Sorry for the short chapter folks, but I think you'll forgive me!

Updates will be slow coming, I am working two jobs with plans on moving next year so updates will be slow coming but thank you for sticking with me and this story!

Onwards and forwards!


Dr. Saint huffed and puffed as he shimmied and squirmed himself down the rope that lead into the dark abyss of the temple, his flashlight barely penetrating the darkness as he landed on the floor in a heap.

Shaking off the sand, Dimitri Saint moved himself deeper into his Lords temple. He had his mission, and he could not fail this mission, Ameer had made it clear that if he failed this mission it would be at his own life that would be forfeit at his failure.

He shivered as he moved deeper into the temple; if only those two idiot blonds had done what he wanted, having their throats slit and their blood fed to the statue none of this would be happening! He would be sitting at Ameer's side as his dedicated advisor as Shadow knelt between them. He was sure his Lord and Master would be kind and let him finally taste that native flesh. He would be happy if it was even one time.

He deserved it damn it!

That woman had captured his attention the moment she had waltzed into his classroom, dressed in a flowing skirt, tight white blouse and beaded moccasins on her feet, white hair decorated with feathers and beads.

She looked scrumptious, and he hadn't had the chance to bed a Native before, so, he had to have her.

He had done everything to earn her attention!

Tight pants and shirts to show off? She didn't blink.

Flex his arms right in front of her, even going so far as to pick her up? Nothing but a soft 'please put me down.'

Having her laid out on his desk as he touched her, explaining the mummification process? Not even a twitch!

She avoided being alone with him, it was hard not to notice.

He had made this trip solely for her, making sure to add two extra people just to keep suspicions off him, but Lexie and Tracie had bought him off and now he was stuck!

Those two idiots were supposed to go back to America at the first hint of hard work, but their damn fathers refused to give into their whims for the first time! So he had ended up stuck with them hovering around him and clinging to him!

He had done everything he could to get close to Shadow but the woman had run off with that damn desert man! Ameer had made it known that if he didn't get a taste of that Native flesh before his reign he would never be able to touch her again!

It wasn't fair!

Shaking himself from his dark thoughts, Saint grumbled and growled as he prowled deeper into the sunken temple. Ameer had demanded he fetch the Staff of Set from the temple's treasure room, making him understand that if he failed, he would not live to see another day.

So, here he was, trapezing through a dark temple in the middle of the Egyptian desert looking for the damn thing to keep his future Pharoh happy.

He grunted softly as he came to the gilded doors that lead to the treasure room, huffing softly as he pulled the crowbar from his back.

Prying the doors open was easy, the entrance was piled high with gold, silver, and bronze pieces. Statues and dishes filled with jewelry offered a winding path to the only table in the room, atop it a golden spear rested.

Stumbling over various items and cursing loudly, Saint never noticed the small black beetles skittering around from beneath the newly disturbed gold and statues.

Saint didn't even manage to touch the spear, falling to the ground with a scream as swarms of black scarab beetles raced forward to feast upon the flesh that was offered to their starving bodies.

No one heard his screams; too deep in the temple and the Medjai camp too far away to hear his anguished screams for help.


Ardeth smiled down at the woman sleeping with her head in his lap, gently carding his fingers through her lush white hair. The group was traveling back from Cairo, the car loaded with supplies and the things Shadow had gathered in the market, many of the warriors excited to see her work the materials into dream catchers. Ardeth himself was curious of the items, sure that they would work but curious on how they would work.

Shadow had fallen asleep on the return trip, laying herself out into the back of the car, resting her head on his lap with a contented sigh. Kafuu had been left back in Cairo, Ardeth giving the prince strict orders to remain with the city guard and report to the tribe of any movement or sight of Ameer.

The boy had protested, sending wistful eyes at Shadow who huffed and turned her back to him to speak to one of the warriors who beamed at her attention.

Kafuu remained, grumbling, and frowning as they loaded up and drove away.


It was shortly into the trip that Shadow had chosen to climb out of the car's window to ride along side the other warriors, giving Ardeth and Rick heart attacks as she easily flung her body from the car.

Ardeth was about to follow her before watching in awe as she easily grabbed the saddle, swinging herself atop the mount and taking off like a bullet, headscarf flying around her shoulders as her hair waved like a flag behind her back as she and her mount raced across the dunes.

Ardeth could only watch in awe as she raced his brothers, laughing with pure joy as their mounts raced each other, her smile making the slowly darkening desert sparkle and shine in her very presence. He continued to watch his men and Shadow race through the desert, laughing as they traded positions until they reached the camp.

Shadow smiled, feeling free, relaxed and happy for the first time since arriving in Egypt, her gaze instantly falling on the man that stepped from the truck, a smile on his face and arms open. She didn't hesitate, racing across the sand to throw herself into his arms, laughing as he easily swung her up and off her feet, holding her close like she was the most precious thing in the world.

Shadow couldn't help but feel like she was the most precious thing in the world to this man as he gazed up at her with a blinding smile to match her own.

"Let me down my King, there is much to do before we find our beds this night."

Shadow couldn't help the giggle that slipped past her lips as the man that held her in his arms pouted cutely as he gently set her back on her feet, bending further so that he could press a kiss to her temple before releasing her from his grip.

The camp settled, the many bags unloaded, and a fire built to fight off the creeping chill of the night, many watching as Shadow began to weave the dreamcatchers, her deft fingers easily weaving stone and feather with leather and twine, wrapping, and looping as she hummed beneath her breath, her dinner forgotten at her knee.

Ardeth and the warriors watched in awe as she moved, swiftly creating dreamcatchers with only her hands and her knowledge, Ardeth blinking softly as the ghostly image of Standing Bear kneeling at her side, watching his Great Grand Daughter with a smile on his face as her voice gained volume.

There were no words that he could understand, but the power behind her voice filled the empty night, the thrumming of ghostly drums growing to fill the air around her as she sang.

The warriors all flinched as ghostly figures dressed in bead covered leather clothing they had never seen before appeared around them. Animal skins draped around their shoulders and feathers standing proudly in their hair bobbed as they danced, moving and spinning around the encampment, their voices joining the drums making the very air thrum with power.

The warriors tensed, glancing towards their King, relaxing only when they saw the calm on his face as he watched the warriors dancing around them with awe in his eyes. They blinked as Ardeth stood, pulling his sword from his hip and moving into the circle of dancing warriors, moving in the dance of their tribe, his movements blending with the ghostly dancers.

One by one the others joined, their voices joining the others, the singing of their swords acting as a counterpoint to the drums, power seeming to build within their chests as they circled the camp, circled their queen.

The desert was filling the voices of two tribes, singing together, building power not felt for centuries between two tribes, a power that transcended time and oceans, all filling with a sense of pride and joy as their voices slowly faded together with the drums.

Slowly, as the drums and voices faded away, the ghostly dancers disappeared on the wind until only Standing Bear remained, still kneeling next to his descendant, the sand before her filled with dreamcatchers, each as unique and beautiful as the last.

Standing Bear looked up from his sleeping granddaughter, the woman asleep on her knees, hands wrapped around a dreamcatcher, listing softly in her sleep.

"Care for her as she will care for you warriors of this land. She will never hesitate to stand beside you, nor will she hesitate to fall to her knees beside you. In victory and defeat, she will be you stone. Ardeth Bay, I leave her in your care."

Ardeth moved forward as Standing Bear faded away, easily sweeping the woman who held his heart into his arms, gazing down at the dreamcatcher still clutched in her grasp.

Obsidian and lapis lazuli sat together in the center, chips of jasper and quarts spirling out from the pair like a galaxy of stars glittering, but it was the cloth that wrapped the hoop that drew his eyes. Falcon feathers, feathers from her falcon and Horus were held at the sides by strips of black cloth that he knew belonged to him. He had torn the strip during their trip from Cairo the first time, allowing her to keep it. He had forgotten he had even given it to her.

It wasn't until that moment that he realized the meaning of the catcher.

Obsidion stood for him, Lapis for her, their falcons feathers together, tied with a piece of him.

This was THEIR catcher.

This was them, their story, woven together to give each other strength and peace in their sleep.

Clutching her limp form closer to his chest, Ardeth once more thanked the Gods that they gifted him with this warrior woman who had compassion and fire, fear yet courage, strength yet willing to reveal her weaknesses.

Stepping into her tent, Ardeth carefully shifted his Queen to her cot before gently taking the catcher from her hands. He hung it carefully from the bare beam above her head, gently trailing fingers over the center stones with a soft smile.

"hmm, Ardeth, come to be my king."

Choosing to ignore the little thrill that went through his system at his womans sleepy murmur, the man obeyed.

Shucking his sand encrusted outer robes, carefully resting his sword beside her own, Ardeth sank into the pillows, purring softly as Shadow immediately pressed her face into his chest and draped an arm around his hip, a gusty sigh leaving her lips as she sank into sleep.

Once more sending a silent thanks to the gods for gifting him this woman, Ardeth curled around his queen, sleep easily taking him away.

Neither noticed the gems in the dreamcatcher glow and hum softly throughout the night, several others in the camp doing the same as they fought off the dark magic sent to attack the sleeping occupants of the camp, all unaware of the scream of rage that awoke several buildings at the edge of Cairo.


So? Thoughts? PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT! I live for comments!