"Take a punt!" the Doctor stood on the upper gallery of the console room, scribbling Gallifreyan equations on a board as Star watched, eating a yogurt. Honestly, she had no idea what he was actually doing; she had narrowed it down to two ideas. He was either trying to work out where Gallifrey may now be or how many seconds he had missed of her while he was stuck on Trenzalore. She guessed the latter.
"Right," Clara gave a short nod as she stood by the console.
"Your choice. Wherever. Whenever. Anywhere in space and time."
"Well," she began, "there is something. Someone I've always wanted to meet. But I know what you'll say."
He looked down at her, "try me."
"You'll say he's made up. That there's no such thing...it's Robin Hood!"
"Robin Hood?"
"I love that story. Always loved it. Ever since I was little."
Star finished her yogurt, setting the tub on the nearby shelf, handing the spoon to the Doctor who rolled his eyes and pocketed it as Star peered down at Clara, "Robin Hood the heroic outlaw who robbed from the rich to give to the poor? In Disney's version was a fox?"
"Yeah," Clara giggled.
"There's no such thing." The Doctor stated.
"You see!" she cried.
"Old fashioned heroes only exist in old fashioned story book, Clara."
"What about you?"
"Me?"
"Yeah, you. You stop bad things happening. Every minute of everyday. That sounds pretty heroic to me."
"Just passing the time," the Doctor shrugged, "hey, what about Mars?" he turned the board over to show a drawing of a vast honeycombed structure, "the Ice Warrior Hives!"
"You said it was my choice," Clara reminded him.
"How about the Tumescent Arrows of the Half-light! Those girls can hold their drink!"
"Doctor..."
"...and fracture 15 different levels of reality simultaneously. I think I've got a Polaroid somewhere."
"Doctor!" Clara shouted, "My choice. Robin Hood. Show me."
"Very well," he shrugged, joining the girls at the console, "Earth," he flicked a switch, "England, Sherwood Forest. 1190AD. Ish." he flicked another switch, "but you'll only be disappointed."
"Robin Hood is a story," Star told her, "and that's it. Just a story."
"But yet you love the Disney version." Clara pointed out.
"That's animated animals. As much as I would love for him to be real, he isn't."
"When did you stop believing?"
"He's just a legend Clara."
"But don't legends come from somewhere."
Star blinked, that was a good point, "but not all legends are true."
~.~
The TARDIS materialised and the Doctor stepped out onto a bank with a stream with a log used as a bridge connecting the other bank, with Star behind him, the front pieces of her hair pulled back in two braids with the rest down loose, wearing a lovely deep purple renaissance gown; fitted at the top with the skirt flowing out with bell like long sleeves. It hadn't taken long for her to change, she had left Clara choosing between the many dressing in the wardrobe, the woman taking way too long for Star to patiently wait for her.
"No damsels in distress." The Doctor looked around, "No pretty castles. And no such thing as Robin Hood!"
Star jumped to the side suddenly, as an arrow came flying past, just missing her and hitting the TARDIS.
"Who called?" a voice called and they looked over to see a dashing young man standing on the other side of a bank, wearing a green tunic, feather hat and tights, his hands on his hips as he winked, and walked onto the log bridge, "Very, very nicely done with the box, my friend! I saw something of the sort performed by a Turk in Nottingham Fayre. A trick with mirrors, no doubt?"
"A trick?" the Doctor scoffed.
"A good jest."
"It's not a trick!" Star shouted at him.
"Why are you dressed like that?" the Doctor eyed the man.
"Whatever it is, you bony rascal, I'm afraid I must relieve you of it." the man laughed, "Don't you know that all property if theft of Robin Hood?"
"You're not serious?" Star blinked at that. He couldn't be Robin Hood, he wasn't real. He couldn't be real.
"I am many things but never that. Robin Hood laughed in the face of it all. Ha, ha, ha!"
"Has anyone punched you in the face for doing that?" Star tilted her head at him.
"Not as yet."
"Then I'll be the first."
"Feisty young lady aren't you?"
"Thank you." she beamed at that.
"Ok, might be a little bit much but what do you reckon, Doctor…?" Clara came out of the TARDIS wearing a dress similar to Star but orangey-red with a thin belt around her waist, her hair was twisted back and she had a silver headdress on her forehead. "somebody," she shot Star a playful glare, "disappeared before I could get her opinion."
"By all the saints!" Robin Hood beamed, "are there any more in there?"
"Doctor," Clara smiled in delight spotting the man, "is that...?"
"No." the Doctor stated.
"Maybe," Star shrugged, actually starting to think it may be the real Robin Hood. These things, these impossible and unlikely things did happen.
"Oh my god, it is, isn't it?" Clara squealed, "You found him. You actually found Robin Hood."
"That is not Robin Hood!" the Doctor snapped.
"Well then who, sir, is about to relieve you of your magic box," Robin pulled out his sword.
"Nobody sir!" the Doctor jumped in the bridge, "not in this universe or the next!"
"Well then draw your sword and prove your words."
"I don't have a sword."
"Do you want my dagger?" Star offered.
"I don't need a sword or a dagger," he waved her off. Pulling out a gauntlet and putting in his hand, pulling out the spoon Star had eaten her yogurt with, "because I'm the Doctor. And this is my spoon. En garde!" the Doctor advanced to the middle of the bridge, ready to fight Robin Hood.
Robin laughed, slashing his sword to the Doctor spoon, who was actually rather brilliant at it.
"You're...amazing," Clara gaped, watching from the side, impressed with the Doctors skills, they were almost as good as Stars, she may get it from him.
"Where do you think Star gets it from?" he countered.
"Not you," Star giggled.
"I had some experience. Richard the Lionhearted...Cyrano de Bergerac...Errol Flynn. Had the most enormous ego."
"Takes one to know one," Clara smirked.
The Doctor hit Robin's sword and proceeded to trip the man up from behind sending him into the stream.
The Doctor flipped his spoon like a gunslinger and put it back in his pocket, "like I said. My box."
"Our box," Star corrected.
"Doctor...?" Clara looked into the water concerned, unable to see Robin anywhere, no air baubles, no...nothing. Until a hand reached out behind the Doctor, making him stumble and fall into the water.
Robin emerged into the bridge next to Star and Clara, hands on his hips, laughing as the Doctor dragged himself out of the water, fuming.
~.~
Robin led the Doctor, Star and Clara to his camp and introduced them to his Merry Men.
The Doctor stood scanning the greenery with his sonic as Robin introduced the girls to his men "let me introduce you to my men," a blond man in red stepped forwards, "This is Will Scarlet. A cheeky rogue with a good sword had and slippery tongue."
"My ladies," Will gave them both a small bow, before whirling around as the Doctor snipped of a lock of his hair, scanning it, "what do you want with my hair?"
The Doctor looked at the sonic's results and threw the lock away, "well its realistic, I'll give you that."
A portly monk with a tonsure stepped forwards, "Friar Tuck," Robin introduced, "aptly named for the quantity of grub he tucks into!"
"You skinny blackguard!" Friar laughed before tripping forwards as the Doctor grabbed his sandal, "what are you doing?"
"This isn't a real sandal!" he stated.
"Yes, it is."
He soniced it, "yes, it is!" he threw it away, frustrated.
Next a slightly fry man with a lute stepped forwards, "this is Alan-a-Dale," Robin continued, trying to ignore the Doctor, "a master of the lute and with the voice of an angel."
"Fair strangers you are welcome here, in Sherwood's bunny glare and..." Alan began to sing, "Ow!"
The Doctor had injected a small syringe into Alan's arm, "sorry, sorry, blood analysis, oh, all those diseases, if you were real, you'd be dead in 6 months."
"I am real."
"Bye."
Robin shook his head, gesturing to the large bearded man, "and this is John Little. Called Little John. My loyal companion in many an adventure."
A smaller man appeared form between the large mans legs, "Haha! Works every time!"
"I can't believe it's you." Clara gaped, "you really are Robin hood and his Merry Men!"
"Aye!" Robin grinned, "'Tis an apt description. What you say, lads?" they all cheered and roared with laugher.
"Stop laughing!" the Doctor scowled, "why are you always doing that? Are you all simple or something? I'm going to need a sample."
"Sorry about him. His minds going with his age." Star smiled sheepishly at Robin as she and Clara dragged the Doctor away.
"What are you doing?" Clara hissed.
"Well there not holograms," the Doctor replied, "that much is obvious. Could be a theme park from the future. Or maybe were inside a Mini-scope!"
"Oh, shut up!"
"A mini scope!" the Doctor stalked off, muttering to himself, "yes, could be a mini scope, why not." he turned to Star, her words just hitting him, "Oi! there is nothing wrong with my mind."
She stared at him, "it took you THAT long to realise what I had said."
"Your friend seems not quite of the real world," Robin walked over.
"No, not most of them time," Clara watched the Doctor walk off.
Star turned to Robin, "Dark days?"
"My Lady?"
"You said these were dark days. What did you mean?"
"King Richard is away on Crusade, my Lady, and his tyrant of a brother rules instead." Will explained.
"The phoney king of England," She smirked.
"And the Sheriff?" Clara asked, excited, "cos there is a Sheriff, right?"
"Aye," Alan nodded, "it is indeed this jackal of the Prince's who aims to oppress us for evermore."
"Or 6 months, in your case." the Doctor remarked as he passed, making Star laugh, "what time is it, Mr Hood?"
"Somewhat after noon..." he frowned.
"No, he means the season," Star told him.
"Dame Autumn has draped her mellow skirts about the forest, my Lady. The time of mists and harvest approaches..."
"Yes, yes," the Doctor snapped, not happy with how close Star was getting to him, as he wasn't real and he could end up hurting her…or more she'd end up hurting him in someway, as long as she wasn't hurt he didn't care, "all very poetic. Bit it's very green hereabouts, though, isn't it? And, like I said, very sunny."
"So?" Clara frowned.
"Have you ever been to Nottingham?"
"Climate change?"
"1190."
"Well, you must excuse me!" Robin cut in brightly, "the Sheriff has issued a proclamation. Tomorrow, there's to be a contest to fid the bed archer in the land! And the bounty: an arrow of pure gold!"
"No, no, don't go! It's a trap!" Clara warned.
"Of course it is! But I can never resist a challenge! A contest to find the best archer in the land?" he turned to the Merry Men, "why, there is no contest!" the men laughed.
"Yeah, the best archer is me," Star grinned, leaning on the Doctors chest.
"How are you sure he's not the real thing?" Clara asked as Robin and his men prepared for the contest.
"Because he can't be," the Doctor replied.
"When did you stop believing in everything?"
"When did to start believing in impossible heroes?"
"Don't you know?" Clara smiled at him; "in a way, that's rather sweet." she walked off.
~.~
The next day, the Doctor, Star and Clara stood in the castle's courtyard as Robin took part in the archer contest, him and his men in disguise, he used the name Tom the tinker and wore a big brown hat on his head and cloak covering his normal clothes.
In the final it was just Robin and the Sheriff. All the other contests now watching in the crowd with the rest of the villagers.
"Take your places!" the herald called.
Robin stepped forwards and he and the Sheriff sized each other up, "let us make this match a little more interesting, my Lord. Surely the targets are too close? What say you? Another 20 paces?"
"Why not?" the Sheriff shrugged.
The target was shifted back 20 more paces.
The Sheriff fired his arrow and hit the target first time, the crowd cheered. Robin stepped forwards, "now, tinker," the Sheriff smirked, "lets see your true face..."
Robin fired his arrow and split the Sheriff's arrow in two.
Clara applauded, the Sheriff scowled and Robin turned to wink at Clara.
"Ye Gads!" the herald announced, "He has split the arrow! Truly, he is the finest archer in all England! Come forward, tinker. And claim your prize."
Robin made to collect the arrow when the Doctor handed Star a bow and arrow, grinning as she fired it at the target, splitting Robins' arrow in half.
Everyone looked around to see Star standing there. Everyone gasped at seeing a young lady holding a bow and arrow and beaten Robin Hood.
"She's full of surprises, isn't she?" Little John remarked to the Merry Men.
Robin turned and glared as the Doctor smirked at her for showing Robin Hood up.
"I'm Star!" she grinned as everyone looked at her, "did I win?" The herald handed her the golden arrow but she threw it to the side, "I don't want that, I want something else."
"Name it," the Sheriff smiled at her.
"Enlightenment."
The Sheriff smiled at her when Robin fired another arrow, cutting Stars in two.
The crowd cheered as Robin grinned at her, not about to be showed up by a girl.
She narrowed her eyes, seeing Robin trying to challenge her. The Doctor handed her another arrow, smirking. Eyes locked on Robin she fired another arrow; it hit a knights shield and split Robin's arrow in two.
Again Robin split Stars in half.
"I can do this all day," she glared at him, firing another arrow and hitting the target before turning and nodding at the Doctor who aimed the sonic at the target, making it explode. He'd been working on that last night in the TARDIS as Star and Clara camped out with Robin and the Merry Men, Clara delighted to speak with them while Star stayed just to ensure she would be safe.
"Fascinating," the sheriff murmured before calling, "seize them."
The Doctor and Star smiled at each other as the knights clomped towards them. Clara dashed over, grabbing a pike staff, only for its weight to drag her down.
"What are you doing," the Doctor hissed, "put that down!"
"I'm fine!" she reassured him, "I take year 7 for after school Taekwando."
"Don't worry, Doctor, my Ladies!" Robin jumped in front of them, sword raised, "I'll save you!"
"We don't need saving!" the Doctor snapped.
"Your honour is safe!"
"I know it is!"
"For I am Robin!" he pulled of his 'disguise', "Robin Hood!"
The crowd went mental calling out his name as his sword hit a knight, chopping its arms off...only for it to spark and fizz.
The crowd gasped and fell silent.
"Robot!" the Doctor grinned, "now we're getting somewhere!"
The Sheriff scowled, taking out a small control device, "kill them!" he ordered, "Kill them now! Kill them all!" he pressed the buttons and the knights changed. Their helmets shifted to reveal blank faces with a gleaming purple light within, projecting a cross, aiming at the targets, they burst into flame as they were hit.
The herald dashed for cover but one of the knights aimed the light at him and he vanished in a blaze of fire.
Robin raised his sword again but the Doctor knocked it out of his hands, "he surrenders," the Doctor said.
The knights surrounded the four of them, all quickly raising their hands.
"Run, flee, lads, flee!" Robin shouted to the Merry Men, "live to fight another day!"
"Aye!" Friar nodded and they all ran off.
The Sheriff snapped his fingers, "to the dungeons with all of them!"
The knights hustled them away.
"What're you up to?" Clara whispered.
"Quickest way to did out anybody's plans, get yourself captured."
~.~
The Doctor, Star, Robin and Clara were manacled together in a dungeon. Robin next to the Doctor, Clara next to him and Star next to her.
"Splendid! Enchanted!" Robin grumbled. "Trussed up like turkey-cocks' thanks to your friend."
"Shut it, Hoodie," the Doctor glared at him, "I saved your life."
"I had the situation well in hand," he defended.
"Thin haired ninny versus killer robot knight, I know where I'd put my money."
"If you had not betrayed me, then I would have been triumphant."
"You'd have been a little puff of smoke and ashes!"
"Ha!"
"You'd have been floating around in tiny little laughing bits in people's goblets..."
"Balderdash! Ha!"
"Right here we go," the Doctor moaned, "it's laughing time!"
Robin gave a mocking laugh, "ha, ha, ha!"
"Guard!" the Doctor yelled, "he's laughing again! You can't lock me in here with a laughing person."
"Oh, that's funny too," Robin also yelled to the guard, "do you know I feel another laugh coming on! Ha, ha, ha!"
"Guard, I cannot remain in this cell! Execute me now!"
"You heard him, execute the old fool!"
"No, hang on, execute him!"
"I do not fear death, execute away!"
"Yeah, execute him! I want to see if his head keeps laughing when you chop it off."
"Robin Hood always laughs in the face of death!"
"Rolling round the floor laughing, I'd pay good money to see that! Guard!"
"SHUT UP! OR I WILL STRANGLE THE PAIR OF YOU AND I WILL ENJOY IT!" Star roared, breathing heavily in her anger from the men bantering and arguing.
They both fell silent.
"Do either of you understand, in anyway at all, that there isn't actually a guard out there?" Clara asked.
"Oh." the Doctor blinked.
"I did in fact", Robin stated.
"No, you didn't."
"I will kill you both!" Star threatened.
"How?" the Doctor looked at her.
"Remember Solomon?"
"You seem very angry today," the Doctor frowned at her, "why?"
"I have a headache and your banter is not helping."
"Again?" her headaches were getting worse she used to never get a headache or sick at all for that matter.
"I will murder you and I will keep on going until you stay dead."
"The Doctor and Robin Hood locked up in a cell," Clara began, "is this the best you can do? Are you both determined to starve to death in here, squabbling?"
"Well I'll tell you one thing," Robin remarked, "I'd last a lot longer than that desiccated man-crone."
"Really?" the Doctor scoffed, "well you know what, I think you'll find I have a certain genetic advantage..."
"Crying out loud!" Star screamed, "Just shut up. So you have a new cycle and more regeneration that does not make it a competition for who can die slower!"
"It would definitely be me, thought wouldn't it."
"Yes!"
She didn't know why he was actually so glad to have an entire new cycle, yes, it was great that there were more Doctors but it also meant that at this rate he would end up out living her. One day she'd run out of regenerations while he'll still have more. She really needed to be more careful, she will no longer be so easy to kill like from a Dalek or even worse like drowning. No, she would make it hard to die from now on.
"There's supposed to be a plan," Clara reminded them, "do any of you have a plan?"
"Yeah, of course I have," the Doctor nodded.
"I too have a plan," Robin called.
"Robin, plan." Star turned to him.
"Why him?" the Doctor asked.
"Saving the best plan til last."
"I am...biding my time," Robin offered.
"Thank you, Prince of Thieves," she rolled her eyes, "dad?"
"Can you explain your plan without using the words 'sonic screwdriver?' because you might have forgotten, the Sheriff of Nottingham, has taken your sonic screwdriver, just saying?" Clara added.
"I know," he huffed, "I know!"
"Your plan was basically the screwdriver wasn't it? It's always the screwdriver," she turned to star, "do you have a plan, last Time Lady?"
"Yes, and it's a brilliant plan," she answered promptly, "the plan is…"
They all looked to the door as they heard the key turn and the guard enter.
"You see, there was a guard," Robin cheered, "there was a guard listening the whole time, I knew it. Ha, ha, ha!"
"The Sheriff himself commanded me to listen," the guard told them, "to find out which of you is the true ringleader."
"Ah, so he can do the interrogating. Very wise," the Doctor commented.
"Excellent," Robin smiled, "he will get nothing from me!"
"No, he will get nothing from me; interrogation is always where I turn the tables," he turned to the girls, "that's my plan!"
Robin raised his manacles, "well, hurry up, take me to him."
"Chop chop..." the Doctor also raised his.
"Seriously?" Clara looked at them, pitifully.
"Sometimes I wonder how you're my dad," Star shook her head as the guard unlocked her. Of course it would be her, she looked the youngest and was the one to make the men fall silent and was about to say the plan.
"No!" the Doctor cried, reaching forwards at the guard led her off, "not her!"
"Good luck, Clara!" Star called back, thankful she wasn't going to be stuck with them bantering.
She heard Clara groan as the door was locked behind her.
~.~
Star was led into the Sheriff's quarters in the castle, and was currently sitting at the end of a long table, decorated with many different types of food and weapons on the wall.
The sheriff sat at the opposite end, "eat, my Lady, eat! Let it not be said that the Sheriff of Nottingham is a poor host!"
"I had some fish fingers and custard this morning, thank you," Star called.
"Your words are strange, fair one."
"Thank you."
"But I like it. You are refreshingly...direct."
She shrugged, "I speak my mind."
The Sheriff gestured to the table where the Doctors spoon sat with his gauntlet, a cheese sandwich, a paperback and the sonic screwdriver, "taken from your friend's strange tunic. An intriguing gallimaufry. Especially a young lady like yourself to have such good skills with a bow and arrow." he picked up the sonic, "and this. Evidently a thing of awesome power. Tell me...are you from beyond the stars?"
"You have a robot army." Star countered, "You tell me."
The Sheriff picked his teeth and smiled. "But enough of tawdry matters. Let us talk of softer...sweeter things." he stood up and moved closer to Star.
"About time," Star smiled mock sweetly, "I was hoping we'd get to this."
"You were?"
She got up and met at the middle of the table, "for I have know I was destined to draw the eye of a great and powerful man for a long time, ever since I saw those mysterious lights in the sky."
"You saw them too?"
"And those strange mechanical men," she agreed, "with their promises..."
"I too have experience these things."
"Really? Never would have guessed. Tell me your story."
"Tell me yours!"
"Oh, please, you first. I insist." She smiled up at him, battering her eyelashes.
"Right," he cleared his throat, "once upon a time there was a brave and clever a handsome man..."
"I can picture him without closing my eyes. Like he is…right in front of me."
"...unappreciated by his Royal master."
"Prince John?"
"The very same."
"And then the lights in the sky and everything changed," Star murmured.
"The sky ship came to Earth in a fury of fire!" he told her.
"I'd say it crashed. I remember it well."
"A craft from the heavenly spheres, bed light with twinkling lights and miracles beyond imagining! The most beautiful thing the brave and handsome man had ever seen..."
"The mechanical men saw you as their natural leader."
"It was I, and I alone, to whom the mechanical men within imparted their secrets! Shortly I will become the most powerful man in the realm. King in all but name! For Nottingham is not enough!"
"You want the world?" Star guessed.
"Yes!" he exclaimed.
"Then why are you hanging around here, your Majesty? Why bother to squeeze the pips out of the peasants if you've got a sky ship on standby?"
"Enough questions!" he shouted, "I am impatient to hear of your story."
"I lied," she stated.
"Lied?"
"I do that a lot. People are a lot better at sharing information if they think the other had already got it. And I can be pretty persuasive when I want to be. People usually tell me what I want assuming im innocent and adorable. Fool proof."
"Oh, that was clever. You'll do very well."
"Well for what?"
"Does not every king need a consort?" he leaned in to kiss her but she kneed him in the gut.
"How dare you!" she glared, "has no one taught you any manors. A lord should always wait for the lady's permission."
~.~
The door that the Sheriff had said led to the 'bridge' or something was blown of its hinges by the robot knights. They'd gotten an alarm of intruders, and realised the others had escaped the cell; Star had guessed that Clara had been the one to get the out. Women get stuff done while men only try to impress others.
"Surrender, outlaw!" the Sheriff called as the Doctor, Robin and Clara stood inside the room, having gotten out of their chains by Clara taking charge, and headed here to find out the Robin was just a legend, a story.
"Very good," the Doctor gave a slow mocking clap.
"Did I miss anything?" Star grinned.
"Kill him!" the Sheriff ordered, "kill Robin Hood!"
"You can drop all that, Sheriff." the Doctor rolled his eyes.
The knights aimed at Robin.
"What did I miss?" Star frowned.
"He's not what you think he is, Star. It's all just play acting."
"You sure? You do have a history of being wrong in this regeneration."
Robin jumped out of the knights' aim as it fired at the metal shutters, revealing a window.
"We can't just let them kill him!" Clara cried, rushing to him as he stood in the windows ledge. The knight aimed its weapon on her.
Robin wrapped his arms around Clara.
"What are you doing?" she asked him.
"Surviving," he stated, falling backwards out the window with Clara as the knight fired and destroyed the window.
"No!" the Doctor rushed over, looking down in the moat.
"Sorry about that girl." the Sheriff smirked, "but she wouldn't have made as good a queen as this one," he looked at Star.
"Sorry, I don't need a king." She told him.
The Doctor looked back out the window to see Robin dragged an unconscious Clara to the side of the most; he looked at Star an idea forming, "Star…"
"If you think im going to jump into that water, following Robin and Clara you have got to be joking old man." She shivered just thinking about jumping into the water. Once you were born because of water you never were quite as fond of it as you once were before.
"Right," the Doctor nodded, turning to the sheriff, "You can stop pretending. You and your fancy robots. I get it, I understand."
"Oh, so you know my plans?" the Sheriff smiled.
"Spaceship disguised as a castle. Very neat. You and your robots are plundering the surrounding countryside for all it's worth." he looked at the technology, "of course! Gold! Of course! Gold! You're creating a matrix of gold to repair the engine circuitry!"
"This is the scheme the mechanicals have devised. Soon this sky ship will depart. Destination: London! There I shall obliterate the King and take my rightful place as ruler of this sceptered isle!"
"Wont work," Star mocked, "no chance at all."
"I've seen the instruments," the Doctor agreed, "there's been too much damage; you're stoking up a gigantic bomb!"
Both Time Lords looked up as the knight raised it chain-mailed fists and hit it down on their necks, knocking them both out.
~.~
"Engine capacity at 48%," a knight called.
The Doctor jolted awake, to find both he and Star were tied to a pillar in the corner of the castle vault. With liquid gold spurting to the spout high above their heads, and great circuit boated being stacked up and Star was still unconscious.
"Not enough," he muttered, "that's not enough. It'll never make orbit. That's the engines! Building in power. Stupid Sheriff. Stupid, stupid Sheriff. Stupid, stupid things." he looked over to see a young brunette woman staring at him, "what are you looking at?""
Star had finally awoken; the Doctor had told the woman what the Sheriff was planning.
"I think I understand you," she frowned, "the Sheriff is using the gold to repair something?"
"That's the principle," the Doctor nodded, "but he's a moron. If he tried to fly his ship, it'll explode and wipe out half the country."
"We need a riot," Star stated, standing up, getting out of her chains.
The woman untied the Doctor, he whispered a plan in her ear, knowing Star was listening telepathically. "Spread the word."
~.~
A knight approached the Doctor and Star as they pretended to still be tied up. It scanned them; "you are fit for labour." it turned to the woman, "stand aside while these peasants unit are freed."
"Too late," Star remarked.
"Explain."
"We're already free!" they smirked, grabbing a gold plate each and holding it up as the knight fired a beam of light at them only for it to hit the plate and deflecting into the shadows.
The knight fired again but the brunette held up her own gold plate and the beam hit another knight, blowing its head off.
All the peasants held up heir own gold plates as the knight prepared to kill them all.
It was rather easy to use the plates to reflect the knights and kill them all. They all lined the edge of the room, surrounding them and soon they were at the last one.
It fired and the beam bounced around the plates before hitting the knight, destroying it. Everyone cheered.
"Everyone out!" Star instructed, "Now! Out, out, out!"
Star blasted the door of the vault open and everyone ran out.
"You've save us all," the brunette smiled at them, "thank you," she gave the Doctor a quick kiss on the cheek before dashing out.
"Engine capacity at 80%," a knight called.
"You are indeed an ingenious fellow, Doctor," they turned to see the Sheriff standing at the doorway. "But do you really think you peasants' revolt can stop me?"
"I rather think you the revving one around here," the Doctor remarked before muttering to himself, "bantering! I'm bantering!"
"You've been doing that all day," Star informed him.
"Listen to me!" he called to the Sheriff, "you don't have enough gold content to seal the engine breach. If you try and take off, you'll wipe out half of England."
"Liar!" the Sheriff snarled, "from my sky-vessel I shall rule omnipitant."
"You pudding brained primitive, shut down the engines!"
The Sheriff clicked his fingers and the knights stomped towards the Doctor and Star.
"You'll alter the course of history!" Star shouted.
"I sincerely hope so." he smiled, "Or I wouldn't be bothering."
"Listen to me!" the Doctor cried as the knight aimed the purple light on them, "shut it all down. Return Clara to us and we'll do what we can to help you..."
"Return Clara? I do not have her."
"Robins one of yours!"
The Sheriff held up a hand and the knights held their fire, "what did you say?"
"He's one of your tin-headed puppets, just like these brutes here."
"Robin Hood is not one of mine," the Sheriff laughed.
"Well if he isn't yours..." Star trailed, "then...he is real!"
Oh, that was brilliant! THE Robin Hood, outlaw of Nottingham was real. Amazing.
"But he can't be! The Doctor argued, "he's a legend!"
"Too kind!" Robin called as he stood in the minstrels' gallery at the top of a large banner, "and this legend does not come alone!"
Clara peeked about behind him, "hiya!" she grabbed hold of the man as he plunged a danger into the banner and slid down to the floor.
Star ran over to hug Clara, "are you ok?"
"Oh, yeah!" she breathed.
The knight stomped towards them, "No!" the Sheriff stopped them, "this ones all mine!" he pressed a button on the control device and the robots powered down. "What do you say outlaw! A final reckoning!" he drew out his sword. Robin smirked and drew out his own sword.
The Doctor smiled at Clara, "you ok?"
"Fine, yeah," she nodded.
"Good. We don't have long."
"And the whole castles gonna blow," Star added.
"You have long been a thorn in my side," the Sheriff said.
"Well everyone should have a hobby, mines annoying you," Robin tied to lighten the mood.
"I'll have you boiled in oil at the castle..."
"Can you make it a bit earlier, that's a little past my bed time." Robin cut the curtain behind him, rising onto the beam above.
"I am too much for you, outlaw. The first of a new breed. Half man, half engine." the sheriff followed Robin to the beam. "Never ageing. Never tiring."
"Are you still talking?" Robin asked.
The sheriff cut Robins arm, making the man drop his sword, "bow down before your new kind, you prince of thieves!" he ran at Robin who took a leave out of the Doctors book, kicking the back of the sheriffs knee, making him loose his footing and fall into the chamber of gold.
"Sorry," Robin grinned at the trio as he joined them again, "was that showing off?"
"That was amazing!" Clara stared at him in awe.
"Come on!" Star shouted, "Run!" they ran out of the castle.
They looked back to see the castle rising into the air. Stream gushed from the engine pods.
"It'll never make it to orbit," Star mumbled, "not enough gold."
"Where is it?" the Doctor looked around, "where did it go? Where did you throw it?"
"Where did what go?" Clara asked.
"The golden arrow! Star, where did you throw it?"
"Ask the thieves," Star rolled her eyes, "they probably STOLE it!"
"Tuck?" Robin smiled at Friar Tuck.
The man produced the golden arrow. "You took it?" the Doctor grabbed it.
"Of course we took it."
"We're robbers," Friar smiled, proud.
"I love you boys!" the Doctor chuckled.
"What are you suggesting?" Clara frowned.
"The golden arrow, Clara! It might just be enough gold content to get the ship into orbit and out of harms way."
"It has to be you," Robin looked at him. "My arm..." he nodded to his arm where the sheriff had stabbed him.
The Doctor placed the arrow on the string but it fell off, "Star." he handed it to her.
"Together." She decided and the four of them helped shoot the arrow at the ship, hitting it just before it exploded in the atmosphere.
"I never miss my target!" Star grinned, smugly, "with or without cheating." She gave the Doctor a look, knowing that he had done something to the second arrow he handed her earlier when she beat Robin. That was how he had blown the target up with the sonic.
"One Autumn day in Nottingham, bold Robin Hood was in a jam." Alan sung as a crowd gathered, watching the ship explode, "his arrows flee with truest flight, the Sheriff fought with all his might..."
"Oh, give it a rest, Alan." Will sighed.
Robin burst into laugher and the Merry Men joined in, the Doctor gave a small smile.
"Still not keen in the laughing thing?" Clara asked him.
"No," he shook his head.
"Oh, come on," Star nudged him, "Not even a small chuckle?"
~.~
Back in the forest near the TARDIS the Doctor and Star said their goodbyes to the Merry Men as Robin helped Clara fire an arrow, hitting the bull's eye by the sound of her cheering.
The Doctor narrowed his eyes at Robin as Clara gave him a kiss.
Star laughed at his face, "it could have been worse."
"Could it?" he muttered.
"Would you rather I kiss Robin Hood?"
"No!" he shouted, "no, absolutely not!"
"See? Not so bad then." She knew why he was acting like it though, he was trying to be the old protective uncle to Clara, the one who while was fun and most loved out of all uncles was also the most protective and only wanted the best.
"So is it true?" Robin walked over as Clara went inside the TARDIS.
"Is what true?" the Doctor turned to him.
"That in the future I am forgotten as a real man. I am a legend."
"I'm afraid so."
"Good," he nodded, "history is a burden. But stories can make us fly."
"I can't believe you're real!" Star squealed, "That is just…brilliant. It really is. I am a really big fan. If you haven't already noticed."
"Is it so hard to credit? That's a man born into wealth and privilege should find the plight of the oppressed and weak too much to bear."
"No." the Doctor cut him off.
"Until one night he is moved to steal a TARDIS?" he continued, "fly among the stars, fighting the good fight, with his shining star. Clara told me your stories."
"She should not have told you of that," he glared.
"Well, once the story started, she could hardly stop herself. You are her hero, I think."
"I'm not a hero."
"Well, neither am I. But if we both keep pretending to be. Ha-ha! Perhaps others will be heroes in our name. Perhaps we will both be stories. And may those stories never end." he shook his head, "goodbye, Doctor, Time Lord of Gallifrey," he kissed Stars cheek, "goodbye Star, Time Lady of Gallifrey."
"Goodbye, Robin Hood, Earl of Loxley." the Doctor returned.
"And remember, Doctor," Robin called as they headed to the TARDIS, "I'm just as real as you are."
"Admit it, you like him," Clara teased.
"Well, we're leaving him a present, aren't we?" the Doctor countered, pulling a lever sending them off. The brunette who had helped them was none other than Maid Marion herself. it was only right they reunited the pair of lovers.
"Thanks." Star kissed the Doctors cheek as Clara went to get changed.
"For what?" he frowned, confused.
"Bringing back my hope,"
Robin Hood may be A hero. But the Doctor was HER hero. She smiled following Clara to the wardrobe leaving a very confused but also touched Doctor at the console.
Gapejuice101: Im glad you're enjoying the story :)