Rose would be lying if she said she didn't feel uneasy when they walked with the guards towards the dining hall. Something about the Queen made her nervous, and whatever that was, she wasn't sure, but she knew something was wrong. With the guards so close, however, she couldn't mention that to the Doctor.
He reached over and took her hand, squeezing it in reassurance as they walked. She took it for what it was and took the opportunity to get a little bit closer to him.
The guard was silent and Rose watched him, trying to look at his clothing. He was incredibly muscular, his back the only thing in view besides his headdress. He was wearing nothing by a decorative white skirt that the Doctor would certainly call a loincloth, and sandals. She recognized that that meant he was part of a high level of staff.
They reached what was a lavish dining hall, a coffee table in the middle of what appeared to be a square of very plush couches. The Queen was already reclining there, her servants behind her, standing at the ready.
"Come, my guests, sit. Did you hear anything?" She asked the guard as the Doctor and Rose approached, speaking as if they weren't even there.
"Nothing of suspicion, my Queen. However, they were very interested in your hieroglyphs."
"They are travelers, that would explain it," she waved the guard away. "You are dismissed."
The guard put his right fist over his heart and nodded before leaving the room.
"And how did you find my hieroglyphs?" the Queen asked, "Interesting? Informative? Because, somehow, you can read them."
"Like you said, we're travelers," The Doctor replied coolly, "We have to learn about the cultures and writings that surround us to survive."
The Queen nodded in approval. "And since you understood the writings-?"
"Understanding the writings and understanding exactly what they mean are two different things," Rose replied quickly, "Magician? What sort of magic do you practice, my Queen?"
"Oh, you will find that out soon enough," Surbia replied, her gaze drifting to the Doctor as she spoke. Rose wasn't sure why, but when she said that, she felt her stomach roll and a sense of dread fill her entirely. The Doctor seemed to pick up on this as well, his brows furrowing at her tone and expression.
"I intend to discover quite a bit about all of this," the Doctor replied, "I've studied the Kings and Queens before you, none quite so... Mysterious as you. It's a bit odd, you understand"
The Queen nodded. "Of course. And you will find out all you wish about me, in good time. But for now, eat."
Rose let her gaze drift down to the table for the first time. It was filled with traditional Egyptian foods, vegetables and fruits (Dates a prevelant choice, Rose noticed) and various breads. The only meat on the table was fish, already cut into small pieces on the platter.
She watched the Queen for social cues, saw that she ate with one hand, using the other to hold herself in her reclining position against the pillows. Rose followed the motions, knowing they didn't flow nearly as well. The Doctor watched her and nodded when she did something right, and Rose breathed out a sigh of relief. At least she wasn't doing something terribly wrong.
They ate in silence, which Rose found horribly awkward, but the Queen didn't seem to mind it and she gathered that she wasn't supposed to speak first, so she kept her silence and focused on just how fresh the food tasted, because of course, it was.
"Will you have separate or joined quarters?" Queen Surbia asked, leveling her gaze at the both of them, as if scrutinizing their response.
"Joined," The Doctor replied. "We travel together, we stay together, and if there's trouble, we take care of it together."
Rose released the breath she had been holding waiting for the Doctor's response. She really couldn't imagine being in this big of a space without knowing where, exactly the Doctor would be. She wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea, and as protective of her as the Doctor was, she knew that he wouldn't be comfortable with it as well.
"Understood," the Queen said lightly. "I assume that means you will not be wanting to join me in my chambers tonight, Doctor?"
The Doctor narrowed his eyes, "No, I would not," he said, "Nothing against you, my Queen."
"I do not take offence from those lower than me, it was simply a suggestion," the Queen retorted, "You are a fine specimen, Doctor, and will surely go to waste in any other scenario but that of being a king."
The Doctor watched her closely. "I am not the sort of man you want as your king."
"Well, it's really not up to the people, is it?" The Queen cocked an eyebrow.
"No. It's up to me, and I say no," the Doctor replied.
The Queen hummed and they resumed eating for a moment. "Just think, you might see my magic a bit sooner than you thought."
Rose tensed at the thought. Perhaps she was a hypnotist, and was going to use that 'magic'. If that was the case, why was no one in the immediate area acting strange. All the servants seemed in their right minds, no hazy gazes or monotone voices. But then again, maybe she didn't need to hypnotize them, maybe the fear of her magic was enough incentive to do as she pleased all the time.
The Queen stretched where she was. "Are you very tired? I'm sure your travels have exhausted you."
It startled Rose with how fast the topic of conversation had switched, and somehow Rose was able to shake her surprise enough to respond. "Sort of, yeah."
"As I expected," the Queen replied. "Come now, Aui will take you to your chambers."
One of the girls behind her moved around to the front of the room, waiting for the Doctor and Rose to stand. Rose got to her feet and waited for the Doctor to do the same before the girl turned around and started to lead them from the room.
"Thank you, my Queen, we will see you tomorrow," the Doctor said breezily. The Queen nodded her ascent from where she sat, evidently not finding them an incredible danger at the time being.
Aui led them to a room that had an actual door, which Rose had to admit surprised her just a little bit. She wasn't sure they had doors here at all, based on books she'd read and the like. But here it was, a real clay door, attached by odd looking hinges to the walls that were probably also clay, but painted white.
"Here is your quarters," Aui said, gesturing to the door, "I hope you will find them satisfactory."
"I'm sure we will," Rose smiled kindly at the girl, who looked very nervous. "You're very kind. Thank you."
The girl's face lit up at this and she nodded. "Yes, of course. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Rose replied before disappearing into the room after the Doctor.
Aui shut the door behind them and Rose had the faintest suspicion that she would be locking them in as well to prevent any midnight wanders.
"Thank goodness you're a people person," the Doctor sighed, taking off his jacket and tie.
"Well, you are too," Rose replied, "This go-round, at least."
The Doctor chuckled. "That's a bit true, yeah." He diverted his gaze to the bed that sat at the head of the small room and frowned. "I don't think this is going to do for either of us."
Rose looked over and saw that the bed looked basically like a very large table. She cringed and looked back at the Doctor. "I think you're right."
"Good thing I've got trans-dimensional pockets," the Doctor replied, digging up to the elbow in his long coat pocket. He pulled out a quilt, folded impossibly small. Rose raised her eyebrows at him in question.
"Time Lord."
"Yeah."
"But that's not all!" The Doctor threw the quilt on the table and pulled out various other items, two pillows and another quilt, before setting it all up on the table/bed.
"Does she seem odd to you?" Rose asked as she got in between the two quilts.
The Doctor toed off his shoes and joined her, making a non-committal noise in the back of his throat. "I don't know. She's definitely doing something that's going to be wrong, that's for sure."
"She said you're going to see her magic soon."
"And I doubt she won't make good on that promise," The Doctor responded. "She's got something that she's hiding, or even advertising. And I'm sure we'll find out what it is soon enough."
She tilted her head to watch him as he got comfortable on his back. "You think we're in trouble."
"Probably. Would you have it any other way?"
"Not really."
"Good, then. Goodnight, Rose."
"Goodnight, Doctor."