The head guard led them up several flights of steps to a large room. It was round with several windows in the walls. Rose couldn't see any glass but the room was still warm. Bright tapestries eased the harshness of the plain walls. At the other side of the room from the doorway were several steps to a raised area. On this a small group of humanoid beings were holding a discussion that was obviously volatile.
The guard lifted his hand. "Wait here," he told the Doctor and Rose, before heading to the dais. He climbed the steps and spoke earnestly to a figure that was swathed in black veils. It seemed to look towards them and nodded.
The head guard turned. "Announce yourselves to the Mistress of Haven," he ordered.
"Hello!" The Doctor said brightly. "This is Rose. We just… passing through. Here by accident really. Oh I'm the Doctor, by the way."
There was a gasp of disbelief. The figure span round to the others on the dais. "Out! Now!" It ordered in a distinctly feminine voice. "Check the perimeter and get those blasted scanners back online."
"Mistress?" The head guard queried.
"Where's the machine?"
"I believe it's been traced to the cliff edge, Mistress."
"Well get it in. Oh and be careful with it."
Rose felt the slightest panic when she realised they knew where the TARDIS was, although she supposed if they needed to escape it would be better if it were inside the fortress' walls than with out. She glanced at the Doctor, who was watching the flurry of activity with bemused interest.
"We don't mean any harm," he announced.
The figure turned and regarded him for a moment. "Mean, no," she said dryly. Slim hands pushed back the veil, revealing a woman Rose put at about thirty. She had dark blue eyes and jet-black hair. Her gaze was completely on the Doctor. "Hello Theta," she said softly.
The Doctor's face went slack in utter disbelief. "Lyselle?"
The woman laughed and gathered her black skirts before bouncing down the stone steps. "You certainly took your sweet time," she said, as she walked towards him. She smiled brightly, but then a single tear ran down her face. "I'd almost given up all hope."
"I… gods, Lyselle." The Doctor seemed to struggle to think properly. "I thought everyone was dead."
Lyselle nodded and sighed heavily. "Well that's probably because this is it. A renegade and a mongrel. Oh the irony." She reached out and touched his face. "And so we survive Theta. You and I."
"Apparently so," the Doctor said, his voice low. He looked at her. "Your father didn't."
Her expression hardened slightly. "And?"
"I thought you might care."
"It doesn't matter, it hasn't mattered for the longest time. I was an accident Theta. You know it, I know it. I come from two worlds but belong to neither. I can't mourn the loss of something I never had and I won't pretend to either."
"Alright, I can understand that," the Doctor said grudgingly. "At least you avoided the War."
"Yes and you didn't, from the looks of it," she said as she looked him up and down.
"Is it that obvious?"
"Just a little, yes. Although you might have done it for fun."
"Regenerate for fun?" An eyebrow went up. "So speaks the voice of no experience."
"Ha, it's one I happily pass on, thank you very much."
"Yes I know," he replied. He shook his head slightly and then grinned at her. "Bloody woman."
Lyselle grinned back at him, then in a swirl of black material flung her arms round his neck and embraced him tightly.