind stumbling in its efforts to choose the right words. As she had warned him earlier, honesty was her strongest trait. She decided to let the words spill forth from her mouth without any thought or regard since they came from the heart.
"You must promise that you will return to me, warrior. My heart will not accept anything less."
"Is this the healer speaking, determined to keep her patient safe no matter the consequences?" asked Ardeth softly.
"La, this is the woman who needs to tell the warrior of her love," Asiya replied and stepped closer still, losing herself in Ardeth's eyes, watching the impact of her words slowly register in his mind. "Inta malak ya maHabbi, ya warrior," she whispered. Her words held the power of freedom and with them her heart suddenly felt lighter. She watched Ardeth as her declaration slowly melted away the cold resolve on his face. Suddenly he closed his eyes and bowed his dark head, slowly shaking it.
"I cannot make a promise that I may be unable to keep. Just as I cannot accept your love," he murmured dejectedly.
Asiya blinked in confusion and fought down the panic in her heart, the belief that she had made a fool of herself. "I give to you freely what I suspect you have held since the moment you have awakened," she explained. "Perhaps it is premature to speak of this but I must confess you have somehow won my heart, ensnared my soul."
"Then I give them back to you," Ardeth stated hoarsely and looked up, raw anguish flaring up in his eyes. "It would be for the best if you did not..we did not.."
As his words trailed off and his hands dropped from holding the robe, Asiya stepped back completely baffled and unbalanced. Her mind called her a thousand times the fool but her heart refused to believe in Ardeth's rejection, for there had to be a reason. She had trusted her instincts and felt there was more to this than the simple reason he was giving. "For the best?" Asiya echoed a slight frown on her face. "Now I must ask the same of you; is this the warrior speaking or the man?"
A weak smile flashed over Ardeth's face as he seemed to appreciate Asiya's use of his own words turned back on him. The smile faded as he appeared to be struggling with an inner torment. "This is the man whose heart could not bear the thought of something happening to you. I failed once to protect the woman that I loved, I cannot fail again."
"So you will keep yourself from loving and being loved?" Asiya asked incredulously.
"I will keep you safe."
"My safety is not the issue here. Are you willing to deny yourself a chance for happiness?"
"If it means that you will remain unharmed, ignored by those who would seek to hurt me through you, then aiwa, I gladly do so." Ardeth stated, unknowingly revealing to Asiya the true fear in his heart. He abruptly turned away from her, head bowed forward slightly, his hands clenched into tight fists by his sides. "You should leave now."
"La."
Asiya's quiet refusal surprised her as well as the sudden flare-up of her temper. Without thought she bundled up the robe and as Ardeth turned around to look at her, she threw it straight at his head. She felt a small amount of satisfaction when it wrapped itself around his face, muffling his oath of surprise. As Ardeth reached up and removed it, Asiya marched over to him and poked him in the chest to gain his attention.
"I will readily admit my dealings with the opposite sex are quite limited since there are only three men that live here at the compound. I will also admit my surprise when I heard the stories of just how stubborn men are, especially warriors. Imagine how thrilled my friends will be when not only do I concur with their findings but also add my own discovery that the level of intelligence varies from man to man." Asiya folded her arms across her chest and waited.
Ardeth pulled the robe down and stared at Asiya in disbelief. "You are saying I am stupid?"
Remembering Ardeth's position among their people, his title as a commander of a tribe and the respect that was due, Asiya wisely changed tactics and gradually released her anger.
"La," she sighed. "Instead I point out my previous suggestion that you find and use this great inner strength that has sustained you in the past. Do you not believe it can help you overcome this fear of allowing yourself to love again?"
"I do not know," Ardeth replied, indecision showing clearly on his face. He refused to meet her steady unwavering gaze as he quietly added, "I am..unsure."
Knowing all too well how much it had cost him to voice this admission, Asiya felt her heart soften and she wanted to reach up and smooth away the lines of worry on his face.
"You asked me to help you, warrior. I am doing so now. Fear of the unknown is a natural reaction as we both stand on the precipice of a new life. But I would rather have you in my life and know fear than not have you at all. Fear is nothing compared to the emptiness I would feel without you."
Asiya waited, holding her breath, as she watched Ardeth contemplate her words. Part of her was mortified at her behavior, so inappropriate for a maiden but felt the risk was well worth the acknowledgement and gift of Ardeth's love. Unable to bear the escalating silence between them as Ardeth methodically folded the robe, Asiya caved into her previous desire and reached out to touch his face in a light caress.
"I meant no disrespect.." She murmured and let her hand drop away, feeling defeated.
The robe was folded in half.
"My honesty is a character flaw I have always struggled with.."
The robe was now folded in quarters.
"Tell me I have been wrong and I will gladly rescind my comments," she finally suggested. "Convince me I have been wrong in assuming you feel the same as I do. I will walk away now and would beg you to forget.."
Ardeth draped the carefully folded garment over one arm and suddenly pulled Asiya into his embrace. She gasped at the impact; the feel of his hard length pressed against her body and stared up into his face, amazed to see a small smile dancing around his mouth.
"You have the tenacity of a warrior," Ardeth said with a slow heart- stopping lopsided grin. "Has anyone ever told you that?"
"La, I am not aware of this trait," Asiya muttered, for some reason unable to meet his unwavering gaze.
"Ask this promise again of me," Ardeth suggested, and she looked up to find his eyes warm, bright and alive.
Asiya took a deep breath to stop the nervous fluttering of her heart and replied, "Tell me you will return to me. I will not accept anything less except the promise from a warrior."
They stared at one another for the infinite space of a heartbeat, Asiya knowing all to well Ardeth's reply would either cause great joy or pain. The expression of his face gradually morphed, like sand shifting in the desert wind and he no longer hid his emotions. The change was almost blinding, the deep promise of desire reflected in his eyes. She watched in wide-eyed wonder as he gently captured one hand and brought it up to his lips, placing a light kiss on the palm. Hope flared up within her heart.
"I promise, ya Asiya hilwa that I shall return to you," Ardeth said and placed her hand over his heart. "As long as there is breath in my body, strength in my limbs. How can I not? You have healed my heart and now hold it in your hands."
Asiya smiled as Ardeth's hand reached up to touch her face, his fingers grazing over her cheek until they slid into her hair. She leaned into his hand, the exquisite sensation of his touch searing a path to her soul.
~*~
Olivia hated waiting. She hated the uncertainty in Faris' plan, the fear that his covert efforts in procuring her freedom would not go undetected. Olivia hated not knowing if Nabil was still alive, amazed to come to the conclusion that if he had died, she was almost ready to forfeit her own chance of escape. She had felt a strong attraction to him since the night of her abduction and now could readily admit, her feelings for him went far deeper than she realized. Allan could not compare to Nabil and Olivia looked forward to the time when she could further explore her feelings for the warrior and hopefully, have him do likewise.
She had paced the interior of the tent, senses alert to the slow passage of time, marked by the sun shining through the canvas and the progress of shadows across the ground. Near dusk, Faris and another guard had brought her the evening meal. She tried to capture the boy's attention but he kept his face turned away until the moment before he left the tent.
"They have what you requested to be given to them. Now we wait for midnight." Faris had said and disappeared through the opening before Olivia could question him further.
Through the course of the evening, Olivia had tried to keep herself preoccupied while waiting for the appointed hour. She failed miserably, especially when she had overheard her guards talking about the Medjai and of the one who had died. The guards were certain Jahm would not accept the news of the warrior's death with anything but anger, having lost one of many chances to strike back at his hated foe. This had been a short while ago and she had heard nothing since.
Sighing, Olivia walked over to the opening and without alerting the guard, peeked up to stare at the night sky. The moon had reached its highest point, bathing the world below in brilliant iridescent light, revealing the details of the surrounding landscape with startling clarity. She despaired for a moment, wishing instead for a cloud to pass over the silver orb to provide much needed concealment.
A low whistle came from the back of the tent, catching her attention and Olivia hurried away from the opening. She ran over and knelt down in the sand, watching as the blade of a knife suddenly popped through the material and began slicing downwards. A few moments later, Faris' hand reached in and Olivia grabbed it. She was tugged through the opening and almost landed on top of the boy, rolling off his body at the last moment. Faris stood up and reached down pulling Olivia to her feet. He closed together the tattered edges of the canvas as best he could.
"Quickly, come this way," Faris murmured and grabbed her hand. He directed her towards the end of the camp, keeping close to the backs of the tents and away from drawing any unwanted attention.
"Aren't we getting the other Medjai?" Olivia whispered breathlessly.
"They chose not to escape but to sacrifice themselves so that we may live. It is my belief once our absence has been discovered, the warriors will try and distract the guards, therefore buying us precious time," Faris answered.
Olivia had no time to reflect over what she considered the needless deaths of the other two warriors. Faris pulled Olivia towards her left and they ran behind the corral. He made her crouch down and poked his head above the top railing, his gaze sweeping over the camp. Activity in the camp had slowed down considerably as groups of men retired for the evening, a few remaining on guard duty. Faris whispered that he knew the guards would change in approximately two hours and motioned for her to move away from the fence. He took her hand once more and they hurried away from the camp and out into the open desert.
~*~
Dark eyes glittering like the stare of a cobra ready to strike, Loch-nah hid behind the tent flap and watched the boy and woman dart behind a row of tents, out to the corral and finally into the desert. He crossed his arms over his solid chest, one eyebrow raised as a malicious grin slowly creased his face. Why bother to further undermine Jahm's confidence as leader when letting the boy and woman escape served his purpose just as well. No longer was Loch-nah content to sit and wait for Hafez to bestow upon him what he felt he rightly deserved. Taking control of Jahm's men was a slow but continuous process with the reward more than satisfactory. Loch-nah would have the position of power he craved before resurrecting the priest.
Loch-nah stepped outside of the tent and overheard Kasim calling out orders to the men on duty. Having been informed of Kasim's fascination with the English woman from Jahm, Loch-nah was always the one to seize an opportunity when one presented itself. Removing the second in command simply brought Loch-nah one step closer to what he craved and the Nubian started to walk towards the other man. His cunning mind was already thinking about Kasim's reaction when he learned about the woman's escape but Loch-nah suddenly stopped. His mercurial mood changed and with a sly chuckle to himself, turned back into his tent. It would be better to deliver the news of the English woman's escape tomorrow morning, after he had a good night's rest. It would make the ensuing chase much more interesting.