Series: Idioms - A series of stand-alone stories based off random idioms.
A/N: All definitions can be found in From the Horse's Mouth by John Ayto
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate.
Idiom: build castles in the air: have a visionary and unattainable scheme; daydream
Castles in the Air
Vala quickly wound her way through the forest, checking over her shoulder every now and then to be certain she wasn't being followed. If any of the town elders knew what she was up to, she'd be in so much trouble. Thankfully her father had taught her the art of stealth, if nothing else. Coming to a clearing, Vala stopped at the tree line and took in the sight before her. There it was, a Goa'uld glider. It had landed a few days earlier and she'd been curious over it ever since. She knew only Jaffa were supposed to fly them but she couldn't help herself, she wanted to see what it was like inside. She slowly crept over to the machine and placed her hand reverently upon it. She'd always wondered what it would be like to fly, to be able to get lost in the vastness of the sky, to feel free. It was this desire which drove her to open the hatch and climb in. She slid her hand over the console, not knowing what any of the controls were but she felt an instinctive pull toward it. She'd always been good at figuring out technologies, a skill that worried her mother. No one was supposed to touch the tools of the gods but she never could resist the urge to take things apart just to see how they worked. She always made certain to do this in private as she did not relish having the wrath of the gods come down on her. It did make her question the extent of their powers, however. If she, a ten-year-old human child could figure out their technology, did she really have anything to fear from them? She knew such thoughts were blasphemous but, again, she couldn't seem to help herself. She'd always been one to question the ways of the universe, if only to herself. Pushing aside such thoughts, Vala glided her hand over the console again and stared at a particularly entrancing button. Instinct told her this was the way to power it up and, after only a moment's hesitation, she did just that. The glider roared to life and her eyes widened in shock and a sense of gratification. The hatch closed down and she felt herself being lifted into the air. It was a surreal experience as she watched the ground disappear but she revelled in the sense of freedom she felt. She flew the glider with an intuitiveness she hadn't known she possessed, soaring through the sky with wild abandon. Clouds zipped past her as she did a roll, a grin spreading across her face. She'd never felt such liberation in her entire life and she stayed up there for a good long while before finally deciding it was time to land. She made her way back to the clearing, executing a perfect landing and climbing out. Before sneaking off, though, she ran her hand over the machine once more, knowing without a doubt that her life had just changed. One day she would be free from the constraints of the Goa'uld, of this planet. One day freedom would not just be a concept, it would be her life.
The End