A/N The rating has gone up for this chapter, as I understand the word 'wench' isn't used as often in normal conversation as it is among my own friends. Ah well.
Chapter 2
The group moved swiftly through the grasslands and was soon on a dirt track leading to a walled settlement. Dusty and thirsty, SG1 half followed and were half dragged towards a castle in the centre of the walls surrounding the town. The horsemen dismounted inside the courtyard and led the three of them towards a narrow flight of stairs descending into darkness. As they progressed further down, a choking stench began to fill their nostrils, and screams of pain could be heard in the gloom.
Upon meeting a haggard old man, the guards exchanged words and a cell was rapidly unlocked. SG1 were unceremoniously thrown into a damp, dark room and the gate slammed behind them.
As the noise of the guards receded Jack sighed.
"Not such a straight forward mission after all." He got up off the floor from where he had been thrown and moved towards the only patch of light in order to study the thick knotted rope round his wrists.
"Well we might as well make ourselves comfortable; Carter, could you undo this?"
Shuffling was heard in the darkness and Sam appeared next to Jack.
"Yes sir." She started to work at undoing the knots. "What happened to teal'c?" she questioned.
"I think he got away. I'm not sure whether they know he's here. We split up after he heard something and then I met our 'new friends'."
"Does he know you were captured?" Daniel's voice piped up in the gloom.
"Probably." Jack smiled grimly. "I madea lotof noise. Hopefully he'll get to the stargate."
Sam finished undoing the ropes and he rubbed his wrists gratefully. "Daniel, undo Carter's. I'm going to take a look around."
"Around where?" Daniel asked cheekily, materialising next to Sam in the spot of light. Jack ignored the question and set off tapping the bars holding them in, hoping for a weakness.
x x x x x
Sam was soon free and she set to work on Daniel's bindings. Occasionally they could hear shouts echoing down the tunnels but otherwise it was quiet except for Jack's tapping of the cell bars.
"Well we definitely aren't escaping out of here without some outside help," Jack said, coming to stand beside Sam.
"It's strange," Daniel mused. "They don't appear to have been well armed – apart from the swords obviously – and yet they removed all of our weaponry as if they knew what it was."
Sam nodded at his statement. "They were probably just being careful." She stopped talking as they heard footsteps approaching in the distance. Hastily, she untied the rest of Daniel's rope and chucked it on the floor.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU 'ACCIDENTLY MISSED ONE'?" YOU LET ONE ESCAPE?" The angry male voice carried down the narrow corridor to their cell.
"Well I guess they know about Teal'c," Daniel noted.
They couldn't hear the response to the question but the loud voice didn't appear to like it.
"Where is she now? YOU PUT HER IN THE CELL WITH THE OTHERS! Fetch her immediately! Better yet, you fetch her and you," the voice paused, "you can go to the dungeons. Take him away."
A variety of footsteps were heard moving off in different directions. Sam glanced uneasily at Daniel.
"Why do I have a feeling that was about me?"
"Don't worry Carter; we won't let them take you. Well, we'll try not to anyway."
"Thanks sir, that's reassuring." She added sarcastically as two guards and the old man appeared at the entrance to their cell. The old man made a great show of unlocking the door, but finally it was open.
The guards gestured to Sam. "You're coming with us."
"The Sheriff would like to see you." The second one sneered.
Jack moved to Sam's side and put his hands in his pockets.
"Whoa there buddy. I'm the commanding officer here, I'm sure this Sheriff dude would rather see me."
The guards looked him up and down. "That's not bloody likely." The guards moved towards Sam, and Daniel moved to her other side.
"I'm afraid Sam doesn't want to see the Sheriff," Daniel stated matter-of-factly.
"Shut it Locksley, your wench is coming with us whether she wants to or not." As guards stepped forward to grab hold of Sam, Daniel leapt at the one who called Sam a wench. Jack was swift to follow on the second guard and a fight broke out. Sam ran to get the old man but he beat her to a bell hanging on a wall and rang it loudly. A shrill peel rang throughout the dungeons and footsteps could be heard running. Sam turned, ready to fight.
SG1 were just as easily overpowered second time round as they had been first time round. Sam was knocked unconscious and her CO could only watch as she was carried away. The old man snickered at them as he locked the door.
"You just be wearing yerselves out. You be needin' your energy for later." He turned and hobbled away into the darkness.