Disclaimer: I own no one from the Patriot.
Moonlight filtered eerily through the tall trees of a forest as a group of men rode through it down an earthen path, all bearing fiery torches save for three men leading at the front of the group. They were the British Green Dragoons, the most notorious and deadly branch of His Majesty's army, and leading at the head was the even more notorious Butcher, Colonel William Tavington, flanked by his captains, Bordon, on his right, and Wilkins, on his left. They had been riding for hours, pillaging and burning what felt like one plantation after the next on the South Carolina countryside, and were well past due for rest. Yet the Green Dragoons had one final plantation to 'visit', the one Col. Tavington was most insistent upon, before they finally headed back to their encampments at Fort Carolina.
Thundering down road with his men, Col. Tavington's eyes began to widen as he he could just begin to discern the silhouette of a plantation house still down the road a good ways from him and his men, though he could already tell it was one of the largest plantation houses he'd ever raided; it even had a regal air about it which enticed him even more as he and his men drew nearer to it. But no, it belonged to a rebel family, and the mere thought of sleeping in a house formerly owned by American sympathizers was enough to drive the notion of simply raiding it out of his mind.
No, this house will be burned with the others...even if it does give shelter to Karrington Ashford...
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The name stirred within Col. Tavington memories from the past, for he was once very well acquainted with such a name, as well as the owner of it, for they had once been neighbors, years ago, in Liverpool. Karri, as he had once called her, was the most delightful girl he had ever met, and though he was only four years her senior, her father allowed him to watch her when they were younger while her parents went on outings. He remembered her laughing royal blue eyes, and her laugh itself, which was as melodious as a songbird as her father reminded her to 'behave well for Young Master Tavington' while they were away. God knows she didn't. But then again, neither did he, for the moment her parents were out the door, she would turn to him and beg him to take her riding 'fast' through the woods, and though he always promised himself that his resolve not to allow it would never break, it always did.
So he would take her, rain or shine, on a whirlwind adventure through the woods, playing out whatever fantasy she wished to play out. Sometimes, they would be bandits. Other times, soldiers. They would even occasionally make a mockery of various political figures and philosophers. But her favorite fantasy was when she would play a haughty princess and pretend to become enchanted by a poor boy, which he played to great effect, even removing his jacket and vest, and smearing dirt and mud all over his shirt and face to better the look of his character, and they would be swept away on a magical adventure until sunset. Then he would take her back to the house and order a servant to draw a bath for her and clean her up before her parents arrived, while he washed his face and changed into a clean shirt and breeches, of which he had learned to bring with him especially for this reason.
Eventually, little Karri grew out of their childhood games, becoming a fine young woman of whom everyone found enchanting. Even the young William Tavington began to realize that their childhood friendship had changed, turning into something deeper and much more powerful, and had begun to wonder why he hadn't noticed it before. Perhaps it was because he wasn't around her as much as he used to be. After all, she no longer needed someone to look after her when her parents left the house. There was no need for her handsome poor boy. At least, that was how it appeared to be..
One rainy evening, one of Karrington's servants had ridden to the Tavington estate with a message to the young master, stating that Miss Ashford had requested to see him. Slightly curious as to reason why she requested his presence, young Tavington had thanked the servant for his message and then went to the stables, saddled his horse and accompanied the servant back to Karrington's house.
"You came. I wasn't sure if you would." her beautiful face looked forlorn as she greeted him at the door.
"Of course I came. Why would I not?"
Karrington gave him a small smile and then stepped away, allowing him to enter the house, which he noticed immediately was nearly vacated of the normal staff; even her parents were gone.
"Karri, what is going on?" he had asked, uncomfortable with the sudden lack of people in the house; his feelings of discomfort increased when he noticed that the walls, which were once decorated with lavish family portraits, were stripped bare.
"William-"
"You're leaving... where?"
"America."
Her tears were heartwrenching.
"Why?"
"I don't know. Father.. I don't know... we leave tomorrow."
Nearly overwhelmed by her agony, Tavington wrapped her in the tightest embrace he ever had, wanting so badly to continue to be her guardian, battling all her dragons away has he had done when they were younger.
"Is there anything I can do for you?"
To this, her face brightened slightly and she asked, "Can we play pretend, like we used to?"
At the time, the request had sounded odd to him, but he decided to go along with it and ask, "Whom shall I play?"
She smiled up at him and asked, "Will you be my poor boy?"
A slow smile spread across his face as a deeper comprehension of her words dawned on him.
"Always.." he had replied, bending down and kissing her so passionately that both of their lips would burn with the fire of it for years to come.
But they were not to see or hear from one another for another ten years, and when they would, it would be under completely different circumstances...
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"Dismount!" Col. Tavington ordered his men as they reached the plantation house.
There was a momentary stop of adrenaline rush as he and his men dismounted, the sound of booted feet touching down on the ground with a few sounds of ringing spurs, along with the occasional snort of a horse, echoed eerily in the night. Then, gathering a small number of his men together, Col. Tavington took them with him and made for the front door of the house, trying the knob. Not to his surprise, it was locked. Trying to break the knob to no avail, he yelled icily "Open up! Now!"
Working harder at the door, Col. Tavington finally broke the knob and stepped in as his men filed in behind him to see a wooden chair near the door.
"Search the house." he ordered his men coldly.
Quickly, the soldiers obeyed their commander and fanned out throughout the house. Col. Tavington himself made his way to the kitchen with calculating footsteps and waited until Capt. Wilkins came to him and said, "There's no one in the house, sir."
"You're sure?"
"I think we searched everything, sir."
"Search around outside on the property."
Wilkins nodded and quickly vacated the room.
As soon as he was alone in the kitchen, Col. Tavington rounded on an open hatch that he had spotted upon entering the kitchen.
This looks interesting...
Predatory instincts overtaking him, Col. Tavington made his way toward the hatch and opened it, descending silently down a set of steps into a cellar. There was no light, save for the moon and the occasional glimmer of a torch outside, but it took him no time to spot Mr. and Mrs. Ashford, and with them, their lovely daughter, his former princess, Karrington.
Absolutely radiant.. he thought to himself. Even more angelic that I remember... No, that is not why you're here. You're here to 'take care' of her traitorous parents, not to play princess and poor boy!
With that final thought, Col. Tavington's emotionless mask slid firmly into place.
"Karri.." he purred maliciously, stalking toward Karrington assertively. "I wondered if you might be down here. The hatch looked a bit... suspicious."
"Leave her alone, Colonel.." said her father, trying to be calm as he attempted to impede the colonel's progress to her by stepping in between them.
He's panicking, it's in his eyes..
"Ah, Jacob Ashford.."
No longer bothering to mask his fear, Mr. Ashford pleaded, "Please, Colonel, leave her alone!"
Col. Tavington smirked.
They always die pleading...
With effortless speed, as if he had been born for the single purpose of doing so, Col. Tavington pulled out his pistol and fired, hitting Mr. Ashford fatally in the chest and he crumpled to the ground; then quickly without losing time, he rounded on Karrington's mother and dealt her a fatal shot as well. Karrington screamed and made an attempt to escape, but the colonel caught her arm and twisted it into an excruciating vicegrip, pulling her close to him until their faces were all but an inch apart.
"William, let me go!" she yelled, trying to free herself.
Yes Karri, you always did have fire in your belly... he thought, running a gloved hand through her luxuriously soft, dark brown hair and caressing the side of her perfect face.
"Poor Karri, so sorry it had to come to this.."
Karrington began to cry as the light of the moon accented the royal blue color of her eyes.
"William, what's happened to you? Who have you become? How could you do this? William, we grew up together! For the first sixteen years of my life, we were neighbors in Liverpool! You were my best friend, and protector when we were young!"
We almost became more than that..but you left, and things like my family fortunes and esteem, changed... Col. Tavington thought to himself as Karrington continued to shout desperately at him, her cries falling on his deaf ears and cold heart.
"I knew that when Mother and Father left on outings, I would always be safe with you watching me. Why, William? Why?" she cried.
Col. Tavington glared at her coldly.
"Things change, Karri. Things, like your parents' loyalty, change." he replied in a emotionless voice.
Karrington met his gaze with a look of fury, pain, and confusion.
"So, you'll sacrifice our friendship for it?"
"This is war, Karrington. Sacrifices are only part of it." he told her in a voice a schoolteacher might use while disciplining a child.
Karrington looked up at him in disbelief.
"You monster..." she choked, beginning to cry harder.
"Oh, come now Karri, don't cry..." said the colonel in a gentle voice as he carefully wiped away her tears and kissed her lips with gentle but mocking reassurance.
"Sir?" one of his men had entered the cellar and looked at him, awaiting the next order.
"Fire the house." Col. Tavington ordered casually, pulling Karrington roughly with him out of the cellar and out of the house.
The moment the colonel and Karrington stepped out of the front door, Capt. Bordon and Capt. Wilkins sent two torches hurling at the house, which were then followed by the torches of the rest of the men, and all Karrington Ashford could do was watch in horror as her beloved home went up in flames, eventually burying her face in Col. Tavington's chest.
Mildly surprised, Col. Tavington felt Karrington lean against him, but decided to give her some comfort, wrapping his arms around her, stroking her hair for about fifteen minutes and then suddenly pulled away from her, once again allowing his cold, animalistic shell to cover him, and ordered his men to mount up.
"The girl sir, what do we do with her?" one of his men asked.
"Leave her here." the colonel replied coldly, his breath white in the icy winter air.
"Sir, it's the middle of winter..."
"I DON'T CARE! LEAVE HER HERE!"
Mounting his horse, Col. Tavington looked down at Karrington, who had a look of fear and utter disbelief on her face, which drew an evil smile from him.
"I hate you!" she yelled at him, tears flooding her eyes and streaming like a flooded river down her cheeks.
Suddenly, Col. Tavington's cold expression changed and he got down off his horse and walked back over to Karrington, wrapping his arms around her.
"Darling, did you really think that I would leave you like this, all alone in the cold? Now please, don't cry.." he whispered again in the same gentle yet mocking way he had before as he wiped her tears away and kissed her gently.
Why do I bother? I don't even love her anymore. She's beautiful, yes, and I still hate it when she cries, but I no longer love her. She was my princess years ago, but no longer..
"You'll... you'll take me with you then?" she looked up at him and he saw hope glimmering in her eyes.
"No." her replied with a smirk, pulling away from Karrington for a second time, and mounted his horse.
You would hate the life... and I no longer love you... he thought, trying in vain to drive memories of the past from his mind.
Then, barking at his men to move out, Col. Tavington galloped away without a backward glance, never to see his beautiful princess again.