After about forty-five minutes in the library, mostly consisting of Cara stroking the books, the Queen glaring at Rose and the Doctor. Sir Robert having what Cara would call, a deep look into himself and the Doctor examining every inch of the library, with Rose next to him seeming to try and decided whether, she liked or disliked Cara.
"What is that smell?" Cara mumbled, sitting on the carpet watching the Doctor and Rose. "Which one, wood, books, blood…" Rose asked, trailing off. Cara shook her head, deciding to ignore the morbid comment. "No, there's a smell…"
The Doctor traced his fingers of some woodwork, a carving. "Mistletoe..."
"Maybe." Cara said, sniffing. "What's mistletoe smell like again?"
"No, yes," the Doctor said suddenly turning to Sir Robert. "Sir Robert, did you father put that there?"
"I don't know, I suppose..."
"On the other door, too...a carving wouldn't be enough... I wonder..." he said, leaning over licking the woodwork. "Pinnacol of hygiene you are." Cara said, wrinkling her nose in mild disgust; standing up.
"Viscum album, the oil of the mistletoe, it's been worked into the wood like a varnish! How clever was your dad? I love him!" The Doctor cried, happily. "Powerful stuff, mistletoe. Bursting with lectins and viscotoxins. Also what you've been smelling." The Doctor said, gesturing to Cara.
"And the wolf's allergic to it?" Rose asked. "No, it just thinks it is." Cara said, her eyes lighting up, remembering her earlier thoughts.
"The monks needed a way to control the wolf. So maybe they train it; like a puppy, if it's good you give it a biscuit, if it's bad you spray it with water. They trained it to react to certain things, like the mistletoe. Right?" she asked, glancing at the Doctor.
"Right!" The Doctor said, grinning at her. "Nevertheless, that creature won't give up, Doctor, and we still don't possess an actual weapon." Sir Robert said sadly.
"Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine." Cara quipped up, from the next to Doctor. "Oh, your father got all the brains, didn't he?" the Doctor sneered.
"Being rude again." Rose interjected. "Good. I meant that one." The Doctor said, striding over to the one of the bookshelves.
"You want weapons? We're in a library. Books! Best weapons in the world." he said, pulling on his glasses. Cara smiled, she loved the glasses. "This room's the greatest arsenal we could have." he said pulling out some books, tossing them to Cara.
"Arm yourself."
"Biology, zoology... there might be something on wolves in here..."
"Hold on, what about this?"
"...some form of explosive..."
The voices chimed together, the four of them flying though book after book. Cara paused her reading, seeing the Queen sitting in a corner. "Are you alright, Ma'am?" she asked, sitting down on the carpet next to her.
She clearly wasn't, but it was conversation started that seemed appropriate. "I am…not at my best, child. But I shall be fine." The Queen said reassuringly.
"I know how you feel." Cara said, tucking some stray hair behind her ear. "It's hard, everything starts off, normal and boring; and then suddenly something happens and everything, everything just changes. And you're thrown into this, strange place where strange things happen. For no reason, they just do."
"And you're scared. You're so scared, because you don't know. And you think your alone and in some way you sort of are, but it's okay. Because even if doesn't make sense, the fear and the loneliness won't last. And you'll be alright. Soon enough." Cara said, smiling kindly at her.
The Queen stared back at her. "You are wise, child," she said after a couple of seconds. "But I must know. This Doctor—
"You can trust him." Cara said instantly. "I haven't-have known the Doctor my whole life. But even if I only knew him of a few weeks or days or even hours. You can trust; that he will do his best to save everyone."
"A noble sentiment, but no—"
"Imagine it..." the Doctor marvelled, his voice suddenly turning dark. Like when you would tell someone a horror story. "The Victorian Age accelerated... starships and missiles fuelled by coal and driven by steam... leaving history devastated in its wake... "
"Sir Robert!" the Queen said suddenly standing up. "If I am to die here..."
"Don't say that, Your Majesty." Sir Robert said, quickly. "I would destroy myself rather than let that creature infect me. But that's no matter. I ask only that you find some place of safekeeping for something far older and more precious than myself." she said opening up her bag.
"Hardly the time to worry about your valuables." The Doctor commented from the table. Cara making an annoyed 'stop it' noise. 'Rude again.'
"Thank you for your opinion. But there is nothing more valuable than this." The Queen said calmly, pulling out a diamond the size of Cara's hand.
"Is that the Koh-I-Noor?" Rose asked in awe, edging closer to it. "Oh, yes... the greatest diamond in the world." The Doctor confirmed, shuffling forwards.
"Oh, look who's worried about the valuable now." Cara said smarty.
The Queen chuckling lightly. "Given to me as the spoils of war. Perhaps its legend is now coming true. It is said that whoever owns it must surely die."
"Well, that's true of anything if you own it long enough. Can I?" he asked, holding his hand out for the diamond. Queen Victoria paused, before, handing it to him. Cara standing on her tippy toes to see it.
The Doctor pushed his glasses down, to his nose. "That is so beautiful." he said, lower it, pointing the bits of particular shine to Cara. "How much is that worth?" Rose asked.
"They say... he wages of the entire planet for a whole week."
"Good job my mum's not here. She'd be fighting the wolf off with her bare hands for that thing." Rose said, making Cara laugh. "She'd win. Why do you travel with it?" the Doctor asked the Queen.
"My annual pilgrimage. I'm taking it to Helier and Carew. The Royal Jewellers at Hazelhead. The stone needs re-cutting."
"Oh, but it's perfect."
"In every way." Cara said, stroking the diamond gently.
"My late husband never thought so."
"Now, there's a fact, Prince Albert kept on having the Koh-I-Noor cut down. It used to be forty percent bigger than this. But he was never happy. Kept on cutting and cutting." The Doctor said, pulling off his glasses. 'Aww, I like the glasses.'
The Doctor put them back on, making a funny face with them. Cara giggled; the Queen smiling softly at her. "He always said... the shine was not quite right. But he died with it still unfinished."
"Unfinished... oh, yes!" the Doctor cried, his eyes widening, tossing the Koh-I-Noor back to the Queen.
"There's a lot of unfinished business in this house. His father's research, your husband, Ma'am, he came here and he sought the perfect diamond, hold on, hold on..." he cried, ruffling his hair violently. "All these separate things, they're not separate at all, they're connected! Oh, my head, my head! What if, this house, it's a trap for you, is that right, Ma'am?"
"Obviously."
"At least, that's what the wolf intended. But! What if there's a trap inside the trap?"
"Umm, I'm confused." Cara said, raising her hand. "Trap inside the trap?"
"What if his father and her husband weren't just telling each other stories. They dared to imagine all this was true. And they planned against it. Laying the real trap not for you..." the Doctor said, pointing to the Queen. "But for the wolf."
Cara squeezed as a sprinkle of plaster fell from the ceiling. Looking up, the werewolf walking over the glass dome above their heads. "That wolf there…"
"Okay, this is getting scary." Cara said, backing away as the dome began to crack. "What do we do?"
"Run!" The Doctor shouted, tossing the books to the fall, running to the door. "Out! Out! Out!" he shouted, as they destroyed there barricade; running out into the corridor. Cara slipping out the crack, the Queen, Rose and Sir Robert following as the Doctor slammed the door shut.
"Gotta get to the observatory!" the Doctor shouted, was turned a corner. "Wait, wait, wait!" Cara shouted, suddenly skidding to a halt. "If the mistletoe was in the walls of the library, isn't the wolf trapped?!" she cried, making them all pause.
The Doctor stared back, stepping closer to the library. "It should, unless-" the sound of the door being smashed to bits rang out. "It's adapting, getting stronger…Run! RUN!"
The Doctor shouted, the rest of them running down the corridors. Rose turning around, freezing at the site of the wolf. Letting out a scream, just as the wolf opened its mouth. Then, almost out of nowhere; Lady Isobel threw a pan of boiling water onto the wolf.
The wolf bounding away down another corridor. "Good shot!" the Doctor praised. "It was mistletoe!" Lady Isobel called out. The Doctor, Cara and Rose following the wolf down the corridor, making sure it was gone.
"Girls, come with me. Down the Back stairs, back to the kitchen. Quickly!" Lady Isobel ordered her and her maids running off.
"Come on!" the Doctor said, running down the corridor. "The observatory's this way!" Sir Robert called out. Running up the staircase. "It's coming!" Cara called from the top.
"Faster!"
"No mistletoe on these doors, your father wanted the wolf to get inside! Get inside I just need time! Is there any way of barricading this?!" the Doctor asked. Cara, Rose and the Queen inside. Cara making her way to the telescope.
"Just do your work and I'll defend it." Sir Robert said.
"If we could bind them shut with rope or something!"
"I said I'd find you time, sir." Sir Robert said, determinedly. "But you'll die." Cara said instantly. Sir Robert paused. "I know." he said softly, glancing at the Doctor. "Now get inside."
The Doctor stared at him for a second. "Good man." he said, turning to the Queen, as Sir Robert shut the door. "Your Majesty, the diamond."
"For what purpose?"
"The purpose it was designed for."
"Are sure this is going to work?" Cara asked, helping the Doctor and Rose, turn the wheel. It was heavy, heavier than anything. But the cogs were slowly starting to shift, the telescope beginning to rise. "Is this the right time for stargazing?" Rose asked sarcastically.
"Yes, it is."
A scream rang out, Cara shutting her eyes; her senses suddenly bombarded with emotions. Pain, pain, pain, fear, anger, pain, sadness, pain.
"Cara, Cara, listen to me, listen to me, breath. Just breathe." The Doctor cried, desperately trying to look over the wheel to check on her. "Cara!"
Cara releasing the wheel falling to her knees, covering her ears. "Its okay, it's okay." The Doctor cried, desperately trying to calm her.
She could feel the werewolf battering the door. The gears grinding against each other. She could feel Sir Robert dying. The last breaths of him. Suddenly it all stopped. The emotions flying out of her, like someone closed a tap.
Cara let out a relived breath of air, lying back; the world starting to come into focus again.
"You're seventy percent water but you can still drown. Come on! Come on!"
Picking herself up, Cara stared as the Light Chamber; lit up like a giant blinking billboard. The Werewolf broke through the door, the door wood splintering everywhere. "I was out for two seconds, what the hell did I miss?"
"Language!" the Doctor shouted, diving across the floor, throws the Koh-I-Noor into the beam of light. A bright prismatic beam of light; hit the werewolf, lifting it off the ground.
The moonlight washing over it; the werewolf slowly retaking human form, a glowing human form, but human form. "Make it brighter. Let me go." The Wolf whispered.
The Doctor slowly walked across to the light chamber; flicking a switch. The light brightened, making Cara squint.
The wolf let out a howl, before vanishing into the moonlight. Cara let out a sigh of relief, leaning against the light chamber. "Are you okay?" The Doctor asked, turning to her. Cara nodded, leaning against him, shutting her eyes. The Doctor, wrapped an arm around her, gently kissing the top of her head.
"Your Majesty? Did it bite you?" the Doctor asked suddenly, walking over to the Queen who as staring intense at her arm. "No, it's...it's a cut."
"If that thing bit you..." the Doctor stared warily, glancing at Cara and Rose.
"It was a splinter of wood when the door came apart." The Queen said simply, but her eyes were glassy, almost in some sort of trance.
"Let me see." The Doctor asked, Queen Victoria sharply pulled her hand away. "It is nothing." she said, the Doctor staring at her, clearly not believing her, but not in the mood to start and argument.
Turning back to Cara, the Doctor picked her up (against her tired protests) carrying her; holding her head, so she could only see his coat. The Queen and Rose walking to the door, the Doctor gently pressing a finger to Cara's head.
Making her instantly fall asleep.
THE NEXT DAY…
"By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub the: Sir Doctor of TARDIS." The Queen said, tapping The Doctor on each shoulder with a sword.
Long story short, they were currently being knighted. Which was awesome to say the least. Despite the circumstances of why they were.
"By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub the: Dame Cara of TARDIS." The Queen said, smiling at her, tapping Cara on each shoulder. 'This is epic!' she thought, the Doctor grinning at her. 'I know!'
"By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub the: Dame Rose of the Powell Estate. You may stand." she said, Cara, The Doctor and Rose rising.
"Many thanks, Ma'am."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Thanks! They're never going to believe this back home."
"Your Majesty, you said last night about receiving a message from the great beyond; I think your husband cut that diamond to save your life. He's protecting you even now Ma'am, even from beyond the grave." The Doctor said kindly.
"Indeed." The Queen agreed. "Then you may think on this, also: that I am not amused."
Cara's eyes widening, letting out a laugh. Rose smiling from ear to ear, the Doctor playfully groaning, unable to hide his smile. "Yes!" Rose whispered.
"Not remotely amused." The Queen said, Cara swallowing, trying to wipe her smile off her face. "And henceforth...I banish you."
"Wh-Wh-Excuse me?" Cara asked, staring at the Queen, the Doctor and Rose sharing equally stunned looks. "I'm sorry?"
"I rewarded you, Sir Doctor. And now you are exiled from this empire, never to return. I don't know what you are, the three of you, or where you're from, but I know that you consort with stars, and magic, and think it fun. But your world is steeped in terror and blasphemy and death and I will not allow it!" the Queen said venomously.
"You will leave this shores and you will reflect, I hope, on how you managed to stray so far from all that is good. And how much longer you will survive this...terrible life. The life you, Doctor drag your own child into." The Queen said, turning to Cara.
"My dear girl, I would ask you remain in my care, but I know very well you will not accept. But I pray you leave this life of death and destruction, before it consumes you." Queen Victoria said, stepping away from them.
"Now leave my world. And never return."
"Woah!" Dougal the farmer, cried, as it can to a halt; Cara spotting the TARDIS. 'Oh, I missed you.' she thought, jumping off the farmer cart, with the Doctor and Rose.
"Cheers, Dougal!" the Doctor called, waving to the man, returning to their current discussion. "You know, the funny thing is, Queen Victoria did actually suffer a mutation of the blood! It's historical record haemophiliac. It used to be called the Royal Disease. But it's always been a mystery because she didn't inherit it. Her mum didn't have it her dad didn't have it, it came from nowhere!"
"What, and you're saying that's a wolf bite?" Rose asked.
"Well, maybe Haemophilia is just a Victorian euphemism."
"For what werewolves?" Cara asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Could be!"
"Queen Victoria's a werewolf?" Rose asked, staring at the Doctor. "Could be! And, her children had the Royal Disease. Maybe she gave them a quick nip."
"So, the Royal Family are werewolves?"
"No," Cara said disbelievingly. "Well... maybe not yet. I mean, a single wolf cell could take... a hundred years to mature...might be ready by... oooh... early 21st century?" The Doctor said, shrugged.
"That's insane!" Cara said, shaking her head. "Mind you... Princess Anne!" Rose said, tucking some hair behind her ear. "I'll say no more."
"And if you think about it... they're very private. They plan everything in advance. They, they could schedule themselves around the moon, we'd never know!" Rose mused, the Doctor sniggering, opening the TARDIS door. "They like hunting! They love blood sports!"
"But, that's crazy!" Cara said, jumping in, shutting the door behind her. The Doctor laughed, staring up the TARDIS.
"Oh my god! They are werewolves aren't they?!" Cara cried out, making the Doctor and Rose burst out laughing.
Rose fake howling, as the TARDIS engines started, and they disappeared once again.
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