Chapter Two—The Gateway
I'm a complete fool,
thought Horatio, this is all my fault. Mine. I should've listened to
Archie, I should've kept closer watch, I should've been more alert. All my fault. He glared around at no one in particular, anger and guilt
clouding his gaze. They were
prisoners—again—and it was his fault. The only comfort he allowed himself was the knowledge that he had kept
Styles from doing anything rash.
"Horatio, something's
happening." Archie nodded towards the
tall red haired man who seemed to be leading this expedition. Around him were gathered three other men,
and they seemed to be discussing something in low serious tones. "I think those four are in charge
here…. Horatio!"
"What?" Archie was looking at him now, concern
written on his tired face.
" Stop that now! This isn't your fault, so stop thinking what
I know you're thinking!"
"What?!? How do you know that I've… " Startled out of his self flagellation,
Horatio stared at Archie, shocked.
"I know you, I know
that you're blaming yourself. That
won't help us here. Stop. We need to focus on getting away."
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"What are they
doing?" Jamys was looking at the two
young officers as he spoke.
"It appears they are
arguing, shall we see about what?" As
Ivo approached the men on guard, the blond officer looked over at him, catching
his eyes.
"Who are you and where
are you taking us?" A very direct young
man, and rather brave, to dare to ask such a question in his position. A solidly built young man, well tanned—as
would be expected of a sailor—with sun bleached hair falling in front of bright
blue eyes that seemed to convey a mixture of anger and concern, with just the
slightest touch of fear.
"Archie!" hissed the dark haired one.
"Archie? Is that your name?" Ivo seemed a bit amused by their
seriousness, but then Ivo seemed a bit amused by everything, rather astonishing
given his personal history. Neither young
man spoke, the dark one bright red with embarrassment.
"Baudwin asked you a
question, answer him." Jos did not
often command, but he felt these two might need a lesson in just who here was
in charge. All he received in response
were stone faces from both officers. Not ready to share this information are you? Well, it will come eventually. Jos actually felt a bit of respect for the two of them, they had borne
the last few hours rather well, but he would have an answer.
"Answer him."
"I asked my question
first," the one called Archie replied, defiantly.
Ivo laughed aloud,
this was indeed a very brave young man, or a very ignorant one, or both.
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The laughing man in
front of them glanced back at red haired man before answering, "We are Michaelines and you are going to the
Stronghold."
Wonderful, what in
heaven's name was a Michaeline? "What
is a Michaeline?"
The young man gave him
what looked like an honestly surprised look, "We are Michaelines." Simply put, but not very illuminating, he
thought.
"Where is this
Stronghold?" Now the man looked a touch
wary. He reminded Archie suddenly of
Major Edrington, though the cheerful young man before them bore only passing
resemblance to the absent earl. Short
honey colored hair topped a smiling heart shaped face with laughing brown eyes
that seemed to find everything about the two of them amusing. He can't be much older than we are, Archie
concluded with a start.
"That I may not tell
you. But come, give us your
names." Not likely, we don't know
yours, after all. As if reading this
thought off his very face, the laughing man smiled and offered with a nod, "My
name is Ivo Baudwin, you are officers in the British Navy, and your first name
is Archie." He seemed to be waiting expectantly
for their answers. Archie exchanged a
look with Horatio; may as well, he seemed to say.
"Third Lieutenant
Archibald Kennedy, of His Majesty's Ship Indefatigable." Standing to attention as he recited, staring
off to Ivo's right.
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The dark haired one
was staring at his companion most curiously, as if they could speak to each
other through their eyes solely. These
two are old friends, Jos realized, old friends who have been through a lot together. The one who hadn't spoken yet was a tall
lad, still a trifle gangly, but growing out of it. He had a serious air about him, and the sort of looks that men
find interesting and women find irresistible.
"And you, what is your
name?" Ivo was enjoying himself
immensely.
When addressed, he
too, snapped to attention, "Second Lieutenant Horatio Hornblower, also of His
Majesty's Ship Indefatigable." He did
not look at Ivo either.
It was odd, finding
these two young men staring at him. Somehow, they must have guessed that I lead here. Jos wasn't sure this intuition they seemed
to share was a good thing at all.
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The tall one, with the dark red hair, walked over
to them. He's a touch taller than Horatio,
Archie noted. A physically imposing
man, tall and solidly built, with dark green eyes which he focused on them
now. He did not speak, he merely stared
at them for a long moment. Those eyes
seemed to see right into their souls and gave Archie the shivers, but he would not
let this man see that he had had any effect on him. Raising his head some, he stared defiantly back at the red haired
man. He tilted his head at Archie, his
expression questioning then, looking away, he ordered in a low voice for the
march to continue.
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Lorcan was staring at
the dispatches he had just received, this could not possibly be happening, he
thought, not now. In a sudden fit of
temper he threw the contents of his desk towards the far wall.
"What on earth was
that?"
Lorcan groaned. The last thing he needed right now was for
his sister to find out the morning's events.
"What was that?" she
repeated, coming into his rooms.
Lorcan looked
carefully up at his elder sister. Eilis
stood in the doorway looking at him expectantly, and then she spied the mess that
had been his desktop's contents scattered over the floor.
"Good heavens, what
did you do?"
"I got irritated," he
responded shortly, in no mood for a conversation.
"You got irritated."
"Yes."
"I see." She paused for a moment. "Where's Jos?"
What a rotten time for
her to finally take an interest in his whereabouts.
"Forest patrol." He wasn't about to tell her about the
Englishmen, not if, as it appeared, she might be coming out of her self-induced
exile. She would not take kindly to their
presence, and suddenly he was sorry he'd sent Jos to bring them in, he should
have foreseen this and sent someone else.
"Is there a reason
you're here?"
"Yes, actually. We—Avenie, myself, and some of other
women—are going out to the orchards. The apples are ready for harvesting."
"Yes, good, go." At least she wouldn't be here when the
Englishmen arrived. Eilis was looking
at him oddly.
"What's bothering you,
Lorcan?"
Nothing I can share
with you without causing you more unnecessary pain, dear sister.
"Nothing that you need
worry about," and with a forced smile, he bid her on her way.
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Pellew scanned the
shoreline. Horatio and Archie should
have been back by now and there was not a sign of them.
"What can they
possibly have gotten themselves into now?" he murmured to himself.
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Horatio was thinking
much the same thing as their march continued. They were now skirting the edge of a long high overgrown wall. The blond fellow, the one who gave his name as
Ivo, had taken to walking next to them, casting occasional sidelong glances
their way.
It's as if he is
waiting for the culmination of some joke.
Then he saw it and
knew what Ivo had been waiting for. He
and Archie both stopped dead.
"I'm not going through
that!" Archie blurted out.
"Crafted during the
Inquisition, to persuade heretics that confession really was their only hope,"
supplied Ivo, chuckling at their reactions.
That was an ornate gate to…. hell, as far as
Horatio could see. It was iron and
seemed to contain every demon that was ever spawned writhing through its bars.
"It's only a gate, Archie," he forced himself to
whisper. Archie looked at him as if
he'd taken leave of his senses.
"Only a gate? Look at that thing! What good
could possibly lay behind a gate like that?"
"I don't know, but the men are looking to us to
lead. These men will take us through
that… thing whether we like it or not, and I prefer not to be forced through it."
He could see Archie mentally collect himself.
"You are right, Horatio. I am sorry."
They both looked back at their men now, who were
indeed on the edge of panic.
"Lead on." Horatio gestured as nonchalantly as he could with ropes around his
wrists and Ivo, still chuckling led them through the gateway into…
