A/N: Apologies for not posting on Monday. Please see the latest instalment below! Life has an irritating habit of getting in the way at the most inopportune times!

As this is a shorter chapter, I will update again on Friday!

Thank you to jacats and dpdp for reviewing! You guys are total legends!

As always, mistakes are mine.

Enjoy!

Recap: Danu watched the exchange between the teammates. She sensed the camaraderie of the group before her, but she could sense the barriers that had been erected by two members of the group. They were ignoring a blatant issue and that saddened the goddess. While the team before her were not children of Saorsa, she still cared for them as if they were her own. Still, if that is what they wanted, she would play along too.

"We should make the settlement by the time the second sun settles if we leave imminently."

Jack slapped his cap back on his head. "Great, lead the way."

Chapter 5

SG1 followed the well-worn path, taking in the scenery. Teal'c watched as Jack walked in front, leading the way. Behind Jack and in front of him, Sam and Daniel were walking along at a steady pace, discussing the crater; both the scientific and the cultural significance surrounding it. Tilting his head slightly, he could hear Danu behind him.

Like Jack, Danu had been very quiet since the crater. Teal'c surmised it had something to do Sam going underneath the water. After looking ahead to see that his teammates were well, the Jaffa waited patiently for Danu to catch up.

She smiled up at him as he inclined his head. "Thank you."

"It is no problem."

Danu smiled again before schooling her features into the thoughtful expression she had been wearing since leaving the crater.

"You seem pensive."

Danu looked at Teal'c, surprise flashing across her features. "I worry for Samantha." Danu confessed.

"Why so?"

Danu sighed. "It is down to her to share what she needs to, but she seems different since I last saw her. Jack, too."

Teal'c registered Danu's concerns. "They are great warriors of their people, but they do not seem to be prepared to deal with matters of the heart as they would a battle."

Danu chuckled lightly. "That sums up the situation perfectly." she sighed softly. "In all my years, I have never seen two people more destined for one another. It is obvious to me that they care for one another deeply."

"Indeed."

"Then why do they choose to prolong their suffering?"

While hitting the nail on the head, Danu's question caught Teal'c by surprise. "On their homeworld, such a relationship is forbidden."

Danu scoffed with disgust. "That seems unnecessarily cruel."

"Both O'Neill and Major Carter are incredible warriors. They fight and live with honour, they would not choose to jeopardise their positions."

"Instead they jeopardise their happiness." finished Danu.

"Indeed."

The two continued their walk in silence, happy to listen to the babble from Daniel and Sam. They remained walking this way, along the mountain path, until Jack stopped. Once the rest of the party had caught up with him, they could see why the silver haired man had stopped so abruptly.

If the winter dwellings on top of the hill were impressive to SG-1 before, the summer dwellings were even more so.

Past the mountain path they were currently stood upon, the path gradually took them down the mountains. The range of mountains around them overlooked a small valley and in that valley, there stood a town larger than the one SG1 had seen previously in the Saorsans winter dwellings. To the north, a small waterfall cascaded down the mountain face, pooling at the base before running past the outskirts of the town towards the east and disappearing into another forest. At the south of the valley was a small woods that neighboured what seemed to be fields. In the middle of the town stood a modest castle surrounded by buildings similar to what they had seen in the previous settlement.

"Wow." breathed Daniel.

"Totally worth the walk." agreed Jack.

Danu smiled. "I also prefer this settlement. Come, Banaphri is eager to see you."

"O'Neill, would it not be wise to wear the hazmat suits?"

"Yeah, hey Danu, feel free to go down. Warn the people we might look a little different to last time, would you?"

Danu nodded. "Of course."

Jack watched Danu leave before he addressed his team. "Let's see what we're dealing with before we decide to remove them, okay? I don't want anyone getting sick."

Teal'c waited patiently while the three humans of the team put on the yellow hazmat suits. Once they were ready, they began the descent down the path that would lead them towards the town. Danu had clearly warned the Saorsans of the precautions SG1 were taking as they arrived. Normally, when they arrived in hazmat suits, people shied away from them, but they were greeted like long lost friends.

They passed a building and Daniel was assaulted by two young boys running up to him to wrap their arms around his waist.

"Boys! Leave Daniel be, he is here on business for the queen!" chastised a voice, getting closer as it broke through the crowd.

"Bruic!" greeted Daniel, as he ruffled the boys' hair with a gloved hand. "How are you? How's the bakery?"

The baker and Ceann's brother shook Daniel's hand. "It was rebuilt, like the Queen promised and I am more prosperous than ever! Thanks to you!"

Daniel chuckled weakly, a light blush creeping onto his features. "It was nothing, honestly…"

"Nothing? You saved my life! You and your team saved us all." The crowd that had gathered cheered their agreement.

"Sam!"

Sam turned in time to see Bhean come to a halt in front of her. Her hair was tied back with a blue ribbon. Her grotty, grey tunic had been replaced with a beautiful blue dress and on her feet were sandals, protecting her feet from the ground. But what pleased Sam the most was the lack of copper bracelets around her wrists and ankles.

"Bhean! It's great to see you!" greeted Sam, returning the former slave's hug.

"I am so happy you are here! Banaphri has been eager to see you again. Come, let me take you to her!" She grabbed Sam's hand and pulled her through the crowd. Daniel, Jack and Teal'c nodded at the people around them and followed Sam and Bhean through the throng of people that had gathered to welcome them.

Bhean expertly weaved the team through the crowds of people that had come to greet them. As happy as Sam was to see the people that she came to know from her last visit, she was even happier to see that like Bhean, there were no more copper bracelets or anklets or symbols of the Saorsans' bondage. A lot of the women that had been previously rescued by Danu had waved at them as they passed and no woman was being harassed by the men of the population.

They came to large wooden doors and Bhean smiled at the soldier that greeted them.

"Fair day, my lady." the soldier greeted with a bow. He straightened himself up as he took in SG-1 standing behind the small brunette. "Are these the guests the Queen has been expecting?"

"Fair day, Allad. Yes, this is Jack, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c, they have travelled a very long way." smiled Bhean, waving a hand towards each member of SG1 as she introduced them.

Allad, a young soldier with bright blue eyes and mousy brown hair, smiled and nodded. "Then I shall escort you through the castle myself." He waved at the soldier next to the door and extended his arm in front of him as the doors creaked open. "After you, my lady."

Bhean caught Sam's eye and ducked her head down as a blush crept onto her face before leading the team through the doors. Jack tilted his head before regarding Sam with a bemused expression. Barely hiding a small chuckle, Sam followed Bhean, smiling at Allad as she passed him.

As Daniel began to follow suit, he rolled his eyes as both Jack and Teal'c sized Allad up, the younger warrior taking an intimidated step back.

The men, tailed by Allad, quickly caught up to Sam and Bhean, taking in the few twists and turns they had to take to get to Banaphri.

"This castle isn't as big as the winter dwellings." commented Jack as they followed Bhean.

"It used to be bigger, but Banaphri gave half of the castle's timber to create a school for the children."

Jack's eyebrows raised, impressed with the young queen's achievements. "That's really something. Way to go, Banana."

Bhean chuckled. "Banaphri has missed you all so. I know she cannot wait to see you."

"She's made some amazing progress since we were last here." complimented Daniel. "What else has she been up to?"

Bhean smiled at the archaeologist. "You can ask her that yourselves."

The party came to a halt outside closed doors and Bhean smiled as Allad moved towards the front of the group to open the doors. Bhean stood to one side and indicated for the team to enter. "Please, go in. I will see you all shortly."

Sam nodded and stepped in, momentarily taken aback as she did. They were in a library. Bookcases made from oak as tall as the ceiling, home to scrolls and bounded books. In the corner of the library was an unused fire place, surrounded by chairs and a large oak table. The windows allowed the four suns' light to pour in, lighting up the room with natural light, making the room feel bigger and airier that what it was.

"Woah."

"Calm yourself, Danny boy." teased Jack as he moved to stand next to Sam.

Teal'c moved forward and inclined his head respectfully as a graceful figure rose from one of the seats by the fireplace.

"It has been many moons since we last saw one another."