Shaden watched the E-wraiths fly off back the way they came and towards the direction of the fairy gate. Shaden then saw one of the Rani’s flyers appear above the tree line in the distance. Donna-Lé and Bernard had just gotten into the wagon when Shaden gave the reins a whip.
“Time to go, HEEEYA!!!” Shaden gave another whip of the reins and the horses took off, spilling everyone but Shaden to the bed of the wagon. The wagon did not slow as Shaden took turns looking behind and in front of the wagon. They took a sharp turn and the stone road turned to dirt. Shaden continued to turn left and the right at break neck speed. The ride reminded Julie of traveling through the palace though it wasn’t as smooth as that. Julie’s stomach remembered too. The wagon took one more sharp turn but this time into what looked like a Barn. As the wagon came to stop the Elf and troll immediately slipped off the back of the wagon and closed the large wooden barn doors they had just came through. Bernard slid a large metal bar across four brackets built into the door as Donna took one large leap and was in the hay loft. The Doctor could by the way the crew went about securing the barn, that this was rather routine for them. Shaden jumped out of the wagon and ran to the barn door. He peered through a small slit in the door.
“Sorry about the bumpy ride, but one of the flying uglies showed up above the trees on the edge of town.”
The Doctor helped Julie out of the wagon and stood next to Shaden and peered through his own small opening in the door.
“Any sign of it?”
“Nah its all good Doc.” Shaden replied. Donna jumped back down from the hay loft as the group gathered in the center of the barn.
“Right, well we have some time before the Dirty Hog is open. I am sure my partners in crime wish too look over their spoils. Doc and blue eyes make yourself at home. Mi Casa es Su Casa.”
“You know Shade sometimes you speak the strangest words.” Bernard stated.
“I’ll take that as a compliment Berno.” Shaden said as he gave the troll a slap on the back. The troll headed off to what Julie figured out was his section of the barn.
It was one of the large stalls in the far corner that was the darkest and was furnished with a bed made of logs, a small table and chair and a chest that seemed to have a faint blue glow to it. Julie felt an arm wrap around her shoulders and was about to turn to tell the Doctor she was fine but it was not the Doctor’s arm around her. It was Donna-Lé’s arm.
“If you would do me the pleasure m’lady, I would love to show you our humble home.”
“Umm I think I should stay with the Do.” Julie’s reply was cut off by the Doctor.
“Oh no you girl go and have fun. I will be fine.” The Doctor said with a large grin. Julie looked back at the Doctor as if to say save me. Donna-Lé’s smile grew large as she turned Julie in the direction of the other side of the barn.
“Good. If you don’t mind we can start with my room.” Donna-Lé led the reluctant Julie up a makeshift stair case that lead to the hay loft area.
“You girls have fun.” Shaden yelled as he watched the two head up the stairs. Julie made a very unlady like gesture with her middle finger towards Shaden. Shaden leaned over to The Doctor.
“I take it that’s not a happy gesture.”
“Not really no.” The Doctor replied with a chuckle.
“Oh Doctor I have something to show you.” Shaden said as he walked over to what appeared to be his area of the Barn. Shaden had setup his room in the largest stable of the barn. It reminded the Doctor of a stable hands quarters complete with a saddle hanging on the wall and the makeshift cot. There was a large table in the middle with two old wooden chairs that had a lot of experience to them.
“Have a seat my dear man. You like wine?” Shaden asked as the the Doctor took a seat. He eased into the chair to make sure it would hold his weight. It wasn’t that the Doctor was heavy by any means, it was more of the uncertainty of the weight capacity of the old chair. Shaden pulled the small sack he had used early in their escape. The sack was only the size of a paper lunch sack, like the ones the Doctor had seen human children use to take their cold lunch to school. It looked weathered and there was a faded C imprinted on the bag.
“I have been known on an occasion to have wine”
“Oh Good,” Shaden said as he reached into the bag, “Two wine glasses and a bottle of Elvish wine 1944 A.M.E.”
Shaden removed his hand from the bag and pulled out two large wine glasses. Then he reached in and pulled out a wine bottle. The Doctor just shook his head as he stared at the bag.
“Amazing am interdemensional storage device, I haven’t seen one of these for quite some time.”
“I’m sorry your what hurts. Oh the bag, it the famous Caladore’s Keep, one of the three rare bags of infinite holding. This little guy was the reason I headed back to Draconis’ Castle.” Shaden’s comment was immediately followed by the pop of the wine bottle as its cork was removed. Shaden poured the wine
“You mean Royal Premier Palace Draconis,” The Doctor chided as he took his glass of wine.
“Don’t you start. That’s a great jacket, would hate to see it covered in wine.” Shaden retorted as he took a seat.
“Do I want to know how you came to have such an item in your possession.” The Doctor asked with a smirk.
“Actually this is one of the few items I have that I did not acquire through my profession. This little baby came with the goods. See my real parents kicked me to the curb in a basket and this was the only thing found on me by my substitute parents. The only thing I have been able to find on the item is its name and that’s its older than dirt.”
“If you don’t mind me saying Shade, you seem a bit how should I say it….”
“Odd, different, freakish, weirdo, crazy, etc…yeah I know I have always been different from well, everyone. You see I hear things, constantly, in my head. When I am asleep, when I am awake, in the bathroom well you get the idea.” Shade informed the Doctor in a very serious tone.
“That must be very difficult for you to handle. It must have been really tough on you when you were a kid.” The Doctor commented as he studied Shade’s face to make sure their conversation was not upsetting him. Shade’s eye twitched once but the smile did not leave his face.
“That’s the funny thing about it Doc. The voices have been with me since I was shorter than a dwarf. My sub parents were both killed when I was young and I escaped from that kid’s prison they called an orphanage as soon as I was able to.I lived on the streets, in the woods, in the rain. It was not peaches and cream let me tell you but the voices, they kept me company. Helped me through a lot, I know I sound like I need a straight jacket but it’s the truth.”
“I can relate more than you know my friend.” The Doctor took a drink from his wine cup as memories of those times when he was with no companion and all he had were his thoughts. The Doctor’s head was a crowded place. If he didn’t have something to focus on be it a disaster or teaching his companion the fine art of beer drinking, it could get noisy. The Doctor stared off in the distance as he thought about those noisy times. Shaden lifted his glass quickly. The motion snapped the Doctor out of his thoughts.
“That’s why I say if I can hear myself think. I need another drink.”
“I’ll drink to that.” The Doctor added as the two men clinked cups and took a drink of wine. The Doctor was about to express his own toast, a special and bit risqué one he learn on Ackturs 3 when the sound of someone one stomping down stairs diverted his attention. It was Julie and she looked rather flustered. Julie’s face was flush and Shaden thought he saw a very small smudge of a blood rose lip print on her cheek. Blood Rose was used as a lip moisturizer by elves. Donna-Lé was at the top of the stairs leaning against a nearby post with a smirk on her face. Shaden looked up at her with a silent ‘What did you do?’ and the elf put her hand to her chest and shook her head in a silent ‘I didn’t do anything.’ look.
“Doctor. I am feeling rather uncomfortable here and want to leave now.”
“Why what’s wrong my dear?” The Doctor asked. Then silently answered his own question and looked up at where the elf was.
“Its just…well…” She looked up at where Donna-Lé had been standing, it was now empty.
“Did she try to hurt you? Shaden what type of …” The Doctor stated in a fatherly tone as he turned toward Shaden.
“No no its …its ok Doctor. I am fine really. I just…its nothing. A bit flattering ..but I ..I’m fine. “ Julie replied. The Doctor wasn’t sure who exactly she was trying to convince but decided that if she said she was ok he would let it drop, for now. Julie composed herself and then turned to Shaden.
“If you don’t mind, I really need to use the rest room.”
“Sure the outhouse is out back. Should be safe to go out there now, I haven’t heard the fliers or any wolf calls. There is a water basin out there too. We had a lot of rain lately so there should be enough if you need to freshen up, Blue eyes.” Shaden answered like a hotel bellboy pointing out the finer points of the room, “Its not the Taj Mahal but its what we got.”
“That will be fine thanks!” Julie stated with a half smile and then went to the small back door of the barn. She opened the door and had to duck her head to go through the doorway. The minute she closed the door behind her, the Doctor was about to talk to Shaden about keeping his people in line but didn’t get the chance because Shaden had already bounded up the stairs towards Donna-Lé’s area. The Doctor felt a tug on his jacket. He looked down to see Bernard’s weathered face looking up at him.
“If you aren’t going to be finishing that, would you mind if I finished it for you.” Bernard asked as he motioned to the wine cups on the table.
“Be my guest.”
A look of delight traveled across the trolls face as he reached for the Doctors wine cup. He downed the contents of it and Shaden’s drink as well, then he made a reach for the bottle but a voice from above stopped him.
“Leave the Bottle alone Berno,” the voice said.
Bernard said something rather unpleasant under his breath and went back to his area. It was times like this when a GPS on the TARDIS would actually have come in handy. The Doctor thought but then shrugged off the thought, No if it were inside the TARDIS who know where it would say it actually was in space and time and its not like it could survive being on the outside. Course there is the telephone cubby…
The Doctor sat down as his head got noisy.
