I don't own The Patriot

Two days were gone in the blink of an eye and before James Wilkins knew it, he was living in the eve of what was considered to be the most important greatest victory of the Lordship's military career. While Cornwallis was determined that he was going to win the Battle at Cowpens, James didn't wish indulge any further on that matter. Battle after battle, and James had lost count how many he had participated in, he felt the colonists had more victories than the British did, even after Benjamin Martin had shown his participation with the militia. The last time that James had taken sight of Benjamin was when the Dragoons and Tavington had raided his sister-in-law's plantation and set it on fire. From that moment on, he had never seen the man again making him the equivalent to being the infamous Ghost. How different would things have been if Benjamin had been captured? Would the colonists maintain the same morale?

As for this upcoming battle, James didn't know what the outcome was going to be, he just wanted to survive it but if he did, then where would he go? That question had been going through James's mind for the past couple of days. Could he voluntarily leave his position as captain from the cavalry and just start life over again? Starting his life again in South Carolina was not the best place to make a living from the status that he had. He was a Loyalist and was fighting against the colonists. No matter who won the war, James felt that he wasn't welcomed anymore in this state, let alone the country itself. He didn't know where he was to live after this but what he knew was that he was going to take Catherine with him. He had never conversed his supposition of leaving South Carolina, even America itself, with her but he hoped that she would agree to that. Then there was the problem with her sisters. The little one was too young to understand but Anna was the concern. He was aware of the fact that Anna didn't like him, but he just couldn't push one of Catherine's sisters away just because of her dislike. Then again, it all depended if Anna was going to agree on going along with them.

As of right now, the British had set up camp along the swale of the location that they were going to fight in after a mere couple of hours. He heard the gunshots of rifles going off as the soldiers trained for the upcoming battle whilst he and the remaining Dragoons remained in their tent, either playing cards, getting drunk for what may have seemed their final time, or writing letters to their families. James thought about joining them in a card game, or even writing a letter to Catherine, but he just didn't find the motivation to do it at the moment. All he wanted to do was just relive that night of intimacy the they both shared. That was their first, and there was going to be many more in the near future...and perhaps a family? The thought of marriage had crossed Wilkins's mind before, even when her parents disapproved of it, and it had crossed his mind again when they reconnected with each other. He didn't have a ring to give her, but that teardrop necklace that she had around her neck ever since she was captured was enough to show the commitment that she had towards him. Perhaps when they were going a bit economically better, if that time was ever to come, he could get her a ring. It didn't matter because ring or not, James knew that they were going to remain together until death did them part.

Getting up from his cot, James walked out of the tent and into the night air. He looked over at the horizon, now that it was quiet, was soon going to be filled with cannons and gunpowder. From he understood from the other Dragoons, he and the rest of the cavalry were going on one of their raids when it was not even sunrise, and then return back to Cowpens where they were going to ambush the colonists. Ambushing the enemy did serve its purpose, but even the militia had advanced on their strategies over the last couple of battles.

"Captain you're not resting," a well known English accented voice made its way to James.

The one person that James didn't wish to see, and hoped that he could avoid, had been around the camp. With a deep breath, James turned around and came face to face with the colonel. "I will eventually...sir," James said to him.

"I advise that you do," Tavington said, "we have an early day tomorrow before the battle. His Lordship made it crucial that this ought to be one of his victories before the war is won."

James responded with a nod of his head. "I understand," he said.

There was no other reason as to why James couldn't rest that he would tell Tavington. However, the colonel was quick enough to catch on the coldness that James held towards him. He didn't care of anything that Wilkins was going through, whether it be his fear before the battle or even of that harlot that stayed around the Fort Carolina quarters. All he cared about was ensuring that they won this battle, but if it meant that James was going to act this way he wasn't going to allow it. He took a step towards Wilkins, who didn't move from his position, and looked at him just as coldly in the eyes.

"Straighten your attitude captain," he said to the man that towered over him, "it is not honorable to have that sort of behavior."

James inhaled sharply at those words. All the Dragoons had done, aside from participating in battles, were harming innocent civilians under the colonel's orders. "Nothing that we have done has been honorable," he found himself saying.

So he wishes to commence an argument Tavington thought. Quite the delightful sight if he thought about it. James was the type of man who did whatever the colonel told him, though he remembered when James had hesitated twice on executing one of his orders. One for the church and the other for that tramp that he was infatuated with. "Why should we show honor to those who haven't done the same?" Tavington asked him. "Do you think that after all of this, you would be honored for fighting against your neighbors? No," he shook his head at that, "you'd be seen as a traitor the same way as you saw your neighbors. What honor is that in being a traitor?"

Ever since he had thrown that torch towards the church in Pembroke and the screams that continued to haunt him every night, deep down James knew that he was a traitor and ever since, he had questioned his own loyalties and never reached a conclusion.

"If I am correct," Tavington continued, "whoever hears about the church back at Pembroke and the perpetrator who did it, wouldn't he be treated as a traitor?"

James clenched his jaw at that memory.

"Another scenario, wouldn't he also be treated as a traitor for aiding a rebel?" a smirk appeared of the colonel's lips when he noticed James unknowingly clenching his hands into fists, "as you can see, this man is a traitor in both situations. Towards his neighbors and to king and country."

James knew that Tavington was referring to him and he knew that the amount of sins that James had done were unforgivable. No matter how much he would pray or even confess to his sins, they wouldn't be enough to save his soul. However, Tavington was just as guilty as he was but he had shown no remorse through his actions. Wasn't he just as dishonorable as James was?

"How is your strumpet by the way?" Tavington prodded James on about Catherine.

James's blood boiled when Tavington mentioned her, but he needed to keep his emotions at bay. He didn't answer Tavington but just stared at him, letting him throw whatever word he had to say thrown at him.

"Is her arm healed?" the colonel cocked an eyebrow, "I fear I may have done more damage than I intended to do. You see, it would have been easier on the three of us if she had just cooperated...or if you had simply done your job, captain."

"She said that she knew nothing about the Ghost," James said, trying to keep his voice still.

"Then if she knew nothing, why didn't she die a traitors death?" Tavington asked him, "why it was only her that you had to save and not those others?" When James did not answer, the colonel continued. "The answer to that is quite simple. I just didn't think you'd stoop to that level captain. Calling yourself loyal to king and country but going after a whore."

James's gripped onto his pistol and froze. Why had he just frozen in place without pulling that pistol in front of the colonel and firing it, killing him where he stood?

Seeing that action, Tavington almost let out a laugh but held his composure. "Why wait, captain?" he asked him.

James didn't respond and slowly released his grip on his weapon as his hand shook in the process of doing so. Because I am not as cold-blooded as you he wanted to say to Tavington, but he couldn't calculate any words through the turmoil of emotions that threatened to take over him. "Just leave her alone," was all he could say to the colonel.

Another smirk appeared on Tavington's lips. "Oh I have nothing to say to that traitor, nor to you since you couldn't perform your duty." With those words, Tavington turned on his heel and marched away from him.

As for James, he couldn't believe what he had almost done. If he had been successful with his attempt to kill Tavington, he'd be executed and he didn't wish for that. All he wished was to survive through the battle, and when the time came to head back to Fort Carolina, he would find Catherine waiting for him whilst sipping her tea.