They had walked for some time, talking a little and just enjoying each other's company. They had almost reached the hut they were staying in, and now stood on the small hill behind the building, admiring the view of the village still illuminated by the many coloured lamps, the sky blossoming with aurora matching them.
It had been a very nice walk, and both Sam and Martouf/Lantash had enjoyed it very much, and none of them wanted the evening to end just yet. Sam looked up at the sky, seeing the clear stars and a luminous nebula shine behind the glowing, flaming aurora.
"Very, very pretty."
"Yes..." Martouf said. "Samantha..." He took her hand. "Tomorrow, if we are to make the villagers believe we have chosen to become mates...perhaps we should...ah...make sure we behave correctly for such a role..." He felt himself blush, and Lantash quickly controlled the reaction.
Sam gave him a quick look, but did not pull her hand away. "Ah...what do you mean?"
"Mates would be assumed to hold hands...perhaps touch each other now and then...a loving caress...a light kiss."
She nodded. "You're right." She looked closely at him. "You want to practice doing that? Really, I thought you'd been with Jolinar long enough to know how to do these kind of things!"
"That is not why. I do, of course, have, ah, intimate experiences with Jolinar. However, we do not know each other in that way, and we cannot risk being discovered by reacting inappropriately to the kiss or the caress of the other. We should get, ah, used to the sensation."
Sam thought it over for a moment. "Okay, that makes sense, I guess..." She said, a little reluctantly.
"I am glad you think so." Martouf entwined his fingers with hers and pulled her closer, putting the other arm around her.
Sam made a small sound as her body suddenly pressed against his. She was acutely aware of the warmth coming from him, the faint scent that the part of her that was Jolinar, recognized instantly. She briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then realized what she was doing. Embarrassed, she was about to disentangle herself from his embrace, when Martouf leaned in and touched his lips to hers.
She did not move for several moments, her brain feeling as if it was suddenly made of clay. Martouf kissed her slowly, gently, moving his lips against hers, then pulled back a little and looked at her, concerned when she did not return his kiss. Sam shook herself and smiled at him, then looked down, obviously embarrassed by her own reaction. Martouf smiled and gave her another kiss...and this time Sam returned it.
She closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss, swaying slightly against him. Martouf kept the kiss soft and undemanding at first, then deepened it, before suddenly ending it abruptly. Sam opened her eyes and looked at him, surprised - and a little disappointed he had broken off the kiss. She felt her love for him very strongly - as well as worry. Had he realised he felt nothing for her? That what he felt was only for what she carried from Jolinar?
"Martouf?"
He swallowed, uncomfortably. *I am not certain this was a good idea, Lantash. I find I have difficulties keeping this...superficial. We both love her, want her, so very much, but we do not want to scare her away with our passion, when we do not know how she feels.*
*She was reacting quite favourably just now. I do not believe she minded you deepening the kiss.*
*What if she was just reacting to a memory from Jolinar? What if she would regret it, had we continued?*
*I do not believe she would have. At first, perhaps, but not after thinking it through. We agreed we should attempt to use this time with her to find out what she feels for us, if anything. Martouf...I believe she is starting to get worried. You should talk to her - or let me take over.*
"Sorry, Samantha, I was talking to Lantash."
"He disapproves? Of kissing me, I mean?" Sam looked dejected.
Martouf's eyes flashed as Lantash took over. "No, my Samantha, not at all. Martouf was concerned we were, ah, in risk of taking this further than you might want."
"Oh...he thought I didn't want him to deepen the kiss?" Sam blushed. "He...um...doesn't have to worry about that. If we're going to pretend we're mates, we should be able to do more than give each other a quick peck, right?" She smiled, a little awkwardly, at him.
"Very true, we absolutely should... Lantash murmured as he leaned in to capture her lips again.
Sam moaned softly and put her arms around him, as the kiss got longer and more passionate. Lantash's tongue pressed against her lips and she parted them, tangling her tongue with his. He groaned and slid a hand down to the small of her back, pulling her even closer. She felt his rapidly growing hardness between them, the robes not concealing much.
When they finally broke for air, Sam was feeling dizzy. She looked into Lantash's eyes, which were dark with desire. She was about to pull him in for another kiss, when a screech tore through the air, making them both jump.
"What was that!" Sam whispered, looking around them.
They heard the sound again, very close by.
Lantash pointed towards a dark shadow that flew past and then dove for something on the ground, before disappearing. "An owl. I believe it must have just caught something."
Sam nodded. "I agree." Her heart was slowly returning to its normal rhythm, though most of the excitement had been from the kiss, and not from the slight scare. Somewhat embarrassed, she disentangled herself from Lantash's embrace. "We should go back to the hut. I think they said the breakfast was early again tomorrow, because they had another one of these damn rituals just after it, a long-ish one even, and one that had to be completed before noon."
Lantash sighed, unhappy they had been interrupted. "I believe that is correct." He looked at her, frowning. "Samantha...I realise the kiss got a little more, ah, passionate than what was intended, but..."
Sam interrupted him, her cheeks reddening. She was very happy it was probably too dark for him to see that. "Yeah, no problem. We both got a little carried away."
"Samantha...I don't..."
"Please, no reason to talk about it, okay? Let's just get back and get some sleep." She started walking the rest of the way back to the hut, Lantash following, feeling dejected.
-----
Day 4.
Sam and Martouf/Lantash had joined the villagers for breakfast. Things had been somewhat awkward since they had kissed yesterday. Martouf and Lantash would very much like to talk about it, since it was obvious Sam felt something for them, but she had not wanted to discuss it at all. They all still agreed on the plan, though, so Martouf would officially claim Sam as his mate today, probably as soon as they saw Wihnek.
A few minutes after they had taken the places reserved for them at the table, Wihnek appeared. He walked over to them, followed by the other members of the Council, as well as the head priest. Martouf and Sam rose immediately, and greeted them, whereupon Martouf addressed Wihnek.
"Wihnek, I would like to announce that I, Martouf, claims Samantha Carter as my mate." He took her hand and smiled at her.
She smiled back at him. "And I claim him."
Wihnek looked relieved. "Wonderful! The gods will be pleased, and will reward us all richly!" He turned to the others with him and quickly translated. They all looked pleased. The head priest then signalled the man standing at the gong - apparently there was always someone there.
When the reverberating sound had died down, the priest started talking to the attentive villagers. After a rather long speech, people cheered, and an embarrassed Sam and Martouf prepared to sit down. Wihnek stopped them, though, telling them that everyone wanted to see them kiss, as a good sign for the great fortune that would come to them all.
"With pleasure." Martouf said, smiling.
He pulled Sam into his embrace and kissed her, very thoroughly. People around them happily cheered them on, but Sam forgot all about them, as she returned the kiss with equal fervour. She look flustered - and a little ashamed at all the attention - when Martouf let go of her.
Wihnek again smiled happily at them, and then conferred with the rest of the Council, as well as the head priest. He turned to Sam and Martouf.
"It has been decided that the official ritual will take place tomorrow evening."
"What official ritual would that be?" Martouf asked, suspiciously.
"No surprise public sex, just 'cause? Right?" Sam demanded.
The head priest had signalled the gong attendant again and Wihnek held his hands up. "I apologize. It is time for the first ritual of the day. Trust us, it will not be anything unpleasant, and I already assured you there would be no public sex."
Sam sighed, trying to reassure herself. It would almost certainly just be some sort of idiotic ritual to make the locals happy. Probably they had to wear special clothing and chant while pouring water on the ground or something like that. She relaxed and tried to focus on something else. Her stomach growled. She really hoped this current ritual would be short, so they could get on with the breakfast.
-----
"Samantha?" Martouf called, seeing Sam sitting in the grass on the hill just behind their hut.
She turned to look at him, waving at him. "Hi, Martouf."
He walked over to her, sitting beside her. "I hope you do not mind the company?"
She shook her head. "No, of course not. I was just...thinking."
"About?" Martouf prodded, suspecting he was more than likely part of what she was pondering.
Sam sighed. "I guess there is no reason not to tell you. You, me...us? You already know some of my concerns. This...pretending to be mates. It's...it's hard. Confusing."
"Because you react to me, and you don't know if it is you who are reacting, or some leftover part of Jolinar." Martouf concluded.
"That's some of it, yeah."
"Does it feel as if it is you who has these emotions?"
"Yes, you know it does. I've told you."
He nodded. "Then...does it really matter how they started? What triggered them? Even if some of them are Jolinar's, they are yours now - whether they originally grew from her emotions or not."
"True enough, I guess, but that isn't all that's troubling me. You and Jolinar had a very happy, very long relationship. You loved each other very much. I haven't exactly had much success in that area, and I'm frankly worried it would be a disappointment - for all of us - if we had a relationship." She did not add what concerned her most - whether or not Martouf and Lantash felt anything for her, Samantha, or if it was only for what she carried from Jolinar.
Martouf smiled at her, a little sadly. "No one can know something like that beforehand, but Lantash and I would very much like the chance to see if we could be happy together. We...would like that very much."
"Would you? Or is it like you said that day on the dunes? That you just want Jolinar back in your life, in some form - even if it is only what's in me," Sam said, a little harsher than she meant to.
Martouf looked taken aback, then sighed. "I suppose I can understand why you would be worried about that. I did say that, then...and it was true then. In the beginning, that was what drew us to you. However, we soon saw only you, Samantha, and realised what a wonderful person you are. While we will always love Jolinar and Rosha, our feelings now are for you."
Sam took a deep breath. "Thank you. That was something that had been really bugging me."
Martouf put a hand on her cheek, caressing it gently. He sighed. "Lantash points out that we have never asked you if there is someone else in your life. I apologize for not thinking about that, and just assuming..."
She shook her head. "No, not for a very long time. I was engaged, once, but I kinda wish I had never met him. He's dead now - died in an...an accident, off world. His name was Jonas Hanson, and he...well, he was on one of the other SG-teams, but we hadn't been together for a long time when he joined Stargate Command. I don't know...well, he had always been kinda controlling - and then, one mission he went on...he snapped, I guess - or he'd always had it in him. In any case, he ended up thinking he was a god, and he even attempted to work the entire population of a planet to death." She laughed bitterly. "In a way, I wasn't even surprised that he did. Doesn't exactly sound good, does it?"
"It was not your fault, Samantha." Martouf took her hand, entwining his fingers with hers.
"I know...I mean, he really wasn't happy when I broke off our engagement, but I didn't think he'd snap." She thought about it. "I suppose he was always a bit crazy, so I do agree - it didn't have anything to do with me." She sighed. "He could be very charming...I was very...enamoured with him, I guess. Not sure how much he really wanted me, though, or if it was just because he liked having someone worship him...especially someone like me, who had been too focused on her studies to be interested in men. I guess it must have made him feel like he was really something, since he could break down that wall I always kept around me. I don't know...he said he wanted to wait until we got married before having sex, and back then I just found it romantic, but afterwards...I just felt like I hadn't been attractive enough."
"If he didn't find you attractive, he would have had to be very crazy indeed, Samantha. You are beautiful."
"Thank you." She smiled at him. "Don't worry, it's not something that's bothering me anymore - I don't think he was worth the heart-ache I felt then, and I don't put any faith in his opinion anymore." She shook her head. "I went back to spending all my time on work again, I guess I'm a work-o-holic. Daniel teases me sometimes, but he shouldn't really talk - he's rarely away from the base either."
"Your work is important...but you should allow yourself to enjoy life, sometimes."
"I do enjoy myself. I love my work."
"I cannot argue against that." Martouf smiled, then turned serious. "Have you never had...I do not know your word for it...a close friend whom you also share the bed with?"
"Um...eh, I think 'friends-with-benefits' would fit that, perhaps? Though from what I remember from Jolinar, it doesn't cover it completely. Never mind. No, I haven't." She shook her head. "Laugh all you want, but I'm over 30, and I'm a virgin."
"Why would I laugh at that?" Martouf looked uncomprehendingly at her. "I was merely concerned for your mental well being. Among the Tok'ra, a friend would have offered to help you, if you were in need of sexual relief. That none of your's have done so is reproachable, though I understand that your culture is different. Regardless, I will help you, if you will accept my offer."
Sam looked at him, shocked. "You're...you're offering to, ah, sleep with me?"
"If I understand that euphemism correctly, then yes."
"Listen, eh, I mean...that's...that's very thoughtful of you." Sam did not know what to say. "But since you've already told me you're, ah, interested in me, wouldn't that be a somewhat, um, suspicious offer?"
"Suspicious? Ah, I can see what you mean. Yes, I would...derive pleasure from it, of course." He sighed. "Many things are looked upon differently among the Tok'ra."
"Yes, I realise that, and our different cultures are something that concerns me...I mean, if I were to consider you as a, a mate." She frowned. "So, do you currently have, ah, a friend that, um, share your bed from time to time?"
"No, though a few have offered themselves, we have not been interested."
"So you don't have a cute Tok'ra lover I should know about." Sam smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Given the differences in culture, I guess I should have checked that you are unattached too!"
He bowed his head, giving control to Lantash. From where they sat they would be able to see anyone approaching long before those people could hear them, so it was relatively safe to let Lantash talk.
"Technically, I am not unattached, as the former host of Jolinar still lives, and neither of us have denounced the relationship." Lantash smiled, his eyes sparkling.
"What!"
"Usually, the new host of a mate, also becomes mate to a Tok'ra, unless said Tok'ra cannot accept the new host." He grinned. "Do not be concerned, Samantha. The situation for you is very unusual, and no one is expecting you to follow this tradition."
"Good." Sam grinned a little, thinking about it. "I'd much rather make my own choices, thank you very much!"
"And what would that choice be?" Lantash wondered. "It is clear that you have feelings for us, and you know we have for you as well."
Sam sobered. She had not expected him to be so direct. "I don't know. We don't know each other very well, not really. Perhaps we should...take it slow, and see if things develop? I don't feel confident jumping into any relationship just like this, regardless of how I may feel."
Lantash nodded. "We will give you the time you need, of course, but I assure you, our feelings will not change." He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, before getting up. "Someone is approaching. We should see what they want." He dipped his head, letting Martouf fore.
-----
Sam and Martouf/Lantash were sitting in their seats of honour again, waiting for Wihnek and the other important persons to arrive - as had been the case the other days as well. All around them people were talking and laughing. This was the middle of the celebration, and there would be even more delicacies, as well as wine and fruit juice for the evenings dinner. The aurora had taken on a greenish hue now, and that was reflected in the green robes everyone was wearing, tied with a yellow sash.
Wihnek came over to Sam and Martouf/Lantash, looking unhappy and apologetic. "Greetings, my friends."
"Greetings." Martouf returned, looking with concern at Wihnek.
"I fear I bear unpleasant tidings. There are some who fear your conviction, and that of your lovely mate. I trust you, of course, but I regret to inform you that there are some who doubt you will go through the necessary mating, and that we will thus risk much hardship in the coming year."
"Okay, what do you mean by that? You guys are seriously trying our patience!" Sam exclaimed.
"I must agree with Samantha. We have agreed to everything you have asked of us. What more do you want?" He looked exasperated.
"You must prove your sincerity, of course. There cannot be any doubt about something as important as this! If you are lying, the gods will know. They will be furious!"
"You promised us there would be no public sex!" Sam said.
"We will not perform for you," Martouf sounded angry. "You will not humiliate my Samantha like that!"
"Of course not. What we require is nothing like that. The priests will merely inspect the bed sheets for, ah, proof that a mating has taken place."
"You will look for semen and other fluids?" Martouf sounded appalled.
"That's just degrading!" Sam exclaimed. "Not only don't you trust us, but you're going to poke around in any spots on the bed sheet, and then decide if you think we came enough? You're disgusting, and I'm not going to agree to that!"
"Martouf, please talk to her..." Wihnek begged.
"No, Samantha said she didn't want you to do this, so it is not happening."
Wihnek looked devastated, and turned to the priests and the other members of the Council. They talked for a long period of time, then Wihnek turned back to Martouf and Sam, while one of the priests hurried away.
"There is another possibility. If you agree to that, then the gods will not be angry...and do not be concerned, it is not public sex." Wihnek quickly reassured them, knowing how strongly they apparently felt about that.
"We will need to know what it is, before agreeing to anything," Martouf pointed out, not prepared to concede anything.
The priest who had left a moment ago returned, an old woman following him. She smiled at them all, and generally looked like a very friendly person.
"This is Khoanna. She is a seeress, and among other things, she is gifted with the ability to tell if someone is sincere. If you let her feel your soul, she can tell us if you speak the truth."
Martouf looked at Sam. "How do you feel about this?"
"Why not?" She shrugged, then leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I doubt she's for real, but if she says we're speaking the truth, we'll be good - and otherwise we're no worse off than before."
Martouf nodded. "True." He turned to Wihnek. "We accept."
-----
Sam and Martouf were told to kneel in front of Khoanna, who was now sitting in a chair. She took each of them in the hand, then sat silently for some minutes, closing her eyes and concentrating. She began speaking in a low voice, and the priests listened attentively.
Suddenly, it was as if she froze, and she opened her eyes, staring at Martouf as if in shock. She talked quickly to the priests, and they looked at Martouf with alarm.
*I suspect she is a telepath - and that she now knows of me.* Lantash sounded very concerned. *I believe I can sense her presence in our minds.*
*I agree, and I can sense her as well. It is like a faint whisper, one that I can almost hear.*
Sam and Martouf looked at each other, worried, as Khoanna kept holding their hands - and kept talking. The priests asked her several more questions, and she answered, then was quiet for some time before she spoke again. Finally, she nodded, looking relaxed, and no longer concerned. She let go of Martouf and Sam's hands, and smiled at them, then bowed her head briefly, respectfully, to Martouf.
Wihnek had been standing nearby, listening, and he now came to translate.
"I will explain what was said, for your sake, Samantha. I believe Martouf - or Lantash at the very least - understands what was said."
Sam looked at Martouf, who frowned. "No, he does not." He sighed, then dipped his head as Lantash took control.
"So you know of me," Lantash said. "Khoanna is...truly gifted."
"My lord, it has been so long since any of you walked among us. We apologize deeply for not recognizing you for what you are." Wihnek kneeled, as did the rest of the villagers present.
Lantash looked less than pleased, and considered what to do. He decided on a strategy. "I am not one of the gods of your world. While I am of the same...race, I do not share their ideology. You must not apologize for not discovering me, as I was purposely hiding. Please, I do not wish for worship."
Wihnek nodded, but did not get up from his kneeling position yet. "We are deeply honoured by your presence, and Khoanna did mention that your heart is much different from our gods. You do not have their harsh cruelty, but are instead a god of good." He got up as he translated for the others who slowly rose as well, still very much in awe.
"So, you won't be asking for any proof of mating anymore, right?" Sam wanted to know.
"Of course not. We would never accuse a god of lying!" Wihnek smiled, looking very pleased. "Khoanna told me; you are true mates, and love each other deeply. You have a bond and are meant to be together, so we are most fortunate indeed. Such a mating - and with a god as one of the participants - will assure us the best harvest in known history! Tomorrow, the ritual will be completed. Today, we will party and celebrate. Please, enjoy the food and drink!"
-----
"Well, some good came of them finding out about you, Lantash - you don't need to remain hidden, but can take control some of the time. It's...nice. I like having you both around." Sam smiled at him.
"Very true, though I could do without the reverence they now regard me with." He sighed, then smiled at Sam. "Do you wish for more food? Drink?"
"No, I'm quite full, and if I drink any more alcohol, I fear I won't be able to walk straight!" She giggled. "It's been a fun evening, though."
"Fear not, I promise I shall carry you if you have trouble walking!" Lantash took her hand and winked at her, then pulled the hand to his mouth and kissed it. "Would you agree to a dance? Many of the others are dancing, and while neither Martouf nor I will claim any great proficiency in this sport, I do think it would be a pleasant diversion."
"Lantash! You're drunk!" Sam laughed. "Yes, I'll dance with you, and don't look so insulted. I'm sure you decided to get drunk on purpose!" She rose, pulling him after her.
"Perhaps...though I must admit these beverages are quite...intoxicating - or perhaps it is you." He leaned in and gave her a kiss.
"You're such a charmer!" She smiled. "Come - the next dance is starting. I think I've watched it long enough to be able to follow the steps!"
-----
Day 5.
Sam yawned and stretched, then opened her eyes to the soft light that filtered through the curtains. Beside her, Martouf and/or Lantash were waking up as well. They had gotten back fairly late yesterday, and been more than a little drunk. She evaluated the light - it seemed much too strong for morning light, even here. She more than suspected they had overslept, and it was well past breakfast - closer to noon, actually. She still felt a bit groggy, and her head hurt, despite having slept as much as she had.
Regardless of that, she smiled as she looked at a sleepy Martouf/Lantash, who yawned mightily. It was strange - but nice - waking up in a bed beside him, as she had done every morning for four days now. They had not done anything but sleep in the bed, though, but Sam had to admit she had been very tempted several times.
She heard the distant sound of the noon gong, signalling the noon meal would begin in about a quarter of an hour. Her stomach felt a little queasy, no doubt after the amount of alcohol she had imbibed the day before. She did feel hungry, though, and not wanting to miss this meal as well, she sat up and threw the blanket aside.
"Good morning, Samantha." Martouf smiled, looking at her and clearly enjoying the view. Her short nightgown had slid up, meaning very little of her was covered.
Annoyed with herself, Sam felt her cheeks redden. "Good morning, Martouf. I just heard the signal for midday meal, so we should probably hurry unless we wanna miss that too."
"Midday meal? We have slept until noon?" Martouf sounded surprised. "We should probably not have consumed so much alcohol - it must be worse for you, though, Samantha." He looked at her with concern.
"My head hurts a little," Sam admitted. "But it's not too bad. What about you? I seem to remember you having a lot more to drink than me - enough that you got pretty drunk." She smiled at the memory.
Martouf nodded. "Very true, both Lantash and I got drunk. However, it was not so much that Lantash has not been able to completely restore our systems, so despite being a little tired, we are well."
"I'm envious!" Sam groaned a little, as she rose and staggered over to pick up her clothing.
-----
It turned out the healers of this world had a - fairly bitter - drug that took care of Sam's hangover. She had to drink almost a half glass of the unpleasant potion, but literally moments later she felt completely well. This was the second fantastic drug they had found here, the first being the ointment that fixed her sprained ankle. Perhaps visiting this place was worth it, after all!
It was no more than a few hours after they had eaten lunch, when a group of women came to get Sam. One of them spoke a very little standard, and from what Sam understood, they were to prepare her for the evenings fertility ritual. Another group came to get Martouf/Lantash, and they followed politely.
After a long soak in the hot springs, Sam dried off and put on a lotion she was given. It felt nice, as her skin was a little dry after being in the water for so long. The group of women that had followed her to the bath - and bathed with her - then helped her dress.
The clothes they wanted her to wear were quite a bit more elaborate and decorated than what she had worn the other days. Since everyone else seemed to wear simple robes similar to what she had worn the day before - just in yellow, this time - Sam concluded that her dress must be special because she was part of the 'chosen' pair, and would be taking part in their fertility ritual.
The clothes somewhat resembled traditional Indian clothing, Sam thought. Wrapped around her, she wore a long skirt, which reached all the way to her feet. It was made out of several layers of red, gold-embroidered silk cloth. She had on a matching red with gold top, which almost covered her stomach. Her arms were bare, and the women had put several bracelets on each of her arms. That was not the only jewelry she wore - she also had on a broad necklace, a pair of relatively large, but matching earrings, ankle bracelets, and a tiara-like piece of jewelry sat on her head. On her feet she wore a pair of soft, brown leather sandals, which were the only piece of clothing which seemed reasonably normal to Sam.
Frankly, she felt a bit ridiculous, and it did not get better, when the women insisted that she wear a thin, see-through red silk veil, heavily gold-embroidered, over her hair and shoulders. She sighed and let them put it on, then looked at herself in the mirror, thinking back to the clothes they made her wear when SG-1 visited the Shavadai on Simarka. Well, at least the Colonel and Daniel were not here to make fun of her this time - and no one had a camera! She felt somewhat better at those thoughts.
Outside, Martouf/Lantash were waiting for her, surrounded by a group of villagers who were excitedly chattering about something in their own language. Sam smiled at Martouf/Lantash and appraised their appearance.
They were wearing a shirt made out of cloth that matched her dress, though the pants were black. Over the shirt, they wore a vest, which had the colours switched - instead of being red with gold, it was almost entirely gold, interspersed with some red. They did not wear sandals, but a kind of slippers-like shoes, made of cloth resembling the shirt. Unlike Sam, they wore no jewelry.
"Hello, Samantha." Martouf smiled at her. "You look beautiful."
"Thanks. It's...certainly...ah, unusual." She touched the skirt, then shrugged. "But I guess this is considered normal here...at least for our roles?"
Martouf nodded. "If I understood correctly - which is by no means certain, as the person explaining it to me spoke very bad standard - we are dressed this way in order to resemble the original 'god and goddess' who ruled this world." He sighed. "Which it seems likely we do. My clothing, at least, is more Goa'uld than either Lantash or I care for."
"Perhaps, but I must admit it looks good on you." Sam winked at him.
"Then we will be happy to wear it." He smiled.
-----
Sam and Martouf/Lantash had been shown to seats of honour - and this time their chairs were actually fashioned like thrones. They were seated at the centre of the large, u-shaped table, with the priests and priestesses to their left, and the council members to their right. No one sat along the inner part of the table, since that made it easier for those bringing in food and drink to serve everyone without getting in the way.
Everyone at the other tables smiled and greeted them before sitting down in their seats, and Sam was fast beginning to feel very uncomfortable with this. She threw a glance at Martouf, who was either unaffected by it all or hiding it well. She guessed he would be used to situations such as this, from whenever they had to pretend to be a Goa'uld - though it was of course Lantash who was in control in situations such as that.
Finally, everyone was seated, and a young woman came up to Sam and Martouf and filled their glasses. They each had a large glass and a small glass, and she filled the large ones with a sparkling wine, and the small ones with what looked like a kind of fruit juice. She and other servants then poured sparkling wine for everyone else. Two children came up and stood behind Sam and Martouf, just as the head priest rose, with a satisfied smile on his face. Wihnek got up as well, ready to translate when and if it was needed.
The priest spoke at length, now and then pausing to allow the gong to be struck. Each time it sounded, the children would throw leaves and flower petals over Sam and Martouf/Lantash.
Eventually, the priest paused to allow Wihnek to speak.
"I apologize, but I will only have time for a short version, as this part of the ritual must be completed before sundown."
"We understand." Martouf said, and Sam just nodded, a long-suffering expression on her face.
This explained why dinner was earlier today - the other days it had not started until just after sunset, when the aurora had become visible.
"Good. The leaves and flowers symbolize the land and the fields, and the ritual assures your mating tonight will bring fertility to our land. You will now each drink one glass of juice from the kama-fruit."
Sam and Martouf looked at each other, then shrugged and picked up the small glasses and emptied them of the juice. The woman from before immediately refilled them.
"Hm, not bad." Sam smiled. "Tastes pretty good, actually, though maybe a bit sweet."
*Martouf...this beverage is a light aphrodisiac!* Lantash observed, slightly alarmed.
*Can you block the effects? I do not wish to lose control and suddenly, ah, ravish Samantha!*
*Do not be concerned. I can negate the effect of it without problems.*
*Good, though we should probably warn Samantha.*
*I do not believe it will be necessary, unless we are served much more of it. The effects are really very mild, and even a human will only have a light reaction. She will have filtered it out completely before this dinner is over. Besides, if we told her, she would get angry at the locals and refuse to continue with this ritual, and I fear their reaction - and perhaps punishment - if we do so.*
*They think you're a god, surely they would not dare harm you?*
*Not me, no, but perhaps Samantha. Besides, if things turns out differently and we are for some reason forced to, ah, actually carry out a mating with Samantha, then the aphrodisiacs may help her through it, if the people here suddenly decide they do not believe us and insist on a public coupling. I really do not trust them.*
*Surely they would not do that?* Martouf sounded outraged. *Very well, we will not inform Samantha.* He sighed.
While they had been talking, the priest had spoken for a short time, mentioning both Sam and Martouf. Wihnek now turned to them.
"Please, Samantha, take your glass and let Martouf drink from it, about half the content."
Sam held the glass out to Martouf, and he did as he was told. Then Wihnek said Martouf should let Sam drink of his glass.
Afterwards, the priest spoke again, and this time Sam and Lantash were mentioned. As expected, Wihnek told Sam to let Lantash drink the other half of the juice in her glass, and then Lantash gave Sam the remaining half glass of his fruit juice.
Wihnek smiled happily, and so did the head priest, who spoke for a short while longer, before clapping three times. The man standing at the gong answered with three strokes of the instrument, and when the tones had died out, the priest placed matching necklaces on both Sam and Martouf/Lantash. He motioned at the man standing by the gong, and the instrument rang once more. Then everyone cheered, and drank the wine. Sam and Lantash quickly followed suit and drank as well.
"It is time for food and drink." Wihnek told them, as plates of food and jugs of sweet wine were being placed on the tables. Two pitchers full of fruit juice were placed in front of Sam and Martouf/Lantash. "You must drink this juice in order to guarantee the successful completion of the ritual. Please, enjoy!"
"Is that the same beverage as the one we were given before?" Lantash asked, suspiciously.
"No, this is a mixture of the juices of several different fruits and berries, though kama fruit is one of them."
"I see." Lantash sighed. Well, that was to be expected, if the people here wanted to make sure a mating did indeed take place. Hopefully, he would be able to talk discreetly with Samantha and warn her about it, or perhaps the effects would not be significant, if the kama fruit was mixed with something else.
-----
Wihnek had alternated between telling them about the various kinds of food stuffs, and repeatedly telling them about the importance of this ritual in relation to the future harvest, how grateful they all were for Sam and Martouf/Lantash's presence, and how honoured they were because of Lantash being there. He had gone on and on about it for a very long time, and Lantash had kept a worried eye on Samantha's pitcher of fruit juice. He and Martouf had to drink some of it, of course, as Wihnek kept reminding them, but Sam seemed to really like the stuff and had drunk more than half of it already. Between that and a couple glasses of the wine, she was beginning to look flustered, and she was giving him looks that made it very obvious what she was thinking about.
Finally, Wihnek moved his attention elsewhere, and Lantash turned towards Sam, speaking in a low voice.
"Samantha..."
"Yes, Lantash?" She giggled and put her hand on his thigh. "Sweetie..."
"You should perhaps, ah, not drink so much of the fruit juice." He glanced quickly towards Wihnek. "And please keep your voice down."
"Why?" She frowned, then lowered her voice. "It tastes good to me." She whispered into his ear, then giggled again and placed a wet kiss there.
"It has...side effects."
"What side effects would that be?" She kissed his ear again, then sucked his earlobe into her mouth, while, hidden under the table, her hand slowly slid from his thigh to touch his manhood. She squeezed it gently through the material of his pants.
Lantash gasped and closed his eyes for a moment, swallowing. He opened them again and looked at her. "Samantha! Please, you know how I feel about you. I beg you, do not tease me." He took a deep breath. "That is the side effect. The juice is making you, ah, libidinous."
Sam massaged his rapidly hardening member for a moment longer, her other hand straying to his neck, finding the spot where her memories from Jolinar told her Lantash could be pleasured most directly. Then her mind suddenly seemed to grasp what he was saying and she pulled her hands away. "They drugged me? Why only me? Did you know about it? Did you agree to this? To get to fuck me?" Her voice was rising and Lantash looked nervously at Wihnek who had clearly heard.
"Samantha! No! I would never drug you!" He looked hurt. "How can you think so little of me? I love you and, and I do desire you very much, but I would never try to make you mine through less than honest means. As for why the drug is not affecting me and Martouf? It is because I am able to filter it out."
Sam calmed down, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry. Of course you would never do something like that. I know that." She smiled at him. "I do trust you, both of you." She leaned towards him again, putting an arm around him.
"Good. Thank you." Lantash looked very relieved. He held Sam close while he gave Wihnek a stern look, and the man quickly looked in the other direction.
Sam kissed Lantash quickly on the neck, then sat up again, looking a little embarrassed. Emboldened, Lantash leaned over and gave her a kiss, then gave Martouf control. He looked up, a little shyly, and smiled his most charming smile, which always made Sam's heart beat faster.
She sighed deeply, then forced herself to focus on her food, trying to think of something other than the burning desire she felt for the Tok'ra beside her. To be honest, she wanted nothing more than to kiss him until they were both breathless, then rip the clothes off him and have her way with him. She moaned softly to herself and silently cursed the people of this planet and their fruit juice. She decided she would only drink wine the rest of the evening. Fortunately, it was not very strong.
Wihnek seemed unhappy that he could not make their guests drink any more of the fruit juice, and after talking to the head priest and a couple of the other Council members, one of them went to talk to the people currently preparing the dessert.
-----
"This is the last course. This pie is eaten only this one day of the year, and everyone loves it and looks forward to it. Since you are our honoured guests, we have prepared a special sauce for it, just for you. This sauce is almost never made because one of the ingredients is difficult and time consuming to make."
"And what is this 'special ingredient'?" Martouf asked, suddenly getting suspicious. "Something meant to drug us?"
"Do not worry, it is not kama fruit." Wihnek smiled. "It is called 'nectar of the gods', and the recipe stems from when our gods lived on this world. No doubt you know of it. We have added a small amount to the sauce, and since you are a god...or host to a god, we have also prepared a small drink for you, containing only the nectar."
*Any idea what that is?* Martouf enquired.
*None whatsoever.* Lantash sighed mentally. *Hopefully just some delicacy the Goa'uld here liked, and which the locals now hope will placate us, after their attempt at drugging us. In any case, it is probably best not to enquire further. Since they think I am a god, I would probably be expected to know what it is.*
"Well, I think it looks delicious." Sam smiled at him, then licked her lips. *Not as delicious as you do, though...* She thought.
"Please, enjoy! When you have eaten your dessert, it will be time for the last part of the ritual, which you will perform in private, in your hut." Wihnek said.
Sam scarfed down her piece of pie, with a fairly large helping of sauce on it. "It tastes great!" She told Martouf.
Martouf shrugged and poured sauce on his slice of pie also, and ate it. He had to admit it was tasty, though perhaps a little too sweet for his taste. He washed it down with the glass of 'nectar'. It was surprisingly refreshing - and more delicious than almost anything he had tasted before. Lantash agreed, then almost immediately swore to himself.
*What is it?* Martouf wondered. Then he knew.
*This...is also an aphrodisiac...though not a mild one. Nor can I negate its effects.* Lantash 'gasped'. *But I think you...you've already realised. It's...affecting...both of us.*
Martouf groaned, and looked at Sam through a haze of lust. He would kill Wihnek for this, and possibly the rest of the Council, and those damn priests as well. But not now. Now, he wanted, needed to be with Samantha. He was about to reach for her when several villagers swarmed them and helped them up, then began leading them to their hut.
-----
The door had barely closed behind them, before Martouf grabbed Sam and pushed her up against the wall beside them, kissing her desperately. Sam threw her arms around him and returned the kisses with equal passion, pressing, rubbing, against his hard erection.
He pulled off her veil, throwing it over his shoulder, then slipped a hand under her top, cupping her right breast and massaging it through the bra. He rubbed the nipple, until it was a hard point, then repeated the treatment on the other breast. Wanting more direct access, he tore at the buttons and got the top open, by sheer luck without ripping the garment.
He pulled at her bra, slipping a finger under the band and trying to get it off her. Sam impatiently unclasped it and let it fall, allowing Martouf full access to her breasts. He admired her for several moments, before he filled his hands with her breasts, kneading them, a little rougher than he usually would. Sam merely moaned and leaned back against the wall. She closed her eyes, as Martouf began licking and sucking at one of her nipples, flicking the hard point with his tongue. He continued, until he was satisfied it was as hard as it would get, then did the same to the other nipple.
He was about to return to the first, when Sam pulled him up for a kiss, pushing her tongue against his lips. He groaned deeply and allowed her entrance, and she tangled her tongue with his, moaning into his mouth.
She pulled at his clothing, and Martouf shrugged off the vest, letting it fall to the floor, forgotten. He unbuttoned his shirt enough that he could tear it off, then pressed himself against Sam, again covering her lips with his. She ran a hand through his hair, tangling her fingers in it and pulling him even closer. As they kissed, her hand slowly slid lower, and she caressed his neck. Suddenly feeling a movement there, she immediately knew it was Lantash she felt under the skin, knew how he had liked Jolinar to touch him.
Sam allowed the memory from Jolinar to guide her, finding the exact places she could best touch him, putting on just the right amount of pressure as she pleasured him. Martouf gasped as the sensation Lantash experienced was immediately shared, as everything in these kinds of encounters always were between host and symbiote. He gave control to Lantash, and his eyes flashed as he came fore.
"Please, Samantha...we are too... close to losing control...as it is. We do not...want your first time to be...to be painful." He swallowed and clenched his fists hard. "We will not be able to...take it slow...if..."
Sam interrupted any further comments from him by grabbing hold of him and moving them around, then pushing him against the wall. He groaned and looked at her, his gaze clouding with lust as she put one hand between his legs and started fondling his already painfully hard shaft, while returning her other hand to his neck, pleasuring him there as well.
She looked at him, her eyes dark with desire. "I didn't say I wanted it slow." She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to concentrate. "This...damned drug...it's driving me crazy. I can't think clearly....I just know I want you. Badly....right now!" She pressed herself against him, as she kissed him hard.
"That...can be arranged," Lantash said hoarsely, as he picked up Sam and carried her to the bed, quickly pulling off the blanket before putting her down.
She looked at Lantash, as he ripped off the rest of his clothing, clearly admiring him. "Mmm, very nice..." She said, licking her lips, as she looked him over from head to toe.
He was thin, but seemed naturally strong. He was very well endowed, which, given that she was a virgin, was something which might otherwise have concerned her, had she not been so aroused. As it was, she wanted to feel him inside her so badly she could barely think. She looked longingly at his very hard shaft, as she kicked off her sandals and hurriedly began trying to get out of the somewhat cumbersome skirt.
Naked, Lantash joined her on the bed, and helped her get her skirt and underwear out of the way. "You are beautiful, Samantha," He said, as he reached for her. "I love you." He kissed her deeply and pushed her down on the bed, before she had a chance to reply to this.
She hugged him to her, wrapping her legs around him and rubbing herself against him, shamelessly. Lantash trailed kisses, licks, and nips down her neck to her shoulder, then further down to her breasts, laving the nipples one at a time. Sam moaned and arched her back. She rolled her hips as Lantash slowly moved lower, scattering kisses over her stomach, then finally reaching his goal. He used his fingers to spread her labia, then made a long slow lick from her opening to her clit, repeating it a few times before he focused his attention on the sensitive nub. Flicking his tongue over it quickly, he made Sam moan deeper and thrust against him.
Lantash very much wanted to make her come before he thrust inside her, but the aphrodisiac was working very strongly on both him and Martouf, and their desire was spiralling out of control. Their shaft was so hard it hurt, and Martouf was begging him to mate with Samantha, now. The soft moans and whimpers from Sam was not making it easier, and when she reached down and began caressing his head and tugging on his hair, Lantash almost lost control. He rubbed himself against the bed, trying to relieve some of the pressure, but it did not help. The only thing that would help right now would be for him to bury his aching manhood deep inside her.
He sucked gently on Sam's clit, then returned to licking it, increasing his speed and pressure. Sam gasped, and tugged harder on his hair as she pushed herself against him, very close to coming, but needing just a little more stimulation. "Oh, Lantash, Martouf...please...more..." She moaned deeply. "I...I need you, need you so very badly. Please, fuck me...I..." She begged, whimpering a little.
Lantash groaned and lost the battle for control. He spread her folds and pushed his shaft inside her, thrusting hard, as he lay down on her and took her mouth in a heated kiss. Sam made a soft yelp into his mouth, but the pain was light and quickly faded. Using what little willpower he had left, Lantash held as still as he could, letting Sam get used to his size and the feeling of him inside her.
Sam was much too aroused for the small amount of pain to make her want to wait, or for it to have much of any effect on her lust. She pushed up against him, wriggling under him, and Lantash started moving, thrusting slowly into her. She was incredibly tight and so very wet. He moaned deeply and closed his eyes, trying desperately not to give and take her as hard and fast as he wanted. He knew he would not last long if he did. Sam made little noises under him, and arched up against him, rubbing against him every time. He realised it would not take much to push her over, and he gave in, thrusting deeper, faster.
He soon pounded into her, oblivious to everything else but the pleasure of feeling Sam under him, around him, enveloping his shaft in soft, wet tightness. Sam moved in time with him, meeting each of his thrusts.
Suddenly, she bucked against him, her body tightening under him as she came hard, moaning his name and Martouf's. Lantash made a hoarse sound as Sam's pussy squeezed his cock, and his eyes flared from the intensity of his emotions. He plunged into her a few more times before he rammed his shaft deep inside her, spilling his seed as a half-strangled cry escaped him. He collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily.
After a few moments he gave her a kiss and summoned the strength to roll off her, grab a blanket and pull Sam close to him. She was almost asleep already, and snuggled up to him, making a small, satisfied sound.
-----
They had slept maybe an hour, when Martouf awoke. He felt Sam's warm, naked body beside him, and immediately remembered what they had done earlier in the night. He felt a strong stab of desire and realised he was already so hard his shaft was aching. He felt as if a fire was burning in his blood, and the only thing that could quench it was Samantha.
He moaned softly when it became clear to him that the aphrodisiac was still affecting him and Lantash almost as strongly as it had when they made Samantha theirs the first time. He wondered fleetingly how long the drug would take to be broken down, when Sam made a sound in her sleep and turned over on her side, pushing her ass against his erection.
He gasped and forgot about anything but his overpowering need to be inside her. He kissed her neck and put his left arm around her, pulling her even closer. He found one of her breasts and began fondling it, rubbing the nipple which quickly became a hard point under his fingers. Sam moaned in her sleep and pushed back against him again, and he moved his hand lower, finding her clit.
Sam moaned deeper as he stroked the sensitive spot. Martouf faintly registered that Lantash was waking up now, and soon the symbiote was urging him on as well, telling him to mate with Samantha, now, or he would take over and do so. They were in pain, and Sam was whimpering too. Why did he not do something about it?
Martouf groaned and pushed Sam over onto her stomach, entering her swiftly from behind. She gasped as she woke up, then moaned as Martouf thrust into her again.
"Oh...god, yes..." Sam got out, her voice heavy with need. "Fuck me, fuck me hard..." She pushed back against him as he pounded into her again.
He kept his hand under her, stimulating her clit as he rammed into her. As aroused as they were, it did not take long before they were close to coming. Martouf plunged into her one more time, then cried out as he came. Sam rubbed herself against his fingers, still pressed hard against her nub, and she soon joined him in orgasm, moaning and shuddering under him.
Martouf kissed her neck and crawled off her, afraid he was squeezing her. "My sweet, wonderful Samantha..." He snuggled up to her as she rolled over on her side, looking sleepily at him in the semi-darkness. The room was only lighted by the moon shining through the thin curtains, but it was light enough that he could make out her smile.
"That...aphrodisiac's sure some powerful...stuff..." Sam grinned, still a little out of breath from the intensity of her climax. "And together with the alcohol? Wow!" She smiled, a little embarrassed.
"Yes, that combination does seem to make for a strong drug. However, you would be intoxicating to us without any of it," Martouf said, somberly. He kissed her. "I love you."
"Um...thanks..." Sam did not know what to say. "Listen, eh, perhaps we should get some sleep before we're, ah, you know, overwhelmed by, ah, lust, I guess..."
Martouf nodded. "Very true. We should." He gave her another kiss before he sighed and lay down to sleep, snuggling against her.
They soon drifted off to sleep all three.
They ended up making love several more times that night, before the effect of the aphrodisiac finally diminished to a point where they could sleep for more than an hour at a time.