Meet the modern family
Arthur and his household walked up the steps of a shabby little church called St Augustines. The church may have once been nice, but obviously not in the past century. Its bricks where covered in black soot and the place had a grimy feel. Not only was the outside of the church in poor condition but so was the community surrounding it. Filled with houses that looked almost shack like, it was clear to see that the neighbourhood was a poor one.
Still the people in the community where in their best dress, some clothing patched over and over, and coming to the little church for their Sunday communion or mass. Francis, Arthur and the irregulars where in a more plain version of their best clothing, still they stood out and looked wealthy among the other parishioners. As such they where the centre of attention, not only for their wealthy clothing, but also due to the fact they were not from around that area. If there was one thing that the English where wary of, and maybe all the citizens of great Britain, it was of strangers to the area. Of course that hadn't stopped Arthur from making sure that he and his household got the pew in the front and centre of the church directly in front of the vicar. Maybe it was because of the wariness that the other parishioners felt that stopped them from approaching them to shoo them out of the pew, but Francis could tell their displeasure from the angry whispers coming from behind them.
Francis sighed. He had wanted the boys first church experience to be a pleasurable one, preferably in the cleanliness and wealth of his own church. Still he supposed that he should be grateful that Arthur had even let the boys go to church. It had surprised him when Arthur had announced that they were going that Sunday morning, and Francis couldn't suppress the feeling that Arthur was up to something. But church wasn't the place to have such feelings and thoughts so Francis tried his best to forget them and instead inform the boys on how church services usually went.
Arthur himself was watching the vicar intensely and never letting him out of his sight. If the vicar noticed this he pretended not to. But when he thought that Arthur and Francis weren't looking he looked at them with distrust. Something that Francis noticed that Arthur had seen, as Arthurs lips twitched in amusement.
"Let our sermon begin, if you could all be seated please." Started the vicar
And so it did. The sermon was like any other in any other church. With one exception, Arthur had managed to keep the other parishioners a fair distance from them. The closest person to them was the vicar himself. Half way through his lecture about sinful behaviour not being tolerable Arthur took hold of Francis's hand.
Francis was a little surprised. His hand hung loosely in Arthurs grasp, as Arthur squeezed it gently. Francis returned the pressure and sat there just holding his hand. He glanced at Arthur but Arthur was looking straight ahead pretending that nothing was happening. So Francis followed his lead trying hard not to blush, but he couldn't stop a small blush from colouring his features. No one noticed, except for the man standing in front of them who Arthur was pleased to see had stumbled over his words when he viewed their linked hands.
Finally the sermon ended. Arthur and Francis unlinked their hands and turned their attention to the boys. The vicar made a move to come over to them, but was cut off by a large woman and her timid husband.
"I 'aven't seen you before. Are you new to the neighbourhood or jus passin?" boomed the lady
"My dear lady, I am merely visiting. This here is my flatmate Francis Bonnefoy and the two boys we are caring for, Alfred and Matthew. I am Arthur Kirkland." Arthur said in his most charming gentlemanly way.
The result of his words made the woman a little flustered and also Francis as he was the picture of a charming prince. The Lady's husband however only noticed his words.
"Arthur Kirkland, I've 'eard of that name before you know. Ah that's it! Yer the bloke in the paper! That detective fellow who's tryin to figure out those murders, the fairy tale murders right?" The man exclaimed
"That's right." Arthur replied
"Oh how exciting!" exclaimed a woman behind Francis
"Oh yeah it sure is, but yer not here cause of that are yer?" asked the first woman's husband
"Non, you 'ave nozzing to worry about." Francis told them kindly
Arthur however stayed quite to that. Infact his eyes had traveled back to the vicar. The vicar smiled and finally made his way to them. Arthur stretched out his hand to shake the vicars, as was sometimes customary to do so, but the vicar eyed it with disgust and ignored it.
"Mr Kirkland, I have heard so much about you. I hope you enjoyed our little sermon today and that you may have learned something from it?" the vicar said caringly enough
"I believe I have gathered some interesting thoughts from today's service, thank you vicar." Arthur replied
The other parishioners became bored of the talking and left the vicar and Arthurs group alone. The boys looked around the church as if they where adventurers in an old pharaohs tomb. Francis watched them, and twice had to stop Alfred from trying to play the old beaten up looking organ. Arthur and the vicar exchanged pleasant chit chat as this was going on.
"So do you and your flat mate share any rooms with any other flatmates?" asked the vicar
"No, just us and our boys. The four of us are like some strange little family. You could call us a modern family; an abstract family if you like. Whatever we are, we are defiantly a family a little before it's time. " Arthur informed him
"Ah quite. It must be hard for you both raising such young boys." The vicar said with a tone that sounded like pity but there was a coldness in his eyes
"Sometimes. Now I must leave, I think I hear the hooves of my brother's carriage. He said he will take care of the boys for me tonight, and I said that he could meet me here. I hope he isn't causing too much of a scene, but I didn't want him going all the way to Baker Street." Arthur said in a convincing fake concerned kind of way
"I am sure every things fine. Goodbye Mr Kirkland." The vicar said
"Goodbye vicar, I am sure I will see you again."
Arthur walked calmly down the aisle and meet up with Francis as Alfred and Matthew raced a head to meet Tristain. Arthur could feel the vicars cold glare on him, but ignored it. He clasped Francis's hand again and walked hand in hand with Francis until they got to Tristains flashy carriage that was drawn by two beautiful chestnuts. Tristain peered out the window, as his adoptive nephews gazed out the window on the other side of the carriage, at their linked hands. He said nothing. Arthur took his hand from Francis's as he entered the carriage and shut the door behind them all.
The grand wooden carriage, the type that only wealthy politicians could hope to have, rumbled down the cobbled streets towards Baker street. The twin brothers where keeping Francis busy by pulling faces at the passersby, and Francis futilely trying to stop them. Tristain took advantage of their distraction to whisper to his brother.
"Have you warned him yet?" Asked Tristain
"No, but I will as soon as I get back to Baker street. I couldn't risk him refusing to take part in our little exercise back there. You will take the boys in for the night I presume?" Arthur replied
" Yes, but I wish you had asked Iain to do this. I and my house are not equipped for such things as children. They're messy, loud and always causing some kind of mischief." Sighed Tristain
" Just think of them as little politicians then, you're equipped enough for the full sized ones." chuckled Arthur
Authors notes
So this is the second to last chapter of this case! Next chapter Arthur wraps up the case and I have to make sure I use all of the clues I have scattered all around the story. I will probably introduce Moriarty after this case.
Hetalia character/ Sherlock characters
Arthur/ Sherlock
Francis/ Watson
Iain (Scotland)/ Lestrade
Tristain (Wales)/ Mycroft
Alfred and Matthew/ The baker street Irregulars (homeless network)