I own nothing accept for Alya and Miriam...

Miriam quietly made her way towards the Bey's tent, she had a sneaking suspicion (mother's intuition, she reasoned with herself) that Ardeth and Alya were there together, and if not, then hopefully he would at least know where she was. As she came around to the back of the tent, she heard soft voices, one male, and one female. So, she crept as close as she could to the portion of the cloth wall that they were coming from.

"I'm not ready to be the leader of the twelve tribes." Ardeth was saying. "What if I make a mistake, and destroy all of us?"

There was a soft snort that Miriam recognized as Alya's. "I can see it now: Ardeth Bey personally destroys the twelve tribes and the world…" she intones.

"Alya…" Ardeth whispered. "I truly am afraid." He continued his voice even softer.

Miriam's sharp ears heard rustling, as though someone had stood.

"Oh Ardeth," Alya whispered, her voice further from Miriam now, so it was obviously she who had stood. "You will be a great leader." Her soft voice became muffled, almost as though her head was in his hair. "Do not fear for us. We will not be destroyed by your hand."

"But I am not ready!" he said forcefully.

"Ardeth Bey!" Alya spoke firmly, "You are ready because you believe that you are not. You do not desire this power, and that is your strength and what will make you a good ruler. If you believed yourself to be ready, then you would not be."

Miriam noticed a small hole in the tent, near her level when she was crouched there. Putting her eye up to it, she found herself looking into Ardeth's portion of the tent and gasping at what she saw. Alya had removed her veil, and her hair was hanging loose around her. Ardeth had his face buried in her chest, as she gently stroked his hair whispering soothing words. Slowly the time passed, and Miriam felt her legs begin to cramp, but she was afraid of being discovered if she shifted her position. Ardeth looked up into Alya's face, and slowly he leaned his face into hers and their lips met. Her eyes showed shock, but she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, kissing him back, her soft lips the sweetest thing he had ever felt. He cupped her face in his calloused hand, while protectively wrapping his arm around her slender waist. Pulling her onto his lap, their kiss deepened, until they both broke apart breathing heavily. Ardeth's hand had slid down to her neck, and her hands were tangled in his course hair.

"Alya..." he moaned, pulling her even closer to him. "I don't want to stop…"

Her light eyes were filled with fire, "Nor do I."

Ardeth cupped her face in his hand, and leaned their foreheads together so that he could look into her eyes directly. "But we must…" she whispered huskily.

"I know that." Ardeth brushed his lips to her forehead. "But that doesn't make it any easier."

Miriam exhaled and raised her hand to her chest, feeling her pounding heart begin to slow. Raising her eyes to the heavens, she thanked Yahweh that they were both honorable children, and that she had not needed to burst in, or get Aasim or Joash. She peered back into the tent, to see what more they would do.

Alya had risen from Ardeth's lap, and was standing with her back to him. He had her thick hair in his hands, and was re-braiding it. After tying the end with a leather strip, she whirled around, and laughingly rose onto her toes, and kissed his nose. He laughed and pulled her into his arms, "I love you, my Alya."

"And I love you, Ardeth." Her arms went around his waist, and she squeezed him tightly. Leaning his head down, he brushed the top of her head with his lips. They stood frozen together for a few moments, before he held her at arm's length, so he could look into her light colored eyes.

"You must go, my dear. Before my father realizes that you are back here." His dark eyes twinkled slightly. "I would be forced to marry you."

Rolling her eyes heavenward, she threw up her hands. "Jehovah preserve us! We both know how difficult that would be for you…"

Ardeth chuckled, and rubbed his nose against hers, "I will walk you to your tent." He turned and began walking towards the tent flap.

"Ardeth, I am a grown girl, I can go myself." Her fists were planted on her hips, and Miriam felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. That stance brought back memories of a young child who had worked hard to keep up with three elder brothers, and had somehow managed it.

Sighing, Ardeth raised his hands in surrender. "As you wish." He bowed to her mockingly, with a smirk on his face.

Alya went to the partition, and just before she stepped out, she turned, and with a mischievous gleam in her eye she quipped, "Which is how it should be… Goodnight, Ardeth."

Her mother chuckled at that comment, and the expression on Ardeth's face.

"Always…" he murmured. "What must I do to get in the last word?"

Alya's voice reached his ears, so soft and light that it seemed more like a ghost of memory, "Kill me, love."

A shiver went down Miriam's spine as she crept away from the tent. It seemed so final, almost as though it was a prophesy, rather than a parting comment. Sleep was long in coming that night, for both Miriam and Ardeth, as Alya's words haunted them from wakefullness, into strange dreams...

So, what do ya'll think?