Disclaimer: I don't own anything about this. 'Pirates of the Carribean' as a concept belongs to Disney, 'Horatio Hornblower' to AE (I think.). The actors belong to themselves… sadly, I have nothing to do with it.

AN: A few months after the Pearl left the stage of the Carribean. Will finds himself in a difficult position and thinks about leaving. Then a strange ship enters the harbour.

Chapter 1

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Port Royal, the infamous harbour where the English navy had found an outpost, where one could finally be at peace because he was well protected, lay abandoned in the hot afternoon sun. The climate in this island was not one for British people, not one of them was born on these shores and their pale skin soon burned red like the lobsters some of them were. Soldiers complained about the summers in the Caribbean, the suit they needed to wear hot and almost unbearable in this kind of weather. The watchmen on the high tower of the fortress, standing stock still like two statues, seemed to be the only ones visible in this very town. But still, a sound could be heard.

A tapping, then soft then hard, resonated from a small house near the docks, where the ships laid for anchor. None of them had sailed out in this time, since they were at peace with everyone except for the pirates and the French, both far away from the Caribbean shores, thanks to commodore Norrington. As the sound faded, a mere hiss came from the small house and a soft curse. A young man, holding his hand for a moment and glaring at the hammer which he had been using, could be seen from the one window this house possessed. If one were to look up, one could see the sign which hung over the door. Mr. Brown, Blacksmith Shop.

The young man, named William Turner, had been busy on finishing a sword, an order which was due at first light in the next morning. It was destined for a son on his twentieth birthday, and Will would have only wished that one would give him such presents. Not for the present itself, no, the young man didn't care for silver or gold. The gesture alone would have been enough, but as it were, he had never received either.

Ah yes, the people of the town whispered amongst each other, about how the gentle Will had changed in these last few months. From a soft and gentle young man, or boy some even seemed to call him, he had turned into someone capable of making his own decisions, one who wouldn't back down so easily. A fighter, a rogue… a pirate, just like his father, the infamous Bootstrap Bill.

There had been a time when nobody even remembered that name, but that had changed when Jack Sparrow had claimed the stage a few months earlier, in his search for the Black Pearl, the ship he held so dear. The cunning resemblance of Will Turner to his father had been enough to let him set sail together with the pirate, only to discover he was a pirates son himself. And although he had fought this, with heart and soul, he had come to the conclusion that he was just that, the son of a pirate and one himself.

One who had been in the town a year ago, would not be able to recognise the young blacksmith at this very moment, although outwardly not much had changed. He had not begun to dress like a pirate, but his actions spoke differently.

Right at this moment, Will Turner found that he had had enough for one day. This blasted heat was even getting to him and he was used to much more than this kind of Caribbean sun. The roof over his head should have been blown off so that he could find some cooling, the dark in the area was not enough. The heat from the furnace only brought on more to his discomfort. Tossing the leather apron he wore, he laid hammer and the unfinished sword where he would begin on them first thing in the evening, right next to the furnace.

He still had that way about him, lay everything in fixed places so that he would remember where everything was when he got back. There was now nobody who could get in his way, as the old Mr. Brown had passed away a few weeks ago, in a drunken brawl in a tavern, only a few streets away. For once, the governor had been kind and let Will Turner keep the blacksmith shop, seeing as no other was so good at crafting swords. Will had kept quiet and accepted this gesture with a mere nod, with unnerved the governor even more.

The governor had expected the young man to become angry after a month, when he had been told that he couldn't see Elizabeth anymore, the fair daughter of the governor, and the love of Wills life, or so he was to believe.

"Why would you ask such a thing of me, to stay away?"

Will had looked at the governor in unbelief, he had courted Miss Swann for a fortnight now, with the permission of Governor Swann himself. The older man hadn't had any choice, seeing as how Turner had rescued his daughter from the hands of a vile pirate. Although in doing so, he had assisted a pirate as well, something Commodore Norrington cleverly had pointed out to him.

"You are not as honourable as you say, Mr. Turner."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"You are the son of a pirate, correct?"

At that very moment, Will had taken a step back and his appearance had altered. He should have known what this was about all along. Somewhere along the way, the Governor had found out that Will Turner and Bootstrap Bill were related, for Jack Sparrow had claimed it many times, although not right in front of the man before him.

"I am." He simply answered.

"Then you see that you are not right for my daughter."

"I fail to see, I'm afraid, sir."

"Come on, man! You are a pirate… and even if you are not, then you are a mere blacksmith. Not good enough for my daughter, with her well upbringing. That I would leave her in your hands is merely ridiculous."

Anger was expected, disappointment, loathing… but it never came. Will Turner had nodded his head and turned then, stepping away from the house, the governor, and his daughter then, never to look back. It seemed like Elizabeth, who had always spoken so strongly against her father, now had failed to do so and so she seemed to lose the love of the young blacksmith forever.

Lost in thought, Will finally looked up and shook his head. It was time to go about his business. Then, a sudden shout came from the harbour. This wasn't very much possible as everyone was probably sound asleep.

"Drop anchor! Shorten sail!"

Curious about this obvious arrival of a ship, Will opened the door and took one step out, the sun immediately sending her rays blazing upon the olive skin of the young man. Hiding his eyes from her beneath his hand, he looked slightly up. Black tresses laid upon his shoulders as he tilted his head slightly back to read the name of this ship, which seemed off course for some reason.

"The Indefatigable." He whispered softly.