Fic rec: The King is in His Counting House

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

Title The King is in His Counting House
Author: Rhuia
Pairing: Lady Amalthea (Unicorn)/Molly Grue, Sherlock/John
Length: 2500 words
Rating: Teen
Warnings: None
Verse: unspecified; author has tagged it "Sherlock Holmes and Related Fandoms." It is both a crossover and fusion with Peter S Beagle's The Last Unicorn.
Author's summary: Quests may not simply be abandoned; prophecies may not be left to rot like unpicked fruit; unicorns may go unrescued for a very long time, but not forever.

Reccer's comments: Hi everyone -- I'm on vacation with family this week, but I'll try to sneak in a few recs even though my phone typing resembles that of a drunken crab :)

I love Rhuia's writing, and this is a particularly lyrical, whimsical, surreal, faintly melancholy, gently romantic fairytale which fundamentally alters the story of The Last Unicorn while remaining completely true to its original characters and literary style. It delights with its turns of phrase and juxtaposes the ridiculous and the tragic with the same boldness as the novel, while ultimately fashioning, to my mind, a happier and more deeply human resolution. It's strange and beautiful.

For anyone worried that first billing is given to a non-Holmesian couple, don't be. Sherlock and John are equal protagonists. John plays the part of Prince Lir, while Sherlock is Schmendrick the terrible (and great) magician. The writing touches me, which is the best recommendation I can give any story.