For a split second The Doctor was sure what he had seen was Rose unconscious in her place next to him at the table, with the thick red fluid of the wine in her glass pooling around her head mimicking that of blood from a deep wound. Then in a split second she was asking him what was wrong to cause such a look of panic and the rush of pure adrenaline and fear that surged down their link with such force it nearly knocked her off her seat." Doctor what's wrong?" she whispered so as not to alarm the others. "I saw you……you, you were….." he stammered and she grabbed him hand tightly. "Were what Doctor? She asked "what did you see?"

"Blood……..you" She didn't need him to elaborate any further, from his mind she could see fairly accurately what he had witnessed with frightening clarity.

"Something's wrong here Rose, someone's playing with us." The Doctor warned.

"Best keep an eye on anything out of the ordinary then yea, well ordinary for here anyways. Did you find out anything from those old tomes in the library?" Rose asked before thanking the creatures who presented plate upon plate of delicious fruits, tender meats, fragrant vegetables and other assorted things to their table. Bob moved closer to the Doctor too, noticing the tension between the two of them and a feeling of something being slightly off, he interjected before they could continue.

"Something is not as it seems Doctor" Bob admitted while encouraging them to continue as normal to not draw any attention to them. "Whatever is happen we must not alert whoever or indeed whatever to our knowing." The Doctor and Rose nodded their agreement. "Rose I want you to make Donna and Martha aware without drawing attention to yourself or them." She signalled her understanding by filling her plate and moving to the opposite side of the table between the two women as the Doctor continued talking to Bob. "Oh god this food is fantastic, just what we needed after all that walking. I'm really glad that I didn't decide to wear those new shoes I bought." Rose laughed and Donna and Martha looked at each other slightly wary of what might have come over Rose enough to talk shoes. "Oh yea, good choice might have been a little uncomfortable." Martha added hesitantly and Donna nodded a little confused. "Yea, Rose continued, although I do really love their colour, there's nothing I love more than MAUVE." And with that last word the two women knew something was wrong. Rose never talked about shoes, but to talk of them in an especially universally dangerous colour such as Mauve they knew that they should now err on the side of caution. "Oh I agree," Donna added loudly. "Definitely, Martha continued oh my though I have to admit to partaking in a little too much plonk" Donna laughed nervously, "and I need to powder my nose……Bob would you be so kind as to direct us to the nearest bathroom facilities?" The Doctor eyed them warily, while Bob instructed them on how to get where they required. "We'll come too Donna so you don't get lost." Rose nodded at Martha. "Excellent, Donna declared feigning inebriation, please excuse us gentlemen, alas we must tinkle and such." The Doctor waved them off and turned back to Bob. "Be careful Rose, don't wander too far." She sent her silent agreement and the three set off for the nearest bathroom stumbling here and there for added effect." I need to see the Oracles now Bob, I don't know what it was I saw but I'm certain they can tell me." Bob nodded "Yes my friend you are correct, but first there are things that you must know, things that I could not tell you until now. And please do not be alarmed but know they are safe and they will return to you. "Where have you sent Rose." The Doctor snarled. "She is safe, along with Martha and Donna. It was not safe for them; come with me please here is not the place to discuss such things." He assured the Doctor as he led him away from the festivities to disappear into the shadows.

Donna, Martha and Rose arrived at the destination as instructed by Bob, finding themselves at a rather quaint and inviting looking old cottage nestled at the base of a giant flame tree. The small flames dancing from branch to branch and underneath grew a luscious collection of blooming roses, orchids and flowers of all shapes and colours. A small stone path wound its way to the veranda with more herbs and flowers in small hanging pots and a beautifully inscribed wooden front door. This opened invitingly upon their approach and Rose watched the butterflies and small birds playing in the air and bathing in the small pond before going inside. A plump rather human looking woman was bustling around the small kitchen they found inside, she turned to them and smiled, gesturing for them to sit at the table in front of the fireplace where she placed a pot of tea and biscuits. "Oh dear me, you must really be in trouble for him to send you here." The old woman giggled warmly. "Come sit, I won't bite." She poured out the hot steaming tea for the three women as they hesitantly sat down around the small table. "Excuse me but, who are you and what makes you think we're in trouble?" Rose asked suspiciously. "A very good question my dear and you're suspicions prove to me that you are indeed worthy of my assistance, I do not take kindly to those who are short of higher brain functions, and believe you me I've met some worthless ones in my time." The old woman fussed around the fire adding logs and removed a dish from the warmer. She placed what appeared to be a pie on the table and took up a knife, cutting them all a small slice. "She sounds like the Doctor." Donna muttered to Martha. Rose smiled slightly and returned to the woman serving them tea and cakes. "Well now that you've deemed us not a waste of your time, perhaps you could tell us what is going on and who exactly you are?" The woman finished what was in her mouth and nodded at Rose "Of course, how rude of me." She began "my name is Thenidiel, and you are here under my protection because my dearest and oldest friend has requested it." She sipped her tea and grinned at the three women. "Bob sent us here, but we asked for directions to the loo, why would he send us here, oh and Rose that was great with the mauve shoes and all, fantastic work." Donna added, Martha and Rose laughed. "Thanks, and good work for pickin up on it, I wasn't sure that you would get it." Their attention returned to Thenidiel whose expression turned serious. "My dears you are here because Robert has deemed it so, and it is in my experience that for him to send you to me you are of great importance and in terrible danger." Donna and Martha were silent. "But what about the Doctor, he's still out there with Bob we have to go get him, its not us who are important its him, I have to go get him." And with that she made a move for the door with Donna and Martha standing to follow her, but before she could reach for the door a gust of furious wind slammed the door shut and through the window they could see the flame tree glow brighter and the light fall around the boundaries of the cottage and seep into the ground before returning to normal. "What have you done, let us go!" Rose demanded as Donna and Martha joined her in defensive positions across the cottage door. "I'm sorry to have to do this, Thenidiel spoke softly "But for your safety I cannot let you return, things are set into place now that you are here. And in all honesty I could not return you even if I wanted to. Me, this place, do not technically exist my dears. What you believe is out there now, The Doctor, Robert, Oracles and banquets are no more, outside these boundaries are nothing more than rocks and stardust." Donna looked at Rose like her head was about to explode and Martha not much better.

"Why have you brought us here?" Rose demanded as comprehension began to seep into the back of her mind, where she found the Doctors silver glow still present although quiet, not in the least bit alarmed, if she thought about it the feeling it was emitting was almost that of familiarity. She wasn't sure whether this alarmed her more or not.

"Please do not be alarmed Rose, you and your companions are safe as long as you are with me, Robert will explain to the Doctor I'm sure, and it is my belief that he will not allow any harm to come to him. Your paths however for now are not with him. Please, come sit and I will explain what is to happen, and how it must come about."The three resigned in the fact there was nothing they could do for the moment, sat down as Thenidiel poured more tea and began her story.