Chapter 8: conspiracy in danger
Another chapter written out of boredom in my grounding! I'm starting to think that I write more when grounded than when I'm not. It's probably because I don't have those pesky rights distracting me.
I'm sorry for the majorly long amount of time it took to get this chapter out, but my computer crashed and my apush teacher assigned us a ton of projects, and my church is doing a giant Christmas pageant (I do have a life, at least sometime). This was going to be a thanksgiving gift, but my Uncle Rudolf's turkey made me go into a food coma. So consider this a black Friday gift, for those of you who were brave/crazy enough to venture outside today.
If I owned liberty's kids, do you think I'd be grounded?
Late March 1775
James pov
James awoke to the sound of stairs creaking. He tried to go back to sleep, but his curiosity won over his desire to sleep a little more. Rising, he put on his dressing gown, and stepped out into the hallway. Greeting him there was Henri
"I was just about to wake you! I heard a noise down stairs. It might be a tory, they've been destroying presses all over town in the middle of the night." Henri spoke in a quite whisper.
James nodded, and they both slowly made their way to the stairs. The last hurtle was the hardest: they had to sneak by Sarah's room without awakening her. Moving at a tenth of their previous pace, they both slowly made their way across the floor, when a creaking floorboard noisily announced their presence. James and Henri both froze in the comical positrons they were in, as footsteps closed in from behind the door.
"Henri, James, what are you two doing at this time of night?" Sarah barked crankily. Unlike James and Henri, who at least had a dressing gown on, Sarah was still in her nightdress. She must have risen straight out of bed.
James shushed her and explained in a wispier "we heard a noise coming from down stairs. We think it's Tories come to destroy the press." Grabbing a nearby candle stick, Sarah joined the motley midnight assailants. Making their way down the stairs, the triad could indeed see two shadowy figures whispering. James made signs for a plan of attack, and they all silently slipped into place. Counting backwards on his figures, he at last reached the time of assault.
Henri pushed over a large stack of paper, blocking the exit. Sarah swung the candle stick, hard enough to knock one of the assailants down. He staggered a little, before tripping over the pile of paper. He cried out, and there was a nauseating crunch sound. James meanwhile ran towards the door, trying to lock it before the other could make escape. Unfortunately, the second figure escaped before James could bar the door.
"Well, we got one. Henri, run and tell Moses what's happened!" he ordered. Sarah lit a candle a brought it towards the invader
"No need to get Moses, you already got him!" Moses bellowed
Sarah pov
Moses sat down in the chair James had brought, and began to explain.
"That man was an associate of my. He and I are mechanics, part of a secret organization, like the sons of liberty or the masons. He was giving me some information, a letter, which, because of my recent injuries, I cannot deliver to a contact. Several lives are now in danger of being lost" Moses paused for a moment, and Sarah felt her heart bound into her throat. She didn't know their dawn escapade would cause so much trouble. He then abruptly snickered and declared,"though I must say you three are probably the most loyal apprentices in all of the empire."
An idea formed in Sarah's head, and before she even time to think it through, she felt herself speaking it. "Moses, since you've been injured, and since James and I are mostly at fault, wouldn't it be prudent if he and I go in your place?" Moses paused for a minute, and then nodded yes.
"I suppose it would be okay. But you two must promise to be extremely cautious. If the wrong people get ahold of that letter, the trees will be strung with people instead of leaves. You two should start preparing to go tomorrow. I had passage to Boston on a ship called the firefly, but you and James will probably be able to use my passage. Captain rogers is a kind person who supports the cause very strongly."
"What about me? What will I do?" Henri inquired.
"You'll be staying here with me. I could use an extra hand to help around the shop, what with the loving injuries Sarah and James have seen fit to bestow upon me. I'll probably need a doctor to look at them in the morning. You'll go along with me while they're packing"
James and Sarah looked sheepishly down at the mention of injuries. After a little more planning (and whining on the part of Henri), Sarah blew out the candle, and they all helped Moses to bed.
They were going to need their rest, Sarah could feel it.
Mid April, 1775
James pov
"Land ho!"
James' heart leapt at the sound of those words. After a week and a half, he was going to get off that accursed vessel. That week and a half was the longest amount of time he'd ever spent off dry land, and he wondered how Sarah put up with the long voyage.
As he made his way to Sarah, James spotted captain Rogers approaching. When all three came together, captain Rogers began.
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but the port of Boston is still blockaded. However, two of my men, Mr. wash and Mr. Book, will take you to land in a row boat. It's the best we can do."
James and Sarah shared a look, and they both nodded. The information that they carried was pressing, and the sooner they got to Boston, the better. They made their way down below to their shared cabin, and gathered up their stuff around the shared bed. Climbing up again, they could see two men, a skinny blonde man and an elderly looking Negro, were preparing a rowboat. The skinny man walked over, took their things, and placed them into the rowboat. Sarah and James climbed into the row boat, and as they waved goodbye, the rowboat slipped into the wine dark sea
The trip to the shore was silently, punctuated only by the slap of the oars into the murky waters. Although it was likely only half an hour, it felt like three. Finally, the men deposited them on a rock-strewn beach. Sarah turned and thanked them they started on their way. The road was a bit better then the highway in Richmond, but they moved at a slower pace without the aid of the horse. Making their way down the path, they nibbled on bread, cheese, and apples. For a while, all was serene, until a clammier of horse's hooves rang out down the road
Sarah pov
After sliding down the slippery slope, Sarah peered out from behind the rushes. Halting in the place where they had had just stood, a group of two dozen British soldiers paused.
"Private, what do you see on the ground there?" the leader order. She and James exchanged concerned looks, as they realized that the meal they had been sharing was strewn across the road. They crouched down even further as the private examined the provisions that lay across the way. The private paused, and Sarah felt her pulse best like a drummer. For a moment, she and the private locked eyes. Then, winking, the private rose and turned back to his leader
"It's seems like some bread and cheese, still warm, no ants, sir. There seems to have been a great banquet here about an hour ago." A few of the newer men stifled laughter, and tiny smiles flickered on the faces of the older.
The sergeant frowned, rolled his eyes and replied," watch your month, Private Kirk, or you'll never rise in rank. Okay men, they couldn't have gotten far, so well, head that way, and try to catch them before they reach town. Move out!" The private took his place at the back of line, and as his company made their way down the street, he waved goodbye.
Sarah and James waited a few minutes before rising out of the ditch.
"My dress! Urgh! This was my favorite dress!" she whined, mostly to herself. She knew it didn't really matter, but it gave her something to focus on and to let out her anger.
"It's just a dress, it's not like it's the only one in the world." James half teased and half reassured her. She knew he had good intentions, but his banter was especially granting at that moment.
"It's not just my dress, it's this whole situation! He knock out Moses in the middle of the night, spend the better part of two weeks on a dirty ship, walk miles and miles down a deserted road, and now this! This whole thing is your fault!" Sarah snapped. She regretted it the moment it left her lips, but there was no going back now.
Expecting another argument, Sarah burned daggers into James' head. For a moment, it seemed like another retort was fore coming from James, but then he stopped and raised his hand. Sarah was taken aback as he lightly positioned a lock of hair from the side of her face to behind her ear. They stood there in silence for an hour-long instant, James with his hand still delicately cradling her face as though it was made of fine china or glass, their eyes motionlessly clasped together. Then, James lowered his hand.
"We should get going. We don't know what's ahead or behind, and this letter needs to be delivered as soon as possible." James reasoned. Sarah couldn't be sure, but it almost seemed as though he didn't want to leave. The disappointed radiated off him like heat from a fire, and his face also seemed to have been touched by the flame.
Sarah and James walked the rest of the way in semi silence, and finally, just as twilight began, they made their way to Boston and their final destination. They walked down the street, and finally came to the address on the letter.
Sarah and James shared an uncertain look, and knocked on the door.
End
Another cliff hanger! I'm on a roll! Although, they're not really cliff hangers if you've seen the show, but the name still sticks. I'm starting to suspect that I'm addicted to fluff, but it's just so addicting! At least this time, Sarah didn't kiss James on the kiss and he didn't blush.
As a total non-sqeuitor to distract you from being mad at the lateness of this update, did you guys know that during the15th century, there was a pope named sixtus the fifth? Pretty weird huh? Anyway, comment and fav, my pretties, comment and fav.