Disclaimer: The Doctor graciously comes to play sometimes. I can never get him to stay, more's the pity.

A/N 1: This is a sequel to "Steps in Time". You really should read that before continuing.

A/N 2: The concept of flying dragons with humanoid riders was inspired by the wonderful "Dragonriders of Pern" books by the brilliant Anne McCaffrey. If you like a little bit of science fiction thrown into your fantasy, they are a delicious read.

Chapter One – Pendragora

Donna Noble stood in from of the open TARDIS doors, looking out at the alien landscape. Her arms were crossed and there was a frown on her face. "Nope," she said, irritated. "Definitely not the beach." She turned around to glare at the Time Lord pacing around the console.

"I know I put in the right coordinates," he said, bewildered. "You watched me. Britarius Majora. Diamond sand. Triple sunsets." He stood rubbing the back of his neck.

Donna walked over to him at the console. "So where are we, then?" she asked.

He scowled and slipped his glasses on, peering intently at the monitor. "Not exactly sure. I think it's Pendragora. A small planet in the constellation of Draco. But that's clear across the galaxy from where I intended." He picked up the small rubber mallet and began to thump the console smartly in several places. "Why. Can't. You. Behave?"

"Oi! Spaceman!" Donna cried out, grabbing his hand in mid-strike. "Stop whacking her with a hammer!" She took the mallet out of his grasp and threw it on the jumpseat. "Have you ever tried asking nicely?" She tilted her head up and looked at the ceiling. "So, love. Can you tell us why we're here instead of the beach he promised me?"

The TARDIS sang a lovely but mournful tune.

The Doctor stood, listening intently as his ship communicated her concerns through their psychic bond. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Turning to his companion, he began. "I was right. This is Pendragora. The Old Girl tells me there is some sort of temporal anomaly, an imbalance in the planet's eco-systems. I'm sorry, Donna. I know I promised a beach, but I really think I should check this out."

Donna looked at him, sternly, for a few seconds. "Temporal anomaly," she sniffed. "That's Time-Lord-speak for 'We're probably going to be chased by a bunch of angry aliens'. In that case," she smirked, "I'm gonna change. I don't fancy running for my life in these sandals."

He grinned and pulled her into a tight hug. "That's my Donna!"

"Geroff!" She squirmed out of his embrace. "I'll be back in a tick. Don't leave without me. You do and I swear, I'll have her lock you out! Again!" She chuckled as she made her way down the hall.

The Doctor grinned as he watched her leave. She amazed him sometimes. Donna had adapted very quickly to the uncertainties of life with a Time Lord. She never grumbled (well, not seriously anyway) about the abrupt changes of plan. She was a more than capable assistant (although he knew better than to call her that!).

But what warmed his hearts especially was the way she was truly interested in the various entities they encountered in their travels, and cared a great deal about the injustices and suffering they sometimes had to contend with. And she seemed determined to take care of him, or at least make sure he took care of himself.

He chuckled at the thought of the vast amounts of food she prepared for them, not that he was complaining. Donna was a fantastic cook, and, as she often said pointedly, he had the appetite of a teenage human boy. Still, it was the easy nature of their companionship that delighted him to no end.

He was still scanning the planet to determine what caused his ship to divert them, when said companion returned. Ever practical, Donna had changed into comfortable pants, sturdy boots and a knit jumper. She was in the process of pulling up her long ginger hair into an elastic to keep it out of the way. She joined him at the monitor and said, "So, what's up with this planet?"

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck as he checked the read-out. "It's all very vague. There's definitely a problem with the eco-system. But something else drew us here, and I can't figure out exactly what. It's almost like we were summoned!"

"Well," Donna said. "What are we waiting for? Let's get this thing sorted. You owe me a beach!" She grabbed her jacket from the coat stand and walked to the doors, the Doctor following, bemused.

They stood outside the open TARDIS doors, surveying the landscape. They were standing at the edge of a stand of trees on top of a small hillock, surrounded by lush, blue-green grass dotted with orange and purple flowers. After locking the ship and setting up the perception filter, the Doctor automatically reached out and took Donna's hand, and they began to walk down the hill.

"Tell me what you know about Pendragora. What do you think we're walking into?" Donna asked.

He didn't answer for a few minutes. Finally, he began. "I've actually never been here before. I've only heard stories." He talked as they walked. "Pendragora was a an insignificant little rock until about four hundred Earth years ago. Then it suddenly caught the attention of the rest of the galaxy."

"Really?" Donna asked. "How does that happen?"

"I'm not exactly sure. All I know is that, about that time, a ship carrying an inter-galactic expedition noticed unusual heat signatures coming from the planet, and discovered a thriving population that no one had realized was there. They were completely isolated, had no contact off-world. It was really rather strange. Since then, they have been doing a booming trade in agricultural products, fruits and vegetables and the like. They produce an amazing marmalade, I've heard."

They had been travelling for a while, and the terrain gradually changed from rolling hills to taller mountains and deeper valleys. As they ventured down one of these valleys, Donna noticed something odd about the grass they were walking upon. "Doctor?" she asked, stopping him. "Look at that." She pointed to an area of discoloured vegetation.

He immediately dropped to his knees and began to sniff the ground. "The grass here is giving off a strange chemical by-product." He plucked a few blades, put on his glasses, and stared at them intently, before putting one on the tip of his tongue. Donna cringed every time he did something like that, but by this time, she had learned that, if the silly sod hadn't poisoned himself by now, he probably knew what he was doing, and she no longer protested. Not that it would have done any good if she had.

"Yes," he continued. "There is definitely something wrong, but what?" He took of his glasses and shoved them into his pocket. "We'd best find a city or village, ask a few natives if there's been any unusual activity recently."

At that moment, a sound like the scream of a large bird of prey rent the air. Donna whipped around and stared at the Doctor. "What the bloody hell was that?!" she exclaimed.

He gave her a lopsided grin. "That?" he asked innocently. "I believe that was a dragon. Did I mention the dragons?"

"Dragons?" she scoffed. "You're having me on, right?" He just stood, shaking his head and grinning like a loon. She stormed over to him and demanded, "What do you mean, dragons? Like, fairy tale, giant lizards with bat wings, that breath fire, dragons?"

"Not certain about the breathing fire part, but yeah. Dragons. Vermis Ales. The Wingéd Worm."

Narrowing her eyes, she glared at him. "So help me, Time Boy, if you're teasing me, I'll …"

Another raucous cry stopped her in mid rant. This one was much louder and much closer, and, as Donna and the Doctor watched, three gigantic reptiles appeared in the sky over the crest of the nearest peak. Their bodies gleamed in the sunlight, shades of green and gold and blue, their wings gracefully moving in the air.

Donna edged her way to stand behind the Doctor, awed and a little fearful. He reached over and took one of her hands, squeezing it reassuringly. He did, however, lean back and whisper, "Told ya." The fact that she didn't smack him was a clear indication of her discomfiture.

The dragons set down in a clearing several metres away, the largest in the front, two smaller ones flanking either side. Each one had a rider, sitting in a saddle harnessed to the base of the beast's neck, forward of its wings. The lead rider unstrapped himself, nimbly walked down his dragon's outstretched flank, and strode purposefully toward the two.

The Doctor stepped squarely in front of Donna, shielding her from the newcomer. The rider was distinctly humanoid, surprisingly so, he thought. Clad in leather pants, jacket and boots, and what looked like a breastplate made from large scales, the man was above average human height. As he approached them, he removed the leather helmet and goggles that enveloped his face, revealing a pair of the most astonishingly bright green eyes and a crown of dark copper curls, eliciting a gasp from Donna and a whispered 'What?' from the Doctor.

The man stopped a few metres away and stood straight and tall. "I am Lysarion, Captain of the Guardians of the Sky, and rider of Lyrioth."

"I'm the Doctor…"

"We are well aware of who you are, Time Lord," Lysarion interrupted. "We have been sent to bring you to The Citadel. The Matromna requires your presence."

Donna huddled closer to the Doctor and whispered, "Doctor? What's going on? How do they know you? What is this 'Matromna'?"

He whispered in reply, "I don't know. I guess we'd better go along and find out." He turned to the tall man and saw, "Right then. Can't keep the Matromna waiting. You lead and we'll follow!"

Lysarion put out a hand to stop him. "Korioth and Serioth have agreed to carry you and your lady to the Citadel. You will ride with Korsarion and Setarion." He motioned to the other two riders to join him.

Donna stepped around the Doctor and faced Lysarion. "What do you mean 'carry', mate?" The Captain stared back at her as one of the other riders walked up and attempted to take her arm. She pulled back quickly and, as the implication of his statement became clear, said emphatically, "Oh, no! If you think I'm getting up on one of those …beasts, think again. I'm keeping my feet solidly on the ground, thank you very much."

"Your lady has the fire of a dragon inside her," Lysarion told the Doctor, as he tried to hold in a smile at Donna's words. "The Matromna will be most amused."

She snarled at him. "I'm not 'his lady'. I'm not anybody's lady. I'm just Donna from Chiswick, and you'd better get that straight, Sunshine!"

The Doctor knew that her bluster was mostly a defence mechanism to hide her anxiety at the prospect of riding the dragon. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. "Donna," he began softly. "I know this is a little scary, but they've been travelling this way for hundreds of years. They will keep you safe. I promise." He grinned at her. "Just pretend you're in that 'Harry Potter' movie, the one with the Thestrals."

Donna glared back at him. After a minute or two, she relaxed a bit and whispered to him, "Okay. But I swear to you. If I fall off and die, I will come back and haunt you, Spaceman. Count on it!"

The Doctor grinned and squeezed her shoulders to reassure her, and the two of them turned back to the dragon riders. He nodded to Lysarion, who gestured to Korsarion, who then approached Donna and bowed respectfully. Straightening, he held out his hand. "Come, Miss," he said, his voice a soft lilt. "This is Korioth. He's as gentle as a kitten and has the smoothest glide in the Volery. There's nothing to fear."

Donna warily stepped up to the beast, who dipped his enormous head until it was on a level with her. She tensed, but immediately relaxed when she gazed into the depths of the topaz-coloured eyes. She saw an intelligence, an awareness, she was not expecting, along with something that could have been concern. Prompted by Korsarion, she put out her hand, palm downward, and the dragon slowly stretched out his neck and gently bumped his head against it.

Donna gasped and cautiously moved a finger across the top of Korioth's head. She felt him press upwards into her hand, and began to giggle. "Is he purring?" she asked Korsarion.

The rider frowned and replied, "Actually, it's called 'thrumming'. And he normally doesn't do that. Not with strangers, anyway." Korsarion put his hand on Korioth's neck, stroked him, and smiled broadly. "He's quite taken with you, miss. Says you've a kind heart and a tenacious spirit. He's honoured to be your escort. He'll take good care of you."

Donna blushed and gently ran her fingers over the scaled head. The dragon thrummed loudly, and she was startled when she felt a slight tingle, not in her hand, but in her mind. It was the merest touch, a whisper, and it was gone before she fully realized it. She shook her head, and shrugged it off as nervousness. She smiled at Korsarion and said, "Please tell Korioth that I am grateful for his kindness."

"Oh, he knows, miss." The young rider took her hand and assisted her in climbing up the dragon's flank, assuring her that it was not harming the animal. He opened the small crate attached behind the saddle and removed a helmet and goggles, handing them to Donna. He then mounted the saddle and helped her on, positioning her in front of him and adjusting the harness to accommodate both riders. Finally, he reached back into the crate and produced a heavy blanket. He covered her lap and secured it tightly by the attached clasps.

Meanwhile, the Doctor had been going through the same process with Setarion. He now sat comfortably atop Serioth, grinning like a child with a new toy, and waving jauntily at Donna. At a signal of readiness from the two younger riders, Lysarion quickly mounted Lyrioth, and the three dragons took wing. The Doctor thought he heard a squeal from Donna, which quickly turned into delighted laughter.

They flew in a 'V' formation, with Lyrioth in front, with Serioth and Korioth behind. They soared over vast areas of farmland and orchards, the countryside dotted with small villages and larger towns, with blue-green rivers and lakes shimmering in the sun. They continued westward, and in the distance, they saw a large city, gleaming in the fading light.

As they grew closer, the Doctor was able to make out tall spires and walls of stone. There was something oddly familiar about the sight, something that niggled at his mind. As they approached, the dragons circled around, and the Doctor was startled to see that the city was surrounded by what looked like a glass dome. He suddenly recalled that Lysarion had called this place "The Citadel", and that name weighed heavily on him. They circled the city several times, each pass bringing them lower.

Finally, the dragons landed with a soft thump in an area near the front gates of the city . The younger riders quickly unstrapped and unharnessed their passengers, and assisted them in dismounting from the saddles. The Doctor nimbly leapt down from Setarion's back, while Korsarion guided Donna to gracefully descend from Korioth. She turned to the dragon, bowed courteously and thanked him, brushing her fingertips across his forehead, once again feeling a momentary tingle. Korioth dipped his massive head in response and thrummed loudly. She then approached the young rider and placed a light kiss on his cheek. He blushed furiously.

The Doctor stood silently, staring at the great city before him. What he had seen as a glass dome was actually a series of arches that gave the impression of encapsulating the buildings and grounds. He was still troubled by the first impression he had of what was obviously the seat of government of this planet, and probably where this mysterious Matromna would be found.

Lysarion stored his helmet and goggles in the storage chest and, after a gentle touch and a soft word to Lyrioth, he turned to the two visitors and said, "If you would follow me please." He began walking toward the largest building in the city. They approached two large doors made of a translucent stone, like alabaster, which were carved with intricate shapes and designs. The doors were guarded by two young people in livery and, as Lysarion approached, they stood straighter to attention. A tall, older man with the same startling eyes and copper hair, wearing a sash of deep gold, walked over and addressed him, with a slight bow and a crossing of one arm across his chest in salute. "Captain. How fare you?"

The Captain returned the salute. "All is well, Persarel. I have brought the visitors. Is she about?"

"Aye. She's in the solarium," Persarel answered. He looked over at the Doctor and Donna, and smiled slightly. "She'll be surprised, that's a certainty."

Lysarion smiled in return. "As rare an occasion as that is, I will enjoy it." The older man opened the door and motioned them to enter.

As they continued down the main corridor, Donna moved closer to the Doctor and whispered, "Is it my imagination, or have we stumbled onto the Planet of the Gingers?"

"There is something very strange about this," he replied, as he eyed those they passed, observing an inordinate number with hair colour that ranged from a dark strawberry blonde to deep auburn. "This just isn't natural!" he exclaimed quietly. Seeing Donna's scowl, he quickly added, "Not that there is anything wrong with being a ginger. I happen to like your hair. A lot. It's just, I've never seen so many of them on one planet!"

Before Donna could respond to both his compliment and his observation, Lysarion stopped in front of what was obviously the solarium. The room was made entirely of glass, and they could see into it easily, the rays of the slowly setting sun lighting it brightly. The Captain turned to them and said, "Please wait here," and entered the solarium. They lost sight of him as he strode through an area of lush green vegetation. He returned a short while later and ushered them in.

"The Matromna bids you to join her," he told them. He ushered them in and walked ahead of them, holding aside what might have been a variation of palm fronds. The Doctor and Donna slowly and warily stepped through the opening and came upon an open area. A fountain glittered to their right, water falling and making a pleasant tinkling sound. A low table and a cushioned settee and chairs occupied a space to the left, along with a sideboard that had been pressed into service for use as a potting bench.

Beside the sideboard, a woman stood with her back to the visitors. She was dressed in a dark green skirt made from a coarsely woven fabric that fell to mid-calf. She wore a long-sleeved top, similar to a jumper, but of an iridescent, tight knit, that shifted in colour with every slight move. The sleeves were pushed up to the elbows and her feet were bare. Her copper hair was pulled back into a plait, and ribbons of green and gold were braided into it. Her hands moved gracefully as she went about the task of transferring cuttings of some type of flowering plant from a flat growing board to individual containers.

Lysarion, bowing, spoke to her softly. "My lady, the Time Lord is here."

Dusting off her hands on her a towel at her waist, the woman turned to greet the newcomers. When she faced them completely, the Doctor gasped and his eyes grew as wide as saucers. A panoply of emotions crossed his face and, when he was finally able to find his voice, he whispered a single, strangled word. "Kyla?"