Author's Note:
Fair warning: This chapter is the longest yet.
Also wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has left reviews on this story! Each one makes me smile and gives me more motivation to not only write this, but to finish everything on my to-do list so thank you all very, very much!
Update: This story has now surpassed 4000 views! Thank you everyone! 3 Knowing you are all enjoying this story makes me so happy! Enjoy Chapter 10!
"Now, does everyone know their cover story?" Rip asked impatiently. Honestly, it was like he was supervising a group of teenagers sometimes!
A chorus of nodding heads, yes's, and grunts filled the cargo room.
"And everyone knows the rules?" said Rip, still unsure about sending everyone into Rome.
"No future tech." said Ray.
"No setting things on fire." said Mick.
"No fighting in public." said Leonard.
"No pretending to be a demigod." said Kendra.
"No eye contact with Jefferson." said Stein.
"Being a slave again in gonna suck…" said Jax, "No acting tough."
"And why did I make these rules" said Rip.
"So we aren't forced to be gladiators." chorused the Legends sadly.
Rory spoke up, "I don't know why you'd want to, the games are horrific and you'll die no matter how well you do. The prison underneath is full of diseases from all over the world."
Everyone looked at the redheaded man curiously before going on their way.
Ray and Kendra went to find the biggest library and see in the translators they swallowed would translate the ancient scrolls.
The Rogues and Sara went to find the nearest winery. The boys wanted to find a pub, but Sara insisted and once Sara decided then Leonard was sold on the idea and Mick had no choice but to go with them.
The Ponds did what they usually do, left to go sight see before the action started. They walked down the dirt streets until they hit the city center, which had white cobblestone streets. Amy's eyes wide with fascination and Rory's calm and remorseful.
"You never talk about your time guarding the Pandorica." Amy said.
"Well, I… I chose to watch over you and- since it was erased from the timeline I usually don't even remember-"
"Yes, you do Rory. So tell me!"
Rory stared at Amy for a moment, she never ceased to amaze him. "Um… okay, well… After sixteen years the Romans came back to Stonehenge and, since I hadn't aged, believed me to be a demigod. They asked for my permission to take the Pandorica to Rome. I was getting bored with no one to talk to so I gladly helped them load the unbreakable prison onto a large chariot and accompanied them back to Rome. My only condition was that I must stay and guard the Pandorica wherever it went."
Rory paused and stared at one of the older buildings as they passed before continuing,
"Soon after being brought back the Pandorica was stored outside of the city to avoid catastrophe should the 'goblin warrior' escape somehow, so I had a fairly quiet life. There was another centurion charged with guarding the treasures in the building you were stored in, and we became very good friends…" Rory paused again, but this time his eyes were glassy as if memories were passing before them.
"When he died in the Antonine Plague, among many other people I knew, I realized why The Doctor says his long life is a curse. It was horrible, watching everyone I knew grow old and die around me. It wasn't an issue for them of course… they fully believed I was an immortal demigod so I was still able to live peacefully." Rory took a deep breath and shook the sad thoughts from his head so he could continue his story. He wouldn't look at Amy though...
"In 420, The Franks began plundering Rome and I knew it was just a matter of time before they found the Pandorica so I came up with new conditions. Like the Romans, they believed I was a demigod so they asked for my permission to take the Pandorica. I told them they could take it, but that I had sworn an oath to protect and watch over the Pandorica wherever it goes. They were only too happy to have a demigod accompany them back to Tournai. I also requested the Pandorica be hidden somewhere and that I be given two families of slaves to 'care for me'. Once everything was set up, I offered each slave their freedom and a seat at my table, and all but one stayed with me. Whenever someone came to visit they played their parts and the other 363 days of the year we lived in harmony and played games and I taught each generation to read, write, perform simple arithmetic, and even trained in basic medical procedures. After France outlawed slavery, we built a school a few miles from where the Pandorica was. It was beautiful Amy. The young men I trained helped so many people who would have died needlessly."
Rory smiled and glanced at Amy, who was trying to hide her tears.
"Despite having the school, I still spent most of my time with the Pandorica. When Christianity finally spread through Europe I realized I had to change my approach. I told them I was the spirit of a Roman soldier who had died when the Franks came, and since I was one of the first followers of Christ I had been allowed to come back to Earth to fulfill my promise to protect the Pandorica. The Knights were very kind, sworn to be gentlemen even then, and agreed to allow me to travel with them and guard the Pandorica in their castle. Over time, they grew fond of me and swore me in as a Knight myself. I never left the castle of course, but I was allowed to sit at the table and since we always wore helmets no one ever questioned my age.
In 1231 the Knights were in ruins and the Pandorica was sold the Pope and taken back to Rome. I offered to make the delivery myself and when I approached the Pope I explained that God had come to me in a dream and told me to stay and protect the Pandorica, luckily he believed me and allowed me to stay with it until Marco Polo sold it.
When he sold it to a museum in London, I knew I needed another new story so I told the curator how my family had stood guard over the Pandorica for a thousand years and that I must be allowed to guard it. He said he could not pay a security guard to watch over one thing, so he told me I could wear what he assumed was one of my ancestor's old centurion uniforms and stand with the Pandorica as part of the display. I gave lectures on Ancient Rome to the children's tours, but the job was so monotonous and the people always changed. That may have been the worst years I spent watching you." Rory said sadly, "But it was worth it. Eventually it was put into storage, and as I didn't even desire food or water I simply sat in the warehouse and watched. I thought I would lose my mind, but since my brain was really just programming I went into a sort of sleep mode."
"In 1941 the Pandorica was almost destroyed, you along with it, and I was there to drag it out of the building. Almost melted in the process…" Rory laughed bitterly. "After that I decided to re-enter society. The living conditions were much better and I had become accustomed to watching other people grow old and disappear. I applied for a security guard position in the museum and watched over everything, not just you. That is, until The Doctor returned with younger you. I'd say I was surprised I didn't notice your younger self in the museum, but at that point I barely noticed other people. It was just too painful."
Amy turned on the street and hugged Rory as if he'd disappear. "That's so sad." cried Amy through her tears. "Thank you for telling me."
Rory hugged her back and said, "You're welcome."
The Ponds took one another's hands, and as they walked off Rory began showing Amy all the places he went to as the Lone Centurion not a century earlier.