𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒔 ☆ The Glorious Series ｟ BOOK 1 ｠

The Beast Below [Part 3 - FINAL]

Liz 10's opulent bedroom...

The Doctor was walking carefully through the maze of glasses on the floor of Liz's room. "Why all the glasses?" Liz 10 was on her bed.

"To remind me every single day that my government is up to something, and it's my duty to find out what." The Doctor then picked up Liz's mask.

"A queen going undercover to investigate her own kingdom?"

"Secrets are being kept from me. I don't have a choice. Ten years I've been at this - my entire reign - and you've achieved more in one afternoon." The Doctor was pacing now.

"How old were you when you came to the throne?"

"40. Why?"

Amy was fixing Lexi's hair. "What? You're 50 now? No way!" They joined Mandy on the chaise at the foot of the bed.

"Yeah, they slowed my body clock. Keeps me looking like the stamps." The Doctor sat down on the bed still holding the mask.

"And you always wear this in public?"

"Undercover's not easy when you're me. The autographs, the bunting."

"Air-balanced porcelain. Stays on by itself, cos it's perfectly sculpted to your face."

"Yeah. So what?"

"Oh, Liz. So everything."

All of a sudden, the door opened and four hooded men entered. One was the same from the marketplace. Liz was outraged.

"What are you doing?! How dare you come in here?!"

"Ma'am, you have expressed interest in the interior workings of Starship UK. You will come with us now."

"Why would I do that?" Liz asked as the hooded man's head spinned around to show the face of an angry Smiler. "How can they be Smilers?"

"Half Smiler, half human." The Doctor said in realization. Liz 10 stared at its face.

"Whatever you creatures are, I am still your queen. On whose authority is this done?"

"The highest authority, Ma'am."

"I AM the highest authority."

"Yes ma'am. You must go now, Ma'am."

"Where?"

"The tower, Ma'am."

Medival room...

The group was escorted to a large stone room containing high-tech machines. There was a grating through which Lexi could see more of the creatures.

"Doctor, where are we?" Lexi asked looking up and seeing that there were children in this prison like place.

"The lowest point of Starship UK." The spun his arms out. "The dungeon."

A grey haired man appeared. "Ma'am."

"Hawthorne! So this is where you hid yourself away. I think you've got some explaining to do." The Doctor walked up to Hawthorne.

"There's children down here. What's all that about?"

"Protesters and citizens of limited value are fed to the beast. For some reason, it won't eat the children. You're the first adults it's spared. You're very lucky." Lexi walked up to Hawthorne. The Doctor looked at her curiously.

"Yeah, look at us. Torture chamber of the Tower of London. Lucky, lucky, lucky. Except it's not a torture chamber, is it?" Lexi said waving a hand around. The Doctor smiled at that and then looked around examining the equipment.