As the Doctor walked around the church; checking all the exits with his sonic to make sure that the creatures outside couldn't somehow slip inside, the Time Lord tried to figure out not only how to fix the mess that he and his companion had caused – and he knew he was at fault, if not more than Rose for what she had done – but also how to fix the rift he could feel growing between himself and his Nesdra.
And he could feel it growing, just as he could feel the small, strained threads of the bond that mentally linked him with her slowly disappearing, and it had his body tensing as panic filled him.
He couldn't lose her.
He had to fix this.
Glancing in the direction his Nesdra was standing as she looked out one of the windows, the Doctor noticed Jackie approaching Rieka and frowned as he watched her face light up when a small boy – who looked suspiciously like Ri- er, Mickey – fling himself at her, babbling on about something as another boy stood back beside Jackie. Mickey was quick to pass something that looked vaguely familiar to the Time Lord, and Rieka smiled before nudging Mickey back towards Jackie and the other boy.
The Doctor's frown only deepened as the older boy asked Rieka something, who suddenly found herself once more being the target of a hug after a quick nod, before he and Mickey dashed off. Shaking her head, Rieka looked back to Jackie, and after a few words being exchanged, the blonde handed over a small bundle that had been in her arms.
He had never seen his Nesdra so relaxed around others before, though he was quick to avert his gaze back to the door he had been checking when Rieka glanced in his direction. The Doctor wanted nothing more than to go over and apologise to her – tell her how wrong he had been – but knew that the effort would prove futile. The Time Lord had come to quickly realise that his Nesdra valued actions more than words, knowing that she only took the latter at face value.
He couldn't stop himself from wondering how many times she had heard those two words, only to pause; his hand tightening around his sonic when something flickered across his mind.
"Forgive me."
The words were said so quietly that the Doctor didn't believe he had heard them, if it wasn't for the fact that his eyes were locked onto the face before him, still unable to move as eyes that were once blue now swirled like twin vortexes of red.
The warmth that he had been feeling on each side of his head shifted as Eris moved her hands; her fingertips placed upon certain spots on his face and the Doctor's eyes – if it was possible – widened when he realised what she was about to do.
"Excuse me! Mr..."
A voice cut through the vision and the Doctor barely managed to hold back a gasp as his hand tightened around his sonic even more, the muscles spasming before he managed to collect himself. Shaking his head, trying to clear it, he caught a glimpse of a young couple approaching. The Bride and Groom if the woman's attire was anything to go by.
"Doctor," he answered their unasked question as he moved off to the next door, not really in the mood to talk with anyone. He had too much to do, along with trying to process what he had just seen, than to waste his time chatting.
"You seem to know what's going on," Stuart continued, having followed the man.
The Doctor didn't even look up from the lock he was scanning as he muttered, "I give that impression, yeah."
Stuart glanced at his soon-to-be-wife when she nudged him, and he frowned. "Eris said that you were the best person to ask, but-"
"Can you save us?" Sarah cut in the moment she had noticed the Doctor stiffen; stopping whatever it was he was doing at the mention of the red head.
The Doctor swallowed, sneaking a peek to where his Nesdra had gone as the vision of a woman with long blonde hair and swirling red eyes flashed across him mind. "Who are you two, then?" he suddenly asked, looking to the pair and gave them a once over. He might not be up for incessant chatter, but the Doctor was definitely up for trying to figure out why the woman with blonde hair that had been appearing in his mind for the last couple of days happened to have the same name that everyone kept referring to his Nesdra as.
"Stuart Hoskins," the groom replied.
"Sarah Clarke."
"And one extra," the Time Lord added with a nod to Sarah's baby bump. "Boy or girl?"
Sarah ran her hand over her stomach as she replied, "I don't know. I don't want to know, really."
The Doctor eyed the pair for a moment. "How did this get all started?" he asked, and Sarah glanced to her fiancé.
"Outside the Big Box Club. Two in the morning," Stuart begun to say, only for Sarah to add, "Street corner. I'd lost my purse. Didn't have money for a taxi." with a small smile.
"Then what? Asked her for a date?"
"Wrote his number on the back of my hand," Sarah told him and Stuart smiled as he said, "Never got rid of her since. My dad said..."
The groom trailed off as there was a screech from outside, his smile faltering as Sarah's lip trembled, tears gathering in her eyes.
"I don't know what this is all about," Sarah managed to say without her voice cracking, "Eris wouldn't tell us, and I know we're not important..."
The woman trailed off, missing the brief look of surprise that appeared on the Doctor's face as she looked to her bump.
"Who said you're not important?" the Time Lord questioned, genuinely shocked by her words. He continued when the bride-to-be met his gaze, "I've travelled to all sorts of places. Done and seen things you couldn't even imagine, but... you two... street corner. Two in the morning. Getting a taxi home." The Doctor couldn't stop himself as he looked back in Rieka's direction, just as she turned away from them and back down to the carrycot she was now sitting beside. "I've never had a life like that," he murmured.
He couldn't help but think that maybe – just maybe – he had a chance of having a life like that as he continued to watch his Nesdra.
Sarah and Stuart exchanged knowing glances before the Time Lord shook his head and looked back to them.
"Yes," he said with a genuine smile, "I'll try and save you."
Rieka's anger was fading.
She could feel it slowly dissipate as she unwillingly overheard the Doctor talking with Sarah and Stuart.
Though she didn't like the feeling of regret that had begun to replace her rather ill-conceived temper.
She tried not to listen to them; tried to keep herself preoccupied with watching over baby Rose while the Time Lord did whatever it was he was doing, but their conversation kept on drawing her back.
And each time she was drawn back to the trio, the feeling of regret only grew.
Oh, she was still angry with the Time Lord and Rose for what they had done, but the witch couldn't really fault them for their actions either. Rieka knew that given the chance, she would have tried anything to save her father.
In fact, I did, Rieka mused as she turned back to look at the infant that was laying in the carrycot, cursing herself for her curiosity the moment she realised she had been watching the Doctor once more.
Her eyebrows creased as she remembered every spell – every trick she had learned – to try and save her father. And despite knowing that before he had sent her away, her spells had turned almost dark in her attempt to save him, Rieka knew she'd have done it all over again.
Until, of course, the red head thought rather wryly, her lip turning upwards slightly, He'd send me away again.
She'd had been conflicted when she had realised that it had been Severus that had sent her to this universe, but over the years, Rieka had come to understand why he had done what he had.
She would have done the same thing in his situation if it had been Mickey or Luka. Or Merlin forbid, Jamie. In fact, Rieka realised that she had without even thinking about. Her first concern when she had been attacked by the Reaper outside had been to get Luka and Mickey to safety.
Nothing else had mattered but keeping her nephews safe.
The battering against the walls and windows as the Reapers continued to try and gain access to the church had Rieka looking up from the baby she was sitting; being drawn from her thoughts as their screeches of being denied entry into the church felt as though they echoed around the church grounds.
But as the infant started to fuss over the noise, Rieka was quick to pick her up and cradle her in her arms. And as silver-grey eyes looked down to the settling babe in her arms, there was a small, sad smile that twisted her lips.
"At least I knew my father," the red head murmured as she met the sleepy eyes of the infant; Rose Tyler.
She couldn't help herself. She really couldn't.
Tucking her wings, Rieka suddenly dropped like a stone; aiming for the smaller bird below her.
Though just before she made impact, her talons extended towards her prey, the bird that she was 'hunting' suddenly vanished, causing the animagus to let out a squawk of surprise as she flapped her wings to stop her descent.
Suddenly, something shot passed Rieka, missing her by mere inches. Though she wasted no time in following, realising that she had been tricked.
When she landed on the ground in a hidden grove just inside the Forbidden Forest – one that had been warded by Albus Dumbledore himself to keep anyone and everyone out – the witch was already shifting back into her less-feathered form. "That's cheating," the fourteen-year-old whined, pouting at the raven she had followed as it just stared up at her from the small rock it had landed on, "You said you wouldn't use magic."
It was only seconds after the words left her mouth did the young red head find herself standing before the rather intimidating and tall figure of Severus Snape. And the man had the audacity to just raise an eyebrow at Rieka's pout, causing her to huff; crossing her arms against her chest as she met his umbral gaze with an unimpressed glare.
"Best two out of three?" she finally asked, her shoulders relaxing as a cheeky smirk appeared on her lips.
She really couldn't stay mad at him.
Not her father.
Severus looked up to the sky, seeing that the sun had almost disappeared into the horizon that lit the Scottish skies up with various pinks, reds, and oranges. A frown tugged at his lips, knowing that as much as he wanted to spend more time with his daughter, it was time for them to head back.
"I'm sorry, Rie. But we have to return. Dinner will be shortly, and I have a few detentions to deal with afterwards."
He let her down gently, his heart hurting as her face fell. They both knew that he was right. It was far too dangerous, and if they were caught...
The wizard let out a huff and stiffened as Rieka suddenly hugged him, and his eyes darted to the woods surrounding them to make sure that they were truly alone before he finally allowed himself to return the hug, his entire frame seeming to relax with the action.
He held her close for a moment longer before pulling away. "Come, I'll take us back," he said softly, holding out his hand.
Rieka looked up to her intimidating father and smiled, accepting his hand without hesitation.
Though the way his smile turned into a smirk had her eyebrows furrowing.
"What?" she asked, tilting her head slightly as she eyed Severus suspiciously.
"Detention, Miss Lestari," the wizard drawled, causing the red head to gape at him.
"What?!" she exclaimed, almost dropping his hand, if her father hadn't tightened his hold.
"Accosting a Professor," Severus quipped, his smirk still on his face, "Thursday, 7pm."
"Wha-?!"
Rieka's cry was cut off as Severus turned on his heel and the pair disappeared with an almost silent crack.
A quiet chuckle left Rieka's lips, recalling that it had only been minutes later that she had realised what her father had done. Though she really couldn't have expected anything less from the Head of Slytherin.
Detention, just to spend time with my father... Who'd have ever thought of that?
Dumbledore surely hadn't.
And Amelia?
Well...
A small smile twisted Rieka's lips as her hand went up to the teardrop pendant she wore.
She always was something different.
"Aries?"
The witch startled at the name, waking up Rose who had been snoozing in her arms. She looked up to the voice, her hand dropping from her necklace as she tried to resettle baby Rose. "Oh, er, sorry," A line appeared between her eyebrows, a little unsure as to what to say as she found the Doctor standing in front of her. And she still had no idea why he kept calling her Aries.
"Would you like some help?" the Time Lord asked a little hesitantly, and something flickered through Rieka's mind.
Sadness.
Regret?
Rieka looked down to the fussy Rose, hiding the downwards tug of her lips that had appeared behind her hair as she tried to figure out the emotions that seemed to scatter the moment she homed in on them. She glanced back to the Doctor and gave him a hesitant nod before passing him baby Rose, who was quick to quieten in his arms when she realised that the person she had been expecting to see was not the one she saw.
The frown tugged at Rieka's lips once more and she looked away, her eyebrows creasing slightly. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, causing the Doctor's head to snap in her direction.
"Why are you apologising?" he asked - surprised? "You haven't done anything wrong."
"I..." Rieka's frown deepened, as did the line between her eyebrows as she glanced at the Doctor. She was confused as to why she was feeling surprised, though it had faded as quick as it had appeared. "I shouldn't have shouted at you," she muttered as she looked away, shaking the feeling off, "And I shouldn-"
The red head jumped when the Doctor gently placed a hand on her shoulder, and her eyes darted back to him.
"You had every right to," the Time Lord said as he adjusted the settled infant in his other arm. "I knew it was wrong, but I still brought her back here not once, but twice."
"You didn't know she would save Pete," Rieka muttered as her gaze moved over the church before landing on the man in question. When she looked back to the Doctor, she shook her head when she noticed that he was about to say something. "It doesn't matter," she told him, and the Doctor frowned as she continued, "What's done is done."
"It matters to me," the Doctor stressed, though his comment only had his Nesdra's expression growing confused. Her eyebrows furrowed once more and the Time Lord sighed. He carefully moved to place baby Rose back into the carrycot beside Rieka before sitting back down. He hesitated, his hand twitching beside him before he decided against grabbing her hand, and scratched the back to his neck instead as he tried to figure out how to word what he wanted to say.
When he felt he had the right words, the Doctor opened his mouth, but was interrupted when he companion decided to approach them; sniffling and tearful.
"I'd better be careful," the blonde sniffed, "I think I just imprinted myself on Mickey like a mother chicken."
"Was Luka with him?' Rieka asked as she stood up, ignoring Rose when she just blinked and moved to check on her nephews. But her hand shot out and latched onto the blonde's wrist when she noticed that Rose reaching out to her younger self. "No," she hissed as she pushed Rose's hand away, not seeing the other woman flinch at her grip, "Don't touch the baby."
"Why not?" Rose argued as she rubbed her wrist, glaring at the red head. Though she paused, her eyes widening when the Reapers outside screeched loudly; almost as if they knew what had almost happened.
"You're both the same person," Rieka answered, although she wasn't looking at Rose. Instead her eyes darted around the room, trying to figure out how many creatures were outside. "And touching each other would create a paradox."
"Oh, and like I'd believe you," Rose huffed as she looked to the red mark that was starting to appear around her wrist.
"Rose, Eris is right," the Doctor cut in as his eyes moved from his alert Nesdra and to his companion. The name felt weird on his tongue; like it was familiar, but also not. "We don't want a paradox happening. Not with these things outside," he continued when the blonde shot Rieka a glare, "Anything new, any disturbance in time makes them stronger. The paradox might let them in."
Rose opened her mouth, only to snap it shut when she noticed the expression the Doctor was shooting her. She crossed her arms across her chest and grumbled, "Can't do anything right, can I?"
"Since you asked," the Doctor's tone suggested that he was talking with a dimwit as his eyes narrowed slightly, and it had Rieka's eyebrows raising as she watched the pair, "No. So, don't touch the baby."
"I'm. Not. Stupid," Rose snapped right back.
"You could've fooled me," the Doctor retorted, and Rose looked away from him; hurt.
"Doctor," Rieka spoke up before they could say anything else. She moved back to her seat beside the Time Lord. "Rose didn't know," she told him. She didn't see the surprise that appeared on Rose's face, her eyes on the frowning man beside her. Though once more the red head had to fight the urge to take his hand in comfort, unsure as to why that response only seemed to appear around the Doctor. "Just as you didn't know that she would save her father," she continued, "It doesn't matter who's at fault, who did the most wrongs. What matters is how we're going to fix it."
The surprise that had been on Rose's face was quickly gone and replaced by irritation when the Doctor sighed and looked to Rieka. She could see that the Time Lord was actually listening to the red head, and she couldn't believe it when – after a few moments of just looking at each other – the Doctor slowly nodded, a small smile appearing on his lips when Rieka grabbed his hand.
"But between you and me," Rieka added with a small frown as her eyes darted to the doors of the church as a Reaper tried once more to force its way inside, "I have no idea what those creatures are, nor any idea on how to stop them. And this place isn't going to last much longer."
"No way out," the Doctor muttered, and Rieka turned to him, her eyebrows furrowing.
"You'll think of something," Rose tried to assure the Time Lord, only for him to frown as he raised his head and looked at her.
"The entire Earth is being sterilised. This, and other places like it, are all that's left of the human race. We might hold out for a whole, but nothing can stop those creatures," he explained as his eyes followed the shadows circling the church, "They'll get through in the end. The walls aren't that old," his hand tightened around Rieka's as he continued, feeling rather hopeless at fixing what he and Rose had done, "And there's nothing I can do to stop them. There used to be laws stopping this kind of thing from happening, my people would have stopped this. But they're all gone. And now I'm going the same way."
His last words had Rieka's brain stalling, and she stared at the Doctor as she tried to make sense of his words.
"If I had realised..."
Rose trailed off when she noticed the rather unhappy look on the Doctor's face, though it turned confused and he glanced to Rieka when she pulled her hand from his. She gave him a pointed look, an eyebrow raising slightly in challenge and he sighed, turning back to his companion. "Just... tell me you're sorry," he said, knowing that his Nesdra had been right. Rose had held no knowledge of what the repercussions would be when she had saved her father, and the Doctor knew that he was at fault just as much as she was.
"I am. I'm sorry" Rose said sincerely, managing to keep her voice even. Inside however, she was miffed that Rieka had once again convinced the Doctor to listen to her. A small voice in her head told the blonde that the Doctor probably wouldn't have even asked if it hadn't been for the red head, that he would have continued to blame her for what had happened, but she ignored it.
She knew that the Doctor wouldn't have stayed angry with her. She was his companion. The one person who stayed with him, travelled with him. There was no way he would have left her behind.
Giving his companion a nod, accepting her apology, the Doctor was distracted when Rieka suddenly stood up. And when he looked to her, he was surprised to see a soft smile on her face. Before he could even question her as to what could have brought a smile like that on her lips, his answer came in the form of a small boy of about six as he rushed over to the red head.
"Aunt Eris!" Luka shouted, his tone alarmed as he slammed into his aunty, who made a small noise as she caught him. "Mickey told Auntie Jackie that he had ice-cream when..." The boy trailed off when he noticed that his aunty wasn't alone, though his jaw dropped and his eyes went wide when they landed on the Doctor. His head shot back up to look at his aunty. "Is... is that... That's...?"
The Doctor raised an amused, though curious eyebrow when all Rieka did in response was to nod with another of those soft smiles. He was momentarily surprised at how at ease she was around the boy, though he admitted that he hadn't seen his Nesdra around children before. He had no time for his mind to linger on those thoughts, as he suddenly found the boy hugging him; tightly.
Rose rolled her eyes, though a frown appeared on her face when she heard the name Luka had used in reference to the red head. She wasn't sure, but she was certain that Mickey had mentioned someone by the name of Eris, though she wasn't too sure.
"Thank you," Luka mumbled, confusing the Time Lord, "You helped save my da-" He broke of with a yelp, and Rieka was beside him in an instant, checking to make sure that he was okay as he quickly let the Doctor go.
"What's wrong, Luka?" Rieka questioned, crouching in front of the boy as she checked him over.
Luka turned his head to look up to the Doctor, "He's got something hot," he explained.
"What do you mean?" Rieka asked as she leaned back onto her heels, though her gaze was drawn to the Doctor when he started checking his pockets. Her eyebrows raised when he pulled out a glowing, golden key, though the Time Lord was quick to drop it as if it had burnt him. "What's that?"
"It's the TARDIS key!" the Doctor exclaimed, surprising the red head with how excited he sounded at the sight of the glowing key. The Time Lord was quick to take off his jacket and used it to pick up the key as he continued, "It's telling me it's still connected to the TARDIS!"
"Okay," Rieka said as she stood back up, though her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She had no idea as to what the man was talking about. "And what does that mean?" she asked, holding Luka close to her side. She wasn't certain she wanted him running off at the moment.
Much to her exasperation, however, the Doctor just grinned before it was he who dashed off.
"Are you Aunty Eris' friend?' Mickey questioned as he looked away from the direction that Luka had run off in.
"You could say that," a woman with dark, auburn-haired smiled as she replied, ruffling the boys' hair as her gaze followed Luka's path, just as he reached the Doctor and Rieka. A small, abet sad smile played on her lips as she watched Luka hug Rieka, although it disappeared when Mickey spoke.
"Are you sad?" he asked, looking to the woman with a worried expression.
"Why would I be sad?" she enquired.
"You look sad," Mickey pointed out, and it had the brunette chuckling. Though her sudden humour had Mickey growing confused.
"You, Mickey Smith, are very observant," she told the boy, a genuine smile appearing on her face as she ruffled the boys' hair once more.
"What's that?" Mickey asked, pointing to a black mark on the brunette's wrist, "Is that a tattoo?"
The brunette raised an eyebrow, although was quick to hide the mark from sight with her sleeve. "And how would you know what a tattoo is?" she asked, the smile returning to her lips.
"Aunt Eris has one on her arm, but hers' is different," Mickey informed her.
"Well, then. I guess you can call it a tattoo," the woman said as she ran a finger under the sleeve of her coat, across the blackened vine-like mark that marred her wrist.
"The inside of my ship was thrown out of a wound but we can use this to bring it back. And once I've got my ship back, then I can mend everything," the Doctor's voice cut through the air and Mickey and the brunette looked to the man as he stood before the remaining guests.
"Now, I just need a bit of power. Has anybody got a battery?"
"Does that mean my mummy will come back?" Mickey asked, looking back to the woman beside him with wide, hopeful eyes.
"This one big enough?" the auburn-haired woman watched Stuart ask the Doctor, holding up his father's phone, before she drew her gaze back to the boy beside her.
"Your mother will be safe, I promise," she soothed, however she barely glanced at Mickey as she watched the Doctor rush forwards to Stuart as he exclaimed, "Fantastic!"
"How do you know?" Mickey asked curiously, his head tilting a little to the side as he watched the brunette.
Managing to tear her gaze away from the Time Lord and back to the boy beside her, the woman smiled at his expression, even if it felt as though the wind had been knocked from her. "You know those stories your aunt spoke of?" she managed to keep her voice level, finding it easier as she looked back to the Doctor after Mickey's nod of affirmation, "Well, that man there," she pointed to the Time Lord, "Is the same man who saved Luka's father and nana."
"Really!" Mickey exclaimed, his eyes darting to the Time Lord who was using his sonic to charge the battery from Stuart's fathers' phone. Though his eyebrows creased as he looked back to the brunette.
Before he could ask his question, the woman looked at her watch before pulling something out of her pocket. "Here, this is for you," she said, holding a small black and silver armband out to Mickey.
"What does that say?" Mickey asked as he accepted the item from the woman, looking at the odd inscription that was etched into the silver.
Obarrdark imk niar Ulviir
"It's means friendship," the brunette explained rather evasively, though her smile was warm as she helped Mickey put the band on. The moment it was on his arm, she stood up, "Now, why don't we go and find Jackie, hmm?" she questioned, holding her hand out to Mickey.
The boy nodded and grabbed her hand, not even noticing how the armband he now wore readjusted itself; tightening on its own so it wouldn't fall off unnoticed.
Silver-grey eyes watched as the Doctor put the glowing key in nothing but thin air, and eyebrows raised in surprise as before Rieka's eyes, a blue police box started to materialise around it; the head of the key the only thing visible sticking out of the door. The man shrugged his jacket back on with a grin as he watched the box slowly start to appear, fading in and out of view, before he made his way back to the steps that led to the pulpit.
"Right, no one touches that key," he told everyone, "Have you got that? Don't touch it. Anyone touches that key, it'll be, well, zap. Just leave it be and everything will be fine. We'll get out of here. All of us. Stuart, Sarah, you're gonna get married, just like I said," he finished, grinning encouragingly towards the couple.
Rieka wanted to smile at the thought of having the entire mess sorted out, but the sound of screeching tyres caught her ear and she frowned.
"Luka," the red head said, looking down to her nephew at her side, "I want you to go and wait with Uncle Pete, okay." She glanced at Pete, smiling slightly as the man nodded, letting her know that he was fine with watching Luka.
"Okay," Luka replied before he rushed off around the pews to sit beside Pete.
It was only when Rieka was certain that the boy wouldn't follow did she move off towards one of the windows of the church and looked outside. She couldn't quell the uneasy feeling that was slowly growing inside her as she watched the beige car she had seen earlier continuously disappear and reappear. Something was telling her that whatever the Doctor had planned – that whatever he was going to do with his ship – it was going to be very risky. And although the witch didn't have the slightest clue as to just what his plan was, a part of her was worried that it wouldn't work.
Tearing her gaze away from the car when it once more disappeared around the corner, Rieka looked towards Pete, Rose and Luka as the two adults talked; though her gaze lingered on Pete. She was never one to believe in coincidences, having learnt long ago just how far one would go to bend those around them to their will, and was beginning to realise – and how wrong Rieka hoped that she was – that the only way to fix what had been done was to let what originally supposed to happen, well... happen.
Rieka knew what the risks were with time travel, knowing how dangerous it would be if she were ever to meet herself while she had been turning back days for most of her Hogwarts career. She had always been over meticulous with using such a device, keeping a record of the hours she spun, or the work she was doing at what point in the day so that her selves would never have a chance of overlapping. But Rieka had never experienced anything like this before. Even when Granger had gone back to save not only Buckbeak's life, but Sirius Black's as well, it had not led to whatever mess the witch was currently living through and it made her question why.
Why had Rose saving her fathers' life caused such a mess?
"Penny for your thoughts?" someone asked from behind Rieka, and it had the red head turning on the spot.
"Do... do I know you?" Rieka questioned, her words coming out a little slow as she took in the newcomer; looking the auburn-haired woman up and down.
"No, I highly doubt anyone does," the brunette replied as she clasped her hands behind her back. Her smile was warm, but Rieka frowned, feeling something off about the woman. It was as if she felt as though she should know the dark-haired woman in front of her, but she couldn't for the life of her realise why.
"But I know you, Rieka Lestari," the woman continued, and her words had Rieka stiffening; silver-grey eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Who are you?"
It was more of a demand than a question, and when the brunette didn't respond, Rieka took a step towards her.
"How do you know that name?" Rieka hissed, her heart beating wildly inside its cage as dread filled her. She had buried that name, and her past the moment she had let Nancy and Jamie into her life well over twenty years ago, so for the woman before her to know it... it had to be impossible.
The brunette still didn't say anything, but instead – like a viper – one of her hands shot out from behind her back and grasped Rieka's, causing the witch to let out a gasp at the contact. Something seemed to pass between the two, and the brunette leant forwards and whispered something into Rieka's ear. The red head's eyes went wide, before something flashed across them and they glazed over, and the moment they had done so, the brunette let her hand go.
"Niar nikonia viec alvojora gralatjo niar uraverec."
Rieka shook her head, frowning as it begun to clear. "Sorry, what did you say?" she asked, a little confused as to what just happened.
"I was just letting you know that the Doctor is looking for you," the brunette replied, nodding in the direction of the Time Lord when he looked towards them.
"Oh," Rieka remarked, turning to find that the man was watching them. "Wait, I didn't catch your..." she started to say, turning back to the other woman, but the brunette was gone. "... name," she finished rather lamely.
Shaking her head, Rieka headed off towards where the Doctor and the others were, though she still couldn't shake the feeling that she should have known who the brunette was.
Is was as if her mind went blank every time she tried to rack it as to where she would have known the woman from.
