Hello everybody! I don't own Horatio Hornblower or the books or BBC, so
don't sue!
Special thanks to shezzawotto and Parry Aldon and reader. Yes, I will be continuing with this fic if you keep reviewing it! And thanks for the correction, I changed the error. I completely sympathize! I too have nothing against reading slash, but I just can't make sexy Horatio gay! Please don't give up on me now!
Chapter 3 Darkness And Mist
His eyes flew open. "What the." O God it was just another dream. It had been a month since Archie and Horatio had talked in his cabin yet these dreams, no, these nightmares made him feel like it was only yesterday. Horatio had this reoccurring dream that he died at sea and no one shed a tear. But why did that make him awake in the middle of the night with glistening sweat covering his body? No, he wasn't lonely and even if he was, he was determined to maintain his composure; if not for the crew than for his own blasted sanity.
Suddenly, he felt tears well up in his eyes. Surely if he died, someone would cry at the loss. Wouldn't they?
Damn it Horatio, he yelled at his mind. What the hell's the matter with you? How are you ever going to become a captain when you can't even take care of yourself?
There was a knock at the door. He jumped, wiped his eyes and face trying to control his emotions.
"Sir, I'm sorry to disturb you but there's a heavy mist and Landing says he's sure he sees a Frog ship out in the distance. He says it's coming toward us but he doesn't think they can see us yet." Matthews spurted his message out in a hurried whisper.
"What?!" Horatio jumped out of his hammock and hit his head on the low ceiling. O gods, why him? Why of all the bloody days and people did it have to be today and him? It's okay, you've captured French ships before or at least damaged the hell out of them. The men trust you and you'll get through this one together.
Horatio was on deck in a moment's time. He was informed by Landing that there was a French merchant ship only 1 league away. Wonderful. If he failed, there goes the chance to be an upstanding captain. I should just run away and become a filthy pirate, he thought to himself sarcastically.
The men were creeping around on the deck, loading the cannons and climbing the rigging. Running silent went without saying.
"Hopefully, if all goes right, we can just swing over, board the ship and they'll surrender," Archie whispered to a nervous Horatio.
"Yes, and maybe the French will just give up the whole war and invite us over for tea and crumpets. Are you mad, Archie? You know what the French are like! That might work in the Caribbean but we're civilized in Britain. We'll take the ship."
"Aye, aye, sir."
Archie wondered what Horatio was thinking. He seemed much more hesitant and tense than he usually was. He needs a girl, Kennedy mused. He needs a girl more than he knows.
The Frog ship was slowly drifting toward the Indefatigable.
"Run out the cannons!" Horatio whispered urgently. His nerves were starting to get the best of him. I can't let that happen, it would surely mean death or capture for the men and I, he thought anxiously.
Horatio could see the clear outline of the ship as it moved in their direction, like a sitting duck.
"FIRE!"
The cannons rained heavy black balls down on the merchant vessel and inflicted terrific damage on the deck and base of the main mast.
Throughout the chaos that ensued on both ships, Horatio could hear a cry echo over the deep sea.
"Damn!" "FIRE!"
"Sir, what's wrong?"
"Archie, they were running silent too. We've tricked each other! Merchant ships are equipped with their own cannons and guns too! Their captain just yelled fire!" Horatio's mind was swimming in chaos. What would Pellew do? He would lead the men, to death if need be. Death. What a horrid word to a sailor, hell, a person.
The mast of the Frog ships tumbled into the ocean and the blast rocked the Indefatigable like a cradle. The men struggled to regain their footing and rushed to their cannons. The cannonballs fired upon them had caused some damage to the deck and quarters.
"Sir, should we board or return fire? Sir?" Matthews cried.
"Board as many men as we have pistols and swords! We're going to take the Frogs to the bottom of the ocean! Long live the Queen!"
'Long live the Queen' was yelled as the men swung onto the ship and began fighting on the deck. Horatio watched from the Indefatigable. A captain is to lead his men into battle. He had done that, but why was he still on the ship? The nightmares; dying and not missed! Hornblower pushed aside his thoughts and grabbed a rope.
Horatio swung onto the ship amid the shots and clanking of swords and the grunts of hand to hand combat. He battled tirelessly without thought, just the raw, mechanical motions of someone who had been well trained.
"HORATIO!" Archie cried to his friend. Horatio stopped momentarily, glancing up at the shout.
He heard a shot and went cold.
Hahahahaha
What a great cliffhanger, dontcha think?
Special thanks to shezzawotto and Parry Aldon and reader. Yes, I will be continuing with this fic if you keep reviewing it! And thanks for the correction, I changed the error. I completely sympathize! I too have nothing against reading slash, but I just can't make sexy Horatio gay! Please don't give up on me now!
Chapter 3 Darkness And Mist
His eyes flew open. "What the." O God it was just another dream. It had been a month since Archie and Horatio had talked in his cabin yet these dreams, no, these nightmares made him feel like it was only yesterday. Horatio had this reoccurring dream that he died at sea and no one shed a tear. But why did that make him awake in the middle of the night with glistening sweat covering his body? No, he wasn't lonely and even if he was, he was determined to maintain his composure; if not for the crew than for his own blasted sanity.
Suddenly, he felt tears well up in his eyes. Surely if he died, someone would cry at the loss. Wouldn't they?
Damn it Horatio, he yelled at his mind. What the hell's the matter with you? How are you ever going to become a captain when you can't even take care of yourself?
There was a knock at the door. He jumped, wiped his eyes and face trying to control his emotions.
"Sir, I'm sorry to disturb you but there's a heavy mist and Landing says he's sure he sees a Frog ship out in the distance. He says it's coming toward us but he doesn't think they can see us yet." Matthews spurted his message out in a hurried whisper.
"What?!" Horatio jumped out of his hammock and hit his head on the low ceiling. O gods, why him? Why of all the bloody days and people did it have to be today and him? It's okay, you've captured French ships before or at least damaged the hell out of them. The men trust you and you'll get through this one together.
Horatio was on deck in a moment's time. He was informed by Landing that there was a French merchant ship only 1 league away. Wonderful. If he failed, there goes the chance to be an upstanding captain. I should just run away and become a filthy pirate, he thought to himself sarcastically.
The men were creeping around on the deck, loading the cannons and climbing the rigging. Running silent went without saying.
"Hopefully, if all goes right, we can just swing over, board the ship and they'll surrender," Archie whispered to a nervous Horatio.
"Yes, and maybe the French will just give up the whole war and invite us over for tea and crumpets. Are you mad, Archie? You know what the French are like! That might work in the Caribbean but we're civilized in Britain. We'll take the ship."
"Aye, aye, sir."
Archie wondered what Horatio was thinking. He seemed much more hesitant and tense than he usually was. He needs a girl, Kennedy mused. He needs a girl more than he knows.
The Frog ship was slowly drifting toward the Indefatigable.
"Run out the cannons!" Horatio whispered urgently. His nerves were starting to get the best of him. I can't let that happen, it would surely mean death or capture for the men and I, he thought anxiously.
Horatio could see the clear outline of the ship as it moved in their direction, like a sitting duck.
"FIRE!"
The cannons rained heavy black balls down on the merchant vessel and inflicted terrific damage on the deck and base of the main mast.
Throughout the chaos that ensued on both ships, Horatio could hear a cry echo over the deep sea.
"Damn!" "FIRE!"
"Sir, what's wrong?"
"Archie, they were running silent too. We've tricked each other! Merchant ships are equipped with their own cannons and guns too! Their captain just yelled fire!" Horatio's mind was swimming in chaos. What would Pellew do? He would lead the men, to death if need be. Death. What a horrid word to a sailor, hell, a person.
The mast of the Frog ships tumbled into the ocean and the blast rocked the Indefatigable like a cradle. The men struggled to regain their footing and rushed to their cannons. The cannonballs fired upon them had caused some damage to the deck and quarters.
"Sir, should we board or return fire? Sir?" Matthews cried.
"Board as many men as we have pistols and swords! We're going to take the Frogs to the bottom of the ocean! Long live the Queen!"
'Long live the Queen' was yelled as the men swung onto the ship and began fighting on the deck. Horatio watched from the Indefatigable. A captain is to lead his men into battle. He had done that, but why was he still on the ship? The nightmares; dying and not missed! Hornblower pushed aside his thoughts and grabbed a rope.
Horatio swung onto the ship amid the shots and clanking of swords and the grunts of hand to hand combat. He battled tirelessly without thought, just the raw, mechanical motions of someone who had been well trained.
"HORATIO!" Archie cried to his friend. Horatio stopped momentarily, glancing up at the shout.
He heard a shot and went cold.
Hahahahaha
What a great cliffhanger, dontcha think?