Hornblower and the Pirate Captain
Hello everyone, I am new and this is my first serious Hornblower fan fic. I hope you all enjoy.
Hornblower and the Pirate Captain
Fandom - Horatio Hornblower/Pirates of the Caribbean
Rating - Pg-13
Pairing - none
Summary - Captain Horatio Hornblower is ordered under the services of Commodore Norrington to not only protect England’s ports from invading Spanish but also must keep Norrington from insanity while the man goes after the most famous pirate in the seven sea’s; Captain Jack Sparrow.
The sloop cut through the ocean waves at a nice, tidy clip. The wind was in her sails and they made good time across the sapphire waters. Captain Horatio Hornblower stood on deck and his officers on the lee side as was proper of Navy ships. He watched the men sand stoning the main deck, a group sat off to the side repairing a sail and he could hear laughter from the Midshipmen who were polishing the brass.
All in all it was a good day; the stores were getting low, but not dangerously so that he had to cut rations which was never good in the first place. He himself kept track of the tobacco with the help of First Lieutenant Bush. From his calculations they were a two day run from Port Royal where they were to restock their ship, The Audrey, and he was to report to one James Norrington, Commodore in these parts. Norrington was the youngest man to gain such a rank and it made Hornblower warm inside his skin when he thought of all the adventures Norrington had, all the prizes, he had taken. Norrington was a better man and a better commander, a better captain. He was better than he, Horatio Hornblower, could ever hope to become.
All he could do now was to survive this commission and hope to be re-ordered somewhere else where he and his men could prove their worth, gain prize money and get some well deserved respect. He wanted to laugh at that last thought. Respect. There was something about that word that made him envious inside. Of course he had the respect of his men, some he had saved their lives personally and they stayed with him, men like Styles and Matthews stuck with him. Others, it was hard to tell, maybe they hated him as much as he loather Commodore Norrington. Not that he would let anyone know. He wasn’t going to voice any of his personal feelings on the matter. Duty, as ever in her Majesty’s Navy, would always come first.
Beating back the beast inside, Hornblower retreated below to his cabin to begin planning the final preparations. The Spanish were getting bolder, attacking the English in these waters and ransacking ports. They were as bad as any pirate crew could be. His order’s were to sail under Norrington and to stop the Spanish in their tracks. Hornblower was only too happy to do so, even with his personal feelings being hard to push back, Duty would always rule his head.
~ * ~ * ~
Two days late, the Audrey put to anchor in the harbor. To the lee was the high cliffs that protected the bay and of which Fort Charles was situated upon as to have the best view of the open sea. The long dock looked to be in terrible repair and Hornblower only just kept himself from sneering. The dock must be controlled by the citizens, no self respecting Governor of England would let their docks slip into such distress.
Hornblower called for a dingy to be made ready; “I will report to the Commodore immediately,” he added to Mr. Bush who stood by his side on deck.
“Of course, sir,” Bush nodded his head and ordered it. Hornblower was fully dressed, his uniform brushed and pressed by his steward, Mr. Pickles. The man had come to him drunk off his arse, but he knew his job when he was sober and Hornblower was glad for that fact. It was, to Hornblower, interminably long minutes before the small boat was ready. He was piped overboard as was also custom and rowed to shore.
Hornblower was met by the Dock manager when he disembarked the small boat to stand on the wood rotting dock of Port Royal.
“Sir, it is four shillings to anchor your ship in the harbor,” the Master informed him, point in fact, and Hornblower wanted to deck the man.
“I am Captain Horatio Hornblower of Her Majesty’s Ship the Audrey, sir, and I shall not pay to anchor in a harbor that belongs to Her Majesty since I am on Her Majesty’s business,” and with that said, he walked by the Harbor Master with as much distaste as his command insisted upon.
Port Royal was like any other small English township; simple buildings, cobblestone streets, less filth than in London or Portsmouth, thankfully, women and children going about their business and men in suits who enjoyed their rich earnings, seeing as how some of these men owned plantations which were then shipped back to England. The Governor’s Mansion was above the township and it was a long twenty minute walk before Hornblower finally reached the gates.
They stood open and he walked up the drive. Thankfully, he was shown in by the butler to an office on the first floor of the large home. Governor Weatherby Swann stood at the open French doors that led to the outer garden. He was a short man in his fifties, he wore a powdered wig and a suit of dark and light blue. He turned and gave a warm grin to Hornblower.
“Ah, Captain, I saw your ship in my bay and I was hoping you would come,” Swann said with a wave of his hand, “Please sit,” and he poured two small glasses of port. He handed one to Hornblower who took it with a nod of thanks.
“The Audrey is a fine ship, we lost one to pirates, I’m afraid, otherwise I am sure you’d have the Dauntless as a ship, she was sunk however,” Swann said in such a way that made Hornblower believe that the man really had no notion of ships, nor ever commanded one.
“I am sure that it is better for the loss of the Dauntless to the sea than to be sailed by pirates,” Hornblower replied amiably. Swann smiled again.
“Please, sit, Commodore Norrington will join us for luncheon, I would love to talk with you about some of your exploits…”
The conversation went from there to Hornblower’s days as a Midshipman under the command of Captain Pellew, how he came to survive the mutiny of a small French Crew, finally being rescued by his Captain and thankfully missing a stint in France’s prisons. Hornblower finally turned the conversation to the dealings of the town and mention the dock.
“Ah, I have been meaning to get that fixed, however, it would fall to the land owners for the repairs, they aren’t wanting to pay over a thousand pounds for the dock to be fixed,” Swann explained.
“I see,” Hornblower nodded. That answered everything. If the Aristocracy didn’t like the plan than nothing would be done. Hornblower wished that it was the common person which controlled such, but, class was a thing that their society could never do without. How he new this so well, growing up in Kent, being sent to school and then going right into the Navy. If his family had the money no doubt he would have been able to purchase a title such as Major or even Post-Captain. However, the word Respect, made him hove too and that was the end of that, he didn’t regret working his way up through the ranks. No, but he doubted other men, rich men such as Swann and Norrington had ever considered that fact.
“I hope you are able to join Norrington and myself for the party tonight, it is in honor of my daughter, Elizabeth, who is getting married,” Swann said, bringing Hornblower from his inner musings.
“Really? Congratulations,” Hornblower replied.
“It would be if only she married Norrington, however, she has had her heart set on this young man for years and their adventures have just made her love him all the more. All I want for her is her happiness, surely you understand?” Swann asked.
“I am afraid, sir, that I do not, I am not married and so haven’t the joy of experiencing such duty’s,” he replied.
“Well, let me tell you, it is no walk in the park, young man. I had hoped she would go for Norrington who can keep her safe and in luxury, now she will move into the small rooms above the blacksmith with her soon-to-be husband and live the life of a peasant woman,” Swann sighed. Not at all happy with this notion but knowing that nothing he could do would change his daughter’s mind.
“At least a blacksmith is moored, unlike a man of the sea,” Hornblower offered. Swann gave him such a look that Hornblower wished that he hadn’t said anything, then the man softened and laughed. It was a light, happy laugh.
“True, I should be thankful, at least, for that,” he said.
~ * ~ * ~
Luncheon was served in the garden. Elizabeth Swann and her Fiancé joined them. William Turner was a young man who was nervous in the company of people above his class. Hornblower understood this as he also felt a bit out of his league with the rich surrounding’s and even richer food. The tea sloshed about in his stomach and he felt sea sick. Elizabeth was a very happy woman, glowing at the prospect of a proper wedding in the very garden they sat in. She recounted her wedding plans while Norrington tried to speak of the Spanish and the pirates. Both lines of conversations went above Horatio’s head, Swann didn’t help and Turner just watched.
Finally, Hornblower couldn’t take any more; “Please, sir, Madam!” they quieted.
“I would hope to be on your invitation list if I am still about when the date of your wedding arrives, Miss Swann,” Hornblower said to Elizabeth and then he turned to Norrington, “I sniffed about the Spaniards on the way to Port Royale, I do believe they will give us some trouble, we should take care of them before going after your pirate captain, Jack Sparrow was it?”
“Captain,” Elizabeth corrected automatically and then she coloured in embarrassment.
“Ah, I did read a bit of your adventure in the Naval Chronicle from London; I am glad that you survived in tact, Miss Swann,” Hornblower replied.
“No one is more dangerous the Sparrow,” Norrington glared at Hornblower and the young Captain blinked. He didn’t see how a pirate with one ship could be more dangerous than Spanish Frigates ready to blow her English counterparts out of the water, but, seeing as he was Post-Captain…
“Of course, sir,” he replied. Such was dictated by status and the fact that Norrington seemed to be out of his mind and it would be best to humor the man.
“He is, I assure you, more dangerous than a Spaniard firing at your bow, he’ll take your ship and your socks if he can,” Norrington had gone red in the face and Hornblower had the rather odd feeling that he caught this man on a bad day.
“I shall remember that, sir,” Hornblower promised.
“See that you do, Hornblower,” and with that, Norrington stalked away. Soon after Governor Swann retreated back to his office, once again extending the invitation the gala that night, and Elizabeth went to make plans and settle final arrangements. That left William Turner and Horatio Hornblower to walk down the drive and take the long twenty minute walk to the township.
“I apologize for Commodore Norrington, he hasn’t been himself since he lost Jack,” Turner said.
“You are familiar with this pirate?” Hornblower asked.
“Yes, he helped me rescue Elizabeth,” Turner replied.
“Ah, and what of the spurned, Norrington? I didn’t imagine him to let such a thing get in the way of Duty to the Crown,” Hornblower opined.
“I don’t know, I’m a blacksmith, I have sailed only twice and both times were rather adventurous,” Turner said.
“I see,” Hornblower nodded.
“I believe it is because Commodore Norrington has always gotten what he wanted, he lost Elizabeth to me though she did promise to marry him to save me in the end. But he didn’t hold her to her promise. He wants her to be happy. So, he has turned to finding and hanging Jack Sparrow,” Tuner said. The situation, Hornblower thought, was a bit more convoluted than what Turner described but he wasn’t going to argue semantics.
“Have a good day, Mr. Turner,” Hornblower said when they reached the blacksmiths shop and he went on his way. Turner looked after the man before entering his shop.