Chapter 6 - by potatoes-are-not-for-sex
Dan and Phil fastened the pins to their shirts, silenced with shock, watching as the crowed dispersed into the cobbled streets and narrow alleyway, the gruesome spectacle apparently over for the time being. Several young men pushed past them, cheeks red with excitement, chattering proudly about the success of the past weeks executions.
"Boys? Over this way!" The Doctor herded them towards a small shop front, guiding them through a low doorway into what appeared to be a tavern. It was quickly filling with revolutionaries, and the proud colours were hanging from the rafters, the soft fabric vibrant amongst the grime of the rest of the room. They found two squat benches to sit on, squished in the back corner, and no sooner were they seated than a smiling young lady appeared before them.
"Gentlemen? How are we today." Her eyes scanned over the rosettes on their chests, and she smirked her approval. "Glad to see you're on the right side of the cause- wasn't it a wonderful day! The entire family of Pierre Jean Gauthier, and that old hag Marguerite Duport du Tertre ! Bet they never thought we'd be the ones pushing them around, ha!" At a nudge from Dan, Phil did his very best to nod and smile, but he couldn't fathom her content description of what he'd seen to be murder.
A little disheartened by the lack of rousing response, she took a different pitch. "Have you heard about this Scarlet Pimpernel though? Some British chap, thinks he can come swanning in here, like he makes the law or something?" She gave the Doctor a resounding clap on the back, and he joined in her hearty laughter only a moment later, though his eyes remained nervous. "I'll bring you all a mug of the best coffee in Paris, how does that sound?"
"Ce serait magnifique, merci!" Dan couldn't be sure if he's remembered the French accurately, and she stared at him in confusion for a moment, before returning to raucous laughter.
"Just like that Pimpernel fellow! I think your accent is a little off, love, but just some advice? You'd best stick to French around here." With a hearty wink, she was of with a swish of skirts, leaving Dan and Phil slightly confused and the Doctor entirely bemused.
"What does she mean?" Dan screwed up his nose in confusion. "We are in France, aren't we? Why did that lady speak English?" He'd been dubious about this from the start, despite Phil's unwavering confidence. "Is this all some kind of trick?"
The Doctor grinned widely, like a small child who'd just been given several shiny, new presents. "It's not a trick- it's the TARDIS! Isn't she marvelous? She – er – translates it for you, in your mind? I'm not sure how to explain it to you in English, but think of it as an app that she puts into your mind- as long as you're with us, anything that is said within a translatable language is English to your ears, and anything you say will be translated into the local dialect by the time it's left your mouth." He leaned back, tucking his hands behind his head, looking highly satisfied.
"Translatable language? Are there any languages which aren't translatable?" Phil was keenly interested in this mechanism, something so unlike anything from earth. "Do you mean like hieroglyphics?"
"Goodness no!" The Doctor chuckled, "I'm not talking anything from this solar system, it's all pretty basic, even traditional Martian can be made into a rough translation with a little modification."
Dan's mouth fell open. "Martians are real?"
"Oh yes. But trust me, the Ice Warriors are a nasty bunch if you're not on their side, and somehow I rarely seem to be! But actually non-translatable languages? We're talking more about languages that don't translate because they are not aurally based. Gallifreyan, maybe Desmos although they were long gone before anyone had the chance to try out this technology on them!"
"So, it's inside our minds, switching up our hearing and speaking? That's insane, I almost don't believe it!" Phil leant onto Dan, a little overwhelmed by the day so far. "How did the TARDIS get into our minds? Don't we have to do some kind of mind control for this to work?"
"Not at all!" The Doctor looked a little sheepish as he continued, " I really should have warned you about this before we landed; only it's such a part of travel I really forget that it even happens! But maybe I can control it, to some extent- wait!" He screwed his eyes shut for a moment, and then opens them widely again, grinning once more.
The boys exchanged a glance, searching for some difference. Nothing appeared to have changed, and Phil was about to comment as such, but the lady from before had returned in a bustle of skirts and lay down three mugs of coffee onto the table.
"Voici vos boissons messieurs!" She beamed down at the startled humans and their beaming companion before sweeping away again, apparently ignorant to the shock her words had brought.
Dan turned to the Doctor. "But that was French?" But the Doctor had his eyes close again, and made a similar face of concentration before replying.
"And we're back again. I just switched it off for a moment, I wasn't sure that would work, but it certainly sounded like French to me!" He reached forward and cupped the mug in his hands, watching as his new companions watched him, torn between amazement and mild confusion.
"Drink up! It's still early, the people of Paris are rising up and reclaiming their land and rights, and we still have to find out what kind of mischief is going on that's brought us here. Allonz-y!"
Chapter notes:
Pierre Jean Gauthier and Marguerite Duport du Tertre were two amongst more than 13,000 who were condemned to be executed by guillotine by the National Convention of France, who held executive power in France during the Reign of Terror, from 1792 to 1795.
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a fictional character in the play and novel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, the secret identity of Sir Percy Blakeney; an English baronet who rescues French nobles from the guillotine. There is an excellent BBC version of the story starring Anthony Andrews you should all go watch :D
Thank you to the lovely windmill-of-death and MisreadSoul for reviewing the last chapter! Be sure to go and check out Malteser24's other historical fic, We Shall Rule, Together! :D
Translations (please pardon any errors):
Ce serait magnifique, merci! – That would be lovely, thank you!
Voici vosboissonsmessieurs – Here are your drinks gentlemen