The Four Doctors rapidly exited the Royal Quarters, chased by the Sontaran's laser fire. The Time Lords stood round the corner from the entrance, waiting for the shape shifting alien and the Sontaran to burst through it. However, it never happened, the Four Doctors re-entered the Royal Quarters to find it deserted, but the smell of burning was strong.

The Eleventh Doctor noticed smoke coming from the teleport relay and quickly moved to wrap the black rectangular device in the discarded tapestry that had previously covered it . However, the device began to catch fire and he mournfully removed his tweed jacket, taking his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and tucking it into his dark trousers' pocket. He then threw his jacket on top of it and picked up the hot parcel, walked it over to the large window opposite the main entrance and threw it through the window, glass shattering.

The other three Doctors stood in silence until the Ninth Doctor broke it. "Should have thrown that ridiculous bowtie out with it."

The Eleventh Doctor defensively straightened his crimson bow tie and ran straightened his braces. "Hey, you used to love it, and you'll love it again. Bowties are cool."

The Ninth Doctor looked dismissive and the Fourth Doctor chimed in. "I could never stand that dickie bow."

"Ooh, look at me, I'm all cool with my long scarf," the Eleventh Doctor retorted, and turned to the Ninth. "And don't get me started…"

"So they're gone then," the Eighth Doctor interjected.

"Soothsayer," stated a voice that made all four Time Lords turn around to see two fair haired young boys. The Fourt Doctor bowed low before the two children. Both of the two Princes looked sickly, with pale skin.

"Your Majesties, where have you been?" He asked.

"We were hiding from the monsters," the younger of the two, Richard, stated. "Soothsayer, who are these men?"

"Well, it's difficult to explain really. You could say that they are me, and I am them."

"But they don't look like you, Soothsayer," Prince Richard replied in hushed tones.

"I'm afraid you'll just have to trust me then, Your Majesties."

The door to the Quarters burst open and Lord Catesby strolled in, flanked by two royal guards. "By order of your uncle, Lord Protector of England, Prince Richard will be taken up to York to be with his grandmother, to be accompanied by Doctor John Smith. Meanwhile, Prince Edward will remain here for mass on Sunday with his mother and sister. I will take Richard now, as transport is being arranged presently, with departure later tonight." The two Princes embraced and Richard left with Catesby and the two soldiers.

The four Doctor clustered around each other. "I'll go and speak to our other self before he leaves," the Eleventh Doctor whispered. "You three watch Edward and make sure that he is kept safe."


The Seventh Doctor stood on the battlements of the Tower of London, when he heard raised voices echoing across the walls. He followed the noise to find the adult Richard, below in the courtyard, in a heated debate with the Duke of Norfolk and Ratcliffe, who had been in the meeting earlier.

"…falls out of the sky and now you're trusting him with one of your nephews! It's ridiculous…" the Duke of Norfolk fumed.

"Be calm, my Lord Norfolk, the soothsayer has never led us astray so far. The Soothsayer trusts these four men and so I trust them." The Lord Protector replied.

"Your trust in the Soothsayer will lead you down a dark path, your Majesty. You should put your faith in something slightly more real."

The Doctor heard footsteps from behind his vantage point and turned to see his Eleventh incarnation standing there.

"Hello there, my dear chap. What happened to your jacket?"

The Eleventh Doctor ran his thumbs up his braces. "It's a long story. I came to tell you that we found a Zygon and a Sontaran up in the Royal Quarters."

"Sontarans and Zygons working together? Here? Are the Princes safe?"

"We think so. I came down here to warn you, just in case something happens in York." The two Doctors stared out to where the four TARDISes stood, outside the walls of the tower. Four soldiers lifted the Seventh Doctor's TARDIS on to one of the nearby carts, as if the ship weighed nothing at all. The Doctors winced as the guards put the ship down without any care.

The Eleventh Doctor began fishing around in his black trousers' pocket, before pulling out a thin black wallet and handing it to his shorter self.

"What's this?"

"Psychic Paper. It will show people whatever you want them to see. And as it's keyed to our brainwaves, you can use it to send messages to its sister," the Eleventh Doctor stated, pulling out an identical wallet.

"You invented that?"

The Eleventh Doctor smirked at his younger self. "Haven't you ever been bored on a Sunday afternoon?"