belle, doctor who

five

The three of them enter a fancy villa as the city shakes from the volcano. They hear a man yell "Positions!" As they barge in on them.

"Whoa!" The Doctor says, holding up a piece of marble as it was about to fall. "There you go."

The man who Belle assumes is Caecilius, is thankful.

"Thank you, kind sir. I'm afraid business is closed for the day. I'm expecting a visitor."

"But that's me, I'm a visitor. Hello," the Doctor smiles at him.

"We are visitors," Belle interrupts.

"Who are you?"

"I am Spartacus," the Doctor says.

"Flavia. Flavia er... Clara. Flavia Clara."

"And so am I. I'm Spartacus," Donna interjects, giving Belle a look. The Doctor looks at her, impressed.

"Mister and Mrs Spartacus, and Miss... Clara?"

Belle nods.

"Oh no, no, no. We're not, we're not married," the Doctor explains. Donna shakes her head, embarrassed.

"We're not together."

"Oh, then brother and sister? Yes, of course. You look very much alike. What about you, Miss Clara? You with this Spartacus?" Caecilius points to the Doctor who looks at him with wide eyes. She shakes her head. Donna stands in shock with how Caecilius told them they looked alike.

"No, no," Belle laughs, blushing bright red. "Definitely not."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not open for trade," Caecilius goes back to the Doctor.

"And that trade would be?"

"Marble. Lopus Caecilius. Mining, polishing and design thereof. If you want marble, I'm your man," he says.

The Doctor nods. "That's good. That's good, because I'm the marble inspector."

He puts his psychic paper up. The man reads it. The Doctor starts walking around. Belle follows after him.

"By the gods of commerce, an inspection. I'm sorry, sir. I do apologize for my son."

The woman pours away the boy's goblet of wine.

"Oi," says the son. Belle tries not to laugh as she notices this interaction, though she looks around, trying to see where the TARDIS had been put.

"And this is my good wife, Metella. I must confess, we're not prepared for a..."

"Nothing to worry about. I'm, I'm sure you've nothing to hide. Although, frankly, that object looks rather like wood to me,"

The husband and wife bicker as the Doctor goes up to the TARDIS. Belle opens it with just one push. The Doctor curses at her.

"Inspection," Belle whispers, then closes the door behind her, leaving the Doctor alone. None of them notice that she has gone except for Donna when Evelina comes out to give a prophecy.

"I'm so sorry," Belle says as she comes out with different clothing that matched the style they wore. The Doctor rolls his eyes as she comes out. "I must've hit my head while I..."

"Did you really?" the Doctor glares at her. She nods.

"Yes! When I..."

Someone clears their throat. It's Donna, as Evelina is wanting to speak.

"You three come from very far away," the girl says. Belle is surprised at how pale the woman is.

"The female soothsayer is inclined to invent all sorts of vagaries."

"Oh, not this time, Lucius. No, I reckon you've been out-soothsayed," the Doctor says to him.

"Who are you?" Belle points to him. The Doctor leans down to tell her. She nods.

"And is that so, man from Gallifrey?" Lucius asks him. Everything has suddenly gone dark and intense.

"What?" the Doctor asks, flabbergasted.

"The strangest of images. Your home is lost in fire, is it not?"

"Doctor, what are they doing?"

"And you, daughter of London."

"How does he know that?" Donna asks, shocked.

"This is the gift of Pompeii. Every single oracle tells the truth."

"That's impossible!"

"Doctor, she is returning."

"Who is? Who's she?"

"And you, daughter of London. There is something on your back."

"What's that mean?" Donna asks as Lucius tells Belle something about her.

"And you, Beauty, have to make a decision that will change your life forever."

"What?" Belle asks, scared. She inches towards the Doctor even though she feels uncomfortable. She was starting to slowly trust him, but she kept denying it as she felt his arm wrap around hers.

"Even the word Doctor is false. Your real name is hidden. It burns in the stars, in the Cascade of Medusa herself. You are a Lord, sir. A Lord of Time. And you, the one you call yourself 'Belle,' have to dig deep to find the beauty within you. Find out what you are before the time is late."

Evelina faints. Belle starts to feel light-headed, her head swarming.

"Evelina!" she hears before she also faints. What did Evelina mean by 'dig deep to find the beauty?' and what did Lucius mean by making a decision before the time is late?

"Belle!"