ODDITY ⇆ DOCTOR WHO

0.45 | K.D

                                     〖KNIGHTS AND DRAGONS 〗

    THE DOCTOR ROCKED BACK AND FORTH ON HIS HEELS, hands grasping the damp, filthy, iron bars of the cell. His jaw was clenched and his eyes darted around in the torch-lit cell erratically. Donna pressed her back to the damp, dirty cell wall. Her eyes were focused on the ceiling above, tracing the patterns drawn by the droplets of water threatening to drop onto her head. Donna rolled her to to the left, watching the Doctor's back.

His shoulders remained in a tense position, his knees locked, and everything about him practically buzzing with all the thoughts that could have been running through his head. The drip of water was like a metronome, and its random ticks were driving him mad.  An orange light cast over the room from the lit torches hanging on the thick metal bars separating the cells, and the shadows cast from the unstable light danced over the side of his face. The Doctor's thoughts were a jumbled mess; they were split phrases, comparable to that of word salad.

'These bars are in poor condition, maybe if we-

I hope they haven't found her-

He has certainly learned to take my sonic screwdriver away-

Please don't let them have found her-

If I can maybe just get Donna out of here-

Valarie.'

"Doctor." Donna's voice rang him back to reality, his daze shaking as he turned to face her. His palms stung slightly from the friction caused by the constant rubbing against metal bars. "Not to be a downer but, in the event we don't escape, what will they do to us?" The Doctor pursed his lips, scratching a hand against the back of his head as he avoided Donna's eyes.

"Turn our brains to mush?" He muttered.

"What?" Donna gawked.

"And drink them with a straw." He tacked on, as Donna's calmness faded and she strode towards the bars, leaning forwards and beginning to shake on them. The Doctor turned, looking around an empty cell hoping there was something he could spot that could save them.

The clanking of metal echoed down the stone halls. Heads turned towards the course. The flames reflected off the metal. A knight approached. In a tight fist, it dragged a sword. They walked with purpose as if they knew exactly what they were here for.

"Hey. Hey!" the Doctor barked at the approaching figure. The two beckoned for attention. The knight paused before them, masked gaze peering up at him as he jabbed a pointed finger at them. "What's going on? Where is Ilek? Where's Valarie?" He demanded. The knight raised a hand, gesturing them away. "No, you'll give me answers!" He yelled. They lifted the sword, pointing it at him as if silently threatening him. The blade pushed towards his chest. He threw his hands up, backing away as Donna followed suit.

The knight drug the sword back, wrapping both hands around the leather-bound grip. They braced and then raised it high above their head. It slammed against the lock, which gave away like wet cardboard under the thick and heavy material of the sword. The Doctor and Donna stood, staring in surprise as the knight opened the cell and stepped into the doorway. They reached up, pulling the helmet-free.

"I'm right here." Valarie greeted. She took deep breaths and smiled widely as the two sprung to embrace her. She wrapped arms around them in return, laughing at how fast they moved once they realized it was her.

"Where the bloody hell did you get this?" Donna asked retracting, looking at the full suit. Valarie sighed.

"Would you believe they leave this stuff lying around?" She set her helmet on the floor and took the Doctor's hand. "Come on, we need to go. Now." She urged him and Donna. She pulled him forward; in one hand his hand, and the other the sword she held before her. Donna followed suit as they crept up the stairs of the dungeon towards the main room. She peered around the corners above, this time the Doctor watching for her go-ahead for once. She then trudged on forward. The main room and doors were right there insight - they were so close to an easy escape for once.