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Daniel awoke feeling something was wrong. As this happened so often in his line of work, he decided to act on his instincts at once. He vomited.

"Daniel?" Someone spoke from the tent flap. He looked up. It was Peter. "Are you alright?"

"Remind me never to eat again. Anything. Ever." Daniel said miserably, wiping his mouth on a handy rag. Peter smiled apologetically, shifting from foot to foot. He looked nervous, or excited. Perhaps a bit of both. Daniel sat on a storage box to get a better look at him.

"Everyone is gathering at the fire pit," he said quickly. "There is a messenger from the city, with news of the King."

"What's he saying?"

"Nothing yet, but it looks big. He's waiting for the entire village to hear." Daniel stood up hurriedly, fallowing Peter out of his tent. Jack is with the King. He thought. He hadn't seen Jack for nearly a month; half the time they had been stuck on this planet. Has something gone wrong?

Peter led him to the central fire pit of the village, which was now a mass of apprehensive peasants and tradesman. The seats surrounding the pit were all filled, so Daniel stood beside Peter on the outskirts. A man stood beside the darkened ashes, the focus of everyone's attention. His face was full of a solemn pride Daniel had seen many times before. He waited for about another minute before motioning for silence.

"Citizens," he began. "Today is a day of mourning." A few worried voices came from the crowd to Daniels right. "Our King," he paused dramatically, "has been slain."

A collective sound of remorse echoed around the gathered village. Women clutched at their children, and men looked to each other grimly. Daniel said nothing. He was watching the messenger search among the crowd, carefully observing each reaction. His eyes met Daniel's, lingering for just a moment too long. He knows me, Daniel thought. Does he expect to find a murderer here? This man was dressed much to well to be a mere messenger; everything about him stank of law enforcement. Daniel felt his blood run cold. He waned to speak to Jack.If this country was going to dissolve into civil war, it wasn't going to be a very safe place to wait for a rescue show up.The King hadn't left an heir.

But the messenger was not finished.

"Do not despair, Citizens!" He called above their noise. "Although it is true we are without a King, we are not lacking a leader. The Senate has agreed to crown our Princess Joceline Valencia" He had a daughter? "Queen of all Vidi-Bellezza!" The messenger said this news with such joy that the villagers could not help but cheer along with him.

Daniel did not join in. He tugged Peter shirt, dragging him away from the assembly.

"They can do that? Crown a female?" He asked, raising his voice above the cheering. Peter's face was flushed with something like over-blown civic pride, and Daniel could tell he didn't want to leave the gathering.

"I guess. It's never been done before! Who would have thought!"

Three cheers were starting for the new Queen Joceline, and Peter ducked away from him to join in. Daniel stayed behind. He went back to his tent, feeling like an outlaw for not joining in with the crowd. He fumbled through some of the things still left over from his SG-1 supplies, and pulled out his radio. He'd barely used it since coming to Vidi-Bellezza. He fiddled with the controls, attempting to raise Jack.

"Jack, it's Daniel. Jack, come in please. Jack-"

"Daniel?" It was Sam. "What's up?" It was weird hearing her voice after so long. She had moved to the city as well, but in a different part. Closer to the Stargate. Daniel had the feeling she was still trying to get it to work.

"A messenger came to my village." He explained. "Apparently the King was murdered." Sam hadn't heard. She said she would go to the Palace and look for Jack, just to check up on him. She tried to sound confident, but Daniel could tell she was worried. Jack would have checked in if something like this had happened.

"Sam, how many people know about the Stargate?"

"Just the King and the Senate, I think." She said. "Why?" Daniel listened to the mob outside his tent, thinking seriously.

"I think we might have a leak."