Chapter Four

"C'mon Rose, we've got work to do." He held out his hand and waggled his eyebrows. She grinned and took his hand, ready for their next adventure.

"Where we goin'?" she asked.

"We're going to find Patrice so that you can flirt with him."

"WHAT!?" Rose pulled him to a standstill, unable to believe what she had just heard. There were times when this man was impossible.

The Doctor was nonplussed and started counting off on his fingers.

"1. We have to get to the King so I can examine that sword. 2. Patrice is one of his trusted knights. 3. Patrice fancies you. (He gave her one of his cheeky smiles). 4. If you ask him nicely, I'm sure he'd introduce us to the King, unless you can think of another way to get into the Great Hall?"

Rose was fuming. "What kind of girl do you think I am?" she asked him indignantly.

"I know exactly what kind of girl you are. You are Rose, Marion, Tyler. The extraordinary girl from Earth. Who has courage and compassion in equal measure. Who decided to take the hand of a Time Lord and run through all of time and space." The sincerity on his face and in his voice made her knees go weak. He had spoken to her soul and her soul had listened.

She suddenly realised that time had passed when she came back with a shudder. "Well, I suppose when you put it like that, I am pretty good at flirting," she said with a cheeky smile.

"That's my girl," he said with a smile, holding out his hand again. They set off towards the keep, hand-in-hand.

The double doors of the keep entrance opened inwards and a guard stood at each hinge. Peasants and commoners knew they were not allowed into the inner bailey unless summoned or on the King's errand.

Fortunately, the Doctor's and Rose's costumes were of nobility, and they could quite rightly claim that status having been knighted by Queen Victoria herself. They approached the nearest guard.

"Is it permitted to enter the King's gardens?" the Doctor asked. "Lady Rose is somewhat overcome by the odours of the market."

"And thou art?" the guard asked, without any malice or threat in his voice.

"Sir Doctor of Tardis, Lord of Gallifrey. We seek our friend, Sir Patrice."

The guard relaxed a little and smiled. "I saw Sir Patrice not 10 minutes previously, speaking with Sir Kay at the entrance to the Great Hall."

"Many thanks..., I don't know your name," the Doctor said.

The guard was in awe. A nobleman had never asked for his name before. He stood proudly to attention. "Cedric sir, Cedric Treuddyn."

The Doctor smiled at him. "Very good Cedric, carry on. I can see the security of the castle is in good hands."

The guard nearly exploded with pride on the spot. "Yes Sir. Thank you Sir."

Rose hung on the Doctor's arm as they entered the inner bailey. "That was so sweet of you. I think you've made his day, his month and his year," she said, smiling up at him warmly.

The inner walls matched the octagonal layout of the outer walls, with turrets at each corner. To the left of the keep were the King's stables, were grooms tended to the recently returned horses. Various stone buildings were built into the inner walls, which the Doctor presumed were stores, armouries and the like.

Opposite and to the right of the keep entrance was the large, round building of the Great Hall. It was three stories tall and dominated the inner bailey.

In contrast to the hustle and bustle of the marketplace outside, the inner bailey was tranquil and serene. The lawns were immaculate; the flower beds were a beautiful blend of both bright and subtle colours.

And the smell! The scent of roses, lavender and honeysuckle filled the air.

And the sounds! Birds whistled and warbled among the various fruit trees and the buzz of the occasional bumblebee could be heard in the warm, still air.

"Oh this place is just beautiful," Rose said as she took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Yes, it's a sanctuary from the savagery of battle. The knights can come here and find solace," the Doctor told her. "And companionship," he said with an eyebrow waggle and a nod to a bench seat against the wall.

Rose looked and saw a knight holding the hand of a young woman. From the looks they gave each other, they were obviously courting.

They wandered in silence through the gardens, just enjoying the surroundings and their own company. They were now in the centre of the inner bailey when they saw a familiar figure exit the Great Hall through the large double doors and enter the gardens.

"Patrice!" The Doctor called. "May we speak with you?"

"Doctor! Lady Rose, art thou enjoying the delights of Camelot?" Patrice said as he strode towards them.

Rose gave him one of her winning smiles and fluttered her eyelids as he approached. "Indeed Sir. These gardens are exquisite. So peaceful and tranquil."

Patrice took her hand and kissed it, a little longer than before, and then continued to hold it as they spoke.

"We saw the King's return earlier. A hunting trip was it?" the Doctor asked innocently.

"Er, yes, verily. The King doth enjoy hunting at dawn," Patrice replied.

"Mayhap he will have better fortune on the morrow," the Doctor suggested.

"Pardon?" Patrice had a puzzled look on his face.

"I saw no deer or boar across the saddles. I presumed that the hunt was unsuccessful."

"Ah, yes. Thou art a most observant man Doctor." Patrice had been caught off guard.

Rose spotted this and attempted to strike up a conversation with Patrice.

"So, pray tell Sir Patrice, I wouldst love to know how thou came to be here at Camelot," she said.

"Lady Rose, thou dost not have to call me Sir, pray call me Patrice."

"And my name is Rose," she told him.

He offered his hand, palm down and Rose put hers on top of his, curling her fingers under his palm as she had seen in period dramas on television.

They wandered around the gardens, as Patrice told his story.

As they passed the stables, the Doctor excused himself, telling them he had to speak with someone. He walked over to the stable where a groom was tending to the King's horse.

He nodded to the groom. "May I greet this fine and noble beast?" he asked.

The groom smiled and nodded. "He is indeed a fine horse."

The Doctor placed his hand on the horse's forehead and made some odd breathing and grunting noises. The groom tried unsuccessfully to suppress a laugh. To his surprise though, the horse responded with snorts and whinnies.

{Greetings. I am the Doctor, last of the Time Lords of Gallifrey.}

{Greetings Time Lord. I am Lightning's Shadow, Herd Leader.}

{The King was out hunting early today and with little success I noticed.}

{And yet we passed many deer and boar on the way.}

{Mmmm. I wonder what he was hunting then. Thank you Lightning's Shadow, you have been most helpful.}

The rest of the stable lads had stopped their grooming to watch the Doctor, tittering amongst themselves. He turned to look at them and grinned at them. Lightning's Shadow snorted and snickered.

"Peter isn't it?" the Doctor said to the groom. "Lightning's Shadow tells me you are a fine and attentive groom. He is pleased with your services."

The groom looked at the Doctor with suspicion. "How didst thou know my name?" he asked.

The Doctor nodded at the horse. "He told me," he said, matter-of-fact.

"Hah! His name is Hengroen, not Lightning's Shadow!" the groom said in a huff. The Doctor and Lightning's Shadow both laughed together.

"Do you know Hengroen translates as 'Old Skin' or more accurately as 'Old Shit'," he laughed. Lightning's Shadow snorted again. The groom now looked worried. "Worry not Peter, he enjoys the joke."

The Doctor turned to face Lightning's Shadow, held his arms out wide and bowed low from the waist. The grooms continued to titter and then suddenly gasped and fell silent as Lightning's Shadow put one leg forward and bowed to the Doctor.

As Rose and Patrice had been chatting, they had been watching the Doctor's antics. Rose had laughed when she saw him puffing and snorting at the King's horse. They both gasped when they bowed to each other.

"Lord Tardis is a most unusual man Rose. Are you and he... I mean, is he your guardian. A mentor perhaps..., Or are you betrothed?" Pat asked awkwardly.

"Oh Pat, thou hath no inkling," Rose said. "He is both guardian and mentor to me, and more. As to your last question..., 'tis complicated," she said wistfully.

The Doctor had re-joined the couple and walked close to Rose's side.

"Who'd ya think you are? The horse whisperer?" she whispered in his ear.

"Ooh, better than that. I don't just whisper, I have full blown conversations with them," he whispered back in all seriousness.

"You're kiddin'! And what did you talk about?" she asked, humouring him.

"Tell you later," he winked.

"Pat's told me about the round table where the King holds his court in the Great Hall. He's offered to introduce us to the King and show us the council chamber," Rose informed him.

'Oh good girl' the Doctor thought to himself. 'Pat? Already. Oh you are good'.

"Oh that would be splendid. Thank you... Pat. What a tale we shall have to tell when we return home," he said, genuinely excited to be seeing the round table.