Chapter 3

1778

Two years had pass and the Martin family grew worried every day about the safety of their elder brother Gabriel. The war had turned for the worst as Charleston had fallen to the British.

Aunt Charlotte fled to her plantation, but the Martins stayed at their home stead. Awinita took care of the children, although she was weary of Gabriel. She had read a letter from him; he explained the harsh conditions the Continental Army experienced during the winter up north. She read whatever she could about the north and learned that the army was camped at Valley Forge.

She spoke to her mother's spirit every day, asking her to help Gabriel on his journey. When spring came, the fighting had become fierce. Awinita learned about the British general Cornwallis, leading the forces through the south. She decided to prepare herself if Cornwallis and his army were to enter onto the home stead.

It was summer now and Awinita looked through the windows in the dining room, wondering if she was hearing thunder or gunfire outside. She heard another sound, a creaking noise. The front door. Someone was coming into the house.

She hurried to find Benjamin, but she stopped dead in her tracks. A man stood in her way. It was dark and she couldn't make out his features. "Awinita?" Thomas asked, but he also fell silent when he saw the shadow.

Then, she spotted Benjamin behind the stranger, pistol in hand. "Turn around slowly," he commanded. Awinita reached for a lit candle and it illuminated the stranger's face. "Gabriel!" she gasped.

The young man collapsed into his father's arms. "Abigale!" Awinita cried out and both she and Benjamin took Gabriel to a bed. He appeared wounded, but he was alive. She noticed that he had something in his hands. It appeared to be letters, correspondence of some kind.

"Awinita, we need clean water," Benjamin ordered and she obeys. She grabs a bucket, but stops in her tracks when she came out onto the porch. The gunfire sounded very close and she feared that the enemy would come.

She noticed Benjamin next to her and then, Thomas came out with rifles. "Put them back!" Benjamin barked.

"But father-" Thomas pleaded, but his father cut him off, "They won't come!" Benjamin looks at Awinita and gives her one of the smaller pistols. She takes it and hurries away from the house.

She knew that the cool, clear water from the stream was far from reach, but she was willing to risk it as long as the fighting was away from the house. Her eyes could see the dark trees as the sun was vanishing from the day and the clouds made it darker. Awinita kept her senses up, she wasn't sure if anyone else was out in the forest. The bucket felt heavy against her side, even though it was empty.

She heard the soft swirling of the stream against the rocks and she stepped in barefoot into the cold water. She filled the bucket to the brim and it was really heavy. She had to get back to the house.

Then, she heard something, a twig breaking. She stood still, wondering if it was a deer or a rabbit in the brush. There was a possibly that it was a white colonist, hunting for game or to hunt the Natives.

Awinita had heard from rumors that some Native warriors joined the British side as they were promised that their land would be returned upon the defeat of the colonists. It was true that the colonists were sometimes harsh towards the Natives, but she hoped that some kind of friendship would form between them.

She didn't know how long she stood still and the darkness grew thick in the woods. The gunfire was distant and she could sense that someone or something was nearby. She decided to move slowly, taking her shoes off and taking silent steps away from the stream.

Then, she heard a snort of a horse. The family's horses were in the barn, how could any of them be out here? It hit her, it wasn't one of the family's, but perhaps either the enemy's or the Continental's. She removes the pistol from the pocket of her apron and looks around.

'THUNK!'

The sound was close and Awinita reacted by firing a shot towards it. Someone was here and she checked her pocket, but there were no other bullets.

"DON'T MOVE!" A man's voice shouted. She looked up and she saw the familiar color of blood red. The Red Coats were here and they had surrounded her. She dropped the pistol and puts her hands high up in the air.

A torch was lit and Awinita saw many of them, guns in hand. "Who are you?" one of them asked. "She's a Native! Look at her hair and skin!" another said.

"Pleas don't hurt me!" she pleaded.

"She came from that house, she must be a slave to them!" one of them said.

"No! I'm not a slave!" she pleaded, again, but the Red Coats ignored her.

"Stand up," another ordered, but she was terrified to stand. The Red Coat grabbed her by the arm and pulls her up to her feet. "Who owns that house and the land? Speak woman!" he ordered. The soldier was handsome looking, but not at all pleasant.

Awinita refused to talk and the soldier tightened his grip on her arm. "If you don't tell us, we'll kill you," he warned. That was when she noticed that they were wearing fur caps. These were not regular Red Coats.

"You're Dragoons," she said and the soldiers looked at one another.

"How would you know?" one of them asked.

"I read a lot about the British Army," she answered, but they laughed.

"You? A savage reading about the British?!" one of them chuckled.

"Be quiet!" a man commanded and a chestnut colored horse walks up to Awinita. She looks up at the Dragoon and her heart skips a beat. The man on the horse had handsome features with dark hair, but his eyes were blue, almost the color of ice on a pond.

"Bennett, let go of your grip on her," he commanded and the Red Coat, Bennett obeyed. The man looks back at Awinita and says, "My apologies milady, but we are in need of any help. Perhaps you can tell us who owns the house just beyond these woods."

She shakes her head, "I am loyal to the family who owns that house. I wish not to share the name," she answers, staring at the man in the eye. She could see that his eyes were cold, very much like a winter's snow.

"Very well then," he answers and looks at the soldier Bennett, "Take her back to camp."

"What?!" Awinita pleaded, but Bennett and another Dragoon took her by the arms. "Stop! Please! NO!" she cried out, but the Dragoons dragged her away. They were taking her away from her home, away from her family.

"Don't fret, Colonel Tavington makes good on his promise of freeing those under servitude," Bennett said.

"But I am not a servant!" she replied, but they ignored her.

"This one needs time to think," the other Dragoon said and started to tie rope around her wrists. He then gets on a dark colored horse and pulls on the rope, forcing Awinita to move. She didn't want to move, but the horse was strong and she was being dragged by her feet.

She turns around, but the house was nowhere in sight. She silently began to cry. She didn't get a chance to say goodbye to her family and she wondered if she'll ever see them again.

From the author: Sorry for being late, a lot of drama on my end. Anyway, it seems that Awinita finally got to meet the Butcher, but not in a friendly way. Perhaps things will turn around. See you soon!