Ryrinna sat in a kneeled position on the hard stone floor, her long black hair running down her blood red cloak, and framed by the same hewed hood. Before her, in a large, black metal bowl, breathed the Sacred Flame. It's orange light flickered across the stone walls, casting Ryrinna's pale face in dancing shadows.
The Sacred Flame was the ancient power of Karn, and the source of the Elixir of Life. Both were the tokens of the Sisterhood of Karn had dedicated themselves to protect. To guard from the greedy hands of species such as the Daleks, Sontarans, even the Time Lords of Gallifrey, though the Sisterhood's relationship with the Time Lords was less- exclusive. The Time Lords offered Karn protection, and in return, the Sisterhood allotted a small amount of the Elixir to fall into the Time Lords' possession.
Ryrinna let her dark blue eyes close, her breath coming slowly, evenly. She was new to the Sisterhood, having only been amongst their ranks for two hundred years, but that didn't stop Ohila, the High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Karn, from trusting her with the protection of the flame single-handedly.
Focus, Ryrinna told herself silently. Meditation had always been her weak point when it came to the practices of the Sisterhood, it was a weakness of her species, such an erratic and uncontrolled people. Every sister was to have a strong mind, not easily bargained or bribed to do the will of men, especially the Time Lords, the only race equal to the Sisterhood in mental control.
"Ryrinna," a soft voice interrupted her. Eyes flickering open, Ryrinna found Isis, a pale, blonde novis, standing in the doorway of the room. She clutched at the red stone wall, leaning on it with her whole frame, her dark brown eyes staring at the Sacred Flame in all its splendor.
"You should not be here," Ryrinna said levelly. She had only just been raised to full sisterhood several months prior, and had once been close friends with Isis. But in the Sisterhood, status dictated whom one could spend their time with. Beyond that problem, though, was the simple fact that novices were not to be near the Sacred Flame so poorly attended.
Isis gulped nervously before saying, "Lady Ohila has sent for you."
"To leave the Flame unattended?" Ryrinna asked, smoothly rising to her feet, letting worry grow inside her, but not letting it become visible.
"She said it was important," Isis said, her shy voice growing more hesitant.
"The Flame is important," Ryrinna insisted, "I will not leave it unattended."
"She sent me to attend the Flame," Isis said, her voice growing a tad more firm as she pulled away from the wall, stepping inside the room. Isis was one of the more experienced novices, but that did not change the fact that the Flame was to be constantly attended by a full sister.
The sound of rushed footsteps came from down the hall, drawing Ryrinna and Isis's attention. A moment later, Gennera appeared, her brown hair a little flurried from her rush. "Ryrinna, Lady Ohila is urgent that you come now. She wants all the sisters, immediately!"
"The Flame," Ryrinna protested as the other sister came into the room, taking Ryrinna by the hand and pulling her away towards the hall.
"This is more important," Gennera insisted, "Besides, Isis knows where to find us if anything goes wrong." Ryrinna glanced back to Isis, who gave a simple nod, her jaw setting in determination. With that, Ryrinna let Gennera guide her with fast steps towards the entrance of the temple. What could be more important than the Sacred Flame? Apparently something important enough to cause Ohila enough worry to gather all the sisters.
They reached the entrance of the temple where the other sisters had all collected, Ohila stood in the entranceway. From the silver of the orange sky Ryrinna could see past the High Priestess, Ryrinna saw a dark object flash across the sky just before a thunderous crashing shouted through the air, and the temple trembled slightly.
"And here he is at last," Ohila said softly, stepping out of the temple, the sisters behind her stepping forward hesitantly. "The man to end it all. My sisters," she paused ever so briefly before continuing, "the Doctor has returned to Karn."
A murmur rose up among the sisters, all whispers which Ryrinna paid no heed to. Instead, she pulled away from the sisters, stepping out into the setting sun's light with Ohila, stepping up besides her, eyes transfixed on the black smoke of the crashed ship.
"What do we do?" Ryrinna asked numbly, several others joining them, though not all.
"We revive him," Ohila gave in response.
Ryrinna turned, looking at the shorter, older woman in worry. "But the Time Lords, they came here and made us swear not to revive anyone fleeing the Time War," she said in a panic. If the High Council of Gallifrey found out about this Doctor- at least his name sounded like the name of a Time Lord. Perhaps Ryrinna was wrong.
"There was one exception to that agreement, in which an ultimatum was to be given," Ohila said, stepping further away from the temple entrance. "Come my sisters, any delay and we will be too late."
It took time, but the sisters did reach the wreckage. Metal debris scattered everywhere as fire continued to engulf the fallen ship. Without being told, the sisters dispersed, searching for a body, silent while at their work.
"We have always known in our bones that one day, he would return here," Ohila's voice echoed over the silence, Ryrinna aware of it as she carefully stepped over a lethally sharp bit of wreckage.
With the way the High Priestess was acting, he must be important indeed. Glancing to her right, Ryrinna paused, heart skipping a beat. A boot, she'd found a boot! The leather was a light brown, covered in dust and oil from the crash.
"I-I found him," Ryrinna managed to make her voice rise over the crackling of the burning flames. She rushed forward, quickly finding his torso and face were free of the metal, though his legs and core were trapped by the metal frame of what used to be the ship.
Kneeling on the ground, breath shallow with worry, Ryrinna placed a hand on his chest. There was no rise and fall from his lungs, no heartbeat burning with fire. She didn't know what to expect, but this shocked her. She pulled her hand away as several of the sisters, including the High Priestess, gathered 'round.
Looking up with wide blue eyes, Ryrinna struggled a moment before choking out, "He's- dead," in a low whisper.
"After all this waiting," Ohila said softly, her voice growing somewhat bitter, "it's such a pity he's dead. Pull him from the wreckage, we must get him to the temple and restore him as quickly as possible."
"High Priestess," another sister called, not far off. "I have found the body of a woman as well."
"His companion, no doubt. Focus on the Doctor, but we will try our best for her too," Ohila ordered quickly. The sisters around the Doctor's body had already started their work, Ryrinna taking care that nothing hit his head while the others shifted through the metal. It would be a long journey back to the temple with two bodies, if it were even possible. With the novices help, it could be done, but the sisters were too few in number to manage them both on their own.
"Ryrinna," Ohila said softly, kneeling besides the much younger sister. "Every minute we take increases the likelihood that we will not be able to bring him back. I know you have forsworn the gift of your people, but he needs you now. The Sisterhood needs you. The universe needs him in the Time War, and if dies before he takes part, then we will all burn in the fires of this war. Do you understand?"
Ryrinna glanced down at the Doctor. His face was handsome, if a little rugged and worn. His people had killed hers, and now she was to save one of their kind? "It is not safe to do it here," Ryrinna said softly, making sure she could not be heard by the other sisters as she gave her weak protest. "There is too much metal around, it could harm the sisters."
"Then as soon as we pull him far enough from the wreckage, you will try," Ohila insisted. Ryrinna meet the High Priestess's light blue eyes. Despite Ohila's passion about saving this Doctor, a single tear fell from Ryrinna's eye. She did not question Ohila, it was not her place, but the betrayal it required of her was not only against herself, but her people. It would be a steep betrayal which would haunt her for the rest of her life.
"I will do as you command," Ryrinna said softly, fear and sorrow coursing through her heart.