The Secret of the Unicorn ~ Tintin x Reader

Third POV

Walking against the dunes of sand made everyone's ankles feel like death and the heat made them wish it so too. Endless sand was in front of them and they felt hopeless, but they tried not to show it. Eleanor just wanted to be back home, in her bed - maybe a bath, the bandage on her head was completely soaked in blood. Tintin wanted water and a doctor for them all, mainly for Eleanor. And Haddock, his thoughts were impossible to read. 

"The land of thirst." Haddock breathed out, dehydrated.

"The land of thirst." He repeated as he leaned on Tintin for support. 

"Land of thirst." He said again, reaching up to his neck. 

"Will you stop saying that?" Tintin groaned. 

"You don't understand. I've run out." Haddock sighed, holding up his empty alcohol bottle. 

"Oh, no. Because that's the biggest issue right now!" Eleanor shouted at him, done with his hysterics. She blamed him for the plane accident.

"I've run out." Haddock dropped to his knees and whimpered, looking at the bottle. "You don't know what that means." He whispered a warning to them. 

"Captain, we have to keep going!" Tintin swiped the empty bottle from him and pulled him back up onto his feet. "One step at a time. Come on. On your feet. Lean your weight on me." Tintin told him. 

"A man can only hang on for so long without his vitals." Haddock stressed. 

"Captain, calm down." Eleanor groaned, rolling her eyes. "There are worse things than sobering up."

"Look, ahead!" Haddock pointed forward and smiled. "We're saved."

Tintin and Eleanor glanced at each other, not understanding what he was going on about. 

"Water, water!" He shouted, starting to run forward. Snowy quickly grabbed onto his suspenders and held him back, causing him to trip down the sand dune. 

"Stop, Captain! It's just a mirage." Tintin exclaimed, rushing over to him. 

"It was here... I saw it." Haddock gasped. 

"It was just your mind playing tricks. It's the heat!" Eleanor told him, kneeling next to him and Tintin. 

"I have to go home..." Haddock whispered, looking out in a daze. 

"What?" Tintin asked him, confused.

"I have to go back to the sea." Haddock replied, Eleanor tried to see what he was seeing but there was nothing. 

"Captain, you're hallucinating." Eleanor explained to him. 

"Look. Did you ever see a more beautiful sight?" Haddock pointed into the distance. "She's turning into the wind. All sails set."

Haddock stood up and watched in awe as the visions took before him. "Triple masted. Double decks. Fifty guns." Haddock smiled. 

"The Unicorn?" Tintin asked, getting up and standing by him. But he and Elenor were now interested in what he had to say. 

"Isn't she a beauty?" Haddock turned to them and asked, his eyes lightening up in a way they had never seen before. 

"Yes, yes she is." Tintin encouraged with a smile. 

"Tell us, Captain... what else do you see?" Eleanor asked him, pointing to where he was looking before. 

Haddock turned and marveled at the sight before him. "She's got the wind behind her. Look at the pace she's setting. Barely a day out of Barbados... a hold full of rum and the finest tobacco, and the hearts of sailors set for home.