Doctor Who: The Masque of the Mandragora by Philip Hinchcliffe Page A
Authors: Philip Hinchcliffe
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palace.
In the dungeons Sarah, Giuliano and Marco hung manacled to their racks just as Federico had ordered. Marco had now regained consciousness but was still in a bad way. Rossini stood staring at him without sympathy flanked by four armed guards. From time to time he prodded the red-hot irons in the brazier, more out of idle curiosity than from any desire to use them. Even so it was enough to alarm Sarah who was not accustomed to hanging around in medieval torture chambers.
The Doctor had been gone over an hour when a fifth guard appeared in the doorway and bowed at Rossini. The scar-faced captain nodded and turned to his captives.
‘It is time. Count Federico ordered that these traitors be executed at the end of an hour.’
‘Only if he didn’t return,’ protested Sarah.
‘Neither he nor the sorcerer nor any of their party have returned from the temple,’ replied the captain flatly.
‘You mean it’s an hour already? Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun.’
Rossini motioned to his guards. ‘Take them down.’
The guard nearest Giuliano began to undo his manacles.
‘Stay, fellow,’ commanded the Prince. ‘Rossini, you call us traitors, but lay a hand on your Prince and you will be the traitor.’
The guard hesitated, uncertain what to do. ‘I follow the Count,’ replied Rossini gruffly.
‘You follow a tyrant and a murderer! ‘ gasped Marco from his pallet. ‘It is Giuliano to whom you owe allegiance.’
‘Enough!’ cried Rossini. ‘Take them down! The execution block grows dry.’
The guards bowed and hurriedly released the prisoners from their wooden racks.
‘Infamous filth!’ groaned Marco as he staggered to keep upright. ‘Call yourselves soldiers!’ His hands freed, Giuliano stood proud and erect facing his captors. ‘Are we to die without even a priest?’
‘Or a hearty breakfast?’ chipped in Sarah.
‘No priest available,’ said a voice from the door. ‘Will a brother do?’
They all spun round to see the Doctor framed in the doorway beaming, the brother’s cowl pushed back from his face.
Rossini was the first to recover. ‘What have you done to the Count, sorcerer?’ he snarled.
‘Federico is dead.’
Giuliano turned pale. ‘Dead? My uncle is dead?’
The Doctor nodded. ‘In the temple ruins.’
‘How did he die?’
‘Let’s just say Hieronymous gave him a blank look.’
Rossini began to tremble and the weal-mark on his cheek grew purple. He pointed to the Doctor angrily. ‘Seize him! ‘
But the soldiers hung back, stunned by the news of Federico’s death.
‘Seize him!’
The guards still did not move.
‘Rossini, you don’t have any authority now.’ said the Doctor. ‘There’s your lawful ruler.’ He turned to Giuliano.
Giuliano addressed the bewildered soldiers. ‘You men. Are you with your Prince?’
There was a moment’s pause then all five soldiers uncovered their heads and knelt before the Prince. Rossini, left standing. lowered his eyes then followed suit.
‘Take him to the block!’
‘No, Marco,’ replied the Prince restraining his companion. He nodded to the soldiers. ‘Take him away. I’ll decide his fate later.’
The newly-converted guards rose and, taking hold of Rossini. marched him out of the cell.
Marco sprang to the Prince’s side and clasped him about the neck. ‘Giuliano, the evil is ended! At last you can rule without fear.’
‘Wrong, Marco,’ interrupted the Doctor. ‘The evil is only just beginning. Hieronymous and the brethren still remain.’
‘Then destroy them, my lord,’ urged Marco. ‘You must take
In the dungeons Sarah, Giuliano and Marco hung manacled to their racks just as Federico had ordered. Marco had now regained consciousness but was still in a bad way. Rossini stood staring at him without sympathy flanked by four armed guards. From time to time he prodded the red-hot irons in the brazier, more out of idle curiosity than from any desire to use them. Even so it was enough to alarm Sarah who was not accustomed to hanging around in medieval torture chambers.
The Doctor had been gone over an hour when a fifth guard appeared in the doorway and bowed at Rossini. The scar-faced captain nodded and turned to his captives.
‘It is time. Count Federico ordered that these traitors be executed at the end of an hour.’
‘Only if he didn’t return,’ protested Sarah.
‘Neither he nor the sorcerer nor any of their party have returned from the temple,’ replied the captain flatly.
‘You mean it’s an hour already? Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun.’
Rossini motioned to his guards. ‘Take them down.’
The guard nearest Giuliano began to undo his manacles.
‘Stay, fellow,’ commanded the Prince. ‘Rossini, you call us traitors, but lay a hand on your Prince and you will be the traitor.’
The guard hesitated, uncertain what to do. ‘I follow the Count,’ replied Rossini gruffly.
‘You follow a tyrant and a murderer! ‘ gasped Marco from his pallet. ‘It is Giuliano to whom you owe allegiance.’
‘Enough!’ cried Rossini. ‘Take them down! The execution block grows dry.’
The guards bowed and hurriedly released the prisoners from their wooden racks.
‘Infamous filth!’ groaned Marco as he staggered to keep upright. ‘Call yourselves soldiers!’ His hands freed, Giuliano stood proud and erect facing his captors. ‘Are we to die without even a priest?’
‘Or a hearty breakfast?’ chipped in Sarah.
‘No priest available,’ said a voice from the door. ‘Will a brother do?’
They all spun round to see the Doctor framed in the doorway beaming, the brother’s cowl pushed back from his face.
Rossini was the first to recover. ‘What have you done to the Count, sorcerer?’ he snarled.
‘Federico is dead.’
Giuliano turned pale. ‘Dead? My uncle is dead?’
The Doctor nodded. ‘In the temple ruins.’
‘How did he die?’
‘Let’s just say Hieronymous gave him a blank look.’
Rossini began to tremble and the weal-mark on his cheek grew purple. He pointed to the Doctor angrily. ‘Seize him! ‘
But the soldiers hung back, stunned by the news of Federico’s death.
‘Seize him!’
The guards still did not move.
‘Rossini, you don’t have any authority now.’ said the Doctor. ‘There’s your lawful ruler.’ He turned to Giuliano.
Giuliano addressed the bewildered soldiers. ‘You men. Are you with your Prince?’
There was a moment’s pause then all five soldiers uncovered their heads and knelt before the Prince. Rossini, left standing. lowered his eyes then followed suit.
‘Take him to the block!’
‘No, Marco,’ replied the Prince restraining his companion. He nodded to the soldiers. ‘Take him away. I’ll decide his fate later.’
The newly-converted guards rose and, taking hold of Rossini. marched him out of the cell.
Marco sprang to the Prince’s side and clasped him about the neck. ‘Giuliano, the evil is ended! At last you can rule without fear.’
‘Wrong, Marco,’ interrupted the Doctor. ‘The evil is only just beginning. Hieronymous and the brethren still remain.’
‘Then destroy them, my lord,’ urged Marco. ‘You must take
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