Flight of Souls

Chapter 13 – Enter the O'Connells

Rick O'Connell decided it was time to take a break. He sat under an awning in the shade, and picked up a jug of water. Some he tipped into his mouth. Some he poured over his head. Then he started violently as an accented voice said "O'Connell."

Rick shook his head, flinging droplets of water in all directions as his hand clapped on the gun holster at his waist. Then recognition hit and his hand dropped from the weapon. "Good God, Ardeth Bey." Rick's eyes narrowed. "No one dug Imhotep up again, did they?"

Ardeth smiled. "No."

"We're not accidentally digging up one of your sacred sites, are we?"

"No."

"Has anyone I know been kidnapped lately?"

Ardeth shook his head. "Not to my knowledge."

Rick grinned broadly. "Then I'm glad to see you." He stepped forward to clasp Ardeth's forearm. "Thirsty?" He offered the water jug.

"Thank you," Ardeth said, taking a long drink. "I have come to ask for your help." He handed the jug back.

"My help?" Rick said suspiciously, taking the jug back.

"Yours and Evie's." He smiled. "I'm glad to find you in Egypt. The curator of the museum in Cairo told me where you would be."

"Yeah, Evie always feels the need to check in. "He looked closely at Ardeth. "She's in the tomb. Let me go get her."

Rick, Evie and Ardeth were finished up as good a dinner as could be had at an excavation site. They'd spent meal discussing the O'Connell's son, Alex, who was presently in boarding school, and the current dig – which was the tomb of a well-to-do merchant from the time of Ramses II. Tomb robbers had removed anything of value, but the wall paintings and carvings remained.

"This past life experience is adding a great deal of interest to my research," Evie said. "I recall a person from my life as Nefertari, then I research him or her and try to find out what happened. In this case, I was able to find out where he was buried. It really is quite fascinating," she enthused. "From the wall paintings I can confirm things about his life that I'd known before."

"Evie," Ardeth said slowly. "Can you tell if someone else is reincarnated from the same period of time?"

She frowned at him. "I can recognize someone I knew from back then, like I recognized Anck-su-namun."

"Have you met anyone else that you knew from then?"

"Yes, actually," she replied. "I met a man about six months ago who had been a minor temple functionary. He took one look at me and went as white as a ghost. Very amusing, really." She looked at Ardeth in puzzlement. "Why do you ask?"

"I have a rather unusual story to tell."

When he'd finished, Rick and Evie were silent for a moment, looking at him speculatively. "You must think I'm mad," he said.

Rick snorted. "Ardeth, we've fought mummies side by side, and we've witnessed the resurrection of an evil Egyptian priest, not once, but twice. We've gone through Anubis warriors, magic bracelets, really big scorpions, huge freaky sandstorms, walls of water and a pyramid that sucked up an entire oasis. If you tell me you've run into a guy who believes he's a reincarnated Pharaoh who seems to have it in for an American girl, I'm not going to think you're crazy."

Evie looked at Ardeth. "I'd like to meet this Sir Randolph."

Ardeth nodded. "I'd like for you to do that. But I am uneasy about Tia's safety."

"She's at your tribe's encampment, isn't she?" Rick asked.

"Yes, but I fear he may be able to find out where that is. He would not have sent his men to kill me if he didn't think he could find her without me. It's not a well known location, but it is not possible to live in the same place for as long as my tribe has and have it be completely secret."

"Right," Rick said slowly. "Then we'll go there first."

Ardeth smiled. "Thank you, my friends."

The next day, Tia watched over a young boy while his mother was working with one of the horses. They sat on the ground near the horse pens and played a game with small sticks until the child had become tired and crawled into Tia's lap to fall asleep. A'isha saw the two of them and sat down beside Tia. There were no men in the vicinity, so they loosened their veils.

"You like children?"

Tia smiled and gently kissed the little boy's forehead. "I do, yes." It seemed oddly familiar to hold the little boy.

A'isha smiled too. "I have wanted grandchildren for a long time." She glanced sideways at Tia, and laughed at the expression on her face. "I think you have not thought of that."

Tia could feel her face turning red. "I don't...., I mean.." she sputtered.

A'isha laughed again. "You think I do not understand," she said looking at Tia shrewdly. "I met my husband the day we wed. My father chose for me." The older woman smiled at the memories. "I was afraid. And my Ahmad," she said with a meaningful look, "did not sleep on rug the first night." Tia's blush deepened until she was sure her cheeks were on fire. "We had many happy years," A'isha murmured. "He was a good man."

"But you were born to this life, weren't you?" Tia asked. "You are from a Medjai tribe?"

"Yes, Dareb tribe to the north," A'isha confirmed. "But does not matter. You see Naila?" She nodded her head toward the mother of the child in Tia's lap. "She is not Medjai. Her father is a horse trader. He sold her to Salim."

"Sold her?"

"Yes. For two fine horses." A'isha shrugged. "Naila is fourth daughter, of no value to her father. She came here as Salim's concubine. They did not wed until this one," she smiled at the sleeping child, "was born." A'isha returned to gaze to Naila, who was working with a yearling colt. "Does she seem not happy to you?"

Tia frowned. Naila was one of the more friendly of the Arab women, usually laughing and smiling. A'isha nudged Tia, and tucked her veil back around her face. "Watch."

Startled, Tia looked up to see one of the Medjai warriors riding up. She quickly fastened her own veil. The man swung off his horse near the pen where Naila was working. She gave the yearling one last stroke, and then went through the gate. Salim hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her close to him, tugging her veil down far enough to press a kiss on her lips. Naila put her arms around his neck and kissed him again.

"You see?" A'isha said. "They are happy together. Salim is a good man, and Naila a good woman." She glanced sidelong at Tia. "Ardeth is also a good man." Tia looked down at the child in her lap, grateful that her veil was now hiding her expression. A'isha got to her feet, and then stooped to ease the sleeping child from Tia's lap. Rising, she handed the boy to Salim who had come over to retrieve his son.

"Shukran," he said, easing the sleeping child onto his shoulder, and smiled at both A'isha and Tia before walking toward the tents with Naila.

Tia rose to her feet and watched them go. "My son will be good to you if you let him," A'isha said. "You can be happy here if you allow yourself." With a slight nod, she too walked away toward the tents.

Author's Notes: 'Shukran' means 'thank you' in Arabic.

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