How Master meet someone and I nearly lost my soul (part2)

We stood before a nice sight, like a summer day on earth, meadows with cows, little cottages in the distance and a huge inn behind a bridge over a small river. The air was full of the scent of flowers, in the grass grasshoppers were chirping.

“What was in your mind…when you said that about epees?” Masters voice was harsh.

“Oh,” I scratched my head. “Now, that you ask, I thought about the three musketeers, from the book from Dumas, d`Artagnan and the three other, you know?” “Damned, you and your adventure book reading!”

“Oh, come on”, I looked at the inn. “It’s such a nice place, so peaceful.”

In that moment came from the inn the bursting laughter of some men.

“See”, I laughed. “Nothing to fear, seems there are people in very good mood, let’s go and get us something to drink. I want to have a imagination beer and after all, may be, the one you are looking for is there to be find or someone could us give a hint!”

Master grumbled. “Even it is looking peaceful, I told you this place is dangerous. And I don’t think that I will find the one I seek there.”

“After all, you never know”, I walked across the bridge. In the water fishes were jumping to catch flies. What a nice place, certainly it could not mean any harm.

I looked at the sign of the inn, it showed a fat man with a red face, who sat on a very huge barrel, holding up a jug of beer and having a great day!

I opened the wooden door and entered the room. Another outburst of laughter awaited me.

Smell of roasting pork, chicken and red wine came straight to me.

I stood in a narrow room, there was a huge fireplace, were a young boy was turning a piglet and several chicken over a fire.

Behind a huge wooden bar stood a fat man, with a very red face. That had to be the landlord and as it seems he was his best guest.

He was just filling a huge jug but stopped seeing me. And another thing had stopped, the laughter.

I looked around, to see four men sitting around a table.

And what men, they got hats with proud feasters, long curling hair was falling on shinning, opulent clothes in bursting colours. I recognized them at once.

The famous three musketeers and the young man had to be  d`Artagnan. Gosh, what a dashing young fellow with his beard and all.

I reached at my head to tip of my had, and there it was, a nice had to lift. I bowed at them. 

They gave me a long look. I turned round and went to the landlord.

I thought about what to order. Certainly NOT diet coke like Sam Tyler does way back in 1973, no.

I looked straight into the fat mans eyes, smiled and said: “Hello, nice day, isnt it? I have a glas fine red whine, please!” After all in those days the whine had to be greast, no ingredients from the industry. 

He nooded and filled a huge thick glas and gave it to me.

I took it and turned around, only to see the Master standing in the door, his face a mask.

Oh, oh, I didn`t followed his command and I knew how he hated that but after all, you have to take the opportunity to get some fun, if you can get it!

“Come and join me”, I said and rised the glass of whine, realising that I had no money in my pocket. 

But after all, he always had one, he would not let me down and after all I am a very quick runner! 

And I think Master too!

Master went straight to me. “I told you, not to go inside”, he hissed.

“But why?” I took a sip of the whine, it tasted very good. "When had someone the opportunity to meet the famous musketeers . Look at them, sitting in all their glory at the table.”

“Yeah, yeah”, Master gave a deep sigh. “What do you expect in this land, you will meet stranger things.” “Oh, for me it`s enough to see some of my childhood heroes. The famous four fighters, one for all and all for one, a fine brotherhood!”

Master looked over his shoulder. “And this brotherhood is looking at us with something in the eyes I don`t like, Tardiscleaner!”

“What do you mean? I, I mean we are here standing, me having a wonderful whine, just enjoying the day, what might be wrong with that? “

“Gentlemen, how is the cardinal doing?”

A cold shiver ran down my spine. I know it was the voice of Porthos, the deep voice of a huge man. 

And I knew if he was asking us about some cardinal, he only could meant Richelieu, their archenemy.

I was about to turned around, but felt Masters hand on my arm. “Keep calm. We are in trouble but let`s pretend we don`t knew anything.”

I smiled and turned around. “What you are asking me, my good man? I don`t no cardinal, I am just a traveller.”

The four men stand up slowly. I saw the shinning weapons at their side. They are the worlds best fighters, great.

Aramis waved back his hair. He smiled ironical. “Don`t tell us you drop here just by incident. We know men of the cardinal, if we saw them!”

“Run to the door”, Master whispered, I obeyed, a discussion was not a bright idea.

We reached the door, went trough. Master got out the screwdriver and gave it a shot.

“May be sealed for some moments”. “Porthos is strong as a bear”, I mumbled.

“And he is not alone. Shall we run?” “We run!”

We run to the bridge, only moments later I heard the door cracking.

As we crossed the bridge, I stopped, grapped into my backpack and put out a bottle of washing up-liquid and spread it wide to the ground, giving the stone of the bridge a nice green shimmer.

“What?” Master looked at me. “That will give us some time.”

Meanwhile the four men were coming after as like bats out of hell.

We ran and then I heard screaming of rage. I couldn`t resist to look back.

The four were on the bridge, trying to get back on their feet, the liquid had done it`s duty.

Too bad, I thought, after all they are such nice fellows.

“Will you be standing here and waiting until they use us as dummies?” Masters voice got me back instantly. “Oh, no, I am coming.”

“Damned, if we only had horses.” A quick thought crossed my mind.

“If wishes were horses then beggars would ride!” I yelled it into the warm air.

And what do you say, they were two horses appearing out of the blur. Ready with saddles. 

Master laughed and mounted up.

“Great, come one, that will do!” I shook my head. “Sorry, I just realised I can`t ride.”

“Oh idiot, you are in fantasy land, you can do here, what you wish. Get up!”

I looked at the horse, behind us I heard the sound of four very angry men.

“Okayyyy”, before I knew I was up and on and riding beside my Master. Great, I always wished to ride.

The horses took as through the landscape.

“Why can`t you imagine things too?” I cried to Master. “Because I am a Timelord and my mind is immune to the powers.” “Oh, that was the reason you took me with you”, I murmured. And I thought about who HE wanted to meet here and how he would arrange it, to let us find him. But after all, he was Master and always knew what he is doing.

Then before us the fog rises again and we rode inside.