Disclaimer: look chapter one

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: PRINCESS ANYSHA

"Please, tell us again," Teyla had asked Belus politely but for the first time he seemed to be aware of his surroundings. He had looked at the others and then back to Teyla.

"It's not safe here. We should go back to the city and..."

"No!" Ronon had interrupted him instantly and Belus winced at the menacing tone of his voice. "I'm going nowhere till she's back!"

"Easy buddy," Sheppard had raised his hands but this time Ronon was not in the mood for some typical earth easy going. "I'm sure you understand that we can't leave when one of our people is still out there," John added and had pointed vaguely in the direction where Kaylena had disappeared a while ago.

"Of course!" Again Belus sounded shocked for only making this suggestion. "But if it's true and they have captured her..." Again Ronon did not let him finish that trail of thought.

He gripped his gun and stiffened instantly. "I will find her!"

Lorne and Campell immediately agreed and gripped their own weapons.

"But what is if they come back?"

"Co-come back?" Rodney had stuttered.

"I'm sure they will come back with a bigger group. That's their general practise."

Snarling darkly Ronon doubted that this would be a problem for him or the others. And in case that they harmed Kaylena... His thoughts were interrupted as Belus went on.

"Maybe the Pawahka can help to find your lady."

"Pawahka?"

"Oh, forgive me," Belus had pledged and Ronon had his difficulties to keep his patience. "Pawahkas are animals with a very good nose. If you have something, containing her scent they will be able to find her."

In the end he had agreed to follow them into the city. He wasn't happy with that decision and unlike the others he had no eyes for astonishing architecture of the ancient looking city.

"It's unbelievable," Rodney muttered while he stared at the design which was so similar to the style of Atlantis. "This must be another outpost." His eyes were permanently shifting between his pad and the magnificent surrounding. "It's a lot of times smaller than and not as imposing as Atlantis but not bad either."

"I'm glad to hear that and I'm sure Prince Mael will also be pleased."

"Prince?" He heard Teyla's voice and saw the others exchange a quick look.

"Yes. The younger brother of our Princess."

"How many people live here?"

Ronon listened only half-hearted to the following dialogue. It concerned mostly the city and its ancient technology or the people and their concern about their missing princess.

All he was interested in was finding Kaylena and he could not understand that the others had such patience.

"We both know that she can watch her back," he heard Lorne mutter nearly voiceless in Campell's direction. Apparently he was not the only one who was concerned for her wellbeing.

"She draws trouble like honey bees!" Ryan hissed back.

"Get a grip, everything will be fine!"

Ronon glanced over at the two and noticed the worried expression which showed for a split second on Lorne's face. Then he was professional again but Ronon had seen enough to know better than that. He was aware of the fact that both men had become quite close to Kaylena. Much like older brothers. Both knew her skills well enough to fathom that something was not right.

Before they had walked to the city they had waited several more minutes but Kaylena did not come back and his guts had twisted once more in a painful manner. Something must have happened to her.

Sheppard mused that she might had lost her orientation but Ronon had seen in his face that he did not believe in his own explanation.

Kaylena had spent six years on her own. A person like her would not just loose her way in a forest. Someone in her position either learned to sharpen their senses and develop something like a six sense or got killed. After all Kaylena had been through, Ronon had no doubt about her survival skills.

"Please wait a moment!" Those words pulled him out of his thoughts. He saw Belus leaving and for the first time he recognised that they were standing in some kind of audience room. Damn he should show a little bit more attention to his surroundings.

He looked around and was not surprised when he noticed that the room looked similar to the one on Atlantis. Only that this one was a little more decorated. He noticed it with a shrug of his shoulders. The only things catching his attention were the chairs in the middle of the room. They looked like thrones and likely they were exactly that.

"I've seen something similar," John mumbled, apparently not thrilled.

"The tower?" Teyla asked even everybody of them knew the answer.

"Yeah," the Colonel mumbled and stared at the chair. "It was the control panel for the drones. I ask myself what the second throne is made for."

"It's for the shield." With a swift movement everybody turned around to find out who had answered Sheppard's question.

The soft female voice belonged to a pretty woman who had entered the room through a door on their left. Like Belus she was dressed in light colours, only that she was wearing a skirt which rustled lightly over the floor as she crossed the room. Something in her bearing showed him that she was of noble ancestry.

"Our people always have a couple as their leaders. The control panels are linked and it's necessary to use them together to get access to all their functions," she explained.

"You say they are linked?" Rodney asked with interest in his voice but was interrupted by Sheppard took a step in her direction.

"Don't get me wrong but you are not Prince Mael, right?" John asked with one of his best charming smiles. "Not that I would be complaining about that."

Ronon changed a quick look with Teyla who managed, unlike Rodney, not to roll her eyes.

"I'm Akaha Nal'Doron, aunt of Princess Anysha and Prince Mael." And like Belus she crossed her hands over her chest and bowed slightly.

"Oh, well," Sheppard started, "These are Teyla Emagan, Dr. Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex, Ryan Campell, Evan Lorne and I'm John Sheppard," he finished.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Akaha told them with a warm smile. "Belus told me that you rescued him and the others from the Askari. I want to thank you in the name of all of our people." Unlike Belus she sounded polite and honest, not effusive and Ronon was glad about it. The man had started to get on his nerves.

"Uhm...yeah no problem. Truth to be told it was Ronon and Kaylena who saved your people from being kidnapped."

"Then our thanks belongs to you," she added in Ronon's direction but hesitated a moment later. "Belus has told me already that the lady is missing."

Ronon growled in agreement.

"Of course we will do anything we can, to help you in your search for her."

Ronon really hoped that would be pretty soon, because his patience was getting thinner and thinner.

"What's with your princess?" Sheppard asked suddenly and Ronon shot him a deadly glance which he ignored.

Sighing deeply Akaha stepped a little closer and Ronon was able to see the worry in her eyes. The same he had seen in Belus. Apparently the Vehwendi really liked their leader.

"Anysha is a good leader. She is young but she is always committed to constantly strife for the best for our people. She honours our traditions but on the other side she tries to find new ways." She smiled a quick smile before she got on. "There is an old vendetta between the Vehwendi and the Askari people and Anysha's greatest wish is to settle the differences," Akaha told them and although it sounded all very nice Ronon really had no ear for their problems.

Every minute they spent in this city was a lost minute. Either the Vehwendi helped them with these special animals or he would search for Kaylena on his own. He felt a light touch on his arm and noticed that it was Teyla's hand. The Athosean had noticed his restlessness and tried to calm him without words. For the moment he let her.

"Anysha wanted to solve the ancient feud between our people and the barbaric Askari. That's why she made a proposal to Cahal the leader of the Askari. He agreed to a royal marriage. It surprised us all but he was obviously interested in the same subject."

"But?" Sheppard dug further when she didn't continue after a while.

"It is tradition that the future bridal couple walks towards each other and meets midway. Anysha followed this tradition and that was the last time we heard from her. They kidnapped her. Of course Cahal denied that but we know that he is lying!"

"Why are you so sure about that?" It was Lorne who had asked the question and everyone turning to him now. "What? It's a sensible question isn't it?"

"Who else should have done it?" Akaha hissed, suddenly not so calm any more.

"Well, the forest is deep maybe she lost her way," Sheppard assumed.

"Yeah, or she's been attacked by a wild animal," Rodney dropped in bluntly.

"Rodney!" Sheppard and Teyla hissed at the same moment.

"What? It's only an option," the scientist defended himself.

"No, it's okay," Akaha nodded. "Of course we thought of something like that, too. We sent our best Pawahkas after her but only her clothes had been found."

"Whoever captured her, knew about these Pawaks," Sheppard mused.

"Pawahkas!" Akaha corrected him. "Yes. And apart from Cahal there is nobody who could have an interest in kidnapping her. And beside that he is the one who had the best opportunity to do so."

"But..." Sheppard started again yet Ronon interrupted him with a low growl. It was enough now. He had not agreed to come to this city to talk about the princess and her disappearance.

Again he felt Teyla's soothing touch but this time he had no interest in being calm again. Before he could say anything Teyla had already interfered smiling at the older woman.

"Please, excuse him. He..." she interrupted herself, "we are all very concerned about our friend and Belus mentioned the possibility of using the Pawahkas to find her. If it's the Askari who hold her captive, they will be clever enough to get rid of her clothes, too, to make it impossible to find her this way."

This association inevitably forced a dark snarl from his throat and the others winced uncomfortable at his angry attitude. Only Teyla remained calm.

"In case your guess is right and they have both women we can't afford to lose more time. If we use the Pawahkas right now, it's possible to find the princess by finding Kaylena."

From the expression on her face it was clear, that Akaha had not thought in this direction but it only needed a second to get her excited.

"By the ancestors! I didn't think of that but maybe you are right!" Her body stiffened visibly and Ronon knew that it was from the small pike of hope fighting against resignation. In the end she swallowed audibly and nodded.

"I already ordered them to get the Pawahkas ready for you. If you are right –if we find her this way we...There are no words to describe it. We would always be in your debt," she assured them and for the first time there were real emotions in her voice.

"It would be a pleasure to help you," John grinned and looked a little uncertain over to him. Only now did Ronon notice that he had started spinning his gun and he fought hard to put it back.

"But I need something smelling of your missing lady," Akaha told them and was inevitably confronted with helpless faces. In the end it seemed that everybody was looking expectantly at him.

Ignoring them all he pulled out a thin piece of cloth. It was something like a scarf which Kaylena sometimes used to braid it in her hair. She had lost it the night they watched the movies together and he picked it up but forgot to give it back.

No, actually he had not been sure if he really wanted to give it back and now he was happy he didn't. It still smelled of her- the hard to describe unique scent which was unmistakeably Kaylena- and he really hoped that these animals were as good as Belus had told them.

For a long silent moment Kaylena stared in Cahal's eyes and he did nothing but stoically stare back. Maybe he also tried to assess her like she tried to do with him. In the end he reached out his hand in a silent demand to get up. After a second of hesitation she gripped it and allowed him to lift her up.

His men moved a step back and made some room for her. Slowly she felt for her weapons without turning her eyes from the man. Everything was in its place, so she lowered her hands to a more comfortable position.

"Will you tell me your name, now?" Cahal grumbled. She was about to answer him when she recognised the second man from the hunt. Her eyes turned into narrow slits and before anybody could react she was in front of him and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

"Where is he?" she snarled furiously.

His only answer was a cruel little smile which hit her like a fist. With a furious scream -which even frightened herself- she had brought him down. She settled herself on his chest and her hands clawed down onto his face without any control. Her nails left deep red marks on his skin and she heard him screaming in a mix of pain and shock about her primal attack. Kaylena did not care, but the next moment she felt rough hands on her trying to pull her back and restrain her.

"Get that beast away from me!" the bleeding man under her screamed in pain but that only doubled her effort and at first it seemed that she would succeed but soon enough she was lifted up into the air, struggling wildly against the man who pulled her away from her prey.

"Where is Ronon?" She hissed and this time there was a fearful undertone in her voice, while she kicked and wiggled in her effort to get free. But whoever had gripped her knew what he was doing. Even though her feet where still free, she did not have enough space to move her hands.

"Enough now!" Cahal roared again but she did not stop struggling. She was exhausted form the fight but the fear that something had happened to Ronon filled her with energy again.

The eyes of the Askarian leader seemed to flash in anger but he seemed to notice that there was only one way to calm her.

"Answer her question, Reven!"

Reven looked at his leader as if he had lost his mind but seemed to know better than to disobey a direct order.

"I don't know! I was able to escape him."

These simple sentences managed to achieve what pure force could not do. And from one second to the other Kaylena felt herself relaxing. She barely noticed the eased sigh from the man who had tried his best to hold her, but she noticed that she was standing on her feet again. The restraining hands were still there but only lightly. A silent reminder of the fact that she was the inferior one here.

She did not care. All she could do at the moment was sigh deeply. The next thing she felt was shame and anger at herself. How could she loose self-control so quickly? If she had thought about it, it had been only logical that Ronon had lost the track. Even she was able to hold herself against six of them. They would have been no match for Ronon, with or without weapons, and one man alone was nothing for him.

"So one last time –your name!" Cahal´s impatient call ripped her out of her thoughts and she reminded herself that she was still in trouble.

"Kaylena Lirren," she answered this time.

"I feel honoured that you decided to answer me finally," he snapped sarcastically.

"And I'm amazed about the warm heated welcome!" She snapped back.

"Watch your tongue, little lady!" he hissed and she could feel her eyes closing to dangerous slits again. "After all you are in my forest and assailed my men."

"You are the one who should watch his tongue. The moment you call me little lady again I will rip it out of your mouth!" She snarled and could feel the pressure on her shoulders increase immediately.

Oh great, Kaylena, you should just shut up now and then!

Of course this clever thought did not appear until she had already spoken out loud. But instead of hitting her or worse, he only snorted.

"A spitfire, are we?"

"And a pretty one, maybe we should show her..." One of the man started and her head snapped around at an almost painful speed. It was the man she had hunted.

"Shut up!" Cahal yelled. "Or next time we will discuss the remaining of your tongue."

She could see the man pale instantly, so she guessed Cahal was not only a man of words but also of action.

"Maybe you will tell me why you hunt my men?" Cahal turned his attention back to her." Did the Vehwendi send you to kill me?"

It took her a moment to answer and she felt a deep frown appearing on her forehead.

"I have hunted him," Kaylena nodded in the direction of the still pale man, "because he and his friend," this time she nodded in the direction of the man she had clawed in the face, " tried to kidnap a group of people."

Before she could go on Cahal´s head snapped around. "Is that true? Reven? Del?" His voice was ice cold and it was getting clearer and clearer that it would be better for her to show him a little respect. It would not be good for her to attract his anger.

Very funny, Kaylee, a little late for that advice, hmm?

"She is lying!" Reven snapped and her frown deepened.

"Yeah! We were on the hunt when this one," The man who had been called Del pointed a finger in her direction, "and a really tall guy suddenly appeared and started to hunt us."

"We thought the Vehwendi had sent them to kill us so we decided to run as fast as we could." Reven told Cahal angry. "And you have seen her fighting, brother! What else could a person like her be doing here?"

"There is an easy trick you know," Kaylena snapped enraged and failed again to keep just quiet. "Just ask!"

Somehow her answer seemed to be amusing. Even though she could not see the man behind her, she could see that Cahal was exchanging a quick grin with him.

"Has no one taught you, when it´s be better to just keep quiet?" Cahal asked her, but he did not sound angry and instead of feeling pissed she just rolled her eyes.

"My Commander tried his best but failed," she answered astonishing truthfully. "And he never forgot to remind me that in the end everything was just my fault because I couldn't bite my tongue."

Her answer forced some of the men to a low chuckle and even Cahal was grinning.

"I´d say the man was right."

"Cahal!" Reven hissed. "We should kill her before she kills us and then we´ll hunt her friend."

Instantly she stiffened again and her head snapped around to focus on Reven and for a satisfying second she saw pure fear in his still bleeding face. Then he seemed to remember that she was no threat to him any longer and showed her a slight grin.

"I would be careful if I were you," a dark male voice growled behind her. To her surprise he did not address her. "The distance from here to you isn't that far. She might escape my hold, she is surprisingly strong for a woman." There was a short pause before he added, "But I forgot that you knew that already!"

Within a fraction of seconds Reven's smile vanished and he stared at the man behind her and it was obvious that the two men did not like each other.

Cahal said nothing, only shook his head a little and that was apparently enough to calm the man behind her. Whoever it was, she decided that she somehow liked him.

"Let us follow your advice," Cahal smiled dryly. "I ask you; why are you here and what do you want from my people?"

Get a grip Kaylena! Don't be grumpy again.

"My friends and I..." she started only to be interrupted.

"There are more?"

"Yes. Seven people including me. We came here to trade with your people," she hesitated a moment, "I mean with the Vehwendi. I didn't even know that there was a second group of people. I've never heard of the Askari."

"I would say the same, if I were you," Del snapped but was quiet again when Cahal´s eyes focused on him.

"What do you want to trade?"

"Well, we are interested in some of their technology. I'm not sure what my people want to offer them in change. After all I'm a warrior not a marketer."

"Oh, well. I noticed that." He assured her and she shrugged her shoulders. "So? What else?"

"We came through the gate and had been searching for the city when I heard someone cry for help. Ronon heard it too, and we ran forward to the source of the noises. And when we arrived at the scene we saw these two." Again she nodded in their direction. "The moment they noticed us they let go of the people and tried to escape, so we went after them."

"That's a lie!" Reven yelled and she send him an angry look.

"Listen, sweetheart," She hissed in his direction. "If I had come here to kill you, I can assure you, that you would be dead already." She looked his stature up and down and shook her head. "It's not as if you were a match for me or for Ronon!" Like she had hoped he rushed forward with an angry face.

Kaylena grinned dryly. Some things never changed and the ego of a man was always the easiest target.

Before Reven reached her Cahal stopped his brother.

"Calm down!" He hissed and after a short moment he added, "After all she is right. I've seen her fighting."

Reven's eyes were liquid fire as he looked at her but she didn't grant him a second look.

"You say the Vehwendi didn't send you to kill me?"

The frown was back on her forehead. "Why should they do that? A long time has passed since I last visited this planet, but as far as I recall the Vehwendi are peaceful people."

Although she had only been a kid she remembered them as friendly, sweet and helpful.

"Not when it's about their Princess," he told her and that pulled another long lost memory to the surface.

"Anysha?" she asked astonished, not sure if she was perplex about his answer or about the fact that she remembered the name of the, golden haired, girl she and her sister had played several hours with.

"You know her?" The Askarian leader asked her with a careful voice now.

"Yes. No." She sighed. "We were something like friends when we were kids." Though friends was a bit exaggerated. "Did something happen to her?"

Slowly his eye-brow rose up. "You have really no idea?"

"As I told you before, we were on our way to the city but before we could speak to anybody these two interrupted our plans."

"Someone has kidnapped her and now the Vehwendi argue that I'm the bad guy."

"Why you?" She asked confused.

Cahal hesitated for a moment, apparently he was surprised by her reaction. "Because she was on her bridal walk towards me and..."

"You?!" Kaylena snapped and took a quick glance around before she focused on Cahal again. "She is going to marry you?"

"Surprised?"

"Yes! You can say that," Kaylena snorted and was again surprised when Cahal started to chuckle lowly and amused.

"Believe me, me too! I still have troubles to realise that it's true."

Now she was totally confused before it dawned her. "You are speaking of a political marriage?"

"Yes, of course," he nodded. "How would a man like me become the fiancé of a princess otherwise?"

Perplexed she looked at him. Her eyes roamed over him for a second and what she saw convinced her that a lot of women would not have any troubles to become engaged to a man like him. Princess or not. He was not exactly hard on the eyes although she would eat her tongue before saying that loud.

Apparently the look on her face spoke for itself, because a second later a very satisfied grin appeared on his face.

She could not help the very unladylike like snort that escaped her but apparently Cahal found her very amusing. If his chuckles said anything about him in that matter.

"What now? What's with Anysha?"

Within seconds he was serious again. "I don't know. It wasn't me who captured her. I agreed to this marriage for the same reasons she had in mind when she proposed. For a better future for my people. For both of our people. It's the best way to end the disputes between the Askari and Vehwendi we ever had and I'm not so stupid to throw away that chance thoughtlessly."

Kaylena looked him straight in the eyes and it was not that hard to figure out that he was not lying.

"The moment I agreed to this marriage she had not only my word she had also my protection. I would never do anything to her and wouldn't allow someone to do so."

She opened her mouth but remembered in good time, that it would not be a good idea to remind him that he had failed. Instead she took a deep breath and tried another way.

"I guess you have tried to find her?"

"Of course," he yelled and she was glad that she had thought twice for this time.

"How do you know she is still on this planet?"

"No one has dialled out since she vanished. The Vehwendi took the control crystal."

"Oh, not again!" She muttered under her breath and tried for the first time to get completely free of the hands, which were still on her shoulders. After a nearly invisible nod from Cahal the man behind her let go of her and she suppressed the urge to turn around. Instead she focused on Cahal.

"How long is she gone?"

"Four days."

"Cahal, be careful," Reven suddenly added. "You cannot trust her. Maybe this all is a trick!"

This time she decided to ignore the man. "Who could have an interest in kidnapping her? Or better in foreclosing your wedding?"

"Cahal!"

"Enough now!" The dark haired man hissed in the direction of his brother before he looked at Kaylena again. "Unfortunately there are a lot of people who were not thrilled about Anysha's decision to marry me."

She nodded and tried to think about her options. On the one side she wanted to look for the others- and she was pretty sure they were already searching for her. Especially Ronon and she did not want them to worry about her. But on the other hand she was pretty sure, even though she and Cahal were now able to speak nearly normal to each other, he was far away from letting her go. In the end there was only one way left for her to follow.

She had to find Anysha.

"Maybe I can help you to find her?" The frown on Cahal´s forehead forced her to go on. "Look, even if I lied and the Vehwendi did sent me, I would still be looking for Anysha, right?"

He hesitated a short moment then nodded in agreement. "Right!"

"So, you have nothing to lose. If I understood you correctly, you have nothing to do with this all and would be pleased to get your hands on whoever did that to her." The dark growl was answer enough to ensure her that he didn't have a hand in the abduction of the princess and that it would not be a nice experience for whoever had harmed her.

"Let´s search together. Maybe the eyes of a stranger see more than you expect."

The blue eyes focused on her with an icy look but in the end they warmed up a little and he even surprised her with a smile. "Alright," he nodded. "I really hope you are as good as a tracker than as a fighter!"

"Me, too!" She grinned dryly.

"It's time to leave this place," Cahal growled and looked around. Most of the men had not said anything during their little talk but started discussing this and that now with their friends as they turned around to leave this place.

"Count me in," she mumbled again and glanced over to Del and Reven who were standing close together, talking quietly. They noticed her stare and glared angrily over at her. Apparently they tried to frighten her and she couldn't keep herself from snorting.

"Come on, let's go!" The dark voice ripping her out of her thoughts, belonged to the man who had stood behind her the whole time. Now he was besides her and she eyed him up.

Kaylena was not surprised to find out that he was tall and well-build. His hair was dark and long like Cahal´s, but loose. It took her a moment to notice that this served to cover several deep scars on his left side of his face. These weren't the only ones. Even though he wore long leather pants and a long sleeved shirt she recognised the marks of a scar on his neck and she was sure, his clothes hid a lot more of them. His whole form looked rigid and strong and she understood why Reven was afraid of this man. He could possible rip a person apart without any effort.

But apparently he was not up to do it to her and she remembered that she had decided to like the man, several minutes ago. So she gave him a smile and was surprised to receive one in return. He had dark grey eyes which fit in the picture of the dangerous man but now as he smiled she was surprised to find out that they turned into a warmer shade of grey.

After a moment she nodded in Reven´s direction.

"He is lying," She told him.

"I know!"

TBC