If you like having a visual reference for characters, Theta's mother is vaguely based around Helena Bonham Carter. If not, disregard this author's note entirely. :P


"Theta, I'm nervous."

The two young Gallifreyans stood in the entrance hall of Theta's home, one of the smaller, quainter states of Lungbarrow House. The Arpexian was tapping a four beat rhythm on her hand. Theta had been looking towards the door that led to the rest of the house, but when Aliya spoke, he just gave her an easy smile.

"You have no reason to be."

Aliya opened her mouth to say something, but that was when the door opened. A woman with greying brown hair and warm brown eyes came through it, and immediately she beamed, her skin crinkling slightly at the eyes as she did so. It made her look like Braxiatel (although Aliya had only seem him smile once).

"Theta," she said, opening her arms and letting him meet her halfway before the two of them shared a tight hug, "It has been too long."

"Hello Mother."

When she finally released him, her eyes fell on Aliya, who smiled nervously.

"So you're the one who has kept him too busy to visit me," She said with a wry smile. When the blonde began to stammer an apology, however, she chuckled and shook her head. "Oh no, my dear, I meant no accusation. I have wanted to meet you for a long time. He talks of little else."

"Oh," Aliya said, glancing at Theta, who blushed.

In accordance to Time Lord tradition when it came to first meetings, the older woman gave a small bow to the younger. "Mariakanelyari of Blyledge." Although Time Lords resided in the houses of the person they married and their children carried the House of their spouse, they always kept their origin. Which person in the couple had their House be the 'dominant' House was to be decided between them.

Aliya was quick to bow back. "Aliyanadevoralundar of Arpexia, my Lady."

"And now that we have formalities out of the way..." Mariakanelyari clasped her hand tightly. "I am so very glad to meet you, Aliya." Her use of the nickname made the girl glance at Theta with surprise. "And please, call me Mariaka."

"So you are where he gets his nicknames from," Aliya said as she was led by hand through to the recreation room, which consisted solely of semi-comfortable chairs and a Sepulchasm board. The three of them sat down as Mariaka considered her comment.

"Yes, I suppose I am," she said wryly. "Is that good?"

"I believe you know the answer to that, my lady," Aliya replied with a small smile, making her elder laugh.

"Well, Aliya, Theta tells me that you excel at Mechanics and are rather good at Engineering."

"Yes," Aliya said slowly, "I am."

"Will you pursue it?"

"I believe so. It's enjoyable and would be honest work. Not as glamorous as politics, or anything like that, but I have no such interest."

"No one in this house does either," the woman said with a smile. She resembled Theta, especially in the eyes despite their difference in colour. "I am truly curious, however, as to whether you have been a good influence on Theta, or whether he has been a bad influence on you."

Aliya and Theta laughed in unison, and he grabbed her hand. "I think a bit of both."

"Ah, so our guest is here."

The two youngsters turned around to see a man standing behind them. He was young in appearance, not much physically older than his younger son. His hair was dark brown and long, pulled back into a long, elegant ponytail. His dark eyes were serious but not unkind.

"Father," Theta greeted cordially with a nod of his head.

"Theta," his father responded. "You look well." His gaze then shifted to Aliya, who had gotten to her feet as they spoke. The man bowed to her. "The Elder." His House was obvious and did not need to be mentioned.

"Aliyanadevoralundar of Arpexia," Aliya said as she dipped in a bow to match his. "Thank you for having me in your home."

"Think nothing of it," he said with a small smile. "I am... curious indeed, to meet the girl whom my son cannot stop talking about."

"I'm afraid that I may disappoint, my Lord Elder, as I find your son to be far more interesting than I could possibly be." She glanced at Theta, he rolled his eyes but smiled all the same.

"My son is an interesting act to follow. But I have never faulted his choice of company before, and I do not expect that to change with you."

"Elder," Mariaka said mildly, shooting him a look, "Would it so pain you to pay a direct compliment for once?"

Her husband just shrugged, as if he had been expecting such a reprimand. "Very well. Aliyanadevoralundar, I believe you have been a good influence on my son, and for that, I thank you. Now, if you will excuse me, I must get back to my work."

He left the room.

Theta just shook his head. "He never changes."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Just a fact," the boy answered vaguely.

"A trait you both share," Mariaka said, "as the only difference I have seen in you over the last century is how you no longer seem very close to Koschei. I thought you two were inseparable."

Both Aliya and Theta frowned slightly, but it was the latter who spoke.

"I have my reasons. He has changed dramatically."

They made some idle talk after that for a few minutes before Mariaka was very frank. Her eyes were cautious when she asked her next question.

"And what of marriage? Are you free to marry Theta if you wish?" Both youngsters blinked with surprise and Theta shut his eyes as if the question pained him, while Aliya merely frowned.

"No, my lady, I am not," she forced herself to say. "I wish I were." It was very forward, and a somewhat uncomfortable topic.

Mariaka just nodded. "From Arpexia, it is expected. To whom are you betrothed?"

Surprised at her calmness and all too aware of Theta's pointed silence, Aliya hesitated before answering, "The Defender of Heartshaven."

Another nod. "Well, it may please you to have someone tell you in complete honesty that he is a good man. From a distance, a little cold, but innately good. He will do right by you," Mariaka told her.

With that, Theta abruptly got up and left the room, heading out towards the balcony that looked out over the red grass which stretched out back towards the Citadel. The estates of the Houses curved in a circle around it, all facing inwards.

Aliya frowned, while Mariaka just sighed and didn't look surprised.

"Perhaps you should not have brought up my inevitable marriage," Aliya said, voice soft.

"In my experience, my dear, sometimes one must be faced with losing something before they are prepared to fight to keep it."

It took a moment for her words to sink in, but when they did, Aliya had to stare at her. "But...there is no way out of it," she said earnestly, "he might fight but it could only end in misery." She was stunned that Mariaka was implying what she was.

"If you say so. But my son has never been very good at giving up. I have heard him speak of you for decades, and only needed to watch him with you for a minute to confirm how he feels. Do you feel the same way?"

Aliya nodded. "I love him with everything in me."

"Then at least consider your other options."

"There are no other options."

"There always are." Mariaka got to her feet. "If you will excuse me for a minute or two, I believe that I need to talk to my son."


Theta stared out at the magnificent view of the Citadel. It did nothing to calm the storm inside him. He felt angry and somewhat betrayed, and hurt... as well as premature loss.

"I like her," his mother's voice said from behind him. He just narrowed his eyes and did not turn around.

"And yet you are happy enough to spin her tales of a happy life married to someone else," Theta muttered, "Of all the things I expected today, this was not it."

Mariakanelyari came to stand by his shoulder. "I merely spoke the truth. The Defender is a fine person. And with enough inner nobility that I believe she could be happy with him." Theta's hands balled into fists. "However... he is a stranger to her. And you are the one that she wants."

"What?"

"That is the difference. Her marriage currently means that she must hope for someone who may make her somewhat happy. But I've seen life off this world, life away from the rules we are so forced to adhere to. Life should be about choosing the person that you know will make you happy, the person that you would give anything to make as happy as you possibly can."

He looked at her with wide, confused eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

"I cannot make your decisions for you, Theta," she said gently, her hand covering his, "but to give up without trying is very unlike you."

"She is betrothed! I have no claim to her, Mother," he said softly, his voice full of melancholy, "but the thought of losing her to a stranger is one that I can't bear."

"There are always other options. Always. You just need to want them enough to look for them."

Not long after his mother went back inside, the girl they had been discussing came to join him at the balcony railing. He looked over at her, taking in the face he was so accustomed to, the eyes that so often shone with affection or amusement, the lips that he loved to make curl into a smile.

Currently, those eyes were looking at him with uncertainty.

"I hope you didn't get cross with her," she said quietly, as she let her gaze drift out to appreciate the view of the Citadel. "She asked a simple question."

"She only just met you, she hardly has the right to bring up your marital status."

Aliya's hand touched his lightly. "Theta, it's hardly a secret. You have known it from the beginning."

"It didn't feel real before…not until you said that you couldn't marry me," Theta said, his voice conveying his hurt.

"I wish that I could."

"So do!" Theta whirled to face her. "Marry me. Go to your father and ask to marry me. Lungbarrow may not have the wealth but our lineage is perhaps the purest of all. It is still a prestigious match."

"I have already!" Aliya said abruptly, making him halt. "I asked if it were possible to marry someone else if their House was not below me, and he stated that it was a specific match to ease a tension between our Houses."

"But you didn't specifically ask to marry me."

She shook her head sadly. "Theta, he doesn't care about my wishes. To him, marriage is political." Her brow furrowed. "I don't want to discuss this with you, it's too painful."

"But you don't want to marry someone else."

"Of course I don't."

"Then let me think of an alternative option. Somehow, I will. And if I do…" He took her hand. "Will you trust me and do it? If I found a way for this…" His thumb brushed over her knuckles while his other hand cupped her face, "…for this to last past graduation?"

Her lips twitched in a soft smile. "Theta, if it were possible, I would want this to last for our entire lives."

"Well, we've got half a century or so to work it out. Give me that. I'll make a plan, I promise," he said intently, and for the first time, he saw a flicker of hope in her eyes.

"Okay," she said, and his hands planted themselves back onto the railing of the balcony.

"Good. I wasn't having any more of that nonsense. " He hoped she couldn't hear how shaky his voice sounded. When he turned to look at her, she just leaned in and kissed him so gently that for a second it almost felt as though he imagined it.

"I love you," she whispered, before kissing him again, briefly this time, "and when – if - I marry him, that won't change. I will always love you. Until my last breath." He crushed his lips to her with desperate force, holding her head in his hands as he did so. And when, after a long time, they pulled away, her finger immediately brushed away the one tear that stained his cheek. "Let them try and give me to someone else. But marriage is not ownership and I will not change hands like a possession. Even if I sit in a house with him and…lie in a bed with him…I will never be his."

"No," he said, shaking his head, "You won't. Because I'm going to have a plan."


"So, all of a sudden he is against your marriage?"

Ushas had allowed Aliya into her laboratory on the grounds that she remained on a stool by the bench and didn't touch anything. While Aliya was good at following that particular rule, she was not any better than the Deca Members when it came to keeping quiet.

"He has known about it since he met me. And now all of a sudden, he has decided that he wants to change it. But he can't." Aliya just sighed, resting her chin in her hand. "It's impossible."

"He's never been one for following the rules."

"This is different. It's not a rule, it's a formal engagement! He can't just break it!"

"But if he could…would you want him to?" Ushas arched an eyebrow and gave the younger girl an inquiring look. Aliya just frowned.

"I…I don't know. Obviously I want to marry him instead, but it's not that simple. We'd never be allowed, the repercussions would be too great."

"Too great to be exchanged for lifelong happiness?"

For that, she had no real answer.


When she received a message from Theta to meet him in the Academy gardens, Aliya wasn't entirely sure what to expect. So when she found him grinning from ear to ear and practically dancing for joy, she had to smile with him just because it was such a pleasant sight.

"Two and a half decades, it took me, but I've got it!" he exclaimed suddenly. He caught her up in his arms and pulled her into an odd manic dance in circles, and she laughed.

"What?"

"I've got a plan," he said, "You won't have to marry him. We'll be together, I promise."

Torn between elation and reason, she just stared. "What's the plan?"

He shook his head. "A secret. You just have to trust me."

"Theta, this is a huge thing, I can't simply just-"

He put his finger to her lips to silence her. "Please. Just trust me."

She regarded him for several moments. He was so earnest, so sure. So she took his hands and gripped them tightly. "I will…if you can tell me that this plan isn't something which means we will be dealing with everyone here hating us or punishing us for it for centuries." For whatever reason, he grinned.

"That I can tell you with complete certainty, Ali," he replied, squeezing her hands slightly.

"Okay then." She hugged him tightly and then kissed him. It was then that she realised that despite all of her words, she had actually been hoping that he would come up with a plan. That she was desperate to not marry a stranger and to instead be with her best friend forever. "So, when am I going to find out about this plan?"

"Right before it happens," he said, chuckling, "Otherwise it wouldn't be a surprise."

"And you're sure that you want to risk leaving it that late? What if I disagree?"

Theta just kissed her forehead and grinned again. "Everything is going to be fine. Don't worry. It will work and we'll never have to worry about this again."

With how he was looking at her, with the utter certainty, she couldn't argue. All she could do was believe in him and hope that he was right. "Looks like you won't have to worry about me getting married, then."

That made him beam at her, and he pulled her into another rowdy dance around the gardens.