Chapter 2 – Into the Dark.
Rodney sighed loudly, nudging a small stone to roll around and around on the wooden table. It made a feint sound, but it was enough to annoy Ronan after several minutes. He stood from his place against the wall and marched across, slamming his hand down on the stone and glaring at Rodney with malice as the scientist stared up in sudden fear.
Rodney scowled as Ronan put his face closer to him. 'Stop - or I end you.'
He walked back to his place and ignored the disapproving look Teyla gave him while Rodney slumped forward, staring at the stone. 'Empty threat.' He muttered.
Teyla sighed silently and kept her seat. They had entered the village quickly, trying to attract as little attention as possible – which wasn't easy when McKay sneered and criticised the society and then asked many intricate questions about the people and the food, making comments on a dry apple and how it was bad for the economy.
The city was indeed large, and they had heard it before they saw it. A buzz of commotion of busy business and everyday living for thousands of people. The city had a large stone wall surround it, and they could see from far away that the city was on a hill with many elaborate stone buildings climbing to the top. There sat a grand palace with hundreds of steps leading up to it, one of the only things known in existence that made Rodney speechless. Even Ronan admitted that it was impressive.
The moment they entered the city they had seen clean streets with happy people, bright colours and music. There were statues and fountains of deities that could be recognised, but nothing explained as Quintus nervously rushed them past the inquiring people looking on. The old man had hidden them away in his small stone house with only three rooms with large open windows. It was suitably decorated with harvesting equipment and scrolls, and Rodney was unafraid to point out that it smelt like peppers and tobacco. Surely enough, there was a large wooden pipe on the table.
Quintus had left, demanding that they stay in the house until he returned. He had to go to the temple, as did most of the city to celebrate the Harvest.
'I will pray to the Gods for you, to keep you safe, I do not know if they will hear me.' He said breathlessly as he closed the door with a slam.
John had peeked through the window and watched masses of the city flock toward the Gate they had entered minutes before, all of them carrying fruit and vegetables and flowers. Once they had thinned considerably, leaving the city practically empty, John turned to the group with a look of uncertainty.
'Stay put and keep an eye out, I'm gonna check out the vicinity.' He ordered, no one had a chance to argue as he slipped out the door.
He had still not returned, neither had Quintus, and the day was growing dark. Teyla felt a pang of worry. To be on an alien planet and have John go out on his own made her uncomfortable at the best of times. She wanted to know where he was and that he was alright. She could see Ronan and Rodney were agitated, even though Ronan hid it only slightly better than McKay. The Scientist gave up his interest with the stone and turned to Teyla.
'Where is he? I mean, when he said vicinity, do we take it to mean the entire city?' He commented.
Teyla shrugged. 'I do not believe so, he would have asked for our help.' Rodney stood.
'So we should go and find him.' Rodney pointed a thumb at the door. 'He could be lost or captured, or worse-!'
'He's here.' Ronan stood.
'What?' Rodney said confusedly.
The door opened and John entered looking flustered, Quintus followed carrying material, his tanned skin looking pale in the dusk.
'Where have you been, we've been sick with worry!' Rodney snapped.
'Well I'm sorry dear, but I got caught up with work.' John said waspishly. Rodney narrowed his eyes. 'We may be in a little trouble.'
'What happened?' Ronan asked.
'You shot someone didn't you?' Rodney stated.
'No.' John said incredulously.
'They know we are here.' Teyla said slowly, her eyes watching him with a firmness.
John nodded and Quintus stepped forward. 'Please, change into these and be quick! They could be here any minute.' He said nervously.
'Who?' Teyla asked, taking the clothes.
'Soldiers, best I can tell they're real Roman looking dudes with the armour and swords.' John told them.
'Oh! With the loo-brush helmets?' Rodney asked curiously.
John stared. 'No, just your run of the mill helmet, Rodney.' He said scathingly.
'Please hurry!' Quintus urged as Teyla passed various materials round to the team.
'What happened exactly?' Rodney asked testily.
'The Harvest was interrupted by the Emperors soldiers. They demanded that we stop the ceremony and answer their questions.' He said in a frightened voice, his hands shaking as they grabbed at his own arms. 'Milarya was brought before the gathering and made to kneel before the Altus Domino.' He looked at Teyla. 'They know you have come and that she was with you.'
'I was on my way back when I heard screams near the main gate – a bunch of soldiers were dragging her up the hill, and I found Quintus skulking after them.' John informed them.
'The Altus Domino has ordered a massive search of the city, the Emperor wants you found.' Quintus said desperately. 'I do not know how to hide you except to adorn you in our clothing! But you know nothing of our culture, and your speech is strange!'
'We will evade them, Quintus. We can leave.' Teyla told him reassuringly.
'No. The guard has closed the Gate – no one may enter or leave.' Quintus told them. 'And they are heavily guarded.'
'You're saying we can't fight our way out?' John asked.
'No such thing.' Ronan commented and moved toward the window.
'The Gates have withstood hundreds of years of wars – they are impenetrable, they must be opened by twenty men per door. Your best hope is to hide and wait.' He advised, blue eyes pleading them to do so.
'Hiding is good – but where? I don't suppose you have a secret room or something?' Rodney asked hopefully. Quintus shook his head.
'Hide?' Ronan echoed disgustedly.
'Looks like our best bet for now. Maybe after a couple of days they'll think we've disappeared and they'll open the Gates again.' John suggested. Teyla considered this for a moment before Quintus began to panic.
'Yes! Yes! Yes! But we must leave now or you will be discovered!' His voice fell to a whisper. 'The guard will be here any moment and you will be taken to him, and he will either have you immediately killed or sent to the Arena – and no one can survive that, no one.' He moved to pick up a small bag, shoving a scroll inside.
'Where will you take us?' Teyla asked.
'My niece lives on the far side of the city, granted that there are many more soldiers there, but she has a large house courtesy of her now deceased husband. It has many hidden rooms, some of which I do not even know of.' He informed her and nodded for them to change.
'Wow, wow, wow, you're taking us to where there are more soldier guys?' Rodney said loudly. 'Well that is a bad plan.'
'Rodney, it's the only plan we've got – so change and let's get moving.' John told him.
'Fine, but I am telling you now, it is not my fault that I smell like Yak urine okay? I have no idea where he got these.' He said defensively, holding up the stone coloured garments with a wrinkled nose.
The men wore trousers of a grey colour and white robes. Rodney wore his like a sari whilst Ronan and John wore them like elaborate jackets, baring their torsos to the world. Sheppard removed his dog tags reluctantly and stored them in a bag Quintus provided where they would keep their clothing and personal items. They were ready, apart from Teyla who had gone to the other room to change.
'Teyla? Time to go.' John called.
There was a pause and John frowned. He looked about the room and noticed that Quintus had gone without saying a word.
'Teyla?' He asked uncertainly. Rodney and Ronan picked up on his tone and halted. He walked forward to the wooden door and knocked. 'Teyla?'
He pushed the door but it held fast having been locked from the other side. 'Teyla!'
'Yes!' She responded, sounding breathless. 'Yes, I am here, but I…perhaps, if Quintus could find something more suitable…?'
John grinned. 'Come on, I'm sure you look fine.'
'I am not accustomed to such clothing, and if we were to engage in battle, I would not be of much use.' She said firmly.
John gave the guys a look and tapped the door. 'Out, now, we're leaving.'
The door opened and Teyla stepped out with a look of venom. John turned and his face went lax as he gaped. She wore a toga of light blue material which hugged her curvy figure perfectly and then fell to the floor. When she walked, it appeared that she floated. It was fastened on the shoulder with a blue broach which shined in the candle light.
Quintus walked in from the other room and stopped with a smile. 'Beautiful, lady. The broach was my wife's. It is good to see it in use once more.'
Teyla smiled weakly.
'We are ready, yes?' Quintus asked.
Ronan and Rodney were still inspecting Teyla when John nodded. 'Sure. We're ready.'
'Then may the Gods protect us on our journey.' Quintus prayed, blew out the candle and headed for the door.
Night had fallen not so long ago and the streets were silent except from the screams in the nearby street. Quintus took them down the alley way opposite and they heard many booted feet marching their way. He signalled for them to follow him quickly.
Rodney made a noise of disgust and the group turned to him. He looked up with a scrunched face. 'Horse manure – everywhere. And these shoes weren't exactly built to last.' He whispered.
John shook his head and pushed the scientist forward. They were in immense danger with the need for stealth, and he was worried about stepping in poo. Typical Rodney.
The small houses that lined the streets were two stories high and all of them were dark. There was no life here; the only light came from the stars above. The only sound was the breeze and their leather clad feet on the ground. Teyla swore that she saw a small face looking out at her from a window near by, but the moment she looked back, the face had gone. Her unease was great.
They travelled for a half hour, evading numerous scouts. One had come so close that Ronan had drawn his weapon ready to fire, but John had made him hold off and the scout moved on. Teyla sensed something more, a great darkness which followed them – it watched them. She was certain of it.
Quintus pointed to the next street where their destination was. He slid into a dark alley way, looking up at the sky. His blue eyes reflected the twinkle of the stars. He paused on the other side as the team followed. Teyla looked across the street.
The stone house was considerably different to the ones they had seen, it was twice as high and twice as long, and there was a feint light coming from one of the windows.
Quintus nervously glanced down the street before jogging over to the large wooden door and rapping it sharply. The others waited in the dark.
The door opened and a young woman stepped out in a white toga. Her dark hair fell about her shoulders, and there was no mistaking the striking blue eyes. Quintus's niece hugged her Uncle who spoke rapidly into her ear. She looked over to the alleyway, and signalled for them to come over. John looked at Ronan with an eyebrow raised before jogging over. Once they were inside, she shut and bolted the door.
Quintus breathed heavily. 'This is my niece, Athera. She will provide you with shelter.' He told them. Athera nodded.
'Yes, please, follow me.' She made her way swiftly up the stairs and down a long corridor to the right. John almost missed her turning. She came to the end of the corridor where a stone gargoyle sat on the wall with an elongated tongue poking forward. She pressed down on it with two fingers and it moved, the wall to its left sunk back and slid open with a scraping sound.
They entered into a large room with two beds and a few chairs, a table and some scrolls. Small candles were dotted around the room showing signs of recent use.
'I am sorry this is all I have to offer. But it will hide you.' She told them.
John smiled at her. 'This is more than enough for us, we're not needy people.' He stated, and then paused as Rodney moaned at the hardness of the bed. 'Well, most of us.'
'Thank you for helping us, we are in your debt.' Teyla told her.
Athera shook her head. 'Those who have come from the Astrum are most welcome.'
'I must return.' Quintus stated hastily. He turned to his niece with a warm smile. 'Exsisto tutus carus unus.' He placed her forehead on his and left.
John turned to Rodney. 'Be safe, dear one.' He translated with a look of weariness.
'I will bring you food and water. Please rest as best you can, you will be here for quite sometime.' The woman nodded bravely and left the room, the door sliding shut behind her.
Rodney folded his arm. 'Oh yeah, this should be good.'
Three days later, midnight…
Teyla hurt everywhere. Her skin was torn to pieces and her bones still shook with the force of the fight. She was dirty, bloody, and tired. The dim light of the candles made it near impossible to see with her eyesight fading into darkness – the exhaustion was just too much.
Her feet dragged on the sand and her hands caressed the cold stone walls of the corridor, guiding her and holding her up. A hand clamped down on her arm, but she did not resist as it turned her into another corridor. She knew it was one of the soldiers behind her, only two. She would have been insulted if she could think straight, and she was in no condition to fight them off and escape. That would come later.
The soldiers armour clinked and slammed in a harsh rhythm, the only sound reverberating down the long corridor. Suddenly, they swung her left and thrust her forward; she fell to her knees, her head too sore to look up at her surroundings.
'Good, good, the Princess has returned! And in one piece, I am glad. Such a fine specimen…' An old man leant over and hoisted her up, guiding her to a table and setting her down.
Teyla could not keep her eyes open long enough to hate this man, to scold him. Her head hit the hard surface of the table and she desperately tried to remain conscious despite the welcoming joy of being off her feet.
'It is difficult, no? The Arena, for all its glory, has never been gentle to its contenders.' The old man said conversationally. 'But here you are! And to have defeated Gregan, a might warrior! Not that he was much use for anything else, an unfortunate face like his…but still, the city will be talking of you! Stories will spread and the victory will be yours among the people, but in front of his highness, the victory is always his, for you are at his command.'
Teyla wanted to stand and fight. She was at no mans command, least of all a murderer. But her limbs were heavy, and just as she thought of moving, the man unclasped her breastplate and removed the heavy load to reveal a thin cotton top to stop the leather and metal wearing on her skin. It was torn and bloodied. He immediately reached for a yellow ointment and daubed it on a large slash in her arm and chest.
'This will take away the pain, mend the hurt…' He told her. 'Sleep carus unus, tomorrow will be a big day for you.' He paused and leaned over her face. 'The Emperor has many plans – as to whether or not they are good plans will depend on your fame.' He sighed. 'To be more loved than the Emperor can be a dangerous thing. Let us hope the people will thank you for your victory and leave you be.' He placed a hand on her forehead. 'For your sake.'
Teyla felt the world fall away as she quietly descended into blackness.