As the reddish Allaran sun descended below the horizon, the New Lanteans headed back to the Maiden and the Krall, carrying parts of a surprisingly well-preserved Ancient device.
On the main road, a young man with a long stick was igniting the streetlights. In front of a small tavern where patrons were starting to gather for the evening, a hungry black and white cat-like creature was rubbing against people's legs for a few scraps, and a couple of kids seemed to be rushing home for dinner.
The spice shop, the carpet shop, the jeweller's, the tailor's and the chemist's were all closed. But a small place with a beautifully painted sign that said "Antiques and Divination" seemed to still be open. A warm light was shining from within.
"Hey, a fortune teller! I haven't been to one since college. Guys, let's get our fortunes told in another galaxy!" Marie quipped excitedly.
"Yeah, let's see if she can tell us if James is ever going to propose."
"Don't be a rotten Krall egg, Gareth."
"Well, if she gives us a group discount, I'm up for some fun."
A chime accompanied their entrance through the low door. A quiet woman with graying hair and wary eyes, but the taut features of one still young, was knitting in a rocking chair. She smiled at the strangely attired, dusty customers.
"Ah, a party of nonbelievers. And you would like a reduced price."
"She's good, guys, I told you."
"No, young one, I just know people", the woman smiled. "Very well. I will tell you each a couple of things for a silver piece. You will get your entertainment and I will get to relieve my boredom. And in the meantime, please look around, see if you like something."
The diviner extended her small hand. "Give me your left palm, young lady."
Marie did so and the lady looked at it pensively.
"So, when am I getting married?"
"You will not be wedded in a white dress. I am sorry if that is your wish. But for all intents and purposes, you will be 'married' no more than sixty cycles from now. You will have a loving partner and live a very long life."
She eyed the young nurse with a wistful smile and the air of a strange understanding.
"You are a healer, and you will learn much and teach much. You will birth warriors and be honoured by another name."
"Yikes on the marriage part... But yippee on the long life! Guess not many people can say that in this galaxy, especially in our line of work. She did get that right. So how long are we talking?" She asked with a big smile.
"Longer than you expect. Much, much longer. Cherish his love and his Gift. You", she turned and pointed at Agata, before Marie could reply. "Show me your left palm."
Agata did so, and the woman smiled. "You will get married in a white dress, in a tall building with painted windows. But your marriage will be an unusual one. You are a powerful woman between two powerful men."
"Hey, I didn't ask about marriage, that's Marie's thing", Agata laughed. "Tell me about my work, will I amount to anything?"
"Yes. You will accomplish great things, working together with one of your men and under the eye of the other. You will make and discover wonders. You will write about them and talk about them in front of many people. The very device you are carrying is the start of your journey." A shadow passed over the woman's handsome features. "But there is an illness in your loins and you will bear no children."
"She's right, I have endo..." Agata whispered.
"You", she pointed at Emily.
"Oh, I'm the translator. Not hoping to make wonders. But knock yourself out." Emily took off her left glove and extended her palm.
The woman's eyes widened, she blanched and fell to her knees.
"Whoa! Ma'am, no offense, but your silver piece is guaranteed. No need for theatrics. Tell me I'm going to live long, like Marie, and let's be done with it."
"Perdonam, mi Reina, bet dich. You are going to live a long life, and woe to your enemies", the woman bowed her head, trembling slightly. "Stories will be told about you, and you will lead many men in victory. You will change them and take them to Earth. You try to escape your destiny, but you cannot."
She took the Lantean woman's hands in hers and cradled her cheek in Emily gloved palm. "I hope someday you will remember me and make me worthy of your Gift. I will be waiting."
"Holy shit", murmured Evan. "She said no theatrics, dude. Speaking in tongues, and the creepy Earth thing... I'll have a word with Teyla about pranking us like that."
"Nice, nice, but I bet I won't outlive Marie," laughed Emily. "And what about them kids and hunky husband? I want the full package apart from victory in my fierce battles against Ancient inscriptions."
"You have birthed two already, and they are powerful. But you will birth more."
"Yikes. I don't think so, I'm kinda old for that... I was just kidding..."
"Yet you will bear more by your five men."
"Five? Holy shit!"
"Hey, I'm the polygamous one!" laughed Agata. "Don't steal my thunder!"
"My friend, you can totally have the multiples. My life won't be very long if I have to juggle five men." She wiggled her eyebrows at Agata. "But thanks, ma'am, you made an old lady feel desirable, you're getting an extra silver for that. Stand up. Now."
The woman rose, head bowed, and fell silent.
"Okay, this is getting creepy, do him." Emily pointed at Evan, who stuck out his hand.
The woman looked awed. "Your wish was to paint the world in brighter colours. But you lost a dear one and stepped in their place. You fight to protect the City of the Ancestors and you will lead it to many victories one day. Remember me then, great warrior with the heart of a poet."
"Hehe, so I'm going to lead Atlantis? Doubt it, the IOA won't like me much. Will I live to see 50?"
"Your years will be many. As many as she grants you", said the woman pointing to Emily. A little weirded out, Lorne side-eyed Emily and she grinned at him.
"Do me", said Radek excitedly. "Will I have many victories?"
"Against McKay at chess, maybe!"
The woman took his hand. "You will aid in many. You will take the place of the one named like a woman who leads you now. Your mind will bring glory to the Ancestral city, and all who meet you will wish to work with you and learn from you. A battle action will be named after you here, and a place of learning in the city you come from."
"Hey, you're giving the little guy a big head. We already have one of those in the city", Gareth smiled and extended his palm to be read.
"You and your lover will be asked to return to the place you come from not twenty cycles from now, to work with one who was once Ascended. He will teach you a lot, and you will teach him things in turn. Yes, your lover will ask for your hand. You will have offspring of your loins together, though how that is possible with two men I have yet to understand. You will live together in a place fit for a prince, that you do not yet know about. You will come back when you are older and wiser, but they will not join you then."
"Nah, mate", James patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I don't want kids. And I'll follow you anywhere."
"James, are you some kind of royalty or something, dude?"
"No, don't worry about it. We're not exactly poor, but…"
"Do you or do you not own a castle, like the lady said?"
"It's more of a manor. I'm next in line as Earl of Hardwicke. But we're not princes or the like."
"Holy shit, we've been together for two years, when were you gonna tell me?"
"Well, I figured you'd find out when I proposed. I'm not on very good terms with my family anyway... So living at Wimpole Hall is not very likely." He turned to the woman and laughed. "Nice work, ma'am, you really threw a spanner in my works. Now tell Piotr and Katie they're getting married and you've got us all."
Shily, Katie extended her hand. The woman looked at it and smiled.
"Your soul is like a passionflower, and it will bloom, but not in this place. You will be wedded and have offspring, and you will put off your work to care for them. Your man will be strong and loving and he will make a home for you in a place that is wide and green, surrounded by animals and flowers." She looked at Piotr and winked.
"Well, I guess Katie takes the jackpot after all, as usual!" laughed Agata. "She's always beating us at poker, ma'am."
"Doesn't that mean that I should be un-lucky in love?" giggled Katie.
"It should, but it seems life ain't fair, is it now? I'm baptizing your kids and they're calling me Auntie, or so help me I'll steal your poodle and breed her with one of those Pegasus wolves. And piss in your flowerbeds."
With Katie's bucolic news, everyone's cheer had returned, and Evan thought it best to end the session on a high note.
"Come on, guys, pay the lady and let's go eat something! My stomach's growling and if I don't put some meat in it soon, I swear I'm gonna eat one of you."
The silver pieces came out and everyone rowdily filed for the exit. Last in line, Emily turned to the diviner and smiled.
"I hope we'll meet again."
"I will pray for your health and happiness, mi Reina. Thank you for giving me a glimpse of a future brighter than I thought."
"The war's not over."
"No, it is not. But now I have hope of a new home."
"We shall see, good lady. If we meet again, and you are sure."
She turned and left to join her friends, followed by the woman's longing gaze.
"Dude, how weird was that?" a shaken Gareth asked, eyeing James accusingly.
"I know… especially her part, about the five men and 'leading them to Earth'. And the kneeling... That was creepy."
"Oh, don't throw me under the bus to save your hide!" laughed Emily. "She knew about us from Teyla, obviously, otherwise where would she get the Earth thing from? And she's good at her job, she knows how to hook her customers. I'll grant you, the worshipper act was unnerving, but we are in the Pegasus galaxy, there was bound to be some of that. What about Marie with 'his Gift' and all?"
"Marie, you vixen. You're marrying a Wraith, aren't you?"
"Wouldn't put it past her wild ass."
"Taming a Wraith, more like. She'll be gifting him the chancla in no time! Is there even a Korean chancla? There must be, you're real hard-asses over there."
"Stop it, guys! I'm not marrying a damn Wraith. Though, I mean… they aren't exactly bad-looking. Don't tell me you've never thought, in the privacy of…"
The ladies shrieked with laughter and James teasingly elbowed Marie.
"Come on, the guy in Atlantis cleaned up nicely! That Killers t-shirt fits him just so, and I'm sure whoever picked those jeans considered the way his green ass would look in them."
"Dude! I'm telling him!"
"Shut the fuck up, Emily, or I'll have my guy feed on you when we get married."