A New Athosian Leader
Sheppard leaned over and kissed Teyla softly on the lips. Her eyes fluttered open, focused on his face, and she smiled.
"Good morning Mrs. Sheppard."
"Good morning husband."
Teyla wrapped her arms around his neck. Sunlight reflected off of the silver band that encircled her left wrist. Sheppard pulled the arm from around his neck and kissed it.
"While on Earth, I'll buy you a wedding band to match."
"If you wish."
He gazed into her eyes.
"I love you."
She smiled.
"And I love you."
Teyla lifted her head and captured his lips in a kiss. He pulled back.
"Baby, we have to hurry and get dressed."
She wrapped a leg around his waist and eased her hand under the cover caressing him. Teyla whispered in his ear.
"We will."
Sheppard rested his forehead against hers and tried to concentrate.
"Teyla, w-."
She kissed him again, pulling him with her as she lay back against the bed. Sheppard groaned and stopped fighting a battle he didn't really want to win. He deepened the kiss and made love to his wife.
Two Months Earlier……
He wanted her. Mind, body, heart, and soul. And he had her, but he wanted more. He wanted her to bear his name, to have his children, to be his wife. His primal instinct had taken over and it was driving Sheppard mad. He loved Teyla and wanted the world to know that she belonged to him. And he felt uneasy because legally she didn't. If something happened to him or she became pregnant, he wanted to know that she would be taken care of. Which put him in a bit of a predicament. He didn't think Teyla would look fondly on the thought of being 'taken care of'. Or, for that matter, whether she wished to marry him at all. He knew by Athosian custom that she should be married with children by now, but she wasn't. And even though the Athosians constantly lived under the shadow of the Wraith, there had not been any cullings for generations. Well, until they came. So why hadn't she married? Sure, being the leader of a people had its privileges, but Teyla took her duties very seriously and it was her duty to continue her family line. Maybe it was the Council? Any mate that Teyla chose had to have their approval. Halling had told him once that the Council hoped that Teyla would find a mate who was a leader and a warrior, yet humble enough to heed their advice. Or maybe she was concerned because her mate would become her equal amongst her people? Whomever she married would have a significant influence over the lives of many people, so she had to be selective. Sheppard sighed. It was a complicated situation, but he didn't care. He loved her.
Teyla leaned back against Sheppard's chest and rested her head on his shoulder. They stood on a balcony watching the stars in the night sky. A soft wind blew, causing her to shiver. Sheppard tightened his arms around her, trying to give as much of his body heat as possible. He leaned down to kiss her neck and inhaled her scent. He loved that way she smelled, like exotic spices. He loved everything about her. Sheppard glance at her profile and frowned. Just the thought of asking her to marry him gave him butterflies. He kissed her lightly on the temple. Stop stalling and just say it! He drug in a deep breath.
"Teyla, will you marry me?"
Nearly every muscle in Teyla's body froze; all except her heart, which was pounding. She tried to catch her breath, but couldn't. Will you marry me? She'd hoped that one day, possibly in a year or two from now, that John would ask her that very question, but she'd never expected it to be so soon. Teyla had told herself to be patient. That in time, he would learn to trust his feelings for her; would be willing to commit. She needed him to be absolutely sure. For an Athosian there was no such thing as divorce. But never…….
Teyla turned to Sheppard.
"Are you sure?"
He smirked.
"If I wasn't I wouldn't have asked you."
She searched his eyes and was almost overwhelmed by the love that filled them. Teyla took a deep, shaky breath.
"Yes."
It took Sheppard a moment to realize what she'd said. He'd been in near panic since he felt her tense at his question.
"Yes?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
Sheppard started to smile, but frowned instead.
"You do realize that I'm going to hold you to your promise, no matter what."
She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"And I you."
He leaned in for a kiss.
"I'm counting on it."
Teyla stood by the bed in their new quarters. She smiled at the memory of their engagement announcement. It had been the following day at the mission debrief. Elizabeth, Rodney and Aiden, had all been very happy for them and full of questions. Elizabeth in particular, wanted to know when they would get married and what type of ceremony they would have. Their plan had been for two ceremonies; a small private Earth ceremony on Atlantis for close friends in six weeks and then a large Athosian ceremony two weeks after that. Everything had gone as planned, except for one little hitch, but even that had been forgiven.
Teyla shook her head and looked down at her bag. There wasn't much in it, but that was because John told her to pack light. She glanced over her shoulder and found him standing in the middle of the room, deep in thought. He'd said she'd need that extra space for after she went shopping. Teyla thought about the time when she shared John's memories of Earth. He'd taken her shopping then and she'd enjoyed it a great deal. She looked at her bag again. Maybe she should just take two outfits?
Six Weeks Earlier………
Two weeks after the announcement of their engagement Sheppard, Teyla, McKay and Ford found themselves making a visit to a small planet designated PGP-189, for a standard meet and greet. Preliminary scans showed it to be a sparsely populated, tropical planet. Their trek from the Puddle Jumper into the city confirmed it.
"I'm getting dehydrated."
Sheppard unhooked his canteen and threw it at McKay.
"Here. Now, can we have a moment or two without your whining?"
McKay clammed up taking offense and Sheppard sighed. Finally! He'd been complaining from the moment they left the Jumper and it was grating on his nerves. They were all hot, but didn't need to be annoyed on top of that. This was actually somewhat of a special occasion; Teyla's last official mission as a member of his team. And he'd like to have it end with happy memories. Not ones of him giving in to his anger and choking McKay to death.
Sheppard glanced around at the nearly vacant city. Its architecture looked similar to that of ancient Rome. The old man approaching them in the long toga style robes only helped reinforce the idea.
"Welcome to Nulawa. May you have peace and long life."
Sheppard smiled.
"Thank you. May you have peace and long life as well."
The old man returned his smile.
"I am Orel."
"I'm Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard. This is Teyla Emmagan, Lieutenant. Aiden Ford, and Doctor Rodney McKay. We are explores and traders."
"Ah, then you will wish to meet with our Council. This way please."
After a brief tour of the city, the team was lead to a large white stone building near the center of the town. It was the office and residence to the town Council. Once an audience was granted, they were lead inside a large chamber that obviously served as a conference/dinning room. The chamber was furnished with an oval shaped table which seated ten and two side tables. Orel introduced them to the Council, which consisted of four men: Loren, a round man with curly brown hair, Thoran, a skinny man with sad eyes, Vadon, an old man with stooped shoulders, and Wile, a man of average build with a hawk like nose. Vadon, the oldest, was the Council leader. The team was asked to join them for lunch, to which they readily agreed. Over the meal they discussed Nalawa's history, culture and Atlantis.
"Dr. Weir will be happy to know that you are open to the idea of future trade negotiations."
Loren glanced at Sheppard.
"Dr. Weir?"
"Yes, Dr. Elizabeth Weir. She is the leader of our expedition."
Vadon looked at Teyla, and then turned to Sheppard.
"The women of your world have places in society equal to that of men?"
"Yes, sometimes greater."
Loren frowned.
"Then it is normal for a woman to be on an exploration team?"
"Yes."
Thoran looked at Teyla.
"Do you have a special position among your people?"
Teyla quickly glanced at Sheppard, then turned to Thoran and smiled.
"I am different from my teammates. They are from Atlantis, but I am from a planet called Athos. I am the leader of my people."
Thoran's brow knotted in confusion.
"You are a leader in your own right and yet you serve on your husband's team. Are these the normal duties of a wife?"
Teyla's surprise, gave McKay the opportunity to butt in.
"They're not married; they're just engaged."
McKay's comments caused much whispered discussion amongst the Council members, finally Wile spoke.
"It is forbidden for a woman over the age of sixteen to be unmarried. Unfortunately, she will have to be punished. It is our way."
Sheppard straightened in his chair and rested his hand on his P-90.
"Now, wait just a minute."
"Elder."
Orel stood from the end of the table.
"Maybe I can be of assistance?"
He rounded the table to stand behind Sheppard and Teyla.
"There was no way that our guests could have known that they were breaking the law by bringing an unwed into our mist. I suggest we simply rectify the situation."
Sheppard frowned. Rectify the situation? Marriage! He turned to Orel.
"Hey, thank you for the offer, but-."
Orel wasn't looking at Sheppard, he was watching Vadan. At his leaders nod, he placed one hand on Sheppard's and Teyla's shoulders.
"By the Great Creator and the Council of Nulawa, I pronounced you joined. My the gods bless your union."
Sheppard and Teyla stared at each other, their eyes wide with shock. As one they turned and glared at McKay.
Sheppard shook his head at the memory. Teyla, normally the rational one of the group, had nearly taken Rodney's head off. She hadn't spoken to him for four weeks. Rodney hid in his office the whole time. Man, did they have some good laughs at his expense. Sheppard chuckled, and then sighed. He needed to focus or he'd never find his stuff. He stood in the middle of the bedroom and tried to remember where he'd put his wallet. Snapping his fingers, he grinned. Bomber jacket. Sheppard went to the closet and pulled out his black leather jacket. After a quick search of its pockets he found his wallet and his keys. Putting the jacket back on the hanger, he returned it to the closet. Sunlight from the window reflected off of the silver band on his left wrist. He smiled. His first 'wedding' had been quick and unexpected, but his second had been more to his liking.
Two Weeks Earlier……..
The small group stood on a balcony high above Atlantis. The bright sun, blue sky, and fluffy clouds all smiled down on the occasion in approval. It was a perfect day.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Sir, you may kiss your bride."
Dr. Rollins closed his Bible and smiled as the newlyweds embraced. They made a handsome couple; the officer in his dress blues and the bride in a flowing white satin gown. Rollins signed. This was the first marriage that he'd performed since arriving at Atlantis, but from the looks of things, it would be the first of many. He watched as Drs. Weir, McKay, Beckett, Lt. Ford, Ronan Dex, and an Athosian named Halling congratulated the couple. They were an odd bunch; five of them members of the original group that came through the Stargate to Atlantis and their three alien friends. Many had died in the Wraith attacks on the city, others returned home once the option became available, and others, like them stayed. The Lieutenant Colonel's reasoning he could easily understand. His bride, the leader of the Athosian people, was beautiful enough to make any man consider leaving home, but for the others he wondered. Rollins glanced out at the deep blue ocean. Only time would tell. Stepping forward he touched Sheppard's shoulder.
"John."
He pulled an envelope from his pocket.
"This is the original copy of the marriage certificate."
Sheppard took the envelope and shook his hand.
"Thank you Adam."
"You're very welcome."
He turned to Teyla and smiled.
"If you all will excuse me, I must return to my office and catch up on a little official reading."
Sheppard wrapped an arm around Teyla's waist and pulled her to his side. He gazed into her eyes and smiled. Finally. She was his and he could breathe easier. Sheppard squint his eyes against the camera's flash.
"Rodney."
"Just capturing the moment."
"You've taken about ten pictures with that thing already."
Rodney grinned.
"You can never have too many pictures of a special occasion."
Aiden smirked.
"You mean like the first time they got married."
Rodney glared at him.
"Okay, done with the pictures."
They all turned at the sound of Ronan's deep voice.
"Exactly, what did you do McKay?"
Rodney rolled his eyes.
"I simply told the truth and five minutes later they were married. How was I to know that it was against the law for adult women to be unwed?"
Teyla smiled at Ronan.
"It is good to have you back. I rest easier knowing that you are with them."
Ronan glanced at the couple.
"It's good to be back. Besides, I needed to collect on my bet."
Teyla's brow knitted in confusion.
"What bet?"
"On how long it would take Sheppard to break down and marry you?"
"Marry me?"
Teyla asked.
"Break down."
John demanded.
"From what I hear, Sheppard's been sniffing after you since the moment you two met. It was just a matter of time before you tugged on his leash and brought him to heel."
"What!"
Ronan shrugged at Sheppard.
"I'm just telling you what I heard. Besides, you're married aren't you? And anyway, there are hundreds of bet going on around this place. You're only in about twenty of them and half of those can now be stricken off the list."
Teyla looked up at Ronan.
"What other kind of bets are there?"
"Sorry, I'm not at liberty to say. It could affect the natural flow of events, but I will say this, they are all about nice things."
Teyla nodded, not really caring, but John glared at Aiden, who was trying his best to blend in with the wall.
Teyla laughed. Later that evening she'd made John promise not to grill Aiden for information about those bets and he'd grudgingly agreed. Indeed it was nice to have Ronan around. For her peace of mind and John's as well. She'd known that he would want Ronan to replace her on his team. Every since the day they met, agreeing to help each other and each fulfilling their promises, they'd formed some type odd friendship and respect for each other. Later, when Ronan learned that some of his people had survived the culling of his planet and decided to see if he could find his family, John offered his assistance and let Ronan know that he was welcome to return to Atlantis at anytime. Ronan hadn't found his family, but had been willing to come back to Atlantis on a more permanent basis.
"Teyla, are you ready?"
She glanced at Sheppard.
"Yes."
Teyla zipped her bag shut and slung it over her shoulder.
"I am ready."
Sheppard smiled. He could tell she was excited. Hell, he was excited. There were many things on Earth that he wanted to show her, but one thing in particular stood out. He hoped she liked the surprise. He slipped his own bag over his shoulder and held out his hand. Teyla walked to his side clasping it.
"Come on. We'll be just in time."
One Day Earlier……….
Halling, Carson, Rodney, Aiden, and Ronan all sat around the table in Teyla's small lodge on the mainland.
"Will you hurry up? You're worse than a woman."
Sheppard's voice could be heard from behind the large curtains that divided the room into two sections.
"Bite me, McKay."
Aiden smirked. Halling looked at the curtain.
"Do you require any assistance?"
The curtain pulled back and Sheppard stepped out.
"I think I've got it."
Everyone turned to see him in his Athosian wedding clothes. It was a simple outfit. He wore a high necked, sleeveless, cream colored suede shirt with matching pants. Both garments had dark leather seaming that matched his boots. The material was soft and light, allowing air to circulate; yet protecting it's wearer from the heat of the sun. Ronan nodded.
"Not bad."
The others nodded in agreement. Halling stood.
"I'll go see if the others are ready."
Sheppard sat at the table and sighed. Rodney glanced at him.
"What's wrong wedding jitters?"
"Yes and no."
"You've already married her twice. What's there to be worried about?"
"Married her twice thanks to you and your big mouth."
Rodney blushed.
"How long are you going to keep throwing that in my face?"
"Until you shut up."
Sheppard glanced at McKay, who was pouting. The door swung open and Halling poked in his head.
"They are ready."
Sheppard stood on a small incline that overlooked the shoreline. He glanced out at the ocean and took a deep breath. Third time's the charm. Elizabeth touched Sheppard's arm, he turned.
"They are coming. You ready?"
He smiled.
"Yes."
Sheppard walked to the front of a large fur rug, where the ceremony would take place. He, the other Atlantians, and the Athosians waited on the incline for the rest of the wedding party. Everyone turned to watch the procession from the village. It was lead by Hon, the Athosian holy man, closely followed by his two attendants, who each held cloth covered trays. Next were the ten Council Elders, followed by Halling and Deton, who had journeyed through the Stargate for the special occasion. And last was Teyla, draped in a long cream colored suede cloak. Hon nodded to Sheppard, but continued past him to the other side of the fur rug, as did his attendants and the Council Elders. Halling and Deton stood before Sheppard, they moved aside as Teyla stepped between them. She undid the string at her neck, allowing them to remove her cloak and step back into the crowd. A low murmur could be heard throughout the audience.
Aiden and Ronan shared a quick glance, Rodney sighed, while Carson shook his head.
"Why the bloody hell do things like this always happen to him? It's not fair, I tell you."
Rodney tilted his head to the side.
"You know? Teyla kinda looks like the Athosian version of Princess Leia in that outfit."
Ronan frowned.
"Who?"
"We'll show you later."
Sheppard stared at Teyla. Beautiful didn't even begin to describe her. Her hair was divided into horizontal twists and pulled back into a bun. Her outfit, which matched his, consisted of three pieces. A mini bustier, a pair of bikini briefs and a skirt made from two long pieces of suede cloth trimmed with leather stitches, one for the front and the other the back, held at her waist by leather strings. Teyla wore no shoes. Her only accessories were the silver band the she wore on her left ankle, marking her as a warrior, the sleeve for the silver dagger that hung on her left hip, and a silver band that encircled her upper left arm, designating her as the leader of her people. It was an outfit meant to entice. And it was doing a pretty damn good job.
Sheppard and Teyla stepped onto the fur rug; they turned to face each other and joined hands. Hon began to walk around the rug, saying the holy prayers that would unite them as man and wife. Teyla gazed into her husbands eyes, basking in the love and desire that she read in them. She gave him a slow smile, expressing her own feelings of love and desire in her gaze. Sheppard smiled and gently squeezed her hands. Having repeated the blessing four times, the holy man began his last journey around the rug. This time he was joined by one of his attendants. They paused at Sheppard's left.
"Do you claim this woman as your chosen?"
Sheppard responded in an old Athosian language.
"Eh autha."
Hon lifted a sliver band from his attendant's tray and placed it on Sheppard's left wrist.
"Then it shall be so."
They continued around the rug stopping at Teyla's left.
"Do you claim this man as your chosen?"
"Eh autha."
She replied. Hon placed a silver band on her left wrist.
"Then it shall be so."
Taking two steps back he proclaimed.
"May the Ancestors bless this union."
Teyla and Sheppard watched as Mullen, the oldest and wisest of the Council Elders, move to stand beside Hon, who was handed a tray from his second attendant. Teyla looked at Sheppard and smiled before releasing his hands and stepping back. Sheppard turned to face the Councilman.
"Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, you are now an Athosian and it is time to take your place among your new people."
Sheppard bowed his head in acknowledgement.
"Colonel Sheppard, do you swear to lead the Athosian people with a true heart and mind?"
"Eh suta ah."
"Do you swear to protect the Athosian people against their enemies?"
"Eh suta ah."
"Do you swear to uphold our ways, preserving them for future generations?"
"Eh suta ah."
Mullen turned to Hon, who handed him a silver band. He turned back to Sheppard.
"Then come brother," Mullens slipped the band onto Sheppard's upper left arm, "and take your place as a new Athosian leader."
Hon said a final prayer over Sheppard. When he finished the Athosians in the crowd cried out.
"Sidi!"
Teyla returned to Sheppard's side, she bowed her head.
"Sidi."
He grasped her chin, lifted her face and kissed her. This was greeted by cheers from the crowd. With the ceremony complete they rushed forward to congratulate the happy couple.
"Stargate Command, this is Atlantis."
"Go ahead Atlantis, we read you."
"We will be transmitting data as well as sending through a small group of personnel."
"Come on through, the door's open."
Sheppard and Teyla were a part of the small group preparing to go through the Stargate. He looked at her and smiled.
"You ready?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
"Well, here goes nothing."
Teyla glanced up at the control room. She gave a quick wave to Elizabeth before following Sheppard through the Stargate.
Author's Note: Don't worry, more scenes from the wedding are coming.