Resistance 
by Graculus  


He had been running for what seemed like hours.

Dodging the ever-present guards, Daniel had found himself going
deeper and deeper into the heart of the palace, to rooms that he had
never thought might exist. He knew they were the personal chambers of
those who held Ra's favour, their ornateness reflecting the position
of the occupant in the hierarchy that was the court of Ra.

Even as he hurried along the corridor, searching for somewhere safe
that he could rest, to recoup his strength, his mind busily
catalogued the hieroglyphs that covered every available wall. They
were a constant source of fascination to him - that had always been
the case ever since he was a small child, coaxing the forbidden
knowledge from whoever he could persuade to share it with him.

And so it was that he had discovered the truth about Ra - the truth
that now made him a hunted animal.

'Not that I was much better off before,' Daniel thought, angrily. 'I
was lower than an animal to Ra and his servants even before I learned
to read their script.'

He could still feel the bruises that marked his back, turning livid
purple now, causing an ache to run through him with every movement.
His head ached from the blows he had received, and every so often the
walls of the corridors through which he travelled began to sway
slightly, mute testimony to the pain that throbbed mercilessly behind
his temples.

Must find somewhere to hide, he thought, with a growing sense of
desperation. Somewhere safe...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

'Where did it all go wrong?' O'Neill wondered.

He was seated in the lotus position on the silk-covered bed in his
room, performing the rite of kel no reem. Even as he sat there in the
semi-darkness, illuminated by the flickering light of candles, his
mind was racing.

What was this uncertainty he was feeling?

His eyes opened, as if of their own accord, and lazily traced the
hieroglyphs of rank that marked the doorway of his apartment. There,
for all the world to see, not that many were allowed this deep into
the heart of the building, were the things he had achieved through a
lifetime of work and service.

And suddenly, over the past few days, it was no longer enough.

O'Neill closed his eyes once more, trying to concentrate on the rite
that had always worked to centre him before.  He knew the danger of
his seditious thoughts - the penalty of any betrayal was death and
dishonour, but that did not stop the unsettled feeling that had
haunted him for longer than he cared to remember.

It had all been quite enough for such a long time - the power, the
influence. When he had been a young man, first having taken on the
role of First Prime to Ra, he had found a dark enjoyment in the fear
that he had seen so clearly etched on the faces of those brought
before him. It had sent a frisson through him, making him more
ruthless with them than necessary, as if that were needed to mark his
superiority over them as they squirmed before him.

Ra had always been distant, so that had not changed - was it his
imagination, or did his master seem a little troubled these days?
O'Neill frowned at the thought.  If that were the case, then why did
he not share his concerns with those who were closest to him?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The boots of the guards echoed dully in the hallway as Daniel
hurried along. The sound seemed to be growing closer, and he could
feel fear rising within him like a hand that threatened to choke his
very breath.  Wherever he looked, there seemed to be nowhere to hide.

As he reached a junction, corridors leading away to the left and
right, his head began to pound once more, louder and louder as the
footsteps of the pursuing guards were closing in as well.

Which way now?

There seemed to be no difference between the two, and he chose one,
blindly scurrying down it, until he turned a corner and gazed in
horror at what he found there. It was a dead end - the only break in
the expanse of wall that faced him was an ornate doorway covered with
a sheer hanging, which glistened gold in the candlelight.

The guards were coming nearer, so near now that Daniel could almost
feel the ground echo under their boots, and he was forced into a
decision.  Taking a deep breath to steady his shaking hand, he
reached out to slide his hand past the edge of the hanging, waiting
for an exclamation as he pulled it to one side.

Inside, the room was in partial darkness, illuminated by the
flickering of candles.

For a moment, the stillness of the room led Daniel to believe it was
empty, before his eye fell upon the man who sat cross-legged on the
bed which dominated one corner. He was stiller than a statue, so
still that his shallow breathing could hardly be seen from the
doorway.

Daniel hesitated, unsure of what to do, when a voice calling out
from behind him, echoing down the corridor, made his mind up.

Hastily, he slipped into the room, moving silently across the stone
floor. One eye was on the man who sat so still nearby, but he did not
move - Daniel had seen a jaffa in meditation once before, many years
ago, and he remembered how even a dropped dish had not made the man
jump, so deeply had he been in his trance. All he could hope was that
the same was true here.

Looking round in the flickering light, Daniel realised that there
was only one place that he could hide himself, behind an ornately
carved chest that stood by the furthest wall. Sucking in a breath, he
squeezed himself between the chest and the wall, his ears straining
for the approach of the guards.

For a moment there was silence, punctuated only by the over-loud
sounds of Daniel's heart pounding. To him, as he lay there, squashed
against the wall, his breathing sounded thunderous, and he was
certain that they would find him easily.

He heard the muttered conversation of the guards as they reached the
doorway - it took a moment before one of them entered the room, and
Daniel could hear the hesitation in the man's voice as he spoke.

"I am sorry to disturb you, my lord..." he began, his voice shaking
a little. "We are seeking a fugitive from our god's justice..."

"There is no-one here but myself," a voice replied, calm and
controlled.

"But, my lord," the guard protested, "he must have come this way..."

"Get out!" the other voice snapped, authority lacing the words with
steel.

The guard mumbled an apology - the words were not loud enough for
Daniel to hear, but the tone was clear enough. A few moments later,
silence fell again, as the footsteps of the guards echoed off down
the corridor.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

'Now what?' Daniel thought, not daring to relax. 'I suppose I'll
have to stay here until whoever this chamber belongs to leaves, and
then...'

"Come out," the voice said, shattering Daniel's thoughts with those
simple words.

Daniel froze, the breath caught in his throat for a moment before he
realised that his position there was known, and that he had no choice
in the matter now.  But why had the other man lied to the guards,
saying he was alone?

As he carefully crawled out of what had been his hiding place,
Daniel's mind was whirling, thoughts of flight and possible excuses
he might make warring for supremacy.

It was lighter in the chamber now, the light of the candles enhanced
by the glow of larger lamps that hung from two of the walls. The
light glanced from the decorations, sparking from the rich gilding,
every hieroglyph seeming to dazzle him with its inherent knowledge.

It was with some pain that Daniel got to his feet - the long run,
combined with the beating he had received before his escape, had not
been helped by the recent contortions necessary to try and hide. His
head spun as he stood, and he blinked at the man who stood before
him, the man who had lied for him.

His eyes slid past the gold emblem on the man's forehead, past the
brown eyes that gazed down at him, locking onto the glyphs that
marked the owner of this chamber as...

'No!' Daniel thought. 'How could I have been so unlucky?'

With an effort he forced himself to look at the man rather than the
surroundings, slumping his shoulders a little and looking down once
his eyes met those of the other man, in a show of deference.

"Who are you?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill studied the man as he crawled from his makeshift hiding
place, his experienced eye noting the way the man wavered slightly as
he stood, doubtless favouring the result of a beating in the recent
past.

Why had he lied to the guards?  The man who stood before him was
someone he had never seen before - another day he would have
cheerfully thrown the younger man to the wolves, caring nothing for
what fate might await him.

But not today. Something had made him lie, had made him empathise
with the plight this fugitive faced, and he had reacted without a
further thought.

As he watched the man, noting the clear blue of his eyes, he saw
them almost imperceptibly widen as they took in the glyphs above his
door and it was then that O'Neill realised what the young man's crime
must be.

"Who are you?" he asked, watching the show of deference that the
younger man was making with some amusement. He had seen eyes like
those before, full of intelligence and defiance, and no matter how
the other man might dissemble, he knew the act for what it was - a
means of survival.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel saw that the First Prime of Ra was unconvinced by his show of
deference. The man watched Daniel with amusement in his eyes.

Was that why he'd not told the guards?  He wanted to keep Daniel for
his own pleasure?  Rumours about the preferences of the First Prime
were rife, and Daniel had no desire to learn whether or not they were
true.

The look on the First Prime's face was changing to impatience;
obviously not a man used to waiting for a response to anything.
Daniel knew his life was in his hands. How much blood had he shed in
his service to Ra?  What was another insignificant slave added to the
list?

Swallowing hard, Daniel answered, "Daniel, sire." He kept his voice
even and respectful. However unconvinced the man was by Daniel's
stance, he felt there was no need to antagonise him. The tales of
this man's cruelty spread far and wide.

The First Prime walked towards Daniel , experienced eyes measuring
and calculating his appearance. He was seemingly unimpressed by what
he saw.

"So why are you running?  What crime against your god have you
committed?"  The voice was soft but cold, edged with command.

Without thinking Daniel blurted out a response. "He's not a god."

The words hung between them, and Daniel waited for death. The First
Prime moved as if to hit him, but stopped and took Daniel's chin in
his hand and hissed, "You deserve to die for such blasphemy."

The statement fell cold into the air between them, and Daniel
wondered why he was still alive. Tired, scared and aching he just
wanted this to be over.If this was the end then why was the man
waiting?

"Then do it."

The man looked surprised at his defiance and apparent lack of fear.
"In a hurry to die?"

"No, but you seem in a hurry to kill me."

Daniel heard his voice say the words, and was amazed at his own
bravery. He had nothing left to lose. His realisation had given him
strength.  The First Prime of Ra, moved away from him with something
new in his eyes. Respect, or maybe a sense that whatever decision he
made now could change his life forever.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't just hand you over to my guards,
or simply kill you here?"

Daniel took a chance, "You have your own doubts or I would be dead
already."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill looked at the young man before him and saw truth in his
eyes. Was this what Ra was; so afraid of? His secret being exposed? 
Little things that he had dismissed as imagination, or ignored
because they didn't fit into his life seemed to take on new meaning. 
He had a choice; he could kill this man now and continue with his
life undisturbed, or he could find out just what he knew.  Times were
changing, and did O'Neill really want to be on the losing side? Why
waste the rest of his life on a false belief?

Doubts or no doubts, there was no way he was going to let this slave
get away with his presumption. He raised his hand and sent the man
flying into a heap on the floor. Standing over the dazed man he
hissed at him, "Well now you're here.  I might as well listen.  Talk
fast, slave."

He stood back and waited as the other man struggled to his feet.
Daniel wavered but managed to keep his balance.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel wondered how much more of this he could take. His vision was
blurry and he could hardly stand, but he knew he had to keep focused
or he'd die here. He took a deep breath and began to talk.

"My Lord. I learned to read the hieroglyphs."  He saw the anger
flash in the older man's eyes and steeled himself for another blow,
but none came and so he continued. "Some tell of a time before Ra,
when we were a free people who lived off the land. We lived as we
pleased, married whom we loved. We raised families as we wished.  We
died old and grey. We lived for ourselves. We were not a rich people
but we were a happy one. We had a sense of who we were, and what we
wanted. We weren't killed or tortured at the whim of one so-called
god."

"We belonged to ourselves and to each other. Knowledge was freely
given and shared. Loyalty was something we gave to those who were
deserving, and we received it in our turn, if we were deserving. Not
because someone stood over us with a weapon in hand. Our souls and
our bodies were our own.

"Then he came and all that changed. He enslaved us with fear, made
us hate each other. Divide and conquer, a time-honoured strategy.  He
took our bodies as his own, made us complicit in our own destruction.
The only power Ra has is that of our own fear and the technology that
we make for him."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The slave's eyes blazed, his pain clearly all but forgotten in his
intensity.  O'Neill found himself almost hypnotised by the
impassioned voice. A part of him screamed that this was all a lie,
that it was blasphemy - but another part,growing in volume, told him
he should listen. The flow of words, went on and on,until O'Neill had
to stop it or lose himself completely.

"Ra isn't a god! He's an alien parasite who has enslaved our
people." The passionate voice continued, never ending. Wearing him
away. He had to stop it. Had to. "You included." The final phrase
slammed into O'Neill's brain and he reacted as he always had, when he
felt out of control.

"You will be silent, slave."  He raised his hand.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel saw the hand come up to hit him again and tried to move out
of the way, but his tired body refused to cooperate.He felt the
impact against his already throbbing head, and then nothing.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill watched the man fall to the floor, his anger blazing. The
arrogance of the man. A slave who had somehow learnt to read, had
dared to question him. Challenge him.  When Daniel remained still,
O'Neill bent to shake him awake, but the effect of repeated blows had
been too much. He didn't waken. O'Neill frowned in annoyance.

The impassioned, powerful voice echoed in O'Neill's head and he
couldn't shake the feeling that this slave might be right. Was Ra
really a parasitic alien?  Had his whole life been based on a lie?

It was an uncomfortable thought. All those people who'd died in Ra's
name. His own father had lost his life in one of Ra's great
conquests. O'Neill had been proud of his father's loyal service and
had been determined to follow in his footsteps. Was it all a lie?

He looked down at the unconscious man and realised that Daniel had
received nothing from telling the truth except contempt and betrayal.
He was an oddity in the world that Ra had created. A seeker of truth
for truth's sake. He had had nothing to gain from this, and that was
what made O'Neill begin to believe. He needed to know more, and this
man seemed to be his only source of information.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As thought returned to Daniel again, a throbbing pain inside his
head reminding him that he was truly still alive, unexpected as that
might be, for a moment he had no idea where he was. The material that
he was lying upon was soft, slippery, and dark as the starless night.
His fingers gripped it in exploration, their calluses catching on its
sheer surface, snagging it even as his eyes adjusted to the way the
light glanced off of it.

Where was he?

He ached. Every muscle that he possessed told him that he had
outdone himself, that he had over-stretched his stamina. Was the pain
in his head that of sunstroke? It would not be the first time, if
that was the case.  He had always been susceptible, the joke amongst
his family being that he had too often been caught in the sun - he
had no sense, they said, no idea when to shut up and blend into the
background.

Wherever he was, it was quiet. Not like the huts where he had lived
with his family, before the plague had taken most of them, leaving
him alone.

Daniel stretched, a tentative movement, testing the limits of his
tiredness. It was then that he realised that he was naked, that the
material draped across him, covering just his legs and lower back,
was the same as that on which he lay. Where was he, and more
importantly, where was his robe?

As he levered himself up from the softness of the bed, his arms
protesting at having to take his weight, Daniel turned slightly,
conscious of a movement behind him. As he turned, out of the corner
of his eye he saw a hand descend onto his back, almost startling him
into jerking away from its owner even before he felt the cool
slickness of ointment touch the skin of his back.

He was off the bed in one movement, somehow gathering the material
that had covered him with one hand and dragging it behind him in his
flight.

Flattening himself against the wall, Daniel could feel every
hieroglyph that decorated its surface scrape against the soreness
there. Idly he wondered whether his abused back was leaving a trail
of blood, even as his mind tried to make sense of what was going on
here.

It all came back to Daniel in a rush. His flight, hiding here, his
defiant encounter with the owner of these chambers, the blow that had
sent him spiralling into darkness. As the memories came back, Daniel
found himself clutching the bedcover closer around him, as if that
flimsy material alone could be enough to protect him.

His heart sank as Daniel realised why he was naked. He had heard
tales of Ra's First Prime, the man whose reputation alone was enough
to strike a fearful obedience into the heart of the most haughty
jaffa. The man who had a reputation for something else as well...

Daniel swallowed nervously, his eyes intent on the man who stood
before him, watching for any opportunity to escape, even as he knew
the situation to be hopeless.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill had been a little startled by the speed and fury of the
other man's reaction. He had hauled the younger man - what was his
name...  Daniel? - onto the bed bodily, in order to check the extent
of his injuries. It had been obvious by the way he had been standing,
even before O'Neill's temper had got the better of him, that he had
been severely beaten recently.

Was that guilt he was feeling?

Why should he care for the well-being of anyone but himself?

Years of serving Ra, who had always been a merciless master, as well
as the example of his father before him, had taught him to show none
of the softer emotions. Like many of the jaffa, he had married, even
fathered children, but only because it was expected of him - in the
end, his wife had been unable to bear to live with him. When he had
been promoted to First Prime, that had been her cue to leave, giving
O'Neill the excuse of more onerous duties to allow her that freedom.

But there was something about this stranger, this slave - a
brightness in his eyes, not dimmed by the years of hard labour and
hard knocks that he had obviously endured. There was a life to him
that O'Neill envied, an elusive quantity that he knew had been driven
from his heart long ago.

And now that same slave was glaring at him again, pressed against
the wall as if he would melt into its surface, the bedcover wrapped
as tightly around him as he could manage.

Suddenly, O'Neill realised what he had thought, what Daniel had
feared was happening when he had awoken so swiftly. Taking another
look at the suppressed fury in the younger man's eyes, the First
Prime began to laugh...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel was startled by the laughter. Of all the reactions he'd
imagined, amusement hadn't been one of them. In all he'd heard about
the First Prime, a sense of humour had never been mentioned. It felt
at odds with the rest of what he'd heard of him.

Why was the man laughing?

"Little one, do not flatter yourself. I have no need to bed an
unwilling slave."

Daniel flinched at the words, his anger growing. 'Little one'? The
man was laughing at him. He hated being laughed at, always had since
he'd been a child.

"When I woke up naked in your bed, what was I supposed to think?"

Daniel knew he was treading on dangerous ground, he'd experienced
the man's anger once already. This was probably not the best
direction to go in.  However, the First Prime still appeared amused.

"I was attempting to ease your pain, not increase it. This ointment
will ease the worst of the ache. Come back and lay down. You can
stand if you like, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't dribble any
more blood on my walls."

Daniel looked suspiciously at the First Prime, his humour again
surprising him. However the promise of release from the pain was
tempting. He kept the sheet well wrapped round him as he moved slowly
to the bed. With a final half angry, half worried look on his face
Daniel lay face down on the bed, his back exposed to the jaffa's
gaze. The sheets were cool and soft against his heated skin.

The First Prime's touch was unexpectedly gentle on Daniel's back, as
he rubbed in the cold cream. The relief was almost instant and Daniel
felt a flash of anger that this wasn't available to the other slaves.
As if the opulence here wasn't enough reminder of the inequality in
their lives.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill was impressed again at this man's continued spirit. Others
would have been petrified into submission by this point. Well, most
slaves would never have gotten this far, never mind still had fight
in them. It had felt for a second that Daniel, yes the slave deserved
the privilege of a name, that Daniel was the one in control, that he
had chosen to lay down.

O'Neill wondered for maybe only the fifth time in his life at a
system that brutalised such people. There was a fire in Daniel that
used properly could have been a rare asset to Ra. As O'Neill gently
rubbed in the ointment he was surprised that he actually enjoyed
this. It had been too long since he had been gentle with anyone.

"So Daniel, what had you planned to do with your hard-won
information?"  O'Neill felt the younger man tense in surprise at the
use of his name.  'Good,' thought O'Neill, 'keep the man off
balance.' He had to have the upper hand in this relationship, as the
rest of his life spiralled out of control because of it.

There was a respectful knock on the door, and O'Neill wondered if he
should ignore it, but knew that it would only be questioned later. He
kept his voice harsh and called out, "Enter, if you must."

He felt Daniel stiffen under him, and kept his hand on Daniel's
back. O'Neill's deputy entered and stopped at the sight he saw.
O'Neill glared at the man.

"This had better be important if you disturb my... pleasure."

O'Neill's second stood nervously at the doorway, his eyes flicking
around the room, looking anywhere but at the figure prone on the bed.
Daniel tensed under O'Neill and the man's breathing quickened, but
O'Neill's hand ensured he didn't move. However every muscle was
tautly coiled and O'Neill felt he could bolt at anytime. He pressed
down harder.

"Sorry my Lord but...," the man trailed off, as his eyes reluctantly
fell on Daniel's back. The weals and bruising were still evident.

"Yes?" O'Neill let his irritation show and the jaffa quailed under
his glare. Whatever it had been was obviously not important enough to
risk the wrath of his leader.

"Sorry to disturb you, Sire. This will wait."

The jaffa left in a hurry. O'Neill let out a harsh bark of laughter,
moved away from the slave, and waited for the explosion. Daniel
didn't disappoint him as he rose from the bed, forgetting modesty in
his anger.

"He, he thinks I'm your... your. That you... you." Daniel was
virtually jumping up and down. It gave O'Neill quite an eyeful, and
he leant back to enjoy the view. Whatever he'd said, the man was
undeniably attractive.  Despite, or maybe because of the sun
roughened skin and the obvious marks of hard work on the body. He had
were well defined muscles and O'Neill found it hard to concentrate.

He cleared his throat and said loudly enough to be heard over
Daniel, "You want to give a different impression, I'd cover up."

Daniel flushed pink all over and grabbed the sheet to cover himself
again.  He had obviously realised just who and what he was shouting
at and quietened considerably. His tongue flicked lightly over his
lip but he didn't retreat, merely looked around the room. O'Neill
tried not to smile. He was beginning to like this man.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As the First Prime spoke, Daniel realised that the man had saved his
life for a second time, and that with that decision had obviously
decided on a course of action. Keeping the sheet close to his chest
he spoke softly, "Thank you. I should be grateful to be alive."

Daniel wasn't convinced and it showed in his tone, but when he
looked into the other man's face, instead of anger, all he saw was a
raised eyebrow.

"You should be, yes. Now sit down. You were about to tell me what
you were going to do with this knowledge you've gained."

Daniel knew that for the first prime, the matter of the jaffa was
closed.  His mind was back on what he considered more important
things.

The bed loomed at Daniel. He hesitated and then settled awkwardly on
the floor, acutely aware of his nakedness. The jaffa shook his head
and moved towards Daniel, who flinched and then covered it up with a
shuffle. The other man didn't appear to notice and threw Daniel what
appeared to be two pieces of cloth. Gold and blue in colour. Daniel
caught them automatically, and looked at them with a puzzled
expression.

"Clothing," was all the jaffa said before turning away. After a
second of staring at the man's broad back, Daniel stood and shook out
the outfit.

It was blue trousers and a tight sleeveless gold top. The material
was softer then anything Daniel had ever felt in his life. It
shimmered and as he put it on he savoured the silken feeling. So
different from his own rough slave robes. Instantly he regretted his
impulse. This was just another piece of evidence of how differently
the two sectors of Ra's society were treated.

Daniel wondered who this had belonged to. Certainly not the man in
front of him. He swallowed and said, "Ready."

The first prime turned back and eyed Daniel with a slight smile that
made him uncomfortable. He felt his anger begin to return. He'd never
been looked at in that way before and he wasn't sure he liked it.

Daniel looked at the man in front of him, really looked at him, and
noticed his eyes. Although hard they still held, even after all the
brutality he'd inflicted and seen, a small hint of what he could have
been without Ra.

Daniel felt a small kernel of hope grow. Had what seemed to be a
disaster turned into his best hope? The jaffa spoke, his voice mildly
irritated but nothing more.

"So for the third time, what were you going to do when you escaped?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel took a deep breath, wondering for a moment at his own
audacity, before he began to speak again. Always aware of the First
Prime's eyes upon him, dark with some emotion he did not wish to even
begin to consider, he told the tale of his discoveries, the things
that he had learned over the past months and years. That there were
others, a small band who stood against Ra, even when they had
believed him to be a god, and who would be heartened greatly by the
things that Daniel had discovered.

Even as he spoke of the others, Daniel wondered if he was making a
major mistake - after all, this man, even though he owed him his life
twice over now, was still a jaffa, bound to the service of Ra by
oaths and blood, let alone the infant Goa'uld he carried inside him.

Still, the lack of emotion that he saw on the other man's face was
enough to reassure him. Surely if he had signed his own death warrant
by his words, the jaffa's face would have given him some sign of it?

He was pacing as he spoke, up and down in front of where the other
man sat, all too aware of the dark-eyed gaze that followed him.
Daniel could feel the warmth of that gaze, even as he tried to put to
the back of his mind how the other man's hands had felt on his skin,
the unexpected gentleness of them.

He stopped then, feeling himself sway slightly as he did so - the
jaffa stiffened where he sat, almost looking as though he was about
to stand, to come to Daniel's aid.

'You're grateful to him,' thought Daniel, 'that's all it is. Anyway,
why would he ever look twice at you? He said himself, he has the pick
of the palace to choose from, men and women, all willing to do
whatever he wants for the chance of advancement.'

"So what will you do now?" the jaffa asked, making Daniel pay
attention suddenly. "You can barely walk, let alone make it to
wherever this resistance is based..."

"I'll take my chances," Daniel heard himself say, growing angry when
he saw that same small smile re-appear on the other man's face. "I've
looked after myself up till now."

"And a fine job you've done too," the other man replied. "Beaten to
within an inch of your life and chased halfway across the palace. If
it wasn't for me, your corpse would be rotting somewhere even now, as
an example to others."

Daniel felt his face redden as the other man spoke, hating the
feeling of obligation that he had towards this man, the sheer fact
that he owed his life to the man who stood closest to the throne of
Ra.

"What do you want me to do?" Daniel snapped, heedless of the
possible consequences of his words. He had come so far, dared so
much, that even the thought of turning back now repulsed him.

"You need to rest," the jaffa said, in a calm voice. "Heal. Regain
your strength. And then we will go in search of this 'resistance'."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The words fell together perfectly, confirming the tiniest of
suspicions that O'Neill had formerly harboured. There was something
so right about this, as if somehow he was being compelled to help
this strange intruder who had destroyed all his comfort in his
station.

He saw Daniel's eyes widen as he spoke the words, realising then how
unexpected they were.

"I'll call for some food," he continued, crossing to the doorway. As
he reached it, O'Neill turned slightly, glancing back at where Daniel
still stood uncertainly, by the bed. "Stay here."

With those words, O'Neill lifted the hanging that covered the
doorway and left, letting the material drop behind him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"What am I, some kind of dog?" Daniel muttered, watching the hanging
that covered the door as the material stilled. "Stay here," he
echoed, frowning.

Without the forceful character of its usual occupant, the room felt
empty, the ceilings high and the atmosphere cold. Daniel suppressed a
shudder as he wrapped his arms around himself, feeling the softness
of the material he was wearing under his hands.

Daniel shuddered again on remembering the look that the jaffa had
given him when he had seen him in these clothes. It had been a look
of assessment, somehow feeling as though he was being undressed by
those dark eyes, and it had made him squirm.

Did I do the right thing in trusting him? Daniel wondered, as he
began to move away from the bed. He is Ra's First Prime, after all...
Even as he thought it, Daniel realised the stupidity of that thought -
by his own actions, the jaffa had condemned himself to death, hiding
a fugitive from the Guards, not once but twice.

And the second time...

Daniel's face burned as he recalled it. The warmth of the other
man's hand on his naked skin, the pressure of those fingers keeping
him still, had driven the blood straight from his brain.

He had been incensed that the jaffa who had interrupted them had
presumed that he was there to have sex with the First Prime, but much
of Daniel's irritation at that idea had been due to the fact that he
had momentarily wished it to be true.

Daniel crossed to the wall and began to translate the hieroglyphs
there, in a desperate attempt to take his mind off the owner of this
room. After a couple of minutes, he gave up, knowing his attempt to
be futile.

'Damn,' he thought, crossing back to the bed and sitting down again.

Daniel felt the way that the bed dipped beneath his weight,
remembering the way the material that covered it had felt upon his
naked skin. He glanced back towards the door briefly, before settling
back onto it again, meaning only to nap for a few minutes.

Before he knew it, he was asleep.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill returned with a servant in tow and indicated that he should
place the food quietly and leave. The man bowed and left quickly. He
was used to his lord's ways when he was 'entertaining'.

O'Neill made to wake Daniel up and then halted, as he took in the
sight of the slave sprawled on his bed. The man was attractive awake,
but asleep there was an innocence about him that was both endearing
and beautiful. O'Neill fought the urge to touch him. He wanted to
feel the warm skin once again under his hands. Caress and explore the
body as it was revealed to him. This man had changed his world, and
sparked emotion in him that he'd long suppressed as inappropriate for
a First Prime.

What was it about Daniel that touched such a chord in him? He had
bedded more beautiful men and women, had faced more formidable
people, but none had made him feel so off balance, so uncertain.
There was something about Daniel that touched a part of him long
buried.

O'Neill hesitated, for once unsure on his course of action. Should
he wake him? He didn't know how long it had been since Daniel had
eaten, but did he need his sleep more?

He settled on a chair by the bed reluctant to disturb him. He wanted
this man badly but why should the need be returned? O'Neill was
everything that Daniel despised and rebelled against. He had no
chance, and for once he had no intention of taking what he wanted by
force. He wanted something more out of this relationship, but what
exactly he wanted he was unsure of. He wondered how these rebels, or
others as Daniel had called them, would react when their best hope of
success turned up with the First Prime of Ra. He spared a grim smile
at the thought of the response he'd receive. Would Daniel be enough
to protect him? Could he manage not to kill people who annoyed him?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel was being chased by a group of jaffa, braying for his blood,
screaming his name in anger. He looked back in terror and then
stumbled. He found himself unable to move and opened his mouth to cry
out. He felt an arm reach down for him and he froze, waiting for the
expected blow. It never came and he only felt a gentle hand on his
back. He opened his eyes and looked straight into a pair of concerned
brown eyes, registered where he was, and uttered the first thing that
came into his head.

"Sorry, My Lord."

It made the other man smile,a surprisingly pleasant smile that made
Daniel begin to respond.

"O'Neill."

The word startled Daniel, "What?"

"You might find it easier to call me O'Neill, the others may not
take too kindly to you addressing me as My Lord."

"O'Neill." The word sounded strange on Daniel's lips and he tried it
out a couple of times. O'Neill watched him, amusement apparent in his
eyes, and Daniel suddenly felt embarrassed. He was acting like a love
struck idiot, over a man who had knocked him unconscious only a few
hours before and who had a reputation for cruelty that was
unparalleled. The thought didn't help; he felt a rush of lust, and
shifted uncomfortably.

O'Neill obviously mistook the restlessness for uneasiness at his
proximity, and stood away from him quickly. The first prime waved at
the food set out and indicated that Daniel should eat.

Daniel gasped as he took in the sight. He had never seen such an
array of different foods. He and the other slaves were given basic
food rations, and this was beyond anything he could have imagined. He
virtually ran to the food, he touched it and smelt it, admiring the
colours and the scent.

He heard O'Neill's amused snort and comment, "You can eat it."

Daniel turned around, suddenly angry at the man's nonchalance, "It
may be nothing to you, but I've never seen this amount of food
before. I'm not as privileged as you."

Daniel saw the man's eyes flash with a mixture of anger and
something else. O'Neill paced the room,then focused his attention on
the man in front of him. Daniel stood his ground, unwilling to show
weakness by backing away. The force of the man's personality blazed
out of him and without the strength of his anger to protect him,
Daniel was overwhelmed. O'Neill didn't shout but the power of his
voice was so compelling he had no need to.

"You speak so fluently about how we no longer own our bodies and
souls, but do you truly understand how my body has not been mine
since I became jaffa? Without this gift of Ra I would die." He showed
the pouch to Daniel, who flinched away from the sight.

The sarcasm and pain in O'Neill's voice made Daniel wince. He hadn'
t thought of it that way. He felt obscurely guilty; he'd forgotten
his own passionate outburst.O'Neill was as much a slave as he was,
only in a gilded cage.

He looked down at his feet, staring at them, unsure what to say.
Unwilling to apologise but wondering if he should. He brushed a
nervous hand through his hair. He felt the man come closer and tensed
himself for a blow, but O'Neill's voice when he spoke was soft,and
held a ring of conviction.

"We've a lot to learn about each other, and it isn't going to be
easy but I promise I will never raise my hand to you again in anger.
Now eat, while we still have time."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel did not need telling a second time. Conscious all the time of
the jaffa's eyes upon him, he fell upon the array of food as if he
had not seen food for days - he could not remember the last time that
his stomach had been truly full. Although he could see the amused
half-smile on O'Neill's face as he ate, the hardships that he had
suffered in the past gave him definite priorities. He could survive
mockery, but starvation was another matter altogether.

Once he had somewhat satisfied himself, Daniel found that sense of
being watched to be something that overwhelmed him, making him feel
more and more uneasy as the moments passed. What was it that O'Neill
saw when he looked at him? What must he be thinking of the way that
Daniel had almost shovelled food into his mouth, when O'Neill had
doubtless never gone hungry for a day of his life. Daniel felt his
face begin to burn with embarrassment.

Glancing round at the jaffa, he took in immediately the way that the
other man was merely toying with his food, noting the way that the
other man's eyes snapped from their observation of him to peruse the
contents of his plate.

"You..." Daniel began, more than a little uncertain. "You're not
what I expected... I mean, I've heard so much of you..."

"Were you expecting me to have two heads?" O'Neill asked, without
looking up. "Or horns, maybe?"

Daniel stiffened, feeling that he was being mocked.

"You have a reputation that means I should have not have been
surprised if either were the case," he retorted.

What was it about this First Prime that he wanted so desperately to
goad him into a reaction? Was he so weary of being alive?

"I am sure that reputation is well-deserved," O'Neill replied,
looking up now.

Their eyes locked, with Daniel scrutinising the other man as if he
had never seen him before. He could see more of what this man was,
passing through all the things he had heard to the man who stood
behind those stories. There was something indefinable in the depths,
something that looked like a desperate sadness, something that struck
a chord deep within Daniel, making him regret all the harsh things
that he had said.

"I know stories for what they are," Daniel said, continuing to gaze
into O'Neill's eyes, lost in them. "Sometimes things become more than
they are."

"And sometimes not," O'Neillsaid, looking away. "I have done many
terrible things in the service of my... in the service of Ra."

Those words, which the jaffa need not have spoken, let alone the
tone in which they were uttered, drove deep into Daniel's heart. That
the other man had corrected himself, knowing now that his service to
his god had been a lie, was surely a sign that things were changing?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill had watched the other man eat with a sense of enjoyment -
Daniel had fallen upon the food like a vulture, as if he wanted to
make up for his lack of experience by trying everything that was to
offer. He had bitten back a moan as the younger man's agile tongue
had flickered out across his lips, wiping some stray sauce from his
mouth. All O'Neill could imagine was that tongue doing something
else, something that Daniel would surely never agree to, even should
he live to be as old as a jaffa.

Picking at his own meal, O'Neill considered Daniel's circumstances,
putting himself in another man's place for the first time in his
life. The fact that Daniel was so hungry was no surprise - O'Neill
had seen the rations that the workers received, knowing that the best
and choicest of all things went to the palace, for those favoured by
Ra. But, even though he had often feasted on the fruit of their
labours, the jaffa had never considered what it must be like for
those who produced it. What must it be like to hunger and yet know
that others feasted on the things you grew?

'No wonder they hate us,' O'Neill thought. 'We should think
ourselves lucky that we have not been overthrown. If it were not for
Ra...'

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

'We should go soon,' Daniel thought, surprising himself with his
reluctance to leave this place. He had only been here a number of
hours and already there was something comfortable about the room,
replacing its former cold and alien feeling. Was it the room, or the
man with whom he was currently sharing it?

Daniel chanced a swift glance over to where the jaffa sat, now
nursing a cup of wine. That same look he had seen before was in
O'Neill's eyes - the other man was far inside himself, contemplating
something that Daniel could not even begin to describe. Suddenly the
quiet in the room they shared seemed oppressive.

"I..."

Even as Daniel began to speak, O'Neill's head snapped round, the
dark eyes focussing on him once more. Daniel swallowed, a little
nervously.

"I need to say something," Daniel continued, his voice far steadier
than he expected. "But it seems as though every time I open my mouth
the wrong things come out."

O'Neill was silent, his eyes thoughtful.

"I am grateful to you for saving my life, if a little puzzled by
your actions."

"That is... understandable," O'Neill replied. "My reputation..."

"...is nothing that should make me forget what I've seen," Daniel
said, interrupting O'Neill with a small smile on his face. "I've
learned not to believe everything I'm told, but suddenly I forgot all
about that."

"You were..."

"...afraid. Yes, I was. But that was no excuse."

"You should get some sleep, Daniel," O'Neill said, his words cutting
across what the younger man might have wanted to say next. "I must
meditate again. This day has been a little... strange."

Daniel watched as O'Neill settled down cross-legged onto the nearby
rug, listening to the jaffa's breathing as it evened out into the
stillness of kel no reem. Finally, after a few long minutes had
passed, Daniel moved as quietly as he could to the bed, even though
he knew it would take far more to disturb O'Neill, before curling up
on its soft surface.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was dark when O'Neill moved again, stretching in the candle-lit
room as he got up from his position on the floor. This time, however,
his attempts to meditate had been less than satisfactory, troubled as
they were by thoughts of the man who was currently lying sprawled
asleep on his bed.

'Why?' O'Neill thought. 'Why him? What is it about him that troubles
me so much that I can't seem to get him out of my mind?'

As he stood, one of the candles by the bed guttered, the last light
that it shed flickering across Daniel's face before going out. Almost
instinctively, O'Neill's eyes fell to Daniel's face, seeking what
expression it held even as the darkness hid those features from him.

With a small sound, the man in question moved, his hand, still
visible, clutching at the slick material of the bed cover.

O'Neill took a step forward before he realised that he had even
reacted, the helplessness of that sound cutting through him in an
unexpected fashion. The last time he had heard a sound like that, it
had issued from his child, locked in a nightmare. O'Neill frowned as
he thought of his son, remembering the grief that his wife had gone
through, the grief that he, as First Prime, had not been allowed to
share. It would not have been seemly for one who stood at the right
hand of Ra to be seen to be so weak. Yet he had envied her, envied
the freedom she had to bewail her loss, their loss, when he must
remain stoic.

Crossing to the ornate chest behind which Daniel had hidden on his
first coming to these chambers, O'Neill opened it and removed another
candle. Normally he would have waited for the servants to do this,
leaving it to them as part of their duties, but suddenly he needed to
be doing something. And the fact that this particular 'something'
gave him a reason to be close to Daniel and have a good excuse to be
so was a thought that the jaffa quashed ruthlessly as soon as it was
born.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This time, at least, Daniel managed not to flinch when he woke
suddenly and found the jaffa nearby. The other man had his back
turned slightly, so that this time Daniel was able to watch him for a
moment. He watched as the other man trimmed the wick of a candle with
deft fingers, feeling his mouth suddenly become dry as he followed
the movements of O'Neill's hands.

Daniel swallowed, suddenly nervous.

What's happening? he wondered. This is... not wrong, just... strange.

There was something capable about the jaffa, something he had
somehow been able to trust despite the way that all his instincts had
screamed at him. And so far he had not been disappointed.

Daniel shifted slightly on the bed, and the slight rustle of the
fabric was enough to alert O'Neill. Fascinated, Daniel saw the jaffa
stiffen at the sound, even as his hands settled the candle they held
in its place.

"You are awake, then," O'Neill said, turning to look down at Daniel.

In the flickering light, the other man seemed huge, a solid mass of
muscle looming over Daniel. A rush of heat, an unexpected surge of
desire, as dark as the wine he had so recently drunk, surprised the
younger man and he was suddenly glad of the semi-darkness, as it
would hide the reddening of his face.

"We..." Daniel hesitated, his mouth suddenly dry again. "We need to
go soon."

"Indeed."

Reluctantly, Daniel sat up on the bed, his eyes still intent on the
shadow that was O'Neill. Much as he wanted to wallow in the luxury
that he was so newly experiencing, Daniel knew that every moment they
lingered increased the danger he was in, should he be caught. Should
they be caught.

"I could go alone," Daniel said, suddenly, feeling the weight of
responsibility for the man who had twice saved his life settle on him
like the heaviest of burdens. "No one would need to know that you
helped me."

"It's too late for that now, Daniel," O'Neill replied, turning away
from where the other man sat.

As a result, he missed the slight sigh of relief from Daniel - he
had not truly wanted to go alone, the whole thought of braving Ra's
guards alone scared him more than he liked to admit, but he had not
felt that he could make the jaffa's decision for him.

"But we cannot go empty-handed," O'Neill continued, as he searched
through the papers that occupied a small table in the corner of the
room.

Daniel's curiosity drew him from the bed, all thoughts of resting
driven from his mind. He hovered a little uncertainly behind where
O'Neill stood, as though undecided on his own safety near the jaffa,
before his need to know overwhelmed any other concerns he might have
had.

As if he could feel Daniel stood beside him, even without looking
up, O'Neill began to speak.

"As difficult as you found it to trust me," he said, "think how much
harder it will be for this resistance of yours to do so."

Daniel felt his face redden slightly again at this reminder of how
things had been between them. The slightness of the clothing that he
currently wore, combined with the proximity of the jaffa was proving
a heady mix. It was as though Daniel was suddenly more sensitive,
somehow more alive, the warm air brushing his skin like an intimate
caress.

"So," O'Neill continued, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil that
Daniel was experiencing beside him, "we need something to allow them
to trust us."

Finally, out of all the parchments that he had considered, O'Neill
seemed to find one that met his needs. With a curt nod, he began to
roll it up, leaving the others, those he had rejected, in an untidy
pile on the table.

"Now we can go."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next hours were a quiet parody of Daniel's former headlong
flight. O'Neill stalked through the quiet corridors of the palace
like a jungle cat, his step certain and determined. They met few
people on their travels, and those that they did meet seemed to have
decided that it was best to pretend that they had not seen them - one
glance at the glowering expression on the jaffa's face was enough to
send even the bravest of Ra's guards scurrying in the opposite
direction.

Daniel hurried at his heels, knowing that all people saw when they
looked at the two of them was Ra's First Prime being accompanied by a
favoured slave.

He knew that most, if not all, of those they encountered would not
have been able to even describe what he looked like. And why should
they be able to? After all, he was merely a slave to them, of as much
interest as a piece of furniture, attracting interest only if it
failed to do what was asked of it.

That thought was enough to make him angry again, his eyes fixing on
O'Neill's back as he followed the other man through the maze of
corridors. The steadiness of the other man was a reassurance to him,
even as he realised that they were nearing the outside world.

Suddenly Daniel was very glad that he was not alone - would he ever
have been able to find his way out of here without someone to show
him the way?

As they reached a doorway, Daniel saw the jaffa hesitate, before the
other man turned to him, the rising sun turning him into one dark
mass once more.

"From here on," O'Neill said, "our presence will be less easy to
explain away, so we may need to hide at a moment's notice."

Daniel nodded, unable to summon any words through the lump of fear
that seemed to have occupied his throat.

O'Neill paused, and Daniel felt the weight of the jaffa's dark eyes
upon him. He knew that every thought was as clearly laid out on his
face, now lit by daylight, as if he had spoken them aloud.

"Trust me," O'Neill said, his voice quieter now.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

'This is too dangerous for him,' O'Neill thought, seeing the
expression that had crossed Daniel's face when he spoke. 'Maybe I
should be the one travelling alone...'

Even as he thought it, O'Neill knew that there was no way that he
could possibly reach the camp of the resistance alone, even if he
could persuade Daniel to allow him to do so. They would kill him as
soon as they realised who he was, and there would be little he could
do to persuade them to hear him.

Not that Daniel would let him do it anyway. Even in the short time
he had known the other man, O'Neill had come to realise that there
was an unexpected strength in him, something that had led him to defy
everything that others took as the truth, risking all that he had.

There was as much chance that he could persuade Daniel to let him
continue alone as there was that the sun would rise in the west
tomorrow.

O'Neill turned on his heel, conscious of Daniel's presence at his
back, willing himself to concentrate on keeping the two of them safe.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the end, it was far safer than they had expected. Following
Daniel's whispered directions, O'Neill had led the way through the
huddled tents that surrounded Ra's palace, his face wrinkling
occasionally at the smells that the rising sun strengthened.

There had only been one occasion when the two men had been forced to
seek shelter, the noisy advance of Ra's guards giving them ample
warning.

What had been the most alarming for Daniel had been that they had
little choice of a hiding place, ending up flattened into the shadow
of a half-fallen wall, O'Neill's body pressed hard against him as the
darkness of the jaffa's robes hid Daniel in his lighter clothing.

Daniel had held his breath for as long as he dared, feeling his head
spin slightly, trying to still his minutest movement for fear that
they would be discovered. Whereas before he had feared only for
himself, even, he realised, when he had suggested that he travel on
alone, now Daniel's agile mind presented him with images of O'Neill
being tortured and beaten for what he had dared to do.

The warm strength that was pressed against him, the roughness of the
clay bricks against his back, that was all that was real to him at
that moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

O'Neill was surrounded by rebels all poring over a map of Ra's
stronghold that the ex first prime had drawn. Daniel was with a young
rebel female called Sha're, he was explaining the glyphs to her. He
felt eyes on him and looked up at O'Neill who was watching him. The
jaffa nodded at him and then turned to answer a question. Daniel
touched Sha're on her arm and stood up to join O'Neill.

He had to be near him. What was it about him that he found so
compelling? The easy strength, the complete confidence and the
usually controlled power. The eyes that could be hard as stone and
then soften as he looked at a child. Daniel had never thought that
someone like O'Neill would appreciate children but O'Neill did. It
was another dimension to him.

He stood behind the man and listened to him explain the workings of
the inner sanctum.

A young rebel that Daniel remembered as Skaara spoke harshly, "How
do we know this man speaks the truth? He is a slayer of many of our
people."

Daniel was stung into defending O'Neill. Didn't the man know what he
had risked to come here? What he had given up?

"He speaks the truth."

"You, dressed like that. How can we trust you?  Lap dog to the First
Prime."

Skaara glared at him, disgust clear in his eyes. Daniel stepped
back, unsure what to say. The boy had touched on something Daniel had
mixed feelings about.

O'Neill growled and stared at the young rebel.

"You are an idiot. Daniel brings you information that will help you
overthrow Ra and all you do is insult him... Fool. You say what you
wish about me, but recognise good information when it is given." He
indicated the map. "This is a true copy of Ra's stronghold and if you
have spies anywhere at all, let's hope they are less stupid then you.
They have no doubt given you some of this information."

O'Neill glared at Skaara who eventually looked away furious but
chastened.

Kasuf one of the rebel leaders looked at O'Neill with a slight
smile, "Indeed we know that much of this is true and we appreciate
your help. We are merely surprised by it."

O'Neill looked at Daniel and said softly, "I heard a compelling
argument."

Daniel felt a warm glow inside and then looked at his feet
embarrassed, why did O'Neill's regard mean so much to him?

"Daniel has a convincing air about him and the stories he tells us
are useful."

"Thank you Kasuf." Daniel finally found his voice and added after a
pause, "I would like to change."

He suddenly felt incredibly exposed. Sha're showed Daniel to one of
the tents, and left him some clothes. Daniel's hands lingered on the
soft material as he eased himself out of the tight fitting outfit. He
laid the clothes gently on the floor, folding them neatly and then
shrugged himself into the rougher, more useful clothing and felt
suddenly safer but like he'd lost something as well.

The conflicting emotions annoyed him and then he realised someone
was watching him.

He looked up, and flushed as he saw Sha're watching him with wide
eyes, and a slight smile on her face. She moved toward him, almost
cat-like in her walk and said huskily, "You have an attractive body
Daniel." She gently caressed his cheek.

Daniel swallowed hard and found he couldn't talk, he rubbed his
nose, stepped away from her, and looked anywhere except at her.

"Ahh Sha're.. I ahh.. don't think we...."

He hated how weak his voice sounded. She was a beautiful woman and
he was unattached, but his feelings for O'Neill were complicated. He
sighed as he thought of the jaffa, a smile touching his lips.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The confrontation had left a nasty taste in O'Neill's mouth, he
didn't want to make this any harder than he had to but Skaara was an
idiot. Thankfully Kasuf seemed sensible. O'Neill had needed a break
from the tension in the tent and had left the rebels to finish
looking at the map, knowing they'd call him if they wanted anything.

He hoped they wouldn't send Skaara, the boy was irritating and
O'Neill knew he couldn't hold onto his temper too long with the boy
around.

Wandering through the tents that made up the rebel camp, he heard
voices, one he recognised as Daniel. He wanted to see if the young
man was all right, he'd looked uncomfortable as he'd left.

What he saw, stunned him more than felt comfortable with. Daniel and
a woman were locked in a kiss, one that looked pretty passionate. How
could he have been so wrong? Before they'd come here hed almost
convinced himself the ex slave felt something for him.

He growled and then walked off, leaving them to their little secret.
He was furious. Damn slave, he'd thrown my life away for nothing.
O'Neill knew that he couldn't go back and he also knew he would never
truly be welcome here.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel pulled away from Sha're breathing heavily, his heart pounding.

"We can't do this...

Sha're looked angry, her face pinched into a scowl, marring her
features.

"This is about him isn't it ?"

"No, it isn't. I hardly know you. What would your family say?"

It wasn't a complete lie, he was unnerved by Sha're's forwardness
and unsure of her motives.

"Coward. My brother was right. If you change your mind, I will be
waiting."

She almost spat the words at him, but took the edge of them with a
gentle caress on Daniel's cheek before she stalked out. Daniel let go
of the breath he'd been holding and sighed a little, not sure whether
in relief or something else.

He had to find O'Neill; they had things to talk about. The jaffa was
hard to track down and the people Daniel spoke to were unhelpful or
really didn't know. Occasionally Daniel suspected the former. Finally
Daniel located him, in a tent on the outer rim of the camp. O'Neill's
eyes were closed, but as Daniel entered he opened them and stared at
him.

"O'Neill, I've been looking for you everywhere."

The jaffa didn't speak, merely stood gracefully and watched him.
Daniel flinched at the look on his face. He looked as if he'd been
carved from stone. Cold, hard and unfeeling, the emotion that had so
recently warmed Daniel was absent.

Finally he spoke and his voice mirrored his face, "You've found me."

Daniel shivered, not really understanding what had happened, they'd
been fine when Daniel had left to change. He asked softly his voice a
little shaky, "O'Neill, what's wrong?"

"I appear to have made an error of judgement." Daniel's mind went
blank as he tried to think what he'd done for O'Neill to be so angry.
Was it Sha're? Had he seen him kiss Sha're? "I should never have
trusted you."

Daniel was angry now. What did him kissing Sha're have to do with
trust? They had no claim on each other and he could be with whom he
wanted. Unless, there was something else, something more between them
as he'd hoped. But how would he get the jaffa to admit to it now?

He took a deep breath to keep calm and control his temper.

"Why don't you trust me anymore?"

O'Neill looked at Daniel and shook his head.

"You're just not what I expected, Daniel."

O'Neill's voice was annoyingly smug, and grated on Daniel's frayed
nerves, and he lost the hold on his temper. He raised his voice,
almost shouting at the man. All the frustration he felt at him, all
the uncertainty with this situation came out.

"Just what did you expect O'Neill? A submissive slave who remained
forever grateful?"

O'Neill stepped back as if Daniel had hit him, and then said his own
voice harsh, "If that's what I'd wanted I could have made sure of it
the first time you walked into my life."

"And how exactly would do you think you would have done that?"

Daniel shut up as he realised the implication of what he'd just
asked. He felt sick. There was a heavy silence in the tent as the
reminder of just what O'Neill had been, hung between them. O'Neill
finally broke it, his voice flat.

"If you loathe me so much, go back to that woman. You seem well
suited."

Daniel clenched his fists and glared at O'Neill and thought then
that this was all they would be to each other. Antagonists. He walked
out with a hissed, "At least she isn't as pig headed and ignorant as
you O'Neill."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sha're had no sooner left the tent, leaving Daniel behind in a
flurry of robes, than her arm was seized in a strong grip. She did
not resist as she was pulled along, knowing without even looking who
it would be.

"What is it?" she asked imperiously, her dark eyes blazing at the man.

"What were you doing in there?" the man snapped back. "You are
betrothed to me, Sha're, never forget that!"

With a wince of pain, Sha're pulled her arm free of the man's grip.

"We may be betrothed, Yavin," she replied, "but we are not yet
married. Do not think to order me..."

Seeing that this approach was not working, Yavin frowned, then tried
another.

"Then will you not accept this gift from me, my beloved?" With a
flourish, Yavin pulled out a small, fabric-wrapped package from the
depths of his robes. Sha're paused, as if considering. "It is a gift
fit for a princess..."

"Indeed?" Sha're asked, intrigued.

Yavin nodded, extending the package towards her, his gesture
resembling nothing more than someone offering meat to a starving
animal, as if careful to retain his fingers afterwards.

Sha're took the package from him, weighing it silently in her hand
for a moment before she opened it. Inside the material, a golden
chain glimmered, and Sha're's fingers were drawn to caress its shiny
surface. Picking up the chain, she examined it carefully, noting the
pendant through which it looped, frowning slightly at the markings on
its surface.

"This is the mark of Ra," she said, her tone full of disapproval.

"As I said, a gift fit for a princess." Yavin waited, heart in his
mouth as Sha're considered whether to accept his gift. After what
seemed the longest moment of his life, she nodded, her fingers taking
up the necklace and her head bowing to accept it.

With a small smile, Yavin watched his betrothed put on his gift,
then turn and walk away without looking back at him.

"Have you done as I asked?" a voice inquired from the shadows cast
by a nearby tent.

"I have."

"They will come?"

"How could they not?" Yavin replied, his eyes still intent on
Sha're's back, watching until she turned a corner out of sight. "But
I don't understand why..."

"Because this way we both get what we want," the watcher replied,
taking a step towards Yavin and out of the shadows. "You get my
sister, before that newcomer enchants her further," Skaara continued,
"and I get revenge on the jaffa for embarrassing me in front of my
father..."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was a hollow victory, Daniel realised, even as he turned away
from the other man. His words had been hasty, chosen for their power
to hurt - in reality, he had no intention of returning to Sha're,
even if he had known where to find her.

He had thought that the jaffa was mellowing towards him, that his
former scorn might some time soon be replaced by respect, or maybe
even friendship? But no, Daniel knew that hope now for the falsehood
that it was. There could never surely be anything between them, their
lives were too different for such a chasm ever to be bridged.

So why did he feel as though his own heart had been ripped out?

Daniel had wanted to hurt O'Neill, to punish him for not trusting,
but it seemed as though the only person who was suffering was him.
The last he had seen of the jaffa, that familiar inscrutable
expression was firmly in place, leaving Daniel still feeling as
though he was bleeding inside.

What could he do now?

The only thing that meant anything to him now was knowledge, so that
must be his only companion. At least then he would not have to fear
betrayal or misunderstandings, and for the first time in his life he
would be safe...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill tried to achieve kel no reem, his body relaxing into the
familiar posture even as his mind raced and whirled.

He had destroyed himself, as surely as if he had committed ritual
suicide, taking his own blade to himself when he was no longer able
to serve his god. The jaffa shook his head, rejecting that thought.

'I was a fool,' he thought. 'And now I must pay a fool's price, for
trusting that slave. But what then?'

He had no idea what to do next. It was as though he had thrown
himself from a cliff, trusting to the air to hold his weight when he
should have known better. What had he been thinking, turning his back
on everything he had ever known to follow Daniel's persuasive words?

O'Neill took another deep breath and tried to centre himself once
more.

He had made a mistake, one which might prove fatal once Ra's Guards
caught up with him, so now he should only think of himself, planning
for what little time he might have left. At least no-one else would
suffer with him.

So why was it that every time he tried to achieve the much-needed
trance state he saw Daniel's stricken face?

Every instinct cried out to O'Neill that he had been made a fool of,
that he should hunt that slave down and destroy him for what he had
dared to do. So why was the shocked emotion of Daniel's eyes all that
he could focus on?

O'Neill sighed, taking another deep breath.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"You seem troubled, Daniel."

Daniel looked up at the words, straight into the wise face of Kasuf.
The older man's eyes sparkled with life, even though that life had
surely been a hard one. There was a fire inside him that Daniel
envied at that moment, weighed down as he was with guilt and
indecision.

"I..."

Where should he start? What could he say to this man to explain what
had happened in the past few hours, the way his universe had been
turned upside down by a simple misunderstanding and a lack of trust?

"It is good that you are here," Kasuf continued, "you and the jaffa.
We can learn much from both of you to aid our fight against the false
god."

Daniel looked down, unwilling to shake Kasuf's simple trust by
telling him that O'Neill would doubtless leave now, taking that hard-
won knowledge with him. But how could he lie? He had to tell Kasuf
the truth, and trust to what little he knew of the other man that he
would not be an outcast here as he had been with his own people.

"Good father!"

It was Skaara's voice, shattering Daniel's resolve. The younger man
burst into view from between the tents, skidding to a halt as he saw
Kasuf, his eyes narrowing slightly at the sight of Daniel sitting
nearby.

"Good father," he panted, his head bowed as he tried to catch his
breath. "We are betrayed! The false god's Guards are on their way to
take us all..."

"What?" Kasuf snapped, the calmness of his manner replaced by an
alertness. "How could that be? No-one knows we are here..."

"He knew." Skaara spat out the words, his eyes blazing at Daniel.
"And the jaffa."

"That's ridiculous!" Daniel's voice was swamped by the panic of
those nearby, even as his body was buffeted by the inhabitants of the
tents as they rushed to and fro, gathering what little they could
carry before making their escape. "You can't believe that O'Neill or
I..."

"There is no time for this now, Daniel," Kasuf said abruptly,
turning back to him for a moment from his orchestration of the
group's leaving. "But be assured I will know who betrayed us!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

They had taken him by surprise, bursting into the tent where he was
seeking tranquility and binding his hands behind him before O'Neill
had been able to rouse himself to his own defense.

He did not struggle, knowing there was nothing he could do at the
moment, and not wanting to ostracise the people who held his life in
such a tenuous balance - the jaffa could see the hatred and mistrust
lurking so near to the surface in the men who surrounded him, and he
would not give them the pleasure of an excuse to strike him down.

If they needed an excuse, that was. There was a coldness there in
the eyes of those who surrounded him that made O'Neill shiver
slightly, despite the almost oppressive heat of the desert, a
coldness that had nothing to do with the climate.

He glanced around, hoping but also fearing to see Daniel there.
Would he see the same coldness in the younger man's eyes now, a
coldness that O'Neill knew he would be responsible for?

Without a word being spoken, the jaffa was dragged from the tent
which he had made his sanctuary, half-carried by the press of bodies
surrounding him, out into the sunshine.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Kasuf..." Daniel pleaded. There was a servile tone to his voice
that he despised, but as a supplicant to the leader of the
resistance, Daniel knew he had no choice. "Kasuf, we are both
innocent, you have to believe that..."

Kasuf turned from his directing of the camp's evacuation to cast
sympathetic eyes at Daniel.

"I believe you to be what you claim," he said, "but how can we be
sure of the jaffa?"

"He has risked as much as I have," Daniel said, "if not more." He
hesitated, suddenly unsure if his words were helping matters any. "I
owe him my life," he continued simply.

"Then you feel an obligation towards him?"

"Yes... No... It's more than that. He defied his god to come here."

"And if he had another motivation for his actions?" Kasuf pressed,
his eyes darkening with emotion.

Daniel shook his head. He had never considered the possibility.
Could Kasuf be right? Could he have used Daniel, made him believe
that he owed him his life, when all along he was just a puppet in
O'Neill's schemes?

"No." Daniel's voice shook slightly. "No." This time the words were
more certain.

"You have your doubts," Kasuf said, "and I have mine. That is all
there is time for now. Later, when we are safe once more, then we
will see what is truth and what is not..."

The next few hours blurred into one.

The members of the resistance were only able to take what they could
carry, melting away into the hills surrounding the encampment like
shadows, moving in different directions to evade their pursuers.

Daniel had been with Kasuf, waiting till the last of the small group
was ready to leave, certain all along that he could hear the
approaching Guards. All he could think of was capture, and what would
be his inevitable fate - he had been lucky to escape them once and
knew that this would not be repeated.

And this time, there would be no First Prime to save him.

What would happen to O'Neill if they were caught? As terrible as his
own fate might be, Daniel knew that the fate that awaited one who had
betrayed a god would likely be unimaginably worse. He had heard that
Ra had some device that allowed him to heal those who had his favour -
could that be used to prolong the torment of one who had been a
traitor?

A cold feeling gripped Daniel's heart. Even as angry as he was with
O'Neill, even with the way the jaffa's callous words had struck at
him, he could not wish such a fate on anyone.

With a guilty start, Daniel realised he had not thought for a moment
about Sha're since he had known they were under attack. He wondered
if that proved anything, that his thoughts were of another
altogether, someone he was less willing to think of...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Firelight flickered on the walls of the cave, even crowded as it was
with those members of the resistance movement who had gathered there,
waiting to hear their leader speak. Fitful muttering turned to
silence as Kasuf stood.

"Bring forth the jaffa."

From where he was standing, Daniel could see without being seen, the
shadows of an overhanging shelf of rock hiding him from Kasuf and
those who stood with him. He had an unobstructed view of the doorway,
however, and found his breath caught as he saw O'Neill for the first
time since the evacuation of the camp.

O'Neill was led into the cave, his hands bound behind him, his
carriage upright and proud. His eyes went straight to Kasuf as he
entered, his dark gaze defiant in its directness. Daniel pulled back
further into the shadows, his emotions churning.

He wanted to cry out at the injustice, that they were both innocent,
but feared that this would only lead to being dragged into the centre
of the gathering alongside the jaffa. While one of them was free, he
reasoned, there was a chance to prove their innocence - sharing
O'Neill's imprisonment would be a futile gesture at best.

Could he bear himself with such dignity before those assembled
there? On reflection, Daniel knew that was unlikely.

"Daniel claims that you are innocent, jaffa," Kasuf said, his eyes
clearly searching out the hidden man.

O'Neill said nothing, his back ram-rod straight, eyes still firmly
locked on Kasuf. The older man seemed to move uneasily under the
strength of that gaze, shifting slightly before speaking once more.

"Have you no words to say in your defence?" Kasuf asked, frowning now.

"You have already decided my guilt," O'Neill snapped, pausing as
those surrounding him muttered over the tone of his voice. A swift
glance from Kasuf silenced them. "What could I say that would
convince you?"

"His guilt is clear!" a voice called from the midst of the crowd.
The people surrounding O'Neill parted slightly, allowing Skaara to
pass through. "Good father, how long must we tolerate this treachery?"

"Patience, my son," Kasuf replied.

"Are we safe, even here?" Skaara continued, turning to the crowd.

A few of those surrounding him nodded, jostling the jaffa where he
stood in their midst.

"If no proof of your innocence is brought forth before nightfall
tomorrow," Kasuf continued, glossing over the words of his son as if
Skaara had never spoken, "then you must pay the price. Our cause is
too important to risk."

Daniel, from his vantage point, thought he saw O'Neill stiffen as
this sentence was pronounced, but the flickering light hid the
jaffa's expression.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He had expected no mercy and received none.

O'Neill had hoped, somehow, vainly, for reprieve. He had hoped that
the voice of reason would prevail, futile though he knew that hope to
be. And he had hoped to see Daniel.

Where was he? Why had he not spoken up?

The only evidence the jaffa had that Daniel believed he was innocent
had come in the words of Kasuf, rather than the eloquent words of the
former slave. Those words, that voice, had convinced him to turn his
back on a lifetime's service, and O'Neill had believed that they
alone would be powerful enough to secure his freedom.

Instead of which, he was imprisoned once more.

O'Neill stumbled slightly as he was shoved into the small cave in
which he suspected he would spend his final night alive. The looks in
the eyes of those who were his guards told him all he needed to know,
making him brace himself for the blows as they fell.

He saw the darkness in their eyes, the pain that he and Ra's guards
had caused them, knowing each blow was a child orphaned, a house
destroyed, a family torn apart. How could he defend himself, even
were he not bound?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Kasuf."

"Do not ask me to do something I cannot," Kasuf replied, without
looking round.

"You know we are innocent." Daniel's voice was firm, full of
conviction.

"Proof is what I need, Daniel."

"Proof of what? Our innocence? Guilt is far easier to prove," Daniel
persisted, as the older man turned to face him, finally. "You know
that."

"I am the leader of those for whom the truth that they lived by has
so long been a lie," Kasuf said. "You must forgive them for doubting,
you of all people."

"I know it seems unlikely," Daniel said, "but I believe O'Neill. And
I can't explain it."

"And that can never be enough." Daniel sighed, shaking his head.
"You know how important it is, Daniel, that we trust one another, all
of us."

"Important enough that you would kill the innocent as well as the
guilty?"

"Important enough," Kasuf replied, "that I would give everything I
have, do whatever I must."

"Then how are you different from Ra?" Daniel asked, watching Kasuf's
face intently. "How can we defeat his lies if we are the same as he
is?"

"You can't help him, Daniel." Kasuf's voice was sharp. "Do not
endanger yourself on his behalf."

"I have to see him, Kasuf. Maybe together we can think of a way to
prove O'Neill innocent."

Kasuf paused, his eyes measuring Daniel's intent, considering,
weighing, before making a decision.

"Very well," he replied, after a moment's silence. "But you must not
free him. He is too dangerous. I must have your word on it."

Daniel nodded, tersely.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It had not been as bad as he feared. There was malice in the blows,
anger and a cold hatred, none of which could come as any surprise to
one who had been in the service of Ra for any length of time. But
even now, O'Neill could feel his symbiote begin to heal him,
ironically enough it was likely that he would be well again in time
for his own execution.

Somehow, even as each blow had fallen, even as he had been unable to
defend himself, O'Neill had expected to hear Daniel's voice. How
could he possibly be relying on another in such a way?

And where was Daniel anyway?

O'Neill sighed, sucking in a breath as the slight movement of his
body sent a shooting pain through his back.

He had seen the way that woman, Sha're had looked at Daniel, an echo
of his own feelings made flesh in the expression on her face. And in
that moment he had hated and envied her in equal measure.

Was that where Daniel was now? With her?

Unbidden his mind supplied him with vivid images, each more painful
than the last. Daniel kissing the woman, Sha're, his long fingers
entangled in her hair. The two of them falling together, clothes
vanishing as agile hands worked in unison, soulful moans breaking the
silence. Daniel's back, beaded with sweat, strong muscles flexing.

Breathing deeply, O'Neill suppressed the cry of longing and envy
that ripped through him, shredding his emotions in its wake.

So, when the darkness came, he welcomed it, longing for the oblivion
it offered.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel's way had been barred at first by those guarding the jaffa -
they had been initially unconvinced by his statement that Kasuf had
allowed him to visit O'Neill in captivity and it had taken all
Daniel's eloquence to change their minds and allow him past.

It took a moment for Daniel's eyes to adjust to the dimness of the
small cave, even from the flickering light of the torches in the
tunnels surrounding them. A longer moment passed before he realised
that the darkness that covered part of O'Neill's face was blood.

Daniel reached out a tentative hand towards it, his fingers feeling
the slick warmth that had soaked into the rough fabric of the jaffa
robes.

If Daniel had ever thought he was angry before, that was nothing to
the fury that ripped through him now. He had brought O'Neill with
him, straight into the midst of those who had hurt him now, heedless
of the danger to both of them. Was he as responsible as those who had
inflicted these injuries?

He was thankful that the jaffa was unconscious, even as guilt crept
over him. How could the other man trust him now? After all that he
had given up, by joining the resistance, and this was the thanks he
received?

Getting up from where he had been crouched by O'Neill, Daniel
stalked over to the guard, barely holding back the anger that he so
wanted to unleash. This man would have been one of those who had
beaten the jaffa, Daniel knew that, but there was nothing he could do.

"Get me some water," he snapped, the words brittle with rage. Daniel
saw the man's eyes widen at the tone of his voice, but carried on
heedless of the danger. "What? Do you think he needs to be guarded
now, after you've beaten him so badly he's unconscious?"

A slight smirk crept across the face of the guard, before he turned,
leaving the two men alone. He returned after a few moments with a
pottery bowl and a rough cloth, both of which he almost slapped into
Daniel's hands, before leaving the cave once more.

Daniel took a deep breath, feeling some of the anger leave him as he
turned back to where O'Neill still lay. Crouching down, Daniel placed
the bowl carefully beside him, using the dampened cloth to wipe away
the blood drying on the jaffa's face.

As he removed the traces of the beating O'Neill had endured, Daniel
wondered what other injuries the jaffa's robes covered, hesitating
for a moment before he began to look. Pushing back the rough fabric,
feeling it move slowly against the other man's skin, it took a moment
before he realised he was being observed once more.

O'Neill's eyes were opened, clouded though they were with pain, dark
and unreadable.

Steeling himself, Daniel continued his examination, hesitating for a
moment as he reached the jaffa's pouch, his hand hovering over the X-
shaped entrance. His fingertips brushed the sensitive skin, eliciting
a gasp from O'Neill, his eyes narrowing in uncertainty and suspicion.

"What...?"

"Who did this to you?" Daniel asked, his voice more harsh than he
wanted. He was angry with those responsible, not with O'Neill, but he
could hear the emotion in his voice all the same.

Daniel saw the response, the almost palpable drawing back of the
jaffa, and regretted his words immediately. His anger was ebbing as
swiftly as it had come. He wanted nothing more than to make
everything right again, to free this man he had hoped considered him
an equal, if not a friend. But his vow to Kasuf bound him as surely
as the ropes bound O'Neill.

"Why should you care?" O'Neill rasped. The other side of his face,
the side that had been hidden from Daniel before, was bruised and
dusty, and Daniel reached out with the cloth once more, even though
the jaffa flinched away from him.

"Let me help you, or are you too proud to accept the assistance of a
slave?"

As he had hoped, those words stilled O'Neill's movement, his back
stiffening with pride as he accepted Daniel's attentions. Something
surged inside Daniel, something protective, nurturing, and he felt
his hand shake slightly. O'Neill's eyes, which had been focussed on
the wall behind him, snapped back to Daniel then, still unreadable.

"I'm sorry," Daniel said quietly.

The jaffa frowned, clearly puzzled by the change of topic.

"I thought I imagined you being here," O'Neill said, the words
falling into the awkward silence that had fallen between the two men.

Suddenly it was all clear to Daniel, all those emotions he had tried
so hard to deny. He had given his word to Kasuf that he would not
free O'Neill, but that did not mean he could not comfort him, that he
could not react instinctively to the emotions he saw in the dark eyes
facing him.

Before he could change his mind, reconsider the inherent foolishness
of his actions, Daniel acted, leaning over the jaffa. A surprised
expression, surely one of the most open he had seen, crossed
O'Neill's face before Daniel was kissing him, his hands wrapped in
the fabric of the robes.

When he pulled back, after what had seemed like the longest moment
of his life, Daniel had felt O'Neill begin to respond, struggling a
little against his bonds.

"Untie me," he muttered.

"I can't."

"What?" O'Neill snapped.

"I told Kasuf..."

O'Neill sighed, pulling back slightly from where Daniel's hands
still gripped his robes.

"Daniel," O'Neill began, his voice quiet. "Daniel, we don't have
much time."

"You think I don't know that?" Daniel snapped.

"Then help me."

"I can't. Not like that." With each word, Daniel felt his own
frustration rise, mirroring the annoyance he could see building up
within O'Neill. "I promised Kasuf. And I promise you I'll get you out
of here."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill looked at Daniel's face and felt his throat unexpectedly
tighten despite his anger and frustration at his helplessness and
Daniel's stubbornness.

There was so much determination and passion in Daniel's face and it
was all for him. It had been so long since he'd had anyone care that
much for him, it felt like the beginning of a new life. This man
wanted him, believed in him and it had nothing to do with the jaffa's
position in life, it was in fact in spite of it.

He had no choice but to trust this man and somehow O'Neill had never
felt his life was in safer hands. He couldn't say any of this so
unaccustomed to expressing how he was feeling.

O'Neill made his body relax and said softly, "I know you will."

Daniel's face relaxed into surprise at the unexpected expression of
trust and the atmosphere between them although still charged was
suddenly of a different intensity.

Daniel stood, obviously reluctant to leave and O'Neill resisted the
temptation to growl at him. The memory of the kiss and the need for
more was frustrating.

Before either could say anything more voices in the caves made
Daniel's decision for him and with a regretful look back he left.
O'Neill heard his footsteps echo and was left suddenly bereft.

He strained to hear the voices, struggling to move closer to them
and recognised who Daniel was talking to, the woman Sha're. O'Neill
was stopped cold at the almost seductive tone of Daniel's voice - for
the briefest of moments he wondered whether he had been played for a
fool. Had this been some game Daniel was playing? Then the jaffa
realised what was going on and fear for Daniel replaced his anger and
he listened intently.

"Yes I've been to see him. I understand now he's not the man I
thought he was."

O'Neill struggled at his bonds and swore in all the languages he
knew. Damn the man. Here he was stuck in a cave, tied and helpless,
and the idiot was playing a dangerous game. He hoped Daniel knew what
he was doing.

Sha're's voice was silken and smug and O'Neill gritted his teeth,
grinding them together painfully.

"Are you ready to take me up on my offer?"

The voices faded and O'Neill could no longer hear them. Bruises
forgotten in the rush of emotion began to ache, and he felt suddenly
weary. His fate was out of his hands; all he could do was wait.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel walked away from the caves with Sha're hanging onto his arm
like she belonged there. He felt uncomfortable and had to fight the
urge to pull away from her. But he needed to convince her that he was
serious about not believing in O'Neill.

She was the one thing he had in his favour and as much as he hated
using another person Daniel felt he had little choice.

He wasn't really paying attention to exactly where they were going,
his mind still back in the cave with O'Neill. It wasn't until she
said softly, "We're here," that Daniel took notice of his
surroundings once more.

They were outside the entrance to a cave that was set someway from
the main settlement. The predatory look on Sha're's face left him in
no doubt about what she intended. Daniel suddenly realised what he'd
got himself into. When he'd run into her outside the cave he'd not
really thought through what he was going to do.

Sha're tugged on his arm trying to get his attention, and for a
brief moment she looked suspicious until Daniel, mentally apologising
to both Sha're and O'Neill, kissed her, then let himself be led into
the cave.

The lights from several candles flickered on the walls and a blanket
lay in one corner. Sha're stood in the light and began to strip
slowly, her eyes focused on Daniel, her body moving seductively
toward him. Daniel found he was undeniably attracted to her, and
hated himself for his weakness as his body began to respond.

The flickering light highlighted Sha're's skin as she moved toward
Daniel, and his eyes fell onto her neck. His gaze moved downward, his
resolve faltering. Something triggered in Daniel's head as his eyes
fell on the necklace, suddenly bright in the candlelight. He
recognised it instantly, The Eye of Ra.

His arousal was suddenly forgotten. How was it she had this, was she
the one responsible for O'Neill's situation? Anger briefly
overwhelmed him and Sha're stepped back at the look on his face.

"Daniel?"

Daniel forced himself to not to shout at her. "Sha're where did you
get that necklace?"

Sha're's hand went to her throat and she gasped and backed away
slowly. Daniel put his hand to her shoulder, careful not to hurt her
but tightly enough to stop her.

"Yavin.."

She blurted out the name and Daniel couldn't place it. He glared at
Sha're and she flinched under his gaze, uncertain of his anger.
Daniel took a deep breath and released his hold on her, stepping back
to give them both some breathing space.

He forced his voice to stay calm and said softly, "Get dressed
Sha're. I think we need to talk."

Sha're sat staring at Daniel once she had dressed, her face
watchful. Daniel regretted his burst of anger but he was calm now and
under control, certain he had the means to prove O'Neill innocent.

"What did you want to talk about, Daniel?" Sha're asked.

Daniel nodded at the necklace and said, "That. Where did you get it
from? It's an unusual thing for the daughter of a resistance leader
to have."

Daniel could see Sha're flush even in the dim light and her hand
went briefly to her neck.

"Yavin gave it to me, he wants me as his wife."

Daniel then placed the man, young and handsome with a sour look on
his face whenever Daniel was around, and obviously a friend of
Skaara's as they were often together. Things began to add up for
Daniel then. He saw Skaara's hand in this.

But would Kasuf believe a stranger over his own son? Daniel hoped
so, but they would be no worse off if he didn't. O'Neill would still
die.

"We must show your father this necklace," he said.

"Why? It is mine."

"This could prove the jaffa's innocence, and find out the real
traitor."

"Him again? It is always him. I refuse."

"You would willingly have an innocent man die rather than speak up?"

Sha're flinched from the disgust and shock in Daniel's voice and
face and then nodded reluctantly. 

Daniel had begged for an audience with Kasuf, pleading with Sha're
to help him. For whatever reason, maybe because she still believed
she had a chance with Daniel, she had agreed.

Kasuf listened with interest to what Daniel and Sha're had to say
and looked at the necklace carefully.

"You wish me to believe that my son who has been taught to fight Ra
since he was 5 years old would betray us? You ask that I believe in
his guilt over that of a man who was Ra's second?"

Daniel sighed and studied his hands; he wasn't going to get anywhere
with Kasuf, he saw that now.

"I only want you to consider it."

Kasuf nodded at them, and Daniel took it as a dismissal. Daniel was
left with no other option but to confront Skaara. What he was going
to confront him with was something he wasn't sure of.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill sighed as he felt strong calloused warm hands caress his
face. He opened his eyes and looked up into warm blue eyes, darkened
with passion. He tried to touch Daniel but found his hands were still
tied and he groaned with frustration. Daniel only smiled and put his
hands under O'Neill's robes baring the pouch. O'Neill froze, suddenly
worried that the pouch would disgust Daniel.

His fear was put to rest as Daniel's hands caressed the sensitive
area. The touch was feather light and tormenting but the sensations
it produced in his groin made him groan with need.

As the touch became more insistent, more intense O'Neill thrust
upwards to meet Daniel, who held him gently restricting his movement.

"Daniel... I..."

A sudden sharp pain woke O'Neill up and he realised with a
frustrated whimper that it had been a dream. He'd loosened the ropes
in his restless sleep and some circulation was returning.

The jaffa wondered how much time had passed and if Daniel was safe.
The pain was receding and he savoured the memory of the dream.
O'Neill hoped he'd see Daniel before he died, if only to know that
the other man, at least, was safe.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel walked quickly through the quiet camp. He received a few nods
of acknowledgement and there were a few whispers, suspicion about him
was widespread.

He found Skaara lurking outside the perimeter of the camp. He jumped
at Daniel's approach and then sneered.

"Well, if it isn't the lap dog..."

"Yavin's told me everything."

Daniel wasted no time in preliminaries because he was aware of the
short time he had left to prove O'Neill innocent. Besides that, he
was keen to wipe the smug grin off the young rebel's face.

How could he have realised that O'Neill would have an influence in
his life in so many ways?

Skaara looked at him. "Told you what? There is nothing to tell."

"Only that the necklace that Yavin gave Sha're was a gift from Ra to
you for betraying your own people."

Skaara's face lost some of its certainty.

"You can't prove any of this. O'Neill is still the main suspect."

"I'll just spread the rumour round camp, how I saw you talking to a
strange man hours before the attack."

"No one will believe you."

"Can you be sure?"

Daniel wasn't sure he should be enjoying this as much as he was, but
he would think about that later, when O'Neill was safe.

"You can't prove any of this, it is Yavin and your voice against
mine, why should my father believe you?"

"Because I have the necklace and Sha're's words."

Daniel saw panic briefly flit over Skaara's face, he was clearly
uncertain what Sha're might say about this and it showed. Daniel
smiled at Skaara and then walked away without a glance. His heart was
beating wildly and his hands were clammy, Daniel realised after a
moment. Sweat was dripping down his back and his breathing was heavy,
he couldn't believe he'd been so calm.

"I have your proof, Kasuf," Daniel said, when he returned. "Or I
will do, very soon."

The sceptical look that Kasuf aimed at him was clear - he would need
much convincing that his son, rather than O'Neill, was responsible
for Ra's guards finding them.

"Indeed?"

"But I need your help," Daniel continued, trying not to let Kasuf's
disbelief sway him. He knew that Skaara was guilty, and all that was
left now was to prove it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The two men had waited, in silence, outside Sha're's quarters for
the best part of an hour. All whispered conversation between them had
long since ceased, and Daniel could hear Kasuf beginning to grow
restless, losing patience with whatever Daniel had planned.

Just a little longer, Daniel thought desperately.

They had seen Yavin come to visit Sha're, once more coming to court
her, and Daniel hoped that Skaara would know this was the other man's
routine. Every so often they could hear snatches of the quiet
conversation that came from within, a muted laugh, the occasional
word.

It had not been that long ago, Daniel realised, that he had allowed
himself to be led there, even though he had only done it to try and
save O'Neill. He pushed down the thought of how his body had almost
betrayed him, how close he had come to going from kissing O'Neill to
doing more than that with Sha're.

A thought struck him then, as he listened to the sounds being
amplified and distorted by the corridor in which they stood: when he
had left O'Neill and gone with Sha're, how much had the jaffa heard?
Had he, so used to treachery and betrayal through his service of the
false god, believed that Daniel was yet another who said one thing
only to mean another?

"Daniel," Kasuf began, his quiet voice breaking into Daniel's
increasingly worried thoughts.

Just as he spoke, there was a sound of movement, quiet footsteps
approaching. Daniel shrank back into the small crevice that concealed
them, indicating that Kasuf should do the same - with a tolerant
sigh, Kasuf did so.

A slightly built figure approached, their cloak pulled up to conceal
their face. It was only as they reached the doorway that they paused,
turning slightly to check for others, that the cloak fell away
slightly, revealing a familiar face.

Daniel felt a sigh of relief building within him. It was Skaara.

It took only a short time for Kasuf to become enraged with what he
heard, as Skaara berated a bemused Yavin about his treachery. Daniel
was forced to grip the older man's arm to restrain him from
confronting his son, whispering what he hoped were calming words as
he did so.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, when the confrontation within
the cave had run its course and Skaara had stormed off, presumably in
search of Daniel, Kasuf had shaken off Daniel's grip and emerged from
the crevice.

For the first time since they had met, Kasuf seemed old, Daniel
realised. It was as if the weight of his age, the things he had
experienced in his fight against Ra, had all come upon him at once.
His head was bowed for a moment, before he turned back to where
Daniel stood.

"We should go, Daniel," Kasuf said, sadly, "and free your friend."

It was all Daniel could do not to break into a run, go charging
through the corridors until he reached the place where O'Neill was
being held. That he was able to walk alongside Kasuf, even nod to the
guard and listen to the words that Kasuf spoke quietly to him, was a
testament to his self-control. Kasuf, in turn nodded as he walked
away, leaving Daniel alone in the doorway.

Suddenly almost afraid, Daniel hesitated for a moment. From where he
was standing, he could make out the huddled shape that was O'Neill,
as the jaffa lay at the side of the small cave. Taking a breath to
steady his nerves, Daniel moved towards him, circling round slightly
so that he did not take the other man by surprise.

Drawing closer, Daniel saw that his caution, his concern not to
startle O'Neill had been wasted. The jaffa was asleep, his usually
stern face relaxed in rest, even though his arms were still bound.
Squatting, Daniel watched over him for a moment, his finger reaching
tentatively to trace the gold mark of Ra that adorned O'Neill's brow,
feeling its unexpected coolness.

As he had anticipated, the slight touch woke O'Neill, whose eyes
snapped open. When he saw who was nearby, they softened, and O'Neill
spoke, his voice husky from sleep.

"Daniel," he said, in a voice that suggested he was unsure whether
he was still dreaming.

"O'Neill," Daniel said, "I'm here to free you, like I promised."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He had been dreaming, not the intense heat of Daniel's touch this
time, but a more languid one. A gentle caress, the lightest of
touches on his skin, but making him writhe beneath it as surely as
before, Daniel leaning over him with a smile that was full of knowing
and something else, something he found hard to describe...

Then suddenly he was awake, unsure whether he had dreamt that touch
after all, someone crouched nearby. Stiffening, for a moment, until
he realised that it was Daniel. Daniel come to keep his promise, come
to release him.

O'Neill let out a breath, hearing the croaking of his voice as he
spoke the other man's name.

Sure hands pulled at the ropes that bound him, long fingers tugging
at the knots until they gave way. And all he could see was Daniel, a
slight frown of concentration on his forehead as he wrestled with a
difficult knot, his lower lip gripped lightly between his teeth in
thought and persistence.

O'Neill gasped as the ropes finally fell free, the blood rushing in
painful floods into his hands once more. Daniel's hands were strong
on his arms, pulling him into a sitting position, before they moved
to massage his wrists, long supple fingers helping to rub away the
aches of confinement.

"How did you persuade Kasuf?" O'Neill asked, in a desperate attempt
to remind himself of his recent captivity.

All he could think of was his dream, the way that the dream-Daniel
had touched him, the way those same fingers had driven him beyond
what he had ever truly expected to receive from the other man.

Daniel's head was bowed still, all his attention focussed on the
movement of his hands. O'Neill felt himself tensing under them now,
not liking the way that Daniel was refusing to look up. Shouldn't he
be overjoyed at his success, that he had kept his word and saved
O'Neill's life?

"Daniel?"

With a swift movement, even though his abused muscles protested,
O'Neill freed one of his wrists from Daniel's grip, his fingers
gently cupping Daniel's chin and making the other man look up.

After the briefest of moments, Daniel looked away, then down once
more. Then he seemed to realise that he was still gripping O'Neill's
wrist and tried to pull away.

"Daniel?" O'Neill repeated, his voice puzzled. "What is it?"

With his other hand, O'Neill reached out and grabbed a handful of
Daniel's robe, holding the younger man in place.

"I... nothing happened..." Daniel reddened as he spoke.

"What?"

"Between me and Sha're. It was nothing," Daniel continued. "I didn't
want you to think that anything... I mean, I wouldn't, not even..."
He stammered to a halt, his face blazing with embarrassment.

"Daniel," O'Neill said again. "I know what you did. All that's
important anyway."

Through the grip he still maintained on Daniel's robe, O'Neill could
feel Daniel relax. He was no longer trying to pull away and the jaffa
began to let go. O'Neill watched with fascination as the heat began
to go from Daniel's face, succeeded by a slightly sheepish smile. A
smile that did all sorts of things to the jaffa, making him remember
a dream he had been wakened from not long before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daniel could still feel the residual heat in his face, feel the
embarrassment of admitting that he had almost... But O'Neill had
reacted calmly, more calmly than he had expected, to his stammered
revelations about Sha're.

Now what? Daniel wondered.

O'Neill still maintained a firm grip on the front of his robe and
Daniel stared down at the jaffa's knuckles for a moment, studying the
way that the skin whitened there. He was trying his hardest not to
think about the last time that the two of them had been alone
together, or of his temerity.

He had kissed O'Neill, and even now the memory of that kiss burned
inside him, taunting him. Looking up once more, Daniel swallowed
nervously. He had thought about making O'Neill grateful to him,
turning the tables on the man to whom he owed his life, but he had
never given any thought to what might happen next between them.

Daniel had not lived a sheltered life - he had heard the stories
told of what went on in Ra's palace. It was difficult to balance
those stories with the man who currently sat so close to him, the man
who was currently studying him so intently.

A strange emotion, which Daniel realised was an unorthodox mixture
of fear and arousal, churned inside him. He could do it, he could
lean forward and kiss O'Neill without much resistance, Daniel
realised, but what would that action lead to? He shuddered slightly
as he recalled the stories he had heard once more, the images that
they produced both shocking and arousing him in equal measure.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

'He's afraid,' O'Neill thought with a sudden burst of revelation,
studying Daniel's face. 'Afraid of me.'

Moving slowly, O'Neill tightened his grip on Daniel's robe, pulling
the other man towards him in the tiniest of increments. As he did so,
the jaffa watched Daniel's face intently, his eyes scouring it for
any sign of panic. As the two men closed the gap between them,
O'Neill saw Daniel's eyes widen slightly, his tongue flick out
nervously across his lower lip.

That last movement shattered the jaffa's self control, making him
jerk Daniel towards him for the last few inches as the fingers of his
other hand wrapped themselves in Daniel's hair. The two men stared at
each other across the smallest of spaces - Daniel's breath was hot on
O'Neill's face, his eyes dark with arousal.

'Not afraid now,' O'Neill thought, his last coherent thought for
some time, as their mouths met.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When Daniel finally pulled back, panting slightly, it took a moment
before he could speak.

"Not here," he gasped out.

O'Neill looked at him for a moment, puzzled. Then he realised what
Daniel meant - if anything, this had been the place where the jaffa
had been held captive, a place of pain for him. Not the best place
for them to look to the future, even if it had been the first place
that the two men had kissed.

Daniel smiled as he watched the jaffa get up, his smile growing as
he watched O'Neill try to restore some order to his rumpled robes,
brushing one hand swiftly across his tousled hair.

"What?" O'Neill snapped, though the former harsh tone he had been
able to use on Daniel was no longer there.

"Come on," Daniel said, turning quickly to the doorway, in an
attempt to hide the grin that was threatening to take over his face.
"Let's find somewhere more comfortable."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill found himself following Daniel along a maze of corridors,
pondering as he did so the strange turn of events over the past few
days. Until he had met Daniel, he had always been the one in charge,
the one who decided what happened in his bed and when. But when he
had met the man in whose footsteps he was currently trailing,
something had changed for O'Neill forever.

Suddenly, all the encounters of the past seemed a mere shadow of
what Daniel seemed to be promising, even though O'Neill knew that
there was much that was still a source of trepidation to the younger
man. He had seen that so clearly just now, but had also seen that
fear replaced by arousal.

As he turned a corner, almost walking into Daniel's back, O'Neill
decided that he would do whatever was necessary, take things between
them as slowly as he needed to, in order to never see that fear in
Daniel's eyes again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As he hesitated at the doorway to the chamber he had been told was
his, one hand resting on the curtain that covered it, Daniel could
feel O'Neill's presence at his back, the solidity of the other man
both reassuring and a little unnerving.

A stolen kiss was one thing, what they might well be doing when they
entered this room was quite another... Lost in his thoughts for a
moment, Daniel jumped at the pressure of a hand on his shoulder.

"Are we going to stand here all night?" O'Neill asked, his voice
rumbling in Daniel's ear, his breath hot against the younger man's
neck.

Daniel shivered slightly, then stepped forward, pushing the curtain
to one side. He heard it swish shut behind the two of them, crossing
to the small pallet that stood to one side of the chamber without
turning around.

He could hear O'Neill's breathing, see his shadow as he crossed the
room to stand close behind him. Daniel felt himself stiffen in
anticipation as he saw the shadow change, the movement of the jaffa's
hands as they came to rest on his shoulders.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Daniel," O'Neill said, his voice husky
with the emotion he had so long been trained to suppress.

As he spoke, O'Neill's hands moved slightly, his thumbs coming to
brush the nape of Daniel's neck, making him moan quietly as they
stroked.

Daniel took a deep breath, willing himself to relax, to trust this
man who had saved his life, no matter what he had heard about him
before. He could do this, no matter how little he knew what was
expected of him, Daniel realised, suddenly. That realisation made
Daniel shudder, arching his neck under the continued caress.

Just as he was about to turn, though he had no idea what he was
meant to do, Daniel felt one of Jack's hands slide from his shoulder,
as he was pulled back against the jaffa's chest. He could feel
O'Neill's hardness pressing against him, the heat of the jaffa's body
burning its way through the material of his robe.

As he was about to protest, Daniel felt O'Neill's hand slide within
his robe, seeking out the heat that he himself was generating, and
his hips moved seemingly of their own accord to meet the jaffa's
searching fingers.

Their bodies were close enough now that Daniel, even as he was
maddened by the slow approach of O'Neill's hand across his skin,
could feel the jaffa's breath against his neck, then the press of
teeth against the skin where his neck and shoulder joined. Knowing
fingers wrapped themselves around him, making Daniel cry out, as
O'Neill bit down, seemingly encouraged by the sound.

With a whimper, Daniel came, shuddering. He sagged back against
O'Neill, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath, the
jaffa's arm, now wrapped around his waist, all that kept him upright.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill smiled to himself, feeling the weight of Daniel slumped
against him. He had been right when he had thought that Daniel was
close to the edge, so close in fact that it had taken very little to
push him over. He could feel Daniel's back start to stiffen once
more, a sure sign that the other man was becoming aware once more of
where he was and of O'Neill's own proximity.

Sliding his hand back to Daniel's hip, O'Neill straightened the
other man's robe as he did so, giving Daniel a chance to recover his
balance in more ways than one.

Of course, he was still unsatisfied and the way that Daniel's back
was still pressing against him wasn't helping that matter at all. It
was taking a degree of self-control for the jaffa not to just shove
Daniel down on the nearby pallet and take what he so desperately
needed, but the look of fear he had seen in Daniel's eyes was enough
for the hardness he felt to begin to fade a little when he
contemplated that possibility.

And it didn't take much thought to realise that would destroy any
trust that Daniel had in him, making them sworn enemies once more. As
much as the fire he had seen in Daniel's eyes did something strange
to him, igniting a desire in him that was a novel experience, that
very edge of hatred and mistrust was taking things a little too far
for comfort.

O'Neill sighed, his hand flexing on Daniel's hip, feeling the warm
curve that lay beneath the shapeless robes. Strange that such a
simple thing could make him feel so many ambivalent emotions, making
him wonder why it had taken so long to walk away from the service of
the false god, and what had stopped him doing so years before.

Daniel had half-turned in his embrace, not trying to get away at
all, but watching him, a steady blue gaze. It was as though the other
man could see through him read his thoughts as plainly as if they
were written on O'Neill's face and in the end it was the jaffa who
looked away first.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel took a number of deep breaths, trying to calm his racing
heart. He had been so ready that it had taken very little help from
O'Neill for him to come, slumping back against the solidity of the
jaffa as he did so.

He could still feel O'Neill's hardness pressed against him, a point
of heat burning through the material of their robes as if it was
searing its way through to his skin. He shifted slightly,
experimentally, and felt it move a little, the intensity still there.

Daniel frowned, wondering what the hell he was meant to do next. He
was not completely inexperienced, but all of his experience so far
had been with women, and what he had just experienced with O'Neill
left him unsettled and unsure.

Why was his mouth as dry as the desert he knew so well?

All he had heard, all the rumours, came crashing back into Daniel's
memory, making his body stiffen in the jaffa's embrace. How could he
know what this man might want from him in return for what they had
just shared?

He could want...

Turning to face O'Neill, Daniel looked at him long and hard, his
eyes never wavering even though it was a strain to do so. He had to
know what this man expected from him, even if it angered him in the
process.

O'Neill's face was an interesting one, especially up close.
Intelligent brown eyes were framed by slightly greying eyebrows, one
bisected by a scar, but it was the mark of Ra which drew Daniel's
attention. The mark of a false god, taken on when O'Neill was so much
younger, and yet he was cursed to carry it now, despite his rebellion
against all that mark stood for.

It was the jaffa who looked away first, his eyes sliding past
Daniel's with a sigh of resignation.

"What..." Daniel cleared his throat and tried again, cursing his
nervousness. "What do you want from me?"

O'Neill looked back at him, his eyes dark with desire, an illicit
flame that struck somewhere deep in Daniel, making him respond
despite his own concerns. He felt O'Neill hardening again, an
insistent heated pressure against his hip.

"We could lie down."

How had he managed to make that sound so casual despite the way that
his heart was hammering as if it planned to make an exit from his
chest?

O'Neill nodded, taking a half-step forward and shoving Daniel along
with him in small, shuffling steps. Daniel felt the back of his legs
hit the edge of the pallet bed and leant backward, one arm feeling
for its surface. His fingers brushed the rough blanket that covered
it, even as O'Neill bent him back across it, his mouth latching onto
the place where he had bitten Daniel before.

Daniel felt his heart begin to pound again, O'Neill's mouth
insistent on his neck, his body pressing Daniel down into the pallet.

'I can't do this,' he thought, bringing his hands up between the two
of them. 'I can't...'

It took a moment before O'Neill realised he was being shoved away
and Daniel tried not to panic as he pushed the jaffa off, his
breathing beginning to return to normal as O'Neill's weight was
removed from him. When they were half-seated on the pallet, facing
one another, Daniel realised that his hands were still resting on the
jaffa's shoulders.

Taking a deep breath, almost afraid of what he might see, Daniel
hesistantly looked at O'Neill's face. He was frowning, Daniel
realised, and the expression was clearly one of concern, maybe even
verging upon guilt. O'Neill's dark eyes were still filled with
desire, and that fact alone made Daniel pause for a moment, but there
was something more there, something...

Daniel smiled then, shoving at O'Neill in the same way he had been
pushed before, landing on top of the jaffa. He found himself leaning
back, his legs holding O'Neill down, his hands still cupping the
other man's shoulders, one hand now coming across to slide between
the two of them.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This hadn't been quite what he was expecting, O'Neill realised, as
he gazed upwards at a Daniel so different from any he had seen before.

He had seen the fear flicker in Daniel's eyes, so real that O'Neill
cursed himself he had not seen it before Daniel tried to shove him
off, but it had been there. And that alone had made him hesitate,
which had led to the position he now found himself in, lying prone
with Daniel half-lying across him, one hand slipping between their
bodies now.

What was it about the Daniel he was seeing now? There was something
almost feral about him, the candlelight that lit this small cave
catching in his hair, his eyes darkened with passion.

'He wants this,' O'Neill thought, his breath catching in his throat.
'And all I have to do is let him....'

Daniel licked his lower lip then, a swift flickering movement, and
O'Neill was transfixed, his eyes intent on Daniel's mouth.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel shifted his weight slightly, sliding over to one side as his
fingers made their way into O'Neill's robes, freeing him. He smiled
to himself, thinking how swiftly their roles were reversed - it had
only been a matter of minutes ago that he had been the one groaning
as O'Neill brought him to climax.

This he could do. There was something confining about how they had
been before, something that made him unable to breathe, something
that made Daniel feel trapped. But this, this was another matter. Now
he was in control.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"My lord," Skaara said, bowing low, his eyes fixed on the ground
even as he straightened. Sandalled feet came into his view, halting
before him in silence. "My lord, I am Skaara."

"I know who you are." The voice was cold, calculating.

"I am a humble servant of our god, my lord," Skaara continued,
flinching as a handful of his hair was grabbed, twisting his head
until his eyes met the cold dark eyes of the other man in the room.

"And someone who is prepared to betray his own father in that
service."

Skaara nodded, feeling a small knot of fear grow in his stomach at
the other man's cold, unwavering gaze. After a moment, the other man
shoved him away, letting go of Skaara's hair and wiping his hand on
his robe as though it was unclean. He turned away then, beginning to
walk out, to leave the younger man to whatever fate the guards might
dish out to him.

"I bring news, my lord," Skaara continued, desperate to win the
favour of this man. "Of your predecessor, O'Neill."

The name brought him to a halt, turning slowly. Light glinted from
the mark the other man bore, the Eye of Ra in gold on his forehead.

"You are the one known as Maybourne, my lord?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel slid his hand slowly under O'Neill's robe, seeking out the
hardness that the coarse material outlined. Beneath him, the jaffa
moved slightly, restless, sucking in a breath as Daniel's fingers
found him, the work callouses scraping sensitive skin.

He leant forward, nipping gently at O'Neill's jaw, entranced by the
way the jaffa's eyes closed in rapture, the trust that it took for
this man to allow another to take the lead in this way.

"Please..."

The word was muttered, under O'Neill's breath, so quiet that, had he
not been leaning forward, Daniel would not have heard it. His eyes
opened once more, dark pools of passion.

"Daniel..."

Leaning back, Daniel shook his head. It did not take words for him
to know what O'Neill wanted from him, and the thought chilled him.

"I can't."

O'Neill's eyes closed, in resignation, leaving a pang of guilt
lurking in Daniel's heart. He wanted to trust the jaffa, to believe
that O'Neill would not hurt him, but there was still a seed of doubt
within his mind, shdaows of the stories he had heard.

"Let me..." he said, sliding his weight down O'Neill's legs.

If he could not do exactly what the jaffa wanted from him, at least
he could give him some pleasure, as much as he was able to give.
Daniel tried to shake off the memories, the dark feeling of
foreboding that hung over him like a cloud. Things were different now.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O'Neill bit back a sigh of frustration at Daniel's words, closing
his eyes to hide his disappointment. He had chosen this, when he had
allowed Daniel to take a lead in what happened between them, so now
he must bear the consequences of that decision.

Even if the thought of being inside Daniel, of being surrounded by
him, made him burn with desire. Even if that thought haunted him,
making even the blissful sensations of Daniel's hands on him a mere
shadow of what he truly desired.

But he had never had to take what he wanted by force - there had
always been enough people in the palace who were willing to give him
what he desired in exchange for their advancement. That thought was
enough to turn his fantasies of forcing Daniel, of making Daniel pay
back what he owed - had O'Neill not saved his life more than once? -
into something dark and bitter that horrified him.

That act, even though it might give O'Neill what he needed now could
only destroy whatever trust that existed between them. Better that he
take what Daniel was prepared to give than throw what they had built
away for one lust-driven moment.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"What do you know of O'Neill?"

Skaara looked up, boldly, at the question.

"I know where he is, my lord," he said, still looking at Ra's new
First Prime. "And I can take you to him."

Maybourne paused, calculating. Could he trust this traitor? Surely a
man who would betray his own father bore watching, to say the least.

"And as a reward for this service?"

"I seek only to serve my god." Skaara risked another glance at
Maybourne as he spoke. The other man had walked away from him and was
standing by a low window, looking out. "There is another man, my
lord. One who is important to he who was First Prime. I believe he is
also a fugitive from the justice of our god - his name is..."

"...Daniel," Maybourne breathed, not moving from his place by the
window.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel closed his eyes, willing the memories to go away. All he
could think of was the hands on him, the cold laughter as he was
pushed down onto the bed, the fingers twined into his hair, holding
his head still. He was lost in them, no-one to rescue him, no-one who
even knew where he was. Just the smell was enough, the ripe musk
making him gag, making him struggle against the hands that were... no
longer there.

"No!"

When he came to himself, he was crouched against the wall at the
other side of the cave, a dishevelled O'Neill peering worriedly down
at him. He had taken the time, Daniel realised, to tuck himself in,
his rapidly diminishing erection hidden from view.

"Daniel?" O'Neill's voice was riddled with guilt, shadowed by the
concern on his face. "Daniel, what's wrong?"

Daniel ran his hand across his face, feeling the pricking of tears.
He shook his head, not trusting his voice, then held out his hand to
push O'Neill away as the jaffa came closer.

"Don't... don't touch me," he grated, his voice sounding strange to
his own ears.

"I shouldn't have tried to make you..." O'Neill began, his voice
faltering when Daniel began to laugh, a horrid brittle sound that
echoed strangely round the small cave.

"Why does it always have to be about you?" Daniel asked, looking up,
his eyes still suspiciously bright.

O'Neill had squatted down now, so their eyes were at a level, his
dark gaze incisive. Daniel looked down, watching his fingers flex
together.

"I was wrong," O'Neill continued, "it wasn't me, was it? Something
happened, something that makes you afraid."

Daniel's silence was eloquent and O'Neill frowned. He had already
calculated who had been responsible for the marks he had seen on
Daniel's body the first time they met, the wounds he had tended
himself, and now he suspected he knew who was responsible for other
wounds that Daniel carried. Ones that were less easily tended and
less visible, but no less painful.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Daniel...." Maybourne breathed the name, almost unable to believe
this day had come.

For a moment he was no longer in the lofty-ceilinged chamber with
the traitor Skaara, but back in a smaller room, darker, filled with
the scent of fear. He remembered eyes full of fear but with a lurking
defiance, a body pressed beneath his own, shaking beneath his
exploring hands.

He had come so close to taking what he wanted, then it had been torn
from his grasp by an ill-timed summons from the First Prime.

Maybourne had considered his choices, before reluctantly stepping
back, watching with amusement as the object of his interest pressed
himself against the furthest wall, his eyes blazing with anger.

He would see to whatever it was O'Neill wanted and then he would
return and take that defiance, stripping it away with pain and
terror, until the younger man was cowering before him.

How could he have known that the fool guard would let Daniel escape?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel took a shaky breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He was
safe here, he knew that, but the memories he had tried so hard to
suppress, pushing them to the back of his mind, had come crashing
back upon him.

O'Neill was still there, crouched before him, the concern clear in
his dark eyes.

If he had ever thought that the jaffa would judge him for what had
once happened, those eyes alone were an eloquent denial of that fear.
Eyes full of understanding, that had seen the worst of things and
still retained compassion.

"I'm sorry," Daniel said.

O'Neill shrugged.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Daniel. I..." He paused, as if
searching for the right words. "What was done to you..."

"Nothing happened," Daniel said, feeling the weight lift from his
shoulders with the compassion in every word that O'Neill spoke. "At
least, not what Maybourne wanted to happen."

"Maybourne," O'Neill repeated, the coldness of his voice making
Daniel pause for a moment.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He had suspected, but now he had proof. He had seen the scars Daniel
carried for himself, but now he knew who was responsible for them.

O'Neill rose from his cramped position, crossing over to the pallet
and sitting once more. Daniel followed him, sitting as far away as
the pallet would allow, pulling one foot up to rest on its surface as
he leant back against the wall.

O'Neill looked at Daniel, a long appraising look which the younger
man met boldly, his chin raising slightly in defiance. The jaffa
found himself almost wanting to smile, despite the circumstances
which had brought them here - there was something about Daniel's
resilience he admired, though he would never tell him that.

Maybourne deserved his bad reputation - he had always dogged
O'Neill's heels, wanting to exercise the power that belonged to the
First Prime of Ra. O'Neill had no doubt that, now he was no longer in
the way, Maybourne had achieve