AN: woooooow 2 chapters in one day, I was feeling extremely inspired. And now I need to go and clean the toilet -.- lame...

"Touch her again and I'll make you wish you were never born" he hissed down at the soldier.

"I… I am… so sorry Colonel, we… didn't know she was…"

But the Colonel did not care to listen. Instead he quickly put away his weapons and lifted Eliza up in his arms. One arm supporting her legs and the other around her back and shoulders. Still filled with anger he stomped back to his tent with the young woman in his arms.
She was still conscious and therefor it didn't go unnoticed that her savior was Colonel Tavington. And it made her feel like a complete fool but also… save.
It took him a while to get her from the edge of the camp back to his tent so she quietly rested her head against his chest, thinking of the awful things which could have happened, had he not been there. Whilst she listened to his heart beating like a mad man, he tried to cover her up as much as possible, her skirts were ripped open so her slim and pale legs were showing. He forced himself not to look (did not succeed) He tried to make himself think about something else. Like: what on earth was she doing there anyway!

After he had entered his tent he gently put her down on his cot, she didn't want to lay down so she got up to sit on the bedside. He took a bowl of water and a piece of cloth. The silence was killing her.
Eliza was waiting in agony for him to get angry with her and this uncomfortable silence was probably just the beginning of her punishment.
Instead he gently put a blanket over her bare legs. Eliza was too nervous and ashamed to say anything. The Colonel took the bowl of water and piece of cloth. Then he sat himself down next to her and started cleaning the cut on her shoulders. It wasn't very deep, just a scratch and some blood where they tried to tear off her clothing. It angered him again when he thought about those men trying to put their filthy hands on her. She was so little, so small, so vulnerable.

Beautiful.

"How are you feeling?" he asked quietly as he started to clean the blood off her lips. He put a few string of hair behind her ear.

Eliza was surprised by his kindness, she at least expected to be told off if not yelled at.

"I… I'm okay…, just a little shaken up" she answered whilst she stared at the ground in front of her.

"Mhm. I'm sorry you had to go through that" he said.

"Thank you, for being there. And I am sorry about the other day when I got angry over nothing" she quietly said as she looked up at him.

Damn those big green eyes! he thought.

"You're welcome. Why were you there anyway? Trying to escape were you?" he mockingly said as he raised his eyebrow.

"Ironically enough I was looking for you" She answered as a smile appeared on her face "And why would I want to escape? I am having the time of my life here" she chuckled as she looked at him, letting him know she was obviously joking.

"You should do that more often"

"Do what?"

"Smile. You look prettier that way" he said as he gently took her chin in his left hand to clean the blood off her lip. "Not that you're not pretty… you are… never mind"

Understatement since you're absolutely gorgeous… and colonial…

"Thank you. It's nice of you to say that"she tried to react without being shy but she quickly looked to the ground again. She wasn't used to be given such compliments by men.

"Looking at your bruises you put up a good fight against those three men" he said as he slowly moved around her face with his hand.

"You know me… never afraid to go a few rounds" she sarcastically replied and rolled her eyes.

"You have been smacked around twice now in one week. If I didn't know any better I'd say you should join my regiment"

"As a Dragoon? Under your command? That'll be the day!" she replied with a slight smile on her face.

Yes. Under my command... and that would be the day indeed…

"Colonel?"

"Yes?"

"Won't you get in trouble?… I mean… you shot a soldier…"

"You do know that you almost got ravished back there, do you miss Eliza?"

"Yes"

"And still you worry over my wellbeing? You are here because of me, I burned your home and brought you here" he said as he stood and walked over to his desk where he pulled out a chair for himself.

"I do not consider those situations linked Colonel" she replied as she turned to face him.

"Well, to answer your question. Do not worry, I won't be in trouble. I shot a sergeant for trying to ravish a civilian. No harm done" he simply replied as he smiled at her.

He's got a nice smile. If I didn't know any better I would think he is actually likeable.
Do not think those thought damn it!
But I can't help it, I find him attractive that's all. No harm in that it's not like either of us would try anything so stop fussing. I'm just looking, not touching…I'm just a little swept off my feet because he saved me and all… get over yourself already.

"Eliza, I've been meaning to ask you what happened the other day when I found you pointing a scalpel at Captain Wilkin's face" he asked her as he took off his waist coat.

"I don't make friends easily?" she tried to joke it off.

"Why don't you tell me the truth" he replied most serious.

She kept silent for a while. Thinking of where to begin and even if it was wise to be truthful.

"Captain Wilkins is, as we both know, a colonial. I have met him in Charlestown some years ago and he knows some… things about my past. From before I was adopted. He used to be a friend of the family but that changed also. Even before this war. Anyway, he knows things about me that only a few people know. He wanted to blackmail me if I didn't do what he wanted".

"And what did Captain Wilkins want exactly?" the Colonel asked in a low voice.

"I'm not sure, you stepped in before I could remove his eyeball. " Eliza replied.

Cute

The Colonel could guess what Captain Wilkins had wanted from Eliza. Most soldiers here would take their chance with her if only they had the chance. He wasn't going to let her out of his sight anymore.

"So what information does Captain Wilkins have on you and how did he obtain this information may I ask?" he asked as he narrowed his eyes and frowned.

"Colonel, I'd rather not say, you will think poorly off me".

"I do not judge people by their past. I am the last person in the world allowed to do that" he replied.

When she remained silent he continued "If you would tell me, I would be discrete and he would not be able to blackmail you Eliza. I can promise you no harm will come to you if you would trust in me".

Trust in you.. right…. That seems an awful lot to ask since you burned my home. But he is right nevertheless, he is his superior and the only way to get rid of James Wilkin's schemes is to tell the Colonel. In this case he is the only one who can help me.

"First you have to promise me, that no matter what my story is, no harm will come to me" she asked as she looked up at him with a desperate look.

"You have my word" he replied.

Eliza looked to the ground. Then she looked back up at him with a look of determination "I have blood on my hands" was all she said.

This surprised him.

"Go on".

"I was born into a wealthy Boston family. My father was a merchant and made a fair name for himself. My mother died in childbirth which my father blamed me for. He never really noticed me, handed me over to nannies, governesses and such. I was lonely and when I said I wasn't very good at making friends, I meant it. I did not really have friends to play with. So I created an imaginary friend named Carl. I knew he wasn't really there, I never actually saw him but it was nice to pretend. In the beginning my father did not mind it. I was little and a lot of children did it. But as the years passed by I never let go of my imaginary world. I held on to it. When I was 10 Carl was still there. When I was 12 I decided that Carl and I were both pirates who needed to come aboard to sail and look for treasures. My father would have friends and acquaintances over. I would embarrass him all the time because they all wondered who I was talking to and why I still had imaginary friends… At one point there was even gossip in London that his daughter was insane. It was a small blow to his career but he decided it was enough to put me away…"

"Away?" the Colonel asked.

"In South Carolina's institute for mentally insane women" Eliza explained as her eyes started to fill up with tears.

"When I was 15 I saw one of the women die, most likely due to the electro shock therapy which they used to 'cure' her brain. I decided to run away. To make a long story short: I killed the ward and stole his keys. I murdered him. I guess I thought that if he was dead maybe the women would get out. You see most of them are not actually insane, but you will become insane if you stay too long. So I ran off and I just kept running. I have no idea how long I had been running until my new family found me in one of their fields. They took me in and I was considered their daughter. They know my story, I have told them. At least I told my mother and father. Not my siblings of course".

"So where does James Wilkins come in?" The Colonel asked as he offered her a glass of water and took his seat on the chair again.

"Well, I was engaged to him…"

The Colonel raised his eyebrows. "You loved him?"

Eliza coughed hard "No! It was an arranged marriage. After my mother died my father was worried what would become of me if he would suddenly die. So he arranged this. Mister Wilkins seemed nice enough and didn't mind me working as a doctor so I was satisfied and gave my consent".

"I always thought young ladies wanted romance and love but it seems I have been mistaken" the Colonel replied with irony.

"No you are right, we do wish for that… but… Romance, love, passion… It's all very nice but what happens when the harsh light of day kicks in? Besides: after the love comes the breaking of my heart. I was satisfied with a marriage which would be based on mutual respect and companionship. And from that perhaps love could grow" Eliza replied.

"And of course Captain Wilkins could be considered good-looking right?" The Colonel asked.

"Agree to disagree" she answered. For some strange unknown reason this answer satisfied him greatly.

"But you never made it to the isle because Captain Wilkins found out about your past and left you heartbroken?" the Colonel asked.

"Hardly" she replied as she made a dirty face. "But yes we, thank god, never made it to the isle".

Suddenly the Colonel started laughing softly.

"What's so funny?" Eliza asked as her eyed widened at him.

"You are a lot tougher than you look" he replied.

She frowned her eyebrows at him and gave him a confused look "Do you not think poorly of me? Do you not consider me insane or at least heartless?" she asked him.

"Like I said, I do not judge people by their past. And in this world, you are the one person who is furthest away from heartless miss Eliza. Also, you come across as perfectly sane, just a little strange." he told her.

"Good strange or bad strange?" she asked with a grin on her face.

"Definitely good strange" he stated.

"Why don't you lay down for a bit and I shall fetch you some clean cloth's from your tent" he said as he got up to leave the tent.

"Colonel"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For everything"

"Don't. I have matters to make up for, especially towards you" he replied as he left the tent.

When he came back with her clothing she was lying on his cot, already asleep. Peacefully asleep.
He looked at her for a while and decided to let her sleep. He did not want to wake her. He quietly turned down the oil lamp which lit the tent and left to make his way to her tent.
And so he laid himself down on her cot, inhaling her scent from the pillow. Not knowing she had done exactly the same only a few minutes ago.