A Lost Love: Found
We headed back to the house to change and pack up some stuff before we headed off to save Alex. I was standing in my room getting my bag put together when there was a knock on my door, I turned around to see Ardeth standing there, "May I come in?" He asked
"Yes, of course." I tell him and closed my bag then grabbed the sword securing it in my belt.
"I am returning to the Medjai, to get them ready in case there is a battle."
"Oh, well ok um...safe travels." I said and grabbed my coat.
"I came to ask if you would want to join me." He says and I looked at him confused.
"Join you? To go meet the rest of the Medjai?"
"Yes. We will meet up with your family as they begin their search for your nephew." He said and I was still dumbfounded.
"Are you sure the Medjai would even welcome me?"
"Why would they not?" He asked
"Because I'm sort of an outsider."
"Rosaleigh, you are anything but an outsider. The Medjai are very welcoming, and you and your family have earned their respect. There is nothing to worry about." He reassured me and I looked at him for a moment, something inside me was screaming to go with him.
"Um..yes I'll um...I'll go with you." I tell him and I saw a small smile form on his lips, "Just let me tell the others then we can go."
"Very well." He says and I watched him leave then let out a long breath. This could be trouble.
After finally convincing Evy and Rick to let me go with Ardeth me and him arrived at the Medjai camp. I received some strange looks from most of the women and men but I continued to follow Ardeth, "So much for a warm welcome." I mentioned to him
"They just find it strange to see a woman dressed how you are."
"You mean because I'm wearing pants and boots?" I asked him and he nodded, "I see. Well I'm not a fan of dresses." I point out and he looked at me, I saw a small smirk on his lips then we reached a tent, Ardeth opened the flap for me and I walked in with him behind me and saw a group of men standing there.
"We got your message Ardeth. The rest of the Medjai leaders are preparing their fighters." One of the men says to him
"Any word on the creature?" Another one asked him
"We believe that they are heading to the temple at Karnak. When they arrive the bracelet will show them the next destination."
"How did they manage to get the bracelet?" a man asked him
"The nephew of Rosaleigh placed it on his wrist." He tells them and I looked at him
"How could you allow such a thing to happen?" One of the men asked me and I looked at him.
"I um...I wasn't with him when it happened." I said trying to hide the nervousness I felt.
"We shall finish gathering our warriors." One man said and the tent flap opened, I turned to see a woman standing there with cloth covering her mouth.
"Nessra, please escort Rosaleigh to my tent so she can freshen up." Ardeth tells the woman and she gave a small bow then Ardeth looked at me, "I will join you later, first I must make sure everything is in place." He says and I nodded at him then followed the woman out of the tent and into a different one. She opened the flap and I walked in looking around, there wasn't much in here besides a bedroll, a lantern, a washing pail and a trunk. And I though I traveled light. I thought to myself and looked at Nessra.
"There is a fresh cloth next to the washing pail for you." Nessra says and I nodded then walked over to it taking the sword off my belt, "So it's true." She said and I looked at her.
"What is?"
"My brother mentioned how 8 years ago he fought a woman that bested him and took his sword." She tells me and I looked at the sword trying to hide a blush.
"I wouldn't say bested..."
"He said she was one of the strongest people he's ever fought and the way she wielded the sword was as amazing as a Medjai." Nessra says and I feel my cheeks getting warmer.
"Did he um...mention anything else?"
"He secretly told me she was also a good kisser." She said and I looked at her shocked.
"He mentioned that?" I asked her and I see her smile.
"Yes, but when I asked for more details he got quiet."
"Oh, I see." I said and put the rag in the water, squeezed it out and began washing my face, "So Ardeth is your brother?" I asked her
"Yes, he is the oldest."
"Any other siblings?" I asked as I finished up
"We had another brother, but he was killed in battle years ago."
"Oh I'm so sorry." I tell her
"It is alright, he died a warrior and a hero." She say and I nodded
"I have two siblings, an older brother and a younger sister."
"What are they like?" She asked me
"My brother well..lets just say that even though I love him, he doesn't exactly make the best decisions. Evy, my sister, is very smart, probably the smartest out of all three of us,"
"Oh I'm sure you are plenty smart. What else would you call running towards a bunch of mummies and helping him out?" She asked and I got a little shy, "If it wasn't for you I would be the only Bay left, I thank you for saving my brothers life."
"Oh, no big deal really." I said and she giggled
"Would you like to take a walk around the camp?"
"Oh um..is that ok? Like I told Ardeth, I kind of feel like an outsider." I mentioned
"You are anything but, you and your family saved the world. You are welcome among us."
"I see, well then yes I would love to take a walk around." I tell her and we exit the tent, I look around seeing people everywhere, children running around playing, woman cooking and cleaning, men walking together talking. It was nice and simple, she loved it.
Ardeth POV...
I finished meeting with the council members and exited the tent, I looked around and saw my sister standing next to Rosaleigh who was sitting on a blanket in front of the children and they were giggling as she spoke, she must be telling them a story. I smiled as she continued speaking to them.
"So this is the woman you spoke of." Nezir pointed out standing next to me
"Yes it is. She's a very strong and skilled woman."
"And does she know?" He asked me and I glanced at him
"It's to soon for her to find out. When the time comes I will."
"I pray it doesn't take to long friend. We have a small window." He says clapping his hand on my back and walked away. I looked back over at Rosaleigh and see looked at me with a smile to which I returned.
Rose POV...
I noticed the sun was starting to set so I tried to find Ardeth, who I eventually found talking to a few men so I stayed back, one of them gestured to me and Ardeth turned to face me then looked back at them. He dismissed them then walked over, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." I tell him and he smiled
"It is alright we were just finishing up our plans."
"So I don't mean to rush this but shouldn't we be going?" I asked him
"I am sorry, I meant to come find you. O'Connell and your siblings are stuck at a hotel in Cairo due to a storm. No one if allowed to leave town until it settles." He tells me and I sighed
"So.."
"We will meet up with them tomorrow as planned. You can stay the night here." He says
"Well it's not like I have anywhere else to go." I said with a smirk and he smiled at me.
"Supper is almost ready, please follow me." He told me and we walked over to a fire pit where his sister and a few other people sat. After we all ate I was following Nessra back to her tent when Ardeth stopped us, "Nessra would you excuse us for a moment?" He asked her and she walked into her tent.
"Everything ok?" I asked him
"Everything is fine. I wanted to see how you were doing."
"Oh, I'm...I'm ok. Just worried about Alex is all." I tell him and he nodded, "Ardeth, I'm curious about something and I hope it's ok to ask it."
"Of course Rosaleigh."
"Back in London, after the mummy hurt you. You called me habibata. Now my Arabic is a little rusty but that means my love." I said and he looked at me and shifted a little, "Now I don't know exactly what has been going on with me for the past 6 weeks so I...I don't know how to phrase this..."
"Come with me." He said and walked away then I followed and we entered his tent, "Rosaleigh I...I have the answer you seek, but I need to know if you are willing to keep an open mind and trust that what I tell you is true."
I looked at him confused but I nodded my head, "Hell, from what I saw 8 years ago I'll believe anything."
"Please sit." He told me gesturing to his bed roll which I sat on and he sat down across from me, "Alright, what I am about to tell you is something that I have held back for a long time."
"Ok, getting a little scared."
"Do not be scared." He says and I nodded, "You know the story about Pharoh Seti correct?" He asked and I nodded my head, "He had a woman who was set to be his wife, her name was Anuk-Su-Numun." He said and I looked at him in shock.
"Wait. The woman from the museum? But she said she was the reincarnation of her."
"Which is true, you believe more then anyone." He pointed out, True. "Back then, during the year of the Scorpian King the Pharoh invited royals from all over for a celebration and a battle between his future wife and his daughter Nefertiri. To see who was strong enough to protect him and who was strong enough to protect the bracelet of Anubis. His daughter became the protector and his future wife became his."
"I see, but what does this have to do with..."
"During the time all the royals were at the palace the daughter of Prince Siatum whose name was Nebetia, a skilled fighter, began to develop a romance with someone, a romance that was forbidden." He said
"Why was it forbidden?"
"She fell in love..with Medjai." He tells me and I look at him confused, "He loved her back and it was a true love even though if anyone found out it was punishable by death."
"And I'm guessing someone did."
"Yes, another Medjai found them together. Her lover was sentenced to death by the Medjai." He explained
"And what about..."
"Nebetia lived only because her close friend Nefertiri begged her father to spare her life to which the Pharoh granted. Nebetia was to distraught over losing her true love that one night as she was washing herself she took the knife that her warrior gave her and prayed to the goddess Hathor, begged her to reunite her with her love in either the afterlife or any life she would have after that." He says and there were some many thoughts going through my head.
"So this Nebetia wanted to be reincarnated along with the Medjai so that they could be together?" I asked him
"Yes."
"So then what does that have to do with me?" I asked
"Have you been having strange dreams? Visions? Feelings you can't explain?"
"Yes but..." I started to say and he grabbed my hands
"This will sound crazy to you, but Rosaleigh, you are the reincarnation of Nebetia." He tells me and everything in me stopped except my heart with felt like it was racing.
"I'm...wait...what?"
"You are the reincarnation of Nebetia." He repeated and I heard what he was saying but my mind couldn't grasp it. I stood up and began to pace.
"So wait hang on, you're telling me that all of my dreams, visions, everything that has been happening to me is because I am the reincarnation of a princess that took her own life?"
"Yes." Ardeth says standing up as I continued pacing then I stopped.
"You also said that she preyed to Hathor to reunite her with her true love. Who was it? Who was the Medjai?" I asked him with my back facing him but he stayed quiet so I looked at him, "Ardeth, who was the Medjai?" I asked again and he sighed.
"I am the reincarnation of the her true love." He tells me and I sucked in a breath then put my face in my hands, "Rosaleigh.." He says and I feel him put his hand on my shoulder but I moved away.
"No. You tell me that everything going on with me is because I am reliving the memories of a past life, sure fine I get that, but then you tell me that upon her death she made a deal with a goddess that no matter what she would be reunited with her lover and you tell me that it's...it's you." I said to him, I was still trying to wrap my head around it.
"Rosaleigh.."
"8 years. After 8 bloody years you come back to help us with the rising of Imotep again and you drop this on me?!" I yelled but it came out silent so I didn't disturb anyone in the camp.
"I understand this is a lot." He tells me
"Yeah."
"I also understand if you want some time to think about this. Just know Rosaleigh that I never wished to tell you this way, I hoped that it would be easier to explain." He says and I sighed.
"I'm not sure what to do with all of this Ardeth."
"I understand, if you wish, you may go to my sisters tent and think." He mentioned and I gave him one more look then walked out of the tent heading over to Nessra's. I opened the flap and saw her sitting on her bedroll that was one the other side of mine and she looked at me.
"Are you alright Rosaleigh?" She asked me and I sighed shaking my head, "My brother told you didn't he?"
"You knew?"
"I did. I told him to wait but he felt like you deserved answers now." She tells me and I put my hands on my face, "You should try and get some rest." She said and I scoffed a little then walked over to the bedroll and laid down, "Goodnight Rosaleigh." Nessra says and snuffed out the light, I laid there not being able to turn off my brain, everything was running through it that Ardeth just told me. I hear the camp quiet down and the only sounds I heard was the wildlife off in the distance and the slow breathing of Nessra. I looked over at her then back up at the tent roof, with a big sigh I got up and quietly walked out of the tent heading over to Ardeth's using the light from the moon to guide me.
"Ardeth?" I asked quietly, there was a pause, "Ardeth, it's me." I said again but there was still a pause. As I was about to walk away I heard the rustling of the tent flap.
"Rosaleigh?" I heard him say and I turned to face him, "Everything alright?" He asked and from the light of the moon I could see that the only thing he was wearing was pants. I shook my head trying to make it seem like I wasn't staring.
"I um...I can wait until tomorrow." I said and started to walk but I feel him grab my hand.
"It is alright, you're not disturbing me. Come." He tells me and I walked into his tent and he closed the flap behind us, "Are you alright?"
"I um...I'm not sure. Everything is swirling around up here and I'm trying to...to piece it all together and it is a huge pile of information."
"I understand." He says
"Do you? How? How do you understand?"
"Here, have a seat." He gestured to his bed and I sat down with him in front of me, "8 years ago I started to have strange dreams as well, dreams I did not understand. I went to the medicine woman here and she told me I needed to speak with the Medjai elder. He is a very wise man and he told me the same thing I told you."
"So...so you had dreams too? Visions?" I asked him and he nodded, "Why.."
"Did I have them before you?" He asked for me and I nodded, "Because my past life was killed before yours."
"Makes sense."
"Rosaleigh," He says taking a hold of my hands, "It was never my intention to give you all of this at once and for that I apologize, I hope you can forgive me for this."
"Ardeth I.." I started to say and stopped, "I don't know what to do with all of this and to be honest it's horrible timing."
"I know."
"But, I can't help but believe you. I mean when we met each other 8 years ago there was something about you that I couldn't explain, you were so familiar to me and I didn't know why. Then when we...when we kissed again it felt familiar." I tell him and he put his hand on my face.
"As it did for me. That night at Hamunaptra when we I saw you I hesitated. I saw the face of someone I lost 5,000 years ago, or rather someone my past self had lost. Then when you fought me I knew I was right, what the elder told me was right. Our souls are connected, forever."
"Ardeth..." I tried to say but his hand on my face and looking into his eyes was distracting me, making my heart race. I don't know what came over me but I moved my face to his kissing him which he returned. Our lips melded together so perfectly together and it felt like the whole world had stopped. Just then he moved us so I was laying down on my back with him above me not breaking contact, "Wait, wait." I said and he looked at me, "We probably shouldn't do this. Not that...it's just..."
"You are right. It's not the time." He agreed and I looked into his brown eyes.
"Can I stay here tonight?" I asked him and he nodded then laid down next to me. We faced each other looking into each others eyes until mine got heavy and I fell asleep
"Goodnight habibata." I heard Ardeth say and I dozed off.
The next morning I woke up to see Ardeth wasn't next to me, I looked around and heard the voices of the camp outside. Everything that happened last night came rushing back to me, everything he told me to us kissing then falling asleep together and it felt...right. I managed to get up and walk out of his tent without anyone seeing me then Nessra walked over.
"Did you sleep well?" She asked with a smirk and I felt my face heat up then Ardeth walked over.
"Nessra say goodbye to Rosaleigh."
Nessra nodded then to my surprised she hugged me, "Goodbye Rosaleigh. I hope we will see each other again."
"Goodbye Nessra." I tell her and she gave me one last smile then walked away.
"Are you ready?" Ardeth asked me and I nodded then we walked over to a few Medjai who were on horses, "You will use this horse on our journey to your family."
"I get my own horse huh? You sure know how to make a lady feel special." I tell him with a smirk and he gave a small smile then I walked over to the horse petting it then got on as he got on his and we took off leaving the camp.