Ch. 12~ Fly
"That's the Blue Nile down there. We must be out of Egypt by now."
"In ancient times, all of this still belonged to the Upper Kingdom."
Jeweli gripped the rope until her knuckles turned white. The man in black put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"Something's off. It's just too quiet, too easy. From what I know, this Imhotep guy never makes it easy." She looked at him with wide eyes. "I can't help but feel like something bad is about to happen."
He nodded, "I feel it, too. We must be vigilant."
They all started looking around as a loud rumbling was heard. It was far off at first, but then came closer and closer.
"We're in trouble!" Izzy yelled. Everyone turned around and saw a huge wall of water racing towards them. The water was suddenly morphing into a face.
"Oh, no" Ardeth's eyes widened. "Not again. Horus, fly!" he told the bird.
"What?!"
"Hang ON!" Izzy punched the thrusters and they all nearly fell over, the face had been about to swallow them.
"Izzy! Turn hard right! Starboard! Starboard!" he was following Horus. They got away, barely.
The pilot struggled to stand, "Is there a little something you forgot to mention? Hm?"
"Uh, people." Jonathan turned their attention forward.
"Ahm Shere," Ardeth said.
"It's beautiful," she breathed. Then the rumbling started again.
"He's back!" Izzy tried the thrusters again. But they only made it to the edge of the canyon. "Well, that's not good." He sank down.
Ardeth forced Jeweli to the floor, "Hold on!" he pulled her against him, just as the wave hit them. She held onto him as tight as possible. But the water was too strong. It forced them apart and flung her away from the boat as they crashed landed in the Oasis of Ahm Shere.
Ardeth
They were alive, amazingly. He thanked Allah for saving them. He helped Jonathan up, then turned to do the same with Jeweli, but she was nowhere in sight.
"Jeweliandra?!" he called. Everyone else heard him and started searching the wreckage. She wasn't there. They spread out, searching the surrounding area. Ardeth nearly missed her amongst the ferns in her green robes, but there she was, facedown on the jungle floor. "I found her!" he told the others, running to her. "Jeweliandra?" He gently turned her over, noting the various scrapes and bruises that covered her face and arms. "Jeweliandra, please, answer me," he put his head on her chest, where her heart beat sure and strong. He pulled her onto his lap and started gently tapping her face. "Come on, you stubborn woman, wake up. Do not make me have to pour water on you."
"Well, you could always try to kiss her awake," Rick joked, which earned him a slap on the arm from his wife. "Ow, I was kidding."
"Don't even think about it, buster." Everyone looked at her as she slowly opened her eyes. "I'm already wet. I would have to hurt you very badly if you did that."
Ardeth helped her sit up, "Are you alright?"
"My head's buzzing and I'm soaked. Otherwise, I'm fine." They stood up.
"Now you know why I prefer to keep my feet firmly on the ground," the Madji smiled, keeping one hand on her back to keep her steady.
"Water walls?"
"No, last time I was in the air, we were chased, then swallowed by a sandstorm with a face. We crashed that time, too."
"Out ol' buddy Imhotep seems to like doing that."
Jeweli
They all went back to get their bags from the boat. Izzy ranted the whole time about needing gas, not hot air, to get the derigible off the ground.
"Even if I could use hot air, do you realize how many cubic meters I'd need to fill this thing up?"
"If anyone can fill it with hot air, Izzy, you can." Rick patted the man's shoulder.
Ardeth called Horus and then sent him off with the message, then they set off. Not two minutes later, they heard a gunshot and the bird screech in pain. "Horus!" he yelled. No response. He turned back to them. "I must go."
"Wait," Rick stopped him.
"I must let the Commanders know where we are."
"You can't go!"
"If the Army of Anubis arrises-"
"I need you to help me find my son."
The Madji looked around at them for a moment, then nodded. "Then first I shall help you."
"Thank you."
"I'll go." They stopped again.
"What?" Ardeth asked the small woman.
"I'll go get the Commanders, I'll bring them here."
"Jewels, you can't!" Rick told her.
"Rick, I'm the only one you can spare. I am the only one the enemy doesn't know. Besides, I can get through this place and get to the army faster than if Ardeth stayed and helped us, then left to get them. I can get there and get them to the battlefield, then you," she addressed Ardeth, "can come and lead them."
"You could get hurt." Ardeth placed himself in front of her. "I will not allow it."
Jeweli sighed, then looked at the others, motioning with her head for Jon to get them out of there. "Uh, why don't we give them a moment," the man led the other two away.
"Ardeth-"
"No, Jeweliandra. I cannot allow you to get hurt on account of doing my job."
"I won't. Look, I'm small, I'm fast. I can get through here with no problem, it comes from running through the woods around my farm for years."
"This is not the forest at your home. This is a jungle that thousands of men have ventured into and never returned from. Who knows what may be out there."
"An army of a thousand men coming in is more noticeable than one woman going out. Whatever is guarding Ahm Shere won't touch me."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Honestly? I'm not. But, I'm the only one who can go. You all have your duties, this is mine. Don't worry, I'll get them here, we'll be ready for you." She put her hands on his face, smoothing his hair away. "Let me do this. If I am who you seem to be convinced I am, I'll be fine. Please, Ardeth."
He searched her eyes, then put his hands on her waist and pulled her forward until he laid his forehead on hers. "I hate when you do that."
"What?"
"Look at me like that, as if I didn't already want to give the world for you." He sighed, "Fine. But, tell me something first."
"What's that?"
"After the sparring match…why did you shut me out?" his voice was no more then a whisper.
Jeweli swallowed nervously. "Truthfully…I was scared."
"Scared? Of what?"
"That I was gonna make the same mistake I did seven years ago. I was afraid that I would fall for a guy I knew I shouldn't, and I would lose him. I can't go through that again."
"Jeweliandra, you do not have to be frightened. I will be here for you until you decide otherwise." He pulled her face up until their lips touched. It was a sweet, gentle kiss, like every girl's imagination of the perfect first kiss. But, there were no fireworks, no bells. Just a sweet euphoria filling her from head to toe. He tasted just as wonderful as he smelled, like sunny warmth, cinnamon spice, and man. Ardeth's lips were ever so slightly chapped, but, then again, he was a desert man. As they caught their breath, he said, "Now I really do not want to let you go."
"I know. But, if you want them to be ready in time, I have to leave now."
He nodded. Then, he reached up behind his neck and pulled off the amulet he wore. "Take this, it will keep you safe." It was a silvery metal on a length of knotted cord. "The Eye of Horus, may he watch over you." He tied it under her braid, then kissed her again. "Be careful." He told her as he quickly prepared a new letter.
"I will. Tell the others I said good luck. Get Alex back, and give that Lock-Nah guy a nice thourogh ass-kicking for me."
Ardeth
Ardeth chuckled, she was such an O'Connell. "You can count on it. When you get there, ask for Hessan, he will take care of you. Now, go," he handed her the letter. She nodded, then disappeared into the jungle brush without another word. "*Allah, please, keep her safe. And let me live long enough to hold hr again.*" He turned and walked back to the others.
"Where's Jeweli?" Rick grabbed him.
"She left. Do not worry, my friend, she will be alright."
"She'd better be. Otherwise, I'm taking it out of your hide for letting her go."
"Understood. Now, let us find your son."