Note: Well, you've all waited patiently for the wedding...well, here it is. Three new chapters for this evening. I hope you enjoy them...

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Chapter 15 – The Elite Bride

The day was upon her, the moment almost at hand.

She had not slept well, the hours having been spent either tossing and turning under her blankets or lost in short terrifying nightmares. It appeared that her subconscious had dragged up all its wealth of horrifying nightmares for her last night. As an Elite she had a vast array of material for it to draw from.

She had woken this morning in her empty and silent bed, feeling that perhaps this would forever be the trend of her life. She had thrown away a love that, though foolish and distracting, had at least satisfied a part of her that currently felt as if it would never be whole again.

There was also the far newer knowledge that Maloo would be unlikely to provide a satisfactory friendship with which to share the burden of this marriage. Fortunately, there was no requirement of love or sex in a Political Marriage, and she was desperately grateful of the fact. She suspected that only a polite working relationship would be all that would be possible with Maloo, their military careers the only common ground that they would share.

It was too late now to alter anything, and besides, this marriage was not about her needs. This was for her people. The Alliance needed this contract and she could provide it. It was a sacrifice that she would still proceed with, for it was for the greater good of the Alliance. That was her job after all – to protect and fight for the Alliance. And it had to be saved. It was vital that it was.

She just had not realised how difficult it would turn out to be for her on a personal level. How much it had eaten away at her last night as she had dealt with the realisation that she did not like Maloo.

It was just a contract. It was for the Alliance. Not for her.

She had repeated those facts to quietly herself all morning, through first meal with her family, all of whom had made absolutely no mention of John or even Maloo. Teyla had understood why and, though slightly embarrassed at the fact that they knew how much a weakness John presented for her, she had never felt more loved by them.

If her marriage and her work were for the Alliance, her family were still hers forever. Unlike most Elite, she remained close with them, loved by them, and she loved them in return.

At least she had them. In that way at least, she could break a little of her Elite training and allow in some sentimentality to continue.

Yet, Maloo was going to invade even that to a small degree, having to be present with her for fifty days of every year. She decided that she would ensure that most of that shared time would be spent away from Tjaru, and that she would keep her family time jealously guarded.

The Alliance could have her career, her heart, and her life, but it would never take the love for her family from her. Iketani had tried, but failed. If it had not been for John's presence that day...

John...

She closed her eyes from her hour long vigil out of her bedroom window. One window was slightly ajar and through it she could hear the mass of sound throughout the Governing Complex stretched out below. All the guests were here and were currently moving through the corridors to the Ceremonial Room, ready for the ceremonies to begin.

The time was almost upon her.

She prayed silently, ashamedly, to the Ancestors that John was not among them. She did not think she could take that.

No, she was an Elite. She would face this as the battle it was.

Just another battle. Just another event that she was putting herself into out of choice, out of necessity for others.

She opened her eyes to the clouds over Tjaru. A light rain had started to patter against the glass.

There was nothing to be afraid of here. No monster to battle, no blood to be spilt. The fear was only in her mind and she would conquer it. Every warrior knew that the mind was the greatest of weapons, but that it could also be one's greatest weakness as well. Confidence and belief in oneself was the cornerstone to any warrior's mentality. If one believed that they were weak, then they would be. No Seeker could invade a Wraith's mind with weakness or they would be overwhelmed by the predatory Wraith's consciousness.

Therefore, with experience forged in deathly battle rather than polite calm political meetings, she drew her wayward thoughts and feelings under control. She focused intently on her breath, focusing, calming her mind. She closed her eyes again and felt her Elite mantle returning, enclosing and protecting her, making her stronger from within.

This was just like any other day. It was just a contract.

She was an Elite and could face anything. How was standing before the Alliance's representatives anything compared to fighting for her life and those around her in the midst of a fiery hell with innocents being culled around her?

She turned from the window and away from the noises of politicians, no doubt with ruus wine in their hands and political intrigue on their minds. Moving across to her coat, she pulled its long warmth around her, settling it properly over the harness for her swords. With the calm of her warrior self, she buttoned the brown coat and reached for her swords. She slid them home into their scabbards against her back and secured her a stunner into place at her hip. Brushing down the length of the coat's sleeves, she turned to face herself in her mirror.

She was covered from her collarbones to her wrists, with only her face, throat, showing the start of her tattoos, and her hands bare. She had decided early on in the planning for this wedding that she would not wear any long delicate dress. No, she would dress as the Elite warrior she was while she set this contract. The message would be clear.

Pushing the loose ends of her hair back over her shoulders while checking the tightness of her braids across her head, she was finally satisfied that she looked presentable. That she looked like the warrior she was.

In that respect pleased, she turned and moved out of her bedroom swiftly, through her small hallway and into the living space. Ketra lifted her head from her snooze on the largest rug. Ketra had been restless all night, having paced around Teyla's bedroom while Teyla herself had tried to get to sleep. Ketra had finally settled down alongside the bed, right up by Teyla and Teyla had stroked over her pet's back to try to soothe her. It had not helped all that much, but this morning Ketra appeared able to sleep. Teyla moved across to her now and crouched down by Ketra's side, stroking over her warm silver skin.

"You will have to remain up here during the ceremonies," Teyla told her softly. She wondered what Ketra would think of Maloo. "I shall return soon enough and then we will return to the Sythus."

Ketra tilted her head to one side as if with a question and then laid her chin back down on the rug, but her orange eyes remained worriedly on Teyla.

"I shall not be long," Teyla promised as she rose and moved the short distance to just ensure that no important new messages had arrived. Regretfully there were none to provide a useful distraction and delay.

She had received confirmation from Halling early this morning that the Sythus' scans and patrols of the Athosian system had all been clear. The Sythus would remain in orbit throughout the day while Halling and Si would be among the guests below. Or at least she hoped they were down there. Surely if something had happened up on the ship she would have been informed. So, surely they would be among the guests.

She wondered if they had spoken with Maloo. Halling had worked with Maloo before, but Si had never met him. She suspected that Si would not entirely approve of the straight-backed intensely Genii General. He would not say as much to her though, for Si was always supportive. Honest though, so perhaps he would speak his mind.

She was distracting herself and losing some focus again. She breathed carefully, purposefully, and drew her mind back on point.

Unfortunately, her eyes had traitorously turned to the blossom plant. Yesterday evening, while she had spent her long lonely hours out in the Family Courtyard and then the latter part with Charin, someone had cleaned up the thrown plant. It had been re-potted with fresh soil in a new pot and the few damaged twigs and blossoms had been trimmed away. There was not a grain of soil or blossom petal to be seen across the rug.

Teyla had no idea who had done it. If it had been one of the cleaners and whether perhaps one of the gardeners had taken care of the plant. Yet, Teyla also suspected that perhaps it might have been one of her family who had found the mess she had created and had seen to its repair. No one had mentioned it to her though. Her rug had simply been cleaned, the plant repaired and set back in its place.

Had whoever it had been understood the significance of the Earth plant for her?

She wondered if it had been Zabetha, but her sister had said nothing. Teyla had found herself looking at her Zabetha's nails this morning in case there might be a telltale speck of soil under one of them. Which was foolish, because even if it had been Zabetha, she was always clean and well presented.

Teyla forcefully pulled her attention away from the plant and moved to the exit, which would take her down to the family area. Unusually, Ketra did not follow her to the door, usually always eager to accompany Teyla when she could. Teyla frowned back down to Ketra on the rug, who was watching her with sad looking eyes. Perhaps Ketra was unwell, which might be the reason for her restless night. The thought worried Teyla instantly. She would make sure to have Ketra scanned by a healer once they were back up on the Sythus. Perhaps she would have someone look in on Ketra too during the ceremonies, to check she was well. Ketra had rarely ever been ill, and the occasions when she had been ill had usually been as a direct result of something she had eaten that she shouldn't. She hadn't eaten anything unusual last night.

"I shall return soon," she promised Ketra as she moved out of the door, frowning back in at Ketra as the door slid shut.

Worrying still about Ketra, she headed down the corridor, which brought back only more distressing memories. She forced away her last memory of John as he had stormed away down this corridor and then down the stairs she was now descending.

She had the distance she needed from him now. It was over. His anger would pass with time and he would move on, find a good Earth woman...

She pushed that thought away angrily as she stared down the last small flight of stairs. She could hear Zabetha's voice from the dining area, then Elkaska's in response, but the voices stopped abruptly.

"Teyla, is that you?" Zabetha called as Teyla reached the bottom of the stairs and moved across the incense rich lobby.

"Yes," she called back as she crossed the luxurious carpet.

"Good, I was just about to come up and pull you down here," Zabetha muttered as she stepped into view just inside the dining area. She was dressed in a lovely long blue dress with gold detailing, and was currently pulling a small coat around her shoulders. "A light rain started a short while ago, but it will be fine, everyone is inside. They are almost all through to the Ceremonial Room." Zabetha had essentially been the overseer of the wedding festivities, and though intense about the details in a professional caring manner before, this morning Zabetha appeared somewhat anxious.

Teyla looked to Elkaska as she entered the dining area. He was frowning faintly at Zabetha.

"Is something wrong?" Teyla asked as Zabetha overly fussed with her shoes.

"No, no," Zabetha replied quickly, which told Teyla just the opposite. "We had a small disagreement between the Atures and the Vancet Ambassadors, but it has all calmed. There is an ongoing land disagreement between them, nothing to worry about."

Teyla nodded, knowing such political bickering occasionally occurred between guests at such events, but she had to wonder if that was truly the subject which was bothering Zabetha. Teyla looked to Elkaska again. He was strangely quiet. The two of them had definitely been speaking about something that had distressed them, and they had fallen silent when they had heard her approaching down the stairs. Clearly they did not wish to tell her though. She suspected the subject might very well have been Maloo. Charin had told her yesterday evening that Elkaska did not like the Genii, but Uncle had been surprisingly quiet on the subject over first meal this morning. He was usually more forthcoming with his opinions. He had continued to express his dissatisfaction with her plan to marry all these past days, even while he had actually been assisting in the preparations. This morning, however, he seemed contained and uncomfortable.

Teyla wondered if Father had said something to him, or had it been Elkaska who had found the broken spilt pot? No, she was almost certain if it had been him that he would have used the event to try yet again to convince her to change her mind about the wedding.

"It is not important, just the usual political tensions," Zabetha added, most definitely anxious though she was trying to conceal it. "I have had to re-adjust the seating arrangements in the Ceremonial Room three times already since the guests started arriving. One would think people would behave more professionally at the wedding of an Elite."

Teyla nodded, but was even more convinced that it was not the tiny details that were bothering Zabetha. She probably didn't like Maloo either.

"If you are concerned," Teyla offered, feeling that she was currently the one most in control of her feelings in the room, "we could ask Halling and Si to watch over those you are worried about."

Zabetha smiled at that as she brushed nonexistent dust or dirt from her dress. "I believe they are already watching over a few of them."

Teyla felt something deep ease inside. Halling and Si were here, among the guests. She felt instantly better somehow.

"Sitayi is here," Zabetha added with an exaggerated new smile. They were putting on a good show for her.

"She looks well?" Teyla checked, grateful that Sitayi was well enough to attend, but the fact that the Pelydrian Seer was here made what was about to happen seem even more inevitable. Which was the point, she was just being foolish.

"Truthfully she does look pale," Zabetha reported, "but she appears to have taken to Mr Woolsey today...," she faded off as if suddenly regretting that she was talking about the Earth delegation. Teyla had known Father was going to invite some from Atlantis. It would be important for them to be seen here.

Teyla simply nodded quickly to Zabetha. "Good," she stated. Was John here? She wanted to ask, needed to know, but was frightened to find out the answer. "I am sure that Halling and Si can see her swiftly from the room if she feels unwell at all."

Teyla was almost tempted to ask for her fellow warriors to come and join her now so that she might walk into the Ceremonial Room with them at her side.

"And Maloo?" She asked instead.

"He is here, front and centre of attention," Zabetha replied, her tone distracted, but Teyla heard enough in it to suggest that her sister was not overly impressed by her future brother by marriage.

"Still negotiating?" Teyla asked.

"It seems so," Zabetha smiled tightly. "You never know, you may have some traders putting forward an offering in the ceremony to counter Maloo."

Teyla smiled at her joke, knowing it would not happen. There would be no other offers. The Genii were a thorough people.

Except if they were trying to harm John or those in Atlantis.

The thought darkened her mood and some nervous questions arose again. No, Kolya had been responsible for those events. She would not judge an entire people by such lone actions.

Zabetha checked the time displayed on the wall. "It is time we made a move to the Ceremonial Room. Are you ready, Sister?"

Teyla nodded.

"I shall make sure all is in order," Zabetha fussed and turned away, leading the way out.

But, Teyla held back, turning to Elkaska.

Her uncle looked at her with a soft smile, his mouth closed.

"You have been very quiet, Uncle," she quizzed him gently.

"It is your day, Mistress," he replied formally.

"It is a day for Athos," she corrected him gently.

"It is a day that I wish your mother were here with us," he countered.

Emotion welled up in Teyla's throat, a disastrous companion to the nervous sadness already in her breast. She nodded, understanding his quiet mood now.

"I wish she was here as well," Teyla managed to say without her throat closing up around the old grief.

"I am sure she would have the perfect words to say to you," Elkaska said. "I never had her way with words."

"You certainly share plenty of words," Teyla teased.

He smiled tightly. "I have wondered if there was something that I should have expressed more effectively to stop you going through with this ceremony, but I understand that it is important for you."

"It is," she confirmed. "I have to do something for our people, in the time that I am here."

He nodded, his eyes growing wet. "I simply wish that we lived in a galaxy in which you could choose from your heart, not your head."

"If all politics were run from our hearts, where would we be?" She asked. "Emotions lead to bad decisions."

"And so does logic," he countered, but with a smile. "The Genii themselves are evidence enough of that."

She frowned at the comment. Clearly Charin's opinion that Elkaska did not approve of Maloo was true enough.

"The decision I make has to be based on what will be best for Athos, for the Alliance, and for the Elite as well," she reminded him, and herself.

He nodded. "Maybe that is what needs to change," he considered. "What we think is best for us all."

She frowned at that cryptic logic. "Keeping the Alliance together is what is important, keeping us strong, united."

"Yet what we have already is what is breaking. Maybe what we need is something new to come in and help us evolve."

She could see through his meaning – he felt her affair with John was more beneficial than her marrying a Genii.

"I am trying to bring in something new with this marriage," she explained to him, stepping closer. "An Elite to marry is unusual enough, but in a Political Marriage...it is unheard of, and will draw attention to what is happening."

Elkaska nodded slightly, his wet eyes soft on her. "I just hope they appreciate what you are doing, blessed daughter of my sister."

Teyla smiled up at him, her eyes swimming in moisture of their own now, though she blinked it away. "I am only getting married, Uncle," she smiled as she reached out and laid her hand on his arm. "Tomorrow will be just as it was today, nothing major will change in our lives."

He smiled again. "Yet perhaps it should."

"Too much change or not enough, make up your mind, Trader," she teased him.

"Are you sure you do not want to put all this political and warrior life aside to become a trader?" He joked, but only slightly. "We could leave now, trade across the stars, perhaps visit Earth."

She laughed up at him and he smiled. "If you are good, perhaps we can arrange you a trip to Earth."

"That would be good," he replied and with that the heavy weight of their exchange had passed. He had said what he felt he needed to and she had heard him.

"You must make sure," she told him as she slipped her hand around his arm as they walked towards the exit from the family area, "that you arrange all the trades you wish. Never before will you have such opportunities as today."

"True enough," he replied. "The party celebrations after the wedding will be very enjoyable for me."

"Just make sure that Charin does not drink too much ruus wine, you know how she was after Zabetha's wedding."

"She was fine, simply too talkative of old stories."

"Stories about me and Zabetha up to no good in our youth," Teyla reminded him.

Elkaska chuckled. "I am sure Honoured Elite Halling and Si will be there to help distract her."

"Yes, that is the problem as well for you know she likes to flirt with Si are a few extra glasses of ruus wine."

Elkaska laughed loudly as they exited out into the public corridors. The mass of distant voices was still obvious within the complex. People were still making their way to the Ceremonial Room. Teyla suspected that Zabetha would be trying to hurriedly herd them all up, whilst still maintaining her elegant poise. Meantime, Teyla and Elkaska took a different route, making their way around behind the route the guests were taking.

"Ha," Elkaska laughed at Teyla's side. "I have never seen an Elite male, and certainly none so large, strong and silent, look so uncomfortable in my life."

Teyla smiled, but the humour was dying away inside, the moment of her marriage was almost upon her. And as time clicked away until that moment, the nervous questions of before were only gathering momentum. Being with her family, even so briefly, had lessened her Elite control and the nervous doubt was returning.

As they reached a crossroads of corridors, she slipped her hand free of Elkaska's arm, brushing her hair from her shoulders as an excuse, but in truth she was gathering her control back into place.

She was an Elite.

This was simply another mission. For the Alliance. For the Elite. For the future.

As she moved across the width of a main hallway towards the other corridor ahead she and Elkaska would take, she looked down the length of the hallway to see the last of the guests were moving into the Ceremonial Room at the far end. Though there were still many crowded in the tight space, and amongst them, the centre of attention indeed, was Maloo.

He was smiling, the most she had seen any Genii smile before, as he exchanged a ritual clasp of forearms with someone. Then another man stepped towards Maloo, a Belkan Teyla believed, and touched his hand to his own chest in respectful greeting to the Genii General. Maloo returned the greeting immediately.

Teyla paused in her steps to watch the display in the distance. No one had noticed her watching, too interested in greeting Maloo to notice. She also suspected that none would expect to see her so far from the Ceremonial Room.

She watched Maloo nodding to others, and then accepting several small pouches from a Pravian ambassador. The pouches would contain currency and likely a precious jewel, as were typical gifts from a Pravian to one getting married.

The trading, negotiating, and interactions were occurring as Teyla had known they would. Peoples from across the Alliance working with each other, forming more ties. Yet, as she watched Maloo accept another pouch from another ambassador, she noted that the pouches were disappearing into Maloo's pockets, and at his side one of his personal guards was tapping details into an electronic pad. It was normal to keep a record of gifts, for clearly Maloo was receiving quite a few.

In fact, as she watched, it seemed to her that the guests around him appeared extremely eager to approach Maloo, eager to hand across small items and more pouches. They were almost grovelling to speak with him.

She frowned at the display.

Maloo was inclining his head and smiling politely as someone passed him another pouch. The pouch again went into his pocket.

Elkaska, who had not noticed she had stopped until now, returned to her side and lightly touched her arm. It was his silent reminder that they should continue onwards on their own route. She nodded faintly in Elkaska's direction, but she kept her eyes on Maloo and his desperate admirers.

This was what she had wanted. This was what a Political Marriage was for...the same powerful people making the same kind of trades in order for the betterment of their own worlds. Where would the contents of those pouches go? Would they find their way to the Genii people, to help their infrastructure and defences? She suspected that they would not. They would most likely sit in Maloo's home, while others were shared with Cowen. Some of the jewels would be sold for currency, again half likely going to Cowen, if not more.

Where had the jewels come from? From worlds outside the Alliance that were still savaged by the Wraith? Dug up by hands desperate for coin and food?

Was this underhanded, behind the official scenes, manner the way that the Alliance was to be held together? And if so, how was her marriage going to improve it in any real way?

She had wanted to increase trade, and clearly it was already occurring, but was it the right kind of trade? Were the right people, the masses of everyday Alliance citizens, going to benefit from this contract, or would it only be those in the highest of positions? Were only certain businesses benefit; those with already with power and connections?

Would such trade improve things in the Alliance, or simply just improve certain careers and certain pockets?

"Teyla?" Elkaska asked worriedly at her side.

She looked around at his quiet question. He seemed concerned as he looked at her.

Aware that a new strange determination was settling over her, she marched forward, across the rest of the width of the corridor and onwards along her and Elkaska's route to the wedding. The discussing hum of the politicians reduced behind her fast steps.

She had hoped that with this contract she could set forth a chain of events that would improve matters within the Alliance. However, now she realised that had been ignorant of her. She was going to have to be much further involved.

She would ensure that this sacrifice she was making would benefit the right people. The Alliance had been borne for mutual survival against the Wraith and the combined strength to force the monsters back.

Teyla would ensure that mandate would continue in the name of her marriage.

She would have to see to it personally.

Elkaska hurried up to her side, having been left behind by her swift steps. "Are you alright?" He asked her, still clearly worried. She wondered if she looked as cross and determined as she felt inside. She mused that her family had probably rarely seen her in this mode.

"I am fine," she replied as she led the way around the next corner. "It is just that something occurred to me, that is all."

Which was that she used to hate the concept of Political Marriages, and she had just remembered why.

Well, her marriage would mean something, it would make a difference. She would see to it that it did.

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TBC