Chapter III
The Doctor and I had a well enough time in Victorian England. Everything was as beautiful as I'd imagined. The Doctor seemed to be up to something as he was unusually more happy yet I also noticed his efforts to try and make things seem like those four years away had never happened.
Oh Doctor, when will you ever be able to forgive yourself? I wondered, knowing full well that the reason for his change in attitude was his guilt for leaving me behind. Like all other places we've gone too however the Doctor was needed here.
We stumbled into a man and his wife causing an uproar in the marketplace. "It's coming I tell you!" He seemed very agitated his moustache quivered and a vein popped on his fat forehead as he screamed to the civilians. "We are not safe! Riots will form and the streets will be painted with blood!" The man's wife backed up his arguments with shouting and cheering, showing much more enthusiasm than he got from the rest of the crowd. It wasn't until someone else spoke to him did his rantings stop.
"Come now, Diggory. There's no need to rile up the people. Come down from that stool you are scaring the children." Another man spoke up, he was sharply dressed with shined shoes and a top hat. His well grown beard was groomed to perfection. I labeled him instantly as an aristocrat.
The fat man on the stool called Diggory now turned to the fellow contrasting his sayings. "You don't believe me but I'm right! My wife has seen visions of these horrible times ahead!"
"You mean the wife who's supposedly a psychic?" An unseen voice shouted from the crowd. "We've all heard this one before, there's no such thing as psychics"
"Sounds more like witchcraft to me!" Another voice came up to say but I couldn't find it's owner as Diggory began talking again. He barely got out a word though as a wall of voices threw boos and jests at him.
I should have known the Doctor would step up before he did, yet I was still surprised when he moved into position beside the fat man Diggory. "'Ello! Pleasure to meet you!" He took Diggory's hand without consent and shook it vigorously. "You said your wife's a psychic?" He questioned eliciting a quick response from Diggory.
"Y-yes! She-she has seen visions of riots and men killing men! Vision that happen in these very streets!"
"Unless you're a madman too there's no use talking to that blight!" Another unseen voice said and the crowd began to slowly flow back to normal, walking away from the scene and ignoring Diggory.
"A madman? That I am!" The Doctor exclaimed with a smile. "However any madman knows that psychics are not as crazy as others think them to be. Psychics are actually very special humans. They are very sympathetic and also make great players of chess!" The Doctor was next to Diggory's wife seemingly talking to her but talking loud enough for everyone to hear. "And if I may say, a very lovely psychic you are." The Doctor took her hand and kissed it while doing a proper bow.
I thought the wife would swoon when her husband came over and separated the two. "Those are very kind words, sir, but what's this all about?" His arm went protectively around his wife who looked at the Doctor with flirtatious eyes.
"I'm an official." He flashed them psychic paper which they accepted to mean something important. "I want to know everything about these visions your wife has been having. I find more often than not psychics are always right."
Diggory happily obliged and found a place for them all to talk, I fell into step behind The Doctor and after introductions took place the talking began.
"Horrible things are to happen. I know that much." Diggory's wife, Milanda began. "The visions I have are not very clear but what I can make out is horrible. First the screams start then I smell fire and see red on the ground. The screams get louder and I can hear gunshots. I don't know who's doing the shooting but it seems to cause a lot of panic. My sight fades in and out and I can just barely comprehend bodies in front of me, beside me, behind me. There are dead people everywhere, and more are running away...Then the vision fades. I'm afraid I can't give you any more information than that."
The Doctor scowled and thought for a moment. Then he perked up with his usual quirky spirit. "Don't worry, Lady Milanda! Whatever visions you have will not come true."
"How do you know that?" She asked worried.
"Because I won't let them happen." He said bowing and kissed her hand.
The Doctor and I left Diggory and his wife after saying our goodbyes, I had to almost run to catch up to him. "Are you sure you can stop this from happening?"
"I'm sure I can try."
"But we don't even know what will cause this? How are we supposed to prevent it?"
"Because that's the one thing we always do! Protect the earth." The Doctor smiled and I knew his mad ways would get us into trouble but save these people at the same time.
The Doctor and I decided to ask the locals about Diggory and his wife, it was best we split up, so The Doctor and I agreed to meet in the center park at midnight. In the meantime I was strolling along downtown asking every villager I see for information. Most of them were less than eager to help though which made this a tough investigation.
It wasn't until I met a friendly folk did my luck turn around. After being rejected for information on the town psycho once more I was pushed aside, before I caught my balance I fell straight into a passerby. I apologized and looked at who I'd bumped into. I recognized him as the man from before who told Diggory he was scaring the people with his mad talk.
"So sorry, sir!"
"It's quite alright. People around here aren't too eager to talk about the man who stalks the streets every night. Everyones afraid of him." The man said to me and I realized he had seen the entire spectacle of how I got rejected by every person I talked to.
"If I may, why are you afraid of him?" I inquired innocently, the man didn't seem to be agitated with my poking around because he answered me.
"Me? Oh no I'm not afraid of him. The town folk are though, can't trust a man who spouts nonsense day and night." The man continued. "He's crazy is all and that makes people uncomfortable, which makes them afraid." He finished with an emphasis on afraid, leaning towards me to get his point across.
"Well you're the first person who's willing to talk about him, I've noticed. Do you mind if I ask you more about him?" I saw a chance and I took it.
The man laughed. "Not at all dear lady, my name is Xerxes, follow me we'll talk at home." And we did, he lead me to his house, which based on his clothing should not have been surprising. This man was obviously very wealthy and he had no problem showing it off, still something about the man gave off an air of humility that she had to admire.
I breathed out deeply when I saw his mansion, "Who are you, the president?"
"The who?" He asked, then I remembered I was dating myself.
"Nothing." I recovered quickly, as we stepped into his elegant and lavishly victorian living room I continued questioning him. "So about...Mr. Diggory."
"Yes, of course," He sat down, accepting a cup of tea from a maid who had just walked in. She offered me some tea but I politely refused. "What would you like to know?"
"Is he really insane? Is all that," I gestured with my hands searching for the right word. "madness he spewed in the marketplace really true?"
Xerxes laughed. "It could be, and it could not be."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Diggory's wife has been right before, and she's been wrong before."
"What did she predict?"
"The falling of the royal queen. Diggory gathered everyone in the marketplace as usual stirring up trouble and announced the queen would die in a matter of days. None of us believed him until he marked her death date to the hour."
"That's impressive. His wife predicts all this?"
"Apparently. Although most of the time he just scares the folk, he once predicted London would be destroyed by aliens. When it didn't happen he claimed some sort of time traveller stopped the aliens before they got to earth. It all just seemed to much like a cover story to believe, So most people don't trust him. Especially when he mumbles to himself while walking the streets at night."
"Can he be trusted?"
"Oh sure he can!" Xerxes exclaimed happily putting his empty tea cup down. "He's a good man, if only he didn't stir up trouble he be the model citizen."
Xerxes was done talking and I thought it best I left. I stood up. "Thank you for the tea Mr-" I waited for his last name.
"Pharamond!" He replied happily extending a hand. I stopped for a moment, Pharamond...that was the name of my ancestors who supposedly met a man who identified as the Doctor...but I was told the Doctor killed them. No the Doctor would never do that, how can I be sure it's even my family? But Pharamond is not a common name… Xerxes looked at me quizzically after my hesitation.
"Sorry," I quickly grabbed his hand. "I just thought I'd heard your name before."
"Oh. I don't like to brag but I'm sure you have." He began tepidly. "You see my family makes it's business from making weapons for the warriors of England. The Pharamond Armory is a popular name. My wife and I don't like to flaunt though so we avoid last names when possible."
That settled it, every little detail matched up with what Xerxes said, nothing from the history of my ancestors was out of place...I had to tell the Doctor.