Sixth Dispatch - [action]

[captainhornblower]

[Horatio Hornblower possessed a naturally quiet disposition. He preferred thinking to speaking more often than not. He was also often considered to be... "prone to melancholy" if a friend were speaking, "ill-tempered" if described by others. The two traits engaged and furthered one another constantly. When he thought for long periods of time about things that were not an imminent battle, his spirits sank. The worse his mood, the more he thought.

To stimulate the mind and make its burden easier to bear, Hornblower walked. Paced. The length of a quarterdeck suited perfectly, but Hotspur was long out of reach. Even the damned Retribution would have answered, but it, too, was far away.

Instead, he walked the length of a small wooden bridge over and over. That it was a known haunt for a particular pirate had either not crossed the Navy man's mind or had been dismissed. The click of his heels across the planks made him feel more at home. His solemn, focused expression remained unchanged with every step he took and every turn made to walk the path again as his customary hour became three.]

Comments

[simplestgift]

[Eventually, there are other footsteps on the bridge. Archie is not yet familiar with this interrupt and die policy with regards to Horatio's pacing, but when his friend looks that deep in thought, he knows to wait to be noticed.]

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

[Selphie isn't too far behind Archie as she wraps her arms around one of his legs and looks up at him with a victorious grin.]

Gotcha!

[captainhornblower]

[Too many plans, too many worries.

He'd only felt this way, only thought in these same patterns, once before. He'd thought as diligently about how to handle Captain Sawyer-- if only because the horror of even thinking about mutiny had been shock enough to his system to keep him awake during long watch hours.

But now there were so many other things to consider. Archie's opinion of what he was planning. William's. Young Mr. Wellard's.

God help him if he dragged them into another Renown.

He stopped in his pacing when he finally turned about once and caught sight of a familiar figure. He nodded, as if he thought the man had just approached.]

Archie.

[...And there was a girl with him. A small girl. How odd.]

[simplestgift]

[ACK! His leg is now held captive. But he smiles in spite of himself and starts walking, intending to drag the tiny girl if he must.]

This is Selphie. You remember Selphie?

[captainhornblower]

Isn't Miss Selphie... a bit older?

[Surely Archie means that this is her younger sister.]

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

I'm six!

[As for Archie...]

I caught him all by myself.

[Because clearly the cure for any type of brooding involves little kids, right?]

[simplestgift]

Rather like a fish! At any rate, Horatio, you are quite correct, but apparently the Malnosso like to send some of their captives back as children. It happened to Sayo, once.

[captainhornblower]

[Horatio has to smile. If only because of the way the child is staring up at him. He can't be cross with her.]

Did you now?

[Tall as he is, he leans over, not quite kneeling but bringing himself a bit closer to her height.]

Quite the accomplishment for a little lady.

[And then a look to Archie. Baffled. And yet... stranger things have happened, certainly... At least in this place.]

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

I did! He walks too fast.

[And then she's beaming at the two men like this is completely normal.]

[simplestgift]

[Horatio gets this look.]

[captainhornblower]

[And now Horatio will just kneel down to give the little girl a conspiratorial smile.]

Well, you're very fast too then. If I want to catch him, I usually have to set up a trap.

[Trying to put ideas in a child's head? Horatio Hornblower? Never.]

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

[Keywords, Gentlemen. Keywords.]

Oh?

[simplestgift]

...And I was thought to be the corrupter, between the two of us.

[captainhornblower]

Well, Archie, if I don't get her on my side now, [he smiles, tone light] you'll have her against me.

[A chuckle, and he smiles at Selphie.] Have to keep an eye on him. He's a tricky one.

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

I can keep an eye on him!

[simplestgift]

It's true, I cannot seem to escape. [Selphie seems to have pulled Horatio out of his head, and that's always approved.] Why don't the two of you run to the bakery for cake?

[Plotting, plotting. For your own good, Horatio.]

[captainhornblower]

A cake, hm?

[Horatio looks at the little girl, giving her a smile.]

Think we can trust him? He might be up to something.

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

He's gotta come too!

[Selphie looks up at Archie and smiles brightly at the man.]

[simplestgift]

Well, who's going to pace about Jack's marauding bridge in his absence? You'll be fine without me.

[captainhornblower]

Well, Miss Selphie, what do you say? Shall we? It seems Mister Kennedy won't be coming with us.

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

Caaaaaaaake~!

[simplestgift]

It does not appear I shall be missed, Horatio!

[Now go spend some one-on-one time with the bucket of sunshine you so desperately need?]</small.

[captainhornblower]

[Fine. Fine.

He looks at Selphie and smiles again.]

You know, I don't believe I've ever been to the bakery here. Do you know the way? Or [he can remember even the familiar streets of his hometown changing with a little imagination from a lonely boy sent on errands] will it be something of an adventure, trying to find it?

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

Let's go have an adventure before we find it.

[So innocently simple.]

Archie doesn't get cake cuz he's a meaniebutt and won't come with us.

[simplestgift]

I'm a what? [Enh, well, he probably won't depress Horatio anyway, and cake sounds good, so. He's suddenly at your guys' heels.]