Fic: The Sorcerer King - Part 2 of 2 (McKay/Sheppard, NC-17)
Title: The Sorcerer King
Author: tarlanx
Recipient: 2of7
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard, with mentions of former McKay/Lorne and Sheppard/Mitchell
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Not Mine!
Word Count: ~13,400
Author's Note: 2of7 requested: McKay/Sheppard; McKay/Lorne; McKay/Mitchell; angsty stories with whump, H/C and a happy ending (I love happy endings) AU; fusions (my favourite would be the Pretender, with McKay as Jarod, but other movies and tv-show are great too)
They would not like: Death!fic, non-con, unhappy endings
I've never seen The Pretender but I did a little nosing around and discovered you liked Merlin. Originally I planned to write a fusion with Merlin but your story took on a life of its own. I do hope you enjoy it nonetheless. Merry Christmas!
Author's Note 2: I have several wonderful betas to thank for their help and advice while I was writing this story, but I hope they won't mind if I wait until after the reveal to name them.
Summary: In a time of magic, when Prince John mounts a rescue to save his family's oldest friend, he discovers more than just an ally in the sorcerer, Rodney McKay, as they seek to overthrow the Wraith Queen of Atlantis.
( The Sorcerer King - Part 1 of 2 )
#~#~#~#~#~##~#~#~#~#~#
They reached the raised end of a long valley after eight hours of hard riding. As John stared into the valley below, he could make out the distant figures of the band of men who had captured Woolsey. They were working their way down to the valley floor towards a strange geometric spire visible above the canopy of trees. John angled his horse so Rodney could see too.
"Atlantis," Rodney whispered reverently. "The Lost City."
"Hardly lost if you know where to find it," John sent back.
"Lost to the Wraith, not to time." Rodney sighed. "It's said that King Myddrin recalled it from an ocean on a world circling a distant star, to save his people. It destroyed the great sky ship of the Wraith, trapping them on this world where they were slowly hunted down and slain."
"A flying city," John deadpanned.
Rodney rolled his eyes. "Why not? The legends describe the Wraith's sky ship as being the size of a small city."
"Well, if Myddrin brought it here to save us then why was it lost to the Wraith?"
"According to legend, it was damaged in the battle and crashed to Earth. It's magical cloak made it impossible for any to enter until a few years before my birth. The Wraith Queen seized it and has held it since."
"I thought the legend said Myddrin killed her. Cut off her head with the Sword of Atlantis."
"And so he did." Rodney huffed softly, glancing away. "I guess that's the nature of legends. Too many gaps in the logic."
Even though Lorne and Ronon's men had started after them, John knew there was little chance of them catching up and freeing Woolsey before they reached the tower. He needed to get in there and rescue Woolsey before the Wraith Queen got hold of him, and to do that John had a strong feeling he would need Rodney's skills with magic.
John swore softly under his breath as the brigands met up with a larger group; too many for the Lanteans to battle alone.
"We need to warn..."
"Already on it," Rodney stated, and John watched over his shoulder as Rodney held up a glowing blue orb and murmured Ancients words. Looking back down the valley slope he saw the Lanteans slow, no longer riding headlong into danger. Without the distraction from Lorne's people, his chances of sneaking into Atlantis were vastly reduced.
The sound of running feet caught his attention and he pulled his horse around as one of the younger Lanteans--left behind to watch over the camp--came up to him.
"Riders approaching camp. At least a hundred of them!"
"This day is getting worse by the minute," John murmured angrily. He galloped back towards the camp, hoping the ones left behind had shown good sense to run or ride away. As he entered, the first of the enemy rode into the camp.
No. Not an enemy.
"Teyla!"
The Warrior Queen of the Athosians grinned hard across the camp's clearing, cantering to meet John halfway and clasping his shoulders to touch foreheads with him in greeting. She pulled back and eyed him indulgently.
"Prince John! I heard of the ambush and sent men immediately but none could find you among the dead. I feared you had been captured with Lord Woolsey."
"No, I was..." John glanced over his shoulder and bit his lip at Rodney's slack-jawed expression of awe. "My lady, my I present my rescuer, Rodney McKay."
Teyla's eyebrow rose a fraction before she inclined her head regally. "I have heard great and kind words of you, King Meredith of Lantea."
"King?" John glared at Rodney, who looked suitably contrite and yet indignant at the same time.
"Oh you can talk...Prince John of Medea!" Rodney shook his head, looking dismayed. "Not to cut short this wonderful reunion but I have half my army down the slope only a hairsbreadth away from total annihilation by the Wraith Queen's followers."
"Half?"
Rodney fidgeted nervously, eyes shifting away as if he had something to hide. "The Wraith Queen has been moving through my lands since before I was born, subjugating... and eating my people. Those she hasn't eaten she has cast a spell over, turning them into her mindless followers who worship her. When I saw the omens that called on me to save you, I knew the time had come to face her."
"And yet you did not seek the help of the Athosians," Teyla narrowed her eyes.
"Our borders are so weak. I couldn't risk..." Rodney trailed off.
"You couldn't risk my father learning of your current weakness," John stated sourly, aware that King Patrick would have taken it as a sign to purge all of Lantea and see Rodney's people burned or enslaved depending on whether or not they used magic.
"Yes, well, I guess that's inevitable now," Rodney added waspishly.
"No. I'm not planning on telling my father anything. We still ride for Atlantis and we break this spell the Wraith Queen has over your people. Then we cut off her head, save Lord Woolsey, and return triumphant... using your magic."
"That's all?" Rodney asked scathingly.
"Unless you have something else to add to the list?" John looked back to his childhood friend. "Teyla?"
She eyed them sadly. "Once the Wraith Queen has taken the lands of the Lantean, she will turn her greedy eyes to Athos. Lord Kanaan and my army are already joining forces with yours. I am with you both."
John frowned, "Teyla, maybe you should stay..."
"No. And we do not have the luxury of debating this matter a moment longer."
"Then I guess we'd best start riding hard for Atlantis."
#~#~#~#~#~#
They stood on the edge of the final clearing, looking up at the tower from the cover of the trees. The diversion seemed to be working as Rodney could see only a few sentries guarding the entrance but the guards barely looked human. Their faces were concealed behind bone-like plates, their hair was a stringy white mess, and their skin almost bluish-green in the sunlight.
"Are they human?" John asked.
"No. Wraith drones," Rodney stated softly, recognizing them from the Ancient literature and old tales passed down through the generations. If those old tales were correct then it was almost impossible to kill them as they were made of the same bad magic as the Wraith Queen, cast for immortality. "We need to lure them away from the entrance and sneak in."
"Teyla has her bow, she could..."
"One arrow won't kill them, or even a dozen."
"Cutting their heads off would." John drew the sword from its scabbard, "According to legend."
"What part of the word sneaking don't you understand?" Rodney drew himself up straight. "Watch and learn, Sheppard." He murmured softly and the forest far off to their right crackled as if being trampled by several feet. The Wraith drones moved towards the sound and as soon as they were out of the way, Teyla, John and Rodney made for the entrance.
"Do I want to know what this is?" John asked as he used the sword to push away shredded curtains of what looked like flayed human skin.
"Probably not." Rodney screwed up his nose in distaste. It smelled of death too and he shrank in on himself to avoid touching any of it. The walls seemed to be coated in the same nasty organic substance but here and there Rodney could see the beauty of the walls beneath. He stopped looking the first time he saw the desiccated remains of a woman staring back at him. They moved along the corridors in silence, passing through doors that looked as though they had remained open for centuries. The sound of marching feet behind them sent Rodney looking to the others in panic.
"Quick, in here!" John pulled them towards a hidden alcove, pushing through the nasty organic material. Four Wraith drones passed moments later without ever turning their heads in their direction. John looked out and pulled back quickly, swearing under his breath. "They've stationed themselves just ahead, blocking our way forward."
Rodney saw him hardening his expression and gripping his sword tighter; he grabbed John's arm seconds before he stepped out and revealed their presence.
"Wait! I have an idea."
Rodney had realized that this was no simple alcove but a recessed doorway. He grimaced as he pushed his hand through the organic mess to locate the door panel, pulling off the cover and touching the crystals within. With a murmur, he cast an opening spell that sent a spark of energy across the crystals and the door parted a fraction, caught on the organic material. Teyla drew out her hunting knife and began to hack at the slimy mess until the door had widened a fraction more, enough for them to squeeze through the gap. John closed the doorway behind them only to turn and express the same dismay that was already filling Rodney. They were in a small room with no other visible exit.
"Great plan, Rodney," John hissed and leaned against the back wall. He straightened immediately as a panel slid open to reveal what looked like a map.
"Wait, wait, wait." Rodney grabbed John's wrist before he could touch the map. "It's a plan of the city." He pointed towards the very center. "We're here, about halfway up the tower. We need to get to a place near the top." He waved a hand over the tower area and shrank back when the panel changed to show a map of the tower. This time he didn't stop John when he touched the top section of the tower.
Nothing happened, and Rodney sighed in disappointment.
"Well, nice as it is, we can't stay here forever, Rodney."
It looked as though they would have to fight their way through the drones after all. John moved towards the door panel and it opened only a fraction, still caught up in what had to be fresh growth of the meat and flesh-like organic material. While he waited for Teyla to cut them a fresh path out, Rodney wondered if it healed itself as rapidly as the Wraith drones.
"Wait! This is a different corridor!"
"How can you tell?" John frowned because the walls were still covered in the same organic material.
"The colors are different. More blues instead of greens. Ha! It worked!"
"What worked?" Teyla asked.
"The old myths spoke of magical rooms where men could move within the city in a blink of an eye." He indicated back to the room behind them. "That must have been one of them."
"So where are we?"
"Near the Hall of the Wraith Queen," he whispered fearfully, feeling the weight of the moment settle heavily upon his shoulders.
It wasn't fair. He was no warrior, having always preferred his books and magic. His older brother should have been king. Not him. Unlike his brother, he had been such a sickly child who couldn't even ride a horse or wield a sword. He couldn't even use magic until Carson's healing potion had given him that gift. In contrast, his brother would have been the brave warrior who became the stuff of legends, saving the Lanteans from the Wraith Queen and driving her from the world forever. It was he who would have wielded the Sword of Atlantis instead of John, but his brother had died five years earlier when the Wraith Queen's followers had seized the last of the great Lantean cities. Their father had died soon after, filled with grief as he saw his lands slipping through his fingers until all that remained was the land bordering Athos and Medea, and even that was debatable following the attack on John just across the border into Medea.
He was the king of nothing.
"Rodney?" John's voice was soft with concern and Rodney looked up in sorrow and shame.
"I'm not a warrior. I'm petty and arrogant, not brave and... This was never supposed to be me."
John smiled gently and clasped Rodney's shoulder. "Yeah. It was. You, me and Teyla... who can seriously kick some ass."
Rodney felt Teyla's small hand upon his. "I think you are very brave, Rodney. And I believe there is a reason why we three were chosen. It is our destiny to rid this world of the Wraith Queen once and for all time."
Rodney took a deep breath to steady himself. "Of course I don't believe in destiny."
"Rodney," Teyla rebuked.
He looked away, filled with guilt. "Yes, yes. Fine. Destiny it is, so shall we?"
Teyla raised her hand as they neared a closed set of doors and spoke softly. "I sense more Wraith beyond these doors."
"How do you know they are Wraith?" Rodney whispered back.
"I do not know for certain. I know only that I have had this feeling since we first encountered the ones below."
"So we proceed with caution," John stated and Rodney rolled his eyes because he'd hoped that was a given. Certainly he had no intention of rushing in like a fool.
"Can you open it?" John asked, and Rodney moved to the door panel.
It was not quite the same as the one he had opened earlier. It was closer in design to the images in the old manuscripts that he had studied so intently as a child. All he needed to do was move two crystals and bridge them with a third... then add a small power spell to induce a spark. He murmured softly. The door opened smoothly and, more importantly, silently. Beyond was a large chamber that Rodney imagined would have looked beautiful without the covering of slimy organic material. As they moved in silently, hugging the wall, he could see a large ring at the far edge of a large raised area, and beyond that he could see weak light filtering in from behind the translucent flesh-like material that hung like macabre curtains.
"Woolsey's not here," John whispered. "They must be holding him elsewhere."
"He is here," Teyla stated softly, "And so is she."
Rodney followed her eyes up what must have once been a magnificent staircase to see a tall female yet inhuman monster descending. Her long hair was midnight black, contrasting strongly against her corpse-like flesh. Her mouth was a slash of red and her eyes slit like a cat or reptile. She studied them as she flowed gracefully down to the marble floor. When she paused at the center of the room, Rodney swallowed hard as she gave a predatory smile before beckoning them to come forward.
Come to me.
He could feel the pull of her in his mind, felt his own limbs jerking to respond against his will. John was a few steps ahead of him, with the Sword of Atlantis dragging in his hand as if John was fighting to retain his grip upon it. Teyla seemed no better off, moving slowly towards the graceful monster. He struggled against her mind call, whimpering when she grinned at his pathetic attempt at resistance, revealing razor sharp, pointed teeth.
Come to me.
Her words echoed through him as his feet obeyed her, climbing the few steps to stand barely ten feet from her. He shuffled closer against his will, still several steps behind John. The sword clattered to the floor.
Kneel.
She raised her hand and he could see the strange slit in her palm; her feeding hand, which she used to suck the soul out of men. Her eyes closed as she demanded answers to questions, stealing those unwilling answers from their minds.
"Such company. A king, a queen... and a prince of Medea, no less." She studied John closely before her inhuman gaze fell upon Rodney again. "I will enjoy feasting upon you, Lantean King."
Rodney shook with fear as she moved to stand before him, with one clawed fingernail trailing down his face and neck to the opening of his shirt. She tore it suddenly, swiftly, before pulling back her hand ready to strike, and he could do nothing to stop her, could not move a single muscle. Her hand slammed down towards him but stopped inches from his chest and Rodney felt her control of his mind and body weakening. He bent backwards away from her...and then the control was gone and it took a moment to realize the warm splatter across his face was her blood.
She stared hard into his eyes, and then her head listed sideways, gaping open at her severed neck and fell; her body dropped to the floor beside it. Behind her was John holding the bloodied Sword of Atlantis in his tight grip. Beside him, Teyla sagged and Rodney knew that it was she who had broken the Wraith Queen's spell over them.
Dead. The Wraith Queen was dead.
#~#~#~#~#~#
The Wraith Queen's decapitated head stared up at him with a shocked expression but John wasted only a single glance at it. He fell to his knees beside Rodney, the sword clattering to the ground as he reached for Rodney's broad shoulders and forced the wide blue eyes to meet his.
"You okay?" John stared hard, waiting for some of the shock to leave Rodney's eyes.
"I'm... She was... She was going to eat me," he stuttered. He touched his chest, pulling aside the torn shirt to peek down at unblemished flesh. John squeezed harder, his fingers digging into strong muscle; he leaned in to press a desperate kiss against Rodney's parted lips.
"You're fine. She didn't touch you," he whispered as he rubbed his cheek against Rodney's.
Teyla leaned down, still breathing raggedly from the fight, and gripped John's forearm tight. "I would suggest... we leave here quickly. I sense more Wraith approaching."
John pulled back, drawing in a ragged breath. "Yeah, I guess they won't take too kindly to me beheading their queen."
He helped Rodney stagger to his feet and pulled him along, heading back towards the door but it opened before they had even reached the few steps leading off the raised area. Two of the muscular, masked drones stood framed in the doorway and a third Wraith moved between them. This one was different, dressed in a coat of black leather, with long white hair and a strange tattoo etched across its exposed face. It glanced from them to the dead queen and back again, its lip curling back in anger to reveal sharp teeth that seemed to serve no purpose if they fed through their hand. The Wraith hissed angrily and stalked towards them with the drones following.
"Rodney, get back!" John pushed Rodney behind him, placing himself between Rodney and the Wraith as the three creatures steadily climbed the few steps. As they backed away towards the center of the chamber, Teyla moved up beside John, pulling her fighting sticks from the holder strapped to her back and gripping them tightly, ready for battle.
The first drone raised a strange silver object and a bolt of blue and white shot out from it. John dodged but not quickly enough, feeling a strange numbness travel across his side where it was struck by the magical lightning. By now the other drone was also aiming at them and John knew he could not afford to be hit again but there was no place to take cover. With no option left to him, he yelled at Rodney, "Run!" and charged forward hoping to buy time for Rodney and Teyla to escape, raising the sword even though he knew the drones had the advantage with their strange magic.
Loud words in the Ancient language echoed around the chamber, and forks of deep blue lightning leaped from Rodney's hands, meeting the bolts of energy from the Wraith drones and forcing them back until they were enveloped and imprisoned by their own weapons. The drones dropped to their knees and John took advantage while they were defenseless, severing both heads in one clean sweep of the razor sharp sword. He turned to see Teyla losing ground as the remaining Wraith fought against her. Rodney sent another bolt towards the Wraith's unprotected back and it arched with a hiss of agony, turning to face him and finding John waiting. Its eyes widened as it was impaled on the Sword of Atlantis, the slit on its feeding hand quivering as it tried to reach for John so it could heal itself with John's soul. Teyla smacked it hard and it fell to its knees before John. Moments later its head was rolling across the floor to join the others.
"Teyla?"
"I sense more coming. We must go!"
They reached the corridor and John was dismayed when he saw seven more of the drones and two of the leather-coated ones turn the corner ahead of them. He readied his sword, took a deep breath and waited, determined to take as many of these creatures with him as possible.
The war cry came from behind the Wraith and John blinked hard in surprise as more than a dozen men raced around the corner, led by Lorne and a tall warrior with dreadlocks and a wickedly curved blade. The Lanteans hacked their way through the drones until none were left alive. Lorne and the dreadlocked warrior came forward, grinning wildly, and John stood back a little as Lorne reached for Rodney, drawing him into a manly hug before letting go and allowing the other warrior to do the same.
"Ronon!" Rodney squeaked as the larger man lifted Rodney off his feet in a rib-crushing hug. Rodney was spluttering with annoyance but John could tell it was just for show. He could sense the pleasure and relief emanating from Rodney.
Lorne bowed his head respectfully, though kept his eyes raised to meet Rodney's. "My King, Atlantis is ours once more."
#~#~#~#~#~#
"Prince John!"
Rodney watched as John greeted the man who had been taken by the Wraith Queen's followers only days earlier. He saw the genuine affection from both men towards each other, and he was grateful they had succeeded in rescuing Lord Woolsey, if only for John's sake. Rodney had the feeling that John had many acquaintances but few close friends, and this Woolsey was one of them. Only one thought spoiled the moment. Now that they had rescued Lord Woolsey, John had no reason to stay.
"Rodney."
Lorne called to him and Rodney followed him across the chamber to where the organic material lay thickest at the base of the grand staircase. He wasn't entirely sure what Lorne was showing him until he recognized the ring adorning the middle finger of the desiccated corpse. His brother. Rodney thought he had come to terms with losing him but now Rodney knew that part of him had still held out a glimmer of hope because they had never found a body... until this moment.
"Do you wish me to send word to your sister?"
Rodney nodded because Jeannie deserved to know. Perhaps it was time to mend the rift between them that had opened when she chose to run away to marry a master of poetry from a nearby town rather than forging an alliance with one of the neighboring kingdoms. Rodney had accused her of sending their already weakened father to his grave, though he could admit now that it was his own fear of becoming king of a dying people that had honed his words to such bitterness.
Their brother, Sumner, was dead.
"Marshall Lorne." Rodney bowed his head respectfully, using the formal address to a warrior as he accepted the ring that Lorne stripped from the body. He slid the ring onto his middle finger, finally at peace with the knowledge that there was no one else left to rule Lantea in his stead. It was his burden to bear. He felt the call to duty and, slowly, Rodney moved back until he stood halfway between the strange circle and the staircase, staring around the large chamber. Closing his eyes he focused inwards, drawing energy from the world surrounding him as he began to murmur an incantation. A pedestal rose smoothly from its hidden recess beneath the floor and, raising his arms, Rodney cast a spell before placing both hands onto the pedestal--palms down. A pale blue light spread across the chamber and, slowly, the organic coating and decayed flesh of the long dead dissolved into the light, leaving behind walls of unsurpassed beauty cast in pale blues and greens. The glow reached the translucent, fleshy curtains and they disappeared too, revealing a beautiful stained glass window. Light streamed through the glass, casting geometric patterns of burnished orange and gold across the marble floor. The glow continued outwards, moving along the corridors, cleansing all the decay and organics of the Wraith in its path until the city was filled with light and beauty once more.
When he opened his eyes he found John standing before him, eyes wide in wonder. Rodney grinned smugly at him, but his pleasure quickly faded when he remembered that John had no reason to remain here much longer. He would willingly offer an alliance of marriage between Lantea and Medea, taking John as his life companion, but he knew King Patrick held a genocidal hatred of all Lanteans and would never agree.
"Teyla has agreed to escort Lord Woolsey to Athos."
"I guess you'll be returning to Medea."
"Are you asking me to go?"
Rodney frowned. "No. But I..."
"Then I'm staying."
"What of your father?"
John grimaced. "Why does he hate the Lanteans so much anyway?"
Rodney sighed and bowed his head. Although the events occurred before his own birth, Rodney knew everything and he wished he didn't have to tell John, aware that he might hate the Lanteans just as much as his father by the time he learned the truth.
"What do you recall of your mother?"
"Nothing. She died when I was only a few months old."
Rodney gave a wry smile. "She was Lantean. My mother's cousin by marriage. She was tall, graceful and beautiful, with long flowing locks of hair the color of midnight." He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice as John frowned at the description. "Do you know how Myddrin defeated the Wraith all those thousands of years ago?"
"Well, he brought this city here to destroy their sky ship, and beheaded their queen."
"Yes. But he also wove a powerful spell that would make the Wraith human, stripping away their memories of their former selves. They joined with the humans. Several thousand years of intermarriage passed, weakening their lineage, and I guess it was inevitable that one day one would be born who would be full Wraith beneath a human cloak of flesh."
Rodney turned away, not wanting to see John's face when he told him that his mother, Elizabeth, was that Wraith in a human body; that a Lantean healing spell to save her and her unborn child, John, had released her from Myddrin's enchantment."
"The Wraith Queen... was my mother." John grabbed his shoulder and pulled him around hard, hands grasping Rodney's torn shirt and pulling him forward until John was right in his face. "You knew this from the moment Teyla revealed my identity. You knew she was my mother and you said nothing. You let me kill my own mother."
Rodney shoved back hard. "She ceased to be your mother the day her insatiable hunger stripped her of the last of her humanity and she fed upon the souls of half your father's household. Family, friends, courtiers and servants alike: Men and women, and even a child. The only reason why you, your brother and your father were spared was because you were not in Medea's court that day." Rodney laughed without humor and lowered his voice. "Your father loved her, and so he blamed Lantea for her loss."
John stared hard at him in anger for several long seconds before turning and striding away without another word.
Rodney had lost him, and even though they had known each other for only a few days, the pain of that loss felt like a knife carving into his chest and cutting his heart out.
#~#~#~#~#~#
John stared out from the battlements looking across the small Athosian town to the countryside beyond, but his thoughts were many miles distant, far across the Atlantean Forest and into the mountains. Teyla's castle had seemed a good place to go to lick his wounds following the revelation about his mother. Certainly it was preferable to returning to Medea and expecting his father to understand what he had done and why. His father would see it as just one more piece of Lantean sorcery and once he learned that John's mother was truly dead and therefore beyond salvation, he would gather his armies and attack Lantea.
John didn't want that. He didn't want to fight King Meredith of Lantea, the Sorcerer King who liked to hide away in the secret chambers beneath the tombs of Ancient Lantean kings. He did not want to see the lands of Lantea laid to waste and its people enslaved or burned at the stake as witches. He had seen how they had suffered under the shadow of the Wraith Queen, how they were far fewer in number following the fall of their great cities. They had a chance to rebuild now, in the legendary city of Atlantis. The city was beautiful, though he had been too angry to see the final result of Rodney's cleansing spell. Instead he had wanted to get as far away as possible from the man who had betrayed him rather than focus on the beauty surrounding him, and yet images remained in his mind of magnificent hallways and delicate design and architecture.
Yet even the wonders of Atlantis paled beside the vivid memory of a single night, when he had held Rodney in his arms.
John sensed Teyla coming up behind him despite the lightness of her steps. She stood beside him in silence, staring out across those same meadows and dense canopy of trees to the distant mountains. He knew from other times when he had come to her to escape his father's displeasure that she would not speak until he was willing to listen. After three days alone in Athos, spent mostly on these battlements, perhaps he was ready now.
"He lied to me."
"A lie of omission, yes, but a necessary lie." She sighed softly, placing her small yet strong hand upon his forearm to turn his attention away from the mountains. "He had little choice, and perhaps he sought only to spare you the pain of knowing you would be killing your own mother."
"If I had known who she was then I could have knocked her out. Rodney could have cast Myddrin's Ancient healing spell and made her human again."
"Oh John, not even the greatest magicians and healers in all of Athos and Lantea know the spell. It is lost in the past, and Rodney knew this. Had you known about her then you might have hesitated when she attacked. She was a powerful sorceress, with her mind controlling many hundreds of her followers, wraith and human alike. She did not need to feed, and yet she would have taken Rodney's life force purely because his mind and soul shone so brightly, filling her with an insatiable hunger."
"How can you know that?"
"I... sensed her thoughts at the end. She knew you were her son and she hated what she had become. John, you cannot blame yourself for ending her life for there was never any hope of saving her except through death. You did what had to be done to save all our lives."
John turned back to stare towards the distant mountains where the city of Atlantis was mostly buried by rocks and trees.
"He still should have told me."
"I know."
John turned sharply at the familiar voice and found Rodney standing at the stone entrance to the battlements. He looked pale and drawn with dark circles under eyes dulled by exhaustion. His mouth was turned down on both edges and his shoulders hunched.
"I'm sorry." His voice cracked on the words.
Teyla squeezed John's arm. "You know all there is to know. You have a choice now, John. You can walk away and be your father's son, or you can offer forgiveness and forge a new bond between the people of Medea and Lantea." She smiled softly. "I will leave you to your decision."
When she reached the doorway she grasped Rodney by his shoulders and pulled him into the traditional greeting, resting her forehead against his. For a few moments they were both still before Teyla pulled away and left without another word. She left Rodney standing alone, playing with the ring on his right hand nervously. He took a hesitant step towards John as if uncertain of his welcome.
"I should have told you everything the moment I realized who you were."
John took in the misery on his expressive face and felt a little remorse for his actions. Teyla's words had resonated with his own thoughts over these past three days and having reflected upon them, he knew Rodney had been right to hold back on that knowledge.
"No. If I had known then I would have hesitated, and you would be dead: Probably Teyla too. Still doesn't mean I won't kick your ass if you ever lie to me again."
He watched as the misery lifted from Rodney's face, seeing a glimmer of hope spark in the blue eyes and in that moment John knew that what he truly wanted was Rodney, with his quirky smile, nimble fingers and quick mind. Sex was easy once he knew both partners were in agreement but he was unused to raw emotional displays, embarrassed and ill-equipped to handle such things. However, he knew he had to take the first step now or lose Rodney, perhaps forever. He moved towards him slowly and reached out, suddenly knowing what to do. He held Rodney's shoulders and bowed his head, only letting out the breath he was holding when he felt Rodney's hands grip him in turn and his forehead press against John's. They stood there for several minutes, simply breathing in each other's scent, asking and giving silent forgiveness. Their foreheads slid apart as arms wrapped firmly around each other, cheek sliding against cheek until they were kissing, pouring all their regrets and needs into the other.
John kept one arm around Rodney as he led him back to the battlement wall, feeling Rodney's arm tight around his waist and head resting on his shoulder as they stared across the meadows and forest to the mountains. He knew his father would never agree to the alliance and would likely disinherit him but John didn't care. In time David would have the throne of Medea and perhaps then the lands of Medea and Lantea could put aside the bleakness of the past and move towards a brighter future. Until then, he could help rebuild the amazing flying city of Atlantis that was no longer lost but, more importantly, he had a chance to rebuild the future of this world with the Sorcerer King he had come to love: Rodney.
FINI
Author: tarlanx
Recipient: 2of7
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard, with mentions of former McKay/Lorne and Sheppard/Mitchell
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Not Mine!
Word Count: ~13,400
Author's Note: 2of7 requested: McKay/Sheppard; McKay/Lorne; McKay/Mitchell; angsty stories with whump, H/C and a happy ending (I love happy endings) AU; fusions (my favourite would be the Pretender, with McKay as Jarod, but other movies and tv-show are great too)
They would not like: Death!fic, non-con, unhappy endings
I've never seen The Pretender but I did a little nosing around and discovered you liked Merlin. Originally I planned to write a fusion with Merlin but your story took on a life of its own. I do hope you enjoy it nonetheless. Merry Christmas!
Author's Note 2: I have several wonderful betas to thank for their help and advice while I was writing this story, but I hope they won't mind if I wait until after the reveal to name them.
Summary: In a time of magic, when Prince John mounts a rescue to save his family's oldest friend, he discovers more than just an ally in the sorcerer, Rodney McKay, as they seek to overthrow the Wraith Queen of Atlantis.
( The Sorcerer King - Part 1 of 2 )
#~#~#~#~#~##~#~#~#~#~#
They reached the raised end of a long valley after eight hours of hard riding. As John stared into the valley below, he could make out the distant figures of the band of men who had captured Woolsey. They were working their way down to the valley floor towards a strange geometric spire visible above the canopy of trees. John angled his horse so Rodney could see too.
"Atlantis," Rodney whispered reverently. "The Lost City."
"Hardly lost if you know where to find it," John sent back.
"Lost to the Wraith, not to time." Rodney sighed. "It's said that King Myddrin recalled it from an ocean on a world circling a distant star, to save his people. It destroyed the great sky ship of the Wraith, trapping them on this world where they were slowly hunted down and slain."
"A flying city," John deadpanned.
Rodney rolled his eyes. "Why not? The legends describe the Wraith's sky ship as being the size of a small city."
"Well, if Myddrin brought it here to save us then why was it lost to the Wraith?"
"According to legend, it was damaged in the battle and crashed to Earth. It's magical cloak made it impossible for any to enter until a few years before my birth. The Wraith Queen seized it and has held it since."
"I thought the legend said Myddrin killed her. Cut off her head with the Sword of Atlantis."
"And so he did." Rodney huffed softly, glancing away. "I guess that's the nature of legends. Too many gaps in the logic."
Even though Lorne and Ronon's men had started after them, John knew there was little chance of them catching up and freeing Woolsey before they reached the tower. He needed to get in there and rescue Woolsey before the Wraith Queen got hold of him, and to do that John had a strong feeling he would need Rodney's skills with magic.
John swore softly under his breath as the brigands met up with a larger group; too many for the Lanteans to battle alone.
"We need to warn..."
"Already on it," Rodney stated, and John watched over his shoulder as Rodney held up a glowing blue orb and murmured Ancients words. Looking back down the valley slope he saw the Lanteans slow, no longer riding headlong into danger. Without the distraction from Lorne's people, his chances of sneaking into Atlantis were vastly reduced.
The sound of running feet caught his attention and he pulled his horse around as one of the younger Lanteans--left behind to watch over the camp--came up to him.
"Riders approaching camp. At least a hundred of them!"
"This day is getting worse by the minute," John murmured angrily. He galloped back towards the camp, hoping the ones left behind had shown good sense to run or ride away. As he entered, the first of the enemy rode into the camp.
No. Not an enemy.
"Teyla!"
The Warrior Queen of the Athosians grinned hard across the camp's clearing, cantering to meet John halfway and clasping his shoulders to touch foreheads with him in greeting. She pulled back and eyed him indulgently.
"Prince John! I heard of the ambush and sent men immediately but none could find you among the dead. I feared you had been captured with Lord Woolsey."
"No, I was..." John glanced over his shoulder and bit his lip at Rodney's slack-jawed expression of awe. "My lady, my I present my rescuer, Rodney McKay."
Teyla's eyebrow rose a fraction before she inclined her head regally. "I have heard great and kind words of you, King Meredith of Lantea."
"King?" John glared at Rodney, who looked suitably contrite and yet indignant at the same time.
"Oh you can talk...Prince John of Medea!" Rodney shook his head, looking dismayed. "Not to cut short this wonderful reunion but I have half my army down the slope only a hairsbreadth away from total annihilation by the Wraith Queen's followers."
"Half?"
Rodney fidgeted nervously, eyes shifting away as if he had something to hide. "The Wraith Queen has been moving through my lands since before I was born, subjugating... and eating my people. Those she hasn't eaten she has cast a spell over, turning them into her mindless followers who worship her. When I saw the omens that called on me to save you, I knew the time had come to face her."
"And yet you did not seek the help of the Athosians," Teyla narrowed her eyes.
"Our borders are so weak. I couldn't risk..." Rodney trailed off.
"You couldn't risk my father learning of your current weakness," John stated sourly, aware that King Patrick would have taken it as a sign to purge all of Lantea and see Rodney's people burned or enslaved depending on whether or not they used magic.
"Yes, well, I guess that's inevitable now," Rodney added waspishly.
"No. I'm not planning on telling my father anything. We still ride for Atlantis and we break this spell the Wraith Queen has over your people. Then we cut off her head, save Lord Woolsey, and return triumphant... using your magic."
"That's all?" Rodney asked scathingly.
"Unless you have something else to add to the list?" John looked back to his childhood friend. "Teyla?"
She eyed them sadly. "Once the Wraith Queen has taken the lands of the Lantean, she will turn her greedy eyes to Athos. Lord Kanaan and my army are already joining forces with yours. I am with you both."
John frowned, "Teyla, maybe you should stay..."
"No. And we do not have the luxury of debating this matter a moment longer."
"Then I guess we'd best start riding hard for Atlantis."
#~#~#~#~#~#
They stood on the edge of the final clearing, looking up at the tower from the cover of the trees. The diversion seemed to be working as Rodney could see only a few sentries guarding the entrance but the guards barely looked human. Their faces were concealed behind bone-like plates, their hair was a stringy white mess, and their skin almost bluish-green in the sunlight.
"Are they human?" John asked.
"No. Wraith drones," Rodney stated softly, recognizing them from the Ancient literature and old tales passed down through the generations. If those old tales were correct then it was almost impossible to kill them as they were made of the same bad magic as the Wraith Queen, cast for immortality. "We need to lure them away from the entrance and sneak in."
"Teyla has her bow, she could..."
"One arrow won't kill them, or even a dozen."
"Cutting their heads off would." John drew the sword from its scabbard, "According to legend."
"What part of the word sneaking don't you understand?" Rodney drew himself up straight. "Watch and learn, Sheppard." He murmured softly and the forest far off to their right crackled as if being trampled by several feet. The Wraith drones moved towards the sound and as soon as they were out of the way, Teyla, John and Rodney made for the entrance.
"Do I want to know what this is?" John asked as he used the sword to push away shredded curtains of what looked like flayed human skin.
"Probably not." Rodney screwed up his nose in distaste. It smelled of death too and he shrank in on himself to avoid touching any of it. The walls seemed to be coated in the same nasty organic substance but here and there Rodney could see the beauty of the walls beneath. He stopped looking the first time he saw the desiccated remains of a woman staring back at him. They moved along the corridors in silence, passing through doors that looked as though they had remained open for centuries. The sound of marching feet behind them sent Rodney looking to the others in panic.
"Quick, in here!" John pulled them towards a hidden alcove, pushing through the nasty organic material. Four Wraith drones passed moments later without ever turning their heads in their direction. John looked out and pulled back quickly, swearing under his breath. "They've stationed themselves just ahead, blocking our way forward."
Rodney saw him hardening his expression and gripping his sword tighter; he grabbed John's arm seconds before he stepped out and revealed their presence.
"Wait! I have an idea."
Rodney had realized that this was no simple alcove but a recessed doorway. He grimaced as he pushed his hand through the organic mess to locate the door panel, pulling off the cover and touching the crystals within. With a murmur, he cast an opening spell that sent a spark of energy across the crystals and the door parted a fraction, caught on the organic material. Teyla drew out her hunting knife and began to hack at the slimy mess until the door had widened a fraction more, enough for them to squeeze through the gap. John closed the doorway behind them only to turn and express the same dismay that was already filling Rodney. They were in a small room with no other visible exit.
"Great plan, Rodney," John hissed and leaned against the back wall. He straightened immediately as a panel slid open to reveal what looked like a map.
"Wait, wait, wait." Rodney grabbed John's wrist before he could touch the map. "It's a plan of the city." He pointed towards the very center. "We're here, about halfway up the tower. We need to get to a place near the top." He waved a hand over the tower area and shrank back when the panel changed to show a map of the tower. This time he didn't stop John when he touched the top section of the tower.
Nothing happened, and Rodney sighed in disappointment.
"Well, nice as it is, we can't stay here forever, Rodney."
It looked as though they would have to fight their way through the drones after all. John moved towards the door panel and it opened only a fraction, still caught up in what had to be fresh growth of the meat and flesh-like organic material. While he waited for Teyla to cut them a fresh path out, Rodney wondered if it healed itself as rapidly as the Wraith drones.
"Wait! This is a different corridor!"
"How can you tell?" John frowned because the walls were still covered in the same organic material.
"The colors are different. More blues instead of greens. Ha! It worked!"
"What worked?" Teyla asked.
"The old myths spoke of magical rooms where men could move within the city in a blink of an eye." He indicated back to the room behind them. "That must have been one of them."
"So where are we?"
"Near the Hall of the Wraith Queen," he whispered fearfully, feeling the weight of the moment settle heavily upon his shoulders.
It wasn't fair. He was no warrior, having always preferred his books and magic. His older brother should have been king. Not him. Unlike his brother, he had been such a sickly child who couldn't even ride a horse or wield a sword. He couldn't even use magic until Carson's healing potion had given him that gift. In contrast, his brother would have been the brave warrior who became the stuff of legends, saving the Lanteans from the Wraith Queen and driving her from the world forever. It was he who would have wielded the Sword of Atlantis instead of John, but his brother had died five years earlier when the Wraith Queen's followers had seized the last of the great Lantean cities. Their father had died soon after, filled with grief as he saw his lands slipping through his fingers until all that remained was the land bordering Athos and Medea, and even that was debatable following the attack on John just across the border into Medea.
He was the king of nothing.
"Rodney?" John's voice was soft with concern and Rodney looked up in sorrow and shame.
"I'm not a warrior. I'm petty and arrogant, not brave and... This was never supposed to be me."
John smiled gently and clasped Rodney's shoulder. "Yeah. It was. You, me and Teyla... who can seriously kick some ass."
Rodney felt Teyla's small hand upon his. "I think you are very brave, Rodney. And I believe there is a reason why we three were chosen. It is our destiny to rid this world of the Wraith Queen once and for all time."
Rodney took a deep breath to steady himself. "Of course I don't believe in destiny."
"Rodney," Teyla rebuked.
He looked away, filled with guilt. "Yes, yes. Fine. Destiny it is, so shall we?"
Teyla raised her hand as they neared a closed set of doors and spoke softly. "I sense more Wraith beyond these doors."
"How do you know they are Wraith?" Rodney whispered back.
"I do not know for certain. I know only that I have had this feeling since we first encountered the ones below."
"So we proceed with caution," John stated and Rodney rolled his eyes because he'd hoped that was a given. Certainly he had no intention of rushing in like a fool.
"Can you open it?" John asked, and Rodney moved to the door panel.
It was not quite the same as the one he had opened earlier. It was closer in design to the images in the old manuscripts that he had studied so intently as a child. All he needed to do was move two crystals and bridge them with a third... then add a small power spell to induce a spark. He murmured softly. The door opened smoothly and, more importantly, silently. Beyond was a large chamber that Rodney imagined would have looked beautiful without the covering of slimy organic material. As they moved in silently, hugging the wall, he could see a large ring at the far edge of a large raised area, and beyond that he could see weak light filtering in from behind the translucent flesh-like material that hung like macabre curtains.
"Woolsey's not here," John whispered. "They must be holding him elsewhere."
"He is here," Teyla stated softly, "And so is she."
Rodney followed her eyes up what must have once been a magnificent staircase to see a tall female yet inhuman monster descending. Her long hair was midnight black, contrasting strongly against her corpse-like flesh. Her mouth was a slash of red and her eyes slit like a cat or reptile. She studied them as she flowed gracefully down to the marble floor. When she paused at the center of the room, Rodney swallowed hard as she gave a predatory smile before beckoning them to come forward.
Come to me.
He could feel the pull of her in his mind, felt his own limbs jerking to respond against his will. John was a few steps ahead of him, with the Sword of Atlantis dragging in his hand as if John was fighting to retain his grip upon it. Teyla seemed no better off, moving slowly towards the graceful monster. He struggled against her mind call, whimpering when she grinned at his pathetic attempt at resistance, revealing razor sharp, pointed teeth.
Come to me.
Her words echoed through him as his feet obeyed her, climbing the few steps to stand barely ten feet from her. He shuffled closer against his will, still several steps behind John. The sword clattered to the floor.
Kneel.
She raised her hand and he could see the strange slit in her palm; her feeding hand, which she used to suck the soul out of men. Her eyes closed as she demanded answers to questions, stealing those unwilling answers from their minds.
"Such company. A king, a queen... and a prince of Medea, no less." She studied John closely before her inhuman gaze fell upon Rodney again. "I will enjoy feasting upon you, Lantean King."
Rodney shook with fear as she moved to stand before him, with one clawed fingernail trailing down his face and neck to the opening of his shirt. She tore it suddenly, swiftly, before pulling back her hand ready to strike, and he could do nothing to stop her, could not move a single muscle. Her hand slammed down towards him but stopped inches from his chest and Rodney felt her control of his mind and body weakening. He bent backwards away from her...and then the control was gone and it took a moment to realize the warm splatter across his face was her blood.
She stared hard into his eyes, and then her head listed sideways, gaping open at her severed neck and fell; her body dropped to the floor beside it. Behind her was John holding the bloodied Sword of Atlantis in his tight grip. Beside him, Teyla sagged and Rodney knew that it was she who had broken the Wraith Queen's spell over them.
Dead. The Wraith Queen was dead.
#~#~#~#~#~#
The Wraith Queen's decapitated head stared up at him with a shocked expression but John wasted only a single glance at it. He fell to his knees beside Rodney, the sword clattering to the ground as he reached for Rodney's broad shoulders and forced the wide blue eyes to meet his.
"You okay?" John stared hard, waiting for some of the shock to leave Rodney's eyes.
"I'm... She was... She was going to eat me," he stuttered. He touched his chest, pulling aside the torn shirt to peek down at unblemished flesh. John squeezed harder, his fingers digging into strong muscle; he leaned in to press a desperate kiss against Rodney's parted lips.
"You're fine. She didn't touch you," he whispered as he rubbed his cheek against Rodney's.
Teyla leaned down, still breathing raggedly from the fight, and gripped John's forearm tight. "I would suggest... we leave here quickly. I sense more Wraith approaching."
John pulled back, drawing in a ragged breath. "Yeah, I guess they won't take too kindly to me beheading their queen."
He helped Rodney stagger to his feet and pulled him along, heading back towards the door but it opened before they had even reached the few steps leading off the raised area. Two of the muscular, masked drones stood framed in the doorway and a third Wraith moved between them. This one was different, dressed in a coat of black leather, with long white hair and a strange tattoo etched across its exposed face. It glanced from them to the dead queen and back again, its lip curling back in anger to reveal sharp teeth that seemed to serve no purpose if they fed through their hand. The Wraith hissed angrily and stalked towards them with the drones following.
"Rodney, get back!" John pushed Rodney behind him, placing himself between Rodney and the Wraith as the three creatures steadily climbed the few steps. As they backed away towards the center of the chamber, Teyla moved up beside John, pulling her fighting sticks from the holder strapped to her back and gripping them tightly, ready for battle.
The first drone raised a strange silver object and a bolt of blue and white shot out from it. John dodged but not quickly enough, feeling a strange numbness travel across his side where it was struck by the magical lightning. By now the other drone was also aiming at them and John knew he could not afford to be hit again but there was no place to take cover. With no option left to him, he yelled at Rodney, "Run!" and charged forward hoping to buy time for Rodney and Teyla to escape, raising the sword even though he knew the drones had the advantage with their strange magic.
Loud words in the Ancient language echoed around the chamber, and forks of deep blue lightning leaped from Rodney's hands, meeting the bolts of energy from the Wraith drones and forcing them back until they were enveloped and imprisoned by their own weapons. The drones dropped to their knees and John took advantage while they were defenseless, severing both heads in one clean sweep of the razor sharp sword. He turned to see Teyla losing ground as the remaining Wraith fought against her. Rodney sent another bolt towards the Wraith's unprotected back and it arched with a hiss of agony, turning to face him and finding John waiting. Its eyes widened as it was impaled on the Sword of Atlantis, the slit on its feeding hand quivering as it tried to reach for John so it could heal itself with John's soul. Teyla smacked it hard and it fell to its knees before John. Moments later its head was rolling across the floor to join the others.
"Teyla?"
"I sense more coming. We must go!"
They reached the corridor and John was dismayed when he saw seven more of the drones and two of the leather-coated ones turn the corner ahead of them. He readied his sword, took a deep breath and waited, determined to take as many of these creatures with him as possible.
The war cry came from behind the Wraith and John blinked hard in surprise as more than a dozen men raced around the corner, led by Lorne and a tall warrior with dreadlocks and a wickedly curved blade. The Lanteans hacked their way through the drones until none were left alive. Lorne and the dreadlocked warrior came forward, grinning wildly, and John stood back a little as Lorne reached for Rodney, drawing him into a manly hug before letting go and allowing the other warrior to do the same.
"Ronon!" Rodney squeaked as the larger man lifted Rodney off his feet in a rib-crushing hug. Rodney was spluttering with annoyance but John could tell it was just for show. He could sense the pleasure and relief emanating from Rodney.
Lorne bowed his head respectfully, though kept his eyes raised to meet Rodney's. "My King, Atlantis is ours once more."
#~#~#~#~#~#
"Prince John!"
Rodney watched as John greeted the man who had been taken by the Wraith Queen's followers only days earlier. He saw the genuine affection from both men towards each other, and he was grateful they had succeeded in rescuing Lord Woolsey, if only for John's sake. Rodney had the feeling that John had many acquaintances but few close friends, and this Woolsey was one of them. Only one thought spoiled the moment. Now that they had rescued Lord Woolsey, John had no reason to stay.
"Rodney."
Lorne called to him and Rodney followed him across the chamber to where the organic material lay thickest at the base of the grand staircase. He wasn't entirely sure what Lorne was showing him until he recognized the ring adorning the middle finger of the desiccated corpse. His brother. Rodney thought he had come to terms with losing him but now Rodney knew that part of him had still held out a glimmer of hope because they had never found a body... until this moment.
"Do you wish me to send word to your sister?"
Rodney nodded because Jeannie deserved to know. Perhaps it was time to mend the rift between them that had opened when she chose to run away to marry a master of poetry from a nearby town rather than forging an alliance with one of the neighboring kingdoms. Rodney had accused her of sending their already weakened father to his grave, though he could admit now that it was his own fear of becoming king of a dying people that had honed his words to such bitterness.
Their brother, Sumner, was dead.
"Marshall Lorne." Rodney bowed his head respectfully, using the formal address to a warrior as he accepted the ring that Lorne stripped from the body. He slid the ring onto his middle finger, finally at peace with the knowledge that there was no one else left to rule Lantea in his stead. It was his burden to bear. He felt the call to duty and, slowly, Rodney moved back until he stood halfway between the strange circle and the staircase, staring around the large chamber. Closing his eyes he focused inwards, drawing energy from the world surrounding him as he began to murmur an incantation. A pedestal rose smoothly from its hidden recess beneath the floor and, raising his arms, Rodney cast a spell before placing both hands onto the pedestal--palms down. A pale blue light spread across the chamber and, slowly, the organic coating and decayed flesh of the long dead dissolved into the light, leaving behind walls of unsurpassed beauty cast in pale blues and greens. The glow reached the translucent, fleshy curtains and they disappeared too, revealing a beautiful stained glass window. Light streamed through the glass, casting geometric patterns of burnished orange and gold across the marble floor. The glow continued outwards, moving along the corridors, cleansing all the decay and organics of the Wraith in its path until the city was filled with light and beauty once more.
When he opened his eyes he found John standing before him, eyes wide in wonder. Rodney grinned smugly at him, but his pleasure quickly faded when he remembered that John had no reason to remain here much longer. He would willingly offer an alliance of marriage between Lantea and Medea, taking John as his life companion, but he knew King Patrick held a genocidal hatred of all Lanteans and would never agree.
"Teyla has agreed to escort Lord Woolsey to Athos."
"I guess you'll be returning to Medea."
"Are you asking me to go?"
Rodney frowned. "No. But I..."
"Then I'm staying."
"What of your father?"
John grimaced. "Why does he hate the Lanteans so much anyway?"
Rodney sighed and bowed his head. Although the events occurred before his own birth, Rodney knew everything and he wished he didn't have to tell John, aware that he might hate the Lanteans just as much as his father by the time he learned the truth.
"What do you recall of your mother?"
"Nothing. She died when I was only a few months old."
Rodney gave a wry smile. "She was Lantean. My mother's cousin by marriage. She was tall, graceful and beautiful, with long flowing locks of hair the color of midnight." He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice as John frowned at the description. "Do you know how Myddrin defeated the Wraith all those thousands of years ago?"
"Well, he brought this city here to destroy their sky ship, and beheaded their queen."
"Yes. But he also wove a powerful spell that would make the Wraith human, stripping away their memories of their former selves. They joined with the humans. Several thousand years of intermarriage passed, weakening their lineage, and I guess it was inevitable that one day one would be born who would be full Wraith beneath a human cloak of flesh."
Rodney turned away, not wanting to see John's face when he told him that his mother, Elizabeth, was that Wraith in a human body; that a Lantean healing spell to save her and her unborn child, John, had released her from Myddrin's enchantment."
"The Wraith Queen... was my mother." John grabbed his shoulder and pulled him around hard, hands grasping Rodney's torn shirt and pulling him forward until John was right in his face. "You knew this from the moment Teyla revealed my identity. You knew she was my mother and you said nothing. You let me kill my own mother."
Rodney shoved back hard. "She ceased to be your mother the day her insatiable hunger stripped her of the last of her humanity and she fed upon the souls of half your father's household. Family, friends, courtiers and servants alike: Men and women, and even a child. The only reason why you, your brother and your father were spared was because you were not in Medea's court that day." Rodney laughed without humor and lowered his voice. "Your father loved her, and so he blamed Lantea for her loss."
John stared hard at him in anger for several long seconds before turning and striding away without another word.
Rodney had lost him, and even though they had known each other for only a few days, the pain of that loss felt like a knife carving into his chest and cutting his heart out.
#~#~#~#~#~#
John stared out from the battlements looking across the small Athosian town to the countryside beyond, but his thoughts were many miles distant, far across the Atlantean Forest and into the mountains. Teyla's castle had seemed a good place to go to lick his wounds following the revelation about his mother. Certainly it was preferable to returning to Medea and expecting his father to understand what he had done and why. His father would see it as just one more piece of Lantean sorcery and once he learned that John's mother was truly dead and therefore beyond salvation, he would gather his armies and attack Lantea.
John didn't want that. He didn't want to fight King Meredith of Lantea, the Sorcerer King who liked to hide away in the secret chambers beneath the tombs of Ancient Lantean kings. He did not want to see the lands of Lantea laid to waste and its people enslaved or burned at the stake as witches. He had seen how they had suffered under the shadow of the Wraith Queen, how they were far fewer in number following the fall of their great cities. They had a chance to rebuild now, in the legendary city of Atlantis. The city was beautiful, though he had been too angry to see the final result of Rodney's cleansing spell. Instead he had wanted to get as far away as possible from the man who had betrayed him rather than focus on the beauty surrounding him, and yet images remained in his mind of magnificent hallways and delicate design and architecture.
Yet even the wonders of Atlantis paled beside the vivid memory of a single night, when he had held Rodney in his arms.
John sensed Teyla coming up behind him despite the lightness of her steps. She stood beside him in silence, staring out across those same meadows and dense canopy of trees to the distant mountains. He knew from other times when he had come to her to escape his father's displeasure that she would not speak until he was willing to listen. After three days alone in Athos, spent mostly on these battlements, perhaps he was ready now.
"He lied to me."
"A lie of omission, yes, but a necessary lie." She sighed softly, placing her small yet strong hand upon his forearm to turn his attention away from the mountains. "He had little choice, and perhaps he sought only to spare you the pain of knowing you would be killing your own mother."
"If I had known who she was then I could have knocked her out. Rodney could have cast Myddrin's Ancient healing spell and made her human again."
"Oh John, not even the greatest magicians and healers in all of Athos and Lantea know the spell. It is lost in the past, and Rodney knew this. Had you known about her then you might have hesitated when she attacked. She was a powerful sorceress, with her mind controlling many hundreds of her followers, wraith and human alike. She did not need to feed, and yet she would have taken Rodney's life force purely because his mind and soul shone so brightly, filling her with an insatiable hunger."
"How can you know that?"
"I... sensed her thoughts at the end. She knew you were her son and she hated what she had become. John, you cannot blame yourself for ending her life for there was never any hope of saving her except through death. You did what had to be done to save all our lives."
John turned back to stare towards the distant mountains where the city of Atlantis was mostly buried by rocks and trees.
"He still should have told me."
"I know."
John turned sharply at the familiar voice and found Rodney standing at the stone entrance to the battlements. He looked pale and drawn with dark circles under eyes dulled by exhaustion. His mouth was turned down on both edges and his shoulders hunched.
"I'm sorry." His voice cracked on the words.
Teyla squeezed John's arm. "You know all there is to know. You have a choice now, John. You can walk away and be your father's son, or you can offer forgiveness and forge a new bond between the people of Medea and Lantea." She smiled softly. "I will leave you to your decision."
When she reached the doorway she grasped Rodney by his shoulders and pulled him into the traditional greeting, resting her forehead against his. For a few moments they were both still before Teyla pulled away and left without another word. She left Rodney standing alone, playing with the ring on his right hand nervously. He took a hesitant step towards John as if uncertain of his welcome.
"I should have told you everything the moment I realized who you were."
John took in the misery on his expressive face and felt a little remorse for his actions. Teyla's words had resonated with his own thoughts over these past three days and having reflected upon them, he knew Rodney had been right to hold back on that knowledge.
"No. If I had known then I would have hesitated, and you would be dead: Probably Teyla too. Still doesn't mean I won't kick your ass if you ever lie to me again."
He watched as the misery lifted from Rodney's face, seeing a glimmer of hope spark in the blue eyes and in that moment John knew that what he truly wanted was Rodney, with his quirky smile, nimble fingers and quick mind. Sex was easy once he knew both partners were in agreement but he was unused to raw emotional displays, embarrassed and ill-equipped to handle such things. However, he knew he had to take the first step now or lose Rodney, perhaps forever. He moved towards him slowly and reached out, suddenly knowing what to do. He held Rodney's shoulders and bowed his head, only letting out the breath he was holding when he felt Rodney's hands grip him in turn and his forehead press against John's. They stood there for several minutes, simply breathing in each other's scent, asking and giving silent forgiveness. Their foreheads slid apart as arms wrapped firmly around each other, cheek sliding against cheek until they were kissing, pouring all their regrets and needs into the other.
John kept one arm around Rodney as he led him back to the battlement wall, feeling Rodney's arm tight around his waist and head resting on his shoulder as they stared across the meadows and forest to the mountains. He knew his father would never agree to the alliance and would likely disinherit him but John didn't care. In time David would have the throne of Medea and perhaps then the lands of Medea and Lantea could put aside the bleakness of the past and move towards a brighter future. Until then, he could help rebuild the amazing flying city of Atlantis that was no longer lost but, more importantly, he had a chance to rebuild the future of this world with the Sorcerer King he had come to love: Rodney.
FINI