Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairing, etc.
Part 4/?
-Chapter 3-
Feral
Ronon glanced over his shoulder. Both his father and Teyla's were still within earshot, so they had to be civil. "My mother wants to meet you," he said.
Teyla shifted on the log bench where they sat so she faced him better. "What is your mother like?"
"I think you'll like her. She's a really nice person – you know, for a mother. But don't ever get on the bad side of her temper. She'll either scream at you like a banshee or give you this look that makes you feel so guilty you'll go around with your tail tucked between your legs for a week. To be honest, I'm not sure which is worse." Ronon sighed. "What's your mother like?"
"She – is dead," Teyla said softly. For a moment her façade cracked, and he saw the pain on her face.
"I'm sorry," he said, and meant it. "I didn't mean to bring back awful memories."
"It is fine. The Wraith – during the last culling, almost five years ago, they took a lot of people. But Mother was killed when the monsters destroyed our village. She—" Suddenly she snapped her mouth closed and shook her head. "Not even that could save her," she whispered, as if to herself.
Ronon wanted to ask, but was sure he wouldn't get a polite answer. Besides, it was obvious the poor girl was already in enough emotional pain without his adding to it. "Sorry," he whispered again.
Teyla smiled wanly. "That was five years ago. The pain – it lessens, in time. We try not to let our fear of the Wraith rule us, govern our movements or our lives. Perhaps we cannot put up a fight worthy of destroying them. But we can live in defiance of their ways, not constantly looking to the skies in fear of their ships, or running away each time the Ring activates." A little more life came back into her eyes as she looked at him. "That was, of course, until you came."
"I'm sure I would have reacted the same way if you and your father had come to Sateda." Ronon looked away, out toward the hustle and bustle of Teyla's village. He hoped his father hadn't heard him – perhaps that had been a little too harsh. He changed the subject, just in case. "So – do you think you'll be in too much trouble with your dad?"
"No." She hesitated. "Well – maybe. A little. As I said, he likes it when everyone gets along. Besides, he's not going to jeopardize our courtship by restricting my freedom." She sighed heavily. "So, as much as I hate to admit it, I suppose I do owe you a little."
Ronon half-bowed, not easy considering his seated position. "Happy to be of service, m'lady."
Teyla chuckled. He was surprised by how different she looked when she laughed. "So – when am I supposed to meet your mother?"
"I don't know. She just wants me to 'bring you home to dinner' one day. Trust me – you'll get a feast like not even the Chieftain sees."
"Is that a good thing?"
Ronon realized she didn't know anything about his culture, about their people and traditions. "Yeah, I guess so. If you want to feel like a overstuffed animal for the next two days."
Teyla smiled. "Maybe she will teach me how to cook."
"You can't cook?" Ronon stared at her in shock.
Immediately, he saw the defensive fire relight in her eyes. Her posture noticeably stiffened. "Not every woman can cook," she snapped. "Besides, that is not all we are useful for."
He held up his hands. "Hey!" he said. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything by it." He decided to keep quiet after that. Better to say nothing than the wrong thing.
Teyla shook her head. "Sorry," she sighed. "It would appear I am being a bad hostess."
"It's fine. I'm – being a bad guest." If only their fathers would move out of earshot! They had to be sticking close deliberately – just to make sure their children got along well with each other.
Tracing patterns in the dirt with one bare foot, Teyla asked, "Do you Bantos spar?"
Ronon felt a grin stretch his lips. "Yes! It was one of the first methods of fighting my father taught me. You?"
Teyla looked up, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "My mother – and various other trainers – have taught me. Care to spar?"
"Now?"
A feral grin once more made him think of her as a little, dangerous cat. "Unless you are too scared?" she asked. There was a little too much innocence in her tone.
"Of you?" He scoffed. "Let's go." Hopefully their venture would be approved of by their guards. . .
As they both jumped to their feet, Rowan cleared his throat from a few feet away. "Where are you going?"
Ronon shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Teyla can Bantos spar," he said. "We're going to practice."
An almost exasperated expression darkened Tughan's face, but he nodded. "I only request you two do not go into the woods. They are dangerous."
Apparently he doesn't know his daughter runs off to the woods almost every day, Ronon thought wryly. "Yes sir." He looked to Rowan, who shrugged. "Be a gentleman," was the only thing he said.
Teyla appeared next to him silently. She nudged his arm with her elbow and held out two Bantos rods. "Here," she said. "Come on."
"Not into the woods!" Tughan called after them.
"Yes, Father!" Teyla called over her shoulder. Ronon offered a polite smile to the two men before running off after her. "We're going into the woods, aren't we?" he asked as soon as they were out of earshot.
"No," Teyla said. "I know of a clearing out of sight and hearing range of the village, but still close enough to not be considered 'the woods.'" She grinned. "May the best warrior win."
"The best," Ronon agreed. His father had warned him to be a "gentleman" – and he planned on it. There was no point in pulverizing the poor girl – it was hard enough already to get along with her!
Teyla's "clearing" was more like a miniature bowl-shaped arena. Surrounded on three sides by the ominously quiet woods, with the way back to the village making the fourth side, Ronon felt like he was hemmed in. "This is where we're going to fight?"
"Sure." Teyla shrugged gracefully. "The ground is fairly smooth, and the area is open enough to offer us plenty of room to spar. We use this place for celebration, and to train." She raised her eyebrows. "If you would rather fight somewhere else. . ." She trailed off, her last words sounding rather like a challenge.
"No. Here is fine."
She grinned, settling into a fighting stance with a rod in each hand. "Let us begin."
Ronon hung back, waiting for her to attack first. She paced around him, her stance one of a person well-versed in the art. He swallowed. Clever girl. . .
Teyla attacked. All thoughts of "gentlemanly" behavior fled his mind as he fought back. There were a few girls where he trained professionally for the army, but none of them had the same fierceness and feline swiftness as Teyla.
A harsh whap across his shoulders made him yelp. Gritting his teeth firmly, Ronon resisted voicing the protest that immediately rose to his lips. Maybe he wouldn't go easy on her, then.
For perhaps the first time in his life, Ronon felt gawky, awkward, clumsy with his height. In all his previous matches, his height and build had made it easier for him to rule the match, to dominate his opponents. A natural penchant for sparring had helped, too. But Teyla – she was so small, and graceful, and fast. She was always gone before his rod even got close to the place where she'd been just a second before.
Teyla merely smiled sweetly when he growled ferociously at her. She looked like a harmless little kitten when she did that, so sweet and innocent and pretty. But Ronon knew for a fact she had claws and teeth. Sharp ones.
It was time for her to discover that he, too, had something with which to fight.
Ronon drew all his control back to him, forcing himself to use his own height against her. She was so much smaller – she might be fast, but not even she could withstand him. He was sure of it.
Teyla fell back step by step as he rained blows down onto her blocking Bantos rods. She spun, ducked, defended, and Ronon knew he was going to win. It was only a matter of time before he could trip her, pin her, and declare himself the winner.
Until Teyla hit the grass, rolled on her shoulder, and thrust out her leg. His got tangled around the smaller appendage, and he fell hard. His breath coughed out of his lungs, leaving him defenseless as she crouched over him, feet planted on either side of his waist, rear on his stomach, Bantos rods crossed at his throat, and a wide, smug grin on her lips. "Ha," she said simply.
"You—!" he growled out, but couldn't finish his sentence. He was too out of breath.
"We have a saying from which you could benefit, I think. 'The harder you charge, the harder you fall.'" She offered him another angelic smile.
"Get. Off. Me." His hands were free, and now empty. He could push her off if he wanted. But he didn't think he should – and he definitely knew she wouldn't want that.
"Very well." Teyla scrambled to her feet, then toed his rods toward him. "Here. Shall we meet again, tomorrow? Same time, same place?"
Ronon narrowed his eyes. Rolling back onto his shoulders, he thrust himself to his feet. Grasping his rods in his free hands, he loomed over her, this time happy about his height. "Next time, I'll win."
Teyla, looking unimpressed, smiled politely and walked away.
-To Be Continued-
bailey1ak: Thank you! Yes, a lot of the characters' main traits are going to be in the story, despite all the new and different things I am bringing out, as well. Exactly! Though they're still finding it really hard to get along in this chapter. . . Thank you so much for the reviews, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Bunnylass: Thank you! I was kind of afraid going into the story, afraid that everything would be too different. I'm trying to keep the basics of what makes Teyla and Ronon who they are, while adding some teenage angst and "suffering" to the mix. They're finding things a bit of a tough go in this chapter – I really hope you enjoy it! (It was definitely fun to write, LOL!) Thank you so much for the review!
Alexiel974: Oh, thank you! I enjoyed writing the moment where they made the grudging pact to be friends – at least when their fathers are around! I'm glad you enjoyed the moment where she tried to push him out of the tree – it's one of my favorites! Thank you for being so understanding about my somewhat spotty updates – I've been fighting a major league case of writer's block, and it just released tonight, so I got to write! -hugs- Thank you so much for the review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
TheWelcomeStranger: Sorry it took so long! I've been fighting a major case of writer's block. But that's over now – I'll try to update soon hereafter! Thank you so much for the review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter – I had a lot of fun writing it!
Lazaro: Thank you! I'm glad you find them cute. I must admit it's a different and fun way to write them, as rebellious, angsty teenagers instead of as they are as adults. Thank you so much for the review, and I hope you enjoy this update!