Fic: "Husbands and Wives" (3/5)
Part 1
Part 2
On the third morning after giving birth, Sarah and her husband invited their friends to attend their daughter's naming ceremony. Usually a child's name was known in advance of this event, but in this case, Elizabeth speculated on her way to the ceremony that it was possible the new parents were still arguing about their choices even at this moment.
The ceremony was held early in the morning so that it would not interfere with the already crowded schedule of events later in the day. Even so, Elizabeth had to hurry to make it there in time. She and Kate and Laura slipped into Jack's sitting room to find everyone waiting for them.
Sarah still looked tired, which did not surprise Elizabeth. The baby was awake at the moment, and Sarah was swaying slightly as she held the child. After a moment, Elizabeth realized that the baby was wearing the little dress of fine white linen which she had embroidered herself.
Elizabeth's group was the last to arrive, so when Jack had greeted her and Laura and Kate, he stood beside his wife and looked around. "Friends," he said, "Sarah and I would like to introduce you all to our daughter, Julia Elizabeth Gardner of Neill."
Jack glanced at her and Elizabeth gave him a wry smile. She had implored her closest friends to resist the temptation to name children after her. There were already namesakes all over the country. She did not need them roaming the palace. But she understood the gesture her old friend was making in this, and did not have the heart to object.
Julia was a lovely first name, but Elizabeth's attention was quickly drawn away from the baby to one of her ladies. "What an extraordinary coincidence," Laura said. "Julia was the name I favored before Moira was born."
She looked to her husband shrewdly. Carson held up his hands. "Lady Sarah asked me if we had as much difficulty naming Moira as she and Lord Jonathan were having. I merely told her that we could not agree on a name until the baby was actually born," he told her.
Jack looked amused. "Nothing is stopping you from naming your next daughter after mine, Laura," he pointed out.
Laura continued to glare at Carson, which made Jack laugh. "Daniel," he said, "bring the book."
Daniel brought forth a hefty tome which Jack must have sent for from Neill. In Atalan, it was customary especially among the nobility to keep a book of family records. When a new baby's name was announced, its parents would make the new record. Elizabeth's birth was recorded in two books, one for the house of Weir and the other for the royal archive. Her marriage would be recorded in three places, for it would be the last entry for the house of Weir and the first for the house of Sheppard.
Sarah passed baby Julia to her father and sat down to write the entry for the child. Afterward, everyone raised a toast to the baby's health, and they milled about for a little while, taking a rare moment to ignore politics and have a proper celebration in private.
Not long into it, Elizabeth found herself at John's side. He lifted her hand to his lips and kept his voice low. "This is a pleasant ceremony," he remarked, "but I have a feeling that when you and I name our children, we will not have such an intimate gathering."
Elizabeth smiled. "If it tells you anything, there is a painting of mine."
"That's what I thought." He sighed. "At least I will have you to myself every now and then."
She turned slightly to kiss him. That was not something she normally did in front of so many, but everyone else was busy and few noticed. "Captain Lorne wants to speak to you sometime this morning," she told him.
"About?"
"Something you will not like."
It only took John a moment to discern what this was regarding. "Elizabeth," he said with a hint of protest in his voice, but she cut him off.
"It is not up for discussion, John," she replied firmly. Rather than make her argument with protocol, she opted for the more personal reason. "I will not have your safety at risk when I can prevent it. This is one subject on which you will not be able to persuade me."
She saw in his eyes the impulse to push her on this, so she raised a brow. That seemed to do it. "Very well," he replied, taking her hand again and kissing it quickly. "As long as you know how much I dislike the idea."
Elizabeth smiled and turned her gaze back to their friends. "What makes you think I do not share the sentiment, my lord?"
*~*~*~*
Elizabeth was right, although John would never admit it. He was skilled with the bow and sword and knife and his bare hands if need be, but he was about to become a prince, and with that came certain risks. For Elizabeth's sake he would accept the protection she required, but he did reserve the right to grumble about it in private.
He kept such thoughts to himself, however, as Lorne ushered him into the guards' barracks later that morning. A number of young men dressed in black were gathered, including Ford. "My lord," Marcus began, "as you know, over the last several months I have recruited and trained guards for your protection, on her Majesty's orders. During this process, it became clear to me that the only logical choice for the leader of the prince's guard is Lieutenant Ford."
Marcus had discussed this with him previously, so the announcement was no surprise. Ford looked pleased with the official news, as well as the promotion. John glanced about the room at the serious faces on the young men gathered there. To his view there were far more men than he might ever need but he knew this had been planned and there was no escaping it. Marcus caught his expression and seemed to be suppressing a smile. "You will have one guard with you at all times, and during affairs of state we will increase the number as needed. As much of your time will be spent with the queen, I felt it was unnecessary to add more than that."
John avoided rolling his eyes. Elizabeth's entourage was already large enough without adding even more guards.
Knowing there was no getting out of having so many, he spoke to every member of the guard for a few minutes, learning not just their names but where they were from and what had drawn them to the guard. He did not doubt Lorne's judgment, but he wanted to know something of the men who would be protecting him. It seemed only right when they were willing to risk their lives for his sake.
When the introductions were all made, John headed out, followed by Ford and another guard. This, apparently, was one of the times when Lorne had felt it necessary to have John guarded by more than one. His discomfiture with the whole business was probably the reason that he did not notice Lady Catherine approaching him in a corridor until it was too late to avoid her. She informed him that his groomsmen were with the tailor and he was wanted there immediately for a final fitting on his clothing for the wedding. John nodded politely over gritted teeth as he turned toward the tailor's workshop but reminded himself that this was the last time he would have to endure this particular ordeal, at least for some time. In the last three months Master Aaron, the tailor, had been busily creating a wardrobe fit for a prince, most of which was now put away in John's new chambers.
Carson's clothing had the most work left to be done, as he had been added to the wedding party so late. He had a suitable shirt and trousers, but a doublet had to be made for him quickly. All the men in the party would be wearing doublets of the same color and design, though John's was the most ornate.
His bore the crest of Atalan on the back, as was proper, and he was thankful that the color was a simple dark blue. Aaron assured him it would match Elizabeth's wedding gown in some way. The front of John's doublet was also decorated, unlike the others, with the crest of the house of Sheppard on each shoulder. Though John would surrender the signet ring and his claim to the title of marquis, his name would now become part of Atalan's history, and he had wanted his father's house represented. The tunic underneath was fine white linen, bearing embroidery around the cuffs and collar that he did his best to ignore.
John looked at his reflection in the mirror. It was not the first time he'd seen his wedding clothes, but the nearness of the event made it seem all the more unreal. In two days he would be dressed in these same garments, and married to Elizabeth. Assuming the sky did not fall down within the next few hours.
"Attire fit for a prince, my lord?" David said from behind him, where he and Cameron were lounging and watching the others, having finished their turns already.
John figured David was making fun, but he nodded to Aaron. "Indeed, and thankfully loose in the collar and waist, so I shall be able to breathe."
Cameron rolled his eyes. "Is that the only advice you are capable of giving, John?"
He laughed at that. "It is suitable for almost any occasion, cousin." One of the tailor's assistants was making final markings on Carson's doublet to make it fit properly and John remembered the first wedding he had attended in Atlantis. "I am at least grateful I have no mother-in-law intervening with my wedding clothes."
Carson made a sour face at him. "If I had known what that woman was intent on putting me through, I would've taken Laura's suggestion and eloped."
The other two men chuckled. "Was it really that bad?" Cameron inquired of Carson. Cameron's wedding, of course, had been only slightly less complex and grand than John's would be.
"There was a belt wider than my hand," Carson replied grumpily, holding out his large hands. "And trimmings and ruffles everywhere. It was an eyesore."
"The colors were hard on the eyes, especially after that bachelor dinner," John remembered helpfully.
Unfortunately that gave Carson a line of attack in response. "Yes, well, for men who cannot hold their liquor..."
Cameron burst out laughing again, while David shook his head at them all. "Count your blessings. When I was married, the fashion was for collars so high and stiff, my ears were sore by the end of the day."
"Yes, but you didn't have a crown of flowers placed on your head," Cameron pointed out, still chuckling.
"True. I confess I'm disappointed to be missing that part of the tradition."
John glared at his friends but then paused as someone rapped on the door and entered. To everyone's surprise, Ronon came in and froze on the threshold, looking uncomfortable at finding the room so occupied.
Aaron hustled forward. "Highness, we have been expecting you. I believe everything is nearly finished." Belatedly John realized that Ronon would have no reason to possess clothing suitable to wear to formal court events. Given the man's size, making garments for him quickly would not have been an easy task.
John smiled at the prince, wanting to put the man at ease. "My groomsmen are tormenting me with horror stories about flowers and collars. You must have sought out Master Aaron as soon as you arrived," John joked. "Even he would need time to prepare for this task."
Ronon glared a bit, but Aaron replied with amusement. "Lady Teyla brought the prince to me, my lord. He presented a worthy challenge, I assure you."
The other men were trying to hide their grins as Ronon was whisked off to change. The tailor's assistant had finished with Carson by the time the prince returned. Unlike the wedding party, he was dressed in dark and light browns and looked even more imposing, if that was possible. John still half-expected to see the wild mane of hair Ronon had cut off in the spring whenever he looked at the man, but even without it he was difficult to miss.
David actually whistled, which made the other men laugh and Ronon glare even harder, but David was unperturbed. "You may need some protection from the women of the court, Highness. I imagine they will flock around you like chattering birds."
Ronon looked terrified by that idea, and John couldn't really blame him. Cameron came to his rescue. "I used a battle injury to escape dancing at my first court function. It came in very handy."
John narrowed his eyes. "I always wondered how you got out of dancing that night."
"Perhaps if you hadn't shirked your duty, you would have married the princess sooner," David put in, making Cameron flush slightly.
The two of them began bickering, and John and Carson drifted closer to Ronon as Aaron made some final adjustments to the clothes. Ronon looked at them worriedly. "I'm not certain I remember the steps to any court dances," he admitted.
John clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm sure we can find someone to help with that." Elizabeth never objected to dancing, and she could probably be persuaded to find a way to help the prince.
*~*~*~*
After luncheon, Lord George watched the royal party get underway for an outing on the mainland. It had been the queen's idea to have the entire wedding party and their spouses along with some friends head for the shore for a few hours as a diversion. Elizabeth was nervous about the proceedings attending the wedding, though only someone who knew her well would be able to detect the tiny signs of her anxiety. A ride in the open air and some time outside the palace would hopefully do her some good.
His attention had been more focused on two of the guests in the party. Ronon, whom Elizabeth had accepted as the Prince of Sateda, was quiet and rather sullen. Lord George had never met the young prince, though he probably remembered more about Sateda and its ambassador than any of Elizabeth's other advisors. After the death of King Edmund and the destruction of Sateda by the Wraith, the country had been largely forgotten.
It was impossible to guess whether Ronon had been born noble or not; seven years of imprisonment would have erased that person entirely. What was sure was the young man was intelligent but wary, an understandable state of mind for a man with his history. George wished Elizabeth had not been so open with her acceptance of him as a prince, but he had not said so aloud. It was hardly the first time Elizabeth had welcomed a stranger into her inner circle, and her instincts had proved correct in the past.
Prince Cameron was more gregarious than Ronon but clearly unschooled in diplomacy and court politics, though he was likely learning as quickly as he could. As the man who would become Caldora's next king, Cameron was perhaps more interesting to the nobles and ambassadors gathered for the wedding than the event itself. He was an unknown, and given the recent trouble with the Goa'uld and the development of the gunpowder changing the politics of the continent, many eyes were watching his every move to learn more about the man.
Daniel shot him a questioning look as they returned to the palace and went to Daniel's office. George sighed. "It would not be a major diplomatic event without some intrigues, I suppose."
Daniel chuckled. "So long as none of them involve Elizabeth, I am not sure I care at this point. I shall be grateful when this is over and they have all gone home."
"No more so than Elizabeth will be," he replied, sitting down in the chair across from Daniel. "She is restless and far more impatient with the rituals of diplomacy than usual."
Daniel frowned. "I noticed. Though to be fair, she has never had to deal with so many guests all at once before. Even at the summit during the winter, the guests were not as highly placed as now."
"And her mind is on other matters." He got a sour look for that. "You still have doubts?"
Daniel leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "My lord, Elizabeth could marry the most perfect man in creation and I would be worried about it. And John of Sheppard is far from perfect. But... he loves her. He's sacrificed much for her, far more than most men would."
George nodded. John's willingness to give up power and wealth in his own country had done more to soothe concerns among Atalan's nobility than even Elizabeth probably realized. "Theirs will not be a quiet marriage, I suspect. Lord John has a temper and a strong will. They will fight over things. But I believe they will be stronger for it."
There was a momentary pause before a page knocked on the door and delivered a pouch of reports to Daniel. "These are from the watchtowers. I should look them over before supper." Ordinarily this was Jack's purview, but Daniel had taken part of Jack's daily work to ease his friend's burdens during the last few weeks of Lady Sarah's confinement.
Before leaving home, George's son had joked that he must not allow himself to be pulled back into the chaos of court business, but he supposed there was never any escape from that while in the palace. He did not miss the demands of his former position, but he could not tuck himself away when he could be of use.
Daniel looked at him slyly. "I'm sure if you find Lady Catherine she will have some job for you to do."
George shook his head. "I can hardly believe there is anything left to do. Of course, I can hardly believe Elizabeth is to be married in two days' time."
"I know." Daniel's expression was wistful. "Some part of me still sees her as a little child. Mostly because I do not want to acknowledge what those years have done to me."
"Imagine how you will feel at my age, Daniel," he observed wryly before quitting the room in search of Lady Catherine.
*~*~*~*
As the party rode across the isthmus to the mainland, John could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. The hectic atmosphere in the palace was becoming oppressive, and he was glad Elizabeth had thought so far ahead as to plan this outing for herself and her guests. In addition to the wedding party, Carolyn, the Dixons and Ronon were all with them, everyone enjoying the fresh air off the sea as they rode.
He wished it could be a private affair with the two of them alone, but that was probably too much to hope for, and too big a risk given their recent history with private meetings. And even if it was, there would still be Elizabeth's guards with them even for a short ride. The Caldoran guards were less happy with this little adventure, since the territory would be unfamiliar to them, but Cameron and Carolyn were undeterred.
Then, abruptly, he remembered that some of the guards in the party were his own, and his irritation returned momentarily. He elected to concentrate on more pleasant things.
Elizabeth was near the middle of the party, and John slowed his horse until she had come up beside him. "This was a good idea, Elizabeth," he said quietly. "For the next few hours, at least, no one will be giving me instructions about the wedding."
She laughed, which he liked to hear, except that she was laughing at him. "That can always be arranged, John."
He turned a baleful look at her, which only made her laugh all the more. "Come now, my lord," she said. "We have an afternoon away from the palace. Surely you can take a little teasing."
John looked around and sighed, remembering the nighttime ride they had taken together. "Would that we were alone."
Elizabeth's cheeks flushed, but her reply was not innocent. "We will be soon enough."
They ended up at the ruins not far from the coast where he had proposed to Elizabeth at Solstice. The grandeur of the place was not lost on John, and now he even knew something of the people who had built the fortress and why they had abandoned it. Elizabeth grinned at him as he told his countrymen of the marriage between one of Elizabeth's ancestors and one of Teyla's ancestors many generations ago. A few years later, construction on the palace of Atlantis began. John supposed the island was more defensible, but that marriage had solidified the importance of Athos more than any other royal union he knew of.
"Master Grodin would be proud of his pupil, my lord," Kate teased.
"I see you have been required to study as well," Cameron piped up from behind John and Elizabeth. "I have sometimes felt like a schoolboy. And my mother-in-law is always ready to tell me wild stories about murder and adultery and all manner of sins in the court."
John looked over his shoulder to see Carolyn shaking her head. "Sometimes I think Mother tells you these tales just to see how gullible you are, Cameron."
"And you, Carolyn, were the first to tell me a story about a murder in the court."
That caught the attention of the rest, and John smiled as Carolyn found herself recounting an obscure story out of Caldora's history. As the story ended, the party broke into smaller groups. Elizabeth was with Kate and Lady Juliana while Carolyn was speaking with Laura, so John felt no guilt in stepping away with Cameron for a while. He would be able to monopolize Elizabeth's time soon enough.
They climbed the stairs up to the parapet along the southern wall and looked out toward the sea. "I have never seen its like, John," Cameron said. "Carolyn and I were amazed at it when we arrived. It is strange to think that I cannot ride around to the other side."
John nodded, leaning against the stone wall. "I missed the sea while I was in Caldora," he replied. "It becomes a part of you here."
"I have thought the same of the hills in Sheppard."
"Indeed." John looked at his cousin, who seemed restless. "It's not like you to fidget, Cameron," he said. "Is something wrong?"
"No, no, nothing is wrong," Cameron said quickly. He took longer to expound. "It's just... Carolyn is with child."
John's jaw dropped for a moment before he grinned. "Congratulations, cousin," he replied, clapping Cameron's shoulder.
Cameron looked abashed. "This has all happened faster than I expected," he said. "I suppose it is better not to give the gossips in court the opportunity to wonder about a delay, but it will be yet another life-altering event in a very short amount of time."
"I'm surprised she would come," John remarked after a moment. He had heard Laura talk often enough of the physical discomfort of her pregnancy, even before her condition was apparent to others.
"She had only begun to suspect when we left Redwater," Cameron explained. They looked down from the wall, and John imagined that his cousin's gaze was fixed on Princess Carolyn, who was laughing heartily at something Kate and Laura were telling her. "She was so calm when she told me." It was clear that Cameron was feeling far less sanguine about the situation.
"She has had some time to get used to the idea, Cameron," John pointed out. He wondered how he would react when the day came that Elizabeth had similar news for him, but that hope was better left unspoken of for now.
"I suppose. Hopefully in a little while I will be used to the idea myself."
*~*~*~*
"Have you ever thought of rebuilding this palace?" Teyla asked of the queen as they wandered the ruins together.
Elizabeth shook her head, though she smiled. "I would leave it as it is," she replied. "This is where John asked me to marry him, you know."
"Indeed?"
She pointed to the parapet up above, where John was walking with his cousin, though at the other end. "Up there, by the watchtower."
"I'm surprised Lorne would allow you up there."
Elizabeth smiled coyly. "Some things he does not need to know."
Teyla laughed at that, and Elizabeth took her arm, leading her away from the crowd to a more secluded place, beneath a deep arched walkway. "I must thank you for all your help these last few days," Elizabeth said lowly. "I know you would rather be with your people, especially having been gone for so long."
"It is no trouble, my lady," Teyla assured her. "I am happy to help however I can." She refrained from observing that with the Wraith vanquished, she had more time on her hands for such labors. She was still not used to waking up in the morning and not immediately addressing the danger the Wraith had posed. Part of her was still at loose ends in the absence of that weight, and unsure what to do to fill her time, but that was a topic for a different day.
"I am glad of that." Elizabeth blew out a long breath. "I know I cannot be away from the business of the palace for too many days, but I should like to have a little time."
Teyla smiled at her knowingly, but then she was curious. "Are you nervous?"
"Yes and no," Elizabeth replied. "John and I have both been worried that something will go wrong. By this point I am more or less resigned to it. There is simply no chance that an event such as this will happen without problems. But I believe you were asking a different question."
"Indeed I was."
"I am nervous, but I am sure at the same time, surer of this than anything I've ever done," she said. "John is right for me and for my people. As unlikely as that once seemed."
That got Teyla grinning. "Bringing him to meet you may be the wisest thing I have ever done."
"And I am eternally in your debt," Elizabeth replied, her expression matching Teyla's. "But tell me, what prompts such questions? Is the countess contemplating following my example and taking a husband?"
The question caught Teyla off-guard and she blushed, thinking of Ronon, who was some distance away and watching the others silently. "Forgive me," Elizabeth said, more seriously. "There were rumors. I wondered if there was truth to them."
"I hardly know myself," Teyla confessed. "There is something about him that fascinates me. He is puzzling in many ways."
"And you have always preferred a challenge," Elizabeth teased gently. "I feel somewhat strange dispensing such advice to others, but I believe he admires you in some way."
Teyla did not find that terribly reassuring, but she would not say so to Elizabeth. "I do not think he is ready to tie himself to any place," she said, leaving aside the matter of his feelings for her. "He may never again be captive as he once was, but I believe I can understand if he is unwilling to stand still for long."
"I have made it clear to him that he is welcome in Atalan as long as I am on the throne," Elizabeth said. "When he is ready for a home, he will have one here."
Deep down, Teyla was relieved to hear that. She knew that Athos would be open to Ronon, but it was better that Elizabeth would receive him as well. After all, he deserved no less.
*~*~*~*
Ronon stood on a mound of earth, looking at Atlantis hovering above the trees that stood between the ruins and the sea. He had been conversing with Lord David Dixon, although in truth he listened much more than he spoke. That was perfectly fine by him. Ronon was comfortable enough around talkative people, such as Doctor Beckett, who did not expect much more than token responses. Those who expected him to speak were much more intimidating.
Almost in answer to his thoughts, Dixon excused himself and his place was taken by Teyla. Ronon tried not to fidget. He'd not spent much time in her company since her arrival, and he could practically feel the questions she had for him.
Mercifully, she began the conversation with something mundane. "I do not know if I have ever seen this place up close before. My path from Athos to Atlantis is too well-trodden to stray from it much."
He smiled a little. "And it is not as though the Countess of Athos has much free time."
She shook her head wearily. "No."
He realized he did not know much about her past, while she knew almost everything there was to know about him. "When did you assume your title?"
Teyla hesitated for a moment. "My father died nearly four years ago in a Wraith raid on the village. Some of the queen's guards were there at the time. They tried to help but it happened too quickly."
"And your mother is gone?" He regretted the question nearly as soon as he said it. The loss of her parents clearly still grieved her, but she answered him before he could apologize.
"Yes, she died when I was very young." She looked away for a minute before returning her gaze to him. "Were both your parents lost to the Wraith?"
He nodded, thinking of the rubble that was all that remained of his home. "I couldn't find any trace of them, or my sisters."
There was a fraught silence, now that he had brought up Sateda. He'd known that Teyla, living on the shore unprotected, understood the threat the Wraith posed better than anyone else he had met in Atlantis. Now, knowing she had lost her own family to them, it was easier to talk of his homeland. "There was not much left, though the ruins were not as overrun as these."
"The storms off the sea would have added to the damage, I imagine."
"The Wraith left little standing," he observed. According to John, the keep that had stood here in Atalan had fallen from disrepair, not a battle. Sateda had been razed.
Though his mind had understood for years that his home had been destroyed, it had taken standing within the shattered remnants of the great hall of his father's palace to make his heart accept it. He might still bear the title prince, but that life was no more. Despite the years that had passed, his sudden freedom and the visit home left him feeling hollow, as empty as the open sea beyond Atlantis.
Something of his emotions must have shown in his face, for Teyla reached out and grasped his hand as she had done the other day. She said nothing, for which he was grateful, but her eyes were full of sympathy.
The touch steadied him, reminding him of the solid earth beneath him where he was welcomed without reservation. The voices nearby caught his attention, the sound of the queen laughing with someone, and John speaking to his cousin above them. Ronon suddenly understood why he had really come back for the wedding. However new this place and these people were to him, they were the only familiar things he had left in the world.
He had not the skill to articulate that feeling aloud, so he settled for squeezing Teyla's hand tightly for a moment. She leaned into him briefly, the warmth of her reminding him of other feelings that went beyond friendship or comfort, but it was hardly the time or place to think of such things.
"I am glad you came, Ronon," Teyla said quietly.
"So am I." He attempted to tease her. "Even if I am to be made to dance in public."
Teyla laughed, as he had hoped, and shot him a look that made his heart speed up. "We will do our best to make it pleasant for you, Prince."
*~*~*~*
After a while, the heat of the summer afternoon and the noise of the crowd began to bother Carolyn. She retreated to a corner of the courtyard, where a column had toppled over, making a convenient seat for her. Cameron caught her gaze with a look of concern, but she shook her head, not wanting him to worry.
She expected Cameron to join her shortly, but instead it was his cousin who interrupted her solitude. He sat without asking her permission and said, "Are you quite all right, Princess?"
"I am," she replied. "It may not be as warm here as at home, but I needed to sit in the shade for a while."
John nodded. "I understand you are to be congratulated," he said, keeping his voice down.
Carolyn rolled her eyes. "Of course my husband told you. But thank you."
John grinned. "He was too nervous about it to keep it secret."
"As long as that news does not go much farther," she said. "My parents do not know yet, and they ought to learn from Cameron and me rather than from wild rumors."
"They would know better than to believe rumors anyway," John pointed out.
They were silent for a little while, and Carolyn remembered the last few conversations she had had alone with this man. After his outright rejection of her, she had wondered about his reasons. Cameron had said enough to make her guess that another woman had a claim on John's heart, but she had not expected that the lady in question was the Queen of Atalan until some time later, when the truth of the romance had become known to everyone.
Something compelled her to speak, possibly the knowledge that she might never have another chance to ask him this. "Last fall I believed you did not wish to be king," she said, which startled him as he realized what she was speaking of. "But I must satisfy my curiosity. Was the queen your real reason?"
John nodded. "At that time, I was not sure I would be able to leave Caldora for years, but at the same time I could not turn away from her, not in such a manner." He narrowed his eyes. "Does Cameron know about that night?"
Carolyn felt vaguely ill at that notion. "Not unless you told him."
"I did not. I thought perhaps in twenty years he might be ready for such news, and even then I am not certain."
That set her laughing, and he smiled easily with her. "I suspected he was in love with you then," he continued. "But I am curious. You are considered a shrewd lady. When did you suspect his feelings for you?"
She blushed despite herself. "The night before you returned to Cheyenne from Atlantis," she admitted. "Just after he kissed me."
John chuckled at that. "That would be an excellent indication."
They fell silent again, but it was a comfortable pause. Carolyn was a little surprised by how at ease she felt with him. What had once passed between them ought to have made them awkward with each other, but that was not the case. "I am not sure how to say this," she began, "but you did not break my heart."
"I know," he replied. "We both would have regretted such an alliance."
She nodded. "Cameron and I have our share of difficulties, but regret is not among them."
John got a slightly mischievous look on his face. "Elizabeth and I have organized a little dancing lesson tonight," he told her, seeming to change the subject entirely. "Partly for Prince Ronon's benefit, and partly for those Caldorans who would wish to become acquainted with Atalanian court dances. I would encourage you to bring your husband, for I have it on good authority that he once cheated you out of a dance."
First she stared, but then she laughed. "Indeed? Then he shall have to make up for such a grievous offense."
John rose and kissed her hand. "I look forward to seeing that, my lady."
*~*~*~*
Elizabeth's dancing lesson was well attended, even though the invitation had been limited. Prince Cameron and Princess Carolyn were there, along with the Dixons, and Prince Ronon was standing off to the side with Teyla. Laura had convinced Carson to come, and John was already spinning Elizabeth about. Three of the musicians who would play for the wedding feast were set up on one end of the hall to provide music for them to dance to. Peter Grodin was there, but he looked pale and tired.
Kate came in on her husband's arm, knowing that he intended to stand along the side and observe as usual, despite both Lieutenant Ford's presence and that of the Caldoran guards. But when she saw the crowd assembled, she looked at him pleadingly. "There are not enough men, Marcus."
He glanced over the room. "I count the same number of men as ladies."
"And Master Grodin clearly needs to rest," she pointed out. "Besides, how often do you get to dance with your wife?"
That, it seemed, was a winning argument, although Marcus still mumbled about it. Peter, on the other hand, appeared relieved when he looked around the room and saw that he did not need to exert himself so that all the ladies would have partners. "If I may be so bold, your Majesty," he said, nodding to Elizabeth, "I thought we would begin with some of the simpler dances."
"I will defer to your judgment, Master Grodin," she replied graciously.
Peter instructed them to form two lines, gentlemen in one and ladies in the other. This first dance was simple, with very little interaction between the two lines of dancers. Marcus was scolded for looking too often at his feet, but he was not the only man to be reprimanded. Peter seemed satisfied, and they moved on to a more complicated dance, wherein quartets of dancers interacted in various ways. Even Elizabeth had to concentrate more carefully as the steps became more complex.
That dance they repeated, along with the next one. After a while, Peter declared a short recess. Marcus drew Kate close to him and said, "I told you this would not go well."
Kate gave him a wicked smile. "Have you not said to me, Captain, that some things require practice?"
Hearing words he had spoken to her in the privacy of their bedchamber, he gaped at her for a moment before color began to rise in his face. Feeling somewhat triumphant at embarrassing her husband for once, Kate kissed him quickly and took him by the hand to see if Elizabeth needed anything.
*~*~*~*
To his surprise, Cameron knew nearly all of the dances. Such evenings in Redwater still made him nervous, but something about this small group and the informality of it all was fun. They laughed together through mistakes and successes alike. While he did not want to spend every evening so engaged, Cameron did admit that it was pleasant enough.
However, the third time the dance master called for a dance he did not know, Carolyn stepped in quite close. "Perhaps we could sit out this one."
Concerned, he nodded and immediately led her from the floor to the chairs that had been set up along one side of the room. Master Grodin looked at them askance but continued with the rest of the group without pause. As the music started, Cameron asked, "Can I get you something?"
"Water," she said, and he hurried over to Grodin, who sat by a table with cups and a flagon of water. Carolyn took the cup from Cameron and sipped from it as he sat down beside her. "Thank you, Cameron."
"Should we take our leave?" he asked, wondering if she would think he was coddling her.
She shook her head. "I just need a moment."
"Very well." Cameron turned his attention to the dancers and saw that he recognized it after all. "What did they call this dance?"
"'The Sailor's Wife,' I believe," she replied, "We call it something else."
He nodded, and for a little while he wondered what he should say to her. John had been right; he was completely thrown off by Carolyn's news. He was happy, but he had not expected it to happen so soon. And he was nervous.
"When do you expect to leave for home, Cameron?" Carolyn asked, interrupting his thoughts.
"A day or two after the wedding," he answered. "By then John will have no interest in us."
She smiled. "I was just wondering whether I should write my parents with our news."
Cameron shook his head. "Let us tell them in person. I believe it will be more enjoyable for all of us."
"In that case, then, do not tell anyone else." She was smiling but there was a hint of warning in her eyes.
He frowned at her and sat back in his seat. "My cousin talks too much."
With an arch look, she replied, "That seems to be a family trait."
*~*~*~*
After the next dance, Master Grodin called another break. Teyla imagined that he did so out of deference to the princess, who seemed to become fatigued rather quickly. Teyla suspected there was a reason for that, especially when Kate, Laura, and Lady Juliana immediately went to offer their assistance to her. Princess Carolyn looked embarrassed by their inquiries, so Teyla did not join them. Instead, she looked to her partner. Ronon had not so much asked her to dance with him as he had stood near her and let everyone else make the assumption. It was not the worst strategy in the world, though he was helped in that every other lady in the room had a husband, or as good as one.
She had no idea how long he would stay after the wedding, but she doubted it would be long. It occurred to her while they stood by silently that if she wanted to talk to him, now would be as good a time as any. The next two days would be too busy to afford another chance such as this one. She caught his eye and nodded very slightly toward the dark verandah along the other side of the ballroom. He took a few steps, then paused and offered his arm along with a self-conscious smile.
The chattering of the others faded as they stepped outside, masked by the sound of the sea. Some of the tension in Ronon's body seemed to vanish as well as they got away from the others. His skittishness around people had lessened somewhat since the spring, but Teyla imagined it might never go away entirely. Distrust had been too firmly ingrained in him.
The break from dancing would not last long, so she needed to come to her purpose. "Ronon, I," she began, then faltered as he turned his gaze from the sea and to her. His ability to fluster her drew a smirk this time, and she rolled her eyes. Then she gathered her courage and took a deep breath. "I thought we ought to talk about what happened the last time you were here, that morning after the fighting was over."
If she was not mistaken, color rose in his cheeks, but Teyla was too little acquainted with him to know if this was a good or bad sign. "I offended you, then," he said lowly, stepping into the shadows of the verandah.
"I ought to blush and say you did," she replied. "But I do not possess that kind of artfulness. Besides, as memory serves, I kissed you first."
That brought a low chuckle from him, a sound which eased her nerves a little. Still, she skirted the issue. "What are your plans after the wedding?" she asked, following him into the shadows.
"I have not yet been to Iolan," he told her. "I ought to seek out what remains of my people." He paused, then added, "Though something about seeing them is more daunting than seeing the ruins of our home."
A sudden idea arrested Teyla's thoughts, and she spoke it without considering it. "Perhaps with the Wraith gone..."
Ronon shook his head before she could finish. "Some may want to rebuild, but it would be just a shadow of what was. It would not be home." He met her gaze again, and even in the moonlight the look in his eyes made her heart speed up. "But that was not what you drew me out here to ask."
Teyla licked her lips and took a step closer. "I would know what that morning meant, Ronon," she replied. "If it was just a result of the night or if..."
Her words died when he reached up and touched her cheek. The intensity of his stare brought back the heat she had felt when he cleaned her injuries after the battle. She closed her eyes, remembering what she had imagined in the time he'd been away. "Teyla," he said, his voice low and rough.
"Please," she whispered, straining up on her toes toward him.
When his lips brushed against hers, she felt a wave of relief that he had not misunderstood her. She responded in earnest, not trying to wrest control away from him but matching him as best she could. He pulled her closer and her arms went about his neck, holding on as the kiss deepened. It was not as wild a kiss as they had shared before, yet it was not tentative either. They were far from the field of battle, far from injury and the restlessness that followed, but Teyla felt the same desperate need she had felt that morning. This was more than a passing feeling, she thought with conviction, more than a reaction to danger and death.
The sound of a musician plucking his instrument reminded Teyla that they were not far away from a group that included the queen. She drew back even though Ronon resisted a little. She smiled at him and stroked his cheek gently. "Have you your answer?" he asked.
Teyla nodded. "I believe I do."
She took his arm and turned him back toward the ballroom. "We are about to be missed, I think," she told him.
Ronon nodded, and they left the verandah. The others were still milling about, so he had a moment more to startle her, as he seemed to do so easily. "If it would not be too presumptuous, I think I should like to see Athos before I leave again."
Teyla looked up at him sharply before offering a small smile. "My people and I would be honored to receive you, my lord."
The dance sets were forming again and neither of them had an opportunity to speak further. But his request meant as much as his kiss had. Without him saying the words, she knew somehow that he would not always be leaving her, that someday his travels would come to an end.
*~*~*~*
Laura was grateful that she and Carson had to leave the dancing lesson to tend to their daughter. It had been an unusually active day, between the visit to the mainland and dancing in the evening. Given the sheer amount of activity in the palace leading up to the wedding, she was not sorry to make her excuses and go sit with her daughter for a little while.
When Moira had finished nursing Carson put her on his shoulder and patted her back, humming while the baby cuddled into him and fell asleep. Laura finished putting on her nightgown, watching the proceedings with a smile. Her husband was very adorable with a baby in his arms.
When Moira was settled in her cradle Carson began to undress while Laura climbed into bed. She let out a loud sigh as she sank into the pillows. Her husband grinned. "Too much excitement for you, Laura?"
She stuck her tongue out. "It was hardly easy managing a baby to begin with. All these wedding trappings are making it infinitely worse. I shall be glad when Elizabeth is married and all the guests go home."
"I suppose we have yet to experience a normal stretch, not since before she was born," he replied, glancing fondly at the sleeping child.
"True. The Wraith attack came, and we were already deep into planning Elizabeth's wedding, then Kate's came up." She laughed a little. "No wonder I'm exhausted."
Carson settled into the bed beside her. "It will be over soon enough. Our wedding seemed to take forever to arrive and then was over so fast I could hardly comprehend it."
"It did not help that we were off to Iolan almost immediately afterward," she pointed out.
"We should probably know better, given your position with the queen and my work, to expect peace and quiet." Carson leaned over and kissed her. "Especially if Moira takes after her mother at all."
Laura let out a tiny growl and pinched her husband for that, but it only led to a second, longer kiss that shifted into a third. Carson began to leave kisses along her neck and Laura wrapped her arms around him, remembering how awkward this part of marriage had been at first.
Her wandering thoughts did not go unnoticed. "Laura?"
Her fingers threaded through the hair at the back of Carson's neck. "I was just remembering the weeks after our wedding. I felt so uneasy about, well, this."
To her surprise, for she had never raised the subject with him, Carson nodded. "I remember. I kept telling myself that time was the only thing that would help."
Laura glanced at the cradle on the far side of the room. "You appear to have been right about that," she said with a wicked smile.
Instead of pulling him closer, she pushed. Carson rolled onto his back and Laura shifted to kneel over him. His hands began to wander up under her nightgown but he hesitated. "You're sure you're not too tired? We have an early morning tomorrow."
She grinned. "Our daughter is sound asleep. I have it on good authority we should take advantage of that while we can."
Part 2
On the third morning after giving birth, Sarah and her husband invited their friends to attend their daughter's naming ceremony. Usually a child's name was known in advance of this event, but in this case, Elizabeth speculated on her way to the ceremony that it was possible the new parents were still arguing about their choices even at this moment.
The ceremony was held early in the morning so that it would not interfere with the already crowded schedule of events later in the day. Even so, Elizabeth had to hurry to make it there in time. She and Kate and Laura slipped into Jack's sitting room to find everyone waiting for them.
Sarah still looked tired, which did not surprise Elizabeth. The baby was awake at the moment, and Sarah was swaying slightly as she held the child. After a moment, Elizabeth realized that the baby was wearing the little dress of fine white linen which she had embroidered herself.
Elizabeth's group was the last to arrive, so when Jack had greeted her and Laura and Kate, he stood beside his wife and looked around. "Friends," he said, "Sarah and I would like to introduce you all to our daughter, Julia Elizabeth Gardner of Neill."
Jack glanced at her and Elizabeth gave him a wry smile. She had implored her closest friends to resist the temptation to name children after her. There were already namesakes all over the country. She did not need them roaming the palace. But she understood the gesture her old friend was making in this, and did not have the heart to object.
Julia was a lovely first name, but Elizabeth's attention was quickly drawn away from the baby to one of her ladies. "What an extraordinary coincidence," Laura said. "Julia was the name I favored before Moira was born."
She looked to her husband shrewdly. Carson held up his hands. "Lady Sarah asked me if we had as much difficulty naming Moira as she and Lord Jonathan were having. I merely told her that we could not agree on a name until the baby was actually born," he told her.
Jack looked amused. "Nothing is stopping you from naming your next daughter after mine, Laura," he pointed out.
Laura continued to glare at Carson, which made Jack laugh. "Daniel," he said, "bring the book."
Daniel brought forth a hefty tome which Jack must have sent for from Neill. In Atalan, it was customary especially among the nobility to keep a book of family records. When a new baby's name was announced, its parents would make the new record. Elizabeth's birth was recorded in two books, one for the house of Weir and the other for the royal archive. Her marriage would be recorded in three places, for it would be the last entry for the house of Weir and the first for the house of Sheppard.
Sarah passed baby Julia to her father and sat down to write the entry for the child. Afterward, everyone raised a toast to the baby's health, and they milled about for a little while, taking a rare moment to ignore politics and have a proper celebration in private.
Not long into it, Elizabeth found herself at John's side. He lifted her hand to his lips and kept his voice low. "This is a pleasant ceremony," he remarked, "but I have a feeling that when you and I name our children, we will not have such an intimate gathering."
Elizabeth smiled. "If it tells you anything, there is a painting of mine."
"That's what I thought." He sighed. "At least I will have you to myself every now and then."
She turned slightly to kiss him. That was not something she normally did in front of so many, but everyone else was busy and few noticed. "Captain Lorne wants to speak to you sometime this morning," she told him.
"About?"
"Something you will not like."
It only took John a moment to discern what this was regarding. "Elizabeth," he said with a hint of protest in his voice, but she cut him off.
"It is not up for discussion, John," she replied firmly. Rather than make her argument with protocol, she opted for the more personal reason. "I will not have your safety at risk when I can prevent it. This is one subject on which you will not be able to persuade me."
She saw in his eyes the impulse to push her on this, so she raised a brow. That seemed to do it. "Very well," he replied, taking her hand again and kissing it quickly. "As long as you know how much I dislike the idea."
Elizabeth smiled and turned her gaze back to their friends. "What makes you think I do not share the sentiment, my lord?"
*~*~*~*
Elizabeth was right, although John would never admit it. He was skilled with the bow and sword and knife and his bare hands if need be, but he was about to become a prince, and with that came certain risks. For Elizabeth's sake he would accept the protection she required, but he did reserve the right to grumble about it in private.
He kept such thoughts to himself, however, as Lorne ushered him into the guards' barracks later that morning. A number of young men dressed in black were gathered, including Ford. "My lord," Marcus began, "as you know, over the last several months I have recruited and trained guards for your protection, on her Majesty's orders. During this process, it became clear to me that the only logical choice for the leader of the prince's guard is Lieutenant Ford."
Marcus had discussed this with him previously, so the announcement was no surprise. Ford looked pleased with the official news, as well as the promotion. John glanced about the room at the serious faces on the young men gathered there. To his view there were far more men than he might ever need but he knew this had been planned and there was no escaping it. Marcus caught his expression and seemed to be suppressing a smile. "You will have one guard with you at all times, and during affairs of state we will increase the number as needed. As much of your time will be spent with the queen, I felt it was unnecessary to add more than that."
John avoided rolling his eyes. Elizabeth's entourage was already large enough without adding even more guards.
Knowing there was no getting out of having so many, he spoke to every member of the guard for a few minutes, learning not just their names but where they were from and what had drawn them to the guard. He did not doubt Lorne's judgment, but he wanted to know something of the men who would be protecting him. It seemed only right when they were willing to risk their lives for his sake.
When the introductions were all made, John headed out, followed by Ford and another guard. This, apparently, was one of the times when Lorne had felt it necessary to have John guarded by more than one. His discomfiture with the whole business was probably the reason that he did not notice Lady Catherine approaching him in a corridor until it was too late to avoid her. She informed him that his groomsmen were with the tailor and he was wanted there immediately for a final fitting on his clothing for the wedding. John nodded politely over gritted teeth as he turned toward the tailor's workshop but reminded himself that this was the last time he would have to endure this particular ordeal, at least for some time. In the last three months Master Aaron, the tailor, had been busily creating a wardrobe fit for a prince, most of which was now put away in John's new chambers.
Carson's clothing had the most work left to be done, as he had been added to the wedding party so late. He had a suitable shirt and trousers, but a doublet had to be made for him quickly. All the men in the party would be wearing doublets of the same color and design, though John's was the most ornate.
His bore the crest of Atalan on the back, as was proper, and he was thankful that the color was a simple dark blue. Aaron assured him it would match Elizabeth's wedding gown in some way. The front of John's doublet was also decorated, unlike the others, with the crest of the house of Sheppard on each shoulder. Though John would surrender the signet ring and his claim to the title of marquis, his name would now become part of Atalan's history, and he had wanted his father's house represented. The tunic underneath was fine white linen, bearing embroidery around the cuffs and collar that he did his best to ignore.
John looked at his reflection in the mirror. It was not the first time he'd seen his wedding clothes, but the nearness of the event made it seem all the more unreal. In two days he would be dressed in these same garments, and married to Elizabeth. Assuming the sky did not fall down within the next few hours.
"Attire fit for a prince, my lord?" David said from behind him, where he and Cameron were lounging and watching the others, having finished their turns already.
John figured David was making fun, but he nodded to Aaron. "Indeed, and thankfully loose in the collar and waist, so I shall be able to breathe."
Cameron rolled his eyes. "Is that the only advice you are capable of giving, John?"
He laughed at that. "It is suitable for almost any occasion, cousin." One of the tailor's assistants was making final markings on Carson's doublet to make it fit properly and John remembered the first wedding he had attended in Atlantis. "I am at least grateful I have no mother-in-law intervening with my wedding clothes."
Carson made a sour face at him. "If I had known what that woman was intent on putting me through, I would've taken Laura's suggestion and eloped."
The other two men chuckled. "Was it really that bad?" Cameron inquired of Carson. Cameron's wedding, of course, had been only slightly less complex and grand than John's would be.
"There was a belt wider than my hand," Carson replied grumpily, holding out his large hands. "And trimmings and ruffles everywhere. It was an eyesore."
"The colors were hard on the eyes, especially after that bachelor dinner," John remembered helpfully.
Unfortunately that gave Carson a line of attack in response. "Yes, well, for men who cannot hold their liquor..."
Cameron burst out laughing again, while David shook his head at them all. "Count your blessings. When I was married, the fashion was for collars so high and stiff, my ears were sore by the end of the day."
"Yes, but you didn't have a crown of flowers placed on your head," Cameron pointed out, still chuckling.
"True. I confess I'm disappointed to be missing that part of the tradition."
John glared at his friends but then paused as someone rapped on the door and entered. To everyone's surprise, Ronon came in and froze on the threshold, looking uncomfortable at finding the room so occupied.
Aaron hustled forward. "Highness, we have been expecting you. I believe everything is nearly finished." Belatedly John realized that Ronon would have no reason to possess clothing suitable to wear to formal court events. Given the man's size, making garments for him quickly would not have been an easy task.
John smiled at the prince, wanting to put the man at ease. "My groomsmen are tormenting me with horror stories about flowers and collars. You must have sought out Master Aaron as soon as you arrived," John joked. "Even he would need time to prepare for this task."
Ronon glared a bit, but Aaron replied with amusement. "Lady Teyla brought the prince to me, my lord. He presented a worthy challenge, I assure you."
The other men were trying to hide their grins as Ronon was whisked off to change. The tailor's assistant had finished with Carson by the time the prince returned. Unlike the wedding party, he was dressed in dark and light browns and looked even more imposing, if that was possible. John still half-expected to see the wild mane of hair Ronon had cut off in the spring whenever he looked at the man, but even without it he was difficult to miss.
David actually whistled, which made the other men laugh and Ronon glare even harder, but David was unperturbed. "You may need some protection from the women of the court, Highness. I imagine they will flock around you like chattering birds."
Ronon looked terrified by that idea, and John couldn't really blame him. Cameron came to his rescue. "I used a battle injury to escape dancing at my first court function. It came in very handy."
John narrowed his eyes. "I always wondered how you got out of dancing that night."
"Perhaps if you hadn't shirked your duty, you would have married the princess sooner," David put in, making Cameron flush slightly.
The two of them began bickering, and John and Carson drifted closer to Ronon as Aaron made some final adjustments to the clothes. Ronon looked at them worriedly. "I'm not certain I remember the steps to any court dances," he admitted.
John clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm sure we can find someone to help with that." Elizabeth never objected to dancing, and she could probably be persuaded to find a way to help the prince.
*~*~*~*
After luncheon, Lord George watched the royal party get underway for an outing on the mainland. It had been the queen's idea to have the entire wedding party and their spouses along with some friends head for the shore for a few hours as a diversion. Elizabeth was nervous about the proceedings attending the wedding, though only someone who knew her well would be able to detect the tiny signs of her anxiety. A ride in the open air and some time outside the palace would hopefully do her some good.
His attention had been more focused on two of the guests in the party. Ronon, whom Elizabeth had accepted as the Prince of Sateda, was quiet and rather sullen. Lord George had never met the young prince, though he probably remembered more about Sateda and its ambassador than any of Elizabeth's other advisors. After the death of King Edmund and the destruction of Sateda by the Wraith, the country had been largely forgotten.
It was impossible to guess whether Ronon had been born noble or not; seven years of imprisonment would have erased that person entirely. What was sure was the young man was intelligent but wary, an understandable state of mind for a man with his history. George wished Elizabeth had not been so open with her acceptance of him as a prince, but he had not said so aloud. It was hardly the first time Elizabeth had welcomed a stranger into her inner circle, and her instincts had proved correct in the past.
Prince Cameron was more gregarious than Ronon but clearly unschooled in diplomacy and court politics, though he was likely learning as quickly as he could. As the man who would become Caldora's next king, Cameron was perhaps more interesting to the nobles and ambassadors gathered for the wedding than the event itself. He was an unknown, and given the recent trouble with the Goa'uld and the development of the gunpowder changing the politics of the continent, many eyes were watching his every move to learn more about the man.
Daniel shot him a questioning look as they returned to the palace and went to Daniel's office. George sighed. "It would not be a major diplomatic event without some intrigues, I suppose."
Daniel chuckled. "So long as none of them involve Elizabeth, I am not sure I care at this point. I shall be grateful when this is over and they have all gone home."
"No more so than Elizabeth will be," he replied, sitting down in the chair across from Daniel. "She is restless and far more impatient with the rituals of diplomacy than usual."
Daniel frowned. "I noticed. Though to be fair, she has never had to deal with so many guests all at once before. Even at the summit during the winter, the guests were not as highly placed as now."
"And her mind is on other matters." He got a sour look for that. "You still have doubts?"
Daniel leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "My lord, Elizabeth could marry the most perfect man in creation and I would be worried about it. And John of Sheppard is far from perfect. But... he loves her. He's sacrificed much for her, far more than most men would."
George nodded. John's willingness to give up power and wealth in his own country had done more to soothe concerns among Atalan's nobility than even Elizabeth probably realized. "Theirs will not be a quiet marriage, I suspect. Lord John has a temper and a strong will. They will fight over things. But I believe they will be stronger for it."
There was a momentary pause before a page knocked on the door and delivered a pouch of reports to Daniel. "These are from the watchtowers. I should look them over before supper." Ordinarily this was Jack's purview, but Daniel had taken part of Jack's daily work to ease his friend's burdens during the last few weeks of Lady Sarah's confinement.
Before leaving home, George's son had joked that he must not allow himself to be pulled back into the chaos of court business, but he supposed there was never any escape from that while in the palace. He did not miss the demands of his former position, but he could not tuck himself away when he could be of use.
Daniel looked at him slyly. "I'm sure if you find Lady Catherine she will have some job for you to do."
George shook his head. "I can hardly believe there is anything left to do. Of course, I can hardly believe Elizabeth is to be married in two days' time."
"I know." Daniel's expression was wistful. "Some part of me still sees her as a little child. Mostly because I do not want to acknowledge what those years have done to me."
"Imagine how you will feel at my age, Daniel," he observed wryly before quitting the room in search of Lady Catherine.
*~*~*~*
As the party rode across the isthmus to the mainland, John could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. The hectic atmosphere in the palace was becoming oppressive, and he was glad Elizabeth had thought so far ahead as to plan this outing for herself and her guests. In addition to the wedding party, Carolyn, the Dixons and Ronon were all with them, everyone enjoying the fresh air off the sea as they rode.
He wished it could be a private affair with the two of them alone, but that was probably too much to hope for, and too big a risk given their recent history with private meetings. And even if it was, there would still be Elizabeth's guards with them even for a short ride. The Caldoran guards were less happy with this little adventure, since the territory would be unfamiliar to them, but Cameron and Carolyn were undeterred.
Then, abruptly, he remembered that some of the guards in the party were his own, and his irritation returned momentarily. He elected to concentrate on more pleasant things.
Elizabeth was near the middle of the party, and John slowed his horse until she had come up beside him. "This was a good idea, Elizabeth," he said quietly. "For the next few hours, at least, no one will be giving me instructions about the wedding."
She laughed, which he liked to hear, except that she was laughing at him. "That can always be arranged, John."
He turned a baleful look at her, which only made her laugh all the more. "Come now, my lord," she said. "We have an afternoon away from the palace. Surely you can take a little teasing."
John looked around and sighed, remembering the nighttime ride they had taken together. "Would that we were alone."
Elizabeth's cheeks flushed, but her reply was not innocent. "We will be soon enough."
They ended up at the ruins not far from the coast where he had proposed to Elizabeth at Solstice. The grandeur of the place was not lost on John, and now he even knew something of the people who had built the fortress and why they had abandoned it. Elizabeth grinned at him as he told his countrymen of the marriage between one of Elizabeth's ancestors and one of Teyla's ancestors many generations ago. A few years later, construction on the palace of Atlantis began. John supposed the island was more defensible, but that marriage had solidified the importance of Athos more than any other royal union he knew of.
"Master Grodin would be proud of his pupil, my lord," Kate teased.
"I see you have been required to study as well," Cameron piped up from behind John and Elizabeth. "I have sometimes felt like a schoolboy. And my mother-in-law is always ready to tell me wild stories about murder and adultery and all manner of sins in the court."
John looked over his shoulder to see Carolyn shaking her head. "Sometimes I think Mother tells you these tales just to see how gullible you are, Cameron."
"And you, Carolyn, were the first to tell me a story about a murder in the court."
That caught the attention of the rest, and John smiled as Carolyn found herself recounting an obscure story out of Caldora's history. As the story ended, the party broke into smaller groups. Elizabeth was with Kate and Lady Juliana while Carolyn was speaking with Laura, so John felt no guilt in stepping away with Cameron for a while. He would be able to monopolize Elizabeth's time soon enough.
They climbed the stairs up to the parapet along the southern wall and looked out toward the sea. "I have never seen its like, John," Cameron said. "Carolyn and I were amazed at it when we arrived. It is strange to think that I cannot ride around to the other side."
John nodded, leaning against the stone wall. "I missed the sea while I was in Caldora," he replied. "It becomes a part of you here."
"I have thought the same of the hills in Sheppard."
"Indeed." John looked at his cousin, who seemed restless. "It's not like you to fidget, Cameron," he said. "Is something wrong?"
"No, no, nothing is wrong," Cameron said quickly. He took longer to expound. "It's just... Carolyn is with child."
John's jaw dropped for a moment before he grinned. "Congratulations, cousin," he replied, clapping Cameron's shoulder.
Cameron looked abashed. "This has all happened faster than I expected," he said. "I suppose it is better not to give the gossips in court the opportunity to wonder about a delay, but it will be yet another life-altering event in a very short amount of time."
"I'm surprised she would come," John remarked after a moment. He had heard Laura talk often enough of the physical discomfort of her pregnancy, even before her condition was apparent to others.
"She had only begun to suspect when we left Redwater," Cameron explained. They looked down from the wall, and John imagined that his cousin's gaze was fixed on Princess Carolyn, who was laughing heartily at something Kate and Laura were telling her. "She was so calm when she told me." It was clear that Cameron was feeling far less sanguine about the situation.
"She has had some time to get used to the idea, Cameron," John pointed out. He wondered how he would react when the day came that Elizabeth had similar news for him, but that hope was better left unspoken of for now.
"I suppose. Hopefully in a little while I will be used to the idea myself."
*~*~*~*
"Have you ever thought of rebuilding this palace?" Teyla asked of the queen as they wandered the ruins together.
Elizabeth shook her head, though she smiled. "I would leave it as it is," she replied. "This is where John asked me to marry him, you know."
"Indeed?"
She pointed to the parapet up above, where John was walking with his cousin, though at the other end. "Up there, by the watchtower."
"I'm surprised Lorne would allow you up there."
Elizabeth smiled coyly. "Some things he does not need to know."
Teyla laughed at that, and Elizabeth took her arm, leading her away from the crowd to a more secluded place, beneath a deep arched walkway. "I must thank you for all your help these last few days," Elizabeth said lowly. "I know you would rather be with your people, especially having been gone for so long."
"It is no trouble, my lady," Teyla assured her. "I am happy to help however I can." She refrained from observing that with the Wraith vanquished, she had more time on her hands for such labors. She was still not used to waking up in the morning and not immediately addressing the danger the Wraith had posed. Part of her was still at loose ends in the absence of that weight, and unsure what to do to fill her time, but that was a topic for a different day.
"I am glad of that." Elizabeth blew out a long breath. "I know I cannot be away from the business of the palace for too many days, but I should like to have a little time."
Teyla smiled at her knowingly, but then she was curious. "Are you nervous?"
"Yes and no," Elizabeth replied. "John and I have both been worried that something will go wrong. By this point I am more or less resigned to it. There is simply no chance that an event such as this will happen without problems. But I believe you were asking a different question."
"Indeed I was."
"I am nervous, but I am sure at the same time, surer of this than anything I've ever done," she said. "John is right for me and for my people. As unlikely as that once seemed."
That got Teyla grinning. "Bringing him to meet you may be the wisest thing I have ever done."
"And I am eternally in your debt," Elizabeth replied, her expression matching Teyla's. "But tell me, what prompts such questions? Is the countess contemplating following my example and taking a husband?"
The question caught Teyla off-guard and she blushed, thinking of Ronon, who was some distance away and watching the others silently. "Forgive me," Elizabeth said, more seriously. "There were rumors. I wondered if there was truth to them."
"I hardly know myself," Teyla confessed. "There is something about him that fascinates me. He is puzzling in many ways."
"And you have always preferred a challenge," Elizabeth teased gently. "I feel somewhat strange dispensing such advice to others, but I believe he admires you in some way."
Teyla did not find that terribly reassuring, but she would not say so to Elizabeth. "I do not think he is ready to tie himself to any place," she said, leaving aside the matter of his feelings for her. "He may never again be captive as he once was, but I believe I can understand if he is unwilling to stand still for long."
"I have made it clear to him that he is welcome in Atalan as long as I am on the throne," Elizabeth said. "When he is ready for a home, he will have one here."
Deep down, Teyla was relieved to hear that. She knew that Athos would be open to Ronon, but it was better that Elizabeth would receive him as well. After all, he deserved no less.
*~*~*~*
Ronon stood on a mound of earth, looking at Atlantis hovering above the trees that stood between the ruins and the sea. He had been conversing with Lord David Dixon, although in truth he listened much more than he spoke. That was perfectly fine by him. Ronon was comfortable enough around talkative people, such as Doctor Beckett, who did not expect much more than token responses. Those who expected him to speak were much more intimidating.
Almost in answer to his thoughts, Dixon excused himself and his place was taken by Teyla. Ronon tried not to fidget. He'd not spent much time in her company since her arrival, and he could practically feel the questions she had for him.
Mercifully, she began the conversation with something mundane. "I do not know if I have ever seen this place up close before. My path from Athos to Atlantis is too well-trodden to stray from it much."
He smiled a little. "And it is not as though the Countess of Athos has much free time."
She shook her head wearily. "No."
He realized he did not know much about her past, while she knew almost everything there was to know about him. "When did you assume your title?"
Teyla hesitated for a moment. "My father died nearly four years ago in a Wraith raid on the village. Some of the queen's guards were there at the time. They tried to help but it happened too quickly."
"And your mother is gone?" He regretted the question nearly as soon as he said it. The loss of her parents clearly still grieved her, but she answered him before he could apologize.
"Yes, she died when I was very young." She looked away for a minute before returning her gaze to him. "Were both your parents lost to the Wraith?"
He nodded, thinking of the rubble that was all that remained of his home. "I couldn't find any trace of them, or my sisters."
There was a fraught silence, now that he had brought up Sateda. He'd known that Teyla, living on the shore unprotected, understood the threat the Wraith posed better than anyone else he had met in Atlantis. Now, knowing she had lost her own family to them, it was easier to talk of his homeland. "There was not much left, though the ruins were not as overrun as these."
"The storms off the sea would have added to the damage, I imagine."
"The Wraith left little standing," he observed. According to John, the keep that had stood here in Atalan had fallen from disrepair, not a battle. Sateda had been razed.
Though his mind had understood for years that his home had been destroyed, it had taken standing within the shattered remnants of the great hall of his father's palace to make his heart accept it. He might still bear the title prince, but that life was no more. Despite the years that had passed, his sudden freedom and the visit home left him feeling hollow, as empty as the open sea beyond Atlantis.
Something of his emotions must have shown in his face, for Teyla reached out and grasped his hand as she had done the other day. She said nothing, for which he was grateful, but her eyes were full of sympathy.
The touch steadied him, reminding him of the solid earth beneath him where he was welcomed without reservation. The voices nearby caught his attention, the sound of the queen laughing with someone, and John speaking to his cousin above them. Ronon suddenly understood why he had really come back for the wedding. However new this place and these people were to him, they were the only familiar things he had left in the world.
He had not the skill to articulate that feeling aloud, so he settled for squeezing Teyla's hand tightly for a moment. She leaned into him briefly, the warmth of her reminding him of other feelings that went beyond friendship or comfort, but it was hardly the time or place to think of such things.
"I am glad you came, Ronon," Teyla said quietly.
"So am I." He attempted to tease her. "Even if I am to be made to dance in public."
Teyla laughed, as he had hoped, and shot him a look that made his heart speed up. "We will do our best to make it pleasant for you, Prince."
*~*~*~*
After a while, the heat of the summer afternoon and the noise of the crowd began to bother Carolyn. She retreated to a corner of the courtyard, where a column had toppled over, making a convenient seat for her. Cameron caught her gaze with a look of concern, but she shook her head, not wanting him to worry.
She expected Cameron to join her shortly, but instead it was his cousin who interrupted her solitude. He sat without asking her permission and said, "Are you quite all right, Princess?"
"I am," she replied. "It may not be as warm here as at home, but I needed to sit in the shade for a while."
John nodded. "I understand you are to be congratulated," he said, keeping his voice down.
Carolyn rolled her eyes. "Of course my husband told you. But thank you."
John grinned. "He was too nervous about it to keep it secret."
"As long as that news does not go much farther," she said. "My parents do not know yet, and they ought to learn from Cameron and me rather than from wild rumors."
"They would know better than to believe rumors anyway," John pointed out.
They were silent for a little while, and Carolyn remembered the last few conversations she had had alone with this man. After his outright rejection of her, she had wondered about his reasons. Cameron had said enough to make her guess that another woman had a claim on John's heart, but she had not expected that the lady in question was the Queen of Atalan until some time later, when the truth of the romance had become known to everyone.
Something compelled her to speak, possibly the knowledge that she might never have another chance to ask him this. "Last fall I believed you did not wish to be king," she said, which startled him as he realized what she was speaking of. "But I must satisfy my curiosity. Was the queen your real reason?"
John nodded. "At that time, I was not sure I would be able to leave Caldora for years, but at the same time I could not turn away from her, not in such a manner." He narrowed his eyes. "Does Cameron know about that night?"
Carolyn felt vaguely ill at that notion. "Not unless you told him."
"I did not. I thought perhaps in twenty years he might be ready for such news, and even then I am not certain."
That set her laughing, and he smiled easily with her. "I suspected he was in love with you then," he continued. "But I am curious. You are considered a shrewd lady. When did you suspect his feelings for you?"
She blushed despite herself. "The night before you returned to Cheyenne from Atlantis," she admitted. "Just after he kissed me."
John chuckled at that. "That would be an excellent indication."
They fell silent again, but it was a comfortable pause. Carolyn was a little surprised by how at ease she felt with him. What had once passed between them ought to have made them awkward with each other, but that was not the case. "I am not sure how to say this," she began, "but you did not break my heart."
"I know," he replied. "We both would have regretted such an alliance."
She nodded. "Cameron and I have our share of difficulties, but regret is not among them."
John got a slightly mischievous look on his face. "Elizabeth and I have organized a little dancing lesson tonight," he told her, seeming to change the subject entirely. "Partly for Prince Ronon's benefit, and partly for those Caldorans who would wish to become acquainted with Atalanian court dances. I would encourage you to bring your husband, for I have it on good authority that he once cheated you out of a dance."
First she stared, but then she laughed. "Indeed? Then he shall have to make up for such a grievous offense."
John rose and kissed her hand. "I look forward to seeing that, my lady."
*~*~*~*
Elizabeth's dancing lesson was well attended, even though the invitation had been limited. Prince Cameron and Princess Carolyn were there, along with the Dixons, and Prince Ronon was standing off to the side with Teyla. Laura had convinced Carson to come, and John was already spinning Elizabeth about. Three of the musicians who would play for the wedding feast were set up on one end of the hall to provide music for them to dance to. Peter Grodin was there, but he looked pale and tired.
Kate came in on her husband's arm, knowing that he intended to stand along the side and observe as usual, despite both Lieutenant Ford's presence and that of the Caldoran guards. But when she saw the crowd assembled, she looked at him pleadingly. "There are not enough men, Marcus."
He glanced over the room. "I count the same number of men as ladies."
"And Master Grodin clearly needs to rest," she pointed out. "Besides, how often do you get to dance with your wife?"
That, it seemed, was a winning argument, although Marcus still mumbled about it. Peter, on the other hand, appeared relieved when he looked around the room and saw that he did not need to exert himself so that all the ladies would have partners. "If I may be so bold, your Majesty," he said, nodding to Elizabeth, "I thought we would begin with some of the simpler dances."
"I will defer to your judgment, Master Grodin," she replied graciously.
Peter instructed them to form two lines, gentlemen in one and ladies in the other. This first dance was simple, with very little interaction between the two lines of dancers. Marcus was scolded for looking too often at his feet, but he was not the only man to be reprimanded. Peter seemed satisfied, and they moved on to a more complicated dance, wherein quartets of dancers interacted in various ways. Even Elizabeth had to concentrate more carefully as the steps became more complex.
That dance they repeated, along with the next one. After a while, Peter declared a short recess. Marcus drew Kate close to him and said, "I told you this would not go well."
Kate gave him a wicked smile. "Have you not said to me, Captain, that some things require practice?"
Hearing words he had spoken to her in the privacy of their bedchamber, he gaped at her for a moment before color began to rise in his face. Feeling somewhat triumphant at embarrassing her husband for once, Kate kissed him quickly and took him by the hand to see if Elizabeth needed anything.
*~*~*~*
To his surprise, Cameron knew nearly all of the dances. Such evenings in Redwater still made him nervous, but something about this small group and the informality of it all was fun. They laughed together through mistakes and successes alike. While he did not want to spend every evening so engaged, Cameron did admit that it was pleasant enough.
However, the third time the dance master called for a dance he did not know, Carolyn stepped in quite close. "Perhaps we could sit out this one."
Concerned, he nodded and immediately led her from the floor to the chairs that had been set up along one side of the room. Master Grodin looked at them askance but continued with the rest of the group without pause. As the music started, Cameron asked, "Can I get you something?"
"Water," she said, and he hurried over to Grodin, who sat by a table with cups and a flagon of water. Carolyn took the cup from Cameron and sipped from it as he sat down beside her. "Thank you, Cameron."
"Should we take our leave?" he asked, wondering if she would think he was coddling her.
She shook her head. "I just need a moment."
"Very well." Cameron turned his attention to the dancers and saw that he recognized it after all. "What did they call this dance?"
"'The Sailor's Wife,' I believe," she replied, "We call it something else."
He nodded, and for a little while he wondered what he should say to her. John had been right; he was completely thrown off by Carolyn's news. He was happy, but he had not expected it to happen so soon. And he was nervous.
"When do you expect to leave for home, Cameron?" Carolyn asked, interrupting his thoughts.
"A day or two after the wedding," he answered. "By then John will have no interest in us."
She smiled. "I was just wondering whether I should write my parents with our news."
Cameron shook his head. "Let us tell them in person. I believe it will be more enjoyable for all of us."
"In that case, then, do not tell anyone else." She was smiling but there was a hint of warning in her eyes.
He frowned at her and sat back in his seat. "My cousin talks too much."
With an arch look, she replied, "That seems to be a family trait."
*~*~*~*
After the next dance, Master Grodin called another break. Teyla imagined that he did so out of deference to the princess, who seemed to become fatigued rather quickly. Teyla suspected there was a reason for that, especially when Kate, Laura, and Lady Juliana immediately went to offer their assistance to her. Princess Carolyn looked embarrassed by their inquiries, so Teyla did not join them. Instead, she looked to her partner. Ronon had not so much asked her to dance with him as he had stood near her and let everyone else make the assumption. It was not the worst strategy in the world, though he was helped in that every other lady in the room had a husband, or as good as one.
She had no idea how long he would stay after the wedding, but she doubted it would be long. It occurred to her while they stood by silently that if she wanted to talk to him, now would be as good a time as any. The next two days would be too busy to afford another chance such as this one. She caught his eye and nodded very slightly toward the dark verandah along the other side of the ballroom. He took a few steps, then paused and offered his arm along with a self-conscious smile.
The chattering of the others faded as they stepped outside, masked by the sound of the sea. Some of the tension in Ronon's body seemed to vanish as well as they got away from the others. His skittishness around people had lessened somewhat since the spring, but Teyla imagined it might never go away entirely. Distrust had been too firmly ingrained in him.
The break from dancing would not last long, so she needed to come to her purpose. "Ronon, I," she began, then faltered as he turned his gaze from the sea and to her. His ability to fluster her drew a smirk this time, and she rolled her eyes. Then she gathered her courage and took a deep breath. "I thought we ought to talk about what happened the last time you were here, that morning after the fighting was over."
If she was not mistaken, color rose in his cheeks, but Teyla was too little acquainted with him to know if this was a good or bad sign. "I offended you, then," he said lowly, stepping into the shadows of the verandah.
"I ought to blush and say you did," she replied. "But I do not possess that kind of artfulness. Besides, as memory serves, I kissed you first."
That brought a low chuckle from him, a sound which eased her nerves a little. Still, she skirted the issue. "What are your plans after the wedding?" she asked, following him into the shadows.
"I have not yet been to Iolan," he told her. "I ought to seek out what remains of my people." He paused, then added, "Though something about seeing them is more daunting than seeing the ruins of our home."
A sudden idea arrested Teyla's thoughts, and she spoke it without considering it. "Perhaps with the Wraith gone..."
Ronon shook his head before she could finish. "Some may want to rebuild, but it would be just a shadow of what was. It would not be home." He met her gaze again, and even in the moonlight the look in his eyes made her heart speed up. "But that was not what you drew me out here to ask."
Teyla licked her lips and took a step closer. "I would know what that morning meant, Ronon," she replied. "If it was just a result of the night or if..."
Her words died when he reached up and touched her cheek. The intensity of his stare brought back the heat she had felt when he cleaned her injuries after the battle. She closed her eyes, remembering what she had imagined in the time he'd been away. "Teyla," he said, his voice low and rough.
"Please," she whispered, straining up on her toes toward him.
When his lips brushed against hers, she felt a wave of relief that he had not misunderstood her. She responded in earnest, not trying to wrest control away from him but matching him as best she could. He pulled her closer and her arms went about his neck, holding on as the kiss deepened. It was not as wild a kiss as they had shared before, yet it was not tentative either. They were far from the field of battle, far from injury and the restlessness that followed, but Teyla felt the same desperate need she had felt that morning. This was more than a passing feeling, she thought with conviction, more than a reaction to danger and death.
The sound of a musician plucking his instrument reminded Teyla that they were not far away from a group that included the queen. She drew back even though Ronon resisted a little. She smiled at him and stroked his cheek gently. "Have you your answer?" he asked.
Teyla nodded. "I believe I do."
She took his arm and turned him back toward the ballroom. "We are about to be missed, I think," she told him.
Ronon nodded, and they left the verandah. The others were still milling about, so he had a moment more to startle her, as he seemed to do so easily. "If it would not be too presumptuous, I think I should like to see Athos before I leave again."
Teyla looked up at him sharply before offering a small smile. "My people and I would be honored to receive you, my lord."
The dance sets were forming again and neither of them had an opportunity to speak further. But his request meant as much as his kiss had. Without him saying the words, she knew somehow that he would not always be leaving her, that someday his travels would come to an end.
*~*~*~*
Laura was grateful that she and Carson had to leave the dancing lesson to tend to their daughter. It had been an unusually active day, between the visit to the mainland and dancing in the evening. Given the sheer amount of activity in the palace leading up to the wedding, she was not sorry to make her excuses and go sit with her daughter for a little while.
When Moira had finished nursing Carson put her on his shoulder and patted her back, humming while the baby cuddled into him and fell asleep. Laura finished putting on her nightgown, watching the proceedings with a smile. Her husband was very adorable with a baby in his arms.
When Moira was settled in her cradle Carson began to undress while Laura climbed into bed. She let out a loud sigh as she sank into the pillows. Her husband grinned. "Too much excitement for you, Laura?"
She stuck her tongue out. "It was hardly easy managing a baby to begin with. All these wedding trappings are making it infinitely worse. I shall be glad when Elizabeth is married and all the guests go home."
"I suppose we have yet to experience a normal stretch, not since before she was born," he replied, glancing fondly at the sleeping child.
"True. The Wraith attack came, and we were already deep into planning Elizabeth's wedding, then Kate's came up." She laughed a little. "No wonder I'm exhausted."
Carson settled into the bed beside her. "It will be over soon enough. Our wedding seemed to take forever to arrive and then was over so fast I could hardly comprehend it."
"It did not help that we were off to Iolan almost immediately afterward," she pointed out.
"We should probably know better, given your position with the queen and my work, to expect peace and quiet." Carson leaned over and kissed her. "Especially if Moira takes after her mother at all."
Laura let out a tiny growl and pinched her husband for that, but it only led to a second, longer kiss that shifted into a third. Carson began to leave kisses along her neck and Laura wrapped her arms around him, remembering how awkward this part of marriage had been at first.
Her wandering thoughts did not go unnoticed. "Laura?"
Her fingers threaded through the hair at the back of Carson's neck. "I was just remembering the weeks after our wedding. I felt so uneasy about, well, this."
To her surprise, for she had never raised the subject with him, Carson nodded. "I remember. I kept telling myself that time was the only thing that would help."
Laura glanced at the cradle on the far side of the room. "You appear to have been right about that," she said with a wicked smile.
Instead of pulling him closer, she pushed. Carson rolled onto his back and Laura shifted to kneel over him. His hands began to wander up under her nightgown but he hesitated. "You're sure you're not too tired? We have an early morning tomorrow."
She grinned. "Our daughter is sound asleep. I have it on good authority we should take advantage of that while we can."