Doctor Who: The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner

Author:Jacqueline Rayner
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science-Fiction:Doctor Who
ISBN: 9780563486435
Publisher: BBC Books
Published: 2006-06-14T08:32:23.710480+00:00

* * *

They jogged along the street, trying to get as quickly as possible to the shrine of Fortuna, where the Doctor had been given the cure for Rose – and had heard the mysterious voice. They couldn’t go as fast as he would have liked, for fear of attracting too much attention, but they made it at last, pushing their way through a crowd of schoolboys who were enjoying the holiday. The Doctor, realising he was still carrying a sword, handed it to a surprised youth, with instructions not to hurt anybody.

Finally they made it. The Doctor entered the temple at a run, shocking a young man who was preparing to present an offering.

‘Hello?’ the Doctor called, ignoring the man’s presence. ‘Anybody there?’

He went right up to the statue of ‘Fortuna, standing in its alcove at the back. He peered behind it, but there was no one there. Whoever it had been, had he really expected them to hang around for a whole day?

‘Hello?’ he tried again, but with less conviction.

He turned away. One thing had gone – please let the other still be there. He retraced his steps from the day before. This was where he was standing when the armed men had grabbed him. This was where he’d been hit. This was where he’d dropped the phial…

There was no phial there. He dropped to his hands and knees, searching frantically.

‘What is the matter, Doctor?’ asked Gracilis, concerned.

‘Someone – I mean, Fortuna gave me something she said would bring Rose back,’ said the Doctor. ‘And Optatus too.’

Gracilis’s eyes shone. ‘Do you mean this?’ he asked, producing a glass phial of sparkling green liquid. ‘Will this return my son to me?’

The Doctor jumped up, his face joyous. ‘That’s it!’ he cried. ‘Oh, thank you thank you thank you!’ He took the phial and kissed it, and only just stopped himself from kissing Gracilis too.

‘I found it on the floor here after your capture,’ Gracilis explained, ‘and I wondered if it might be something important.’

‘I think it just might be,’ said the Doctor. ‘I mean, would Fortuna lie to me?’

He thought for a second, considering this seriously. It wasn’t as if the circumstances were unsuspicious. But he had a definite feeling he could trust the strange voice. In fact, it had almost sounded familiar…

‘Come on. First thing is to find a statue by Ursus.’

‘Why?’ asked Gracilis. ‘If this potion can return my son to me…’

The Doctor wrinkled his nose. ‘Just trust me,’ he said. ‘We’re getting there. But we do need to find a statue first.’

The young man with the offering had been watching all of this in some bemusement and with perhaps not a little concern. Suddenly he cleared his throat.

‘You are looking for a statue by the sculptor Ursus?’ he asked nervously.

The Doctor spun round to face him. ‘Too right we are. You know of one?’

The man nodded. ‘I believe a new statue by Ursus is being unveiled in the forum today.’

The Doctor grinned. ‘Yes! Gracilis, my old mate, it looks as if everything is coming up roses – no pun intended.

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