Ellie opened her eyes slowly. She was surrounded by strange people. One of them was trying to pick her up.
"Are you alright?" the man asked at seeing she was awake. Ellie struggled out of his grip.
"Who are you," she asked.
"I'm Benjamin Martin," the man said," We were passing through, and we saw Red coats leaving the property. One of them had an unconcious woman in his arms."
"Margo," Ellie moaned, and she fell back on the ground sobbing. Ben tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but she smacked it away. She then got up and ran to the stables, not caring at the moment that her property had continentals all over it. She grabbed her horse, put a set of reigns on him, and rode out on him without a saddle.
"What are you doing," Ben asked.
"I'm going after him," Ellie said.
"No," Ben said," You're in no condition to go-"
"HE HAS MY SISTER,"Ellie cried, tears falling down her pink cheeks," HE MIGHT KILL HER.!"
No one said anything.
"We'll go with you," Ben said.
"No," Ellie said," I am a loyalist, and if I am found in the company of a bunch of continentals, Tavington will kill me along with my sister, if he hasn't already killed her."
Benjamin looked at her,"Alright."
Ellie left instructions for the servants and then watched the continentals leave after making sure she was still alright.
"Here Miss Ellie," Tabitha said with tearful eyes," I made these for you myself. They were your favorite when you were young."
She handed her a bag of gingerbread cookies along with other food supplies and shelter for her trip. Ellie knew a lot about outdoor survival. Before the war, her father had taken her aside all the time to teach her certain things like pitching tents, aiding the wounded, and fighting. She kept took the knowledge to heart, knowing fully well she would need it someday.
"You were always a good help to me." Ellie said," Are you sure you can handle everything? Especially with John?"
"I've done it before, Miss Ellie I can sure do it again," Tabitha said. Ellie nodded and kicked her horse into a trot. She turned back and waved good-bye to Tabitha before she disappeared around the corner.
Margo woke up with a slight pain in her shoulder where Tavington had squeezed it. She looked around her. She could hear running water on her left side.
"Ellie," she said faintly.
"Be silent,"" Tavington said," She'll be coming for you soon."
"Colonel Tavington what on earth has gotten into you," Margo said as loud as her aching head would allow.
"I said be silent," Tavington said," Unless you want a throat full of lead."
Margo went silent. The last thing she remembered was Tavington pulling her out of her home, and then Ellie yelling for him to stop. She looked around her and found some officers staring into space, tending their horses, or looking at Tavington in a have-you-gone-insane manner. Margo spotted Wilkins a little ways down from her. He had his head resting on his hand, but he wasn't loking in her direction. Margo tried to sit up, but for one thing her hands were tied down, and when she moved her hands, the officers surrounding her pointed their bayonets at her.
"I'm sure she will be here any moment," Tavington said," If she followed the tracks."
There was silence for a long while, then finally after almost an hour, Margo felt the ground begin to vibrate.
"Just in time," Tavington said," I was about to kill you."
Margo looked over across the stream to find Ellie coming fast. She slowed down when a wall of officers blocked her way. Margo could just see her sink down into the sea of men, and then come through them looking a but disheveled. Obviously she had just been searched for any weapons.
"Ellie," Tavington said. His voice had changed. Seeing Ellie calmed his nerves a bit.
"Colonel," Ellie said," Please. Give Margo back to me. I just want her back home, and I will bother you no more."
"You really believe it's that easily done, Miss Ellie," Tavington said," You thought you would just prance down here, ask nicely for your sister back, and I would give her to you? I think not."
Ellie looked at Margo on the ground with six bayonets pointed at her. She had to admit that she looked really pathetic. How was she supposed to get through this. She didn't really think about that when she left her home.
"What do you want," Ellie said to him," Tell me what you want."
"I have no time for this," Tavington said," Go back to your plantation. I shall bring Margo back with me after the raid, and then we will talk."
"But-" Ellie said. Tavington cocked his pistol.
"Or I could just kill her and then tell you what I want in order for your own life to be spared."
"No," Ellie said quickly," I'll go."
"We will arrive at about nine o'clock this evening," Tavington said as if he was looking forward to a common dinner party," Be ready for us."
Ellie got back on her horse, and an officer gave her the pistol he had extracted from her. She took it and clocked him on the head with it before turning her horse around and riding back to the plantation.
"You see, Miss Margo," Tavington said," Cooperation saves lives."
"You are a sick and cruel man," Margo said.
"That is how I earned my nickname," Tavington said," and if you don't learn to hold your tongue, I will help you to earn the nickname 'walking corpse.'"
Margo went pale and looked away from him.
"Saddle up," Tavington said," I want to finish this raid in time for the party tonight."
Maybe Tavington's sudden break out of anger caused his torturous ways to overcome his love life. Margo knew for a fact that if she got a chance to speak alone with Ellie she had to convince Ellie to say whatever Tavington wanted to hear. Maybe he would have a sudden change in personnality again, and get down on his knees and apologize to Margo. Otherwise, Margo knew that Ellie would handle it. It was in her spirit to have that capability.
