When the Doctor and Kathryn arrived back at the Dixon house, people were already setting up for the party. Tables were pulled out, smells from the kitchens reached even the lawn, and hazel branches just beginning to bloom were being tied up everywhere.
An uneasiness hung over the area. Clearly, others had heard the banshee the previous night.
"Who do you think saw it?" Kathryn asked.
"Only one way to find out."
"Start asking?"
"Start asking."
Kathryn and the Doctor immediately started mingling, helping with the set up whether or not they were wanted. Kathryn got a few odd looks because of her clothes and haircut, but the servants were far more accepting of her than the Dixons had been.
Unfortunately, no one seemed to have actually seen the banshee.
"Do you think it was another one of the Dixons, Jonathan or the Mr.?" Kathryn asked the Doctor.
"Possibly. If you remember the stories, the banshee's scream was supposed to herald the death of someone important."
Kathryn snorted. "I find it hard to believe either of the two Dixon men are that important."
"Kathryn, just because you don't agree with how they live doesn't mean they don't have an impact."
Kathryn didn't agree, but she didn't challenge the statement either. The Doctor changed the subject.
"Going along the lines of how they live, I think you need to find a dress."
"Come again?"
"You're still dirty from yesterday's shortcut down the hill; I don't think a slew of guests are going to be as forgiving as the Dixon house."
"Do you have any idea what happens when I wear skirts?" Kathryn protested. "When I wear them, it's bad luck all around."
"Oh, come on, you can't actually believe that."
"The last time I wore a dress a teacher ended up dead, I shot three people, stabbed a fourth, and ended up stuck with you," Kathryn deadpanned. The Doctor smiled.
"I doubt it'll happen again. Just hike back to the TARDIS—"
"TARDIS."
"—and find something from this time period. Don't forget that you're my niece and they think I've been knighted."
"I thought said you have been."
"By a queen that hasn't been born yet. Just go get dressed."
Kathryn returned about an hour and a half later. She wasn't picky about how she looked, but it was amazing how hard it was to find a dress that was both her size and in sync with the times. In the end, she had a basic but well cut dark blue dress. She still carried her messenger bag slung across her chest, but at least the colors didn't clash. Kathryn had also re-trimmed her hair, evening out the rough A-line from yesterday. Around her neck was the leather pouch with the transporter/rock in it. For whatever reason, Kathryn couldn't let it go. To prevent energy syphoning, she wore a pair of white leather gloves.
She rejoined the Doctor on the edge of the party area. No one had arrived yet, but they likely would soon.
"You're still wearing your boots."
"And you're still wearing a tie and Converse," Kathryn shot back. "Talk about out of sync with the times."
"You're wearing jeans under that dress, aren't you?"
"You'd better believe it. If a screaming banshee shows up I want to be able to move. I also left out the multiple underskirts. One layer is bad enough."
The Doctor sighed. "I should have let you stay in the t-shirt."
"I've got one in my bag."
"No, no, it's fine."
The first wagon of guests arrived. The Dixon men stepped out of the house to meet them, and the Doctor walked towards them as well. He turned back to Kathryn.
"Come on! Socialize, it's good for you."
"You go be friendly. Let me know when the dancing starts."
As it happened, Kathryn didn't need the Doctor to tell her. Despite her best efforts to be invisible, she had a string of young men asking for a turn around the lawn. Even though she glared at the Doctor's obvious smirk, she was clearly enjoying herself. She got her own back however, when she encouraged a few of the young ladies to cluster around the Doctor and turn all their charms on him. He looked horribly lost.
When the fiddler started up a slower dance, Jonathan Dixon asked Kathryn to join him. He was obviously being forced to as the host, but the invite was polite. She didn't have a good excuse not to dance, so she agreed.
The mood was tense, so Kathryn tried a question. "I haven't seen Elizabeth."
"Oh, I'm sure she's sitting somewhere. Not much for her to do, what with so few children her age in the area."
"Still, she should be here. I'm certain you, as the older brother, could easily teach her to dance."
"A woman has little need of dancing to become betrothed."
Kathryn flicked her glowering eyes up at him. "I wouldn't marry you, Master Dixon."
"I wasn't asking, Miss Moore."
Out of her periphery, Kathryn caught sight of the Doctor's concerned face. He was either reading their lips or their body language. Let him be delicate; Kathryn would have her say.
"Yet you're preparing to set your sister up with someone, and she's only eight."
"That is entirely Father's decision. It will likely be someone with a name and enough money for the bride price."
"So rather than let the woman choose who she'll have to spend the rest of her days with, you sell her like a horse."
"How would you know?" Jonathan asked, looking down his nose at Kathryn. "You're a bystart child from America. It's not like you were raised any better."
Kathryn brought her leg up swiftly, kneeing Jonathan in the groin. As he reeled in pain, she pulled her arm back and hit Jonathan with a hard right hook. Jonathan staggered backward, spitting out a tooth. He wiped his mouth as he stood up, glaring at Kathryn and wheezing. As he raised his hand to smack her, Kathryn crouched and swung out her leg, pulling his out from under him. Jonathan was flat out on the ground as Kathryn planted her foot in the middle of his chest and leaned down on him. He tried futilely to move her foot as everyone looked on.
"I want you to listen very, very carefully Jonny Boy," Kathryn said, her voice low and suddenly thickening with a Texan accent. "I am extremely proud of where I came from. You ever insult my family like that again and I will make sure you swallow every tooth in your head. Are we clear?"
Jonathan didn't answer right away, so Kathryn leaned down even harder. "Understood," he gasped out. Kathryn stepped off his chest and gave a curt nod to Mr. Dixon.
"I apologize for spoiling the party, Mr. Dixon," she said cordially, her usual accent returning. "Make certain your son keeps his tongue under control in the future."
"How dare you?"
Kathryn blinked, obviously not believing Mr. Dixon's tone. "Come again?"
"How dare you strike my son? That is—"
"If I hear one word about my conduct, I may not be responsible for my actions, Dixon. Your child needs to learn how to be civil and how to respect women. If you won't teach him, I will."
Kathryn took a deep breath, unsuccessfully trying to calm herself. "I need to leave before I do something illegal."
She turned around and walked off into the woods.
The Doctor found Kathryn leaning against a tree pinching the bridge of her nose and breathing evenly.
"What was that about?"
"Shut it Fly-boy."
"You're angry at me? What did I do?"
"What the hell did you tell them about me? I know the Dixon boys asked. What story did you spit out?"
The Doctor didn't quite understand why she was asking, but answered anyway. "The…sort of truth. You're from America, you're not exactly my niece and I haven't really met your parents…" His voice trailed off as he saw her look of growing horror. "What?"
Kathryn stared at him, aghast. "Why didn't you just finish it off by telling them I'm your concubine and you found me in a brothel?"
"Kathryn!"
"An orphan, from the streets, in America? Really Doctor? What were you thinking? Of course they decided that I'm a bastard child that shouldn't exist! That's how this time period roles, Doc!"
"Now hang on!"
"I will not, Time Lord," Kathryn growled. "I don't care what sort of stories you spin about me in the future. Tell everyone I'm a murderess. Tell them I'm clinically insane. Tell them that I'm a reformed prostitute, I don't care. But don't you dare drag my family—that family, through the mud. Don't even mention them to people. You've got no right to speak of them; you've never even met them."
"You weren't even related to them Kathryn."
"I don't care! They're better than that, and I won't have all of time and space thinking otherwise!"
The Doctor stared at Kathryn for a moment, then turned his head back towards the house. "You hear that?"
"Yeah. Sounds like screaming."
"It's dark."
"Too dark."
Without another word they started running.
When Kathryn and the Doctor arrived back at the house, they were stopped by a large, sparking dome. Lighting flashed and thunder rolled as a far too heavy rain fell. Inside the dome all the guests were huddled. A terrifying creature circled around them.
It was straight out of the legends. The horse was pitch black, not even glossy, with red eyes and fire coming from its nostrils. It was barely controlled by the far more fearsome rider.
Sitting tall on the horse, neither hand touching the reins, was a dullahan. In his right hand he grasped a long whip that looked to be made of an abnormally long human spine. The left hand clutched the stringy hair of a head, a gruesome smile displaying sharp teeth literally stretching from ear to ear. The head looked like it was the consistency of moldy cheese, with small black, darting flies for eyes.
"Am I allowed to swear?" Kathryn shouted at the Doctor over the torrent.
"Only in your mind," he yelled back, waving his sonic at the barrier.
"How do we get through?"
"We don't!"
"What! Doctor, it's the dullahan! The people who saw the banshee are going to die!"
"No one's dead yet, Kathryn!" He ran his fingers through his hair and looked wildly at her. "Technically you saw her first; he's looking for you!"
The dullahan cracked the whip in his hand, holding the head high. Kathryn and the Doctor couldn't make out the words, but it was clear enough whose name was called out when Jonathan Dixon suddenly dropped and went into convulsions.
"Damn it! He's skipped me!" Kathryn's eyes widened when she caught sight of the small child. "Elizabeth!" she screeched.
The dullahan held his head up high and the mouth dropped open. A flood of blood, dark and steaming, gushed from the slack jaw. Elizabeth's scream pierced even the barrier, and Kathryn lost it.
Ignore the energy barrier she slammed into and then through it, streaking over to the eight year old girl. She jumped, drawing her knife as she grabbed the head mid-flight and continued to role with it upon hitting the ground. The blood was more like a strange acid, and Kathryn could smell and feel her flesh burning. She stabbed repeatedly, but the dagger did nothing. The loose head took the chance and bit hard into her arm, but Kathryn refused to release it. There was the thundering of hooves, a flash of heat, a sharp tug, and the dullahan rushed past her, calling back as it did so.
"I shall return for you, Jahra creature! The girl will die, and you shall be returned to your creators and destroyed!"
The energy barrier dissipated as the dullahan rode through it and away.
*Constructive criticism welcome, praise happily accepted, flames not wanted*