"Colonel? Colonel, wake up!"
Col. Tavington awoke with a start, nearly knocking his sleeping son off his chest.
"Damn, Bordon, it's just you." he muttered grumpily, re-positioning Braden, who was still asleep on his chest before looking over at Mary to see that she was still asleep.
Capt. Bordon smirked.
"What do you want?"
"Sir, Benjamin Martin, has sent a couple of men here. Apparently, he wants to negotiate the return of his family.."
"This early; it's half past four in the morning. And in this weather?" Col. Tavington asked in an annoyed tone, yawning as rain beat against the windows.
"I believe so."
"Well then, take the men into one of the studies downstairs near Cornwallis' office and I shall meet with you as soon as I am decent."
Bordon nodded and left the room.
Col. Tavington turned to his wife and gently shook her awake.
"William, it's too early. Please, another hour..." she mumbled into her pillow.
"Come now, Mary, wake up. I have to leave for a meeting." said the colonel, shaking her a bit more forcefully.
"Alright, I'm up.." she replied sleepily, rising into a sitting position. "But who in their right mind requests a meeting with you this early?"
"Some rebel." replied Col. Tavington, handing Braden to her. "I don't know how long it will take, but I should be back before breakfast."
Mary nodded vaguely in response, holding her son as she watched her husband struggle into his uniform and queue his hair before leaving the room, closing and locking the door behind him. Then she put Braden back in his cradle and went back to sleep.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Jae, you took the freakin' covers.." Jula mumbled sleepily. "Jae.."
"Give me the cookie.." Jae mumbled into her pillow.
Jula tossed her sister a confused look.
Talking in her sleep... again... she thought before a wicked smile played across her lips.
"JAE!"
"OH MY GOD!"
Jae jumped, falling out of bed and landing on the floor with a loud thud.
"Ow.."
Jula laughed.
"Great, thanks a lot, loser.."
"Whatever.."
Jae rolled her eyes and got to her feet.
"I'm going to my room."
"You do that."
"I will. That way, I won't get scared out of bed."
"Have fun."
"Shut up."
Jae left her sister's room, and was just about to open the door to her room when Col. Tavington came out of his quarters, and walked down the hall towards the stairs at breakneck pace.
Ok, what's up with him? I mean, god forbid he should be up this early in full uniform... Jae thought before smirking mischievously. Hmmm...
"Jula, get dressed!'
"Why? It's not even five yet."
"Look, Col. Jerk Face just came out of his quarters and I want to see what he's up to."
"Who cares if he left his quarters? I'm going back to bed."
"Jula, I'm tellin' you, he didn't look too happy, and it's not normal for him to be up this early."
"Jae, that's probably why he wasn't happy in the first place. It's freakin' early. Now let me go back to sleep."
"Come on, Jula.."
"Don't you learn anything? Or do you have the memory of a goldfish? God, the last time we spied on him, we got busted. What makes you think this will be any different?"
"I don't know, but please, Jula?"
"Go on your own. I'm going to sleep."
"Fine, miss out on all the fun then."
"Okay."
Jae rolled her eyes and left her sister's room, returning to her quarters to get dressed, and then headed downstairs.
Padding softly through the main hall downstairs, Jae spotted a rebel soldier standing outside one of the doors of the studies near Cornwallis' office. He was tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. Jae noted that he looked nervous about something as he tapped his foot lightly on the floor, his eyes constantly wandering as he took in his surroundings.
But what is he doing here?
"Jae?"
Jae jumped slightly and spotted her sister a few feet away from her.
"What are you doing down here? Curiosity get the best of you?"
"Yeah.." Jula grudgingly admitted; then seeing the soldier she asked, "What is he doing here?"
"No idea."
Suddenly, the soldier turned to face them and asked, "Who are you, and what are you doing up so early?"
Jae raised and eyebrow and a slight look of disgust crossed her face as she said, "Well I might ask the same.."
"My name is Wade. That is all the information I can give you."
"Fair enough." Jae replied.
"And your name is?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Jae replied in a suddenly grumpy tone, her fatigue finally beginning to catch up with her.
Jula glared at her, ribbing her with her elbow.
"My apologies sir-"
"Jula!" Jae hissed, but her sister ignored her.
"This is my sister, Jae, and my name is Jula."
The soldier nodded and asked, "So, what might I ask, brings you to Middleton Place?"
"That", Jae stated in a flat tone, slightly offended by his seemingly prying nature, "is classified information and someone like you should know better than to ask about it and expect to receive an answer."
"God Jae, what is up with you?" Jula snapped. "I understand your point, and I totally agree with it, but you're just being rude.. are you PMSing?"
"No!" Jae shot. "I just don't want to get hanged!"
Jula was about to remark but suddenly the door opened next to where Wade stood and a very smug looking Col. Tavington stalked out, followed by an almost equally smug Capt. Bordon and...
Gabriel Martin? Jae thought. Pretty Boy? Here? Why?
"Bordon, show them out." ordered the colonel smirking maliciously at the two rebel soldiers, his icy eyes lingering especially on Gabriel Martin; then, spotting Jae and Jula, his eyes narrowed slightly.
"You two, back upstairs."
Jae and Jula nodded and began to leave; but before they were completely out of sight, Jula turned her head to see Wade staring at her as the captain began to escort them out and gave him a small smile which he returned before the two went in separate directions, Jula up the stairs with her sister while Col. Tavington followed closely behind, and Wade, out the door with Bordon and Gabriel Martin.