A Blackmailing Proposal
A/N: Davina Tavington belongs to SteeleRanger; I used her with permission, and she is not to be used anyone else without permission.
30-year-old Colonel William Tavington rode his horse down the rode, and slowed it to a stop when a white tent came into view. He didn't want to have to ride through the camp, which was full of screaming and moaning men, all of which were wounded and some at death's door. The colonel sighed and urged his horse into a light trot.
"No!" came a terrified voice to Tavingtons left,"Please don't cut! Don't cut!"
Tavington turned his head away from the tent, where the shadow of a large blade lowered and began sawing at the mans leg. His fearful and pleading moaning turned to agonized screams of pain. If he wasn't losing his leg, Tavington would have thought him a coward.
"I'm glad to see you've finaly made it." a voice said somewhere below him.
Tavington stared down the right side of his horse and found his superior, Lord General Cornwallis staring up at him in an irritated fashion.
"Well are you going to come in, or are you going to continue sitting there like a useless lump?" Cornwallis squawked; he turned and disappeared inside the tent.
Colonel Tavington bit his tongue as he jumped down from his horse. What he wouldn't give to boot Cornwallis in the ass just then!
"Sit down Colonel." Cornwallis said; Tavington sat down next to a very steamed looking General O'Hara.
"The General has just told me something,Colonel." Cornwallis said. "It was something rather humorous."
" Really sir?" Tavington inquired.
"Yes," Cornwallis replied, "tell me, have you ever heard of a group called the Briquet De Vou?"
"It's Vie sir, and yes I've heard a thing or two."
"He believes in them!" Cornwallis blurted suddenly. "A child's fairy tale and he believes it!"
Out of the Corner of his eye, Tavington saw O'Hara's face go brick red.
"Well," Cornwallis said when Tavington didn't laugh, "what do you think of that?"
Tavington didn't answer.
"You're safe now" ..."Rest now, young Tavington"...
That same voice rang in his head. He had never forgotten it, but still refused to ever believe it had been real.
"You've got to be joshing me." the Lord General's flat, irritated voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Two fully grown men still believing in one of the most ridiculous children's fairy tales ever told!"
No one said anything.This was rather embarrassing for Tavington, for he did and didn't believe in them.
"Fine," Cornwallis said, "Tavington, go and catch one for me. You have five days."
"Do what?" Tavington asked.
"Find a Briquet De Vou and bring it to me." repeated Cornwallis simply.
Tavington's mouth fell slightly open; quickly regaining himself, he replied, "Milord, with respect sir, it's Briquet De Vie, and why are you not asking Gen. O'Hara to capture one?"
"Well, Colonel, I do believe it is you, who has the sort of tactics that would be required for this sort of a request. And besides, you wouldn't want your men to find out that you believe in a fairy tale being, would you? I mean, you're an elite soldier..." Cornwallis explained, a cruel smirk turning up the corners of his mouth.
Col. Tavington inhaled sharply, beginning to get annoyed with his superior's blackmailing proposal, but he was unwilling to risk, his dignity being soiled by anyone other than himself, so turning back to Cornwallis, he nodded.
"Very well sir, it's done."