B Part Five: You're A Good Man, William Tavington/B
Tavington pinched the bridge of his nose warily as he listened to Borden's reports on rebel activity. "…..that man who was giving aid to Benjamin Martin and his rebels, his daughter just recently married one of them. We can use that." Borden paused and looked at his commanding officer. "Sir? Are you feeling well?" he asked with genuine concern. Tavington looked up at him. "Yes Borden, I'm fine." He paused then looked back at Borden, "No, no I'm not. Zai-Mrs. Cuddy asked me while we were at the Prince Plantation, what if thief's come again. I keep thinking back to that." Tavington stated as Borden nodded just slightly. "I can send an escort out to the plantation for you." Borden offered, seeing how important Susan was to him. Tavington nodded in approval as Borden got up and left Tavington's office tent. Suddenly he burst back in, a surprised yet confused expression on his face. "Sir- she's here." Tavington jumped up and went to the flap of the tent and gazed at Susan.
Her long blonde curls were stained with blood and hung loosely from her face while the night gown she had been wearing was torn and colored with blood in several places. Zaine stood beside her, looking as if she had been pulled through hell with deep gashes showing on her naked arms and one large gash across her forehead and left temple. Tavington didn't waste any time and rushed over to Susan, who immediately collapsed on him. He gently slid one arm under her legs and picked her up, getting small whimpers from wounds on her. He turned to Zaine, who was already being assisted by two officers to the medical tent. Tavington followed them and carefully placed Susan on one of the beds. Two medical woman rushed to either of them and, after shooing everyone out of the tents, carefully began stripping the women of their garments. The one tending to Susan glared nonstop at Tavington, who absolutely refused to leave Susan's side, he did however, turn around to gaze pointlessly at the beige colored tent wall.
After what seemed like an eternity, the nurses moved out of the tent, leaving Tavington alone with Susan and Zaine. Susan, who hadn't been accustomed to alcohol, was fast asleep while Zaine stayed awake but more than slightly drunk. "What happened?" Tavington asked in a regular voice, knowing Susan was not cold. Zaine looked up at him, her eyes not entirely in focus from the alcohol used as a pain killer. "We had finished dinner and Miss Susan had excused herself. Did I tell you she is talking more Colonel?" Zaine said in slightly shaky words. "Anyway," She continued, not noticing any sort of response. "Thomas and I sent the children to bed. Oh, and Delilah has married! I bet you didn't know that." Tavington gritted his teeth in aggravation with her straying from explaining. "could you please finish-"
"Will you stop interrupting me?" Zaine asked frustrated as she made herself more comfortable. "Now Iif/I you'll let me finish. Thomas has already gone to bed and I stayed up to clean up some. Miss Susan came down from the stairs and sat at the table. We sat at the table just talking. Miss Susan heard a knock at the front door and before I could stop her she answered it. About five thief's pushed in. I saw two grab Miss Susan-" Zaine stopped and shuddered slightly but Tavington urged her to continue. "They started ripping at her nightgown and touching her. I tried to get to her but one of them attacked me with a knife and by the time I had killed him, she screamed and I heard Thomas and the boys come running down stairs. They did a fine job and none of them lived. None of them." Zaine choked up on tears as she thought of her husband and children. Tavington moved to had her a cloth but Zaine pushed it away. "I collected Miss Susan from the floor and got two horses from the barn. We sat off to nowhere until we saw British regulars. We followed them to here." Zaine finished and accepted the cloth Tavington offered. He looked over at Susan, who was clothed in a large white shirt and men's trousers, the only clothing there that would fit her. "Zaine, how much did they do to her?" He asked and heard his own voice waiver slightly. He determinedly pushed the sound from his voice, although his fear remained. Zaine looked at Susan, who was sleeping comfortably. "I don't know," She answered with downcast eyes. "I was fighting the men." she said. Then looked up at Tavington and took in the darker circles under his eyes and his unshaven face. "Go rest Colonel, you don't want Miss Susan to see you so tired." Zaine said gently as she fully understood how important Susan was to him. Tavington nodded in agreement but looked over at Susan again. In her sleep she had moved her hand to rest beside her now washed hair. Her face was turned to her hand, making him notice how perfectly shaped her elegant nose was. "Colonel-"
"I know." Tavington answered Zaine before she had a chance to tell him again. She looked at him with just a wisp of a smile before reaching out and squeezing one of his hands. "I know you truly care for her. You're a good man, William Tavington, despite what you feel and how you act." She said quietly before releasing his hand and slowly laying back on the pillows, drifting off into a sleep herself. Tavington walked to the flap of the tent and looked back in on Susan and Zaine. He looked out again at the dark forest in thought before strolling quickly over to one of the tents.
"You sir!" He shouted at one of the snoring officers, Wilkins. Wilkins stirred and blinked rapidly before quickly standing to his feet.
"Yes sir?" He asked, still somewhat asleep. Tavington looked up at Wilkins, despising that the man was taller than himself. "I want you to find another officer and the two of you stand guard over the medical tent all night. No one is to go in, under no circumstances. Is that understood?" Tavington's voice thundered as his anger was rising at the unknown thieves who hurt Susan. "Yes sir!" Wilkins replied and immediately wakened one of the other officers. Tavington stormed out of the tent and into his own before going to his cot and falling asleep himself.
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Susan smiled as she used a cane provided by the nurses to walk to Tavington, who was suiting up his horse. Her smile faded as she noticed his sword and musket. "You're, you're not going out are you?" Susan asked, her eyes near tears and her voice crackled slightly. Tavington turned around somewhat surprised before gently embracing her. "No. I just need to go to the nearby creek and shave." he stated and grinned as Susan brought a small hand up to his cheek. He felt her stroke his face gently and watched as her nose scrunched up a little. "Uh-huh. I should think so." She said and laughed slightly. Tavington grinned wider at her and, using a gloved hand, took her chin and kissed her softly on the lips. Susan smiled against his lips and kissed him back. She backed away slightly and looked up at him in such a way that Tavington was completely caught off guard. Her eyes were filled with so much real, and genuine love that it over whelmed him. Tavington smiled at her and wrapped one arm around her waist before kissing her deeply. He felt Susan, who seemed to be in momentary shock, respond by placing one hand on his cheek and used the one still clutching the cane to rest on his chest. Finally he broke the kiss and looked down at Susan. She took her hand on his chest away and gripped the cane before steadying herself with it. She looked up into his eyes and with the hand on his cheek, used her fingertips to run them over his lips. "Hurry back." She whispered and, after placing a kiss on the corner of his mouth, walked off, placing most of her weight on the cane. Tavington was actually incredibly relieved that her soft body was no longer pressed against his own as he mounted his horse and, with several men, headed off to the stream.
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"He's wonderful Zaine!" Susan said up to Zaine who was looking down at her. Susan's head was in Zaine's lap as Zaine used a brush to brush out Susan's thick curls. "I mean, he's go kind to me, more than any other man. Well, other than Thomas, but he doesn't count." Zaine laughed lightly as Susan jumped up and faced Zaine, a bright smile on her. "He was asked me to marry him!" She said excitedly as Zaine returned the smile again. Susan talked continuously for another thirty minutes about everything, about growing up, what she sees, and what it was like to be married to Garth Prince. Zaine remained quiet and consoled her when she began crying, recalling her previous marriage. Suddenly Susan stopped and listened as fast approaching horse hoofs thundered past the front of the tent the two had been given. Both Susan and Zaine peeked out and, before Zaine could stop Susan, she was out of the tent and by the horse, helping down her wounded colonel.
OOC: in case ya'll haven't noticed, this part of the story takes place when Tavington kills Gabrielle. In this last little part is when he does this. I didn't feel like typing the whole scene as the five people in the US who haven't seen the movie probably won't be reading this. If you haven't, I suggest you get offline right now, go buy it and watch it. On stuff like this that Ieverybody/I has seen I'm not going to type out the scene, I'll just skip over it and make it to where you recognize what part it's from.
Anyway, hugs to everyone who reviewed, I don't know how often I'm going to be able to post.
hugs