You will probably want to read the Introduction before you start.
Prologue
Robin Moon was getting rather used to running. And she had to admit, she was almost enjoying the sensation of bouncing up and lurching forwards every time her foot hit the ground in the low-gravity. As she looked behind her she found her enjoyment of the situation concerning. Behind her a huge mass of black followed them, made of about fifty huge creatures, like leeches. She turned around and continued to run.
“Not much further now!” The Doctor’s voice came out of the radio in her spacesuit helmet. “The TARDIS is there”
She looked at him and followed his line of sight across the barren orange wasteland, and sure enough the TARDIS was there, atop of a steep incline. They reached it and began to climb.
“We’ve done it!” Robin could almost hear the beam on the Doctor’s face. She looked up and saw him unlocking the TARDIS. As she looked she landed awkwardly and he legs failed her. Robin cursed as the low-gravity unfortunately proved enough to pull her back down the hill.
“No, no, no!” The Doctor watched in horror as the horrific mass caught up with Robin. Suddenly, a creature lurched out of the huddle and used its sucker to attach itself to Robin’s leg. As he heard Robin’s screams through the radio the Doctor began to think quickly. They were basically slugs. How do you kill a slug? He checked his pocket, but he’d unfortunately left his pellets in the TARDIS garden.
Fortunately, Robin was not planning on flailing around and screaming until the Doctor saved her. She decided to take the drastic approach. She reached up and discarded her helmet, immediately felt the air being sucked out of her lungs, but continued with her plan and dragged herself forwards, getting out of her spacesuit and began to crawl up the hill. Just as she felt like her insides might burst with the pressure she heard a beautiful and familiar sound as her vile surroundings replaced themselves with the homely glow of the TARDIS. But then that began to fade too…
“Not much further now!” The Doctor’s voice came out of the radio in her spacesuit helmet. “The TARDIS is there”
She looked at him and followed his line of sight across the barren orange wasteland, and sure enough the TARDIS was there, atop of a steep incline. They reached it and began to climb.
“We’ve done it!” Robin could almost hear the beam on the Doctor’s face. She looked up and saw him unlocking the TARDIS. As she looked she landed awkwardly and he legs failed her. Robin cursed as the low-gravity unfortunately proved enough to pull her back down the hill.
“No, no, no!” The Doctor watched in horror as the horrific mass caught up with Robin. Suddenly, a creature lurched out of the huddle and used its sucker to attach itself to Robin’s leg. As he heard Robin’s screams through the radio the Doctor began to think quickly. They were basically slugs. How do you kill a slug? He checked his pocket, but he’d unfortunately left his pellets in the TARDIS garden.
Fortunately, Robin was not planning on flailing around and screaming until the Doctor saved her. She decided to take the drastic approach. She reached up and discarded her helmet, immediately felt the air being sucked out of her lungs, but continued with her plan and dragged herself forwards, getting out of her spacesuit and began to crawl up the hill. Just as she felt like her insides might burst with the pressure she heard a beautiful and familiar sound as her vile surroundings replaced themselves with the homely glow of the TARDIS. But then that began to fade too…
The Eighth Doctor Adventures
Series 1 - Episode 2
The Adulteress and Her Doctor
Written by Jack Hudson
“Robin. Robin!”
Robin had woken up rough many times, but never quite as bad as this.
‘Hello again! I saved you.”
Robin willed her eyes open. “You could have done it before I tried to escape myself.”
“Typical earth girl… no sense of gratitude. Anyway, come on!” The Doctor quickly pulled her up to her feet. Robin’s head rushed.
“Oy!” Robin shouted. “What’s that for? I’m not going anywhere until I’ve had a very long lie down.”
The Doctor kept hold of her hand and pulled her towards the door.
“Oh yes you are. I had to do an emergency dematerialisation to get away from those things. Time to find out where we are!”
***
"Yuck!"
Robin had stepped out of the TARDIS and into a pile of horse manure. She noticed the Doctor had managed to avoid it, but not managed to warn her. The TARDIS was in the middle of a large stable. Straw covered the floor, and Robin used it to wipe her shoe.
"You bring me to the best places, Doctor. Chased by hideous monsters and now, stood in horse muck! Not what I thought I was signing up for. We're leaving. Right now."
"No Robin. I really don't think we are."
She looked over at him. She didn't like his expression. She walked over, turned round and followed his gaze."
"Oh my god."
Robin had never seen anything quite like this before. There were three bodies, if you could call them that. Robin couldn't comprehend it. They had been torn open savagely, bones hung out, like they'd been sucked out of the corpse. And yet, there was no blood to be seen. In fact, there was no colour at all. They were like husks or shadows. All signs of life were gone.
What upset Robin the most was that they were horses.
"Doctor? What happened to them?"
The Doctor got his sonic screwdriver out and scanned the horses.
"All the basic signs of life have totally gone. Like they've been dead for years. But that's impossible. No decomposition at all."
"The poo on my shoe is fresh too."
"Oh, I hope I'm wrong." The Doctor rubbed his face. "But if I was going to describe this, I'd say they've been leeched."
Just as Robin realised what that meant, they head a scream.
"Come on!" The Doctor grabbed her hand and they darted out of the stable door.
They ran out into a courtyard. Robin counted three bodies. Human this time. The killers were there too. They looked ever more horrific in a normal place. They began to move closer.
"Doctor!?"
Thankfully he had thought of a better idea than pellets. He looked around and saw that one of the bodies had a tray. He bent down and picked something up off it. Robin saw that it was a salt cellar.
"Sodium chloride! The sadistic way to kill a slug."
He threw it. At first they continued towards them, but then they slowed. They were beginning to wither. In a few seconds they were half the size. They laid still.
"I don't like the look of this." The Doctor sounded worried.
"What's wrong? It's over isn't it? How did they get here?" Robin asked.
"Attached to the TARDIS. She must have extended the force-field to protect them, the sentimental old fool."
The Doctor knew who he was looking at. Mark Smeaton. The Countess of Worchester. They were dead.
The Doctor began to walk back towards the stable.
"Hey! Wait for me." Robin ran after him, and followed into the TARDIS. He was already setting a course at the console.
"The danger is over isn't it Doctor?"
"The danger over? Robin, this could be the biggest catastrophe I've ever witnessed."
"But they're dead. The leeches; you killed them."
"You think I care about a couple of barely sentient insects?" The way he spoke scared Robin. "They're nothing compared to fighting time."
***
Robin and the Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS. Robin now wore a corseted dress, much to her discomfort. The Doctor had not changed.
"We haven't moved?" Robin queried, noticing they were still in the same stable.
"No. I wasn't setting a course; I was trying to stabilise a reaction that's already beginning."
They began to walk as they spoke.
"A reaction in what?"
"The fabric of time."
It was clear to Robin he was not willing to explain yet so she decided to leave it.
She followed the Doctor through the courtyard and into the building. They walked down many corridors. The Doctor somehow seemed to know where they were going. They approached a door.
"Right. Through here, we just look as if we own the place, okay?"
Robin nodded, and he opened the door.
***
Perhaps even more than ever, Robin now felt as if she had stepped into a different world. The hall was suitably grand, featuring architecture that would normally be old and decaying, but this was still brand new. Despite this, what really struck Robin was the atmosphere in the room. It wasn't overflowing with people, but the activity and tension she immediately felt was unlike any of her prior experiences. There were so many alcoves and passageways leading away, many of them filled with people talking in whispers. Even the dancing taking place in the centre of the hall felt like a confrontation, with each dance partner trying to get a measure of their opponents.
Robin noticed they were beginning to get the attention of some of the men who were not dancing. Most of these seemed to be members of the clergy, with many having crosses around their necks. She looked at the Doctor for reassurance. All his earlier burden seemed to have disappeared. In fact, he was beaming.
"Welcome to history, Robin Moon."
The Doctor had a rather annoying habit of making all her worries disappear. She allowed him to lead her forwards and she realised they were joining the dance.
"Do your people have dancing?"
She quickly realised they did.
"Not bad!" She said, surprised.
Actually, he was good...
"Do you not have more important questions to ask?"
"Oh, yeah." She realised she had no idea where they were. "Where are we?"
"The Great Hall. Hampton Court. London."
He wasn't going to expand. He wanted her to ask the right questions.
"What year is it?" She laughed; she'd never asked that before.
"1536. 29th January."
"So who lives here? I guess they're pretty rich."
She realised that the Doctor had been leading their dance up the room to the far side.
"They're the king."
Robin wasn't the best at history, despite the numerous history posters she’d walked past in school corridors, and the teachers she’d conversed with in the staffrooms. It all seemed so long ago now. Who was King in 1536?
She heard the Doctor talking behind her.
"Could you announce us please?" he said, flashing a bit of paper in a wallet to a guard.
Robin realised that the Doctor had not allowed her to see the far wall during the dance. She didn't enjoy his toying with her. She quickly span round.
"Oh."
Robin didn't need to ask who this was. It was funny; she hadn't seen a portrait of him since she left her old job and he didn't look exactly like that, but some figures just seem to be ingrained into people's minds. This was Henry the Eighth.
"May I present to you, Sir John Smith and his companion, the lady Robin Moon."
The King rose from his chair at the table, assisted by a stick.
"I had no idea you were coming!" He spoke with a bellow. He was incredibly broad-shouldered, but not especially fat; most of the size game from the grand clothes. His hair was deep auburn and was more similar to a modern fashion than most men in the room. Robin might even have found him handsome but she saw something in his eyes she didn't like. He was exceptionally tall and as the table was on a raised dais, extremely imposing.
"Oh? I would have expected someone to tell you!" The Doctor replied.
"Alas, no. Though I've heard a lot about you, naturally."
He was lying, of course. At least the King's ego would male this easier for them, the Doctor thought.
"The Lady is to wait on my Queen, is she not?"
"Yes." The Doctor replied. The King had just given him the opportunity they needed. "And I am to take the newly vacated position in your majesty's privy chamber."
The Doctor had no idea if there was actually any position available.
"Ah, yes. You will assume the duties of the groom of the stool tomorrow."
Robin wondered if that meant what she thought it did. She looked at the Doctor. Going by his face, it did.
"Now, you must rejoin the dancing. I'm agaric I can't join you. Jousting accident."
Robin saw the Doctor was bowing. She started her own bow, before remembering that she was a woman, and curtsied instead. They walked away.
"So… Congrats on your new position. Groom of tee stool!" Robin burst out laughing.
The Doctor did not look impressed.
Robin did her best to look serious again. "I thought Henry the Eighth was supposed to be fat?"
"No, don't do that."
"What?"
"Welcome to the most dangerous place in the country. If anyone apart from me heard that, you'll be dead by dusk."
She suddenly found being serious a lot easier.
"So who am I serving? Henry the Eighth had sixth wives, which one is it?"
"Don't you know? It's 1536..." he said, as if that should make it obvious.
"Anne Boleyn?"
"Yes!"
Robin decided to not tell the Doctor that she had said the only one whose name she could remember.
The doors at the back of the room opened again, and a woman entered, flanked by other ladies.
Anne Boleyn.
She was perhaps the most interesting woman Robin had ever seen; not conventionally beautiful, but was incredibly striking. Her eyes were small but piercing, and were so dark they were almost coal black. Her whole form was so clearly defined, and even with a large baby bump she walked with an elegance unlike any other woman in the room. She looked like an easy woman to hate, but an even easier one to love.
"Queen Anne. One of the most influential women in History. She knocked one of the most well-loved queens off the throne and tore Europe apart to get here. But..." The Doctor looked at his watch. "In ten seconds she's going to fail in her most important task and begin a downward spiral that will end with her head detached from her body. Five...four...three...two..."
Anne suddenly stopped her walk through the hall. All eyes remained on her. She buckled and collapsed to her knees. Her ladies gathered around her. Robin saw the King stand and watch.
The Doctor and Robin watched as Anne put a hand up her dress and it came out covered in blood.
Anne was silent, but her ladies whelmed and whimpered. They got her up, and the party left the room.
***
The Doctor and Robin had both been given rooms, and were currently in the Doctor's. Robin had questions.
"It's explanation time now, Doctor. Why are we still here?"
The same dark look the Doctor had worn earlier returned. "If you really want to know, come here and I'll show you."
Robin sat down on the bed beside him. He put his hands on the sides of her head.
"I'm opening up your mind, so you can hear the things that go on outside your bubble."
Robin began to hear something. It was almost indescribable, like a ripping or tearing. It filled her mind and was eventually unbearable. The Doctor removed his hands.
Robin's heart was beating fast and her hands shook as she spoke. "What was that?"
"That was time disintegrating." The Doctor answered darkly. "Time is pulling itself apart. It will unravel until nothing exists anymore. And it's all because of us."
The Doctor stood up and walked over to the window before continuing. “The people the slugs killed were Mark Smeaton and the Countess of Worcester. Anne's miscarriage is supposed to set events in motion which lead to her downfall. But that won't happen if the countess is not around to snitch on her and if Smeaton is not around to be tortured into confessing to sleeping with her."
"What do you mean, supposed to? I've always believed everything is just down to chance."
"It is, for the little people like you."
Robin didn't even think he knew that that was rude.
"But Anne Boleyn's life is fixed. She must rise and then she must fall and that must never ever change."
"So what do we do?"
"We stay." The Doctor replied. "But apart from that, I really don't know."
***
Three months into their stay the Doctor still had no real plan. He felt like a proper Time Lord for once, observing events and not interfering.
The King did not usually talk to him much during his 'duties'. Henry was really nothing more than a spoilt child, but one whose tantrums actually mattered.
The Doctor was extremely jealous of Robin. Henry was just a figurehead and a puppet - Anne was the real thing.
***
Robin would have been surprised to learn of the Doctor's jealousy. Anne was a hard person to serve. One right word in her presence could make you her ally forever, but one wrong one could turn her into a monster. Despite this, Robin did find herself taking a liking to the Queen.
Anne's downfall was very much in the air. Henry had taken a mistress, Jane Seymour, who enjoyed taunting Anne. On one occasion Jane had paraded around Anne's chamber showing off a locket from the King. Anne had ripped it off her neck. Robin had managed to refrain from cheering.
One day, a man appeared in Anne's chamber. He was extremely inconspicuous; he had dark clothes and even darker hair. No one else seemed to have noticed him, so Robin approached.
"I suppose you don't get many men in here?" the man asked her, glaring.
"The Queen entertains many men in her chamber."
The man gave a sinister smile, and quickly left the room.
***
"Who was he?" She asked the Doctor later.
"Thomas Cromwell. Close advisor to Henry. What did you say to him?"
"He asked if we get many men in the Queen's chamber."
"And you said you did."
"Yes."
"Oh, Robin. I'm sorry, but you just gave him a reason to investigate Anne's 'treason'."
Robin realised what she had done, and began to feel sick.
***
Since Robin knew what could be coming she had managed to persuade the Queen to visit her daughter today. They arrived at the palace and Robin, the other ladies and the Doctor waited in the hall. She saw another lady, clearly an attendant of Princess Elizabeth. Robin approached her.
"Why aren't you in there?" Robin asked, kindly.
"I will not be in attendance when Anne is there." The woman was young, but spoke strongly.
"Why not?"
"I am the child of the Queen."
Robin was confused. "You're not Anne's daughter."
"Not that whore! The true Queen, Catherine of Aragon. I am the true Princess of England. And yet I am declared a bastard, and forces to wait on the whore's daughter. On the day of my mother's death, Henry and Anne wore yellow in celebration." The woman ran off, crying.
Robin walked back to the Doctor. She began to wonder what would happen to her. She then realised she didn’t have to wonder.
"What happens to her?"
"Queen Mary. She'll burn over 400 Protestants."
Robin hated history.
Anne came out of the room, with Elizabeth running after her. Elizabeth ran over and hugged the Doctor’s legs. Robin knew a bit about Elizabeth I, so seeing her as a child was an odd experience.
“Oh, she likes you!” Anne exclaimed.
***
The Doctor saw a lot of Cromwell in the privy chamber. But this was the first time he had come with guards.
"Sir John Smith, I am arresting you on suspicion of treason." He turned to the guards. "Bring him."
***
The Doctor was dragged into the most dingy room he had seen at court. Cromwell had asked him many questions, but he knew the important one was to come.
"Have you ever slept with Queen Anne?"
The Doctor had not wanted this to happen. He knew that Anne had to die, but to condemn her himself was a terrible act. In fact he would condemn them both.
"Yes."
***
"Anne Boleyn, you are charged with adultery, incest and treason and sentenced to death. Take her to the tower."
Robin could scarcely believe the way Anne had conducted herself during the trial. She was strong and resolute in her innocence, and even facing charges of adultery with her own brother (who would die along with her), she did not falter. Robin and the other ladies were still allowed to serve Anne in her cell in the Tower of London. In fact, in a funny way, little seemed to have changed. Despite being condemned to death, the guards still treated her like a Queen.
"Do you know I lodged here before my coronation?"
Robin gave a sad smile.
“Such a grand day. And look at me now… would you take this? It was given to me on my coronation.” She unattached a necklace from her neck. “I can’t wear a necklace for a beheading.”
Robin took it. “I’ll keep it safe.”
The constable entered. “My lady, the King has decided you will now die by the axe. He has sent for an expert swordsman from Calais.”
“How merciful.”
Robin got the sense Anne really meant it, though she couldn’t understand how.
“There will be no pain.”
“You say the executioner is very good, and I only have a little neck.” She placed her hand around her neck and laughed heartily.
The constable had never seen someone with so much joy in death.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“I should like to see the priest tomorrow.”
Robin wondered if the Doctor was being treated so well. In her anger, she hoped not.
***
Robin was furious. Anne had been told she would die in the morning on the previous day, kept waiting until noon and then been told it would not happen until the next day. Anne seemed to be a lot less bothered than her. They were finally taken at eight o’clock that morning. Anne walked with grace to the block. There was a huge crowd in attendance, which sickened Robin’s modern mind. Robin had been expecting it to just happen immediately, but Anne stepped forward to address the crowd.
“Good Christian people, I have come here to die. By the law am I condemned to this fate and shall therefore say nothing against it. I will accuse no man but I pray God save the king and hope that he will long reign over you, as there has never been a gentler or more merciful prince. He has always been a good and gentle lord to me. As I take my leave of this world and of you all I hope you will pray for me. To God I commend my soul.”
She turned to Robin and the other ladies.
“Goodbye.”
Anne kneelt on the block and Robin stepped forward and softly tied the blindfold around her eyes. The other ladies turned away in tears, but Robin found herself watching to the end.
***
Twenty minutes later, the Doctor was in the same place as Anne. He had convinced himself escape was impossible, and perhaps felt wrong to condemn Anne but still save himself. He scanned the crowd and did not see Robin. Good. He didn’t want her to see this. He trusted the TARDIS to get her home. In fact…
He could hear the TARDIS. As the sound got louder his surroundings replaced themselves with the inside of his ship.
“Robin!” The Doctor smiled at her. “You saved me the same way I saved you. This old girl only seems to work psychically when I’m in trouble.”
Robin did not return the smile. “I thought about not. Leaving you to the same fate you condemned others to.”
“Robin, I had to…”
She could see in his eyes that this was true.
“But… murder. Is this what we have to do? If I travel with you, do I have to kill?”
The Doctor didn’t answer.
Robin dried her eyes. “Can we go back outside? See Anne’s grave?”
“She didn’t get one, Robin.”
“Oh…”
“But…”
***
The TARDIS landed, and the Doctor and Robin stepped out.
“We’re back in your time.”
They approached a plaque.
“Her bones were discovered in renovations of the tower during the reign of Queen Victoria. They buried her properly.”
Robin did not know what to do at first, but then she had a thought.
She kneelt down and placed the necklace on the plaque. The Doctor placed a hand on her shoulder, and she placed her own hand on top.
***
It was the middle of the night, and the village was shrouded in mist as it always was. Duncan looked out onto the dig-site, so much more sinister at this time, as if they were digging down unto hell itself. Perhaps they were.
“What are you doing up?” asked Paul, drinking a strong tea.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“Couldn’t sleep?” suggested Paul.
“Something like that.” Duncan kept his eyes on the site.
“You’re getting too preoccupied,” said Paul, critically.
“This could be the answer to everything, Paul… everything.”
“It could.” Paul nodded. “I see the logic. If you can’t go forwards, go down. But answer me this – do you really think we’ll ever escape?”
Duncan didn’t answer. He just kept his eyes rooted to one spot, and imagined himself sinking until he woke up somewhere else. Somewhere new, for the first time in his life.
Robin had woken up rough many times, but never quite as bad as this.
‘Hello again! I saved you.”
Robin willed her eyes open. “You could have done it before I tried to escape myself.”
“Typical earth girl… no sense of gratitude. Anyway, come on!” The Doctor quickly pulled her up to her feet. Robin’s head rushed.
“Oy!” Robin shouted. “What’s that for? I’m not going anywhere until I’ve had a very long lie down.”
The Doctor kept hold of her hand and pulled her towards the door.
“Oh yes you are. I had to do an emergency dematerialisation to get away from those things. Time to find out where we are!”
***
"Yuck!"
Robin had stepped out of the TARDIS and into a pile of horse manure. She noticed the Doctor had managed to avoid it, but not managed to warn her. The TARDIS was in the middle of a large stable. Straw covered the floor, and Robin used it to wipe her shoe.
"You bring me to the best places, Doctor. Chased by hideous monsters and now, stood in horse muck! Not what I thought I was signing up for. We're leaving. Right now."
"No Robin. I really don't think we are."
She looked over at him. She didn't like his expression. She walked over, turned round and followed his gaze."
"Oh my god."
Robin had never seen anything quite like this before. There were three bodies, if you could call them that. Robin couldn't comprehend it. They had been torn open savagely, bones hung out, like they'd been sucked out of the corpse. And yet, there was no blood to be seen. In fact, there was no colour at all. They were like husks or shadows. All signs of life were gone.
What upset Robin the most was that they were horses.
"Doctor? What happened to them?"
The Doctor got his sonic screwdriver out and scanned the horses.
"All the basic signs of life have totally gone. Like they've been dead for years. But that's impossible. No decomposition at all."
"The poo on my shoe is fresh too."
"Oh, I hope I'm wrong." The Doctor rubbed his face. "But if I was going to describe this, I'd say they've been leeched."
Just as Robin realised what that meant, they head a scream.
"Come on!" The Doctor grabbed her hand and they darted out of the stable door.
They ran out into a courtyard. Robin counted three bodies. Human this time. The killers were there too. They looked ever more horrific in a normal place. They began to move closer.
"Doctor!?"
Thankfully he had thought of a better idea than pellets. He looked around and saw that one of the bodies had a tray. He bent down and picked something up off it. Robin saw that it was a salt cellar.
"Sodium chloride! The sadistic way to kill a slug."
He threw it. At first they continued towards them, but then they slowed. They were beginning to wither. In a few seconds they were half the size. They laid still.
"I don't like the look of this." The Doctor sounded worried.
"What's wrong? It's over isn't it? How did they get here?" Robin asked.
"Attached to the TARDIS. She must have extended the force-field to protect them, the sentimental old fool."
The Doctor knew who he was looking at. Mark Smeaton. The Countess of Worchester. They were dead.
The Doctor began to walk back towards the stable.
"Hey! Wait for me." Robin ran after him, and followed into the TARDIS. He was already setting a course at the console.
"The danger is over isn't it Doctor?"
"The danger over? Robin, this could be the biggest catastrophe I've ever witnessed."
"But they're dead. The leeches; you killed them."
"You think I care about a couple of barely sentient insects?" The way he spoke scared Robin. "They're nothing compared to fighting time."
***
Robin and the Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS. Robin now wore a corseted dress, much to her discomfort. The Doctor had not changed.
"We haven't moved?" Robin queried, noticing they were still in the same stable.
"No. I wasn't setting a course; I was trying to stabilise a reaction that's already beginning."
They began to walk as they spoke.
"A reaction in what?"
"The fabric of time."
It was clear to Robin he was not willing to explain yet so she decided to leave it.
She followed the Doctor through the courtyard and into the building. They walked down many corridors. The Doctor somehow seemed to know where they were going. They approached a door.
"Right. Through here, we just look as if we own the place, okay?"
Robin nodded, and he opened the door.
***
Perhaps even more than ever, Robin now felt as if she had stepped into a different world. The hall was suitably grand, featuring architecture that would normally be old and decaying, but this was still brand new. Despite this, what really struck Robin was the atmosphere in the room. It wasn't overflowing with people, but the activity and tension she immediately felt was unlike any of her prior experiences. There were so many alcoves and passageways leading away, many of them filled with people talking in whispers. Even the dancing taking place in the centre of the hall felt like a confrontation, with each dance partner trying to get a measure of their opponents.
Robin noticed they were beginning to get the attention of some of the men who were not dancing. Most of these seemed to be members of the clergy, with many having crosses around their necks. She looked at the Doctor for reassurance. All his earlier burden seemed to have disappeared. In fact, he was beaming.
"Welcome to history, Robin Moon."
The Doctor had a rather annoying habit of making all her worries disappear. She allowed him to lead her forwards and she realised they were joining the dance.
"Do your people have dancing?"
She quickly realised they did.
"Not bad!" She said, surprised.
Actually, he was good...
"Do you not have more important questions to ask?"
"Oh, yeah." She realised she had no idea where they were. "Where are we?"
"The Great Hall. Hampton Court. London."
He wasn't going to expand. He wanted her to ask the right questions.
"What year is it?" She laughed; she'd never asked that before.
"1536. 29th January."
"So who lives here? I guess they're pretty rich."
She realised that the Doctor had been leading their dance up the room to the far side.
"They're the king."
Robin wasn't the best at history, despite the numerous history posters she’d walked past in school corridors, and the teachers she’d conversed with in the staffrooms. It all seemed so long ago now. Who was King in 1536?
She heard the Doctor talking behind her.
"Could you announce us please?" he said, flashing a bit of paper in a wallet to a guard.
Robin realised that the Doctor had not allowed her to see the far wall during the dance. She didn't enjoy his toying with her. She quickly span round.
"Oh."
Robin didn't need to ask who this was. It was funny; she hadn't seen a portrait of him since she left her old job and he didn't look exactly like that, but some figures just seem to be ingrained into people's minds. This was Henry the Eighth.
"May I present to you, Sir John Smith and his companion, the lady Robin Moon."
The King rose from his chair at the table, assisted by a stick.
"I had no idea you were coming!" He spoke with a bellow. He was incredibly broad-shouldered, but not especially fat; most of the size game from the grand clothes. His hair was deep auburn and was more similar to a modern fashion than most men in the room. Robin might even have found him handsome but she saw something in his eyes she didn't like. He was exceptionally tall and as the table was on a raised dais, extremely imposing.
"Oh? I would have expected someone to tell you!" The Doctor replied.
"Alas, no. Though I've heard a lot about you, naturally."
He was lying, of course. At least the King's ego would male this easier for them, the Doctor thought.
"The Lady is to wait on my Queen, is she not?"
"Yes." The Doctor replied. The King had just given him the opportunity they needed. "And I am to take the newly vacated position in your majesty's privy chamber."
The Doctor had no idea if there was actually any position available.
"Ah, yes. You will assume the duties of the groom of the stool tomorrow."
Robin wondered if that meant what she thought it did. She looked at the Doctor. Going by his face, it did.
"Now, you must rejoin the dancing. I'm agaric I can't join you. Jousting accident."
Robin saw the Doctor was bowing. She started her own bow, before remembering that she was a woman, and curtsied instead. They walked away.
"So… Congrats on your new position. Groom of tee stool!" Robin burst out laughing.
The Doctor did not look impressed.
Robin did her best to look serious again. "I thought Henry the Eighth was supposed to be fat?"
"No, don't do that."
"What?"
"Welcome to the most dangerous place in the country. If anyone apart from me heard that, you'll be dead by dusk."
She suddenly found being serious a lot easier.
"So who am I serving? Henry the Eighth had sixth wives, which one is it?"
"Don't you know? It's 1536..." he said, as if that should make it obvious.
"Anne Boleyn?"
"Yes!"
Robin decided to not tell the Doctor that she had said the only one whose name she could remember.
The doors at the back of the room opened again, and a woman entered, flanked by other ladies.
Anne Boleyn.
She was perhaps the most interesting woman Robin had ever seen; not conventionally beautiful, but was incredibly striking. Her eyes were small but piercing, and were so dark they were almost coal black. Her whole form was so clearly defined, and even with a large baby bump she walked with an elegance unlike any other woman in the room. She looked like an easy woman to hate, but an even easier one to love.
"Queen Anne. One of the most influential women in History. She knocked one of the most well-loved queens off the throne and tore Europe apart to get here. But..." The Doctor looked at his watch. "In ten seconds she's going to fail in her most important task and begin a downward spiral that will end with her head detached from her body. Five...four...three...two..."
Anne suddenly stopped her walk through the hall. All eyes remained on her. She buckled and collapsed to her knees. Her ladies gathered around her. Robin saw the King stand and watch.
The Doctor and Robin watched as Anne put a hand up her dress and it came out covered in blood.
Anne was silent, but her ladies whelmed and whimpered. They got her up, and the party left the room.
***
The Doctor and Robin had both been given rooms, and were currently in the Doctor's. Robin had questions.
"It's explanation time now, Doctor. Why are we still here?"
The same dark look the Doctor had worn earlier returned. "If you really want to know, come here and I'll show you."
Robin sat down on the bed beside him. He put his hands on the sides of her head.
"I'm opening up your mind, so you can hear the things that go on outside your bubble."
Robin began to hear something. It was almost indescribable, like a ripping or tearing. It filled her mind and was eventually unbearable. The Doctor removed his hands.
Robin's heart was beating fast and her hands shook as she spoke. "What was that?"
"That was time disintegrating." The Doctor answered darkly. "Time is pulling itself apart. It will unravel until nothing exists anymore. And it's all because of us."
The Doctor stood up and walked over to the window before continuing. “The people the slugs killed were Mark Smeaton and the Countess of Worcester. Anne's miscarriage is supposed to set events in motion which lead to her downfall. But that won't happen if the countess is not around to snitch on her and if Smeaton is not around to be tortured into confessing to sleeping with her."
"What do you mean, supposed to? I've always believed everything is just down to chance."
"It is, for the little people like you."
Robin didn't even think he knew that that was rude.
"But Anne Boleyn's life is fixed. She must rise and then she must fall and that must never ever change."
"So what do we do?"
"We stay." The Doctor replied. "But apart from that, I really don't know."
***
Three months into their stay the Doctor still had no real plan. He felt like a proper Time Lord for once, observing events and not interfering.
The King did not usually talk to him much during his 'duties'. Henry was really nothing more than a spoilt child, but one whose tantrums actually mattered.
The Doctor was extremely jealous of Robin. Henry was just a figurehead and a puppet - Anne was the real thing.
***
Robin would have been surprised to learn of the Doctor's jealousy. Anne was a hard person to serve. One right word in her presence could make you her ally forever, but one wrong one could turn her into a monster. Despite this, Robin did find herself taking a liking to the Queen.
Anne's downfall was very much in the air. Henry had taken a mistress, Jane Seymour, who enjoyed taunting Anne. On one occasion Jane had paraded around Anne's chamber showing off a locket from the King. Anne had ripped it off her neck. Robin had managed to refrain from cheering.
One day, a man appeared in Anne's chamber. He was extremely inconspicuous; he had dark clothes and even darker hair. No one else seemed to have noticed him, so Robin approached.
"I suppose you don't get many men in here?" the man asked her, glaring.
"The Queen entertains many men in her chamber."
The man gave a sinister smile, and quickly left the room.
***
"Who was he?" She asked the Doctor later.
"Thomas Cromwell. Close advisor to Henry. What did you say to him?"
"He asked if we get many men in the Queen's chamber."
"And you said you did."
"Yes."
"Oh, Robin. I'm sorry, but you just gave him a reason to investigate Anne's 'treason'."
Robin realised what she had done, and began to feel sick.
***
Since Robin knew what could be coming she had managed to persuade the Queen to visit her daughter today. They arrived at the palace and Robin, the other ladies and the Doctor waited in the hall. She saw another lady, clearly an attendant of Princess Elizabeth. Robin approached her.
"Why aren't you in there?" Robin asked, kindly.
"I will not be in attendance when Anne is there." The woman was young, but spoke strongly.
"Why not?"
"I am the child of the Queen."
Robin was confused. "You're not Anne's daughter."
"Not that whore! The true Queen, Catherine of Aragon. I am the true Princess of England. And yet I am declared a bastard, and forces to wait on the whore's daughter. On the day of my mother's death, Henry and Anne wore yellow in celebration." The woman ran off, crying.
Robin walked back to the Doctor. She began to wonder what would happen to her. She then realised she didn’t have to wonder.
"What happens to her?"
"Queen Mary. She'll burn over 400 Protestants."
Robin hated history.
Anne came out of the room, with Elizabeth running after her. Elizabeth ran over and hugged the Doctor’s legs. Robin knew a bit about Elizabeth I, so seeing her as a child was an odd experience.
“Oh, she likes you!” Anne exclaimed.
***
The Doctor saw a lot of Cromwell in the privy chamber. But this was the first time he had come with guards.
"Sir John Smith, I am arresting you on suspicion of treason." He turned to the guards. "Bring him."
***
The Doctor was dragged into the most dingy room he had seen at court. Cromwell had asked him many questions, but he knew the important one was to come.
"Have you ever slept with Queen Anne?"
The Doctor had not wanted this to happen. He knew that Anne had to die, but to condemn her himself was a terrible act. In fact he would condemn them both.
"Yes."
***
"Anne Boleyn, you are charged with adultery, incest and treason and sentenced to death. Take her to the tower."
Robin could scarcely believe the way Anne had conducted herself during the trial. She was strong and resolute in her innocence, and even facing charges of adultery with her own brother (who would die along with her), she did not falter. Robin and the other ladies were still allowed to serve Anne in her cell in the Tower of London. In fact, in a funny way, little seemed to have changed. Despite being condemned to death, the guards still treated her like a Queen.
"Do you know I lodged here before my coronation?"
Robin gave a sad smile.
“Such a grand day. And look at me now… would you take this? It was given to me on my coronation.” She unattached a necklace from her neck. “I can’t wear a necklace for a beheading.”
Robin took it. “I’ll keep it safe.”
The constable entered. “My lady, the King has decided you will now die by the axe. He has sent for an expert swordsman from Calais.”
“How merciful.”
Robin got the sense Anne really meant it, though she couldn’t understand how.
“There will be no pain.”
“You say the executioner is very good, and I only have a little neck.” She placed her hand around her neck and laughed heartily.
The constable had never seen someone with so much joy in death.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“I should like to see the priest tomorrow.”
Robin wondered if the Doctor was being treated so well. In her anger, she hoped not.
***
Robin was furious. Anne had been told she would die in the morning on the previous day, kept waiting until noon and then been told it would not happen until the next day. Anne seemed to be a lot less bothered than her. They were finally taken at eight o’clock that morning. Anne walked with grace to the block. There was a huge crowd in attendance, which sickened Robin’s modern mind. Robin had been expecting it to just happen immediately, but Anne stepped forward to address the crowd.
“Good Christian people, I have come here to die. By the law am I condemned to this fate and shall therefore say nothing against it. I will accuse no man but I pray God save the king and hope that he will long reign over you, as there has never been a gentler or more merciful prince. He has always been a good and gentle lord to me. As I take my leave of this world and of you all I hope you will pray for me. To God I commend my soul.”
She turned to Robin and the other ladies.
“Goodbye.”
Anne kneelt on the block and Robin stepped forward and softly tied the blindfold around her eyes. The other ladies turned away in tears, but Robin found herself watching to the end.
***
Twenty minutes later, the Doctor was in the same place as Anne. He had convinced himself escape was impossible, and perhaps felt wrong to condemn Anne but still save himself. He scanned the crowd and did not see Robin. Good. He didn’t want her to see this. He trusted the TARDIS to get her home. In fact…
He could hear the TARDIS. As the sound got louder his surroundings replaced themselves with the inside of his ship.
“Robin!” The Doctor smiled at her. “You saved me the same way I saved you. This old girl only seems to work psychically when I’m in trouble.”
Robin did not return the smile. “I thought about not. Leaving you to the same fate you condemned others to.”
“Robin, I had to…”
She could see in his eyes that this was true.
“But… murder. Is this what we have to do? If I travel with you, do I have to kill?”
The Doctor didn’t answer.
Robin dried her eyes. “Can we go back outside? See Anne’s grave?”
“She didn’t get one, Robin.”
“Oh…”
“But…”
***
The TARDIS landed, and the Doctor and Robin stepped out.
“We’re back in your time.”
They approached a plaque.
“Her bones were discovered in renovations of the tower during the reign of Queen Victoria. They buried her properly.”
Robin did not know what to do at first, but then she had a thought.
She kneelt down and placed the necklace on the plaque. The Doctor placed a hand on her shoulder, and she placed her own hand on top.
***
It was the middle of the night, and the village was shrouded in mist as it always was. Duncan looked out onto the dig-site, so much more sinister at this time, as if they were digging down unto hell itself. Perhaps they were.
“What are you doing up?” asked Paul, drinking a strong tea.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“Couldn’t sleep?” suggested Paul.
“Something like that.” Duncan kept his eyes on the site.
“You’re getting too preoccupied,” said Paul, critically.
“This could be the answer to everything, Paul… everything.”
“It could.” Paul nodded. “I see the logic. If you can’t go forwards, go down. But answer me this – do you really think we’ll ever escape?”
Duncan didn’t answer. He just kept his eyes rooted to one spot, and imagined himself sinking until he woke up somewhere else. Somewhere new, for the first time in his life.
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Next Time
Peacepoint
Robin makes one simple request for a trip. But time is in flux, as she should well have known, and the future is in a state the Doctor's never seen before. In the midst of a diseased, dying population, an old enemy is waiting... Episode list: 1. The Time Museum 2. The Adulteress and Her Doctor 3. Peacepoint 4. Earthstop 5. Sunset Forever 6. The Planet Makers 7. Who Watches The Watchmen? 8. The Anger Games 9. Extinction 10. The Quest Through Time 11. A Village Called Nothing 12. Bigger on the Inside 13. Extermination of the Daleks |