Entry tags:
The Calm Before the Storm (Chapter Nine)
This chapter is dedicated to ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
platypus, larielromeniel, sensiblecat, and np_complete, who helped me work out some of my uncertainties about the progression of this story. Thank you so very much for getting me back on track!
Previous chapters:
( Chapter One )
( Chapter Two )
( Chapter Three )
( Chapter Seven )
( Chapter Eight )
platypus, larielromeniel, sensiblecat, and np_complete, who helped me work out some of my uncertainties about the progression of this story. Thank you so very much for getting me back on track!Previous chapters:
( Chapter One )
( Chapter Two )
( Chapter Three )
( Chapter Four )
( Chapter Eight )
The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees onto the garden table, where Rose sat and read. She had returned earlier to the cottage to fetch her book, hoping that the adventures would distract her for an afternoon while the Doctor, she fervently hoped, talked to Jacob. After their talk at midday, he had headed off in the direction of the dormitory with her encouragement. His expression had been both grim and hopeful, like a schoolboy on his way to the headmaster's office after some misbehaviour. She had half wanted to follow him and make sure he actually went to see his old friend, but she focused all her willpower into remaining seated at the table and waiting for him to disappear down the path. Once he had gone, she continue to sit, feeling tension down her spine and into her backside, and finally allowed herself to creep back to her cottage for some entertainment.
She found her attention wandering away from the Pevensie children several times during the day, and eventually folded the book closed and let her head bang against the top of the table. She was well and truly in suspense, and on top of it all, hungry. Skipping lunch to wander and talk to the Doctor had been necessary, but the consequences were catching up with her. She thought somewhat longingly of chips, turned her mind away from temptation, and picked up her book again.
The bells tolled in the distance, calling the brothers to their prayers, and Rose wondered where the Doctor was. That's it, she thought with frustration, and stood up. She carried the book back to the cottage, checking for any signs of the Doctor's return, and then headed off toward the main clearing. At least there would be the evening meal shortly.
When she arrived, the Doctor was sitting alone on a bench in front of the dormitory, legs spread, arms crossed in front of his chest, lost in thought. He looked up as she approached warily.
"Hello," he said, his normal enthusiasm somewhat muted.
Rose studied his face as she sat down next to him. "Hello yourself," she offered. She did not ask if he had seen Jacob. She did not want to think that he had been sitting in front of the dormitory all afternoon.
"Jacob went to the evening prayers," said the Doctor, responding to her unasked question. "He felt a bit stronger."
"That's good." She suppressed the other questions. Did you tell him? What did he say?
"You want to know if we talked," said the Doctor with a trace of weariness in his voice. Rose nodded guardedly. "Yes, we did. He said much the same things that you did."
I told you so, she did not respond. "I thought he would."
The barest hint of a smile crossed the Doctor's face. "Don't sound so smug. It's not flattering."
"Don't be so stubborn, then." At that, he did laugh, genuinely, and Rose felt relief wash over her. He reached over and took her hand, twining his fingers through hers. Rose rubbed his thumb with hers in response. They sat in silence for some time, hearing the faint voices blown on the wind to them from the church, where the monks gathered for their evening prayers. Rose thought fleetingly of the peace she had felt, had almost shared, in the earlier service. She was glad Jacob was once again with his brothers in this ritual.
When the dark figures filed out of the church and moved toward the dining hall, Rose searched their number for Jacob's slight form. She stood and tugged the Doctor along with her, finding Jacob easily. Two brothers flanked him, offering support with their arms. Jacob's face was serene, the lines etched in his face relaxed and softened. When he saw them, he smiled broadly and gestured. The Doctor and Rose easily took the place of the two monks. Jacob walked unevenly but determinedly alongside them toward the dining hall.
"How are you feeling?" asked Rose.
"Much better," said Jacob, his musical voice stronger than when she had spoken with him earlier. "I think I would like to eat, then rest again. Perhaps tomorrow I will be stronger."
They ate in silence, as Rose had become accustomed to. She studied Jacob covertly throughout the meal, watching him tuck into his food with seemingly good appetite. His color was stronger and he seemed more animated. Perhaps the worst is past, she thought with some relief.
After the meal, they walked again with Jacob across the clearing. He leaned on the Doctor more than Rose, but his conversation was directed primarily at her, asking what she had done during the day. When she mentioned her reading, he beamed with delight. "A lovely story," he said with approval. "Children with adventures that led them to know God in all his forms." He gave a sidelong look at the Doctor. "Magical transportation into a world beyond belief."
"Sounds far-fetched," chuckled the Doctor.
When they reached the dormitory, Jacob paused and turned back into the clearing, the wind ruffling his beard. The sun had set while they ate, and the stars shone, bathing the world with a cool, blue light. He touched Rose's face, then took her hands in his and gave her a searching look. She looked back, not sure what he sought in her, but he seemed to be pleased with what he found.
He nodded twice to himself and turned to the Doctor, still holding Rose's hands in his weathered grip. "You will listen to her, my old friend, yes?" The Doctor's eyes flicked across to Rose and she saw a seriousness there that she wasn't sure she understood either.
"I will," said the Doctor quietly, his words carrying the weight of a vow.
Jacob released her hands and leaned on the Doctor. "Rose, if you excuse me, I should get some rest. Doctor, will you see me inside?"
Rose wandered back and forth, watching the other monks move around the clearing. She knew by now that there was one more set of prayers for the day, and then they would retire for the evening, only to wake in the earliest morning and begin the cycle again. There was a beautiful symmetry to their schedule, the sameness of the days blending one into another into another even for her, an outsider, a bystander. She felt the profound disconnection from the world here even in her limited participation in the community.
The Doctor emerged from the dormitory after perhaps a quarter of an hour and stood by her side. The bells began to toll gently behind them to call the monks to their final prayers of the day.
"Is he better?" she asked.
"Yes," said the Doctor to her immense relief. "He is coughing less, and his breathing is not strained."
"His color is better," offered Rose. "That means his circulation is better?"
The Doctor nodded in approval at her understanding. "He's too stubborn to let me examine him properly but yes, I would say so." Rose suppressed a smile at his calling someone else stubborn, and if he realized he'd used the same word to describe Jacob that she had used to describe him earlier, he made no sign. "You'd better get back to the cottage," he said.
Rose tried not to feel disappointed. "Library again?" she asked, trying to put some lightness in her voice.
"For a while," he responded, studiously not looking at her and tugging on one earlobe, the way he did when he was distracted. He started to say something further, then hesitated.
"What?" she asked softly, catching him by the arm and turning him to face her.
He met her eyes and she saw only the barest hint of his irises, the pupils wide and fathomless. They stared at each other for several heartbeats. When the Doctor finally broke the silence, his voice was the barest murmur above the wind and the rustle of leaves in the trees above them. "Can I," he began, and hesitated. She willed him to continue. "Can I come to you tonight?" His eyes searched hers.
"You've never asked before," she responded, a nervous laugh in her voice. "What's different?"
He reached out and touched her cheek, sliding his palm along her soft skin with exquisite care. "I am," he said with a gentle intensity.
Rose shuddered in response and then felt him withdraw. Her hand flew up and caught his. "Wait," she said, not wanting him to misunderstand her reaction. "That's not what I -- Yes, you can." She turned and pressed a quick kiss to his palm. His eyes flickered closed for a moment and when they reopened, Rose saw them dilate and flare with reflected light from the stars. She released his hand and he let it drop to his side.
"Later," he said. "I'll be there later."
Rose's heart was in her throat and she wanted to throw her arms around him, but resisted the urge. She stepped back, turning to walk down the path to her cottage. After a few steps, she half turned to face him. He was standing in the same position, watching her go with an intense expression.
"Hurry," she said, and fled into the night.
She found her attention wandering away from the Pevensie children several times during the day, and eventually folded the book closed and let her head bang against the top of the table. She was well and truly in suspense, and on top of it all, hungry. Skipping lunch to wander and talk to the Doctor had been necessary, but the consequences were catching up with her. She thought somewhat longingly of chips, turned her mind away from temptation, and picked up her book again.
The bells tolled in the distance, calling the brothers to their prayers, and Rose wondered where the Doctor was. That's it, she thought with frustration, and stood up. She carried the book back to the cottage, checking for any signs of the Doctor's return, and then headed off toward the main clearing. At least there would be the evening meal shortly.
When she arrived, the Doctor was sitting alone on a bench in front of the dormitory, legs spread, arms crossed in front of his chest, lost in thought. He looked up as she approached warily.
"Hello," he said, his normal enthusiasm somewhat muted.
Rose studied his face as she sat down next to him. "Hello yourself," she offered. She did not ask if he had seen Jacob. She did not want to think that he had been sitting in front of the dormitory all afternoon.
"Jacob went to the evening prayers," said the Doctor, responding to her unasked question. "He felt a bit stronger."
"That's good." She suppressed the other questions. Did you tell him? What did he say?
"You want to know if we talked," said the Doctor with a trace of weariness in his voice. Rose nodded guardedly. "Yes, we did. He said much the same things that you did."
I told you so, she did not respond. "I thought he would."
The barest hint of a smile crossed the Doctor's face. "Don't sound so smug. It's not flattering."
"Don't be so stubborn, then." At that, he did laugh, genuinely, and Rose felt relief wash over her. He reached over and took her hand, twining his fingers through hers. Rose rubbed his thumb with hers in response. They sat in silence for some time, hearing the faint voices blown on the wind to them from the church, where the monks gathered for their evening prayers. Rose thought fleetingly of the peace she had felt, had almost shared, in the earlier service. She was glad Jacob was once again with his brothers in this ritual.
When the dark figures filed out of the church and moved toward the dining hall, Rose searched their number for Jacob's slight form. She stood and tugged the Doctor along with her, finding Jacob easily. Two brothers flanked him, offering support with their arms. Jacob's face was serene, the lines etched in his face relaxed and softened. When he saw them, he smiled broadly and gestured. The Doctor and Rose easily took the place of the two monks. Jacob walked unevenly but determinedly alongside them toward the dining hall.
"How are you feeling?" asked Rose.
"Much better," said Jacob, his musical voice stronger than when she had spoken with him earlier. "I think I would like to eat, then rest again. Perhaps tomorrow I will be stronger."
They ate in silence, as Rose had become accustomed to. She studied Jacob covertly throughout the meal, watching him tuck into his food with seemingly good appetite. His color was stronger and he seemed more animated. Perhaps the worst is past, she thought with some relief.
After the meal, they walked again with Jacob across the clearing. He leaned on the Doctor more than Rose, but his conversation was directed primarily at her, asking what she had done during the day. When she mentioned her reading, he beamed with delight. "A lovely story," he said with approval. "Children with adventures that led them to know God in all his forms." He gave a sidelong look at the Doctor. "Magical transportation into a world beyond belief."
"Sounds far-fetched," chuckled the Doctor.
When they reached the dormitory, Jacob paused and turned back into the clearing, the wind ruffling his beard. The sun had set while they ate, and the stars shone, bathing the world with a cool, blue light. He touched Rose's face, then took her hands in his and gave her a searching look. She looked back, not sure what he sought in her, but he seemed to be pleased with what he found.
He nodded twice to himself and turned to the Doctor, still holding Rose's hands in his weathered grip. "You will listen to her, my old friend, yes?" The Doctor's eyes flicked across to Rose and she saw a seriousness there that she wasn't sure she understood either.
"I will," said the Doctor quietly, his words carrying the weight of a vow.
Jacob released her hands and leaned on the Doctor. "Rose, if you excuse me, I should get some rest. Doctor, will you see me inside?"
Rose wandered back and forth, watching the other monks move around the clearing. She knew by now that there was one more set of prayers for the day, and then they would retire for the evening, only to wake in the earliest morning and begin the cycle again. There was a beautiful symmetry to their schedule, the sameness of the days blending one into another into another even for her, an outsider, a bystander. She felt the profound disconnection from the world here even in her limited participation in the community.
The Doctor emerged from the dormitory after perhaps a quarter of an hour and stood by her side. The bells began to toll gently behind them to call the monks to their final prayers of the day.
"Is he better?" she asked.
"Yes," said the Doctor to her immense relief. "He is coughing less, and his breathing is not strained."
"His color is better," offered Rose. "That means his circulation is better?"
The Doctor nodded in approval at her understanding. "He's too stubborn to let me examine him properly but yes, I would say so." Rose suppressed a smile at his calling someone else stubborn, and if he realized he'd used the same word to describe Jacob that she had used to describe him earlier, he made no sign. "You'd better get back to the cottage," he said.
Rose tried not to feel disappointed. "Library again?" she asked, trying to put some lightness in her voice.
"For a while," he responded, studiously not looking at her and tugging on one earlobe, the way he did when he was distracted. He started to say something further, then hesitated.
"What?" she asked softly, catching him by the arm and turning him to face her.
He met her eyes and she saw only the barest hint of his irises, the pupils wide and fathomless. They stared at each other for several heartbeats. When the Doctor finally broke the silence, his voice was the barest murmur above the wind and the rustle of leaves in the trees above them. "Can I," he began, and hesitated. She willed him to continue. "Can I come to you tonight?" His eyes searched hers.
"You've never asked before," she responded, a nervous laugh in her voice. "What's different?"
He reached out and touched her cheek, sliding his palm along her soft skin with exquisite care. "I am," he said with a gentle intensity.
Rose shuddered in response and then felt him withdraw. Her hand flew up and caught his. "Wait," she said, not wanting him to misunderstand her reaction. "That's not what I -- Yes, you can." She turned and pressed a quick kiss to his palm. His eyes flickered closed for a moment and when they reopened, Rose saw them dilate and flare with reflected light from the stars. She released his hand and he let it drop to his side.
"Later," he said. "I'll be there later."
Rose's heart was in her throat and she wanted to throw her arms around him, but resisted the urge. She stepped back, turning to walk down the path to her cottage. After a few steps, she half turned to face him. He was standing in the same position, watching her go with an intense expression.
"Hurry," she said, and fled into the night.
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dayweek and this really cheered me up. It's so sweet and serene but it's got such an underlying tension. I love it.Looking forward to the next update!
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Hope the week is past the bad stuff ... and I'm glad to have helped.
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I was trying to think of just the right word to describe this fic...and I think it has to be mellifluous. The whole thing just weaves together like phrases in a beautiful song. Each individual character has his own lovely melody, and they harmonize to make deliciously sonorous phrasing. It's just gorgeous.
Wow that sounds really trite and cliche as I write it, but I hope you get my meaning. It's beautiful, honestly.
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Wonderful chapter! You've got me quivering with anticipation for the next one!
Now if I can get over my uncertainties about my own story!
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And... wow. Another amazing chapter. So vivid. You don't bog things down in endless exposition, but you really grab the details that make the place real -- the wind, the leaves, the moonlight. You evoke atmosphere like nobody's business, and it was (once again) perfect for the scene. Rose isn't the only one whose pulse is racing with suspense and anticipation. Not by a long shot ;).
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I've been preoccupied with working through the next chapter in my head all day, which while entertaining is NOT conducive to getting any "real" work done. Ah, bah. Who needs work when you have romantic tension?
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And love the new icon. Tee hee hee.
Summary?
Bit New-Agey perhaps, but you can cut and paste at your discretion.
Re: Summary?
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That's what you left me dangling on.
Tenterhooks.
that's good.
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She did not want to think that he had been sitting in front of the dormitory all afternoon.
Such an awful thing to speculate about. I can just imagine it.
"I will," said the Doctor quietly, his words carrying the weight of a vow.
Quite a beautiful way to express that.
Also, I've just got to ask -- did somebody really comment about the moon reference being inconsistent with previous night, since you removed it? I went back and forth about whether I was the most anal-retentive person in anal-retentiveland to have had it occur to me (since the sky was moonless the previous night after dinner, there couldn't be a moon this night -- the moon rises about fifty minutes later each night. Assuming, of course, that they are on Earth, but I didn't want to go too far in trying to figure out how it might work with a moon in a retrograde orbit around another planet; by and large, this seems to be Earth). I think a moonless sky in the middle of nowhere, the stars brilliant, is more beautiful than moonlight anyway, so I can see why you jumped that way upon having to make a decision, but I'm honestly surprised that it came up. :)
The ending scene remains exquisite, possibly my favorite part of the whole fic. The Doctor's hesitation, the palpable tension between them, the wind and the stars -- it's just insanely beautiful.
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I love the moon. I live on the coast, so the tides are part of my life. I even have a little tide table and moon chart on my handheld. (Does that tell you how big of a geek I am?)