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Dark Rituals	By : MarianTheBlackadder Category: S through Z > Sherlock Holmes (2009) > Sherlock Holmes (2009) Views: 3327 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I in no way own any rights to or make any profit from Sherlock Holmes the book, the movie, or any other medium concerning these characters. This is a non-profit story for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter List
- 6
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Trouble at Home
            Blackwood looked down where his son lay sleeping in the nursery, just studying the peaceful features of his face and his small fingers. He really was a handsome child. He’d seen babies that you couldn’t tell which end was up, but this one . . . this one was exceptionally pleasant to look at. No doubt an attribute that he acquired from his mother, who was an exceptional beauty herself, especially her eyes.
            “Lord Blackwood?” A voice came from the door of the nursery calling Blackwood’s attention even though he didn’t turn to face them, and waited to hear the news. “You’re not going to believe this.” A moment passed not certain what he would be so impressed with but he turned and looked at Lord Coward.
            The two men walked down the hall heading for the main foyer.
            “She seemed to simply appear out of thin air. She turned herself in and requested to be brought home.” Coward said in disbelief and awe. They never expected her to come home of her own free will or to cooperate so well.
            Blackwood came to a stop at the top of the stairs and saw Katherine standing near the door with two men on either side of her waiting for Lord Blackwood to appear. He couldn’t believe it himself, but on a second thought, he realized that she had never simply left of her own vocation.
            The two men walked down the stairs as Katherine’s eyes met Blackwood’s. Coming to a stop on the last step, Blackwood motioned towards Coward who immediately made his exit, the two men going with him. When the door closed, the house seemed to fall silent and the air settled very still as they simply gazed at each other.
            “Are you alright?” He asked.
            Katherine curtseyed before him her eyes turning downcast, before folding her hands in front of her. “Yes, My Lord.” She answered right away.
            Blackwood arched a brow slightly before walking towards her. It didn’t seem she had changed at all. Still the same young woman he had sent to speed two irritants into the afterlife. “Where have you been these past days?” He questioned.
            “Doctor Watson and Inspector Holmes . . . . insisted, that I stay with them.” She said.
            “Insisted? In what way?” He knew she was polite, she had retained those traits, but that seemed a bit extreme to accommodate your kidnappers wishes.
            “Rope.” She said holding up her hands, her sleeves sliding down a bit to where the rope burns could show. “And Chloroform.” She answered directly and obediently. Blackwood’s face seemed to darken with this news as he reached out taking her hands and inspecting her wrists quite displeased.
            “Did they harm you?” He asked forcefully raising his voice as he moved his thumbs over the marks on her wrist. “If they so much as laid a finger on you . . .” He started.
            “No.” Katherine said shaking her head. Blackwood looked up from her wrists looking into her eyes. “They didn’t violate me, . . . . if that’s what you mean.” Her eyes turned downcast when his met hers, as they often did since her ‘retraining’. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, and she did come back on her own when the search was turning up nothing.
            Blackwood’s suspicions seemed to subside as he reached up and touched her hair smoothing it back over her shoulder, “You’ve returned to me, and that’s what is important. I’m very pleased with you, Katherine.” He said looking into her eyes. “Even though I’ve no doubt that both Holmes and his lap dog are still breathing.”
            “I had nothing left with which to finish what I began.” She said softly.
            He half smiled, “Once again, the important thing here . . . is that you did as I commanded you without question even though they were once men you considered at least allies if not friends. I knew Holmes would not so easily fall prey to poison, nor Dr. Watson. But I’m content that you’ve proven your loyalty to me.” He touched her hair again, loving the feel of the softness against his skin. “You look exhausted.” He said, touching her cheek with his thumb, “Come, you can get ready for bed, and then we’ll talk.” He said offering her his hand. She hesitated only a moment before placing her hand in his and going with him up the stairs.

Not Such Good News
            “The family man image, I imagine, would be detrimental to the reputation he’s built up over all these years. He was considered evil from the day he was born and has strived to fit that stereotype using it to his advantage.” Holmes said tossing a ball back and forth between his hands as he paced the room.
            “Perhaps he simply wants to continue his family line. We’ve established that would be the main reason for wanting sons not daughters.” Watson said as he slumped slightly in his chair quite tired. He wasn’t used to keeping such strange hours like Holmes was.
            “Yes. But Katherine gave us more detail then I could have ever hoped for. I think even with her schooling, training, and made to study such evil and disturbing texted, even memorize a good portion of them, Blackwood may have forgotten that she is still a women. The more excitable and emotional of the species.”
            “I’m sure the first time she saw human body parts flying about and being burned and used in rituals would stick in her mind as it would any sane person.” Watson commented. “Now we know why more bodies didn’t turn up from his rash of murders. He was keeping some of them for the parts to do his rituals and spells.”
            “Yes, well. According to Katherine, she saw at least five or six hearts over this past year on the alter. Who knows how much spare ‘ingredients’ he has stored, or when he’ll need to collect more.” Holmes said. “But lets get back to the issue at hand. Why is he so anxious for Katherine to bare seven children?” He asked.
            “Seven?” Watson said. “How did you come up with that number?”
            “It’s a popular number with the order. Seven gates, seven levels, seven top demons, seven years to earn the next level within the order, etc. The list goes on. When I posed that question to Katherine, she was to embarrassed to speak of it, but her reactions and body language confirmed my suspicions.” Holmes said.
            “All boys?” Watson asked.
            “Seems to be the main idea. Even more curious, is that not being able to tell if it will be a male or female until it’s born, there would be no need to end a female child’s life as no time could be gained to try again, nor could does it serve any real practical purpose. As long as there are sons, and if he continues to insist Katherine give him more children until he has seven boys . . . what would having a few daughters harm?” Holmes speculated.
            “Perhaps it was simply the issue with the first born. It had to be a boy for some reason, but perhaps the following children are safe from such ridiculous peril. “ Watson suggested.
            “There has to be some purpose to this pattern that we’ve not yet discovered. Rational thinking doesn’t seem to be helping us get to the answer any faster. Katherine gave us quite a lot of information that we didn’t have, and I’m certain that somewhere in all these things lies the answer.” Holmes tossed down the ball he’d been meddling with and sighed. “I need to think.” He said before retreating back into his own rooms.

Expecting
            “You’re sure, this time.” Blackwood said glaring at the two physicians that stood before him. “The last inspection you gave her, you said she wasn’t pregnant only to find out a few weeks later you were quite mistaken.” He reminded them both with a dark look on his face.
            “It was to early to tell then.” One of them said nervously, “She wasn’t showing any signs at all, but now it’s quite easy to tell that she is in fact with child.”
            “And how is her health.” Blackwood asked. “The trouble she has with sleeping, the illness that she gets when she first wakes.” He said wanting to know everything that they had been called to check on. “Are these all normal for her, or not.” Having been incarcerated for a good portion of the first time she was with child, there was much he was unaware of that she had to go through alone.
            “Yes. We’ve spoken with the cook and given strict instructions of what she is to eat and it should help with her symptoms. She’ll sleep better and not be sick as often, even though we can’t take all of her discomfort away.” He admitted.
            “And when is she due.” He asked.
            “We’re . . . not certain of a date as of yet, but we should be able to tell soon.” They said. When Blackwood stopped talking they took it as a sign to exit and did so as quickly as they could manage. No one liked to spend more time with this man then they absolutely had to. Whenever he was in the room, you almost feared the shadows and dark corners around, not sure if some minion or demon would grab you from them and pull you down into the bowels of hell.
            Blackwood took the fire poker and crouched down next to the fire place moving the logs about for a moment, lost in thought as he stared into the flames.

Uncomfortable
            Katherine was sitting behind the changing screen as she took off her stockings putting them aside before taking off her blouse and corset as well. She paused a moment having the strangest feeling of eyes on her. When she turned she jumped, finding Blackwood standing beside the changing screen just watching her. Startled, she reached over and grabbed her blouse holding it up in front of her.
            Blackwood cocked his head slightly at this reaction. “You feel the need to hide yourself from your husband?” He questioned.
            “I don’t wish to be indecent.” She said after a moment, throwing the blouse quickly back on over her shoulders as she started to button it up. However Blackwood walked over and stopped her, unbuttoning the two buttons she’d just done up and opened her shirt slowly. He ran his fingertips over her cleavage feeling the warmth and softness of her skin. Katherine felt a chill down her spine with his touch and shuttered slightly.
            Blackwood wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to her feet, holding her against him as he looked into her eyes. Katherine placed her hands against his chest a little startled by his aggressiveness. His other hand reached up and stroked her hair slightly for a moment before he touched his fingertips to her chin and tilted her face upwards towards him before kissing her. Softly at first but then a little more passionately, holding her tighter against him then before.
            “It’s midday.” Katherine reminded him when he stopped ravaging her lips with his a moment as they caught their breath.
            “Yes, I’m well aware of the time. But I found myself missing you all morning, and I thought I’d come to you for a visit.” He said starting to kiss her again, but this time she turned her face away just as his lips started to touch hers. It wasn’t a reaction he understood or approved of. It was the first time she’d done this in since their son was born. “What’s this?” He asked.
            “I’m sorry My Lord.” She said her voice shuttering a little bit, “I’ve just not been feeling well lately.”
            “I know. That’s why the physicians were sent for and saw to your condition.” Blackwood reminded her. “What then is your reason for resisting me?”
            “I was only changing from a day dress into an evening one.” She answered, having had no idea how vulnerable she had been making herself by removing her clothes.
            Blackwood studied Katherine’s eyes for several moments, “Katherine,” He began, “Where you completely honest with me when I asked if Holmes and his doctor friend harmed you in any way?” He asked.
            “Of course I was. They didn’t hurt me.” She confirmed.
            “Every since you returned from them, I’ve noticed a reluctance in you where there wasn’t before.” He observed. “I don’t think I care for it.”
            “You weren’t here with me last time.” She admitted, “I cared for myself while you were incarcerated and I . . . .” She hesitated not certain how she was going to say it. Blackwood arched a brow and studied her before she closed her eyes finally just saying it, “I slept alone.” She said opening her eyes and looking to him again.
            “Are you afraid I’d hurt you? The baby?” He asked. Her silence was an answer in itself. “You are not so fragile.” He said. “The baby is in no danger, and I would not do something to put him in harm’s way.” He wrapped his arms around her and started to kiss her again only to find that she still resisted his advances. His jaw clinched slightly as he stared at her with a very displeased look. Suddenly he reached down and swept her up into his arms carrying her around the changing screen and over to their bed where he tossed her down rather unceremoniously.
            Katherine sat up starring at him wide eyed not sure what was going on but properly frightened at his behavior. Blackwood starred down at her as he loomed over the bed, as she could almost feel a gloomy shadow cast over the room. “I don’t ask very much of you, Katherine. And I give you the world in return.” He said sternly.
            “Then why do you treat me so?” She asked a little surprised that she heard her say that out loud. Blackwood’s brow furrowed at her words not certain he understood what she was talking about.
            “In what way?” He asked.
            Taking a moment she pulled her legs underneath her and sat up on her knees as she looked at him. “Am I your wife, or your slave.” She asked.
            “What sort of question is that? Of course you’re my wife.” He said.
            “Then why do you treat me as a slave?” She asked.
            Blackwood just stared into her eyes for several moments, “Is that how you truly feel?” He asked reaching up and cupping her face in his hand, “That you are a slave in your own house?”
            “My hands bare scars, from bloodletting during rituals performed for the order. I’ve other marks, and have memorized what feels like countless volumes of instructions and histories of the temple . . . our children are not our children . . . but you’ve given them to the order.” She explained.
            “Of course they are ours.” He said. “How could you think anything else. The rituals and ceremonies that we have used to bring them into this world is to simply offer safe passage for them and for you. As you have said, neither of our mothers survived our births, but you have succeeded where they’ve failed, because of the protection we’ve been afforded by our loyalty and service.” Blackwood felt that they had had this conversation before, but perhaps she needed to be reminded now that she was expecting their second child. “But none of this answers why you shy away from my touch, and turn from me when I reach for you.” He stopped a moment seeing her eyes turned down cast as it was quite obvious that she was avoiding giving him an answer. “Or is it your own willful act of rebellion, a show of disobedience for my benefit.”
            “You asked me, if I truly felt like a slave in my own home.” She said taking a breath. “When you discipline me constantly for every move I make, for every word I utter . . . I feel more like a child.” She admitted.
            “You are a child, Katherine. In many ways. But that has been the point of all of this. To teach you what you don’t already know, and to undo the damage the incorrect information you’ve been taught from birth.” He arched a brow, “Is it that you’re uncomfortable with being the aggressor in intimate situations?”
            Katherine narrowed her eyes at him, irritated that he had returned to a subject she was attempting to duck and gloss over. “In those instances . . . I’m none of those things. I’m a whore aren’t I.”
            “No,” He said with half a laugh. “It’s incredible enthusiasm.” An evil grin found it’s way to his face as he crawled over her on the bed, leaning down to her ear, “I have no qualm with your being my own personal succubus.”
            “Then it was you.” She whispered. “You are the reason that I act in such reprehensible ways in the dark.” Her body quivered slightly as she closed her eyes, feeling the way he nuzzled her ear, and his fingertips slid up her arm, moving it to lie beside her head, before grasping her other and doing the same. He began to blow gently on the soft nape of her neck, placing a gentle kiss to her chest.
            “Absolutely.” He said kissing her neck, then her throat. Katherine kept her eyes closed tight trying to fight every instinct and desire inside her. “I have to admit, that sometimes you make it difficult to keep up with you.” He breathed against her lips, not touching but just barely. Her breath became deeper as her entire body seemed to tense and relax several times beneath him. He grinned again, feeling her struggle to stay in control. It must have been pure torture, and he was enjoying it immensely.
            When Katherine’s lips started to seek out his, he stayed just out of her reach causing her to go into a frenzy as he held her down in place. He let this continue for only a few moments, kissing her skin but never quite letting her kiss him back or reach him.
            Finally, he let go of her arms and instantly Katherine’s legs wrapped around his waist as her hands went to his shoulders and she used all her strength to flip him over onto his back beneath her. She straddled his hips as her hands grasped each side of his face and kissed him feverishly as her hands started to claw at his blouse, pulling it up and sliding her hands underneath the cloth.
            His hands ran up her bare thighs underneath her underskirts as his hands grasped her backside pulling her hard against him. Then he reached up sliding his hand into her hair and pulling her into an even harder more aggressive kiss then before. Her entire body seemed to shutter as though she couldn’t stand it any longer, and she pushed herself up and slid down just enough to straddle his thighs as her hands quickly began to unbuckle his belt, before she slid her hands inside his trousers down his hips and pushed them off. Blackwood instantly reached up and pulled of her under blouse throwing it over to the floor before wrapping his arms around her and consuming her mouth again as they rolled over each other on the bed again.

Disciplinary Actions
            Katherine had been out all morning, and had still not returned when lunch was announced. Blackwood was incredibly aggravated with this. She hadn’t taken the carriage, and in fact was simply riding on horse back for what reason he didn’t know. He had been informed earlier when he couldn’t seem to locate her that she had gone to the stables and went out.
            When a servant told him that she was approaching the house, he went and stood on the porching watching her ride towards the house. There was an incredibly displeased and dark look on his face when the horse came to a stop at the steps and one of the servants came down and was holding it while she started to dismount.
            However, before she could do so of her own will, she yelped finding herself pulled off the horses back to the ground without any warning. She turned to see Blackwood who was the culprit for her sudden decent and frowned trying to catch her breath.
            “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He demanded.
            “You said that when we returned after our home had been repaired that I could go riding. That’s all I did, I never left the grounds.” She said starting to straighten her dress.
            “You didn’t ask to do so. You didn’t say so much as a syllable of your intentions.” He glared at the servant who quickly took the horse back to the stables.
            “What’s wrong?” She asked, “What did I do wrong?”
            Blackwood grabbed her harm and turned nearly dragging her back up the stairs into the house and slamming the door behind. “I have a good mind to take you over my knee and thrash you.” He said. “After accusing me of risking our children’s lives, you have the audacity to go out riding in your condition.”
            “There isn’t anything wrong with me.” She said in her defense. “I’m fine, I just went out to ride in the fields, that’s all.”
            “I don’t wish to go back to confining you to the house again, but I will if you don’t start showing some sense in what you do under your own direction.” He said sternly.
            “I don’t understand.” She said in frustration and confusion. “I rode side saddle, I didn’t go racing, or any faster than a trot and I certainly wasn’t jumping fences. “Women have ridden for years when they were pregnant without mishap.”
            “You aren’t them.” He said in a louder and more forceful voice causing Katherine to shutter and fall silent. “As of now you are forbidden to ride on or in anything other than a carriage, and under my supervision. Is that clear?” He demanded. Katherine felt like there was something she wasn’t be told and it was beyond frustrating, but her eyes lowered and she simply gave a nod. “Good. Now get out of those clothes, you’re already late for lunch.” Katherine turned and gathered her skirts walking up the large staircase, as Blackwood stood below watching.

Ingredients
            “Alright,” Sherlock said after he and Watson had spent all day gathering the things that they needed and placing them on the floor. He walked around looking at them making sure they had everything. “Herbs, roots, bones, candles, and since we are neither murderers nor cannibals . . . we’ve had to make due with animal bits instead of human parts.” He said indicating the internal organs other pieces that were gathered. “Now, this is everything that has been used or will be used again for Blackwood’s recent practices.”
            “You do realize that the last time you dove so deep into the rituals and practices of this order, Irene Adler and I found you half dead and catatonic the next morning.” Watson reminded him. “Are you sure this is how you want to investigate this?”
            “Of course. Besides it’s not the actual rituals. As I’ve pointed out already, these aren’t the correct ingredients. They’re animal, not man.” He said.
            “Well let’s get on with it before they start to decay and add a lovely stench to our already aromatic rooms.” Watson said handing Sherlock the book.
            “Alright, let’s see here. All the vital organs are represented, yes?” Sherlock asked his doctor friend to confirm.
            “Brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and Liver.” Watson reached over to the pile of organic odds and ends throwing another small object on the pile. “And lets not forget the pancreas.” He took stock and counted them again before giving a nod. “Yes. I think it’s safe to say there’s everything.”
            “And . . .” Sherlock said indicating the other pile which was not animal matter. Deciding it best just to symbolize those particular objects with large marbles to hold their place.
            “All the same.” Watson added, “Strangely morbid, single minded, and a somewhat misogynistic. Seven uteruses.”
            “I think it’s safe to say this ritual has something to do with birth and or creating life.” Holmes said.
            “You don’t suppose that Blackwood has been stalking about in White Chapel collecting these specific . . . ‘ingredients’ do you?” The doctor inquired knowing the gruesome and horrific stories coming from the precinct in that district.
            “No. Blackwood’s murders are easily linked together, as they all bare his mark in one way or another. These are ritual killings, done with no more malice then a butcher has towards his ‘clientele’. The culprit in White Chapel is a different breed of killer entirely. Otherwise they would have been able to at least find something to lead them to his identity by now.” Holmes said having heard the same stories, and read in the newspapers.
            “Still. A woman’s uterus . . . good lord.” Watson said his stomach turning.
            Sherlock studied the array of morbid ingredients as they lay out in the floor in the same manner indicated in the book of spells. “It’s a rebirthing ceremony.” He said after a few moments. “One body,” he said pointing to the pile of vital organs, “With his blood, to pass through birth seven times.”
            “That would mean his children, right?” Watson said. “Bodies, with his blood, being born.” He surveyed the markings and arrangement on the floor. “All of this as some sort of bargaining tool for his children? Like Christians would dedicate their children to their faith, he is doing the same with his?” He asked.
            “No, I think there is something more sinister at work here Watson.” Holmes indicated the two figures that seemed to be the most important and centered in the arrangement, “The heart, that there is only one of, would pass through the womb seven times.” Holmes leaned on the stick he had been using the point these things out.
            “That doesn’t make any sense, we are all born once. We cannot be physically born again.” Watson said.
            Holmes just stared at the arrangement on the floor which seemed to show a cycle, the cycle that the ritual was to follow. “Hmm.”
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Dark Rituals