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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Author's Note:  The poems, 'The Promise' and 'Queen of my Heart,' were written by yours truly.

Epilogue

It was the first time in almost two weeks he had time to himself, and as he always did when he needed to think, he went to the cliff overlooking Hamunaptra.  His side still ached, and he still tired easily while his blood replenished itself.  But he was recovering, and he was so tired of having people fuss over him.  His mother, his two sisters, even Anatol had fussed over him the last several days.  It was annoying as well as humiliating.

Celia, on the other hand, never hovered, never fussed.  She spent a few hours a day with him, and the rest of the time, she and Evy practiced.  Celia balked at that in the beginning.  Evy was pregnant, after all, and Celia feared harming the baby.  But Evy convinced her that it would be fine, and Celia finally agreed.  They practiced for an hour or two each day, and the rest of the time, she was with Miranda.  The little girl was finally growing confident once more that she would not be taken from her mother, and that her mother would not be taken from her.

There was one thing about all of this which troubled Ardeth.  Imhotep.  No longer the Creature, but not truly human, either.  He was still immortal, but he was no longer the bringer of death.  No longer a plague upon humanity.  With the breaking of the hom-dai, the Med-jai found themselves without purpose.  At least at first.  Until the brothers reminded all that evil still resided within Hamunaptra, and they would have to be ready for Khaldun's next rising.  In the meantime, no one was entirely sure what to make of Imhotep, but Ardeth had noticed him staying rather close to Celia when she wasn't practicing with Evy, wasn't with her daughter or with Ardeth. 

It was the stated opinion of Ardeth's mother that Imhotep recognized within Celia a kindred spirit, another who would have to find a place within the Med-jai society.  They were both strangers to the Med-jai culture, and unsure of their welcome within that culture, especially given Imhotep's past.  Which was what brought Ardeth up to this cliffside today.  He had informed the Council that he would take Celia Ferguson as his bride.  They accepted this, far more easily than he anticipated, then asked him to leave while they discussed this matter amongst themselves.

Which did bother him, but his mother had assured him that she would speak for Celia.  As would Anatol, Garai, and Ardeth's sisters.  Altair had said very bluntly that his happiness came first with her, and Celia made him happy.  Besides.  It would be very difficult for them to say 'no' to the reincarnation of one of their greatest heroines, even if she was an American.  During the last two weeks, Acacia and Aleta had begun teaching Celia the Med-jai ways.

"I thought I might find you here," a soft voice said as a pair of arms slipped lightly around Ardeth's waist from behind.  Ardeth smiled as the arms slid around until Celia was at his side.  She said, looking at him, "You always come here when you're troubled.  Evy just told me that the Council shut you out of the meeting.  Acacia also told me about that, and she said it s standard, whether a warrior is marrying a Med-jai girl or an outsider like myself."

"You are no outsider, Celia Ferguson.  You have treated us with honor and dignity.  But some of the Elders believe that the return of Lady Ardath should have been heralded by a prophecy, especially when her reincarnation was set to marry the Lady's own namesake," Ardeth acknowledged, putting his hands on the shoulders of his beloved.  More memories had been awakened during the last several days.  Not just of Rameses, but other lives, when he had driven this woman away from him.

And in each lifetime, he had failed his people in some way, perhaps because he shut himself off from love, perhaps because he held himself apart.  But the end result was the same.  He whispered, needing to hear the words, needing to know things would be different, "And I fear, Celia, that I will drive you away.  You have not yet seen my dark side, my Celia, and I do not wish to frighten you."  Celia reached up, cupping his face in her hands.

"You cannot frighten me, Ardeth Bey.  I have seen you near death, and I have seen you laugh.  I have seen you angry enough to kill, and I have seen you protect what is yours.  I have known you, and loved you, in a thousand different forms over three thousand years.  You cannot drive me away.  It would be a waste of your energy to even try," Celia replied.  She smiled then, adding, "Besides.  Who said life would be easy with me?  I'm thirty years old, I'm stubborn, I have a four year old daughter with a mind of her own, and Anck is still around."

"Stubborn?  You?  I had not noticed," Ardeth teased and Celia responded with a mock glare which would have made him laugh, if his ribs hadn't started hurting once more.  Ardeth continued, "Well, my sweet Celia, it would appear that we are, as O'Connell would say, stuck with each other."  He paused, gave her a rueful smile, then added, "Although, I must remember to call him 'Rick' now."  Celia grinned, obviously remembering the incident in question.

They had been on Izzy's plane, heading back to the Med-jai encampment.  Ardeth, secure in knowing that Celia would be at his side, had slept briefly.  He awakened as Izzy settled the plane a short distance from the camp, and Ardeth murmured something to O'Connell, only to have the other man retort with some exasperation, "Oh for. . .Ardeth!  My name is RICK!  We've saved each other's lives how many times now?"  Both ignored Celia's exasperated snort at this, and
O'Connell continued, "Don't you think it s time you started calling me Rick, or do you need an engraved invitation?"

That imp, generally known as Anatol, had piped up, "Actually, that would help."   Both Ardeth and Rick glared at the young warrior, who just grinned and scampered out of the plane.  The American had helped Ardeth up, stabilizing him, before carefully leading him from the plane.  Celia had lifted the drowsy Miranda into her arms, carrying her off the plane, and Evelyn followed suit with Alex.  The last to disembark was Imhotep, which almost led to a riot.

"Wellllll," Celia said, drawing the word out as she often did, and drawing Ardeth's attention back to her, "I'm glad you've finally figured out that you're stuck with me.  Rameses, schmamses.  That's over.  It's just us now, it's time for our love story to be written."  She cocked her head to one side, a faint smile appearing on her lips.  Ardeth had already come to fear that expression.  It usually meant she was up to no good.

He was right.  She began, switching to ancient Egyptian, "I swore I would always love you, a thousand years or more.  I told you that I would find you in each life.  This, above all, I swore.  My word is my honor, you should have known that I would still be your wife.  Our names have changed, our situations, too.  But here we are again, my king, and one thing remains true.  My heart still belongs to only you."   She stopped, smiled again, and said softly, "The Promise.  Written by a young Greek girl who fell in love with a handsome Med-jai warrior who could not accept her love.  Ardath's memories aren't the only ones I have at my disposal, my love."

Ardeth wanted to scowl at her, but he knew of the memories she had mentioned.  They had lived during the time of Cleopatra.  He had remembered being Rameses, and shamed by his behavior, had been unable to accept the love of that young Greek girl who had become separated from her group.  She had not accepted that rejection and instead, remained among the Med-jai until her own death.  There was no answer to the poem, The Promise. He was the first reincarnation of Rameses who had been successfully reunited with his Ardath.

So it was up to him.  He stared down at her, studying her face intently, and answered in the same language as The Promise, "My heart, my angel, my queen.  I never dreamed that I would be allowed this, to hold you again and taste your lips so sweet.  I thought your quiet strength I would forever miss, I should have had more faith in you.  In my Ardath, who could forgive me anything.  My lovely queen, the woman I can never refuse.  The woman who could make the lowliest peasant into a king."  A delighted smile was his reward.

"You made that up yourself," Celia stated, looking very pleased with him, and Ardeth allowed himself a shy grin.  He wasn't even sure if that was the right way to put it.  The words were simply there.  Were they Rameses' words, or his own, or perhaps someone between them?  Ardeth didn't know, and he supposed it didn't matter.  The words had pleased his Celia, the queen of his heart.  That was all that counted.  He would have kissed her.  He most assuredly wanted to kiss her.  But unfortunately, fate had other ideas.

Mainly, in the form of his mother and sisters, all of whom came up the hill to join him and Celia.  Altair Bey told him proudly, "The Council has arranged the day for you to marry Celia.  Anatol spoke up for her, telling of her courage in facing Khaldun.  Acacia told of her willingness to learn our ways.  And Aleta told them that she showed great kindness in hearing of your childhood stories.  I told them that she made you happy, and Garai told them that she was the reincarnation of Lady Ardath."

Celia shifted in his arms, and Ardeth's mother gasped, "Oh, sweet girl, forgive me!  I did not see you there!"  If it had not been so disrespectful of his mother, Ardeth would have rolled his eyes.  As it was, the matriarch continued, "There is but one restriction.  As the reincarnation of one of our greatest heroines, the Council wishes you to court Celia in the ways of the Med-jai.  That means you cannot wed her for at least three weeks."

Three weeks.  Ardeth had waited for this woman for three thousand years.  Three weeks would not be that difficult.  He hoped.  Celia just smiled, her dark eyes filled with joy, as if this was greater than she could have hoped for.  Acacia added, "It will not be easy, Celia.  As I thought, there are many young women in our village, and others, who wished to marry Ardeth.  But I have faith in you, and word will spread that I regard you as my sister."

"Perhaps you should have a word with Anck-su-namun, Celia," Aleta put in,  "you did mention that she was staying here to watch over you.  And already, there have been several unexplained accidents, involving women who regarded themselves as the most likely to win my brother's heart."   Acacia stared at their younger sister in shock, and Ardeth could almost hear his sister thinking, so that is what happened!   Aleta added with a mischievous smirk,  "Mind you, it was quite funny. "

"I should talk with her anyhow, try to keep her from doing anything dangerous.  Ardeth, are you sure you want me?  I mean, like I said, I'm a stubborn thirty year old woman with a small daughter who has a mind of her own.  And not only will you get a stubborn wife and a determined daughter, but you'll also get a ghostly sister-in-law who isn't above pulling dirty tricks if she's so inclined," Celia observed, looking up at Ardeth with a faint grin.

Life was about to get very interesting, courtesy of the woman now in his arms.  But Ardeth Bey found that he would not wish any other life for himself.  He replied, smiling down at her, "A stubborn wife to give me stubborn children.  A little girl who insists on receiving a kiss each time her mother does.  Further adventures with the O'Connells.  And a sister-in-law in the Underworld who delights in playing pranks.  Far be it from me to separate the forever friends and I cannot imagine anything that would give me greater joy, my Celia, than to have you at my side.  Regardless of the complications."

"Then, my love, you are indeed stuck with me," Celia responded, laughing. Ardeth decided to throw caution to the wind. This woman was now officially his betrothed. In full view of his mother and sisters, in front of all the Med-jai who might be watching, Ardeth Bey, chieftain of the Med-jai, kissed the woman who would become his wife and the mother of his children to come. The queen of his heart, and his own forever friend.

FIN!