Two days after my father had pulled me away from Ardeth at the Museum of Antiquities without warning or a good reason, I found myself seated on the large couch in our living room with my parents close-by. I hadn't stopped thinking about the awkward departure from Ardeth since it had happened. I was unsure of how to broach the subject of Ardeth without getting in trouble with my parents again. My parents and I hadn't had many discussions about the awkward afternoon over the last two days.

This wasn't the first time I had been in trouble; I had been yelled at by my parents many times before. When I was eight I had broken a canopic jar that was over one thousand years old. My parents had grounded me for a week for it and I had never heard my father yell so loudly. I had been warned a few times before I had broken it to not touch it while my parents weren't around but I had thought it was interesting. Naturally, I had played with it and dropped the jar on the stone floor, shattering it to a million pieces.

When I was fifteen, my parents had set me up on a date with one of their neighbor's sons from back when they had lived in the United States while the family was visiting Cairo. I had been so offended by my date telling me that I was dreaming too large for a woman without a husband to support me that I had thrown my dinner plate at his head. I had been banned from the restaurant for a year and my parents had lost a set of friends over the incident.

This fight was different than the ones I had gotten into with my parents before. I knew that I had overreacted to my date's comment that night and I'd felt terrible that my parents had lost some good friends over my actions. I had broken a thousand-year-old canopic jar that my parents had been so proud of discovering. In those instances, I had known that I was in the wrong. I still couldn't see how I was in the wrong in my friendship with Ardeth.

Their reaction didn't make any sense to me. Ardeth had been nothing but nice to me since we had met and had given me no indication that I should have been afraid of him. I didn't understand why my parents were so against him, yet they wouldn't tell me why. If there was something genuinely dangerous about him, I wanted my parents to tell me what it was. That would only be fair. I didn't know how to ask without getting myself into more trouble, though.

My mother had woken me up early in the morning the day after I had been pulled away from Ardeth by my father after I had spent much of the night pouting over my time with him having been cut short. Even though I had tried to tell her that I wasn't in the mood to talk, she had ignored me. My mother had apologized for the prior night but had reinforced to me that I didn't understand the trouble I was getting into by knowing someone like Ardeth.

"He seemed interesting, didn't he?" Mom asked.

"He was," I huffed.

Ardeth was the most interesting person I had ever met. "Ren, I know you don't think it's fair but I need you to know that we're doing what we think is best for you," Mom said.

"How about what I think is best for me?" I asked.

"This boy -"

"What's so wrong with him?" I interrupted angrily. All I wanted was for someone to tell me what the problem was. "Is it because he's from the desert and not… civilized?"

My throat tightened as I spoke; I felt disgusting for even suggesting such a thing. "God, no," Mom said, looking as horrified as I felt. "You know we don't share your Aunt Sylvia's distaste for anyone she deems unworthy."

"So, what's wrong with him?"

"Ren, did you not notice that the man keeps secrets?"

"We all have our secrets," I countered.

She had no idea how many times I had nearly been arrested. "His secrets are dangerous," Mom shot back.

"Do you know them?" I asked curiously.

The way my mother and father had been speaking about Ardeth gave me the vague idea that they may have known him. "I've got a good idea of what they are," Mom said.

It meant that she had never met him. "Tell me," I demanded.

"I'm your mother, Ren. You may not like it but if I tell you to avoid someone, you will do so," she replied sharply.

"I'm an adult -"

"And living under our roof," Mom snapped. Well, that was a decent argument. My response died on my tongue. I was an adult but I was living under my parent's roof and abiding by their rules. I could have moved out if I didn't like it, but I didn't have the money. "Your father and I have already discussed it. You are not to see Ardeth Bay again. Trust me, if his parents saw him with you they would have had the same reaction."

"Why?" I groaned.

"His people are extremely inclusive. They rarely speak or associate with outsiders," Mom explained.

"He spoke to me," I mumbled.

To my surprise, a small smile appeared on my mother's face. "I had a feeling that you were upset for more than just losing a new potential friend," she said knowingly.

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.

"He was handsome?" Mom asked.

"So?" I snapped.

"Take my word for it, women are attracted to dangerous men," Mom said slowly.

"He's not -"

"He is, Ren."

"But you don't know him!" I yelled.

My outburst didn't seem to bother her. "If we're being fair, you don't know him either. Not nearly as well as you seem to think you do," Mom pointed out. I crossed my arms over my chest, refusing to admit it. "All of his people are dangerous. I'm sure this man is very handsome, he has an air of mystery about him, and he's very polite to you. If it came down to it, though, you would see a side of him I bet you wouldn't be as fond of."

"I don't get it," I admitted.

"Best you don't. We'll find you someone better suited," Mom said happily.

"I'm not in the mood to go on a date and not on one you pick out," I said rudely.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mom asked.

"You have awful taste in men," I said.

"Ren!"

I knew from the shock in her voice that she thought I was talking about my father. "I didn't mean Dad! I meant with the guys you've set me up with. Notice they never get second dates," I told her.

"Do you ever give them a chance for a second date?" Mom asked.

"They don't deserve it," I told her honestly. The last thing I wanted was to continue a relationship with any of my parents' poor choices. Mom scowled at me as I flushed slightly. "I'm sorry, I'm just upset you won't tell me who he is."

"He won't tell you either," Mom said.

"You're my mother! You should at least give me a good reason," I growled.

It wasn't fair that they were just telling me to stay away from him with no reason why. "His people care for no one but themselves. He would leave you in an instant. You're a curious young woman with a good heart and an inclination for adventure, but he's not worth it. He's not," Mom insisted.

"You've met some of his people, then?" I asked slowly.

"Yes," Mom admitted.

"Who are they?"

"Ren," Mom said chidingly. I let out a deep breath. "It doesn't matter. You're not going to see him again. Drop it, please. Come downstairs and let's have breakfast."

"Okay," I said.

As I had known that there was no point arguing with her when she wouldn't see to reason, I had dropped the issue with my parents and had apologized for disrespecting them. They had forgiven me but the day had still been extremely awkward. I had spent most of that day in my bedroom with the door open as I poured over every Egyptology book that I could find. I was determined to find out who Ardeth's people were and whether or not they were truly dangerous.

After I had spent hours pouring over my books, I had still found nothing. There was no indication of a native tribe that I was positive was Ardeth's. For someone my parents seemed to know so well, there was no other trace of Ardeth's people. There were plenty of native tribes that lived in the Egyptian deserts but none of them had tattoos resembling Ardeth's. I was disappointed that I was getting nowhere when I decided to turn my attention to Ardeth's tattoos.

The last time we were together, Ardeth had said that his tattoos represented an Ancient Egyptian but he hadn't told me which one. I had gone through my books again but the symbols on Ardeth's face didn't line up with anything I recognized from my time studying Ancient Egyptian. The letters that strung together as I went over the symbols were nonsensical. Perhaps it was a different spelling or pronunciation of something I did know. Eventually, I gave up in frustration. Ardeth would need to explain it to me.

Even after a day-and-a-half of near-constant searching, I came up with nothing conclusive about who Ardeth was. Whatever my parents knew about Ardeth's tribe was likely something they had gathered from firsthand experience or they had heard it from someone else. I was annoyed and exasperated but I wasn't going to give up. I was going to find out what the supposed problem was with Ardeth's tribe, no matter how many people I had to ask.

I didn't know what to do with myself now. I wanted to go to my parents and ask them what the problem was with Ardeth and his people but I knew they wouldn't respond and I would get myself in even more trouble. I wanted to see if I could find Ardeth, but I was sure he wanted nothing to do with me now. Plus, there was a good chance that he was already back in the desert. It had been two days since we'd last seen each other after all, and it seemed from the beginning that he wouldn't stay in Cairo long.

It took me a long time to motivate myself to get up the following morning. I was bored with hiding out in my room. I wanted to do something today. I was used to being out and about doing different things every day. I dressed in my usual attire and tied my hair up into a long ponytail. I was determined to get out and do something today. Maybe I would bother the guards or I could see if I could harass Terence into telling me something about Ardeth's tribe since they had appeared to be friendly.

Once I was ready, I headed downstairs and noticed that my parents appeared to be on their way out. "Good morning," I greeted.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Mom replied.

"Sleep well?" Dad asked.

"Yeah. Did you two?" I asked.

"I would have slept better if your mother had stopped snoring," Dad teased.

Mom's jaw dropped open. I chuckled as she smacked my father. I loved my parents, as much as they drove me insane. "Oh, shut up," Mom growled, looking back at me. "I left you some breakfast on the counter."

"Oh, thank you," I said, walking over to the counter to grab myself breakfast. "You two look like you're headed out somewhere."

"We are," Dad said.

"We're heading to a meeting with Jeffrey and Bernard," Mom explained.

"Oh, right. I forgot that you two had that appointment."

"Do you remember them from the White Lady dig?" Mom asked.

"Yeah, I do," I said.

Jeffrey and Bernard were two of my parent's closest friends. I had known both of them for a long time. Jeffrey was a specialist studying cave paintings who had been called in to help with the White Lady dig early on. They had known him for as long as I could remember, though. Bernard was one of my parents' proteges. He was about ten years older than me. My parents had been good friends with his parents and they had helped raise Bernard.

My parents had taught Bernard everything he knew about Egyptology. He had been like their child for nearly a decade until I had been born. I had grown up around Bernard and had always liked him; he had even been my first crush when I was eleven. I had long grown out of that phase though, especially once Bernard had started working more on his own. Even though he was working on his own studies now, he still came along on almost all of my parents' digs over the years.

"Where are they?" I asked my parents.

"Just south of Giza," Dad answered.

"Would you like to come?" Mom offered.

"No, thank you. I was thinking I would head into town and grab some things we were running low on," I said. Even though we were getting better, I still felt a little uncomfortable being around my parents. "We have no paper towels and could use a new set of knives." My parents exchanged a worried look. "You have to trust me eventually. I'm just going to pick up some supplies. I've been dead bored sitting inside all day. Come on, he's probably long gone from Cairo by now anyway."

Disappointment shot through my chest at the thought. I hadn't even gotten to say goodbye to Ardeth. "We trust you. Go on. We'll see you tonight," Dad said.

"Have a safe trip," I told them.

"Goodbye, love," Mom said.

"Do you have money?" Dad asked.

"Yeah. Thanks, Dad. Tell Jeff and Bern I said hello," I said.

"We will," Mom promised.

"We'll see you later tonight," Dad added.

"Bye," I called.

I smiled at my parents as they both walked up to me. My mother pressed a kiss into my temple as my father pressed a kiss against my forehead. I walked them both to the door and waved them off as they headed toward the taxi that was waiting at the end of our driveway. I waved to them again as they clambered into the taxi and the car set off down the street. I now had at least eight hours to do whatever I wanted with.

For a little while, after my parents had left, I hung around the house. I took some time to wander around and pick up the things that had been left out in the living room. Once I had cleaned up, I took a seat on the couch and ate my breakfast. It wasn't much; my mother had just left me an orange and a few pieces of toast. I ate them while reading over the morning paper. Nothing of much importance had happened in Cairo over the last few days.

It didn't take me long to realize that I didn't want to spend the day hanging around the house doing nothing. That was what I had been doing in the last few days. I wanted to get out and do something. I decided that I was going to head out to the marketplace for a while. Maybe I would hang around with Hakim. He was the only one who wouldn't ask me about Ardeth if I insisted that I didn't want to talk about him. If I was never going to see him again, I didn't want to think about him.

After some debating, I ultimately decided to head and see Hakim and Alia first. I should have volunteered to clean the store anyway, as I knew Alia couldn't be done moving things yet. Not after I had destroyed their patio. Afterward, I could head to Terence and badger him into telling me something about Ardeth. It was very likely that he would go back and tell my parents that I was asking about him, but I didn't care. If no one was going to tell me who Ardeth was, I would find out for myself.

Ardeth wasn't going to be a stranger to me anymore. I was going to figure out who he was, whatever it took. I needed to know who he was. Especially since I now considered Ardeth to be my friend. Even if I never saw him again, I wanted to know that I had been right about him from the beginning. I grabbed my small purse and threw the long strap over my shoulder, closing the door and locking it behind me so I could head out to the marketplace.

The weather outside was lovely. I wandered through the crowd happily, smiling at some of the tourists. For how strange my life had become lately, I found myself reasonably pleased with the way things were going. I smiled at some of the merchants as I passed their stands and headed toward Alia's store. She wouldn't know anything about Ardeth but I still felt bad about destroying her shop the other day. I had been helping Alia and Hakim fix the store up recently.

"Good morning, Alia," I greeted, walking into the store.

"Ren," Alia greeted. "Where are your parents?"

"They're at a meeting with some business partners. Need any help?" I offered.

Alia smiled, shaking her head at me. "I appreciate it, dear, but I think I'm all set. We took the opportunity to clear out most of the old inventory and replace it with the new inventory. We should be done soon," Alia said, looking around at the workers.

"It's going to look wonderful," I told her. I looked around at the workers but didn't spot Hakim. "Where's Hakim?"

"He's still asleep. I had him working in the store late into the night," Alia explained.

"That's about all he's good for anyway," I teased.

Alia laughed. I had teased Hakim since the day I'd met him. "I'll let him know that you dropped by."

"Thanks."

"You may want to leave before he wakes up," Alia warned.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"He's noticed you wandering around with the handsome man in the black robes the last few days," Alia said. I swallowed thickly. "He doesn't trust him."

"It doesn't seem like anyone trusts him," I said. "What's Hakim's problem?"

"Honestly, dear, I don't think he likes any young man that spends time with you," Alia explained. I blushed as I started shaking my head. Hakim had never thought of me that way, he just liked to tease me. "He prefers to keep your company to himself."

"He's not -"

"I've overstepped," Alia said, backing off of the conversation as she sensed my discomfort. "That's something only Hakim should say."

"It was good to see you, Alia," I said, smiling at her.

"You as well. Have a good day, Ren!" Alia called.

"You too. Let me know if you need any help!" I yelled back to her.

We smiled at each other as I walked off, wringing my hands together nervously. After what Alia had told me about Hakim, I may have needed to avoid the store for a while. I loved Hakim dearly as he was my only real friend in Cairo, but I had never considered him as something more and had always been confident that he had never considered me as anything more. Was I wrong about things? Or, was Alia reading into things? I shook my head irritably as I walked off.

It didn't take me long to walk up to Mara's stand. I wandered through the few tables she had to look at her things. She had a few beautiful dresses laid out and some scarves that I had always enjoyed. I bought Mara's scarves every winter. Mara always designed at least three for me every year. I smiled at the scarves that were laid out and picked up a black beaded one that reminded me of the robes that Ardeth wore. I grinned as I twirled the fabric around my hand.

"Remind you of someone?" Mara's voice called, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Oh, Mara. No, I just thought it was -"

"I'm only teasing you, dear," Mara said, smiling at me. "He seemed very interested in you."

"He's probably interested in everyone not from his tribe. I think I'm someone new to him. He's not from around here so it must be interesting to meet someone so used to city life," I defended myself weakly.

"Do you think that's all?" Mara asked.

"Maybe," I said, shrugging my shoulders as carelessly as I could. "It doesn't matter. He's not interested in talking to me anymore. Not after what happened with my dad."

"What happened?" Mara asked curiously.

Mara was one person I knew wouldn't judge me for what had happened. Still, I hesitated for a moment before telling Mara what had happened at the museum. I held the black scarf in my hands and twirled the material around my fingers as I recounted what had happened to Mara. I told her everything from meeting Ardeth that day in the marketplace to the days that followed where we had seen each other to the recent meeting my father had interrupted. It was a strange story, but Mara looked unbothered.

"Ren, if you like this man, don't let your grumpy old father tell you he's not worth it," Mara said, resting a hand on my shoulder. "You're the only one who can make that distinction."

"It's a nice sentiment, Mara, but I still don't know him that well," I muttered.

"You can get to know him," Mara suggested.

"He's gone. Dad scared him off," I said sadly.

Mara smiled. "I wouldn't be so sure of that."

What the hell was that supposed to mean? How did she know Dad hadn't scared him off? As Mara walked away, I sensed that someone was standing behind me. I glanced back as I dropped the scarf from my hand back onto the table. I was genuinely shocked to see that Ardeth Bay was still in Cairo and appeared to have been looking for me. I had figured that, after having already been in Cairo for a few days, he would be on his way back home by now. We stared at each other for a long time.

Almost a full minute passed before Ardeth became the first one to speak. "I looked for you yesterday."

"My parents wouldn't let me leave the house. I thought you would be gone," I said honestly.

"Not yet."

We stared at each other for another few seconds before my face finally broke into a smile. Ardeth looked as happy to see me as I was to see him. "It's really good to see that you're still here," I said slowly.

"It's good to see you again, Renata," Ardeth replied.

The sound of his voice told me that Ardeth wasn't upset with me for what had happened the other day, but I still wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. The two of us stared at each other for a few moments longer before I decided to throw caution to the wind and hug Ardeth. My arms wrapped around the back of his neck as he stiffened for a moment. He seemed surprised at my action for a moment but he quickly returned the gesture. I didn't want to pull away but I knew that I had to before someone saw.

As we broke apart I noticed that Ardeth was looking around. "It's just me," I told Ardeth, and he relaxed slightly. "They're out of town until later tonight."

Ardeth smiled. "That's relieving."

"Yeah, it is. My father looked like he was about ready to kill you when he saw you the other day," I said, unsure if I should have mentioned what had happened. "Ardeth, I'm so sorry about that. I don't know what he was thinking."

Ardeth shook his head at me. "You don't have to apologize, Renata."

"I feel like I do."

"You don't."

"He's never like that. I've never seen him like that with anyone."

"Renata, I understand. I do not blame you for your father's actions."

It shocked me that Ardeth wasn't upset over what had happened. It must have been mortifying for him. "You're much more forgiving than I would be," I said half-teasingly.

"I've become accustomed to people not always believing that I am not here to disrupt your lives," Ardeth said. I raised my eyebrows curiously. I wasn't sure what he meant. "Your father is only doing what he believes is best to protect you."

"See? If he heard you saying that he would automatically decide he loved you," I teased.

Ardeth laughed. "He's protective. Who could fault him for that?"

"Me. But I'm his barely of age daughter so that comes with the territory."

"He is your father. I cannot be surprised that he doesn't want the two of us associating," Ardeth said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Do I look trustworthy?"

The interesting thing was that I had never thought Ardeth was dangerous. He had always seemed perfectly safe to me. "Well, you saved me from getting myself thrown in prison or losing my hand the first time we met so I trust you," I told him. Ardeth smiled. "But I get your point. I didn't have much of a choice in trusting you."

"Do you still trust me?" Ardeth asked.

I glanced at him and smiled. "Yeah."

"Will you walk with me?" Ardeth asked.

"Of course," I said.

My day was already improving. I smiled as Ardeth held out his arm to motion me ahead of him. I smiled as I reached out to take his arm. He looked a little surprised at the forwardness of my actions but didn't stop me. Instead, he rested a hand over mine for a moment before leading me away. I hoped that if anyone was watching, it wouldn't dawn on them what was going on. We walked together away from the marketplace. I couldn't help but hope for somewhere with a little more privacy.

"Your parents helped discover the White Lady painting," Ardeth said after a few beats.

"You knew about that?" I asked curiously. Ardeth nodded. "Yeah, I was there."

"You were there?" Ardeth asked.

"My parents were called in to assist with the discovery. They brought me along because they thought it would be safe. It was interesting, but at the same time, it was just a painting," I explained.

"I've heard about the painting."

"It's beautiful. You should see it given the chance."

Ardeth wore a small smile but he shook his head. "The painting is in Namibia. I would never have the chance to travel there. It's on the other side of Africa," Ardeth explained.

The more Ardeth talked about his tribe, the more controlling it seemed. "Not even on a trip?" I asked curiously.

"It would take my family much convincing," Ardeth explained. "It would also be a long trip to make by myself."

"Bring someone with you."

"Who would you suggest?"

"Would it be too forward of me to suggest myself?" I asked, only half-teasingly. "It would be like having your own personal guide with you."

Ardeth smiled. "I do believe you would make good company."

"I've made good company so far, haven't I?" I asked.

"Better than most anyone else I've ever met," Ardeth replied.

The thought turned my teasing look into a sweet smile. I felt a little stupid for the flutter in my chest. I liked Ardeth a lot more than I would have cared to admit. I could already feel myself developing a stronger crush on him than I'd started with, which I knew wasn't smart. I likely wouldn't see him again after this. He would be leaving in a few days. But I couldn't help myself. I liked Ardeth and didn't want to give up on seeing him. Suddenly, I remembered exactly what had happened two days prior.

"You knew who he was," I said without warning. Ardeth looked surprised by my comment. "You knew my father. You called him by his full name. Do you follow my parents?"

"My people follow all notable archaeologists," Ardeth explained. "That was the first time I had ever seen your father."

"Your people follow notable archaeologists?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You may not like the answer," Ardeth said.

"Tell me," I prompted.

Ardeth let out a deep breath as he hesitated to tell me the truth. "My people do not tend to think highly of archaeologists."

We met eyes for a moment as I raised an eyebrow, wondering what Ardeth meant. I thought about it for a moment before putting it together. "You think we're like grave-robbers," I mumbled.

"Sometimes, yes," Ardeth said. I nodded slowly, feeling a little awkward. "I'm sorry."

He had every right to feel that way about archaeologists. "It's okay. You're certainly not the first native tribe to believe that we were disrupting the buried treasures of the Ancient Egyptians," I told him.

"No," Ardeth agreed. "But I've never felt so guilty for thinking that."

"Don't. I understand. There are always some bad seeds who ruin things for everyone," I told him. Ardeth chuckled. "What about me?"

"You are different," Ardeth said. I smiled at him. I was glad that he could see it. "From what I can see, you have a deep respect and love for the Egyptian culture. Unfortunately, not all share your love for this place. Many wish to exploit the treasures of the desert."

"I would never and neither would my parents," I said seriously.

"I understand."

"I want people to understand what this place was like once. I want them to know and love Egypt and its history like I do," I said dreamily. I loved Egypt and wished everyone could see it through my eyes. "Our goal is to teach people and keep Egypt's history safe from those who would like to take it and use it for themselves."

"You're one of the good ones, Renata. I know that," Ardeth said.

"But your people wouldn't."

"It would be very unlikely. They do not trust anyone who disrupts the past."

"We can't all live on legends. Some of us need to see proof."

"Is there something you would wish to see?"

"Well..." I said slowly, unsure if I should continue.

Ardeth seemed to know what I was thinking. "Only tell me if you trust me."

"The strange thing is that I do trust you. Honestly, I trust you more than I've trusted just about anyone else," I said truthfully. Ardeth smiled at me. "My parents are working toward discovering King Tutankhamen's Tomb. That's the first official dig they promised to bring me on if they get a good lead. Could you imagine? Being the family to discover his resting place? We'd be in the history books forever."

"It would give great credibility to your name throughout the archaeological community. More so than you already have," Ardeth said. I smiled at him. I had never realized how well my family was known throughout the world. "It would be one of the greatest discoveries of modern-day."

"Do you know anything about where he's buried?" I asked curiously.

Ardeth shook his head. "Unfortunately, I do not. Those aren't the legends we tell in my tribe."

"What legends do you tell?" I asked. When Ardeth began shifting slightly uncomfortably, I realized that it must have been something he wasn't supposed to talk about. "Or is that another secret?"

"I would like to tell you one day," Ardeth said slowly.

"I can take the promise of one day," I teased.

"Ren."

The call of my nickname made me jump. Both Ardeth and I turned around to see that Hakim was standing not far behind us. I flushed as Hakim's eyes trailed to Ardeth. "Morning, Hakim," I said awkwardly, hoping I could get out of this conversation unscathed. "Alia told me that you were still sleeping."

"I was. When I woke up my mother told me that you had just left. I was hoping to catch you," Hakim said.

"You caught me. What's up?" I asked.

The three of us were left in a tense and awkward silence for a moment. "It's not that important," Hakim said, backing away slowly. "We can talk later."

"Are you okay?" I asked awkwardly.

"It's fine, Ren," Hakim said, waving me off. "I'll leave you to enjoy your afternoon."

I raised my eyebrows in confusion as Hakim began walking away. "See you later," I called after Hakim. I turned back to Ardeth and laughed quietly. "That was odd."

"That's the young man from the tapestry store," Ardeth commented.

"Yeah. His name's Hakim," I explained.

"Is that your...?" Ardeth trailed off.

"Boyfriend?" I filled in.

Unless I was insane, Ardeth almost looked a little disappointed. "I see."

Idiot, Ren! Ardeth thought that I meant Hakim was my boyfriend. "What? No!" I yelped. Ardeth jumped slightly as I laughed awkwardly, running my hands through my hair. "No, Hakim is just a friend. My oldest friend. He's one of the only people in Cairo I talk to who's my age."

"He is just a friend, then?" Ardeth asked.

"Yeah. My best friend. Hakim and I have known each other since we were little kids," I explained.

"He did not seem too happy to see you with me," Ardeth said.

"Don't take it personally. Hakim pretends that he can't stand me but we've known each other since... before I can remember. He's been protective for years. Any time someone comes in that he doesn't know, he does everything in his power to scare them off. I don't think he'll be successful with you, though," I said. I was going to stop there when I felt a little spurt of bravery. "At least, I hope he won't."

Ardeth laughed. "He cares for you."

"Don't mistake his actions. It's just as a friend."

"You're lucky to have such a caring friend."

"One of my parents' better choices."

"Did they introduce you?" Ardeth asked curiously.

"Yes. My parents were always friendly with Alia, Hakim's mother. When they realized that she had a son a little older than me they were insistent on introducing us. It was mostly luck that we always got along," I explained.

"Your parents have made good choices for you," Ardeth pointed out.

"Not all the time," I said.

They weren't letting me see Ardeth. That was the one poor choice they had made for me. "They will allow you on a dig one day, once they've deemed you old enough to handle yourself in whatever situation may arise," Ardeth said fairly.

"Good point, but that's not what I meant," I told him.

"You don't see eye-to-eye to them regarding our friendship?" Ardeth asked.

"Not in the slightest," I said.

"I'm glad to hear that," Ardeth said, smiling at me.

"You know something?" I asked. Ardeth looked at me. "My parents have decided everything I do since I was a baby. Everyone I know is through them, any success I have in my career is because of them, every date I've been on was set up by them, and any friends of mine are because they introduced us. I've never done anything that was because I wanted to do it." Ardeth gave me a long look. "If you're okay with risking it, I've come to enjoy our time together and I don't want it to end."

Ardeth seemed to consider what I was talking about for a few moments. "You're not afraid to sneak around behind your parents' backs?" Ardeth asked.

I laughed, waving off his concern. "Please, I already do that when I steal food for the kids." Ardeth smiled. "Trying to get rid of me?" I asked playfully.

"Never," Ardeth said. I smiled at him. "I would very much enjoy continuing to see you."

"So, we're agreed."

"We are. You are a surprisingly trusting person."

"I like to admit that I've got a good sense of people. I know when I can trust them and when I need to run away."

"And you trust me?" Ardeth asked.

"I do," I said.

"But your father does not," Ardeth continued.

"Unfortunately, he doesn't. But if we're being fair he doesn't seem to like anyone he doesn't introduce me to," I pointed out. We stared at each other for a moment before I decided to continue speaking. "It's been driving me insane if I'm being honest. I think I'm right to trust you but my parents are determined that they are. Normally I would believe them but I have a strong feeling that you're a good guy. I don't think you would hurt me."

"I would never hurt you, Renata," Ardeth said fiercely.

For some reason, I believed him. "Tell me something about your people. Anything," I said.

If he would tell me something real about him, I could trust him. "My people are extremely protective of our land. We have long considered it to be sacred," Ardeth said thoughtfully. "We're responsible for keeping outsiders at bay and sometimes that means -"

"Defending it by whatever means necessary," I said, putting two-and-two together. "Right?"

Ardeth nodded slowly. "You are correct."

It might not have explained every reason my parents didn't like Ardeth, but it was a start. It explained why they thought he was dangerous. "It makes sense now. Why my parents would be so against your people," I explained. Ardeth nodded for me to continue. "You were saying you've never met them before?"

"No, but I believe my father has," Ardeth admitted.

"Which explains why my mother told me your father would have reacted the same way they did," I said. Ardeth nodded his confirmation. "I trust that you wouldn't hurt me, Ardeth."

Ardeth smiled gratefully. "I am glad to hear that."

"They're wrong about you. You're protecting your home and there's no shame in that."

"You believe that we do what we must to protect ourselves and others?"

"I do."

"Good."

We smiled at each other as we continued walking. "I'm sorry about my dad's outburst the other day," I repeated, feeling terrible for the way he had been treated by my family.

"It's fine, Renata," Ardeth said carelessly.

"You know, you're probably the most level-headed person I've ever met," I said.

"Is that so?"

"Most people would have been so offended by the way my father had reacted and that I hadn't fought back harder that they would have never wanted to speak to me again."

"I do not blame you for not fighting against your father. Anyone who would abandon you because of a parent's bias would not make a good friend."

"That's a good point. I happen to think you'll make a wonderful friend," I told him.

"Do you?" Ardeth asked.

"Yes. I find you interesting," I said.

Ardeth chuckled. "You find me interesting?"

Some interesting people traveled into Cairo sometimes, but I had never met someone as interesting as Ardeth. "Sure. I've never met anyone like you before. You're relatively open and welcoming but I still know so little about you. You speak like you're from the nineteenth century but yet you're oddly progressive," I said curiously.

"That's high praise," Ardeth teased.

"I wouldn't say it unless you've earned it."

"You feel that I've earned it?"

"Yes," I said. I thought about letting it drop, but I wanted to say one more thing. "You know something? I've not a naturally trusting person. I rely mostly on myself and my family. That's the way I've always been. I haven't known you long, but I trust you. You saved me from the guards when you didn't even know who I was."

"You were a woman who appeared in danger," Ardeth said.

"And you kept talking to me afterward."

"You piqued my interest."

Was I that interesting? I supposed that running through the marketplace with armed guards chasing me was interesting. I smiled at Ardeth as I glanced at my wristwatch. "The feeling's mutual," I said.

Ardeth smiled. "Do you have somewhere you need to be?"

"Not for a while."

There was no way I was leaving now that I was finally getting a chance to talk to Ardeth without being concerned over who would see me. "Would you care for a drink?" Ardeth asked.

"I'd love one," I said happily.

Ardeth and I walked off together, chatting quietly. We headed toward the far end of the marketplace where the restaurants and bars were set up. I had been to the hole-in-the-wall diners a few times but had mostly eaten in the nicer restaurants with my parents and friends of theirs. Ardeth didn't lead me to either one of those places, though. Instead, he walked us toward a bar that I had never been in before. I had never been to any of the bars before.

Ardeth looked to me for confirmation before entering the bar. I thought about it for a moment before nodding my approval. I didn't mind being in the tavern. I had always been curious to have a drink but my parents hadn't allowed me to try any alcohol - even if I was eighteen, of legal drinking age. They wanted me to wait a few years before trying it. I had rarely seen them drink. I seated myself at the bar with Ardeth as he ordered himself something called Stella.

"Would you like a glass of wine?" Ardeth asked me.

"What did you order?" I asked.

"Stella," Ardeth repeated. I stared at him blankly for a moment as Ardeth realized I didn't know what it was. "It is a lager beer."

"I'll take one of those," I said.

"Two, please," Ardeth told the bartender in Arabic. He switched back to English as he began speaking to me again. "I haven't met many women who enjoy beer."

My face flushed with color as I realized I was about to sound like a little kid. "Well, if we're being honest, I've never had any alcohol before," I mumbled. Ardeth looked surprised to hear that. "My parents are the occasional wine and beer drinkers but they usually only drink during social situations. They asked me to wait before drinking but I've always been curious to try it."

"Should I be taking you for your first drink?" Ardeth asked carefully.

"Why not? I'm not supposed to be seeing you anyway. We may as well break a few more rules," I teased.

Ardeth laughed at my honesty as we were handed our drinks. It was a pale yellow liquid in a large glass. Ardeth passed mine to me, giving me a long look as if to ask if I really wanted it. "What shall we toast to?" Ardeth asked as I took my drink in hand.

I thought about it for a moment before raising my glass toward Ardeth. "Making breaking the rules worth it," I teased.

Ardeth laughed as I took a long drink of the beer. It didn't taste like I had been expecting. It was mellow and smooth. I had expected it to be sharp and bitter. The beer tasted almost a bit like the sodas I had tried on our trips back to the United States. Ardeth was watching me with a smile as I drank. "What do you think?" he asked.

"It's not bad. It tastes a little bit like soda," I told him honestly.

"I would not recommend drinking that as you do soda," Ardeth said.

I laughed at him. "Duly noted." I took another sip of my drink as Ardeth watched me with a vague smile on his face. "This is pretty good," I said.

"I'm glad you enjoy it."

"What do I owe you?"

Ardeth shook his head. "Please, the drink is on me."

If there was anything I hated, it was having people pay for something I should have been paying for. "No, don't do that. I hate feeling like I owe someone anything," I said, digging into my purse.

Ardeth reached out and took my hand to stop me from grabbing any change. I frowned as I looked at him. I had always been raised to not owe anyone anything. I smiled at Ardeth as he released me. "You do not owe me anything. The drink is my pleasure if it means that I have more time with you," Ardeth said.

A wild blush formed on my cheeks and traveled down my chest. I was crushing on Ardeth harder than I ever had with anyone else. "Do you drink much?" I asked, trying to get my thoughts off of my crush.

"Not often. Drinking is not common in my tribe but I do enjoy the occasional beer when I journey to Cairo," Ardeth said.

It must not have been common after Ardeth had gotten drunk and fallen from his horse. I smiled as I took another sip. "Ah. A fellow rule-breaker," I teased.

"You may perhaps be one of the bravest people I've ever met," Ardeth said, chuckling.

"Idiotic, more like."

"That much I do not believe."

"You watched me run for my life from guards because I stole an apple and you still don't think I'm an idiot?"

"I think you have a good heart," Ardeth said.

Maybe I didn't always think things through, but I tried to do the right thing. "You do too, you know? You had no idea who I was but you came to my aid anyway," I told him.

"You were -"

"A woman in trouble?" I interrupted. Ardeth smiled guiltily. "So I've heard." Ardeth and I exchanged a small smile. I decided to push him a little bit further as I wore a brilliant smirk. "Is that the only reason you came to my aid?"

Ardeth may not have had any formal education, but he was smart enough to know what I was teasing him about. "No," Ardeth admitted. A small smile turned up on his mouth. "You interested me. I wanted to know you. I saw you drop from the roof between the two buildings. I've never seen someone do something like that. I wouldn't even do something like that."

"Probably a wise choice," I said. We exchanged a small laugh. "Well, you jumped off the roof of a building with me."

"Only because it was your idea," Ardeth pointed out.

"One of my better ideas, I believe," I teased.

"I agree." We smiled at each other as I drank down a bit more of my beer. "Have your parents ever seen what you do?" Ardeth asked curiously.

If my mother ever saw what I did for the kids in Cairo, she would kill me. I laughed at the image of her finding out the truth. "Absolutely not. My father saw me once and agreed to keep it a secret from my mother. I think I'd give her a stroke if she knew how close I'd been to getting arrested... and more than once," I said, giggling.

"How many times have you nearly been arrested?" Ardeth asked laughingly.

"More than I'd like to admit," I giggled.

There was a reason the guards loved to hate me so much. They had tried to arrest me for years but had always fallen short of their goal. Ardeth laughed. "Somehow I believe you would be able to trick your way out of prison," he reasoned.

"That's a fair observation," I said.

We both laughed as I twisted on my chair to face Ardeth. My crossed legs were hanging in between his slightly open ones. I smiled brightly at him, hiding slightly behind my beer. "You have a beautiful smile," Ardeth commented kindly.

I couldn't tell if he was flirting or making an honest observation. A stupid blush filled my cheeks as I looked at him. "Thank you," I said, hearing my voice crack. I cleared my voice before speaking again. "I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?"

Ardeth shook his head. "No. I would much rather be here, with you, anyway."

"That's good to hear. I've had a lot of fun with you these last few days. I'd like for it to not end."

"As would I."

"It's going to be strange not having you in Cairo once you have to go back home."

"It may be the first time in my life that I'll wish I wasn't home."

It was still difficult to tell if Ardeth was flirting with me or not, but I appreciated the comment all the same. I smiled, knowing that there was still a bit of a blush on my cheeks. "I'm sure that's not true," I said bashfully, looking at the wooden bar top. "Don't you miss your family and friends?"

"If we're being honest, I can't say I have," Ardeth admitted. That was a surprising revelation. He seemed like a family man. I raised my eyebrows questioningly. "The men and women in my tribe are the most important parts of my life but it's nice to meet someone new. I've quite enjoyed my time with you, Renata."

"You'll have to come back to Cairo eventually, then," I told him honestly. "I'd say that I would come and visit you but I somehow doubt I would get the warmest reception."

"You are correct, though I would love for you to visit," Ardeth said regretfully.

"I promise I'm good company," I teased.

"I've seen that already."

"Do outsiders ever visit your tribe?"

"No. If there were to ever be a first, I would hope that it would be you," Ardeth said.

My cheeks lit up with a wild blush as Sharif entered the bar with Nasir at his side. I glanced at them and Ardeth followed my line of sight. There was a brief moment wherein we all stared at each other. Initially, I believed the guards would walk up and tease me, but their smiles quickly faded and I realized that it was because they weren't comfortable with what they were seeing. They were staring at Ardeth - notably how close he was to me. He must have noticed it as well as he gently pushed back away from me.

"I'm sorry about them," I said awkwardly, looking at Ardeth. I knew that they had made him uncomfortable. "They overreact. The people here have known me since I was a little girl. They're protective."

Ardeth shook his head. "Rightfully so. They do not know me or my intentions." As always, Ardeth was level-headed. I glanced up again to see that Sharif and Nasir were still staring at us. "Should I leave you be?" Ardeth asked.

"Please don't," I said, placing a hand on the bar next to him. "I'm having a good time and if you can ignore them, I can too."

"I can ignore them," Ardeth said.

At least Ardeth was able to brush away the prejudices that others were placing on him. I couldn't do that and I was grateful that he could. I reached out and boldly placed a hand on his arm. I noticed Sharif and Nasir stiffen at their booth but they didn't make a move toward us. Ardeth smiled at me and briefly rested his hand over mine before pulling away respectfully. We ended up sitting together for what I was sure was hours, talking and laughing as we got to know each other more.

We each divulged plenty of things about ourselves to the other. I told Ardeth about the trips that I had taken to the United States over the years. He loved hearing about them. Ardeth told me that the United States seemed to be the kind of place where anyone could go to make a life. I agreed that it was a place with more acceptance than most, but not for everyone. Ardeth knew without me having to say anything that the United States' acceptance wouldn't include him.

Even though I told Ardeth that I loved the United States, I made sure that he knew that nothing meant more to me than my life in Egypt and the way everyone could be what they wanted here. Ardeth smiled at me as I spoke about my love for my original home. Ardeth laughed very loudly when I told him about my Aunt Sylvia and the way that I loved to mess with her whenever I took a trip back home. It was mainly be telling her that I was seeing an Egyptian native.

Ardeth seemed to be very entertained by the idea. I admitted to Ardeth that I had never really dated anyone long-term before so that was a bit of an exaggeration, but I liked my Aunt Sylvia's reaction to my stories of intimacy. Ardeth's face reddened a bit as I spoke. I had never been too awkward about speaking on my personal life or beliefs, but I could tell that Ardeth had been raised differently. He was a soldier. I hoped that I could bring out his bold side.

It was fascinating listening to Ardeth tell me about what life was like in his tribe. Nothing was in-depth or things that the average person wouldn't know, but I appreciated anything he was willing to tell me. I liked listening to him tell me about his favorite meal or the way his father taught him to swing a sword. I loved hearing about his two younger brothers. They sounded troublesome but I could tell by the fondness in Ardeth's eyes that he loved them very much.

We exchanged more laughs in the one conversation than I could remember in my entire life as we shared three beers each. I could feel myself getting a little light-headed but I loved it. I realized why my parents had been nervous about me drinking. I could feel my inhibitions lowering as I spoke. Ardeth seemed to find my silliness charming. He liked that I wasn't as serious as the people in his tribe. I blushed like an idiot when he told me that my laugh was one of the most peaceful sounds he had ever heard.

I was positive that I had never blushed so hard in my entire life at those words. It didn't take long to see that I was nothing like Ardeth, but I didn't care. There was something in us that was similar. He kept up with me even when my thoughts seemed to go haywire. He understood me even when my words became jumbled. He smiled at me and let me speak when I had something to say and he always had a genuine thought to respond with.

As we spoke, I heard the clock occasionally chiming away a new hour but the two of us never stopped speaking or laughing. Ardeth quickly grew into one of the closest friends I had ever had. I told him things that it had taken me years to tell Hakim within hours. My desire to be around Ardeth wasn't just because I was attracted to him - he was a fascinating person. I could listen to him talk forever. I loved that when he spoke, he looked at me as though I was the only person in the world.

We were only broken from our in-depth conversation when the clock chimed away that it is nine o'clock at night. I sighed, knowing that it was time to go home. "As much as I hate to say it, I think it's time for me to go," I said slowly. Ardeth nodded sadly. "Will you still be here tomorrow?"

"I will be in Cairo for a few more days," Ardeth said.

A small smile appeared on my face. I was glad to know that I would see him again before we had to part for who knew how long. "Promise me that you'll see me again before you go?" I goaded.

Ardeth smiled. "You have my word. May I walk you home?"

I smiled in response. "I'd like that."

If it meant having more time with him, I would take it. Ardeth hopped off the barstool and handed over a few pounds for the beers. I had mentioned that I could have paid for my beers but Ardeth had refused to let me pay. I had smiled at the gesture as we headed into the street. I tilted my head back to drink in the moonlight. I had always loved midnight walks. Ardeth and I walked together in silence for a few moments as we headed back to my house. The streets were mostly empty this time of night.

"Thank you for the day," I said as we headed toward my house. "I needed to get out for a while."

"It was my pleasure, Renata. You are good company," Ardeth said.

"So are you. You'll have to let me pay you back for the drinks," I told him.

"The drinks were my pleasure. You owe me nothing. Your company was enough," Ardeth replied.

A smile formed on my lips. "Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly."

Something odd had occurred to me as Ardeth had paid for the drinks. "Your tribe works on the barter system, right?" I asked. Ardeth nodded his confirmation. "If there's no currency in your tribe, how are you able to afford anything in Cairo?"

"We do not steal," Ardeth said quickly.

"Oh, I - I wasn't accusing you," I stammered, trying to backpedal.

"No, I understand," Ardeth said, waving off my concern. I hadn't thought he was stealing, I was just curious. "We have members of our tribe here in Cairo. They work and earn their livings like the rest of you and send back just enough so that any of our tribe members who have to journey to a city can bring enough to live on with them."

"I see. It sounds like a cohesive community."

"It is."

"It's nice to hear. You all work together and for each other. It's not like that here. There are so many people who walk past me every day that I don't even stop to give a second thought about."

"Not the children," Ardeth pointed out.

"Okay, that's fair."

"To your credit, Cairo is much larger than my tribe. We're all each other knows. There is no bigger world. We don't have the freedom to spread our wings as you do."

There was something wistful in his voice. Even if he wouldn't say it, I knew Ardeth wanted to explore. "You deserve that choice. Everyone deserves a choice. Whether that's to go out and explore the world or stay home and start a family, we all deserve options and choices. I do and so do you," I said quietly.

Ardeth shook his head. "I don't know where I would begin."

"Now you have something to think about tonight," I chirped teasingly.

Ardeth smiled. "You have given me much new to think on since we met."

"Good. You have something to do now in case you get bored in your meetings."

"They would be far more entertaining if someone like you were allowed in."

"There is no one like me, Ardeth Bay," I said huffily, throwing my hair over my shoulders.

Ardeth laughed. "That's something I am quickly learning."

At least he didn't think I was being an ass. I smiled at Ardeth and stood directly across from him as we arrived at my house. "I almost hate to say goodnight," I said.

"I will come to see you soon," Ardeth promised.

"I'll hold you up to that."

Ardeth placed an arm gently on my back, pushing me toward my doorstep. I smiled at him as I stood at the front door. "Goodnight, Renata," Ardeth said quietly.

"Goodnight, Ardeth," I replied.

Ardeth removed his hand from my lower back quickly as he stepped back into the shadows of the alleyway. I waited for him to vanish in the darkness before pushing open the front door and slipping into the house. I knew, without looking back, that Ardeth was still watching me. He would be watching until he was positive that I was safe. I bolted the front door behind me, resisting the urge to look out the window and see if Ardeth was still there.

It would have been impossible to look, anyway. My parents were already at home. They were placing their things down as they had returned from their trip. "Welcome home," I greeted.

"Ren," Mom chirped, looking up from their bags. "Have you been out all day?"

"I've been in and out," I lied. "I saw Hakim and Alia for a little while."

"That's nice," Dad said.

"How are Jeff and Bern?" I asked.

"They're good. They both miss you," Dad said.

"I miss them too," I said honestly.

It was always nice to see Jeff and Bern after we hadn't seen them for a long time. "You should have come along. I'm sure it would have been more entertaining than whatever Alia had you doing today," Dad said.

I smiled at him playfully. "Yeah, I'm sure."

As entertaining as Jeff and Bern were, I had something better to do. I sat with my parents until almost midnight talking about their afternoon with Jeff and Bern. Bern didn't know where King Tutankhamen's Tomb was but he did get some information from an American archaeologist. He would be heading home soon to see what he could learn from him. Mom then told me that Bern had grown into a handsome man, which I immediately rebuffed. We had known each other since we were kids. It would be too weird.

Though my mother wasn't wrong. The last time I had seen Bern, I had realized that he was an extremely handsome man. I had known it since I was a child. I didn't bother telling my mother that my rebuttal was also because of my budding feelings for Ardeth Bay. He was exactly as my mother had described him - handsome and mysterious - but he was also kind and generous. I liked him and would continue seeing him even if it meant having to hide that part of my life from my parents.

The following day when I woke up, I decided that I would spend the day at home. I knew that I was going to draw some suspicion from my parents if I was out of the house all day. They were used to me being in and out throughout the day but they were also used to me being around for meals and for some quality family time every day. As much as I wanted to head out and be with Ardeth, I didn't want my parents to realize what I was doing.

Throughout the morning, I spent a few hours pouring over some Egyptology books with my mother. We were working harder than ever to find King Tutankhamen's Tomb but there were no indications as to where it may be. At least, not in a place we hadn't looked before. I knew that my mother was annoyed with our lack of progress, but we all knew that making a serious discovery was something that took years in the making. It didn't happen overnight.

After eating lunch together - and briefly welcoming Hakim into the house to hang a new pair of curtains my parents had commissioned from Alia a few weeks ago - I sat with my father and began helping him map out the cities that we had already checked for the tomb. I did briefly bring up the idea that the tomb may have been lost forever. My father looked horrified at the idea but he did admit that there was a chance that could be the truth.

We discussed the idea of my parents potentially teaming up with Howard Carter - a notable British archaeologist - but they refused. They didn't like his backer, George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, the fifth Earl of Carnarvon. I did point out though that Carter had already found some evidence hinting that King Tutankhamen may still have been waiting to be found including a faience cup, a piece of gold foil, and a cache of funerary items which all bore the name of Tutankhamun.

The problem was that his final resting place was still nowhere to be found. After hours of fruitless labor, I decided to bathe and prepare for dinner. We were getting nowhere today and my head wasn't one hundred percent in it. After I had washed off, I wrapped my hair into a tight bun on top of my head and dressed in a simple white t-shirt and a pair of beige cloth pants. I was in the middle of cleaning up my room when I heard my name being shouted from downstairs.

"Ren!" Mom yelled.

"Yeah?" I called back.

"Could you go grab dinner?" Mom asked.

"Sure," I said. I headed downstairs to ask what my parents wanted for dinner when I spotted my mother in the living room, soaked to the bone. "Whoa. What the hell happened to you?"

"Ren. Language, honestly," Mom chided.

"What happened?" I asked curiously.

"A pipe burst in the upstairs bathroom and your father is trying to fix it," she explained.

"Does dad know anything about plumbing?" I asked.

"No, but he's trying," Mom said.

"Damn it!" Dad shouted.

"Dad!" I called loudly.

It didn't sound good. Mom and I went sprinting upstairs to see what had happened. The burst pipe was spraying water all over the bathroom walls and toward the door. Mom and I squealed in shock as we were sprayed with cold water from the pipe. I started laughing hysterically as I ran back into the hallway, only to slip and fall. By now, even my parents were laughing at my misfortune. Water was still spraying all over the bathroom as I kneeled up onto my knees.

"Oh, man. I needed that laugh," I wheezed.

"Are you okay?" Dad asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," I said, waving off his concern.

"Dinner, please," Mom told me.

"Sure. Anything in particular?" I asked.

"Something quick," Mom said, walking back into the bathroom.

"Chicken it is. I'll be back soon," I said, clambering back to my feet. I was about to leave when I stopped and turned back to my parents. "Mom, Hakim is good with plumbing, want me to bring him back with me?"

"Yes!" Mom yelled.

"No!" Dad countered. "I can handle it."

"Really? It doesn't look handled," I said doubtfully.

"Go!" Dad shouted.

"Okay," I muttered.

Typical man... I grabbed my coin purse and briefly debated on changing. I was dripping wet and it wasn't an attractive look. I knew that I should have changed but it wasn't worth it. I was only going to be out for a few minutes. I did decide to throw on a sweater as I headed out of the house and toward the marketplace. As it was dinnertime, there were plenty of people walking around. It didn't take me long to begin receiving some odd looks for my damp appearance.

Maybe I should have changed before coming out. It was too late now. I was about halfway toward the butcher's shop when I got caught up in a thick crowd. I was trying to push my way through the crowd when I felt something latch onto my arm. I thought that I had gotten tangled up in someone's clothes when an arm wrapped around mine and pulled me out of the crowd, down a dark path. I gasped as I had a brief image of someone gutting me.

I pulled up my arm to punch my attacker when I caught sight of the black robes and realized that it was just Ardeth. I let out a deep breath as I tried to relax. "Ardeth. Damn you!" I yelled, fighting to get my breathing back to normal. "I thought you were going to kill me."

"My apologies, I did not mean to frighten you," Ardeth replied.

But he was wearing a bright smile. "Sure, you didn't," I huffed.

Maybe I was starting to rub off on Ardeth too much. Now he was playing pranks on me the way I had always liked to play pranks on Hakim. My scowl quickly turned to a smile though when I saw the boyish grin on his face. It was nice to see him enjoying himself. I smiled up at Ardeth as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. This time he was much faster in responding by wrapping his arms around my waist. We remained together for a moment before Ardeth backed away, looking very surprised.

"Have you gone swimming?" Ardeth asked.

I'd almost forgotten that I was still soaking wet. "A pipe burst in our house. My parents are trying to fix it. They asked me to run out and grab dinner," I explained.

"I see," Ardeth said, nodding slowly. "You are preoccupied tonight?"

"For a while. What about later?" I offered.

"How late?" Ardeth asked.

It would have to be after my parents fell asleep. "How much of a night owl are you?" I asked.

Ardeth stared at me before smiling understandingly. "Enough of one. What time can I meet you?"

"They'll be asleep by eleven."

"I'll be in the alley near your home," Ardeth promised.

"See you tonight," I replied.

The two of us smiled at each other and briefly took each other's hands before heading in opposite directions. I turned back just long enough to see Ardeth's black robes vanish around the corner of a building. My heart was fluttering stupidly as I headed to pick up the chicken. Even though I had been starving earlier, I couldn't care less about dinner now. All I wanted was to meet up with Ardeth. I knew that I was in a bit of a daze as I headed to the butcher and grabbed a small chicken for us.

By the time I made it back home, I had a good laugh as I realized that my parents had ended up calling Hakim for help. He was in the middle of fixing the pipe when he began teasing my parents that he should start an invoice for everything of ours he had to fix. Mom teased Hakim that she would pay him by giving him me. Before I had the chance to rebuff, Hakim told her that having to deal with me was a punishment. I smacked him but laughed anyway.

As Hakim left to allow us to have our dinner, the two of us exchanged a damp hug. I could see the suspicion in Hakim's eyes as I did and I quickly realized that he had likely seen my brief interaction with Ardeth. I silently promised Hakim that we would talk about things later. Right now, all I wanted to think about was my upcoming evening with Ardeth. It was why I watched the clock tick away the minutes at dinner, as I worked with my parents after dinner, and while I tried to read Tarzan of the Apes.

At bedtime, I practically threw my parents into their room while saying goodnight. Instead, I managed to kiss my parents on the cheeks and head upstairs calmly. Once I was upstairs, I let down my now-curly hair and changed into a short-sleeved black shirt and a pair of beige khakis that were soft enough to be comfortable. I passed the time until eleven o'clock by playing solitaire on my bed so many times that, by the end, I never wanted to see another playing card again.

When the clock finally showed that there were only five minutes until eleven, I leaped from my bed and gently nudged my door open. I tiptoed to my parents' bedroom and pressed my ear against the door. It was dead silent for a moment until I heard my father's soft snoring. They were asleep and wouldn't hear me leaving. I grinned at my daring nature as I turned back to my bedroom, gently closing the door just in case my parents woke up.

After I had closed the door, I headed downstairs and snagged one of my scarves from the hat stand that stood in the entryway of our home. I pulled the scarf around my hair to hide it. As one of the few blondes in Cairo, I was easy to spot. Most people in the city would likely already be asleep but just in case I didn't want to be spotted out with Ardeth in the middle of the night by someone who knew my parents. They would never let me leave the house again if they knew what I was doing.

Once I was positive that I had left no indication that I was awake and not in my room sleeping (if my parents woke up in the middle of the night), I snuck toward the front door and gently pushed it open. I slipped into the night air and closed the door behind me, locking it as softly as possible. I waited a moment to make sure my parents' bedroom light didn't come on before walking along the sidewalk toward the alley between mine and my neighbor's houses.

Despite the dark robes, I could see Ardeth in the shadows of the alley. "Hi," I greeted, walking up to him.

Ardeth straightened up. "Renata."

"Come with me," I said.

"Where are we going?"

"Do you trust me?"

Ardeth looked at me for a moment before nodding. "Yes."

"Then come with me," I goaded.

Ardeth smiled as I took his hand and lead him along the path. The alley was dark and difficult to navigate through for someone who didn't know it as well as I did. I smiled back at Ardeth as we walked, neither one of us releasing the other. I wasn't sure if he was still holding onto me because he really couldn't see where we were going or if it was because he just didn't want to let go. I had a sneaking suspicion that it was the former.

I led Ardeth to the back of the building where there was a large ladder that led to the roof. My neighbors and I shared the rooftop patio on top of the building, but no one used it. My mother was terrified of heights and our next-door neighbors were too old to climb the ladder anymore. Our families had agreed years ago that the rooftop patio could be a good place for me to relax and play. It had always been one of my favorite places in Cairo.

We walked to the iron-rung ladder and I began climbing. Ardeth gave me a large birth to get up the ladder first. I smiled as I realized that he was doing so to avoid looking directly at my backside. I smiled as I climbed to the rooftop and walked into the center of the floor. The concrete was thick enough that my parents would never hear us talking or walking around. I hadn't been up on the rooftop much in longer than I would have liked to admit, but it looked the same as it did the last time.

There was an old red couch on one end of the roof (a donation from Alia) and a few smaller seats spread around a carpet. Most were from the previous tenants of our home. There were some of Alia's tapestries set up over the open air to keep the rain and elements away. It wasn't much of a space, but I had always loved coming out here when I couldn't sleep. Ardeth climbed over the edge of the rooftop and looked around in wonder.

"Is this yours?" Ardeth asked curiously.

"Yeah. We're supposed to share it with the neighbors but they're too old to get up the escape. My parents don't ever come up here, so I wouldn't worry. My mom's terrified of heights. She doesn't even like sleeping on the second floor," I explained.

"Will they hear us?"

"No. The concrete's too thick. It's just us."

Ardeth was silent for a while as he wandered around the rooftop. He gently ran his tattooed fingers along some of Alia's tapestries as he stared up at the moon. I watched Ardeth look around for a moment before wondering if maybe I had pushed him a little too far. We didn't know each other that well and I had invited him into a homey-feeling area while essentially telling him that he could stay with me tonight.

"You can sit, you know. You look so fidgety standing there," I teased.

Thankfully, Ardeth relaxed slightly at my teasing. He smiled as he took a seat in one of the chairs. I took the couch across from him. "Do you come up here often?" Ardeth asked.

"When I was a kid. I used to have a lot of problems sleeping so I would come up here to relax. I fell asleep out here a lot. My mom used to get so mad at me. She somehow thought I would roll off the roof," I said.

Ardeth laughed. "She sounds like my mother."

"Maybe they would get along."

"They may get along. Our fathers would be another story."

"As much as I love my father, I can't believe how stubborn he can be."

"If they could get over their prejudices, I believe our fathers would get along well," Ardeth said. I raised my eyebrows curiously. "My father is very much like yours."

"How so?" I asked.

"My father is a wonderful man but he doesn't care for the way that those outside of our tribe lives. He believes that our way of life is the sole correct way. He's a brilliant leader and cares very much for our people. Though it doesn't appear that way, he cares for everyone," Ardeth explained. "He wants people to have good lives but..."

"He doesn't understand that other people may have good - albeit different - ways to live," I filled in.

"Yes."

"Yeah, I know how you feel. My parents are wonderful but they've aged with the progression of society in both the United States and Cairo. Just because they're progressing with the times doesn't mean that people who still live the old ways are wrong," I said, hoping I wasn't offending him.

"You have been very surprising since we met, Renata," Ardeth said.

I smiled. "Is that a good thing?"

"That's a wonderful thing. I have never met someone like you. I doubt I will ever meet someone like you again."

"Maybe that's the reason you need to come back to Cairo."

It was strange to think that Ardeth would soon be leaving and I wouldn't be able to seek him out whenever I was bored. "It will be odd not being able to come and find you whenever I have the urge for an adventure," Ardeth said, echoing my thoughts.

"Can you write?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, there are no post offices near my tribe. If I were to wish to deliver a letter, I may as well come straight to Cairo," Ardeth explained.

I smiled playfully. "In that case, make sure to write letters often."

Ardeth smiled in response. "What will you do once I've returned to my tribe?"

"I'm not sure. I guess I'll have to go back to my normal life. You've been so much fun to have around and you've given me something to do with my days."

"What was your normal life like?"

"Repetitive," I said. Ardeth still looked like he wanted to know. "Lately my days haven't been that interesting. Are you that interested?"

Ardeth nodded. "Yes."

"Usually I wake up somewhere between eight and nine. I never completed formal education but I love learning, so most mornings I head downstairs and read while I eat breakfast. Most of the time I read about Ancient Egypt but I'll read books about any subject. Sometimes I'll even read a novel. Then I'll head to the market. Some days I head to the market to go shopping, other days I head out to hang out with Hakim, or I'll walk around and chat with the vendors.

"Most days of the week I like to go to the Museum of Antiquities and see Terence. I love harassing him," I continued. Ardeth laughed. "It's one of my favorite pastimes. Sometimes Terence will let me help and other times he yells at me to leave him alone; either way, I have a good time. After that, I'll usually head back home and have dinner with my family. Sometimes we'll sit around and listen to the radio and other times we'll do more research. As I said, it's not a very fascinating existence."

My face was warm with a blush. My life seemed so boring compared to how fascinating I was sure his was. "It sounds interesting to me," Ardeth said. When he spoke again, he had lowered his voice and even looked a bit ashamed in himself. "It is a bit humorous to see how red Terence can become."

I barked out a laugh. I wasn't expecting that. "That's my favorite game."

"He is perhaps the easiest person I have ever met to rile up," Ardeth said, making me laugh again. "Except for my father."

"Oh, I bet you my father could beat him."

"Perhaps whilst they were arguing we could have a moment to ourselves."

"Or they'd team up to kill us for disobeying them," I countered. We both laughed as I pulled my legs into my lap, crossing them. "Do I get to ask about your day now?"

"My day very much depends on circumstances," Ardeth said.

"Give me one example of a day," I prompted.

"My days usually begin before the sun rises," Ardeth began. I groaned as he laughed. I hated waking up early, especially not before the sun rose. "We eat breakfast around our campfires during the sunrise. Afterward, we break apart to perform our duties. I will normally head into the desert with the other men in my tribe and search the area for anything - survivors looking for civilization or grave-robbers. We've found both many times before.

"That takes up most of our days. Right now I am teaching my younger brothers the ways of our people the way my father taught me. As the sun begins to set we will head back to our tribe for dinner. We light the fires again and find ways to entertain ourselves. Sometimes we dance or sing; other days we tell stories. Unless I have a nighttime watch I will lay in my bed reading by the lantern light."

"What do you read?" I asked curiously.

"Whatever I can. I'll be taking some books from Terence at the end of my visit," Ardeth explained.

"Have you ever read 'Frankenstein'?"

Ardeth stared at me for a moment before shaking his head. "No." I wondered for a moment if Ardeth even knew what 'Frankenstein' was. "There are not many reading choices in my tribe. We read what is deemed relevant to our lives."

"That's no fun," I huffed.

"That is the way we live," Ardeth explained, a slightly sad note to his voice.

"Would you like to read it?" I offered.

Ardeth smiled. "Yes, I would."

All he had to do was make sure he didn't get caught by the members of his tribe. I smiled at Ardeth as I leaned under my seat and pulled out a box filled with books that I used to read when I came up here at night. I pulled out my tattered copy of 'Frankenstein' and handed it to Ardeth. "It's my favorite book. May it entertain you the way it always has for me," I told him.

"Thank you, Renata," Ardeth said, taking the book.

"You're welcome. I hope you like it," I said honestly.

"You truly are rubbing off on me," Ardeth said. I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I have broken more of my tribe's rules over the last few days than I have in my entire life."

"I've got a knack for dragging other people into messes," I said. Ardeth smiled at me as we laughed. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all," Ardeth said. We smiled at each other again as the wind picked up. I shivered slightly, pulling my scarf off my hair and over my shoulders. "Are you cold?"

"A little bit," I admitted.

Ardeth stood from his chair and walked over to me, wrapping an arm over my shoulders as he sat at my side. "May I?" Ardeth asked, not quite touching me yet.

"Of course," I said.

It was a little surprising that Ardeth was willing to sit this close to me. I smiled at him though, as I leaned into Ardeth a little bit. His body stiffened against mine but he relaxed after a few moments. "You know, we never finished our game," Ardeth commented, breaking the peaceful silence.

"What?" I asked.

"You got the chance to ask me everything you wanted to know to get to know me," Ardeth said. I smiled, remembering that my father had pulled us apart before Ardeth had taken his turn. "We were interrupted before I got to take my turn."

"That's fair. Okay, go ahead."

"What is your birthday?" Ardeth asked.

"October 21st, 1900."

"Do you have a favorite food?"

"My mother makes the best fried chicken."

"Fried chicken?" Ardeth asked.

I laughed at the disgust in his voice. "It's an American thing."

"It sounds American. What is your most embarrassing memory?"

My face burned slightly with embarrassment. That was what I deserved for asking him the same question a few days ago. "I shouldn't have given you that idea," I mumbled.

Ardeth laughed. "You got your answer. It's my turn."

"When I was younger my parents wanted me to have something to do since I didn't speak Arabic yet and I couldn't enroll in a public school in Egypt. They pretty quickly learned that I loved performing; I still do. There's a local theater near here and I was cast as Juliet in 'Romeo and Juliet'. On the night of the first performance, I was more confident than I'd ever been. I knew my lines without fault. I got up in front of the audience and started speaking. Then I forgot my lines.

"I couldn't even remember my name, let alone what I was going to say next. There wasn't any flow in my head, and I didn't know what to do. I started breaking out in beads of sweat. They rolled down my forehead and pretty soon, it was like Niagara Falls. The dress I was wearing was soaking wet within two minutes. I tried to speak, but I couldn't, so I stood there like a stupid mute. The audience was looking at me and so was my co-star.

"We all stared at each other for far too long. You could hear a pin drop in the room. I turned and ran off the stage because I was so embarrassed but my foot got caught in the hem of my dress and I tripped and fell right off the end of the stage into the laps of a few men. My dress was torn up the back so I had to roll off of the men and lay on my back until my parents ran up to me with a coat to cover up. It was almost ten minutes that I was laying there while everyone stared at me," I explained bashfully

Ardeth was smiling into his lap as he held his lip in between his teeth. I knew he was trying hard not to laugh. "I'm not sure if I should laugh or tell you that I'm sorry," Ardeth said.

I laughed at the struggle in his voice. "You can laugh," I said. Ardeth let out a few soft chuckles. "It was a long time ago and I'm over it. I've never performed again after that, though."

"Never?" Ardeth asked, surprised.

"No, that was a little traumatizing," I said, making us both laugh. "I guess I'm not much of a performer anymore... unless you count singing in the bathtub."

"Would you sing now?"

"Uh, I'm not sure."

Even though I liked Ardeth, I didn't sing in front of people anymore. "What would it take to get you to sing?" Ardeth asked.

"A few beers," I said determinedly.

Ardeth laughed again. "May I guess that your biggest fear is public speaking?"

"It's not. I love public speaking and I love getting to know new people," I said. Ardeth hummed curiously. "Actually, my biggest fear is never living up to my parents' legacy."

Ardeth nodded understandingly. "I know how you feel."

"I know you do."

"Is there anywhere you would like to travel that you've never been to?"

"Greece. I love Ancient Greece."

"Really?"

"Yes. That's one place I would love to see and get the chance to explore while I still can."

Though I loved Ancient Egypt, I had a soft spot for Ancient Greece too. "What would you like to see?" Ardeth asked.

"Everything. I would be such a tourist but it could be fun to act as a tourist rather than a teacher for once. I could see the Acropolis and the Parthenon."

"You will have to go one day."

"As long as I don't have to go alone. I hate traveling alone. It's the loneliest way to travel," I said. Ardeth nodded his confirmation. "What do you think? Would you like to come to Greece with me?"

"If you're there, I will be too," Ardeth said. I smiled as I tried to fight back the blush that was forming on my cheeks. "Who means the most in the world to you?"

"My mother," I said. Ardeth smiled at the immediate answer. "She will do whatever it takes to care for and protect her family while also going after her dreams. She would never sacrifice them to fit into society's standards."

"What is your favorite hobby?"

"Bothering Terence."

That time we both laughed loudly. "Do you ever fear the way people look at you because you act in a way not expected of a young woman?" Ardeth asked.

"No," I said quickly. "They may think it's odd that I don't have a romantic partner or any prospects, but it's not my priority right now. There are so many other things I want to do with my life and, at the end of the day, they're not the ones who will be on my deathbed looking back on my life. That'll be me. I'm the one who has to look back and be happy with the way I spent my life. There's only one person in my life that I have to impress and that's me."

Ardeth hummed quietly as we sat in silence for a moment. I knew that it wasn't the way many people looked at their lives, but it was the way I did. "That's a very interesting point of view," Ardeth finally said.

"It's true, isn't it?" I asked.

"It is," Ardeth admitted. We sat in silence for another brief moment. "You said that you have no romantic prospects?"

My face flooded with color. "Okay, that kind of makes me sound like a loser," I said, laughing awkwardly. Ardeth joined me a moment later. "No, not at the moment. I usually scare off anyone my parents bring around."

Ardeth laughed again. "Would you like to get married?" he asked.

"Maybe one day. He just has to be okay with having a wife who's more successful than him," I said proudly.

"You would make any man a fine partner," Ardeth said kindly. I giggled like I hadn't done in years, pinching my arm to get me to stop laughing like a lovestruck moron. "You are not interested in your friend from the tapestry store?"

"No. I love Hakim but he's my friend and nothing more," I said.

"Is there anyone you are interested in pursuing a relationship with?" Ardeth asked.

You. "Not that I can think of. Not now, at least," I lied.

"Perhaps that will change one day," Ardeth said.

I smiled at him. "Maybe. Maybe it'll take the right person."

"Who could that be?"

"I'll tell you when I figure it out," I said.

We smiled at each other as we lounged on the couch. We chatted for what seemed to be about two hours. We mostly told each other stories of our youths and what we would have done differently given the chance. As much as I loved Egyptology and getting the chance to be an archaeologist, I would have liked to have the chance to have gotten a formal education, but that would have required me to be raised in the United States.

Ardeth talked about the interesting prospect of having a formal education. I had realized by now that he had never gotten the chance to go to school. I promised that when he came back to Cairo I would give him whatever books he wanted as I had a large collection he could borrow from. Some were educational and others were for entertainment. Ardeth admitted that he did enjoy reading as it wasn't something he got to do often.

As the night wore on, I found that I became more comfortable being close to Ardeth and he with me. Our bodies had completely relaxed into each other. Ardeth's arm rested far more confidently on my shoulder and I didn't worry about being too forward as I rested my head on his shoulder. It dawned on me that I had never been this comfortable around any man that wasn't Hakim and my comfort with him had taken years to build up.

We had been on the roof for about three hours when I yawned. "It is growing late," Ardeth commented.

"If we're being fair, it was already late when you came here," I pointed out tiredly.

"Shall I escort you back?" Ardeth offered.

At this point, I didn't even want to get off the couch. I was comfortable up here. "You could stay up here if you'd like. It's late and dark in the streets. It'll be hard to find your way back where you need to be. No one will come up tonight and the sun will wake us up long before anyone else wakes up," I offered.

The nighttime was making me a little bolder and far more carefree than I normally would have been. Ardeth shifted uncomfortably for a moment. "That wouldn't be appropriate," he said.

"That's my favorite way to act," I teased. To my surprise, Ardeth laughed. "I'm trouble. You've said that yourself. Come on, staying up here with me tonight doesn't sound like fun?"

"It sounds like a very nice night," Ardeth admitted after a moment of silence.

"It'll be a great night. I could use the company anyway," I goaded. Ardeth smiled at me, though I could see the conflict in his eyes. "You've followed the rules every day since you were born. Come on, Ardeth. Do something crazy for once!"

We remained in silence for a long time. I could see Ardeth weighing the pros and cons in his head. "The view is lovely," Ardeth admitted.

"You'll love the sunrise," I joked.

"You are a bad influence," Ardeth reasoned.

"Yeah," I agreed.

We smiled at each other as we began chatting quietly again. It turned out that Ardeth was very good at astronomy. He could point out the stars. He was showing me the constellations and the stories behind each one. I knew that I would never be able to find them again without his prodding, but I had a good time listening. It gave me a good excuse to be close to him as he leaned behind me, pointing to the stars. I drifted off in the middle of one of his stories about a high priest and an illicit affair.

What felt like mere minutes later, I shifted awake. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, indicating that it was very early in the morning. I glanced to my right and noticed that I was leaning against Ardeth's chest. His eyes were closed and his face was relaxed as he slept; he looked his age. I blushed and shifted off of his chest, waking him in the process. Ardeth bolted to attention but relaxed when he realized that it was just me moving around.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"My apologies," Ardeth said bashfully, moving to the other end of the couch. "I shouldn't have remained on the couch with you -"

"It's fine," I said, waving off his concern. "You make a good pillow."

Ardeth smiled. "I'm glad to be of service."

His voice was deep and gravelly with sleep. I smiled back at him as I realized that I had a blanket over me that wasn't there when I had fallen asleep. "I didn't fall asleep with this on, did I?" I asked.

"No, you just looked cold," Ardeth said. That was sweet. "If I've overstepped -"

"Please, stop apologizing," I interrupted. Ardeth's voice dropped off immediately. "It's sweet and thank you. I would tell you if there was an issue." We smiled at each other as I yawned. "I fell asleep on you, didn't I?"

Ardeth smiled as I pulled the blanket up a little higher on my chest so that I could cuddle into it. "You did, but it wasn't that fascinating of a story," he said.

"I'm sorry." Ardeth shook his head. "Would I be overstepping if I said that you were comfortable?"

"Not at all."

We smiled at each other for a moment before my grin faded. "You're leaving today, aren't you?" I asked.

A pregnant pause passed between us. "Yes," Ardeth admitted.

"When?"

"To return to my tribe on time, I must leave before the sun rises."

The sun would be up in under an hour. "You're leaving in a few minutes, then?" I asked knowingly.

"Unfortunately," Ardeth said sadly. We smiled at each other sadly as I pushed out of the chair and dropped my blanket on the couch. Ardeth followed me a moment later. We stood facing each other, each wearing a sad smile. "I have had a wonderful time getting to know you these past few days, Renata."

"So have I, Ardeth. These have probably been some of the most entertaining days of my life. I'm very glad to have met you," I said honestly.

"As am I. You have made the long journey to Cairo worth it."

"That's good to hear. I'm sorry you'll have a long and lonely trip back home."

"I have something to entertain myself with."

Ardeth held up my copy of 'Frankenstein,' making me smile. "You'll have to come back and tell me how you like it," I said.

"Of course."

As much as I would have loved for him to stay and chat for another few hours, I knew that Ardeth needed to leave. According to him, it was a long trip back to his tribe. I motioned to the ladder. "Shall we?" I asked.

"It is time," Ardeth said regretfully.

We exchanged another pitiful smile as we headed to the ladder. Ardeth motioned for me to go first and I smiled as we took to the ladder, slowly climbing back to the alley. I hit the dirt ground and stepped back as I watched Ardeth climb down. He moved along the rungs faster than I was expecting. I didn't know how he could be so alert before the sun even rose over the horizon. Ardeth hit the ground a moment later and turned to stand facing me.

The sun had begun to rise and glitter against Ardeth's dark eyes. "So, I guess this is goodbye," I muttered dumbly.

"For now," Ardeth said. I raised an eyebrow at his statement. "I will return."

"Really?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes."

"I thought your people didn't travel to Cairo that often."

"I've never had a reason to come to Cairo. Now I believe I do," Ardeth said carefully.

"Good. When will you return?" I asked.

"I do not know."

"I was afraid of that."

It was going to be so boring getting used to not having Ardeth around again. "But you have my word, Renata, that I will come to you first," Ardeth promised.

"I'll hold you up to that," I said seriously.

Ardeth smiled as he took my hands in his. His hands were rough and large - they were the hands of a warrior. My heart fluttered pathetically as Ardeth leaned down to my level and pressed a kiss against my cheek. I wasn't expecting the action, but I wasn't going to say anything against it. I was hoping he would make the forward move. I smiled at Ardeth as he backed away, letting him know that I wasn't bothered by the forward departure.

"I'll see you... someday," I said sadly.

Ardeth tightened his grip on my hands for a moment. "Someday," he agreed.

I smiled at Ardeth as he pressed another kiss against my cheek. I thought about the many things I wanted to say to him as I watched him walk out of the alley. I wanted to ask him to come back. I wanted to ask him to stay with me. I wanted to ask him so many things about who he was and what his life was like. I wanted to tell him about my budding crush on him. But I said nothing, instead, smiling at him as he walked out of the alley and back to his normal life.

As we walked back to our respective lives, we turned back to face each other for just a moment. Ardeth was heading downtown and I was near my front door. He must have known that I was looking at him because he turned back to face me. We exchanged a smile as Ardeth raised his hand to his mouth, pressing a kiss against his fingers and raising them to his forehead - a departing gesture in his tribe, I was positive. I smiled and waved back at him, grabbing the newspaper before walking inside.

I jumped as I closed the front door behind me and immediately spotted my mother standing there. "Oh, good morning," Mom greeted, looking shocked to see me. "I wasn't expecting you to be awake this early."

"Um, I couldn't sleep," I said awkwardly.

"I see. Were you out?" Mom asked curiously.

"Yeah, I went out to grab the paper. Here you go," I said, handing it over.

"Thank you, love."

"You're welcome."

I walked past my mother to head back to my room and wash off. "Are you okay?" Mom asked.

"What?"

"You look a little flushed."

"I'm fine. It's just hot outside," I said awkwardly.

"Okay. Get washed off and come downstairs for breakfast," Mom said.

"Sure."

As soon as I could get my damn blush to go away. I smiled at my mother and headed upstairs to get ready for the day. As much as I wanted to sit upstairs and daydream about Ardeth, I knew that I was going to have to get back to normal. Even if I saw Ardeth again one day, it was likely going to be a long time from now. That didn't stop me from looking out my bedroom window to see Ardeth walking alone through the marketplace. Someday...

A/N: I'm finally back! It's been a long time but that's just because I can't focus on one thing at a time and started writing another story. But I promise I'll start focusing on this one again! Thanks for all the follows and favorites! Please review! Until next time -A

Toocrazyyforyourshhhhit007: Thank you! It's been a while but I'm finally back with the new chapter. I hope you liked this one!

Guest: Thank you! I really hope you liked this one! Sorry it's been such a long time, but here's hoping it was worth it!

CassieSalvatore1864: Oh, yeah. It would be infuriating if that really happened to someone in real life. Of course, this is also the early twentieth century and young women didn't exactly stand up for themselves as they would now, especially not to a parent. Don't worry, Ren isn't one to listen to her parents! She's going to do whatever she wants. Ren is furious with her parents but knows they won't tell her what's going on. It is absolute bullshit! Everyone deserves an explanation for why they're not allowed to do something or see someone. I'm glad you like it though! I hope you like this one as well.