Yes I know, it's been ages since I've updated, and I've broken the fact that I update every fortnight. But I've had exams every day for the past two and a half weeks. No more now (except for one on Thursday), and I'm off from school for two and a half months. So there should be updates in everything soon.

Princess of the Nile

Chapter 11: Sickness

For a second after Emira had hit the hard sand the entire army of warriors froze. Then Ardeth was beside her, his fingers against her throat as he desperately searched for a pulse.

It took a moment before he was able to find it, it was weak, but he brushed it off partially due to the fact that she had been weak when they rescued her, and that had only been two days before. Carefully, he slid one arm under her back and the other under her knees, gently lifting her up. She whimpered quietly, her expression one of pain, and one hand subconsciously moved to grasp the arm of his robes.

"Emira?" he questioned. She jerked harshly in his arms and he was forced to sit on the ground, watching her closely. From the corner of his eye he saw one of the warriors coming towards him.

"Ardeth?" the voice of his second in command, Amin came, and the younger man dropped beside his leader. Ardeth looked up at him for a moment, then back to Emira, taking his arm from her knees, he ran it over her forehead and frowned

"I need Haji" he muttered quietly "Her fears worse, and she's in pain." Amin nodded

"Niu's gone to find him." He replied "They'll be here in a moment." He turned his eyes to watch Emira as she muttered under her breath, her arm flew out and he caught it before it hit him in the stomach, and held it gently.

"Ardeth!" a yell came from behind them, and Haji ran over to them, dropping down beside the female with worry in his eyes. "What happened?" he questioned as he checked her pulse

"She collapsed." Ardeth replied "She's got a high fever." Haji nodded, his hand going to the woman's forehead to check for himself

"We need to get her back to her tent." Haji said swiftly, standing up, Ardeth stood as well, and the two hurried across the camp to Emira's tent.

X

"How is she?" Ardeth asked as he entered the tent. He had had to talk to the elders, but his mind had been on his unconscious friend the whole time.

"Her fear's still rising." Haji replied, he was standing at the entrance of the tent, watching Emira as her father sat beside her "The wounds she got before we found her, they're badly infected. It's probably what's making her this sick."

"Is that why she collapsed?" Ardeth questioned, Haji shook his head

"I doubt it. Her leg's badly broken. When we were fighting the horsemen, one of the animals caught her skirt with its hooves. I think it caught her leg as well." Ardeth nodded, remembering seeing that happen, then his eyes widened

"She kept fighting with a broken leg!" he exclaimed "How bad is it?"

"Bad enough." Haji muttered "She's not going to be able to walk for a long while. If you ask me, she's lucky that the animal didn't shatter the bones." Ardeth winced, that was bad news, he shook his head and strode over to Emira's father.

"Haji said she'll be alright as long as this damn fever breaks soon." He said as Ardeth sat beside him

"She'll be fine." Ardeth reassured both of them, "Where's Zameel?"

"He doesn't know yet." The older man replied, "He went to find Al-Shama. Niu's gone to tell him." Emira moved around and muttered in her fevered state "She's been doing that a lot, just talking to herself." Ardeth leant forwards as Emira continued to mutter, frowning as he tried to catch the words

"She keeps saying the same things." Her father said quietly "'The Statuette of Chione is at Hamunaptra' and then she switches to Ancient Egyptian 'I had no part in it' and then 'Look after her'. Nothing more. Just the same things every time." He shook his head and ran a hand across his daughter's forehead "Her fever just keeps getting worse." He muttered sadly.

"Father!" the two men looked up to see Zameel hurry into the tent. He took one look at his sister and paled, slowing to a walk and then stopping beside his father.

"Emira." He whispered, his voice cracking slightly, he dropped to his knees and grasped her hand. His father rested a hand on his shoulder and Ardeth stood, nodding to the grave looking healer at the tent entrance before exiting.

Next Update: And yes, I really mean it. There's a sticky note on my bedroom door to remind me and everything! Saturday July 1st, I swear it!