milliebobbybrown:Enola Holmes, woah woah woah. I can’t believe i am even allowed to say her name because for the last 3 or 4 years I’ve kept all of this so quiet. Nancy Springer wrote a book series about a young girl finding herself in a chaotic world around her. I wanted to bring this story to life because I felt like I was also finding myself in a chaotic world. this film helped me find myself and gave me inspiration to never be afraid to join conversations about my future. OUR future. because of my age or gender. Enola tells her story the way SHE wants to and that empowering narrative will forever hold a special place in my heart. and my hope is it will live in yours too.
Credits to @ bernadettebanner on Instagram (and YouTube !) for the photo with the corset and the one with the pocket clock. The rest was found on Pinterest.
I chose to put a drawing of an alcea rosea which symbolizes ambition (according to Wikipedia) and is one of Enola’s greatest qualities.
A/N: I watched Enola Holmes and as Sherlock has been a fave of mine for ages, I decided it was about time I wrote a fic for him! Based more on the lighter Enola Holmes Sherlock, with appearances of the young detective herself. Thank you to @crimsonheart01 for beta reading for me and allowing me to scream at her about Mr Holmes!
Plot: Arabella Williams (OC) seeks assistance from Sherlock Holmes. While he solves the mystery of case, Sherlock discovers that things he had once considered unnecessary may be more significant than first deduced.
Word Count: 1,048
CHAPTER ONE
Arabella Williams stood outside of 221B Baker Street, the cold wind whipping around her. Her coat billowed around her skirts, the buttons keeping it tight around her chest. The approaching London winter blew in, and the chill had come early that year. She had been too distracted by her cares to plan accordingly for her trip out in the weather, regretting not having checked before leaving her home.
Arabella lurked on the doorstep, wondering whether or not to ring the bell. She had been there for at least ten minutes, standing still in front of the entrance, so lost in the battle between her conscience and rational thinking that she could have been mistaken for a poorly placed garden statue. Many times she would lose her will, walking out onto the street, heading back towards her home before appearing again at the gate, over and over, each time getting closer and closer to the door. She resolved that in all probability, she would be inside within the hour.
The same arguments played over in her mind. There was really no need for her to be there. Everything would be fine if she just kept her thoughts and worries to herself. She was safe, well cared for. There would be no fears about her security for the rest of her life.
Arabella shook her head and once again turned, walking down the path, reaching the end before pausing at the iron gate that led her back out to the street. Reaching out and touching it, Arabella could feel the cold metal, even through her gloves. She tapped her fingers, for the final time considering her position. Could she really live with not knowing the answer for the rest of her days? Would it just be something that faded into the recesses of her mind over time or would she always be wondering?
If her current behaviour was anything to go by, she would be sent to an asylum within months. Rounding back up the path, she marched back up to the door, thrusting her hand out towards the pull of the bell. Stopping short once more, hesitating on the impression that maybe the truth would be worse than a deteriorating mind.
You’ll never rest until you know for sure.
Coming to the complete and resounding conclusion that this was the only way that she would live in peace, Arabella closed the space between her hand and the pull.
As she wrapped her hand around it, the door sprang open and a peppy young girl stood before her, barely filling the doorway. She had goggles sitting atop her head, her hair pulled back from her face and her hands donned in thick gloves. A cheerful smile spread across her face, the fullness of her cheeks and the crinkle around her eyes giving evidence to her youth.
“Good afternoon! Enola Holmes, at your service.”
Another Holmes. Not the one that she was looking for.
“I, umm… I was wondering if, perchance, Mr Holmes was here?“ Arabella’s voice was kind, with a slight hint of shock.
Enola shook her head. “I’m sorry, he’s stepped out, but I am his sister and ward. He has been training me.”
The girl extended her hand, and Arabella hesitantly shook it.
Was she mistaken in her actions? Should she turn around and go directly to the police? She had entertained the idea once or twice, but knew that wasn’t an option. There was too much at stake for news of the case to get out to the public, and there was no guarantee of secrecy. Neither were her social circles an avenue for assistance. In this, she was completely alone.
For many nights now she had spent her evenings and nights in various stages of denial, racking her brain to the point of near insanity as to what to do. Hours lying in bed in anger, falling asleep only to wake up to the renewed flame of frustration. Other nights, eventually lulling herself to sleep upon a damp pillowcase, tears still streaming as she fell into slumber. She had finally exhausted all of her possibilities, finally settling on the reputation detective. Little did she know, she would have her pick of investigators.
“Are you, I mean, can you… help?”
Enola’s smile turned to a smirk indicating that it wasn’t the first time her capabilities had been questioned.
“I can promise you that if you were to allow me to take your case, I will do so with the utmost professional manner.”
There must have been some truth to her words, as Arabella wondered aloud how it was that Enola had come to find her on the doorstep when she hadn’t yet made known her presence.
“Oh, I saw you approach from the street as I was at the window, and continued to observe you. There was no appointment made so I assumed you had arrived here on a whim. Given your indecision as to get my attention, I assumed that were I to come down, you would make your decision as to whether to come up or not.”
Arabella was overwhelmed. She had come to speak with the well renowned detective, and hadn’t anticipated another option. However, being at her wits end, Arabella considered her new choices. She wrestled with the knowledge that the case would not be appropriate for the girl, but maybe if she left just enough information, Enola could pass the case along to Sherlock and he would contact her. If he didn’t, then perhaps she was right after all to think that it was nothing to pursue and she would go on with her life as it was intended to be lived. Either way, she would be able to escape the cold for a time before having to head back and face her reality.
Time was now of the essence, she had sat in consideration for long enough. An unbiased opinion could be enough to quash her irrational fears. Arabella was unable to hold off finding the answer to her question any longer.
“So, shall we?” Enola asked, standing to the side as if she already knew the answer.
Arabella took a deep breath and nodded, moving past Enola as she stood to one side, allowing her in.
