Sub Rosa

[prof_pangaea]

Title: Sub Rosa
Author: Professor Pangaea
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes
Disclaimer: Mr. Holmes and sundry other characters are now in the public domain, but of course I give ultimate credit and thanks for their existence to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Summary: "One of the most attractive things about the flowers is their beautiful reserve. The truly beautiful and noble puts its lover, as it were, at an infinite distance, while it attends him more strongly than ever." -- Henry David Thoreau
























































































































































































Note: The full quote of the text "High and mighty" etc. is from Hamlet, Act IV, scene vii. It is a letter from Hamlet to Claudius, and reads: "High and Mighty,-You shall know I am set naked on your kingdom. To-morrow shall I beg leave to see your kingly eyes; when I shall (first asking your pardon thereunto) recount the occasion of my sudden and more strange return."


EDIT: I want to sincerely thank everyone who has commented, both positively and critically -- I am very pleased at the amount of response that has resulted from this piece. I'm afraid that there were so many comments initially that I wasn't able to reply to each individually, as I usually do, but be assured that I have (and continue to) read and appreciate every single comment.

Comments

[gardendoor.livejournal.com]

Squee!

This... is.... fantastic! I've never seen such a splendid use of graphics to make a world seem so real.

[daylyn.livejournal.com]

I know I'm coming late to the game and that you've heard this many times before but -- damn, this was AMAZING! The graphics were brilliant. Mycroft's correspondence was full of worry and concern. And Sherlock's terse replies were perfect. This was just wonderful. Excellent work!

[nightengale.livejournal.com]

Wow, this is absolutely incredible. As everyone before me has said, amazing; I have no new praise to add, just as in thrall as all your other commenters, but did want to let you know that it's been seen yet again, and adored yet again. ♥

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

hurrah! many thanks. i aim to please.

[katieforsythe.livejournal.com]

By the by, this is possibly the coolest thing I have ever laid eyes on, though I am merely adding my voice to the chorus. Thanks for having made this. It justifies my existence on LJ, as if so many kind people hadn't already done so. Truly fabulous.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

haha! i am glad to justify your existence, although that sounds slightly... mad. but yes! thank you!

have been negligent responding to your own recent (and not so recent but recent to me) work. apologies; i've been stuck in the time vortex for a few weeks now. suffice it to say that i am impressed again by own lack of writing skill when reading your work. most excellent.

Wow!

[(Anonymous)]

What a piece of briliance you have created. I am new to this world ( of Holmes and Russell) and I could not have imagined all of the creativity and artistry that it has inspired.

Thank you,
LaideeMarjorie

Utterly Fantastical and Delightful

[(Anonymous)]

Grinned, then Laughed, then Fell Out of My Chair Laughing, then Smiled, then Grinned Cheesily and finally Added to My Most Favorite Links of All. Beautifully done. Thank You.

Re: Utterly Fantastical and Delightful

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

many welcomes. and also thanks.

[gaudy-night.livejournal.com]

First read this over a year ago, but just had to re-read it today.

This is truly an LJ classic!

[bone-lady.livejournal.com]

I know I'm a couple years late on this, but I just joined LJ this summer and this was pointed about to me by a fellow holmesian.

Brilliant! Bloody brilliant! I love Mycroft and Holmes' sardonicism playing off each other. I also love Holmes' lines "No" and "I am done with pretty toys." That sent me rolling!

Great job! I've also read some of your takes on Mary Russell and couldn't agree with you more...I've added you if you don't mind. I don't have a journal, but I'm known for being loquacious on other folk's journals.

Thanks for the lovely read! A masterpiece really...

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

thank you for the lovely feedback! i'm (slowly, so slowly) working on further russellfic, even in the midst of my current doctor who involvement, so check back once a year and i'm sure you'll find it up at some point.

add away! as you have probably noticed, i don't tend to update very much, but i enjoy discussions and such.

[rjdoll2.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this classic! What an enjoyable read and an escape from the ordinary indeed. This must have taken you a great deal of time and I appreciate it very much. Lovely sense of humor and very well done. Thanks again.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

an escape from the ordinary! what a compliment! thank you so much. and what's life, or fabricated death, without a bit of humour -- that's what i always say.

[elliptic-eye.livejournal.com]

Brilliant. I've never seen a fanwork like it—more's the pity. The interplay between Holmes and Mycroft was perfect. And I don't even want to think how much work must have gone into this! Am friending your journal, if you don't mind, to keep up with whatever else you should give us in the future.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

i think mycroft is a bit too soft in this story, but i handwave it for the fact that you get weird when your siblings fake their own death.

mostly i seem to be producing random who thoughts and fic at the rate of about two stories a year. i should try to improve that ratio a bit.

[pseudo_tsuga.livejournal.com]

I just saw this and it's amazing. This must have taken you so long!

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

thankee!. indeed yes it was long but that is ok. it was fun except for my wrist.

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Holy crap, this is incredible. Thank you, thank you for doing this!

[greenapple.insanejournal.com (from livejournal.com)]

This was wonderfully fun to read; thank you.

[lilapaddy.livejournal.com]

THIS IS AMAZING! I know I'm four years too late here, but it's so delightful!

[quillori.livejournal.com]

Brilliant! I'm really impressed both by the concept and the execution. A real gem.

[kai-sherlockian.livejournal.com]

Absolutely awesome~
Really, it is. Grand, aweome, fabulous work.
Is that Walter Paget?

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

yes, it's a photo of walter paget that i worked on it photoshop a bit -- gave him a bit more hair and got rid of his glasses, that kind of thing.

thanks for the feedback!

[amonitrate.livejournal.com]

sent here by a friend, and this was incredibly in character and awesome.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

thanks so much!

[chalumeau2.livejournal.com]

This is beautiful beyond words. I am in awe. Thank you.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

glad you enjoyed. :)

[med_cat]

Amazingly well-done--both the text and the art. Just a thought--are you aware one of the telegrams is stamped "USSR"? :)

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

heh, well, i wasn't when i originally made this piece, but someone pointed it out after i posted, with an amusing observation that holmes must have been gone for a really long time.

[toft-froggy.livejournal.com]

These are wonderful - so gorgeously done, and so in character and believable! Fantastic, really impressive.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

thanks so much!

[random-nexus.livejournal.com]

I loved this with alarming intensity.
You > win
You = spectacularly awesome!

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

omg i am better than win how is that possible? :O

also: thanks! so glad you enjoyed it.

[elementrymydear.livejournal.com]

This is absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing! <3 <3

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

thank you, and my pleasure, of course.

[currentscum.livejournal.com]

this made my day! :D
i especially love SH's terse replies

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

it was quite interesting to go back and forth with mycroft's loquacity and holmes's terseness.

[two-if-by-sea.livejournal.com]

This is amazing. I cannot even begin to imagine the lengths it took for you to make these telegrams. And the writing!! The Hamlet quote in particular was incredibly moving. Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us. ♥ forever.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

my pleasure! i'm glad you enjoyed it so much.

[fannyt.livejournal.com]

I was just recced this by ignipes and proceeded to read it with some apprehension, being an avid Holmes fan and never having attempted to read Holmes fanfiction before. She usually recs good things, though, so I decided to give it a try.

I am very happy this is what I landed on for my first foray into the world of Holmes fanfiction (fanart?). It is utterly charming and stays so true to both Sherlock (especially Sherlock) and the little I've seen of Mycroft, and it says so much without saying a lot (so to speak). There's a whole story behind these terse missives, and it comes through beautifully.

The white space had me holding my breath, even though I know he survives.

In short: thank you, thank you, thank you. This is a stunning work and I feel privileged to have seen it.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

thank you so much for such wonderful feedback. i feel privileged to have received it. <3