Conversing With The Brat

When Tavington saw O'Hara come through the encampment gates with an unconcious General and no Jillian, he knew he was in a tighter spot then before. He watched from the shooting field as O'Hara rode up to the manor, got off the horse, threw the General over his shoulder, and carried him inside. Two medics ran inside about four seconds after O'Hara did.

'He's pretty strong for such a small fellow,' Tavington thought. He went into the manor to see what was happening. O'Hara had taken Cornwallis to his quarters. Tavington could tell he was coming to, because, if he listened carefully, he could hear the general mumbling," Where is my niece. Where is Jillian."

The medics didn't answer. They thought he was just being dillusional. Then, as Tavington watched, the generals' eyes opened, and he sat up yelling.

"They took Jillian! I want her back. NOW!"

The medics pushed him back down. They had the bullet halfway out when he sat up. This was Tavingtons time to shine. Jillian had been taken by the militia, or just rebelious continentals, and now ws his chance to earn his place back on the field. He turned around and ran outside.

"Assemble the Green Dragoon," he called. Men all over the estate quickly gathered around the colonel. Some had their horses and others just brought themselves. Tavington raised his hand for silence.

" Now, the lord Generals niece, as some of you already know, was captured today by continentals," Tavington said," It will be our job to bring her back. My instructions are as follows: if they have harmed her in any way, they shall be burned alive. If she is in the same condition she was when she left, they will only suffer a quick hanging. Any rsistance, and they shall be shot. Understood?"

"Yes sir," the Dragoon said in unison. Tavington mounted his horse.

" Move out," he called. The Green Dragoon was out once again with the fearless Butcher leading them again.

(The Woods)

Jillian sat facing a tree. Her hands had been tied around it by whoever it was that took her from her uncle. Tavy sat in her lap, purring as he stared at her.

"Tavy, if you are a good cat, then bite my bonds," Jillian said. The merely stared at her, and then attempted to whack her with his tiny paw. Jillian laughed. She looked at the tree. She was suddenly reminded of her Uncle, and hoped that he was okay. She didn't know what she would do, or where she would go without him there with her. She looked behind her at the men sitting around the small fire they had built.

"What're you going to with the brat?" one of the men asked.

"I don't know," said the one that had Jillian earlier," Maybe I'll just kill her. Or maybe I could keep her for me."

The men laughed at that remark.

"You dirty pig," Jillian said. The men looked up at her. Jillians captor rose to his feet.

"What was that you said," he asked.

"I said you dirty...pig," Jillian said nice and slow," Do you need me to spell it for you?"

"I know how to spell it," the man said.

"Could have fooled me," Jillian said.

"I wouldn't be talking like that if I were in your position," the man said," When we get angry we tend to do...stupid things."

He ran a finger down her cheek and began moving down towards her breast. Tavy jumped up and bit the man as hard as his little teeth would allow. The man hollered in pain. Tavy jumped down and curled up on Jillians' lap.

"Good kitty," Jillian said," You are a smart find."

"You and that cat are going to die," the man said.

"If you can shoot straight," Jillian said. The man slapped her as hard as he could. Jillian cried out from the surprise and pain of it. A gunshot echoed around them. Turning, the man saw one of his comrads go down.

"How dare you strike a woman," said a very familiar voice. Everything was dead silent. The Green Dragoon moved out from its hiding spot, and surrounded the men and Jillian. Jillian kept her head down. The force of the blow gave her a headache, and it hurt to move it. A hand touched her shoulder.

"My lady," said a strange voice," Don't worry. We'll get you out of this."

Jillian felt her bonds being cut. A Pistol cocked behind her.

"She stays where she is," said her captors voice.

"Sir you are surrounded by half a hundred men," Said Tavingtons voice," I assure you that you will die before you can even pull the trigger on her."

"It takes a few seconds for a man to die after getting shot, and in that time I can shoot her," the man said.

There was a tense silence around the camp. Jillians bonds had been cut down to a single thread. They snapped from the weight of her limp body. Tavington watched as Jillian went down.He knew at that moment that she was scared. Probably more scared then she would ever allow anyone to see.

"Sir you have done enough to this young lady," Tavington said," Drop your weapon."

The man showed no sign of giving up. The rest of his men surrendered without a fight.

"Drop your weapon," Tavington said again. The man kept it aimed at Jillian. One of the soldiers picked up a stone. The man was looking from Tavington to Jillian and back. The soldier then threw the stone as hard as he could. It was a direct hit. The man mans wrist broke , and he dropped the pistol.

"Shoot him," Tavington said. The woods were filled with echoing gunshots. The man stood for a couple of second then dropped to the ground.

"My lady," said the soldier who tried to free Jillian. She opened her eyes," I don't feel very well."

"Bordon," said Tavington," Give her to me." Bordon picked Jillian up and helped Tavington pull her on. Tavy meowed. He was still by the tree.

"Tavy," Jillian said. Bordon borught Tavy to her. Tavington kicked his horse into a light trot. He had done it. He saved Cornwallis's niece.

About an hour into the trip back to the estate Tavington began conversing with Jillian," Are you alright?"

"No," Jillian said," I'm not."

"Well you had a rough day," Tavington said.

Jillian didn't say anything. She stroked Tavy under the chin. It was his favorite spot to be stroked.

"Colonel Tavington," Jillian said," Do you remeber when I said that I have gone through every punishment possible?"

"Yes," Tavington said," I remember. That was the same day you pointed out that we were in a war of our own."

"Well I lied," Jillian said. Tavington stared at the back of her head.

"You lied," he repeated. Jillian nodded

"My mother couldn't bare to have anyone lay their hands on me like that."

"I see," Tavington said," I must be honest, if ever you were to be struck by someone it should have been by my hand, not his."

Jillian laughed," I suppose I can't argue with you on that one." The two were silent.

"My uncle," Jillian sid," Is he alright?"

" He will be, once he sees you," Tavington said.

Jillian smiled. Tavington felt a sense of bondage between himself and Jillian. He couldn't remember ever being able to talk to her like this. The estate came into view.

Tavington kicked his horse into a gallop. The Dragoon members on horseback followed siut, and the ones on foot began running. The gates opened for them. Jillian didn't even wait for Tavington to stop the horse. She grabbed Tavy and jumped off, then ran inside.

"Now I think we are getting somewhere," Tavington said aloud.