By the time SG1 got to Meath, they were cold and tired. Thankfully the fires were blazing brightly in the main hall when they arrived, melting the snow that had accumulated on their packs. They shed their baggage in the foyer, leaving their dripping wet coats to be taken to their rooms by the house servants.

As soon as they trudged into the main hall, their boots squishing uncomfortably, large mugs of Erskine quickly found their place in their hands and large blankets were draped over their shoulders.

Egan greeted his half-brother Caedmon with a smile and a warm embrace, the two men finally able to speak and interact publicly.

As the blanket settled over Daniel’s shoulders, he found himself looking into Egan’s expectant face. "Daniel Jackson," Egan said, bowing gracefully, his gesture encompassing the entire group. "Thank you for again returning to our humble village. It is both an honor and a privilege to once again enjoy your presence. How can I be of service?"

Daniel was awe-struck by the humility found in Egan’s words. It took a minute before he was able to form an appropriate reply. "Lord Egan, it is we who are honored to once again be in your presence. We come here in search of one of our own, Colonel Jack O’Neill."

Egan looked at the group, his expression growing dark and melancholy. "I wish I had better news to tell, Daniel Jackson, but as I am sure you are aware, Jack O’Neill is no longer here on Ildanach." Egan paused, his eyes roving over the bedraggled group standing before him. "Perhaps, it would be best if you changed and made yourselves more comfortable. You have had a long and difficult journey."

Sam looked like she was about ready to protest, but Daniel spoke, cutting off whatever she was going to say.

"Egan, although that would seem like the prudent thing to do, under the circumstances it might be better to just answer our questions now." Daniel’s words held a tinge of anger, which did not go unnoticed by Egan. In his exasperation, Daniel had waved his hand, spilling some of the contents of his mug.

"Daniel Jackson, I can understand your reluctance to postpone this discussion, but it might be best for all of us to wait until you are more comfortable. This dialogue may take longer than you think. Please, trust me when I say, nothing bad will happen to you and I only intend on telling you the truth—or as much of it as I am able." Egan bowed deeply, his posture subservient. "I must also ask your forgiveness, Daniel Jackson. I was unable to be completely truthful to you in the past, but the time has come where lies do not become us, especially between brothers. Please, let Kelan take you upstairs. Nerys is already preparing your baths and we have provided warm clothing for you to use if you so desire. I will attend you when you are finished."

Egan’s eyes were hopeful, but also apprehensive, as they locked with Daniel’s. The silent communication between the two was heated and it was Daniel who broke away first, dropping his chin, his mouth set in a thin line. "Fine," Daniel said, sighing into his mug. "Give us an hour?"

"As you ask, it shall be done," Egan said, as Daniel got a glimpse of a pleased expression skittering across Egan’s face before a more neutral expression settled in. Egan raised his voice and held his hand high, gesturing behind SG1. "Kelan, please see that our guests are settled appropriately and food is brought to them. Please honor any request from them as if it were my own."

Kelan nodded, inclining his head in respect. "Yes, my Lord." Kelan’s gaze wandered over the bedraggled group, finally settling in on Daniel. "My Lord, would you please follow me?"

"Sure," Daniel grunted, relinquishing his now empty mug to a passing servant. The rest of SG1 followed suit, including Caedmon.

The group trudged up the stairs, back to the same rooms they had previously occupied. Caedmon was given a smaller suite, across the hall, over-looking the village’s main square.

When Kelan left, the door closing quietly behind him, SG1 relaxed, letting their guard down for the first time since they had stepped foot on the planet.

"So…they seem like nice people," Jacob said, looking expectantly at Daniel and Sam.

"Yeah," Daniel said, grimacing slightly. He had a pretty good idea of what was coming. He dropped into one of the chairs in front of the roaring fireplace, basking in its warmth. Might as well be warm, he thought absently.

Jacob followed Daniel’s example and settled himself carefully in another of the chairs. Teal’c chose to stand, his face unreadable. Sam settled down on the floor, sitting Indian style. "So, Daniel, what is it exactly that gave you such a bad taste about these people? Because, from what I’ve seen, they are nothing if not hospitable and gracious."

"Jacob—"

"Dad—"

Daniel and Sam started to speak at the same time, but stopped just as quickly, waiting patiently for one of them to continue. With a smile on his wearied face, Daniel gestured for Sam to speak first.

Sam weakly returned Daniel’s smile before she started speaking. "Dad, the last time we were here things were different…very different really. The ruling party, so to speak, has changed and I think Egan is much more receptive to us. I also think he’s interested in what we can do for his people." Sam paused, her blue eyes clouding over a little as she tried to organize her thoughts and her words. "Lady Morgana and Lord Kentigern were very welcoming the first time we were here, but we later discovered that they had some ulterior and downright nefarious motives."

Daniel smiled humorlessly. "You could say that again."

"But what did they want? Did they ask for something that you wouldn’t give? What were the reasons behind any of this?" Jacob asked, exasperation evident in his tone. He rubbed a hand across his face, trying to wipe away some of the weariness.

"There was no need for them to ask, their motives are obvious," Teal’c said, his voice quietly authoritative. "Lady Morgana desired power, more than she could rightfully obtain here. O’Neill was a convenient appropriation for her."

"Convenient? Come on, Teal’c, Jack is anything but convenient," Daniel protested, straightening in his chair, his eyebrows drawn together in anger.

"I have seen it happen on many previous occasions with the Goa’uld. Generally, there is no plan. Instead, the Goa’uld just wait for a convenient opportunity to arise for them to move. That is the way of a parasite. Such as it appears even now."

"All right, Teal’c," Daniel said, pulling his glasses roughly from his face, giving him free access to grind the heels of his hands into his reddened eyes. He was cold and tired and wasn’t in the mood to argue with one of his closest friends—especially considering, deep down, he knew that Teal’c was probably right. Daniel squinted across the brief distance to where Sam was sitting, noticing the scowl on her face. None of them wanted to think of Jack as being taken as just a convenient target. Jack was so much more to them.

"Sam, we should probably get ourselves together before Egan comes a-knockin’. What do you say?"

At her name, Sam looked up, an expression of surprise filtering across her face. "Sure, Daniel, Sounds fine. Dad? Teal’c?" Sam looked back and forth between the other two team members present.

"Fine with me Sammy. Besides, Selmac has been pestering me to get out of these wet clothes. " Jacob slowly rose to his feet, arching his back slightly to stretch out his back muscles. "If no one minds, I’m going to jump in first and get cleaned up."

"Don’t jump too high, Jacob," Daniel said.

Jacob turned back to Daniel, a puzzled expression on his face.

"No indoor plumbing. You might land in the tub," Daniel said simply with a shrug.

Jacob’s eyes widened a little and his mouth formed a little "o". "Oh well," he said a beat later. "I’ve been in much worse places."

Sam quietly retreated to her room and bath chamber while Teal’c settled on the floor, a number of candles before him. If there was one good thing about these castles, Daniel thought, watching Teal’c fall effortlessly into a state of kel-no-reem, it the vast numbers of candles. Teal’c could meditate for hours on end and never fear for a lack of candles.

Daniel smiled to himself as he leaned back in the chair, his feet up on the small table before him. He had never realized how comfortable this chair was before, he noted absently, his eyes closing slowly, the warmth from the fire finally drying his clothes and heating his chilled body.

He could hear Jacob splashing around a little in the bathroom, trying to clean off some of the dirt and grime that covered all of them. In the places where the ground wasn’t covered in snow, there was mud that managed to fly up, coating the bottom of their uniforms; sticking in clumps and leaving dried brown streaks in other places.

Daniel was certain that Sam was enjoying a little time alone, getting the chance to clean up a little, settle the thoughts in her mind. This time also gave them a chance to reflect on the information Caedmon had provided earlier, as shocking as it had been. Daniel knew it was going to be a long time before he finally convinced himself that Jack had turned to the dark side.

Granted, Jack had done many things in his life that could be considered a little on the dark side—those nasty missions he never spoke about—but even at his lowest point, Jack would never give up. Jack would never give in under pressure. He was better than that. He was invincible—at least, that’s how Daniel always viewed him. Jack was the older brother you looked up to, who did everything and lived to tell the tale. Jack was a man of the world. He’d seen things and been places about which Daniel couldn’t even dream.

Just as Daniel was starting to drift off to sleep, he vaguely heard the bathroom door opening; his eyes popped open as a memory assaulted his senses. Jack had sat in this very seat, in this very position, on the night that he was taken from them. Daniel shuddered and he could feel Jacob’s eyes on the back of his head.

Daniel wasn’t surprised when Jacob padded over to the chair and placed his hand on his shoulder, a comforting presence, strong and unmovable, just like Jack.

Daniel was without words as he glanced up, his eyes relaying his thanks to the figure standing beside him in the only manner possible.

Jacob spoke a moment later; his eyes still locked with Daniel’s. His voice was quiet, barely above a whisper but carried easily to Daniel’s ears. "The bathroom’s yours. Go ahead and get yourself cleaned up." Jacob offered a fatherly smile and patted Daniel’s shoulder, breaking the moment, urging Daniel to get up, to move, to get on with life and the things that needed to be accomplished.

It was going to be a long night, of this, Daniel was certain.

Approximately an hour later, Sam poked her still damp head out of her room, taking in the sitting room with one quick glance. Her father was casually poking through his pack, his hands and mind obviously too unsettled for anything sedate. She was surprised he wasn’t pacing. Apparently, he had also decided to change into the clothes Egan had provided. The trousers, long over-shirt, and the leather boots suited him, she thought, hovering in the doorway.

She had changed, as well, and was a little self-conscious of her new clothing. While the clothes were practical and comfortable, they weren’t what she was used to. The fibers were coarser, thicker, but somehow, they fit a lot better, allowing her a range of movement wider than she had originally anticipated. Sam was grateful for her own undergarments, however.

Her father must have felt her presence in the room, because he turned a few moments later, looking directly at her, a smile coming easily to his lips.

"Major Carter, I am glad to see you are rested," Selmac said, clearly pleased to see her.

"Thank you, Selmac," Sam said, slipping into one of the chairs and pulling her feet up under her. She paused for a few minutes, letting a comfortable silence fall between them. "What do you think about all this?" Sam finally asked, curious as to what Selmac had to say. Selmac had kept much to herself this day, instead choosing to only speak with her host.

"I am disturbed that you had to be subjected to the likes of the Kyredians. I had heard about them many years ago, but we had thought they were long since extinct. Unfortunately, that was not the case." Selmac’s tone was grim, with an undertone of sorrow. "I wish we had known about this sooner."

"We can’t go back and change the past," Sam said, her eyes compassionate. "We’ve managed so far, we’re nearly done. All we have to do is get Colonel O’Neill back. We don’t blame you for anything."

Before Selmac could respond, a light tapping at the door drew their attention. Sam uncurled herself, walking over to the door to open it. Teal’c was still meditating and she didn’t want to disturb him any more than necessary.

"Kelan," Sam said, a smile finding a way to her face. "Please come in."

Kelan bowed as he entered. "My Lady, are you prepared for your evening meal? I can have it brought immediately."

Sam exchanged glances with her father, who merely shrugged, leaving the decision up to her. "Sure, Kelan. Dinner sounds good. Could you also ask Lord Egan and Caedmon to join us? I think it’s time we spoke a little further regarding why we’re here."

"Yes, my Lady. They are both awaiting your summons. I shall inform them and Nerys of your request personally." Kelan bowed again and was gone seconds later, the door closing quietly behind him.

Sam turned to face her father, noticing that Teal’c was listening and Daniel had opened the door to the bathroom. Sam’s voice was dour. "Company’s coming."

Less than thirty minutes later, another knock sounded at the door to their room. Teal’c, the only one standing, answered the summons, opening the door wide to allow several servants bearing overflowing trays to enter the room. Nerys directed the servants to place the trays carefully on a sideboard table that had been brought in moments earlier to serve this specific purpose. Plates and goblets, as well as various serving utensils, emerged from the depths as well, appearing before each member of SG1.

Caedmon and Egan entered a few moments later, after everyone had been served. Retrieving a mug of ale, Egan settled down into a chair he had pulled up to form a close circle in front of the fireplace. Sam, Daniel, and Jacob had already made themselves comfortable, claiming chairs earlier in the evening. Teal’c had finally acquiesced, sitting in one of the proffered chairs, finally convinced by Jacob that it would be easier to sit and eat dinner than stand and do the same.

Teal’c, always a man of logical thinking, couldn’t belabor the point.

Caedmon had also found a seat next to his brother. The two men couldn’t be more different, Daniel thought, eyeing them critically as he paused in his eating, taking a drink of his ale to wash down some of the meat. It tasted vaguely gamy, probably close to deer or rabbit, but he wasn’t sure.

Where Egan was broad, Caedmon was narrow. Caedmon’s face clearly displayed his rougher way of life, the skin more tan, weathered more than was his brother’s—even though he was half his brother’s age. Where Egan wore his garments, finery such as they were, with ease, Caedmon wore them uneasily, more at ease in his threadbare and practical clothing.

Their eyes, though, were the same. The same clarity, the same color, the same determination shined through.

Daniel imagined that beyond the clothing and the physical differences, these two men were more alike than they cared to admit to themselves—or each other.

Egan glanced warily between the members of SG1, watching as they looked up at him between bites of their dinner. Egan was obviously uncomfortable and, after a few minutes of being stared at, Daniel finally gave Egan the opening he was looking for.

"Egan, I know that this is probably going to be difficult for you to discuss, but we have to start somewhere. Why did you give me those herbs? And what did Morgana do to us?" Daniel held Egan’s gaze for a moment. Daniel could feel the juices from the meat running down his hand, but he ignored the sensation. He was more interested in what Egan had to say—and how he was going to say it.

Egan lowered his eyes and took a deep breath before he answered Daniel’s question. "Morgana has an…affinity for various herbs and plants and has developed, over the years, the ability to mix these into very powerful substances. The leaf I provided is very powerful used alone. Many people use it as a way to relax, although it is generally frowned upon because of some of its side effects."

Daniel exchanged a quick look with Sam, noting her surprised expression. She mouthed a single word to him and he tried not to laugh out loud. The people of Meath apparently had found Ildanach’s version of marijuana. Daniel quickly turned back to Egan, his mind fully engaged once again in Egan’s narration.

"Morgana was able to create a very potent compound using that leaf and another herb grown locally. By distilling it down, she used it to make a person’s mind more pliable to various suggestions. Combined with her inborn abilities, she is able to concentrate and place memories or remove memories at will from the infected person. She can also place suggestions, deeply buried suggestions, into their minds, that later emerge. The infected person thinks that this was their own idea, but instead it was merely a thought planted by Morgana days, weeks, or even years before."

"Egan, how could you have just sat on the sidelines not doing anything, especially if you knew what was going on? And, how could you bring us here, knowing full well, what she was capable of?" Daniel was flabbergasted at the ease with which Egan could speak about these things, almost with certain nonchalance.

Egan lowered his eyes, glancing furtively at his brother sitting silently beside him. "I did not approve of Morgana’s…methods but I did not know the full extent of them until recently." At least Egan looked ashamed at what he had done, Daniel thought, although it was little consolation now. They had been subjected to her methods—as had Jack.

"Egan, I’m curious, though. Why did you give Daniel that herb? The only reason we came back was because you placed that herb in Daniel’s pack." Sam’s eye eyes squinted slightly as she concentrated on Egan’s expressions across the table. Daniel noticed that she had been picking at her food, much in the same way that he had been, moving it around the plate more than actually partaking of it.

"I wanted you to return."

Egan’s comment was mumbled and Daniel had to strain to catch the fleeting words. He looked quizzically at Egan, his brows drawn together. "You wanted us to return?" His disbelief was dripping from his words.

Egan nodded slightly, glancing again at his brother, apparently looking for support. Caedmon, although he returned the glance, did not speak, leaving that for his brother. Egan glanced around the room, unable to meet Daniel’s eyes. "Yes, I wished you would return and aid us in removing Morgana from within our midst. You were great and powerful and we knew…I knew, that you would be able to help us."

"But why should we?" Daniel asked, his tone harsh. "Why should we help you? Our friend…my friend is gone and Caedmon tells me that Jack’s not the same man that he was before. Why should we help you get out of the mess that you have made?"

"Daniel," Jacob said, lightly placing a hand on Daniel’s arm, not so much restraining him as in reminding him that there were others present.

Daniel turned to look at Jacob, anger flashing in his eyes. As soon as he saw Jacob’s tired smile and compassionate eyes, the fire within him died immediately, leaving him drained.

Daniel closed his eyes, pressing his loosely closed fist against his forehead, breathing deeply. When he finally opened his eyes several minutes later, Daniel noticed that Egan had quietly stood and was now pacing back and forth, his feet barely making a sound against the stone floor.

"Egan, please forgive my outburst. I’m tired and frustrated and it’s been a long day." When Egan did not stop his movement, Daniel sighed deeply, placing his still full plate on the table before him. Placing his elbows on his knees, Daniel leaned forward, his shoulder muscles bunched and tight. "Egan," Daniel implored, but was cut off.

"Daniel Jackson, it is hard to imagine a more terrible situation," Egan said, swinging around to look at Daniel, his expression painful. "And here I am asking for your help, telling you of things that I wished I had done. I wish I could have done more for O’Neill. I was…fearful of what the consequences would be."

"For whom?" Teal’c asked, his deep voice an anchor of calm in a sea of emotions.

"For my people," Egan said, stopping suddenly to stare at Teal’c, who was standing in the shadows. A flash of indignation lit Egan’s eyes for a brief second and then was gone, replaced only by weariness. "The people feared Lady Morgana. They had seen the things she had done and they obeyed because of that fear. They trusted me. I did not want to lose that trust, especially because my brother Kentigern supported his wife—whether or not she was reasonable."

"What made you change your mind with regard to this woman?"

Egan swept a hand across his brow, his eyes skimming over the table and his nearly full goblet of ale. He took a deep breath and, unable to find a place to cast his gaze, looked down. "I saw what she did to him."

"That’s it? You saw what she did and all of a sudden you changed your mind?" Daniel was becoming increasingly frustrated, as was clearly evident in his wide-mouthed expressions and loud sighs.

"No. It was more than simply that one thing. It was at that moment that I realized that we are not so different after all. O’Neill is a warrior and he follows the warrior’s path, as do I. Even though he does not claim to follow this path, by his actions, I know what he truly is. He should be permitted the opportunity to live up to his obligations, his code of honor. Morgana, on the other hand, although claiming to honor our ways and our path in life, flouts our beliefs, using deception and dishonor to gain power and prestige. O’Neill finally pulled the veil from my eyes, showing me her true intentions. For that, I am forever grateful." Egan bowed deeply toward Daniel, holding it a few seconds, a gesture of deepest respect toward an absent friend.

Daniel didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t argue with him. He also knew the kind of man Jack O’Neill was. Without effort, Jack had the ability to change the course of events and even people’s opinions, just by his presence. The SG teams looked up to him and loyally followed him every step of the way. Maybe it was charisma. Maybe it was Jack’s overwhelming sense of adventure and determination.

Or maybe it was something else entirely.

Whatever it was, Daniel had all the proof he needed. He would follow Jack to the ends of the universe if necessary, just to get him back home safe.

"Lord Egan," Jacob said, his tone respectful. "Do you know where they went?"

"Yes," Egan nodded, fumbling in his pockets, his brows creased in concentration. A few seconds later, a small piece of paper emerged which Egan reverentially handed to Sam.

Sam glanced up from the paper in her hands, her expression curious. At Egan’s gesture, she unfolded it, revealing the writing inside. Her eyes widened taking in its contents. "This…this is Colonel O’Neill’s writing," Sam said, looking at Egan, surprise written in her words and her facial expressions. She scooted forward in her chair, perched on the edge. "Egan, how did you get this?"

"O’Neill gave it to me before he departed and instructed me on the use of the Stargate."

"You know where he went? You could tell us?"

"Yes. He dialed the top set of symbols. He did not say where he was going, however."

Sam’s eyes had dropped back to the paper during Egan’s answer. She spoke again, her tone nebulous. "Knowing him, he probably couldn’t even remember the planet’s designation." Daniel could tell that she was thinking deeply, trying to place the symbols with something, anything to help them pinpoint where it was and why Jack would have gone there. He craned his neck to look at the paper clutched tightly in Sam’s hand. Daniel squinted, trying to make out the symbols. It was obviously Jack’s handwriting. Daniel could identify Jack’s scrawl from 100 yards—as long as he had his glasses on.

"Sam, do you know where those coordinates go?" Jacob asked, leaning in as well, trying to read over Sam’s shoulder. Teal’c merely stood silent, patiently waiting for Sam to speak.

She glanced up quickly, handing the paper to Teal’c. "Do you remember a few months back when we were going to do some reconnaissance missions? For a while all we could find were a bunch of Jaffa armies. I think those might be two of the planets General Hammond put on a list to be redialed in a year. Do you remember, Teal’c?"

Tilting his head slightly, Teal’c gazed at the symbols, his dark eyes scanning the page, taking in everything from Jack’s hasty handwriting and the shakiness of the lines to the symbols themselves.

After several moments, Teal’c nodded slowly, handing the paper back to Sam. "I believe you are correct, Major Carter. Those planets would be P8X-767 and P3X-429, respectively. Both had a contingent of Jaffa stationed at the gate. General Hammond thought it prudent to refrain from visiting until the situation had changed drastically."

Daniel rose quickly to his feet, impatience written in every movement. "So, we know where they went. Let’s go find Jack."

"Daniel, it’s not that easy." Sam said, her voice firm, realistic. "What do you plan on doing? Walking up to the Colonel and saying, ‘Hi Jack, it’s time to go home’? I don’t think that will work."

"Why not?" Daniel was not going to give in so easy. They were so close. He could feel it.

"Daniel, we need some kind of a plan. We need to know exactly what we’re up against," Sam said, fixing Egan with a strong level look. "We need to know everything we can about Morgana and we need to know what kind of reaction to expect from the Colonel."

"I can provide you with much of that information, my Lady," Caedmon said, speaking up for the first time in hours.

"Caedmon, this has been bothering me for a while now and I have to ask. Is there any particular reason why Lady Morgana is called by such a name?" Daniel asked, his glasses dangling from his hands. He’d taken his seat again as soon as he realized the extent of the planning that was needed.

"I am not sure I understand your question, my Lord."

Daniel sighed, rubbing the heel of his hand along his temple. "Is there any particular reason why she might have chosen a name that is linked with one of the Celtic goddesses?" At Caedmon’s puzzled expression, Daniel continued, his voice taking on his lecture tone—a tone Jack despised. "Back on Earth, the goddess Morrigan was a shapeshifting war goddess of lust, magic, prophecy, revenge, and war. She was also known as the Great Queen, Supreme War Goddess, Queen of Phantoms, and Specter Queen." Daniel glanced around, noting various sets of eyes glazing over. "Well, that’s really neither here or there, I imagine, because it’s not like she can shapeshift or anything."

Caedmon lifted his head, his eyes narrowing, looking straight into Daniel’s eyes. "On the contrary, my Lord, Lady Morgana has on many occasions transformed herself into a raven."

"What?" Sam’s incredulous tone was echoed throughout the room.

"Then the legends are true," Selmac said, his tone ominous.

"What legends? Dad, what aren’t you telling us?"

Jacob’s head nodded once, the only outward sign that Jacob and Selmac were exchanging control. "Sam, Selmac has had vague memories of the Kyredians, but one unique feature was the ability to transform themselves into various animals and birds. Since they didn’t mention it before, Selmac could not be certain that it was the same. Teal’c," Jacob said, turning his attention to the stoic Jaffa. "Do you remember the stories of which Selmac spoke?"

"I believe I do," Teal’c said, his eyes distant as he pulled the memory from deep within his mind. "It was considered to be a children’s story, a tale told to frighten."

"You knew too?" Daniel asked, overwhelmed by the revelations happening around him.

"Only once Selmac pointed out the obvious feature. They were called something else in the story, however."

"What?"

Teal’c paused, his lips pursed, hesitating as if the name itself would bring down their vengeance. "Soul destroyers."