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master and mistress while Ambril stood watching events in utter amazement.
Lon struggled to his feet. 'Well, don't just stand there, man, after them.'
'Me, my Lord?' said Ambril dubiously. 'Yes, you. And take that fool with you.'
He nodded towards the second bodyguard. 'Leave the chest with me.'
'Very well, my Lord.' Reluctantly putting down the chest Ambril set off after
the Doctor and the others, followed by the bodyguard.
Lon turned to the other bodyguard, who was lumbering to his feet. 'You - go
with them. Off you go!'
Trying to straighten his armour and his face-mask, the bodyguard obeyed.
Lady Tanha was still sprawled out on the floor, though even in this position
she managed to look dignified. 'Lon, will you please help me?'
Lon helped his mother to rise.
She brushed at her dress. 'Oughtn't we to call out the palace guards - or
something?'
Lon went over to the chest. 'It doesn't matter. What can they do now? I have
the Great Crystal!'
Exultantly, he took the crystal out of the box.
It wasn't particularly spectacular to look at, just a large dull stone, about
the size of an orange.
Lon held it up exultantly. 'Now everything is prepared!'
The Doctor and his two friends headed for the crowded market area, busier than
ever now with the preparation for the coming ceremony. They hid for a moment
behind a stall, as a pursuing bodyguard went by.
As they hurried on their way Chela gasped. 'Where are we going, Doctor?'
'To find Tegan. She won't be far away, not with the ceremony so close.'
'We don't even know if she's still alive,' said Nyssa.
'Tegan won't die,' said the Doctor confidently. 'Not while the Mara still
needs her. Not till the Mara inside her is free.'
'If Lon has been infected by the Mara, why hasn't he changed completely?'
'Same reason as with Tegan. He's got a very strong personality of his own, and
there's still quite a lot of it left.'
'But he is - influenced?' asked Chela.
The Doctor nodded grimly. 'Very much so. Come on. We must find Tegan before
it's too late.'
In the secret chamber, in the dim yellow light of the paper lanterns, the Mara
had begun its Becoming. Eyes wide, face streaming with sweat, Dugdale stood
watching as the great snake coiled about Tegan's arm.
Tegan, or rather the Mara, delighted in his terror. Fear was meat and drink to
the Mara. 'Puzzling, isn't it Showman? How can it be happening? Can you
believe your eyes? You have no choice! Dream on, Showman. I shall soon be
triumphant.'
The snake coiled about Tegan's arm grew slowly larger.
Ambril staggered wearily back into his room, to find Lon still caressing the
Great Crystal.
'Well?'
'No sign, my Lord. They seem to have got away.'
Lon received the news without particular interest. 'Do they?'
'I have issued the necessary instructions. A search is being organised.'
Lon stared into the Great Crystal. 'It doesn't matter. What can they do now?'
'As you say, my Lord.'
Lon nodded dismissively, but Ambril stood his ground.
Lon looked at him in mild surprise. 'Well?'
'I would only wish to remind you, my Lord . . . our-arrangement. . .'
Lon glanced quickly at Lady Tanha. 'Yes, yes. I have not forgotten.'
'You promised - immediately after the ceremony, my Lord.'
'Go away,' snarled Lon.
Ambril recoiled, bowed, and hurried from the room.
Lady Tanha turned from the window, 'Lon, what is this arrangement? What did
you promise him?'
'Nothing Mother. It really doesn't matter.'
'I know you, you're planning something. Is it to be a surprise?'
Lon smiled. 'Yes, Mother. A surprise.' He pushed back the chair and Tanha's
eyes followed the movement.
Suddenly she leaned forward. 'Lon - what's wrong with your arm?'
The Doctor and his companions were resting in an abandoned archway behind the
lines of market stalls. It was a quiet, gloomy place, and they welcomed the
chance to get their breath back.
The Doctor peered out at the excited throng. The whole area was boiling with
the excitement of the coming ceremony.
'It's all right,' gasped Chela. 'I think we've shaken them off?
Suddenly a red-cloaked cat-faced apparition leaped at them out of the shadows,
and they jumped back in
alarm. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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master and mistress while Ambril stood watching events in utter amazement.
Lon struggled to his feet. 'Well, don't just stand there, man, after them.'
'Me, my Lord?' said Ambril dubiously. 'Yes, you. And take that fool with you.'
He nodded towards the second bodyguard. 'Leave the chest with me.'
'Very well, my Lord.' Reluctantly putting down the chest Ambril set off after
the Doctor and the others, followed by the bodyguard.
Lon turned to the other bodyguard, who was lumbering to his feet. 'You - go
with them. Off you go!'
Trying to straighten his armour and his face-mask, the bodyguard obeyed.
Lady Tanha was still sprawled out on the floor, though even in this position
she managed to look dignified. 'Lon, will you please help me?'
Lon helped his mother to rise.
She brushed at her dress. 'Oughtn't we to call out the palace guards - or
something?'
Lon went over to the chest. 'It doesn't matter. What can they do now? I have
the Great Crystal!'
Exultantly, he took the crystal out of the box.
It wasn't particularly spectacular to look at, just a large dull stone, about
the size of an orange.
Lon held it up exultantly. 'Now everything is prepared!'
The Doctor and his two friends headed for the crowded market area, busier than
ever now with the preparation for the coming ceremony. They hid for a moment
behind a stall, as a pursuing bodyguard went by.
As they hurried on their way Chela gasped. 'Where are we going, Doctor?'
'To find Tegan. She won't be far away, not with the ceremony so close.'
'We don't even know if she's still alive,' said Nyssa.
'Tegan won't die,' said the Doctor confidently. 'Not while the Mara still
needs her. Not till the Mara inside her is free.'
'If Lon has been infected by the Mara, why hasn't he changed completely?'
'Same reason as with Tegan. He's got a very strong personality of his own, and
there's still quite a lot of it left.'
'But he is - influenced?' asked Chela.
The Doctor nodded grimly. 'Very much so. Come on. We must find Tegan before
it's too late.'
In the secret chamber, in the dim yellow light of the paper lanterns, the Mara
had begun its Becoming. Eyes wide, face streaming with sweat, Dugdale stood
watching as the great snake coiled about Tegan's arm.
Tegan, or rather the Mara, delighted in his terror. Fear was meat and drink to
the Mara. 'Puzzling, isn't it Showman? How can it be happening? Can you
believe your eyes? You have no choice! Dream on, Showman. I shall soon be
triumphant.'
The snake coiled about Tegan's arm grew slowly larger.
Ambril staggered wearily back into his room, to find Lon still caressing the
Great Crystal.
'Well?'
'No sign, my Lord. They seem to have got away.'
Lon received the news without particular interest. 'Do they?'
'I have issued the necessary instructions. A search is being organised.'
Lon stared into the Great Crystal. 'It doesn't matter. What can they do now?'
'As you say, my Lord.'
Lon nodded dismissively, but Ambril stood his ground.
Lon looked at him in mild surprise. 'Well?'
'I would only wish to remind you, my Lord . . . our-arrangement. . .'
Lon glanced quickly at Lady Tanha. 'Yes, yes. I have not forgotten.'
'You promised - immediately after the ceremony, my Lord.'
'Go away,' snarled Lon.
Ambril recoiled, bowed, and hurried from the room.
Lady Tanha turned from the window, 'Lon, what is this arrangement? What did
you promise him?'
'Nothing Mother. It really doesn't matter.'
'I know you, you're planning something. Is it to be a surprise?'
Lon smiled. 'Yes, Mother. A surprise.' He pushed back the chair and Tanha's
eyes followed the movement.
Suddenly she leaned forward. 'Lon - what's wrong with your arm?'
The Doctor and his companions were resting in an abandoned archway behind the
lines of market stalls. It was a quiet, gloomy place, and they welcomed the
chance to get their breath back.
The Doctor peered out at the excited throng. The whole area was boiling with
the excitement of the coming ceremony.
'It's all right,' gasped Chela. 'I think we've shaken them off?
Suddenly a red-cloaked cat-faced apparition leaped at them out of the shadows,
and they jumped back in
alarm. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]