AN: This is my first SG1 story. It was inspired by the wonderfully refreshing character that is Vala, by her relationship to Daniel (although that was not a date, of course), and her strange relation to Adria (who is definitely too young to have her own army!).
Disclaimer: I do not own "Stargate SG1" or any of its characters. This story is written for entertainment only, no profit is being made off it, no infringement of any rights intended.
Enjoy!
Prologue: This Must Be Bad News
She had never been allowed inside the shabby tavern as a child, but she used to sneak inside almost daily, anyway. Perhaps the strong smell of ale and the loud shouts of the men had scared her at first. But she'd learnt that the bar was no more dangerous than the playground next to their neighbor's bakery. The men came there to prop their feet up on the table, talk loud and talk dirty, shout their imagined stories of bravery and pat each other on the back—things they did not do in the otherwise dull daily life in the village that Vala called home.
The tavern was an escape from the routine of an uneventful life. To the teenager Vala, it had been a source of novelty. At least until she had explored every single corner and heard every single tall tale, and then the novelty was gone and the bar held nothing more than the excitement of sneaking in without permission and spying on people who didn't know she was there. She soon grew bored with that, too, and would just sneak in for the spicy apple cider that the barmaid would treat her to in exchange for a few minutes of witty conversation.
The faint smell of the cider still lingered in the air when Vala found herself standing in the murky tavern once more, with no recollection of how she had come to be there.
She cast a quick glance around, and noticed the place was deserted. Still, it looked exactly as it had so many years before, dusty and warm and vaguely welcoming. Wooden tables arranged without heed to pattern or aesthetics, small rickety stools scattered across the floor and half-empty beer mugs on the bumpy counter.
And Vala knew something was wrong, for it was too quiet and she was too calm. Taverns were never quiet, and she should have panicked the second she had found herself there, that much was sure of. She was also quite certain she would never have come back to that place by her own accord.
Which meant that someone was there with her. Which meant she could start asking questions.
"What's this?" She took a few tentative steps towards the counter, keeping an eye out for danger. "Where am I? Is anyone here?"
"Don't be afraid."
The corners of her lips turned upwards in a small smirk. Of course she wasn't alone. Swiftly, she turned on her heels to face whoever had spoken…and her face fell.
"Oh…I know you."
"Yes. We have met before."
An alarming thought crept to her mind, and Vala arched an eyebrow at the absurdity of it. She smiled cautiously.
"Morgan…Morgan le Fey, right?"
The woman in front of her nodded. Vala grimaced: she knew what was coming, and it couldn't be good.
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AN: Next chapters will explain what exactly happened (though you can guess, right?) and more importantly, how it happened. Your comments, opinions or questions are welcome! Please let me know what you think! Hit that little blue button! ;)
Myosotis