Wanderer of Time: Silence Begins (doctor who)

Chapter 35: Human Again

A clock ticked gently off in a corner on top of a chestnut dresser, creating a gentle and peaceful rhythm within the room. A desk sat across the way, with sheet music scattered about on top, and a beautifully crafted violin lying gracefully on the composed harmonies. Sunlight streamed through a large window above a fluffy white bed with morning birds chirping happily and brightly outside. On this white covered bed laid a woman, all snuggled up under the white covers. She cuddled up on a pillow, holding onto it as if snuggling into a person. Almost as if in a habit, as though she were used to cuddling up with another person. Her short raven hair spread around lazily across her round face as she slept. It fluttered lightly over her face as she breathed in and out evenly.

A knock came at the door of the room, making the sound echo slightly within the room. A short pause, then the door slowly crept open. In peeked the face of a housemaid around the doorframe. She smiled softly when seeing the mid thirty-year-old woman was still peacefully asleep with the gentle sun glowing around her from the window. The housemaid, with light brown skin and white laced black maid outfit, walked into the room after closing the door behind her. She sat the tray of food she was carrying onto a table in the middle of the room. A few chairs sat around the table, with a large vase of flowers right at the centre.

The housemaid walked over to the resting woman, gently shaking her shoulder.

"Miss Rivers, it's time to wake up," the housemaid whispered softly.

"Five more minutes, Martha," grumbled the woman. She peeked an eye open, pouting at the housemaid, Martha Jones. "And stop calling me 'Miss Rivers.' Call me Alice. That's my name. 'Rivers' is just a title."

"It's not proper for a housemaid to call her mistress by her first name," Martha replied evenly, going over to set up breakfast on the table.

"Yes, quite right," Alice responded, yawning somewhat with her words. "But you're not just my housemaid, you're my friend. So stop with the titles." Alice yawned even more loudly, sitting up in bed and stretching. She blinked sleepily and ruffled at her hair tiredly. Martha laughed lightly at her friend's words and the way her hair stuck awkwardly around her head.

"Up late writing music again I see, Miss Rivers," Martha chuckled.

"Well, someone has to give the students something better to play than dusty old pieces all the time," Alice responded. Writing compositions was only one of the reasons she slept poorly during the nights. But Alice hardly wished to burden Martha about nightmares and such. The housemaid had enough on her plate as it was. Alice stretched once more, then frowned once she realized what Martha had said. "And again, it's just Alice. Quite reminding me that I'm an old maid with 'Miss' all the time."

"If you say so, Alice," Martha replied with a small laugh. She waved the woman over, pointing to the tray of food on the table. "Now, come eat your breakfast before it gets cold."

"Right," Alice mumbled, shaking out her hair with her fingers. She stood up, brushing her long white dressing gown with her hands, smoothing it out. She went over to the dresser first, picking up an old metal fob watch with stunning engravings on the front. Many circles and patterns to which she almost suspected to be writing. Holding the watch tightly in her hand, she listened.

Not yet.

Alice sighed, setting the watch back down. Martha watched her actions carefully, knowing it was the woman's routine of the morning. Alice smiled at Martha, sitting down at the table to gaze down at the delightful meal in front of her.

"Every morning you surprise me with the most delicious treats," Alice complimented Martha. "I can't thank you enough, Martha."

"It's my job, Miss Rivers," Martha replied, giving a small curtsy. At Alice's raised brow, Martha rolled her eyes slightly. "Sorry. I mean, Alice."