Alexander's POV
I walked out of the tent General Washington had set up for me. The war had gone on longer than they thought and the soldiers were not given their break for the Winters Ball. George promoted Charles Lee as general of a battalion where as I am stuck manning George's journal. I respond to the Committee of Correspondence with a letter reading something similar to: "we have resorted to eating our horses!"
Aaron Burr was given leave while I, once again, am stuck writing to Congress. I wonder what has happened at the ball...
Eliza's POV
Angelica was dazzling the room in her new shimmering gown, sewn by Hercules Mulligan, a very fine Taylor apprentice whom Peggy has taken quite a liking to.
I step up to a man, bald with dark skin, trying to sally up to my sister.
"Pardon me, you must be Mr. Burr, my how the city speaks highly of you." I say to him giving a little curtsey and walking over to Angelica.
She turns her head and sees him. The bright dress shimmers in the warm candle lit room as she twirls slightly over to him.
"Ah yes, the young prodigy of Princeton college. Mr. Aaron Burr! Sir I'm Angelica Schuyler, where's your family from?" she said making eye contact and dipping down low into a curtsey.
"Hello Ms. Angelica Schuyler. My family is not here actually... My fellow soldiers are in dire need of a break so I was sent to spread good word about them." He said then waved them off, "But who cares about them? Let's get to know each other."
"I've heard about Mr. Washington's new right hand man. He seems to be a good choice with how he stood out against Seabury that one day in the village before.." I trail off realizing the pair had already wandered off. I sit alone in the corner wondering what would've happened if we had one the precious battles. How many soldiers would be here? Would Mr. Hamilton or General Washington himself be here?
I stand up off the chair and wander over to the desert table. Gingerly, I grab a small brownie and glance over the table. Full of glazed over goodies and darling sprinkles I can depict an amazing scene in my mind. I get startled as a man in a blue uniform walks up to me.
"General Lee at your service. I have come to inform the attenders at the ball that the soldiers will be passing by in a moment. They were all given leave after finally defeating British troops at Boston." He said swiftly and walked off to inform the other ladies.
I step outside in the moonlit air and see the soldiers marching back, General Washington on horseback followed by an empty horse on a lead, probably for General Lee. The man on a chestnut horse leads Lee's horse and when I see him, I suddenly feel helpless. Brown hair, matching his eyes, pulled back into a ponytail, a tattered blue uniform covered in blood.
Washington gets off his horse and has a man everyone knows and loves, Marquis de Lafayette, take the horses to a nearby stable. The man on the chestnut horse also gets off and I see his hunger panged fame in his eyes, but the glory of victory evident nonetheless. Washington says something to his soldiers and they stream into the ball room as elegantly as possible.
That left General Washington and Alexander Hamilton his right hand man alone...
Alexander's POV
I see her eyes as I slide off my horse. She's sizing me up for sure. I look over as Washington gives the command to take leave and meet in the Inn by dawn on Monday. A whole weekend off? I think. I look back over to see her still staring at me. I blush red and act like I am speaking with George to see if she'll leave. She doesn't.
I glide slowly over to her as a breeze picks up. The ends of my coat fly behind me and her hair waves in gentle curls around her face.
"Elizabeth Schuyler." she says and moves to curtsey.
I remember what Burr had told me before he left for the Ball. If you can marry a Schuyler sister you're rich son.
"Schuyler?" I repeat, clearly not hearing her correctly.
A woman in a shimmering gown walks up. "My sister." She says.
"Thank you for all of your service." Elizabeth says, her brown eyes meeting mine for a split second.
"If it takes fighting a war for us to meet it will have been worth it." I say. I grab her cold hand and attempt to warm her with my odd warmness.
"I'll leave you to it!" The other lady says and walks off, leaving us alone in the cold air.
"Here you must be freezing. Where do you live? I could walk you home..." I mumble trying not to sound like a creep.
"Just down the street and around corner."
I walk her home and before she goes inside I say,
"By the way, I'm Alexander Hamilton. I'll write you sometime." and walk off.