Here is more floof, also plot.
Enjoy!
~RainingCoffee
After the life changing discovery in the kitchen, I found that my dislike of chocolate ice cream extended to other forms of chocolate as well.
"How did this happen?" I ask, bewildered.
The Doctor doesn't reply, as he's still to busy laughing.
A frown tugs at my lips. I know it's stupid. After everything that happened, falling into another universe to regenerating, this is the one thing that really drove home that things were going to be different now.
xxxx
And so the days pass. Full of good books and exploration. It's a very slow couple of weeks, but it was exactly what I needed, and I expect it's what the Doctor needed as well. The more time that passes, the more at home I feel in this new body of mine.
The more at home I feel, though, the more I itch to go out and do something else. So, on the day that marks two weeks of us just puttering around the Tardis, I finally ask if we can go somewhere.
"Of course we can." The Doctor states. "I was just waiting for you to feel ready."
I tilt my head in consideration. "So where are we going to go?"
The Doctor hums in contemplation, tapping his finger against his mouth. "I think I know just the place."
"Where?" I ask him, leaning forward in interest.
"Now that is going to be a secret." He responds, smirking at the frown on my face.
He ends up taking me to the planet Biblios. It's one of the few library planets strewn across the universe. Apparently, all the data of the known universe was stored here. I call bullshit on that, but it was nice to travel through the maze of information none the less.
Once the floodgates were open though, it seemed like the Doctor had all sorts of ideas about where to take me.
We go to Avalon, a planet with six moons. It was an incredibly beautiful place. Too bad the Doctor almost got lynched by an angry mob of grandmothers who took offense to the fact that I was skinny. They accused the Doctor of not feeding me enough and started beating him with brooms. I'm not going to lie, it was so funny I almost didn't wade into the fray to help him out.
After that the Doctor, being fed up with alien's for the time being, took us to a planet called Woman Wept. The entire continental land mass is shaped like a lamenting woman, and the whole ocean is frozen in place. It's sort of mind boggling to be standing in front of a wave that is over a hundred feet high.
Next, we stumble upon a planet known for being one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in the universe. Which would normally sound like a good thing, but the Eye of Orion was anything but peaceful when we visited it. For some reason, the Tardis landed when another version of the Doctor was already there, so instead of being able to enjoy the scenery, we spent two hours hiding behind a wall waiting for him and his companions to go away.
For the anniversary of me appearing on the Tardis, one whole linear year, the Doctor took me to Disneyland. Only it wasn't just any Disneyland. It was the one on Clom, and it covered nearly half the planet. It took us days to go through every ride!
Shortly after that, I started my studies on the Gallifreyan language. The Doctor insisted I learn, though it's not like I minded, and as a treat for memorizing the alphabet he took me to go see a planet called Crafe Tec Heydra. On one side of the largest mountain range there were carvings of the Time War. It was written in old high Gallifreyan, so I wasn't able to understand it. The only part I could understand was etched underneath it in another language entirely. The words said, 'You are not alone.'
Something about them immediately caused my nose to bleed, so the Doctor bustled me off into the Tardis right away. I didn't mind. The words gave me the creeps.
After the incident on Crafe Tec Haydra, the Doctor stuck to a couple of nicer places for a bit, like Delphon. The natives communicated through their eyebrows, and any sort of actual speech was frowned upon. We were there for twelve hours and it was like one huge charades game.
We had a close call on Ephte Major, home of the greedy and slug like Ephtes. They stole the Tardis, and we spent 4 days slogging our way through the jungle trying to get it back. Well, the Doctor spent 4 days slogging through the jungle, I got sick on day 2 and by the end of day 3 the Doctor was half carrying me on his back. I don't even remember getting back to the Tardis. The Doctor later told me that what I came down with was a general illness that most young Gallifreyans get at some point or another, their equivalent to the flu. Of course I would go and get it when we didn't have access to proper facilities.
On Dido we had a particularly interesting adventure. It was a mountainous desert world, home to vicious looking, but completely harmless sand seals. We spent a week there, partying with the locals and surfing the sand on the sand seals.
The visit to Florana came as a present for my 20th birthday. It was another paradise planet, or near enough that it qualified in my book. Miles of flowers, as far as the eye could see and sand as soft as a baby bird's down. Its oceans had effervescent water, where the bubbles would support you without the need for you to swim. It was a fantastic present.
We accidently landed on the planet Esto, and my burgeoning telepathic senses got a workout when we came across telepathic plants. They insisted on coming home with us, to the point that before I knew it they were curled up in my hair and ready to go. The flower crown looked nice, but it was a hassle to try explaining to them why we couldn't take them with us. By the end, I had made such a mess of the explanation that even the Doctor was in stitches from laughing so hard.
It's not like we were always running around, even though it might sound like it. Sometimes the Doctor would insist on my studies, he was trying to flesh out my knowledge of physics and mathematics. Other times we would just sit and enjoy a good book or have a movie marathon. I swear the day I introduced the Doctor to the Lord of the Rings was the day his life changed for the better.
So the years passed quickly, some days were fun and others were less so, but that was all a part of life in the end. The Doctor really was very good at this whole taking care of a kid thing, and I was getting better of being taken care of. All and all I would say we were getting by quite well in this magical box of his.
And then it happened. We ended up having a rather close brush with a human trafficking ring right after the 5th anniversary of me coming to this universe, which included an unintentional hop into another universe where we met four other Doctors. Once the situation was dealt with, we all ended up toasting smores and trading stories by a fire until the Doctor and I had to return to our own universe. I was sad to see them go, but glad I got to meet them in the first place.
Unfortunately, seeing the other Doctor's had reminded me of one important fact. That fact was Rose. It had been over five years for us since Rose had decided to spend some time with her mother.
So, with what felt like a stone in my stomach, I brought it up with the Doctor.
"You want to go back for her?" He asks me.
"I think we should." I nod decisively. "You said that she decided to stay with her mother for a little bit, not that she wanted to stay home forever."
The Doctor studies me closely. "I know there was tension between the two of you before-"
I cut him off. "It's not going to be a problem. I think I've grown up at least a bit in the last 5 years."
"It's not you I'm worried about." I can swear I hear him mumble, but when I ask he just sends me an innocent look.
And so, 5 years later for us and 3 months later for her, we materialize outside of the Powell Estate.
I dress in my most comfortable clothes, a pair of black leggings and a graphic tee that says 'Keep Calm and Trust the Doctor.' I remember when we found the shirt. I loved it right off the bat, but the Doctor just face palmed. It took me quite a while to convince him to get it for me.
The Doctor notes it, and he sends me a concerned look. "We don't have to do this, y'know. We can come back at any time."
I shake my head. "Nah, it's now or never. Allons-y, Doctor!"
"I rue the day I ever said that out loud in your presence." He mutters. Though I don't really blame him. The moment he said that word it was like a flip was switched, and suddenly that's all I wanted to say. On all the adventures.
The climb up the stairs was normal, and before I knew it we were awkwardly standing outside of the Tyler flat after ringing the doorbell.
Jackie's dulcet tones easily carry through the door. "Rose! Get the door, would ya?"
A thump answers her, then the sound of feet walking closer to us. Rose must look through the peep hole because there is a long pause from the sound of footsteps reaching the door and the door actually opening.
When it does open, it opens in a rush. Rose's upset face greets us. She doesn't say anything.
"Hello." I say with a wave.
"Three months. It's been three months since you left me here." Rose seethes, glaring at the Doctor.
"I told you I would be back after you spent some time with your mum." The Doctor states, though it comes out more as a question. He looks very confused.
Rose huffs, narrowing her eyes. "Yeah, and I thought you meant like a week or somthin', not three bloody months." She glances behind her, stepping out into the hall and pulling the door mostly closed. "Mum's been on me to get a job!"
The Doctor tilts his head to the side. "Er, sorry?"
I bite back a laugh, which earns me a tug on a lock of hair in response.
"And you!" Rose exclaims, rounding on me with a finger outstretched. "You've changed again."
"No I haven't!" I respond, looking down at my hands in confusion.
"You're older." Suddenly, Rose looks uncertain. "How long has it been for the two of you?"
Oh, now I kind of feel bad for her. Reaching out, I touch the Doctor on the wrist and urge him not to tell her how long it's been.
"It's been a bit." The Doctor responds with a smile. "Willa and I had to get used to our new bodies."
"Now we're here to pick you up to go traveling again." I chime in.
"Unless you don't want to go?" The Doctor finishes.
Rose is quiet, eyes flickering back and forth between the two of us. Eventually, slowly, she nods. "Yeah, I still do want to go with you. I just need to go let mum know."
I smile encouragingly, though Rose still looks uncertain as she steps back into her apartment, like she thinks we are going to leave her behind again.
As soon as she's out of sight, I round on the Doctor who is already looking a little guilty. "I thought you said she decided to spend some time with her mother?"
"To be fair, I never used those words exactly." The Doctor hedges. "I only said she was spending some time with her mother, not that she was the one who decided to."
"Yeah, but you heavily hinted at it." I respond, raising an eyebrow.
"I told you I had some words with her." The Doctor shrugs.
Reaching up to touch his wrist again, I share the reason why I'm pushing at this. Rose had looked uncertain and hurt. It didn't sit well with me.
The Doctor ruffles my hair, fond and exasperated in equal measure. "It's already happened, I can't go back and change the past now. We'll just have to show her differently."
I frown up at him, but ultimately decide that he's right.
Rose emerges from the apartment, and I catch a glimpse of a disapproving Jackie before the door closes behind her. She had a small backpack and at some point she seems to have regained her confidence because there's a large smile on her face. "Let's go!"
The Doctor and I exchange a look a look of growing excitement, smiles of our own forming on our faces.
"Allons-y!" I say, leading the way down the hallway.
"Allons-y?" I hear Rose ask the Doctor behind me.
"It means let's go in French." The Doctor mutters. "I said it once in front of her and I've regretted it ever since."
I smirk at him over my shoulder, enjoying the look of longsuffering exasperation on his face. "You're only upset cause you wanted it to be your catch phrase and I took it over."
The Doctor shakes his head. Leaning closer to Rose, he puts a hand up like he's telling her a secret. "I think it might be because she won't stop saying it. No matter where we go. Everywhere."
Rose puts a hand over her mouth, but it's evident she's holding back a smile. The Doctor sends a look my way, as if to say 'See! Progress!'.
I turn back the right way round in order to hide my eyeroll. It's going to take a bit more than a shared joke to make things right, even I know that.
It takes less than a minute to get to the Tardis. I unlock the doors, standing back to let Rose in. She goes in slowly, taking in the console room. There is a look of wonder in her eyes.
I glance at the Doctor, to which he nods back at me. Message received then.
Rose shakes her head, spinning around to look at us. "So where are we going?"
The Doctor rushes up the grating to stand near the console. "I was thinking 1970's."
I close the door behind me, walking up the grating at a slower pace. "1970's where?"
Smirking, the Doctor pulls a CD from his pocket and carefully wipes it off before inserting it into the console.
Some sort of old rock band starts playing from the speakers.
"Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Number One in 1979." He explains, bobbing his head as he walks around the console inputting coordinates.
Rose leans forward, signature smile going strong. "You're a punk." She looks highly amused. "That's what you are. A big old punk with a bit of rockabilly thrown in."
The Doctor's eyes flicker between us. "Would you two like to go see him?"
"In concert?" Rose asks.
"What else is a Tardis for?" He exclaims, in full performance mode. "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?"
Rose smiles, looking excited. "Sheffield it is."
"Hold on tight!" The Doctor states, pulling the lever for dematerialization.
The Tardis takes off, shaking like crazy. My hold on the railing behind me is the only thing that keeps me on my feet. The Doctor and Rose do a good job of staying upright from their place next to the console right up until the Tardis stops, and then they get thrown to the ground.
The Doctor laughs, Rose following suit. I walk over and help the two of them up.
"1979." The Doctor comments, heading down the grating. "Hell of a year. China invades Vietnam. The Muppet Movie. Love that film. Margaret Thatcher. Urgh. Skylab falls to Earth, with a little help from me. Nearly took off my thumb."
Walking out the door he continues. "And I like my thumb. I need my thumb. I'm very attached to-"
And for some reason he cut himself off. It isn't until I walk outside of the Tardis myself that I see why. There are several people in Redcoats aiming guns at us. Subtly, I close the doors behind me.
"My thumb." The Doctor finishes, cheer fading.
"1879, Doctor." I murmur, coming to stand next to him.
He shrugs. "Same difference."
It's really not.
One of the soldiers in the red coat urges his horse to step closer, he has a gun pointed at us. "You will explain your presence. And the nakedness of this girl." He orders, pointing at Rose.
"Are we in Scotland?" The Doctor asks, affecting a rather authentic Scottish accent.
"How can you be ignorant of that?" The soldier asks in disbelief.
"Oh, I'm, I'm dazed and confused." The Doctor says, drawing the words out. Gesturing at Rose, he lays it on thick. "I've been chasing this, this wee naked child over hill and over dale."
Rose frowns, eyes flickering to my outfit then back to her own.
Placing a hand on my shoulder, the Doctor continues. "This is my daughter, Willa."
I bow my head, making sure to look as plain as possible.
The soldier narrows his eyes. "Will you identify yourself, sir?"
"I'm Doctor James McCrimmon, from the township of Balamory. I have my credentials, if I may." The Doctor reaches for his pocket, waiting for the nod of approval, which he gets after a moment of contemplation. Pulling the psychic paper from his pocket, he offers it to the soldier. "As you can see, a Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. I trained under Doctor Bell himself."
"Let them approach." A woman's voice comes from the carriage from behind the soldiers.
"I don't think that's wise, ma'am." The soldier who has been doing all the talking states.
The voice, stern now, repeats itself. "Let them approach."
The soldier straightens up, finally pulling his gun from it's position firmly on us. The other soldiers follow his lead. "You will approach the carriage and show all due deference."
The Doctor nods, looking confused, but takes the steps necessary to approach the carriage.
A man rushes around the carriage to open the door. A smile builds on the Doctor's face at the sight of the person inside. "Willa, Rose, might I introduce her Majesty Queen Victoria. Empress of India and Defender of the Faith."
"Rose Tyler, Ma'am." Rose says with a curtsey. "And my apologies for being so naked."
"I've had five daughters. It's nothing to me." The Queen states, before her eyes slide to mine. "And you are?"
I curtsey as well. "Willa McCrimmon, Your Majesty. It's an honor."
The Queen nods, neutral, then turns her attention to the Doctor. "And you, Doctor. Show me these credentials."
The Doctor hands her the psychic paper.
She studies it, a small sliver of annoyance flickering over her face. "Why didn't you say so immediately? It states clearly here that you have been appointed by the Lord Provost as my Protector."
"Does it?" The Doctor asks, I can feel him wince as I subtly step on his foot. "Yes, it does. Good. Good. Then let me ask - why is Your Majesty travelling by road when there's a train all the way to Aberdeen?"
"A tree on the line." The Queen states, pursing her lips in frustration.
That's enough to catch the Doctor's attention. "An accident?"
Queen Victoria just looks at him. "I am the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Everything around me tends to be planned."
"Assassination attempt then." I murmur.
"What, seriously?" Rose says in disbelief. "There's people out to kill you?"
"I'm quite used to staring down the barrel of a gun." Queen Victoria states, leaning back. There is a sort of quiet dignity about her. One that makes me stand up straighter I response.
"Sir Robert MacLeish lives but ten miles hence." The soldier says, addressing her Majesty. "We've sent word ahead. He'll shelter us for tonight, then we can reach Balmoral tomorrow."
"This Doctor, his daughter, and his timorous beastie will come with us." Queen Victoria states.
The soldier nods. "Yes, Ma'am. We'd better get moving, it's almost nightfall."
"Indeed." The Queen agrees. "And there are stories of wolves in these parts. Fanciful tales intended to scare the children." A rather frightening smile comes to her face. "But good for the blood, I think. Drive on!"
Her footman comes back around to close her door, and the procession moves on.
The Doctor, Rose and I wait until we are behind the carriage to start walking.
"It's funny though, because you say assassination and you just think of Kennedy and stuff. Not her." Rose states, looking around in interest.
"1879? She's had, oh, six attempts on her life? And I'll tell you something else." The Doctor bites his lip, looking like a kid on Christmas. "We just met Queen Victoria!"
I beam, nodding. "This is so cool!"
Rose leans forward, putting her arm through the Doctors. "I know!"
The Doctor stiffens in response, but she doesn't seem to notice.
"I want her to say we are not amused. I bet you five quid I can make her say it." Rose continues, smiling up at him.
He pulls away, the motion masked as he uses the hand to wave her off. "Well, if I gambled on that, it'd be an abuse of my privileges as a traveler in time."
Rose sends him a conspiratorial look. "Ten quid?"
"Done." I chime in, speeding up to get between them. Slipping my hand into the Doctors, I can feel his relief as he squeezes mine in return.
Rose looks a little disgruntled, but she doesn't say anything is response to being jostled out of her spot.
Twitching my fingers, I assure him that I'll try my best to stand between them from now on. Some of the tension leaves his shoulders, even as the wind blows his hair everywhere.
"Hey, how come they said something about my clothes and not yours?" Rose asks me.
I'll give her that one, she may be wearing a mini skirt but my leggings and graphic tea are equally out of place in the 1800's. "I'm not entirely sure to be honest."
"It has to do with perception." The Doctor chimes in. "Because Willa has spent so much time on the Tardis she's accumulated some of the energy and it acts like a low level perception field around her. So people can see her, but what they see is sort of fudged around the edges so to speak."
"Is that why you never change?" Rose asks. "Cause you didn't change when we visited Charles Dickens."
"Exactly!" The Doctor confirms.
xxxx
It takes a few hours, but we finally come across a gorgeous brick manor, with an observatory and a huge telescope on top. I tug on the Doctor's hand. "Look!"
"Yes, now that is interesting isn't it." The Doctor murmurs, studying the telescope with a furrow between his eyes.
The Queen gets out of the carriage, and a man comes out of the front of the building, greeting the Queen. "Your Majesty." The man bows.
"Sir Robert. My apologies for the emergency. And how is Lady Isobel?" The Queen asks, performing the necessary pleasantries.
"She's indisposed, I'm afraid. She's gone to Edinburgh for the season. And she's taken the cook with her." Sir Robert states, looking slightly distressed. "The kitchens are barely stocked. I wouldn't blame Your Majesty if you wanted to ride on."
"Oh, not at all." The Queen waves him off. "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." Gesturing towards the house, she nods. "Now, shall we go inside?" There's a pause as the Queen looks over to Rose. "And please excuse the naked girl."
"Sorry." Rose murmurs, looking uncomfortable. She tugs on the bottom of her skirt, trying to make it go lower.
"She's a feral child." The Doctor says, biting back a smile. "I bought her for sixpence in old London Town. It's was her or the Elephant Man, so-"
Rose cuts him off, glaring. "Thinks he's funny but I'm so not amused." Her glare turns into a sly look as she turns back to the Queen. "What do you think, Ma'am?"
The Queen stares at Rose. "It hardly matters." Turning back to Sir Robert, she grants him a slight smile. "Shall we proceed?"
The Queen and her entourage head for the front of the building. Rose leans in, lowering her voice. "So close."
"Not likely." I whisper back. "I think you're going to end up pissing her off."
"Makerson and Ramsey." The man who I've determined to be the head guard calls out. "You will escort the property. Hurry up."
"Yes, sir." The guards, who I can only assume are Makerson and Ramsey, snap to attention and one grabs a small wooden box from the carriage.
The three of us watch the box, interested in what's inside. "So what's in there, then?" The Doctor asks.
"Property of the Crown. You will dismiss any further thoughts, sir." The head guard states before looking at the rest of his men. "The rest of you go to the rear of the house. Assume your designated positions."
"Sir!" And the soldiers move.
The Doctor leans over towards me and grimaces comically. I bite back a smile, hiding my face in his shoulder.
"Do you think we should follow them?" Rose asks.
The Doctor and I shrug. "Might as well." We say in unison.
Rose frowns at us, even as we start making our way into the house. "Now you two are getting a little creepy."
Looking at each other, the Doctor and I shrug once again. Rose give us an unimpressed look in response.
Increasing our speed, we end up catching up to the Queen and Sir Robert, following them up the stairs and into the observatory that I had noticed when we first saw the house. The telescope that was visible from below is right up in front of us now.
"This, I take it, is the famous Endeavour." Queen Victoria states.
"All my father's work." Sir Robert explains. "Built by hand in his final years. Became something of an obsession. He spent his money on this rather than caring for the house or himself."
"I wish I'd met him. I like him. That thing's beautiful." The Doctor gestures to the telescope. "Can I?"
"Help yourself." Sir Robert nods.
The Doctor and I immediately step forward, Rose a step behind us, going up to the telescope and checking it out.
"What did he model it on?" The Doctor asks, gently touching the side of the gorgeous contraption.
"I know nothing about it. To be honest, most of us thought him a little, shall we say, eccentric." Sir Robert's voice takes on a wistful sort of tone. "I wish now I'd spent more time with him and listened to his stories."
The Doctor kneels down and looks through the eyepiece. His face scrunches up in disapproval. "It's a bit rubbish. How many prisms has it got? Way too many." Standing up he frowns at the telescope. "The magnification's gone right over the top. That's stupid kind of-" He pauses, turning towards us. "Am I being rude?"
I nod, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep." Rose agrees.
Looking back towards Sir Robert and the Queen the Doctor smiles awkwardly. "But it's pretty. It's very pretty."
The Queen takes a step forward. "And the imagination of it should be applauded."
"Mmm." Rose murmurs. "Thought you might disapprove, Your Majesty. Stargazing. Isn't that a bit fanciful? You could easily not be amused, or something?" The Queen just stares at her, all good humor gone from her face. "No?"
"This device surveys the infinite work of God. What could be finer?" The Queen states after a pause. "Sir Robert's father was an example to us all. A polymath, steeped in astronomy and sciences, yet equally well versed in folklore and fairytales."
"Stars and magic." The Doctor chimes in, smile more genuine now. "I like him more and more."
"Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company." Focusing on Rose, the Queen continues. "Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Saxe Coburg."
"That's Bavaria." The Doctor murmurs from behind us, lowly, so the Queen can't hear. Rose nods, it seems to mean something to her, but it doesn't help me at all.
The Queen turns to Sir Robert. "When Albert was told about your local wolf, he was transported."
I can hear the Doctor shift from behind me. "So, what's this wolf, then?"
"It's just a story." Sir Robert states.
"Then tell it." The Doctor has a faint tone of exasperation in his voice.
Sir Robert pauses, tilting his head slightly, before beginning. "It's said that-"
"Excuse me, sir. Perhaps her Majesty's party could repair to their rooms. It's almost dark." One of Sir Robert's butlers, at least that's what I assume he is, interrupts.
"Of course." Sir Robert says with a smile, gesturing for us to step towards the door. "Yes, of course."
"And then supper." The Queen states. "And could we find some clothes for Miss Tyler? I'm tired of nakedness."
"It's not amusing, is it?" Rose asks.
I sigh, almost soundlessly. Rose is going to get us kicked out of the manor if she keeps going at this rate.
The Queen swings her head around to look at Rose, but ultimately decides to ignore her, which is probably for the best at this point. "Sir Robert, your wife must have left some clothes. See to it." Walking towards the door, she continues. "We shall dine at seven, and talk some more of this wolf. After all, there is a full moon tonight."
"So there is, Ma'am." Sir Robert bows his head in recognition of the instructions.
The butler directs us to specific bedrooms, where we're to rest until it's time for dinner. They put me in a room opposite the Doctor, and Rose three doors down.
I wait until I hear the footsteps recede down the hall, then slip out of my room and into the Doctor's room. He looks unsurprised to see me, patting the bed next to where he's sitting.
Flopping down on the bed, I fling my arms out to cover as much room as possible. "Sir Robert seems shifty."
"He did seem a bit nervous." The Doctor agrees. "Though that could be because he's entertaining the Queen."
I hum non-committedly. Switching tracts mentally, my lips can't help but quirk up in a smile. "Rose is going to get herself into trouble."
"Oh, but it's worth it though." The Doctor comments with a smile of his own.
"It would be funny if Rose can get her to say it." I admit, amused, though it's short lived. Sitting up, I focus on the Doctor. "Speaking of Rose."
The Doctor looks unsurprised at the line of questioning. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to drop it?"
Studying him, I nod slowly. "You don't have to explain anything. My earlier offer is still good, I'll try and distract her if she tries to latch onto you again. I just, was under the impression that the two of you had a closer relationship, s'all."
"In a different world perhaps." He looks pensive. "I won't deny that things seemed to be heading in that direction before, but my priorities changed along the way."
Priorities meaning me. I purse my lips. The Doctor notices, reaching over and tapping me right between my eyes. "Stop that. Yes, you were a part of the reason, but not the only reason. What do I always tell you?"
"That you are the adult, who can make their own decisions." I answer dutifully, raising an eyebrow.
"There, and don't go thinking that I shouldn't be thinking of you when I make decisions. That comes as part and parcel when you are taking care of someone." He scolds me, but in an exasperated way.
"I understand that part Doctor. I'm not arguing against that." I reply, frowning. "I just don't want you to make yourself miserable as a way of trying to make me happy."
The Doctor give me a look. "Do I look miserable?"
I shake my head. He reaches out and touches the skin of my cheek. Awareness blooms, I'm still just a speck against the ocean of his mind but the feeling has become comforting rather than overwhelming over the years.
"Do I feel miserable?" He asks me.
"No." I reply after carefully studying his emotions.
Pulling his hand back, the Doctor raises an eyebrow as if to say 'There!'.
"Okay, Okay. I get it, you can stop with the look now." I tell him, thoroughly embarrassed with the conversation.
He raises his other eyebrow, then waggles them, making the most ridiculous face that I've seen to date. I break, laughter washing away the embarrassment. Which was probably his plan in the first place.
"Now c'mon, there's 10 minutes until dinner is supposed to start and it's not a good idea to keep the Queen waiting." The Doctor states, getting up.
I bounce up, trailing behind him. "Don't forget to put that Scottish accent back on. Wouldn't want to break the ruse."
"Ahh." The Doctor responds, Scottish once again. "Wouldn't want that to happen, now would we."
"You're crazy good at that." I scrunch my nose up. "If I had never met you before, I never would have known the difference."
He shrugs. "Speech patterns are easy to replicate, and I've been Scottish before."
It takes less than a minute to reach the dining area, a butler showing us to our seats. The Queen and the head guard, who's name I still don't know, are seated on one side of the table. Sir Robert is across from her, with the Doctor on his left, and me on the Doctor's left.
The tall, bald, butler that spoke up earlier comes into the room with a tumbler of dark alcohol. "Your companion begs an apology, Doctor. Her clothing has somewhat delayed her."
"Oh, that's all right." The Doctor states, a slight smile curving his lips. "Save her a wee bit of ham."
"The feral child could probably eat it raw." The Queen says, humor in her own voice.
Her guard laughs, far harder than the situation calls for. "Very wise, Ma'am. Very witty."
The Queen turns to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "Slightly witty, perhaps. I know you rarely get the chance to dine with me, Captain, but don't get too excited. I shall contain my wit in case I do you further injury."
I stifle a laugh. That was savage.
"Yes, Ma'am." The guard murmurs, lowering his head. "Sorry, Ma'am."
"Besides, we're all waiting on Sir Robert. Come, sir. You promised us a tale of nightmares." The Doctor says, focusing on Sir Robert.
"Indeed. Since my husband's death, I find myself with more of a taste for supernatural fiction." The Queen explains, eyes going distant.
The Doctor notices. "You must miss him."
She turns to look at the Doctor. "Very much." She states, pausing. "Oh, completely. And that's the charm of a ghost story, isn't it?" Her eyes travel to mine. "Not the scares and chills, that's just for children, but the hope of some contact with the great beyond." She looks off into the distance again. "We all want some message from that place. It's the Creator's greatest mystery that we're allowed no such consolation. The dead stay silent, and we must wait."
There's a second of silence before the Queen shakes herself out of her thoughts. "Come. Begin your tale, Sir Robert. There's a chill in the air. The wind is howling through the eaves. Tell us of monsters."
Sir Robert leans in. "The story goes back three hundred years. Every full moon, the howling rings through the valley. The next morning, livestock is found ripped apart and devoured."
"Tales like this just disguise the work of thieves." The guard, the Queen's captain, states. "Steal a sheep and blame a wolf, simple as that."
"But sometimes a child goes missing." Sir Robert continues. "Once in a generation, a boy will vanish from his homestead."
"Are there descriptions of the creature?" The Doctor asks.
"Oh, yes, Doctor. Drawings and woodcarvings." Sir Robert responds. "And it's not merely a wolf. It's more than that. This is a man who becomes an animal."
I lean forward to see him better. "A werewolf."
Sir Robert nods. "My father didn't treat it as a story. He said it was fact. He even claimed to have communed with the beast, to have learned its purpose." He turns his head to watch as the butler walks to the window, then turns back to us. "I should have listened. His work was hindered. He made enemies. There's a monastery in the Glen of Saint Catherine. The Brethren opposed my father's investigations."
"Perhaps they thought his work ungodly." The Queen hypothesizes.
"That's what I thought. But now I wonder. What if they had a different reason for wanting the story kept quiet?" Sir Robert asks. There is sweat on his forehead. "What if they turned from God and worshipped the wolf?"
Very quietly the butler, who I was beginning to think wasn't really a butler after all, starts to chant. "Lupus magnua est, lupus fortis est, lupus Dues est."
I just manage to resist the urge to turn and look as my mind translates what's being said. 'The wolf is great, the wolf is strong, the wolf is God.'
The Doctor does look, but only briefly. He has a serious look on his face. "And what if they were with us right now?"
The Captain stands up immediately, pulling out his gun and pointing it at the chanting ex-butler. The rest of us follow suit.
"What is the meaning of this?" The Queen demands.
"Explain yourself, Sir Robert!" The Captain orders.
Sir Robert looks at the Queen. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, they've got my wife."
The Doctor takes a step forward, closer to the chanting man. "Where's Rose?"
There is no response as the man continues to chant. The Doctor clenches his jaw. "Willa stay here." He looks at Sir Robert. "Sir Robert, come on!" And they take off down the hallway.
Now it's just the Queen, her guard, me, and a creepy chanting ex-butler in the room. I maneuver my way around the table, making sure I don't pass in front of the Captain's gun, which is still trained on the man in front of us.
"Tell me, sir. I demand to know your intention!" The Captain orders, once I've gotten to their side of the table, as he advances on the man.
"Lupus Deus est." The man chants. "Lupus Deus est."
The Captain steps even closer. "What is it that you want?"
The man stops chanting and turns around. "The throne." Then he proceeds to disarm the Captain and smack him across the face, making him fall to the floor in a heap.
I take a small step in front of the Queen, readying myself for an altercation. I might not be able to stop him, but the Queen must be kept protected. She wasn't supposed to die here.
The sound of a wolf howling fills the room.
"I take it, sir, that you halted my train to bring me here?" The Queen asks, all quiet dignity and poise behind my back.
"We have waited so long for one of your journeys to coincide with the moon." The man states.
"Then you have waited in vain." The Queen responds, pulling a small gun from her purse and stepping out from around me. "After six attempts on my life, I am hardly unprepared."
The man notes what I do, the fact that her hands are shaking violently, and smiles. "Oh, I don't think so, woman."
"The correct form of address is Your Majesty." The Queen scolds, and in the next second the gun is going off.
Falling to the floor, the man has an almost comical look of surprise on his face. "You actually shot me!"
"Yeah, fear is always a good motivator." I tell him, picking up the heavy crystal tumbler from the table and smashing it over his head. He falls to the floor heavily, unconscious.
"Come, child." The Queen instructs. "I must retrieve something from the strongroom."
I nod, falling into step behind her as we make our way to get whatever it is she needs. She enters a room that has a large cage with documents and the like inside. The box that we had noticed the guards moving earlier is in it. I look away respectfully as the Queen opens it and takes whatever is inside.
The Queen turns around and touches me briefly to get my attention. There is a look of approval on her face, but also one of urgency.
"Your Majesty?" Sir Robert's voice comes from out in the hallway. "Your Majesty!"
"Willa!" The Doctor's voice calls out, urgent.
The Queen and I rush out into the hallway and make our way downstairs, where the voices are coming from.
"Doctor!" I exclaim, making him spin around. He pulls me into a brief hug, relief evident in how tight he's holding me.
"Thank god you're all right." He murmurs.
I nod, biting my lip. The Doctor smoothes a hand down my hair, I get the sense of 'be right back' and he takes off down the corridor.
"Sir Robert? What's happening?" The Queen asks. "I heard such terrible noises."
"Your Majesty, we've got to get out." Sir Robert insists. "But what of Father Angelo? Is he still here?"
"Captain Reynolds disposed of him." The Queen responds, nothing but sincerity in her tone.
The Doctor returns, not looking happy. "The front door's no good, it's been boarded shut." He gestures towards the area he just came from, voice turning wry. "Pardon me, Your Majesty. You'll have to leg it out of a window."
The Queen raises her chin, before purposely walking in the direction that the Doctor was gesturing in.
It ends up being a small drawing room. Sir Robert speeds up, getting in front of the Queen. "Excuse my manners, Ma'am, but I shall go first, the better to assist Her Majesty's egress."
"A noble sentiment, my Sir Walter Raleigh." The Queen nods.
"Yeah, any chance you could hurry up?" The Doctor urges, dropping his Scottish accent.
Sir Robert opens the window and immediately ducks, as people from outside shoot at him. Leaning forward carefully for a better look, I can see that there are monks lining the property with guns.
The Doctor leans forward to look as well. "I reckon the monkey boys want us to stay inside."
The Queen makes a noise of frustration. "Do they know who I am?"
"Yeah, that's why they want you." Rose states. "The wolf's lined you up for a, a biting."
"Stop this talk." The Queen insists. "There can't be an actual wolf-"
A bang shakes the house, the howl of a wolf interrupting the rest of the Queens sentence. The Doctor takes off into the corridor, the rest of us right behind him, and stops at the sight of a door being broken into from the other side.
"What do we do?" Rose demands.
"We run." The Doctor says, almost like a question.
Rose shakes her head. "Is that it?"
"You got any silver bullets?" The Doctor asks.
"Not on me, no." Rose responds.
"There we are then, we run." The Doctor turns to look at us. "Your Majesty, as a Doctor, I recommend a vigorous jog. Good for the health." Nobody moves. "Come on!"
The Queen puts her hand in his, and everyone hurries up the stairs.
It doesn't take very long for the sound of the door breaking off it's hinges to make its way to us.
"Come on! Come on!" The Doctor demands. But it's no use. The werewolf is gaining on us, it's speed is incredible.
It's almost upon us when the Captain comes around the corner we are about to turn and takes a shot at the werewolf. The werewolf retreats, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
"I'll take this position and hold it." The Captain states, giving us an impatient look when no one moves. "You keep moving, for God's sake!" He frowns, looking at the Queen. "Your Majesty, I went to look for the property and it was taken. The chest was empty."
"I have it. It's safe." The Queen says, clutching her chest.
"Then remove yourself, Ma'am." The Captain states. "Doctor, you stand as Her Majesty's Protector." His eyes flicker over to Sir Robert in distaste. "And you, Sir Robert, you're a traitor to the crown."
"Bullets can't stop it!" The Doctor insists.
"They'll buy you time." The Captain exclaims, voice harsh. "Now run!"
I hear the others turn and rush off, but Rose pauses in front of me. Grabbing her arm, I yank her back a bit, but she hesitates before going into the library where everyone else is.
Sir Robert fires his weapon, once, twice, three times, and then the wolf is upon him. It rips at his flesh, tearing pieces off as easily as a knife would go into butter. I can't look away.
A hand comes over my eyes, even as an arm winds around my waist and yanks me inside the room. There are sounds of heavy things moving, blocking a door most probably, but all I can focus on are the horrifying screams that are still coming from the Captain as the werewolf tears him apart.
He was an awkward person, the Captain, and I hadn't given him much thought. But now he was dead, and he'd given his life to protect us. I was infinitely grateful for the hand that was still over my eyes, it hid the tears.
The Doctor, for he was the person holding on to me, pulled me further into his chest. I struggle to even out my breathing, biting the inside of my cheek to distract myself.
"Wait a minute. Shush, shush, wait a minute." The Doctor whispers. "It's stopped."
I pull back, subtly wiping at my eyes, and listen. It sounds as if the werewolf is sniffing at the door, then the footsteps recede.
"It's gone." The Doctor confirms.
"Is this the only door?" I ask in a whisper, as the footsteps circle the room from the outside.
"Yes." Sir Robert whispers back, then shakes his head in panic. "No!"
Sir Robert takes off, the Doctor on his heels and they quickly barricade the other door.
The sound of the werewolf walking around the room, from one door to the other continues.
"I don't understand." Rose murmurs. "What's stopping it?"
"Something inside this room." The Doctor's face scrunches up in confusion. "What is it? Why can't it get in?"
"I'll tell you what, though." Rose says, taking a step towards the Doctor.
"What?" He asks, looking back at Rose.
"Werewolf." Rose states.
"I know." The Doctor smiles, face lighting up. "You all right?"
She nods. "I'm okay, yeah."
"I'm sorry, Ma'am. It's all my fault." Sir Roberts apologizes, rubbing a hand across his face. "I should have sent you away. I tried to suggest something was wrong. I thought you might notice. Did you think there was nothing strange about my household staff?"
"Well." The Doctor starts, drawing out the word. "They were bald, athletic. Your wife's away, I just thought you were happy."
"I'll tell you what though, Ma'am, I bet you're not amused now." Rose says, looking at the Queen intently.
Oh Rose.
"Do you think this funny?" The Queen demands.
"No, Ma'am." Rose murmurs, looking away. "I'm sorry."
"What, exactly, I pray tell me, someone, please." The Queen continues, face harsh. "What exactly is that creature?"
"You'd call it a werewolf, but technically it's a more of a lupine wavelength haemovariform." The Doctor explains.
"And should I trust you, sir? You who change your voice so easily? What happened to your accent?" The Queen demands.
A look of realization crosses the Doctor's face. "Oh right, sorry, that's-"
The Queen shakes her head. "I'll not have it. No, sir. Not you, not that thing, none of it. This is not my world."
"Denying it's real won't stop it from trying to kill you, Your Majesty." I murmur into the silence. "It'll just make you an easier target."
"And you, the girl with eyes to old for her youthful face. Where do you fit into all of this?" The Queen studies me. "Are you really even his daughter?"
"He's not my birth father, no." I respond. "But he takes care of me, and that matters more than a connection to an absent and unknown person."
The Doctor comes up behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder. The Queen's eyes flicker between the two of us, and some of the tension fades from her body. "It seems as though there was one actual truth tonight."
Removing his hand from my shoulder, the Doctor starts to pace. There is a frown on his face as he tries to understand the situation. Something catches his attention, causing him to look more closely at the door. "Mistletoe." He murmurs. "Sir Robert, did you father put that there?"
Sir Robert looks up wearily. "I don't know. I suppose."
"There's one on the other door as well." I point at the door over Sir Robert's shoulder.
The Doctor looks contemplative. "No, a carving wouldn't be enough. I wonder." He jumps up on the desk barricading the door, and then proceeds to lick the door.
"Viscum album, the oil of the mistletoe. It's been worked into the wood like a varnish." The Doctor jumps down, looking triumphant. "How clever was your dad? I love him." Focusing on us, he explains. "Powerful stuff, mistletoe. Bursting with lectins and viscotoxins."
"And the wolf's allergic to it?" Rose asks, catching on.
"Well, it thinks it is. The monkey monk monks need a way of controlling the wolf, maybe they trained it to react against certain things." The Doctor hypothesizes.
"Nevertheless, that creature won't give up, Doctor, and we still don't possess an actual weapon." Sir Robert interjects, frustrated.
"Yes we do." I insist, my intuition sparking. Why go through the trouble of working the oil of the mistletoe into the wood? "You said earlier, that your father knew about the wolf, believed in it. He even worked the one deterrent that would cause the wolf to back off into the walls of this library. Why would he do that?" Sir Robert looks lost, and so does Rose and the Queen. "One reason. There must be something in this library that's important."
"Exactly!" The Doctor agrees, going to stand beside a set of bookshelves. "Well done Willa." He looks over to Sir Robert. "You want weapons? We're in a library. Books! Best weapons in the world. This room's the greatest arsenal we could have." Picking up a couple of books, he throws them to Rose who just barely manages to catch them. "Arm yourself."
Then the room becomes a flurry of activity. Even the Queen starts picking through the books.
"Biology, zoology. There might be something on wolves in here." Rose murmurs, opening up the book in her hand.
"A book on magic." The Doctor says, flipping through the large tome in front of him.
Sir Robert frowns down at the novel in his lap. "Some form of explosive.."
I reach up and pull down a book about mistletoe. Flipping through the pages, it becomes evident that this was the book we were looking for. "Look, here." I murmur, hopping down from my perch on the desk. "Sir Roberts, your father was a very intelligent man."
Setting the book down on the table, everyone leans in to see what's on the page as well. It's a picture of something falling from the sky dated to over three hundred years previous.
"Look what your old dad found." The Doctor breathes. "Something fell to Earth."
"A spaceship?" Rose asks.
"A shooting star." Sir Robert states, leaning in to read the passage. "In the year of our Lord 1540, under the reign of King James the Fifth, an almighty fire did burn in the pit." He pauses, thinking. "That's the Glen of Saint Catherine just by the monastery."
"But that's over three hundred years ago." Rose states. "What's it been waiting for?"
"Maybe just a single cell survived." The Doctor replies. "Adapting slowly down the generations, it survived through the humans, host after host after host."
"But why does it want the throne?" Sir Robert asks.
"That's what it wants." Rose states. "It said so. The, the Empire of the Wolf."
"Imagine it. The Victorian Age accelerated. Starships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam, leaving history devastated in its wake." The Doctor murmurs, eyes going distant.
"Sir Robert." The Queen's voice breaks the silence, startling me. "If I am to die here."
Sir Robert shakes his head. "Don't say that, Your Majesty."
"I would destroy myself rather than let that creature infect me." The Queen continues. "But that's no matter. I ask only that you find some place of safekeeping for something far older and more precious than myself."
"Hardly the time to worry about your valuables." The Doctor says in disbelief.
The Queen raises an eyebrow, standing up from the chair she had been sitting in and taking a step towards us. "Thank you for your opinion, but there is nothing more valuable than this." She puts a hand into her purse and pulls out the biggest diamond I've ever seen before in my life.
"Your Majesty." Sir Robert breathes out, staring at the diamond.
"Is that the Koh-I-Noor?" Rose asks, taking a step towards it.
"Oh, yes. The greatest diamond in the world." The Doctor states.
"Given to me as the spoils of war." The Queen explains. "Perhaps its legend is now coming true. It is said that whoever owns it must surely die."
"Well, that's true of anything if you own it long enough." The Doctor comments. Pulling out a pair of glasses and placing them on, he gestures towards the diamond. "Can I?"
The Queen studies him, before stretching out her hand and placing the diamond in his. "That is so beautiful." He breathes out. "Look Willa, really look at it."
I lean in, awed by the sight. Each cut on the diamond tells its own story. I can trace its history, and it is beautiful indeed.
"How much is that worth?" Rose asks, leaning in to see it better.
"They say the wages of the entire planet for a whole week." The Doctor states.
"Good job my mum's not here." Rose murmurs. "She'd be fighting the wolf off with her bare hands for that thing."
The Doctor smiles, just slightly. "And she'd win."
"Where is the wolf?" Sir Robert asks, looking around uneasily. "I don't trust this silence." He walks off to the other side of the room to check the barricade.
"Why do you travel with it?" The Doctor asks the Queen, nodding his head at the diamond.
"My annual pilgrimage." She explains. "I'm taking it to Helier and Carew, the Royal Jewellers at Hazelhead. The stone needs recutting."
"Oh, but it's perfect." Rose states, looking confused.
"My late husband never thought so." The Queen responds.
"Now, there's a fact." The Doctor nods, looking at the two of us. "Prince Albert kept on having the Koh-I-Noor cut down. It used to be forty percent bigger than this. But he was never happy. Kept on cutting and cutting."
The Queen smiles, a bittersweet expression on her face. "He always said the shine was not quite right. But he died with it still unfinished."
"Unfinished. Oh, yes." The Doctor throws the stone back to the Queen. "There's a lot of unfinished business in this house." He gestures to Sir Robert. "His father's research, and your husband, Ma'am, he came here and he sought the perfect diamond."
Shaking his head, the Doctor continues. "Hold on, hold on. All these separate things, they're not separate at all, they're connected." He smacks at his head. "Oh, my head, my head. What if this house, it's a trap for you. Is that right, Ma'am?"
"Obviously." The Queen responds.
"At least, that's what the wolf intended. But, what if there's a trap inside the trap?" The Doctor asks, expression intense.
The Queen frowns, not understanding. "Explain yourself, Doctor."
"What if his father and your husband weren't just telling each other stories." The Doctor tells her. "They dared to imagine all this was true, and they planned against it, laying the real trap not for you but for the wolf."
Dust trickles down from above, and we all look up. There is a glass dome overhead, and the clink on the werewolf's nails are loud as it walks across.
"That wolf there." The Doctor continues. The glass in the dome starts to crack. "Out! Out Now!"
We all lunge for the barricaded door, frantically pulling the items away so we can leave. The dome gives out just as we pull the last piece away and successfully open the door.
The Doctor closes the door on the wolf. "Get to the observatory!"
And then it's all sort of a blur of running. The sounds of the wolf breaking down the door is not what I wanted to hear, but it's what happens none the less. The wolf gains on us, I can almost feels it's breath on our necks. And then a crew of women come around the corner and throw a pan of hot water behind us.
The wolf howls, and I turn to watch as it cringes back, retreating down the hallway.
"Good shot." The Doctor compliments them.
"It was mistletoe." One of the woman states. Huh, they boiled up mistletoe and threw it on the wolf. Resourceful. I like it.
To the side, Sir Robert, and someone I'm going to assume is his wife, kiss. "Now, get back downstairs."
"Keep yourself safe." The woman responds.
Sir Robert nods. "Now go."
"Girls, come with me." The woman orders, the others following her. "Down the back stairs, back to the kitchens. Quickly!"
"Come on!" The Doctor insists.
"The observatory's this way." Sir Robert gestures down the hallway, and we are off again. Up the stairs, till we are at the very top. The Observatory is still where we left it, overpowered telescope and all.
"No mistletoe in these doors because your father wanted the wolf to get inside." The Doctor says. "I just need time. Is there any way of barricading this?"
Sir Robert pauses just outside of the door. "Just do your work and I'll defend it."
"If we could bind them shut with rope or something." The Doctor continues.
"I said I'd find you time, Sir." Sir Robert states, stubborn and very Scottish. "Now get inside."
The Doctor studies him. "Good man." Then turns around and faces the Queen. "Your Majesty, the diamond."
I watch as Sir Robert closes the door, feeling absolutely wretched, but I'm pulled back into the moment with the Queens startled exclamation. "For what purpose?"
"The purpose it was designed for." The Doctor tells her.
The Queen frowns, but hands the diamond over anyways. "Rose, Willa, over here." The Doctor instructs, going to a wheel on the side of the telescope. "Lift it. Come on."
"Is this the right time for stargazing?" Rose asks, muscles straining.
"Yes it is." The Doctor confirms.
Sir Roberts screams, and I close my eyes, even as I struggle to pull the wheel even harder.
Opening my eyes, I see the upset look on Rose's face as she turns her head to look towards the door where the screams are still coming from. "You said this thing doesn't work."
"It doesn't work as a telescope because that's not what it is." The Doctor explains, frustrated. "It's a light chamber. It magnifies the light rays like a weapon. We've just got to power it up."
"It won't work. There's no electricity." Rose exclaims. The Doctor makes a frustrated noise from beside me. "Oh, Moonlight. But the wolf needs moonlight. It's made by moonlight."
"You're seventy percent water but you can still drown." The Doctor replies, snarky. "Come on! Come on!"
And then, finally, we manage to move the telescope enough for it to refract the light it needs to. The whole observatory lights up as a concentrated beam of moonlight comes out of the bottom of the contraption and hits the floor.
The wolf breaks the door in, growling and snarling, and heads straight for the Queen. The Doctor lunges, flinging the diamond across the floor. It lands perfectly in the concentrated moonlight, reflecting the light onto the wolf.
As if by magic, the wolf is lifted off its feet and the image of the wolf falls away to reveal the shape of a humanoid. "Make it brighter." It says, plaintive. "Let me go."
Reaching over to adjust the magnification on the eyepiece, the Doctor does as asked. The light intensifies and the shape of a wolf returns, howling, before it vanishes altogether.
I sigh in relief, bending over and picking the diamond back up. The Doctor takes it from me and goes to hand it back to the Queen, but he pauses. "Your Majesty? Did it bite you?"
"No, it's, it's a cut, that's all." The Queen responds, shaken.
"If that thing bit you-" The Doctor continues.
"It was a splinter of wood when the door came apart." The Queen interrupts him. "It's nothing."
The Doctor looks unconvinced. "Let me see."
The Queen looks up finally, her face stern. "It is nothing."
He raises his hands, nodding his understanding. Giving the Queen back the diamond, he retreats to my side and puts a hand on my shoulder.
I lean into the hand, the adrenaline starting to recede and leaving me worn out.
"You're shaking." The Doctor murmurs, hand coming up to touch my forehead.
"Adrenaline crash." I respond wrapping my arms around myself to try and conserve some heat. His mental presence presses against mine, shoring me up, before retreating once more.
He pushes lightly against my shoulder to get me moving. "C'mon, let's find you somewhere to rest."
I sort of want to protest, but there really isn't any reason to do so. The wolf has been taken care of, and I'm sure that the Doctor will make short work of the rest of the wolf monks with the help of the household staff.
Getting through the doorway is rough, blood is everywhere, and the sight of Sir Robert's mangled body will be imprinted into my memory for a long time to come. The Doctor doesn't try to shield me from it, for which I'm grateful, though he does hurry his steps once we are past the body.
He leads me back to the room that had been originally given to him when we first arrived, helping me climb under the covers, and smoothing my hair back.
"I don't know if I'm going to be able to go to sleep." I whisper, wide awake now that my head has hit the pillow.
"I know." The Doctor murmurs, shifting so that his hand is touching my cheek.
Then, there is only darkness.
xxxx
I blink awake to the light of a new day shining in through the windows, and the Doctor sleeping in a chair to my left.
Trying to be as quiet as possible, I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed. I must not be quiet enough, because the Doctor jerks in his seat, eyes immediately jumping to my location on the bed.
He relaxes, hand coming up to rub at his chest. "Willa."
I nod, rubbing at the sleep crusted in the corner of my eyes. "Morning. Sorry for waking you up, I was trying to be quiet."
"S'alright." The Doctor responds, stifling a yawn. He rummages around in his pockets, coming up with a bottle of water and a pair of toothbrushes.
I gladly accept mine, and after brushing my teeth I'm feeling far more awake and aware for the day to come.
"Let's grab Rose as well." The Doctor murmurs. "Her Majesty said she wanted to see us first thing in the morning."
Rose's door opens a few seconds after our knock, and there is no hint of sleepiness on her face. "Ready then?"
The Doctor nods, and we make our way down into the dining room area where we're served breakfast.
Afterwards, the household congregates in the library and the Doctor, Rose and I are asked to kneel in front of the Queen.
The Queen is holding a sword, and she takes a breath to steady herself. "By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee Sir Doctor of Tardis." She states, bringing the sword gently down on one shoulder, then the other. "By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee Dame Rose of the Powell Estate." This time the sword comes down on either side of Rose's shoulders. "By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee Dame Willa of Tardis." She gently taps both of my shoulders with the sword as well, then brings herself back to the center. "You may stand."
"Many thanks, Ma'am." The Doctor says, bowing his head slightly.
I bow my head as well. "Thank you, your Majesty."
"Thanks." Rose smiles. "They're never going to believe this back home."
"Your Majesty, you said last night about receiving no message from the great beyond." The Doctor states, voice soft. "I think your husband cut that diamond to save your life. He's protecting you even now, Ma'am, from beyond the grave."
"Indeed. Then you may think on this also." The Queen pauses, face solid and untouchable. "That I am not amused."
Rose turns towards the Doctor. "Yes!"
The Queen stares at Rose until she stops smiling. "Not remotely amused. And henceforth I banish you."
There is a pause. "I'm sorry?" The Doctor asks faintly.
"I have rewarded you, Sir Doctor, and now you are exiled from this empire, never to return." The Queen states. "I don't know what you are, the three of you, or where you're from, but I know that you consort with stars and magic and think it fun." Her tone turns derisive, and harsh. "But your world is steeped in terror and blasphemy and death, and I will not allow it. You will leave these shores and you will reflect, I hope, on how you came to stray so far from all that is good, and how much longer you may survive this terrible life. Now leave my world, and never return."
The three of us bow, and then we leave. What else could we have done? And honestly, I don't really blame her for exiling us.
As we walk down the path, we manage to convince a local farmer who's pulling a cart with hay in it to let us ride down the path a bit.
The Doctor and Rose are chatting about one thing or another, but my own thoughts are on other things, so I don't follow it very closely. "You know, I'm not even a British citizen. Can the Queen really banish me if I wasn't supposed to be here in the first place?"
Barking out a laugh, the Doctor smiles wryly. "I'm not a British citizen either, but somehow I don't think it really matters to her."
I hum, tuning them out once more. The Tardis comes into view and I thank the cart driver as we hop off.
"No, but the funny thing is, Queen Victoria did actually suffer a mutation of the blood. It's historical record. She was hemophiliac." The Doctor states. "They used to call it the Royal Disease. But it's always been a mystery because she didn't inherit it. Her mum didn't have it, her dad didn't have it. It came from nowhere."
"What, and you're saying that's a wolf bite?" Rose asks.
He shrugs. "Well, maybe hemophilia is just a Victorian euphemism."
My face scrunches up in disbelief. "For werewolf?"
"Could be." The Doctor waggles his eyebrows.
Rose shakes her head. "Queen Victoria's a werewolf?"
"Could be." He says again. "And her children had the Royal Disease. Maybe she gave them a quick nip."
"So, the Royal Family are werewolves?" Rose asks, looking like she's actually considering it.
"Well." The Doctor replies, dragging out the word. "Maybe not yet. I mean, a single wolf cell could take a hundred years to mature. Might be ready by, oh, early 21st century?"
"Nah, that's just ridiculous!" Rose exclaims, before pausing and looking over at the Doctor. "Mind you, Princess Anne."
He raises his hands. "I'll say no more."
"And if you think about it, they're very private. They plan everything in advance. They could schedule themselves around the moon. We'd never know. And they like hunting!" Rose keeps hypothesizing, getting into the theory.
I unlock the Tardis, swinging the doors open and walking through.
"They love blood sports." Rose continues. "Oh my God, they're werewolves!"
The Doctor throws his head back in full amusement, laughter flowing through the room. Rose is laughing as well. The room is so full of positive energy that I can't help by smile in response, even though the theory is rather ridiculous.
But eventually the energy wanes. Rose yawns, once, twice, three times. "I suppose I should probably go take a shower and a nap."
We murmur our goodnights, and Rose walks down the corridor.
And then it was just the Doctor and I in the console room. He smiles over at me, a hint of excitement on his face. "So where to now?"
I hum, thinking about it. There was this one place that I'd been looking forward to visiting ever since I heard about it… "I'll put the coordinates in, but you can't peek!"
"Cross my hearts." The Doctor promises, doing the motions with his fingers on either side of chest.
The coordinates I put in were to a stellar region called the Vahiden Horizon. It was a vast area of space known for it's stunning interstellar lightning storms. Once we 'landed', though it's more like I anchored her to one spot so she wouldn't drift, I helped the Doctor extend the air shell so we could sit at the doors to the Tardis and enjoy the show.
Lightning arced through the stars, sometimes hitting a planet and sometimes just petering off into nothing. It was beautiful, and it was sad. Tears rise up as I think about everything that's happened.
Bowing my head, I allow myself to cry properly for the brave men who died. Sir Robert, the Captain, and the others who were just collateral damage in the mad rush for power. The Doctor is kind enough to keep his eyes fixed out into the stellar region, but his shoulder brushing against mine brings a sense of solidarity to the moment.
After my tears dry up, and I clean my face up a bit, the Doctor pulls a tray with two cups of tea out of nowhere. I lean back, giving the space behind him a strange look, then at the cups of tea sitting innocently on the tray.
The Doctor smirks. "I got skills."
A book appears next to my hand. The Tardis is meddling again, but in a good way. She knows this is one surefire way to get us to settle down. I pick the book up, already knowing what it's going to be and brandish it in front of the Doctor with a smirk of my own. The Doctor sends a comically betrayed look to the ceiling. "You're giving away all my secrets!"
The Tardis warbles, lights flickering as if in laughter.
And so we sit there, sipping our tea and getting lost in the adventures of Anne McCaffrey and her Dragonriders of Pern series while the storm rages on around us.
The Wishing Well – I really glad you picked up on the development of telepathic tools! That's what I meant for it to be, and I'm really glad someone noticed. Willa is from the Gallifrey from the Doctor's universe, a thing happened and she was sent to the other universe before the Doctor used the moment.
I posted a new side story, going into more detail on what happened when Willa and the Doctor met the other Doctors! It's on my profile as 'On the Other Side'. Check it out!
Falling Right Side-Up – Thank you!
Lovin it – I'm glad you are enjoying the fic!
Miriam Who – Glad you liked it!
Arashi IV of VI – Yep, he looks old enough to be her father! Regarding the fact that the Doctor blocked her view of Rose, you are exactly spot on. I haven't really thought a whole lot about it till you mentioned the Master, but now I'm full of ideas. You'll have to follow the fic to find out! Thank you for this amazing review!
That's Balderdash – Thank you!
Guest on chapter 4 – My roommate is allergic to chocolate, which made me think about what I would do if I couldn't eat it, which led to me writing what I did. 😊
Rosealyn – Thank you so much!
Almadynis Rayne – I love fluff as well, there will be some more in this chapter!
Cashagon – I'm glad you stuck with it and ended up liking it! Thank you for giving it a chance!
Guest on chapter 1 – I'm glad you liked it!
V – THANK YOU. HERE IS THE MORE!
