BLOOD SACRIFICE

Chapter Seventeen

By the time Rose and the Doctor got back to the village, it was deserted. The villagers had gone to the castle with the authorities and the Doctor and Rose sat on the bench to wait for their friends. The Doctor thought they might have gone with the villagers until he finally saw them walking across the plaza towards them.

"Everyone seems to be gone now," the Doctor said to them.

"Yeah, the entire village went up there," Katalin said. "I think they all want revenge."

"I don't blame them. Years of pent up rage and now they have a chance to get back at the countess that took their women and flaunted her immunity in their faces. What about you, Frida, did your father beat you for leaving?"

"He's gone as well," Frida said. "So Katalin and me rested for a bit before coming back here. How is Ana?"

"Alive and improving," the Doctor said. "But she's an orphan with no family here. I told Rose we might take her with us when we leave. Watch over her until she's healthy again and find a loving home for her. And you," he said to Katalin. "I can take you anywhere you want to go…and I do mean anywhere. I can take you somewhere where they'll never know your name."

"I'd like that," Katalin said.

"How about England? Take her to your place," Frida said to Rose.

"You'd fit in there, lots of people from around the world go toLondonwhere I live. You wouldn't have to worry about being an outcast," Rose said.

"I don't know where that is but anywhere is better than here," Katalin said.

The Doctor and Rose stood up and they headed back to the TARDIS. On the way, the Doctor told them what he wanted to do with Romana's body and Frida asked if she could come and see the funeral."

"Well, sure. But you'll have to promise me to keep it a secret. At least some of it because I have the power to go through time and go into outer space and we're going to do both," the Doctor said to her.

"Outer space? Up there?" Frida said, pointing to the sky.

"Oh, much farther than that, farther than you can ever dream," the Doctor said with a gleam in his eye.

"Wow, you're not like the nosferatu I've heard about," Frida said.

"Yes, you're friendly," Katalin said.

"Eh, things are not always as they seem," the Doctor said with a shrug.

When they went inside the TARDIS, the Doctor closed the door. They went to check on Ana and found her awake.

"Hello, poppet, feeling better then?" the Doctor said while everyone gathered around her.

"A bit," Ana said.

"Well, you're going to stay with Rose and me for awhile till you get your health and weight back so you better be ready to have some fun and laughs when you get up and about," the Doctor said. "This is Frida and Katalin, they're our friends."

"Hello," Ana said.

Katalin and Frida waved and after the Doctor made sure she was comfortable and didn't need anything, he led everyone to the morgue. When they entered, the Doctor noticed Katalin's distress and he put his hand on her shoulder when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry for everything I did," Katalin said.

"I know. I forgive you," the Doctor said before pulling her into a hug.

Rose put her hand on Katalin's back when she wept in the Doctor's arms.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"I know, trust me, I know what it's like to live with guilt. But you turned against the woman who did this to her and now she can't hurt anyone else. You're free now," the Doctor said gently as he held her close.

Katalin nodded and the Doctor smiled and hugged her tightly before letting go. Rose and Frida walked up on either side of her and took her hands while the Doctor walked over to a steel cabinet. He opened it and pulled out some red velvet ropes.

"This is also a mark of respect for Romana," he said to them. "I want to honor her in every way possible. Um…" he said, laying the ropes at his feet. "We can start the service here and then you can help me wrap her up for cremation. Normally, I would say the oration in Gallifreyan but the TARDIS won't translate it and I don't want to translate for you. So…"

He cleared his throat.

"We come here today to honor this woman who showed courage even in the face of death," he said solemnly while the others looked at Romana. "This young woman was abducted and abused in a horrific manner yet death has not tarnished her beauty and I'm sure she fought for life until the very end. We honor this courageous young woman who will be remembered by her family and friends even if no one else will. Sleep, young woman, and be at peace, your torment is at an end now."

The Doctor looked at his friends and asked if they wanted to say a few words. Katalin nodded.

"I hope that you forgive me and you are at rest. Please go on to Heaven and live in paradise and forget your worldly cares," she said. "That's all I wanted to say."

"Goodbye and may God bless you," Frida said.

"We're sorry that we couldn't reach you in time but we're honoring you now with a proper burial. Rest in peace," Rose said.

The Doctor smiled and nodded. They folded the shroud over her and the three women helped him lift the body, put the ropes around her and tie them tightly.

"Are you burning her body now?" Frida said.

"No, that comes later. I'm going to build a pyre for her and burn her there. But that's all there's left to do now. The funeral is over."

They stared at her body in silence for a moment before all of them left the room.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

After checking on Ana again and moving her to a more comfortable bed in a guest room, the Doctor took the TARDIS to a distant moon where they could burn Romana's body without interference. Rose had to explain what was happening while the TARDIS was in flight and she kept on explaining when they stepped out onto an alien planet. There were several large rocks near the TARDIS and one of them was large and relatively flat on top. The Doctor decided to put Romana's body on it so the fire would go out once her body had finished burning. The area around the rock was gravely and sandy so there was no danger of anything catching fire. The Doctor went back inside and brought her body out while the women watched. He laid it on the rock and went back inside. He came back out with a flaming torch and some accelerant in a can. He gave the torch to Rose and poured the accelerant on the shroud. Then at his command, Rose lit the body and put the torch on top of it when it ignited. They stepped back and watched while the body burned and lit up the night sky. There was one distant moon above them that gave off a little bit of light but the fire did most of the illumination. They stayed and watched for about a half hour before everyone decided to leave. With one last goodbye to Romana, they turned and got back into the TARDIS.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Goodbye, Doctor and Rose, I will miss you," Frida said after hugging them.

They were back in the village plaza five minutes after the Doctor left. The plaza was still deserted and it felt spooky now seeing the empty streets and houses.

"Have a wonderful life, Frida," the Doctor said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Good luck."

"I hope you can become normal again," Frida said.

"Me too. But at least I can still help people," the Doctor said.

"And I'll tell everyone that there are good nosferatu in the world so people won't come after you," Frida said.

The Doctor chuckled and hugged her again. Frida turned to Katalin and hugged her.

"I hope you can find a new life," she said to Katalin.

"Thank you. And thank you for being my friend," Katalin said.

"Thank you for helping to stop that woman. Now everyone will have a better life because they're all gone," Frida said.

Everyone got in one more hug before they finally took their leave of Frida. She stood by the TARDIS waving goodbye and then squealing in delight when it dematerialized and vanished. She walked over to where it had been, touching the air and feeling a bit of electricity that was slowly fading away. Grinning at the magic she'd just witnessed, she turned and headed for home.

XOXOXOXOXOX

"So, Katalin, you can go anywhere in time and space, where do you want to go?" the Doctor said.

"I want to see this London you spoke of."

"Okay, when do you want to go? I can take you to London in any time period you want," the Doctor said.

Katalin glanced at Rose.

"When did you live there?" she asked.

"2005 was when the Doctor first met me," she said.

"Can I go to 2005 then?" Katalin asked.

"You can but…you may be in for a shock since a lot changes between your time and 2005," the Doctor said.

"Then you can teach me? Prepare me so I won't be shocked?" Katalin said.

"Well, she can," the Doctor said. "She'd be a better teacher than I would when it comes to that."

"Can I stay for a bit with you until I learn?" Katalin asked.

"Blimey, we're suddenly filling up in here," the Doctor teased. "Let me ask you this then? Do you have a love for adventure?"

Katalin frowned.

"I've never really had adventure in my life before," she said.

"No? Awww, what a crime," the Doctor said while Rose giggled. "Are you brave?"

"No," Katalin said.

"I think you are, you stood up to the countess at long last," the Doctor said. "What I'm saying is, Rose and I are travelers. We explore and have adventures and if you want to stay with us for a bit, you can join us. We explore and fight evil like we just did with the countess. Interested?"

"Is it dangerous?" Katalin said.

"Ooooh, yeah!" the Doctor said gleefully while Rose laughed. "But Rose has been with me for awhile and she's still alive, which is more than I can say for me. She can show you the ropes and help you climb the ropes while she teaches you how to be a modern 21st century woman. Sound good?"

"That would be my payment for letting Rose teach me?" Katalin said.

"Your payment and consider it more redemption for you since you can continue to help others in need. How 'bout it?"

Katalin looked at Rose.

"Come on, we need more help," Rose said.

Katalin smiled and nodded.

"I'll do it," she said.

"Brilliant! So…my companion and newest companion, let's check on Ana and make sure she's okay and then perhaps find somewhere or somewhen to eat."

The Doctor held out his hands and Rose and Katalin took them and together they walked out of the console room.

THE END.

Back                         Home                              Doctor Who Main Page

Your Name or Alias:      Your E-mail (optional):

Please type your review below. Only positive reviews will be posted! Constructive criticism will e-mailed to the author.