"What did you do?" Sam asked incredulously as soon as Jack hopped off the dragon's platform. He shrugged.
"I asked it to let you go."
Sam raised her eyebrows. "You asked a statue to let me go?"
"Hey, you were the one who wasn't sure that it's actually stone!" Jack exclaimed defensively. Sam shook her head, amused.
"Just giving you a hard time sir."
"Yeah, sure," the general pouted.
XxXxX
"Oof," Daniel grunted. You eat a lot.
Maeror smiled, drawing away. It's been many years.
Your point?
I was hungry, Maeror replied matter-of-factly.
Nowcan we go help my friends? Daniel asked, standing up.
Yes. I will show you the way.
XxXxX
"Vala…I'm deeply impressed," Daniel commented, smiling and walking into the village library. She glanced up at him briefly, immersed in her work.
"Hey, I'm glad you're awake," she said distractedly. She picked up one of the many open books strewn around the table she was at and set it before Daniel.
"This is just one of the few references I've found on a myth about a dragon living on the planet," Vala started to explain. "Apparently it was a ruthless demon that plundered and killed without a thought. Pictures depict it to be grey as stone with crimson eyes. In my opinion, though, it looks more like a statue than real life."
"Which it very well could be," Daniel agreed, studying the book. "The pictures of it, I mean." He looked up. "Are they all depicted in the same pose?"
"The drawings?" Vala asked, looking at him. "Yeah. Crouching on its hind legs, on a platform and look," she said, pointing at the drawing, "its front claws are sheathed. Which is odd, considering it's a vicious demon."
Daniel squinted at the sketch. Then he pulled back and studied Vala.
"You feeling okay?"
She frowned at him. "I can work when I'm motivated."
He smiled at her. "What's motivating you?"
Vala shrugged, looking away. "I dunno. I might think that maybe if we figure this out, we can figure out…" she trailed off, thinking better of what she was about to say. Daniel frowned.
"Figure out what?" When Vala didn't reply, Daniel's eyebrows crinkled. "What's wrong Vala? You're not acting like your normal, bouncy self."
Vala whirled around. "Excuse me for not completely trustingyou yet! First, you have a fling with my daughter and then you kill me, now you want me to act like absolutely nothing's happened and all's 'hunky-dory' and 'peaches 'n' cream'?"
Daniel stumbled backwards, taken aback by Vala's sudden outburst.
"'Hunky-dory' and 'peaches 'n' cream'?" he repeated, confused.
"Television," Vala replied dismissively. "Don't avoid my question."
"I wasn't, I was just—"
"Just. Answer. My question," Vala bit. Daniel stared at her, mouth slightly ajar, for a brief second.
"Um. I thought I answered the accidentally killing you question when Maeror brought you back," he started. Vala sighed.
"Yes, but why would an Ori help you when their oh-so-holy Orici wouldn't? And I'm her mother. Don't mean to sound full of it, but you've seen how much she adores me," Vala pointed out.
"I asked Maeror that," Daniel explained. "He didn't really give me answer. Just that he has his reasons."
"And your fling with Adria?" Vala asked, turning her back to him. "She told me you raped her."
"And you believed her?" Daniel asked, surprised. Not that Adria had told Vala that, but that Vala had accepted it.
"You came in the room and dragged her away right after that," Vala explained quietly.
"Oh. That," Daniel said, remembering. "That was Maeror. And I wasn't the one doing the raping."
Vala shot him a glance. "You mean…"
Daniel nodded uneasily. "Maeror was in control the entire time but it doesn't mean it wasn't rape."
Vala stared at him, horrified her daughter would do such a thing—not even Vala herself would rape a person! All the men she had had sex with were all quite willing.
"Adria, Tomin? T, Mitchell? Vala?" Jack's voice suddenly crackled over their radios.
"Tomin and I are here," Adria's voice replied.
"Same with Teal'c 'n' me," Cameron's voice agreed.
"I'm here and Daniel is too," Vala said, adverting her eyes from the linguist.
"Ah, Sleeping Beauty has awoken," Jack teased.
"Thanks Jack," Daniel said sarcastically. "What d'you want?"
"Carter and I have found something you guys might wanna see." Jack gave them their location and the rest of them let known their consent. Vala walked to the door, passing Daniel and not looking directly at him.
"We should go."
A/N: I love reviewers and live for constructive criticism!