Part Two
They were walking for another hour before any sort of city came into view, although for a pleasantly large fraction of that time they found that the path wound its way along a cliff-top overlooking a beautiful mauve sea that reflected the light from the great white sun like a carpet of crystals.
"You know," announced the Doctor, "next to Metebelis Three this isn't a bad place to come."
"Oh look!" exclaimed Jo as they rounded the top of a small hill and their first glimpse of the Amedian city appeared. It was a wonderful sight, numerous white and pale yellow domes and minarets rising up out of the reddish fields. "It's quite nice, isn't it?"
"One of the most delightful little planets in this galaxy," agreed the Doctor, stopping to take in the view. "If we get a little closer we should be able to see why I was so prepared to come so far from the TARDIS."
They didn't have to go far. A few dozen yards later Jo suddenly exclaimed, "Is that a flying car?"
"Precisely. I was rather hoping we'd be able to hire one."
"You like your cars, don't you? But I thought you said they were primitive?"
"In some respects. Space-travel, for instance, as I mentioned."
"They don't even have proper roads!"
"Who needs proper roads when your cars don't touch the ground, Jo? Come on, we're nearly there."
As they drew closer to the little city they found themselves coming closer to more people, some dressed plainly like the man the Doctor had asked for the year and others more flamboyantly in colourful robes and headdresses. These people gave strange looks at the Doctor's frilled shirt, cloak and smoking jacket and Jo's short skirt and leather boots. Above their heads flew more cars like the one they had seen earlier – wheelless, often brightly-coloured, some box-shaped and others like miniature flying saucers, mostly without roofs and thus allowing the bright sun to shine in all its glory onto the heads of the cars' occupants. "I'd rather like a vehicle like one of those myself," commented the Doctor.
Jo giggled. "Imagine flying around on Earth in one of those!"
"It could be worse, Jo, just remember that. Here we are."
They had entered the town by what seemed to be the main road, a sandy street running straight as a dart to an open square with a large white fountain at its centre.
"That must be the town square," said the Doctor. "I suggest we go straight there. They'll probably be a nice café or something. I'm absolutely starving, aren't you?"
"Oh yes, absolutely," Jo agreed, and they carried on down the street. The pretty buildings on either side were tightly packed, with the occasional narrow alleyway running between them. The inhabitants of the city seem to keep a lot of animals – big bluish cow-like creatures, the small pink sheep, and little green birds like chickens – but they were not tied up or fenced off and ran around the street as freely as the myriad bustling people who seemed to be the inhabitants of the town. Next to the houses stood clay pots of all sizes and filled with all sorts of goods – grain, sparkling water, silver and gold.
"This is a wonderful place, isn't it?" asked Jo, staring wide-eyed round at the sights on all sides.
"It's not bad, no," replied the Doctor, looking back over his shoulder where a man was attempting to drive one of the cow-like creatures away from a pot full of steaming green soup with a stick.
After a few minutes they reached the square. The Doctor went straight over to the fountain and bathed his face in the cool water. "Ah, that's better," he said. "I was starting to feel rather warm. That looks like a restaurant over there … coming, Jo?"
"But Doctor, we don't have any money!"
"Don't worry, I'm prepared." The Doctor took a few gold coins from his pocket.
"Doctor! Don't tell me you stole that money!" Jo was horrified.
"Of course not, Jo. If you look closely, it's not even Amedian money at all. Just a few generic coins I carry with me in case they come in useful. They may not be standard currency, but they're not going to turn down real gold, are they?"
"No, I don't suppose so …"
They headed towards the little restaurant in the corner of the square. People were sitting on tables under a shady canopy outside and eating vigorously.
"Looks tasty," remarked Jo.
"I should certainly hope so. Oh, good day, sir!"
A man in a long scarlet robe and carrying a silver-tipped spear had stepped out in front of them. Two similarly dressed and armed men were lurking in the shadows behind them.
"Do you mind answering a few questions?" the first man asked in a deep, rasping voice.
"That depends what they are, doesn't it?" smiled the Doctor. "I don't see why not. Come on, Jo, let's get out of here, we don't want to disturb people whilst they're eating. We can come back later."
The red-robed man smiled unpleasantly. The Doctor let the way back over to the fountain, and Jo and the others followed him.
"So, gentlemen, what was it you wanted to ask us?"
"What are your names?" the leader of the men with spears asked, a malicious tone in his voice.
"I'm the Doctor and this is Jo," the Doctor replied pleasantly.
"What are your names?" asked Jo. The Doctor put out his hand to quieten her, but the man seemed content to answer her question.
"I am Ar-Moqi, an officer of the Royal Guard of Queen El-Medr. These are Ar-Redn and Ar-Bilu, also officers of the Guard."
"Pleased to meet you," said the Doctor. "May I ask why you have been sent here?"
"I believe Captain Ar-Moqi was asking the questions," said Ar-Redn viciously, gripping his spear.
"But of course. My apologies. Captain?"
"Where do you come from?"
"My companion and I are travellers in time and space. We arrived on your planet earlier today."
Both Ar-Bilu and Ar-Redn seemed to find this idea preposterous, but Ar-Moqi pressed on.
"Why?"
The Doctor was not fazed by the question. "We are tourists, nothing more."
"We shall see," the captain replied. "Rumours of two strange travellers have already reached the capital."
"That man," breathed Jo, "he must have –"
"Quiet, Jo," whispered the Doctor. "If you met two aliens in a field you'd be bound to tell your friends, wouldn't you?"
"Well, I suppose so …"
"Silence!" barked Ar-Moqi. "The Queen has demanded your audience. Come with us!"
They had no choice; the other officers grabbed one of the time travellers each and marched them along in Ar-Moqi's wake as he strode over to a large flying car, black in colour, that was hovering in the furthest corner of the square.
"Get off me, get off!" Jo struggled against Ar-Bilu's firm hold, but the Doctor tried to calm her.
"Don't worry, Jo; the Amedians are normally peaceful people. Queen El-Medr is renowned as one of their most noble and benevolent rulers of all time. At her death –"
He stopped. Ar-Redn was giving him a funny look.
"What in the name of Ar-Tarmak are you talking about?"
"Are you denying that El-Medr is a good queen?"
"No …" The officer was embarrassed. "I mean – she's only been on the throne three years, hasn't had much chance to prove herself, has she?"
They were bundled into the flying car, their hands tied with rope behind their backs. "We'll be flying fifty feet above the ground," Ar-Moqi murmured. "If they try to jump out, they won't survive the fall."
For all the indignity of the ropes, it was an exhilarating ride. The car rose slowly until it was hovering above the roofs of the surrounding buildings, then shot through the air like a jet. Jo's hair was blown backwards in the wind and the Doctor looked as if he was thoroughly enjoying himself. They found themselves speeding back across the fields across which they had come, the car travelling as quickly and smoothly as a bullet.
"This is right at the top of Amedian technology," the Doctor whispered to Jo. "The Royal Guard will only take the best."
After just ten minutes a huge city came into view, far greater than the little town from which they had come. Like that town, it was a jumble of domes and minarets, but this was a real city – a vast metropolis, stretching out in all directions, from this distance almost more like a hugely intricate model than a real-life settlement.
The craft flew lower as they approached the city walls, which surrounded it on all sides, twenty feet high, but the royal officers met no resistance as they passed through the impressively constructed front gate. They flew on up a great street that was even busier than that in the small town, people and animals intermingling like bees in a giant hive. The capital seemed to be built on the same basic plan as the smaller town: eight roads formed a star centred on an immense central square; between them, narrower streets and alleyways provided a labyrinth of interconnected travel routes. But here, there were great pinkish parks and mauve lakes, and at the centre of the main square the biggest spectacle of all – a perfectly circular lake in which sat an island with a white-domed, many towered palace. It was towards this which they were heading.
"Bravo, bravo!" exclaimed the Doctor as they came to a halt in the main square next to a grand drawbridge leading up to the front of the palace. "That was a most excellent ride."
Ar-Moqi clubbed him around the back with the handle of his spear. The Doctor grimaced. "He's lucky I'd don't use my Venusian aikido," he whispered to Jo. "Alright, alright, we can walk by ourselves, thankyou very much," he said irritably to Ar-Redn.
More red-robed officials guarded the entrance to the palace, but they let the three Royal Guards and their two prisoners through without a fuss. Ar-Moqi knocked once on the golden door, the height of two men, and it swung open, revealing a long, colourful corridor decorated with beautiful patterns and carvings.
"Wow," breathed Jo.
"This is one of the wonders of the planet," the Doctor told her. "We're very lucky to be allowed in."
They were frogmarched along the corridor, past yet more guards and numerous doorways on every side. Portraits and busts of former Amedian kings and queens lined the walls. The Doctor named each one to Jo as they passed: "Gahin the Last … Ar-Tarmak the Great … El-Idl the Beautiful … Ar-Niheq the Strong …"
They reached the end of the corridor, where stood another great gold door. "The most excellent and majestic Queen El-Medr will receive you in the Grand Throne Room beyond this door," Ar-Moqi announced, as the other guards untied their hands. "You will not speak unless addressed directly by Her Majesty."
He pushed open the door. "Enter Her Majesty's presence," he hissed.
The Doctor and Jo walked forward, into a massive hall. The patterns and portraits of the corridor were almost entirely absent here: the room was vast and almost empty, constructed from huge, imposing marble blocks and columns. At the far end, however, in front of a scarlet curtain, sat a beautiful, many coloured throne that eclipsed any of the artworks they had seen previously. On the throne sat a young, black-haired woman in a long blue robe.
Ar-Moqi bustled forward and bowed low in front of the queen. "Speak," she commanded in a voice that betrayed her as a natural ruler.
"Your Majesty, I present you the supposed extra-terrestrials – Ar-Doktr and El-Djo."
The Doctor bowed and Jo gave a clumsy curtsey. El-Medr smiled.
"You have my thanks, captain. You may leave."
Ar-Moqi hurried out backwards, and shut the door quietly behind him.
"Greetings, Ar-Doktr, El-Djo." The young queen nodded at each of them in turn. "Is it true that you come from another world?"
"It is so, my lady," said the Doctor. "We bring tidings."
Jo looked as if she was about to burst into giggles. The Doctor frowned at her.
"You do not intend us harm?" asked El-Medr.
"No, we are but travellers, my lady," the Doctor replied. "We intend you and your planet no harm."
"I was informed that you wished to bring about my overthrow," said the queen sternly.
The Doctor looked puzzled. "Who told you this?"
"My advisor. He does not wish to be seen. He, too, is from another world. There were rumours of two strange travellers in the city. He recognised your descriptions. He told us you were a grave danger to us."
"I assure you we are nothing of the sort," replied the Doctor, rubbing his neck. "If we may see this gentleman …"
"I have told you, he does not wish to be seen."
"Very well. At least tell us his name."
The queen looked momentarily indecisive, then said, "We call him Ar-Setm."
The Doctor stared at her. "It's not a name I recognise … hang on …"
"Doctor?" Jo spoke for the first time. "What is it?"
The Doctor ignored her. "Your Majesty, I must warn you that if this man is who I think he is …"
"I am not prepared to argue the matter further."
"Well, you might as well execute us now then. And yourself, for that matter. You're likely all doomed. Wherever this man goes, destruction follows in his wake."
"I trust you, Ar-Doktr," said the queen. "I do not know why, but I trust you."
The Doctor smiled. "I often have that effect on people. Alternatively they seem obsessed with the idea that I'm some sort of villain – as this man I'm talking about is!"
"Tell me, Ar-Doktr, why have you come to Ar-Amed? What do you seek on our planet?"
"We seek nothing, my lady," answered the Doctor. "We are merely travellers, as I told you. We arrived here by something of an accident, as a matter of fact. Your Majesty, I implore you –"
El-Medr cut through him. "What do you know of our planet, Ar-Doktr?"
"Too much to easily relate," the Doctor told her. He paused, as if he had had an idea, and seemed to be muttering to himself. "The treasure … what about the treasure …"
"What are you saying?" El-Medr enquired briskly.
"He's talking about treasure, Your Majesty," said Jo. "I don't know what he means, though …"
"Thankyou, El-Djo," said the queen. "Treasure, Ar-Doktr?"
"The fabled treasures of Ar-Amed, my lady."
El-Medr laughed. "The treasures are but a myth. They do not exist."
"Your Majesty, I am a traveller not only in space but also in time. I know your planet's future as well as I know its past. I perhaps shouldn't tell you this, but you are destined to become one of Ar-Amed's greatest rulers of all time. This is in no small part due to the rediscovery, in the third year of your reign, of the treasures of Ar-Amed."
El-Medr was staring at him open-mouthed. "This cannot be true, what you are saying."
"I assure you, my lady, it is. Do you ever plan to bear children?"
"I do … of course I do … but I don't see …"
"Have you decided yet upon names?"
"Yes … I have not told anyone, but I have." The queen seemed confused by this strange turn in the conversation.
"You will bear a daughter by the name of El-Amra. She will become El-Amra the Fair, a great queen."
El-Medr shook her head. "El-Amra … but that is just the name I have chosen for my first child, should she be female. Ar-Amr for a boy, El-Amra for a girl. But I have told no-one this …"
"As such, only a telepath or someone with knowledge of future events could have known. Trust me, Your Majesty …"
"I trust you," breathed the queen. "I said I trusted you …" She collected herself. "You say the legendary treasures are to be rediscovered? By whom?"
"The history books do not say, my lady," said the Doctor, "and I think I would prefer it remained that way. But with the guarantee of anonymity, my companion and I would be only too willing to look."
"But how do you know where the treasures are?" Jo burst out.
"That is one thing the history books do tell us," the Doctor replied.
"But that's cheating!"
"Oh, I shouldn't worry, it's only a small paradox … If I have your leave, Your Majesty?"
"You have my leave. Bring me the treasures, if you can, and I shall let you live. The Royal Guard will give you transport. Tell them Queen El-Medr requests it."
"My thanks, my lady." The Doctor bowed low, and turned to exit, Jo behind him.
"And – Ar-Doktr?"
"My lady?"
"Good luck."