Chapter Thirteen
"I'm On Your Side."
Arriving at the room he had once called his own, Jason paused in the doorway a moment, as the memories came flooding back. Turlough's remark about his having seen him only two months ago came to mind and he shook his head. They had already crossed paths since then, in an adventure that had occurred while he was still Crown Prince, the memory of which still made him shudder. As he took in the room, a wry smile came to his face, his eye falling on his extensive herb collection on the shelves still patiently waiting for his return. He gathered them during his time as the Doctor's traveling companion, the memories from that time floating back to him. He had been so young, he recalled, looking up to his brilliant (and eccentric) friend, who was in his fourth incarnation at the time. What adventures they had shared. How very close they had be come. How far apart they now were.
Shaking these thoughts from his mind, Jason set to work preparing the medication he had promised Turlough. He paged slowly through one of his old, dust covered notebooks, each entry rekindling yet another memory. Again he had to shake himself back to reality.
"Come on, Krystovan," he admonished softly, "keep your mind on your work."
After deciding on the appropriate combination of herbs, Jason went to the shelf containing the herb collection. It was practically overflowing with containers of all shapes and sizes, each clearly labeled and set in precise order. He had originally regretted not taking it with him, but later he chose to leave it where it was, which turned out to be a wise decision. This was not the first time he has utilized it since leaving the Doctor's company as a traveling companion. He selected what he needed, carefully measuring out each ingredient and setting them out onto the counter.
Jason was so engrossed in his work that the sound of quiet knock at the door made him jump and he spun around to see Ace's Doctor standing in the doorway. "Come to make sure I don't poison it?" he snapped, his venomous tone surprising even himself.
The Doctor held up his hands. "Jason, I'm on your side, remember?"
"You could've fooled me," the Alterran snorted. Taking a large marble mortar and pestle from a collection on a nearby shelf, he combined the herbs he had measured out and began force fully grinding them into a fine powder. "Who's with your other self, anyway?"
"Turlough. He told me your plan about what's to happen when I wake up. Quite an impressive little conspiracy you two've cooked up," the Doctor said approvingly.
Jason gave a non-communicative grunt and continued with his work while his friend studied him thoughtfully. This last remark should have caused an explanation to burst forth, yet it received almost no response at all.
"Jason, what on earth is the matter with you?" the Time Lord demanded at last. "You've had a chip on your shoulder from the moment I saw you. Now what is it?"
The King looked up, the fire burning in his eyes once again. "You! That's what's the matter. It's you! Why are you opposing me, Doctor? You've never—" He broke off and turned back to his work, choosing to leave the sentence unfinished.
The Doctor had to stop himself from laughing. "Jason, we've spent the better part of the time we've known each other arguing over one thing or another. But in all that time I've never known you to react with hatred. Explosive rage, yes. But hatred?"
With a smile of irony, Jason replied, "Maybe I've finally grown up."
"If you ask me, you're still acting like a child."
"Well, I'm not asking you, Time Lord!" the Alterran roared viciously.
"Oh, so that's how it's going to be, is it, your Royal Majesty?" the Doctor replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Jason glared at him. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Too bad, because you're going to."
The monarch opened his mouth but the Doctor cut him off. "No. You're going to listen to me, Jason Krystovan. Someone needs to talk some sense into that thick head of yours, because if you keep on this way, you're going to lose your son."
"I've already lost my son, Doctor, or hadn't you noticed?"
"And just whose fault is that? Asta's I suppose?"
"You saw the same thing I did, Doctor," the King objected.
"Jason, are you that blind?" the Doctor exploded. "Have you become so incredibly close-minded that you won't even look? Asta isn't trying to control Juris, she's trying to protect him. If you'd opened your eyes, you'd've seen that."
The Alterran's eyes narrowed and the Doctor could see he was very close to losing his temper all together. All the same, he pressed on. "Jason, there's more going on here than meets the eye and I think you know it. You just won't face it. Something's got hold of that boy's mind and if you don't do something fast, you really will lose him forever."
"Are you saying all this is my fault?" Jason snarled defensively, receiving a guileless half smile in reply. "You are! You're saying I could lose Juris the same way my father almost lost me, aren't you?"
"Am I?" the Doctor asked innocently.
"That's not fair, Doctor. My father's dead. He can't object to you anymore." A powerful hand suddenly flashed out, taking the unsuspecting Time Lord by the throat. "But I can!"