I know it's been a while, but I'm back with another chapter! Drop a review and let me know what you think.
When Zuri popped off next, it was to a strange scene.
The 10th Doctor was banging his head, dancing to some music blaring from the console.
Rose was pointing at him, grinning. "You're a punk!" She declared. "That's what you are. A big old punk with a bit of rockabilly thrown in."
"I agree." Zuri teased.
"Zuri!" The Doctor bounced over. "Would you like to see him?"
"How do you mean? In concert?" Rose asked.
"What else is a TARDIS for?" He asked, drawing the two girls into dancing with him. "I can take you to the Battle of Trafalgar, the first anti-gravity Olympics, Caesar crossing the Rubicon, or... Ian Dury at the top rank, Sheffield, England, Earth, 21st November 1979. What do you think?"
"Sheffield it is!" Rose answered while Zuri grinned in the background.
"I'm gonna get more appropriate dress on." She said as the TARDIS began to shake.
"Hold on tight!" She heard the Doctor call as he banged on the console to the beat of the music.
The TARDIS grumbled in Zuri's mind and she laughed. Hurrying to pull herself along the hall to the wardrobe. She pulled a deceivingly light gown down, hoping the fine dress would help in the coming adventure.
While the Doctor may not notice the shade of her skin, she knew that Scotland, 1879 wasn't known to be pleasant for someone like her. The 1920s with Agatha had been bad enough, although by the end everyone seemed to ignore it.
"1979! Hell of a year!" The Doctor pulled Rose up off the floor, oblivious to the fact that Zuri had returned. "China invades Vietnam... The Muppet Movie! Love that film. Margaret Thatcher... ugh... Skylab falls to Earth, with a little help from me, nearly took off my thumb."
They stepped out the doors, Zuri right behind them. "I like my thumb, I need my thumb, I'm very attached to..."
It was then the Doctor noticed all the soldiers, guns raised. "My thumb."
He finished. "1879. Same difference."
The Captain clicked the gun. "You will explain the presence of you and the Lady, as well as the nakedness of the girl." He said ominously.
Rose glanced down at her short dress, before glancing back and noticing Zuri's deep blue gown with a high neck and a slight ruff. She squinted angrily, if Zuri had known this would happen why didn't she say something. But the amused glint in her eyes told Rose exactly why she hadn't spoken.
"Are we in Scotland?" The Doctor asked, his voice picking up an accent as easily as breathing.
"How can you be ignorant of that?" The Captain asked suspiciously.
"Oh, I'm... I'm dazed and confused. The fair Lady here and I have been chasing this, this wee naked child over hill and over dale. In't that right, ya... timorous beastie?"
Zuri held a hand over her mouth to hide her giggles as Rose, with an absolute hilarious excuse for a Scottish accent, answered.
"Och, aye! I've been... oot and a boot!"
"No, don't do that." The Doctor muttered, but she continued.
"Hoots mon!"
"No really, don't do that. Really."
"Will you identify yourself, sir?" The Captain had had enough.
"Er yes. I'm Doctor James McCrimmon, from the township of Balamory. I have my credentials, if I may?"
The Captain nodded, and the Doctor reached into his pocket for the psychic paper. He held it out to the soldiers, still maneuvering to keep Zuri behind him.
"As you can see, a Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. I trained under Dr. Bell himself."
"Let them approach." A voice rang out from the coach.
Ducking her head, Zuri stepped up first.
"An honour, Your Majesty." The Doctor stepped up behind her, pulling Rose with him even as the Captain protested.
"Rose, Zuri... Might I introduce her Majesty, Queen Victoria. Empress of India, and Defender of the Faith."
"Rose Tyler, Ma'am." Rose curtsied.
"And my apologies, for being so naked." She let out a nervous laugh.
"I've five daughters, it is nothing to me. But you Doctor, show me these credentials." The Queen looked down her nose at them stately.
The Doctor handed over the psychic paper, allowing her to examine it.
"Why didn't you say so immediately? It states clearly here that you've been appointed by the Lord Provost as my protector."
"Does it?" He questioned, and Zuri was mildly embarrassed he was being so obvious.
"Yes, yes it does! Good! Good. Um... then let me ask, why is Your Majesty traveling by road when there's a train all the way to Aberdeen?"
"A tree on the line." The Queen sniffed.
"An accident?" He murmured.
"I am the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Everything around me tends to be planned."
"What, seriously? There's people out to kill ya?" Rose gasped in shock.
"I'm quite used to staring down the barrel of a gun."
At that point, the Captain spoke up. "Sir Robert MacLeish lives but ten miles hence. We'll send word ahead, he'll shelter us for the night, the we can reach Balmoral tomorrow."
"This Doctor and his... timorous beastie will come with us. And the Lady Zuri. Where are you from my dear?"
"At the moment I am also under the protection of the Doctor, Ma'am." The Doctor gave her an odd look, but the Captain was hurrying them along.
"Indeed." Said the Queen. "And there are tales of wolves about. Fanciful tales for the children of course, but good for the blood I think. Drive on!"
Zuri pulled at the hem of her gown to keep it out of the mud, revealing the tips of a decidedly modern pair of combat boots. Rose gave them a pointed look, but let it go in favor of commenting on their current traveling company.
"It's funny though, 'cos you think 'assassination' and you just think of Kennedy and stuff. Not her."
"1879," The Doctor drawled, "she's had ooh, six attempts on her life? And I'll tell you something else: we just met Queen Victoria!"
"I know!" Rose squealed.
"She was just sitting there."
"Like a stamp!"
The Doctor nodded. Zuri rolled her eyes. "You are not to go trying to get her to say, 'I am not amused.'"
"Aww, Zuri, where's your sense of fun?" Rose teased. But she shook her head sharply. "It will only cause trouble."
When they arrived at the estate, a footman opened the carriage door, assisting the Queen down. Two men emerged from the house.
"Your Majesty." The first man bowed deeply. Zuri gave the other man, tall, bald, and athletic, a suspicious look.
"Sir Robert." The Queen began, "my apologies for the emergency. And how is Lady Isobel?"
"She's indisposed, I'm afraid. She's gone to Edinburgh for the season. And she's taken the cook with her. The kitchens are barely stocked... I wouldn't blame Your Majesty if you wanted to ride on."
The Doctor cocked his head to the side, and Zuri nodded to him. Sir Robert was definitely trying to suggest something was wrong. "Keep your ears open, Doctor." She whispered.
The Queen brushed him off. "Oh, not at all! I've had quite enough carriage exercise. And this is... charming. If rustic. It's my first visit to this house, my late husband spoke of it often. The Torchwood Estate. Now shall we go inside?"
"Torchwood, remember that name," Zuri muttered. The Doctor gave her a sharp look. Zuri didn't say such things without purpose.
"And please excuse the naked girl." The Queen continued, oblivious to the muttering going on behind her.
"Sorry," Rose added, with a slight roll of her eyes.
"She's a feral child." The Doctor spoke up. "I bought her for a sixpence in old London town. It was her or the elephant man, so..."
Zuri butted in then. "Please excuse him Ma'am, had a touch of the fever in 1870. He's brilliant though a little unaware of social graces anymore."
The Queen nodded as Rose giggled at the offended look the Doctor was giving her.
Sir Robert, realizing she wouldn't be dissuaded, led them all to the house.
Zuri pulled Rose along, knowing the Doctor would be trying to learn what was in the guarded box being hauled inside with them.
They headed up the staircase, into a large observatory. Zuri watched warily as several members of the house "staff" followed them in. In the center of the room was what looked like a massive telescope.
"This," stated the Queen, "I take it, is the famous Endeavor."
"All my father's work." Said Sir Robert, gesturing towards it. "Built by hand in his final years. Became something of an obsession. He spent his money on this instead of caring for the house or himself."
The Doctor smiled fondly. "I wish I'd met him, I like him. That thing's beautiful, can I?"
He gestured toward the telescope.
"Help yourself." Sir Robert said.
"What did he model it on?" Zuri asked.
The Doctor smiled. He knew she was still very young, though he forgot to check her jump number. He was happy to see her beginning to really insert herself in the situation instead of watching it play out. She was more important than she knew.
"I know nothing about it." Sir Robert admitted, breaking the Doctor out of his thoughts. "To be honest, most of us thought him a little... Shall we say eccentric? I wish now I'd spent more time with him, and listened to his stories." He glanced at the Queen.
The Doctor opened his mouth, but Zuri cut over him.
"How many prisms does it have? It's very pretty."
"And the imagination of it should be applauded." The Queen added. "This device surveys the infinite work of God. What could be finer?
"Sir Robert's father was an example to us all. A polymath. Steeped in astronomy and sciences, yet equally versed in folklore and fairy tales."
"Stars, and magic. I like him more and more." The Doctor added, turning back to admire the telescope some more.
"Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company." The Queen turned to Rose and Zuri. "Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Sax Coburg."
"That's Bavaria." The Doctor informed Rose.
The Queen turned to Sir Robert. "When he heard about your local wolf, he was transported."
"What's this wolf then?" The Doctor perked up.
"It's just a story." Sir Robert looked uncomfortable, glancing at the bald man behind him.
"Then tell it." The Doctor encouraged.
The man opened his mouth to begin but was interrupted by the bald man, reminding him of dinner.
The Queen agreed, but insisted that clothes be found for Rose. Zuri offered to help her, and they were shown to a room off the hallway upstairs.
Zuri was quick to cover Rose's mouth, muffling the scream that emerged as a young maid tumbled out of the wardrobe. "What's wrong, dear?" She asked quietly, keeping an eye on the door.
"They came through the house, they took the Steward and the Master, and my Lady."
She missed Zuri flinching at the name 'Master'.
"Listen," Rose began, "I've got this friend, he's called the Doctor. He can help."
"What's your name?" Zuri asked.
"Flora."
"Flora there's more people now downstairs. Soldiers and everything, and they can help us. I promise, alright? Come on." Rose encouraged.
The three women peered out the door, and seeing no one, hurried down the hall. Stepping around the corner, they came across a downed guard.
"Oh miss, I did try to warn you!" Flora cried.
Rose knelt and felt for a pulse. "He's not dead. I fink he's been drugged."
Zuri caught sight of the monks as they grabbed Flora and Rose. Just before a hand was thrown over her mouth she managed a scream.
"Doctor!" A thump with something hard on the back of her head and Zuri was out like a light.
When she awoke, Zuri was shushed by a woman in a fancy dress as everyone else around them stared at a cage in fear.
Obviously the lady of the house.
"My Lady?" Zuri muttered. "We must work together, we have to pull the chain from the wall."
Rose caught her plan quickly, having talked with the creature, and it was growling lowly. Moonlight streamed in the window, and Zuri pulled herself from the floor, ignoring the pounding in her head.
"Quickly!"
"One, two, three, PULL!" Rose yelled, and they all took hold of the chains, pulling as hard as they could.
The door to the cellar burst in, and the Doctor stepped through.
"Zuri?! Are you alright?"
She waved him over, ignoring the question, instead trying to get out of the chains.
He quickly sonicked the locks, before turning to the creature in the cage. "Oh, that is beautiful!"
He breathed, staring in awe at the creature.
The monster grabbed hold of the bars of its cage, pulling to bend them apart. The staff were all clamoring to get out, and he was dragged back to awareness by Zuri.
He caught her clutching at her head in pain, but had to focus on getting everyone out, "OUT! Out, out, out, out, out!"
The werewolf, for that's what it was, stood tall, free of his cage. He threw the top of it across the room, narrowly missing the Doctor, who finally stopped staring and ran for it.
He slammed the door behind him, locking it with the Sonic. They could hear the wolf on the other side as he stretched up and howled.
"It could be any form of light modulated species triggered by specific wavelengths. Did it say what it wanted?" The Doctor asked, relieving them of the handcuffs.
Rose shrugged. "The Queen, the Crown, the throne... you name it."
There was a thump from the direction of the cellar, and Zuri pulled herself up from the floor, where she had sat down to rest. The wolf, at that moment, knocked down the door, and stood at the end of the hall, breathing heavily. He and the Doctor stared at each other for a moment, before the wolf growled low in his throat. Snatching the girl's hands, he dragged Rose and Zuri around the corner behind the armed guards.
"Fire!" Shouted the Steward. There was a chorus of shots, and the order was given to fire again. The men fired again. Silence came from the dim corridor.
Up next... more Tooth and Claw