Twenty-four bells: [Action]

[simplestgift]

[Luceti. Even the name is beautiful.

It's quiet here, but not silent. No cannonfire, no stomping feet or shouting men. No bars or guards or grey stone walls. Everything is lovely and serene and everyone is pleasant. Well. Nearly everyone, but that's okay.

In Hornblower's company, Kennedy stops by the bakery and selects, for some reason, cheesecake. He's never had it--not that he can remember, at least--and it is absolutely the most beautiful thing he can imagine. Chocolate cheesecake, smooth and rich and flavorful with a drizzle of raspberry syrup. He tastes it and doesn't just eat it.

They visit the tea shop and he is floored. They visit the clothing shop and he finds a new linen shirt, already made. They visit the library and...

And...

O the glory of the library. It's as if this town was created for his rehabilitation.

Hours are spent in the library until he learns he can take books out. Even then, he very nearly doesn't leave.

On the way home, he asks to be alone for a moment. When given the chance, he walks the woods close to the village. At twilight, he sits at the fountain, staring into space with utter blankness because he knows the pleasantness of this day is going to end.

He doesn't realize it when the moon rises and he's still sitting alone in its pale light.

OOC: Kennedy's replies will come from babymid_archie. Meet him absolutely anywhere during the day or at night. Depending on when and where, Horatio will tag in as well, so remember to specify when/where in your tag. Share his rapture or cheer him up. Possible triggers--character is hella post-traumatic.]

Comments

[all7seas]

"Hornblower's a lettered man, isn't he? I've written him before!"

[unneeded]

"I mean, you wrote it in your book, and you know it'll turn up in his?"

[all7seas]

"OH. Aye, lad! That's part of the very useful magic of this place. Pirating would be exceptionally easier if we had communication devices such as these! But they're also useful for ringing folks up when you've got a message for 'em."

[unneeded]

"Simply by writing in it?"

[all7seas]

"Errrm well SORT of. You've got to----here."

Jack will now demonstrate how to select different persons to send messages to. It is a very basic sort of lesson, but covers all the important how-tos and never-evers.

[unneeded]

Archie more or less spaces out during the lesson, finding it impossible to keep his attention focused on it. He decides he'll ask Horatio whenever he needs to contact anyone.

"I see." Lie.

[all7seas]

"Excellent!" And Jack Sparrow has a sense of satisfaction that he has actually shown this gormless version of Archie something important. Ha! Let Hornblower put THAT in his pipe and smoke it!

[unneeded]

This version of Archie has plenty of gorms, but he's also psychologically damaged. "So what does your mission entail?"

[all7seas]

"Ah. Cargo mission, actually; protecting and offloading cargo out at one of the Malnosso-controlled ports."

[unneeded]

"Sounds straightforward enough."

[all7seas]

"Shouldn't be too terrible. And they've allowed me ample notice." It would mean returning to the site of the defeat of the Elizabeth. "I'd be more suited to smuggling but I never let cargo come to harm in my time as a merchant captain."

There was that one time that Esmerelda attacked the Fair Wind, but he'd managed to salvage the majority of the cargo and saved what could have been a total loss from being so out of pure cleverness and some luck. He'd counted it a success.