The Surf Between The Waves
Chapter One: The Servant


Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Patriot. I do own Christiana Ivie Ruther and Mister Hawkins, though.

Summary: I, Christiana (Ivie), am not afraid to admit my faults or my dislikes and during this war I made many mistakes. Giving in when I should have been fighting, running off when I should've been protecting, arguing when I should have been helping, and loving when there was no love in return. None of which I am proud of. This is my story, the story of a woman who tried her chances at life and failed miserably, but came out standing nonetheless.

AN: Okay, this is the first Patriot fanfic that I have ever written, so please go a little easy on me. I promise, for those of you who are square against the Tavington capturing and wooing a lovely helpless woman and then falling deeply in love with her, this is not one of those fics. Though you may believe it seems that way I assure you it is most definitely not! I absolutely love the way Tavington's character was composed and would not change that for the world. Now that that is out of my system, Hello there and thank you for taking the time to read my story! My name is NeOnShArPiE and I am completely open to any suggestions you might have as long as they are constructive criticism and not: OMG your story sucks! I detest those....

AN2: I'm sorry this chapter is so short, it's just I wanted to give you a taste of what this character was like before I divulge you into a mile long chapter. Many of you would probably agree that is the way to go, so without any further hold up here is the first chapter. By the way Christiana is pronounced (Chris-tea-ana).

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I, Christiana Ivie Ruther, am probably nothing more than a peculiar peasant in your eyes. Perhaps even a thorn in your side on good days, but most of the time I am the bundle of your troubles all collected into one. I suppose it started a while ago when I worked my father's land, I was the youngest out of thirteen and to him it really didn't matter if I became a woman or not. I was worthless to him, in other words.

I grant you that he had it out for me ever since I was born, that man had a hot head and being the youngest and weakest out of the other twelve made me vulnerable. Not to mention the unlucky number thirteen! At fifteen I was still alive, but barely, my folks decided to sell me off to a nearby plantation owner for a mere five shillings. FIVE SHILLINGS! With that agreement I became someone else's nuisance, and I was a nuisance. I made sure that they knew I had no desire being with them. Well as the years flew by and the orders of my older siblings drowned out knew voices with new commands flowed in, until I was here in South Carolina.

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"Now Christiana, as soon as you step out of this carriage I expect you to behave-."

"As a proper young lady should, not speaking unless spoken to and minding my pleases and thank yous'. No more than two pleases from me in a day and all the thank yous' I can muster." I recited with mock courtesy rolling my eyes as the plump gentlemen in front of me grabbed at my chin smiling gingerly at my falsely good memory. After all on only took me three years to get it down, I say three years instead of four because the first year of my servant-hood I wasn't permitted speech.

"That's a good gal, now let us introduce you to you're new mistress. Her name is?" His pudgy skin nearly cloaked his beady eyes completely though I knew the man had good sight and I couldn't very well escape with a fort of fabric strapped around my waist.

"Miss Charlotte Selton," I responded crisply wanting nothing more than to run free, for all that awaited me here in Charleston was another cage for me to be locked into. Maybe this cage was gilded but that did not change the idea of myself being locked into it.

"Wonderful, my dear, absolutely wonderful. I promise you that you'll love it here-." As he opened the carriage door he continued to babble on with the same speech he had given to me at every plantation and home I had worked at in the past four years.

I stood in the light of day feeling the warmth of the afternoon sun shinning upon my face. No doubt Charleston would have been just the right candy for my sweet tooth if I were a mere tourist but I wasn't, this was my home. I followed Mister Hawkins up the stairs to the front entrance of this Mistresses humble abode. I tried to picture in my mind what she would look like, perhaps she was an aged spinster who was going blind and deaf, wouldn't that be an easy escape?

Mister Hawkins' body halted suddenly causing my wondering mind to slam face first back into reality as I bumped into him unknowingly. His red face loomed back at me; glaring at me with those deviously beady eyes this was his warning. Though not intimidating I subjected deciding that it was too humid out to cause any large-scale scene.

The front door opened and a young woman with long fair tresses stepped onto the platform. Her smile was wide and pleasant, her eyes were an oceanic blue with hints of green speckled throughout them. "Miss Selton, I presume?" My escort gave a small bow of courtesy to the woman not more than seven years my senior.

"Yes, and you must be Mister Hawkins." Her voice was feminine yet it contained a certain will power to it. "And this must be young Christiana?" She lifted her sights to me; whom did she think she was calling me by my first name? She did not know me!

"Miss Ruther, if you please, my lady." I gave her a small curtsey not wishing to feel Hawkins wrath for rudeness.

"Yes, of course my dear. Please, won't you stay for some tea Mister Hawkins? I had Aster brew some just for your arrival." She motioned with her dainty hand to the parlor backing out of the doorframe for our entrance. Tea? How thoughtful, I mocked among my many other rabid thoughts.

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AN3: Hi there again, hope you enjoyed the first taste of my story. I shall update it again soon, hopefully tomorrow with luck. Anywhoo, please review and let me know your thoughts.