Next chapter, batter up! Enjoy, and knock yourselves out. :)
BoosterSeat3: I know right, I thought it was cute.
Beagle Bug:Oh that sucks, I can imagine how gross that must have been. Thanks! Why do so many ppl like Rob's POV more? :)
YarisVamp:Haha, brace yourself. ;)
SakuraBlossom:I really don't want to, I'm a slave to happy endings. :) I will definetly check out your stories.
smartyjonescrzy:Oh good, your back. Good luck with the classes. A lot of people like Robert's POV more, why? :) I must sound dense right now, but who's canon? Is that Rob? Yay for the Smarty Points! :) I wouldn't want to go back either, I love history too, especially the 1800's. :) It did give me the second wind, actually, that's why I'm up typing this in the wee hours, lol. Thanks!
Robert sat for a minute at his desk, open and closing his eyes slowly, before abruptly scooting the chair away and standing up. "You may stay here, Miss Janeiro, there is no need for you to come." He said, putting on his suit jacket and hat.
"No, I want to go too." I cried, like a little kid begging for candy before dinner.
He looked at me, as if debating whether or not to grant my request."Miss Janeiro, it's raining, you might catch cold."
I snorted. "There is no Tylenol here, 'Miss Janeiro', you're on your own, kiddo." I thought to myself. I gave him a standing-you're-ground look.
Robert pulled on what looked like a dark-blue, almost black, 1800's version of a rain poncho. He took off his cap and ran a frustrated hand through his thick, soft-looking hair, before placing it back on his head."Miss Janeiro, I will not stand here arguing with you. If you would like to come, be my guest." he surrendered.
"Thank you, sir." I smiled at him and made my way to the door. But he stopped me.
"Miss Janeiro, are you wearing that in the rain?" he gave me an odd look.
I looked at my jeans, navy jacket, and Converse."What's wrong with it?" I was afraid that I looked like the densest person on the planet. I probably was.
"Your jacket won't last a minute without getting soaked." He pulled his poncho off and handed it to me.
"Oh, it's okay, you don't have to do that." I reached out to hand it back to him.
He ignored it, obviously refusing to take it, and instead headed toward his door, and chivalrously held it open for me.
"Aaaaaatentiooooon! Battalion!" The officers shouted into the thick rain, which poured like a sheet in front of us, dulling the quality of our vision. The men, dressed in scratchy-looking coats and breaches with holes and mud on them stood straight and tall, in line formation, shivering in the cold, the rain drops bouncing off of the brims of their hats. I stood next to a dripping wet Robert, the rain water pouring off of the black hard bill of his cap, like a gutter, water-falling in front of his face. He must have been cold, but he did not shiver.
When the troops were finally quieted, and the officers standing in formation to our right, Robert spoke."In accordance with President Lincoln's wishes...you men are advised...that the Confederate Congress has issued a proclamation. It reads..."
The men exchanged conused and worried glances, as did the officers, all, save for Forbes, who stood straight ahead, unmoving and unblinking. Hushed mumbles swept through the crowd formation.
Robert opened the dripping paper, trying to shield it from the rain drops with his body, and began to read."Any negro taken in arms...against the Confederacy...will be immediately returned to a state of slavery."
The troop looked upset, and who could blame them? Trip was gritting his jaw, nonchalantly.
Robert glares down at the sheet of damp paper in his hand, swallows hard, and licks his dry lips, before continuing."Any negro taken in Federal uniform..." I saw Thomas stare hard, I think he was getting it,"...will be summarily..." Robert swallows again,"...put to death."
Angry whispers sweep through the crowd. Everyone is obviously disgusted by this act of racism.
Oh no. How could people do that? I gasp so loud that Robert stops to glance at me, before continuing. I had a feeling that this was just about to get worse."Any white officer taken in command of negro troops..."Robert stops to bounce his eyes from Forbes, to Charlie, to Mulcahy, and to Andrews, then sweeps swiflty down a row of other officers, both young and aging, which I haven't met yet."...will be deemed as inciting servile insurrection," English please,"...and shall likewise be put to death."
You can bet your sweet life I got that part.
Forbes slowly turns his head to look at Robert. The two best friends look at each other for a few moment, Forbes's face a stricken, pale shade of his usually peachy skin color. Now it was white, like the sheets in those painful officer's bunks.
Robert looked away first."Full discharges will be granted in the morning..."he sighs sadly, worriedly,"to all those who apply." But still, he looks at the soldiers with anxious hope.
"Dismissed!" he shouts, after which the order is repeated by other officers.
Something wrenches in my gut, anger? disgust? pity? This was not the type of early America I imagined.
Marty's voice echoes in my brain."You know the future, it changes."
Now that's creepy. He can talk to me through telepathic communication. I shudder.
Forbes slowly trudges past Robert, his eyes cast down."If you're not..."Robert's voice breaks a little,"...here in the morning, I...I...understand."
How terribly sad.
Forbes refuses to meet his eyes, and without answering, embarks to the officer's barracks. Robert sighs and looks up at the sky, tucking the wet paper into his wet, poncho-less suit. Poor guy.
The troops shuffle out, through the mud, heading back to their tents. I see Trip pause in front of a stricken, grey Jupiter."Sill want that blue suit nigga?" Jupiter doesn't answer, as Trip walks away, but just stands their, blinking in the rain, staring at nothing in particular.
There is a tap on my shoulder. I look up at Robert, who's gazing down at me sadly."Miss Janeiro, you must be tired, I insist you retire."
"Is this really true? The death thing?" I ask him, grateful for his poncho that he gave me."It's not fair."
He nods, staring up at the dark, cloudy sky."Miss Janeiro, you will soon find out that everything truly is fair in love and war."
With that, he turns from me, and walks toward his private quarters in the officers' barracks. His shoulders hunched with 'the weight-of-the-world' hair and clothes soaked. I realize how much he cares. And something warms me, despite the cold. Something sweet and lovable about his character.
It almost pains me to see him walk away like this. Defeated.
Aww, she likes him. Well, I'm gonna hit the sack, if I could just crawl over there, and not fall asleep on my mom's beloved carpet. Toodles. ;) Review please.