Bonjour tout le monde !

I've been relatively quick to update this time *cheering crowd*, and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Don't forget to tell me about it by reviewing!

Oh, and try not to kill me...the Sherlock/Merlin meeting is not in this chapter either. It will be in the next...hopefully :) *readers sharpening their knives and shooting me evil looks*

Thanks to Guest and Rocker Lullaby for the really nice reviews about the last chapter!

In this chapter I used TobiasBoon's idea about the special abilities...further A/N about at the end of the chap!

Here is some psycological angst for Sherlock. I hope you like that :) *cheers*

Bonne lecture ! (that's French :D)

'The name is Sherlock Holmes.'

Chapter 12

'John Watson'. He stuck out his hand with a smile. 'You are the Prince of Semloh, aren't you?'

'Yep.' Sherlock stopped, considering his answer. 'I am on a diplomatic mission. Mycroft sent me to Camelot sign a peace treaty between Essetir, Camelot and Semloh. I should have known Moriarty would do something sneaky.'

John shot him a questioning look.

'When I got to Camelot, the city had fallen to the hands of Moriarty and Morgana. Everyone in the kingdom is possessed, even Queen Guenivere. Arthur is held prisoner in Essetir, and Moriarty expects me to walk right into his trap.'

John was about to ask something when the healer's door shot open. The kind-looking woman had obviously been listening to their conversation, but Sherlock did not mind.

'Do you know what happened to the King's manservant?' The healer's blue eyes bore into his own, seeking the truth. He decided not to lie to her and shook his head sadly.

'I saw the Court physician, who had, erm, somehow managed not to get possessed, and he told me that the manservant had been captured along with the King.'

The woman nearly burst into tears, leaning heavily against the house's door. John went to her side and put his hand on her shoulder.

'Don't worry, Hunith.' He squeezed her hand. 'I am going with Prince Sherlock. I promise you, I'll bring Merlin back.'

Sherlock took a sharp intake of breath and a step back. When full realisation came over him, his legs betrayed him and he crumbled on the muddy ground.

'Merlin. I'll bring Merlin back.'

The four words echoed through his mind, bringing back unwanted memories. Blue eyes just like his own. A cheeky smile and a crystalline laugh. He clenched his teeth and bit back a desperate sob. He could distantly feel his hands convulsively gripping the rough soil beneath him as he tried to shake himself out of his memories-induced trance.

Merlin. Could it be…? No.

His reason took over once more, and he shook his head. There was no way his little brother was still alive, not after all that time looking for him.

He blinked and looked up to see John watching him with concern.

'Are you alright, my lord?'

Sherlock gathered his sprawled limbs and pushed himself up with a slight shiver, not daring to meet John in the eye.

'Yes, I-I am okay.'

The next thing he knew, he was half-sitting-half-lying on a hard mattress, the healer observing him with an eerie expression as she held out a bowl of broth to him.

'You should stay here for an hour or two before leaving. You look like you haven't slept in ages, my lord.'

He frowned before taking the bowl.

'Why are you looking at me like that?'

She looked at the ground, holding her hands.

'Oh, it-it's nothing. You remind me of my son.'

Sherlock nearly poured broth over himself at her words.

'R-really?'

Before she could answer, John ran into the room, sword in his hand.

'Camelot knights are coming this way. And they do not look friendly in the slightest. Moriarty must be getting impatient. We have to go.'

At Sherlock's lack of response, he shouted.

'Now, my lord!'

His shout finally pulled Sherlock out of his thoughts. The younger man stood up and nodded to Hunith before running to his horse.

They were already far when the knights crossed Ealdor, rampaging though the houses to find the Prince of Semloh.

They rode in silence for three hours. John did not mind the absence of conversation, and for that Sherlock was grateful.

The wall he had mentally built around his memories was crumbling; at an alarming speed. The events of the previous days had been harsh blows to his relative stability of mind, and the years spent repressing any feelings were taking a huge toll on him. He hoped he would be able to cope with the trap Moriarty had prepared.

He grit his teeth and forbid himself to even think about the possibility of Merlin being still alive. Another disillusion would crush him definitely.

He tried to change his mind.

'How did you meet Hunith?'

John jumped a little at hearing the deep voice, startled by the sound after three silent hours.

'Oh. Two weeks ago, I stopped in Ealdor. After leaving Essetir, I spent most of my time on the road, and I wanted a little change. Hunith took me in, and in exchange, I worked in her fields. She is not married and her only son is King Arthur's manservant, so there was no one to help her harvesting her crops.'

A pause. 'She is really an incredibly kind woman, and she treated me like her son during my stay. I couldn't let her down about Merl-her son.'

Another silence.

John envisaged asking Sherlock if he had reacted to the name 'Merlin' this badly because of his little brother, but thought against it. Better not recall unwanted memories.

'What do you plan to do to save King Arthur, my lord?'

'Don't call me 'my lord'. It sounds awkward.'

Sherlock looked down and fumbled with his horse's reins. He seemed to be considering whether he trusted John on telling him the plan or not. John was starting to think Sherlock would not give an answer when his baritone voice spoke again.

'I don't really have a plan. Moriarty will have already covered every possible option of saving them, so no hope on that side. But...each of the Holmes brothers have a special ability. Merlin's was obviously magic, Mycroft's…is his to say, and mine is that any kind of magic cannot affect me unless I want it to. And I am almost certain Moriarty ignores that.'

He whispered to himself a bit too loud: 'I hope so.'

John chose to ignore this, and tried to reassure the younger man riding at his side.

'I know every corridor of the castle, every stairs, every guards' schedule of shifts. You can trust me on that.'

Sherlock absently nodded. He had obviously already thought about that.

'I learnt the maps of Essetir, including the secret passageways, in Semloh's archives, but any further help will be useful.'

The Prince looked ahead.

'We can stop to rest for the evening. We will be there at dawn.'

The two men dismounted at the same time and watered their horses.

John smiled.

'By the way, there is something I ought to tell you. You know, earlier, when you deduced all those things about me? You got something wrong.'

Sherlock looked smug he had gotten most of his deductions correct. John bit back a laugh.

'Spot on, then.' He shrugged. 'I didn't expect to be right about everything.'

John rubbed his hands with a smirk.

'Harry's short for Harriet.'

'Harry is your sister.' He face-palmed. 'Sister!'

:D

I am sure you noticed 'Merlin's was obviously magic, Mycroft's…it is his to say'...I still do not know what Mycroft's ability could be. Help me on that! (no, this is not bribery to get even more reviews) :D

Until next time! :)

Airin9