Fic: With Fire and Sword (1/8)
Title: With Fire and Sword
Authors: melyanna and miera_c
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Spring arrives in Atalan and an old foe rises, not merely threatening the queen, but Atlantis itself
John had hoped to reach Atlantis by nightfall, but as the evening closed in, he conceded that he and Ford would only make it as far as Athos. Their return journey had been slowed by wet and icy roads for the last few days. It struck him that it seemed early for the spring thaw to have arrived. Last winter the cold had lingered much later than this.
As they neared the shore, he could hear the groaning and cracking sounds that indicated the sea ice was broken as well. Given that fact, it did not surprise him that as they approached Athos, a man emerged from a shadow in the trees and challenged them. "Who goes there?"
"Lord John of Sheppard, a friend of Lady Teyla and Athos."
As the guard drew closer, John recognized the man as a farmer from the village. He nodded and allowed John and Ford to pass before returning to his hiding place.
The lights from town were visible through the trees as they rounded the bend. Silvanus picked up his pace at the sight and John couldn't blame his horse at all. He was tired, and the damp cold was somehow even worse than the dry chill of midwinter.
People looked up in alarm as they approached, but as soon as John was recognized they began to call out greetings. The hubbub drew attention and Teyla appeared in the crowd, Halling behind her. John was surprised, for Teyla had been spending most of her time in Atlantis before he'd left. "Lord John, I am pleased to see you again."
John smiled and bowed when she curtsied to him, but a moment later she embraced him. He tried not to squirm too much. "I am relieved to be home." He nodded to Halling, who offered to see to Silvanus. John turned with Teyla toward the inn, Ford close behind them.
"How fares your cousin?"
John grinned. "The future King of Caldora? He was well enough when I left him. More interested in his new wife than in his fleeing cousin."
Teyla smiled at that, but before they could speak further, hurried footsteps came from the other end of the village. "My lady!"
Everyone in the square went still as the man approached. He was dressed warmly, and John realized this must be another one of the watchmen. He raced up to Teyla, out of breath. "My lady, there are boats in the water to the west."
"Are they landing?"
"I am not sure, my lady."
Teyla frowned. She spared one brief glance at John, who followed her immediately as she clutched her skirts and hurried off into the darkness with the watchman and John and his guard behind her.
It took a moment for John's eyes to adjust as they left the torch-light, but as the four of them crept closer to the shore, he heard Teyla draw in a sharp breath. She turned to the watchmen and spoke lowly. "Summon the archers."
Finally John made out the shapes amid the shifting pieces of ice. Two boats rode low in the water, dodging the small icebergs. A raiding party, then, hoping to surprise the shore folk with their early arrival.
Even in the dim light, John could see the gleam in Teyla's eyes. If the Wraith thought Athos would be ripe for the taking so early in the spring, they were gravely mistaken.
They were silent and watchful as men slipped into position along the shore, keeping to the shadows carefully. When all was set, Teyla raised a hand. John heard the drawing of bowstrings. He wasn't sure if the sound would carry over the slap of the water against the ice. Teyla dropped her hand, and with loud twangs, a barrage of arrows whistled away over the waves.
There were yelps of surprise from the boats. After the first volley, the archers fired at will without needing to be told. Voices carried over the water, and John watched as the boats struggled to reverse course and back away from the shore. A scattering of arrows came from the boats, but the Athosians were too well concealed in the trees.
He was almost breathing easy again when there was a commotion out in the water, followed by a loud splash and more yelling. A few seconds later, a figure emerged from the blackness of the sea. A man, struggling to crawl from the waves and onto the shore.
It was sheer folly for the Wraith to attempt to attack after having been in the frigid water, even for a few seconds. The shock of the cold would have made it nearly impossible to move. So why had he done it?
John moved forward, belatedly aware as Teyla and Ford shouted behind him that he could have been hit by a stray arrow if the Athosians had continued to fire. He could not say precisely what he thought he would accomplish here, but he slogged through the melting snow toward the beach. The man had curled into a shivering ball. He wasn't entirely out of the water yet, which wasn't helping him gain control of himself. But he straightened up as he heard John approach.
Teyla gasped from behind John. Whoever this scoundrel was, he was enormous, easily the same height as Halling when standing, and even broader in the shoulders. John's hand went to his sword in alarm, but the stranger's hands were chained together and he carried no weapon. Instead, he rasped out, "Where is this place?"
John shot a look at Teyla in question and she answered the inquiry. "You are in Athos, in Atalan."
The man nodded, though it was hard to tell in the cold. He folded his arms to his chest, shaking visibly. Through chattering teeth, he spoke again. "I have a message for the queen. I must speak with her."
"I doubt her Majesty wishes to hear the words of Wraith scum," Teyla said sharply.
The giant bristled in fury, for all that he was nearly doubled over. "I'm not one of them. I must speak to the queen."
John and Teyla exchanged another look. "I am Lord John of Sheppard, future husband of her Majesty. Give me your message. I will tell Queen Elizabeth."
The man looked at John for a moment, but he shook his head, scattering ice and water from the ragged ends of his hair. "No. I must speak to the queen in person. No one else. I come to-"
He got no further. John leaped backwards, propelling Teyla to the wet earth as the hissing sound of an arrow came at them. Covering Teyla with his body, John watched as the man pitched forward, falling face-first into the sand. An arrow protruded from his back - an arrow that could only have come from the Wraith raiders.
John rose warily, helping Teyla stand. She made a gesture toward the tree line and several of the archers came forward and fired another volley at the retreating ships. She approached the fallen man, grimly examining the arrow. She looked at her men. "Send a message to Atlantis. We will need Beckett for this."
"What's wrong?"
Teyla nodded. "A new Wraith trick. We discovered it last fall. They have barbed the points of their arrows, so that once the tip enters, they cannot be removed without causing even more damage. We will need the skill of a surgeon for this, given he is half frozen to death already."
She turned to give further orders while John stared out into the gloom over the sea where the boats had disappeared into the ice, his stomach churning with a sense of foreboding.
*~*~*~*
From the tower where her chambers were situated, Elizabeth was looking out to the sea. All day had come the sound of ice breaking in the channel. For some reason, this time the familiar was eerie. The moon was full tonight, but it was hidden behind thick clouds and the fog covering the island and the channel. If the Wraith were already out from wherever they spent their winters, it would be a dangerous night for the coast.
Absently, she found the pendant of her necklace with nervous fingers. John should have been back already. Elizabeth had little doubt that the inclement weather over the last several days had slowed him, but she was starting to worry. Something about the situation did not bode well.
As though in answer to her fears, there was a knock on the door. Elizabeth whirled about to see Kate entering. "Elizabeth, is something wrong?" she asked.
"No," Elizabeth replied, taking a deep breath. "The evening is just a little unsettling."
Kate nodded. "There is a messenger from Athos. Shall I show him in?"
"Of course."
Elizabeth stepped away from the window while Kate brought the messenger in. The young man was wet and shivering. As he bowed, Elizabeth asked, "What news do you bring?" She wanted to do this quickly, knowing he needed to get somewhere warm.
"The Wraith, your Majesty," he said, and Elizabeth's heart seemed to stop beating. "They attacked us tonight. The archers fended them off, but there was a man with them. He got out of one of the boats and got to shore. He said he has a message he will give to no one but you, and then he was shot in the back with an arrow as the landing boats turned back. Lady Teyla sent me for Doctor Beckett."
Elizabeth was unsurprised that Teyla would send for Carson, but this Wraith asking to speak directly with the queen was a puzzle. It only added to the sense of unease she had been feeling all evening. She nodded. "Kate, will you see to it that this young man gets something warm to eat?" she asked. "Then join me in the Becketts' chambers."
"Of course, my lady," Kate replied, and she gently showed the young man out of the room.
Elizabeth, on the other hand, headed down the corridor to Laura and Carson's door. Carson was surprised to find her when he answered her knock. "Your Majesty, is something the matter?"
"I'm afraid so," she replied. "May I?"
"Of course, of course."
Carson stepped out of the way and she came inside. The door to the bedchamber was open, and she went inside to see Laura for a moment. Laura was probably only days away from giving birth to her child, but she had a smile for Elizabeth. After the pleasantries were exchanged, Elizabeth said, "I'm afraid I have come to take Carson away, Laura. Athos was attacked tonight by the Wraith."
The door opened again and Kate was shortly in the room. "The Wraith?" Laura repeated. "So soon?"
"The ice is breaking already," Kate told her.
"The boats never made landfall," Elizabeth said, "but there was a man with them who got away and swam to shore. I could only imagine how cold he was from the effort, but he told Lady Teyla that he had a message for me, and then he was shot by the retreating Wraith."
Carson immediately stepped back into the other room and began gathering his things. "Why would they send for a doctor?" Kate asked. "Teyla can pull an arrow from a wound and dress it."
Laura shifted so she was sitting up a little more. "The Wraith have started using bolts that can cause a great deal of damage if they are not removed properly," she said. "Carson learned of it last year."
"I am sorry to deprive you of him now, but he should not be gone for very long," Elizabeth said to Laura.
Laura laid her hands over her stomach. "If anything starts tonight, it will most certainly not end before morning," she replied wryly.
Elizabeth nodded. "Well, I am going to the mainland with him, so I hope nothing begins tonight."
"You are going?" Kate said, sounding startled.
Elizabeth knew it was strange, but some instinct was telling her she needed to do this. "I do not know the extent of this stranger's injuries. I would rather go and hear his message as soon as possible than wait and hope that he does not die before he can deliver it."
*~*~*~*
Marcus objected when the plan was relayed to him, but Elizabeth's mind was made up. With Elizabeth determined to go, Kate was not far behind, and the two dressed warmly while Marcus gathered the guards to accompany them and the doctor.
A carriage would have been warmer, but the road to Athos was not suited for it, so the party went on horseback. Only a few feet away, Kate could feel the tension in Marcus' body as they rode. It was on this road that he had nearly died, after all. But when he glanced at her, their eyes met for a moment and she blushed despite herself. "At least we will not have a reprise of events the last time we came to Athos, my lady," he said lowly.
Kate turned her attention back to the road. "Which events?" she asked. "Me falling into the channel, or what happened... after?"
"The former," he replied. "I would not relive that terror again, even though what followed was most pleasant."
That had Kate blushing again, but it also had her thinking about what had been happening between them in recent weeks. That near-kiss she had told Elizabeth of was not an anomaly. Sometimes when they were alone, it seemed natural that they should reach for each other. In unguarded moments, she longed to kiss him again, to remember what it was like to be in his arms and have nothing to think of but him.
It provoked a worry in her. In many ways, this was different than the days before their last trip to Athos. This time she knew what it was like to have his passion focused on her and the temptation was much stronger. But she also knew what had become of them before. They had both apologized for the terrible things they had done to each other, but that did not mean that either of them had changed. It did not mean that they trusted each other more than they had a year ago. It did not mean that all was well.
Sometimes, though, she would catch Marcus watching, and she would hope.
They arrived in Athos to be greeted in the town square by Teyla, who was surprised to see so many and more so to see the queen in the party. "Your Majesty," she said, "we did not expect you."
Kate adjusted the hood of her cloak to shield herself from the cold drizzle that was falling. The village was otherworldly, covered in mist and lit by the bright orange of sporadic torches.
Teyla led them into the healer's house, where Beckett followed her into another room to work on the injured man. But Elizabeth and Kate were both taken aback by who else was there. "John," Elizabeth almost gasped.
"Majesty," he replied with a nod.
Elizabeth was instantly more formal. "We did not expect to see you, my lord."
"I only arrived tonight," he said, sounding very tired. "My intention was to ride on to Atlantis, but with this weather..." He shook his head. "My lady, what are you doing here?"
She gave him a look that silenced him, and he bowed his head. "My apologies. It has been a long journey."
Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak, but from the next room there was a strangled cry. "Was that the man who was shot?" Kate asked.
"Poor devil's awake," John replied. "I do not envy him the pain he is about to feel."
There was something in his affect that made Kate wonder if he spoke from personal experience, but then the noise from the other room got louder. Soon Beckett was calling for help, and John and Aiden Ford hurried inside. There was a loud yell a few moments later and all of them flinched.
Elizabeth was focused on the door, and Kate turned away, crossing her arms. Marcus frowned at her. "Is something wrong?" he asked quietly.
She shook her head. "I am a little cold; that is all."
He still looked concerned, and a moment later he went to the hearth and stoked the meager fire into something more substantial. At his beckoning, Kate moved to the fireplace to warm herself, giving him a grateful smile.
Now, away from Elizabeth and the rest of the guards, he lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. "I suppose this would be the time for a scandalous remark about you being cold and us being in Athos."
"Scandalous indeed," Kate murmured, focusing on the fire rather than the rush of heat she felt at his words. "At least tonight you were not taking a foolish risk to your own life."
"I would do it again in a heartbeat, Kate," he said, suddenly serious.
She looked up at him without thought. But before he could expound or she could respond, the door opened. There was a low moaning coming from the other room; John invited them in anyway.
Marcus was at Elizabeth's side again in an instant, as was his duty, and Kate followed a step behind.
*~*~*~*
It had taken the combined strength of John, Ford, and Teyla to hold down the stranger while Beckett removed the arrow from his back. The delicate process took some considerable time, and it was only when the arrow was completely reassembled that Beckett declared that he was ready to stitch the wound. John, remembering when the scar on his neck was stitched up in the middle of a battle far to the east, looked away as the doctor worked.
Teyla helped dress the wound, and John went to the door to let the others in. Elizabeth had a look of resolve upon her face, but it turned to pity as she saw the man prostrate on the bed, gripping the mattress so tightly that his knuckles were white. "Has he said any more?" Elizabeth asked quietly.
John shook his head, and he stayed close behind her while she crossed the small room. Then, rather unexpectedly, she knelt beside the bed so that she could look this man in the eye. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lorne take a step forward reflexively, as though about to pull the queen back. But the man on the bed was hardly up for any sort of mischief. They had not yet had time to free his hands of the manacles.
"I am Elizabeth of Atalan," she said to him. "What message would a Wraith have that I would hear?"
The man shook his head. "I am not one of them," he protested vehemently, although his breathing was labored. "They captured me years ago. Seven years ago."
John wondered how the man had kept track of the time, but that was hardly the salient point. "Then what message does a prisoner of the Wraith have for me?" Elizabeth pressed.
"They are set to attack," he replied. "I know not what you know of the Wraith, but they are not merely bands of pirates. Sometimes they join together for conquests they cannot manage on their own, and I have never seen so many ships join together as this."
The whole room went quiet, and when Elizabeth finally did speak again, her soft voice seemed unnaturally loud. "Atlantis."
Given the enormous risk the man had taken to deliver this message to the queen herself, John was not entirely surprised when the man nodded. "Yes."
"How long?"
"A week at the most."
John swallowed hard as the horror of this set in. While the navy had wintered near Atlantis, there would not be enough time to send for the nearest battalions of soldiers to reinforce those already situated on the island. If they were to weather this, it would be as they were.
Elizabeth was pale, but her voice was firm. "I would know one thing more," she said. "What is your name?"
"Dex," he told her. "Ronon Dex."
Her eyes went wide and she and the stranger stared at each other in silence for a moment. But she accepted John's hand and stood when he helped her. Without a word, they left the room, leaving Beckett tending his patient and Ford watching over them. But once they were in the other room again, Elizabeth turned to Kate. "Tell me I am not wrong," she said. "Ronon Dex was the crown prince of Sateda."
Kate nodded. "But Sateda was destroyed-"
"Seven years ago," Elizabeth finished. "He said he was captured seven years ago."
John wanted to point out that that was not absolute proof, but he held his tongue. Elizabeth was biting her thumbnail for a moment before she checked herself. "We will stay here a little while longer, until Beckett can determine whether or not this Ronon Dex can be moved to Atlantis tonight," she said.
Kate cast a swift look at Teyla, then at Lorne. "We will wait outside, Majesty," she said, and with that, John and Elizabeth were alone.
In the past, when they had been left alone, she would relax visibly, for once allowed to be unguarded in someone's presence. But this time, she looked almost ready to crumble under the weight of the news she had just received. John stepped in immediately, taking her in his arms, though not without a little hesitation. Soon she was clinging to him, trembling, and all he could do was hold her.
"Elizabeth," he breathed against her warm skin. "We'll get through this."
She did not answer, and he did not attempt to say anything else to comfort her. Instead, they merely stood holding each other until Beckett appeared at the door. Even then, John kept close to her as they left the village to travel through the rain to Atlantis.
He suspected it would be a long time before he willingly let her out of his sight.
*~*~*~*
It was by pure chance that Daniel discovered his cousin had left the palace to go tearing around the rainy night on the mainland on some strange errand. He couldn't decide if he was angrier at Elizabeth for going or Lorne for not finding a way to stop it.
Jack was definitely laying the blame on the captain. Daniel had felt a moment of guilt for rousing Jack, given that Sarah had been having trouble sleeping of late, but this foolish impulsiveness of Elizabeth's was not something he could bear alone. He doubted he would have been told of this adventure by his cousin if he had not learned of it on his own, which frustrated him further.
When Elizabeth, Kate and Teyla entered the private audience room with Captain Lorne behind them, Daniel drew in a deep breath to demand an explanation from his cousin, regardless of propriety. The sight of John trailing in their wake only made it worse - had she gone running off to meet John when only a few hours more would have brought him to the palace safely?
He only got as far as, "My lady, what-" before Elizabeth shot a look at him that halted him in his tracks. He could not recall seeing such a grave expression on her face, not since Sumner had died.
Jack tensed beside him and skipped the formalities. "What is wrong?"
Elizabeth walked restlessly toward the window. "A man arrived in Athos tonight, after escaping from a Wraith raiding party intending to attack the village. He said the Wraith are massing an armada and planning to attack Atlantis."
If Elizabeth had announced a desire to renounce her title and take up piracy herself, Daniel could not have been more shocked. Thankfully Jack found his voice again. "When?"
"Within the week," John said somberly.
There was a painful silence while Daniel attempted to force his mind to work. "Who is this man? Are we sure we can trust his information?"
Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest. "He claims to be Ronon Dex, Daniel."
At that, his eyebrows went up. "Another one?" There had been a few men over the years claiming to be a member of the royal house of Sateda. Prince Ronon, whose death had never been confirmed, had been a particularly popular object of such pretenders. With the country essentially destroyed and the royal family eliminated, there was little way to prove the truth one way or the other.
"He was shot in the back by the Wraith," Teyla put in when Elizabeth did not reply right away. "He was in shackles, but he jumped from one of their boats and swam to shore anyway. They attempted to silence him before he could speak to us."
Daniel glanced at Jack. It certainly lent credence to the threat. "This is the Wraith we're talking about, though," Daniel said to Teyla.
Her eyes flashed at him briefly. "I am aware of that, my lord. But we cannot ignore this information."
"She's right," John put in. "Even if this is an elaborate trap and this man was sent to play a part, including being shot with a barbed arrow that could easily have killed him, the risk is too great to do nothing."
"The college will howl if we simply take the word of some Wraith pirate," Daniel said to his cousin.
She had been standing with her back to them, but now she pivoted to face the room. "Let them," she snapped angrily. "I believe what this Ronon Dex said, and I will not sit idly and wait while the Wraith may be preparing to destroy my city."
Daniel held up a hand. "Of course, my lady. But it would not be remiss to try to verify the information at the same time."
Jack nodded in agreement. "If this informant knows the location where the Wraith are staging their movements, we can send a ship to reconnoiter. Whatever power the Wraith may have assembled, our ships are faster on any sea."
There was a small pause as Elizabeth weighed her options. Daniel could practically see her reasoning with herself before she gave a small sigh. "Very well. The Prometheus is our fastest ship currently, is that correct?" When Jack nodded she folded her hands together. "Summon Captain Ronson. He is to set sail as soon as possible and verify what we have been told. Make sure he understands his primary mission is to confirm and return, Jack. We can hardly risk losing a ship at this point."
Jack went to the door. Daniel looked at Elizabeth. "And in the meantime?"
Her face went cold. "We prepare for war, my lord."
*~*~*~*
When Ronon woke, part of his mind concluded immediately that he must have died. For the first time in seven years his hands were unbound, he was on a bed and more significantly on dry land. After all those years at sea, it was exceedingly strange to walk upon a floor that did not move with the waves.
A few minutes after he woke, a servant appeared at the door, bringing him clean clothes. The garments were plain, but Ronon knew he was uncommonly tall, and that clothes fitting him would not be easy to come by. He said nothing about them as the young man helped him dress. His old clothes were taken away, and Ronon strongly suspect they would soon be burned. He would hardly object.
His body ached, both from the wound in his back and the general abuses of the last seven years. But when he looked out from the window, he could almost imagine that he was back in Sateda. The sound of waves against the shore was so much like home.
There was another knock at the door. A guard was stationed in the hallway, and one of the women from the night before - the small, dark-skinned one - was standing in the corridor. She had met him fearlessly on the beach.
"Good morning," she said as he let her in and closed the door. "I am Lady Teyla. I was not sure you would remember me from last night."
"I think you were the one holding me down while the doctor pulled the arrow."
She nodded. "One of them, anyway. Doctor Beckett asked me to come here this morning to examine your wound," she said.
She gestured toward a chair, and he complied, sitting down and pulling his tunic back off. The lady did not flinch at the sight of the tattoos and scars and bruises on his body, but she would have seen them the previous night. Besides, he got the sense from this woman that it would take far more than this to rattle her. She was beautiful, with an expressive face and sharp eyes. It had been a long time since he'd seen a woman this close, and the memory of what had befallen most of the women he had seen in the last seven years made the bile rise in his throat. He forced himself to focus on the present instead of the past. "This seems like an odd errand for a lady of the court," he remarked.
Her eyes narrowed, but she did not immediately reply. Instead, she pulled up the bandage on his back and began to clean the wound. "There is a little more blood, but not much," she said. "The doctor will be pleased. And if you must know, his wife is with child. In fact, she is days away from giving birth."
Ronon stiffened slightly, though not from the pain whenever Teyla touched his injury. "I hope she will be escaping the island."
"I believe the queen is speaking with them now," the countess replied. "But an escape may be as dangerous to her as staying."
That Ronon did not understand, but he had rarely understood these matters. In Sateda, birth was the province of women, and he suspected it was so in Atalan too.
"So the doctor could find no one else to come and see to me?" he asked, suddenly suspicious.
"Your identity has not been made public, Prince, so he thought it best to send someone who already knew about you," she replied smoothly. It took everything he had not to flinch at the title, something he had only heard in derision these last seven years. "Most of the men among her Majesty's advisors are busy readying the island for war. I am certain my time to help with that will come, but I am glad to see to your well-being first."
He looked over his shoulder, and their eyes met for a moment. "Then you know who I am."
Teyla did not smile, but her eyes were amused. "You did introduce yourself to the queen last night."
But that did not mean that his name would be recognized anymore, he wanted to protest. There were days when he hardly remembered the life he'd once had. The years had been terrible, and Sateda was long gone. He could not expect anyone to recall the place he sometimes could not see in his own mind anymore.
"She recognized your name immediately," the lady continued, and he turned his head to face forward again. "And I must say, had Lord John and I known who you were, we might not have been so reluctant to send for the queen."
Her attempt at teasing him fell flat, and he ignored it. Ronon dimly remembered the man Teyla was talking about. "The queen's betrothed?" he said.
"Yes," she replied. "He is set to marry her in the summer, now that the trouble with his title in Caldora is settled."
"Caldora?" Ronon repeated, startled. "Have I been adrift so long?"
This time, the lady smiled. "It is a very recent development."
By then she had bandaged him again, and she bade him dress himself once more. When he was decent again, she said, "I will have food sent up for you. The queen will be addressing her lords this morning, and I must be ready to speak as well." He could sense something akin to annoyance at that, though he could not imagine why. "Her Majesty bids you come to the assembly, if you wish."
He wasn't sure if he wanted to, but he nodded anyway. "The queen is very kind."
There was an odd look on the lady's face. "If you attend the college this morning, your opinion of her may change."
With that cryptic statement, she quit the room, leaving him in solitude once more.
*~*~*~*
Elizabeth had slept for only a few hours near dawn. Kate looked just as tired as she felt, but it was almost a relief to rise from bed and do something rather than lie there worrying uselessly.
The Prometheus was already away. Elizabeth sent out a summons for the college to assemble midmorning and then she and Kate went to see Laura. Her old friend was trying valiantly to hide her panic at the news that a Wraith armada might be headed for the city, but Elizabeth noted that Laura kept her hands cradled protectively over her belly. It was probably unconscious, but it made Elizabeth feel ill. The stress of knowing about this would be bad enough for Laura. What would happen if she had to be moved?
Carson looked worried, but Elizabeth could not bring herself to raise the issue with him at the moment. No doubt both Carson and Laura were well aware of the danger they might be facing. There was a little time for them to talk and decide together what to do.
Teyla reported that Ronon Dex seemed to be recovering as well as could be expected. Jack had sent orders to bring the few groups of soldiers nearby to Atlantis, and Daniel said rumors were already swirling through the entire court, which was frustrating but unsurprising. The college would protest, she knew, but this time Elizabeth would not waver nor cede any ground. It was not only her people under threat now, but her very home, the palace raised from the sea by her ancestors. She would not yield.
She and Kate waited in the antechamber with Peter and Captain Lorne. John finally appeared - she had not seen him all morning. He lifted her hand and kissed it, as was his custom, but Elizabeth folded her other hand over his before he could let go. The others shifted away slightly to give them some semblance of privacy.
John brushed his thumb across the ring she bore on her finger, reminding her of the last time they had stood in this spot, the day she announced their engagement. As of yet the college had not come to any resolution on the matter of John's title, but that was the least of her concerns now. She looked up at him, biting her lip. "Part of me wishes you were still away," she admitted. "At least then I would know you were safe."
John's expression darkened. "I would not have it so, my lady. There is nowhere I would rather be, Wraith or no Wraith."
Had they been alone, she would have kissed him, or John would have kissed her, she knew. But Peter cleared his throat and it was time for her to enter the college chamber. She let go of John's hand reluctantly and squared her shoulders. She walked to her throne and sat without delay, noting the tense anticipation within the room. Kate sat in her customary chair to Elizabeth's right, and Elizabeth pushed the sight of Laura's empty chair out of her mind. John settled into place between Daniel and Jack. Lord Benjamin called the college to order and Elizabeth stood.
"My lords, no doubt most of you have heard the rumors by now. We regret that we must confirm them. Last night word reached us that the Wraith have massed an armada and are preparing to attack Atlantis. Their goal is mostly likely the destruction of the shipyards, to hamper our ability to revive the navy and defend Atalan's coast from their predations."
For all the urgency of the situation, Elizabeth could not quite help herself. She said no more and sat down, waiting to see what would happen next.
It was Kate's father, surprisingly, who rose first. "Majesty, may I ask how this information came to you?"
Elizabeth glanced up to the gallery. It was easy to pick out Ronon Dex from the crowd. He was a good head taller than anyone else in the room. "A prisoner of the Wraith escaped from their clutches and delivered the warning."
As expected, the room grumbled at this news. Teyla rose. "Majesty, my lords, I was present during the events of last night. A Wraith party attempted a raid on Athos. They were repelled, but this man jumped from the ship and swam to shore through the frozen waters. He attempted to deliver his message and was shot in the back by the other Wraith. Doctor Beckett had to be summoned to remove the arrow, and thus was the queen informed."
Lord Matthew of Glaston spoke, though with slightly less arrogance than was his wont. "Can anyone else confirm this story?"
Teyla glowered at the man. "Lord John of Sheppard was present throughout the evening, as were several Athosians, my lord."
Lord William Abelson rose before Matthew could respond. "Majesty, have we any reason to trust the word of this pirate? Can we be sure he is indeed acting in good faith?"
"We asked almost the same question, my lord," Elizabeth replied. "The man gave his name as Ronon Dex."
A gasp went through the room, followed by an outbreak of whispers. One of the lords from the southern plains spoke up. "Majesty, there have been others who have claimed that name, and their identity was never verified."
"We concede the point, my lord, but it is known that the Wraith sacked Sateda seven years ago, and Prince Ronon was their prisoner for seven years, by his own account." It was interesting to see Ronon's reaction to his title. Clearly he had not been addressed thus for a very long time. She dropped her eyes back to her nobles. "It would take an inquisitor with more firsthand knowledge of Sateda than we possess to verify or disprove his claims, but given the risk he took to come to us, we believe his word." She held up a hand to forestall the objections. "We were present, my lords, as the Wraith arrow was removed from the prince's body. But for a few inches, he would have died, his warning undelivered. And it is a warning we cannot afford to ignore."
Abelson still looked troubled. "My lady, with due respect, it could be a trick. The Wraith may have sent this man to alarm us, cause us to evacuate the island and concentrate our defenses here, while their real target is elsewhere."
Amid the murmurs of agreement Teyla rose. "There is no target in Atalan that the Wraith would need such a diversion to take, thanks to the shortsightedness of this body last fall."
Several people bellowed at that but Elizabeth didn't flinch, nor did she intervene. Teyla bristled at the jeers being sent in her direction. "There is no use pretending it is otherwise, my lords," she continued, nearly sneering the last word. "Had this college not contravened the queen's express wishes last fall, had we not fallen for mythical fears of what might come and instead focused on the genuine danger, the navy would be powerful enough now to deter any threat the Wraith might have made. Instead the island is vulnerable and we face the war becoming not merely the concern of the peasants along the coastline."
"You imply that we only care about our own skins, then?" Matthew challenged her. "Our concern in the fall was the defenses of the entire nation!"
"And when exactly did the coast cease to be part of this nation?" Teyla snapped back. "It cannot have escaped the notice of such educated men that the rumors of vague threats coming across the mountains ceased entirely by the time Solstice arrived, long before any substantial work had been completed on the border defenses. In the meantime, the Wraith have massed all their forces to strike at the very heart of Atalan. We made this possible by our own foolishness."
There was a subdued pause. Teyla remained standing, but Lord Richard Woolsey rose. "Countess, perhaps we could leave aside the issue of recriminations for the moment? I share Lord Abelson's original concern. Assuming the Wraith are preparing some sort of attack, how can we be certain their target is Atlantis, or even Atlantis alone? This armada, if it exists, could be intent on pillaging the entire coast while we draw all our resources back to the capital."
Elizabeth admitted reluctantly that it was a valid point, but Teyla appeared to have considered this already, for she answered Woolsey immediately.
"There is only one prize on our coast that is heavily guarded - the shipyards of Atlantis. The patrols of our waters have discouraged the Wraith from attacking, but never outright prevented their attempts. Whenever they have resolved to assault our coast, they have done so despite the increase in our ships. This is no trick, my lords. They are coming for the shipyards and the city, and they must be stopped."
Teyla seemed to feel her point had been made and sat. Jack rose and was acknowledged by Hurst. "We will settle the issue of whether this information is correct soon enough. The Prometheus departed on the early tide before dawn to investigate and will return as soon as Captain Ronson has an answer. In the meantime, we have no choice but to prepare the island and its defenses. We cannot risk a delay."
Elizabeth gave him a short nod. It was important that Jack was standing by her in this matter. As the commander of the army, his word would be accepted, as they both knew too well. Elizabeth drew in a breath. "My lords, our path seems clear. An announcement will be made to evacuate the city. We must get the women and children to safety on the mainland."
Samuels rose. "Majesty, my lords, if we make a public announcement in the city, we risk causing a panic. A full evacuation of the island will require preparation."
Elizabeth hesitated, as did almost everyone else. It was a rare thing for Samuels to make a rational and valid point in this manner. Lord David rose in response. "Perhaps, Majesty, today the call should be to prepare for evacuation if necessary. It may delay the panic until we have confirmation of the prince's words and allow us time to plan."
A quick glance at Jack, Teyla, and Daniel showed they agreed, so Elizabeth nodded again. "We concur, my lord. We shall begin the work of planning to remove the residents from the city, but instruct everyone to remain calm until we are sure of what is coming." Those with the means would most likely leave immediately, but this might stave off the chaos of a panic.
There was general agreement and only a few more of the lords spoke up, one regarding the best people to plan the evacuation and another to bring up appealing to the Asgard for aid. Elizabeth did her best to assure them that she would leave no stone unturned to keep the capital safe and the meeting ended. Elizabeth quit the room while the lords gathered in small groups, many no doubt plotting how best to flee themselves.
Once she was safely in her private chamber, John slipped into place next to her. He said nothing, but he squeezed her hand for a moment. She drew more strength from that simple touch than was rational, but she squeezed back even as she turned to face Daniel, Jack, and Teyla. The Countess of Athos had only one question. "What was Samuels' purpose, do you think?"
Jack shook his head. "I don't know. I was stunned to hear him express anything other than fear for his own safety."
"I wager it was about his safety," Daniel put in sourly. "He probably feared if there was a general panic among the townsfolk, they would prevent him from getting off the island as fast as possible."
"How despicable," Kate murmured quietly. Elizabeth agreed, though, knowing Samuels, it was hardly surprising.
"Most of the noblemen will leave, will they not?" she asked.
"I imagine so, my lady," Daniel told her. "I do not know how much value they would be in a fight anyway. Most of them never served in the army, and the ones that did last saw action against the Goa'uld or the Ori years ago."
"Still, every available sword hand will be needed," Jack put in.
Elizabeth clasped her hands together. "Then along with the announcement to the city, we should ask for able bodied men to volunteer to stay and fight. I do not wish to conscript by force if it can be avoided. Hopefully enough will remain."
The looks on their faces matched her own doubt, but with a sigh, Elizabeth put it aside. There was work to do.
Authors: melyanna and miera_c
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Spring arrives in Atalan and an old foe rises, not merely threatening the queen, but Atlantis itself
John had hoped to reach Atlantis by nightfall, but as the evening closed in, he conceded that he and Ford would only make it as far as Athos. Their return journey had been slowed by wet and icy roads for the last few days. It struck him that it seemed early for the spring thaw to have arrived. Last winter the cold had lingered much later than this.
As they neared the shore, he could hear the groaning and cracking sounds that indicated the sea ice was broken as well. Given that fact, it did not surprise him that as they approached Athos, a man emerged from a shadow in the trees and challenged them. "Who goes there?"
"Lord John of Sheppard, a friend of Lady Teyla and Athos."
As the guard drew closer, John recognized the man as a farmer from the village. He nodded and allowed John and Ford to pass before returning to his hiding place.
The lights from town were visible through the trees as they rounded the bend. Silvanus picked up his pace at the sight and John couldn't blame his horse at all. He was tired, and the damp cold was somehow even worse than the dry chill of midwinter.
People looked up in alarm as they approached, but as soon as John was recognized they began to call out greetings. The hubbub drew attention and Teyla appeared in the crowd, Halling behind her. John was surprised, for Teyla had been spending most of her time in Atlantis before he'd left. "Lord John, I am pleased to see you again."
John smiled and bowed when she curtsied to him, but a moment later she embraced him. He tried not to squirm too much. "I am relieved to be home." He nodded to Halling, who offered to see to Silvanus. John turned with Teyla toward the inn, Ford close behind them.
"How fares your cousin?"
John grinned. "The future King of Caldora? He was well enough when I left him. More interested in his new wife than in his fleeing cousin."
Teyla smiled at that, but before they could speak further, hurried footsteps came from the other end of the village. "My lady!"
Everyone in the square went still as the man approached. He was dressed warmly, and John realized this must be another one of the watchmen. He raced up to Teyla, out of breath. "My lady, there are boats in the water to the west."
"Are they landing?"
"I am not sure, my lady."
Teyla frowned. She spared one brief glance at John, who followed her immediately as she clutched her skirts and hurried off into the darkness with the watchman and John and his guard behind her.
It took a moment for John's eyes to adjust as they left the torch-light, but as the four of them crept closer to the shore, he heard Teyla draw in a sharp breath. She turned to the watchmen and spoke lowly. "Summon the archers."
Finally John made out the shapes amid the shifting pieces of ice. Two boats rode low in the water, dodging the small icebergs. A raiding party, then, hoping to surprise the shore folk with their early arrival.
Even in the dim light, John could see the gleam in Teyla's eyes. If the Wraith thought Athos would be ripe for the taking so early in the spring, they were gravely mistaken.
They were silent and watchful as men slipped into position along the shore, keeping to the shadows carefully. When all was set, Teyla raised a hand. John heard the drawing of bowstrings. He wasn't sure if the sound would carry over the slap of the water against the ice. Teyla dropped her hand, and with loud twangs, a barrage of arrows whistled away over the waves.
There were yelps of surprise from the boats. After the first volley, the archers fired at will without needing to be told. Voices carried over the water, and John watched as the boats struggled to reverse course and back away from the shore. A scattering of arrows came from the boats, but the Athosians were too well concealed in the trees.
He was almost breathing easy again when there was a commotion out in the water, followed by a loud splash and more yelling. A few seconds later, a figure emerged from the blackness of the sea. A man, struggling to crawl from the waves and onto the shore.
It was sheer folly for the Wraith to attempt to attack after having been in the frigid water, even for a few seconds. The shock of the cold would have made it nearly impossible to move. So why had he done it?
John moved forward, belatedly aware as Teyla and Ford shouted behind him that he could have been hit by a stray arrow if the Athosians had continued to fire. He could not say precisely what he thought he would accomplish here, but he slogged through the melting snow toward the beach. The man had curled into a shivering ball. He wasn't entirely out of the water yet, which wasn't helping him gain control of himself. But he straightened up as he heard John approach.
Teyla gasped from behind John. Whoever this scoundrel was, he was enormous, easily the same height as Halling when standing, and even broader in the shoulders. John's hand went to his sword in alarm, but the stranger's hands were chained together and he carried no weapon. Instead, he rasped out, "Where is this place?"
John shot a look at Teyla in question and she answered the inquiry. "You are in Athos, in Atalan."
The man nodded, though it was hard to tell in the cold. He folded his arms to his chest, shaking visibly. Through chattering teeth, he spoke again. "I have a message for the queen. I must speak with her."
"I doubt her Majesty wishes to hear the words of Wraith scum," Teyla said sharply.
The giant bristled in fury, for all that he was nearly doubled over. "I'm not one of them. I must speak to the queen."
John and Teyla exchanged another look. "I am Lord John of Sheppard, future husband of her Majesty. Give me your message. I will tell Queen Elizabeth."
The man looked at John for a moment, but he shook his head, scattering ice and water from the ragged ends of his hair. "No. I must speak to the queen in person. No one else. I come to-"
He got no further. John leaped backwards, propelling Teyla to the wet earth as the hissing sound of an arrow came at them. Covering Teyla with his body, John watched as the man pitched forward, falling face-first into the sand. An arrow protruded from his back - an arrow that could only have come from the Wraith raiders.
John rose warily, helping Teyla stand. She made a gesture toward the tree line and several of the archers came forward and fired another volley at the retreating ships. She approached the fallen man, grimly examining the arrow. She looked at her men. "Send a message to Atlantis. We will need Beckett for this."
"What's wrong?"
Teyla nodded. "A new Wraith trick. We discovered it last fall. They have barbed the points of their arrows, so that once the tip enters, they cannot be removed without causing even more damage. We will need the skill of a surgeon for this, given he is half frozen to death already."
She turned to give further orders while John stared out into the gloom over the sea where the boats had disappeared into the ice, his stomach churning with a sense of foreboding.
*~*~*~*
From the tower where her chambers were situated, Elizabeth was looking out to the sea. All day had come the sound of ice breaking in the channel. For some reason, this time the familiar was eerie. The moon was full tonight, but it was hidden behind thick clouds and the fog covering the island and the channel. If the Wraith were already out from wherever they spent their winters, it would be a dangerous night for the coast.
Absently, she found the pendant of her necklace with nervous fingers. John should have been back already. Elizabeth had little doubt that the inclement weather over the last several days had slowed him, but she was starting to worry. Something about the situation did not bode well.
As though in answer to her fears, there was a knock on the door. Elizabeth whirled about to see Kate entering. "Elizabeth, is something wrong?" she asked.
"No," Elizabeth replied, taking a deep breath. "The evening is just a little unsettling."
Kate nodded. "There is a messenger from Athos. Shall I show him in?"
"Of course."
Elizabeth stepped away from the window while Kate brought the messenger in. The young man was wet and shivering. As he bowed, Elizabeth asked, "What news do you bring?" She wanted to do this quickly, knowing he needed to get somewhere warm.
"The Wraith, your Majesty," he said, and Elizabeth's heart seemed to stop beating. "They attacked us tonight. The archers fended them off, but there was a man with them. He got out of one of the boats and got to shore. He said he has a message he will give to no one but you, and then he was shot in the back with an arrow as the landing boats turned back. Lady Teyla sent me for Doctor Beckett."
Elizabeth was unsurprised that Teyla would send for Carson, but this Wraith asking to speak directly with the queen was a puzzle. It only added to the sense of unease she had been feeling all evening. She nodded. "Kate, will you see to it that this young man gets something warm to eat?" she asked. "Then join me in the Becketts' chambers."
"Of course, my lady," Kate replied, and she gently showed the young man out of the room.
Elizabeth, on the other hand, headed down the corridor to Laura and Carson's door. Carson was surprised to find her when he answered her knock. "Your Majesty, is something the matter?"
"I'm afraid so," she replied. "May I?"
"Of course, of course."
Carson stepped out of the way and she came inside. The door to the bedchamber was open, and she went inside to see Laura for a moment. Laura was probably only days away from giving birth to her child, but she had a smile for Elizabeth. After the pleasantries were exchanged, Elizabeth said, "I'm afraid I have come to take Carson away, Laura. Athos was attacked tonight by the Wraith."
The door opened again and Kate was shortly in the room. "The Wraith?" Laura repeated. "So soon?"
"The ice is breaking already," Kate told her.
"The boats never made landfall," Elizabeth said, "but there was a man with them who got away and swam to shore. I could only imagine how cold he was from the effort, but he told Lady Teyla that he had a message for me, and then he was shot by the retreating Wraith."
Carson immediately stepped back into the other room and began gathering his things. "Why would they send for a doctor?" Kate asked. "Teyla can pull an arrow from a wound and dress it."
Laura shifted so she was sitting up a little more. "The Wraith have started using bolts that can cause a great deal of damage if they are not removed properly," she said. "Carson learned of it last year."
"I am sorry to deprive you of him now, but he should not be gone for very long," Elizabeth said to Laura.
Laura laid her hands over her stomach. "If anything starts tonight, it will most certainly not end before morning," she replied wryly.
Elizabeth nodded. "Well, I am going to the mainland with him, so I hope nothing begins tonight."
"You are going?" Kate said, sounding startled.
Elizabeth knew it was strange, but some instinct was telling her she needed to do this. "I do not know the extent of this stranger's injuries. I would rather go and hear his message as soon as possible than wait and hope that he does not die before he can deliver it."
*~*~*~*
Marcus objected when the plan was relayed to him, but Elizabeth's mind was made up. With Elizabeth determined to go, Kate was not far behind, and the two dressed warmly while Marcus gathered the guards to accompany them and the doctor.
A carriage would have been warmer, but the road to Athos was not suited for it, so the party went on horseback. Only a few feet away, Kate could feel the tension in Marcus' body as they rode. It was on this road that he had nearly died, after all. But when he glanced at her, their eyes met for a moment and she blushed despite herself. "At least we will not have a reprise of events the last time we came to Athos, my lady," he said lowly.
Kate turned her attention back to the road. "Which events?" she asked. "Me falling into the channel, or what happened... after?"
"The former," he replied. "I would not relive that terror again, even though what followed was most pleasant."
That had Kate blushing again, but it also had her thinking about what had been happening between them in recent weeks. That near-kiss she had told Elizabeth of was not an anomaly. Sometimes when they were alone, it seemed natural that they should reach for each other. In unguarded moments, she longed to kiss him again, to remember what it was like to be in his arms and have nothing to think of but him.
It provoked a worry in her. In many ways, this was different than the days before their last trip to Athos. This time she knew what it was like to have his passion focused on her and the temptation was much stronger. But she also knew what had become of them before. They had both apologized for the terrible things they had done to each other, but that did not mean that either of them had changed. It did not mean that they trusted each other more than they had a year ago. It did not mean that all was well.
Sometimes, though, she would catch Marcus watching, and she would hope.
They arrived in Athos to be greeted in the town square by Teyla, who was surprised to see so many and more so to see the queen in the party. "Your Majesty," she said, "we did not expect you."
Kate adjusted the hood of her cloak to shield herself from the cold drizzle that was falling. The village was otherworldly, covered in mist and lit by the bright orange of sporadic torches.
Teyla led them into the healer's house, where Beckett followed her into another room to work on the injured man. But Elizabeth and Kate were both taken aback by who else was there. "John," Elizabeth almost gasped.
"Majesty," he replied with a nod.
Elizabeth was instantly more formal. "We did not expect to see you, my lord."
"I only arrived tonight," he said, sounding very tired. "My intention was to ride on to Atlantis, but with this weather..." He shook his head. "My lady, what are you doing here?"
She gave him a look that silenced him, and he bowed his head. "My apologies. It has been a long journey."
Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak, but from the next room there was a strangled cry. "Was that the man who was shot?" Kate asked.
"Poor devil's awake," John replied. "I do not envy him the pain he is about to feel."
There was something in his affect that made Kate wonder if he spoke from personal experience, but then the noise from the other room got louder. Soon Beckett was calling for help, and John and Aiden Ford hurried inside. There was a loud yell a few moments later and all of them flinched.
Elizabeth was focused on the door, and Kate turned away, crossing her arms. Marcus frowned at her. "Is something wrong?" he asked quietly.
She shook her head. "I am a little cold; that is all."
He still looked concerned, and a moment later he went to the hearth and stoked the meager fire into something more substantial. At his beckoning, Kate moved to the fireplace to warm herself, giving him a grateful smile.
Now, away from Elizabeth and the rest of the guards, he lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. "I suppose this would be the time for a scandalous remark about you being cold and us being in Athos."
"Scandalous indeed," Kate murmured, focusing on the fire rather than the rush of heat she felt at his words. "At least tonight you were not taking a foolish risk to your own life."
"I would do it again in a heartbeat, Kate," he said, suddenly serious.
She looked up at him without thought. But before he could expound or she could respond, the door opened. There was a low moaning coming from the other room; John invited them in anyway.
Marcus was at Elizabeth's side again in an instant, as was his duty, and Kate followed a step behind.
*~*~*~*
It had taken the combined strength of John, Ford, and Teyla to hold down the stranger while Beckett removed the arrow from his back. The delicate process took some considerable time, and it was only when the arrow was completely reassembled that Beckett declared that he was ready to stitch the wound. John, remembering when the scar on his neck was stitched up in the middle of a battle far to the east, looked away as the doctor worked.
Teyla helped dress the wound, and John went to the door to let the others in. Elizabeth had a look of resolve upon her face, but it turned to pity as she saw the man prostrate on the bed, gripping the mattress so tightly that his knuckles were white. "Has he said any more?" Elizabeth asked quietly.
John shook his head, and he stayed close behind her while she crossed the small room. Then, rather unexpectedly, she knelt beside the bed so that she could look this man in the eye. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lorne take a step forward reflexively, as though about to pull the queen back. But the man on the bed was hardly up for any sort of mischief. They had not yet had time to free his hands of the manacles.
"I am Elizabeth of Atalan," she said to him. "What message would a Wraith have that I would hear?"
The man shook his head. "I am not one of them," he protested vehemently, although his breathing was labored. "They captured me years ago. Seven years ago."
John wondered how the man had kept track of the time, but that was hardly the salient point. "Then what message does a prisoner of the Wraith have for me?" Elizabeth pressed.
"They are set to attack," he replied. "I know not what you know of the Wraith, but they are not merely bands of pirates. Sometimes they join together for conquests they cannot manage on their own, and I have never seen so many ships join together as this."
The whole room went quiet, and when Elizabeth finally did speak again, her soft voice seemed unnaturally loud. "Atlantis."
Given the enormous risk the man had taken to deliver this message to the queen herself, John was not entirely surprised when the man nodded. "Yes."
"How long?"
"A week at the most."
John swallowed hard as the horror of this set in. While the navy had wintered near Atlantis, there would not be enough time to send for the nearest battalions of soldiers to reinforce those already situated on the island. If they were to weather this, it would be as they were.
Elizabeth was pale, but her voice was firm. "I would know one thing more," she said. "What is your name?"
"Dex," he told her. "Ronon Dex."
Her eyes went wide and she and the stranger stared at each other in silence for a moment. But she accepted John's hand and stood when he helped her. Without a word, they left the room, leaving Beckett tending his patient and Ford watching over them. But once they were in the other room again, Elizabeth turned to Kate. "Tell me I am not wrong," she said. "Ronon Dex was the crown prince of Sateda."
Kate nodded. "But Sateda was destroyed-"
"Seven years ago," Elizabeth finished. "He said he was captured seven years ago."
John wanted to point out that that was not absolute proof, but he held his tongue. Elizabeth was biting her thumbnail for a moment before she checked herself. "We will stay here a little while longer, until Beckett can determine whether or not this Ronon Dex can be moved to Atlantis tonight," she said.
Kate cast a swift look at Teyla, then at Lorne. "We will wait outside, Majesty," she said, and with that, John and Elizabeth were alone.
In the past, when they had been left alone, she would relax visibly, for once allowed to be unguarded in someone's presence. But this time, she looked almost ready to crumble under the weight of the news she had just received. John stepped in immediately, taking her in his arms, though not without a little hesitation. Soon she was clinging to him, trembling, and all he could do was hold her.
"Elizabeth," he breathed against her warm skin. "We'll get through this."
She did not answer, and he did not attempt to say anything else to comfort her. Instead, they merely stood holding each other until Beckett appeared at the door. Even then, John kept close to her as they left the village to travel through the rain to Atlantis.
He suspected it would be a long time before he willingly let her out of his sight.
*~*~*~*
It was by pure chance that Daniel discovered his cousin had left the palace to go tearing around the rainy night on the mainland on some strange errand. He couldn't decide if he was angrier at Elizabeth for going or Lorne for not finding a way to stop it.
Jack was definitely laying the blame on the captain. Daniel had felt a moment of guilt for rousing Jack, given that Sarah had been having trouble sleeping of late, but this foolish impulsiveness of Elizabeth's was not something he could bear alone. He doubted he would have been told of this adventure by his cousin if he had not learned of it on his own, which frustrated him further.
When Elizabeth, Kate and Teyla entered the private audience room with Captain Lorne behind them, Daniel drew in a deep breath to demand an explanation from his cousin, regardless of propriety. The sight of John trailing in their wake only made it worse - had she gone running off to meet John when only a few hours more would have brought him to the palace safely?
He only got as far as, "My lady, what-" before Elizabeth shot a look at him that halted him in his tracks. He could not recall seeing such a grave expression on her face, not since Sumner had died.
Jack tensed beside him and skipped the formalities. "What is wrong?"
Elizabeth walked restlessly toward the window. "A man arrived in Athos tonight, after escaping from a Wraith raiding party intending to attack the village. He said the Wraith are massing an armada and planning to attack Atlantis."
If Elizabeth had announced a desire to renounce her title and take up piracy herself, Daniel could not have been more shocked. Thankfully Jack found his voice again. "When?"
"Within the week," John said somberly.
There was a painful silence while Daniel attempted to force his mind to work. "Who is this man? Are we sure we can trust his information?"
Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest. "He claims to be Ronon Dex, Daniel."
At that, his eyebrows went up. "Another one?" There had been a few men over the years claiming to be a member of the royal house of Sateda. Prince Ronon, whose death had never been confirmed, had been a particularly popular object of such pretenders. With the country essentially destroyed and the royal family eliminated, there was little way to prove the truth one way or the other.
"He was shot in the back by the Wraith," Teyla put in when Elizabeth did not reply right away. "He was in shackles, but he jumped from one of their boats and swam to shore anyway. They attempted to silence him before he could speak to us."
Daniel glanced at Jack. It certainly lent credence to the threat. "This is the Wraith we're talking about, though," Daniel said to Teyla.
Her eyes flashed at him briefly. "I am aware of that, my lord. But we cannot ignore this information."
"She's right," John put in. "Even if this is an elaborate trap and this man was sent to play a part, including being shot with a barbed arrow that could easily have killed him, the risk is too great to do nothing."
"The college will howl if we simply take the word of some Wraith pirate," Daniel said to his cousin.
She had been standing with her back to them, but now she pivoted to face the room. "Let them," she snapped angrily. "I believe what this Ronon Dex said, and I will not sit idly and wait while the Wraith may be preparing to destroy my city."
Daniel held up a hand. "Of course, my lady. But it would not be remiss to try to verify the information at the same time."
Jack nodded in agreement. "If this informant knows the location where the Wraith are staging their movements, we can send a ship to reconnoiter. Whatever power the Wraith may have assembled, our ships are faster on any sea."
There was a small pause as Elizabeth weighed her options. Daniel could practically see her reasoning with herself before she gave a small sigh. "Very well. The Prometheus is our fastest ship currently, is that correct?" When Jack nodded she folded her hands together. "Summon Captain Ronson. He is to set sail as soon as possible and verify what we have been told. Make sure he understands his primary mission is to confirm and return, Jack. We can hardly risk losing a ship at this point."
Jack went to the door. Daniel looked at Elizabeth. "And in the meantime?"
Her face went cold. "We prepare for war, my lord."
*~*~*~*
When Ronon woke, part of his mind concluded immediately that he must have died. For the first time in seven years his hands were unbound, he was on a bed and more significantly on dry land. After all those years at sea, it was exceedingly strange to walk upon a floor that did not move with the waves.
A few minutes after he woke, a servant appeared at the door, bringing him clean clothes. The garments were plain, but Ronon knew he was uncommonly tall, and that clothes fitting him would not be easy to come by. He said nothing about them as the young man helped him dress. His old clothes were taken away, and Ronon strongly suspect they would soon be burned. He would hardly object.
His body ached, both from the wound in his back and the general abuses of the last seven years. But when he looked out from the window, he could almost imagine that he was back in Sateda. The sound of waves against the shore was so much like home.
There was another knock at the door. A guard was stationed in the hallway, and one of the women from the night before - the small, dark-skinned one - was standing in the corridor. She had met him fearlessly on the beach.
"Good morning," she said as he let her in and closed the door. "I am Lady Teyla. I was not sure you would remember me from last night."
"I think you were the one holding me down while the doctor pulled the arrow."
She nodded. "One of them, anyway. Doctor Beckett asked me to come here this morning to examine your wound," she said.
She gestured toward a chair, and he complied, sitting down and pulling his tunic back off. The lady did not flinch at the sight of the tattoos and scars and bruises on his body, but she would have seen them the previous night. Besides, he got the sense from this woman that it would take far more than this to rattle her. She was beautiful, with an expressive face and sharp eyes. It had been a long time since he'd seen a woman this close, and the memory of what had befallen most of the women he had seen in the last seven years made the bile rise in his throat. He forced himself to focus on the present instead of the past. "This seems like an odd errand for a lady of the court," he remarked.
Her eyes narrowed, but she did not immediately reply. Instead, she pulled up the bandage on his back and began to clean the wound. "There is a little more blood, but not much," she said. "The doctor will be pleased. And if you must know, his wife is with child. In fact, she is days away from giving birth."
Ronon stiffened slightly, though not from the pain whenever Teyla touched his injury. "I hope she will be escaping the island."
"I believe the queen is speaking with them now," the countess replied. "But an escape may be as dangerous to her as staying."
That Ronon did not understand, but he had rarely understood these matters. In Sateda, birth was the province of women, and he suspected it was so in Atalan too.
"So the doctor could find no one else to come and see to me?" he asked, suddenly suspicious.
"Your identity has not been made public, Prince, so he thought it best to send someone who already knew about you," she replied smoothly. It took everything he had not to flinch at the title, something he had only heard in derision these last seven years. "Most of the men among her Majesty's advisors are busy readying the island for war. I am certain my time to help with that will come, but I am glad to see to your well-being first."
He looked over his shoulder, and their eyes met for a moment. "Then you know who I am."
Teyla did not smile, but her eyes were amused. "You did introduce yourself to the queen last night."
But that did not mean that his name would be recognized anymore, he wanted to protest. There were days when he hardly remembered the life he'd once had. The years had been terrible, and Sateda was long gone. He could not expect anyone to recall the place he sometimes could not see in his own mind anymore.
"She recognized your name immediately," the lady continued, and he turned his head to face forward again. "And I must say, had Lord John and I known who you were, we might not have been so reluctant to send for the queen."
Her attempt at teasing him fell flat, and he ignored it. Ronon dimly remembered the man Teyla was talking about. "The queen's betrothed?" he said.
"Yes," she replied. "He is set to marry her in the summer, now that the trouble with his title in Caldora is settled."
"Caldora?" Ronon repeated, startled. "Have I been adrift so long?"
This time, the lady smiled. "It is a very recent development."
By then she had bandaged him again, and she bade him dress himself once more. When he was decent again, she said, "I will have food sent up for you. The queen will be addressing her lords this morning, and I must be ready to speak as well." He could sense something akin to annoyance at that, though he could not imagine why. "Her Majesty bids you come to the assembly, if you wish."
He wasn't sure if he wanted to, but he nodded anyway. "The queen is very kind."
There was an odd look on the lady's face. "If you attend the college this morning, your opinion of her may change."
With that cryptic statement, she quit the room, leaving him in solitude once more.
*~*~*~*
Elizabeth had slept for only a few hours near dawn. Kate looked just as tired as she felt, but it was almost a relief to rise from bed and do something rather than lie there worrying uselessly.
The Prometheus was already away. Elizabeth sent out a summons for the college to assemble midmorning and then she and Kate went to see Laura. Her old friend was trying valiantly to hide her panic at the news that a Wraith armada might be headed for the city, but Elizabeth noted that Laura kept her hands cradled protectively over her belly. It was probably unconscious, but it made Elizabeth feel ill. The stress of knowing about this would be bad enough for Laura. What would happen if she had to be moved?
Carson looked worried, but Elizabeth could not bring herself to raise the issue with him at the moment. No doubt both Carson and Laura were well aware of the danger they might be facing. There was a little time for them to talk and decide together what to do.
Teyla reported that Ronon Dex seemed to be recovering as well as could be expected. Jack had sent orders to bring the few groups of soldiers nearby to Atlantis, and Daniel said rumors were already swirling through the entire court, which was frustrating but unsurprising. The college would protest, she knew, but this time Elizabeth would not waver nor cede any ground. It was not only her people under threat now, but her very home, the palace raised from the sea by her ancestors. She would not yield.
She and Kate waited in the antechamber with Peter and Captain Lorne. John finally appeared - she had not seen him all morning. He lifted her hand and kissed it, as was his custom, but Elizabeth folded her other hand over his before he could let go. The others shifted away slightly to give them some semblance of privacy.
John brushed his thumb across the ring she bore on her finger, reminding her of the last time they had stood in this spot, the day she announced their engagement. As of yet the college had not come to any resolution on the matter of John's title, but that was the least of her concerns now. She looked up at him, biting her lip. "Part of me wishes you were still away," she admitted. "At least then I would know you were safe."
John's expression darkened. "I would not have it so, my lady. There is nowhere I would rather be, Wraith or no Wraith."
Had they been alone, she would have kissed him, or John would have kissed her, she knew. But Peter cleared his throat and it was time for her to enter the college chamber. She let go of John's hand reluctantly and squared her shoulders. She walked to her throne and sat without delay, noting the tense anticipation within the room. Kate sat in her customary chair to Elizabeth's right, and Elizabeth pushed the sight of Laura's empty chair out of her mind. John settled into place between Daniel and Jack. Lord Benjamin called the college to order and Elizabeth stood.
"My lords, no doubt most of you have heard the rumors by now. We regret that we must confirm them. Last night word reached us that the Wraith have massed an armada and are preparing to attack Atlantis. Their goal is mostly likely the destruction of the shipyards, to hamper our ability to revive the navy and defend Atalan's coast from their predations."
For all the urgency of the situation, Elizabeth could not quite help herself. She said no more and sat down, waiting to see what would happen next.
It was Kate's father, surprisingly, who rose first. "Majesty, may I ask how this information came to you?"
Elizabeth glanced up to the gallery. It was easy to pick out Ronon Dex from the crowd. He was a good head taller than anyone else in the room. "A prisoner of the Wraith escaped from their clutches and delivered the warning."
As expected, the room grumbled at this news. Teyla rose. "Majesty, my lords, I was present during the events of last night. A Wraith party attempted a raid on Athos. They were repelled, but this man jumped from the ship and swam to shore through the frozen waters. He attempted to deliver his message and was shot in the back by the other Wraith. Doctor Beckett had to be summoned to remove the arrow, and thus was the queen informed."
Lord Matthew of Glaston spoke, though with slightly less arrogance than was his wont. "Can anyone else confirm this story?"
Teyla glowered at the man. "Lord John of Sheppard was present throughout the evening, as were several Athosians, my lord."
Lord William Abelson rose before Matthew could respond. "Majesty, have we any reason to trust the word of this pirate? Can we be sure he is indeed acting in good faith?"
"We asked almost the same question, my lord," Elizabeth replied. "The man gave his name as Ronon Dex."
A gasp went through the room, followed by an outbreak of whispers. One of the lords from the southern plains spoke up. "Majesty, there have been others who have claimed that name, and their identity was never verified."
"We concede the point, my lord, but it is known that the Wraith sacked Sateda seven years ago, and Prince Ronon was their prisoner for seven years, by his own account." It was interesting to see Ronon's reaction to his title. Clearly he had not been addressed thus for a very long time. She dropped her eyes back to her nobles. "It would take an inquisitor with more firsthand knowledge of Sateda than we possess to verify or disprove his claims, but given the risk he took to come to us, we believe his word." She held up a hand to forestall the objections. "We were present, my lords, as the Wraith arrow was removed from the prince's body. But for a few inches, he would have died, his warning undelivered. And it is a warning we cannot afford to ignore."
Abelson still looked troubled. "My lady, with due respect, it could be a trick. The Wraith may have sent this man to alarm us, cause us to evacuate the island and concentrate our defenses here, while their real target is elsewhere."
Amid the murmurs of agreement Teyla rose. "There is no target in Atalan that the Wraith would need such a diversion to take, thanks to the shortsightedness of this body last fall."
Several people bellowed at that but Elizabeth didn't flinch, nor did she intervene. Teyla bristled at the jeers being sent in her direction. "There is no use pretending it is otherwise, my lords," she continued, nearly sneering the last word. "Had this college not contravened the queen's express wishes last fall, had we not fallen for mythical fears of what might come and instead focused on the genuine danger, the navy would be powerful enough now to deter any threat the Wraith might have made. Instead the island is vulnerable and we face the war becoming not merely the concern of the peasants along the coastline."
"You imply that we only care about our own skins, then?" Matthew challenged her. "Our concern in the fall was the defenses of the entire nation!"
"And when exactly did the coast cease to be part of this nation?" Teyla snapped back. "It cannot have escaped the notice of such educated men that the rumors of vague threats coming across the mountains ceased entirely by the time Solstice arrived, long before any substantial work had been completed on the border defenses. In the meantime, the Wraith have massed all their forces to strike at the very heart of Atalan. We made this possible by our own foolishness."
There was a subdued pause. Teyla remained standing, but Lord Richard Woolsey rose. "Countess, perhaps we could leave aside the issue of recriminations for the moment? I share Lord Abelson's original concern. Assuming the Wraith are preparing some sort of attack, how can we be certain their target is Atlantis, or even Atlantis alone? This armada, if it exists, could be intent on pillaging the entire coast while we draw all our resources back to the capital."
Elizabeth admitted reluctantly that it was a valid point, but Teyla appeared to have considered this already, for she answered Woolsey immediately.
"There is only one prize on our coast that is heavily guarded - the shipyards of Atlantis. The patrols of our waters have discouraged the Wraith from attacking, but never outright prevented their attempts. Whenever they have resolved to assault our coast, they have done so despite the increase in our ships. This is no trick, my lords. They are coming for the shipyards and the city, and they must be stopped."
Teyla seemed to feel her point had been made and sat. Jack rose and was acknowledged by Hurst. "We will settle the issue of whether this information is correct soon enough. The Prometheus departed on the early tide before dawn to investigate and will return as soon as Captain Ronson has an answer. In the meantime, we have no choice but to prepare the island and its defenses. We cannot risk a delay."
Elizabeth gave him a short nod. It was important that Jack was standing by her in this matter. As the commander of the army, his word would be accepted, as they both knew too well. Elizabeth drew in a breath. "My lords, our path seems clear. An announcement will be made to evacuate the city. We must get the women and children to safety on the mainland."
Samuels rose. "Majesty, my lords, if we make a public announcement in the city, we risk causing a panic. A full evacuation of the island will require preparation."
Elizabeth hesitated, as did almost everyone else. It was a rare thing for Samuels to make a rational and valid point in this manner. Lord David rose in response. "Perhaps, Majesty, today the call should be to prepare for evacuation if necessary. It may delay the panic until we have confirmation of the prince's words and allow us time to plan."
A quick glance at Jack, Teyla, and Daniel showed they agreed, so Elizabeth nodded again. "We concur, my lord. We shall begin the work of planning to remove the residents from the city, but instruct everyone to remain calm until we are sure of what is coming." Those with the means would most likely leave immediately, but this might stave off the chaos of a panic.
There was general agreement and only a few more of the lords spoke up, one regarding the best people to plan the evacuation and another to bring up appealing to the Asgard for aid. Elizabeth did her best to assure them that she would leave no stone unturned to keep the capital safe and the meeting ended. Elizabeth quit the room while the lords gathered in small groups, many no doubt plotting how best to flee themselves.
Once she was safely in her private chamber, John slipped into place next to her. He said nothing, but he squeezed her hand for a moment. She drew more strength from that simple touch than was rational, but she squeezed back even as she turned to face Daniel, Jack, and Teyla. The Countess of Athos had only one question. "What was Samuels' purpose, do you think?"
Jack shook his head. "I don't know. I was stunned to hear him express anything other than fear for his own safety."
"I wager it was about his safety," Daniel put in sourly. "He probably feared if there was a general panic among the townsfolk, they would prevent him from getting off the island as fast as possible."
"How despicable," Kate murmured quietly. Elizabeth agreed, though, knowing Samuels, it was hardly surprising.
"Most of the noblemen will leave, will they not?" she asked.
"I imagine so, my lady," Daniel told her. "I do not know how much value they would be in a fight anyway. Most of them never served in the army, and the ones that did last saw action against the Goa'uld or the Ori years ago."
"Still, every available sword hand will be needed," Jack put in.
Elizabeth clasped her hands together. "Then along with the announcement to the city, we should ask for able bodied men to volunteer to stay and fight. I do not wish to conscript by force if it can be avoided. Hopefully enough will remain."
The looks on their faces matched her own doubt, but with a sigh, Elizabeth put it aside. There was work to do.