The next day went by quickly.
After the men went on rounds with Ardeth and the women had visited Aren they gathered back at Basel home.
They ate and talked about their day. As they finished, Ardeth stood and looked at Ali.
"Would you walk with me?" Ardeth asked
Ali nodded
She turned to speak to Basel , but before she could, Basel smiled and said "We will see you both for the morning meal"
As they made their way through the now quiet village, Ardeth told her about the families living in the homes they passed. Many she knew from before and it was good to hear how they were doing.
A few minutes later they arrived at Ardeth's home. Ardeth looked at Ali "Would it be alright to stop and talk?"
Ali nodded her head.
Ardeth opened the door to his home and made his way in to light the lantern.
As the light filled the room Ali stepped across the threshold and stopped. It had been 20 years since she left their home. She looked around the room, almost frantically, trying to see everything. Everything was just like it was all those years ago. That's when her eyes went to where the bed sat and the area across from it under the window, the area where Rashel's baby bed had been. Now there was a seating area with pillows and throws.
Ardeth turned and saw the look on Ali's face. He followed her gaze and it broke his heart.
He stepped up to her. "Ali?"
Ali shook her head "I'm sorry, Ardeth."
He nodded and sat down at the table and motioned for her to sit down.
He looked at her and saw the sadness, the almost overwhelmed look on her face. "Are you sure you want to talk here?"
"Yes, Ardeth. I'm fine" she said smiling a small smile.
He nodded.
Neither knew what to say. Ardeth drew a ragged breathe and ran his hand through his hair. "This is as hard as I always imagined it would be"
Ali started to say "Ardeth, we don't have…." But Ardeth stopped her.
"Ali, I owe you an explanation. An explanation of what happened all those years ago."
Ali remembered what Basel had said to her and then she spoke "I would like that and ….well…. I will listen and try to understand….."
Ardeth stood and started to walk around his home. He had no idea where to start.
"I will try to explain why I sent you away. I do not know if it will make sense now, but I will tell you what I was thinking"
Before Ali could answer he started talking again. "2 days after Rashel's pyre… he stopped and drew another ragged breathe…. I received information…information that I could not believe. When I realized it was true…. I had to act immediately. I had to keep it from happening again. "
He stopped. He wasn't sure he could continue.
Ali watched him. A thousand emotions played across his face. She spoke quietly "Ardeth, what information? What did you find out?"
Could he actually say the words "I found out….I found out that Rashel did not simply die…. He was …. ". He stopped and turned to look at her. "Ali, he was murdered."
Ali's mind went numb. Murdered? Their baby had been murdered. She felt the tears sting the corner of her eyes and then fall down her cheeks. Ardeth sat down beside her and took her hands. She shook her head but never looked up; she just stared at their hands and simply said "why?"
"To get back at me"
Ardeth stood, started to pace again and then continued "There was a family that had always seemed to try to cause issues for my family. It actually went back several generations but during my Father's time it came to a head and Moszel tried to take control of this village. It ended badly with him and his sons being exiled from all the tribes.
"Of course they still had family members in several of the villages including this one but there had not been any other problems until ….well until they decided to get even with me."
"But why then Ardeth"
Ardeth knew that it would hurt Ali to hear the reason but she needed to understand.
"They hated that I had married outside our kind. That our future leader would not be of pure blood"
Ali was stunned. "They murdered our son, because of me.. because I'm not Medjai?" She said it so quietly it was hard for Ardeth to hear.
He nodded his head and then said "They hated my family, and hated me for what I had done by marrying you, but they knew they could not fight me outright, but if they killed my family then they assumed I would be vulnerable. That's when I realized I had to get you away from here. They had killed our son and you would be next"
Ali was trying to take it all in and it didn't make any sense. Finally she said "So you sent me away to protect me?"
Ardeth nodded "I had failed our son but I could not let it happen again. I could not fail you too". He turned and looked out the window.
"Ardeth" Ali said but he continued to look out the window. So she stood and made her way to him. She stopped beside him and touched his sleeve. But he didn't look to her. So she then stepped in front of him.
"Ardeth, please look at me"
Finally he looked down at her and she could see the unshed tears in his eyes. It hurt her heart to see him like that. "Why do you say you failed us? How would you have known that after all those years, Mozsel's family would do that?"
"It's my place to know" he said looking back out the window "I had promised to keep you safe and our family. I'm the leader of my people. I failed to keep you, our son and our people safe. I let someone murder our son right in front of us.
By the end he was almost growling out the words. Ali knew he was not mad at her, he was mad at himself. But his logic wasn't right. He had turned to move away but she reached out for his arm. He stopped, but did not look back at Ali.
"Ardeth, I know because of your position you think you should know everything and be able to control it all. And I know most of your people including me see you as a God, BUT… you are only human. How would you have known? How would you have stopped it?"
Again almost growling he said in a low deep voice "It was my place and I failed"
Again Ali stepped in front of him. She reached out and took his hands "No you did not fail us. Something horrible happened and you did what you needed to do. BUT you did not fail us."
He looked down at her "I should" …..
"No, you had no way of knowing. It breaks my heart to know our son was murdered, but it hurts me more to think you carried that guilt with you. "
Ardeth shook his head and closed his eyes, still holding her hands he said "You should hate me"
"I did for a while. I had no clue what had happened. I thought you hated me because of what happened. I thought you blamed me."
"I'm sorry you had to think that, but I knew if I told you, you would have wanted to stay and I couldn't take that chance. In my mind I thought if everyone including you thought I hated you, maybe you would be safe. You could make it back to America without them following you."
"So I sent you away". He stopped and looked at Ali, "In my crazed mind it was the only way to keep you safe. I did send 2 Medjai on the ship with you though."
"You did?"
Ardeth nodded then said "Let's sit down and I'll tell you the rest"
They made their way to the cushions and he continued. "I had them follow you to make sure you made it back safely. The day the ship sailed I knew you were safe. So I took several of my men and went after Moszel. I found him and several of his men. I made sure I knew exactly what had happened before I murdered them."
Ali knew Ardeth would have made them pay dearly with their lives and didn't need the details.
Ardeth continued "I found out they poisoned him. They poisoned him at the festival right before he died"
"After I had taken care of them I made my way back here. It had been 2 weeks since you left. I walked into this house and the silence was deafening. You were gone and our son was gone." He stopped not being able to continue.
"Oh Ardeth" Ali whispered not being able to hold back her tears. Yes, he had hurt her by sending her away, more than she ever thought she could hurt. But to see him now, she knew he had only did what he thought was right.
Ardeth reached out and wiped away her tears. "You have been through so much; I just wish I had been able to protect you without making you think I hated you."
"I know. "
For several moments both just sat there looking into each other's eyes.
Finally Ali spoke "Thank you for explaining it all to me. I know it was hard. But knowing now that you did it to protect me…well it explains so much" As she finished she smiled a small smile.
Ardeth smiled a small smile back in return. "You're very welcome. I never hated you, far from it. When Rashel died part of me died with him and the rest died the day I stood there and watched you leave, but being able to explain it to you makes that pain seem a bit less."
Again they sat just looking at each other. As if being drawn to each other they both leaned toward one another and slowly and softly their lips met.
The kiss was tinged with so many things. Passion, compassion, want, sadness, longing and so many other things. Ardeth finally pulled back and looked at Ali. She smiled this time a much happier, brighter smile.
Ardeth pulled her back to him and kissed her again. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck. Ardeth gently pushed her body back into the cushions.
Touching her face he spoke in Arabic "My beautiful Ali". She blushed and ran her fingers along his jaw line, feeling his goatee under her touch.
He had longed for 20 years to feel her touch again. 20 years to feel her beautiful body and her reaction to his touch.
Ardeth stood and held out his hand to Ali. She took it and was pulled into his arms. This time the kiss was more passionate, both could feel the electricity, the need they both had.
But, wanting this moment to last Ardeth pulled back. Ali looked at him with a bit of confusion.
"I want this moment to last my love. I have waited 20 years to hold you again."
Ali shook her head and Ardeth grinned. She loved seeing his beautiful smile. She reached out and again ran her hand down the side of his face. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation she was creating.
She then reached up ran her hands through his hair at his temples. "I love the gray here and here "she said as she then touched his goatee. Ardeth chuckled "I am glad you approve"
Ardeth moved his head and kissed Ali's hand. Then he leaned down and kissed her lips. Ali responded by wrapping her arms around his neck. Again the kiss became more passionate. This time Ardeth broke the kiss by reaching for Ali's tunic. As if telling him she wanted that too she held her arms up in the air and soon was standing naked before him.
He pulled her to him, growling in her ear "My beautiful, beautiful Ali". He kissed her hard and then gently picked her up and laid her on the bed. He quickly disrobed and lay down beside her.
He needed to touch her every inch of her and he could tell she felt the same way.
They spent a long time touching and exploring each other again. Finally it was Ali that said "Please"
Ardeth knew what she wanted but still looked at her to make sure. Ali nodded and he moved to enter her.
She gasped as he did. He immediately stopped "I hurt you"
"No it's fine" she said but he could hear it in her voice. So he kissed her face, her neck, taking his time to not hurt her again. Finally Ali started moving against him.
Allah, he needed her. He struggled to take it slow, he wanted this to last. But he needed her.
Ali's reached up and entangled her hands in his hair pulling him closer into a passionate kiss. He could not take it slow any longer. He entered her again and again until he climaxed. He watched Ali's face as she too went over the edge.
They stay entwined for quite some time enjoying their closeness. Finally Ardeth moved to Ali's side and pulled her into his arms.
Mimicking his words from earlier Ali said "I waited 20 years to be in your arms again".
Ardeth chuckled, kissed the top of her head and pulled her even closer.
They spent rest of the night talking and making love.