TW: Thank you.
Helm's Deep
Mid-Day
After arriving at Helm's Deep, Eowyn set about gathering supplies, surprised by how little food there was when she heard the announcement of her uncle's arrival. Eowyn rushed towards the courtyard as Théoden arrived, along with everyone else who had survived the battle with the Orc Riders. She paused, seeing how few of them there were compared to what they were.
"So few of you have returned," she voiced these thoughts as her uncle dismounted his horse.
"Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives," Théoden said grimly.
"Lady Eowyn," Aragorn greeted solemnly as he dismounted and it was at this point that Eowyn saw the Fellowship.
Or, more specifically, that one of its members was missing.
"Lord Aragorn…where is The Doctor?" Eowyn asked fearfully although she feared she already knew the answer.
For a beat, it was silent.
"He's gone…he's gone," Rory said, looking as though the very words caused him pain.
Stunned, Eowyn looked towards her uncle, who merely looked back at her with regret on his safe. Eowyn was stunned into silence for a long moment.
"I am sorry. I did not know him well…but he seemed like a good man," Eowyn finally found the words.
"He was," River said with a sad smile, unshed tears in her eyes. "The best man I've ever known."
Fangorn Forest
Not long after
"Look! There's smoke to the south!" Pippin pointed out as Treebeard continued to walk the forest.
"There is always smoke rising from Isengard these days," Treebeard said dismissively.
"Isengard?" Merry said startled.
"What is Isengard?" Amy asked, hearing the alarm in Merry's voice and knowing whatever it was, it was no good.
"Where Saruman lives. Where he commands his forces," Merry said horrified.
Amy, curious, climbed further up Treebeard so she could see with the Hobbits as Treebeard continued.
"There was a time when Saruman would walk in my woods. But now he has a mind of metal and wheels. He no longer cares for growing thing," Treebeard said, oblivious to the actions of Amy and the Hobbits.
But the trio were no longer listening, staring at a large group of black thing moving away from the tower that could only be Isengard.
"What is it?" Pippin asked fearfully.
"An army," Amy muttered uneasily.
"Saruman's army. The war has started," Merry added.
"Rory, Doctor," Amy muttered worriedly, hoping the two of them would be all right.
The Doctor had fallen some time ago. He had lost consciousness almost immediately upon landing in the river. Then there were only flashes, vaguely he was aware of being pulled from the river and someone saying something. He thought it might be a woman but his half-conscious mind couldn't be sure.
Currently, The Doctor's eyes fluttered open. He looked around, seeing he was on the shore of some river. The river he had landed in. A few blankets were laid over his body and, a few feet away, he saw a fire going.
By the fire was a woman, tending to it. It appeared she was cooking two fish on a stick. Her face was turned away, but he saw she had brown-blond hair and was wearing a white dress that reminded The Doctor vaguely of one Victoria had once worn.
"You're awake, good," the woman said as she turned to him, revealing a young woman, around Amy's age, maybe a little younger, with blue eyes that seemed to see right through him. "I've been waiting for you, Doctor."
"Where am I? Where are my friends? Who are you?" The Doctor demanded as he threw the blankets off his body, sitting up.
"Easy now Doctor, you took a large fall. As I recall it, a similar fall once caused you to Regenerate," the woman noted and he looked at her in disbelief. "Yes, I know what you are."
"Who are you?" The Doctor demanded suspiciously and she smiled sadly.
"I'm Tara. And like you, I'm also a stranger to this particular part of the multiverse," Tara explained and The Doctor started.
"You know about the multiverse?" he asked in disbelief and Tara nodded.
"Yes," Tara said before raising her hand and The Doctor watched in shock as the fish on sticks floated from the fire over to him. "You should eat, you need your strength. And then, I will answer your questions, Doctor."
The Doctor stared at the fish for a moment before finally, he reached out, taking t hem and beginning to eat. It wasn't bad, The Doctor mused as he swallowed.
"Your friends are fine; they've arrived back at Helm's Deep. I fished you out of the river. The Powers didn't want me to meet you so soon, but when you fell, I was forced to intervene," Tara explained and The Doctor looked at her in confusion.
"Powers?"
"The Powers that Be. It's complicated, but basically, they're a bunch of higher beings who watch over the multiverse," Tara explained.
"Higher beings? I don't understand," The Doctor was only growing more confused as Tara smiled at him sympathetically.
"I know. It must be hard for you, a man science being forced to confront that there is magic and magical beings in the multiverse. But I can assure you, they are very real," Tara told him and The Doctor scoffed.
"This is at least the dozenth time since I arrived here that someone has mentioned magic. It's all nonsense because they don't have any other explanation," The Doctor snapped angrily.
"At one point, the people of earth would have called you nonsense and said that aliens don't exist. Your friend Yoda is leader of an entire order of people learning to harness a mystical energy," Tata pointed out and The Doctor stiffened.
"That's different."
"Really? Just because you do not understand something does not mean it doesn't exist. But this is not why I came to you."
"Then why did you come to me? Why are these…Powers as you call them so interested in me?" The Doctor asked and Tara was silent for a long moment, putting her thoughts in order.
"You have saved Earth many times; you have saved the entire universe on almost as many occasions. But your next challenge may make all that seem like a mere test," Tara said and The Doctor looked at her oddly, a feeling of dread beginning to enter his hearts as Tara continued. "An apocalypse is coming, one that will threaten the entire multiverse. Someone far more powerful than Saruman is going to attack the multiverse."
"Sauron?" The Doctor questioned and Tara shook her head.
"Someone even more powerful," Tara said, stunning The Doctor into silence for a moment.
"Why come to me?" The Doctor finally asked and she smiled slightly.
"According to prophecy, the last Time Lord will lead a group of heroes against this evil and save the multiverse," Tara said, smiling slightly as The Doctor looked at her doubtfully. "I know, you do not believe in things you do not understand. But there are things in the multiverse than no one completely understands. If you're going to save everyone, you will need to give up your sense of control, to accept there are things even you do not understand."
"How can you be so sure that I'm going to be the one to save the multiverse?" The Doctor asked, still not quite ready to concede defeat and Tara smiled.
"In my life, I've seen an evil vampire perform acts of kindness and selfless heroism, a witch go as far down the dark side as possible before turning back, and one of the world's greatest evils become one of his world's greatest heroes. You never know what people are really capable of until you test them," Tara told him and The Doctor was silent, musing on her words. "You may not be ready to accept that magic might exist, but regardless, the Powers that Be have chosen you as their Champion. This will not be the last time we meet. But for now, you need to continue on your journey here."
Hearing the clicking of hooves, The Doctor turned around, his eyes widening at the sight that greeted him.
"Brego," The Doctor said as he saw the horse ride towards him, stopping in front of him.
"Brego is loyal. He's come to take you back to your friends," Tara said with a smile. "It's time for you to leave."
The Doctor turned back to her but, to his surprise, Tara was gone. He would've thought he'd imagined her even being there if it weren't for the blankets and the stick that had held the fish he had eaten.
He stayed there for a few more moments putting out the fire and getting on Brego. It was time for him to head back to his friends.
And now the plot of this series really starts to begin. Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will no doubt recognize Tara. She will show up periodically throughout the series as a sort of guide for The Doctor on his adventures through the multiverse.