Georgia:
Clara helped me to change into a pair of dark denim trouser and a top once the Doctor dismissed us. Well, he didn't say dismissed, but we were dismissed. Clara was nice, and I really liked her, and she seemed to like me as well, but was still cautious for some reason, cautious of the Doctor too. So I didn't say much as the man himself decided to give over control over where we were going to her. "Take a punt."
"Right."
"Your choice. Wherever, whenever, anywhere in time and space. You've got a reputation to uphold for Georgia here."
She smiled at him as I played with the collar of my jacket, wondering where we'd go. All this, it was new, everything was new, but I had no fear of it. I was just so excited and happy to be awake and not stuck in a constant nightmare. "Well, there is something, someone that I've always wanted to meet. But I know what you'll say."
The Doctor shrugged at her. "Try me."
His friend shook her head, like she was prepared for an answer he was going to give. "You'll say that he's made up, that there's no such thing."
"Go on."
Now Clara looked at him properly. "It's. It's Robin Hood." The Doctor repeated her as she walked up to the gallery, leaving me next to the beautiful console of his ship, eating a yoghurt as the Doctor insisted I had to keep eating. "Yeah, I love that story, I've always loved it, ever since I was little."
"Robin Hood, the heroic outlaw, who robs from the rich and gives to the poor." The pretty girl nodded. "He's made up. There's no such thing."
Clara looked back at me, rolling her eyes with a knowing smile so I laughed a bit. "Ah, you see? He's always like this, thinks he knows better than everyone."
Now the Doctor rolled his eyes. "Excuse me, she's my guest, not yours. Don't alienate her before she even remembers who she is." I liked you both, you were kind and a little dysfunctional but made a nice little family. "Old-fashioned heroes only exist in old-fashioned story books, Clara."
"And what about you?"
I frowned, not understand what she was saying there. "Him?"
"Yeah, him, Gee. He stops bad things happening every minute of every day. It's how we found you."
Which made me decide that I was definitely on her side. "That sounds pretty heroic to me, Doctor. You saved my life, I'd have just kept on sleeping without you."
At which point he stole my yoghurt from me and seemed surprised that he liked it. "Just passing the time. Hey, what about Mars? The Ice Warrior Hives."
Sounded far too cold for me, and besides, Clara had already made up her mind. "You said it was my choice."
"Or the Tumescent Arrows of the Half-Light. Those girls can hold their drink." I, I didn't understand that at all. "And fracture 15 different levels of reality. I think I've got a Polaroid somewhere..."
"Doctor!" Clara cried, getting impatient and frustrated. "My choice. Robin Hood. Show me. Like you said, we've got to impress Georgia."
"Very well." And he started to set some coordinates. "Earth, England, Sherwood Forest. 1190AD. Ish." Loving the ish. Made it much more exciting. "But you'll only be disappointed and Gee will never believe that you are as awesome as you think you are."
She just ran off to change as we landed with a bump before we went outside to look at the beautiful forest, the sun filtering through onto my white skin and hair. "It's stunning."
He nodded with a small smile on his face. "That it is, Gee. But, no damsels in distress, no pretty castles, no such thing as Robin Hood."
Then an arrow came soaring out at us, which I caught quickly and easily, looking at the sharp point. "You called. Very nice catch my lady, truly. Very, very nicely done with the box, also sir. I saw a Turk perform something similar at Nottingham Fayre. It's a trick with mirrors, no doubt."
The Doctor stared at him, taking the arrow from my hand. "A trick?"
"A good jest, haha."
"This is not a trick." He complained as I just looked between them, confused. "This is a TARDIS."
The man in front of us just shrugged, taking out a sword now. "Whatever it is, you bony rascal and moonlight maid, I'm afraid I must relieve you of it."
My brain was just completely lost now, making me look at the Doctor. "Moonlight Maid?"
He patted my shoulder a little. "You'll find out tonight, Gee. You're a wee bit pale." OK, sure, whatever that meant. "This is my property."
"Well, don't you know all property is theft to Robin Hood?"
And he stood on a sort of fallen log bridge, the Doctor really not looking happy. "You're not serious? You'd steal from this Moonlight Maid?"
"I'm many things, sir, but I'm never that." Robin laughed, making me get annoyed with him. "Robin Hood laughs in the face of all."
"And do people ever punch you in the face when you do that?"
He shook his head. "Not as yet."
Today was looking good, the Doctor looked ready to punch someone. "Lucky that I'm here then."
Before the bloke could say anything further, Clara came out of the TARDIS, which was surprisingly only a little blue box, dressed in a red medieval style dress with floaty sleeves and a silver pendant on her forehead. "Might be a little much, but what you reckon, Doctor? Gee?"
"By all the saints. Another maiden!" Robin breathed, looking in awe at Clara. "Are there any more in there?"
"Is that?"
"No."
She didn't believe him and got very giggly and girly. "It is, isn't it? You found him, you actually found him. You actually found Robin Hood."
The Doctor glared at her. "That is not Robin Hood."
Which made boy, Robin, get very cocky. "Well then, who sir, is about to relieve you of your magic box?"
This made him walk forward to stand on the bridge with him, looking equally as cocky. "Nobody sir. Not in this universe or the next."
"Well then, draw your sword and prove your words."
"I have no sword. I don't need a sword." And opened his coat, turning to prove it. "Because I am the Doctor," then put on a gauntlet. "And this, is my spoon. En guarde!"
They traded thrusts and parries, the spoon somehow standing up for itself very well. He hit Robin on the back of his neck as he passed him, making me laugh. "You're amazing."
He was smiling at that while I tucked my hair behind my ears again. "I've had some experience. Richard the Lionheart. Cyrano De Bergerac. Errol Flyn. He had the most enormous -" Clara cleared her throat. "Ego."
She laughed too now, linking arms with me as we moved closer to the running water they were balancing over. "Takes one to know one."
Our friend now slapped Robin's backside, but he retaliated by cutting a button off his coat. So the Doctor held his arms wide and let the other man come from him, but at the last moment deflected it and turned so they were back to back. And then pushed him into the water. "Like I said. My box."
"Doctor?" I asked, not seeing him in the water, before he got pushed into the river from behind. "Damn. Are you alright?"
He didn't say anything, most likely peeved, but dried off as Robin lead us off to his camp in a narrow gully, the group living in caves under the treeline. "Let me introduce you to my men. This is Will Scarlet. He is a cheeky rogue with a good sword arm and a slippery tongue."
"My ladies." Then the Doctor pulled out some hair as he bowed to us, scanning it with his green torchy thing. "Argh! What do you want with my hair?"
He shrugged. "Well, it's realistic, I'll give you that."
Robin continued regardless. "And this is Friar Tuck. Aptly named for the amount of grub he tucks in to."
"You skinny blackguard." But as he stepped forward, he almost fell and looking at the Doctor. "What are you doing?"
The Doctor was holding his sandal. "This isn't a real sandal."
"Yes it is."
At which point he sniffed it and made a face. "Oh. Yes it is."
"This is Alan-A-Dale. He's a master of the lute, whose music brightens up these dark days."
And he started to sing, making me get frustrated. No, just no. "Stranger you are welcome here, in Sherwood's bonny glade. Ow!" Then Doctor had thankfully shut him up by taking a vial of his blood.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry. Blood analysis." Then frowned. "Oh, all those diseases. If you were real, you'd be dead in 6 months."
"I am real."
GG. "Bye."
Robin was determined to introduce us all to his men, so kept talking. "And this is John Little. Called Little John. He's my loyal companion in many an adventure." The mountainous man stepped aside and a small one jumped forward, to general merriment. Ugh, that was annoying. "Works every time."
Clara was just completely in awe as I stood next to the Doctor, wondering how they were so happy all the time. "Oh, I cannot believe this. You, you really are Robin Hood and his Merry Men."
"Aye! That is an apt description." Robin beamed. "What say you, lads?"
They agreed, laughing still as the Doctor got just as annoyed as I was. "Stop laughing. Why are you always laughing? Are you all simple or something? I'm going to need a sample." Then threw Robin a golden goblet, making me wrinkle my nose in disgust.
"Achem." Now he looked at Clara as I smiled, looking up into the sun, loving the feel of it on my skin. How long had I slept for? How long had it been since the sun had been shining on me? What sun even was it? Oh, it felt incredible to be awake, to feel this life again, even if I couldn't remember anything. "Excuse me, sorry. What are you doing? Are you showing off for your new friend?"
"Well, they're not holograms, that much is obvious. Could be a theme park from the future." He told her as he put an arm over my shoulder. "Or we might be inside a miniscope." Clara told him to shut up. Did they always bicker like this? "Yes, a miniscope. Of course. Why not?"
"Your friends seem not quite of the real world."
She shook her head at him. "No, no he's really not. Not most of the time, and that's when it's just us and not with his new friend Georgia."
Sorry, but there was a question no one here was actually asking. "Dark days?"
Robin frowned at me. "My Lady?"
"You said that, um, that these were dark days?" I asked, the Doctor frowning at me also. Why was it surprising that I'd ask that? Was I supposed to already know? "What did you mean?"
"King Richard is away on Crusade, my Lady." Who? "His tyrant of a brother rules instead."
This seemed to be making Clara excited all over again. "And the Sheriff. Cos there is a Sheriff, right?"
"Aye." Alan agreed. "It is indeed this jackal of princes who seeks to oppress us forever more."
Good luck with that. "Or 6 months in your case."
Robin changed the subject quickly. "It is a shame to dwell on murky thoughts when there is such beauty here."
But that wasn't right, his eyes hid so much, just like the Doctor's. "Why are you so sad?"
"Why do you think me sad, Lady Georgia?"
Easy. "Laughter and words. They can keep flowing, they can never stop. Easy way to hide something under the surface."
Nearly everyone in the camp was staring at me now, but Robin answered the question regardless. "You know, I do not live this outlaw life by choice. You see before you, Robert." Clara was now speaking with him. "Earl of Loxley."
"Sorry. Do go on."
He wasn't quite sure what was happening any longer, but did so. "I, er, I had my lands and titles stripped from me. I dared to speak out against Prince John. But I lost the thing most dear to me."
"What was she called?"
"You're so very quick." Robin commented. "Both you and Georgia. How does the Doctor stand it?"
A look at him told me that he liked people being smart around him, before Clara smiled sweetly. "Marian?"
That surprised him. "You know her?"
Clara nodded, committing to it. "Oh, yes, I had always known her." Liar.
"It was Marian who told me that I must stand up and be counted." Why? There was only one of you, it wasn't hard to count. "But I was afraid. Now this green canopy is my palace and the rough ground my feather bed. Maybe one day I will return home, but until that day. Until that day, it is beholden on me to be the man Marian wanted, to be a hero for those this tyrant slaughters."
The Doctor, who had been looking up at the sky and the surrounding foliage, finally came back to the ground to look at him. "What time is it, Mr Hood?"
"Sometime after noon."
"No, no, Time of year." He corrected. "What season?"
"Oh, Dame Autumn has draped her mellow skirts about the forest, Doctor. The time of mists and harvest approaches."
This only seemed to annoy him further. "Yeah, yeah. All very poetic. But it's very green hereabouts, isn't it? Like I said, very sunny." Clara didn't understand. "Have you been to Nottingham?"
She still didn't understand. Neither did I, to be honestly, I didn't ask questions. I liked piecing things together a bit at a time. Like how I was going to piece together my past and hope I liked what I found. "Climate change?"
He just looked at her. "It's 1190."
"You must excuse me. The Sheriff has issued a proclamation and tomorrow there is to be a contest to find the best archer in the land. And the bounty, it's an arrow made of pure gold."
This made the other woman cry out. "No! Don't, don't go, it's a trap!"
And of course they started to laugh again. "Well, of course it is! But a contest to find the best archer in the land? There is no contest!"
"Right, that isn't even funny!" The Doctor cried, getting furious. "That was bantering. I am totally against bantering."
"How can you be so sure that he is not the real thing?" Clara asked him while I just looked at her. "Gee, you don't even know who you are!"
I shrugged. "I don't know. I believe what the Doctor says and if he says he can't be, then he can't be."
So she looked at the Doctor. "When did you stop believing in everything? why won't you let Georgia believe?"
"When did you start believing in impossible heroes?"
She gave him a knowing smile. "Don't you know? In a way, it's rather sweet."
Then she headed off as I took a bite out of my apple, but the Doctor took it, stole a bite himself, then scanned it. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Gee. Come on, you're staying with Clara while I get something from the TARDIS. Please, Georgia, keep your head down or you could get hurt. Listen to Clara, she will keep you safe. Promise?"
"Pinky promise." I smiled, offering him my pinkie. He looked at me for a moment, seemingly confused by what I was doing, before his long, cool and weathered pinkie wrapped around mine and we pulled a little to show a promise sealed. And he gave me a soft, sad smile, like he was remembering something, before heading back in the direction of the blue box. "See you later."
He didn't say anything but gave me a little wave as I ran to catch up with Clara and the menfolk, before we boredly stood up to watch an archery contest. Not as interesting as I expected, they were shooting at targets, not each other. But I did as the Doctor said, putting the cloak Clara had on to hide my hair and clothes, just doing what everyone else was. "In the contest for the golden arrow, after 10 rounds, the battle is betwixt our Lord Sheriff," obligatory cheers from the crowd, "and the stranger known as Tom the Tinker."
Who just so happened to be Robin in a broad rimmed hat, and he got a cheer from all his men. "Shall we make the contest a little more interesting, my Lord? The targets seem a little close. What say you, another 20 paces?"
"Why not?" So the central target was moved back before the Sheriff shot his single black arrow into the centre. "Now, Tinker. Let us see thy true face."
Only his own white fletched arrow split his nemesis'. "Ye gads!" That could not be a real saying. "He has split the arrow." We noticed mate. "Truly, he is the finest archer in all England. Come forward, Tinker, and claim your prize."
But before he could, strangely, an arrow with multicoloured feathers split those also. The Doctor's. "He's full of surprises, isn't he? Georgia, is your father always like that?"
"He's not my father, and I have no idea. We only met yesterday." I told him, taking down my hood to look properly. "I have no memories from before then."
"I am the Doctor. My skills as a bowman speak for themselves. I claim my reward." The Herald knelt before him, but the arrow was just tossed aside in our direction. And Little John picked it up. "A mere bauble. I want something else."
"Name it."
He smiled scarily. "Enlightenment." Good luck with that. Something told me that it was far harder to find than just winning an archery contest.
Only Robin split his arrow also, before the Doctor's next ricocheted off of a guard's armour to split it. You could see it was so not him doing that, it was obviously pre-programmed, the trajectory and torque were totally off. His opponents next one hit even without him looking. "This is getting silly." He replied as I saw a fight approaching. Especially as he then used the torch thingie to blow up the arrow circuitry.
"Fascinating." The Sheriff smiled. "Seize him!"
Three knights drew their swords, Clara taking what looked like a halberd from a rack. So, I ran over and took a sword as well, somehow expertly wielding it. "Gee, what the hell are you doing?! Put that down!"
"I'll be fine, Doctor!" I told him, moving to defend myself easily as Clara could barely lift the halberd. "Something tells me I was trained to do this."
"Don't worry, Doctor." Robin smiled, taking down his hood. "I'll save you and Miss Georgia. For I am Robin. Robin Hood!"
By this point I was already fighting one of them, and sliced off one of his arms. It sparked a bit, showing it wasn't a man at all. "Doctor!" And waved at him with it. "Hi. Robot. Why a robot?"
He beamed, running to my side as a violet shone in a cross pattern from the helmet. "Now we're getting somewhere. Nice one, Georgia!" Before looking at Robin as he made me throw down my sword. "He surrenders!" And knocked Robin's out of his head with some martial arts move. "Hai!"
"You miserable cur. I had them on the run."
"Excuse me? Georgia was defending you! Right Gee?"
I didn't answer, looking around the area as the Knights surrounded us. "Flee, lads, flee!" Robin yelled at his men. "Live to fight another day!"
They all legged it as the Doctor stood defensively in front of Clara and I. "To the dungeons with all of them."
"What are you up to?"
The Doctor shrugged. "Quickest way to find out anybody's plan, get yourself captured."
We were dragged into a stone chamber, a single cross illuminating the room as we got chained into a line, Robin, then me, then the Doctor, and lastly Clara. "Splendid. Enchained." Clara agreed as I remembered the hair pins she had used to keep my fluffy white fringe off of my face. I get one out, I'd be able to pick the lock. "Trussed up like turkey-cocks. Thanks to your friend." What the hell was a turkey-cock?
"Shut it, Hoodie." He shot back. "I saved your life."
"Your friend Georgia and I had the situation well in hand."
He rolled his eyes. "Long haired ninny and amnesiac pixie versus robot killer knights? I know where I'd put my money. No offence, Gee."
I shrugged, not overly caring as I pretended to adjust my hair, but took out a pin instead. "If you had not betrayed me, I would have been triumphant."
And argument was starting as I tried to ignore them. "You would have been a little puff of smoke and ashes." This seemed to be funny to him. "You'd have been floating around in tiny little laughing bits in peoples goblets."
"Balderdash. Ha!"
This made him worse, both of them talking over the top of me, Clara staying out of it as my heart ached. "Oh, right, here we go. It's laughing time."
"Well you amuse me, grey old man."
"Guard! He's laughing again!" The Doctor shouted as I sighed and flopped back, not wanting to be stuck between them, even if I was able to pick my locks. "You can't keep me locked up with a laughing person."
"Oh, find that, I find that quite funny. Do you know, I feel another laugh coming on."
"Guards, I cannot remain in this cell. Execute me now." Oh, excellent.
"You heard him." Robin agreed. "Execute the old fool."
The Doctor now realised he'd said it wrong. "No, hand on. Execute him."
Robin shrugged. "I do not fear death, so execute away."
"Execute him. I'd like to see if his head keeps laughing when you chop it off."
"Oh, Robin Hood always laughs in the face of death."
"Yes, a head rolling on the floor laughing. I'd pay good money to see that."
And they both started to yell for the guard, giving me a pounding headache as well as a pounding heart. Apparently Clara felt the same because she started to yell over the tip. "Oh, will you two, shut up!" They both stopped and looked at her, so I took the moment of peace to sit up and start picking at the lock again. "Do either of you understand, in anyway, at all, that there isn't actually a guard out there?"
"Oh."
"I did, in fact."
The Doctor shook his head. "No, you didn't."
Clara was in school teacher mode, now. "I said shut up. The Doctor and Robin Hood locked up in a cellar. Is that seriously the best that you can do? You're determined to starve to death in here squabbling. I feel sorry for poor Georgia, stuck between you. These are some of her first memories."
Robin wasn't fully listening. "Well, I'll tell you one thing. I'd last a lot longer than this dessicated man crone." This made the Doctor scoff. "Really."
"Well, you know what? I think you'll find that I have a certain genetic advantage. Oh!"
His friend had yanked on the chain attached to his wrist, giving me a moment to pass my lock pick from my free hand to my still bound one without being spotted. "It is not a competition about who can die slower."
"It would definitely be me though, wouldn't it?"
"There was supposed to be a plan. Do either of you two have a plan, because no offence, Georgia, you've only been awake about 18 hours out of 4 years." None taken, but I did have a plan.
The Doctor seemed to think that he did too. "Yeah, of course I have a plan."
Robin was just the same. "I too, have a plan."
"Okay." She nodded. "Robin, you first."
"Why him?"
Clara sent him a glare. "Doctor, shut up. Robin, your plan."
"I am biding my time."
She sighed. "Thank you, Prince of Thieves. Amnesiac Pixie, anything?" I winked, but didn't say anything, so she moved along. "Last of the Time Lords?" Time Lord? They were all dead, the Time War wiped them out. Didn't it?
He nodded at her. "Yes, I have a plan."
Only she knew him far too well. "Can you explain your plan without using the words sonic screwdriver?" That shut him up. "Because you might have forgotten the Sheriff of Nottingham has take your sonic screwdriver, just saying. It's always the screwdriver." How the hell was that a screwdriver? Why did a screwdriver need a light?
"Okay." I could see the cogs in his head turning fast, trying to think of something better to say. "Let's hear Robin's plan first."
"Oh, for Gods sake."
At which point the door was unlocked, a gross guard on the other side. "See, I knew there was a guard. There was a guard listening the whole time, I knew it." And started to laugh again, brilliant.
"The Sheriff himself commanded me to listen, to find out which of you is the true ring leader."
"Ah, so he can do the interrogating." The Doctor nodded knowingly. "Very wise."
Robin nodded as well, looking at the man. "Excellent. He will get nothing from me."
The doctor glared at him. "No, no, no, no, no, he will get nothing from me, because interrogation, that's where I always turn the tables. You see, that's my plan."
"Just hurry up and take me to him."
"No, no, chop chop, come on."
What they had both failed to notice was that he was taking Clara's chains and leading her out. "Seriously."
They didn't half complain as she was lead away, the door locking again behind them. So, I finished unlocking myself and stood, clicking my back, making a big show of it. "And that, was my plan, guys. A girl is never trapped so long as she has a trusty hair pin. But, I will only free the both of you, if you promise to shut up while we go and find Clara."
"I promise to stay quiet."
So I unlocked Robin quickly, the small pin coming in handy before looking at the man who'd saved me. "Doctor?" He muttered something under his breath. "What? Why did you just call me an impressionable pixie who is too smart for her own good?"
He huffed, not looking at either of us. "I didn't, you heard me wrong. I promise to stay quiet until we find Clara, happy?"
"Very." I beamed, unlocking him next, before going to the door and unlocked that. "That guard will still be escorting her. Come on before he comes back."
So they followed me as we walked, the Doctor keeping hold of me by the hand so I didn't go too far ahead. Only he then pulled me through a metal doorway, Robin following us. The area was long, spartan and metal, with a glowing hemisphere on a console at the end. "At last, something real. No more fairy tales."
"What is this place?"
"A spaceship." I frowned, tucking my short hair behind my ears before my hands instinctively went to the controls. "More 29th century than the 12th."
The Doctor looked at me carefully, but used another screen to start looking at something. "Data banks, data banks, data banks. Where's this ship headed?"
"The Promised Land." I told him, looking through their system. "Have you heard of it?"
"Like the Half-Faced Man, but more sophisticated." He frowned, looking worriedly at his screen. "It disguised itself as a 12th century castle. It merges into the culture, tries to keep a low profile, so no one notices. That explains the robot knights. But the engines are damaged."
I nodded, finding what he was looking at. It was worrying. "They're leaking radiation into the local atmosphere, creating a temporary climate of staggering benevolence."
Robin blinked at us. "I told you. It's too sunny. Too green." The Doctor told him, moving to stand in front of me, protective for some reason. He'd only just met me, why would he care? "And there is even an evil Sheriff to oppress the locals. This explains everything, even you."
"It does?"
He nodded at him. "Well, what does every oppressed peasant force need? The illusion of hope. Some silly story to get them through the day, lull them into docility and keep them working." But that didn't make sense. Why would they want them to have hope for rebellion and therefore one day have enough hope to cause an uprising? "Ships data banks. Full of every myth and legend you could hope for. Including Robin Hood."
The Doctor showed him the screen, various book illustrations and film adaptations, one played by a familiar looking little clownish man. "Isn't it time you came clean with us? Look at you. Perfect eyes, perfect teeth. Nobody has a jawline like that. You're as much a part of what is happening here as the Sheriff and his metal knights. You're a robot."
There was no way he was a robot. You could easily hear his tell tale heart. "You dare accuse me of collusion with that villain, the Sheriff?"
"I dare."
"You false tongued knave." Robin growled, glaring at him. "I knew I should have skewered you when I had the chance."
So I now stood in front of him. "I'd like to see you try mate. He's the only person I actually trust in this room, I won't let you hurt him." Before the metal door was blown inward by lasers. "They could probably try, I don't have much to fight lasers with."
The Sheriff now came in with Clara and some knights. "Surrender, outlaw."
The Doctor rolled his eyes, moving back in front of me. "Very good."
"Kill him. Kill Robin Hood."
"You can drop all that stuff now, Sheriff." He was about to super embarrass himself... They were both human. "He is not what you think he is. This is all play-acting."
Clara stared at him, coming closer. "We can't just let them kill him."
He wasn't listening. "You're not fooling anyone, Sheriff."
A blast from a knight knocked Robin back before Clara got in between them both. Only he grabbed her around the waist and back her up to the window. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Surviving."
"No!"
Robin then fell backwards out of the window, taking her with him. "No! Clara!" The Doctor yelled, running to the window with me, just seeing the full moon reflected on the moat. It was deep enough water, as long as they didn't pass out, they'd be fine. "Gee, careful!"
He pulled me back as I almost fell, not knowing if I could swim myself, before the Sheriff started to talk again. Did he have to? His voice was just droning on and on and on... "Yeah, sorry about the girl. Such a pretty thing, though yours is just as stunning. Maybe she could replace the other as my Queen."
The Doctor securely kept hold of my arm, trying to keep me safe. "Stop pretending. You and your fancy robots. I get it. I understand."
"Oh, so you too know my plans?" He wished that he did.
"You and your robots plundering the surrounding countryside for all it's worth. Gold. Gold." Always believe in your soul, you've got the power to know, you're indestructible... What the hell was I just singing in my head? "Of course. Gold. You are creating a matrix of gold to repair the engine circuitry."
Which made him nod. "This is the scheme the mechanicals have devised. Soon this Skyship will depart. Destination, London. THere I will obliterate the Kind and take my rightful place as ruler of this sceptered isle."
Were men always like this? Coming up with foolhardy plans that were likely to kill everyone? "It won't work. There's not a chance. I've seen the instruments, there's been too much damage. You're stoking up a gigantic bomb! Doctor, tell him!"
Except we were just knocked out.
When I came to, I was lying on the Doctor, my pale face reflected in a plate he had on his lap to show how I was hit on the forehead, not that I couldn't feel it, and was bleeding. So, he'd pulled my hair back with a leather cord and used some cloth to tie it up. "Doctor?"
"Carefully, Georgia, you've got some bad concussion, but you're alright." He told me, helping me to slowly sit up. "Did it knock any memories back though?"
Thinking for a moment, I shook my head, not feeling much different apart from the headache. My heart still felt the same. "No. Is that a good thing or a bad thing, though?"
"Depends on who you are. Here, take this." And I was handed another shiny gold plate. "A little reflection might shine some light on the situation."
I frowned at him, not understanding for a moment, before getting it. Light, their deadly one, would reflect off the trays. "You are both fit for labour." One of the knights said a moment later."Stand aside while these peasant units are freed."
Good luck. "I'm afraid you're a little late." The Doctor smiled at them, leaving me to right myself, ready for a fight. "We're already free!"
The knight powered up its violet beam, but we both reflected it with the gold, so it hit the wall. Then others helped, bouncing the light to hit the knights, until even the last one was destroyed. And some girl kissed the Doctor on the cheek. "You've saved us all, clever one. Thank you."
At which point she joined the others in escaping so it was just us as the Sheriff appeared. "You are indeed an ingenious pair, Doctor, Lady Georgia. But do you really think that your peasants revolt can stop me?"
"I rather think you're the revolting one around here." Then he frowned at his own words. "I'm bantering. I'm bantering."
"Listen to me." I told him, knowing that we didn't have enough time for any of this. "You don't have enough gold content to seal the engine breach. If you try and take off, you'll wipe out half of England."
He didn't believe me. "Liar! From my sky vessel, I shall rule omnipotent." Good luck with that.
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "You pudding headed primitive, shut down the engines. What you're doing will alter the course of history."
This wasn't overly bothering him though. "I sincerely hope so, or I wouldn't be bothering." Then tossed one of the knights heads into a cauldron. Making it an alloy really wouldn't be doing him any good.
"Listen to us. It doesn't have to end like this." He insisted. "Shut it all down, return Clara to us, and we'll see what we can do."
The Sheriff blinked at him. "I don't have Clara."
"Robin's one of yours." He didn't understand as I sighed, thinking about how this was likely to end up going. The Doctor was going to get just a little embarrassed... "He's one of your tin headed puppets, just like these brutes here."
"Robin Hood is not one of mine."
"Of course he is. He's a robot, created by your mechanical mates."
Which was only confusing our foe further. "Why would they do that?"
The Doctor was determined to keep going. "To pacify the locals. He's the opiate of the masses."
Even the Sheriff saw my point. "Why would we create an enemy to fight us? What sense would that make? That would be a terrible idea."
"Yes! Yes it would." The Doctor finally agreed, realisation hitting him like a tonne of bricks. Or a tonne of feathers. Just a tonne of something, a tonne was the weight, it would still crush him. "Wouldn't it? Yes, that would be a rubbish idea. Why would you do that? But he can't be. He's not real. He's a legend."
A legend who just so happened to be behind us at that very moment in time. "Too kind! And this legend does not come alone." Because Clara was with him as Robin stuck a dagger into a wall hanging and slid down with our friend clinging on. "You alright?"
"Hell yeah."
"Good." Now looked at his arch nemesis. "My men have taken the castle. Now I'm going to take you." Why did that sound really dirty in my brain?
So he switched off the two knights by his side and then smiled darkly. "What do you say, outlaw? A final reckoning?"
"Oh, yes."
They started to fight, the Doctor looking carefully at his friend who seemed very excited at what was going on. Did she know we were about to blow up? "Are you OK?"
"Fine, yeah."
"Good." I told her, my head still aching slightly, the room spinning. "We don't have long."
The keep was starting to rumble and shake around us, while the other two just kept fighting above us. "Doctor."
He nodded at Clara. "I know. The whole castle is going to blow."
We watched the fight upstairs as the Sheriff sliced Robin's arm so he dropped his sword, as the Doctor had done with his spoon the day before. He went for the outlaw, but turned at the last moment so they were back to back, before knocking him into the crucible of gold below.
Robin came back down bia another rope, beaming like the cat who got the cream. "Sorry. Was that, we, was that showing off?"
"That was amazing."
Masonry started to fall as the castle shook again, the Doctor grabbing my hand tight. "Run! Come on, run!"
The spaceship took off as we made it across the moat, making me stop and look back at the rising hunk of stone and machinery. Even in my dozy, spinning state, I knew what was about to happen and it was not good. "It's never going to make it. Not enough gold." Then remembered. "OK, who has it? The golden arrow, I saw Little John take it."
So I was handed it as the Doctor stared at the Merry Men. "You took it?"
"Of course we did." Tuck agreed. "We're robbers."
"I love you boys." Then looked at me. "It might just be enough gold content to get the ship into orbit and out of harms way."
I offered it to Robin, but he shook his head. "No, it has to be you, Doctor. My arm is injured."
At which point he struggled to even get the arrow onto the bowstring. "You were good at this." Clara frowned. "We saw you. You won the tournament."
"The arrows were mechanical." I informed her, before taking it all from him. "OK, let's see how I do, shall we?"
And before they could stop me, I shot it up towards the ship. "Gee!"
"Is now a good time to say I can see three of them, all rotating?" Then it hit home and gave the ship that last little boost it needed to get through into orbit. "Oh, that worked."
The Doctor insisted on supporting me on the long walk back to the TARDIS, given that was ever so slightly struggling with my concussion, before I was sat with him just outside the box, resting my head on his shoulder. Watching Robin give a private archery lesson to Clara. Then she kissed his cheek and said goodbye and it was our turn to say farewell. "So, is it true, Doctor?"
"Is what true?"
"That in the future, I am forgotten as a real man? I am but a legend?"
He nodded sadly. "I'm afraid it is."
Robin thought for a moment, then nodded with a small smile. "Good. History is a burden. Stories can make us fly."
"I'm still having a little trouble believing yours, I'm afraid."
"Is it so hard to credit?" He asked, the smile getting a little wider on his lips. "That a man born into wealth and privilege should find the plight of the oppressed and weak too much to bear." The Doctor went to say something, but Robin kept going. "Until one night he is moved to steal a TARDIS? Fly among the stars, fighting the good fight and saving damsels like Lady Georgia here? Clara told me your stories."
The Doctor gritted his teeth a little. "She should not have told you any of that."
This just made him laugh a little, like everything else always did. "Well, once the story started, she could hardly stop herself. You are her hero, I think. And you are quickly becoming Georgia's."
I gave him a nod and a smile, but he shook his head. "I'm not a hero. Gee did far more than I did today."
"Well, neither am I. But if we both keep pretending to be..." He laughed softly. "Perhaps others will be heroes in our name. Perhaps we will both be stories. And may those stories never end." So now the two men shook hands for some strange reason. "Goodbye, Doctor, Time Lord of Gallifrey. Goodbye Georgia, Girl who seeks out the origin of her own story."
We both smiled at him, the Doctor still supporting me carefully, taking most of my slight weight. "Good bye, Robin Hood, Earl of Loxley."
"And remember, Doctor, I'm just as real as you are."
Then we went back into the TARDIS, leaving him a gift for his help.
