Chapter Six

Upon receiving the news of the new alliance General O’Neill got in touch with Calla in Altair Ain to tell her the good news and that her Husband was coming home for the night.  Calla called a meeting of the Council to tell them the news and make preparations to move Arthur and his accoutrements to the SGC.  Great care was taken with the items so that nothing was damaged during transport.

Although there was much excitement over the new treaty and the idea that new life for the kingdom was closer than ever before, Morgan was distressed but not displeased at the news that she would be leaving Altair Ain for a year.  She’d made the promise and she would stick to it, she only hoped Calla would still be here when she returned.  As Queen of Altair Ain Calla would also make the journey to the SGC to sign the pact and see Morgan and Duncan off. A task she was not looking forward to.

Daniel had an incredibly hot and thorough shower upon returning to the SGC. He dressed in fresh fatigues before sitting through the hour long meeting with Jack and some of the suits before he was able to return to Altair Ain. It was excruciating. All he did was reiterate things they already knew until every little infinitesimal question was answered. They were getting everything they wanted, why couldn’t they just take that, be happy and shut up? Antsy and almost unable to sit still he started to wonder if it wasn’t some effect from the Xerinium that made him feel twitchy? Withdrawals perhaps?

It was almost dinnertime before Daniel finally got back to Scotland where he found Calla busy in the kitchen.  She still loved to cook though more often than not she used a high stool when she was at the stove or chopping vegetables.  “Hey,” he said softly from behind her.

“Oh, Daniel!” Calla squealed before she turned around to see him standing there.  Putting the knife on the counter she did her best to hop off the stool, Daniel put his arms out to catch her before she flung her arms around his waist. “I missed you.” Even though it hurt her knee she stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. The kiss which met her had an air of hesitancy and a strange underlying tingle that seemed to mingle with the fresh scent of soap on his skin.  “I heard all went all. We’re ready on our end, everything is packed.  Morgan and Duncan are going to join us for dinner, I hope you don’t mind.”

The happy sound of her voice and her trusting welcoming arms brought sharp pangs of guilt to his heart but that didn’t stop him from holding her close hoping his kiss didn’t betray him. “Not at all.”  It looked like there was more than just Morgan and Duncan joining them for dinner, Calla had enough food cooking to feed a small army. “Anyone else?” She was the Queen she could and probably should have a whole kitchen staff but here she was, all alone, cooking up a storm and it smelled delicious.

“I asked Colleen and Paddy and Lilly. Annie and the kids, of course, and Ares and David.” She stammered.  “A little going away dinner, I promise they won’t stay too late.” The suggestion of an intimate night was clear in her voice and her shining eyes.

Daniel liked the sound of that.  His head was buzzing and his finger tingled as he ran them through her hair thinking about how much he’d like to just bend her over that stool and go to town.  Get behind her like he did the blonde earlier today, get right up close behind her and give it to her until she squealed. Calla wasn’t up to such things any more she was too frail. Trying to keep focused Daniel kissed her again, his warm lips grazing over her cooler ones without stopping. “Sounds great.”

Calla really didn’t like the nervous sound of his voice or the coldness of his kiss. Stepped away from him and wiped her hands on her apron. “Where’s Nicholas?”

That didn’t take long and he was almost grateful for the question. Maybe he could think about something else for a few moments and get his mind off the women he’d been with. He couldn’t stop seeing their face and hearing their sighs when he looked at Calla. His mind called him a bastard and his heart called him an adulterer. He’d started out with the best of intentions but, as we all know, those often go astray.   “Nick, um, he stayed on the planet.”

“Didn’t he want to come home for the night? Not even to see Annie and the kids?” Her voice reflected the sorrow she felt as she remembered the last time she saw Nicholas.  “What’s wrong with him?”

“Actually they asked him to stay behind.  He’ll be home tomorrow as soon as we wrap this up.  This time tomorrow night we’ll both be home for a long while.” Daniel promised and eased his hand along the side of her head.  He’d only been gone three days and the lines around her eyes had gotten a little deeper.

“This time next year perhaps there will be babies running around Altair Ain.” She said with a gleam of hope in her eyes. “Do you think it will work? Whatever it is they know, do you think it will work?”

“We’ll let the scientists decide that, Kitty.  I think there’s a good chance that it will.” After today it goddamn well better! “Anything I can help you with? Why don’t you come sit down with me for a while?”

There wasn’t much left to do so she followed him into the living room where they sat on the couch and he told her all about Sengul and the deal he’d made.  Calla was very happy at the news but there was something different about him tonight. She’d like to think it was just a side-effect of her aging mind but that wasn’t it. Daniel had a certain glow to him tonight one that she hadn’t seen in a long time but knew well.  Calla was very grateful when the doorbell rang and the dinner guests arrived she could busy herself with the duties of being a hostess.

Dinner was a fine affair with much laughter, drink and good food.  Annie was very disappointed that Nick hadn’t come home for the night and so was her two children Cole and Danny.  It had been a while since they had seen their father and a little longer still their mother knew his affections.  Morgan and Duncan were looking forward to their new adventure and living among the Sengul people for the next year though it was clear they were both concerned about Calla.  The next time they saw her she would be 365 years older and Morgan would do anything not to miss a single moment of the remainder of Calla’s life but this was more important to Calla than anything.  Instead of dwelling on that they reminded each other that when they returned to Altair Ain they would do so the sounds of babies crying and laughing all around the kingdom.  On top of that Planet Earth would be able to generate enough nearly free clean-burning energy to solve the ever growing problem of fuel shortages and global warming.  They would be able to power their ships to the farthest horizons and back again and make defensive weapons so powerful that any would-be invader would have to be insane to even entertain the idea of taking over Earth.

“It seems all futures are secured,” Calla said and raised her wine glass. “To the future.”

All at the table returned the sentiment and then tapped their glasses against each others before drinking.

With the meal over and drunken tongues tired the guests bid each other a fond good night and promising to see each other in the morning.  Upstairs in their bedroom Calla went through the gowns in her armoire settling on a dark purple velvet gown with long sleeves.  She laid it gently over the couch so it wouldn’t wrinkle before she put it on in the morning.  She’d much rather go to the SGC tomorrow in her blue jeans and a warm sweater but diplomatic affairs required diplomatic trappings.  Taking a warm night gown from her drawer she went into the bathroom to change.

She knows, Daniel told himself over and over. She knows!

Shut up, you don’t know that.

I am so dead

From somewhere something meowed and Daniel looked around until he found two small kittens huddled together under the sofa. “Where did you come from?”  He pulled them out and held them up white they let out little meows and blinked their deep blue eyes at him.

When she came out of the bathroom her hair was neatly brushed and held back in a long ponytail.  Her warm flannel nightgown was hidden by her even warmer black robe. “There’s my girl.” Daniel put the kittens down and held his arms out to her but Calla scooped up the kittens before pulling back the covers and climbed into her side of the bed.  Taking his cue he did the same and moved in close to her while the two kittens wandered around looking for a comfortable place to sleep for the night. “Where’d they come from?”

“Morgan gave them to me.” Calla stroked the kittens which had settled close to her chest.  “They’re to keep me company while so many of those I love are away.”

She sounded tired and worn out. “Big day?”

“Yes and a bigger one tomorrow.” Calla sighed but didn’t turn around to look at him.   “I’m glad you’re home.”

“I missed you, you know?”  He planted a soft kiss behind her ear.

“I’m sorry Daniel,” she muttered, “not tonight. I’m…old and tired.”

She might as well have stabbed in the heart with one of Ares’ daggers.  “Good night, Kitty.”  He wasn’t getting so much as a kiss out of her tonight and here he was with a boner so hard it ached.  All during dinner he’d kept looking at Morgan and thinking of how well her dress fit her and what her waist would feel like in his hands.  He hated himself for it but he couldn’t help it.

When morning came he woke up to an empty bed, a flaccid cock and feeling a lot less randy than he did last night.

“Stop fussing, would you just stop fussing?”

That was Calla’s voice. Daniel sat up in his comfortable but lonely bed and looked at the clock to see they had less than two hours before they had to be in the SGC.  “Kitty?” To his call three answered; two meows and….

“In here,” she called back from the bathroom. “Stop it already.”

“No, you stop it and sit still.”

That was Ares’ voice. Daniel swung his legs over the side of the bed and grabbed for his robe while making his way to the bathroom door. “What’s going on?”  Looking inside he saw Calla sitting at the vanity in a slip so long and beautiful anyone would have thought it was a summer dress.  Behind her Ares was piling her silver-fire hair on top of her head.

“He won’t stop fussing with my hair.” She complained nervously as she stared at her aging reflection in the mirror.

“If you’d sit still and be quiet this would only take a moment.” He said stern Fatherly voice and ran the brush through her hair one more time.  “You want to look the part today, don’t you?”

Calla groaned.  She loved the pageantry of her position, the gowns and the pomp and circumstance of it all but some times she’d just rather forget about it all.  It was one thing to sort of play Dress Up here in the kingdom where she’d finally become comfortable being Queen but outside these walls was a different story.  Ares was right and like it or not today she had to go out into the world and be Queen Calla. Of course, since the Stargate Program had so unexpectedly become public knowledge several years ago the whole world knew about this treaty between Earth and Sengul, as such there would be plenty of press around today from all over the globe.  Over the years she’d learned to tolerate and even manipulate the media but she never came to like them. There were times, like now, when Calla still had trouble justifying her life; it was a huge leap from simple Wife and Mother to Queen of Your Own Country. She never did become comfortable with it.  “Fine, hurry up about it I still have to get into my dress.”

Seeing the situation settled and in hand Daniel jumped into the shower, when he emerged from the steaming jets of water he did so to the sounds of more argument.  He shook his head and smiled as he toweled off listening to them in the bedroom.

“Just…just…wait.” Ares ordered.  “Good Gods, girl!”

Daniel peeked through the door to see Ares had very gently laid her royal purple gown on the floor and was trying to guide her into stepping into but Calla kept stepping on the dress while the kittens played at her feet.

 “Oh I hate cats!” Ares grumbled and shooed them away. Thinking better of his statement he looked up at Calla who was giving him a sour stare. “Sorry. Hold on to me,” Ares told her and then put her arm around his waist while he reached down and grabbed one stocking foot placed inside the hole and then did the same with the other. “There, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?”  He groaned and then began to pull the gown up over the pretty slip.

“When did you get the new personal dresser?” Daniel cracked with a smile as he stepped out of the bathroom.  “What are you paying him?”

Calla let out a nervous laugh. 

“I volunteered for this,” Ares sneered and then shook his head. “Tell her she should wear the robes instead.”

“Father, I told you, they’re too heavy for me now.”  She turned to look in the full length mirror while Ares began doing up the row of buttons which ran from her shoulders to her lower back.  “I like the bodice on this,” she smoothed out the dark purple velvet with its silk accents and pulled on the long fitted sleeves.  Calla considered her figure to still be in a fine shape even if there were lines on her face and she thought the lacey sweetheart bodice helped to show that off a bit.  “What do you think?”

“I like that one,” Daniel said easily.  “You look beautiful, Kitty.”  He bent in to kiss her and she turned her cheek to his lips. Still in the doghouse. “You, you’re looking pretty sharp today.” Daniel complimented his Father in-law.

“Are you kidding?” Calla asked with a gasp. “I had to make him take off the gauntlets and the greaves.” Ares let out a snort.  “We’re not going to War, Father, we’re going to a Treaty Signing.” Gazing in the mirror she looked at Daniel out of the corner of her eye while she futzed with the few strands of hair that Ares left dangling around her face.  “Would you get my necklace, please?” There was a definite chill in her voice.

“Sure,” Daniel said grudgingly and walked out of the room to retrieve the necklace and ring from the safe in his office.

“Problems?” Ares asked when Daniel was out of sight and ear shot.

“Not at all, Father. Everything is fine.” Calla said coolly looking ahead in the mirror.  “Help me with my shoes.”

Ares picked up a pair of shoes which matched the color of the dress perfectly.  “Why don’t you wear sandals or slippers?” He suggested and did not hold out the heels to her.

It had been some time since Calla walked around in heels preferring lately to wear flats either sneakers or espadrilles saving heels for short and special occasions. “I’m not going to fall over.”  She motioned at him with her hand. “Give them to me and bend down so I can lean on you.”

“I’ll do it.” Ares returned with a huff as he got down on his knees and put one shoe and then the other on her dainty feet. When he rose and let her go Calla weaved a little on her feet but soon regained her composure as she at first toddled and then glided across the room to where a vase of flowers sat on the coffee table.  She picked sprigs of babies breath out of it and Ares put them in her hair. The Queen without a Throne was also the Queen without a Crown.

“Got i—oh, Calla.” Daniel said and beamed at her from the doorway.  There she was, his Queen his Goddess in all her regal glory.  She took his breath away. “You look…perfect. Just perfect.”

Calla blushed and turned away from his love-filled gaze. “Thank you.”  She let him put the necklace around her neck as they gazed in the mirror.  “Some times I wonder who that old woman is.” She sighed.

“I don’t,” Daniel whispered, “I know exactly who you are. You’re the woman I love.”

She turned and tilted her face toward him to cuddle her smooth cheek against his as Daniel wrapped his arms around her being careful not to wrinkle the gown.  “I love you.”

Ares stood there watching them. Whatever the argument had been it was near over.  “It would help if you got dressed, Jackson.”

“And shaved too?” Calla suggested and traced her hand along his whiskery jaw.

Now it was his turn to decide what to wear.  Officially he was going to be there in two capacities; Diplomatic Envoy for Earth and King of Altair Ain.  Like Calla he didn’t want to wear his royal robes they weren’t too heavy for him but they made him uncomfortable.

“Why don’t you wear the black suit that I like so much?” Calla suggested. “Perhaps with the blue shirt that matches your eyes?”

“Reading my mind, Kitty?”

“It’s not difficult.” She kissed his cheek once more before holding her hand out to Ares. “Father, would you please?” She looked over toward the couch and where her wrap was waiting.  Ares picked it up and put it around her shoulders.  “We’ll wait for you downstairs.”

Twenty minutes later Daniel joined them in parlor for coffee. Calla did not sit down because she didn’t want to wrinkle her dress instead she just nervously paced about the room.  “I am going to miss you.” She said with so much heartfelt sorrow it almost made Morgan cry. “What am I going to do without you here?”  Calla reached out for Morgan and Duncan who were sitting together on the couch and they each took a hand. “I can’t thank you enough for making this sacrifice on our behalf.”

“Don’t cry, Ollie.” Duncan chided, “You’ll ruin your mascara.”

“I’m not wearing any,” Calla said with a little laugh as she dabbed at her eyes. “Is it time to go yet? I can’t stand this waiting any longer.”

Daniel looked down at his watch they’d be a little early but that was all right.  “Yes, it is.” He put down his coffee cup and stood up.  He, Calla, Duncan, Morgan, Ares and Annie were going to make this trip to the SGC.  Annie wanted not only to see her husband as quickly as possible but to talk with Sam and the other scientists and look over the research and new material the Senguls were providing them with.  Ares was going because his help was required in transporting the group and all of the items which were being traded not to mention the things Duncan and Morgan packed for their extended stay.  Everyone, including Ares, was dressed in their finest attire for the occasion. Daniel felt Calla’s warm hand slip into his.

“And you. Have I thanked you yet for all you’ve done for us?” She asked with sparkling eyes.

Daniel just couldn’t help it. “Not yet.” He winked at her.

Ares cleared his throat rather loudly. “That’s enough of that.”  He shook his dark graying head and opened the front door. “Let’s go.”

They all walked outside in the bright crisp October day. The UPs were gathered around the house to wish them all well and see them all off.  People clapped, cheered, shouted out good wishes and threw flowers at them.  Like Calla, the UPs also loved the pageantry of their history.  On the lanai were boxes, crates and suitcases, holding hands they made a circle around the waiting items and soon disappeared from Altair Ain.

End of Chapter Six of
Golden Years
by Moon Mistress
a/k/a Lisa Beth Darling
Go to
Chapter Seven