Reflections of a King
By Abby Ebon
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
A Feast to Remember
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
"I'll go back, and come back to – eh, where are you going anyway?" John asked then, a bit miffed that they hadn't told him before.
"Alta, the First City." Faye replied, glancing out over the sea, as if longing for home.
"Right, I'll come back for you when you send word from…Alta. What are you going to be doing there?" John asked, carefully avoiding looking over his shoulder. He was paranoid, yes – but there was no need to advertise it.
"Celebrating our Awakening, hold ceremony for the Heart of Atlantis to be introduced to our people; then Harry shall meet with the Council to discuss probabilities, all quite boring." Leo commented, grinning slightly at the almost pouting John.
"Right, sounds great – let's go Carson." John ordered as he walked past, Carson following at his heels. They took the Jumper they'd radioed out of – the others watching from the ground, leaving Harry with the bidding question if they really could fit eight into the Jumper left to them. If not, he'd let his Guards and Faye "be taken by Atlantis" – he'd much rather go the long way in the Jumper, it wasn't like with Atlantis to guide him he could get lost.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
Squeezed in as tight as sardines, there was just barely room to fit John's team (even though John had gone with Carson, Teyla, Ronon, and Rodney still considered themselves a part of John's team).
Ford's – though the matter was confused about if Harry would rejoin them in exploring, it didn't matter – as Harry was now their "assignment", they considered him still a part of "their" team.
In the end, Zelenka had to practically sit on someone's lap, and Harry was squashed between Lt. Laura Cadman and Halling. Faye had to stand – so it was almost worth it, as it was unquestioned that Leo and Tigr drive the Jumper.
"So, ah, Harry, I've been wondering something," it was never a good sign when Rodney said that, nonetheless Harry turned expressive green eyes to regard him, "you see, it really doesn't make sense to me – why you? Why not me," it was a visible effort for him to ignore Ford and Ronon's snort of amusement, "or, well, John – for instance?" Even though it was a question, he didn't expect an answer, as he quickly went on before anyone could gather their wits to continue.
"I think its something about your genes – before he left, Carson said your genes were too perfect – that that might be the reason your sick. Well, it's a reasonable thing to think – but what I think of what I hear "perfect genes" is some of the stranger things that happen around you – Lt. Ford's healing so soon after being exposed to Wraith genetics – all you said was that it would take a injection of Ancient genes to give him a stable mind – those were your genes, Harry. The fact that when it comes to any moral block, you are always focused in the enemy – it's all you ever do, even when no enemy is in sight you do what you can just like a soldier does." Rodney gave them a minute to think on this – Harry's gaze flicked to his Guard's backs – rigid, tense – and then to Ford's face, he seemed to be thinking on it – really thinking of all the odd things he had let go that happened around Harry.
"There was a time – your first off-world mission, where the Wraith attacked Atlantis – they struck where your lab was, as if they knew where you had been, several people were hurt – but Elizabeth was sure that, if you had been there at the time – you'd be dead. I just thought it was luck…" Rodney continued softly, and Harry tilted his head at the other man, raising an eyebrow.
"Am I being accused of something, Rodney?" Harry asked him, Rodney only sighed, shaking his head finding himself frustrated, seeing that he was distancing himself rather then getting closer to the subject he wanted to address.
"Indirectly, it was your idea to have our people and the Athosians share a treaty where food and resources were included, or else we would have suspected that they were behind the frequent Wraith attacks rather then Teyla's necklace." Lt. Laura Cadman stated softly from beside him, Harry shrugged. It had been, as Laura had said, indirectly.
"There was, if you recall, an instance Carson told me about in the lab. Someone had broken your favorite test tube– something from the first time you entered a science classroom, he said," it had actually been a test tube from Hogwarts, but Harry bit his tongue, as Zelenka spoke on, "they were all very sorry of course, and there was talk of on the next trip to Earth going to your old school and getting one from your teacher, for sentiment, I suppose – but, when they went to confess, they found you using it. It had only been an hour – and the broken test tube was gone."
"Get to the point." Faye had clearly had enough; the accusations troubled Harry, and thus troubled the Ancients and Atlantis.
"I know if sounds ridiculous, but I think Harry might have some, I don't know, magical powers, maybe because the Ancient genes – or the "too perfect" human ones. Think about it – even after all the things we've seen, and all the technology out there, magic could explain some things we've seen and couldn't explain." Rodney said, flushing with embarrassment at the looks of disbelief he got – he was a scientist; he should be the last one preaching about magic through scientific fact; though Faye and Harry had kept carefully blank faces. He knew he had denied it viciously before, but that had gotten him thinking about all the odd things – all the things that happened around Harry, or because of Harry – it was like he was a catalyst. Finally, Harry sighed, appearing tired and lowering his face, Lt. Laura Cadman put a worried hand on his shoulder, exchanging glances with Halling and Ford. Rodney almost felt guilty.
"No, Laura I'm not getting sick again, it's just – when you've hid a thing most of your life, it's hard to tell the truth when it's puzzled out." Harry spoke then, raising his face to meet Rodney eye to eye.
"When I was eleven, I received quite a few letters, all with the same message over and over – come to Hogwarts, Harry Potter, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I lived with my mother's sisters family, as my mother and father had died. They hated me, for what I hadn't understood until that year." Harry allowed, with a grim smile, now it was Rodney's turn to be blank faced.
"I had magic, like my mother before me, and my father and his family before me. They would have been enough, but it wasn't, my mother and father had died because of a Dark Lord, a Dark Lord that was after me the moment I entered the "Magical World" – it really is, you know, magical at first. I suppose I'm biased, but that Dark Lord was thought dead, because of my mothers sacrifice, though I was credited as the hero – the Boy-Who-Lived, because I had done the impossible, survived a killing curse, a flash of green lighting like my eyes from a wand tip – they – the rest, thought him truly dead, gone. But he wasn't, I fought him in some way every year until I was seventeen – then, I did the impossible and killed the Dark Lord. At a great price – most of those I had lived for – had loved, were dead. I had survived, but I could not look at the Magical World the same way, everywhere – there were memories. I fled them, I left my homeland and came to America, passed the papers that credited me a citizen, and went to college – college that was not at all magical. I did some things that impressed people, and when I graduated – I was given this mission, to go off world, to explore a different world and galaxy – I suppose in a way I'm still running from what happened in my youth." As Harry finished, the Jumper set down on Alta, he found himself grateful, for now his past comrades would have to wait to ask any other questions – as he exited the Jumper, Faye by his side – and his Guards at his back, he felt comforted, when without question the others came after him.
People – his people, Atlantis' people, had gathered on either side of the path he walked, they did nothing to hide his view to who waited him. They were the six elderly Council members he had met in the chamber he had awoken their Queen in – the chamber where he had been named Neo King.
"Ah, welcome Chosen of Atlantis – we have much to speak of, but, for now, your people will greet you – and you and your friends are to relax and enjoy the celebration." An old Ancient who looked only a little younger then the Queen had been told him. For a moment Faye looked surprised, then she – and his Guards, bowed to the elderly Ancient.
"We thank you, Councilor, for your aid in your suggestion to take Harry to the Caves." Faye spoke, and Harry blinked, taking note of it, and deciding to question them about it later.
Another Councilor, one with a cane tapped it on the ground, the force of his personality, rather then the noise drew their attention.
"Hey, you're that old man that answered John's questions!" Lt. Laura Cadman accused, recognizing him – she flushed in the next moment when Faye rose from her bow and glanced to her over her shoulder.
"Indeed, now, let the ceremony begin!" His voice rung out like a bell, and the people cheered. Two girls – little ones, ran by – grabbing Harry's hands and leading him into a chamber the hall led into – in the center was a table, filled with a banquette that dominated the scene – there was no arranged seating in the pillows in low chairs scattered throughout the chamber, but there didn't seem to need to be.
While they all filled their plates – some of the younger children merely floating the food to them selves (Rodney paled at this, as clearly there were no devices to make this happen). Luckily, Harry wasn't expected to eat first, it would have been awkward, as the children had fed themselves already – the Ancients far from being upset seemed to regard their children with amused indulgence. Then, Harry noticed, for every twenty or so adults – there was only one child. No child looked to be over the age of ten, and no adult younger then thirty. It was as if a whole generation had been killed out. And Harry knew why, for Atlantis hissed it to him, Wraith. Though the Ancients might look to age as fast as humans – Harry doubted it.
The children were intensely fascinated by the group of humans, plainly different from themselves – asking questions between bites of food – keeping the group distracted. Everything was peaceful, no one (save the children) raised their voice, and though talking was rare (again, save for with the children) Harry felt the conversations swirling around him within his mind. It was a mix of community and peace Harry had never encountered before; he doubted anyone else had either.
Oh, he was sure there were quarrels and arguments – but they were put aside or lost in the background. It seemed to go on forever – then the lights dimmed, and five or so of them stood and started to dance – it seemed a mix of the waltz and something else that Harry couldn't quite put his finger on. They seemed to pull others into the dance – the children tugged away at last from the strangers – it appeared the dance then had a goal – to take the children to bed. Harry chuckled softly, it certainly made a scene – but one that was positive rather then the wails of a child denied.
"You could almost forget the Wraith, watching them." Commented the old man with a cane who had somehow, unnoticed, come to stand beside Harry and his Guards, Faye glance to Harry and nodded.
"As you know, Harry, we are the Council – do you know why?" A woman asked with her white-and-red hair, she looked somewhat like Faye.
"No." Harry said simply, finding it rather pointless to lie and pretend he did.
"We are descended from previous Kings and Queens, usually – when Atlantis looks for a new Heart for its Power, it chooses among the Council – rather then any particular family or individual of our people. I'm Rif, by the way." The old man who Faye and his Guards had bowed to spoke up, giving Harry a small smile – at that the other Council members seemed to realize Harry would not know them.
"Aial." Said the woman who looked like an ancient version of Faye.
"Bawi." Another old man, this one who had not spoken, stated plainly watching the group who had come with Harry with wary eyes.
"Cielio." A woman who appeared blind stated softy.
"Dehu." Another woman said, this one had the darkest hair of the six Council members.
"Eos." A younger looking man stated, though his hair was faded white, as if he were trying to appear older. Or, as if, he had been victim of a Wraith and survived.
"My king, you've come in a time dire – we are vastly outnumbered by enemies, thought the Replicators pose no particular threat to us – they outnumber us three-to-one, and the with the Wraith are no better odds with six of them to every one of us. There are also unknown factors that we never faced – children born of us, who hold human DNA," Bawi stated, with a not to Ronon, who froze – blinking in astonishment – "and those born of the Wraith, with human DNA." That was said with a nod to Teyla.
"There are those, also, who are merely exposed to alien DNA, not born with it." Commented Dehu, if scathingly to the older Ancient.
"Shall we leave that matter for another time? All of our people felt Atlantis greet Harry in the Caves, this is a thing that has not been done since ancient times, but is appropriate, considering the circumstances, do tell us what Atlantis spoke about?" Cielio asked gently, and Dehu and Bawi looked somewhat abashed.
"Atlantis told me how we can gain the Replicators aid in a confrontation with the Wraith, if one occurs." Harry told them then, wondering what was going through their minds – to have a king younger then they themselves were – it was clear they had a measure of respect for him already – but that did not guarantee loyalty.
"We are loyal to Atlantis, forgive me, but it would be much easier if you allowed us to see the memory of your encounter with Atlantis in the Caves." Rif stated softly, flushing, Harry brought the memory to the surface, and the Ancients of the Council did not take long to view it and absorb it.
"That," said Eos with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, "just might work."
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
(Personal) Note; you know, there must be something about any summary I write that infuriates some of the Stargate: Atlantis collective. I mean, some of them don't even give the story a chance past said summary, or so I believe.
Take ScreenSurfer's "review" (this "review" offered nothing in the way of suggestions for improvement, nor "constructive" criticism. Critiquing is analyzing what you've read, picking out what could be done in an alternate way, and suggesting such a way with an open mind, keeping in mind that your opinion is just that, yours) of my first chapter for example; (you may read it by looking at my first chapter reviews, it's signed, so its not going anywhere) firstly, grammar – I mean I know I need a beta (still looking for volunteers…) but, still, if you're going to insult something, at least have the better grammar. I wrote back, thier reply was less then helpful, so I blocked them - which means a registered user can not leave a review, can not PM you, it can be found under your "filters"; because some users are just going to be hurtful whatever you do. So, if they try to get at you though me, block them, and they can't, it's that simple.
What you should have noticed in this chapter was mainly that Ronon has Ancient DNA, hence why the Wraith chase him as a "Runner". Also who the Council is made up of. I'm sorry I'm repeating the plan so much, but I don't want to be one of those authors whoes all has all charactors have the nifty ability to know everything once its been said once, also, I want you to know what the "plan" is and remark on it in a review. Thank you to those who supported me and corrected some of my assumptions both in my reply to the flamer (when it was up here) and told me not to pay it mind, so thank you, and I hope you continue to read and enjoy despite my personal flaws.
Well, till the next chapter – hopefully it'll be more story as my resolve to see this completed still stands. Damn, though, I feel good about myself, I "finished" (mind you I've said I've finished the story twice now) my "Dehctiws"…
