Arabians and Dancing Swords.
By LatanyaDisclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the Mummy (damn) or Ardeth Bey and the Medjai (double damn). Also, I'm not sure if I used the term "Iai-do" before now. If I did, I can't remember if I spelt it correctly.
Chapter five: Duel Challenging and compromising positions.
Dragging herself out of bed, Tahirah noticed how tired she felt and decided to spend some time stretching out before taking herself outside for kata. Performing the typical stretches she would before kata, only in more depth and extent than she would normally, Tahirah soon felt her body loosening.
Frowning as she dressed for kata and brushed her hair back into a braid, Tahirah couldn't think of any valid reason for how tired she was or why there were bruises on arms and legs. She would be very careful to wear long clothing while they were there because she could not think of an excuse, which would cover them. Besides that, some of the bruises looked suspiciously like hand marks and strangely, some even appeared to be teeth marks.
Heading out through the villa quietly, she slipped into the garden and stretched again. Then, pulling out her katana's, Tahirah settled down into her well-practiced routine and was calmed down quickly.
With her mind closed to everything else around her, the heiress focused her mind on the smooth movement of the blades. In her mind, there was nothing else around at all, there was nothing but the two katana in her hands. Holding herself in one particular position for a few minutes brought back a memory of the man who had taught her to fight with the traditional swords of the Japanese Samurai. She smiled, remembering the conversation they had had one day.
"Never let your mind forget that what you fight is not outside of you but inside. The times when you fight with another, it is because of something inside of your mind or in the inside of the mind of another."
She smiled at him from across the room, "And what of retreat when in battle? Say you have been forced into a fight and wish not to be part of it?"
"Every battle is not won by advance. Every retreat is not a loss. Advance is strategy but retreat is also strategy. A retreat must be orderly but it must not always appear orderly. Remember that a retreat is strategy and the appearance in retreat is also strategy." He replied, bowing to her and drawing his blades.
Meeting his fist strike, she asked, "In the Go-rin-no-sho, what is the Ku?"
Her Sensei stopped his attack and slid his two swords back into their scabbards. "The Ku is the ultimate stance before combat. Here, I shall show you."
He drew the swords from their scabbards again, the longer katana in his right hand and the shorter wakizashi in his left. Holding the weapons to either side of his body, she saw that he held a stance that presented neither a defensive posture nor an offensive preparation. It she had not known any better, she would have thought that he was readying himself to surrender. What he was showing her was Ku or in English, emptiness. The Sensei was far from unready, he was in fact, open to everything, anticipating nothing and accepting everything.
"This is Ku my student. To the untrained eye, I would appear to be unprepared for an attack but you know better for you have studied the Go-rin-no-sho under my guidance. However, when attacking, you must await the right moment. When waiting, be poised like a boulder on the edge of a ten-thousand-foot precipice and when the right moment manifests itself, vanish into the attack like a boulder plummeting into the void."
For the rest of that lesson, he taught her to use the Ku efficiently.
Tahirah held her katana in her right hand and the wakizashi in her left. Holding the weapons to either side of her body as she had been taught to she held the stance that presented neither a defensive posture nor an offensive preparation and focused her mind on what was going on around her. With her eyes closed, she waited for something. A slight change in the air caused her to swing around with both and when she opened her eyes, she saw a leaf on the ground in front of her, cut in half.
"By Allah, that was incredible!" Ardeth murmured in the shadows where he was watching her, "She had her eyes closed, I saw them shut."
Cocking her head to the side, she listened carefully before taking the stance of Ku again and staring ahead of her. "Ardeth Bey, I am not stupid, nor am I blind or deaf."
He stepped out into the faint sunlight and bowed his head to her, "Your fighting style is incredible Miss Alexander, and I should like to meet the man who taught you."
"Iai-do is the style of sword fighting that the Japanese Samurai use. In my right hand, I have the longer katana and in my left I have the shorter wakizashi, they are the blades that the Samurai always used and always carried with them no matter what because a Samurai would be dishonored to be seen anywhere without their swords." She returned the bow while remaining in Ku.
Noticing that the position she held was the same as the one she'd been in when the leaf had floated down on her bad side, Ardeth kept his distance, "Why is it that the position you hold seems like you are accepting defeat and about to surrender yet when that leaf disturbed you…."
Her eyes lit up when she eyed his scimitars, "If you attack me with your weapons, I will prove that I am not about to surrender… to anything at all."
"Attack a woman! Never suggest that to a Medjai." He growled in mortification at her command.
"I said attack me Ardeth Bey or I shall think you weak and cowardly."
Ardeth turned his back on her and refused to answer. She let out a hissing breath and stared up at the tree above her head, the tree from which the offending leaf had fallen.
"If you fear me hurting you Ardeth Bey, I have been taught to stop at first blood. Besides, it has been a long time since I fought using Ku."
"And what is Ku?"
She chuckled, " You still ask questions and yet you will not do the simple thing I ask of you! Ku is the position that I have taken and it is uncommon for a warrior to take this position but when it is done, to do use it successfully is a great thing."
Drawing his blades, Ardeth swung around expecting her to step back. However, his blow was blocked easily by her katana while the wakizashi slid between his two blades and separated them. From there, she took the offensive, driving him back towards the wall while Ardeth struggled to parry all of her blows.
"To first blood?" She smiled, their swords locked.
Growling again, Ardeth forced her into the defensive position. She laughed, clearly enjoying the fight. It was no hard task for her to defend his blows but little did Tahirah expect that he would try to fight dirty and use more than swords to defeat her.
The first time he tried to trip her, Tahirah fell but somersaulted back to her feet and defended his next blow. Crying out that he was trying to cheat, she attempted to get in a sly blow with her foot though he dodged it but not without repercussions to the side of his head when she knocked him with the flat of the blade of her katana. Breaking apart for a moment, they stared at each other, not sure if they should call it even and stop. It was only when Tahirah resumed the Ku that Ardeth realized that she was serious.
"Do you not wish to stop now? It is obvious that we are very much evenly matched in a sword fight. What more do you have to prove to me?" He shook his head.
She smiled, her eyes half-closed. "I have nothing to prove to you and yet everything to prove to myself. This fight is not to see who is better but instead to see how well I can keep my focus."
Circling around her, Ardeth went in for another attempt at defeating her. Even from the side with her eyes almost totally closed, Tahirah was able to block the blow without a second thought. She stayed in her spot as Ardeth retreated and planned where to come in for a second strike.
It was obvious to her that he had no idea how to disarm her and that he was trying as many strategies as he could think of in order to win.
Laughing, she threw her head back and focused her mind on what she could hear.
The sound of the wind coming in off the desert and rustling the leaves of the tree.
The sound of her own steady breathing.
The sound of people waking up and getting ready for the day.
The sound of Ardeth coming in behind her with his scimitars held ready.
The sound of her katana and wakizashi blocking his blow.
The sound of her gasp when he let go of one scimitar and grabbed her wrist.
He gripped hard enough as to make her let go of the wakizashi and it clattered to the ground. Using his scimitar to force the katana away while he pulled her towards him, Ardeth smirked, knowing that she had not been expecting that.
He kissed her hard on the lips and Tahirah shivered, almost letting go of the katana. "We should not be fighting like this."
Pulling away, Tahirah held the katana before her, imitating his style of fighting. "Oh yes we should be Ardeth Bey. I need to get you out of my system before I go insane."
They resumed their duel though she was slightly unsettled after his unpredicted move. Try as she might, Tahirah could not regain her focus and her mind kept wondering what it would feel like to have his lips kissing her body and his hands holding her tight at night.
Catching her in a moment of unaware, Ardeth sent her katana flying though it took his scimitar with it. Launching himself at her, he tackled Tahirah to the ground and pinned her beneath him.
"You cheated Ardeth!" She cried out in shock, "That was not a fair fight after you struck that low blow."
"What low blow do you mean?" An eyebrow was raised thoughtfully, as if he were encouraging her to say what had happened.
Pursing her lips, Tahirah hissed, "You know what blow I mean Medjai."
He waited, a small smile on his lips. "No Miss Alexander, I don't know which blow you mean."
"That blow where you grabbed my wrist and may Allah curse you, kissed me." Tahirah whispered.
Lowering his lips to hers, Ardeth kissed her again, "You mean like this?"
Tahirah struggled to get out from beneath him but he had her well and truly pinned, "Please don't ever do that again Ardeth Bey! I am familiar with some customs of this country and I refuse to fall victim to them."
"Who said you'd fall victim to them Tahirah?" He asked, staring into her eyes thoughtfully, "I never said my intentions were anything but honorable and I will remain resolved to that oath. You have nothing to fear from me Jessica-Tahirah Shari Alexander for I have the purest of intentions and I always will have."
She shivered when he brushed his lips against her throat, "Please, I ask you politely. Please just get up and walk away from me and never come back while I am here. If I thought my grandfather would support me, I would take this to him but I know that though he says that it is my choice, he would resign to enforce the Egyptian culture on me. I have to believe in a persons love before I can even begin to love them back. Ardeth Bey, I am sorry but I could never love you or even consider the idea. You are too locked in your culture and I am to in love with my freedom and my liberty to choose for myself."
He growled, "I would never take away your freedom or your liberty to choose for yourself. Why would you believe I would do that? The happiness of the people I love matters greatly to me and for you to imply that I would take away that happiness is insulting."
"You speak as if we are to marry anyway! How can you say that you love me when we met but three days ago? Ardeth Bey, you overstep your rank and I warn you to keep to your place. I am English nobility by birth and I will do things my way and by the way that English women do." Tahirah's calm center snapped and she pushed at him to get off her. "Now remove your body from my self and I will not be forced to call for the guards."
Ardeth grabbed her wrists and shouted, "You forget that you are Egyptian also! Yes, you have English blood in you and you were raised in English society but you are Egyptian as well and you have a duty to remember that."
Her eyes were dark and Ardeth could see the clouds forming in the clear blue, "I have denied my Egyptian side often enough that I cannot be bothered to repeat it. Mr Bey, you are excused from my company and I would have you disappear from my life for I have no use for you."
Moving away from her, he picked up his weapons and sheathed them, "As your lady orders, it shall be done. You have nothing left to worry about concerning the man who believes he has fallen in love with you."
"In lust, Mr Bey, not love." She snapped.
Lifting his head to stare at her, Ardeth blinked twice before replying, "Your ladyship must be right so I stand corrected. I have fallen in lust not love for how could a decent man fall in love with a woman so self-centered and arrogant as to not see what is before her. One day Miss Alexander, you will wake up and realize that you have lost one of the greatest opportunities of your life by sending me from your company. But I will move on and I will fall in love… sorry, lust, with some other woman and she will not turn me away. She will welcome me with open arms and she will love me back. She will ride across the desert in my arms and she will sit with me to watch the dawn."
Sniffling, Tahirah turned away from him so he would not see the tears in her eyes. "If that is the case, it does not matter then that I have turned you aside for you will be quick to find a woman of your own culture who will happily be your wife. May Allah watch over you Ardeth Bey."
"As I am sure he will not for you Jessica Alexander for Allah watches those of pure and open hearts and I am positive that he will have turned his back on your cold ways." Ardeth shrugged and walked back into the villa, leaving her behind.
Holding her hands in front of her, Tahirah cried softly. She did not know why she cried or why it had been so hard to send Ardeth away from her when he meant nothing. Picking up her katana and wakizashi from the ground where they had fallen, she resigned herself to return to New Zealand and to throw herself into the work that awaited her there.
Watching from a window above, Kareem shook his head and waited for Ardeth to appear in the room. He was not sure of what had been said between them but he knew that it was obvious that Tahirah had sent Ardeth away though why, he would be sure to find out.
"What have you done Tahri? Do you deny him in anger or because you are jealous of your freedom? Can you not see that he loves you for you and not your beauty or wealth?" Kareem whispered, staring down at his granddaughter, who was still in tears.
Entering the room, Ardeth bowed respectfully to the older man but Kareem could see that his soul was in torment. "I hope you will excuse my early departure Kareem but it is important that I return home to the tribe for my duties there are calling for me."
Smiling faintly, he asked the Medjai chief, "I know that is a lie Ardeth. Tell me, what transpired between you and Tahirah? Why is she crying and why are you tormenting yourself?"
"She told me that she feels and can never feel anything for me. Your beloved granddaughter clearly stated that she has no use for me and that my presence bothers her too much. Oh yes, she is a lovely and charming girl but for the pigheadedness and arrogance. Her heart is ice from being in cold countries for too long and I doubt that it will melt any time soon. At least, not for me." He shook his head sadly.
"Are you sure you want to leave so rashly Ardeth? I doubt she means it. Rather, I believe she is frightened of loosing all that she works so hard to keep and to gain for herself. Tahirah has seen much that you would not expect a woman to see and all that she desires is love, freedom, liberty, choice and security. Her mother was the same but she could accept things regardless. My granddaughter has never had to for the world was handed to her on a golden platter to make with it what she would."
Ardeth bowed his head again and glanced towards the window, "Tahirah has made her choice and I accept it. She does not want me or desires my company and so, I shall return to my people and think about finding a suitable bride among them. I am sure there is bound to be a young woman of my own people who will love me with all her heart and welcome my love in return."
"Do not give up on Tahirah so quickly Ardeth for I believe she loves you despite what she has said." Kareem murmured, turning back to look down at his granddaughter, "Alas… she still cries over something. I wonder what has happened just now that would bring tears to her eyes? Could it be that she hurts inside because she has sent you from her side?"
Ardeth paused tensely, his eyes narrowing, "I would not think so. She has probably put a nick in her sword of discovered dirt on her clothes."
"If you think that, then you know nothing at all of who she is. Tahirah works hard to achieve what she wants. Her horses demand most of her life and she has never been afraid to work side by side with the people she has employed to keep her stables or to get down among the muck to make sure her horses are fine and well cared for."
The look that Kareem gave him made Ardeth retreat a step and look away for he feared the old man would see more into his soul than he wished in to. The elderly Kareem smiled to himself and knew that Ardeth would never really give up Tahirah though he would walk away.
"Go if you must but remember that you walk away from something good that could be. Never assume that a woman is speaking the truth when she tells you to leave because more often than not, she wants you to stay."
Bowing again, Ardeth turned and left the room with the intention of collecting his things and leaving. "Thank you Kareem and I shall see you again when Allah allows it."
"Good bye young man. You leave and with you, my hopes of taming my granddaughter a little, goes to."
Ardeth was not sure if he heard Kareem right but he continued out of the room and went along to find his things. He gathered his things quickly before rushing down to the stables to get his horse. Looking up at the villa, he shook his head and sighed.
Tahirah realized then what a poor choice she had made and dropped her things to run up to her grandfather. He was waiting for her at the door to his study and smiled sadly.
"Ardeth has not gone yet has he?" She asked, not caring what he would think about it.
Pointing down the stairs, Kareem shrugged, "Foolish girl, he is leaving now. Go! Go before you loose him for ever."
She fled down the way he'd pointed and pushed open the door to the courtyard and stables. "Ardeth! Ardeth!" Tahirah called.
But she was too late and just as she had opened the door, he had cantered his horse out of the gate. Bolting to the gate, Tahirah could just see him, cantering away slowly.
"ARDETH COME BACK PLEASE!" She screamed out, hoping that he would hear her. "PLEASE! I AM SORRY!"
The figure seemed to halt for a moment before continuing on. Tahirah stared in shock, not able to comprehend that he had gone, truly gone. Falling to her knees, she burst into tears for a second time, wishing that she had never said to him what she had said.
Her grandfather came over to her, his elderly face set as if in rock, "You made the wrong choice Jessica and now you must live with it. Ardeth offered you love and a life that no other could give you but you chose to live alone in the world. I should send you away now, with your horses, back to this New Zealand of yours."
"Is there no way you can get in contact with him Grandfather? Can you have a letter from me taken to him?" She whispered the questions, lifting her eyes to look at Kareem.
"Why should I do that for you now Jessica when you have hurt him as you have? Do you think Ardeth will forgive you easily?"
"I know now that I did not mean what I said… fear ruled my heart and my mind. He said that he was falling in love with me, well, I think I am in love with him as well. That was why I forced myself to send him away. But I don't want him gone grandfather, I want him with me."
Kareem's eyes met hers and he could see the truth in them. Holding out his hand to her, he helped Tahirah stand. "Write the letter and I will see what I can do. But my dear, misguided granddaughter, do not trust to hope for Ardeth Bey, like all Medjai, does not forgive easily."
