Happy New Year's Eve everyone! I hope you all have a fun night tonight and remember to drink responsibly. I, on the other hand, will be getting absolutely plastered!
Chapter two is finally here. I would have got it updated sooner, but I've had a busy Christmas period and this is the first time I've been able to sort it out. By the way, I've got the best Christmas present ever this year. I'm off to see John Barrowman, THE John Barrowman, live and in person, singing and everything! How awesome is that?
Righto. Onwards and upwards.
Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood or Doctor Who, but if I did I would make sure the two crossover all the time.
Chapter Two: The Hidden Hub
It was early morning by the time the two men reached their destination; a crumbling old abbey that had fallen into disuse and disrepair. There was no light shining through the stained glass windows and to anyone who didn't know better it looked abandoned. Yet, it was here that Jack led Ianto, passing through the massive wooden doors that served as the entrance into the holy sanctum.
The interior was in just as bad shape as the exterior. Only the alter at the far end of the building remained in tact. Everything else; the pews, the sacred statues, they had all become damaged and decayed from lack of use.
Jack silently waltzed over to the alter while Ianto watched in interest. Without having the think twice, the older man lifted a frayed rug at the base of the alter, revealing a hidden door built into the floorboards. The door, once opened, held a set of steps that sank beneath the abbey and into the darkness of the ground below.
"Come on then," encouraged Jack, waving at Ianto for him to come over.
Reluctant, but filled with youthful curiosity, Ianto did as he was told and descended down the steps with his heart in his throat. He could hear Jack just behind him, closing the door that rid them of the dawn's light and left them in darkness.
Together, they followed the stone stairs further and further downwards. It felt to Ianto as if they were travelling to the very centre of the world. The air around them became increasingly clammy and difficult to breathe in. A sheen of sweat began to cover the young man's skin as he wondered fervently where he was being taken. Was it possible that this man, Captain Jack, was actually one of the King's royal guards sent to deal him with the proper punishment for betrayal? Fear rose up inside his chest, clutching desperately at his rapidly beating heart and constricting his breathing. It didn't help that he was weary from walking and could feel the warm breath of the Captain on the back of his neck.
Light appeared so suddenly in the tunnel that Ianto physically stopped to stare at it just in case it was a trick of his mind. When Jack gently pushed him from behind, he lurched forward, off of the final step and onto the soft ground at the base of the tunnel. He blinked in the harsh glare of the two lamps that framed a small wooden door, which was barely distinguishable from the surrounding earthen walls.
"We're here," Jack told him, placing a large calloused hand on the younger man's shoulder. "You ready?"
Ianto was very tempted to ask 'ready for what?', but held his tongue as Jack knocked gently on the door. After a moment of silence, he could hear voices on the other side of the door and the scurrying of feet.
"Password?" a gruff voice called out.
"Tardis," Jack instantly replied in a cocky tone.
There was a loud click, and then the door swung open. A man, not much older than Ianto, stood in the doorway with a glare marring his young face. When he caught sight of Jack, his expression relaxed and the glare was replaced with a smirk.
"Took you long enough," he gripped, stepping back to let the two men past.
Ianto could feel his cold eyes watching him as he entered the underground room, clearly uneasy about his presence. Not that Ianto particularly cared. He was more engrossed with the massive cavern he'd just stepped into.
It was roughly the same size at the abbey above them, although much more cluttered and better kept. Sword, axes, spears and weapons of all kinds hung from the walls, a whole corner was dedicated to boxes filled with various foods and drinks as well as wooden table and chairs for meals, shining armour was piled up all over the floor ready for use, and beds lined another wall. Above them, the roots of trees hung from the ceiling, holding everything up so that they wouldn't all be crushed under a avalanche of earth and rocks. It was a perfectly hidden, well protected headquarters for whatever this group was.
Across the room, a woman with long curly hair and a friendly face was patiently sharpening a long sword. She looked up and shot Ianto a sceptical look before returning to her work.
"So, this is him then?" the man by the door asked as he made sure the lock that secured the entrance to this underground lair was in place once more. "The rebel that nearly killed the King?"
"Yep, this is him," replied Jack, his hand finding his way onto Ianto's shoulder as if protecting him from the doubtful comments. "This is Ianto, recently dismissed knight in training. Ianto, this is Owen and Suzie."
Ianto nodded a brief greeting to both of them in turn, reluctant to meet their disbelieving eyes for too long.
"Let me get this straight," said Suzie as she dropped the sword and walked over to them. "This boy, this mere child is the one who got passed all of the royal guards and managed to get within stabbing distance of His Royal Highness?" She scoffed and looked Ianto up and down. "The guards must be getting sloppy."
"Or he's just that good," countered Jack. "Believe it or not, but this is our man."
There was silence, and then Owen blurted out, "Prove it."
With a roll of his eyes, Jack waved his hands dismissively at them and stalked away to one of the beds, which sagged under his sudden weight.
Not entirely sure what was happening, Ianto glanced from Owen to Suzie with a questioning look until he saw Suzie pull a particularly large double edged blade down from the wall. He quickly shrugged off his bag and cloak before unsheathing both of his own swords. His eyes darkened when he heard Owen laugh at the light, thin blades that he gripped tightly in his hands, but he had no time to come up with a retort as Suzie had immediately lunged at him, swinging her sword with practised ease.
Their weapons clashed with a clang of metal on metal and they began the complex dance of swordplay. Both gave as good as they got, darting away from one another before flitting forward again. With one well timed feint, Suzie managed to knock Ianto to his knees and wasted no time in placing her blade against his neck.
Ianto gulped fearfully, feeling the sharp edge of the sword pressed against his skin. There was no way out of this situation. Suzie had him and she knew it. Her powerful stance and piercing eyes told him that much. This made him all the more shocked when she stepped back and held her free hand out to him.
"He's good," she said, directing the comment to Jack. "A little unrefined and clumsy at times, but I suppose that's to be expected if he's been training by the royal knights, bunch of lumbering idiots. A bit of help and he'll be a fine fighter."
"I'm glad you approve," replied Jack as he watched Suzie pull a clearly disorientated Ianto back up on his feet. "We only accept the best, after all."
Still pretty confused as to why he wasn't dead, Ianto smiled nervously as both Suzie and Owen shook his hand.
"Welcome to the team, Ianto," Jack said with that wicked grin of his before he relaxed back onto his bed and closed his eyes.
???
After a brief sleep and a tour around the underground headquarters, Ianto found himself seated at the table with the rest of the group, enjoying a warm stew as things were explained to him.
"We call ourselves the New Torchwood Order as a parody of the King Harold's royal knights, but we are nothing like the Circle of Torchwood. First of all, we don't serve the King and second of all, we protect the citizens of Gallifrey rather than terrorise them." Jack took several long gulps from his tankard of ale before continuing. "I myself used to be a royal guard for the late King, hence the title."
"And he won't bloody let us forget it!" Owen interrupted with a bark of a laugh. "All we ever hear is, 'The King and I used to do this, the King and I used to do that'."
"You were close to King John then?" Ianto asked in amazement.
"Oh, yes. I was his servant, but I was also his friend. We used to spend many a day travelling. Us and the Lady Rose." A look of melancholy crossed the Captain's face as he recalled his clearly happier past before it was hidden behind an expressionless mask. "Although, that was a long time ago and now we have an evil presence seated on the throne."
Owen, Suzie and Ianto nodded. They were too young to remember the passing away of the beloved King John and the appointment of King Harold in his place, but they knew the story. It was a tale that had been passed down by their parents. It was a tale of murder.
Eager to change the conversation, Ianto asked, "So, Captain Jack, how did you end up here then?"
"Well, once I learned of the new King's true nature I downright refused to take orders from him," replied Jack, a look of malice in his eyes. "He wanted me to become a General and lead his knights in a search for anyone that opposed him. When I declined his oh so generous offer, he threatened to have me executed so I fled the palace and took refuge here. This used to be the abbey's crypt until I had my way with it. After that, I began to recruit others who shared the same beliefs as I do. That the King is corrupt and must be overthrown." He finally managed to force out a smile to Owen and Suzie. "We're still only a small group, but we fight for what we believe in and that's all that matters."
"Yeah!" Owen agreed, punching the air in excitement while Suzie chuckled.
Ianto couldn't help but share their enthusiasm. It was infectious and soon a feeling of good will had settled over them.
"And what about you two?" Ianto asked as he sipped his drink. "Why did you join the New Torchwood Order?"
"My fiancé was murdered in a raid by the royal knights," Owen muttered, glaring into his drink. He raised his hand before Ianto could offer his condolences. "Don't bother with all that sorry for your loss nonsense. What's done is done. Anyway, Jack found me a few days later trying to help a family that had been badly injured in the same raid. He told me he had a better use for my healing hands so here I am."
He shot a grateful look over at Jack who returned it with one of his own.
"I grew up in the same village as Jack," Suzie told him, sliding her hand over Jack's in an friendly way. "I was told so many stories of the great man who'd come from such a tiny town and became a royal guard to the King himself. Apparently, he was a bit of a trouble maker; always getting into trouble, stealing food, playing the fool."
Jack laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, I guess I was a different man back then. Didn't know what I wanted to do with my life."
"When he returned to the village after the new King came to power, he asked if anyone wanted to help him," Suzie continued. "To fight with him. I was the only one who joined him."
Nodding at this with a somewhat sad smile, Jack squeezed Suzie hand. He noticed that she seemed reluctant to meet his eyes, embarrassed by his affection for her.
"Right," he said, gathering together the empty bowls and tankards, and placed them to one side, ready to be cleaned later. "Bed, I think. You could all do with some sleep, especially you, Ianto."
The young swordsman began to complain that he was, in fact, fine, but was stopped by a particularly large yawn, which effectively ruined his argument. Resigned to the fact that he was actually quite tired, he trudged over to one of the empty beds and stripped to his under garments before slipping under the cotton bed sheets. He waited for the lights to be blown out, and then closed his heavy eyelids, succumbing to the bliss of sleep.
He was almost asleep when he felt a chill go down his spine. It was as if someone was staring at him through the darkness, but he couldn't be sure. When he looked up, the other three freedom fighters were all in bed. Their eyes were closed and each of them wore a peaceful expression upon their faces. Brushing the thought from his mind, he allowed his weariness to overcome him once more, but as he drifted into unconsciousness he still couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.
???
In the very heart of Gallifrey, the Shining City stood proud as the capital of the illustrious kingdom. Here is where the royal castle houses the one man who rules over the surrounding towns and villages, and at this moment in time he was in a particularly foul mood.
His fury radiated off of him like fire. Anyone who stood in his way as he prowled through the castle was instantly killed with a wave of his golden staff. The reason for his anger came from the recent news that the man who'd tried to kill him, that insignificant fool who dared to oppose him, had escaped from his execution. Worse than that, he'd been rescued by none other than Captain Jack, the traitorous freak. There was only one way for him to quell his relentless rage.
He finally stopped in front of a closed door, growling in anger. The door flew off its hinges at his mere presence, slamming against the far wall inside the room.
"Rose!" he bellowed, his dark eyes scanning the bare room for the woman he'd been seeking out.
He found her in the same place she always was, chained by her wrists to the cold stone wall. She stared back at him in horror, thanking her good fortune that the door, which lay on the floor in splinters, had only just missed her.
At her side, a younger girl had her arms wrapped around Rose's waist. Her whole body quaked in fear as she felt the King's gaze rest on her before moving back to Rose. She tightened her grip around the chained woman and tried her best not to look into the hypnotic eyes of the evil man.
The King's glare turned into an almost inhuman leer as he approached the two girls. He leaned on his waist high staff while he sneered up at Rose's face and began to chuckle.
"Rose, my dear, may I have a word with you?" he politely asked, playing the part of the respectful King.
When Rose didn't reply, the King grabbed her by her chin and pulled her roughly forward, away from the wall. She was forcibly prised away from the girl, who scurried along the wall to the other side of them room in a desperate bid to get away from the frightening man.
"I'm talking to you, Rose," the King cooed softly into the woman's ear as she frantically tried to pull herself out of his grip, feeling repulsed by the sensation of his fingers on her skin. "Don't be so rude when you're in the presence of the King."
"You're no King of mine," she hissed back, her voice laced with pain.
"And you're clearly no servant of mine! Why didn't you kill that filthy, little boy? You are here to protect and serve me! You should have killed him!"
Rose fixed the King with her filthiest look as she answered, "I will never, ever kill for you!"
The King chuckled as he let her go, relishing her cry as her back hit the wall. He paced in front of her for a few minutes. The only sounds that could be heard in the room were the clang of his staff as it stuck the floor beneath him and the stifled sobs of the young girl in the corner. He suddenly raised his staff and shoved it under Rose's chin, forcing her head up at a painful angle.
The end of the staff, which was tipped with a clear crystal, began to glow a bright golden hue as soon as it touched Rose's pale flesh. She yelped in anguish, but was instantly silenced. Her eyes began to shine with the same golden light that spilled out of the crystal and her body became rigid and still.
"That's it," the King murmured, his glee clear on his face. "Release the Bad Wolf. Set her free."
"My King," said the Bad Wolf in a voice that sounded nothing like Rose's. It was distorted as if many voices were speaking at once.
"Use my proper name!" demanded the King, pressing his staff tighter against her neck.
"Master," the Bad Wolf complied, her eyes staring blankly forward. "What is your wish?"
"The boy. I want him dealt with." The King rubbed his chin thoughtfully with his free hand before continuing, "Although, perhaps death is too swift a punishment. I want him to suffer. Invade his mind. Find out where he is. The knights can retrieve him and bring him back here. I'll teach him to oppose me."
He chuckled again. The noise didn't affect the Bad Wolf in her current state, but it made the young girl cry out in fear. She knew from experience that this was a sound that preceded pain and often death.
"Oh, and one more thing," said the King, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at his prisoner. "Do something about that pest, Captain Jack. Kill them, decimate him…oh. I like that word. Decimate. Do whatever you want as long as he's gone."
"I cannot," was the Bad Wolf's simple response.
Startled, the King blinked before asking, "What?"
"I cannot," the Bad Wolf repeated.
"And why not?"
"He is protected."
"By whom?" the King inquired, his anger mounting.
"I am the Bad Wolf."
"But who…" He suddenly realised what the Bad Wolf meant. Lashing out at her, he smashed his staff into the side of her head. This broke whatever spell he had cast on her and left her unconscious, held up only by her chains with blood tickling down her cheek.
The King turned to leave and glanced briefly at the young girl. She continued to cower under his fearsome gaze, which brought the smallest of smiles back onto his face.
"I'll leave you to look after her, Princess," he said with a sneer. "She'd better be alive when I return or you'll meet the same fate as your weak, cowardly father. Understand?"
The Princess nodded furiously, her blonde hair stuck to her face with tears.
"Good."
With one last fleeting look at Rose, the King stalked out of the room. With one last wave of his long staff, he summoned a new door to replace the broken one, trapping the two women once more.
Oooh! What will happen to poor Ianto? And what about Lady Rose? Can she survive the King's cruel treatment? Tune in to the next installment of Torchwood: A Fantasy.
