Chapter 8
Cinderella carefully walked up the stairs that next day in a light purple dress with a tray of tea and cookies as she figured she would make something for Hound since both Watson and Marie were currently off to do some errands together. Or at least that's what happened when the teal furred Scottish Terrier insisted that he go with the caretaker. But while the young woman had completely gotten up the stairs she heard a small explosion like sound coming from the detective's room. This caused her to let out a gasp of surprise and worry as she asked out loud to herself, "What in the world was that?" She then approached the door to which she proceeded to knock on when she added, "Sherlock, I just heard a very loud noise? Is everything alright?"
The young woman found herself waiting a few seconds before the door to the detective's room was opened and he poked his head out when he told her, "I assure you it's nothing serious. I'm just working on an experiment is all."
"Oh yes, I can clearly see that." Cinderella commented upon seeing some colored smoke float around inside his room. She then showed him the tray that she was holding as she added, "But perhaps you would like to take a break for a moment and enjoy a small snack. Unless your about to have a breakthrough in your work."
After saying this though she heard an odd noise coming from inside the room which caught the detective's attention as he quickly turned around and closed his door. And within those few seconds afterward Cinderella heard a second explosion like sound before Hound opened the door once more. This time however his entire face was covered in a black like subsistence as he sighed and commented, "Yet another failure..."
Seeing Hound's face such a mess caused the strawberry blonde haired woman to let out a light giggle while she placed the tray onto a nearby end table. She then took out a white handkerchief out from the apron's pocket and let out, "Here."
She then proceeded to wipe the black liquid off of his face. Once she was done she put away the now dirty cloth before he said with a warm smile, "Thank you. Although to be honest I'm used to having to clean up from my failed experiments on my own."
"Well, now you don't have to. Although we might want to wait for the room to air out before we have some tea." The blue eyed human woman suggested as she could still see the colored smoke in the room.
She saw the anthro fox nod his head in agreement before he let out, "Yes, that would be a good idea." He then moved his gaze back to her when he went on with, "Please wait out here for a moment."
"Of course. But don't you think you should have a cloth wrapped around your face to keep yourself from breathing in the fumes?" Cinderella asked to which casued the anthro fox's eyes widen for a moment.
She then saw him rub the back of his neck with his right hand out of embarrassment before he muttered, "That's what Watson always tells me." However, his black eyes did not move away from her when he added, "But I suppose I'll try to remember to do this since the last thing I'd want to do is worry you."
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Sherlock opened the door to his room once all of the fumes had left the room thanks to opening up a window. Doing so allowed Cinderella to walk into the room with the tray in hand before she walked up to the table and set it down on top of it. The detective then walked up next to her and asked, "So I take it you're finally going to tell me the rest of the details to your situation?"
"Yes, although I hope I don't make it sound any less confusing then what it will most likely already be." The young woman answered back as Hound pulled out the chair for her and then pushed it inward towards the table. Once he did this the anthro fox sat down and gave the young woman his full attention when she continued, "Although I suppose the best to start where we left off last time is to tell you who had helped me get ready for the ball after my stepsisters had ruined my mother's dress. This person was my Fairy Godmother."
"Your Fairy Godmother you say?" Sherlock commented as he took a sip of tea.
He saw Cinderella nod her before she explained, "Yes, because you see she was the one who made it possible for me to go to the ball because of her Magic WAnd. In fact if it wasn't for the glass slippers she had made for me then Prince Charming and I wouldn't have been together for an entire year." Hound could tell though that she seemed a bit hesitate to keep going. But after taking in a breathe of air she continued on, "But our celebration for being together for a year was abruptly cut short because somehow my Stepmother came into possession of Fairy Godmother's Magic Wand. Once she had it she somehow figured out how to reverse time back by a year in the entire kingdom. She then made it to where it seemed like Anastasia was the one who had worn the glass slipper to the ball on that previous night." Cinderella's expression became very sad as she added, "She even made it to where the prince didn't even know who I was. And right before I was able to break the spell that was put on him I was grabbed by the soldiers."
"To which you were then banished from the kingdom like what that soldier had shouted upon your arrival, correct?" Hound finished to which he saw her nod her head yes. Seeing this prompted Hound to run a hand through his hair before he smiled at her and added, "Well, then I suppose all of the pieces fit the puzzle so to speak. But thank you for telling me this information since from our first meeting I thought their was something familiar about you."
"I'm afraid I don't quite understand." Cinderella replied, confusion clear in her voice.
Hound was not surprised by Cinderella's confusion as he got up out of his chair and walked towards a stack of newspapers. He then bent down and looked through each of them until he found the one that he was searching for. Once he had found it he walked back to the table and placed the newspaper on it as he stated, "This is what I am referring to."
The newspaper in question had on the front page an article of the marriage of a woman named Cinderella and Prince Charming in a far off kingdom. And upon seeing the news article Hound saw the young woman's blue eyes widen in shock and surprise as she commented, "This is unexpected. I never knew that other countries knew about my marriage to Charming."
"Well, normally the news articles don't cover stories from other lands. However, I suppose they make exceptions for royalty." Sherlock remarked as he sat back down.
"Yes, I guess they do." Cinderella agreed, now with a smile on her face. Sherlock then saw her reach over until she had placed one of her hands on top of his when she continued, "But thank you for showing me this. I guess I should have told you the whole story instead of making you wait to hear the rest of it."
"There is no need to apologize my dear. But I am glad you told me now since I'm afraid Watson and I must leave for a few days to meet with a client outside of London once he and Mrs. Hudson get back home from running errands." The anthro fox confessed while he placed his free hand over both of hers.
"Oh, I see." Cinderella let out, while a slight sad expression appeared on her face. However, within a few seconds the detective saw her give him a warm smile when she kept on going, "But that's alright since I know this is a part of your job. Just promise me that you'll both be careful."
"You have my word that both I and the good doctor will come home safe and sound." Hound reassured the young woman as a soft smile formed on his face.
"I'm happy to hear it. But now I had best go make you both some meals to eat for all three meals. And once Marie and Watson get home I'll ask her if she wants to make something too." The human woman told Hound once she had removed her hands from in-between his.
Upon hearing this Sherlock wanted to comment on the woman's compassion. But he was unable to do so when he heard a very loud yell from outside his home followed by the sound of someone falling down. This prompted him to quickly get up and look out the open the window. When he did this though the anthro fox did not see anyone there which caused him to place a hand underneath his chin as he thought, "Odd? I could have sworn I heard someone yell outside the front second story window?"
"Is everything alright, Sherlock?" Cinderella asked,, thus grabbing his attention once more.
"Yes everything is fine. It would seem I must have just been hearing things." Hound replied before he closed the window shut.
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Moriarty found himself out of breath while he hid in-between two houses that were a few blocks away from Hound's home. The gray furred wolf was quite relieved that the detective hadn't noticed him when he fall from holding onto the brick wall outside of the house. But how could he not have let go of it upon hearing Cinderella's story of no longer being a princess. Thinking about it caused him to let out a growl of frustration as he asked himself, "Darn it all. Now what do I do? If Cinderella is no longer a princess then I can't kidnap her or get a large sum of riches for her to be safely returned home." However, within a few minutes a wide grin spread across his face as he added, "But perhaps I could still kidnap her just to get Hound to become very frustrated since he does seem to care for the young woman. Even if he won't admit it out loud to anyone." The Professor then let out a loud laugh before he finally ended his outward thoughts with, "Oh it will be wonderful to see Hound lose his cool demeanor upon seeing her kidnapped. Maybe it'll affect him even more so then that time I kidnapped Mrs. Hudson."
