Fic: Outlaws and Thieves (4/4)
And now the conclusion! This would be the section that required the R rating for this story (which is for mild adult content).
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Too agitated to observe the niceties, Daniel burst into Elizabeth's chambers without waiting to be admitted, much to the surprise of the queen and Lady Kate. Elizabeth glanced at the other woman, who exited immediately. "Daniel?"
"She was in Goa'uld territory," he blurted out.
"The thief?" Elizabeth gasped.
"I am not certain how much of her story is to be believed, but-"
"Wait," she interrupted. "What did she tell you that you do not believe?"
Daniel hesitated for a moment, but decided to be as succinct as possible. "She told me she spent some time impersonating a now-deceased Goa'uld noblewoman."
Elizabeth blinked several times. "Well, I was not expecting that," she replied. A touch of reserve crept over her face. "But why is any of this important to me? Laura's belongings were returned immediately. I assumed you would handle this matter yourself, since it concerns only your province."
"She met Ba'al. Recently," Daniel added before she could ask. "He has left the front, Elizabeth. Your message must have had some effect for him to leave his troops in Caldora and return to his lands."
Daniel could see that Elizabeth's mind was racing, trying to determine the implications of this. He himself was fairly bouncing in place. Elizabeth had been right to overrule him and Jack and send the message, that much was clear. Her actions might end up influencing the outcome of the war. But before anything more could be said, the door was thrown open again. "Elizabeth," Kate called, her alarm palpable as she and Captain Lorne rushed into the room, "one of the guards on the thief just reported that Laura escorted Vala out of her room."
"What?" Elizabeth and Daniel demanded in unison.
"Laura was with Vala?" Daniel queried, bewildered.
"I thought you had asked for her," Elizabeth replied.
"Not this afternoon..." He trailed off, suddenly thinking of Vala kissing him and how random it had seemed. Then he looked about and reached for the sheath of his knife.
The blade was gone.
Daniel's temper slipped. "That little wench!"
"Daniel!" Elizabeth chided, surprised at his rudeness.
"Vala has my knife!" he bellowed back, already mentally thrashing himself for his stupidity. How had he not noticed before now? He started for the door, the Lorne swinging into place behind him.
"Laura said the phrase we established as a code for danger," Lorne informed him, looking anxious. "I've already dispatched my men to intercept them, but we have no idea where they are, and the manor is not a place that is easily searched."
"Instruct the gatekeepers to block the entrances," Daniel ordered. "Hopefully Laura will not lead her to the exit directly."
Lorne nodded once and bolted off. Daniel looked back at Kate. "Find her husband," he said simply.
Her eyes widened. "I don't want to be the one to tell him that-"
"Just do it. Elizabeth, remain here!"
He didn't hear whatever protests Elizabeth offered as the door closed behind him and two black-clad guards positioned themselves outside it. He hurried to join the search for Vala and her hostage.
*~*~*~*
Laura knew her best hope was to stall. She was betting heavily that Vala had seen little of the manor before her capture. She had to walk purposefully, as though she knew exactly where she was going as she led Vala a level below the main floor, into the kitchens that hovered just above the river.
Unfortunately, Vala knew the building better than Laura hoped. She grabbed Laura by the arm and whirled her into a dark alcove. "What are you doing?" she hissed. "You're supposed to be getting me out of here, not shoving me off into the hired help!"
"I'm sorry!" Laura whispered, her heart pounding madly. "I've only been here a few days!"
Vala glanced around. "Come on," she said. "I'm dressed like a servant anyway, and if anyone got suspicious and sent guards after us, they're not likely to find us here."
Of course, Laura had brought Vala down here in the hope of Daniel and Captain Lorne looking immediately among the servants. But it was crowded in the kitchen, and as they made their way through, she could tell that the guards would have a hard time seeing them if they came looking. As it was, they were themselves struggling to move through the rooms, pushing their way past servants carrying foodstuffs from one place to another, pulling bread from ovens, and preparing supper for the lords above them.
They had made it almost all the way to the other end of the manor when a man shouted behind them. Vala gave up the pretense, grabbing Laura's arm and taking off toward the stairs at the end of the corridor.
As they ran, Laura cast a look back and saw guards pushing kitchen staff aside to follow. "Where are you taking me?" Laura yelled as she and the thief climbed the stairs.
"As far as I have to," Vala replied cryptically.
At the top of the stairs, a group of guards was passing in the wrong direction, but Vala and Laura were making enough noise by that point that they heard immediately and turned. Vala only sped up, dragging Laura along. They were within sight of the exit now. The sounds of pursuit were growing louder.
But the guards were not fast enough, nor the gatekeepers trying to block the way. The women squeezed past, just eluding capture, but as they crossed the bridge, Vala's hand slipped off of Laura's arm. Laura immediately stumbled to a halt.
"What are you doing?" Vala demanded, stopping herself and raising the knife. "Let's go!"
Laura glanced at the river and then back at Vala, who seemed to realize too late what Laura was thinking. But before the older woman could reach her, Laura climbed onto the low wall of the bridge and leapt off, plunging into the water below.
It was a shock to her body, as the water far colder than she would have anticipated. The fall had been greater than she'd hoped as well, but as she surfaced, she seemed to be unharmed. She looked up to see Vala leaning over the wall above her for a moment before the woman disappeared from view.
Laura took a moment to catch her breath, and then began to swim back toward the pylons underneath the manor.
*~*~*~*
Daniel was at the top of a flight of stairs when he saw the two women racing down the corridor below. As if Laura's red braid wouldn't have given her away, the half dozen guardsmen turning to follow them certainly would have. Daniel rushed down the stairs, two at a time, all the while thinking that if anything happened to Laura, Elizabeth would kill him.
But when he reached the exit, he saw the tall, dark-haired Vala on the other side of the bridge with several men in pursuit, and Laura was nowhere to be seen. Daniel's heart seized in terror.
Captain Lorne came running up from the kitchens as Daniel stopped. "My lord?" he said.
"I saw Laura just a moment ago," he said. "She was with Vala, and now she's not."
Daniel thought of the bridge and the river below, and he darted over to the low rock wall. The water below rippled with the current so it was impossible to see any sign of disturbance. There was no sign of Laura from the other side of the bridge either. Where in the world had she gotten off to?
"Lord Daniel!" Lorne called from the other end of the bridge. Daniel ran to follow Lorne, who was himself racing towards the stable. Laura was still missing, but Daniel pushed that aside for now. If they caught the thief, finding Laura wouldn't be far behind.
The guards were converging on the stables, but even as they approached, a horse came pelting out. Vala was clinging to the animal's bare back. She charged the entrance where Daniel and Lorne and the rest of the men were approaching. Knowing better than to stand in the way of a galloping horse, they all jumped to one side or another. Daniel knocked into a guard, larger than he, and fell to the ground.
As Vala rode past, he could have sworn she grinned at him.
It took him a few moments to realize what else was wrong with the picture. As Lorne helped him back up to his feet, he looked at the retreating rider, his temper finally, utterly snapping. "Damn it to hell!" he yelled.
The remaining guards, the stable boys and Lorne all looked at him in concern. "What is it?" Lorne asked.
Daniel threw his hands up in the air. "She stole my horse!"
He saw the other men, including Lorne, biting back grins, but Daniel ignored it, fuming silently. This was one too many insults on top of injuries in the last month for any man to bear calmly.
As guardsmen raced their horses out of the stable after the thief, Lorne caught Daniel's attention. "We have to find Laura," he said.
Daniel sighed. "The queen will kill me if we don't."
"I think her husband might be a more immediate obstacle," Lorne remarked lowly. Over his shoulder Daniel saw Carson was coming out of the entrance to the manor, Kate close behind him.
Daniel closed his eyes. Lorne was right. Carson was going to kill him.
"My lord! What's going on?" the doctor demanded. "Where is my wife?"
Daniel glanced at Kate, whose own expression was more anxious for Laura than sympathetic for Daniel's current situation. "I don't know," he said, defeated. "She was with Vala, and now she's not. I have no idea where she is."
"And what were you thinking, leaving her alone with a criminal?" Carson suddenly bellowed. Daniel had seen the doctor assuming authority in a medical situation, but now the man was beside himself with rage. "Where were the guards who have followed her since the attack on Kate? Why was she so bereft of occupation with the queen that she even had time for this nonsense? Where is my wife?"
Daniel opened his mouth a couple times, trying to say anything, but in the end he was saved by a sloshing sound behind them, for there was Laura, coming through the gate from the manor, soaking wet from head to toe.
Carson turned and looked as well "Laura!" he cried, running back across the bridge and embracing her tightly. "Laura, what happened?"
"Did she push you into the river?" Kate asked, alarmed. Lorne looked equally unsettled. No doubt they were both remembering Kate's plunge into the channel the previous winter.
Laura managed to pull herself away from Carson a little. "No," she said, pushing wet hair away from her face. "I jumped in."
Everyone stared for a moment. "Why on earth would you do something like that?" Carson asked.
"She was using me as a hostage, Carson," Laura said irritably. "I had no idea how long that would go on, and I thought perhaps the guards would feel less need for restraint with me out of the picture."
Hugging his wife again, Carson shot another dark look at Daniel.
Kate held up her hand to prevent another tirade against the duke. "Wait," she said, "how did you get back into the manor?"
"Through the kitchens," Daniel and Lorne said at once. Daniel was not surprised that Lorne knew that entrance as well.
Laura nodded. "There's an entrance to the kitchens in one of the arches down below," she explained. "Lady Catherine told me they use it to deliver supplies by boat. I swam over there and climbed up."
Kate shook her head. "I'm not sure Lord Jack can scold you for climbing on things ever again," she said, a small smile on her face.
Lorne smiled a little too, but it faded as he looked to the hills where his men and Vala had disappeared. "There's nothing left to do but wait, my lord," he said to Daniel. "My men will not give up the chase until after nightfall, but until then there is nothing for us to do out here."
Daniel nodded. "Laura, the queen is probably very worried about you," he said.
"And believe me, you want dry clothes," Kate added.
Laura laughed a little, visibly shivering as they headed back inside.
*~*~*~*
Laura was beginning to feel a new sympathy for Kate. Both Carson and Captain Lorne were going to be watching her like hawks even though she'd really come to no harm. Kate had been living with this scrutiny for weeks now, thanks to Lord Simmons. Laura hoped the lack of visible bruises would let her escape from the captain's grim looks more quickly.
Her husband's concern was another matter.
She yielded to the general consensus that Carson take her to their room early and leave attending the queen to Kate for the rest of the night, knowing arguing was useless. They retired to their room where, in spite of the warm summer weather, a fire had been kindled. Carson insisted she strip off her wet things immediately and her maid bundled the clothing up to take it away to the laundry to dry. Once she had pulled on a clean nightdress, Carson wrapped a blanket around her shoulders carefully.
Even though in her heart Laura did not believe Vala Mal Doran had really wanted to harm her, when Carson pulled her into his arms, she rested her head on his shoulder gratefully.
His hands rubbed up and down her back. "How are you, love?"
Too much had occurred in the last few hours for her to say anything but, "Exhausted?"
He chuckled lightly, although she could feel the tension still in his body. He pressed a kiss against the top of her head. "I told you I knew there would be hard days in our marriage, but I admit, I was hoping they would not arrive so soon. And I did wish they would never involve any risk that came from your service to the queen." Laura stiffened in spite of herself and in spite of the assurances Carson had given her only days ago. But then he continued dryly, "I never thought the danger would come from a common thief."
It was her turn to laugh and she looked up at him. "I'm certain Mistress Mal Doran would object to being labeled a common anything."
He smiled a little, but his attention was focused on her face. His fingers skimmed the curve of her cheek and his voice dropped lower. "You're sure you're not hurt?"
The light touch on her skin made her shiver. "I am fine, Carson."
For a moment he looked as if he wished to say something else, but instead he leaned down and kissed her gently. The tenderness of his touch gave her goose bumps and Laura fit herself against him easily. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.
Carson groaned and then took her mouth urgently. She was too tired to think of anything but returning the kiss. The blanket fell to the floor and his hands removed the nightdress she had just put on. He moved swiftly and almost roughly to strip her bare. Carson had always been careful and gentle with her, but now he seemed beyond such niceties.
His franticness was contagious and Laura found herself growing lightheaded with desire as he touched her. She helped him free himself from his own garments. When they were both naked, Carson tugged her back into the circle of his arms, his mouth trailing down her neck and then moving lower as his hands began to caress bare flesh. Laura dragged her nails over his skin, drawing a growl from him.
His touch ignited a fire within her, and she fell into the heat, too caught up in him to think. Her body ached with wanting almost painfully, every touch of his making the need worse. She rocked instinctively, unable to touch or kiss him enough no matter how hard she tried. When his arms tightened she merely held on as he lifted her from her feet and into his embrace.
Then she was summarily tossed onto the bed and landed on her back. Carson was above her instantly, his weight pressing her down, his hands seemingly everywhere at once. Soon his body was between her thighs, moving within her until her fingers dug into his shoulders. A wild desperation seized her and Laura writhed until the wave of pleasure inside of her crested, leaving her shaking and choking out his name in a strangled voice.
A few mindless minutes passed before she heard her own name muttered between broken breaths. She was barely aware of him settling them both in the bed, too tired to do more than curl into his warmth and feel a languid sense of satisfaction finally filled before she fell asleep.
*~*~*~*
The riders pursued Vala until nightfall. When clouds rolled in, blocking the moon and the stars, they were forced to return to the manor without their quarry. Elizabeth thought it unlikely that they would catch the thief, so really all that could be done was to be vigilant and send out warnings to the surrounding provinces to watch for her.
That night, long after Laura had entrusted herself to her husband's care and Kate was fast asleep, Elizabeth lay awake, though her mind was far from thoughts of Vala Mal Doran. The news about Ba'al haunted her. Daniel was not sure they could believe any part of Vala's story, and certainly some part of it had to be verified before it was given any credence. But that did not stop her heart from whispering that her letter to Ba'al had done exactly what she hoped it would. If there was discord among the Goa'uld lords who had invaded Caldora, it might speed an end to the invasion.
When morning came, she resolved to quit that line of thought. There would be plenty of time to ruminate on her southern neighbor's condition, but she had only two more days in Langford. The visit had been planned for much longer, but the situation in the country and out of it required her to return to Atlantis immediately. She would just have to wait until circumstances allowed her to return so she could enjoy the province more fully.
The room at the end of the corridor, just a little way down from where Elizabeth had been sleeping, was full of various items, from portraits to toys. It was all rather chaotic, but to Elizabeth, it was a wonderful sight. She stepped forward from the doorway and carefully ran her hand over a pretty, light-colored lute that lay on a table. She could tell that the instrument needed tuning and improvements, but that hardly mattered. It, and everything else here, had belonged to her mother.
Of all the many reasons she had always longed to come to Langford, seeing her mother's birthplace had always been foremost in her heart. After a long day, she had made a pilgrimage to seek out this room before she had to leave the province.
Marcus and Master Stackhouse had remained outside the door, granting her privacy as she beheld the belongings her mother had left behind when she had married. She had a number of her mother's things in Atlantis, but they were the legacy of a grown woman, a queen. This room housed the remnants of a girlhood, a part of her mother Elizabeth had not had time to get to know.
"She loved to play that lute," Daniel said quietly from behind her. Elizabeth didn't turn to face him, but listened, not all that surprised he had followed her here. "When she agreed to marry your father, she wanted so badly to take it with her so that she might still be able to play it. When everything was packed, however, there was no room for it. I promised I'd bring it with me when I next visited Atlantis, but when I reminded her of that some months later in a letter, she told me not to bother. One of Edmund's friends had given her a new one. Still, I never saw her play any other instrument with as much enthusiasm."
"Why?" Elizabeth asked.
She imagined that he shrugged. "I think it was because her mother - our grandmother - gave it to her when she was a girl. She was only twelve when Grandmother died, so Margaret treasured every gift she gave her."
"I see."
Elizabeth swept her eyes over the other objects in the room. She saw an old, exquisitely-made rocking horse, a few dolls that had signs of wear of them, even brushes and combs on the dressing table. Then she focused on a portrait hanging on the wall.
It was of her mother, but it did not appear to be a conventional portrait. Many portraits that she had seen in her life so often focused exclusively on the subject, while leaving the background as simple as possible. This painting, however, was much more sophisticated. Her mother was beautiful, smiling as though she had a secret she wasn't about to tell, but there was an entire scene behind her. It was the gently rolling hills of Langford, and the manor had been painted in the top left corner, appearing to shine in the afternoon sun.
She heard Daniel move up beside her and even spotted him out of the corner of her eye. "The entire family had portraits painted that year," he told her. "I remember being irritated at having to sit so still for hours as the painter worked, wanting to get back to my studies. Eventually, I proved so unmanageable that they arranged my sittings to coincide with Margaret's. We would sit there and the entire time she would tell me little stories to keep me occupied." He paused, and then added with a chuckle, "The painters were much relieved at her assistance."
Elizabeth wanted to laugh, but was distracted by the fact that Daniel stood only a foot from her, and yet it felt like he was on the other side of the country. Normally, he would have touched her shoulder in a comforting manner, or would have taken her hand, just a small gesture of reassurance as she walked through the scattered remains of her mother's life.
But Daniel's harsh words about John and her response still hung between them. His inability to accept that she could not receive the affections and proposal of one man while longing in her heart for another had angered her greatly. Had he truly thought her so shallow? However, Elizabeth could admit now that she had not handled his reaction as well as she should have. John had always stepped up to defend her in a way that was almost instinctive, and now it seemed that she was coming to reciprocate. But Daniel had been at her side her whole life, and she owed him more respect than that, even when he angered her.
Perhaps he was coming to the same conclusion, because he spoke again. "Elizabeth, I feel… badly at how things are between us."
Elizabeth turned to look at him. "As do I," she responded. For a moment, neither of them said anything. Elizabeth waited. She was not trying to be intentionally difficult, but Daniel had begun all of this. It was not for her to finish it.
"I am sorry for my accusations about your courtship with Prince Radek," he said finally. "I know you have judged his suit fairly, and did not deny him impulsively."
She nodded and sighed. "Cousin, I promise you, I did exactly that. I allowed him to court me, and he was wonderful. I even allowed him a few more liberties than I'd allow from most other men." At Daniel's shocked face, she could not help but smile a little. "Do not be alarmed," she assured him. "Radek has done nothing to dishonor me."
Daniel stared at her searchingly, but soon relaxed. "Good," he replied. "I would hate to cause an incident by challenging the Prince of Iolan to defend my cousin's reputation." They both grinned, but then he continued more seriously. "I just want you to find someone who will take care of you, Elizabeth. Yours is a hard life."
"I understand." She glanced around and then added, "But it's not as though I do not have hordes of people taking care of me." He started to reply, but she held up her hand to cut him off. "I know, I know. None of you can give me the heir I need."
Daniel winced. "It is more than that, Elizabeth. I believed that Radek would have been a good consort for you. The political influence and training, of course, but it's obvious to anyone that he loves you, and not just because you are the queen."
"But I don't love him, Daniel," she replied, staring at him beseechingly. "It would have been different, perhaps, if he had been a stranger entirely. But I know him well and count him as a dear and trusted friend. How could I accept him, knowing that I do not return his regard? How is that fair to him?" She shook her head. "No, I couldn't hurt Radek in such a way. He does not deserve a wife whose heart is filled with thoughts of another man."
"I do not disagree with you on that score," he admitted. "But John of Sheppard - surely you have to concede-"
"No. Let that go, Daniel," Elizabeth interrupted, keeping her tone firm. "We can only wait and see what the future brings us. Just… let it be."
She could tell that he wanted to protest, to continue the subject, perhaps to convince her of what he was trying to convey, but she held her ground. She was done discussing John of Sheppard with any man, at this point.
After several moments, Daniel's shoulders slumped. "Very well." His fingers tapped restlessly. "I would suggest when the college questions you, as they no doubt will, that you say the discovery of Simmons occupied your full attention for much of your stay in Iolan, and do not explain anything further to anyone else. If they persist in questioning, I'm certain the queen can find a way to silence such insolence." His eyebrows rose slightly, looking a little mischievous.
"Agreed," she nodded. "Now, I think you said that there were other areas of the manor that Mother loved?" Elizabeth smiled a little sadly. "We have only this evening to explore the manor together. I believe you mentioned something around the gardens, where she pushed you into the rose bushes and earned you a scolding from the chief gardener and Grandfather both?"
Daniel laughed outright at that point, and much to her relief, the tension in the room began to ease. He offered her his arm, and the two began to leave her mother's room. "Oh, yes, Margaret loved that place," he said. "I think you'll like it very much."
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Too agitated to observe the niceties, Daniel burst into Elizabeth's chambers without waiting to be admitted, much to the surprise of the queen and Lady Kate. Elizabeth glanced at the other woman, who exited immediately. "Daniel?"
"She was in Goa'uld territory," he blurted out.
"The thief?" Elizabeth gasped.
"I am not certain how much of her story is to be believed, but-"
"Wait," she interrupted. "What did she tell you that you do not believe?"
Daniel hesitated for a moment, but decided to be as succinct as possible. "She told me she spent some time impersonating a now-deceased Goa'uld noblewoman."
Elizabeth blinked several times. "Well, I was not expecting that," she replied. A touch of reserve crept over her face. "But why is any of this important to me? Laura's belongings were returned immediately. I assumed you would handle this matter yourself, since it concerns only your province."
"She met Ba'al. Recently," Daniel added before she could ask. "He has left the front, Elizabeth. Your message must have had some effect for him to leave his troops in Caldora and return to his lands."
Daniel could see that Elizabeth's mind was racing, trying to determine the implications of this. He himself was fairly bouncing in place. Elizabeth had been right to overrule him and Jack and send the message, that much was clear. Her actions might end up influencing the outcome of the war. But before anything more could be said, the door was thrown open again. "Elizabeth," Kate called, her alarm palpable as she and Captain Lorne rushed into the room, "one of the guards on the thief just reported that Laura escorted Vala out of her room."
"What?" Elizabeth and Daniel demanded in unison.
"Laura was with Vala?" Daniel queried, bewildered.
"I thought you had asked for her," Elizabeth replied.
"Not this afternoon..." He trailed off, suddenly thinking of Vala kissing him and how random it had seemed. Then he looked about and reached for the sheath of his knife.
The blade was gone.
Daniel's temper slipped. "That little wench!"
"Daniel!" Elizabeth chided, surprised at his rudeness.
"Vala has my knife!" he bellowed back, already mentally thrashing himself for his stupidity. How had he not noticed before now? He started for the door, the Lorne swinging into place behind him.
"Laura said the phrase we established as a code for danger," Lorne informed him, looking anxious. "I've already dispatched my men to intercept them, but we have no idea where they are, and the manor is not a place that is easily searched."
"Instruct the gatekeepers to block the entrances," Daniel ordered. "Hopefully Laura will not lead her to the exit directly."
Lorne nodded once and bolted off. Daniel looked back at Kate. "Find her husband," he said simply.
Her eyes widened. "I don't want to be the one to tell him that-"
"Just do it. Elizabeth, remain here!"
He didn't hear whatever protests Elizabeth offered as the door closed behind him and two black-clad guards positioned themselves outside it. He hurried to join the search for Vala and her hostage.
*~*~*~*
Laura knew her best hope was to stall. She was betting heavily that Vala had seen little of the manor before her capture. She had to walk purposefully, as though she knew exactly where she was going as she led Vala a level below the main floor, into the kitchens that hovered just above the river.
Unfortunately, Vala knew the building better than Laura hoped. She grabbed Laura by the arm and whirled her into a dark alcove. "What are you doing?" she hissed. "You're supposed to be getting me out of here, not shoving me off into the hired help!"
"I'm sorry!" Laura whispered, her heart pounding madly. "I've only been here a few days!"
Vala glanced around. "Come on," she said. "I'm dressed like a servant anyway, and if anyone got suspicious and sent guards after us, they're not likely to find us here."
Of course, Laura had brought Vala down here in the hope of Daniel and Captain Lorne looking immediately among the servants. But it was crowded in the kitchen, and as they made their way through, she could tell that the guards would have a hard time seeing them if they came looking. As it was, they were themselves struggling to move through the rooms, pushing their way past servants carrying foodstuffs from one place to another, pulling bread from ovens, and preparing supper for the lords above them.
They had made it almost all the way to the other end of the manor when a man shouted behind them. Vala gave up the pretense, grabbing Laura's arm and taking off toward the stairs at the end of the corridor.
As they ran, Laura cast a look back and saw guards pushing kitchen staff aside to follow. "Where are you taking me?" Laura yelled as she and the thief climbed the stairs.
"As far as I have to," Vala replied cryptically.
At the top of the stairs, a group of guards was passing in the wrong direction, but Vala and Laura were making enough noise by that point that they heard immediately and turned. Vala only sped up, dragging Laura along. They were within sight of the exit now. The sounds of pursuit were growing louder.
But the guards were not fast enough, nor the gatekeepers trying to block the way. The women squeezed past, just eluding capture, but as they crossed the bridge, Vala's hand slipped off of Laura's arm. Laura immediately stumbled to a halt.
"What are you doing?" Vala demanded, stopping herself and raising the knife. "Let's go!"
Laura glanced at the river and then back at Vala, who seemed to realize too late what Laura was thinking. But before the older woman could reach her, Laura climbed onto the low wall of the bridge and leapt off, plunging into the water below.
It was a shock to her body, as the water far colder than she would have anticipated. The fall had been greater than she'd hoped as well, but as she surfaced, she seemed to be unharmed. She looked up to see Vala leaning over the wall above her for a moment before the woman disappeared from view.
Laura took a moment to catch her breath, and then began to swim back toward the pylons underneath the manor.
*~*~*~*
Daniel was at the top of a flight of stairs when he saw the two women racing down the corridor below. As if Laura's red braid wouldn't have given her away, the half dozen guardsmen turning to follow them certainly would have. Daniel rushed down the stairs, two at a time, all the while thinking that if anything happened to Laura, Elizabeth would kill him.
But when he reached the exit, he saw the tall, dark-haired Vala on the other side of the bridge with several men in pursuit, and Laura was nowhere to be seen. Daniel's heart seized in terror.
Captain Lorne came running up from the kitchens as Daniel stopped. "My lord?" he said.
"I saw Laura just a moment ago," he said. "She was with Vala, and now she's not."
Daniel thought of the bridge and the river below, and he darted over to the low rock wall. The water below rippled with the current so it was impossible to see any sign of disturbance. There was no sign of Laura from the other side of the bridge either. Where in the world had she gotten off to?
"Lord Daniel!" Lorne called from the other end of the bridge. Daniel ran to follow Lorne, who was himself racing towards the stable. Laura was still missing, but Daniel pushed that aside for now. If they caught the thief, finding Laura wouldn't be far behind.
The guards were converging on the stables, but even as they approached, a horse came pelting out. Vala was clinging to the animal's bare back. She charged the entrance where Daniel and Lorne and the rest of the men were approaching. Knowing better than to stand in the way of a galloping horse, they all jumped to one side or another. Daniel knocked into a guard, larger than he, and fell to the ground.
As Vala rode past, he could have sworn she grinned at him.
It took him a few moments to realize what else was wrong with the picture. As Lorne helped him back up to his feet, he looked at the retreating rider, his temper finally, utterly snapping. "Damn it to hell!" he yelled.
The remaining guards, the stable boys and Lorne all looked at him in concern. "What is it?" Lorne asked.
Daniel threw his hands up in the air. "She stole my horse!"
He saw the other men, including Lorne, biting back grins, but Daniel ignored it, fuming silently. This was one too many insults on top of injuries in the last month for any man to bear calmly.
As guardsmen raced their horses out of the stable after the thief, Lorne caught Daniel's attention. "We have to find Laura," he said.
Daniel sighed. "The queen will kill me if we don't."
"I think her husband might be a more immediate obstacle," Lorne remarked lowly. Over his shoulder Daniel saw Carson was coming out of the entrance to the manor, Kate close behind him.
Daniel closed his eyes. Lorne was right. Carson was going to kill him.
"My lord! What's going on?" the doctor demanded. "Where is my wife?"
Daniel glanced at Kate, whose own expression was more anxious for Laura than sympathetic for Daniel's current situation. "I don't know," he said, defeated. "She was with Vala, and now she's not. I have no idea where she is."
"And what were you thinking, leaving her alone with a criminal?" Carson suddenly bellowed. Daniel had seen the doctor assuming authority in a medical situation, but now the man was beside himself with rage. "Where were the guards who have followed her since the attack on Kate? Why was she so bereft of occupation with the queen that she even had time for this nonsense? Where is my wife?"
Daniel opened his mouth a couple times, trying to say anything, but in the end he was saved by a sloshing sound behind them, for there was Laura, coming through the gate from the manor, soaking wet from head to toe.
Carson turned and looked as well "Laura!" he cried, running back across the bridge and embracing her tightly. "Laura, what happened?"
"Did she push you into the river?" Kate asked, alarmed. Lorne looked equally unsettled. No doubt they were both remembering Kate's plunge into the channel the previous winter.
Laura managed to pull herself away from Carson a little. "No," she said, pushing wet hair away from her face. "I jumped in."
Everyone stared for a moment. "Why on earth would you do something like that?" Carson asked.
"She was using me as a hostage, Carson," Laura said irritably. "I had no idea how long that would go on, and I thought perhaps the guards would feel less need for restraint with me out of the picture."
Hugging his wife again, Carson shot another dark look at Daniel.
Kate held up her hand to prevent another tirade against the duke. "Wait," she said, "how did you get back into the manor?"
"Through the kitchens," Daniel and Lorne said at once. Daniel was not surprised that Lorne knew that entrance as well.
Laura nodded. "There's an entrance to the kitchens in one of the arches down below," she explained. "Lady Catherine told me they use it to deliver supplies by boat. I swam over there and climbed up."
Kate shook her head. "I'm not sure Lord Jack can scold you for climbing on things ever again," she said, a small smile on her face.
Lorne smiled a little too, but it faded as he looked to the hills where his men and Vala had disappeared. "There's nothing left to do but wait, my lord," he said to Daniel. "My men will not give up the chase until after nightfall, but until then there is nothing for us to do out here."
Daniel nodded. "Laura, the queen is probably very worried about you," he said.
"And believe me, you want dry clothes," Kate added.
Laura laughed a little, visibly shivering as they headed back inside.
*~*~*~*
Laura was beginning to feel a new sympathy for Kate. Both Carson and Captain Lorne were going to be watching her like hawks even though she'd really come to no harm. Kate had been living with this scrutiny for weeks now, thanks to Lord Simmons. Laura hoped the lack of visible bruises would let her escape from the captain's grim looks more quickly.
Her husband's concern was another matter.
She yielded to the general consensus that Carson take her to their room early and leave attending the queen to Kate for the rest of the night, knowing arguing was useless. They retired to their room where, in spite of the warm summer weather, a fire had been kindled. Carson insisted she strip off her wet things immediately and her maid bundled the clothing up to take it away to the laundry to dry. Once she had pulled on a clean nightdress, Carson wrapped a blanket around her shoulders carefully.
Even though in her heart Laura did not believe Vala Mal Doran had really wanted to harm her, when Carson pulled her into his arms, she rested her head on his shoulder gratefully.
His hands rubbed up and down her back. "How are you, love?"
Too much had occurred in the last few hours for her to say anything but, "Exhausted?"
He chuckled lightly, although she could feel the tension still in his body. He pressed a kiss against the top of her head. "I told you I knew there would be hard days in our marriage, but I admit, I was hoping they would not arrive so soon. And I did wish they would never involve any risk that came from your service to the queen." Laura stiffened in spite of herself and in spite of the assurances Carson had given her only days ago. But then he continued dryly, "I never thought the danger would come from a common thief."
It was her turn to laugh and she looked up at him. "I'm certain Mistress Mal Doran would object to being labeled a common anything."
He smiled a little, but his attention was focused on her face. His fingers skimmed the curve of her cheek and his voice dropped lower. "You're sure you're not hurt?"
The light touch on her skin made her shiver. "I am fine, Carson."
For a moment he looked as if he wished to say something else, but instead he leaned down and kissed her gently. The tenderness of his touch gave her goose bumps and Laura fit herself against him easily. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.
Carson groaned and then took her mouth urgently. She was too tired to think of anything but returning the kiss. The blanket fell to the floor and his hands removed the nightdress she had just put on. He moved swiftly and almost roughly to strip her bare. Carson had always been careful and gentle with her, but now he seemed beyond such niceties.
His franticness was contagious and Laura found herself growing lightheaded with desire as he touched her. She helped him free himself from his own garments. When they were both naked, Carson tugged her back into the circle of his arms, his mouth trailing down her neck and then moving lower as his hands began to caress bare flesh. Laura dragged her nails over his skin, drawing a growl from him.
His touch ignited a fire within her, and she fell into the heat, too caught up in him to think. Her body ached with wanting almost painfully, every touch of his making the need worse. She rocked instinctively, unable to touch or kiss him enough no matter how hard she tried. When his arms tightened she merely held on as he lifted her from her feet and into his embrace.
Then she was summarily tossed onto the bed and landed on her back. Carson was above her instantly, his weight pressing her down, his hands seemingly everywhere at once. Soon his body was between her thighs, moving within her until her fingers dug into his shoulders. A wild desperation seized her and Laura writhed until the wave of pleasure inside of her crested, leaving her shaking and choking out his name in a strangled voice.
A few mindless minutes passed before she heard her own name muttered between broken breaths. She was barely aware of him settling them both in the bed, too tired to do more than curl into his warmth and feel a languid sense of satisfaction finally filled before she fell asleep.
*~*~*~*
The riders pursued Vala until nightfall. When clouds rolled in, blocking the moon and the stars, they were forced to return to the manor without their quarry. Elizabeth thought it unlikely that they would catch the thief, so really all that could be done was to be vigilant and send out warnings to the surrounding provinces to watch for her.
That night, long after Laura had entrusted herself to her husband's care and Kate was fast asleep, Elizabeth lay awake, though her mind was far from thoughts of Vala Mal Doran. The news about Ba'al haunted her. Daniel was not sure they could believe any part of Vala's story, and certainly some part of it had to be verified before it was given any credence. But that did not stop her heart from whispering that her letter to Ba'al had done exactly what she hoped it would. If there was discord among the Goa'uld lords who had invaded Caldora, it might speed an end to the invasion.
When morning came, she resolved to quit that line of thought. There would be plenty of time to ruminate on her southern neighbor's condition, but she had only two more days in Langford. The visit had been planned for much longer, but the situation in the country and out of it required her to return to Atlantis immediately. She would just have to wait until circumstances allowed her to return so she could enjoy the province more fully.
The room at the end of the corridor, just a little way down from where Elizabeth had been sleeping, was full of various items, from portraits to toys. It was all rather chaotic, but to Elizabeth, it was a wonderful sight. She stepped forward from the doorway and carefully ran her hand over a pretty, light-colored lute that lay on a table. She could tell that the instrument needed tuning and improvements, but that hardly mattered. It, and everything else here, had belonged to her mother.
Of all the many reasons she had always longed to come to Langford, seeing her mother's birthplace had always been foremost in her heart. After a long day, she had made a pilgrimage to seek out this room before she had to leave the province.
Marcus and Master Stackhouse had remained outside the door, granting her privacy as she beheld the belongings her mother had left behind when she had married. She had a number of her mother's things in Atlantis, but they were the legacy of a grown woman, a queen. This room housed the remnants of a girlhood, a part of her mother Elizabeth had not had time to get to know.
"She loved to play that lute," Daniel said quietly from behind her. Elizabeth didn't turn to face him, but listened, not all that surprised he had followed her here. "When she agreed to marry your father, she wanted so badly to take it with her so that she might still be able to play it. When everything was packed, however, there was no room for it. I promised I'd bring it with me when I next visited Atlantis, but when I reminded her of that some months later in a letter, she told me not to bother. One of Edmund's friends had given her a new one. Still, I never saw her play any other instrument with as much enthusiasm."
"Why?" Elizabeth asked.
She imagined that he shrugged. "I think it was because her mother - our grandmother - gave it to her when she was a girl. She was only twelve when Grandmother died, so Margaret treasured every gift she gave her."
"I see."
Elizabeth swept her eyes over the other objects in the room. She saw an old, exquisitely-made rocking horse, a few dolls that had signs of wear of them, even brushes and combs on the dressing table. Then she focused on a portrait hanging on the wall.
It was of her mother, but it did not appear to be a conventional portrait. Many portraits that she had seen in her life so often focused exclusively on the subject, while leaving the background as simple as possible. This painting, however, was much more sophisticated. Her mother was beautiful, smiling as though she had a secret she wasn't about to tell, but there was an entire scene behind her. It was the gently rolling hills of Langford, and the manor had been painted in the top left corner, appearing to shine in the afternoon sun.
She heard Daniel move up beside her and even spotted him out of the corner of her eye. "The entire family had portraits painted that year," he told her. "I remember being irritated at having to sit so still for hours as the painter worked, wanting to get back to my studies. Eventually, I proved so unmanageable that they arranged my sittings to coincide with Margaret's. We would sit there and the entire time she would tell me little stories to keep me occupied." He paused, and then added with a chuckle, "The painters were much relieved at her assistance."
Elizabeth wanted to laugh, but was distracted by the fact that Daniel stood only a foot from her, and yet it felt like he was on the other side of the country. Normally, he would have touched her shoulder in a comforting manner, or would have taken her hand, just a small gesture of reassurance as she walked through the scattered remains of her mother's life.
But Daniel's harsh words about John and her response still hung between them. His inability to accept that she could not receive the affections and proposal of one man while longing in her heart for another had angered her greatly. Had he truly thought her so shallow? However, Elizabeth could admit now that she had not handled his reaction as well as she should have. John had always stepped up to defend her in a way that was almost instinctive, and now it seemed that she was coming to reciprocate. But Daniel had been at her side her whole life, and she owed him more respect than that, even when he angered her.
Perhaps he was coming to the same conclusion, because he spoke again. "Elizabeth, I feel… badly at how things are between us."
Elizabeth turned to look at him. "As do I," she responded. For a moment, neither of them said anything. Elizabeth waited. She was not trying to be intentionally difficult, but Daniel had begun all of this. It was not for her to finish it.
"I am sorry for my accusations about your courtship with Prince Radek," he said finally. "I know you have judged his suit fairly, and did not deny him impulsively."
She nodded and sighed. "Cousin, I promise you, I did exactly that. I allowed him to court me, and he was wonderful. I even allowed him a few more liberties than I'd allow from most other men." At Daniel's shocked face, she could not help but smile a little. "Do not be alarmed," she assured him. "Radek has done nothing to dishonor me."
Daniel stared at her searchingly, but soon relaxed. "Good," he replied. "I would hate to cause an incident by challenging the Prince of Iolan to defend my cousin's reputation." They both grinned, but then he continued more seriously. "I just want you to find someone who will take care of you, Elizabeth. Yours is a hard life."
"I understand." She glanced around and then added, "But it's not as though I do not have hordes of people taking care of me." He started to reply, but she held up her hand to cut him off. "I know, I know. None of you can give me the heir I need."
Daniel winced. "It is more than that, Elizabeth. I believed that Radek would have been a good consort for you. The political influence and training, of course, but it's obvious to anyone that he loves you, and not just because you are the queen."
"But I don't love him, Daniel," she replied, staring at him beseechingly. "It would have been different, perhaps, if he had been a stranger entirely. But I know him well and count him as a dear and trusted friend. How could I accept him, knowing that I do not return his regard? How is that fair to him?" She shook her head. "No, I couldn't hurt Radek in such a way. He does not deserve a wife whose heart is filled with thoughts of another man."
"I do not disagree with you on that score," he admitted. "But John of Sheppard - surely you have to concede-"
"No. Let that go, Daniel," Elizabeth interrupted, keeping her tone firm. "We can only wait and see what the future brings us. Just… let it be."
She could tell that he wanted to protest, to continue the subject, perhaps to convince her of what he was trying to convey, but she held her ground. She was done discussing John of Sheppard with any man, at this point.
After several moments, Daniel's shoulders slumped. "Very well." His fingers tapped restlessly. "I would suggest when the college questions you, as they no doubt will, that you say the discovery of Simmons occupied your full attention for much of your stay in Iolan, and do not explain anything further to anyone else. If they persist in questioning, I'm certain the queen can find a way to silence such insolence." His eyebrows rose slightly, looking a little mischievous.
"Agreed," she nodded. "Now, I think you said that there were other areas of the manor that Mother loved?" Elizabeth smiled a little sadly. "We have only this evening to explore the manor together. I believe you mentioned something around the gardens, where she pushed you into the rose bushes and earned you a scolding from the chief gardener and Grandfather both?"
Daniel laughed outright at that point, and much to her relief, the tension in the room began to ease. He offered her his arm, and the two began to leave her mother's room. "Oh, yes, Margaret loved that place," he said. "I think you'll like it very much."