Seventeen Bells: [WRITTEN/ACTION]

[simplestgift]

On July the 4th, 1776, one Horatio Hornblower was born in Kent.  If you see him, bid him many happy returns.  He will most likely grump about it all day and act ungrateful, but don't allow it to discourage you.  He does appreciate it, he simply does not know it.

[For most of the day, Archie will be running around trying to furnish a bedroom in the house for a new housemate. He'll end up in the library, Good Spirits, the grocery store, then finally the Battle Dome, mostly staring in bewilderment at the controls before deciding this is too scary and leaving. At some point, he'll also take a walk in the woods, rain or no rain, in shirtsleeves and waistcoat but no coat. After a while, he'll get back on the journals.]

[Filtered away from Grell, 44%]

If you wanted to surprise someone dear to you, to cheer her up when she returned from being kidnapped, what would you do for her?

Comments

[all7seas]

"He kept me alive as well. Only murdered the man who stood watch."

It had been a grim ending. Jack stared at the glass bottle in front of him, running a finger around the mouth.

"He made me his slave, Kennedy. More than just a captive---a useful captive. Have you ever seen a mermaid?"

[simplestgift]

"They exist?"

[all7seas]

"They do indeed. Picture it, lad: thousands of mermaids overwhelming a cadre of men at the shoreline, dragging them down to the depths. Imagine the screams. It was strange and terrifying, and we only caught one in the end who'd been wounded and trapped. Her tear, you see, was important for use in the fountain's waters."

[simplestgift]

Jack had his rapt attention.

[all7seas]

"A young man--a missionary---kept her safe enough for us as we searched out the Santiago. We were racing your people in the attempt---your Navy---the Spanish as well. The Spanish took us captive, in fact, Hector Barbossa and I.

Angelica wanted it the most, though; she truly believed Blackbeard was her father. She wanted to save his soul by prolonging his life---give him an even chance at salvation or what have you."

[simplestgift]

"This Angelica--Spanish?"

[all7seas]

"Aye......from Seville. A girl from Seville." Jack took a very long pull of rum at that and was silent for probably longer than he needed to be.

[simplestgift]

That was further south than Archie had ever been in Spain. "Well, go on, then," he prompted, figuring he could ask questions about this mysterious Spanish daughter of Blackbeard later. Jack still needed to hear about the duel with Grell.

[all7seas]

There was no need to go into TREMENDOUS detail about that, really. Jack continued:

"Once we reached the Fountain, the profane ritual had to be performed. The mermaid's tear was to be mixed with the water and drunk by one who would have long life ahead. However, there was a catch---there always is. When is there not? Another had to drink from a special chalice, and his years would be given to the one who'd drunk the tear. Then he would die, while the other stole his life away."

[simplestgift]

"That does give eternal life less of an appeal."

[all7seas]

"Less of an appeal? It were sheer cruelty! Evil! Highly distasteful! Murderous! The bodies, Kennedy---strewn about everywhichwhere. It was a beautiful place, that temple, but the bodies..." He trailed off and took another drink, wiping his mouth before continuing.

"And then the British privateers showed up."

[simplestgift]

Archie had never heard Jack speak so adamantly against a crime. He paused. "What did they do?"

[all7seas]

"Mostly? They fought Blackbeard's crew. It was all rather idiotic, actually. Just because Barbossa and Blackbeard had a grudge didn't mean the thing had to go bloodbathical."

[simplestgift]

"This is another reason we need you here, Sparrow--to make up words." The drink is hitting Archie now. "I take it you are still mortal."

[all7seas]

"You think I would've drunk someone else's years away, Kennedy?!"

Now he was getting all huffy. Good one, Archie.

[simplestgift]

"Sarcasm, Jack."

[all7seas]

"Aye. Still mortal. And free of Blackbeard, now. Barbossa ran off with the Revenge, I'll wager---but not before Gibbs freed the Pearl. Here---his mark:"

And Jack drew down the collar of his shirt to display that ugly voodoo symbol to the lieutenant. "He used a doll to do it."

[simplestgift]

"He used a what? Some sort of devilry?" That scar was giving him what men of his time called "the creeps."

[all7seas]

"Mixed magics, aye---springing from the devil's own two horns I'll wager. But that was Blackbeard. His soul was in danger of perishing, which was why Angelica nabbed me in the first place."

He pulled the shirt back down. Jack wasn't overfond of sharing the mark, but Kennedy's expression had been worth it.

[simplestgift]

"You said this Barbossa fellow took the Revenge. I take it Angelica wasn't successful in her endeavor."

[all7seas]

"She....survived. That was success enough. Others may try to steer a man's soul for him, but in the end it's his own choices that either land him in the ceiling or the cellar.


Speaking of----whatever happened with Hornblower bein' up in my attic?"

Because he certainly wasn't there now.

[simplestgift]

"Ah. He didn't stay, after you went home."

[all7seas]

"You let him go, didn't you." Sterner stuff, Archie. You had to be made of sterner stuff to be a proper kidnapper.

[simplestgift]

There was a pause.

"You were taking care of him, and it didn't feel right to move into your house."

[all7seas]

"So you kept an eye on him at yours? Probably...probably better, that."