Two Princes

Chapter 6 - Early Spring

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John

Thunder rumbled in the far distance, implying that more rain would be on its way by the end of the day. John looked out into the far distance where between two hilltops he could see the heavy clouds hanging over the far valley. It had been raining every day for what felt like weeks – not that anyone used the term of weeks in the camp. The Athosians didn't divide up the days in a month into weeks. They kept note of season mostly and on this planet at least, the seasons were consistent and very Earth like. Winter was finally over, the snow all melted and the heavy icicles that had decorated the camp had long since dripped away onto the ground. Then the rains of early spring had started, turning the well trodden already dampened ground of the camp into a slippery muddy mess. Though the amount of rain had been easing off a little over the last few days and it had allowed everyone to start working the fields for planting. But, not today for John – today he was babysitting.

Torren was dressed in the overly large coat Teyla had made for the boy – with the hood up the boy's head and face were entirely covered, and it was only when Torren tilted his head right back to look up at the adults around him that his little face could be spied. The gloves were also far too big, as within the glove in John's hand he could feel Torren's little hand swamped by the warm fabric. Torren would grow into it all, but for now he looked like the live version of Kenny from South Park – one large coat walking around by itself.

John was still wearing his winter coat and, though open, it felt far too warm to be worn today. He would need to pull his lighter jacket out of his clothes box back in his tent. In fact the cuffs of this coat were irritating the insides of his wrists and the heat had built up along both his arms. He would get out that other coat later, but for now he had his walk with Torren to enjoy.

The ground before them was rutted with the tracks of carts and the rainwater from this morning's cloudburst had filled them up, leaving long pools of muddy water. Torren stomped through the mud with great determination and joy, his little playful sounds mostly muffled by the coat's hood. John kept a tight hold of Torren's hand during their walk, keeping the boy upright and his little backside out of the mud. The Athosian kids loved the muddy camp ground and when they could escape from watchful eyes they would run full pelt through the mud and water, kicking it up all over each other and their clothes. They also inevitably ended up falling over in the mud and it would always end in tears of some kind, be that from hurt backsides or parents having to clean up the messy clothes. John had helped Torren into two thick pairs of trousers and the big coat before he had taken the boy out for a walk. With Torren also geared up with his sturdy little boots and gloves, hopefully there wouldn't be too much mess for John to clean up later.

Torren muttered something from inside his hood and pointed towards a nice muddy patch in the path ahead of them and pulled on John's hand as he hurried his little baby run towards the potential fun of the muddy patch. John increased his steps a little and as they arrived at the new patch Torren stomped heavily down into it, little muddy splashes flying up around him. John kept a good arm's distance from the display and since Torren was still small it didn't carry that far. Torren's amused giggles echoed out of his hood, and John smiled down at the boy who was stomping each foot in turn into the mud. It was so easy to entertain kids sometimes.

Torren appeared contented for awhile, so keeping his hand around Torren's gloved hand, John looked around at the camp. The majority of the camp was working in the fields to get everything planted and ready before the next rainstorm hit. But, there was still plenty of activity in the camp itself and John exchanged nods and smiles with people as they passed by. Most called out a greeting to Torren, but he stood face focused down on the mud intent on his game. Little tugs on John's hand kept them moving minutely forward as Torren explored further puddles.

Movement to one side of a nearby alley between tents drew John's eye. Teyla had just exited her tent and was striding out through the fresh spring air with what looked like determined purpose. She was supposed to be down in the fields, but clearly something had drawn her back here, which wasn't all that unusual. Though, Kanaan was working up here today John hadn't helped but notice. Something about building racks for something, but John hadn't really paid attention to the details Teyla had shared about Kanaan as she had dropped Torren in with John this morning.

John moved a little further down the path, Torren following along happily. Teyla was heading further into the living tents which meant she was looking for someone. John doubted it was him, for his tent was only a short walk from where her new tent had been put up. Though, really it was her old tent from Old Athos, which her people had kept stored away for her. It had been pretty obvious to everyone that she and Kanaan had split up for the day after John had rather publically argued with the Athosian male she had been out staking out her old tent. It was bad enough keeping things quiet in a small community like this, but when you were then assisted by a load of other people to set up your new home it was even more difficult.

John had helped that morning as best as he could, and had learnt a good deal about Athosian tent construction. He had felt really uncomfortable that morning though, for it could not have been a coincidence that the breakup had followed on the heels of his argument with Kanaan. John had felt rather guilty those first few days, that he had been part of anything that had upset Teyla. She had had that determined, 'I'm alright' look on her face for days, but it was clear that she had been affected by the breakup. Kanaan was the father of her child and the two of them had a whole lifetime of history between them. John had secretly wondered if she would change her mind though, and to this day he caught himself watching her and Kanaan's expressions closely when they were talking.

He hadn't seen any sign that the two were going to get back together, but she had seemed slightly more contained and quiet since. John hadn't had the courage to ask if he had been responsible for sparking off the fight that had split up the two, mostly because it was confusing for him and that John wondered what Kanaan had told her about the content of that argument.

John had felt pretty pleased she had broken up with Kanaan. The man wasn't right for her and though John had thought that before, he now felt justified in that opinion following Kanaan's pathetic behaviour when she had been thought lost. John had felt rather…smug might be the right word, to see that his belief had been proven correct – Kanaan wasn't right for her.

However there had been a few other developments since her break up with Kanaan. Such as the one which had John re-angling his path so as to keep Teyla in sight as she passed through the camp. He wasn't entirely sure when it had first started, but it had been after the break up. His friendship with Teyla hadn't wavered at all, but something had changed for him. He watched her now, as surreptitiously as he could. It wasn't like he hadn't found her attractive before now, he had always thought she was one of the most beautiful women he had met, but now there was something different. She had always been his friend, but now from nowhere a sense of pursuit had kicked in. He watched her, as he had so many times over the years, but now he would find himself focusing on the curve of her hips, the shape of her behind and the tempting hint of cleavage revealed by some of her late winter tops. He had noticed it all before and had always caught himself looking, but now he was really focusing on her as a woman and not just as his friend and former colleague. It was both enticing and unnerving. She was his friend, be it a particularly tempting one, and he enjoyed being her friend. He hadn't ever opened up as much with a female friend in his life, and the prospect of ruining that with a half baked attempt at a move was not appealing.

Then there was his usual baggage on the whole relationship issue in general. He knew he was a loner, and he liked being that way. Sure, some shrink would say it was due to his upbringing and that he had intimacy issues, but ultimately it came down to not wanting to get into anything too deep. If anything were to change in his relationship with Teyla it wouldn't be something small and quickly forgotten. He knew it would be a 'proper' relationship, filled with commitment and strong feelings. She already had a way of being able to get the whole mucky truth of something out of him, and he suspected that the only reason why she didn't know everything about his past was because she hadn't pushed him on it. In a way that was worryingly pathetic he knew he would tell her anything she wanted to know. And that was when they weren't involved – what the hell would it be like if they were?! She was a strong willed woman and whenever the two of them had crossed swords before in an argument it had been an intense thing. That would be even more so if they were together.

A small voice whispered to him another thought as Torren jumped up and down beside him, sending small splashes up his boots. Or what if it didn't work out, hell, what if she didn't even want to date him? And it wasn't like there was somewhere like Antarctica around here for him to hide away if it all went to hell.

The cuff of his coat was irritating the inside of one wrist again, pulling his attention away from the issue of Teyla. He rubbed the inside of his itchy wrist against his side, not daring to let go of Torren with his other hand. The boy was still too playful and any hint of possible freedom and the boy would be running out through the camp. He still hadn't quite got the hang of running and would always end up falling over, and in this muddy mess it would be spectacular.

John looked back through the sea of tents to see Teyla was now talking with Halling. A little pleased to see that she wasn't talking with Kanaan, John walked on a little further. A squeak of delight and Torren was pulling at John's hand again towards a real sloppy mix of muddy ruts and small pools of water. John walked him towards it and as predicted Torren jumped in and his boots went out from under him. John lifted the boy's arm, preventing the fall and helped right the kid. Torren giggled in response, no fear or concern over nearly wiping out, his faith absolute in John to keep him upright and secure.

As Torren began stamping in the new puddles, John looked back towards Teyla and saw that she was heading towards him. She met his gaze with a wide smile, which John returned. Her cheeks were flushed slightly against the slightly chilled air and she looked happy enough.

"Didn't expect to see you in the camp," he asked once she was close enough.

As she reached them Torren announced his happiness with a high pitched laugh, reaching out for one of Teyla's hands. She caught up the little hand lost in the glove and smiled up at John from her son.

"Two of the seed carts broke," she said. "Hakon is going to repair them in the field rather than bringing them back here."

John nodded. Between them Torren had lost interest in the muddy pools and was now trying to swing between John and Teyla's hands. John lifted up on Torren's arm to help give him some space, as Teyla did with his other arm. The boy could swing back and forward as long as he lifted his knees and was happy to swing only an inch above the ground. Since it was a regular favourite game of Torren's they kept on talking as Torren hung from their hands and giggled.

"Hakon need any help?" John asked. His wood carving skills were improving slowly, but it didn't take that much skill to help put a cart back together.

"Several others are already helping him, he should be fine. Evan returned to his tent as well though, he wasn't feeling too well," she reported.

John understood that, he hadn't been feeling all that great since that soup last night. "Did he eat the soup?"

She smiled and rolled her eyes. "The tuttleroot soup was fine," she protested. "Everyone else ate it and they are all well."

John pulled a doubtful expression to tease her. "Maybe they're just trying to spare your feelings."

She gave him a mock glare, one eyebrow lifted. "You have not complained about my cooking efforts before," she pointed out.

The itch on the inside of his arm began again, and John rubbed his arm against his side once more. "You haven't made tuttleroot soup before," he replied. He doubted it had been the soup, or maybe there was just something in there that the two guys from Earth weren't used to.

"I will not make it again then," she said. She looked a little put out, but John knew she wouldn't take his teasing the wrong way.

"I'm glad to hear it," he replied.

She glared at him again, but he saw the sparkle in her eyes. But, before she could threaten to cook the soup again, someone called out their names. Fera was hurrying along the muddy path, hopping expertly over ruts and around puddles.

"Teyla, John," she called as she reached them.

"Hello, Fera, have you seen Evan?" Teyla asked.

Fera reached them and stopped with a light sigh of breath. "Yes, I have just come from his tent. He has the Sweet Grain sickness."

John heard Teyla draw in a worried breath. "He did not look that well," she commented, before she turned towards John. "How are you feeling, John?"

Instantly he felt uncomfortable, as if all the niggling things he had been ignoring all morning were now clambering for attention. It was psychosomatic that was all. "Not that great," he admitted.

Teyla reached out towards his free arm. "Are your arms itching you?"

A little surprised at her question he looked down at his arm. Teyla pulled on his cuff and pushed it back to expose the inside of his wrist. A perfectly round red rash had appeared over the pale skin of his inner wrist.

"Okay, that wasn't there earlier," John said a little worriedly. John turned to Fera and passed over Torren's hand. "Is it contagious?" He asked concerned as the boy was handed over.

Teyla had pushed his sleeve up some more and he saw more small raised circular rashes all over his forearms.

"No, not between people," Teyla assured him as she turned to his other arm and he watched her push back that sleeve to reveal the same rash on that arm.

"Okay, that's a little worrying," John remarked. "They weren't there when I left my tent."

Teyla let go of his wrist allowing him to examine the rashes himself.

"The rash arrives quickly and only itches during its initial stages." She was looking at him the way nurses do when they're either looking for something or were worried that you were about to collapse on them. "Are you feeling warm?"

"A little," John replied. She reached up towards his forehead and it was only when her cool fingers touched his skin that he realised how warm he did feel. "Is it dangerous?" He asked next, cutting straight to the heart of the matter, and his heart was currently very worried.

Teyla smiled at him with a look that was clearly meant to be reassuring. "Not frequently no. It is mainly very draining and uncomfortable though, and can last many days." She looked at Fera. "Evan's is more advanced?"

Fera had both her hands on Torren's shoulders, attempting to keep him close. "His fever is growing and he feels very weak."

"We need to take them to Sakura," Teyla replied.

Fera nodded. "I will speak with Halling," she replied and moved away, but not before Torren had detached himself from her grip and had wrapped his arms around Teyla's legs.

John touched his hand to his own forehead and decided he also felt a little clammy. "When you say 'uncomfortable'..?" He prodded.

"Left to run its course it includes high fever, sickness, muscle pain, the rash, and some even experience hallucinations."

"Oh, great."

"But, not everyone experiences those," she added quickly.

"Why are only Lorne and I affected?" He asked, following Teyla's gentle nudge to start walking.

"It affects different people at different times. Anyone who works with the Sweet Grain develops the illness every five harvests or so. Halling contracted it only last season. Those of us who have worked with the grain most of our lives are affected less, and eventually immunity builds up over the decades."

"At least I've got that to look forward to," John muttered. "There's a treatment right?" He asked.

"Yes, there is a shrub that grows near Sweet Grain that counteracts the illness."

"The plants with the greeny purple leaves?" John asked.

"Yes, we used to brew up the leaves into a tea, which would be sipped over several days to stop the illness."

John looked round at her a little worriedly. "You used to?"

She inclined her head. "The shrub's leaves are only affective once the plants are of a certain maturity and since we haven't been growing on this planet for very long…"

"The plants aren't mature enough," John finished.

"Yes."

"So how sick are we gonna get?"

"Sweet Grain sickness is very draining and can last as long as what you would call three weeks."

"Three weeks?!"

She nodded as they neared the entrance to his tent. "But, do not worry. There are other worlds that have the shrubs."

"Sakura?" He asked.

"Yes. They grow a considerably large amount of Sweet Grain of several different varieties and so their need for the shrub was high. However, they also had so many people falling sick with the illness that they did not have enough leaves to make that much tea, so they developed a purer more concentrated version."

John detected that she was holding something back. "Then that's good, right?"

"Yes, in fact Sakura has become famed for treating people for Sweet Grain sickness. They have open clinics for people from other worlds to visit and be treated. In fact the treatments bring them just as much trade as the Sweet Grain itself."

"Sounds good," John commented. He pulled off his coat, the heat of it really bothering him, and as he threw it in through the entrance to his tent he saw Fera helping Lorne towards them. The guy didn't look that good. He looked pale, yet flushed. Fera was clearly helping him stay upright.

"The only problem…" Teyla said.

John turned towards her. "And there's the 'but' I was waiting for."

She reached out with one hand laying it reassuringly on his arm. "No, the cure works very effectively." Lorne and Fera had arrived by this point.

"Hey, Major," John greeted Lorne.

"Colonel," Lorne replied. They hardly ever referred to each other by their ranks, and when they did it was almost with a touch of nostalgia. "You look better than I feel."

John nodded. "Guess it likes you better." That got a smile from the man and beside him Fera smiled as well.

"So, we're going to Sakura then?" Lorne asked.

"Yes, the sooner we can reach one of their clinics the sooner you can be treated."

John gave Teyla his best commanding officer look. "And that 'but' we were just talking about?" He resisted the urge to waver on his feet. His body was definitely feeling weaker and his leg muscles were complaining a bit.

"In order to treat a large number of people with the shrubs, the Sakurans distil a concentrate from the shrub leaves. In place of several days' worth of brewed handfuls of leaves, they give one intense dose of the concentrate."

"Why don't they just dilute the concentrate out?" Lorne asked.

"That results in a weaker dose than even the brewed tea. Perhaps it also helps to treat their patients as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Either way they provide one dose of the medicine that you drink down and the medicine moves very quickly through the body eliminating the illness."

"That sounds like it might be painful," Lorne commented as he adjusted his arm over Fera's shoulders, trying not to put too much weight on her.

Teyla pulled a face. "This would be where the 'but' comes in. The medicine affects people in very different ways, but it is always effective. We will have to spend several hours there following the time you take the medicine, for you will be unable to walk or move around much."

"That doesn't sound like much fun," John said.

She smiled up at him. "But, it will cure you of the sickness in one day. You may feel tired for a few days after that, but you will not have to face the long weeks of weakening illness."

John nodded. "Let's go get it done then."

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Kanaan

It had been long difficult days since Teyla had moved back into her old tent. That Torren spent his time split between the two tents had worried Kanaan at first, but it appeared that the boy did not mind. There had been one night early on when Torren had woken in the night crying and Kanaan's attention had not been enough to calm the child. Perhaps it had been the first realisation in Torren's young mind, Kanaan couldn't be sure, but Kanaan had carried the boy out into the night and had woken Teyla. She had taken the boy into her new bed with her which had calmed Torren, but Kanaan had had to leave, going back to his empty tent devoid of both son and woman.

The days had improved, but the heavy weight in Kanaan's heart had not lightened that much. The first few days after she had left him he had felt sad and alone, only for him then to fall into regret and bitterness. He wished that he had not fought so publically with Sheppard, and that Teyla had not seen the altercation. His anger and bitterness shifted then from Teyla to Sheppard. After all she said she did not want him and what more could he do? Yet, he could not help feeling that Sheppard had won in some way. No doubt Sheppard was pleased with the development and would surely have told Teyla he thought as much. Reminding her constantly of Kanaan's failure to rescue her.

Perhaps Sheppard had been right about Teyla that one time, but Kanaan had lost many over the years to harsh winters - he did know what it was like to find someone in less than two days, but only for them to have long since passed to the Ancestors. Kanaan felt trapped between feeling justified in his beliefs that day, yet at the same time knowing that he had been wrong. And it would have had to have been Sheppard who had proven that. The man had held it against him since, as if Kanaan hadn't realised how close he had come to losing Teyla!

Kanaan had feared Sheppard and Lorne's arrival in the camp from the beginning, sensing on some deep level that it would bring nothing but heartache for him. And he had been correct. Now he had lost Teyla, even when she had been literally returned from the dead. He had tried to see the philosophical side that said that she was not what he wished, yet his heart still ached. And his temper circled around the memory of the disagreement with Sheppard. Kanaan wished he had not let Sheppard push him into that argument, yet at the same time he wished that Teyla had not arrived and that he and Sheppard could have come to blows. Perhaps that would have shown Teyla and the others that Sheppard was not the hero they all saw him as. He was a man out with an agenda of his own.

Kanaan sighed heavily at his thoughts as he worked. They were not healthy he knew. He needed to move past what had happened. He had lost the ideal future that he had foreseen, but that did not mean he had to turn into a man of bitterness. It would all heal in time. Perhaps she would even change her mind about him with time.

"Kanaan," Teyla's voice called out from behind him, almost as if he had manifested her with his thoughts. He knew she was meant to be in the fields all day and for a moment he hoped that she had walked away from her work to speak to him. Perhaps even to fulfil the rest of what he had been wishing - that she wished to repair things between them. He turned from his work and saw that Torren was with her, which was a surprise. Then he saw the hurried expression on her face.

"What is wrong?" He asked as he set down his tools and moved towards them.

"Major Lorne and Colonel Sheppard have contracted the Sweet Grain sickness," she said hurriedly as she trod over the damp saturated grass between them. "Fera and I are taking them to Sakura now. Could you take Torren for the rest of the day?"

Kanaan's first emotion was disappointment that his moments' fantasy of her changing her mind had not occurred, had been quickly surmounted by the annoyance that what hurried her step was due to Colonel Sheppard. Then he felt guilty. The two men were sick for as Kanaan, and all Athosians, knew the sickness was not comfortable. But, then at least he would get to keep his boy with him today. "Yes of course," he replied as evenly as he could, smiling at her hoping her to see that he was not angry about things anymore.

Teyla leant down to Torren and pushed back his gigantic hood to reveal his little, slightly worried face. "Torren, would you like to stay with your father for awhile? You can assist him with his work." She used a tone designed to engage the boy's interest. Kanaan saw Torren frown and knew his boy knew was aware that something worrying was going on.

"Come Torren," Kanaan said as he reached out a hand to his son. "We can work out where to put these drying racks." Torren reached up for his father's hand with interest. The little boy's hand was snugly wrapped up in the glove.

Teyla leant forward and kissed Torren's cheek. "I will see you later, Torren."

She stood upright and Kanaan saw the concern in her face. "He will be fine out here helping me," Kanaan assured her. "I have finished most of my work already." She nodded clearly relieved. "Are you going to stay with Colonel Sheppard on Sakura?" He wasn't entirely sure he had hidden the touch of jealousy in his voice, she didn't seem to react.

"Yes, he will need someone with him."

Kanaan frowned. "Are there not nurses in the clinics who can sit with him?" Kanaan had sat beside one of his good friends when they had gone through the cure only last year. The affect of the medicine had strange affects on people and could turn a grown man into a crying heap, or make him feel that he was one of the Ancestors capable of anything. Kanaan did not like the idea of Teyla sitting there with Sheppard, probably trying to be comforting and whispering supportive words to him.

Teyla frowned. "He is my friend and besides it would be best that should he begin to talk of Atlantis and Earth that no one overhears." Kanaan nodded, but wondered what privileged secrets Sheppard could tell to a Sakuran nurse, especially as Atlantis was now in another galaxy.

"Of course. Wish them well from me," he said politely.

Teyla nodded and smiled. "I am sorry that I do not know exactly when we will return tonight."

Kanaan shook his head, trying not to feel annoyed with her. "I will keep Torren with me tonight and he can stay with you tomorrow."

"Thank you," she said with feeling and turned to go. "Good day, Kanaan."

"Good day, Teyla," he replied as she hurried away, running away to support Sheppard.

He looked away from her retreating form and down to his son. Torren grinned up at him, his tiny teeth on display, and Kanaan smiled in return.

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Halling

Halling stood under the shelter of the large budding tree and watched the four people stood by the dialling out device. The rain had begun to fall just after he had joined them on their walk to the Gate. Evan had already been severely weakened and Halling had helped him walk along the path, as Fera supported his other side. John had been faring better, but it was clear that his temperature was rising.

Halling had not worked the Sweet Grain much as a child, instead having focused more on carpentry and assisting his father with hunting. Consequently he had only contracted the sickness a few times in his life when he had worked the fields. It took at least three separate infections of the illness for the affect of the sickness to lessen, and those, such as Teyla, who had worked the grain fields from a very young age, usually became immune by the time their reached full maturity. But, that left quite a few among the Athosians who still contracted the illness from handling the grain and it appeared the sickness had a varied incubation period, as Doctor Beckett had referred to it.

Last year Halling had fallen ill with the sickness at the end of the harvest. It had been considerably milder than pervious years, but he had still visited Sakura for there had been too much to do and he had not wished to remain weak for so many days. The effect of the medicine had had a remarkable affect on him that had been almost akin to a religious experience. He remembered sobbing out tears as he had relived his grief over what Michael had done to his people. The sadness had then broken into a well of peace as he finally surrendered to what had happened. He remembered Teyla laying cool cloths to his forehead as he dozed in and out of what had felt like life itself coming and going out of his grasp. And he vividly remembered that in the next room that someone had been laughing manically, only to then weep inconsolably.

The treatment had been a strenuous experience, but also enlightening for Halling. He had sat up from his sick bed to see Teyla watching him with relief, and he had felt the burden of grief and guilt drift away. So many Athosians had been lost over the recent years, but there were still survivors and they had a new home world to develop and explore and to love. He had walked out of the clinic a man full of determination and clarity.

Yet, he had seen others in the clinic with different reactions. One man had walked past Halling, his head drooped low and his eyes still wet from his tears, whilst another had been giggling to himself whilst sitting in a corner. Whatever the effect on the patient there was, one thing was clear that it was a powerful experience. He wondered how those from Earth would fare.

The Gate activated, the burst of energy leaping out from the circle of the Ancestors, the rain steaming away from its watery edge. The two men and two women moved forward quickly and he watched them disappear into the Ancestral waters of the Gate.

Yes, things were going to change in some way. He wasn't sure in what way, or how far reaching it would be, but change was in the air. He turned his face into the breeze that danced under the branches sheltering him and he inhaled the scent of springtime. Spring was a time of beginnings.

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TBC