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CHAPTER FOUR
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Marks was livid and Vala was delighted. She sat in Sam's command chair, legs over one side and back braced against the arm rest, tiara perched just right atop her hair, eating an apple, her zat pointed at Marks' head. "Now, you scurvy Tau'ri, I say you all strip naked so I can lock you in the brig...and don't get any ideas, I've totally rewired it – so you can't get out."
"Okay, okay, I'll give you this one, Vala, but I'll be ready for the next one and you're going down! The crew is ready; I'm ready...so bring it on." Marks replied with confidence.
Swinging her legs forward, Vala stood, pouting prettily as Marks frowned up at her. "What? No naked in the brig? You're sooo disappointing! Fine. Let's do lunch before we begin again, I'm...."
Both turned as the console beeped and Mitchell barked out orders to bring him up. Vala grimaced, and Marks took on a more military demeanor.
"He's pissed." Vala whispered, worried.
"No joke." Marks manipulated the controls and Mitchell appeared, immediately taking Sam's chair. "Mark's patch me into the SGC! Now!" He turned with a big smile for Vala. "Hey, princess, would you do me a favor and bring me some iced tea from the mess?"
Vala nodded, smiling with relief that he wasn't mad at her. "Of course." She pivoted and ran from the room.
Knowing it would take a full minute to connect, Mitchell grinned. "Marks? How's the trainin'?"
Fingers still dancing over the com, Marks shook his head. "Not good, sir."
"Damn, she's a bit too smart for her own good. Ya learn anything?"
"Oh, yeah. She's real good, and she totally showed me a thing or two. Sir, General Landry." Marks cocked his head towards the view screen.
"Colonel, what's going on?" Landry, hands on hips, looked concerned.
"Well, sir, ah, we've got a little problem we have to work out." Mitchell pulled off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Could you elaborate?" Landry deadpanned when Mitchell just sat there shaking his head.
"Oh, sorry, sir. Vala."
Eyes narrowing, Landry barked out, "What has she done now?"
"Well, sir," Mitchell continued to shake his head slowly in exasperation, "it's not her fault."
"Excuse me?"
"The appointed speaker for the Five Tribes, Jeron, wants to meet the person who will control the treasures. And they already know her name, so we can't throw Carter in there, cause they already know who she is. So, sir...we have been notified that they require Vala's presence at the welcoming feast tonight...sir."
Other than flaring nostrils Landry remained calm. "Understood, keep me posted. Landry out."
The screen went blank just as Vala came in with Mitchell's drink. "Here you go, Cameron."
"Thanks, princess. Have a seat, we need to talk."
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Ecstasy did not even come close to Vala's feelings on the subject of visiting the planet, talking with the leaders about the treasures, and most importantly, snubbing her nose at her CO, her best friend, her friend and protector, and her Daniel. Ha! The leaders insisted I be brought down. That will show those hotmails...er, yahoos.
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Vala bounced into the gaily decorated room, her tiara atop her curled locks, wearing a flowing, flower child, full length dress and sandals. It was a party after all.
Jeron, along with his contingent of officials, stood and perfected a slight bow at her arrival. Obviously impressed.
"Hullo," she said with a beaming smile before joining her team, and Sam. She started to settle on the only chair left, right next to Daniel, since she assumed it was for her.
Jeron rushed forward. "My lady, please, join us." He pointed to the pink and gold tapestry chair at the head of the table.
"Oh, right. Perfect." Cutting her eyes to Daniel with an apologetic smile, she followed Jeron, who introduced her to the leaders.
"Do you need anything, my lady?" Lipkin, a round and jolly man, asked.
Vala smiled and pointed to Daniel. "Him."
"At your service!" Jeron sent a servant to bring the Princess' slave, Jackson, to sit to her left.
Once Daniel was seated, looking confused, the servers brought Vala a large golden goblet of fruited wine. Then, a gaggle of children brought flowers for her hair, and a young maiden served her a plate of fruits.
"These people are really nice, darling!" Vala smiled and gulped down the wine.
Daniel wondered...briefly...but he did wonder if she had somehow orchestrated this entire mission.
"What?" Vala asked, seeing her lover staring at her with that calculating glint in his lovely blue eyes.
"Nothing." Daniel's gaze cut to Mitchell and found the Colonel looking quite disconcerted.
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Cam turned to Sam, "Carter, what the hell is that all about?"
With a little shrug, Sam looked perplexed, glancing up at the head of the table. "I have no idea. But don't you think she looks like royalty?"
The young woman who was pouring water into Sam's cup smiled shyly. "You speak of Princess ValaMalDoran and her beloved slave, Jackson?"
Spewing water, Cam nearly choked. "What! Jackson the belov... ah, I get it." The colonel grinned, blue eyes crinkled - sparkling with mischief. "Carter, look. He's sittin' to her left on a lower chair. And." He pointed at Vala. "They think princess is a Princess." Looking up at the young girl, Cam grinned. "So who sits at her right?"
"Why, her husband should she choose one, of course."
Laughing so hard he could barely talk, Cam coughed the words out. "So, when...Beloved Slave, Jackson, marries Princess Vala, and I'm sure he will sooner or later, he gets to sit on the right, in the big boy chair?"
The server look shocked and confused. "Your people... your Royalty...they can marry slaves?"
"Oh, yeah. That and lots of other things. Those two," Mitchell flopped a hand in Daniel and Vala's direction. "Jiminy Cricket! They're a piece of work. Now slave Jackson, well, he's the quiet type, but..."
The young women had turned away and stared dreamy-eyed at the couple. Without turning back, she spoke. "Who is Jiminy Cricket?"
Sam burst out laughing, and Cam grinned wider, shaking his head. "Probably what they'll name their first born."
"I see," the server set the water pitcher on the table. "But she can never be the Queen, if she marries the slave?"
"Well, Princess has already been a Queen. She didn't like it."
Teal'c leaned forward, nodding in the direction of the subjects of conversation. "ColonelMitchell," he said, voice low, then indicated the couple at the head of the table again.
Still amused by the server's misunderstanding, Mitchell picked up a bit of mystery meat from his plate, popped it into his mouth, and turned. He was stunned, coughing up the morsel when Jeron placed a silver platter in front of Vala, piled high with jewels.
~TBC
