Anyone knowing the Med-jai, would think they had quite an east life, roaming the deserts of Egypt, with only the occasional resurrected mummy to contend with. But this was far from the truth. There were other tribes, the Nomads from the south and the really northern people that caused them no end of trouble.
It was normal over land, revenge and other issues and many of the Med-jai had died protecting their people. There were 12 Med-jai tribes altogether and Ardeth Bay was the commander of one of them.
But after Ahm Shere, he had been made commander over all the tribes, a great honour and not one done very often. Word soon got round and reached the ears of Nazeem, leader of the Nomads.
He hated the Med-jai and had had several battles with them but he hated Ardeth Bay the most. He blamed him for the death of his wife a long time ago, in a battle down in the south of Egypt. It hadn't been Ardeths fault but Nazeem believed differently. Now he was Chief commander of all the Med-jai and Nazeem was going to make Ardeths life hell.
"He is going to die this time Jihad" he said pacing up and down his tent.
"We don't want any more of our people to die" Jihad replied "and they will if you pursue this"
"Oh I am not involving the tribe, this is personal. I want you and Marid to come with me plus say half a dozen others. I want Ardeth Bay, I don't care about the rest of them. Without him, they are nothing"
"But how are you going to just get him, there are always others there"
"He goes off on his own, always has. We'll get him then. We go tomorrow"
"So it's straight in, kill Ardeth and back here, so no-one knows who did it" said Jihad.
"No, no, my friend, we are going to make him suffer. The one place they won't look for him is Hamunaptra, we'll take him there, I want him to enjoy what I have in mind for him"
"But Hamunaptra"
"Not scared are you, there is nothing there but myths. I will have no arguments, we leave at dawn"
True to form, Ardeth had placed his tent a little way away from the others. Not that far but far enough to be able to be on his own. As he lay in the tent, he thought about Jonathan. Evy's brother, the most annoying man he had ever met and also the most attractive one.
He had found he had feelings for him ever since the first time he met him at that first battle in Hamunaptra. He could have killed him then, but when their eyes met in that split second, Ardeth couldn't do it. They had never admitted to each other how they felt but they both knew.
But he had gone back to London and until Ahm Shere a few weeks ago, they hadn't seen each other for nearly 10 years. But he knew he felt the same when he saw him in London.
It was about 11pm and Ardeth was sure that he heard a noise from outside his tent, but looking round he could see nothing. He went back and laid down and was soon asleep.
Nazeem crept into the tent, his men were keeping an eye on the rest of the camp, just in case the others came out. Jahid was beside him and they crept over to where Ardeth was sleeping. He put his hand over his mouth and Ardeth tried to jump up but was held down by strong hands.
After a struggle he managed to get away from Nazeem and was just about to run out of the tent to alert the rest of the Med –jai when he was hit over the head with the butt of Nazeems gun and fell to the ground. They put a gag in his mouth and tied his hands behind him. Then they quietly dragged him out of the tent and across the sand to where their horses were and threw him over one of the horses and mounting his own, Nazeem and the others rode off towards the City of the Dead.
The next morning, Masala went to wake Ardeth and tell him that the meal was ready, as they all ate together. He went into his tent and within seconds ran out, shouting for the others, who came from all directions.
"Ardeth is gone, he has been taken" he said.
He showed them a scarf that had come off in the fight with Ardeth and the other senior member of the Med-jai came over and took it.
"The Nomads. They have been here, it would be safe to assume that they have Ardeth. We now have to find them and hope it is not too late for our leader"
"But where have they taken him and when did they come?" asked Masala.
"They have had a few hours start on us. Trouble is they could be anywhere"
They gathered their things together and began the slow hunt for their leader. They knew that if they didn't find him quickly, they would be too late, the Nomads were ruthless and violent towards prisoners.
The Nomads reached Hamunaptra and took Ardeth through a secret passage that had not been sealed, deep in the city. He was still out and they dumped him in a corner of a small room. It was one of the very few that had doors on it and they bolted it behind them.
Parts of Hamunaptra had been used as a prison as well as a place for making mummies. There were about 6 of these rooms in the bowels of the city. They were dark, cold and damp, even in the desert. Nazeem would leave him a while and then see what he thought of his new home for the foreseeable future.
Nazeems men had been left outside with the exception of Jihad and Mirid. He knew they would enjoy what he had planned for Ardeth Bay.
After they had eaten, they went down to see Ardeth, he was still pretty much out of it. Nazeem grabbed him and turned him over and threw some water over his face, he gasped as he woke up. He sat up quickly but soon fell back down as his head throbbed and he tried to focus his eyes in the dim torchlight.
"Bring him to the other room, I will deal with him there" said Nazeem.
They dragged him out of the small cell and up some stone stairs to the room where they had been eating. There were some rugs in a corner and they threw Ardeth down on them. He slowly turned to see where he was and who the men were who had brought him here. His face paled as he saw Nazeem standing there.
"Na…zeem, why?"
"Why, to revenge the death of my wife, which you caused Ardeth Bay"
"I…I never….did…that" Ardeth gasped, his head hurting every time he moved.
Ardeth never said any more as a hand slammed across his face. His vision blacked out and he slumped to the floor.
"Take his clothes off" shouted Nazeem to his friends.
Ardeth couldn't fight them as they tore his clothes off him. He moaned and held his head as they turned him so he was face down on the rugs.
"Please…no..not this" he pleaded.
"Get his scarf and gag him."
Ardeth felt his legs being spread and he felt the two friends of Nazeem, sit on each of his legs. He felt Nazeems cock press against his opening, he tried to move but the men sitting on him wouldn't let him. He tensed up as the cock was pushed in.
"Oh, so tight and sweet" moaned Nazeem.
The man pulled out a bit and using some wine that he had been drinking, oiled his cock and tried again. This time it went in. Ardeth had never felt such pain, waves of agony flooded over him. He screamed into the gag.