Once outside, the team noticed all the villagers making their way toward a large temple at the opposite end of the village. Daniel's eyes sparkled as he took in the structure before him. The sandstone columns reached toward the sky. The large stone roof adorned with friezes held his attention while he tried to decipher the story they told. A nudge in his back brought him back.
"Come on Daniel, best get a good seat." Jack moved to lead them toward the crowd in front of the temple. Settling into their seats that Larnos had reserved at the front they took in the sight before them. Both Larnos and Isena were in robes of buttercup yellow edged with silver brocade. Both had yellow roses with sprigs of white flowers, which Daniel had now identified as myrtle, in their hair. In front of them stood Circe, her purple robes edged in white rippling in the light breeze. In one hand she held a small goblet and golden rope. In the other a small glass jug with red coloured liquid. She placed the jug on a small table next to her and gestured for the young couple to hold hands. She placed the goblet into Isena's left hand and the rope she tied around Larnos's right wrist. Picking up the jug she began the joining.
Jack's attention started to wander during the ceremony; not only had it been going on for the last two hours but it was being conducted in Ancient Greek. Daniel was sat enrapt and he was sure Teal'c was in Kel-no-reem, with his eyes open of course. His gaze drifted to his left, to his second in command. She looked fidgety as well; she was playing with the soft folds of material in the skirt, and subconsciously, kept pulling the neckline higher as if trying to find the extra material to cover herself. His gaze took in how the soft blonde strands of hair were ruffling in the breeze, the blue eyes that looked as though she were paying attention to the ceremony but he could tell by the small, almost imperceptible frown, that she was thinking of something else. She must have felt his eyes on her as she slowly turned her head and gave him a small smile meeting his gaze. He smiled back and then jumped as ferocious clapping broke the moment. Turning his attention back toward the newly joined couple he saw that Isena now had the golden coloured rope tied around her left wrist and Larnos held the goblet. He hadn't noticed that everyone had stood and started walking into the temple. He saw that Teal'c and Carter now stood with Daniel who was already in free flow lecture mode. He walked toward them and heard the tale end of the conversation.
"..so it symbolises that whatever they own now belongs to the other."
"Hey. Daniel. How come you know that?" asked Jack coming to stand beside Carter.
Daniel pushed his glasses up farther up his nose before he answered, "Well when Teal'c and I went to get the robe Larnos filled us in. The celebration lasts for three days and there is a new joining each day. The next joining is decided by…."
Daniel stopped mid flow as Jack held up a hand "Ok, Ok, forget I asked. Now where's the cake?" Turning toward the temple, he placed his hand in the small of Sam's back and gently guided her in front of him.
Walking up the steps of the temple the room opened out in front of them. The first thing Jack noticed was that the tables edging the room were very low, he then saw that people were sitting on cushions around the tables. There were golden plates and goblets in front of each placing. Jack eyed up the mounds of food and the large number of jugs on the table, which looked as though they contained the same liquid present at the joining. Jack saw that Sam and Teal'c had taken a seat, or rather cushion, and he followed to where they were now examining a piece of, what looked like fruit.
"What you got there Carter?" he asked waving at the piece of fruit.
"Well sir I think it's an orange." She began pealing the skin off the round piece of fruit and popped an orange looking segment into her mouth, "however, it tastes like an apple. It's very strange." She placed the remaining pieces onto the gold plate in front of her and pushed it toward Jack to try. Looking warily, first at the fruit, then at Sam, he gingerly placed a segment of the fruit into his mouth. Sam couldn't help but giggle at the bemused expression on Jacks face.
While the exchange between Jack and Sam was happening, they failed to notice that their goblets were being filled; it also appeared that Larnos, Isena and Circe were studying them intently.
The celebration continued way into the night. Teal'c had some time ago returned to Larnos's home to Kel-no-reem, and Daniel had fallen asleep from the over excitement of the celebration. Jack and Sam however, had consumed a lot of the local drink. Larnos and Isena approached them from the back of the room.
"Major Carter, Jack. Isena and I are to be given the joining quarters this evening, therefore my home is yours." Larnos gestured behind him toward the entrance to the hall. "And it is with pride that we offer these to you." Larnos held out a golden rope toward Jack and Sam took a goblet from Isena.
"Thanks Guys" said Jack as he rose unsteadily to his feet. He looked questioningly over at Sam as the trio walked away from them. She shrugged, not knowing why the gifts were given to them.
"Well Sir, I'm feeling a little tired, I think I'm about ready to call it a night."
Jack smiled as he watched her pick up her skirts and walk toward the hut. Walking over to Daniel, he ensured he was comfortable before following the path his second in command had taken moments before. On arriving at the hut he was surprised to find Sam sat at the table, still in her robes.
"What's up Carter?" Jack sat down opposite her placing the newly acquired golden rope down next to the goblet.
"Well Sir, I was thinking." Jack's eyebrows shot up, which earned a small laugh from Sam. "I know, when am I not thinking right?" Jack nodded, but didn't speak, waiting for her to finish her musings. "Well I was wondering about those." She gestured toward the goblet and rope "You don't think that in this society they symbolise the bouquet and garter do you?"
Jacks frown was enough to display that he had no idea what Sam was leading to. "Well, you know, the goblet going to me as in I caught the bouquet, the rope to you as if you caught the garter?"
The understanding suddenly dawned on Jack. "Wait a minute Carter, are you saying that we've been nominated to be the next down the aisle?"
"Well Sir, Daniel was saying that the celebrations last a few days. And until you cut him off he was about to explain how the next couple were chosen." Sam had hardly finished her sentence before Jack was up off his seat and out the cabin, calling Daniel's name as he went.
Daniel woke with a start and it took him a minute to re-orientate himself with his surroundings. The thing that was most disconcerting is what woke him in the first place. He straightened his glasses and met the stony look of his friend. "Jack? Wha..what's going on?"
"What's going on Daniel is that Carter seems to think that we might be getting married tomorrow."
"What do you mean?" Daniel stifled a yawn as he stood and smoothed down his trousers. "As long as you don't accept the goblet and rope from Isena and Larnos, you'll be fine."
"That's the point Daniel, we already have!"
Daniels eyes widened in shock as he looked into Jack's face. "Ok Jack, just calm down. I'm sure we can sort this out. I will go and speak to Circe." Daniel began backing away from a very angry and bemused O'Neill, once he had reached the front door of the hall he turned and hurried away.
Jack began pacing up and down the hall muttering to himself "I can't marry Carter, it's against regulations." His pacing stopped as he noticed a shadow fall across the doorway, turning he met Carter's gaze.
"Carter..?"
"It's ok Sir. I'm sure Daniel will sort it all out." Her voice was small and Jack thought he could hear a small amount of disappointment in her tone. Jack walked toward her and guided her to a nearby cushion.
"Sit down Carter." Slowly she sat, on the cushion, her back resting against the low table, her legs out in front. Jack sat next to her, his knees protesting as he did. With a wince he finally sat next to her, mirroring her posture.
They sat side by side in silence for a few moments. Again, Sam began playing with the folds in her dress. Jack reached over and stilled her busy fingers, by covering her hand with his own. "Sam. It's not that I don't…you know…it's that we can't. You understand that right?"
Sam nodded, her eyes focused on the tanned skin on the back of O'Neill's hand. She knew that she couldn't look at him. She knew that if she did, tears would fall, no matter how hard she tried to stem them. Jack started rubbing the back of her hand with his calloused thumb and she could feel his eyes on her, the strain in her neck was too much, she turned and looked into his deep brown eyes, the worry in them evident. She gave him a small, watery smile and looked back down at there now entwined hands. She tensed as he moved his hand, raising it to beneath her chin. He turned her face toward him, it wasn't until this moment that she realised just how close they were. She could feel his breath on her face as she once again met his gaze. Jack began leaning toward her, she could see his glance keep moving from her eyes to her lips. She slowly licked her bottom lip in a natural reflex to his close proximity.
"Jack!?" Daniel's voice from the bottom of the steps startled both of them, causing Sam to pull away quickly, banging her head on the table as she did.
They both stood and walked toward Daniel and Circe.
"Sam, I'm glad you're here too. I have just explained to Circe that you didn't know the consequences of accepting the gifts."
Circe stepped forward and bowed her head as she spoke "Major Carter, Colonel O'Neill, I must apologise. I would not have given Isena and Larnos consent to approach you had I known that you two had not been each others chosen. It is most unfortunate that our laws are very clear regarding our joining ceremonies."
Sam's face blanched and Jack looked toward Daniel. "Daniel, would you mind explaining?"
Daniel began fidgeting with his glasses before turning to Circe. "Circe, would you mind leaving us please?"
"Certainly Daniel, I shall retire to my home. I will speak with you in the morning. Good night Colonel, Major, Daniel." With small nods toward them, she walked back toward her hut.
"Daniel, do you mind explaining?" Sam's voice was steadier than she felt.
"I spoke to Circe and she told me that in their laws, once the newly joined have chosen their successor for the next joining, if the chosen refuse, then the newly joined, in this case Larnos and Isena, have their joining dissolved and then one of them is banished from the town...through the Stargate."
"Wait." Jacks eyes narrowed while he tried to comprehend what Daniel was explaining. "You're saying if Carter and I don't get married, then these kids will be made to get divorced? And if that's not enough one of them gets sent to god knows where?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying, Jack. But on the bright side, your marriage would only be legal on this planet. Therefore, you wouldn't be breaking any regulations."
Sam started shaking her head "It wouldn't work Daniel, we would still have to write it up in our reports."
"But surely, for inter-planetary relations, it would be taken into consideration." Daniel was looking at both of his friends, trying, as usual, to find an out to an awkward situation.
Jack spoke up "I don't know Daniel, Carter, what do you think?" He turned toward Sam, and he could see her forehead furrowed in thought.
"Well Sir, I think that could be a plausible excuse. If I remember correctly, SG-4 had a situation on PV9 390. Colonel Sanders and Major Mahoney had to get married or it might have caused a Civil War." Sam's explanation had Daniel nodding furiously.
"She's right Jack."
"Wait a minute." Jack thrust his hands out at Daniel, turning toward his 2IC he frowned "Carter, are you saying you're ok with this?"
"Well Sir, I wouldn't like to be the one responsible for breaking up Larnos and Isena. If we'd listened to Daniel earlier, we wouldn't have accepted the gifts, therefore none of this would've happened."
"That's settled then. I will let Circe know that the joining will continue tomorrow." Daniel whirled around and followed after the priestess.
Jack stared at the retreating back of the archaeologist, his mouth agape. He took a moment to shake himself before turning back toward Sam; he had never seen her looking so nervous. "Carter…Sam…are you ok with this?"
"Sir, it's fine. It's not as if it's real." Her soldier defences were on show, but Jack knew her well enough to know that she felt awkward at the thought of the joining.
He walked toward her, and took her hands in his. Rubbing the back of her hand with his thumbs, he spoke in a whisper "I wish it was."
Sam's head jerked up in shock response, looking directly into Jack's brown gaze she could see he was telling the truth. At that moment she dropped her own defences and let him see the love that she held for him. With great effort they both released their grip on each other, letting their military façade slip back into place.
"Come on Major, best get some rest. We're getting married in the morning." With a small smile, Jack led Sam from the great hall, whistling as he went. Sam couldn't help but grin at the song he was whistling, 'I'm getting married in the morning' seemed like an apt choice.