AN: Just for HAZOT I'm putting this up earlier than I was going to :o)
Enjoy! And let me know what you think.
As they walked through the gates of the city into the large courtyard, Vala stood stunned at the size of the crowd that filled it, all of them cheering her return. They were standing along the walls, children were sitting on their parents' shoulders so they could get a better view and there were even people standing on the large raised statue in the middle of the courtyard, an offense that usually meant a night in a cell.
"My people" Anarion called to them, "Today is a joyous day for all the people of this world! Long has my brother, Prince Eldarin, searched for our lost sister and today he returns to us successful!" He had to wait to continue as the crowed cheered, "My sister, the jewel of all Eriador has come home!"
There was another loud cheer and Vala had to take hold of Daniel's hand to keep her composure. She felt so overwhelmed. The doubts she had felt since the moment she had agreed to come home momentarily faded away as she felt the love of the people, her people, wash over her.
The group finally started to walk again as the guards of the city cleared a path towards a large open-top carriage and the seven of them were helped in. The people followed behind them as they made their way through the city and up to the large arched entrance to the palace. The carriage halted in another large court yard but unlike the one at the city gate, this one held a large fountain and for the most part was covered in grass, edged with what looked like white roses.
Standing before the entrance to the palace were three women, two standing slightly behind the other. The woman at the front stepped forward, leaning heavily on a cane but still standing tall about proud. Her jet back hair fell in thick waves down her back with only the slightest smattering of grey, her dress too was black and a small circlet of silver rested on tired brow.
"You should not be out of bed, Mother." Anarion said as helped Vala and Sam down out of the carriage, something Sam was not expecting.
"You may be King Anarion but do not think you are too old to be put across my knee." The older woman stated sternly but with a smile on her lips.
She embraced both of her sons as they came towards her and then she turned her attention to Vala, who had once again taken hold of Daniel's hand behind her back, something that did not go unnoticed by her mother.
"Come forward my child," She spoke softly to Vala, emotion flooding her voice.
Vala released Daniel's hand and came to stand before the older version of herself, her eyes cast down at the ground, too nervous to look at her mother's face, afraid of what she might find there. Her mother looked her up and down for a moment before releasing her cane and wrapping both her arms around her daughter. The tremor that had been running through Vala's body like a live wire melted away as her mother shushed her to calm her tears.
"You are home." Her mother kept repeating over and over to her as if she couldn't believe it. When they eventually pulled apart she smiled fully at her daughter and the smile was reflected exactly back to her, "If only your father had lived to see this day."
The moment was broken as a series of violent coughs took her over and an attendant brought her a glass of water. Once it had subsided and she had regained her breath, she spoke again to Vala, "Elena, did I not raise you better or are you going to allow your friends to stand there all day without an introduction."
"Mother, these are my friends, SG1 of Earth, Colonel Cameron Mitchell, Colonel Samantha Carter, Teal'c of the free Jaffa, and Dr. Daniel Jackson." She pointed to each one in their turn and when she pointed to Daniel her mother gave him an appraising look, "SG1, this is my mother, Lady Aranel of Rhovanion."
Slightly unsure of what to do SG1 took their lead from Teal'c and bowed deeply while Sam gave a half curtsy, suddenly wishing she was dressed like Vala was as curtsying in combat fatigues just didn't feel right.
When another coughing fit overtook her, Aranel was escorted back inside by her two attendants and SG1 was left in the company of the King. "Come, we have rooms prepared for you, you must refresh yourself before we eat."
The interior of the palace was beautiful and Sam let out an audible gasp as they entered it. It looked like it had been taken right out of a storybook, the floors were of white marble and beyond the entrance way high vaulted ceilings glistened with the lights of chandeliers.
Eldarin gave a chuckle at Sam's expression, "My Lady Samantha, if you are impressed now I cannot wait to see your beautiful face tomorrow night when we shall throw a party and all of Eriador shall dance in these halls." Normally Sam would take offense at her rank being disregarded, but Eldarin did it with such charm and warmth that she knew none was meant and a light blush coloured her cheeks.
Anarion and Eldarin started to lead them down a long corridor but a solider stopped them, requiring the King's attention, "My guests, Eldarin shall have to be your guide from here, there are matters that I must deal with." And with that he and the solider were gone into another room.
Eldarin continued to lead them to their rooms, occasionally pointing out and explaining a statue or portrait that they passed. Eventually he turned aside and took them into a small common room. There was a huge fireplace dominating the room against the near wall and two doors leading to bedrooms. In the centre of the floor was a large couch and a low wooden table, flanked on either side by another large chair. Off to the sides two small spiral stair cases lead to a second level where there were four more bedrooms and a small balcony that looked down onto the common room. On the opposite side of the room from the fire place was large archway that opened out onto another balcony, this one over looking a small garden.
The lack of doors to the outside balcony intrigued Sam as she could clearly see the trees outside swaying in the wind but she couldn't feel even the slightest breeze in the room. As Vala ushered the men up into the upstairs bedrooms Sam went over to the arch and ran her fingers over the opening to find that there was a force shield there, crystal clear and undetectable to the naked eye.
Eldarin came up beside her, "These force shields are all around the palace. We use them instead of glass for windows and in this case for doors as well." He smiled at the look of confusion on her face, "You are wondering where all this technology comes from?"
"Well, not to sound rude but yes. You don't appear to be a technically advanced civilisation yet you have all this shield technology and you also carry pulse weapons beside your swords."
"Long ago our people decided that we would not allow technology to destroy our way of life." He explained, "We use it when it is needed, like the force shields for the city and our pulse weapons. We also have transport technology but it is seldom used unless at the greatest need." He took Sam's hand and gently ran it over the stone along the arch. It was slightly warm to the touch. "We integrated the new with the old where it was needed but other than that we are content with our lives."
"How do you open it?" Sam asked.
"You simply run your hand over it as you where doing, only in a circle, see?" He demonstrated and the shield dropped, the light breeze blowing across their faces.
"And to close it?" Sam asked again, her voice slightly breathy as she stared in to Eldarin's green eyes.
"When you take your hand away it will stay open for five seconds before closing again. For the windows, there is a small panel beside them."
The two of them jumped apart when a knock on the door interrupted them. Two servants entered with a small chest between them, "My lord, your mother has sent this for the ladies."
Eldarin quickly pointed the servants to one of the lower bedrooms before bowing and making an exit. The servants placed the chest on the floor by the dressing table in the left hand bedroom and backed silently out of the room.
"Be careful of Eldarin, Samantha," Vala warned gently as her friend came to join her in the room, "He loves his wife but he has our father's wandering eye when it comes to a beautiful woman."
"I didn't mean…" Sam trailed off, she had no idea what had come over her in the common room. Not only was Eldarin married, he was Vala's brother and way off limits.
"I know Samantha, I didn't mean that you had done anything wrong. Just be careful, he has been using those eyes to charm woman into his bed since he was 15." She smiled at Sam to let her know she wasn't angry in any way, she was simply trying to stop her from getting hurt, "Now come and see what my mother has sent us, feel like dressing up for dinner?"
***
An hour later the men were sitting around the table in the common room, they hadn't been provided with different clothes so they had simply washed up and changed into their spare, clean, fatigues. About half an hour before, a servant had appeared with a tray of drinks and had left with their dirty clothes. They were now sitting playing cards and enjoying the soft fruit drink that had been left for them while waiting on the girls to finish getting ready, trying to ignore the bouts of giggling that were coming from the other room.
Sam was the first to emerge from the room and she received a shocked silence from the rest of her team as they took in her dress. It was a deep blue to match her eyes and hung delicately from her shoulders falling to the floor with a thin silver belt drawing it in at the waist. Its long sleeves enclosed her arms to the elbows before opening up flowing softly to her wrists.
As the shock wore off Cam let out a low whistle, "Sam you look amazing!"
"I agree Colonel Carter, that dress is most becoming on you." Teal'c added.
Daniel was unable to respond as he caught sight of Vala leaning causally against the doorway behind her friend, simply allowing Sam to have this moment. While Sam looked stunning in her dress Vala looked radiant in hers. It was a soft lavender colour and the top was cut low in the front, giving way to a tight corset that glittered softly in the fire light, the skirt was the same colour but had a slightly darker panel inserted at the front and it brushed the floor. Her sleeves were the same design as Sam's only they almost covered her whole hand, only the tips of her delicate fingers could be seen.
From across the room she caught his eye and smiled warmly at him, a look of contentment on her face and for the first time Daniel was worried that when this was over she wouldn't be returning home with them. He crossed the room as Teal'c and Cam continued to fawn over Sam and stood in front of her in the doorway.
"You look… beyond beautiful." He told her. He was surprised when she blushed but then realised how few times he had ever genuinely complemented her and felt bad for not telling her every day how wonderful she looked.
She was saved from having to make a reply by a servant entering the room and announcing that dinner was ready. Since the seriousness of the moment was gone Vala held out her arm to him and flashed him a cheeky smile, "Care to escort a lady to dinner?
***
Dinner had turned out to be a small but elaborate affair with only SG1, Eldarin and Anarion, their respective wives, and their mother. Aranel had eaten little and retired half way through the meal, feeling too weak to continue.
The guests were being escorted back to their rooms when Anarion took Daniel to one side.
"You are a good man Dr. Jackson and have been a good friend to my sister," He told him but while his words where friendly his tone was deadly serious and for the first time since meeting him, Daniel saw the power that lay behind his eyes, "I see the way you look at her, the way she reaches to you. But I will tell you this only once Dr. Jackson, she is not for you. She is Elena, daughter of the Kings of the House of Eregion. She is not meant for a commoner such as yourself and you will stop this behaviour towards her immediately. Am I clear?"
Daniel was too shocked to do anything more than nod his head mutely.
"You will not speak a word of this to her Dr. Jackson. My sister does not always know what is best for her and there are some choices she cannot make for herself."
In his mind Daniel wanted to scream at this man that Vala always knew what was best for her, even when nobody else could see it she knew it because knowing what was best for herself was the only way she had survived on her own for so long. He wanted to shout that just because he was her brother, he had no right to tell him not to pursue anything with Vala, especially since he hadn't yet gotten up the courage to do anything about his attraction to her. He wanted to be outraged at the man's audacity but he held his tongue as he remembered how happy Vala had been at dinner tonight and how content she had looked earlier in the evening.
Daniel may have wanted Vala but he wouldn't make her choose between him and her family. Part of him wanted to think it was a noble thing, that he was taking the moral high ground by not making her choose but a smaller part of him whispered that it was because he was afraid she wouldn't pick him.
So he stood quietly and watched as Anarion said good night to his sister and kissed her on the forehead and, in his mind, Daniel gave her up forever.