When Rick arrived back at his and Evie's rooms to was to find Alex and three other boys playing some kind of game. Rick stood there for awhile trying to figure out the rules but it was too complicated for him, Alex though seemed to be enjoying himself and that was really all that mattered
"Oh hi dad," said Alex causally. "Catch the bad guys?"
"Yes we caught the bad guy who was in this case a woman," said Rick.
"So what happened?"
"She's dead," said Rick briefly not mentioning that it was his knife that had ended her life.
"Oh dad have you met my friends?" asked Alex. "This is Aden, Borak and Fatin."
Rick studied the three boys just like they studied him and finally Rick said something in Arabic.
The boys relaxed at Rick's words and smiled responding in the same language.
"Wow dad, your Arabic has really improved," said Alex sounding impressed.
"Thank you," said Rick in English. "Well, I'll leave you boys to whatever it is you're doing and Alex try to stay out of trouble for a least a couple of days, okay? I think we've had enough excitement for awhile."
"Sure dad," said Alex before going back to the game.
Rick sighed and left their quarters not sure where he was going but not wanting to interrupt Alex and his friends fun and not wanting the boys to feel as if they were being supervised.
Finally, Rick headed out to the practice field determined to work off some of his pent up anger that he still had at Maryam. He wasn't sure he'd ever be able to forgive her for what she had done to him and his family, even though she was dead. To him it wasn't enough for her death had been to swift, even though it had been necessary. As ashamed as he was he felt she should have been made to suffer for trying to kill his family who meant everything to him.
Finally, Rick arrived at the practice field and got into position before he began to throw knives at the set up wooden targets. The knives had been a gift from Ardeth not too long ago. His brother had presented him with them and Rick had been unable to refuse the gift because of the way Ardeth had arranged to have it done. They had been presented to him one day after they were done practicing with the wooden scimitars for the day. They had gathered quite a crowd of other Medjai by the time the lesson was over.
After, they had put up their wooden practice swords Ardeth had brought out several finely crafted daggers in tooled leather sheathes. Rick still remembered Ardeth's exact words, "Here I had these made for you when I saw how good your aim was out on the practice field the other day."
"Ardeth," Rick began but then had stopped when he had seen the crowd that had gathered. Somehow Rick instinctively knew that his brother would be dishonored if he were to refuse in front of all these people, which was when Rick realized how neatly Ardeth had set his trap.
Ardeth had known that Rick would never have accepted such an expensive gift if they had been alone so he had arranged to do it in a semi public place so Rick would not be able to refuse his gift.
Rick had glared at Ardeth for a moment then sighed accepting the daggers. He drew one in one swift movement and examined it out of its sheathe admiring the workmanship of it for it was expertly crafted and extremely well balanced. The sheathes themselves had straps two of them just long enough to go around either arm and of the other two one was too long to be meant for anything but his belt and lastly the fourth one was probably meant for one of his ankles. Finally, he nodded and threw it at one of the wooden support beams of the armory shed where the knife hit it and embedded itself into the wood of the beam.
"Nice and sharp," Rick observed walking over to retrieve his dagger from the support beam. "Thank you for the gift."
"You're welcome."
"You and me however, are going to have to have a nice long discussion about you giving me gifts. Not that I don't appreciate it, but I'd much rather have you around for the next thirty years or so then any amount of gifts."
"You deserve them, you did after all save my life," Ardeth said.
Rick threw another dagger at the target as the memory played through his mind. Now several weeks later Rick could smile at the memory, even if at the time he had been mad at Ardeth for doing it to him in public, so that he wouldn't be able to refuse the gift.
Finally, Rick stepped forward and retrieved all four of his daggers from the now tattered targets. "Upset I see," said a voice almost directly behind Rick.
Rick recognizing the voice didn't even turn around as he retrieved his daggers. "Wouldn't you be Kadin, if someone had tried to not only kill you but your family? Her death in my opinion was much too quick, but I couldn't allow her to hurt Ardeth. It's not her death that makes me angry but that it was too fast."
"Believe me, I understand that," said Kadin, "but what's done is done and cannot be undone, you just have to learn to accept that."
"I guess I'll have to," said Rick again throwing his daggers at the target that was getting more and more tattered by the minute. "I mean maybe someday I'll be able to forgive her for what she tried to do, but not any time in the near future. My family is everything to me and that includes Ardeth if anything were to happen to any of them—" Rick paused as if searching for words.
"Believe me, I understand, but your family is fine."
"Yes, thank god, but what about next time? Or the next?" asked Rick.
Kadin searched for words for a moment then said, "There are no guarantees in life, my friend, you know this. If they were to die and you survived then you will go on living, because if that is what they would want and they would not want you to share their fate. I know this is probably not very comforting, but true nonetheless."
Rick considered as he threw yet another knife but finally he nodded. Rick went over to retrieve his knives out of the mostly destroyed target and sheathed all four of them in their proper places
"Thank you for your words my friend, they are appreciated."
"My pleasure," said Kadin. "So feel better now?"
"Somewhat yes, but I think it will be a long time before I get over nearly losing my family completely."
"And that's only as it should be," Kadin pointed out logically. "Even though we Medjai live closer to death them most that doesn't mean we accept losing family or friends any easier, it just means that we know that death is a part of life and sometimes it can't be prevented as much as we may want to."
"True," Rick admitted. "Anyway, thank you again." Rick clapped Kadin on the shoulder in a friendly gesture and Kadin smiled.
"So now that you aren't quite so angry anymore, what about some sword practice? I know that Ardeth's been teaching you."
Rick nodded and the two men headed to the armory to pick out a couple of practice swords.
~~~Rick and Evie~~~
One day just a week before the O'Connells were to head for home Ardeth and Rick had a conversation that even now Rick wasn't sure how it had gotten started, but it was a conversation he would always remember. Ardeth had been standing out in the garden among a dozen torches his face in shadow when Rick who had been looking for him walked up on his silently.
Ardeth aware of who it was coming up behind him made no move and just stood staring out into the darkness as if he was not a live human being but a statue instead. Finally, what seemed an eternity later, but was really no more than a couple of minutes at most Ardeth said in Arabic "You know there is something out there, I am not sure what it is but there is a feeling of danger in the air. Every time I leave here and go into Cairo, it's almost like walking into another world—a world where my senses are telling me that danger is just around the corner."
"You're not far wrong. I've felt it to," said Rick his expression and tone grim. "There's a guy in Germany called Adolf Hitler who has been massing an army for the last few years. The rumors I've heard at home in London say that it will come to a war, maybe not today or tomorrow but soon and that it just won't be the European countries involved but America as well." Rick said most of this in Arabic mixed with a few English words. His Arabic had progressed to the point that he was starting to be able to not only understand what people were talking about but was able to hold a simple conversation of his own. He usually couldn't understand every single word of a conversation spoken in Arabic but enough to get the gist of what people were talking about.
"What have you heard?" Ardeth asked looking concerned.
"Not much, really," said Rick. "Rumors, nothing more. However, from what I know of what's happening in Germany with Hitler it is the fact he hates all Jews—or at least that's what I've heard. I have a feeling though if it comes to a war—and I'm almost sure it will—that the world will suffer for it. I've heard rumors that Hitler is ruthless and that he is determined to take over the world—well, it's not like that hasn't been tried before."
"But none of this information is anything but rumors?" asked Ardeth.
Rick shook his head, "I'm afraid not. Rumors is really all that exists at this point."
"Well, if it does come to war, know that you and your family are welcome in Hidden City for as long as the war lasts and that includes Jonathan."
"Thank you Ardeth, we might take you up on that, but only if it gets to the point that there is no other choice. There is after all Evie's job and Alex's school to consider not to mention the rumors that will start if we just disappear off the face of the Earth for the duration of the war."
"I understand," said Ardeth. "Just try to keep yourself and your family safe."
"That goes for you as well," said Rick putting his hand on his brother's shoulder.
"By the way your Arabic has vastly improved," Ardeth added turning to face Rick.
Rick stared at Ardeth for a moment just then realizing that he had been carrying on an entire conversation in Arabic and not even known it or at least not until Ardeth had brought it up.
"It has, hasn't it," said Rick, still astonished that he had carried on almost an entire conversation in Arabic with only a few English words thrown in. "Perhaps it is because I've had time to concentrate on it. My lessons at home were always sporadic at best whenever Evie had a few spare minutes which wasn't more than once or twice a week at most."
"Your accent though is still terrible," Ardeth added.
Rick stared at his brother for a moment wondering if Ardeth had just made a joke then decided he didn't want to know and said, "Yeah, well, you try learning a new language and see how good your accent is, especially when you haven't been speaking it for more than a few weeks."
"True," Ardeth admitted. "And your accent as well as your grasp of the language will improve with practice. Just make sure you ask Evie and Alex to speak Arabic to you as much as possible when you get home, so that you don't forget any of what you've learned. You know that if you don't practice something, especially if it is something you've just begun learning then you will start to forget."
"I know," said Rick. "I'll make sure to tell Evie to talk to me in Arabic as much as possible, Alex too."
"Good, and when you return perhaps you'll be able to hold an entire conversation completely in Arabic."
"We'll see," said Rick. "It might be awhile before we can return, depending on circumstances."
"I understand," said Ardeth. "We all have our responsibilities and commitments you no less than me."
The two men stood there for a few minutes gazing out at the dark garden totally silent for a few minutes both lost in their thoughts.
Finally, both turned and headed back inside.
~~~Rick and Evie~~~
"Are you sure about this?" asked Alex just a little nervously. Yesterday when his three new friends had learned that he and his parents were going to head home in just a week Borak who was the extremely sharp one of the group had suggested that they do a friendship ceremony. It was a ceremony Borak had explained that once done would bind them as friends from now until their deaths and no matter how many miles separated them. All of them had agreed to meet the next day out in one of the small meadows just outside the city and now was the time. It was true they were inside a large mountain, but what couldn't be seen except from the air was the fact that the part of the mountain had no top and was open to the sky. This was where they grew their crops because it took rain and sunlight to make food grow. Also, in this part were several small meadows that were used for a variety of activities.
"Yes I'm sure," answered Borak.
Alex nodded deciding to remain silent and keep his nervousness to himself for he had already agreed to this and now there was no way to back out without possibly losing the others friendship or worse them thinking him a coward.
Borak drew his belt knife and then very carefully cut the palms of the other three boys and then did the same thing to his own palm, then while the blood was dripping down their wrists onto the grass the four boys carefully blended their blood together by pressing the cuts together. "Friends for now, friends forever, friends until the end of time," Borak chanted in Arabic the other three echoing him. "Let our bloods now be one, now and forever."
Finally, it was done and the four boys used pieces of grass to stop what little bleeding remained.
"You are now one of us Alex O'Connell, for not only does Medjai blood run in your veins from your father you now have our blood as well just like we now have your blood running in ours."
"I know and I will miss you very much when I and my parents leave, but we'll be back. In fact, from what I've overhead we might be spending the next few years here for my father believes there is a war coming and he knows of no safer place to be then here when it starts. Even Ardeth has felt something that tells him trouble is coming, maybe not this year or the next but soon. My father also believes that this will not be a small war but a world war In other words it could go on for years and cost thousands in not hundreds of thousands of lives."
The boys thought about this for a moment trying to imagine a war so big that so many people would end up dead by the end of it.
"We will be waiting for you when you return," intoned Aden solemnly the other two echoing him. The mood held for a moment then all four boys broke into laughter the solemn mood vanishing without a trace.
~~~Rick and Evie~~~
Before the O'Connells knew it their final day arrived almost with startling speed and they had to be on their way or they would not arrive back in London in time for Alex to make the beginning of the school year for it was a week back to Cairo and then at least another couple of weeks by ship to London. Once they did arrive back Alex wouldn't be home more than a couple of days before heading back to school.
"I am sorry to see you go, even though I know you must," said Kadin
"We'll be back," Rick promised. He and Kadin had become quite good friends over the last few months. "Next summer when Alex's school lets out again we'll come for a visit."
Kadin sighed and nodded having to accept that. He stepped back and let the others who had come to say goodbye come forward.
"Don't forget to practice your Arabic," Sabira told Rick as she hugged him. "If you do not practice you will forget much of what you have learned."
"I know, and don't worry, Evie has agreed to speak only Arabic to me at home unless we have company."
"Good, then perhaps when you return you will be speaking it almost like you were speaking it from your very first word."
"We can hope," said Rick giving her another hug. Sabira stepped away from Rick and went to hug Evie and Alex too.
"We must be going if we are to make any distance today," said Ardeth.
Rick nodded and finished saying his goodbyes to Altair the big man who Rick had met at the party but who also only spoke Arabic and no English. The difference this time was that Rick spoke to Altair in Arabic for a minute and Altair replied in the same language. What was said is unknown for their voices were so quiet that no one else heard the words.
Finally, the big man grinned and slapped Rick on the back so hard that it nearly knocked him over. Rick let out a whoosh having just had the breath knocked out of him for a minute. Rick then turned away mounting the horse that was waiting.
The O'Connells and Ardeth started out of the courtyard of the palace heading towards the front gate of the city
Alex who had stayed back for a minute said something to his three friends in Arabic. The three boys responded in the same language their faces solemn.
"Alex, come on," Evie called.
Alex said something else to his three friends then turned away to catch up with his parents.
"What was that all about?" Evie asked her son.
"Nothing mum, I was just goodbye to my friends and that I'd see them next summer," said Alex innocently.
Evie raised a skeptical brow but didn't say anything to contradict her son.
The trip to Hamunaptra went by way too fast for all concerned because on just their third day riding they reached the sacred city.
"Here, I must leave you. I'm confident you can find your way from here."
"I'll miss you brother," said Rick dismounting and giving Ardeth a hug.
"I'll miss you as well. Make sure to send me a telegram when you reach London."
"We will," Evie promised also giving Ardeth a hug.
"Oh by the way, Rick, here," said Ardeth handing Rick a package wrapped in plain paper. From the weight and the length Rick guessed it was a sword so he made sure to unwrap it carefully so he didn't cut himself. When the paper had fallen away all three O'Connells gasped because what was revealed was indeed a sword but a finely crafted one. The hilt was wrapped in leather in order to give you a better grip especially if your hands became sweaty it would prevent your grip from slipping and the blade itself had was finely curved with jagged edges on the outside that looked good for ripping into someone's gut. The balance was perfect, Rick immediately noticed when he drew it.
"It's beautiful," said Rick, sheathing it. "But I can't take this, I haven't learned enough to deserve such a weapon as this."
"It's yours," Ardeth insisted. "I had it made just for you by our blacksmith. As for you not deserving it, while it's true you have a lot to learn you can continue your lessons once you return to London for I know someone I trust that will teach you if I request he take you on. He is a Medjai, one of the many that live in the London area keeping an eye on things there for us. I plan on sending a message to him as soon as I can."
"I see," said Rick.
"Besides every Medjai needs a sword even if he never has a chance to use it," Ardeth added.
"Come on, dad," said Alex. "You can't be a proper Medjai without a sword."
"Is that right," said Rick ruffling his son's blond hair
"Yes that's right," Alex insisted. "Every Medjai has always carried a sword all the way back to the time of the first Pharaoh. To refuse to accept one is an insult to the person offering it to you."
Rick stared at Alex for a moment then sighed. "Alright, so who is this Medjai that lives in London?"
Ardeth told him the man's name and that he gave sword lessons to a few select people.
"All right, I'll look him up when I get home," Rick promised. Again there were hugs all around then all three O'Connell remounted and rode away Ardeth watching them until they were out of sight. Once they had disappeared Ardeth turned his horse and headed back towards Hidden City—his home.