Jo sighed. "Again, not Metebelis III?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
"I can't seem to figure out what's wrong," the Doctor said thoughtfully as he inspected the outside of the TARDIS for anything unusual. "It shouldn't have any problems taking us to where we want to go, but for some reason, it's avoiding Metebelis III."
"Maybe it's because the Timelord restrictions haven't worn off completely yet," Jo suggested, looking all around them. They had landed in what looked like the English countryside, but Jo knew appearances were usually deceiving when travelling with the Doctor. "Where are we this time, Doctor?" she asked.
"I'm not entirely sure, Jo. We'll have to find out." He straightened up and adjusted his great coat he had chosen specially for the occasion. A strong wind blew across the rolling grassy hills and Jo shivered, smiling. The air was so fresh here, it was definitely not anywhere near London. She wondered if they had travelled through time as well as space because everything felt so fresh and clean and new.
"Come on, let's head over that way. I think I can see a road." The Doctor took her hand and helped her over a large mud pile that lay directly in their path. The two of them trudged through the long grass, which turned into a newly sown field. At the edge of the field was the road. It was more like a portion of country side worn down by years passing vehicles, but it was better than cutting across country. The Doctor and his young companion, spurred on by the nippy air, walked briskly toward what Jo thought was the west, because the sun was slowly setting in front of them. Jo started to fatigue after nearly an hour of walking.
"Do you think that we should turn around and go back to the TARDIS?" she asked. "It's going to get dark soon and we might not find shelter for a while yet."
"Or we might find somewhere to stay quite soon." The Doctor pointed up the road just a little way and she noticed a tiny cottage for the first time. They renewed their pace. The Doctor knocked on the door and it was opened promptly by a young man.
"Hello," He smiled warmly at Jo and she blushed. He was rugged and dark-skinned and he wore a green tunic that reminded her a bit of Robin Hood.
"Hello," replied the Doctor. "I'm the Doctor and this is Jo. We're travelers and we're looking for a place to stay. Is there, by any chance, a town close by that we could find lodgings in?"
"Yeah, to the north about an hour's walk." He leaned in the doorway and pointed down the road that forked to the right. "But you won't get there before dark at the rate you were going. I noticed you down the road some way. Why don't you stay here for tonight?"
"Thank you," said the Doctor, "That's very kind of you." The man stepped aside and let them into the cottage. It was nice and homey, Jo observed. It smelled like dirt, leather and honey.
"My name is Enoch Silver." He indicated to two chairs at the table and the Doctor and Jo gratefully sat down.
"Jo Grant," Jo said, offering her hand to him. He took it and kissed the back of it. She blushed and smiled.
"Do you live here alone?" the Doctor asked, looking around. There wasn't much to be seen, just plenty of dirty out-of-place dishes and a few lovely tapestries hanging on the walls. They were very bright and detailed.
"No, I live with my grandmother. She's ill and keeps to her bed most of the time. I farm the land here."
"And where exactly is here?" The Doctor asked, still looking at the tapestries. They looked like they told a very long and complicated story, Jo thought.
"You're just a few miles south of the town of Rebamuse," Enoch said. "This is Lord Carrion's property, and he also is the magistrate in town."
"So, we're not in England, then?" Jo asked, just to be sure.
"No, I'm not sure where that is," Enoch admitted.
"Much too far away for you to be worrying about," the Doctor assured him. "Now, it might be very forward of me, but I'm curious about these tapestries. They seem to tell a very interesting and violent tale." There were people bleeding everywhere and people with fangs, Jo observed.
"Oh, it's part of local legend." Enoch sat on the edge of the table near Jo. The room seemed to grow darker suddenly and she became aware of the candles flickering on surfaces throughout the room.
"It's said that, years ago, a great evil came to Sepah, our world, and made its home very close to Rebamuse. The entity, we call it Draculda, was dying and so, in order for it to survive, it poisoned a few of the townsfolk. For years, it stayed dormant, living in hosts quietly among us, but there is always the threat that it will rise again, when it is strong enough to take control over our people." Enoch crossed his arms and smiled. "Or so they say."
"And that whole tapestry tells that little story?" Jo asked, marveling at how huge and detailed it was.
"Well, there are more details," Enoch said. "Like legends about times when it has risen up and tried to become powerful again, but obviously it didn't work. It also tells about the signs that manifest when Draculda is present."
"Such as…" Jo waited for a reply and the Doctor spoke.
"Large fanged teeth, an unquenchable thirst for blood, pallid skin, bloodshot eyes and what looks like sleeplessness."
"How do you know all that, Doctor?" she asked.
"It's all right here in the tapestry. Come have a look." Jo got up and joined him, bent over so they could look closely at the tapestry. There was so much blood in the pictures, everywhere.
"They look vampires," said Jo, reaching out to touch a depiction.
"Could be," the Doctor said. "After all, while they're just myth on Earth, they could easily be real here on this planet. Though, of course, there would be a much more scientific explanation." He turned to Enoch. "Tell me, have any of these things shown in the tapestry been happening in town recently?"
"Oh, nothing really like what's shown in the tapestry," Enoch replied. "But there have been a few unexplained deaths that have the townsfolk worried. But I don't go into town often, so I'm not sure if anything else has happened."
"Well, that's very interesting," Jo said through a yawn. "But do you think we could talk more about it in the morning? I'm exhausted."
"Of course," Enoch said, getting up quickly. "Where are my manners?" he picked up a candle and said, "Follow me, and be as quiet as you can." Jo followed him through a door and into a small bedroom. There was a little bed in a corner with a lumpy form sleeping on it.
"My mother," he whispered in Jo's ear. Enoch handed the candle to her and reached under the bed to pull out an extra bed on wheels. It was low to the ground and the mattress was thin, but Jo was so tired that she could have slept on anything.
"If there's anything you need, just let me know; I'll be awake," Enoch told her. He took the candle from her and she smiled gratefully at him.
Once he had seen her to bed, Enoch returned to the kitchen where the Doctor sat at the table still. He was sitting thoughtfully, smoking a pipe.
"I'm hope you don't mind," he said, holding it up.
"Oh no, that's fine," Enoch said. "I occasionally smoke one myself." He sat down where Jo had been sitting and reached over to pick up a leftover piece of crumbling corn bread from the table. "So," he asked, chummily, "Is Jo your granddaughter."
"No," the Doctor said. "Just my companion."
"You two travel much?" he Enoch asked, hoping to get the conversation rolling. This old Doctor made him nervous. The man seemed to know much more than he would say.
"Yes," replied the Doctor. He leaned forward on his chair and rested his elbows on his knees. "Is there more to the story?" He asked, quickly changing the subject. "This tapestry seems to say so. Who is that?" He pointed his pipe toward a figure that had sharp teeth like the vampires, but he was herding sheep. Or eating them; the Doctor couldn't tell which.
"Oh, that's the Defender of Rebamuse," Enoch explained. "They say he lives outside the city and protects it from Draculda. They say he also cures those who have been infected by Draculda and only eats their sheep as payment."
"I'm guessing that's how the locals explain every time that a wolf attacks their herds," the Doctor said practically.
"Yes, they do blame misfortunes on him quite a lot, but they never say bad things about him. It's quite an interesting relationship he has with the people of Rebamuse."
"I'd like to find out more tomorrow," said the Doctor.
"I'm going into town to sell some of the early vegetables this season. I could take you there, if you'd like."
"That would be wonderful," said the Doctor. He rose, his great form casting a heavy shadow in the candlelight. With his long great coat and thin form, he looked just like a vampire.
"I think I'll get some sleep now," he said.
"Just climb up to the loft," Enoch pointed to a ladder. "My bed's up there and you can sleep in it. I've got a few more things to do before I can turn in."
"Alright." The Doctor went to the ladder. "And thank you."
"You're very welcome," Enoch said, smiling. His teeth gleamed eerily in the candlelight.
Once the Doctor settled down in the loft and there was no more stirring, Enoch got up and slipped silently out the front door. He did not return until first light.