A/N: The stirrings for adventure! And the story finally picks up a bit of speed. Thanks to Restrained . Freedom and Mr. Nikelai for the reviews!
Tell
"Welcome to the TARDIS!" exclaimed the Doctor, flinging open the doors of a blue police callbox. "Time and Relative Dimensions in Space."
"It is…" started Legolas, as he cautiously walked through the open doors .
"Go on," the Doctor grinned.
"It's…"
"Yeah?"
"It is bigger on the inside," breathed Legolas, his eyes full of wonder. He had walked through the Elven Halls and marveled at the yawning archways, spiraling and climbing up to the ceilings in a show of precise, elegant workmanship. And he had traveled through the Dwarven Halls of Stone, their cavernous expanse stretching further than even his elven eyes could see, yet here in this room, never had he felt something so vast, so infinite. It made his head spin. On the outside, the police box was innocently normal, a common sight on the streets only a few years back… Or more… He lost track of the years as they melded together. But once the elf stepped inside, he was struck with a sense of weightlessness, as if infinity stretched out in all directions.
"She's a beauty, isn't she?" The Doctor was still grinning widely as he hopped up to the console in the middle of the room, his shoes making small clanks as they made contact with the metal flooring.
Legolas spun around in place, still in awe. "It feels…forever."
Doctor winked, and pressed a few more buttons. "Time Lord science! Don't worry, you'll get over it soon." The Doctor lifted his hand and with a great show, turned a knob. "And there's your room. It's just up the stairs and to the right! It's quite standard right now, but you won't be needing it soon, so…" The Doctor gestured wildly. The other rooms we can talk about later. I'm in a bit of a remodeling phase right now. I do it when I get bored. Keeps things fresh, keeps old memories from spoiling! It's a busy business, traveling and moving on." The Doctor glanced at the elf that was still rooted in the same place. "Well, what are you waiting for? Drop your things, let's start running!"
Legolas blinked a couple of time, clearing his head. He snapped out his revere and took a step towards the directed room. His legs feeling unnaturally week as the same feeling of weightlessness swam about around of him. As he descended the steps again, the Doctor was sitting in a rolling office chair. Where did that come from? And rolling around the console, the look on his face was one of a child in a sweet shop. Noticing his elven companion, the Doctor jumped up, the chair rolling away and hitting the railing with a thud. "Ah, there you are! I thought I'd have to start a cross-stich to pass the time!"
"I was only gone for a moment."
"A moment too long! Well, which star? Pick anyone, anywhere, anywhen!"
"I…I do not…"
"So slow, too slow with the response. Have I accidentally pressed your slow motion button? Perhaps. Being have so many preverbal buttons. Well let's just put her on random!" The Doctor spun a few more odd-looking tabs and pressed glowing buttons, before spinning around, clock fanning out around him, and pulling down on a lever. "Hold on! We're unwrapping a surprise!"
A mechanical wheezing, groaning sound filled the air as the TARDIS materialized at their random time and location. Legolas furrowed his brow for a moment as the sound was oddly familiar. The elf gently shook himself and brushed off the feeling. The Doctor gave the console a pat and rushed to the door. "We are here! Wherever here may be!" The Doctor gestured to the closed doors, "After you!"
Legolas reached out and grasped the TARDIS door handles, gripping them for a moment, feeling the cool, worn metal. With a great sigh, he pushed forward, the action sheading his ties with the home he had built in London. One last adventure.
Light flooded in through the doorway and the sound of people bustling about greeted their ears. Legolas looked about. The place they had landed looked much like a standard European village during the Middle Ages. The Doctor shuffled himself beside Legolas, looking out also. "Huh," remarked the Doctor. "So many stars in the universe and she decided to stay on Earth." The two stepped out. "Very typical!" called the Doctor as the doors shut behind them. The Doctor turned to "Well! Let's go see what is so interesting that the TARDIS decided to bring us here."
The Doctor continued forward with confidence, striding into what seemed to be a marketplace, hands resting casually in his pockets. Legolas followed behind, his eyes wary of the new environment. "Where are we?"
The Doctor turned and replied simply, "Earth."
"Where on Earth?"
The Doctor shrugged. "I don't know. That's part of the fun! But we'll find out soon. It tastes like Switzerland though," said the Doctor licking his lips.
"When in Switzerland?"
The Doctor grinned, and continued his walk. "Ah, now you're understanding how to ask questions! Quick study. I did say you were clever…" The Doctor stopped a woman carrying a basket of apples. "What year is it?"
The woman furrowed her eyebrows at the brashness of the man, but replied slowly. "1307. November."
The Doctor gave his thanks and turned to his elven companion. "There you go. November 1307. In…" the Doctor stopped another person, a small boy chasing after a dog. "Altdorf!"
Legolas frowned, where had he heard that name before. Altdorf… By then, the two had made it to the main square. Legolas' face was skeptical. "Truly?"
"Yes, trust me, I'm the Doctor!"
A realization dawned on Legolas. He had learned many languages over the years, yet the Doctor spoke English to the people he stopped in the street. "How are you communicating with them?"
"Oh, yes. The TARDIS. It gets into your brain, translates stuff. Quite handy when you're in a sticky situation."
Legolas nodded slowly. Curious. Switching to Elvish, Legolas asked. "Can it translate all languages?"
The Doctor turned, interest playing across his features. "Say it again." Legolas repeated the phrase. "All languages? It learns. Quickly too. Languages it doesn't know, complex languages, Gallifreyan for example, takes a longer for your simple brains to handle the TARDIS translation."
Legolas smiled, hopeful, continuing in elvish, which he was unable to talk to anyone with but himself. "If I speak in Elvish, you will understand?"
The Doctor smiled. "I will, but I suggest you use your other language for people we meet on the way. Less chance of a slow translation starting a war that will cause the left 42% of the Earth, minus the hamsters, mind you, to explode." Legolas brushed off the Doctor's odd comment, overjoyed by the fact that he could relax into his native tongue with the Doctor.
In the center of the square was a pole with a hat mounted to the top. "Curious," commented the Doctor. "Why would anyone want to hang a hat up there?"
It was that moment that two soldiers on the outskirts of the square approached them. "Oh hello!" greeted the Doctor, his usual amiable self.
The guards seemed un-phased. One glared at the Doctor, who continued to smile away. "You did not bow before his majesty's hat."
The other trained his eyes on Legolas. I have not seen you here. What's your name?" he asked gruffly.
Legolas, who was accustom to giving out false names, grabbed for the first male name on his mind, who was the person who called him last night. "William." Then it struck him, and Legolas immediately wished to take back his words. Altdorf. November 1307. William. Legolas heard a groan next to him. The Doctor must have come to the same conclusion.
The guard's eyes widened. "William. The William Tell? "
Without giving the two a chance to retaliate, the first guard seized the Doctor's arm, and the other mirrored the action with Legolas. The elf shot a glance to the Doctor, hissing underneath his breath, "Do all of your adventures go astray?"
The Doctor smiled, "It's not adventure without conflict!"
The guard tugged his arm, "His majesty will wish to see you. Come with us. Don't struggle."
The Doctor nodded enthusiastically, "Take us to your leader!"
A/N: Oh dear, poor Legolas has inadvertently filled the role of a famous historical archer… Huh, well I guess it's a good match. Thanks for reading! Feedback is welcome!
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And remember: "By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out." ~Richard Dawkins