A/N: The following chapter is very starlet-centric. If that's not your thing, that's fine, though I will also warn that this also contains laywork for further, potentially more interesting, chapters.

Ages for everyone are as follows: Johan at 72, Clara at 53, Martha at 50, Olly at 28, Lena at 22, Astra/Tara nearly at 20, Sterling at 16, Oriana at 14, Maglina just turned 14, and Seren at 8 ½.

Chapter Thirty-Five: The Old Estate and the Brothers Three

With the announcement of Astra's impending marriage, things were slightly topsy-turvy within the walls of Castle Gallifrey. There was plenty to plan for as the governing family prepared to welcome the serdarling fully into their home, while said serdarling braced for the in-laws and position he had not been expecting. The wedding was to be the first in the castle since the Marquis's to his betrothed as a young man, which ensured that the march as well as the earldom was teeming with excitement.

In a small ballroom, away from the hustle and bustle of the main of the castle, the Lady Martha Jones-Pink, Baroness Coal-on-the-Hill, was helping Seren sit down with his cello while Sterling, Maglina, and Oriana stood nearby. Out of the teens, it was the girls who were excited, whilst the boy was ready to hide behind the drapes and never come out.

"Are you ready, Seren?" the Baroness asked. The young boy nodded, face grit with determination when it came to handling the instrument, which was larger than he was even when standing, having recently moved up to an almost-full size.

"We aren't even technically supposed to be at the wedding," Sterling frowned. "Why do we need to learn to dance if we aren't officially attending it anyhow?"

"…because it will make your parents and sister happy; now get over here," the Baroness replied. The young man complied and stood before her—the lad was getting so tall—while she glanced over towards Oriana and Maglina. "Are you paying attention?"

"Yes, Mum," Oriana nodded. She and her best friend watched as her mother placed one of Sterling's hands on her lower back and held onto his shoulder while taking hold of his other hand.

"Now, this is the proper position for the sort of dancing you see at balls," the Baroness explained. "See how his hand is on my back? That means he's the lead, and leads step forward when dancing, while the follow steps backwards." She turned her attention to Seren for a moment, giving him a nod that prompted him to start playing his music in a slightly fumbling manner. After walking Sterling through the steps, she let go of him, ignoring how he immediately placed a pace's worth of distance between them. "Do you girls have any questions?"

"How do we know when to lead and when to follow?" Maglina wondered.

"Usually the men lead, but sometimes women do too, or they switch mid-song; it usually depends on the couple, the type of music, and how they're feeling during that dance."

"Oh, okay! I want to try now!" the smaller teen said cheerily.

"I do too!" Oriana insisted.

"Alright then," the Baroness chuckled. "Maglina, come with me, dear. Sterling, take Oriana; we're both going to lead, okay?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am," Sterling gulped. He held onto Oriana at as far of a length as possible, waiting nervously for the cue to start. When the notes from Seren's cello began again he went through the steps mechanically and kept himself from touching his dance partner more than was absolutely necessary.

"What's wrong?" Oriana asked him. "Your hands are all sweaty. Are you nervous?"

"Don't want to step on your toes, is all," he lied. He silently begged the stars and gods and anything else that would listen to let the lesson be quick, fearing that an involuntary reaction could possibly get the better of him.

The dancing continued, with the partners switching up who led and who followed, until a courier arrived with a letter for the Baroness. She took it and excused herself from the lessons, leaving the teens and Seren by themselves.

"Are you sure you're alright, Sterling?" Oriana wondered. He was helping Seren place the cello in its case, the instrument being too heavy for the boy alone. "Do you need me to call Mum back so she can look you over?"

"It's fine, really," he insisted.

"Sterling, don't act like Papa and ignore your health until you're falling over," Maglina pouted.

"I'm not ignoring my health—I'm fine," Sterling snapped. He then picked up the cello case and quickly left the ballroom, leaving Maglina and Oriana to stand there angrily, while Seren ran after him fast as his little legs could carry him.

"Hey Sterling! You forgot me!" the younger brother insisted. He chased him down the corridor, catching up once they reached the staircase. "Sterling? Why are you so cross?"

"I'm not I'm just…" Sterling glanced down at his brother and sighed, knowing there was a boundary he violated when it came to both his sister and their friend. "It's a bit complicated, alright?"

"I guess," Seren frowned. They reached the floor that contained the family's wing and veered off towards the private study, where the cello was kept. "Is it that you don't want to dance with Ori?"

"I don't really want to dance with anyone," Sterling replied. It was the honest truth—it was only that dancing with Oriana was the most dangerous for his sake. "I'd dance with Mama, or Lady Martha, or even Astra if she asked since it's her wedding, but that doesn't mean I'd enjoy it."

"Why not? Dancing doesn't look that difficult."

"Maybe I'm just not the dancing sort." Alright, he was headed back towards lies again. The teen knew he would willingly dance one day, with the recipient of his affections blushing in his arms, yet for now it was something he would much rather avoid. "Are you jealous that you don't get to dance at Astra's wedding?"

"A little, but I know it's because I have to be at least a teenager," Seren said. He held open the door to the study and helped his brother place the cello away. "What if Grandmamma asks for a dance?"

"Then I dance—it's better to do what she asks and make Mama and Grandpapa's lives easier," Sterling shrugged. He glanced down at his brother and noticed the far-off look in the boy's eyes. "Hey, are you doing okay?"

"Uh… yeah…? I think so. Why?"

"One of our sisters is getting married in a few weeks and you're really little for having a sibling getting married… it makes sense."

"Well, Olly is nice, and Astra marrying him will make him our brother, so I don't mind," Seren reasoned. He then drew inward, contemplating as quickly as his mind could process. "Sterling? Will Astra move far away and never come back?"

"I'm sure she'll come back, but where she moves to is up to her and Olly," Sterling said. "I think I remember him saying something about needing to return to Rhylls for at least a few months, but I could be wrong..."

"Can we go ask?" Seren wondered, his eyes growing wide. Any excuse to talk with the newest member of the family and he was there. "Can we? Can we?"

"He's supposed to be in a meeting downstairs with Lena and—hey! Seren!"

Soon as the boy gleaned where he needed to go, he sprinted off towards the public offices. Although Sterling was quicker, Seren had enough of a head start to make it all the way down to where Lena, Olivier, and Astra were all gathered around a map that was spread out over a table.

"…and to what do we owe this surprise?" Lena asked. "Is Lady Martha finished with lessons already?"

"She had to leave—a letter came for her while we were practicing," Sterling explained between gulps of air. "Seren…"

"Astra! I like Olly too, but I don't want you to move away and never come back!" Seren interrupted. Olivier laughed at that, finding his future brother-in-law greatly amusing.

"Come here," he urged the boy. Seren complied and stood on a chair next to Olivier so that he could see the entire map in front of them. "Now, can you show me where Gallifrey is on here?"

"Well, yeah, it's up there," Seren said, pointing towards the far side of the table.

"Exactly," Olivier nodded, "and Rhylls is all the way over here." He placed a finger on a cape that protruded into one of the southern bays, watching the boy's face darken. "That's a long way to go, isn't it?"

"Yeah…"

"It usually takes anywhere from two and a half weeks to a month to go from Rhylls to the Kasterborsian border, depending on weather and how often you have to stop," Olivier explained. "The postman can make it in less than two, but that's because there's thousands of postmen between the two places to carry letters when one tires out. Uncle Antoine, my mum, and I have talked about the distance too, since they're as worried as you are."

"Are they?"

"Intensely," Astra added. "That's why we're showing Olly who lives where and what sort of roads are easier to navigate than others, so that he can decide how to establish trading routes between here and the capital. His uncle wants to expand business to the north, which means—"

"You can still live with us!" Seren gasped excitedly.

"I was thinking more the old Sladen Estate a short ride the city walls," Olivier cut in. "It's been empty for a while, which means no one has a claim, it's very close, and keeping it up will show the local people that the Peladons don't mean any ill will."

"Didn't the Sladens used to employ at least a dozen people?" Sterling wondered. "It would be good to have those jobs open again. Twelve isn't very many, but it is more than there was before, and I'm sure there are decent people to fill the positions that need work."

"Exactly; the Peladon-Lakertyas of Sladen House plan on being a positive influence within the community, hence why I feel no qualms over giving Olly a little insider information," Lena winked. She then glanced at the clock on the wall and cleared her throat. "Astra? I believe we have your appointment with the seamstresses to meet."

"Stars, we do," Astra hissed. She pecked Olivier on the lips and the sisters left the room, abandoning the menfolk to their own devices.

"Won't your mama be sad that you live so far away?" Seren asked, still staring at the map.

"She will be, but we've been planning on me moving north for a long time now, since before I met Astra, so she's accepted the idea," Olivier said. "I figure she's going to visit whenever she can… say, do you want to go with me to the Sladen Estate? I have to go talk to the caretaker there sometime today anyhow."

"Really…?!" Seren's eyes lit up, going wide as saucers. "That sounds like fun!"

"Great! Let's go tell your parents we're going." Olivier let Seren hop on his back and began to carry him out of the room. "Would you like to come along too, Sterling? The more the merrier."

The teen considered it for a split second, with the thought of needing to practice dancing some more making up his mind for him. "Sure, why not? This way I'll know how to get there for certain."

"Then let's go!" Seren cheered.

After informing the Marquis and Marchioness they were leaving (and promising they would be back for dinner), Olivier and Sterling each procured a horse from the stable and they set off, Seren riding with the former. Their destination was less than an hour from the castle walls, tucked away in a wood and surrounded by private land. The barons who originally kept the place were on very close terms with the marquisate, so much so that when the last baroness passed away, the Tenth Doctor and Eleventh Marquis set aside a small stipend to keep up the manor until someone trustworthy could purchase it. When Olivier had expressed interest in the place, his future father-in-law almost immediately drew up a deed agreement, making him the new owner pending a down payment that was to arrive when Serdar Peladon returned.

In the meantime, Olivier stayed interested in the happenings in and around Sladen House so that when the purchase was final, it wasn't as though a stranger was taking over. The manor was one of considerable size, with vines covering the outer walls of both the building and the immediate property, giving it a very old, regal feel. There were various outbuildings in differing states of upkeep, though the more worn ones had building materials stacked by them. An old man came shuffling out of the side of the house, a large grin upon his face.

"Master Olivier! I was wondering when you'd get here!" he said. The caretaker took note of the extra riders and put things together quickly. "Taking the Young Lords Sterling and Seren to see where their sister is going to live?"

"This isn't very far from home at all!" Seren exclaimed as Olivier helped him down from the horse. He bounced in the dirt yard, overflowing with excitement. "This means that Astra and Olly can still come over to the castle and have dinner and play games and wow!"

"Don't tell him about how Astra and I want kids of our own," Olivier muttered lowly at Sterling. "I'm not going to be the one to tell him how all that works, let alone be the reason why he needs telling."

"Right beside you," Sterling replied. He then raised his voice so that his younger brother could hear. "Olly, is it alright if Seren and I explore the house for a bit while you and the caretaker talk?"

"I don't see why not," Olivier shrugged. He had the caretaker let the two into the manor, at which Seren rushed in, curious as to what was there.

After exploring the downstairs kitchens, the brothers went upstairs and began poking around. Everything was dusty and the furniture was covered in sheets, but it was clear that the former baroness had left plenty to go along with her house. There were a couple different libraries, some studies, a sitting room that looked over an untended garden, and even a hall that was big enough to host a small society party.

"This place is neat!" Seren giggled, twirling around as he looked at the finery of the hall. "Astra's really going to live here?!"

"That's what Olly said," Sterling assured. He glanced at a portrait on the wall—a kindly woman in middle age—and looked at the inscription: Lady Sarah Jane, Baroness Sladen. "Hey, this is the last owner."

"She looks like Grandmamma if Grandmamma liked fun," Seren noted. "I bet she would've liked us."

"Probably; Papa said his grandpapa liked to talk about how she was a lovely lady," Sterling said. "She was good friends with Grandpapa Johan and Grandmamma Donata, apparently."

"…but everybody seems to know our family," Seren said. "Mama and Papa especially know everybody." He then gasped and darted out of the hall. "Where's the sleeping wing?!"

"Upstairs, probably," Sterling answered, attempting to keep up. "Why?"

"I got to claim my room!"

"Seren!"

The boy was able to evade his brother's grasp long enough to bolt up the stairs and into a bedroom. He threw himself on the bed and bounced up and down, dust billowing everywhere.

"Ugh! Seren!" Sterling scolded. He opened the window to let the breeze in and looked down, seeing Olivier and the caretaker still talking in the yard. "Olly! Seren's trying to claim a bedroom!"

"There's over ten of them! I think he can pick one for the time being!" Olivier laughed. "If my new kid brother can't spend the night in his own room, then who can?"

"Aw, neat; then this one's mine!" Seren exclaimed, jumping off the bed and tumbling on the floor. He began poking around in the cupboards and drawers, seeing if there was anything interesting. The boy was about to pull an old journal from the bottom of the wardrobe when Sterling smacked his hand away.

"You do realize these aren't your things, correct?" the older brother scolded. "They were the late baroness's, and now they're Olly's."

"…but he won't know what to do with this one," Seren argued. He picked up the book and held it up, revealing the dust-coated cover and its golden-colored title. "It's in Gallifreyan—he can't read it!"

"Maybe he's going to learn," Sterling said, exhaling wearily. Giving up, he followed Seren as the boy went over to the sitting area and threw the cloth from the couch, sitting down comfortably with the book. They sat together as Seren opened the cover gingerly, making sure he did not break the old, worn binding.

"This journal belongs to Johan Alvis, Marquis and Doctor of Kasterborous and Gallifrey…! Sterling!"

"It's Grandpapa Johan's… I don't know Seren…"

"I still wanna read it!"

"Here… I'll read it to you. It looks like there's some old spellings in it you don't know yet." Sterling took the book from Seren and waited until his brother settled in before starting on the first page. "I feel but a shell—it has been three weeks since I last saw my beloved, or, at least, whom I thought was she. My brother's silver tongue seduced her, turned her wicked, and now I am without the two people whom I thought would be by my side for always.

"Sarah Jane keeps telling me I should stay with her for a few days, though I am not sure. She has long been trusted council, but what good would time away from my duties do? Gallifrey needs her Doctor and I am now the Last of the Time Lords…"

"What are you two reading?" Olivier asked. Sterling and Seren glanced over their shoulders to see their future brother-in-law standing by the doorway, having come up to investigate which of the rooms the youngest brother had claimed. "That sounds like witchcraft."

"It's High Gallifreyan; we found a journal written by our papa's grandpapa," Seren said. "His brother tried to steal the governance chair from him and papa both, but they threw him out on his wrinkled old arse!"

"Seren!" his brother hissed.

"Well, that's how Tara tells it," the boy protested, not even paying attention to the fact Olivier sat down on the other side of him. "How am I supposed to know? Faolan the False tried to kick us out when I was a baby! I don't remember things from when I was a baby!"

"That doesn't mean you say rude things," Olivier chuckled. "I don't think Astra told me about this story—can you?" He then gave Sterling a knowing smile—of course he heard, but Seren wasn't going to take no for an answer.

The sky was turning towards violet twilight as Olivier and Sterling rode back into Castle Gallifrey's stables, Seren asleep in the older man's grasp. A stable hand helped with removing the youngest lord from the saddle, though as soon as Olivier was on the ground himself, he hefted Seren onto his back and began to walk with him and Sterling into the castle.

"So, how late are we?" he wondered aloud.

"We'll be lucky if we're allowed to take Seren anywhere ever again," Sterling replied. They had barely turned into the corridor with the dining room when they could hear Lena's voice sarcastically cut through the air.

"They're alive—no need to panic," she said. The tardy ones approached where she was leaning on the doorjamb, nearly wanting to turn tail and run then and there. "We already ate; good to know you weren't eaten by wild animals."

"What a caring sister I'm gaining," Olivier fired back jokingly. He made to turn into the room, yet stopped when the Marquis appeared mere inches from his face.

"…and where have you been?" he scowled.

"We lost track of time, Papa," Sterling piped up. "We were exploring Sladen House and found an old journal of Grandpapa Johan's; it's from right after the failed coup." He took the book from his cloak pocket and held it out, allowing his father to take it. The man flipped through it and handed it back before taking his youngest off of Olivier's back.

"There's sandwiches for you inside," he muttered as he stormed away. Olivier and Sterling then slunk into the dining room, where they were greeted by their fiancée and mother respectively.

"You are going to be the death of us," the Marchioness chided gently. "I thought you promised to be back in time."

"We were planning on it, honest," Sterling claimed. "What's Papa going to do with Seren?"

"Just put him down for the night; nothing serious."

"Now sit down and eat, both of you," Astra ordered, "and tell us about Grandpapa Johan's book. I'm sure it was very interesting."

"I still think that language sounds like witchcraft," Olivier stated. He and Sterling complied, however, explaining all about Sladen House and what they found there, including what was in the journal. Even though they had risked the Marquis's ire by being late, it had still been an interesting day for what were now the three brothers… hopefully the first day of many.