Author's note: So, I have a question and depending on the answers will depend on how I finish this story. I can either finish this one and have it be it, or I can write a sequel to this. My brain has already been coming up with ideas, but opinions were welcome :) Thanks and enjoy!
Chapter 54: Battle Strategies
Once arriving at their destination after a tiring ride, Jewel had her tent put up along with the others. She laid down and sighed as she felt her muscles tighten "Bloody hell." Draping her arm over her eyes, she soon fell asleep. "What do we do with her?" asked Jack. "You know what we do. We make sure she and everyone she loves dies, starting with her brother, William. Shoot him!" yelled Garrick. "No!" she screamed. Jewel jerked up gasping as she looked around then sighed in relief. She rubbed her eyes "Shit," she said as she swung her feet around hanging them over the side of the cot.
"Another bad dream?" asked Haytham walking in.
Jewel sighed "Yes, it's all I seem to have anymore. Bad dreams. Nightmares. Flashbacks. All of it."
He sat down next to her facing forward towards the entry of the tent. Haytham sighed "Jewel, listen, if they show up tomorrow, at the battle, don't lose focus. That's what they'll aim to do. They will say anything and everything to mess with you and your mind, your emotions. You lose focus, you lose your life."
"I know, but it's not just them on that battlefield tomorrow." She looked to Haytham "Martin. He'll be there as well. Targeting my brother."
"He can take care of himself, Jewel."
Jewel scoffed "It's not about whether he can take care of himself or not, Haytham, I know he can. It's about Martin. He wants him dead. William...he killed two of Martin's sons and Martin is out for blood. I can't say that I blame him, but Will is my family and I'll kill him if he goes near him."
"You can't take on the world, Jewel."
"Watch me," said Jewel who then got up and walked out.
Haytham sighed "World, look out."
Jewel walked along the encampment and stopped in her and her coven's tent with a map laying on the table in the middle. It showed where the British lines and the Continential lines were. She sighed as she looked at it, noting where the infantry was, where the dragoons would be and where they would be.
"Jewel?"
"Come in, Janessa."
Janessa walked in and stood beside her friend as they looked at the map "What are you thinking?"
"Well, the infantry will be here," she said pointing "While the dragoons will probably be over here. There's trees there, so they will be able to hide themselves some. We can't come from the left because it needs to be a surprise. We hide in the woods. A little farther from my brothers. When the dragoons ride, so do we. You can still back out, Janessa. There's no need for you and the others to get involved. This isn't like any of the fights any of us have been in before. This is a war."
"You know damn well I'm not going to back out and neither will our sisters or brothers, Haytham and Jasper. We're with you." There was a pause "Besides, someone has to watch over my man," she smiled.
Jewel chuckled then looked at her friend "You love him, don't you?"
Janessa shrugged then smiled "Yes!" she laughed.
Jewel laughed "It's a great feeling isn't? To be accepted for who we are and loved."
"Yes, it sure is."
"May I come in?" asked Anna entering the tent.
"Mother, of course!" Jewel smiled.
"I'll leave you two alone," said Janessa smiling then left.
"Not that I'm not glad to see you, but what are you doing here?" Anna sighed "Jewel, I don't want you in that battle tomorrow."
"You can't ask me to not be there. You know I"m going. How can you ask me to not go?"
"You're my daughter. I just got you back. I don't want your brothers going, but they have to. You don't."
"Mother, I do. Jack and Father will be there. They think I'm dead and they will target William and Cole. Martin is out for blood as well. I know the men are fully capable of fighting and killing, but so am I. I have a new sword and two blades, plus several other blades in my belt. I've got my pistols as well. I'm ready."
Anna looked at the hilt of her daughters sword "It's beautiful."
Jewel drew her sword out and laid it on the table "The hilt has an emblem of a Phoenix and I don't know how he did it, but he made an orange glow on the edge of the blade, so when the sun hits the blade, it looks like it's on fire. The two blades both have a Raven emblem and as you can see the blades themselves are black. The man is very good. And I hear he's not involved with anyone," Jewel gave off a sly smile.
"Jewel!" Anna chuckled.
She smiled then looked to Anna "Mother, I know you're worried about me, but I promise I'll be fine. Do you trust me?"
"Yes," Anna sighed "I suppose that if anyone could keep your brothers out of harms way, it's you, but I still don't like it!"
"Can't tell you how many times I have heard that, Mother," Jewel laughed.
Anna sighed "I love you, Jewel."
"I love you too, Mum."
Anna smiled then hugged her daughter tight "Please be careful."
"I will. I"ll find you when the war is over. Be safe. Do you have an escort to take you someplace safe?"
"Yes. Lisa is going with me. Haytham knows where we will be."
"Good. Don't tell me. Father can't know and he'd torture me for the information. Please be careful, Mother. Kelly said she'd go with you. Keep her safe."
"I will," Anna hugged Jewel again and kissed her head "I love you."
"I love you."
"I'll see you soon," said Anna as she pulled away.
"See you soon," Jewel smiled then watched her mother leave. She turned back to the map "I hope," she sighed. She clicked her tongue then left the tent. As she walked around, she stopped when she came across a tent where she heard her name. It was the General's tent.
Your sister should not be on that battlefield tomorrow. She doesn't belong out there. She's a woman and she's a witch," said one of the Generals as he looked at Tavington. He looked to Cornwallis "And I can't believe you are allowing this." The other Generals nodded in agreement.
Jewel shook her head "So that's why Cornwallis snapped," she thought "he's feeling pressure from the other Generals." Well that was about to end. She entered the tent without announcing herself. Everyone was in there. Cornwalis, O'Hara, her brothers, Ban, Bordon, Wilkins, Haytham and several others. She looked to the Generals. Tavington looked at her. He knew that look. "Oh hell," he whispered to himself.
"You're unbelievable. All of you. Are you too scared of me to say something to my face? You have to talk about me behind my back?"
"Jewel," started Ban.
"Don't, Ban. The way I feel right now, I could take down every man in this tent." She faced the Generals "You have something to say, say it now, and you say it to my face!"
"I'm General Hickman, and I have something to say. You do not belong on that field tomorrow. You're a woman. As if the idea of a woman fighting wasn't foolish enough, to hear that the woman is a witch and her coven are fighting as well," the man laughed "how can it be taken seriously? How can you be taken seriously?"
Jewel snickered "Well-," she grabbed a knife then threw it, hitting a watermelon in the middle making the men look at her in shock. She looked to her brothers "Can I or can I not kill a man?"
Tavington didn't want to answer, he didn't want his sister there, but he knew the truth, he sighed "Yes. Yes, you can."
The men looked to O'Hara "And what do you say?"
O'Hara looked to Jewel then back to the men "I say, she's right. She can kill, I've seen her personally do it on more than one occasion. She's precise, efficient, and," he looked at her "extremely deadly." He winked.
Jewel smiled then looked to the Generals "I know half of you think I'm a joke. That what I am, is a joke. That my coven, my friends and what we do is a joke, but we have saved lives in this place and helped people, so you go ahead and think what you want about me, about us, I don't really give a shit. We will fight on that battlefield tomorrow, no matter what anyone in this goddamn tent thinks."
General Hickman looked to Jewel "What makes you think you're strong enough to fight? That you're strong enough mentally? You've fallen before and you couldn't handle it. You even went as far as nearly killing yourself."
Jewel looked to O'Hara who shook his head. It wasn't him. She looked back to General Hickman and clenched her jaw, then grinded her teeth a little.
"Shit," Tavington whispered.
"What?" asked Cole.
"She just grinded her teeth," said Ban.
"Is that bad?" Cole whispered.
"Very," said Bordon and O'Hara.
"I don't know how you found out about that and I really don't care, but you're right, Hickman. I have fallen before and yes, I did think about killing myself. To end the pain that I was feeling. I guess that's what happens when you remember that one of the most awful things that could happen did happen to you. That your ex-husband, his men, and your own father, could beat you, torture you, and...rape you. All of them did those things to me, so yes, I did want to kill myself, but I didn't. I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere. I have my friends, my family, my child, and my husband, so win or lose this war, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here and I'm stronger than ever. I had the blacksmith make me this sword with a Phoenix emblem because that's what I am. I died and I have risen. If you think I'm not strong enough or fast enough," Jewel pulled out one of her knives from her belt then threw it at an apple, distracting the men. She quickly ran up to Hickman and held another knife to his throat.
He slowly turned his head to Jewel and gulped. Jewel smiled "I'm fast enough." She sheathed her knife then grabbed her other ones and turned back to Hickman "So you, my ex, his men, and my father, can all go and fuck yourselves, because I'm alive and I'm done putting up with your shit."
Tavington covered his smile with his hand. Jewel looked to her brother and the others and winked making them smile. She looked to Cornwallis "I know why you acted the way you did now and I understand, just remember this, My Lord, a lion does not care for the opinions of sheep." She gave a nod then left the tent leaving everyone speechless.
Hickman looked to O'Hara "You should really learn to control your woman better."
"She's my wife for starters and I do not and will not control her and if you ever disrespect my wife again...well, she'll kill you before I even get a chance, but don't do it again. She's a better person that any of us," he said then left the tent to go find Jewel.
Cornwallis looked around the room "The meeting is over, gentlemen." Everyone left the room, leaving Cornwallis to his thoughts over Jewel's words.
O'Hara found Jewel on a hill over looking the field. He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist then kissed her neck "You all right?"
She nodded then sighed as she leaned against him "You don't want me out there tomorrow, do you?"
"As your husband, of course I don't. I've almost lost you once. More than once, really. I don't want to lose you again. As a General, I know how good you are. I trust you, Jewel, besides I know I can't stop you...let alone even try," he chuckled. Jewel laughed then turned around and kissed him "I love you, Charles."
"I love you," he smiled.
They stood on the hill for awhile, then went down to Jewel's tent where everyone met. Jewel went over the plan which of course, Tavington hated, but agreed to it, including Cornwallis. Haytham sent Jasper to take Anna to safety, so he could remain at Jewel's side.
As conversations were going around, Cornwallis walked up to Jewel "Um...Jewel, I wanted to apologize to you for the other day. I said some things that I shouldn't have said. You haven't been a problem. You lightened up the fort, brought joy to those around you...except the ones you killed," he smiled. "The point I'm making is, I'm glad you came into our lives and I know you are a strong warrior.
Jewel smiled "Thank you, My Lord." She looked around "All right, everyone listen up! I have something to say." All eyes were on Jewel. "Some of us in this tent may die tomorrow, but I believe, I know, that we are going to kill us some Rebels and Continentials tomorrow!"
"Aye!" Everyone shouted in unison.
"If you see Jack or my Father on the field, they're mine." She looked around again "But above all, no matter what happens, all of you, are my family. Forever."
"Forever!" They all said.
"To Victory!" yelled Ban.
Everyone raised their glasses and shouted "To Victory!"
