Just as Jae had hoped and planned, things did go uphill for the situation she was in; although Gen. O'Hara still continued to call on her frequently, his demands for her slightly lessened and in this, she found a bit more time to rest and work efficiently on the lessons that Lady Tavington had assigned. Even Col. Tavington seemed to notice a change in her mood, and finally decided not to question Jae any further on whatever was going on with her unless anything other than what he had already seen surfaced, which took a great deal of stress off the latter's shoulders, yet still, the tension between the two remained.
"Hey Jae," Jula called her sister over to her desk while re-writing a summary that Lady Tavington had corrected and given back to her; "Why did she mark 'favor' as being misspelled?"
"Because 'favor', for them, is spelled f-a-v-o-u-r." Jae replied.
"But that's not how it's spelled in modern days-"
"Correction, yes, it still is, in British spelling."
"But-"
"Just correct it; besides, we're not supposed to be learning anything modern/American anyway."
Jula rolled her eyes and scowled.
"This is going to take me forever 'cause apparently, my paper is full of 'spelling errors'-"
"Which is kind of dumb, considering the fact that we were drilled on these words like a million times, and besides, the British spelling is easy."
"Whatever, it's easy for you, Miss I-Got-A-Perfect-Paper."
Jae rolled her eyes.
"You'll get it, Jula, it just takes some time. Besides, I'm older than you. But still, there was no excuse for the spelling."
"Shut up."
Jae chuckled.
"It's not funny."
"Really?"
"Jae, stop being a butt."
"Oh come on, Jula, I'm just givin' you a hard time."
"Fine."
"Alright, I'll help you with your paper. But then, you have to come riding with me."
Jula groaned.
"I don't want to go riding, and besides, I think I might have work to do."
"Jula, do you want me to help you or not? And besides, you know we're not allowed to go riding by ourselves on the grounds."
"Then ask the colonel."
"Can't, he's at camp filling out reports and drilling his men, remember?"
"Alright, I'll see if I can! But I can't make any promises; I told Lady Tavington that I would watch Braden today so she could have some time to herself."
"Whatever, just try to be there."
"I'll try, but don't kill me if I'm not."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thirty minutes later, Jula's summary had been re-written, so Jae headed out to the stables, but just as she stepped outside, she was stopped by Col. Tavington.
"I thought you were at camp."
"I was, but I had to retrieve some more reports that I left in my quarters. Where you going?" he asked in a slightly tight voice.
"Riding." Jae replied simply.
"Where is Jula?"
"Don't know.. she's supposed to meet me in the stables, that is, if she has the time."
"And if she doesn't?"
Jae shrugged.
"Jae, you know that you are not to go riding alone."
"I know-"
"Then you promise me that if you cannot find a suitable escort, you do not go riding."
"Alright!" Jae snapped.
Col. Tavington's eyes narrowed and Jae responded with a glare of her own.
"I'll see you later." she murmured, and continued on to the stables.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey Phantom..."
Jae stepped quietly into the stables and walked over to the black gelding that her sister usually used for riding and patted his nose. He nickered in response but then let out a shrill scream as Asmodeus, who was in the stall next to his, reached over and bit him hard on the neck.
"Easy Phantom, it's alright, boy, calm down." said Jae soothingly before turning to Asmodeus and muttering, "Jerk.."
The large chestnut stallion snorted derisively and lifted his head arrogantly into the air, giving the barrier between his and Phantom's stalls a hard kick as if to reinforce his superiority.
Just like his master...
Once Phantom had calmed down enough, Jae stepped into his stall and quickly looked him over to see if he was all right, and finding that he was, she decided to take him out of his stall, away from Asmodeus, to the back of the stables and wait for her sister there.
Five minutes passed, then ten; after fifteen minutes of waiting, Jae grew impatient.
Fine, I don't care what the colonel said, I'm going on my own...
Walking back toward Phantom's stall, Jae grabbed his tack while dodging a couple of lunges from Asmodeus, and returned to the gelding at the back of the stables, quickly saddling him up, and made her way towards the back of the estate, when suddenly, she spotted Col. Tavington striding towards the stables where she had left only moments earlier, looking like he was on the warpath.
Shit, shit SHIT!
Quickly digging her heels into Phantom's sides, Jae sped off at breakneck pace, praying that the colonel hadn't spotted her.
Unfortunately for Jae, Col. Tavington had seen her riding off alone, but was already too upset about a recent 'conference' with Cornwallis after gathering reports from his quarters to deal with her at the moment.
I'll save her for later...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"That was close..." Jae muttered to herself, as she guided Phantom at a walk towards the woods at the back of the estate.
But her relief was short-lived as she spotted Gen. O'Hara on his horse, Percy, coming in her direction, an all too familiar look in his eyes.
Alright, concentrate, consent is the key..make him think her has the upper hand... but I still want to puke...
Just as the general approached her and was about to say something, Jae cut in and said, "May we go further in, please?"
To her surprise, the general nodded and replied, "Certainly."
Gesturing for her to follow him, Gen. O'Hara led her into the woods, dismounting only when the two where a safe distance away from the grounds of Middleton Place, in a very small clearing.
"I suppose this will do." he said simply as he helped Jae dismount. The ground is soft enough.."
Why the hell do you care? Jae wondered, surprised and slightly suspicious of his sudden lack of beastliness, but her thoughts were interrupted by the feel of Gen. O'Hara's hot breath on her neck.
"Such a lovely dress you have on today; it would be a shame to see it get ruined..." he whispered in her ear, carefully removing her dress, along with the rest of her clothing.
"Why do you care about my clothes?" Jae retorted. "You never did before."
"Oh, I don't. In fact, it's harder for me to recognize you when you're wearing them." Gen. O'Hara remarked lewdly.
"You bastard..."
"Oh come now, darling," the general chided softly, taking hold of Jae and easing Jae down onto the ground while managing to undress himself at the same time; "you consented to me without so much as a a single fight; it's only right for me not to be rough on you this time."
"Liar." Jae replied with a glare as he climbed on top of her.
"Jae, if consent is the name of this new game that you play, then I will play as well.. besides, there are other reasons to my... leniency.."
"Oh, really? Like what?"
Gen. O'Hara rolled his eyes.
"Just hush your mouth and kiss me." he growled impatiently as his head began to swim with the other reasons.
You feel for her... a voice inside his head chided.
No, I don't! another voice yelled back.
Then why so gentle this time? the first voice asked mockingly.
Stop this at once! It's only for business... and pleasure...
Your affections will go unreturned, and you know that...
Gen. O'Hara growled, his thoughts becoming too overwhelming for him to handle, and he pulled away from Jae.
"Something the matter, General?" she asked.
"I'm sorry, but it appears that I've let my thoughts get to me, and I'm too distracted to continue."
"Very well." Jae replied, puzzled and relieved at his wanting to stop.
Gen. O'Hara nodded and lifted himself off of her, pulling her off the ground and helping her get dressed before dressing himself and mounting his horse. Then, he guided her out of the woods and back to the estate.
A/N: Alright, who thinks this has gone on long enough and wants O'Hara to get his butt kicked? I know, stupid question, and I'm probably going to get pitchforks for it, but technically speaking, it has only been seriously going on for nine chapters. Anyway, review, and tell me what you think. Thanks!
-S.R.