The Slow Path

1727 - Seven years old

Reinette puzzled about the fireplace man's appearance long into the night, and by morning, she was dying of curiosity.

By breakfast, she'd finally decided to ask. "Maman," Reinette chose her words carefully, "Could there be a man in a fireplace?"

Madeleine raised an eyebrow at her daughter. "Of course not Reinette," she said, "Don't be silly."

"But Maman," Reinette protested, "There was a man in my fireplace last night! Two of them!"

"Don't tell stories Reinette," her mother said, "Queens don't say such things. It was only a dream, I'm sure."

"But Maman-"

"Jeanne Antoinette Poisson," said her mother sternly, "I don't want to hear any more of this. No buts."

Reinette bowed her head, "Yes, Maman."

1727 - Eight years old

Over the months, Reinette had finally managed to convince herself the fireplace man had only been a dream. An odd dream, to be sure, but not a bad one. Then he'd shown up in her bedroom, on her birthday, smiling and saying it had only been a moment, before getting rid of that frightening clock monster.

That morning at breakfast, Reinette made up her mind. "Maman," she asked, "Is there a fireplace inspector here?"

"A fireplace inspector? Is this more of your nonsense Reinette?" Her mother glanced towards Reinette, "I thought you were over this phase!"

"Maman, he was there again, the fireplace man!" Reinette exclaimed, "He came into my room."

Madeleine turned her head sharply to look at Reinette. "There was no man in your room Reinette, it's not possible."

"Maman, he was there!"

"It was only a dream." Her mother barked, "You'll never be a queen with such odd ideas."

"But Maman," Reinette protested, "He got rid of the clock monster!"

"Clock monster? Don't be foolish." Her mother turned back to her meal, signalling the end of conversation.

"But Maman, the clock is broken." Reinette whispered.

"Then we'll have it fixed." Her mother said sharply, "And that," she raised a warning eyebrow at Reinette, "Is the last I'll be hearing this, isn't it?"

Reinette bowed her head. "Yes Maman."

.

The clock was never fixed. Reinette shouldn't have been glad about it, but she was. Perhaps because then she could be sure the clock monster wasn't back, but more likely because it helped her keep the fireplace man in her mind.

1740 - Eighteen years old

"Oh there you are Reinette!" Her mother exclaimed as Reinette hurried towards the carriage, "You'll never be a queen if you keep being late." Madeleine pulled a fan from her bag and clicked it out with a flourish, fluttering it daintily at her face.

"Sorry Mother," Reinette ducked her head as she was handed in, "I, I was just thinking."

"Thinking?" her mother raised an eyebrow, her fan beating the air steadily, "Whatever could be so important that you had to be late?"

Reinette smiled a moment, "Do you remember, Maman," she began, "The fireplace man?"

"That silly dream of yours?" Madeleine said, "That was what you were thinking of."

"I'd have sworn he was there again." Reinette said.

"Don't be silly," her mother snapped, "That's entirely beyond reason. Smarten up."

"You should never listen to reason." Reinette whispered, staring longingly out the window.

"What was that?" her mother demanded.

"Nothing, Maman."

"Good."

The remainder of the carriage ride was spent in silence.

1744 - Twenty two years old

She was certain she'd seen him for a moment that day while she was out walking with Catherine, but she'd had more important things on her mind, namely the king, and so his appearance had passed out of her mind without much consequence.

That night at supper, however, his presence rose once more to the forefront of her mind. Why had he been there, or had he even been there at all?

"Reinette?" her mother's voice broke through her thoughts, "Reinette! Your husband asked you a question."

Reinette glanced up sharply from her soup. "Sorry," she said quickly, "I was just thinking."

"What of, my dear?" Charles enquired.

"Imaginary friends," Reinette said softly, "It's funny, I'm certain I had one when I was Fanfan's age."

"No, no," Madeleine said loudly, "You were at least seven. Alexandrine has at least four more years before she starts thinking of that nonsense." Madeleine smiled charmingly and leaned closer to Charles. "When Reinette was seven, she was convinced there was man in her fireplace," she said in a fanciful tone, "He used to come at scare away the clock monsters." Her mother turned back to her. "Isn't that right Reinette?"

Reinette smiled. "Yes," she said wistfully, "I was ever so fond of him."

1745 - Twenty three years old

It ought to have been the most important night of her life, and perhaps it was, though not for the reason her ambitious mother had hoped. The king, while wonderfully important and easily infatuated, was nothing to her fireplace man, the Doctor.

The carriage ride home was long with his memories clouding her mind and a jealous husband glaring at her. Charles sat in contemptuous silence for most of the ride, before finally breaking the silence.

"That was a lot of dances, my dear." He said.

"He is the king, Charles," Reinette said, her eyes focused on the window, "He is not to be refused."

"No," Charles rolled his eyes, "Of course not. But what of that odd man with the striped clothes? You danced with him plenty too. Who was he?"

"An old friend." She told him.

"But who is he?" her husband continued to pry, "What's his name?"

"He is the Doctor." Reinette said shortly, "I've known him since I was seven." She glared over at her husband. "Let it rest, Charles, or you'll put me off my night."

1754 - Thirty two years old

When little Alexandrine, petite Fanfan died, Reinette wished for the doctor more than ever. It was unfair, she thought, that she should have these demons without her angel. Two weeks later, the Rose girl comes through the tapestry.

.

Reinette returned after venturing through the wall-hanging and onto the mysterious vessel to find the court in a state of panic. She'd been missing for two days, they said. Where had she been, they wanted to know. She'd always been clever though, so she said she couldn't remember – that the last thing she remembered was from before she went missing.

They pass it off as grief for her daughter and the court returns to everyday life. Reinette, despite the court physician's recommendation of bed rest, carries on as well. She has five years to live, five years to love without worry.

(Five years before she can see her beloved doctor again, her lonely angel who is worth the world of monsters.)

1576 - Thirty four years old

As Reinette sat for the portrait under the adoring eyes of the king, she that perhaps the life she had made for herself wasn't so bad after all. It was nothing to adventures amongst the stars, mind, but dripping in diamonds wasn't a bad way to live.

1759 - Thirty seven years old

She picked her star, the dead center of Cygnus, the swan constellation, but where her Doctor was lucky, she was not. She waited a fortnight, bags packed, barely leaving her room in hopes that he'd be there, while the court passed it off as trauma.

She unpacked, eventually, and reintegrated herself into court life, with more vim and vigour than ever, but a part of her heart always hoped for her lonely angel in that funny little striped suit.

1964 - Forty two years old

In March, Reinette began to feel weakness seeping into her bones and so she penned a letter to her beloved doctor.

She sealed it and trusted it to the only other man she ever loved, her king, and spent her final days staring out her window, her air wistfully sad.

On the fifteenth of April, her heart beat its last and she slipped away from life.

The rain beat down, the people wept and her lonely angel flew away to see the stars for her.

.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who, although whether it owns me is up for debate.

A/N: Thanks for reading this! This is my first foray into Doctor Who fanfiction, but I hope to continue in this path.

I'm rather fond of Reinette, and although it may just be because some of my friends hate her, I think it's more likely because I'm terribly fond of historical figures. Also, I can sympathize with her – who wouldn't fall in love with the Doctor? Besides, she helps get Rose's priorities straight after letting Mickey third wheel along.

(The next several paragraphs will be interesting to those of you who, like me, enjoy history. Chances are the rest of you will be bored out of your skulls so feel free to skip this next bit.)

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson was born on December 29th, 1721, which just so happened to make this story kind of difficult. It meant a lot of calculations, but I'm relatively certain that the dates correctly correspond with the years.

Steven Moffat took some creative licence when writing this episode, as Reinette (meaning 'little queen') didn't get her nickname till she was nine, when a gypsy read her future and said she would one day have the heart of a king (or so the story goes). Also, Reinette was only forty-two when she died, not forty-three as we are informed in the episode. Of course, Reinette technically stopped being the king's mistress in 1750, though they remained friends, but Doctor Who is allowed to take liberties. Thus, I've stuck to the Doctor Who canon in terms of her nickname and the length of time she was the king's mistress, although you'll note I say she died at forty-two.

A little historical background for you though: Madeleine de la Motte, or Madeleine as I refer to her, was Reinette's mother. Francoise Poisson, her father, was banished when Reinette was only three. Charles, or Charles-Guillaume Le Normant d'Étoilles, was married to Reinette in 1931. From that marriage, she had two children, the first of which, a boy, died after a year. Alexandrine Jeanne was her second child, and was fondly known as Fanfan, until she died at the age of nine.

Fitting these people in in a realistic manner was difficult. For example, the scene when Reinette is talking to her friend outside while the Doctor looks on has to take place in late August, just after the birth of her daughter. Reinette must either have had an excellent corset or been very good at losing baby weight.

Also, with the part about her having been missing for two days, I thought it made sense because time clearly passed very differently on the space ship (a bit like Narnia).

In the episode itself, Reinette calls her mother "Mother." I have her referring to her mother as "Maman," which is French. My rational for this is I figure Reinette would have used the less formal "Maman" to her mother's face. Of course, I'm not an expert on early 18th century court etiquette.

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