A/N: The Nutcracker was first performed at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, on 18 December 1892.
Prompt from Winter Winks 221: The case of the Disappearing Ballerina
Her slender supple features curved in perfect symmetry as she pirouetted on ribbon-toed slippers. A faint smile brightened the delicate features of her face. Her large blue eyes and smooth ivory skin were accented on each side by rosy cheeks. Golden locks, pulled neatly back in a bun, shimmered under the flickering lights above.
"Beautiful," murmured Watson. The ballerina's pale blue dress sparkled. The musical notes of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker twinkled merrily around the flat.
"Mm, yes," Holmes held the music box gently in his slender fingers. His eyes looked beyond the dancing figure into dreams as yet unseen.
"It was a lovely gift from Miss Katerina's family. They were extremely pleased with your invaluable service in finding their daughter."
"It was a simple matter once it was determined that she was wearing the real jewels in her performance on-stage and that one of the dancers was Jim Incognito who had a long history of jewel thefts." Holmes smiled modestly.
"And yet, it was not a simple matter rescuing the poor Ms Katerina from the thugs who kidnapped her," Watson commented. He shook his head at the memory of the underground basement tunnels in the theatre, the scuffle, the unfortunate pistol shot."
Holmes glanced over at his friend. "Merely a scratch."
Watson raised one eyebrow. "The bullet nearly severed your femoral artery. You were sick with delirium for a week and limped for months. Hardly my definition of a scratch."
"Trifles, doctor." A shadow dimmed his features momentarily betraying his light-hearted reply though.
Watson sniffed. "Let us not argue over trifles then this Christmas season. I am thankful that the case of the disappearing ballerina did not become the case of the disappearing detective."
"A worthy toast, old fellow!" Holmes closed the music box with the twirling ballerina and poured drinks for the both of them.
