AN: Here you go with another chapter, let me know what you think :o)
As always big thanks to Annedith for the beta.
In the grey, pre-dawn light Cam got his first real look at the place where they had spent the night. There were five stone buildings, including the one they where staying in, like the ones they had seen yesterday at the gate and a separate one that looked to be a stables. The architecture looked similar to some of the medieval villages that they had seen across the galaxy. The whole complex was surrounded by a large stone wall and just beyond it he could see the road that they had travelled down.
"That is the 'old-road'," A voice behind him said, "It runs from the harbours at the bay of Balar in the south all the way to Mountains of the Sun in the far north. It is the main road through all of Eriador." The voice came to stand beside him and he recognized the captain that had shown them to their room last night, "I am Cirith, Captain of this way-point."
He held out his hand for Cam to shake and Cam was surprised to see that they shook the same way as the Jaffa, by grasping at the wrist instead of the hand.
"Colonel Cameron Mitchell, I'm the leader of SG1"
Cirith gave a laugh and clapped Cam on the back, "I know who you are Colonel. My lord has sent me to find you, the morning meal is ready and he is keen that your party sets out before the sun has fully risen so that you may make it to the White City before nightfall."
He led Cam down the stairs and into a small dining hall, "It's another day's walk to the city?" Cam questioned as they walked.
"Be glad, if you were not travelling by horse it would be another two at least." They entered the dining hall and Cirith bowed to Vala and Eldarin before taking his leave.
Taking the last chair at the table Cam was prevented from speaking by the argument that was already going on between Vala and her brother. He gently nudged Teal'c who was sitting next to him, "What's going on?" He quietly asked under his breath.
"They are discussing the clothes of Vala Mal Doran and Col. Carter." Teal'c told him in an equally quiet voice. He had no intention of being dragged into the argument. Daniel had made that mistake ten minutes earlier and been shouted at by both siblings to stay out of it. "Apparently Eldarin does not approve of women in combat fatigues."
"Vala you will act as your status on this world demands you do. You may do as you wish when you are off gallivanting around the galaxy but when you are here you will abide by the rules you where brought up with." Eldarin stated loudly from the other end of the table.
Vala didn't reply she simply stood and made her way to the door.
"Where are you going now?" Her brother demanded.
The others at the table smirked at the look on Vala's face when she turned around. No one told Vala what she could and could not do. It was a fact they where all painfully aware of but seeing as they weren't the ones dealing with it they where taking the time to enjoy it.
"I was going to start the walk back to the gate."
Eldarin sighed, some things never changed and his sisters free spirit seemed to be one of them. It had been funny when they had been young to see their father and their tutors trying to control her but now that it was his job, at least for the time being, he was failing to find the humour in it..
"Fine, we will compromise. You can wear these Earth clothes until we are in sight of the city then you will change into more appropriate clothing."
Vala's grin split her face, she had always known how to get what she wanted out of her brother. "Deal, now if Cameron's finished we can leave."
***
This time when they set out, they were all on horseback, something that was not sitting well with either Daniel or Teal'c.
While Daniel had ridden camels when he was on digs he had never done much horseback riding. His lack of skill was painfully obvious as his horse refused to cooperate but he suspected the quiet word he saw Eldarin having with the stable master before they set off had something to do with it as well. On the other hand, Teal'c was a good rider but the large Jaffa was simply happier with his feet on the ground.
While their journey yesterday had been across wide open plains the road today seemed to be a never ending series of hills and valleys. They stopped around noon at the peak of a large hill that had enough trees on it to provide plenty shade from the, now scorching heat.
"We can eat a brief meal here then continue on, we should make it to the city in another few hours." Eldarin told them as he helped Sam down from her horse.
Daniel managed to get off his horse without falling, but it was a close thing, in time to help Vala down from her own, much to the annoyance of her brother.
They let the horses graze and wander loose beside them as they sat in the shade and ate. The team shared in the easy banter that had come from years of friendship and on occasion Eldarin would join them with a tale from his and Vala's childhood.
He was in the middle of a story about the summers they spent by the lake when the sound of a large company of horsemen approaching interrupted him. They all stood and peered into the distance where the sound was coming from and they saw around 50 horse men descending into the valley below them from the other side. Eldarin took the gilded horn from his belt and a loud, clear, call rang out around them. A few moments later he received an answering call.
"I am afraid you must change now Elena rather than later, the company is of the Palace Mounted Guard." Eldrain told her sternly, "I will hear no argument on this."
Vala huffed as she and Sam disappeared to the other side of the grove of trees so as she could change.
They guys waited and a few minutes later the horsemen were upon them. They were an impressive sight to see; all of them clad in full, but light, plate armour with capes of deep blue flying behind them in the wind along with their banners. The greatest of these, though, was the man at the front of the column. His elaborate armour and the impressive tack of his horse gave away his position just as much as the small crown that sat on his head did.
He jumped down from his horse and embraced Eldarin, "My bother! When news reached me this morning that you had returned I could not wait. Where is she?" He didn't wait for a reply as he caught sight of Vala and Sam returning to the group, "ELENA" He cried making his way towards her as quickly as his status would allow.
Unlike her reunion with Eldarin, this one seemed to be full of joy and love as Anarion lifted her off her feet in a giant hug and spun her around. The sound of laughter could be heard from both of them and even after he had stopped spinning it was a few moments before he placed her back on the ground. "Look at the woman you have become" He beamed down at her then placed a soft kiss to her fore head, "Come, you shall ride at my side and tell me all of your journeys among the stars."
The others mounted their horses and continued on, riding with the rest of the company while Vala rode at the front with Anarion, Eldarin behind them. Every so often a loud bark of laughter was heard from the King as Vala shared her stories with him.
As the afternoon progressed the relationship between the siblings became clearer. While they all obviously loved each other and had missed each other and had missed each other, it was clear that Anarion and Vala shared a stronger bond with each other than either did with Eldarin
After a while the King called SG1 up to the front to ride along with them.
"You have looked after my sister well." He told them as they came along beside them, "And that is no small feat!"
"Princess can be a bit of a handfull," Cam laughed.
Anarion reached over to Teal'c, who was on the other side of him from Vala and extended his arm to him, "Elena tells me you are Teal'c of the free Jaffa, it is an honourable thing to free one's people. News of your victory lightened my heart when it reached me, no people should be forced to endure what yours have."
Teal'c bowed his head as he accepted the Kings arm, humbled that someone who had once been attacked by his people could show such forgiveness.
"Can I ask you something, Your Highness?" Daniel questioned after the exchange with Teal'c was over.
"Of course Dr Jackson, if I can answer it, you may ask."
"You and Eldarin keep calling Vala, Elena. I was wondering what it meant."
"It is her name in the high tongue of this land, the name our parents gave her at her birth. It means 'Child of the Stars'."
They rode on for a while longer exchanging more stories of SG1s time together, both before and after Vala had joined them.
As the evening began to draw in more people began to appear along the road and as they neared the city the sound of horns and trumpets was carried on the wind towards them.
The rode to the crest of a hill and before them in the wide valley was a large city built of white stone. The sight was awesome to behold as the city swept to the back to the valley and on the foot of the mountains on the other side a large palace could be seen sitting high above it. The sun caught the river and it glittered with a thousand sparkles as it snaked its way across the valley and out towards the sea.
"This is the White City, greatest of all the works of my people. For over a thousand years it has stood." The King told them. He motioned to the herald beside him and a long silver horn was given to him. He let out a long loud note and soon an answering chorus of them came back from the city. As SG1 and the company watched a force field grew up from the encircling wall of the city and a as it closed into a full dome it sent up a flair high into the sky.
When the force shield melted back into the city wall people flooded out to line the way into the city and stood upon the walls to cheer the Elgath at her home coming.
The company began its decent towards the city and SG1 fell back slightly to ride behind the three royals. In all their years of travelling the galaxy they had never seen anything so magnificent. Even the city of Atlantis paled in comparison to the stone wonder before them.
Tears of joy spilled from Vala's eyes as the people cheered and flowers were thrown at the feet of the horses as they approached the main gates.
When they got to the gates they halted the horses and dismounted to walk into the city but as her brothers went to take her arms she stopped them and motioned for her friends to come and stand beside her.
And so with her brothers in front of her and her friends beside her, Vala entered the city of her birth for the first time in 17 years.