Author's Note: And the movies and action finally tie in. This is a little shorter than before (still 4K+ words, though), but it was a good place to stop.
Disclaimer per usual – I do not own The Mummy, just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me. Starting with this chapter, I do borrow dialogue from the movie in patches, with minor variations.
Four Months Later
Layla looks up with a smile as she hears the sound of hooves outside the house. She knew Ardeth would be getting here today because Aziza disappeared this morning, muttering something about going to visit one of the tribes nearest to Cairo. She's anxious to see him – he has been gone nearly eight weeks this time, trying to track down a man who has been marketing himself as having been to the City of the Dead and luring treasure hunters into the desert and abandoning them.
The Medjai are largely fine with the abandonments, something that makes Layla uncomfortable but also that she understands. Those fools are adults with far more money than sense. But if the man has truly been to Hamunaptra, the Medjai will do what they can to dissuade him right up to ending his life if needs be. Once she agreed to marry Ardeth, they'd spent the next days together, most of it with him explaining, sometimes with Aziza's help, the ways of the Medjai.
At first, she'd been taken aback at some of the methods of the tribes. But the more they told her, the more they explained, she began to understand. While she knows she isn't cut out to be a warrior as they are, her sword skills have improved steadily, she's very handy with a knife or gun, and she has become an excellent rider. She'd been able to ride before meeting Ardeth, but her own brown mare is now more like a friend than a mode of transport, though recent events have made her sad to realize she won't be riding again for a while.
She walks out to the stables to meet Ardeth, bringing a large bucket of water for his horse. She pours it into the trough as Ardeth brushes the beautiful animal down, and when he's done, he turns to her with a smile. He comes over to Layla and wraps his arm around her waist. Leaning down, he kisses her soundly, backing her into the wall of the stable. A moment later, his horse whinnies and huffs, making them jump apart, laughing.
"How long can you stay, nuri?" She looks up at him when they stop laughing. She's been calling him nuri, my light, every now and then since their wedding, in particular when they're reunited after being apart.
"I've planned a full week." He smiles down at her.
She makes a happy sound and hugs him around the waist. A week will be the longest they've been together in over a year. His arm embraces her shoulders, pulling her close so he can drop a kiss to the top of her head. "That sounds lovely. I need to get word to Dr. Bey."
He releases her and takes her hand, walking over to get his bag before they head into the house hand-in-hand. "No need, little one, unless you need to tell him where something is in your office. I had to drop by and pass him a message from his tribe, and he knows that when I show up here you don't show up there."
She rolls her eyes. "You know what he thinks we are doing right now, do you not?" She looks up at him, arching an eyebrow.
They get inside and he kicks the door closed and drops his bag before scooping her up and heading for the stairs, her laughing in his arms. He kisses her neck, sucking gently at the pulse point behind her ear before murmuring, "In about one minute, he will be correct."
Well over half an hour later, they both are in their bed, naked, covered only by a sheet. She is partially draped over him, tracing the tattoos on his torso with her fingertips. She drops a light kiss to his shoulder. "I missed you."
"This was too long apart this time," he grumbles, "I wish the damned treasure hunters would realize what a deadly endeavor it is to seek the City of the Dead and just stop trying."
She sighs. "There's little chance of that, I'm afraid." She perches her chin on his chest, looking up at him. Her tone turns serious. "There's something I need to tell you, though."
He slides down in the bed as he often does for them to talk, making them eye-to-eye. "What is it? Is everything all right?"
She nods. "Yes, it's fine. Wonderful, even." She takes his hand and kisses it before moving it downward with her own. She stretches her palm out flat, and he follows her lead. Their hands settle on top of the sheet, his palm out flat on her lower abdomen. She covers his hand with hers and gives him a meaningful look.
He furrows his brow, but then his eyes widen. "Layla, are you?"
She nods, tears coming to her eyes. "I am. The doctor confirmed yesterday. I haven't had a monthly since ten days or so before your last visit, so I am likely about two months along."
"When did you suspect?" He frowns, not the reaction she was expecting.
"Two weeks ago, even three. But I waited until I'd missed my monthly twice before talking to the doctor. Only he knows, and now you. I didn't even mention it to Aziza yet, as I wanted to tell you first." He continues to look worried, and she shakes her head. "I am fine, Ardeth. I feel fine. A little nausea when I wait too long to eat and needing to rest sometimes in the afternoon. Otherwise, nothing."
He nods, but he still looks concerned. "But we just," he swallows hard, "Could that hurt the baby?"
She smiles and cups his cheek in her hand. "No. The doctor was quite scandalized when I asked, but while he muttered about it being improper, he conceded that it doesn't hurt anything." She rolls her eyes. "When he left, his nurse, a woman, gave me a lot of advice from her perspective both as a nurse and a mother. She told me to have fun now, as we won't have much time for it for a while after this one arrives."
He finally seems to relax, and his eyes seem fixated on their hands over her stomach. It's still mostly flat, but from how his hand moves, she can tell that he's noticing that it is taking on a slightly more firm and rounded shape. It'll likely be at least another six or eight weeks before she starts to obviously show, though.
"Ardeth, is this all right? You're not upset, are you?" She's suddenly worried. They haven't talked about children much at all. She wonders if he worries they'll be an even more significant distraction for him.
His eyes snap up to hers. He suddenly feels terrible for not first responding with happiness. "I'm sorry, little one." He leans in and kisses her. "Of course this is all right. It is a blessing and wonderful news. I already worry about you when I am not here, but I apologize for letting that stop me from telling you how happy I am to hear this."
She snuggles into him, letting his arms wrap around her. "I'm so glad. I've been so happy, even if terrified, and I want you to be happy as well."
"Why are you terrified, little one?" He hugs her close.
"My mother died having me, Ardeth. I'm just afraid of leaving you to have to raise our child without me. I want to meet him or her, you know?" She takes a shaky breath. "She died in this very house. Did you know that?"
He shakes his head. "I didn't realize, and I don't know how to help you with this, Layla." He buries his face in her shoulder. "Please tell me how I can help you."
She takes another shaky breath. "This. By doing this. By asking to help. I think the most important part is not feeling like I'm trying to do this all alone."
He pulls back, meeting her eyes. "You aren't. When I cannot be here, Aziza will be. And I'll warn you, little one, I'll likely be even more protective now."
"I rather expected that." She shrugs, then smiles. "But I notice that you haven't tried to tell me to quit working."
"That's because I'd rather not have my wife coming after me with my own sword," he replies archly.
She snorts. "Wise man."
X
Four Weeks Later
A loud crash makes Layla look up sharply from the expedition proposal she was reviewing. She jumps up from her desk, running in the direction of the noise, which sounded like it came from the library. By the time she arrives, she hears Dr. Bey yelling, "My girl, when Rameses destroyed Syria, that was an accident. You are a catastrophe!"
He then yells at Evy to clean it up and is leaving as Layla enters the library, nearly falling as she trips over a book. "Layla!" Dr. Bey catches her even as she braces herself on a downed shelf, calling by her first name as he has since she demanded it at her wedding to Ardeth. "I'm sorry, Dr. Easton. Are you all right?"
She straightens up and exchanges a look with him. Ardeth's one request with regard to her continuing to work was that she tell Dr. Bey that she is pregnant. He's now nearly as protective as Ardeth and Aziza are. "I'm fine, Doctor." She glances at Evy, who looks mortified. Layla turns and gestures to Dr. Bey to follow her into the hallway. "I'll handle this with Miss Carnahan, Terence."
He nods, clearly exasperated. "Thank you. She's a bright young woman, but she's also challenging." His expression softens. "But please be careful in that mess. Your husband will use that sword of his on me if I let you get hurt in my museum."
She laughs softly and squeezes his shoulder. Dr. Bey has become something of a gruff uncle to her these last couple of years. "I promise to protect you from Ardeth. One stern look from me or Aziza, and he relents." She drops a hand to her stomach and gives him a mischievous look. "Especially now. He pretty much does anything I ask."
Dr. Bey chuckles, turning to head to his office. "May Allah have mercy on that poor man."
She smiles as he goes, and then she turns to the library with a sigh. She heads in, gingerly stepping over the books and furniture. Evy stands there, wringing her hands. "I'm so sorry, Layla. Dr. Bey was very angry."
Layla can't argue with her. "It's all right, Evy. I'll send up some of the men from maintenance to assist you with the clean up. You'll have to re-shelve the books, though, my friend." She resists the urge to put her hand on her stomach again – Dr. Bey knows about the baby, but Evy does not, as she's just not telling many people yet. Layla squeezes Evy's shoulder much as she did Dr. Bey's. "I'll see you later, Evy. I'll go get the workers sent up and then go make sure things are smoothed over with Dr. Bey."
"Thank you, Layla." She sighs, turning back to the mess.
It's thirty minutes later when Layla ends up in Dr. Bey's office, and she drops into one of his guest chairs with a sigh. He is still scowling. "She means well, Terence."
"I know, Layla." He sighs. "But even you must admit that the woman can be a walking disaster."
Layla is about to reply when a commotion in the hallway makes both her and Dr. Bey tense. Two people are coming into the office, and Layla frowns when she sees that it's Evy and her brother Jonathan rushing in. Evy looks breathless. "Layla, there you are! Look at this!"
Evy brings her a clearly very old piece of parchment. Dr. Bey's eyes widen, and Layla sees him frown even more so than before. She looks down at the parchment, and her breath catches. She rises and brings it to Dr. Bey, sharing a worried look with him. Evy comes over. "See the cartouche there? It's the official royal seal of Seti the First, I'm sure of it."
Jonathan asks after who Seti the First was, making Layla roll her eyes at the idea that the man claims to be an Egyptologist. As Evy explains to her brother who Seti was, Dr. Bey and Layla have a silent conversation. Evy interrupts it, saying, "I've already dated the map, it's almost three thousand years old, and if you look at the hieratic just here, well, it's Hamunaptra."
"Dear God, don't be ridiculous," Dr. Bey says, throwing down the magnifying glass he'd been holding.
Layla feels sick in the pit of her stomach, and she tries to dissuade her young friend. "Evy, we're scholars, not treasure hunters."
Dr. Bey nods. "Hamunaptra's a myth, told by ancient Arab storytellers to amuse Greek and Roman tourists."
Evy is determined, though. "I know all the blather about the city being protected by the curse of a mummy nonsense, but my research has led me to believe that the city itself may have actually existed."
"Are we talking about the Hamunaptra?" Jonathan asks, his eyes shining.
"Yes. The City of the Dead," Evy confirms.
They begin to talk about the city again, stepping in front of the desk and leaving Layla and Dr. Bey there with the map. Layla watches Evy and Jonathan, and then she gently slides the oil lamp on Dr. Bey's desk closer to him. He nods, and pretends to examine the map, getting the edge close to the flames. He says gruffly, "As the Americans would say, it's all fairy tales and hokum." In moments, the map is alight, the ancient parchment burning quickly. "Oh my goodness! Look at that!" Dr. Bey drops the parchment, and burning, it falls to the floor in front of his desk.
Jonathan and Evy drop to their knees in a panic, putting the fire out. Jonathan complains, "You've burnt it! You've burnt off the part with the lost city!"
Layla shakes her head. "It's for the best, I'm sure."
Dr. Bey nods again. "Many men have wasted their lives in the foolish pursuit of Hamunaptra. No one's ever found it."
Layla chimes in, "Most have never returned."
Evy and Jonathan give them both looks that are nearly accusatory, and they leave in a huff. Layla goes to follow Evy, but she stops in the doorway, hearing Evy and Jonathan talking quietly. She peers out the door, and they leave looking very purposeful. Layla sighs and shakes her head. She re-enters the office. "Terence, we need to contact Ardeth now."
He nods. "I'd let you go, my dear, but he'd again have my head with that sword of his if you got on a horse right now for anything less than to avoid the apocalypse."
She gives him a pointed look, and he snorts. "Poor choice of words. I'll go out to the nearest camp. Can you go talk to Miss Carnahan? Maybe you can persuade her that this is utter foolishness. If you cannot, you know we will do whatever is needed to stop them."
Layla swallows hard. For her, this is the difficult part of being entwined with the Medjai, no matter how much she agrees with their cause. She knows that while the methods are extreme, so are the dangers they are trying to contain. She nods, and as he leaves, Dr. Bey squeezes her shoulder as she had his earlier. Once he's gone, she rubs her hand across her eyes and murmurs, "Do your best, Layla, but you cannot, in the end, protect people from themselves."
That night, Layla goes to see Evy at her apartment at the fort. She does all that she can to persuade her, but the young woman is adamant, instead even trying to get Layla to come with them. Layla feels bad, but she feels herself harden at that, her allegiance to the Medjai, Ardeth, and the safety of all of them, her own child in particular taking over.
"Evy, do not do this. Do not go. You are endangering yourself, Jonathan, this American guide you've found, and anyone else you drag with you." At Evy's determined expression, Layla shakes her head, going to the door. "You and Jonathan seek the same thing. Treasure at the expense of all else." When Evy starts to argue, looking outraged, but Layla just holds up her hand. "His treasure is gold. Yours is the good opinion of the Bembridge Scholars. It's about personal gain, Evelyn, no matter how you try to justify it."
She barely sleeps that night, tossing and turning and worrying over Ardeth, the Medjai, and over the idea that Evy and Jonathan might succeed, a thought that makes her ill. Aziza, who she told over dinner, ends up sitting up with her, brushing her hair back as she dozes fitfully.
X
One Week Later
Standing in Dr. Bey's office at the museum, Layla shakes her head. "Terence, what are we going to do? I know you heard that Ardeth is on his way, but can we do anything in the meantime?" She peers out the window, swallowing hard at the sight of the darkening sky at the horizon in the middle of the afternoon.
"I don't know, Layla. They've released the creature, the fools. I don't know if there is anything we are able to do." Dr. Bey shakes his head, looking more defeated than she's ever seen him.
Layla goes to the window, watching the sky. A moment later, she hears Dr. Bey splutter and say, "It has begun."
She turns, eyes widening when she sees Dr. Bey staring into a teacup full of blood. A cry from outside makes her look out the window again. She says, "Oh my God," at the sight of literal fire falling from the sky.
Dr. Bey comes up behind her, and he blinks and breathes out, "Hafazna Allah."
She nods. "May Allah protect us indeed." Then, the clatter of hooves makes her look down, and she gasps and runs for the door. She's almost to the top of the stairs, about to go down, when she sees Ardeth coming up quickly, taking the stairs two at a time.
She waits for him, and a moment later, she's wrapped up in his arms. "Nuri," she murmurs. She pulls away quickly, looking him up and down. "Are you all right?"
"Yes. Are you?" His hand lands on her slight bump, well disguised by her tunic. "Both of you?"
"We are both well, Ardeth." She leans in, kissing him quickly before pressing her face to his neck. "I'm so sorry I couldn't convince Evy that this was a fool's errand."
He shakes his head, pulling her close. He'd ridden hard to get here, both to talk to Dr. Bey but also to see her and get her counsel as well. The sight of her, worried but radiant in her dark maroon pants, tunic, and scarves, the pendant bearing the symbol of their now-shared people around her neck, gave him renewed determination to defeat the monster. He kisses her temple. "Nonsense, little one. This was not anyone's fault but theirs."
She nods, finding his hand with hers. He taps her wedding ring with his finger, and she does the same to his wrist. He prefers to not wear a ring as she does; he instead has a small tattoo of her name in Arabic on his wrist, usually covered with a wrap. They hear Dr. Bey clear his throat behind them, and he leads them to one of the artifact rooms. "What can we do, Ardeth?"
"Terence, I am not sure. I do not believe that the creature is fully regenerated. He may still be vulnerable." Ardeth frowns. "But we do not know for certain how to kill him."
"How did they revive him, Ardeth?" Layla asks, "Did they find the Book of the Dead?"
"Yes," he confirms, "And the woman with them read from it."
"Damn it, Evy." Layla feels ill again.
Dr. Bey shakes his head. "Does it have any weaknesses?"
Ardeth shrugs. "Cats? But that is temporary. They repel him, but he'll return."
Layla snaps her fingers. "The Book of the Living." The two men look at her. "Amongst the rumors of Hamunaptra is the notion of balance. If there is a Book of the Dead, maybe there is a Book of the Living."
"All right. So we need to figure out where that might be." Dr. Bey nods. "But the primary goal is to try to delay or even prevent his regeneration."
Layla is about to ask how they do that when she hears Evy's voice in the hallway. "There's only one person that can possibly give us any answers."
Evy, Jonathan, and three men Layla doesn't recognize round the corner as Ardeth immediately moves to shield her with his much-larger body. "You!" Evy exclaims, and the men all pull weapons.
Dr. Bey greets them. "Miss Carnahan, Gentlemen."
Evy looks coolly at Dr. Bey, and asks, "What is he doing here?"
Layla tenses, irritated at Evy's tone. She steps out from behind Ardeth as Dr. Bey replies, "Do you really want to know?"
Fully visible, the men's guns tracking the new movement, Layla puts one hand on Ardeth and the other on her stomach, narrowing her eyes as she deadpans, "Or would you prefer to just shoot us?"
Evy gasps, and the tallest man puts his gun away, replying, "After what I just saw, I'm willing to go on a little faith here."
The other men follow his lead, and Evy approaches Layla. "Evy, I warned you. Why did you not listen? Do you have any idea what you've done? Why on earth would you read from the Book of the Dead?"
Evy drops her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Layla." She looks back at her, and then at Ardeth looming behind her. "Who are you?" This time her voice is simply curious.
Layla reaches back and takes his hand again. "Ardeth, this is Evelyn Carnahan. Evy, this is Ardeth Bay, Chieftain of the twelve tribes of the Medjai and my husband."
Evy's mouth drops open, and Ardeth squeezes her hand. He then inclines his head at Evy. "Miss Carnahan. I hope you will forgive me if I am not pleased to meet you given the circumstances."
Evy nods sheepishly. "I understand."
They all move into the exhibit space, and Dr. Bey gestures to himself and then Ardeth as he begins, "We are part of an ancient secret society. For over three thousand years, we have guarded the City of the Dead. We are sworn at manhood to do any and all in our part to stop the High Priest Imhotep from being reborn into this world."
Ardeth glowers and adds, "Now because of you, we have failed."
Evy sounds outraged. "And you think this justifies the killing of innocent people?"
Dr. Bey replies, "To stop this creature? Let me think."
He pauses, and then Dr. Bey, Ardeth, and Layla all say, "Yes!"
Evy walks slightly away, a troubled look on her face. The man who introduced himself as Rick O'Connell says, "Question. Why doesn't he like cats?"
Layla begins, "Cats are the guardians of the underworld."
"He will fear them until he is fully regenerated," Dr. Bey explains.
"And then he will fear nothing." Ardeth glares at them all, and she can feel the anger rolling off of him in waves.
Layla turns to him and moves him aside slightly, taking both of his hands in hers, locking eyes with him and trying to help him calm down as the Americans and Dr. Bey discuss the creature. After a moment, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, murmuring, "Thank you, little one."
She can feel a little of his tension melt away. She's about to reply when she hears Evy say that the creature called her Anck-Su-Namun and tried to kiss her. She turns back to look at Evy, and Ardeth steps up right behind her, his arm slinging around her enough for his palm to stretch out flat on her small bump. They both exchange a look with Dr. Bey, who says, "It's because of his love for Anck-Su-Namun that he was cursed. Apparently after three thousand years –"
Exchanging a look with Ardeth, Layla finishes, "He's still in love with her."
Evy says, "Yes, that is very romantic, but what has it got to do with me?"
"Perhaps he will once again try to raise her from the dead." Ardeth looks at Dr. Bey.
Dr. Bey replies, "Yes, and it appears he's already chosen his human sacrifice."
They all turn and look at Evy. Layla has to roll her eyes when Jonathan says, "Bad luck, old mum."
Dr. Bey rises from where he sits. "On the contrary, it may just give us the time we need to kill the creature."
Ardeth nudges her, and she looks up at him. He's looking up, and she follows his eyes. He says, "We will need all the help we can get. His powers are growing."
Layla tucks herself into his side as she watches the sun go into full eclipse, and he pulls her close, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. She closes her eyes as Jonathan, suddenly serious, recites, "And he stretched forth his hand towards the heavens, and there was darkness throughout the land of Egypt."