“It is,” Thorn said, and he felt the appreciation deeply, that she did not name him failed consort, but rather reminded those assembled that Firebeauty had chosen him not only to guard her, but to be Father to her daughter. No greater honor and trust could have been given him.
Her eyes turned from him to Waterlight, and she came down from her dais and took both Waterlight’s hands in hers as though they were near kin. “Be welcome in my zenana, dear sister. I have greatly desired to speak with you.”
“And I with you,” Waterlight said in a clear, strong voice. She was girl still, not woman, but she was queen. “I bring you alliance and name you sister. We shall stand together!” Her words rang through every part of the room, and more than one blade turned with his heart in his eyes, caught by her precocious courage. Thorn’s chest swelled with pride. Young she was, in her gown of white, her face still with the soft roundness of childhood, her tight bodice emphasizing the shape of budding breasts, but her resolution marked strength of will. She would be a worthy queen in her time. If he could but guard her so long. If he could but guard her until she grew up.
“I will stand with you proudly,” Steelflower said, hand in hand, though it seemed to Thorn that for a moment her eyes flickered over Waterlight’s head to meet those of the Consort of Atlantis. “I give you my word, my sister.”
The audience was over. Through the twining corridors that led to the Queen’s Chambers Steelflower retired, her Consort at her side, her hand lightly on his wrist. Behind, the Lanteans’ ambassador walked with her entourage, honored thus with a private audience with the queen. They had nearly reached the doors when Steelflower swayed, and it was Guide and the Consort of Atlantis who caught her, one beneath each elbow.
“Are you ok?” Sheppard whispered.
“She is faint,” Guide said. “Here and now.” He triggered the door to open before them, made as though to lift his queen in his arms to carry her.
“I am all right,” Steelflower said, waving away his hands. “Let me be.” They went inside and after the doors closed she sunk down on a padded bench, her hands clenching against the tufted fabric as though to keep the world from swimming.
“What’s the matter?” Laura Cadman asked, coming around Radek Zelenka, whose face was a study in concern.
“I am only a little dizzy,” Teyla said, but her hands did not unclench.
“She hasn’t had any solid food in nearly a month,” Sheppard said, going down on one knee beside the bench so that he could see her face. “Cadman, get one of those protein shakes out.”
“I am fine,” Teyla said.
Guide’s brow furrowed. “She must feed?”
“She can’t live on nothing but nutrition drinks,” Sheppard snapped. “They’re not meant for this. They’re ok for a few meals or even a few weeks, but she has to eat real food. She can’t just go on like this. She’s been doing it too long as it is.” He stood up, not so tall as Guide, but nearly. “She needs to go home. She needs to get off the meds and eat actual meals and sleep normal hours. She can’t keep doing this.”
Guide nodded slowly. “It is reasonable that eventually she must feed as a human.”
“She can’t with the dental work in her mouth. And these meds are messing up her blood pressure. We need to put an end to this.”
“I can’t yet,” Teyla said. “I must meet with Bitterroot first. She will come soon, and I must be here.”
“Todd can do it for you,” Sheppard said, handing her the can that Cadman had opened.
“He cannot.” Teyla took the can carefully, angling the sipping hole against her lips. “It must be queen to queen.” She looked up at Guide. “Is that not true?”
“Yes,” he said, but his voice was concerned. “Still, if you must feed, then you must.”
Sheppard shook his head. “Look, Teyla. You said you had to do this meeting. Now you’ve done it. We need to find the nearest gate and go.” He glanced at Todd. “Unless we’re his prisoners.”
“We are his allies.” She tilted her head up to Todd’s, and perhaps she said something else that could only be heard mind to mind. “Are we not?”
“You are,” Todd said. “But there is truth in what Sheppard says. You must not become ill. That will avail no one.”
“We need to get back to Atlantis,” Sheppard said. “It’s been a full day since the fight. By now Carter will be back in Atlantis with Ronon and Keller and Rodney, and we need to find out what happened. Teyla,” he looked at her, his eyes serious. “It’s time. We need to go.”
She nodded slowly. “I know. I have carried this on too long. But I must meet with Bitterroot first. What if we go to the nearest gate and you and Radek and Captain Cadman go back to Atlantis without me? I will meet with Bitterroot, and then I will join you in a day or so.”
“Leave you with Todd.” His voice was flat.
“John,” she said quietly.
“I know.” Sheppard let out a long breath. “Ok. We’ll head back, and you’ll be a day behind us.” He looked at Todd. “No more.”
“I would no more endanger her health than you, Sheppard,” Guide said.
“I doubt that.”
“There is no need to.” Guide gave him a mirthless, betoothed smile. “I know that you will kill me if any harm comes to her.”
Steelflower watched the Lanteans disappearing through the Stargate, and her eyes were hooded. They betrayed nothing, and not for the first nor probably the last time did Guide wish she were Steelflower in truth.
*Yes, my Guide?* She turned her face to him as surely as if he had spoken her name.
*It is nothing,* he said, but of course she did not believe him. Her mind slid easily over his, stealing the thought that was uppermost.
If she were Steelflower in truth… If the retrovirus that Queen Death’s clevermen had created for the scientist McKay would work on her as well…
*I should find out eventually,* she said. *And I should kill you.*
*I expect Sheppard would do it first,* he said, his mental voice a humorless bark of laughter.
*Perhaps.* She did not look at him, only turned at his side away from the Stargate, her hand on his wrist as they returned to their shuttle. They boarded in silence, took off into the planet’s gathering night. He could not take her silence for anything good, and Guide wondered if he had made a fatal mistake. A threat, backed by his desire…
*You would not be happy with the results, Guide,* she said quietly, and there was no anger in her voice. *I would not be Steelflower. A queen with no memories would not be me.* She lifted her beautiful chin, her eyes meeting his. *You need a queen who can rule, a queen with Osprey’s memories. Amnesiac and fragile, who must be kept ill enough that she does not question the medicines you give her… Such a queen would avail you nothing. She would be an empty figurehead, not the leader of an alliance.*
*And where would I get such a one?* he asked, and could not keep the regret from his mind. *All who might have served are dead.*
*That I cannot tell you,* she replied, and her mind was filled with regret too.
Chapter Four
Traveling
The woods were growing thicker, the trees smaller but more closely spaced, forcing them closer to the banks of the stream. At least it was running steadily in the right direction, and the going was easier along its edges. They were making good progress, Ronon thought, had covered close to 6 faerings since morning — that would be, what, 17 or 18 of the Lanteans’ kilometers. Jennifer was holding up well. If anything, she’d been getting stronger, didn’t seem at all bothered by whatever had made her pass out on the hive ship. He was beginning to think maybe it was just a reaction to the retrovirus after all, something that had happened once, and would not repeat. Rodney, on the other hand… He glanced over his shoulder to see McKay leaning heavily on a thin metal rod, sharp teeth bared in a silent snarl. Rodney saw him looking and straightened, glaring, but Ronon wasn’t fooled. They had a serious problem on their hands.