Ch 35

The three marched back to the castle, leaving the midwife without explanation.

The King walked with all his arrogance and the armored guard, surprisingly, was making an effort to not bump River around too much (that is if one was paying attention to his tenderness).

River was relatively relaxed now that Terra had quieted down.

They burst into the castle and River was rushed to her bedroom and made to lie there while the King barked orders about protecting her.

"My love," River lay back on the pillows, "You must go now."

"Tell me where and I shall fly."

"Glastinaine is the name of the port where Clara is staying." She murmured, as servants fluttered about around them, closing the curtains, adding more pillows and blankets to the bed, and removing River's shoes.

In the chaos of people, she spotted the guard again, getting temporarily distracted as she remembered his gentleness with her, a rarity in this kingdom where all the guards she had come across were rough, much like her 'husband.'

Quickly drawn back to reality, she finished her explanation, "Clara is young, with brown hair. I'm sure you'll recognize her when you see her. I have confidence in my king." She squeezed his hand.

The King urgently kissed her, a very bruising kiss with teeth, and pulled away to look at her sternly. One would have to be looking carefully to notice the armored guard look away in what some could consider a cringe. "I will ride with godspeed. I will return soon, my love."

"Every second I am without you will be a stab to my heart." She murmured, pressing a final kiss to his knuckles, "I anxiously await your return."

He quickly left, barking something about getting the horses ready. The servants still bustled, wiping wet rags across River's forehead, and preparing hot towels as if she were actually about to have the baby.

"I would appreciate it greatly if I could be left alone for a bit. I need rest." She told them all.

The servants looked among themselves, clearly hesitant. "With all respect, your highness, the King will have our heads if we do not attend you. He wishes for your and the heir's safety."

"While that may be true, he'll also be furious if he returns and finds me exhausted from you all not letting me sleep." She snapped.

The servants quickly fled, not wanting to face her temper. The guard, however, stayed.

"I suggest if you want to keep your job, you should leave as well." She hissed at him.

The guard look at her, looked at the closed door, and took a step or two towards her. "I don't actually have much of a job here."

River immediately scrambled back, "What are you talking about? What are you doing?"

"Oi, calm down River. Honestly, do you really think I'm going to do something?" The guard stopped and took off his helmet revealing a familiar big chinned face.

"Oh, thank god." She visibly relaxed before shooting him a stern look, "I thought I sent you home."

"You told me to hide my presences. No one asks a guard to lift his helmet." He countered.

"I gave you my vortex manipulator because I wanted you to actually use it, not just carry it around." She sighed, rubbing her temples, "Well, now that you're here, I need your help."

He held in an 'I told you so', instead nodding. "Is it about Clara?"

"Yes, I need you to bring her to Glastinaine in time for the King to find her." She murmured, hesitating before continuing, "And then I might need you to get Arthur."

"Why do you need him, should I explain to her you need her to pretend to be a midwife, and when are you going to explain anything to me?" He asked all at once.

She sighed, "If you bring the TARDIS here, I'll explain everything once we're both on board."

"Clara, Arthur, TARDIS." He listed, obviously not liking any of this. He pulled out the vortex manipulator, typing in the coordinates. "Don't snog anyone else while I'm gone."

"TARDIS first, then Clara, then Arthur." She repeated, wanting to make sure he got the order right.

He frowned, reset the coordinates, then paused and looked up at her. "You were faking those pains, weren't you?"

"Go!" She hissed, "Actions first questions later. Honestly, this is why I don't invite you along ever."

"I thought we were going out for bread. Sorry for being concerned." He bit back, disappearing with a static sizzle left in the air.

She sighed, feeling bad for snapping, but she needed this done.

Less than ten minutes went by before the blue box materialized silently in the corner and a still armored Doctor stepped out with a sleepy Arthur on his hip.

River lit up when she saw her son, getting up and running to take him.

"Mummm." The boy mumbled, not really sure of what was happening, but easily accepting to her embrace.

"Clara's in the town and in on the scheme. Questions yet?"

"Only if you can prevent anyone from overhearing us or walking in on our conversation." She murmured, nuzzling the baby's cheek.

He huffed, not able to guarantee that. "Just tell me about Arthur and you didn't answer my question from before."

She sighed, glancing towards the door, and then pushing him inside the TARDIS, running to the console and piloting them away from the kingdom.

"River." The Doctor protested. "Just talk to me, will you?"

She poked her head out of the TARDIS doors, making sure they really had left before finally turning, "I'd appreciate it if you stopped shouting the word scheme at me in the castle." She muttered, "You're going to ruin everything I've been working for in two bloody seconds if you keep doing that."

"Language." He gestured towards their son who was getting to be more awake now.

"I'm trying to get a crown. A very, very important crown that is going to get melted down and change history if I don't get it, but I almost have it. All I need to do is pretend to have the baby and the King will give it to me." She murmured, squeezing Arthur lightly, "We need to wrap him in a perception filter to make him look younger, or better yet, a psychic blanket so the King will see what he's expecting to see."

"So Clara's going to come and help you 'deliver' a baby for a crown. You'll need a filter too so you don't look pregnant anymore." He was clearly still not approving of any of this. "Why does he think the baby's his?"

"Because I told him she was." River smiled at Arthur, giving him kisses all over his cheeks. "And Terra has been quite brilliant in all of this too." She added.

He scrubbed a hand down his face, missing that last bit. "River, I know all this is important to you and it's all some crazy plot, but there is an image in my head of you kissing another man and I'm in no way comforted by the fact that it's part of the trick."

She stared at him for a moment, then started to laugh, "You're kidding, right?"

He stood shocked, "No, I'm not kidding, River! You didn't tell be about any of this and I'm sure it's gone on long before this afternoon. I find you trying to get rid of me and then all of a sudden you're calling someone else your husband..." He stopped, looking at the ground.

She was growing angrier, "You are such a hypocrite!" She snapped at him, "How many times have you hidden things from me? How many times have you married and kissed other women? Would you like me to name a few in case you've forgotten? I'm sorry I don't want to sit at home and play housewife for you all the time." She growled.

"I never expected you to!" He defended. "And any woman I've married in my life was before I married you, not after! I'm sorry for having the audacity to express concern when my wife waltzes me into her scheme involving a separate marriage!"

Arthur started to whimper.

"That is not true!" She shouted at him, "And you haven't even bothered to see if he and I are actually married!" She threw her hallucinogenic lipstick at him. He winced when the lipstick hit his head. "I don't understand why when you want to go off on an adventure, anything goes, but as soon as I do it you've got a list of problems!"

She handed Arthur off to him, piloting them back to their flat. "Get out. I don't need your help."

He fumbled when Arthur was thrust at him. "You said you needed Arthur." He bit, avoiding her glare.

"I'll do it without him, just get out!" She hadn't been this angry with him in a very long time. The Doctor hugged the whimpering tot close and flinched at her tone, doing as she said and stalking out back to the flat.

She slammed the door as hard as she could behind him, turning with her back pressed to the doors. Arthur was crying on the other side, picking up on his parent's distress and not liking the loud noises.

River regretfully moved away from the doors, slowly setting the coordinates, so she would land in the closet of her chambers, tears blurring her vision.

Terra nudged softly. Why sad? I do it wrong?

Not at all, my dear. She thought back to her. You were wonderful. She clocked the TARDIS, glancing at the door one more time, ready to take off.

"Maaaaauuuuuuummaaaaaaaaaa!" Arthur cried, the sound loud enough to carry to her. River sighed, walking towards the door, opening it with her hands on her hips.

The Doctor sat on the couch, lips pressed together, and trying to calm Arthur. The boy's face was red and tears flowed freely down his cheeks. She wordlessly walked over to them, snatching Arthur out of his arms and trying to comfort him, immediately turning her back to the Doctor.

Arthur clung to her and buried his face against her dress. The Doctor said nothing, though he quite wanted to.

"Hush, my love, hush now." She murmured, rubbing his back soothingly. "Mummy loves you."

With you! Stay. He quieted into loud, hiccup-y whimpers.

"I can't stay." She whispered, nuzzling his cheek, "I have to go, but I'll come back." She didn't say soon as she always did. After the fight she and the Doctor had just had, she didn't exactly want to be with him anytime soon.

Come! I come! He whined, his grip on her dress not faltering.

"As much as I would like you to come, you can't." She sighed, pressed a kiss to his temple, "I don't have anyone to look after you."

You!

"I can't, I'm sorry." She hugged him tightly, "I wish you could come, but I can't watch you."

Whhhhhhhyyy? He started to panic.

"Because I have other things to do." She sighed, "How about I come back for you in a bit, yeah? Would you like that?"

"Noo!" Stay! He squirmed.

"I can't." She was growing impatient, "Here, take him." She put him back in the Doctor's arms, going back to the TARDIS.

"We'll be at Jack's." He managed over Arthur's pleas of "Muuumma!"

"I don't really care where you'll be." She shot back at him, going back inside the ship.

The TARDIS took off without waiting for River to give the command. River fell in surprise, banging her side in the process.

Terra kicked out in surprise. What's that?

River groaned, touching her side, Mummy fell. She breathed, slowly standing up and peeking out of the TARDIS doors, stepping out and going back to the bed.

There were sounds of scurrying servants outside and Clara's voice in the hall.

Mummy hurt?

A bit… She squeezed her eyes shut, holding the spot she landed on.

I help! How help?

Clara burst into the chambers in a dramatic show, the King at her heels. River pressed her face into the pillows of the bed, clutching the blankets around her tightly.

Clara turned to the King. "I'm going to have to insist that you are not in the chambers while I work."

River looked up at them, "Don't worry, my darling, I'm in very capable hands now."

He hesitantly left and Clara quickly went over to the bed, putting down her bag of 'midwifery supplies.'