And here is another chapter! You notice they're coming reguarly now? Yes, thats right. The story is finished! So every second day, you'll get a chapter. *give best politician grin* I promise! Ohhh, it gets exciting!

Trin:*waggles finger* Shhhh! Keep it to urself! Shahin has a major part to play yet! And you'll spoil the plot! *grimaces* thats the problem with having smart people read your stories, they always guess the plot!!

Siri: Updated! *chaching!* Every 2nd day, a new chappie will be up!

Medjaiangel: Yeah, the Sami-Nhir are so frustating that you just wish they'd....they'd.....fall off a cliff!

Nakhti: Its ok! All your really long reviews at the beginnin makes up for your tiredness! You're still a cool reviewer! "filthy heathen pig dog scum" nice! I gotta remember that one! And aren't u glad i didn't portray u as Zen? And yes, she is creepy, not your regular Mary-Sue hey? But don't worry, you might like what happens to her later....maybe....And guess what? The Sabre Dance is in the next chappie!

And heres the next chappie! I didn't write the beating scene because, well, i don't think i could...after all..he's already been through a lot, its different but i hope u like it.

****

Shahin stopped his horse on a dune overlooking the Sami-Nhir village and watched with pleasure as he saw the Sami-Nhir mistakenly attack the boy. It was a pity he had missed the girl.

Oh well, her time will come, Shahin surmised confidently, as if placing an internal note to himself in his mind to execute Zen.

Back to business. Shahin wheeled his horse around and galloped away into the desert. Hour after hour, neither man nor horse rested. Admittedly, the pace altered now and again, but never completely stopped.

Then slowly, slowly, man and horse slowed down until the horse was only walking. Shahin guided his horse to climb up to the top of a dune and then halted the creature, where it stood panting heavily. He had reached his destination.

Below him, the almost bleched white bones of Ardeth's horse lay. After only about 2 weeks in the desert, its bones had been picked clean of all and any meat – vultures were the disposers of the desert. The sun had bleached the bones, well, bone white and any skin that had been left behind had gone all leathery and wrinkly.

But the main thing that Shahin was looking for, was not present. Shahin smiled lazily, his canines showing.

The message that had been left behind was gone. And the stone that had been holding it down had moved from its last position. There was also disturbance in the sand that could've been caused by people's feet moving through the sand. No sandstorm had touched the place yet.

That meant that the Med-Jai had received the Sami-Nhir message about Ardeth's capture.

Shahin turned to leave but stopped suddenly, something on the distant horizon catching his eye.

A lizard smile scuttled across Shahin's face as he wheeled his horse around and galloped back the way he had come.

For, on the horizon, a cloud of dust and sand was rising, indicating that not only Hashim Bay was travelling towards the Sami-Nhir camp, but judging by the size of the dustcloud, all his able warriors were accompanying him.

It would certainly make things more interesting.

****

Ardeth sat with his knees drawn up to his chin, despairing. He was going to be beaten, beaten to within an inch of his life. Shahin would see that it was painful, Shahin was going to make him scream, Shahin was going to make sure there was blood. Lots of it.

I'm going to die in this camp and I can't do anything about it. Ardeth hugged his knees closer and suppressed the urge to start sobbing. There is nothing I can do, nothing I can do about it. I'm going to die in this camp, everyone hating me. I'm gong to die, alone and unloved. I'm going to die hated. People are going to rejoice when I die. Somehow, I never thought that it'd end this way.

Ardeth pressed his face into his knees and his hair flopped down over his eyes, hiding the boy from prying eyes – from his perspective. But then slowly, he raised his head, the light of hope entering his eyes.

There IS something I can do, he thought and then brightened up. I can…..I can escape! I'm going to escape!

He looked around him but no one was paying attention to him. He was shackled to his stake and so everyone thought that he was safe. Shahin wasn't due back until the next day. That left Ardeth the night time to leave.

Day passed in a blur as Ardeth thought up his escape. Then night came and he put his plan into action. Under the cover of darkness and asleep guards, he managed to wriggle the stake out of the ground. Then he managed to unloop the chain from the stake. There was no way that he could cut the chain off from the shackle, and just allowing it to dangle loose would make a lot of noise as he moved, and probably wake up the guards.

So Ardeth quietly ripped some of his robe up and carefully wrapped it around the chain and then wrapped the chain around his leg, making sure there was clothe between the chain so that it wouldn't clink when he moved, and then he tied the clothe to his leg, so that the chain was now wrapped around his ankle and wouldn't move.

Then using the stealth that had been taught to him from a very young age, Ardeth left the camp. He rejoiced, feeling the fresh night air on his face and the sand under his feet. Not the worn sand of the camp, but the soft sand of the desert. The desert was okay, he knew how to survive in the desert in a certain way. I'm going to make it home! I'm going home!

About 300 metres from the camp, Ardeth stumbled over and activated a trip wire. He thought he'd just stumbled over a rock in the darkness.

Two hours later after a lengthy pursuit, Ardeth was dragged back to the camp.

****

The next day, Shahin returned and the punishment for escaping and the assault on Zen took place.

Zen watched them lead the boy away past her, on his way to the clearing where Shahin waited with a look of malicious pleasure on his face. The boy was afraid. He was more then afraid. He was terrified. She could almost taste the fear flowing from the boy. She could hear the jeering of the crowd and the boy was led by Jawhar to be punished. To be tortured. And the boy was afraid.

He knew that Shahin hated him, he knew that the whole tribe hated him and wished him dead. He knew that the punishment was going to be long, and he knew that it was going to be painful. His face was pale with strain and he had black bags under his eyes from not sleeping the night before, after his capture. After his recapture, none of the warriors had touched him, they had been ordered not to lay a finger on him as he was going to receive his 'just rewards' the next day with Shahin.

Jawhar was muttering hurtful comments to Bay as he walked the boy along. Zen softly shook her head. This wasn't right. In the old day, something like this never would've happened. And half of it was her fault.

Her fault.

Zen clenched her eyes shut and tightened her fists.

She stayed for the first five minutes but after the first cry had been wrenched from the Med-Jai child, she'd had to leave. She couldn't handle it.

Jawhar watched the whole beating, a neutral expression on his face while inwardly, his emotions confusedly ran rampant. Inwardly, he flinched everytime a vicious blow landed on the boy and his heart wrenched when the boy cried out or screamed. He felt deep guilt when after the whipping, the boy was reducing to gasping breaths between sobbing from the pain. He had never seen the Med-Jai cry before.

The Med-Jai is only a child. Younger then me. We are torturing a child. Jawhar felt intensely ashamed of the Sami-Nhir's actions but only had to think back to Zen to get angry again. But……..but…..every time he looked at the stricken boy, his anger washed away. Jawhar was so confused. He didn't know what to feel or what to think.

Many of the warriors left halfway through the beating, not being able to watch the sadistic scene. The ones left had sighed in relief for the boy, when after a particularly severe blow, Ardeth had collapsed unconscious.

Finally, the boy was granted some serenity and a painless, even if it had to be the dark, dreamless sleep of oblivion.

****

The boy hung from his bonds in the middle of the camp. He was still unconscious, his head bowed down on his chest, his black hair covering his face. In his dreamless sleep, the boy looked a whole lot younger then his 18 years. His face was incredibly pale, his dark tattoos contrasting starkly with his skin.

As Zen slowly crept closer to the boy she gently reached forward and touched him, almost jumping in shock as she felt his cold and clammy skin.

She looked around fearfully, all her senses alert to compensate for her blindness, but she might as well have not bothered. It was night-time and everyone was either asleep or drunk. She had wanted to speak to the Med-Jai but she knew how much Jawhar hated the boy, and how much it would anger him to hear that she had gone to the boy without his protection. But she had the right to a private conversation with him. After all that his tribe had done……..

Zen let her hand drop and stood silent as more memories came flooding back, and a tear of pain slid down her cheek. But one tear only. Zen did not go for self-pity.

Hesitantly, she stepped closer and listened intently. His breathing was laboured, raspy and shallow. She could almost hear his silent whimpering, almost see the expression pain sprawled openly across his young face.

Tentatively, she stretched out her hand again, and touched his face. The skin was cold and clammy to the touch, and covered in a slight sheen of sweat. His face was hot, evidence of the fever racing through his stricken body. As she let her fingers play over his face, she came across a cut along his cheekbone and the boy moved slightly, groaning as she hit a tender spot. She quickly went to move her hand away but she was not quick enough as the boy turned his head and leaned into her caress. Zen stood still in shock but then reality took over and she removed her hand.

Steadying her heartbeat, she let her fingers check his chest, wincing as he tried to pull away from her gentle probing. She didn't want to cause him anymore pain, she had heard the laughter and then sick silence of the men as they watched his beating, but she had to know how serious his injuries were. She had heard the loud cracks as bones broke and she had heard his screaming. She had heard the snap of the whip, and the sickening sound of leather meeting flesh. Zen knew that the whip that Shahin had used was specially made to cause pain and cut badly into the victim's flesh. He kept it especially soft for that purpose. How ironic, the softer the whip, the more it cut. Most of the men had left halfway through the boy's beating, unable to watch the sadistic scene and the ones watching had almost sighed in relief when the Med-Jai teenager had collapsed unconscious.

She could feel several broken ribs and she didn't even want to touch his back, terrified of what she'd find. Instead she inspected his hands and found out that he had been bound to a tree with his hands high above his head, the wrists taking most of his bodyweight. The rope that they had used had cut badly into the boy's flesh and Zen could feel the stickiness of the blood seeping into the rope and running down the boy's arms.

If he was kept bound in this way any longer, he might lose all use of his hands.

Suddenly, the boy stirred and the girl jumped back terrified but held her ground as she felt the boy struggle to wake up.

Ardeth tried to force his eyes open, but they just wouldn't co-operate. It felt like lead weights had been tied to his eyelids, and Allah, everything hurt. Everything. Ardeth groaned and cursed whoever had gotten him into this position in the first place. To try and get his mind operating, he tried to concentrate and figure out where all the pain was coming from and what was causing it all.

His shoulders ached and his wrists had acute pain and a very heavy feel to them. His back screamed and no matter how he moved, it felt like someone had set it on fire. He could hardly breath, he felt like he was stretched out and to breath meant straining his lungs, and it felt like there was a band constricting their movement, and any movement he did make, sent knives of pain stabbing through his chest. His lower abdomen and stomach ached, and it felt like he was having cramps.

Okay, that deals with where the pain's coming from, now WHAT caused it? Ardeth questioned himself and still with his eyes closed, put reason to rhyme. The back pains were caused by the whippings. The ache in the shoulders and pain in the wrist indicated that he was bound with his arms over his head. The knives in his chest indicated broken ribs. The ache in his stomach suggested that he had been beaten there.

The beating! Of course!

In a sudden panic, Ardeth's eyes snapped open and he instantly tried to press himself against the tree in an effort to ward off attackers. A big mistake. Ardeth's eyes grew even wider in pain as his back screamed at him as he accidentally pressed his welts against it's rough trunk. He gasped in pain but this just sent his broken ribs off and pain just exploded behind his head. He gasped in an effort to stop the pain but it just caused more pain.

Zen hesitated, not knowing what to do, but hating to see the boy in so much pain. Hesitantly, she reached up and touched his cheek and Ardeth started, bringing his clouded eyes to bear on her face.

"Zen?!?"

"Sshhhh. Just be still." Zen chastised the injured boy.

"What are you doing here? Jawhar will kill you!" Ardeth spoke quietly and quickly, concern for the girl showing in his voice despite his own problems.

"Med-Jai, be quiet. You are injured." A strict note entered the blind girl's voice.

"You're telling me?" Ardeth sarcastically answered.

"Med-Jai, I must ask……" Zen stopped, not knowing how to continue.

"What do you want Zen? And stop calling me Med-Jai. I do have a name. Please use it. Ardeth Bay. Ardeth."

"I want you to make………a promise to me." Zen felt awkward asking the boy to make a promise, but he needed to. He HAD to.

"A promise? What's the promise first?" Ardeth cautiously enquired, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"You must promise….er….never to attempt escape again." Zen spoke quickly, knowing that the boy wouldn't agree or wouldn't like that idea.

"What?!? No way! I won't promise that! I can't promise that!" Ardeth was shocked. How can she ask such a thing of me?

"Ardeth! Please!" Zen stepped forward, tears shining in her sightless eyes, "You MUST promise me! They'll kill you if you try again! You cannot die! You must not die! If anyone can decide this, then I have the right! Promise me!"

She called me Ardeth, the boy sagged in shock against his bonds, "Zen, do you realise what you ask of me?"

"Yes." Her answer was softly spoken. "But, please, you must promise me this. Promise me Bay, son of the Med-Jai! PROMISE!"

Ardeth stood silently contemplating what this would do for him and sighed in resignation. "If it pleases you Zen, then……I promise."

The boy was rewarded with a huge smile from the girl. "Thankyou Ardeth. Trust me, eventually, you will return home."

I hope so, I need so, Ardeth mused sadly but spoke instead, a catch in his voice, "I would like that. Now, leave me please. I need to think."

Zen nodded, but before she left, she reached up, and gently kissed the boy on the forehead, "Get better quickly Bay. And remember your promise."

Ardeth closed his eyes, committing the touch of her lips on his forehead to memory and when he reopened them, she was gone. He sighed and sagged back down against his bonds.

A promise had been made, and as a honourable Med-Jai, Ardeth would stand by it.

Even if it would cause his death.

****

Shahin stepped into chief's tent and bowed slightly, every nerve in his body hating to bend so.

"You have news for us Shahin?" Ruwaid asked, his eyes half closed as he surveyed the man in front of him. He had been present for the punishment of the Med-Jai child and had thoroughly approved of the beating. It was just what the child needed to impress his position in the camp. Worthless.

"Yes my Lord. The message had been taken and indeed, Hashim Bay rides towards us as we speak here in this tent. However-" Here Shahin hesitated, he wasn't sure how Ruwaid would take the news.

"However what?" Ruwaid leaned forward as Mikail, who had been standing silent in the background straightened up.

"He is riding with all his able warriors."

Ruwaid slouched back into his chair, a frown on his face, while he thought of the consequences. Meanwhile, Mikail drew in a sharp breath and snapped, "How do you know? How can you be sure?" Mikail had been dead-set against the beating of the boy and had tried his best to have it stopped. He had been ignored.

"I have seen the dustcloud. And I have been trained to be able to judge how many ride just by their dustcloud. And from the one I saw, Hashim is travelling with a large group. My guess is that he is bringing every warrior that is ready to fight." Shahin eyed the 2nd in command with dislike and distrust. Mikail echoed the look back.

"And where were you trained this, may I ask?" Mikail questioned the green-eyed man in front of him suspiciously.

In reply, Shahin just smiled lazily and turned to Ruwaid, "What is it that you wish us to do my Lord?"

After a short pause, Ruwaid spoke, "We will ambush them while they ride through the old wadi. They will not be expecting such an action. Every person that is able to fight, will. Every warrior will be in this battle – NO exceptions."

Mikail looked from Shahin to Ruwaid in disbelief, "But my Lord! Every Med-Jai warrior will be riding! They are skilled fighters! They do not know the meaning of surrender! To them, death is not seen as the ending, it is seen as the beginning, they do not fear to die! Even with all our warriors against theirs, we will not win! We cannot win against such odds! We will be defeated!"

Ruwaid abruptly stood up and yelled into his 2nd in command's face, "Then SO BE IT! We shall go down fighting! We may all die but we will take some of them with us to the underworld! And we WILL kill Ardeth, the heir to the Med-Jai and killing as many Med-Jai warriors as we can, we will badly injure the Med-Jai beast. They must be stopped and WE will stop them!"

"We will only end up killing each other! It will only end up with the death of the Sami-Nhir and Med-Jai!"

"Then we have fulfilled our duty in avenging our brothers, sisters, husbands and wives. We will ambush them at the wadi. I, your leader, HAVE spoken. Now, GO, Mikail and prepare the warriors. Are you going to disobey me?" Ruwaid glared at his 2nd in command, almost daring him to disobey.

Instead, Mikail dropped his eye contact, instead staring at the floor while almost whispering, "It shall be as you have said. I will go now and prepare the troops."

"Good. Well done Shahin, you have our gratitude and you may go as well."

"As you wish my Lord." Shahin bowed again, detesting the very gesture of submission and left. This IS going to make things more interesting. Things couldn't be going better then if I'd planned them myself.

Suddenly the camp was alive with bustle as the warriors milled around Mikail. At the news heard suddenly the camp air was filled with greasy atmosphere of tension, anxiety and fear. Finally it had come down to this.

The final battle.

****

The tension rises!