The Doctor strolled across the empty throne room of Brightmoon, following the wafting scents of fresh bread. The heels of his new leather boots echoed off the marble floors. He loved the clicking of heels on solid floors. The palace tailor had succeeded in persuading him away from an all-tie-dye suit. The Doctor in return had rejected offers of a jewel-encrusted breastplate and helmet. "I'm a doctor, not a Faberge egg." That reference had gone over the man's head. Shame.

The resulting compromise was perfect. Besides the boots he wore an eggplant-purple frock coat over a waistcoat and silk shirt. The outfit had originally included a purple silk cravat and a cape. The Doctor had refashioned it into a bow tie. His third regeneration could pull off cravats and capes, not him.

It had been a month since the Doctor had come to Brightmoon. He was welcomed quite warmly by Queen Angella after Glimmer's glowing review of his conduct. He'd been assigned a gorgeous stateroom with an overstuffed bed and a waterfall.

"A waterfall! I've never taken a bath in a waterfall before."

Glimmer gave him a weird look. "Doctor, you're not supposed to bathe in the waterfall."

"Oh, that would explain all the frogs, then."

He jogged down a servant's staircase and into the palace kitchens. "Good morning, Clara!"

Clara looked up from her pastry table. "Oh, Doctor. Have you come to help out again?"

"You know I'd love to, but after Friday's fish-and-custard casserole Chef Gunther has made it explicitly clear I'm not allowed to cook anymore. No, I was just stopping by to grab a bite before I head out to Plumeria."

"I thought you'd just gotten back from Plumeria.

"Yes, well, it seems that the Horde's drilling operation in Plumeria did more than poison the flora," the Doctor replied as he grabbed a fresh bun from a platter and dribbled honey over it. "Apparently there have been a series of small seismic events in the region these last few days."

"Is that a reason for concern? Earthquakes aren't unheard of over there."

"Yes, but apparently there have been a few disappearances. Perfuma thinks they may be connected. How are you getting on?" The Doctor asked. "Are they treating you well down here?"

Clara nodded. "It's alright. Gunther says I'm doing well, although I still haven't mastered souffles. It's nice to have a steady job and a place to call my own."

The Doctor grinned. "You're bored, aren't you?"

"Completely bored, yes."

"Why don't you tag along? Get some fresh air."

"Oi! Doctor!" Chef Gunther had spotted The Doctor from across the crowded room and was now making his way towards him, a rolling pin in his hands. "Get out of my kitchen before you blow up another oven!"

"The Doctor winked at Clara. We're leaving for Plumeria in one hour. Meet us in the front hall and bring a good pair of boots." With that the Doctor legged it out of the kitchen.

The Doctor kneeled onto the ground and picked up a handful of loose dirt. "So you were playing and the ground just started...shaking?" The Doctor asked.

The young Plumerian girl nodded. "Then the ground split open under Lily's feet and she just fell in. I tried to go after her but the ground hole closed up just as I got to it." She wiped her eyes with the hem of her dress. "I should never have brought her out here, not after the other disappearances."

The Doctor turned to Princess Perfuma. "These disappearances. Is there a direct connection between them and the earthquakes?"

"That's what we think," Perfuma replied. "We've had five earthquakes in the last five days, and five of our people have disappeared."

"And they've all been children?"

"Yes."

"Could it be the Horde?" Glimmer asked. "They like to kidnap children and draft them into their army."

Adora nodded. She'd been one of those child soldiers. "The Horde prefers to take the very young: they're easier to recondition that way."

"Can you tell us about the case before this?" The Doctor asked.

Yes, it was a child named Alder. They were going into one of the caves near here to collect mushrooms."

"Can you show us this cave?" Adora asked.

It was less than a five minute walk to the cave opening. Glimmer entered first, summoning an energy ball as a light source. The rest followed close behind, none of them eager to stray too far from the light.

As they progressed further into the cave, Clara noticed something peculiar. "Doctor, look at the walls," she said. "They've been carved out by some sort of machine." The stalagmites and stalactites (which were which? He never could remember) were gone. The walls, floors and ceilings were rough-cut but perfectly level.

"This isn't a cave," Adora said, running a hand along the wall. "This is a mine."

"Do you think it's the Horde?" Glimmer asked.

They got their answer a few hundred yards in. The tunnel opened up into a high-ceiling space, filled with mining equipment, all emblazoned with the Horde insignia. There was one thing missing: Horde soldiers.

"Looks like they left in a hurry," Glimmer said. In a corner of the mine a table had been set for dinner.

The Doctor picked up a ration bar. "Something happened while they were sitting down to eat." Taking a bite and chewing thoughtfully. "An attack of some kind? Why didn't they fight back?"

"Doctor," Clara said. "If they were sitting down to eat, why aren't there any chairs?"

The Doctor looked down. Where the chairs had once been were neat little mounds of dirt, like molehills. "They came up from below," he whispered. He turned to the rest of the group. "I think I know what's behind the disappearances."

A second later the earth fell out from under all of them.

Thankfully it wasn't a long drop. It still hurt, though. The Doctor found himself at the bottom of a pile of groaning bodies. They'd landed in a small, circular chamber, the walls blank except for a single large slab of limestone.

"Clara?" The Doctor asked. "Where are you?"

"I'm right behind you."

"Are you alright?"

"Fine. Could you move your foot? It's in my face."

"Ah, sorry."

"What happened?" Bow asked.

The slab of rock slid aside, and a hunk of clay in a butler's suit squeezed his way through the opening. "Attention, puny humans. You are under arrest for war crimes against the Kingdom of Siluria. Do not resist arrest or you will be destroyed." It held out its hand. "May I take your coats and weapons?"

Well, well, well. Who is this?