“Mr. d'Aigalliers,” his Nelson speaks, as his foe is slowly trying to gather his breath after his entirely unwarranted rant, “I do only have the use of one eye, yes. And I do only have one arm, that is also correct. But those are the only facts that you got right in your entire pointless and rather idiotic babble.”
And d'Aigalliers can only stare.
“I am no pup, I am an experienced commander who is used to winning victories and getting results. Remember the battle of Cape St Vincent? I helped to win that. Remember the capture of Corsica? I played a huge role in it despite the loss of my eye,” Nelson tilts his head, smiles just slightly – the smile of a man wonderfully used to winning, “I would recommend not calling me a ‘pup’ when my own victories far outnumber your unrewarded attempts to stand alongside me.”
…The man is still staring.
“You also say that I am disrespectful,” giving Nelson’s smile a chance to grow all the wider, his healthy eye to glitter all the more enthusiastically as he does what he does best – fighting for the right cause with everything that he has, “and that, perhaps, I cannot deny. I do sometimes ignore orders, I admit. I do sometimes know that my knowledge of a situation is better than my superiors. But I only act in such a way when I think that victory will result, and I only continue acting in such a way because victory is usually the result.”
Still staring.
“Another point is that I am idiotic,” Nelson only laughs slightly in the face of it, a calm laugh – an extremely calm laugh that makes him realize that he has never loved the man more, “that I can deny as blatantly untrue in my naval career. I cannot say that I always make sane seeming decisions, no. I cannot say that I am wise in other matters, of course not. But I will humbly say that I know as much about matters of naval warfare as it is possible for me to know – and that that knowledge has helped keep not only me alive but the members of my crew alive too.”
Still staring.
“Your final point is that I am undeserving,” as Nelson, his Nelson, steps forwards – until they are standing practically nose to nose in the most righteously intimidating of ways, “and this I must disagree with. I was not born into the aristocracy, I was not raised from birth for the higher things in life. I was the son of a reverend, my mother died when I was but a child. My uncle took me onto his ship and I worked my way up. I learned my trade, I suffered setbacks – I endured illnesses and injuries and yet still applied myself every second to reach a higher position and help as many people as I could. I cannot say that I deserve everything that the world has given me, but I have worked hard for it and I resent the implication that everything was handed to me on a silver platter.”
“…I-“ d'Aigalliers finally manages to splutter, still staring like an utter fool.
“No, don’t say anything,” but Nelson hushes him without a pause, hushes him with only the slightest smirk and the briefest finger, “I already know your thoughts, Mr. d'Aigalliers. You believe that a one-eyed, one-armed, disrespectful, idiotic, undeserving ‘pup’ cannot possibly do anything, don’t you?”
d'Aigalliers remains silent, slightly gawping.
“And you are wrong,” as Nelson’s chin lifts before him, and Nelson’s eyes glitter, and Nelson becomes that figure of near-myth that has always lurked inside of him, “for I shall beat you, d'Aigalliers. I shall destroy your ships, I shall halt your emperor’s progress and I shall win a victory for my country so surely that you will be left clutching only dust and gawping at what this one-eyed, one-armed ‘pup’ can do.”
…Silence.
“Goodnight, d'Aigalliers,” as Nelson turns on his heel, and gently taps his arm to get them moving again, “do send my respects to our host.”
…And so they leave, calmly and professionally. And leave d'Aigalliers gawping so helplessly behind them.
FILL: The Most Brilliant, Nelson/Hardy (With implied and unrequited Beatty/Hardy), PG-13 [1B/2]
And d'Aigalliers can only stare.
“I am no pup, I am an experienced commander who is used to winning victories and getting results. Remember the battle of Cape St Vincent? I helped to win that. Remember the capture of Corsica? I played a huge role in it despite the loss of my eye,” Nelson tilts his head, smiles just slightly – the smile of a man wonderfully used to winning, “I would recommend not calling me a ‘pup’ when my own victories far outnumber your unrewarded attempts to stand alongside me.”
…The man is still staring.
“You also say that I am disrespectful,” giving Nelson’s smile a chance to grow all the wider, his healthy eye to glitter all the more enthusiastically as he does what he does best – fighting for the right cause with everything that he has, “and that, perhaps, I cannot deny. I do sometimes ignore orders, I admit. I do sometimes know that my knowledge of a situation is better than my superiors. But I only act in such a way when I think that victory will result, and I only continue acting in such a way because victory is usually the result.”
Still staring.
“Another point is that I am idiotic,” Nelson only laughs slightly in the face of it, a calm laugh – an extremely calm laugh that makes him realize that he has never loved the man more, “that I can deny as blatantly untrue in my naval career. I cannot say that I always make sane seeming decisions, no. I cannot say that I am wise in other matters, of course not. But I will humbly say that I know as much about matters of naval warfare as it is possible for me to know – and that that knowledge has helped keep not only me alive but the members of my crew alive too.”
Still staring.
“Your final point is that I am undeserving,” as Nelson, his Nelson, steps forwards – until they are standing practically nose to nose in the most righteously intimidating of ways, “and this I must disagree with. I was not born into the aristocracy, I was not raised from birth for the higher things in life. I was the son of a reverend, my mother died when I was but a child. My uncle took me onto his ship and I worked my way up. I learned my trade, I suffered setbacks – I endured illnesses and injuries and yet still applied myself every second to reach a higher position and help as many people as I could. I cannot say that I deserve everything that the world has given me, but I have worked hard for it and I resent the implication that everything was handed to me on a silver platter.”
“…I-“ d'Aigalliers finally manages to splutter, still staring like an utter fool.
“No, don’t say anything,” but Nelson hushes him without a pause, hushes him with only the slightest smirk and the briefest finger, “I already know your thoughts, Mr. d'Aigalliers. You believe that a one-eyed, one-armed, disrespectful, idiotic, undeserving ‘pup’ cannot possibly do anything, don’t you?”
d'Aigalliers remains silent, slightly gawping.
“And you are wrong,” as Nelson’s chin lifts before him, and Nelson’s eyes glitter, and Nelson becomes that figure of near-myth that has always lurked inside of him, “for I shall beat you, d'Aigalliers. I shall destroy your ships, I shall halt your emperor’s progress and I shall win a victory for my country so surely that you will be left clutching only dust and gawping at what this one-eyed, one-armed ‘pup’ can do.”
…Silence.
“Goodnight, d'Aigalliers,” as Nelson turns on his heel, and gently taps his arm to get them moving again, “do send my respects to our host.”
…And so they leave, calmly and professionally. And leave d'Aigalliers gawping so helplessly behind them.