Happy Prompt Ficathon: Morning Dew
Title: Morning Dew
Author:
mrssjw
Characters: The Doctor (10), Donna Noble, OFC
Rating: PG
Length: Lotsa Scrolls (5,475 words)
Written for the Happy Prompts Ficathon at
twdw_ficathon
Warnings/Spoilers: Set during S4 of DW, sometime after The Doctor's Daughter, but nothing spoilery
Prompt: Morning Dew
Summary: The Doctor and Donna meet an interesting young woman with a mysterious secret, and a castle full of... munchkins?!
The field where Sophia sat was lush and green, fragrant in the early morning air, and ripe for harvesting. Normally, the younger girls would have come out with a couple of the older ones to harvest the juicy fruits that grew in such abundance. Not today though.
Today, Sophia had needed the excursion to clear her thoughts and renew her spirit. She had taken the all too rare opportunity to steal away for a little peace and solitude. She gathered more of the Dew Fruits from their ivy bedding, and placed them in her basket. She was glad for the quiet and nothing would disturb her for at least an hour.
She began humming softly under her breath, as she snipped at the gently curled vines of the Dew Fruit plants, gathering what she would need for the day and a little extra. The cold would set in soon, and they needed to begin stockpiling for the change in weather.
She tipped her head back to enjoy the warmth of the sun on her face. Taking a deep breath, and closing her eyes, Sophia basked in the knowledge that she was finally alone.
A sudden gust of wind picked up the ruffle of her skirt and a loud roaring noise drowned out her shriek of surprise.
Scrambling to her feet, she set down the basket in her lap safely among the ivy at her ankles. Something was coming out of nowhere, appearing not four feet from where she stood. A pulsing light, then an almost deafening silence after the loudness of the roaring, and a large, blue box sat where there had been nothing before.
A low whistle pierced the air, and Sophia’s shoulders relaxed slightly. There was a patrol nearby; she was in no real danger. Her bright green eyes widened when a door opened in the side of the blue box. She had seen a great many things in her lifetime, and few things managed to surprise her anymore.
And yet, she gasped in shocked wonderment when someone stepped out of the box. They seemed to be speaking over their shoulder to the interior of the box and (most shocking of all) it was a grown man.
~@~
“-So you see, Donna, that’s why frogs now only croak…” The Doctor trailed off when he turned to see a young woman staring at him with wide green eyes. He stepped forward, a congenial smile in place.
“Hullo there.” The young woman blinked long, thick black lashes at him, her entire expression one of total awe.
“But you’re a man!” She gasped, and the Doctor’s grin slipped into a baffled sort of smile.
“Oi! You gonna budge up?” A voice said from behind him, and the Doctor stepped aside to allow Donna Noble out of the TARDIS. The dark-haired woman gasped again, and pressed a trembling hand to her forehead. The Doctor caught her mid-swoon as she gently slipped into a faint.
A thundering noise, and a scream, caused the Doctor to look up. Donna was surrounded by half a dozen short, armored guards with lethal looking swords drawn.
“Keep your hands where we can see them, and don’t try anything funny!”
Slowly, warily, the Doctor eased the unconscious woman in his arms to lie amongst the ivy, and mimicked Donna, as they brought their hands up. One of the guards broke away from the pack to hurry to the raven-haired woman on the ground. He removed a glove to check for a pulse. He looked up at the Doctor, who was edging away from a sword point.
“Take them away,” the guard said flatly, and the Doctor began to protest.
“What have we done? If this is about her, I can explain. She’s only passed out, she’ll be fine! I think she was a little overwhelmed by the sight of my friend and me.”
“Enough talk! Take them away.”
“Wait! Wait, wait, wait! I’m a Doctor, I can help!” The guard raised a hand to halt their progress.
“You are a doctor?” he asked dubiously.
“Yes,” the Doctor shook his head vigorously, “Aren’t I a doctor, Donna?”
“Absolutely,” Donna readily agreed, “The Doctor. You won’t find any better!”
“Very well,” the guard said reluctantly, “You will stay and help me.” He looked down at the woman, then back up at the others. “The rest of you, move out!”
A bark to attention and the five remaining guards made a formation around Donna, keeping the protesting Doctor at bay with their swords. His urgent pleas fell on deaf ears, as Donna shrieked and yelled to be released. As the guards began to move her towards the castle in the distance, the Doctor seemed about ready to follow them.
“Doctor,” the guard called, “You will stay and help me.” He repeated, holding the Doctor’s arm tightly.
“You have to make them release her! No harm can come to my friend.”
“If no harm comes to her,” the guard said, pointing at the woman on the ground, “Then no harm will come to either of you.”
~@~
Sophia’s eyelids fluttered open gently, noticing first the quietness of her surroundings, then the fact that she was no longer in the Dew Patch. She attempted to sit up, but cold hands pressed her back into the softness of a pillow behind her head.
“There now, just lie still for a minute.” A soft voice, almost as soft as her pillow, cajoled her into remaining still. Sophia blinked her eyes into focus. It was that man, the one from the blue box.
“What happened?” she asked faintly. Brown eyes looked down on her kindly.
“You fainted. I think my friend and I startled you, and the shock was too much.” Then he grinned sheepishly. “Sorry ‘bout that.”
“Who are you?” She wanted to know.
“The Doctor.”
“Doctor?”
“Yep, that’s me!”
“But, I am not ill?”
“Nope, in perfect health. In fact, I’d say you’ve got the robust good health of a ten year old child.”
“Yes,” she replied, eyeing the strange man in front of her, “Very good, thank you, Doctor. But if you are through with your examinations, I have things to attend to.”
Frowning, the Doctor helped her to sit up carefully. She took a hesitant step forward, then, feeling more confident, moved to stand in front of the mirror across the room.
“What’s your name?” he asked nonchalantly.
“Sophia,” she replied, trying to smooth out the worst of the wrinkles from her skirt.
“Sophia, you have the robust good health of a ten year old child.” She paused in re-pinning her hair to turn and look at him.
“You have already said that.”
“How old are you? Certainly older than ten.” Sophia bristled at his carefully curious tone.
“It is incredibly rude to ask a lady her age!” This seemed to stop him.
“Right,” then he grinned, “Sorry ‘bout that, too. Now then, you’re fine; I’d say a touch dehydrated, but otherwise set. On a different note, yon brawn over there,” he tipped his head in the direction of the guard near the door, “Had my friend carted off, and I kind of need her back.” Sophia looked to the guard.
“Is this true?” She asked, and the Doctor was impressed by the subtle change in Sophia’s demeanor. Her shoulders straightened just slightly, her tone of voice picking up an imperious quality it did not have before. She was just strong enough to emanate authority, without being overly intimidating. The Doctor wondered idly if it was her natural dominance, or if it was a learned ability.
“They were intruders, Auntie; it is our policy to take intruders captive.” The guard replied defensively, and Sophia sighed. He was right after all, and he and his squad had protected her in the face of an alien threat. Waving her hand in dismissal, she turned to the Doctor.
“Your friend will come to no real harm, Doctor.” The guard left, quietly exiting, but leaving the door ajar. The Doctor’s expression was dubious.
“No harm?! She was dragged off, screaming, literally screaming, at sword point! How can you say she won’t come to any real harm?”
“Doctor, please.” Sophia spoke in the soothing tone she often used to calm people. “Come with me, I will show you.”
~@~
Donna had had enough of this. She was sitting in a cold, dank room, surrounded by the little midget-y guards, who not only refused to release her, but had also tied her to a chair, and then stuffed a gag in her mouth when they grew tired of her screaming.
“Do you suppose the man will want her back?” One guard asked. They all had curiously feminine voices, or at least, the voice of a young boy. Another guard looked over at her as he removed his helmet. Donna was startled to see that it was a young boy. She looked around at the other guard. He was about the same height and build of the first, and had the same pre-pubescent quality to his voice.
“Perhaps we ought to ransom her. Although she is rather noisy; I’m not sure the man will want her back in his tiny little box.”
The first guard sighed and nodded his head. Then he scratched the back of his neck,
“What do you make of the crop this year, then? Do you think we’ll make it through the Winter with what we’ve got stored? We could always organize another harvest, at least a small one to tide us over.”
“I think we should be fine. You know how Auntie is; she always prepares more than she thinks we’ll need.” The second guard replied, and Donna was struck by the thought that this was a rather boring conversation to be having when one has a prisoner, bound and gagged.
Don’t complain Donna, she told herself, At least they’re not trying to torture you. Where is the Doctor?!
Anger had been her motivator so far in this adventure. Anger at the guards for dragging her off; anger at the Doctor for leaving her down here with said guards; and then, most piercing of all, anger at herself for relying on the Doctor so much that she couldn’t get herself out of this dim little room, with even littler soldiers.
She struggled anew at the ties on her hands. Damn, but those little buggers were good at tying knots! A third guard entered, and noticed her struggles.
“The female prisoner will remain still!” He ordered, and Donna fell back in her chair with a sigh. She wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so she might as well make the best of it, and see what else the boy-guards would say in her silence.
~@~
The Doctor had followed Sophia into a large, open room. He could hear the voices and sounds of movement from outside the door, so he was prepared for the sight of lots of people. However, he was not prepared to see what type of people. He looked around, not quit believing what he saw.
“You’re sure this is all of them?” He asked, “Nobody else in the castle like you?”
“No,” Sophia said with a faint smile, “I’m the only one left.”
“But they’re… they…” The Doctor ran a hand through his hair, “They’re children!”
“Yes, they are,” she agreed, and patted the head of a young girl who ran up to give her a quick hug.
“Well, that’s not so bad then…” The Doctor said, cheering up, “They’ll grow up and eventually move on to bigger and better things… no, why are you shaking your head at me?” Sophia smiled, because she was shaking her head at him.
“Because they will never grow up.”
“Oh, I’m sure it seems like that now, but it’s just a phase.”
“No Doctor,” she said, suddenly serious, and a little sad, “I don’t believe you understand. In the Citadel, aging is impossible.”
“Now, now, nothing is impossible.” The Doctor told her, his smile reassuring. She answered it with a brittle smile of her own.
“No doubt you are evidence of that.” He grinned bashfully, shrugging his shoulders. Sophia laughed at his obviously false modesty. It felt good to laugh, she realized, and decided that she must remember to do it more often. She used to laugh… so long ago now… but she had once laughed, and danced and sung… but that was before…
“So, tell me,” The Doctor began, tucking his hands into his pockets, “Why don’t they age?” She sighed heavily. She should have known that was coming.
“Alas, I wish I could answer that. Many of the Old Ones believe that the Citadel is cursed, or that the stones are full of magic, but I don’t believe them.”
“Why not?”
“They’re only stories, designed to keep young children from venturing into the Citadel.”
“But why?” Sophia took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.
“Perhaps we should find your friend, Doctor. I fear we may have left her too long for her patience to withstand.”
“She didn’t have much to begin with,” the Doctor pointed out, earning him a censuring look from the suddenly matronly Sophia.
“Sir, you have every right to leave now. I will tell the boys to release their captive, and you may go.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” He asked, with an endearing smile and a tilt of his head. Sophia bit back another laugh, but could not keep the smile from spreading across her lips.
“I suppose not,” She admitted, “It’s rather nice to have another adult to talk to.”
“So talk to me, Sophia,” the Doctor implored quietly, his brown eyes earnest. Sophia felt herself softening to his cajoling, and bit her lip, looking down at her feet for a moment. When she spoke, it was in a hesitant tone, and without looking up.
“The stories say that a very long time ago, a wizard came and planted a spell within the Citadel. It was during the height of our Golden Era. All was peaceful, and fruitful. Our crops and livestock abounded, and our people were contented and calm. The spell was meant to keep our nobility young and prosperous, so that they would always rule our land and keep the peace in our kingdom.”
“What happened?”
“The wizard vanished, just as mysteriously as he’d arrived, and we were left with a fruitful, young kingdom. We thought everything was splendid. Until we began to notice that some of the nobility seemed to regress. They would say immature things, and after a short while, it began to actually make them appear younger. This was all fine and well and good, but it didn’t stop. They just kept getting younger and younger, until eventually…”
Sophia stopped, feeling the emotion rise up in her throat and waved a hand around them, as if in explanation. The Doctor followed her gesture, and saw that she was motioning at the children playing all around them. Then he looked her over again very carefully.
“But you’re not a child.” He said simply. Sophia swallowed, and took a deep breath, regaining her composure.
“No, sir, I am not. But I do not know why I am not. It is thought that because I was out of doors a good portion of time during those days that the spell does not affect me as it does the rest of them.”
“Ok, so if it’s a matter of going outside, why don’t they just leave?” The Doctor suggested.
“Because they don’t want to.” Sophia replied, primly straightening her sleeve, and avoiding eye contact with the Doctor.
“But you’re the adult, you can tell them to go outside and play or something.”
“Doctor,” Sophia suppressed a smile, “Have you ever tried to convince someone to do something they don’t want to do?”
“Well…” he prevaricated, and gave her a lilting half smile.
“Then, please, imagine what it is like to try to convince three hundred children to do the same thing all at once.”
“Three hundred?” Sophia nodded sadly at his outburst.
“The entire Royal Court; from nobility to kitchen staff, all children.”
“How long has this been going on?”
“Too long for me to remember. And I fear too long for it to be of any consequence.” Sophia straightened her shoulders again, and added brusquely, “Now then, let us go free the captive lady, and you may be on your way, Doctor.”
~@~
A few minutes later, the Doctor and Sophia descended a staircase to a cold, dark area. As the Doctor’s eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, he could make out damp stone walls, and a few closed off cells. There was only one with a prisoner.
Three guards stood at attention as soon as Sophia entered the room, and stepped into a neat line in front of the cell holding Donna. The Doctor looked over their shoulders at Donna; just to be sure she was all right. He nearly laughed when he saw her.
“Mmmff! Gglmmff!” She screamed at him. He turned to the guards, mildly impressed.
“How’d you manage to get a gag on her?” The guard on the left saluted, and replied,
“We had a spot of trouble, but with three of us, we made it work, sir.”
“It’s an improvement.”
“Doctor, I think perhaps we should release your friend now,” Sophia commented, gentle but stern.
“Oh all right,” the Doctor smiled at Sophia, then turned back to the guards, snapping to attention, “Men! You will relinquish the prisoner to my control. Well caught, and well played, but it was time she paid for her crimes.”
“Shall we execute her, sir?” The guard to the right wanted to know.
“Mmffmm!” Donna yelled.
“No, that won’t be necessary, but thank you for the offer. I will take it from here. So if you would please just…” he waved his hand at the ties that bound Donna still and silent.
“Yes, sir.” The guard in the middle turned and opened the cell door, carefully untying his prisoner. As soon as the gag was removed, they all knew it.
“It’s about bloody time! What’ve you been doing, sightseeing? While I rot down here with those little brats!” The guard standing next to Donna during her outrage waved the gag menacingly in her face, demanding.
“You will speak to your commanding officer with more respect, or I will be forced to take drastic measures.”
“Quite right!” The Doctor clapped his hands, looking sternly at Donna, but with a twinkle in his eye. “Well then, captive, come with me!” He took Donna by the elbow and carefully steered her past the guards to stand near Sophia. The Doctor stopped, turned smartly on his heel, and saluted to the soldiers. Donna gaped, and opened her mouth to protest again, but the Doctor grabbed her arm and moved her in the direction of the door, muttering,
“Play along, would you? Something’s going on around here, and we don’t need them arresting you again.”
“I offer you my most sincere apologies, ma’am.” Sophia expressed her regret, “The boys are more rambunctious than normal today. Come, I will show you the way to your box.”
“Wait a minute,” Donna stopped, still upset, “If they’re children, then I want a word with their parents!”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but they are all gone.” Sophia murmured, dropping her gaze to the floor.
“It’s Donna, not ma’am, and what do you mean ‘gone’?”
“I mean, they have all since deceased.” The Doctor looked at Donna. She seemed about to say something else, then stopped, caught his eye, and changed her mind. She cautiously reached out a hand to Sophia, and let it rest comfortingly on the younger woman’s arm.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Sophia looked up, a little surprised by the interaction.
“No, of course you wouldn’t have. I’m sorry; I don’t mean to be melancholy. It’s been a bit of a day, though.” Donna smiled in response to Sophia’s small, trembling grin. She threaded her arm through the raven-haired woman’s arm, and they set off together down the hallway, leaving the Doctor to follow in their wake.
~@~
“Where are all the children?” The Doctor looked around. They were walking down a long hallway, and he could see a variety of rooms that led off from the hall. And yet, for there supposedly being a few hundred children in the Citadel, he didn’t see any of them. Or hear them, now that he thought of it, and he had very good hearing.
Sophia glanced back over her shoulder. She and Donna had been talking quietly, and giggling like schoolgirls, and she had almost forgotten that the Doctor was behind them.
Don’t be foolish, Sophia, she reprimanded herself, you could forget that the man is there. Stop kidding yourself. The Doctor unsettled Sophia in a way she could not explain. He was just too real, too big in her presence. He overwhelmed her senses with something foreign and frightening, and yet somehow reassuring. She was glad that he would not be staying for too long, simply because she couldn’t handle the feelings he inspired within her.
“They will be preparing for the meal about this time,” she answered, throwing him a quick smile. She may not like the feelings, but it didn’t mean that she couldn’t enjoy having other adults around while they were here.
“But I can’t hear them.” The Doctor said, somewhat plaintively. Donna rolled her eyes at Sophia, who pressed a hand to her lips to stifle a laugh. Summoning a more sober expression, she called over her shoulder to the Doctor,
“The Citadel is miles long, Doctor, you could run for an hour and never find the other outside wall.”
“How many children are here?” Donna asked curiously as they made their way.
“Three hundred or so.” Sophia answered readily. It was much easier to talk to Donna; perhaps this was because she wasn’t so overwhelming. At least, she wasn’t now that she had calmed down after her abduction.
“Three hundred?! And none of them have parents anymore? What is this, some sort of Super Orphanage?” Donna was shocked.
“This was once the seat of the Royal Court. Now they are all children.”
“Well, I still don’t understand why folks wouldn’t want their kids to come here.” The Doctor stated in a befuddled tone. “This seems like an ideal place for a child to live. It’s clean and orderly, and everyone seems to be well-fed and happy.”
“And they spend five hours everyday in studies of various sorts.” Sophia added, a hint of pride in coloring her voice. “Every child has an excellent education by the very best of tutors.”
“But, if you’re the only adult here, who teaches them?” Donna asked.
“Some of the lessons I give myself, but for the most part they help one another.”
“And that works?”
“Isn’t it said that children learn best from their peers?” Sophia smiled.
“I suppose…” Donna looked around, “But what about food? I mean, three hundred kids can go through a lot of food, don’t they?”
“Our planet serves with what we need, and the vast majority of our food products are derived from the Dew Fruits that grow in abundance.”
“Dew Fruit?” The Doctor asked, “I’m not familiar with that particular fruit… what’s it like?” Sophia stopped, and turned to look at him, amazed.
“You have never tried the Dew Fruit?”
“Nope, not ever.” Sophia looked at Donna, who shook her head to say that she hadn’t either.
“I don’t believe it.” Sophia whispered, then smiled brightly. “Well, then you simply must stay for the meal. You will have the opportunity to try the fruit, and then you can say that you took something new from this experience.” She hooked Donna’s arm again, and lead them to a large, open room. She paused on the threshold, and stepped back. She glanced apologetically up at the Doctor through her long lashes.
“Forgive me, in my enthusiasm, I forgot to ask… You are, of course, free to refuse. I just thought perhaps you’d like to stop and eat before you left again. That is, if you have the time.” The Doctor grinned broadly, catching Donna’s eye. She nodded, and he beamed,
“Oh, we’ve got all the time in the world!”
~@~
“So, have you figured it out yet?” Donna asked quietly. She and the Doctor had been seated at a table on a dais, and Sophia had asked them to wait a moment, before she disappeared into what looked like a kitchen area off the back of the dining hall.
“Not yet, but I’ve got a few ideas… how old would you say Sophia is?” he responded. Donna frowned in thought for a moment.
“I don’t know, maybe nineteen, twenty years old? Why?”
“She has the body of a ten year old.”
“Oh, that’s nice! I get dragged off by mini-brutes, and you’re off chatting up the locals young enough to be your daughter!”
“What?” He was confused for a moment, before the ramifications of Donna’s words hit him, “Oh, no. I meant the inside. I did a quick examination of her, and she has the constitution of a very healthy ten year old.”
“So?” Donna asked, “Maybe she takes good care of herself. After all, I’m sure she’s always on the move, with so many kids running about.” The Doctor looked dubious.
“Enough to alter her internal organs, regardless of the fact that she clearly isn’t as young as she looks?”
“What do you think it is then? Special night creams?” He scratched behind his ear thoughtfully.
“Nah, that would physically affect her internals so drastically. It’s got to be something else… something I’m missing.”
“And I’ll ask you something,” Donna said, keen on solving the mystery, “How come all these kids seem like little adults inside children’s bodies?”
“What do you mean?” The Doctor frowned.
“Well, when I was down there with the lads, they were talking about the harvest and storing away food for winter, and seasonal changes and stuff. Grown-up stuff. But then, as soon as they realized that you and Sophia were there they clammed up real quick, and went back to being their childish soldier-selves.”
“Hmm…” The Doctor hummed in thought, but quickly applied his usual affable grin as soon as he saw Sophia re-enter the room.
She strode across to them, a platter balanced precariously on one arm, the other lifting her skirt carefully above her ankle so she didn’t trip on it as she stepped up to the dais. She set the tray down before them, and waved a flourishing hand across the spread.
“This is fresh from the ivy this morning. In fact, this was hand-picked by me when you so rudely interrupted me.” She smiled teasingly, and pulled out a chair to sit. “Please, help yourself.”
“The fruits of your labor?” The Doctor teased back, and she laughed.
Donna carefully picked up a slice of the pearlescent fruit and took a hesitant bite. A radiant smile crossed her face at the first burst of flavor. It was light, and crisp, and somehow sweet. She looked over the platter and decided to try a bit of everything. Sophia recognized that look; she had seen it many times. People couldn’t resist the fresh flavor of the Dew Fruit.
“Doctor?” She offered the Doctor a glass of tea, and he accepted it with a quiet thank you. He was scrutinizing her, and it was making Sophia nervous. She took a sip from her own cup of tea. Donna was clearly enjoying the food, and the Doctor munched on some of the Dew Fruit crisps that were carefully treated and dried until they crunched delicately.
“Aren’t you going to have any?” Donna asked suddenly, and Sophia shook her head.
“Thank you, but no, I’m actually allergic to the Dew Fruit. I can drink the tea, which is made from the leaves of the ivy it grows on, but I am unable to eat the fruit.”
“Oh that’s a pity,” said the Doctor, sniffing at the tea in his mug, “Otherwise you could be as young as your charges.”
“What?” Donna stuttered through a mouthful of Fruit Cakes, a delicate cousin to the Earth variety, illuminating the light flavor of the fruit with a spicy cake. Sophia stared at the Doctor, confusion evident on her delicate features.
“This fruit,” he said, waving a slice in description, “Is from a galaxy about two-hundred lightyears from here. Nice little place, and the natives are perpetually youthful. They don’t reproduce easily, and so they attempt to prolong their life span. They genetically altered these fruits for that reason.”
Donna dropped the fruit back on the plate in front of her, looking sick all of a sudden.
“Am I going to turn into a child too?” She asked worriedly, but the Doctor shook his head.
“No, this isn’t some magic spell,” He met Sophia’s eye dead on, “It’s a development over a period of time, and with a thorough inundation of the plant’s regenerative properties, it will actually reverse the aging process.” He turned to reassure Donna, “You might have added a few months onto your life span with what you ate just now, but if you were to eat the fruit everyday, in a variety of different forms, no doubt in a short period of time, you would regress to childhood.” Sophia gasped.
“That’s what happened to the Court? They ate the fruit, and turned into children?”
“Yes,” he said seriously, “It also explains why you are still an adult, albeit a strong, healthy one.”
“Because I am not eating the fruit…” she murmured, then looked with horror down at her mug, “I’m only drinking the tea from the leaves, not the actual fruit, so it affects my insides without making me a child!”
“Exactly.” The Doctor was startled when Sophia burst into a sudden fit of tears. Donna jumped up from her seat and scurried around the table to embrace the crying woman.
“There now, it’s okay sweetheart. After all, he’s the Doctor, he can fix this. Can’t you?” She looked up at the Doctor accusingly.
“Actually, I can’t…but Sophia can.” Her head stayed down, but the Doctor could tell she was listening intently by the fact that her tears had abated some.
“Sophia, all you have to do is slowly lessen the amount of Dew Fruit that you feed the children. Because their systems are so used to it, you have to do it gradually, and monitor it, otherwise they could go into withdrawal shock. But if you do it slowly, then the children will grow up again.”
Sniffling back tears, Sophia wiped her face with a napkin from the table, and met the Doctor’s warm brown eyes.
“Is that all I have to do?”
“Yep,” he replied, popping his ‘p’ and leaning back in his chair. “Wean them slowly off the fruit. Of course, you don’t have to eliminate it entirely, just moderate how much of they actually ingest. My bet is that you’ll end up with a large group of well-educated, and slow-grown adults who will accomplish what that wizard of yours set out to do all those years ago.”
“A peaceful society where learning and love are central?” She asked, hope shining in her bright green eyes. The Doctor gave her a half smile that made her stomach wobble.
“Exactly. And here’s another thing,” he looked round, then leaned in conspiratorily, “When the subjects of this fine kingdom stand in the courtyard and shout ‘long live the queen’ they will be right!” Sophia chuckled softly at that, and stood up. Donna let her go, and watched as Sophia made her way to the kitchen. The woman stopped at the door, and turned back to them.
“143.”
“What was that?” Donna asked, and Sophia smiled.
“The Doctor asked me a question earlier, and I’m finally answering it. 143.” Then she disappeared into the kitchen. Donna turned back to find a silly little grin on the Doctor’s face.
“What was that about?” She demanded, and he began to chuckle.
“I told you she was older than she looked.” Donna grumbled at this, but the Doctor’s acute sense of hearing picked up the words “Time Lord”, “rude” and “flirting”. He just smiled even wider and pressed to his feet.
“Now then, I believe it was time we headed back to the TARDIS.” He held out a hand for Donna, and she took it happily.
“Let’s say our goodbyes to Sophia, and then, I was wondering, does the TARDIS have a refrigerator?” Puzzled, the Doctor said,
“Yes, why?”
“I want to get some of that fruit to take with us. After all, if you’re going to live forever, then I at least want to look my best!”
~END~
Author:
mrssjw
Characters: The Doctor (10), Donna Noble, OFC
Rating: PG
Length: Lotsa Scrolls (5,475 words)
Written for the Happy Prompts Ficathon at
twdw_ficathon
Warnings/Spoilers: Set during S4 of DW, sometime after The Doctor's Daughter, but nothing spoilery
Prompt: Morning Dew
Summary: The Doctor and Donna meet an interesting young woman with a mysterious secret, and a castle full of... munchkins?!
The field where Sophia sat was lush and green, fragrant in the early morning air, and ripe for harvesting. Normally, the younger girls would have come out with a couple of the older ones to harvest the juicy fruits that grew in such abundance. Not today though.
Today, Sophia had needed the excursion to clear her thoughts and renew her spirit. She had taken the all too rare opportunity to steal away for a little peace and solitude. She gathered more of the Dew Fruits from their ivy bedding, and placed them in her basket. She was glad for the quiet and nothing would disturb her for at least an hour.
She began humming softly under her breath, as she snipped at the gently curled vines of the Dew Fruit plants, gathering what she would need for the day and a little extra. The cold would set in soon, and they needed to begin stockpiling for the change in weather.
She tipped her head back to enjoy the warmth of the sun on her face. Taking a deep breath, and closing her eyes, Sophia basked in the knowledge that she was finally alone.
A sudden gust of wind picked up the ruffle of her skirt and a loud roaring noise drowned out her shriek of surprise.
Scrambling to her feet, she set down the basket in her lap safely among the ivy at her ankles. Something was coming out of nowhere, appearing not four feet from where she stood. A pulsing light, then an almost deafening silence after the loudness of the roaring, and a large, blue box sat where there had been nothing before.
A low whistle pierced the air, and Sophia’s shoulders relaxed slightly. There was a patrol nearby; she was in no real danger. Her bright green eyes widened when a door opened in the side of the blue box. She had seen a great many things in her lifetime, and few things managed to surprise her anymore.
And yet, she gasped in shocked wonderment when someone stepped out of the box. They seemed to be speaking over their shoulder to the interior of the box and (most shocking of all) it was a grown man.
~@~
“-So you see, Donna, that’s why frogs now only croak…” The Doctor trailed off when he turned to see a young woman staring at him with wide green eyes. He stepped forward, a congenial smile in place.
“Hullo there.” The young woman blinked long, thick black lashes at him, her entire expression one of total awe.
“But you’re a man!” She gasped, and the Doctor’s grin slipped into a baffled sort of smile.
“Oi! You gonna budge up?” A voice said from behind him, and the Doctor stepped aside to allow Donna Noble out of the TARDIS. The dark-haired woman gasped again, and pressed a trembling hand to her forehead. The Doctor caught her mid-swoon as she gently slipped into a faint.
A thundering noise, and a scream, caused the Doctor to look up. Donna was surrounded by half a dozen short, armored guards with lethal looking swords drawn.
“Keep your hands where we can see them, and don’t try anything funny!”
Slowly, warily, the Doctor eased the unconscious woman in his arms to lie amongst the ivy, and mimicked Donna, as they brought their hands up. One of the guards broke away from the pack to hurry to the raven-haired woman on the ground. He removed a glove to check for a pulse. He looked up at the Doctor, who was edging away from a sword point.
“Take them away,” the guard said flatly, and the Doctor began to protest.
“What have we done? If this is about her, I can explain. She’s only passed out, she’ll be fine! I think she was a little overwhelmed by the sight of my friend and me.”
“Enough talk! Take them away.”
“Wait! Wait, wait, wait! I’m a Doctor, I can help!” The guard raised a hand to halt their progress.
“You are a doctor?” he asked dubiously.
“Yes,” the Doctor shook his head vigorously, “Aren’t I a doctor, Donna?”
“Absolutely,” Donna readily agreed, “The Doctor. You won’t find any better!”
“Very well,” the guard said reluctantly, “You will stay and help me.” He looked down at the woman, then back up at the others. “The rest of you, move out!”
A bark to attention and the five remaining guards made a formation around Donna, keeping the protesting Doctor at bay with their swords. His urgent pleas fell on deaf ears, as Donna shrieked and yelled to be released. As the guards began to move her towards the castle in the distance, the Doctor seemed about ready to follow them.
“Doctor,” the guard called, “You will stay and help me.” He repeated, holding the Doctor’s arm tightly.
“You have to make them release her! No harm can come to my friend.”
“If no harm comes to her,” the guard said, pointing at the woman on the ground, “Then no harm will come to either of you.”
~@~
Sophia’s eyelids fluttered open gently, noticing first the quietness of her surroundings, then the fact that she was no longer in the Dew Patch. She attempted to sit up, but cold hands pressed her back into the softness of a pillow behind her head.
“There now, just lie still for a minute.” A soft voice, almost as soft as her pillow, cajoled her into remaining still. Sophia blinked her eyes into focus. It was that man, the one from the blue box.
“What happened?” she asked faintly. Brown eyes looked down on her kindly.
“You fainted. I think my friend and I startled you, and the shock was too much.” Then he grinned sheepishly. “Sorry ‘bout that.”
“Who are you?” She wanted to know.
“The Doctor.”
“Doctor?”
“Yep, that’s me!”
“But, I am not ill?”
“Nope, in perfect health. In fact, I’d say you’ve got the robust good health of a ten year old child.”
“Yes,” she replied, eyeing the strange man in front of her, “Very good, thank you, Doctor. But if you are through with your examinations, I have things to attend to.”
Frowning, the Doctor helped her to sit up carefully. She took a hesitant step forward, then, feeling more confident, moved to stand in front of the mirror across the room.
“What’s your name?” he asked nonchalantly.
“Sophia,” she replied, trying to smooth out the worst of the wrinkles from her skirt.
“Sophia, you have the robust good health of a ten year old child.” She paused in re-pinning her hair to turn and look at him.
“You have already said that.”
“How old are you? Certainly older than ten.” Sophia bristled at his carefully curious tone.
“It is incredibly rude to ask a lady her age!” This seemed to stop him.
“Right,” then he grinned, “Sorry ‘bout that, too. Now then, you’re fine; I’d say a touch dehydrated, but otherwise set. On a different note, yon brawn over there,” he tipped his head in the direction of the guard near the door, “Had my friend carted off, and I kind of need her back.” Sophia looked to the guard.
“Is this true?” She asked, and the Doctor was impressed by the subtle change in Sophia’s demeanor. Her shoulders straightened just slightly, her tone of voice picking up an imperious quality it did not have before. She was just strong enough to emanate authority, without being overly intimidating. The Doctor wondered idly if it was her natural dominance, or if it was a learned ability.
“They were intruders, Auntie; it is our policy to take intruders captive.” The guard replied defensively, and Sophia sighed. He was right after all, and he and his squad had protected her in the face of an alien threat. Waving her hand in dismissal, she turned to the Doctor.
“Your friend will come to no real harm, Doctor.” The guard left, quietly exiting, but leaving the door ajar. The Doctor’s expression was dubious.
“No harm?! She was dragged off, screaming, literally screaming, at sword point! How can you say she won’t come to any real harm?”
“Doctor, please.” Sophia spoke in the soothing tone she often used to calm people. “Come with me, I will show you.”
~@~
Donna had had enough of this. She was sitting in a cold, dank room, surrounded by the little midget-y guards, who not only refused to release her, but had also tied her to a chair, and then stuffed a gag in her mouth when they grew tired of her screaming.
“Do you suppose the man will want her back?” One guard asked. They all had curiously feminine voices, or at least, the voice of a young boy. Another guard looked over at her as he removed his helmet. Donna was startled to see that it was a young boy. She looked around at the other guard. He was about the same height and build of the first, and had the same pre-pubescent quality to his voice.
“Perhaps we ought to ransom her. Although she is rather noisy; I’m not sure the man will want her back in his tiny little box.”
The first guard sighed and nodded his head. Then he scratched the back of his neck,
“What do you make of the crop this year, then? Do you think we’ll make it through the Winter with what we’ve got stored? We could always organize another harvest, at least a small one to tide us over.”
“I think we should be fine. You know how Auntie is; she always prepares more than she thinks we’ll need.” The second guard replied, and Donna was struck by the thought that this was a rather boring conversation to be having when one has a prisoner, bound and gagged.
Don’t complain Donna, she told herself, At least they’re not trying to torture you. Where is the Doctor?!
Anger had been her motivator so far in this adventure. Anger at the guards for dragging her off; anger at the Doctor for leaving her down here with said guards; and then, most piercing of all, anger at herself for relying on the Doctor so much that she couldn’t get herself out of this dim little room, with even littler soldiers.
She struggled anew at the ties on her hands. Damn, but those little buggers were good at tying knots! A third guard entered, and noticed her struggles.
“The female prisoner will remain still!” He ordered, and Donna fell back in her chair with a sigh. She wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so she might as well make the best of it, and see what else the boy-guards would say in her silence.
~@~
The Doctor had followed Sophia into a large, open room. He could hear the voices and sounds of movement from outside the door, so he was prepared for the sight of lots of people. However, he was not prepared to see what type of people. He looked around, not quit believing what he saw.
“You’re sure this is all of them?” He asked, “Nobody else in the castle like you?”
“No,” Sophia said with a faint smile, “I’m the only one left.”
“But they’re… they…” The Doctor ran a hand through his hair, “They’re children!”
“Yes, they are,” she agreed, and patted the head of a young girl who ran up to give her a quick hug.
“Well, that’s not so bad then…” The Doctor said, cheering up, “They’ll grow up and eventually move on to bigger and better things… no, why are you shaking your head at me?” Sophia smiled, because she was shaking her head at him.
“Because they will never grow up.”
“Oh, I’m sure it seems like that now, but it’s just a phase.”
“No Doctor,” she said, suddenly serious, and a little sad, “I don’t believe you understand. In the Citadel, aging is impossible.”
“Now, now, nothing is impossible.” The Doctor told her, his smile reassuring. She answered it with a brittle smile of her own.
“No doubt you are evidence of that.” He grinned bashfully, shrugging his shoulders. Sophia laughed at his obviously false modesty. It felt good to laugh, she realized, and decided that she must remember to do it more often. She used to laugh… so long ago now… but she had once laughed, and danced and sung… but that was before…
“So, tell me,” The Doctor began, tucking his hands into his pockets, “Why don’t they age?” She sighed heavily. She should have known that was coming.
“Alas, I wish I could answer that. Many of the Old Ones believe that the Citadel is cursed, or that the stones are full of magic, but I don’t believe them.”
“Why not?”
“They’re only stories, designed to keep young children from venturing into the Citadel.”
“But why?” Sophia took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.
“Perhaps we should find your friend, Doctor. I fear we may have left her too long for her patience to withstand.”
“She didn’t have much to begin with,” the Doctor pointed out, earning him a censuring look from the suddenly matronly Sophia.
“Sir, you have every right to leave now. I will tell the boys to release their captive, and you may go.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” He asked, with an endearing smile and a tilt of his head. Sophia bit back another laugh, but could not keep the smile from spreading across her lips.
“I suppose not,” She admitted, “It’s rather nice to have another adult to talk to.”
“So talk to me, Sophia,” the Doctor implored quietly, his brown eyes earnest. Sophia felt herself softening to his cajoling, and bit her lip, looking down at her feet for a moment. When she spoke, it was in a hesitant tone, and without looking up.
“The stories say that a very long time ago, a wizard came and planted a spell within the Citadel. It was during the height of our Golden Era. All was peaceful, and fruitful. Our crops and livestock abounded, and our people were contented and calm. The spell was meant to keep our nobility young and prosperous, so that they would always rule our land and keep the peace in our kingdom.”
“What happened?”
“The wizard vanished, just as mysteriously as he’d arrived, and we were left with a fruitful, young kingdom. We thought everything was splendid. Until we began to notice that some of the nobility seemed to regress. They would say immature things, and after a short while, it began to actually make them appear younger. This was all fine and well and good, but it didn’t stop. They just kept getting younger and younger, until eventually…”
Sophia stopped, feeling the emotion rise up in her throat and waved a hand around them, as if in explanation. The Doctor followed her gesture, and saw that she was motioning at the children playing all around them. Then he looked her over again very carefully.
“But you’re not a child.” He said simply. Sophia swallowed, and took a deep breath, regaining her composure.
“No, sir, I am not. But I do not know why I am not. It is thought that because I was out of doors a good portion of time during those days that the spell does not affect me as it does the rest of them.”
“Ok, so if it’s a matter of going outside, why don’t they just leave?” The Doctor suggested.
“Because they don’t want to.” Sophia replied, primly straightening her sleeve, and avoiding eye contact with the Doctor.
“But you’re the adult, you can tell them to go outside and play or something.”
“Doctor,” Sophia suppressed a smile, “Have you ever tried to convince someone to do something they don’t want to do?”
“Well…” he prevaricated, and gave her a lilting half smile.
“Then, please, imagine what it is like to try to convince three hundred children to do the same thing all at once.”
“Three hundred?” Sophia nodded sadly at his outburst.
“The entire Royal Court; from nobility to kitchen staff, all children.”
“How long has this been going on?”
“Too long for me to remember. And I fear too long for it to be of any consequence.” Sophia straightened her shoulders again, and added brusquely, “Now then, let us go free the captive lady, and you may be on your way, Doctor.”
~@~
A few minutes later, the Doctor and Sophia descended a staircase to a cold, dark area. As the Doctor’s eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, he could make out damp stone walls, and a few closed off cells. There was only one with a prisoner.
Three guards stood at attention as soon as Sophia entered the room, and stepped into a neat line in front of the cell holding Donna. The Doctor looked over their shoulders at Donna; just to be sure she was all right. He nearly laughed when he saw her.
“Mmmff! Gglmmff!” She screamed at him. He turned to the guards, mildly impressed.
“How’d you manage to get a gag on her?” The guard on the left saluted, and replied,
“We had a spot of trouble, but with three of us, we made it work, sir.”
“It’s an improvement.”
“Doctor, I think perhaps we should release your friend now,” Sophia commented, gentle but stern.
“Oh all right,” the Doctor smiled at Sophia, then turned back to the guards, snapping to attention, “Men! You will relinquish the prisoner to my control. Well caught, and well played, but it was time she paid for her crimes.”
“Shall we execute her, sir?” The guard to the right wanted to know.
“Mmffmm!” Donna yelled.
“No, that won’t be necessary, but thank you for the offer. I will take it from here. So if you would please just…” he waved his hand at the ties that bound Donna still and silent.
“Yes, sir.” The guard in the middle turned and opened the cell door, carefully untying his prisoner. As soon as the gag was removed, they all knew it.
“It’s about bloody time! What’ve you been doing, sightseeing? While I rot down here with those little brats!” The guard standing next to Donna during her outrage waved the gag menacingly in her face, demanding.
“You will speak to your commanding officer with more respect, or I will be forced to take drastic measures.”
“Quite right!” The Doctor clapped his hands, looking sternly at Donna, but with a twinkle in his eye. “Well then, captive, come with me!” He took Donna by the elbow and carefully steered her past the guards to stand near Sophia. The Doctor stopped, turned smartly on his heel, and saluted to the soldiers. Donna gaped, and opened her mouth to protest again, but the Doctor grabbed her arm and moved her in the direction of the door, muttering,
“Play along, would you? Something’s going on around here, and we don’t need them arresting you again.”
“I offer you my most sincere apologies, ma’am.” Sophia expressed her regret, “The boys are more rambunctious than normal today. Come, I will show you the way to your box.”
“Wait a minute,” Donna stopped, still upset, “If they’re children, then I want a word with their parents!”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but they are all gone.” Sophia murmured, dropping her gaze to the floor.
“It’s Donna, not ma’am, and what do you mean ‘gone’?”
“I mean, they have all since deceased.” The Doctor looked at Donna. She seemed about to say something else, then stopped, caught his eye, and changed her mind. She cautiously reached out a hand to Sophia, and let it rest comfortingly on the younger woman’s arm.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Sophia looked up, a little surprised by the interaction.
“No, of course you wouldn’t have. I’m sorry; I don’t mean to be melancholy. It’s been a bit of a day, though.” Donna smiled in response to Sophia’s small, trembling grin. She threaded her arm through the raven-haired woman’s arm, and they set off together down the hallway, leaving the Doctor to follow in their wake.
~@~
“Where are all the children?” The Doctor looked around. They were walking down a long hallway, and he could see a variety of rooms that led off from the hall. And yet, for there supposedly being a few hundred children in the Citadel, he didn’t see any of them. Or hear them, now that he thought of it, and he had very good hearing.
Sophia glanced back over her shoulder. She and Donna had been talking quietly, and giggling like schoolgirls, and she had almost forgotten that the Doctor was behind them.
Don’t be foolish, Sophia, she reprimanded herself, you could forget that the man is there. Stop kidding yourself. The Doctor unsettled Sophia in a way she could not explain. He was just too real, too big in her presence. He overwhelmed her senses with something foreign and frightening, and yet somehow reassuring. She was glad that he would not be staying for too long, simply because she couldn’t handle the feelings he inspired within her.
“They will be preparing for the meal about this time,” she answered, throwing him a quick smile. She may not like the feelings, but it didn’t mean that she couldn’t enjoy having other adults around while they were here.
“But I can’t hear them.” The Doctor said, somewhat plaintively. Donna rolled her eyes at Sophia, who pressed a hand to her lips to stifle a laugh. Summoning a more sober expression, she called over her shoulder to the Doctor,
“The Citadel is miles long, Doctor, you could run for an hour and never find the other outside wall.”
“How many children are here?” Donna asked curiously as they made their way.
“Three hundred or so.” Sophia answered readily. It was much easier to talk to Donna; perhaps this was because she wasn’t so overwhelming. At least, she wasn’t now that she had calmed down after her abduction.
“Three hundred?! And none of them have parents anymore? What is this, some sort of Super Orphanage?” Donna was shocked.
“This was once the seat of the Royal Court. Now they are all children.”
“Well, I still don’t understand why folks wouldn’t want their kids to come here.” The Doctor stated in a befuddled tone. “This seems like an ideal place for a child to live. It’s clean and orderly, and everyone seems to be well-fed and happy.”
“And they spend five hours everyday in studies of various sorts.” Sophia added, a hint of pride in coloring her voice. “Every child has an excellent education by the very best of tutors.”
“But, if you’re the only adult here, who teaches them?” Donna asked.
“Some of the lessons I give myself, but for the most part they help one another.”
“And that works?”
“Isn’t it said that children learn best from their peers?” Sophia smiled.
“I suppose…” Donna looked around, “But what about food? I mean, three hundred kids can go through a lot of food, don’t they?”
“Our planet serves with what we need, and the vast majority of our food products are derived from the Dew Fruits that grow in abundance.”
“Dew Fruit?” The Doctor asked, “I’m not familiar with that particular fruit… what’s it like?” Sophia stopped, and turned to look at him, amazed.
“You have never tried the Dew Fruit?”
“Nope, not ever.” Sophia looked at Donna, who shook her head to say that she hadn’t either.
“I don’t believe it.” Sophia whispered, then smiled brightly. “Well, then you simply must stay for the meal. You will have the opportunity to try the fruit, and then you can say that you took something new from this experience.” She hooked Donna’s arm again, and lead them to a large, open room. She paused on the threshold, and stepped back. She glanced apologetically up at the Doctor through her long lashes.
“Forgive me, in my enthusiasm, I forgot to ask… You are, of course, free to refuse. I just thought perhaps you’d like to stop and eat before you left again. That is, if you have the time.” The Doctor grinned broadly, catching Donna’s eye. She nodded, and he beamed,
“Oh, we’ve got all the time in the world!”
~@~
“So, have you figured it out yet?” Donna asked quietly. She and the Doctor had been seated at a table on a dais, and Sophia had asked them to wait a moment, before she disappeared into what looked like a kitchen area off the back of the dining hall.
“Not yet, but I’ve got a few ideas… how old would you say Sophia is?” he responded. Donna frowned in thought for a moment.
“I don’t know, maybe nineteen, twenty years old? Why?”
“She has the body of a ten year old.”
“Oh, that’s nice! I get dragged off by mini-brutes, and you’re off chatting up the locals young enough to be your daughter!”
“What?” He was confused for a moment, before the ramifications of Donna’s words hit him, “Oh, no. I meant the inside. I did a quick examination of her, and she has the constitution of a very healthy ten year old.”
“So?” Donna asked, “Maybe she takes good care of herself. After all, I’m sure she’s always on the move, with so many kids running about.” The Doctor looked dubious.
“Enough to alter her internal organs, regardless of the fact that she clearly isn’t as young as she looks?”
“What do you think it is then? Special night creams?” He scratched behind his ear thoughtfully.
“Nah, that would physically affect her internals so drastically. It’s got to be something else… something I’m missing.”
“And I’ll ask you something,” Donna said, keen on solving the mystery, “How come all these kids seem like little adults inside children’s bodies?”
“What do you mean?” The Doctor frowned.
“Well, when I was down there with the lads, they were talking about the harvest and storing away food for winter, and seasonal changes and stuff. Grown-up stuff. But then, as soon as they realized that you and Sophia were there they clammed up real quick, and went back to being their childish soldier-selves.”
“Hmm…” The Doctor hummed in thought, but quickly applied his usual affable grin as soon as he saw Sophia re-enter the room.
She strode across to them, a platter balanced precariously on one arm, the other lifting her skirt carefully above her ankle so she didn’t trip on it as she stepped up to the dais. She set the tray down before them, and waved a flourishing hand across the spread.
“This is fresh from the ivy this morning. In fact, this was hand-picked by me when you so rudely interrupted me.” She smiled teasingly, and pulled out a chair to sit. “Please, help yourself.”
“The fruits of your labor?” The Doctor teased back, and she laughed.
Donna carefully picked up a slice of the pearlescent fruit and took a hesitant bite. A radiant smile crossed her face at the first burst of flavor. It was light, and crisp, and somehow sweet. She looked over the platter and decided to try a bit of everything. Sophia recognized that look; she had seen it many times. People couldn’t resist the fresh flavor of the Dew Fruit.
“Doctor?” She offered the Doctor a glass of tea, and he accepted it with a quiet thank you. He was scrutinizing her, and it was making Sophia nervous. She took a sip from her own cup of tea. Donna was clearly enjoying the food, and the Doctor munched on some of the Dew Fruit crisps that were carefully treated and dried until they crunched delicately.
“Aren’t you going to have any?” Donna asked suddenly, and Sophia shook her head.
“Thank you, but no, I’m actually allergic to the Dew Fruit. I can drink the tea, which is made from the leaves of the ivy it grows on, but I am unable to eat the fruit.”
“Oh that’s a pity,” said the Doctor, sniffing at the tea in his mug, “Otherwise you could be as young as your charges.”
“What?” Donna stuttered through a mouthful of Fruit Cakes, a delicate cousin to the Earth variety, illuminating the light flavor of the fruit with a spicy cake. Sophia stared at the Doctor, confusion evident on her delicate features.
“This fruit,” he said, waving a slice in description, “Is from a galaxy about two-hundred lightyears from here. Nice little place, and the natives are perpetually youthful. They don’t reproduce easily, and so they attempt to prolong their life span. They genetically altered these fruits for that reason.”
Donna dropped the fruit back on the plate in front of her, looking sick all of a sudden.
“Am I going to turn into a child too?” She asked worriedly, but the Doctor shook his head.
“No, this isn’t some magic spell,” He met Sophia’s eye dead on, “It’s a development over a period of time, and with a thorough inundation of the plant’s regenerative properties, it will actually reverse the aging process.” He turned to reassure Donna, “You might have added a few months onto your life span with what you ate just now, but if you were to eat the fruit everyday, in a variety of different forms, no doubt in a short period of time, you would regress to childhood.” Sophia gasped.
“That’s what happened to the Court? They ate the fruit, and turned into children?”
“Yes,” he said seriously, “It also explains why you are still an adult, albeit a strong, healthy one.”
“Because I am not eating the fruit…” she murmured, then looked with horror down at her mug, “I’m only drinking the tea from the leaves, not the actual fruit, so it affects my insides without making me a child!”
“Exactly.” The Doctor was startled when Sophia burst into a sudden fit of tears. Donna jumped up from her seat and scurried around the table to embrace the crying woman.
“There now, it’s okay sweetheart. After all, he’s the Doctor, he can fix this. Can’t you?” She looked up at the Doctor accusingly.
“Actually, I can’t…but Sophia can.” Her head stayed down, but the Doctor could tell she was listening intently by the fact that her tears had abated some.
“Sophia, all you have to do is slowly lessen the amount of Dew Fruit that you feed the children. Because their systems are so used to it, you have to do it gradually, and monitor it, otherwise they could go into withdrawal shock. But if you do it slowly, then the children will grow up again.”
Sniffling back tears, Sophia wiped her face with a napkin from the table, and met the Doctor’s warm brown eyes.
“Is that all I have to do?”
“Yep,” he replied, popping his ‘p’ and leaning back in his chair. “Wean them slowly off the fruit. Of course, you don’t have to eliminate it entirely, just moderate how much of they actually ingest. My bet is that you’ll end up with a large group of well-educated, and slow-grown adults who will accomplish what that wizard of yours set out to do all those years ago.”
“A peaceful society where learning and love are central?” She asked, hope shining in her bright green eyes. The Doctor gave her a half smile that made her stomach wobble.
“Exactly. And here’s another thing,” he looked round, then leaned in conspiratorily, “When the subjects of this fine kingdom stand in the courtyard and shout ‘long live the queen’ they will be right!” Sophia chuckled softly at that, and stood up. Donna let her go, and watched as Sophia made her way to the kitchen. The woman stopped at the door, and turned back to them.
“143.”
“What was that?” Donna asked, and Sophia smiled.
“The Doctor asked me a question earlier, and I’m finally answering it. 143.” Then she disappeared into the kitchen. Donna turned back to find a silly little grin on the Doctor’s face.
“What was that about?” She demanded, and he began to chuckle.
“I told you she was older than she looked.” Donna grumbled at this, but the Doctor’s acute sense of hearing picked up the words “Time Lord”, “rude” and “flirting”. He just smiled even wider and pressed to his feet.
“Now then, I believe it was time we headed back to the TARDIS.” He held out a hand for Donna, and she took it happily.
“Let’s say our goodbyes to Sophia, and then, I was wondering, does the TARDIS have a refrigerator?” Puzzled, the Doctor said,
“Yes, why?”
“I want to get some of that fruit to take with us. After all, if you’re going to live forever, then I at least want to look my best!”
~END~