The snores from the other room told Radek that his father, the inn-keeper, was fast asleep. Carefully he made his way from the bed to the casement, throwing one side open and letting the strong wind into the room, blowing Radek's hair askew. He slipped his spectacles on and sat in the window with his cautiously balanced ink well and leather writing book. Closing his eyes for a moment, Radek enjoyed the wind and the sounds of the forest.

His pen flowed across the parchment, words from his soul to his beloved, Ronon.

Ronon. The name made his body shiver and his heart flutter. His secret beloved Ronon ran from the Wraith. A Ringrunner.

Though sought by the scourge of the universe, Ronon was a caring, loving man, appearing beneath Radek's window as often as he could manage. It had been nigh on a fortnight since Radek's eyes had grazed across the face of the man he loved.

The ink ran from the pen, filling the page with the words Radek longed to tell Ronon with his own voice but could not. Radek silently cursed the Wraith.

He sat in the window for a long while, hours by the positions of the near full moon and the sliver crescent in the sky. Watching the road for an hour more, Radek daydreamed about his Ronon. He dared not stay near Radek for long, his greatest fear bringing the Wraith to take Radek's life. Radek yearned for a world without the Wraith where he and Ronon could be together.

Sighing, Radek gave up the fantasy for the night and slipped back into bed, eyes closing and mind dreaming instantly.

Radek was woken at the usual time for his work, feeding the hungry boarders their breakfast. The rest of the day passed in the same manner through lunch and supper. Chores finished as the second moon rose, Radek readied himself for bed, lying until his father was again asleep.

He sat at his desk, finishing the letter to his love and sealing it, wondering when it would pass from his hands and into Ronon's. A quiet tap sounded on the casement, and a soft whistling tune reached his ears, as familiar to him as his heart. Feet swift and light, Radek threw the casement open.

Ronon sat upon his kun, a Satedan cocked hat perched upon his head. A coat of claret velvet draped across his broad shoulders, breeches of brown doeskin clung to his legs, clean and unwrinkled despite his harried life.

Radek's face lit up, smile wide for his lover. "Ronon! I have worried."

Ronon offered a small smile in return, rising in the stirrups, and reaching to take one of Radek's hands. A kiss to his palm was all the apology he could give to Radek. "My Radek, I may only stay for a moment. I am after a prize tonight and wish for a kiss of luck."

Radek's face fell, but he squeezed Ronon's hand bravely. Neither noticed the hostler watching from the stable, witnessing their secret affair, eyes wild and envious.

"I shall be back before the dawn, my love. They are after me closely and I wish not to lead them here. Should they press me through the day, watch for me by the moonlight. Hell shan't keep me away."

Smiling sadly, Radek leaned out of the window as far as he could, grasping Ronon's hand and brushing their lips together.  A kiss was pressed to the back of Radek's hand lovingly.

"Watch for me." With that, Radek's hand was released and Ronon tugged at the reins of the kun and galloped away, rapier glinting in the moonlight, strapped across his back.

The two moons set, ushering in the dawn, rays of orange light casting a glow over the moor. Radek waited until he heard his father rousing from sleep before slipping into bed and feigning sickness, bone tired.

It was an hour later that he was awoken by the hostler, Tim Kavanaugh, who came with soup made by the village medicine woman. He set the bowl on the bed table  and raked his eyes over Radek in the way lonely old men did to young children. It sent a frightened tremble over Radek, and he nodded to Kavanaugh and said "Thank you" politely, but with just a bit of aversion behind it.

Kavanaugh's eyes narrowed for a moment before he turned around and left without a word.

Sipping the broth slowly, Radek enjoyed the slightly sweet, slightly salty tuttleroot and tava bean soup, eyelids drooping tiredly. He set the bowl aside and curled into the bed clothing, falling back into rest.  The sun woke him next, the noon light shining through the casement. 

Rubbing his eyes as he went, Radek moved across the room to look through the window, watching amongst the village people for his love the Ringrunner. He sat in the window until the landlord woke his son, Radek’s forehead pink where it had been pressed against the window.

Back in his bed, Radek shut his eyes and dozed again as his father smoothed his hair down. “Be well, my son.” The soft sound of the familiar lullaby from childhood calmed Radek to sleep for the final time.

Rough hands yanked Radek from the bed, startling him into consciousness. His eyes focused on gleaming teeth, pale green skin, and shocked white hair. Wraith.

With a yell of horror, Radek began struggling, trying to escape from the demons. "Let me go!"

Hot breath fell over his cheek, a human snicker ghosting through his ear. "I think, my dear Radek, that isn't possible. You see, your loving Ringrunner has led the Wraith to Jenev and with my help, you." Kavanaugh's smirk sent chills through Radek. "And because I helped them, once they have your Ringrunner, I will have you."

Radek snarled, twisting in fury. The Wraith holding him yanked him against the bed while another tied him to the footboard. With a smug look, Kavanaugh rigged a Jenevian musket beneath Radek's chin, setting it to shoot should Radek try to get free.

 "I will never...!" Kavanaugh grabbed him by the chin and forced a gag into his mouth.

"Oh, but you shall. You won't have a choice, dear one," Radek grit his teeth as Kavanaugh nuzzled his ear.

One of the Wraith, the one who hadn't touched him growled. "You shall not live to do anything if the Ringrunner does not show. Your life is the price you will pay if he does not." The Wraith's hand hovered over Kavanaugh's chest, teeth bared, and he shuddered visibly.

"He will return," Kavanaugh responded, looking unsure of himself. "He said by the moonlight."

The other two Wraith took up post at the casement, waiting for the Ringrunner to arrive.

Hands twisting in the ropes, Radek struggled quietly, carefully, to get free. He could hear the screams in the village, see those running from the Wraith. His father was dead, he knew, as were the inn-boarders. Sorrow washed over him as he listened and watched to his village being destroyed.  Irrational though it was, Radek had let this happen; he hadn't argued when Ronon refused to let him live the life of a Ringrunner. Radek held no rancor against Ronon, despite the Wraith being on Jenev for him. Their love was too strong and Radek knew the blame fell upon the monsters holding him captive, but that did not stop the guilt he felt for the death of his people.

Radek stood for hours, trying to work his hands loose, biting the gag to keep from whimpering as the ropes dug into his wrists with every move they made. Blood dripped down his hands from the wounds, but he paid it no mind as he warily watched the alpha Wraith pace and snarl. Kavanaugh was making himself scarce in the window, becoming more fidgety as the night progressed.

The three Wraith waiting for Ronon were the only ones left on the planet, the others taking filled darts through the Ancestral Ring and leaving Jenev quiet. There were people left, Radek knew, hiding in the forest and the caves dotting the mountainside. And as he finally got his finger on the musket trigger, he knew his people would live on.

He strove for no more than the trigger of the musket, heart and mind ready to warn his lover away with a shot. It was another hour before he heard it, ears straining. Clop-clop. Clop-clop. Radek glanced around, but the Wraith seemed not to have heard it. Kavanaugh was still huddled in the corner, scared stiff, eyes trained on the Wraith, obviously thinking over his role in the horrible night.

Clop-clop. This time, they heard it. The two soldier Wraith readied their weapons as the vision of the Ringrunner came 'round the bend of the moonlit road. Snarling, the alpha began pacing, teeth shown eerie white. Radek steadied himself, sending out a silent prayer for his lover before pulling the trigger.

The Ancestral Ring opened and Ronon rode through to Jenev. The Ring sentries weren't in their places and immediately, Ronon felt uneasy. There were no signs of a culling and he knew Jenev was not due for at least ten more years. A shot rang out through the silent night, far enough away to be coming from the village Ronon rode towards. He pulled on the kun reins and rode back towards the Ring, away from the shot he knew was from a Jenevian musket. It was a warning shot. Raiders, for there were no other sounds from the village.

As he rode back towards the Ring, Ronon noticed townspeople coming out of hiding as the sun began rising. His eyes watched for his lover in the crowd. After many hours of watching the devastated people appear from the hidden caves and searching for his Radek, he stopped an old man hobbling towards the Ancestor's Ring.

"Elder, what has happened here this last night?"

The people around stopped, eyes wide, disbelieving. The old man shook his head and watched the ground for a moment before speaking. "The Wraith came."

"The Wraith....there is no sign..." Ronon's heart fell and he grit his teeth. "The landlord's son, Radek. Where is he?"

A young mother shifted her scared, crying little one on her hip and spoke. "They came for him. The holster brought the Wraith for the landlord's son."

"Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky,
    With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high!
    Blood-red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat,
    When they shot him down on the highway,
                      Down like a dog on the highway,
    And he lay in his blood on the highway, with the bunch of lace at his throat.

And still of a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
    When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
    When the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
    A ringrunner comes riding—
                      Riding—riding—
    A ringrunner comes riding, up to the old inn-door."  The bard's voice was soft and sad as she finished her tale, regaling the newcomers.

Sheppard looked to Teyla uncomfortably, unsure about clapping. She gave him a look and stood, clasping hands with the bard and bowing her head.

"We are honored with your song, Lieana." Lieana pressed her forehead to Teyla's with a wide smile.

"I thank you, my friend. It is one that has been in my family for many generations. The names of the Ringrunner and the landlord's son have been lost to us over the years, however," Lieana pulled away from Teyla to survey the rest of her team.

"This is Colonel Sheppard, Ronon Dex, and Doctor Zelenka. You will meet our Dr. McKay another time, but he is unable to walk due to an unfortunate injury," Teyla motioned to each of the men.

Lieana's smile was bright as she nodded to each of them in turn. Sheppard grinned back at her and stood, offering his hand. "Beautiful song, Lieana." She nodded politely and shared a look with Teyla, amused at the Colonel's flirting.

Ronon watched stoically as always, appearing to be unaffected by the song, but Radek had seen the look that had flashed across his face when the landlord's son had killed himself to save his lover from the Wraith. Radek stood and brushed by him with a soft smile, moving to read the monument by which Lieana had been standing. The words were in Ancient but it only took a moment to read.

"The Ringrunner and his lover shall find each other again, for love as strong as theirs shall not be broken by death but only fortified."

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