TIME FOR CHANGE

Ardeth, Ash, and Sahar spent a quiet, uneventful night under the stars. Neither Ash nor Ardeth spoke of their out of control kiss after Erroll Auberjonus was dead. Ardeth, in fact, sent the women back to camp so he could complete the grim task of burying the dead. He didn't feel as if Auberjonus deserved to be buried. He should have allowed the body to stay atop the sand where the desert animals could dispose of it in the most just way of all. In the end, Ardeth couldn't. It was the way of his people for many centuries to bury those killed in battle, even if their hearts were as black as pitch.

Early the next morning, they escorted Sahar back to Tokan. Both had offered to take her with them, to help her find a settled life amongst one of the tribes, but she refused. She would only go if she could have her dark one. It was clear to Sahar that he didn't want her. He wanted the other. Whatproof had she needed other than watching him kiss the breath out of her? Tokan was where she wanted to be. It was all she knew.

After Sahar was back at her House, Ardeth and Ash began to ride toward home, an awkward silence between them. Outside the strictest niceties, neither had spoken to the other since last night. This wasn't the way to be. Yet, Ash wasn't interested in speaking, especially if conversation was going to be centered on what happened in the desert between her and her brooding brother in-law.

They rode many miles before giving in to make camp. If it had been up to Ash, she would have continued to ride until they were back at the Fifth. However, neither they nor the animals had that type of stamina. Quietly, Ash assisted Ardeth with setting up the tents. She wanted hers feet from his, miles from it, but it wasn't wise. They had finished Auberjonus. It still didn't mean there weren't dangers out here from other sources.

Ardeth built a fire for them tonight. He sat before it, occasionally glancing at Rimâd. They couldn't continue to avoid each other for long. He wouldn't stand for it. "You wish to ignore me," Ardeth finally asked, breaking the monotonous silence.

"No," she said. "I wish to ignore what we did."

"You know why it happened?"

Ash couldn't look at him. "I know. It's wrong. You were married to my sister. I was married to Faras. I'm…" She stopped speaking. This was insane.

"I do not think it is wrong," he said, choosing his words carefully. "I believe everything happens for a reason."

She turned on him, her eyes flashing angrily. "There is no such thing as fate, Ardeth," she said through clenched teeth. "I studied science. Science is concrete. Your way of thinking isn't. My life is about logic, not about…about fairytales. To feel like this is wrong. I won't be a part of it. I can't betray Liliana or Faras."

"But you betray your heart?"

It was as if he had heard nothing she said. What was worse was that his logic was nerve wracking. Science or no, he knew what he was talking about. Still, there was a slight glitch that could not be ignored. "Ardeth, I must. You don't understand. You don't know the full story. I'm carrying Faras' child."

Shocked, he gazed at her incredulously. "You told Rihana…"

"I know what I told Rihana, but I was wrong. I found out a short time ago." The look on his face became one of reproach. "I didn't lie to you, Ardeth. I withheld the truth, but I didn't lie. Even if there was no baby, I would still feel the same." This would be the first of many untruths she dished out to Ardeth in the coming days. "It makes no sense and it's wrong. I'd rather not speak about this again."

"We will not speak of it," he said, agreeing with her. "Before all talk ceases, I must say one thing. You do recall your husband's dying words?"

Let Ardeth care for you. Of course she did. How could she ever forget? He had said those few words after telling her to love their child for them both. "I don't believe he meant it literally."

Calling her bluff, he said, "You lie, Rimâd," he said plainly. "He meant it literally. Faras saw before either of became aware. We both know that."

Without another word, Ardeth doused the campfire before disappearing inside his tent. Ash didn't follow suit. She stayed outside for hours, tempted to take her horse and ride straight to Cairo, away from here, away from Ardeth.


News traveled fast. By the time Ardeth and Ash returned to the Fifth, almost everyone had heard about what happened in the desert. The atmosphere amongst the villagers was close to that of a celebration. It was this attitude which affected Ash the most. How many of the tribe's husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, or children had fallen victim to Erroll Auberjonus? To see the faces of the people, Ash realized it had to number in the hundreds. Their feelings were like those of an oppressed people suddenly relieved of a terrible burden. In a way, she supposed that was true. It still didn't bring their loved ones back. Ash would still go to a tent where a husband no longer waited to love her or their child. She would not see her sister, so dark and beautiful, glowing happily as she tended to the needs of her baby. Ash wasn't conflicted by Auberjonus' death. She was glad it happened. It had set the Medjai people free. It had released the tortured souls of Faras and Liliana.

Ash didn't stick around to speak to anyone. She was actually much too tired for it. She left Ardeth with his warriors, their wives, and their small children. She bypassed Rihana's tent and went toward the one she had shared with Faras. She hadn't been back inside it since the day he died. Today, she felt a certain kind of peace, thinking that perhaps she was ready to go back. When she stepped inside it, everything was left as it was. The only difference was that someone, most likely Rihana, had changed the bedding on the pallet. As a single man, Faras had lived here many years. The special scent of his body lingered in the room, almost a part of it. Maybe at this moment, Faras was here with her, watching over her, giving her strength when she needed it the most.

She walked around to the pallet and sat upon it, choosing the side where he slept. The bedding was always so soft and inviting, a vast contrast to the man she had first met. He had a soft side, like this bedding, but he had a hardness inside him as well, one that motivated him when he was on duty, often dealing in death. She wanted to stay here, she wanted to raise her baby amongst the people who nurtured the man who created it, but she couldn't. She couldn't betray the memory of the man she had given her heart to, the one who married her just weeks before. She couldn't betray the memory of her sister, who loved Ardeth so desperately. Staying here would definitely cause more problems.

Without standing, she removed the heavy burnoose and allowed it to thump solidly to the floor. She peeled away the tunic underneath as well as the equally heavy dungarees and boots. Once her task was complete, she noticed that someone, most likely Rihana again, had brought in water for her. Perhaps Rihana expected her to return here today. She went to the large pitcher and poured a good bit of it into a ceramic basin sitting nearby. She washed the gritty sand off her body, feeling instantly better and like a human again. Just before she donned a clean tunic, she ran her hands over her arc of belly. It hadn't seemed this pronounced just days ago. The child was strong, a fighter, like her Faras. Forgoing the tunic, Ash dropped onto the pallet, fell instantly asleep, and stayed that way for eighteen hours.


"Will you reconsider," Rihana asked anxiously.

Ash turned to look at her friend. She had been staying at the Fifth more and more these days. She was deeply in love with Shaji, but they were taking their time to allow their relationship to grow gradually. Ash was very happy for Rihana. "No. I think I really need the aid of my mother."

Although saddened to hear of Faras' untimely death, Millicent and Danforth Harding were thrilled when they heard their youngest daughter was expecting. Then when Ash told them she wanted to come back home, they were even more thrilled, offering to purchase her pass on the steamer back to America. Her father had even said he would come to Egypt to escort her if she wanted. There was no need of escorts, not anymore.

The Kashfi Narrows no longer flew evil's flag. The Medjai made sure of it. Once they were certain the usual gangs were gone, they flushed the area, removing all evidence of the former inhabitants. They didn't attempt to consecrate the ground, there was too much evil buried within the sand. What they did accomplish was to strip it of its appeal to marauders. Ardeth insisted they mark the land with evidence of Medjai presence. He kept a permanent patrol, rotating warriors every few weeks so that some could return home. He also marked the areas where Faras and Liliana died, ensuring that no one would ever forget how their lives had been lost.

Ardeth was quite indifferent to Ash's departure. She had announced her intentions two weeks ago. He said little. She was determined to leave and there was nothing he could say to change her mind. Not that he said anything. Ardeth was more settled lately, less morose, and had lost his obsessive edge when Auberjonus still roamed about. What Ash didn't know, was that he watched her from afar. Every day, he watched.

Shaji, Rihana, and Sahli accompanied Ash to Cairo. Again, Kashfi was no longer a threat, but danger always lurked about. The four of them set out right before sunrise, riding slowly, taking their time. Ash's steamer wouldn't leave port for a few days. They had plenty of time to arrive and help their friend get settled for her long trip home.

As the riders grew smaller and smaller in the distance, Ardeth Bay coaxed his horse atop a high hard packed sand dune. No one in the traveling party would have seen him unless they craned their necks awkwardly. None of them would. He was good at remaining seen but unseen. He stayed at his vantage point until they were no more than small specks. As he had done since he and Rimâd returned from Tokan, he watched. From afar.


Ashlyn's Return…

It had been a busy time for Ash. Five months after returning to America, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. She had sent word at the time back to Egypt about the baby, directing the telegram to Rihana. However, after that, the letters began coming from Ardeth. Ash hadn't expected to ever hear from him again, not after the way she left. Despite that, he wrote often, mostly to inform her of the goings on at the Fifth. The letters were always done in very dry fashion, as if he were writing progress reports. He never mentioned anything they had done in Tokan. Ash didn't understand the motivation behind the letters, unless it was his way of drawing her back to the fold. Oddly, it did make her miss it greatly. Then, there was her baby.

Her father was a Medjai warrior, her family Medjai, her heritage Medjai. With each day, her little one grew into the personality that would follow her throughout childhood. She looked like Ash, but would come to have Faras' eyes and the color of his hair. She once said she owed it to Faras to avenge his death. Now, she owed it to him to take his daughter back where she belonged. Millicent and Danforth were quite attached to their little granddaughter, but she hoped they would understand how important it was for Reza to know where she came from, how important it was for her to know everything she could about the wonderful man who fathered her.

Then there was another wonderful thing. Rihana had written that she and Shaji were going to be married. Rihana had literally begged Ash to come back for the wedding. She wrote back, being as vague as possible, not promising to be there, but knowing fully that she would never miss it for anything in the world. Rihana had even timed it where Reza would be old enough to travel.


Rihana and Shaji's families had gathered in the MaHall Min Gama for a pre-wedding feast. Every day, Rihana watched for Ash's arrival. When she hadn't appeared on the night of her dinner, she was certain she wouldn't come. She almost wanted to show Ardeth the rough side of her tongue for allowing her to run off in the first place. Although upset that her friend couldn't be here, Rihana decided not to allow it to ruin the dinner. She had been looking forward to this for days. Tomorrow, she would become Shaji's wife.

Conversation was light; everyone seemed to be having a good time, even Ardeth, who had difficulty with such events since the death of his wife. Hardly a soul noticed when a young woman drifted into the room, carrying a child of no more than eighteen months of age. Hardly a soul noticed the older gentleman who came in with the pair. The one to notice was the one who noticed everything. Ardeth saw Rimâd several minutes before Rihana's attention was drawn to her. She was accompanied by her father. She primarily checked the crowd for Rihana's face, but her eyes settled on his first. Seeing her made his heart ache. She had not changed one bit.

Ash tore her eyes off Ardeth's face and focused them on Rihana. She was giggling like a child as Shaji whispered something in her ear. "Look who made it," Ash called.

Rihana looked up at the sound of her friend's voice. "Ashlyn! You came!" Within moments, Rihana was up out of her chair with her arms thrown around Ash's body. "And you brought Reza. She is beautiful!"

Reza, a shy baby, held out her little arms, speaking in her special infant language. Ash knew the drill well enough. "I think she wants to see her Khâla Rihana," Ash said smiling.

She took the baby into her arms, hugging her gently. "I am so glad you are here, Ashlyn."

The baby had become quite interested in her aunt's long hair. Ash ran her hand over the top of Reza's head. "We couldn't miss your wedding."

As the baby became fascinated with a new person in her life, Ash turned her attention toward Ardeth as he approached. "Ahlan wa-sahlan waTan, Rimâd," Ardeth said.

"Shukran, Ardeth," Ash said. While focusing on having her baby, she had brushed up on her Arabic. She was no expert, but could understand more of it now.

He nodded before turning to Danforth to shake his hand. "Mabrûk, Gidd," he said with a smile.

Ardeth turned his attention toward little Reza. She goggled up at him with her wide brown eyes. It was almost as if he were looking into Faras' eyes. Ash's shy baby, who cried any time a person off the street touched her, did the unexpected again. She held out her arms to go to Ardeth. Rihana transferred the squirming infant into Ardeth's arms. She immediately grabbed his nose, honking it for good measure.

He laughed at her and took her tiny hand into his large one. He kissed her fingers very gently. "There is a lot to grab, no?"

"No," she parroted back.

He laughed again. "You are a clever one." He glanced at Rimâd. "She is a very beautiful baby. So like you. So like Faras."

Ash nodded. "That she is."

Rihana grabbed Ash's hand. "Come. Have something to eat."

Later that evening, Ardeth stopped at Rimâd's tent. It was the one she had before. He ensured that it was kept vacant if she ever decided to return. He didn't know if she would stay or leave soon after Rihana's wedding. Whatever path she chose, he was very happy to see her. She was just putting Reza down to sleep.

"Am I interrupting," Ardeth asked.

She held her finger up to her lips and motioned for him to follow her. They stepped just outside the tent. Reza's lungs were healthy. She would be more than able to hear her daughter's cries.

"I am happy you returned for Rihana's wedding. It was very important to her for you to be here," he began.

"Rihana is like a sister to me. She was there for me many times when no one else was," she said.

He nodded. "Aiwa. You are closer than any two friends can be." For a long moment, he couldn't stop looking at her. Her eyes were just as gorgeous and clear as they were the last time he looked into them. "I am sorry I could not say goodbye when you left. I can assure you that will not happen again."

"I understand, Ardeth," she said. He was still dark, handsome, and mysterious. Time would never change that. She remembered his kiss and what he tasted like. Time apparently would never change that, either. "I'm glad you wrote. Reza doesn't understand, of course, but I read your letters to her anyway. I've told her of her family here."

"I wrote to bring you back," he confessed. "For Rihana," he added quickly. Once again, he wondered why he couldn't say what he meant. "And thank you for sharing your daughter with us. I did not know if I could feel love or joy being around an infant. But your Reza has melted my heart."

She smiled. "I know those who lose a child sometimes can't be around another. I'm glad that wasn't the case tonight. I think Reza somehow knew she was amongst family, because she normally doesn't take to people." With those words spoken, she sighed. "And I…I know why you wrote, but I didn't come back just to attend Rihana's wedding. I wanted Reza to be raised here. Faras would have wanted that. As for Reza, if you want it, I would definitely like for you to play a role in her life. I'm not asking you to be her father, but I would hope you could give her a male influence that is lacking in her life right now. She has a doting mother, equally doting grandparents, but absolutely no father figure." She clasped her hands together tightly before her. Why was this so hard to say? "I packed up what I could carry and I don't intend to go back, unless you don't want us to stay."

"I want you to stay. I wanted you to stay before, but I could not stand in your way. I had always hoped your heart would lead you back when you were ready to return."

She smiled. "It did, but your letters helped. What about the other? Reza?"

He reached out to take her hand. Hers went into his easily, with great familiarity. "I would be honored to serve in that capacity. I think it is very important for her to know who her father was, the type of sacrifices he made so she could be. I want her to know how much Faras would have loved her if he had been given a chance to watch her grow. Tell me, Rimâd. How do you feel tonight?"

"As if nothing has changed, except my viewpoint," she said quietly.

"How is that?"

"That maybe when I said it was wrong, I was wrong. That maybe things happen for a reason, even if it's tragic."

He raised her hand up to his lips and kissed it. "When I call…"

"I'll be here."

He pressed his lips against her forehead before releasing her hand. "Good night, Ashlyn."

He turned to leave her, but she had more to say. "Ardeth?"

Ardeth stopped and faced her again. "Aiwa?"

"I have only one request to make of you." She noticed how patiently he waited. What must be going through his mind. "Don't ever call me Ashlyn. Okay?"

He smiled as he approached her once more. "Anything for you."

Within moments, his lips touched hers for the first time in several months. She expected to feel guilt wash over her, perhaps reluctance or fear or the same feelings that this was wrong. However, she felt none of that. What she felt was right, clearly so. Faras and Liliana were gone and it hurt, but somehow, some way, it felt as if they were smiling upon them.

Happy Birthday, Reza…

Tomorrow would mark Reza's fifth birthday. Ash had spent a good bit of time making arrangements for her parents' arrival for their granddaughter's special day. For now, it was time for another ritual that they carried out every year when Reza's birthday came about. Ash waited outside with Reza, watching her daughter wave frantically toward a man on horseback swiftly approaching them.

"Abu! Abu!"

Ardeth smiled at the all too familiar cry. After dismounting, he picked up the little girl and she hugged him fiercely. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, noticing as he did almost every day how much her eyes and long brown hair reminded him of Faras. "How are you, zuRaiyar waHda?"

She kissed him noisily on the cheek. "Taiyib."

"And have you been good?"

Reza nodded enthusiastically. "Aiwa, Abu. Ili."

Ash approached them and kissed Ardeth's cheek. "You're just in time."

They strolled together toward the Bay family crypt. Once inside, Ardeth carried Reza toward the etched markings designating the final resting places of both Liliana and Faras. Curious, Reza's big brown eyes looked at all the markings that she didn't quite understand just yet. She didn't know what every word was, but she had learned what the two most important ones meant.

Ardeth ran his thumb along Faras' marker. "Reza, tell me who Faras is."

She eyed the letters wonderingly. Abu had told her this story many times. She knew it by heart, even if she couldn't quite read the letters well. Confidently, she said, "Yâ Abu ma'a Allâh."

He smoothed her wavy hair back out of her face. "Aiwa. Ketîr taiyib." He then touched Liliana's marker. "And who is Liliana?"

With the same confidence she had displayed a moment before, she smiled adoringly at Ardeth and said, "Yâ waSi malak."

He nodded and kissed her cheek. "That is right. Ketîr taiyib." He reached for Ash and took her hand. "And you love your father with Allâh and your guardian angel?"

She held out her arms as far as they would stretch. "Aiwa, Abu, Haida ktîr."

"You are a very good girl today," Ardeth said. "You love your Uma?"

She leaned over and kissed Ash's cheek noisily. "Aiwa."

"And who am I, Reza," Ardeth asked.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him as hard as her little arms could muster. "Yâ Abu hene Hada Habb."

Ash directed Ardeth's hand to her middle. She was halfway through her eighth month. The baby was a very strong kicker. "And we cannot forget your new baby brother or sister. Are you ready to be a big sister?"

Reza nodded. Smiling widely, she declared, "HâDir."

Their yearly visit complete, they left the crypt to prepare for company and the arrival of their first baby together. Ardeth and Ash would ensure that Reza knew her father and aunt. In helping Reza become acquainted with the wonderful people she had never met, they were sure never to forget.


Translations:

Rimâd—Ash

MaHall Min Gama—Place of unity

Khâla—Aunt

Ahlan wa-sahlan waTan—Welcome home

Shukran—Thank you

Mabrûk, Gidd—Congratulations, Grandfather

Aiwa—Yes

Abu—Father

ZuRaiyar waHda—Little one

Taiyib—Good

Ili—I have

Yâ Abu ma'a Allâh—My father with Allâh

Ketîr taiyib—Very good

Yâ waSi malak—My guardian angel

Haida ktîr—This much

Uma—Mother

Yâ Abu hene Hada Habb—My father here who loves me

HâDir—Ready


Finis…