Moving Forward Series Part 04 - Chapter 27 - Tooth and Claw
Title: Moving Forward Series Part 04 - Chapter 27 - Tooth and Claw
Author: othermewriter
Chapter Rating: PG - Series Rating: Adult
Characters: 9/Rose Disclaimer: not mine, and so not making money from this I try not to dwell on it too much :(
A/N: As always my deepest gratitude to lostwolfchats Who continues to hang in there with me as my awesome beta and who I can never can thank enough for her wonderful feedback without which this would not be nearly so readable!
Sir Robert suggests a bit of a tour before dinner. As Sir Robert leads followed by the Queen, Thete and I, I wonder what caused the disruption as we landed and in what form the danger the Queen is in will come. As we enter the Observatory, I marvel at the size of the telescope that dominates the room.
"This, I take it, is the famous Endeavour." I hear the queen comment and realize this is something of which she is well aware.
I hear the frustration in Sir Roberts voice as he replies "All my father's work. Built by hand in his final years, became something of an obsession -- he spent his money on this rather than caring for the house or himself."
Thete's reply clearly showing me as his streak of boyish exuberance and I can’t help but smile "I wish I'd met him, I like him. That thing's beautiful, can I um...?" he asks as he waves in the direction of the telescope even as he is already moving to look it over.
"Help yourself." And I quickly follow to see what it is he is finding so fascinating.
“What did he model it on?” Thete asks and I wonder what has him so intrigued as the curiosity is practically rolling off him.
“I know nothing about it. To be honest, most of us thought him a little... shall we say, eccentric.” He states which doesn’t surprise me based on what he had said earlier, but his next comment does. “I wish now I'd spent more time with him and listened to his stories.” I get the distinct feeling that there is far more to that then just simple regret as he glances nervously at the Queen.
As Thete looks through it though I wonder even more at his mental comment, ‘It's a bit rubbish,’ but to which I have to smile.
“How many prisms has it got? Way too many, the magnification's gone right over the top.” Then as if realizing how insulting that might sound he continues. “But it's pretty! It's very... pretty.” I really wish I could just slip my hand in his but suspecting it would be taken wrong considering the premise he has given for us traveling together.
The Queen seems equally impressed as she looks it over “And the imagination of it should be applauded.”
At seeing an opportunity to try to get her to say what will later become a trademark line I pipe up. “Mm! Thought you might disapprove, Your Majesty. Stargazing, isn't that a bit fanciful?” and I hint as she stares at me. “You could easily... not be amused, or something...? No?”
“This device surveys the infinite work of God.” Is her prim reply and I see Thete shake his head with a vague smile and mental snicker that she has once again not cooperated.
“What could be finer? Sir Robert's father was an example to us all. A polymath, steeped in astronomy and sciences, yet equally well versed in folklore and fairytales.” This again gets me wondering what it is that she knows that is not obvious to the Doctor and I.
“Stars and magic. I like him more and more.” Is my Thete’s intrigued comment as he moves to take another look at the telescope.
“Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company. Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Saxe Coburg.”
‘That's Bavaria,’ comes the thought popping into my head from Verity’s memories.
“When Albert was told about your local wolf, he was transported.”
“So, what's this wolf, then?” comes Thete’s question even as I get a cold chill down my back as he shares with me a pointed glance.
But before I can ask what Thete is thinking, sir Robert quickly pipes up “It's just a story.”
“Then tell it.”
As sir Robert glances around at the manservant who has been following us very uncomfortably, I wonder what it is about the man that has him so antsy. I have the distinct feeling there is something he really wants to say but for some reason dares not to, as waves of anxiety roll off the man. It is a feeling that grows ever stronger as he; almost stuttering begins “It's said that…” and is interrupted by the man.
“Excuse me, sir. Perhaps her Majesty's party could repair to their rooms. It's almost dark.”
Followed by a wave of wary relief as he replies “Of course. Yes, of course.”
Caught up in trying to decipher what it is about the manservernt that gives me the creeps and has so scared sir Robert I start a bit at her brusk and disdainful comment “And then supper. And... could we find some clothes for Miss Tyler? I'm tired of nakedness”.
Seeing an opportunity I state “It's not amusing, is it?”
Her even more disdainful look before she decides to ignore my comment and turns back to Sir Robert makes me wonder if maybe this isn’t such a good idea. Thete’s snide mental comment changes my mind ‘Told you she wouldn’t say it, you’re going to so owe me ten quid.’
“Sir Robert, your wife must've left some clothes. See to it, we shall dine at seven. Then we will talk some more of this wolf, after all... there is a full moon tonight.”
I wonder again at his reaction as he replies, “So there is, Ma'am.”
*****************
As the strange butler leads me to one of the rooms upstairs my unease regarding the man increases and I really can't wait until he leaves as he points to the wardrobe to the right though that I make the mistake of turning my back on, it's one I regret immediately as he strikes me from behind and I feel my world go black.
********************
As we seperate I feel a twinge of guilt for teasing Rose regarding our bet but I will make it up to her later. A few minutes later we enter a dining room and our seated about the table discussing trivial things as I work the conversaattion back around to the wolf tales they have been aluding to, and I can't help wondering does this have something to do with my Wolf? Even as I think of her I feel a sense of unease coming from her through our link, but before I can ask I feel a sharp pain and her desperate 'Doctor' before I know she has slipped in to unconciousness. "Rose!"
"Doctor?" comes the queens query.
"Something's wrong with Rose!" is all I state as I run from the room desperately reaching out for the sense of where she is located only to find myself unsure of where she has gone, and I feel cold terror settle in my gut.
‘Verity where is she, what happened!’
‘One minute she was thinking the butler was a bit creepy, the next something hit our head, bloody hurts that does.’
‘Focus Verity, where which direction.’
‘I’m not sure; something is interfering with our connection. Something isn’t right Theta, I have a really bad feeling about this.’
“Doctor, explain yourself!” Demands the Queen as she comes up behind me.
“I…” I pause unsure how much to say, how do you explain a mating bond, “Your majesty, Rose is very special to me, from the first time I saw her there was this connection. I just know when something is wrong with her, and something very definitely is wrong right now.”
For a long moment she looks at me thoughtfully and as if coming to a decision she states, “Well then, I guess we must find out what has happened to your feral child. Sir Robert where are the suites that your man would have taken her to change?”
The man starts at the unexpected turn of events looking from one to the other of us obviously unsure what to say.
“Well man?” She demands.
Shaking himself at her unexpected harsh tone, he states, “This way,” leading us off down another hallway.
‘Someone is going to pay for this,’ is my angry thought as we move off toward the living quarters.
******************************
One moment I am out the next I am awake and I shake my head feeling the start of a rather unpleasant headache and hear a terrified whisper “Don't make a sound. They said if we scream or shout, then he will slaughter us.”
Still slightly confused I look up to see a young man sitting in a cage across from us and reply “But... he's in a cage. He's a prisoner. He's the same as us.”
I stare at her a moment, her utter terror blasting against my senses like a physical assault and barely catch her next words as I try to focus on shutting out her panic. “He's nothing like us. That creature is not mortal.”
Even as I am about to ask her what she means by that, the young man in the cage turns his head slowly and opens his eyes -- which are completely black. With that the utter terror of the entire group hammers at me and my eyes blur a moment as I blink at what is obviously an alien intelligence.
As I watch a slow smile creeps across his lips and I feel the tug of the chains binding me to the rest as they back up from that sinister expression. Surprisingly he seems to be psychically absent and I realize that if he wasn’t directly before me he would be completely invisible to my extended senses.
I here a terrified whisper as I stand and move toward the being “Don't, child.” and ignore her as I am intrigued by this mystery of a boy who is not a boy and visible as well as invisible.
I stop only as I feel the chains draw taunt and sit down across from him. “Who are you? Why are you caged?”
One of the others behind me cautions, “Don't enrage him.”
“Where are you from? You're not from Earth. What planet are you from?” comes unbidden to my lips.
“Ohhh... intelligence...” comes his reply.
I try again “Where were you born?” and am chilled by the answer.
“This body... ten miles away... a weakling, heartsick boy. Stolen away at night by the brethren from my cultivation. I carved out his soul and sat in his heart.
Repulsed by his words but needing to know who has captured us I ask “All right... so the body's human... but what about you? The thing inside?” The words of longing surprise me.
“So far from home.”
In spite of myself I offer, “If you wanna get back home, we can help.”
His cold malevolence takes me back as he states, “Why would I leave this place? A world of industry, of workforce and warfare; I could turn it to such purpose.”
“How would you do that?” and I am fearful of his answer.
“I would migrate to the Holy Monarch.”
Surprised I ask “You mean Queen Victoria?”
“With one bite, I would pass into her blood, and then it begins. The Empire of the Wolf! So many questions...” He suddenly lunges forward; making me jump and his eyes bore into mine.
“Look! Inside your eyes! You've seen it too!”
“Seen what?” I ask, and suddenly I am terrified, but I know I dare not show that to this being, mentally checking my shield to insure there is no possible leakage at his reply knowing I dare not even try to reach out to either the Doctor or Verity.
“The Wolf! There is something of the Wolf about is there not? You burnt like the sun, but all I require is the moon, and the favor of my master. Oh the things he has promised me, the things he will give me once I consume your tender flesh. You thought yourself safe because of what you have become, but I smell your fear Lady and your Lord will be quite the lovely host for me.
I feel anger boil though my veins and fury that he would think to dare threaten the Doctor. I stand rigid, my rage at his audacity only just contained, “You know of the Wolf yet you dare threaten? More the fool you!” I spit out in distain.
In that instant I know I have said too much as the woman who had been so fearful for me, is now staring at me as if I am as great a monster as the being caged in front of us.
“We shall see who the fool is in a moment shall we not?” With that, I hear the doors of the cellar thrown open and the moonlight floods in, over his cage. He presses his face against the bars with a blissful smile and I know we must do something immediately as he croons “Moonlight!” as if in ecstasy.
As I feel the terror from the group behind me at he pulls off the cloak he has been huddle beneath. Turn to the rest I exhort them “All of you! Stop looking at it! Don't look - listen to me. Grab hold of the chain and pull!” and in demonstration I begin to yank. As they stand for a moment more dumfounded I shout “Come on! With me! Pull!”
As a loud growling sound emerges from the cage, I hear someone in the crowd squeal in terror “It’s going to eat us!” I turn and grab the arm of the woman I realize now must be the lady of the manor by her dress and bodily turn her away from the creature. I spare only a moment’s glance to it as its human features begin to contort.
As I break her gaze I reiterate, “I said pull! Stop your whining you lot and listen to me!” I yell glaring at them. “All of you! And that means you too your Ladyship! Now come on, pull!” and with that I put action to my words. At another loud growl, finally they get it, and begin to pull on my command.
Chapter 28 -The Wolf Unfettered
Moving Forward Story Index 1