Hello, hello! Hope everyone has been doing well. It's been a little crazy where I live with the weather. Please stay safe out there everyone!
Just want to say thank you all again for the support you've given the story. It's so awesome seeing so many people enjoying the story so far. Enjoy the new chapter!
Chapter 28
Even though it had been weeks now since that day, Madison still couldn't wrap her mind around a human accepting her for being a mermaid. It still didn't feel real. But Rose seemed to be more than willing to be a part of the secret. In fact, almost the next day after being able to leave the bath after twenty-four hours, Rose suggested having a day in the TARDIS where Madison could swim around the pools to her heart's content. Something that Madison still felt touched by. It seemed, after everything she told Rose about her species and the trials her kind had gone through, her friend truly wanted for her to feel welcomed as a Mer. Completely this time. Tail and all. And Madison had to admit, but it had been fun that day, being able to swim around in the lagoon with Rose and splash about. She even held onto Rose and swam fast around the pool to let the girl feel what it was like to swim so quickly. The smile wouldn't leave Rose's face after she had done this. The Doctor had been with them that day as well. Smiling so happily at them both as he made them all food at the grill.
Speaking of the Doctor, things had been more . . . intimate than normal. Though she and he were still keeping it to kisses, it still felt so overwhelming at times. Some days it felt too soon for them. It had taken years for her and David to even kiss. So why with the Doctor did it feel as though she weren't moving fast enough? She wondered if it was because of her being alone for so long. Or possibly because she felt this far greater connection with him than she ever did with David. Or, even more still, it could be simply because this was just the way things were with the Doctor. Things moved at such a rapid pace in his life that going slow just seemed agonising. Though they still respected each other's boundaries, keeping things cordial between them, it was difficult somedays for them. Especially for the Doctor. It was the way he would stare at her at times. This deep longing in his eyes that she would catch in a glimpse before he would swiftly place on a stoic expression. She also felt it. The desire to be with him fully. To connect beyond any level that they had. She knew this wouldn't last for them, this distance they tried to keep. Even if they wanted to try and court, to keep things at a slow pace, eventually they would cave in to their over-emotional state. Something that tends to happen after a rough day when adrenalin was pumping through their system. And did she want to fight against this? Some days she felt the answer was a stern 'yes'. A voice in the back of her mind said she didn't need to be hurt, that she needed to think things through in case this courtship between her and the Doctor were not suited to happen. But that other ever-growing voice within her called for her to let go and live again. To make him happy and feel the freedom of love once more.
She also still reeled in the possibility of him and her together in her Mer-form. She never would have thought it possible, not that it wasn't impossible. It was simply . . . she never thought someone would be willing to go to such lengths to show her love. Would she be any good for him though? She would hate to be a disappointment in any way. However, nothing seemed to disappoint him. From every moment in between their adventures through time and space, he seemed to enjoy any second they had together. Especially when it was just them, after a long day of travelling, simply laying in her or his bedroom and basking in each other's company. If she were honest with herself, just moments like those were more than enough. They were wonderful and she couldn't get enough time like that with him. She wanted to spend every possible second with him and then some. To take in everything that was him, from his smile to his freckles to his rich brown eyes that she could stare at for hours on end. Just everything that made him so beautiful. And she knew he felt the same. She only hoped they were ready when the time came when they finally accepted the enteral bond that would come from their final step forward into their courtship. She was willing to give him everything.
"Are you sure it's not time yet?" Rose asked her as they walked down the corridor.
Currently, the two of them had changed into clothing that would match the decade the Doctor was taking them to. Somewhere in the 1970s is what he had told them. It seemed he was keeping where exactly he was taking them a surprise. So, Rose had put on a dungaree that was denim and was a short skirt. She had a pair of thin black tights covering her legs under the dungaree, and a light-coloured tee shirt. Madison had chosen a button-up, long-sleeved blue dress herself that had large white buttons running down the front of the dress and a white belt wrapped around her middle. She also wore a thin pair of black tights over her legs to cover up what the knee-length dress didn't and had on a white pair of mary jane shoes. She had her hair down and styled in a fashion like that from the 70s. The Doctor had mentioned in passing how much he enjoyed seeing her hair free-flowing outside of her braid, so she wanted to look nice for him today. Something that she hoped he enjoyed.
"No, it's not time just yet. I still have one more day to go before I'll need to stay in the TARDIS," Madison assured her friend. It seemed, after that day of being close to death, the Doctor and Rose were both determined to keep track of her monthly cycle. They were also constantly getting onto her about spending enough time in water to recoup after long days of adventuring around. Especially when it had been rather rough days. Seems the two were thinking she was a fragile thing after that day. It was both touching and troublesome at times with just how persistent they were.
"All right, as long as you're sure. But don't push yourself just 'cause you think you need to impress the Doctor," Rose said as they entered the console room.
"I am not trying to impress anyone," Madison countered firmly.
"Right. So you just happen to style your hair 'cause you want to," Rose replied, setting down the bag she had brought.
Madison blushed, not realising that Rose knew this. The girl must have been more observant than she thought. "I just thought . . . he'd like it."
"Of course. It's fine to do something for the guy you like, but you worry me sometimes. I feel like you push yourself for him."
"Maybe I do. But I know my limits. I know when to say enough is enough." Madison crossed her arms, eyeing her friend carefully. "I really could be saying the same to you. Just the other day you got yourself into trouble with the Elzuil, remember?"
Rose blushed but nodded as she seemed to agree. "Yeah. I guess we're both guilty of it, then."
Madison smiled, then gave her a curious gaze. "Where is this all coming from suddenly? What brought this up?"
"Remember that visit with mum we had a few days ago?"
"Ah. I see. I suppose she put you up to this?"
Rose smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. Sort of. She's worried you're throwing your life away for some bloke. She's always worried that we both put our lives at risk too much. Which, you do. Way too often I might add." Then, she had a thoughtful expression as she stared at Madison. "Seriously, though, you're the last mermaid on Earth. Shouldn't you be a bit more careful than you have been? I mean, I'm one in a dozen being human—"
"Now, don't say that. You are most certainly not 'one in a dozen'." Madison walked over, grabbing her friend's hands. "And being the last Mer isn't going to stop me from living. Besides, the Doctor is the last of his kind. Why aren't you telling him the same thing?"
"I don't know. The Doctor is . . . the Doctor. He can beat anything." Rose shrugged.
"He's not unstoppable. Even he has his limits. So," she patted Rose's hands, "stop treating me like a piece of china. Please?"
Rose sighed but conceded. "Fine. But I'd like to see you try and tell the Doctor that. He's worse than me. I swear, I never met a bloke as protective as him."
"He's lost a lot in his life. I can understand where he's coming from." She let go of Rose's hands, sighing as she stared off towards the TARDIS corridor. "But you're right. I really should have a talk with him sometime in the future." She listened as she heard quick steps coming towards them down the corridor.
"Probably wait until after we're finished in the 1970s," Rose whispered in her ear. "Don't wanna spoil the date."
Madison blinked in surprise, whispering back, "'Date'? Who says this is a date?"
"Oh, come on, it's so a date," Rose teased her, winking.
They both looked over when seeing the Doctor coming into the console. He had a small smile on his face as he stared down at a music player in his hands. When he glanced at them, his face lit up brightly. It made Madison blush with just how awe-filled his expression appeared when he gazed in her direction especially. It was always so flattering in seeing how happy she seemed to make him. She only hoped that she could always bring him such joy in life. Just as he always did for her own. She smiled at him warmly, still loving seeing him in his pinstripe suit. She noticed how today he wasn't wearing his necktie, having his button shirts open somewhat to expose all the layers he wore underneath.
"What do you think of this? Will it do?" Rose asked him, pointing out both of their outfits to the Doctor.
"The late 1970s?" He hummed as he eyed the two up. "You're great," he said as he pointed to Madison. Then he gestured to Rose. "You'd be better off in a bin bag." Rose scoffed, hitting him lightly as he passed by them both. He ignored this gesture, putting the music player on the console and connecting it to the TARDIS. "Hold on, listen to this." Rock music began playing overhead. He grinned excitedly at them. "Ian Dury and The Blockheads. Number one in 1979."
"Oh, I remember this song," Madison said thoughtfully.
"Do you like it?" the Doctor asked her excitedly, grinning eagerly at her.
"I'm flexible when it comes to music styles. I've lived through so many," she said, shrugging lightly. Then she held a light grin. "Though the '70s and '80s were my favourites as far as music goes." The Doctor grinned as he started bobbing his head and singing the song as he danced around the console.
"You're a punk!" Rose exclaimed, seeming to be shocked by the Doctor's taste in music. "That's what you are, a big old punk with a bit of rockabilly thrown in."
"What do you think? Do you two want to go and see him?" he asked them, glancing towards the two in anticipation of their answer. He had a hand on a lever, ready to pull it.
"How do you mean, in concert?" Rose questioned curiously. Madison was immediately uncomfortable with this idea, but if the Doctor really wanted to go, she wouldn't say anything against it. He looked so excited, after all. She'd hate to be a damper on things.
"Yeah, but not in the thick of it. Somewhere we could just watch," the Doctor said, giving a quick smile to Madison. She mouthed 'thank you' to him as he passed her, walking around the console as he started to ramble. "What else is the TARDIS for anyway? I can take you two to the Battle of Trafalgar, the First Antigravity Olympics, Caesar crossing the Rubicon, or Ian Dury at the Top Rank, Sheffield, England, Earth, 21st November 1979, what do you think?" He was back at the one lever again after taking a walk around the console.
Rose and Madison grinned at one another in excitement as they both looked at the Doctor and said, "Sheffield!"
The Doctor laughed, hitting the lever with flare as he exclaimed, "Hold on tight!"
They were all jerked forward as the TARDIS shifted. The ship rocked around and Madison had a hard time standing upright. Both her and Rose held on tight to the console, trying not to fall over as the music continued to play loudly and the Doctor steered the ship through the Time Vortex. She couldn't help but laugh as at one point the Doctor pulled out a rubber mallet and started banging random controls as he sang along with the music. When he shouted that they were landing, the entire ship jerked again, sending them all onto their backs on the floor. All three of them started laughing, looking at one another with glee. The Doctor bounced up first, going over and helping them both up.
"1979! Hell of a year!" he said as he ran around and gathered up his long coat. "China invades Vietnam. The Muppet Movie; love that film." He grabbed Madison's hand after she walked over to him, beaming at her as he gave it a soft caress with his thumb. "Margaret Thatcher." He made a face before continuing. "Skylab falls to Earth with a little help from me. Nearly took off my thumb," he led her over to the doors, opening them up as he backed out of the TARDIS, "and I like my thumb. I need my thumb. I'm very attached to . . ."
Madison sucked in a breath as they were greeted with a row of guns pointed right at them. The guns clicked as the men who held them up got ready to fire if necessary. She immediately raised her hands after letting go of the Doctor's, eyeing the men carefully. She heard the Doctor muttering 'my thumb' under his breath, finishing his earlier train of thought as he too raised his hands. Rose followed their gesture, staring warily at the men. To Madison, it appeared to be a group of armed guards judging by their red uniforms and the massive carriage that they seemed to be protecting. It almost looked like a high-ranking military branch if she wasn't mistaken. Though she could be wrong with that.
"1879. Same difference," the Doctor mumbled next to her. She held back the urge to roll her eyes. Oh, dear. Not again.
The one guard on horseback, the clearly highest ranking officer judging by the medals on his uniform, spoke up curtly, "You will explain your presence, and the nakedness of these two girls." The man had a clear Scottish accent, making Madison rack her brain on what happened in 1879 Scotland. She hadn't paid too much attention to Europe during these times. She was still living in the States with David currently.
"Are we in Scotland?" the Doctor asked rather excitedly.
"How can you be ignorant of that?" retorted the officer.
"Oh, I'm dazed and confused. I've been chasin' these wee naked children over hill and over dale," the Doctor replied back in his own flare of a Scottish accent. Something else she learned about the Doctor today. He was very good with accents.
"And I keep tellin' yah, we aren't naked," she responded, falling into her old Irish accent. "Just 'cause yah haven't seen a couple of workin' lass don't mean we go 'round naked as a fresh babe. 'Sides, my sister got her dress ripped up in a tussle with pa's pig. Not her fault now, 's it?"
"Fiesty one this is. I'd watch her if I were you," the Doctor said, jerking his head towards her. He seemed to glance at her offhandedly, but there was a spark of amusement in his eyes. She winked subtly at him.
"Och, aye. I've been oot and aboot," Rose suddenly spoke up, earning their sharp attention. Madison's brows arched high at the Scottish accent the girl was trying.
"No, don't do that," the Doctor muttered in the corner of his mouth, dropping his own accent quietly.
"Hoots, mon?" Rose responded, blinking in confusion.
"No, really don't. Really," the Doctor told her again, giving a quick stern eye.
"Will you identify yourself, sir?" the office spoke up curtly, earning their attention again.
"I'm Doctor James McCrimmon," the Doctor answered, putting back on his Scottish accent, "from the township of Balamory. Ah, I have my credentials, if I may?" The Doctor pointed to his coat pocket, waiting for the officer to allow him to lower his hands. Once the officer gave the nod, the Doctor shuffled out the psychic paper to show the guards. "As you can see, a doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. I trained under Doctor Bell himself." Though all the men could see the paper, none lowered their guns. Madison saw Rose start to lower her hands, but the red-head shook her head. Madison was not about to lower her hands until they put down their weapons. One false move on their part could lead to a nasty encounter.
"Let them approach," came a sudden woman's voice from the carriage. This voice held a different accent, one from Britain from the sounds of it. Madison wondered who it might be as it sounded to be coming from an older woman and a voice filled with authority.
"I don't think that's wise, ma'am," said the officer, still with his pistol trained on the trio.
"Let them approach," the woman's voice said, more strict this time.
The officer seemed to think this over carefully at first. Either do his duty as a guard or listen to his superior. Finally, he told them, "You will approach the carriage, and show all due deference."
Madison nodded along with the other two as finally she and Rose lowered their hands when the guards let their weapons drop to their sides. They approached carefully towards the black carriage, seeing how the guards still eyed them warily. A coachman opened the door to the carriage, allowing the three of them to step closer to see the woman inside. Madison was shocked to see who exactly it was. The woman appeared just like her pictures, after all. It was Queen Victoria, dressed in black and looking to be in her golden years. If this was indeed 1879 . . . then Madison knew that this was Queen Victoria during her time wearing black in mourning for her late husband. Even if her husband had passed a decade beforehand, she recalled the deep grief the Queen had for her beloved. Something which Madison could understand completely.
"Madison, Rose, might I introduce Her Majesty Queen Victoria," the Doctor said, smiling politely towards the Queen, "Empress of India and Defender of the Faith." This appeared to please Queen Victoria for she gave him a smile after the introduction.
"Rose Tyler, ma'am," Rose greeted the Queen, giving a small curtsy.
"Madison Baker. Apologies for not bein' properly dressed, ma'am," Madison greeted as well, adding her own curtsy. She kept a tight smile. Though she would treat the Queen with the utmost respect, it wasn't exactly . . . welcoming to see Her Majesty. Nobility always bothered Madison on many levels, for countless reasons. But the British Royal Family was something in particular that hit a sore spot in her. For reasons that she hoped were not brought up today.
"I've had five daughters. It's nothing to me," the Queen responded in dismissal. She turned her gaze solely on the Doctor. "But you, Doctor, show me these credentials." She inspected the psychic paper carefully after the Doctor handed it over. Something on the paper must have surprised her for her eyes lit up and she smiled in delight at him. "Why didn't you say so immediately? It states clearly here that you have been appointed by the Lord Provost as my protector."
"Does it?" the Doctor responded in surprise himself. "Yes, it does. Good. Good." He took back the psychic paper, fiddling with it. "Erm, then let me ask, why is Your Majesty travellin' by road when there's a train all the way to Aberdeen?"
"A tree on the line," the Queen answered pointedly.
The Doctor raised a brow. "An accident?"
"I am the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Everything around me tends to be planned."
"An assassination attempt?"
"What, seriously?" Rose blurted out in shock, staring at them in disbelief. "There's people out to kill you?"
"I'm quite used to staring down the barrel of a gun," the Queen responded dismissively.
This did not shock Madison. She knew just how often people went after the gentry. She should know, given what she used to do against those of high class during her time in the wild west. Not that she ever had any intention of harming them. It was always after the wealth they possessed and hoarded, and it had really only ever been to steal to prove a point to those who used their wealth for cruelty. Not that stealing had been the right thing to do, in hindsight currently. But, at the time, it was the only thing she thought was right. How naive of her back then.
"Sir Robert MacLeish lives but ten miles hence," came the voice of the commanding officer behind them. Madison glanced over, seeing how he had come around on his horse to listen in to their conversation. "We've sent word ahead. He'll shelter us for tonight, then we can reach Balmoral tomorrow."
"This Doctor and these two sisters will come with us," Queen Victoria told the officer.
"Yes, ma'am. We'd better get moving. It's almost nightfall," responded the officer.
"Indeed, and there are stories of wolves in these parts. Fanciful tales, intended to scare the children, but good for the blood, I think."
There was a flare of excitement from the Queen as she mentioned wolves. That smile that spoke of amusement with such stories. It appeared someone was a fan of scary stories. Madison couldn't help but feel amused by this notion. She wondered if born in a different time, whether the Queen would have been a fan of horror films.
Madison stepped back along with the Doctor and Rose as the Queen ordered her possession to continue onwards. The one officer quickly introduced himself as Captain Reynolds before going to the front of his guards and leading them to their destination. Lingering back from the rest, the trio eventually followed along by foot behind the last few guards at the back of the carriage. Now that she had time to look and not worry about being shot, she could tell by the countryside that they were in was a location few travelled. Whether it be because of there being nothing but open fields of brown grass over the rolling hills, or the fact that the road simply had indents into the ground from carriage wheels over the years, making it rather bumping for the carriage in front of them and hard to walk on for the rest. Over in the distance behind them, she could see mountains looming over them, casting long shadows in their direction. The winds swept through the grasslands, creating a strong chill in the air. She felt bad for Rose as the girl kept rubbing her bare arms to keep warm. If she had on a coat, Madison would have offered it to Rose immediately.
"So, I'm your sister?" Rose asked lightly, grinning somewhat.
"Yes, our father is a man who has trouble keeping himself in line. So we both have different mothers. We grew up separately, me in Ireland and you in England, until our mothers helped us reconnect and our father wrote to us to help him get his act together on his farm that he will one day leave for us to have," Madison said to the two, voice going back to normal as she spoke this time. Though she did keep herself quiet, not wanting the guards to overhear her losing her accent. She smirked lightly when seeing the surprised looks on the two's faces. "At least, that's the story I came up with. We really should get our story straight before we get there."
"How'd you come up with something like that?" Rose questioned curiously.
"And so quickly," added the Doctor, voice also dropping the accent from before.
"When you live a life of crime, you learn to be quick with things like this and to always have the upper hand," Madison said knowingly, giving a wink. Then her humour dropped as the one thing that bothered her came forth. "Which this assassination attempt makes me worried."
"I know," Rose agreed. "It's funny, 'cause you say assassination, and you just think of Kennedy and stuff, not her."
"1879? She's had, oh, six attempts on her life," the Doctor explained. Then he smiled away excitedly. "And I'll tell you something else. We just met Queen Victoria." He started laughing as Rose responded just as excitedly. Only Madison remained silent, keeping her mind more focused than the other two. Her expression must have read that she was not as thrilled as them for the Doctor's smile dropped and he stared at her in concern. "Something wrong?"
"No, no, it's great. Yes. It's lovely meeting a historical figure," Madison told him swiftly. But seeing his raised brow, she sighed in resignation. "Fine. All right. I'm not exactly . . . the biggest admirer when it comes to nobility. Especially those from English royalty." The Doctor made a soft 'ah' while nodding in understanding.
"Why's that?" Rose asked, looking confused.
"Let's just say, Mer-kind has an unpleasant history with England's Royal Family, going back centuries," Madison explained quietly, being very careful now as she did not wish for the wind to carry her words to unwanted ears. "And it doesn't help that I grew up in Ireland as a child during the 1700s if that tells you anything."
"You grew up in Ireland? But how come you don't have an accent?" Rose questioned curiously.
"That's my mother at play. She had me go under strict schooling, teaching me all sorts of accents and words to use when I was little. It was something to prepare me for when we started moving around frequently. Easier time blending in when you sound like everyone else," Madison explained, thinking of all the different accents and dialects she had to use whenever they had moved.
"What did they do to the Mer?" she heard the Doctor ask her quietly. Glancing over at him, she could see the deep stare he gave her. The look that said he wished to understand her and her people better. She didn't want to discuss it . . . but he deserved to know.
So, sighing, she said, "Nobility of different regions used to secretly hunt Mer for sport. None had done so more than those from England. In fact, to this day . . . they still have a taxidermied figure of a Mer locked away in their vaults."
Her stomach twisted as she spoke of this. It was something that had always bothered her parents growing up. Something that sickened Madison herself to her core. It was one of the reasons why her mother had high resentment against the nobility. In fact, her mother had witnessed the death of that particular Mer. Madison wasn't certain if the current reign of Queen Victoria, or even of the future monarch, knew the truth behind the shrivelled figure they held in the secret vaults. They might even believe it was nothing more than a strange gift given to their family. Or, maybe the secret of their once adventurous sport of hunting Mer carried on through the ages. Madison hoped she was wrong about the latter. She didn't think she could stomach it if they still felt pride in what had been done to that poor Mer.
"I'm sorry," she heard the Doctor whisper quietly beside her and felt him gently grab her hand, squeezing it in comfort.
"That's horrible," Rose said, coming over to rub a hand on Madison's shoulder. "I really don't know what to say. I'm just sorry."
"It's okay. It's a long thing from the past," Madison sighed, shaking her head sadly. "It was done during a time before the common era, and quite a bit in the middle ages."
"You don't think Queen Victoria knows about it, do you?" Rose whispered, staring warily towards the carriage ahead of them.
"Don't know. I really don't want to think about it," Madison said, eyes growing tight as she felt unsure of her own thoughts on the matter. She relaxed when she felt the Doctor send a soothing presence in her mind. She gave him a smile of gratitude, and he smiled warmly in return, squeezing her hand once more.
Rose seemed to think for a moment before getting a mischievous smile on her face and said, "Tell you what, would you feel better if I get her to say 'we are not amused'." She changed her voice to be all proper for a moment, snickering after she said the famous line.
Madison couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head fondly. "Well, perhaps a little."
"Done! I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna get her to say it," Rose said, looking determined now.
"I bet you ten quid you won't," said the Doctor, chuckling at the girl.
"You're on," Rose replied, grinning cheekily and having her tongue between her teeth. While the two of them sniggered with excitement, Madison shook her head and got her thoughts back on track.
"Back to the assassination attempt, I think it's not over. Not yet, anyway," she told them.
"What makes you say that?" asked the Doctor.
"Tree on the tracks gives it away. It was a trick the old gang used to do back in the day. Place something down to block the main path, diverting the cargo you're after down a path that's easier for an ambush," she explained, recalling the times she had helped in such a scheme.
"Ambush? Out here?" Rose replied sceptically, looking around the wide open fields they were walking past. "Be a bit hard to do that right now, wouldn't it?"
"Hmm. Madison might have a point," mumbled the Doctor, frowning as he too seemed to think it over carefully. "Could be leading to a trap down the road." He then gave a small shrug. "Or, you know, you could just be overthinking things. You tend to do that."
"Rude," Madison muttered, rolling her eyes. But she conceded to his statement. "Yes. Okay. I do. I can't help it if I'm nervous being around a bunch of burly men with guns."
"Don't worry. I'll keep you safe," the Doctor said, grinning away confidently as he grabbed her hand again and bumped into her playfully. He suddenly placed on his Scottish accent again. "As a Doctor, no harm shall come to my wee companions. Especially those who so choose to run around the dale so naked."
"Oh, but, Doctor McCrimmon, I know yah enjoyed the chase of such nakedness. Do not deny it," she responded back in cheek, putting into place her old Irish accent once again. "In fact, I could always be a bit more naked for the next time." She then gave him a wink.
"Is that a promise?" he suddenly blurted out, immediately blushing as he blinked in shock. "Oh, ah, I–I didn't mean to say that."
"'Out loud' is what I think you mean," Rose said, chortling and snickering away, trying her best to contain her laughter behind her hand.
XxXxXxXxXx
It took some time walking those ten miles. It had Madison's legs feeling sore towards the end. But eventually, they came to the manor of Sir Robert that Captain Reynolds had mentioned. It was a large manor (especially for this time period), made entirely out of grey stone and towering high above them. There were countless windows throughout the manor, showing them the number of rooms the home held. One of the most unique features of the manor was that one section had a glass roof and a massive telescope sticking out of an open portion. The telescope gleamed in the dim sunlight, looking to be made out of bronze. The road turned from dirt to cobble as they made their way closer, and Madison noticed the stone statue of the Celtic cross out in the front yard of the manor. Something else she noticed, however, was just how quiet the manor was. It felt strange. A place such as this size, shouldn't it have quite a lot of staff going around maintaining the place? But as they entered the courtyard, there was no one but a few horses tied up to the stables.
Finally, though, someone came out of the manor. It was a man with dark brown hair and eyes, dressed in a fine Victorian suit, smiling at them upon their arrival as Queen Victoria's carriage was opened. Though something did not settle right for Madison. Something about that man's smile. It was almost nervous. Shifting, even. He kept glancing around at everyone, with something written in his eyes that she could not quite place. She frowned thoughtfully, trying to think of where she had seen this sort of gaze before. Then, it hit her. It was a look of warning. He was hoping to warn them, but couldn't. It especially came clear when men with shaved heads came out to follow. They too wore black suits, but their expressions were nothing but stoney. There was no emotion behind their eyes, except set fortitude. Upon the sight of them, Madison felt her gut twist anxiously and her body tense. Her instincts kicked in and she felt the urge to run.
"Something's wrong," she spoke to the Doctor through their telepathy.
"What?" he replied, glancing at her.
"I'm getting that sense again. Something about these men is wrong," she explained hurriedly, glancing between all the men as she half-listened to Sir Robert speaking with the Queen. "And look at Sir Robert. He's on edge."
"It could just be because of the Queen's arrival," the Doctor offered in thought. Then, he hummed as they heard Sir Robert trying to suggest the Queen leave because of the kitchen cook being gone. "But I'll keep an eye out. Just in case. I know how good those instincts of yours are."
"I just hope they're wrong this time." She stiffened then when hearing the Queen speak and say the name of the manor. "Did I hear her right? Did she just call this the 'Torchwood Estate'?"
"Yep." The Doctor popped the 'p' lightly as he began studying everything around them closely. "Best be on our toes." He then reached over, patting Rose's arm as she stood on his other side. He leaned over and Madison heard him whisper 'trouble' into the girl's ear. Rose nodded, immediately shifting on foot as she got herself ready for whatever was about to happen.
"And please excuse the naked girls," Madison heard the Queen saying, earning her attention fully this time. She blushed as she felt that she wasn't even that exposed. Unlike Rose. But given how short her skirt was, Madison knew it would be considered unbecoming of her. Even with her legs covered.
"Ah, yes, don't mind them. I owed their father a favour to round them up and keep them in line. But they are rather feral," the Doctor said, back in his Scottish accent as before.
"Thinks he's funny, but I'm so not amused. What do you think, ma'am?" Rose responded, smiling at the Queen then eagerly.
"It hardly matters," the Queen said in dismissal, seeming somewhat bewildered on why Rose asked her of such a thing. She then ignored their presence, looking back at Sir Robert. "Shall we proceed?" She then picked up her skirts and marched into the manor along with Sir Robert and the guards by her side.
Rose pouted in disappointment while the Doctor sniggered quietly. Madison rolled her eyes, unbelieving that the two could possibly still be trying to win their bet when they knew there was something wrong. Again, she swore they were children. Watching the guards begin to bring out something from the carriage, she was surprised to see only one thing they retrieved. No luggage of any kind. Just a small brown box with a golden keyhole in the front. The one guard holding it carried the box carefully as he went into the manor.
"So what's in there, then?" the Doctor asked curiously.
"Property of the Crown. You will dismiss any further thoughts, sir," Captain Reynolds spoke strictly, eyeing the Doctor pointedly before getting off his horse. Madison raised a brow. Of course, it was most likely something extremely valuable. That much was obvious. Just how valuable was the question. Then, she wondered again about her theory from earlier. Had the tree been placed to divert the Queen? Or had it been to divert what was travelling along with the Queen?
After briefly watching Captain Reynolds direct his guards around, the Doctor eventually nodded for the three of them to follow after the Queen into the manor. Once inside, they could hear the Queen requesting a tour of the estate, wishing to see everything there was. Madison recalled her mentioning her husband being fond of this place. Madison could understand the Queen wanting to be a part of something her husband loved so much. It would be like having a piece of him back in her life again. Madison smiled sadly, as she felt the wavering mind of the Queen. Though Queen Victoria's mind was rather fine, there were still broken pieces here or there that Madison could sense. Pieces that she wished she could mend but knew better not to disturb the elder woman.
So she kept herself quiet as she, the Doctor, and Rose followed along with the tour. The estate had an interesting history for certain. Though the one place in particular that seemed to draw the attention the most would be that of the observatory. Sunlight streamed in from above through the glass ceiling as they stepped into the room. Different diagrams and models of the solar system could be seen throughout the stone room. With one of them, Madison spotted a metal structure meant to be spun around that showed the Sun in the centre and all the different planets surrounding it. She also noticed the different desks with papers, charts, graphs, and books littering the table tops. However, the grandest object of all had to be the telescope itself. It was much bigger in person, with it being a deep brown for the main portion and having golden brass lodgings to keep it structurally sound and supported around the entire thing. There were gears and a platform underneath, obviously to turn it in different directions, and to raise or lower its angle of view. One thing that stood out to Madison, after taking in the sights of the room, was that there was a thick layer of dust over almost everything. It was obvious that Sir Robert had not been in here for quite some time.
"This, I take it, is the famous Endeavour," said the Queen, smiling fondly as she stared at the telescope. She had her hands clasped together in front of her, taking in the sight of the telescope. There was a sad look that crossed her face then which Madison noticed.
"All my father's work. Built by hand in his final years," explained Sir Robert, also appearing sad as he stared around everything. "It became something of an obsession. He spent his money on this, rather than caring for the house or himself."
"I wish I'd met him. I like him," commented the Doctor. Madison glanced over, seeing the overly eager expression of his as he stared at the telescope. She couldn't help but smile. Of course. Him and his love of stars and science. How could this not excite him? She loved it when he got like this. So eager to explore. It was wonderful to see him so happy.
"That thing's beautiful, can I . . .," the Doctor went on, nodding his head towards the telescope, eager to look it over.
"Help yourself," replied Sir Robert, nodding for the Doctor to explore.
"What did he model it on?" the Doctor asked as he swiftly went over and began checking out the telescope. Rose followed along, also interested in it. Madison remained by the Queen, keeping herself locked to Her Majesty in case of trouble. Especially since three of the bald men were there with them, staring at their backs. She did not allow herself to glance back at them. She didn't want to draw suspicion on herself.
"I know nothing about it. To be honest, most of us thought him a little, shall we say, eccentric," Sir Robert told him.
"Nothin' wrong with some eccentricity in life," Madison said, smiling lightly as she could only imagine what sort of man had built this. The Doctor gave a small laugh, smiling at her briefly before going back to inspecting the telescope, crouching down and looking over everything.
Sir Robert hummed, nodding as he said, "I wish now I'd spent more time with him and listened to his stories." His expression became forlorn, staring off distantly at nothing.
Madison gave him a look of empathy. "You don't know how much you'll miss them until it's too late," she said softly. Sir Robert nodded his head gravely while the Queen seemed to glance at her.
"You have lost someone close as well I take it?" the Queen asked her quietly, eyes softer than what they had been before as she watched Madison nod sadly.
"Aye. Many people. All very close," Madison replied softly, forlorn as she thought over those she had lost.
"It's a bit rubbish," came the Doctor's voice then, snapping their attention to him. He was frowning as he stepped back from the telescope, somewhat shaking his head. "How many prisms has it got? Way too many. The magnification's gone right over the top. That's a stupid kind of—."
"Ahem!" Madison cleared her throat quickly, interrupting the Doctor. He looked over and blinked at her. The expressions of Sir Robert and Queen Victoria must have spoken volumes as well.
"Am I being rude again?" he asked hurriedly in her mind. Seeing her nod pointedly, he was quick to change the course of his words. "But it's pretty! It's very pretty."
"And the imagination of it should be applauded," said Queen Victoria as she walked over to get closer and take in the might of the telescope herself.
"Hmm. I thought you might disapprove, Your Majesty. Stargazing. Isn't that a bit fanciful? You could easily not be amused, or something. No?" Rose spoke lightly, humour in her tone.
The Queen held a tight smile as she replied, "This device surveys the infinite word of God. What could be finer? Sir Robert's father was an example to us all, a polymath, steeped in astronomy and the sciences, yet equally well-versed in folklore and fairytales."
"Stars and magic. I like him more and more," said the Doctor. Madison had to agree. He sounded like an interesting person to have a chat with. She wondered what sort of fairytales he had studied.
"Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company," sighed the Queen, reminiscing now. "Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Saxe-Coburg." She looked to Sir Robert then. "When Albert was told about your local wolf, he was transported." Again the mention of this 'wolf'. Madison frowned, wondering about the significance.
The Doctor seemed to think similarly as he looked at Sir Robert and asked, "So what's this wolf, then?"
"It's just a story," Sir Robert answered quickly, smiling again but Madison caught the subtle nervous twitch in the side of his face.
"Then tell it," said the Doctor, eyeing the man carefully.
Watching how Sir Robert glanced anxiously towards the bald servants of his and seeing how the three bald men held hard stares, Madison kept herself alert. Especially with how the main man who appeared in charge of the others spoke up, interrupting Sir Robert when he had been about to discuss the wolf. While the bald man suggested the group retire to their rooms, the Doctor, Madison, and Rose shared a quick glance with one another. She jerked her head towards the hallway, subtly pointed between herself and Rose. The blonde seemed to realise what she was suggesting, splitting up to search around. Rose nodded while the Doctor frowned, brow furrowed uneasily. She knew he didn't like this idea, but it was their best shot.
"Your Majesty, let me and my sister go and get ourselves better dressed. So we can properly join yah for supper," Madison said quickly, smiling graciously at the Queen and giving a light curtsy.
"A good idea. I grow tired of nakedness," Queen Victoria agreed, looking back towards Sir Robert. "Could you help to find them some clothes?" While Sir Robert agreed and a bald butler stepped forward to offer assistance in finding them a room, the Doctor stepped up towards her, grabbing her hand.
"Whatever's happening, I need you to be careful," he whispered into her mind.
"Don't worry, I'll keep Rose safe," she promised him.
"I—I actually meant you, but, yeah, her, too," he somewhat stuttered, appearing caught by something. She rolled her eyes while moving her hand away as she followed Rose out of the observatory. Honestly. The Doctor was truly being far too overprotective. She would need to remind him of their priority to keep their promise to Jackie. She kept herself on alert as she followed the bald servant, Sir Robert, and Rose down the hallways. Eventually, they were led to what appeared to be a woman's room.
"This is one of our spare rooms. You should find some of my wife's older dresses in here. You're both about her size. They should fit you fine," Sir Robert told them, giving that nervous smile of his.
"Thank you," Madison replied, nodding in thanks as Rose entered the room first. "We'll be down for supper soon enough." As soon as Sir Robert and the bald man walked away, Madison shut the door behind her tightly and locked it. They couldn't afford anyone trying to subdue them. Not now. Things were only going to be tricky from here.
"So, what's the plan exactly?" Rose asked her. "We're not actually getting changed, are we?"
"No, I think we don't need to be over-encumbered during a time like this," Madison said briskly, walking swiftly over to the window. She saw in the distance the Sun lowering on the horizon. Darkness was coming and fast. She turned her gaze toward the courtyard below. She saw that there were different bald men walking around, appearing to be preparing themselves for something. "It seems our bald hosts are getting ready. And soon."
"What are we supposed to do then? Do some snooping about or . . ."
"I'm not certain. There's plenty of guards around to protect the Queen, so I almost feel as though they're not after her."
"Maybe that box then? Could be something they want."
Madison smiled at her friend, nodding. "My thoughts exactly. Which means . . . we might want to get to where they're guarding it and possibly alert them to a theft approaching." She then sighed, glancing at her dress. "Although, knowing this time period, those men most likely will not believe a word we say. Especially with how we're dressed."
Rose smiled confidently then. "Then we'll just have to protect that box ourselves."
"While I admire your confidence, I think we might be a bit outmatched . . ."
Both women stiffened as they heard a soft rattle coming from one of the wardrobes. Rose scooted back in alarm while Madison turned swiftly towards the sound. Narrowing her eyes, it was a brief concentration on her part to try and sense the mind within the wardrobe. She was shocked that she had not felt it the moment she had stepped into the room. Then again, she had been rather focused, and the mind's presence was not that strong. But it was there now and she could sense the distress coming from it. She relaxed as she felt only a scared mind, nothing with ill intent. So she went ahead and opened the wardrobe without hesitation, not entirely surprised to find someone within. Though it did shock her to see it was a maid. The poor young girl flinched away from her, breathing heavily in fright as she recoiled into the wardrobe.
"No, it's okay. We don't mean you any harm," Madison assured the woman immediately. Rose came up beside her, staring worriedly at the woman.
"Are you all right? What happened?" Rose questioned the servant girl.
"Is it safe? Ar-are they gone?" breathed the maid, shivering on the spot.
"Don't worry. The door is locked. It's only us two in here," Madison told the woman, holding out a hand for her. "Here. Why don't we get you out of there? You can tell us everything we need to know after you're settled." She helped the young woman out of the wardrobe, taking her to the bed in the room to sit down. The maid still shook in place but seemed to be calming. Madison and Rose sat on either side of her, touching either her back or arm in a comforting gesture.
"Tell us everything," Rose said quietly.
"But take your time," Madison reassured her.
The servant girl took a breath, beginning her tale. "It was those men. The men from that church. The steward always said something was wrong about them, but I didn't think . . . They came through the house in silence," she spoke tearfully. "They took the steward and the master and my lady." She started to cry more.
Madison gave the girl a swift hug, saying, "It's going to be all right. There are soldiers here now along with Queen Victoria. We'll alert them to what's happening and try to stop these men." Pulling away from the hug, she thought over briefly about what to do next. If she could get the maid to tell her story, maybe then they would be believed. But she didn't want to risk the poor girl's life, either. Those men seemed dangerous. They might just attack.
"What's your name?" Rose asked the maid gently.
"F-flora," the servant girl answered, seeming to try to be calming herself down now.
"Flora, we'll be safe," Rose assured the girl. "We have this friend called the Doctor. He'll know what to do."
"We should get going. Give them less time to prepare themselves for an attack," Madison mentioned then, standing up to go towards the door. Carefully she unlocked it and crept it open ever so slightly. Out in the hallway no one was seen. It was eerily quiet. "Flora, it might be best if you come with us. Safety in numbers, you know. I'm afraid if we leave you in here they might start searching all the rooms."
Flora shivered at this idea, but Rose quickly reassured the maid as Madison gradually stepped out of the room. She wanted to be the first to look around, make certain there was no one keeping a look out for her or Rose. It seemed deserted, however, with just how quiet it was. Where were the Queen's guards? Hadn't there been a couple walking around here earlier? She could have sworn they had passed them when Sir Robert had led the two of them to this room. She turned and motioned for the two to follow her. Rose kept a hand on Flora's as they walked carefully down the long hallway. It was night now, with the only light coming from the windows being that from the full moon outside. She couldn't help but frown at this thought. Call her superstitious, but nothing good ever came with a full moon.
She motioned for the two to stop as they came up to a corner of the hallway. Waving a hand, she had Rose and Flora press themselves up against the wall as she did the same. Carefully, she peeked around the corner, eyes narrowing as she saw the same guards they had passed earlier. Something had been done to them as both men were unconscious. Alarm went through her as she realised with a start that their rifles were missing. Oh, dear. It seems they were too late in stopping the main plan of action. Maybe she should send Flora back to that room to keep her safe.
"The soldiers have been dealt with it seems. Their weapons are missing," she whispered to the two. Flora started to whimper while Rose's eyes went wide.
"Are they dead?" she breathed in alarm.
"No. They're still breathing. Most likely they've been drugged," Madison told her. Waving a hand for them to move, she stepped away from the wall and carefully came around the corner. "We need to get moving. We've got to warn the Doctor."
"But what about—mmph!"
Madison whipped around as she heard both Flora and Rose give muffled cries of panic. There she could see two of the bald men grabbing the two girls, hands over their mouths and dragging them back down two different hallways. While Flora was being dragged back in the direction they had come from, Rose was being hoisted towards another hallway altogether. Madison's anger flared as she rushed towards Rose first, lifting her fist to hit the man who held her. Suddenly, she felt someone grab her from behind. One arm wrapped around her torso and another came up to cover a hand over her mouth. Immediately she reacted by biting the hand before it had time to press over her mouth. The man yelled and she didn't waste time waiting as she slammed her head back into his. She then grabbed the hand that had let go of her, twisting it around to break his hold and get her in control over him. She flipped him over and threw him into the wooden floor. She had planned on demanding answers but she couldn't catch a break as another man came up to grab her. She jabbed a hand out to hit him. Unfortunately, her luck ran out as he grabbed her arm and twisted it painfully around. He had her bent over before forcing her roughly to the ground. And before she even had time to think of a way out of his hold, she felt a blow to the back of her head and her vision faded away.
The last thing she heard was that of distance singing.
Sorry it wasn't all that long. Hopefully it was still a good read. If you like, leave a review! I'd love to see what everyone has to say.
Be safe out there!