"I can get you past the guards at the door but after that it's up to you. Not that I want to go in anyway." Matilda said.
The Doctor had talked her in to getting himself and Amy inside the castle, in order to quiz Tobias' parents. While naturally a heavily secured place, the former fiancée of a once future leader still had some sway in this land. When they arrived at the castle, the Doctor allowed Matilda to do the talking. She seemed to know the guards well, treating them as people, which was more than likely a welcome courtesy. They stared at the Doctor for a while before nodding to say they could go in.
"You're allowed ten minutes, maximum. If either the lord or lady should get upset, you'll be hauled out. Got it?" The guard said, his face slightly too close to the Doctor's.
"Of course. Ten minutes. Enough time to overthrow the kingdom, right Amy?" The Doctor nudged her jokingly. She simply shook her head.
"He does this. Just ignore him." She said, walking in to the hallway.
As she did so, she was immediately taken by surprise by the immediate drop in temperature. She clutched herself, and the Doctor pulled his hands up inside his jacket.
"How is it colder indoors than it was outside? It's a beautiful day out there." Amy said, looking at the rays falling through the windows.
"I don't think visitors are common around here. Or welcome." The Doctor said.
He led the way through into the stairwell. They'd been told the Stones would be in their drawing room, up on the highest floor of the castle. The staircase was partly holographic, since the previous one had begun to decay. The Doctor called it an unnecessary extravagance; a simple way for the family to boast about their wealth. Amy just found the process of stepping onto invisible steps several feet in the air unnerving.
When they eventually reached the top floor, a guard saw them in to the drawing room. It was a beautifully extravagant room, rich with reds and golds. Only a few pictures hung from the walls; one of which was of the Stone family, including Tobias, looking suitably snobbish. There was a bookcase full of ageing pieces, next to which stood a large telescope pointed at a wall. A holographic fire continuously 'burned' in the corner, which Amy suspected didn't help with the temperature, and a dangerously large chandelier that hovered from the ceiling. There was only one window in the room, next to which was a desk, where Miriam Stone was currently sitting. Her husband Albert sat in a large seat, pointed at a right angle to her. They both looked up as Amy and the Doctor entered the room, and went over to greet them.
Miriam seemed to be ageing as gracefully as possible. Her long dark hair, with grey seeping slightly through, was neatly balanced into a bun on her head. Her dress was a rich sapphire, and she suited it perfectly. Albert didn't seem to share his wife's concern for image. His hair was white and balding at the back. He wore a cravat along with a brown waistcoat and cream jacket. They all shook hands, Amy half-curtseying to everyone's confusion, including her own. Albert showed them to some uncomfortably posh seats around the fake fire.
"So, you're out-of-towners? Not often we get visitors in this part of the world." Albert said his voice slightly incomprehensible over the sheer amount of aristocracy in it.
"We just stumbled our way here. Beautiful area though." The Doctor said, attempting to peer out of the one window.
"Well, it's been part of our family's heritage. My great-great-grandfather won it in a Cavalgar tournament off of the Townends. We've kept a watchful eye over it ever since."
"So, you're not royalty, so much as groundskeepers?" Amy said. She instantly sensed she'd spoken out of turn.
"Just because I'm not queen doesn't make me any less important, girl. I'm still the Lady of this little area. That carries some gravitas, I'll have you know." Miriam said, taking her reading glasses off and staring at Amy in a slightly authoritative manner.
"Can I ask; why is there a telescope over at that side of the room, if the window is over there?" The Doctor said out of deep curiosity.
Albert sighed as if he'd been asked this question far too often. He slid open a panel on a table next to him, and pressed on of the buttons. The whole of the back wall, next to the bookcase, seemed to pull apart, revealing a stunning view out onto the town below.
"So you're stargazers?" The Doctor asked.
"We do have a love for it. A beautifully endless piece of art." Miriam said, smiling for the first time.
Albert pressed the button again and the wall reverted. "Why are you two here then?" He said gruffly.
"We wanted to know more about your son." The Doctor said, cutting to the point.
In what seemed to be a common theme for the day, everyone instantly appeared to clam up and look uncomfortable. Miriam poured herself a large drink and sipped at it.
"Why." She said simply.
"Surely you want to know who did it." The Doctor asked
"We already do; it was that blasted girlfriend of his. That little tramp wanted nothing but his money; we warned him, you know." Albert said, wildly waving an arm in the general direction of her house.
"But is that actually based on anything? It's slightly unfair to accuse someone of murder if you have no evidence." Amy said.
"She was the one who took him outside in the first place. And yet she's never told anyone why. Can't think of an excuse good enough, I imagine." Miriam said, taking a large gulp of her drink.
"That still doesn't prove anything." The Doctor said, raising his voice slightly.
"So if not her then who, Doctor? Us, you think we killed our own son?" Miriam retorted.
"Well it seems like you'd do anything to get Matilda out of his and your own life. Maybe you anticipated the fall wouldn't be enough to kill him, but you could still frame Miriam for it? Or maybe it was your other son, who's boxed away like an old memory you'd rather forget."
Albert and Miriam snorted at the Doctor's ludicrous ideas.
"Why now Doctor? Why do you think you of all people can solve this after all these years?" Albert said.
"Because I know I can solve it. And have you not seen your townsfolk recently? They're disappearing right underneath you. There are aliens coming to collect your son, and once he's gone, that's it; he's forgotten by you all. I'm trying to give you closure, can't you see that?" The Doctor said at rapid speed.
Miriam gave a casual gaze out of the window. "There do seem to be less people milling around." She said, with the concern of someone who had lost a pen.
"You know, of all the things I've seen over the years; all of the people I've met and places I've been to, nothing bugs me more than people not caring. And you two certainly don't give a damn over just about anything. Even your own children." The Doctor stood up, not even looking at the two as he stormed out. Amy quickly followed behind.