Rose Tyler

"Must I really wear a shirt?" Drax stares at himself in the mirror and frowns.

"Well I imagine a bulging blue torso would be a disconcerting sight for most humans," Gomora comments. She secures a handkerchief below her eyes and pulls a dark hood over her head. It's the perfect disguise-you can't even tell she's green from the shadow the hood casts over her face.

"Fine." Drax finishes off his outfit in the same way Gamora did. Together they look like a couple of questionable figures, but you can't tell they're aliens and that's what matters.

"Great. Are we done now?" Rose says. She's getting impatient. She's anxious to explore Albion.

"Yes, Terran, we are done," Gamora says. Her voice is muffled but Rose can still hear the irritation in her tone.

"Okay," she says softly. "Let's get a move on then."

They return to the group outside. Rocket and Groot are absent, but Merlin, Star-Lord, and the Doctor are standing around chatting.

"We're back," Rose announces.

"Brilliant!" The Doctor grins at her and then examines Drax and Gomara carefully. "This will do just fine."

"Where are Groot and Rocket?" Gamora says.

"I showed them to the Forest Room. They'll be quite content for a few hours," the Doctor explains.

"Forest Room?" Drax says. "Just how big is your ship, Time Lord?"

"It's as big as I need it to be." The Doctor winks. "Now come along. Merlin, take us to your leader."

"Uh, sure," the young man says and palms his satchel. "Follow me."

The group makes their way through the thick forest. Star-Lord lags behind, clearly enchanted by his surroundings. It is quite lovely out here. The only thing keeping Rose from lagging behind to examine every shrub is the Doctor's hand in hers.

Several minutes later Merlin stops walking and so does the group. He turns to them and says, "Okay we need to stop off at my house first."

"Sure thing, 're the boss," the Doctor says.

"We're about to walk into the town. Just act normal and don't draw too much attention to yourselves, okay?"

"Carry on, young Terran! I'm growing restless!" Drax shouts.

"He's very easily bored," Peter says.

"Well he needs to be quiet while we walk to my house," Merlin says. His expression is serious, borderline grim.

"I will keep him quiet," Gamora assures.

Merlin nods and they continue the walk to the town.

The first thing that strikes Rose about Camelot is the smell. It smells like farm animals and stagnant sewer water. She wrinkles her nose.

"How do you handle the stench, mate?" Rose asks.

"What stench?" Merlin replies halfheartedly. He seems preoccupied.

"We're about 1400 years before proper sanitation and sewage," the Doctor whispers to Rose. "The people of this time are simply used to bad smells."

"Well I'm not." Rose plugs her nose and breathes through her mouth.

Along with the smell the town is how you'd imagine a medieval city. It's made entirely of stone and wood and in the distance a large Citadel stands regal. The streets that aren't stone are dirt and every walkway is lined with rows and rows of vendors selling everything from medicinal herbs to rat skewers.

"So this is Camelot," Peter says. He spins around, examining the environment like he wants to imprint it into his memory.

"Yeah," Merlin says. "And my home is just up there." He points up the road in the direction of the Citadel.

"You live close to the castle," Gamora says.

"My uncle is the King's Royal Physician and I'm Prince Arthur's personal servant."

"Is that right?" Rose says.

"Wait, Prince Arthur?" Peter says. "Who's King?"

"Uther," Merlin says.

"Ah, Uther Pendragon." The Doctor sighs. "A lot of trouble he's going to cause."

"I wouldn't say that so loud if I were you," Merlin warns and then pauses in front of a of chipped and worn wooden door. "We're here." He opens the door and holds it open to let the group in.

"Thank you," Rose says. "You're very polite."

The house is small and cluttered. There are books and loose papers scattered everywhere, jars and beakers of different colored liquids line the walls. But is smells oddly earthy, like a shop that sells only plants and spices.

Merlin blushes and closes the door behind the group. He throws his coat over a wooden chair and calls out, "Gaius? Gaius, I'm back."

A small man with grey hair and a beige cloak appears from the room at the top of the stairs. "Ah Merlin!" he says. "It's about time. What took you so long? Oh!" His eyes widen as he notices the rest of the group and then he frowns at Merlin. "What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?"

"I'm not sure," Merlin says.

"We're not trouble!" the Doctor calls out. "We're friends."

The old man, Gaius, walks over to us slowly. "Friends, eh? What are your names?"

"My name is-" Drax starts. Gamora elbows him in the gut and he stops.

The Doctor clears his throat. "I'm the Doctor, this here is Rose, the cloaked ones are Gamora and Drax, and the other man is Peter."

"Star-Lord."

"Whatever."

"You're a doctor, you say?"

Before the Doctor can reply Star-Lord says, "No, no, no he's the Doctor."

The Doctor rolls his eyes. "You can just call me Doctor."

"Well, I, too, am a physician. It's nice to meet you." Gaius extends his hand to the Doctor and the Doctor shakes it happily. "What brings you all to Camelot?"

"Um, fun. And this lot behind me wanted proof that my ship is also a time machine. So I brought them to Medieval England."

Gaius raises his bushy, white eyebrows. "Time machine, you say?" he examines the Doctor carefully. "You are dressed rather odd. I suppose that explains it."

"He's dressed odd even for the time we live in," Star-Lord mutters.

The Doctor scowls at him. "Anyways. We landed in the forest and Merlin was kind enough to show us around."

Gaius nods in understanding and then quickly turns his attention to Merlin. "Did you get the herbs?"

"Yeah," Merlin says and hands over his satchel.

"Thank goodness." Gaius takes the satchel over to a table and pulls out its contents-several bundles of some twiggy plants and big leaves as well as purple flowers that look like dried lavender.

"How's she doing?" Merlin walks over to Gaius and helps him unpack the satchel.

"She's doing fine. I'm just trying to calm her now." He stops what he's doing and looks over at the group still standing by the door. "What do you all think of sorcery?"

"It's fantastic if not fictitious," the Doctor says.

"If it's real I'm sure it's brilliant," Rose says.

"No such thing," Gamora says.

"On my planet there are, metaphorically speaking of course-" Drax starts.

Peter cuts him off. "He doesn't believe in it and neither do I."

Gaius and Merlin share a look. "They're telling the truth," Merlin says.

"How do you know?" Gaius says, giving the group a once-over.

"I just...know."

Gaius pauses for a moment, thinking, then says, "Okay." He turns to face them. "We need your help."

"Of course!" the Doctor nearly cheers. "What can we do for you?" He makes his way over to the duo and puts a hand on each man's shoulder.

"Well, um, you see," Gaius begins, "the King isn't a fan of magic."

"In fact, he hates it," Merlin continues. "He executes anyone even suspected of sorcery."

The Doctor nods. "I see."

"His ward, Morgana, is ill. She's starting to show signs of having powers and it's thrown her into a sort of...madness," Gaius says. "She can't control the power radiating from her."

Rose joins the Doctor by Gaius and Merlin. "I'm assuming the King has no clue."

"Not a clue," Merlin replies. "He just thinks Morgana is deathly ill."

"And she is. If she doesn't learn to control her magic soon, Uther will have her executed for practicing sorcery," Gaius says.

"Even if she can't help it?" Rose asks.

"Even so." Gaius sighs. "The worst part is she doesn't even realize she's beginning to develop powers. I've been sedating her so she'll sleep through the worst of it, but she keeps casting spells in her sleep! The magic in her blood is preventing earthy herbs from sedating her deeply enough."

"So we're going to enchant them-a sort of potion, if you will," Merlin continues the explanation.

"Where do we come in with all of this?" Star-Lord sounds intrigued, excited even. Rose worries the Doctor has just picked up another adventure junkie like himself. One is enough for Rose to handle.

"Well this man says he is a physician." Gaius gestures to the Doctor. "Have you got any credentials?"

"Certainly." The Doctor reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out his psychic paper. He waves it around for Gaius and Merlin to see.

Gaius smiles. "Excellent."

"Lemme see that." Star-Lord scoffs and snatches the paper from the Doctor. He opens the pad an examines it carefully. "This isn't...what the hell?"

"Give me that!" The Doctor reaches for the psychic paper but Star-Lord holds it away from him.

"This says you're a licensed medical physician," he says.

"Yeah, so?" The Doctor reaches for one of his big three prized possessions (the others include the TARDIS and his Sonic).

"The certification is time stamped for 515 A.D." Star-Lord throws the psychic paper on the floor and glares at the Doctor. "I knew you were planning this the whole time! You're messing with us!"

Rose groans. "Seriously, mate? You still think we're pulling you and your mates' legs?"

"How else would he-?"

"It's psychic paper you daft Terran," the Doctor snaps. He bends down to pick up the paper and hands it to Gaius.

"Psychic paper?" Gaius says, looking closely it. "There's nothing printed on here."

"Not a thing," Merlin agrees.

"Well done, gentleman," the doctor says, obviously impressed. "It takes a special type of person to trick the psychic paper. But I have no doubts that it will fool the King and his men."

"Yes, all right." Gaius nods. "I'm going to start the potion. Merlin, tell them what they need to do."

"Yes, sir."

Gaius takes the herbs to another table, leaving us alone with Merlin. "It's, um, it's rather simple," he starts. "We just need you to pretend to be a physician from another kingdom, coming to heal Morgana. You will say you had heard about the Lady Morgana's illness and conjured up an elixir that you know will do just the thing."

"Right. And why can't you two do this for yourselves?" Peter says. The Doctor shoots him a look and he adds, "It's a valid question."

"Well, Gaius has sort of been placed on probation since the last elixir he gave Morgana seemed to have made her worse," Merlin explains.

"So how is this going to work?" Peter asks.

"We only really need the Doctor and Rose," Merlin says. "They can pose as husband and wife, traveling far to help King Uther save his ward."

Rose blushes at the prospect of pretending to be married to the Doctor. She sneaks a glance at him and he appears a bit red, too.

"Wait a minute, nah. I'm coming along," Peter protests. "I'll be the bodyguard or something."

"How about our bondservant?" the Doctor says.

"Actually I have a better plan for you, um, Star-Lord," Merlin says. "Have you ever used a sword before?"

"Are you kidding? I watched the fight scene between Darth Maul and Qui-Gon Jin at least two-hundred times as a kid. I can wield a lightsaber better than Master Yoda." Star-Lord makes a sound with his mouth and moves his hands together, pretending to take the Doctor's head off with an invisible light saber.

The Doctor swats him away. "Stop that! You're so odd!"

"I'm not sure what any of that means, but it'll have to do," Merlin says.

"So what do you need me to do, kid?" Star-Lord proudly steps forward. The Doctor rolls his eyes.

"Well firstly you both need different names." Merlin looks at the two men expectantly.

"John Smith," the Doctor says.

"Peter Quill," Star-Lord says."