The Snow Queen Chapter 7: A Troubled Mind (10/R)
Title: The Snow Queen Chapter 7: A Troubled Mind
Author: angelofprey
Character/Pairing: Ten/Rose, Ten/OC...ish
Rating: PG (will probably go up later on)
Summary: The Doctor is kidnapped by the Snow Queen, now Rose must save him from her icy palace before it's too late. This chapter: Rose leaves the Robber's forest starts to feel the strain.
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it's characters, or even this plotline. They belong to the BBC, and Hans Christian Andersen.
Author's Notes: Sixth part of the fic inspired by Skytyne's artwork. I'm not terribly happy with this chapter as I got major writer's block for anything to flesh this bit out, so I cranked it out as best I could and now here it is, hot off the griddle and ready to read. The Tootless icon got used because I love it to death and because he was voiced by David Tennant in the audiobook...
“I said, should I open it?” Calico cried indicating for the crowd to be louder.
“Yea!” the crowd shouted back.
Calico turned to Rose. “They think I should, an’ you ran, so you know wha’? I’m gonna open it!”
With that Calico popped open the catch and the air was filled with the sound of the TARDIS materializing.
Rose could scream in frustration. Everything was suddenly that much more complicated. If the Doctor was hurt, she couldn’t bring the TARDIS to him, and these woods were still a good distance from the Snow Queen’s palace. Any attempt to move him might result in injury, or even death. Rose ducked her head and felt hot tears of frustration and stress leak down her cheeks. She didn’t even hear the surprised gasps and mummers of the people around her at the ship’s appearance from thin air.
“What the hell is this!?” Rose did hear the Autumn Robber shout.
“Momma!” Calico cried, “Rosie had this locket see, an’ when I opened it, this box appeared out o’ nowhere!”
“Speakin’ o’ Rosie, where is the girl?”
“Over there.” Calico pointed and the Autumn Robber stalked over to her. “She tried t’ run so I tied ‘er up!”
There was a slap and the sound of Calico grumbling.
“What was that for?” she whined.
“She’s spring’s daughter you brainless dell!”
“But she said…”
“I know what she said, now she were either lyin’, which would be damn stupid, or didn’t know t’ begin with... which is also damn stupid.”
“Can you not talk about me as if I wasn’t here?” Rose said glaring at the Autumn Robber.
“You stupid girl!” The woman growled at Rose.
“Oi!” Rose exclaimed indignantly in a very good impression of the Doctor.
“You told me you weren’t my sister’s daughter!”
“That’s cause I’m not.” Rose was now very confused.
“The Spring Witch begs to differ.” The Autumn Robber then pulled a snow drop out of her pocket.
“When we searched you,” the woman explained. “I found this. I thought it looked like a token from my elder sister the Spring Witch, when I asked you if you were her daughter, you said no. Six months ago the Spring Witch sent out letters to her other sisters warning them not to harm her ‘daughter,’ the girl who was on a quest to find the Snow Queen’s palace and her beloved ‘Doctor,’ and she said we’d know the girl because she would be carrying a snow drop from her garden. If you’d ‘ve just said so in the first place I’d ‘ve let you go on your merry way! But instead, you have to deny the fact that you’re my sister’s daughter, and look where you’ve landed, eh? Three weeks behind schedule! Cut her loose you lubs!”
“Well, I’m sorry to be such an inconvenience but I honestly didn’t know.” Rose rubbed her chafed wrists as she stood.
The Autumn Robber snorted in reply.
“What about June?” Rose asked after taking a moment to cool her temper.
“Her mother just sent me a letter saying that she was with you, looking for her polar bear friend, and a few other choice words to describe my behavior. How was I supposed to know you were on an important mission if you two didn’t tell me!? You really are more trouble than you’re worth!”
“So you’ll let us go then?”
“More than that. I’m givin’ you one of our reindeer to show you the way. Harold? Bring out Rutgur and Bubbles they’ll be happy t’ be sent home!”
“Er… thank you.”
“Daft girl, don’t thank me yet, I’m sending you into the wastelands. Now tell me what’s goin’ on with that locket o’ yours and this box.” She patted the side of the TARDIS.
Rose explained about how the TARDIS was the Doctor’s ship and how the locket was only meant to be opened when she reached the Snow Queen’s palace so that they could heal the Doctor easily and get away quickly.
The Autumn Robber nodded solemnly at the end of her story. “I’m sorry September ruined your plans then. She’s a bit cranky when she’s been betrayed. I can say this though; we’ll keep this TARDIS safe for you and your Doctor. She’ll be here and in one piece when you return.”
“Thanks, I guess.” Rose honestly didn’t know how to react to the Robber treating her so kindly.
“This ain’t entirely unselfish mind you.” She explained. “Every year I lose more and more of my power and the Snow Queen’s power increases. In another year or so there won’t be an autumn and that will be the day I die. So you see Rose, if you can loosen her grip over the Doctor, you can also loosen her grip on the time she’s stolen from us.”
“Why is it that by freeing the Doctor I can help all of you? It doesn’t make sense.”
“The more company we sisters of the seasons keep the more power we have. But a consort, a lover, means that the power and the responsibility can be shared between the two. but the rules we live by as deities of the seasons determine that our powers are very much all-or-nothing. Control is maintained through careful and intense concentration, if we lose control over one aspect such as our companions, we lose control over our season as well. Which is why I choose not to assert psychic control over my companions like my sisters do, my people can come and go as they please, while as I’m sure you noticed the people living in other domains are not so free to choose. Luckily there are simple fail-safes built into our system where everything sort of… reboots itself if control is lost. However, the Balance between the seasons is merely sustained by an honor system between us four sisters. None of us steal time or power from the others because the others do not steal time or power from us. Or at least that was the case until the Snow Queen decided to try and claim this planet entirely for herself… It’s funny… She used to listen to the rules, uphold her own honor, but one day she became obsessed with the cold and the ice, and started stealing power from the rest of us… I can’t imagine why.”
"Yeah, I still don't get why helpin' the Doctor would be so important to you."
“When a Sister takes a consort she shares her responsibilities with him, which includes dominion over the season itself. Your Doctor is now not only the last Timelord, but also the North Wind, which is the title given to the Snow Queen’s lover.”
“But the Doctor wouldn’t agree to be her consort… he just wouldn’t!” Rose insisted, her heart breaking at the thought.
“Rose, he didn’t have a choice. Like you told me, he had been infected by the mirror of deception… he’d be dead by now if he hadn’t.”
“You say that like you know!”
“I do know. I can feel it. The moment he said yes, she grew stronger and I grew weaker.”
“But have you seen that is was him?”
“Tall, handsome, brown suit, great hair albeit a bit like an excited hedgehog…”
Rose swore and fought back tears. She had failed, he was gone.
The Autumn Robber put a comforting hand on Rose’s shoulder. “All’s not lost, not yet. You can still help him, as long as you reach her palace by the winter solstice. Look on the positive side; at least you know he’ll be alive when you get there this way!”
“You’re terrible at makin’ people feel better you know that?”
The Autumn Robber frowned and withdrew her hand. “S’never been one of my strengths, no.”
“Rose!” June’s cry broke both Rose and the Autumn Robber out of their reverie. “Are you alright?”
“Yes I’m fine.” She replied from June’s shoulder after the other girl had wrapped Rose in a warm embrace.
“You have to leave as soon as possible girls, there isn’t much time left.” The Autumn Robber said. “I’ll make sure your reindeers are ready. You’ve still got a long journey ahead.”
“I’m goin’ with ‘em Momma!” Calico ran up to them with a determined look on her face.
“Like hell you are!” replied her mother.
“But!”
“No!”
Calico grumbled as she shuffled off and that was the end of it.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A few hours later Rose and June had been outfitted in proper attire for the journey north, at least by a robber’s standards. This included warm fur-lined red mittens, and hats, wool stockings and jumpers, thick trousers, and seal-skin coats dyed deep blue. The garments were of the finest quality and Rose felt a little uncomfortable wearing them knowing that someone was going without these fine pieces.
Saddle packs were filled with food and the reindeer were saddled and bridled for the girls to ride.
“S’not as glamorous as your mother’s carriage June, but it’ll have to do. These two’ll get you there at any rate.” The Autumn Robber said.
“I still don’ see why you have t’ send my reindeer Momma.” Calico complained loudly.
“Shut up my dear.”
“There’s one more thing I need to ask of you before I go.” Rose said to the Autumn Robber as June concentrated on last minute preparations.
“Shoot.” The Robber replied.
“The Summer Princess told me to get a sleeping potion from you; she said I could trade with you for it.”
The Autumn Robber grinned. “I do have it, as I recall I stole it from the Summer Princess’ convoy to the Snow Queen ages ago. It’s just like her to remember that I have it.”
“She told me I’d need it to get into the Snow Queen’s palace.”
The Robber woman nodded in agreement, “It might be of use to you, yes. What’re you offering?”
“This.” Rose replied holding the golden locket out in her hand, “Or these.” She pulled the boots the Doctor had given her from her saddle bags.
The Autumn Robber looked over Rose’s offerings with a frown.
“Tell you what.” The woman said. “I have a feeling those pretty boots are too precious for you to give away, I’ll take the broken locket, and the silver knife that was in your pocket when we found you.”
Rose grinned. “Done.”
With that the swap was made and Rose mounted her reindeer.
“Make sure you move quickly. You’re running out of time, winter will be here sooner than you think.” The Autumn Robber said walking along side the girls as they made their way out of the camp. “Good bye and good luck, the next time I see you I hope that you bring your Doctor and Mehlu with you.”
“Bye, and thanks for everything.”
“I told you before Rose; it’s not out of some gentle corner of my heart. I have a lot to gain from your success.”
“Bye Rosie!” Calico called out from her tree-hut. Rose waved back.
A few Robbers accompanied them a few miles into the woods then turned back as the sun began to set.
“Well I can’t say I’m entirely sad to leave that place.” Said June once the men were out of earshot.
“Me neither.” Rose agreed.
“We will get there in time Rose.” Reassured the other girl.
“What if we don’t?”
June shot Rose an inquisitive glance.
“Everyone keeps on saying that if I hurry I can still make it. To me that means I’m already late. So what happens if we don’t make it in time? What then?”
June was silent for a while.
“Then you go home and this planet and everything on it dies.”
Rose stopped her reindeer and dismounted.
“For the last ten months June, I have been the only hope for this stupid planet!” she shouted, “What if I can’t do this without the Doctor? He always figures everything out way ahead of everyone else! Why can’t you people just take care of yourself for once? Why does it always have to be that he sweeps in last minute to save the day? If you could just solve your own problems then the Doctor and I wouldn’t get into half the scrapes we’re always in! It’s always, run for your lives here, and save these people there! Why can’t you all save yourselves? God, I can’t do this anymore!”
With that Rose took off into the forest.
“Rose!” June cried urging her reindeer on, and leading Rose’s behind her.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
June finally found Rose sitting against a tree with her face race splotchy and red from crying, her sobs had long since ceased but the evidence was still there and tears would occasionally leak from her eyes.
“Feel better now?” June asked, dismounting.
“A bit.” Rose replied.
They were silent for a while, staring at the frost-bitten leaves by their feet.
“Thing is June, I’ve never done this without the Doctor’s help before… I’ve tried but it usually blows up in my face and he has to come in and clean up my mess… Last time I tried to do this on my own, I got my face eaten off by a telly…”
“What’s a telly?”
“Never mind. The point is I’m not like the Doctor. He’s just so much… more than me… I mean he could probably fix all this with a kettle and some string if he had to! Next to him I’m just… a stupid ape.”
“Then why hasn’t he?”
“What?”
“If the Doctor is so great, and could fix all the problems of our stupid planet, then why hasn’t he?”
Rose sighed. “I wasn’t being serious-“
June frowned. “First of all, from what I’ve seen, you’re the bravest and smartest person I’ve ever met! You undervalue yourself! You can’t keep on seeing yourself as lesser than the Doctor. You claim that you love him, but if you continue to see him as better than you, then all your feelings are just puppy love. Secondly, a lot of times planets are too busy being wrapped up in their problems to see the simple solutions that are so obvious to the people on the outside. You and the Doctor are free from our laws and realities so you two are the only people in the world who can find the answers rationally. That’s true with any other case, you are free to do the right thing without risking the people you love, you both are free to make the hard decisions.”
June reached to squeeze Rose’s hand. “I know you can sort this out. I’ve seen you do it. You managed to get all the way from that tiny little village where you started to my mother’s kingdom all by yourself. That takes a kind of strength and determination that I will never know. And you’ve gotten us all the way out here… you’re amazing Rose, and your Doctor would have to be dumb, deaf, and blind not to know it. And from the way he trusts you now I think he does know.”
Rose gave a broken laugh and brushed the angry tears from her cheeks.
“If you can’t fight the Snow Queen for us,” Jun continued. “Then do it for him, for your Doctor, for the man you love so much that you have crossed hundreds of miles just to get this far. Do it so that you can go home and see your mum with him standing right beside you… And I know I’m not much help, but you should remember that you’re not alone anymore Rose. You’re not going to have to finish this all by yourself. I consider us friends and I’ll help you any way that I can.”
Rose squeezed June’s hand back. “Now who’s looking down on herself, yeah?”
June smiled. “Well we’ll have plenty of time to work on that on the way to the palace, so that when we get there the Doctor and Mehlu will look at us and say ‘you’re different!’”
“And then we’ll say ‘Well you’ve been gone a long time, you’ve missed some stuff!’”
Both women laughed and looked at the sky.
“It’s getting dark.” Rose said.
“We should probably set up camp for the night.” June replied.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
As the two women lay down mats and sleeping bags and started a camp fire, and then began to prepare for bed. Rose heard June begin to sing quietly to herself, June singing wasn’t a spectacular event so much as the song she sang. Rose knew it. Her mother used to play it when she was remembering her dad over a glass of wine and the old photo albums she kept in her room. Rose had learned to associate the song with her mother’s darker patches. However, as she began to listen to the lyrics, Rose realized that while they fit her mother’s situation abstractly, they fit June’s story and her own as well perfectly.
June’s eyes jumped from the fire she was tending to Rose when Rose’s voice joined her in song.
“My mum used to play it when she was missing my dad.” Rose explained with an embarrassed blush.
“I knew it was old, but not Earth old…”
They continued to sing until they fell asleep.
That night when Rose dreamed she saw a vision of the Doctor slumped next to a woman of terrible beauty in the flying sled. The sled soared for great distances before the Doctor woke.
“How are you?” the woman he’d followed asked.
“Cold.” He whispered back shivering more violently.
“I suppose that kiss should have worn off by now… tell me do you remember the woman that you were traveling with?” she said glancing at him sideways.
Rose saw his eyes clear and widen with something akin to fear.
“Rose!” he exclaimed, “I left her back at the hotel…” His expression changed to one of sorrow. “She’s going to be so worried.” He turned to the woman driving. “Take me back!” He demanded pulling out the sonic screwdriver and aiming it at her. “Take me back to Rose right now!”
The woman merely glared at him and in a flurry of movement knocked the sonic screwdriver out of his hand. Both the Doctor and Rose watched with horror as it fell towards the nameless woods below.
The sonic landed with a thud near the roots of a tree in the Robber’s forest. Rose watched as the months passed and it was covered with browning leaves.
Rose awoke suddenly and felt the urge to move. Her feet and the light of a full moon lead Rose to a familiar looking tree and Rose dropped to her knees to scramble around the base through the piles of dead leaves.
Rose shouted in triumph when her hand closed around a familiar piece of metal. She pressed her lips to the device and said a silent prayer of thanks to whoever was looking out for her then. Rose wasn’t sure what the sonic would be good for yet, but she was certain that it would come in handy eventually.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
A/N: Coming down the home stretch! Only about three chapters left to go!
The song Rose and June were singing was “Jolene” particularly the Mindy Smith cover, since I’m not much a fan of Polly Parton who did the original. For those who still have no idea what I’m talking about listen here it's a good song. It also kind of works from a Rose to Reinette perspective.
Author: angelofprey
Character/Pairing: Ten/Rose, Ten/OC...ish
Rating: PG (will probably go up later on)
Summary: The Doctor is kidnapped by the Snow Queen, now Rose must save him from her icy palace before it's too late. This chapter: Rose leaves the Robber's forest starts to feel the strain.
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it's characters, or even this plotline. They belong to the BBC, and Hans Christian Andersen.
Author's Notes: Sixth part of the fic inspired by Skytyne's artwork. I'm not terribly happy with this chapter as I got major writer's block for anything to flesh this bit out, so I cranked it out as best I could and now here it is, hot off the griddle and ready to read. The Tootless icon got used because I love it to death and because he was voiced by David Tennant in the audiobook...
“I said, should I open it?” Calico cried indicating for the crowd to be louder.
“Yea!” the crowd shouted back.
Calico turned to Rose. “They think I should, an’ you ran, so you know wha’? I’m gonna open it!”
With that Calico popped open the catch and the air was filled with the sound of the TARDIS materializing.
Rose could scream in frustration. Everything was suddenly that much more complicated. If the Doctor was hurt, she couldn’t bring the TARDIS to him, and these woods were still a good distance from the Snow Queen’s palace. Any attempt to move him might result in injury, or even death. Rose ducked her head and felt hot tears of frustration and stress leak down her cheeks. She didn’t even hear the surprised gasps and mummers of the people around her at the ship’s appearance from thin air.
“What the hell is this!?” Rose did hear the Autumn Robber shout.
“Momma!” Calico cried, “Rosie had this locket see, an’ when I opened it, this box appeared out o’ nowhere!”
“Speakin’ o’ Rosie, where is the girl?”
“Over there.” Calico pointed and the Autumn Robber stalked over to her. “She tried t’ run so I tied ‘er up!”
There was a slap and the sound of Calico grumbling.
“What was that for?” she whined.
“She’s spring’s daughter you brainless dell!”
“But she said…”
“I know what she said, now she were either lyin’, which would be damn stupid, or didn’t know t’ begin with... which is also damn stupid.”
“Can you not talk about me as if I wasn’t here?” Rose said glaring at the Autumn Robber.
“You stupid girl!” The woman growled at Rose.
“Oi!” Rose exclaimed indignantly in a very good impression of the Doctor.
“You told me you weren’t my sister’s daughter!”
“That’s cause I’m not.” Rose was now very confused.
“The Spring Witch begs to differ.” The Autumn Robber then pulled a snow drop out of her pocket.
“When we searched you,” the woman explained. “I found this. I thought it looked like a token from my elder sister the Spring Witch, when I asked you if you were her daughter, you said no. Six months ago the Spring Witch sent out letters to her other sisters warning them not to harm her ‘daughter,’ the girl who was on a quest to find the Snow Queen’s palace and her beloved ‘Doctor,’ and she said we’d know the girl because she would be carrying a snow drop from her garden. If you’d ‘ve just said so in the first place I’d ‘ve let you go on your merry way! But instead, you have to deny the fact that you’re my sister’s daughter, and look where you’ve landed, eh? Three weeks behind schedule! Cut her loose you lubs!”
“Well, I’m sorry to be such an inconvenience but I honestly didn’t know.” Rose rubbed her chafed wrists as she stood.
The Autumn Robber snorted in reply.
“What about June?” Rose asked after taking a moment to cool her temper.
“Her mother just sent me a letter saying that she was with you, looking for her polar bear friend, and a few other choice words to describe my behavior. How was I supposed to know you were on an important mission if you two didn’t tell me!? You really are more trouble than you’re worth!”
“So you’ll let us go then?”
“More than that. I’m givin’ you one of our reindeer to show you the way. Harold? Bring out Rutgur and Bubbles they’ll be happy t’ be sent home!”
“Er… thank you.”
“Daft girl, don’t thank me yet, I’m sending you into the wastelands. Now tell me what’s goin’ on with that locket o’ yours and this box.” She patted the side of the TARDIS.
Rose explained about how the TARDIS was the Doctor’s ship and how the locket was only meant to be opened when she reached the Snow Queen’s palace so that they could heal the Doctor easily and get away quickly.
The Autumn Robber nodded solemnly at the end of her story. “I’m sorry September ruined your plans then. She’s a bit cranky when she’s been betrayed. I can say this though; we’ll keep this TARDIS safe for you and your Doctor. She’ll be here and in one piece when you return.”
“Thanks, I guess.” Rose honestly didn’t know how to react to the Robber treating her so kindly.
“This ain’t entirely unselfish mind you.” She explained. “Every year I lose more and more of my power and the Snow Queen’s power increases. In another year or so there won’t be an autumn and that will be the day I die. So you see Rose, if you can loosen her grip over the Doctor, you can also loosen her grip on the time she’s stolen from us.”
“Why is it that by freeing the Doctor I can help all of you? It doesn’t make sense.”
“The more company we sisters of the seasons keep the more power we have. But a consort, a lover, means that the power and the responsibility can be shared between the two. but the rules we live by as deities of the seasons determine that our powers are very much all-or-nothing. Control is maintained through careful and intense concentration, if we lose control over one aspect such as our companions, we lose control over our season as well. Which is why I choose not to assert psychic control over my companions like my sisters do, my people can come and go as they please, while as I’m sure you noticed the people living in other domains are not so free to choose. Luckily there are simple fail-safes built into our system where everything sort of… reboots itself if control is lost. However, the Balance between the seasons is merely sustained by an honor system between us four sisters. None of us steal time or power from the others because the others do not steal time or power from us. Or at least that was the case until the Snow Queen decided to try and claim this planet entirely for herself… It’s funny… She used to listen to the rules, uphold her own honor, but one day she became obsessed with the cold and the ice, and started stealing power from the rest of us… I can’t imagine why.”
"Yeah, I still don't get why helpin' the Doctor would be so important to you."
“When a Sister takes a consort she shares her responsibilities with him, which includes dominion over the season itself. Your Doctor is now not only the last Timelord, but also the North Wind, which is the title given to the Snow Queen’s lover.”
“But the Doctor wouldn’t agree to be her consort… he just wouldn’t!” Rose insisted, her heart breaking at the thought.
“Rose, he didn’t have a choice. Like you told me, he had been infected by the mirror of deception… he’d be dead by now if he hadn’t.”
“You say that like you know!”
“I do know. I can feel it. The moment he said yes, she grew stronger and I grew weaker.”
“But have you seen that is was him?”
“Tall, handsome, brown suit, great hair albeit a bit like an excited hedgehog…”
Rose swore and fought back tears. She had failed, he was gone.
The Autumn Robber put a comforting hand on Rose’s shoulder. “All’s not lost, not yet. You can still help him, as long as you reach her palace by the winter solstice. Look on the positive side; at least you know he’ll be alive when you get there this way!”
“You’re terrible at makin’ people feel better you know that?”
The Autumn Robber frowned and withdrew her hand. “S’never been one of my strengths, no.”
“Rose!” June’s cry broke both Rose and the Autumn Robber out of their reverie. “Are you alright?”
“Yes I’m fine.” She replied from June’s shoulder after the other girl had wrapped Rose in a warm embrace.
“You have to leave as soon as possible girls, there isn’t much time left.” The Autumn Robber said. “I’ll make sure your reindeers are ready. You’ve still got a long journey ahead.”
“I’m goin’ with ‘em Momma!” Calico ran up to them with a determined look on her face.
“Like hell you are!” replied her mother.
“But!”
“No!”
Calico grumbled as she shuffled off and that was the end of it.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A few hours later Rose and June had been outfitted in proper attire for the journey north, at least by a robber’s standards. This included warm fur-lined red mittens, and hats, wool stockings and jumpers, thick trousers, and seal-skin coats dyed deep blue. The garments were of the finest quality and Rose felt a little uncomfortable wearing them knowing that someone was going without these fine pieces.
Saddle packs were filled with food and the reindeer were saddled and bridled for the girls to ride.
“S’not as glamorous as your mother’s carriage June, but it’ll have to do. These two’ll get you there at any rate.” The Autumn Robber said.
“I still don’ see why you have t’ send my reindeer Momma.” Calico complained loudly.
“Shut up my dear.”
“There’s one more thing I need to ask of you before I go.” Rose said to the Autumn Robber as June concentrated on last minute preparations.
“Shoot.” The Robber replied.
“The Summer Princess told me to get a sleeping potion from you; she said I could trade with you for it.”
The Autumn Robber grinned. “I do have it, as I recall I stole it from the Summer Princess’ convoy to the Snow Queen ages ago. It’s just like her to remember that I have it.”
“She told me I’d need it to get into the Snow Queen’s palace.”
The Robber woman nodded in agreement, “It might be of use to you, yes. What’re you offering?”
“This.” Rose replied holding the golden locket out in her hand, “Or these.” She pulled the boots the Doctor had given her from her saddle bags.
The Autumn Robber looked over Rose’s offerings with a frown.
“Tell you what.” The woman said. “I have a feeling those pretty boots are too precious for you to give away, I’ll take the broken locket, and the silver knife that was in your pocket when we found you.”
Rose grinned. “Done.”
With that the swap was made and Rose mounted her reindeer.
“Make sure you move quickly. You’re running out of time, winter will be here sooner than you think.” The Autumn Robber said walking along side the girls as they made their way out of the camp. “Good bye and good luck, the next time I see you I hope that you bring your Doctor and Mehlu with you.”
“Bye, and thanks for everything.”
“I told you before Rose; it’s not out of some gentle corner of my heart. I have a lot to gain from your success.”
“Bye Rosie!” Calico called out from her tree-hut. Rose waved back.
A few Robbers accompanied them a few miles into the woods then turned back as the sun began to set.
“Well I can’t say I’m entirely sad to leave that place.” Said June once the men were out of earshot.
“Me neither.” Rose agreed.
“We will get there in time Rose.” Reassured the other girl.
“What if we don’t?”
June shot Rose an inquisitive glance.
“Everyone keeps on saying that if I hurry I can still make it. To me that means I’m already late. So what happens if we don’t make it in time? What then?”
June was silent for a while.
“Then you go home and this planet and everything on it dies.”
Rose stopped her reindeer and dismounted.
“For the last ten months June, I have been the only hope for this stupid planet!” she shouted, “What if I can’t do this without the Doctor? He always figures everything out way ahead of everyone else! Why can’t you people just take care of yourself for once? Why does it always have to be that he sweeps in last minute to save the day? If you could just solve your own problems then the Doctor and I wouldn’t get into half the scrapes we’re always in! It’s always, run for your lives here, and save these people there! Why can’t you all save yourselves? God, I can’t do this anymore!”
With that Rose took off into the forest.
“Rose!” June cried urging her reindeer on, and leading Rose’s behind her.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
June finally found Rose sitting against a tree with her face race splotchy and red from crying, her sobs had long since ceased but the evidence was still there and tears would occasionally leak from her eyes.
“Feel better now?” June asked, dismounting.
“A bit.” Rose replied.
They were silent for a while, staring at the frost-bitten leaves by their feet.
“Thing is June, I’ve never done this without the Doctor’s help before… I’ve tried but it usually blows up in my face and he has to come in and clean up my mess… Last time I tried to do this on my own, I got my face eaten off by a telly…”
“What’s a telly?”
“Never mind. The point is I’m not like the Doctor. He’s just so much… more than me… I mean he could probably fix all this with a kettle and some string if he had to! Next to him I’m just… a stupid ape.”
“Then why hasn’t he?”
“What?”
“If the Doctor is so great, and could fix all the problems of our stupid planet, then why hasn’t he?”
Rose sighed. “I wasn’t being serious-“
June frowned. “First of all, from what I’ve seen, you’re the bravest and smartest person I’ve ever met! You undervalue yourself! You can’t keep on seeing yourself as lesser than the Doctor. You claim that you love him, but if you continue to see him as better than you, then all your feelings are just puppy love. Secondly, a lot of times planets are too busy being wrapped up in their problems to see the simple solutions that are so obvious to the people on the outside. You and the Doctor are free from our laws and realities so you two are the only people in the world who can find the answers rationally. That’s true with any other case, you are free to do the right thing without risking the people you love, you both are free to make the hard decisions.”
June reached to squeeze Rose’s hand. “I know you can sort this out. I’ve seen you do it. You managed to get all the way from that tiny little village where you started to my mother’s kingdom all by yourself. That takes a kind of strength and determination that I will never know. And you’ve gotten us all the way out here… you’re amazing Rose, and your Doctor would have to be dumb, deaf, and blind not to know it. And from the way he trusts you now I think he does know.”
Rose gave a broken laugh and brushed the angry tears from her cheeks.
“If you can’t fight the Snow Queen for us,” Jun continued. “Then do it for him, for your Doctor, for the man you love so much that you have crossed hundreds of miles just to get this far. Do it so that you can go home and see your mum with him standing right beside you… And I know I’m not much help, but you should remember that you’re not alone anymore Rose. You’re not going to have to finish this all by yourself. I consider us friends and I’ll help you any way that I can.”
Rose squeezed June’s hand back. “Now who’s looking down on herself, yeah?”
June smiled. “Well we’ll have plenty of time to work on that on the way to the palace, so that when we get there the Doctor and Mehlu will look at us and say ‘you’re different!’”
“And then we’ll say ‘Well you’ve been gone a long time, you’ve missed some stuff!’”
Both women laughed and looked at the sky.
“It’s getting dark.” Rose said.
“We should probably set up camp for the night.” June replied.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
As the two women lay down mats and sleeping bags and started a camp fire, and then began to prepare for bed. Rose heard June begin to sing quietly to herself, June singing wasn’t a spectacular event so much as the song she sang. Rose knew it. Her mother used to play it when she was remembering her dad over a glass of wine and the old photo albums she kept in her room. Rose had learned to associate the song with her mother’s darker patches. However, as she began to listen to the lyrics, Rose realized that while they fit her mother’s situation abstractly, they fit June’s story and her own as well perfectly.
June’s eyes jumped from the fire she was tending to Rose when Rose’s voice joined her in song.
“My mum used to play it when she was missing my dad.” Rose explained with an embarrassed blush.
“I knew it was old, but not Earth old…”
They continued to sing until they fell asleep.
That night when Rose dreamed she saw a vision of the Doctor slumped next to a woman of terrible beauty in the flying sled. The sled soared for great distances before the Doctor woke.
“How are you?” the woman he’d followed asked.
“Cold.” He whispered back shivering more violently.
“I suppose that kiss should have worn off by now… tell me do you remember the woman that you were traveling with?” she said glancing at him sideways.
Rose saw his eyes clear and widen with something akin to fear.
“Rose!” he exclaimed, “I left her back at the hotel…” His expression changed to one of sorrow. “She’s going to be so worried.” He turned to the woman driving. “Take me back!” He demanded pulling out the sonic screwdriver and aiming it at her. “Take me back to Rose right now!”
The woman merely glared at him and in a flurry of movement knocked the sonic screwdriver out of his hand. Both the Doctor and Rose watched with horror as it fell towards the nameless woods below.
The sonic landed with a thud near the roots of a tree in the Robber’s forest. Rose watched as the months passed and it was covered with browning leaves.
Rose awoke suddenly and felt the urge to move. Her feet and the light of a full moon lead Rose to a familiar looking tree and Rose dropped to her knees to scramble around the base through the piles of dead leaves.
Rose shouted in triumph when her hand closed around a familiar piece of metal. She pressed her lips to the device and said a silent prayer of thanks to whoever was looking out for her then. Rose wasn’t sure what the sonic would be good for yet, but she was certain that it would come in handy eventually.
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Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
A/N: Coming down the home stretch! Only about three chapters left to go!
The song Rose and June were singing was “Jolene” particularly the Mindy Smith cover, since I’m not much a fan of Polly Parton who did the original. For those who still have no idea what I’m talking about listen here it's a good song. It also kind of works from a Rose to Reinette perspective.