Chapter Text
When the first two men came out of the other gate, I did a bit of a double take. They were nude too and had no weapons.
I wondered if we were fulfilling some perverted fantasy of the Royal to watch naked men fight and die. Know his proclivities, it was probably the case.
It became obvious that these two men had fought as a team. And I think it became such for them when they attacked trying to divide us and had no such luck.
It was hot and sweaty in the ring. More so than usual. Trying to grapple was difficult because body parts would slip out of one’s grasp. Holmes got a lucky hold and choked the life out of one of the men while I held the other at bay. We then quickly and mercifully dispatched the other.
The roars and screams from the crowd when we were done were deafening.
We didn’t come out of that match unscathed as I could see Holmes now really favoring his left leg so I knew I had to guard his right.
The men entered to remove the bodies with two more pointing guns at us. We stood by our gate to catch our breath.
Holmes said into my ear, “Let’s finish this. You go left and I will go right.”
I nodded pretending I was still winded.
We watched at the bodies were removed and the gun men were turning to leave.
As they turned, we charged the men and grabbed the guns that were pointing at us not before a couple of shots from both the men in the pit and above were fired at us.
“Watson” said Holmes linking his hands together, “Up! Help Mary.”
I stepped up on his hands and he launched me to the top of the pit. I clamored over with one hand since I had a gun in the other.
Holmes could not have placed me better. I was in front of the Royal’s box.
We were all startled by the commotion that came from outside the doors but I used that to my advantage and vaulted my way into the box with the Royal who was turning a lovely shade of purple as Mary tightened the chain around his neck.
Sackville placed a gun to my head and said, “Mrs. Watson?” in a sing song voice.
Mary looked at me and the gun against my temple.
“I strongly suggest you let him go or I shall have to pull the trigger and you will become the Widow Watson.”
She did as he ordered.
The Royal dropped gasping on the floor.
Sackville was distracted for just a moment but that gave me enough time to turn the gun around in my hand and very clumsily fire the gun upside down hoping to hit something vital on the man.
He screamed and dropped to the floor.
Mary picked up the gun as it skidded across the floor.
I turned to see that I had shot him in the groin and there was no saving him as he bled out on the floor making it very slippery. He shouted threats and promises until he passed out from pain and blood loss. It was a very painful way to go and I couldn’t think of a better person to have it happen to save one.
As Mary and I watched, we hadn’t kept an eye on the Royal who had recovered consciousness to watch his friend and lover die in front of him.
He jumped up and grabbed the gun that Mary was holding and place it to her head.
“You….You BASTARD,” he spit at me, “How? You are nothing. You are property.”
I became aware of a sound from outside the room and quickly realized what it was.
“You are a slave. Just a tool to be used,” he continued, “a sex toy for your Master. A commodity to be bought and sold. You have no free will.”
I laughed, “I have plenty of free will. I have more than you will ever know. Yes, I am owned both body and soul by Sherlock Holmes. That is true, but know that I CHOSE to be owned by Holmes. I chose to be his slave in all things. By my own free will I bound myself to that magnificent man.”
Before he could reply, I raised my gun and shot him in the head. Mary dropped as the shot was fired and the Royal looked at me with such puzzlement as the back of his head exploded. His gun dropped and discharged. I felt that burning sensation as the bullet entered my torso and I fell back.
Just then the doors to the room broke open and I saw military men coming in with guns drawn. The patrons tried to flee but were being rounded up.
In short order the room was under control.
Mary ministered to me as well as she could, given our circumstances. She staunched the bleeding and made a makeshift bandage from her petticoats.
Holmes joined us. Some where he had picked up a pair of pants and a couple of shallow wounds of his own.
“Watson?” he said with fear in his voice.
Mary said, “The bullet is still in him. We need to get him to hospital or at least somewhere that someone can remove it.”
“Mr. Holmes?” said one of the militaries with a rather snappy salute, “We have a cart outside and can get him to the local garrison where we have a field surgeon posted with us.”
“Do it,” said Holmes.
“But Holmes,” I wheezed through the pain.
“No. No. I cannot and I will not lose you Watson. Mary, go with him and assist the surgeon.”
He turned to the soldier and said, “She has trained as a Doctor and can help.”
They brought in a stretcher and put me carefully on it. I was whisked away from the bloody scene.
I don’t remember much since I passed out at some point on our way to the garrison when we hit something in the road and the pain shot through my chest.
I know surgery was performed.
I awoke to find Holmes in the bed next to mine with his leg wrapped up and that two days had passed since the events at the Royal’s pit.
“Watson,” he said rather gravely.
“Holmes,” I replied.
Mary entered the room at that point, “Ah good you are awake. I’ll go get Doctor Whale.”
“How could you let yourself get shot?” he asked.
“Hadn’t planned on it,” I replied, “Just happened in the moment. I take it that the soldiers were there at Mycroft’s behest?”
“Yes, I have had a long talk with the garrison commander. Oh, you will be happy to know that you will not be facing any murder charges.”
“I was defending myself!”
“Yes, but you did kill a member of the Royal family and that is just not done.”
“He really didn’t give me much choice.”
“Good thing that you happen to have his order of arrest and execution on your person along with any other persons you deem a threat to the crown.”
I remembered the sealed envelope that Mycroft had handed me.
“That was a good thing indeed,” I said.
Dr. Whale entered with Mary and checked me over. He was an older man and obviously career military by his bearing and look.
“You are a lucky man Doctor Watson. The bullet didn’t hit anything vital but I would refrain from strenuous activity for a while. It is going to leave quite a scar. And your lovely wife is a treasure indeed. She is one of the best trauma nurses I have ever met.”
I held out my hand and Mary took it. I kissed the back of her hand and said, “I know. I am a lucky man indeed.”
Holmes groaned.
Dr. Whale turned to him, “And you sir, you had better stay off that leg rather than go gallivanting all over the country side.”
“I wasn’t gallivanting,” said Holmes petulantly, “I was assisting with the apprehension of some very dangerous criminals.”
Whale turned to me, “Is he always this bad as a patient?”
Mary and I laughed and said at the same time, “Worse.”
Which got us a cold stare from Holmes.
“Well I will leave you both in the care of this lovely woman. I’ll be back later to check on you. Have her find me if you need me.”
I tried to sit up but Mary kept me from doing so.
“You stay put. I don’t need you pulling your stitches,” she said.
She maneuvered a chair to my bedside and helped Holmes get to the chair and seated.
“I’ll leave you boys alone for a bit. Shout if you need me.”
She left and Holmes took my hand in his.
“Watson…” he started.
“No Holmes. No recriminations on either side. It happened. We got through it. We are alive and they are dead.”
He nodded and said quietly, “I heard what you said.”
“What?”
“I heard what you said about us.”
I groaned.
“As did everyone in that room.”
“Wonderful.”
“Most of them are dead or under arrest at this point. I think if anyone implies anything, it will be dismissed.”
I closed my eyes and sighed.
“Besides if you and Mary keep up that sort of performance in public, they will just be thought of as liars with an axe to grind.”
“So what was the official cause of death for the Royal? You can’t tell them what really happened.”
“Oh, well he and his followers were caught in an explosion caused by the gunpowder they were stockpiling in that barn. It was a terrible tragedy. The garrison commander and I, after a consult with Mycroft, agreed it would be the simplest way to take care of this. Dirty traitors all.”
“The commander explained to his company that you and I had been there undercover to rout the traitors out but had been captured and forced to fight. They have sworn to a man to never talk about what they had seen under penalty of death. Rather harsh if you ask me.”
“But not unprecedented,” I said, “There are things that I did in the army that I may never talk about under the same conditions.”
He looked at me with a bemused expression, “Just when I think I know all about you, I find something new. Oh and there is some talk of knighthood but I told Mycroft to quash it.”
I smiled.
He stroked my hand, “Watson, I meant what I said back there. I cannot exist now without you.”
“Nor I you Holmes. I also meant what I said. You own me both body and soul.”
He leaned in and we kissed for a brief moment.
He leaned into to my ear and said, “This is not the time nor the place but when we get back to Baker Street I have a special reward planned for you.”
My cock thickened at the thought.
He leaned back, “But for now, I order you to heal Watson.”
I nodded and settled back to obey his orders as I would obey him in all things since he is my lord and master.
THE END