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Chapter 4
The Walk
Clara knew that she could have easily taken Eleven on the walk earlier but part of her wanted to make him wait. She was still annoyed with him that he had turned up late, even with his story. Part of her wanted to make him wait for her as she had waited for him.
She knew that she was going marry him whatever but she still wanted to get to know him. There was no denying that he wasn't a handsome man. Just there was something about him that made her think that he would have some good stories to tell and she wanted to hear them.
She knocked on the door and waited a few moments before she opened the door.
"Eleven?" She said into the empty room.
After a few moments of silence, she realised that he wasn't there. She popped next door and asked Ten whether he had seen him, to which he said that he hadn't seen him since breakfast.
Clara huffed in frustration as she realised that he had probably disappeared. She was angry now. She had said that they would spend some time together. How is she meant to get to know him if he disappears?
"Who has ruffled your feathers?"
She looked up to see Twelve walking in the opposite direction. She stopped as they met.
"Your brother. Have you seen him?"
"Eleven." He grumbled. "I will be having a word with him when he gets back. The idiot. Not making any excuses for him. Believe me, I would be the last person to make excuses for him. But he does get restless. I hoped that with the stern warning from the council he might just … sit still."
Then Clara had a thought.
"I was, or had, offered to show him the grounds so that we could get to know each other. If you don't have anything better to do, I would like to extent that offer to you."
"I am not the best of company."
"I will be the judge of that."
She smiled as he did.
"Then lead the way." Twelve said.
They made little conversation as they made their way towards the gardens but Clara was a little uncertain about what to ask him. She wanted to get to know John, the Twelfth, but it was for different reasons as to why she wanted to get to know John, the Eleventh. He was going to be her brother-in-law in time.
"Why are all three of you named John?" She asked.
"It is not just us three. All our brothers are called John. It is why we got with which John we are. We go from One to Twelve at the moment."
"At the moment?"
"We aren't traditional in our ways that we sort of … reproduce." He said.
"I heard about the weaves but I thought that they were only a myth."
"No, they are real. John, the Thirteenth, is being … born, constructed, I don't even know what to call it, as we speak."
"So another brother?"
"Or sister?"
"Well, you would have to think of another name if it is a sister."
"The council has already decided that he or she will be John, the Thirteenth of Gallifrey."
"But she is a girl. John is typically a boys name."
"She will more than likely be known as Thirteen."
"Unlucky them," Clara said.
"Just because you Earthlings have something about the number 13 being unlucky or something like that, doesn't mean every civilisation feels the same. For all you know, 13 could be a lucky number of us. Technically, I should be John, the Thirteenth."
"Why?" She asked out of curiosity.
He sighed. "In the war, we saw many bad things happen. One of my brothers, technically John, the Ninth, did something that was against the councils' wishes. He saved many lives that day but also lost key territory. He was basically disowned. This was in the early stages of the war, before Nine, Ten, Eleven and myself were … born."
"So how come you are the older looking on but the Twelfth?" She said before really thinking about it. "Not to sound rude or anything."
He laughed.
"Do you get that a lot then?" Clara asked.
"A lot. Most people think that I am actually John the Ninth when I say that I fought in the war. Just because of how much older I look. Luck of the draw really. I just had a face that aged quicker than my brothers. Plus I managed to get away for a bit before I was told that I had to join the war effort."
"Where did you travel to?"
"Just here and there. I wanted to see the beauty of the universe before it was obliterated by war. So my older face is due to a bit of time travelling. I am the younger, older brother."
"The younger, older brother." She repeated before letting out a giggle. "I guess it is what time travel does to you. I wouldn't know. I haven't left Endor."
Twelve smiled at her. "The perks of being the younger, older brother is that I am the wiser and more level-headed one of them. Both Ten and Eleven act on impulse. They would just run into danger if it was nothing more than a game. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a little excitement but not what they have in mind."
"Maybe when I am married to your brother, I will join him on one of his adventures. See the universe for myself."
Twelve turned to her and she turned to him.
"You still want to marry my brother?"
"I have been promised to him. Can I back out of it?"
"No, because I would probably be backing out of my arranged marriage if it was possible."
She didn't know why her stomach dropped when he said about his arranged marriage. "The council?"
"The council." He repeated.
Clara smiled down at the ground as she suddenly felt nervous around him. She didn't know why but it was just the way he was looking at her. No one had looked at her like that before. Not even Danny.
Maybe she would get to know the mysterious John the Twelfth more.
