I'm baaaaaack! Sorry about the delay. This is a longer chapter than usual, and it will be followed by another longer chapter. And, joy of joy, NO MOVIE DIALOGUE IN EITHER! :D ...And now I'm spazing...Ack! I'm going to post this before I let myself change my mind!
88888888
Deirdre stormed, scowling, into the sitting room of the suite she and Haddiya were sharing with Evy. She slammed the door in her brother's face, hoping, spitefully, that it broke his nose. She locked it just as he began pounding on the door.
Evy had looked up from her book; her eyebrows disappearing into her hairline at the commotion. "What's happened?"
Deirdre spun around; the anger in her expression faded away to vague annoyance which was not directed at the other woman. She flounced over to the chair across from Evy and collapsed with a huff. "My brother being a jerk; demanding to know things that he does not have the absolute right to know, though he acts like he does. Not even giving me the courtesy of asking!"
The dark haired woman watched the redhead for several moments, blinking. "So what is really bothering you is that your brother demands the answers rather than asking for them?"
The Egyptian/British raised American nodded, disgustedly.
Evy closed her book and tilted her head to the side. "If you don't mind me asking – you don't have to tell me if you don't want to – who was that man?"
Deirdre looked at her for a moment expressionlessly; then a grin slowly spread across her face. "Well, since you asked so nicely…" She gave a soft chuckle before her expression became more serious. "His name is Ardeth Bey."
The half-Egyptian shivered slightly at the almost intimate way the name rolled off the redhead's lips. "Is – is he the one you spoke of before? The one it was too painful to talk about?"
Her companion nodded. "Yes."
The librarian bit her lip shyly. "How – how did you two meet?"
A blush and grin spread across the other woman's face. "Well… I was staying with a friend in Cambridge. My grandparents had gone off on a trip around Europe; I did not want to go and had managed to convince them to let me stay with, Heather, my friend. Ardeth was attending University at Cambridge…"
88888888
Six and a half years ago…
Deirdre sighed in annoyance and boredom at the petty gossip of the young women she was walking with. She had no idea how Heather could possibly stand them; she had only known them ten minutes and she was already ready to strangle them. What a tongue lashing she'd love to give them, but she did not want to embarrass her best friend. Oh, how she missed her brother and his bluntness; if he did not like someone he let them know to their face, instead of this backstabbing maliciousness. Did she ever hate the society among the nobility and wealthy.
Her right shoulder bumped into a taller, harder form, but it shifted a little, the slightest give, at the same time she did, so she knew that it was a person and not a lamppost. The redhead spun to look at her victim. "I'm so sorry."
At the same time he was saying, "I beg your pardon."
Deirdre froze. His accent alone would have stopped her dead, but the whole of him…
She had to tilt her head back to look up at him, not that remarkable considering she was rather short, but she really did like men who were tall, which he was. And he was heart-stopping-ly handsome. His hair was black, silky and down to his shoulders. His dark brown eyes were intense, soulful. His skin was a warm, deep tan color. Coloring so painfully familiar that it made her ache for her family, while at the same time he made her heart skip a beat and her breath catch in her chest. His voice was smooth, flowing like the wind over the Sahara and just as mysterious as the endless desert.
She was staring, and she knew it, but she could not stop.
He was staring as well; curiosity, confusion and something else flickered in his eyes.
A smile creased Deirdre's face; her lips parted slightly and she took a deep breath.
A hand grabbed her upper arm and jerked her away. "Come along, Margaret."
Deirdre had to grit her teeth to keep herself from snapping at the annoying witch for not only being so rude, but also the use of her first name. The three snobbish socialites were either avoiding looking at the young man entirely or eying him like a particularly disgusting bug that they did not even want to deign to squish. Heather looked embarrassed at their actions and had ducked her head.
The redhead looked over her shoulder at the man rolling her eyes and giving him an apologetic look.
He nodded his head graciously in return, understanding and slight surprise discernable in his expression.
She smiled before finally, reluctantly turning forward. Maybe she would see him again; a sneaky grin slyly made its way across her face.
88888888
Present(ish)
"I assume that you met again after that?" Evy said gently, she did not want to push too much; she was not family, she could barely claim friendship, and she knew that Deirdre hated to be forced. But she was really curious, and now interested in the story unfolding before her.
Deirdre smiled, her eyes twinkling.
88888888
Ardeth sat on a rock by the spring in the oasis where he and his men had stopped to rest; staring out over the small body of water. His mind was drawn back in time.
88888888
Six and a half years ago…
He sat on the grass by the river Cam. There were not many around, and none who would have "lowered" themselves to seek his company. He often wondered why his father had sent him to school here. Yes he was getting an excellent education but at the same time he was marginalized and ostracized. He was so alone.
"Is this seat taken?"
His head shot up at the words, spoken in Arabic that had rolled so beautifully in the female voice next to him. The young woman he had bumped into earlier that day was smiling down at him, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement and humor. Her accent had been a little strange but her pronunciation fluent.
"No, please, sit," he responded in kind, gesturing beside him.
She swept her hands along her skirt to make it easier to sit down on the grass. "My name is Deirdre O'Connell."
"Ardeth Bey," he responded, bowing his head and touching his hand to his forehead out of habit.
The redheaded woman nodded in response; then tilted her head to the side. "I hope you do not think me too forward; it has just been so long since I have been able to speak with someone in Arabic. It comforts me."
The young Med-jai shook his head. "No. Though I am curious because one of the women earlier called you 'Margaret' and now you have said your name is 'Deirdre'."
She shook her head and muttered something uncomplimentary about the other woman. "Margaret is my first name but I do not care for it; I prefer to be called Deirdre, my middle name."
"Ah," he nodded. "And how does a high born, young, British woman, such as yourself, know Arabic?"
Deirdre stared out over the Cam; she told him about her family history; how much she loved Egypt, and how much she despised England. Ardeth could not help but agree with her on both accounts and told her so.
"So you are here with your grandparents?"
She shook her head. "They are traveling; I did not want to go with them; they agreed to let me stay here with a friend and her father." She grinned at him. "They are under the mistaken impression that Heather's father is a wonderful chaperone. In truth Heather could probably get away with murder right under his nose and he would happily ignore it, but she's too proper to take advantage. I, on the other hand, have no such qualms." Her face became serious for a moment. "I would not intentionally do anything to hurt either of them, embarrass them or tarnish their reputations, though. They have been kind to me and let me be more myself than I normally am able to be."
Ardeth watched her, having the strong impression of an exotic bird trapped in a tiny cage, who, for the moment at least, was out of the cage but tied down by a relatively short leash.
Deirdre tilted her head to the side inquisitively. "So, how did you come to end up in this bleak country?" She bent her knee up and rested her elbow on it; propping her head on her hand. "I don't think you could find anywhere more differing from Egypt, in climate and culture."
"My family is well enough off that we are able to pursue higher education, should it be chosen. Though, since I am the eldest it was mostly a foregone conclusion; it was expected that I would go to a Western university and then return home upon the completion of my education. I was given the choice to attend Oxford or Cambridge." He looked back over the river. "Thus I am here."
He felt her intent gaze on him and turned to look at her; meeting her watchful gaze. "What are you thinking, if I may ask?" Inwardly he marveled at his daring, both of theirs actually. He had never been so frank with someone he had just met before, though her own forthright attitude seemed to encourage his candor.
The redhead lowered her knee and sat up straight again. "I'm thinking that you look as lonely as I feel." He felt his eyebrows shoot up. "And…I'm thinking," a hopeful smile creased across her face, "that we could both use a friend who can understand that feeling."
88888888
Present
Ardeth chuckled. "Bold as brass…" He stared up at the setting sun. How he had loved that about her.
88888888
Evy was trying very hard not to gape; as it was she was blushing a very deep red.
Deirdre glanced at her with a grin. "I suppose I should have acted with more reserve."
"I-" Evy's voice came out rather squeaky; she cleared her throat. "You certainly had more daring than I would have had."
The redhead laughed. "I have never been good at proper behavior, not when I did not feel the need for it and when there was a need I was rarely successful." She glanced out the window at the sunset, smiling ruefully. "It got me in trouble plenty of times. That along with my temper and stubborn streak."
Evy bit her lip, she was trying to restrain herself, but she was really becoming tied up in the story. "Um…so…uh…When did the two of you become…"
"Intimate?" Deirdre offered cheekily.
The librarian blushed profusely. "Well – uh – Romantic, actually."
She quietly chuckled.
88888888
The Past…Three Weeks Later…
Deirdre sat on the grass with her legs straight out in front of her and her hands braced behind her; her head was tilted back soaking up the sun.
"What are your plans for the future?"
She turned at her companion's question. Ardeth was sitting beside her, one leg outstretched and the other bent up; his elbow resting on it, propping up his head.
Neither had practiced much reserve with each other when they spoke, always speaking their minds freely; asking questions that they would never ask others.
She sat up straight, pulling her knees up and hugging them to her chest. "Well, it more or less has been decided for me." He raised an eyebrow. "I am more or less expected to do what my grandparents wanted my mother to do. Marry the man of their choosing and be a proper wife in society." The redhead looked back out at the river. "Of course the man of their choosing will more or less be dictated by who makes the best offer." She curled her lip. "I hate it, being sold off like livestock."
"Then, what do you want from your life?"
She met his gaze, biting her lip. "I hardly dare to imagine such things." She stared wistfully off. "When I was a child I loved to dance ballet. My parents paid for me to have lessons; my grandparents permitted me to continue them for a few years, hoping that it would help increase my gracefulness and aid in my ballroom dancing. But then they cutoff the lessons just before my introduction into society, saying that it was improper at that point for me to continue." A smile crept across her face as she lay back on the grass. "If I could live my life as I wished, I would study and work to become prima ballerina. I would remain with the company for some years; leaving either when I had grown too old to be a dancer any more and going on to teach, or until I fell in love and got married. I would most definitely prefer the latter."
Ardeth watched her intently. "You want to get married?"
She turned to him, blushing slightly; seeming as though she had actually forgotten he was there. "Yes. I want to get married and have several children. Being one of only two and then more or less an only child after my grandparents took me, I have always wished that I had more siblings. I want a large family." Her gaze became inquisitive. "What about you?"
He looked off in the distance. "I am expected to complete university with top marks. Go home and take my place among my people. I am to marry a woman and have a family." He looked down at her, smiling wryly. "Though, I am not expected to enter a loveless marriage. She and I will be each other's choice. Close, loving families are important among my people; it keeps us strong and unified."
A wistful look crossed Deirdre's face at that before going back to inquisitive. "What would you like to do?"
He shrugged. "Not really any different." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Though, I think I might like to travel the world a bit more before going home."
"Where?"
He frowned. "I am not sure. China perhaps, Australia, South America…"
A teasing light entered her eyes. "The good ol' USA?"
He smirked. "Now why would I ever want to go to a country with such trouble some people?"
She reached out and pushed him; he caught her hand, grinning. She attempted to tug her hand away, struggling not to smile, but instead managed to pull him slightly off balance so that he had to catch himself with his free hand. They were grinning at each other until the realization of their position began to come over them. He was leaning over her slightly and she was gazing right up at him, their heads less than a foot apart.
Deirdre's heart was pounding. She had been to many parties and other gatherings, and she had had her fair share of men coming close to kissing her, she had always managed to dodge, but never had she felt like this.
Ardeth's eyes searched her face; she was not sure what he was looking for, perhaps permission? He released her hand; she immediately missed the contact; then reached his hand up to brush a loose lock of hair back from her face. Her eyes fluttered as his allowed his fingers to trail down her cheek, the sensation doing strange things to her insides, to gently cup her jaw. He just left his hand like that, watching her closely. She sat up, not taking her eyes from his; he left his hand on her face. She prayed that he knew she was asking him to continue, she could hardly breathe. She tried to count her heartbeats but could not keep track. He lowered his head to hers; she tilted her head back and raised it slightly to meet his lips.
She gasped at the contact. Every nerve in her body felt like a live wire. He rocked back like one burned.
Their eyes met, both of them gasping, unable to conceal what the simple contact had done to them. Unable to hide the questions running through both of their minds.
What had they done?
What had they begun?
88888888
I know I am evil! Don't worry though! I will have more about the past in the next chapter! It's just that there are quite a few things that Deirdre and Ardeth want to tell us and I didn't want to make you have to wait any longer, so I'm dividing it in half…sorta. I hope that you liked it! (Still spazing... *paces nervously*)