For my second ever piece of fan fiction I decided to combine the Musketeers with Dr Who - well with Peter Capaldi leaving one show for another with very little explanation as to why the Cardinal vanished I decided it was fitting to make up my own reasons.
I hope I haven't ruined two of my favourite programmes by doing this, I had a lot of fun writing it and I hope you enjoy it too - would love to hear your comments!
It was a hot afternoon and only a thin breeze reached Queen Anne as she reclined on the sofa by the open window. Her belly had grown into a neat round bump and her baby seemed extra lively today.
A playful smile crossed her face as she felt the shape of a
foot, or was it an elbow dig into her side. She would never tire of the
sensation of a new life growing inside her.
There wasn’t much longer to wait now to see what the child
looked like, which parent would he favour. Would he have his father’s twinkling
eyes? The baby was certainly just as restless as he was. He would grow up to be
a strong, brave man of action she just knew it. Just as she was convinced it
would be a boy, an heir to the throne of France.
At that moment the King walked in unannounced just because
he was the King!
Anne lifted her head and prepared to rise.
“Don’t trouble yourself my love.” He took her hand and gave
it the softest kiss, his lips barely skimming the surface of her skin. “How are
we both today?” He spoke to the bump and giggled in his usual excited manner.
Anne’s smile was bittersweet. Although King Louis was not
the man she would have chosen she was certain he would make an excellent
father. He had proved himself to be good with children when his nephew had
visited and he had been so attentive since she had fallen pregnant. He indulged
her every whim to make her happy and provided her with the protection of his
finest Musketeers.
“I am expecting the court physician to pay a visit shortly.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you or the baby is there?”
“I sincerely hope not sire. I am feeling well if a little
more tired than usual. But the doctor is keeping a close watch on me as you
yourself instructed.”
“Oh yes I did,” He chuckled to himself remembering. “Well we
can’t be too careful with our miracle child.” His hand rested over her stomach,
hovering as if he dared not touch the precious bump.
“But there is something wrong with you. You look troubled my
Lord.”
“I’ve been looking for the Cardinal. I’ve not seen him for
days and it’s not like him to leave me to my own devices for such a long time.
I almost think it’s worth doing something foolish just to see if he appears.”
He skipped over to the window, “I could just imagine him popping
out from somewhere and surprising me.” He flicked the curtain back with a
flourish just to make sure the Cardinal wasn’t hiding in the queen’s chambers.
Disappointment showed on his face when he wasn’t there, he really
was beginning to miss him.
“Perhaps you should send a message to Captain Treville,
maybe he knows of his whereabouts?”
“Now why didn’t I think of that? I shall send the Musketeers
out to look for him. A grand game of hide and seek. Oh Anne you are always so
wise. I hope our child will inherit your great wisdom.”
He kissed her hand again and she blushed, not at his touch
but at the thought of the Musketeers, at least one in particular and the secret
kisses they had exchanged.
“I shall send a message at once to the Captain and leave you
to your rest.”
Full of contentment King Louis left to resolve the pressing
matter of Cardinal Richelieu’s disappearance.
He had never had any doubts the child was his and the queen
kept her own counsel on such matters and prayed her indiscretion would never be
found out.
Meanwhile in a quiet corner of the palace something most
peculiar was happening. There was a whirring noise and an intermittent flash of
blue light which cast strange and eerie shadows on the wall. Anyone watching
would have sworn they’d been drinking too much wine but there was no one around
to see the spectacle apart from a spider that scuttled back through a tiny hole
in the brickwork.
The Tardis arrived and out stepped Clara Oswald followed by
the Doctor, a man of many faces.
He had recently regenerated and Clara was having trouble
getting used to the new man in her life. He looked much older than before, more
like a father figure. Although in reality he was over a thousand years old so this
made him old enough to be her great great grandfather several times over!
“So where are we then?” she asked him.
He took his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and tapped
the wall with it listening to the resonance of the echo.
She eyed his actions suspiciously.
“Seventeenth century France. Around 1630.”
“Half past four then – time for tea?” she said brightly.
It was his turn to look at her with a quizzical look. “Would
the old me have found that funny?”
She considered the question. “Maybe. Yes I think he would
have laughed.”
“Ha ha.” He said with little conviction and slightly
distracted. “Come on this way.”
He took long strides and Clara walked quickly to keep up.
As they turned a corner they almost bumped into a man
dressed very regally.
“Who are you?” the Doctor enquired rather rudely.
“King Louis the thirteenth.” He replied. “May I ask who you
are wandering about the palace unannounced? I must say you do look rather
familiar. Have we met somewhere before?”
“I am the Doctor.”
“Good. Well Anne is expecting you. And you must be…?” He
looked Clara up and down, she was strangely attired for the period, showing off
a slender pair of legs he noted.
“Clara is the nursemaid.” Said the Doctor quickly.
“Oh, very well. You’ll find the queen through there.” He
waved them on as he walked away.
“Nursemaid?” Clara hissed.
“You’ve been a governess before and looked after children.
It’s not that far removed.” The Doctor actually smiled at her.
“So the queen is pregnant?”
“And it would appear she is expecting a visit from the
Doctor.” He knocked boldly on the door.
“You are not the usual physician.” Said Anne as the Doctor
approached.
“I’m a bit of a specialist and after all this is a very
special baby.”
Reaching in his pocket he pulled out his sonic screwdriver.
Clara raised an eyebrow at him and shook her head,
“A bit too specialist?” He whispered to her.
“Just a tiny bit.” Replied Clara as she looked across at the
queen who regarded their exchange with a bemused expression.
Instead the Doctor rubbed his hands together, then lifting
them to his lips he blew a warm breath on them. He offered a hand to Clara,
“Warm enough?”
There was a spark of lingering regeneration energy which
caused a tingling like static electricity as their fingertips met.
With a sigh she wondered about this strange new man she was
travelling with. He was quirky and slightly out of place with the world.
Definitely still “her” Doctor underneath this new facade.
Smiling to herself she bounced on her feet, partly from
excitement at their new adventure but also prepared to run if necessary. Because
what if this ended badly and the real physician arrived? They were here in
seventeenth century France, had the guillotine been invented yet? She didn’t
really want to find out.
However Anne remained regal and serene. She lay very still
as the Doctor placed a hand firmly on her stomach over the top of her dress.
The baby let out an almighty kick.
“Oh my, he’s a lively little fellow isn’t he?” He smiled
down at the patient.
“Can you tell if it is a boy?” Anne craved an answer.
“Oh most definitely! He’s a miraculous baby and will be a
most marvellous king one day. Let me tell you…”
“Spoilers!” muttered Clara under her breath.
“Oh yes, maybe I shouldn’t have said that.” He frowned, deep
lines crossing his forehead.
“But please assure me doctor that everything is well. Your
countenance just changed as if a dark cloud passed over it. There is something
that concerns you greatly? In fact have we met before? That worried expression
is so familiar, as if you are hiding some unpalatable truth. I will not have
you keeping secrets from me.”
“Your majesty there really is nothing you should worry
about.” He bowed down low before her, taking a few steps backward as he did so.
“But Clara we have to go.”
“Are we running?”
“Oh yes!” He said with a beaming grin.
“So is it alien then?” asked Clara. After running down a few
corridors the Doctor had stopped as if deciding where to run next.
“What?”
“The baby?”
“No don’t be so ridiculous.”
“But you said he was a miracle baby.”
“Ah yes, you see the queen has had trouble conceiving and
she has suffered a great many miscarriages over the years. There has been a
concern for a long time that she would not produce an heir to King Louis’s
throne.”
“It’s not always the woman’s fault. When we met the king he
did seem sort of effeminate, so maybe he has the problem. Perhaps he’s not the
dad? Is there some royal scandal? These things happen even in these times.”
The Doctor shrugged not unduly concerned by trivial earthly
affairs, all the while still figuring out which way to go next, tapping on the
walls again.
“There’s something
going on though.”
“Oh yes, well unborn babies can communicate to Time Lords and
we had quite a little chat.”
“Now you’re just making things up and teasing me.”
He looked at her with a glint in his eye. “You may never
know, come on this way.” And he was off running again.
Although Clara was totally exasperated by the man there was
nothing more she wanted to do but follow.
The Doctor wasn’t the only one concerned by strange goings
on.
“So explain this to me again,” said Captain Treville. He had
his four best men in front of him and their story was unbelievable.
He would have sworn they had spent the afternoon in the
tavern rather than on duty but he couldn’t smell a drop of alcohol on their
breath. Besides even when drunk Athos made more sense than this!
“There was a party of Red Guards preventing Musketeers from
entering the palace,” Athos spoke in his usual understated manner but was
agitated that he had to repeat the story to the Captain once more. “They
declared they had orders from the Cardinal to kill all the Musketeers who were
ruining France. Then they raised their swords and fire flew from the tips. Our
men fell as if shot and then their bodies disappeared in front of us. Not a
trace remained.”
“I know it sounds weird Captain but that’s exactly what
happened.” Added Porthos. “The red guards saw us but their weapons seemed to
only have a limited range. We were far enough away to escape.”
Aramis nervously rolled the edge of his hat in his hands. “All
this talk isn’t helping; we need to get back to check on the Queen.”
Athos glared over at him. It was becoming far too obvious he
was distressed at not being able to protect the woman he loved.
“…and the King of course!” Aramis traded Athos’s black look
with one of his own.
“We need to work out what we are dealing with first and come
up with a plan. We will be no use to anyone if we evaporate in the same way as
the others. They have orders to kill the Musketeers not the Royal Family.”
“Athos you don’t know that for certain. The King and Queen
could have already…,” He struggled to find the right word, “…disappeared.”
Just then there was a knock at the door and a messenger
arrived. He handed the note to the Captain.
Aramis couldn’t help noticing the Royal Seal and eagerly leant
forward to discover more.
“I am to wait for a reply.” The messenger said.
“Then wait outside.” Snapped Treville, trying to make sense
of things as he broke the seal and read the contents quickly.
“It would appear from this missive written in his own hand that
the King is alive and well, so we can assume this is true of the Queen. “ He
looked straight at Aramis as he said this, why did that man always lust after
the most inappropriate women? “ But he has an urgent task for us, to find
Cardinal Richlieu. In fact he invites us to take part in a grand game of Hide
and Seek.”
“It’s some kind of trap. Richlieu is behind it controlling
the Red Guards getting them to kill Musketeers with some kind of sorcery.”
“Dangerous words Porthos, witchcraft and the church don’t
mix.” Said Athos.
“An uneasy alliance but I’ve always suspected that man to be
in league with the devil!” Porthos
grinned.
Treville ignored Porthos’s remarks. “D’Artagnan, you’ve not
said much.” The youngest recruit looked thoughtful and the Captain was keen to
hear his contribution.
“Well I was thinking, the messenger got out past the guards,
the Royal Family appear to be safe inside what if we went to the palace disguised
as something other than Musketeers to see if we can get in and try to find out
what’s really going on?”
“It sounds like the best plan we’ve got.”
A little while later a cart entered the palace gates. They
were stopped by the Red Guards who scanned them quizzically their heads moved mechanically
from side to side never uttering a word.
“We are the Royal Vintners.” Said d’Artagnan, who was
driving. He tried to look the guard in the eye but failed to catch his gaze. “We have a delivery of wine for the King.”
Satisfied the guards stepped aside allowing them to pass and
they proceeded along the track to the kitchen entrance.
“They are not human.” Said Porthos letting out a breath he
hadn’t realised he was holding. He was certain he could hear his own heartbeat
like the ticking of a clock but as they moved further from the guards the noise
subsided, drowned out by birdsong. D’Artagnan had to agree there was something
incredibly strange going on.
When they stopped at the palace, Athos and Aramis jumped out
from the back of the cart.
“That wine is a good vintage.” Athos remarked.
“Well maybe if we rescue the King he will let you have some
when this is all over.” Said Aramis.
Athos barely smiled and instead led his men through the back
door and into the kitchen. It was hot and steamy, with the heady scent of a
royal feast, succulent venison, aromatic herbs and mouth-watering fresh fruit.
“Oi you can’t just leave your cart there! Aren’t you going
to unload it?”
Ignoring the commotion they were causing Athos walked on
determined, but Aramis picked a strawberry from the top of a cake as he passed
and popped it whole in his mouth.
“Delicious!” He exclaimed, crimson juice dribbling into his
beard.
“That’s for the queen that is!” said one of the cooks with
her hands on her hips, “You can’t just walk in here and take that.”
He raised his hat at the girl, “Oh Monsieur Aramis, I didn’t
recognise you out of uniform.” She bobbed as if to curtsey while her hand
unconsciously reached for a strand of hair that had escaped from her hat and twisted
it about her finger.
“Shush!” he said with his own finger raised to his lips and
then he blew her a kiss. She blushed profusely, her face as red as the
strawberry he had stolen.
“Come on!” said Porthos, shaking his head at his friend’s
antics.
D’Artagnan tried his luck as he passed but as he went to
grab a strawberry the girl slapped his hand.
“Gentlemen please remember why we here. And remember we are
supposed to be in disguise.” Admonished Athos as they left the heat and noise
of the kitchen behind them. “Now we all stick together. If those Red Guards
attack we need to keep our wits about us. This will be no ordinary fight.”
“And we start by checking on the Queen.” Said Aramis defiantly,
heading for the grand staircase and taking them two steps at a time, knowing
the others would have to follow.
“Hello again.” Said Clara as she and the Doctor turned a
corner and almost crashed into King Louis. Then remembering he was the King she
curtseyed with her birdlike legs clumsily crossing beneath her.
“It’s the Doctor isn’t it? How was the Queen?”
“Doing very well your majesty,” answered the Doctor. ”But
you look as if you’ve lost something.”
“Someone actually. I’m looking for Cardinal Richlieu, he’s about
your height with a similar build, wears black leather robes. Usually struts
around the palace telling me what to do but he’s gone missing.”
“And when did this happen?”
“Well thinking about it now I didn’t see him at all yesterday
but it was quite fun not being told what to do, being a maverick for a day. Sometimes
being King is so boring. But I feel a bit lost without him now and wish he
would come back.”
“Cardinal Richelieu is now complete and no longer in the
service of the King.” A mechanical voice came out of the ether and suddenly the
Doctor and his companions were surrounded by the rogue Red Guards.
“Where did you come from?” Asked the King looking round
puzzled by their unexpected appearance.
“That is not important!”
“Doctor do those soldiers have clockwork faces?” Clara
whispered.
“Yes beautiful faces.” Agreed the Doctor getting closer to
inspect. “A work of art. Now I’ve seen something like this before just can’t
quite remember in which lifetime.”
“But the King hasn’t noticed anything odd about them.”
“Very low level perception filter, all too often you humans see
exactly what you want to see, what you expect, but,” the Doctor knocked off the
helmet of the nearest guard and it clattered to the floor.
The King let out a shriek of surprise when suddenly
confronted with the thing in front of him. It had the body of a Red Guard but
an elongated glass head with ticking clogs inside.
“What strange creature is this?” The King eventually asked.
“Alien, from another planet, from another time.” The Doctor was still fascinated by the
intricate workings of the clockwork head in front of him. “Now if only I could
remember where I’ve seen you lot before I could remember how to deal with you. That’s
the problem with regenerating some of my memories get a bit muddled up in the
process and they haven’t all caught up with themselves. A bit like Twitter
downloading notifications that go missing on your timeline!”
“And what business do you have here?” Demanded the King
ignoring the Doctor’s incomprehensible ramblings.
“We are looking for
Musketeers.” Came the measured reply.
“Well we are not Musketeers merely travellers in time and
space. And he is the King of France,” said the Doctor indicating towards King
Louis standing beside him. “What do you want the Musketeers for anyway?”
“They will be the ruin of France. We have orders from
Cardinal Richelieu that they should be destroyed.”
“Cardinal Richelieu has no authority to destroy my Musketeers.”
The King stamped his foot at this like a petulant child; he was standing for no
more nonsense from these clockwork soldiers. “Just where is the Cardinal? Do
you know where he is? Take me to him now!”
At the King’s command the corridor they were standing in
seemed to disappear and the three companions found themselves in the centre of
a spaceship. Not the most elegant part of the craft but the engine room, the
unseen nerve centre where everything came together for the smooth running of
the vessel.
“Oh it’s coming back to me now. I have seen this before, all I needed was a
bit of teleporting to help trigger off my memories. Rose, can you smell roses?
No not roses,” He clicked his fingers, “Roast dinner, that smell in the air,
rich meaty cooking smell.” The Doctor twirled about as he rambled, it was all
utter drivel to Clara but she could almost see his brain ticking in the same
way the clockwork soldiers’ inner workings could be seen. Piece by piece it was
clicking into place, cogs spinning, wheels revolving, springs wound tight
until…
Suddenly he stopped turning, “No, not roast dinner at all,
human flesh burnt into your circuits. You are a fifty-first century space ship
linked to France and I’ve just realised where I’ve seen your sort before. Tell
me just what is your fascination with the French aristocracy? First this happens
to Madame de Pompadour and now Cardinal Richelieu.”
“Our ship is the SS Cardinal Richelieu, Madame de Pompadour
is our sister ship.”
“Madame de Pompadour?” The King repeated to himself with
glee liking the sound of her name on his tongue. “She sounds delightful, can I
meet her?”
“No you’d really better not your majesty, could be slightly
complicated.”
“Spoilers?” asked Clara.
“You could say that Madame de Pompadour is the mistress of King
Louis’s grandson!”
“Awkward!” agreed Clara with a grin, time travel had opened
up such endless possibilities to her but she wasn’t sure the King could handle
such knowledge. Although to be fair apart from screaming like a girl when the
Doctor revealed the soldiers to be clockwork he seemed to have kept a cool
head.
“So obviously you have used the real Cardinal Richelieu as
spare parts to fix your ailing craft, that is his brain in there I take it?”
The Doctor pointed to gelatinous mound of red goo wired into the circuits.
Clara wrinkled her nose and didn’t venture any closer. “So you could just fly
away, there is nothing wrong with the ship.”
“That is correct we are now complete but we have a new
mission – to rid France of the Musketeers. We have access to the Cardinal’s
thoughts and it is his express wish that the Musketeers must be terminated or
France will be ruined.”
Aramis barged into the queen’s chamber without even
knocking.
“Aramis.” Queen Anne was delighted to see him if a little
surprised. Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks coloured behind her fan.
In only a few strides he reached her but the arrival of
Athos, Portos and d’Artagnan immediately behind him prevented him from taking
her in his arms as he desired to do.
Instead he bowed low, drinking in the wondrous sight before
him, “Your majesty, there have been some strange goings on and we have come to
protect you.”
“It has been quiet here all day but I am always glad to see all
of you Musketeers and I feel especially safe in your presence.” She tried not to
look directly at Aramis as she spoke but found it hard to do so when his eyes
were fixed on her.
At the mere mention of the name Musketeers within the palace
walls the drones surrounding the Doctor, Clara and the King relocated,
teleporting straight into the Queen’s chamber.
“Where did they go?” The King looked around puzzled at their
absence.
Then they heard a woman scream.
“That’s Anne. Someone’s attacking the queen!”
“Doctor how do we get back?” Asked Clara. “Can we teleport?”
The Doctor flicked a few switches on a console. “Not without
those clockwork soldiers with us. We are going to have to find a time portal, there’s
a physical link somewhere between the space ship and the palace. We just have
follow the noise of the screaming and that will be the way between our world
and this one. I just hope I don’t have to smash a mirror this time, made a
right mess before and I have no horse. Arthur, oh I miss Arthur but Rose
wouldn’t let me keep him.” He said cryptically before turning to Louis with a
sweeping bow, “Your majesty I believe it is time to run!”
In other circumstances the King was sure this fellow would
be fun to keep around court. He was fond of talking in riddles and he could probably
liven up any gathering. But for now he was concerned for his Queen and perhaps
more importantly his future heir she was carrying.
When Anne screamed Aramis drew his sword in a fluid action.
As he raised it to defend the Queen he knocked the arm of the Red Guard and a flash
of fire emitted from its tip just missing Athos’s ear.
“Remember Aramis these soldiers carry strange weapons. “ He
said as he jabbed his own sword to meet the solid chest of the soldier he was
facing. “They appear to be covered in armour as well.”
“They must have a weak spot somewhere.” Said Porthos as he
deflected another blow.
“They don’t move so well.”
The Guards moved in such a slow methodical fashion that they
had all realised there was some advantage to be gained. They were definitely more
agile than their opponents and fit from their daily training sessions.
It was d’Artagnan who used his efforts to strike one about
the head and as he did so the helmet flew off. Suddenly they were all aware
that what they were facing was certainly not human.
Just for a second time seemed to stop even though a sound
like a hundred ticking clocks filled the air, a countdown to the imminent destruction
of the Musketeers.
“What are these strange creatures?” Asked Porthos filled
with curiosity.
“Never mind what they are or where they are from, they are
trying to kill us and we have to stop them.” Athos replied.
Anne whimpered curling herself up as tight as she could on
the sofa with her arms protectively about her bump. Aramis caught sight of her
from the corner of his eye as he ducked to avoid a fatal shot. His emotions
were torn he needed to draw them away from her but longed to stay close. She shouldn’t
be here in this battle. Had they placed her in mortal danger?
Athos meanwhile thought he had found a slight chink in the
armour where the neck and head joined, he deftly sidestepped the next attack
and forced his sword upwards into the gap. There was a grating sound of metal
on metal as the blade ripped apart the cogs. He twisted his weapon to inflict
maximum damage and the clockwork soldier wound down slowly unable to fight
back.
“Go for just under the neck.” He screamed his advice to the
others. “That’s the weak spot.”
The fight got more intense after that as they dodged the
alien weapons that shot sparks of flame. They knew only too well what would
happen if they were hit, they would disappear forever like the Musketeers they
had seen earlier.
Porthos suddenly found himself near the open window as he
moved to avoid a shot he leant backwards and toppled through.
“Porthos!” D’Artagnan cried but as he looked down below his
brother in arms had vanished.
There was a smell like burnt flesh, I’ve landed in hell,
Porthos thought, for this surely isn’t heaven. His artificial surroundings were
made from metal and it was unlike anything he had even encountered before in
his travels. He hit the wall with his sword producing a clanging echo all
around.
Far in the distance he could hear the fighting still taking
place without him. There was no time for sentiment in battle, he knew his
friends would fight valiantly on without him but he hoped they would raise a
glass to him at the tavern later in his memory.
It saddened him to think he would never see his friends
again, loyal Athos with his stern looks, mischievous Aramis and his wild wicked
ways and d’Artagnan, still so young but learning fast.
It had been a good life really, he mused but his
reminiscences were cut short when he heard the sound of footsteps running
towards him.
“Porthos!”
“You majesty.” He bowed before his King. “Are you dead too?”
“No, I don’t think so. Am I dead Doctor?”
“No, no one is dead, not today. Did you come through this
way?” He indicated to a red velvet curtain fluttering in the breeze.
“I don’t know, it was all a blur. Where am I?”
“This is a spaceship,“ explained the young girl who accompanied the strange man and the King, “It flies
through time and space among the stars.” Her voice was bright and pretty. To
Porthos she was an angel.
“Well sort of, something like that.” Said the Doctor. “Now
Allons-y! I always liked saying that, kind of appropriate now don’t you think?”
And with that he held the curtain to one side and they all walked through, with
Clara grabbing hold of Portos’s hand leading him back to the world he had come
from.
Just who was most surprised by their appearance in the
Queen’s chambers from behind the curtain is hard to say. It was the very same
curtain Louis had looked behind earlier in the day when searching for the
Cardinal unaware at the time of its great significance.
Now he had seen enough to make a stand and it was he who
addressed the clockwork aliens. This would be his finest hour although sadly
the history books do not record it.
“If I understand this correctly, your ship that sails
through the stars is now captained by Cardinal Richelieu. But it appears to me we
are still in France and the Cardinal still takes his orders from me. I am the King
and I forbid this folly to persist any longer. Your ship is mended and able to
fly. So I order you to go. Leave my Musketeers alone, leave France, leave this
world in peace by my royal command.”
Louis spoke with such authority that the rogue Red Guards
disappeared at once. There was a slight shaking in the palace as the SS
Cardinal Richelieu severed all links with 1630 and left for good.
“Louis it seems to have worked,” the queen rushed to her
husband’s side and warmly hugged him. “You were so brave to face such beasts,” she
was overcome with admiration at his courage.
Such displays of public affection were rare and the
Musketeers all turned their heads out of respect looking away discretely, all
except one who seethed furiously under his hat!
“Oh Anne I would do anything to protect you and our baby.”
He held her close as she collapsed into him feeling his arms embrace her more
assured and confident than ever before.
He stroked her hair tenderly, “It must have been so
frightening for you. Come and sit down my love.” Leading her back to the sofa
he helped her get settled. “Someone fetch the Queen some water.”
By chance Aramis was closest to the table and he lifted the jug shaking
with rage as he watched the devoted couple before him knowing there was nothing
he could do but wishing more than anything else that he was the one comforting
his beloved.
Clara watched as water splashed haphazardly over the edge of
the glass and came alongside him to steady his hand.
“Let me take that.” She said with a pleasant smile. Their
fingers touched and as their eyes met she was sure she saw a teardrop just
about to fall but then he regained his composure and conjured up smile in
return accompanied with a heartfelt sigh. It was for the best he didn’t let his
emotions show, Athos was watching after all!
“I think it is time we all left the King and Queen to have
some rest. Doctor’s orders.” The Doctor lifted his arms like a mother hen gathering
everyone up and shooing them from the room.
As his dark coat fell open the King caught sight of the red
lining and he imagined another man stood there swishing a red cloak in exactly
the same manner.
“I’ve got it, I know who
you look like. If you grew a beard and moustache you would look just like
Cardinal Richelieu!”
“A beard? A moustache? Hmm, I suppose I could grow them.” He
rubbed his face with his hand pondering his features.
“No, don’t change again so soon, I’m just getting used to
you like this.” Said Clara as she slipped her arm in his and they walked out of
the room following the four Musketeers.
(Now I could have ended the story here, the alien threat has
diminished and all is right with the world but there is one last scene I want
to write and it would be such a shame having Clara here in this time and space and
not give her a bit of romance… after all Musketeers have a habit of falling for
impossible girls!)
“Alright where and when would you like to travel to next?”
asked the Doctor once they had returned to the Tardis.
“We don’t have to leave right now do we?”
“Why? Do you have other plans?”
“Actually I have a date.”
“Oh.” The Doctor raised an eyebrow.
“What do I have to
ask your permission now, like you’re my dad or something?”
“No,” he answered huffily and started flicking
indiscriminate switches on the control panel.
She disappeared into the heart of the Tardis and returned a
few minutes later wearing a different dress with a fresh coat of lip gloss. As
she walked towards the door, the Doctor looked up from his tinkering.
“He does have honourable intentions I assume?”
“Aren’t Musketeers always honourable? It’s just a date, a
picnic under the stars. You really are like my dad now aren’t you?” She kissed
his cheek and skipped off. “Don’t wait up!”
“I’ve never been taken on a date on horseback before!” said
Clara as Porthos helped her down. “First day I met the Doctor we went on a
motorbike.”
“Mademoiselle Clara, you do say the strangest of things.
Explain the word date to me and motorbike and the Doctor.”
Clara giggled, “I don’t believe anyone could ever explain
the Doctor!”
Porthos shook his head maybe there were some things a man
from the seventeenth century shouldn’t know. Instead he led her to a quiet
clearing in the wood where they could picnic and watch the stars. “All I’m interested
in really is to know more about you. And I want to eat!”
She sat down beside him and watched as he tucked into a
chicken leg with obvious relish.
“Oh this is so good. I really thought I had died.”
“Oh I know, when we first saw you, you looked as white as
the moon above!”
He roared at that, a big hearty laugh of a man glad to just
be alive.
“Every day is like that for you isn’t it?”
“Some days are quieter than others,” Clara confessed. “But I
love the adventure and the running.” Her eyes sparkled as she remembered her
adventures. “You could always come with us.”
“Might get a bit crowded in that blue box of yours. I’m a
big man, I need my space.”
“You need your friends too.” It was half a question, half a
statement.
He nodded. “The
thought of not seeing their ugly faces again… well they are my family and you
don’t run out on family do you. Just like you and the Doctor really. I think we
both know something about being different, trying to fit in and find our place
in the world. Now tell me about the stars.” He lay down looking up the sky.
“Show me where you’ve been.”
She lay down close beside him and pointed, it didn’t really
matter which one she pointed to she reasoned, somewhere up there were all her
adventures. Pinpricks of sparkle in the night sky. The same in seventeenth
century France as they were back home.
“Here I want to give you a present.” Clara said when they
arrived back outside the Tardis, “Something to remember me by.”
“Oh I don’t think I could ever forget you. Every time I look
up at the stars I will remember.”
Clara fiddled with her ear and handed over one of her
earrings. “They’re not real diamonds or anything special but I thought you
might like it.”
Porthos put the earring in his own ear, “how does it look?”
“Just like a twinkling star in the sky.”
He hugged her close to say thank you; she could feel his
heartbeat speed up a little. It was always hard to say goodbye but she had
another man who needed her, at least she hoped he still did…
“You had a good time?”
The Doctor asked without looking up.
“Yes thank you. Have you been tinkering all evening? Boys
and their toys.” She sighed with a laugh.
“No I went and helped deliver the royal baby. All the
excitement brought on the labour. Mother and baby are doing well and I
discovered King Louis is quite fond of gas and air, makes him even more
giggly.”
“Isn’t that modern pain relief?”
“Technically yes but after the day they’ve all had it was
only fair.”
“So go on then tell me, is it a boy or a girl?”
“I already told you it was a boy.”
“Just checking!” She paused almost wondering if she should
ask her next question. “It’s Aramis isn’t it. The baby’s father. I watched the
way he looked at her.”
“Oh Clara you can’t expect me to answer that one.” He said.
“Spoilers dear girl! Now would you like to do the honours?” He pointed to a
large switch on the Tardis console.
Her eyes widened, he nodded, she flicked the switch and the
Tardis whirred back into life off on a new adventure.
Meanwhile Porthos stood outside watching in awe, he felt a
sharp cold breeze on his face as the blue box disappeared. He shook his head, turned
on his heel and walked away resigned to a Musketeer’s life without love but
with honour.
In his ear the diamond earring sparkled, forever a reminder
of the girl he could have loved. The girl who travelled amongst the stars.
If you enjoyed this story and want to read another click on title for my first #Musketeers Fan Fic Treville's Secret
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