Hey! So I apologize for taking FOREVER to update this story, but here you go another chapter! Sorry my life has been very busy but I promise to not leave this as one of the various unfinished stories on this site! I will definitely finish this! Even if it means that it is finished years from now as I lay on my death bed. It will get completed! I hope you enjoy this chapter and that it is worth some of the wait. There is a little bit of a cliff hanger, but I plan on updating soon so that you're not left hanging for too long. That does not mean I am going to promise to update more often. I just promise to update the next chapter soon. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter and have it in your hearts to forgive me for taking forever to update this story!
I do not own Liberty's Kids or any of it's characters.
James head jerked to his right seeing a convoy of British Redcoats freeze at the noise looking nervously around. The convoy had obviously been trying to stealthily travel through the forest, but sadly this had been deterred by a young solider stepping on a twig. After a few moments the leader of the troop waved his hand signaling it was safe to continue. The troop slowly began to walk forward with an older solider lightly smacking the young solider on the shoulder for stepping on the twig.
James then turned back to his men and found them all looking at him waiting for the signal to attack the convoy. James held up a hand signaling them to wait a little longer and returned his attention to the convoy that had moved a little further down the path with the leader almost standing in front of James. When the young solider that stepped on the twig was positioned in front of him James moved his hand forward in a slashing movement signaling his regiment to attack. His men lunged forward yelling and causing ciaos.
The British convoy spun around in surprise taking in the men jumping out at them from all sides and clumsily attempted to ready their muskets. James joined his men jumping out into the open his musket already in the ready position and shot hitting the leader square in the chest causing him to fall to the ground, most likely never to rise again. His men followed the same method of attack shooting at any Redcoat they could get a clear shot of. The Redcoats, those still standing, were finally getting their muskets in control and retaliating but it was too late.
James watched as one by one the Redcoats standing began to decrease, but his attention was caught by the young solider that had stepped on the twig. The poor solider was spinning around obviously in fear clutching his musket to his chest a look of terror on his face. James felt a wave of sympathy for the poor solider that did not appear ready for the Revolution, but found himself in the middle of it. Suddenly the older solider that had smacked the young soldier's shoulder was next to the young soldier grasping the young soldier's shoulders and began to shake him. The older soldier was obviously trying to get the younger soldier's head into the issue at the moment, but it was too no avail as the younger soldier just stood there shaking his head as if begging to not be there. Suddenly the older soldier went tense with his shoulders raising up and then he slumped to the side falling to the ground a redder spot appearing on the back of his uniform. The younger soldier's face became one of pain and terror as he let out a cry and sank to his knees next to the older solider. The younger soldier grasped the older's shoulder and began to violently shake him as tears streamed down his face.
James felt his heart pang in sorrow as he watched the young soldier grieve and turned away from the scene. As he turned he saw one of his men had his musket up and pointed toward the grieving soldier preparing to make the shot. James was not sure what overcame him in the moment, but the next thing he knew he was dropping his musket and running towards the young soldier grabbing his head and cradling it to his chest pushing them both to the ground. However, before he hit the ground James felt a sharp pinch hit his shoulder causing him to grunt in pain. He shook it off though knowing that his regiment needed him as did the young soldier whose life he had just saved. James pushed himself back up keeping all his weight on his uninjured shoulder and looked down at the young soldier he had pushed down. He looked into the scared face of a young boy and found Sarah looking back up at him. Not literally mind you, but the similarities make it seem so. The boy had flame red hair and green eyes, that were filled with tears. Before James could say anything to the boy however he was being lifted up by his arm and turned to see two of his men helping him up. He smiled at them and said, "Thanks." They all looked at him like he was crazy and he looked around noticing that all of the Redcoats in the convoy were down, either dead of injured. He then looked down at the uninjured boy and put his hand forward to help him stand. The boy looked at the hand for a few seconds and then hesitantly put his hand in it. James lifted the boy back to his feet and gave him a pat on the back. Unable to contain their confusion any more one of James' men asked, "What the heck was that? Why did you save that lobster back!" The young boy flinched and backed away visibly curling into himself. James shook his head and turned to address his men.
"This young boy did not appear to want to take part in this attack, nor does he appear ready to be fighting in this war." James said putting his arm round the boy's shoulders, "Thus I deducted that he was an innocent and we do not kill innocent people."
"But he's a Redcoat!" One of his men explained pointing at the boy. James rolled his eyes and nodded his head.
"Yes he is a Redcoat in uniform, but if any of you were paying attention you would see he was not using his musket, heck I don't even know if he knows how to use it. It did not appear he knew how to." James said chuckling and looking over at the boy. The boy blushed and looked down embarrassed. This caused the men in his regiment to chuckle as well.
"Since he clearly was not a danger I thought it would be fine to keep him alive. Don't you agree?" James said looking at his men and lifting a blond eyebrow. His men all muttered agreements smirking at the young boy.
"Right then." James said nodding his head, "Then let's head back to camp. Take any of the injured back to camp to be treated before becoming prisoners." His men nodded and began to help the injured Redcoats stand up and heading back towards their camp. James looked over at the young boy he had his arm around and found the boy looking down at the older soldier that lay dead at their feet. The boy's face was blank but James could see the pain in his eyes.
"You okay?" James asked in a low voice nudging the boy with his arm. The boy slowly lifted his head to meet James' eyes and gave him a sad smile and nodded.
"Yah." The boy said looking back at the soldier, "That was my cousin."
"Ah." James said nodding his head in understanding, "I'm sorry for your loss. What was his name?"
"Samuel." The boy said tears beginning to form in his eyes that he tried to wipe away, "He always was looking out for me and helping me, especially when I got put into the army. My parents thought it would be a great honor for me to serve and that it would help me become more courageous. All it did was make me more nervous though. I never wanted to be a soldier. I never wanted to come fight this war. I don't care about this war. I just want to be back safe at home, in my library reading. But I'm here instead and now Sam is dead. Sam did everything he could for me while we were in training, protecting me from the other men and helping me complete my tasks. But now he is gone and he died trying to protect me, again. God why is it not me dead! I should be the one on the ground not him. He was such a strong and good soldier while I'm nothing but a wimp." The boy couldn't hold his tears anymore and they began to stream down his face again. James his own eyes begin to tear up upon hearing the boy's story but knew that crying was not what the boy needed. So he turned the boy away from the body making it so the boy was facing him.
"Listen to me, this is not your fault. You deserve to live just as much as Sam did. In fact, I'm pretty sure Sam would be happier that you're alive. He wanted to protect you right? Well he did. He protected you as best he could. He wanted you to remain untarnished from this Revolution and he has. You haven't killed anyone and if everything goes right you never will have to. You will be safe. I will make sure you are safe and that Sam did not die for nothing. Do you understand me? I'm going to get you out of this so you need to stay strong. Just for a little bit more okay? Sam would be proud of you. He would be happy that you are getting out of this war. I don't think he wanted you to be a part of this." James said looking into the boy's eyes. The boy still sobbing nodded his head. James gave the boy a sad smile and brought him in for a hug.
"Let it out." He said rubbing the boy's back and the boy did crying with all his might into James' shoulder. The two stood there for a few moments until the boy's tears had been all spent before finally separating. Then James stuck his hand towards the boy saying, "James Hiller officer of the continental army." The boy grasped his hand and gave a smile replying, "William Philips previously of the British Army."
"Philips?" James asked tiling his head, "Any relation to Sarah Philips?"
"I do have a cousin named Sarah Philips." William said, "I've been told we look a lot alike, but I have not seen her since I was 4 years old."
"That you do." James said smiling, "I know Sarah. Used to work with her at the Pennsylvania Gazette. You know the one owned by Ben Franklin?"
"I have heard of it." William said, "And what a small world for you to know Sarah."
"Yes well you'll find that America is very small. I often am running into people I know." James said smirking, "Now let's head back to camp before it gets too dark seeing as most of my men have already left and the forest is not the safest place to be at night." William nodded in agreement and the two men headed out with James leading the way. The two got to the camp just as the sun was setting and were both very tired from such an intense day.
"Okay we are here." James said gesturing around the camp that they had just entered, "You can stay in my tent since you're related to Sarah so just follow me." He then turned to show William the way to his tent when his vision suddenly became burly before turning black. The last thing James heard before he hit the ground was William's worried voice calling out his name.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! As I mentioned before I will work my hardest at updating at least the next chapter soon and promise to complete this story before I die! Until next time!
~Purplepanda22