Disclaimer: C.S. Forester is the mastermind behind everything Horatio Hornblower, I just attempt to expand on it. Also thanks to A&E for their expansion on our beloved Mr. Kennedy.
~*~
BLUE EYES AND BLOOD
Chapter 2
Admiration, Loyalty and Devotion
William Bush stood tentatively outside his Captain's quarters, his hand almost on the handle, but refraining from opening the door. Captain Rosser had sent his message back fairly quickly, it being that he and his first mate would love to join Captain Hornblower for dinner. Bush stood, not really afraid to go in, but more worried about it. His Captain was asleep. Bush could hear the deep breaths of sleep even from here. Hornblower had slept very little lately, and Bush would prefer if his Captain got as much rest as possible. After all, dinner was not for a few hours yet, he could let Hornblower sleep....
But Hornblower, as always, had demanded that he be told the second a reply came from Rosser, and Bush was not one to disobey his Captain's commands.
Taking a deep breath, Bush slowly pushed the cabin door - it was unlocked.
"Sir?" He said quietly. There was no reply.
"Sir?" He said again, a little louder.
"Archie?" The voice was Hornblower's, but it was spoken as if through water. Groggily, dreamily, and unbeknowenst to the speaker.
"No, sir, It's Lieutenant Bush, sir." Bush said, taking another slow step into the cabin.
"Archie, does your head hurt?"
The question was so very bizarre that it confused Bush for a good few seconds, until he replied: "Er - No, sir."
He took another step, and was now close enough to see Hornblower, sprawled out across his cot, one hand under his head. His eyes were shut tight, his brow furrowed a little in sleep.
"Archie..."
"Sir, I'm Bush, sir." Bush said desperately, "Wake up, sir."
"Bush? Oh... yes... Archie's dead..." Hornblower was beginning to awaken, coming out of his sleep talking slowly. "But he's not... I saw him today..."
"Sir, you said to wake you up.."
"I saw him, I'm sure of it... Those eyes... I'd remember those eyes anywhere..."
Bush felt a pang of pity, and then a quick flash of guilt. He shouldn't be hearing this. These were his Captain's private thoughts... They were not for Bush to hear...
"That was Captain Richardson, sir. Archie - - Mr. Kennedy is not - - "
"Oh... that's right..." His eyes seemed to flutter, and he paused, every muscle unmoving.
"What time is it, Mr. Bush?"
"Just past 6 bells, sir."
Hornblower said something unintelligable, and shifted his position to sit up. He looked at Bush, and the First Lieutenant quickly tried to hide all traces of worry upon his face, but knew he hadn't done it. Hornblower frowned.
"What did you come for, Mr. Bush?"
"I didn't want to wake you, sir, but you said to alert you the minute that Rosser sent a message, sir..."
"Yes, yes, what is it?" Hornblower asked impatiently. Either he didn't remember the small conversation he had just had, or he didn't want to remember it.
"He says he'll come, sir. And his first mate, sir."
"Good, good, well done." These were not said with praise, but with a gruffness that made them sound more like an indirect apology for earlier behavior. Still, it took all of Bush's willpower not to smile.
"Thank you, sir."
"Would you tell the cook to prepare the best meal he can with our new suplies?"
"Yes, sir. Aye aye, sir." Bush paused, knowing that there was something that he should say, and yet not not knowing what it was. "Yes, sir." He said again, tipped his hat, and ducked out of the cabin.
*
"Boat coming along side, sir!" Mr. Dawson cried, down to Bush on the quarter deck. It was not his watch, but Hornblower had requested that he be on deck for Rosser's arrivial.
"Very well, Mr. Dawson, go and fetch the Captain, if you please." Bush said, and watched the boy scamper down the hold to retrieve Hornblower. Since his Captain had been expecting the call, he was up within two minutes of Dawson running to get him, and stepped alongside Bush just as the jetty pulled up along side. They both walked to the railing, and watched as the two privateers made their way up the side.
The first one to swing his legs over the side stepped up to Hornblower and extended a hand. He wasn't young, his dark brown hair littered with streaks of grey. It sat out at unruly angles, though he had tried to tame some of it into a hurried pigtail. His eyes were grey - a pure grey with no green or blue tint. They reminded Bush of the iceburgs.
Hornblower shook the proffered hand, and the two men stood staring at eachother for a few minutes. Bush noted the slight difference in size, the new man standing only an inch or so above Hornblower, though somehow both looking to be exactly the same.
"Captain Horatio Hornblower, I presume?" He asked. There was a ghost of a smile on his lips, but it had a sarcastic touch to it. As if smiling to a joke only he understood.
"Captain James Rosser." Hornblower said in reply. He was not smiling openly, but Bush could see the smile in his eyes.
"If you would allow me to introduce my First Lieutenant, Mr. William Bush." Hornblower said formally, using his hand to indicate Bush. Rosser nodded, as his own first mate arrived beside him.
"This is my first mate, Lizzy Cathor."
The man he pointed to wasn't a man at all. It was a woman, dressed in a jacket, waistcoat and breeches. She wasn't beautiful, she had a small scar beneath her chin, and one of her green eyes was misty and opaque. Her hair was a brilliant red, but it had tar through it, and she had wrapped it into a long pigtail down her back. Her lip twitched into a small smile, and Bush quickly snapped his jaw shut - he had been gaping. He glanced quickly at Hornblower, who was wearing a small frown.
"You're both very welcome, Captain Rosser. Ms. Cathor."
"Mister does me fine, Captain Hornblower." Lizzy said, an amused smile had taken her lips over now. "Dicipline, you understand."
Hornblower nodded. "If you would both follow me, my steward has arranged a meal for us in my quaters."
The group followed, and soon all three were sitting around the table. Bush didn't talk much, as he felt that he never really had much to say around his Captain. Hornblower said everything Bush would ever think of saying, and a thousand things more. Later in the evening, Hornblower took Rosser aside, dismissing both Bush and Cathor so that the two Captains could have a small, hurried discusion. Bush oliged him, and both he hand Cathor walked up to the quarterdeck.
"You seemed a little shocked, Mr. Bush, when I came aboard." Cathor mused, the same smile tugging her lips. It wasn't a full smile, but still...
"You'll forgive me, ma'am."
"Sir." She corrected immediately - she had already corrected him on this point several times.
There was a pause.
"So you're out after the pirates as well, eh?" She asked, with a small chuckle. Her accent was garbled, a mix. A bit of England, a bit of Ireland, a bit of America... And a bit of French Canadian, Bush thought, though he had never heard it.
"It appears so, yes." Bush said.
"And I suppose you'll find them, s'well." Cathor said thoughtfully. "Your Captain seems very able, Mr. Bush."
"Aye, he is." Bush said, trying not to let his breast swell with pride. It didn't work.
Cathor looked at him, a sideways look, a searching, mischevious look, accompanied by a smile - - a smile Bush had seen before...
"You know," She continued, "The men of our crew say I'm pyschic." She grinned, pointing to her opaque eye, "They say I gave one eye, and gained an eye for the future." She chuckled, a throaty sound deep in her throat. "It's all codswallop, of course. Though... Sometimes... You serve Mr. Hornblower right and well, yeh hear? I think he needs you a lot more than he puts on." She smiled, not the odd sardonic-chuckle smile, but a worn, knowing smile. He had seen it before, he knew he had...
"-lovely ship, Captain Hornblower, I commend you." It was Rosser's voice, and both Bush and Cathor turned to see their Captains come up from the hold. For a second they both held the same expression - Admiration, Loyalty, Devotion. And then it was gone.
"Lizzy, it's time we got going." Rosser said as they walked over. Hornblower gave a small, secluded smile to Bush - he was pleased. Which, of course, in turn made Bush pleased.
It took about ten minutes for the two privateers to disembark, and there were smiles and waves (and a few whistles) from the crew as they did so.
"Mr. Bush..." Hornblower started. He was smiling. It was only a small smile, a grim smile, but it was the best thing Bush had seen for weeks.
"Sir?"
"I think, Mr. Bush, that our luck is about to change."
~*~
~*~
BLUE EYES AND BLOOD
Chapter 2
Admiration, Loyalty and Devotion
William Bush stood tentatively outside his Captain's quarters, his hand almost on the handle, but refraining from opening the door. Captain Rosser had sent his message back fairly quickly, it being that he and his first mate would love to join Captain Hornblower for dinner. Bush stood, not really afraid to go in, but more worried about it. His Captain was asleep. Bush could hear the deep breaths of sleep even from here. Hornblower had slept very little lately, and Bush would prefer if his Captain got as much rest as possible. After all, dinner was not for a few hours yet, he could let Hornblower sleep....
But Hornblower, as always, had demanded that he be told the second a reply came from Rosser, and Bush was not one to disobey his Captain's commands.
Taking a deep breath, Bush slowly pushed the cabin door - it was unlocked.
"Sir?" He said quietly. There was no reply.
"Sir?" He said again, a little louder.
"Archie?" The voice was Hornblower's, but it was spoken as if through water. Groggily, dreamily, and unbeknowenst to the speaker.
"No, sir, It's Lieutenant Bush, sir." Bush said, taking another slow step into the cabin.
"Archie, does your head hurt?"
The question was so very bizarre that it confused Bush for a good few seconds, until he replied: "Er - No, sir."
He took another step, and was now close enough to see Hornblower, sprawled out across his cot, one hand under his head. His eyes were shut tight, his brow furrowed a little in sleep.
"Archie..."
"Sir, I'm Bush, sir." Bush said desperately, "Wake up, sir."
"Bush? Oh... yes... Archie's dead..." Hornblower was beginning to awaken, coming out of his sleep talking slowly. "But he's not... I saw him today..."
"Sir, you said to wake you up.."
"I saw him, I'm sure of it... Those eyes... I'd remember those eyes anywhere..."
Bush felt a pang of pity, and then a quick flash of guilt. He shouldn't be hearing this. These were his Captain's private thoughts... They were not for Bush to hear...
"That was Captain Richardson, sir. Archie - - Mr. Kennedy is not - - "
"Oh... that's right..." His eyes seemed to flutter, and he paused, every muscle unmoving.
"What time is it, Mr. Bush?"
"Just past 6 bells, sir."
Hornblower said something unintelligable, and shifted his position to sit up. He looked at Bush, and the First Lieutenant quickly tried to hide all traces of worry upon his face, but knew he hadn't done it. Hornblower frowned.
"What did you come for, Mr. Bush?"
"I didn't want to wake you, sir, but you said to alert you the minute that Rosser sent a message, sir..."
"Yes, yes, what is it?" Hornblower asked impatiently. Either he didn't remember the small conversation he had just had, or he didn't want to remember it.
"He says he'll come, sir. And his first mate, sir."
"Good, good, well done." These were not said with praise, but with a gruffness that made them sound more like an indirect apology for earlier behavior. Still, it took all of Bush's willpower not to smile.
"Thank you, sir."
"Would you tell the cook to prepare the best meal he can with our new suplies?"
"Yes, sir. Aye aye, sir." Bush paused, knowing that there was something that he should say, and yet not not knowing what it was. "Yes, sir." He said again, tipped his hat, and ducked out of the cabin.
*
"Boat coming along side, sir!" Mr. Dawson cried, down to Bush on the quarter deck. It was not his watch, but Hornblower had requested that he be on deck for Rosser's arrivial.
"Very well, Mr. Dawson, go and fetch the Captain, if you please." Bush said, and watched the boy scamper down the hold to retrieve Hornblower. Since his Captain had been expecting the call, he was up within two minutes of Dawson running to get him, and stepped alongside Bush just as the jetty pulled up along side. They both walked to the railing, and watched as the two privateers made their way up the side.
The first one to swing his legs over the side stepped up to Hornblower and extended a hand. He wasn't young, his dark brown hair littered with streaks of grey. It sat out at unruly angles, though he had tried to tame some of it into a hurried pigtail. His eyes were grey - a pure grey with no green or blue tint. They reminded Bush of the iceburgs.
Hornblower shook the proffered hand, and the two men stood staring at eachother for a few minutes. Bush noted the slight difference in size, the new man standing only an inch or so above Hornblower, though somehow both looking to be exactly the same.
"Captain Horatio Hornblower, I presume?" He asked. There was a ghost of a smile on his lips, but it had a sarcastic touch to it. As if smiling to a joke only he understood.
"Captain James Rosser." Hornblower said in reply. He was not smiling openly, but Bush could see the smile in his eyes.
"If you would allow me to introduce my First Lieutenant, Mr. William Bush." Hornblower said formally, using his hand to indicate Bush. Rosser nodded, as his own first mate arrived beside him.
"This is my first mate, Lizzy Cathor."
The man he pointed to wasn't a man at all. It was a woman, dressed in a jacket, waistcoat and breeches. She wasn't beautiful, she had a small scar beneath her chin, and one of her green eyes was misty and opaque. Her hair was a brilliant red, but it had tar through it, and she had wrapped it into a long pigtail down her back. Her lip twitched into a small smile, and Bush quickly snapped his jaw shut - he had been gaping. He glanced quickly at Hornblower, who was wearing a small frown.
"You're both very welcome, Captain Rosser. Ms. Cathor."
"Mister does me fine, Captain Hornblower." Lizzy said, an amused smile had taken her lips over now. "Dicipline, you understand."
Hornblower nodded. "If you would both follow me, my steward has arranged a meal for us in my quaters."
The group followed, and soon all three were sitting around the table. Bush didn't talk much, as he felt that he never really had much to say around his Captain. Hornblower said everything Bush would ever think of saying, and a thousand things more. Later in the evening, Hornblower took Rosser aside, dismissing both Bush and Cathor so that the two Captains could have a small, hurried discusion. Bush oliged him, and both he hand Cathor walked up to the quarterdeck.
"You seemed a little shocked, Mr. Bush, when I came aboard." Cathor mused, the same smile tugging her lips. It wasn't a full smile, but still...
"You'll forgive me, ma'am."
"Sir." She corrected immediately - she had already corrected him on this point several times.
There was a pause.
"So you're out after the pirates as well, eh?" She asked, with a small chuckle. Her accent was garbled, a mix. A bit of England, a bit of Ireland, a bit of America... And a bit of French Canadian, Bush thought, though he had never heard it.
"It appears so, yes." Bush said.
"And I suppose you'll find them, s'well." Cathor said thoughtfully. "Your Captain seems very able, Mr. Bush."
"Aye, he is." Bush said, trying not to let his breast swell with pride. It didn't work.
Cathor looked at him, a sideways look, a searching, mischevious look, accompanied by a smile - - a smile Bush had seen before...
"You know," She continued, "The men of our crew say I'm pyschic." She grinned, pointing to her opaque eye, "They say I gave one eye, and gained an eye for the future." She chuckled, a throaty sound deep in her throat. "It's all codswallop, of course. Though... Sometimes... You serve Mr. Hornblower right and well, yeh hear? I think he needs you a lot more than he puts on." She smiled, not the odd sardonic-chuckle smile, but a worn, knowing smile. He had seen it before, he knew he had...
"-lovely ship, Captain Hornblower, I commend you." It was Rosser's voice, and both Bush and Cathor turned to see their Captains come up from the hold. For a second they both held the same expression - Admiration, Loyalty, Devotion. And then it was gone.
"Lizzy, it's time we got going." Rosser said as they walked over. Hornblower gave a small, secluded smile to Bush - he was pleased. Which, of course, in turn made Bush pleased.
It took about ten minutes for the two privateers to disembark, and there were smiles and waves (and a few whistles) from the crew as they did so.
"Mr. Bush..." Hornblower started. He was smiling. It was only a small smile, a grim smile, but it was the best thing Bush had seen for weeks.
"Sir?"
"I think, Mr. Bush, that our luck is about to change."
~*~