Constructive criticisms always welcomed. Flames cheerfully ignored.

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Hail to the King

Part 8: Saving face, saving lives

"[Yes, I have been called many things in the past]" Neftu smiled, "['Neftu the Destroyer', 'The Dark Cloud', 'Death of Thousands', 'Bane of Ra', but that is all behind me know]" She turned to Osiris, "[I have embraced the ways of the Tok'ra.]"

"[So you see,]" Arthur smiled, "[You can not hope to win. The best you will get is mutual destruction. Would that please Anubis?]"

Osiris seemed to think on it for a moment, "[This is not over: Lord Anubis will come for you himself…]"

"[We won't be here.]" Neftu seemed quite happy that she had stumped her old rival, "[we will be, elsewhere.]"

"And I will be here." Merlin appeared at Arthur's side, his holographic projector fading to revel his true form, "I have been contacted by my people: they are sending a squadron of ship's under the Commander Thor. They are," He seemed to search for the right word, "unhappy."

"Carter and Daniel got through?" O'Neill asked.

"Indeed." Merlin nodded, "They contacted my people and told them what was happening here."

"[Very well!]" Rage and contempt shone brightly in Osiris' eyes, "[But like I said: this is not over.]" She looked straight at Neftu, "[We will meet again.]"

"[I would say 'pray it is not too soon',]" Neftu smiled, "[But then, who do god's pray to?]"

With a final glair, Osiris turned and stormed off, her bodyguard falling in behind her silently. Slowly, under the watchful eye of Army of the North, the Jaffa started to head back words the Stargate.

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With the end of the siege and the arrival of the reinforcements, the work of repairing the castle and counting the dead began. O'Neill and Teal'c helped to move the injured into the main hall, turning it into a makeshift hospital.

Arthur and Neftu went from bed to bed, using Tok'ra healing devices on the worst of the injuries while the doctors dealt with the rest. O'Neill spotted the Tok'ra woman from earlier helping, and asked Arthur who she was.

"[That is Cassiopeia, my daughter by Neftu.]" He explained, "[Her host is named Alisa. They have been joined for nearly 60-years now.]"

"Your daughter by Neftu?" O'Neill asked, "So the two of you are?"

"[I told you she was my consort and queen.]" Arthur chuckled, "[Neftu is a queen Goa'uld.]"

"So the Jaffa outside?" O'Neill was getting worried.

"[Are merely wearing the armour of my old personal guard.]" Neftu entered the conversation, startling O'Neill, "[They are members of the standing army, same as Arthur's Castle Guards. I have produced only one offspring since I arrived here, and that is Cassiopeia. She was raised as a Tok'ra.]"

"The throne room is prepared." Merlin seemed to glided across the floor, "It is time."

"Time for what?" O'Neill asked.

"[You will see.]" Arthur led the way to the huge oak doors, "[You will see]"

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"[For serves to the people of Logres, I dub thee Sir Teal'c of Chulak,]" Arthur carefully rested Excalibur on the Jaffa's shoulders, "And Sir Jack of the Tauri." He repeated the movement with O'Neill, "[You have proven yourselves to be men of honour and virtue. Should you ever need it, the strength and resources of our people are yours to command.]"

The assembled towns people and soldiers cheered as Arthur handed the two men the swords that went with their titles. Neftu walked to his side, and Arthur called for silence.

"[I have served you as king these long years, but now I find that to serve you best, I must leave you.]" Arthur scanned the crowd, who where all stunned by his words, "[For to stay would bring down on this place I love a war more terrible than any we have ever faced.]

"[People of Avalon,]" Neftu stepped forward, "[I came to this place as an enemy, but you gave me sanctuary,]" She smiled at Arthur, "[And love. In my entire life, I have never known such compassion, and it has changed me for the better. Yet I too must leave you.]"

"[In order that this world may grow strong, we must finally unite the lands of the East and West.]" Arthur lifted his crown from his head, "[To this end, I do formally hand my throne to my daughter, the Lady Cassiopeia. I know she will serve you as faithfully as your Queen as I have as King.]" He lifted the gold band and placed it on his daughter's head.

"All hail Cassiopeia." Merlin stepped forward, "Queen of Avalon."

"HAIL! HAIL! HAIL!" The crowed shouted at the top of their voices, the sound filling the room and echoing out the huge open doors to the courtyard beyond.

"[People of Avalon]" Cassiopeia stepped forward, "[This is not an honour I have sort, and not one I would have considered myself worthy of. I can only say that I will work to be worth of the trust you have given me as my farther.]"

Again the crowed let out an almost solid wall of sound, filling the castle.

"[We should take our leave.]" Arthur said to the others, before giving his daughter one last embrace.

To Be Continued…