The Doctor and the Brigadier clung closely together in the expectation that
they were about to be devoured.
"Hwaet" shouted a familiar voice "abædan modsefa"
The gnashing teeth came to a halt as though frozen in time. The Doctor and the Brigadier turned in the direction of the voice. There, holding a bright flaming torch above his head, was Leo. He moved closer to the two older men and as he did the beast that had previously been hidden in shadow was revealed.
It was not a beast at all but a collection of cogs and wheels turning over inside some strange mechanism. The teeth were in fact steel blades in a row and pained white. Two massive drums with a form of automated hammer were on either side of the manufactured beast.
"Let me introduce you to Grendel" said Leo.
"Who?" asked the Brigadier.
"Grendel is a little devise I whipped up with some local odds and ends to deter strangers from approaching the palace at night" said Leo "He makes plenty of noise and fury to put the fear of god in to most Saxon men but I though you two would be immune".
"Well of course I knew it was not real," said the Doctor and he straightened out his coat.
The Brigadier looked at the Doctor, raised a questioning eyebrow at the last comment and then turned back to Leo.
"Leo, what were those words you used to make it stop" he asked.
"Old Saxon" interrupted the Doctor before Leo could speak "Usually the Tardis would automatically translate the words in to ones you could understand but on this occasion Leo seems to have deliberately side-stepped that"
"I had to make sure the Tardis's influence did not interfere with the instruction for the machine to stop. Otherwise the two of you would be in several pieces" replied Leo.
"Don't you think this is all rather extreme to put off a few poachers and thieves" said the Doctor in a huffy manner.
"It's not designed to put of poachers but something much, much worse" said Leo.
"Such as?" asked the Doctor.
"Shall we discuss that in the comfort of the hall" suggested Leo.
*************************
The sound of chatter and song filled the hall as the lamplight flickered against the ceiling beams and ornate tapestries that covered the walls. Men and women of all ages clustered together on benches and on the floors entertaining each other with fantastic tales and suggestive limericks. Children ran around the edges of the crowds of adults who seemed to enjoy rather than prickle at the noise of the screaming brats.
The King's son, Ecgfrith, sat in his father's place at the head of the hall where an assortment of jewelled noblemen and women demurred and ingratiated themselves with him. It was clear that the young man was enjoying the attention. The King's daughter, Eadburh, circled among the crowds and received their congratulations on her recent marriage to the King of Wessex. She was now Queen in her own right. She had "persuaded" her husband that it was better if he returned to his own palace alone and that she would follow on later. Eadburh was very much like her father in her ability to get men, even Kings to bow to her will.
The Doctor and the Brigadier were sat on a bench close to crowd that hovered around Ecgfrith. After bringing them to the hall Leo had left to attend the King in his council. It was likely that they would not now see him again until morning.
"Listen Doctor, can't we just go. I mean you have seen that the boy is OK now" asked the Brigadier as he signalled for one of the servants to fill his cup again.
"No. If other ambitious races learn that I have a clone living here they will descend on this planet like a plague. The temporal ripples he is creating are like sirens in time alerting them to his location. We have to take him somewhere else," said the Doctor.
"Do you think he will go quietly?" asked the Brigadier.
"Well I know I wouldn't so that suggests that he won't," said the Doctor as his face sunk in to a sulk.
"So what are we going to do?" asked the Brigadier again.
"Well he seems to be worried that something nasty out there is stalking the Palace. Perhaps if we can solve that little problem then he may be more open to suggestion" replied the Doctor.
"And I suppose your desire to hang about has nothing to do with your burning curiosity to know what is going on?" asked the Brigadier.
The Doctor smiled a guilty smile that suggested he had been found out.
*******************************
The evening passed in ever more energetic celebration until the early hours when people began to drift off to sleep wherever they were settled. When the Brigadier finally awoke he found the hall nearly empty again. The people of the court were about their daily business again and he had overslept. The local grog had not seemed to have affected him as severely this morning. He thought to himself, with some satisfaction, that he was finally acclimatising to the local brew.
The Brigadier looked around and was not surprised to note that the Doctor was nowhere to be seen. He was obviously sticking his nose in somewhere it was not wanted. The Brigadier decided it would be nice to have a stroll down to the local stream and sprinkle some water on his face. He got up and headed towards the door.
Once he was outside the Brigadier headed towards the main gate of the enclosure.
"Brigadier" called a female voice.
He turned to see who was calling him. His eyes were still half-asleep but he could make out the shape of a tall woman. Her copper coloured hair was long and hanging loose. Traces of gold thread seemed to have been woven in to plaits that hung about her ears. She wore a deep green cloak decorated with embroidered animals. The silhouette was unmistakable and could only be the Lady Eadburh. Or Queen Eadburh as she was now known.
The Brigadier almost called her 'Your Majesty' but quickly remembered that the term would not be used for another 700 years.
"What can I do for you my Lady" he finally managed.
Eadburh moved elegantly towards him as though her feet barely had to touch the ground.
"My Lord the King has told me that you are a great warrior" she said.
The Brigadier shrugged as his modesty compelled him to keep quiet.
"He also said that you have slain many monsters" she continued.
"Let's just say I have an interesting resume" replied the Brigadier.
"Well then perhaps we should put your talents to the test" she replied.
With a sudden lurch the Queen propelled herself in to the air and howling like a banshee bared her teeth as she hurtled towards the Brigadier. The old soldier had enough time to glimpse two sharp fangs where her canine teeth should be before she landed on top of him.
To be continued.
"Hwaet" shouted a familiar voice "abædan modsefa"
The gnashing teeth came to a halt as though frozen in time. The Doctor and the Brigadier turned in the direction of the voice. There, holding a bright flaming torch above his head, was Leo. He moved closer to the two older men and as he did the beast that had previously been hidden in shadow was revealed.
It was not a beast at all but a collection of cogs and wheels turning over inside some strange mechanism. The teeth were in fact steel blades in a row and pained white. Two massive drums with a form of automated hammer were on either side of the manufactured beast.
"Let me introduce you to Grendel" said Leo.
"Who?" asked the Brigadier.
"Grendel is a little devise I whipped up with some local odds and ends to deter strangers from approaching the palace at night" said Leo "He makes plenty of noise and fury to put the fear of god in to most Saxon men but I though you two would be immune".
"Well of course I knew it was not real," said the Doctor and he straightened out his coat.
The Brigadier looked at the Doctor, raised a questioning eyebrow at the last comment and then turned back to Leo.
"Leo, what were those words you used to make it stop" he asked.
"Old Saxon" interrupted the Doctor before Leo could speak "Usually the Tardis would automatically translate the words in to ones you could understand but on this occasion Leo seems to have deliberately side-stepped that"
"I had to make sure the Tardis's influence did not interfere with the instruction for the machine to stop. Otherwise the two of you would be in several pieces" replied Leo.
"Don't you think this is all rather extreme to put off a few poachers and thieves" said the Doctor in a huffy manner.
"It's not designed to put of poachers but something much, much worse" said Leo.
"Such as?" asked the Doctor.
"Shall we discuss that in the comfort of the hall" suggested Leo.
*************************
The sound of chatter and song filled the hall as the lamplight flickered against the ceiling beams and ornate tapestries that covered the walls. Men and women of all ages clustered together on benches and on the floors entertaining each other with fantastic tales and suggestive limericks. Children ran around the edges of the crowds of adults who seemed to enjoy rather than prickle at the noise of the screaming brats.
The King's son, Ecgfrith, sat in his father's place at the head of the hall where an assortment of jewelled noblemen and women demurred and ingratiated themselves with him. It was clear that the young man was enjoying the attention. The King's daughter, Eadburh, circled among the crowds and received their congratulations on her recent marriage to the King of Wessex. She was now Queen in her own right. She had "persuaded" her husband that it was better if he returned to his own palace alone and that she would follow on later. Eadburh was very much like her father in her ability to get men, even Kings to bow to her will.
The Doctor and the Brigadier were sat on a bench close to crowd that hovered around Ecgfrith. After bringing them to the hall Leo had left to attend the King in his council. It was likely that they would not now see him again until morning.
"Listen Doctor, can't we just go. I mean you have seen that the boy is OK now" asked the Brigadier as he signalled for one of the servants to fill his cup again.
"No. If other ambitious races learn that I have a clone living here they will descend on this planet like a plague. The temporal ripples he is creating are like sirens in time alerting them to his location. We have to take him somewhere else," said the Doctor.
"Do you think he will go quietly?" asked the Brigadier.
"Well I know I wouldn't so that suggests that he won't," said the Doctor as his face sunk in to a sulk.
"So what are we going to do?" asked the Brigadier again.
"Well he seems to be worried that something nasty out there is stalking the Palace. Perhaps if we can solve that little problem then he may be more open to suggestion" replied the Doctor.
"And I suppose your desire to hang about has nothing to do with your burning curiosity to know what is going on?" asked the Brigadier.
The Doctor smiled a guilty smile that suggested he had been found out.
*******************************
The evening passed in ever more energetic celebration until the early hours when people began to drift off to sleep wherever they were settled. When the Brigadier finally awoke he found the hall nearly empty again. The people of the court were about their daily business again and he had overslept. The local grog had not seemed to have affected him as severely this morning. He thought to himself, with some satisfaction, that he was finally acclimatising to the local brew.
The Brigadier looked around and was not surprised to note that the Doctor was nowhere to be seen. He was obviously sticking his nose in somewhere it was not wanted. The Brigadier decided it would be nice to have a stroll down to the local stream and sprinkle some water on his face. He got up and headed towards the door.
Once he was outside the Brigadier headed towards the main gate of the enclosure.
"Brigadier" called a female voice.
He turned to see who was calling him. His eyes were still half-asleep but he could make out the shape of a tall woman. Her copper coloured hair was long and hanging loose. Traces of gold thread seemed to have been woven in to plaits that hung about her ears. She wore a deep green cloak decorated with embroidered animals. The silhouette was unmistakable and could only be the Lady Eadburh. Or Queen Eadburh as she was now known.
The Brigadier almost called her 'Your Majesty' but quickly remembered that the term would not be used for another 700 years.
"What can I do for you my Lady" he finally managed.
Eadburh moved elegantly towards him as though her feet barely had to touch the ground.
"My Lord the King has told me that you are a great warrior" she said.
The Brigadier shrugged as his modesty compelled him to keep quiet.
"He also said that you have slain many monsters" she continued.
"Let's just say I have an interesting resume" replied the Brigadier.
"Well then perhaps we should put your talents to the test" she replied.
With a sudden lurch the Queen propelled herself in to the air and howling like a banshee bared her teeth as she hurtled towards the Brigadier. The old soldier had enough time to glimpse two sharp fangs where her canine teeth should be before she landed on top of him.
To be continued.