Chapter 7

The Warrior

It was the students who spread the news. They ran out of the Academy, down the streets, yelling in happiness.

"We are at war! Gallifrey has declared war to Skaro! The timelock is on already! At arms!"

From the windows, the gallifreyans cheered the students. Some put up flags and praised the Senate for finally taking action. Arcadia celebrated the war if they'd already won it.

The reaction wasn't quite the same for Edain and his parents. The clouds on the Doctor's face became even grayer, and the scowl that appeared on his face wouldn't leave for a long time. Most gallifreyans hadn't experienced war in the flesh, or they had forgotten about it. The Doctor and Lune were exceptions to this rule, and had taught their children well. So while Gallifrey rejoiced, the Doctor's family fortified their houses and held their children tight.

The first fights took place far from Gallifrey. The High Command sent troops to Skaro, where the daleks were organizing themselves.

Runa managed to stay away from them, since both her and her husband were at the army and Cahay was still underage. Ledakan wasn't so lucky.

"He calls from Skaro every day" Cahay told Edain one night, when he and Runa visited. "Says everything's alright."

Edie had a feeling Ledakan wasn't being completely honest with his son. The Doctor had made a quick trip to the battlefields, and didn't seem as optimistic. He had assured Edain that his brother-in-law was alright, though.

Runa looked exhausted, but didn't fail to visit Edain in his workshop downstairs.

"Runa!" Edain got out of the spaceship's frame and ran to hug his sister "I thought you had already left!"

"Me?" she smiled, and if Edain hadn't been that smart he might not have noticed how painful her smile was. "I couldn't leave without seeing my little brother, could I?"

"Well, I thought because you have a lot of work…"

"Shut up, Edie." This time the smile was a little more genuine. "Come on, show me the changes you've made since I was last here."

Her expression was clear. She was scared, but didn't show it for the others. Well, if Runa could be strong, then so could Edain. He swallowed his own fear and started explaining the mechanics of his spaceship. If Runa was bored at any moment, she didn't show it.

It soon became clear to everyone that the war was going to take a lot longer than what the Senate had already promised. The fight left Skaro, getting closer and closer to Gallifrey. More troops were movilised, this time including Runa, and the timelords were warned: if the war kept on going, they would have to enlist in the army as well.

But the war wasn't real to Edain until one day, a stranger arrived at the house.

As he was home alone, he was the one who answered the door.

"Hello?"

At the door there was a man dressed in a red waistcoat with the symbol of the High Command. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of Edain, and sighed.

"I come from the city with a message for your dad" he said in a high-pitched voice, as if talking to a toddler. "Can you call your dad for me, please?"

"He's not home, but you can give me the message and I'll get it to him." Edain tried not to get offended too quickly. After all, he looked like a kid.

"Sorry, sport, but this is just for grown-ups." the messenger replied. "When will he come?"

"I'm one hundred and thirteen, mate. I reckon I can handle that. And as for when he'll arrive, I don't think even he knows it. Just give me the message, it's much easier."

"One hundred and thirteen?" the messenger looked startled for a second. "Wait a moment. You're the Ankuris, aren't you?"

"Yep. And I assure you even I can do something as simple as passing on a message. You have it written, right?"

"But you're an Ankuris."

"Really? No way. Are you going to deliver the message or not? Cause I got things to do, and I don't like wasting my time."

The messenger took an envelope out of his bag and held it under Edain's nose.

"Do you swear you'll give this to your father as soon as he arrives?"

"Of course I will. Geez, hasn't anyone told you that kid doesn't equal stupid?"

The messenger rolled his eyes, but gave him the letter.

"Be careful. Remember, it's from Gallifrey's High Command."

Edain decided not to say his fifth witty response in the conversation and shut the door.

"People can be very annoying, you know" he said to Mik. The monkey nodded seriously in agreement. "Well, let's hope that message isn't very bad news."

Needless to say, they were.

It was obvious from the moment the Doctor arrived home.

"Ed! Do you know who left this message here?"

"Some guy from the High Command. And hello, by the way."

"Hi" the Doctor smiled and hugged him with one arm, but he wasn't really paying attention to Edain. "Yeah, it looks impo…" his voice trailed off.

"What's wrong? Dad?"

But his dad wasn't listening. His face had turned white, and he seemed to be very, very far away.

"Dad!" Edain shook him frantically. "Dad, you're scaring me! What's going on?"

The Doctor seemed to come back with a huge effort. He looked right at Edain, and Ed saw something he'd never seen in his eyes: fear. The Doctor gasped for air, and suddenly Edie found himself squeezed in his father's arms. The Doctor was murmuring something that sounded like a prayer, too low for Edain to hear.

"Dad?"

The Doctor sighed and let him go. He still looked scared, but it was different. Edain felt a knot in his stomach, even though he didn't know why. His father knelt, positioning himself at Edie's level, and put his hands on his shoulders.

"Ed, I'm sorry, but I can't stay here anymore. The war isn't going well and they need my help."

"But you don't like wars. You always say we should never carry guns."

"And I still think that. But sometimes… Sometimes, Edie, you have to do things you don't like, just because there is no other choice."

"So you're going to war."

"Yes. Will you be okay?"

Edie wanted to say no. He wanted to hide and cry and be a little boy, and get his dad to stay home. But he remembered Runa's face the last time she had been home. She was strong because her kids needed her, and now dad needed Edain.

"I'll be fine" he lied, and even managed a smile. "What about mum? Won't you say goodbye to her?"

Dad looked relieved to hear this.

"Mum's at work right now. It will be easy to find her and tell her the news. I'll keep in touch, I promise."

He breathed deeply and stood up, squaring his shoulders. He would've left immediately (Ed already knew how much he hated goodbyes), but Edain had thought of a question, and he just had to ask it.

"Dad…"

The Doctor turned around to face him. Ed knew each second was more painful than the previous one, but he asked anyways.

"If you are the Doctor, and doctors cure people, what are you going to do now that you're going to war?"

His father thought about it for a second, and his expression turned darker.

"If I can't be the Doctor, then I'll be the Warrior."