Ardeth Bay

Ardeth smiled, his eyes closing as Wanda's fingers traced his tattoos on his cheeks. When he heard the song she was humming, his first thought was that he liked it, but his second was that he thought he'd heard it before. "That song... It seems very familiar to me. What is it?" he asked, his eyes flickering open. It had almost given him a feeling of deja vu and a sense of comfort the more he listened to it. "You have a lovely voice," he whispered, smiling warmly at her.

Ardeth smiled gently and wrapped his arm around her, drawing her closer into his protective embrace. "I am not going anywhere, Wanda. Try not to let the future close in on your before it even arrives. For now, we are safe and happy. Let us enjoy that for now, yes? We will deal with hardships and challenges as they arise, but if we exhaust ourselves now in worrying what might happen, we will not be prepared to face what does."

Wanda had been on edge when the man had approached. It had been as before, someone from the medjai had approached her, Ardeth nowhere in sight. Though the difference was this time, the bad news wasn't that they were going to kill him. This time, it was that he was already wounded and needed her there. Everything in her ran cold. "Where is he? Who did this?" She asked as she moved to follow him, a mixture of grief and anger bubbling up. "How long ago did it happen?"

"Wanda... What are you..." he tried to ask, but his head fell back again. He just didn't have the strength. The pain was beginning to ease, though, and he assumed that to be her doing. "Thank you..." he whispered, his tense expression relaxing as he felt some relief.

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Goddess Isis, temple of Kalabsha.

Ardeth was wholly unaware of how dark, authoritative, and even a bit attractive he sounded whenever he spoke of those historic times and ancient evils. "He is buried beneath a temple in what was once Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead. Why do you ask?"

Ardeth smiled and wrapped his arms around Wanda as she held him around his waist. "That we will. I had thought it sufficient to simply keep people away from his tomb, but if he is able to reach out in dreams, perhaps we need a more proactive approach to containing him. Though, what that might be eludes me at present."

Wanda had been on edge when the man had approached. It had been as before, someone from the medjai had approached her, Ardeth nowhere in sight. Though the difference was this time, the bad news wasn't that they were going to kill him. This time, it was that he was already wounded and needed her there. Everything in her ran cold. "Where is he? Who did this?" She asked as she moved to follow him, a mixture of grief and anger bubbling up. "How long ago did it happen?"

"I am... trying... my best..." Ardeth said with a weak smile. "If I leave you... it will not be... for lack... of wanting... to stay." His skin was clammy and far too pale, but he was trying to remain conscious. This was not his first encounter with going into shock or with having a painful wound, and so he drew from that experience to try and steady himself. "I love you... Wanda. Please... always... remember that," he said while she did her best for him. It was nice, feeling her magic tingle within his wounds. Like a balm that carried her warmth with it.

Ardeth smiled, his eyes closing as Wanda's fingers traced his tattoos on his cheeks. When he heard the song she was humming, his first thought was that he liked it, but his second was that he thought he'd heard it before. "That song... It seems very familiar to me. What is it?" he asked, his eyes flickering open. It had almost given him a feeling of deja vu and a sense of comfort the more he listened to it. "You have a lovely voice," he whispered, smiling warmly at her.

As Wanda said she didn't want to harm him, or overwhelm him by drawing out too many memories at once, Ardeth's gaze was set on her, wondering. Why did she always say that? Did she not think him strong enough to handle remembering his past life? Or was it something else? "You still harbor a lot of guilt with you, don't you, Wanda?" he guessed. "Let go of it. I do not blame you for what happened to me in my previous life. It was not your fault. I would much rather you unburden yourself of this heavy guilt you carry around with you."

Ardeth smiled, his eyes closing as Wanda's fingers traced his tattoos on his cheeks. When he heard the song she was humming, his first thought was that he liked it, but his second was that he thought he'd heard it before. "That song... It seems very familiar to me. What is it?" he asked, his eyes flickering open. It had almost given him a feeling of deja vu and a sense of comfort the more he listened to it. "You have a lovely voice," he whispered, smiling warmly at her.

"They are returning to me, little by little. In dreams, most often, but you draw them out as well. Spending time with you, speaking with you... it helps me to remember. Just as you did with that song just now. I do not gamble, but if I did, I would have wagered that tonight I shall dream of you, and that song, and of a memory we shared with it. That is usually how it happens, these moments of vague remembrance, and then my dreams will add substance to the memories."

He smiled playfully. "Do you really have an interest in such a thing?" he asked. "What would you choose for a costume, if you did participate?" And for that matter... what would he choose? Ardeth had absolutely no idea. "If you would like to, we could put together costumes and go to Cairo. I know there are many there who favor Halloween."

He smiled a bit shyly as she kissed him. Her affection always had a way of bringing out his happiness, no matter what sort of day he'd been having prior. "Of course. I feel it is my duty to help you reacquaint yourself with this world, and traveling to Cairo during a celebration is a wonderful way to do that. So long as you do not feelit would overwhelm you. You are still adjusting, after all," he said protectively.