Forget Cadbury I'll have Faberge Instead Chapter 1/3

[emraldeyedauter]

Story Summary:  A visit to a Ukrainian Easter Festival leads to an adventure back in time to Imperial Russia 1885.

My sincerest apologies to mkejenkins  for the lateness of this offering.  This is part one of three chapters for the third round of the storm_and_wolf  challenge.  My picture prompt was Ukrainian Easter Eggs. Real Life just kept getting in the way but I hope you will forgive me for my tardiness and enjoy the story.

Thanks to my wonderful beta naughtybunny23   and also thanks to wildwinterwitch   for your help in providing descriptions of a dress from which I based Rose's gown on in this story.

Rating: All Ages
Characters:  Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler
Disclaimer:  Dr Who characters are owned by the BBC and sadly not by me.

 

The Ukrainian marketplace was awash with every hue of the rainbow. The riotous colours of the ribbons, banners and pennants were mirrored in the radiant costumes worn by the locals as they celebrated the holy feast of Easter.

 

Stalls were overloaded with foodstuffs of every kind, some familiar to the eye, others less so. Everywhere the sounds of merriment were deafening yet the atmosphere so jovial one could take no offence at the noise.

 

Rose and the Doctor had been wandering around the bazaar all day and well into the evening, taking in the wonderful sites and cultural differences. As they held hands Rose was thankful for this unusual downtime. It was not often they managed to have a day off from running for their lives. Sometimes she wished the moments like this would last forever. Of course it could not. 

 

“Time to head back to the TARDIS, Rose,” suggested the Doctor beside her. “Looks like everything is winding down here for tonight.”

 

“Sure, Doctor,” she replied as she let him lead her back to the sentient time ship that had become her home. “This was all really different. The Ukrainians certainly know how to celebrate Easter.”

 

“Yeah they certainly do. Did you enjoy yourself Rose?” he questioned.

 

“Oh, it was lovely. Thank you for bringing me.” Her voice betrayed a hint of sadness.

 

He came over and placed his hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. “What’s up, Rose?” he asked worriedly.

 

She sighed. “It’s nothing really. I guess it’s just that today has been so perfect. No running for our lives or scary monsters to deal with. Today was just you and me, Doctor, enjoying ourselves and having a marvellous time.”

 

At her previous statement, the Doctor looked a little upset. “You’re not saying that you’re bored with the adventure, are you, Rose?”

 

She looked horrified at his question. “No, oh no, not at all. It’s just that having a day off is such a rare treat for us that sometimes I don’t want it to end.” She smiled, trying to reassure him that she was telling the God’s honest truth.

 

A brief look of relief crossed the Doctor’s face before he spoke again. “I know what you mean,” he replied as he pulled her into a longer than usual hug. As he released her, he drew from his pocket a small colourful item. He hoped it would cheer her up.

 

“Speaking of treats,” he said gleefully, “I got this from the marketplace for you today.” Holding out his hand he gently placed a brightly coloured oval object into her hands.

 

“Oh,” she breathed in delight. “It’s a Ukrainian Easter Egg.”

 

“Yep, otherwise know as a pysanka, well that’s the common name but there are other ones for them depending on how they are made and decorated. The one you’re holding has been designed using bee’s wax. Let me see, there is Krashanky, Dryapanky, Lystovky …”

 

“Doctor!”

 

He raised his head to meet Rose’s pained countenance. “Too much info?” he stated ruefully. 

 

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “A little,” she confirmed, “but thank you so much for my beautiful egg.” She cocked her head and looked at it quizzically.

 

“What are you thinking?”

 

“Nothing really important … just this egg reminds me of a programme I saw on telly the other day about those Russian eggs.” She closed her eyes, trying to think. “Oh, what was their name … um … Fab something or other … no wait … don’t tell me –“she begged, seeing the knowing look on the Doctor’s face. “ – Fabergay, no, that’s not it. Faberday, ah now I remember, it’s Faberge. That’s it, they remind me of Faberge eggs.”

 

“Ah yes,” agreed the Doctor. “Karl Gustavovich Faberge, better known as Peter Karl Faberge. Now there was a man who had talent and some pretty important clientele, too.   The House of Faberge turned out thousands of jeweled eggs dating back to around 1885 right through to 1917. For the most part they were pretty trinkets that people gave at Easter –“

 

“But, the ones on the telly,” broke in Rose, “they were larger ones with secret surprises inside.”

 

“Yeah, that’s right,” replied the Doctor. “Those would have been the Imperial Eggs commissioned by the Russian Tsars. Faberge created over fifty eggs for the Russian royal house. He was also credited with commissioning at least fifteen pieces for other important people as well.” He smiled at Rose before continuing, “To the Tsars and their families they were tokens of love, a generous gift to be given at Easter but to people like Joseph Stalin they were just maddening reminders of Imperial excess.”

 

“They sound incredible,” said Rose, clearly enjoying this latest history lesson. “What happened to them all, Doctor?”

 

“Well, there were around sixty-five of the larger eggs but just over fifty are known to still exist. Many of the Russian eggs were sold by Stalin in 1927 and ended up in private collections. I believe that the Kremlin Armoury Museum is home to ten of the Imperial Eggs.”

 

“Oh,” breathed Rose in excitement. “Can we go see them?”

 

The Doctor grinned at her. He had anticipated her question. “Can do better than that, Rose. Time machine remember? We can go back to 1885 and meet Faberge. How would you like to go and see the first Imperial Egg, created by the man himself?”

 

He decided that Rose’s bone crushing hug was a definite yes.

 

“Right then, Russia, 1885 it is,” he said in a tone that betrayed his own excitement at the prospect of a new adventure. “Off we go to meet the man who will soon be appointed Goldsmith to the Imperial Crown by Tsar Alexander III and Empress Maria Fedorovna.”

 

He piloted the TARDIS into the Vortex before turning back to Rose with a very serious look on his face. Rose knew that look. It meant that he was thinking hard about their mode of disguise, planning out the best way to approach their adventure without too much going wrong.

 

“Doctor?”

 

At her interruption he glanced up and grinned. “Just thinking how we can get in to see Faberge,” he declared. “Best way might be for me to introduce myself as a court advisor to the Tsar. The psychic paper can prove my credentials … but-“ he looked at Rose quizzically. “I’m not sure what to do with you.”

 

“That’s easy,” replied Rose, her face bearing a cheeky look. “I come as your wife. No, think about it,” she said after seeing the stunned expression on his face. “Imagine it from a woman’s point of view. You’ve told me about this beautiful gift our Tsar is having created for his wife. Naturally I think, oh, how romantic that is, so of course I insist upon coming with you to see this token of affection and given half a chance, try to persuade you to commission a little something for me. So … what do you think?”

 

The Doctor frowned for a moment, mulling over Rose’s suggested solution. It was a little domestic but it was also a sound disguise and well, she really was quite fantastic at this problem-solving stuff. 

 

“It’s a good idea, Rose but, and I know this maybe hard for you, as my wife you’re going to have to do what you’re told. No wandering off, okay?” He laughed before adding, “I don’t want to have to put to the test the ‘’til death us do part’ clause of our fake marriage.”

 

She poked out her tongue at him. “Yeah, well just don’t get too bossy or I’ll divorce you.”

 

“Go to the wardrobe, you minx,” he gently commanded. “We’ll be landing soon. The TARDIS will lay out something suitable for you to wear befitting your status as a lady of the Russian Imperial Court.”

 

Rose did not need to be told twice. Getting to dress up in extravagant and wonderful clothing simply added to her delight in travelling with the Doctor. It was always exciting to try on something new. Being in the correct garb heightened her experiences and made her feel like she fit in with the time period or planet they were exploring. Entering her bedroom, she made her way to the wardrobe. She gave a cry of delight as she saw the beautiful outfit the TARDIS had decided she should wear.

 

It was a fancy piece made of peacock blue silk with puffed sleeves. There was a pale undershirt with ruffled neckline and the bodice of the dress was covered in silver velvet, woven through with metallic blue thread. The skirt had neither crinoline nor bustle but contained paneled insets of the same coloured velvet as well as tiny vertical rows of silver and blue bows that fell to the ruffled hem of the dress.

 

Rose marveled at how well the gown fit her. When she had finished dressing she proceeded to fix her hair and makeup, using only a minor amount of the latter. Having finished, she retraced her steps back to the console room praying that she would not let the Doctor down as she played her role in this adventure.

 

Upon seeing him she asked nervously “So do I scrub up well, Doctor?”

 

The Doctor took in the picture before him, pride evident in his eyes. The gown enhanced her already lovely figure accentuating each and every feminine curve. The dress was complimented by the modest necklace she wore of blue sapphires fashioned into an intricate floral design. Rose had managed to create a simple but elegant hair style using sapphire encrusted combs and completed the look with matching earrings.

 

“You look beautiful Rose,” he complimented without hesitation.

 

She gave a tentative smile at his words, waiting for the ‘for a human’ bit however when he did not add it her mouth broadened into a full Rose Tyler grin, complete with her tongue peeking out between her teeth. 

 

“You ready then?” he asked as he proudly took her hand.

 

“Ready when you are,” she exclaimed, taking note that he still wore his trademark jumper, jeans and jacket. Rose often wondered why hardly anyone ever asked the Doctor about his appearance. In fact she had questioned him once and he mumbled something about ‘people seeing what they want to see.’ She knew enough by now that some things were better left unanswered unless one wanted to end up with an almighty migraine.

 

As they exited the TARDIS they found themselves in a rather large storage room that appeared to hold a vast array of art equipment, enamel paints, casting moulds, old fashioned tools and several bags of white powder which Rose thought might be the equivalent of ‘plaster of paris.’

 

“Perfect,” exclaimed the Doctor, obviously pleased at where the TARDIS had landed. “The old girl got us right inside the Faberge workshops.” He tucked Rose’s arm up under his before continuing in his suave Northern voice. “Would you care to accompany me, my dear, on another adventure?”

 

Rose giggled at his attempt of chivalry. “Of course, Doctor, or should I say of course, husband dear. For better or for worse remember, although let’s hope this adventure finishes in the first category rather than the latter. We’ve had too many of late where running for our lives seems to be the ultimate ending.”

 

The Doctor squeezed her arm, partially by way of apology but also as a gesture of comfort. “Don’t worry, I’ll look after you,” he promised,

 

Rose smiled up at him, innocence and trust evident in her eyes. “You always do, Doctor. “

 

Focusing his mind back on the adventure he drew her towards the door of the storage room, opened it and cautiously took stock of the deserted corridor into which it entered. Pulling Rose along with him, he stepped outside the storage room and moved swiftly along the corridor until they found another room that was most definitely a workshop although empty. They moved on again and found another workshop but it too appeared vacant.

 

“Doctor, where are all the people?”

 

Just as he was about to answer her, a man in his mid-forties and wearing well cut tweed entered the room. He stood stock still in surprise when he saw them but his initial shock wore off quickly. As he angrily strode towards them he demanded in an aggressive tone -

 

“Who are you and how the hell did you get in here?”

 

Chapter Two

Comments

[mrs_roy.livejournal.com]

I loved it then, still love it now *Hugs*

[emraldeyedauter.livejournal.com]

Aw thank you. Along with my beta's help you were a great listener for me when I was trying to write this and then rewrite it after deleting certain scenes that just didn't work in the fic. Thanks hon. Chapter 2 should be up later in the week.

Cheers and thanks Marg.

[mkejenkins.livejournal.com]

Delightful, hon. Can't wait to see the rest.

[emraldeyedauter.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for your patience. Chapter two should be up sometime this week and I am just revising the final one to be sent to my beta. Cheers and thanks Marg.

[feerocious.livejournal.com]

That was great, I'm looking forward to more :)

[emraldeyedauter.livejournal.com]

Thank you. So glad you enjoyed it. Part two should hopefully be up sometime this week.

[honeynoir.livejournal.com]

Very interesting! Love the title :)

[emraldeyedauter.livejournal.com]

Hi, thank you very much for taking the time to leave a comment on the story. Really appreciate it. Sincerely hope you enjoy the rest. All going to plan more should be up later this week. Thanks again cheers Marg.

[hazelwho.livejournal.com]

You've got me hooked already! Can't wait for the rest.

...And Cadbury Eggs are, hands down, the best sweets ever invented. *drool*

[emraldeyedauter.livejournal.com]

Ooh thank you. So pleased you liked this first chapter. More soon I promise

Cadbury eggs. Hmm yes definitely too yummy although I try to be very good and wait till Easter but alas someimes I fail.

Thanks again and cheers, Marg.

[janna-hawkins.livejournal.com]

Ooh lovely so far! I can't wait to read more :)

[emraldeyedauter.livejournal.com]

Thanks Janna for your wonderful support. More soon I promise
cheers marg.

[janna-hawkins.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome! :)

[othermewriter.livejournal.com]

Marvelous Dr Who style fun with dose of history on the side yummmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Spot on good stuff & voice also love him seeing through paper

[emraldeyedauter.livejournal.com]

Aw thank you. This one is currently the favourite of things I have written. I put a lot of work into this so really glad to hear people enjoying it.

[angelofprey.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, I smell trouble...

Lovely story so far, and that dress sounds devine! I have a weakness for period clothing, it really is a shame we never get to see the Doctor wear any... *sigh* Anyway, onto the next chapter!

[emraldeyedauter.livejournal.com]

Thank you. The dress I used in the story was a slightly changed version of a gown from a picture I found on the web of one of Empress Maria's visiting gowns from 1885 made by Charles Worth. The original dress was yellow and black but I changed it to blue and silver to suit Rose better.

It would be nice to see the Doctor wear something other than his usual armour but hell those black jeans look so great on his Chris's bum I won't complain too loudly.