DISCLAIMER: I don't own Doctor Who, I only own my OC!
Thanks for all your follows/reviews, I hope you enjoy!
Hally's mouth dropped open slightly and a wave of relief washed over her.
"The Doctor?" She repeated, her mouth curving into a small smile as she stopped herself from laughing.
The Council elder's eyes sparkled dangerously as he took Hally's small smile to be an indication that she must somehow be involved in The Doctor's defection.
Hally shook her head slowly. "I have no idea where The Doctor is…" She looked back at the elder incredulously. She'd been so sure that the High Council were going to question her about Councillor Xia, or even hint at some sort of involvement between herself and The Master. She couldn't help but be relieved that they were instead asking after her estranged father.
The dark-haired Councillor sitting to her right suddenly banged his fist hard on the wooden table in front of her. Hally flinched as the gravity of the situation she'd found herself in slowly started to dawn on her.
"This is no joke child. The Doctor has stolen a TARDIS and fled Gallifrey. It is treason and if you know anything of his crimes you would do well to admit it now." The dark-haired Councillor growled, he had lent in so close to Hally that she could feel his hot breath on her face. She tried to sit back in her chair as he leered at her.
Ignoring him, Hally turned back to the Council elder deciding to address him instead. "High Councillor," Hally began, putting on her most polite voice. "I'm afraid I have not heard from my father in many years, I was not aware he had even left Gallifrey until moments ago when you yourself informed me." Hally forced a look of concern onto her face.
The Council elder eyed her suspiciously and the room fell silent for a few long moments. She licked her lips nervously as she tried to slow her breathing. Each Councillor was watching her with varying levels of suspicion. The elder took a moment to survey the room and Hally felt like somehow in the silence the Council were taking part in some sort of vote, deciding whether they believed her to be innocent or not. Hally watched them nervously, The Master's unhelpful words playing on her mind.
"You stick out like a sore thumb and yet nobody understands why. Don't think for one second that they wouldn't jump at the chance to be rid of you."
Hally had a sneaking suspicion that the Council were about to prove The Master right, not one of the members in the room were looking at her with anything other than contempt. She sighed softly to herself. Where was that murderous ass when you needed him?
The Council elder cleared his throat and sat back in his chair, an unreadable expression on his face. "Your lies will not go unpunished. You will submit to the High Council of Gallifrey in order that the truth of The Doctor's crimes should come to light." Hally barely had time to open her mouth to protest her innocence before Councillor Jax and the dark-haired Councillor were either side of her. Hally instinctively went to move to stand but they grabbed her by the shoulders forcing her to remain in place.
"What are yo-… Unhand me!" Hally shouted, alarmed at their sudden attack. However, the two Councillors were easily able to overpower her, holding her still in her chair despite her struggle.
The Council elder rose from his seat calmly and circled around the table, stilling behind her. Hally's breath was coming out in ragged pants and she let out a cry of protest as she felt his cold hands clamp down on her temples. She had just enough time to focus on strengthening her mental barrier when she felt the elder's consciousness ram brutally into her defences.
Hally cried out in pain and snapped her eyes shut, tears welled behind her eyelids but she continued to focus on maintaining the barricade inside her mind. The elder's presence recoiled slightly, surprised that her mental defences had not fallen instantly. A small whimper escaped Hally's lips as the elder repeated his bombardment of mental attacks on her mind. Each collision of his mind with her barrier felt like an explosion of tiny glass shards in her brain, but she knew that she couldn't give in, she couldn't stop. There would be no saving herself and The Master if they were able to get inside her mind. She tried to calm her breathing and internally thanked The Master for his unrelenting teaching tactics as she felt the elder's attacks beginning to weaken with fatigue.
She heard his growl of frustration from behind her and the pressure of his hands on her temples was lifted. Exhausted, Hally collapsed forward, having to catch herself on the table after finding that the two Councillors were no longer holding her still.
"Not possible." She heard an unfamiliar voice to her left. Hally opened her eyes slowly, salty tears stinging her eyes. She could hear the Councillors muttering angrily behind her but the words were muffled by the sound of ringing in Hally's ears. She pushed herself back weakly, her shoulders reconnecting with the chair behind her. The room had fallen quiet again, the only sound being that of Hally's harsh breathing.
"Send for him…" The Council elder murmured quietly before Hally heard the unmistakable swish of his robes as he left the room. The rest of the Time Lords followed him and soon enough Hally was left alone in the chamber, the door hissing angrily behind her as it locked.
She groaned, raising her hands to cradle her now aching head. She needed to find a way out of this situation and fast. There was no way she would be able to withstand another mental attack of that force and the idea of the High Council discovering her little secret wasn't worth thinking about. The silent seconds slowly drew into minutes and Hally eventually felt the headache ease up a little, some of her strength returning.
After a few moments contemplating the silence, Hally stood and made her way to the door, pressing her ear up against it to see if she could hear whether anyone was outside. She was met with more silence, cautiously she tried the door and unsurprisingly found it deadlocked. Hally stepped back and surveyed the mechanism of the door carefully, hoping it would somehow unlock.
To her disbelief, the door began to hiss and the hinges started to pull at the heavy door. However, Hally's hope for freedom died as the doors widened far enough for a person to get through. Hally stepped back in panic, almost tripping over the chair she'd been sat in as she backed herself up against the chamber table as The Lord President strode into the room.
Hally tried to cry out but no words came from her throat, she shook her head in a blind panic but Lord President Rassilon was not a patient man and his High Council had informed him that the meek girl before him held information of high importance in the case against The Doctor. His hand shot out and clasped around the thin neck of the girl, pushing her hard against the table she'd backed herself up into.
Hally grabbed his hand, trying to prize his fingers away as she struggled to breathe. She watched in horror as Rassilon raised his right hand, the famous Gauntlet of Rassilon catching on the dim light of the room.
"N-…No!" Hally managed to gasp out, however, The President ignored her plea and raised the gauntlet level with her face. He slowly twisted the ugly weapon and Hally felt a blinding white pain engulf her mind.
Rassilon savoured the high pitched scream that forced its way from Hally's mouth, the sound reverberating around the small room as he twisted the gauntlet further. The girl writhed uncontrollably beneath him, her scream weakening after a few minutes had passed, her voice turning hoarse from the strain.
"My Lord President. I have news of The Doctor" A deep voice sounded from behind Rassilon and he lowered the gauntlet, still holding the girl up by the neck. Her eyes were rolling up into the back of her skull as she fought for consciousness.
"This had better be good…" Rassilon growled as he turned to find The Master stood outside the chamber door.
The Master's gaze flitted briefly to the girl Rassilon had by the neck before turning his steely expression back to The President.
"He has been spotted in the Olde Town. The Council are hoping to cut him off at the exit of the Capitol." The Master relayed quickly, hiding his relief when The President released Hally, his eyes glinting with malicious excitement.
"Indeed we shall." He smirked to himself, marching past The Master at haste.
Hally had fallen to her knees once Rassilon was no longer keeping her upright with his hand at her neck. Her hands dug painfully into the cold stone floor as she desperately tried to stay awake. She was vaguely aware of warm arms coming to hold her shoulders, shaking her gently.
"Stay with me." The Master's gruff voice sounded very far away as she felt him pull her up to her feet.
"Shmuff…" Hally muttered, wrapping her arms around The Master's neck for support. She heard him grunt awkwardly and suddenly the ground was swept out from beneath her feet and the world seemed to tip to one side. Hally opened her eyes and tried to lift her neck upright, in her disorientated state she planted her head into The Master's chest.
"Stop wriggling…" She heard him mutter as she slowly became aware of his arms under her knees and back holding her into his body as he carried her. Hally wanted to shout something indignant at him but the pull of exhaustion was too great, she closed her eyes and found herself slipping into a welcome unconsciousness, the steady beat of four guiding her to sleep.
The world felt like it was spinning as Hally slowly started to become aware of the world around her. She was lying on something soft, a cocoon of warmth spreading around her. She stirred gently and opened one of her eyes, frowning at the unfamiliar ceiling above her.
"Ow…" Hally's head started to protest as the warm light from the room strained her eyes. She sat up, instantly wishing she hadn't as a wave of pain crashed over her head.
"I think I'm going to be sick…" She muttered quietly to herself, holding her hand to her mouth.
"Please don't." A tired voice echoed from the corner of the room. Hally gasped softly, startled. The Master stood and sauntered over to where she was now sat. Which Hally could now see was a large double bed, black silk sheets pooling at her stomach.
"I'd hate for you to ruin my sheets." He drawled lazily, but Hally thought she saw a hint of concern in his icy blue eyes.
Hally's eyes widened. "Y-…your sheets? This is your room…?" Hally gaped and looked down at herself, relieved to find she was still fully dressed, The Master laughed softly as if sensing her train of thought.
"I'm not really into undressing unconscious women but it's nice to see you think so highly of me."
Hally looked around the room, the events of the previous few hours coming back to her slowly. "What happened?" She turned back to The Master. His jaw clenched uncomfortably, Hally noticed that he wasn't currently wearing his usual black robes but instead stood in black slacks and a shirt.
"I sent the Council and our dear President off on a wild goose chase through the Olde Town. When they returned I managed to convince the Council that I had penetrated your mind and found no involvement in The Doctor's scheme." The Master perched himself on the edge of his bed, watching her. "However, I thought it'd be safest to bring you here so they wouldn't be able to find you should they feel inclined to check."
"And The Doctor?" Hally frowned, pulling the black silk sheets up around her shoulders slightly, a shiver running through her.
A flash of concealed anger appeared behind The Master's eyes. "Gone."
Hally's heart sank, her father had abandoned her. He had left her to suffer Rassilon's wrath alone.
