Disclaimer: TPTB owns Stargate Atlantis, not us.

A/N Tinuviel Undomiel: Here is the beginning of the journey. I hope you all like it. Chapter 2 is coming very soon.

A/N: Nerwen Aldarion: Squeee next chappie Teyla comes and boy will it be funny, I'm ready to start the next chapter like now so the next update should be soon.

Chapter 1: Revelations and Mercenaries

One the southern edge of Peruthna, past the Mountains of Wealth, surrounded by the Screitar Forest was the small village of Tryson. It was a quiet village, its residents happy and peaceful experiencing little strife in their everyday lives. Little did they know that their small town held a secret. The secret lived in a small home with only two rooms and one stove for heat and cooking; a simple home that housed simple people—supposedly.

A man in his forties with silver hair dressed in sturdy, plain clothes walked up to the house and knocked on the door. The door was opened by the owner of the home, George Hammond, an older, bald man dressed in similar clothes.

"Jack," Hammond greeted with a smile, "Good to see you."

"Good to see you too, George," Jack O'Neill smiled back.

"How's Sam?" George asked, referring to Jack's wife Samantha Carter who he recently married.

"Good," Jack assured him, "I have some news about my harvest."

George grew serious and held open the door, "Come in."

The house was well kept with its wood floor swept clean, the black stove polished and fresh cut flowers arranged in a clay mug on the table. Hammond noticed Jack glancing around the living area, "She's in the bedroom."

"She reads too much,"Jack said, knowing exactly what she was up to, "How many times I have told you she needs to get involved with the finer things in life, like fishing."

"I appreciate your concern," Hammond said, "but what have you learned?"

Jack could tell George wanted to get right to the point, so he did what Hammond wanted, "It's time," he said.

"So soon?" George replied, shocked.

"It's been twenty years."

"I know," Hammond said, "What has changed?"

"He's growing weaker."

"He's only a few years older than you."

"Well that does wonders to my confidence," Jack said sarcastically, "apparently he's been ill for some time, but he's been hiding it. Now it's too late. He knows he's dying, but without an heir…"

"The kingdom goes into chaos as the crown is fought over," Hammond finished.

Jack nodded, "If we want to strike now's the time."

"You don't have to tell me, Jack, I know," George sighed, "She'll have to be told."

Jack grinned, "Oh gosh, how late is it? I've got to go. Let me know how it turns out." He flashed him one more smile before closing the door.

Hammond shook his head and smiled, "Traitor." His smile fell when his eyes came upon the closed door leading to the second room. Sighing again, he considered getting a drink before confronting the girl he'd raised for twenty years. No it was better to do this with a clear head.

He knocked first and waited for permission to enter.

"Come in."

A young woman was laying one of the two beds in the room with a book resting in her hands. She had a strange beauty that few could compare to with curly shoulder length brown hair, roses and cream complexion and startling emerald eyes.

"Uncle George," she smiled at him, "Was that Jack?"

"Yes," he replied, "He came to discuss his harvest."

"Oh and how is it going?"

"Very well," George said, not meaning crops at all. He tilted his head to see what she was reading, "Legends of the Three Kingdoms," he read.

She smiled, "I'm reading about Peruthnan legends. I thought it fitting to learn more about my kingdom."

"Yes, that is good," Hammond agreed, "but you are reading about the wrong kingdom."

A frown creased her delicate features, "I don't understand."

"Elizabeth," he began, "Your life…isn't what you think it is. You're not really my niece, you aren't a Peruthnan. I brought you here twenty years ago when Abolingea fell."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"You know the story of the fall of the Weir monarchy in Abolingea," Hammond said.

"Yes," Elizabeth said, "Rujjik attacked Aurona and killed the entire royal family."

"No, only the king and queen were killed," he explained, "the princess was smuggled out of Abolingea and hidden in a small village in Peruthna."

"You're not saying that I'm…" she trailed off, unable to speak the truth he could see in his eyes.

"You're Princess Elizabeth Weir, the true heir to Abolingea and it is time to reclaim your kingdom."

"I…I…I can't be," she stammered, "No this must be a mistake."

"No," he said, "I'm George Hammond, Count of Cheyenne. Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c were soldiers in your father's army; Samantha Carter was a lady of court who helped with your escape. I know this is shocking, but you must understand that this was the only way to protect you. Rujjik has grown weak and we must rebel against him now if we are to reclaim your throne. I'm leaving in the morning with Daniel and Teal'c to Palina to ask King Hyunder for his aid. You will go with Sam and Jack to Tilbar where Robert Kinsey, Duke of Vir, is waiting with a small army to assist our cause."

Elizabeth looked up from her hands, her eyes filled with so many emotions: confusion, surprise, fear. "I guess I better pack," she replied solemnly and closed her book.

On a lonely road through the thick foliage of Screitar Forest, a man sat on a log overlooking a nearby creek. His horse stood munching on the grass a few yards away, but his intention wasn't on the creek or animal. Instead his focus rested on the small object in his hands, a gift from long ago he should never have been given.

"You know if you concentrated on a job more than you do that pretty little trinket we might have more than dust in our pockets," Ronon Dex said as he returned from hunting with two rabbits in his bag.

Quickly John Sheppard pocketed the item, and stood up, "Yeah, well if you stopped scaring us out of every job with your scowl we might actually keep a job."

Ronon grinned and tossed his friend an apple from their packs. John caught it and took a noisy bite before smiling over a mouthful of the fruit. They made an odd pair this Tioran and rogue. Ronon had once served a lord during the millionth battle for the crown. After his liege died, he had decided that his kingdom was no kingdom and chose to serve no one but himself.

He met John in Peruthna about a year later when he camped down on the outskirts of Litann Forest in the north. It was at night and Ronon was on edge because he could hear strange noises nearby. He spent the night with one eye open and a hand on his sword. As soon as the sun rose, Ronon did a sweep of his camp and discovered John lying in a bedroll twenty feet away. Realizing that the sounds keeping them awake all night was each other, they both had a good laugh and decided to stick out together.

Even though he was a friend, John was a mystery to Ronon. He wasn't Tioran, of that he was sure, but John had never admitted to being Peruthnan. He never offered any pieces to his past, but Ronon had already discerned a few parts himself. While it was a curious thing, it mattered very little.

"We could cross the river and head to Mycat for a job," John suggested.

"I guess, but what job could we get?"

"Fishing?"

Ronon shot John a look, "Fishing? I'd rather walk into a Rynak's cave unarmed."

"Okay," John chuckled, "we don't want to do that. Geeze if only Abolingea wasn't a loss cause, then this wouldn't be a problem."

Ronon was surprised that he'd mentioned the Lost Kingdom, "Is that where you're from? Abolingea?"

At first, John wasn't sure how to respond, should he admit this? He shrugged, what was the harm? "Yeah," he said, "but that was a long time ago." He stopped for a second as he remembered the fall of Abolingea, his home. He buried the pain deep down again where it had festered for the past twenty years. "You should have been there when Mercan ruled," John continued, "He was a good king. We all loved him and Queen Lishta. And that princess, she was so sweet and cheerful, and you knew she was going to rival her mother's beauty some day."

"What happened?" Ronon asked, "I mean besides the obvious."

"You know the story," John said, "Rujjik came and slaughtered the entire kingdom. The entire royal family died. Except…."

"What?" Ronon asked, wanting to know more, "Except what?"

"Nothing," John said, picking up his sword, "It doesn't matter." He refused to offer anything else, and Ronon knew not to ask. John turned towards the road when he heard something. Coming up towards them was a rickety wagon with a white tarp covering the bed. He could see two passengers on the front of the wagon.

"Hey," John said with a smile, "I think they need a tax."

Ronon looked at the wagon approaching them and then at John, "Oh that's pathetic."

"So you don't want to do it?"

"I said it was pathetic not that I didn't think we should do it."

John's smile grew and he took a stance in the middle of the road, directly in front of the wagon.

"Whoa," the man driving the wagon told the horses as he reined them, "Do you have a death wish or is there something you want?" he asked John.

"This here is our road, and you need to pay the tax to use it," John informed him.

"Oh, well it's a lovely road, really," the man said letting go of the reins, "But is a tax really necessary?"

"It's either that or we take your money and the wagon."

"Are those my only options?" he asked, "oh gee what do I do? How about this instead, you let me pass and…" he reached down and pulled out a crossbow from where it lay at his feet, "I don't shoot you with this crossbow."

John never saw that move coming. He held up both hands and backed a few steps back, while Ronon pulled out his sword, seeing a golden opportunity for a skirmish.

Samantha Carter, now Samantha O'Neill, put a hand on her husbands arm, "Jack I wouldn't do that," she whispered.

"You want them to rob us?" Jack asked incredulously.

"That big one is a Tioran."

Even Jack O'Neill had heard about the strength of Tioran warriors, who trained their whole lives in the arts of war. And from the look of things, this Tioran was itching for a fight. It went against the grain, but he put down the crossbow, "How much?"

"200 silver pinshas."

"200…! Fine," Jack gritted his teeth and he dug around for the money purse.

At that moment Sam go a great idea, "We could use some men for protection. Let's hire them."

"What! Are you insane!" Jack practically shouted, "They're thieves!"

"They're warriors."

"They're mercs who only want money and women."

"Their loyalty can be bought," Sam explained, "It would be better to hire mercenaries who know this land than some champion who can only win tournaments. Our cargo is too precious for second best."

Jack sighed, "Remind me why I married you again."

Sam smiled, "Because I'm beautiful and charming and I'll repay you in the best way."

Now her husband grinned, "Oh I like that," he looked back at the two men on the road, "I've got an offer for you. If you help us protect the cargo in this wagon, I'll triple your price in gold."

John's mouth fell open, "600 gold pinshas. We'll take it."

"Good, get your horses and follow us."

Both men complied immediately, riding on both sides of the wagon, "Out of curiosity," John directed the question towards Jack, "What's in the wagon?"

Jack smiled, "That wasn't part of our deal."

When the sun began to dip down, the four travelers decided set up camp for the night. Ronon and John offered to hunt for their dinner, but Jack crawled into the wagon and returned with plenty of food for all of them. Neither John nor Ronon were allowed in the wagon.

"Latingo Gold," John said out of the blue when he and Ronon were rubbing down their horses.

"What?"

"I bet that's what's in the wagon."

"You know if you'd let me do the talking, we would have this job and know what's in the wagon," Ronon said.

"Don't rub it in," John said, "Torinsha weed."

"Huh?"

"Torinsha weed," John explained, "It's smuggled in from across the Burmian Sea. A lot of Peruthnan lords smoke it."

"Oh," Ronon said, tying his horse to a tree. He moved over to the fire, and poked at it a bit. His eye caught on Sam's plate and the abundance of food she was piling on it, "Are you starving?"

"I'm just really hungry," she replied and quickly picked up her tin plate and climbed inside the wagon.

Inside, Sam's eyes slowly adjusted to the dark enough to see a shrouded form hidden in the corner of the wagon, "Elizabeth, are alright?" she whispered.

"Who are those men?" the princess whispered back.

"We hired some mercenaries for extra protection," Sam explained, "We'll probably need it. Here, I brought us both some food. We'll have to share; Jack thought it would be best that they not know you're in here."

"That's fine," Elizabeth assured her, taking a warm biscuit.

"Are you comfortable, your highness?"

"Sam, for twenty years I helped you bake pies for the village festival, please call me by my name."

"I know," Sam said, "But if we succeed, you're going to have a lot of people calling you majesty, and I guess I thought I'd help you get used to it."

"I don't want subjects, I want friends."

Sam put a hand on her shoulder, "I'll always be your friend."

Elizabeth gave her a small smile and took a bite of her food. This was a lot harder than everyone thought.

Dinner was cleared and a fire was blazing in the middle of the camp. The sun had completely sunk beneath the horizon, and the stars winked down at them from the coal black sky. Ronon was sitting down by the fire sharpening his sword while Jack asked about Tioran soldier training.

"So you guys begin when you're six years old, isn't that kind of harsh?"

"You have to begin young for war," Ronon replied, "A soldiers official training begins when he is strong enough to carry a sword."

"And how old were you?"

"Eight," he said.

Jack took a long look at his arms and recognizing the strength in them, "I can see why."

Sam stepped out of the wagon and Jack got up and walked to her, "How's our cargo?" he asked quietly.

"Fine," she replied.

John was standing on the outskirts of the camp, staring into the dark depths of the forest. "Shh!" he hissed.

Ronon pulled out his sword, "I hear it too."

Jack crept around to the back of the wagon and slipped out his own sword, "Get the crossbow," he told Sam, who did as she was told, but stayed on the front seat so she could have a better view of what was coming.

With a roar a tiger leapt out of the forest and snarled at the companions. He swatted at John who dodged the animal's sharp claws.

Five other men charged out of the forest with their swords raised. The tiger began to transform into a man again, with a sneer painted on his face.

"Idrilkai!" John spat out before the fight began.

Sam picked off two of them with the crossbow, leaving one left for each man. One Idrilkai went after Ronon, still in his human form. Ronon parried a blow with his sword and defended himself before turning the tables in his favor. He slipped a knife from his belt and carved it into the Idrilkai's heart.

Meanwhile, John had his own man to deal with. He could hold his own in any fight, but his skill with a sword wasn't as good as Ronon's. Luckily, the Idrilkai prefer to combat in animal form, and are not superior swordsman. His sword blocked the Idrilkai's black steel blade, but it nicked him on the shoulder. John gave his adversary a hard kick to the stomach, making him double over and gasping for breath. His sword buried itself in the Idrilkai's back, ending his life.

Jack was stuck with the leader of the pack. He may have seemed a bit old for warfare, but his skill was amazing. Sam watched from the wagon, desperately wanting to help him, but a look from her husband warned her not to interfere.

"We know what you carry," the Idrilkai sneered as their blades locked again, "She will die, and Abolingea will be ours."

"Abolingea belongs to the true heir," Jack said, "Rujjik will die first, and maybe even before we get there, I've heard he's got a cold."

The Idrilkai gave a hiss of rage and hammered his sword down against Jack's. This was what he wanted. A breech appeared in his swordplay, which Jack used to sever the Idrilkai's hand. He cried out in pain, but Jack wasn't through yet. His blade cut into the Idrilkai's neck with one clean swipe. His head flew off his shoulders, and rolled onto the ground.

Panting, Jack looked at Sam, "You alright?"

She responded by jumping off the front seat and wrapping herself into his embrace.

"I can't vouch for her, but no I'm not alright," John said with Ronon following him, "You have Idrilkai following you! I hate the Idrilkai!"

"Okay, I guess I can understand that," Jack replied.

"No," John said, "I don't think you can. Now I've been nice all day, not bugging you so I can find out what's in the wagon, but I'm through with that." John looked at Ronon, "Ronon, hold them back."

"No!" Jack protested, but the tip of Ronon's deadly sword stopped him.

"I'm going to find out what was worth nearly getting me killed," John swore as he moved over to the wagon.

"You can't!" Sam cried, "Please, you don't understand. No one can know."

"Yeah, well lady, I'm through with secrets," John said as he climbed inside, "And another…"he paused when he saw the figure curled up in the corner of the wagon, covered by a cloak, "Hello," he said more than a little surprised.

"Please don't hurt me," the young woman whispered.

"I'm not going to hurt you," John said gently, "Here," he offered his hand to her. Timidly, she put her small hand in his and he pulled her to her feet.

"What are you doing hiding in a wagon?" John asked, but his question was answered when he saw her face in the firelight. That strange beauty that stunned him, a face he'd seen long ago.

"You…you look just like I remember," John said. Elizabeth frowned in confusion at his words, while Jack and Sam looked at each other also unsure of what he meant.

John gave her a bow, "A pleasure to meet you, your highness."

A/N: Sorry to leave you on a bit of a cliffy. Next update coming very soon. Please review.