A/N: Hi everyone! Hope everyone is safe and well during this time! My studies have lessened up so I have time to write and update stories. This is a filler chapter building up to the training and rest of the 'film' where they go on missions etc. I will have the next one up soon.
Please enjoy! :)
Chapter 9: A Woman in Training
A ray of morning sun shining right onto her closed eyes was what woke up Victoria. She quickly shields them with her hands, and squints them open to see an open tent flap and a toothy-grinned Gabriel.
"Morning sunshine." He was too perky and nice considering how he was yesterday.
"You're like the angel Gabriel himself," she yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "It's time?"
"Not just yet, but father sent me over to make sure you eat. The rest will be taken care of," Gabriel ends it with a frown. Now last night's pestering returns. "Count yourself grateful for not being shouted at with orders like I was when I began, and the rest of us are currently."
Victoria sits up now, not in the best of moods already. "Your father knows I hold myself accountable for anything I do. And also that I'm willing to take orders given any way."
Gabriel growls under his breath, his mouth squeezing shut before ducking out of the tent and storming off leaving her to roll her eyes. She had to lean over and almost out of the tent to close it shut once more so she could dress herself. Deciding not to bind her chest since they are just training for the day, she proceeded out her tent with her hairbrush to sit near the swamp water on one of the many giant rocks of the delipidated church.
"Tillie, eat up!" She heard Ben shout over to her while she was just starting to brush her hair out.
"I'll be there shortly!" She shouts back, not bothering to turn and look for him hearing the bustling of men walking around. Their deep chattering voices seemed to die down after hearing her speak. Almost as if they forgot a woman was living with them in these conditions.
Meanwhile, Benjamin was taking his time eating sausage with Billings next to him.
"Hopefully she won't take as long as my wife, and she has short hair!" John exclaims shaking his head about Victoria. He saw no issue with unbrushed hair.
"Believe me, she knows how in a hurry we will be in. But yes, she used to take much longer before she moved in to help me with my children."
Billings chuckles learning only so much about the strange woman so far. But he leans over to whisper to his friend, "She's not exactly your type."
Ben looks over at him with no expression. On the inside however, his heart was beating with false hope of any future with Victoria.
"Oh but she is, Billings. She was…" Ben takes a mouthful of sausage into his mouth. Finally, he sees Victoria coming their way to eat something, but a little boy runs up to her, stopping her in her tracks.
"Good morning, young man," Victoria greets the cute little boy with a smile. She sees the innocence in his eyes, and also takes note he must be no older than Nathan. Her heart then heaves remembering the heart-rendering farewells to the Martin children.
"Good morning Victoria. I'm Colt," he responds as an energetic young boy would. But his face looked uncomfortable. "If it would be no trouble, I need your help. My father is off somewhere and we're about to leave in a hurry."
"And what help may that be?"
"Can you help me with my shoes?" He asks, peering up at her from under his hat. He was hiding his face from the men nearby who were chuckling at his helpless self. He was too young to be here after all, and Victoria became more aware she was too feminine to be here as well.
"Yes of course. They have laces on the back of them?" Victoria smiles down at him trying to ensure Colt all is fine. He waits for her to start following him to his tent, which was towards the front of the Spanish Mission and off to the side where no horse residue was there.
"Yeah, they're not the best pair of boots. My legs are too thin for an adult pair without ties," he grumbles as he plops down on a crate, probably holding some camp storage his father was charged with taking care of. So much like Nathan.
"You and me both," Victoria gestures down to her feet swallowed up by overlarge men's boots reaching past her knee even when the cuff is rolled down! "I can guarantee you that you're not missing much. I wish I had a pair of lace up boots and then I could ride my horse and walk much easier."
Colt's blue eyes shine curiously as he tilts his head, his neatly trimmed blonde hair falling to the side from under his hat. "But you're trying to be in disguise as a man, so you can't dress like a woman should?"
Victoria nods her head, taking a break from lacing up the strings to push a strand of hair behind her ear and adjust her position on the ground due to discomforts in her abdomen.
"No, I can't. It's so I'm safe amongst you all and won't be taken by the enemy."
"I hope my mother doesn't get taken by them," Colt looks down now. Suddenly, Victoria's motherly instincts burst forth and she found herself placing a hand on his chin and tilting it up so he can meet her eyes.
"I can promise you that won't happen. Your father will not let that happen. Besides, where your families live, the British know they aren't going to rebel. They believe them to be on their side. They'll be safe as long as they believe that."
"Thank you," Colt nods his head at her words and looking down at his boots. "I won't come ask you all the time to do this, it was just for today."
"That's alright," Victoria grins at his politeness. "You go find something to eat now. I have to eat as well. Good luck with training, Colt!" Good luck to yourself, Victoria, she chides in head. And with that, Colt scampered off and disappeared in the fray of men, and Victoria came to a stand only to back into the Reverend, who was just leaving a small morning prayer gathering that was taking place spaces away from them.
She was surprised they were all trying to function as a society in the middle of a swamp, and this may be the glue that will keep them all together.
"Oh, Miss Victoria, my apologies!" The old Reverend who she does not know by name yet had grabbed her shoulders whilst she backed into him.
"No it's perfectly fine, it's my fault for not watching where I was going." She blushes at her own daftness that surely the men walking past them had caught. Her own paranoia may just be getting to her.
"It is hard to see I this damp place, but we must walk by faith and not by sight, yes?" He recommends with a smile and quotes a verse to her making her giggle.
"Yes, we must. I must remember that. What shall I call you, sir?" She asks him finally.
"Reverend Oliver, at your service, Miss Victoria," he gives her a priestly bow of his head with his hands brought up to his chest.
"There's no need for the 'Miss', reverend," she tells him. "Just Victoria is fine. You may hear some call me by my shortened name Tillie."
"I will try to remember that, but my Pembroke manners are not to be abridged so easily," he answers with a final smile and departs from her. "Have a blessed day!"
"You too!" Now she can finally make her way back to Benjamin Martin and eat something to silence her growling stomach buried underneath her oversized hunting shirt and a navy-blue button up over it. Her long hair loose of any ties under a hat is the only tell-tale sign she is a woman, save for her heart-shaped face and dainty hands.
During her speedy walk back to Colonel Martin's area, she looked around trying to spot the familiar faces she knows so far and where they will be residing for lord knows how long. She made scruple glances at the middle-aged shirtless farmers (all not so pleasant to look at) grooming themselves, and looked away when every time she was caught by them looking.
But not once did she see Rollins, Skunk, Nicholas, Jean… even Gabriel!
"About time you get here," Benjamin nods his head to her in relief she's still here. He hands her a plate of sausage and some soggy eggs it looks like he was trying to keep warm for her. "Jean had just left with the first group of men, and he'll return to take the second group after mealtime."
She sits down on the log next to him confused. "We're not all training together?"
"As we should, but not just yet. He needs to see who our strongest men are and who should be placed on the front lines—or at least in our maneuvers we'll be adhering to, who we'll be using the most often." Victoria nods her head as she eats slowly now, trying to process everything he is telling her.
"And you will not be training today," Ben informs her then.
Her mouth parts open, "Why am I not—"
"Ol' Frenchie found out you were injured on your trigger arm," Ben's bright blue eyes meet hers, ready for any fight she may make with him. "He wanted you to recover at least for one more day. And adjust and whatnot. I told him he's not giving you much credit, that he has no idea what you're capable of."
She straightened at this, and her mouth shut. Grateful she has a free day off, especially with it being her time of the month, and also flattered the French Major would push for her recovery. Still, she was here to fight alongside them all. She can't be pushed over in the future if she gets wounded, even if it has to come to having a bandaged-bloody eye like some soldiers.
"And what did he say to that?"
"Not a word," Ben shakes his head, looking back at the fire with no trace of thought running through his head. "Left all high and mighty with his leather gloves on-"
"-Ben!" She laughs at his mockery. "You have to learn to keep your differences aside, and not stare at the fire so often."
"I very well know that-" Ben catches what she last said. While staring into the fire, he read into it and found himself once more in astonishment she could quickly impart secret wisdom. "And I can do what I want, young lady."
She couldn't contain her laughter at him being caught off guard at what she was criticizing him of doing.
"When you're through, I'll help you set up a tarp next to your tent. You'll need some privacy near the water to tend to yourself when you must. And later while the next group is gone, you can go through the nurse tools and supplies. Someone will help you set up the heavy things…" He pauses his long list of things for her to do before he gets up to stand. "It is good you came. And before things get exhaustive and busy, I'll let you know that I can't picture no one else here, Tillie."
She nods her head in thanks and her eyes shine in gratitude.
"I hope it all goes over well. Don't stress over the little things too much now," she reached over and patted his hand. She felt guilt for last night and coming off as rude when she pulled her arm away from him. "You have Major Jean to take some of the load off, Billings it seems like, and me."
"I know I do. Which reminds me I'll be drawing up a list of the sergeants, corporals, privates—you'll know who to go to and I'll guarantee we'll all be looking after one another. We don't have much."
"We have just enough." She reassures him with a sigh. Benjamin's hand went on top of hers, squeezing it lastly before letting it go as he stood up to leave.
When he left, she sat in his area alone to finish up eating, then taking her plate to the washing area where a familiar man was already there washing them all. He was the same age as Skunk and shared his roughness, but not in height and had a receding hairline. This was the man who was enlisting with Skunk at the tavern.
"That's a lot of plates and mess," she exclaims coming up next to him. "Need an extra hand?"
"It's no trouble. I'm almost through anyway," the balding man nods to her. His eyes widened when she approached him. "Good to meet you Victoria, I'm Curly."
"Nice to meet you," she smiles at him and his rare and rather original name. She takes an extra damp cloth and cleans off her plate before helping him with the remaining ones. "I understand everyone's discomfort with me around but hopefully—"
"—yeah that will take a while or not at all," Curly frowns. His honesty reminded her of Gabriel this morning. In speaking of him, hopefully he burns off all his anger shooting. "Unless you know you're one of those kinds of women then that may get you liked."
Victoria bites her lower lip hard. Shutting her eyes to control her temper, she manages to politely rebuke, "Then I suppose I won't be liked then. That is not me. However, in that sense of the word, it seems like I should be liked since I have more honor then the rest of the men—any who have a right to judge my worth."
Curly tosses the clean plate in his hands down, and turns to her, "Perhaps. But those some of those men are hardheaded. They wouldn't know what honor was even if it hit them in the face."
She makes to respond, but he continues in a ramble much like her. "However in that sense of the word, I do know. Especially when that snake fell on you yesterday!" He chuckles much to her shock. His crooked yellowed teeth barely show through his grin. "You threw that thing aside like it was a cobweb."
Victoria looks to the ground smirking, "Yeah, the farm life toughened me up."
"Good to know. He mentioned you were watching his children one time… I traded crop with Benjamin last season."
"Oh, wow. What are the chances," she looks to him as she finishes her plates and adds them to the clean basket. This was all they exchanged and parted ways soon after. It was another connection at least.
Jean Villeneuve made his return with a group of men following behind him. All of their horses pressed through the swamp waters one last time for the day, and made their way onto rocky land. He removed his French cockade right when Gabriel ushered his horse past him to cut in front of him.
"Hello sunshine!" Gabriel led his horse behind Victoria and jumped off behind her, startling her.
"Sunshine my arse, it's been overcast all day," Victoria rolls her eyes at him, playing with the strings of her navy overshirt and rubbing some dirt off her cheek.
Gabriel shakes his head, biting back laughter, and pats her head, "Oh silly Tillie, that's just the trees. It'll always be dark and depressing in here. Not the place for a ray of sunshine like you."
Putting a hand on her hip now and tilting her head curiously as she would the younger Martin children, she exclaims, "I assume you're in a good mood now, or is that just for show? Did shooting help you release pent up emotions?"
Gabriel narrows his eyes, frowning once more before he gets an idea, "That depends. What did you cook?"
Victoria's tongue poked the inside of her cheek, "Ask my friend Curly over there. He insisted on cooking the first lunch of this camp."
Leaving behind a fuming Gabriel, she pushes aside with her foot another crate they moved around when half of the men were gone.
"How did it go?" Benjamin goes up to his son hoping for a good answer. He overheard the last of their conversation but made no comment about it.
"It went fine. Some weak spots but nothing a full day of training can't get rid of. Major Villeneuve can really shout those orders though," Gabriel nods to his father as he walks to go get his plate of food. Ben looked after his son in deep thought before turning back to see Jean approaching him inquiringly. His shoulders even shrugged inconspicuously.
"It doesn't look like she's been resting," Jean leans into Benjamin's ear, whispering about Tillie.
Ben smirks at the man and glances to the woman who was now bombarded by an excited Colt telling her something great that happened. Perhaps he had good aim and shot the target.
"Nah you just caught her at a bad time. Before that she was cleaning dishes, not to mention eating with her injured arm prior to that, helping the Reverend sweep feces off the turf, helped me hang her privacy curtain by climbing into a tree—" he paused when the Frenchman finally looked peeved to the point of peak annoyance. "Give her more credit. She's capable, Major, and she will be training tomorrow even if I have to do so myself. Only putting us another day behind…"
"Of course," Jean nods his head begrudgingly, and an uncharacteristic fake smile crosses his face. "I always keep my word unlike some."
Ben bites his tongue and glares at the Major's back walking away.
Victoria had just got her plate and returned to the back of the swamp where she resides near Ben. Walking under the archway, she plops back down on her log, the same spot as last night. To her surprise, Gabriel had followed her and moved to sit right next to her with his plate in hand.
"I apologize for my behavior. We shouldn't be at each other's throats at all, especially at camp for war," he tells her with no hidden motive. But not once looking at her face as he eats his food.
"I forgive you. You're so much like Nathan," she shakes her head, staring down at her plate as she takes small bites. Her cramps make her bloated and eat less. "A little bickering with you from time to time is fine. Little quips like you do are funny."
He nods his head solemnly, "I miss them all so much. Still fear for their safety despite them living with Aunt Charlotte. Guess that's why I've been so hellbent and taking out my feelings on you. That's not gentleman of me."
Victoria finally looks to her left at him with a raised eyebrow, "No it isn't. Even being close in age should have no factor in that."
He swallows his food with a hum. He briefly looks to her, "You became an older sister to them since I went off. And you're… a lady… It's—I understand why you're here and I do want you safe from the Butcher, but to me the biggest sacrifice you could make is protecting the family at home."
"They won't be safe with me there!" She whispers in a hurt hush, knowing whatever ill happens to her will haunt her. "I can't protect them Gabriel. This is what happened when I stepped in front of them-" she raises her arm and pulls back her sleeves, exposing her wounded arm.
Right after he looks down at it for barely a minute, showing his remorse and guilt, she covers her arm back up and stands up leaving.
"I know." Was all Gabriel said diverting his thoughts back to his food and eats up.
To her good luck, as she was walking back to the front of camp to put away her plate and clean, an accident nearly occurred.
"Whoa!" A man drawls out right behind her, or near the back of her head for that matter. And she felt his hand whip past her ear and into the air inches away from her face.
Stepping a little to the side, careful to not sidestep into the swamp, there is Skunk's hand at the end of a musket that almost hit Victoria in the face by the man swinging it atop his horse.
"Aye! Sorry 'bout that." A farmer she hasn't spoken to yet had said. But the man next to him, a man from Pembroke, sent a warning look at Tillie and sharp words.
"Watch where you're walking!"
Pushing a lock of golden-brown hair behind her left ear, Victoria watches the rude man ride off after the French major. But shrugging it off as a misunderstanding, she notices Skunk still standing there, looking down at her. His startling light green… grey eyes staring into her soul. He has an eye color she's never seen before.
"That wouldn't have been a pretty bruise."
She shakes her head, shifting her feet, "No it wouldn't have. But is your hand alright? That was a loud smack."
His long coat sways as he barely shrugs, placing his thumbs through his belt loops, "Nothing I can't handle."
"Well thank you for catching that."
"No problem." He nods his scruffy head of dark hair almost calculated and carefully. She gives him a short smile of appreciation and goes to help Colt's father with the dishes, not seeing Skunk follow her and stop before the stacked crates.
She had started washing her first plate when she still felt his tall looming presence. Sure enough, he was standing on the opposite side of the basket waiting to have her attention.
"So I was thinking about something." He starts, reaching for a dirty plate and grabbing a damp rag as well. He returns his stare to hers as he scrubs with her, "You sort of talked in your sleep last night."
Victoria's eyebrows scrunched up, not expecting that. "I did? I never do that. Mumbling right?"
He shook his head, stacking his clean plate with the others right when she added hers.
"No I mean spoke a name. William I think it was," Skunk recalls before pausing in his scrubbing. Victoria wasn't sure who but then it hit her. Like the bottom of that musket had hit her face, she bit her lower lip in fear and pain.
"I couldn't help but hear because I sleep some feet away from you. And you're the only woman voice in this hellhole," he explains himself before clearing his throat lightly. "Did this William break your heart or something? You made a cry just once."
Victoria stiffened at that, putting aside her clean plate before taking another dirty one. She looks directly into Skunk's eyes that show no joking for once.
"No not at all. Definitely not," she felt a single chuckle slip from her lips but it died fast. "Just someone I met once and… a stranger really. Not a great guy I'll just say. The swamp has me freaked out, but I guess my mind is taking my fears too far."
Skunk sighs, slowly nodding his head, now focused on the plate in his hand. "I got what 'ya mean. I gotcha. You're not alone on that one."
"Hopefully that won't happen again. Sorry if I woke you…" Victoria wanted to kick her own self at her constant apologies to this one man!
"No you didn't," Skunk quickly replied. "I was in and out of sleep. But before I go over there—" Skunk motions with his head into the direction some men called for him as he finishes his last plate "—Martin wants me to help you with the doctor crates. I'll see 'ya in a bit."
"Oh right. It should be only two crates and some sacks. Okay," she returns his subtle smile with a sweet one she hoped. She hasn't been smiling much at all today or with any of the 'friends' she is trying to make. After wiping down all of the plates and tossing unsalvageable bits into the swamp, she went to sit off to the side in silence.
Also, she thinks of the nightmare she had, thanks to Skunk recalling it; and how he was bold enough to tell her this she doesn't know… but that's him. Benjamin would do the same…
A shout shook her from her inner-most thoughts. She didn't realize she had a hand over her tainted arm. Tired of mindlessly holding it, she forces her left arm to its side and stood to move out of the way as she was on a rock near the other men's horses.
"Next group with me, now!" Jean orders loud and clear, mounting his horse after they had all eaten and relieved themselves. Victoria was turning in multiple directions to avoid looking at men, with their back turned to her, facing the swamp and splashing up more dirty swamp water on the ground. Only four made use out of a bucket, and they were Pembroke men. "If you weren't out this morning, come with me now for training!"
In the frenzy of men walking past and jumping onto their horses, she sees Skunk coming up to her holding one large and heavy crate.
He stops next to her, "Where are we putting them?"
She points to the back of camp, "Just before the arch off to the side. Near the swamp would be best, but not too close to the arch..."
He nods his head and hurries past her, weaving through some horses to go put it down where she told him.
Victoria moves to the remaining heavy crate and sacks and notices a small snake slithering where the other one used to be.
"They better not be in there," she mutters under her breath in time for Skunk to stand next to her and hear. He casts his eyes down and lets out a low whistle.
"That wouldn't be good. What, medicine is in there?" Skunk softly drawls with a sigh. With one of his presumably large feet with large boots, the giant of a man steps on the snake creating an unnatural squish sound.
"Maybe honey and garlic… one of them is supposed to have tools and powder as well," She answers unsure. Then with a fixed hand, Skunk whips out a knife and bends over cutting its head off, then flicking the snake remains into the swamp water.
Victoria frowned and the disgust on her face grew every time he did something else to the snake.
"Well it's one less snake now!" she comments with a forced, tight lipped smile. He appears unfazed by her lightheartedness.
"Let's hope there's no more that crawled through the cracks of the crate," Skunk mentions as he sticks his knife back in his satchel that's always with him. She couldn't help but glance at the two dangling skunk hides from the satchel to see what their purpose was. It's his nickname… he has an odd taste for fashion… "I'll carry it with a sack on top, you can get the other sack."
She met his emotionless eyes for a split second before stepping in front of him, minding the snake guts, and drags the sack to her feet before squatting down and lifting it up with ease like it was flour.
When she walked ahead leaving him behind, Benjamin met her sights with relief that she was finally moving the important crates and healing remedies.
Ben and Victoria held their eye contact from afar even when she sat down her sack atop the other crate, while Ben was paying attention to what Billing's had to say. Until Skunk stepped beside her once more and severed all eye contact.
"Is this where you had in mind?" Skunk asks her for reassurance. "Can't promise we may get more snakes from the water."
Victoria shakes her head, "It'll be fine once I unpack and go through everything. John Billing's mentioned a fallen log near someone else's mat that he'll move over here to hold up what shouldn't be on the ground."
"Sounds like a plan," Skunk's mouth twitches in approval. But one last time, he takes out his knife and slides it through the lid of the crate and wiggles it loose, and successfully opens the one he last carried over to check for snakes.
Together they squat down in unison and reach into the crate to sift through small bags holding loose powder for wound treatments, and smaller boxes holding glass bottles of remedies. It was a short silence as they opened each bag to ensure nothing was living in it that shouldn't be.
"Smells like piss," Skunk folds the clothed bag over and drops it back in the crate before reaching over to open one of the large sacks.
"Need not remind me. Better get used to it." Victoria informs good-naturedly with a faint smile. A lot of these things reminding her of what Benjamin Martin had in his home when the wounded soldiers arrived at their doorstep. And one dainty bottle in a small box reminded her of something in her late Aunt's curio cabinet.
Disconcerted by this familiarity, she picks it up and looks at its contents before reading the label as they continue to have small talk.
"I see you have an eye for bottles," Skunk points out. "What's vanilla extract gonna do here?"
She twists open its tiny cork, popping it with a silent 'plop' and holds it up to her nose to inhale her favorite smell next to roses.
"Why to repel mosquitoes of course!" She raises an eyebrow at him in question. "It's to be mixed with water and used with a piece of cotton to rub on the skin. It's good for gnats too."
Skunk blinks in surprise. He accepts this new knowledge by thoughtfully nodding. "That's great to hear. At least it smells good."
Victoria looks down at the crate, closing the bottle and placing it back there before glancing back in Ben's direction, hoping him and Billing's are working on getting that raised log.
Then a sunbeam, finally right after noon, broke through the dark cypress and moss trees and hit her right in the face. Blinding her in the best way possible, she looks up to the direction of the sun and sighs in content.
Skunks now foul mouth slipped out a curse of "Damn.." But it didn't break her wonderful moment for once feeling warmer than ever. He must have spilled something or saw another snake to say that. But she was proved wrong when he had added to his exclamation. Her ear facing him perked up when he directed this haunting compliment to her. The first words she was told by her late husband...
"You got the most beautiful hair I've ever seen lady…"
Victoria's heart stopped and her mouth went dry after one faint gasp. Her legs gave out in their squat and fell on her knees when her head snapped to his, like a branch on a tree struck by lightning. Skunk's face was innocent, and his eyes went from unreadable generosity to utter confusion at her alarmed self.
Out of her control, and she struggled hard to not let it get to her, but so fast her eyes welled with tears as she jumped to her feet and hurried back to her tent. That was her instinct.
"Hey!" He stood up seeing her already halfway to her tent, and he called after her now concerned and frustrated.
"What's the matter, man?" John Billings, dragging the log with the help of little Colt pushing the other side, stops next to Skunk and looks up at the taller man.
Skunk hesitated biting his lip hard, motioning with one hand in Tillie's direction but no words came out his mouth. Not to mention the suddenly bright sun hit his eyes as well distracting him from anything he was about to say.
"What happened?"
"I gave her a compliment was all I did and… she cried and ran off," Skunk answered. The more he kept replaying in his mind what happened, the more the woman caught his interest… Alongside the fact he made her cry for some odd reason.
Billing's snickers made Skunk look down at his friend with a snarl.
"Come on, I know you meant well and I mean well!" John Billings breaks into a short fit of laughter. "Maybe you said somethin' she heard before from someone else or somethin'."
Little did either of them know, they had both hit the nail in the head on that one. But all they assume and wonder for now, well Skunk can wonder, why do certain little things get through this tough, brave woman?
