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

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

[His reply comes later still, after he wakes up.]

He made him dance, not recite poetry. Otherwise, yes.

[The Inquisition was the worst thing she remembered, probably. Simpson was always hardest on those who had no "dirty little secrets." He would have to tell Horatio about this.]

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

I tried to think of more things, but I couldn't, so those must have been the main ones. Not too much — but it sounded terrible.

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

There are many reasons Pellew shot him like a dog, in the end.

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

I always liked Captain Pellew.

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

He's a captain to redeem the title. Did the book say anything about the battle with the Droits de l'Homme?

[The crowning moment of awesome for Pellew, to Archie. That and shooting Simpson. And trolling Horatio.]

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

The Droits de l'Homme? I don't remember it off the top of my head, but it might be in there somewhere. What happened then?

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

The Indy battled a 74 on her own during a storm, for some time till the Amazon arrived. One death, a handful of wounded for the Indy, and we sunk the Frenchman. Pellew was bold as brass, challenging her that way.

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a great battle — I can't believe I don't remember it at all. Like I said, you'd be better off if Jules was here, too. Sometimes I think he has those books about memorized.

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

[There's a hesitation before the next message.]

Do the books speak of Captain Sawyer?

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

Oh, that one just came out last year — that one's a great book, really well-written. Pushed down the hold, and no one knows who did it. And then there's the mutiny, Bush nearly getting killed, the enquiry —

[But hey, she promised.]

I can't imagine it was all that pleasant, but it makes a fine story.

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

[Another long pause.]

How did the court-marital end?

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

The enquiry? Hornblower's made commander and Buckland stays a lieutenant.

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

Are you saying there wasn't even a question asked of whether or not Horatio pushed Captain Sawyer?

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

Oh, there is — that's the point of the enquiry. Nothing's ever really decided for sure, though, and since Captain Sawyer's dead anyhow, they sort of give up.

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

[It's a while before the reply is written.]

I understand.

[What was he expecting? He should have been able to guess something like this. But to be erased from history so completely...

He'd known what he was doing. He just hadn't expected to see the consequences.]

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

Did it happen differently?

[There's neither confirmation nor denial of her version, and while it might be treading on thin ice, Archie knows how to say he doesn't want to talk about it.]

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

Quite differently. [Another pause.] It took the intervention of a friend to save Hornblower from the noose.

[This is not a story Archie has told many people, but he somehow wants to prove his realness, and not just to her. Though he won't continue unless asked explicitly.]

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

Seems like that'd be no small task. [She doesn't suspect him of "my friend"ing her, as it were, and so replies as though they're talking about some unknown third party.] What happened to him?

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

He took the blame for pushing Sawyer.

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

[Resisting the urge to write "I got that," resisting. Here, she'll do some of the guesswork.]

Same punishment as they were threatening Hornblower with?

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

It would have been, had he not been wounded in battle before. He died a short while later.

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

Huh. Well, that's no small task — laying down your life for a friend, I mean. Sounds like an admirable fellow.

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

[There's a pause.]

He would tell you he was only doing his duty.

[written - filtered 43%]

[poorneedyand.livejournal.com]

Plenty of people ought to do as much and don't. It's a pity Forester didn't include him.

[written - filtered 43%]

[simplestgift]

He would have preferred it so. He would not have wanted to risk Horatio's career, or his future good name.