Stargate SG1 is somebody else's, probably MGM/Gekko Corp/Sci-fi, and I freely admit that whoever's it is, I'm borrowing their show and they retain all rights, etc

Update: All completed! Many thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Merry Christmas! :)

Author's Note: Established Sam/Jack so please turn away now if you're not that way inclined. This was written as a thank you to everyone for their support this year. It is complete although will be posted in chapters daily if real life doesn't interfere (I'm not very well at the mo). It's a short story so not quite as long as some of my others and it will be posted by Christmas. It's set after Continuum and there may be spoilers for most of Stargate. Just a warning that I also play heavily with the Arthurian Mythology in this story. Hmmm; I did promise in my last major story Let Go and Hold On that it would be Jack's turn to get whumped next...I hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas :)

Jack O'Neill and the Seven Fairies

'I have to kill you.'

'Well, it's not as though I haven't heard that before.' Jack O'Neill said caustically. Of course, on the previous occasions – more than he cared to admit to – the words hadn't been uttered in such an apologetic tone nor by a tearful six foot slightly greying Commander. All things considered Commander Bally seemed much more upset by the turn of events than Jack.

Maybe, Jack considered wryly, after eleven years of fighting alien bad guys and running into trouble off world, he was just more prepared for it.

Simple diplomatic mission his ass.

He had known it the moment Hank Landry had spoken those three fateful words that the whole thing was going to end badly. Jack sighed. Which didn't explain why he'd taken the gig of being Earth's senior representative during the interplanetary treaty negotiations with P5R832 otherwise known as Avalonia.

Escape.

That would explain it, he mused absently. Hank's request had saved him from having to attend god only knew how many interminable Christmas parties in Washington. He almost suspected there was some breach in the space-time continuum that allowed for so many of the damned things to be packed into such a short space of time. Maybe there was a time dilation bubble around Washington, maybe that would explain it. He should get Carter to check.

Jack smiled at the thought of his wife, oblivious to the startled reaction of Commander Bally. He still couldn't quite believe Colonel Samantha Carter had married him. It had been three years since they had tied the knot. Of course, Sam had been posted to Atlantis for most of the last year but she had recently returned and although he hated the way she had lost her command because of IOA political shenanigans, he couldn't deny he was pleased she was back in the same galaxy. Sam was currently immersed in helping to complete the latest Earth ship The Phoenix but they had planned to take leave for Christmas; five whole days together. If he didn't get killed first, Jack considered, his mind abruptly returning to the problem at hand.

The mission had seemed to be going well. SG1 had made contact with P5R832 just after the defeat the Ori. Avalonia was a thriving civilisation slightly behind Earth sociologically but they did have some incredible technology at their disposal. The main city was an Ancient treasure trove.

Unsurprisingly, Daniel Jackson had been excited; he believed the planet was the fabled vale of Avalon. Jack suspected that the only person more excited than Daniel had been Vala Mal Doran whose dark eyes lit up with happy avarice whenever P5R832 was mentioned. From the resigned look in Cameron Mitchell's eyes during the briefing Jack had known the young officer was going to spend his entire time following the former thief around P5R832 which was fine with Jack; it left him alone with his former team-mates Teal'c and Daniel.

It had felt like old times sitting in the negotiations with Daniel and Teal'c flanking him, all it had needed was Carter to be perfect. The talks with the stuffy Chancellor Yogal had gone well during the past two weeks even if they had been locked in the same room. Still, Jack had been surprised during lunch to receive an invitation for an audience with the reclusive King in the afternoon. Just Jack; the King wanted to meet leader to leader. Daniel had encouraged him to attend for the good of the relationship and truthfully, Jack had been pleased at the excuse not to have to sit through another afternoon of Daniel and Yogal debating the treaty detail.

Jack had been escorted by Commander Bally through the palace and through some kind of archway that had transported them from the city to a country estate. It was a neat device but Jack hadn't liked the surprise of being transported away from his team especially since a discreet attempt to radio had confirmed his suspicion that he had been transported out of range. The initial meeting with King Vizar had gone well though. Vizar had been charming if cold. Tall, thin and dark, he had reminded Jack a little too much of Ba'al and the grand gold robes and polished smarm hadn't done anything to dispel the similarity.

Vizar had taken him on a tour which had ended in the Ancient throne room complete with a chair that Jack recognised all too well. The room had lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree as soon as Jack had entered it and Vizar had suddenly turned from gracious host to unreasonable tyrant. Bally, who had been accompanying them, had been ordered to take Jack into the woods and kill him. Jack had been zapped with something and evidently bundled out into the forest by Bally. He had woken up a few minutes before in the snowy clearing with a headache and the military commander stood over him with a gun.

Jack swept his old olive cap off his head and ran a hand through the short white strands. 'You don't have to kill me.' He offered, waving his cap at the other commander.

'He's my King.' Bally responded gruffly. He tugged on the dull grey uniform tunic he was wearing. 'I must carry out his order.'

'Would you at least tell me why I'm going to be killed?' Jack asked brusquely.

Bally sighed. 'There is a legend among our people…'

'Of course there is.' Jack muttered unhappily.

'It is said that one day King Arthur would return to save our world from a dark threat.' Bally said. 'The legend says that it will herald the rise of a new Kingdom and an era of peace.'

'OK,' Jack said slowly, 'and what does that have to do with killing me?'

'In the legend, Arthur will be identified when the throne room shines like a Sun upon his entry.'

'Ah.' Jack sighed with understanding. He looked around and saw the stump of an old tree, he knocked off as much of the snow as he could and sat down tiredly. 'So, King Visa thinks I'm Arthur because the throne room lit up when I walked into it.'

'Yes.' Bally nodded. 'He fears that you are here to take his throne.'

Jack pressed his lips together as he took stock. According to the legend he was here to save this world from destruction. He was beginning to understand why Bally was so distressed at the idea of killing him; Vizar had just ordered the soldier to kill the legendary Arthur.

'Bally,' Jack gestured at him with his cap again, 'if this legend is right and you kill me, your world will be doomed.'

Bally's shoulders stiffened. 'I am a servant of the King; I must carry out his order.'

'Hey, believe me,' Jack said quickly, 'I'm a soldier too. I know all about duty.' He stood up, keeping his own eyes affixed to Bally's. 'And I know all about carrying out orders that leave a bad taste in your mouth and enough guilt sitting in your gut that you could swim in it.' He paused and pointed at the other man. 'But I also know there are times when you have to make a choice; when there is something more important at stake than simply carrying out the immediate order.'

He could see his words were getting through to Bally; the gun had been lowered slightly.

'You don't want to do this and doom your world.' Jack concluded. 'You don't want to be the man who killed the Arthur of your legends.'

Bally held his gaze and slowly lowered his weapon the rest of the way. 'I will not kill you.'

Jack let out a breath slowly in relief. 'OK.' He looked around the forest. Immediate crisis averted he figured he needed to get off the planet as soon as he could which meant getting back to the Stargate. 'Is there any way we can get back to the city?'

'No.' Bally shook his head. 'The only portal is within the Royal palace. It is too dangerous. If the King discovers you live, he will kill us both.'

'So what do you suggest?' Jack snapped in frustration.

Something howled in the distance and their heads swivelled to the sound.

Bally swallowed hard. 'It is said that these woods are haunted by the seven Fairies of Avalon.'

Jack sighed heavily. More legends; just what he didn't need.

'It is said that they protect Arthur.'

'Right.' Jack sighed. 'Bally, we need to work something out here…'

'You are right.' Bally turned back to him with a grimace, and a look of determination in his blue eyes that worried Jack. 'It has been an honour, General O'Neill.'

Jack caught Bally raising the weapon out of a corner of his eye even as he shook his head. 'Bally…'

The white beam shot across the clearing and hit Jack square in the chest. He felt his vision greying, fading to blackness. His last thought as he lost his hold on consciousness was of his wife. 'Carter.' He murmured, and knew no more.