AN: There's a chunk of information about Vala's home world given in this chapter, let me know if it's confusing or doesn't make any sense. The places (and some of the language that they speak on Vala's home world) are taken from LOTR because I think they sound really good and I hate trying to make names up but this fic has nothing to do with it apart from that.
Let me know what you think :o)
***
While the guys where off 'dealing' with Eldarin, Sam made her way towards her lab to find Vala. Her lab was the place where Vala always went when she wanted to sit and think about things with out being hassled, knowing that Sam would allow her to be alone with her thoughts but was still there if she needed a sounding board.
True to form Sam found her sitting at the workbench, the desk lamp on, and a can of Diet-Coke in front of her. Sam grabbed her note book and took the seat beside Vala. They sat in silence for a few minuets, the only noise coming for the scratch of Sam's pen across the paper and the occasional slurp as they shared the can. Then came the occasional sight from Vala and Sam knew to start concentrating on her work a little less, after the 4th sigh there was a thud as Vala's head fell forward onto the bench and Sam put her pen down all together. In her mind Sam counted to 10.
"They just…" a pause "They never…" another pause "They didn't…" yet another pause, this one was accompanied by a 5th sigh and Sam knew Vala was ready to voice her thoughts, "When it was over I told myself that what they did meant that they didn't love me, everything in me wanted to get so far away from everything I had known, everything that had betrayed me. And as long as I kept running from it I didn't have to think about it."
"But now you have to think about"
"Yes. If I go back it'll change everything."
"It doesn't have to, not if you don't want it too."
Vala laughed, "Samantha, my family rule our entire planet. There's no way things wont change if I go back."
Sam was about to speak when they where interrupted by the door opening and the guys coming into the room.
"Oh I think things are going to change even if you don't go back Vala." Daniel said, "Where you ever going to tell us about Jacek and the fact that he's not your real father?"
Vala cringed, she had known since the scene in the briefing room that she was going to have to tell the truth about this, "He's not my biological father Daniel, but there was a time when he was a father to me." She rubbed her head, today was giving her a headache, "He looked after me when I needed it and he taught me how to survive out there on my own."
"How does that translate into you saying to us, us of all people, that he's your father? I thought when you came here you made a decision to stop lying." Daniel wasn't angry with her, well not really, he was more disappointed in her.
"It started as a scam, he needed a partner and it worked, after that it got a little out of hand and everyone who you need to survive," she waved her hand in the general direction of the rest of the galaxy "out there thought that I was his daughter."
"But why didn't you just tell us the truth when he contacted us?"
"Well what was I supposed to say? 'It's all just an act, I'm actually a princess on the run from her family because they handed me over to be a host'? It's not that simple Daniel."
"It was that simple Vala." He told her simply.
"I'm sorry." The honestly in her eyes when said it let Daniel know that this wasn't one of the times she was apologising simply because it was what she knew he wanted.
The two shared a look, momentarily forgetting everyone else in the room as they smiled at each other. SG1 where used to moments like this and none of them commented on it but a seed of suspicion planted itself in Eldarin's mid.
Putting thoughts of Daniel aside for the moment he took a step forward towards his sister, "Elena please, come home with me, I know in your heart you want to, do not long to see it at least once more?"
"More than anything." She admitted softly.
"We will stand by you in this Vala Mal Doran, what ever you choose." Teal'c told her, Sam and Cam nodding in agreement.
"Ok then," She took her brothers out stretched hand, "Take me home."
As they walked out the room towards the Generals office Cam burst out laughing. The others all stopped and turned to look at him. He got his laughter under control enough to point at Vala.
"Princess is actually a princess."
SG1 simply rolled their eyes at him and continued on while Eldarin gave Vala a confused look.
***
Half an hour later the mission had been cleared and Sam and Vala where in the locker room gearing up when an air-man entered with a package.
"Vala, your brother sent this to you. The generals already approved it." She handed over the cloth wrapped bundle and, saluting Sam, left them.
"What is it?" Sam asked curiously as Vala sat to open it.
"I'm not sure but I think I know." She opened it to reveal more deep blue cloth. With a sigh she stood up and allowed the material to unfold. It was a dress. "Yup, exactly what I thought it would be."
Sam let out a giggle, "It's not exactly standard issue."
Vala groaned and removed her fatigue jacket.
***
They stepped through the gate into a large green field. Off to their left there were a number of low stone buildings and to their right some distance away the eves of a forest came down from a hill to meet the plain.
As the wormhole closed behind them 6 guards dressed like Eldarin exited the building and came to wards them, some kind of pulse weapon drawn.
"Hault and be recognized." The leader shouted but as they drew nearer and recognised Eldarin they fell to one knee and bowed their heads, "I am sorry my lord, we did not recognize you."
"Rise captain, have your fastest rider send word to the way-point that I am on my way and in need of 6 fresh horses then continue on to the White city and give word to my mother that I have returned." He paused while the captain relayed the orders and a horse man rode off at a gallop down the path. "We have no need for a guard on our way to the way-point but we shall need horses for the ladies."
The captain saluted and turned to arrange for the horses when he caught sight of Vala and stopped dead, "The Elgath has returned to us." He whispered before recovering himself and going to his duties.
"Elgath?" Daniel questioned when they where once again alone.
"It means 'forsaken one' in the high tongue." Eldarin explained, "It is the name that was given to Vala when…" He trailed off, they all knew enough to fill in the rest.
Two horses where brought to them by the captain, a large grey one and a slightly smaller chestnut one, "These are Orlas," He motioned to the grey, "and Brandy," he led the chestnut Brandy to Sam and helped her mount him and then made Orlas kneel so as Vala could mount him side saddle because of her dress. "The sun will shine all the more brightly now that you have returned to us, my lady."
Vala blushed at his comment and Cam almost choked he was trying so hard to hold in his snigger.
"It will be night fall by the time we reach the way-point, we shall rest there tonight and then continue on to the city in morning by horse." Eldarin instructed, slipping easily back into his role as First Prince now that he was back in his own land. He set off down the path, simply expecting the others to follow him.
Vala rolled her eyes at her brothers behaviour and her and Sam gently kicked the horses into a walk to follow him, the rest of SG1 joining them. They continued to walk along the path talking quietly among themselves until the sun began to fall westward behind the trees. Vala halted her horse and dismounted when they came to the ruins of a small town and walked towards them.
Her brother came to stand beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder, "It was destroyed during the war, there are a hundred like it between here and the Western sea."
"They haven't rebuilt them?" She asked quietly.
"Some of them, but most people have moved on from them and built new homes untouched by death."
The rest of the days walk continued in near silence and it was late in the evening when they reached the way-point. The team where greeted again by a captain and shown to a large room with around a dozen pallet beds in it.
"Food and refreshment will be brought to you soon, my lady. My lord, there is some matters that require your attention from the King." The captain told them and excused himself, Eldarin going with them.
"King? I thought your father was dead?" Cam asked.
"He is," Vala told him, on the walk to the way-point her brother had filled her in on what she had missed in the years she had been away, "My eldest brother is King now, he is King Anarion the 4th of Eregion, High King of all Eriador."
"Eldarin explained this earlier; Eregion is where we are now right?" Daniel cut in, "It's one of the 4 kingdoms that make up Eriador, kind of like the states America? But your family are also the over all rulers of the planet." He had been very intrigued by Eldarin's explanation of the political system of the planet, named Eriador.
"Exactly Daniel." Vala smiled proudly at him,
It wasn't long before the food arrived and, after a quick meal, they turned in for the night.
***
Daniel awoke in the middle of the night with a cool breeze in his face. He opened his eyes to see Vala sitting by the open widow, moonlight shinning down on her. He threw the blanket off of him and padded across the room to her, noting absently that Eldarin still hadn't returned.
"Can't sleep?" He asked her quietly, trying not to disturb their sleeping friends.
"I remember when I was young, we would spend our summers by the lake in the north and when we would return to the White city the clear ringing of silver trumpets could be heard in the wind for miles around. Our banners would fly in the breeze from the city walls, and the people would call that the Lords of Eriador had returned." She finally turned away from the window to look at him. "I still dream about those days, before the war came and everything changed. I thought that was all I would ever have left of my home, dreams and tarnished memories, but now…"
Daniel wrapped his arms around her in a warm hug, knowing that now was the time to reassure her, "Everything will be fine Vala. You can do this, we're all here with you…I'm here with you."
He held her for a long time, the two of them watching the moon travel across the night sky and gradually he felt himself holding more and more of her weight until he knew she was asleep in his arms. Gently he picked her up and carried her back to her bed. He placed her down in it and drew the blanket over her, watching as she snuggled down into its warmth.
He waited until he was sure she was in a deep sleep before kneeling down and placing a soft kiss to her fore head, "Good night Princess." He whispered and returned to his own bed.
In the shadows outside the open door Eldarin paused as he watched the tender scene unfold.
No matter how long it had been since he had seen his sister he was still her brother and any man that looked at her like that was someone he was going to keep an eye on. He knew that look, it was the look he gave his wife when they had been courting, the look he still gave her when she did something that took his breath away. It was a look of pure love.
Sighing he entered the room and removed his armour before turning in for the night, he would speak to Daniel tomorrow and tell him to stop this behaviour towards his sister. She was a princess and Daniel was no prince, it was as simple as that.
This had to be stopped.