The Doctor POV
I woke up, with a very bad headache, arms wrapped around Ivy whose chest I was laying on. I know the Other came forward last night, he did on occasion, I just don't like the feeling of being pushed to the back of my own head. Ivy started moving and must've felt me tense, or the pain in my head because out of the corner of my eye, I saw a vial floating towards the bed. My head was moved up and the potion went down my throat. MY headache started disappearing, "Better?" Ivy whispered as I started moving more. I nodded and moved over so she could move, "How about you pick where we go?" she suggested.
"Maybe time travel so Martha doesn't freak out as much," I whispered, the potion still taking affect. I was glad Ivy managed to find a headache reliever that helped when the situation came. "Mommy, is Daddy okay?" I heard Elysium's voice through the door. Ivy got out and made her way to the door where, of course, Eilam was there too. "Daddy's recovering form a bad headache, you two need to be on your best behavior, okay?" the twins made noises of agreement, "Now, how about you go find Teddy and wake up Martha? Her adventure is today," Ivy suggested calmly and I could hear the twins run away chanting, "Teddy, Teddy, Teddy, Teddy, Teddy!" down the hall. By now I was standing up and getting ready, remembering Jack and Susan were also there, I briefly remembered seeing Susan.
I exited the room and saw Martha talking with Susan and Jack, asking more questions, and I felt to weights on my legs. I looked down and saw the twins on my legs, "Hi, Daddy," they said a bit quieter.
"Hello you two, wanna go back time?" I said a bit louder to the others.
"But how do you travel in time? What makes it go?" Martha questioned.
"Oh, let's take the fun and mystery out of everything. Martha, you don't want to know. It just does. Hold on tight," I said and drove the TARDIS.
Martha fell over once the TARDIS stopped, "Blimey. Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?" Martha asked.
Susan burst out laughing, and I quickly countered, "Yes, and I failed it."
"He also did say to hang on," Teddy sassed.
"Anywya, time to make the most of it. I promised you one trip, and one trip only. Outside the door, brave new world," I said. I think Martha was a bit embarrassed tha tevne the two year olds and a dog kept on their feet and not her. We were really giving her a trial run to see how she acted today.
"Where are we?" Martha asked.
"Take a look. After you," I said following Ivy's comment to the twins and Teddy, "Glamours on," she said.
Martha looked back confused, "It's a bit unusual to see white haired children and young white haired woman. Teddy could be attacked his hair color changes," Jack told her. There was a brief growl from both Remus and Ivy, eyes flashing gold and amber. Martha nodded in understanding, sort of, and walked out and into the past, where she understood now, but she was now in shock, "Oh, you are kidding me. You are so kidding me. Oh, my God, we did it. We travelled in time. Where are we? No, sorry. I got to get used to this whole new language. When are we?" Martha said as she was looking around, not believing she was where she thought she was. I just so happened to be looking up when someone was about to dump a slop bucket, "Mind out," I said and pulled her back.
"Well, we're somewhere before the invention of the toilet. Sorry about that," I said, hearing the kids all gag from the smell. I felt a little sorry for Teddy, Padfoot, and Ivy's stronger senses.
Martha shrugged, "I've seen worse. I've worked the late night shift at A+E. but are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?" Martha asked.
"Of course we can. Why do you ask?" I questioned.
"It's like in the films. You step on a butterfly, you change the future of the human race," Martha explained. Yeah, none of us can watch time travel movies because we all start pointing out things that are wrong.
"Tell you what then, don't step on any butterflies. What have butterflies ever done to you?" I asked as we turned around to walk, thinking she was a bit crazy, only to remind myself that she was new.
"What if, I don't know, what if I kill my grandfather?" Martha asked. We all turned to look at her as I turned around and looked at her, alarmed, "Are you planning to?" I asked.
"No."
We all relaxed, and I turned back around, "Well, then."
"And this is London?" Martha checked.
"I think so. Round about 1599?" I looked back at my wife and she nodded in confirmation.
"Oh, but hold on. Am I all right? I'm not going to get carted off as a slave, am I?" Martha asked in caution.
"Why would they do that?" I asked in horror. Ivy rolled her eyes and said rather quietly, "Four of us aren't human, four have something we won't mention because we might actually get in trouble, referring to me and my children, other than Susan, you understand what I mean?" Martha nodded, "You and Jack would be considered the normal ones here, they aren't going to be paying attention to your skin color, that and there may or may not be a charm put on you so they won't care, you're welcome," Ivy added.
"Besides, that charm is a precaution, walk around like you own the place. Works for us. You'd be surprised. Elizabethan England, not so different from your time. Look over there. They've got recycling," I motioned to the man shoveling horse manure into a bucket, "Water cooler moment," I motioned two men talking at a water barrel.
"And the world would be consumed by flames," a priest spoke. I could feel Ivy's wariness around the priest, I knew she said a lot of first generation witches and wizards with parents that were too scared had exorcists done to them, some become obscurials after that and soon dying, some died from the stress, and many as a result didn't trust being near a priest.
"Global warming," I spoke about the priest rather quickly, "Oh, yes, and entertainment for the masses. If I'm right, we're just down the river by Southwark, right next to..." we hurried down ntil I saw what I was looking for, "Oh, yes, the Globe Theatre! Brand new. Just opened. Though, strictly speaking, it's not a globe, it's a tetra decagon. Fourteen sides. Containing the man himself," I led off looking at the twins. "Shakespeare?" they both asked. I nodded and they both had big smiles while Martha looked surprised, "Shakespeare is in there?"
"Oh, yes, Miss Jones, will you accompany Mrs .Potter and I to the theatre?" I asked holding out my elbow to her. Martha looked confused at the name for a second, I knew she had been told that in the past or other planets Ivy would use the last name Potter, but near her time and in the future she used Black as nobody really knew she had inherited the Lady Black title from Sirius. "Mr. Potter, I will," she replied. Yeah, I did the same with the last names. "Miss Potter, Mister Potter, Mister Lupin, onward," I said keeping up the last names. "Miss Foreman?" I heard Jack behind me as he was doing the same thing, "Mister Harkness," she replied. 'What about me?!' some of us heard. "Mr. Black," Susan, Ivy, Teddy, the twins, and I said. "Padfoot felt left out," I told Martha.
"When you get home, you can tell everyone you've seen Shakespeare," Susan said.
Martha looked back, "Then I could get sectioned."
"Papa's gonna be jealous," Teddy said. Ivy and Padfoot snorted, 'Moony might throw a fit,' he said.
We entered the theatre and watched the show, Martha on one side of me and Teddy on the other, Ivy was on Teddy's other side, and we were both holding a twin. Susan and Jack sat in front of us and Padfoot was curled up in front of Teddy, head hanging over the seats in front of us, head peaking in between Susan and Jack as he watched, growling at anybody who tried to take him away.
"That's amazing! Just amazing. It's worth putting up with the smell. And those are men dressed as women, yeah?" Martha asked.
"London never changes," I commented.
"Where's Shakespeare? I want to see Shakespeare. Author! Author! Do people shout that? Do they shout Author?" Martha asked.
"Author! Author!" was being shouted all around us starting with the man behind Martha, Teddy was discreetly covering his ears. Ivy just looked annoyed with the shouting.
"Well... they do now," I commented. Shakespeare came out acting a bit full of himself, oh boy, pretty sure Ivy will go off on him at some point, maybe not, it could be an act.
"He's a bit different from his portraits," Martha commented. Wonder if Ivy would be the reason for the baldness after that.
"Genius. He's a genius. The genius. The most human human there's ever been. Now we're going to hear him speak. Always chooses the best words. New, beautiful, brilliant words," I couldn't help myself, I could feel the teasing that I would soon be hearing from a certain wife of mine and her dogfather.
"Ah, shut your big fat mouths!" Shakespeare joked. Ivy and Padfoot snorted while Jack, Susan, and Teddy started laughing. The twins were giggling at the look on my face, "Oh, well."
"If that's your reaction, I really want to see what Papa's would have been," Teddy commented, looking up at me and Ivy started laughing harder.
"You should never meet your heroes," Martha commented. "I wish," Ivy muttered.
"You've got excellent taste, I'll give you that. Oh, that's a wig. I know what you're all saying. Loves Labour's Lost, that's a funny ending, isn't it? It just stops. Will the boys get the girls? Well, don't get your hose in a tangle, you'll find out soon. Yeah, yeah. All in good time. You don't rush a genius," something changes because I could see Ivy tensed up and Teddy was looking suspicious, Shakespeare had stumbled back before looking up, "When? Tomorrow night. The premiere of my brand new play. A sequel, no less, and I call it Loves Labor's Won," he said.
As we were exiting the theatre, Ivy spoke up, "He was being controlled, his eyes went blank and he went rigid," she said. "Like the..." Teddy trailed off, I knew he was referring to the Imperius Curse. "Yeah, but that's possible to break out of, I think it was basically voodoo magic, you have no chance to fight that off and you can die from it, they could kill you with it," Ivy said.
"I'm not an expert, but I've never heard of Loves Labour's Won," Martha said, trying to think of what changed.
"Exactly. The lost play. It doesn't exist, only in rumors. It's mentioned in lists of his plays but never ever turns up. And no one knows why," I said.
"So I suppose taping it and selling it when we leave would be a bad thing?" Martha asked.
"No, that would be bad," I said, grabbing Ivy's hand as we all walked to where a whole argument was going in Shakespeare's office. Ivy was staring at two different people and I saw both twins staring at one of them, I guess stuffs going to get even worse. "Hello!" I knocked on the door, "Excuse me, not interrupting, am I? Mister Shakespeare, isn't it?" I spoke up.
"Oh, no, no, no, no. Who let you in? No autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with me. And please don't ask where I get my ideas form. Thanks for the interest. Now be a good boy and shove," then he looked up and saw Martha, and two young children who were looking at him with teary eyes, but mostly seeing Martha, "Hey, nonny nonny. Sit right down next to me. You two get sewing on them costumes. Off you go," he pretty much threw the others out.
"Come on lads. I think William's found his new muse," someone commented and they left. "Sweet lady," Shakespeare spoke. "Such unusual clothes. So fitted."
"Er, verily, forsooth, egads," Martha started saying.
"No, no, don't do that. Don't," I told her. I took out the psychic paper, missing Ivy's smirk, and showed him, "I'm Sir Doctor of TARDIS and this is my wife Lady Ivy, our companions Miss Martha Jones, Miss Susan Foreman, and Mister Jack Harkness," I said.
Shakespeare looks at the paper confused, "Interesting, that bit of paper. It's blank," he declared.
Martha shook her head, as I was very impressed, "No, it says so right there. Sir Doctor, Lady Ivy, Martha Jones, Susan Foreman, and Jack Harkness. It says so," Martha argued, confused on why he would think it was blank. "And I say it's blank," Shakespeare had countered. Now, I was seeing Ivy's smirk and the kid's confused looks. The only people I knew couldn't see the paper were Ivy, Teddy, Eilam, Elysium, and Padfoot, along with Tony, Thor, Loki, Luna, the Weasley twins, Maximoff twins, and Hela. Ivy, Teddy, Eilam, and Elysium are all magical, even the twins had show some accidental magic if his color changing clothes he had when they were babies were anything to go by. Ivy couldn't see it partly because of her being Death, which means the twins couldn't as her children. Teddy was adopted by both Death too, and Padfoot is her companion/godfather/dogfather/blood adopted father/ a death omen, so he couldn't see it. I taught Susan how to recognize psychic paper and Jack already knew the difference. Thor, Loki, and Hela, were Norse Gods, they would see it as blank. Luna and the Weasley twins were blessed by Death allowing them to see it as blank and the three of them were genius' too. The Maximoff twins may or may not have been children of a mutant allowing them to see a faint hint but not much. The question was Tony, how could Tony see it other than the fact he was a genius? Wait, I looked at Ivy who had been distracting Shakespeare and Martha, gotta remember Martha is supposedly from Freedonia, 'He's a squib, isn't he?'
I saw her smirk widen, 'He's also a demigod, I always wondered why he seemed ot immediately know me as Ivy when I visited Thanatos,' she mentioned. Before I could respond, a man walked in, "Excuse me! Hold hard a moment. This is abominable behavior. A new play with no warning? I demand to see a script, Mister Shakespeare. As Master of the revels, every new script must be registered at my office and examined by me before it can be performed," he argued.
"Tomorrow morning, first thing, I'll send it round," Shakespeare said.
"I don't work for your schedule, you work to mine. The script, now!"
"I can't."
"Then tomorrow's performance is cancelled," the man stormed out and I felt Eilam, who was on my lap, tighten his grip on me as I also noticed my youngest daughter was trying to hide from the man that Ivy and Padfoot had been staring at. 'Someone wants that play to happen, he made his decision and will die for it,' Ivy told me.
"Well then, mystery solved. That's Love's Labours Won over and done with. Thought it might be something more, you know, more mysterious," A man screamed after Martha's statement, followed by a woman screaming, "Help me!" the six adults ran out and saw Lynley, the guy who had been arguing with Shakespeare, spewing water from his mouth, "It's that Lynley bloke," Martha said.
I rushed forward, handing off Eilam to Susan, "What's wrong with him? Leave it to me. I'm a doctor," I said, followed by Martha who said, "So am I, near enough."
'He's dead now, it's voodoo magic,' I heard as the man collapsed.
"Got to get the heart going. Mister Lynley, come on. Can you hear me? You're going to be all right," I heard Martha say. I couldn't necessarily say that he was already dead in front of the crowd, now could I? Martha had gone to give him CPR but when she opened his mouth, water spewed out, "What the hell is that?" she said, finally looking at me.
"I've never seen a death like it. His lungs are full of water. He drowned and then, I don't know, like a blow to the heart, and invisible blow. Good mistress, this poor fellow has died from a sudden imbalance of the humors. A natural if unfortunate demise. Call a constable and have him taken away," I said towards Dolly, a woman who had been in Shakespeare's office with the others when we entered.
"Yes, sir."
"I'll do it, ma'am," another woman said. The woman left and I was getting a bad vibe.
"And why are you telling them that?" Martha asked quietly and curiously, not accusingly.
"This lot still have got one foot in the dark ages. If I tell them the truth, they'll panic and think it was witchcraft. They would usually think it was women and I am not putting my wife and daughter at risk," I replied just as quietly. Martha saw the look in my eyes and nodded, "So what was it then?" she asked.
"Witchcraft, Ivy confirmed it but it's a specific kind," I told her as we walked back to my wife. Shakespeare had organized some rooms for us that Dolly was preparing as she came back into the office, "I have some rooms prepared for you, unfortunately they all only have one bed," Dolly said and guided us to some rooms, "That's all right," Ivy said.
"Sir Doctor, you and your family are here. Miss Jones and Miss Foreman are across and Mister Harkness is next to it," she announced. I still get startled when I'm addressed first, usually as Ivy, and an actual Lady, she would be addressed first but of course Dolly didn't know that.
"Poor Lynley. So many strange events. Not least of all, this land of Freedonia where a woman can become a doctor?" Shakespeare said before looking at Martha with interest. Martha was startled for a second before responding, "Where a woman can do what she likes," she counters. Then Shakespeare looked at me, "And you, Sir Doctor. How can a man so young have eyes so old? Your wife has the same kind of eyes, but something with power that I do not desire to be on the wrong side of it," he said. "We read a lot," is all I said.
"A trite reply. Yeah, that's what I'd do. And you?" he turns back to Martha, "You look at him like you're surprised he exists, same with his wife. They're both as much of puzzle to you as they are to me," Shakespeare observed.
"I think we should say goodnight," Martha suggested and walked away to her room where Susan was. Susan probably was going to sneak into Jack's room so Martha could sleep, even though I still don' like saying that Susan is sneaking into a boy's room.
"I must work. I have a play to complete. But I'll get my answers tomorrow, Doctor, and I'll discover more about you both and why this constant performance of yours," Shakespeare declared.
"All the world's a stage," I quoted.
"Hmm. I might use that. Goodnight, Doctor."
"Nighty night, Shakespeare," I said and entered my room to find Teddy, Eilam, and Elysium in the bed and Ivy was in the corner of the room, "They were waiting for you," Ivy said. I said goodnight to the children and sat next to Ivy as they tossed and turned before I asked, "Is his father Apollo?" and she nodded. "What gave you that conclusion?"
"Well it was either him or Dionysus but when he starts being observant about things and predicting things I was leaning towards Apollo because of the Knowledge and Prophecy domain, and the fact that he is very good looking," I explained. Suddenly Ivy was out the door and then a woman's scream was heard, I gave a silent look to Padfoot to stay with the kids while I ran out with Martha and Jack behind me. Shakespeare had startled awake as the four of us ran in panic and saw the body Dolly that was in the room, "Her heart gave out. She died of fright," I said.
"Doctor?" Martha called.
"What did you see?"
"A witch," she said with assurance, must be something that looks like a muggle stereotypical witch. I went back up the stairs with Jack and Martha, "So it looked like a stereotypical witch?" Jack asked my main question. Martha nodded as we entered the room where Ivy was again with Susan, "Where did you go?" Jack asked.
"I was collecting Dolly's soul," she said.
"Wait so if you are Death, which I don't doubt, now, did you know Lynley and Dolly's deaths were coming and could you have stopped it?" Martha asked with pure curiosity in her tone. Oh good, she's passing my number one test, don't insult my wife or children and what they do. "I can see the death dates on somebody, or in a few cases temporary death. If I see the date is in red then it cannot be changed as it would change many things. If its purple then it can be changed, Lynley's turned red after he decided that the play would not happen on that day and Dolly apparently saw that 'witch' and died because of it," Ivy explained. It was very obvious that she did not like the current bad guy looked like a stereotypical witch.
"Oh, sweet Dolly Bailey. She sat out three bouts of the plague in this place when we all ran like rats. But what could have scared her so? She had such enormous spirit," Shakespeare spoke up. Martha and Ivy looked back at the man, Martha with a look of acceptance about Ivy being Death and not being able to save everyone.
"Rage, rage against the dying of the light," I said, hands under my head.
Shakespeare looked thoughtful, "I might use that,"
"It's somebody else's," Ivy and I said.
"But the thing is, Lynley drowned on dry land, Dolly died of fright, and they were both connected to you," Martha looked at Shakespeare at the end. Ivy and I looked at her impressed.
"You're accusing me?" Shakespeare said and I swear I saw a faint glow from the man, Martha looked confused while Ivy smirked slightly before speaking, "No, but she saw a stereotypical witch, flying, cackling away, and you've written about witches eventually," Ivy sounded a bit bitter at the last bit.
"I have? When was that?" Shakespeare asked.
"Whenever you bloody feel like it," Ivy countered.
Shakespeare thought for a second before saying, "Peter Streete spoke of witches," he said. I was a bit alarmed, hoping he meant what Martha saw.
"Who's Peter Streete?" Martha asked.
"Our builder. He sketched the plans to the Globe," Shakespeare answered.
"The architect. Hold on. The architect! The architect! The Globe! Come on!" I ushered everyone out, getting an idea as to who it was. "The columns there, right? Fourteen sides. I've always wondered, but I never asked, but I never asked. Tell me, Will. Why fourteen sides?"
"It was the shape Peter Steele thought best, that's all. Said it carried the sound well," Shakespeare answered.
"Fourteen. Why does that ring a bell? Fourteen."
"There's fourteen lines in a sonnet," Martha spoke up.
"So there is. Good point. Words and shapes following the same design. Fourteen lines, fourteen sides, fourteen facets. Oh, my head. Tetra decagon. Think, think, think! Words, letters, numbers, lines!" I said while hitting my own head.
"This is just a theatre," Shakespeare said, but I could see something in his eyes, knowing something else. He had been inching away from Ivy as she was letting her aura out a bit.
"Oh yeah, but a theatre's magic, isn't it?" I asked playing off that feeling, Shakespeare was looking at us wide eyed form the looks we were giving him. "You should know. Stand on this stage, say the right words with the right emphasis at the right time. Oh, you can mak men weep, or cry with joy. Change them. You can change people's minds just like with your words in this place. But if you exaggerate that..." I lead off.
"Just like you got Dionysus' favor with the same talent," Ivy muttered but by Shakespeare's expression, he heard her and looked at her shocked while we both gave him a smirk.
"It's like your police box. Small wooden box with all that power inside," Martha said.
Ivy and I looked at her impressed, "Oh. Oh, Martha Jones, I like you. Tell you what, though. Peter Streete would know. Can I talk to him?" I asked.
"You won't get an answer. A month after finishing this place, lost his mind."
"Why? What happened?"
"Started raving about witches, hearing a voices, babbling. His mind was addled," Shakespeare said, I can tell it's something that has confused him. From what I had been told about different deities and their children, Apollo's children don't like not knowing something especially medically or mentally.
"Where is he now?"
"Bedlam."
"What's Bedlam?" Martha asked.
"Bethlem Hospital. The madhouse," Shakespeare said. Ah, so this was confusing him or else he might not have known where the man had gone.
"We're going there. Right now. Come on," I said.
"Wait! I'm coming with you. I want to witness this at first hand, he's my cousin," Shakespeare said the last bit quieter so Martha didn't hear. "Athena?" I asked and he nodded in response. Two men entered, "Ralph, the last scene as promised. Copy it, hand it round, learn it, speak it. Back before curtain up. And remember, kid, project. Eyes and teeth. You never know, the Queen might turn up. As if. She never does," he said and walked out with us, grumbling the last bit.
"Why does it feel like I'm not in control of myself?" he asked, catching up to us.
"Well I'm going to tell you this is something not from earth that can do something like an empousai, except it's voodoo magic. They are not witches, but they end up being the stereotypical look for them, but they are controlling you to do it, and we are here to help you," Ivy explained. "So not like...?" Shakespeare asked.
"She does control witches, but they have their own world to stay away from everyone else, the only thing they have in common is that they cackle, the crazy ones cackle, and they fly on brooms," Ivy mentioned. Shakespeare nodded before turning his attention to Martha who was behind us, "So, tell me of Freedonia, where women can be doctors, writers, actors."
"This country's ruled by a woman."
"Ah, she's royal. That's the God's business. Though you are a royal beauty," Shakespeare flirted. Eilam and Elysium both lifted an eyebrow in response, while Ivy and I both smirked. Jack and Susan, who had been rather quiet were snickering behind us as Martha spoke up again, "Whoa, Nelly. I know for a fact you've got a wife in the country."
"But Martha, this is Town," Shakespeare countered.
"But Martha, it's in his nature," Teddy mocked, getting Ivy, Susan, Jack, and I to snicker now, and Shakespeare looked back at the boy with a smirk.
"Come on. We can all have a good flirt later," I spoke up.
"Is that a promise, Doctor?" Shakespeare turned his flirting to me.
"Oh, fifty seven academics and Teddy's birth father just punched the air. Now move!" I said. "He's taken by the way. I don't share," Ivy said, "Jack will flirt back, but Susan doesn't share either," she added.
"Nope," I heard Susan pop the p. Some of the group, the ones containing magic (including Shakespeare even though he most likely didn't know he was a squib) were looking back at the Globe for some reason, the actors were most likely rehearsing the play at the moment. We arrived at Bethlehem hospital and Ivy said, "I'm not going in," I agreed immediately knowing how people were treated in these places. She stayed out with the twins, Teddy, and Padfoot. Susan didn't want to go in either with similar reasons to Ivy.
"Does my Lord Doctor wish some entertainment while he waits? I'd whip these madmen. They'll put on a good show for you. Mad dog in Bedlam," the Keeper asked.
"No, I don't," I said angrily, thinking back to Ivy, Susan, and Luna, and how they were treated. I could see Shakespeare didn't agree with anything they were doing either.
"Well, wait here, my lords, while I make him decent for the lady," the Keeper walks off to find Peter Steele.
"So this is what you call a hospital, yeah? Where the patients are whipped to entertain the gentry? And you put your friend in here?" Martha asked Shakespeare. I don't think he really had a choice on the matter.
"Oh, it's all so different in Freedonia," Shakespeare had gotten defensive.
"But you're clever. Do you honestly think this place is any good?" Martha asked. I'm glad Padfoot wasn't here either, from what I've been told this could've been a muggle Azkaban, although Azkaban was worse.
"I've been mad. I've lost my mind. Fear of this place set him right again. It serves its purpose," Shakespeare responded, looking uncomfortable in the place.
"Mad in what way?" Martha asked.
"You lost your son," I said. Eilam and Elysium would mention the little boy they played with once when they went with Ivy to visit Hades and Thanatos they remembered the boy's dad was Shakespeare.
"My only boy. The Black Death took him. I wasn't even there."
"I didn't know. I'm sorry," Martha apologized.
"It made me question everything. The futility of this fleeting existence. To be or not to be. Oh, that's quite good," Shakespeare had a look of realization.
"You should write that down," I spoke up.
"Maybe not. A bit pretentious?" Shakespeare countered. I made a noise of agreement.
"This way, my lord!" the Keeper called. We followed him to Peter Streete's cell.
"They can be dangerous, my lord. Don't know their own strength," the Keeper warned us, and then my anger returned, "I think it helps if you don't whip them. Now get out!" the Keeper left in a hurry.
"Peter? Peter Streete?" I said to the figure with his back turned.
"He's the same as he was. You'll get nothing out of him," Shakespeare said behind me.
"Peter?" I called again. I touched his shoulder and Peter snapped his head up and stared. I put my fingers to his head to try to get a mental connection with him, "Peter, I'm the Doctor. Go into the past. One year ago. Let your mind go back. Back to when everything was fine and shining. Everything that happened in this year since happened to somebody else. It was just a story. A Winter's Tale. Let go. That's it, just let go," I lay Peter down, noticing his eyes clearing some, "Tell me the story, Peter. Tell me about the witches," I felt Ivy and the twin's panic. 'Susan?'
'Peter Streete is appearing in Ivy's book,' was all I heard.
"Witches spoke to Peter. In the night, they whispered. They whispered. Got Peter to build the Globe to their design. Their design! The fourteen walls. Always fourteen. When the work was done they snapped poor Peter's wits."
"Where did Peter see the witches? Where in the city? Peter, tell me. You've got tell me where were they?" I urged a bit.
"All Hallows Street," oh of course, Ivy won't be happy with that either. 'Get away from Peter!' Ivy yelled telepathically. I moved away as soon as I heard, "Too many words," and saw a stereotypical witch behind me.
"What the hell?" Martha asked stunned as Jack pulled her behind him.
"Just one touch of the heart," the 'witch' said.
"No!" I yelled. She put her hand on Streete's chest and he died.
"Witch! I'm seeing a witch!" Shakespeare called.
"Now, who would be next, hmm? Just one touch. Oh, oh, I'll stop your frantic hearts. Poor, fragile mortals."
"Let us out! Let us out!" Martha yelled.
"That's not going to work. The whole building's shouting that," I told her.
'You need the write word, think of fourteen,' Ivy hinted.
'Everything has to do with fourteen,' Susan added on.
"Who will die first, hmm?" the 'witch' said.
"Well, if you're looking for volunteers," I said stepping forward.
"No! Don't!" Martha yelled.
"Doctor, can you stop her?" Shakespeare asked.
"No mortal has power over me," the 'witch' said.
"Oh, but there's a power in words. If I can find the right one. If I can just know you," I said.
"None on Earth has knowledge of us."
"Then it's a good thing I'm here. Now think, think, think. Humanoid female, uses shapes and words to channel energy." What's the difference between the being in front of me and Ivy and Luna? Wait, Fourteen! "AH! FOURTEEN! That's it! Fourteen! That's it! Fourteen! The fourteen stars of the rexel planetary configuration! Creature, I name you Carrionite!" the 'witch' screams and vanishes in a flash of light.
"What did you do?" Martha questioned.
"I named her. The power of a name. That's old magic," then I added quietly, "James and Lily's murderer did the same thing with his name."
"Carrionites use words, English words as spells, not Latin," I said. Martha was motioning towards Shakespeare silently saying that he's still in the room. "He's a Greek demigod, where actual witches are from is the Greek Goddess Hecate's pet world," I said, and Shakespeare nodded beside me. "What are they trying to do?" he asked me.
"To bring the end of the world," I said and we walked out to find where Susan, Ivy, and the kids were hiding and headed back to Shakespeare's place.
"All Hallows Street?! Seriously?!" Ivy exclaimed. "In Hecate's pet world, Thanatos had left three items called the Deathly Hallows and the person from the Peverell bloodline to collect all three would become Death's Master/Mistress, or in this case actually merge with Death, and become Death," I explained quickly to others. "I'm not against actual witches as long as they don't attack me," Shakespeare said as he got looks from some. Unfortunately the stereotype had to continue so there was nothing to do to stop that from getting out. From the apologetic look Shakespeare was giving Ivy and even Elysium, he knew that too.
"Okay, what do you know about the Carrionites?" Martha asked.
"The Carrionites disappeared way back at the dawn of the universe. Nobody was sure if they were real or legend," I said.
"Well, I'm going for real," Shakespeare sassed.
"But what do they want?" Jack asked.
"A new empire on Earth. A world of bones and blood and 'witchcraft'," I said. "They are so old school with their 'magic'," Ivy complained.
Shakespeare smirked with amusement before turning serious again, "But how?"
"I'm looking at the man with the words," I told him. 'You might have to tell him about the squib thing,' I told Ivy, I heard a groan from her in response.
"Me? But I've done nothing," Shakespeare argued.
"Hold on, though. What were you doing last night, when that Carrionite was in the room?" Martha asked.
"Finishing the play," Shakespeare responded.
"What happened on the last page?" I asked.
"The boys get the girls. They have a bit of a dance. It's all as funny and thought provoking as usual. Except those last few lines. Funny thing is, I don't remember writing them, do you think it could've been them?" Shakespeare asked Ivy at the end. Ivy nodded and said, "They used you to write the last bit as a spell, like they embedded the spell in the words."
"Just like a code. The right combination of words, spoken at the right place, with the shape of the Globe as an energy converter! The play's the thing!" I turned to Shakespeare, "And yes, you can have that."
Soon we were in front of All Hallows Street, Shakespeare had been sent back to try to stop his play. Ivy was checking the portkeys for the kids and we were trying to figure out which house to go to. "All Hallows Street, but which house?" I muttered.
"The thing is, though am I missing something here? The world didn't end in 1599. It just didn't. Look at me. I'm living proof," Martha said.
"Oh, how to explain the mechanics of the infinite temporal flux? I know. Back to the Future. It's like Back to the Future," I said.
"The film?" Martha asked.
"No, the novelization," I said sarcastically. "Yes, the film. Marty McFly goes back and changes history."
"And he starts fading away. Oh my God, am I going to fade?" Martha panicked.
"You and the entire future of the human race. It ends right now in 1599 if we don't stop it. But which house?" then we all saw a door creek open in front of us, "Ah. Make that witch house."
We entered the house, "I take it we're expected."
"Oh, I think Death has been waiting for you a very long time," Lilith as she revealed herself to be spoke. 'Well she's not wrong,' Ivy said.
"Right then, it's my turn. I know how to do this. I name thee Carrionite! What did I do wrong? Was it the finger?" Martha looked confused when nothing happened.
"The power of a name works only once. Observe. I gaze upon this bag of bones and now I name thee Martha Jones," Martha falls backwards into my arms. "What have you done?" I asked, in shock. I felt that the kids used their portkey to get back to the TARDIS as Ivy made it possible for me to feel the TARDIS portkeys activate.
"Only sleeping, alas. It's curious. The name has less impact. She's somehow out of her time. So are others, like Jack Harkness," Jack drops, this time dead and Susan cringes in pain, but you three, you three have other names. Two men and a woman, even a dog, hiding their names. Oh, but there is one word with the power that aches.
"The naming won't work on me," I warned.
"But you're heart grows cold," what the hell is she talking about? "The north wind blows and carries down the distant Rose amongst the Ivy," Ivy's hand tensed feeling a flash of pain at the mention of her name while Susan's did the same on the name Rose. Her other name translated into Rose in Gallifreyan. But I believe Lilith mentioned Rose Tyler, not Susan. I'll pretend it's Susan though.
"Oh big mistake. Because those names keep me fighting. The Carrionites vanished. Where did you go?"
"The Eternals found the right word to banish us into deep darkness," Lilith said.
"And how did you escape?"
"New words. New and glittering, from a mind like no other."
"Shakespeare."
"His son perished. The grief of a genius. Grief without measure. Madness enough to allow us entrance," I heard a low growl from Padfoot, behind me.
"How many of you?"
"Just the three. But the play tonight shall restore the rest. Then the human race will be purged as pestilence. And form this world we will lead the universe back into the old ways of blood and magic."
"Hmm. Busy schedule. But first you've got to get past me."
"Oh, that should be a pleasure, considering my enemy has such a handsome shape," and now their goes Ivy's growl.
"Now, that's one form of magic that's not going to work on me."
"Oh, well let's see," Lilith said, next thing we knew all of us, including Padfoot were missing a piece of hair. "What did you do?" I spoke up.
"Souvenir," Lilith commented.
"Well, give it back," I said. Lilith flew out the window, "Well, that's just cheating."
"Behold Doctor. Men to Carrionites are nothing but puppets," she held up three dolls, the first one obviously being the one with my hair. She stabbed the doll and fell in pain, hearing Martha who found Jack's body, I screamed in more pain as Ivy fell over, dead. Susan was in the same state as me as a sound no person wants to hear out of a animal came from Padfoot as he had also died by Ivy's side.
"Oh my God, doctor. Don't worry, I've got you. Hold on, mister. Two hearts?" Martha smacked me in the chest.
"You're making a habit of this. Ah! We've only got one heart," I started.
"How do you people cope?" Susan spat.
"I've got to get the other one started. Hit me! Hit me on the chest! Dah!" Martha hit the wrong spot, "Other side! Same with Susan. Now on the back, on the back, same with Susan. Left a bit. Dah," I dropped again, "Dah, lovely. There we go. Badda boomba! Well, what are you standing there for? Come on! The Globe!"
"But Jack, Ivy, and Padfoot..." Martha trailed off as Jack stumbled in and turned and saw Death was now present and was holding Padfoot to her as he slowly woke up. "Let's go," I repeated. Death got up with my help and Padfoot staggered but managed to run into the shadows, "TARDIS," Death said. We ran out, "We're going the run way!" Martha shouted.
"No, we're not!" I said as I held on to Jack, at least until he pointed behind us to where the red glow was, "We're going the wrong way!" I announced.
"No shit!" Death said. Safe to say Death wasn't happy about a certain three Carrionites.
"I told thee so! I told thee!" the priest yelled.
"Shut up!" Death yelled back making the priest look at her, "Demon!" he screamed and before he could continue, she punched him unconscious.
"Stage door!" I yelled while Jack looked at me in sympathy, no man wants to deal with an angry spouse, I'm just glad I wasn't responsible for her dying this time. "Stop the play. I think that was it. Yeah, I said, stop the play!" I yelled at Shakespeare who was rubbing his head
Shakespeare looked at us, "I hit my head," he complained.
"Yeah, don't rub it, you'll go bald. I think that's my cue!" I said. I briefly saw Shakespeare jump at Death's eyes. "Now begins the millennium of blood!" the Carrionites cheered. More Carrionites flew out of the portal.
We looked directly at the Carrionites as I pulled Shakespeare up with us, "Come on, Will! History needs you!"
"But what can I do?" Shakespeare asked.
"Reverse it!" I yelled. I motioned for Death to be behind me, 'Is Ivy conscious and can you reach her magic?' I asked. Death nodded and stayed behind me.
"How am I supposed to do that?" Shakespeare questioned.
"The shape of the Globe gives words power, but you're the wordsmith, the one true genius. The only man clever enough to do it," I encouraged him.
"But what words? I have none ready!"
"You're William Shakespeare!" I said.
"But these Carrionite phrases, they need such precision," he argued.
"What sort of son of Apollo are you if you can't come up with something?!" Death argued. I turned his attention back to me, "Trust yourself. When you're locked away in your room, the words just come, don't they, like magic. Words of the right sound, the right shape, the right rhythm. Words that last forever. That's what you do, Will. You choose perfect words. Do it. Improvise, you were born to do it."
"Pray to your father if you have too," Death added. It seemed that Shakespeare had done it because next thing we knew he was spouting out words, "Foul Carrionite specters, cease your show! Between the points..."
"Seven six one three nine oh!" I helped.
"Seven six three nine oh! Banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee..."
"Expelliarmus!" I said. I could practically feel Ivy rolling her eyes even though Death was still present. Martha repeated me and Shakespeare said it with Death echoing him. The Carrionites screamed, "The deep darkness! They are consumed!" Lilith screeched. The Carrionites are sucked into a tornado along with the pages of the play that shouldn't have existed. "Love Labours Won. There it goes," I said.
The sky cleared and the audience, after a moments starts clapping, "They think it was all special effects?" Martha questioned.
"Your effect is special indeed," Shakespeare flirted again.
"It's not your best line," Martha said. Death and I walked up to the now empty box the Carrionites were in and picked up a crystal that had them trapped. I handed the crystal to Death who smirked evilly at the crystal as the three trapped in it realized who they in fact tried to kill.
The next morning, Death let Ivy be present again, and we searched through the props section that they had. "Should we?" Ivy asked as she held up a certain item that Shakespeare is known for wearing, "Well, he did say his neck hurt," I said. I grabbed it and put it on as we walked out to greet the others. "Good props store back there. I'm not sure about this though," I said, holding up an animal skull, "Reminds me of a Sycorax," I said.
"Sycorax. Nice word. I'll have that off you as well," Shakespeare said.
"I should be on ten percent. How's your head?" I asked.
"Still aching."
"Here," I take the ruff off and put it on him, "We got you this. Neck brace. Wear that for a few days till it's better."
"Might consider wearing it more. it suits you," Ivy added.
"What about the play?" Martha asked.
"Gone. We looked all over. Every single copy went up in the sky," Susan said.
"My lost masterpiece," Shakespeare pouted.
"You could write it up again," Martha suggested.
"Yeah, better not, Will. There's still power in those words. Maybe it should stay forgotten," I suggested.
"Oh, but I've got new ideas. Perhaps it's time I wrote about fathers and sons, in memory of my boy, my precious Hamnet," Shakespeare said. Ivy was writing something down as we were all speaking.
"Hamnet?" Martha questioned, not sure if she heard correctly.
"That's him."
"Hamnet?" Martha repeated.
"What's wrong with that?" Shakespeare got defensive again and I swear I still saw that little glow.
"Anyway," I cut in, loudly, "time we were off. I've got a nice attic in the TARDIS where this lot can scream for all eternity until a certain someone destroys it, and I've got to take Martha back to Freedonia."
"You mean travel on through time and space," Shakespeare said, shocking the hell out of me. Ivy barked out a laugh that I know she got from her blood adopted father as we looked a them in shock, "You what?" I questioned.
"You're from another world like the Carrionites, so is Susan. I know Ivy is an actual witch and Death, and Martha and Jack are from the future. It's not that hard to work out," Shakespeare shrugged.
"That's incredible. You are incredible," I said in awe.
"We're alike in many ways, Doctor. And as Ivy has said before, I'm the son of God of Knowledge, I am smart, I just don't act it. I've already prayed to Dionysus to bless this place as a precaution. Martha, let me say goodbye to you in a new verse. A sonnet for my Dark Lady. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate." Me and the others both smirked at the familiar words.
Two men enter, cutting Shakespeare off, "Will!"
"Will, you'll never believe it. She's here! She's turned up!"
"We're the talk of the town. She heard about last night. She wants us to perform it again."
"Who?" Martha asked.
"Her Majesty. She's here."
We all ran outside to see the crowd surrounding the Queen, "Queen Elizabeth the First!" I said with a smile before said Queen glared at me.
"Doctor?" she spat. "Ivy?" she spat more.
"What?" I asked, a bit high pitched, while Ivy raised an eyebrow.
"My sworn enemies," the Queen continued. Ivy leaned over to Shakespeare, "I feel like I'm going to have to run, so here," and handed him the note.
"What?" I repeated.
"Off with their heads!"
"Whaaaaaaat?" I repeated again.
"This isn't bloody Alice in Wonderland," I heard Ivy complain.
"Never mind what, just run! See you, Will, and thanks," Martha said and we all ran hearing Shakespeare's laughter and the Queen yelling, "Stop that pernicious Doctor."
"Stop in the name of the Queen!" a man yelled.
"What did you two do to upset her?" Jack yelled.
"How should I know, we haven't met her yet. That's time travel for you. Still, can't wait to find out," we entered the TARDIS as I added, "That's something to look forward to. Ooo!" I rush into the door and shut it as an arrow burst thuds into the door.
As I hurry to take off the voice of James Potter spoke up, "Why the bloody hell did my three grandchildren show up scared out their bloody minds and Padfoot showed up slumped over?!"
"We met Shakespeare," was all I said. "WHAT?!" came the high shriek of Remus Lupin.
"Why did Shakespeare glow?" Susan asked, used to Remus' fan boy tendencies over certain authors.
"Because as a demigod, if the godly parent truly likes the mortal parent, the more the child gains out of domains. From what I know, Apollo's more powerful children put Mist over themselves to hide from mortals so they wouldn't see them glow when they get a strong emotion about something. Since Martha has been traveling with us, she can see it too," Ivy explained. James was still looking at me for an answer, as Padfoot laid his head on Ivy's lap. I turned back to James, "Look, I wasn't responsible for people in this room temporarily dying this time..."