October 31st, 1779, Williamsburg, Virginia
Heero Yuy anxiously approached the residence of Governor Thomas Jefferson. He was told that there was a party of some sort going on there and that the governor was expecting him. The rest of the dragoons were encamped in a barracks with the state militia forces that watched over the city. Heero could see the candlelight in the mansion and hear the laughter coming from inside.
Heero walked up to the door and presented his credentials.
"Welcome, Major Yuy." The guard said. "The governor is expecting you."
And with that, Heero was inside. He made his way past the carousing men and giggling society ladies, looking for Governor Jefferson, Relena's uncle. Heero also desperately wanted to see her, and hopefully she would be there.
"Major Yuy." He heard a voice speak behind him.
Heero turned around to see a tall man in a black suit walk over to him.
"Governor Jefferson?"
"Yes. Come; let us talk in a more private place. Please, help yourself to a drink."
Heero took a scotch whiskey from a table, the same type that the governor was drinking, and followed him into his office. Jefferson shut the door.
"Is Relena here?" Heero couldn't stop himself from asking.
"No. I invited her, but the poor girl is terrified to leave her house." Jefferson said with some anger.
Heero clenched his teeth. "I'm going to kill James Greer."
"As much as I'd love to see that happen, Major, I cannot allow you to go on a personal vendetta. The best way to protect Relena is to help me stop the White Fang. That is what General Washington sent you down here for."
"So I'm not allowed to go after him?!"
"Major, I didn't say that. By all means, once you engage the White Fang, if the opportunity is there, hunt for his head."
Heero still didn't look happy.
"Major, all I'm saying is that your emotions must not circumvent your duty. Is that understood?"
Reluctantly, Heero nodded.
"The White Fang is growing, especially on Virginia's western frontier. They have been harassing Patriot homes and stealing their property. Civil strife has indeed broken out.(1) We need to take action and shut them down. I'm sending an expeditionary force against them tomorrow. You will accompany them."
"Who's in command?"
"Colonel Edward Jamison."
Heero sucked his teeth. Jamison was a nice man, but did not have much experience. Heero would have felt much better if he could have the lead.
"Don't worry, you will be second in command and I'll give you as much free reign as possible. You obviously know what you're doing. Good luck with this, the fate of our liberties may be resting upon you."
Heero's eyes hardened and he nodded.
The governor raised his glass, and Heero returned the gesture.
As the two were drinking, the door to the governor's office opened. Relena entered the room, clad in a silver dress. She walked up to her uncle's desk.
"Uncle Thomas, I came."
The governor was surprised. "I'm glad you did. And I'm sure you will be as well. Turn around."
Relena did so, and her eyes instantly widened.
"Hee…ro." She said in disbelief.
Heero smirked at her.
Relena ran into Heero's arms and began to cry tears of joy.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming here?"
"Sorry, but General Washington swore me to secrecy. He was worried about the possibility of any personal correspondence being captured."
"I'll leave the two of you alone now." Jefferson walked out the door with a smile on his face.
"You came…you're here." She squeaked.
"I heard Virginia had a problem known as White Fang. I'm here to fix it. I'm gonna protect you, Relena." He said as he tilted her tear-streaked face up to look at him.
Relena nodded and the two shared a kiss.
"I love you, Heero."
Heero was temporarily at a loss for words. It was obvious that she did and Heero knew it. But she had never said those words explicitly. After answering her declaration with one of his own, the mission in Virginia became that much more important to him. He led Relena out of her uncle's office and onto the dance floor. As Heero held Relena in his arms, he let the mission and his overwhelming rage toward the bastard who had been harassing her subside. He would deal with those things when he set out. For now, it was time to enjoy this moment.
Relena felt safe for the first time in months being held by Heero on the dance floor. Just knowing that he was there was enough to give her strength and keep her going.
"I'm going to protect you now, Relena." He told her again, whispering into her hair.
Relena leaned her head against his chest and savored the moment. When the dance was over, Governor Jefferson beckoned Heero to further confer with him.
"I haven't seen her this happy in months." He smiled.
"Hn."
"I have high hopes for you." The governor continued. "General Washington made the correct choice in sending your company down here."
Heero continued to say nothing, only watching Relena engage in conversation with some of the other ladies in attendance.
"Just get out there, do your job." He continued, and then walked in front of Heero, blocking his view. "And you stay alive." He smiled.
"I'll stay alive." He answered back. "I have to in order to get my hands on that son of a bitch."
"That is true." Jefferson chuckled. "But remember what I told you." He said firmly.
"I'll remember." Heero replied in monotone. "I also have to stay alive…for her."
Heero looked at Relena, whose silver dress was glowing by the moonlight coming through a window. This served to accentuate her golden locks. She had never looked more beautiful to him than she did now.
"I know." Jefferson replied. "Good luck."
Heero nodded to the governor and went back to Relena. She smiled and he led her through the ballroom and outside to the mansion's courtyard.
"The stars out here are so beautiful." She sighed.
"Hn." He responded.
Relena, for the first time in a while laughed out loud.
"I missed hearing that."
Heero smirked and moved in to kiss her, but she stopped him with two fingers over her lips. Heero looked at her questioningly. She nearly smiled, his eyes that blended with the night sky always made her do so, but she had something serious to discuss with him.
"I know what you and my uncle talked about."
"The White Fang."
"No, I mean, one specific member."
Heero didn't quite know what to say.
"I know what you're going to try and do."
"Hn…"
"Heero, promise me that you won't be reckless. Please, don't underestimate him. He's a very unpredictable and dangerous man…"
"I'm gonna make him pay for what he's done to you."
"Heero, please don't go out of your way. Don't put yourself at too much risk!"
Heero smirked and moved closer to her. His eyes showed their mirth. Relena backed away somewhat, but he kept on approaching. Now he was not being fair.
"I'll get rid of the White Fang, and stop him from threatening you. Just believe in me, Relena."
"I do believe in you Heero."
Heero smirked and brought her in for a kiss. They remained relatively silent for the rest of the evening, enjoying one another's presence under the starlit sky. Heero had a long mission ahead of him, perhaps his toughest yet, and Relena's stress was still very much alive, but for now, they pushed those things to the background and spent this meaningful time in good spirits.
November 1st, 1779, Virginia
Heero rode next to Trowa at the head of his company. They had departed from Williamsburg earlier that day and were currently headed toward the area near the frontier where White Fang activities were most heavily reported. The White Fang would emerge from the woods and clash with local Patriot militias, breaking into houses and seizing or destroying property. Attacks such as this were happening all around the state, but the frontier was the biggest hot zone.
"I think we better change formation before we get to the White Fang's stomping grounds." Trowa replied. "Surely they'll be gunning for officers."
"Just like we've done so many times before." Wufei added from a little ways behind them with a grin.
"You're right. It may be better if we were completely dismounted, at least in wooded areas." Heero replied.
"But then that still begs the question of what to do with our horses, because I'm sure the good boys of White Fang will be more than happy to take them off our hands."
"We'll just have to be careful."
The Virginia Militia colonel, Edward Jamison rode up to the two officers.
"We'll set up camp here; it's going to be dark soon. Tell your men to set up their quarters and rest up."
The two nodded and motioned for their men to set up camp. Once the task was done, Heero inspected his men's arms and kit once more. He was paying painstaking attention to detail, something which he heard that his men had been complaining about. It was true that Heero was enforcing harsh discipline, perhaps more so than even when he prepared to face the British regulars. Perhaps his emotions were getting the better of him, as he was greatly anticipating his entry into the fight against the White Fang. Heero watched the sun set in a deep red, accompanied by a reddish orange moon making its routine trip through the sky. Perhaps it was an omen.
Blood would be spilled soon.
November 9th, 1779, Virginia
The column of militia that the governor sent out had reached the small settlement by the frontier. They took a short rest and gathered supplies. Interviews with the settlers revealed that the White Fang had raided and stolen their powder supplies two days earlier. That probably meant that there was a contingent of the loyalist militia nearby. Heero studied the maps of the area very carefully. It was a perfect area for guerilla warfare. The woods of the frontier lay ominously in the distance of several settlements in the area, as was what the Governor had said.
"We'll set up a defensive line around the town and prepare for another attack. They'll be coming for food soon I'm sure." Colonel Jamison declared.
"No, we should attack." Heero immediately objected. "We should go into the woods and uproot them from their base of operations."
"That's too much of a risk! We'll be fighting on the turf that they know!"
"Sir, if we let them come to us, they control the action, they control the pace of the fighting. The attacker always controls the direction that the battle heads in. Trust me, I know guerilla warfare, we need to take the fight to them."
"We'd be putting ourselves at great risk…"
"Trust me." Heero said seriously.
To the colonel's great credit, he assented to Heero's request and prepared the column for march when the morning came.
"I don't think I've ever seen you this focused on anything." Trowa said as he sat alongside his friend in the settlement's tavern.
"Hn. I practically demanded for an attack. It was the right thing to do, but still, I get his reservations."
"We don't even know if he's over there." Trowa cut to what obviously was on his friend's mind.
"Yeah, but any chance I get to crack his skull in, I'm going to take it."
"You know, I hope your vendetta doesn't compromise your command." Trowa said seriously.
"I went over this with Governor Jefferson. I promise you and everyone else that it won't."
"All right. It might do you good to get some rest, you know." Trowa suggested as he got up.
Heero took another sip of beer as he watched his friend leave, and then looked at the table in silence.
November 10th, 1779, Virginia Frontier
The column of militia moved through the woods as stealthily as they possibly could. Men from the community nearby were serving as guides for the expedition. The Gundams hung behind, on foot. Heero had ordered that they leave their horses in stable. It was risky, but each member of the company knew very well that they would be sitting ducks in this environment if they were mounted. He had left Quatre and his Maganacs to guard the town, as they were not a unit for fighting in the woods, and Quatre knew it. Everyone was on edge, wincing at even the occasional snapping of a twig. The column continued its slow, almost agonizing pace.
Suddenly, a flash could be seen nearby followed be a bang. Someone had fired a shot. This one had not hit anything, but it was immediately followed by the woods ahead of them lighting up with fire and black powder smoke. Through the smoke one could see that a couple of the Virginia militiamen lay dead or wounded. In a split second, the militiamen began to fire back.
The Virginia Militia's return fire was largely ineffective, as their assailants were thoroughly covered. Heero ducked low, commanded the Gundams to stay put, and sought out Colonel Jamison. He found him motioning units into position with his saber.
"Put that thing away!" Heero admonished. "They'll spot you easily and concentrate their fire on you!"
The Colonel decided to take his advice, and ducked down to speak with him.
"Listen, this isn't going to get you anywhere!" Heero shouted over the musket fire. "You need to charge them! You fire another volley and then charge, and we'll try to flank them!"
The Colonel nodded toward him and began to gather his men to form another volley line. Heero moved back toward his company.
"Gundams! Be ready to move, and stay low!"
Heero watched carefully, and waited as the militia got into another volley position. As soon as he saw the first flash go off he signaled with his hand for the Gundams to follow him.
"Keep low men! Keep low!" Wufei ordered as they proceeded around the area that the Virginia Militia was currently charging into.
The Gundams moved in a wide arc to try and get at the enemy unseen. It was not unlike the way that the British had outflanked them at Brandywine a few years earlier. The enemy was still very well concealed, and firing at the militia who was charging at them. Duo's well-trained hawkish eyes saw the enemy. He quietly pointed them out to Trowa, who admonished him to not fire just yet.
The state militiamen kept on charging the entrenched White Fang, despite being under heavy fire. Eventually, they got close enough that some of the White Fang were going hand to hand with them, while others tried to fall back to a new firing position.
"Fire!" Heero shouted.
The Gundams rose up and fired into the flank of the White Fang troops that they saw. Their rifles were deadly accurate. The shock of being hit in the side caused many of the White Fang troops, even those that were still concealed to fall back.
"Charge!" Heero ordered and ran forward.
Trowa immediately motioned with his arm to follow. Heero pulled out his pistol and jumped over a nearby log. He ran in close and fired a shot, hitting his target center-mass before his enemy could shoot at him. Heero continued to lead the way, with Trowa and Wufei behind him.
Duo hung back a bit, as he did not like hand to hand combat. He reloaded his rifle on a trot, picking off the first enemy he could get a good aim at with a nasty neck shot. He would keep repeating this tactic. Wufei charged with a fixed bayonet, a type of combat he was quite proficient in. Wufei skewered his enemies, slashing and jabbing as he made his way through the maelstrom. One unfortunate enemy to cross Wufei's path received a slash that went almost all the way across his chest from the razor-sharp point of the bayonet. He fell to the ground, blood mingling with the leaves that littered the ground in line with the autumn season.
The Gundams and Virginia Militia cleared a wall of trees and came across a small clearing in the woods. Duo fired a shot at his target and continued to keep up his pace. Trowa continued to be one of those that led the way, firing his fourth pistol.
Heero was just ahead of Trowa, flashes of muskets on coming from either side could occasionally be seen in his peripheral vision. He ran down a slope and fired his second pistol, scoring another center-mass hit. Heero charged through the clearing and through even more trees and down a hill. When he cleared through he was met by two flashes. He could hear one bullet whizzing by him while another could be heard ricocheting off a tree. Heero charged the assailants as they frantically tried to reload their muskets, but they were shot down before he got there.
Heero looked back to see Duo and Trowa standing on top of the hill with their rifles to their shoulders. He nodded in thanks and continued to charge on. The next enemy that came into Heero's path was met with the tip of his Buster Rifle being slammed into his enemy's stomach, followed by a pistol whip to the temple. Through the chaos and carnage Heero charged, until he came upon the sight of a man with shoulder-length red hair in the distance. Heero recognized the man as James Greer. He was currently viewing the battle in the distance and reloading his musket.
With raging levels of adrenaline, Heero dropped his Buster Rifle and ran toward James. When he was nearly there James could tell he was under attack and turned around. His emerald eyes widened in shock upon seeing that Heero Yuy was there, in the woods, charging at him.
James ducked just in the nick of time as Heero swung the butt of his pistol at him. One second later and it would have smashed his skull. James then ran as fast and far away from Heero as he possibly could. James turned around at what he though was a safe distance to see Heero, seemingly frozen in place, glaring at him. He looked on in shock and trepidation.
Someone tried to ambush Heero from behind in the stare down. Heero instinctively grabbed the attacker's arm and swung him over his shoulder. Heero held on to his attacker and continued to stare at James, pulling out his knife. Heero then jammed it into his assailant's carotid artery without looking at him, focusing only on James. James continued to look on in shock and fear.
Heero snarled at James, his face covered in blood. James was joined then by Alexander and Theodore, followed by some more of the White Fang's forces. They made a hasty retreat, allowing those still in the fight to distract the Patriots from going after them.
1. Many people believe that everyone in America was opposed to British rule and fought against them. This is very much not the case. In truth, the American Revolution was as much a civil war as it was a war against a foreign occupier.