This is a rather short chapter. I think also that I might be coming close to the end now.
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Chapter Five:
Confrontation
The days passed by slowly and Ardeth was getting fairly used to his new everyday life. He barely spoke to Imhotep anymore, feeling that it only made him confused when he spoke to him.
Ardeth sighed as he sat in the bath, refusing to let Imhotep join him this time and for once the high priest had listened to his request. He thought over all the time he had now spent together with the high priest. Things just didn't make sense anymore to the Medjai. Ever since the day he was born Imhotep's name had been connected with pain, death and destruction. People had always feared the priest and the day he would return, even Ardeth himself had dreaded that day. Now here he was, alone together with the priest himself and he had never felt like he had any reason to fear him. In fact Imhotep had done nothing but treat him with absolute kindness.
Could it be possible that Imhotep wasn't as bad as Ardeth had been led to believe? Maybe Imhotep had just been misguided by love?
Ardeth sighed again, not getting much sense from his own thoughts. He slowly got up from the hot water and put on his black robe. He was just about to tie the sash when he saw how Imhotep came in. At first none of them said a word, they just gazed at each other.
"Are you finished?" Imhotep finally asked with a soft voice. Ardeth merely nodded as a response and then hurried out of the bath before the priest had a chance to say anything else. He didn't stop until he was standing next to the bed where he stood with his back facing the door to the bath, gazing at the wall.
"Is something wrong?" Imhotep asked a short while later as he went up to the Medjai, placing his hands on Ardeth's shoulders.
"Why do you do this?" Ardeth heard himself ask. "I can't seem to understand you. You try to bring destruction over the world for the sake of love and now, when you have been defeated, you return for me because you feel lonely?" Ardeth sighed heavily and turned towards the high priest.
"I just don't understand," he added.
"People do crazy things for love," Imhotep said with an amused smile. "And they also do crazy things when they are alone." Ardeth wasn't satisfied with that answer. He wanted an explanation.
"Imhotep, tell me why you brought me here," Ardeth said with a serious voice, gazing right into the high priest's eyes. "It can't just have been because you felt alone. You're not that simpleminded. There has to be another reason. Tell me!"
Imhotep was slightly taken aback by the sudden confrontation. He hadn't been prepared for the Medjai to ask those questions, at least not now. He didn't really know how to answer them.
Ardeth kept his gaze fixed at the high priest's eyes, refusing to look away until he got a proper answer.
"Tell me," he repeated, with a softer voice this time. "Please."
