Lady A: Hey everyone and welcome back to Guardian Saga: Seeker! I apologize for not updating but things have been slightly busy here at my place, but I'm back and due to the semi-death threats I am receiving from a few of my reviewers, I would say it was in my best interest to give you guys an update. *chuckles nervously at the death glares she is receiving*

Brief Recap: The Doctor has awoken and made his dramatic debut on the Sycorax ship. Lots of blah blah wolf wolf later, he starts ranting about a big red button and oh, of course, he slams his hand down on it like the big goof ball he is.

Looking Forward: There is more conversation and then, what the heck?! The Doctor has challenged the Sycorax leader to a sword fight with the winner gaining the planet. *blinks* I think the Doctor just had his hand cut off. That's got to hurt…and then there is more talking. Blimey, there is an absurd amount of talking.

Now on with the show!


Chapter Nine: Swords and Witchcraft


"Which leaves us with great big stinking problem, because…I really don't know who I am. I don't know when to stop. So if I see a Great Big Threatening Button Which Should Never Ever Be Pressed…" He started looking over at Artimes, their eyes meeting, "Then I just wanna do this."

His right hand reached out in a flash and before anyone could think of stopping him, he slammed his hand down on the big red button, his eyes never wavering from the crimson haired woman.


"No!" Rose and Harriet cried out together, their faces mirroring each other's horror.

"You killed them!" Alex the interpreter yelled as well.

Artimes rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Oh please, as if the Doctor would actually knowingly kill innocent human beings." The ginger countered her expression almost bored.

The Timelord flashed a smile at the red head, happy that she had worked it out and had faith in him. He turned his attention to the Sycorax leader.

"What do you think, big fella? Are they dead?" The Doctor asked a knowing look in his brown eyes.

"We allow them to live." The rough voiced alien answered trying to regain control of the situation.

The Timelord scoffed at that.

"Allow? You've no choice! I mean, that's all blood control is…cheap bit of voodoo. Scares the pants off you, but that's as far as it goes. It's like hypnosis. You can hypnotize someone to walk like a chicken or sing like Elvis, you can't hypnotize them to death. Survival instinct's too strong." The Doctor countered walking down the steps and leaning on the ledge in front of him.

"Blood control was just one form of conquest. I can summon the armada and take this world by force." The Sycorax threatened.

"No, you can't," Artimes started taking a step towards the front of the group, "because you're only one ship. Quite possibly a rouge element. I'd wager a guess that your own government doesn't even know you're here. That's why you used the blood control to try and scare us into submission. You don't have the numbers for an all out assault against a planet with six billion people, am I right big fella?"

The Sycorax leader glared at her venomously, anger burning in his eyes.

"Our technology is superior to your own and we can unleash its might and destroy you all." He spat more than a little furious that a simple human had worked out what they were.

The Doctor chose that moment to interrupt, a little weary of letting their conversation continue; though he was incredibly impressed by the ginger haired woman. She was clever, quick minded, and rather bold. He liked it.

"Well, yeah, you could. Yeah, you could do that…of course you could, but why? Look at these people." The Timelord started gesturing to the humans and Artimes in particular, "These human beings, consider their potential. In fact, you've already witnessed firsthand with Artz. From the day they arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun. There is more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than…no, hold on…"

"That's the Lion King, sweetie." Artimes interjected smiling at his mistake.

"Thanks, Artz." He replied flashing her a brief smile before returning his attention to the silently fuming alien, "The point still stands. Leave them alone!"

"Or what?" The Sycorax leader asked his tone low and menacing.

"Or…" The Doctor started grabbing a sword from one of the warriors guarding Rose and the others.

He ran down the steps, Artimes hot on his trail, and into the empty floor space in front of the Tardis. The ginger moved the sidelines as he raised the sword into the air.

"I challenge you!" He continued.

The Sycorax leader and the countless other warriors on the ship began laughing loudly, the sound of their joined laughter berating heavily on the ginger's ears.

"Oh, that struck a chord." Artimes commented in awe.

The Doctor smiled at her and she grinned back at him, excitement and anticipation dancing in her eyes. This was it, one of her most favorite scenes of all time. The scene that made her fall madly in love with the Doctor's DW counterpart. The scene that made her a true Whovian.

"Am I right that the sanctified rules of combat still apply?" The Timelord asked getting down to business as Rose and the others filtered down to where he was.

The Sycorax leader walked down the steps and unsheathed his sword.

"You stand as this world's champion." He stated rather than asked.

"Thank you. I've no idea who I am, but you just summed me up." The Doctor replied shrugging out of the dressing gown.

He tossed it towards the girls and Rose caught it. Artimes couldn't tear her eyes away from the Doctor, all her senses completely focused on him.

"So…you accept my challenge? Or are you just a cranak pel casacree salvak?" The Timelord continued goading the Sycorax leader.

The alien hissed at the insult or what she assumed to be an insult. They both knelt by their swords and Artimes felt her heartbeat quicken. Her excitement and anticipation were off the charts, but so was her attraction to the very sexy Timelord.

"For the planet?" The rough voiced alien asked.

"For the planet." The Doctor answered his tone low and serious, making shivers run down the ginger's spine but in a good way.

The two combatants stood up and faced each other, holding their swords ready. They ran towards each other and the epic sword battle began. Artimes watched with wide eyes, remembering just why she had fallen in love with The Doctor's DW counterpart and discovering how quickly she was falling for the actual Doctor himself. She was simply in a state of amazement and awe over the entire thing. The Doctor pressed a button on the wall and they took the fight outside.

The others followed hastily with Artimes in the lead, not wanting to miss a single moment of the action. In a lucky move, the Sycorax leader managed to catch the Doctor slightly on his nose and he groaned. Rose moved forward slightly, most likely to intervene, but Artimes held her back.

"No, Rose, don't." Artimes ordered.

"She's right. Stay back. Invalidate the challenge and he wins the planet." The Doctor warned.

Both girls stayed rooted in place as he wiped his nose and he and the Sycorax leader ran towards each other again, their swords clashing together in front of them. They both grimaced with effort and the Timelord was knocked backwards to the ground. Artimes forced herself to remain calm and have faith in the Doctor, knowing what was coming next. The alien moved forward and chopped off the Doctor's right hand, the ginger cringing slightly at the action. It fell off the side of the spaceship along with the sword. The Timelord looked up at the Sycorax leader in stunned annoyance.

"You cut my hand off." He said quietly, his tone almost disbelieving.

"Yah! Sycorax!" The leader shouted triumphantly, turning around and gesturing skyward.

The Doctor rose to his feet, his eyes flickering to Artimes. The request in his brown orbs made the ginger's eyes widen in disbelief. He wanted her to get him another sword so he could continue the fight. Did he really trust her that much? In that moment, a warm feeling spread through her entire body and with it came a sense of trust unlike anything she had ever felt. She knew instantly that it was coming from him and she nodded in agreement, her eyes determined. He smiled slightly, refocusing on the prattling Sycorax.

"And now I know what sort of man I am. I'm lucky, because quite by chance…I'm still within the first fifteen hours of my regeneration cycle. Which means I've got just enough residual cellular energy…to do this." He stated calmly as the Sycorax leader turned his attention back to the Timelord.

He held up his arm and his hand regrew, much to everyone's shock…even Artimes was slightly stunned for a moment and she actually knew it was going to happen. It was not something you saw every day.

"Witchcraft." The Sycorax Leader replied.

"Timelord." The Doctor countered his tone almost smug.

Artimes took that moment and rushed one of the guards, withdrawing the warrior's sword from its sheath.

"Doctor!" Both Rose and Artimes shouted together.

Said Timelord turned and the red head tossed it to him. He caught the blade by its hilt and spun it around.

"That's my Artz, always there when I need her." He exclaimed happily, "So I'm still the Doctor then?"

"No arguments from me!" The blonde answered grinning.

"Hell yeah!" Artimes concurred practically jumping in excitement.

The Doctor flashed them both a grin before turning back to the leader of the Sycorax.

"Wanna know the best bit? This new hand…" He started his voice shifting to a Texan accent, "It's a fighting hand!"

The Timelord ran at the Sycorax leader and the fight recommenced. They clashed swords for a few more moments, but it was obvious that the Doctor had the advantage now. The Timelord jabbed the alien hard in the stomach with the hilt of the sword. The onlookers winced as the leader groaned. The Doctor did the same move twice more, causing the Sycorax leader to fall to the ground. The Timelord pointed his sword at the alien's throat.

"I win." He stated.

"Then kill me." The alien bit out.

"I'll spare your life if you take this champion's command: leave this planet and never return. What do you say?" The Doctor asked his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Yes." The leader answered.

"Swear on the blood of your species." The Doctor growled out, his eyes blazing.

"I swear." The Sycorax leader responded.

The Doctor relaxed, jabbing the sword into the ground.

"There we are then! Thanks for that! Cheers, big fella!" The Doctor replied in a cheery tone, walking away.

"Bravo!" Harriet cheered clapping.

Artimes and Rose rushed forward, smiling happily at their champion.

"That's says it all! Bravo!" Rose said laughing a bit.

"Fantastic!" The ginger agreed her face glowing with excitement and happiness.

The Doctor laughed as the girls helped him into his dressing gown.

"Yeah! Not bad for a man in his jim-jams!" The Timelord commented smiling goofily, "Very Arthur Dent. Now, there was a nice man."

He reached into the pocket of his dressing gown absentmindedly.

"Hold on, what have I got here?" He asked withdrawing a satsuma from his pocket.

Both girls giggled at his bewildered expression.

"A Satsuma. Ah, that friend of your mother's. He does like his snacks, doesn't he? But that doesn't that just sum up Christmas?" He rambled the red head shaking her head at him, her cheeks beginning to hurt from smiling so much.

He really was hilarious. The group began to walk back towards the door. The Doctor threw the Satsuma into the air and caught it just as easily.

"You get through all those presents and right at the end, tucked away at the bottom, there's one stupid old Satsuma. Who wants a Satsuma?" He continued.

Artimes tensed when she heard the roar from the Doctor's former opponent. Without breaking his stride, the Doctor lobbed the poor fruit at a switch on the side of the ship. The ground beneath the Sycorax leader opened and the alien fell to his death. The Doctor's smile faded as his eyes hardened.

"No second chances. I'm that sort of a man." He stated his tone low and dangerous.

Artimes took hold of his hand and the Timelord looked down at her. His eyes softened from their stony expression as he squeezed her hand gently. His warm, chocolate brown eyes told her that he was okay and that everything was fine. The group returned to where they were first transported in. The Doctor addressed the remaining Sycorax, still holding the ginger's hand.

"By the ancient rites of combat, I forbid you to scavenge here for the rest of time and when you go back to the stars and tell others of this planet…when you tell them of its riches, its people, its potential. When you talk of the Earth, then make sure you tell them this: It…is…defended." The Doctor warned his hand unknowingly squeezing the ginger's, almost like he was drawing strength from her.

The Tardis, the Doctor, Artimes, Rose, Harriet Jones, Mickey, and Alex were all teleported back to the planet below.


Lady A: And there you have it. Chapter 9: Swords and Witchcraft is complete! Now leave tons and tons of reviews and be on the lookout for Chapter 10: Impossible Wish! Stay tuned!