Chapter 11-


Luckily, the next day, Ravena felt she was capable of walking again. She explored almost every inch of the campsite. She was feeling very alive, but sad. The longer her daughter was away from her, the longer Ravena despaired. She needed a shoulder to cry on. She searched everywhere for Rick but with no avail. When she spotted Evelyn, she ran to where she stood.

“Evelyn! Where's Rick? I really need to talk to him.”

Evelyn glanced up from her book and replied with an understanding smile,

“I think he’s at the training/exercising grounds. In fact, I think he took Alex with him, I’ll come with you and steal my little boy away.”

Ravena laughed, and the two beautiful women walked arm in arm towards the training grounds. There were two Medjai fighting (exercise of course) and surrounded by a bunch of people, who gave them plenty of room. They spotted Rick, who was holding Alex, at the far end. They strolled over to where he stood and gave each other a grin. Alex reached out for Ravena, and she picked him up from her cousin’s arms. He wrapped his small arms around her neck and then pointed towards the men.

“Mum, Auntie Ravena, look at Ardeth fight! I want to fight like that one day!”

Ravena turned her head to where the men where fighting and inwardly gasped. She hoped she had maintained her stoic expression, but it was hard. Ardeth was shirtless, and was wearing only black loose pants. His bronze chest heaved with the battle and it gleamed with sweat. His hair was plastered to his face, which only made him look sexier. His face was fierce with such determination that it made Ravena weak in the knees. Ardeth held a shining scimitar that seemed like a blur the way he handled it; it went so fast and skilfully. His motions brought back the assumption of him being like a lion. He never stumbled. He moved gracefully and attacked with plenty of strength and endurance. He kicked his opponent harmlessly in the back of the knee, which made the challenger fall down. Ardeth quickly placed the scimitar on top of the man’s neck, indicating he won the exercise fight. He looked around at the crowd with a warning glare, and before he could see that Ravena had been watching him, she looked at Alex, smiled, and whispered kindly to the boy...

“Maybe someday, when you’re big enough, and you practice REALLY hard, you can fight like him.”

Alex smiled and dug his head into her shoulder, which suddenly made her sad. She remembered how Paris used to cuddle like that with her. She noticed the crowd was departing. Ravena gave Alex a sad grin and saw Rick motion for the women to go. She remembered why she needed badly to talk with her cousin, and followed him away from where the fight had taken place. She didn’t feel Ardeth’s gaze behind her as she left.


Ardeth sighed when he saw her, his chest still heaving from the fight. His eyes never left her as she walked away. The motherly way Ravena handled Alex pained his heart. Was she like that with her own daughter? He itched to see that happen. He also saw the sad smile she had given the boy, which did something to him. She missed her daughter, which was obvious. Deep inside of him, Ardeth vowed to reunite them together again, just to see Ravena happy. As he put his shirt back on, he ached for her. He couldn’t deny it any longer. He was going crazy at the thought of not looking into her illuminating eyes again. He wanted to hold her, kiss her, and love her. He shook those notions out of his head. What would a goddess from Italy want with him? He spent most of his days fighting, and if she ever did learn to love him, he didn’t want to cause her pain if he died. Ardeth exhaled and focused on reality. Tomorrow they were going to search for Mr. Steinburger and Mr. Schneider; he had better get prepared. Ardeth wrapped the belt of scimitars around his waist, and headed towards the tents.


Later that night, people stayed up MUCH later then normal. The Medjai people had set up a huge bonfire and many of them were holding hands and dancing around it. It was, in American terms, a kick-ass party. Everyone was laughing and holding hands. Rick and Evelyn were cuddled up in a blanket and looking into each other’s eyes. Alex was cuddled up in Ravena’s lap tiredly, absently sucking his thumb. The beautiful woman was stroking his hair while looking up at the night sky. It was beautiful. It shone (despite the smoke of the fire) clearer then any place she had been whenever she looked up at the stars. Ravena glanced down at Alex and noticed he was almost asleep. She then looked at his parents who were still gazing at each other like normal lovers.

“Um, you guys, I don’t want to disturb you, but I’m just going to put this little one to bed, if that’s alright with you.”

Evelyn glanced at her nonchalantly and smiled.

“Go right ahead, you would be doing US a favour,” Then she went back at cuddling with Rick.

Ravena smiled and picked up the little boy. She walked over to their tent and lifted the flap.

A little bit away, on a small dune far from the part, Ardeth sat with his hands over his knees, watching her every move. He picked himself up and followed her to the tent. He stood just outside of it and listened in, although he knew it was wrong. He just needed to hear her voice.

She carefully placed Alex onto his bedroll and pulled the covers over him. She placed her hand over his heart, hearing the beating of it. She smiled and lifted herself up, ready to leave, when she heard his small voice call out to her.

“Aunt Ravena, sing me a song from Italy. It will help me go to sleep.”

Ravena gave a small smile sat down beside him and sat down beside him.

“Alright, little one. I’ll sing you one from my Fatherland, it’s called Alegria (I know, I know, it’s from cirque du soleil, so please remember that this song belongs to them, plz don’t sue, lol, its just an AWESOME song)

She started to sing in her intoxicating and husky voice...

Alegria
Come un lampo di vita
Alegria
Come un pazzo gridar
Alegria
Del delittuoso grido
Bella ruggente pena,
Seren
Come la rabbia di amar
Alegria
Come un assalto di gioia
Alegria
I see a spark of life shining
Alegria
I hear a young minstrel sing
Alegria
Beautiful roaring scream
Of joy and sorrow,
So extreme
There is a love in me raging
Alegria
A joyous, Magical feeling

Del delittuoso grido
Bella ruggente pena,
Seren
Come la rabbia di amar
Alegria
Come un assalto di gioia
Alegria
Como la luz de la vida
Alegria
Como un payaso que grita
Alegria
Del estupendo grito
De la tristeza loca
Serena
Como la rabia de amar
Alegria
Como un asalto de felicidad
Del estupendo grito
De la tristeza loca
Serena
Como la rabia de amar
Alegria
Como un asalto de felicidad
There is a love in me raging
Alegria
A joyous,
Magical feeling


After Ravena finished the song, she gazed down at the boy who was sleeping like an angel. She gave him a sad smile (that was the song she used to sing to Paris) and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. She then got up, and brushed herself off. She walked towards the opening of the tent, when suddenly someone grabbed her and pulled her out. It was Ardeth. He pulled her behind all of the tents and then pulled her to him.

“Why are you doing this to me, why does my heart jump whenever I think of you? Your singing has hypnotized me in such a beautiful way, and it’s the one thing in the world I can’t control.”

He pulled her closer; close enough so that Ravena could almost taste his breath. Right there and then was the moment she realized she loved him. Nothing denied that. But there was still Philippe, faithful Philippe, whom she didn’t love anymore but still respected. Ardeth saw her lick her lips as if pondering over something. He needed to ask, it was killing him inside...

“May I kiss you?”

Before even thinking, Ravena unconsciously nodded her head. She felt him lean down towards her and brush her lips, as if asking permission. Her lips slightly parted and he knew he was invited. He slipped his tongue in, and roamed the inside of her mouth tenderly. He squeezed her closer, and that was Ravena’s wake up call. She pushed her face away, and Ardeth saw a single tear run down her cheek.

“I’m sorry Ardeth. I just can’t do this. I can’t have so much pleasure while my daughter is out there being tortured.”

With that, she moved away and disappeared into the darkness (more like running into the darkness), leaving Ardeth with an expressionless face.

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Sorry if this was a bad chapter you guys, but I swear it gets better.
Short disclaimer: Alegria belongs to Cirque Du Soleil.
Please review and tell me what you think of the longest chapter here so far.