RP for renegadeinexile

[thecricketer]

The Doctor had his head beneath the console, a tool kit at his side, and his hands plunged in very delicate wiring.

He didn't need to make this repair, not strictly; the TARDIS ran well enough without it. But it would make reactions just a bit smoother, just a bit swifter - and besides, he felt he owed her some tender caring to anyway.

It certainly wasn't because he needed something to distract him while he waited.

He wasn't impatient, he decided as he pulled a thin silver rod from the ancient box; he'd given her as much time as she needed and he'd meant it. He just...well, he never was good at standing still, really, especially when there were nagging thoughts to run from.

So he worked, and was content, and sometimes he smiled. He already knew what their first real trip should be - he'd promised already, after all.

Comments

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

She nodded slowly. "The Raja had a nephew. I handed the throne over to him when I abdicated. He was the closest surviving relative at the time, so according to law and custom, he should rightfully have had the throne. He was also rather a wise young man, so I felt no hesitation in doing so."

She studied him a moment, and then offered, as if trying to anticipate another question, "I ruled for nearly a century. I married the Raja when I was two hundred sixty-three, rather soon after both my first regeneration and my first exile."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He nodded, brow furrowing slightly in faint concern - he found himself hoping she'd been right in her assessment. If something went wrong...

Well, that was what he did, wasn't it? He made things right again.

His eyes widened when she spoke again; he hadn't expected more information but he certainly welcomed it.

"You were young," he said quietly, and there was some mix of sympathy and admiration in his voice. Rassilon knew he couldn't manage that now, never mind when he was barely three hundred.

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

"Very much so, yes. I can see that now, looking back."

Her eyes drifted from his, appearing to aimlessly study a spot over his shoulder as she spoke. "Young enough to think that I could do everything. And that I knew everything."

She sighed, and smiled, though it had a bit of a bitter edge to it. "I wasn't ready for any of it. I simply hadn't had the life experience or the social experience to successfully navigate that mess," she said, with surprising candor.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

"I vaguely remember those days, yes," he said with a faint smile. "Sometimes I think I regress..." He shook his head, and the smile faded.

"That you can admit it now shows how far you've come, then." He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling rather awkward.

"If it's any consolation I'd have probably done a worse job..."

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

Her smile widened at that, touched. "I'd like to think I've come a long way since then, yes," she replied. "And somehow I doubt you'd have done all that badly."

The TARDIS materalised with its usual soft thump, and she gazed down at the display to verify their location. "Good. Twenty years after my abdication, as promised. We've landed in Goa. That's the capital city."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

His grin came quite suddenly, and he stepped away from the console, offering his hand.

"Care to give me the royal tour?"

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

She couldn't help but laugh softly as she took his hand. "I'd be delighted," she replied, depressing the lever to open the doors.

They stepped out onto a bustling street on a sunny afternoon under a faintly red-tinged sky. People in brightly-coloured and boldly-patterned clothing moved to and fro, walking, riding in large carriages, stopping at the storefronts along both sides of the street. The place had a decided air of 25th-century space outpost meets Colonial India about it.

The Rani smiled as she closed the doors behind them, pausing to take in the sights for a few moments. "This is, for want of a better term the high street."

She turned, and gestured with her free hand toward a formidable-looking fortress, with spires and orange walls. "And that's the palace. That was my home."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

"Looks cosy," he replied with raised eyebrows, lips curving again as he met her gaze. He had, of course, been looking every which way, taking in everything he could. He'd never visited this world; he'd already decided it was rather pleasant, but that may have been the company.

There was, of course, something about a bright, bustling world that seemed to be at peace. Somehow he didn't seem to frequent those.

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

She grinned at that, squeezing his hand. "As cosy as a place with two hundred rooms can be, yes."

Her eyes scanned their surroundings, drinking in every detail. "I always did rather find this place beautiful," she murmured in a very small voice, suddenly realising just how much she'd missed it.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He returned the smile, but several moments passed before he spoke again; he knew when to allow one to look in silence.

"Is there any place in particular you'd like to visit?" he asked softly.

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

"Erm." Her eyes darted quickly to the palace, and she laughed softly. "Let's not go there."

She bit her lip, thinking, and then her eyes lit up. "Come on," she said, tugging at his hand. "I know just the place for you."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He offered no resistance, laughing softly as she led him.

"A pleasant surprise, I hope?"

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

She nodded, smiling as she looked back over her shoulder. "There's a gathering place just a few blocks away. People come together there for, erm, it's sort of the equivalent of coffee. They drink, and argue, and talk, and tell stories. The Raja brought me once when I first arrived, before he was courting me; once he'd started that I was far too well-known to visit again for everyday sorts of conversations. It wasn't as if the ruler's consort could sit idly at the edge of the plaza and listen in on conversations."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

The description widened his smile into a grin; anticipation was clear in his voice.

"I imagine not, no. That's why I've always preferred anonymity."

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

"I begin to see the attraction," she replied, leading him around a corner and into a large open-air plaza. "Ah. And here we are."

All along the edges were tables of various sizes surrounded by chairs, and low benches. People were gathered around them, in pairs, in groups, talking animatedly.

She smiled at the Doctor. "Do you want a drink? If you'll find us somewhere to sit I'll get the drinks sorted..."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He grinned at her, delighting in the easy, earnest conversation surrounding them.

"Certainly." He squeezed her hand before drawing it away; he wasn't entirely sure why.

He decided not to analyse it as he strode towards an empty table near the centre of it all.

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

She blinked at the hand-squeezing, breaking into a small but bright smile as she watched him walking away.

She turned and crossed the plaza, joining the queue for drinks, eavesdropping on bits of conversation as she waited. It was as it always had been, history, current events, trade, gossip, and she noted that things seemed to be going well.

If she were honest, she also was listening very hard for any mention of herself, good or bad.

But there was none by the time she'd gotten their drinks, and so she started weaving her way back across the plaza, her eyes searching the crowd for the Doctor.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He kept his gaze on her as best he could, wondering about any number of things, from what she might hear to what, exactly, would be in their drinks.

After she stepped back into the throng of tables and chatter he lost sight of her; he stood, giving a slight wave.

In the back of his mind he wished it was always this simple to be reunited.

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

She caught sight of him when he waved, her face lighting up. She wove her way to him, joining him at the table, setting down a cup in front of each.

"Here." She smiled, settling in and wrapping her fingers around the cup, clutching it in both her hands. "It's rather similar to coffee. We have a fruit here that resembles a cherry, and the seeds are collected and roasted similar to coffee on Earth. That's what this is. It's cut with a dairy thickener and sweetening agent."

She watched him fondly as he settled himself, both marvelling at and savouring the easy companionship that had risen between them over time.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He sat down again as she approached the table, looking up at her with a warm, grateful smile when she set his cup in front of him.

It didn't fade as he listened, and once again he wondered how she did it.

It seemed, when he thought a genuine smile would never touch his lips again, someone came along who utterly ruined the theory.

"It sounds splendid." Luckily, when he took a sip, his taste buds agreed with him.

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

"It's not half bad," she replied, smiling. "I've missed it. Hadn't really given that much thought until I was standing in the queue."

Her eyes wandered momentarily to a neighbouring table, where the discussion seemed to be getting rather animated and passionate. Someone was saying something she hadn't caught about this Raja being far more fair and benevolent than the last one... though just hearing those words relieved her somewhat. She was glad to know things hadn't gotten worse.

She smiled, meeting the Doctor's eyes again. "They stay here well into the night, you know," she said, canting her head at the crowd. "Always something to talk about, I imagine, until you need to sleep."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He found himself distracted as well, glancing at the fervent debaters with a curious eye. Oh, it was always nice to find people who were involved, who cared. Passion could be quite absent, sometimes, replaced by complacency, apathy.

His wandering thoughts showed in the faint smile that became a faint frown that was a smile again when she spoke.

"There's always someone with a different opinion, willing to defend it..." His smile widened, then.

"What about you? Is there anything you'd like to argue?"

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

She blinked at him over the rim of her cup, then set it down, smirking faintly.

"You may find this difficult to believe. In fact, I'm glad you're seated. The shock alone..."

She fixed him with a mock-serious gaze as the debate at the neighbouring table about how that Raja had clearly had it coming.

"There is nothing I wish to argue at the moment."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

His hand rose to cover his lips, eyes widening as he gasped behind his fingers. He stared at her, aghast, as they wrapped again round his drink.

"You're certain you're Ushas? You're not possessed, or anything?" He managed to look perfectly concerned, even distressed.

The sharp glance at the other table was quick enough as to never have happened.

[thisway-comes.livejournal.com]

Her eyes narrowed at him, but good-naturedly. "I'm quite sure, yes," she replied, raising her cup to her lips again.

The animated discussion at the next table broke into full-on shouting. "Natural causes, nothing!" one of the men declared. "There's nothing natural about heart failure at that young an age. Someone killed him. We all know the man had scores of enemies. I wouldn't have put it past the Rani, even. She sure was close enough to him to do it."

The woman in question blanched ever so slightly, setting her cup back on the table in front of herself. "Quite sure," she said. "Nothing's wrong at all."