Part: 7/20

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DAY TWO
Chapter 7 – Empty Time

She had sought nothing more than endless distracting hours back on the Sythus, and she had found them. Hours of walking with Ketra, hours of studying the Dreamstation data, and then hours more of sparring with Oneakka. She had filled her day yesterday with as much activity as seemingly possible, just as she had done the day before, and hoped to again tomorrow. Time filled with work and physical activity enough to exhaust her. That was her mission whilst the Sythus remained in dock at Station One, and so far she had been successful. Her body ached from her extra training and her long sparring session with Oneakka last night. He had appeared in the training room refreshed from his hours' long sleep to cast away his hangover, and therefore he too had been looking for some distraction. They had fought constantly for almost two hours, pushing and testing each other as only a few Elite could do, and it had been just what she had needed. Near to collapse they had finally called a draw to their sparring, Oneakka's shoulder pulled and her left knee painful due to two strikes. Properly exhausted she had barely made it back to her quarters in time to slump onto her bed and fall instantly asleep for the first time in a while.

It had been a proper full night's sleep as well, rather than the usual wakeful endless worrying nights filled with thoughts of John. Last night, she had finally found the deep restful place of proper sleep again.

Yet, it had not been a dreamless sleep. The hours had been filled with twisted worrisome dreams in which she had repeated tried to convince John of her affection but that they must cease their affair. Over and over again she told him and each time his reaction was different. Sometimes he would fly into a rage and tear away from her, while in others he would shrug dismissively and walk away without any care at all. Each time she would follow him, telling him her reasoning, all while around them ships were battling through space, burning and breaking apart. Atlantis' ship had fought the full might of the Alliance Fleet, while the Wraith had destroyed Atlantis and then the entire Alliance Military Fleet. The Sythus had burned apart over Athos, and her future husband, his face unseen, being fed upon by the Wraith, all while the members of the High Council remained oblivious to any of the horror.

All her fears and nightmares throw into one. She would have thought such distress would have woken her in the night, but her exhaustion had kept her locked in her nightmares.

Though with the morning the nightmares had faded in their sharp clarity, they still lingered in her thoughts as she returned from first meal in the canteen.

With an hour to fill until the morning meeting in the Central Station, she felt acutely aware of the empty time and an almost anxious need to fill it.

It was most unlike her to be this way, especially for so long, but it seemed that thoughts of John continued to leave her uncentered and preoccupied. There had been some change, though it was perhaps not all that good, for the painful aching sensation of grief in her chest these past days had today turned into an empty dullness that was actually more disturbing that the pain had been.

It was as if, deep inside, a well of sorrow had formed and felt ready to engulf and drown her in an empty despair. It was most unlike her and it troubled her.

And so with time to fill before the meeting, she sought not to fill the space with exercise or focused study as she had on previous days, but to return to the solitude of her quarters to consider her feelings quietly.

As the door slid open, Ketra, as always, was sat ready waiting for her inside. Teyla often wondered how Ketra could know of her approach quickly enough to be sat ready inside the door, for the hatches inside the ship were all sealed airtight. Perhaps Ketra spent all her time inside the quarters near the hatch and simply sat up when she heard the seal release before the door opened.

Either way, the sight of her pet brought a warmth into the dull numbness this morning. "Hello Ketra," she greeted the dragon as she slid her hand over the top of Ketra's warm silver head. As Teyla moved into the room, Ketra rubbed her shoulder against Teyla's right thigh, the full muscular reptile body leaning in behind the rub. Ketra was growing strong and powerful, even for her species. Over the last week or so it appeared that Ketra had stopped growing taller and instead her chest and sides were filling out with muscle, and her legs were growing leaner. On their walks through the Hydroponics Bay, Ketra was spending more time running and jumping, usually in attempts to nip at the fluttering butterflies. It seemed to Teyla's eye that Ketra was almost fully grown now, which was fortunate for she was taking up considerably more space in the quarters. Already her bed, which had once been tucked up inside a small box, was now the length of the furthest sofa. Teyla had held back on finding Ketra a permanent bed until she was fully grown, and now she suspected that it would be time to start considering which bedding would be best for Ketra. Perhaps it would be a good distraction to focus upon over the next day or so while the new engine was installed and tested.

The new 'mission' in mind, Teyla's mood lifted lightly, until she saw the large dip in the middle of the closest sofa.

"You were not sleeping on the sofa were you, Ketra?" She asked the dragon suspiciously.

Ketra simply rubbed her long head and neck against Teyla's right leg once more.

"Ketra?" Teyla asked - it really was time to find proper comfortable bedding for the dragon.

Ketra replied with a bubbly happy series of noises as she leant further against her. John had often said that Ketra sounded like she was talking.

They had laughed and joked about what Ketra might be saying...

An abrupt bleep from the communications panel was a sudden welcome interruption through those warm recalled memories.

Working her way free of Ketra's continuing affection, Teyla moved towards the wall screen and triggered up the display as it bleeped once more.

Father was calling her.

For a moment she considered not answering it, but felt immediately bad about such a cowardly thought. He had been surprised at her departure from Athos the other day and he had appeared confused, or perhaps worried, at the fact that she had not yet returned. She had stretched the truth a little to him in saying that all hands were required back on the Sythus, which was not a complete lie for most of the ship's crew had been assigned to assist with the engine installation, just not the Elite.

With the exception of Oneakka, who would clearly be unable to keep away from such things, despite his insistence this morning over first meal that he would not pressure the new Lead Engineer. The obvious smear of grease along the back of one of his forearms had said that he had not kept entirely out of the action though.

But she did not have the expertise to involve herself in the new engine, and watching the installation would only add pressure on the crew and imply the Elite did not trust their new Lead Engineer or his staff.

But Father did not need to know that.

She felt bad lying to Father, but for her own sanity she had needed to get away from the ghosts of Tjaru. For the moment there were too many memories in the Building Complex of her time shared with John. Seeal's appearance on Athos had been the perfect excuse for her to return to the Sythus.

However, the problem was that she suspected that Father had easily seen through her lies, and knew that there was a deeper reason why she remained away from Athos these past days. Seeing that awareness in his eyes made her feel ashamed and a little defensive.

It was no reason to ignore her loving father though, so she pressed the communications link open and Father's image appeared on the large screen.

He looked up sharply as if surprised, likely having been about to disengage the call as she had not yet answered.

"Good morning, Father," she greeted him with a smile.

"It is midday here," he responded, as he often did, smiling back. "I hope this is a good time."

"A good time, I have just finished first meal and had returned to see Ketra," she slightly stretched the truth.

"Is she still enjoying her lazy mornings?"

"Yes, though I am beginning to suspect that she is sleeping on the sofas when I am out of the quarters," she suggested, looking suspiciously at Ketra. Ketra, who had been looking towards Father's face on the screen, looked at her with what could almost have been termed an 'innocent' expression.

"Do not listen to her, Ketra," Father cooed to her through the screen, across thousands of light-years of distance. "You are a good girl."

"You would be on her side," Teyla joked and Father smiled.

His eyes moved back to her from Ketra. "I have the list of potential offers in response to your offer of Political Marriage. It seems that your offer has sparked considerable interest, as we suspected it would." She nodded, ignoring the deep well of emptiness that had stirred awake once more.

"Remember, these are just the initial lists," Father continued. "I suspect there will be considerable discussions and negotiations, both between the list members and with us, until we have a clear picture of the final offers," he added as he tapped a button on his end of the connection which transmitted the list down the link to her screen. The document began to download automatically and within a second appeared alongside Father's image on the screen. Teyla stepped closer and ran her eyes down the list. She wasn't surprised by what she saw.

"I have filtered the list somewhat," Father said as she read. "The names I have marked with a green star are those I suspect are simply looking for trade opportunities with the others, thereby taking them out of the running. I suspect once all the 'internal' discussions and negotiations are made within the list, that we should have at the most five final offers, and perhaps one or two more surprise offers in the last minute run up to the offering ceremony."

"Those final offers will need to ensure they have their side of the contract drawn up for the offering ceremony," she replied. She had decided to have the marriage ceremony on the same day as the offering ceremony, which was unusual, but not unheard of, and considering she was the first Elite to wed in this way, there was no precedent to follow. She wished it all to be completed as quickly as possible.

"I will make it clear so as not to delay anything," Father responded with a softly pointed tone that told her that her point was unnecessary and he knew it. "You will announce your choice in the offering ceremony and then we will proceed directly into the marriage ceremony."

She nodded. "With no break for discussion?"

"What is there to discuss?" He asked her. "I will ensure the contracts are arranged beforehand, any small alterations can be changed there and then. You said you did not wish to delay from offering to marriage ceremony."

"Yes, I did," she replied a little sharply. "It is likely that the Sythus will join the Outer Lantana battle very soon." It was another slight exaggeration of the truth, for her presence was not vital for the Outer Lantana battle, but she would prefer to be there than caught up in political niceties.

"Of course," he replied, and she thought she saw far too much insight in his expression. "Or we could delay the ceremonies until after you return."

It was not the first time he had suggested this, and she understood why. Though he had agreed with her decision for this Political Marriage, it was likely that he had also seen some reluctance in her as well. Though ready to go through with this plan, it did not mean that she was excessively pleased about the fuss around it. The Political Marriage was for a greater purpose, and the sooner she made it through the basic procedures to set it into place the better.

"The marriage has to be completed before my next mission," she repeated, as she had from the start of this process. "The Outer Lantana battle will be dangerous, and I would prefer that this all be in place beforehand." She did not need to say more than that for Father understood. As with any battle, there was the chance that she would not return, and therefore it was important to make sure the contract was signed before she left for battle. And of course it meant this business could be concluded as quickly and efficiently as possible.

She ran her gaze further through the list beside Father's watchful face.

The fact that she would be leaving for battle soon also impacted on her the truth that she really did need to speak with John before she left for Outer Lantana.

Despite her recent cowardly need to hide from John and not yet tell him of the decision she had made for her future, she knew she could not pass from this world to the Ancestors without having spoken with him again. It was important to make sure that he knew that their time together had meant a lot to her. It was just that it had reached its end, and it was past time that she returned to her former life without the distraction of him. Too late she had learnt the consequences of her not following her proper warrior path, that the seductive comfort and pleasure of another could lead her astray from her mission. That was not John's fault, it was all her own, and so she had to correct it. For a time she had forgotten that an Elite's focus must always be on their life's mission to protect innocents and stop the Wraith at all costs.

If she just did not miss him so much though...

She focused intently on the displayed list of offers, not having actually been reading any of it until this moment, so lost in her wandering thoughts had she been. On the other end of the link, Father was quiet as well and she wondered what emotions she might have let slip in her expression.

She blinked at the list and focused on one name.

"I think it likely that the Genii will be among the final offers," she said.

Father nodded. "I agree. So far my contacts suggest that it will be General Maloo who will be among the final offers. I believe he will trade out at least seven on that list for his place."

"Seven?" Teyla asked in surprise.

"It is the way of these things. For Zabetha, the first list of interest was sixteen pages long, but after two weeks only a page. Most systems see these as opportunities to push for trade links between their peoples to remove each other from the offering, or put forward their own offers of Political Marriage."

She steadfastly did not ask him how long her first list had been, for she suspected it had been far less than Zabetha's first list. She suspected most men would not see a warrior a best option for a healthy long-lived wife. "It is good that just my offering is forging good trades and links."

Father smiled and nodded. "Indeed, which is ultimately why these Political Marriages continue to be so widely used. It is not just for the two final marrying parties."

She nodded.

"I have heard rumours that two other Elite warriors will soon be putting forward for Political Marriage," Father asked.

Teyla smiled and nodded. "Three, but two of them are using this to contract their worlds together with their marriage."

"They were lovers before?"

"Yes," she replied, "Elite rarely care about marriages, but I suspect many of us will attend that ceremony, to see two Elite wed."

"Do you think that there is any chance of persuading Honoured Elite Si to marry for Athos?" Father joked and Teyla laughed abruptly, making him grin. "I think I could get much for him," he continued. "Though I suspect a particular group of Athosian ladies will break down the Governing Buildings' doors in anger at hearing it."

Laughing again, Teyla shook her head. "I do not think there are any terms, anywhere, that will persuade Si into a marriage contract."

Father pulled a face of regret. "Still, if he changes his mind..."

Smiling, warmth filling the previous emptiness, she nodded. "I will suggest it to him one day."

"I will keep my hopes high then," Father smiled, only to glance aside. Part of Hakon's face appeared to one side of the screen as he whispered something to Father that the link did not pick up. Father frowned and shook his head as Hakon disappeared.

"Is everything alright?" She asked.

"Yes, all is-" Father began, but stopped, looking off sharply to his right.

"Are you speaking with Teyla?" Elkaska's voice echoed through the communication link.

Elkaska, her uncle, who had been trying to speak to her these last two days. She had cowardly not responded to the messages to contact him back. She had known without doubt that he would object to her Political Marriage, and the grumpy messages he had left her had confirmed her suspicions. She was not entirely sure of his reasoning, but she was not surprised. It seemed that she had run out of excuses to avoid him, for he was on Tjaru with Father and was now striding into view on the screen.

Father turned to him, one hand up, his back to Teyla through the screen. "Elkaska, there is no need to shout on the subject."

Elkaska ignored him. "Teyla, why have you not contacted me back?"

Knowing that this would be a difficult discussion and best approached calmly, Teyla took a few steps back to sit on the high arm of the sofa behind her. Ketra moved closer, settling against Teyla's side, her head high, seeming concerned at the change in mood.

"I apologise, Uncle," Teyla replied calmly. "I have been very busy here."

"You have not been too busy to speak to Torren," he put in, approaching closer to the screen. Father, with a glance at her through the screen, stepped aside. She suspected he would not leave though.

"I am sorry, Uncle," she apologised again. "I am here now."

He frowned at her, his brows low over his dark eyes, and his arms crossed. "Why did you not tell me about this Political Marriage?"

"It was only decided a few days ago, Elkaska," she responded truthfully.

"You did not consult me about it."

Surprised at his point, she frowned lightly at him. "I had naturally expected you would assist me with your counsel on the final list before the offering ceremony, as you did for Zabetha."

"You should have asked my opinion on the offering. As your Mother's living relative, I have a say in this," he told her, surprising her again.

"I am also my Mother's living relative, and it is up to me if I put myself forward for a Political Marriage," she argued gently.

"I have a say in this, Teyla," he insisted angrily. "By law, it is not just Torren who plays a part in setting up the contract for our family, I do as well." Which was true enough, it was just that Teyla had not considered it before now. Elkaska had never shown any interest in any political views or playing any traditional roles within the family.

"Of course I planned to include you, Uncle. I value your opinion, and of course considered the trading possibilities for you in all this. I had planned to ensure contracts for your business-"

"Teyla!" Elkaska interrupted her. "This is not about business!"

Taken back by his sudden outburst, as he too appeared to be, Teyla stared at the screen.

Elkaska glanced aside, controlling himself. She heard Father's voice drift faintly from beyond the screen's view of her Uncle, but Father's words were too soft for her to hear clearly. Elkaska shook his head.

"This is not about trade," Elkaska told Father.

"This contract is no different than Zabetha's," Father replied, louder this time as he stepped partly into view.

"They are very different people," Elkaska argued with Father, seeming quite upset.

"They are far more alike than you will admit, Elkaska. Both give of themselves for the greater good of Athos," Father replied calmly.

"Tagan would not have approved of this," Elkaska pushed.

Father paused before answering. "Tagan would have been proud of anything either of her daughters chose to do for our people. She is proud from the Land of the Ancestors."

Elkaska glanced away.

Teyla sensed that there had already been an emotional discussion between Father and Elkaska prior to this conversation. The two men did not always see eye to eye on many matters, but Teyla had no doubt that they loved each other as family. Alone, both spoke fondly of shared memories with the other, and their lives were tightly bound together by Tagan, her love, her death, and her children. Yet, they remained very different people, seeing the Universe from very different perspectives. Elkaska was a free soul, wandering between stars to trade, whereas Father was very rooted, focused on service and Athos.

Teyla had suspected that Elkaska would think any political involvement would be wrong for her, but she had not expected him to react so angrily to her decision.

"Uncle, I thought you would appreciate the trade in this contract," Teyla asked him.

Elkaska looked at her through the screen, his brows still low. "I do not see Atlantis on this list, Teyla."

Taken back by that response, she pursed her lips and held herself in tight control. "This is an Alliance contract, Uncle," she pointed out needlessly.

"So you are going to discard him are you?" He asked, shocking her.

"Uncle, I do not know what you think-" she began, her mind working fast.

"See?" Elkaska interrupted, turning to Father and pointing at her through the screen. It was highly disrespectful and almost as shocking as his former comment.

"That is what Elite training does to someone," Elkaska continued to Father. "I told you this would happen. Tagan would not approve of this."

Elkaska finally looked back at her. "Your mother believed in love, Teyla." The word stunned Teyla. "She believed in following her heart above all things. She always said to follow feelings, not thoughts. You do this, you will regret it."

Insulted, unbalanced, and angry at having Mother used against her, Teyla struggled to remain calm. "Uncle-"

"You will, Teyla," he insisted. "If not because of him, but because of something you might one day have with someone else. Do not throw away that part of your life."

"Uncle-" she tried again.

"Do not sacrifice everything to the Elite, Teyla."

"UNCLE!" She said sternly, standing up from her seat.

He stopped speaking this time, perhaps responding to the more commanding Elite tone she had used. She embraced that well practiced control now, sliding into her Elite manner. To one side of the screen, Father had looked round as well, his eyes wide and concerned.

With a calm, controlled breath she spoke clearly and directly to Elkaska. "I appreciate that you think you are helping me, but I have made this decision."

"Do not do this, Teyla," Elkaska insisted again, but his tone almost pleading now. "You will tie your life with another person who you do not love. Whatever you think will happen with this contract, it will change your life. It might very well chase away a future you could have with someone else."

"I do not have that kind of future, Uncle," she reminded him bluntly. "I am an Elite. My future is to die."

She had not meant to say it quite like that. She had not meant to break so abruptly through the continuing family illusion that she was not in constant danger and that the probability of her not returning from battle were vastly decreasing with each mission. No one in the family spoke of it; perhaps for it was too distressing, or that they thought it troubled her. The truth was that she was more than used to facing death; it was her family who were not prepared for it. Yet, she too had shared in the illusion in not speaking of it, but only because of Father. He had lost so much already that she did not wish to constant remind him that he would likely outlive her. She regretted now that she saw his eyes lower. She had hurt him, but as painful as the point was for him and Elkaska, it was still the truth.

"We all die, Teyla," Elkaska replied though. "We are all dying. The question is how we live our lives, and I believe, as your mother believed, that we should live by our hearts."

"And I believe I am an Elite," she replied.

"I believe you are not destined to die fighting," Elkaska responded.

"Mother did," Teyla retaliated immediately, silencing Elkaska's next words. Beside him, Father's eyes lifted back to meet hers. "I know that mother fought at her end. I saw it."

Father's expression tightened with the revelation. She had never told him that she had witnessed Mother's end. She had been so young that perhaps he had not thought she would have looked out of her hiding hole where she had tightly held baby Zabetha.

"I saw what happened," she told them more gently. "I saw Father struck down, and I saw Mother fighting until her last breath was taken. Mother was a warrior."

Father disappeared out of the screen, and Elkaska looked down, his expression pained. Sharp emotional pain clenched in her own middle, but Teyla kept her voice strong. For so long she had drawn strength from that horrific moment. Mother had been a warrior, fighting to protect what she held most dear, and so Teyla did the same.

"I know that you do not understand my reasoning, that you believe I should live from my heart. And I do. In my heart I am a warrior. I believe in protecting people, of ensuring a bright and safe future for Athos and for all the other planets and systems of this entire galaxy. That is what I feel in my heart, Uncle. It is who I am."

Elkaska looked back up to her, his eyes sad, but he was listening now.

"It is likely that soon I will not be here anymore," she continued, "and when that happens, I want to leave something for our people, for the Alliance. It is a small thing, but I know from both you and Father, and Charin, that trade, contracts, and friendships are what keep allies together. I can help in that way, and this is how I choose to do so."

Father stepped back into view, standing closer to Elkaska than before. His eyes were faintly watery, but she steadfastly did not focus on that fact.

Elkaska looked round at Father and Father smiled. Teyla thought it seemed full of pride, as well as emotion, and that tension in her middle eased to see it. Elkaska shook his head but she saw that he had surrendered though he had not admitted it yet.

Abruptly a part of her felt like crying. Even Elkaska now agreed.

This Political Marriage really was going to happen.

Elkaska looked at her again and sighed. "I want it on record that I do not approve, even if I now agree to it. And I am entitled in the future to look you in the eye and tell you that I was right about this mistake you're going to make."

She smiled at that.

"Because that is not what you are considering," he added, "that you could be alive and fighting still in ten years time, twenty years or more. And somewhere in the future, you will regret this, and I'll be right."

Father set a hand on Elkaska's shoulder as he shook his head. "Always have to be right."

"I will be on this," he replied to his brother by marriage. "Want to put money on it?"

Father shook his head again as he gripped Elkaska's shoulder harder and shook him slightly. It was probably the closest they would come to hugging each other. "Always the trader too."

"You do not take the bet because you know I am right," Elkaska added quietly, but Teyla still heard him.

"Because both of us would prefer to believe she will still be alive in ten or twenty years," Father replied almost as softly, but again Teyla had heard him. Perhaps the illusion was shattered for good now – she rather wished it wasn't now she had broken it.

"Have you told Major Sheppard?" Elkaska asked boldly.

"Uncle!" She protested as she sat back down on the sofa's arm. Ketra settled her head on her knee and Teyla stroked over her snout whilst glaring at Elkaska.

Father was shaking his head.

Elkaska held up his hands. "So we can talk about you being killed in battle, but not about your lover?"

Feeling embarrassed despite her warrior status, but also strangely relieved, Teyla once more called on her Elite skills to control her tone. Clearly she and John had not been as subtle in hiding their affair from her family as she had thought. Or perhaps it was simply that they knew her too well to miss the signs. "That is no longer the status of our relationship."

"Does he know that?" Elkaska asked with dreadful insight.

Annoyed at him for being so accurate, she took a moment to reply. "Not yet."

"A Political Marriage contract accepts there can be lovers on both sides," Father added, surprising her to the point that she felt her mouth hang open. Her father was talking to her about keeping John as a lover!

"Major Sheppard will never agree to that," Elkaska put in to Father though.

"Why not?" Father asked him. Teyla shook her head at the surreal moment.

"He is not the type," Elkaska replied.

"You hardly know the man," Father argued.

"It is obvious," Elkaska responded. "He will not share her with another man."

"Uncle!" She protested.

"Perhaps," Father answered Elkaska, ignoring her. "Besides, it might not be best to have a lover from Atlantis from the point of view of your future husband," he said directly to her now. This was not happening.

"See," Elkaska put in, "I told you this decision would change how your life unfolds, Teyla. Already you have to consider this future husband's opinion on things, his own world's politics."

"It seems that it is both of you who are considering far too much at this moment," she put in pointedly.

Father had the good grace to look slightly apologetic, but not Elkaska.

"The big question in all this of course," Elkaska added with a sudden worrying sparkle in his eye. "Is whether we invite Atlantis to the offering and marriage ceremonies."

Teyla felt a chill pass through her. "This will be an Alliance contract."

Father's chin lifted and she realised she wasn't going to like what he was going to say next. "Our trade with Atlantis is already a major factor in the offerings. Many worlds are interested in having a political link with them through us, and already I have passed two names to Colonel Carter of worlds who wish to trade with them directly."

"Trade for what?" Elkaska asked abruptly, his focus turned sharply from family to his own business.

Father turned to him. "Fabrics and cooking items mainly. Atlantis has this material that binds two fabrics together-"

"We cannot invite Atlantis to the ceremony," Teyla interrupted bringing them back to the important subject.

Father looked back at her. "Yes, we will, Teyla. They are important allies, and all allies are invited to offering ceremonies and marriage ceremonies, you know that. It is tradition."

Glad she was sitting down, Teyla felt slightly sick.

"Major Sheppard will not wish to attend," Elkaska put in almost kindly.

Father looked at him. "He must, he is ambassador from Atlantis to Athos."

"He will have an upset stomach that day, I am sure," Elkaska responded. Teyla prayed he was right, but then John was not a man to run away from things. He did his duty, and she had no doubt that his superiors in Atlantis would expect him to attend on Atlantis' behalf. The thought of him being there...

"Also," Father added. "Our estimated day for the ceremonies is in three days time. Atlantis is next scheduled to visit the day before that."

Elkaska pulled a face.

Teyla focused on Father. "They have not yet been told about the ceremonies have they?" She checked.

"No," he replied immediately. "That is assuming that none of Atlantis' new trading partners within the Alliance have not mentioned it to them."

Teyla's stomach rolled again. She had planned to be the one to tell John, in the right way. To think that someone might have mentioned it in passing to him...

"I doubt they would," Father added quickly. "Such things as offerings are kept quiet to limit competition in trades."

Ketra leant more of her weight against Teyla's leg.

"Do those in Atlantis know of your relationship with Major Sheppard?" Elkaska asked with apparent honest interest. "Is it possible their culture might see this as an insult and withdraw their trade?"

"No, they do not know," Teyla replied instantly. "And it does not matter now anyway, as the affair is over."

"You need to tell him that," Elkaska replied. "Perhaps it is best to wait to tell him, in case he has sway over Atlantis' decisions to trade with us."

"It is not like that, he does not have that type of power," Teyla replied quickly. This was all sounding far too complicated now and she was starting to feel as if she had lost control of the whole situation.

"Good," Elkaska smiled. "The last thing we want is to upset Atlantis, considering how hard the Military Council fought to pass through the non-aggression treaty. How typical it would be that it would be that another pair of lovers who would bring down a vital alliance."

Father glared round at him. "You swore you had nothing to do with that war."

"I did not start it, I only carried messages between the two lovers during my trades," Elkaska replied defensively and Father rolled his eyes dramatically.

Teyla's focus was also drifting. She really had to tell John.

She had known she would, had spent too many hours working out how to say the right words, but now it felt so much more real than before. Father was receiving offers, he and Elkaska were discussing her future husband's considerations, and out in the rest of Alliance men were negotiating over the chance to marry her! It felt as if things were spiralling out of her control.

She snapped her attention to the side of the screen where the list of names scrolled. One of those would most likely be her future husband. Then in the small display above it, she saw what the time was and it was a massive relief.

"I have to leave now," she announced to her bickering father and uncle. "The daily meeting is about to start and I am going to be late."

Both men nodded as she stood up.

"I will send you an updated list this evening," Father said. "If there are any immediate concerns and questions to be answered, are you are happy for me to speak on your behalf until you can confirm the answer?"

"Yes, of course," she replied as she moved towards the screen.

"And I will assist," Elkaska put in. She saw Father's slightly pained look, but he nodded.

"I appreciate both your support in this," she told them honestly, but she felt almost desperate now to cease this discussion so that she could run away from it to the daily meeting.

"Support is not the same as approval," Elkaska emphasised.

"I understand," she replied calmly as she reached for the area of the screen to deactivate the link.

"He will not be happy," Elkaska put in quickly, his voice soft, and she paused. "He may even hate you for it." She did not need to ask to whom he was referring.

She nodded. "It will be for his best future as well as mine. He hopefully has more years ahead of him than I, and he deserves a life as you described; one of love."

Both Father and Elkaska nodded, the exact same pained understanding expression across their faces.

"May the Ancestors walk with you, Teyla," Father said in parting.

"And you both," she replied before she deactivated the link to her loving family back on Athos.

00000
TBC