The Crimson Queen (A BBC Sherlock Fanfiction)

Chapter 6 The Man Who Knew

Here's the chapter where we'll finally learn about Alia and who she is. Sorry it took so long to get to this point.

***

Sherlock's POV

The Savoy. One of the most glamorous (and expensive) hotels in London. Just where I expected he would arrange our meeting. I didn't tell John or Evanna who it was, because although I didn't feel a surprise necessary in this case, I was in such a hurry to get answers I just didn't have time.

I knocked on the door to his hotel room. It opened.

"Mycroft" I nodded curtly.

Evanna sniffed loudly. "I smell cake" she said upon entering the room. I looked at John and we burst out laughing. Evanna looked at the two of us and with a confused expression said "What?! It's true!" which only made us try even harder to suppress our laughter.

"When you two have quite finished giggling like a pair of schoolgirls shall we continue with whatever it was you wanted to meet for? Dearest brother"

I cleared my throat and we took a seat. "Alia Holmes" I said.

Mycroft's face hardly changed from the glum look that nearly always occupied it nowadays, He seemed neither surprised, nor any other emotion for that matter.

"What about her?" he asked and without even waiting for an answer continued by saying. "Hello Evanna. Didn't sleep too well last night?"

Evanna stood up suddenly. "How the hell do you know my name?" she shouted, aggressively pointing a finger at my brother. "And who is he even? What did he mean when he called you brother? He's not?! He can't be!" she cried turning to me.

"I'm afraid I am" Mycroft said. "Not exactly my cup of tea either but he's a great help with matters sometimes."

I smirked. "Sorry to forget introductions" I said to Evanna's bewildered face, pulling her back to her chair. "Evanna this is my older brother Mycroft, aka The British Government. I would introduce you back to him but I suspect he already knows everything" I scowled at him. "Especially about a sister I NEVER EVEN KNEW EXISTED!"

"Keep your voice down Sherlock, this is a high-class establishment" he said calmly. "We wouldn't want to upset the Prince of Bahrain next door now would we?"

In my peripheral vision I saw John look at the wall to our left. Idiot.

"You were too young to remember her Sherlock. I was 9 when my 15 year old sister ran away from home, and you evidently were only 2. Besides you wouldn't remember her anyway, she was kept hidden away shall we say."

"Our parents were ashamed?" I asked.

"Father yes. But after she ran away Mummy was devastated; now you know what it was that truly upset her."

"Why was he ashamed?" my question firing faster than a bullet.

"She was a girl" he said simply. When John scoffed he added "And different to us. She didn't have-"

"Our gift" I finished. "Why was she hiding? A person? A fact? A secret?"

"Much more simple than that. Her name. Expectations run high when people hear the word 'Holmes' and she feared she might be sent back if people found out her true identity. Quite smartly Sherlock, she didn't want to endanger herself or her daughter"

"All she did was choose a peaceful life" I muttered.

Evanna's POV

There was a momentary silence and then all hell broke loose.

"If you knew then why didn't you tell me?" yelled Sherlock.

"It was her choice not to have anyone know! And I simply respected that"

"Yet you know all about her life?! And even the daughter she tried so hard to keep unknown!" he shouted, gesturing to me.

"It was simply part of my job Sherlock. It was necessary to help her live her life the way she wanted" said Mycroft, dismissively waving a hand.

"So you monitored her?" said Sherlock, disgusted.

"We kept her safe!"

"She was raped!"

"A minor fault in our surveillance!"

"MINOR! Minor! A child resulted from that!"

"And what a lovely child she is too. Just like you were Sherlock"

I wrinkled my nose at that backhanded compliment.

"You have always kept me in the dark about affairs that are important to me! But when they are of 'National Importance' you bombard me and force me to do your dirty work!"

"Don't pretend you don't enjoy it Sherlock. From what John writes you shoot walls when you're bored"

"You read my blog?" said John, astounded.

I laughed to myself, an image of my elder uncle sitting in front of a computer, munching on a slice of chocolate cake, reading John's blog. It was too funny.

"Don't change the subject John. It's what he wants" snapped Sherlock and they resumed their argument.

I'd had enough. When accompanied by my lack of sleep, all this unnecessary shouting was giving me a headache.

"UNCLE SHERLOCK! UNCLE MYCROFT!"

They stopped their bickering immediately and looked at me, surprise etched all over both their faces. Reality check.

"Listen," I said to Mycroft. "I know you did this out of your best intentions, but maybe Sherlock would have benefitted from the fact that we existed"

I sensed Sherlock was about to interrupt so I turned to him quickly. "You've always believed in the Mind Palace theory. So tell me. Would our existence have really made a significant difference in your life and work?"

Finally I faced them both. "In my mother's memory -please. Please just grow up and stop this childish feud. If you can't manage to end it forever then at lease postpone it until this case is closed"

They nodded and whispered "Okay"

There was a knock at the door and John opened it. In walked a man in Middle Eastern clothing.

"His Excellency The Prince of The Kingdom of Bahrain demands silence as he attempts to recover from the jet lag" he announced regally in a thick Arabic accent.

John and I glared at the two brothers, who's eyes aborted to the lush Persian carpet.

***

Fight fight fight fight! I have to say that was the best argument I could have ever imagined. And the best to write about. Good old sibling rivalry.