Author's Note: Hey all. Sorry, it's been forever since I've done anything! AP exams and college applications and visits take a lot of time. Luckily there's less than 2 weeks till summer break, so I should have more time. Anyway, this is a crossover between Doctor Who and Queen Seon Deok. There's only a little bit of the Doctor throughout the story, but I wanted to write a QSD fic, as there are sadly very few, and this was the best transition for the character. Anyway, I don't know any Korean, but the name is a combination of Gi (brave) and Hyun (clever). This was the best unisex sounding name my friends and I could come up with, so if anyone has a better selection, please let me know! Well, sorry for the extremely long note, and please continue to the story!
Disclaimer: I own nothing concerning Queen Seon Deok or Doctor Who.
"But I don't wanna!" She was whining, and she knew it. She would have been ashamed, save for the fact that it seemed to be working.
"Jo, I told you, you can't stay with me for forever, it's dangerous, and as much as I'd love to have you with me, I have to do this one alone." Though the Doctor's voice was firm his eyes were wavering with indecision.
"Please! There's no one waiting for me at home, besides, how can expect me to go back to my boring old life, waiting on people for the rest of my time, after everything I've seen and done? It would kill me Doctor!"
The Doctor sighed. It was the same every time. They got addicted to time and space travel, and he got too attached. Jo was different though, unlike the others she didn't have a family or boyfriend waiting for her. She just had herself.
"Jo, please, just let me take you home."
"No!" She growled and stamped her feet stubbornly while crossing her arms across her chest.
He sighed and ran a thin hand through his mussed hair, trying to think of a way to convince her. For a fifteen year old she was certain acting like a child.
"What if I said I would let you go anywhere you wanted, anywhere, any time?" He asked wearily, knowing that it could be a mistake but tired of arguing with her.
Her visage instantly brightened, and he had to refrain from hitting himself in the face. Definitely a mistake.
"Really? Anywhere?" She jumped away from the console, which she had been leaning against and began jumping up and down, a silly grin on her face. She ran to a corner of the room where she generally stashed some of her things.
"What about one of these?" She asked, holding up a stack of books for him to see.
"Jo, you know that those stories would be in other dimensions, which means we can't get to them."
She pouted, but then smiled again and ran down one of the hallways of the TARDIS to where her room was located. When she returned she was holding a box set of DVDs in her hands, the gold title reading: The Great Queen SEONDEOK. "This one is based on a real person."
The Doctor took the box from her and examined it. "Ah yes, Seondeok, first queen of Silla, reigned in the early 7th century, very intelligent woman. Fine, but there are a few conditions."
"Anything!" She exclaimed with a happy whoop.
"First, you'll need to keep this with you at all times," he said, placing a small piece of what looked like coral held on a simple chain in her hands. "It's a bit of the TARDIS, should keep enough of connection to allow the translation to work, and knowing your ability with languages, you're going to need it if you want to live in ancient Korea."
He turned away from her stuck out tongue and moved around the console, flipping switches and punching buttons every so often.
"I'll also need to put a sort of block on your mind. You won't be able to give away the future events, and eventually you'll probably forget what happens, perhaps even who you used to be."
"Is that all?" She asked as the echo of the TARDIS's engine surrounded the large space.
"Pretty much." He shrugged. "I'll try to check in with you from time to time, and I'll return for you when the danger's over."
"What if I don't want to leave?"
He just smiled.
"Future Korea." The Doctor said with a jubilant smile as he flung open the doors to the TARDIS. "Year, oh, I'd say sometime in the early 600s, the Kingdom of Silla, and we're located somewhere near Manno Fortress."
He turned around to see his companion walking out of the blue police box dressed in plain peasant's clothing, her thankfully dark brown hair tied up in a top-knot with a dark band around her head. He had tried to convince her to let him change her blue eyes, but she had refused, being somewhat found of the color.
"Don't forget, you should masquerade as a boy for as long as possible." He instructed as he straightened the front of her top. "Confucianism hasn't arrived here yet, but you'll be safer and will have more opportunity that way. Now! All we need is a name!" He surveyed her shrewdly and then began pacing about, muttering names and discarding them as he went. "Hyun-Gi!" He exclaimed suddenly.
"Pardon?"
"Your new name, it'll be Hyun-Gi. It's a fairly unisex name so you won't have to change it should you be, er, discovered."
"All right then, Hyun-Gi it is. Are you going to leave now?" She asked, looking suddenly sad.
"Not yet, how about we walk for a bit?"
She nodded and the two set off down the dirt road, enjoying the peace of the Silla countryside.
They walked for a long time, so long that Jo was just about to ask where they were headed, when suddenly a shrill scream split the air.
"Oh shoot! Let's go!" Jo said as she broke into a sprint in the direction the sound had come from.
The Doctor merely watched her rush around corner and then turned around. She would have to find her own way in the world.
Princess Cheonmyeong sat near her mother and father, enjoying a brief respite from the confines of her carriage as some of the servants refilled the water containers. They were on their way back to Seorabeol from Manno Fortress, where she had finally been reacquainted with her parents after her long and fruitless search for Munno, the Gukseon. Though she had not found him, she was content with her father's acceptance of Kim Yushin and his Hwarang trainees, and of Yushin's acceptance of the strange boy, Deokman. The boy was rude and a bit odd, yet she found his ideas and thoughts refreshing, as well as the fact that he didn't know about her being the princess, and thus treated her as he would anyone else.
Just as she was about to pick up a small cup of hot tea a scream rent the air, startling her mother and making the guards and Hwarang jump to attention. Her father, King Jinpyeong, leapt to his feet and started in the direction of the noise, flanked by several of the Hwarang as well as Lady Mishil and her followers. She followed them against the wishes of her mother, hurrying behind them and ignoring the disapproving glare sent her way by Alcheon Rang, one of Seorabeol's top ten Hwarang. She came abreast of her father as they stood just inside the cover of the trees, barely able to see what was going on.
A group of men were accosting a peasant woman and her daughter. The two were struggling valiantly, but were no match for the much stronger bandits.
Her father was just about to send the signal for the Hwarang to attack, when a new voice began shouting. A boy about her age in peasant's clothing hurtled around a bend in the road. He bent down mid-sprint and straightened, a good-sized rock in his hand, which he proceeded to fling at the men, striking one in the middle of his forehead. He continued forward, barreling into the man who had been holding the two women. As the two tumbled to the ground, the boy shouted for the women to run, then jumped and caught hold of the closest man's feet in an effort to stop him from chasing after them.
Cheonmyeong glanced up at her father to see if he would help the boy, but he seemed content to watch the scene play out.
Jo ran around the bend in the road, adrenaline pumping through her legs. Before she had met the Doctor she would have been running in the opposite direction to find someone else to help, but now it was wired into her brain to run towards the danger. The sight before her enraged her so much that she let out a shout. Two women were being thrown about and assaulted by four large men.
Without speaking she bent down and scooped up a rock, throwing it at the men, hitting the closest in the face. That was another thing she had had to learn. After getting frustrated with the Doctor complaining about her throwing like a girl during every excursion, she had found a room in the TARDIS and practiced throwing rock at targets until she was slightly better than adequate.
The men were very close now and she used her momentum to leap onto the one holding the women. As the two fell in a wild tangle of limbs she shouted for the women to run, and then proceeded to lunge for another man's legs in an attempt to keep him from chasing after the two.
"You little knave!" The largest man growled at her, his mustache and thick eyebrows making his face all the more frightening. He picked her up by the front of her shirt and brought her face near his, the foul odor of his breath making her gag slightly. She squeaked in fright as he brought his fist up to her face and struck out wildly, one of her feet landing in his ribs and causing him to drop her.
"Get after those women!" He yelled in a slightly strangled way as he wheezed from the blow.
Her eyes widened and she jumped at the other again, desperate to keep them from going after the two.
One of the three struck her in the gut with tremendous force, causing her to stagger, but she held her ground, kicking and punching at them in order to keep them there. Suddenly, the leader came up behind her and brought his fist down on the back of her head, causing her to crumple to the ground instantly.
As she fought unconsciousness she imagined the sounds of yelling and pounding feet, but her eyes felt heavy and her head was ringing, and soon she was dead to the word.
Cheonmyeong's fists were clenched with nervousness as she watched the boy struggle against much bigger men. His fists and feet were causing some damage, but nowhere near enough. He was beginning to tire, but every time one of the men tried to go after the running women he would renew his efforts and keep them occupied.
Her father nodded at Imjong Rang, another of the ten Hwarang, and instructed for him to bring the women to them. The green-clad Hwarang bowed and, along with some of his men, left the shelter of the trees to intercept the two women.
She glanced up at her father again, but his eyes were set on the boy. He waited until the leader of the vagrants struck an awful blow to the boy's head, initiating his collapse, to send in Alcheon Rang and his men.
The yellow Hwarang and his men rushed over the field between them and the vagrants, who were looking quite bewildered at the sight before them. The Hwarangs' swords glimmered brightly in the sun, and their voices made the men cower.
The battle was won before it even began, a few quick swings of Alcheon Rang's blade and the four were dead upon the ground, their red blood forming small rivers in the settling dirt. One of his men checked the boy's injuries, and then Alcheon hoisted him up over his shoulder, his heading flopping listlessly to the side as it rested against the Hwarang's back.
When they returned to the rest site, Lady Maya, Cheonmyeong's mother, had no rebuttal for her daughter in front of prying ears, but the look on her face spoke more than words.
Cheonmyeong paid no heed to her mother, though. She had eyes only for the small figure Alcheon Rang had returned with. The two women had been brought before her father, and were now hovering nervously nearby, waiting to be questioned.
When the King and his retinue returned, they quickly fell to their knees, thanking him for his actions, but he merely raised his hand and shook his head.
"It is not me you should be thanking, after all, it was that child who saved you. My soldiers came after."
"Oh I'm so glad he's all right!" The younger clamored, finally catching sight of the boy's unconscious form. "I was sure they would kill him."
"I'm sure his parents are glad to have such a brave, selfless boy as their son." The elder said.
"You don't know him?" The king asked, confused as were the rest in the vicinity. They had assumed he was a relative or a neighbor, so fiercely had he defended them.
"No, not at all." The elder said, shaking her head. "I've not seen him before this day."
Her father continued to ponder on his thoughts, but then spoke to Alcheon, who was still carrying the boy.
"Alcheon Rang, take him to the physicians to make sure nothing is wrong for him. Cheonmyeong, you may go with them if you desire." He ordered, taking note of his daughter's interest in the situation, and knowing that she would go with or without his consent.
"Yes, Sire." Alcheon bowed his head and swiftly turned to where the physicians stood near the king's carriage.
Cheonmyeong beamed and followed behind, leaving the king to deliberate with the remaining Hwarang and Lady Mishil.
"Princess, what has happened?" Kim Yushin's voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts. The Hwarang-to-be was watching the events curiously, along with several of his trainees, excluding Deokman.
"Two women were attacked, and that boy saved them." She explained, pointing to where Alcheon had handed the boy over to the physicians and was waiting for their report. "I think the king was impressed by his spirit." She said with a smile. "We may be acquiring yet another new trainee for Seorabeol's Hwarangs."
She returned to her path, quickly heading towards the physicians. "Alcheon Rang, how does he fare?"
The Hwarang glanced up and bowed his head respectfully. "The physicians say he should be fine. He may suffer a slight concussion, but aside from some cuts and bruises his injuries were not extensive."
She breathed out in relief, and then suddenly gasped in surprise as the boy's eyes suddenly shot open and his small hand clamped around her wrist. Alcheon Rang reflexively began to draw his blade, and she stood as still as she possibly could as the boy's eyes looked around frantically, her own wide with wonder.
Returning to conciseness felt like bursting through the surface of a lake or pond. Bright colors suddenly invaded her eyes, and her head was aching like none other. Two people were near her, one's slender wrist was trapped in her grasp while the other towered above her. She breathed shallowly, not sure of what was happening or where she was.
"Your eyes!" The smaller figure gasped suddenly, sounding excited. "They're blue! They look like water! I've heard of such, in the West, but I've never seen it before."
What was so special about blue eyes? Lot's of people had them. The other figure still had not spoken, and she could see his hand's firm grasp on the sword by his side.
She released her hold on the female and sat up slowly, her hands clutching her head in agony.
"What happened?" She asked with a groan.
The male hesitated. "You don't remember? Some vagrants were attacking two women and you fought them off."
Bits of pieces of the scuffle came back to her as the throbbing in her head abated a bit, but much of it was still a blur.
"What's your name?" The girl asked.
"Hyun-Gi." She said reflexively, and then frowned, That seemed right, but felt a bit odd to say, as though her mouth were not used to the words.
"Well, part of it suits you at any rate, however I'm not sure throwing yourself at four much larger men can be described as intelligent." The man said, a bit sardonically. "Perhaps we should just call you Hyun as a reminder to get some brains to fill the space up there." He continued, pointing at her head.
She glared at him, but immediately grimaced in pain, causing him to laugh.
"Where are you from?" The girl asked, once again.
Hyun opened her mouth to reply, but found herself unable to determine the answer. Her face paled as she came to a realization. "I, I don't know. I can't remember!"
