(This fanfic is about the film The Patriot, but for this fanfic to work I have changed a few facts. Firstly, Colonel William Tavington does not die. Secondly, Ben Martin does. Thirdly, and this is the largest difference, the Americans do not win the way and so their country remains in England's clutches of control. So, if you're going to read this fanfic bear in mind these three facts. Now, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It's not very good though as unfortunately the plot is mine.

Also I do not own The Patriot or the characters within it, just so y'all know.)

Chapter Seven

Tavington and his three followers; ex-soldiers who had served under his command, entered the forest on their horses. They went slowly, not wanting to miss anything. They knew she was hiding.

Each man was looking in different directions. Eventually they passed under the large tree Susan was in.

She clasped her hand over her own mouth and nose. She didn't want to make a single noise. If she didn't, she knew they'd pass right by her and leave. Then she'd be able to climb down and escape in the opposite direction.

Unfortunately for her though, a spider crawled right onto her, and despite being a tomboy for several years, she still had very strong arachnophobia.

Susan screamed and began shaking her leg, trying to get this large spider off of herself. In doing so, she fell off the tree branch. She didn't fall out of the tree, as she probably would have broken her neck if she'd done so, but she did fall onto one of the lower branches.

The men looked up as they heard a scream and saw a figure drop down from one branch onto another. The figure hung on the branch, torso on one side, legs on the other.

It was Susan Martin.

"Thank the lord for creating spiders." Tavington announced as he rode his horse over to the tree. He noticed the spider on her, and realised why she'd screamed.

Susan quickly righted herself on the tree branch, pulling her legs up so Tavington wouldn't be able to grab them and pull her out of the tree. She brushed the spider off her and shivered.

"Come down Susan." Tavington ordered, looking up at her. She was still beautiful. She would be his.

"Never." Susan hissed, hugging the trunk tightly. She released it when she noticed it was covered in several large spiders. She screamed again, and lost her balance. She fell out of the tree.

Luckily, or unluckily, she landed in Tavington's arms which were outstretched, awaiting her. He caught her.

"You've made me a very angry man, running away like that. Your family paid dearly for your mistake." He said calmly.

"You're a liar!" she screamed "Let me go…now!" she tried to get out of his arms and onto the ground but was unable to. Tavington's men brought their horses over to Tavington's and surrounded them.

"What makes you say I'm lying, my dear?" he asked maliciously, his eyes glinting.

Susan shivered in his arms…maybe he wasn't lying after all.

"My family left. I gave them orders to run away." She told him. "You couldn't have punished them. They weren't there."

"How do you know they left?" Tavington asked, although they had done so.

"I don't. I just know they wouldn't have stayed." She explained.

"Well, you're right. They didn't stay. We came to your home and saw that you'd all gone. We immediately gave chase, and after a few hours, we discovered your family had gone to a distant town. We found them and extracted the information we needed; a certain letter you'd left." Susan gasped, they'd read her letter. Tavington continued. "Your family suffered, needless to say. I'm quite amazed it was I who killed your entire family. Your father, all your brothers, your aunt and your sister. Of course, my friends and I had a bit of fun with your aunt and sister first of all, but they died none-the-less." Susan broke down crying. Tavington offered no comfort. "It is of no matter now though. I've got you, and that's all I needed. Now… you're coming with me back to my home." He explained as he urged his horse forward. His men followed silently. "You know Susan….you should have just accepted my offer. Then none of this would have ever happened." He said cruelly, grinning sardonically. Susan felt grief, regret and guilt; a terrible combination.