hristina screamed, not in terror, but in malice. Suddenly her face was transformed from that of a pretty young girl, to that of a hideous old crone, cackling with glee! Whilst the other two hags swooped to attack she turned to Lavallier. 'Captain Lavallier,' she cackled, 'you are our pet, now do our bidding!'

Katherine screamed with fright as Jack also drew a rapier and held it before him, readying himself for the inevitable attack.

The Doctor dodged Lavallier’s clumsy charge and then noticed a pair of rapiers above a fireplace. He pushed Katherine behind him and turned to defend her, grabbing one of the rapiers from the wall and flicking it expertly upwards.

The hag that had worn the face of Christina the maid hissed at the Doctor as she pulled a crystal from her robes. "You cannot stand against us Doctor. Now you will die!"

With a stroke of luck however, Lavallier’s troops who had been waiting outside the chateau, had heard the noise from within and came crashing to the rescue through the open French windows. One of them screamed in terror at the witches and cowered in abject fear, but the remaining four took up their weapons, even against their former captain, and charged into the battle.

Lavallier turned and charged into his men as if possessed, and cut down one instantly with a vicious stroke of his sword. One of the hags laughed as she impaled another of the troops on a wicked looking dagger after casting a glimmering haze upon him.