AN: I know that Rose is not portrayed in the best of light right now, but later on it will be revealed why. I also added links to what Rose and Jackie's dresses looked like in the first chapter and hope to do the same with future chapters. Again, I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as possible but I know I won't have a chance to tomorrow.
Previously:
"I have the perfect solution!" the Doctor said, excitedly, "I shall answer the three riddles and marry Princess Rose!"
"What? Doctor, absolutely not!" Sarah Jane said quickly. "You musn't! You'll be killed!"
"Come on, Sarah! Have some faith in me," the Doctor replied, unfazed by the worried glances both Sarah Jane and Martha threw at him.
"Doctor, please!" Martha begged him. "Please, just wait a little while and think about what you're about to do!"
"Oh, I know exactly what I want and you two will not convince me otherwise," the Doctor told the two. "But if you two are that worried, I'll wait 3 weeks before I ring the bell and declare myself a suitor to Princess Rose. I'll be spending the rest of my life with her, so what's a few more weeks!"
Both Martha and Sarah Jane quickly nodded, hoping they could convince him to rethink his plan in the meantime.
From that moment on, Sarah Jane and Martha tried to persuade the Doctor not to try to marry the princess, but could not succeed. Sarah Jane grew increasingly fond of the younger man, who she could not help but feel protective towards. She had even let him stay in her spare bedroom. She really did not want to see him die such a horrible death. And Martha didn't either, but for entirely different reasons. Martha was fascinated by the Doctor who rarely stopped talking and his bright mood never wavered. Even though Michael, who had been a very good friend that could have turned into something more, had only just died, Martha couldn't help her increasing infatuation with the Doctor.
Because of this, Martha did not tell the Doctor that she used to be quite good friends with the object of his desires. She and Princess Rose had grown up together, until Martha's parents separated and she chose to live with her mother, who lived farther away from the castle. She knew that if she gave the Doctor this information, he would try to persuade her to get him into the castle to see the princess. So for the next three weeks, Martha kept quiet about her connections with Rose in hopes the Doctor would get over his fascination with the young princess.
But neither Martha nor Sarah Jane succeeded in having the Doctor give up his plan to marry the princess. Exactly three weeks later, the Doctor rushed out of Sarah Jane's home before she could awake and ran to the center. Once there, he hopped up on the platform and rang the bell three times. The loud rings echoed throughout the kingdom, awakening Sarah Jane and Martha, along with the rest of the kingdom.
Slowly, the citizens made their way towards the Doctor, curious to see who would try to court the Princess so soon after the death of Michael. Many whispered and pointed to him, confused by who exactly he was. Many of them had not seen him in the past three weeks and were wondering if this man had any idea of the trouble he had just gotten himself into.
Both Sarah Jane and Martha surged through the crowd and up the platform to the Doctor.
"Doctor! What have you done?" Martha cried out, "Princess Rose is as cold as ice. She will never see how special you are and if you fail she will not spare your life!"
"Martha, how could you say something like that about someone you've never met! Yes, Princess Rose did seem a bit cold three weeks ago, but maybe she was just trying to hide her disappoint that Michael did not pass the test," The Doctor told her, appalled that Martha, who was becoming his close friend, would say something so cruel about the princess.
"Doctor, I know Rose," Martha said, not meeting the Doctor's eyes, "She was my friend."
The Doctor stared at her in shock. "Why didn't you tell me?" he said quietly, his voice filled with hurt. "You could've helped me. You could've have gotten her to meet me."
"Doctor, I was helping you by not letting you see her. She's dangerous for you. She was dangerous for Michael and all the other men who wanted her. She'll only bring about your death." Martha said desperately.
"Martha, how could you say something like that about your friend?"
"She's not my friend anymore," Martha said with tears in her eyes, "Rose used to be different. She used to be kind. The Rose that has allowed the deaths of Michael and the others is not my friend. The Rose who comforted me when my parents fought, the Rose that trusted everyone and was compassionate was my friend. Not this princess with ice in her heart."
"Rose has changed?" The Doctor asked curiously.
"Yes, so much. Oh, Doctor she never told me what happened. But one day, she looked so empty when I went to see her and she shut me out. She refused to see me anymore much less tell me what happened. I lost my best friend. My best friend would have never killed Michael," Martha cried.
Sarah Jane pulled Martha into a hug while she cried over the loss of her friend. The Doctor stood next to the pair, wondering how Princess Rose could change so much from the Rose that Martha had known and cared for. He was saddened by how cold she really had become, but it did not deter him from his love for her. He knew that he would love her and only her, even if she did become his executioner. If she did, he would welcome death. Martha's story made him desire even more to get to know her and understand her.
The Doctor was interrupted from his thoughts by a man coming up to the three. Martha and Sarah Jane broke apart and Martha quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Sir, it has come to the Royal Family's attention that you have accepted the challenge to win over the princess. Are you aware of what the challenge will entail?" The man, who could only be the royal advisor, told him.
"Yes, I am," The Doctor replied calmly.
"And are you aware of the consequences should you fail?" the man inquired and the Doctor nodded.
"Then your courtship of the princess will begin. You come with me to the castle immediately where Princess Rose will tell you her three riddles," the man stated.
Before the Doctor could follow the man, Sarah Jane spoke up, "We will come with the Doctor. We are his advisors and responsible for him."
"Very well, Lady Sarah Jane and Lady Martha, you two may come, but you mustn't help the Doctor in anyway during his test," the advisor said sternly.
Upon agreeing, the two ladies stepped on either side of the Doctor and walked beside him towards the castle where they hoped the kind Doctor would not find his demise.
