Chapter 1
It had been a bit of a change from their usual routine, what with the usual alien plots and running for their lives, and she had been pleased the moment she had stepped out of the TARDIS. He stopped himself from reading too much into that as he watched his companion bound ahead of him in the direction of the bazaar, unable to glower all that effectively when she had spun around to flash a brilliant smile in his direction, stretching out her arm and wiggling her fingers invitingly, calling out for him to hurry up.
When she had asked for a change of pace after a particularly exhausting week of saving alien worlds he had known exactly where he wanted to take her. Grinning broadly, he punched in the coordinates and set himself to work flipping switches and yanking levers with enthusiasm, giving her a bit of a show while insisting that it was a surprise when she wondered and pleaded for a hint of where he was taking her. She squealed as the TARDIS lurched into motion, her fingers curling around the edge of the jump seat, smiling that tongue-touched smile he loved so much, just for him.
He had caught her with one arm when she had made a mad dash for the door, insisting on a lecture about the importance of UV protection while she groaned and rolled her eyes, pretending not to listen while she tapped her foot. Not one to be discouraged, he tugged a jar from his bottomless pocket and swiped an airy substance across her forehead and down the length of her nose before she could wriggle away. She had punched him in the shoulder and ducked under his arm before he could release her, huffing about ruining her makeup with his alien fussing, but by the time she had fished her compact out of her pocket the balm had been absorbed fully into her skin without a trace, and she stuck her tongue out at him when he assured her with a shrug of his broad shoulders that she didn't need any of that muck anyway.
Once they were outside he made an effort to look impassive while he carefully catalogued the shock and delight that was written across her face, his hearts twisting pleasantly when she brought her hands up to press against her lips to suppress a high pitched sound of pleasure as she took it all in before she turned to force a tight hug round his middle, the leather of his jacket creaking softly as she pressed her body flush against his.
Two pink suns hung in the sky, one larger than the other, framed by wisps of golden clouds that streaked an almost purple sky. Alexandria, a small and young planet nestled in the hazy depths of the Kakos Lykos nebula was a home to a deeply spiritual and romantic culture that would seem incredibly similar to the Greco-Roman era on Earth in terms of architecture, cuisine, lack of inhibitions, and a polytheist reverence of the seasons, although at this particular point in time the Earth would have hardly recovered from the Ice Age.
With his hand in hers, fingers intertwined, he wondered why he had not brought her here sooner. It was everything she loved, they had been traveling together long enough for him to know that, everything foreign and alien but not so much that she felt completely out of her element. Alexandria was perfect. A genius, him.
The Alexandrians stood a little taller than humans, but they were bipedal and had human-ish features that could be considered attractive, judging by the way his young companion was gawking at a couple of pretty young men. What skin was left uncovered by gauzy fabric that they had wrapped around their lithe forms was a coppery-red bronze that shone in the light of the pink suns as brightly as metal. He explained to her that the somewhat revealing clothing they wore was a single sheet of fabric that was carefully wrapped around them in something similar to toga with nothing but expert weaving to hold it all together. She had gushed at that and wondered about buying one, leaving him wondering what she might look like wrapped up like one of the locals.
They had long, slender fingers that she would notice right away as they were very animated when they spoke to each other, gesturing more and more wildly as the conversation grew more heated. He snorted as Rose very nearly swooned at the sight of their long, Elvish ears that were commonly decorated with hoops and bells. The men wore their dark hair cropped short and styled their beards in long braids with ribbons of gold and pink while most of the women wore theirs piled high on their head, glossy and purple and so dark it was almost black, with a shimmer of gold painted delicately on their bodies and faces to highlight their graceful features in a variety of patterns: around their eyes, across the bridge of their nose, lining their lips, and around the contours of full breasts that were scarcely covered by the draping fabric.
The children that were scampering around in the crowded market place wore the same style of wrapped clothing, although theirs seem to be knotted securely to keep them from unravelling off their androgynous bodies, entirely free of paint and bells and braids. He explained to a wide eyed Rose that they were without a definite gender until they reached puberty, neither male or female, until they had come of age.
"Is it safe?" She asked him as they strolled through the market arm in arm, breaking a stretch of companionable silence. "No political upheavals, no nanogenes, no nothin'?"
"Safe as houses." He said, looking a little wounded at the look of doubt on her face.
"Are you sure? I mean, really, properly sure?"
"Yes. For now, anyways."
"What does that mean? I'm warnin' you, Doctor! This had better not be the eve of some revolution, or a flood, or somethin'!" She warned, a hint of a smirk playing across her glossed lips.
"Nope. No war, no famine, nothing." She followed the direction of his gaze as he nodded in the direction of the largest, pink sun. "It'll all be swallowed up before anything like that can happen."
"What, seriously?" Her voice dropped to a whisper, all amusement gone from her face as she thoughtfully regarded the softly glowing, rosy orb in the sky. If not for his sensitive and big, daft ears he might not have heard her at all. "But that's terrible."
"Not really, no. Everything has a beginning and an end, Rose. Even Earth, you saw that for yourself." He squeezed her hand reassuringly, coming to a halt so that he could pull her towards him. He raised his eyebrows as she reluctantly met his gaze, her hazel-brown eyes looking a little watery compared the blue flints of his. He found himself wishing he hadn't said anything, cursing his fool mouth and hoping he had not gone and ruined everything, he drew her in for a gentle hug. "It's alright, look around. Happy people, Alexandrians. They evolve and they flourish, and sure, they'll wink out of existence eventually, but so does everything. They love life, love each other. It's a fantastic life."
He chucked her under the chin with his free hand, hoping his gentle smile reached his eyes, and held back a sigh of relief when he saw the hint of a smile returning to her curling lips. That was his Rose, compassionate to a fault but certainly made of sterner stuff. Another squeeze of her hand and he began pointing out different landmarks, naming the various statues of Gods and Goddesses that lined their path towards the center of town and held his head a little higher when he noticed she was paying rapt attention to him rather than searching the crowd for pretty boys.
Judging by the gold and pink ribbons and streamers that decorated every ledge and doorway and braided beard he realized with an inward groan that they had come during the most provocative festival this side of the galaxy. He had noticed too late just what had the market so brightly coloured and crowded, but Rose seemed to be enjoying herself, so he shrugged his shoulders back and continued walking. He had been aiming for late autumn, but he wouldn't tell her that, not with all the comments about his driving lately.
"Solstice of the Second Sun. A celebration of the coming of the blooming spring, the sowing of seeds, and the Consummation." He told her matter-of-factly, gesturing at the bundles of pink and gold that were strewn about everywhere as if that had been obvious.
"Consummation?" She parroted, sounding a little scandalized.
"Yeah, consummation. The joining of the Lovers." He clarified and gestured towards the pair of suns hanging so close together in the sky. "In the cycle of a year they will be separated until they are on opposite ends of the sky, lonely and bringing the darkness of winter. They come together like this in the spring and last throughout the summer before they are separated again. Helios and Helia, they call 'em." He said, pointing at the larger and smaller sun respectively.
"And the suns are the Lovers?" She said, her eyebrows raised and disappearing behind her fringe. "You mean, like Aphrodite and Zeus and all that?"
"Yep. The sun is usually a central part of theology on most planets, same as Earth. The sun, or suns in this case, bring light and warmth and mature the fields and chase away the darkness. The Alexandrians believe that the Lovers, after being separated for so long, come together in a passionate embrace and burn brighter than any other time of the year." He finished with a nod, puzzled and little distracted by the way her cheeks had flushed before she tore her gaze away from his.
"That's rather romantic, isn't it?" She mused, looking a little more carefully around her than she had when they had first begun their exploration, noticing for the first time that the crowds were made up mostly of couples with their hands clasped and tied together by a pink and gold ribbon. He thought he saw her glance down at their own interlocked fingers, but she had avoided his questioning gaze entirely so he could not be sure.
"Suppose so. There will be a communal sharing of what's left of the winter stores, a dance of sorts, and then a tribute consummation."
"A tribute what?"
He had said it so casually that she could not help but look back up at him, her face blazing the same colour of the suns she so adored while her teeth worried her bottom lip. He brought his free hand up to rub the back of his neck, grimacing as he wrestled with a way to explain it to her. She had never been one to get squeamish, she had seen far more graphic customs and cultures by this point, but with all the talk of romance and lovers he was not sure how to tactfully explain a public mating ritual. As open minded as his companion was, the 21st century was hardly the height of sexual liberation for humans, so he thought it was probably unlikely that she would shrug her shoulders and suggest they find good seats.
Before he found the right words, Rose found herself being approached rather suddenly by the locals, many of them presenting her with flowers and strings of colourful beads while others would bow and whisper prayers before reaching to touch her hair, the waves of overly friendly people coming between him and Rose until he had lost her hand and could no longer hear what they were saying.
He watched the exchange carefully, ready to jump in at the slightest sign of trouble, but her surprise and discomfort did not last long. Grumbling as Rose grew more comfortable with the odd customs and attention of so many people, smiling brightly at the children who tugged at her hands and giggled up at her while flashing him a can-you-believe-this? grin as men and women alike came forward to greet her and touch her. He could hear his molars squeaking as he clenched his teeth tightly together, his expression stormy and mouth set in a tight line as one beautiful male came too close for his liking to kiss the back of her wrist, and then her forearm.
He had just about decided that enough was enough when a pair of women came forward to take her by both hands and after a few quick words he couldn't quite make out, began to lead her off the path. He was by her side in an instant, his hands on both her shoulders as he glared protectively at the alarmed but determined pair of women who had yet to release their grip on her hands.
"They said they want to dress me up!" Rose explained gleefully, sharing the smile both women wore. "Dressed all wrong for this, what do ya call it, Solstice?"
He had been about to object, having half a mind to drag her right back to the TARDIS where there were no half dressed women, or men, and no beads and flowers and tightly packed crowds, when the women began to tug at her again. That would have been the last straw if he had not felt her step out of the protective reach of his arms. Calling back words of reassurance, she waved him towards the pavilion they had been heading towards and said she would catch up, and then she was gone, lost in the crowd as quick as you please.
He did not know how long he stood there, as stony and unmoving as the statues that beckoned him towards the center of the city while the sea of people broke around him like waves over rocks as they continued on their way. He had hoped that Rose would come bouncing out of the crowd after just a few minutes, preferably fully dressed and ready to take his hand and suggest they head back to the TARDIS. Of course, that didn't happen. Concern evolved into frustration and then fury, his blue eyes blazing heatedly as he began to march towards the pavilion on his own, his hands fisted and shoved so deep in his pockets he could feel the leather straining over his shoulders.
How many times had he told her - begged her - warned her not to wander off? Rule One, he had told her the very first day, he had. Well, it was more like Rule Two, but what did that matter? He had told her quite clearly and more than once that when it came to alien planets and unfamiliar timelines that she was to do as she was told and not to go traipsing about on her own. It was dangerous, didn't she understand that? She knew next to nothing about this planet, and while he had chosen Alexandria based on how safe and peaceful it was, there was no way she could know that. Not that it mattered, she was always wandering off, wasn't she? Rolling those big doe eyes of hers, flipping her hair and sticking out that infuriating pink tongue like some child, a child who knew no consequences, who thought she had him wrapped up tight and neat around her beautiful little finger.
Oh, Rose Tyler, she was in for it alright, really in for it this time. Grumbling as he stalked towards the central gathering, he imagined everything he might do to her when he had her back in the TARDIS, away from prying eyes.
There would be no batting her eyelashes while murmuring words of apology this time, oh no. He'd have her pressed against one of the coral struts she was always carelessly tossing her jacket over no matter how many times he nagged at her - or perhaps against the console once he had sent them hurtling back into the Void, keeping her in place with an arm on either side of her, or a maybe his hands on her hips if he felt the need to keep her still.
He'd lean in close, ignoring the boundary of personal space until he could feel her shallow breath on his skin, nose to nose to make sure he had her full attention. She'd probably try to push him away, her small hands useless as they pounded against his shoulders and chest when she found she couldn't duck out from under the circle of his arms. She'd close her eyes, turn her head away, but he'd cup her face - and oh, it would be warm and flushed and as pink as the suns in the sky - in his large, weathered hands and would not allow her to look anywhere, or at anyone, but him. He would drill it into her pretty blonde head until he was satisfied she had gotten the message. And if that didn't work, well...
Someone was speaking to him. He had let his imagination run so far away from him that he had not realized he had reached the decorated plaza. When he didn't answer, the young woman gave him a puzzled look before kissing him on the cheek and draping a lei of blossoms over his head before he knew what she was doing and then hurried away. Tearing the flowers from around his neck, he brought his hands up to scrub his face and massage his temples, feeling his ears grow hot as he attempted to ignore the primal direction his thoughts had been headed in. What was wrong with him? Of course he could never - would never - allow himself to lose control like that. He had never been that close to Rose, not like that, and he hated the way his hearts pounded at the thought of her trapped and so very, very close to him. It had to be the festival, the air was heavy with incense and already couples were sensually dancing all around him, it was affecting his state of mind. It had been a mistake to bring her here, to have stayed once he realized what time of year it was. Foolish old man, him.
Well, that was it then, as soon as she had found her way back to him he would insist on heading back to the TARDIS. He'd tell her about the ritual of tribute consummation and he was sure that she would follow, blushing brightly and peeking through her fingers as they pushed past the many couples that clung to each other in the crowd. And he would speak to her, give her a proper lecture, but perhaps in the galley where he could put a table between them. All he had to do was wait.
It seemed like hours had passed and he wondered if his deeply ingrained sense of time had gotten muddled somehow. He knew he was easy to spot, given his daft old face and his out of place leather jacket, and she would come to him as soon as she saw him. Rose was always running off on her own, much to his dismay, but she always came back. Scanning the crowd of lovers and dancers, he tugged at the lobe of his ear and frowned at the distinct lack of Rose. More and more incense was being lit and already there were men and women in extravagantly wrapped silk climbing the dais.
Something was happening.
The Doctor watched with some confusion as a large, sheer screen of silk was carried and set up on the stage, a filmy backdrop that stood several meters high and glowed with the light of a fire behind it. He brought his hands up to the sides of his head and groaned, realizing too late what was happening. He had gotten it all wrong when he described the events of the festival to her, he was getting old and senile and careless.
The tribute Consummation came first, and then the dance, and then the sharing of the remains of the winter stores. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Stupid, daft old man, him.
He grit his teeth as he watched the torches be lit and turned around to frantically look through the crowd one more time. She wouldn't want to see this, he didn't want her to see this, but there was still time to get back to the TARDIS with everyone's dignity intact.
Of course, he had known she was near before he had even seen her, he knew the pattern of her beating heart as well as he knew his own and he could hear it over the raucous noise of the crowd. She stood out easily as she was led through the sea of celebrating people, all pink and yellow and fair against a backdrop of exotic copper and purple, and oh, she had never looked so beautiful.
She really had been taken to be dressed up, and he wondered why he was not prepared for the sight of her draped in the traditional Alexandrian garb. They had wrapped her in yards of filmy, feather light silk that was the softest colour of pink he had ever seen. There were bells that hung from the hem of the draped material that tinkled whenever she moved, making her every step musical. Even her hair had been styled with the utmost care, drawn up in a delicate pile and held with an ornate, rose-gold comb. She spotted him almost immediately and flashed him a brilliant tongue-in-teeth smile as she gave him a shy wave that he found himself returning without thinking. It was not until they had ushered her up the first few steps of the dais that he remembered what was going on around him and why he had to get her away from this place.
"Rose!" He shouted as he attempted to shove past a line of guards that had been posted to protect the Clergy and their honoured guest. After being thrown back a few times, his threats falling on deaf ears, he swung around to watch with dread as the roar of the crowd dropped to a reverent murmur as an older man stepped forward, his arms held wide as he called out to his beloved people.
Rose was standing just behind him, looking positively giddy as the ceremony began. This would not be the first time she had been honoured as a Goddess, or a sprite, or some other mythical creature on an alien world where her yellow hair was considered a mark of holiness, and she had come to enjoy it, keen to rub it in whenever the locals were more impressed with her than the great and egotistical Doctor.
He was shouting her name, but she could not hear him from as far back as he was. Shoving his way through the crowds to get to the front of the congregation, he groaned in dismay as the Priest reached for Rose's hand, inviting her to stand alongside him. He christened her Helia, and the Doctor's shouts of warning were drowned out by the roar of the crowd around him. Couples thrust their bound hands into the air and chanted her name, and all he could do was shout into the noise and wave his arms and hope that she understood. When she caught sight of him she smiled widely, her teeth pressing into her bottom lip as she discreetly gave him two thumbs up before composing herself to stand up straight and returned her attention to the Priest.
A young man was brought forward to be named Helios, dressed similarly with jangling bells. He was definitely pretty as well as ridiculously well muscled and looked to be about her age. Rose giggled and glanced down at the Doctor to give him a wink, and he felt like he could have cried.
It all seemed to be going well, with Rose pleased as punch when the young man came forward to kiss the back of her wrist, and then her forearm the way she had seen so many men kiss her and other women that day. It was all a laugh until a pair of women came forward and began to tug and unravel the draping fabric from around her waist, a third standing just behind her with a large bowl balanced in her arms.
"Oi!" Rose shouted, grabbing a handful of the delicate material to hold firmly around her waist before the second woman came forward to pull her hand away, watching with an encouraging smile as the first woman continued to unwind the endless train of ringing silk. She yelped as the loose material slid down her waist to expose her breasts, earning a gleeful cheer from the crowd. With one arm pressed clumsily across her breasts she watched in horror as the young man on the stage was being undressed in the same way, although he was smiling broadly and holding out his arms with a reverent expression as two women delicately peeled away the wrapped material from his toned abdomen.
Tearing her attention away from the man to her left, she searched the crowd again for the Doctor, and the panic in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.
Her struggling and cursing and threats were ineffectual, and she could feel hot, angry tears burning in her eyes as she struggled to cover her breasts and clutch at the fabric of her woven robe tight against her belly. Her Helios was already naked, gazing out at the crowd with pride as he joined a chorus to sing a hymn. With a few choice curses, she grit her teeth as she yanked on the fabric hanging loosely around her hips, doing her best to keep it from unravelling. Yelping in surprise, Rose whirled around on the spot, staring daggers at the young girl that had drawn a line of paint down the length of her spine, her fingers glistening with the golden liquid that she had scooped out from the bowl with her hand.
"Doctor!" Her eyes scanned the crowd desperately and she whimpered when she realized that she could not see him anywhere. That big, black coat would stand out for miles, and he had just been standing in front of her, hadn't he?
"... And with the blessings of Gods and men upon them, this man and this golden woman become vessels! A sanctuary for the Lovers who would bring light and prosperity to our world!" The priest sang out to the congregation, his thin arms thrown wide, looking very much like a conductor guiding the crowd into a melodic prayer. "May their tribute be passionate and fertile so that we may all feel the blessing and ecstasy of Helia and her Helios!"
"There won't be no blessings, your worship." The Doctor called out in a strained voice from where he was standing, halfway up the steps of the dais. It had been easy enough to break through the first wall of bodies with his rage propelling him, but they had all caught up with him before he reached the stage, overwhelming him with numbers. Several pairs of hands gripped his leather jacket tightly to hold him back while a few of their wicked spears crossed to bar him from reaching her.
Choking on a swallowed sob, Rose nearly collapsed to her knees as relief washed over her in one great wave. She was safe now, he had come for her, just like he always did. She had never doubted him, not really. Her Doctor, ever the hero.
"There must be." The Priest answered him softly, his thin eyebrows nearly disappearing in the crinkles of his forehead as he considered the strangely dressed man. "Never before have we been so blessed, we are so fortunate to have found her. Golden hair and eyes full of fire, she is a gift from the Gods! The true likeness of Helia - it is a sign. Her tribute will ensure the prosperity and safety of the wombs of our women, and the wheat in our fields."
"Sure, sure. But you see, you've got one little problem."
"And what's that?"
"You've got the wrong Helios. She's mine."
A/N: This is my very first attempt at writing the Ninth Doctor, and I am so nervous about it. It was started out as a story with Ten, but I changed my mind as I was writing as I found his spastic personality didn't quite suit the story I am trying to tell.
"Kakos Lykos" is greek for "Bad Wolf".
I had originally planned for it to be a one-shot but I just kept writing and it was getting so long, so I decided to work with chapters once again.
I am beginning to fall into a bit of a trend of starting stories and not finishing them in order, but I promise I'll be coming back to them. After spending a week in the hospital I struggled with a bout of writer's block, and this is what came out of my attempts to get past that once I got home.
I know there are quite a few Spring Festival stories out there, but I was hoping that I could create a world with a little more detail and a little more darkness. The next chapter is not going to be sweet, or kind. As for a happy ending, well, I haven't decided yet. You will have to review and follow the story to find out.
Cheers. TBW.