I have recently started listening to the Big Finish Audio drama's. As a Master fan-girl, the first story I listened to was, not surprisingly, 'Master'. If this story has inspiration, then it is that.
I do not own 'Doctor Who' or any of it's characters.
Click.
A soft sound in the large room as the yellow playing piece depicting the kanji for 'cassia horse', or knight, was placed on the board. The Librarian removed his fingers slowly and looked up at his opponent, peering at him over the top of his glasses. His opponent stared at the board, rubbing his black beard slightly as he thought. The Librarian could feel him thinking, see his brain waves pouring out of him. If he was asked what they were like, he'd describe them as being 'a sort of yellowy red heat haze'.
The bearded man took a deep breath and adjusted his shoulders, then without taking his eyes from the board asked "Tell me, do you ever get... tired?"
The Librarian was the closest he could come to being surprised by the question "Well, not as such, though I 'ave to admit I am rather partial to a bit of a nap every once in a while. I tend to have one every thousand years or so." He replied, knowing full well what he'd meant. He continued on with a small chuckle. "Once slept for a full century I was enjoying it so much." He frowned "Then Time prodded me awake. Yeh know I didn't really appreciate that."
An animalistic snarl sounded from the opposite end of the board, originating from the bearded man. Large incisors could be seen from the recesses of his mouth and his eyes flashed a wicked yellow. This may have unnerved most people but, then again, the Librarian wasn't 'most people'. Besides, he found the man's snarl to be comically high pitched, not that dissimilar to that of the black domestic cat that was sitting behind him on the back of his chair, calmly licking its paws. The man looked like he was either about to say something or stand for a few seconds before huffily moving a piece and flopping back in his chair, causing his feline to adjust its perch.
The Librarian shook his head with a sigh "Now yer being sloppy 'coz yer angry. Be the death of you one day, you're anger will." His words did nothing to calm his guest.
He was an odd one, this one. The Library was rarely visited by Ephemerals, and when they did it was always by accident and then they never returned. But this man, this 'Time Lord', was different. He'd actually searched for him and would return at irregular intervals, sometimes wondering and exploring the halls, the galleries and rooms for days on end, his thirst for knowledge insatiable. Well, it would be wouldn't it, the Librarian had thought bitterly. It was fate perhaps, or irony he was never certain of which. After all he was supposed to... well the plan had been... but he knew what had happened. He knew what the cause was of his proposed champion's mind twisting and darkening and knew it could never have happened if She hadn't of interfered.
It made him angry and heartbroken, as much as he was aware of these emotions. He had had to watch as, over the centuries, the Time Lord's ability to process the right response to events became worse and worse, his emotions becoming more and more unstable. And yet... and yet he still, despite what had happened, found himself here. Here in this pocket space outside of time. Here in the Library where every book that had been printed, would be or had never been written was stored.
After a minute in which neither man spoke he picked up one of the pieces he'd captured, a rook, and placed it on the board. "You couldn't find what you wanted, could you." It wasn't a question. It was a statement uttered quietly and to the playing board. Silence answered him from the other end of the table. "The Library won't hand you just anything, and I'm afraid your situation is a bit... hmmm... unique."
The Time Lord gave another growl before leaning forward again, the usually cold blue eyes still stained yellow with slitted pupils. Emotions swirled and bumped into each other in those yellow orbs, frustration, anger, sadness, loneliness and perhaps others the Librarian couldn't figure out. He placed another tile before muttering fiercely "I will be free of it."
The Librarian said nothing, just smiled inwardly. Few Ephemerals would ever say anything positive about the Dark Lord, but the Librarian had always admired his tenaciousness. His position was hopeless, most would have given in long ago but this man was stubborn. He suffered failure after failure and yet, no matter the odds, he never gave up. That was probably why he'd found himself here. Fate had chosen a different path for him but somehow, something of the original plan had managed to break through.
He moved his silver general and promoted it to gold. Immediately his opponent dropped a bishop and declared "Check mate." The Librarian paused for a moment, frowning and staring at the board. "Wait a moment..." he said as his opponent stood and started for the entrance. He opened his mouth and was about to say something then stopped and turned the board around a few times.
Of course, that was the thing with Ephemerals. They had imagination. All he could do was chuckle before rising and following his guest.
He found him outside what appeared to be an old grandfather clock. He placed an oddly shaped key in the lock and opened it before turning around and nodding at the Librarian. "Well played." He said graciously, his lopsided smile materializing onto his features for the first time since he arrived, then casually entered the clock. A minute or so later a wheezing and groaning sound filled the room as if the fabric of time was being rent apart and the clock slowly faded from sight.
Death's champion. That's who he was whether he liked it or not. The buzzing in his head, muddling his thoughts and moral choices would never have penetrated his mind had Death not permitted it to do so, had not manipulated events to get what she wanted. Not that he was her first choice, but Time had stood up for his champion and prevented her from interfering. The Librarian, however, had decided to sleep, and had dozed in his comfy lounge chair amongst her books while his protégé had been stolen from him. When Time had found and woken him it was too late.
Though his mind was still one of the most amazing he'd seen in an Ephemeral, he would never be the great scientist he was supposed to be. But he had still found him, found this place and was now, at this very moment, fighting for control of who he was. Perhaps that fight would continue past the effects of the virus that currently plagued him. The Librarian smiled to himself, this thought shining like a light at the end of a very dark and dank tunnel.
Perhaps, one day, he would be free.
Thank you for reading. This is my first Fanfic an is unbetad. Any constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.