The Forever Friends
by LadiSwan

Summary: Evy's American penpal arrives in Egypt with her young daughter and younger brother.  But as she sets foot on Egyptian soil, she becomes haunted by dreams of a past life, of a handsome prince, a young concubine, and the concubine's best friend. . .a beautiful girl named 'Anck-su-namun.'  As an ancient evil arises once more, Anck-su-namun finds herself in a Place-in-Between, and while there, she also discovers a chance at redemption. . .if she can look past Ardeth Bey's Med-jai markings.

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She made her way through the corridors of Hamunaptra, both Celia and Ardath, and neither at the same time.  Neither woman could have explained this truth to anyone, had it been necessary, but it was true nonetheless.  It would have been an oversimplification to say that Celia was the brains and Ardath was the body, though Celia had the cunning needed to defeat Khaldun and Ardath had the physical skills.

As they walked, the cool metal of the scabbard reassuring against Celia's thigh, Ardath gave her spirit-twin directions to the chamber where they would have their final confrontation.  Celia felt Ardath's quiet rage pulsing in her veins, and if not for the knowledge that Khaldun had violated the man she loved, she might have felt sorry for the man the two women intended to kill.

Ardath enjoyed the simple pleasure of breathing, of drawing air into her lungs.  She enjoyed the feel of the air on the nape of her bare neck as they walked through the corridors, two women in one body.  Celia had drawn her hair into a ponytail, but when the fight began, Ardath would remove it.  Even now, the sensation of the hair being pulled in her scalp made her head ache.

Before they had set out, before being given a rapier, Celia had strapped a gun belt to her waist, and it was in that belt that the dagger rested.  The rapier had been given to Evy before she left with Anatol and Anck-su-namun.  Neither she, nor Ardath, was very good with the rapier.  Celia had found herself using it as a club more than anything else.  She had no finesse with that particular weapon, and it was finesse which she would need in the fight with Khaldun.  Among other things, but being clumsy would likely get her killed in this fight.

A fight she had no intention of losing.  Ardath could feel Celia s unease, her nervousness, and did not try to alleviate that.  Those nerves, that anticipation, would serve her well and would help her to hone what Ardath's child had seen before.  That ability to see an opening before it opened, or a move before it took place.  Ardath merely reaffirmed what she had told the older/younger woman before.  That she would be here, and that she would not fail Celia.

Just as Jonathan had not failed Ardeth.  The young concubine smiled to herself.  He was so different from Nassor, but he was also the same.  Whether Jonathan knew it or not, Nassor had been guiding him in Ahm Shere.  He had done very well, at the once-sacred desert, though he only saw his perceived failures.  He did not see how well he had distracted Meela, or how excellent his throw truly had been. 

Ardath answered a question posed to her by Celia, as they made their way up into the balcony portion of the ancient chamber, the chamber where Rameses and Khaldun had played as children.  The chamber where Miriam had been conceived, and the old ache returned, though the concubine had been reunited with her daughter in the Afterlife.  Ardath felt Celia's compassion for her loss.  Yet another innocent who had suffered because of Khaldun.

From the balcony, she could see Rick O'Connell keeping Khaldun busy, and Ardath wondered if she had underestimated him after all.  But the thought was only fleeting, for her attention was then directed to her child, lying unconscious in the arms of Evelyn Carnahan O'Connell.  Nefertiri.  She had never disliked the young princess, as Anck did, understanding better what drove the girl.  At least some things were different in this lifetime.

Celia's heart rate picked up as Ardath carefully ascended the railing of the balcony wall, and for the first time, Ardath realized that her spirit twin was afraid of heights.  Which explained her fear of flying, and it went beyond the simple fear of the unknown.  Ardath didn't bother assuaging nervousness, but this was different.  She whispered to her spirit twin, Be easy, Celia, do not be afraid.  I will not let you fall.

It's not the falling which scares me, m'Lady, it's the landing, even on sand.  Do you know how to land when jumping from this height? came Celia's worried response.  Ardath tried not to smile, knowing that her reincarnation had every right to be worried.  Celia was ten years older than Ardath had been at the time of her death, and while she was more cunning, she wasn't quite as limber.

Celia, you will have aches and pains after this jump.  About that, I cannot lie. However, I do know how to land.  Anck taught me how to fight, and that was part of the training, Ardath reassured the other young woman.  She felt Celia relax, ever so slightly.  It wasn't much, but Ardath knew she couldn't expect a woman to just get over her fear.  She continued after a moment, The single most important thing which you must remember when jumping is, keep your knees bent when we land.  If your legs are straight, the landing will hurt much, much worse.

Knees bent, got it.  I think, my Lady Ardath, that it's time we made our entrance.  Rick looks all done in, Celia observed. Ardath nodded her agreement as O'Connell struggled to his feet once more.  She steadied them both on the balcony railing, feeling a curious calm settle over her.  In the back of her mind, she heard Anck encouraging her, telling her to fly free.  Ardath smiled, grateful for the encouragement.  She and Celia took a deep breath. . .

And Ardath jumped, executing a neat somersault in midair, before landing gracefully.  As she had suggested, Celia's knees were bent, thus absorbing the impact of the landing.  Her timing couldn't have been better.  Khaldun approached Rick O'Connell, who was still struggling to get up, and said, "And now, O'Connell, you can watch my dear cousin die.  After I finish with the rest of your family, of course."

"And of course," Ardath said coldly, "that is not something I can permit you to do."  Khaldun froze, then turned in place.  O'Connell used that opportunity to drag his tired, battered body away.  Ardath smiled at Khaldun, the smile never quite reaching her eyes.  She reached behind her to pull the tie from Celia's hair, adding with a mocking half bow, "If it is Ardeth whom you wish to kill. . .then it is Ardath whom you must face!"  It was time to pay accounts, indeed!

.                      .                       .

As entrances went, Evelyn Carnahan O'Connell had to admit it was a good one.  Her attention had been on trying to prevent Ardeth from bleeding to death, and cringing every time Khaldun used his power to knock Rick into the wall.  Thus, she really wasn't looking up at the balcony overlooking them, until Miranda Ferguson breathed, "Mommy!  Look, Anatol, it's Mommy!  She's here!"

Evy looked up, to find her best friend astride the balcony railing, her hands out to her sides, and the bottom dropped out of her stomach, because of something which Celia had told her. She was terrified of heights.  But her face was a calm mask, betraying nothing of what she felt.  And Evy wondered, as she remembered something which Anatol had told them earlier.

Her suspicions were proved correct a moment later, as the young woman lunged forward, propelling herself into empty air.  She executed a neat somersault before landing catlike on her feet.  Evy caught her breath, watching the woman now stalking toward Khaldun.  Celia's hazel eyes burned with banked fury.  Three thousand years worth of fury, and Evy released her breath once more.  It wasn't Celia, or rather, wasn't just Celia, but Lady Ardath as well.

Khaldun wasn't paying attention to them.  He was focused only on Rick, at least for the moment.  As her husband struggled to get to his feet, Khaldun said with a malevolent smile, "And now, O'Connell, you can watch my dear cousin die.  After I finish with the rest of your family, of course."  Evy smiled grimly, her eyes never leaving the quiet woman approaching Khaldun from behind, and thought, if Ardeth were conscious, he would have answered that with an 'I think not.'

The response given by his namesake/betrothed was quite satisfactory, however.  Ardath/Celia replied coldly, "And of course, that is not something I can permit you to do."  Evy had the distinct pleasure of seeing Khaldun's astonishment when he heard her voice.  The prince froze where he stood, then very carefully turned around, until his back was to Evy and Ardeth. Rick wisely took the chance given and returned to them. 

Ardath/Celia smiled at Khaldun, the smile never quite reaching her eyes.  She reached behind her to pull the tie from Celia's hair, allowing it to fall about her shoulders.  Ardath always fought with her hair loose about her shoulders, something which always drove both Anck-su-namun and Rameses absolutely mad.  The young woman added as she swept a mock-bow, "If it is Ardeth whom you wish to kill. . . then it is Ardath whom you must face!"

"Lady. . .Ardath," Khaldun all but growled, disdain dripping from every syllable.  Evy felt a sudden chill make its way down her spine, and she was overcome with a sense of déjà vu.  This felt so familiar. . .from where?  Was it her own confrontation with Anck-su-namun inside Ahm Shere?  Ardeth moaned softly and Evy touched his face without really thinking about it, wanting to soothe him before he drew Khaldun s attention to them.

And that fear was driven away as the young woman in front of her replied, inclining her head in a tiny, regal nod of acknowledgment, her voice filled with no less scorn, "Khaldun."  And Evy knew then the reason for her déjà vu. . .except for the players, it was a mirror image of the confrontation between Lock-nah and Ardeth in Evy's house, only a few months earlier.  Right down to the mask now being worn by Evy's friend.  The Englishwoman had seen that expression on Ardeth's face as well, and wondered if that was an accident.

As her fingers lightly stroked Ardeth's black hair, a familiar wind swept over her, and once more, she saw into her past as Nefertiri. The young princess found herself both in and out of the royal nursery, where her nephew now slept.  Nefertiri kept trying to force herself to move forward, to join her father and her brother, but the naked grief of the prince kept her firmly in place.  Their father watched him in silence, and only Nefertiri could sense his grief.

I have decided his name will be Ardeth. . .after his mother.  A-r-d-e-th.  He will never be safe as a member of our family, Father.  Not as the son of a concubine.  I have decided to give the Med-jai another chance to atone for their failure.  But only one Med-jai.  Shakir Bey, the boy who told me of Khaldun's part in this.  He has already agreed to raise my child, for he loved my Ardath as well, Rameses told their father.

His voice was tight and strained with grief, and Seti put his hand on his son's shoulder.  He said softly, I am not sure if this is the course to take, my son. . .but know that you have my support, and my grief.  I loved her, too, Rameses.  And if she had been a princess in name as well as in spirit, then it would have given me great pleasure to allow your wedding to go forth.  But you know as well as I do, my son, that politics would not allow that.

Rameses nodded, his dark head bobbing ever so slightly, and Seti continued, slipping his hand around the back of the young man's neck, But know this, my son.  The name 'Ardeth Bey' will long be remembered among the Med-jai, and honored.  Your son and his descendants will not become pharaohs, but they will become princes and kings among men.  Your son will do honor to the woman who gave him birth.  Imhotep has foreseen it, though not how it will take place.

Rameses gently caressed the top of his son's head, then turned to face his father.  Seti's face crumpled, seeing his child's grief, and enveloped him in a fierce embrace.  Rameses gave a strangled sob, and Nefertiri felt tears running unchecked down her face, tears which she had been holding back for days.  Nefertiri's brother now sobbed helplessly in their father's arms, and Nefertiri understood then that her life would never be the same.

"Mum?"  Alex whispered, drawing Evy back to herself.  The Englishwoman looked at her son, and saw that the child looked worried.  Evy gave Alex a gentle smile, caressing his hair with her free hand, struggling to find the words that would explain to her son what had happened, and why this had happened.  For only now did she understand the full truth of Ardeth's observation that things had been preordained thousands of years earlier.  Yes.  Now she understood.

"She's Ardeth's ancestress, Alex," Evy told her son softly, "Lady Ardath, mother of Ardeth Bey, first chieftain of the Med-jai.  Previous incarnation of Celia Ferguson.  Two souls in one body, for the time it takes to finish this."  And still the two stared at each other, making Evy wonder if any time at all had passed.  Khaldun growled something in ancient Egyptian, which she couldn't quite make out, and Celia/Ardath just smiled, dark brows lifting almost in amusement.

But Evy could see the hatred in her eyes.  Beside her, Jonathan rose to his feet.  He plucked a staff from the golden statue behind them and hurtled it toward Celia/Ardath.  He cried as the young woman snapped it out of the air, reverting to ancient Egyptian, "Here, Ardath!  Arm thyself, my queen!"  Once more, she inclined her head, now in gratitude.  Her face was expressionless, but her hands were in motion.  Tap, tap, tap went the staff on the outside of one boot.  Tap, tap, tap, on the outside of the other boot, then reversed, the calm, stoic mask in place.  Jonathan whispered, reverting back to English, "There's a good girl. . .you've forgotten nothing."

He was right.  Khaldun lunged forward with a cry of fury.  Ardath brought up her staff to meet his strike, her lips peeling back into a feral grin which Evy recognized.  Anck-su-namun had not been Ardath's only teacher.  She had one other.  Rameses himself, who had taught her the value of such a move.  Rick whispered, "Uh, guys, do you really think she can handle him?"

"She can," Evy reaffirmed as Ardath blocked each strike, "You forget, Rick.  Khaldun is facing two very angry women.  One of whom has three thousand years worth of rage against him.  Three thousand years worth of grudges.  His kidnapping of Celia's daughter, his attack and violation of Ardeth, as well as separating Lady Ardath from her infant son."  She stopped, looked at her husband, and said very calmly, "She'll be just fine."

.                     .                        .

She'll be just fine.

Rick O'Connell could say nothing to this bold statement, especially since it was Evy who was making it.  And after everything Rick had seen and experienced during the last several months, he wasn't about to argue.  Every time he argued with her, or with Ardeth, they ended up being right.  Ardeth.  Rick looked at his friend.  He wasn't doing so good, but Rick asked anyhow, "How is he?"  Evy looked down at their friend, their brother, looking frightened.  She was afraid Ardeth wouldn't make it, and so was Rick.  Ardeth's face had gotten even paler while Rick was facing Khaldun, though the American hadn't thought that was possible, and a sheen of sweat had appeared on the Med-jai s face.

"He's bleeding to death, Rick.  We keep putting bandages on it, but. . ."  Evy replied, giving a helpless little shrug.  But Ardeth was running out of time.  Rick felt an awful and all-too-familiar helplessness washing over him.  He put his hand on Ardeth's shoulder, wishing there was some way he could at least buy his friend some time.  Wishing. . .agh, GOD!  The one man whom Rick always trusted to fix whatever was wrong, was the one in need of fixing.

"C'mon, buddy. . .you gotta pull through for us, one more time.  One more time, Ardeth, and I swear we'll never make your life difficult again.  You can't do this to us. . .you can't do this to Celia!  She's waited three thousand years for you, and you just can't disappoint her like that!  She's fighting for you, Ardeth, for all of us!  Now you have to fight.  If you need my strength, then you've got it. . .all of it, whatever you need.  Just hold on!"  Rick whispered. 

With his free hand, he took Ardeth's own hand, holding it tightly.  He saw the rest of his family, and Ardeth's, following suit.  Evy continued to caress Ardeth's hair, and Alex moved closer to the Med-jai, never releasing his robes, while Miranda, Jonathan, and Anatol formed a protective semicircle around Ardeth.  It was fitting, when he thought about it.  This man had protected them so often.  It was their turn to protect him.

And then Rick saw something out of the corner of his eye.  Half of his attention was on the fight, and he had to admit that Ardath/Celia/whoever the hell she was, was giving a pretty good account of herself.  Although, after seeing her fight, he had a hard time believing that Celia was anywhere in there.  The moves were too graceful, too practiced, too polished.  And the other half of his attention was centered on. . .

Imhotep.  Rick growled deep in his throat, seeing the man responsible for so much pain.  Miranda saw him as well.  She cried out, "IMHOTEP!  Ardeth needs your help, you gotta save him!"  Rick whipped his head around to look at the child.  Was she nuts?  Imhotep?  Help them?  What the hell had he done to that little girl after the kidnapping?  The mummy drew closer, and now Rick saw that his wife and Ardeth were right.  Imhotep DID have hair.

"This is not my fight, child.  Ardeth Bey is nothing to me.  I have returned you to your mother, and she is now fulfilling her destiny with Khaldun s downfall.  My part in this is finished," Imhotep replied.  Rick glanced at Miranda, who was staring at the mummy with the most hurt look the American had ever seen, and ever dreamed possible.  Tears trickled down her face, and the mummy actually looked uncomfortable.

As if that wasn't weird enough, Ardeth moaned aloud, his head thrown back, his back arching from the pain.  Rick grabbed his friend, intent on making sure he didn't hurt himself worse, freezing at Ardeth's fevered mumblings.  He was speaking in ancient Egyptian, as if the fever caused from his injuries had shattered the last barrier between his earlier life and his current.

Rameses was addressing Imhotep, speaking of his daughter's death, and acknowledging his grief, his rage, his fear that he would kill the responsible parties.  There was a faint pause, as Rick gently kneaded Ardeth's shoulder through his robes, then Ardeth whispered once more in ancient Egyptian, his lips quirking,  "Ahhh, that is true, my friend, but have we not established already that you are a better man than I?"

That part of Rick that was Terumun cried out, remembering this joke between the prince and the priest.  It was that part of him which made him look up, right into the startled eyes of Imhotep.  The mummy choked out, "Rameses?"  O'Connell caught Imhotep's eye and nodded very slowly.  Yes.  It was Rameses, reborn.  Imhotep's face twisted into a furious mask, and he hissed, "Niy.  He is Med-jai, he cannot be Rameses."

"Think again. . .old friend," Rick heard and turned to face Lady Ardath.  Just past her, he saw Khaldun writhing in agony.  Rick didn't know what she had done, but it obviously hurt!  The girl noticed his questioning look, shrugged, and said, "That was the first move which Anck taught me.  So. You have returned, Imhotep, and as you did after I left the mortal world, you do not honor your promise.  So much for your word.  So much for your joke that you were the better man than my love!"  The last few words were spat out, her eyes reflecting contempt for Imhotep.

"Lady Ardath," he breathed and the girl inclined her head, her eyes blazing.  Imhotep glared right back, retorting, "What would you have me do?  Save this Med-jai?  This Med-jai who has imprisoned me for three thousand years, who turned me into a monster?"  Rick risked a quick glance at Evy, who had folded her arms protectively around Ardeth's body.  Anatol, Miranda, Jonathan, and Alex all scooted closer as well.

"He is not the one who cast the hom-dai, Imhotep.  Not that I expect you to care.  You never cared about my Rameses the way you claimed, for if you did, you would have kept your promise to look after him!  I could not even trust you to do that!  My love needed you, and you failed him!  Understand this, Imhotep, high priest of Seti, if my child dies, then you will be next.  Only what I will do to you will make the hom-dai look like NOTHING!"  Lady Ardath fired back.

"I would listen to her, if I were you, Imhotep," Evy said calmly, looking away from Ardeth long enough to deliver this message, "remember, even as you taught some spells to Anck-su-namun, so too, did she teach spells to Ardath.  She has it within her power to destroy you for all eternity, or to set you free, once and for all."  Her eyes met Ardath's, and the other young woman nodded her head.

"Is this true?  If I can buy the Med-jai some time, would you break the hom-dai?"  Imhotep asked.  She simply looked at him, and Rick glanced uneasily toward Khaldun, wondering why Khaldun no longer wore Jason Ferguson's face.  The man was pushing himself into a sitting position, and Rick knew their grace period was almost at an end. Okay, m'lady, he thought, unconsciously using Terumun's nickname for her, finish this up anytime now!

"How many times, great priest, in the five years in which you knew me, did I break my word?  To Rameses, to Anck-su-namun?  NEVER!" came the determined answer, and Rick winced at the contempt in her voice as she said, great priest.   Ardath continued, "I make you this promise now, if you buy my child even a few hours, then I will break the hom-dai.  But if you betray me, and I will carry out my other promise."  Imhotep needed only a moment to think about it.  Which meant he wasn't totally stupid.

And, it was fortunate, because it was then that Khaldun attacked from behind.  However, Ardath threw her staff up to block the strike, tapping her staff against his sword a second time, then rolled on her back to kick him in the face.  He went staggering back, and Ardath executed a backward roll, lifting her staff into the air, even as she rolled to her knees.  Rick muttered, "And she said she wasn't a good fighter?"

"She was never as good as Anck-su-namun, or even Nefertiri, but she could hold her own.  Plus, while Anck-su-namun was her primary teacher, Rameses also taught her several moves," Evy answered quietly.  She flashed Rick a half-smile, adding,  "I'm sure you'll recognize the ones I mean."  Rick did, indeed, and Evy continued quietly, "And she'll be very careful to make sure that not even one strike gets through."

"Like you said, Evy," Jonathan said, his tone unusually serious as Imhotep scooted closer to have a look at Ardeth, "She'll be just fine.  She's waited three thousand years for this moment, and one thing my queen has always been is patient."  Rick could only stare as the battle continued between the two ancient enemies: a jealous prince who wanted what he could not have, and a young concubine whose life he had snuffed out.




.                     .                         .

"He was stabbed where you kicked him."

The words were a combination of statement and accusation, but Evy could barely concentrate on the fight in front of her, much less her son's accusing tone as he stared across Ardeth's limp body at Imhotep.  Ardeth was leaving them.  She could feel his spirit pulling away.  But he would not go without her.  She would stay here, at least for the moment. . .but if he needed her, she would go to him.  Evy continued to caress Ardeth's hair, barely hearing and understanding what was going on around her.

Alex continued, still staring at Imhotep accusingly, "You hurt him.  He was just trying to protect Celia and Miranda, and you hurt him."  Imhotep looked up from his examination of Ardeth's wound, a strange expression on his face.  Evy would have stopped her son, but she felt herself being drawn further and further away from him and Rick, as Ardeth was pulled in the opposite direction.  Perhaps it was her bond with him as his sister, perhaps it was the times he had saved her life and the life of her son.

But she didn't fight it.  She trusted Ardath/Celia to deal with Khaldun.  She trusted Rick, Anatol, and Jonathan to take care of the children and Ardeth's physical body.  Evy put her hands on Ardeth's shoulders, and closed her eyes, following him to wherever he was.  As she reached her destination, she found Ardeth at the portal to the Afterlife.  She remembered it, she had been there before.

What she didn't expect to see was Meela Nais standing in front of him defiantly.  Her hands rested on her hips, saying, "You may not pass, Ardeth Bey!"  One hand was removed from her hip, and her arm outstretched in front of her.  Her palm was raised, and if Ardeth had taken another step forward, her hand would have been against his chest.  Meela looked as she did the first time Evy had seen her, in the British Museum, when she had recognized this woman as the reincarnation of Anck-su-namun.

"I do not recognize your authority here, Meela Nais," Ardeth answered coolly, and Evy smiled, recognizing that tone.  Still, Meela did not move, her dark eyes blazing defiantly.  Ardeth slipped to one side, to bypass her, but Meela promptly moved in the same direction, at the same time.  Ardeth's body stiffened, and Evy watched in silence as he shifted in the opposite direction, only to have Meela cut off his passage once more.

"Do not be afraid, Ardeth Bey," a man s voice rumbled and Evy turned to face the newcomer.  Wasn't that. . .?  The man looked at her, inclining his head, and said gently, "Nor should you fear me, Evelyn Carnahan O'Connell.  Or, as you have been known. . .Nefertiri.  I do not seek to harm you or your brother."  Ardeth turned, his eyes registering shock at Evy's appearance.  She smiled at him. . .where else would she be?  He had needed her.  She was here.

"Then why are we here? I am here because my brother needs me, and I shall stand at my brother's side, but why is Ardeth here?"  Evy questioned.  What appeared to be the human version of the Scorpion King inclined his head with a faint smile.  Maybe Evy was mistaken.  After all, what she had seen in Ahm Shere was somewhat jumbled.  She had died and come back to life, almost witnessed the death of her beloved husband, almost died a second time herself.

.                     .                         .



"Your brother is here, Princess, because Khaldun cheated.  He was supposed to face Ardeth Bey in combat, to settle accounts for three thousand years worth of hatred.  However, he cheated, something at which Khaldun excels.  He cheated, three thousand years ago, when he murdered Lady Ardath.  I should have anticipated that he would cheat when facing her distant grandson and namesake," the man replied.

"Then I am to be given an opportunity to face Khaldun?"  Ardeth asked.  The man inclined his head, and Ardeth hissed, "I accept!"  The man grinned with anticipation, and Ardeth continued, sounding puzzled, "But I do not know you.  Who are you, that you would give me this opportunity?  Are you a god?  You do not wear the raiment of a god, and yet you brought us here."  Evy looked at their host expectantly, quite interested in what his explanation would be.

"I am no god, Ardeth Bey, only a man who committed terrible deeds.  But a goddess took pity on me, granting me an opportunity for absolution and redemption.  An opportunity which I took, and have not held any regrets since.  In my life, I was called Mathayus, and I have been granted the privilege of watching over you and your beloved, with the concubine Anck-su-namun at my side," the man replied.

"The Scorpion King," Ardeth breathed, and the man called 'Mathayus' nodded.  Ardeth continued, "It is not my place to question the judgment of the gods.  I have committed terrible deeds.  Do you swear to me, man to man, warrior to warrior, that you no longer seek to harm that which is mine?"  Evy realized immediately what Ardeth was doing.  He was granting his own absolution to Mathayus.  And despite what had happened at Ahm Shere, Evy found herself feeling proud of her brother all over again.

"In the name of my Cassandra, I do swear, Ardeth Bey.  Meela Nais agreed to bar your way from the Afterlife.  She was used by Hafez and Lock-nah.  They told her that the reincarnation of her forever friend was left to die in Hamunaptra, seven years ago.  Thus her vendetta against Evelyn O'Connell," Mathayus explained.  Evy unconsciously rubbed her abdomen and looked at Meela.  The former Scorpion King continued, "She wished to make amends for her crimes."

"EXCUSE ME??????????"  Meela blurted out, and Evy watched as Mathayus turned a deadly glare against the woman.  She promptly shut up, and Evy barely held back a grin of triumph.  A part of her, a childish part, wanted to stick her tongue out at the other woman, as if to say, 'so there!'  But she controlled herself.  And Meela was glaring daggers at her.  Evy simply folded her arms over her chest, now seeing the difference between Meela and Anck-su-namun.  Imhotep had been right.  Meela was only the reincarnation of Anck-su-namun in body.

"Are you ready, Ardeth?"  Mathayus asked, turning his attention back to Evy s brother.  The Med-jai nodded, and with a wave of his hand, a spirit form of Khaldun arrived in wherever they were, sword in hand.  They were not dead, because this was not the Afterlife.  Mathayus, hearing her thoughts, answered, "Anck-su-namun and I both call this, the Place In-Between.  It is as good a name as any."  Evy nodded her agreement as the former Scorpion King stepped to her side.

Khaldun hissed, his eyes flashing, "I thought I had taken care of you once, but no matter.  I shall kill you, just as I shall kill your whore."  But if he thought he could goad Ardeth into attacking him, as he had goaded Rameses into torturing and killing Khaldun three thousand years earlier, than he was badly mistaken.  Ardeth merely smiled very coldly.  Meela quickly got out of the way as Ardeth circled around Khaldun.

Evy's brother hissed, "I think not," and it was all Evy could do to keep from smiling with pride.  She knew her brother was one of the finest warriors ever produced by the Med-jai.  She also knew Khaldun to be a coward.  The only thing which frightened her was that Ardeth would expect fairness.  Then she shook her head at her own foolishness.  She really should have known better.  She had seen him fight, after all, and she knew he could fight dirty.

Mathayus sighed, "Why oh why do people always underestimate that man?  Is it because he is young?  Or is it because he does not take pleasure in killing?  Khaldun underestimates him, just as Anck-su-namun did in the beginning, just as your husband does on occasion. Quite frankly, it wears on my nerves.  I will be honest with you, Evelyn, your husband was never the greatest threat to the ambitions of Hafez and Lock-nah.  He was a mere nuisance."

"But the nuisance who ultimately. . ."  Evy began, then frowned.  How exactly did she say this?  Was he dead?  She shook her head and finished, "he was the nuisance who ultimately put an end to the Army of Anubis during this Year of the Scorpion."  She nodded and Mathayus simply grinned at her, allowing her to see the man whom he had been at one time.  He had referred to Cassandra, the woman he loved, and Evy could see why she had loved him.

But her attention was drawn back to her brother and his own enemy, as Khaldun taunted, "Are you sure you can defeat me?  Are you sure you wish to face me alone, cousin?"   Ooooh, he really was tiresome!  As expected, Khaldun attacked first, without fully taking Ardeth's measure, just as he had with Lady Ardath and Celia moments earlier.  In less time than it took for Evy to take a breath, Ardeth's scimitar was out, blocking the strike.  Did Khaldun always make the same move?  Did he always make the same mistakes?

She had to laugh when Ardeth fired back, delivering a strike of his own, "Coming from you, the murderer of innocent women, that is almost funny. . .cousin."  Khaldun growled, deep in his throat, and lunged for Ardeth, only to find that Evy's brother was no longer there.  Ardeth spun out of the way, launching a kick to Khaldun's posterior as he did.  The lesser prince stumbled forward, barely catching himself before he hurtled into the Afterlife and judgment. 

Khaldun whipped around, his eyes blazing at Ardeth's mocking smile.  The Med-jai chieftain said, "It seems you are as clumsy and inept now as you were three thousand years ago.  Then again, you never were a match even for my ancestress and namesake in a fair fight.  It must have been galling.  My friend O'Connell has a saying for her ease in beating you.  As he would say, she truly kicked your ass, did she not?"

Evy clapped her hand over her mouth, trying desperately not to laugh.  That was the second time in a matter of hours that she had heard Ardeth say that.  Khaldun roared with fury and attacked, hacking at Ardeth.  Her brother countered each move smoothly, knocking Khaldun s sword to one side before delivering a snapping kick to the other man's face.  Evy had seen that kick in the oasis of Ahm Shere, during his confrontation with Lock-nah.  She only hoped that Celia/Ardath was doing so well against Khaldun in the physical plane.

.                      .                       .

She was doing quite well, in Rick's opinion.  No strikes were allowed past, though on occasion, the force of a strike knocked her on her butt.  Still, if there were cuts, they were small ones, on her arms and legs.  Celia ducked Khaldun's sword, using her smaller height to her own advantage, battering him about his sides with her staff.  Twice, she kneed him in the groin, and Rick winced.  She definitely hadn't been at full strength when she had done the same to Ardeth.

Ever so often, Rick would glance away from Ardath/Celia, to make sure Ardeth was still alive.  His head remained in Evy's lap, and Evy's eyes were closed.  Her lips were moving, and Rick guessed that she was praying.  Still, his friend's chest rose and fell. 

Imhotep said, without looking up, "I can only repair the damage done to his internal organs, and stop the bleeding inside."  He did look up then, his face solemn, and continued, "I cannot replace the blood already lost, nor can I take away his fever.  Infection has set in, and while I have cleaned that, fever is still burning inside him.  I will do what I can, Terumun.  Do you think I enjoy being a monster?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, I do.  I think you enjoyed watching your bitch stab my wife, and I think you enjoyed letting your men kidnap and threaten my son.  And I think that if Ardath hadn't threatened you, you would have enjoyed watching my friend die," Rick fired back.  Imhotep said nothing, responding only with a glare.  He glanced briefly at Miranda, whose dark head kept turning from her mother to Ardeth and back again.

"Think as you will, Terumun.  Once, we were friends.  Once, you were the lone voice of reason among those Med-jai who wished to see the hom-dai cast.  We were not always enemies.  We did not always seek to kill each other.  I did not ask to come back this time.  Khaldun's followers killed an innocent man, a man with a family, whose only crime was his resemblance to me, and then animated his body with my spirit," Imhotep replied.

"Yes, yes, we know all that, this is all ancient history.  Now do be quiet and take care of Ardeth.  That goes for you as well, Rick, stop distracting him," Jonathan said impatiently.  Rick glared at his brother-in-law, only to receive a glare in return.  But it wasn't just Jonathan glaring back at him, it was Nassor.  Jonathan added,  "Just remember, Imhotep.  You have underestimated Ardath in the past.  I wouldn't recommend it this time."

Imhotep turned his attention back to his work, and Rick asked softly, "Jonathan, do you see what I'm seeing?"  Jonathan looked from Imhotep, to the battle now taking place in front of them, and gave an audible gulp.  Okay, that was definitely Jonathan's reaction, rather than Nassor's.  And yeah, he thought so as well.  Rick said softly, his eyes flickering briefly to his wife, "Evy said that Khaldun was facing two angry women, one of whom had three thousand years worth of rage.  But he's tiring too easily."

"That's 'cause he's fighting Ardeth someplace else. . .Aunt Evy is with them, too.  It was really funny, Uncle Rick, 'cause Ardeth said a bad word.  He said that Mommy is really beating that mean man who stabbed Ardeth, but that's not how he said it," Miranda giggled.  Fighting Ardeth somewhere else.  This little girl was seriously freaking Rick out, because just how in the hell did she know all this?  A strangled gasp from Imhotep drew Rick's attention.

He would have asked about that, but a strangled cry drew his attention back to the combatants.  It took his gut a moment to catch up with his brain.  It wasn't Celia who had cried out.  It was Khaldun.  Celia had just knocked his sword out of his hand.  He dove for it, but a sharp kick sent it spinning away from his grasp, then another kick landed in Khaldun's groin.  Ow.  She liked using that move.  Anatol whispered approvingly, "Well done, my sister, well done!"

"Question," Rick said, his eyes never leaving the two people now staring at each other, waiting for the next round to begin, "not once has Khaldun tried to throw Celia. . .Ardath. . .what ever her name is, into a wall.  Why is that?"  He paused, realizing he had never received an answer to a question he hadn't asked (good reason it hadn't been answered), and added, "And when did Jason start looking like Khaldun?"

"Anck-su-namun did that," Anatol replied almost absently, "I sensed her casting a spell at the beginning of the fight.  She did that out of concern for her forever friend, so Celia could see her enemy, rather than her brother.  Actually, that is not the proper way to say that.  She cast a spell, so Celia could see through Khaldun s illusion."  Oh, that made sense.  Sort of.  The young Med-jai continued, looking warily at Imhotep, "And he cannot use his powers against Lady Ardath or Celia, because Lady Ardath is no longer of this world."

"Nice trick, do you know what Miranda means about Ardeth fighting Khaldun in another place?"  Rick asked next.  Ardeth was silent at the moment, aside from his harsh breathing.  Rick looked away from the fight, long enough to see that despite Imhotep s healing, Ardeth was still failing.  Rick swallowed hard.  He wasn't ready to lose Ardeth.  Not like this, not now, maybe not ever.

"He fights Khaldun in a place in-between.  I am Keeper of the Dead, or I was as a high priest.  I walk in both worlds.  I can see the battle waged there, just as I can here," Imhotep replied quietly.  He looked at Ardeth with an unreadable expression, saying softly, "There, he is as he was three thousand years ago, when his concubine died in his arms.  And your wife is attired as Nefertiri, as she was the night of Seti's death."

Imhotep looked up, a faint smile teasing the edges of his mouth, as he said,  "Your son once told me, Terumun, that you would kick my ass.  I believe, if I understand this term correctly, that this is exactly what Rameses is doing to Khaldun as we speak."  Rick thought about that for a moment, looked over at where Khaldun was still trying to force himself into a standing position after another kick to his crotch.

Then he looked back at Ardeth, smiled proudly, and replied, "I wouldn't expect anything else.  Hang tight, buddy, it's almost over."  A quick glance over at his son told him that Alex was beaming at their Med-jai friend, and the little boy had entangled his fingers with Ardeth's own.  Rick looked back at Imhotep, saying, "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd say that you were pleased about Ardeth kicking Khaldun's ass." 

"I am.  Just as I am pleased that Lady Ardath and her reincarnation are doing the same in this world, in the physical world.  I once misjudged Lady Ardath as being weak and insipid, however, I never believed her to be a liar.  She has said she will set me free if I heal this reincarnation of Rameses, and I believe she will.  However, she cannot do that if she is dead.  Therefore, it is in my best interests to wish she does well," Imhotep replied calmly.

Rick believed him.  He would have never believed Imhotep, if he had claimed altruistic reasons.  However, Rick was distracted once again by the drama in front of him.  Jonathan whispered as Khaldun finally pushed himself to his feet, and Ardath tossed her staff aside,  "We begin once more."  Actually that wasn't entirely accurate. . .the part about Ardath tossing her staff to one side, at least. 

Instead, the concubine planted her staff in the middle of the sand, then grabbed it and swung around, using her momentum to kick Khaldun hard in the face.  The kick had the desired effect, knocking him several feet backwards, and Jonathan said with a pleased grin, "As I said, she has remembered everything."  Rick just hoped it would be enough.

.                     .                         .

Anck-su-namun had spent the last several moments, watching over Celia and Ardath.  Mathayus was with Ardeth, fulfilling the promise he had made, that the Med-jai would have an opportunity to face the coward in combat.  Anck knew that the trollop Meela had been enlisted to help, but she didn't allow herself to think about that.  If she did, she would be sorely tempted to leave her post and rip out Meela's eyeballs.  That would do Ardath and Celia absolutely no good.

Instead, Anck delighted in watching as her forever friend and Celia beat Khaldun badly.  She actually found herself jumping up and down, squealing, "Get him, Celia!  Get him, my sister!  Make him pay for what he did to you!  Oh, excellent hit!  The first thing I taught you, and you still remember!  I am so proud of you, my sister!"   She was particularly proud of the last move she had seen from her sister: the planting of the staff, then using it as an anchor as she kicked out.

Trusting in her sister and Celia to be all right for a few moments, she chose to check on the others.  And she had to trust them.  If Khaldun managed to land even one blow, there was a good chance the pair wouldn't get up again.  She had to believe in them, there was no other choice.  Besides.  Dividing his power was wearying Khaldun, and even now, he was staggering around, while his opponent was still practically quivering with unreleased energy.

Next, Anck switched her attention to Imhotep, the first time she had really allowed herself to look at him.  Tears clouded her vision for a moment, and she blinked back the moisture desperately.  She could not cry now!  Those whom she loved, they needed her to be strong.  They needed her to be the strong, brave, loyal Anck-su-namun she had been once, the Anck who had loved Imhotep and Ardath with every fiber of her being.

But she had missed Imhotep, even in the short time she had been away from him.  Just as she had during the last few mortal weeks with Ardath and Celia, Anck wanted to reach out to her beloved, wanted to touch his face.  Even as he fought to save Ardeth's life (and Anck was proud of her forever friend for that as well.  It was long past time Imhotep recognized just how ruthless Ardath herself could be), Anck wanted to go to Imhotep, put her arms around him. . .

But no.  That could not be, not now.  Perhaps not ever.  So, she finally looked in on Ardeth and Khaldun, to find the namesake of her sister doing very well.  During the last few minutes, the young chieftain had maneuvered Khaldun into position.  Anck doubted very much if Khaldun even realized what Ardeth was doing.  He wasn't very smart, as well as being a coward.  However, that cowardice was part of what made him so dangerous.

Anck held her breath as Khaldun was finally maneuvered into the place where Ardeth wanted him, right in front of the portal to the Underworld.  He could have pushed Khaldun through that portal ages ago.  Anck knew that.  The angles at which they had been fighting, Ardeth had plenty of opportunities to do just that.  He was playing with Khaldun, drawing out the fight, just as Khaldun had drawn out the torture of the Med-jai warriors who had died here in Hamunaptra.

Anck could see them gathering now, at the portal, and her breath caught in her throat.  He had been waiting on the spirits of his men to find their places.  And once Khaldun passed through that portal, the Med-jai would act as servants of Anubis, now in his role as the god of the dead, and would conduct Khaldun once more to Ma at.  His heart would be weighed, and then he would be fed to the crocodiles.

Oh yes.  Ardeth Bey knew exactly what he was doing.  He hissed, lashing out with a kick that dropped Khaldun to the ground, "That was for O'Connell."  Anck nodded her approval as Khaldun got to his feet, his hand pressed against his chest.  He didn't stay upright for long, as Ardeth lashed out, this time kicking Khaldun in the face, adding, "That was for the Med-jai whom you tortured and murdered."

Good.  If Ardeth hadn't done that, then Anck would have.  And she could have promised it would have been much more painful.  Ardeth knocked the sword out of Khaldun's hand, or rather, cut it off at the wrist.  Fitting punishment for a thief, and Ardeth growled, "That was for kidnapping and frightening Miranda."  Even better, justice for her treasured little niece.  Anck decided that she would tell Celia/Ardath about that, so as to save them oxygen when that moment came of their own confrontation.

But Ardeth had saved the best for last.  He kicked the sword away from Khaldun, not that the coward would have had a chance to pick it up, then seized him by the shoulder.  Ardeth ran him through, hissing, "And that was for kidnapping and almost killing Celia!"  He removed his sword from Khaldun s midsection, shoving him backwards, toward the waiting Med-jai.  Khaldun screamed and kicked, but it was no use.

Ardeth chanted, "I bind you, Khaldun, for this lifetime!  Never again shall you harm myself or my Celia.  I reject you, Khaldun, for this lifetime and all those lifetimes yet to come!  No more shall you use that which is mine.  I condemn you, Khaldun, to the justice of the gods!  May they have mercy on you, for I shall not!"   With a final scream, Khaldun disappeared, along with the Med-jai who had borne him away.

Ardeth fell to his knees, breathing heavily, and Anck's heart contracted.  Had he been wounded while she wasn't looking?  Why was he behaving like this?  Anck watched him anxiously, her throat tightening at the soft moans of pain now being drawn from the Med-jai.  Mathayus murmured, He is being called back to his physical body.  That is the reason for his weakness now.  Make ready, Anck-su-namun.  It is time for you to face your forever friend.  

Anck's breath caught in her throat, even as she watched Evelyn O'Connell fall to her knees beside Ardeth, embracing him fiercely.  Ardeth leaned heavily against her, his head coming to rest against her shoulder.  It was almost time for her to face Ardath.  Was she ready?  For the first time in many years, Anck was ashamed.  How could she face Ardath, after everything she had done?  After everyone she had hurt?

The answer came to her, almost immediately.  She had to apologize.  And she would start with Nefertiri.  Anck slowly walked to Nefertiri, and her former student looked up.  But for the first time in three thousand years, there was no hatred, no anger, no resentment.  Still, Anck fell slowly to her knees in front of this woman whom she had hurt, many times over.  She bowed her head and said softly, "I ask for your forgiveness, Nefertiri."

"You have it, Anck-su-namun.  I know now that you did not attempt to destroy me.  I forgive you for killing my father, for causing the pain you did to my brother.  Not all of this has been of your making, and you sought to free yourself the only way you know how.  And, you have done much to atone.  The question now becomes, Anck-su-namun, can you forgive yourself?"  Nefertiri replied, her dark eyes focused intently on the concubine s face.

"I cannot forgive myself, until Ardath tells me that I am forgiven.  I hurt her most of all.  Go now, Nefertiri, and take Rameses with you.  Take Ardeth with you, for he does not belong here.  Neither of you do," Anck-su-namun replied.  Nefertiri inclined her head, tightening her arms around her brother, then they both vanished.  Mathayus held out his hand to her, and she found herself once more in the room where everything had begun.  Where her redemption first began taking shape.

Mathayus waved his hand over the mirror that would show them the battle being waged in the world of the living.  Anck held her breath as the fog lingered only for a moment, then cleared.  Ardath was moving a bit stiffly, and Mathayus whispered, She has a few bruises, Anck, but she will live.  Khaldun is mortal now, and with one single action, she can drive him out of Jason Ferguson's body for good.

Anck did not ask what that one action was.  She already knew.  Because she had also set things in motion, long before Seti's murder.  And the end game was playing out in front of her.  She held her breath as Ardath removed the dagger from its scabbard, resting against her hip.  As Ardath lightly twirled in her hand, just as Nefertiri used to twirl her tridents.  Anck swallowed hard as her friend began backing up. . .backing up.

What was she doing?  Anck shook her head, unsure what to think.  This was not something she had taught Ardath.  Nor was it something Rameses had taught her in their sessions, it was not even something she had picked up from watching Nefertiri.  This had to be Celia's doing.  Anck swallowed again, and hoped that the gamble Celia was taking wouldn't end in her death.  It couldn't end like that.

She taunted Khaldun, taunted him and mocked him.  Ridiculing everything.  Everything she could think of, from his mother to his first lover, his first whore.  She ridiculed his ability to fight, and the fact that a small woman was beating up on him.  Khaldun glared at her, his dark eyes burning with hatred.  He had felt his loss in the spiritual plane, and while he was a coward, he wasn't stupid.  He was trying to figure out her strategy.  For that matter, so was Anck.  Mathayus said quietly, Go.  Now.  She will have need of you.

Anck started to protest, but it was then that Celia's needling of Khaldun finally hit on his true vulnerability.  All pretenses, all illusions had been stripped away.  The prince gave a scream and rushed at Ardath.  Anck screamed herself and closed her eyes.  She couldn't watch, she couldn't see how this ended.  She would betray her best friend one last time, because it hurt too much to do anything else.