First Promise

It wasn't the first time that Ariana found herself questioning if it was truly a wise idea to follow Koschei's ideas, after all, out of her three friends, he was perhaps the one she found that she always remained somewhat wary about following their advice or counsel. Ushas, at least, beneath all of her cool apathy and calculation wasn't what one could completely consider to be cruel, but Koschei would enjoy nothing more than to set up someone to humiliate them and sit back and watch, though he somehow managed to never quite go too far, never crossing that indivisible line. Ariana didn't exactly like that side of his character, just as she highly doubted that Theta liked it very much, either, but there was something about Koschei that made you want to see the good in him, to believe that he was better than that, or at least that he was capable of being better. She imagined it couldn't possibly be easy for him, she knew the rumours of his birth and how his mother had died during the labour. It was common knowledge that a Time Tot who never developed that early bond between their mothers often ended up being somewhat…different, from others, less developed, perhaps, in certain areas. Maybe that was simply the case with Koschei and for that she felt for him.

Still, she remained somewhat dubious about any ideas that he might present, especially if such an idea could very likely result in trouble for someone else, in this situation herself. But…she was desperate to speak to Theta, she needed just a few moments alone with him where he couldn't possibly escape or find some excuse to get away from her, and if she had to sneak into his rooms in order to do so, scandal aside, she would do it. She couldn't allow another day to pass without reassuring him that she didn't blame him, she just couldn't, which is why she had decided to allow Koschei to walk her through, step-by-step, in how to walk through the secret passageways of the school that would take her almost directly to Theta's room, obviously completely forbidden and off limits to her in any other circumstance, and if anyone caught her…she paused, mid step and swallowed at the thought. It wouldn't be good, not in the slightest.

It still wasn't enough to make her stop her journey through the darkened, narrow passageways, holding a small, golden torch in one hand that illuminated the flagstone floors and stone walls ahead of her. Occasionally she had been forced to pause when she came to a turn or a curve, checking the crudely drawn map that she had insisted that Koschei pen for her, even though he had been quite certain that she need only remember his verbal directions. She wasn't quite willing to take any chances, but thus far she had found the journey simple enough, though she wondered how long Koschei and Theta had been using these passageways to get around, perhaps ever since their first year? It did explain how Theta had been able to so easily avoid accidently passing her in the corridors these past few weeks. She shook her head and paused again, shining the torch down over the map, feeling a sense of almost giddy relief to find herself just a very short corner away from the entrance.

Ariana tried hard to control her emotions, her giddy relief slowly turning into waves of nervous excitement and trepidation, while a voice in the back of her mind was screaming at her that she was being reckless. She should turn around right now and leave, she was risking so much, her entire future and any prospects for her career could be gone, just a mere rumour was enough to damage someone's chances of getting the position that they wished…of course, she still had no idea even what she wished to do yet, but she had always been taught, from even her time in the cradle, that one's good and respectable reputation was all that mattered, that and family honour, naturally, though that played a large role in one's reputation, too. But then she thought of Theta…sweet, funny, brilliant Theta Sigma, the one boy that she felt, deep in her heart, was the most genuine and true person on this entire planet filled with nothing but deception and calculation. He had a brilliant, bright future ahead of him…she had no idea yet what it was going to be or what it might involve, but she knew that no matter what, she could always count on Theta to follow his heart and she just knew it was going to be amazing. That thought was enough to drive her forward, setting her resolve, because Theta Sigma wasn't someone she was willing to give up on. He was too wonderful for that.

The entrance was easy to find, from within the passageway it looked like an ordinary, dark wooden stained doorway that had a curved top. There was no handy sign to inform one of what led through the door, just as all the others that she had passed had been just as blank and mysterious, but if Koschei's map was to be trusted, something she still remained somewhat dubious about, then this was the right door. Still…she hesitated, biting her bottom lip nervously, but her resolve remained strong and so carefully, after a brief pause, she edged forward to press her left ear against the wooden surface of the door, straining to try and hear for any movement on the other side. She listened and listened, but she heard nothing, no shuffling of shoes on wooden flooring or stone, whatever might be beyond the door, not even the gentle sound of fabric rustling reached her, though she tried with all her might to hear.

She licked her lips and straightened, her small, slim fingers twitching with uncertainty and shaking very slightly with restless nerves as she reached out to grasp the slightly tarnished, metal doorhandle. She could turn around right now…claim that she hadn't been able to find her way, pretend as though she hadn't been such a coward that she had backed out at the last minute and forsaken her friendship with Theta for her own fear. The very thought of doing so, however, instantly made a wave of self-disgust and disappointment wash over her, and in the back of her mind a small, teasing voice cooed at her:

'Go on, do it! Just imagine Theta's face when he opens the door to find you standing there, that alone probably should be enough. It would be for me…'

Ariana inwardly hushed the voice, feeling slightly unsettled by how familiar but yet so alien it sounded to her own ears, but she had to admit…it did help her slightly. Just one push with her hand and the door would be open, simple, really. So why did it feel as though she was about to try and push against a mountain? She closed her eyes again and, before she allowed herself another moment of doubt, very lightly pushed forward, feeling the door give and swing in her hand just a fraction open, but still open nonetheless. Nothing bad happened, no professors suddenly came raining down upon her, nor did her parents or anyone else who might have punished her, had she been caught, but still her heart continued to pound and a sickening sense of reckless nervousness still crashed over her, like waves.

She opened her eyes and inhaled deeply, before swinging the door open even wider, finding herself looking out into the hallway beyond the hidden door. It was much like the hallway outside her own room, over on the other side of the school, stone walls and flooring, while a deep, red carpet that ran down the very middle of the floor with golden trim lining the edging. There was paintings hung along the walls, between the doorways that were no doubt the boys rooms, most featuring famous or influential Time Lords from the centuries…one portrait of a woman with dark hair, twisted into a very complicated, elaborate style and with a stern, but no-less lovely face seemed to glare back at her directly across from the doorway. Ariana didn't need to peer down at the golden plaque of the ornate frame to know that it was her very own grandmother, though it was still quite a shock to see.

The portrait's light green eyes seemed to watch her every move, filled with disapproval and judgment, but even that wasn't enough to send Ariana quickly scurrying back into the tunnels; after all, she had spent her lifetime looking into the same picture that hung in her family home, though it was still unsettling. Not for the first time, she found herself wishing that her family wasn't as prominent. How much more simpler would life be had she just been an ordinary Gallifreyan? It was a thought that she didn't dare to allow herself to dwell on for long, not when reality couldn't be changed. She was who she was and would become who she would become, one couldn't fight against that. So, with a heavy heart and a wary glance at her grandmother's portrait, she pulled her attention to the hallway. It was thankfully empty as she peered up and down both ends, grateful that most would still be at dinner now, before heading to the library for studies or evening, extra-credit classes, but even if one had happened to be walking down the hallway, she was confident that she would have gone unnoticed. The doors had strong perceptions filters on them, hence why no one had stumbled across them before, because even the greatest Time Lord could be fooled with a perception filter, if they had no cause to think that one might be in use.

Ariana carefully stepped down from the door and into the hallway, feeling a very small tingle in the back of her mind, telling her that she had crossed over the protection of the perception filter. If someone was to step out of one of the rooms now, they would see her immediately, and that thought made another sick sense of fear and anxiety fill her. It was for that reason that she didn't linger, instead turning to quickly walk down the hallway, her footsteps muffled by the thick, heavy carpet as she looked from door to door as she passed them, reading and dismissing each plaque stuck to the rich, dark wooden doors. Lord Magnus, Lord Drax, Lord Mortimus, Lord Koschei, Lord Theta Sigma…Ariana stumbled to a stop upon looking sharply to her right and finding the door that she had been searching for, directly across from Koschei's own chambers, and throwing a quick look back over her shoulder and down the empty, silent hallway to check that it was empty, she crossed to the door to stand in the small alcove of it and lifted her fisted hand, wrapping her knuckles sharply against the smooth, polished wood. There was no going back now, she could already hear movement from behind the door and what sounded like books falling onto the floor, though muffled by carpet and through the thick wood, she assumed, before the door was suddenly swung open.

"Since when have you learnt to knock, Koschei…" Theta broke off sharply with a chocked, oddly strangled gasp and wide eyes, when it occurred to him that it was Ariana standing before him, giving him a slightly timid smile. His mouth slipped open, gaping at her in pure astonishment, for once seemingly rendered speechless.

If it was any other time, she might have laughed, but as it was Ariana shifted slightly uneasily, "Forgive me for the interruption," she said, oddly formally in an attempt to cover up how nervous she suddenly was under his stunned, light blue gaze, "But…well, I…" she swallowed and threw a apprehensive look back over her shoulder, and down the hallway before looking quickly back to him, "Might I come in? It wouldn't be very prudent for me to be caught standing out here…"

Theta simply gaped at her and Ariana, in a moment of panic and fear of being discovered, simply sighed and boldly pushed her way into his chambers, forced to physically push him back into his room with her hands on his chest…Rassilon, since when had Theta Sigma felt quite that…firm? Or warm? Heat seemed to fill her cheeks, forcing her to duck her head as she took the excuse to turn her back on him to hastily shut the door behind her, hopeful that her blush would have disappeared by the time she had to face him again. It occurred to her, then, that she had never actually physically touched him before, well, not on purpose and certainly never his chest, just the accidently brush of his hand when passing him a book or their first handshake, so naturally she would feel embarrassed to do so so casually now, especially when it was his rooms that they stood in. Alone.

Slowly, she turned back around to face him, shifting slightly nervously and biting her bottom lip when she found him still gaping at him in disbelief. He looked quite comical, she must admit, though her own nervousness seemed to seep away any humour she might have felt. Unable to bear meeting his gaze for more than a brief second, she instead found herself taking in his rooms. It was slightly smaller than her own room, a sign of his family's slightly lesser station to her own, but it was no less comfortably decorated, though the walls were painted in a slightly overwhelming shade of orange and the flooring was made of dark stained floorboards, a large dark blue rug covered much of it. A desk covered in bits of parchment and books faced the wall on the left of the room, so messy that Ariana had no idea how he was even able to call it a desk at all, while two large book cases stood on either side of it, seemingly just as disorganised. Was that a wrinkled shirt hanging off the corner of one of the cases? She supposed it likely was, considering that the floor was littered by discarded red and orange robes, dark red trousers and more shirts…She decided that she really didn't wish to look much more closely, out of fear of perhaps catching sight of something slightly more personal littering the floor. There was also a large, circular bed positioned at the far end of the room, facing the door, sheets and red blankets horribly mused and tossed about, while each corner of the room seemed to hold an odd mixture of more clothing, books, and bits of metal that he had somehow dragged up to his room, for what purpose she really couldn't say. Thankfully, despite the room being pure chaos of mess, it didn't smell as terribly as one might have thought for a practically teenage boys bedroom, the air smelling of engine oil, old books, and something pleasantly refreshing and herbal. It reminded her a little of the tea that her mother favoured that originally came from Earth. Peppermint.

"Ariana," Theta's faint voice pulled her attention from his mess of a room, finding him still staring wide eyed at her, disbelief clearly written across his features, "What are you…how…?" he broke off with a sharp shake of his head, reaching up to run a hand through his untidy hair, causing it to stick up on end.

"You have been avoiding me," she said simply, regarding him with a small frown. Instantly, his expression grew guilty, before he was able to cover it up, dropping his gaze onto his feet. He wasn't even dressed properly, his dark red shirt, wrinkled and mused, wasn't even tucked into his trousers and he was also wearing pair of mismatched socks, one was dark blue and the other red and yellow stripped.

"I…" he licked his lips, his head still hung, before he sighed heavily, "Yes, yes, I have been".

Ariana watched him for a moment longer, feeling her heart softening at the obvious look of guilt he still wore, though he still refused to look up at her. She felt strangely tempted to reach out and touch his arm or to attempt to make some little joke, anything that might hopefully bring some of his usual cheerfulness back to him. Theta Sigma was usually the brightest, happiest person she knew, she could always count on him to be the first to laugh or smile, but to see him look so guilty and miserable was just wrong. She sighed and instead smoothed her hands down the front of her skirts.

"Hence why I'm here," she told him, making his eyes flicker up to finally look at her, though he quickly looked away again, shifting uneasily, "I needed to speak with you, Theta, I've searched for a means of doing so for weeks now, but you have had quite the knack for avoiding me…" Theta's face filled with guilt again, but she quickly gave him a small smile, a smile she hoped would reassure him that she wasn't upset at him, "Please, Theta, I don't blame you at all, though I'll admit that it has been a little frustrating. Thankfully, Koschei was able to help…"

Theta's head snapped up sharply at that, "Koschei showed you the passageways, didn't he?" he frowned deeply, looking rather alarmed.

Ariana paused briefly, surprised by how quickly he had seemingly put it together, but she knew that he was much smarter than anyone thought he was, much smarter then he liked people to think he was, anyway, "Well, yes, he did…" she began slowly.

He groaned slightly and closed his eyes, reaching up to cover his face with both of his hands, "Of course he did, the idiot," he muttered, though Ariana could hear him perfectly well, "Sometimes I truly do wonder about him…" he shook his head and, dropping his hands from his face, gave her a very serious look, "In future, Ariana, if Koschei suddenly has a brilliant idea to do something, always insist that he go along with you. If he refuses or tries to talk his way out of it, you'll know that he's just having a laugh. He'd probably find it hilarious to think that you could have gotten yourself lost".

"Why do you remain friends with him?" she found herself asking, before she could stop herself, blinking slightly in surprise when the words escaped her. She hadn't meant to say it so bluntly, but it had been something she had always been rather curious about, how two boys, so different as Theta and Koschei were, could be friends?

Theta didn't seem offended, though, shrugging slightly as he shoved his hands in his trouser pockets, "I know he could be a bit…difficult," he said slowly, frowning vaguely. He turned around to perch himself on the bottom, curved edge of his bed, looking up to her, "But we've known one another since we were in the cradle, we even shared the same tutor growing up. I guess…I've never really known anything different, and sure, he's probably not the most trust worthy person, but he's brilliant".

Ariana eyed him carefully, still finding it slightly difficult to fully understand what he meant, it almost sounded as though he was friends with Koschei simply because it was easy to be friends with him, but she could also concede that it was a dynamic between them that she likely had yet to fully understand, even after these past five years of knowing both boys. Or perhaps she never would understand it; given that she had no real previous experience of friendship herself, perhaps this was just simply how friendships were?

"Well, I'll keep your advice in mind for the future," Ariana said as diplomatically as she could. She peered at him for a moment, before giving him a soft smile and moving to delicately sit on the bed beside him, ignoring the startled look that crossed his face as she absently adjusted her skirts, "You know, I meant it when I said I didn't blame you, and I wasn't only speaking of the past few weeks," she looked back up to him with a gentle smile, watching almost sadly as he immediately paled and dropped his gaze to his knees. She sighed, "Theta, please don't be guilty over this whole mess, you can't take the whole blame for it. We both own our own share".

"You almost died," his eyes snapped up to hers, then, fiercely blue. He almost seemed to want to leap up and start pacing, though he held himself back, frowning deeply at her, "And you were hurt, Ariana…" his gaze travelled up to where a red, thin line ran across her hairline of her temple, and Ariana struggled not to shift or reach up to cover it. He shook his head and dropped his eyes from it, "Of course I blame myself, I don't think I'll ever not blame myself, especially considering how upset your family must be".

"When have you ever cared for what others think of you?"

"It's your parents," he reminded her pointedly, looking utterly miserable, "They already didn't like me very much, but they must hate me now".

Ariana bit her lip warily, "They are rather…against any notion of my association with you," she admitted delicately.

Theta gave her a grim, humourless smile, "Oh, I bet," he muttered, looking away from her again and lightly kicking his foot at a pair of crumbled trousers on the floor.

"Oh, Theta…" Ariana barely resisted the urge to simply reach out and take his chin between her fingers so that she could force him to look at her, but she held back. It was enough for her to be sitting so casually on the end of his bed, alone in his bedroom like this, let alone touching him so casually. Instead, she had clasped her hands together, just to stop herself should she attempt to follow her instincts, looking at him gently, "It hardly matters what my parents think or say, they would have found an excuse to dislike you eventually, so why worry about it now? Besides, you're my friend; they don't have any say in the matter".

He stared at her, disbelief and shock filling his features, while his lips parted slightly, "You're not seriously…going against your parents…for me?" he blinked slowly.

She smiled faintly, enjoying his reaction, "For the first time in my life, yes," she nodded, her smile growing into a wider grin, "Yes, Theta Sigma, I am going against them. To long have they decided every detail of my life and while they may still have the power to determine much of it, in the matter of my friends they have no power, not from today onwards".

It felt so refreshing to say it at long last, as though a small part of her had suddenly come alive for the first time. She almost felt empowered to be taking control over something in her life for once, and she liked it, really, really liked it. It was as though she had finally gotten her first, true taste of freedom and she wanted more…but, for now, she thought that just settling on testing her parents in regards to her choice in friends was enough, later she could tackle something else. Best to go slowly, perhaps, otherwise she could end up overwhelming herself and that wouldn't help at all.

"But…" Theta opened and closed his mouth, before shaking his head sharply, frowning, "They're your parents?"

"And you're my friend," she replied easily, meeting his eyes firmly, "And friends stick together, Theta, if you have taught me anything it is that. Besides, it's not a matter of choosing you over them; they are my parents and always shall be," she did allow herself to reach out towards him then, just to lightly touch his arm over his wrinkled shirt, making his eyes widen slightly. She smiled widely back at him, "Furthermore, Theta, I also promise that no matter what, I also promise that I'll always value our friendship, and a Time Lady is nothing if she does not uphold her promises, as my farther says".

Theta swallowed, looking truly touched by her words, "I'm not sure if you can make such a promise, Ariana," he told her softly, though he was smiling gently and something bright had sparked in his eyes.

"Well, I fully intend to keep it".

He smiled even more widely, before sighing, "I don't doubt it for a second," he said, guilt crossing his face again, "And I want you to know, that I swear the same thing. I'm sorry for avoiding you, I was a coward, I know, but I thought it would be easier to avoid you then to have to hear you say that we can't be friends anymore".

Ariana gave him another gentle smile, "I understand that now," she said reassuringly, her voice soft, "And I forgive you, though I don't truly believe you ever had cause to be forgiven, since I don't believe you to have done wrong. And I most assuredly don't think you a coward; you're one the best, bravest people I know".

Theta's cheeks warmed slightly and he grinned broadly back at her, his eyes looking brighter than ever before, and Ariana allowed herself to return it just as happily. She felt lighter then she had in weeks and while she couldn't see the future, she felt as though her friendship with Theta was only going to be stronger for this.

God, it's been an age since I last updated, I've actually had the next chapter written up for months now, but I hadn't gotten around to writing this chapter until today, really. But there is another chapter written up and it's from Theta's perspective, so we'll get a look into his thoughts regarding Ariana and, while she isn't in the next chapter, we get more insight into his relationship to the young Master. I haven't given up on this story, I really haven't, it just might take me forever to sit down and write for it. Tell me what you think, please review :)