Wander of time: Darkness within (doctor who)

Chapter 66: The Meeting of the Wolves

"I have my own way of travelling," Alpha told the War Doctor curtly. Her voice came out in almost a grumble, sounding as though she did not wish to talk at all to any of them but had no choice in the matter. She walked away from the War Doctor, placing herself as far away from everyone as she could while she kept her hands behind her back and observed them all with hard, cold, calculating hazel eyes.

Her appearance was far different than what First Wanda had ever looked like. Instead of having such innocence of life just teeming away within every part of her, there was nothing but coldness and angry demeanour coming from her. Her chestnut hair looked dull in a way, hanging limply around her head and face. Dark circles were seen around her hazel eyes, and with how skinny she looked it made her face look almost sunken in from lack of good nutrition. As though she had been wasting away over the years. The clothes on her back were in about the same shape as her body. What was once a Time Lord's red robes, with shirt and trousers, that the Daleks had given her, was now ragged and torn. All in all, it looked like she had been through hell and back.

"I—I don't understand . . . Why is First Wanda here?" Second Wanda asked them abruptly, turning to the Doctors for answers. "What's going on, Spaceman?"

"I have no idea," Ten grumbled, looking ready to yank them all back from Alpha. "But that's not you, Wanda. I promise you that."

"Not yet, anyway," Eleven said more softly, gazing at Alpha warily yet much more gentle than his younger self did.

"Well, it sure as hell looks like old me," Second Wanda grumbled, looking back at Alpha with an uncertain expression. It was easy to see that the presence of Alpha unnerved the raven-haired woman very much so.

"Why are you here?" Ten suddenly blurted out, demanding to know what the hell was going on. "Why are either of you here? You shouldn't be here. This shouldn't be happening."

"And yet it is, and here we are," the War Doctor said calmly. "Though, Alpha here hasn't quite explained to me why she wished to join me." When all eyes turned on her, Alpha narrowed her eyes for a moment with a brief white flash in her hazel irises. She then looked at each and every one of the Doctors very carefully.

"I made a promise to a piece of my past," she spoke with a growl in the back of her voice. "I am seeing if the universe is truly a place worth saving. Let's see what you make of this day. Prove me wrong, Time Lords." She spat the last words out in so much disgust that it sounded as though she felt sick just saying them aloud. Her hatred for Time Lords even greater at this point in time than what would be in later life for Alpha.

Before any of the others could register how to feel about this statement, they heard quick footsteps running towards their location. Shouting and the clanking of armour came with the trudging, which indicated the arrival of armed men coming through the woods. They all looked to see a small army of sorts—that would be the Queen's men—coming at them.

"Encircle them!" they heard one man yell out in order. This was the better-dressed man in charge of the others. The men did as they were told, circling around the group and pointing their weapons at them. Ten and Eleven aimed their sonics at the armed men, bringing in the Wandas to be behind each of them so they were protected at all sides. Only Alpha and the War Doctor remained unmoving and unfazed.

The man that appeared to be in charge stepped forward. "Which of you is the Doctor?" he demanded in question. "The Queen of England is bewitched. I would have the Doctor's head."

"Well, this has all the makings of your lucky day," the War Doctor said in humour, finding the humans to be funny. He always was fond of humans, after all.

"There's a precedent for that," came a voice from the vortex which still swirled over their heads. All the humans in the area stared up in shock, then in horror at the sight of the vortex spinning in the air.