(Thank you, qelah22. I was going to get to that sooner, but I decided there was some more story to explore.)
Chapter 11 - "This is Far Too Entertaining"
-Fourteen Years Old-
"No. No. No. No. You are not interviewing my date."
"Yes, I am," Lantash said sternly.
"You may meet him. Politely!"
"I am your father-"
"You are going to embarrass me."
"He must be polite and clean and punctual-"
"Punctual?! We're just getting to know each other. Moooom," she whined.
"I had to deal with this with your grandfather," Sam teased before laughing. "Lantash, let them have fun. She's not going to be alone."
"Our fourteen year old is dating a man."
"He's barely fifteen," Sam laughed.
"And a man by the standards by his culture."
"He's still just fifteen, and she'll have bodyguards."
Lantash sighed.
~+~+~.
"What are your intentions towards my daughter?" Lantash asked.
"Father," Malika groaned.
Did he seriously just ask that? Sam asked as she gave her father a "I know that question came from you" look.
Jacob shrugged, playing innocent. As promised, he wasn't saying anything. He and Gete just stared at the young man in a "If you hurt her, I'll personally kill you" manner. Malek was there as well, but he was, surprisingly, not trying to intimidate the young man.
"Dancing?" The boy answered in a higher tone than usual. He cleared his throat "Dinner and…dancing." He may have been a "man" by his people's standards, but he was still really just a boy. A mature for his age boy due to harsh living, but still a boy.
Give me control, Martouf thought, thinking he would be less intimidating.
It didn't help.
Needless to say, the date didn't go well.
"She only has a limited number of people she can date," Sam said. "Can we not scare them all off?"
"I didn't say anything," Jacob defended.
"At least put Selmak in control, next time. She's politer, and Gete…what was that?"
"I know what young men want."
"You don't know what he wants."
"Yes, I do. I've been a young man, and I certainly wasn't a virgin when I married."
"You also didn't sleep with Toval on the first date."
"No. We had sex on the second date… I think." He frowned, not really sure what counted as a date. "I am simply protecting my niece from men like me."
"Men like you?" Sam laughed. "I've slept with more men than you have."
He seemed to freeze at that. "Really?"
"I would want her to date someone like you."
"You would?"
"You were never a wolf among sheep. That's just not you."
"What is a sheep?"
"My point is, you have only slept with people you have loved...aside from your wife." She knew Gete had to marry a woman for political reasons.
He lifted his hand slightly. "Regardless, I was simply protecting my niece."
"And what does glaring do?"
"It keeps her safe. I glared at my daughters' betrothals, and my father-in-law glared at me."
"If I recall, you mouthed off to him whenever he tried to be dominant."
"Well…true."
"And you slept with his son anyway."
"Uh… Someone want to help me here?"
"No," Malek laughed. "This is far too entertaining."
He sighed.
"My wolf," Malek assured said as he pulled him close and growled.
He grinned and gave him a quick kiss.
"She has bodyguards. Nothing is going to happen."
They did go easier on the second date…a little.
The third date was a woman. With all the emphasis on what "all young men want" Malika thought they would go easier if her date were female.
She was wrong.
After a few more failed dates, she gave up. She flopped on her back by Iasis' main pool.
"Bad?"
"Other Tok'ra have managed to make this their business as well."
Iasis squealed in amusement.
"It's not funny!"
"They love you."
"The last two canceled on me before the date even started."
"If bad now, imagine when both of us."
Malika's eyes widened.
~+~+~.
Later, Per'sus jerked as he woke up. He stilled. Einar was in control and sleeping, and Per'sus didn't want to wake him with his wiggles. His host was still having the very nightmares that had awoken Per'sus.
Versha, Per'sus reached into the dreams. Though she died long before Einar was born, they met in nightmares.
All the ways she might have suffered before Ra killed her.
Or worse, what if she was still suffering? What if a Goa'uld had taken her?
He could at least let Einar rescue her in his dreams. He worked for several minutes, soothing a nightmare into a pleasant dream.
He got up after, afraid to go back to sleep. He found himself meandering, and suddenly, he was looking at Iasis.
She was swimming in tight circles. She didn't respond to him, but he knew that she knew he was there. She finally stopped, then swam dizzily.
"I used to do that."
She turned upside down for a second as she swam.
Per'sus smiled.
"Young One."
"Hm." His larva name. Cordesh had called him that long after they blended. "I apologize if I'm disturbing you."
"Nightmares?"
"Unfortunately."
She made a sad squeak.
Per'sus put his hand in the water, smiling when she came. He gently lifted her. He gently scratched her fins as a she relaxed in his hand.
"Have you slept?" He sat against the wall.
"Little."
"Why does sleep elude you?"
"Playing."
He laughed a bit, and she looked to him as he yawned. She nuzzled against his hand and relaxed.
~+~+~.
Well, that's something I never thought I would see.
Lantash smirked slightly as he saw Per'sus asleep against the wall with Iasis wrapped around his hand.
How the crystals does he keep his hair perfect while he's asleep on the floor? Martouf wondered.
Einar opened his eyes slowly, then looked confused. "Lantash." He sat up quickly. "What do you wish to discuss?"
Lantash smiled, not responding as the half awake Einar slowly realized he wasn't in his quarters.
"Why am I on the floor?"
"You'll have to ask Councilor Per'sus. I just arrived."
Einar sighed, then pet a sleeping Iasis. Her skin was dry, and he knew she needed to be in water.
Lantash offered a hand to help him up.
Einar accepted, then rubbed his back.
"Is something wrong?"
"Nothing of concern." He knew that only Iasis knew about the nightmares, and that was because she caught on when sneaking into their quarters. "I think you might have bigger concerns." He gestured.
Lantash turned to see that Malika was upset. "Malika?"
Einar put Iasis in the water. She sank slightly, then twitched in her sleep.
Malika looked to Iasis.
"What's wrong?"
Einar left so that they could talk.
"I need sister help, not father help."
That hurt a little, even though Lantash realized it was irrational. "She's asleep. Let me make your breakfast, and then you can talk when she's awake."
She looked pouty.
Lantash smiled. "Breakfast will rouse her."
She nodded, then followed him.
"Do you want pancakes?"
"I'm not eight."
"I wasn't aware of an age limit on pancakes." He cut some citrus bread instead. "Your grandma likes pancakes, and she's over two thousand years old."
Malika took out eggs and began scrambling them with cheese.
Lantash looked to her. "Simple breakfast?"
"Yeah."
He cut some apples, then made apple sauce for Iasis.
He was hoping for a family breakfast, even though Sam was currently on Earth. Malika ate quickly though, finishing before Iasis arrived. Then she was annoyed that she had to wait until Iasis was done.
"It takes time to absorb food," Lantash said as Iasis rolled in a mix of eggs and apple sauce.
Malika sprinkled bread crumbs on her, smiling as Iasis chirped her thanks.
"I'll leave so that you can talk," Lantash offered as he stood. He kissed the top of Malika's head, then gave Iasis a gentle stroke, which got food on his fingers. He wiped it off before leaving.
Iasis looked to Malika as she rested in her bowl. It would be several minutes before she absorbed enough calories.
Malika smiled, then sighed. "Iasis?"
"Sister."
"How important is it to have…male material when giving birth?"
Iasis squeaked confusion.
"What I mean is… I don't think I like boys."
"I know."
"You do?"
"You like girls."
Malika sat up. "Why didn't you tell me?!"
"I thought you knew."
"Oh." She brushed her hair back.
"Why problem?"
"You need male genetic material."
Iasis wiggled and squealed in laughter.
Malika frowned. "Well…that's what I heard Delek say."
"Leaf no queen. I queen."
Malika smiled. "You don't need…man stuff?"
"No."
Malika sighed in relief.
Iasis jumped out of her bowl into one filled with water. After a quick bath, she jumped towards Malika.
Malika pet her older sister. "I was scared."
"There always options."
Malika sat back slightly as she picked her up.
"I tell Delek?"
"No." Malika frowned slightly. "I might have misunderstood him. I was sort of listening when I should not have been."
Iasis squealed with amusement.
"I'm going to miss this. Your squeaks. Holding you. Your kisses."
Iasis jumped on to Malika's shoulder and nipped the back of her neck. "I will live there. We be even closer."
Malika smiled.