A/N: This is my bit for another prompt of Letswritesherlock. In this case it is a fairy tale, based on Czech fairy tale called Princ a Večernice. In Czech, the Vesper is female, but this is a johnlock story, so... Well. :-P
I love this story so much and I know that this fairy tale is well known in my country and maybe in Germany, but I have never read or heard about similar story in English, so I basically rewrote it for those who don´t know it. Some scenes are mine, though B-).
Hope you like it and leave me a comment, please? I´m not English, but I really hope it won´t bother you much; the text is betaread but in advance, I apologize for possible mistakes (if there still is any real blunder, let me know, thanks*).
The Prince and Vesper – the fairy tale
"Look-out!"
John tripped and fell into mud, splashing it around and getting his face utterly unrecognizable.
"Argh! You little..." John laughed despite himself, jumped up and ran after his sister who was howling with laughter.
"Irene! Help me!" cried Sarah and grabbed her skirt to run faster. But John was really fast, he was few meters behind her and getting closer any second. Suddenly a branch fell before his feet and he fell again.
There was giggling in the near bush – his other two sisters, Irene and Molly, ran away. John was angry he hadn´t anticipated that. He stood up slowly, brushed off the needles and leaves.
"Oh, my dear sisters, I thought you´d love to know your new wooers, but now I´m not sure about that. I have to send them back home now, I suppose." He folded his hands and waited.
The little trees behind him rustled and three young princesses turned up.
"You jest!" whispered Molly.
"There are no wooers, are there?" frowned Irene.
"How do they look like?" asked Sarah.
John grinned.
"No, no, I´m not joking, I mean it! They wait for you right behind those trees at the end of the path! Follow me, would you?" He raised his chin, turned around, and his sisters keenly followed him.
While they were walking through the forest, John´s sisters gibbered about what should those princes look like, how should they behave and what should they do to prove their love.
"He must be clever! I love clever, the look isn´t so important but his brain mustn´t be lazy and dull," mused Irene.
"Clever? But what if he´s really ugly, how could you spend romantic evenings beside him, if he was old with wrinkles and bald head? No, my prince should definitely be attractive. With a spark in his eye," Sarah giggled and sighed. "And what about you, Molly?" Both sisters looked at the youngest of them. Molly shrugged.
"Oh, I really don´t know. He should be kind. Clever is also fine, but I think I just don´t care," she told them quietly. Irene and Sarah looked at each other and sighed. Molly was always so self-conscious.
John waved his hand forward.
"Here you go. Look behind those branches, they´re waiting for you. Arms wide, ready to hug you and cherish you from now own." John bit his lip.
The three princesses quickly strode towards the low trees and pushed its branches aside...
In front of them, in the wheat field, were the most uggliest scarecrows, with buckets instead of their heads, torn and dirty cloths around their bodies made of sticks. All three girls frowned, then looked at each other.
John ran away and laughed so hard he nearly tripped again.
"Just you wait, little brother!" called Irene.
"This is not a behavior worthy a king to-be!" Sarah exclaimed.
"But it is funny, isn´t it?" Molly was smiling. "And they are clever in a way," she added with a titter and her two sisters rolled their eyes.
oOo
John was preparing for going to bed, washing the dirt away off his face, legs and elbows. There were little grits under the skin of his elbows and he hissed when he cleaned that out.
Finally, he changed his clothes, sat down in his comfy chair and took a book from his nightstand. He opened the book and started reading, but after a while he realized he didn´t remember a word of it. His mind was too occupated with thinking about how on earth he would find three grooms for his sisters. They were so erratic and wild. He sighed.
"Where am I supposed to find three men who would stay with my sisters and take care of them? They´re like a nightmare." He frowned and closed his eyes.
Suddenly, a window opened and a light breeze blew inside.
John shivered and opened his eyes.
And there...
There stood a man beside the window. He wore dark blue jacket, with sparkling diamonds on it, belted with a silver sash. The sleeves were big and puff over his shoulders and really tight on his elbows. Shorts of the same color, ending in half of his thighs; his legs were in black and silver hose, and John mused how long and lean they looked like that. A cloak hang down of his shoulders and moved slightly with the breeze.
The man tilted his head to the side and smiled.
And John stopped observing the dress and really looked on that face.
It was framed by black curly hair, which were kind of sparkling too, like it was full of stars. His eyes were pale, grey and blue and green at the same time and John marveled how beautiful they are. But the smile... The stranger´s lips were plump and amazing. They looked so soft...
John blinked few times and coughed a little. First things first.
"Who are you and how did you get in my room?" he asked sharply. The stranger was grinning now as he steepled his hands under his nose, hummed appreciatively, and lowered them down again.
"Hmmm, you really have no idea?" he asked with a deep and enchanting voice. John had goosebumps everywhere just because of his voice, but he stood up anyway, took a step forward and frowned.
"It isn´t really polite to break into someones chambers, especially when those chambers belong to a prince. And not introducing yourself when you´re asked by this very prince is rude as well. So?" John took another step forward. The stranger watched him with a twinkle in his pale eyes.
"Well, well. Politeness is really not my area, young prince John," purred the stranger and John blushed a bit because the voice was really really sensual. "I am Sherlock the Vesper and I came to you because you have a problem and I have a solution." He rose one eyebrow and smiled again.
"Sherlock the Vesper," John whispered, utterly in awe. "What problem?" he asked confusedly.
"As I was told, you have three young sisters who desperately want to get married, am I right?" Sherlock answered with a question.
"H-how... Told by whom?" sputtered John angrily. Sherlock just waved his hand.
"Oh, you know, gossip." He stepped towards John. "I will find them proper grooms, real princes, unique and exquisite. In exchange for..." he paused and bit his lower lip, dropping his eyes.
"In exchange for what?" John narrowed his eyes, waiting for inevitable.
Sherlock looked in John´s eyes, moved closer until they were just one metre apart.
"A kiss," he answered lowly and looked longingly at John´s lips.
John blinked in surprise and laughed shortly.
"But I am not... I don´t... I haven´t ever... A kiss?!" he added in disbelief.
Sherlock smiled ruefully and turned away.
"I wander across the sky, looking down to you people living your lives happily in pairs, loving each other... I saw so much love and yet I hadn´t been kissed in my long life, ever. I just want to find out, how it feels for a moment." He talked slowly, as if he hesitated and John suddenly felt a rush of sorrow for this lonely creature. "Just one kiss for happy lives for your sisters, is it really so much?" He turned round and looked at John once more.
John slowly nodded.
"All right." he uttered gently. "I will kiss you. And you will find three grooms to my sisters. But I want to be the first to see them before my sisters do."
"Of course," Sherlock said, smiling briefly and then he closed his eyes.
"Now?" asked John shakily.
"If you may," answered Sherlock and waited. John came closer and studied Sherlock´s face for a while. He was so pale... His cheekbones were so high and his hair framed his face so prettily. His eyelashes were long and round, shivering a bit... John suddenly didn´t mind he was going to kiss a man anymore.
He leaned forward and gently touched Sherlock´s lips with his own, just a soft touch... And Sherlock sighed delightedly, but didn´t move, he just waited for John to go ahead. John closed his eyes and brushed his lips to the corner of Sherlock´s mouth, licking the spot with his tongue, then slid with it back to the other side and Sherlock moaned quietly. John sucked Sherlock´s lower lip and Sherlock leaned forward as to get more of this exquisite touch... John entered Sherlock´s mouth with his tongue and their members touched, warm and wet and now John moaned too.
Sherlock´s hands ran up John´s arms of its own until he rested them on John´s shoulders, getting closer, sliding with his palms higher, over John´s collar bones and then in his short blond hair, caressing... John deepened their kiss once more and put his hands on Sherlock´s hair, running through it, so soft... Sherlock hummed and John realized it was far more than he had wanted to give.
They parted and breathed heavily, looking in each other´s eyes for a moment. Their pupils were wide and Sherlock regretted he hadn´t demanded more than just a kiss. He closed his eyes.
"Thank you, John," he said quietly.
"You are welcome," John said a bit shakily and chuckled.
"What is so funny?" Sherlock watched John closely, frowning slightly.
"Oh... It´s nothing. Just a first kiss to me in a way, too." Sherlock smiled. John felt he was blushing deeply.
"Well, then. Now I think you ought to sleep a bit," said Sherlock and pulled John towards his bed.
"But... But what about those grooms?" John asked with a yawn.
"They will come, don´t be afraid. Now. Sleep," said Sherlock gently and John fell asleep instantly.
oOo
John woke up with a start, when his chamber was filled with shining so bright his eyes hurt. He covered them with an exclaim.
"My apologies. Now you can look at me, dear John," said a voice and John quickly set his pillow, which was covering his face, aside.
There stood a tall man, dressed in golden robe, with a golden umbrella in his hand, bright eyes staring at John.
"Who the hell are you?" exclaimed John, still hurting a bit and quite annoyed he couldn´t rest peacefully. The man raised his eyebrows and bowed slightly.
"My name is Mycroft the Sunniest. I reign the Sun and once when I looked down from the sky and saw your beautiful and clever sister, Irene, I fell in love with her. I am here to marry her." He waved his umbrella towards John.
John goggled. So it wasn´t a dream about the kiss? The Vesper?
"Alright. Come with me, but quietly, everyone is sleeping here." John stood up, pulled on his dressing gown and lead Mycroft to his sisters´ chamber.
There stood three four poster beds in the chamber, and the princesses were sleeping.
Mycroft strode towards one of them, where Irene slept, and looked at John. John nodded and Mycroft put down the duvet, embraced Irene and hold her tightly. Irene woke up, looked at him with start but then when she saw John smiling smugly, she beamed and hugged Mycroft back.
Suddenly the bright shine was back for a moment and then they were gone.
Once there was the dark again, John shook his head.
"John?" Molly woke up.
"John, what was it?" Sarah asked.
"Where is Irene, John?"
John rolled his eyes.
"She is gone. The master of the Sun took her and they left."
There was a silence for a minute and then both sisters started gibbering.
"You just allowed her to leave?"
"She has a groom?"
"I want to be married, too!"
"I want a prince – no a king, too!"
"Hush!" John shouted and both his sisters watched him with huge and pleading eyes. He sighed.
"Just wait. There will be someone for you as well." Both princesses satisfied, they lay back in their beds and John left. When he came to his chamber, he closed the window and poured himself a glass of water, drinking it down in few gulps.
All of a sudden there was a windstorm, opening all windows and banging them to the walls, and John swore loudly.
In the middle of the room turned up a man, his curly blond hair waving around his head, and as he smooth them back, the windstorm calmed down.
"Good evening, John," said the man. "My name is Sebastian the Windiest and I am the master of winds and breezes. I came here to take your sister to wife."
John chuckled. "Well, this is easier than I supposed it to be. Which one do you want?"
"Sarah," answered Sebastian with a bow.
"Come on, then."
John lead Sebastian to his sisters´ bedroom, where Sebastian immediately grabbed Sarah off her bed. She squeaked a little but when she realized whoose strong hands hold her, she smiled and nuzzled him happily. Sebastian the Windiest shook his head and they were gone.
Molly was awake. She was sad and she was sniffing a bit.
"And I´ll get to seed," she sighed. John walked to her bed and hugged her.
"Oh, don´t be afraid, my little sister. We´ll find you someone kind and nice, all right?" He kissed her on her head and she smiled ruefully.
"I doubt that, my dear John."
"Just trust me, will you?"
"I will," she smiled, more sincerely now and John left.
Standing amidst his chamber, he waited and waited, but nobody appeared. He suppressed an urgent feeling of worry. If there isn´t any posh groom left this night, he will personally find a decent man for his youngest sister.
He ran his fingers through his thick blond hair, lay in his bed and fell asleep.
It was dawn when the third groom turned up. John was far asleep, drooling a bit on his pillow when a gentle silver light woke him up.
"Oh," he quickly wiped his cheek and got up. "I thought there are no more grooms for the night. Apparently, I was wrong, wasn´t I?" he smiled and the third man, dressed in silver trousers and snow white shirt, with silvery hair and big brown eyes grinned.
"Well, I am here, finally. I´m sorry I couldn´t appear earlier. I´ve been busy all night, you know... Except you don´t, actually..." he paused and frowned. "Er. I am Greg the Mooniest. I´m in charge of Moon, you know." He grinned again. John supposed this one was quite cool.
Greg the Mooniest rolled up sleeves of his pristine white shirt and more of this silver light shone within the room.
"Well? Where is my sweetheart, my beloved Molly?"
John shook his head but chuckled. He liked this guy the most of those tree.
"Follow me."
They came for Molly, who was awake, brooding in her bed. When she saw John coming with a handsome silver man, she smiled so warmly that it seemed the whole room lightened up.
"Hello, beautiful lady," said Greg and Molly giggled and blushed crimson. She got off her bed and Greg hugged her, and suddenly they were gone.
John sighed happily.
"This was really simple," John grinned and left to his chamber, to get ready for return of his father, the king. "He will be over the moon, I am sure!"
oOo
He wasn´t.
"I beg your pardon?!" exclaimed the king, when John told him, that all three sisters are happily married.
"Well... You told me to better find them grooms, and... Well, they are married."
"I was joking!" roared the king and John flinched a bit. "And besides, I´ve been away for a week and what, are you truly suggesting that there just happened to be three princes for my sweet daughters?!"
"Yes. Sort of. I had to..." Kiss a man, John nearly said, but he didn´t want to make his father angrier. "Never mind. They are decent and they are powerful, all three of them."
"Really. And where are those magnificent grooms from? What are their names?" asked the king sceptically.
"One is..." John frowned. "Well. The first, who took Irene, is Mycroft the Sunniest. The second, with Sarah as his wife, is Sebastian the Windiest and the third with Molly is Greg the Mooniest."
"...Mooniest... Sunniest... Are you mad?"
"I´m perfectly all right, father." John replied. "They are rulers of the Sun, the winds and the Moon. My sisters will be safe, I am sure."
"But I am not!" roared the king, pacing across the hall. "You! Take a horse and go find them at once!"
"But father, I –"
"I really don´t care if you are tired or hungry, whatever! Get out of my sight and don´t come back until you have all three sisters with you!"
With that, John left the manor.
He wandered, rode through forests and grasslands and at the beginning he really didn´t care where he would go, but then he wondered if he ever meets his sisters again. Was it really the good thing to just send them away?
It started to rain and in a moment, John was dripping wet.
Eventually, he found a hostelry where he decided to rest a bit.
He went inside the building and saw two dukes sitting near big table, drinking wine and laughing. When they saw him, they laughed harder; apparently they were quite drunk.
"Look at that little birdie! He looks like a chicken with feathers all ruffled up!" laughed the tall one and the other, which was quite fat, laughed harder.
"Ha! And his dress, shrinking over his body already! Poor sod, maybe he shrank himself, look at how short he is!" said the fat one and they both wheezed with laughter.
"Ahem," coughed John, quite annoyed with those two. "If you actually have something to pay with, go and look at the coins. And then apologize properly."
Both dukes chuckled for a while, looking at John and then they calmed down, cautiously fishing in their pockets, when finally one of them held a silver coin with John´s profile on it.
They gasped and knelt down on the floor.
"Our deepest apologies, sir, we didn´t know! And, well, we were enjoying ourselves over the jug of wine, which is strong –" babbled the thin.
"Far stronger we had thought it would be –" added the fat.
"Yes, really good wine, by the way..." said the thin.
"All right, that´s enough. You didn´t know. Never mind, let´s keep on drinking, I´d also like something to eat..."
"Oooh, yes, the housekeeper is quite extraordinary cook! Oi, madam!" called the thin one. "Something to eat for the prince!"
An elder lady turned up, smiling politely and she brought roast meat, dumplings, bread, and another jug with wine.
The three men drank and ate and laughed a lot, and they all got really drunk. In the end, John fell asleep among dirty plates and goblets.
oOo
In the morning, John woke up with a massive hungover. He pressed his forehead and groaned.
"Oh, the prince is awake, well, good morning and here is your bill, master," said the housekeeper and lay down a piece of paper. John frowned and looked at it...
"You can´t be serious!" he exclaimed and regretted that immediately, his head hurt really bad.
"Oh, is there something wrong, sir? You see, you weren´t alone, there were two friends with you and they told me you´d do the payment."
John fumed and wanted to take out his purse out of his pocket... But it wasn´t there anymore. He noticed he didn´t have his silver dagger either. He got up and stumbled out, where his horse stood and aboard it there was the thin "friend" of his.
"Oi! That horse is mine!" he called and the duke frowned.
"I think not," he kicked John to the middle of his chest and rode away, leaving John in the dust.
"You lost something?" the fat duke asked with a chuckle.
John turned around and saw that the fat duke had his purse and the dagger.
"You filthy thief!" John exclaimed and the duke quickly fetched out the dagger and aimed it at John´s throat.
"Why, why, my friend. You gave me this. As a present, remember?"
"I´m no friend of yours, you liar!" John spat and bent aside.
"Did you trip, my master?" The housekeeper turned up with the bill again. "Well? Where is my money, sir?"
"I have no money anymore," murmured John.
"Ah. But that´s inconvenient... Maybe your friend here would lend you some money then?" the housekeeper queried and turned towards the duke.
"He´s no friend of mine. I won´t lend him anything." And the duke left.
John lay in the dust, ill-tempered that he gave credence to wrong people.
"I´m sorry, sir, but if you have no money, I´ll take the fine clothes you wear and also you will have to work here for a while, until the bill is paid." She stretched her arm and waited, while John unrobed, collecting his shirt, waist and other things.
John stood there in his thin white undershirt and in his pants only, muttering lowly.
"The boys here will show you the piggery and you can start," said the housekeeper and John noticed it was done without "sir", now. Well, the clothes make a man, he thought bitterly.
So John mucked and fed swines, brought the water to the kitchen, scrubbed the wooden floors in the hostelry. Every day he worked so hard that in the evening he fell asleep really quickly, it happened few times that he slept sitting, leaned by a wall near pigs.
The sixth day in early morning, two men who worked there as well, brought him a bottle with water, some old clothes made of yute, and a package of food.
"Go, now." said one of them.
"But I don´t know if the bill is paid..." John replied hesitantly.
"You worked like a beaver. Go, before the housekeeper finds out. She would let you peg out." said another.
John felt ashamed. He had thought the worst of them and yet they helped him. They were rough and dirty and yet they were better friends than those two dukes.
"Thank you, good men," he said gratefully and left quickly.
He strayed in mountains and then the landscape changed to mild hills and pastures. In a forest he met a poor sod without a leg and with a huge sack to carry. He said to John he was a war veteran and that he had two crippled friends up the hill. John pulled him on his back and carried him up, sweating, because the hill was quite sheer and the old man with his sack were really heavy. Once up the hill near a little cave, they sat down and John unpacked his package with food. Seeing the old man was hungry, he split the food with him.
Suddenly, two men turned up off the cave, sniffling soundly.
"Oi! Do I smell cheese?" Said the one with a blindfold over his eyes.
"Hey, mate! Yeah, cheese it is, come and join! This young man helped me up and he´s so kind he split the food with me!" the legless veteran said.
"And there is an onion, isn´t it?" asked the other one who helped the blind man. He was hunchback and limped badly. They both sat beside John and took all his food, the only thing that was left for John was a tiny piece of cheese. He took the bit and chewed it slowly and then drank from his bottle.
The three men chewed for a while, but then the legless veteran spat out the food.
"The bread is underdone. It tastes like a mud."
Then the blind swallowed and sniffed at his cheese.
"Ugh! It´s too old and mouldy!" and he threw it away.
And the third of them, the hunchback, winced and spat his onion. "This food is disgusting, mate."
John shrugged.
"I didn´t have anything better to give you, it was all I had." he said and sighed.
"Well, mates! Now is the right time for a proper feast, hehe!" exclaimed the legless and unbound his sack, pulling out meat, sausages, loaf of bread, carrots and more. John just stared in disbelief.
The three men devoured and John frowned.
"All right. I helped you, I gave you my only food, now I will have my share." said John firmly and grabbed a handful of food, some carrots, onions, bread and a ham. The three veterans became suddenly very healthy.
The legless put off his peg-leg and straightened his leg, which was only bent and hidden under his huge cloak.
The blind took his tie off his eyes and wasn´t blind anymore.
The hunchback straightened up and stood quite solidly.
All of them were glaring at John, who tied his little pack of new food and was about to leave.
"What do you think you´re doing?" sputtered the "blind".
"You´re stealing our food!" exclaimed the "legless".
"I think we just should show you what you deserve for that, am I right, mates?" said the "hunchback".
The "legless" attacked first, jabbing his fist towards John´s ribcage. John kicked him to stomach, ducked away and fell on the ground, the legless was breathing heavily and whining loudly. The "hunchback" pounced on John, but he rolled on his side and knocked the man´s head hard against the stony ground until he was unconscious. John jumped and crouched waiting for another attacker.
The "blind" tried to stab him with a short dagger, but John caught his hand and made him drop the dagger. He punched him hard in the face and the blind´s nose broke and bled.
John gathered the knife and his pack and left the three veterans.
oOo
After several days of wandering, John ate all his food and drank all the water. He was exhausted and thirsty and there were no stream to fill the bottle. John became desperate.
And yet he kept going, trying to find his sisters. But not just his sisters anymore.
He couldn´t stop thinking about Sherlock the Vesper and their only kiss. It was a unique experience to him. He had never fallen in love but he had thought there was a woman for him somewhere.
Not a man, no. But he supposed that the great longing he felt was the power of the feeling which he could maybe call love.
In the end, famished and worn-down, John tripped in the thick brushwood and fell down, rolling off the hill, through nettles and over the stumps, blood flowing out of his body as he got hurt, and finally he ceased near a stream, his nape soaking, and he blacked out...
oOo
He woke up in a crepuscular garden near a manor. It wasn´t his home, but it looked like a king lived here. The building had two wings, and what was quite strange was the colour of the facade. It was dark blue and violet and also auroral... The colours were changing constantly in a slow motion and it looked magically.
John was laying on a deck-chair, looking at the manor. He noticed he had his own dress again, his wounds had been dressed and he felt well-rested. John sat up and noticed that there stood a table and a wicker chair and there...
Sherlock was sitting in the wicker chair, smiling slightly.
"You found me," whispered John and smiled brightly. "Sherlock... Sherlock, I missed you." he added.
Sherlock blinked in surprise and his smile seemed to falter a bit.
"Really, John?" he asked in disbelief.
John nodded, stood up and came towards Sherlock.
"Those dressings are awfully made, you know," he said solemnly. Sherlock smirked and then they were both giggling.
John reached for Sherlock´s hand and their fingers intertwined.
They sat together in silence for a while and the sun set.
"I can´t stay for long, Sherlock," said John quietly.
Sherlock sighed and bowed his head.
"Come with me. I´ll show you something." They stood up and Sherlock´s hand snaked round John´s waist, resting on his hip. John felt so relaxed and content and yet he knew he had to go early to find his sisters.
Sherlock lead John deeper in the gardens, where the roses were blooming and their scent was so overwhelming that John had a sudden headache.
"It´s alright, we´re just passing through. Almost there," assured Sherlock. They came through low bushes and instantly the intense rose scent faded. There was a meadow in front of them, with a gazebo. Sherlock let go of John and walked quickly towards the gazebo. From a wooden chest he took out a violin.
John was really surprised he saw Sherlock with an instrument, but when Sherlock put the violin under his chin and started to play, John was utterly in awe. He went slowly to the gazebo and sat on a bench, stunned to silence.
Sherlock played a beautiful and slow tune, it was a bit sad and yet it fulfilled John with hope and delight. And then...
Sherlock smiled and all over the meadow there appeared hundreds and hundreds of tiny little lights, glowing with silver light. Sherlock stopped playing and lay down his violin, soundlessly. He leaned to John, whispering, "Be still. These are my baby stars. They´re growing here in my gardens and once they can shine brightly, I take them up to the sky." John gaped at the scene before him.
"They´re amazing," John whispered. Sherlock nodded.
After a while, all stars were out as though they fell asleep.
"What..." John turned his face to Sherlock, who observed him closely.
"They´re just sleeping now. They are still babies, they need to sleep most of time." Sherlock clapped his hands and few warm lights appeared all round the gazebo.
He looked at John and was getting closer now, looking between John´s lips and his eyes, hesitating... "I wonder," he said lowly, "if there is any possibility," he licked his lips and leaned even closer, "for me to get another kiss? Please?" he paused, waiting.
John erased the remaining distance between them with a moan and kissed Sherlock deeply. Sherlock was taken aback, but yielded immediately and sighing with content.
"Well, well, what a nice spectacle," spoke out a calm voice and Sherlock and John parted instantly, John a bit startled when he saw that Sherlock was utterly frightened.
"Oh," the voice tutted. "Did I interrupted your nice... soirée?"
Suddenly a man turned up from the dark, near the gazebo. He was quite short, maybe even shorter then John, and looked at them with a false smile and big round eyes.
"Jim the Cloudspreader. The master of clouds and thunderstorms," grinned the man at John and bowed with a curtsey, chuckling.
"I am really not sorry for bothering you. But you, my dear, were kissing someone who didn´t belong to you, you know?" said Jim lazily.
John frowned. He looked at Sherlock, who was even paler than ever, lips tight, looking on the ground. John looked at Jim again.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, Sherlock, really? This dull idiot?" Jim rolled his eyes and glared at John. "He is mine."
"Like a fiancé?" John´s heart sank. Surely Sherlock would had told him something like that?
Jim huffed.
"Not. Yet. But we´re getting there." Jim nodded convincingly and winked at John.
"Well, then." John replied angrily. "Maybe you missed your chance. It doesn´t seem Sherlock would like to spend any time with you, am I right, Sherlock?" John turned around. Sherlock stood up and made few steps towards him. "You´re right, John," he replied.
"Ouch! Sherlock, that hurt!" said Joim mockingly. "However, we´ve already talked about it, luv. Don´t make things worse and come with me. Now." He pointed beside him with a finger. John stepped ahead.
"Leave, or else..." John postured with his hip forward, as to fight in a minute. Jim´s face twisted with anger and he came closer to John, so they were only few metres apart.
"Don´t make me..." he growled but ceased when John withdrew his dagger. Speechless, Jim rose his hands before his face and disappeared. John stared into darkness, a bit confused.
"What was that? Did I scare him so much?" he turned to Sherlock who watched him steadily. He shook his head.
"I think not," he admitted hesitantly. "But can we just go inside now?"
oOo
They ate a dinner, Sherlock was quite amused when he saw John´s curious look whenever he came near his mouth with a fork.
"How is it that you can eat like a normal... Er, human?" John asked incredulously.
"I don´t have to eat much, not even a thing when I have to go up."
"Up... As to the sky..." muttered John and shook his head. "It´s just a bit weird." He giggled shortly but stopped abruptly. "Why is that that you are not in the sky right now? It´s night."
"Good observation, John," smirked Sherlock. "I can send an experienced star to shine instead of me."
They talked for a while and then went to Sherlock´s chambers. It was silver and dark green with a large bed near a hearth. Sherlock went over to the hearth and stayed there, propped against the mantel, his back to John.
"I have a request, for this night, John." He turned his head slightly and John could tell he was really tense.
"Anything," John said quietly and Sherlock turned around.
"I need you to sleep beside me all the night, until the sun rises. I need you not to go away, nor for a single minute. Can you do that for me, John?" Sherlock´s look was so intense and pleading... John frowned.
"Of course," he smiled.
"I mean it, John. It´s really important, you mustn´t leave me tonight." Sherlock insisted.
"Sure. Calm down. I won´t leave you, right?" John licked his lips and slowly reached for Sherlock, hugging him gently. He nuzzled his neck and hummed. Sherlock tensed and pulled away.
"You need to sleep. Come here."
John really wanted to disagree but suddenly he was so tired he could barely stand straight.
"´s not fair with your charms or whatever that ´s," he yawned. Sherlock chuckled quietly, placed John´s languid body on his bed and lay close, watching, until John started to snore lowly, and then Sherlock finally fell asleep too.
oOo
John woke up. Sherlock was sleeping beside him and he was amazed how peacefully he looked like that.
All of a sudden he heard a noise.
A chain rattling somewhere.
He sat up carefully, as to not wake Sherlock, and listened...
The sound again. Chain and now also a cry. John had suddenly goosebumps all over his body. He stood up, and silently came through the door, seeking for the source of that noise. Cries and growling, rattling and roaring, all came from the end of the corridor John was standing in. There were few torches on the wall, so he took one and slowly and cautiously, he went ahead.
The door was heavy but unlocked, thus John came through and gaped inside.
There, with massive cuffs around his neck, wrists and ankles, stood Jim the Cloudspreader and glared at John.
"Johnny boy. We meet once again," he hissed with hatred. "Aren´t you supposed to be with the Vesper now? Doing all those indecent things?" Jim tilted his head to the side and sneered. "You pathetic imitation of a prince." He spat.
John wobbled a bit. "How is that you are here?"
Jim rolled his eyes.
"Honestly, I can´t put my finger on what on earth he sees in you. You are so... Dull. The three fellows you can call your brother-in-laws put me here. You thought you were really intimidating, didn´t you? Well, I must disappoint you, then. It was not because of your...bravery that I left."
John lowered his torch a bit, observing the prisoner.
"And now, you came to save me, Johnny boy. How kind of you." Jim sneered.
"I don´t think so," John replied evenly.
"Oh. Really? So tell me, why don´t you come closer to stab me with your little dagger, hm? Because I swear, if you don´t kill me, I will kill you, and I will do it very slowly, and then I´ll take what is mine! Sherlock will be mine, mine only, and not even a stupid little princey can stop me!" Jim started to laugh.
"You filthy little... I won´t suffer you any more, you –"
But then, John came closer to Jim, holding his torch in front of him, and Jim straightened instantly, kicked hard, and John fell down dropping the fire on ground which was covered in straw. The straw started to burn violently and Jim laughed when the fire reached him, making his body vaporize... And then he was gone.
John stared at the wall where a moment ago a vile man had been chained up, but then the fire moved closer to him, consuming all the straws.
He heard an outcry from the end of the corridor.
"Sherlock!" John shouted, getting on his feet and running fast down the corridor, to Sherlock´s chambers... But Sherlock was nowhere to find.
John ran round the manor but couldn´t find him anywhere. Finally, when he was in the gardens, his three brother-in-laws turned up and John ceased.
"Mycroft the Sunniest! Tell me, where Sherlock is, you must know that!"
Mycroft rose his eyebrows and didn´t reply. John turned to his second brother-in-law.
"Sebastian the Windiest! Surely you must have heard something about him?" Nor Sebastian answered his queries.
"Greg the Mooniest? You were out all the night, up in the sky, weren´t you? Didn´t you see anything?" John asked desperately, falling on his knees before those three. Greg kept silent.
"Well, well, my dear John." said Mycroft slowly. "Maybe you could greet your related in the first place?"
John took his face in his hands and groaned. "Please, help me." he whispered desperately.
"Not only you broke your promise and left Sherlock alone in his chambers, where the only thing you had had to do was stay with him for this night. But now, when we all are staying before you, the first thing you do is demand something, whether you should be concerned for your sisters. I am truly disappointed in you, John."
"And here kneels the king to-be, in wet grass, begging for –"
"Oh, for God´s sake!" John shouted. "I know my sisters are safe, it´s you who take care of them and I trust you! You are the masters of the Sun, Moon and Winds, after all! I just need them to come home for a while, to prove to my father that they are content. And it would be really helpful if you all can go with them to introduce yourself to my father! So spare me from your lecture about politeness!" John spat and looked at them. They seemed to be a bit surprised. Then Greg chuckled.
"Well, he does have the guts!" Greg glanced at his two fellows, sparkling with silver light in joy. Mycroft looked aside, frowning, while Sebastian started chuckling too.
"He deserves to know," he said to Mycroft, who just waved with his hand impatiently.
"Yes, all right. Tell him already, I have to leave soon."
"So listen carefully, John," Greg started.
"You must go straight, you understand? Never take a step aside." said Sebastian seriously.
"And you mustn´t glance back, no matter what," Greg continued.
"And above all, you must not stop, even if you felt like dying. Do you understand?" added Mycroft. The three watched him solemnly, all humour gone.
"If you fail, you will never see Sherlock the Vesper again."
John left.
oOo
John wandered through deserts and plains, famished and exhausted, but he never ceased, not even for a moment. He was afraid he´d fail.
He kept going, on and on, and his knees almost disobeyed, when John saw the soft grass, where he could rest... But he couldn´t, so he remembered Sherlock
's beautiful pale eyes and he could carry on.
"Never. Stop."
Then his head and throat ached, crying for water and he almost tripped when he heard a small stream, bubbling with water – but it flew somewhere on the right, hence he remembered Sherlock´s voice, deep and full, and he could carry on.
"Never. Step. Aside..." he murmured quietly.
And then, he started hallucinating. He heard Sherlock´s voice behind him.
"You are not good enough for me, John," the voice mocked him and John bit his lip.
"John, how could you? Why did you leave me?" crying, shouting, Sherlock´s voice was persisting.
"John! John, John! Please, help me! Here, HERE! I beg you, please!" Sherlock´s voice full of pain and John was weeping now, trying hard not to turn around, not even glance back, but it nearly destroyed him, so he remembered their kiss and then the voice vanished and he could carry on.
"Never. Step aside... Never... Glance back... Never..." he gasped when he saw a huge gorge before him and he thought it was his end then. "Never stop." He closed his eyes and took a step ahead to the gorge...
And suddenly the unhospitable waste land disappeared and he stood in a forest, a pool in front of him and there, in the distance... was a castle.
He knelt and drank quickly, splashing his head and his chest with water and then, with new strength, he stepped forward.
oOo
Once in the castle, he dragged his dagger and prowled quietly, looking for Sherlock.
He came to a chamber with a painting on which was a portrait of Jim the Cloudspreader. He was grinning malevolently, his eyes glowing peculiarly. Suddenly the painting began to have deeper contours and then it changed completely – Jim came down off the painting just in front of John.
He tutted, when he saw John´s dagger.
"Welcome in my cozy home. However, it seems that you came here to fight rather than to see my beloved Sherlock... May I ask you to ground... arms... Now." He glared at John. "I have no intention to kill you, once you are here."
John lowered his only weapon and nodded.
"Now. If you follow me." Jim waved his hand towards the empty painting and stepped inside. John, a bit curious, followed.
They came to a cold chamber with big pendulum clock, which was ticking loudly.
"I can appreciate the devotion you have and your deep feelings. You see, I have no heart, therefore I can´t cherish Sherlock even if I wanted to." Jim hunched and bowed his head as if to pity himself.
"Hence I´ll give you one last chance to get Sherlock," he grinned. "If you pass, you can leave with him and live happily ever after... Whatever. Honestly, he´s not such an entertainer when locked here in the castle. Never mind," Jim shrugged and chuckled.
"I´ll show you twelve beautiful and enigmatic Vespers. But only one is the true. If you fail to find him until, let´s say..." He looked at the clock, almost noon. "Well, I´ll be generous, until the final gong of the clock, then..." He raised his hands as if to surrender. "Then you will have no problems any more, I can tell you that." He smiled.
One minute to noon, the twelve Vespers appeared before John. John swallowed and moved closer to the one on the left. He would swear this was Sherlock... But then, the Vesper next to this one looked also authentically. He walked slowly alongside all those motionless figures and was more and more horrified. All were the same!
"Tick. Tack." whispered Jim mockingly.
The clock started to chime. One. Two. Three...
John stood amidst the chamber, desperately looking for a clue, but was given none. Jim turned to clock and watched them keenly.
All of a sudden... A silver ray appeared and pointed at one of Vespers, then disappeared.
John sighed in relief and whispered, "Thank you, Greg the Mooniest."
"This is the one. This is Sherlock the Vesper." John said loudly and in that instant all other Vespers disappeared. Sherlock beamed at him. John turned to Jim, who was frowning and smiling at the same time.
"Well. I underestimated you, apparently. You can go now, as I promised." He waved his hand towards the painting-door. Cautiously, Sherlock took John´s hand and they left.
Soon while striding down the castle, they found out they were in trap of chambers and corridors. They weren´t able to leave.
But then, a windstorm came and battered down thick walls so there was a hole and they could go out.
"Thank you, Sebastian the Windiest," said John gratefully and they went through it to the uncared-for gardens.
And there stood Jim, brooding with eyes closed. Sherlock and John froze and Jim opened his eyes.
"Sorry, boys, I changed my mind." He grinned and shrugged. "You can leave, John, I don´t care. But Sherlock has to stay here. Unless..." He turned around, wrenched two straw of high grass and transfigured them to swords. "Unless you want to fight for him and your life?" He tilted his head to the side.
"John, please, leave." said Sherlock firmly although sadly.
"No way. I´m not leaving without you."
Jim barked a laugh and tossed one sword towards him, John caught it and they positioned themselves to fight.
John had to admit that Jim was a decent swordsman but he didn´t want to surrender. He had to win.
John chased Jim over rocks near the rampart and he took so close to Jim that he could stab him and he did. Smiling widely, he thought he won, but... Jim was still alive. John tried once again to stab him in the chest and he would have sworn he had killed the man, but Jim only laughed.
"You can´t kill me, Johnny boy. I´m not a stupid human, of flesh and bones! Now watch out!" and Jim started to attack him with more accuracy and soon John was cornered against a wall. Hands risen, with the sword directed up to the sky, John didn´t notice that ray of sunlight made the top of his sword glow.
Jim tossed off his sword with bored expression.
"Let´s do this without those awkward pieces of metal. I´d love to see your eyes pop out while I choke you. Come on," he laughed and stretched his arms to the side and in that moment John jerked forward, stabbing his sword once more into Jim´s heart.
This time, the sword pierced Jim´s body and Jim stared at the weapon in his chest in disbelief. Instead of blood, water was pouring of his torso and soon, there were only his clothes and the sword, Jim the Cloudspreader was dead.
"John... John, you did it. You killed him," said Sherlock and placed a hand on John´s cheek. John smiled slightly, looking at Sherlock´s face, and then, utterly exhausted, he blacked out.
oOo
John woke up in the dark, lying on the ground, gravel scratching his face and he heard a neigh close to him. He blinked for a few times and then focused – there was his horse, saddled as if the thin duke hadn´t stole him. John was also dressed in his clothes, clean and pristine. His dagger, his purse... All in its place.
John sat up and looked around. Crepuscular garden, faintly familiar shapes of trees and buildings...
He was at home.
Sitting on the path leading to the manner, his horse was feeding on grass not far off, John was utterly confused.
Did he fall off his horse before he even left?
Was it all... a dream?
His throat tightened in fear and he looked up... The sky was overcast, he couldn´t see stars.
"Sherlock," he sighed sadly.
There was someone pacing towards him, carrying a torch.
"Prince? Prince John? Come in, your father wants to speak with you." The varlet said and John stood up numbly, following him inside.
"Now, now. Did you lost your courage?" said the king, furrowing.
John bowed his head. He was speechless.
"Did you find your sisters anywhere on your short way?"
John didn´t want to argue, so he just shook his head and looked longingly out the window.
"John," said the king and John looked sadly at his father. The king´s eyes were twinkling merrily and he pointed his look sideways. John glanced around and there...
All his sisters along with their spouses stood there, Mycroft the Sunniest, Greg the Mooniest and Sebastian the Windiest.
"Sarah? Irene, Molly! You are here," John sighed and hugged them tightly.
"Well, now we are all together," said the king and smiled at his four children.
John saddened.
"I´m afraid we´re not." he said quietly.
"And again, he wants to argue with the king. If I say we´re all together, then I am right."
Mycroft, Greg and Sebastian stood apart and there was Sherlock, in long black and purple robe, shifting nervously.
John looked abruptly at his father, uncertainty in his eyes.
"You... don´t mind?" he murmured incredulously.
"Oh, just hug him already, will you?" waved the king with his hand and John took few quick steps towards Sherlock, hugged him and kissed him thoroughly.
Mycroft smirked.
"Now I think you finally grew up, John. Nevertheless, if it were not for me and my two brothers, you would never see our youngest again." he said a bit haughtily.
"Well, he was quite naive there in the hostelry, with us as dukes, but he finally learnt that all that glitters is not gold. And then in the forest, he was really helpful." said Greg.
"And he could fight for himself," agreed Sebastian.
John goggled.
"These people... It was you all the time? And what do you mean your... Youngest... Sherlock, are these your brothers?"
"They are." Sherlock nodded with a smile.
John was quiet for a moment.
"Then I have a really nice brother-in-law," he smirked at Sherlock and kissed him again.
"Well," sighed the king. "This was like from a fairy tale."
THE END