There's A Fine Line Between Coincidence & Fate ✓

Chapter 33

The weeks passed by quickly as we got accustomed to Texas living, or re-accustomed in my case. Ardeth had taken to ranch living as he did with everything else, with an ease I was incredibly jealous of. He was up with my father, who was already on the road to recovery and looking a lot better, a lot quicker than any of us anticipated, and brothers, helping with the cattle.

I was busy impressing my mother with how domestic I had become. I had helped her prepare several of our meals, with great success. Of course, she was crediting herself with this breakthrough, as she was calling it, never minding the fact that it was my mother-in-law's patience that had finally broken through to me.

Things were going well, and when things are going well, one tends to worry as to when the shit is going to hit the fan. And boy did this shit hit the fan. About 2 months into our stay with my family, Joseph came back from the city with a telegraph for me and Ardeth, from home. We immediately took it into my room and read its contents. "There's been an attack on the tribe." Ardeth said gravely. "Several were wounded, and Aman and Baba were killed. Mother needs us home as soon as possible."

"Did she say who was responsible?" I ask, trying my best to read the missive over his shoulder.

"A cousin tribe, so to speak. There was division in the Medjai long ago, and this faction split off from us. We've been warring with them off and on ever since."

"What caused this invasion?"

"Word probably reached them that I was gone, and they saw this as an opportunity to attack when we were leaderless."

"We need to return home at once." I say, hurrying around our room and gathering our things, throwing them into the trunk.

"I need to return home. I need you to stay here, where I know you and our son are safe."

"If you think, for one second, that I'm staying here and leaving your mother alone in this time of mourning, you are surely mistaken."

"Yes, my queen." He says with a slight smirk before regaining his composure. "We need to leave quickly."

"It'll be too late to go anywhere tonight, but at first light, we can have one of my brothers take us to the train station in San Antonio and start making our way back." He nods and we tell my family the plan before turning in for the night.

...

The next day we leave before the sun rises, making it to San Antonio just in time for the first train. The travel back to Egypt goes by significantly quicker than our journey to the states. Soon enough we were back in Cairo. Not even bothering to stop and check in with the new curator, we hurry out into the desert for home.

After a week of travel we were finally back in our village, and the air was thick with emotion. We left our horses in the care of the stable hand and ran to his parents' tent. "Umi?" Ardeth calls out.

"You're home." She says solemnly. "Good. Good." She's been crying, it doesn't take a genius to see it. I flit about the tent, preparing tea as Ardeth sits with her.

"Where are they?"

"Our scouting parties haven't been able to find them. It appears the vanished."

"I will join them tomorrow. I do not care what rock they're hiding under, we will find them and justice for those who died in the attack will be served." I had never seen Ardeth like this. Sure I had seen him serious plenty of times. It was kind of his thing. But this, this was anger, rage, and most importantly, sadness. I had never seen his eyes quite so... sad.

"Just remember, my son, do not give in to this need for revenge. It will only lead you down a lonely path." His mother tells him. He doesn't say anything, just leaves the tent and we can hear him start barking orders. With him gone, his mother turns to me. "And just when were you going to inform me that you are carrying my grandchild?"

I let out a huff of a laugh. "We just got home Rahima. I didn't want this news to overshadow the mourning we all need to do."

She shakes her head. "My husband and son would have been thrilled by this news. They would not want us to be wallowing in our grief for long. It was not who they were."

"I know. It just doesn't seem fair."

"Life is often unfair, my daughter. But promise me this. You will keep my son from this path of vengeance. It will consume him and will destroy the good heart that we both know leads him. I fear that not even the upcoming arrival of his child will keep him from this path."

"I would die before I watch him destroy himself."

"Let's hope it will not come to that. You two are destined for many happy years together." I nod, but don't look completely convinced.

"I just hope you are right."