CHAPTER FOUR
I follow every course
My kingdom for a rose
"Thank you for everything, the stew was delicious." Rose was standing at the entrance to the tiny house with Margery as the other villagers left to head to their own homes for the night. The Doctor was standing in the long grass by himself and looking up at the sky. The dragon had long since moved on, there was nothing left but a perfectly speckled starry night.
"Where will you go now?" Margery asked with a soft smile.
"Not sure…" Rose shrugged and glanced back at The Doctor with a hint of admiration. "Wherever he decides." She looked back at Margery and there was a look of sympathy there. The older woman lifted her hand and touched Rose on the cheek softly.
"Well, wherever that is, be careful." Rose nodded and held Margery's hand tightly in her own for a second. An understanding and appreciation passed between them, and then with a turn, the moment was gone. Rose walked silently towards The Doctor. She watched his head drop down from its inclined position to observe the hill before them as she reached his side. They walked forward towards the hill.
"So what now?" Rose asked quietly. She linked her arm with his and leaned into his shoulder.
"In the morning, we head over to that temple." He stated. Rose frowned and pulled her head up to look at him.
"Eavesdropper."
"I can't help that my hearing is more advanced than your species'." The Doctor shrugged.
"That was a private conversation."
"Obviously." The Doctor agreed and Rose watched him carefully. He said nothing more about it.
"So are we going to sleep in the TARDIS for the night then?" Rose asked as she looked up at the starry sky.
"Could do," The Doctor shrugged casually. "Or, we could stay out here. Under the stars?" Rose looked up at him with a big grin. It was as if he read her mind. The air was warm, the sky was lovely, it was a perfect night for star gazing. The butterflies of a teenager began to flutter in Rose's stomach, a feeling so foreign to her now.
They climbed over the hill and onward towards the TARDIS. Light shone from its small windows making it easier to locate in the dark. The Doctor stopped a short distance away and plopped himself down into the grass without warning. Rose did the same after a quick look around for anything that might be wet or sticky. With a big sigh, they both leaned back onto their backs and looked up at the sky. The Doctor had his arms pulled back behind his head, and Rose rested her hands on her stomach. They just lay quietly for some time, like two awkward youths on their first date ever. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but rather a perfect silence. One filled with crickets and the rustling of grass in a light breeze.
"This version of you was always such a romantic." Rose smiled. Her voice was soft in the night air. The silence came again. The Doctor furrowed his brow as if searching for the right thing to say.
"Was I… ehm." The Doctor cleared his throat. "Was I good to you?" He asked cautiously. Rose turned her head and saw a little strain in The Doctor's face. "Afterward, I mean." He was struggling. "Regeneration is a bit of a lottery… A lot can change." Rose nodded in agreement.
"You were." She confirmed. "I wouldn't have stayed with you if you weren't." There was another long silence. Rose wondered if that was really what he meant by that question, so she rethought her answer. "You were definitely different." She said at last. The Doctor turned his head to look at her.
"Good or bad?"
"Just different." Rose shrugged. "You became silly and bouncy and… I don't know." She moved her hands around awkwardly in search of a word. "This you was, is a darker character. A little reserved with moments of sass and cheek. Stand-offish but heavily romantic."
"You keep saying romantic," The Doctor said with slight offense.
"Yeah, like… secretly." She gave him a cheeky grin with her tongue poking playfully through her teeth. He huffed at that and pulled his arms down to cross them over his chest. Rose rolled onto her side and propped her head up with one arm.
"You're still the same, though." She smiled. The Doctor relaxed a little. "Look wise…" Rose raised her eyebrows and looked to the side as if sitting on a secret. The Doctor lifted his head with a hint of urgency.
"What?" He asked a little too quickly. "Older? Bigger ears? No, don't tell me." Rose just laughed.
"I mean your style completely changed." She touched his jacket playfully. "You don't keep this guy around." Her eyes misted over as her memories took her away. The leather jacket had always stayed in her room on the TARDIS. It hung on a chair next to her bed like a memorial. Sometimes when she was feeling off she would wear it, but mostly she would just stare at it…
"Well, that's expected." The Doctor shook her from her memories. "I've gone through some pretty strange phases in the past…" He shivered as he thought back to them. Rose leaned in to rest her head on The Doctor's chest, and he obligingly moved his arm out of her way to wrap around her.
"I wonder if you regenerate will you look like that, or will you look like someone else." Rose mused as she played with one of the buttons on the jacket.
"Do you want me to look like that again?" The Doctor asked. His face seemed level, but Rose could tell there was a bit of nervousness there. She remembered when he'd first regenerated how he'd asked a similar question, how she'd wanted him to go back. He seemed very crestfallen by her reaction to him.
"No." She replied. "I know how horrible the process is for you… I hope you don't have to regenerate for a long time." She smiled into his chest. "Plus, I fell for you looking like this first." The Doctor tightened his grip around her and pulled her in closer, but didn't make a comment. There was a long silence again. Long enough for Rose to start fading off to sleep to the white noise of the open field.
In the morning light, the grass seemed much greener, and the sky had a lot more clouds. The peek of sunlight had caused Rose to stir. She could feel the damp grass seeping into her clothes and she tried to bury herself deeper into the vague heat-source below her. Rose had never been a morning person. She'd always had to get up early, but she had never been bright about it. Lately, she hadn't had much use for sleep at all. Avoid difficult mornings by never going to sleep, it seemed logical enough. That night it came easily to her. The hypnotic sounds of nature, the duel rhythm of a familiar heartbeat, a general feeling of safety and comfort. It was the perfect recipe for a full nights sleep.
"You talk in your sleep." The Doctor's voice made her jump up. She'd forgotten how she'd fallen asleep in the first place. Her embarrassment was evident as she attempted to smooth down her messy hair. "Also, you drool." He commented as he straightened out his jumper and sat up. The Doctor was a deep romantic, that much was true, but he was also at his core a real jerk. He couldn't let Rose get away without acknowledging her shameful sleep habits. It was just in his nature.
"Did you sleep?" She asked. "Or were you too busy scrutinizing me?"
"Don't really sleep, me." He shrugged. "Thought you knew that." He shook himself out as if shaking off the night, then made to stand tall against the bright sky. Rose squinted up at him as he straightened his jacket and offered her a hand.
"So what's first?" Rose asked as she smoothed out her peasant's dress. "Tea?" The Doctor thought about it for a moment. He wanted to get moving, but he did fancy a cup of tea… He made a quick decision.
"Right, tea then we're off." He turned to step towards the TARDIS but a sneeze halted him in his tracks. "Bless you." He turned to Rose.
"Wasn't me!" Rose said spinning around. The Doctor moved forward towards the crest of the hill, Rose followed curiously on his heels.
"Who's there?" He called into the long grass. I tiny head poked up with wide, apologetic eyes.
"Joan!" Rose threw her hands to her hips. "You followed us?" She wanted to be stern, but she didn't have it in her heart. Joan stood up and nodded.
"I'm sorry." She said regretfully. "I just… I have no one else and I…" She looked around anxiously. "I thought I could help and…" She sniffled a little and toyed with the small apron she wore. "Oh, please don't send me away!" Rose covered her mouth to hide her feelings. The Doctor just frowned.
"What we do is too dangerous for children." He said in a firm but still a little friendly voice.
"I promise you won't even know I'm here! I'll do the washing! I can even cook!" She clasped her hands together as she begged.
"Then what would Rose do?" The Doctor jutted his head to the side at Rose.
"She's sick, she shouldn't do that stuff anyway," Joan replied but instantly regretted. "Oops. I mean," She held a hand to her mouth. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Miss Rose. I shouldn't have been listening in!" The Doctor crossed his arms and turned to Rose with a disapproving look. Joan threw herself to her knees and held up her clasped hands desperately. "Oh please, Mister Doctor! I won't be any trouble."
"It's just Doctor." He corrected her softly and crouched to her level. "Joan, this is quite difficult for me to explain…"
"Don't you dare." Rose leaned forward and gripped him by the shoulder. He turned to look up at her. Her face was serious as she shook her head slowly. "She's not ready for all that." He stared dumbly at her for a moment, then nodded in agreement and turned back to the teary child.
"I'm not a baby." Joan sniffled as she tried to sound tough. "I can handle anything! I survived a dragon while my whole family died. That should count for something." The Doctor ran a hand across his face as he tried to think of what to do. "I'll take you to the temple of the grail." His hand dropped.
"You know where it is?" He asked. She nodded. The Doctor looked back at Rose who was biting her lip. Then turned back again. "This is going to be very dangerous…"
"I can handle it." The Doctor nodded then stood to his full height and sighed.
"We'll need three cups of tea, Rose." He turned to face her. "Better bring them out…" Rose nodded and turned to head into the TARDIS. "Maybe the deck chairs too?" Rose paused to look at him over her shoulder with a less than pleased expression, then carried on. He smiled cheekily as she disappeared.
"How will she get tea in there?" Joan asked curiously. "What is that thing?"
"Just an old box we keep our things in." The Doctor shrugged. "Kettle, food, deck chairs…"
"But how do you carry it around?" The Doctor scratched his neck and turned to look at the TARDIS as if she'd give him an answer. Then he turned back and grinned.
"Magic, of course." Joan nodded confidently. Perfectly convinced.
Rose returned a few minutes later with the tea on a platter in one hand, and the deck chairs looped over her arm in the other. She looked flustered as she tried to set them up with one hand, then gave up and let them fall into the grass. The Doctor smiled and took a cup for himself, then leaned forward pulled a chair from the grass and flicked it open with a smooth gesture.
"How do you know where the temple is, Joan?" Rose asked as she finally got the other two chairs set up. She turned around and plunked herself into one. Joan copied her and took a cup of tea.
"I've been a few times…" She admitted. "I know we aren't supposed to but… well, my brother's and I sort of stumbled upon it while we were out playing." She took a sip of the tea. "It's all overgrown, you'd never know it was a temple at all!"
"Did you go in?" Rose asked. Joan shook her head.
"No… once we realized what it had to be we ran home. My brother said it was us that brought on the dragon. God's might and all…" Rose frowned but nodded all the same.
After the tea was gone, and the chairs were put away, the journey could finally begin. Joan lead the way proudly while The Doctor and Rose trailed behind. It was a short walk through the tall grass to the edge of the forcefield. Much to Joan's delight, The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to let them pass through, explaining that it was a magic wand and not some kind of alien technology from another time.
"Now that we're out of the forcefield, does that mean the dragon is an issue again?" Rose asked quietly. The Doctor nodded.
"If I had to guess, I'd say the dragon was placed in the temple as an egg to ward off enemies in time." He leaned in as he spoke so that he could talk in a more hushed tone. "There's no doubt in my mind it's there now." Rose nodded and eyed the child that walked only a few paces ahead of them.
"What are we really doing here, Doctor?" She whispered. "Is it worth risking her life for?" The Doctor pursed his lips.
"I won't let anything happen to her." He said with a convincing nod. More for himself than for Rose.
"Yeah, I've seen how well your word sticks," Rose grumbled.
"We're almost there!" Joan called back to them gleefully. "It's just beyond that hill!" She pointed with her finger, but there were so many hills that Rose decided it didn't really matter.
"You're doing a fine job, navigator!" The Doctor beamed and Joan swelled with pride.
"Don't you worry Miss Rose, once you get the Grail you two can live happily ever after!" Rose forced a smile, she hated to be deceitful to Joan. She wanted to tell her she wasn't sick, she wanted to tell her they'd have to leave her, but the words just sat like a lump in her throat.
"That's the plan." The Doctor said cheerily as he wrapped a firm arm around Rose and shook her slightly. Joan seemed dazzled, she couldn't help but grin at them. It made the feeling the ill feelings inside Rose lurch. How could The Doctor go with this so easily?
"I sure hope I meet a wizard of my own someday." She said quietly as she turned around. Her little feet broke into an excited run as they went down one hill and up the other.
As they climbed higher and higher a pile of vine-covered rubble started to come into view. It looked as if was the result of a landslide, only there was nothing higher for which the rocks could have tumbled. The only queue that it may have been more than it appeared was that some of the rubble looked like pieces of columns that might have once held up the structure. Joan turned excitedly on her heel and held her hands up.
"Fantastic!" The Doctor exclaimed. He ruffled the top of Joan's head roughly as he passed her. Rose took her hand on her way by and they followed him down the hill.
"What happened to it?" Rose asked as they neared the base of the wreckage.
"You saw how big that dragon was."
"Yeah, but Joan said it only started coming around after they'd been here." She looked around. "This looks like it's been collapsed for ages."
"Or…" The Doctor leaned down between large bits of rock. "It's a clever disguise." He began to crawl in between the rocks and disappeared. Rose leaned cautiously forward and peeked down the hole. It was pitch black and ominous.
"Doctor?"
"Come on in, there's a staircase here." His echoey response reached out to her. Rose turned to Joan and beckoned her forward. The idea of bringing her down there didn't exactly delight Rose, but leaving her alone like a sitting duck above the surface gave her worse feelings. The small child climbed onto the rocks and Rose carefully lowered her into the hole.
"Here comes Joan," Rose warned.
"I've got her." The Doctor responded from below. Rose watched as Joan disappeared into the hole. Then she stepped up and prepared to enter. "Right, I'm just beneath you,"
"Oi, Best not be looking up my dress!" Rose pulled at her skirts and squinted at the hole.
"Oh go on," The Doctor called up in exasperation. "Just jump, I'll catch you." Rose took in a breath of air and then jumped into the darkness. She landed unceremoniously into a pair of arms, as her eyes adjusted to the light she could see The Doctor holding her and Joan standing close by. "Perfect catch." He grinned.
"Surprising, considering your track record has been dodgy at best." She smirked as she remembered their failed attempt to connect on Justicia. The moment, aside from being a little clumsy, was a special memory she treasured. Her body sprawled on top of his. Their faces inches apart. The goofy smile he gave as a massive explosion erupted beside them. They didn't even look… nothing was more important at that moment than the fact that they'd found each other after such a long time apart. The memory brought a blush to her cheeks as The Doctor set her on her feet.
"Doctor, look." Joan pointed down a long and ancient corridor. Beams of light filled with dust particles appeared every so often through the gaps of the stone. They lit the path just enough to see there was a large wooden ornate door at the end.
"Nice work!" The Doctor cheered. He set the pace as they moved quickly down the corridor. Dust stirred at their feet in tiny cyclones as they went. The door at the end was far larger than it appeared from afar, so large the trio had to crank their necks back to get the full scale of it. It was roughly three stories high with large iron handles, far too big for a normal human's hand to pull.
"Woah." Joan breathed as she nearly toppled backward to take in the full height of the door. Rose stepped forward and pulled on one of the handles with all her strength. It never budged. She looked back at The Doctor and shook her head. The Doctor's eyes darted around the area like a cat as he tried to look for anything that might provide answers. Who builds a door they can't open themselves? They already knew the temple was built by locals, so there had to be some kind of trick to getting it open that wasn't immediately obvious. His eyes landed on a dust-covered lever sunken into the wall just out of sight. He darted over and gave it a pull.
The Door groaned to life. Rose quickly grabbed Joan and pulled her back protectively. The Doctor moved swiftly to their side. The dark space between the doors grew wider and wider until the light began to seep in and a great form took shape.
"Oh, bloody hell!" Rose gaped as the dragon from the day before was revealed to them. It turned its body around slowly and clumsily and offered a thunderous roar that caused dust to pour from the ceiling onto their heads. "What do we do now?" She asked The Doctor but didn't dear break her gaze from the dragon. Her instinct for survival already kicked into overdrive as she thought through their possible escape routes and potential defenses. Her hands clutched tightly around Joan who stared in awe. The Dragon swung its head around and began to build up a flame.
"Run!" The Doctor yelled and spun around on his heel. Rose lifted Joan up into her arms and carried her like a sack of potatoes. The Dragon let out a hot breath of fire and Rose dipped to the left to avoid it. The heat alone was enough to suck the air out of her lungs. The Doctor jumped to the right and landed on his stomach by the wall. The Dragon burst forward through the door, knocking it off its hinges with its bulk body. It roared again and let out another flame but Rose and Joan were protected by a column that jutted out of the stone wall. The dragon charged forward down the corridor like an iguana, swishing this way and that. The Doctor rolled onto his back just in time to dodge being squashed by a massive foot. He made a snap decision to grip onto the leg, and then the beast thrust its head through the rubble.
Joan turned to hide her face in Rose's shoulder. Rose burst forward and back towards the gaping hole where the door once stood. The rubble fell down behind them as the dragon pushed its way up and out to the fresh air. Rose turned to look for The Doctor, but she couldn't see him. Brief panic flashed through her mind, she made to run to the rubble to search for him, but the debris was still falling. She had to make a snap decision, Joan or The Doctor. Her instinct made the call for her. He had to have gotten out, she thought as she ran into the room previously occupied by the dragon. It was the only thought she would allow.
The room was massive, large enough to hold a fully grown dragon and then some. The dragon had seemed to have created some kind of nest in the center of the room. Pieces of charred remains and bits of bracken were piled into the rough shape of a circle. It reeked of decay, Joan instinctively held a hand over her mouth as they passed it. At the far end of the room, there was a gorgeous mural spanning the entire wall. It told the story of the last supper. The central image was the son of God holding the grail in his hand. Below that appeared to be a small ornate marble table, and a direct skylight from above beamed sunlight down onto it as if Christ himself was showing them the way. Rose ran towards it eagerly. When she reached the table, there was nothing on it. She circled around it a few times for good measure, and then anxiously looked around the rest of the area.
"Do you see it anywhere?" She asked Joan as she pulled back a dusty tapestry to check behind it for hiding spots. Joan didn't respond, instead, she lifted herself onto her tiptoes and inspected the small table. She blew the dust away with one hard blow and a piece of parchment flew off. She ran to grab it.
"There's this!" She offered it to Rose who took it greedily. The writing was ridiculously over flourished and her eyes strained to read what was written there.
"Sorry for the trouble… it's in good hands…. Sir Lancelot." Rose crinkled her nose and frowned in disgust. "Ps. Sorry about the dragon." She crinkled the parchment in her hand and tossed it to the ground. "We've been beaten to it! We're too late!" Rose sunk to the ground and rested her chin in her hands. It was all a waste… and now she couldn't even be sure if The Doctor was alive or dead. Joan reached out a tiny hand and placed it on her back. Rose turned to look at her softly. "I guess it's safe to say it wasn't you and your brothers who woke the dragon." Joan nodded.
"It's not over yet." She said softly. "Sir Lancelot is one of the nights of the round. He's very famous. Everyone knows where he lives." Rose looked up at her, visibly impressed. "We'll just have to go there and steal it from him!" Joan squeaked with glee.
"Oh, Joan… it isn't right to steal." Rose said in a mothering tone that didn't really feel like her. That said, she couldn't exactly let an impressionable youth go down the wrong path at her expense. She was a role model at this point, she should at least pretend.
"He stole it first." Joan shrugged.
"Yeah, right." Rose nodded thoughtfully. "Then I guess that's okay.." She looked at Joan and gave a little laugh, then tapped her on the nose playfully.
Suddenly another loud crash sounded from above. Rose grabbed onto Joan and pulled her close once more. She looked up to the ceiling at what appeared to be another mechanized door, potentially the way the dragon was getting out to eat. There was only a second to really think about it before the dragon came bursting through the wood like a massive wrecking ball. Shards of wood and flecks of dirt sputtered down from above. Rose shielded Joan from the debris as it scattered everywhere. The beast roared and flapped its mighty wings. It landed awkwardly on the ground and dug its claws into the stone as it attempted to regain balance. Rose squeezed her eyes shut as the dragon lowered its head, she silently prayed that The Doctor was alright and that he wouldn't blame himself for their deaths wherever he was.
"There you are!" The Doctor's voice made Rose pop open her eyes and look around. The Dragon was still staring right at her, its face calm and almost gentle. "Did you find it?" Rose jerked her head up. There he was, grinning like a madman, sitting atop a massive dragon-like King of the universe. Nothing out of place there. Rose scoffed.
"Oh, you must think you're so impressive!" Rose spat as she tensely pushed wisps of hair from her face.
"I am so impressive." The Doctor grinned. "Psychic paper works on dragons too. What do you know?" Rose rolled her eyes.
"The Grails not here. We've been beaten." The Doctor looked a little disappointed. "But Joan says she knows where the guy lives." She looked down at Joan who was barely containing her excitement at the image of The Doctor riding the dragon.
"Well… it won't hurt to maybe just say hello?" The Doctor said as he patted the dragon playfully. "Hop on, ladies. Let's take a little cruise." Joan all but leaped out of Rose's arms.
Flying on a dragon was much like riding the worst built rollercoaster you could imagine. There wasn't anywhere to really grip, the scales were hard on your rear, and the fear of being hurled off was very real. The wind whipped wildly at Rose's hair as she squinted into it. The only saving grace in the whole dragon experience was the closeness of The Doctor behind her. She sat perched between his legs, her back firmly against his stomach and chest. He had one hand around her waist and the other gripping the Dragon's scales. The mood would have been romantic if not for the constant fear of death and the stress of looking after the little girl sitting between her own legs.
Despite losing her entire family to the very dragon she sat on, Joan seemed elated in the experience. She laughed with glee at every dip and held her arms high whenever possible. The more animated she became the more stressed Rose grew. If only the girl would just hold on and never mind her life-changing experience. The dragon let out a loud roar as it neared what looked to be a medieval city. Rose tried to push the hair from her eyes to get a better look.
"Quite the Targaryen!" The Doctor sputtered as he leaned to the side to avoid Rose's blonde locks from whipping him in the face.
"What's that?" Rose yelled into the wind and tried to turn to face him. He gave her a brief look of shock then shook his head.
"Guess they don't have that one in this universe… probably too close to actual history." Rose turned back around, whipping The Doctor in the face with her hair again. He leaned back in annoyance. "Alright, we'll have to land this guy somewhere outside the city. Don't need to cause any damage." Rose nodded in agreement.
"Will he wait for us?"
"Oh sure," The Doctor shrugged. "Dragons are a lot like dogs. Give them a job and they'll do it. Very loyal creatures."
The dragon swooped low to the ground and landed as gracefully as something that heavy possibly could. A couple of farmers nearby were frozen with fear as they watched the three strangers slide down the side of the beast's neck. Wide eyes and rattling knees, clinging to their wheat as if they could hide behind it. The Doctor spotted them and waved casually with a big grin. Rose gave a brief glance and an apologetic shrug.
They walked quickly towards the gates of the city. They were open, insinuating that it was a time of peace and that they weren't worried about anyone storming in. A few quick questions here and there lead them straight to the castle where Sir Lancelot apparently lived. He was a favoured knight among the people, and they were happy to tell all they knew.
"How are you planning on getting in?" Rose whispered as they climbed the stairs to the castle doors. Two guards looked down upon them with dull interest. The Doctor didn't answer, he just smiled.
"Hello." The Doctor waved as he reached the top. "Here to see Sir Lancelot." Rose tried her best not to roll her eyes and grin. Classic Doctor.
"Who are you?" The guard asked in mock irritation.
"I'm The Doctor."
"He's a wizard, I'm his cauldron wench, and she feeds the dragon." Rose thrust her finger about as she went through the members of her party in a casual fashion. The guards looked anxiously at each other.
"Dragon?" One of them asked.
"Only way to travel." The Doctor beamed politely. He rocked slightly on his heels giving away his impatience.
"How can a child feed a dragon?" The other guard looked disbelieving.
"She's not a child." Rose spat quickly. "She's eighty-seven." Then she leaned in with a playful wink. "Magic." The guards eyed Joan curiously. She crossed her arms and gave them a stern look.
"Best be letting us in or I'll have fresh meat for the dragon tonight." She said in a voice that mocked adulthood. The man snapped into action and pulled open the door.
Once inside, the castle was very underwhelming. Stone walls with nothing on them, stone floors with no carpets, and no people. Rose had half expected to open the door to a throne room and see a King sitting there, but instead it was just a large empty hallway with arches on either side leading to other hallways. At the end, there were doors that most likely lead to a throne room, but that wasn't really where they were headed.
"Oi, you there!" A man armor had come out of one of the other hallways and held an offending finger in the direction of the three trespassers. His hair was grey and his face was weather-beaten. "How did you get in here?" He asked, taking a few commanding steps forward.
"The front door." The Doctor offered innocently and thrust a thumb behind him to be clear. "Are you Sir Lancelot? We're here to meet with him?" The man lowered his accusing finger and scowled slightly.
"No, I'm not." He grumbled. "Typical Lance, bringing his queer friends here." The Doctor and Rose looked at each other, then back to the snide old man.
"Could you take us to him?" Rose asked sweetly.
"What do I look like to you? A servant?" The man spat angrily and spun on his heel. Rose could feel herself getting fired up, she made to take a step forward and give the angry man a piece of her mind, but The Doctor raised his arm to block her. She looked up at him and he shook his head. It wasn't worth their time to get into it with someone. Then suddenly another man came through the same arch, slightly younger, early forties. He looked to be in a rush as his eyes flicked over to the trio.
"Excuse me," Rose called to him sweetly. The man made to turn away from her but found himself unable to ignore her sweet smile.
"How can I help, m'lady?" He offered a little bow which pleased Rose. The Doctor rolled his eyes, some things never changed.
"We're looking for Sir Lancelot." She said. "Do you know where we can find him?" The man stood tall and smiled.
"Of course." He replied. "I am Sir Lancelot." Rose clapped her hands together happily.
"Oh good!" She chirped. "Easier than we'd thought."
"I'm sorry, but what's this all about? I really must be getting on, I'm late for a meeting of the round." The Doctor nodded in mock understanding as he pushed his way past Rose to be the center focus.
"Nothing too important, just a quick thing really." He cleared his throat and put on his best smile. "Just came to pick up the Holy Grail, we got your note." The knight's eyes grew wide and darted about.
"Not sure what you're talking about, Sir." He said shakily.
"This isn't you?" Rose held up the parchment she'd kept from the temple. The knight bit his lip anxiously and took a few steps back. His hand instinctively on the hilt of his sword.
"Must say, clever bit of work you did getting in there." The Doctor crossed his arms and looked down at the knight condescendingly. "Not sure how you managed to escape the dragon, but you left a right mess for the locals. Though, I'm sure this note here will give them great comfort as they mourn for the lost loved ones."
"I think you should leave." He warned.
"Not without the Grail!" Joan insisted, her hands resting boldly on her hips. Lancelot looked down at her in confusion.
"Go on then, Lance." The Doctor said casually. "Give us the Grail, we'll take off." Lancelot's once friendly face had turned to one of a more serious tone. He drew his sword as if he were preparing to duel.
"You'd really kill a woman and child?" Rose asked, her hands raised in submission. The knight's firm expression faltered a bit.
"You're just a bunch of thieves, why should I hand it over to you?" He asked with an air of frustration.
"That's personal." The Doctor replied. A few moment's of silence passed as Lancelot contemplated his situation. He studied Rose's face, soft and trusting, then Joan's, innocent and pure. Then with a sigh, he lowered his arm.
"I can't give it to you." He said meekly. "I need it to barter…"
"Barter?" Rose quirked a brow. "You don't want to use it on yourself?" Lancelot shook his head sadly.
"I thought I could trade it for the woman I love…" Rose made a sour face of disapproval but waited for clarification. "He doesn't love her… but he'll never let her go. We are desperate, you see? He's wanted the Grail for so long… it's our only hope!" It was Rose's turn to bite her lip anxiously. Her mind searched for the right thing to say, but it was The Doctor who offered a comforting hand.
"I understand." He said softly. The knight looked up to meet his eyes with pathetic glassy ones. "Love is a pretty powerful motive." The Doctor looked over at Rose and gave a soft smile. She blushed. "It's no problem."
"It's not?" The knight, Joan and Rose asked in unison. The Doctor shrugged and gave a grin.
"Sure, we'll just take it from the man you trade with."
"That will be very difficult…" Lancelot said awkwardly. "It's not just any man… it's King Arthur himself."
"Oh, Lance," Rose gasped in sympathy. "Falling for the Queen?" The Knight looked at his feet shyly. She tutted, but then gave him a smile to show she was teasing. "That won't be a problem!" She smirked as she clamped a hand on The Doctor's shoulder. "We have a seasoned master thief here!" The Doctor looked at her sternly but didn't deny her claim or question how she could know that about him.
"Before we go stealing from anyone," The Doctor began, holding his hand up to slow down the momentum of the conversation. "I'd like to just see the Grail. I need evidence that it is what you claim."
"You'll only try to steal it from me now!" Lancelot reached for his sword again. "A seasoned thief, she just confessed! You think me that foolish?"
"I promise, I won't." The Doctor held his hands up. "You see, no weapons on me, if I try to steal it you may run me through." The knight thought about it for a while, then decided it seemed like a sound enough idea. They didn't seem like evil people, but they also didn't seem like normal people. His gut told him to trust, and it had never led him to the wrong path before. To help another couple in love could provide good karma for his own struggle, being a big believer in that sort of thing he felt he had no choice. He nodded his decision to The Doctor and turned to lead them back to his chambers.
The Doctor was the first into the room when Lancelot opened the door. Sunlight poured in through a small window in the stone wall and caught each tiny dust particle in its beam as it sprawled across the floor. It was a humble room, no decorations, just a few pieces of armor and weaponry and a simple bed with a trunk on the end. The Doctor walked swiftly to the trunk and hovered over it as he looked back at the knight for permission. Lancelot gave him the nod he sought but kept his hand on his hilt and his position intimidatingly close to Rose and Joan. The Doctor dug through a few layers of shirts and pants before he paused and pursed his lips. He rested his wrists on this knees as he loomed over the open trunk.
"Well?" Rose asked impatiently. The Doctor reached forward into the trunk once more.
"This looks familiar." He said as he lifted something from the trunk with little care. Rose, who had been eager with anticipation, suddenly gasped, then sagged with realization. The item held in The Doctor's hand was nothing more than the plunger-like arm of a Dalek. He twirled it around in his hand with something between disgust and amusement on his face, then he tossed it back in and stood up. The shock on Lancelot's face was to be expected, he gripped at his chest plate anxiously.
"What are you saying? It's not the Holy Grail?" He asked with a twinge of strain.
"No, I'm certain it is." The Doctor confirmed with a sigh. "You lot, anything different or curious and you run instantly to religion." Rose leaned on the door frame and looked sympathetically at The Doctor, his disappointment was clear.
"It is debris from the Time War though?" She asked softly.
"Could be, wrong side though." He raked his hands through his short hair as he processed his mistake. "It was a gamble anyway…" He muttered as looked out the window of the castle thoughtfully. Rose stepped forward and quietly rested a hand on his arm. He glanced up at her.
"What does this mean, Doctor?" Rose eyed the Dalek arm resting in the trunk. "This world has never made contact with a Doctor from this universe before. How can there be Daleks and no Doctor?"
"I didn't invent them, you know." He said in a harsher tone then he intended. "Sorry." He said quietly after a brief pause. "I don't really know what this means… There must have been a Time War and they must have lost, otherwise, none of this would be here… and if there was a Time War…" He pursed his lips. "Perhaps it's just me that didn't exist. You weren't born here, right?"
"They had a dog instead," Rose said quietly.
"We can't be sure about anything… only one thing," He looked back at the trunk with troubled eyes. "Daleks definitely existed." Rose followed his gaze and nodded.
"So I guess it doesn't keep you young or anything?" She whispered, but not quite enough that Lancelot couldn't hear.
"The Daleks were time travelers, there is a small possibility that the armor might have some effects on whatever comes in contact with it… but I highly doubt it. I had been hoping for something a little more… Gallifreyan." He spoke the last word in a whisper that only Rose could hear, then he looked up at the stunned face of Lancelot over Rose's shoulder.
"You speak of war?" He asked, suddenly feeling it was his turn to speak.
"Yeah," The Doctor confirmed despite the look Rose gave him. "Long time ago." He added to satisfy her.
"Between ancient wizards?" Joan piped up curiously, her presence startled the knight who had clearly forgotten she was there. The Doctor nodded silently. "Did the Wizards win?" She pried.
"Nobody won." The Doctor said firmly before swiftly pushing past all three humans and entering the solidarity of the hallway. They stared blankly at the empty doorway. Joan looked back to Rose with a troubled expression. Rose crouched down and offered her a little smile.
"He's alright." She said. "He gets like this some times… the price of surviving." Lancelot nodded, even though she hadn't been talking to him.
"I know that feeling." He said empathetically. Rose looked up at him thoughtfully, then stood to address him on his level.
"You can still use it to trade," She said as she gestured to the chest. "No one has to know."
"Probably better this way… No one should be able to escape death."
The words of the knight sat with Rose. She thought about them as they rode through the sky on the back of the mighty dragon, and she thought about them as they stood on the tall grassy hill by the TARDIS. To cheat death was to play God, and although some times she'd wondered, The Doctor wasn't God. He was a man, a man who could make mistakes and act selfishly. The lines were too often blurred, it bothered her greatly. Her conscience wanted to stop the hunt before things got out of hand, but her heart selfishly wanted what he wanted.
"I'm sorry, Joan. This is where we part." The Doctor's voice broke Rose from her thoughts. He was crouched in the grass before Joan, her tiny hand in his large one. Joan had tears in her pleading eyes.
"Please." She whispered. "I'll be good." The Doctor closed his eyes and sighed.
"I know you will," He replied. "but you're just too young." Rose stepped forward and rested a supportive hand on The Doctor's shoulder.
"Joan, you must listen to The Doctor." She said as gently as she could.
"Once we leave, the protection surrounding your village will go with us." The Doctor explained. "The dragon will need looking after, you must keep him in line for us." Joan glanced over at the snoozing dragon and wiped away the tears from her cheek.
"Will he listen to me?"
"Remember what I said about dragons being like dogs?" The Doctor glanced over at the dragon as well. "All he wants is a purpose, a job to do. Like a dog protects the sheep, a dragon protects a castle. Work with him and he'll be the best friend you've ever had." He offered a smile. Joan looked renewed with purpose. She puffed up her chest.
"I won't let you down, Doctor." She said proudly, then her chest deflated slightly. "You will come back some day, won't you?" The Doctor grinned.
"Of course."
A/N: The lyrics are actually supposed to read 'horse', not 'rose', but it worked out nicer this way.
'Psychic paper works on dragons' is a reference to Only Human when the ninth Doctor found Rose hiding in the bracken while he was on horseback. He explained that he broke a wild horse using psychic paper by convincing it he was king of horses (or something to that effect). Totally canon. It's one of the more ridiculous books in the adventures of nine and Rose, haha.