Chapter Five

Captivation

She lightly pressed the damp cloth to his skin, trying her hardest to avoid upsetting the wound. "It doesn't hurt does it?" She inquired, pausing a moment to look down into her patient's eyes. She was so enthralled with those eyes. Gods, he was beautiful. Snap out of it Laelia. Stay on the task at hand. "Eh?"

"No. It is fine." He replied. "It stings just a little. Not your fault."

"I'm sorry about all this." Laelia said, brushing a few errant strands of hair from his face. "This is a really bad situation. I was so stupid to believe I could pull something like this off." She growled at herself angrily. "I should have left the battles for my friends. I'm not a warrior. I'm just a stupid little girl looking for revenge." She shook her head.

To her surprise he lifted his hands to stay hers and grab her attention. He disagreed. "Maybe what you are looking for is not revenge at all."

"Then what?" She asked desperately.

"I do not know, but for what it is worth… you may not be a warrior, but you are not a stupid little girl. Thank you, Laelia. You give me hope."

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Laelia dropped another bundle of sticks onto the fire. Smoke curled up in tendrils around her arms before she pulled back into the clearer air. She watched the flames flickering brightly against the dark backdrop of the forest beyond and saw the orange reflected along the bank in the water. She thought of home. Of Martouf and the others. Was she ever going to get back to them?

"Tell me about the Tok'ra." Skaara's inquisitive voice broke through her worries.

"Do you really want to know about them?" She asked, turning to him. A nod. "All right. They are like the Goa'uld in one way, that they need a host to survive. But they do not take them against their will, and they live in harmony in one body. For instance, Martouf, the one I told you about, is the host to a Tok'ra symbiote named Lantash. They fight the Goa'uld with everything they have. And that is not much. Because they do not believe in all the evil things the Goa'uld do, they do not have as much, and do not live as long. For the past six years they have been my family and friends, and I have been much a part of their fight."

"Do you ever want to leave them, get away from the fighting?"

That was a harder question, but she could not avoid his prying eyes and the soft nature of his voice. "The destruction of my planet left me with nothing but my brother, and then the Tok'ra. I have no where else to go, nothing more to do. All I wanted when I was a child was to be like my mother. To marry a kind and gentle man, have children, and then watch them go through life. I just wanted normal. I don't like having to watch my friends die in battle, but what else is there?"

"The Goa'uld always destroy people's lives. They have stolen years from those like us, and gives us no choice but to live it." Angry hurt and determination rose in his eyes. Laelia could see the deep pain and suffering in them. She bit her lip, unsure of what to do. She was never good at comforting people, or facing emotional challenges. She had a fighter's spirit. For the first time in her life she wished that she didn't because all she wanted to do was reach over and take his pain away.

"No." She whispered, touching her hand to his. "Times are changing. The Goa'uld may not fall in our lifetime… but it is coming. And I promise you on everything I am, everything I myself have lost, that you will be free." She raised her hand and lightly brushed her fingers through his hair and then unconsciously traced his features. When their eyes met something dark shattered inside and she felt a strange warmth overcome her.

Like magnets they were drawn to each other. She leaned forward the same moment he did, her lips tentatively brushing against his like the soft touch of butterfly wings. She was startled, but pleasantly, when she felt his fingertips touch her cheeks. Her heart was pounding in her chest, rushing the blood through her veins desperately warming every extremity of her body. Places that had once lain dormant wakened, weaving threads of sensitively. She was afraid of this, for she had never felt this way before.

Klorel had unlocked the door to these feelings, but something about Skaara had opened the door. Maybe it was his eyes, dark depths filled with nothing but intense emotion and startling beauty. Perhaps it was his heart that he so obviously tried to keep hidden, but his words revealed his soul as if his body were transparent. Klorel had awakened a lust, but Skaara reached into her heart with a passion beyond her comprehending.

His mouth fastened on hers, allowing an indescribable sweetness to invade her senses. She let herself fall into the kiss, shoving everything else away. There were no troubles, no more danger; just this tender embrace. They may not have spent years getting to know each other, but then again none of that was important. Their shared hardships, their experiences created a strange bond between them. They had both suffered under the hands of the Goa'uld, and only those who had been through the same things could ever understand them. So for that moment their hearts were one, beating in unison as if their past didn't matter.

She pulled back slowly, suddenly coming to her senses. "I- - we shouldn't." She said, averting her eyes. She didn't want to push him away-- but now wasn't the time for this. "You should get some rest. It's been a long day."

"I'm sorry." His voice was low, almost inaudible. When Laelia looked back up she saw that he had also dropped his eyes. She reached out and raised his face, then pressed her lips to his cheek softly.

"There's nothing to be sorry for." She said. "I just think we're both tired. We will speak again soon. I promise. Now rest," she touched his hand, "and sooner than you know it we'll be home."

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Morning came sooner than Laelia expected. The suns hadn't even risen yet when she was awakened by an angry loud voice, slightly blurry at the edge of her conscious. It didn't take much to figure out who it was. Klorel. "What did you do to me!? I demand to know- -" Laelia cut him off, pulling herself up from her position beside a tree.

"Will you shut up!" She shouted. "I didn't do a damned thing to you. What the fuck are you talking about?" That's right, Lia, act your best angry innocent.

"You know very well what I am talking about!" He yelled back at her. "You--you knocked me out with something."

"You're losing your mind, Klorel," Laelia sighed. "You've gone absolutely nuts. I didn't do shit to you. Once minute you're bitching away about the stuff you bitch about and then bam, you're out like a light. You must have been tired… you know you should lay off all the evil banter. It wears people out - - especially the one that has to listen to you."

"Insolence!"

Sigh. "Yeah….and?" She was really getting tired of this Goa'uld arrogance spiel. Oy.

"When I am freed you will wish you had never laid eyes on me!" Klorel threatened.

"I already wish I hadn't laid eyes on you." Laelia answered drearily, gazing at him over her shoulder as she stooped to prepare the things she had gathered for breakfast. Her mood was gloomy as she relit the fire that had gone out sometime the night before. She could only think of Skaara and how he was somewhere in there, behind the arrogance and the hostility. She couldn't fathom having to go through something like he had to. Her experience those many years ago had been brief and her memory was dim. She wished she could do something to give him control, but she couldn't. Not without harming him.

"Just a little longer." She grinned at her nemesis. It was more for her new friend's benefit than for Klorel's, but she knew it would annoy him, so she said it clearly. "Can't wait for you to meet the Tok'ra… nice bunch…"

"Fool." Klorel spat.

She raised an eyebrow. "Maybe, but who's the one who got himself tied up? Huh." Another forced smile. She couldn't wait to return home. She wanted to be there when he was removed so she could destroy him herself. Of course, she seriously doubted Martouf would allow that. Oh, well, can't have everything, she supposed. She would have to live with only rescuing Skaara. This time she smiled for real, because that was so much better…

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The suns were high in the sky when she stopped them for lunch. Klorel didn't object. The more time he had to escape the less he would going to argue. Heh, Laelia would like to see that. She held no qualms about shooting him with the zat'n'kitel. She would feel bad about Skaara, but she would only shoot Klorel once, and she was sure she would be forgiven for that. (You can only take so much of his mouth before wanting to shut him up.)

Once again she went about making the potion her mother had spent hours teaching her. She remembered those days before the Goa'uld came and destroyed her people.

Her world had been peaceful. There had been the every occasional squabble between tribes, but for the most part they all lived in harmony. It was her village that fell first. She recalled the way she witnessed the wormhole spill out into the cold night air and how her brother ordered her to stay put while he warned their mother and the others.

And had waited fearfully for Loren to come back for her. When he finally did come his clothes were stained with blood and he wore a strange, shocked expression on his face. It was a haunted look that should have never been allowed upon a child. He had rushed them away from the fighting and the carnage. She cried about their parents, asking about them. Loren didn't answer and she knew her life would never be the same.

Now look at her… she was escorting a Goa'uld prince through some snake-infested planet so she could reach her new family. She had become a part of this war she had never wanted to even know about - - a war she should have never become a part in. She wiped away a stray tear quickly before Klorel could see. She didn't think she could take his prodding on this issue.

She set the food and drink before him. "Here you go, your majesty." She said. He eyed it suspiciously like he had done the night before, but didn't argue this time. By now he pretty much knew he wasn't going to get his way, at least not at this time.

Laelia sat back wearily and waited, letting her memories flow over her once again, her eyes closing slightly against the bright light of midday.

Before Loren could reach the Chaapa'ai they were intercepted by one of the raiding Jaffa. Loren did what he could to try to protect them, but he wasn't very strong for a young boy. He was thrown to the ground like a rag, and when he collapsed into an unmoving heap Laelia had thought it over. And then he had come. Without warning the Jaffa dropped, and behind him stood a young man, his face set in determination.

"Are you okay, little one?" He questioned.

Laelia had nodded dumbly as the man hurried over to lean over her brother. "He will be all right." He said, turning to Laelia, who was standing over the fallen Jaffa warrior. "Come away from there!" The man warned, but as Laelia turned she felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck, and then darkness.

"Laelia?" A soft voice brought her out of her black reverie. Skaara had returned. "Are you all right?"

"Umm…. Yes." She pulled herself back from her memories, forcing another fake grin on her face. She was surprised when he saw right through it.

"What is wrong?"

She sighed. "I was thinking about when the Goa'uld came to my planet. They killed almost everyone, and the ones they did not kill I am sure were turned into unwilling slaves and hosts." She shut her eyes tightly, seeing the faces of those she had known as a child. Her friends, her neighbors. Where were they now? Why had Laelia had been so lucky? Why did she not deserve the same horrible end that they had? "I guess now with Loren gone I am the only real survivor. I am alone."

"No. Not alone." He said, finding her eyes and giving her a small reassuring smile. When he smiled his face took on a radiance all it's own and she couldn't help but smile back. Beautiful.

"I guess you're right."

"What of your brother? I think I can remember him a little."

"Loren?" She asked. This was a hard subject to talk about, but she would have to sometime and no matter how close she was to Martouf she could never feel comfortable telling him everything she needed to say, so she began. "Well, he was very strong, and very handsome." She grinned. "He was very loyal to any cause worth fighting, especially that of freedom from the Goa'uld." She paused. "He saved my life more than once. Over stupid things really. I did a lot of stupid things in my youth…" She stopped again, raising her face to look at him. "I'm sorry… this is really boring and dumb."

"No, no. Please." He motioned for her to go on, so she did. She poured her heart out.

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The first time Martouf saw Laelia Re'sepatei she was a frightened little girl, and her brother was an even more frightened little boy. He had watched as the brave soul tried to keep his little sister from danger. His actions spurred something in Martouf and he immediately came to his aid. Unfortunately Laelia stepped too close to the Jaffa he had just felled and allowed a symbiote to take her. Martouf didn't remember how, but he had pulled both children to safety and had taken them back to the other Tok'ra.

He remembered the horrible look on Loren's young face as he awoke, thinking the worst. He demanded to see his sister, who was in the process of having the Goa'uld invader removed. Martouf explained everything to the boy. He told him of the Tok'ra, even a little about himself. He had inquired on Laelia and of their life. That's when Loren had looked up with such an odd look and asked, "will you take care of us?"

And Martouf had answered, "of course. You're one of us now."

He hadn't officially run it by the council yet, but he didn't have to. How could his kind turn away these two orphaned children? Luckily Martouf had been right, and as the kids grew they became more ingrained in the Tok'ra ranks. Loren even joined their spy network within the Goa'uld despite the fact he carried no symbiote.

Laelia, however, was different than Loren. She was content to stay behind and help out at their bases. She didn't deserve this life she was being forced to live. She deserved something normal… something more. Now he was afraid that it was perhaps too late for that to ever happen. Laelia was very strong, but there were also many dangers out there. Martouf hoped with everything he had that she would be returning to them soon. But even his usually high spirits couldn't keep his mind from wandering to the worst scenarios possible.

Dunno if that was any good or not.I tried to subtlely through Laelia's passed in there, which adding a bit of romancy things. R&R like usual. Like or no like?

I'm nearly finished with this first story. Three more chapters! Woot!

Cya. Muse.