Fic Post
Hornblower, regular AOS verse, rated G.
The season is passing from winter to spring when the Indefatigable arrives in Funchal. They are in port primarily to take on supplies; but as the task is a leisured and routine one the crew are also being afforded a generous amount of shore leave.
Archie is certainly enjoying his fair ration of time on dry land. He has recently passed the lieutenants exam and it is therefore more than permissible for he and Horatio to room together. They have made the most of it, although they have enjoyed each other rather than repose.
They have spent the morning exploring the levadas, Horatio had been most taken with them as an engineering feat, and admiring the exotic flora. Archie had left Horatio examining the tiny lizards sunning themselves on stone while Archie himself endeavoured to buy a bottle of the island’s wine to present his father with.
He has arranged to meet Horatio at the pier but on arrival sees a great commotion is occurring. The centre of it seems to be a local woman, sobbing and clutching a boy who looks to be around seven or eight and appears to be equally distraught. They are both crying, “Louis!” and Archie can only surmise from the way everyone is peering off the edge of the pier that Louis, perhaps he is the woman’s other son, has fallen in.
He notices that there are several men from the Indy peering over the edge in concern, Archie walks briskly to join them, one, Midshipman Higgins, turns to address him, “Sir! Oh Sir! Mr. Hornblower went in after Louis four minutes ago and has not yet surfaced!”
Archie feels the blood drain from his face and his guts at that statement, he holds on to the rail and leans out to see the sea is churning, “Horatio?” There is of course no reply and so he repeats it more urgently, in a louder voice as if Horatio will miraculously then hear him, “Horatio!”
The only reply Archie receives is the worried whispers of those that have gathered and the continuing cries of “Louis!” Archie immediately moves to strip off his jacket and dive in after them but he is stopped by Higgins grabbing his elbow, “Sir! If the undertow has beaten Mr. Hornblower what is the use of the sea claiming you too!”
The familiar voice of Styles calls out from behind, “Beaten! Mr. Hornblower ain’t beaten! If there’s a man who might yet surface it’s him!”
Archie would agree with him but he’s too busy shaking off Higgins, he wrestles free and is half way out of his coat and preparing to jump when with a huge gasp of breath Horatio breaks the surface.
Being supported by Horatio’s left arm is the pointy eared, beady eyed, whiskers sodden, Louis.
Archie freezes while Higgins and Styles rush forward to hoist Horatio up, before they do so Horatio hands up the terrier he’d dived in to rescue, giving the shaking beast to Higgins, who promptly hands it to the woman who has rushed forward to scoop him up. Archie watches her remove her shawl to wrap the beast in and by the time he turns back Horatio is already back on the pier and being helped back into his coat by Styles.
Archie rushes to join them and on reaching Horatio pushes him with such force that he nearly topples of the pier again, “A dog, Horatio! You nearly drowned yourself rescuing a bloody dog! I was about to dive in after you! You could have drowned the both of us!”
Horatio at least has the grace to look sheepish, “But the poor little thing was yapping away in terror before it went under.” He gestures to the woman, her little boy, and the rescued Louis, who was now being cradled by the boy, “And they were so upset...besides you like dogs.”
“I like you more.” Archie hisses it, but his ire is waning slightly, that is until the woman rushes over to them and throws her arms Horatio, pressing her entire body against him and kissing him repeatedly all over his face. Horatio, Archie notes, is making no great effort to push her off.
Horatio’s new admirer finally lets go of him and she ushers over the boy and Louis, both of whom gaze up at Horatio in adoration, eventually the woman seems to decide she should perhaps take her sodden terrier home and the family departs and the crowd disperses.
Archie is about to suggest they retire and get Horatio a change of clothes and a hot drink when a booming voice calls out, “Mr. Hornblower! What is this I hear of you rendering yourself unfit for duty!”
They all turn to see a furious Captain Pellew marching towards them. The look on the Captain’s face instantly reminds Archie of the time when he was nine and he had darted in front of a carriage to retrieve a ball. His father’s anger had seemed entirely uncalled for to the nine year old Archie but when he was older he had realised it had largely been motivated by his father’s fear for his safety. When he glances over at Horatio Archie sees he is beseeching Archie with a pleading look to safe him from the Captain.
Archie shrugs at him; he thinks it’s high time Horatio learn the price of fearless heroism.
The season is passing from winter to spring when the Indefatigable arrives in Funchal. They are in port primarily to take on supplies; but as the task is a leisured and routine one the crew are also being afforded a generous amount of shore leave.
Archie is certainly enjoying his fair ration of time on dry land. He has recently passed the lieutenants exam and it is therefore more than permissible for he and Horatio to room together. They have made the most of it, although they have enjoyed each other rather than repose.
They have spent the morning exploring the levadas, Horatio had been most taken with them as an engineering feat, and admiring the exotic flora. Archie had left Horatio examining the tiny lizards sunning themselves on stone while Archie himself endeavoured to buy a bottle of the island’s wine to present his father with.
He has arranged to meet Horatio at the pier but on arrival sees a great commotion is occurring. The centre of it seems to be a local woman, sobbing and clutching a boy who looks to be around seven or eight and appears to be equally distraught. They are both crying, “Louis!” and Archie can only surmise from the way everyone is peering off the edge of the pier that Louis, perhaps he is the woman’s other son, has fallen in.
He notices that there are several men from the Indy peering over the edge in concern, Archie walks briskly to join them, one, Midshipman Higgins, turns to address him, “Sir! Oh Sir! Mr. Hornblower went in after Louis four minutes ago and has not yet surfaced!”
Archie feels the blood drain from his face and his guts at that statement, he holds on to the rail and leans out to see the sea is churning, “Horatio?” There is of course no reply and so he repeats it more urgently, in a louder voice as if Horatio will miraculously then hear him, “Horatio!”
The only reply Archie receives is the worried whispers of those that have gathered and the continuing cries of “Louis!” Archie immediately moves to strip off his jacket and dive in after them but he is stopped by Higgins grabbing his elbow, “Sir! If the undertow has beaten Mr. Hornblower what is the use of the sea claiming you too!”
The familiar voice of Styles calls out from behind, “Beaten! Mr. Hornblower ain’t beaten! If there’s a man who might yet surface it’s him!”
Archie would agree with him but he’s too busy shaking off Higgins, he wrestles free and is half way out of his coat and preparing to jump when with a huge gasp of breath Horatio breaks the surface.
Being supported by Horatio’s left arm is the pointy eared, beady eyed, whiskers sodden, Louis.
Archie freezes while Higgins and Styles rush forward to hoist Horatio up, before they do so Horatio hands up the terrier he’d dived in to rescue, giving the shaking beast to Higgins, who promptly hands it to the woman who has rushed forward to scoop him up. Archie watches her remove her shawl to wrap the beast in and by the time he turns back Horatio is already back on the pier and being helped back into his coat by Styles.
Archie rushes to join them and on reaching Horatio pushes him with such force that he nearly topples of the pier again, “A dog, Horatio! You nearly drowned yourself rescuing a bloody dog! I was about to dive in after you! You could have drowned the both of us!”
Horatio at least has the grace to look sheepish, “But the poor little thing was yapping away in terror before it went under.” He gestures to the woman, her little boy, and the rescued Louis, who was now being cradled by the boy, “And they were so upset...besides you like dogs.”
“I like you more.” Archie hisses it, but his ire is waning slightly, that is until the woman rushes over to them and throws her arms Horatio, pressing her entire body against him and kissing him repeatedly all over his face. Horatio, Archie notes, is making no great effort to push her off.
Horatio’s new admirer finally lets go of him and she ushers over the boy and Louis, both of whom gaze up at Horatio in adoration, eventually the woman seems to decide she should perhaps take her sodden terrier home and the family departs and the crowd disperses.
Archie is about to suggest they retire and get Horatio a change of clothes and a hot drink when a booming voice calls out, “Mr. Hornblower! What is this I hear of you rendering yourself unfit for duty!”
They all turn to see a furious Captain Pellew marching towards them. The look on the Captain’s face instantly reminds Archie of the time when he was nine and he had darted in front of a carriage to retrieve a ball. His father’s anger had seemed entirely uncalled for to the nine year old Archie but when he was older he had realised it had largely been motivated by his father’s fear for his safety. When he glances over at Horatio Archie sees he is beseeching Archie with a pleading look to safe him from the Captain.
Archie shrugs at him; he thinks it’s high time Horatio learn the price of fearless heroism.