The Violet's Dilemma

The next four months passed slowly and yet too quickly for Rose to keep track. The Luna Detective Agency stayed busy and there were plenty of customers that came in.

There was no shortage of artefacts that came to River for authentication either, and Rose knew some of them were definitely not from Earth. One of those was a small metal ball which could display an entire holographic galaxy, but a galaxy that Rose had never seen before. There was another artefact that if placed on a closed book it could copy all of the text inside and display it onto a computer. There were a couple other odds and ends, and while Rose was fascinated as River carefully authenticated those artefacts, it also proved time and time again, that they were not alone in the universe.

Rose still wasn't certain how River knew so many things that she did, but Rose was determined to learn as much as she could from her.

One of the frequent visitors they had was Azalea Meadowes. She came in from time to time to give them updates about Calpurnius and how her and Daniel were going with their research.

So far, they had come up with ways of communicating with Calpurnius using different hums and sounds, and were now developing a language with which to communicate. It was fascinating for Rose to hear about it, and everytime Azalea came to visit, Rose would eagerly ask her questions about Calpurnius.

River did not usually seem as interested but Rose kept track of Azalea and Daniel's research because their work interested her, although it was mostly because of the possibility of Calpurnius being an alien plant. It was on one such visit that Azalea asked Rose an unusual question.

"What are your plans after school?" asked Azalea.

Rose blinked at her in slight confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean, what are your plans? For university?" asked Azalea.

Rose's eyebrows shot up. "University?" she asked.

"Yes, of course," said Azalea.

"I can't afford to go to uni, let alone be smart enough to get into one," said Rose, with a slight chuckle.

Azalea did not laugh. "I disagree," she said. "I am a lifelong academic and I can tell that you have the right temperament for becoming one as well."

Rose considered whether Azalea was making fun of her but she knew Azalea was not that kind of a person. "What do you mean?" asked Rose.

"I mean, you have curiosity, and you're smart and observant. And this fascinates you," said Azalea.

"You mean Calpurnius?" asked Rose.

"Yes, but not just Calpurnius," said Azalea. "What fascinates you is learning about the unknown, about the history, the origin. Things that are yet to be discovered, as River might call them."

Rose knew she was right. "But still, I don't know if university is something for me," said Rose.

"Well," said Azalea. "Let me tell you something about Oxford then. They're always looking for fascinating young minds and I think that you might be one of them, Rose," she added seriously.

Rose didn't quite believe Azalea, and it was likely she was only being nice. Azalea seemed to know what she was thinking, because she smiled and said, "Think about it. You are doing your A-levels, aren't you?"

"Yes," answered Rose. "In archaeology, anthropology and history."

"You like archaeology, then?" asked Azalea.

"Well, yes, I like history and ever since I started working here, archaeology has me interested. River has been a big part of it," said Rose, honestly.

Azalea smiled. "That's good," she said. "It's always important to have a good mentor and River is an extremely good one. I would say you should give some serious consideration to studying archaeology. Perhaps at Oxford, even. I could find some brochures for you or even speak to one of my colleagues to give you some guidance."

"N-no, thank you," said Rose. "But I will think about it."

"Okay," said Azalea. "But let me know if you ever need more information or need me to help you in any way."

"Thank you," said Rose, gratefully.

Rose gave a lot of thought to Azalea's words in the weeks that followed. It wasn't that she had never considered university but it had always been an impossible distant dream. The dream was no closer than it had been before, or so Rose thought, until she began thinking about it in more detail.

River's guidance had helped her studies quite a bit. Her marks were better than they had been, and if what Azalea had said was true, she could possibly study archaeology going forward. Though she had her doubts about being smart enough to get into Oxford, of all places.

Rose was also acutely aware there was the issue of finance. She was doing well to save the money she was making at her job, but it was not enough to pay for university, let alone paying for room and board if she had to live on campus. University was expensive and Rose knew she could not afford it.

At the same time, Rose wasn't even sure what she wanted to do after school if she didn't go to university. She would have to get a job, because she doubted she could keep working for River forever as much as that might be fun. She needed to have a career of her own, a life of her own, and it would be nice if she got to choose what she wanted to do instead of riding River's coattails for the rest of her life.

Rose liked her job now, liked what she was learning and the things she was discovering. To do this more, to learn more about it, to become an expert in that field, was an attractive prospect, and she knew it deep down though she did not like to admit it out loud, even to herself.

The thought stayed on her mind for a while, and what was supposed to be a fun evening out with her friends for her seventeenth birthday had Rose bailing out on her own party after only an hour.

She walked out of the club that Shareen had snuck them into and shivered lightly at the cold night air. The flimsy mini skirt and top she was wearing was nowhere close to appropriate for anywhere but a club, and certainly not in March. Rose thought moving around would help and she crossed her arms to keep warm as she started walking away from the club. She didn't really have a direction in mind, but by some chance she ended up walking toward the Luna Detective Agency.

It was after closing time so she wasn't expecting River to still be there, but when she got to the shop, the lights were still on though the sign on the door had been flipped to 'Closed'. Rose glanced through the window and saw River at the desk, reading something intently.

With a small smile, Rose tapped lightly on the window. River looked up and her surprise turned into a smile when she saw Rose.

"I thought I gave you the evening off for your birthday," said River, as she unlocked the door and let her in.

"Yeah," Rose agreed, glad for the warmth of the shop as she walked in.

River wordlessly went into the backroom and came back with a thick cardigan that she handed to Rose. Rose took it gratefully and slipped it on.

"Tea?" asked River.

"Thanks," nodded Rose.

River nodded back and put the kettle on. Rose pulled the cardigan tighter around herself and sat down. River returned with tea and crisps for both of them.

"Are you going to tell me why you abandoned your own party?" asked River, as she sat down in front of her.

"I didn't abandon it," said Rose, avoiding her gaze. "It was just…"

"Rose," said River, and Rose stopped and sighed.

"I felt like an idiot, alright?" snapped Rose. She considered storming off, but she was only just starting to get warm and she knew River didn't deserve to be spoken to in that manner. "Sorry," she muttered, reaching for the teacup.

"What happened?" asked River.

Rose looked at her but looked away just as quickly. "Shareen and I had a fight," she said. "Well, not really a fight," she clarified. "She...said something."

"Said something you didn't like?" guessed River, and Rose wasn't surprised.

"I don't want to talk about it, River," she said.

"Alright," said River, and they sipped their tea in silence for a little while.

"She said I was...getting too big for my boots," said Rose, finally. "In much more colourful terms. I think...I think she might be right."

"What makes you say that?" asked River.

Rose took a deep breath. "Azalea said something to me the other day, and I wanted to ask you about it," she said.

If River thought she was changing the subject, she didn't let it show. "Certainly," said River.

"She asked me if I wanted to go to university after finishing my A-levels," said Rose.

"What did you tell her?" asked River.

"I said I didn't want to, but she asked me to think about it," said Rose. "And I think she's right. I think I want to study at university."

"And that's a bad thing?" asked River.

"Of course, it is!" said Rose, irritated at her calm tone. "I'm not like you, River! I don't have a posh accent or a-a fancy education. I'm barely smart enough to even sit my A-levels, let alone pass them! Even if by some miracle, I get into university, I'm not smart enough to graduate. All I'll do is set myself up for disappointment and crushing debt that I'll have to pay off for the rest of my life!" She stopped, trying to catch her breath after spilling out every bit of insecurity she'd been suppressing since her conversation with Azalea.

"And so you want to give up before even trying?" asked River, in that same calm tone. "Because you're scared."

"I'm not scared," said Rose, temper flaring.

To her surprise, River smiled like nothing made her prouder. "Good," she said. "Then don't let anyone tell you that you are incapable of going after something you want."

"What?" asked Rose, confused.

"Your friend," said River. "I assume you spoke to your friend about this and she said you were reaching beyond your means. You're letting her words affect you."

"Of course I am," said Rose, rolling her eyes. "She's known me all my life. She knows exactly where I come from and what I'm capable of."

"I'm sure she does," River conceded. "So what? You're giving up because of her? I thought you were insistent you would make choices of your own free will."

Rose narrowed her eyes at her, but didn't argue the point. "I just feel like I'm kidding myself," she said, the fight seeping out of her.

"Maybe, but wouldn't you rather know than assume that is how things will end up," said River, with a twinkling smile. "Do you know what you want to study?"

Rose blinked at her, but then nodded. "Archaeology," she said, nervously. River's eyebrows shot up, and Rose continued before she had a chance to speak. "It's not just because you're an archaeologist," she added, quickly. "I always liked history, yeah? And since learning about archaeology, I have become more interested in it." She took another deep breath. "I am making this decision of my own free will."

River chuckled. "I believe you, but it's not a bad thing if I have influenced you either, Rose," she said. "We have free will, yes, but we are also influenced by the people around us and the circumstances that we go through." She considered Rose carefully. "For what it's worth, I think it's a good idea. You have an aptitude for archaeology and if you like it, that's an excellent starting point. Have you given any thought to where you'd want to go for university?"

Rose shook her head. "Azalea suggested Oxford and they have a very good Archaeology and Anthropology program but there is no way I can get into Oxford. And even if by some miracle I did, I couldn't afford it."

River paused thoughtfully. "Getting in isn't a problem. You're smart enough," she said, as if it weren't even an issue. "Money is a problem, yes. What about government support?"

Rose shrugged. "I'll have to look into it, but my mum always said it was expensive," she admitted.

"See how much you qualify for and you'll know how much savings you need on top of it," said River. "You could work more hours during term breaks, if you want as well."

"Really?" asked Rose.

"Of course," said River. "Don't sell yourself short, Rose," she added. "You are extremely smart and you pick things up easily. There's no harm in trying, is there? It has to be better than wondering what would have happened if you had."

Rose knew she was right, and nodded to let her know she understood. "Thank you, River," she said. "Really, I mean it. You've been going out of your way for me."

River looked surprised and then smiled warmly. "I am sure you will return the favour some day," she said, and there was something about her words that made Rose feel like she meant it deeply.

Rose didn't quite know how to respond to that, and was glad when River cleared her throat and changed the subject. "Speaking of Azalea, she dropped by today."

"She did?" asked Rose. "Any new updates on Calpurnius?"

"Not this time," said River. "She brought something to my attention."

"What is it?" asked Rose, sitting up in interest.

"One of Daniel's contacts has alerted him of an unusual flower growing in the woods near Cardiff," she said. "Daniel and Azalea are too busy with Calpurnius and she asked if we would investigate it instead. I was thinking of making a trip there this weekend, and I'd like it if you came along."

Rose nodded eagerly, and River smiled back. "Good, it's settled then."

"Thank you, River," said Rose, honestly. "Truly."

Saturday dawned cloudy and dull, and Rose was up at six a.m. She was not a morning person at all, but she was excited for this trip. Her mum was already up and in the kitchen, when Rose emerged out with her backpack.

"Are you sure about this, Rose?" asked Jackie, as she poured her a cup of tea. "The whole business seems dodgy, if you ask me."

Rose hadn't disclosed the full nature of her job to her mum. As far as Jackie knew, Rose just worked for an ordinary PI. She was usually a bit miffed that Rose wouldn't tell her all the gossip that her boss managed to unearth, but Rose always said it was confidential.

"Mum, I told you, it's fine," said Rose. "I'll be back tomorrow."

Jackie sniffed but didn't argue the point. Rose finished her tea and a couple pieces of toast, before rushing out of her seat.

"Be careful," said Jackie, as Rose kissed her goodbye.

"Always am," called out Rose, as she left the flat.

She met River in front of the shop who, like Rose, was dressed warmly. They took a cab to Paddington Station, and from there a three hour train journey took them to Cardiff. They checked into a hotel near the train station into a room with twin beds and had fish and chips for lunch, before River hired a car to drive them out to Roundstone Wood where the mysterious flower was said to be.

"Are we meeting Daniel's contact there?" asked Rose, as River drove them toward their destination.

"Yes, her name is Irene Morgan," said River. "She's a local school teacher."

They pulled up toward the edge of the woods, where a brunette woman in her early twenties was waiting. She raised a hand in greeting when River and Rose stepped out of the car.

"Professor Song?" she asked.

"That's me," said River.

"Irene Morgan," she said, shaking River's hand.

"Call me River," said River, with a smile. "This is Rose Tyler."

"Hello, Rose," said Irene, shaking her hand as well. "You two are right on time. Ready to head in?"

"Of course," said River. "Anything we need to know before we go in?"

Irene chuckled. "Are either of you superstitious?" she asked.

"Not really," said Rose.

"Why do you ask?" asked River, and Rose saw a slightly wary expression on her face.

"The locals believe it is bad luck to walk through these woods after dark," she said. "It was said that when Romans occupied Britain, they would avoid it entirely."

"What did they think was in there?" asked Rose, curiously.

"Fairies," said Irene.

"Fairies?" asked Rose incredulously, trying not to laugh.

"By all accounts, fae lore has been around for a long time," said River, and Rose looked at her in surprise.

"You're not saying it's all true, are you?" asked Rose.

River shrugged. "I am saying there are enough questions about it that I think it is worth not dismissing outright," she said.

Irene seemed amused at their conversation as she led them through the woods. "My grandmother would tell me that fairies lived all over the world, but the veil between our world and theirs was thinner in some places than others," she said. "These woods get their fair share of lore and sightings, enough that even the most rational of us avoid it after dark."

"What kind of sightings?" asked River.

"Bright lights, mostly," said Irene. "They disappear and appear all the time. And the children around here tend to have more imaginary friends than the national average."

Rose looked at River, but her expression was thoughtful instead of incredulous. They walked for nearly half an hour, until they reached a natural archway of sorts, having formed because of vines and branches of the nearby trees.

"This is as far as I go," said Irene, stopping in front of the archway.

"Why?" asked Rose.

Irene shook her head. "It may be superstition but I don't like to go past the archway. My mother put the fear in me as a child, and I have never been back," she said.

"How did you find out about the flower then?" asked River.

"Students mucking about," said Irene, shaking her head. "It's a quarter mile straight down. Bright purple flowers, an entire patch of them. You can't miss it. I'll wait for you here. Just remember, we have to be out of the woods by sundown so you have less than two hours to return here."

Rose felt a slight shiver up her spine at her words.

"Right," said River, giving Rose a bolstering smile. "Let's not waste any time then."

Rose nodded and waved goodbye to Irene, who perched herself up on a nearby mossy tree log, and followed River past the archway. Nothing out of the ordinary seemed to happen, but Rose still felt goosebumps erupt across her arms. She glanced at River, but she seemed relaxed, which gave Rose more confidence and she shook off the ominous feeling before following her.

"Do you really think there are fairies here?" asked Rose. "Are fairies even real?"

"I like to assume everything is real, until proven otherwise," said River.

"Do you think fairies are aliens?" asked Rose.

"Maybe, or the more likely theory is that they're of this planet," said River.

Rose chuckled, but saw that River did not look amused. "You're serious?' asked Rose.

River just shrugged. Like Irene had said, about a quarter of a mile ahead, they happened upon an entire patch of unusual purple flowers.

"What the hell?" murmured Rose, as she saw a bright glow around the flowers, making them stand out starkly against the rest of the woods.

"Interesting," said River. "They look to be of Earth, certainly."

"They're glowing," Rose pointed out, wondering if River was deliberately being dense.

River laughed. "I can see that, but I mean the flowers themselves. They're ordinary sweet violets," she said.

Rose looked back at the flowers and saw that River was right. "Then what's making them glow?" asked Rose.

"I'm not entirely sure," said River, as she knelt next to the patch.

"Don't smell them," said Rose cheekily, remembering the old wives' tale. "They steal your sense of smell."

River raised her eyebrows and chuckled. "It's the beta-ionone," she said. "It temporarily shuts off your smell receptors."

"Why do you even know that?" asked Rose, amused.

"Benefits of being around a know-it-all," said River.

"I know the feeling," said Rose pointedly, and River rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

Rose left River to examine the odd flower patch and glanced around to see if there was anything else of interest. She saw a small blinking light that disappeared as soon as she focused on it. She almost called out for River, but she heard River take out her camera and start taking photos, so she didn't want to disturb her.

"It's lost."

Rose whipped her head around at the whisper. It definitely had not sounded like River, but the voice had been female.

"Ssh, keep your voice down!"

"Now, you've done it!"

Rose blinked and then suddenly she was surrounded by bright lights. She turned around to call for River, but River was gone, and there was no one near the patch of the glowing flowers. Rose felt her heart drop and her skin prickled with building fear.

"Calm down, they do not mean you harm."

Rose glanced toward the voice and saw a beautiful woman standing a few feet away. She was tall, easily over six feet in height, with pale, almost translucent skin, and silky black hair that reached the forest floor. Her features were slightly elongated, in an odd elfin manner, and she had eyes the colour of moss. She was also completely nude with the exception of a crown of sweet violets on her head, and she was surveying Rose with a small, amused smile.

"Where am I?" asked Rose, looking around frantically. "Where's River?"

"We pulled you past the curtain," said the woman, and all the bright lights went to her side.

"Why?" asked Rose.

"She's not pure!" whispered one of the bright lights and Rose glared at it.

"Oi, no one asked you," snapped Rose, cheeks turning pink.

"Hush, no bullying the human child," the woman told the bright light. She looked at Rose. "My name is Violet. This is my court."

"You're a fairy?" asked Rose, astonished.

"Yes," said Violet, taking a step forward. "What's your name, child?"

"Rose," she said.

Violet seemed to find that amusing. "A flower, too," she said. "What brings you to my court, little flower?"

"You said you were the one who pulled me past the curtain," said Rose, confused.

"I know, I meant what brought you to these woods," asked Violet.

"The flowers," said Rose. "The sweet violets that were glowing."

Violet blinked in confusion, but then one of the twinkling lights whispered, "The unearthly."

"Oh, yes," said Violet, and to Rose's surprise, she looked furious. "Those beasts!" snarled Violet, and Rose had to shrink back in fear as the anger twisted her features into something inhuman. "Sorry, child," said Violet, her anger calming down slightly, though her eyes were still blazing. "My anger is not with you."

"What's the unearthly?" asked Rose.

"Those unsightly beasts that came to my court and desecrated it," snarled Violet.

"They are not of this world," said one of the bright lights. "They came in a vessel."

"A vessel? Like a spaceship?" asked Rose, eyes going wide.

Violet nodded. "The vessel was responsible for causing the glow, as you call it, child," she said. "It spilled…" she paused and looked at the lights for help.

"Fuel, Highness," answered one of them helpfully. "They called it fuel."

"There was a spillage?" asked Rose, her mind going to an oil spill, though she didn't think Violet or her court would understand if she tried to say that. "That's what caused the flowers to glow like that?"

"Yes," said one of the lights.

"Are the unearthly...the aliens, are they still around?" asked Rose.

Violet shook her head. "Gone," she said. "Left behind their foul," she grumbled.

"Fuel, Highness," corrected one of the courtiers.

Violet rolled her eyes before smiling at Rose. "Little flower, would you like to make a deal?" she asked.

Every story that Rose had ever heard about fairies told her she absolutely did not want to make a deal with them. Violet chuckled when she saw the wide-eyed look of fear on Rose's face.

"I do not intend to trick you, little flower," said Violet. "Our kind does not harm children. Even if they are no longer pure."

Rose went red. "It's not good to judge, you know," she said, crossing her arms defensively.

Violet laughed and it sounded like tinkling bells. "If you and your friend can clean up what those brutes left behind in my court, I will grant you a favour. A favour you may call on at any time," she said.

"How do we clean it?" asked Rose.

"You remove the flowers, of course," said Violet. "Well, little flower? What do you say?"

Rose considered it and then slowly gave a nod. When she blinked, Violet and her courtiers had disappeared, and a frantic River was staring at her.

"Rose!" said River, looking relieved to see her. "Oh, thank god! You're back."

"Back?" asked Rose, confused, but then realised it was pitch dark and the only light was a torch in River's hand. "How long was I-?"

"Five hours," said River. "Irene and I searched the area and then she left when the sun went down." Rose noticed that River was shaking slightly and it hit her that she had been genuinely freaked out.

"River, I'm alright," said Rose. "I'm sorry I worried you."

River looked at her and to Rose's surprise, she grabbed her into a tight hug. Rose patted her back awkwardly.

"Don't do that again!" said River, when she pulled away.

"I won't," said Rose, a little amused despite everything. She had never seen River lose her cool like this before. Something occurred to her and the amusement faded. "What are you still doing here? It's after dark. Irene said it wasn't safe after dark."

"You were missing, Rose," said River, like Rose was being deliberately obtuse. "I wasn't going to go to the hotel and order room service if you were missing."

Rose stared at her, mouth wide open with shock. "You're not my babysitter, River," she said. "I'm not your responsibility."

"I have so many things I could say to that, but we have to go. Now," said River, grabbing her arm.

"No," said Rose, shaking off her arm. "I promised Violet…"

"Who's Violet?" asked River.

"Our queen," said a voice, and Rose saw River's jaw drop as a bright speck of light flew in and landed on Rose's shoulder.

"Uh-so I saw the fairies," said Rose, sheepishly. River looked at her incredulously. "I'm telling the truth, I swear. Violet is their queen. The forest is her court, she said. She pulled me past the curtain."

"Time moves differently in our realm," said the speck of light. "We did not mean to steal the human child for this long."

"You-you said you promised her something," said River, looking at Rose. "What did you promise this queen?"

"She said the flowers are glowing because of an alien ship," said Rose. "She wants us to remove them from the forest."

"Alien ship?" asked River, and then considered it thoughtfully. "It's possible, I suppose."

"I will lead you to safety," said the speck, and flew away from Rose's shoulder.

Rose and River exchanged a look but followed it. The speck of light led them out of the woods, before disappearing again.

"We'll be back in the morning," Rose called out, as the fairy disappeared. She could feel River's eyes on her, but she didn't say anything. "What?" Rose asked her finally, when they were up in the hotel room.

"Why did you agree to help this fairy queen?" asked River.

"Well, she didn't give me much of a choice, to be honest," chuckled Rose, but then saw the serious look on River's face. "River, an alien spacecraft landed in those woods and I dunno...contaminated the land. I just want to help."

"That is if the queen is telling you the truth," said River, pointedly.

"Why would she lie?" asked Rose.

"Fae folk are known for their trickery," said River.

"So you said, but they didn't harm me," said Rose.

"Just because they didn't do it now, doesn't mean they won't," said River.

"Maybe, but I will still help them," said Rose, stubbornly.

"Because they asked?" asked River, incredulously.

"Yeah, because they asked," said Rose.

She thought River would argue, but she suddenly smiled and shook her head with an almost fond look on her face. "Alright then, let's get some rest," said River. "We'll drive out early in the morning tomorrow."

Rose blinked at her in surprise, unsure of what had changed River's mind. She didn't get a chance to ask her, because River hurried away to bed after that. Rose sat and read a book for a while since it was still early for her due to the lost time, but she eventually went to sleep as well.

The next morning, she and River drove out again and hiked their way back to the field of glowing violets. Hands in gardening gloves, the two of them uprooted all of the sweet violets in the patch, carefully collecting them into two large baskets. They didn't see any of the fairies but the temperature around them seemed warmer than the cold March morning they had woken up to.

When the last flower was removed from the Earth, Rose found herself back in Violet's court. This time, River got to come with her.

"Thank you, little flower," said Violet, with a serene smile. "You and your friend did well."

"Do you need the flowers?" asked Rose.

"No, you can keep them as long as you leave no trace of them in my court," said Violet, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"Alright," said Rose, with a glance at River who nodded.

"I am a queen of my word, little flower," said Violet, as she moved toward Rose. It was a bit unnerving to have the tall, slender woman walk up to her in the nude, and Rose had to struggle just a bit to keep her eyes on her face. She had always considered herself to be like a 0 on the Kinsey scale but Violet was making her think it was maybe a 2. "You can ask your favour. It can be now or a hundred years from now."

"I don't have anything I want to ask of you today," said Rose, honestly.

Violet's features softened. "Such a sweet one," she said, and her moss green eyes seemed to bore into Rose's. "There is something about you, little flower. Quite like a wol…"

"Alright, stop," said River, firmly.

Violet's eyes swivelled to hers and she smirked a little. "There is no reason to feel left out, child," she said. "You are no less special."

River narrowed her eyes at her. "Be careful," said River, with a hint of warning in her tone.

Violet smirked again before turning to Rose, who was growing increasingly confused at the cryptic conversation. "Take care, little flower," she said, touching a hand to Rose's cheek.

Rose blinked and found herself back in the forest. She glanced around but River had not returned. Before she could panic too much, River returned as well, and her face was slightly pinched like it got when she was trying not to appear too angry.

"What happened?" asked Rose.

"Nothing," said River, shortly. "Meddlesome fairies," she muttered, and Rose didn't know if she was supposed to have heard that. "Let's go," she said, as they gathered the baskets and began their trek back in silence.

Rose waited until they were driving back to the hotel to broach the subject. "Did she say something to you after I left?" asked Rose. "Violet, I mean."

River's fingers tightened on the steering wheel. "No," she said, and Rose rather thought she was lying.

But there was an odd sadness on River's face, so Rose just nodded and let it go. She was learning that River got a bit sad sometimes, but Rose was scared to ask about her reasons.

"I think I want to go to Oxford," said Rose.

That seemed to snap River out of her thoughts and she glanced at Rose. Rose smiled at her, and River slowly smiled back.

"Excellent," beamed River. "Let's come up with a plan, shall we?"