Disclaimer: I don’t own Doctor Who or anything to do with it, it belongs to the BBC.

Note: Inspired by the Nightwish song, Sahara. And the piece of music entitled Danse Macabre.

Summary: The Doctor, Sarah and Harry land on a planet named Pacis. But when they meet the King, Sarah discovers that the Doctor had taken a copy of his body once he regenerated. At the same time, someone is trying to assassinate the King. In order for his majesty to be safe, he and the Doctor switch places.

Danse Macabre

Chapter One

The Rebel King

It was time for his royal majesty, King Celesto, to choose his Queen before the Winter Solstice. It was tradition that every King was to marry a Queen, no matter what they look like or what background they have. But for the Celesto, that was about to change. He didn’t want some random woman to step into his life without knowing about her or what her family is like, he rather know the lady first.

Celesto was a wise, a bit of an eccentric (as some would call him, but never to his face) and careful King of Pacis, on like his predecessors – they cared more about their women and wines more than they do of their own people. Once Celesto has found a suitable Queen, even if it means waiting after the Winter Solstice, rules are about to change.

Jeremiah, the King’s servant, knocked on his wooden door. Calling out his King’s name in a noble and respective tone, Celesto answered to him with hesitation. He ordered his servant to come in. Jeremiah did so and opened the door. He had found his master sprawled out on the double bed, a pillow covering his head and snoring soundlessly. The King squirmed a bit before snoozing again.

Jeremiah pulled back the large curtains from his room. The shining, burning sun lightened up his darkened room. He heard the King moan and watched as he buried his head further into the second pillow.

“It’s time to awake, your majesty.” Jeremiah said as he walked over to Celesto’s wardrobe, opening it and then pulling out a suitable garment. “The Winter Solstice is drawing nearer.”

“Oh... don’t remind me.” The King moaned from under his pillow. He did not want to be kept reminded of the dreadful day.

“Your majesty is not feeling well?” Jeremiah wondered. His servants and maidens have always taken great care of their Kings, making sure that they are strong and well enough to carry on with the day.

“Your majesty just wants his sleep – now you may leave me.” Celesto ordered.

It was unheard of for a member of the royal family to get up, get washed and dressed on their own – it was considered inappropriate behaviour and dishonourable. His servants and maids were left to it for him. Celesto wondered if these people ever heard of the word ‘privacy’. As soon as he heard Jeremiah leave his chamber, the King lazily removed his body out from the bed and then standing on his feet.

His first view was from outside of the large window. Snow was falling heavily; the Winter Solstice was biting the back of his mind. What a tragedy it was for him to take the throne after his father. If only he could live like the people outside the palace. Life wouldn’t be so strict or so emotionally suffocating; he would have had rules of his own. He would have had all the freedom he desired.

It was awfully lonely and time consuming when one is crowned. His father, and his father before him, and his father before him had no troubles with dealing loneliness. For Celesto, loneliness was his companion. There was no one he knew in the palace that understood all the grief he was going through. Such blind fools the royal people are. Well, at least there was someone he once knew that understood.

The Doctor, a Time Lord from the ancient and powerful planet, Gallifrey. He wouldn’t mind visiting Gallifrey. But the Doctor did say that they were a pompous lot, not too keen on having outsiders step on their ground. Even though he decided to scrap the idea, but it would have been lovely. Instead of being cooped up in one space.

Celesto sighed. He stood away from the frosted window and went about getting dressed – secretly. He picked up the clothes that he wanted to wear, not what his servant demanded in to wear. He secretly wanted to get a bath without any of the others knowing about it. Quietly, he smuggled out with his clothing and boots. Looking around the corners, making sure no one was in sight, he sneaked down into the bathing room area.

Celesto smirked once his short mission was accomplished. Finally he could have a bath without anyone trying to look or rub down his private area all the time – how embarrassing and degrading it was for him. I mean, for goodness sake, the man was forty years old and he was quite capable of washing and drying himself, thank you very much.

He placed his boots and clothes down on a clean down, in a neat pile, leaving the boot son the floor. The King turned on the silver coloured taps, mixing the hot and cold water together. He picked up a small dark green bottle from rack and placed it on the edge of the large tub. A thick steam started to rise from the clean water. Celesto started to undress himself, dropping his clothes into a heap behind him.

The King carefully dipped his left leg in first. The water was the exact way he wanted it to be, instead of getting a cold one every morning. He placed his back against the edge of the tub, snuggling himself deep under water and then shutting his eyes tight. Celesto liked this bit of freedom – it made him feel like a King, not just of the world outside, but of his own.

“Finally,” he said in relief, “a bit of peace and quiet for once.” He stretched out his arms and then picking out the green bottle. He read the label, smiled and poured the whole lot into the tub.

Celesto closed his eyes again, relaxing his body and mind. He did not think of himself as a King in his imagination, he found himself an everyday normal person. His thoughts were shattered as heard someone clearing their throats. He opened his eyes slowly, finding two men and two women standing at the edge of his tub. One of the maids was holding a scarlet bathrobe; the other was holding drying towels.

“I am going to scream.” He said simply.

“If I may say so, your majesty, but why are you cleaning yourself?” A young maid asked.

“Because I want to, that’s why.” Celesto replied.

The maid chuckled. “Your majesty is very amusing – but since we are we, we shall clean for you.”

Celesto backed away a little. “I’m sure I can get washed, dried and get dressed on my own, if you don’t mind.” While saying this, he placed both his hands over between his legs. “Now remove yourself from my presence, and that is a strict order.”

“But sir, that’ll be very rude of me not to wash your sacred body.”

“I’m sure that my body will excuse you for one day.” Celesto said quickly. Then he noticed the panic in her eyes. “And don’t worry, you’ll not get in trouble – I’ll make sure of that.”

“But will it nod complicate his majesty, you know, getting dressed.” The other maid said.

Celesto raised his eyebrow in shock. “I’m not an idiot, I’ll have you know, young lady.”

The maid did not want to argue with him any longer. “Very well, sir.”

Celesto nodded and watched as the four of them left his bathing room. He ran a hand through his mass of curly brown hair and then dropping it into the water. “A little freedom is all I ask.”

By the time he had finished getting washed; he quickly dried his body and then slipping into his clothing. A wine coloured shirt, a black satin waistcoat, a pair of black trousers and a pair of black leather army boots for the snow outside. His father and mother hated him wearing those boots, but he liked them and that’s what mattered.

He made his way back into his room (the maids insisted in picking up his other clothes). Celesto lifted the crown up from a silk cushion and then fixing it on his head. He was thankfully that they at least gave him the moment to do that.

Jeremiah waited for him outside his chamber. Celesto greeted him and he nodded his head. “Your breakfast is ready, you worship.”

“Thank you.” He smiled and walked nobly down the corridors.