Faisal knocked on the O'Connell's tent pole and waited a moment. When the tent flap finally opened, Faisal found himself staring into the face of Rick O'Connell.

"Yes, Faisal? Can I help you with something?" asked Rick. The O'Connells and Faisal had met for the first time when Rick and his family had visited Ardeth last year. Both had liked each other immediately. Faisal because he could see that the O'Connells thought the world of his honorary nephew and that alone was enough for a friendship to be forged, but Faisal could also tell that the O'Connells were honest, brave and would willingly faced danger and if necessary die for their family or even total strangers. On that very short list of people that the O'Connells cared deeply about Ardeth was one of them. Somehow Faisal knew this without even having to ask and it made him like the O'Connells all the more.

"I needed to see you before the ceremony tomorrow, there are a few things we need to discuss."

Rick nodded and held the tent flap aside so that Faisal could enter.

"So what is it you need to know?"asked Rick with a raised eyebrow offering Faisal a seat.

"Did Ardeth tell you that I would be the—I believe the word is spokesman—for this ceremony tomorrow?"

"No, all he said was that we would exchange blood with a knife that had been blessed. So that isn't all that is involved?"

"That's the main part of it," Faisal admitted. "But before that happen the spokesman has to tell a little bit about each man and afterwards each man has got to speak a little about the other—something along the lines of why you think of this man as your brother."

Rick stared at Faisal in something akin to horror.

"Ardeth didn't mention this part of it, I take it?"

"You've got that right," Rick growled. "And when I get my hands on him, he's going to regret it." Rick could practically hear Ardeth's laughter in his head and him saying, What I didn't mention that part? I could have sworn I had, or something along similar lines.

Faisal smiled as he realized that this was some kind of joke Ardeth had played on his friend for Ardeth never forget anything of importance and the fact that he had just happened to forget to mention this part of the ceremony just wasn't very likely.

"I'm afraid Ardeth has a very—subtle—sense of humor. When he was a boy he was known for playing a few practical jokes on people he disliked and sometimes even on people he did like but he thought needed to be taught a lesson. I am afraid that has developed into little pranks like this. He doesn't often get a chance to indulge his sense of humor I'm afraid with him being leader of the Medjai."

"I suppose not," Rick conceded. "If you had asked me a few years ago if Ardeth had a sense of humor I would have denied it, but in the last few years I have learned quite differently."

"Oh he has one, after all you didn't grow up with him, but the rest of us did. Now about the ceremony—"

Rick sighed and begun to dredge up some very unpleasant memories from his childhood.

When Faisal had left an hour later, Rick felt incredibly drained as if he had been fighting a 5000 year old mummy and running a marathon at the same time, but also somehow he felt as if wounds long unhealed had begun to scab over at last and that along was worth something.

~~~Rick and Evie~~~

The next morning the sun was just rising over the desert when Rick and Ardeth came to stand side by side in the middle of a large circle of Medjai as well as Rick's wife who was the only foreigner there.

Faisal came to stand in front of them pacing solemnly his long gray beard waving gently in the slight breeze and his black eyes intense as he stared at the two men before him. He stopped when he was no more than a few feet away. Faisal being the oldest and one of the most respected members of the tribe had been chosen to do the speaking.

"This ceremony is to make these two men not just friends, but brothers. Being brothers is not necessarily related to sharing the same blood it can also be a matter of choice as our ancestors realized many centuries ago. Being Medjai can be a hard life and we do not have as much time to form close relationships as other people do, but these two men wish to go through the ceremony that will join their families for all time.

"Now let me tell you a little bit about each of these men. You all know Ardeth since he was a boy growing up. You saw how he excelled at weapons training and how he learned all there was to know so he could follow in his father's footsteps one day. He has led us well over the years even though he took on the responsibility when he was no more than twenty. He is a wise and just leader perhaps the wisest leader and chief we have ever had. It is true that Imhotep has escaped twice during his time as leader but both times he risked his life to not only protect his people but the world from Imhotep's reign of terror and both times he was nearly killed in the process. However he succeeded with the help of Rick O'Connell and his family. Over the years the O'Connells have become good friends with Ardeth and this has been proved again and again as Rick has put himself and his family in danger in order to help him.

"As for Rick O'Connell, with his permission I am going to reveal some things to you that are not well known to anybody but himself his family and Ardeth. Rick O'Connell's parents died when he was only 10 and he grew up in an orphanage in Cairo. There he had to prove himself tougher than the other boys in order to survive. When he finally got out he joined the French Foreign Legion and while with his unit they discovered Hamunaptra. He was the only one to survive the trek across the desert on foot without food and very little water when the Medjai scared them off, killing a few of his unit in the process."

Most of the Medjai looked surprised then respectful at this but a few grunted in disbelief or disdain.

"A couple of years later Rick met Evie and her brother Jonathan Carnahan and they convinced him to take them to Hamunaptra even though he warned them that it would be dangerous since the Medjai were guarding it and he also warned that he had barely escaped with his life. When they insisted he agreed to come along more out of curiosity than anything else. While there they met up with another group who found the remains of the Creatures internal organs in decorated jars and also while there they released the creature from his 5000 year old sleep before the Medjai could prevent it.

"It is true that they released Imhotep but once they realized what they had done both Rick and Evelyn risked their lives to ensure that the Creature was put back into his grave. It was a near thing but all four came through it alive if only barely. After that a friendship started between Ardeth and Rick O'Connell which only deepened out of mutual respect over the years. Finally, when Ardeth arrived in England a year ago to warn his friends that they were in danger he was too late to prevent the kidnapping of Evie O'Connell by his old enemy Lock-nah. And although they were in time to prevent Evelyn from being killed they were not in time to prevent the resurrection of the creature. Once again, Rick helped Ardeth put the creature back in his grave but first they had to travel to Ahm Shere to not only rescue Rick's and Evie's son who had been kidnapped because he was the only one who the Bracelet of Anubis would work for, but to prevent Imhotep and the people who raised him from raising the Army of Anubis from taking over the world. They succeeded and again barely managed to escape with their lives. After the events last year the friendship between these two men has deepened until both men would gladly die for the other if it meant that the other one would live.

As most of you know it is believed that in a past life Rick O'Connell was a Medjai. I say that this has been proved on more than one occasion for who else would risk their life to prevent perhaps the greatest evil of all time from overtaking the world and for no other gain then seeing that the world continue as it has been?

"I say to you that it is more than lineage that makes someone a Medjai. It is the forthrightness to continue to fight even when the odds are against you. It is the courage to keep on fighting even if you are the only one standing between innocent people and harm. And it is not necessarily the absence of fear, but being able to continue to fight despite being afraid not only for your own life but for your loved ones and I say that is what makes someone a Medjai despite the color of a person's skin. The skin color doesn't matter so much for it is what is on the inside that matters. And that is all I have to say on the subject."

Faisal fell silent for a moment then said, "Now it is time for these two men to say a few words. Ardeth if you would please."

Ardeth nodded and took a few steps forward and began to speak to speak to the assembled Medjai. "I believe Faisal has covered all the basics but let me just tell you something that is not common knowledge. It is true that me and Rick became acquainted under bad circumstances but from the minute we met I felt as if we had known each other before, although for the life of me I couldn't figure out where for I would have remembered if we had met before that day almost ten years ago. After all, it is almost impossible to forget someone who throws a lighted piece of dynamite in your direction." This last was said so wryly that most of the Medjai chuckled although a few of them looked outraged.

Rick looked sheepish for a moment then chuckled as well as he remembered the incident in question.

"After Imhotep was released it was Evie who figured out where the Book of the Living was so we could put Imhotep back into his grave but awhile after we discovered this we had trouble getting out of the Cairo Museum for the Creature had a lot of the townspeople under his spell and they came after us. None of us wanted to hurt them for they were just innocent bystanders who had gotten caught in the middle of our war…" Ardeth went on with his explanation and after a few minutes he finished and then it was Rick's turn.

"Back before I met Ardeth Bay or even Evie I was always somebody who thought he could depend on no one but himself," Rick started off softly. "It was after I met Ardeth—despite the circumstances—that I began to feel like I didn't want to be all by myself anymore. There was something I recognized in that brief battle the first time we met—I felt like I didn't want to really fight him—but also that I had no choice if I wanted to live to see the sunrise."

Some of the Medjai chuckled at this, as Rick had wanted them to.

"After that brief battle we met again at the museum in Cairo where Ardeth had come to see his uncle, Terrence Bay and to try to put Imhotep back into his grave. I decided I wanted to help and between the two of us and Evie we managed to put the Creature back where he belonged. Unfortunately, there were quite a few causalities—people who didn't even know why they died and who I will always feel guilty about, even if I know there was nothing that could be done to prevent their deaths.

"After we defeated the Creature, we became friends and that friendship has only deepened over the years. I have nothing but the greatest respect and affection for my friend Ardeth Bay because he and the Medjai are the only ones I know who would guard the sacred sites of Egypt for three thousand years because they felt it was their of duty and their sense of honor will allow them to do no less."

Rick fell silent and after a moment the others realized he was done.

"Now let the ceremony commence," said Faisal. By this point some of the Medjai who had been against the ceremony before were now on Rick's side while the others were still firmly opposed to it.

Faisal stepped forward and handed over a ceremonial knife that had be cleansed and blessed to Ardeth. Ardeth took it carefully being sure to handle it by the hilt for the blade had a very sharp honed edge. Rick extended his wrist the one without the tattoo and Ardeth very carefully sliced a shallow cut being sure to miss the vein. Blood immediately started flowing down Rick's wrist and to drip on the ground. Ardeth handed the knife to Rick and Rick took it just as carefully. Ardeth extended his wrist and Rick very carefully sliced a long shallow cut into his friend's wrist. When that part was completed Faisal who had been waiting off to the side came forward and took the knife then stepped back again. Rick and Ardeth looked at each other and then both almost at the exact same time extended their wrists until they were touching and the blood was flowing together. Suddenly there was a bright flash of light and both men nearly took a step back in surprise but managed to remain in contact. As for the other Medjai they were staring at their leader and Rick in awe for they were sure they knew what that flash of light meant. Nobody but the Gods could have made that flash of light and that meant that They had blessed this ceremony and that it was meant to be.

Finally, Rick and Ardeth pulled their wrists apart and when they turned them up right there was only two identical scars where blood had been flowing just minutes before.

The Medjai practically as one gasped in awe for there was no way that those two knife cuts could have healed naturally and so completely in just a few seconds, for by all rights both of them should still be dripping blood onto the ground.

"Well that was unexpected," Ardeth murmured looking dazed at this turn of events.

"You're telling me," Rick snorted in order to cover his disbelief. He looked at his wrist where there was not nothing but a scar on either of their wrists. He supposed if he could believe in a 5000 year old mummy coming back from the grave why not two cuts healing instantly at the exact same instant?

"So what now?" Rick asked.

"Now we celebrate," said Ardeth giving his friend—now his brother—a friendly slap on the shoulder.

"I can go for that," said Evie before Rick could respond. Evie walked closer and gave Ardeth a hug and said, "Welcome to the family. Alex will be disappointed that he had to miss the ceremony but glad that you're really his uncle now."

"Not that you weren't already an uncle to him," Rick said with a grin. Rick felt happier than he had in a long time. He almost felt lighter somehow as if a thousand ton weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He knew however, it was probably his imagination, not that it mattered.

"Come on, Rick, Evie we can't be late for our own celebration. After all we are the guests of honor."

"Right," said Rick. "And tomorrow could you come by our tent? There is something I would like to discuss with you."

Ardeth nodded as he and the O'Connells walked to where the celebration was being held, together.

~~~Rick and Evie~~~

That night or early the next morning depending on how you looked at it Rick fell into an exhausted slumber for the party had continued until the wee hours. It wasn't long after he had fallen asleep that Rick started to dream.

Rick looked around and somehow he knew instinctively that he was dreaming of his past life in the time of Seti I. In this incarnation he was known as Farook which meant able to distinguish right from wrong. How he knew that Rick/Farook was not absolutely sure. He just did. Rick looked at himself and saw that he was wearing the same kind of robe Ardeth normally wore in fact the same kind of thing that the Medjai had been wearing for three thousand years. He somehow knew, even though he could not see his face that he had the same kind of markings that Ardeth wore.

"Hey brother, what's wrong with you are you just going to stand there all day?" called a voice that was almost as familiar to Rick/Farook as his own.

"Farook are you okay?"

Rick/Farook looked up at his brother's face and was shocked at the resemblance that face had to his friend Ardeth Bay's. Finally, Rick/Farook managed to say in what he hoped sounded normal. "I am fine, Nassir," Farook assured his brother with a smile. "I was just dizzy for a moment is all."

"Ah, yes I suppose this heat can get to you after a while."

"Yes, that's probably all it was, either that or what I had for lunch."

Rick noticed with kind of a detached air from where he was in the background of Farook's thoughts that the two men were speaking in ancient Egyptian and that he could understand every word

Nassir laughed and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Come along, brother, my wife has been wanting to see you since you haven't been by in a while. She told me to invite you to dinner."

"Of course, Nassir I would love to come to dinner and see Zia and my niece and nephew."

"Then come eat with us," Nassir said persuasively.

"All right, ahi," said Farook. "I'll be there."

Rick somehow new that ahi meant brother. Maybe his lessons in Arabic were finally taking hold or maybe it was just because it was a dream and anything was possible in dreams.

"We'll see you about seven then," said Nassir with a triumphant grin.

Suddenly they heard a shout and Nefertiti shouting at them in ancient Egyptian. The words literally translated meant "Medjai, my father is being betrayed by Imhotep. Hurry Imhotep is going to assassinate, father."

Both Nassir and Farook raced towards the stairs where Princess Nefertiti leaned over the balcony. Rick couldn't help but notice in a sort of detached sort of way that Nefertiti looked a great deal like his wife Evie. Well Evie was supposed to be the reincarnation of the Princess so Rick supposed it was only natural that they looked alike.

Suddenly the brothers arrived in the hallway just in time to see Imhotep stab a ritual dagger in Seti's stomach. Both rushed forward and grabbed Imhotep preventing him from escaping. Suddenly, the scene rushed forward and Farook was in what Rick immediately recognized as Hamunaptra along with a dozen other Medjai and they were getting ready to perform the Hom-dai on the high priest.

Rick wanted to protest knowing how much trouble this would cause 5000 years down the road but knew that he couldn't change history for it had already happened and he was just a bystander in the mind of his incarnation.

Rick woke suddenly after Imhotep vowed revenge and seemed to look right through Farook to where Rick was in the back of the Medjai's mind. It was almost as if he knew Rick was there although how that could be Rick didn't know. Rick shook himself awake slowly wondering if what he had seen was just a dream or if it was actually memories from 5000 years ago that had for some reason decided to surface right after the ceremony that had bound him and Ardeth as kin.

Maybe it had to do with that flash of light? He supposed it was possible. Rick shook his head again and slowly got out of bed knowing there was no way he was going to get back to sleep now. He quietly got dressed doing his best to not wake his wife then very quietly opened the tent flap just enough for him to slip outside. Rick quietly walked to the edge of the camp and then went past the Medjai guards and a little way into the desert. He needed time alone to think. The guards watched him go wondering where O'Connell was disappearing to so early.

~~~Rick and Evie~~~