Fanfiction: Horatio Hornblower (G)
Title: Commendations
Pairing/Characters: Horatio Hornblower, John "Jack" Hammond, Charles Orrock, Henry Wellard
Rating: G
Fandom: Horatio Hornblower
Word Count: 1,236
Spoilers: For Loyalty.
Summary: Horatio speaks with his midshipmen.
Notes/Warnings: Written as a sequel to my fics Intervention, Interlude, Flashback, Reunited, Revision, and Talk. Beta by mylodon.
Commendations
Horatio Hornblower paused in the doorway of the small room, watching as two of his midshipmen talked in low voices. John Hammond was looking more like himself already, no longer unnaturally pale, and half-sat, half-reclined in his chair. Charles Orrock occupied the other chair, leaning forward towards his friend, his face animated as he finished his story. Hammond laughed, and then winced, his hand going to his side. The good humour disappeared from Orrock's face to be replaced by a concerned look and he half-rose from his chair, clearly ready to do something to help his friend. The shorter boy waved his companion off, the pain easing from his face already.
Though not the sort of man to spot these things, Horatio could easily see now that a bond had formed between the two boys very similar to the one that bound him to his second lieutenant. It was not as much of a shock as he had expected it to be. He knew that Orrock had been helping the younger man learn his duties and Horatio was grateful to him for that. Hammond had been improving steadily during the last two voyages and it was only a matter of time before the young man would feel more confident of himself as an officer. Besides, as far as he knew, no Articles of War had been broken. They were simply two young men separated from their families and friends by their duty to the King who had turned to each other for companionship. Aware of how important such a bond would be, especially to Hammond, he resolved not to do or say anything to break the friendship unless his hand was forced. It would be rather hypocritical of him, given his own history.
"Excuse me, Sir." A soft voice interrupted his musings and he turned to see a young woman behind him, carrying a stack of linens. He stepped back out of her way and she slipped past him into the room. "Thank you, Mr...?"
"Hornblower, Miss," he replied, offering a polite smile as she busied herself stripping the bed and re-making it.
"Captain!" Orrock jumped to his feet and sprang to attention, Hammond following more slowly, wincing slightly as he straightened.
Horatio shook his head slightly. "At your ease, Gentlemen. We're not aboard the Hotspur."
"Aye, aye, Sir," Hammond relaxed his stance gratefully, his hand going to his side once more.
The young woman seemed to have noticed and turned to him solicitously. "Does your wound pain you, Mr Hammond?"
"Only a slight twinge, Miss Mason," Hammond answered calmly, taking a half-step back from her, virtually hiding behind his taller messmate.
Amused exasperation flashed across Orrock's face at this move, but disappeared quickly. "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Mason. We shouldn't like to keep you from your other guests."
"You're welcome, Mr Orrock." She scooped up the dirty bed linens and swept out the door past Horatio, casting a glance back before she disappeared from view.
He shook his head slightly and closed the door before turning to the two young men. "Please, Gentlemen, sit down." They did, relief appearing in Hammond's eyes before he composed himself. Orrock sat on the edge of his seat, as if expecting to jump up out of it at any moment. "I came to see how you're mending, Mr Hammond."
"The doctor said I should be able to return to active duty within the week, Sir," the young man volunteered, his fingers twisting themselves into knots in his lap.
Horatio nodded, aware of the young man's nerves. "I also wished to commend you."
"Sir?" Hammond stared at him, blue-grey eyes wide and surprised.
It was only due to his habit of hiding his emotions that he was able to hide a smile at the midshipman's surprise. "I am aware of how hard you're working to learn your duties and responsibilities. Rest assured that your improvement has not gone unnoticed. If you continue as you have started, you will make a fine officer."
"Thank you, Sir." Hammond's eyes were still wide and surprised, but a shy, pleased look started to appear in them. "I shall do my best."
Horatio allowed himself a small smile. "That's all I ask of you." He turned to the other midshipman, who looked as surprised as Hammond. "Mr Orrock, your assistance to Mr Hammond has been invaluable, both to Mr Hammond and as an example for the crew. I suggest you continue, though it might be better if you were to wait to be asked for help." A glance between the two assured Horatio that both had received the message: Orrock should wait until Hammond asked for help. "Very well, Gentlemen. Carry on."
"Aye, aye, Sir." The two boys started to rise from their seats, but Horatio waved them back, turning to let himself out.
He paused in the front hall, watching as Wellard conversed politely with Miss Mason. He nodded in response to something she had said when he glanced up and spotted his captain in the doorway. He jumped to his feet, automatically stiffening to attention as best he could with his injured arm. "Captain! I didn't see you there."
"At ease, Mr Wellard," Horatio replied, entering the sitting room. "I saw your companion earlier, but we were not properly introduced."
She rose to her feet, the blush staining her cheeks and demure smile curling her lips lending charm to her face. "Captain, this is Maria Mason, the daughter of our landlady. Miss Mason, the captain of my ship, Mr Horatio Hornblower."
"A pleasure, Miss Mason." He took the hand she offered and pressed a kiss to the back.
Her blush deepened. "An honour, Captain. I've read about you in the Naval Gazette."
"I am flattered, Miss." He offered a polite smile. "I'm sure there are much more interesting captains to read about in the Gazette than myself."
She opened her mouth to reply, but a voice from the back of the house interrupted her. "Excuse me, Sirs." She disappeared from the room in a flurry of skirts.
"How are you, Mr Wellard?" Horatio asked, turning to the midshipman.
The young man smiled faintly. "The doctor said I may return to active duty so long as I'm careful of my arm."
"Go get your things and we'll get you settled back aboard the Hotspur," he told the young man with a small smile. "Unless you'd rather stay with Miss Mason and her mother?"
The young man disappeared up the stairs quickly, returning only moments later with a small canvas bag, pulling on his boat cloak. "I'm ready, Sir."
"Come along, then." Horatio swathed himself in his own cloak and led the young man out into the chilly February air. They tramped through the streets to the docks in silence for several blocks. "Mr Wellard, I wish to commend you on your performance of your duties aboard the Hotspur."
He could just picture the young man's wide eyes in his mind. Finally, he received a reply. "Sir?"
"I know your service aboard the Renown wasn't easy and the injury you received from the Spanish didn't make it easier," he explained, glancing at the younger man. "Yet, you have rallied and come to be a fine midshipman. I am glad to have you aboard the Hotspur."
Wellard was silent for several moments before he spoke again, his voice quiet, yet sincere. "Thank you, Sir."
End
A/N2: Maria insisted upon putting in an appearance. Thank goodness it's a brief one. *grin*
Pairing/Characters: Horatio Hornblower, John "Jack" Hammond, Charles Orrock, Henry Wellard
Rating: G
Fandom: Horatio Hornblower
Word Count: 1,236
Spoilers: For Loyalty.
Summary: Horatio speaks with his midshipmen.
Notes/Warnings: Written as a sequel to my fics Intervention, Interlude, Flashback, Reunited, Revision, and Talk. Beta by mylodon.
Commendations
Horatio Hornblower paused in the doorway of the small room, watching as two of his midshipmen talked in low voices. John Hammond was looking more like himself already, no longer unnaturally pale, and half-sat, half-reclined in his chair. Charles Orrock occupied the other chair, leaning forward towards his friend, his face animated as he finished his story. Hammond laughed, and then winced, his hand going to his side. The good humour disappeared from Orrock's face to be replaced by a concerned look and he half-rose from his chair, clearly ready to do something to help his friend. The shorter boy waved his companion off, the pain easing from his face already.
Though not the sort of man to spot these things, Horatio could easily see now that a bond had formed between the two boys very similar to the one that bound him to his second lieutenant. It was not as much of a shock as he had expected it to be. He knew that Orrock had been helping the younger man learn his duties and Horatio was grateful to him for that. Hammond had been improving steadily during the last two voyages and it was only a matter of time before the young man would feel more confident of himself as an officer. Besides, as far as he knew, no Articles of War had been broken. They were simply two young men separated from their families and friends by their duty to the King who had turned to each other for companionship. Aware of how important such a bond would be, especially to Hammond, he resolved not to do or say anything to break the friendship unless his hand was forced. It would be rather hypocritical of him, given his own history.
"Excuse me, Sir." A soft voice interrupted his musings and he turned to see a young woman behind him, carrying a stack of linens. He stepped back out of her way and she slipped past him into the room. "Thank you, Mr...?"
"Hornblower, Miss," he replied, offering a polite smile as she busied herself stripping the bed and re-making it.
"Captain!" Orrock jumped to his feet and sprang to attention, Hammond following more slowly, wincing slightly as he straightened.
Horatio shook his head slightly. "At your ease, Gentlemen. We're not aboard the Hotspur."
"Aye, aye, Sir," Hammond relaxed his stance gratefully, his hand going to his side once more.
The young woman seemed to have noticed and turned to him solicitously. "Does your wound pain you, Mr Hammond?"
"Only a slight twinge, Miss Mason," Hammond answered calmly, taking a half-step back from her, virtually hiding behind his taller messmate.
Amused exasperation flashed across Orrock's face at this move, but disappeared quickly. "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Mason. We shouldn't like to keep you from your other guests."
"You're welcome, Mr Orrock." She scooped up the dirty bed linens and swept out the door past Horatio, casting a glance back before she disappeared from view.
He shook his head slightly and closed the door before turning to the two young men. "Please, Gentlemen, sit down." They did, relief appearing in Hammond's eyes before he composed himself. Orrock sat on the edge of his seat, as if expecting to jump up out of it at any moment. "I came to see how you're mending, Mr Hammond."
"The doctor said I should be able to return to active duty within the week, Sir," the young man volunteered, his fingers twisting themselves into knots in his lap.
Horatio nodded, aware of the young man's nerves. "I also wished to commend you."
"Sir?" Hammond stared at him, blue-grey eyes wide and surprised.
It was only due to his habit of hiding his emotions that he was able to hide a smile at the midshipman's surprise. "I am aware of how hard you're working to learn your duties and responsibilities. Rest assured that your improvement has not gone unnoticed. If you continue as you have started, you will make a fine officer."
"Thank you, Sir." Hammond's eyes were still wide and surprised, but a shy, pleased look started to appear in them. "I shall do my best."
Horatio allowed himself a small smile. "That's all I ask of you." He turned to the other midshipman, who looked as surprised as Hammond. "Mr Orrock, your assistance to Mr Hammond has been invaluable, both to Mr Hammond and as an example for the crew. I suggest you continue, though it might be better if you were to wait to be asked for help." A glance between the two assured Horatio that both had received the message: Orrock should wait until Hammond asked for help. "Very well, Gentlemen. Carry on."
"Aye, aye, Sir." The two boys started to rise from their seats, but Horatio waved them back, turning to let himself out.
He paused in the front hall, watching as Wellard conversed politely with Miss Mason. He nodded in response to something she had said when he glanced up and spotted his captain in the doorway. He jumped to his feet, automatically stiffening to attention as best he could with his injured arm. "Captain! I didn't see you there."
"At ease, Mr Wellard," Horatio replied, entering the sitting room. "I saw your companion earlier, but we were not properly introduced."
She rose to her feet, the blush staining her cheeks and demure smile curling her lips lending charm to her face. "Captain, this is Maria Mason, the daughter of our landlady. Miss Mason, the captain of my ship, Mr Horatio Hornblower."
"A pleasure, Miss Mason." He took the hand she offered and pressed a kiss to the back.
Her blush deepened. "An honour, Captain. I've read about you in the Naval Gazette."
"I am flattered, Miss." He offered a polite smile. "I'm sure there are much more interesting captains to read about in the Gazette than myself."
She opened her mouth to reply, but a voice from the back of the house interrupted her. "Excuse me, Sirs." She disappeared from the room in a flurry of skirts.
"How are you, Mr Wellard?" Horatio asked, turning to the midshipman.
The young man smiled faintly. "The doctor said I may return to active duty so long as I'm careful of my arm."
"Go get your things and we'll get you settled back aboard the Hotspur," he told the young man with a small smile. "Unless you'd rather stay with Miss Mason and her mother?"
The young man disappeared up the stairs quickly, returning only moments later with a small canvas bag, pulling on his boat cloak. "I'm ready, Sir."
"Come along, then." Horatio swathed himself in his own cloak and led the young man out into the chilly February air. They tramped through the streets to the docks in silence for several blocks. "Mr Wellard, I wish to commend you on your performance of your duties aboard the Hotspur."
He could just picture the young man's wide eyes in his mind. Finally, he received a reply. "Sir?"
"I know your service aboard the Renown wasn't easy and the injury you received from the Spanish didn't make it easier," he explained, glancing at the younger man. "Yet, you have rallied and come to be a fine midshipman. I am glad to have you aboard the Hotspur."
Wellard was silent for several moments before he spoke again, his voice quiet, yet sincere. "Thank you, Sir."
End
A/N2: Maria insisted upon putting in an appearance. Thank goodness it's a brief one. *grin*