A Magnificent Night

In the palace, Pete was talking to Koschei about the problem with Rose. Her birthday was looming near and she had yet to choose a suitor. It was then that Koschei found what he called "the perfect solution."

"According to this, if the Lady does not choose a suitable husband by the appointed time, then the Lady must be wed to the Lord President's advisor. That would be me," said Koschei.

Pete looked confused and tried to look at the paper, but Koschei snatched it away. "But I was under the impression Royal Advisors weren't suitable for a Lady to marry. Where does it say—?"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Lord President," said Koschei, grabbing his hypnotic device and holding it over Pete's eyes. "You will order your daughter to marry me."

"I will…order…my daughter to…" Pete blinked and pushed the device away. "But you're so old, Koschei."

"Your daughter will marry me!" Koschei hissed, shoving the device back in his face.

"My daughter…will…marry…" said Pete, but loud music startled him. "What the devil is that? Oh, Koschei, come and look at this."

A Time Lord dressed in a fine suit was riding a huge flying creature and was surrounded by thousands of servants, treasures and other things. Another man dressed in a dark blue shirt and black pants was dancing and singing in front of the crowd.

Make way for Prince Theta
Say hey! It's Prince Theta

Hey! Clear the way in the old Bazaar
Hey you!
Let us through!
It's a bright new star!
Oh Come!
Be the first on your block to meet his eye!

Make way!
Here he comes!
Ring bells! Bang the drums!
Are you gonna love this guy!

Prince Theta! Fabulous he!
Theta Sigma
Genuflect, show some respect
Down on one knee!
Now, try your best to stay calm
Brush up your Sunday salaam
The come and meet his spectacular coterie

Prince Theta!
Mighty is he!
Theta Sigma
Strong as ten regular men, definitely!
He faced the galloping hordes
A hundred bad guys with swords
Who sent those goons to their lords?
Why, Prince Theta

Dozens of golden statues and exotic birds appeared and they stunned the crowd with their beauty.

He's got seventy-five golden camels
Purple peacocks
He's got fifty-three
When it comes to exotic-type mammals
Has he got a zoo?
I'm telling you, it's a world-class menagerie

Prince Theta! Handsome is he, Theta Sigma
That physique! How can I speak
Weak at the knee
Well, get on out in that square
Adjust your veil and prepare
To gawk and grovel and stare at Prince Ali!

Rose, who'd heard the noise from the music, was watching from her balcony in disgust. Did this prince honestly think her heart could be won with trinkets and riches? Her father would no doubt want her to marry this man with her birthday just two days away. But she didn't care about marriage or this man. She would do what she could to get out of it.

He's got ninety-five white Persian monkeys
(He's got the monkeys, let's see the monkeys)
And to view them he charges no fee
(He's generous, so generous)
He's got slaves, he's got servants and flunkies
(Proud to work for him)
They bow to his whim, love serving him
They're just lousy with loyalty to Theta! Prince Theta!

Prince Theta!
Amorous he! Theta Sigma!
Heard your Lady was a sight lovely to see
And that, good people, is why he got dolled up and dropped by
With sixty elephants, llamas galore
With his bears and lions
A brass band and more
With his forty fakirs, his cooks, his bakers
His birds that warble on key
Make way for Prince Theta!

The Doctor could tell that stepped into the room and bowed as Jack quickly got back in his lamp.

"Bravo! Completely fantastic," said Pete, clapping.

"Sire, I have journeyed from afar to seek your daughter," said the Doctor, still bowing slightly.

"Excellent," said Pete. "Prince Theta Sigma, we're delighted to have you. This is my Royal Advisor, Koschei."

Koschei? thought the Doctor. Where had he heard that name before? And the man himself seemed familiar too as he glared at the Doctor.

"Hello, I'm Theta," said the Doctor, extending his hand, but the man didn't shake it.

"Hello," said Koschei. "Look, Theta Sigma, was it? You cannot just parade in here uninvited and act like some spoiled buffoon when you are clearly out of your territory."

"Oh, button up, Koschei," said Pete. "He seems like a decent man and I pride myself on being an excellent judge of character."

"I don't trust him, Sire," said Koschei. He turned to the Doctor. "What makes you think you are worthy of the Lady Rose?"

"I don't know what I'm worthy of, if anything at all," said the Doctor, annoyed. "I hope I can win her and—"

"How dare you!" shouted a voice.

The three men spun around to see Rose was standing in the doorway looking furious as she slapped the Doctor and Koschei. She didn't dare slap her father. "How dare all of you do this? How dare you plan my future? I am not some prize to be won!" she snarled, before storming off.

Just perfect. I managed to make her mad at me. Just perfect, he thought, bitterly. Good grief, she can slap hard.

XXX

Later that night, the Doctor still hadn't convinced Rose to see him and he was outside the palace talking with Jack and the TARDIS.

"What am I going to do? Rose won't even talk to me," said the Doctor. "This is hopeless. I should just do some work and leave Gallifrey."

"Doc, don't," said Jack. "Look, why don't you just use the TARDIS to get on her balcony and go talk with her? And when you're ready, just tell her the truth."

"And let her know I'm really a former street rat?"

"You're not a street rat. You're the man who saved her life and can give her what she wants: you and the chance of a lifetime. Just be yourself. She'll only care about you," said Jack. "Go on. Take the chance."

The Doctor sighed as Jack got back in his cell. "What do you think, old girl?" he asked the TARDIS.

I think you should at least try. You care about her and from you've told me, I know she cares about you.

"Alright, I'll do it," he said.

XXX

Rose sat in her room, gazing at the stars through her window. She felt so unhappy and trapped, but what could she do about it? Running off had only gotten an innocent man killed and it would do her little good now. Was an arranged marriage all she could hope for in her life?

Suddenly, she heard a whirring noise and huge blue box appeared on her balcony. She was confused and then the man she'd slapped earlier—Prince Theta Sigma, was it?—came out. He was wearing royal Time Lord robes that were blue and brown.

"Lady Rose?" he said.

"What do you want?" she demanded, not looking at him.

"I just want to talk to you. Please, just give me two minutes," he said.

"Just leave me alone!" she said, finally looking at him. "Wait, do I know you?"

"I, uh, don't think so." he said.

"I'm sorry, it's just…you look so much like my friend I met in the marketplace." She sighed. "But then again, why would you have been there?"

"I…" his voice wandered off before he cleared his throat. "Why do you look so unhappy?"

"You'd feel the same way if someone was forcing you to marry someone you didn't love," said Rose. "My father means well, but I feel trapped and it's like I'm just an object someone can give off."

"But you're not. You're not just some prize. You're a wonderful girl and you should be free to make your own choices. I'll go now."

He wasn't like the other suitors she'd met and he seemed like her friend she'd met. Then what he said hit her. Go? "No, wait!" said Rose, as the box began to disappear.

The box stopped moving and Theta poked his head out. "What? What is it?"

"How—? What is this?" Rose asked, peering inside and noticing how much bigger the inside was.

"It's my TARDIS," he said.

"It's beautiful," said Rose, admiring it. "Wow."

"I think she likes you," he said, when the TARDIS seemed to purr at her touch. "Hey, you don't want to go for a ride, do you? The old girl can go anywhere in time and space. We could leave Gallifrey and see countless worlds and be back within a few moments."

"Are you sure?" Rose asked.

"Yes. Do you trust me?"

Rose froze and her mouth went dry. "What?" she said.

"Do you trust me?" he repeated, holding out his hand.

Was it possible? Rose took his hand in hers and said, "Yes."

He smiled as he punched some buttons on the control and the TARDIS flew off. The walls and ceiling then changed so Rose could see everywhere they were going.

(The Doctor) I can show you the worlds
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, Rose, now when did
you last let your heart decide?

They hadn't gone far when he suddenly gave her a beautiful red rose.

"Thank you," she said.

He smiled again.

(The Doctor) I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways, and under
On a magic TARDIS ride
A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming

(Rose)A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm way up here
It's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world
With you
Now I'm in a whole new world with you.

They passed thousands of civilizations and thousands of amazing sights Rose had only read of in her books or was told about by visitors to the palace.

(Rose)Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feeling
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky

(Rose) A whole new world
(The Doctor) Don't you dare close your eyes
(Rose) A hundred thousand things to see
(The Doctor) Hold your breath- it gets better
(Rose)I'm like a shooting star, I've come so far I can't go back to where i used to be

(The Doctor) A whole new world
(Rose) Every turn a surprise
(The Doctor) With new horizons to pursue
(Rose) Every moment red letter

(Both) I'll chase them anywhere,

There's time to spare,

Let me share this

Whole new world with you

Eventually, they stopped on Woman Wept and he took her on the ocean and admired the fantastic and beautiful sight.

(The Doctor) A whole new world
(Rose) A whole new world
(The Doctor)That's where we'll be
(Rose) That's where we'll be
(The Doctor) A thrilling chase
(Rose) A wondrous place
(Both) For you and me

After going skiing and having a snowball fight, they ended up stargazing after the Doctor got a fire going. Rose snuggled close to him as he wrapped his cloak around her and they held onto each other's hands.

XXX

The Doctor felt happier than he had in years as Rose snuggled close to him.

"It's so beautiful here," she said. "Thanks."

"My pleasure," he said, smiling.

"Theta, I…I'm sorry I slapped you earlier," said Rose. "You didn't deserve it."

"Ah, don't worry about it."

"It's a shame that fruit vendor back home couldn't see this," she said.

"That old grouch? No way. Whenever it's winter, he's always grumbling about how cold it is and how bad it affects his business. But it's easier to get food from him during—oh, no," he said, realizing he'd given himself away.

Rose sat up angrily. "You are the man from the marketplace! I knew it! Why did you lie to me?"

"Rose, I'm sorry!"

"Did you think I wouldn't figure it out?"

"I-I hoped you wouldn't," he said, making her even more mad.

"Who are you? Tell me the truth!" she ordered.

"Okay, I am a prince, but I usually sneak off with my TARDIS. Everything else was the truth, I swear."

"If that's true, then why did you let me think you were dead?" she demanded.

"Wait, dead? Rose, what're you talking about?" he asked, now confused.

Tears were glistening in her eyes as she said, "I went to get you from the dudgeons and I was told you'd already been killed because they thought you kidnapped me."

His expression softened as he held her close. "Rose, I am so sorry. I didn't know. A guard came and told me there had been a mistake and I left. Then I found the TARDIS and I came to see you. I'm sorry. I thought you knew I was alive."

"I didn't," she said, burying her face in his chest. "And don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. But if you were a prince, then why didn't you just tell me?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were the Lord President's daughter?" he asked.

Rose laughed. "Good point."

They continued talking for a few more hours until Rose got tired and the Doctor took her back to the palace. He carried her in his arms and placed her on her bed.

"Good-night, Theta," she said.

"Sweet dreams, Rose," he said.

Before either of them knew what was happening, they were leaning closer to one another and then shared a tender kiss.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he said.

They remained in each other's arms for a few more moments before they let go and went their separate ways.

The Doctor got the TARDIS outside the palace and once he was outside he said, "Yes!"

For the first time in his life, things were turning out alright.