The Saffron Span
It took Rose an entire day to thoroughly investigate the quarters belonging to the Butterflies, which she came to know was called the Chrysalis. Nestled under the Cherwell, the stairs led to a wide circular sitting room with old-fashioned Victorian furniture. The walls were lined with shelves full of books, the subjects ranging from arts to sciences and even the occasional bodice ripper. The sitting room had several chairs and tables and Rose deduced it must be a common room of sorts. Past the sitting room was a 12-person dining room, a private meeting room, and a bathroom.
The Chrysalis had electricity and modern plumbing which surprised Rose, and she wondered if Etain had upgraded it before handing the reins over to Rose. The office also contained a ledger of all the members as well as the prospectus for the society.
From what Rose could gather, the Butterflies hosted a dinner every Wednesday for all its members and the Chrysalis was open to all members otherwise throughout the week, with the exception of the office which could only be accessed while the club's Secretary was in attendance. Membership was granted by solving a series of riddles and puzzles that would lead them to the Chrysalis. Rose also discovered a pile of stationery identical to the note she had been sent by Etain, which she assumed was what was used to send the puzzles to prospective members.
Rose had no idea who she was supposed to invite or where she could find the kind of women that Etain had described. She supposed she would invite Miranda at the very least, because Rose knew that puzzles would be no mystery to her. Other than that, Rose didn't know enough people just yet to invite. Deciding to leave that decision for another day, Rose met Miranda at the college bar.
"I feel like we haven't had the chance to see one another in a while," said Miranda, when they each had their drinks.
Rose shrugged and downed half her drink easily. "It's a busy time for everyone," she said. "But you're right. Time has seemed to fly by since the term started."
"Yes, winter break is only weeks away," said Miranda.
"Don't remind me," said Rose.
"You're not looking forward to it?" asked Miranda.
"Don't get me wrong, I will enjoy a break but Martin has already warned us there will be assigned reading and essays to finish over break," she said. "I will also be working and back living with my mum, which will take some getting used to again."
Miranda gave her a confused look. "You and your mother don't get along?" she asked.
"No, we do," said Rose. "Mostly," she added, with a chuckle. "I've just become used to the independence of living alone, I guess." Then she realised how horrible she must sound, since Miranda no longer had either of her parents. "Sorry, Miranda…"
"No, I know you didn't mean it that way," said Miranda, with a forgiving smile. She tilted her head in contemplation and took a sip of her drink. "You could stay with me," she offered. "If you like."
"With you?" asked Rose. "In Manchester?"
"No, the house in Manchester is gone now," said Miranda, eyes glancing away as she said it. "There's a townhouse in Dulwich. I had been living there after my parents...anyway, it's too big for me to live there by myself."
"I wouldn't feel right intruding," said Rose, though it was an attractive prospect. Dulwich wasn't too far from the Powell Estate and she could visit her mother but still have her own space.
"You wouldn't be intruding," insisted Miranda. "There's a spare bedroom with an ensuite, and it's in a nice neighbourhood."
"I am not sure I can pay rent if I am hoping to keep building my savings," admitted Rose.
"You don't have to pay rent," said Miranda. "No, listen," she added, when Rose started shaking her head. "I own the property outright. You can pay half the bills, if it would make you feel better."
Rose bit her lip and nodded slowly. "Alright," she said, and Miranda beamed at her. "If you're sure."
"I am," nodded Miranda, and finished her drink. "Another?"
"Sure," smiled Rose, and Miranda nodded and left to get them another round.
"...and I think that should do for today," said Martin, and Rose sighed internally in relief as she saved the document and closed her laptop. "Anything else before we conclude?"
Rose shook her head, as did Elliott, but there was a knock on the door before Martin could dismiss them.
"Yes?" called out Martin.
One of the secretaries from the college was at the door and she smiled at Martin. "Pardon me, Dr Teo," she said. "Dr Vilensky wishes to see Miss Tyler in his office."
Rose's eyes went wide, wondering why the Principal of Hertford College wanted to see her. Martin and Elliott were equally surprised, but Martin composed himself quickly.
"Of course," said Martin. "Rose," he prompted.
"Right," said Rose, packing up her things. "Thanks, Martin."
"See you next week," he nodded.
Rose nodded back and went with the secretary to Dr Vilensky's office. She was led into the office where the Principal was sitting in his chair and another gentleman in his late thirties was in a chair opposite him.
"Miss Tyler, sir," announced the secretary, and ushered Rose in.
Rose smiled at her in thanks and glanced nervously at the two men in the room.
"Take a seat, Miss Tyler," said Dr Vilensky. "Don't worry, you're not in any kind of trouble," he added, and Rose wondered if she really had looked so terrified for him having to reassure her.
"Thank you," nodded Rose, and took a seat in a chair next to the other man.
"This is Mr Burlington," said Dr Vilensky. "He works for Wilder, Hanson and Burgmeier in town."
"Hello, Mr Burlington," said Rose, politely, wondering what a lawyer wanted with her.
"Good day to you, Miss Tyler," he said, equally as polite. "I requested a meeting with you, and Dr Vilensky was happy to organise, given the subject of the meeting." Mr Burlington set his briefcase down on Dr Vilensky's desk and opened it. "Are you familiar with Ms Adina Teasedale?" he asked, pulling out a thick manila folder from the briefcase.
Hoping she didn't look too surprised, Rose gave a nod.
"As you know, Ms Teasedale recently passed on and our firm was tasked with handling the matters of her will," said Mr Burlington, looking unsurprised.
"Oh," said Rose.
Mr Burlington opened the folder and flipped through a few pages before stopping about halfway through. "Allow me to confirm," he said, glancing at Rose. "Are you Rose Marion Tyler?" he asked.
"Yes," said Rose.
"And you are currently enrolled in a three-year course for Archaeology and Anthropology at Hertford College at the University of Oxford?" he asked.
"Yes," said Rose again, wondering what Etain had been up to. She hadn't mentioned anything about a will, and given the tendency of fairies to be unpredictable, she had no idea if it would be a good thing or a bad thing waiting for her.
Mr Burlington nodded and then looked at Mr Vilensky, before turning back to Rose. "Miss Tyler," he said. "As part of her Last Will and Testament, Ms Teasedale has arranged for the payment of your undergraduate degree at Hertford College. There is also a further allowance of £5,000 for payment of any education-related expenses, placed in a term deposit account in your name." He handed her a stack of paperwork that Rose accepted with numb hands.
"Miss Tyler," said Dr Vilensky and Rose turned to him dumbly. "I am unclear how you were acquainted with Ms Teasedale but to explain further, Ms Teasedale's estate will cover the cost of your education in full, inclusive of tuition fees and lodging and boarding. I understand you were in receipt of government support this year which will be cleared as well, leaving you with no debt for your studies."
"I-" said Rose. "I don't know what to say," she said, finally.
"Ms Teasedale has no family to speak of," said Mr Burlington. "You must have made quite an impression on her, Miss Tyler."
"But it's too much," she said.
"Evidently Ms Teasedale did not think so," said Mr Burlington, pointedly.
"I am sure Miss Tyler is still in shock," said Dr Vilensky, and Rose was grateful. She knew she was being rather rude, considering the massive favour that Etain had just bestowed upon her.
"In any case," said Mr Burlington, clearing his throat. "I just needed you to read through those documents and sign the first and last pages, and initial each page," he added, nodding at the documents he had handed her before turning to Dr Vilensky. "May I impose on your hospitality a bit longer, Dr Vilensky?"
"Of course," said Dr Vilensky. "Miss Tyler?"
"R-right," she nodded, and started reading the documents. Another twenty minutes later, she thanked Mr Burlington and Dr Vilensky after signing the documents and took her leave.
She had no idea why Etain had done that, but as it started to sink in that she did not need to be so worried about the financial side of her education, Rose couldn't help but be overcome with relief.
"Thank you, Etain," she murmured to herself. "I won't let you down."
As Rose was thinking that there was absolutely no way the rest of the term could hold any more surprises, two events occurred in quick succession in the last two weeks of the term, that left Rose equally delighted, bewildered, and wondering if she had a neon sign above her head that drew all the odd and unexplained to her.
The first happened on the Monday of the second to last week of term. Rose was at the Tylor Library which housed the anthropology collection to gather some resources for extra reading ahead of the lecture that week. She was in the main reading room in a quiet corner with her laptop open and a small pile of books on her table, when she heard footsteps approach from behind.
"Pardon me," came the refined voice, and it took Rose a moment to realise she was the one being spoken to. She turned around and saw an Indian girl with beautiful curly black hair and deep brown skin. She was around Rose's age, and had to be a student because Rose didn't recognise her as one of the staff.
"Hi," said Rose, wary still.
She smiled at Rose and moved to sit in the chair across from Rose. "My name is Shanaya," she said. "Shanaya Surya. Are you Rose Tyler?"
Rose's eyebrows shot up and her wariness grew. "Have we met?" she asked.
"No," said Shanaya. "You must forgive my rudeness, but I must discuss something with you quite urgently."
Rose narrowed her eyes at her, but Shanaya's gaze was open and honest. Not trusting herself to speak just yet, Rose nodded at her to go ahead.
Shanaya seemed relieved. "I am a second year student here, studying Theology and Religion at Lady Margaret Hall," she said. "We have an acquaintance in common, an unfortunate one at that." She paused and took a deep breath. "Miss Caroline Redburn."
Rose felt her breath catch and her entire body grew cold. Caroline Redburn, the psychotic witch who had tortured Rose at the Ashmolean and killed four other women before her. She'd only had an update from Jack a week ago that Caroline and Wyatt had been sentenced to imprisonment in a closed trial and details of their crimes had not been released outside of a few.
"Please, it is not my intention to bring up painful memories," said Shanaya, looking genuinely contrite. "I assure you, I wish I didn't even have to mention her name."
"What do you want?" asked Rose, without bothering to keep her tone civil.
Shanaya did not appear surprised at her hostility. "Caroline...was one of us."
"One of who, exactly?" asked Rose, crossing her arms and glaring at her sharply.
Shanaya lowered her voice. "There...was a group of us at Lady Margaret and we had formed a...club of sorts," she said. "It was not an official university society, just a few friends researching into…"
"Spells?" asked Rose, and Shanaya nodded.
"We thought it was all games at first," said Shanaya, earnestly. "Interesting from a research perspective but nothing else. But then Caroline approached us. She must have overheard us while we were at the Ashmolean, and she...encouraged us to look a little deeper."
"And I assume you did," said Rose, and Shanaya nodded guiltily. "Did you know...about what she was doing?"
"No, I swear to you, I did not know," said Shanaya, and Rose believed her when she saw the genuine remorse in her eyes. "If I did, if any of us did...we would have called attention to it."
"So what happened?" asked Rose, softening her tone but only a little.
Shanaya looked encouraged, though still a bit anxious. "It was in the Trinity Term, right before summer break this year," she said. "We would all meet once a week at a study room at the Ashmolean and try out little spells. None of them worked, of course, but we fancied ourselves...a coven, of sorts." She shook her head. "It was a foolish flight of fancy, nothing more. But then, Caroline...she started speaking of practicing on live specimens. Animals at first, but humans as well. It made us...uncomfortable. No, more than that. There was something not quite right about the way she spoke of it. When we returned to our college, we decided to call off future meetings."
"Because you didn't trust Caroline?" asked Rose.
"Partly because of that," said Shanaya. "But mostly because we did not wish to harm anyone or anything. I understand most practices of witchcraft, and I mean real Old World witchcraft as opposed to the modern practices of Wicca, are quite gruesome and horrifying. While the research was interesting, none of us wished to indulge in practicing something like that. It might not have even been real but it was still morally wrong."
"So you disbanded," said Rose, understandingly.
"Caroline was displeased but it wasn't like she could do anything about it," she said. "She isn't even a student at Oxford. She made her displeasure known by glaring at us if we ever ran into her at the Ashmolean but nothing more than that. And then when we returned in October this year, we heard she was gone." Shanaya sighed and leaned back in her chair. "It took me a while to find out what happened."
"How did you find out?" asked Rose, curious since she knew Jack and whoever he worked for had gone to great lengths to cover up what had happened at the Ashmolean.
Shanaya looked guilty. "My father is a judge," she said. "His office deals with...unusual matters." She took a small breath before continuing. "I don't pretend to understand everything that he does or the things he sees, but I...am a curious woman, to put it plainly."
"You mean you snoop," said Rose, bluntly.
Shanaya flushed but nodded. "I certainly do not share it with anyone," she said, defensively.
"Not even with your friends? Your coven?" asked Rose, unable to help the slight jab.
Shanaya did not look too upset about it. "I don't share it with anyone, not even them," she repeated. "In fact, you are the first person I have discussed this openly with."
"Why?" asked Rose. "Why talk to me? If you've read the case, you already know what happened."
"It's not about that," said Shanaya, and looked a little distressed. "I just...I feel responsible."
"For what?" asked Rose, confused.
"For Caroline," said Shanaya. "For what she did to you."
"You didn't have anything to do with what Caroline did," said Rose. "You and your friends were sensible enough to distance yourselves from the crazy bitch."
"Yes, but we remained silent and that silence caused the death of four women and almost a fifth," said Shanaya.
Rose opened her mouth and then closed it. "Shanaya," she said, slowly. "There is nothing you could have done to prevent it." Shanaya looked like she wanted to interrupt but Rose just held up a hand. "Even if you had told someone, you would have just been laughed at. It's unfortunate, yes, but it's on Caroline. And Wyatt. Not on you."
Shanaya didn't look like she believed her but she nodded. "Alright," she said. "But I still wanted to apologise to you."
"You don't have to, but I appreciate it," said Rose.
Shanaya nodded in relief. "Thank you, Rose," she said. "I am truly sorry about what happened."
"Me too," said Rose. "Just...know that it was not your fault."
"I will try," said Shanaya.
Rose smiled at her, a gesture which Shanaya returned. Something occurred to Rose, and she looked at Shanaya. "Can I ask you something, Shanaya?"
"Of course, anything," said Shanaya, without hesitating.
"This could not have been the only case you know about," she said.
"You would be right about that," she said. "I read almost everything that comes across my father's desk."
"So you know…" Rose paused, wondering how to put it.
"That we are not alone in the universe?" completed Shanaya. "Yes, quite."
"Are there others?" asked Rose. "Here at Oxford, I mean. People who know about the world beyond what everyone else knows."
Shanaya smiled a little. "That is a very interesting way to put it," she said. "There are some. I am not acquainted with all of them, mind you."
"Could you tell me about them?" asked Rose, thinking of the Butterflies. She still had not started recruiting but she had already mentally added Shanaya to the list of potential members alongside Miranda.
Shanaya looked confused but nodded after a moment. "I'll tell you as much as I know," she said.
At the end of the meeting with Shanaya, Rose had a list of ten potential female students across Oxford who could possibly be invited to join the Butterflies. Making up her mind to send out invitations in the first week of the Hilary Term, Rose thanked Shanaya and took her leave.
While the unexpected friendship with Shanaya was the first event of interest, the second one was of a familiar sort.
It was the last weekend before the end of the term, and Rose and Miranda had spent most of their Saturday packing up their respective rooms. Miranda had hired a car to London that was big enough to take all of their luggage as well, since all rooms at the college had to be emptied out for break. Rose had told her mum she would be living with Miranda during break, and while not completely thrilled, Jackie had made her promise she would come to stay at the flat for Christmas at the very least which Rose had agreed to easily.
December was right around the corner and days were growing shorter and shorter. After an entire day of packing, Rose had gone out to dinner with Shanaya and three of her friends who had all been a part of their 'coven'. They met at Edamame, a little Japanese eatery near Hertford that served amazing food.
After eating their fill and getting acquainted, Rose bid them goodbye and started walking back to Hertford as a cold evening breeze blew around her. Rose could feel her teeth chattering even though she was bundled up in a thick coat, knit hat and gloves as well as a thick, woollen scarf.
The wind was loud and whipping her hair around her head almost violently but she didn't want to remove her hands from her coat pockets to tie it back. The sound was making her ears ring, but now that Rose thought about it, the wind sounded...odd. And then...it sounded oddly familiar.
Rose stopped in her path and whipped around, getting a face full of her own hair, which she brushed away, just as the sound of the wind turned into the wheezing, groaning sound she had heard before.
On a deserted street corner, about ten yards in front of her, a blue Police box was materialising and Rose's mouth dropped open. With a firm thud, the box solidified into existence. The door opened and the Doctor stepped out, glancing around in slight confusion. His eyes found Rose and he looked even more confused.
"Rose?" he asked.
"Doctor," said Rose, as she walked toward him without even realising. He looked exactly the same as the last time she had seen him, down to his old-fashioned Edwardian clothes. The cold didn't seem to bother him, despite only wearing that green velvet frockcoat over his clothes. "What are you doing here?"
"By here, I assume this is Oxford," he said, glancing around. "I admit, it's been some time since I last visited."
"You didn't know where you landed your ship? Your ship that travels in space and time?" asked Rose, amused more than anything.
"Of course, that is half the fun," he grinned, and it still made Rose's stomach swoop. It seemed that despite almost a year passing since their first meeting, he still managed to have the same effect on her.
"What brings you here?" asked Rose, in an effort to dispel the sudden nervousness she felt.
"A mystery, of sorts," he said, and then grinned in that charming, boyish manner that Rose knew was definitely bad for her heart. He reached into his coat and pulled out a beautifully ornate hourglass the size of his palm, with orange grains of sand that were sifting slowly into the bottom chamber of the hourglass.
"What is it?" asked Rose, mesmerised by the way the sand was falling. She knew it was definitely not of Earth, or at least, the Earth of this time.
"It's a replica I purchased at the gift shop from the Museum of Temporal Wonders on Platform Meridian Dot Six belonging to the Fawn Conglomerate in the 55th century," he said. "The original piece was named the Saffron Span and said to be around 6 foot tall."
"Said to be? The original isn't in the Museum?" asked Rose.
"No," he said. "Which is the mystery, you see."
"How so?" asked Rose.
"My memory tells me the original is kept at the Museum of Temporal Wonders. Except when I visited the museum earlier today, it was no longer there," he said. "Stranger still, no one remembered the original ever being there."
"But they still sell the replicas in the gift shop?" asked Rose.
"Yes, and when I asked, I was told that the replica was made from historical descriptions because the original has not been seen for over two hundred years," he said.
"How is that possible?" asked Rose.
"It usually wouldn't be," he said. "Unless, someone has interfered."
"Interfered?" asked Rose.
"Changed history," said the Doctor. "Changed something in the past and it led to an entirely different future."
"Right," said Rose. "So someone interfered in the past in a way that the original Saffron Span never made it to the museum," she surmised. "What does that have to do with Oxford?"
"Ah," said the Doctor. "The thing about interfering with time is that it leaves its marks in the fabric of reality. And you need only look to find a trail."
"A trail that led you here?" asked Rose.
"It did," he said.
"How is that possible?" asked Rose. "You said the Saffron Span is from the 55th century."
"It is," he said. "Well, to be precise, it was in the museum in the 55th century. It was originally created toward the end of the 48th century using the dust from the deserts of Venus." He paused and looked at Rose. "Has anything unusual happened lately?"
Rose wasn't sure what the expression on her face was, because the Doctor's eyebrows shot up and he chuckled before nodding toward the TARDIS. "How about some tea?" he offered.
With a smile, Rose nodded and followed him as he led her inside. She had been too caught up in her shock the last time she had been inside the TARDIS, so this time she used the opportunity to glance around properly. The interior was really impressive and the gothic sitting room was warm and welcoming after the dismal weather outside. There was a roaring fire in the grate and as Rose eased off her scarf, gloves, hat and coat, she felt the chill start to leave her bones.
The Doctor had disappeared further inside the TARDIS and she knew she would have to ask him just how big the TARDIS really was. His absence did give her a chance to snoop a little, and she ran her eyes along the books on the nearby bookshelves, recognising some classics but nothing else otherwise. There was a record player that was currently not playing anything, and a paperback copy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein left bookmarked next to it. Rose supposed the large wing-backed armchair near the little end table was the Doctor's. There wasn't a second armchair, so Rose took a seat on a nearby chaise, glad that it was closer to the fire.
A few moments passed but the Doctor emerged with a full tray of tea and biscuits. He smiled when he saw she had made herself comfortable and set the tray down. "How do you take your tea?" he asked.
"Milk and one sugar, please," she said. "I can pour, if you'd like."
"Nonsense, whoever heard of making their guest pour their own tea," he said, as he expertly fixed her a cup of tea.
"Thank you," smiled Rose, accepting the cup. She noticed he made his with just lemon, before sitting back in his armchair. She took a sip and almost sighed as the warmth coursed through her. There really was nothing better than a good cup of tea.
"So, tell me, Rose," he said, between sips of his own tea. "What has been unusual around Oxford lately?"
Rose wondered where to begin, but then decided to start from the events of the Ashmolean. The Doctor was shocked but not surprised that artefacts belonging to the Titans had been masquerading as genuine Ancient Greek artefacts, though Rose hadn't known he could look as frightening as he did when she described what Caroline had done.
There was something inhuman about the Doctor, Rose was realising, as she spoke. He didn't interrupt her story, apart from occasionally asking questions. He seemed to remember the littlest detail of what she had said and he barely even moved as she finished her story. Despite appearing completely human, there was something terrifying about him; even moreso than Violet or even Etain.
And yet, Rose wondered why she felt none of the wariness that she had felt around Violet or Etain. Even Lia had made her feel uncertain, the gone but never forgotten Lady in Gold that she was. She knew the Doctor surpassed all of them in a way she wouldn't be able to articulate but she didn't feel the same apprehension around him that she did with the rest. There must definitely be something wrong with her, deduced Rose as she set her empty cup back down on the tray.
"Well," said the Doctor, after a heavy silence. "You have certainly had an eventful term."
Rose chuckled. "You could say so," she said, and then remembered the look of disdain on his face when she'd mentioned Etain. "Do you know much about fairies?"
He scowled; the expression almost childish on his handsome face. "Of all the species on this planet, they are the ones I cannot bear to tolerate," he said. "Frightful little things, twisted and cruel beyond comparison."
"Humans are no better," said Rose. "Besides, good and evil are universal concepts, not limited to species."
"Not always," he said darkly, and something in his tone made her want to shiver despite the chill from earlier having completely disappeared. "Though I suppose it is unfair of me to class fairies as evil. They are tricky, but ultimately, nothing more than a menace."
"Are there truly evil species?" asked Rose, unable to help it. His tone earlier had been final; as if he were declaring a truth he would not be questioned on, but it only made her want to ask it more.
He looked at her, and Rose wondered what he saw because he held her gaze for far longer than he had before. "Yes," he answered finally, the firelight making shadows flicker in his eyes. "Creatures of pure hate with nothing but destruction on their minds. An entire race hellbent on exterminating the universe of all but themselves."
This time, Rose did shiver, and suddenly the Doctor's eyes lost the hard edge and he smiled, as if he meant to apologise. "As for fairies," he said. "They are quite powerful, and their magic as they call it allows them to bend reality to their will. But only to a very limited extent. And their downfall, as it may be, is that their existence is intrinsically bound to your planet."
"Meaning what?" asked Rose, a sense of dread filling her being.
He smiled almost sadly. "It means that while humans will evolve and grow and touch the stars and bend reality to their will, the fairies will grow weaker behind their curtain, dying slowly alongside the planet."
"That's…" Rose couldn't even say what it was, but the Doctor seemed to understand.
"Cruel, I know," he said. "It is the existence they have chosen for themselves, though. It's funny, you know. Time has a way of making even the most powerful beings weary. It's why civilisations across the universe, from tribes in backwater lands to advanced societies have gods and deities."
"Because the gods and deities created their world and then left when they grew tired of it?" asked Rose.
He didn't nod or agree with her words in any way, but the smile on his face told her she had hit the nail right on the head.
"That's cruel, too," she said, and then chuckled. "I sound like a child."
"No, Rose," he said, and the smile he gave her made her feel warmer than the cosy sitting room, the roaring fireplace or the hot tea. "You sound like you have hope. Hope that people may choose better for themselves and those around them. And hope, my dear Rose, hope is something you will find is the rarest of treasures in the universe."
Rose didn't quite know what to say to that and she dearly wished she hadn't finished her tea so she could have at least used the moment to take a sip and not have to answer. The Doctor gave her a considerate look before he shot to his feet, startling her a little.
"Well then," he said, heading over to the console. "Let's try and see what else we can find, shall we?"
Rose stood up and followed him, stopping a few feet away from the console. "Can I ask something?" she asked, as the Doctor read something on one of the screens on the console.
"Certainly," he said, without looking away from the screen.
"I understand that history is changed because of the Saffron Span," she said, trying to articulate what had been bothering her about the whole thing. "But surely, that's not weird." The Doctor looked at her with a slightly inquisitive gaze and Rose knew she had to clarify. "History changing because of events happening differently, I mean. People making different choices and changing the future."
He grinned. "Very good, Rose," he said, and she knew it would have sounded condescending coming from anyone but him. "Yes, time is in flux. Ordinarily, I would not be too fussed about an artefact. Except for the fact that the Saffron Span is not an ordinary artefact." He flicked a switch on the console. "The Museum of Temporal Wonders houses quite a few artefacts collected from civilisations who have mastered time travel. Well, I say mastered, but what I mean is they have had some measure of success. The only race to have successfully mastered time travel is...my own, I suppose."
"The Time Lords?" asked Rose, remembering he had told her he was a Time Lord the first time they had met.
He nodded. "Other races have been successful, of course. But not to the extent that Time Lords have," he said. "And if history is to be believed, none of the races succeeded until Time Lords lended their assistance."
Rose thought that sounded rather self-important but held her tongue. "Whose history would that be?" she still couldn't help but ask.
He laughed instead of taking offence like she had half-expected. "The point remains, the Saffron Span is one of the more important artefacts as far as the history of time travel is concerned," he said.
"Why?" asked Rose.
"It formed the basis for humanity mastering time travel," he said, without missing a beat.
Rose stared at him, as if expecting him to laugh and say he was joking. "Humans master time travel?" she asked finally, when he didn't say anything further.
"Of course," he said, smiling warmly. "You should give your race more credit, Rose."
Rose felt suitably chastised, though she was sure that had not been his intention. Despite knowing Jack was a time traveller, she had assumed it was alien technology that had allowed it. It had never occurred to her that humans would master time travel, and if the Doctor was telling the truth (and she had no reason to think otherwise) they had to set this right. "W-we have to find out what happened then," she said, more determined than ever.
The Doctor looked amused, but nodded. "Let's be on our way then," he said, reaching back toward the console.
"We're going somewhere?" asked Rose, confused. "I thought the trail led you to Oxford."
"It did, but I miscalculated slightly," he admitted. "The trail leads to the same place but a year ago."
Rose blinked as the rotor sprang to life and the familiar wheezing noise filled the console room. "We're travelling through time?" she asked.
"We are," he grinned. "Because I just remembered that we are in the early 21st century and one of the greatest minds of your time is currently at Oxford."
"Who?" asked Rose, but before the Doctor could answer, the TARDIS landed with a thud.
"Come on," said the Doctor, striding toward the doors. Rose turned back to grab her coat and followed after him. She was putting on the coat and following only a few paces behind the Doctor, but stopped when she heard a familiar voice. Rose stopped and glanced in the direction of the voice.
Des, the friendly bartender, who had also been the one to point her to Dame's Delight, was talking on his phone as he walked past. He looked the same as he did, and he thankfully didn't notice Rose who quickly ducked out of sight. She knew they had definitely time travelled because it was broad daylight outside, although it was the same street. The place was a bit busier and Des was one of several students walking past.
Rose didn't know much about time travel but she knew it would be a bad idea if she were to be seen by someone who knew her. To her surprise, however, the Doctor seemed to be heading directly to Des, which left her with little choice but to remain out of sight but close enough so that she could hear what was being said.
"Pardon me," said the Doctor, and Des stopped. "Could I have a quick word with you?"
"I'll call you back," Des told the person on the other end and ended the call. Even from her hiding place (which was the mouth of the alleyway where the TARDIS had arrived) Rose could see the confusion on Des' face as he took in the Doctor's appearance.
"Are you Desmond Coughlan?" asked the Doctor, either not realising Des' confusion or just ignoring it.
"Yeah," he answered, warily.
"Excellent, it is an honour to meet you," said the Doctor, looking pleased as a punch.
"Right, sure," said Des, looking like he wanted nothing better than to escape.
Rose supposed from his perspective an odd Edwardian dandy had just accosted him and announced it was an honour to meet him. She was sure she would do the same if it happened to her.
"What is your area of research?" asked the Doctor. "For your doctoral studies, I mean."
"Pardon?" asked Des, confused. "How did-?"
"Please, indulge my curiosity," said the Doctor.
Des gave him an uncertain look before shrugging. "I dunno," he said. "I haven't decided yet. I am on my way to meet with my thesis supervisor now."
"But do you know what you will be choosing?" the Doctor persisted.
"I suppose," said Des, doubtfully. The Doctor seemed to be looking at him expectantly and Des sighed. "I mean, I will probably end up choosing one of the Theory projects."
"But that isn't what you really want to do," said the Doctor, like it was a fact.
Des stared at him. "How did you know that?" he asked.
"Just a hunch," said the Doctor. "So, what is it that you really want to choose?"
Des sighed again and he seemed like he was weighing up his options. "I suppose if I could choose what I really wanted..." he paused and looked at the Doctor as if he would laugh at him, but the Doctor just kept looking at him expectantly. "...I would choose one of the Galaxy projects. In all likelihood the one about Supermassive Black Holes."
The Doctor beamed at him. "That sounds exciting to me," he said. "And to you, which is more important."
Des shook his head. "You don't understand," he said. "It's...what I want, yes. But it's not really a safe career path. The Theory is boring, yes, but there's the possibility of a job in academia. Research into black holes is a lifelong endeavour. There is so much to learn…"
Even from this distance, Rose could positively see his eyes glowing and she was surprised because she'd had no idea Des felt so passionately about his studies. He always came across as so cheerful and sure of himself and even through the limited interactions she'd had with him, Rose had thought him to be a very easygoing person.
"Your path is your own, of course," said the Doctor, when it seemed like Des wouldn't continue. "Good luck, then." He turned to leave and Des looked shocked.
"That's it?" asked Des.
The Doctor stopped and turned back. "Was there supposed to be something else?" he asked. "I wanted to know what you were going to choose and you answered that you were choosing the sensible option over what you truly wanted."
Des looked annoyed at that, and the Doctor waved at him and walked back toward Rose. She could see Des glare a bit before he continued walking.
"What'd you do that for?" asked Rose, when the Doctor returned.
He just smiled at her and walked back into the TARDIS. Rose gave him an annoyed look but followed after him.
The Doctor went over to the console and flipped a few switches. One of the screens beeped and he grinned widely when he read whatever was on it.
"What?" asked Rose, when she saw him beaming at the screen. "What are you grinning for?"
"That, Rose Tyler, was history just snapping back on track," he said.
"How? By talking to Des?" she asked.
"You know him?" asked the Doctor, looking pleasantly surprised.
"Yeah, he's at Hertford too," said Rose. Then she remembered what he had told her. "It was Des?" she asked. "One of the greatest minds of my time?"
"Of course," he said. "He becomes the foremost authority on black holes in the 21st century and forms the basis for your space travel leaping forward by a century at the very least."
"B-but he just said he won't be studying black holes anymore," said Rose.
"He never said that," said the Doctor, smiling mysteriously.
Rose realised he was right. The Doctor has been uncharacteristically flippant with his departing remark about choosing the sensible option. "He changed his mind?" she asked, even though she knew the answer.
"Apparently so," said the Doctor, nodding at the screen.
"B-but that's…" said Rose, and then closed her mouth. She couldn't help but think of Lia who had done something similar to Rose. Interfered in her life and nudged her in a different direction than what she had been headed down. Rose wouldn't go as far as to say that Lia had pushed her down the path because the choice had ultimately been Rose's, just as Des had apparently made his own choice. "Is that allowed?" she finally asked.
The Doctor seemed to understand what she was getting at. "Strictly speaking, no," he admitted. "But occasionally, it is a Time Lord's prerogative to nudge timelines back into place."
"Do you know Aurelia?" blurted out Rose. "She goes by Lia sometimes."
The Doctor blinked at her in confusion. "I cannot say I do," he said. "Who is that?"
Rose just shook her head, disappointed. She had thought that Lia was perhaps another Time Lord, given what the Doctor had just said. "What did Des' research have to do with the Saffron Span?"
The Doctor gave her a look when she changed the subject but she was glad he didn't push the issue. "His research will allow for safe expeditions to Venus," he answered, as he started piloting the TARDIS again.
Rose nodded, remembering he'd told her the sand in the Saffron Span came from Venus. She waited in contemplative silence as the Doctor took them back to Rose's time, and when the TARDIS landed, she was shaken out of her thoughts.
The Doctor was giving her a searching look. "Are you alright, Rose?" he asked.
"Yeah," she answered. "I just...I don't know what to say to Des when I see him again."
The Doctor fixed her with a stern look. "You cannot tell him, Rose," he said. "There is a responsibility that goes hand in hand with time travel."
"I know I can see that," she said. "It's why I stayed hidden." The Doctor nodded, but didn't look convinced. "I'm not going to mess it up," she insisted. "Not when it comes to one of the most important people in the history of humanity."
The Doctor chuckled slightly. "I'm glad to hear it, Rose, but you're wrong about one thing," he said. "Desmond Coughlan might be one of the greatest minds of your time but he is not more important than anyone else in the universe."
Rose blinked at him before shaking her head. "Now that's just a lie," she said.
"It is not," he said firmly, with such authority in his voice that Rose could only stare at him. "In all my travels across time and space, I have never met anyone who wasn't important."
She could find no trace of dishonesty in his tone and slowly, Rose nodded. It was a bit humbling, she realised. There had been a part of her that had been worried about the reason for Lia appearing in her life when she had, but somehow the Doctor saying that had made that weight loosen in her chest. Rose Tyler was no more important than anyone else and while it might have disappointed some people, Rose was elated.
She beamed at the Doctor and surprised them both by giving him a hug. "Thank you, Doctor," she said, a bit pink in the face when she pulled away.
The Doctor was staring at her in shock, but he seemed to shake it off only a moment later as he smiled at her. "Of course, though I'm not sure what that was for," he said.
Rose just shook her head instead of answering. "I should go," she said.
"Right, yes," said the Doctor, and if Rose had not been mistaken, there had been a brief look of disappointment on his face that was gone so fast that she wondered if she had imagined it.
Rose gave him a wave and walked toward the doors of the TARDIS. When she opened them, she was shocked to see Miranda standing outside. Miranda was staring at the box with a look of abject shock, and when she noticed Rose, she clasped a hand to her mouth.
"Oh," said Rose, wondering how she could explain this one away. She stepped out slowly and heard the Doctor step out after her.
Miranda's eyes drifted to the Doctor and her shock only seemed to grow.
"Miranda," said Rose, and she jumped. "It's alright."
Miranda looked at Rose, still looking utterly shocked. "Wh-"
Rose smiled at her gently like she was a spooked animal. "This is the Doctor," she said. "He's...a friend of mine."
That seemed to snap Miranda out of her shock. "A friend?" she asked, and then fumbled with her ring subconsciously. She walked up to them in slow steps, and stopped near Rose, though her eyes were looking at the Doctor with a look of disbelief and an emotion Rose could not name if she tried.
To Rose's surprise, the Doctor was staring at Miranda with a look of confusion and disbelief as well. "Miranda, is it?" he asked, frowning. "Have we met before?"
Miranda shook her head vigorously, curly blonde hair moving with the gesture. "N-no," she said.
"Strange," said the Doctor, and looked at Rose. "Friend of yours?"
"Yes," said Rose. "Doctor, this is Miranda Dawkins."
The Doctor narrowed his blue eyes slightly but his face cleared the very next moment and he gave her a charming, polite smile. "Very nice to meet you, Miranda. I apologise if my entrance shocked you," he said.
"No, yes, I mean no," she said, and Rose was reminded of the first time they had met. Miranda had become much more comfortable around her since then, but it was as if meeting the Doctor had regressed her back into that nervous girl she had met in October. "How did-?"
"It's a long story," said Rose. "I'll tell you all about it later, if you'd like?" She glanced back at the Doctor to see if he'd object but he seemed as if he were deep in thought. "Thanks for the lift back, Doctor."
The Doctor blinked out of his reverie and smiled at Rose. "Of course," he said. "Until next time, Rose Tyler." He glanced at Miranda and he nodded once at her.
Miranda nodded back, and fidgeted with her ring nervously. The Doctor stepped back into the TARDIS and Rose stood beside Miranda as the TARDIS vanished slowly with that wheezing sound. Miranda looked at Rose when it had vanished completely and Rose sighed and linked her arm with hers.
"Come on," said Rose, pulling her in the direction of their floor. "I'll make tea."