MEDJAI JUSTICE

It had been a long, dark time for all at the Fifth. They had watched a good warrior lose his life and witnessed as he was laid to rest inside the Bay family crypt. They watched as his young wife carried her grief within, internalizing it as much as the Chieftain had done with his. They watched as the devastated widow visited the crypt daily, alternating between her husband and sister. They watched as the Chieftain visited every other day. He also split his time speaking to and praying between his wife and fallen Second. Neither he nor Ash was together during these visits. The residents of the Fifth also watched the Chieftain and his Second's widow. They knew Ash insisted on training to fight. Her time, like that of the Chieftain, was spent thriving on her need for revenge. It was a shared obsession, their common ground bringing them more and more in sync.

On this particular day, Ash awoke early, still tired from the day before. She brought her body up slowly into a sitting position. She noticed with some amusement that her once wiry, thin arms were now showing some tone and muscle. She laughed inwardly when she recalled the first time she picked up a scimitar. Its heaviness was awesome, nearly bringing her to her knees. She couldn't quite wield it like an experienced warrior, but at least she could lift it well enough to do the job. The same could be said about rifles. The kick of one rifle had once knocked her off her feet. After intensive training, she could shoot well.

Working closely with Ardeth had been awkward at first. He was a strict instructor, pushing her until she dropped from exhaustion. She never whined or complained. She was a diligent student, willing to learn whatever she needed to in order to avenge her husband's death. Despite Ash's willing demeanor and improvement, Ardeth continued to act like an unforgiving drill sergeant. The activity exhausted her, but it was a good exhaustion. It kept her from crying herself to sleep thinking of Faras. She was too tired to think of anything except the rejuvenation that sleep brought. Of course lately, it wasn't so rejuvenating. She went to bed tired and awakened equally so.

As slowly as she sat up, Ash brought herself to her feet. She would wash up and dress first. She normally met with Ardeth before the morning meal. Afterwards, she would eat a huge breakfast and then go on to fulfill her duties in the healer's tent. She knew her body. She was certain she was ready to go out. It had to be soon. She couldn't wait much longer.

Ash chose men's dungarees and a button-down top as her training attire. The tunics weren't practical. As she stepped into her pants, she groaned. They were getting tighter around her middle and at the hip. They had fit well just three weeks ago, but now the zipper would go up only halfway. She spat out an incoherent curse before impatiently reaching for a pin to at least close the top. This morning, she didn't tuck in her shirt. She left it hanging down past her rapidly swelling abdomen. Every day, she held her breath, waiting to see if Ardeth noticed. So far, he hadn't. If he did, it would be over.

Today marked her fourteenth week. Faras had been correct after all. She had known about the baby for about three weeks. Her monthly cycle was as right as rain, regular to the day. When it didn't come, she thought nothing of it. She had gone through a horrible ordeal. However, she couldn't dismiss the morning sickness that attacked her brutally. She couldn't dismiss the weight gain or the other changes her body had undergone. She was a nurse, her father a doctor. She couldn't deny it as the days grew into weeks and her middle began to expand. They had likely conceived on their wedding night and the realization nearly killed her. The pain was incredibly biting.

No one outside the healer knew of her pregnancy. She wanted to keep it that way. If word happened to get out, it would likely reach Ardeth's ears in record time. If he knew about the baby, he would put an abrupt halt to her intentions of helping him track down and punish Erroll Auberjonus. Ash was determined to go along with Ardeth come hell or high water. Not one thing she did on a daily basis would cause harm to her baby. She knew how far to push herself. If Ardeth knew, he would do everything in his power to stop her. Ash didn't want to fight with Ardeth anymore. She would if he tried to prevent her from exacting revenge. There was no question in her mind about that.

After her hair was tied back and her baby bump well hidden, Ash left her tent to meet Ardeth at the village oasis. It was Ardeth who chose the location for training as it offered a rather large space. They were in no danger of accidentally shooting or stabbing one of the tribe's residents. Of course, the pool was in close proximity if they decided to douse themselves afterward. Despite the temptation, neither had plunged into the cool water unless today turned out to be different.

As Ash approached, she saw that Ardeth came without any tools for their practice. He, in fact, had sat down before the water and was staring out toward it almost blankly. Her heart hammered in her chest. Had he heard of the baby? Had the healer finally spilled his guts?

She sat beside him, noticing his manner of dress was different. The tunic he wore was donned on days of rest. "Ardeth, is something wrong?"

He glanced at her with an almost wistful smile. "On a day such as this, who could have a problem?" He shook his head. ", Ashlyn, there is nothing wrong. I think you are ready. I think we both are. I thought we could skip our sparring for today. You are overworked. I can clearly see how tired you are."

Ash nodded almost vaguely. "I am tired," she agreed. "Ardeth, getting to know you better has been a joy in my life. I only wish I had given you a chance before."

He looked at her for a long time before he spoke. In the months she had lived and worked here, he had gained a new respect for her. He had watched her grow up, blossoming into a very beautiful young woman. When she came back to Egypt, he spent a massive amount of time trying to compare her to her sister, trying to find a reason to love her as family. He had effectively given up. Rimâd was nothing like Liliana. She was her own person, fiercely independent, but still loving. Although he hadn't expected it to be so, he loved her like she was.

"I could say the same," he said.

She laughed ruefully. "You can say it. I gave you hell. I wasn't a very good or supportive friend. All you said was right, Ardeth. I didn't know enough about life or love to judge your marriage. Faras…Faras showed me and I'm sorry. I've said it before, but I don't think I ever meant it more than right now."

She had begun to cry. Ardeth slid closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders. He drew her to him, enveloping her with his warmth. "I know you do, Ashlyn. You were very close to your ukht. I understood your anger and hurt when she left America to come halfway around the world to marry me."

Ash sniffed as she scrubbed the tears out of her eyes. "And the other…the woman you went to…I reacted badly not only because of Liliana, but also due to my new respect for you. You need a woman to love you, not just for your…your prowess, but for you, for your heart, and your grand capacity to know people. You deserve more, Ardeth, much more than a woman for hire."

In that moment, a thought hit him so suddenly, so viciously, that he nearly reeled from it. He thought of the American girl at Tokan. Her eyes were light, her hair honey blonde. The size and shape of her body had always made him think of someone else. She was radically different than Liliana. She was like…she was… He drove it out of his mind. He couldn't think these thoughts.

He chuckled uneasily. "You make me sound almost sacred. I am only a man, Rimâd." He realized his mistake. "Ashlyn."

"I never minded the nickname, Ardeth," she said. "It made me feel special. I was the only kid in grade school with an Arabic name."

"Rimâd is a name for a little girl. You are far from that now."

"Would you like to hear something funny? The first time I saw you, I immediately developed an uncrushable crush. You were on that large horse, all decked out in your combat gear, and I instantly wanted to be your girlfriend. My mind didn't change until I finally understood what was happening with you and Liliana."

Sitting here with her, his arm around her, suddenly felt like a really bad idea. But he couldn't move. They were grieving, tender, and vulnerable. They had had many talks before, mostly speaking of their losses. Nothing said before had approached this level. A thousand things ran through his mind. All of them caused more confusion. He wasn't sure what to do.

"I…I always cared for you a great deal," he said, desperately hoping she hadn't noticed the stammer in his words. "I also care greatly for your entire family. Your father was very good to us. I always wanted the best for you, even when I was most vocal against your romance with Faras. You will always own a piece of my heart."

Ash suddenly felt a million things she didn't clearly understand. It had to be due to the pregnancy hormones. She had no other way to explain it. For the first time since Faras died, she felt safe and secure. Was it right to feel this in Ardeth's arms? The arms of her sister's husband?

She swallowed hard to dislodge the lump that had formed there. She had never felt so confused or conflicted in her life. "When do we go?"

"Tomorrow night," he said. "He is a man without a woman. I think I know where he might have made camp."

She drew away from his comforting embrace to look up at him. "Tokan? Ardeth, it's been almost two months. You don't think he left already?"

". I think he is there or in the general area." He sighed heavily before continuing. "I have not told you this yet, but I have permanently stationed three warriors at Kashfi. They report to me weekly and have not seen any of the groups that once inhabited it, even Auberjonus. On the day Faras died, we nearly finished his entire faction. Only a few remain alive. With his men gone, he will not return. We have taken control of the Narrows again. He has few places to go."

"I see," she said softly. "How many days ride?"

"At least five. Are you prepared for that?"

Ash thought of Faras, of his child inside her, a child who would never know its father. "I am."

With a nod, he stood up and presented his hand. She took it and he helped her to her feet. "Have your breakfast and get some rest. The next several days promise to be difficult."

Ash took Ardeth's advice to heart. She was ravenous as well as exhausted. Food and rest were exactly what she needed. She first decided to stop by her tent to change. It was actually the tent Rihana used while here at the Fifth. Ash couldn't return to the one where she had spent her short married life with Faras. It was much too difficult. Perhaps one day, she would go back. Right now was not the time.

"Oh, Ashlyn, I am so sorry."

Ash jumped at the sound of Rihana's voice and her intrusion. Without thinking, she picked up her discarded shirt, holding it up protectively against her body, knowing that it would not cover her abdomen. "Rihana, I…I didn't expect you back so soon."

Rihana had wanted to share with her friend news of her romance with Shaji Amin. However, the sight of Ash's slightly rounded middle stopped her short. "Ashlyn, you are with child."

There was an accusation as well as shock in her friend's voice. "I didn't know for sure until a few weeks ago," Ash said. "No one knows except the healer, not even Ardeth. You can't tell him, Rihana."

"Ashlyn, this could be dangerous," she said.

"I know. I will not jeopardize the health of this baby, but if Ardeth knows, he won't let me go with him. I am determined to go, Rihana. I owe it to Faras and our child to do this."

"I will not tell Ardeth, Ashlyn," she promised. "Are you okay? Is the baby okay?"

Ash nodded. "Yes. So far, everything is normal. The additional exercise is good for me."

"And going on the hunt will be as well," Rihana asked pointedly.

"I won't harm my baby. That's why it's good to go now before I am too far along to sit a horse."

"If Ardeth finds out, he will send you home," Rihana said, telling her something she already knew.

Ash nodded. "I know, but he won't find out. Will he?"

". Not from me. It is not my place."


Erroll Auberjonus had made a small temporary camp outside Tokan. He had taken another woman, bought and paid for at the whore house. He had chosen Sahar, the Chieftain's favorite dish. He first wanted to use her for target practice, but when he saw the warm pink hue of her mouth and her sex, he changed his mind. He liked molesting the possessions of Ardeth Bay. It was great fun. He was certain the Chieftain was no longer seeking Sahar's comfort. He heard he had a new woman, his Second's widow. Perhaps when he tired of Sahar, he would have a go at the Chieftain's new woman.
As Ardeth promised, he and Ash rode out from the Fifth the next night. They packed enough supplies to last fourteen days. If Auberjonus was not dead by then, they would simply find a place to replenish their supplies and go back out.

Ardeth knew Rimâd was conflicted about going to Tokan. He hadn't said as much to her, but his desire to visit Sahar again had ceased. He didn't want to seek her favors because he had slowly begun to accept the reason why he chose her in the first place. He had tried to deny it, but why fight a losing battle? He wasn't brave enough to act on anything, but he was tired of playing the game of denial. It wasn't a healthy way to live.

When they began their journey, he eyed Rimâd curiously. She hadn't spoken two words since mounting her horse. As he had thought before, women did not participate often in the dealings of Medjai justice. However, Rimâd had made it hers. Although she did not have Medjai blood coursing through her veins, she did possess the spirit. Perhaps Liliana had nurtured it in her. Perhaps Faras had played a role as well. Whatever it was, Ardeth felt a deep sense of pride and admiration for her. She wasn't the same spoiled brat he had encountered on the day the Hardings arrived in Egypt. He wished her newfound maturity had resulted from positive means, not through tragedy.

They rode until just before sunset to give them enough time to set up camp. They went about the task quietly. Rimâd seemed preoccupied. He watched her without comment for a long time, but eventually, he grew tired of the silence. "Ashlyn, are you all right?"

She looked at him, tears nearly springing up in her eyes. Her hormones were effectively giving her hell. "I'm fine."

She didn't look fine. "If you are ill, we can go back right now."

I'm not ill. I'm carrying Faras' child, that's all. "No. I can go on."

Something was wrong. He could see it in her eyes, but he wouldn't press the issue. She was stubborn and knew what she could take. He hoped their hunt would end soon.


Days passed. The ride across the burning desert was difficult for Ash. She endured. She carried on. Each night, they made camp, dropping gratefully into their makeshift pallets. They had spent every waking moment together, talking, sharing facts about their lives neither of them knew about the other. They discussed their childhoods, what they wanted out of life, and their disappointments. Ash came to realize Ardeth had never been the horrid monster she had once made him out to be. Ardeth realized that there was more to Rimâd than her sadness and vulnerability.

On a night when they were no more than five miles from Tokan, they made camp. With the city and their enemy so close, they were too wired to sleep. Both sat outside their tents wrapped in their burnoose. Ardeth hadn't dared build a fire. If Auberjonus was close enough to see, he would run. They were too close to lose him now. Neither had eaten a bite or drank a drop of water.

"What will you do after this," Ardeth asked.

Ash hadn't expected his sudden, out of the blue question. "I don't know." And she didn't. She was pregnant for the first time in her life. There was no one here to help her, to answer all the questions she needed answered. She had no clue what to do with a baby. Ash clearly didn't know if she was even the mothering type. She needed her mother, but this child deserved to be raised here amongst the Medjai. Yet, she had nothing holding her here. You don't? "What about you? Will you marry again?"

He shook his head. "I do not know, either. The Council wishes for me to marry."

"What do you want?"

For the first time in days, he saw a light in her eyes. "I do not think I could take another wife unless I knew her, knew her fears, her hopes, her dreams." He laughed almost ruefully. "I could never be a good husband to a woman who is chosen for me. Liliana was chosen, but we didn't marry for years, not until we knew each other." He looked down at the sand before asking his next question. "You will go back to America, won't you?"

She didn't know how he could read her mind so well. "I thought of it, but I have other things to consider."

"Such as?"

She gazed into his handsome, earnest face. She wanted to tell him about the baby. The moment she did, he would send her away. "Too many to mention."

A wry smile touched his lips. "In other words, mind your own business, Ardeth."

"No, I…"

He held up his hand to interrupt her. "It is okay, really. I hope you stay. I, for one, would hate to see you leave. You have become a cherished asset to our people." Say what you mean. "I would miss you, Ashlyn."

His words touched her heart. "I would miss you as well, Ardeth."

Ardeth chewed his bottom lip until it felt ragged to the touch. It was either butcher his lip or do something else he had fought for days. "We should get some sleep."

"Yes," Ash whispered. "We should."

Ash and Ardeth spent a major portion of the next day setting up a new campsite just outside the fringes of Tokan. Ardeth left Ash at camp while he continued on to the House. Before they wasted any time, he wanted to ensure that Auberjonus had been here. He had asked Ash to remain behind, but he knew she didn't want to go along anyway. She hadn't felt comfortable with it, especially since learning of Sahar.

Another reason Ash wanted to stay behind was due to a bout of nausea. She hadn't experienced much of it lately. Today, it decided to be unkind. There was more on her mind, more which made her uneasy. The time she had spent with Ardeth preyed on her mind like a wicked vulture. She told herself that she was out of her league, lonely, and perhaps needy. Whatever the excuse, it was wrong. All of it. She had to wipe it out of her mind and carry on. When all was said and done, she would tell Ardeth about the baby, taking life as it came.

She looked up after she heard a rider approaching. She put her hand on the butt of her rifle, relaxing when the rider drew near. It was Ardeth. He hadn't been gone for long. "What happened," she asked once he came to a full halt.

Ardeth dismounted and led his horse to a shady area under a rock outcropping where Rimâd's was tethered. He came back around to face her. "He is here on the far side of Tokan. According to the Madâm, he bought a woman."

Ash met Ardeth's intense gaze. "Let me guess. The girl you saw there?"

He nodded. "Aiwa. Tonight, we take his camp."


Darkness had fallen upon Tokan. At the House, games began to be played. Outside it, different ones were initiated as well. Erroll Auberjonus sat before a massive campfire his men built a few minutes after sunset. He was wide-awake and restless. Tonight, he would kill his whore. Once she was gone, he would pack up and leave Egypt. It was time to go home, not to Kashfi, but France, his beloved country. He glanced inside the open tent flap. The whore's bare legs were visible, enticing him. He would have another go at her before he ended her life.

Ardeth and Ash crept up to the campsite as quietly as mice. They noticed a marked lack of tents scattered about. Ardeth knew they had aided in reducing the ranks of the gang, but he hadn't known it was by this many. Ardeth glanced at Ash, gesturing toward her to let her know he would work at subduing Auberjonus' henchmen. She nodded discreetly, keeping her hand on her rifle.

Although she had trained for this, knew what their intentions were toward these men, Ash couldn't fathom the reality of it. It both horrified and fascinated her. She watched as Ardeth crept up to a gang member, silent as death, wielding his scimitar. He plunged the blade into the man's abdomen, ending his life before he knew what hit him. He had no time to scream out or protest. The only noise he made was a soft gurgling gasp. Ash had always been aware that the Medjai dealt in death, but she had never seen anyone take another's life.

He motioned for her to proceed. She stepped forward and around the body. There were two more tents ahead. One belonged to Auberjonus. They slipped closer to the second tent. Its inhabitant was not asleep. He stood off to the side, urinating from the look of it. The attack on this one would surely be less subtle. When he turned, he would see the two robed figures. Without a thought, Ash withdrew a dagger from her arsenal. She swung away almost in side arm fashion. The knife connected solidly with the meat of his left leg. This one would not go down silently. He bellowed aloud, cursing them, but he was silenced by a blast from Ash's rifle. The noise drew Auberjonus and his woman from their tent.

The girl gasped at the sight of her dark one. Ash gasped when she saw the girl. She looks like me! Tearing her eyes off the girl, she trained them on Ardeth and Auberjonus. The two men stood face to face in a final showdown. Both were armed with deadly sharp scimitars. Ash raised her rifle, aiming it at Auberjonus' head. She could end it right now.

"," Ardeth roared, never taking his eyes off Auberjonus. "We fight until one of us dies!"

The girl, clearly physically and mentally abused, stood by wringing her hands, unsure as to whom to show loyalty. "Move your ass out of the way," Ash commanded.

She followed Ash's barked order, running to the other woman as fast as she could. "Kill me," she begged. "I can't go back to him."

Ash took her by the arm and stepped back. "Stay out of the way. He won't hurt you again."

She kept the rifle on Auberjonus. If he killed Ardeth, she would put a bullet in his brain without a hint of hesitation.

Ardeth didn't make one move. He wanted Auberjonus to engage. And he did, arcing his scimitar up, believing that he would catch the Chieftain off guard. It didn't work. Ardeth easily blocked it with his weapon. It was as if Auberjonus expected him to speak. The Chieftain would not. He came to fight, not to hold an all night session where the two stood threatening each other. Auberjonus then spun his body, preparing to administer his lethal drop kick, but Ardeth saw that coming as well. He dodged it easily, swinging his scimitar at the same time. The blade slashed at Erroll's shirt, drawing blood. Auberjonus howled in pain. He backed away cowardly, a snarl plastered on his ugly face. Ardeth maintained his stance. His breathing came in slowly and evenly.

"I could commission many men to murder you," Erroll spat.

"Gabân," Ardeth said calmly. "You can only victimize women. You cannot fight one man without an army backing you. Let us finish this."

At once, Auberjonus charged toward Ardeth. The Chieftain sidestepped, bringing his scimitar up viciously, catching Auberjonus' leg. He fell sprawling. However, he was not done. Desperately, he grabbed at Ash's ankle, grasping it firmly in his hand. She felt herself falling. She aimed the rifle, pulled the trigger, and cursed when the round blasted into the sand. Her body crashed to the ground. Erroll was on her, wrestling for control of her rifle. She gasped aloud when she heard the harsh report of the rifle, but she felt no pain. Erroll collapsed on top of her, grunting like a pig.

"Move off her," Ardeth demanded.

Ash realized that Ardeth had fired the shot she heard. She couldn't breathe. The stink of his body was horrendous. Vaguely, she watched the girl as she dug furrows in her cheeks.

"Move off her and face me. I will not end your life with your back turned."

She saw Ardeth's face. He was snarling, his teeth clenched tightly. It was getting harder and harder for her to take a breath. Mustering her strength, Ash moved slightly, planting her knee in his groin. Her action made him move, all right. He rolled over howling, his large hands going for Ash's throat. He never made it. Ardeth's scimitar caught him under the chin, nearly decapitating him. She dodged away from the massive jet of blood that gushed from his wound, finally freeing herself. She took a gulp of air, fighting against the nausea that threatened to overtake her. The smell of blood was rich and thick in the air.

Sheathing his gore streaked scimitar, Ardeth went to her. He noticed she had blood all over her. "Ashlyn, are you hurt?"

His large hands touched her face, shoving askew her head covering. They caressed her hair, seeking an injury that did not exist. "No. I'm okay. Not my blood. His."

He sighed heavily, immensely relieved. "Oh Allâh, I thought he stabbed you."

"No. I'm…"

Ash lost it. The horror and grief culminated inside her. The tears began to flow, hot and bitter. Startlingly, she felt Ardeth's lips kissing away her tears. The shock was so that she found herself responding to him, turning into his kisses, her mouth desperately seeking his. When his lips finally touched hers, a huge surge of emotion flooded through her. It was wrong to do this, to feel this. She drew away to deny it, but wound up kissing him again. His kiss was as passionate as he. Deadly. Forbidden. They had completely forgotten about Sahar.

Ash pulled away first. She blinked up at Ardeth stupidly. What are we doing? His expression was hard to read. Without a word, she stood up and set about the business of forgetting what had just happened. She went to the girl, hoping to calm her down, hoping to help herself do the same.


Translations:

Lâ—No

Rimâd—Ash

Ukht—Sister

Aiwa—Yes

Gabân—Coward


To be continued…