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1900. I fear I'd never left London until my 21st year. [When he'd gone off to murder the Reverend Lord Ezekiel D'Ysquith in Lincolnshire.] It was simply in all of the papers and I took an interest with the young lady being around my own age.
Ms. Melvin was of the habit of taking walks in the wood near her house with her elder brother. They separated after a spate according to the brother and the next time anyone found Ms. Melvin it was as one of the dearly departed.
[Sherlock might notice the colorful little snake from his first visit slithering out from the kitchen. Lancelot has come to listen for a story to feed on.]
She was found with a bandanna around her neck and her arms and legs bound with a curious sort of rope, the kind of hemp one would use to tie back rosebushes.
Ms. Melvin was of the habit of taking walks in the wood near her house with her elder brother. They separated after a spate according to the brother and the next time anyone found Ms. Melvin it was as one of the dearly departed.
[Sherlock might notice the colorful little snake from his first visit slithering out from the kitchen. Lancelot has come to listen for a story to feed on.]
She was found with a bandanna around her neck and her arms and legs bound with a curious sort of rope, the kind of hemp one would use to tie back rosebushes.
Renart... I love you and appreciate that you would go to such lengths. But I will not have you turn yourself monstrous on my behalf again. It is not necessary for you to use your powers and I do not wish for you to. Please, trust me to handle this.
[He steps forward to place his hands on her shoulders.]
If I'm wrong... then we'll sort it from there, but not before.
[He steps forward to place his hands on her shoulders.]
If I'm wrong... then we'll sort it from there, but not before.
[She wants to argue with him that it is necessary and this kind of tenuous balance isn't sustainable and it doesn't really matter if she's a monster so long as she can protect him -
But she doesn't. Trusting him is more important. What he wants is more important - with no immediate danger to face, anyway.
Renart looks reluctant as she nods.]
Alright.
[She sighs heavily, leaning against him.]
This place is a lot safer than Between. [For him especially.] I don't want anything compromising that.
But she doesn't. Trusting him is more important. What he wants is more important - with no immediate danger to face, anyway.
Renart looks reluctant as she nods.]
Alright.
[She sighs heavily, leaning against him.]
This place is a lot safer than Between. [For him especially.] I don't want anything compromising that.
Edited 2017-09-17 23:30 (UTC)
[He wraps his arms around her in a gentle hug.]
I know. But you've seen what the people are like here, have you not? They would forgive a man who committed murder in their midst and quarrel over whether the victim deserved his fate. It's quite extraordinary.
I know. But you've seen what the people are like here, have you not? They would forgive a man who committed murder in their midst and quarrel over whether the victim deserved his fate. It's quite extraordinary.
[Monty quirks his brow.]
You think threatening them at sword point would solve the problem?
You think threatening them at sword point would solve the problem?
[Hm.
That's not a lot to go on, and without seeing the crime scene or even photographs of it, it's a lot harder for him to pick out the clues that might be hiding in plain sight if people just knew how to look for them. He glances briefly at the little snake, but ultimately puts it out of his mind in order to concentrate.]
I need you to tell me every detail you recall. If there were photographs, I need to know all of what you can remember from the scene, as well as any articles written or police reports released.
[Hemp rope of that kind suggests someone either in the gardening trade, or else with access to it readily, but it's hardly enough to make a conviction.]
That's not a lot to go on, and without seeing the crime scene or even photographs of it, it's a lot harder for him to pick out the clues that might be hiding in plain sight if people just knew how to look for them. He glances briefly at the little snake, but ultimately puts it out of his mind in order to concentrate.]
I need you to tell me every detail you recall. If there were photographs, I need to know all of what you can remember from the scene, as well as any articles written or police reports released.
[Hemp rope of that kind suggests someone either in the gardening trade, or else with access to it readily, but it's hardly enough to make a conviction.]
I could not lift Beowulf's sword, my dear. [He blows a puff of breath at one of her ears in a tease.] I have fallen out of practice, though. King Kai's drills were helping. I ought to pick those up again. You know how to properly train someone, though?
All right. If you'll give me a moment.
[Monty closes his eyes and travels back into his memories, letting the notes of songs from the past guide him to where he can find the newspapers he'd seen. When he speaks, it's rhythmic.]
There were three men... There were three men named. A brother, a farmer, a tramp. [He opens up his eyes raises his brows at Sherlock.] Such a cruel claim to fame.
[Music starts up, as if from a phantom orchestra. It's a rather sinister minor chord on the piano complemented by low cello notes and a violin.]
Now Francis, that's the brother, he
was taken first to custody.
Just fourteen years
the poor young dear,
caught shooting in the wood.
A tragic tale, it's little doubt
they found no evidence about
his person save a pocket knife
as pure and clean as Joseph's wife.
[The music pauses a moment for Monty to clarify.]
A tiny pocket knife, not a trace of blood on it or the lad, himself. He looked rather terrified in the photos I saw of him. And the knife didn't look at all large enough to cause the wounds they described for our victim.
[Monty closes his eyes and travels back into his memories, letting the notes of songs from the past guide him to where he can find the newspapers he'd seen. When he speaks, it's rhythmic.]
There were three men... There were three men named. A brother, a farmer, a tramp. [He opens up his eyes raises his brows at Sherlock.] Such a cruel claim to fame.
[Music starts up, as if from a phantom orchestra. It's a rather sinister minor chord on the piano complemented by low cello notes and a violin.]
Now Francis, that's the brother, he
was taken first to custody.
Just fourteen years
the poor young dear,
caught shooting in the wood.
A tragic tale, it's little doubt
they found no evidence about
his person save a pocket knife
as pure and clean as Joseph's wife.
[The music pauses a moment for Monty to clarify.]
A tiny pocket knife, not a trace of blood on it or the lad, himself. He looked rather terrified in the photos I saw of him. And the knife didn't look at all large enough to cause the wounds they described for our victim.
Edited 2017-09-21 05:26 (UTC)
I feel as though that might be cheating. [He wrinkles his nose at her before stepping back so that he can continue with the cooking.] Will you treat me as a true student? Shall I be punished if I shirk? [There's a suggestive tone there.]
Edited 2017-09-21 14:56 (UTC)
[What the hell is happening?
Sherlock has become a little too blase about the different worlds he comes across now, but it's at this moment that he realises that things can still take him by surprise. Why is there an invisible orchestra? Why is Monty singing the clues at him? It's-- well, it's very intriguing, he can't deny it.
He feels an odd little tug, as if it's his turn in the song, and he decides to go with it. Much as he dislikes musicals, he can't deny that he's interested to see if this is some sort of innate ability of Monty's to force them to sing. His words do become more rhythmic, but he doesn't sing.]
Hardly a surprise that the frightened force, would act in a manner so course, and unjustified. It seems that they wanted to prove their nous, and show the public a prisoner of the big house, well... they tried. But the boy was an innocent, his arrest an affront, so they released him. I assume?
Sherlock has become a little too blase about the different worlds he comes across now, but it's at this moment that he realises that things can still take him by surprise. Why is there an invisible orchestra? Why is Monty singing the clues at him? It's-- well, it's very intriguing, he can't deny it.
He feels an odd little tug, as if it's his turn in the song, and he decides to go with it. Much as he dislikes musicals, he can't deny that he's interested to see if this is some sort of innate ability of Monty's to force them to sing. His words do become more rhythmic, but he doesn't sing.]
Hardly a surprise that the frightened force, would act in a manner so course, and unjustified. It seems that they wanted to prove their nous, and show the public a prisoner of the big house, well... they tried. But the boy was an innocent, his arrest an affront, so they released him. I assume?
[Monty inclines his head.]
Indeed.
[And back to singing.]
And so they turned attention then
to "roughly dressed" and "vagrant" men.
A Felix Frank they'd apprehend
from hence the village prop.
"For what?" he cried,
he had no way
to kill a girl that fateful day
for on the church's steps he lay
a man fell to his drink.
No sheers or knives were come to hand,
where came the rope? The blade? The plan?
And if indeed, it had been him,
what purpose to it all?
His release was not so well received.
The village cried they'd been deceived
and begged the Yard to not believe
this lowly beggar's lot.
[There's another pause in the music.]
There wasn't any evidence for him, of course, but a little girl had been stabbed 25 times. They were growing frantic. And the witnesses they'd interviewed had barely any description for the people they'd seen in the wood that day.
Indeed.
[And back to singing.]
And so they turned attention then
to "roughly dressed" and "vagrant" men.
A Felix Frank they'd apprehend
from hence the village prop.
"For what?" he cried,
he had no way
to kill a girl that fateful day
for on the church's steps he lay
a man fell to his drink.
No sheers or knives were come to hand,
where came the rope? The blade? The plan?
And if indeed, it had been him,
what purpose to it all?
His release was not so well received.
The village cried they'd been deceived
and begged the Yard to not believe
this lowly beggar's lot.
[There's another pause in the music.]
There wasn't any evidence for him, of course, but a little girl had been stabbed 25 times. They were growing frantic. And the witnesses they'd interviewed had barely any description for the people they'd seen in the wood that day.
Edited 2017-09-23 21:13 (UTC)
Should I call you Mistress Renart?
[Cooking really isn't the best time for this kind of flirting, but she does inspire him.]
[Cooking really isn't the best time for this kind of flirting, but she does inspire him.]
Isn't there already a great deal of gossip about you?
[No doubt most of it stirred up by her.]
[No doubt most of it stirred up by her.]
[Sherlock almost doesn't listen to the next refrain, too busy being disgusted at his own amateur rhyming in comparison. Nous and big house? Utterly deplorable. He's never called prison "the big house" in his life, that's a ridiculously American saying.
Not wanting to embarrass himself again, this time he actively resists the urge to join in and keeps himself apart from this odd song. At least there's no dance routine to go with it, small mercies.]
Hardly surprising that they'd turn to the lowest of their society, a common tactic for the day, but his alibi must have been strong indeed for them to release him. Such a vicious and prolonged stabbing suggests that the perpetrator knew the victim, frenzied attacks are usually the result of bottled up anger or resentment. Did the child attend classes, either with a governess or teacher, with any other children that she may have been outshining?
[It's most likely the work of an adult, but it would be stupid to rule out another child at this stage.]
Not wanting to embarrass himself again, this time he actively resists the urge to join in and keeps himself apart from this odd song. At least there's no dance routine to go with it, small mercies.]
Hardly surprising that they'd turn to the lowest of their society, a common tactic for the day, but his alibi must have been strong indeed for them to release him. Such a vicious and prolonged stabbing suggests that the perpetrator knew the victim, frenzied attacks are usually the result of bottled up anger or resentment. Did the child attend classes, either with a governess or teacher, with any other children that she may have been outshining?
[It's most likely the work of an adult, but it would be stupid to rule out another child at this stage.]
Have you? How unfortunate. I rather like it when you're not. [To a certain extent.]
[Monty's quiet a moment as he calls back to his memories of the story. And then a there's a sharp nod.]
A sister, yes, I recollect,
the elder one, but all respect
you think a girl could yet perfect
a murder such as this?
I've heard, of course, in folk stories
of bitter sisters, rivalries,
and death the price of jealousy
for a star shone brighter o'er.
But here in life it seems absurd
for the eldest one to kill the third
especially when a poisoned word
could ruin the younger's lot.
She was sixteen, as I recall, but she and her sister still took lessons from a governess together. The governess was interviewed for the papers and lamented the loss of the youngest Ms. Melvin as tragic given her aptitude. Jealousy can be a powerful motivator, I grant you, but no one ever investigated the sister. She was only mentioned off-hand. Their final major focus was on the farmer, I mentioned.
A sister, yes, I recollect,
the elder one, but all respect
you think a girl could yet perfect
a murder such as this?
I've heard, of course, in folk stories
of bitter sisters, rivalries,
and death the price of jealousy
for a star shone brighter o'er.
But here in life it seems absurd
for the eldest one to kill the third
especially when a poisoned word
could ruin the younger's lot.
She was sixteen, as I recall, but she and her sister still took lessons from a governess together. The governess was interviewed for the papers and lamented the loss of the youngest Ms. Melvin as tragic given her aptitude. Jealousy can be a powerful motivator, I grant you, but no one ever investigated the sister. She was only mentioned off-hand. Their final major focus was on the farmer, I mentioned.
Of course they didn't.
[He rolls his eyes in mild disgust.]
How could a girl be capable of such things? They are, after all, merely meek and timid creatures. What rot. Girls and women are every bit as vicious and capable as men; possessing, as they do, the same full range of emotional complexity. Still, likely not the sister. Perhaps the governess, why was she interviewed specifically? The help rarely are.
[He rolls his eyes in mild disgust.]
How could a girl be capable of such things? They are, after all, merely meek and timid creatures. What rot. Girls and women are every bit as vicious and capable as men; possessing, as they do, the same full range of emotional complexity. Still, likely not the sister. Perhaps the governess, why was she interviewed specifically? The help rarely are.
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