Chapter 3
The doctor bursts out of the cottage door, sonic screwdriver in hand, Clara following behind, eyes not in front, but no one needed to know that. The sonics buzzing surrounds the adrenaline filled air. The two time travellers run along the cobblestone path in hope of catching up with the Hatter to find some answers.
"I've lost his signal" Doctor admits as he comes to a sudden halt, he looks around thoughtfully, searching on what he could do next. Clara looks up at her Doctor watching his brain tick, "maybe we should just go to the palace?" Clara suggests pushing the Doctor to think of something.
The Doctor quickly turns to face Clara, studying her rounded face and chocolate brown eyes, he smiles "go into the palace, no plan, a possible quick lead to death. Oh Clara Oswald you know me too well" he winks, Clara blushes then flashes a massive smile, "well then what are we waiting for?" Clara asks.
Doctor and Clara approach a majestic palace surrounded by white roses dripped with a red liquid, hedges low and cut neatly and of course guards at every turn. The Doctor moves around in a circle, "I'm a man" the Doctor says out loud, "I'm a man!" He exclaims this time, "trying to reassure yourself there Doctor?" Clara teases, "Shush you" he replies smiling. "I should go in, say i am her new servant or jester! I could be a jester, hey me and jokes" he glances and Clara, she looks at him with a disapproving look "yeaa you're right, jesters are boring! How about a new guard? Yes i like that" Clara looks at the Doctor, "What about me?" She asks "nothing, i don't you anywhere near the situation of head tearing" he warns, this was the Doctors way of saying 'I care too much for you to die' which Clara had a feeling of.
"Who are you?" A demanding voice bellows from behind, the Doctors eyes switch to a figure dressed in a heart card amour, "touring, we are tourists, we got lost" the Doctor says confidently "no trespassers by order of the queen!" the guard announces, quickly more guards swarm the Doctor and Clara, like bees to pollen.
"Take the girl" the original guard demands, "DOCTOR!" Clara shouts as she is dragged off violently "Clara!" Doctor shouts back attempting to grab her out of the clasps of the guards, but before he gets a chance he too is dragged off. Both time travellers eyes meet sorrowfully as they are dragged away in opposite directions. 'I will save you' the Doctor mouths to his companion 'I promise'. The Doctor watches as Clara gives up on struggling and allows the guards to take her, well where ever they were going to.
The Doctor sits impatiently rattling on the bars of the jail cell knowing he had lost his sonic when his impossible girl and himself were torn apart and dragged away, he suddenly stops when he hears a whisper of his name, "Chess?" Doctor whispers hopefully, "over here" Doctor says as he sticks his hand out his cell. "Ah hello!" Chess speaks as he appears from his cat form, "I found this" Chess says pulling out Doctors trusty sonic, "Oh you beauty" the Doctor announces kissing his sonic passionately "Chess I could kiss you!" he says while using his sonic to undo his padlock on his cell "please don't" Chess quickly adds backing away slightly, "Wheres Clara?" Chess questions in hope of changing the subject, "Im not sure they took her else where" he says quietly trying to hide his concern, "shes with the Queen" a voice from behind adds, a voice that has been heard before. Hatter.
"What?" The Doctor asks "Why? What do they want with her?" Doctor demands, "Girls who the queen feels threatened by usually..." Hatter starts
"Disappear" Chess finishes, despair clear in his voice. "No" Doctor says "Nobody will hurt Clara, not as long as she's under my protection".
The Doctor, Chess and Hatter head off towards the door. "Halt!" another guard announces, "look just tell me, Clara Oswald, Longish Brown hair, short, control freak, do you know where she is?" The guard looks longingly at the Doctor, then sighs "Yes, I believe she is due to be absorbed" he says casually, the Doctors eyes widen in horror "shes what now?" Asks Hatter "being prepared to be absorbed, thats how the queen stays young and beautiful, she absorbs pretty females" he says quietly. "Why are you telling us all this? To brag?" questions Chess, the guard sighs again but sharper this time "no, never, let's speak, not here, quick we don't have much time if you wish for the survival of your friend".