The eyes declare a truce of trust (River)

[River Song]

"Oh?" River asked, sorting through Romana's words in her mind. But... She wasn't getting anywhere.

"What do you mean when you say 'not while I am like this'?" River asked, believing that there must be much more that Romana wasn't telling her.

She had an eerie feeling that Romana was one of the Doctor's companions that hailed from Gallifrey... Which would explain quite a bit, actually. Like, perhaps she meant that she was supposed to be time-locked on that ill-fated planet - and not pretending to be a priestess of Avalon.

But, it was just a hunch - a gut feeling, if you will - and River said nothing. She didn't wish to betray Romana's trust or give her any reason to be cross with her - River needed her. She needed to find out everything she could to further her research.

River WOULD find him again, some day...

[Romanadvoratrelundar]

Romana merely gave a grim nod at the initial inquiry. She had nothing more to truly say. Although, being asked why she said not while she was like this, did make her rather curious. How much did the River woman truly wish to know. For what reason, at that.

"I have my reasons, of which I would rather not discuss." The short-haired brunette replied, expression stony. She knew of very few people that would truly even question her wording. Had it not been clear that she did not want anything to do with the Doctor?

Dread and guilt flooded her prefrontal cortex and Romana closed her eyes briefly. How had she allowed for such horrors to befall Gallifrey? She had been titled various things. Perhaps the most daunting title was the "War Queen of the Nine Gallifreys." There was the incident with the Dogma Virus that had been created by the Free Time organization. The whole thing with Pandora. The fact she felt responsible for the downfall of Gallifrey. The Fraction Paradox, The Enemy, and so forth. Treaties with Skaro, and more.

Straightening up, Romana held her head high and she eyed River Song from head to toe. Taking in her body language, and her expression. She took a deep breath in then, exhaled in a sigh.

"What pray-tell has you with such expressions? I am aware you are looking for the Doctor but, I will be gone by the time he has arrived. I shall not give any more information. It is not for someone who is not involved." Or at least, not involved more then with merely the Doctor.

[River Song]

River smiled politely and replied, "Well... I shan't trouble you any longer, then. Thank you for showing me kindness and hospitality, Priestess." River used her Avalonian alias, rather than 'Romana', since it seemed that River wasn't going to get any further with this woman.

Whoever she was.

"I have more than enough data for my project, thanks to you," River continued, though she was quite confused about Romana's motivations for avoiding the Doctor. Then again, River reminded herself that not EVERYONE was in love with that wonderful man.

Of course, River's project would have to be amended so that it didn't focus on the Doctor, but rather on the Priestesses of Avalon and their sacred rites and duties. But... River knew that at some point in the not-so-far-away future, that the Doctor would come to Avalon (also thanks to Romana). Perhaps River might try her luck again at finding him here?

"I apologize if I have upset you with all this talk about the Doctor, but... you see... I am from his future, and I am desperately trying to find him - though I can't reveal much more than that. If you would prefer I take my leave, I will respect your wishes," River politely declared, though... she wasn't used to having to be so tactful and diplomatic.

It was frustrating.

[Romanadvoratrelundar]

Romana held her head high and arched a delicate eyebrow. "Priestess? I told you. While I am a priestess, it is more a rouse then anything." She stated. Romana was much more reliable of a name. Then again, her full name was the name she was most used to. Romanadvoratrelundar, and her various titles at that.

She knew that the time to leave was coming quickly.

"I am glad to have been of service." She stated. Oddly enough, Romana was tempted to tell the woman who she truly was.

"You have not truly upset me with all of the conversation about the Doctor." She began. "For, the Doctor is my past. Some of my best memories are with him." As were some of the only memories she lacked, as well as some of her most horrifying. Her first regeneration, and slipping into E-Space. K-9 and the spiders of Alzarius. Oh, those spiders had caused her trouble. Vampires, Paris, and more. How she had grown and softened under the Doctor's gaze.

"I might as well explain it to you… I have faith that you will not tell the Doctor of my existence. If you believe you can do this, then I shall tell you." Romana sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, slightly irritated. If not, she'd not say another word.

[River Song]

When Romana seemingly had a change of heart, River perked up, smiling, for she was ever so good at keeping secrets - aka "spoilers" - from the Doctor (and her parents), and River suspected that more and more spoilers would need to be kept to herself as the years went on by.

"Keeping secrets is something of a specialty of mine - there's an awful lot that I can't tell him... or anyone," she confessed to Romana, while at the same time her smile turned a little bittersweet. Sometimes, it could be awfully lonely being River Song.

"Your secret is safe with me," River concluded, absolutely itching to learn more about Romana.

[Romanadvoratrelundar]

It was truly against her better judgement. To let River know exactly who she was, and what she had done. She had promised her history, and she would give all 300+ years.

"Well, we may as well take a walk." She stated, and didn't even wait for River to respond before she began walking.

"As I told you. I am Romanadvoratrelundar. I was born into - or rather loomed into - the ancestral house of Heartshaven. One of 45 members. Or at least I was. The house of Heartshaven was a Prydonian household. Which is related to the Prydon chapter, named after the hero Prydonius. Prydons wear scarlet and orange robes. This being said, I hailed from a planet long forgotten. Gallifrey." She began, and closed her eyes, dreaming up what to say next.

"The first female president of Gallifrey wished to undo all of Rassilon's traditions, Pandora, the imperiatrix of Gallifrey. She had days to build an army. In the end, she was defeated and put into what we called the matrix. This was back on the ancient Gallifreyan history. My own is more modern." Which was true, her own history was modern so to speak.

"I went to the academy. I absolutely abhorred it. I was titled the ice maiden by my classmates." Because, I was better then they were. I was smarter. They were jealous. "I graduated at the top of my class with a triple first." Something she boasted about when she had met the Doctor. "I met the Doctor when I was 150. I was to be his companion and his assistant in finding the key to time." So many mystical things she had experienced.

"We met the white guardian, and the black guardian. We kept the universe from freezing and not being able to continue. The Doctor and I did not get along well at first. Conflicting personalities yet, we were indeed comrades." She took a brief pause. "I regenerated to stop myself from being under the influence of Pandora, who had manipulated Timelord bio-data for millenniums. We had a summons from Gallifrey, and I was to return to Gallifrey. Only, on our way back, we slipped into a CVE. A door way, so to speak to E-Space. A smaller universe outside of our own that holds negative coordinates." Oh, E-Space and Adric. Vampires, and more. "Eventually I returned to Gallifrey and I worked my way up on the political chain." She figured she may as well include one more thing.

"Thoughout my life, I have held various nicknames and titles. My earliest, as mentioned before, was the Ice Maiden. Given to me by my classmates at the academy. I was Romana to the Doctor, he'd jokingly given me the option of Romana or Fred. I never was fond of Romana. At least not until my second form. I was the Imperiatrix, manipulated by Pandora, that is. I was the president of Gallifrey. I was also known in this new, third body, as the War Queen and Lady President of the Nine Gallifreys." Amongst other things. Oh, how troublesome things had been. "Of course to K-9, I was mistress." She sighed. "Perhaps what I miss the most is home. I was the poster child of Gallifreyan society. Has your opinion changed yet?"

[River Song]

River followed after Romana, eager to hear her story. This was gonna be good…

Silently, River walked beside Romana and listened to her tell her tale. She wasn’t entirely surprised to learn that Romana was a Time Lady and a past companion to the Doctor. What she found to be surprising – and impressive – was that Romana had formerly been the President of Gallifrey… also called the War Queen… River surmised that must have been right at the beginning of the Time War, or shortly before.

But, the Time War couldn’t be Romana’s fault! Nor was it her fault that Pandora had manipulated her.

But… Romana simply oozed with guilt. She must have felt responsible… The poor dear. No wonder she didn’t want to face the Doctor.

"Perhaps what I miss the most is home. I was the poster child of Gallifreyan society. Has your opinion changed yet?"

River smiled a small, close-lipped smile and looked at Romana with empathy, feeling that she understood this woman quite a bit better than before, and also feeling very privileged to have heard the Time Lady’s story.

“Romana… My opinion of you is untarnished, despite what you may think.” River paused a moment to let her words sink in. “What happened to Gallifrey was not your fault. I don’t know that anyone could have stopped the Time War from happening. I think your term as President just came at an unfortunate time…”

River also thought that the Doctor would feel much the same way, and that he would welcome Romana’s return to the known universe with open arms, despite his immense grief about Gallifrey. However, Romana was so sure of the opposite, and River didn’t want to press the issue.

She also would keep her word about not telling the Doctor. A promise was a promise, and River found that she had a great deal of respect for Romana, despite what the Time Lady thought about herself and her guilt.

[River Song]

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