#040: Sherlock Holmes (ACD): Gen
Dec. 10th, 2022 11:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stonepicnicking_okapi posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
vocab_drabblesTitle: Onerous
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (ACD)
Rating: Gen
Length: 650
Notes: Based on one of my favourite children's Christmas books Baboushka and the Three Kings by Ruth Robbins
Summary: Mrs. Hudson dreams she is visited by three kings.
Housework was onerous.
There was nothing else to be said about it.
It was dull and never-ending.
Even at Christmas, specially, perhaps, at Christmas, there was housework.
Outside 221 Baker Street, the winter wind blew hard and cold, and the snow lay thick.
Inside 221 Baker Street, Mrs. Hudson was sweeping and scrubbing. She was feeding the stove. She was starving the stove. She had the strong sensation that she’d already done this, all of this, before.
She had, of course, done it all before.
The day before. And the day before. And all the days and all the befores.
She took pride in the results of her work. She took pride in her home.
The stove, the warm stove, was her defense against the night and the cold and the snow. It was also a kind of taciturn companion.
Mrs. Hudson worked on.
Then, suddenly, there was a knock at the front door.
Mrs. Hudson was taken aback by the figures who stood in the threshold. They towered over her, wearing the most elegant coats she’d ever seen. Their beards were frosted, but their eyes were kind. Behind them was a magnificent carriage pulled by magnificent horses.
“We are seeking the child. We are lost. Can you help us?”
These were surely very important personages. Princes. Dukes. Perhaps even kings. And here they were asking her, Martha Hudson, landlady for help. Imagine. It was the kind of thing that only happened to Mister Holmes.
Mister Holmes.
Mrs. Hudson tried to remember something and failed.
The snow was falling heavily. The wind slid like a knife through Mrs. Hudson’s thin shawl. She shivered.
“Come warm yourselves by the fire, gentlemen. I can give you some supper. The night is cruel, and I,” Mrs. Hudson hesitated and turned her head, looking behind her, “I have not finished my work.”
But her work was never-ending, wasn’t it? She would never finish it.
“There is no time,” said one of the kings. “If you cannot come with us, we must leave you and continue on our journey.”
They seemed to disappear into the snow, and Mrs. Hudson was left alone on the threshold.
She returned to her chores, but the stove no longer provided any satisfying company. Her mind kept repeating.
I should’ve gone with them. I should’ve have helped them find the child.
Finally, she could stand the yearning no longer. She decided to follow them. If she moved quickly, she might catch up with them.
She put on her warmest clothes and packed a satchel of food and blankets.
She left out the front door just as dawn was breaking.
Which way had the carriage gone?
She tried to find the path, but the falling snow had obscured any tracks. She walked and walked and walked. Finally, she met a figure, the details of which she could not make out. Nevertheless, she asked,
“Have you seen the kings? The ones in search of the child?”
The figure shook its head.
Mrs. Hudson sighed and marched on.
On and on.
Everyone she met, she asked, but no one had seen them, no one knew in what direction they’d gone.
---
“Mrs. Hudson.”
Mister Holmes was still in his hat and coat. There was a thick layer of snow on his clothes and even a few melting flakes in his eyelashes, but his expression was light, uncharacteristically light.
“We found her. We found the missing girl, Violet.”
Mrs. Hudson’s heart leapt.
Found!
“We restored her to her family at once, of course,” continued Mister Holmes. “Doctor Watson remained to tend to her, but I wanted to give you the good news. I knew you were concerned. Thank you for the food and blankets.”
“I am glad I could help.” Mrs. Hudson blinked owlishly at her surroundings. She realised she’d fallen asleep at the kitchen table.
It was dawn, but the stove was still warm.
It was Christmas.
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (ACD)
Rating: Gen
Length: 650
Notes: Based on one of my favourite children's Christmas books Baboushka and the Three Kings by Ruth Robbins
Summary: Mrs. Hudson dreams she is visited by three kings.
Housework was onerous.
There was nothing else to be said about it.
It was dull and never-ending.
Even at Christmas, specially, perhaps, at Christmas, there was housework.
Outside 221 Baker Street, the winter wind blew hard and cold, and the snow lay thick.
Inside 221 Baker Street, Mrs. Hudson was sweeping and scrubbing. She was feeding the stove. She was starving the stove. She had the strong sensation that she’d already done this, all of this, before.
She had, of course, done it all before.
The day before. And the day before. And all the days and all the befores.
She took pride in the results of her work. She took pride in her home.
The stove, the warm stove, was her defense against the night and the cold and the snow. It was also a kind of taciturn companion.
Mrs. Hudson worked on.
Then, suddenly, there was a knock at the front door.
Mrs. Hudson was taken aback by the figures who stood in the threshold. They towered over her, wearing the most elegant coats she’d ever seen. Their beards were frosted, but their eyes were kind. Behind them was a magnificent carriage pulled by magnificent horses.
“We are seeking the child. We are lost. Can you help us?”
These were surely very important personages. Princes. Dukes. Perhaps even kings. And here they were asking her, Martha Hudson, landlady for help. Imagine. It was the kind of thing that only happened to Mister Holmes.
Mister Holmes.
Mrs. Hudson tried to remember something and failed.
The snow was falling heavily. The wind slid like a knife through Mrs. Hudson’s thin shawl. She shivered.
“Come warm yourselves by the fire, gentlemen. I can give you some supper. The night is cruel, and I,” Mrs. Hudson hesitated and turned her head, looking behind her, “I have not finished my work.”
But her work was never-ending, wasn’t it? She would never finish it.
“There is no time,” said one of the kings. “If you cannot come with us, we must leave you and continue on our journey.”
They seemed to disappear into the snow, and Mrs. Hudson was left alone on the threshold.
She returned to her chores, but the stove no longer provided any satisfying company. Her mind kept repeating.
I should’ve gone with them. I should’ve have helped them find the child.
Finally, she could stand the yearning no longer. She decided to follow them. If she moved quickly, she might catch up with them.
She put on her warmest clothes and packed a satchel of food and blankets.
She left out the front door just as dawn was breaking.
Which way had the carriage gone?
She tried to find the path, but the falling snow had obscured any tracks. She walked and walked and walked. Finally, she met a figure, the details of which she could not make out. Nevertheless, she asked,
“Have you seen the kings? The ones in search of the child?”
The figure shook its head.
Mrs. Hudson sighed and marched on.
On and on.
Everyone she met, she asked, but no one had seen them, no one knew in what direction they’d gone.
---
“Mrs. Hudson.”
Mister Holmes was still in his hat and coat. There was a thick layer of snow on his clothes and even a few melting flakes in his eyelashes, but his expression was light, uncharacteristically light.
“We found her. We found the missing girl, Violet.”
Mrs. Hudson’s heart leapt.
Found!
“We restored her to her family at once, of course,” continued Mister Holmes. “Doctor Watson remained to tend to her, but I wanted to give you the good news. I knew you were concerned. Thank you for the food and blankets.”
“I am glad I could help.” Mrs. Hudson blinked owlishly at her surroundings. She realised she’d fallen asleep at the kitchen table.
It was dawn, but the stove was still warm.
It was Christmas.
no subject
Date: 2022-12-11 06:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-12-12 03:04 am (UTC)