All usual disclaimers, reviews are cake and I love cake.
Last post for a few days, thanks guys for your continued enjoyment of my world and our boys.
Chapter Ten: Welcome to the Valley
Daniel stood looking up at the castle he'd been to several days before. Again he stood there in awe of the construction, he knew that Zara-Faye and her people built the fortified building slowly and together. He knew from Zarkina's stories that it was the first building to be finished on the island, soon followed by the much smaller buildings that housed the other royal families as well as the school, and training facilities. This was the first place in the Vannas world that was permanent and Zarkina did everything to make sure it was safe for those who made it their home.
As it would be for them from now on, Daniel was sick of running on this new world. He wanted to actually feel safe, though Jack's presence always made him feel safe. He knew that he loved Jack and was pretty sure Jack loved him in return but their lives had been one trauma after another and it was hard to discern how much of what they were feeling was connected to that fact.
Here in the presence of the queen and protected by hundreds of shields from various Vannas, SG-1 might actually have a chance to make a life here together. Daniel didn't know what the future held for them but he hoped that Jack would always be a part of it. As long as the older man was with him, Daniel felt like he could deal with anything.
"I get the sense that this place is big," Sam said as she looked around.
"Ya think?" Jack responded caustically.
Daniel nudged his husband's shoulder in response. Zarkina grinned at them and led them inside. The entry way was vast; there were stairs straight ahead of them and what appeared to be a throne room off to the left. Zarkina kept walking forward and they followed behind. Daniel watched as a Sir William walked up to her from somewhere off the side of the entry and grabbed her into his waiting arms. They kissed passionately, like they had been separated for years. Daniel knew that Zarkina had teleported to retrieve them so the Queen hadn't been gone very long. Jack cleared his throat after a few seconds but the other couple didn't seem interested in pulling away from each other. Daniel couldn't take his eyes off of them as the embrace continued and then he noticed something strange.
Zarkina's hair turned white blonde and Sir William's body shifted smaller and leaner. Daniel rubbed his eyes and looked again, now Zarkina's skin was losing it tanned pigment. Then the kiss was over and they returned to their original forms. Jack was starting to breath heavily next to Daniel and the younger man didn't know how to make his lover feel any better. He understood what he saw wasn't something Jack could handle on a good day; he just didn't like the supernatural for any reason. Daniel was surprised he'd handled there wedding with the wedding bands so well.
"What the hell was that?" Jack demanded of the rulers.
Zarkina looked at him in confusion, Sir William glared at Jack. "Watch how you speak to her," he demanded.
"You know what buddy, tell me what the hell just happened here to the two of you and maybe I'll think about it!" Daniel stepped forward, ready to play mediator so his spouse didn't end up in the dungeon because of how he was speaking to the queen. The very powerful queen who had a very powerful husband who was just as protective as Jack was of the rest of SG-1.
Zarkina stepped towards them again and motioned for William to calm. "Please let us explain."
Daniel took his cue from the consort and relaxed as well. As long as no one was going to jail Daniel was happy to wait for an explanation. Jack motioned for her to continue.
"The Vannas are born with another being within us, that gives us our abilities."
Jack started backing away at that news, "You're Goa'uld!" he shouted. Daniel tried to touch his husband, to calm him. The idea that these people who had been protecting them was anything like their old enemy was hard to believe. Jack pulled away from Daniel, backing away and holding up his hands to ward off everyone. He looked around the room, obviously trying to find something to defend himself even as he tried to keep his eyes on the queen. Daniel looked to Teal'c and Sam but the other members of their team had taken up defensive stances and watched the couple warily. Daniel groaned in annoyance, they'd been with these people for close to two weeks now and no one had done anything to harm them, they were nothing like the Goa'uld nor were they like the Tok'ra, they were too giving and compassionate. Though the Tok'ra were the Tau'ri allies, they were not compassionate, even Sam's father.
"I only know what Daniel has told me of these Goa'uld and we aren't that. Our Magis is not something that controls us; most of our people don't even have awakened Magis, only the powers and an instinct. I am powerful enough that my Magis awoke, and William's is the same. Our Magis were lovers and soul mates before the Vannas and Magis joined into one body."
Jack was pressed against the wall next to the door and Daniel was watching him, knowing that this moment was going to unfold the way it was supposed to and Jack needed to understand that they were safe.
Zarkina reached out as she got closer and touched Jack's shoulder and he flinched at the touch, "I promise you, Zara doesn't control me, she was excited to touch her mate. I apologize about my actions, when we both feel our love for William and Zak, it's hard to control the reaction."
Jack nodded but was trying to pull away from Zarkina's hand. She nodded and locked her gaze with Daniel. He nodded, understanding that he needed to be the one to convince his lover. He walked up close to his Colonel, getting into his space and hoping that would distract Jack from his terror and confusion. He reached out and touched the man's face, "Jack, you okay?"
Jack looked at Daniel finally, brown eyes locking on blue. "Did we really jump from one set of alien twosomes to another?"
"Jack, they are not the Goa'uld, they have no interest in taking us as hosts or making us into slaves. They are trying to help the world; humans are the ones that are killing innocent people this time around. We have been with them for over a week and a half and none of them have wanted to do us any harm."
Jack stared into Daniel's eyes that were desperately trying to convey that they were okay and Jack wasn't alone. "How can we be sure? Maybe this is like when Hathor pretended that we were in the future and they told each of us that SG-1 was dead. This could just be another trick!" he was shouting now, waving his arms around sporadically.
"Then how did they change the outside world, Jack? We have slept in their presence, we have been injured and kidnapped already and they only acted to protect or save us. Come on love, see the logical conclusion of the information you have."
Jack glared at him for that, he didn't want to think logically but if they were going to survive here on this planet then they needed to believe that they were living among friends and allies.
"Daniel's right, sir," Sam chimed in. Daniel smiled his thanks, she'd been unsure as well. Teal'c was still concerned if his protective arm around Sam's shoulders was any indication. Daniel could understand caution, he needed someone to be since his philosophy in life was to trust everyone until they gave him a reason not to. That's one of the many reasons that Jack and Teal'c are great warriors. It also why Daniel and Sam needed their partners because without them the two scientists would've been killed for their naiveté long ago. Sam might have been a trained military woman but she, much like Daniel, tended to run head long into trouble though not as often as Daniel did.
"It is true O'Neill that these people have acted in our best interests so far," Teal'c stated. It was more than Daniel had expected from the wary man. Daniel turned to look at Jack again who was calming once more. Daniel leaned forward and kissed his partner quickly before they turned back to Zarkina and Sir William who seemed to be waiting very patiently. These people must have had something more important to do than coddle a bunch of people out of their time but Zarkina continued to surprise them all with her compassion and care. She did the work of servants and taxi services, she traveled to speak to her allies instead of sending others, and this was a ruler that Daniel could see himself serving without much hesitation.
"Okay, you are all right. They have done nothing but protect us and care for us. Could we just keep the shape shifting to a minimum please?"
Zarkina shushed her chuckling husband. "What?" Daniel asked them with a smile. He was still holding Jack's hand and felt it shudder in shock and even more fear when Sir William disappeared and in his place was a very large wolf with black pelt and silver eyes, it was clearly the consort in another form.
"I think I need to sit," Jack said as he sank down to the floor against the wall.
Zarkina was scolding her spouse as he returned to his human form and Daniel was kneeling in front of Jack, sitting between the older man's knees. "Seriously William, why do you have to make my job that much harder!" Zarkina was yelling. William seemed to be unable to respond, as his laughter was full bodied and almost brought him to his knees. The queen was still shouting and two other people walked in on the chaos. Daniel looked up as they did and was about to return his attention to Jack when he realized he was seeing double.
Two queens and two Williams
"What the hell?" he asked, flopping down in the space between Jack's legs as he was suddenly done with the shocks as well. There was only so much a person could deal with before they felt like they were going crazy. Daniel just slammed into his.
"Daniel, Jack, Sam and Teal'c; this is my sister Z'Asana and her husband Sir Winslow though everyone calls him Steph."
"You have twins and you married twins?" Sam asked, "Interesting."
Zarkina stared at the blonde physicist, "Why do you think that is interesting?"
"Did you do it on purpose, to create doubles for yourself?" Sam asked.
Zarkina laughed, Daniel considered their luck that she had such an interesting sense of humor because Jack and now Sam seemed to say things that any other person might think was rude. "We were bound to one another very young, San and Steph were together for a long time and the only reason Will and I took longer was because we lost our connection to one another. Our brother was once married to their sister as well, that relationship didn't work out and he made the choice to separate from her."
"Damnation was married?" Daniel asked, confused. He was pretty sure that Damnation was very gay and he didn't seem to have ever lived on the island.
Zarkina shook her head, "Vane is my half brother, and he has two sisters. There is also another half sister but San and I have a full-blooded brother, Adrian."
"Will we meet him as well?" Teal'c asked.
The queen shrugged, "I don't know, he is traveling at the moment but he returns home every once and a while. Since you are going to be living here for the time being, I am sure it will happen sooner or later."
Daniel turned to Jack, "Can we get off the floor love?" he asked gently.
Jack nodded and Daniel got to his feet before helping Jack up as well so the older man wouldn't have to kneel on his bad knees. He watched his lover, keeping eye contact for a minute before he started to turn away from Jack. Then without any warning, Jack pulled him back around and kissed Daniel. The younger man had no reason to deny Jack the comfort of his love except for the gasps coming from their friends, both new and old. He slipped into the taste of Jack, there was honestly nothing like it in the world. He felt the Colonel's tongue slip against his for a moment before Jack pulled away and their foreheads touched as they both tried to slow their breathing again. Daniel realized that he was standing flush against his husband, and could feel the hammering of Jack's heartbeat against his own. His arms were wrapped around Jack's neck, gripping the fabric of his shirt along his back. Daniel pulled away from Jack, embarrassed as he looked around.
Sam was blushing; Teal'c was smirking just a little, as was Zarkina. The others just looked confused at the display. The twins they just met have missed everything that SG-1 has gone through since arriving on this planet. For Jack, everything had changed for him from his beliefs about the world, the creatures strangely like their enemy as well as his sexuality.
"You okay love?" Daniel asked as he looked back at those chocolate colored eyes.
"You were the only thing I ever wanted to change, what we were to each other. With everything else heading to Oz, I had to make sure this thing between us hadn't changed again."
Daniel hugged his husband, "You are the only thing this new world that makes any sense to me. I love you Colonel, I have for a long time remember?"
Jack nodded and leaned in for another kiss, "I love you Danny," he whispered against Daniel's lips.
Daniel smiled a watery smile, never getting tired of those three words. As long as Jack loved him he could deal with anything.
"I am glad we were all here to see that," Zarkina said with a cheeky grin as she fanned herself. "William, meet me later?" she asked with a wink. He smiled back and walked towards his twin, the two men standing together was disconcerting. They were identical though William's hair was loose around his shoulders, cut to right above the broad shoulders while Steph's hair was tied back in a tie at his neck. Steph seemed to be dour as well, where William seemed to have a lighter take on life. That seemed a contradiction in Daniel's opinion because William was undoubtedly more important and as such had more strains on his time.
Z'Asana walked forward to stand next to Zarkina, "I am going to be answering any of your concerns after today. Zarkina seems determined to take you to your rooms but one of my main responsibilities in the castle is to care for the guests living here."
"I am Daniel Jackson-O'Neill," he said with a wink to Jack who smiled a little.
Jack looked to the woman, "Jack O'Neill-Jackson here, his husband."
"Congratulations, how long have you been together?" Z'Asana asked with a smile. She was very friendly but then so was Zarkina and it could very well be connected to the fact that they were the people's royalty.
"We have been together for about ten days, married for like two days."
It was fun watching Z'Asana stare at them in confusion. She turned to her sister, "They were the ones you married?" she asked.
Zarkina nodded, "They were affected by Love and her minions. Apparently these four have been in love with each other for a long time, Samantha Carter and Teal'c were married to each other as well."
Z'Asana smiled to the other couple of SG-1.
"Do you have another person inside you too?" Jack asked.
"Jack!" Daniel snapped, these people were going to get really sick of the older man's rudeness sometime and Daniel was worried it was going to happen soon with how he was acting.
Z'Asana looked at Zarkina who shrugged, "That's just Jack, he's not being rude on purpose."
Daniel snickered at that; Jack glared at him then turned back to the other woman.
"Only Zarkina has an awakened version of Zara within her, we are a part of Zara's Magis line but she only has the power to awaken in one of us."
"No shape shifting then?" Jack asked.
"Well—" she started but Jack cut her off.
"Please, I already saw a really big wolf today," Jack said with a shudder.
"William showing off?" Z'Asana asked.
Zarkina nodded, "Let's get you guys upstairs and settled. We are going to be making lunch in a few hours and would love to have you meet the rest of the extended family that lives here right now."
They all nodded and followed Zarkina up the stairs, Z'Asana and the brothers walked off to do something else. Daniel was glad, they didn't need to have the whole royal family wandering around with them, and it was bad enough the queen of the whole island was going with them.
Are you ready to see your rooms?" Zarkina asked.
Daniel held onto Jack's hand, as they kept moving, he was tired and just wanted to be in Jack's arms for a while.