The Doctor, Vicki, and new companion Steven Taylor arrive in Saxon Northumbria on the eve of the Viking and Norman invasions. It is 1066, a pivotal moment in British history. The hand of a mysterious Monk is at work in the nearby monastery, intending that history takes a different course.
THE TIME MEDDLER DENNIS SPOONER 5:40pm - 6:05pm [SCENE_BREAK] 1: INT. MONASTERY. ALCOVE (NIGHT) (The DOCTOR laughs to himself and takes the needle off the record. As he lets the curtain fall, a wooden portcullis falls across the end of the passage, trapping him inside. He runs to the portcullis, staring into the main hallway. The MONK, carrying a flaming torch, walks up to him from the other side of the barrier. He starts to laugh in the face of the imprisoned DOCTOR...) [SCENE_BREAK] 2: EXT. COUNTRYSIDE (It is the following day and the sun shines brightly across the stark Northumbrian countryside...) [SCENE_BREAK] 3: INT. MONASTERY. KITCHEN (An electronic toaster shoots up two burnt and hot pieces of toast which burn the MONK'S hands as he catches them. Also inside the otherwise bare stone chamber are other twentieth-century cooking implements. The MONK picks up a frying pan from a camp stove and spoons off fried eggs onto a plate. This rests on a tray along with a china cup and several other items for breakfast. He places the toast on the tray, picks it up giving the items an appreciative smell and leaves the kitchen.) [SCENE_BREAK] 4: INT. MONASTERY. HALLWAYS (The MONK proceeds through the monastery hallways with the tray ...) [SCENE_BREAK] 5: INT. MONASTERY. PASSAGEWAY OUTSIDE CELL ( ... until he comes to a locked cell door. He opens a small hatch in the door and checks inside. Smiling, he takes a key out of his pocket and unlocks the door. After one final look inside the cell, he opens it up and places the tray quietly on the floor just inside the door. He backs silently out and re-locks the door. He looks inside the cell again and chuckles to himself. He shouts heartily through the hatch.) MONK: Breakfast! Breakfast! (There is no response. He now speaks encouragingly...) MONK: Come along - early to bed, early to rise! (He chuckles and looks through the hatch again...) MONK: Come on, do you want the eggs to get cold? (The tea is thrown through the hatch, drenching the MONK.) DOCTOR: (OOV.) Go away! I'll come out when I'm ready. (The furious MONK slams the hatch-door shut and storms away.) [SCENE_BREAK] 6: EXT. FOREST (WULNOTH, ELDRED and another male villager treads stealthily through the trees. WULNOTH parts a branch and points out something ahead to ELDRED, then nods and pushes him off to circle through the trees. WULNOTH and the other man carry straight on. ELDRED is the first to reach a small glade where VICKI lies asleep on the ground with her cloak wrapped round her for warmth. She awakens and jumps up, looking to where ELDRED previously stood but he is no longer there. Nevertheless, the young girl senses someone around her. She is also alone...) VICKI: Steven? Steven? (A branch cracks nearby. She looks through the trees and a figure steps into the glade. It is STEVEN. VICKI sighs with relief.) VICKI: Oh, Steven! STEVEN: Morning. What are you looking so jittery about? VICKI: I thought I heard somebody...moving about in the bushes. STEVEN: That was me. I was looking for some food. VICKI: Did you find anything? STEVEN: That's a matter of opinion. Want some breakfast? VICKI: Yes please. STEVEN: Well, you can either have some blackberries... (He opens a hand with a flourish...) STEVEN: Or...some blackberries. (He opens the other hand.) VICKI: (Laughing.) I don't think it matters thanks. (Jumping on the spot.) Oh, I'm freezing. STEVEN: (Eating the blackberries.) Mmm. We'd better get moving then. VICKI: Oh...what, back to the TARDIS? (WULNOTH is crouched behind a bush, listening...) STEVEN: Yes. If the Doctor's not there, we'll have to think again. VICKI: I wonder what time it is. (STEVEN holds out his arm showing the wristwatch.) STEVEN: Twenty past five. VICKI: I wonder if the Doctor did drop that... STEVEN: You said before he didn't have a watch. VICKI: I said I didn't think he had. STEVEN: Oh, why don't you admit all this tenth century stuff's just... (The sound of another branch breaking is heard. STEVEN carefully starts to tread through the trees.) VICKI: (Whispers.) There's somebody there! (STEVEN signals for silence. He continues through the trees.) VICKI: Steven? Steven? (ELDRED silently comes from behind a bush and creeps upon the unsuspecting girl. He grabs her round the neck and holds a large knife at her.) VICKI: Argh! (STEVEN jumps round but is set upon by WULNOTH and the other man. VICKI is thrust towards them.) ELDRED: What shall we do with them? WULNOTH: Take 'em to the village. [SCENE_BREAK] 7: EXT. MONASTERY (The MONK comes out of the monastery's main door, trying to look serene. He goes to check his wristwatch but remembers its loss. He quickly scuttles up a small rise outside the door and is starting to take something from around his neck when he sees something below and runs back down the rise. Jumping to the ground, he quickly takes a scroll out of his habit and sits reading. EDITH and a woman approach him through some bushes. The other woman carries a basket of provisions. They see the monk.) EDITH: Good morning, father. MONK: Ah...ah, good morning my children. (Getting up.) Good morning. Oh, so deep was I in my meditations, I failed to see you arrive. You must forgive me. EDITH: Oh, no. It is we who should ask forgiveness of you, disturbing you like this. MONK: No please, please. You're always welcome here. (EDITH takes the basket from the other woman and passes it to the MONK.) EDITH: We, erm, we thought you might need some food. MONK: Ah, how very charitable of you, my dear. EDITH: Oh, I'm sorry father, it's poor fare for the likes of you. MONK: (Looking under the cloth.) Yes, but...don't distress yourself, my child. (He steps to one side, away from the women.) MONK: We must all be prepared to make sacrifices when they're asked of us. Well, I er, I would like to stop and talk and pass the time of day with you, but...this morning, solitude and study are uppermost in my mind. (The two women have been talking quietly to each other.) EDITH: We understand, father. MONK: (Smiling to himself.) Thank you again, my child. Good morning. EDITH: Morning, father. (As they walk away, the MONK looks slyly round. When he is sure that he is alone, he climbs back up the rise and reaches round his neck - only to take a pair of binoculars from under his habit. He looks through them but does not see what he is searching for. He climbs back down.) [SCENE_BREAK] 8: INT. MONASTERY. PASSAGEWAY OUTSIDE CELL (A constant banging noise comes from the inner side of the cell door.) DOCTOR: (OOV.) Open this door! Open this door, will you! Open it! [SCENE_BREAK] 9: EXT. CLIFFTOP (The sea crashes onto the shoreline. The MONK looks over the edge and then sits on the clifftop in the brisk and cold wind. His face shows exasperation with his wait. He takes a box of snuff out of his pocket, taps it and then puts some on the back of his hand - only for the wind to blow it away before he can sniff it. He pulls his hood over his head and with his head held down, tries again. With his nose and eyes streaming, he lets the hood down and looks out to sea. He blinks in surprise and hurriedly raises his binoculars. Through them he sees the ominous sight of a Viking Longship, complete with Dragon ships head and striped sail. The MONKS face displays delight at the end of his long wait...) [SCENE_BREAK] 10: EXT. VIKING LONGSHIP (The Longship nears the coast. The warrior at the helm points out the land to his companions...) [SCENE_BREAK] 11: EXT. CLIFFTOP (The MONK lowers his glasses.) MONK: (Excitedly.) At last! At last! (He raises the glasses again...) [SCENE_BREAK] 12: EXT. SAXON SETTLEMENT (VICKI and STEVEN are pushed towards WULNOTH'S hut. They sit outside the door. STEVEN rubs the back of his neck.) VICKI: Are you all right? STEVEN: I've felt better. I dare say I'll get over it. (Looking round himself.) It's pretty authentic Saxon isn't it? VICKI: Don't tell me you've actually started to believe us? STEVEN: I mean they'd hardly go to all this trouble for a fancy dress ball, now would they? (Whispers.) We've got to get out of here. (He stands up. Immediately the Saxon men stand menacingly before him with their staves. He sits back down.) VICKI: Looks as though they want us to stay. STEVEN: Yes, we must be more popular than we thought. (ELDRED and WULNOTH are discussing their prisoners.) ELDRED: Wulnoth, we can't...just let them go! WULNOTH: Their clothes are strange. If they are travellers... ELDRED: (Interrupting.) Travellers? With no provisions or belongings? Travelled from where? WULNOTH: Well, we can ask them... (He gets up to go over to them. ELDRED grabs him by the arms.) ELDRED: Why listen to their lies?! (Watching, STEVEN shrugs to VICKI.) ELDRED: They've been put ashore somewhere along to the coast to spy for the Vikings. WULNOTH: You've got no proof of that! ELDRED: Nor do we have proof of what you say! WULNOTH: Maybe not, but I'm the Headman of the village... ELDRED: You maybe Headman now, but when the people hear how you treated their enemies, those two will be ... ! (He grabs his short dagger and makes for the two prisoners who jump to their feet. STEVEN holds up a short stick in defence. WULNOTH holds out his dagger at him.) WULNOTH: Eldred! (EDITH runs from the side.) EDITH: Eldred! (She stands between WULNOTH and ELDRED who face each other off. She hesitates then walks over to STEVEN and VICKI.) EDITH: Are you looking for an old man with long white hair? STEVEN: What...you've seen him? WULNOTH: (Approaching.) Of which old man do you speak, woman? EDITH: He came here late last night. He wore clothes like these people. STEVEN: (Interrupting.) Do you know where he is now? WULNOTH: Did you question him? EDITH: A little. He said he was a traveller. ELDRED: Then he lied. STEVEN: Oh, for goodness sake... ELDRED: Wulnoth! I do not trust them! STEVEN: Well, I'm not mad about you either! WULNOTH: I think these people are what they say they are, Eldred. Innocent travellers. ELDRED: I do not trust them. Sooner or later you will regret that you didn't listen to me. VICKI: Are you going to stand here arguing all day? Either let us go, or...do whatever you're going to do but make up your minds. (ELDRED stares at STEVEN. WULNOTH looks from one to the other, then...) WULNOTH: You can go. Edith, take the girl inside and get some food for their journey. (EDITH takes VICKI inside. STEVEN throws his stick down to the ground. ELDRED continues to stare angrily at him.) [SCENE_BREAK] 13: INT. HUT (EDITH is packing some items into a rough bag...) VICKI: ...And the Doctor, the old man, what happened to him? EDITH: Oh, he was going to stay and then he suddenly decided to visit the monastery. VICKI: That's quite near here, isn't it? I heard the singing. EDITH: It's not far. It's just at the top of the hill (Pointing.)...behind the forest. I can take you. VICKI: Oh, erm, we...It's all right, thanks. EDITH: Oh...here. (She passes the bag to the smiling girl. VICKI leaves the hut.) [SCENE_BREAK] 14: EXT. SAXON SETTLEMENT VICKI: Steven? (She passes him the bag. STEVEN takes it, looks round at his former captors, then nods...) STEVEN: Thanks. (He starts to step away, but hesitates...) Thank you. VICKI: Thank you. EDITH: God be with you. WULNOTH: God be with you. (STEVEN hesitates again, he more relaxed features nod briefly.) STEVEN: God be with you. (They leave. WULNOTH and EDITH watch them, then he turns to the other men.) WULNOTH: Time we were working in the fields. (The men follow but ELDRED still looks angry...) [SCENE_BREAK] 15: EXT. MONASTERY (The MONK arrives back at the monastery and enters.) [SCENE_BREAK] 16: EXT. CLIFFTOP (Two grappling hooks land on top of the cliff and a terrifying figure climbs to the top. It is the VIKING LEADER who wears a helmet, topped by a metal eagle, which covers almost all of the top of his head with holes for the eyes. As he steps a few paces inland, two other Vikings climb up and follow. A blond haired warrior stands next to the VIKING LEADER with another dark haired man behind him. This latter man speaks.) ULF: Any sign of life? VIKING LEADER: No. (A third warrior has made the clifftop. The LEADER speaks to him.) VIKING LEADER: Tell the others to wait below. (The third man turns back. The LEADER gives an order to the blond haired man.) VIKING LEADER: Sven, you with Ulf and Gunnar go south. Radnor will take a similar group to the north. SVEN: I understand. VIKING LEADER: And remember, Sven, when you rejoin the force, we will want to know the lie of the land - where there is food and fresh water available and the strength of the villages. SVEN: And if we're seen? VIKING LEADER: Then you'll have no choice but to fight. But keep in your minds this is no ordinary raid. You are the eyes of the King! ULF: We'll need provisions ourselves. SVEN: The first village we find will provide those. VIKING LEADER: Yes, but be careful. If your presence here can be kept secret, Harold Hardrada will have surprise on his side. Now, go. SVEN: Gunnar? (A tall long haired VIKING wearing an eye-patch follows SVEN and ULF. The VIKING LEADER speaks to another Viking.) VIKING LEADER: Send Ragra and the others up. Then we can rejoin the fleet. (The Viking steps away to carry out the order.) [SCENE_BREAK] 17: EXT. MONASTERY (VICKI and STEVEN approach the monastery. STEVEN knocks on the door. VICKI looks around herself.) VICKI: It's very beautiful here, isn't it? STEVEN: It could use a gardener. (The door opens and the MONK comes out, a serene look on his face.) MONK: Good day, my children, good day. STEVEN: Good day. We're looking for... MONK: (Interrupting.) Indeed, we're all searching for something. Some like myself seek it in the peace and solitude that repose behind these monastery... STEVEN: (Interrupting back.) We are looking for a friend of ours. MONK: (Smiling.) Oh, you think I can help. VICKI: Well, he left word in the village that he was coming up here. MONK: Would that we could all realise our ambitions. Be they a lifelong wish or a stated intention of journeying for self... STEVEN: (Interrupting impatiently.) Look, are you trying to tell us that he didn't come here? MONK: My son, no stranger has knocked on this door for many a day, welcome though they be. STEVEN: Are you sure you haven't seen anyone...around the place? MONK: I'm afraid not. VICKI: What about the others? MONK: Others? VICKI: The other...monks? MONK: Ah, the other monks, yes. Well, I'm sure they would have mentioned it to me had they seen him. (VICKI and STEVEN do not answer.) MONK: However, if you'll wait here, I shall go inside and inquire just to make sure. (He smiles at them both and walks inside, closing the door behind him.) VICKI: Looks as though the Doctor didn't come up here. STEVEN: Didn't he? (He walks away a few paces, thinking, then turns back.) STEVEN: You know I don't believe a word of it. It's just as if he expected us and if the Doctor didn't come here, well where else could he go except back to the village? VICKI: I don't know STEVEN: Well, I'm not convinced. I'll tell you what, when he comes out again, I'm going to try something, so whatever happens, don't say a word. Nothing! OK? VICKI: (Slightly uncertain.) OK. [SCENE_BREAK] 18: INT. MONASTERY. ENTRANCE HALL (The MONK is trying to listen to their conversation on the other side of the door. Reassuming his serene face, he walks back outside.) [SCENE_BREAK] 19: EXT. MONASTERY MONK: I apologise for keeping you waiting. STEVEN: It's quite all right. MONK: I'm afraid the answer is not the one you'd wish to hear. VICKI: You haven't seen him...? (VICKI realises that she has broken her promise to keep quiet.) MONK: I'm sorry STEVEN: Oh, well, er, perhaps you'd keep a lookout for him? MONK: Oh, I certainly will, yes. STEVEN: Are you sure you'll remember his description? MONK: Description? I...let me see. (Thinks aloud.) Long white hair, er, black cloak and rather strange checked trousers... STEVEN: That's it, you've got it, fine, thanks. MONK: Not at all. STEVEN: Thanks very much indeed. MONK: You're very welcome, my son. I'm sorry I couldn't have done more. Good-day. STEVEN: Good-day. (The MONK goes back inside the MONASTERY. VICKI walks away a few paces, then realises what has been said...) VICKI: We didn't give him a description of the Doctor! STEVEN: I know we didn't! That means he must have seen him, doesn't it? He's keeping him prisoner in there. I'll stake my life on that, Vicki. VICKI: Well, he was pretty stupid to give himself away like that. STEVEN: It's easily done. VICKI: Too easy. I don't think we've been as clever as we think we have. STEVEN: Oh, now, what does that mean? VICKI: Well look, say he's the one who's tricked us. Say he gave himself away deliberately like that, in order to make us think we'd fooled him. STEVEN: Vicki, there's only one way we can find out what's going on in there. That's to break in. VICKI: That's exactly what he wants us to do. STEVEN: Well, possibly but we've no other choice. We'll wait 'til its dark. Come on. (They leave...) [SCENE_BREAK] 20: EXT. SAXON SETTLEMENT (EVENING) (EDITH comes out of the hut with a troubled look on her face. She looks around carefully but fails to see anything in the gloom. She picks up a rough spear and walks forward. GUNNAR THE GIANT drops out of a tree behind her and grabs her. As she cries out her drags her towards the hut where ULF and SVEN are already making for...) [SCENE_BREAK] 21: EXT. MONASTERY (EVENING) (VICKI and STEVEN climb a small rise and look over the monastery.) STEVEN: I think the best idea is to go and try around the other side. (VICKI nods and they climb back down the rise.) [SCENE_BREAK] 22: EXT. SAXON SETTLEMENT (EVENING) (The outside of the settlement has been pillaged. WULNOTH returns through the trees and sees the carnage.) WULNOTH: Edith! (He runs into the settlement and inside the hut.) [SCENE_BREAK] 23: INT. HUT (EVENING) WULNOTH: (Upset.) Edith! (EDITH lies on the floor, staring upwards in shock. WULNOTH holds her. ELDRED has entered the hut behind him.) WULNOTH: Get what help you can from the village. ELDRED: (Quietly.) It was those travellers! I know it. I said you would regret not listening to me Wulnoth. But even I would not have felt them capable of th... WULNOTH: (In a strangled cry.) Get the men! (ELDRED runs off. WULNOTH buries his head...) [SCENE_BREAK] 24: EXT. FOREST (EVENING) (GUNNAR THE GIANT leads his two companions through the wood with their booty. They all check that they are not being followed. SVEN, swigging a drink, is in the rear.) [SCENE_BREAK] 25: INT. HUT (EVENING) (WULNOTH wipes EDITH'S face with a wet cloth, helped by the woman who was with EDITH at the monastery earlier. EDITH moans quietly.) WULNOTH: Who did it? Who was it? EDITH: (Feebly.) Vikings... (ELDRED enters...) ELDRED: We're ready. WULNOTH: (His anger rising.) Vikings! (ELDRED leaves. WULNOTH leaves EDITH to the care of the woman, takes a large sword and leaves the hut...) [SCENE_BREAK] 26: EXT. SAXON SETTLEMENT (EVENING) (The men of the village are gathered outside. WULNOTH looks them over and then leads them off.) [SCENE_BREAK] 27: EXT. FOREST (EVENING) (The branches of the trees and bushes are broken...) ELDRED: They're leaving a good trail. WULNOTH: Then we'll find them all the quicker. Come on. (They move on...) [SCENE_BREAK] 28: EXT. ANOTHER PART OF THE FOREST (EVENING) (The Vikings continue their path through the wood. ULF and SVEN are drunk on their stolen mead. GUNNAR is the only sober one. He takes the mead off his companions and throws it to one side. As they continue their progress, ULF and SVEN hang on each other.) SVEN: (Drunkenly.) Ulf, you like the provisions we found! ULF: (Laughing.) Ah, yes! (The Saxons suddenly leap out of hiding, shouting as they do so. Whilst SVEN and ULF fight a Saxon, GUNNAR crushes two men at once with his bare arms until WULNOTH sneaks up behind him and hits him with a sword blow in his back.. SVEN and ULF kill their attacker and turn to help the wounded GUNNAR. He manages to strike a blow at ELDRED who falls to the ground tripping GUNNAR as he does so. WULNOTH leaps forward with the killing blow. SVEN leaps to his assistance and finds himself fighting the weakened ELDRED. WULNOTH comes to blows with ULF.) WULNOTH: Saxons! Here! SVEN: (Leaping forward.) Leave him Ulf, Gunnar's dead. Come on! (SVEN runs off and ULF quickly follows. WULNOTH runs back to ELDRED who pushes the dead GUNNAR off him and then holds his wounded arm.) WULNOTH: How is it? ELDRED: It's bleeding badly. (He attempts to stand.) I'll go back to the village. WULNOTH: No, no, the monastery's much nearer. Come on. (ELDRED tries to stand but he is weak.) WULNOTH: Put your arm round me. This way. (He supports ELDRED and they set off.) [SCENE_BREAK] 29: EXT. MONASTERY (NIGHT) (The extremely bright light again shines from an upper window...) [SCENE_BREAK] 30: INT. MONASTERY. PASSAGEWAY (NIGHT) (The MONK walks through the ruined hallways and passageways, the usual sly smile on his face. He stops to stare briefly at an open window, then silently walks off. After he passes the window, STEVEN looks cautiously through. He signals to VICKI and helps her up and inside. They look round their dingy surroundings and both shrug.) VICKI AND STEVEN: Follow me! (They both walk off in opposite directions! STEVEN, a little vexed, is the one who turns back and follows his companion.) [SCENE_BREAK] 31: INT. MONASTERY. ALCOVE (NIGHT) (The MONK parts the curtain and starts the gramophone with the record of the chanting monks. He smiles and pulls the curtain back into place. He checks the portcullis trap for his new visitors.) [SCENE_BREAK] 32: EXT. MONASTERY (NIGHT) (WULNOTH supports a very weak ELDRED towards the monastery. ELDRED stumbles to the ground.) [SCENE_BREAK] 33: INT. MONASTERY. PASSAGEWAY (NIGHT) (STEVEN and VICKI continue their progress through the hallways. The MONK watches from behind a pillar. Before he can take any action, a knocking comes from the front door. He frowns and moves off towards the door.) [SCENE_BREAK] 34: EXT. MONASTERY (NIGHT) (WULNOTH pounds at the door. ELDRED is by now extremely weak.) [SCENE_BREAK] 35: INT. MONASTERY. ALCOVE (NIGHT) (VICKI and STEVEN reach the alcove. They part the curtain and stare in amazement at the gramophone. They leave the alcove unharmed. [SCENE_BREAK] 36: INT. MONASTERY. PASSAGEWAY OUTSIDE CELL (NIGHT) (They reach the cell door. STEVEN opens the hatch and looks through.) STEVEN: It's the Doctor. I think he's asleep. VICKI: No! (STEVEN takes a penknife out of his pocket. VICKI checks behind her.) VICKI: Hurry! (STEVEN attacks the lock...) [SCENE_BREAK] 37: EXT. MONASTERY (NIGHT) (WULNOTH is now pounding the door with a stave. The door opens and the MONK comes out.) MONK: Yes, what is it? WULNOTH: I have a wounded man here, father. He needs help. (WULNOTH helps ELDRED inside.) MONK: By all means. Bring him in. (WULNOTH already has done so. The MONK scurries after them.) [SCENE_BREAK] 38: INT. MONASTERY. PASSAGEWAY OUTSIDE CELL (NIGHT) (STEVEN succeeds in picking the lock. He and VICKI rush inside the cell...) [SCENE_BREAK] 39: INT. MONASTERY. CELL. (NIGHT) (On the bed, the DOCTOR'S cloak covers his form.) VICKI: Doctor! Doctor, wake up. We're here. Doctor? (She pulls the cloak back. Underneath is just a pile of furs...) VICKI: He's...he's gone. He's gone!
The Meddling Monk