#ardeth bay angst

[haveanotherfandomblog]

The Curse of Imhotep Masterlist

Fandom: The Mummy (1999)

Pairing: Ardeth Bay x Fem!OC

Genre: Adventure, Angst, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Fluff

Warnings: TBD

Summary: When Margaret Carnahan was inducted into the secret Society that helped the mysterious Medjai, she had no idea what she was in for. She did her best to live a quiet life, keeping her adventures deep in the shadows, until her hapless older brother and clumsy younger sister insist they’ve found Hamunaptra. Now she’s on a quest to do the very thing she fought against, all to protect her loved ones.

Margaret Carnahan

First Encounters

[dd122004dd]

Broken & Betrothed

So, this is in response to a post I had made asking if ya'll would read a past life Ardeth Bay fic, well, it's finally here, part 1 of it. Hope ya'll enjoy it and so sorry for the wait. Summary: She is the sister of Nefertari and in love with her private guard but its forbidden and so they have to hide their relationship but her father, the pharaoh has betrothed her to another, so with a heavy heart she has to tell her lover that her father has betrothed her to someone else

Warnings: Angst, Heart break, Part 2 (THE HORROR!!!)

Part 2

The young Medjai strode across the alabaster stone floors. His footsteps were precise and silent. A pair of daggers attached to his hip glistened in the moonlight as he traced his way through the palace. Hidden by the shadows he moved swiftly, a destination in his mind as he entered her chamber.

She stood at her balcony, her hair shimmering in the dark as she gazed at the night sky.

‘The moon is a gift from Khonsu’, she told him once, ‘it guides travelers across Kek’s darkness.’ Silently he had motioned her to continue as he kissed her shoulder gently, ‘I wish I was a traveler; I wish I could see all the beautiful places I hear about. I want to see where the luxurious clothes I wear come from, I want to know how their strings are woven together, to see color bleed into their very strands. I want to know where the jewels I’m adorned with come from, where the spices on my tongue are grown, but most of all I want to see your hometown, the place where you grew up, the place you recall with such fondness in your eyes.’ That night he held her as she told him of her dreams, knowing that her duty, her royal blood bound her to her gilded cage.

Gazing at her his heart ached as she hummed a soft tune, it was a familiar tune, one he’d heard multiple times when the priestesses of Hathor worshipped her. Lost in her voice, he continued gazing at her, his limbs softly swaying with her voice, the jangle of his daggers accompanying her voice to form a symphony unheard of before.

Slowly the song dwindled into a comforting silence, the pair basking in it as if afraid to break this moment of comfort. “Will you simply stand there, Ardeth?” she finally asked, breaking the silence. “What would you command of me, Princess? I am but your servant.”

“Princess? You haven’t called me that in a long time.” She said sadly as she turned to look at him.

“I’m afraid it is time I start addressing you by your title, Princess. I have been remiss in my duties and have allowed myself to become too familiar with the one I was destined to serve.” He said formally, trying to distance himself, trying to hold himself back from comforting his lover.

“You’ve heard.” She stated simply, realizing why he was so distant that night.

“You are betrothed,” he stated monotonously as the very words he mumbled ripped his heart apart yet he held out hope that she’d reject his allegation, that she’d take him in her arms and strip away his doubts.

“Yes,” she shakily said as tears welled in her eyes. Stepping forward she reached out to him, silently begging for comfort. Despite his own bleeding heart, he enveloped her within his arms as she shook from the force of her sobs. He hugged her closer as though he wanted to merge her into himself, as though if he held her close enough, she wouldn’t be ripped apart from him, as though his arms could protect her from the hands of the Pharoah, from her father, from her fate.

Tears dripped down his face as the pair sank to the floor, clutching onto each other as if, if they’d let go for even a moment the strong currents of the Nile would part them. In that moment he cursed the gods, wondering why they’d let such pain befall an innocent such as her, wondering why they’d make him pay for his countless sins by putting her through so much pain. For many nights they had laid together, falling deeper into each other till their very souls melded into one, till even the blood within their veins was shared, their bodies and minds now one. They had prayed to Hathor, the goddess of love, to never separate them, yet the coy goddess refused their prayers. Rather, she made them love each other only to have it ripped apart before their very eyes.

Perhaps the most painful thing about this was that both of them were alive, for what was more torturous than seeing your beloved in the arms of another when all they crave is your arms around them?

“I-I don’t want t-to marry-y him, A-Ardeth,” she said, hiccupping. “I can’t.”

“It is your duty and your Pharaoh’s decree,” he said, hating the words coming from his mouth with a burning passion.

“You’d rather me marry someone else? Someone who’s not you?” She asked, feeling hurt at his complacency as she rose to her feet, anger and hurt radiating from her body. Staring at him through reddened eyes she cradled herself in an attempt to comfort herself.

Feeling her rip herself apart from him, the dam holding back his emotions burst as he desperately crawled towards her and wrapped his arms around her hips. Burying his face against her soft stomach he wept bitterly. He pulled her closer as she wrapped her arm around his head, slowly soothing him as she brushed her fingers through his onyx locks.

He looked up at her with red-rimmed eyes as desperation filled his gaze, “I’d rather you lived in the arms of another man than be buried alive within my embrace.”

“I’d rather enter the afterlife bound to you than separated from you.”

“Do you not see you are my very reason to breathe?” he asked desperately.

“Do you not see, without you, I cannot live? You are my reason to live. To survive. To fight,” she stated with conviction.

“I cannot and will not sacrifice your safety, My Princess. In this life or the after-life.” He stated, rising to his feet as his eyes tried to convey his emotions.

“So, you’d rather see me in the arms of another man? Some pompous King from a distant land?”

“I’d rather see you alive and unhappy than dead,” he stated with finality as he walked away from the love of his life. His chest felt void with every step he took away from her, refusing to look back for if he did, he knew his resolve would crumble and he’d try to run away with her, consequences be damned. Yet, deep down even he knew that she did not deserve a life of hardship and that was the only life he could promise her.

“Don’t you see? I’d rather spend my afterlife in your arms than be bound to a marriage I detest, in this life and the next.” She whispered to an empty room, her knees tucked under her chin as she wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to shield herself from the growing emptiness in her chest.

~

Weddings were an exciting affair. They were supposed to be a happy affair, commencing with a feast at the bride’s home before she departed with the wedding gifts to live with her husband as his wife. It was a period of excitement where families came together to celebrate, it was supposed to be a time of happiness yet she couldn’t seem to muster a spark of joy within her soul.

In public she played the role of the perfect princess, the beautiful blushing bride yet with every smile, with every chuckle, with every compliment she got she felt like crying, like ripping her jewels off and baring her soul for everyone to see. She desired to bare her heart to the world, to show everyone who’s name was truly carved into her heart, yet she could not. He left her, refused to fight for her, for them.

He had been avoiding her. He had traded shifts with another guard till one day she awoke to a new personal guard. On inquiring about the change, the new guard, Naten, told her that Ardeth had requested the change. Whenever she saw him lurking in the corridors he simply walked away, pretending she didn’t exist. Perhaps that’s what hurt more than being apart from him. His refusal to acknowledge her.

During the day she was a blushing bride, but at night she grieved the living lover she lost. Her mournful cries merged with the wails of widows along the streets of the city. Unheard and unseen she shed her tears till finally one day someone saw. It was her sister, Nefertiri, who found her nestled on her windowsill with her knees tucked against her chest. She gazed at the moon once again, but this time she sung a mournful tune. Trails of kohl long-dried on her face as she sniffled.

“Sister?”

“Nefertiri?” she asked, startled by her appearance.

“Why are you crying?”

“I’m not crying.”

“Don’t take me for a fool. Tell me. What has caused you so much pain?”

“Nothing, Nefertiri. Just leave it alone.”

“I cannot, you are my sister and it’s my duty to protect you,” she said, staring into her sister’s eyes with sincerity. She snorted at that word again, duty, the very thing that doomed her.

Looking into Nefertiri’s eyes, tears welled in her own as she cuddled into her sister’s nostalgic embrace, a reminiscent of when she used to comfort her when they were children. Her sister gently hushed her, slowly rocking her back and forth as she cried.

Hours passed by as the night slowly dwindled into day and Ra’s boat, Mandjet, came forth from the underworld. It was then she finally confessed, unburdening herself of the burden she carried. She poured her heart out to her sister about the lover she was tragically torn apart from.

Her sister could only look at her in sympathy, knowing that their father’s word was law and that she would not be able to help her. All she could do was offer her comfort. For the first time the powerful princess, Nefertiri, Lily of the Nile and wielder of the spear of Shapneh was helpless, she couldn’t do anything to interfere in her sister’s fate so she simply offered her comfort.

~

A new face had appeared in court, a beautiful woman by the name Anck-Su-Namun, the daughter of a noble at court. She was as graceful as she was deadly, trained in combat she was a skilled woman, impressing the court with her prowess. Quickly she caught the eye of the Pharaoh. Her alluring appearance and saccharine words appealed to the older widower. She consumed his thoughts till she became his most favored concubine. Soon, she was to be the Queen, bound to bear a male heir to the throne. Men lusted after her and Pharaoh’s harem envied her, yet all the wealth of Egypt was not enough for her, she desired more, something different, someone different.

Anck-Su-Namun was Princess Nefertiri’s combat instructor before she caught the Pharaoh’s eye so as a part of her wedding celebrations, a martial display between Anck-Su-Namun and Nefertiri was organized by the Pharaoh.

It was that very night that Pharaoh had been slain by his favorite lover and his trusted High Priest. The Medjai rushed to save him but they were too late. The Pharaoh bled out on the stone floors.

Nefertiri bore witness to the event, her eyes burning with rage at the death of her father. Leading the Medjai in pursuit of the priest who sought to perform a perversion against the very gods themselves, raising someone from the dead and ripping them away from the judgement of Anubis, she finally caught the priest, ordering the Homdai, the most terrifying of curses, a cursed death, a half-life, an eternity of torment.

The entirety of Egypt was in mourning, with the Pharaoh gone, who would lead them? In this moment of turmoil, Nefertiri rose to the challenge, becoming the Pharaoh herself. Like any new ruler she had to establish herself as capable, yet she did it with an unfaltering grace soon becoming beloved by her people.

Her first act as Pharaoh was breaking her sister’s betrothal. Her betrothed was not pleased and demanded compensation for the betrothal which was granted to the man in the form of a different bride, a far more willing cousin of the Pharoah who had yet to be wed.

With the betrothal ended she could breathe a sigh of relief, now she remained untethered, yet the man of her desires still refused to look at her.

Perhaps he was consumed with shame or guilt or even self-loathing. Perhaps his pride kept him from her. Perhaps he believed himself unworthy. Whatever the reason was, his avoidance was getting infuriating, so with a sense of new-found determination she decided to find him, or like her sister said, “Grab him by his ear and make him listen.”

Part 2

[sobeautifullyobsessed]

Look, if you've followed me a while, you know I only write fan fiction of Benedict's characters (and farther in the past, of various AU Benedicts). However, I'm watching the Mummy marathon right now, and my mind is creating head canons for this guy -

Ardeth Bay

Tall, dark, divinely handsome (especially with that glorious hair),oh so mysterious (owing to a tragic loss in his past), a fearless & skilled warrior, a natural, confident leader...and putting all those things together, too damn sexy for words. Beneath the black robes of an ascetic, there beats a heart capable of great passion, though he hides it from to world, to focus solely on his duties.

The Medjai began as Pharaoh's sacred bodyguards and later became the guardians against the evil lying beneath the sands of Hamunaptra. They are referred to as the descendants of those bodyguards, so I'm thinking they come from specific bloodlines or clans. Which would mean they aren't necessarily pledged to a celibate life.😁

His father and grandfather had high standing because of their deeds and bravery. Ardeth showed the same potential, not only throughout his training but also as a youth of true honor and intuitive brilliance. Thus, although his people usually followed the tradition of arranged marriages, he was fortunate to be able to wed for love and not dowery or status. He was 17, and his lovely Sakina was 16, when they took their vows.

Though his responsibilities kept them apart for days or even weeks at a time, the time they had together was true bliss. It was acknowledged in their tribe that they were a blessed match, for Ardeth's love and devotion to Sakina was ever writ clear upon his face - even at the mere mention of her name.

Now here comes the ANGST ('cuz if I were to write him, there would have to be angst!)...

Sakina became pregnant shortly before the one year anniversary of their marriage - but did not live to see what should've been their second. The midwife had predicted she would bear a strong, healthy son from the way Sakina was carrying, but she went into labor two months too soon (modern medicine would use the term placental abruption). The baby was indeed a boy, but Sakina bled out shortly after they placed him in her arms. He followed a scant 36 hours later.

Devastated, feeling he had lost all purpose with the death of his little family, Ardeth threw himself hard into his mission, eventually becoming the fiercest Medjai his people had seen in generations. No one knew the tears he shed in the dark of night for many, many months, and he vowed to himself to never love anyone or anything as much as he had loved Sakina, for the pain of losing her and their child had been nearly unendurable.

So, of course, if I were to write him, I'd create an OFC quite the opposite of his Sakina. A hot-tempered, snarky but astonishingly brave-for-a-woman (the typical social mores of the 1930's at play here) adventuress. Not quite enemies-to-lovers, they'd continually clash, but through shared danger, they'd eventually begin to see past the stereotypes each holds about the other.

[ficmesideways]

Request for Anonymous Gif source: Evie and Jonathan / Ardeth

Imagine being Evie and Jonathan’s sister, the reincarnation of Imhotep’s wife, and falling for Ardeth.

------- Imagine -------

“That, that can’t be right.” Evie said, looking at Jonathan and then you with fear in her eyes.

“Well, what does it say?” You asked, staring at your older sister as Ardeth stood behind you, watching you and your sibling’s back as you found yourselves in yet another escapade involving Mummies. You leaned slightly against him, reassuring yourself with the body heat of your best friend and the man yo had secretly been in love with for years as you continued to wait for your sister to tell you what she had found in order to stop Imhotep this time.

“It….its says that his wife would be reincarnated as….as a recurring enemy’s beloved sister.”

“Oh-kay. Vague much, but we can figure it…what?” You paused in the middle of your sentence as Evie ad Joathan just stared at you and then you felt Ardeth move from behind you. “What?” You asked again your voice catching when you saw Ardeth look down at you with a look he never had before; it was a desolate mixture of loss and disgust.

“It’s been you this whole time. How could I have been so damn blind.”

“Art, what are you talking about.” You whispered ad went to reach out to him as his body was blocking your siblings view of you. When he caught your hand in a hard grip and he glared at you, you jerked away from him and stepped back.

“It’s you.” He said again in disbelief. “You are his reincarnated wife.”

“That’s crazy, I can’t be.” You said almost laughing in hysteria as you felt your chest clench in pain at they way he was watching you. You looked over to Evie and Jonathan for help, and to their credit they came around Ardeth and stood on either side of you. “We can figure this all out later, in the meantime we need to meet up with Rick and figure out our next move.”

You nodded and let your siblings guide you from Ardeth. You just managed to look back and noticed the despair you had missed on his face the first time as he watched your siblings lead you away.

[a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all]

The Blade of Eternity

Whumptober 2022: 14. “I’ll be right behind you.”, Alt Prompt for Day 22. Stabbing Fandom: The Mummy, Ardeth Bay Word Count: 1549 TW: Angst, Sword Fighting, Curses, Separation Notes: Thank you to @waywaychuck for the request to write for Ardeth. It is my first attempt at him but I hope you enjoy!

When your old buddy Rick had asked you to join him on his latest adventure, there was no way you ever expected it to turn out the way it did. Mummies and curses and death and almost the end of the world. But once the fighting had settled and the day had been saved, Rick walked away with the love of his life, and so did you. 

Ardeth was unlike any of the men you had been drawn to in the past. He was stoic, calm, and composed. Yet the moment he picked up his sword, he came alive with a ferocity and passion that took your breath away. After your adventure fighting Imhotep, Rick, Evie, and Jonathan decided to move to London, but you stayed behind in Egypt. For the past two years, you have lived with Ardeth and the Medjai, watching over not only Imhotep’s tomb but various other cursed places in the area. 

Which is how the two of you found yourselves in your current predicament. Rumors had been swirling that some explorers had stumped upon one of the tombs you guarded. It was said to house the Blade of Eternity, a dagger that contained the power to turn anyone whose skin was pierced by it into a statue of sand. It was also said that the statues of its victims would come to life and become an army that would be under the command of whoever possessed the Blade. If that was true, the Blade could not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.

So, you and Ardeth hurried to the tomb and quickly navigated the twisting passageways until you reached the center throne room. You arrived just in time to see one of the explorers removing the Blade of Eternity from its resting place on the altar. Ardeth tried to cry out a warning but it was too late.

Suddenly, a massive gust of wind whipped around the room, swirling a wave of sand around the man and blocking him from view. Ardeth pulled you close to protect you from the stinging bite of the sand and you buried your face into his chest. 

When the storm settled, you peeked your head up to see the man still standing at the altar. He seemed perfectly fine except for his eyes. They were now glowing a bright yellowish-white, almost like two small suns nestled in his face. As he gazed down at the blade, a low, cruel laugh began to bubble out of his chest. It grew louder as he raised the Blade into the air before stabbing it down into the altar. 

A bright light flashed through the room, temporarily blinding you. As you tried to recover, the room began to shake. The man with the Blade’s other companions looked around nervously. One approached the man slowly and held out his hand. 

In one quick movement, the man with the Blade ripped the dagger from the altar and stabbed it into his companion’s heart. You gasped loudly in surprise, the sound finally drawing attention to you and Ardeth. 

The man with the Blade’s face twisted into a demented grin as he made eye contact with you. Then, without breaking it, he yanked the dagger from his companion's chest. The companion fell to the floor but even as you watched, you could see his skin starting to quickly crust over as he began turning into one of the sand statues that lined the room. 

There was another tremble throughout the tomb and with a start, you realized that those statues were beginning to move as they came to life to follow their new master. You glanced at Ardeth and he met your eye. He nodded and the two of you drew your swords at the same time. You had to get the dagger away from the man as soon as possible before more and more of the sand statues came to life. If not, you would quickly be outnumbered. With a loud cry, you launched yourself into the room.

The fight was a blur of swords and sand. The staatues were much more solid than you expected, taking much more force and effort to stop than anticipated. And for every one you managed to cut down, another took its place. You quickly lost sight of Ardeth in all of the excitement. At one point you thought you saw him near the altar and you heard a small grunt that you could have sworn was his, but you couldn’t be sure.

Eventually, you managed to maneuver your way around to the back of the altar. The man with the Blade was preoccupied with controlling his army and he never saw you coming. With one fierce thrust of your sword, you drove it through his back and into his heart. 

The man gasped as he dropped the Blade of Eternity. He looked over his shoulder at you as the twin suns in his eyes slowly faded and he disintegrated into a pile of sand. All of the statues immediately froze in place; no longer having a master to control them. Ardeth was the only one still standing and he smiled softly up at you, pride shining on his face. You smiled back just as warmly. 

Then, you took off your scarf and used it to pick up the Blade of Eternity without directly making contact with it. As carefully as possible, you placed it back on its pedestal on top of the altar but as soon as you did, the entire tomb began to shake. Sand dropped from the ceiling and you noticed in horror that the entrance to the room was slowly closing.

“Why are all of these places always boobytrapped!” You yelled as you jumped off of the alter. Running over, you grabbed Ardeth’s hand. “Come on! We have to get out of here.”

The two of you took off towards the exit, hand in hand. But just as you could see the first glimpse of sunlight peeking through from up ahead, Ardeth stumbled, his hand slipping from yours. You turned to see him panting heavily with one hand pressed against his side as he tried to catch his breath. 

Hurrying back to him, you said, “Come on, we’re almost there. We can make it.” 

But as you tried to pull him along, he winced, taking a deep shuddering breath. Your eyes widened as you pushed his hand from his side. There was a small gash in his robes where they had been sliced, but instead of oozing blood, sand poured from the wound instead. 

He looked up at you, his dark eyes full of regret. “I’m sorry, my love.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” you asked, your voice trembling.

“There was nothing you could do. Now, go, hurry. I’ll be right behind you.”

You shook your head as you whispered, “No, you won’t.”

He smiled, wiping a tear from your cheek. “No… I won’t.”

Throwing yourself into his arms, you sobbed into his chest. There is no way to fix this. From the moment he had been cut, his fate had been sealed. Ardeth was now cursed with a fate worse than death and there was nothing you could do about it.

Yet, you couldn’t accept that, wouldn’t accept that. In the last few years, you had seen too many impossible things to believe that there wasn’t a way to save him. Somewhere out there, scrawled on a piece of long-forgotten parchment or etched into a temple wall, there had to be a way to stop this magic and save your love. 

As you lifted your head to stare up into his eyes, Ardeth cupped your face in his hand. You smiled softly. “I’ll find a way. I promise. No matter how long it takes me, I will come back for you.”

He smiled back at you as he ran his thumb across your cheek. “I know you will.” Drawing you in, he pressed his lips against yours. 

The kiss was all-consuming. It carried the heat of the desert sun and the intensity of a wild sandstorm. It said everything neither of you had the words for and so much more. But more than anything, it wasn’t a goodbye. It was a promise of ‘until we meet again’. 

As he broke away, he pushed you gently towards the trickle of light in the distance. “Go. And carry my love with you.”

“Always,” you whispered as you began to back away. Taking one last lingering look at the man you loved, you turned and sprinted for the entrance of the tomb.

Making it to the door just as it was about to shut completely, you dove under it, scrambling to get far enough away as soon as you hit the sand. With a massive *thump* the door sealed itself behind you. 

Panting, you rose to your feet and stumbled over to the door. Pressing your hand against it, you wondered if Ardeth was doing the same on the other side…. Or if he was even still human enough to do so. As tears began to roll down your cheeks once more, you silently promised him you would be back. One way or another, you would find a way to free him from this curse. 

Tag List: @nik2blog, @dumb-fawkin-bitch, @shirley2996

[a-reader-and-a-writer]

The Blade of Eternity

Whumptober 2022: 14. “I’ll be right behind you.”, Alt Prompt for Day 22. Stabbing Fandom: The Mummy, Ardeth Bay Word Count: 1549 TW: Angst, Sword Fighting, Curses, Separation Notes: Thank you to @waywaychuck for the request to write for Ardeth. It is my first attempt at him but I hope you enjoy!

When your old buddy Rick had asked you to join him on his latest adventure, there was no way you ever expected it to turn out the way it did. Mummies and curses and death and almost the end of the world. But once the fighting had settled and the day had been saved, Rick walked away with the love of his life, and so did you. 

Ardeth was unlike any of the men you had been drawn to in the past. He was stoic, calm, and composed. Yet the moment he picked up his sword, he came alive with a ferocity and passion that took your breath away. After your adventure fighting Imhotep, Rick, Evie, and Jonathan decided to move to London, but you stayed behind in Egypt. For the past two years, you have lived with Ardeth and the Medjai, watching over not only Imhotep’s tomb but various other cursed places in the area. 

Which is how the two of you found yourselves in your current predicament. Rumors had been swirling that some explorers had stumped upon one of the tombs you guarded. It was said to house the Blade of Eternity, a dagger that contained the power to turn anyone whose skin was pierced by it into a statue of sand. It was also said that the statues of its victims would come to life and become an army that would be under the command of whoever possessed the Blade. If that was true, the Blade could not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.

So, you and Ardeth hurried to the tomb and quickly navigated the twisting passageways until you reached the center throne room. You arrived just in time to see one of the explorers removing the Blade of Eternity from its resting place on the altar. Ardeth tried to cry out a warning but it was too late.

Suddenly, a massive gust of wind whipped around the room, swirling a wave of sand around the man and blocking him from view. Ardeth pulled you close to protect you from the stinging bite of the sand and you buried your face into his chest. 

When the storm settled, you peeked your head up to see the man still standing at the altar. He seemed perfectly fine except for his eyes. They were now glowing a bright yellowish-white, almost like two small suns nestled in his face. As he gazed down at the blade, a low, cruel laugh began to bubble out of his chest. It grew louder as he raised the Blade into the air before stabbing it down into the altar. 

A bright light flashed through the room, temporarily blinding you. As you tried to recover, the room began to shake. The man with the Blade’s other companions looked around nervously. One approached the man slowly and held out his hand. 

In one quick movement, the man with the Blade ripped the dagger from the altar and stabbed it into his companion’s heart. You gasped loudly in surprise, the sound finally drawing attention to you and Ardeth. 

The man with the Blade’s face twisted into a demented grin as he made eye contact with you. Then, without breaking it, he yanked the dagger from his companion's chest. The companion fell to the floor but even as you watched, you could see his skin starting to quickly crust over as he began turning into one of the sand statues that lined the room. 

There was another tremble throughout the tomb and with a start, you realized that those statues were beginning to move as they came to life to follow their new master. You glanced at Ardeth and he met your eye. He nodded and the two of you drew your swords at the same time. You had to get the dagger away from the man as soon as possible before more and more of the sand statues came to life. If not, you would quickly be outnumbered. With a loud cry, you launched yourself into the room.

The fight was a blur of swords and sand. The staatues were much more solid than you expected, taking much more force and effort to stop than anticipated. And for every one you managed to cut down, another took its place. You quickly lost sight of Ardeth in all of the excitement. At one point you thought you saw him near the altar and you heard a small grunt that you could have sworn was his, but you couldn’t be sure.

Eventually, you managed to maneuver your way around to the back of the altar. The man with the Blade was preoccupied with controlling his army and he never saw you coming. With one fierce thrust of your sword, you drove it through his back and into his heart. 

The man gasped as he dropped the Blade of Eternity. He looked over his shoulder at you as the twin suns in his eyes slowly faded and he disintegrated into a pile of sand. All of the statues immediately froze in place; no longer having a master to control them. Ardeth was the only one still standing and he smiled softly up at you, pride shining on his face. You smiled back just as warmly. 

Then, you took off your scarf and used it to pick up the Blade of Eternity without directly making contact with it. As carefully as possible, you placed it back on its pedestal on top of the altar but as soon as you did, the entire tomb began to shake. Sand dropped from the ceiling and you noticed in horror that the entrance to the room was slowly closing.

“Why are all of these places always boobytrapped!” You yelled as you jumped off of the alter. Running over, you grabbed Ardeth’s hand. “Come on! We have to get out of here.”

The two of you took off towards the exit, hand in hand. But just as you could see the first glimpse of sunlight peeking through from up ahead, Ardeth stumbled, his hand slipping from yours. You turned to see him panting heavily with one hand pressed against his side as he tried to catch his breath. 

Hurrying back to him, you said, “Come on, we’re almost there. We can make it.” 

But as you tried to pull him along, he winced, taking a deep shuddering breath. Your eyes widened as you pushed his hand from his side. There was a small gash in his robes where they had been sliced, but instead of oozing blood, sand poured from the wound instead. 

He looked up at you, his dark eyes full of regret. “I’m sorry, my love.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” you asked, your voice trembling.

“There was nothing you could do. Now, go, hurry. I’ll be right behind you.”

You shook your head as you whispered, “No, you won’t.”

He smiled, wiping a tear from your cheek. “No… I won’t.”

Throwing yourself into his arms, you sobbed into his chest. There is no way to fix this. From the moment he had been cut, his fate had been sealed. Ardeth was now cursed with a fate worse than death and there was nothing you could do about it.

Yet, you couldn’t accept that, wouldn’t accept that. In the last few years, you had seen too many impossible things to believe that there wasn’t a way to save him. Somewhere out there, scrawled on a piece of long-forgotten parchment or etched into a temple wall, there had to be a way to stop this magic and save your love. 

As you lifted your head to stare up into his eyes, Ardeth cupped your face in his hand. You smiled softly. “I’ll find a way. I promise. No matter how long it takes me, I will come back for you.”

He smiled back at you as he ran his thumb across your cheek. “I know you will.” Drawing you in, he pressed his lips against yours. 

The kiss was all-consuming. It carried the heat of the desert sun and the intensity of a wild sandstorm. It said everything neither of you had the words for and so much more. But more than anything, it wasn’t a goodbye. It was a promise of ‘until we meet again’. 

As he broke away, he pushed you gently towards the trickle of light in the distance. “Go. And carry my love with you.”

“Always,” you whispered as you began to back away. Taking one last lingering look at the man you loved, you turned and sprinted for the entrance of the tomb.

Making it to the door just as it was about to shut completely, you dove under it, scrambling to get far enough away as soon as you hit the sand. With a massive *thump* the door sealed itself behind you. 

Panting, you rose to your feet and stumbled over to the door. Pressing your hand against it, you wondered if Ardeth was doing the same on the other side…. Or if he was even still human enough to do so. As tears began to roll down your cheeks once more, you silently promised him you would be back. One way or another, you would find a way to free him from this curse. 

Tag List: @loverhymeswith, @babblydrabbly, @lorecraft, @green-socks, @sunshineflowerchild789, @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy

[dirt-cup-draco]

Ardeth x Reader - Too Late For Us

Hi!! Could I kindly request an Ardeth Bay x Reader (Rick’s sister) where they had history but reader left with Rick and Evelyn to London after the first movie and bc of Alex they now meet again to defeat Imhotep and the Scorpion King, but Ardeth is engaged already to a woman from his tribe and reader is incredible jealous. Both reader and Ardeth still love each other though

When Evy and Rick had come to you, explaining that times were changing for the worst yet again, it went without saying that you would be helping them, right beside your brother and sister-in-law. What didn’t really sink in until you were in a plane, on your way to save the world from danger it couldn’t fathom, was that you would have to see Ardeth. Just as you felt responsibility to your sibling, he felt responsibility to keeping Imhotep buried once and for all. 

“What if he doesn’t want to see me?” Rick just rolled his eyes as you bit at your fingernails, a nervous habit you had thought you had left behind long ago. You also thought you had officially left your feelings behind but it didn’t seem like those had disappeared either. You weren’t ready to see Ardeth yet at the same time you could think of nothing else that would make you happier. The terror and excitement swirled in your stomach and you were left feeling sick. 

“I’m sure he’ll be very pleased to see you,” Evy comforted, hand warm on yours as she gave you a sympathetic look. 

You and Ardeth had grown very close the first time you had met, some invisible force drawing you together that not even the chaos around you could withhold. It had started with longing glances and slight touches, a hand on the small of your back as you tried to stay upright on the shifting sand, your knee bumping against his as you warmed yourselves in front of a fire that Rick had started as the sun set. 

One night everything had snapped into place, the tension growing until neither of you could handle it anymore. Jonathon was curled up in the sand, a bottle grasped in his hand. Evy was laying comfortably in a sleeping bag, Rick dozing peacefully near her. You found it sweet, your brother, whether he would have admitted it then or not, had found the woman for him. Alternatively, you and Ardeth were still awake, shoulder to shoulder and gazing at the stars. You thought that maybe you had found the man for you. 

The both of you had connected eyes at the same time, a sentence pausing in Ardeth’s throat as your closeness rattled him. “I-I was just going to say how beautiful the stars were tonight,” He confessed, looking surprisingly flustered. 

Without another word between the two of you, your lips had engaged in a dance that left your legs feeling weak. His hands were steady and his lips insistent as he pulled you closer, daring to nibble at your lip. You had been putty in his hands. You had both stumbled to a tent, too busy getting lost in the feel of his scruff against your neck and his hands kneading at your hips to think properly. Ardeth had left an impression on you that wasn’t fading, as well as several hickies if you remembered correctly but you hadn’t been complaining. 

After that, you both had little time to be near, let alone intimate. Time passed and when it was your time to leave, you had hesitated. Pulling Ardeth aside you had discussed a future that you could only dream of now, one where you sent letters frequently and stayed in touche, one where you visited and let the seeds of this whirlwind romance grow. 

But, just like in dreams, it was fleeting no matter how many times you tried to fall back asleep and continue the fantasy. 

You held to little bits and pieces, old letters he sent before he halted them completely without another word as well as the memories you shared. You hoped he was alright or that he hadn’t forgotten you at the very least. Did he think of you the way you thought of him? You were shaken from your thoughts as the plane landed, your heart in your head and your logical reasoning gone somewhere out the window. 

With the sun glaring down on you with unforgiving rays, you followed Rick and Evy as they chatted idly. You were too busy ogling the man that you had adored as he came into focus, hopping gracefully from his horse as he greeted your little traveling group with open arms a cheerful grin. “My friends,” His rich voice danced around in your head, turning your every thought to mush. 

Ardeth knew you would be arriving with your brother, it was a certainty. He however hadn’t thought he would feel his chest restrict at the sight of you, his heart aching uncomfortably. You looked like a deer caught in the headlights as you watched him and his stomach turned. Even now and he could see the adoration in your eyes, even if it was veiled by hurt. 

He had enjoyed your company, you had been hypnotizing and strong and Ardeth had been starved for touch, his body in tune with yours. However, when you left it only took him a month or so to realize that he didn’t care for you as you cared for him. Ardeth liked you but your connection had been purely physical, he missed your presence but only as a friend. It had been fun, passionate fun, but only that. He hadn’t had the guts to tell you he didn’t see you two going any further in any aspect besides friendship. 

The months had passed and then years. You were still a brilliant and beautiful woman, even a decade later but the spell you seemed to be under had worn off of him. “Come in,” He urged, his voice strained the slightest bit as he invited you all into his home that was just over the sand dune he had appeared from. “I have had refreshments prepared for you all,” 

“You mean I’ve prepared refreshments,” Came a teasing voice. It was soft and sweet, with a faux edge that made Ardeth’s heart burst with affection. However, you were feeling quite the opposite. It was as if a cold bucket of water had been tossed onto you when you had least been expecting it. A woman with a straight back and bright eyes sauntered into the humble living room you had all gather in, tucking herself into Ardeth’s side as if it was second nature.

You watched as he smiled, the warm expression dropping slightly as he caught your eye. He set his arm over her shoulder, pressing a kiss to her temple but he found he couldn’t look away from the betrayed look in your eyes. What would ease your pain? He wondered momentarily. Ardeth had tried to spare you by cutting off contact, letting you move on as he had, but it seemed he had only hurt you more. 

“Yes, I must give credit where credit is due, my love,” Ardeth cooed. 

Rick grinned, oblivious to the way your heart shattered. “You old dog! How did you manage to land such a knock out?” Rick was charming and she giggled at the compliment. Evy subtly elbowed Rick in the side, her other arm extending but in such a way that no one could see the show of support. You gripped her hand, willing her strength to be yours. It took everything in you to not cry. You had your own doubts, but a part of you had been hoping so badly that he had waited for you like you’d waited for him. 

“I ask myself that every day,” Ardeth answered Rick, eyes now glued lovingly to his lover’s face. “I have been blessed to have her by my side, these past five years have been a dream with her. I couldn’t ask for a better wife,” 

Ardeth emphasized the word. Wife. He has a fucking wife! You nearly whimpered. You had been starry eyed over him for years and here he was, happily married for nearly as long as you two had been separated. He knew you were processing the information, he could see it in the ways your eyes had gone dull, your expression exceptionally blank as you tried not to cry. 

You bit your lip in the hopes it would stop trembling. “How wonderful! Congratulations, friend.” You finally managed, words tasting bitter but sounding saccharine. Evy squeezed your hand as your shoulders shook imperceptibly, your entire body tensing to stop the physical reaction of your heartbreak. It was a cruel joke to bring you back to him only to shove the happiness he had found in your face. 

“Now how about those refreshments, huh?” You pressed, “I’m starving! Anyone else?” Your voice pitched without warning and the group was left looking at you in question before laughing softly. 

“A woman with an appetite, I like you,” Ardeth’s wife grinned, sending you a playful wink. Unbeknownst to her, you had been hoping to jump her husband’s bones not even two hours ago. You tried to smile back but it fell flat. 

“Y/N-” Evy whispered as the others began to filter in to the kitchen, the two of you diddling behind. 

“It’s fine,” You muttered. “It’s too late for us now, my fault I didn’t see that sooner,” Without another word uttered, you locked your heart away and calmed your expression. You were here to save the world, not let it crumble around you. Ardeth gave you an apologetic look and you nodded curtly. An understanding passed between you then. 

Whatever your history had been, it wasn’t to be repeated. 

[importantchaosgiver]

The Light Of Days...

Summary: Part 1 to a series. This is a crossover between The Mummy (1999) and a bit of Once Upon a Time although it's mentioned and only appears at the beginning and end of the series. This is an Ardeth Bay x Oc. I'll explain my Oc at the end. Also, not my gif.

Warnings: Slight angst

Alana POV

I looked at the papers before me that I had collected from Regina. She was a bit concerned about the whole thing but, it had to be done. I can't get in the way even if I still loved my soon to be ex husband. With a heavy heart, I put the papers on the table that my husband was sat at, polishing an antique. He looked at my solemn face then at the documents. "What's this?" he asked, putting down the artefact and picking up the papers. He froze when he saw what it meant. 

"Divorce papers. I'll need your signature. I've already signed it," I muttered. His dark brown eyes looked into my amber ones. "W-Why?" Rumple asked, standing up. "It's not because of anything you did. I see the way you look at Belle and her in return. We loved each other once, long ago but, that passion and love is elsewhere. You've found that in her and I can't blame you. We may be a balance, my love but, I cannot deny this feeling. You are meant to be with her, not with me," I explained, taking my wedding band and engagement ring off and putting it on the desk. "I'm sorry," Rumplestiltskin whispered after I turned my back to walk away. "I forgive you. Treat her well, Rumple. For I know true love when I see it. She shall repair your heart and fix your struggles. She is the light you have been looking for. Goodbye," I said, trying not to show my sadness in my tone before walking out of the shop.

I went to my house and got changed into my uniform, putting my dagger in its holster upon my thigh and writing a letter to Emma, saying that I was leaving and if she was in need of my services, she merely speak the incantation to summon me. Teleporting to the roof of the clocktower, I observed the town of Storybrooke, taking mental pictures and remembering the good times of my stay. But now, it'll be best if I leave and let them find their own way. 

Without thinking, I teleported myself, wanting to be far away. What do I get for not thinking of a location? A face full of sand. Pulling myself up, I vigorously wiped my face to get the sand out of my eyes and mouth. Once I could see, I opened my eyes. Okay, pyramids in the distance. I'm in Egypt. But, these should be ruins. Why do they look brand new? There was shouting so I quickly rose to my feet to see people wearing ancient clothing. Hang on............. did I time travel?! A man with an intense gaze walked up to me. Seeing the scimitar in his hand, I decided not to let him close to me. Throwing my hand back, I threw him backwards, sending him into the ground, sprawled out. That's when archers decided to get a bit brave and sent arrows flying my way. 

Growling, I decided to shapeshift into a dragon. I roared loudly as the citizens and guards below whispered and gasped. Then, they all got down on their knees and bowed before me. That was different................

*****

So, this woman is called Alana Hanlon. Her last name means light. She was a young kind woman in a village. Her soul was pure and no darkness could ever enter her heart. Her mother died because of a disease and she was raised by her father.

However, she got the very same disease and no matter how hard her father tried, he couldn't save her. So, her father made a deal with the Dark One. As long as she lived, she couldn't go back to see her father nor her village.

She became the Light One with advanced magic and the ability to control the elements and shapeshift. However, she can't see the future like Rumplestiltskin. Over time, the two fell in love with each other and got married after the curse had been broken but ever since Belle turned up, Alana saw that her husband's love was with her. Not wanting to get in the way of true love, she broke up with him. Hope you enjoy. I may be a bit slow on updates.

[raining-in-my-soul]

I'm going to be turning this into a slasher/villain/fandom fanfic blog!

These are the characters I'll be writing for (subject to change as I watch films/play games and currently in no particular order).

Slashers:

-Brahms Heelshire (The Boy)

-Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)

-Michael Myers (OG and RZ- Halloween)

-Yautja (Predator) *

-Thomas Hewitt (Texas Chainsaw Massacre)

-Harry Warden (My Bloody Valentine)

-Asa Emory/The Collector (The Collector)

-Bo/Vincent Sinclair (House of Wax) (might do Lester if requested)

Movie Characters:

-Imhotep, Ardeth Bay, Jonathan Carnahan, Rick O'Connell (The Mummy)

-Captain Hook (Peter Pan 2003)

-Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice)

-General Hux, Darth Maul (Star Wars)

Video Games:

-All TF2 Mercs (Team Fortress 2)

-Farkas, Vilkas, Argis the Bulwark, Marcurio, Ondolemar, Ancano (Skyrim)

-Karl Heisenberg (RE8)

-Pyramid Head (Silent Hill)

-Just about anyone from RDR2 except Micah. But definitely big focus on Arthur

I will not write anything I feel uncomfortable with, which is outlined in the rules but specific asks are up to my discretion.

Allowed:

-Romantic

-Platonic

-Fluff

-Angst

-Smut

-AU

-Crossover

Not Allowed:

-Anything illegal or otherwise generally considered immoral

-Non-consensual activities

-Crossovers to a fandom I'm unfamiliar with

Formats you may request:

-Headcanons

-Oneshots

-Drabbles

-Alphabets

Feel free to send in asks or use prompts or anything your little heart's desire! And if you see a fandom I've listed but not the character you want to see, talk to me, I may make an exception for a character that isn't particularly inspiring for me, but I'm willing to write for!

All works will be character x reader and reader will either be female or gender neutral (sorry this is just what I feel comfortable writing)

*I am aware yautia are technically not slashers but I'm throwing them in anyway. Also I will take requests for specific yautia from the moves (ex: Scar, Wolf, Fugitive, etc)

[221bshrlocked]

Follow Your Heart

Pairing: Ardeth Bay x Reader

Words: 12,609. Please do not hate me. I put markers to where you can stop and continue later

Warnings: Some pining. Little bit of angst. Definitely some fluff. And as you should know by now, smut. Unusual dirty talk in the sense that it is more romantic than dirty. Hopefully it gets you going though.

A/N: I have not written anything in so long and I apologize that this is not what you expected (aka Bucky or Steve) after the on/off hiatus. I am genuinely surprised considering this is the longest story I have written. I’m trying my hand at something completely different and since there are a few of us out there thirsting for Ardeth Bae Bay, I hope you like this. And shout out to @mss4msu for literally handing me the Middle Egyptian and Hieratic on a platter because Lord knows I still suck at this and she is a genius. Also, Happy Birthday friend, you know who you are. Lastly, refer to this for an in depth disclaimer for this fic.

~I~

It was a quiet day, one of the few since you’ve arrived with Evy on the site. You weren’t one to tag along with her or her husband, but you couldn’t pass a chance to visit a place like Luxor, not when it was your professor’s favorite city. Being one of Sir Gaston Maspero’s students, you’ve heard all about the temple, this side of the Nile even, and you’d always wanted to come to it, not just for research purposes but to enjoy the magic that was Egypt. 

You always envied Evy for living in this place for so long, even wished you were favored by the librarians and professors like her, but she was much more charming, beautiful even. You were the cousin no one paid mind to, apart from the Professor of course. He had always favored you amongst the others and you didn’t mind it, not when you were learning about the greatest civilization in the world. You had always wished to be more connected to this land but sadly, you weren’t. Your only connection was the knowledge of the languages and the culture, not a parent you could always speak of during parties and galas. 

Looking up from your notebook, you placed it aside and sipped from your afternoon tea, eyes searching the landscape in front of you, hoping the sands and waves would tell you something, anything about the place you were in. It has been years since you’ve spoken with your Professor, wishing he was here with you, telling you all the secrets whispered to him by the stones. He always had a sense of things around him, and he once told you that you had that same instinct but you brushed it off. If you did, it hasn’t made itself visible yet. You’ve been here for months now, without a new find or anything to write about back home. 

But like Evy, you weren’t one to give up so easily, constantly searching for the impossible. A breeze flew through your hair, your skin shivering for the first time in a long time. The summer was close to ending and while it was unbearably hot during the day, the night could be even deadlier. You drank the rest of your tea and were collecting your notebooks when a few papers flew away. Immediately, you ran after them before they fell in the water, managing to catch all but one. You were about to jump in the water when a hand flew and grasped your wrist, pulling you back before you stepped any further.

“Wha-”

“The waters are not safe in these parts of the country.” Your eyes shifted back and forth between the man’s own dark orbs and his hand. He finally let go, staring at you as he passed and went into the water to collect your page. You hoped it was soaked enough that he wouldn’t see what was in it, sighing in relief when he came back out with what used to be a sketch.

“You must be careful. We do not need anymore incidents around here.” He threw the wet paper in your hands before walking away from the hill, yelling something to the men working around the temple before getting on his horse and leaving. You sighed before throwing the page away, hating how you somehow always made a fool out of yourself in his presence. You had not expected to see him today. Rick and Evy weren’t around so he had no reason to be here, or so you thought. You walked back to your tent to wash up before dinner, telling the men it was time for them to go home. 

"في أي وقت تريدننا أن نأتي غدا يا انسة؟" 

Miss, is there any specific time you wish us to come tomorrow?

One of the men yelled out to you, wiping the sweat from his forehead and waiting for your response. Your Arabic was that of a child’s and although you loved practicing it with the men and the people in the village, you hated how it came out like that of a toddler’s, sometimes grammatically incorrect and other times completely wrong. But you struggled through a response anyway, smiling at them before replying to the leader of the workmen.

"يمكنكم الراحة غدا وسأخبركم لاحقًا."

You can rest tomorrow and I will let you know later when you can come in.

They put their tools near your tent and left, thanking you and bidding you a good night. You were aware of the position you were in and at times, truly disliked it. You thought of maybe giving them a week or two break but you weren’t sure how that would go with your superiors back in Oxford. Once everyone had left, you brought food and water to your guards and asked them to take the night off. Both of them turned to each other and thanked you for the opportunity but told you they would remain nearby. When you realized they would still do whatever they wanted, you thanked them and left back to your tent.

You left them chatting about some wedding coming up and went back to your tent, shutting all sides before stripping down and showering. You were thankful for the men’s expertise on setting up this tent. They left you a place near one of the palm trees, closed from all sides so you could wash up quickly if you needed to. It was your favorite part of the day, standing in the middle of the desert and surrounded by the ancient air. Finishing up quickly, you left your hair down to dry naturally, wrapping yourself in a night robe before walking out of the little room. As soon as you looked up, you almost squealed, hand clasping at your chest for air. 

“You nearly gave me a heart attack.” Your words were a mix of anger and fear, body refusing to budge from its place until the figure in front of you said something. When he continued to stare at you, you cleared your throat and moved to pour some wine for yourself. “I thought you had left.” You turned around and saw he was still staring at you, his eyes following the droplets of water falling on your shoulders. 

When he continued to remain silent, you sipped from your glass and sat opposite of him. “I’m assuming Rick and Evy are coming soon then?” 

“What makes you say that?” His response was laced with sarcasm and you hated how he sounded, how he always treated you. Perhaps it was the heat finally getting to your head or the long hours in the field, maybe even the wine, but you’ve had enough.

“Seeing as you are never around unless they are, I thought they would be coming. We both know you are not here out of interest…” Your words trailed off and you looked up, surprised to see his demeanor change, however, not for the better. Without any hesitation, his frowning expression followed you as he stood, walking towards your chair and leaning down enough for you to feel the heat radiating off of his body.

“Never ask your guards to leave.” His eyes darted to your lips but for a moment, watching the wine stain them a dark red before he pulled away and growled something in Arabic you didn’t quite catch, walking through the little opening in the tent and leaving you a mess. You downed the rest of your drink and crawled under your covers, finding it impossible to sleep now that you were so close to him. The man did things to you ever since you met him and you hated it. Somehow, you were always like a dog in heat whenever he was around. You weren’t sure what it was that was attractive about him; between his nearly black eyes and plump lips, and his dominant yet kind personality, you were sure there would never be another that would catch your attention. 

But it was just your luck that he absolutely despised you, constantly calling you out whenever Evy and Rick were around or, when they weren’t, ordering you around like you were a child who couldn’t care for herself. You wished you could know what it was that made him regularly angry with you but you opted to thinking it was because you were a complete outsider that, like her cousin, dug around in places where she didn’t belong. You chose to fall for a man that couldn’t stand you, a man that had every reason to not like you or your family, a man who could have any woman in his bed should he ask, a man whose sole purpose was to keep Egypt's secrets hidden from the curious eyes of the world. 

A man who went by the name of Ardeth Bay.

~II~

It had never occurred to you that the day would come when you could speak with a living being who belonged to an ancient tribe. While the modern Egyptians you interacted with were descendants of the ancients, whether of the Coptic or Muslim traditions, it amazed you that one of the least known tribesmen were among you to this day. In any text you read, administrative and personal, you could always find hints of the Medjay’s presence. In the royal letters, they were those who protected the deserts of Seth, the Pharaoh himself, and sometimes even the borders of the country. In the personal ones, although rarely mentioned, they were described as ones who never carried out much interaction with the population, always keeping to themselves or helping out wherever they were needed in a village before leaving. They patrolled the lands at times, making sure there were no Hittite or Akkadian spies seeking to destroy Pharaoh. 

Now, the chieftain of the Medjay was another story. He was constantly mentioned in any type of literary texts. Most of the times, he was mentioned by name and on behalf of his people. He was the most important of the Medjay for obvious purposes. You continued scribbling absentmindedly in your notebook, not paying attention to what it was you were writing down. You fell out of your haze when you heard a commotion in front of your tent. Looking at your watch, you jumped out of your bed when you realized you’ve been idle for an hour, quickly putting on your robe before exiting the tent.

“Is everything alright?” You saw the two guards arguing with a few women from the village, immediately walking up to them to see what was wrong.

“There is nothing to concern yourself with Miss.”

“Please, tell me.” You saw the two men look at each other before nodding at the women. 

"يريدونك ان تحضر حفلة زفاف صديقتهن الليلة."

They want you to attend their friend’s wedding tonight.

The women stood there in silence until you decided and although you wished to go, you weren’t sure you would be welcomed, especially if the bride and the groom did not know. You struggled with what you wanted to say and hoped you would make sense to them. 

"انا اتشرف لكن هل تعرف العروس أنكم طلبتن مني؟" 

It would be my honor, but does the bride know you came and asked me?

They smiled at your broken Arabic and nodded in unison before telling you that she was the one who asked them to come and invite you. They told you she would have come herself but she was preparing for the wedding in a few hours. You told them you would be more than happy to come and laughed when one of the younger girls jumped and hugged you before kissing both of your cheeks. The men did not look pleased at your decision but said nothing, telling you that one of them would stay on site while the other accompanied you to the wedding. And when you tried to tell them there was no reason to do so, they told you it was non-negotiable. 

So you left back to your tent to dress more properly before making the regular morning rounds, grabbing your notebook and heading to the other side of the temple where you have yet to excavate. You had asked permission from the townspeople first, and although you thought they would not grant you access since the mosque built on the site was still in use, they surprisingly agreed as long as you didn’t damage any part of the prayer house. You found a bolder near the mosque and sat on it, sketching the grounds first before going anywhere near the mosque. 

You stayed there for hours, losing all sense of time when your thoughts strayed away from the place to something, or rather, someone else. Flipping through the pages, you stopped and looked at the page you were invested in during the morning hours, shaking your head at how pathetic you were. Near the portrait you sketched of him instead of the one which fell in the Nile were hieroglyphs. You never knew that day dreaming would include writing in a dead language and you laughed a little, not because of what was on the page but because of how clever your mind was even when it was idle. 

                                                      𓇯𓂠𓍑𓇌 𓏥

“ḥry mḏꜢw.” You whispered to the monuments, tracing the lines of his features and wishing you had a better understanding of the man that was Ardeth. He was a living marvel in every sense of the word. And although you were attracted to him because of his intelligence and past, you couldn’t deny how handsome he was, probably the most beautiful of men you’d ever had the pleasure of looking at. You’ve only ever seen his face and hands, and as much as you hated to admit it, they were the fuel of your evening activities far too many times. And whenever he haunted your dreams, you always woke up heaving and sweating, knowing very well what your dreams were about. 

So busy continuing your sketch of him, you didn’t hear the footsteps approaching you until it was too late. For the third time in less than twenty four hours, Ardeth crept up on you, standing a few feet away behind you and ignoring your obvious distress before approaching you.

“You have got to stop doing that.” You said humorously but stopped smiling when you realized he was in a foul mood once more.

“Why are you going to the wedding?” He ignored your previous comment, crossing his arms and waiting for you to reply.

“I thought it would be rude to decline the invitation. I have never gone to an Egyptian wedding before and I have a feeling I will not get a second chance again.” Your tone came out more aggressive than you intended but you didn’t care. 

“And the guards? Had I not told you last night to never ask them to leave.” Ardeth took a step forward and part of you felt a twist in your stomach at his proximity, not because he would hurt you. No, he would never do that. But because you were barely over what transpired the night prior. 

“Last time I checked, I was the boss around here, not you. Now, I understand your position and hold great respect for it, but if you think you can walk around ordering me simply because I am a woman then it is best you don’t come around unless Rick or Evy are here. I don’t need to listen to you and you know this very well. If you’ll excuse me, I have to prepare for a wedding.” You stood up and took one step forward, not seeing the giant rock in front of you. You prepared to hit the ground but no such thing happened. Instead, you felt a pair of arms wrapped tightly around your waist, holding your body against a solid chest. Looking back, you felt Ardeth’s hands tighten around you as soon as you made eye contact with him. His eyes were dilated, the beautiful brown barely visible, jaws clenching when he saw your parted lips. He let go instantly, looking away and leaning down to pick up your notebook before you asked him not to.

As soon as he flipped the notebook to dust the sand off, he saw his portrait and the hieroglyphs written at the bottom, blinking confusingly a few times before handing you back the notebook and excusing himself. You wished the Nile could just flood and take you away from here. Not sure what to make of his reaction, you went back to your tent, aggressively opening the flap and throwing your things on the bed. You noticed something on the chair and picked it up, looking around to see who could have possibly come in here.

Walking outside, you saw the two guards drinking tea under a tree. Approaching them, you asked if they saw anyone go into your tent. When they told you that one of the women came back with clothes for you to wear, they accompanied her to your tent to make sure she placed it inside and took nothing. You thanked the two of them and walked back, studying the familiar gown you saw everyone wear in the village. You were glad they had given you one, not because you had nothing to wear but because you were afraid you dress might offend them. Quickly washing up, you put your hair up and put the long silky black gown on, twirling around in front of the mirror before putting your heels on and leaving. 

It was around five in the afternoon by the time you finished. You walked out and made your way to the guards to let them know you were ready. But when you got there, you saw them talking to Ardeth, bowing their heads to him when they saw you standing there and leaving. For a second, you thought he was going to argue with you and ask you to stay but as he approached you, you saw the almost reserved gaze he held. 

“Both men will stay here tonight and I will escort you to the wedding.” He said calmly and although you preferred this side of him, you couldn’t trust his sudden change of demeanor. 

“Are you serious?” Ardeth looked up at your question and you could pinpoint the moment he felt guilty but you chose to ignore it. “You do not wish to be in my company.” He said, more as a statement than a question and you hated how you denied him immediately.

“No no, that’s not what I said. Nevermind, we should probably leave. I don’t want to miss anything.” You turned around and refused to look back until you had reached the streets of the village. You realized you didn’t know where the wedding would be held but you saw some families walking towards the main church and thought to follow them. As soon as you arrived, you saw the girls from the morning standing outside. You smiled when one of them saw you and ran to welcome you in but as soon as she saw Ardeth, her eyes widened and she said something in Arabic that you did not recognize. 

And then something you’ve never seen before happened, absolutely taking your breath away and causing you to swallow the lump in your throat before approaching the other guests. Ardeth smiled at the young woman and asked her to not tell the elder of the village that he was here. You watched as he interacted with her and waved to her friends, telling her that he would rather enjoy the evening with everyone than have the attention on him. She smiled at him, telling him she will make sure no one will tell any of the administration that he was here before leaving to join her friends. 

You wished you could ask him why he said this but you thought it best to leave him alone. No need to start arguing from now. The night was young and you wanted to enjoy every moment of it. 

~III~

The ceremony was longer than you thought but you didn’t mind it. You enjoyed the hymns they sang, surprising Ardeth when you had picked up one of the books and followed along with the Coptic. You could tell he was staring at you but you ignored him, wanting to commit this to memory. When they finished and the priest announced them as man and wife, all the women began ululating and although it took you by surprise, you were glad to be a part of this. They were all so joyful, following the newly wed outside to the street as they walked to the giant tent and stage in the middle of the town. 

Not thirty minutes later, everyone was dancing and singing along with the couple. You watched as musicians played and danced around the woman and her husband, laughing when he picked her up and twirled her around. You forgot Ardeth was there and continued to watch everyone celebrate the two, but Ardeth was very much aware of your presence. 

Unbeknownst to you, he has spent months in Luxor, watching you and making sure nothing out of the ordinary took place but more importantly, making sure you were safe. He begrudgingly listened to Evy when she told him she knew his secret. He had tried to lie but Evy was clever, telling him that there was no shame in admitting the feelings he had for you. Ardeth told Evy that he could never be with you because you did not think of him the way he thought of you and up until a few hours ago, he thought Evy was lying to him when she told him that he was mistaken. 

When he saw the sketch you had of him, along with the hieroglyphs of his name and his title, he changed his mind. Maybe, just maybe, the feelings were mutual, but even then, he has been nothing but rude and condescending ever since he met you. Perhaps this was more out of curiosity than anything else, because in his mind, no woman as intelligent and beautiful as you would think of him that way. He was not from the ordinary population. This was even excluding where he came from; surely you would want to marry someone who held the same customs and traditions, perhaps even faith, as you. Why would you look at him, a man who was living proof of an ancient people, whose culture was completely different from yours, who might not give you everything you would wish for?

Ardeth was brought back to reality when he saw you standing up and leaving. He was about to follow you when he saw who it was you were approaching, sitting back down in the back along with a few others and watching as you went to the bride and the groom. 

When the young woman saw you, she tapped her husband on the shoulder to get his attention. The man thanked you for coming and told you that his wife aspired to be as kind as you one day. You were taken aback by the response, thanking the two of them and taking a small bag out of your purse. 

You told her you didn’t know what was proper to be given as a gift. She had declined it at first but when you opened it and showed it to her, both of them were surprised and asked you if you were sure. You didn’t know how to convey why you were giving it to her so you looked around to see if anyone who understood English could help you. As soon as you looked towards the back, you saw Ardeth staring right back at you. Swallowing your pride, you motioned for him to come, clasping your hands together to tell him you truly needed his help. He was next to you within moments, asking you what it was you needed.

“Could you please tell them that, as I understand, the blue scarab brings luck and keeps the evil eye away. And I wish for their marriage to always be happy and that they never struggle in anything.” You watched as he took the golden necklace, his eyes holding your gaze before he turned to the bride and told her what you said. She was surprised and said something back, her husband agreeing with her. 

“They are telling you that you are right but they could not possibly accept this.” Ardeth smiled at the couple and translated to you, watching as your expression frown in confusion. He thought it the most adorable thing he’s ever seen.  

“Why not?”

“It is made of gold and lapis lazuli Y/N, this would be the most expensive thing they own and they couldn’t take something as precious from you as this.” You almost gasped when he called you by your name, and you stopped yourself from asking him to say it again, knowing this was not the time or place for such a confrontation. 

“I know. But I want them to have it. Please, try to tell them again.” You placed your hand on his hand to turn it their way and Ardeth couldn’t help the blush that crept on his cheeks. He asked them again, telling them you knew very well what it was and that you really wanted them to have it. The couple looked at each other and back to you before taking the necklace and thanking you for it. The young woman hugged you tightly and kissed your cheeks, thanking you once more before asking her husband to put it on for her. 

You went back to your seat and sat down, waiting until a few moments passed before thanking Ardeth for helping you.

“It was nothing.” Ardeth replied, smiling again and watching as you timidly looked away, busying yourself with something other than the handsome man next to you. In that moment, everything clicked in his mind. The bickering, the shy demeanor, the quietness whenever he was around. You didn’t do these because you disliked him but because you thought of him the way he thought of you. Maybe not completely in the same way because he thought of you in such a manner that wasn’t allowed for him. Not unless you were his own to do such things with. 

You saw some of the workmen dancing around, one of them stopping when he saw you sitting next to Ardeth. He approached you and asked you if you would join him, to which you declined insistently, telling him you would only make a fool out of yourself. When he asked again and saw the way Ardeth clenched his jaws, he stopped, knowing it was unwise to anger a Medjay. You followed his gaze and saw the way Ardeth was staring at him, your heart fluttering for a moment at the thought of him being jealous. But no, that wasn’t possible. 

“Perhaps it is best if you take a week off?” You asked the man and he looked at you strangely, asking you if he understood you correctly. 

“Yes, a week. Don’t worry, you will be paid.” You smiled when he jumped and kissed your cheek before running to the other men and telling them they had a week off. You turned to look at Ardeth but he was nowhere to be found. Looking around, you didn’t find him anywhere, mind reeling back to see if you had said anything to offend him. You waited around for another hour and when he never returned, you excused yourself, bidding the couple a good night before walking back to your tent. But you were stopped by one of the girls, telling you that it was custom in their village for everyone to sit, even for a minute, with the palm reader on weddings. You never believed in these matters but thought why not, following the girl until she brought you to the older woman. 

“Sit down my dear.” The woman took your hand and pulled you down until you sat across from her. 

“You speak English?” You hadn’t meant to sound surprised but you have never met someone her age that could speak English.

“A little. I learn quickly.” She winked at you, opening the palm of your hands and drawing patterns across the lines. She remained quiet for a long time before putting your hands down and looking at you. “You have a long life ahead of you, a bright one too.” She said nothing else and you didn’t know what came over you but you asked her anyway.

“Is there love in this life?”

“There could be.”

“What do you mean?” Before you finished your question, the woman was bringing out a small piece of paper, handing it to you to see your reaction. When you opened it, you read the few lines written in Coptic and turned to look at her once more. You knew what it was. You had seen something similar at your time in Oxford when Professor Maspero brought you his findings and although you didn’t believe in such things, you were not one to tempt your luck. “Thank you, but I think it is best if I leave.” You handed the paper back to her, watching as she smiled and nodded your way.

“To be wise at such a young age. May Allah bless you and keep you safe my child. And to answer your question, there is. And you will not need such charms to make it so, for the one you seek has always had his eyes set on you and no one else.” You didn’t have time to say anything before the woman was standing up and walking away, leaving you more confused than before. Silently leaving the festivities, you made you way back to the excavation grounds, your legs leading you to the shores of the river rather than your tent. There was no way you could sleep after hearing the old woman’s words.

~IV~

You returned to the same spot you always sat in to watch the sunset every day, looking up at the sky and marveling at the many stars and constellations so visible at night. But your mind quickly returned to the old woman’s fortune; did she mean what you thought she meant? It couldn’t have been possible that she knew your feelings, let alone Ardeth’s. But she was so sure of herself.

You dug into your purse and pulled out your notebook, returning to the familiar page once more and passing your fingers over his name.

“You know, I never thought of how my name could mean something else.” You turned around when you heard Ardeth call behind you, not bothering to tell him that he almost made you drop your notebook again. When you said nothing, he continued.

“May I join you?” He asked and you could tell he was fully expecting you to tell him off. But when you nodded and motioned for him to sit next to you, he did so quietly. 

“What do you mean?” You asked him, not bothering to hide the page from him anymore. He silently asked if he could see your notebook and pencil, and you handed them over. He traced his callous fingers over his name in hieroglyphs, reading them out loud and smiling at you.

𓄿𓂋𓌗 𓂞𓇌𓏏𓏛 𓃀𓇋𓄿𓎡𓅄𓅆

“Ꜣr dı͗t bı͗k…”

“The one who makes the driving away from the falcon.” You repeated after him, watching as his smile brightened even more so than before. Then you saw him scribbling something down right next to the last part of his name. 

𓃀𓇋𓄿𓈅𓏤𓈐

“bı͗Ꜣ? As in path?” You asked him, trying to see what his name would mean now.

“The one who makes the driving away from the path,” he whispered, then pointed to the tattoo on his forehead and his cheeks. He watched as the meaning of his name dawned on you.

“The one who makes the driving away from the path of the netherworld through maat.” You responded, smiling when he nodded at you and told you he preferred your interpretation better.

“Why?” “As I see it, it was our role to protect Pharaoh who was the manifestation of Horus on earth. It makes sense that my name parallels the old ‘job description’...to drive away Horus from his demise and being taken into the underworld.” He handed you back your notebook and looked towards the river, watching as the waters softly hit the shores.

“Do all the Medjay have those as well?” You asked, hoping he found no offense in your curiosity. 

“No, just the chieftain. But all of us hold names that correspond to an element of our past lives.” He continued, turning to look at you once again and hoping he could find it in himself to apologize for all the times he disrespected you. You met his gaze before looking away immediately. It was hard to maintain eye contact with him, his eyes making you feel as if he was staring into your soul. Then you felt his hand rest on your own in the sand, looking down and seeing his fingers clasping yours harshly. Your heart was beating against your chest and you hoped he couldn’t hear it. 

When you turned to face him again, he was already staring at your lips, and you couldn’t help it, licking them and mirroring his actions before leaning in towards him. Ardeth didn’t want to move, afraid he would break this trance between the two of you, but when he saw you moving towards him, something completely otherworldly took over. 

He let go of your hand and cupped your cheeks, pulling you towards him and taking your lips aggressively in a hungry kiss. You gasped into the sudden motions, hands fisting in his clothes to hold onto him so you didn’t fall over. Ardeth took this as a sign of submission, pushing you down on the sand and cornering you between his arms. When you moaned against him, he snuck his tongue past your lips, exploring your skin like it was a new oasis. His hands crept into your hair before rolling down your form, holding onto your waist and squeezing you against him to feel every inch of you. 

You didn’t know what to do, torn between pushing him away to ask him about the sudden change of heart and begging him to take you to your tent and have his way with you. When he felt your nails dig into his shoulders, he pulled away, his breath fanning over your cheeks and his eyes memorizing your blissed out facial expression. When you finally opened your eyes, you had already regulated your breathing, pulling your hands away and keeping them to yourself. You hoped he would understand and move away, and when he didn’t, you looked anywhere but him.

Ardeth finally understood what you were silently asking him, moving away and sitting up slowly. Before he could say anything else, you were standing up and running away to your place. He knew calling after you wouldn’t do him any good so he sat by himself for a while. When the night air turned colder, he stood up and was about to go to the other guards when he saw your notebook lying on the ground. 

Picking it up, he dusted the sand off and made his way to your tent. The Medjay saw him approaching and stood up, greeting him before returning to their posts. 

“wḏi.” The command passed his lips angrily, and the two subordinates knew not to question him. They stood up and walked back to the village, leaving Ardeth standing outside your tent. He had spent hours committing to memory the pass of your tongue against his, every smooth touch of your skin against his rough fingers. Without thinking much of it, he walked into your tent to place your notebook on the nightstand, telling himself to not look at you even for a moment. 

But his self control flew with the breeze, his eyes turning back and seeing your naked figure under the thin covers. He could tell you were naked, for your entire back was exposed to his gaze. Gently, he reached over and rolled the cover until you were shielded from his eyes. You looked so beautiful in your sleep, hair forming a halo on the pillow. He knew this was wrong but he couldn’t stop himself even if he tried. Slowly, he traced the blush on your cheeks up to your hair, brushing the few strands aside to take a closer look at you.

“A-ardeth…” His name spilling from your lips pushed him back to reality, pulling away and exiting the tent immediately out of fear of himself. He bit his tongue to distract himself from the familiar ache creeping into his groin whenever you were around. It was much worse now however, because he knew what his name sounded like when you moaned it in your sleep. Sitting near the fire, Ardeth removed his knife and picked up a large tree branch, cutting away to distract himself from the sleeping figure not twenty feet away from him. 

Unbeknownst to him, you were very much awake when he entered your tent. For a moment, you were afraid it was not him but when leaned over to cover your body, you could smell his scent, one that you were more familiar with now more than before. You knew he would not try to force himself on you and when he brushed your hair, you couldn’t stop the moan that escaped your throat in the form of his name. He was gone a moment later, leaving you a mess beneath your covers. You wished you could bring him back to your bed, tell him you ran away because you were afraid of offending him by asking him to do something that may not be acceptable in his culture and not because you were refusing him. 

You slept knowing the old woman was truthful in everything she had told you, and Ardeth laid awake through the night thinking you ran away because you did not want him. 

~V~

You woke up earlier than usual, making yourself exceptionally presentable before exiting the tent. You walked out prepared to face Ardeth and try to make small talk so he doesn’t feel awkward but he was nowhere to be found. You hated when he did that and he seemed to do that a lot around you. You saw the two guards, who you now knew were Medjay, standing around and talking. When they saw you, they bowed their heads before returning to their conversation. 

You didn’t bother to look for him, going about your day as you normally would have and hoping you could be productive instead of thinking about him. You continued recording mounds of interest in your notebook, walking around the area near the mosque and straying away from the major area to the west of the temple. You never came to this part of the grounds, knowing Professor Maspero had already discovered the Chapel of the goddess Mut. There was no way he would’ve missed anything, he was a thorough man. But in your attempt to not topple over the rocks, you skipped a step and fell on your face on top of what used to be a column in the hypostyle hall of the temple. 

“For god’s sake,” you whispered to yourself, looking for your pencil and dusting off your pants. You cursed under your breath when you saw your pants have ripped at the knee. Resting on the column, your eyes passed through a relief that seemed oddly familiar. Ignoring the pain in your legs, you tried to wipe the sand as much as possible from the relief, eyes widening in surprise when you realized what the relief was.

Frantically standing up, you picked up your notebook to mark where you were on the site before discarding it again, kneeling down and dusting off as much as you could without damaging the column. 

There, engraved in large letters, was a Coptic inscription surrounding a cross that was most likely carved over a hieroglyphs. You almost screamed at the sheer luck, marking the area before running to your tent to grab your tools. The guards saw you running around frantically and were about to ask you when they saw you jumping out of your tent with your small kit. They knew not to disturb you when you were working. 

You returned to the column and brushed away from the column before grabbing a shovel and removing the rubble from around the column. You’ve never had to do this much work in your years of excavations but you didn’t care, this was far more rewarding than anything. You looked like a wild woman by the time you cleared the column, sitting down to sketch as many of the reliefs as you could. The Coptic would have to wait, you had no energy for this today. 

When you returned to your tent, the two guards saw the state of you and asked if anything happened to you. You explained what took place and told them that dinner was on you, giving one of them money to fetch food from the village. The men thanked you and told you they would tell you when the food was here. 

You went back in to bathe, knowing you looked like an absolute mess of a woman and that you should not be in their company in such a manner. You were about to unbutton your shirt when someone walked into the tent.

“That was quick. You must’ve been truly hungry to-” The words died in your throat when you turned around and saw Ardeth standing at the entrance. You said nothing, silently kicking yourself for not returning sooner and cleaning up. The last thing you needed was to look filthy in front of him. But none of this compared to the way he was looking at you, like a predator ready to devour his prey. 

His eyes softened, however, when he saw you the state of your knees and the dried blood on the beige pants. Without thinking much of it, he stepped towards you, kneeling down to inspect your skin.

“What happened?”

“I- there was a…” You couldn’t think of a coherent sentence, the feeling of his warm hands wrapped around your legs too distracting. “I was just walking around and quite literally fell upon a new discovery. Did you know there was an old church built in this temple?” Ardeth ignored your rambling, asking you to sit down on the chair while he fetched a clean cloth and some water. You didn’t dare argue with him, silently taking a seat and rolling up your pants for him. He came back with a small amphora filled with cold water and a cloth. His blood thrummed in his ears as soon as he saw your skin. And although he tried to hide himself, you couldn’t help but smile at the blush that crept across his cheeks. 

Gently, he sat down and held your calves, cursing himself for thinking he could do this without making a fool out of himself. 

“You should be more careful Y/N.” There it was again, your name whispered so softly and causing you shake. Ardeth felt goosebumps erupting on your skin, barely holding back the smile of pride at being the cause of such a reaction. You nodded, not trusting your voice just yet. He was tender in every touch, slowly dabbing the wet cloth around the inflamed area before treating the other knee in a similar fashion. Like the previous night, something took over him and he couldn’t hold himself back, leaning down and kissing your knees, telling you to watch the wounds when you washed.

When Ardeth looked up, he saw the frenzy swimming in your eyes, and he could only smile at you when your lips parted to attempt and thank him. 

“I will wash this for you.” He raised the blood stained cloth and you tried to stop him but he insisted, telling you it was nothing. When he left your tent, you were sure your heart was close to jumping out of your chest. It was such a minor touch but it boiled your blood, knowing what his lips felt like on your skin yet again. Shaking your head, you went to the corner of the tent to wash up quickly, your heart already leaping at the thought of seeing him again. 

But then something broke your trance. God you could not never have the heart to refuse this man if he asked you to have him, but you also couldn’t bear it if you were to tempt him to do something that went against his culture, even religion. Come to think of it, your knowledge of the Medjay’s religious beliefs was minimal. You had spent a long time with them when you were with Evy and Rick, seeing many of them walking into the mosque in their village during the day to pray. But you also saw your two guards walking out of Mass on Sunday morning numerous times, singing some of their hymns as they walked back to their post. 

Either way, you could not possibly be the cause that Ardeth strayed from his beliefs. You had respected him far too much to tempt him or place him in an unpleasant situation with whatever religious leader he knew. You were very much aware of your position, not just as a stranger to the culture and religions but also as a woman that did not care for the rules revolving around physical relationships. It was one of the things that had many men and women of your social circle angry and whisper about. You only had one or two affairs with men but you still valued yourself, just not in the same way that women of your society did. You did not care for the limiting rules set upon you by the Catholic church or English culture. Thankfully, neither did your parents, always telling you to follow your heart and not care for what anyone thought of you. You were only Catholic by name after all, not by belief.  

But you couldn’t apply this advice now. You cared what Ardeth thought of you and you did not want him to think you were “easy,” neither did you want him to see you as a prude. So you reeled back all thoughts of approaching him, wanting to give the two of you some time to test the waters. You took your time in the bath, slowly washing yourself to make sure the wound did not bleed again. It was an hour later when you emerged from the water, wrapping a towel around yourself before rubbing another around your hair. 

But when you emerged from behind the wooden screen, you saw Ardeth walking in to place the urn and cloth near your bed. When he turned around, his body went tense, hands shaking at the sight of you and eyes blinking slowly. Neither of you moved for a few moments. You waited to see what he would do, chest rising and falling when you saw the way his eyes took you in. You saw his adam’s apple bob up before resting back in its place and you thought, ‘20 seconds of courage.’

Throwing the hair towel away, you walked up to him, standing a few inches away from his rigid torso. 

“You are treading on dangerous grounds Y/N.” Ardeth whispered, his nose flaring when the scent of lavender hit his senses. He was losing every ounce of control coursing through his veins and he wished you would step away before he did something he might regret. Slowly, you reached your hands towards him to cup his cheeks, watching as he shut his eyes to control himself. You saw his jaws clenched tightly, fists cracking from how harshly he was holding himself back. Leaning forward, you brushed your lips against his own before pulling back.

“Tell them to leave.” That was all Ardeth needed for confirmation, setting the animal loose and wrapping his arms around you before devouring your lips. His hands fisted in your damp hair, pulling your neck back so he could lay kisses all over your skin. You moaned loudly against him, causing him to clamp his hand on your mouth in fear of the men hearing you. Reluctantly pulling away, Ardeth told you to remain in your spot until he got rid of the two guards. You barely held yourself up when he left you to walk out of the tent. 

You could hear him ordering the two men, and telling them to not return unless they saw Horus. Both men responded their agreement and left, and you couldn’t help but feel embarrassed because they probably knew why their chieftain ordered them so aggressively to leave. 

Ardeth walked back in and tied the knots of the entrance, walking around all sides of the tent to make sure there were no visible windows or holes or even entrances for anyone to disturb the two of you. When he came back to you, he saw you looking at the ground, arms set at your sides shyly.

“You do not owe me anything Y/N, certainly not your body. I can leave now if you wish me to.” It broke his heart to tell you such things but he never wanted to force you to do anything you did not wish to do. When you looked up at him and blinked, he knew your answer. 

And before he could do anything, you were loosening the knot of the towel, letting it fall to the floor to leave you naked to his eyes. Ardeth was having a hard time, in more ways than one, maintaining his nerves. His heart skipped a beat at seeing you bare in front of him and he knew there was no holding back anymore when you looked up at him through heavy-lidded eyes.

"يا اللة."

My god.

~VI~

As soon as he whispered those two words, you were on him like the water clinging to your skin, not caring about any consequences to your actions. Ardeth embraced you with as much passion, swallowing your cries when his hands got bolder with every pass over your skin. He was a much more aggressive lover than you thought and perhaps it was due to the sexual tension between the two of you in the past few weeks. 

He pulled away and you noticed that he held a direct gaze, not a playful expression in sight. You whined at the loss of his lips and if he were any other man, Ardeth would have smiled and felt a sense of pride for having this much of an effect on you. But he wasn’t another man. He was a starved man and you were exactly what he yearned for in decades. Ardeth couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this strongly to another woman. The last time he was in a relationship, be it physical or emotional, was so long ago that he couldn’t remember who it was. He was a young boy who thought being with a woman would make him a man but he knew soon after it was not this simple.

His lips sucked at the juncture of your neck and noticed you biting your lips to prevent any sound from escaping past them. His fingers squeezed your waist and brought you closer to him harshly, a part of him knowing he should slow down and cherish every inch of you in a perhaps gentler manner. But you were finally in his arms, and he couldn’t bring himself to hold back, not when you were so responsive to his mean and quick touches. He bit down a little harshly on your clavicle and a part of him wished it was to hear your noises and not to mark you as his, but he would dwell on that later. When you finally moaned against him, he eased the hold he had on your hips and pulled away to take you in. “Do not silence yourself Y/N, your sounds belong to me,” he gasped when you visibly shuddered against him, his hands shaking when he felt your nails dig into his arms. “Sweet music to my ears…”

You didn’t know what came over you but no sooner than his hoarse request were your moans loud enough to be heard from the river. He continued his assault on your flushed skin, nipping and licking every inch of you until you surrendered yourself to his hands. You tugged at his shoulder, fisting your fingers in his robes before reaching for his turban. Loosening the scarves away from his head, you watched as his hair fell down past his cheeks and framed his handsome features. Ardeth looked up and saw the way your eyes gazed at him and he felt relief wash over him because he was not the only one who felt this unbearable need.

You leaned forward and Ardeth thought you were going to kiss him but then you pulled his hair and exposed his neck for you, sucking on his adam’s apple and feeling his shaking hands wrap around your entire body. “My heart aches for you Y/N-” Ardeth couldn’t help the growl that flew past his vocal cords, his hands shaking violently when you continued to bite his throat time and again. He wasn’t sure if he was this sensitive because it has been decades since he was touched in such a manner or if it was because you were the one claiming his body. “It yearns for you when the sun rises each morning and- ahhh by the gods woman...and craves you when it sets past the Nile.”

If it were any other woman, Ardeth was sure she would be turned off by his words. They weren’t seductive in any way, but he knew you. He knew your preferences, your likes and dislikes, perhaps already understood what you desired after even though he has not been an hour in your bed. Somehow, however, he sensed your appreciation for the sensual and romantic words he uttered and he continued to test both his resolve and yours with every affection he emoted. And he was right to think so because within minutes, he had your body willing and ready for him. You should have expected him to have such a sinful tongue and you rubbed your thighs when Ardeth moaned shamelessly at your equally-aggressive hands. He was more vocal than any of your previous lovers and you found that you enjoyed it immensely.  

“Ardeth, please just...take these off. I need to feel your skin. I want to touch you, kiss you, look at every inch of you.” Ardeth smiled at your lack of patience, not warning you as he leaned down and carried you to the bed. He laid you down gently before standing over you, shaking his head when he saw the way you grabbed at your breasts to seduce him.

“You are a vixen, the most beautiful my eyes have seen.” Ardeth licked his lips as he looked you over, undoing his robes slowly to fill his mind’s eye with you. You arched your back and moaned when you saw his bare skin through the robes, not caring that you were being forward when you grabbed his robes and pulled him towards you. Ardeth stepped confusingly towards you, hissing when he felt your hands palm him through the black material.

“Y/N, I- I thought your hand would calm this heat I feel for you, but- oh gods, ahhh you- you have done little to quench this fire.” His words went straight to your core and you began to pull at the clothes until they pooled at his feet. Before he could step out of them, you were leaning forward and kissing his hard member, hands kneading and teasing the base until he was panting mess above you.

“Ahhh gods, my love you’re- you are truly talented.” Ardeth tries his hardest to focus on your blissed-out expression but he fails as soon as he feels the palm of your hand close around the tip of his erection. He manages to open his eyes and look down just in time to see you lick the protruding vein ending right below the head and he almost loses himself right then and there. As much as it pains him, he fists his hand in your hair and pulls you off of him before pushing you down on your bed and standing once more. He holds a dangerous and warning gaze and you understand why he silently asks you to not touch him again. You shamelessly look at him as he moves around, watching the way his muscles flex whenever he pulls an article of clothing off aggressively. 

You almost giggle at how quick he is but you hold back, afraid of making him think you are laughing at him. His mind freezes when he stands up and turns to you, unable to look away from where your fingers are. Ardeth raises a curious eyebrow, slowly kneeling down on the bed before approaching you like a lion waiting to devour his prey at the proper time. He is almost angry at the way your eyes challenge him but he chooses to think past the brave aura, gently parting your thighs wider so he could take a better look at the motion of your fingers. He growls, silently chuckling when he sees your legs shake at the sound. You stop your actions altogether and suddenly realize just how dry your mouth is.

“Do not stop on my account Y/N,” Ardeth’s voice is deeper than normal and you whine at his self-control. You had thought he would take you as soon as his guards left but he proved to be a more patient man than you thought. “Ardeth please, please-” You stop breathing when he leans down between your parted thighs, licking your navel and blowing air on the wet skin until you reach for him. Slowly descending down your body, Ardeth holds your gaze and squeezes your buttocks before whispering against your heat, “unless you want me to stop, you will be patient. Remove your hands.” You obey him instantly, letting go of his shoulders before pulling on the bed sheets violently to have some semblance of control.

He hums in approval and returns to the task at hand. A part of him wished he would be gentleman-like with you, but his mind was losing the last bit of control and he couldn’t stop himself even if he tried. Shutting his eyes, he leaned down and licked your core once, twice to open you up for him. As soon as you threw your head back in pleasure, he did what his mind dreamed of doing to you for months, years even. Not caring for how filthy it must have looked, let alone sounded, Ardeth poked your wet lips with his nose and took a long whiff of your scent, groaning when the sweet smell swept straight to his groin. Your eyes shot open and glanced down at him immediately, gasping at the obscenity of his actions. Ardeth was afraid he scared you but when he turned his attention back to your heat, he saw proof of your arousal leaking down your thighs.

He smiled and glanced back at you, maintaining eye contact as he licked you dry. You were embarrassed but for a moment, moaning his name over and over again as he pleasured you until you could no longer feel anything but him. 

“Ardeth, ahhh pl-please Ardeth I-” he didn’t let you finish, sucking on your wet core vigorously before pushing down on your lower abdomen to keep you still for him. As soon as you felt his fingers part your sensitive core, your hands fisted in his long locks and pulled on it. You had expected him to cease his actions or ask you to be patient again but the opposite occurred. Ardeth coated his fingers with your pleasure before pushing them against you, exploring your body with his quick digits while he continued to nip and lick at the protruding bundle of nerves. He was slowly driving you mad with his ministrations and you managed to keep whatever control remained because the last thing you needed was for the whole village to know what is transpiring in your tent. 

But then he curled his fingers inside you and increased pressure once, twice, three times until he felt your back arch off the bed. You couldn’t hold back anymore, clenching around his fingers as he brought you to the utmost pleasure and when you begged him to stop, he refused, wanting to coax another petite mort out of you before he pulled away. Ardeth raised himself just in time to see you let go once more, his eyes taking in your features before slowly descending down your body. Your skin was glistening with sweat, chest rising and falling rapidly with every breath you took and Ardeth almost lost his mind when he saw how perky and flushed your breasts were. When he saw how spent you looked, he pushed his fingers inside you one last time before taking them out and rubbing your thighs to soothe you. You fell back onto the bed, hair disheveled and lips parted from how hard you were breathing. As soon as you managed to look at him, Ardeth took this chance and licked his fingers dry before slowly ascending your body.

He left a trail of kisses on your skin, occasionally nipping an area he found desirable and you smiled when he came face to face with your breasts. You couldn’t hold back the scandalous moan that emanated when he leaned down and took a pert nipple between his teeth, fondling the other until you felt pleasure from the pain of his touches. 

“I- I’m sensitive there Ardeth,” your attempt at warning him did little to nothing, only edging him further in his actions until you were a mess beneath him again. “All the more reason to devour you Y/N. You torment me with your moans. Your whispers of my name...in the name of the ogdoad, forgive me. Do not reproach me for losing myself in your beauty. If you choose to deny me this, then send me away this instance for I cannot...will not hold back any longer.” You were overcome with warmth at the intensity of his words, knowing it must be hard for him to say such words given the nature of his quiet personality, let alone the position he was in. “You fill me with desire from head to foot Y/N. My love shall never be veiled again.” He continued his assault on your breasts and you continued praying his name when you felt his shaft leaking on your belly. You weren’t sure what you wanted anymore, but you were absolutely certain of one thing: Ardeth was the last man you would allow in your bed because you knew in your heart that no one else was capable of loving you as much as he does, not just physically, but emotionally. 

“I have wanted you for so long, and I- ahhh god your tongue drips of sin, and I pleasured myself at night, imagining how you would touch me, h-how your skin would feel against mine, how rough you would be when you lose control, and-” you took a deep breath, holding back what you wanted to say for fear of making him think you were ill-mannered. But he has not once held back from you this night. As a matter of fact, Ardeth has done the opposite, voicing his desires proudly before stealing orgasm after another from you. You found courage through his actions and whispered to him what you have wanted for so long. “And I dreamed of feeling you so deep inside me, giving you pleasure with avidity until you stilled my torments.” You wrapped your legs around him, not giving him a chance to contemplate on your actions before gyrating your hips into his verge until you felt him rub against your damp core. 

Ardeth shuddered in your arms, his surprise turning into firm touches as he wrapped one arm around your back while the other hand smoothed down your hips. He leaned down and captured your lips in a hungry kiss, his hand pushing your lower back into him to control the motion of your hips. He could feel himself nestled between your thighs, moaning and sucking on your tongue when he sensed how dripping wet you were for him.

“You drive me mad woman,” Ardeth smiled against your mouth before reaching up and pulling on your hair to get more access to your neck. He bit down wherever he could as he felt your desire drench his thighs. You would tell him later that you preferred nothing more than feeling his chest slide against yours, not because of how toned and muscular it was but because of how rough it was to the touch. The friction his chest hair caused was painful yet it ignited a fire within you instantaneously. 

“Please, please just-”

“What do you need Y/N, I will give you anything.” Ardeth was breathing just as harshly as you, if not more. He gazed into your eyes, watching the brewing storm erupt as he rolled his hips against you. You dug your nails into his back, the other holding onto his hair when you couldn’t take it any longer.

“I need you, Ardeth, I need you now. Please, I- I burn for you… need to embrace you,” and for good measure, you stretched your hand between your bodies, grabbing his painfully hard member and rubbing it between your parted lips. “Let me embrace you, let me quench this radiating fire.” You pronounced each word with a rough pass over your core and Ardeth prayed your name until he couldn’t take it anymore.

He grabbed your wrist aggressively, slamming it above your head and pushing you down until he felt your submission and before you could whine again, he was spitting in his hand, proud of the response he received from you at the sudden and audacious action. He stroked himself a few times before lining himself up against you, slowly pushing past your slit into your heat until he felt completely engulfed by your silky walls. You ceased to breathe as you felt the intrusion reach deeper, refusing to tell him to stop because even though he was filling you to the hilt, you still craved him. 

Ardeth could barely hold himself above you, his arms threatening to give out beneath him from the immense pleasure. He wasn’t sure if you were purposely clenching violently around him or not, but all he knew was that he has never felt such satisfaction in his life. And he silently cursed you for feeling so tight and inviting because he knew very well no other woman would compare to you. Neither in your intellect and wittiness, nor your beauty and perfection. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought because he never thought he would have the neural capacity to applaud your brilliance when he was this deep inside you. 

You didn’t know why he was laughing and you hoped it wasn’t because you didn’t live up to his expectations. You loosened your hold on him and he noticed, gazing down at you and seeing the inquisitive expression you held. Brushing your hair aside, he refused to look anywhere but your doe-like orbs as he soothed the slight hint of panic away from your skin.

“You have, without a doubt, utterly ruined all women for me Y/N,” Ardeth claimed shamelessly before pulling himself out, and refusing to move until he made sure you were content. When he saw you release your breath and throw your head back, he thrust back in a little vigorously than intended. Before he could apologize for his lack of patience, he heard you faintly whispering for him.

“Ardeth, d-don’t hold back. Take your pleasure, please. I- I want you to ruin me...ahh god, want you to brand my soul.” You pulled him down to you, kissing the corner of his mouth and licking his jaw, enticing him until he lost all self-control and took from you what you dreamed of giving him ever since you laid eyes on him in the desert long ago. At your request, Ardeth lost himself, moving in and out between your thighs without remorse. He hummed against the juncture of your neck, the grip he held on your hair getting tighter with every passing minute. You turned your head to the side, sighing and moaning his name as he roughly drove himself into you. 

You bit his wrist, causing him to lose his balance for a moment before growling and thrusting into you. “If- ahhh gods, if one time will not suffice to quench your fire, I shall do it again to satisfy you. You have bewitched me body and soul Y/N, m nb pt I surrender myself to you.” You felt a sudden flare of lightning strike across your abdomen as soon as he spoke in his native tongue, unintentionally clenching harder around him and causing him to scream into the night air. Even though he spoke little in his language, you couldn’t help but imagine him continue to do so as he brought you to the utmost pleasure. Ardeth noticed your responsiveness to his words and he felt pride deep in his lungs at the thought of knowing he was the cause of such a reaction. 

His pace began to falter, knowing very well he could not last any longer because of how perfect and velvety you felt around him. He set a punishing pace nonetheless, wanting to feel you fall over the edge with him. Taking hold of your chin, he turned you to face him before claiming your mouth again, not caring that he might draw some blood from his aggressive actions. The only sounds heard in the tent were your moans, and his skin slapping against your own. It drove him mad hearing your arousal seep down your thighs with every pass of his verge past your slit. 

“sttyt nṯr ꜥꜣ, come with me, please Y/N, come for me. Now!” For god knows what time that night, Ardeth bit down on your skin, somehow managing to thrust into you harder than before until you couldn’t control your own body. He felt your orgasm before you had the chance to tell him, shuddering against you as he released himself deep inside you. You arched your back against him as waves of pleasure coursed through your body, the intensity of your gratification terrifying your heart. You never realized you were capable of feeling such things and yet here you were, in the arms of the man you never thought you could get close to until a few hours ago.

As you opened your eyes, you saw dilated pupils staring right back at you. It seemed comical that you felt naked under his potent gaze and actually attempted to cover yourself. His grip on you hardened, silently telling you to never attempt such a thing again.

“What have you done to me woman? Not even I had any control over myself.” He whispered before smiling and leaning down to kiss you passionately. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him closer to you, feeling the muscles of his back shift under your touch as he moved to pull himself out of you. Ardeth fell to the side, reaching for the covers before bringing you to him. You laid beneath his neck, pushing your thighs around his legs and chuckling when he warned you with a huff. Ardeth tried his hardest to think of anything but your hard nipples teasing his chest and he realized he could never be able to not think of you as long as you were in his embrace.

~VII~

“This is not the time, and perhaps I should have inquired before...this...but I wanted to apologize if I caused you to do or say anything against your ways.” There was no other manner you could state what you wanted to tell him and you hoped he wouldn’t be offended by your boldness. You sighed when you heard him chuckle for a second, turning your gaze to him to study his facial expression.

“The chieftain of the Medjay is seldom a follower of any religion besides the old one. As far as I know, he can only belong to the old traditions and it is not our custom to hold such things as taboo before marriage. If anything, it is I who should apologize for being incapable of stopping this before it escalated.” He played with your hair, and you couldn’t help but shiver at the seriousness of his voice. 

“Why?”

“You often wear a cross around your neck and I could only assume you are Christian.”

“I was raised one but never believed in any of it. There are too many similarities between the Ancient Religion and Christianity, and do not tell my family any of this, but I genuinely believe Christianity stole its stories and beliefs from your religion. If I were to ever follow a tradition, it would be the Ancient Egyptian one. Horus knows I swear by his name all the time.” You never expected to hear Ardeth laugh this loudly but he did so and you couldn’t look away from the beautiful expression he held. The sound was so pure you almost begged him to do it again. Both of you remained quiet for a few minutes, and he occasionally smiled when you continued to draw patterns on his chest. 

After a while, Ardeth broke the silence and surprised you yet again. “I have spent many nights imagining what it would feel like to have you naked and willing in my arms, and now that I am here, I cannot fathom how divine you are.” You blushed under his gaze and Ardeth knew he would do everything in his power to see that blush creep down your breasts once more.

“bı͗ꜣyt.ı͗, my heart belongs to you.” You continued to stare at him, and he sighed in relief when you graced him with a shy smile. Slowly, you sat up and cupped his cheek, tracing the hieroglyphs on his handsome features before touching each one with your lips. You could feel him smiling against your neck and sighed when his grip tightened around your waist. 

“And mine is yours, wbnnı͗.ı͗.” Ardeth couldn’t help himself, grabbing your neck and pushing you down to kiss you before wrapping his arms around you to keep you as close to him as possible. You laid your head back on his chest and shut your eyes, the feeling of tranquility slowly washing over you as you focused on the beat of his heart. Finally, since decades, Ardeth felt content, knowing he would never allow himself to embrace another woman and would fight an entire army before he lets another man touch you. You remained in each other’s arms for the duration of the night, letting the sounds of the Nile lull you into a deep sleep, knowing that everything was, at long last, as it should be. 

Tagging some people who expressed excitement at the idea of this fic:

@feelmyroarrrr @thorodinsvn @oplunket16 @vvigilantes @the-rookie-97  @blackcoffeeandgreenteaforme @buckylokihoes @redqueen1221 @kuronekotsiigan @sai-kida134 @wonderwolfstrash @commissioner23 @valeks-princess @libbymouse @taliaalghuldeservesbetter @ruby-white-rabbit​ @jamdropx35​ @dramadreamer14​ @tnupsweetpie​ @jessicahoppes @la--petit--croissant @kandomeresbitch​ @pleasantdreamqueen​

[dd122004dd]

Broken & Betrothed 2

Summary: She is the sister of Nefertari and in love with her private guard but its forbidden and so they have to hide their relationship but her father, the pharaoh has betrothed her to another, so with a heavy heart she has to tell her lover that her father has betrothed her to someone else

Warnings: None, unless you hate happy endings

Part 1

Walking through the palace at night, she had one location in mind. The Medjai had been stationed at the royal pools that night. He stared at his reflection in the dark waters, silent in his contemplation. The moon-less night reminded him of her, of her deep eyes that once twinkled when she looked at him. He sighed. Her betrothal had been broken yet he hadn’t gone to see her. He should’ve been the first to embrace her, he should’ve been by her side yet he couldn’t bring himself to face her. He knew he was right for keeping her safe, even if she would be miserable but he couldn’t stop picturing her grief-stricken face as her heart crumbled. He could still hear her sobs echo through her rooms. Her mournful songs echoed through the halls of the palace where he used to guard. Her voice still echoes in his nightmares.

“You abandoned me. You refused to even look at me!” she screamed in his head, repeatedly.

His eyes welled with tears as he got lost in his thoughts, within an endless maze of pain. His head throbbed; he hadn’t been sleeping properly. His eyes were unfocused yet he still saw her. She was a visage in white, almost ethereally glowing against the dark blackness of the night. Almost like she was the moon, adorned with the light of the sun.

She paused in front of him, simply staring at him. It had been weeks since he allowed her to be this close. She searched his face, noting his tired eyes. They didn’t sparkle anymore, almost as if his soul was removed.

“Ardeth,” she said, breaking the moment of tranquility.

The moment she spoke his name into existence, he realized she was not a mere hallucination, his beloved princess stood before him.

He tried moving away from her, guilt consuming his being, yet she didn’t let him, moving in front of him in a child-like attempt to make him stay.

“I must go, your Highness,” he said, side-stepping her and walking along the banks of the pool.

“No, listen to me Medjai.” She said with authority in her voice, causing him to halt. “You shall not turn away from me again. You will listen to what I have to say. I command it of you.” At her command he turned to her, his desire to turn away overridden by her command.

She faced him with a look of determination, “I have decided that I will no longer be afraid, I will not be bound. I will not be broken by anyone or anything again, not even you.”

He moved to interrupt her, thinking she was finally breaking things off with him. She held up her hand, stopping him from speaking, “I have decided that I’m going to take what I want, what I desire. And what I desire is you. And I do not care about the consequences. Not anymore.”

He stared at her, stunned, his mind processing what she’d said, “Okay.” He said simply.

“Okay?” She said, trying to reconfirm his agreement.

“Okay.”

“Good,” she said before turning to walk away before reconsidering and turning back around. With quick steps, she walked up to the stunned Medjai. Wrapping her hand around his nape she pulled him down before crashing her lips into his. His lips molded against hers. It was wet, hot and full of desperation, as if they were trying to make up for lost time. Their bodies melded into one, relaxing against one another, as if finally coming home after a long time.

She broke away from the kiss, breathing heavily as she looked into the eyes of her lover, “This doesn’t fix anything, you still have a lot of groveling to do, but I’m willing to give you a chance. This is your last and only chance.” She said seriously.

“I will treasure this chance with my life, just like I should have treasured you,” he said, with a slight smile on his face, thanking Hathor for blessing him with a second chance and the beautiful woman between his arms.

[randomfandomimagine]

💫 AU | 🖤 Angst | 💚 Angst With A Happy Ending | 🎄 Christmas | 🐻 Familial | 🌟 Fave | 💛 Fluff | 🎁 Gift | 🎃 Halloween | 💙 Hurt / Comfort | 🏳️‍🌈 LGBT+ | 👤 No Reader Insert | 🌼 Platonic | 🌈 Pride | 🎵 Songfic | 💕 Soulmate AU | ❗ Trigger Warning | 💘 Valentine’s Day

Rick O’Conell

Imagines

Rick Traveling To Protect You 💛

Your First Date With Rick 💛

Being Introduced To Rick On The Trip

Evelyn Carnahan 

Imagines

Listening To Evie’s Stories About Egypt

Ardeth Bay

Headcanons

Ardeth's S/O With A Headache 💙

[a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all]

Masterlist

🌟= new post

🤕= Whump 😥 = Angst 😘= Fluff/ Relationship

✍= reader insert ✉️ = ask/ request

Whumptober 2022 Fics Masterlist

Whumptober 2022 GIFs Masterlist

AMOW's Winter Whumperland 2022 Masterlist

Top Gun Masterlist:

Rooster

Hangman

Bob

Phoenix

Fanboy

DC Masterlist:

Batman/Batfamily

Rick Flag

Christopher Smith

Adrian Chase

Miscellaneous

Marvel Masterlist:

Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier)

Peter Parker (Spider-Man)

Matt Murdock (Daredevil)

Frank Castle (The Punisher)

Miscellaneous

Star Wars Masterlist:

Poe Dameron

Mandalorian (Din Djarin)

Kylo Ren (Ben Solo)

Miscellaneous

Joel Kinnaman Masterlist:

Rick Flag

Takeshi Kovacs

Stephen Holder

Ed Baldwin

Lewis Pullman Masterlist:

Bob

Rhett Abbott

Miles Miller

Harrison Knott

OTHER

Like a Thief in the Night (Ongoing The Thief x f!reader Series) 😘 😥 ✍

He claims to be the greatest thief in the world. You say otherwise. A challenge is issued to settle the matter once and for all. But in the end, only one thief will come out on top.

The Blade of Eternity (Ardeth Bay x Reader) 😥 ✍

When you and Ardeth learn of someone trying to steal the Blade of Eternity, you rush to stop them. But are you too late?

[tilltheendwilliwrite]

Not Another Mummy!

Chapter One

First Chapter will be on Tumblr only until more can be written. Story originated thanks to this thread. One hundred percent @magellan-88​ ‘s fault. 

Pairing: Stucky   |  Word Count: 2001

Warnings: Language, mild angst, takes place after CA:TWS

Rick O'Connell was a mummy hunter. 

It hadn't always been his job, but he fell into it rather naturally. Well, Evie fell into it by way of raising Imhotep from the dead, damn near dying as the sacrifice to return his dead lover Anck-su-namun to the living, and then banishing him to the underworld. 

Twice.

As he was the (often) put upon hothead Yank to her more stoic (stiff upper lip, Chaps) British ways, her colleagues rolled their eyes at her but always out of Rick's line of sight. Still, there was no one better when it came to weird, ancient woo-woo crap.

So when a telegram came from a woman named Pegs, Evie had dropped everything to run to her side. 

It didn't matter they were crossing warzones or dragging their seventeen-year-old son with them to occupied France, Evie was going.

That was how Rick O'Connell met Steve Rogers, the Captain America, and his best friend, Bucky Barnes, and learned there was such a thing as kindred spirits.

Because Steven Grant Rogers was a punk with balls the size of Texas and no sense of self-preservation, and while Rick would never comment on the size of Evie's metaphorical brass bangers, the first time Bucky Barnes groaned with all the dramatics of a putout housewife and screamed, "Steven Grant Rogers! What the hell are you doing? Get down from there; you shit little punk!" Rick knew he'd finally met someone with his own Evie. 

For Barnes, Rogers was a bit like watching Evie, Alex, and Jonathan all rolled into one, but he at least had Peggy and the Howling Commandos as backup. Rick only had himself - and occasionally Ardeth Bay - to keep his troop of walking disasters from falling into pits, and waking the undead.

In France, the Howlies helped them clear out the spookables in the castle where Pegs had found the books she knew Evie would want to preserve, and the O'Connells and Howling Commandos had parted ways. 

Over the next few years, they occasionally crossed paths, and Rick developed a lasting friendship with Bucky Barnes built on saving their idiots and loving them with their whole hearts. 

So when the news came that Barnes had died, Rick took it hard. He tried to find Steve, but the war was too hot, and any commiseration of grief would have to wait. 

Still, he drowned himself in liquor for a week straight, and Evie, lovely, wonderful Evie, his very own Steve Rogers, poured him repeatedly into bed, where if Rick cried out his grief against her, she never told a soul. 

Then, with the news about Steve, Rick was both saddened and a little at peace. At least they were together. They could spend their afterlife as they had their life. Together. Best friends and, if Rick wasn't mistaken, something a little closer to what he had with Evie than either man shared publicly.

Rick didn't mind. He'd seen them together. Love like that, what did gender matter?

Decades later, when the news splashed across the screen that Steve Rogers was alive, Rick again cried for Bucky Barnes. Seventy years apart. How cruel was this world?

Things had changed by then, some for the better, some worse, but when Steve Rogers once again took up his shield and defeated the enemy falling out of the sky, Rick knew the world hadn't lost both heroes. Steve was still there, still fighting, still a symbol of hope to a nation desperately in need of it.

When the giant of a man showed up at Rick's door, after the Battle for New York, Rick was one hundred and ten years old. The look of surprise on Steve's face made Rick chuckle, even as he welcomed him inside and shuffled back to his recliner. 

They didn't talk about Bucky, though they did chat about Peggy, and Steve asked after Evie, gone now almost thirty years. A long time to be without his soulmate. They'd lost Jonathon before Evie, surprisingly to something as benign as a heart attack, not the loan sharks Rick always figured would do him in. Alex was eighty-six, but that hadn't stopped him from continuing the family business, hunting down artifacts and saving them and humanity when such was required.

Steve smiled softly before saying, "Thank you. People always know what I do or what I've done. They see me as a hero, but you and Evelyn, Alex and Jonathon? You saved the world a couple of times yourselves, but no one knows."

Rick shrugged. "I didn't do it for the world."

Two years later, though Steve didn't visit much, he kept in touch via email or text, which both surprised and touched Rick. He'd moved back to the States after Evie's death, mostly because he couldn't stand to be where she wasn't and had made a life there with Alex hovering.

Then one night, Steve showed up on his doorstep in the pouring rain, still healing from the bruises and broken ribs.

"He's alive."

Rick didn't need to ask who. Just led Steve into the house where the man fell to his knees beside Rick's chair and cried against his thigh like his soul had broken. 

Or maybe it was like the broken bits were slowly forging back together, a beautiful work of Kintsugi, his fractured soul now filling with golden lines of hope. 

When Steve left, it was with determination and purpose Rick hadn't seen on him since the forties. It was like he became a man possessed, determined to find what he'd lost, and Rick wished him every bit of luck. If Rick had the chance to get Evie back, there would be no stopping him. 

Two more years passed, Rick aged a little more, and finally, a knock came at his door. He was one hundred and fourteen when he saw Bucky again. One hundred and fourteen, when he opened the door to a man haunted by trauma Rick couldn't even fathom. 

Still, he opened the door to a grinning Steve, but it was the scowling Barnes he looked at. 

"Jesus fuck you got old," Barnes muttered. 

"Bucky!" Steve gasped. 

Rick laughed so hard he made himself wheeze and waved them in. They joined him in his living room, where he sat, unable to stop smiling. "Good to see you haven't lost your sense of humour."

"Lost some good chunks of memory, but some nice people helped stuff them back in." 

The harsh, cold blue eyes weren't the ones he remembered, but Rick could see him in there. He knew the stories, had heard all the reports. Longest living POW. Assassin. Killed JFK. Some said, war hero. Others cried, villain.  

Rick knew it was likely a little of both in Barnes' mind. 

But Steve still looked at Bucky like he hung the moon, and Bucky occasionally linked his pinky finger through Steve's when he thought Rick wouldn't notice. 

"It's nice to see you boys back together." He jerked his chin at Steve. "That one mopes around something fierce."

"We're figuring it out," Steve said, enough force in the sentence to make it clear he was tired of Bucky running. It had taken two years to get the man to stop. "We've worked things out with Stark. Tony's a hothead, he's angry, but he gets Bucky wasn't in control as the soldier."

Rick watched Barnes' flinch. "No, but it was still your hands, right, Buck?"

Blue eyes darted to his and then away. "How the hell are you still alive?"

"Jeez, Buck!" Steve growled. 

Rick chuckled, enjoying the role reversal. "Clean living." 

They both snorted. 

"Clean my ass. I've never seen anyone out drink Dum Dum before. What gives, O'Connell?" Barnes muttered. 

Rick glanced at Steve. There was a pink flush to the man's cheeks, a clear indication this was something they'd talked about, but Steve had never asked. Rick had always wondered if it was out of self-preservation. Maybe he thought asking would jinx whatever link Steve had left to his past. 

"Alex?" he called out. "Could you come in here?"

"You sure, Dad?" 

Steve and Bucky both stiffened and exchanged a look, likely surprised they hadn't known Alex was there. 

"I thought you said Alex was still in London?" Steve frowned. 

"I lied," Rick smirked. "Yeah, boy. Get your arse in here."

He trotted down the hall and into the living room. "Highya, fellas!"

Bucky and Steve stared, gaping from Alex to Rick and back. 

"Shit," Bucky hissed. "They got you too? How come no one knows?"

Alex leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, grin wide, his face as smooth and unwrinkled as it had been at twenty-five, the year he stopped ageing. The bright, burnished blond of his mop of unruly curls, something he'd inherited from Evie and only recently allowed to grow out, fell over his forehead and into his eyes.

"He's not a super-soldier," Rick explained before either man could have kittens. "Seems there was a side effect to the Bracelet of Anubis no one knew about."

Alex spread his arms and gave a cheeky grin. "Looks like I'm immortal."

Rick slapped a hand to his face. "Unageing is not immortal. You can still die, dumbass!"

"That explains him, but what about you?" Steve asked.

"Something to do with the temple." Rick shrugged. "I went through the door with him. Some of the power rubbed off. I age, just… slower."

"Hence the reason you look a spry eighty?" Barnes mumbled.

Rick chuckled, reached up, and pulled the prosthetics from his face. "More like a spry fifty."

"Jesus!" Steve's eyes went wide. "I never even guessed!"

"Alex is good with the face paint. We've had to be. And that's another reason we moved back here. People were starting to remark on the uncanny resemblance of my grandson to my son."

Steve and Bucky exchanged a look.  

"What?" Rick murmured. "Surely, this isn't too much after witches, aliens, and giant green Hulks?"

"No. No, it's not that," Steve said, quick to reassure them. "It's just…"

"Punk had a second reason for coming today. The Avengers found some woo-woo shit. He wanted you to take a look at it. Stark's fancy AI can tell us lots, but she ain't you."

Rick leaned forward, his back cracking, thankful to be straightened. "I'm no Evie, but squirt over there took after her for smarts. She was always the brain. I was just the muscle."

"Come on, Dad." Alex sauntered in and nudged him. "You learned loads from Mum. Plus, that Warrior for God thing comes in handy on occasion."

"Warrior for God?" Bucky asked.

Rick worked the cuff off his right arm, showing them the tattoo hidden beneath it. "Sorry, fellas. Didn't tell you everything that happened with the Scorpion King."

"Yeah. Like how we used the Book of the Dead to bring Mum back to life," Alex grinned. 

"I'm sorry. You did what now?" Steve asked. 

Rick laughed and shook his head. "All in good time. Alex, get the whiskey. Let's see what you've got."

Steve rose and returned to the door where he'd left a backpack, while Alex grabbed four glasses and a bottle and dumped an unhealthy amount into each one. The bag clanked when Steve set it on the floor between his feet, and Rick arched a brow. 

"This is what we found." He placed the golden box on the coffee table. 

Rick gave a low whistle. "Jonathon would have liked the look of that."

"It's really brilliant, isn't it?" Alex mumbled as he crouched to take a closer look. "Look at the way the rubies are inlaid. It's like someone wanted it to appear as if it were dripping blood." He spun it slowly, taking in the images and raised glyphs. "Shite, Dad! Do you know what this is?"

Rick didn't get a chance to answer no as Alex was already running out of the room. 

"So, is he as reckless as Evie?" Bucky asked, the first semblance of a smirk since his arrival twitching the man's lips.

"Worse. He's got a nose for treasure like Jonathon and my stubbornness," Rick chuckled. "Then, there's his mouth."

"Which he definitely got from you," Steve chuckled.  

Rick didn't dispute it. 

Alex returned and dropped a book as thick as Steve's arm on the table, causing it to jump, the chest to skitter across it, and only the reflexes of two super-soldiers to keep everything from going sideways. 

"Alex! Calm your enthusiasm!" Rick barked. 

"No! No, calming!" The manic gleam in his eyes never boded well for any expedition. "Look!" 

He wrenched the book open, sending dust and the scent of musty pages spinning, but it opened on an illustrated page of a female warrior standing over the bodies of the slain. 

"Ah, no," Rick groaned. "Not another mummy!"

[dirt-cup-draco]

Ardeth x Reader (Pt. 1/?)

•Reader and Ardeth have a history. Due to Brother!Rick they dont get the future they want but then Alex gets taken and Ardeth and Reader are reunited•

"Good morning my love."

A sweet whisper of a memory shattered your rest almost as efficiently as the too bright ray of sun streaming through your parted curtains. Your bottom lip sticks out in a pout as you squeeze your eyes shut once again. Maybe you could return to the ghostly touches and soft whispers that invaded your mind.

It seemed like comfort and a sense of belonging was always just out of reach. Maybe it felt even further away because you had once had it. Hell, you’d had everything. It wasn’t that you were miserable. You had a lot that made you happy but that hole in your chest could only be filled by one thing and you hadn't seen him in nearly a decade.

Ardeth Bay. The reason for your beating heart and unending discontentment. Perhaps he wasn’t the only reason or even the main reason. He couldn’t have controlled the situation any better than you had and even then he wouldn't leave his home for much. Why would he ever come with you to London?

He’d had duties. But your heart ached all the same because you knew you would have stayed with him had he asked. You missed the way he’d wake up slowly with gentle groans and a grumble of your name to see if you too were awake. Some times you would be and some times you wouldn't be.

It’d be a good day if you could sneak some kisses from Ardeth before he left to patrol and ride with his fellow Medjai. While your brother had been busy getting hanged you had been staying out of trouble, traveling around. Ardeth had teased from the beginning that he was trouble but he was no more troublesome than a needy puppy.

Swinging your legs out from under the covers you nearly hissed at the feeling of the cool hardwood beneath your feet. You slipped a hand through your hair and snarled when it caught a mass of tangles in the back. Groaning in frustration, your mind when to Ardeth as it usually did in the mornings and late at night when you didn't mind who saw your contemplative silence.

You could imagine him running his long fingers gently through the knotted hair, miraculously fixing it better than you ever could. He had a way with his hands you supposed. 

Sighing, you decided to get dressed even if you really just wanted to stay in bed and dream of your beloved. When you’d come back to London without him you’d been inconsolable. You hadn’t made a big show of tears, nor had you thrown yourself into your room crying his name. You’d simply walked in silence to your bedroom, feeling the chill seep into your bones. Without Ardeth, your sun was gone. Everything was a bit colder.

You hadn’t been able to focus, you had laid in bed and wasted away because what was life without him? He was thousands of miles away and some bitter part of you thought maybe he was doing just fine and didn’t care that you were no longer around. Eventually you’d learnt to deal with the heartache and it had just become a part of you. You had reasons to smile but they got dimmer every year. 

Rick had Evy and Alex now for god’s sake. You had left the only man you wanted to be with in Egypt and you were heartbroken. Your life was fine but it wasn’t complete. You supposed he would be over you now. It had been so many years but part of you hoped that he too stayed up all night longing for you like you did him. It was selfish but couldn’t you have a selfish dream of your own?

Every night the same scenario played in your head. You returned to Egypt and went straight to Ardeth’s place. He was waiting their for you, shocked but pleased. He’d pick you up and press feather light kisses all over your face that would make you laugh and he’d tell you how he’d never given up hope on seeing you again. 

You thought about how you only had to ask your family and youd be on the fast track to Ardeth but part of you held you back. You wanted this misery because maybe just maybe he had lost hope and found someone else. Maybe he wouldn’t be as excited to see you and he had been glad to have been rid of you before. 

“Nothing I can do now,” you told yourself as you fumbled through your closet to find something suitable to wear for the day of moping around the house and maybe just maybe you’d make dinner for Evy, Rick and Alex once they got home from their latest excursion. 

It was all you could tell yourself because if you didn’t have doubt then the hope would swallow you whole and you would make a complete idiot of yourself going to a man who had probably forgotten you by now.

[wildlives]

Yuletide Letter 2020

Dear writer,

I am even more excited to participate in Yuletide in this horrible year, because I get to write someone the custom story of their dreams and receive one in return. I can’t wait to open your gift on December 25th.

My general likes are romance, first time stories, friends to lovers, bed sharing, fake dating, and other tried and true fanfiction tropes. I also like characters solving crimes (or committing them). 

My general dislikes are major character death, angst with no happy resolution, gore, addiction, and car accidents. 

Below are more specific wishes for specific fandoms:

Aubrey-Maturin series

At the cold end of this chaotic year, I thought the best gift would be a pleasant day for Jack and Stephen, set at any point of the series. Perhaps they could go to a concert and then to dinner, or perhaps they are at sea, or put into port somewhere for a day ashore. Please just let us all enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of a relaxing day together. Romance is preferred.

A Knight’s Tale

I would love a story set during or after the movie where these two get together. Appearances by other characters are welcome but not required; ditto historical events and figures. I just love how they bicker. DNW: Please don't include Chaucer struggling with his gambling addiction.

Jennifer’s Body

I really just want to see Needy 1) recognizing her queer feelings for Jennifer and 2) using her new demon powers to kill lots of different bad men. The quantity of dudes, their crimes, and her methods are totally up to you. Bonus if Jennifer somehow returns from the grave and kills bad dudes with Needy. But if you would prefer Jennifer appear only in angsty flashbacks that is also good.

The Mummy movies

Ardeth Bay is the coolest person in the Mummy franchise and it's so weird that he's not the main character. Please tell me any story where Ardeth gets to be an action star as he deserves and Jonathan is his sidekick. Ardeth/Jonathan romance would be cool. An appearance by the O'Connell family would also be cool but is not required.  

The Sting

I would love the story of a con set after the movie with a side of romance between Henry and Johnny.

The Half of It

Please write me the story of Aster in adulthood realizing she's still queer and then, under any circumstances you choose, reuniting with Ellie. Fluff would be wonderful.

Thank you for writing me a gift! I love it already. 

Love,

Wildlives